Rainy Day Craftiness

Due to the lack of Sun and Warmth, today was a stay inside kind of day. Browsing through my Pins, I found a cute little craft. Repurposing an empty Shampoo or Lotion bottle into a Cell Phone Charger/Caddy. I followed tutorial that can be found at
www.makeit-loveit.com.

The end product is not exactly what I wanted, but it was my first go at it. I think I will try this again , but use fabric as suggested to cover it. At least I have some pretty place to store and charge my phone for the time being.

I am Stuffed

This morning I decided to switch up our usual Sunday morning breakfast (coffee and cereal) with something extra special. Stuffed French Toast! I used a combination of several recipes to get just what I wanted. It took only a few minuets to prepare and was delish! Plus, it looked pretty ;) The recipe is as follows,

8 ounces,Cream Cheese, softened
3 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar
8 slices of day old bread
2 whole Large Eggs
1 cup Milk
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract ( I used lemon extract)
2 Tablespoons Butter
Cinnamon and Sugar to taste, For Topping

Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar, set aside. Combine eggs, milk and extract. Spread the cream cheese mixture onto each slice and sandwich together. Dip and flip each "sandwich" in the egg mixture. Place on hot griddle set at 350. Cook 4 min on each side or until toasty golden brown. Sprinkle with powder sugar and cinnamon, add syrup and enjoy!

Bang! Thats good

I am always on the look out for a new yummy and EASY recipe. When I came across this one at Skinnytaste.com, I just had to try it. It is a leaner version of the popular BoneFish appetizer, Bang Bang Shrimp. The original recipe calls for it to be served over shredded cabbage, I opted to serve it over a brown rice and veggie mix ( its what I had on hand ). To be honest, I was not completely convinced that Mr. Gump would like it. Imagine how pleased I was when both my guys cleared their plates. Mr. Gump even went back for seconds! This recipe is definitely a keeper. Try it and let me know what you think :)

Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1/4th or recipe • Old Points: 5 pt • Points+: 5 pt
Calories: 215.7 • Fat: 7.6 g • Protein: 23.8 g • Carb: 11.9 g • Fiber: 1.0 g • Sugar: 6.3 g
Sodium 443.9 mg


5 tbsp light mayonnaise
3 tbsp Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
1 tsp Sriracha (to taste)

Shrimp:
1 lb large shrimp, shelled and deveined (weight after peeled)
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp canola oil
3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
1 cup shredded purple cabbage
4 tbsp scallions, chopped

In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce and Sriracha. Set aside.
Combine lettuce and cabbage and divide between four plates. Set aside.

Coat shrimp with cornstarch, mixing well with your hands. Heat a large skillet or wok on high heat, when hot add oil. When oil is hot add the shrimp to hot pan and cook tossing a few times until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove from pan and combine with the sauce coating well. Place shrimp on lettuce and top with scallions.

Squeaky Clean

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a DIY Diva and a Thrifty Queen. That's why I am so excited to share today's post. Anyone who has kids, knows just how many loads of laundry come with the territory. Being a Mamma of one rough and tough little boy, I found my self going through laundry detergent quicker that ever before. I also noticed that the containers of detergent were getting smaller but the price continued to grow! So, being determined to find an alternative, I took to Pinterest. As always, I found a great recipe for homemade powder detergent. All the ingredients cost around $16 dollars and you end up with a 6 month supply of detergent. I just had to try it.....

The recipe is as follows:

1 4 lb 12 oz box Borax (2.15 kg or 76 oz) found in the detergent isle

1 4 lb box Arm & Hammer Baking Soda (1.81 kg) found in the cooking isle

1 box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda 55 oz (3 lb 7 oz) found in the detergent isle

3 bars of Fels-Naptha soap, found in the detergent isle

2 small containers of Oxy Clean or store brand Oxy Clean (try to get about 3.5 lbs total (1.58 kg)) found in the detergent isle.

I used a 5 gallon bucket and mixed all the ingredients. The Fels-Naptha comes in bar form. You will need to use a food processor or a cheese grater to grate up the bar. I used my handy dandy Pampered Chef Cheese Grater, it worked like a charm!

Once the ingredients are all mixed , you will need to store it in an air tight container. I used a Rubbermaid cereal container. One Tablespoon is all it takes to have squeaky clean laundry. How does it smell you ask? FABULOUS !! It leaves your clothes smelling clean with a light fresh sent.

I encourage you to try it, the recipe can be tweaked to fit your specific needs. For example , if you have babies with sensitive skin, you can replace the Fels-Naptha with Dr. Bonners Baby bar soap or any other bar soap you prefer. I wouldn't say that I love doing laundry now, but I do love the fact that I am no longer dumping money down the drain, literally :)

The Ultimate Sacrafice

I usually post about recipes, crafts and raising my boy. However, this post is not so light hearted. Last night our community lost a courageous officer, leaving a Wife and two young children behind. Another is currently in serious condition. They were shot while serving a warrant to a suspected Meth Lab. This hits close to home for me. My dear Hubby is a Sheriff Deputy as well. As a Law Enforcement Officers Wife, you always have that "what if" in the back of your mind. My heart breaks for the Wife that is now faced to raise her kids without their Father. We hear so much about the Military Heroes fighting a war over seas, that we sometimes forget about the heroes here at home, fighting a war in our own backyard. Please take time to tell your loved ones that you love them. Hug them a bit tighter and a little longer. We take for granted that life as we know it can change in a blink of an eye.

Valentines Day Cupcakes & Buttons

For the rug-rats Valentines Day party, I whipped up a batch of dye free cupcakes. Since my little guy is sensitive to dyes, specifically Red Dye 40, I chose to decorate them with the help of my Cricut. I also made a batch of Pretzel Buttons for my handsome Hubby. As I have mentioned before, I am always watching what I eat. Currently I am working the Weight Watchers Points Plus program. I calculated that two of the Pretzel Buttons are 5 points.

Cupcakes and Carrots

As most working Mommies, I find myself constantly trying to "balance" work and motherhood. When I am at work, I am thinking about what I am missing at home and vice versa. With each school party and the accompanied "sign up" sheet, I always feel a bit of guilt and envy as a grudgingly sign up to bring Cupcakes. I could easily sign up for Carrots, the super easy cop out option, but I don't. I always commit to Cupcakes, homemade Cupcakes to be specific.The Guilt, because I am not the Mommy that is as involved as I would like to be, I envy the Moms that have the option to do so. I guess that's why I always choose the more time consuming cakes. I somehow feel that this shows my Son and the other Mommies, that I am willing to put in time and prepare something special on behalf of my little guy. Its the way I over compensate for not being able to attend the party. I know its ridiculous, but it makes me feel better. I seriously doubt that my Five year old would notice the difference or care, if I brought  Carrots instead of Cupcakes.