Crochet scarve,cowls,shawls.


Twisted Cowl Free Crochet Pattern

 
Free crochet cowl pattern



Gorgeous crochet shawl with pattern! This is PERFECT for a spring wedding! 

 
Arm Knit Scarf, tutorial 
 
Instructions: http://www.simplymaggie.com/how-to-arm-knit

 
Diamond Lattice Crochet Scarf Pattern  
 
 
Instructions: https://classycrochet.wordpress.com/2013/01/12/free-pattern-diamond-lattice-chain-crochet-infinity-scarf/

Little Chick Eggs



INGREDIENTS:
  • eggs
  • black goma (sesame seeds)
  • 1 carrot
INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Half the battle in making these is boiling the eggs. Boiling the perfect hard boiled egg can be intimidating but if you follow these directions, they’ll be perfect everytime!
  2. Carefully place eggs in a pan. 6 fit nicely in a saucepan, if you’re making more use a large pot. Gently cover the eggs with about 1-2 inches of water.
  3. Bring the pot to a boil then turn off the heat. Cover with a lid, and let sit undisturbed for 12 minutes.
  4. When the 12 minutes are up, drain the eggs and immediately place them in an ice bath to cool. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.
  5. Once the eggs are cooled crack and shell them. If little pieces of shell are stuck to the egg, run it under water and dab dry with a paper towel.
  6. For the beaks, cut a slice of carrot into small wedge shapes.
  7. Finding BLACK GOMAcan be tricky, but an asian market is you best bet, or you can find it online.
For the momma chicks:
  1. Take a toothpick and poke two holes for eyes. Place the black sesame seeds in.
  2. Poke a hole with a toothpick and insert the carrot for the beak.
For the baby chicks:
  1. Slice the egg in half carefully so you don’t tear the yolk. Place black sesame seeds for the eyes and insert the carrot for the beak.
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Travel Thailand


Wat Arun, Bangkok, Thailand



Thailand Festivals 




Purple Market, Bangkok, Thailand 




Koh Chang, Thailand 




One of the resort's many restaurants is the treetop dining pod, where waiters zipline in Thailand 





Sweet Potato Cakes



Ingredients
  • 1 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded
  • 2 tablespoons flour of your choice, (I used spelt, but whole wheat, almond, or coconut flour will work)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 clove garlic, pressed
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
  • 1/2 dried parsley (next time I make these, I am using fresh herbs)
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons of oil for frying, I used coconut oil
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl add shredded potatoes and mix in the flour, onion, garlic, herbs, eggs, salt and pepper. Mix well, until sweet potatoes are coated.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Form a small cake with the mix and add to hot skillet. Mixture will be wet, but will stay together once it is cooked. I made the cakes as I was ready to add to hot skillet. Add more oil as needed (when skillet dries out).
  3. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side until nice and brown.
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Garden Dreams Ideas


How to Make this Whimsical Teapot Garden Feature



Frozen Garden Candles




Reuse an old shoe organizer to store small gardening tools & accessories. No more lost tools! 


Insect Hotel step by step 



DIY Birdseed Cakes For Our Feathered Friends 

Crochet Stars.

Grilled Pineapple & Chicken Quesadillas




Ingredients
  • 8 whole flour tortillas
  • butter
  • 2 cups grilled pineapple, sliced
  • 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts pounded thin or butterflied
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 3 tablespoons spicy barbecue sauce
  • (optional) cilantro and jalapenos

Instructions
  1. To grill pineapple: Cut wedges, stick on skewers, and grill over low heat either on a grill, grill pan, or even a skillet. Cut into slices.
  2. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and Cajun spice if you want some heat. Spray grill with cooking spray and grill on both sides until done, brushing with barbecue sauce after it's finished. Set aside and slice into very thin slices.
  3. Warm pan over medium heat and put butter in the pan enough to coat. Slightly warm and toast tortillas on both sides, then remove from griddle and set aside.
  4. To assemble, sprinkle four browned tortillas with grated Monterey Jack and arrange chicken slices and pineapple slices evenly over the surface. If desired, add sliced jalapenos and cilantro here. Drizzle extra barbecue sauce over the top. Add second browned tortilla on top of each one. (You'll have fourcomplete quesadillas at this point.)
  5. Add quesadillas back to skillet to warm, until cheese is melted. Cut each quesadilla into six wedges. Serve with sour cream, pico de gallo, and lime wedges.
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Lemon Meringue Cupcakes



Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached Cake Flour Blend
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon Buttery Sweet Dough Flavor (optional, but adds that signature bakery taste)
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk
Lemon Curd 
Meringue
  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1/4 teaspoon Bakewell Cream or cream of tartar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons sugar

Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a 12-cup cupcake or muffin pan with paper liners; spritz the liners lightly with cooking spray.
  2. To make the cupcakes: Place the following in the bowl of your mixer: the cake flour blend, baking powder, salt, baking soda, sugar, butter, egg, vanilla and Buttery Sweet Dough Flavor. Add 1/3 cup of the buttermilk.
  3. Blend the mixture on medium speed for 2 minutes. The mixture will be thick at first, but will smooth out as you mix.
  4. Add the remaining 1/3 cup buttermilk and mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, and mix briefly, if necessary.
  5. Fill each well of the pan 2/3 full, and bake the cupcakes for 15 to 18 minutes, until they're light golden brown on the edges. Remove them from the oven, and immediately transfer them from the pan to a rack. Cool completely.
  6. Prepare the lemon curd according to the recipe, and set it aside to cool and thicken as the cupcakes cool.
  7. Core each cooled cupcake with a cupcake corer (or an apple corer), leaving a small well in the center of the cake. Fill to the brim with cooled lemon filling. Fill all cupcakes, then prepare the meringue.
  8. To make the meringue: In a very clean work bowl, whip the egg whites and Bakewell Cream or cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add the salt. Gradually add the sugar, increasing the whipping speed and continuing to whip until the mixture is light and billowy, and stiff peaks form.
  9. Mound or pipe meringue onto each cupcake, then toast the meringue with a cook's torch; or carefully broil until golden brown. Serve warm, for a flowing lemon lava; or cool for a more set filling.
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Strawberry Cheesecake Chimichangas



Ingredients
For chimichangas:
  • 6 (8-inch) soft flour tortillas
  • 8 oz cream cheese ( room temperature)
  • 2 Tablespoon sour cream
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cups sliced strawberries
  • Vegetable oil-for frying
For coating:
  • 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • For serving:
  • 1 cup sliced strawberries

Instructions
  1. Beat cream cheese , sour cream, 1 tablespoon sugar and vanilla extract .
  2. Fold in ¾ cup of sliced fresh strawberries.
  3. Divide the mixture evenly between 6 tortillas. Slather the filling in the lower third of each tortilla, fold the two sides of each tortilla toward the center and then roll the tortilla up like a burrito (secure it with a toothpicks!) .
  4. Combine ⅓ cup sugar with 1 tablespoon cinnamon in a shallow bowl and set aside.
  5. Line a large plate with paper towels.
  6. In about 5 inch deep saucepan place about 2 -2½ inch vegetable oil for frying and heat it over medium-high heat until it reaches 360ºF.
  7. Fry the chimichangas until golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes and flip them as needed (work in batches)
  8. Transfer the chimichangas to the paper towel on a plate to drain for a minute, then roll them in the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
  9. Don’t forget to remove all toothpicks from the chimichangas!!! 
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Nature

