Instant Pot - Spiced Apples

 I love going to Cracker Barrel and getting their cinnamon apples.  I thought, I wonder if I could make these at home!  Sure enough, and it's so easy!  You may even have all of the ingredients right now!  

All you need to make this is the following!

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 5 Apples
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 cup cool water
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

You can use any type of apples you want, you can even use various types of apples, I used Granny Smith.  I decided not to peel mine, simply because I like the peels, but you can if you want.  

1. Prep the apples, I cut them using an apple slicer, then dropped them into the bowl of the IP
2. Pour 2 tablespoons of lemon juice over the top and stir them around.  
3. Add 1 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 2 tablespoons honey. Toss to combine.
4. Whisk the the 3 tablespoons of cornstarch into the 1 cup water with until lump-free. 
5. Add the mixture to the Instant Pot and stir to combine well.
6. Place the lid on, lock and make sure the valve is in the sealing position.
7. Press the manual button and set the time to Pressure Cook for 2 minutes.
8. Do a natural release for 10 minutes
9. Release any other pressure after 10 minutes, stir and enjoy!

Instant Pot - FROZEN cooked shrimp

So if you're anything like me, you don't plan ahead for dinner. One night I decided to make Cheesy Spaghetti because it was requested by my youngest. But just spaghetti is never enough for the rest of us. I thought to myself..."I have frozen shrimp". Now, I ALWAYS overcook frozen shrimp because I'm always taking it out last minute and don't have time to thaw it properly. BUT, putting it in the Instant Pot, it's ready in about 5 minutes!! I know, you can thaw frozen shrimp under cold running water, but this will get them piping hot in less time! I'm all about simple. I have only used this recipe for frozen cooked shrimp, but I've been told you can use it for frozen raw shrimp as well by increasing the time to 1 minute.

Shrimp cooks really quickly, which is why I almost always overcook it, but with the IP, I use the “zero minutes” technique, which I also use for cooking vegetables.  Set the cooking time to zero (0) minutes on High pressure, followed by a quick release (QR), and while the Instant Pot comes to pressure the shrimp will be already thawed and heated! I also use 1/2 cup of hot tap water (instead of cold) so the Instant Pot comes to pressure as quickly as possible!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb frozen shrimp
• ½ cup hot water

Instructions

1. Put ½ cup hot water in the Instant Pot and add frozen shrimp. Close the lid and turn the valve to a Sealing position. Press the "Pressure Cook" or "Manual" button and set the time to ZERO (0) minutes for frozen cooked shrimp (or 1 minute for frozen raw shrimp) on High pressure.
2. When Instant Pot is done cooking, quick release (QR) the steam.
3. Drain the shrimp with a colander spoon, cut off the tails, and serve.

I'll get photos of the cooked shrimp next time, the natives were restless.  

IP - Super Easy Gluten Free Ziti

 If your house is anything like my house, we LOVE pasta dishes.  I think I could survive on pasta alone!  We also love cheese, I mean, who doesn't love cheese!!  SO Ziti is a wonderful option. but I hate baking pasta.  We live in AZ, so the thought of turning on the oven, especially when it's warm out sounds torturous.  

Ingredients

• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 box (16 oz) pasta (I used Gluten Free Penne)
• 1 can (14.5 oz or 28 oz) crushed tomatoes (I used 28 oz)
• 2 cups shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Pur 1 tablespoon of oil into the Instant Pot & sauté the garlic for less than 1 minute.
• Pour in the chicken broth first and then the heavy whipping cream. It's important to pour them in separately.
• Add the salt and pepper into the liquid.
• Add the pasta but DO NOT STIR. If there is a mound of pasta or pasta that is sticking way out of the liquid, then gently press it down with a spoon or spatula but do not stir it into the liquid!
• Evenly pour the crushed tomatoes over the pasta, DO NOT STIR!
• Secure the lid of the Instant Pot and set the valve to the 'sealing' position. Select 'manual' (or 'pressure cooker' if that's what your IP has) and change the time to 4 minutes cook time for Gluten Free Pasta. It will take about 8 minutes to come to pressure and then the 4 minute cook time will start.
• Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes (meaning do not unseal the valve just let the IP sit there for 10 minutes after the cook time), and then quick release the remaining pressure.
• Add the parmesan cheese and stir everything together until it's well combined.
• Serve with additional parmesan cheese and/or chopped fresh basil if wanted.

IP Rice - I need to post it, so I remember it!! SOOO EASY!!

Rice. I LOVE RICE. I hate cooking rice. It almost always boils over on the stove, and for sure it does in the microwave. Sure, it's fast to cook, but I've found that cooking it in the Instant Pot is so easy! You can use this Instant Pot white rice recipe to cook any long grain white rice. 

