nichol magouirk

Cream Puffs (made easy).

I made these last night for dessert. I don't make desserts as often as I used to so this was a real treat.

These are seriously the easiest cream puffs every and oh so good.

Cream Puffs

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup flour
• 4 eggs
• 4 oz. pkg instant pudding (lemon is my favorite, banana cream is good and the kids like chocolate)

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat water and butter to a rolling boil.

Stir in flour. Stir vigorously over low heat for approximately a minute until mixture forms a ball.

Remove from heat.

Beat in eggs (all at one time) and beat until smooth.

Drop by scant 1/4 cupfulls (I use the Pampered Chef Easy Accent Decorator to make my cream puffs fairly uniform and pretty) onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 35-40 minutes (I watch them really close at 30 minutes, sometimes they are ready early) or until puffed and golden.

Cool completely.

Cut off tops (I just pull the top off) and pull out any filaments of soft dough. (I rarely have to remove anything).

Make pudding according to pkg. instructions.

Fill puffs with pudding and replace tops.

Dust with powdered sugar before serving (I use the Pampered Chef flour/sugar Shaker).

Store in refrigerator. Makes approximately 12 cream puffs. Easy to double recipe.

Enjoy!

 

Menu Plan Monday | 3.29.10

 

Monday: Pork Mostaccioli. We're having leftovers from Friday tonight. It's a busy night so the no prep for the main dish will be a huge help. 

Tuesday: Quick Chicken Noodle Soup. I like soups year round and so does the family. I made this one a couple of months ago and we all loved it. Lots of fresh veggie goodness with the chicken and noodles. Yum.

Wednesday: Summer Steak Kabobs with Veggie Pull Apart Bread. This has been a family favorite for years. The kabobs are good, yes. But the bread...the bread is SO yummy. I serve the kabobs over rice. It doesn't have to be summer yet to enjoy this meal. ;)

Thursday: Taco Thursday with chips and Restaurant Style Salsa. This salsa from Pioneer Woman is a HUGE hit. With kids. With hubby and hubby's friends. ;)

Friday: Steak Fingers. My mama's recipe. Always a family favorite.

Saturday: Creamy Shrimp Alfredo. SO yummy. I add crab meat in addition to the shrimp. :)

Last week's new recipe(s) review: 

Peppery Pasta with Arugula and Shrimp: DELISH. I will be making this again and again. In fact, when I asked the family for suggestions for this week, the bigs and daddy all requested this again. ;)

Chicken Carne Asada Tacos: Thursday night was a bust and the kids and I ate out. I completely forgot Payton had a cheer team performance in a neighboring town and I didn't plan ahead very well. oops! 

 

Mexican Lasagna Recipe (for all those who requested it) :)

Mexican Lasagna

flour tortilla shells

2 lbs. hamburger, browned & drained

1/2 pkg. shredded Mexican cheese

Mix & heat over low the following:

1 lb. Velveeta cheese, cubed

1-2 cans cream of chicken or cream of mushroom 

1 jar mild taco sauce or Rotel (I use Rotel)

Assemble:

Layer tortilla shells, add layer of hamburger, add layer of cheese mixture. Repeat. Finish with tortillas topped with the shredded cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.

Serve with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, jalenpenos, salsa, etc.

Scrap Mojo replaced by Chef Mojo

So apparently my scrapbooking has taken a mini-hiatus. Not only have I had no desire to scrap, I tried to make myself and I just stared at the same project for over an hour before becoming frustrated and giving up. It happens. 

It's been a busy + stressful week. 

Chad and I were gone to NYC for 4 days. We saw Rock of Ages and Wicked on Broadway, we walked Central Park, we ate tons of yummy, yummy food, we went to Rockafeller Plaza and watched Flo Rida perform on the Today Show and we hung out and just enjoyed not having to answer to "mommy" or "daddy". ;) I read The Time Traveler's Wife cover to cover on our mini-vacation. I bawled. I hope the movie is as good.

The bigs started a new school year Tuesday and we've had a bunch of running around to do for that. New activities starting up: cheer + gymnastics + football. 

Ethan took a little trip to the ER on Sunday evening as he had a terrible allergic reaction to cashews. Note to self: no nuts for little dude. Read labels + carry Epi Pen everywhere. Appointment with the allergist next Thursday to draw blood and find out just what all food allergies we are dealing with. :(

Chad is celebrating his 36th birthday today and all he wanted for his birthday was to host a fantasy football draft here at the house for his friends who are participating in the fantasy football league. He wanted to know if I would make some refreshments and I said of course. I ended up going a bit crazy. This is where the "Scrap Mojo was temporarily replaced by the Chef Mojo". ;)

Since I haven't been here much this week, I thought I'd share the recipes for the food I made for Chad's party. I used a digi-kit from TwoPeas to create all the recipe cards. You can see it HERE.

The one dish my husband requested I make, the rest was up to me. And our friend, Kip, would maybe eat a whole pan by himself. ha!

Seriously the easiest Cream Puffs ever. I make them all the time. :)

This salsa tastes goes great with the tortilla roll-ups (coming up next).

Sounds like the guys are enjoying the party. :)

Time for me to get some sleep so I can CREATE tomorrow!

Recipe Shares + New Product Focus Layout (Bella Blvd)

I had several requests to share my recipes for Macaroni Salad and Taco Soup so here goes. :)

Macaroni Salad 

Elbow Macaroni (cooked & drained)

Ham (I used a package of deli ham and just chop it up)

Shredded Cheese

Red Onion, diced (just a little, not a whole onion)

Miracle Whip

Mrs. Dash Table Blend Seasoning

Mix all ingredients. I don't really measure anything, just add to taste.

