Emerald Breakfast On The Go Coupon

I found a REALLY good deal!  My family is loving these. Thought I'd pass it along.  Right now Price Chopper has a coupon on their website to buy Emerald Breakfast On The Go for $1.00 a box.

http://www.weusecoupons.com/upload/ne-price-chopper-ad-coupon-matchups/136864-money-saving-coupons.html
It also states that it may be combined with one manufacturer coupon per product purchased.  The link below will give you $1.00 of a box...
http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?tqnm=yc5fbcq27099781&bt=vi&o=81524&c=DF&p=NgL8w79x
ENJOY!

Easter Egg Nests

It really is amazing how many different recipes there are for Easter Egg Nests!  Pick your favorite.
Easter Egg Nests

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/easter-egg-nests/Detail.aspx
Original Recipe Yield 12 servings


Ingredients
3 drops green food coloring
1/2 teaspoon milk
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
6 ounces white confectioners' coating

Directions
1.In a small bowl, mix food coloring with milk; add coconut and mix until evenly tinted; set aside.
2.Melt confectioners' coating over a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring every 15 to 30 seconds until smooth. Mix with coconut mixture and place by spoonfuls on waxed paper. Shape mixture like a bird's nest, making a slight indentation in the center of each one.
3.Cool completely and decorate by placing candies in the center of each nest.
 
Easter Egg Nests

http://www.meals.com/Recipes/Egg-Ceptional-Easter-Nests.aspx?recipeid=143819
Estimated Times

Preparation Time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 1 min
Servings: 30 nests

Ingredients
Wax paper
1 2/3 to 2 cups (11- to 12-ounce package) NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Butterscotch or Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cans (5 ounces each) chow mein noodles
30 to 60 NESTLÉ NestEggs, any flavor

Directions
LINE trays with wax paper.

MICROWAVE morsels in large, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power for 1 minute; STIR. The morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted. Stir in peanut butter until well blended.

ADD chow mein noodles to morsel mixture; toss until coated. Using ice cream scoop that measures about 2 rounded tablespoons, scoop and drop onto prepared trays then immediately shape into nests. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Before serving, place one or two Nest Eggs in each nest. Store prepared nests in covered container for up to 1 day.


http://www.recipetips.com/recipe-cards/t--3793/peanut-butter-easter-nests.asp
Ingredients 

- 7 ounces marshmallow creme
- 1/4 cup peanut butter , creamy
- 1 3/4 tablespoons butter , melted
- 2 1/2 cups chow mein noodles
- 1 cup Plain M&M candies, chopped
- 1 cup Peanut M&M candies

Serving Size: 1
Servings: 15
Prep Time: 2 hours

Chop the Plain M&M's into smaller pieces using a large knife. Set the chopped candies aside to be added later.

Add the marshmallow creme, peanut butter, and melted butter to a mixing bowl and beat until evenly mixed.

Add the chow mein noodles and the chopped M&M's to the creamed mixture and stir in by hand. Stir mixture until the chow mein noodles and M&M's are coated evenly.

Using a heaping tablespoon of the mixture, drop a mound onto a lightly buttered cookie sheet. With buttered fingers, form each mound into a rounded shape and make an indent in the middle to make them look like little nests.

Add Peanut M&M's to each nest to make them look like they are filled with eggs. Set them aside to allow them to firm up before serving.

ALMOND MACAROON EASTER NESTS

http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1810,155183-225201,00.html
2 c. flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. butter, softened
8 oz. pkg. creamed cheese, softened
1 c. sugar
3/4 tsp. almond extract
7 oz. coconut
Red and yellow liquid food coloring
120 pastel colored sugar-coated almonds

Mix dry ingredients; set aside. Cream butter and cheese; add sugar and almond extract; beat until fluffy. Gradually beat in flour mixture and loosely-packed cup of coconut until blended. Cover and refrigerate 45 minutes or until firm enough to handle.

Put 1/2 cup loosely packed coconut into each of 2 glass jars and the remaining 1/2 cup coconut into a bowl. Add 1 drop red food coloring to 1 jar and 1 drop of yellow to other jar. Close jars and shake vigorously until coconut is evenly tinted; add to untinted coconut and toss to mix.

Divide chilled dough in half and keep rest in refrigerator; roll slightly rounded tablespoonfuls dough in 20 balls; roll each in coconut until lightly coated. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets sprayed with Pam. Press 1 almond into each; bake 12 minutes at 350 degrees; remove from oven and gently press 2 more almonds close to other almond on each cookie; to resemble eggs in nest.

Bake 4 to 5 minutes longer until edges start to turn golden. Cool on wire rack completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

Spring activities

Okay, according to this chart, Spring began on March 20th, 2011... Although It certainly doesn't feel like Spring where I live!  So this means Mud season has officially began.  Try out these "mud" related activities and treats with your children.

Year: Spring begins on ...


