Happy Birthday to Me:-)

That's right! It's my birthday today. Yeah for me:-)

And as such, I am taking a bloggy break! See you tomorrow:-)

Spice Rack Cupcakes

Check out more stuff at Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Mom or Wordful Wednesday on SevEn cLoWn CirCus:-) And, I have added Mostly Wordless Wednesday over at Ordinary and Awesome to my list too!! Go check them all out:-)

Iron Cupcake: Milwaukee Spice Challenge was yesterday. Here is my entry:

Spice Rack Cupcakes

These are spice cupcakes with pecans and filled with cream cheese and presented in sugar spice bottles. The "caps" are white chocolate and the spice bottles are made from molded sugar. I thought it was a pretty cool idea:-)

Tackling Graduation Cupcakes

It's time for Tackle It Tuesday with 5 Minutes for Mom . Last week, I tackled cupcakes for my youngest daughter's graduation. Here is what I came up with:

Aren't they cute? She loved them and I loved making them for her:-)

Grilled Brats

Check me out over at At Work, At Play or At Home All Day talking about girlie stuff:-)

Here, I am doing more menu planning with I'm an Organizing Junkie and finding more deals at Pick N Save for $5 Dinners .

When I think of Memorial Day weekend, I think of grilling brats. There were on sale at Pick N Save for $6.88/3 lb. box (normally $9.99/3 lb. box) So, I picked a bunch up and I am making some this week. Check it all out below:-)

Here is what I am serving this week:

Monday: Grill Brats (see recipe below)

Tuesday: Left over Buffet (Iron Cupcake Night!!)

Wednesday: Garlic Chicken Risotto

Thursday: Eat Out (My Birthday)

Friday: Fish and Fries

Grilled Brats
12 Servings

3 lb box Brats
3 Beers
12 Hot Dog Buns
Assorted Condiments (ketchup, mustard, relish, onions, etc.)

1. Boil brats in beer.

2. Grill brats.

3. Enjoy on buns with assorted condiments

Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)
----------------------------------------------
Calories: 486.48
Calories From Fat: 294.52
Total Fat: 32.45g
Saturated Fat: 7.49g
Cholesterol: 88.45mg
Sodium: 1161.25mg Potassium: 419.17mg
Total Carbohydrates: 24.10mg
Fiber: 1.63g Protein: 18.28g

Recipe Author: Jeff Ewing

Recipe: $21.84 ($18.73/Sale)
Serving: $1.82 ($1.56/Sale

Friday's Foto Fun with Graduation

Its time for Carrie's Friday Foto Fun:-) My baby girl graducated from preschool this week.

This enthusiastic 4-year-old on her first day of school...

...has grown into this confident 5-year-old on her last day of school.

We are so proud of her!!

Off to the Zoo

Check out more stuff at Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Mom or Wordful Wednesday on SevEn cLoWn CirCus:-) And, I have added Mostly Wordless Wednesday over at Ordinary and Awesome to my list too!! Go check them all out:-)

How excited does she look?

Tackling Moving Things

It's time for Tackle It Tuesday with 5 Minutes for Mom and we did moving tackles all weekend.



We moved my older daughter back home from college on Saturday. It was very easy. She was completely packed when we got there. We hauled two trips to the car and cleaned her entire dorm room top to bottom...all in 1 hour and 15 minutes! So, we rock:-)



Then, my husband moved a HUGE playset for our younger daughter from his sister's house to our house on Sunday. This was harder on him. He brought home 3 loads across town over the whole day. And this thing was heavy!!!! So, it's 7:00 p.m. on Monday night and he is in bed getting some much deserved rest! He is such a good daddy!!



So keep it down out here....Daddy is sleeping:-)

Give Me My Baby Back Ribs

Check me out over at At Work, At Play or At Home All Day talking about girlie stuff:-)

Here, I am doing more menu planning with I'm an Organizing Junkie and finding more deals at Pick N Save for $5 Dinners .

Ribs were on sale at Pick N Save for $2.99/lb. (normally $4.99/lb.) So, I picked a bunch up and making some BBQ Baby Back Ribs this week. We also have tons of stuff to celebrate this week so, there is a lot of eating out and parties. Check it all out below:-)

Here is what I am serving this week:

Sunday: Eat Out (Party for Birthdays/Late Mother's Day)

Monday: BBQ Baby Back Ribs (see recipe below)

Tuesday: Chicken Tortilla Soup

Wednesday: Eat Out (Preschool Graduation)

Thursday: Left Over Buffet (Soccer tonight:-)

Friday: Fish and Fries

BBQ Baby Back Ribs
6 Servings

3 lb Ribs
Salt
Pepper
1 cup Barbecue sauce

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

2. Salt and pepper ribs. Wrap them in foil and place in a baking sheet. Bake for 3 hours.

3. Increase temperature to 450 degree. Unwrap the ribs and cook them for 30 minutes.

4. Baste with barbacue sauce and cook for 5 for minutes.

Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)
----------------------------------------------
Calories: 313.29
Calories From Fat: 222.96
Total Fat: 24.33g
Saturated Fat: 8.84g
Cholesterol: 81.00mg
Sodium: 440.43mg Potassium: 305.72mg
Total Carbohydrates: 5.34mg
Fiber: 0.50g
Protein: 16.87g

Recipe Author: Jeff Ewing

Recipe: $16.14 ($8.66 on sale)
Serving: $2.69 ($1.44 on sale)

Friday's Foto Not Fun with Crashes

Its time for Carrie's Friday Foto Fun:-)

This is what happened to my computer on Wednesday!!! AHHHHH!!!!

