Ree's Recipes- Sweets!

In my last post I discussed my love for all things Ree Drummond AKA The Pioneer Woman.  One of the reasons why I love her is her recipes.  She takes pictures of each step in the recipe.  I’ve always wondered why cookbooks don’t have this.  Often there is never a picture and if there is, it’s of a perfect, unrealistic finished product.  I wasn’t much of a cook before Ree but now, I’m becoming one and even enjoying cooking.

I never cooked much growing up and even into my twenties I didn’t.  My grandmother’s idea of teaching me to cook was always cakes- from a box.  My mom’s idea was hardly there either.  Once my cousin hosted a Pampered Chef party at our house and asked me to hand her a whisk and I had no idea what she wanted.  So, yea, I was a little limited on my cooking knowledge and even more limited on my cooking skills.  One thing I could always make were brownies.  Weird, right?

My husband, bless his heart, has helped me in the 3 ½ years we have been married to expand the number of things I can cook.  Thankfully, he can cook (self-taught) and was patient with me as I tried.  I usually ended up frustrated, and left the kitchen to let him finish.  Or if I did attempt the entire recipe, I would worry with each bite that my husband took if he really liked it or if he was just being nice.  With Ree’s step-by-step pictured instructions I have learned cooking can be easy (gasp!) and fun!  I’m still learning, and it’s been a process, but I’m getting better with each recipe I try.  FYI: I screwed up a box of mac ‘n cheese the other day- obviously, I’m still a work in progress. 

The first recipe I made from Ree’s cookbooks was her Dr.Pepper Cupcakes.

I love Dr. Pepper and cupcakes so I thought, “perfect!” The cupcakes turned out pretty good, I don’t think my syrup ever got to the consistency it was supposed to, but overall they turned out.  They’re like a spice cake, which Ree said they were, but I apparently have never eaten spice cake.  I didn’t care for them, I probably won’t make them again unless someone asks me to, but it was just because I don’t like spice cake.  

Staying with the dessert theme, I tried her chocolate chip cookie recipe, found on her website, here.

Talk about AMAZING!  These are the best cookies I have ever eaten, and I’m not just tooting my own horn.  They are made with plenty of butter and can be make with a variety of chips.  The first time I made them I used chocolate chip and butterscotch.  The next time I just used chocolate chips.  Can’t wait to make them again!

Another recipe I’ve already made a couple times is Ree’s Orange Vanilla Fruit Salad.  I recently made it for my Bunco ladies and they loved it!  The syrup can be made ahead of time and it is super easy.  Just water, sugar, orange, and vanilla extract.  Then add in whatever fruit you want or have.  The first time we made it we used fresh fruit we had (strawberries, pineapple, and grapes), but this last time I used a couple bags of frozen fruit (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries) and it still turned out perfect!  You will want to drink the syrup up with a straw!

For something special for our Super Bowl party, I made a Chocolate Strawberry Cake.  It wasn’t the prettiest cake because I didn’t let one of the layers of cake cool enough before I tried to take it out of the pan and everything just kind of got ‘glopped’ together but oh man, was it delicious!  The layers have a thin spread of Nutella!  The strawberries soak in a bath of sugar and vanilla -how I will be making my cut up strawberries from now until forever!  It is just heavenly! 

My husband made me Orange Marmalade Rolls- an alternative version of Cinnamon Rolls.  Now, I will admit, we cheated here and didn’t use Ree’s recipe for the dough but mostly stuck to her directions for the rest.  The recipe in her cookbook will make 40-50 cinnamon rolls and that was just a tiny bit too much for us on a weekend.  These are delicious too, of course, and the icing just is…ahhh…wonderful. 

 My husband adding the orange mixture!

 On the left- just out of the oven with no icing. 

On the right- with the icing! YUM!

I have a whole list of recipes I want to try, and I’ll try to be better about taking pictures so I can share my successes and failures (hopefully not!)  I have some more recipes we have tried, and I'll post about them later. :)

Girl Crush: Ree Drummond The Pionner Woman

You've probably heard women say before that they have a 'girl crush' on some other woman (in a totally non-sexual way -- more of admiration), well my girl crush is on Ree Drummond AKA The Pioneer Woman.  If you haven't heard of her, don't feel bad, 4 months ago I didn't really know who she was either (Sorry, Ree!).  

One day in November, my mom told me this lady Ree Drummond was coming to a local Wal-Mart to sign autographs to promote her new cookbook.  My first thought was: perfect birthday gift for my sister!  She loves cookbooks; I'll go real quick and get her an autographed copy.  