2009: March 20

2010: March 20

2011: March 20

2012: March 20

2013: March 20


The Magpie's Nest
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/bird-day/short-stories/the-magpies-nest.html
by Joseph Jacobs

All the birds of the air came to the magpie and asked her to teach them how to build nests. For the magpie is the cleverest bird of all at building nests. So she put all the birds round her and began to show them how to do it. First of all she took some mud and made a sort of round cake with it.

"Oh, that's how it's done!" said the thrush, and away it flew - and so that's how thrushes build their nests.

Then the magpie took some twigs and arranged them round in the mud.

"Now I know all about it!" said the blackbird, and off it flew - and that's how the blackbirds make their nests to this very day.

Then the magpie put another layer of mud over the twigs.

"Oh, that 's quite obvious!" said the wise owl, and away it flew - and owls have never made better nests since.

After this the magpie took some twigs and twined them round the outside.

"The very thing!" said the sparrow, and off he went - so sparrows make rather slovenly nests to this day.

Well, then Madge magpie took some feathers and stuff, and lined the nest very comfortably with it.

"That suits me!" cried the starling, and off it flew - and very comfortable nests have starlings.

So it went on, every bird taking away some knowledge of how to build nests, but none of them waiting to the end.

Meanwhile Madge magpie went on working and working without looking up, till the only bird that remained was the turtle-dove, and that hadn't paid any attention all along, but only kept on saying its silly cry, "Take two, Taffy, take two-o-o-o!"

At last the magpie heard this just as she was putting a twig across, so she said, "One's enough."

But the turtle-dove kept on saying, "Take two, Taffy, take two-o-o-o!"

Then the magpie got angry and said, "One's enough, I tell you!"

Still the turtle-dove cried, "Take two, Taffy, take two-o-o-o!"

At last, and at last, the magpie looked up and saw nobody near her but the silly turtle-dove, and then she got rarely angry and flew away and refused to tell the birds how to build nests again.

And that is why different birds build their nests differently.


Graphing Mud Pies
http://kindernature.storycounty.com/display.aspx?DocID=2005420125
Read the story Mud Pies by Judith Grey. Have the children list their favorite pie. Make paper circles. Cut each into 6 or 8 pieces. Give each child a piece of pie and have them color it. Create a graph of favorite pies.

Using fabric or large sheet of paper, make a grid large enough to accommodate the pie shapes.

As a follow up, have the children create their own mud pies. To make a soft batch of mud, mix garden soil with water in a bucket. Provide each child with a small foil cupcake liner. Fill each cupcake liner with mud and let it dry over the next week. Spray with acrylic and use as a paperweight.



Worms help us Sung To: "Mary Had a Little Lamb"

The worms are mixing up the soil,

Up the soil, up the soil.

The worms are mixing up the soil

So we can plant our seeds.


The soil is loose and all mixed up,

All mixed up, all mixed up.

The soil is loose and all mixed up,

The seeds are growing well.

I Love Mud
http://www.kidslist.uc.edu/gs/neil/nsong2_002.html

Chorus:
Mud, mud, I love mud.

I'm absolutely, positively, wild about mud!

I can't go around it, I've gotta go through it.

Beautiful, fabulous, super-duper mud!


Big Teddy White, his clothes were mighty clean.

Went swimming in a pool of mud, he made quite a scene.

He started with the backstroke, followed by the crawl.

You should have seen him swimming when he heard his father call!


Julianna Root, in shiny yellow boots,

Saw a pool of mud that she wanted to go through.

She only took two steps, then she disappeared.

Nobody has seen her for twenty-five years!


Mud, Mud, Mud Is Fun
http://kindernature.storycounty.com/display.aspx?DocID=20054191149
(To the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat)

Mud, mud, mud is fun

Watch us stir it up

Round and round and round and round

Mud is fun to make.


Mud, mud, mud is fun

Listen to it squish

Through our fingers, round our toes

Squish is how it goes.


A Song For Making Mud Pie

(To the tune of Sing a Song of Sixpence)

Sing a song for mud pie,

It’s my favorite brand.

Mix it ‘til it’s mushy,

Squeeze it with your hand,

Put it in a tin pan,

Leave it in the sun.

Wait about an hour,

Then you know it will be done!

 Oreo Sand & Dirt Cups

http://brands.kraftfoods.com/jello/explore/zone/earthly-delights/

Digging for worms with a spoon??? No problem, because these worms are gummies buried in pudding and cookie crumb dirt. Yum!

•2 cups cold milk

•1 package (4-serving size) JELL-O Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling

•1 tub (8 ounces) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

•15 OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, finely crushed, divided

•10 paper or plastic cups (6 to 7 ounces) or dessert dishes

•10 worm-shaped chewy fruit snacks

Prepare 1 package each (4-serving size) JELL-O Vanilla Instant Pudding and JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding separately, with 2 cups each cold milk, as directed on packages. Let stand 5 minutes.

Gently stir 1/2 cup of Cool Whip Whipped Topping into each bowl of pudding. Finely crush 20 Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, then sprinkle 1 tablespoon into bottom of 8 (6-ounce) dessert cups. Top each with 1/4 cup vanilla pudding, 1 tablespoon cookie crumbs and 1/4 cup chocolate pudding. Sprinkle evenly with remaining cookie crumbs. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until ready to serve.