The key to prefect fluffy rice is the water to rice ratio, which is 1 to 1. This means that for every cup of rice you need 1 cup of water. Measure carefully... I use the same measuring cup for both the water and the rice so that my measurement is precise. This way, my rice will turn out perfect every time.

Ingredients

• 3 cups long grain white rice
• 3 cups water
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil (I never change the amount of oil even if I make less rice)

1. First thing you need to do is rinse your rice, it removes the extra starches that can clog up the steam valve. I just use a wire colander and rinse under cold water. Then place it into my IP. 
2. Then I add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, so my rice doesn't get sticky! (Don't worry, you won't taste it when it's done). 
3. Next measure out the same amount of water as rice. Make sure that all of the rice is in the water and not stuck to the sides of the pot. Then close the Instant Pot lid. Be sure to turn the steam release valve to the sealing position. If you forget to do this, your rice won’t cook properly.  
4. White rice needs 4 minutes of cook time at high pressure. Depending on your Instant Pot model, you will use either the Pressure Cook or Manual button. 
5. After the cook time ends, allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 10 minutes. I then transfer my rice to a tupperware and finish making whatever else I need (I really need two IPs!)

Easy, Cheesy, Crockpot ham & potatoes.

 So yea, it's been 5 years, I've been busy..  Who hasn't!  Now that we are in the time of virtual school and everyone has been home, easy dinner is a must!!  I found this recipe on pinterest from Tornadoughalli for these bomb Easy, Cheesy Crockpot Potatoes.  I made them for the 40th birthday party and they were a huge hit!  So I decided to play on them a bit.  We love ham and cheesy Potatoes in our house!  So I used her potato recipe, which is SO EASY!!  But made changes to it to make it more what we would like.  

1 32 oz bag frozen diced potatoes
1 medium onion diced (we don't do onions here, so I used 1 TBSP of onion powder)
1 cup sour cream
1 10.5 oz can cream of chicken soup (We used Broccoli Cheese Soup, but any cream of whatever you have it good)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
4 TBSP butter melted
3-3.5 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup water
Cubed ham (I used about half of what I had & it was plenty). 

Instructions

• In crockpot add your potatoes, onions, sour cream, soup, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, butter and 2 cups shredded cheese.
• Place lid on and cook on low for 4 hours.
• Remove lid and sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese and cover again for about 15 minutes until cheese is melted.

We always love a little Veggies with our meals, so I was going to add Peas, but I didn't have any, so we used Green beans.  I steamed them in the micro for 4 minutes and then added them to the crockpot for the remaining 30 minutes.  They were perfectly crunchy and delicious.  

Photos coming soon!  We ate it all and didn't get photos!! LoL

Dr. Pepper Pot Roast

I've always made pot roast with onion soup mix and mushroom soup.  Gets boring to eating the same things over and over...

Ingredients:

• 1 pot roast (we've used different types of roast, most recently a sirloin tip roast)
• 1 packet of Lipton Dry Onion Soup Mix
• 1 can of Dr. Pepper (or any soda you prefer to try)

Directions:

1. Place roast in crock pot
2. Pour packet of onion soup mix and soda over roast
3. Cook on low for 8-9 hours or High for 2 hrs/Low for 6 hrs

Crockpot Chicken and Broccoli Over Rice

Ingredients
Makes 4-6 Servings

• 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 14 ounce can Cream of Chicken Soup
• 14 ounce can Broccoli Cheese Soup
• 14 ounces Chicken Broth
• a pinch - Black Pepper, Celery Salt, White Pepper, Cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 6 cups steamed broccoli florets (Boiled in hot water for 3 minutes then drained)
• Shredded cheddar cheese (if desired - we use it to top)

Directions

1. Place soups, chicken broth, seasonings and garlic salt into a crockpot over low heat.  Whisk until smooth.  Add chicken, pressing to the bottom. Cover lid and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.
2. When chicken is cooked, use forks to shred into pieces.  Stir in broccoli
3. Serve over steamed rice and sprinkle with cheese if desired.

[pictures coming soon]

Super Easy Shredded Chicken Tacos

So, I really don't like meals that take me forever to put together, I usually realize I have no ingredients for most of what I want to make.  My favorite thing, is my crockpot.  This meal was totally made for me!  We've been in a funk lately.  Today, I decided to give chicken tacos a shot.  SO EASY!!  

