Bacon Cheese Pull Apart...

I have been waiting for a leisurely morning to try this recipe. I had printed it off the pillsbury web site a while back. It had caught my eye because the name of the dish contains two of my favorite things bacon and cheese! It is super simple to put together and could easily feed 4.

The recipe called for chopped green onions and a package of pre cooked bacon cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Next time I think I will use fresh cooked bacon as I think it will give a stonger flavor.

Shred a good amount of cheese. Recipe calls for 3/4 cup. I'm sure I used at least that if not 1/2 cup more.

Cut up biscuits into quarters. (I used Grands flaky biscuits)

Mix a little milk and an egg.

Combine and then bake in greased 2 quart dish.

Enjoy!

Potty Training at it's Finest...

A while back hubby and I thought it might be time to introduce the little one to the potty. Since she is almost two we thought it was worth a shot. It didn't go over well so we tucked it away in the closet for future use. Today the little one spotted it in the closet and pitched an absolute shit fit until I let her have it. We discussed proper usage but somehow the connection was not made ...

Somehow I don't think that standing in the potty with the bowl on her head is going to get the job done!

Closer but still not quite right, considering her feet are still inside.

Modeling her new hat?

Doing the potty time jig!

The dog even joined in on the fun!

Maybe she needs to watch the "potty time with elmo" video again as a refresher!

Outdoors...

It has been snot central around here the last few days as the little one has been slightly under the weather with a horrible runny nose and now a nice sounding cough. The weather outside however has been quite pleasant so the little one and I have been outside burning off some excess energy. I have discovered that the afternoon nap that I so need her to take becomes non exsistant unless she gets at least an hour of outdoor play in. To find an indoor activity that burns as much energy off  can be tough especially one that we haven't already done a million times since the weather has been so foul this winter.

Here are some pics of our outdoor fun. Excuse the picture quality these were all taken with my cel phone.  

Here is the little one romping through the bushes.

I splurged and bought her a balloon from the dollar store. Which she insisted that we walk around the block with. She did learn a tough lesson though, what happens to balloons when they come unattched from the string. Bye-bye balloon! It didn't seem to bother her she just waved to it as it departed from view!

The little one has quite the love of flowers. If she can get her hands on them her favorite thing is to smell them. Even with a super stuffed up nose she take a sniff.

At first sniff she realized she couldn't smell anything.

She inhaled even deeper!

She inhaled all the pollen right out of the flower!  I couldn't help but to laugh out loud, it probably didn't help that it stuck right to all of the stray snot ! Gross but cute all at the same time!

Happy Wednesday! Don't forget to stop and smell the flowers!

Cupcake Cake Attempt #1...

Today was my first attempt at using my super new as seen on TV silicon cupcake pan. It was a gift from hubby, he had remembered me talking about wanting one.

As it was my first attempt I opted to make a solid cupcake versus using the extra piece to make a filled cake.

They bake up nicely but took a long time to bake. I was somewhat confused as to how much batter to put in each side, the directions said to divide evenly but I just sort of eyeballed it so that was probably my mistake.


Next time the top section needs a little more batter. :)

I trimmed both cakes, although after the fact I realized I should have trimmed more off the bottom. These look a little like a drunk carved them.

I used a whipped frosting, which on the upside totally hid all of the bad carving. On the downside it looks like a pink and white blob!



When cut open it resembles a cupcake, if you squint your eyes a little.

I was skeptical about the silicon pans. I have never used them before and really wasn't sure what to expect. They work great, the cake really just pops right out and you don't even have to flour the pan only spray with a little cooking spray. Hopefully cooking in them doesn't make the food toxic.

I think next time I will attempt to make a filled cake and work a little harder on the frosting and carving. Although like I have said before, it doesn't really matter what it looks like just what it taste like!

Snow Day...

Who would have thought it would actually snow here hard enough so that it covered the ground? I was so excited I raced out to catch photos for proof...

A few hours later in the backyard it's winter wonderland, the bamboo had touched down!

The next morning as the sun came up.

Our street, the prettiest it's ever looked!


It was such a heavy snow, my poor trees!

