FO: Dish Scrubbies

I thought I would try a new item for the vendor sale- dish scrubbies. I just used cotton yarn to create these. It was an easy and quick pattern- I added some modifications to the pattern and I am happy with the results. They were a hit- all 6 sold. Again, I am not sure why the last set didn't get a photo shoot...I must have been too busy hooking away! =)

FO: Flower Key Chain

I made 6 Flower Key chains for the vendor fair at work, for some reason these are the only ones what had a photo shoot! The other 2 were a mix of pink, yellow and orange...those were the first to sell! 

I think I need to make one for myself! 

Fudgy Chocolate Crock Pot Cake, with recipe

I found this recipe in a Fix it and Forget it cookbook from the library. If you Google this recipe there are several with just a few variations. 

Fudgy Chocolate Cake, 4 qt crock pot

1 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 Tbsp butter

1/3 cup chocolate chips

1 cup brown sugar, divided

3 Tbsp, plus 1/3 cup Dutch Processed Cocoa, Divided

1 Tbsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup milk

1 egg yolk

1 1/2 cup hot water

1. Coat the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray.

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder, set aside. 

3. In a large microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and chocolate chips in the microwave. Mix well. 

4. Whisk in 2/3 cup of brown sugar, 3 Tbsp cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, milk and egg yolk. 

5. Add the flour mixture and stir until mixed.

6. Pour batter into slow cooker and spread evenly.

7. Whisk together remaining 1/3 brown sugar, 1/3 cup cocoa powder and 1 1/2 cups hot water until the sugar is dissolved. Pour over batter in crock pot and NO NOT stir. 

8. Cover and cook on High for 1/2 hours. You will know the cake is set when the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pot. 

9. Turn off crock pot and remove lid- try to not get the condensed steam from the lid onto the cake. 

10. Let cool for 30 minutes. Spoon into bowls- make sure to get all the way to the bottom to get the gooey fudge. 

Lemon Cookies, with Recipe

Lemon Chip Cookies

Best lemon cookies EVARRRR. They were soft and oh so good. I want more...now.
I had bought some Lemon Chips from Nuts.com and have been wanting to use them. This recipe calls for White Chocolate Chips, so I replaced them with the lemon chips. I put a few of the white chips on top of the cookies for looks.

Crock Pot Easter Ham, with directions

The night before Easter I told hubby that one day I would like to try warming a ham up in the crock pot vs in the oven. After the words came out of my mouth I though- no time like the present. I Googled "How to cook a ham in the Crock Pot" and found THIS. SUPER easy. I will never do it in the oven again. Less stressful and I didn't have to worry about it drying out, or being cold in the center like it always is when I cook it in the oven. 

What I did differed from the instructions of course. I cooked it for an hour on high then dropped it to low for 4 more hours. I used Ham Stock as my liquid. I did NOT take it out of the crock pot and put it in the oven for the glaze. After it was on for 3 hours, I cooked up the glaze packet as directed and just poured it over the ham. 

I have no after pics hahaha but it was good. 

Mini April 2015

Chubby Cheddar April 2015

Cherry Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes, with recipe

Cherry Cream Cheesecake, cooks.com

I took the ingredients from the cooks.com recipe, but the baking from Taste of Home HERE

Cupcakes are so much easier than dealing with the spring form pan. Easier to transport too!

I almost forgot the Sour Cream step! 

Well I did forget and over baked them a bit but they were still SO yummy!

 These were so good plain

 But even better with some cherries on top! 

Cherry Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes

Crust

Vanilla Wafer cookies

Put one cookie, flat side down, in lined cupcake tins

Filling

3 (8 oz) pkgs of Cream Cheese
1 1/2 cup Sugar
4 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
1/4 tsp Salt

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees, Beat cream cheese, sugar and salt in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each one. Then add the vanilla. Scoop into cupcake tin, 2/3 full. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven & reset the oven to 450 degrees.

Topping

8 oz Sour Cream
1/4 c Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 (21 oz) can of Cherry Pie filling

As oven is warming to 450 degrees, mix topping. Mix sour cream, sugar and vanilla in a bowl, Place a spoonful on each cupcake. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes. Once cooled add cherries on top or serve plain.

Crock Pot Chicken Stock, with recipe

Chicken Bone Broth in Slow Cooker, TheYummyLife.com

I found this blog while searching the internet to determine if I could make Chicken Broth in the crock pot vs on the stove...and you can! SO EASY and I didn't have to worry about a burner being on for hours. I also learned you can freeze chicken bones until you have enough in your "collection" to make this!!! Way cool. We had rotisserie chicken a few weeks ago, so I froze what was left. Then I bought another just so I could make this!

Click the link above for step by step instruction.

First prep your veggies (wash and cut). The Blog said to leave the skin on the onion and garlic- so I did. 

Chicken Piccata, with Recipe

Chicken Piccata

I found this recipe in All You magazine years ago. I make it a few times a year and it is always a hit! Not to sour from the lemon, just enough. There are nights when I think the guys enjoy it more than I do. Those are probably the extra sour times when I am heavy handed with the lemon juice!

I usually serve this with rice- then we just use the lemon sauce on the rice. 

WIP: Tropical Breeze Shawl

A while back....like seriously a year or so...Corrine found this shawl pattern she thought we could crochet together. I bought this fun pink yarn over the summer for this pattern. Here is the beginning of it. 

Happy Easter!!!

Credit

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New Crochet Hooks!!! 3/16/2015

THEY CAME!!!!!! I am SO excited to be the recipient of such WONDERFUL hooks!! It is a serious upgrade from my normal plastic hooks. I am scared I might break them! They are light weight, smooth and have worked well so far with a few different types of yarn. 

According to Matt...: And the winner is........

According to Matt...: And the winner is........: Hello Lovelies! Sorry to keep you all waiting in suspense! I was hoping to come and announce the winner of the competition on Saturday even...