Fast forward to the day of the event.  My mom and I get there at 10:30 AM (Ree was supposed to start at 11) to get in line.  We grab a couple books on the way to find the line, and then about stopped dead in our tracks.  The line wound up and down isles and then up and down and around more isles in the middle of the store.  With nothing better to do, we got in line thinking, "Oh, it won't take long at all."  We were wrong. 

The lady in line in front of us actually worked for that Wal-Mart and explained that Ree had gotten there early and started signing autographs around 9:30, and said she would stay until everyone got through the line.  

Fast forward 5 ½ hours.  F-I-V-E AND AN H-A-L-F H-O-U-R-S! That’s when we got to meet Ree.  Now, call us crazy, but once you are standing in line for an hour, and you don’t know how much longer it’s going to take, you are kind of committed.  It ended up going fairly quickly; we were in Wal-Mart after all, plenty of people watching to do!  It was also nice to spend time with my mom.

I must say, once we finally got up to meet this infamous Ree Drummond, I was intrigued by her.  We had learned some about her from reading the cookbooks we were holding (now, a copy for me because, well, if I stand in line for 5 ½ hours I want some proof of what I did) and from the fans around us.  The lady in front of us had all the cookbooks, and they were bookmarked with her favorite recipes.  We learned a lot from her about Ree.  

Turns out this Ree is a real sweet lady; I can tell that from the minute I spent with her.  As I walked up with my cookbook ready, I thanked her for taking the time to stay for so long.  She responded so kindly with, “Hey, we’re in this together.”  She was so genuine.  I smiled for a picture, and then took a picture for my mom, who gladly told Ree she had fun today because she got to spend time with her daughter.  Awe! : )

Then a picture with Marlboro Man (Ree’s cowboy husband), and then the day was sadly over.  All that build up for a little moment, but it was a changing moment in my life.

 Ree and me, Marlboro Man and me, and my autographed cookbook!

When I got home, I did some more research on Ree, visited her website, and fell in love. 

She’s from a small town in Oklahoma, which makes me feel close to her since we’re only a few hours apart.  That also means she is a southern girl, which in turn means she cooks southern food, which means it is my kind of food, which also means it is not in any way, shape, or form healthy.  She’s hilarious! Not only does she have a blog, and cookbooks, but she also has a show on the Food Network.  I’ve never been one for the Food Network, but now, I record all her shows.  I also refer to her as Ree like we’re real friends.  

Check out her blog over at thepioneerwoman.com, or on the Food Network.

She has been a great find for me and my husband- I’ll explain more in my next post.  Right now, I need to go find out which recipe I’m going to make next. : )

Dollar Store Deals

A couple days ago Money Talks News posted an article about the 15 best things to buy at dollar stores.  You can read the full article here.  I'm giving my opinion on the matter because I do love dollar stores but sometimes the deal isn't a good deal.

These are the 15 things they suggested purchasing because you get what you pay for and why pay more when you don't have to? 

1) Greeting cards- I totally agree with this!  Often the cards are only 50 cents!  If you are like most people after your birthday or whatever, you toss the cards (hopefully in the recycling bin!).  Why pay $5 or more for a card when it's going to get tossed anyway?  BTW: I'll keep cards if something sentimental is written in them because I like to go back and read them. :)

2) Party Supplies- along the lines of greeting cards- this stuff just gets tossed after the event so might as well only spend $1.  For parties I like to get solid color tablecloths/plates/utensils and then spend money on the centerpiece.  BUT make sure Wal-Mart isn't cheaper -if you are already there- WM has party supplies for 97 cents- yes of course it's only a couple pennies, but it could save you the gas to drive to the dollar store.

3) Gift bags/wrapping paper/gift boxes- Again along the lines of party supplies and greeting cards, this stuff is just going to get thrown away- so why spend a lot?  I am a firm believer in reusing gift bags so getting multiple uses out of a $1 bag is a great deal to me.  A lot of times there will be 2 for $1 plain bags that you can fancy up with stickers/stamps/tissue paper.

4) Seasonal decor- Yes!  Dollar stores always have cute little seasonal items- just beware that the items might not make it through more than 1 season of use- especially if the item is outside.  But for $1....you've got to weigh the odds.

5) Reading glasses- ????  I wear contacts so I'm no help here....but I will say I've bought sunglasses at the dollar store before and they have been cute and served the purpose.  I'd much rather loose a $1 pair of glasses in the lake or river than a $15 pair.

