~Easy Homemade Valentines for Boys (and Girls)~

Well, now that Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Cancun, my birthday and the Super Bowl are over I am going to try to post less food.  Maybe once a week, maybe not.  I just don't know.  I feel like I have become a cooking blog and I want to be an EVERYTHING blog.  I don't ask for much, do I? 

I am in the working or thinking process of several projects.  I'll be honest, most of them are in the thinking process but that is because I am so indecisive that I just can't make up my mind.  I'm like that a lot. 

One thing I need to work on right away is valentines.  I usually buy them when they go on sale.  Like the 75-80% off sale........or more.  I'm cheap and I'm not ashamed to admit it.  I don't buy the ones with candy.  They cost more.  I buy the simple, plain ones that might come with a sticker that is meant to hold them shut but since they are so cheap they really don't do that well either.  This year is different though.  I am going to MAKE them.  That's right.  You heard me.  MAKE them.  You can hold the applause for my awesome greatness until later;)

I did some research, on pinterest and google, and found two designs that my boys really liked.  Little D was so cute and wanted to make super hero ones for the boys and flowers for the girls.  What a sweetheart.  N didn't care what the girls wanted and decided that everyone was going to get the same thing because he thought they were awesome.  That is totally fine with me as well. 

My goal in doing this was for it to be easy, fun and to be able to do it in one day.  Under two hours total would be an added bonus. 

Step one:  Buy any supplies I needed
    Glow stick bracelets (found at Michael's or the dollar store for.....$1 for 15.  I bought two and will    
    have leftovers.
    Blow Pops.  I went crazy with these because they weren't on sale and were $2 a package and I had
    to buy 2 packages.  Don't worry.  I didn't break the bank and I think we can still keep our electricity
    on.
    Card stock in white and multi colored construction paper.  I had this so I'm saying it's free even
    though it technically is not.  But since other bloggers like to say "Oh, I had this huge pile of wood
    to build a new headboard and upholster it with fabric that I bought last week, so this project was
    free." I'm going to as well.
    Computer, printer, ink, markers.....ah. you get the picture.

We'll start with the Star Wars themed Valentines.



    Here is the link to get the light saber handle printable.
    Print off as many of these as you need
    Punch a hole where the light saber comes out
    Push your glow stick bracelet through and tape it down on the underside.  
    DONE!!!  That was SUPER easy and great for boys!!!

Super Hero themed Valentines:

To make these I used my Cricut.  I made the cape by taking a pentagon and stretching it out in my "sure cuts a lot" program.  I actually cut these out myself because I was away from home at the time, but if you are home let the machine do the work.  I created the mask by using circles and rectangles and shrinking them down to the desired size and "welding" them together so it would cut them as one whole piece and not individual pieces.  Make sure all the shapes are overlapping slightly or it will still cut them as individual pieces.

More hot glue, a marker to create the eyes or lenses and WALLAH!!!  These were the most time consuming, but honestly, Most of the time spent was creating the mask and getting it just right. 

Onto the Flowers:

Again, I used my cricut.  It makes everything easier.  OK, maybe not cleaning.  I'm sure they are working on one that can do that as well though.  I took a heart shape and stretched it to the size I wanted.  Then I had them cut out on different colors of paper.  Hot glue four hearts together, punch a whole in the center, hot glue (love that stuff) the sucker to the "petals" and DONE!!!  I don't think it can get much easier.  I think I will even make valentines next year too.....maybe may day baskets, and something for St. Patricks day.  OK, I'm getting a little carried away now.

I seriously had so much fun making these and there are SO many different ideas for homemade valentines on the web, so don't be afraid to look, find and CREATE!



   

   

~Superbowl Snacks~

OK.  This really IS about the Super Bowl.  I must face the fact that I have to share my birthday this year.  I'm OK with it.  I shared my wedding day with the Iowa, Iowa State football game.  All eyes were not on the bride that day.  Oh well.

