Homemade Italian Breadcrumbs

July 24, 2019 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

These Homemade Italian Breadcrumbs are the perfect way to avoid waste and use up all those scrap pieces of bread and leftover buns. 🙂 So easy too!

Homemade Italian Breadcrumbs

Homemade Italian Breadcrumbs

While homemade breadcrumbs aren't necessarily a less expensive option, the fact that you can control your ingredients might be worth it to you. Also, there's nothing worse than getting ready to cook dinner and you're out of breadcrumbs for your recipe. Problem solved!

Try experimenting with different breads for a more dense or lighter breadcrumb. I'm excited to take all my bread and bun odds and ends that have been in my freezer and make up a bigger batch! 🙂

Ingredients per 1 cup

  •  any type bread (about 4 pieces equals 1 cup breadcrumbs)
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp garlic salt

 

Homemade Italian Breadcrumbs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Tear bread into 1-2-inch chunks and place in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake about 15 minutes (turning every 5 minutes) or until bread is completely dried out; cool.

2. Place completely cooled breadcrumbs in a food processor or blender and pulse until desired consistency. Pour into storage container and stir in Italian seasoning and garlic salt.

3. Use immediately or store in a zip-top bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.

 

Homemade Italian Breadcrumbs

 

You'll want to store these in the freezer because homemade breadcrumbs are a bit different than store bought as they will still retain some moisture and could mold. 🙂

For plain breadcrumbs omit the Italian seasoning and garlic salt.

I can't wait to use these in Shannon's Homemade Beef Meatball recipe!

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Homemade Beef Meatballs (Shannon’s Family Favorite!)

July 1, 2019 by 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

You're gonna love these homemade beef meatballs that are PPP Team member Shannon's family favorite!

Homemade Beef Meatballs

As we continue our homemade pantry staples series, Shannon mentioned that she loves to keep a stash of her homemade beef meatballs in the freezer to pull out as needed. We thought this would be the perfect next recipe to share so you can stock your freezer with these kid friendly meatballs as well! 🙂

Instructions for Homemade Beef Meatballs

Ingredients

  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 2 eggs, beaten with 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup panko or Italian breadcrumbs
  • 1 Tbsp onion powder or 1 small onion, minced
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp basil
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp garlic salt
  • freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1/8 cup dried parsley

 

Directions

1. Using your hands, mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.

2. Form into golfball size meatballs and place on a baking sheet.

3. Bake in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes.

4. Let cool and freeze in a zip-top bag if you're not using right away.

 

If you aren't ready to bake these right away, we suggest flash freezing the homemade beef meatballs straight on your baking sheet. When frozen, remove and place in a zip-top bag, label and freeze. 

When ready to use, thaw and bake in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes.

This recipe is a perfect one to double or even triple if you have the time. For instance, use a batch for spaghetti and meatballs or homemade meatball subs and another batch to eat by themselves.

Perfection! 🙂

P.S. Shannon loves, loves, loves her some garlic, so if you prefer your meatballs with a bit less, you can omit the garlic salt and garlic powder from the ingredients. 🙂

 

 

 

 

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Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix

June 26, 2019 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Need a good homemade chocolate cake mix?  If you were a fan of the homemade yellow cake mix recipe we posted a few weeks ago then you're going to go gaga over this one! Yum, Yum!! 🙂

Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix

Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix

My family is very happy tonight, haha! This homemade chocolate cake was a big hit and I even cheated with a store bought frosting.

Shhhhh, don't tell!

You'll definitely want to add this to your pantry when you see how simple (I'm talking ridiculously easy) this one is to whip up. 🙂

Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix

Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix Directions

 

Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 3/4 cups white sugar
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/4 cup salted butter, melted
  • 1 1/3 cups hot water (or hot coffee)

Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix

Directions

To make mix: combine flour, sugar cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder; mix well.

Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix

Store until ready to use.

Instructions When Ready to Prepare Cake Batter:

1. Add cake mix to a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, melted butter and water. Blend until well combined.

2. Pour batter into greased and floured cake or muffin pans.

3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake according to times below.

4. Cool cake before frosting.

  • 13″ x 9″ cake pan – bake about 35 minutes.
  • 8″x 8″ round cake pans – bake about 30 minutes.
  • Bundt pan – bake about 45 minutes.
  • Cupcakes – bake about 18 minutes.

I used a store bought frosting for this one, but a chocolate buttercream icing like this one would be fabulous.

 

 

I can't wait to try this one using coffee instead of water. ☕️☕️ Then I can eat it for breakfast, right??? 😜

 

Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix

Chocolate Lovers Unite!!! ❤️

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Homemade Barbecue Sauce

June 5, 2019 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

I've been making a homemade barbecue sauce for years, but haven't made any in quite a while. So this was the perfect time to make up a batch with all the grilling we (ummmm, my hubby) will be doing all summer! 🙂

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

This homemade barbecue sauce recipe is one that can totally be customized to your personal tastes. We like ours sweet and spicy. 😋

But, if you prefer yours more spice, you can add a bit more hot sauce. Prefer it sweeter, increase the amount of brown sugar or honey! Like it more like they do in the Carolinas, add more vinegar.

The great thing about making it yourself is you can really keep adjusting the ingredients in the sauce until you get it just right!

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Homemade Barbecue Sauce Directions

Ingredients

  • 2 cups ketchup
  • 1-2 cups brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
  • 1/4 cup hot sauce (or more if you like it really spicy!)
  • 1 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp garlic salt
  • 1 tsp ground mustard
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1/2 Tbsps honey
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice (optional)

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Store in an airtight container or jar for up to 3-4 weeks.

If you prefer your homemade barbecue sauce not as sweet, reduce the amount of brown sugar to 1 cup.

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Great to keep on hand all year long! 🙂

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Homemade Bisquick Mix

May 29, 2019 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

This Homemade Bisquick Mix is sooooo much cheaper and better for you than the boxed version! Plus, super yummy too!!! 🙂

Homemade Bisquick Mix

I've never thought of making a homemade bisquick mix, but from now on this will definitely be a staple in my fridge! I love that I can control what is in the mix and don't have to worry about preservatives that I'm not crazy about that are in the boxed mix. So simple!

Homemade Bisquick Mix

Homemade Bisquick Mix Directions

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 Tbsps baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsps salt
  • 1 stick butter (8 Tbsps, cold and cubed)

Homemade Bisquick Mix

Directions

  1. Add flour, baking powder and salt to a large bowl; add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture.
  2. Blend with a pastry blender until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Or use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mixing on low. Mine kind of looked like grated Parmesan cheese. 🙂
  3. Store baking mix in the refrigerator or freezer for up to 3 months.

 

 

Homemade Bisquick Biscuits

  • 1 1/2 cups baking mix
  • 1/2 cup milk

1. Combine baking mix and milk together until a soft dough forms.

Homemade Bisquick Mix

2. Knead about 10-12 times. Roll out dough onto a floured, flat surface or rolling mat to about 1/2″ thickness. (don't roll them out too thin or they will bake up too thin ~ I speak from experience, ha!) Cut into circles using the top part of a glass or use a biscuit cutter.

Homemade Bisquick Mix

 

 

 

3. Place biscuits on a greased baking sheet and bake at 450ºF about 7-10 minutes or until golden brown.

 

Homemade Bisquick Mix

 

Homemade Bisquick Waffles

  • 2 cups baking mix
  • 1 Tbsp sugar (optional)
  • 1 1/3 cups milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  1. Preheat waffle iron. Spray with cooking spray if needed or coat with a small amount of melted butter.
  2. Stir together baking mix, sugar, milk, egg and vanilla until well blended.
  3. Add desired amount of batter to waffle iron and cook according to your appliance directions.

 

Homemade Bisquick Pancakes

  • 2 cups baking mix
  • 1 Tbsp sugar (optional)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  1. Stir together milk, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Add baking mix and sugar and stir until just combined.
  2. Pour about 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle. Cook until the pancakes start to bubble and the edges are a little dry. Flip and cook until done. Repeat with remaining batter.

 

Homemade Bisquick Mix

 

This homemade bisquick mix has endless possibilities and can be substituted anywhere a recipe calls for baking mix. 🙂

 

 

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Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

May 24, 2019 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Perfect recipe for Taco Tuesday!! 🌮🌮🌮 Grab all the ingredients so you can slow cook this one all day and come home to ummmm…. perfection!!! 

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

This slow cooker pork carnitas recipe is one of those that will do all the cooking for you all day long while you're at work or running kids to and fro! This one is sure to become part of your meal planning rotation! 🙂

 

prep time 5 minutes | cook time 6-8 hours | serves 12 | 240 calories per serving

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

ingredients

  • 3 lb pork shoulder (pork butt)
  • 2 Tbsps lime juice
  • 3 tsps kosher salt
  • 4 tsps ground cumin
  • 2 tsps chili powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsps oregano
  • 2 tsps onion powder
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 orange, sliced
  • corn tortillas
  • optional toppings: cilantro, diced onions, avocados, cheese, sour cream and lime wedges

directions

  1. Combine lime juice, salt, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, onion powder, and black pepper to make a rub.
  2. Cut pork shoulder into 3 pieces, removing any excess fat and generously cover with rub.
  3. Place pork shoulder in slow cooker (along with any leftover rub) and top with the orange slices.
  4. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 4 hours until very tender.
  5. Discard orange slices; remove meat and shred.
  6. Before serving, in a large skillet, pan fry desired amount of meat over medium heat until it gets a good brown crust over some pieces. (don’t skip this step as it really enhances the flavor.)
  7. Serve pork on warm corn tortillas with desired toppings.