Insert 2 gummy worms into each dessert cup just before serving. Makes 8 Oreo Sand and Dirt Cups.

Easter games

EASTER GAMES FOR CHILDREN 

EASTER BINGO
http://holidays.kaboose.com/easter-party.html


Supplies:
Make your own egg shaped bingo cards
Small candy, such as M&M's, for markers
Easter basket to hold call cards

How To Play:
Create your own cards using an Easter, April, or candybar theme. Easter theme might include: basket, egg, green, yellow, blue, bunny, chocolate. April theme might include: Umbrella, trees, rain, boots, raincoat, puddle, tulips. A candybar theme might include: Skor, Mr. Goodbar, Milkyway, Hershey, Kisses, Hugs, Joy (go to the grocery store for this one).

Another variation to create your own Bingo card: Write the names of all the children on pieces of paper and drop them into an Easter basket. Note: remove the names of any children absent that day.

Create a BINGO card with blank spaces. Across the top it will say "N-A-M-E-S". Have the children go around and have their classmates sign their name to the spaces on the card. When all are done, have them sit down at their tables.

Play NAMES by drawing a name out of the bag. Play regular BINGO or blackout. If the children really like the game, then play "Postage Stamp" any 2x2 square (4 names) on the board, etc.

HOW MANY EGGS?
http://childparenting.about.com/od/funcelebrations/tp/Eastergames.htm

Supplies:
Large glass jar filled with chocolate eggs
Small pieces of paper
Easter basket
Pencil

How To Play: Have children write their name on a small piece of paper and their guess as to how many chocolate eggs are in the jar. The child who guesses the right number or comes closest takes the jar of candy home to share with their family.

EASTER SCRAMBLE (6+UP)
http://holidays.kaboose.com/easter-word-games.html

Supplies:
Index Cards
Paper Bags

How To Play: Choose an Easter word such as: Easter Bunny, Chocolate, Basket, Hippity-Hop.... Write the letters of the word on individual index cards. Do this two times, making two sets. Put each set in a brown paper bag. Divide children into teams. Give each team a bag. The first team to decipher what the word in the bag is, wins. A variation of the game would be to divide into teams with the same number of children as there are letters in the word. Each child get's a letter and they must hold onto the card and stand in the proper order to spell the word for all to see.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes Videos : Food Network

Click on the link below to watch Paula Dean make one of her famous Gooey Cakes.
Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes Videos : Food Network

Paula Dean Gooey Cake

One of my family members is vacationing in Florida... While celebrating her b-day, she experienced the "joy" of the Paula Dean Gooey Cake (coconut flavor).  It must have been good, she couldn't say enough about it!  I did some research and found that there are many different flavors of this rich cake.  Some of which include Pumpkin, Peanut Butter, Double Chocolate, Coconut Chocolate Chip etc.. etc.. etc..
     These cakes can be ordered online, and shipped to your home. The cake mixes can also be bought.  I have included the link to find these products. Let me know what you think if you bake up one of these creations!

http://www.foodnetworkstore.com/ProductList.aspx?Ntt=paula+dean+gooey+cake&Ntx=mode%2Bmatchall&Nty=1&N=0&Ntk=All

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes: variations listed at bottom of recipe


Ingredients
Cake:
1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.

Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Variations: For a Pineapple Gooey Cake: Instead of the pumpkin, add a drained 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.

For a Banana Gooey Cake: Prepare cream cheese filling as directed, beating in 2 ripe bananas instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.

For a Peanut Butter Gooey Cake: Use a chocolate cake mix. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter to the cream cheese filling instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.

Candy Bar Brownies

     I had Easter on the brain today! Candy... candy... and more candy!  I found two great brownie recipes that use candy bars. Use them for a bake sale, family dessert, or gathering. I would love to know if anyone has made these before, and if they are as good as they look!   ENJOY 

SNICKER BAR BROWNIES
http://www.ehow.com/how_5072020_make-snickers-bar-brownies.html

Instructions.
Things you'll need:

1 stick of butter, melted
non-stick cooking spray
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon real vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup flour
8 fun-size Snickers bars or 4 regular sized Snickers bars.

Blender
Large Mixing Bowl
9x13 cake pan
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Use a 9" x 13" cake pan to make the Snickers Bar Brownies.
Spray pan with non-stick vegetable oil spray.

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together. Make sure this mixture is well blended.

2. Add the eggs one at a time to the butter/sugar mixture and beat thoroughly.

3. Stir in two tablespoons of water and 1/2 tsp of real vanilla extract.

4. Add salt and baking powder to the mix. Beat in until blended.

5. Next, add the cocoa and blend in to the mixture.

6. At this point, add the flour and mix gently until just blended together.

7. Put the cold Snickers bars into a blender and pulse on low speed until all the bars have been reduced to a crumbly texture. If you are using larger bars instead of the fun sized bars, cut the bars into three or four pieces before putting in the blender.

