[Virgin] Peach Daquiri

This is something I made up.  I love peaches and I absolutely LOVE Peach Daquiris, but since I am under the age of 21 I am not allowed alcohol so I had to come up with my own twist.  Any time I have a bit of extra money when I go to Olive Garden I order a Peach Daquiri, this came very close to their version!

Ingredients

1-2 peaches, sliced and frozen

1/4 cup water

about 1/3 cup of heavy whipping cream

1 bowl of ice

4-6 heaping teaspoons of confectioner's sugar

Before you start to make your frozen treat you need to peel the peaches.  I found the easiest way to do this is to boil a pot of water, once it starts boiling cut it off then put a peach in for 45 seconds to 1 minute and make sure it all is covered by the water, then transfer it to a bowl of ice cold water (with chunks of ice in it) for 10-20 seconds.  It makes the peaches so much easier to get the peel off.  Once they have all been peeled you need to cut them into slices (whatever you think your blender can handle).  I cut my peaches into 8 slices.  Then I laid them out on a pan and stuck them in the freezer for a few hours.

Once your peaches have been frozen, get your blender out and put in the 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream (my dad just uses 1/2 cup of water, but I tried with half water, half whipping cream and it was much better).  Here in a regular daquiri is where you would add your rum, so you can try if you would like.   Next add 4 heaping teaspoons of confectioner's sugar, then add a few slices of peach and 2 ice cubes (my blender can only handle a few frozen things at a time).  Blend until everything is well blended, then add more peaches and ice cubes gradually.  Once everything has been blended, taste and see if it is sweet enough (I don't sweeten the peaches when I prepare them so it may take more).  If it needs to be sweeter then add more confectioner's sugar, and if you want a creamier texture then add more heavy whipping cream.  Once it is all mixed together, pour into glasses and enjoy :)

Crocheted Flower

I love photography and I wanted Teresa to have newborn pictures of Alexis, so we had a mini photo shoot at her house with my friend's Nikon D30 camera (which I LOVE)!  I was getting creative making all sorts of props and came across this flower tutorial.  There are several different ways to make them, small, medium, large, I made the large by mistake, and even had directions to make butterflies, which I didn't make.

Directions

Leaving a 10” length for sewing, chain 57.

Row 1
In sixth chain from hook, double crochet, chain two, double crochet, *chain 2, skip next 2 chains, then double crochet, chain two, double crochet in next chain; repeat from * across.

This is what your first row finished should look like.
Rather shellish.

Row 2
Chain 3, turn, 5 double crochet in first chain-2 space, single crochet in next chain-2 space, (6 double crochet in next chain-2 space, single crochet in next chain-2 space), 5 times.  (With your beginning chain 3 and 5 double crochet “shell” you will have a total of 6 of these shells.  Then (9 double crochet in the next chain-2 space, single crochet in next chain-2 space), 5 more times (you will have a total of 11 shells made).  Then 12 double crochet in the next chain-2 space, single crochet in the next chain-2 space, across until complete.  You should end with a single crochet in the last chain-2 space.  Finish off leaving several inches for sewing and tying.

Once you are done you will have this lovely pile-o-curly-crochet mess.

Get yourself a mega needle with a blunt end (it's not too sharp and really thick).
I also use one of those needle threading things cause there is no way this Lolly can work yarn through a needle eye.
Regular thread is tough enough.  Yarn is nearly impossible.
That is unless you are MomChops...
She never uses a needle threader thingy.
She has mad crochet skillz!!

Thread yarn needle from 10” length at beginning of your original chain...

With right side facing, and beginning with first petal made, roll your petals, sewing as you go.  Once together, gently tie the two ends together and clip OR use the ends to tie on pin or barrette backs to your rose.

Tie off your bottom...  this is what the underneath side of the rose will look like and...

This is what the FABULOUS side of your rose will look like!!!

Moving on...  Crochet Butterfly!!!

GET YOUR PATTERN:  You can download the PDF pattern for the crochet butterfly HERE.

Chain 5 and close with a slip stitch to make a ring (or make a magic ring)
Chain 3, then make 3 treble crochets into the ring (yarn over twice)
Chain 3 and slip stitch into ring.

ummmm....  I am not sure where we are in the process here...
Sew...  download the pattern!
...and call             1-800-Mom-Chops       for moral support...
I know.  What help am I!?!?!?!?!?

