{How To: Spruce up a bulletin board}

I am so excited to finally get this posted! I have been so stuck on food, I had forgotten about my DIY projects I have been working on! :)

Today I am going to show you how to take an UGLY old bulletin board (or a new one if you want, hehe) and make it FAB-O!!

Here is what you need:

a bulletin board

fabric (enough to cover the front)

spray adhesive

ribbon (enough to go around the edges)

hot glue gun

scrapbooking paper

glass marble things from the floral department of your craft store

modge podge or school glue

pushpins that are almost flat

Craft paint (optional)

ok, here is what I did, I started by painting the edges of the frame so they are white. Then I measured and cut the fabric BACKWARDS to make sure it fit:

Next, I sprayed it down with spray adhesive:


then flipped it over CAREFULLY, make sure your sides don't stick (you might want someone to help you on this step) and press down fabric so there are no gaps or bubbles:


next, you want to cut your ribbon to fit each side...make sure they are separate cuts, not all one long piece, then use your glue gun to glue down to the sides:

Then you will want to make your push pins.
I started with these large glass thingys


and I cut our scrapbooking paper to fit the bottoms, glued it on using modgepodge, and then hot glued a push pin to the back:


Then you can push them into your board, and its ready for hanging! :)

Dont forget to check out all the awesome DIY projects at Kimba's Blog:

http://asoftplacetoland-kimba.blogspot.com/2009/08/diy-day.html

{Mexican Style Salad}

Hey Everyone! I wanted to pop in real quick and share what we had for dinner tonight. This recipe is so easy and everyone just loves this salad! Its filling, low fat, and delish!

Mexican Style Salad
What you will need:
1 head iceberg lettuce, cut into bite size pieces
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 C red onion, diced
6 TBSP. shredded cheddar cheese
1 can ranch style beans, drained and rinsed
1 C Kraft FREE Catalina Dressing (more if needed)
1 C. Frito's (I crush them in my hand before tossing)

How to make it:
Throw all ing. into a large bowl and toss!
See, SO simple! :) Enjoy!

{Faux-Fried Beans (my version of refried beans)}

A few months ago I shared a recipe for enchiladas and mentioned I was making refried beans to go with it! Well, the emails and comments poured in....how do you make refried beans from scratch?

So I decided to do a photo tutorial with you on how to make them because they are so easy and taste so good, you will never want to buy them out of a can again! Plus, mine are not actually fried so they are even better for you!

Here is what you will need to start:
1 bag dried pinto beans (sort through them and make sure there are no stones or dirty beans)
1Tbsp chili powder
1tsp. cumin
1tsp. salt
1tsp. black pepper
water to cover beans by 1 inch in crockpot
1 onion chopped
*bacon grease (I just save it in a clean coffee can every time I make bacon)
*this is completely optional, but it does add to the flavor and makes them more "restaurant style"

first, add all ingredients EXCEPT for onion and bacon grease into your crockpot and turn to high for about 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours until beans are soft. You might have to add more water depending on your beans. If they start to look dry, just add about a cup of water at a time.

remove your beans and place in large bowl.


Reserve cooking liquid for thinning out the beans


Saute the onion until just see through


add the onion to the beans and start to mash together. I am using my hand blender here. If you don't have one, I highly recommend getting one so you get that smooth texture. If you cant get one right now, then use a regular potato masher! :)


keep mashing until you are at the consistency you want. If they get too thick, this is where you can add in your cooking liquid a little at a time.


Stir in 4-6 Tablespoons of bacon grease (or to taste)


And that's it! Beautiful faux-fried beans! Now, this makes a TON of beans, so I usually use half of the batch for dinner and freeze the other half for another time.

{Tomato Cheese Soup with Mini Grilled Cheese Dippers}

YAY! A recipe!! This is what we ate last night, and boy was it good! The soup reminded me of the tomato basil from La Madeline....mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......*drool*


Here is what you will need:
3C V8 Juice (you can use regular or spicy...I used regular from walmart)
1 can (10 3/4oz) cheddar cheese soup
1 can (10 3/4oz) tomato soup
1tsp. Italian seasoning

1 french baguette
1C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2C butter

How to make it:
For soup, combine V8, Italian seasoning, cheese soup and tomato soup. Whisk together and bring to a slow simmer on medium heat.


