Kitchen Sink Stuffed Mushrooms

So this is one of those recipes where you clean out your fridge.....


No Really.  

Hubby cleaned out the fridge the other night and I decided to use up all the odds and ends.  Bible...this really happened.  I'm not being one of those Foodnetwork people who claim this recipe is great for using leftovers and they have fake leftovers.....my leftovers are LEGIT leftovers and scraps! 

They sat next to the moldy container of....something.  And next to the old jar of jam that has left a sticky ring.  Yummm.

On the subject of cleaning out the fridge, I gotta give my boy some major brownie points.  (also because he is a brownie....so double points for him!)
 I don't really "do" the whole fridge cleaning "thang"  I might do a quick sweep and throw away the things that aren't completely furry yet, but if its real funky....I kinda push it towards the back.


I know......I know!!  Bad Wife!  Bad!

 I just can't do the fur...and the smells.....oh dear god the smells!   Bleh!

This is also why I don't believe in tupperware.  I prefer to just save every sour cream, yogurt, or chinese food container that ever enters my house.  That way if I even suspect that it's funkadelic.  I can pitch it without hesitation or guilt.

Obviously thought I won't throw out bowls and dishes....and that's when I give it the ole pushy push towards the back until the boy gets around to it.  





Welp......now that you probably think less of me....let's give you a recipe!  Actually, not much of a recipe because I don't have exact amounts, this is all meaured in "ish"  It's more to give you an idea of the possibilities and then you can use whatever you have on hand....

6 portabella mushroom caps (this is the only ingredient that won't end in ish)
4ish cups of fresh spinach (you could use frozen and use less)
3ish cloves of garlic
1/2 c. ish green onion 
1 tomato diced (ok, I lied...no ish here)
1ish cup mozzarella
1/2ish cup feta
1/2ish cup parmesan
1 cupish sour cream  (I would prefer to have used cream cheese but I was out)
1/3ish cup diced pimento  (roasted red peppers would be even yummier!)
Salt & Peppa 


Simply mix it all together and season to taste.

Stuff your caps and bake at 350 for about 30 mins or until the cheeses are all melty and your mushroom is soft.  It will ooze some mushroomy juices and then you'll know they're gettin there




Alllllll done!

Add whatever you got at home.....bacon....different cheeses...maybe olives?  Whatevs!  




And before I end this, Id like to give one more round of applause to my personal refrigerator cleaner.  


If he were here he would either bow or do the pageant girl wave....no joke.

4th of July Decor

Someday I want my house to be the one on the block with the flag waving, the pinwheels in the ground, and these these swags hung from anything I can possibly hang them from.....ANYTHING!

I want to be like this house here....but like x1000 

 Yep...it's a dream I have.  But it may take some time for me to get there...like maybe owning a house first.....so I'm starting small


Like this little dealio here

99c only always has terra cotta pots.  So I got one and painted it white with some leftover primer I had.  Then I taped it off to create stripes

 Then I painted the top rim blue.  I tried using a stencil to paint on some white stars but that turned out to be a hot mess.  Maybe its just me though...I dunno.  
I had to cover over it with more blue and now I'm on the look out for some stickers or something to use instead.

Unless somebody out there can tell me how to paint on stars without it looking like a preschool project. No hate on the preschool art though....they make some snazzy stuff!

 Then I just filled it up with red crinkle paper from the ole Dollar Tree and star picks and flowers from Michaels. 

It would make a good centerpiece for your table, or you can put it by the front door like I do.   

I choose to believe Uncle Sam himself would be quite proud.  


So proud in fact, that he would tell me...........

Will do Uncle Sam.  Will do.

DIY Cheap & Personalized Wedding Napkins for Wedding (or any occasion!)

For our wedding I wanted cute napkins for our bar but I wasn't willing to pay to get them monogrammed.

I also didn't feel like buying an embossing kit because I wasn't sure If I would ever use it again....and I'm cheap.

Soooo...

I bought some plain pink and brown cocktail napkins from Party City and used a 50% off coupon at Michael's and got this Staz On Ink pad for around $4

My sister got me this cute stamp for Christmas, but you could also get a custom made one with your monogram or a design that you can use for multiple projects for your wedding

 And stamp away!  


It goes really quick.  I stamped while I watched Real Housewives marathons.    Go figure.....


The Staz On ink is awesome!  I did SEVERAL tests to make sure the ink wouldn't transfer onto people faces when they used them


Cause wouldn't that just be awesome.  My guests covered in brown ink smudged across their face.  That's something that would happen to me


Here's the finished thing

So simple but adds a nice personal touch to any party
 

DIY Floppy Summer Hat

Annnnddd......I'm back!