Hubby was the only one who intentionally braved laying in it to make a snow angel.



That is the look of someone who is getting ready to nail you with a big snow ball!

Poor yard kitty had a hat of snow! Brrrr!



Perfect time for a fire don't you think? Next time will have to remember to put some wood in a dry area prior to the freak snowstorm!

Tree limbs leaning on the roof.



The bamboo was hurting from the weight of the snow. Most of it has pulled back up now that the snow has melted.

Checking out the snowman daddy made for us.


The little one's were more excited about the huge rushing streams of water made by the melting snow. Gotta love stomping in the puddles!

It was a fun and exciting 24 hours of snow we have a little bit left today but it is quickly melting. We had 6 inches total which was the first big snow in about 20 years for our town. We enjoyed it immensely even if our shrubbery didn't!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Sweets...

Last night I tried out a new cookie recipe in continuation with my attempt to be festive and bake for each holiday. I had intended to make the cookies that were on the cover of this month's Southern Living but after forgetting to buy a lemon twice at the grocery store for the lemon zest it called for I scrapped that plan. I then thought I would just go with my standby sugar cookie recipe that I used for Christmas and Halloween, after realizing I didn't have unsalted butter I finally decided to go with option #3, a new recipe.

I found the new recipe in an old Kraft foods magazine you can download it from their website here.It is super easy and really yummy. The best part is that it doesn't need to chill for nearly as long as regular sugar cookies. The dough was ready in about 30 minutes.

I love that it calls for all my favorite things: butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla!
With just a little flour mixed in, it became a nice dough.

I divided the dough into four sections to make it easier to work with. Keeping the remaining dough in the fridge. I also tried a new trick for flouring my rolling surface. I sprayed a little cooking spray on the counter before flouring. It really helped to keep the dough from sticking and it wasn't to bad to clean up after.
Thank you food network for the hint! :)

I now use parchment paper under all my cookies, using parchment paper instead of greasing the pans is so much more effective. Way less mess and the cookies slide right off! I am totally in love with using it!

I did sprinkles on half and used frosting on the other half. The random bear cookie was a trial run of a new cookie cutter that I got for Christmas! Isn't he cute? I actually made several of the bears but because they don't fit with the Valentine's theme I was forced to eat them all!

Yummy!!!!

And to wrap things up here is a picture of my favorite Valentine!Hope your Valentine's Day is sweet!

Brrr...We're Ready for the Spring Thaw...

Yesterday, after a few too many days inside, the little one decided to find a new toy to play with. I walked into her room after hearing this little voice repeating "mommy, mommy, mommmeeee!" only to not know where the voice was coming from. Until I noticed that her changing pad was wiggling on the floor.

I was able to run out and grab the camera in time to catch her still playing in it.

It then became the fun item for the day!

Totally busted her later on the coffee table, that's a big no-no!

After getting the boot from the table she decided the couch was a good spot!

Basking in the sunlight.

On the move again, this time Elmo was coming with...

Guess Elmo wanted to read a book and have an extra cushion for the tush!

Where is she? I don't see her! Her way of hiding!


Contemplating Life

Trying to find the most comfortable position.

What a tough life!


Today, in an act of desperation a.k.a no nap in 2 days due to lack of energy burning activities
I took her to the mall. Since it is too cold to be outside I thought we could go walk where there was heat and she could ride on the quarter burning rides.

After 2 rides with Mickey Mouse and a half of a tractor ride she was over it. Fortunately our mall has a play area that I had never noticed before. I'm positive that there was a time where I would have thought to myself "When I have a kid I will never let her play there, Yuck! Imagine all of germs and filth!" Well, times are a changing!

I will admit it was not the cleanest, but the little one loved it! We were the only people there at first but then a really nice woman showed up with her 2 year old daughter and a sleeping 10 month old boy. The girls hit it off and played for over an hour, several other kids came and went so it was a lot of fun for her. It also helped that the little girl's mom wasn't a whack job so that we were able to chat while the girls played. There really is nothing better that adult conversation when you have been inside with only a toddler to talk to for several days in a row!

I know spring is right around the corner but it can not come soon enough! We are ready to play OUTSIDE!!!!