tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874027063991873322024-03-20T01:42:20.324-07:00Erratic MommaErratic Mommahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511542742377552891noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387402706399187332.post-31467762472609494412013-08-07T16:33:00.003-07:002013-08-07T16:56:58.422-07:00Cool way to tie shoes! Easy for kids!WOW! So it's been well over a year since my last blog post. I wasn't really sure if I was going to do any more blogging because things have just been so hectic. But, I realized yesterday how much I missed it, and last night I got the inspiration I needed to start up again. :)<br />
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So, I was looking through my News Feed on FaceBook when I came upon this video of someone showing how to tie shoelaces in a totally different way than I'd ever seen before. And I thougth, AWESOME! My newly 7 year old was taught the bunny ear method some months ago, and it was a good method... but it still took a good amount of time and practice before I could have him do it on his own and trust him to walk in those shoes. After I saw this new method last night, I showed my newly 5 year old and he picked it up after the first try! I have to remind him which steps come next, and after I made him do it three times out of excitement (mine), he lost his enthusiasm and needed more help, but seriously... It was just amazing. So, I tried to share the video, but it didn't post.<br />
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This morning I figured I'd try sharing it again, so scrolled through FB and <i>could not find it.</i> Super frustrating. And then I spent more time than I should have sifting through a bunch of how to videos on YouTube trying to find something similar. No luck. Finally, I thought, why not? I'm just gonna make one myself! Thus, my first ever homemade YouTube video!<br />
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Here it is:<br />
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So, take a look, let me know what you think, leave a comment, and if you like it please share it and like it on YouTube if you're able. :)<br />
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Check back soon, more to come! (I promise!)<br />
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JenErratic Mommahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511542742377552891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387402706399187332.post-8344419563007554192012-03-07T15:51:00.002-08:002012-03-07T16:47:09.442-08:00Banana DogsOne of the nice things about my blog name is that you can't possibly expect me to be regular about posting, right? Right?<br />
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I had a great week. It's been a lot of family time and relaxing. Then the past two days, it's been a clean up frenzy. I'm not done with all my chores yet, but I needed to do something fun. So, I made some yummies that I'll blog about later, and I made my kids a fun and easy lunch.<br />
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What's that you say? A <i>banana</i> in place of a <i>hotdog</i>? Yeah, seems a little strange, but really... peanut butter and banana sandwiches aren't that uncommon. You might like them. Try them and you may I say. This is actually something that my older son saw on a mini show called Ze Fronk, back when Disney Junior was Playhouse Disney. He's loved it ever since. And it's really easy to make. So easy, I kinda feel silly showing you how. But I'm going to anyway.<br />
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This is all there really is to it. Get your hotdog bun. I use Oroweat Potato Bread hotdog buns for Henry. Then spread some jelly on one side and peanut butter (or sunflower butter to make it <a href="http://erraticmomma.blogspot.com/p/food-allergies.html" target="_blank">Henry friendly</a>) on the other side.<br />
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Then, cut a banana in half lengthwise. Originally, this called for a whole banana. We used a whole one the first time. It was a lot of banana, but maybe you'll like it. Cutting it in half also works for us because we were making two of these. And the recipients have little mouths. Put it on your hotdog bun.<br />
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Then, just close it up and enjoy!<br />
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Easy, right?Erratic Mommahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511542742377552891noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387402706399187332.post-59638654904184756902012-02-29T12:41:00.000-08:002012-02-29T12:41:40.524-08:00Sunshine Award!<div style="color: #333333; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 16px/24px Georgia; margin: 0px 0px 24px;">
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Tori from <a href="http://www.lilmrscrafty.com/" target="_blank">Lil' Mrs. Crafty</a> has awarded my blog with the Sunshine Award! Thank you Tori! I very much appreciate the recognition! Tori has an amazing blog, full of fun crafts and her amazing personality. Please check out her blog and say hi!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">As a recipient of this delightful award, I have a few rules to follow:</span></span></div>
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<li style="color: #333333; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 16px/24px Georgia; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Include the award’s logo in a post or on your blog. See above.</span> </li>
<li style="color: #333333; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 16px/24px Georgia; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Answer 10 questions about yourself. See below.</span> </li>
<li style="color: #333333; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 16px/24px Georgia; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Nominate 10-12 other fabulous bloggers. See my list below.</span> </li>
