Hudson's Playroom

The playroom is pretty much finished, there are a few more things I want to hang on the walls, but here are some pictures. I think it turned out great, Hudson loves it!

Pesto Pizza

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 unbaked pizza crust
1 tomato, sliced
1 bunch fresh spinach, torn
1 sweet onion, sliced
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 (6 ounce) package feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

Preheat oven according to pizza crust package directions.
In a small bowl combine butter, olive oil, garlic, pesto, basil, oregano and Parmesan cheese. Spread mixture evenly on pizza crust.
Arrange tomato, spinach, onion and jalapeno on pizza. Top with crumbled feta cheese.
Bake according to pizza crust package directions.

• When I made this pizza I used regular pesto, left out the jalepeno and tomato (I didn't have any) and added chicken. I also sprinkled some more freshly grated parmesan cheese ontop when i took it out of the oven. It was very good!

Recipe found on allrecipes.com

Playroom

We recently moved some things around in the house so that we could make Hudson a playroom. I started painting it last night and can't wait to finish getting it all put together. I saw this picture and it inspired me to do a chalkboard wall in the room. I also used magnetic paint on the bottom half of the chalkboard wall so that he can put all of his magnets on the wall. You can find both paints at Home Depot. The magnetic paint is a bit pricey, but one can covers 16 square feet. You have to paint 3 thin coats and continuously stir the paint as it settles quickly.

Kidsfaire

Arizona Kidsfaire Expo is this weekend the 19th and 20th from 10am to 5pm at University of Phoenix stadium. Lots of entertainment, interactive exhibits, rides, carnival food, characters, and more. Admission in $8 for adults and $5 for kids 2-12. Print $1 off kids admission.

Craigslist

I love Craigslist! I found four napoleon style chairs in a mahogany stain that are pretty much identical to pottery barn's! Also got two matching stools. It was a great deal that I couldn't pass up. I love my new/used chairs :)

Blueberry Pie

Blueberry Pie

• 4 cups of blueberries
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• pie crust (i use the Pillsbury pie crust)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine the sugar, flour, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the blueberries and stir gently until berries are covered. Let stand for 15 minutes. Prepare pie crust and turn the fruit into the pie shell. Cover with crumbs (recipe below). Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Crumbs:

• 3/4 cup flour
• 5 tablespoons of butter
• 1/3 cup sugar

Place the flour, butter and sugar in a bowl and cut together using a pastry blender or a knife.

Shabby Chic

I love all of these pieces! They are for sale on Etsy.

Pottery Barn

Pottery Barn has these items on sale right now and it is an awesome deal! The Chandler mall only had the green color left. But The i pod player is only $40 and the charger station on the right it only $20! Crazy good deal and would make a great gift.

Shampoo and Conditioner

Moroccan Oil now has their shampoo and conditioner for sale and I love it!

Cooking Night

My sister-in-law, Carley, and I made dinner and dessert last night for the guys. The recipes are worth sharing, everything was really good! We made grilled artichokes as an appetizer with a dipping sauce. For dinner we made orzo and turkey stuffed peppers with salad on the side. And for dessert we made a double-ginger bundt cake with ginger infused strawberries. The recipes follow.

Grilled Artichokes

Artichokes:

• 2 artichokes
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 garlic clove crushed
• Salt and Pepper
• Olive oil

Trim the top of the artichoke and the pointy edges with kitchen shears. Fill a large pot with water, the lemon juice, half of the lemon , and also the garlic clove. Bring it to a boil and add the artichokes. Use a large bowl to hold the artichokes under the water, and boil for 20 to 25 minutes.

Once removed from the water and cool enough to handle, cut each artichoke in half. Then drizzle olive oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper. Grill on medium to medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove from the grill and serve warm with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce:

• 1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
• 1 Tablespoon horseradish sauce
• 1/2 lemon squeezed
• Salt and pepper
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 shallot finely chopped

Mix all of the ingredient together and refrigerate until ready to use.