For sandwiches:

slice the baguette on its bias into 1/2in. thick slices


spread butter onto one side of the bread slices


on a hot pan, place butter side down on half of the bread slices and top with cheese


top with second half of bread, buttered side up.


grill these until the cheese inside is melted, then flip over and cook on other side until golden brown.


Dip your cheese sandwiches into your soup and enjoy!!

{Menu Plan Monday: Feb 16}

Wow! Monday already? Lagan had the day off, so it was really nice to be able to go shopping and not worry about what time she got out of school. I made a visit to a new farmers market today and was SOOOO excited to see the AMAZING deals I scored there!

In addition to my Menu Plan Monday, I am going to be sharing my grocery buys for the list on Gayle's Shopping Roundup! So look for that post next! :)

Monday: Tetrizini (I will have this recipe up soon!) with iceberg wedge salad with homemade Russian dressing, tomato wedges, and bread

Tuesday: Brown Rice and Lentil Casserole with green beans and rolls

Wednesday: Pancakes and Sausage

Thursday: Baked Spaghetti with garlic bread

Friday: Bible Study Night, I am taking turkey chili

Saturday: Bean Burritos with homemade refried beans (I will share this recipe asap too!!) with chips and homemade salsa.

Sunday: Sweetish Meatballs with rolls, romaine salad and blue cheese

To see More Menu Plan's check out Menu Plan Monday on the Organizing Junkie!

{Mega Cinnamon Rolls}

Hey Everyone! I am so sorry I haven't blogged in a few days! Who knew that looking for a job and then working full time took up your entire day?!?! lol But I REALLY want to thank each and every one of you that is praying for me and the others out there looking for a job right now. I have applied to about 40 jobs! Let's hope I get ONE!!!

But in the mean time, since I am still working from home right now, I decided for dinner last night to make Cinnamon Rolls! Now down here in the south, we call these Sweet Rolls, but some people call them cinnamon rolls, cinnamon buns, hot buns, harvest rolls, etc.

The recipe is really super easy to follow and produces a nice solid sweet roll. Now this is a new recipe, so I am still tweaking it. Read the review after the photo to see what we all thought! :)

JUMBO CINNAMON ROLLS
(makes about 15-18 large rolls)

(this recipe can be made three ways....in the bread machine, in your stand mixer {the method I chose}, or in the food processor)

What you need to make them:
1 cup milk (heated approximately 1 minute in microwave)
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F.)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature and beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
5 cups bread flour
3 teaspoons instant active dry yeast

Cinnamon Filling
1/2 cup butter, melted or softened
1 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
4 to 5 tablespoons ground cinnamon
3/4 to 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Soften the butter; set aside. In a bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon; stir in chopped nuts

Butter Frosting
2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup powdered (confectioners) sugar
1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon lemon juice
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon until well mixed and creamy. Refrigerate frosting until ready to use and then bring to room temperature before spreading.

HOW TO MAKE THEM:
Method 1: BREAD MACHINE
Add all the ingredients, except the Cinnamon Filling and the Butter Frosting, in the bread pan of bread machine. Process according to manufacturer's instructions for a dough setting. When the bread machine has completed the dough cycle, remove dough from pan and turn out onto a lightly oiled surface. (I use a nonstick cooking spray). Form dough into an oval, cover with a plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.

METHOD 2: STAND MIXER
In a large bowl or in the bowl of a 5 quart stand mixer, combine all the ingredients in the order given except the Cinnamon Filling and the Butter Frosting. Using a dough hook, mix everything together until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface (I use a nonstick cooking spray), and knead until elastic, approximately 10 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.

METHOD 3: FOOD PROCESSOR
Food Processor Method: Put dry mixture in processing bowl with steel blade. While motor is running, add liquid ingredients, butter, and egg. Process until mixed. Continue processing, adding remaining flour until dough forms a soft ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface (I use a nonstick cooking spray), and knead until elastic, approximately 10 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.


NEXT....
1. Butter a 9x13x2-inch baking pan; set aside.

2. After dough has rested, roll and stretch the dough into approximately a 15x24-inch rectangle.

3. Brush the softened butter over the top of the dough with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle Cinnamon Filling over the butter on the prepared dough.

