Ladies and Gentlemen start your engines!!!

One of my loves is decorating cakes.
I was asked to make a 5 year old boy race car cake. I had made a cake for him before as a race car cake so I wanted to do something a little different.

I baked 2 8 inch chocolate cakes and 2 8 inch yellow cakes. I placed cut the edge off on all 4 cakes and applied a layer of frosting in between the two cakes. I then butted the cake together.
I set them aside and started to make the track out of Oreo's. I don't like using black frosting it stains hands, teeth and is just a mess.

I used my electric mini food processor and crushed the Oreo's.

I then flat frosted the cake.

I placed two circle shaped bowls on the top and sprinkled the Oreo's on the top to make the top of the cake look like a track.

I placed his favorite race cars on the top of the cake and use a leaf tip and put some grass on the cake. Then with the writer tip I wrote Happy B-day and also put some blades of grass on the top as well. I used blue frosting to make a border around the top and there you have it.

This is an easy way to make it look like you spent hours in the kitchen!!!!

No pudge!! Fudge Brownies

I couldn't believe my eyes... I have been trying all kinds of new things and thought why not??? I wasn't sure how they would be or if I could pass them off as a good brownie. But here goes:

Combine brownie mix and 2/3 cup of vanilla non-fat yogurt together. If you don't have vanilla yogurt use plain with a tsp of vanilla. Mix will be thick.

Grease 8x8 pan (I didn't have an 8x8 so I used a smaller rectangular pan). Bake @ 350 for 20 minutes.

Over course I didn't take a picture of them baked. They were nice and chewy in the center and crispy on the edges (which I love). I had my friend try them that is a chocolate lover he loved them. When I told him they are good for you he was shocked.

I purchased the fudge and a mint flavor I have tried the fudge and I would make it again. I found these at the Christmas Tree Shop I looked at the web site and I don't show any local store's that carry it all the time in my area but you can order them online.

Honey...pizza dough

This is a great recipe for a quick easy pizza dough. I like my crust thick but you can make what you prefer. It baked up nice and golden but soft on the inside. I thought I might use this dough for rolls as well.

Ingredients:

1 packet of yeast

1 cup of luke warm water

1 TSBP oil

1 TSBP honey

2 1/2 cups flour

Direction:



Mix in a small bowl luke warm water and yeast. Once dissolved add honey and oil. **tip measure the oil first so when you measure the honey it will slide right out of the measuring spoon**

Place flour in mixing bowl and add wet ingredients. I used my kitchen aide with the dough hook. Once mixed turn out on counter and kneed until ball forms. Place back in bowl and cover with towel and let rest for 5 minutes.

Place the dough on cook sheet and work with hands until desired thickness. Use any topping you like.

Top with you favorite toppings. I use leftovers try a new kind of pizza. *ranch dressing, leftover steak and cheese*

"H" is for............ & great find

Great find:














Mod Podge- is great!!!! I got it at my local craft store for $3.99 and it is a glue/sealer. You can use it to glue puzzles together or seal paper on wood.......
I saw this project on another BLOG and loved the idea.















First I cut out a square from an old map and of course I used the area in NY that I live in. Also because my HB and I travel a lot in NY on our motorcycle.















Then I used my great new find of Mod Podge and placed the map over the letter H. I then coated the map with MP.














I printed out our name in all different fonts on the computer and made some red and cut and MP them onto the H. I also had some stickers and placed them on as well. I then did one more coat of MP to seal everything in. MP dries clear and adds a protective coat to your projects.

Coming soon......

I was a very busy girl this weekend!! I made several projects and I can't wait to share them with you. I made an apron, honey pizza crust, no pudge fudge brownies and the letter "H". I found a great new craft glue!! WOW it's been a packed weekend. Once I get all the pictures uploaded I will post on everything I did!

April!! New features/ideas

WOW!!! I can't believe it's April. I had mentioned in a previous post that I was going to assign each month a objective...well, I think I am going to keep going on what I have been doing. I think that it has kept me motivated to Blog but I have been making some changes in my life and I feel so good about trying new things.

I am going to start adding some new features such as:

• crafts
• home ideas
• books/reviews
• goals that I would like to achieve

So here goes... to taking a new exciting turn!!!!!

