Monday, December 6, 2010

Baked Donuts!

Have you ever made donuts at home??

These were a huge hit last week!
I actually made 2 batches and yep, they're all gone!

While I wouldn't say these are healthy,
they are at least baked not fried!!
And in my opinion that makes them lots easier too!

I picked up these cute donut pans at a
store for only $1.49 each!!

Here's what I did....

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
Mix together, then add
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 T butter
mix and put in greased pan...
Only fill about 2/3 full.
I think it made about 15-18 donuts!


Bake at 325* for 8-10 minutes


Take out of pan, cool then frost with favorite recipe!

I used
1 cup powdered sugar,
2 T milk,
1 T butter,
1/2 cup melted choc. chips
I had to add a little water or milk because it was a little thick.

I also frosted some with a cinnamon roll glaze
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 T. milk
Powdered sugar to make right consistency

Next time I'm trying something I like, like caramel!!!
You can also make them a little healthier by using better
sugar (sucanat) and maybe some ww flour!

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Sign Up Saturday...


Welcome to Sign-Up Saturday!
If you are having a giveaway on your blog, link up below!!
Link directly to your giveaway page. Please make sure it's family friendly!
***
Also if you've found a good deal or a freebie
link up for that too. That way we don't miss any great deals!!

It's good to be back after a long bloggie Break!
Enjoy entering some great giveaways!
I'm hoping to have a few for you in the coming weeks!

Have a Great Weekend!!


Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Awesome Shutterfly Christmas Cards... and for FREE!!


So, do all of you have your Christmas Cards yet??
Yea probably because you're all on top of your game!
Me?... Well nope not yet!
But soon very soon I'll get that done...
At least I hope, because did you realize Christmas is
only about 24 days away?!?!?


Have you checked out Shutterfly this year?
I discovered that if you're a blogger and blog about
them that they'll give you 50 Christmas Photo Cards for FREE!!!
Turns out that's just what I wanted to pay!!
If that's what you want to pay too, check it out here.
But, HURRY there's not much time!

Even if you're not a blogger you really should check them out.
They have some SERIOUS Holiday Card choices. I'm really not
sure how on earth we're expected to choose just one.
I seriously love over 100 of them!

Here's two of my favorites...

I really love the scrapbook look where you use
more than 1 photo. But why is it sooo hard for
me to get one photo let alone multiples? One of these years
I'm actually going to get several good pictures to use.... I hope!!
So how do all of you do it?????


I really Love this card! I took the picture of my kids
vertically this year so I don't think I can use it, but I love it!


I'm off to search for my perfect Christmas Cards
come on over and join me! We can both get this
crossed off our "To do List"

Oh yea, don't forget to do a search for a coupon code. I've
seen several for Shutterfuly floating around the web!


Monday, November 29, 2010

I'm still here!!! Are you????

Hi Everyone!!!
Thanks for being sooooo patient while
I enjoyed a LONG blogging break!!

While I enjoyed taking a break I also
missed all of you here in cyber life!

So I'm back.... while things here won't be the
same as when I left I'm hoping you'll still enjoy stopping by!
I won't be posting daily but more like 1-2 times a week.
I wish I had time to post daily but realistically weekly is
going to be challenging enough!!

In the last 12 months my kitchen life has changed
dramatically! Here's how.....

I rarely clip coupons (I know you're gasping in disbelief),
I rarely buy anything boxed or premade,
I make everything I can from scratch,
I haven't been grocery shopping at Meijer in 6 months,
I try to use a lot less sugar (and more honey),
We rarely buy pop/soda/whatever you like to call it,
I've banned HFCS from my kitchen (there are a few stragglers!),
I eat an apple and banana EVERY DAY,
Oh and not kitchen related but... I no longer use hairspray or mousse.

I don't tell you this because I have things figured out... No way...
while I feel like I've went miles in another direction, I
feel like I have thousands of miles to go...

I tell you because if you feel like you can't begin to make
healthy kitchen changes, YOU CAN!!!
Babysteps is the name of the game!!!

Hmmmm... I didn't intend for this post to get sooooo long!
I guess I'll see you soon!!
Before I go, Here's a current shot of my munchkins!!!




Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Happy 12th Birthday, Malachi!


Today my oldest turns 12!
**Yikes teenager fast approaching...
Man how time has flown by!


We're so proud of the young man you're becoming.
You have such a compassionate heart and a great love for Jesus.
Happy Birthday, Malachi
We love you!

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Sign Up Saturday...


Welcome to Sign-Up Saturday!
If you are having a giveaway on your blog, link up below!!
Link directly to your giveaway page. Please make sure it's family friendly!
***
Also if you've found a good deal or a freebie
link up for that too. That way we don't miss any great deals!!

Have a Great Weekend!!



Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Making a club with pallets!

Hubby rounded up some free pallets from the area
and the kids dreamed up a club.



I'll post new pictures in a few weeks. The clubs have
already expanded. They've worked really hard and
gotten LOTS of poison ivy. YUCK!!

But the work is paying off and
they're spending a lot of time in their cool clubs!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Canning Tomato Sauce - The EASY way!!!

I read how Heavenly Homemakers did her tomato sauce
and I adopted it!!! Be sure to read her post here.

This works so great. I've done it about 6 times so far
and have about 32 Quarts of tomato sauce and 35 pints.