Double-Ginger Bundt Cake

Double-Ginger Sour Cream Bundt Cake with Ginger-Infused Strawberries

Cake:

• Softened Butter (for brushing bundt pan)
• 1/2 cup raw sugar (or turbinado sugar)
• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup chopped crystallized ginger

Ginger-Infused Strawberries:

• 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, very thinly sliced
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 quarts fresh strawberries, hulled, halved (about 8 cups)
• Sliced fresh mint leaves (optional)

CAKE:
Position rack in center of oven and prehead to 350 degrees. Brush softened butter generously all over inside of a 12-cup Bundt pan. Sprinkle raw sugar over butter in pan, tilting pan to coat completely.
Whisk flour, ground ginger, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup butter in large bowl until smooth. Add 2 cups sugar; beat on medium-high speed until blended, about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1 egg yolk and vanilla, stopping to scrape down bowl as needed.

Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with sour cream in 2 additions, beating on low speed just until blended after each addition. Mix in crystallized ginger. Spread batter in pan, being careful not to dislodge sugar.
Bake cake until top is light brown and tester inserted near center comes out with a few small crumbs attached, about 55 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool in pan 15 minutes. Gently tap bottom edge of pan on work surface while rotating pan until cake loosens. Place rack atop pan and invert acke onto rack; remove pan. Cool completely.

GINGER-INFUSED STRAWBERRIES:
Combine first 4 ingredients in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil until mixture is reduced to scant 1 cup, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; cool ginger syrup to room temperature (do not strain). **Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and Chill.
Place berries in medium bowl. Strain ginger syrup. Pour over berries and toss. Cover; Chill at least 1 hour.
Cut cake into slices and place on plates. Spoon berries with syrup alongside. Sprinkle with mint, if desire, and serve.

Bingsoo

Last night I was reminded how much I love Bingsoo. I was eating it on a regular basis a couple years ago and could not get enough. However, stopped craving it during my pregnancy. If you've never had it you should try it! You can find it at Fresco in Chandler, located on the North West corner of Queen Creek and Alma School.
You pick three fresh fruits, one fruit puree, frozen yogurt or ice cream, and they put it on top of shaved ice. You mix it all together and it makes for a very refreshing, sweet dessert!
I love mango, kiwi, strawberry with frozen yogurt and mango sauce. Yummy!!!

Painting Stripes

I painted stripes in my laundry room last week (thicker then the ones in this picture) and was surprised how easy it was. I was doubtful that they would turn out, but I had a few helpful tips that made a big difference!

• Pick two colors and paint one of the colors on all of the walls, I used cream and beige.
  
• Then you have to do some math to figure out how many stripes you can fit on each wall. You want each wall to start and end with a whole stripe. Decide about how many inches you would like the stripes to be. Measure each wall and divide the width of the stripe into the width of the wall. ex) 70 divided by 12 = 5.8 Round the total you got either up or down and that will be how many stripes you will have on that wall. ex) 6 stripes. Now take the width of the wall and divide the total number of stripes into it to get the exact width that your stripes will be. ex) 70 divided by 6= 11.67
• Now you can measure out your stripes on the wall and mark the wall with a pencil. I used a level to draw the stripes in pencil. Next I took thick painters tape and taped off the stripes that I painted in the second color.
  
• This next step is what made the lines come out so perfect. Once the tape is on the walls brush a lite coat of the base color over the edge on the tape to seal it. That way when you paint the second color none of it will leak through the tape.
  
• Paint your second color and don't let it dry completely before removing the tape.
  

Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches

If you love peanut butter and love chocolate then you have to try these ice cream sandwiches! They require a bit of work, but it is worth it in the end! Soo Good!!!

