ODYSSEO BY CAVALIA REVIEW

May 30, 2016June 10, 2016 ~ Jenny ~ Leave a comment

I was able to attend a showing of Odysseo by Cavalia in Sandy, Utah. If you have driven on I-15 in Utah at all, then you probably have seen the billboards everywhere! I wondered what the show was about but didn’t quite understand after I visited their website. I went to the show pretty much only knowing that I would be seeing horses.

I attended during social media week so we were given VIP tickets which included a buffet dinner beforehand. There was a lot of different foods to choose from, but much of it was very different than what you typically expect at a buffet unless you are in southern France. Nothing was labeled and the lighting in the tent is dark so some things were hard to figure out what they were. I enjoyed the food and thought the variety was good. Plus, it was nice to have drinks and popcorn for the show and dessert during intermission.

After the buffet we enjoyed the show from front row seats. Sitting front row was pretty spectacular and I have to warn you that you do get wet during one part of the show. Now, after having seen the show, I understand how it has been called “the most amazing show.” That is how I would describe it in one word-amazing. Its a little hard to explain what the show is exactly, but it’s a mixture of the horses performing, singing, dancing, acrobatics and aeralists. The horses are so beautiful and some of the scenes they set up are serene and peaceful for some parts and wild and action packed for others. I was tense during some of the tricks they performed because they seem so perilous! The performers are truly talented and they work with the horses so well. I loved watching their interactions together. From riding atop two horses in flowing, beautiful costumes, to jumps over poles and graceful aerialists performing after being lifted off the horses. Some of the acts were truly breathtaking.

The show runs for 2 hours with a 30 minute intermission. I felt like the time flew by, I was so engaged with everything going on. All of the seats seem to have a good view of the show, as it’s not that large of an area. There is $10 parking available close to the tent, but we parked near Dillard’s and walked. I noticed that the will-call line does get long and there are a lot of people around so I would suggest arriving at least 30 minutes before the show.

Cavalia is running through June 20th, and tickets can be purchased at cavalia.net

PERFECT PICO DE GALLO RECIPE

May 27, 2016June 3, 2016 ~ Jenny ~ 6 Comments

I love a good pico de gallo. I think its delicious eaten alone with tortilla chips but it also adds the perfect flavor and acidity to tacos and other Mexican food. Although most recipes are similar, I have a few tips to make this the perfect pico de gallo. The tricks are in the method of preparing the ingredients.

First, you want to make sure you pick the best ingredients. You will want Spanish or yellow onions that are nice and firm, no soft spots. Pick large limes, with a little bit of give when you squeeze them instead of ones that are rock hard. Choose bright, fresh cilantro with no brown spots. Your tomatoes should be firm and vibrant red.

Okay, so now you’ve rounded up the perfect ingredients and are ready to make the pico!

First secret: After you have removed the outside skin of the onion, slice off the top and bottom and cut the onion in half. Run both halves of the onions under cold water to rinse. This helps to take the “bite” out of the onion. You can also soak your onion in cold water to remove more of the bite, but I find rinsing works great for me. Dice your onion small and put into a glass bowl.

Second secret (and I think the most important): Sprinkle the entire teaspoon of salt over the onions. Using the back of a large fork or spoon you are going to smash the onion down with the salt. Do this for a couple of minutes and your onion should start to look wet and glossy. Now add your lime juice, chopped cilantro and tomatoes. Allow flavors to mix for about 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy with tortilla chips or on your favorite taco or burrito! It is also excellent on this carne asada recipe.

Perfect Pico de Gallo

1 large yellow onion diced
2 large hot house tomatoes (or your favorite tomato), diced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped finely (no stems)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 large limes, juiced

Rinse onion and dice. In a large glass bowl, add onion and salt. Using the back of a fork, smash onion pieces down, until wet and glossy. Add lime juice, pepper, cilantro, and tomatoes and stir to coat. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving. Taste and add additional salt and pepper as needed.