MomChops did all this fancy stuff.
I am just over here doing what she tells me.
...and she's not here to hold my little baby hand (with the horrid cuticles) to walk me through this...

See...  it's craft magic!
It's the sweetest green butterfly EVER!
(download the pattern...  that should help)
(honest to peanuts)

There you have it!
The little butterfly even has teal antenna!
I heart that little fella.

Directions from http://www.lollychops.com/lollychops/2010/03/wall-flowers-week-finally-fuschia-friday.html and by no means credit myself to creating the tutorial. Just passing along directions to a wonderful craft.

Motorcycle Diaper Cake

My friend Teresa didn't get to have a huge baby shower, and I didn't get to go to the one she did have for her fiance's family, so I decided to make this for her for her baby girl Alexis Danielle.  It definitely took a lot of hard work to complete, but I was happy (except that the thing kept wanting to lean because of the wheels but I couldn't figure out why or fix it).

I even made a little hat to go on it.  Bought the onsie from Wal-Mart, I just had to go all out.  Ally wore both of those the first time I went to see her after she went home.

Unfortunately due to copy right laws and the wishes of the original creator, I cannot post the directions on my blog.  But here is the link to her blog where I got the directions.  She has step-by-step pictures on how to create this.  If I can make it like she did then I know anyone can!

http://www.sweetaprils.com/search/label/Diaper%20Motorcycle%20Tutorial

Healthy No Bake Pumpkin Pie

When I originally went to make this, I don't know why I had it in my head, but I kept thinking it was a cheesecake, because I LOVE pumpkin cheesecake.  But I made this recipe (and tweaked it A LOT) and it turned out to be very good, considering I've never ate or made a pumpkin pie before.  When I say I tweaked the recipe, I mean once I had made the mixture, I added a BUNCH of sugar because it was not very sweet at all, which was nasty to me.  But I didn't measure, just did it to taste, so if you see that you don't like the taste of it, gradually add sugar until it tastes good.  The key to a good cook is to always taste test your food! :)

Healthy No Bake Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

• Pie crust (store bought because this is supposed to be easy, remember)
• 1 cup pumpkin
• 1 cup greek yogurt
• 1 package s/f butterscotch pudding mix
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Directions: Mix pumpkin, yogurt, pudding mix and pie spice. Carefully spread into the pie shell. (Careful the mix will be very thick and might crack pie crust.) Refrigerate for 1 hour. Eat.

Looks almost exactly like mine! lol

Recipe from http://runeatrepeat.com/2011/11/14/healthy-no-bake-pumpkin-pie/ and by no means credit myself to creating the tutorial.

Mini Cannoli Cream Cups

I took a trip to Waldoboro, Maine a few years ago, which I loved and fell in love with Maine afterwards.  We took long trips in the car every day and my favorite place (besides Acadia National Park) was Rockland, Maine.  There was a cafe called Rockland Cafe (http://www.rocklandcafe.com/)

I would love more than anything to take a trip back there, they had the best Clam Chowder soup ever, first time I had ever tried it too!  We drove from Waldoboro (which is a 30 minute drive) on the last night just so I could get another bowl of that creamy deliciousness!  Well they also had an oh so wonderful dessert that I had never tried before... Cannolis.  They were delicious and I never knew they had ricotta cheese in them.  But I was searching around on Pinterest and saw these cute little cups filled with cream and realized that they were cannolis.  It instantly brought my back to my trip to Maine and made me want to try making them.

They were easy to make, had very few ingredients, but I found that once I had the cream made, that it was lumpy.  Which the recipe didn't mention, so I have to find a solution to that problem (which was the only problem with them), nonetheless they are DELICIOUS!  I ended up mixing chocolate chips in with the cream mix and inside the cup before I put the mixture, and on top of the mixture (I love chocolate!).  I did find a recipe that did say to mix really well then run it through a colander to get the rest of the lumps out, which I will try next time.  But making them was a big deal because I had just found out I passed my NCLEX-RN exam, which means I am now a licensed Registered Nurse! :)

Mini Cannoli Cream Cups

The woman that created this recipe also has a video on her web page (link is at the bottom of this post) that shows step by step instructions, but I didn't watch it.  I'm more of a read the directions and look at pictures type of gal.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Start to Finish: 40 minutes

Servings: about 16 mini cups

Ingredients:

For Cups
Flour for dusting surface
1 Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts
3 tablespoons coarse natural sugar (Turbinado)
1 teaspoon cinnamon

For Filling (If you want the cream to be extra thick see my tips below)
1 (15oz) container of whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for dusting finished cups
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

In a large bowl with an electric mixer combine all ingredients for the filling except the chocolate chips and mix well until creamy. Place the filling in a 1-gallon plastic storage bag and chill while you make the cups. Filling may seem thin but will firm up slightly when it’s refrigerated. For thicker cream see notes below.

