Monster Dip

My 3-year old daughter Molly had a Halloween costume fitting a few days ago with our costume designer, former PSA Essentials design team member, babysitter, published crafter and best friend Susan DeLano (she has a lot of titles in our house!)   This year Molly is a “nice witch.”  We went to JoAnn’s Fabrics in Savannah a few Sunday’s ago to pick everything out – the pattern, the fabrics and the accessories.  Our first fitting was a lot of fun and Molly enjoyed trying everything on and getting a sneak preview.   Susan’s busy “perfecting” the fit now.

We are having our friends The Bradfords over for Halloween this year.   Their daughter Parker is truly Molly’s best friend!  (Parker’s still deciding on a costume… rumors of a tennis player are circulating.)  Before we head out trick-or-treating, I am hosting a dinner party for our families.   I was inspired by this idea from Jessica Hill at Mad in Crafts for a special snack for the girls.  It’s Monster Dip and Jessica showed how fun it can be by decorating it with her PSA Essentials Peel & Stick stamps.

Jessica stamped the letters to spell Monster from PSA Archive Peel & Stick stamps and the outer ring from PSA Haunted Shack using her PSA Stamper loaded with lime green ink.   She stamped “dip” from PSA Vanilla Peel & Stick stamps.   What is “Monster Dip” anyway?   Check out this fabulous recipe I found from Skip to My Lou.   Sounds delicious.  And dangerous!

Monster Cookie Dough Dip

8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 Cup Butter, softened
1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
3 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 Cup Oats (regular or quick)
1 Cup  Miniature Plain M&Ms
1 Cup Miniature Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Mix cream cheese, butter, vanilla and peanut butter until smooth.  Stir in brown sugar and powdered sugar, mixing well. Next fold in oats, m&ms and chocolate chips. Serve with pretzels or graham cracker sticks.

I think this is the perfect treat for Parker and Molly.  And the adults will love it too!  I cannot wait for Halloween this year – more to follow! 

Sentimental Recipes

There are those recipes that get handed down from generation to generation, or those recipes that are family secrets or those that when made bring the whole family together.  These are sentimental recipes. Ones that you cherish!   For my wedding my mother gave me a book of family recipes that I refer to often, I cherish the “Pasta villa Francesca” one the most. It always save me in a pinch!   Jessica Hill of Mad in Crafts had an idea to display a few of those special recipes as artwork.   Now the kitchen not only smells of yummy goodness, but looks good too!  

Jessica purchase a three picture frame window.   In the picture windows, Jessica stamped the spoons design from PSA Country Home Peel & Stick stamps in royal blue ink with her PSA Stamper.  It spices up these recipes and creates a little more visual interest.   I love how she created “eat” with the letters out of newsprint and Mod Podge.  It’s the perfect graphic accompaniment to this artwork.    Take a look again - pretty neat, huh? 

Beachside Dinner & Entertaining

I tried out a great summer menu of shrimp ceviche, red cabbage slaw, and grilled corn on Sunday night for Molly and Mike.   It’s the perfect combination of fresh flavors for a hot summer evening and is ideal for a dinner party since everything is made in advance except for the corn.   Molly and I spent Saturday afternoon chopping cabbage (obviously I was the one with the knife – she mostly watched), squeezing lemons, limes and oranges (a good job for her), peeling shrimp and mixing everything up.   Here she is.. working hard!

On Sunday, we just pulled everything out of the fridge to eat after a long day of swimming at the pool.   Easy, beautiful AND delicious!  

To go along with this menu for a dinner party, you might want a fun table set up – like this one by Angie Holden.  She created a napkin ring holder using the beach chair/umbrella stamp from PSA Life’s A Beach. 

She stamped onto a circular piece of fabric with her PSA Stamper loaded with Turquoise Blue ink and set it with hairspray.   Check out the place setting complete with a shell – isn’t it perfect?  Your guests are sure to enjoy this meal and also feel welcome with this setting. 

 I love summer entertaining!  Now I just have to find the time… Or my guests have to be brave enough to be around my 3 year old and 10 week old…What are you cooking up this summer?  

Cinnamon Swirl Brioche

Mae Armstrong met her friends last week for a quick lunch and wanted to surprise them with her homemade Cinnamon Swirl Brioche (so domestic!)   Mae’s been working through the book called Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day and this gave her the courage to actually try the recipe she’s been meaning to try.   She also stumbled upon a recipe from Barbara Bakes.  She just followed the portion about braiding the bread and the whole thing looked so professional, doesn't it?

Before leaving the house, Mae created a quick tag and cut a mason jar using her Silhouette SD and stamped the center with PSA Essentials Peel and Stick custom stamp.   This “From the Kitchen of”  personalized stamp is so versatile – use it anytime you bake or cook and give it to friends.    She added brown yarn around the rim of the jars to dress it up.

She wrapped the brioche using a brown craft paper and tied it with a brown yarn. Super simple and who doesn't like freshly baked bread, right?  

Baby Shower Cupcake Toppers

Looking to make a baby shower fabulous?   Put delicious cupcakes on the menu and dress them up with these adorable cupcake toppers by Mae Armstrong.  

To recreate, Mae precut the flags and cupcake wrap using her Silhouette SD.   Stamp the little lamb from PSA Essentials Country Home Peel & Stick stamps.

Stick the stamped label onto a wooden pick and finish off the cupcake with these lovely hand stamped toppers.   The cupcakes look extra festive on your table!  Your party guests will surely enjoy.

