Teacher Appreciation Notepad and Pen Set...

 

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 2nd - May 6th and I've got a couple of cute ideas that your kids teacher will love....... trust me, okay. 

The first idea is this notepad and pen set. It's a lot fun and your kids can help you put it all together!

Supplies:

• 5 x 8 in./ 12.7 x 20.3 cm legal pads
• Clear re-fillable pens, the larger the better
• 3-4 Decorative 12 x 12 scrapbooking papers, coordinating solids and prints
• Themed embellishments and/or stickers
• Double-sided tape 
• A paper cutter

Begin by measuring a paper of your choice to fit as the cover of your notepad. Measure an inch longer at the top so it folds over the top of the notepad, covering the binding. Next, place double-sided tape along the entire front and back of the top binding... as shown below:

Place the cover on the front of the notepad and secure it in place, folding the extra inch of paper over the pre-taped binding. Now you can start cutting your coordinating paper and adding your embellishments and/or stickers how you would like.

I chose to cut different sized rectangles in different papers to layer on my cover. I then vertically placed three apple sticker embellishments down the center.

For the pen, unscrew the top and remove the ink stem. Measure and cut coordinating paper to fit in the pen. Using the ink stem as a guide, roll the paper tightly around it. Place both the ink stem and paper back into the pen and screw the top back on. The larger the pen, the easier it is to fit both stem and paper back into the pen.

There you go! A cute, fun, and crafty Teacher Appreciation gift that just screams THANK YOU!!! 

I've got another super Teacher Appreciation idea that I will be posting soon...... stay tuned!

Salsa for Cinco de Mayo...

 

I heart Mexican food... but I don't heart pinatas. I won't delve into this subject any further... click on the link to read about it if you must...

Anyway, something else I heart... Cinco de Mayo. A celebration of Mexico's defeat over the French Army on May 5, 1862 at The Battle of Puebla...

... just thought I'd throw that historical fact in there.

 

Another fact...... the amazing food! A subject in which I love to talk about... LOVE!

Where I currently reside, my family and I have yet to find a Mexican restaurant that blows us away. You want SPAM dishes, great Kalua Pork, the best dang shaved ice........ oh, they have all that here.

Mexican food... not so much. But, we haven't given up. We still have a few more restaurants to check out.

So, being half Mexican, and having some pretty tasty family recipes... I've been the main source of Mexican Cuisine in our home.

And by the way, Miklo... from the movie Blood In Blood Out... and I, do not share the same views. I've been very happy being half White and half Mexican... I embrace both races. Just sayin'.

And if you totally didn't get that reference... I apologize........ Vatos Locos, FOREVER!

Anyway...

Don't get me wrong... I enjoy cooking the amazing recipes handed down to me, but it is nice to go out every once in a while and order a delicious meal that is prepared without my having to cook it.

So, the search for a Mexican restaurant continues. As it does, I have a great salsa recipe that I grew up eating. It's a family recipe that each member has added their own flair to. I enjoy keeping it simple with basic Pico de Gallo ingredients.

It's fresh and tastes really good. You should make some.


Dad's Famous Homemade Salsa

• 4 whole Tomatoes
• 8 whole Green Onions
• 1 whole Small White Onion
• 2 whole Jalapenos, Seeds Fully Or Partially Removed
• 1 can Tomato Sauce, 15 Oz
• 1 cup Water
• 1-½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
• ¼ teaspoons Garlic Powder

Dice the tomatoes, green onions, onion, and jalapenos. You may choose to leave some of the jalapeno seeds to increase the heat of the salsa. If you like your salsa mild, remove all the seeds. I usually wear gloves when dicing the jalapenos, as they irritate my skin.

Place the diced ingredients into a medium bowl. Add in the tomato sauce and water. Stir to combine. Measure in the salt and the garlic powder and stir. Taste test with tortilla chips and adjust the the seasonings according to taste.

Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The salsa may thicken after sitting in the refrigerator. Add a little water if you desire a thinner consistency. This recipe makes about 1.6L or 7 cups of salsa.

It’s great on tacos, carne asada, even grilled chicken. You may choose to add an avocado for more texture and taste.

Enjoy!

Printable Recipe here on Tasty Kitchen

I'm linking this post up to Sweet Tooth Friday and I'm Lovin' It.

Adios Amigos...

Chocolate Fridge Cake...

OK... I'm just gonna lay it all out there...... I am super excited about the upcoming Royal Wedding! I will be one of THOSE people who'll stay up and watch the entire event on TV. Of course it helps that I live in a time zone where Wills and Kate's wedding will air around 10pm... a major score for me... no setting my alarm clock so I can get up at the crack of dawn!

For weeks I've been thinking about posting a recipe in regards to their wedding cake. If you haven't already heard, the main wedding cake is a traditional English Fruit Cake...... um, yeah...... I don't like fruit cake...

... at all.

No need to worry though, Prince William is having a groom's cake. Then I found out it's going to be an unbaked chocolate and McVitie's biscuit cake. Biscuits in England are what we call cookies here in America, by the way.

Cookies and chocolate, plus it's not baked... oh yeah... I'm lovin' this!