$20 SUPER QUICK MATCHING MOTHER’S DAY DRESSES FOR YOU AND YOUR TODDLER

May 4, 2016 ~ Jenny ~ Leave a comment

I was so excited when I saw this cute floral midi dress at Walmart of all places. It got even better when I saw the price- only $9.88! I bought one for myself and I have loved it. It’s so stretchy and comfortable! Then a few days ago I thought about having matching outfits with my little girl for Mother’s Day. I don’t think we have ever had matching outfits. I stopped by Walmart and picked up another one as I had decided I was going to make her a dress out of it. I was so nervous to do this project because I’m not a great seamstress, but then I saw a tutorial for making toddler play dresses from women’s shirts HERE. I realized I could do this a dress and so can you! You use the already existing hemlines of the neck and the sleeves, which makes this even faster and simpler. I timed myself and I did the whole thing in an hour and a half. So go grab a couple of these cute dresses and make yourself and daughter one! They are out of stock online, but I found mine in the Juniors section of the local Walmart.

Here are the dresses I chose. They also have a blue floral one and a few other cute patterns.

Seriously only $9.88. Total steal of a deal!

First lay your dress out on a flat surface. You are going to cut the front from the back of the dress, leaving the sleeves intact.You will now have two pieces- the front and the back. Put the back piece (with the sleeves) aside and fold the front piece in half with right sides together.Taking a t-shirt that fits your toddler, turn it inside out and fold it in half as well. Line up the t-shirt on top of the dress with the necklines matching. You are going to use the t-shirt as a pattern to cut the dress. Carefully cut around the shirt on the top of the shoulder. You are not cutting out sleeves at this point. Make sure you give yourself extra room for a seam allowance. Once you cut around the arm hole shape, STOP! You are going to cut down to the bottom of the dress in an A-line dress shape. I measured approximately how long I would want the dress so I knew where to stop. I had extra fabric left on the bottom.You should have a front dress shaped piece that looks like this.Now fold it in half again, right sides together. Fold your back piece in half, right sides together, and place your front dress shaped piece (that’s folded in half) along the back piece, matching up the folds.

Place the front piece slightly further down on the neckline, so the back neckline is higher. Then cut out along the front piece.

Now you have a front piece and a back piece. Next line up the top and hems of your toddler shirt sleeve on the top and hems of the original sleeve. Cut out, making sure to leave a seam allowance.

Now line up that sleeve with the other sleeve so that you have two total.Now you should have four pieces total.Place the front and back of the dress together with right sides together and match up the shoulders. Sew them together with whatever seam allowance you chose.

Now open up the dress with the right side up. Place the arm sleeve face down and match up the center and mark with a pin.

Now carefully pin the sleeve to the curve of the arm hole, pinning small sections.

Then sew the sleeve into place. Repeat with your other sleeve and you should have one piece.

Now fold the dress back in half with the right sides together and sew up the bottom of the sleeve and down the side of the dress. Repeat on the other side. You’re almost done!

Fold up the bottom of the dress about an inch making it even all the way around and hem it. If you have a double needle use that (I don’t). Now your dress is done! Yay!

SPAM FRIED RICE QUICK AND EASY

April 29, 2016June 16, 2024 ~ Jenny ~ 2 Comments

So I’ll get straight to it- there is Spam in this recipe (Wait! don’t stop reading yet!) I know there are two camps of people. You either love Spam or you hate it. Well, maybe three camps. You think you hate it because you would never, EVER try canned meat. I grew up eating Spam and I am definitely in the “love it” camp. I was born on Guam, and according to some fun facts I found online, Guam is the largest consumer of Spam per person, per year. Now, I don’t think I eat that much Spam, but I do love it in this fried rice recipe. But, if you are not a Spam lover, you can easily substitute diced ham (or even cooked chicken) in its place and still have some delicious fried rice. An added bonus to Spam, is its easy storage convience in my pantry and the saltiness of it makes this rice so savory and good! I love to make this rice for dinner either as the main meal with an egg roll on the side, or we have it as a side with another dish like these lettuce wraps.

Fried rice at home is easier than you might think. There are two important tips I can tell you that will affect the taste of your rice. First, make sure to use the right type of rice- medium or short grain. Most of the white rice that is readily available in grocery stores is long grain. The short grain is a sticky rice and is what I prefer to use for fried rice. I usually buy a huge bag of Calrose short grain rice at Costco because we eat lots of rice, but I have found it is usually in the Asian food section at grocery stores. The second tip is to use a good quality soy sauce. There are a lot of different kinds of soy sauces, from light to dark, and Chinese to Japanese. Some soy sauces are chemically or artificially produced. These will not taste very good if you use them. I love to use Kikkoman soy sauce which is available in most grocery stores.

