Etsy Valentine’s Day Shop!

January 26, 2012

Well, I did it! It’s far from perfect, but I opened my Etsy shop. Please visit it, I would love to know what you think. I have plans for a lot more, but this is at least a start. It was one of my resolutions for 2012 to try out Etsy.

I’ve filled it with all things pink and pretty leading up to Valentine’s Day. Here’s just a couple images of the latest additions.

Felt Heart Headband for Baby

Covered Button Earrins

Felt Heart Pin

Felt Heart Headband

I said it earlier, but I do want your opinion. I know the photographs are not perfect. I’m working on that. I’m trying to achieve a professional look without the professional or the professional equipment. At least I’m learning something new. What would you like to see on Etsy?

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Apple Pie Pops

January 25, 2012

I love a great flakey, tender pie crust. This is a new recipe for me. I have combined a few recipes to come up with this one. My mom always had egg and vinegar in her crust recipe (and she makes great pies). The Pioneer Women also uses an egg and vinegar in her pie crust. And for quite a while I’ve been making an all butter crust, like Martha’s, because I LOVE butter. But, an all butter crust seems less pliable and harder to work with, the egg gives the dough a little more flexibility. So, here’s my new easy recipe. It’s my new favorite.

So, as a promised, here is the recipe for making the Pie Pops I made yesterday.

Apple Filling

3 cups of apple chopped very small
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together.

Easy Pie Crust

1 cup Crisco (vegetable shortening)
3 cups flour
1/2 cup cold butter
1 egg
about 5 tbsp. cold water
1 tbsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar

In a bowl mix together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using a pastry knife, cut in the butter and shortening until it resembles coarse meal. In a small bowl beat egg with a fork. Add the vinegar and water to the egg. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Using a fork toss into the dough just comes together. You do not what to over mix the dough (it will make it tough). You should see bits of butter and shortening in the dough, this is what makes your pie crust flakey and tender. Wrap in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for at least an hour.

Here’s the step by step on how to put the pie pops together.

1. Soak wooden popsicle sticks in water. (They won’t burn in the oven then)
2. Roll out the dough on a well floured surface.

3. Cut out two hearts for each pop.

4. Cut a smaller heart out of the top for a vent. Keep the little heart for the top (because it’s cute).

5. Put about 2 tbsp. of the apple filling and place in the center of the bottom heart.

6. Brush the sides of the bottom heart with an egg wash (that’s the glue to keep the pie together).

7. Place the popsicle in the center of the filling then put the top heart over the apple filling and using a fork seal the sides of the pie. (Sorry my picture doesn’t show the popsicle stick, I forgot to add it).

8. Brush the tops with more egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake on parchment paper in a 350 F oven for about 15 mins.

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Pie Pops

January 24, 2012

I’ve been seeing these Pie Pops popping up all over Pinterest. There probably is nothing more my husband loves then Apple Pie (well maybe a carne asada burrito). So, what better way to say “I love you”, then with a heart shaped Apple Pie?

When we had just started dating, the first thing I ever baked for Lonnie was an Apple Pie. I made the pie at my Grandparent’s house and I made it three times actually, because it just tasted weird. I couldn’t figure out what the problem was. On the second round of pies, I figured out that the heavy cream I was brushing all over the top of the pie was sour. So, the third time I made sure to use FRESH cream. I’m pretty sure he married me for three reasons: the first would be the Apple Pie, the second would be my red hair, and the third because I grew up overseas and wanted to travel the world.

Last night when I made these, he was a very happy boy. But, he couldn’t eat one till after his cholesterol test this morning (probably shouldn’t be making him pie – everything in moderation). So he packed one up for his morning break – Pie Pops are the perfect portable pie.

The recipe and step by step instructions are coming. But, I decided I would just tease you with these yummy treats, and then post the rest very soon.

Anyone interested in making Pie Pops for the people you love? And what food tells your man you love him? Does he have a favorite and what was the first thing you ever baked or cooked for him? Please share:)

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Hello Kitty Birthday Party: Cake and Favors

January 23, 2012

What’s a party without favors and cake? Making treat or favor bags is one of my favorite parts of planning a party. I usually sew little bags for the kids with fabric that goes with the theme of the party. This year I did something I little different and they turned out pretty darn cute. I bought take out boxes at a restaurant supply store and filled them with all things Hello Kitty. Then I punched a whole in the top of the box and inserted a Hello Kitty pencil. On the front I attached a sticker that will be available on Etsy as a downloadable file very soon.

We served take out Chinese (Panda Express) for lunch. I know Hello Kitty is Japanese, but Panda is Denali’s favorite food. Chop sticks and fortune cookies added to the decor.

The favors added to the table decor.

And I’m a sucker for a theme cake. My mom is a very talented cake decorator. She made all of our birthday cake as kids and has done many fantastic wedding cakes. So, since she was in town, I had her do the Hello Kitty cake. It was a super easy one, and Wilton even has a pan for it.

Fluffy buttercream on a chocolate cake.

10 – really? How can this be?

The treat table was loaded with pink and red. We even found a Hello Kitty drink dispenser.

My decorations are pretty simple. I love the tissue paper pom poms. We hung the all over and I made a couple little pink and red buntings with cute scrapbook paper.

Well, I’m sorry if you are sick of Hello Kitty, but I’m afraid there will be one more post about her. I have just a few more things to share. Thanks for reading friends.