8. Remove chopped Snickers Bars from blender and add to mixture in bowl. Blend in gently.

9. Using a spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

10. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the center is set but still a bit soft. The top will crack a bit. Cool completely before cutting into squares.
Twix Candy Bar Brownies


TWIX CANDY BAR TRIPLE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
Adapted from: Recipe Girl
http://www.cookingandme.com/2010/11/twix-candy-bar-triple-chocolate.html
Makes 12 large pieces

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
3 oz / 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped semi-sweet chocolate
6 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 tsp instant coffee powder
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar (regular white sugar)
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tbsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
2 twix bars (singles) chopped into 1/2" pieces (chill before cutting)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F / 180C. Grease an 8" brownie / cake pan and set aside.

2. In a pan set over another pan of boiling water, melt both the chocolates and butter together until smooth and glossy. Let cool slightly.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, coffee powder, vanilla and sugar. Stir the egg mixture into the slightly cooled chocolate mixture. Cool to room temperature.

4. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; add to batter. Stir chopped Twix bars into chocolate mixture. Then pour into prepared baking pan and smooth top with a rubber spatula. You can reserve some slices and place on top too.

5. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean with a few crumbs attached; do not overbake! Let cool completely, then cover tightly and chill overnight. Chilled brownies are easier to cut and they actually taste better the next day.

A.C.Moore coupon- EXP. March 26th, 2011

Here is current A.C.Moore coupon good till March 26th, 2011

http://dealspl.us/acmoore-coupons/232246p

Bzzagent campaign

Check out my latest campaign with bzzagent.  The new glade scents for the spring smell amazing... I was given products from Scrubbing Bubbles, Glade and Pledge.  The Perfect products to start my spring cleaning! Click on this link for coupon to try the new scents they offer! coupon link:

http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?bt=vi&tqnm=ychleyj65351115&o=83203&c=SJ&p=LHdD5Eix


To learn more about these products, click on websites below!
glade.com
pledge.com
scrubbingbubbles.com

Bubble solution recipes

 We had such a nice weather day today... I broke out the new bubbles I bought.  The small bubble holders run out so fast.  Not to mention "accidental dumping!" Then I remembered how easy home made solutions are to make.  They are great to have on hand when the bubble holders get low.  Just fill um up! http://www.tooter4kids.com/Bubbles/Activities_Recipes.htm

Basic Bubbles
2 T dish soap
1 cup water

Sweet Bubbles
1 T corn syrup
2 T dish soap
1 cup water

Magic Bubbles
1 T glycerin
2 T dish soap
9 oz water

Color Bubbles
1 cup liquid tempera paints
2 T dish detergent
1 T liquid starch


Hints for making bubble solutions:

*Mix up the recipes the day before for best results.

*Glycerin is inexpensive and can be found in most drug stores. The children think that the bubbles are so much better that it is worth keeping a small bottle on hand.

*Do NOT use the Sweet Bubbles recipe if you have bees or wasps in your yard.

*Color Bubbles can be a bit messy. Be sure to use yse washable paint. You can add also add a little water if the mix is too thick.

Barnes & Noble printable coupons

Barnes & Noble had 2 good coupons on their website!  They are for members only, but super easy to join...


http://www.bargainez.com/printable-coupons/30-off-kind-diet-by-alicia-silverstone-30-off-physics-of-the-future-by-michio-kaku-barnes-noble-printable-coupon/


http://www.barnesandnoble.com/email/Print_nonav.asp?r=1&PID=37575&r=1&IF=N&cm_mmc=Dealigg-_-k111512-_-j12871747k111512-_-Primary

St. Patricks Day activities

I visited the site below and found some really simple, and fun activities to do with your classroom or at home! I remember how excited my preschoolers were when the "Leprechaun" visited the classroom... Its pretty magical for them!http://www.perpetualpreschool.com/holiday_themes/stpat_games.html

For St. Patrick's Day: Fill a black pot (I use a Halloween witch's cauldron) with either gold foil covered chocolates that look like coins, or gold foil wrapped Hershey's HUGS. To make the pot look really full, stuff the bottom of the pot with crumpled newspaper and cover that with a piece of black construction paper. Show the pot of gold to the children in the beginning of their session, then, when the class is out of the room, ask a co-worker to hide all the "gold" and turn the pot upside down in the center of the room. Have a note written on the chalkboard (in green chalk of course!) that reads: "Have some fun and find my gold". Explain to the class that leprechauns are full of fun and mischief and that they want to play a game! Find the hidden "gold" pieces and count them. You can use both types of candy for this activity and then do a sorting activity. Let each child take home one or two pieces of "gold". My class loved this activity.


Leprechaun, Leprechaun Where's your shamrock?

This game is a take off on "Doggy, Doggy, Where's Your Bone".
The "leprechaun' sits with his eyes closed and a paper shamrock behind him. A child is chosen to tiptoe up and take the shamrock and return to his seat. Then all the children hide their hands in their pockets or behind their backs and recite "Leprechaun, Leprechaun, where's your shamrock? Someone has it in their pocket!" The leprechaun gets 3 guesses as to who has his shamrock. The person with the shamrock is the next leprechaun. My 4's love the versions of this game.