Will Susie get back her To Do List, her Money files and (Oh My Gosh!!!) her COOKBOOK??? Send all your good techno-vibes to my husband. I hope he can fix it!!

One of My Favorite Things

I love the month of May. Partly because my birthday is in this month but mostly because of this:

I love my Flowering Crab!!

Making Room

Check out more stuff at Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Mom or Wordful Wednesday on SevEn cLoWn CirCus:-) And, I have added Mostly Wordless Wednesday over at Ordinary and Awesome to my list too!! Go check them all out:-)

Making room for big sister's return from college for the summer:-) Yahooo!!!!

Tackling Mother's Day Cupcakes

Check me out at Happy to be at Home. I have some really useful information about caring for elderly parents :-)

Here, it's time for Tackle It Tuesday with 5 Minutes for Mom and this weekend I tackled cupcakes for my mom.

Most people give cards to show love and gratitude. Me? I give desserts and Mom knows it. So, when I asked what she wanted for Mother's Day and her birthday, she said my lemon cupcakes. (Well, they aren't totally mine. They are semi-homemade.)


It's a box of lemon cake topped with canned lemon frosting topped with a fresh strawberry and powdered sugar. The tartness of the strawberry pairs well with the lemon and the sweetness of the garnish cuts through the pucker nicely. She loved them!

Bourbon Chicken

Check me out over at At Work, At Play or At Home All Day talking about girlie stuff:-)

Here, I am doing more menu planning with I'm an Organizing Junkie and finding more deals at Pick N Save for $5 Dinners .

Chicken was on sale at Pick N Save for $1.99/lb. (normally $4.29/lb.) So, picked a bunch up and making some Bourbon Chicken this week. It's like that stuff you get at the mall without the liquor. And, this recipe is actually fairly healthy. Check it out below:-)

Here is what I am serving this week:

Sunday: Jeff's "Plain Old Steaks" Steak for Mother's Day

Monday: Semi-Homemade Spaghetti Dinner

Tuesday: Bourbon Chicken (see recipe below)

Wednesday: Fried Fish and French Fries

Thursday: Eat Out (Soccer tonight:-)

Friday: Left Over Buffet

Bourbon Chicken
6 Servings

1 lb chicken
2 cups Rice
1 clove garlic
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 cup apple juice
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp cornstarch

In a large saute pan, saute chicken.

Cook the rice per the package instructions.

In a medium saucepan, heat the remaining ingredients.

Mix the sauce with the chicken and serve over rice.

Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)
----------------------------------------------
Calories: 245.82
Calories From Fat: 11.01
Total Fat: 1.24g
Saturated Fat: 0.32g
Cholesterol: 43.85mg
Sodium: 585.37mg Potassium: 382.82mg
Total Carbohydrates: 37.39mg
Fiber: 0.78g
Protein: 20.78g

Recipe Author: Susan Ewing

Recipe: $3.78
Serving: $0.63

Friday's Foto Fun with Pride

Check me out at Happy to be at Home where I am making homemade rock stars .

Here, its time for Carrie's Friday Foto Fun:-) Last night, my daughter was awarded a scholarship for studying abroad. She is going to Spain in the fall and this will help get her there!

I am so proud of her!!

Gardening Thursday

I don't have any garden pictures today but, I did get some work done this week:

• continued to do spring clean up in the yard.
  
• continued adding to compost pile.
  
• brought all my plants outside to harden.
  
• planted some peas, beans and corn.
  
• deheaded some fading bulbs.
  
• surveyed my irrigations system (such that it is).

I don't know how much work I will get done with rain predicted for this weekend and Mother's Day on Sunday. I guess we shall see next week at this time:-)

What I Did This Weekend

Check out more stuff at Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Mom or Wordful Wednesday on SevEn cLoWn CirCus:-)

Tackling Pictures

It's time for Tackle It Tuesday with 5 Minutes for Mom .

This weekend, I had to get pictures together for my MiL's Mother's Day present. I think it turned out pretty good. I tried to upload the slideshow but it didn't work:-(

Don't worry, she doesn't read my blog:-)

Taco Night

Check out what we do for Taco Night:-)

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, Pick N Save is having a sale on all things Mexican (i.e. tortillas, sour cream, salsa, etc.). Taco night is the easiest and cheapest way to stretch a buck and what better reason to have it than Cinco de Mayo. So, I thought I would share my taco recipe with you below! Enjoy:-)

I am doing more menu planning with I'm an Organizing Junkie and finding more deals at Pick N Save for $5 Dinners .

Here is what I am serving this week:

Sunday: Eating out for nephew and niece's confirmation

Monday: Semi-Homemade Spaghetti Dinner

Tuesday: Taco Night (see recipe below)

Wednesday: Fried Fish and French Fries

Thursday: Eat Out (Soccer tonight:-)

Friday: Left Over Buffet

Taco Night
6 Servings

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 T Flour
1 1/2 T chili powder
3/4 t onion powder
1 t garlic powder
1 t paprika
3/4 t cumin
1/2 t seasoned salt
1/4 t beef bouillon
3/4 t minced onions
1 c water
1/2 c salsa
1/2 c sour cream
6 flour tortillas

Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)
----------------------------------------------
Calories: 377.18
Calories From Fat: 198.17
Total Fat: 21.73g
Saturated Fat: 8.65g
Cholesterol: 64.57mg
Sodium: 668.76mg Potassium: 410.44mg
Total Carbohydrates: 26.42mg
Fiber: 2.53g
Protein: 18.31g

Recipe Author: Susan Ewing

Recipe: $4.80
Serving: $.80