6)Hair accessories- My 10-year-old self is screaming YES!  When I was little my mom would give me $5 to spend on whatever I wanted in the dollar store and most of the time I ended up with $5 worth of hair stuff.  From hair elastics to clips to bobby pins there is always neat stuff to pick from especially for little girls.  Plus, at only $1 who cares if it gets lost (like it inevitably will)?

7) Pregnancy tests- I wouldn't know at this point in life but I will say I've heard this is true and they are supposed to work just like the more expensive ones do.

8) Vases and decorative bowls- If you want clear, small vases then definitely hit up a dollar store.  Just don't expect anything too fancy.  This stuff is great for crafting.

9 and 10) Mugs/glasses/dishware- First place?  Camping trip? Crafting idea?  Then yes!  For anything else, probably not.  Yes, they function but probably won't make it through too much wear and tear.  On a positive note if you need just one or two pieces it is great because you can buy single pieces.

11) Storage containers- YES!  Have you looked on Pinterest lately for organizing solutions?  I bet at least 80% suggest buying storage containers from dollar stores. They will have a range of sizes and you will be able to organize everything in your home!  (Almost!)

12) Picture frames- Ummmmm.....maybe....I've bought picture frames from the dollar store before and they do function- don't expect anything too fancy.  These are your basic frames- great for crafting because you'll probably want to paint them.  Also, you probably won't be able to find any sizes over 8x10.

13) Candy- $1- need I say more?

14) Socks- One word: NO.  Maybe I'm just particular about my feet, but no.

15) Dish towels/wash cloths- Yes, especially if you are just going to use them for cleaning.  You won't care about getting bleach on these towels.

Some things I think should be added to this list....
Cleaning supplies- if you aren't particular to certain scent- most work just as well as other brands.
Craft items- I've found some cute items to use in crafting and they almost all will have those little marbles to put in vases or to decorate with.
Candles- Need non-scented candles or just a lot of candles for decoration?  They will have them in a variety of sizes.
School supplies- pens/pencils/glue/stickers/poster board, etc.  They'll have it.
Bulk items- you can buy in bulk from their website and have it shipped to the store for free.

So, moral of the story: don't be afraid of the dollar store.  You can find some great deals and save some money and that's always a good thing!
Now, excuse me as this has made me want to go shopping at the dollar store! :)

Christmas returns = sweet deals

Ah, January, the month of returns.  I don't know that for sure, but it sure seems like it for me.  It never fails that something I buy someone for Christmas doesn't work out or something I have received doesn't work.  I don't think anyone likes to take returns back into stores because you always end up spending more money than what you return.  That is a trick that the store uses to their advantage.  Trust me!  I've spent my fair share of years working retail to know that stores know you will spend more in the store when you bring a return in.  How many times have you walked into a store just to make a return and end up making a purchase too?  See...it's a nasty little trick.  Well, I'm here to prove that this little trick isn't always a bad thing.

Case in point: My trip to Ross today to make a return.  Unfortunately, two tops my mom purchased for me for Christmas didn't work out.  I went back to Ross to return them and received an in-store credit for $21.78.  Now, I did what you aren't supposed to do to save money, I walked around the store 'just looking' and told myself the lie we all do, 'Well I do have money to spend and it's not really like I'm using my own cash because it was a return.'  Riiiiight.

I ended up in the clearance clothing section, because being the thrifty gal I am, I hit up the clearance section first (even in stores like Ross).  I found some awesome deals...like under $3 for pants!  I tried on a few pairs that were on clearance for $2.49!  Crazy right?  It was fate I tell you!  I also hit up the clearance dresses and found more awesome deals.  The store had a good selection of clearance items, but you had to dig a little.  I ended up returning two items and walking out with four.

This cute black and white dress has a few pops of lime green (how fun!) and it was only $4.99!  I also ended up with three pairs of black pants- a pair of black jeans for only $2.49!!!  A pair of black skinny legging type pants for only $5.49!  And a pair of black slacks for $10.99!  

I ended up only paying $4.46 out of my own pocket (half of that was for tax).  Pretty sweet if you ask me.  January is a good month for finding clearance items.  It's the time of the year when stores do mass markdowns after Christmas.  Also, it's a slow time for retail which means the stores are usually less crowded, a little cleaner, and in a transition period between winter and spring which equals goodies for you!    
So, I did end up spending money while making my return, but I think it was worth it.  2 tops VS. 3 pairs of pants and a dress?  I'll say this one evened out. :)

Kitchen Projects!