 

Get in my tummy!

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

 

This recipe includes basic calorie counts. If you’re adhering to a specific diet and would like exact calories and nutrition information on a certain recipe, use an online calorie counter like My Fitness Pal, Lose It or Very Well Fit.

 

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Dry Rub Recipe (From Scratch!)

May 22, 2019 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Kick up your grilling this summer with this perfect dry rub recipe! Great for chicken and pork! You'll want to try this one on ribs this weekend! Yum Yum!! 🙂

Dry Rub Recipe

Dry Rub Recipe

I hope y'all have been enjoying all these fun pantry staples we've been sharing.

We grill a ton of chicken, I mean a ton! So, I like to keep a homemade dry rub made up pretty much all the time. This dry rub recipe is perfect for a whole chicken, chicken breasts or thighs.🍗 Also great for pork chops, pork loin and ribs! I'm thinking of trying this one on some turkey breasts soon as well. 🙂

I had all the ingredients right in my pantry for this one (that makes it a winner in my books)! So easy!

Dry Rub Recipe

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 3 Tbsps salt (or kosher salt)
  • 3 Tbsps paprika (or smoked paprika)
  • 3 Tbsps chili powder
  • 2 Tbsps garlic powder
  • 2 Tbsps onion powder
  • 1 Tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 Tbsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 year in a cool dry place.

 

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Homemade Yellow Cake Mix (Pantry Staple!)

May 15, 2019 by 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

I may never buy another boxed cake mix again! This one is super easy and I'm betting you have everything you need to make this Homemade Yellow Cake Mix right now! This recipe is sure to become a pantry staple you keep on hand at all times. 🙂

Homemade Yellow Cake Mix

Homemade Yellow Cake Mix

I was a bit hesitant when Shannon mentioned she wanted a homemade yellow cake mix to be our next pantry staple. But, I'll admit that she was right on and this one is going to make your life a wee bit easier.

All the ingredients were items I had on hand so it was super quick to whip up! Plus, it was great to have all the dry ingredients ready to go when I got around to making my miniature baby bundt cakes and cupcakes! 🎂

 

Homemade Yellow Cake Mix Directions

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 3 1/2 tsps baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
  • 1 1/4 cups milk
  • 2 Tbsps vegetable oil
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs

Directions

  1. Add flour to a quart size mason jar (the wide mouth jars work best), followed by the sugar, baking powder and salt. Tap the jar on the counter every so often so all the ingredients will fit.

Homemade Yellow Cake Mix

Store for later use.

 

Homemade Yellow Cake Mix

 

Instructions When Ready to Prepare Cake Batter:

1. Place softened butter into a large bowl and mix on medium 1-2 minutes.

2. Add dry ingredients to bowl and mix for about 30 seconds.

3. Next, add milk, oil, vanilla and eggs and mix on medium-high for 1 minute.

4. Pour batter into greased and floured cake or muffin pans.

5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Baking the 9-inch cake pans 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. If you're making cupcakes, start checking them after about 15 minutes. The mini cupcakes were perfect at the 17 minute mark.

6. Cool before frosting.

I used a store bought frosting, but a homemade buttercream icing would be fabulous!

Homemade Yellow Cake Mix

So cute! 😍

 

Homemade Yellow Cake Mix

How fun are these baby bundt cakes! 🥰

 

Homemade Yellow Cake Mix

5 Star Rating from my kiddos! 😋

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Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

May 13, 2019 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

I cannot say enough good things about this soup!! It's fresh, clean and just scrumptious. 🙂 Perfect for spring and summertime! 🍋🍋🍋

Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

I'm not the biggest fan of soup in the warmer weather, but this Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is a great one to serve all year long.

I'll admit, my hubby was a bit skeptical when I told him I was making a soup that had, ummmmm……lemon juice in it and had lemon in the main title. But, if you've ever had a similar soup at Panera then you'll be sooooo happy you've found this jewel of a recipe.

Now, let's get to it and by the way, my whole family loved this one and gobbled it right down! Even the hubby! 🙂

prep time 20 minutes | cook time 6-7 hours | serves 12 | 175 calories per serving

Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb pkg carrots, chopped
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 32 oz cartons low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 8 oz orzo pasta
  • ½ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 5 oz pkg baby spinach leaves
  • shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

directions

  1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté carrots, celery and onions in hot oil until vegetables begin to soften. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to slow cooker.  
  2. Add thyme, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, bay leaf, chicken broth and chicken to slow cooker; stir.
  3. Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours or on high 3-4 hours.
  4. Remove bay leaf and chicken; shred chicken and return to slow cooker.
  5. Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, squeeze lemons for juice and zest.
  6. Add cooked pasta, lemon juice, zest and baby spinach to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low about 5 minutes or until spinach wilts into the broth.
  7. Ladle into bowls and top with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

 

This recipe includes basic calorie counts. If you’re adhering to a specific diet and would like exact calories and nutrition information on a certain recipe, use an online calorie counter like My Fitness Pal, Lose It or Very Well Fit.

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Homemade Onion Soup Mix Recipe (Pantry Staple!)

May 1, 2019 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Who knew??? I had NO idea you could make this from everyday items in your pantry! You'll want to give this one a try! 😃

Homemade Onion Soup Mix Recipe

I hope y'all have been enjoying all these fun pantry staples we've been sharing.

Onion soup mix is one of the items I like to have stocked in my pantry, so I'm super excited to find I can make this one so easily! 

It's a great add in for hamburgers, roasting potatoes, throwing in your slow cooker with a pot roast and this super delicious Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak recipe!

My men LOVE that one!

 

Homemade Onion Soup Mix Directions

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup dried minced or chopped onions
  • 2 Tbsps beef bouillon granules (or 4 beef bouillon cubes, chopped)
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp parsley flakes
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp celery seed
  • 1/8 tsp paprika

 

Directions

Mix together the minced onions, beef bouillon granules, onion powder, parsley, black pepper, celery seed and paprika in a bowl or mason jar. This recipe equals a 1-ounce packet of dry onion soup mix.

Tip: If you only have beef bouillon cubes on hand, chop 4 of those in a blender or hand chopper to equal 2 tablespoons granules.

 

 

If you prefer to make a bigger batch, double the recipe and store in an airtight container. 1/3 cup mix equals 1 packet.

The 4 oz mason jars with lids or the 8 oz mason jars with lids work perfectly for this recipe. The homemade onion soup mix recipe can be stored in your pantry or even in the freezer.

 

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Homemade Brownie Mix (Pantry Staple!)

April 24, 2019 by 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

I love a good fudgy, moist, but chewy brownie! 😍 They can be from a box or homemade, but there's something extra special about making them from scratch!  This homemade brownie mix is great to keep in the pantry….

Homemade Brownie Mix

Oh boy, do we have a treat for you today! I've tested a few homemade brownie mix recipes recently to find one that deserves to be shared and put into your regular rotation. This……is…..the……one!!!

This is a great mix to whip up and keep on hand and will be a recipe you turn to over and over again. 🙂

Homemade Brownie Mix Directions

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 3 Tbsps water
  • 2 tsps pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine cocoa powder, sugars, salt, flour and chocolate chips.

2. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

 

3. When ready to make, preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 9×9 square pain with foil or parchment paper, leaving about a 2 inch overhang on two sides. This will allow you to lift the whole tray of brownies straight out of the pan.

4. Empty dry brownie mix into a large bowl and add eggs, vegetable oil, water and vanilla extract. Stir with a rubber spatula to combine (mixture will be very thick).

5. Pour brownie batter into prepared dish; smooth top. Bake 25-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

6. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Let cool about 15 minutes and then gently lift brownies out of pan back onto the cooling rack.

7. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

 

Yields 12 large squares or 24 mini squares.

 

324 calories per large square.

 

Note: you may also add in 2 teaspoons espresso powder for an even more intense flavor!

 

Sooooo yummy!!! 😍😍😍

 

Try adding in peanut butter or butterscotch chips for a fun twist. So many brownie creations just waiting to be discovered! 🙂

 

 

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Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix (Pantry Staple!)

April 16, 2019 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

This is the PERFECT recipe for us penny pinchers! Try this one for just a few cents compared to buying the name brand! 🙂

Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix

Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix

I hope y'all have been enjoying all these fun pantry staples we've been sharing. This one might be my favorite so far since it's one I tend to reach for time and time again. Plus the name brand Ranch dressing mix is sooooo pricey! This homemade version costs pennies and we penny pinchers are all over that!

Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix

To Make Dry Ranch Dressing Mix You'll Need:

Ingredients

  • 3/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp seasoning salt
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder

Directions  (Easy Peasy!) 😉

  1. Mix all ingredients and store at room temperature in a plastic bag or container. This recipe equals 1 Ranch seasoning packet.
  2. Or store in the refrigerator or even the freezer!
  3. Use 3-4 tablespoons in place of 1 dry Ranch seasoning packet.