Ingredients:

Makes about 3 dozen

Vegetable-oil cooking spray
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
11 ounces (2 sticks plus 6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
7 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 2/3 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 13- by-18-inch rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray, line with parchment, and spray parchment.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Melt butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat, add sugar, and stir until dissolved. Stir in eggs, 1 at a time, and then stir in vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until just incorporated. (Do not over mix.)
• Divide batter between pans. Use an offset spatula to spread batter into thin, even layers. Bake, rotating pans once, until batter just begins to set, 8 to 10 minutes. (The surfaces will look dry, and testers inserted in the centers will come out wet.) Let cool completely in pans on wire racks.
• To assemble, place the flat side of a large wire rack over 1 brownie, and invert rack, brownie, and pan together. Remove pan and parchment. Repeat with remaining brownie. Place a clean rimmed baking sheet over 1 brownie, and invert pan, brownie, and rack together. Remove rack. The brownie should be in the pan, top side up.
  Spread ice cream in a smooth, even layer over brownie in pan. Align pan lengthwise with remaining brownie on rack, and use rack to quickly and carefully flip brownie onto ice cream. Remove rack. Press top brownie gently. Cover and freeze until firm, at least overnight (or up to 1 week).
• Uncover, and cut into squares. Serve immediately (or cover and freeze ice cream sandwiches overnight).

Peanut Butter Ice Cream Recipe


Ingredients
Makes 4 cups
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
1 cup salted cocktail peanuts
6 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chunky peanut butter


Directions

• Heat cream, milk, and peanuts in a medium saucepan over medium heat until bubbles begin to form around edges. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep at room temperature for 3 hours (or refrigerate overnight).
• Prepare an ice-water bath. Uncover cream mixture, and reheat until hot but not boiling. Whisk yolks, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add cream mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until well combined. Return mixture to saucepan, and stir constantly over medium heat until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes. (Do not let the mixture come to a simmer.)
• Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Discard solids. Set the bowl in the ice-water bath.
• Stir in vanilla, and let cool, stirring occasionally, until cold, about 20 minutes.
• Freeze mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. Transfer to a large bowl, and fold in peanut butter until ice cream is swirled. Use immediately, or freeze for up to 1 week. 

 

Recipe via Martha Stewart 

Southwest Sale

Today and tomorrow only Southwest Airlines are having a huge sale! Every city is on sale, you can fly one-way for either $30, $60, or $90! However, you do have to travel through September and November. Check out the details at southwest.com

Farmer's Market

Today I went to Superstition Ranch Market with Amy and Jess and loved it! I have never been to a Farmer's Market in Arizona, but Jess had been telling me about this one. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to save some money on their produce. The prices are unbeatable and the selection is great. I will say it is a crazy, busy, little store but that just adds to the whole experience!

Cherries were $0.69 per lb, seedless watermelon $0.12 per lb, blueberries $.50 per pint, strawberries $0.50 for 16oz, yellow bell peppers 6 for $1.00...I think you get the idea!

They are located on the south side of Main Street just west of Higley Rd.

Almond Crusted Tilapia

Ingredients

• 1 cup sliced almonds, divided
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 (6-oz.) tilapia fillets
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation

1. Process 1/2 cup almonds in a food processor until finely chopped, and combine with 1/4 cup flour in a shallow bowl.

2. Sprinkle fish evenly with salt; dredge in almond mixture.

3. Melt butter with olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat; add fish, and cook 4 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove fillets to a serving plate.

4. Add remaining 1/2 cup almonds to skillet, and cook, stirring often, 1 minute or until golden. Remove almonds with a slotted spoon, and sprinkle over fish.

From: Southern Living

Refreshing Summer Snack

Lemon yogurt with fresh blueberries and sliced almonds

One of my roommates in college introduced me to this yummy combination, and I have loved it ever since. It makes a great summer snack or even breakfast. ENJOY!

Popsicles

These homemade Popsicles look like amazing summer treats! Check here for recipes.

Bronzing Creme

I was looking for a self tanner to use this summer and came across this one at Whole Foods. I love it! It goes on smooth, smells good, blends into your skin well, and doesn't leave any streaks. I have also used it to get rid of tan lines and it worked great. There are a couple different kinds made by Nature's Gate and they are all organic products.

Bias Tape

There's a lot you can do with bias tape, but these are some very cute ideas, and there is a detailed description of how to make each craft on Martha Stewart's website.