4. Starting with long edge, roll up dough; pinch seams to seal. NOTE: Rolling the log too tightly will result in cinnamon rolls whose centers pop up above the rest of them as they bake.

5. With a knife, lightly mark roll into 1 1/2-inch section. Use a sharp knife (I like to use a serrated knife and saw very gently) or slide a 12-inch piece of dental floss or heavy thread underneath. By bringing the ends of the floss up and criss-crossing them at the top of each mark, you can cut through the roll by pulling the strings in opposite directions. Place cut side up in prepared pan, flattening them only slightly. The unbaked cinnamon rolls should not touch each other before rising and baking. Do not pack the unbaked cinnamon rolls together.

6. Cover and let rise in a warm place for approximately 45 to 60 minutes or until doubled in size (after rising, rolls should be touching each other and the sides of the pan).

7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Baked in a regular oven approximately 20 to 25 minutes in a regular oven until they are a light golden brown.

8. Top with frosting and ENJOY!
Here are how mine turned out:

BEFORE FROSTING:


AFTER FROSTING:


REVIEW:
So I thought these were really good! I think the outside over baked just a little, they were a little hard, but the flavor was really good. I am going to keep searching, because I like a light, fluffy sweet roll and these are a little more dense and sticky! :)
All around TWO thumbs up!

{A new look...a new idea!}

Hey everyone!! You may have noticed I gave the blog a little face lift! I am SOOOOOOO excited about this, because it's something I have been praying about for a few months now!

So let me fill you in...if you don't already know, I run a blog called The Gourmet Momma. Well, Gourmet Momma just turned a year old and I realized that I didn't keep up with her as much as I would have liked to. However, I was posting lots of recipes over here! So God and I had a little chat over where I should take this, and I came to the conclusion that I will keep Gourmet Momma up, but I will not be adding new recipes. Instead, I will be posting them over here with all my tips and photos and whatnots!

SOOO EXCITING! hehe I just feel like this is the right thing to do for my time and for my blog readers. Now you don't have to jump from blog to blog to blog to find my recipes! I have so many more to share! And lots of you have requested that I do simple recipes that are cheap...I am all about that! So you will be seeing LOTS of "real" food that is easy on the pocket book, easy to make, and delish!

So I hope you like the new look, the layout may be changing a little over the next day or so also, so don't freak! :) I have it under control...after all, I am a professional at this! hehe

See you all real soon!!!!

**Oh, and I gave Gourmet Momma a PINK makeover for the blog...doesn't she look spiffy?!

{Cheese Enchilada's Recipe}

WOW, it feels good to be back! I am so happy to be here sharing again, I have missed you guys!!

So I thought I would come back with a bang and share one of my families FAVE recipes...Cheese Enchiladas! These are SOOOOO easy and fast, you will be making them all the time too!

What you need:
(for sauce)
2-3 cups chicken broth (to the consistency you like, start with 2C and add more if needed)
4 Tbs Chili Powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 heaping tsp. garlic powder (with no salt added)
3/4 tsp. salt
1 pinch ground cinnamon (less than 1/16 tsp.)
1/3 tsp. sugar (helps cut the bitterness of the chili powder)
5 Tbs. cold water
5 Tbs. white flour

(for enchiladas)
1 onion, chopped
2C. cheddar cheese, shredded (keep some on the side for TOPPING!)
1C. Monterrey jack cheese (this is VERY important!)
Corn Tortillas (I usually make about 8-10)

How to make it:
1.) To make sauce, mix flour and water together until there are no lumps. If there are lumps now, you will have lumpy sauce. (add the water to the flour a little at a time!) Then, combine all ingredients, except water and flour mix, in a sauce and bring up to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook 3 minutes.
Slowly add in the flour mix with a whisk and cook another 3 min. until thick.


2.) For Enchiladas, heat corn tortillas in the microwave, wrapped in a MOIST paper towel, about 1 1/2 minutes, just until hot.

3.) Take a tortilla and add about 1/3C cheese and a few chopped onions. Roll and place in a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray.

4.) When all enchilada's are rolled...


cover with sauce and top with cheese.

Bake in a 350 degree oven about 15-25 minutes just until cheese on top is melted and a little brown.



We serve these with homemade re-fried beans and Spanish rice! YUM! Top with just a little bit of sour cream and some fresh chopped onions and they are PERFECT!