 

Want to make this mix into a pourable dressing? Blend 1 cup milk, 1 cup mayonnaise and 4 tablespoons Ranch seasoning mix together with a whisk. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes to allow dressing to thicken. Stir before serving. 🙂

 

If you prefer to make a bigger batch, quadruple the recipe and store in an airtight container. The 4 oz mason jars with lids or the 8 oz mason jars with lids work perfectly for this recipe.

 

So simple and I'm betting you have all the spices to make this homemade Ranch dressing mix in your pantry! 🙂  If you don't, you can head over HERE to grab some spices on Amazon! 

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Bunny Buns Easter Cheese Ball Recipe (SO CUTE!)

April 13, 2019 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

I'm not gonna lie, I've been completely obsessed with this bunny bun cheeseball for about a month now and am super excited to share it with you today! Such a fun dessert to whip up for Easter. 🐰

 

Bunny Buns Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

Cheree' here! I've seen several versions of this sweet bunny buns over on Pinterest, but I've been making a chocolate chip cheese ball for years so I decided to use that recipe as a base for this one (because honestly my family thinks it's the best, so why mess with perfection)!

Hmmm, I'll need to share that specific recipe with y'all later. 🙂

Bunny Buns Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

To Make the Bunny Buns Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball You'll Need:

Ingredients

  • 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened (not margarine)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup confectioner sugar
  • 2 Tbsps brown sugar
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Easter M&M's, chopped (reserve 8 pink M&M's for the toes)
  • 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles
  • bag of unsweetened coconut flakes
  • graham crackers, vanilla wafers, gingersnaps or animal crackers to serve

Instructions

1. Combine cream cheese, butter and vanilla and mix until smooth. Add sugars and beat until well combined. Stir in white chocolate chips, M&M's and sprinkles. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours.

2. Separate cream cheese mixture and roll into 1 large, 2 medium and 1 small ball.

 

3. Gently roll in coconut until covered.

 

Bunny Buns Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

 

5. Assemble your bunny bun by adding the small ball as the tail and flatten the two medium sized balls a bit and add as the feet. Add pink M&M's (or your preferred color) for the toes.

 

Bunny Buns Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

6. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

7. Serve with desired crackers or cookies.

 

Not crazy about coconut??? Try this cheese ball rolled in pecan or toffee pieces for a year round treat! 🙂

Bunny Buns Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

 

I can hardly handle the cuteness!! 🐰💕

 

Bunny Buns Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

 

It's almost too cute to eat……..ALMOST! You and your family won't be disappointed, YUM!

 

Bunny Buns Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

 

We would love to see a pic if you decide to give this one a try for Easter! 🙂

If you're looking for more Easter recipes, be sure to check out our free and complete Easter Menu HERE!

 

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Easter Wreath with Moss Bunny

April 10, 2019 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

MOSS BUNNY EASTER WREATH

We're all loving the cute Moss Bunny in this DIY Easter wreath!

Cheree here!  Julie from Less Than Perfect Life of Bliss shared her darling moss bunny topiary with us recently and apparently moss bunnies are in the air because I have one to share as well!

 

My sweet daughter and son-in-law just purchased their first house (so I wanted to surprise them with a cute Easter wreath for their front porch). I had moss bunnies on my mind, because what screams Easter more than Jesus and a moss bunny??? 🤗  I was able to make both a cute Spring wreath with this bunny, and a fun mantle decoration with him.  He's pretty versatile!

 

 

How to Make This Easter Wreath:

 

Warning! This is a bit messy so you might want to work outside. 🙂

 

First, trace your bunny onto the moss mat (be sure to trace your bunny backwards so it will face the direction you prefer when you glue it on). Now, carefully cut the bunny out trying to cut a little outside the tracing so it will be a bit bigger than the wooden piece.

 

 

 

Next, cover your wooden bunny with glue and gently press the moss cutout onto the wood. I used spray adhesive, but you could use regular tacky craft glue or hot glue as well.

You could use bagged moss here, and if you do I would definitely take this outside. 🤗

 

 

Lastly, make a cute bow to make him really stand out. To make a super easy bow, I love to use this technique from Brooke over at Re-fabbed. You can hot glue the bow right onto the moss.

Adding a bow really gives this cutie some character. 🐰

 

 

I had some chipboard letters on hand along with some chalk paint. So those were easy to make quickly and hot glue to the wreath. I used hot glue to adhere the bunny to the wreath as well. 🙂

This is the Easter wreath that is sitting on my daughter's front porch now! 

 

 

…and this fella is sittin' on my mantle!

 

You might remember this Christmas Paper Garland I shared back in December. I was so sad to pack it away after Christmas, so I decided to bring it back out and I'm so glad I did. It's really perfect for Spring!

 

It was just the touch my mantel needed to complete my sort of hodge podge, whimsical Easter theme I seem to have going this year! 🙂

 

If you enjoyed this Easter Wreath – you might also like these other Spring DIYs:

diyspringwreath2

DIY Spring Wreath

9 Easy Dollar Tree DIYs for Easter

Dollar Tree Easter Egg Wreath

Bunny Mason Jar Craft

Instant Pot Easter Eggs – 3 Easy Ways!

 

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Homemade Italian Dressing Mix (Pantry Staple!)

April 10, 2019 by 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Save yourself a trip to the store by keeping this Homemade Italian Dressing Mix in your pantry!  It's an easy recipe that will come in handy over and over 🙂

Homemade Italian Dressing Mix

Homemade Italian Dressing Mix

Dry Italian Dressing mix is a pantry staple that I've found myself reaching for time and time again over the years.  But what about those times you need it for a recipe and realize you're all out?  This homemade version is delicious and cheaper than buying packets! You can make it in bulk and use it time and time again.

PLUS – there are no mysterious ingredients inside, you can control the amount of salt, sugar, etc… according to your diet 🙂

Homemade Italian Dressing Mix

To Make Italian Dressing Mix You'll Need:

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tsps garlic powder
  • 1 Tbsp onion powder
  • 2 Tbsps Italian Seasoning
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 2 Tbsps salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper

Directions (Get ready…. these are really involved!) 😉

  1. Mix all ingredients and store at room temperature in a plastic bag or container.
  2. Or store in the refrigerator or even the freezer!
  3. Use 2 tablespoons in place of 1 dry Italian seasoning packet.

So simple and I'm betting you have all the spices to make this in your pantry! 🙂  You can head over HERE to grab some spices on Amazon! 

If you prefer to make a bigger batch, double the recipe and store in an airtight container. The 4 oz mason jars with lids or the 8 oz mason jars with lids work perfectly for this recipe. 

 

 

Looking for more recipes?

 

 

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Natural Dyed Easter Eggs In The Instant Pot

April 4, 2019 by 1 Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

 Natural Dyed Easter Eggs In The Instant Pot

This year I tried natural dyed Easter eggs in the Instant Pot and I was AMAZED how vibrant and beautiful their colors turned out!

I hope you've been enjoying all these Instant Pot Easter egg experiments this week!  This is one of my FAVORITES that Cheree has tried for us this week – naturally dyed Easter eggs!

Cheree here!

If you have been following our posts this week, you know I have been having an “eggcellent” time trying different methods of dying Easter eggs in the Instant Pot ! 🙂

Our next method was really cool. If you have never dyed eggs using natural ingredients, I definitely suggest trying a few of these. The red cabbage, avocado and turmeric eggs were my favorites! Who knew that avocado skins turn red???

Don’t have an Instant Pot, no worries – this method works great on the stove top as well! Scroll down for stove top instructions!

In the perfect world, you could boil your eggs in your ingredients right in the Instant Pot and all the stars would align and the eggs would turn the perfect color. I tried this with the red cabbage…

But, unfortunately that is not the case. So for this one you will need a bit of patience (trust me it's worth it).  I had a rainy Saturday so it was a great day to test these out!

Instructions for Natural Dyed Easter Eggs In The Instant Pot

Ingredients you'll need (these are what I used)

  • Blueberries
  • Turmeric
  • Coffee
  • Avocado
  • Red Cabbage
  • Green Tea
  • Red Cherries
  • Yellow Onions
  • White vinegar

These are the ingredients that I tried, but use your imagination and try some foods you have on hand. You might just be surprised! I know I was. 🙂

Instructions

The instructions are a bit different for each ingredient, so here is a list of what worked for me.

Blueberries: Cook 1 package of frozen blueberries (or fresh) with 8 cups of water in your instant pot. I did mine on high pressure for 10 minutes, natural released for 10 minutes and then quick release. To cook the eggs, add 1/2 cup vinegar to the blueberry mixture. Add trivet and eggs. Cook 5 minutes on high pressure, natural release 5 minutes, then quick release. Strain to a bowl and let the eggs soak until they reach the desired color. These will turn from light purple to a deep plum the longer they soak.

Turmeric: Add 8 tablespoons turmeric, 8 cups water and 1/2 cup vinegar to instant pot. Add trivet and eggs. Cook 5 minutes on high pressure, natural release 5 minutes, then quick release. Strain to a bowl and let the eggs soak until they reach the desired color. These turn from a light yellow to a deep maze yellow the longer they soak.

Coffee: Brew 8 cups strong coffee. Add coffee to instant pot along with 1/2 cup vinegar. Add trivet and eggs. Cook 5 minutes on high pressure, natural release 5 minutes, then quick release. Strain to a bowl and let the eggs soak until they reach the desired color. These will give you some awesome dark brown eggs!

