Food Art Friday(s)!

It's been a month since I've posted a blog, but I'm back ladies and gentlemen - And boy do I have some goodies to share with you!

Over the course of the month, my nephews and I have been participating in our new found love for Food Art. 

We call it, "Food Art Friday!"

Usually I talk about my findings on Pinterest, but these are my own and I was gosh darn proud of it! 

Now, a little less talking and a little more show-and-tell. 

Let get to it!

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1. BATMAN!!! DA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA!!

-Bread Head
-Tomato Mouth
- Raisin Eyes
- Nutella Batman Symbol

(You can make a PB&J or a Salami Sandwich. The choice is yours!)

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2. A Pot of Gold!

- A Pot of GOLD-en Crisp Chicken Nuggets
- Fruits and Veggies of your choice
- Whipped Cream Clouds

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3. Minions!

- Bread Head

- Cheddar Cheese Face

- White Cheddar Eye and Mouth
- All Natural Fruit Roll-Up Goggles and Hair

(You can make a PB&J or a Salami Sandwich. The choice is yours!)

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4. Hi, I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!

- Mini Powder Donut Snowman Body
- Raisin Buttons
-Pretzel Arms and Hair
- Orange Starburst Nose
- All-Natural Fruit Roll-Up Mouth and Eyebrows
- White Chocolate Chip Eyes
- Whipped Cream Snow

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5. Owl have a sandwich!

- Bread Body
- Green Apple Eyes and Tree Leaves
- Carrot Feet and Nose
- Raisin Pupils
- Beef Stick Branches

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6. Pac-Man! 

- Hot Dog Pac-Man
- Tomato Ghosts
- Celery Wall Path
- Banana Walls
- Orange Bonus Points

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7. Frozen's, Sven - "Reindeers are better than people..." 

- Bread Head, Nose and Ears
- Pear Antlers
- Pear Eyes
- Black Olive Pupils
- Raisin Nostrils

(You can make a PB&J or a Salami Sandwich. The choice is yours!)

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Create memories with kids. Encourage them to play with their food. But most importantly, allow their creativity to flow. Creativity > Technology. 

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I Can't Believe It's Not Reese's!

SATURDAY - SHMATURDAY....

It's Saturday night, I'm flipping through channels on the TV - there's nothing on that interests me. 

My sister is sitting next to me on the couch reading another book just to pass the time. 

*GRUMBLE GRUMBLE MERRRRR*

I hear my stomach growl in the echo of the living room...

"Do you want to listen to 80's music and make a dessert from Pinterest?" I ask her in desperation. 

"I'm pregnant... So, YES." 

(Duhh I should've known she'd say "yes.")

I'm craving dark chocolate and bananas, while she wants anything with peanut butter. As a compromiser, I typed in these flavor combinations into the search engine and found a recipe called, "3 Ingredient Banana Cups." 

THEY'RE LIKE REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS WITHOUT THE PEANUT BUTTER! 

*GASP* 

... But to make my sister happy, we throw in the peanut butter too - It still works! 

We'll call them.... 

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"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S NOT REESE'S" CUPS

(Title credit to my handsome boyfriend, Ryan)
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Let's Start!

1. 1 Ripe Banana

2. 1/2 Cup of Dark Chocolate Chips

3. 1/4 Cup of Almond Milk

4. 1/2 Cup of Peanut Butter

5. Muffin Pan/Silicone Liners

** MAKES 6 TREATS TOTAL **

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Instructions

1. Using a double boiler method, melt the chocolate chips with the almond milk.

2. When the chocolate chips are melted down, pour a small amount into the bottom of the muffin cups. (I used the silicone liners - worked great!)

3. Stick the muffin pan in the freezer for 5-10 minutes.

4. While the chocolate is in the freezer, smash the banana into a bowl and get your peanut butter ready. 

5. Grab your muffin pan out of the freezer and add peanut butter then the smashed banana on top of the chocolate cup. 

6. After this is completed, add the remaining  amount of melted chocolate on top.

7. Stick the muffin pan back into the freezer for an hour. 

8. ENGORGE YOUR MOUTH WITH THIS CHOCOLATELY TREAT!

** Would also be a great ice cream topping! **

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Love it or Leave it?

LOVE IT!!

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Food Art Friday - Let's Get Creative!

Let's get artsy. Let's get crazy... Let's get colorful! 

But not until we fill up our bellies!

By "we," I mean my nephews and myself. I absolutely adore babysitting my nephews. They are the sweetest, funniest, and cutest boys in the world! See for yourself....

Okay, so maybe that's not what they really look like, but the point of this blog is to show how much fun we have together. 

Lunchtime is usually the typical hotdog, french fries and apple slices (especially since we have picky eaters on hand). This time I wanted to spice things up for lunch....

MONSTER AND LADY-BUG SANDWICHES

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Monster Sandwich # 1: The Green-Eyed Salami Monster -

- White Bread
- American Cheese
- Salami for the Tongue
- 2 Toothpicks
- 2 Green Olives for the Eyes

Lady-Bug BLT Sandwich -

- White Bread
- Lettuce
- Touch of Mayonnaise
- 4 Pieces of Bacon
- 1 Tomato for the Wings
- Black Olives for the Head and Spots
- 2 Small String of Celery for the Antennas

Monster Sandwich # 2: Fruit & Veggie Monster -

- White Bread
- PB&J

- Apple and Celery 

- Paper for the Eyeball to Remove before Eating... Unless you eat paper. 