<li style="color: #333333; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 16px/24px Georgia; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Link
your nominees to the post and comment on their blogs, letting them
know they have been nominated. So happy to share the love!</span> </li>
<li style="color: #333333; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 16px/24px Georgia; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Share the love and link the person who nominated you.</span> </li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Ten Sunshine Award Questions (and answers):</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i>Favorite color:</i> I have a few actually... I tend to gravitate towards blues, greens, and burgundies. I also really like brown accents, such as blue and brown or pink and brown, even though I'm not generally a fan of pink.</span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 16px/24px Georgia; margin: 0px 0px 24px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i>Favorite animal:</i> Sea otters and kangaroos! Truth be told, my boys tend to remind me of Roo from Winnie the Pooh. </span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 16px/24px Georgia; margin: 0px 0px 24px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i>Favorite number: </i>I'm going to go with 32. I can't explain exactly why... It just seems to pop up a lot in my life.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i>Favorite non-alcoholic drink:</i> Water flavored with Mio. I'm sure I could come up with something more creative but that's pretty much what I drink all day long.</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 16px/24px Georgia; margin: 0px 0px 24px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i>Prefer Facebook or Twitter?</i> I have a Twitter account somewhere, but I never actually do anything with it... Everyone I know is on Facebook, and it's been great for keeping me in touch with people I wouldn't normally keep in touch with. BTW, find me on Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Erratic-Momma/242508495835048" target="_blank">here</a>! Then, like me and say hello. :)</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 16px/24px Georgia; margin: 0px 0px 24px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i>My passion:</i> I really love to bake. I haven't been doing as much of it as I used to since we moved here a year ago, but I'm slowly getting back into it more and more. Homemade bread coming soon!</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i>Prefer getting or giving presents: </i>Ooh, I don't know. I think I'm going to have to go with both on this one. I love finding or making that perfect gift for someone, but receiving is fun too.</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 16px/24px Georgia; margin: 0px 0px 24px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i>Favorite pattern:</i> Black and white damask. Weird, I didn't have a favorite pattern a couple of months ago. Now, that was easy to answer. I just like how it looks. On certain things. Not really clothes though, so please don't buy me damask patterned clothes if you're reading this and know me. ;)</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i>Favorite day of the week: </i>Saturday. That's family day. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i>Favorite flower: </i>Gardenias, because they smell pretty. And hibiscus because they are pretty. And blue flowers. And red flowers. And fall colored flowers. I like flowers.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">OK. So now here is the fun part –
here is my list of blogs that regularly bring a little sunshine into my
life. In no particular order:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">1. <a href="http://onlypassionatecuriosity.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Only Passionate Curiosity</a> - Heather is a good friend of mine who moved to Germany with her family and started homeschooling her two young boys. She has lots of awesome and creative projects on her blog, as well as some stories of their adventures.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">2. <a href="http://madebysamatha.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Made by Samatha</a> - Sam is brand new to blogging, but she is so crafty! She whips out creative crochet projects like nothing and is finally sharing them with the world. And she does much more than crochet. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">3. <a href="http://adiamondinthestuff.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">A Diamond in the Stuff</a> - I found Courtney through a mutual friend and was blown away by her blog. She is a very established blogger and an inspiration. Her blog is always filled with amazing posts. She's super creative and you must check her out. I wouldn't be surprised if she's already received this award, but I'm going to give it to her anyway. :)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">4. <a href="http://hippiehousewife.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Hippie Housewife</a> - We don't actually know each other, but I started following her blog awhile back because it's full of uplifting posts about family and relationships with each other and God. Thank you for your motivational posts!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">5. <a href="http://rookiewife520.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Rookie Wife</a> - Laurie just introduced herself on my blog and I had to check her out - amazing blog! Seriously, I can't wait to try some of her craft projects with my kids. This could be the start of a beautiful friendship!</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">6. <a href="http://pinksugarbowl.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Pink Sugar Bowl</a> - This blog is full of yummy recipes and great tips - please stop by and give her some love after drooling over the food!