Avocado:  Cook skins of 2 avocados with 4 cups of water in your instant pot. I did mine on high pressure for 10 minutes, natural released for 10 minutes and then quick release. To cook the eggs, add 1/2 cup vinegar to the avocado mixture. Add trivet and eggs. Cook 5 minutes on high pressure, natural release 5 minutes, then quick release. Strain to a bowl and let the eggs soak until they reach the desired color. This color is AMAZING! These will turn almost a salmon red, just gorgeous!

Red Cabbage: Cut cabbage into strips. Add cabbage, 8 cups of water and 1/2 cup vinegar to your instant pot. I did mine on high pressure for 10 minutes, natural released for 10 minutes and then quick release. I tried to cook the eggs in this mixture and it just didn't work. This one works better to use hard boiled eggs (made in your IP) and let soak until they reach the desired color. The longer these soak the more vividly blue they become. The ones that I did boil with the cabbage did pick up a texture that was cool to see come out as they soaked.

Green Tea: Brew 8 cups strong green tea. Add green tea to instant pot along with 1/2 cup vinegar. Add trivet and eggs. Cook 5 minutes on high pressure, natural release 5 minutes, then quick release. Strain to a bowl and let the eggs soak until they reach the desired color. These will go from a light yellowish green to a deeper greenish/brown color.

Red Cherries: Cook 1 jar red cherries with 8 cups of water in your instant pot. I did mine on high pressure for 10 minutes, natural released for 10 minutes and then quick release. To cook the eggs, add 1/2 cup vinegar to the cherry mixture. Add trivet and eggs. Cook 5 minutes on high pressure, natural release 5 minutes, then quick release. Strain to a bowl and let the eggs soak until they reach the desired color. These will range from pink to dark pink the longer they soak.

Yellow Onions: Cook the skins from 4 large yellow onions with 8 cups of water in your instant pot. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, natural release 10 minutes and then quick release. To cook the eggs, add 1/2 cup vinegar to the onion mixture. Add trivet and eggs. Cook 5 minutes on high pressure, natural release 5 minutes, then quick release. Strain to a bowl and let the eggs soak until they reach the desired color. These will turn a burnt orange/tan color.

Stove top Instructions

For vegetables and fruits: Boil veggies or fruit in 8 cups water for 20 minutes or until cooked down. Let cool and strain. Add 1/4 cup vinegar to the mixture along with hard boiled eggs. Refrigerate and let the eggs soak until they reach the desired color.

Coffee and tea: Go ahead and brew; cool and add 1/4 cup vinegar and hard boiled eggs. Refrigerate and let the eggs soak until they reach the desired color.

Spices: Heat 8 cups of water and add 8 tablespoons spice and 1/4 cup vinegar. Cool and add hard boiled eggs. Refrigerate and let the eggs soak until they reach the desired color.

I love, love, love this idea if you have kiddos at home who enjoy being in the kitchen or love to do science experiments! Plus, because you are using all natural ingredients, these are completely safe to eat. 🙂

These eggs are just GORGEOUS!!!

A fun idea is to let the eggs soak at different intervals and see how the colors change. Do them for 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, etc. You will get some awesome shades! 🙂

These natural dyed eggs turned out just beautiful! I'm seriously obsessed with them. 🙂

 

 

Looking for some more Easter decorating ideas??? Here ya go! ❤

Easter Eggs In The Instant Pot

How to Dye Easter Eggs with Silk Ties (In the Instant Pot!)

Dollar Tree Mason Jar Craft

Easter DIY: No Sew Burlap Bunny Pillow

Dollar Tree Decorating: Easter Fun

Dollar Tree Easter Wreath

 

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Homemade Taco Seasoning

April 3, 2019 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Tired of not having taco seasoning on hand when you need it? You more than likely have everything in your spice cabinet to make this homemade taco seasoning right now!

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Ingredients

  • 2 tsps chili powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ garlic powder
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 1 ½ tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • pinch red pepper flakes

Directions

Mix all ingredients to equal one package taco seasoning mix. Use 1-2 tablespoons seasoning per pound of meat.

If you prefer to make a bigger batch, quadruple the recipe and store in an airtight container. The 4 oz mason jars with lids or the 8 oz mason jars with lids work perfectly for this recipe. The homemade taco seasoning can be stored in your pantry or even in the freezer.

Easy peasy and you'll be ready for Taco Tuesday every week! 🙂

 

Looking for more recipes?

 

 

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DIY Dollar Tree Candy Jar

March 22, 2019 by 6 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

DIY Dollar Tree Candy Jar

Note from Laurie: My friend Cheree created this DARLING Dollar Tree Candy Jar, and I just love it! Thanks so much for sharing Cheree ~ I can't wait to make this one myself!

I've seen several variations of this cute candy jar over at Pinterest, so when a friend also shared it with me, I thought I would give this one a try! You should be able to find most of the supplies at your local Dollar Tree or Walmart.

 

Looking for a great Dollar Tree DIY? Look no further than this great candy jar! You can even change it out to match the holiday! Perfect for Valentine's Day, Easter and Christmas!!

 

Here are the supplies you'll need to make the DIY Dollar Tree Candy Jar:

DIY Dollar Tree Candy Jar

  • 4-inch Terra Cotta flower pot like this one
  • Terra Cotta flower pot saucer like this one
  • Wooden knob (from the craft section at your favorite store)
  • Glass bowl
  • Acrylic paint or spray paint (I used chalk paint because I had it leftover from another project)
  • E-6000 glue and glue gun (I used the glue gun to add the ribbon and decorations)
  • Ribbon and any other embellishment you want to use (I pretty much used what I already had at home)
  • Favorite candy

DIY Dollar Tree Candy Jar Instructions

How adorable is this DIY Dollar Tree Candy Jar?Instructions:

  1. Glue the wooden knob (using the E-6000 glue) on the bottom part of the flower pot saucer and let dry.
  2. Paint the flower pot and the saucer and let dry.
  3. Turn the flower pot upside down and glue the glass bowl on top (also using the E-6000 glue)
  4. Add ribbon, other embellishment and of course, candy!

 

This craft was so easy and is super flexible to be able to change with the different holidays or seasons. 🎄💟

DIY Dollar Tree Candy Jar

There are just so many possibilities! I think gumballs would look adorable as well! 🙂 My father in law was a pastor and he always had a gumball jar on his desk, so this got me thinking that this would be a thoughtful gift for a pastor, secretary or teacher. I love that! ❤️ 

 

DIY Dollar Tree Candy Jar

 

I would love to see your DIY Dollar Tree Candy Jar!  If you decide to give it a try leave a picture in the comments! 🙂

35dealsdollartreevalentines

Looking for more DIY fun? Here you go!

 

 

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Easter Eggs In The Instant Pot

March 18, 2019 by 4 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

I was curious if you could make Easter Eggs in the Instant Pot... so I gave it a try. Well my Instant Pot Easter Eggs turned out beautifully!

Easter Eggs In The Instant Pot

If you have an Instant Pot, you may have already found out how handy it is for hard boiling eggs.  But maybe you haven't thought about dyeing eggs in it as well!  PPP Team Member Cheree spent the last week busily trying out all sorts of Instant Pot Easter Egg recipes – here's a traditional Easter egg dyeing method adapted for the Instant Pot. 🙂

Cheree here!

I was curious to see if you could really dye eggs the traditional way (with food coloring) in the Instant Pot. Turns out, you can!!

I'm so excited to share this with you because being new to the Instant Pot, I had no idea. Don't have an Instant Pot, no problem – you can use the dying steps with plain ole hard boiled eggs as well! 🙂

Instructions for How to Dye Easter Eggs in the Instant Pot

Supplies:

  • Eggs
  • Food Coloring
  • Vinegar
  • Ramekins
  • Instant Pot Trivet (this should come with your Instant Pot)

Instructions:

  1. Place the trivet in the bottom of the instant pot and add 1 cup water.
  2. Place an egg in each ramekin and add 10-12 drops food coloring and 3 tablespoons vinegar to each ramekin.
  3. Fill ramekin with water to cover egg; repeat steps for up to 6 ramekins per batch.
  4. Place ramekins in the instant pot (3 on the bottom and another 3 stacked on top).
  5. Lock lid into place and use the manual high pressure for 5 minutes.
  6. Allow the instant pot to natural release for 5 minutes.
  7. Fill a large bowl with ice water.
  8. Do a quick release for the remaining pressure and immediately place eggs into the ice bath for an additional 5 minutes.
  9. Remove the eggs from the ice bath and allow to dry.

These were super easy! This technique has instant results just like traditionally dying eggs. If you prefer darker colors, you can let the eggs sit in the dye for a longer time. Be creative with mixing the food coloring to create some fun and unique colors! 🌷

Looking for some more Easter decorating ideas??? Here ya go! ❤

Natural Dyed Easter Eggs In The Instant Pot

How to Dye Easter Eggs with Silk Ties (In the Instant Pot!)

Dollar Tree Mason Jar Craft

Easter DIY: No Sew Burlap Bunny Pillow

Dollar Tree Decorating: Easter Fun

Dollar Tree Easter Wreath

 

 

 

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Easy DIY Gnomes

March 7, 2019 by 3 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

DIY Gnomes

EASY DIY GNOMES

Y'all, I can't even wait to share this little DIY Gnomes craft with you! I'm gonna be honest, I've never bought a gnome, made a gnome, had a gnome in my home (ha!), nothin…..but, I'm OBSESSED with these little fellas!