What would a good football game be without some REALLY good food.  To the guys, it's still a good football game.  The food just makes it great!  To the girls, well, it's just another game.  That is if you are like me:)

For our Super Bowl we have made Creamy Chicken Taquitos, found here, potato skins, recipe to follow, bought buffalo wings, it is my birthday you know, and I am taking some of my red velvet cupcakes, if they stay here I will eat ALL of them.  My thighs will thank me later.

Recipe for Potato Skins:  Serves 20
You will need:

10 large russet potatoes

salt and pepper

10 -15 slices bacon (cooked until crisp and chopped) I used an entire package.

3 -4 cups cheddar cheese    

6 -7 green onions , finely chopped

sour cream 

Preheat oven to 400*. 
Prepare potatoes for baking by washing, drying and then rubbing them with olive oil. 
Bake for approx 1 hour or until the potatoes are tender.
Cool until able to handle.
Slice Potatoes in half, lengthwise.
Scoop out the pulp, leaving approx 1/2 inch of pulp to help hold the skins together.
Place the skins on a baking sheet, that is sprayed with cooking spray, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Combine your cooked and chopped bacon with your cheddar cheese.
    (you can also add some garlic salt or cayenne pepper to the cheese mixture to add even more flavor)
Evenly divide the cheese mixture into each skin.  (I had some cheese mixture left over and used it with my pulp that I scooped out.)
You can cover at this point and refrigerate for 24 hours or bake them for 25 minutes or until the skins are crisp and the cheese is melted.
Top with the sour cream and green onions.

I prepared these yesterday and will bake them when I get to my party.

By the way......  GO GIANTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~Superbowl Sunday?~

You may have noticed that I have been gone for a week, or two.  My husband and I took a MUCH needed trip away to celebrate our 10 year anniversary.  We went to Cancun and it was simply fabulous.  I just downloaded the pics and am still experiencing Cancun homesickness.  I REALLY wish we were still there.  I can still smell the food, feel the hot sun shining on me while I lay on the beach.

I did this for 3 days straight!

The other days we were travelling and sight seeing. 

The best part of the trip was that I had my husband ALL.... TO.... MYSELF!!!  I think that is the part I am honestly missing the most. (Insert fussing, tattling kids...ugh)

Now that we are back we get to celebrate something else.  Something on Sunday, which happens to be tomorrow.  Did you guess the Super Bowl?  Well, you are WRONG.  The Super Bowl is trying to steal my thunder this year by being on my birthday.  So, I have decided to celebrate for two days instead of one.  Actually, I tried to get 3 days but my husband thought that was being selfish.  He actually thought 2 days was selfish until he asked if we could take 2 vehicles to our Super Bowl destination, so he could stay later than the kids and I.  When I said no, he seemed much more willing to celebrate me for 2 days.  I am special, you know. 

So, what did I do today.  Well, Big D has been incredibly loving.  That's a great present all on it's own, but I decided to make my FAVORITE cake.  Red velvet cup cakes.  Not from a mix but from scratch.  For the first time EVER.... 

Here's how I did it.

Recipe is from Annie's Eats

Ingredients:

(makes 24 cupcakes)

2½ cups cake flour
1½ cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. cocoa powder, sifted
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1½ cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp. (1 oz.) liquid red food coloring (two of the little red coloring in my pic)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. distilled white vinegar

Note: I ran out of buttermilk before I made the cupcakes but I did find out that if you take 1 Tbsp. of white vinegar and then fill the cup up to the 1 cup mark with milk, then let sit for 5 minutes, you will have a homemade version of buttermilk.

Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese (room temp.)

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter (room temp.)

2 tsp. vanilla extract
2½ cups confectioners sugar, sifted

Add all the dry ingredients together in a medium size bowl and mix together with a wisk.  In a large mixer bowl mix together all your wet ingredients.

Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Oops.  I forgot to list something else you will need.

Cute liners!

Put your liners in your muffin pan and spray with cooking spray.

Fill each liner about 3/4 full.

Bake for 9 minutes in a 350* preheated oven.

Turn pan 180* and bake for 9 more minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes and then move to a wire rack.

For the frosting:

Cream the butter and cream cheese together.

Add the vanilla and mix.

Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar.

Frost and Enjoy!!!

Not that one though.  It's mine;)