Someone is Having a Birthday!!

Our very own LORIE is celebrating her birthday today!!!
We love you Lorie and hope you have a terrific day in the sunshine of Hawaii!
Have a piece of cake for each of us please. Have a fabulous day! We miss you!
~xoxoxo

Imagination and inspiration! Thanks!

Due to my complete immune system breakdown, I have not finished my sewing projects. So today I am featuring some great ideas I have seen in bloggerland[and don't have the energy to replicate]. I am always amazed by the incredible imagination and talent people have acquired.

I am in love with these valentine bags!Find them at http://tencowchick.com/2011/01/15/valentine-chair-backers/


These 'Love Trees' prove trees are not just for Christmas! So chic! Check them out at
http://brassyapple.blogspot.com/2011/01/love-treestutorial.html


This is one of those super cute crafts that you say to yourself, "why didn't I think of that?" I am on a quest a find cupcake liners [one more thing to hoard] So glad you shared. Find the tutorial here...http://brandyscrafts.blogspot.com/2011/01/simple-valentines-day-topiary.html



Love. Love. Love... this subway art! I lived in New Orleans as a nanny back in 1984 and this inspired work brought back such memories. Thanks! You can find it here...
http://www.bigdandme.com/2011/01/kelly-b-day-gift/


Have a FABULOUS Thursday!
~jan

Warming up in Winter

After 5 days of respiratory illness I just had to have some homemade soup to warm up my insides. It took a while to energize myself to get all the veggies chopped and shredded but alas, a family favorite! We like this with bread to dip or in a soup bread bowl. I made do with a whole wheat hoagie roll sliced up since I was too contagious to go shopping. I hope you enjoy this on a cold winters day.

Cheesy Potato Soup

1 large carrot shredded
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped broccoli
5 cups of sliced potatoes
4 chicken flavored bouillon cubes
1/4 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)


Cover with water and simmer until vegetables are tender. Using a fork, mash some of the potatoes against the inside of the pot, it makes a thicker soup.

3/4 cup butter
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 can evaporated milk
12 oz. Cheez Whiz
Salt and pepper to taste

I just toss the butter into the pot with the veggies and let it melt on a boil. In a small bowl mix the evap. milk and cornstarch freeing it from lumps. Pour into the soup pot and stir until thickening begins. Scoop in the Cheez Whiz and continue stirring until melted. Soup will be very hot, so let it cool a bit while you slice the bread or hollow out the bread bowls.

Warm soup is so healing to me! Enjoy :)

*I always thicken with gluten free cornstarch rather than flour, but you could use flour if that is your preference.
~jan

Linking to some of THESE wonderful parties.

Please forgive our absence in posts.

The majority of us are going through illness.

We hope to be feeling better soon:)

Keep checking back for new posts. Hopefully, we are better soon.

Thanks for being loyal followers!

Easy Pulled Pork

During the winter months I often use the slow cooker to have dinner ready when I get home from work. This recipe is very easy and my kids tell me it is better than the pulled pork from Texas Roadhouse.

1 cup beef broth
1 liter of rootbeer (or a little more if need to cover the meat)
1 minced garlic clove
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. coarse ground pepper
3 pounds of pork shoulder

Trim all the fat off the pork and pierce with a large fork. Place in slow cooker and pour liquids over the meat. Add garlic. Cook on low for about 8 hours. Remove from cooker and use 2 forks to pull meat apart into shreds. Dump liquids from the cooker. Return shredded meat to slow cooker and turn up to high. Add 1 small bottle of BBQ sauce (we prefer Sweet Baby Rays). Toss meat until well coated with the sauce and then continue cooking in slow cooker for 30 to 45 minutes.

Serve on toasted hamburger buns or as the main dish with some garlic red potatoes and grilled veggie skewer on the side. Enjoy!!

Join me at THESE linky parties!!


Picture courtesty of http://www.mccormick.com/Recipes/Slow-Cooker/Slow-Cookers-BBQ-Pulled-Pork.aspx

Bridal Shower

My youngest daughter threw a bridal shower for her sister earlier this week. I made an assortment of kitchen linens and a family cook book to give as my gift.

The towels are just some plain white kitchen towels that I embellished with machine embroidery and applique.

I knitted a collection of dishcloths using a well-known simple pattern.

• Using 100% cotton yarn, cast on 4 stitches
• Knit 2, yarn over, knit across to the end. Repeat until you have 40 stitches on your needle.
• For decrease rows, knit one, knit 2 together, yarn over knit 2 together, then knit across until only 4 stitches remain.
• Bind off and work in edges.

The napkins are just some checked linen that I serged to finish the edges.

And I made some appliqued and quilted hot pads.

For the cookbook, I printed our family recipes, 4 to a sheet on white card stock.

Then cut them to 4" x 5.5" to fit in a 4x6 photo album.

I organized them into categories for ease of use.

Instead of a paper gift bag, I bought a Hawaiian themed reusable shopping bag to hold it all.

Gluten Free Chocolate Caramel Layers

I saw THIS yummy looking treat and wanted to make them for the holidays. Since Paisley's very own Amanda is not able to intake gluten, I revised this so she could indulge in the yumminess. The revised version is printed below. If you are not worried about gluten, click on the link and follow the recipe from the Purcells.