**Update – made this little fella for St. Patrick's Day and wanted to share with y'all because there are just SO many opportunities to make gnomes all year round!

 

I wanted to make mine for Valentine's Day (and of course got a really late start on it, yikes!). So, my fuzzy sock selection was very limited. 🙁  To save you time, go straight to Walmart for fuzzy socks (they were the only store in my area that still had a small selection).

DIY Gnomes

Supplies you'll need to get started:

  • 2 pair of fuzzy socks (for the body and hat)
  • craft fur (for the beard)
  • rice or dry beans
  • wood beads or knob (for the nose)
  • pom poms (for the tip of the hat)
  • variety of embellishments (I used some felt hearts I had on hand)
  • hot glue gun and glue sticks
  • rubber-bands

How to Make the Easy DIY Gnomes

DIY Gnomes

Add about 1 pound of rice to a jar and stretch the sock over the jar to fill (or use less rice if you don't want your gnome as chubby). 🙂 Secure a rubber-band around the top as pictured.

DIY Gnomes

Next, take another fuzzy sock and place over your body until you are satisfied with how it looks. You can roll some of the top sock under to make it shorter if you prefer your hat smaller.

DIY Gnomes

For the girl gnome, I cut 2 pieces of fur and hot glued it on along with the wood bead centered between the fur. For the guy gnome, I cut 1 piece of fur (eye balling it) so it would cover his bottom half from side to side. Then, hot glued his nose on in the center of his beard.

DIY Gnomes

The fun part is embellishing the gnomes to give them personality. I hot glued a pom pom onto her hat and tied up her beard into pony tails! So cute!  💗

DIY Gnomes

and just for kicks, I tied her hat in a few spots and added more pom poms. 

DIY Gnomes

I added a tad of blush to their sweet noses so they have a bit of a flushed look. 🤗

💜💜💜

DIY Gnomes

Such a fun craft to do with the kids and can be used for any holiday or season by switching up the socks. Love that!!!

I've wrapped up a few for my fellas to give to their special gals and goodness, complete CUTENESS OVERLOAD!!

DIY Gnomes

and….because the PPP Team is full of awesome creatives, we made this happy little printable for you to use as well!

You can wrap them up and give to your special Valentine with this simple Gnomes Valentine printable that can be printed off in color OR in black and white.

PRINT HERE

DIY Gnomes

I have “gnome” doubt that your Valentines are gonna ❤️ these cuties!

DIY Gnomes

 

Looking for a bit more DIY inspiration??? Here you go:

Valentine White Trash Candy

Valentine Juicebox Printable (Great for Classrooms with Food Allergies!)

3 Quick and Easy DIY Valentine Crafts

DIY Dollar Tree Candy Jar

Dollar Tree Valentine Project

Valentine's Dollar Tree DIY

(FREE!) DIY Valentine Tree

DIY Wood Bead Garland

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Guacamole Deviled Eggs Recipe ~Top Chef Style!

March 5, 2019 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.
Looking for more penny pinched recipes? Here you go!

If you're looking for recipes to make with hard boiled eggs, this guacamole deviled eggs recipe is a fun new twist on a classic!

Guacamole Deviled Eggs Recipe

If you are like me and have leftover hard boiled eggs from Easter then you will want to check out this Guacamole Deviled Eggs recipe!

This recipe pretty much covers just about any eating style you might be into right now ~ low carb, paleo, keto, clean eating, whole30, vegetarian, even gluten free ~ you get the picture, ha! 🙂

Here's what you'll need to get started…

Guacamole Deviled Eggs~Top Chef Style

Ingredients

  • 6 hard boiled eggs, cooled and peeled
  • 1 medium ripe avocado
  • 1/2 -1 small jalapeño, seeded and diced (or jarred diced jalapeño)
  • 2 Tbsps diced red onion
  • 2 Tbsps chopped fresh cilantro
  • 4 tsps lime juice
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/8 tsp white pepper
  • 1/2 Roma tomato, seeded and diced
  • pinch smoked paprika or chile powder (for garnish)

Directions

  1. Cut the eggs in half horizontally and scoop out the yolks; set aside.
  2. Cut avocado in half, remove pit and scoop out the flesh.
  3. In a bowl, mash avocado and 2-3 egg yolks with a fork; discard remaining yolks. (I mixed the leftover yolks in with my doggies food and he loved it)!
  4. Stir in jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, garlic powder, white pepper, kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Gently mix in tomato.
  5. Spoon heaping spoonfuls of guacamole into the halved egg whites.
  6. Garnish with a pinch of smoked paprika or chile powder and chopped cilantro, if desired.

These really hit the spot and got all thumbs up from my bunch! 🙂

 Looking for more side dish recipes?

 

 

 

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DIY Wood Bead Garland

February 18, 2019 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

You're going to LOVE how simple and pretty this DIY Wood Bead Garland craft turned out - it's a perfect DIY Fall Decor to make on a budget!

DIY WOOD BEAD GARLAND

I just love a good garland! Anyone with me??

This DIY wood bead garland has got to be the easiest and most versatile garland I've ever made. 🙂   (I mean – compared to the 3-hour Fall Paper Garland… whew!  This one was a walk in the park!)

Honestly, this little garland can really fluff up your space. I love moving mine around when I get the hankering for changing out my decor.

DIY Wood Bead Garland

Supplies you'll need:

There are really endless ways to make the diy wood bead garland, but here's what I did.

How to make the DIY Wood Bead Garland:

  1. To make the tassels, wrap the jute around the palm of your hand a good 12-15 times and cut.
  2. Wrap another piece of jute around your tassel (about 1/4″ down) and tie it off once you are pleased with the way it looks.
  3. Cut a piece of jute a little longer than your desired length for the wood bead garland and thread it through your loop. Be sure to tie it off before you start adding your beads.
  4. Start threading on your beads. I found it helpful to wrap the end of the jute with a piece of tape so it wouldn't fray as bad.
  5. Repeat the process for making another tassel. Carefully tie the end tassel onto the garland (make sure to knot the end so the beads don't slip off). Cut the looped end of your tassels and you're done!

DIY Wood Bead Garland

 

DIY Wood Bead Garland

This diy wood bead garland is so simple, but really makes a BIG statement in my decor ~ I just love it!

DIY Wood Bead Garland

Just a few examples of how I've used it in my home… 🙂

DIY Wood Bead Garland

This little guy just makes me smile! 🙂

 

If you're looking for some more DIY inspiration, here are a few of our favorite garlands:

Fall Paper Garland

How to Make Burlap Garland

No Sew Pennant Banner

Christmas Paper Garland

 

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Valentine White Trash Candy

January 29, 2019 by 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Valentine White Trash Candy

This is typically a recipe I think about during the Christmas season, but it's really PERFECT for any seasonal holiday. So, Valentine's Day seemed like the perfect holiday to whip some up! 💗

Here's what you'll need to get started . . .

plus, a great use for the almond bark I snagged on clearance at Kroger 👇🏻👇🏻 – WHOOP!

 

measure out the ingredients – this 8 cup Pyrex measuring cup is awesome!

 

 

toss them all together in a ginormous bowl!

 

 

melt your almond bark (or use 2 packages of white morsels along with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil instead) – either way is FANTASTIC!

 

 

mix it all up….

 

 

then spread onto wax paper, add a few sprinkles and let cool 🙂

 

 

and try not to nibble, ha!  😜

 

package it up as fast as you can and give it away!!! 

 

How to Make Valentine White Trash Candy:

 

Ingredients

  • 6 cups Rice or Corn Chex Cereal
  • 6 cups small pretzels
  • 16 oz jar dry roasted peanuts
  • 11 oz bag plan M&M's
  • 24 oz almond bark (1 1/2 packages)
  • sprinkles (optional)
  • wax or parchment paper

Directions

  1. Combine cereal, pretzels, peanuts and M&M's in a huge bowl.
  2. Line 2 large baking sheets with wax or parchment paper. Or, spread a couple of large pieces on your countertop if they can tolerate a bit of heat.
  3. Place almond bark in a large glass bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals until the almond bark is melted and very pourable.
  4. Pour melted almond bark over dry ingredients; stirring gently to combine. Once combined, spoon mixture onto the wax paper and spread. Add sprinkles, if desired.
  5. Cool on the countertop or pop in the refrigerator until set. Break into pieces and store in an air-tight container at room temperature.

 

So yummy and completely addictive…….I warned ya! 🤗

Looking for a few more fun Valentine ideas??

Here's everything you need to have the pefect Valentine's Day Dinner - on the cheap!! Complete with grocery list, recipes and menu cards!!

Valentine's Day Dinner (on the cheap!)

How adorable is this DIY Dollar Tree Candy Jar?

DIY Dollar Tree Candy Jar

These 3 quick and easy Valentine crafts will help fluff up any room for the holiday!

3 Quick and Easy DIY Valentine Crafts

 

Screen Shot 2016-01-29 at 2.11.50 PM

Dollar Tree Valentine Project

 

Looking for more penny pinched recipes? Here you go!
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Christmas Paper Garland

December 4, 2018 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Looking for an inexpensive way to decorate your mantle this season? Look no futher, this Winter Paper Garland is just beautiful and SO easy!!