Feels like forever since I've posted.  Over 2 weeks or so. Did you miss me?  (Waves to my one reader.....my sister Bree) hahaha ;)

I went to Vegas last weekend and you know how that goes.  It took a week for me to get ready and then a week to recover....which equals no energy for posting.

I give major props to those bloggers who keep their shit up to date even when they're on the go.  I'll get there someday...I hope.

So In my preparation for my trip I of course set up crazy expectations in my head.  Luckily, my friend that I was going with is similar.  

We both had visions of ourselves laying poolside on a gorgeous chaise lounge...
 cool refreshing drink in hand....wearing our grandma swimsuits....sitting with one leg flat and and the other with the knee bent so we look like the girls in movies......all with a big floppy hat on. 

 Please tell me other people play out their life expectations like this?  Every single little detail?   Good!  Glad I'm not alone.


So I was in need of a big flippity floppity hat!


I found this hat at the good ole Dollar Tree

 Not bad.....but a little lackluster.  It needed a little sumthin sumthin.

 So at midnight I was hot gluing on some black ribbon I had and a cute black button that I bought at Walamrt.....at 11PM

 I had to leave my house at 4 AM to make my flight.   Can you tell what kind of person I am?


Yep.  I'm the kind that is up allll night on Xmas even wrapping gifts.  I procrastinate.


But at least I had a cute hat for laying by the hotel pool.








..............................................................








Ya know what the kicker is?  We didn't even end up going to the pool at all. -__-




But that's ok.  I still gained a cute hat.  And I'm sorta fighting the urge to go buy more and make a whole collection.  Different colored ribbon....maybe some flowers or gems...or maybe even paint them!  I could go wild!

Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes

So it's offical.  My oldest niece is an old lady.

Which makes me an even older old lady.

She turned 13 a week ago and its turning everyone's lives upside down.

I'm kidding, she's not turning everyones life upside down......yet.  ;p

But I am definitely seeing changes. I knew it was all over when I first saw her standing like this.

Ok.....so I totally made her pose like this for a picture BUT that's only because I couldn't for the life of me find a picture on Google of someone standing like this.

But am I not right?  I mean isn't this the quintessential angsty teen stance?

The first time I saw her like this I weeped a little.  My bug is getting big.  Sniff sniff.

Anywho....

She requested my Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes for her family shin dig

And this recipe is easy as cake!  

Just get yourself a white cake mix.  (I'm a pillsbury girl cuz me and the little guy can relate)

Replace the water with orange juice.  I've used the crappy juice before and it just doesn't come out as well.  Spring for the Naked juice (or any good quality juice) if you can....it makes a HUGE difference.

The zest of an orange.

And orange extract.  

This was the first time I used McCormick brand orange extract.  Before this I had been using an extract I got at an asian market.  With the old one I only had to use 2 tsp, but this McCormick didn't seem to be as strong so I used 4 tsp. 

Start with 2 tsp. and adjust to your tastes.  I actually taste the batter because I live life on the edge....but if you aren't as wreckless as me you can judge by smell or shear intuition.

Add a smidgen of orange food coloring if you so desire (and I do so desire)

 Bake (duh)

And frost with my vanilla Coffee Creamer Buttercream

I put an orange slice candy on top cuz I think it's darn cute!

Yum.

Coffee Creamer Buttercream

I'm certainly not a food snob  

Not in any any way shape or form.

I'll eat a completely from scratch meal one night and then I'm totally down for dinosaur shaped nuggets the next.  If it's good its good.  Who cares.

But I do admit the one thing I've sort of snubbed is canned frosting.

It was all I knew for years and years and I loved it.  But since I started making my own the canned stuff is sooo....soooo......Blehhh!

It has a sort of chemical taste to me now that I never used to be able taste before.  You absolutely can't decorate with it because it's so soft so nothing ever looks cute.....there just really isn't many pros.

Once you try this recipe I promise you'll never go back to the can

Can you tell I shop at Walmart? 

What ever gave it away?


As a general rule of thumb I use:

1/2 # Butter  (1 cup) 
1/2 # All Vegetable shortening (also 1 cup)
2# Powdered Sugar


So its basically its a 2:1 ratio of sugar to fat by weight


Start by creaming together your butter and shortening.  Scraping down the sides as you go.  Then gradually add in your sugar, scraping down the sides.  Your mixture will be thick.


Now comes in your coffee creamer.  Gradually stir it in until you get a nice smooth consistency that will be easy for frosting or piping...not too thick.....not too thin.  I usually use around 3/4c. but I would start with 1/2c. and go from there just to be safe.  Don't whip it around too much...just until its smooth.  You don't want to create large air pockets.