This is a simple recipe, and you can easily jazz it up by adding sesame oil instead of vegetable oil, some green onions, other vegetables like mushrooms, fresh ginger, or even some fresh garlic instead of powdered. I like it the simple way because it means I have usually have everything I need already in my pantry. This recipe is great for those weeknight meals when you aren’t sure what to cook. I use frozen mixed vegetables to make the meal quick (no chopping) and I also have a rice cooker which makes cooking the rice easy.

Spam Fried Rice

5 cups cooked Calrose rice (2 1/2 cups uncooked rice)
1 can Spam diced into 1/2 inch cubes or 2 cups diced ham
1 tablespoon vegetable oil*
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 cups mixed frozen vegetables
5 eggs

In a large pot or pan, heat vegetable oil and add Spam, allowing it to brown for 5-7 minutes, stirring periodically. Add the garlic powder and black pepper and stir. Crack your eggs into a large bowl and whisk. Moving the Spam to one side, add the eggs and scramble them. (You can also cook the eggs in a separate frying pan if desired, I just try to save myself washing two pans). Add the frozen mixed vegetables and allow to cook for 4-5 minutes until warmed through. Add the cooked rice to the pot and mix to incorporate everything allow to cook for another 6-7 minutes. Slowing add the soy sauce and stir until incorporated. Add a few more tablespoons if rice seems like it needs more. Serve with egg rolls.

*You can also use sesame oil if desired.

ODYSSEO FLASH GIVEAWAY- BE AMONG THE FIRST TO DISCOVER ODYSSEO BY CAVALIA IN SALT LAKE

April 21, 2016April 21, 2016 ~ Jenny ~ Leave a comment

When I first saw the huge white tent going up by South Towne mall, I was intrigued and had to find out what was going on. After seeing a billboard I looked up their website. The show looks amazing! You can see clips of it here- http://po.st/aUHNDG.

Odysseo, “marries the equestrian arts, stage arts and high-tech theatrical effects at never-before-seen levels. This larger-than-life show sends hearts racing, but it is also a feast for the eyes that succeeds in delivering the spectacular with soul.” There are 70 horses and 45 actors in the production which Larry King said, “surpasses the world’s greatest shows!”

I am running a giveaway on my Instagram account —->HERE.

Here’s what you’ll win-

Two pairs (2 tickets per pair) of Gold category tickets. Valid for their Friday, April 22 show at 6:30PM (Mountain) in Sandy, Utah.

Be sure to enter!

KOREAN BEEF BULGOGI WITH JONES CREEK BEEF

April 11, 2016April 13, 2016 ~ Jenny ~ 10 Comments

I was provided beef from Jones Creek Beef for this post. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

One of my favorite restaurants in Germany was a little Korean place my mom would take us too. I loved the food and I thought it wasn’t something I would ever be able to recreate at home. Flash forward to my college years and in an introductory cooking class, we made a Korean beef bulgogi recipe. I was so amazed at how delicious and easy the recipe was. I’ve made many versions of Korean beef bulgogi since then, but this one is by far my favorite.

This recipe does have a unique ingredient in it. A quick story. When I had my second baby, I was so excited to make homemade baby food. A good friend gave me tons of pears from her tree and I carefully cooked, pureed and froze them into individual portions. Well, unlike my son, my little girl refused to eat pureed food. She went straight to table food. So I was left with a bunch of pureed pears (which were delicious by the way!). Many bulgogi recipes call for pureed pear so I started using the baby food in my recipes. Now that I no longer have any of that baby food left, I still like to buy a couple of jars of pureed pears every now and then to use in this recipe. You can also substitute a fresh pear pureed in a food processor if you prefer 🙂

Anyhow, back to the important part-the beef. In order to make beef bulgogi, you want a tender prime cut of meat. I like to use ribeye steaks. The grass-fed ribeye steaks from Jones Creek beef were so tender and had a great marbling and fat content. I could tell a difference in the tenderness when I was slicing them. Besides the meat tasting way better, it also has tons of added benefits- lower in total fat, and higher in B vitamins and minerals to name a few. You can check out all of the benefits on their website. You can purchase Jones Creek beef at your local Walmart. If you’ve never had beef bulgogi and you’re wondering what it taste like, it’s probably best described as being savory but also sweet. My two kids really enjoy the flavors and gobble it up over rice. After I made the bulgogi, my husband commented on how tender the meat was. I have to agree that the meat was super tender.