Place three plastic shamrocks (break off tips from those plastic cupcake decorative sticks you can find at the cake decorating store) into a bowl of green rice (color with alchohol as above). I also provide a pair of children's sunglasses with the lenses covered with green felt as a blindfold. The child tries to locate the shamrocks in the rice without the use of sight.

Leprechaun Gold Game

I spray paint macaroni with gold paint and then hide them in the rice/bean table. They children are convinced the leprechaun lost his gold. They love finding the gold.

Chex recipe for St. Patrick's Day

    
     Just in time for St. Patricks day... I found this easy recipe, the perfect treat to bring for a classroom party or to use at home. I hadn't seen this one before.  Just use some festive St. Patrick's day cupcake liners to serve them in!



http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/pot-o-gold-snack-mix/18dffbcf-fa1e-4238-b860-6db3eea79740?WT.dcsvid=NTUxMDk0NzI3NAS2&rvrin=94489B67-AB90-4307-A8F1-E0E570564513&WT.mc_id=Newsletter_BC_03_10_2011_Bi-Monthly

PREP TIME: 10 Min
TOTAL TIME: 15 Min
SERVINGS: 20


INGREDIENTS
4 cups Lucky Charms® cereal
2 cups Corn Chex® cereal
1 1/2 cups broken mini-pretzel twists (about 65 twists)
1 cup dry-roasted peanuts
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup green mini candy-coated milk chocolate candies

Directions
1. In large microwavable bowl, place cereals, pretzels and peanuts; set aside.

2. In 2-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave brown sugar, butter and corn syrup uncovered on High about 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until melted and smooth. Stir in baking soda until dissolved. Pour over cereal mixture, stirring until evenly coated.

3. Microwave uncovered on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring and scraping bowl every 30 seconds, just until cereal begins to brown. Cool 5 minutes; stir in candies. Spread on waxed paper to cool; break into bite-size pieces. Place in gold foil baking cups if desired. Store in airtight container.

Cupcakes for kids birthdays

     In my search to find the perfect cupcakes for my daughter's birthday party, I found great ideas along the way to share!  The rainbow cupcakes below use the large confetti sprinkes.  They also look amazing when decorating the flat cupcake cake from Wilton.  I made it last year for a birthday.  Do a search on my blog and take a look.  Just type in "birthday cake, cupcake cake". Easy cake to decorate, but looks like it took a while... Those are the best ones to make!!!

RAINBOW CUPCAKES
By Betty Crocker's The Big Book of Cupcakes

http://www.parenting.com/gallery/best-cupcake-recipes-for-kids?pnid=136815

MAKES: 12 cupcakes


PREP TIME: 40 Minutes

START TO FINISH: 1 Hour 40 Minutes

CUPCAKES:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coconut extract
¾ cup canned coconut milk (not cream of coconut)
Yellow, green, red and blue liquid food color

FROSTING:
1 ½ cups unsalted butter or margarine, softened
6 cups powdered sugar
Dash salt
5 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon coconut extract

Multicolored candy sprinkles, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 12 regular-size muffin cups.

2. In small bowl, mix flour and baking powder; set aside. In medium bowl, beat ½ cup butter and the granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon coconut extract. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture, ½ at a time, and coconut milk, ½ at a time, beating just until blended.

3. Measure about ¾ cup batter into each of 5 small bowls. For yellow, stir about 6 drops yellow food color into batter in first bowl. Tint second bowl green, with 6 drops green food color; third bowl red, with about 8 drops red food color; fourth bowl blue, with about 10 drops blue food color; and fifth bowl purple, with about 8 drops red food color and 3 drops blue food color.

4. Spoon scant tablespoon of yellow batter into each cup; smooth to edge of baking cup with back of spoon. Repeat with green, red, blue and purple batters (fill cups to ¾ full).

5. Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack to cool.

6. In large bowl, beat 1 ½ cups butter, the powdered sugar and salt with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in 4 tablespoons of the milk, ½ teaspoon
vanilla and ¼ teaspoon coconut extract. Add remaining milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until frosting is smooth and spreadable. Beat until fluffy.

7. Pipe or frost about ¼ cup frosting onto each cupcake. Sprinkle with multicolored sprinkles.

HELLO KITTY CUPCAKES

http://www.squidoo.com/birthdaycakepictures

With this recipe you roll and flatten out the fondant to make Hello Kitty

OWL CUPCAKES

http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/cakes-cupcakes/theme-cupcakes/night-owls-cupcakes-984215/

Ingredients


cupcakes
16-ounce can plus ½ cup of vanilla frosting
green food coloring
blue food coloring
purple food coloring
finely chopped sweetened coconut
chocolate sprinkles
chocolate wafer cookies
jellyrings
Junior Mints
mini chocolate chips
circus peanuts
M&M's
pretzel rods

Instructions

You'll need a 16-ounce can plus ½ cup of vanilla frosting. Spoon ½ cup into a ziplock bag (snip off a corner for piping), tint 1 cup with green food coloring, and reserve the rest.

