Monthly Archives: January 2013

friendship bracelet valentines.

1.27.13

an email went out this year from teachers, asking parents to send healthy treats for birthdays. in my opinion, this is good and bad. good because i don’t think my kids need any more sugar and i understand if this may be a disservice to the teachers having to deal with crazed sugar-high students. bad because your birthday is ONLY once a year and bringing cookies, cupcakes, etc is just fun and what makes the day extra special.

either way, it is what it is. i am not going to fight it, like i said, i am okay with my kids not having any extra sugar! but now we are approaching valentines day. and it got me thinking…am i going to receive an email about no candy? or is this an exception? who knows!

so i decided to play it safe and do a non-sweet craft with the kids! and who DOESN’T love friendship bracelets? i have 4 on my wrist right now from some pretty spectacular kids!

these are super easy, just a little time consuming!

i printed out the ‘message’ on cardstock. then i used a scalloped scissors + just cut around the circles.

the kids definitely helped with making the bracelets and we kept it simple by doing a basic braid.

we hole punched on each side and thread the bracelets through! simple! my kids still need to sign each one, but that is the easy part!

if you need more info on these valentines, contact me!!!

do it yourself / i like this

beef roast sliders

1.24.13

i just love the idea of sliders – they are perfect! i am not a huge eater so i like the idea of something small and not feeling overwhelmed + full after eating is a huge plus. i have made several different kinds of sliders; burgers, meatball sandwiches, french dip, chicken, etc. but these are one of my favorite. i think what makes these little things so amazing is the chipolte sauce! it compliments the meat + swiss perfectly. (my kids eat the sliders too – always a bonus!)

what you need:

1 3-4 lb beef roast
1 cup water
1 bottle beer

1 envelope onion soup mix
1 envelope italian dressing mix
1 envelope au jus mix

1 package king’s hawaiian sweet rolls

chipotle sauce:
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoon chili sauce

2 tsp creamy horseradish sauce

directions:

whisk together water, beer and seasoning packets. place roast in slow cooker. pour seasoning mixture over roast. cook on low for 8-10 hours, or high for 4-5 hours.

cut each roll in half and place on a baking sheet. place a slice of swiss cheese on the top half of each roll. broil for 1-2 minutes or until edges of the rolls are golden and cheese has melted (watch them closely so they don’t burn!). remove from oven.

place a spoonful of shredded beef on top of each roll with swiss cheese on it. spread chipotle sauce on the top half of each roll or serve on the side!

enjoy!

food + drink

taco shells + blood orange margaritas!

1.9.13

okay, so these two things are a favorite in our house! i can get the whole family to eat the meal, and the margaritas are a great compliment to the meal for the adults! i have doubled the recipe and served the shells for a party too. they are so good, i promise you wont be disappointed! AND you can make them ahead of time and bake them when you are ready to serve them!

taco shells

what you need:

1 lb ground beef

1 package taco seasoning

1 4oz cream cheese

1 box of large pasta shells

1 cup salsa

1 cup taco sauce

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

tortilla chips

sour cream, pico, guacamole

directions:

brown the ground beef and drain excess liquid. add taco seasoning and 3/4 cup of water, mixing well. add cream cheese and simmer until cheese is melted. set aside and allow to fully cool. while meat is cooking/cooling, cook pasta shells, drain and toss well in butter.

pour salsa in the bottom of 9×13 baking dish. stuff each shell with the meat mixture. place the stuffed shells in the baking dish and drizzle the taco sauce over the shells. cover and bake at 350˚ for 30 minutes.

after, uncover, and sprinkle shells with crushed up tortilla chips and shredded cheeses. cook for 15 more minutes (uncovered). i love to serve mine with pico, gauc and sour cream, but feel free to add whatever you think goes good with tacos – you will not be disappointed!!!

and since we are kinda doing a mexican theme, i added my favorite margaritas!!!!

blood orange margaritas

ok, so i will admit, one of my favorite drinks (especially in summer on a patio!) is margaritas! this recipe is so simple, yet SO good! and a nice change from the lime or strawberry margarita! let me know what you think :)

what you need:

1 cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice (about 7-8 oranges)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
3/4 cup sauza silver tequila
splash of cointreau
orange slices for garnish

combine first 4 ingredients in a shaker and shake well. pour into chilled, salted rimmed glass with ice, garnish with orange. aaaamazing!!!

cheers friends!

food + drink