I just came across this cite called http://www.tradingphrases.com/ and it's so cool!!! It has given me tons of ideas. I have looking for new decor in my bedroom for over my bed and I think this is the answer. Before I pay someone else to make a sign I am going to head to my local craft store and see what they have for some vinyl letters and make my own. I also was thinking instead of attaching it right to my wall I would get some wood and paint that and attach my letter/design to the wood so if I wanted to change things up or wanted to repaint or just move things around it would be easier!!

I am also working on some sewing projects and I will keep you posted on those.

Here's to trying new things and putting them out there for everyone to see!!!!

Crispy Peanut Butter Squares

Crispy Peanut Butter Square

3 Tbsp light butter1 spray(s) cooking spray
4 cup(s) Kraft Jet-Puffed Mini Marshmallows, or similar brand
1/3 cup(s) reduced-fat peanut butter
6 cup(s) crispy rice cereal, such as Rice Krispies


Melt butter in a large saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium-low heat.

Add marshmallows, stirring until melted

Add peanut butter and cook until melted. Remove from heat.

Immediately add rice cereal; stir until cereal is coated. Press mixture into a 13 x 9-inch pan coated with cooking spray.

Cool completely. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 18 servings (serving size: 1 square). Enjoy!

Peanut butter adds a creamy, nutty twist to an old favorite!!! I eat a morning snack everyday which consists of a granola bar. I haven't found one that is not to sweet!!!! So, I found this recipe and will make it this week and let you know how it goes.

Love this new treat! I enjoy the peanut butter and the crunchy cereal!

Servings: 18
Prep time: 6 mins
Cooking time: 4 mins

If following WW= 2pts

Beef, Blue Cheese & Spinach Quesadillas

Though not traditional, the combination of blue cheese and spicy beef adds a fabulous flavor to these quesadillas!!!

Servings: 8
Prep time: 12 minutes
Cook time: 16 Minutes

Ingredients:

1/3 cup cooked lean ground beef
2 TBSP toca sauce
4 large burrito-size wheat flour tortilla
4 oz blue cheese, crumbled
10 oz chopped frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Directions:

In a small bowl, stir together beef and taco sauce.

Lay two tortillas on a flat surface and divide beef mixture between them. Sprinkle each tortilla with half the cheese, spinach and red pepper flakes; top each with a remaining tortilla.

Set a large, heavy nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Place one quesadilla in skillet and cook until brown spots form on the bottom of tortilla, about 3-4 minutes; flip and cook until brown spots again, about 3-4 minutes. Remove quesadilla to a large cutting board and cover to keep warm; repeat with remaining quesadilla.

Cut each quesadilla into 8 wedges ans serve. Yields 2 wedges per serving.

If following Weight Watchers= 2 pts!!!

We both enjoyed the quesadilla's. I made them for lunch on Saturday I did make some changes. I only made one and split it with Carl. I used all the meat for one and only 1/2 of the blue cheese. Carl thought it would be great with chicken, franks red hot and blue cheese!! What a great idea! I think we will try that later this week. I was worried about the whole wheat tortilla but you couldn't notice!

***So you know me not a BLOG expert (yet) I had great pictures.... I deleted them on my computer before I posted them!!!! Silly me***

Chicken Nuggets/Strips- HG

Ingredients:
6 oz. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (raw); cut lengthwise into 5 strips
1/2 cup Fiber One cereal
1/4 cup Egg Beaters, Original
1/4 tsp. Lawry's Garlic Salt
pepper (to taste)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place fiber one in food processor crush until a breadcrumb constancy

Place breadcrumbs in dish with garlic salt and pepper in one small plate and egg beater in a small dish.

Next, coat chicken with egg beaters then breadcrumbs. Place chicken on sprayed pan with nonstick spray. Spray light mist of nonstick spray on top of chicken. Place in oven cook for 10 minutes turn chicken spray again and cook for another 8-10 minutes. Serves 1

I made chicken nuggets instead of strips either way they aer great!!

Serving Size: 5 pieces (entire recipe)
Calories: 240
Fat: 3.25g
Sodium: 805mg
Carbs: 26g
Fiber: 14g
Sugars: 0.5g
Protein: 42.5g

*4 Points