Heather’s Homemade Tootsie Rolls



Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 1/4 cups instant non-fat dry milk powder
  • Wax paper
Instructions:
  1. In a large bowl, combine honey, cocoa powder and vanilla using a whisk. Add the melted butter and whisk until well incorporated. Add in the powdered sugar and pinch of salt; whisk again until well combined.
  2. Using a wooden spoon, mix in the instant milk powder ¼ cup at a time until a dough forms. When you can no longer stir the mixture with a spoon, knead it with your hands. Keep adding in milk powder until a firm dough forms. You may not have to use all the milk powder. The finished dough should be firm and a little sticky but not so sticky that you can’t handle it. Roll the dough into a ball and place on waxed paper lightly sprayed with cooking oil. Let dough rest uncovered on the wax paper for 5-10 minutes. As the candy stands it will relax from a ball shape into a disc. Cut candy into ¾-inch strips and then into 2-inch lengths. If candy sticks to the knife, spray it with cooking oil or coat it with butter.
  3. Cut wax paper into 3 ½ x 5 inch pieces. Wrap candies with the wax paper pieces. Store candies in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving. 
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Strawberry Margarita Jello Shot Cups



Ingredients
  • 1 pack Strawberry Jell-O,
  • ¾ hot water,
  • 1 pack strawberries,
  • 1 cup tequila,
  • 3/4 cup Cointreau,
  • sugar and lime for garnish
Instructions
  1. Cut both ends of the strawberries, and use a melon baller or small measuring spoon to scoop out the inside.
  2. Mix Jell-O per instruction on box, and add tequilia and cointreau to it.
  3. Pour mixture into strawberries.
  4. Put in fridge for 4 hours to set before serve.
  5. Get out of fridge and garnish the edges of the strawberries with lime juice and sugar, add a piece of lime for decoration on the edge of the strawberries. (optional)
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Smokey Mesquite BBQ Meatball Sliders Recipe


Ingredients
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 Kraft Fresh Take Smokey Mesquite BBQ variety package
  • 1 egg
  • ⅓ pound bacon, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • ¼ cup Kraft Hickory BBQ sauce
  • 3 slices Kraft Big Slice cheddar cheese
  • 12 Hawaiian Rolls
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a lipped baking sheet with parchment paper and non-stick spray or a Silpat baking mat.
  2. In the Kraft Fresh Take bag, use your hands to mix and combine the bag contents, ground beef and egg until evenly distributed.
  3. Roll the mixture into 1-1/2 to 2 inch meatballs and space evenly on the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes.
  4. While the meatballs are baking, fry the bacon until crispy over medium-high heat. Remove bacon from skillet, leaving the grease in the skillet.
  5. Add the onions to the skillet and reduce heat to medium, stirring often until tender.
  6. Cut rolls in half and add one meatball to the bottom portion of each roll. Brush the tops with BBQ sauce.
  7. On top of the meatballs add the cheese slices, bacon bits and grilled onions.
  8. Place under the broiler next to the roll tops for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted.
  9. Top the meatballs with the rolls and serve.
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Crochet mug cozy

Outdoor Decoration

Ruffle Cake Pop Tutorial


What you will need:
  • Finished cake pop, stick up
  • Fondant or candy clay (whichever works better for you)
  • Fondant roller or rolling pin
  • Food coloring
  • Clear vanilla extract
  • Small brush
  • Ball tool or ruffling tool
  • Knife
  • Medium Circle cutter
  • Wax paper
Directions:
  1. Start with plain dry cake pops, stick side up as pictured. I like to dip and then place wet cake pop on a melt to ensure a solid, level bottomed cake pop.
  2. Color your fondant according to your preferred color scheme. You can use any kind of food coloring but start with a little drop and add until you reach your desired color. Keep in mind that if you are doing an ombré effect, you will need 5-6 different shades of your color starting with the darkest color and ending with the lightest. For tutorial purposes, I used my fave color…PINK! Using a fondant roller or rolling pin, roll out your fondant onto a piece of wax paper. Sprinkle a little cornstarch on your rolling pin and the fondant if it sticks a little. Cut your rolled out fondant into approximately 5 inch strips. You will need about 6 strips per cake pop. Each strip should be about a quarter of an inch wide
  3. Using a ball tool, take each layer and gently ‘ruffle’ one side of the strip using a slow, rolling motion. You can also use a ruffling tool if want a more organic look. I like mine to look more shabby chic so the more imperfect the better.
  4. Using your circle cutter, cut out several circles and use the same ruffling technique on the edges and set circles aside for later
  5. You are now ready to start placing your ruffles on the cake pop. Starting at the bottom (flat part) of the cake pop, use your small brush to dab a very small amount of clear vanilla extract around the cake pop where you are placing your first ruffle. Take one strip of ruffled fondant and wrap it around the very bottom of the cake pop covering the melt or flat part of the cake pop. The vanilla extract will adhere it to the cake pop. If you have excess fondant once the two ends meet, you can easily pinch it off and remove. Gradually place each of the following layers using the same method of lightly brushing extract and wrapping the fondant strip around the cake pop until you reach your last layer…