My other favorite part of the meal from the Korean restaurant was the cucumber kimchi. I haven’t tried making my own kimchi at home , but these quick pickled cucumber and carrots only take a few minutes to put together and make the perfect side for the beef. Plus, I’m pretty sure it’s easier to make than kimchi. If you make the beef, I recommend you try the pickled cucumber with it.

Korean Beef Bulgogi

2 Jones Creek beef ribeyes
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 jar pear baby food
3 green onions
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
4 garlic cloves, minced*

In a gallon ziplock bag, add the soy sauce, black pepper, pureed pear, chopped green onions, sugar, sesame oil, sesame seeds and garlic. Seal the bag and mix together. Slice the two ribeye steaks 1/4 inch thick against the grain. Add to the ziplock bag and allow to marinate for at least one hour but preferably overnight. In a large frying pan, add the entire bag of meat and marinade. Cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until the meat is to your desired doneness. I like to transfer the meat to a large serving bowl with all the sauce and then take a few pieces out and allow them to brown up a little more by themselves. This step is optional. The sauce tastes great spooned over the rice. Garnish with additional sesame seeds and green onion if desired.

Quick Pickled Cucumbers and Carrots

1 cucumber sliced (and peeled if desired)
3 garlic cloves, minced*
1 carrot shredded (My peeler has an attachment on the other side that shreds the carrots)
1 tsp grated fresh ginger*
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red pepper flakes
3 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup water

In a pint mason jar, add the rice vinegar, salt, ginger, sugar, red pepper flakes and garlic and stir to combine. Add the cucumber and carrots pressing them down into the liquid. Add the water to just barely cover the cucumber and carrots. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Serve with the beef bulgogi.

*Fresh ginger and garlic are a must for this recipe. I love to use powdered garlic in other recipes, but it won’t taste the same in this one. Buy a piece of ginger, peel off the outside skin and keep it in the freezer. Then you will always have it on hand and it’s SO much easier to grate frozen. I use a small hole hand held grater like this ONE. I also use that grater for my garlic rather then try to mince it.

NAVY AND GOLD TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY WITH CRICUT

April 5, 2016May 22, 2017 ~ Jenny ~ Leave a comment

This post contains affiliate links. This means, if you make a purchase through my links, I’ll receive a small portion of your purchase at no extra cost to you.

My friend’s little boy turned one on April 1st and she had the cutest idea for a navy and gold party. I loved the idea of combining that with “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”. I had a lot of fun planning out some of the party decor.

First, I drew the cake topper “Twinkle, Twinkle” out with a sharpie on some white paper and took a photo of it with my phone. Then I uploaded it to Cricut Design Space, cleaned up some of the background and was able to cut it out on the Cricut Explore Air.

I thought some stars would be cute for the cupcakes, so I quickly designed a few toppers and also cut some extras for the straws. I’ve been saving some baby food jars forever, knowing that *one* day they would come in handy. I painted the top navy blue with craft paint and used gold adhesive foil cut with the Cricut to add a star. I filled the jars with all sorts of blue candy.

I had the idea of using some Wilton food color gold mist spray for the stars on the cake. I designed a star template on the Cricut and cut it.

I loved how quickly I was able to make custom party decorations that added fun and unique details to the party!

THE BEST HOMEMADE TACO SEASONING

March 31, 2016May 4, 2017 ~ Jenny ~ Leave a comment

Homemade tacos have always been one of my favorite dinners! I love being able to have so many options and picking how much or little of the different toppings to make my very own taco. I love my tacos with refried beans, meat, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole and olives.

I don’t have anything against taco seasoning packets, but once I started making my own taco seasoning it’s so much nicer to have a jar on hand in the spice cupboard and it tastes way better. Plus, it’s more cost effective, especially if you can buy your spices in bulk at grocery stores like WinCo. This recipe makes a large batch that should last a few months. After I added my seasoning to my jar, I realized it didn’t have a label. I was able to to my Cricut Explore and some gold adhesive foil to make a super cute label for my jar. I upcycled the jar from an old jelly jar that I cleaned out. I loved the square shape.