</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">7. <a href="http://wingsnscales.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Wings N Scales</a> - Chris is like my second mom. I've known her since I was a very little girl, and as long as I've know her she has been one of the craftiest people I know! She makes amazing jewelery and beautiful dolls among other things. Go take a look at what she has and tell her I say hi!</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">8. <a href="http://www.healthybecauseican.com/" target="_blank">Healthy. Because I can!</a> - Jen is an inspiration to everyone who strives to be healthier... which should be everyone! This blog chronicles her adventures as she tries to keep her family and herself healthy and active, and is full of amazing and good for you recipes as well!</span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I know I'm supposed to hand out a couple more awards, but as I'm still fairly new to blogging that's going to have to be it for now. I'll be happy to give recognition to the awesome new blogs I come across as I come across them. Now please go show some support to the new recipients of the Sunshine Award!</span></div>Erratic Mommahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511542742377552891noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387402706399187332.post-86632519136672492252012-02-28T10:05:00.000-08:002012-03-07T16:48:41.142-08:00Chocolate Chip Cookies - Egg / Dairy FreeIs it Tuesday already? I was just about to wish everyone a happy Monday! In my defense, it was a long weekend here. My hubby came home after being away for five weeks, yay! At 2:30 yesterday <i>morning</i>, I packed our sleeping kiddos in the car and went to his work to pick him up. The kids and I are ecstatic to have him home again. It's always a happy time when he returns from his TDY's. But, now I have a fog in my brain that'll probably need a couple of days to clear.<br />
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In honor of my very good mood, I baked some cookies. This is a favorite of mine - <a href="http://erraticmomma.blogspot.com/p/food-allergies.html" target="_blank">Henry Friendly</a> chocolate chip cookies. I love baking cookies. They're fun and they have endless possibilities, much like cupcakes. But, a couple of years ago, I felt bad because I didn't really have anything to share with Henry when I made them. He'd just sit there and quietly watch his older brother eat my creations. He actually didn't seem to mind, but I did. So, I grabbed the Nestle Tollhouse cookie recipe, and modified it to fit our needs. This was the start of many more modified recipes.<br />
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It came out pretty great, if I do say so myself. It has a different kind of sweetness than the original recipe, due to the applesauce added. And, because the dough doesn't have raw egg in it... Well, that's a treat of it's own. It's really a very easy recipe, so I didn't take pictures of each step. Here's how to make it:<br />
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<u>Ingredients</u><br />
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
3/4 cup granulated sugar<br />
3/4 cup packed brown sugar <br />
1 cup Crisco Butter Flavored Shortening, or 1/2 cup vegetable oil<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
Scant 1/2 cup applesauce (I like to use the single serve applesauce snack cups, 3.9 oz)<br />
2 cups (12 oz) chocolate chips (Favorites of ours - Bakers Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks and Enjoy Life Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips)<br />
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.<br />
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Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.<br />
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Beat shortening or oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and applesauce in larger mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by round tablespoon onto parchment lined baking sheets. Bake 9 - 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to wire cooling racks.<br />
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<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/erraticmommaprintablerecipes/chocolate-chip-cookies" target="_blank">Printable Recipe</a><br />
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These tend to be fairly soft right out of the oven, which is why I let them sit on the baking sheets a few minutes more. At that point, they're sturdy enough to be moved to the wire cooling racks. You'll notice these cookies tend to be a little underdone inside when you bite into them, but in my opinion that just makes them yummier.<br />
<br />
These make about 3 dozen cookies size of the cookies you make. And how much dough you eat. :)Erratic Mommahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511542742377552891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387402706399187332.post-9057951355871854312012-02-24T18:44:00.001-08:002012-03-07T16:49:05.597-08:00Blueberry Muffins<a href="http://erraticmomma.blogspot.com/p/food-allergies.html" target="_blank">Henry Friendly</a>: Yes<br />
<br />
I love muffins. All kinds of muffins. Blueberry muffins are no exception. The thing that's nice about this recipe is that it has fairly simple ingredients and is very easy to put together. And also, it tastes good. And it's vegan friendly.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-3kGHzcPmfYYcY3C6vPK43-LDr31nyh-1ypeFiM52D60TMFZRcJV3aF1eYcmJctSn89UTzE9PKPBlSg2XvQ7WBmowfcz8_8eHg9Bf5ieC0M32A2UbBxRHSKSCPICionwDNzI9Ov9XGFs/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-3kGHzcPmfYYcY3C6vPK43-LDr31nyh-1ypeFiM52D60TMFZRcJV3aF1eYcmJctSn89UTzE9PKPBlSg2XvQ7WBmowfcz8_8eHg9Bf5ieC0M32A2UbBxRHSKSCPICionwDNzI9Ov9XGFs/s320/8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
Here's what you need:<br />