From 2 cups finely chopped sweetened coconut, tint ½ cup blue, ½ cup purple, and reserve the rest.

Frost 10 cupcakes green and 8 white. Roll the edges of two of the white cupcakes in chocolate sprinkles.

Arrange the Mama Owl as shown at right. Use a serrated knife to halve 5 chocolate wafer cookies (we used Famous Chocolate Wafers) for the wings and trim the sides from another cookie for the brows. Make each eye from a whole cookie, piped-on frosting, a jelly ring and a Junior Mint. Sprinkle the white coconut over the chest and scatter with mini chocolate chips. Add pretzel-rod branches and trimmed circus peanuts for the beak and talons, as shown above.

Make each owlet's wings and beak with the same ingredients used for the Mama Owl. Add colored coconut and chocolate chips for the chest, smaller cookie pieces for the brows. Use jelly rings and brown M&M's for the eyes.

* The Wilton website never fails to give me the best selection of ideas to choose from! Check it out below.
http://www.wilton.com/idea/Cupcake-Stack-Cake

Michaels printable coupon: Sun., March 6th, 2011-Sat. March 12th, 2011

http://dealspl.us/michaels-coupons/224549p

Printable Glade coupon

     Here is a printable Glade coupon from bzzagent! Click on the link below. They have a great site to try out products, read/add reviews, plus a whole lot more... Easy to sign-up! I recently signed up and became a BZZagent.  I received this coupon from them to share with my blog readers.  I am also waiting for a "spring cleaning solutions package" with SC Johnson products in it for my home.  Check out their website! http://www.bzzagent.com/

coupon link:
http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?bt=vi&tqnm=ychleyj65351115&o=83203&c=SJ&p=LHdD5Eix

Family Fun Magazine craft

When I saw this in the March, 2011 issue of Family Fun magazine I thought it was such a great idea! Best magazine! The website does not provide a picture to go along with the directions... I took a photo of the page to go along with it. (I always find it more helpful to have a picture when doing a craft.)  You can color coordinate them to go with family celebrations, birthdays or even school functions.  If you didn't want to use the lamp-cord kit, just use a styrofoam ball and a good glue to use them as a hanging decoration.  Kids will have a lot of fun with this version...

http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/cupcake-liner-lantern-992740/

Materials

12-inch-diameter paper lantern

Wide mixing bowl

170 standard-size pleated paper cupcake liners (match the colors of the lantern and the liners closely)

Paintbrush

Tacky glue (check the label to be sure it dries clear)

170 mini pleated paper cupcake liners

Lamp-cord kit and bulb (follow wattage guidelines for your lantern)


Instructions

Assemble the lantern according to the package directions, then set it upside down in the bowl. If you're using cupcake liners with color or pattern only on the outside, fl ip them inside out (speed up the process by keeping them stacked and turning a few at a time).

Working in batches of ten, brush the bottoms of the standard-size liners with a light, even layer of tacky glue (thin it with water, if needed).

Quicky press the cups onto the lantern, applying them in evenly spaced rows around the circumference. (Spacing out the rows allows the liners to expand as they dry.)

When the glue is dry, add more standard-size liners to fi ll in the gaps and let dry.

Brush glue on the bases of the mini liners and adhere them inside the standard-size ones. For an even fuller-looking lantern, such as the white one above, substitute standard-size "flowers" for some of the mini liners (see the instructions at right).

Flip the lantern and repeat the process on its top section. Plug in the lamp cord, hold the illuminated bulb inside the lantern, and check for bare spots. Fill them with mini or standard-size liners as needed.

When it's dry, hang the lantern following the instructions on the packaging of the lamp-cord kit.

Variations: TO MAKE FLOWERS Scrunch a standard-size liner toward its center, then press the bottom flat. Brush glue onto the flattened surface, then stick the flower in place.

Taste of Home

     I attended the Taste of Home cooking show yesterday in Keene N.H. It was my first show, I really enjoyed it.... The goodie bag was filled with The Spring 2011 Cooking school magazine, Simple and Delicious magazine, and great coupons from company's such as Philadelpia, Classico, and Gallo. It was filled with yummy recipes, 10 of which the instructor cooked on stage for the audience. In the beginning of the show they have you fill out a form that was in our goodie bag (another plus!).  They collect the form and use them throughout the show to draw from.  Great prizes like cookbooks, a grill/smoker, and even the food that was prepared during the show were given away.
     I am sure that each show is different but I do wish the 2 televisions on each side could have been larger.  It was a bit difficult to see.  Other than that, so worth it! The tickets were 12.00 a piece.  A free pre-show was also given hours before the show.  The pre-show featured company's/products from our city.  If you love to cook check it out!  There is a list of shows/times on their website.  I included the link below. 