Easter Crafts: Sweet Treats {Giveaway Week}

Welcome back to Day 4 of Easter Week at PSA Stamp Camp.  So much of Easter is about entertaining, being with family and friends, and of course – sweets!   Chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, Marshmellow Peeps, Cadburry Eggs…. I love them all.    Here are two more ideas with sweets in mind by our Easter crafting guru, Mae Armstrong.   They’re treat bags and cupcake toppers perfect for any gathering you are having this season. 

Let’s start with the treat bags.   Using her Silhouette SD, Mae selected a scallop circle tag and scored the middle portion with her Scor-Pal.   

Fold in half and stamp the sentiment on the front half of the label. Mae used PSA Eessentials Peel & Stick Topiary Stamp Set – the “Happy Easter” stamp for this project.

Fill bags with any treat and fold over and staple the decorative scalloped tag over the bag.   That’s it!  

To make the cupcake toppers, Mae prepared the decorative tag and added a bunny silhouette.   She used her Silhouette SD to achieve this design.  If you don’t have a Silhouette SD,  use another die cutting tool or punches. 

Then Mae stamped the sentiment Happy Easter using PSA Essentials Peel and Stick Topiary Stamp Set.

She added the wooden picks to the back and that’s it.   It's super easy and dresses up any cupcake in a hurry!

Here are the cupcakes on parade with a fabric carrot from Monday's post.  

Here is Mae’s cupcake recipe adopted from Food Network.com in case you are into replicating everything. Delicious!


Carrot Cupcake Recipe

·         3/4 cup whole-wheat flour

·         1/2 cup all-purpose flour

·         1 tsp baking soda

·         1/4 tsp salt

·         1/2 tsp cinnamon

·         1/4 tsp nutmeg

·         1/4 cup canola oil

·         3/4 cup light brown sugar

·         2 large eggs

·         1/2 cup natural applesauce

·         1/2 tsp vanilla

·         1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots (about 2 medium carrots)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with liners.
2. Sift together the first 6 ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the oil, brown sugar and eggs until well combined. Whisk in the applesauce, vanilla and carrots. Add the dry ingredients and mix well.
3. Divide batter into the cupcake pan. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe adopted from Allrecipes.com

·         2 packages of softened cream cheese (8 oz.)

·         1/2 cup softened butter

·         2 cups confectioners' sugar

·         1 tsp vanilla extract

·         2 tbsp heavy whipping cream

Directions:


In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. mix in the vanilla and heavy cream. Gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator while waiting for cupcakes to cool down.


Don’t forget to enter our giveaway – last day to enter is tomorrow!

Recipe Organization

On a roll with my organization (case in point – my scrapbooking supplies), I decided it was time to tackle my recipes.   I have hundreds clipped out from magazines, printed off from The Food Network.com, or given to me by friends and family – but I haven’t been using them because they were a mess.    I received a present for our wedding which I had not yet taken advantage of – it’s a recipe journal from Williams Sonoma.   It is even stamped with our last name “O’Regan” on it.   

Inside it’s organized by tabs labeled with soups & salads, appetizers, breads, brunches, side dishes, poultry, meats, seafood, pastas, desserts and even a tab for cocktails.  (That one has a lot of clippings…)    

I added my recipes right away.   They filed away nicely inside the acetate covers provided. 

For the hand written ones, I stamped a few of the cards with my “From The Kitchen Of” personalized PSA Essentials Peel & Stick stamp.   This is great for recipes that I want to give friends and family, not necessarily the ones I am filing and keeping in my binder.  

I have some really great recipes to use now – I am just dying to try the Truffle Risotto!  I made the Asian Flank Steak last night.  So many great recipes now being put to good use.

And when I don’t feel like cooking, there’s always the “Take-Out” menu binder.  Also now organized by cuisines from around the world.... 

This post was linked to Organize Your Stuff Now's Wednesday link party.   Join the fun by visiting this great blog and linking up.

Cupcakes!

The next time you are having company, consider these sweet treats by Mae Armstrong.  She went the extra mile to decorate them with cute cupcake holders and festive toppers!  She’s used our PSA Essentials Smirk Martini Mix stamps and the outer ring of PSA Archive Peel & Stick stamps for this adorable topper that really stands out.    I just love this adorable character holding a bottle of champagne and a glass – it really says “celebrate!”   You can also color her up to match the theme of your party and make her stand out even more.   Enjoy this recipe today!

HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Directions: Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.  Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.  Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:  Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

WHIPPED VANILLA FROSTING:

Ingredients

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream

Directions:  In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter.  Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes. 

Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.

Posted to Beyond the Picket Fence

Thanksgiving Muffins

Do you have company staying with you this Thanksgiving? Here are some great muffins for your house guests. Have them wake up to the smell of pumpkin, cinnamon and vanilla. Add a roaring fire and comfy pajamas and furry slippers and everyone's in heaven. For the muffins, you will need: 


1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. oil
3 eggs
1 lb. can pumpkin
1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla


Measure all ingredients in a big mixing bowl and beat together well for 5 minutes. Pour into cupcake pans (fill more than 1/2 full). Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Optional: Mix in cranberries and pecans. Top it with cinnamon, sugar and whole oats. Then use a combination of silver foils and mini mason jars.



To make the muffins extra special and impress her house guests, Mae Armstrong used the PSA Essentials Peel & Stick Country Set on tags. She stamped the spoon on top of the pre-cut 2"x2" squares, punch holes, thread natural twine through and wrap around the jars.

Enjoy these!