<br />
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
3/4 cup white sugar<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
2 tsp baking powder<br />
2 Tbsp cornstarch<br />
1/3 cup vegetable oil<br />
2/3 cup milk or milk substitute<br />
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen<br />
<br />
First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.<br />
Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.<br />
Then, pour vegetable oil (I used olive oil) to the 1/3 cup line in at least a 1 cup measuring cup.<br />
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Then, pour your milk into the measuring cup up to the one cup line. I have used rice milk and coconut milk both with success. More frequently I've been using vanilla Almond milk though. I really like the flavor it adds to the mix.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTtEzNxtbS700qCJ-fjHVQ-jzEUJQ6fq7RYQlZzktsgkReesbbHYrS1aMUhe-HB2s9W3fYLs5SmMpZwSZnFsc5JA3MFtLuCGHLFpd-6Fpz3HEIZ3iX4QtFJr3yvZA-nlvWST19Cc6Ggs0/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTtEzNxtbS700qCJ-fjHVQ-jzEUJQ6fq7RYQlZzktsgkReesbbHYrS1aMUhe-HB2s9W3fYLs5SmMpZwSZnFsc5JA3MFtLuCGHLFpd-6Fpz3HEIZ3iX4QtFJr3yvZA-nlvWST19Cc6Ggs0/s320/2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now mix up the liquid and pour it into your dry mixture. Mix dry and liquid together. It'll end up fairly thick.<br />
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Next, you'll need your blueberries. Fresh are good, but I use frozen because they're convenient. I like to have them in stock in the freezer for whenever I want them. I like to throw the blueberries in a bowl with a tablespoon or two of flour to coat them. This protects them a bit from bleeding into the batter.<br />
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<br />
Fold the blueberries into your batter.<br />
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Scoop into your lined muffin tins, about 2/3 full. I ended getting nine full muffins out of mine. I ate the rest of the batter. It is yummy. Try it. You know you want to.<br />
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Then, throw them in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick (or wooden chopstick in my case) inserted in the center comes out clean.<br />
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Move to a wire rack to cool, and enjoy!<br />
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<br />
<br />
<center>
<table border="1" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="1" style="width: 90%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="font-family: georgia,serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><b>Blueberry Muffins</b></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/erraticmommaprintablerecipes/blueberry-muffins" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a><br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<ul>
<li>1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour</li>
<li>3/4 cup white sugar</li>
<li>1/2 tsp salt</li>
<li>2 tsp baking powder</li>
<li>2 Tbsp cornstarch</li>
<li>1/3 cup vegetable oil</li>
<li>2/3 cup almond, coconut or rice milk</li>
<li>1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen<br />
</li>
</ul>
Oven temp: 400 degrees F<br />
Makes approximately 9 muffins<br />
<br />
<b>Instructions</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl<br />
</li>
<li>Pour vegetable oil into measuring cup to 1/3 cup line<br />
</li>
<li>Pour milk in with oil to 1 cup line. Mix together<br />
</li>
<li>Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix well<br />
</li>
<li>Fold blueberries into batter<br />
</li>
<li>Scoop batter into lined muffin tin, about 2/3 full</li>
<li>Bake 20 - 25 minutes or until done</li>
<li>Move to a wire rack and enjoy!<br />
</li>
</ol>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br />
</center>Erratic Mommahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511542742377552891noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387402706399187332.post-14929460754060985532012-02-22T19:27:00.001-08:002012-02-28T13:28:11.750-08:00Make a Photo Board!I made one of these photo boards a few years ago, and my boys have been sharing the space. Recently, though, my oldest claimed it for his own. They have a bunk bed and he wanted it up on top with him. My youngest didn't seem to care. Until the next day. Then he wanted his own. So, I happily set out to make him one.<br />
<br />
I was excited about all the color possibilities and themes, but of course, he wanted it to look just the same. So, we went in search of the closest fabric color we could find to the original and managed to get all the other trimmings just the same.<br />
<br />
This is a fairly easy project. Here's what you need to make one yourself:<br />
<br />
A canvas. I chose a 16x20 one. Check your craft store for deals - I got mine as a set of five for $10.<br />
Fabric of choice to cover entire canvas<br />
Coordinating ribbon<br />
Decorative buttons<br />
Quilt batting - Mine came in a package meant for baby quilts<br />
Scissors<br />
Staple Gun<br />
Sewing Needle<br />
Thread for the buttons<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmKN9CX-eAnKW_lFyediEtFKdSipny_084airrbApzvfQ2D2ElXroOOnITEN-XxC-y7TdJl3ikpIG-Xj8iWfIqKC8AFZJwO2hIAiYjPBBZSDUwmnm-2YuvmiTj0A6KG0tiQYIMMgRLyNI/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmKN9CX-eAnKW_lFyediEtFKdSipny_084airrbApzvfQ2D2ElXroOOnITEN-XxC-y7TdJl3ikpIG-Xj8iWfIqKC8AFZJwO2hIAiYjPBBZSDUwmnm-2YuvmiTj0A6KG0tiQYIMMgRLyNI/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Unroll your batting and place over canvas. Cut slightly larger than the canvas. <br />
