Dollar Store Halloween Table

Let me start off by saying I love Halloween, the costumes, candy and especially the decorating. What I don't like is spending an arm and a leg to decorate for it. So I hit the dollar store and what do you know, you can find some cute stuff. I already had a red tablecloth, so I bought the spiderweb tablecloth to go over it, then just played off that. When I saw the silver spider dish I knew he would be a focal point and we will pile on silver wrapped Hershey kisses to make it look bigger. We grabbed red and black felt skulls to go with the tablecloths. We found matching plates to rest the skulls on, but we switched and did opposite colors underneath so the skulls would pop. Then I found these cute skeleton hand cups that also match the color scheme, which we'll probably fill with dip or candy. To finish it off, these cute little glitter spiders that tie in the focal point spider to the rest of the table. This whole thing only cost me a whopping $12.00. Not bad right?

Fall Chicken

1 Chicken
8 yellow yukon potatoes
8 large peeled carrots
3 celery sticks
2 tablespoons Montreal Steak seasoning
1 tablespoon chicken broth powder
1/2 cup broth
Aluminum Foil
Pam


Preheat oven to 350°.
Cut the veggies all into 1/4ths.
In a large mixing bowl mix the veggies and the chicken broth powder.
Rub the chicken with the steak seasoning.
Place the chicken cooking rack into a large baking dish the place you chicken on top.
sprinkle the veggien inthe bottom of the baking dish around the chicken.
Pour in the broth.
Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake for one and half hours.
Remove foil for then bake for 30 more min or until internal temp of chicken reaches 165° (in the thigh).
Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

I cover this so the juice will flow into the veggies below and steam will cook the chicken. I remove the aluminum towards the end so the skin will crisp up.

P.S.

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Almond French Toast

4 eggs
1/2 a baggett
1 1/2 cups vanilla almond milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon butter extract
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoons butter
powdered sugar

Heat griddle to 325°.
Cut baggett into inch thick slices.
In medium mixing bowl mix, egg, milk, extracts,sugar.
Dip each side of the baggett in mixture.
Plave Almonds on a plate.
Butter griddle.
Shake off excess.
Dip baggett top and bottom in slivered almonds.
Place baggett on griddle, cook till toasted (slightly firm) around the edges and middle,
then flip.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Great recipe if you have a baggett because then the edges are crisp already, but you can really make this with any bread.

P.S.

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Shower Tabs

1 cup corn starch ($1)
1/2 cup baking soda ($1)
4 oz jar of Vaporizing chest rub ($1)
5 drops eucalyptus oil ($1)
ice cub tray ($1)
plastic disposable bowl and spoon
Jar with lid
*disposable gloves

Okay, so I got most of this at the Dollar Store and I only used 1/4 of the the cornstarch, baking soda and eucalyptus, only used one of the 2 ice cube trays. This DIY is super cheap maybe five dollars.

In your disposable bowl, mix (with your disposable spoon) cornstarch, half of your baking soda, vaporub, and add the 5 drops oil.
Take the remaining baking soda and dust the ice cube tray.
With the mixture, use your hands to make small balls press them into the ice cube tray.
Freeze them for a couple of hours.
Pop them out and place them in an airtight container till ready to use.

I used disposable mixing implements because eucalyptus absorbs in plastic. *If you have sensitive skin you might want to use glove for this as well.

P.S.

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Easy Peach Cobbler

1 (12 oz) can peach pie filling
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
mini loaf pan
1 teaspoon butter

Preheat oven to 350°.
Grease loaf pan including the outer rim with your butter. This will make sure it doesn't stick and gives a great taste.
Fill the pan with your pie filling. I spooned out the fruit because they put way too much of the syrup filling and I want the fruit more than the filling.
In a medium bowl mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon.
Using a pastry blender cut butter into the sugar and flour mixture. Mix until it turn into little peas.
Place crumble on top of filling. If you have extra you can freeze it for a month.
Place loaf pan on a sheet pan and put it in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes till topping is browned and crispy. I place it on a sheet pan in case it drips.
When it's done set it on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.
Scoop ice-cream on top, get 2-4 spoons and dig in.

P.S.

I would love to meet you on Facebook or on Twitter! 

Protein Pack Lunch

1-2 hard boiled eggs 

1/4 cup walnuts

1/4 cup cheese 

2 cut celery sticks

1 to go peanut butter pack

I hard boil a batch of 12 eggs to last the week.

Chop up a head of celery for the week.

Cut up 1/2 lb a cheese into sticks.

Then just pack 5 containers and you're good to go throughout the week.

P.S.

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Blueberry Pie

Blueberry filling 
2 1/2 cups flour plus extra for dusting when rolling out
1 cup ice cold butter
7-8 tablespoons ice water (no ice cubes)
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar in the raw

Make pie filling per my linked instructions and let cool.
Put flour, sugar, and salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times. 
Add the butter to the food processor and pulse several times until the largest pieces of butter are the size of large peas. 
Start adding the ice water a tablespoon at a time, pulsing once or twice after each addition until the dough just barely begins to hold together.
You know it's ready if you can pinch it and it holds together.
Kneed dough a couple of times (careful not to over kneed) into 2 balls.
Wrap and place them in the fridge for an hour.
Let them sit till they are at room temperature about 10 to 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425°.
Dust rolling area, and rolling pin, lightly with flour.
Roll dough out into a nine inch round it should be about 1/8 inch thick.
Carefully place one 9 inch dough rounds into the pie pan.
Add the filling.
Cut thin strips and lay them across the pie, then do the same thing going the opposite way. 
* I don't do the weaving in and out it's a hassle and time consuming. Besides it still looks good like this in my opinion. 
Pinch the pie crusts together around the edges and cut off any excess pie crust.
Whisk together, yolk, and cream.
Brush the cream mixture on the pie dough and sprinkle with sugar.
Place pie on a baking sheet just in case,then place it in the oven.
Bake for 40 minutes.
Place on a cooling rack for 20 minutes.
Serve with ice cream or by itself so yummy!

P.S.

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