This taco seasoning mix makes great ground beef or turkey tacos, but I also use it to make chicken fajitas, and taco soup. There is no salt in the seasoning mixture, but I do season my meat with salt after I have added some of the taco seasoning. Lately we have also really enjoyed adding about 1/4 cup of salsa to our taco meat. Give this taco seasoning a try, I’m sure you will love it as much as we do!

TACO SEASONING

1 cup chili powder
1/2 cup cumin
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons + 2 tsp ground black pepper

Place spices in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Store in a large airtight container or jar. Add approximately 1 1/2-2 tablespoons to one pound of meat plus 2 tablespoons water (if desired). Season meat with salt to taste.

RESCUE RUN 5K

March 21, 2016April 21, 2016 ~ Jenny ~ 1 Comment

I wanted to make you aware of an important event happening in the Utah community, the Rescue Run 5K. I recently had the opportunity to watch the movie The Abolitionists. The movie is about Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.), an organization that rescues children being sex trafficked. In less than 2 years since its establishment, O.U.R. has already rescued 413 victims of sex trafficking and arrested 136 traffickers around the globe. This is a worthwhile cause that deserves our attention.

My friend Kara, who blogs at While Camden Sleeps, has worked tirelessly to put on the Rescue Run 5K happening Saturday, May 21st in Lehi, Utah. 100% of the profits are going directly to O.U.R. Kara wrote so powerfully and eloquently about this cause and why we need to do something. Please visit her blog HERE to read more and sign up for the race.

HELLO KITTY BIRTHDAY PARTY

March 7, 2016March 16, 2016 ~ Jenny ~ 4 Comments

People always told me time flies when you have kids. And boy were they ever right. I can’t believe my little girl is two years old! For her birthday I had decided on a gold theme with mint. But then I thought about how much she loves Hello Kitty and so I decided I needed to throw her a Hello Kitty party. I was able to buy all the Hello Kitty stuff as markdowns after Valentines day so that was awesome (see THIS post about saving on party supplies). I combined it with the other gold stuff I had already been making and the mint, pink and gold Hello Kitty party was born. It was a fun party to put together and I don’t think I have ever seen so many Hello Kitty presents!

I used THIS whipped cream frosting recipe for the cake. The bottom layer was chocolate with white chocolate frosting and the top layer was strawberry with cheesecake frosting.

The gold garland banner in the background was made using large gold confetti pieces that I sewed together. It was easier than I thought it would be and was a quick project. The Hello Kitty heads were actually Valentines, but I used them for the banner instead.

The cupcake toppers were made using some wrapping paper I got on sale after Christmas.

I painted mason jars with regular acrylic paint and a sponge brush then used some glitter scotch tape for the top detail. I found the flowers marked down at my local grocery store the day before and just trimmed them and added them to the jars.

I forgot to take more pictures of the food, but we had Korean noodle bowls that were delicious! It’s a crockpot homemade version of a popular food truck around here- Cupbop. I think I will post the recipe soon. Some of the ingredients are a little harder to find, but they are worth it!

EASY BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP

February 24, 2016October 5, 2018 ~ Jenny ~ 2 Comments

This broccoli cheese soup has a few ingredients that might surprise you, but it’s a delicious, warm, comforting and easy meal!

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GREEN CHILE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH BLACK BEANS

February 17, 2016April 21, 2016 ~ Jenny ~ Leave a comment

I first started making this recipe when I was in college. I was just learning to cook and I am pretty sure I found the original recipe on the back of an enchilada sauce can. Most of my recipes seemed to come from the back of packaging when I was first learning 🙂 When I visited home that Christmas I made it for my dad, and every time he visits or I visit my family he requests them. My mom finally asked for the recipe last summer so she could make them at home and not have to wait for a visit to enjoy them.