Heat oven to 425°F. Unroll the piecrusts onto a lightly floured surface and sprinkle the top of each crust with the natural sugar and the cinnamon. Lightly roll over it with a rolling pin so that sugar and cinnamon are pressed into the dough.



With a 2 1/2-3 inch round biscuit cutter or cookie cutter, cut out circles and lightly press them inside an ungreased mini muffin or mini cupcake pan to create a pastry cup.





Bake for about 10 minutes or until cups are golden. Remove from oven and allow cups to cool. Once cups are cool they can be removed from tin and filled.

Remove filling from refrigerator, cut one of the bottom corners off the bag and pipe a little less than a tablespoon of filling into the cooled cannoli cups.



Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips, dust with powdered sugar and serve.



Cups should be filled shortly before they are eaten so the don’t get soggy. If you wish to make them ahead of time, you can make the cups and the cream and keep them separate. Once you are ready to eat, you can fill, decorate and serve.

Cooking Tips:

If you want the cream to be extra thick you can stain the ricotta in some cheese cloth placed in a bowl and covered over night before you mix your sugar to make the cream. This will remove any excess water and give you a thicker consistency.

Filling can be made a day or two ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator.

A variation in the cannoli cream that works well is a 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract and or orange extract.

Other toppings that go well with the cannoli cups are chopped toasted almonds, chocolate sprinkles, candied orange pieces, chopped candied red cherries, as well as a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Recipe from http://www.cookingwithsugar.com/mini-cannoli-cream-cups-recipe-how-to-make-cannolis-the-easy-way/ and by no means credit myself to creating the tutorial.

Japanese Zucchini and Onions

This is something that my favorite Japanese Steak house serves with their food, Hibachi style.  This is my favorite side, besides the onion soup.  I have tried and tried to recreate the recipe, but to no avail.  Well I was looking around on Google and happened onto this website with the recipe.  It sounded simple, quick, and close to the restaurant's version, and the website even allows you to choose the serving size and changes the measurements of the ingredients to match how many you're serving which was handy, and it's only 102 calories per serving :)  So I tried it...

All I have to say is that I have a new favorite dish to make at the house! :)

Japanese Hibachi Style Zucchini and Onions

2 servings

1 tbsp vegetable oil 12 onion (thinly sliced) 1 zucchinis (cut into thin strips) 1 tbsp teriyaki sauce

12 tbsp soy sauce 12 tbsp toasted sesame seeds black pepper (ground)

Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions, and cook 5 minutes. Add zucchini, and cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Stir in teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, and sesame seeds. Cook until zucchini are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in ground pepper, and serve immediately. Only thing I did different was I didn't add pepper, which wasn't a big deal, and I don't like pepper anyway. :)

Recipe from http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Japanese-Zucchini-And-Onions-Allrecipes?servings=2 and by no means credit myself to creating the tutorial.

Crochet Coffee Cozy

This wasn't too difficult, I want to make more, maybe a little bigger.  Directions were pretty simple and I made it in less than 30 minutes.

Barista Coffee Cozy

Usinge an H crochet hook, chain 26 with color A. Being careful not to twist, join with a slip stitch in beginning chain to form a ring.

Round 1: Single crochet in each chain around; join with slip stitch in beginning stitch – 25 stitches.

Round 2: Single crochet in each stitch around; join with slip stitch in beginning stitch.

Round 3: Work 2 single crochet in first stitch, single crochet in each remaining stitch around; join with slip stitch in beginning stitch – 26 stitches.

Change to color B.

Rounds 4 and 5: With B, repeat Round 2.

Round 6: With B, repeat Round 3 – 27 stitches.

Change to A.

Rounds 7-9: With A, repeat Round 2.

Fasten off. FINISHING

Weave in ends.

Directions from http://www.skiptomylou.org/2012/03/15/how-to-make-a-crochet-coffee-cozy-tutorial-giveaway/ and by no means credit myself to creating the tutorial.