1 package Oreos (15-16 oz)
1 block of cream cheese (8 oz)
Use food processor to pulverize the cookies and then add softened cream cheese. Roll this black mush into balls, and dip in melted chocolate. Get fancy if you wish and drizzle white chocolate over them. These taste awesome and like you put waaay more work and ingredients into them than you really did 
Makes approx. 35 depending on size
1 large box strawberry Jello (6 oz)
1 cup chopped almonds (really any nut)
1 cup flaked coconut
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
Jar of red sanding sugar
Plastic strawberry stems
In a food processor, grind the nuts, then add the coconut and then the jello and milk. Shape this mushy mixture into strawberries and roll in the red sugar. Top with stem. Easy peasy and adorable!
I made this cake for Labor Day, coloring the filling in red and blue stripes, but this cake would be wonderful for any event. Sorry, I only took a picture of the outside, not a cut piece – it’s not very exciting, just a round cake, so I won’t include the photo. I think this is actually meant to be a wedding cake form what I’ve read. I added the cheesecake filling between the layers of cake (do.not.skip.this.step. It’s sooo delicious) and it turned out to be one of the best white cakes I’ve ever made. I read all the claims about the WASC cake, and was very underwhelmed when I tried the cake when it cooled. The next day after it sat overnight it was MUCH better and very impressive. If you’re planning on making this, definitely put it in the fridge for at least 24 hours, also let it come close to room temperature before serving. Buttercream is always better soft
White Almond Sour Cream Cake (found on Plain Chicken blog)
1 box white cake mix (Duncan Hines)
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/3 cups water
1/8 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1 cup sour cream
4 large egg whites
Preheat oven to 325.
Place all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir together with a whisk. Add remaining ingredients and beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into 3 greased and floured cake pans. Fill about half way full.
Bake for about 30 minutes.
Buttercream Frosting (from the Food Network)
In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.
Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.
Cheesecake Mousse
1 small box Jello instant cheesecake pudding mix
1 pint whipping cream
Use a hand mixer and whip until fluffy consistency – don’t go too long or it will be cheesecake flavored butter.
Where, oh where, has the time gone? Honestly, I just feel like the last time I posted was like 2 weeks ago…but it was more than 4 MONTHS AGO? Bet you thought I was off accomplishing something great in that huge lapse in time…but no. I wasn’t. I was working and well…working. Here’s a brief update of some things that have gone on since The Last Post on 1/24/12…
#1. In March, my sister and I took the trip of a lifetime. AKA “Road Trip USA: Seat’s Taken” per our upcoming DVD (yes, we filmed the trip for my parents). It was so nice to spend time together, just the two of us. That kind of time is rare these days, and I’m sure it will be even more rare in the days to come. We saw some pretty amazing things – The Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Devil’s Tower, etc. I could go on, but I think I am probably the only person that cares. Bottom line – good times were had by all, and I can’t wait to go see her in July with my parents!
#2. I booked a wedding in June…the first wedding here in Charlotte for Cardinal Photography! So exciting!
Um…and that’s about it. My lovely roommate Kelli and I have been brainstorming about some really delightful business ideas, but more on that in the (hopefully) near future!
PS – some new recipe’s from Gram’s old cookbook are heading your way shortly! I’m going to blog my pants off this month!!
I tried to wait until this afternoon to post. I really did. But I was just too excited to wait!
This is the view of my new-and-improved bedroom as it is NOW. I’m not sure if the pictures do it justice, but it’s so heavenly to me I can’t even explain it.
New view of the bed. What a difference just a few items make! Bedskirt, sheets, and throw pillows are from Target. Duvet cover is the original one, from Overstock.com. New lamp base and shade are from Walmart.
This may be one of my favorite items in the room! Sheer curtains are from Kirkland’s. Hydrangea garland & brown satin ribbon to tie the curtains back are from Michael’s.
Close-up of the hydrangea garland…as my Gram always told me, “everything needs a little bit of yellow!” Also, please note that the curtains have little grids on them, like my duvet cover. SERIOUSLY. What an amazing score from Kirkland’s!
The bookshelf that started it all. I had decided I needed one and after I put it in my room, I felt like everything else deserved to be changed too. Bookshelf is from Target. Bud vases on the top of the shelf are from Partylite, and the hydrangea flowers are from Michael’s.
Dresser area. Mirror is from Kirkland’s. Lamp base, vase, and hydrangea flowers are from Walmart. TV moved into the other corner, angled out to face my bed, so much more cozy.
LOVE these flowers. The colors were perfect!
Found this adorable plaque at my local Hallmark. I had to have it! (Please, ignore the dust on my dresser. We’re all human, right?)
Another view of the whole room – romantic, warm, and comfortable. Just how I wanted!
Have you done any DIY projects lately? Please share! This was so much fun…onto the next!
Recently, I’ve had the feeling that I needed to change/update my bedroom. It was a little dormy for my tastes, and since I’m “knocking on 30′s door” as my sister says, I thought maybe I should make it look a little more grown-up. Thus began a 4 week project of cleaning, throwing away, updating, and upgrading. I had so much fun! To tell you the truth, I’m kind of sad that I’m done. But I’m NOT sad that I now have such a lovely room!
I really wanted something that was fun and that also represented me (I love elegant and girly things, but I’ve never been a fan of lace, or the color pink for that matter). I wanted it to be romantical (made-up word), warm, welcoming, and homey. I live in an apartment and although I could paint if I wanted to, I wanted to try to stay away from that and really just upgrade the things that I already had in my room to begin with.
Here are some “before” pictures:
This was the view of my room as you walked in my bedroom door. This was taken after I had just moved and set everything up, so I didn’t have a lot of clutter at this point and I had brought absolutely NONE of my book collection with me. Things looked pretty plain, but it was mine, and this was my first apartment. I felt like I had so much space!
This was how my bed looked like before. LOVE the duvet cover, and yes that is a stuffed animal on the top of my pillows. I love that little dog, okay?
This was how my far wall looked – TV and DVD shelves, dresser, random wheeled cart where I kept magazines and whatnot. Stereo and CD’s on top of the dresser. Random palm tree poster that I framed (from college) for some wall art.
I can’t wait to post the “AFTER” pictures tomorrow! The change is pretty dramatic, but the major components were not really changed. It was definitely my first DIY project, and I’m pretty proud of it!
Alright. Here goes. I’m only sharing this recipe because I want a back up for myself in the horrible instance that my written recipe gets lost. This recipe is special. Of all the things I make, I get the request to make this most often. I got the recipe from a friend of mine, because I was so head-over-heels in love with this stuff. I’m tellin ya – worth it’s weight in gold. Ready? Here goes. One last thing – this stuff comes with a warning: don’t make this unless you want to eternally be disappointed with every other mac n cheese recipe you’ll ever make again.
1 lb Creamettes (yes, you must use this brand of macaroni. I’m not sure why it’s so much better)
1 lb block of Hoffman’s SuperSharp cheddar (don’t try to substitute – I know it’s expensive, but the whole dish depends on it)
1 quart of milk (that’s 4 cups )
1/2 Tablespoon black pepper
1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grate your cheese into a large baking pan.
Stir the sugar, pepper, and salt into the milk.
Boil the noodles for 7 minutes and drain. Pour the hot noodles over the grated cheese. Let sit for about a minute and then mix together until all the cheese is melted. Pour the milk mixture over the cheesy noodles. Do not mix. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.
Voila! Enjoy and try to share even though it hurts. You can thank me later.