Crust:
1 1/2 cups gluten free oatmeal
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1 stick butter, cut into pieces
1 Tbs ice water
1 egg yolk

Toppings:
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 Tbs butter
2 Tbs corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. grease a 8 1/2-inch square metal baking pan. Blend oats in the food processor until powdery. Add brown sugar and cornstarch. Add butter and pulse until a coarse meal forms. Add ice water and egg yolk and blend just until moist clumps form. Press dough onto bottom of pan evenly. Bake 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely!

Whisk together condensed milk, brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves, butter melts and mixture comes to a boil. Insert a candy thermometer and boil gently until caramel is thick and temperature reaches 225 degrees F. Whisk constantly to prevent from burning. Pour caramel evenly over cooled crust and let set 15 minutes. Melt chocolate in a double boiler, stirring occasionally. Spread melted chocolate evenly over caramel layer. Refrigerate until set, at least one hour. Can be made three days ahead if covered and refrigerated. Cut into bars and enjoy!

Enjoy!
We link to THESE parties:)
AND Katie's Cucina - Food on Fridays

We Must Be Doing Something Right

We are SO excited to have received this amazing award from Crafty Like Lindy! 

Her blog is definitely 'stylish' and if you haven't become a follower of hers...you should!

She had the delicious recipe for Cherry Blossoms that I featured a few weeks ago. They were so good.

Thank you Lindy:]

To accept this Award you must:

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers.

4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award!

So here we go...7 things about Amanda:

1. The hotter the better! 

Food that is...I cant get enough of spicy & hot foods. 

Our garden this past year consisted solely of hot peppers and they made the best hot sauce, rubs and salsa I've ever had!

2. I am 23, have been married for 4 years and have a nearly 3 year old. 

People think I'm crazy & too young to have a family but, I wouldn't change one. single. thing.

3. There is nothing more therapeutic to me than painting the walls in our home. 

I love the change and seeing the finished product.

4. I don't have a runners body...my legs are really short but,

I love to go for a nice run and the occasional race.

5. I am super competitive. 

Which can be a curse because I take everything personally and obviously cant win at everything.

6. My favorite food is cheese...and I'm lactose intolerant:/

7. I love to make crafts as easy as possible...I'm all about the glue gun and tape!

Now , for 15 blogs who have made an impact on The Paisley Cupcake:

1.Giggles, Glitz & Glam....The cutest name in blog history:]
and she has made some adorable tutus...I think my lil girl needs one!

2. Sugar Bananas...I featured her a few months ago for the yummiest lip balm and sooo easy to make:]

3. Miz Helen's Country Cottage...my mouth waters everytime I take a look at her blog. Yummy Recipes!

4. Sand To Pearl...Introducing the queen of upcycling! There are some great tutorials I especially love the leg warmers for girl & dolly...I am going to do this for my lil gal!

5. Sew Into Crafts....cute cute cute! This bag won me over:]

6. From the Hive...her recent post Checker Board Quilt is soo cute. Beth's blog derserves some recognition.

7. Felt so Cute... These Valentines pillows caught my eye. LOVE THEM!

8. Designer Garden...Love. Her. Style! this pic says it all!!!

9. I'm a Mom not a Professional...as a SAHM myself, amen!!! Love this blog and this cute scarf:]

9.A sprinkle of this...a dash of that...Give this newcomer to blog world a warm welcome! She deserves it:]
I love her tutorial for a toddler belt....heaven knows my toddler has been needing one! I am sooo making one.

10. Little Eme...cute blog, cute background, cute stuff! I want a lil boy just so I can have this  sock monkey hat!

11. Flexible Dreams...I think we could be friends...love her humor & her blog:]

12. The Quick UnPick...relatively new to blogging...she gets an A+  for her crafting ablilties! Check her out and become a follower!








13. My Boss is Teething...Funny & real. Jen's blog is totally on its way to popularity!



14.Mostly Food and Crafts....OMG...her Jalapeno Popper Dip made my tummy rumble!!!
Cant wait to make it:]

15. Taradara...Once again, I adore this bloggers style! Check her out...she has an esty shop if you like whatcha see:]

Thank you all our readers for making what we do, important! we Heart all of you & your many blogs:]

Get Well Soon

I adore my neighbors. 

They have been so helpful since we moved in and have even adopted my daughter as one of their grandchildren:]

So when Mr. B got ill this past fall, a simple get well soon card wouldn't suffice.

I put my lil girl to work {she loves helping in the kitchen}

and made some super yummy cookies...Mr. B has a sweet tooth!

[You can find the recipe here.]

Rather than putting them on a flimsy paper plate I decided to make them have more feeling by dressing them up with some ribbon and a canning jar {with a wide opening.}

I sprayed the lid with silver paint and wrapped a "happy" colored ribbon around it.

I then made a card with my cricut and we went over for a visit with The B's.

It wasn't much but, a little extra effort is sure to show how much you care.

Mr. B was very grateful...and he did Get Well Soon:]

[A bakers dozen fit perfectly.]

-Amanda

we link to these parties