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Hello Kitty Birthday Party: Craft and Candy

I love throwing kids parties. There are two things that are always a hit at parties: kids love a craft and they love candy.

Hello Kitty Hair Clips

For the craft, the girls each made a Hello Kitty Hair Clip. I pre-cut the felt in a kitty shape. I cut the bottom piece with pinking shears, some where red and some pink. The girls used fabric paint to paint on the eyes, nose and whiskers. The bow was just two glittered heart stickers glued on with hot glue. The felt was glued together with hot glue as well and the clip was attached the same way. Because most of the girls at the party were 10 years old, I trusted them with the glue gun. (Regular craft glue would work as well, but it would just take longer to dry.)

I love having a candy bar at parties as well. Kids love scooping their own candy and the candy provides great decoration for the table.

The Candy Bar

I provided the girls with cute red paper bags that I added a Hello Kitty sticker to it. The stickers are something I made and printed myself. I will share more about that in tomorrow’s post.

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Hello Kitty Birthday Party: Macaroons and Kid Sushi

January 20, 2012

Here’s more of the Hello Kitty fun from our party.

These macaroons are made by piping two ears on the round macaroon. Then the kitty features are added with edible markers (found in the Wilton Cake decorating section at Michaels). I filled these with blackberry curb cream.

I also served Kid Sushi (because Hello Kitty is from Japan). Rice crispy treats and cake are wrapped in fruit roll ups and topped with Swedish fish.

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Hello Kitty Birthday Party: Cake Pops

January 19, 2012

In November we celebrated Denali’s 10th birthday. We hit the double digits! She wanted a Hello Kitty party and I was happy that she still wanted to be a little girl. The fall was so busy with a brand new baby, that I decided to keep these ideas and share them with you now, leading up to Valentine’s Day. Everything was pink and red for the party. Over the next couple of days I will share with you some of my party ideas.

The first idea is these Hello Kitty Oreo Truffle Pops. These are always a favorite treat at parties. To start, I need to tell you that these are far from perfect (truth be told I almost threw them all out). After working on these for 3 hours, and managed to drops 2 dozen of these out of the fridge. So, what was left had to do.

In hind sight I would have made the truffles with the golden oreos, because the white chocolate doesn’t quite cover the dark oreo center. I piped the eyes and whiskers on with melted dark chocolate. The nose and flower are just candy decorations.

The trick to making the kitty shaped head is the roll an oval shape that glue two chocolate chips to the sides of the truffle. Then when you dip them, the chocolate chips become the ears.

My beautiful 10 year old

Keep reading, I will post more ideas from the party tomorrow.

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H & M Home (I wish)

January 18, 2012

Ever since I visited London almost 8 years ago, I have been a huge fan of H & M. I was happy when they made their way over to North America. But, a while back I foumd out they have home accessories as well. The Home stores are not yet in the US, but I’ve been drooling over the UK online catalogue.

Just for fun, I picked out some cute things and did some “make believe” shopping.

Cute towels for the kids bathroom

Lots of fun storage

Looks vintage

Burlap and metallic storage bins – so cute

Love the metallic pillow

More cute storage

I need this for the girl’s room

Anyone else in love with H & M Home? I have heard rumors that they might be opening one in New York soon – I hope 🙂

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Blackberry Lemon Ice Cream

January 17, 2012

I got a fantastic ice cream maker at Christmas. Because I had some super great coupons, I only paid $19.99 for it. I have wanted one for a while, so I couldn’t pass this up. This is my husbands new favorite flavor.

Blackberry Lemon Ice Cream
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
2 cups half and half (I used fat free half and half)
1 tbsp. vanilla
zest of one lemon
1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries (I used frozen ones that I had picked this summer)

In a bowl, mix together the milk, half and half, salt, lemon zest and sugar. Whisk together until the sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate mixture for at least one hour. Freeze the ice cream according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. Add the blackberries to the ice cream during the last 5 mins. of the freezing. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in the freezer.

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Loaded Goat Cheese Enchiladas

January 15, 2012

My family has really taken a liking to Goat cheese. We love it in pasta with butternut squash, in frittatas with spinach, so why not in Enchiladas. With the new year, I have been trying to make sure dinners are healthy and pack as much of the good stuff in as possible. These are super yummy and no one would know they are on the healthy side.

Loaded Goat Cheese Enchiladas

28 oz. can green chili enchilada sauce
5 oz. of goat cheese
16 oz. can of both corn and black beans
2.5 oz. can of sliced black olives
2 lbs. chicken breasts
1/2 of a red onion chopped
10 whole wheat tortillas
1 cup pepper jack cheese grated

Cut up the chicken breasts into 1/2 inch chunks. Cook chicken in a fly pan with a couple tbsp. olive oil. Add red onion to the the chicken for the last couple of minutes, just the soften the onion. Cook the chicken through. In a large bowl combine 1/2 the enchilada sauce with the chicken, onion, corn, beans, and olives. Cut the cold goat cheese into 1/2 inch cubes and mix into the chicken mixture. The goat cheese will melt a bit.

Fill the tortillas with the chicken mixture and roll them up. Place them in two 9 x 13 inch pans (they are really loaded so only 5 in each pan). Pour the second 1/2 of the enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas. Top with the grated pepper jack cheese. Cover with foil and bake in a 350 F oven for 20 mins. Remove the foil and bake another 10 -15 mins. until the top is melted and golden.

Serve with sour cream and salsa.