Tote Bags

These are all so cute and I like the idea of having a canvas bag to carry items instead of shopping bags. Check out the link for more info on how to customize your own tote bags.

Meal sign-ups

I just recently was introduced to one of these websites and could not believe what a great idea it was. I also wished that I has thought of it! These websites are free sites that help organize meals for someone who is in need of them. Whether it is someone who has just had a baby, is recovering from surgery, or just going through a tough time. Making meals for families in need is something that I am sure most of us have done before, and these sites are perfect for sign-ups without confusion. Check it out!

Food Tidings

Meal Baby

Splash Pad

The Tempe Town Lake Splash Pad opened for the season yesterday. If your looking for a free fun activity to do with your kids this summer, this one will keep them cool. I took Hudson to the splash pad at the zoo the other day and I don't know if he is quite ready for it! Maybe we'll give it another try. Open 10am to 7pm. For more information call (480) 350-8625.

Strawberry Margaritas

I bought 4 lbs of strawberries at Costco this week and have been trying to use them up before they go bad. I made strawberry margaritas for Casey and I tonight and they turned out pretty good! Here's how I made them:

• 1 1/2 cups of strawberries rinsed with stems cut off
  
• 2 cups of ice
• 2 tablespoons of sugar, plus more to rim the glass
  
• 2 limes, 1 juiced and use the other to slice for garnish
  
• 2 shots of tequila
• splash of orange juice

Squeeze lime juice along the rim of the margarita glasses, then dip in sugar (or salt). Place the ice in the blender followed by the strawberries, sugar, lime juice, tequila, and orange juice. Pulse to break up the ice, then blend on high until smooth. Pour into the glasses and enjoy!

Pampered Chef

Paring Knife $1.75
These are great sharp little knives.
Wonderful for cutting up a variety of food for
my 1 year old son.

Scoop $13.00
Great for scooping cookie dough,
and they come in three sizes.

Grill Press $34.00
This make a yummy panini
and can be used for lots of other cooking!

Grill Pan $135.00
I love being able to grill chicken,
fish, and sandwiches inside on the stove top.

Round Stone $21.50
These stones make some really great cookies,
they turn out perfect every time!

Kitchen Shears $16.50
I LOVE these! I use them the most for
cutting food up for my son. I cut up sandwiches, chicken, fruit,
noodles, just about anything! They save so much time and are very sharp.

Mini Whisk $9.50
I don't quite know what it is about
this whisk that makes me love it so much...
Maybe the size and the handle is heavy and sturdy...

Citrus Press $17.00
An absolute must when making Mojitos!
(Right Carley? we need to get you one of these!)

I recently hosted a pampered chef show for my friend that just started selling their products. From hosting the show I got lots of great free products. These are some of my favorite items listed above. If you see something you like or want to host a show you can check it out online.

Healthy Snacks

Rice Pudding can be a healthy alternative
to other sweet treats, such as ice cream, and only has
about 130 calories in half a cup. You can also find it with no sugar
and made with soy milk. Add some of your favorite fresh fruit
or some cinnamon on top.

It can be hard to find a healthy snack to eat on the go.
Trail mix is a great choice, especially over a bag of chips or
some other over processed snack. Trail mix provides you with lots
of healthy fat, vitamins, and minerals. You can even make your own.

Yogurt and granola with some fresh fruit
is often what Casey and I will eat for breakfast during the week.
It is quick and healthy. However, it also makes a great snack
when you're craving something a little sweet!

Free Movie in the Park

Kiwanis Park is playing movies for the whole family every Friday night. You can bring a blanket, snacks or dinner, and enjoy the movie! Movies begin at dusk (approximately 7:00 p.m.) and will be shown by the fire pit on the west side of Kiwanis Lake. Call 480-350-5200 for more information.

• May 1 - Wall-E (G)

• May 8 - Bolt (PG)

• May 15 - Ratatouille (G)

• May 22 - Tale of Despereaux (PG)