I've really been on a Pinterest high lately. I felt that my creativity in terms of sewing and cooking was pretty squelched while in Costa Rica. Obviously they have food, but mostly basic ingredients and no special sauces or fancy food. I'm sure if I tried realllly hard and had an unlimited budget I could have been more courageous in the kitchen... but neither of those things were the case. So since being back in the USA, and since being reunited with a (albeit, not my) sewing machine and other crafting materials, I've really gone wild :) Here are some of the projects/recipies I've tried this month:
Ever since our Amazing Race nights with the Petersens, I've really fallen in love with soft pretzels. I didn't particularly love this recipe (still looking for the best!) but it satiated my craving for a hot, salty pretzel. Dipping the dough in the baking soda mix has failed me.
Mine didn't turn out as beautiful as those pictured on Pinterest, but I'm sure they were just as tasty! My best tip is to let them cool for much longer than you think before slicing them. They fall apart or break in half before getting to the grill! Don't over season- the potato itself has a great flavor! And BTW, the orange veggie pictured is a yam, not a sweet potato.
This is actually one of my favorites! I made this in a rectangle cookie sheet for the Hathaway family. Brother John loved it and has asked for it again. I used the Trader Joe's premade dough (deslish!) and be sure to get a brie that melts well. Not all bries are created equal. This is a great vegetarian meal!
You read that right, no cream-of-anything soup involved. I shouldn't be surprised that this was such a victory, because it is from melskitchencafe. This is my staple funeral potato recipe. And it's definitely not the same without the corn flake crunch on top!
I would consider this a fail. Perhaps it was a user-error and I messed up the recipe, but I don't think so. That parmesan crust on top tasted like straight mayonaise. I think the fam was nice about it, but nobody really enjoyed this meal. No bueno.
I was excited to try this recipe, and chose it to try before any others on my pinterest dessert board. It wasn't the greatest of all desserts (obv, no chocolate) but, I thought they were really delicious. Granted, I love coconut. Scott calls these "horse biscuits" and told me he wouldn't be having any... but I'm pretty sure he ate at least 4. John Jr. (Scott's brother) said he didn't really like them, but when I opened the tupperware to get another, there were a significant number of these cookies gone. So, that is that.
I thought this breakfast was really cute for T's first birthday, and really really easy! In fact, I'm thinking about making this one a tradition. Everyone loves pancakes and they're fast and filling for a birthday when I anticipate always having a lot going on.
It's better to try and fail than never to try at all. I don't consider my cake a total disaster, but I have a lot of room for improvement. The glitter "1" on top redeemed the cake and made it seem presentable to me. Thanks Chelsea for your tips- imagine what it would have looked like without your instruction!
Garlic Cilantro Shrimp
This is another fav. I used frozen shrimp which worked out just great, though I'm sure it would be even better with fresh seafood! My mistake was not removing the outer shell of the shrimp before seasoning it. That made it a little less flavorful, but still great! Next time I will peel the shrimp (leaving the tail on) and add more lemon!
I pinned this banner many years ago and was so thrilled when it came time to make it! Finding face-forward photos with varied expressions was the most time consuming part. Then I just dropped them all into a word doc and cropped them to equalize the face sizing. 4 pieces of cute scrapbook paper cost me $1 (they were on sale) and I used some extra glitter paper from my cake topper to jazz up the hats. Me, the family, and the neighbors all thought it was cute :) Not bad for a $1 project.
I am really pleased with how this turned out. It probably took me more time than I'd planned for, but I learned new photoshop skills and found some new fonts I love along the way. I still can't find a free photoshop banner to download... ideas anyone?
Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade
This was an absolute victory! This lemonade takes a bit longer than other favorite drinks, but it it totally worth it. I may even say this is my favorite drink. Don't forget to strain the strawberry syrup!
3 comments:
always a good day when you get mentioned on a blog! We've tried the shrimp oneand we liked it too. Too bad sweet potato is the only food I know M doesn't tolerate cause that looks good!
I am from the area that auntie Anne's pretzels started and my mom knew someone who used to work there and got the recipe. These were our FAVORITE growing up. I can send you the recipe if you want :) and what brand of Brie would you say is good for melting?
good job for actually doing what you pin! I need to work on that!
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