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You'll just see the edges of the batting around the canvas.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXUD11K3As_wUp-Q_MRFvgNypwIpJ4V3RekslhSeUJ2SSg2GdcP33ytxUEmW33beCHga4VCYLsdEwfWTm5XjShl0He1m636x8ctCi5RVb7AS8Dgy92ZN3GeNwCqw1S576RLd2ocRDjJc/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXUD11K3As_wUp-Q_MRFvgNypwIpJ4V3RekslhSeUJ2SSg2GdcP33ytxUEmW33beCHga4VCYLsdEwfWTm5XjShl0He1m636x8ctCi5RVb7AS8Dgy92ZN3GeNwCqw1S576RLd2ocRDjJc/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Put ironed fabric under batting and canvas.<br />
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Fold one side of fabric over side of canvas. Staple with staple gun into place. I used five staples evenly spaced on the long side.<br />
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On the other side, pull fabric so it feels taut. It's easiest for me to start from the center, then staple on either side, pulling evenly for each staple.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEjlmLq64EvFKyGFwZnIWAHqZ3zYLivsbcjoopMZbDZMjOlgPMPVnxCF_5OZs6aS-ID9hRCAASuNH3XfBz4QRHzx9bIvgf_h3tuFHLr-p4Xlox0KZ1HA1kjKJZLYYvqDuhXy7s8b5Nts/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEjlmLq64EvFKyGFwZnIWAHqZ3zYLivsbcjoopMZbDZMjOlgPMPVnxCF_5OZs6aS-ID9hRCAASuNH3XfBz4QRHzx9bIvgf_h3tuFHLr-p4Xlox0KZ1HA1kjKJZLYYvqDuhXy7s8b5Nts/s400/6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Do this on all sides, ignoring the corners for now. I used three staples on each of the short sides. Trim excess fabric, being careful not to get too close to the staples.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggL8C1TN4zcGqmEA-OWcwFJa7dc8aQRfnKRWhQ6nfA3wc8Yd9CCcRel1kZ8QYlVolCJmrOvDL41Y9lY3JzzftMYq1Msf_0XU1IPtlZsrZWkyz5efUDIsUz5e0eAgaFjqq1BQOLW_ex7E/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggL8C1TN4zcGqmEA-OWcwFJa7dc8aQRfnKRWhQ6nfA3wc8Yd9CCcRel1kZ8QYlVolCJmrOvDL41Y9lY3JzzftMYq1Msf_0XU1IPtlZsrZWkyz5efUDIsUz5e0eAgaFjqq1BQOLW_ex7E/s400/7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Now for the corners - gather the fabric there. You'll be basically pinching all that excess fabric like so:<br />
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<br />
Then flatten it and hold it down to staple.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBDRgPLi6LQumiKn5oux11rCAF_saB_uJGrLoSKyKPu1kpPIUD1IzogyStuPjWdxNv5PBx2RLQmLSqImaeCFbliaM33dWDuQyzuV8fmFsHab43O93obKp2TaK0xeTWZpdloyjYNoMcQis/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBDRgPLi6LQumiKn5oux11rCAF_saB_uJGrLoSKyKPu1kpPIUD1IzogyStuPjWdxNv5PBx2RLQmLSqImaeCFbliaM33dWDuQyzuV8fmFsHab43O93obKp2TaK0xeTWZpdloyjYNoMcQis/s400/9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
Trim excess fabric. It should look about like this:<br />
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Do all four corners, flip it over, and here's your covered canvas!<br />
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Next, cut and position your ribbon. Make sure it's long enough to reach around the back on both ends for stapling.<br />
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Pin the ribbon into place, pulling it taut.<br />
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Turn it over, staple each ribbon end into place, and cut excess ribbon.<br />
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And now you've got a covered, ribboned canvas!<br />
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Sew on your buttons and voila, complete!<br />
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And now my youngest has his very own photo board to enjoy!<br />
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<a href="http://adiamondinthestuff.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="A Diamond in the Stuff" border="0" src="http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk189/4MyDesigns/Buttons/adits_125_1.png" /></a></div>Erratic Mommahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511542742377552891noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387402706399187332.post-80272185264693073162012-02-20T17:03:00.002-08:002012-02-20T17:09:17.399-08:00Motivational Stones<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've seen a few versions of a weight loss motivator out there, such as <a href="http://hotmessprincess.com/2012/01/motivation-marbles/" target="_blank">this one</a>, which uses two glasses. One says "Pounds to Go" and one says "Pounds Lost" or something to that affect. I thought this was a great idea! It's a great visual for anyone who needs to literally see their progress to stay motivated.<br />
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I decided to take the concept and turn it into motivators for the kids. One of my children needs help with finishing up potty training, so he'll be getting a stone in his glass for every poop in the potty he makes. I'll probably get some smaller stones as well for pee trips, so he can see his progress a little faster.<br />
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My other son will have "Good Choice" or "Good Behavior" stones. His are the cups pictured above. Every time he does something helpful, kind, or nice without prompting he will get to take a stone from one cup and put it into the other (it has an extra ribbon so he knows the difference). He was so excited about this idea! I got all the supplies and explained to him what it was for. He was suddenly on his best behavior for the rest of the day, doing little things for me, helping his brother with anything he needed help with, going above and beyond. And we hadn't even started with the stones yet.<br />
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It's a great way to get kids thinking about all the things they can be doing that maybe they haven't been doing on a regular basis. I had a friend wonder if maybe there could be an issue with a child doing things purely for the prize (the stone) but my thinking is, eventually this good behavior will become more of a habit and less about the stones. I hope. In the past, when we've used sticker charts, eventually they'd forget to ask for the stickers because they became less important. But the desired results remained. However, there will be a rule that the stone can be earned for good choices, but will not be given if asked for.<br />
