Friday, September 27, 2013

Jalapeno Cilantro Ranch Dip

This zesty, creamy dip | sauce | dressing is so versatile.  We dip our tortilla chips and vegetables in it, and I've even poured it over my fajita salad and various BBQ meats.  If you love Chuy's Creamy Jalapeño Sauce, you will LOVE this! 

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Jalapeno Cilantro Ranch Dip Printable Recipe
makes: 2 cups

Ingredients:

1/2 bunch cilantro
1 (1oz.) packet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing
1 (15.5oz.) jar La Costeña "Nachos" Jalapenos {DO NOT use any other brand}
1 (16oz) container Sour Cream 

Directions:

1) Pull off the cilantro leaves as best you can, and discard the stems.
2) In a food processor or blender (LOVE my Ninja!), pour in the ranch, cilantro, sour cream and the entire jar of jalapenos {along with its juice}.
3) Mix together with the blender for about a minute, until well blended.

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This is a quick, easy appetizer to throw together for game days.

What's your favorite dip?


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Sunday, September 22, 2013

Favorite Fall Snacks: PayDay Mix

Today, I turned a Candy Corn hater {my husband} into a fan.  This is such an effortless and addicting treat, and it tastes just like a peanut butter & caramel PayDay.  
Think of it as your Fall Trail Mix!

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PayDay Mix (courtesy of my mom) Printable Recipe 
makes: 3lbs.

Ingredients:

1lb. package Candy Corn
2lbs. salted peanuts

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Directions:

1) Mix together the peanuts and candy corn.  Enjoy!  I store my stash in one of these glass, gallon jars.

What are some of your favorite Fall treats?

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Thrift Store Finds: From Fugly $3 Wreath to A DIY Monogram Front Door Showpiece

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Last weekend, I had the pleasure of co-hosting a Wedding Shower with my sister, for our soon-to-be sister in-law.  I found a ton of great ideas on Pinterest - several made their way into the festivities.  One of the things I stumbled upon was this wreath:

source: Becca Wong of EternalWreaths

for $70

Seventy dollars for door decor was not within our budget.  Even if it was, spending that much on a wreath just doesn't sit well with me.  I found Diane's tutorial on creating a monogram wreath from foam board and went for it.  Her tutorial gave the option of using Photoshop or Microsoft Publisher - neither of which I had, so I used Microsoft Word instead, and created a walk-through for you all.

What you'll need:

Monogram Printout {design tutorial here}
Foam Board
Transfer Paper
Hot Knife {I use this one}
Hot Glue
Wreath
Spray Paint - glossy black
Flowers of Choice

I found this wreath at Goodwill for $3, took it home, and plucked off all of the not-so-cute flowers.  Next, I covered it with $1 glossy, black spray paint.

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While it dried, I took my Monogram printout and laid a piece of transfer paper over top.  I traced the monogram onto the paper, and then taped the transfer paper to the white foam board.  Using the hot knife, I carefully cut out the monogram.

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Fishing line was used to carefully hang the monogram from the wreath.  We purchased two $6 sprigs of Delphinium from Joann Fabrics, pulled off the buds and hot glued them onto the wreath.


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Not bad for less than twenty bucks, huh?

What favorites have you saved from thrift stores?


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DIY Monogram Wreath Prep Work: Designing Your Foam Monogram for Less

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You're at the right place, if you read this tutorial for making a Monogram Wreath, and need help making your actual printout.
Download the Monogram KK font here.  Open Microsoft Office Word, click on the "Page Layout" tab, and select "Landscape" from the "Orientation" button.

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Under the same "Page Layout" tab, select "Narrow" from the "Margins" button.

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Go to the "Home" tab, select "Monogram kk sc" from the drop-down box, change the font size to 365, click the "B" below, to bold your font, and center the paragraph {the one highlighted above the word "Paragraph"}.

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Type out the initials you want, and take a screenshot {I use Jing} of each individual letter, saving the three files to your computer - leave MS Word open for later.  Go to Pixlr, a free website {no sign up necessary}.
Select "Pixlr Editor" and then "Open image from computer".

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Locate the first letter that you saved, highlight it and click "Open".

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With the first image open, click "Layer", and then "New Layer".

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Double click the padlock icon, until it changes to a check mark.

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Drag "Layer 0" until it's above "Layer 1"


Select the wand tool.

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Click your wand within a white space, so you see a moving, dotted outline around it.

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Hold down the Ctrl button on your keyboard and then tap the letter "X", to cut the selected area.  Notice the gray & white checkerboard?

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Repeat this process, until all of the white space is removed.

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Go to "File" and select "Save".

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Keep the original name as before, and ensure the format is set to "PNG".  Click "OK".

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Click "Yes", when it states that the file already exists and asks if you want to replace it.

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Close out the first letter's window, by clicking the X.  When it asks you if you want to save the image before closing, click "No".

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This window will pop up again.  Select "Open image from computer", follow the same steps again for the two remaining letters, removing the white parts, and then save them.

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After saving the three individual letter files, go back into MS Word, and delete the letters you typed earlier.  Click the "Insert" tab and select the "Picture" option.

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Check the box for each of the three files you saved earlier, and click "Insert".

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Once you've added the three images, click on one to outline it.  While highlighted, under the "Format" tab, click "Text Wrapping" and then "Square".  Click on the remaining images and repeat.

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Drag the letters around, until they're arranged in the right order.  Expand the size of each letter, and ensure the outside letters overlap the middle one.

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Double check that your letters are proportional and as big as possible, without going past your print margins.