Over the years I’ve modified the recipe and this is the version my family loves the most. I love it because the filling is made in the crockpot so I can start it in the morning and forget about it. Right before dinner, I can quickly fill my tortillas and put them in the pan and work on a couple of sides while they bake. I love the green enchilada sauce, but both my kids and husband aren’t fans, so I actually bake most of the enchiladas without sauce, and just a few with the sauce. It’s a great compromise because everyone eats these up. I used to get complaints about not wanting enchiladas, but since I made this change the pan gets wiped out. The other great thing about this recipe is it doubles very easily. If you are needing to bring a filling meal to someone who just had a baby, who is sick , or just needs a nice home cooked meal, this is a great option. Just leave the sauce on the side so they can add it when they choose to bake it up. I love to serve the enchiladas with guacamole or sliced avocado, a side of corn and rice, or a nice green salad.

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

1 large boneless/skinless chicken breast (or two smaller ones) about 1 pound total
1 can chicken broth
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 oz Neufachatel cream cheese
1 can (28 oz) green enchilada sauce (I love the Las Palmas brand)
1 can black beans rinsed and drained
10 flour tortillas
1 cup shredded Monterey cheese (or cheddar)
*Optional- 1 can diced green chiles

Place chicken in crockpot, sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper and add the chicken broth around the chicken (so as not to wash the seasonings off the chicken). Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high 4-6, until chicken shreds very easily with a fork. I know my chicken is ready when I can gently push on it and it starts to fall apart.

Preheat your oven to 350. Leaving the chicken in the crockpot, carefully tilt the lid and drain the broth into a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup (you can throw away the rest or maybe save it for some soup!)

To the crockpot add 1/4 cup enchilada sauce, your 1/4 cup reserved chicken broth, the cream cheese and the black beans (and the can of diced green chiles if you desire more of a kick, I leave these out for my kids).

Stir everything together until well mixed. The chicken should be hot enough that the cream cheese just melts and stirs in easily. Spoon approximately 1/4 cup of the filling down the center of the tortilla and a few tablespoons of shredded cheese. Roll up and place seam side down in a 9 X 13 baking dish. Repeat until all tortillas are filled. Cover with additional cheese and the remaining green enchilada sauce (if desired). Bake for 25 minutes until cheese is melted. Alternately, cover the pan of enchiladas with foil, and refrigerate. When ready to eat, bake at 350 for 1 hour covered.

EASY CHOCOLATE POTS DE CREME

February 2, 2016February 4, 2016 ~ Jenny ~ Leave a comment

If you are looking for the ultimate, easy, chocolate dessert, then look no further! This recipe only takes 5 minutes to whip up in your blender, and it is perfect for a decadent Valentine’s day dessert. These are silky, rich chocolatey and just so delicious! They are similar to a chocolate pudding but more dense and rich. They are perfect for chocolate lovers and look fancy-schmancy in their little dishes garnished with some powdered sugar and berries. Your guests will think you slaved in the kitchen over these but you don’t have to share your secret 😉

Easy Chocolate Pots de Creme

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Put the chocolate chips, salt, and sugar in your blender and pulse until ground. Add the egg and pulse until smooth. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream until just simmering (small bubbles will start to form along edge). Carefully and slowly add the hot cream to the blender and pulse until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla extract and pulse to combine. Pour into 4 small ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours. Garnish with berries of choice and powdered sugar.

Recipe Source- King Arthur’s Flour

KUNG FU PANDA 3 MOVIE REVIEW

January 25, 2016October 12, 2016 ~ Jenny ~ 1 Comment

My family was able to attend a special premiere of Kung Fu Panda 3 this past Saturday. The event was held at our local Cinemark and was sponsored by a local radio station. It was a super fun event that we all enjoyed. We each got our own set of panda ears before the movie and a movie poster to take home (which proudly has a place on my son’s wall). Before the movie the kids got to pick out their own balloon animals (each picked a panda of course) and we got some complimentary popcorn and drinks. There were a few Make a Wish kids in attendance and we were able to cheer for them as they walked the red carpet that had been set up and got their pictures taken by a photographer.

The movie brings back the lovable and funny character Po (voiced by Jack Black) and other favorite cast members like Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, and Lucy Liu. Po is enjoying life as the Dragon Warrior, when Po’s long lost father returns and they journey together to the secret panda village. There’s a new villain Kai, who is determined to gather all the Kung Fu master’s “chi”, including Po’s.