*NOTE* Make sure you start each ruffle layer at the same place each time so that your “seam” can be placed in the back of the cake pop for display
 

Easy Chocolate Pretzel Bites


Ingredients:
  • 1/2 lb. mini pretzels (I used the "Snap" variety, the recipe called for "Rings")
  • 48-50 milk chocolate Hershey Kisses or Hugs or Rolos (NOTE: Hugs, Kisses, and Rolos have different melting temps, so don't try to do the different varieties in the same batch)
  • 1/4 cup milk chocolate M&M's

Directions: 
  1. Place the pretzels on a baking sheet, then place a chocolate kiss in the center of each pretzel. 
  2. Bake at 275 degrees for 2-3 minutes or until the chocolate is softened. (NOTE: The Hershey Kisses took the full three minutes in my oven, but the striped Hershey Hugs were done much more quickly and the Rolos took closer to 4 minutes. I'd check them every thirty seconds or so). Before fully pulling them out of the oven, push in a test M&M to see if it's melted enough to push down easily. 
  3. Remove from the oven. Place an M&M candy on each, pressing down slightly so chocolate fills the pretzel. 
  4. Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes or until chocolate is firm. Store the candies in an airtight container at room temperature. 
  5. Enjoy and try not to eat too many! 
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Crochet scarf


Easy Infinity Scarf Pattern - Love this pattern!





Crochet ruffle rose scarf


 Instructions: http://theyarnbox.com/how-to-crochet-ruffle-rose-scarf-free-pattern-tutorial-for-beginners/


Big Rib Scarf from Moogly blog 


 
Rambling - cable knit scarf.

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Bars



Ingredients
  • 1 pound Oreo Cookies
  • 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
  • 24 ounces, weight Cream Cheese, At Room Temperature
  • ¾ cups Granulated Sugar
  • ¾ cups Sour Cream At Room Temperature
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • ½ teaspoons Salt
  • 3 whole Large Eggs, At Room Temperature
Preparation Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 9 x 13-inch pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides (I spray mine with cooking spray).

2. Make the crust: place 28 Oreos in a food processor and process until finely ground. Pour into a large bowl, add the melted butter, and stir with a flexible spatula until all crumbs are moistened. Place the cookie-crumb mixture in the lined pan and, using your fingers, press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire cooling rack (leave the oven on) while you make the filling. Snap the remaining Oreos in half, put them in the food processor, and turn on and off quickly a few times, just until the cookies are roughly chopped.

3. Make the filling: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese and sugar until well blended, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a flexible spatula and beat again until uniform. Beat in sour cream, vanilla and salt. Scrape down the bowl and mix again. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. After beating in the last egg, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat one more time, to make sure the mixture is fully combined. Stir in chopped Oreos with the same spatula.

4. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the baked cookie crust, smooth the top with the spatula, and bake for 40 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges but still slightly wobbly in the center when you gently shake the pan. Remove the pan to a wire rack to cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. When cool, cover it with foil and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours. (I chill mine overnight.)

5. To cut, use the foil overhang to lift the cheesecake out of the pan and place on a large cutting board. Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut the cheesecake into bars, rinsing off the knife with hot water and wiping it dry between each cut. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

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