So, I've done a little research and found that one name this cake goes by is Chocolate Fridge Cake. Jamie Oliver, Nigella Lawson, and the King Arthur Flour blog have recipes for this sort of cake. All the recipes look great. The first two have way too many nuts and fruit in it for my taste, but they are more traditional, which I like. As for the third recipe, it doesn't have the abundance of ingredients, like the first two...... I like that. So, I decided to adapt my cake from all three recipes.

I must be super lucky people, because I found some McVitie's Rich Tea Biscuits at my local grocery store. They were with the specialty food items such as German and English brands. If you can't find them, they taste almost exactly like an animal cracker. Those could definitely be used instead of the tea biscuits.

Before I bore you too long with all my research details and all the attempts it took to develop this cake...... not to mention my excitement for The Royal Wedding, I'd better just tell you how to make this oh so yummy cake.

So, here's an American take on a British dessert...


Chocolate Fridge Cake

• 6 oz. Milk Chocolate Chips
• 6 oz. Dark Chocolate Chips
• 2 Tablespoons of Butter
• 1 Tablespoon of Honey
• 1 Teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Pint of Heavy Whipping Cream
• 12 McVitie's Biscuits, 2 per Ramekin
• 1/2 Cup of Macadamia Nuts, Divided
• 3 Tablespoons of Cocoa, for Dusting

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips, butter, honey, vanilla and cream until smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside. In six 7 oz. ramekins, place one biscuit at the bottom of each. Next, divide and sprinkle the macadamia nuts over the biscuits. Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the ramekins, dividing evenly. Place one more biscuit on top of the chocolate mixture. Chill the ramekins in the refrigerator overnight. Before serving, dust the tops with cocoa powder. Makes 6 servings.

Enjoy!

Printable Recipe here on Tasty Kitchen

Now, be sure to make these... get up at the crack of dawn... pop one outta the fridge... and indulge while watching Wills and Kate's happy day!

Who says you can't start the day off with chocolate!?!

I"m linking this post up to I'm Lovin' It, Sweet Tooth Friday, and The Royal Wedding Linky Party.

Fresh Raspberry and Lemon Pie...

 

I hope everyone is all geared up and ready for Easter...

... we're gettin' there.

I've got our eggs boiled and ready for coloring and my potatoes cookin' for my potato salad that I'm making for our Easter picnic tomorrow.

Since we live on an island, I thought it would be a great idea to do something totally out of the ordinary for us and have an Easter picnic on the beach. Usually we stay at home and I prepare a nice brunch or sit down supper for the family.

... kinda rebellious.......... I like it!

I figured, nothing too fussy... just a picnic lunch of ham and cheese on sweet rolls, potato salad, fruit salad, a cooler to pack it all up in, and the beach!

Something else not-so-fussy...... this super easy, throw together pie...... a great Spring time dessert.

Whether you do something traditional or totally, crazily out of the ordinary this Easter....... just have fun!

Aloha and Happy Easter!


Fresh Raspberry and Lemon Pie

• 1 package Cream Cheese (8 Oz. Package)
• 1 package Jell-O Instant Lemon Flavor Pudding And Pie Filling (1 Oz. Sugar Free Or 3.4 Oz. Regular)
• 1 cup Cold Milk
• 2 teaspoons Lemon Zest
• 2 cups Cool Whip - Divided
• 1 whole Keebler Shortbread Pie Crust (6 Oz. Package)
• 1 cup Fresh Raspberries
 

Beat the cream cheese, dry pudding mix, milk, and lemon zest in a large bowl until well blended. Gently stir in 1 cup of Cool Whip. Spoon into the crust and top with the remaining Cool Whip. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm. Top with the raspberries before serving.

Presentation tip: you can also pipe your whipped topping on the pie and/or create a berry medley using strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.

Enjoy!

Printable Recipe here on Tasty Kitchen

Chocolaty Chocolate Frosting...

Every year my husband requests a traditional Butter Cake with Chocolate Frosting for his birthday. Immediately I started looking up Butter Cake recipes... but alas... he wanted the boxed cake mix...

Oh man, I was so excited to bake a Butter Cake from scratch! Oh well, maybe next time...

The recipe I had my eye on was one that I found on Tasty Kitchen. Oooohhh, it looked good! I know you're just sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for me to let you in on the recipe...

...... am I right?

OK, well... it's a Kentucky Butter Cake by Laurie @ Simply Scratch and you can find the recipe HERE.

I did, however, manage to frost his cake with a homemade chocolate frosting. Chocolate frosting has to be my all-time favorite frosting...... besides cream cheese...... and German Chocolate...... and Vanilla Buttercream...

Alright, alright.... I have many "all-time favorite" frostings.

So, if you want an oh so chocolaty chocolate frosting... please, please, please... try this one out.

You'll be lickin' the bowl clean... I guarantee it.

Chocolaty Chocolate Frosting

• 1 Box of Powdered Sugar
• 1 Cup of Cocoa
• 1 Stick of Salted Butter, Softened
• 8 Tablespoons of Milk
• 2 Teaspoons of Pure Vanilla Extract

In a medium sized bowl, sift the powdered sugar and cocoa together; set aside. Next, in a large mixing bowl, cream the butter for a few seconds. Gradually add the sifted mixture and the milk to combine. Add the vanilla and beat until creamy. This frosting frosts a two layer cake or 24 cupcakes.

Enjoy!

Printable Recipe here on Tasty Kitchen

This post is linked to: Tidy Mom's I'm Lovin' It and Sweet Tooth Friday