This is what you need.
1 package Taco Seasoning (do not mix with water)
4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, (I used frozen)1 16oz jar Salsa (any kind you want)

1 can black beans

Dump all ingredients into a crockpot.  Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours. When done, the chicken will shred easily with a fork.

Serve over tortillas (we used flour), with lettuce, cheese, avocado, whatever you love with your tacos!!

{photos coming soon}

Painting Washer/Dryer Pedestals

If anyone has looked at these pedestals, then you know they are crazy expensive!!  $250 each is an insane amount for drawers to raise your washer/dryer.  But anyone who hasn't bought them, knows that the height of the washer/dryer without them is super low.  I'd been sitting on the floor changing and folding my laundry.  We have the Samsung Merlot combo, which are hard to come by.  One day we went to Home Depot and they had the "Blue Silver" pedestal on clearance for $40 each.  $40!!!!  We scooped up two of them, because you cannot beat $80, compared to $500.  I asked around Home Depot, but no one seemed to know if I could paint them.  I searched the internet high and low trying to find out the same, there was nothing!   We decided to look at some paint chips, but later decided on spray paint.  We found a color that matched our "Merlot" almost exactly, it's called "Royal Garnet Satin"

We debated on whether or not to use a primer on the pedestals before spraying.  But since my Husband painted them while I was out of town, the primer didn't happen.  He used 1 can per pedestal.   We've thought of using a gloss over the top, since the spray was satin, but we decided against it.  Sure they aren't the same gloss as the combo, but to us, it doesn't matter.  The only place you can see that they look different is when you look into the laundry room from the family room.

For a little under $100, we love our new pedestals

Puppy Chow

INGREDIENTS
1 - 14oz box Chex (corn or rice)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup creamy peanut butter
¼ cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar, divided in half

Special Equipment 
2 gallon-sized Ziploc bags
Very large (at least 4 quart) mixing bowl

PREPARATION
Pour cereal into very large mixing bowl, and set aside.

Place chocolate, peanut butter, and butter in a large microwavable bowl, microwave for 1 minute on high, then stir the mixture with a heatproof spoon or spatula until entirely melted and combined. (Alternatively, In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine chocolate, peanut butter, and butter. Heat the mixture, stirring constantly with a heatproof spoon or spatula).

Pour melted chocolate mixture over cereal in the large mixing bowl, and mix with a heatproof spoon or rubber spatula until all the cereal is coated with the chocolate mixture. Divide the cereal into two gallon-sized ziploc bags, and add half the powdered sugar to each (add more as desired). Seal the bags, and shake the mixtures until the powdered sugar evenly coats the cereal.

Open the bags and let the puppy chow cool completely.  It will keep for up to a week in an airtight container at room temperature.  But, we like to Freeze ours and it doesn't last a week, because my husband LOVES it and eats it all.  

{pictures to come soon}

Bathroom Overhaul

New look to the Kids bathroom! 
I picked my color, Sweet Mustard (from Lowes). Its crazy bright, but I LOVE it! You cannot be depressed in this bathroom!! The reason I had to paint, was I took down the towel bar, after patching the holes, I had huge white spots. I'd wanted hooks for the kids, so CK can hang towels!! I moved the towel ring as well, down and over, it used to be over the plug. Then I got the wild hair and painted the cabinets. That bathroom is so small that I knew I didn't want to go darker. I'm so loving it!!

I still want to frame out the mirror and change the light fixture, but those are things I cannot do by myself.

Cabinets before.

Paint color before with new paint color

HJÄLMAREN Towel rack with 5 hooks from IKEA

As far as painting the cabinets.  It was SUUUPER easy!  I went into my local Lowes and talked to the best lady in the paint department.  She suggested Valspar Bonding Primer, for glossy surfaces.  OMG  so awesome!  No sanding needed!!  I did 2 coats of primer.  I used a large brush to paint it on.  I let it dry completely between coats.  

I painted the cabinets in "Betsy's Linen".  I did 4 coats of paint, because the grooves were so difficult to get into. I mostly used a foam roller, except I used a foam brush for the grooves.  

Go Solar!!

I’m an independent Solar Ambassador with SolarCity. We’re helping homeowners take control of their energy costs.

SolarCity can install solar panels on your home for free and sell you the power they generate for less than you currently pay.

This is your chance to save for years to come. Let me know if you have any questions and visit my website for a free consultation.

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DIY: Photo Tile Coasters

Perfect for any special holiday, a set of these tile photo coasters will cost less than $5 to make. The square tiles from your local home improvement store makes this DIY a unique way to showcase your favorite photographs. All you need is some Mod Podge and a bit of felt to complete this fun project.  Stack them and wrap with a ribbon, and you've got the perfect gift for someone special. These coasters are so cute, you'll probably end up making another set for yourself.