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Print your masterpiece.  You're ready to go to the next step and continue with your wreath.


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Thursday, September 19, 2013

Quick Mini Crescent Cinnamon Rolls

Crap, I really wish I hadn't found these.  I stumbled upon this recipe, while looking through Wedding Shower ideas and thought these would be perfect as mini cinnamon roll pops! 

First of all, they *were* delicious cinnamon roll pops. Secondly, I made them again tonight for my husband after he mentioned that he wanted something sweet.  

They disappeared in less than 5 minutes.



Quick Mini Crescent Cinnamon Rolls (adapted from Kristin's recipe) Printable Recipe
makes 8 mini rolls

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz.) package Pillsbury Original Crescent Rolls
2 tablespoons butter - melted
brown sugar - to taste
cinnamon - to taste

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Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a regular size muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.

2) Roll out the package of Crescent rolls, onto a lightly floured surface and gently pinch together the seams.  Brush with melted butter, and then sprinkle generously with brown sugar and cinnamon.  Spread evenly with your hand.

3) Roll the dough and cut into 8 slices.  You may need to partially roll them again, to tighten the spiral.

4) Place the rolls in the muffin pan and bake for 10 minutes.  You can eat them right out of the pan ~ just don't tell anyone.


 Some of my favorite kitchen tools:






What's your favorite quick & easy treat? 

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Wednesday, September 18, 2013

50 Elf on the Shelf Ideas


*****************************Update**************************** 

Thank you so much for visiting!  For more FREE Printables, Calendars and additional ideas, check out my other posts

--> 2015 Elf on the Shelf Calendar with Free Printables <--
--> Elf on the Shelf 2014 Calendar (25+ NEW Ideas) <--
--> Make your Elf on the Shelf Bendy! {2-Minute No Sew Tutorial} <--

*************************************************************** 



Some may find it unsettling to have a doll *watch* your every move, but an Elf on the Shelf is SO much fun.  You know that Christmas Day level of excitement?  You get to see this every morning, as your child tries to find their elf. 

Our son named his elf “Reese”, and he arrives the day after Thanksgiving.  We (and the collective retail world) feel this particular date marks the official start of the Christmas season. 
 
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I’ve noticed quite a few families enjoy the use of their elf as a behavior modification tool, or a physical reminder of Santa’s watchful eye.  Our scout elf is definitely watching, but we don’t ever use the phrase “Reese/Santa’s watching”.  <-- We prefer to use the same techniques year-round to keep our child on the straight & narrow (timeout, privileges taken away, etc).  
 Our elf is purely there for fun, and a great way to enjoy the days leading up to Christmas.

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1. The elf got into the sprinkles and made snow angels
2. Reese took a wet erase marker, and drew on your photos! *Reese wuz here*
3. Your child's LEGO friends aren't too happy about Reese's return, and have tied him up. ~ One of the rioter's signs reads "A... is OURS! Find a NEW best friend!"*
4. The elf took mom/dad's car for a joyride. **Fact** Your neighbors will think you came home drunk and unintentionally parked on the lawn.

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5. Reese got into the candy stash and binged on sweets.
6. The stockings were replaced with your kid's underwear!
7. Your milk wasn't festive enough, so the elf turned it red.
8. Reese brought a present with him! {The Polar Express book and a freezing, cold Jingle Bell from the freezer North Pole}


9. The elf packed your kid's lunch, but you find out it's not their forte. {He packed: croutons, pickles, cornbread mix, tomato paste, snow cone syrup and cat food}
10. Reese is found zip-lining to the Christmas tree, and brought The Elf On The Shelf movie!
11. You've been TPed, while sleeping!
12. The elf is exhausted from all of the mischief, and decided to take a marshmallow bath.

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13. You and your pets have been Elfed!
14. Reese has been practicing for his Cirque du Soleil auditions.
15. The elf stayed up late, playing video games and snacking on Beaver Nuggets.
16. Bath time!  Like the washcloth hair wrap?

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17. Reese made mini pancakes!
18. Our talented elf made snowflake cut-outs of himself.
19. The elf is found in the manger, cradling baby Jesus.
20. Hot air balloon ride!

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21. "Be Good" - spelled out with M&Ms.
22. The elf used a marker, to write a note on the mirror.
23. Reese brought a present: The Elf On The Shelf ornament!
24. Snowball fight! **Note: These are too hard to throw at anyone/anything.  When you make and then freeze them, they turn rock hard {My husband called it an assassination attempt. Haha!}**
25. The elf is dangling from a light fixture.

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Most of these took 5 minutes to pull together, and used supplies we already had on-hand {leftover Halloween candy, toilet paper, etc}; others took a little more preparation {purchasing a book, movie, ornament, helium-filled balloon, etc}.  


Last year, we noticed a few keepsakes {Polar Express book, The Elf on the Shelf movie/ornament} were missing from our Christmas collection, so the elf graciously brought these.  Normally, Reese isn’t a gift giver; he’s just there for mischief and fun.


If you are on the fence about using a calendar and don’t know if you want to get *that* involved with the whole elf thing, I cannot recommend it enoughYour elf activities are more enjoyable & stress-free, when you don’t have to randomly think of something at the 11th hour.  It’s also much easier to plan the purchase of supplies {when necessary} ahead of time.    



  I created my own calendar for this year's activities {click on it to download}:


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If you're looking for Elf related presents, check out these amazing gifts!




Additional printables are available here:


Magic Seeds, Worst Cookies Ever, Plant Me


Creeper Mask

Coloring Page {girl}

Coloring Page {boy} 

What will your elf be doing this Christmas season?

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