Taco Soup

1 can corn (undrained)

2 cans beans (undrained) I use black beans.

1 can diced tomatoes (undrained)

1 lb. hamburger (cooked & drained)

2 pkgs. taco seasoning

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing, dry

1 small can tomato sauce + 1 can water

Put all ingredients in crock pot. I usually cook it for about 4-5 hrs. Serve with sour cream, cheese and fritos or corn chips.

Enabling Alert!

Check out the great tips on using your Silhouette on the Quickutz Blog HERE. Great ideas for making your own "chipboard-like" accents, backgrounds and using the print & cut feature.

And if you have the Silhouette check out a new freebie shape available under the Purchase Online tab in your Craft Robo software:

New Product Focus Layout featuring new Bella Blvd

Here's a layout I did for the July 1st Garden at Two Peas featuring new Bella Blvd patterned papers:

(c) Two Peas In A Bucket

To be able to add layers for the title and number accent over the bright striped Bella Blvd paper, I added some vellum to mute the vibrant stripe a bit.

I loved both the bright dot paper and cupcake paper but the cupcake paper was a bit too busy for me so I punched cupcakes from the paper using a 1" circle punch and adhered them to the dot design on the polka dot paper. Perfect embellishment for my cupcake/birthday themed layout.

The border and cherry chipboard accents were from a CK Kit of the Month. I loved how well the embellishments matched the Bella Blvd papers.

The grunge die cut is from Silhouette:

file_folder_grunge_1744

(c) Two Peas In A Bucket

(c) Two Peas In A Bucket

Supplies:

Pastels 12x12 AC Cardstock (American Crafts)

White 12x12 AC Cardstock (American Crafts)

Rainbow Ribbons Swing Into Spring Collection Paper (Bella Blvd)

Candy Buttons Swing Into Spring Collection Paper (Bella Blvd)

Treats & Sweets Sweet Celebration Collection Paper (Bella Blvd)

Celebrate 97% Complete Cardstock Sticker (7Gypsies)

Primary Paper Frills Assortment (Doodlebug)

Silhouette Digital Craft Cutter

Silhouette SD Digital Craft Cutter

Silhouette $25 Prepaid Download Card

Chipboard Border, Butterfly & Cherries (CK Kit of the Month)

Vellum (Hobby Lobby)

Chipboard Letters (Making Memories)

White Number Sticker, Rub-ons (Making Memories)

For a complete list of supplies used and additional images and information click HERE.

The kids are bugging me to go swimming so we better go enjoy the afternoon sun!

Have a great day!

Pumpkin Roll

This post is for my friend Leslie who had to wait entirely too long for this recipe. I just came across her email regarding this last night and I thought this would be a good time to share. Sorry I am so lame at replying to emails.

Pumpkin Roll

3 eggs

1 Cup Sugar

2/3 Cup Pumpkin

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

3/4 Cup Flour

2 teaspoons Ginger

1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 Cup Chopped Pecans

Powdered Sugar

(Filling)

1 Cup Powdered  Sugar

6 oz. Cream Cheese

4 tablespoons Margarine

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat eggs on high for 5 minutes. Gradually add sugar. Add pumpkin, flour and spices. Line a jelly roll pan with waxed paper. Spread dough, top with pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. While hot, turn out onto a dish towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll up cake in the dish towel. Cool. Unroll and spread with filling. Reroll and chill.

(sprinkle dish towel with powdered sugar and roll up warm cake inside until cool)

(unroll cake and spread filling.)

(slice and eat. YUM.)

If you're looking for some fun holiday card/ornament/gift tag inspiration, check out the 36 days of... in the Designer Garden at 2Peas. Total eye candy!

For all my American friends, have a wonderful blessed Thanksgiving tomorrow. 

If you are traveling...be safe. 

And just a happy "shout out" to all my International friends. :)

Lemon-Cream Cheese Cupcakes.

Last night I felt like baking. I had been wanting to try this recipe since receiving the latest issue of Kraft Food & Family Magazine. (It is a free magazine and if you don't get it and want to click here.) I use it a lot. It usually has great (often quick!) recipes that utilize ingredients I have on hand or can find easily. Love that.

One word describes these cupcakes...YUM.

Lemon-Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Prep Time:
10 min

Total Time:
1 hr 34 min

Makes:
24 servings, one cupcake each

1 pkg. (2-layer size) white cake mix

1 pkg.  (4-serving) JELL-O Lemon Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling

1 cup water

4   egg whites

2 Tbsp. oil

1 pkg.  (16 oz.) powdered sugar

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1/4 cup  (1/2 stick) butter, softened

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

PREHEAT oven to 350ºF. Beat cake mix, dry pudding mix, water, egg whites and oil in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed until moistened. (Batter will be thick.) Beat on medium speed 2 min. Spoon batter evenly into 24 paper-lined 2-1/2-inch muffin cups.

BAKE 21 to 24 min. or until wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min.; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.

MEANWHILE, beat sugar, cream cheese, butter and juice with electric mixer on low speed until well blended. Frost cupcakes.

For supper we also tried the Cheddar Macaroni Beef Casserole...very good.

I didn't get any photos shared of my studio work in progress last night because even though I am not into much sports, I AM into College Basketball. And watching my Jayhawks win the National Title was higher on my list! What a game! How about them 'Hawks?!!!!

Will share studio photos later this afternoon...