I decided to make mine look like polaroids.  Though I screwed up on the vertical one, so don't mind it.  :)  I also didn't take photos of every step, maybe next time.

What You'll Need:

• 4-by-4-inch white tiles
• Photos sized to 3.5x5 - (4x4 if you want to cover the entire tile)
• Mod-Podge (I made mine myself, see DIY)
• foam brush
• Hot glue gun
• Cork squares  (or felt circles) 
• Clear Spray Sealant

Directions:

1.  Pick up small white tiles at your local home improvement store, they are super cheap. Select pictures to use for the project, resize to 3.5x5 inches. (Keep in mind when you're formatting your photos that they will be printed at 3.5 x 5", but you'll be trimming them smaller than that, so make sure your main subject doesn't fill up the entire photo.) Once you have your photos printed you'll need to trim them down to 3.25 x 3.75", which means you're shaving off 0.25" height-wise and 1.25" width-wise.

2.  Clean and dry your ceramic tile. Then "rough up" your tile with some sandpaper helps the Mod Podge stick better.  

3.  Using your sponge brush, paint a thin coat of Mod Podge on the back of your photo. Carefully place the photo on your ceramic tile, leaving about 1/4" border around the top and two sides, and about 1" border at the bottom.

4. Smooth down the photo with a credit card or something similar, taking care not to let the photo slide around on the tile too much. Let dry.

5. Apply a thin layer of Mod Podge with your sponge brush over the entire tile, photo included. Make sure you're using even, straight brush strokes, since these will still be somewhat visible on the final product. The Mod Podge will look white when you paint it on, but it dries clear. Let dry for several hours.

6. Repeat step 5 two or three more times until you have a good strong coat on top of your photo. Let dry between each coat.

7. When the Mod Podge is completely dry, spray the tile with a coat of your Clear Acrylic spray. This should remove the "tackiness" of the Mod Podge and make the coaster even more water resistant.

8. Stick cork to bottom of tile to protect your tabletops.

9. Wait 48-72 hours before placing anything on your tile, to make sure the Mod Podge and the Acrylic spray have set.

Enjoy!

Snowman Teacher Gifts

So, I can't take credit for the idea, yes, I saw it on Pinterest.  Actually, a friend posted hers on facebook, and I thought "OMG, those are adorable, I have to make them!"  So I did!  Everyone I'd seen used candy bars, but my son asked his teacher and she said she loved peanut butter M&Ms, so I bought those instead.

What you need:
White paper (I just used printer paper)
Markers
Tape
Ribbon
Fuzzy socks
Candy bag or bar
Optional: googly eyes & Glue Gun

My bag of M&Ms, and most everything I used.

Wrap the paper around your candy.  Tape paper to the bag and then fold over the other side and tape there.  I then folded up the bottom, just like wrapping a present & taped there as well.  

All ready for eyes, a carrot nose, and buttons.

I decided to use googly eyes then draw on the buttons and the carrot.  

I put one sock inside the other, then stretched the other sock over the top of the M&M bag.  FInally, I folded over the sock and used ribbon to tie it off.  

And you're done!!  Such an easy fun gift!

Velata Peppermint Bark

So I don't know about you, but I LOVE Peppermint Bark.  I could eat it all year, in-fact, now that I know how easy it is to make, I just might!  

I knew I wanted to use dark chocolate, instead of milk.  I decided to try it with my Velata Belgium Dark & White Chocolate.  Every time I whip out the chocolate fondue for parties or gatherings, everyone always compliments the taste of it, so I had the *ding* moment, use it for Peppermint Bark!  The packages are the perfect portion sizes, so no measuring needed!

Ingredients:

• 6 oz Package of Velata Dark Chocolate
• 6 oz Package of Velata White Chocolate
• Velata Peppermint Mixable (not pictured)
• 3 Candy Canes
• Tin Foil
• Sandwich sized ziplock bag

Directions:

1.  Line the bottom and sides of a square pan with tin foil, and smooth it out as much as possible.

2.  Warm the Dark Chocolate in the microwave until melted. I put it in the microwave for :30 second intervals.  I did 3 of them, just keep an eye on it prevent any melting of package.

3.  Once melted, pour it into the tin foil wrapped dish.  With a spatula move chocolate to cover the bottom, touching the corners and sides.  I also added some Veleta peppermint mixin to give it more flavor.  

4.  Allow to cool in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes until hardened.

5.  While waiting for the chocolate to harden, un wrap your 3 candy canes and put into a ziplock bag.  This is your chance to get rid of any aggression you may be hiding.  Pound away using what you have available. I used the flat side of a meat hammer.