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SOUR PATCH KIDS POPSICLE DESSERT

- Sprite
- Sour Patch Kids Candy

- Ice Tray

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Cool for 3 hours in the freezer and enjoy your sugar rush.....

In the words of my 3-year-old nephew, Simon, "WHAT A TASTY TREAT!"

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This is PERFECT if you're having troubles with a picky eater. If that doesn't convince you, then maybe the fact that it only took me 35 minutes to complete all these meals will... Give creativity a try! 

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Whip It Up Wednesday!

Do you find it hard to get out of bed? Are you more irritable, short-tempered, or more aggressive than usual? Or maybe you wake up and crawl right back in back so you don't have to face the world...

.... It sounds like you have a bad case of the Monday Blues.

HAVE NO FEAR, COFFEE IS HERE!

"Yeah, but I like Starbucks."

What if I told you that you could have Starbucks EVERY DAY for HALF the price in YOUR kitchen?!

Well hang onto your broomsticks, witches and wizards, because I discovered the GREATEST morning cure that will turn that frown upside ......

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HOMEMADE NUTELLA MOCHA FRAPPUCCINO

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Are you excited yet?! 

I was so happy, that I nearly died in excitement! I mean, it's NUTELLA!!!
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Ingredients:

1. 2 TBSP of Nutella

2. 2 TBSP of Caramel

3. 2 TBSP of Instant Coffee

4. 1/2 C. of Milk

5. 1 Cup of Ice

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Steps:

1. Pour the ingredients into a blender. 

2. Blend the contents for a minute.

3. Pour your homemade "better than Starbucks coffee" into a mug.

4. Enjoy your morning buzz!
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Kick your morning off with a delicious, affordable, and buzz-fulfilling drink. Watch your Monday Blues disappear! 

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Think Healthy Thursday: Mashed Cauliflower & Ground Turkey Topping

With the semester coming to an end and the final projects piling in, I haven't been able to keep up with my blog. Fortunately today was more of a relaxed day for me. Because I'm such a proactive person, it almost seems wrong for me to just sit around. The term, "lazy," isn't in my vocabulary, so I had to meet myself in the middle. Why not relax with a hobby of mine? Pinterest and cooking!

ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE!

Due to my new healthy lifestyle, my goal was to find a meal that was nutritious yet fulfilling. That was going to be difficult seeing as I was stuck in Thanksgiving mode. 

Tick Tock Tick Tock...

.... 6:31pm?! I only have AN HOUR to make a meal before heading to the gym and I haven't even found one yet!!

HOW IN THE WORLD WILL I FIND HEALTHY COMFORT FOOD IN LESS THAN AN HOUR?!

OH, MAN!!!

THEN SUDDENLY.......

Substitution for mashed potatoes - Mashed cauliflower!

Substitution for ground beef - Ground turkey!

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Think Healthy Thursday:

Mashed Cauliflower Recipe --

1. 1/2 Head of Cauliflower

2. 2 Tsp of Chili Powder

3. 2 Tsp of Garlic Powder

4. 2 Tbsp Light Sour Cream

Ground Turkey Topping Recipe --

1. 1lb. Ground Turkey

2. 2 Tsp of Oregano

3. 2 Tsp of Chili Powder

4. 2 Tbsp of Garlic Powder

5. 1 Tbsp of Chopped Onions

6. 1 Can (10 oz.) of Cream of Mushroom Soup

7. 1 Cup of Skim Milk

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Let's start with the Mashed Cauliflower...

1. Carefully cut the head of cauliflower in half. Take one half and cut it into small pieces. (1 1/2 inch cubes) -- Put the other half in the fridge to use in the future. :)

2. Place the cauliflower in a steamer with 2 cups of water. (If you don't have a steamer, you can microwave the cauliflower in a microwave-safe container with a 1/2 cup of water)

3. Let it sit until the timer automatically pops up OR cook it for about 5-10 minutes in the microwave.

4. After the cauliflower is softened. Take a fork or a blender, add  2 Tsp of Chili Powder, 2 Tsp of Garlic Powder, and  2 Tbsp Light Sour Cream and mash away!

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Next, the Ground Turkey Topping....

1. Grab a large bowl and place the ground turkey inside.

2. Pour 2 Tsp of Oregano, 2 Tsp of Chili Powder, 2 Tbsp of Garlic Powder,1 Tbsp of Chopped Onions, and 1/2 the Can (10 oz.) of Cream of Mushroom Soup into the bowl. 

3. Use your hands and mix up the mush! (If you're a clean freak - grab a pair of latex gloves :p)

4. On a large skillet, cook your seasoned meat on medium high temperature until browned.

5. When your meat is cooked all the way through, add the rest of the Cream of Mushroom Soup and 1 Cup of Milk and cook for 10 minutes. 