Are you wondering where the vanilla extract is?   You don't need it yo!  All the flavor is in the coffee creamer.  The coffee creamer acts as the heavy cream that's normally in traditional buttercream recipes and eliminates the need for extracts because their flavors are so strong.

And you can get super creative with them.  Here I used French Vanilla but in the past I've used Hazelnut, Creme Brulee, Amaretto.....the possibilities are endless!  


*NOTES*

*You could do all butter if you prefer, but living in AZ I like to use half shortening because it's so damn hot and it helps it hold up better.  Especially if I am traveling with them in the car. But also because its not all shortening like other recipes you don't get that nasty film in your mouth.  Half half is just perfect to me


*This frosting crusts BEAUTIFULLY so if you are familiar with cake decorating and use the Viva paper towel method or any similar method for getting perfectly smooth buttercream cakes, this is the recipe for you!  Up until about 8 months ago I used to sell cakes and this is what I always used and it NEVER failed me


You can scoff at the canned frostings as you pass them in the store now.  Give this a try and let me know what you think.

Chile Relleno

Ay yai yai......

Arriba arriba.....

I'm on a Mexican food kick these days.  Maybe it's because after 6 months of marriage I finally changed my last name......

And maybe now that I have a mexican last name I subconsciously feel the need to unleash my inner Senora? 

Or maybe its because I'm doing the low carb thang right now and mexican food really pairs well with a LC lifestyle...ya know.....once you stop thinking about tortillas and chips and stuff =P

My lastest venture.....Chile Relleno!

What sparked this idea was when I found a big bag of Poblano peppers at 99c only for you guessed it....only 99c! 

And then I started thinking....you stuff it with cheese....low carb friendly....and then I could have a solely egg based batter and skip using and flour and.....

Tah dah! 

You got yourself another low carb Mexican dinner

You need...pablono chiles, 4 ROOM TEMPERATURE eggs (I'll explain) and cheeses of your choice

Start by roasting your chiles.  I don't have any pictures because I did mine at work.  I don't have a gas stove at home so I would  have had to do it on the grill and with it already being 106 here in Phoenix, standing outside and continuously turning them didn't sound too fun.  I sweat enough at work all day in our blazing hot kitchen.  The last thing I want to do is come home and sweat some more.

Give them a good char and then either place them in a bag and seal, or place in a bowl and cover it with saran wrap.  This will create steam that will make taking the skins off easier.

After they've cooled down, you can start removing the skins.  I do this by filling a bowl with water and gently rubbing them submerged in the water.  It helps wash away all the little bits easier than just rubbing them off with your hands

Now to start stuffing!   Make a slit on one side of the chile.  GENTLY pull out the seeds and membranes.  Fill with your cheese mixture.  I used half cheddar half pepper jack....but you can do whatever you like.

Now for your coating.  Like I said before you need room temperature eggs.  The reason is because you are going to be whipping the egg whites into stiff peaks.  Eggs whites whip MUCH MUCH easier when they are room temperature.  It's the exact opposite of whipped cream....where you want everything as cold as possible.

So separate your yolks from you whites and beat the living crap out of your whites

I didn't get a picture, but you'll also beat your yolks until they are foamy and lighter in color.

GENTLY....(and the keyword here is gently)  fold your yolks into your whites....don't stir or whip!

Time to start frying!

Get some canola oil nice and hot in a big skillet.  Take a scoop of your batter mixture and place it in the hot oil.  Spread it out with a spatula to around the size of your chile.

Place the chile seam side down onto the egg mixture.  Then spoon some more batter over the top.  After the bottom browned I also folded some of the bottom batter upwards to seal it all together.

Cook until golden, brown, and delicious. Salt them as soon as you pull them out of the pan

I threw mine in the oven for a few minutes just to make sure all the cheese was melted and then they are ready to chow!

Eat it with some low carb mexican rice (or regular rice) and you'll be set

Here's a link to the rice recipe
http://thebusybroad.blogspot.com/2012/05/low-carb-burrito-bowls.html 

Now I'm off to add some Tejano music to my ipod and  polish my maracas.

Kidding about the Tejano music....not really my taste.

Chile Relleno 

5 poblano chiles, roasted and skins removed

2 C. shredded cheese of choice

4 room temperature eggs seperated

Salt

Make a slit in your roasted and cleaned peppers.  Remove the seeds and membrane and stuff with your cheese.

Whip your eggs white to stiff peaks and beat the yolks until frothy.  

Fold the yolks into the whites.  

Heat oil in a large skillet.  Scoop some of the egg batter into into the pan and spread it out into the shape of the chile.  Place the chile seam side down onto the batter.  Scoop more batter on top of the chile.  Fry until golden brown.  Salt immediately.