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Cooking-Schools/About-the-Taste-of-Home-Cooking-School

A FEW OF MY FAVORITES FROM THE SHOW:
 
Lemon Angel Cake Roll Recipe

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Lemon-Angel-Cake-Roll-2
10 Servings Prep: 30 min. Bake: 15 min. + cooling
 
Ingredients

9 egg whites
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup cake flour
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

FILLING:
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
Yellow food coloring, optional
Additional confectioners' sugar

Directions

Place the egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with waxed paper; lightly coat paper with cooking spray and set aside.

Add vanilla and cream of tartar to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Fold in flour, about 1/4 cup at a time.

Carefully spread batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 5 minutes.

Turn cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar. Gently peel off waxed paper. Roll up cake in the towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool completely on a wire rack.

In a large saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch; stir in water until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.

Remove from the heat. Gently stir in lemon juice, peel and food coloring if desired. Cool to room temperature without stirring.

Unroll cake; spread filling to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up again. Place seam side down on a serving plate; sprinkle with additional confectioners' sugar. Yield: 10 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 slice equals 243 calories, 1 g fat (trace saturated fat), 21 mg cholesterol, 57 mg sodium, 55 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 5 g protein.


Parmesan, Walnut & Arugula Baskets
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Parmesan--Walnut---Arugula-Baskets
6 Servings Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts

SALAD:
4 cups fresh arugula or spring mix salad greens
1/2 cup green grapes, halved
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons cheese and 1 teaspoon walnuts over the bottom of the skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until edges are golden brown and cheese is bubbly. Remove from the heat and let stand for 30 seconds.

Using a spatula, carefully remove cheese mixture and immediately drape over an inverted glass with a 2-in.-diameter bottom; cool completely. Repeat with remaining cheese and walnuts, forming five more baskets.

For salad, in a large bowl, combine the arugula, grapes and walnuts. Whisk the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour over arugula mixture; toss to coat. Place 1/2 cup salad in each basket. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving equals 147 calories, 12 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 11 mg cholesterol, 357 mg sodium, 4 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 7 g protein.

Coupon network

I just printed coupons on http://couponnetwork.com/ It was super easy to print coupons, I really like the way it is set up... Worth a look before you head to the grocery store!

Girl Scout Cookies

If you love Girl Scouts Cookies, Check these out! They are homemade recipes I found on two great sites! I'd love to hear comments about how they turned out for you...  
Homemade Thin Mints
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/03/cakespy-homemade-thin-mints-girl-scout-cookies-recipe.html
serves about 36 cookies
Ingredients:

For the cookies:

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/3 cup milk (any kind)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 tsp peppermint extract

For the dark chocolate coating:

10 ounces dark or semisweet chocolate (I used Hershey's Special Dark)

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt.

2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. With the mixer on low speed, add in the milk and the extracts. Mixture will look slightly curdled. Gradually, add in the flour mixture until fully incorporated.

3. Shape dough into two logs, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1 to 2 hours (I did mine overnight), until dough is very firm.

4. Preheat oven to 375°F.

5. For the most authentic texture, slice dough into rounds not more than 1/4 inch thick (they will not be as crisp if they are thicker, but they're still delicious) and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cookies will not spread very much, so you don't have to leave too much space around each one.

6. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until cookies are firm at the edges. Cool cookies completely on a wire rack before dipping in chocolate.

7. Prepare the coating. While the original recipe suggested preparing it in the microwave, I did mine on the stovetop by combining the chocolate on butter in a medium saucepan on low heat, stirring frequently until the mixture was melty and fully combined. The texture will be thicker than a chocolate syrup, but not so thick that cookies can't easily be dipped and removed. You can put the chocolate mixture back on heat as needed to keep the coating smooth and easy to dip your cookies into.

8. Note: Per the recipe I adapted, this can also be done in the microwave: in a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Melt on high power in the microwave, stirring every 45 to 60 secnds, until chocolate is smooth. Chocolate should have a consistency somewhere between chocolate syup and fudge for a thin coating. (Note: Reheat chocolate as needed to keep it smooth and easy to dip into.)
9. Dip each cookie in melted chocolate, turn with a fork to coat, then transfer to a piece of parchment paper or wax paper to set up for at least 30 minutes, or until chocolate is cool and firm.

Homemade and All-natural Thin Mint Recipe Chocolate Wafers:
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001370.html
 
Ingredients:
8 ounces organic butter, room temperature

1 cup organic powdered sugar, (I use Wholesome Sweeteners brand)

1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

1 cup cocoa powder (I use Dagoba's cacao powder)

3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

Chocolate Peppermint Coating:

1 pound good quality semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

natural peppermint oil to taste

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350. Racks in the middle zone.

Make the cookie dough: In a mixer cream the butter until it is light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and cream some more, scraping the sides of the bowl a couple times if necessary. Stir in the vanilla extract and then the salt and cocoa powder. Mix until the cocoa powder is integrated and the batter is smooth and creamy, sort of like a thick frosting. Add the whole wheat pastry flour and mix just until the batter is no longer dusty looking, it might still be a bit crumbly, and that's o.k. You don't want to over mix and end up with tough cookies.