6.  Once dark chocolate is firm, it’s time to do the same with the white chocolate layer. While still melted, sprinkle the peppermint slivers. As much or as little as you want.

7. Put it back in the fridge for 25-30 minutes.

8.  Once hardened, break it apart.  Enjoy!

DIY: Mod-Podge

Mod-Podge is crazy expensive.  I was not about to pay close to $9 for a tiny bottle.  But its so easy to make, and once you do, you will NEVER buy it again. Ever.  

Materials

• multi-purpose white glue (I used cheapo generic stuff, but Elmer's works too)
• water
• Glass jar (I used an old large salsa jar)
• (thats it!!)

Directions:

1.  Make sure your jar is clean.

2.  Pour the glue in almost half way up.

3.  Add the same amount of water as you did glue, making it a 50/50 solution.

4.  Shake it like a polaroid picture

5.  You're done!  Just make sure shake it before every use, even though it may not look like it needs it.  

New Time-out Chart

I made Mr. CK a time-out warning chart.  I'll let you know how it goes!!  I used a mini chip clip for his name to easily move the clip around the chart.  

Yummy Chicken Cream cheese in the crockpot!

I found this recipe via Pinterest.  I decided to try it and give it my own spin!

the Recipe calls for the following:
- Bag of frozen Chicken Breast Tenderloins (2.5-3lb bag)
- 8 oz block of cream cheese (don't use Fat Free! 1/3 less fat or regular is fine)
- Can of Black Beans, drained & rinsed. (or Pinto Beans if you prefer)
- Can of Corn, drained.
- Can of Rotel

Differences in mine:
I used two Large frozen breasts, 1/3 less fat cream cheese, and half jar Hot Salsa (I didn't have any Rotel).  But otherwise I used the black beans and the corn.  

Directions:
Put frozen chicken in the crock pot.
Put Cream cheese on top of the chicken.
Dump in the Black Beans (make sure they are drained & rinsed!!!)
Dump in the drained corn.
Dump in the Salsa.

Cover & cook in your Crock Pot on low for 6-8 hours.
I stirred it after 5 hours
You can shred the chicken when it is done, or just leave it as is.
This is what it looks like after 6 hours (shredded):

I served it on a 100% whole wheat tortilla with Cheese and spanish rice.  Hubby loved it!  I took photos, but must find them!

Niffty, Niffty, organizing my office...

My office is a disaster.  Plain and simple.  It always looks as if Hurricane Holly ripped through (yep, that's me!)  I hate my office to look cluttered.  Running a home business where I bring in clients and having them see my super messy office is embarrassing.


1.  I HATE how ugly my router and modem are in my office.  All those cords hanging around and looking mixed up.  I had seen this, so, I had an idea, why not hide them too!  I have had these orange Kassett boxes from Ikea for years and just never got around to putting stuff in them.  So here is what I did.  (sorry, I forgot to take step-by-step photos).

First up I took my handy dandy box cutter and cut two square holes out of the back of the box, and another square hole on the bottom of the box, so the modem sits on the dresser, not on the cardboard box.  I also cut the entire top off the box, since you can't see it anyway.  Having those extra holes is a MUST for ventilation.  I figured out the best way to do the cords and wrapped them all up inside the box, even my super long Ethernet cord!  Then I threw on the box lid.  So far, my husband, whose computer is upstairs on the other side of the house hasn't said anything about his wireless connection being slower.  SO I think we shall keep it like this!  It makes the top of my shelf look a ton better and  now I can add other boxes to the top of my shelf so it doesn't look so alone and out of place!

2.  I also decided I have these USB cords on the front of my desk that always fall down and try to get sucked into the vacuum!  Well, not anymore!  I used those big black binder clips on the keyboard drawer of my other desk to keep them off the ground!  Just pull them through to connect to the computer!  Super simple and pretty much free since Ive had those clips for years!  They were just collecting dust in my drawer.

Fun with Rocks

I found this craft via Pinterest.  Rocks  So I thought I'd try it.  We did it prior to the new information about NOT putting rocks in the oven.  

I put two rocks in our oven on the warm setting.  I don't know how hot it gets, but it was enough to warm the rocks, so the crayons would melt.  It was fun while it lasted and he wanted to do more rocks until... He touched a rock.  I did it with our 3.5 year old, I don't know how many times I said "You Cannot touch the rocks"  He'd repeat, "No touching the rocks, I know Momma"  What does he do?  Touches the rock.  We had a little blister, he's fine, but didn't want to do anymore after that.