We were able to see the movie in 3D. There are some movies that I have really enjoyed in 3D and others that I thought weren’t worth the expense. This one was excellent in 3D. So many of the sequences were really fun and enhanced by the 3D experience. The movie’s bad guy, Kai, uses axes on chains as his weapon of choice and those were again really fun to watch in 3D. Our 2 year old had a hard time keeping the glasses on, so I wouldn’t recommend the movie in 3D if you have ones younger than 3 (our 4 year old loved the action in 3D).

Overall we thought the movie was really fun and enjoyable. I feel like it’s suitable for any age. The villain wasn’t a scary character. My husband felt like it was a little more predictable than the other two movies and not his favorite. When we were discussing that it wasn’t quite as good as the first two afterwards, my son chimed in that he thought it was awesome. I think it will for sure be a hit with the kids and fun for parents too. Kung Fu Panda 3 opens Friday, January 29th in theaters.

SCHOOL LUNCH PEANUT BUTTER BARS

January 22, 2016 ~ Jenny ~ 1 Comment

If you are trying to avoid sweets as part of your New Year’s resolutions, then you should probably avert your eyes. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. These peanut bars will for sure not be fitting into your diet anytime soon. But, you really should make them anyways. Because they are that good! I got the recipe from my mother-in-law and these are tried and true delicious. It’s one of those recipes you will make over and over again. The recipe makes a whole half sheet pan’s worth, so when you make them you have plenty to share (and sharing keeps you from taking small pieces of them here and there until you realize that half of the pan is gone-oops). These peanut butter and oatmeal bars are perfect for a large gathering and are quick to put together. We had them most recently at a baby blessing at the beginning of the month and they were a hit.

School Lunch Peanut Butter Bars

Bars-
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups old fashioned oats

Frosting-
1/2 cup butter
4 tablespoons milk
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs, peanut butter and vanilla and mix until smooth. Add the flour, baking soda, salt and oats. Spread into a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper (or greased). Bake for 12-14 minutes till top is lightly brown.

For the frosting- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Turn the heat to low and add the cocoa powder and milk; stir to combine. Gradually add the powdered sugar a cup at a time and stir to incorporate. Pour the frosting over the warm peanut butter bars and spread.

Allow the bars to set up for about an hour for slicing. They will seem very soft when you get them out of the oven, but you do not want to over bake them. They are supposed to be nice and soft.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH CHICKEN, CORN AND SWEET POTATO CHOWDER

January 11, 2016October 5, 2018 ~ Jenny ~ Leave a comment

The butternut squash and sweet potato in this chowder lend a great sweetness and the corn and chicken make it a really hearty, filling and savory chowder. One of our family’s favorites.

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THE BEST HOT ARTICHOKE AND GREEN CHILI DIP

December 31, 2015June 16, 2024 ~ Jenny ~ Leave a comment

If you are looking for the best hot artichoke dip recipe, look no further! This hot artichoke dip with its secret ingredient (green chilis) is one of my favorite appetizers!

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PINK AND GOLD FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY ON A BUDGET (TIPS TO SAVE MONEY)

December 21, 2015February 5, 2018 ~ Jenny ~ 16 Comments

Even before I had my little girl I knew I wanted to throw her a pink and gold first birthday party. I love gold and I love sparkles! I wanted to share some of my tips for throwing a party on a budget. I was able to throw this party for under $20 with some careful planning long before!

Scope out yard sales for possible party decor. I love yard sales! I am always on the look out for anything I use for a party. For this one I found all the cake stands at different yard sales throughout the year. If you can’t get to yard sales check out your local thrift stores. The tall crystal cake stand I got for only $2 at a sale! I also purchased the mason jars at a yard sale for $2 for a box of twelve and then spray painted them gold.

Go to stores after holidays and buy up all the holiday sale stuff! I knew I needed gold for the pink and gold party and Christmas decorations have tons of gold in them. I went to Hobby Lobby a few days after Christmas and everything was marked down 90%. This is where I bought all my gold details!! I got the bows, table runner, gold rope, gold tissue paper and most importantly gold glitter wrapping paper. I think I ended up paying 10 cents for the various gold bows, $1 for the rope, $1 for wrapping paper and $2 for the table runner. I also found a gold bead garland for $1 marked down at Target. Think of other colors you could also use too. I saw blue glitter wrapping paper, red, pink and green. All which could possibly be used for a party. After St. Patricks there are tons of green things on sale, Valentines lots of cute hearts, etc. Think ahead for your upcoming party! I used the wrapping paper to make my cupcake toppers and to make my ONE banner. I don’t have a machine to cut things out, so I just printed off the letters on my computer and traced them on to the the wrapping paper.