I am so excited about these two new projects that I am telling anyone and everyone about them. We are working on updating our kitchen/dining room (more to come on the other projects).  I haven't really done much to decorate our dining room because honestly, it is the least used room in our home.  I like to decorate my dining room table with fun tablecloths and decorations, but as for the walls or any other decorations, there isn't much in there.  Well, that is about to change.  I have said it before, and I'll say it again, I love vintage items and I have always wanted a vintage drink cart.  I love the look of them but since they are vintage that usually means they are expensive ($60-$250).  About a year ago I almost bought one for $40 (that was a lot cheaper than I had seen), it was a little wobbly, but I thought I could handle it.  I ended up passing on it and I'm glad I did because a couple weeks ago I found one for only $20 (half price!) and it is super sturdy!

It was this horrid blue color 

but we changed that quickly with some spray paint 

and now it is a lovely yellow!

I'm not sure what  I'm going to put on it, we don't drink so it's not going to look like the typical drink carts, but I think I can fancy it up.  Now, I just need to find a picture for one wall and add in a few more decorations.  It's a work in progress, but I have learned to take my time and get items in the colors I really love and to wait to get things I will love for a long time.

The next project I've been working on was so much fun that I didn't want it to end.  We are working on updating our kitchen cabinets, and I started thinking about the decorating possibilities for above our kitchen cabinets.  I measured first and we have about a foot of room between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling. The only issue I have it that we have about an inch difference between the top of the cabinets and where the molding is on the outside of the cabinets; so whatever we sit up there, it 'looses' about an inch of the bottom if it.  I think I can work around that though.  So, of course I went straight to Pinterest to get ideas, and of course I got almost overwhelmed.  There are so many cute ideas but after I found some cute kitchen printables, I narrowed down what I wanted.  I found a lot of framed pictures (with free prints you could download) and canvas prints with kitchen utensils and cute sayings, like a mixer that says 'whip it, whip it good.'  Well, I either didn't like the coloring or didn't want to buy the canvas for $75 (crazy!) so I thought, I can make my own!

All I did was open a word document and the internet.  I started off by searching for utensil silhouettes (fork, spoon, egg beater, spatula, etc) in black (there were a few I had to put in paint and make black).  Then I downloaded a few cute (free) fonts.  I inserted the utensil, centered it, then added my text, and printed.  I did about nine different documents in about 20 minutes.  I then found some document frames at Deal's for only $1.  My husband helped to spray paint those to our kitchen colors (yellow, red, teal, and green).  I inserted the printed documents into the frames and viola! instant cute decor!

On the right is the $75 canvas where I got my idea 

and on the left is my re-imagined creation. 

The printed documents. I kept it simple with just black text

 because I wanted to the frames to have the color 'pop.'  

This one is my favorite because my husband says this all the time.

The collection!

I have a couple ideas of how I'm going to position these above the cabinets.  The great thing about document frames is that you don't have to worry about resizing your printed document, but the bad thing is they don't have easels on the back so you have to get creative.  I loved this project and want to do some more, but I ran out of cute sayings.  Any ideas?

:)
Miranda

Meal Planning....or lack thereof....

I mentioned in an earlier post about kitchen organization that after going through every single item I had in my kitchen, organizing it, and even documenting it, that I was going to attempt to meal plan.  I will admit this, I did try.  But I will also admit, I failed....miserably. 

I searched through the internet looking for meal planning guides and found too many to count; but none that looked like they would actually work for me.  I tried just writing out my own simple weekly plan.  Monday- blank, Tuesday-blank, Wednesday-blank, etc.  But it seemed like every time I tried to fill it out I realized that was the week we had activities every night.  We would plan out Monday's meal, then I knew we would have left overs for Tuesday, then it was we had plans Wednesday after church, so no meal at home, then Thursday I would have to work the closing shift, then Friday we'd have another set of plans, then, and then and then.... It seemed like we never had a week where we could plan out a week worth of meals or even two days without something happening.  So, I figured out.....meal planning does not work for us.  Actually, meal planning kinda stinks.  There, I said it. 

I'm sure meal planning works well for millions of people, just not for us....at least for now.  For just two people it just didn't work out.  Having a list of what we have in our panty and freezer has worked out perfect for us though.  We can quickly scan it, see what we have, and plan our meals that way.  If I do want to make something special, I can look to see if I have the ingredients quickly and plan out what I need easier.
Oh, and making meals and freezing them?....didn't work either....I tried making a couple casserole type dishes and freezing them, but I just got frustrated once I went to cook them because they were so frozen it took almost twice as long to cook them all the way through.

So, it didn't work....oh well...moving on....
:)