{Apple spice oatmeal}

The lovely HeathahLee asked if I would post the recipe to the photo in my 2009 Goals post, so I am more than happy to oblige! :) I actually don't have a "recipe" per say, I really just wing it, but I put together what I put in it so you can make it too!



Apple spice oatmeal
(2 servings)

What you need:
1C rolled oats (I use the quick cook steel cut)
2-3 gala apples, peeled and diced
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 C brown sugar (light or dark, doesn't matter)
4 Tsp. butter (I use blue bonnet light in sticks)

How you make it:
1. Cook your oat meal as directed on package.
2. In a small pan, melt butter and add in apples. Cook apples until they are soft to the touch, not mushy, but soft.
3. Mix together the cinnamon and sugar and add to pan.
4. Add in brown sugar and stir all together.
5. Remove from heat and top oatmeal with apple mixture.



Voila! Breakfast! :)

{The Secret is out}

Hey Everyone! I hope you all had a WONDERFUL Christmas! I have so many photos to edit and put up on the blog, I will do that very soon, but for now, I wanted to FINALLY list my secret blog over here so if you never got to see it, or just wanted to bookmark it for future use then you are more than welcome!

I sent out over 100 invitations to you wonderful blog readers for the secret blog, and have decided to LEAVE IT UP so that you can come to it year round!

So here it is! http://nikkisthriftyunderfifty.blogspot.com

Even better, whenever other occasions come up, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. and I make gifts, I will be sharing them over there as well! I am hoping this will be something really fun to keep up and help me be more inspired to create instead of buy, buy, buy!

Thank you all so much for supporting me and all of the other "Thrifty 50"!

{mmmm.....popalicious!}

As you all know, I was challenged this year to make all my gifts for under $50.00! Well, the challenge ended before I could add this on, but I thought I would share it over here so everyone could get the recipes to make for Christmas! :)

I did this as teacher gifts, boxed them up in fun little tubs from the dollar store, simple, and cheap! But most important, DELISH!!!


First up is Macadamia Butter-Crunch Popcorn. This one is a BIG hit in my house! :)

Here is what you need:
25 cups (from about 1 cup kernels) popped popcorn
4 cups raw whole macadamia nuts, toasted (about 1 pound)
1 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
5 tablespoons light corn syrup
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda

here is how to make it:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Put popcorn in a large bowl. Add the nuts; set aside. Put sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until mixture comes to a gentle simmer, about 4 minutes. Stop stirring; continue cooking until mixture lightens in color, 5 minutes more. Remove from heat; stir in baking soda.

Pour sugar mixture over popcorn and nuts; toss to coat. Transfer to rimmed baking sheets; bake, stirring every 20 minutes, until almost dry, about 1 hour. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

Next is Chocolate-Almond Popcorn! Its soooo good!
You will need:
25 cups popped popcorn (from about 1 cup kernels)
3 cups unsalted whole skin-on almonds, toasted (about 1 pound)
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons coarse salt

and you make it like this:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Put popcorn in a large bowl. Add the nuts; set aside. Put sugar, corn syrup, butter, cocoa, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until mixture comes to a gentle simmer, about 5 minutes.

Pour sugar mixture over popcorn and nuts; toss to coat. Transfer to rimmed baking sheets; bake, stirring every 20 minutes, until almost dry, about 1 hour. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

If you make them together at the same time, you can be done in about an hour and a half. I blogged in between stirring times! :)
I hope you like these! If you want even more holiday recipes, visit http://www.marthastewart.com/

It's a sad end...

No, I'm not going to stop blogging! Its just the end of the Thrifty for under Fifty Challenge tonight! I have had the most amazing time crafting my Christmas gifts this year. I hope I am giving some gifts that will really mean something to my family! :) Plus, I made all of my presents for a GRAND TOTAL OF:

Drum Roll Please.....

$25.34!!!

I have posted all of my gifts onto my secret blog. If you don't yet have the address, let me know by leaving a comment on this post with your EMAIL ADDRESS so I can send it to you!

Also, don't forget to check out the YCMT blog for updates. I am on TEAM KRIS!! We have really been knocking out these gifts! Some amazing girls on there!!!!

I just want to say thank you to Kim, Kris, and the entire staff over at YCMT for letting me participate in this opportunity. I had a blast!!