Christmas Paper Garland

Winter Paper Garland

Y'all, I've been kind of obsessed with the idea of making this Christmas Paper Garland for a few months now!!  When Laurie showed me this garland (similar to her Fall Paper Garland), I knew I had to make one for Christmas this year! 🙂

Christmas Paper Garland

Here's what you'll need:

How to make the Christmas Paper Garland:

Christmas Paper Garland

Start off by drawing a leaf to use as a template. I found an artificial leaf laying around that looked about the right size and traced it.

Christmas Paper Garland

I found that the easiest way to make these was by using a trimmer to cut the scrapbook paper into 3” strips. Then stack them 2 at a time and lay the “template leaf” on the strip and cut them in an assembly line fashion. You'll need a ton, so just keep cutting! 🙂

 

This would be the perfect time to put on a good movie…… and get to cutting! 😉

Christmas Paper Garland

Next, draw a line with the white pencil down the center of the leaf. It doesn't have to be perfectly straight, it will give your garland some character. Now, fold each leaf in half and throw them in a bowl for later.

Christmas Paper Garland

To start the garland, cut off a 6″ piece of floral tape (you'll need to pull this to stretch it out to activate the sticky part of the tape). Wrap the first leaf stem onto the wire using the floral tape.

Wrapping it about 3 times worked pretty well for me. Add the next leaf … and the next … and so on … keep going, tearing off additional floral tape as needed.

Christmas Paper Garland

After the garland was completed, I took 3 of the pom pom balls and hot glued them together to make berries (don't you just love the berries??).

I made about 11 of these berry bundles and then hot glued them onto the garland every few inches or so.

Christmas Paper Garland

I was SO happy that I used the bendable wire, it gave me so many options to drape the garland on my mantle.

Christmas Paper Garland

After playing around with my mantle, I decided to add a tiny red and aqua pom pom to the berries. This tied in my stockings and some of my bottle brush trees (which BTW I got last year after Christmas for 90% off )!

Christmas Paper Garland

Those berries are just ADORABLE!  🤗

Winter Paper Garland

Christmas Paper Garland

After adding the Joy sign I made last year, my mantle is complete and I REALLY do just love it!!  ❤️

Christmas Paper Garland

This is SO different from my usual Christmas mantel, but I'm really digging the simplicity of it! 🎄🎄

Thanks to Centsational Style for the inspiration!

If you love the Farmhouse JOY sign on my mantle, you can find out how to make it HERE!

dollartreegifts2

Looking for a bit more Christmas inspiration???

 

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DIY Pumpkin Succulent Planter

October 26, 2018 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Wondering how to make those beautiful pumpkin succulent planters? Passionate Penny Pincher has you covered.

DIY Pumpkin Succulent Planter

I've been just a little (ok, a lot!) obsessed with making these DIY Pumpkin Succulent Planters over the past few weeks.

Pumpkins + Succulents = ❤️ (or Pucculents, ha!)

Seriously what's not to love???

DIY Pumpkin Succulent Planter

Here's what you'll need to get started: 

I started by giving my pumpkins a bleach bath.

You can do this by filling your sink with water and adding a 1/2 cup bleach. Just splash them around so the whole pumpkin is covered with the mixture. This will preserve your pumpkins so they last a bit longer.

You can skip this step, just make sure to clean all the debris off the pumpkin before adding the moss.

How to Make a DIY Pumpkin Succulent Planter

DIY Pumpkin Succulent Planter

Next, remove the stem and spray a small amount of the adhesive over the top of the pumpkin, gently adding enough moss to cover the top of the pumpkin. A 1/2″ of moss is perfect! 🙂

You'll want to do this outdoors as it's kinda messy.

DIY Pumpkin Succulent Planter

Next, you actually take the succulent out of its pot and cut off the roots (I promise, it'll be ok!😊) Gently shake off the excess dirt so you have a clean stem to glue onto your pumpkin.

DIY Pumpkin Succulent Planter

Finally, using tacky glue or hot glue (the succulents don't care) start gluing the succulents onto your pumpkin. I started with the taller ones first a little off center and then came down with the smaller plants to fill in the holes.

DIY Pumpkin Succulent Planter

I loved the first one so much, I made a few others… 🧡

DIY Pumpkin Succulent Planter

If you use between 5 or 6 succulents on each pumpkin it will help keep the cost down. My total per pumpkin was around $15.

Our local Kroger had a variety of succulents at decent prices, but buying flower pots with several groupings of succulents was really the best bargain. 🌵

DIY Pumpkin Succulent Planter

 

Don't you just LOVE them??

 

DIY Pumpkin Succulent Planter

 

The baby ones cost $3.50 to make and is such a sweet centerpiece if you're hosting Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving this year. 🙂

 

DIY Pumpkin Succulent Planter

How to Care for Succulents

To care for your pumpkin succulent simply spritz the moss and the succulents with water once a week.  Keep you pumpkin in indirect sunlight.

 

If you want to figure out how to plant succulents, I didn't do that with these pumpkins but you can if you're SUPER adventurous. Just carve out the pumpkin and set the succulents in a flower pot with good soil. Just add moss to cover the soil.

 

If you're wondering how long your succulents will live, with proper care these DIY Pumpkin Succulent Planters will last several weeks!!

 

DIY Pumpkin Succulent Planter

 

If you're looking for additional frugal fall projects, take a peek at 17 of our most popular ones below! The DIY Fall Paper Garland and DIY Wood Bead Garland are two of my favorites. 🙂

DIY Fall Decor on a Budget

Check out these 12 DIY Fall decor ideas you can make on a budget!

More DIY Projects and Ideas

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Super Soft Vest (I love this one!)

October 22, 2018 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

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Oh my stars, how cute is this???  Jane has this super cute and super soft vest on sale today for $32.99 (regularly $65.00). This one comes in black heather and oatmeal heather. These are a bit expensive, but I've seen them in retail stores for much much more. Plus, they are one of the hottest trends this season!

Shipping is $4.99 for the first item and $3.99 for each additional item. You can snag one HERE!

 

You may also want to check out these posts:

5 Ways to Look Better in Pictures

My Latest Stitch Fix Unboxing and Review

FREE Adore Your Wardrobe Fashion Course

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Inspirational Graphic Tees (Love these!)

October 20, 2018 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

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I LOVE THESE!!!! Jane has these super cute Inspirational Graphic Tees on sale today for just $12.99 (regularly $24.99). I can't even decide which one I love the best! Shipping is $3.99 for the first item and $1.50 for each additional item. You can snag one HERE!

 

You may also want to check out these posts:

5 Ways to Look Better in Pictures

My Latest Stitch Fix Unboxing and Review

FREE Adore Your Wardrobe Fashion Course

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Holiday Graphic Tees (Super Cute!)

October 19, 2018 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

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Oh my stars, how cute are these???  These might be the cutest holiday tees we've seen at Jane so far!! These holiday graphic tees are on sale today for just $15.99 (regularly $26.99).  You have got to scroll through all the designs – they are so stinkin' cute!

So Cute!!

Shipping is $3.99 for the first item and $1.99 for each additional item. Hurry to snag one HERE!

 

You may also want to check out these posts:

5 Ways to Look Better in Pictures

My Latest Stitch Fix Unboxing and Review

FREE Adore Your Wardrobe Fashion Course

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Tassel & Pom Knit Scarf (So Cute!)

October 18, 2018 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Click to Save!

Oh my stars, how cute is this??? Jane has this super cute tassel & pom knit scarf on sale today for $14.99 (regularly $39.99). This one comes in 6 different colors and gets awesome reviews! 

Wrap yourself in luxury this fall with our amazing Tassel & Pom Knit Scarf!  Its thick acrylic and wool blend knit will keep you cozy and warm on those cold days!  And that tassel and pom?!  We are in LOVE!!

Shipping is $3.99 for the first item and $1.99 for each additional item. You can snag one HERE!

 

 

You may also want to check out these posts:

5 Ways to Look Better in Pictures

My Latest Stitch Fix Unboxing and Review

FREE Adore Your Wardrobe Fashion Course

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Farmhouse Pumpkin Sign

September 25, 2018 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Farmhouse Pumpkin Sign

Farmhouse Pumpkin Sign

I love a quick and easy craft! Especially when you have all the supplies on hand. This was the case with this Farmhouse Pumpkin Sign. 🙂

If you have 30 minutes to an hour to craft, you too can make this adorable sign too! 🙂

Farmhouse Pumpkin Sign

Supplies you'll need:

  • Wooden board – free from our scrap wood, but I've used these before and they are great!
  • Alphabet stencils – similar to these
  • Paint – I used chalk paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Twine

How To Make Your Farmhouse Pumpkin Sign

  1. Dry brush your board by adding a small amount of paint to your brush and going back and forth in a light motion over the board. Repeat this until you achieve the desired coverage. I let some of my raw board show through for a more distressed look. Let dry. This takes just a few minutes since your paint should be thin. I used Waverly ivory chalk paint.
  2. Align the stencil to where your word is centered. I traced mine with a pencil to make sure I was pleased with the placement. For the “O”, I turned the stencil sideways so my pumpkin would be wider.
  3. Fill in your letters with the paint color of your choice. I used Waverly hazelnut for the letters and Americana Decor Vintage for the pumpkin.
  4. After the paint was dry, I freehand the stem, polka dots and sections of the pumpkin.
  5. Next, I added a twine bow with a drop of hot glue. Raffia would be cute as well.