Find out if and when your local grocery or flower store discounts flowers. I am lucky enough to live by a grocery store the regularly marks down their bouquets to only 99 cents. So I was able to buy my flowers for only $3 for the party. I rearranged the bouquets to fit into my mason jars. I have found that a lot of places mark down their flowers when they are started to wilt a little, but you can usually place them in some fresh water and remove some of the wilty petals or leaves and they will look great the next day. Don’t be afraid to ask when they typically mark things down.

Make as many things as you can yourself. I looked at cakes I wanted on Pinterest and decided one I could make myself. I also made the cupcakes for the party. I just had to buy the ice cream. (I just did a simple cake and ice cream party). See if you can trade someone to make a cake for you if you have another skill! The recipe for the whipped cream frosting I used on the cakes and cupcakes can be found here.

Resale your party stuff!! Since I was going to be spray painting jars for the party I decided not waste my gold spray paint and just spray the extras I had. I also made extra cup cake toppers with the glitter wrapping paper and extra tissue paper garlands. I sold three of the sets (4 mason jars, 1 tissue paper garland and a dozen cupcake toppers) for $20 each on a local Facebook yard sale group. I also sold the ones I used for the party after I used them. So not only did I get stuff at an awesome discount I was also able to recoup the cost plus more by making a few extra.

I know that you might not be able to use all these tips to throw your party, but I hope I gave you some ideas on how you can save money and still have an awesome party.

MINI CHRISTMAS BAGELS

December 15, 2015January 13, 2016 ~ Jenny ~ 2 Comments

Aren’t these mini Christmas bagels just so cute? I love a good, fresh bagel. With Rhodes dough you can have the freshest bagels ever because you make them at home! My kids loved helping me make these mini cinnamon sugar bagels. We decorated them with fruit to look like little Christmas ornaments. I love my son’s little chubby fingers helping place the blueberries and strawberries in the pictures below. 🙂

Click to get the bagel recipe with step by step pictures on the Rhodes Kids Baking blog HERE.

EASY SLOW COOKER (CROCKPOT) FRENCH DIP BEEF SANDWICHES

December 7, 2015February 16, 2017 ~ Jenny ~ 2 Comments

The super easy crockpot french dip beef sandwiches cook all day to give you yummy shredded beef that is perfect on crusty bread to dip into the savory au jus. One of the best beef sandwiches! We like to serve them with grainy mustard and pepper rings.

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EVERYDAY JENNY

CRAFTS, DIYS AND EASY RECIPES

Author: Jenny

ODYSSEO BY CAVALIA REVIEW

PERFECT PICO DE GALLO RECIPE

$20 SUPER QUICK MATCHING MOTHER’S DAY DRESSES FOR YOU AND YOUR TODDLER

SPAM FRIED RICE QUICK AND EASY

ODYSSEO FLASH GIVEAWAY- BE AMONG THE FIRST TO DISCOVER ODYSSEO BY CAVALIA IN SALT LAKE

KOREAN BEEF BULGOGI WITH JONES CREEK BEEF

NAVY AND GOLD TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY WITH CRICUT

This post contains affiliate links. This means, if you make a purchase through my links, I’ll receive a small portion of your purchase at no extra cost to you.

THE BEST HOMEMADE TACO SEASONING

RESCUE RUN 5K

HELLO KITTY BIRTHDAY PARTY

EASY BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP

GREEN CHILE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH BLACK BEANS

EASY CHOCOLATE POTS DE CREME

KUNG FU PANDA 3 MOVIE REVIEW

SCHOOL LUNCH PEANUT BUTTER BARS

BUTTERNUT SQUASH CHICKEN, CORN AND SWEET POTATO CHOWDER

THE BEST HOT ARTICHOKE AND GREEN CHILI DIP

PINK AND GOLD FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY ON A BUDGET (TIPS TO SAVE MONEY)

MINI CHRISTMAS BAGELS

EASY SLOW COOKER (CROCKPOT) FRENCH DIP BEEF SANDWICHES

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