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I got the glasses for pretty inexpensive (about $1 each) in the craft section of our local store. You could always look for clearance glasses in the dining section, too. The "stones" I used are decorational stones used in aquariums. I found this in the pet section. They also have some just like these in the craft section, but they cost four times as much. The bag of stones pictured below cost less than $2. So, definitely check out the pet section. Or just hunt for rocks outside with the kids until you have the amount you need.<br />
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Motivational stones are pretty cool. Really, the possibilities are endless for the motivation they can give. I may have to start a jar for myself - one stone for every day of exercise I get in! We'll see how that goes...Erratic Mommahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511542742377552891noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387402706399187332.post-31480025908429188912012-02-16T21:26:00.000-08:002012-02-16T21:41:20.977-08:00Erratic Momma on Blogging.... so far.I've officially been posting on this blog for two weeks now. I love it! Honestly, I'm not sure what I thought I'd get out of this whole blogging thing. But what I have gotten is a sense of accomplishment. I find myself trying to come up with ideas that will be blog worthy, and in doing those things, my life just feels more fulfilling. It's not just about the blogging. It's about building a relationship with my kids doing the things I'm blogging about. Doing different and fun things. Connecting with other blogs, getting new ideas, finding out what other people like. It's given me a new purpose, a new drive. I want to make more things, with my kids or for myself, and I love documenting the experience. And it makes me want to live a better life. I'm finding so many great organization tips out there. Like <a href="http://ohsochichi.blogspot.com/2011/03/meal-planning-board-tutorial.html" target="_blank">this</a> meal planning board from Oh So Chichi! I can actually imagine maybe starting some meal planning here. Maybe. Wouldn't it be great if I did?<br />
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Also... I can't believe how many hits this blog has been getting! I officially have over 500 page views. Where are all these views coming from? Who are you? It's worldwide! I've got page views from Canada, Germany, Russia, Australia, Guatemala, Japan and the Netherlands. Seriously. I'm very excited about this. I thought I'd get a few from my friends and then it'd sort of fizzle out. So, if you're stumbling upon this blog and we don't know each other, leave a comment and say hi... I'll say hi back! Even if we do know each other... That's cool too...<br />
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So what's my goal for this blog now? Honestly, I'm not too sure. I started it up for fun, and I intend to keep it that way. Fun, and hopefully informational. I've been reading a lot of inspirational blogs lately, and I think I would like it if one day this blog is considered useful, too. I'm still pretty new to it, so I know I have a lot of polishing and growing to do, and there will be ups and downs, but I can't wait to see what's in store for the future!Erratic Mommahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511542742377552891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387402706399187332.post-79119099582321860752012-02-15T10:37:00.000-08:002012-03-07T16:49:23.485-08:00Crazy Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Also known as 'Depression Cake' because it was popular during the depression era. But, this cake is anything but depressing! I've made this twice now, and it is really good. It's <a href="http://erraticmomma.blogspot.com/p/food-allergies.html" target="_blank">Henry Friendly</a>, which means there is no egg or dairy in it. I've tried other dairy and egg free recipes before and haven't really been that impressed. This is something I'll be baking up whenever a need for cakes arise - and will soon be freezing a bunch of these in cupcake form just to have on hand.<br />
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Here's what you need:<br />
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<ul>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">
3 cups all-purpose flour</li>
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2 cups white sugar</li>
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1 teaspoon salt</li>
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2 teaspoons baking soda</li>
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1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder</li>
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3/4 cup cooking oil (vegetable will do... I used Olive Oil)</li>
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2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar</li>
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2 teaspoons vanilla extract</li>
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2 cups cold water</li>
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Pretty basic ingredients. The process is simple too. First, put all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until well blended. You can also do this directly into a cake 9x13 cake pan, but when I did it that way, I found mixing such a large area tedious. And also, mixing it in a bowl gives me the freedom to use different pans / muffin tins.<br />
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Next, make three wells.<br />
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Pour the oil, vinegar, and vanilla extract each into their own wells.<br />
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Vinegar seems like an odd thing to add, but I promise, you can't taste it once it's mixed in. You need it to help it rise properly.<br />