Farmhouse Pumpkin SignSo fun! 🙂

Farmhouse Pumpkin Sign

I loved it so much, I made another one that is slightly different – so many possibilities!  ❤️

 

Need a bit more fall inspiration?? Here ya go!!

Fall Paper Garland

DIY Wood Bead Garland

DIY Fall Decor on a Budget (17 Ideas to Fluff Your Home, Frugally!)

 

 

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Scripture Pendant Necklaces

August 25, 2018 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Click to Save!

Oh my stars, I love these!!!  Jane has these super cute scripture pendant necklaces on sale today for $9.99 (regularly $18.00).  Scripture pendant necklaces by Ellie & James. Each pendant is handmade, lead and nickel free, and hangs on a 24-inch chain (see photos for length). Necklaces come ready to gift in a clear bag with a scripture card and care instructions.

Shipping is $2.99 for the first item and $0.99 for each additional item. You can snag one HERE!

 

 

You may also want to check out these posts:

5 Ways to Look Better in Pictures

My Latest Stitch Fix Unboxing and Review

FREE Adore Your Wardrobe Fashion Course

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4th of July Decorations: Star Wreath and Kids Firecracker Craft

June 28, 2018 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Looking for some GREAT frugal ideas for 4th of July? These are perfect and your kids will love making them too!

 

4th of July Decorations

You'll love these simple DIY 4th of July Decorations - with options for both an adult and kids to do!

Hey guys, Cheree' here! I just love to fluff up my home a bit as the different holidays roll around. This year I added a couple of frugal 4th of July Decorations that are so easy and fun to make. 🌟

The first one is this Star Wreath. The idea came to me to use paint sticks as my “star” and when I got to Home Depot and found out they had 5 gallon paint sticks, I knew I was on the right track.

Bigger is always better, right???? 🙂

DIY 4th of July Decorations – Star Wreath

4th of July Decorations

Here are the supplies you'll need to make this Star Wreath:

  • 5 paint sticks – you can use the normal size, 5 gallon size, or for a ginormous star, try using wooden yardsticks – these are $.98 for a pack of 3 of the bigger size, so you'll need 2 packs. Or you might be able to nicely ask and get them for free. I used the 5 gallon sized ones.
  • Stain or paint (and brushes)
  • Metal or wooden star (or some other fun decoration to hang from the middle of your star)
  • Hot glue gun and glue sticks
  • E-6000 glue or wood glue
  • Patriotic Ribbon
  • Red, white and blue berries (I took apart a garland and that worked great)

Directions for making your 4th of July Decorations – Star Wreath:

  1. Stain or paint your paint sticks (I stained mine with some leftover stain we had from our front door). But, I think it would be really cute to use red, white or blue chalk paint. Let dry.
  2. Assemble your paint sticks into a star shape. I started with the tops overlapping like a teepee, added the cross bar and then finished it off with the last two pieces to complete the star. Just make sure all of your little triangles are about equal size and you have a sort of pentagon in the middle and you'll be good to go.
  3. Carefully add a dollop of glue underneath each point. Clamp into place and let dry. I found some mini clamps my husband had and I used some chip clips as well and those worked great.
  4. Tie your little metal or wooden star to hang in the middle. I painted a metal star I found from the Dollar Tree on my first one, but ended up gluing a cute wooden star from Hobby Lobby on my second star. I also added a few ribbons to my star for some fun color.
  5. Hot glue your berries in sort of a fan like fashion and adjust them as needed until you get it the way you like.
  6. I glued one of my stars to a really cute ship-lap board my sweet hubby made me and hung another one from a ribbon on my back door using a command hook.

This was the one I made on facebook live here:

This is the one I made after the star from the facebook live dried..

4th of July Decorations

The fairly lights added such a whimsical touch to this star! I just love it! 😍

 

I was super pleased with how they turned out. There are just endless ideas for how to decorate your star. I really even loved it just plain. I'm planning to make some of these around Christmas as well. I think those could be super cute! 🌟

 

DIY 4th of July Decorations: Kids Firecracracker Craft

 

4th of July Decorations

 

If you have bored kiddos at home this summer, this next craft will be something fun to keep them entertained for a bit. These Firecrackers use supplies you might already have on hand.

 

4th of July Decorations

 

Here are the supplies you'll need to make these 4th of July Decorations – Firecrackers:

 

If you missed my facebook live you can watch it here.

Directions for making your 4th of July Decorations – Firecrackers:

  • Cut scrapbook paper into 1-inch strips. Spread mod podge onto the front and back of the strips.
  • Press wet strips onto your cylinder form until it is completely covered; let dry.
  • Trace the opening of your cylinder to make a circle, cut it out and cover with mod podge. While it is wet, poke a small hole in the center for your wick. Carefully press on top of your firecracker and let dry.
  • Cut a small piece of twine (for the wick) and cover with mod podge. Wrap twine around a pencil and let dry. When dry, carefully poke it into the center of your firecracker.
  • Other alternatives for the middle of the firecrackers are sparkly picks, berries, sparklers, etc.
  • Decorate your firecrackers with ribbon, washi tape, stickers, etc. to add more flare.

 

4th of July Decorations

 

These would be adorable to decorate your kitchen table or picnic table for the 4th of July or to use on a mantel or other tabletop. 🙂

 

4th of July Decorations

 

Snap, Crackle, Pop…..these Firecrackers are on fire! 🔥🔥🔥

 

4th of July Decorations

 

These 4th of July Decorations really fluffed up my mantel.

 

4th of July Decorations

 

I'm so excited to celebrate 4th of July with my family and am so very thankful for the freedom we have in America! 🇺🇸

 

You might also be interested in these posts:

Patriotic Bandana Wreath DIY

4th of July Decorating On A Budget (At the Dollar Tree)

DIY Spring Wreath

Burlap Wreath

7 (Savings) Secrets You Need to Know Before Shopping Hobby Lobby

 

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Strawberry Pretzel Salad Recipe (SO Good for Summer!)

June 14, 2018 by 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

  Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Note from Laurie: my friend Cheree makes this AMAZING Strawberry Pretzel Salad, and I can't wait to try it myself! I'll be honest, I've never quite successfully made this one (I've had a few flops along the way . . . ), so I can't wait to try letting the gelatin cool completely before assembling. Excited to try it! 

Strawberry Pretzel Salad Recipe

 

This recipe is definitely a LOVE/HATE relationship. 🙂 

 

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

 

I LOVE all it's deliciousness, but boy, it can sure test your patience and slide you right over to the HATE side!

 

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

 

However, I think I have discovered the key to making a perfect (well, almost perfect)… Strawberry Pretzel Salad.

 

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

 

You need to let your gelatin cool before assembling. Just let it hang out on the counter while you are working.

 

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

 

So, there you have it.

 

(but don't hold me to it if your Strawberry Pretzel Salad ends up like so many of mine have and slides right off the plate).

 

 

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

 

Here's what you'll need to get started…

 

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

 

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ – 3 cups crushed pretzels
  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 3 Tbsps plus 1 cup sugar
  • 1 (8-oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
  • 1 (8-oz) container whipped topping, thawed
  • 1 (6-oz) pkg strawberry gelatin
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 1 lb pkg fresh strawberries, sliced

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. For the crust, mix pretzels, 3 Tbsps sugar and butter together. Press into the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Bake 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  3. In a small bowl, mix gelatin and boiling water together. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
  4. In a mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and 1 cup sugar until smooth. Fold in whipped topping until combined. Spread over cooled crust. Refrigerate until chilled.
  5. Add sliced strawberries to cooled gelatin and stir to combine. Pour over cream cheese mixture.
  6. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or until set. I usually make mine the night before I will be serving it.
  7.  Cut into slices to serve.

 

 

 

You will impress your friends and family with this Strawberry Pretzel Salad – I promise this one is always a favorite . . .  yum!

 

 

 

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

 

 

My kids request Strawberry Pretzel Salad for every special occasion or holiday, so I'm happy to say…

 

at least right at THIS moment…

 

I LOVE it. 🙂

 

 

 

Looking for more strawberry inspiration?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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How to Dye Easter Eggs with Silk Ties (In the Instant Pot!)

March 16, 2018 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

This is such a cool egg dying technique using silk - check out how to dye Easter eggs with silk ties or scarves!

How to Dye Easter Eggs with Silk Ties (In the Instant Pot!)

Looking for a new way to dye Easter Eggs this year?  PPP Team Member Cheree spent the last week busily trying out all sorts of Instant Pot Easter Egg recipes – in this one she shows us how to use silk ties (or scarves) to dye Easter eggs in the Instant Pot. 🙂  I love these – they have a bit of Farmhouse charm!

 

Cheree here!

Have you ever heard of the silk tie-dyed Easter egg dying method??? This was new to me and maybe it is to you too…

I've been testing out several methods of dying Easter eggs in the Instant Pot this week. So, when I saw this idea over on Pinterest, I was definitely intrigued and wanted to see how it would work in the Instant Pot.

Oh My Stars, the results were AMAZING!!!

Don't have an Instant Pot, no worries – this method works great on the stove top as well! Scroll down for stove top instructions!