I'm over 1/2 done but, I'd like about 15 more quarts
and maybe 20 more pints. Then I'd also like
some salsa and tomato soup.
Come on tomatoes keep turning red!!!


Start with tons of tomatoes! Simply wash them and take off the tops.
Some I take off the bottoms and some I take out bad spots. Take out
the core if it's big. My tomatoes are Roma so most of the cores are tiny.

Cut them in half or fourths.
Leave the peel on and leave in the seeds.
(how easy is that!)


Next take your tomatoes and put them in your blender.
Smash them down a little with a big spoon.
Start it up and it should look like a big smoothie!



You can even add in some zucchini. Just cut it up and
blend it with the tomatoes. I peeled mine so that
there weren't green pieces in the sauce.
I added 1 zucchini per huge bowl of tomatoes.


Heat it on high until it starts to really cook. At that point I turn
it down to a strong med. It will begin to froth up so if your
pan is too full it will run over. I sometimes prevent this by
dipping out some of the froth before it goes overboard!

When the froth is gone you have tomato juice. I let it cook
about an hour longer and I have tomato sauce.
Total cook time is around 2 hours give or take!


After that, dip it out and put it into your jars.
Make sure and sanitize your jars, lids, and rings.


I water bath my sauce. Be sure to follow your water bath
or canning instructions. I did mine for around 40 minutes.


Pull them out and you're done!!!
Add them to your stash after 24 hours.

I use tomato sauce for all my
pasta's, pizza, and chili.
I just add different spices when I pull it out!

Anyone else use this simple method for tomato sauce?

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Winner of Rubbermaid Mop



Hi everyone!!! So sorry I've been gone so much lately.
The garden is hogging all my free time, but I'm loving it!
My pantry and freezer are FILLING up with wonderful produce
from our garden!! More on that soon (I hope)!!

For now the winner of the Rubbermaid giveaway is
#30
Tina!!
Congratulations!!!!

Here are your random integers, generated with replacement:

30 

Timestamp: 2010-08-15 22:03:39 UTC

I sent you an email, if you didn't receive it please contact me!

Have a great week, I'm going to try to post an update this week! We leave Friday for a week of camping so this week is going to be CRAZY!!!

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Sign Up Saturday...


Welcome to Sign-Up Saturday!
If you are having a giveaway on your blog, link up below!!
Link directly to your giveaway page. Please make sure it's family friendly!
***
Also if you've found a good deal or a freebie
link up for that too. That way we don't miss any great deals!!

Have a Great Weekend!!



Saturday, August 7, 2010

Sign Up Saturday...


Welcome to Sign-Up Saturday!
If you are having a giveaway on your blog, link up below!!
Link directly to your giveaway page. Please make sure it's family friendly!
***
Also if you've found a good deal or a freebie
link up for that too. That way we don't miss any great deals!!

Don't forget to enter my
Rubbermaid Reveal Mop Giveaway -- Ends 6/13

Have a Great Weekend!!


Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Wordless Wednesday -- DUNK TANK!!!

The Kids in the dunk tank!!



A few weekends ago we had a big family reunion know as
"Christmas in July". This year they rented a dunk tank
and the kids had a blast with it!

Yes they did talk me into trying it too! Sorry
no pictures though. I have to admit it was
pretty fun even though the water was REALLY MURKY!!

Anyone else ever sat in a dunk tank???


If you're wondering... YES we threw balls and dunked
our children... and YES they had fun dunking me too!

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Rubbermaid Reveal Mop Review and Giveaway


I don't have an actual mop. My mop involves my
daughter to take a bucket of water and get
down on her hands and knees and scrub away.
I know, how mean am I!?!?!?

I've owned mops before, but thought they were
worthless and messy plus before this house I
didn't have much hard surface.

Well we were BOTH overjoyed when Rubbermaid
contacted me and wanted me to review their brand
new Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop!!

(picture not me! It's from their site)


We love it! I'm sold!! If it broke, I'd go buy another one!
Things I like...
1. REUSABLE PADS! Just throw them in the washer
and they last around 100 washes each!

2. You can use whatever kind of cleaner in the bottle.
Just pull the knob and it sprays out in front of you.

3. Works on all type of floors.

4. The pads just velcro on to the bottom and stick hard.

5.. Nothing more to buy...
Just keep refilling the cleaner bottle and washing the pads!

What took my daughter about 10-15 minutes
took me about 3 with the mop!

This picture is the bottom of the mop
and how the pads velcro on!

(Sorry it's hard to see)

Would you like to win a mop kit?!!?!
Rubbermaid is generously giving away 1 mop kit
to 1 of my wonderful readers!!
If you don't want to wait and see if you
win, you can go here and buy today!



This giveaway is open to US and Canada Entries.

To Enter do one or all
of the following.
(leave separate comments for each)

1. Tell us how much hard surface you have in your house.
2. Blog about the giveaway
3. Follow my blog (or tell me you do)
4. Twitter about giveaway (daily if you'd like!)
5. Subscribe to my blog (or tell me you do)

Remember to leave one comment for each item you do --
up to 5 comments (or more if you Twitter daily).
Also please don't forget to leave me your email!

This giveaway will end August 13th at 8pm
One winner will be chosen using Random.org!
Good Luck!!!

Disclaimer -- Rubbermaid provided me a new
Reveal Mop Kit to try out free of charge!

Thanks Rubbermaid!

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