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Now pour the water over it all, and mix it together.<br />
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Pour into your cake pan. I chose to line mine with parchment paper because I wanted to take the cake out of the pan to decorate. Also, cleanup is a snap. You can opt to use cooking spray or nothing at all if you plan on just slicing it from the pan.<br />
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Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes a toothpick (or wooden chopstick in my case) inserted in the center comes out clean.<br />
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Yeah, I had to poke mine a few times.<br />
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Allow to cool thoroughly and decorate as desired!<br />
I made this cake yesterday, and in honor of Valentine's Day, I chose strawberry frosting. It was super yummy. The kids loved it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjis1mUeQns3en6u1HChQobjiDZ2XSjqd3DcMbUuGj08XRDA34qq1MqLCEsw9aYGxyJBA1Fjys-ipAhBGyk42imLsHCs49o8czG5pVmdNyVxLjeFsg2QLnUU-3_xLhYh_DTRoE6S3BB1FU/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjis1mUeQns3en6u1HChQobjiDZ2XSjqd3DcMbUuGj08XRDA34qq1MqLCEsw9aYGxyJBA1Fjys-ipAhBGyk42imLsHCs49o8czG5pVmdNyVxLjeFsg2QLnUU-3_xLhYh_DTRoE6S3BB1FU/s400/9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I'm not a professional cake decorator. Just make it and eat it. Trust me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRNPhJ5jSRIcdTBL7oE5GlhLmvyA4FHkFMddNiZx9g5mwVodBYAKETuCpLHYiz3giXDeVcbDezYWJQRs5yVKpW04xUotdxuy_0Vlt89LRpq6kjqhY9jxvXMcAqkU6CfcnEUWayFglFcu0/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRNPhJ5jSRIcdTBL7oE5GlhLmvyA4FHkFMddNiZx9g5mwVodBYAKETuCpLHYiz3giXDeVcbDezYWJQRs5yVKpW04xUotdxuy_0Vlt89LRpq6kjqhY9jxvXMcAqkU6CfcnEUWayFglFcu0/s320/10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<td><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="font-family: georgia,serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><b>Crazy Cake</b></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/erraticmommaprintablerecipes/crazy-cake" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a><br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<ul>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">
3 cups all-purpose flour</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">
2 cups white sugar</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">
1 teaspoon salt</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">
2 teaspoons baking soda</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">
3/4 cup cooking oil (vegetable will do... I used olive oil)</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">
2 teaspoons vanilla extract</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">
2 cups cold water</li>
</ul>
Oven temp: 350 degrees F<br />
<br />
<b>Instructions</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Whisk dry ingredients in large mixing bowl until well combined</li>
<li>
Make three wells. Pour cooking oil, vinegar, and vanilla each into their own well</li>
<li>
Pour water over all and mix well</li>
<li>
Pour into greased or parchment paper lined cake pan</li>
<li>Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean</li>
<li>Decorate and enjoy!</li>
</ol>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>Erratic Mommahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511542742377552891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387402706399187332.post-43365001612636911792012-02-13T15:23:00.000-08:002012-03-07T16:49:50.059-08:00Three Ingredient Soda Can Cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRrfTGZO74cvpgP4eRS72fu8uWzdl_JD0TIBofUupnKIm548_L7fsfkIZZUY0z9YBe2ywcj8RhkxDkkNSQ8nMD0EzLdzgL_Vi-OhUXwNhMLcU96R3xbuUDdYLy2CGeFlngY4TSkQoxUM/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRrfTGZO74cvpgP4eRS72fu8uWzdl_JD0TIBofUupnKIm548_L7fsfkIZZUY0z9YBe2ywcj8RhkxDkkNSQ8nMD0EzLdzgL_Vi-OhUXwNhMLcU96R3xbuUDdYLy2CGeFlngY4TSkQoxUM/s320/6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Seriously. This entire cupcake is made up of only three ingredients. <i>And</i>, they're <a href="http://erraticmomma.blogspot.com/p/food-allergies.html" target="_blank">Henry Friendly</a>.<br />
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I have been seeing a lot of soda cake recipes around the web and really wanted to give it a try. But, there was a lot of controversy over diet soda vs non-diet. One website claimed you absolutely could not use anything <i>but</i> diet, or it wouldn't work. Others claimed that heating up the artificial sweeteners made it dangerous. Still others said it's really not dangerous, but the artificial sweeteners lose their sweetness when heated.<br />
<br />
While I'm not a chemistry expert, I know lots of people who have baked with artificial sweeteners and lived to tell the tale, so if you'd like to try with diet soda I say go for it. If you're worried about it, don't do it. I, however, decided to give non-diet a go. Here's what I did.<br />
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I got a box of Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme cake mix, because that particular cake mix is Henry Friendly, and a can of Orange Fanta to keep it citrusy.<br />
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Mix it until well combined. It'll look like this:<br />
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Then, fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full.<br />
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Bake at 350F for approximately 18 minutes.<br />
What's the third ingredient?<br />
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Marshmallows! Get the campfire sized ones. When the cupcakes are just barely done, place one marshmallow on top of each. Once I had done that, I pushed them back into the oven, closed the door, and turned off the oven. The residual heat is enough to melt the marshmallows without making them toasty, which I didn't want for this particular cupcake. If you want toasty marshmallows, leave the oven on and let it bake for about another 5 minutes. Here's what mine looked like right out of the oven:<br />