I was fortunate enough to have a friend who recently retired and needed to “retire” some ties as well, haha!  🤗

This would also be a fun outing to search thrift stores for the ugliest ties (those make the best designs). 🙂 

Instructions for Silk Tie-Dyed Easter Eggs In The Instant Pot

Supplies you'll need

  • 100% silk ties or scarves (it must be 100% silk, so check your labels)
  • 1 old white t-shirt, or white pillowcase, sheet, etc.
  • White vinegar
  • Twist ties or rubber bands
  • Trivet

Instructions

  1. Cut the ties and t-shirt into about 6″x 6″ squares.
  2. Bundle the tie square tight around the egg (making sure the most vibrant side is against the egg) and secure with a twist tie. (I cut some chenille stems and used those)
  3. Next, do the same thing with the t-shirt squares.
  4. Place the trivet in the instant pot and carefully add your wrapped eggs.
  5. Cover with water until the eggs are completely covered and add 1/2 cup vinegar.
  6. Lock lid into place and use the manual high pressure for 5 minutes.
  7. Allow the instant pot to natural release for 5 minutes. Fill a large bowl with ice water while the instant pot is releasing.
  8. Do a quick release for the remaining pressure and immediately place eggs into the ice bath for an additional 5 minutes.
  9. Remove the eggs from the ice bath and carefully remove the fabric.
  10. Enjoy and be surprised by the beautiful designs!

Stove top Instructions

Follow wrapping directions above and place the wrapped eggs in a large stockpot. Fill with water 2 inches above the eggs. Add 1/4 cup vinegar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Carefully remove eggs with tongs and lay on paper towels. Let cool to room temperature and unwrap. Store in the refrigerator until you are ready to display your beauties!

Unwrapping the eggs is a big surprise

every

single

time…

This was seriously so cool!

WOWZA!!!

It was so interesting and fun to open each bundle to see what you would get – like eating a box of chocolates, ha! 🙂

Have I said that this is COOL?!?!  Even my engineer husband was impressed! 🙂

I read that you can apply some type of acrylic coating to the eggs so you can keep them from year to year. I skipped this, but would love to hear if any of you have done this and if it works. I have had mine out a few days and they are doing just fine!

I'm really digging the farmhouse vibes that these eggs have.

***Also please note that the silk dying process involves chemicals so these eggs are not safe to consume.

Looking for some more Easter decorating ideas??? Here ya go! ❤

Natural Dyed Easter Eggs In The Instant Pot

Easter Eggs In The Instant Pot

Dollar Tree Mason Jar Craft

Easter DIY: No Sew Burlap Bunny Pillow

Dollar Tree Decorating: Easter Fun

Dollar Tree Easter Wreath

 

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DIY Hoop Wreath

March 2, 2018 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

DIY HOOP WREATH

DIY HOOP WREATH

Note from Laurie ~ I absolutely LOVE this wreath and brought the supplies home to make one myself (since the wreath made up wouldn't fit in my suitcase on the flight home!) I'm so thankful for such a sweet group of ladies to work with every day, and absolutely adore this cute craft we made together!

 

Laurie and I thought it would be so fun for our whole PPP team to do a group craft when we were recently all together in Nashville. (This was the very first time for some of us to meet and we had soooo much fun, ate waaaay too much chocolate and stayed up much toooo late!) 

Anyway, we needed something that could be made quickly and with minimal supplies. 🙂 So, when Laurie mentioned she had been wanting to make a DIY Hoop Wreath, I thought that would be the perfect project for our sweet PPP team.💗

If you missed our facebook live you can watch it here.

 

Here's how to make this DIY Hoop Wreath:

DIY HOOP WREATH

DIY Hoop Wreath Supplies:

Instructions:

  1. Spray paint your ring and wording in any color you choose. We used gold for the hoop and glitter gold for the words.
  2. Cut your greenery into desired lengths and lay on your wreath (moving them around until you get the look you want). We all kind of went for the asymmetrical look with our wreaths.
  3. Next cut some floral wire or sticks into about 3 or 4 inch pieces.
  4. Start wiring your greenery onto your ring, wiring as needed every few inches. Tip: wire your greenery on one side and then go ahead and find your ending spot and wire your greenery where the greenery (not stems) are facing out on the other side. Continue until you meet in the middle. Depending on which type of greenery you use, you may need to clip a few pieces and hot glue them to cover your stems and wire for a more finished look.
  5. Decide how far down you want your word to hang and cut the fishing line to the desired length. Attach your word to the hoop by tying on the fishing line using small knots. Cut away excess fishing line after you tie your knots.
  6. Finally, add a piece of ribbon to use for hanging your wreath. I attached mine to my back door using a command hook at the very top of the door and letting my wreath hang from it.

DIY HOOP WREATH

As you can see, everyone's wreaths are a bit different. This DIY Hoop Wreath really has endless possibilities to customize to your personal taste.🌺

DIY HOOP WREATH

We all ADORE how Shannon's turned out! I mean seriously, that is one cute wreath and even cuter kiddo! Shannon surprised her daughter Faith with her own personalized “faith” wreath and she was thrilled!  😍

DIY HOOP WREATH

This ended up being a really great group project! I feel so very grateful to be a part of such a sweet bunch! We figured our total cost per wreath was about $7 and that made our penny pinching hearts happy! 🙂

DIY HOOP WREATH

Jamie decided to put a different spin on hers with a St. Patrick's Day theme. How cute is that?? I sent her home with another wooden word so she can change it out after the holiday. Such a fun idea!

DIY HOOP WREATH

 

I just LOVE how all the girls on the PPP team put their own unique style on their wreath. We had so much fun making this DIY Hoop Wreath!

 

Looking for a bit more DIY inspiration??? Here you go:

 

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3 Quick and Easy DIY Valentine Crafts

February 1, 2018 by Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

These 3 quick and easy Valentine crafts will help fluff up any room for the holiday!

 

You'll fall head over heels with all three of these quick and easy DIY Valentine crafts!

 

Note from Laurie: my friend Cheree has been at it again, and I LOVE her cute (easy!) DIY Valentine ideas! Take a peek . . . 

 

I wanted to fluff up my home a bit for Valentine's Day this year and just had to share with you these 3 Quick and Easy Valentine DIY Crafts that each take about 30 minutes (or less) to make! Yay! 🙂

3 Quick and Easy DIY Valentine Crafts

You'll fall head over heels with all three of these quick and easy DIY Valentine crafts!

1. Painted Chipboard Heart

 

Supplies you'll need

Instructions

  1. Paint the heart and the love sign and let dry.
  2. Glue the love sign in the center of the heart. Let dry and give it another coat of paint.

You'll fall head over heels with all three of these quick and easy DIY Valentine crafts!

I hung mine on a rustic board and I'm really pleased with how easy and cute it turned out. The total cost was less than $4.00 because I got the chipboard for 50% off at Hobby Lobby!

 

2. Pom Pom Garland

You'll fall head over heels with all three of these quick and easy DIY Valentine crafts!

Supplies you'll need

  • Craft needle
  • Twine or embroidery thread
  • 1 inch pom poms (I used 3 colors, but you could use 2 or more for your desired look) 🙂

Instructions

  1. Cut your twine to the desired length. I did mine about 7-8 feet because I wanted it to swag from my mantle.
  2. Thread your needle with the twine and make a knot at the end.
  3. Carefully weave your needle through the pom poms and alternate the colors. I added a white pom pom between my colors for interest and also left about 1 inch between each color.
  4. When you have it to the length you want, knot the other end and adjust your pom poms.

 

You'll fall head over heels with all three of these quick and easy DIY Valentine crafts!

The heart garland was a bit of an afterthought. I had gotten a bundle of felt hearts from Target for $3 and some mini clothespins on clearance at Michael's for $0.77. I used the leftover twine and just clipped them on a couple inches apart. I think it turned out pretty cute! 🙂

The garlands were less than $4 each! 🤗

 

3. Pom Pom Pillow Covers

I saw this Love pillow over at Pinterest and thought it was just adorable.

You'll fall head over heels with all three of these quick and easy DIY Valentine crafts!

Supplies you'll need

You'll fall head over heels with all three of these quick and easy DIY Valentine crafts!

Instructions for this super easy DIY Valentine craft:

  1. Lay your pillow cover flat and insert a piece of cardboard inside the pillow insert.
  2. Write out the word Love (or I think XOXO would be super cute as well).
  3. Starting at the beginning of the word, carefully hot glue your pom poms over your tracing. Continue until the whole word is filled. So easy!

I really “LOVE” this one! 💕

You'll fall head over heels with all three of these quick and easy DIY Valentine crafts!

 

and because I had leftover pom poms from my garland I decided to do another pillow cover of a heart! For this one, I made a template of a heart out of posterboard. ❤️

You'll fall head over heels with all three of these quick and easy DIY Valentine crafts!

I traced it onto the pillow and then hot glued the pom poms on one color at a time following the same steps as above. 👆

You'll fall head over heels with all three of these quick and easy DIY Valentine crafts!

So, so fun!!!

You'll fall head over heels with all three of these quick and easy DIY Valentine crafts!

These pillow covers costs me about $5 each to make (of course I used the 40% off coupon at Hobby Lobby). So, for about $22 I have some really cute Valentine decor that I can reuse for several more years!

You'll fall head over heels with all three of these quick and easy DIY Valentine crafts!

 

Looking for more Quick and Easy DIY Valentine Craft Ideas?

 

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