Link Party Features

Thank you to everyone who came out and linked up at the #biggestlinkpartyever and to Ginger Snap Crafts for hosting! Along with the 40+ co-hosts, we had 782 links showcasing various DIYs, crafts, recipes, home makeovers, etc. These are my favorites:

Freezer paper stencil Tshirts from Delightfully Noted

Brick fireplace makeover from In Designer Jeans

Skinny Oreo milkshake from Will Cook for Smiles

Dark chocolate coconut mudslide cookies from Half Baked Harvest

Lego birthday party from I Dig Pinterest and I Did it Too!

Log cut coasters from Quintonwench

DIY chevron rug from Pneumatic Addict

Custom soap dispensers from In Designer Jeans

Target mirror hack from Pneumatic Addict

Peanut butter brownie cupcakes from It's A Lovely Life

Chocolate strawberry dessert wrap from Mommy on Demand

Reese's Fudge Bites Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 C. coconut oil
• 1/2 C. cocoa powder
• 1/2 C. peanut butter (or almond butter)
• 1/4 C. honey (or maple syrup)
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS

Melt coconut oil. Blend all ingredients together thoroughly until smooth. I used a greased mini-muffin pan, but you can also use paper-liners in a regular size muffin pan. Chill for 30 minutes or freeze for 10 minutes. Stores in an air-tight container in refrigerator.

Nutrition facts based on 24 mini fudge bites:
83 calories, 7g fat, 35g sodium, 6g carbs, 3g sugar and >2g protein each

Mini Apple Pies recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1-2 peeled apples
• 3 Tbsp. (heaping) brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. cinnamon (I used a cinnamon sugar mix)
• 1 Tbsp. butter or margarine (melted)
• 1 pkg. crescent rolls

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat over to 350 degrees and spread out the crescent roll triangles on a greased cookie sheet. Brush the melted butter or margarine on each triangle. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on each piece as well.

Roll 1 or 2 chunks of apple (I prefer 2) up in each triangle. Brush the top of the crescent roll with more butter and sprinkle the rest of the dry ingredient mixture on them.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Be careful... filling will be super hot! Serve warm with a dollop of vanilla ice cream... and a big glass of milk of course. Nom.

Still have leftover apples or an insatiable apple craving? Try my apple crisp recipe.

(Avocado) Brownie Fudge Bites recipe

Lately I've been on a mission to start incorporating more fruits, veggies and healthy whatnots into my diet. I am a pretty picky eater, so sometimes that requires being creative. This week I purchased 3 vegetables that I've never purchased/eaten before or haven't eaten in awhile. For a lunch meeting at a Japanese steakhouse awhile ago, I was convinced to try edamame. What a tasty and fun lil food to eat! I also purchased some broccoli... which I haven't eaten in about a decade.

My biggest victory of the weekend has been my avocado purchase. Tried avocados once and that was enough for me. After reading that they are a very beneficial food to eat, I decided to try again... this time disguised in something. Behold, chocolate brownie fudge. Figured I'd give it a try.

Delicious lil morsels!!! As long as you really puree the avocado and don't leave any green traces, you will never know there's an avocado in there. These bites are very chocolatey and taste like thicker brownie batter. One serving of avocado, coming right up!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 avocado, ripened
• 1/2 C. margarine (this can be a vegan treat as long as you use vegan margarine)
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 C. cocoa
• 3 C. powdered sugar
• 1/3 C. chopped walnuts (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium sized saucepan, melt the margarine over low heat.

Once margarine is melted, puree with avocado in food processor or blender until perfectly smooth. Be sure there are no chunks of avocado left! Return mixture to saucepan over very low heat and add the rest of the ingredients (except the walnuts) adding the powdered sugar a portion at a time.

Once all the sugar has been added, the mixture should be thick. Add walnuts if desired, and transfer to a loaf pan. Refrigerate until firm. Now, be patient! If you don't let it firm up, you won't be able to slice it up into squares.

Apple Crisp recipe

Since our upstairs remodel has taken a little longer than expected and I'm waiting until the very end to show before and after pictures, I needed something else to blog about. Tonight I decided to make my mom's apple crisp for dessert since the apples in the fridge had lost their crunch. Random weird issue moment: I hate warm fruit. Hate it. Doesn't matter if it's coming straight out of the oven or is room temperature... I think it's disgusting. However, for some unknown reason, I recently started eating apple crisp. Who knew?! Since I think it's pretty awesome, I figured I'd share it with the rest of you.

INGREDIENTS

• 5-6 peeled & sliced apples
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 1/2 C. sugar
• 2 C. flour
• 2 C. oatmeal
• 2 t. cinnamon
• 1 C. brown sugar
• 2 sticks margarine

INSTRUCTIONS

Put apples in a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle the fruit with lemon juice. Sprinkle 1/2 C. sugar over fruit. Combine flour, cinnamon, oatmeal and brown sugar. Cut butter into dry ingredients mixture. Crumble on top of fruit and sugar in pan. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes.

OPTIONAL: Serve topped with vanilla ice cream. 

Football inspired snacks

Happy Super Bowl Sunday everyone! Hosting or going to a party this afternoon? Here are some cool snacks to get everyone in the football spirit!

     

     

     

5 Minute Mug Cake recipe

Tonight I posted my daily picture of my much needed, post-workout 5 Minute Mug Cake. I was a little shocked at how many people have never heard of this life-saving lil recipe. Fear not kids, Andrea will clue you in. No, this is not a gourmet dessert by any stretch of the imagination, but when you check out the pantry and there's not a cookie or chocolate morsel to be found, this will do in a pinch.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Tbsp. flour
• 4 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. cocoa
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp. milk
• 3 Tbsp. oil
• 3 Tbsp. chocolate chips (or just dump)
• Small splash vanilla extract
• 1 large coffee mug

INSTRUCTIONS

Add dry ingredients to mug and mix well. Add egg and mix thoroughly. Add milk and oil and mix again. Add chocolate chips, vanilla extract and mix one last time.

Nuke in microwave for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. Allow to cool before eating.