What I'm craving right now...

Toni’s Crispy Ice cream Dessert

½ cup melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups Rice Krispy Cereal
1 cup shredded coconut
¾ cup chopped cashews
½ gallon vanilla ice cream

Mix all but ice cream together and press ½ into bottom of 9x13 pan. Cut Ice cream into 2 inch thick slices and press onto crunchies. Sprinkle remaining crunchies on top.

Topping: Mix 1 package of Danish Dessert (either raspberry or strawberry) with raspberries or strawberries. Pour over dessert immediately before serving.

the Pan that Can

I recently bought this book at the Scholastic warehouse book sale. LOVE IT.

Baked French Toast with Berries

1/2 loaf of french bread cut into 3/4 in. slices

4 eggs

2 cups milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla

2/3 cup flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup butter

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1 cup sliced strawberries and whipping cream to top (optional)

Instructions:

Grease a 9x13 pan. place sliced french bread in bottom of pan. In a bowl stir together eggs, milk sugar and vanilla. Pour over bread, pressing bread with spoon to absorb moisture. Cover and chill for 2 hours.

Combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in butter and form a streusal like topping. Cover and chill while bread chills.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle blueberries over bread and then streusal topping over blueberries. Bake for approx. 25-30 minutes. Stand for 5 minutes, cut into squares and top with strawberries and whipped cream if desired.

wood block picture stand

This is a very simple idea I saw at a local scrapbook store, Pebbles in my pocket. It is an easy gift idea. They originally purposed it as a Girls camp craft and now have a father's day block you can see and order here. I am making some as my "Pay it forward" blog gifts.

Basically all you need is:

1 Large paperclip or alligator clip and wire
3X5 inch block of wood sanded et painted to desired color
Modge Podge and Foam brush
Patterned paper and embellishments of choice
Sticky Dot or glue for paper clip

Cut patterned paper to fit front side, or individual squares for each side and modge podge in place. After dry decorate as desired. Glue single end of paperclip on front corner of block and place embellishment over glued area.

Top with a picture held by the paper clip.

Another way to repurpose is to turn it into a recipe card holder.

My finished product.

Popup german pancakes

These look yummy (especially if you add strawberries and butter syrup) and pretty easy...

Make and Take's Pop-up Pancakes

Harry Potter Party

Getting ready for a grand Half blood prince premier party.

More details to follow but currently a listy:

1. Potions anyone?
2. St. Mungo healers costume (for me and my fellow nurses who are attending)
3. Giant snake cake
4. Felix Felicious
5. Chocolate frogs and other delights from honeydukes
6. Memories
7. Fireworks and other delights from the Weasly twins Joke shop...

scrapbook inspiration

I love love love lists that give me inspiration regarding scrapbooking...gets me right out of a rut.

3 places that have great lists are:

1. the May issue of creating Keepsakes Magazine. There is an article that lists 100 things to get your creative juices flowing.

2. The Simple Scrapbooks "Scrapbook Play with Photos" magazine. BRILLIANT! Has a ton of different ideas.

3. Ali Edwards listed 20 tips on here blog you can read here.

So basically I need to get with it and get scrapping again (well for myself again).

Scrapbook Sunday I will post some of the ideas I have used and want to use from these lists...

Chocolate Hazelnut Marshmellow Bars

Yummy goodness.

1 pkg mini marshmallows
1 cup chopped toasted Hazelnuts
2 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1/2 cup Nutella
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup butter, softened

Line a 9x13 in pan with aluminum foil.
Combine marshmallows and nuts in a bowl.
In a saucepan melt together chocolate chips, nutella, whipping cream, and butter. Cook over medium to low heat until smooth.
Pour over marshmallow and nut mix, stirring to coat.
Spoon into the pan and press lightly.
Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Cut into small bars and enjoy!

Honey Pecan Chicken

Sorry I have been AWOL as of late...it has been busy.

Here is a dish I actually had in the hospital cafeteria and it was absolutely delish. This recipe is as close to it as I could find.

Honey Pecan Glaze

1 cup butter
1/2 cup honey
1 cup chopped pecans
sprinkle some parsley

Melt the butter in a pan over low heat. Whisk in the honey until well blended. Bring to a simmer and add the pecans. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

You can serve this over grilled chicken (the way I had it), fried chicken (which sounds divine) or even salmon.

Side it with some potatoes, green beans, or asparagus, and you are good to go!

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

This cupcake is inspired by a Boston Creme Pie Cupcake I saw in a Cake book.

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

1. Make 1 box of Lemon Cake mix per box directions into cupcakes.

2. After they cool for 10 minutes, stick a butter knife in the middle and cut straight down, 1 cut.

3. With a decoraters bag pipe pudding into the center of the cupcake. I made instant vanilla pudding with a few drops of lemon flavoring (I didn't have any lemon pudding, but the vanilla was really good).

4. Frost with Strawberry frosting.

5. Decorate and enjoy!