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ALMOST FINISHED.... 

1. Serve the Ground Turkey Topping on top of the Mashed Cauliflower

2. I'm from Wisconsin... So naturally...

ADD SHREDDED CHEESE, CHEESE HEADS!! 

(But... only a little for the health of it.)

(Awww, a doggy cheese head!)

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Total Calories:

Mashed Cauliflower --

Serving Size: 1/2 Cup

Calories: 60.7

Protein: 3.7 g

Carb: 3.4 g

Fiber: 4.2 g

Ground Turkey Topping -- 

Serving Size: 1

Calories: 344

Fat: 12.1

Protein: 32.4 g

Carb: 22.8

Fiber: 15.2

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TOTAL COST: $10.67

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WHO SAID COMFORT FOOD COULDN'T BE HEALTHY?! MOVE OVER MASHED POTATERS!!

This meal was so stinkin' good. My boyfriend liked the mashed cauliflower, even though he was ambivalent to the idea. We converted our health options tonight! Weeee! :)

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Thirsty Thursday - Let's Get Chocolate Wasted!

Today is the first day of our Fall break and most of the college students have packed up and headed home for the weekend. Then, there are the rest of us who are sitting around wondering what to do on a Thursday night in a small college town. Typically, "Thirsty Thursday," is practically a holiday for college students, but I don't join in on those festivities - I'm a homebody! Tonight feels like a movie night cuddled up to a wonderful boyfriend and a fulfilling cup of hot cocoa. 

Instead of the, "Swiss Miss," instant pack of hot chocolate mix, I wanted to give homemade hot cocoa a try. After all, I did I sucker my boyfriend, Ryan, into watching the movie, "Chocolat." So naturally, I felt even more inspired to make homemade hot cocoa! (If you haven't seen the movie, I highly recommend that you do. It's absolutely wonderful!) 

(Dun-Dun-Dun-Dunnnnn!) Pinterest to the rescue!

I came across an interesting take on hot cocoa... 

Spanish Spiced Hot Cocoa!

Here's what you'll need to make this Spanish Spiced Hot Cocoa:

NOTE: These ingredients make 6 cups!

1. 6 Cups of Skim Milk

2. 3 tbsp cocoa powder (I prefer Ghirardelli)

3. 3 tbsp white sugar

4. 1 tsp vanilla extract

5. 2 tsp cinnamon

6. 1/2 tsp chili powder

7. 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 

8. Fat free cool whip for topping

Pour all of the ingredients into a small saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until the ingredients are fully combined and the milk is hot.  Pour your cocoa into a crafty mug. Add the cool whip on top to make it cutesy, and a pinch of cinnamon for style!

Enjoy!

There's nothing like homemade hot cocoa. It's rich, creamy, and has a nice little kick from the chili powder. I absolutely love it! Give it a try! I promise you'll love it!

It's Thirsty Thursday! Grab a blanket, your favorite movie, and a loved one.... because we're getting chocolate wasted!

Sunday Fun with Minions!

It's a beautiful Sunday morning. The Autumn leaves are changing colors, the neighbors are decorating for Halloween, and to top it off, it's my little brother's birthday party! Well to be honest, he's not so "little," anymore. Today, we are celebrating his 17th birthday. 

Sadly as many of you may know, buying a 17-year-old boy a gift can be a challenge. Not to mention the little amount of money I have being a full-time student. 

LIGHT-BULB

PINTEREST TO THE RESCUE!

Personally, I prefer homemade gifts. I believe that homemade gifts are the most favorite of them all because they come from the heart. What better to explore your creativity than to search for "pinteresting" ideas on Pinterest!

Inspired by last year's Halloween costume my roommates and I made, I decided to look for a gift filled with Minions. Why not?! Everyone loves the Minions from "Despicable Me," I don't care what age you are.

Finally, I found a crafty gift: 

MINION BALLOONS!

Here are the materials you're going to need for your minion project:

1. Yellow Balloons (and purple if you want to create an evil minion) - I got mine at Bart's Party Store. 

2. Scotch Tape

3. Scissors

4. Black and purple ribbon

5. A reasonable sized box for your balloon to fit

6. Minion face cut-outs (optional - you can make your own, of course)
          --> Here's where I got my cut-outs from: http://despicableme.com/goggles/DM2_goggles.pdf

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Let's create a Minion!

1. Cut out the minion goggles and mouths 

2. Tape them onto your balloon with your scotch tape

3. Take your pieces of black ribbon, and tape the ribbon on top of the minion's ballon head to create wacky hair

4. Depending on how big your box is, take all of your minions (in my case, one minion balloon) and tape the bottom of the attached string of the balloon, to the INSIDE of the box at the very bottom

5. Tape money on the back of the minion's head, as a gift

6. Close the box and secure it with tape

7. When the birthday boy/girl opens the box, they'll get a minion surprise floating toward them with their gift attached!

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Evil Minion - SURPRISE!

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My brother LOVED this idea, rather than the typical card and money!

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Total Cost of the Project: $6.77 + $10 (Gift Money)

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BEE-DOH-BEE-DOH-BEE-DOH!!

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Hahahahahaha... Butt.