Turn the dough out onto a counter, gather it into a ball, and kneed it just once or twice to bring it together into once nice, smooth mass. Place the ball of dough into a large plastic bag and flatten it into a disk roughly 3/4-inch thick. Place the dough in the freezer for 20 minutes to chill.

Rollout and bake: Remove the dough from the freezer and roll it out really thin, remember how thin Thin Mints are? That's how thin you need your dough, about 1/8-inch. You can either roll it out between two sheets of plastic, or dust your counter and rolling pin with a bit of flour and do it that way. Stamp out cookies using a 1 1/2-inch cutter (this time I used one with a fluted edge, I've done hearts and other shapes in the past). Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a baking rack if you've got one.

Make the peppermint coating:

While the cookies are in the oven you can get the coating ready. I use a makeshift double boiler to melt chocolate (a metal pan over a saucepan of gently simmering water), but I know many people who swear by melting chocolate in the microwave. Slowly melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally until it is glossy and smooth. Stir in the peppermint extract. If you think the chocolate needs a bit more peppermint kick, add more extract a drop or two at a time - but don't go overboard.

Finishing the cookies: You are going to coat the cookies one at a time and then gently set them on a parchment-lined baking sheet to set. Drop one cookie into the chocolate and (using a fork) carefully make sure it gets fully coated. Lift the cookie out of the chocolate with the fork and bang the fork on the side of the pan to drain any extra chocolate off the cookie. You are after a thin, even coating of chocolate. Place on the aforementioned prepared baking sheet, and repeat for the rest of the cookies. Place the cookies in the refrigerator or freezer to set. They will set at room temperature, it just takes much longer, and I prefer them straight out of the freezer anyways ;)

Make 3 or 4 dozen cookies.

Peanut Butter desserts

I love Peanut Butter!  If you do too, check out these great dessert recipes.  I saw an article about the Pioneer Woman in a magazine.  I decided to check out her website.  Its awesome.  Its full of delicious recipes! Check out some of her recipes below, then head over to her website thepioneerwoman.com

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie



http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/06/another-pie/

Ingredients


FOR CRUST

■25 whole Oreos

■4 Tablespoons Butter, Melted

PEANUT BUTTER FILLING:

■1 cup Creamy Peanut Butter

■1 package (8 Ounce) Softened Cream Cheese

■1-¼ cup Powdered Sugar

■1 package (8 Ounce) Cool Whip, Thawed

Preparation Instructions

Crust:

Crush the Oreos until they’re fine crumbs. Pour melted butter over the top and stir with a fork to combine. Press into pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes, or until set.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Filling:

Beat the peanut butter with the cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add in the thawed Cool Whip and beat mixture until smooth, scraping the sides as needed.

Pour filling into crust, evening out the top with a knife or spatula. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Warning: This is ultra, ultra-rich. Cut small slivers—your guests will thank you!

Monster Cookies



http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/09/monster-cookies/
Ingredients


■2 sticks (1/2 Pound) Butter (salted) Softened

■½ cups White Sugar

■1-½ cup Brown Sugar, Packed

■2 whole Large Eggs

■1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

■1-½ cup All-purpose Flour

■½ teaspoons Baking Soda

■1 teaspoon Baking Powder

■2 teaspoons Kosher Salt

■1-½ cup Oats (either Quick Or Regular)

■½ cups M & M's (more To Taste)

■½ cups Pecans, Chopped (more To Taste)

■¾ cups Chocolate Chips (milk Or Semi-sweet)

■½ cups Peanut Butter Chips

■2-¼ cups Rice Krispies

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream butter with sugars until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and beat.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt. Add to mixing bowl and mix till combined. After that, add in remaining ingredients in whatever quantity you prefer. Add more nuts if you’d like, or more M & M’s, more peanut butter chips or chocolate chips.

Add Rice Crispies at the very end, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix!

Use a cookie scoop to scoop balls of dough onto a cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown, then allow to cool on a rack.

Serve with glasses of cold milk.

Cookie Dough and Candy
My sister in law told me about these.  So easy to make! Perfect for Bake Sales and school celebrations...



http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/01/cookie_dough_and_candy_/

Ingredients


■Refrigerator Cookie Dough

■Miniature Chocolate Candies

Preparation InstructionsSlice the cookie dough into 1 to 1 ½ inch slices. Lay the slices on their side and cut them into quarters. Place each quarter into a greased mini-muffin tin. Peel the wrapper from as many pieces of candy as cookies you’re going to make. (Don’t be afraid to try different combinations of candies and dough.)

Bake the cookie dough in a 350-degree oven for just a few minutes, about 6 to 8 at the most. You’ll want to take them out just when they start to turn golden.

Almost as soon as you pull the warm cookies from the oven, begin lightly pressing one piece of candy into each cookie. The warmer the cookies, the better. They’ll grab onto the pieces of candy and work their magic, making the candy nice and soft and melty. And ridiculous.

When they’re all done, carefully remove from muffin tins with a spoon and arrange on a nice decorative platter.