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After they've been sitting for a bit, the marshmallows kind of flatten out and give a nice frosted look, much like the first picture in the post. The citrusy flavor of the cupcakes went really well with the marshmallows. The kids and adults I fed these to all thought they were really great. And, once you pull it out of the oven, no need to wait for it to cool! Enjoy them warm, too!<br />
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<td><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="font-family: georgia,serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><b>Three Ingredient Cupcakes</b></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/erraticmommaprintablerecipes/three-ingredient-cupcakes" target="_blank">Print Recipe</a><br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<ul>
<li>
1 box cake mix of choice</li>
<li>
1 12ox can soda of choice</li>
<li> 1 bag of large marshmallows (or substitute with frosting of choice)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>Instructions</b><br />
<ol>
<li>
Mix together cake mix and can of soda until well combined</li>
<li>
Fill cupcake liners in pan about 2/3 full</li>
<li>
Bake at 350<b>°</b>F for approximately 18 - 20 minutes</li>
<li>
When cupcakes are just done, place a marshmallow on top of each.
Turn off and close oven door. Leave until marshmallows have melted to
desired softness.</li>
<li>Remove from oven and enjoy!</li>
</ol>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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Linked Up With:</div>
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<br /></div>Erratic Mommahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511542742377552891noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387402706399187332.post-37592099341054669462012-02-09T08:52:00.000-08:002012-02-16T21:28:38.541-08:00Confessions of an Erratic Momma: MorningsI am <i>so</i> not a morning person. I wish I were one of those people who wake up happy and can't fall back to sleep. Who feel their most energized and well rested in the morning. Who smile and sing a happy song, run a couple of miles, fix a healthy breakfast, and generally start their day on a positive note.<br />
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I am the person who wakes up, groans internally when I see the clock, closes my eyes for 'a few more minutes' and falls right back to sleep because the bed is so warm and soft. Groans again when I next open my eyes and see how much time has actually passed, and scrambles to get ready. I spend entirely too much time sifting through clothes, hoping to find clean matching socks for the kids and pants that fit. Because, my other confession, I hate doing laundry. The clean clothes just pile up, begging me to sort, fold, and put them away. If only I would do that. It would probably help with my morning routine.<br />
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I have to remind myself sometimes that it wouldn't be right to keep my kids home from school for a day simply because I'm still sleepy. I'm sorely tempted to sometimes, but I would never do that. Their education is much too important.<br />
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My three year old, Henry, is also not a morning person. After dragging myself out of bed, I have to drag him out of bed. And he likes to pretend he's still sleeping when I know he's not to make things more difficult. He's lately taken to pulling the blanket back on and whispering, "I'm sleeping," with his eyes closed, as if he's talking in his sleep or something. And half the time, he really is sleeping and it is a chore to get him to wake up enough to get ready.<br />
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I'm embarrassed about our breakfast habits. So I'm not going to share them.<br />
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I am so not a morning person.<br />
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But... I'm so grateful for each day. It takes me awhile to warm up and realize that a new day full of possibilities is waiting for me. That I get to do something fun with the boys, enjoy the company of my husband when he's home, get some snuggles, be creative, and just enjoy everything I've been blessed with. I'm so excited to learn new things, spend time with friends, and offer my time doing things that matter to me and my family. I love being a mom and a wife and everything that entails.<br />
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So, my new goal is to wake up each morning and not focus on the immediate affects of waking up. Instead, I will try harder to thank God for the new day as I open my eyes. I'll try looking forward to the blessings in store for me that day, and maybe waking up and starting a new, healthier routine will become easier.<br />
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Also... fold the laundry.Erratic Mommahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511542742377552891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387402706399187332.post-63252852109576241452012-02-08T19:48:00.000-08:002012-02-08T20:56:56.558-08:00Mess Free Finger Painting!So earlier I showed you how to make your own <a href="http://erraticmomma.blogspot.com/2012/02/homemade-finger-paint.html" target="_blank">simple finger paint</a>. As I mentioned before, it's not the best for simply gliding onto some paper, but it's <i>great</i> for what I'm about to show you. I tweaked this idea a bit from a cool tutorial by <a href="http://hippiehousewife.blogspot.com/2012/01/mess-free-finger-painting.html" target="_blank">The Hippie Housewife</a>.<br />
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Here's my version:<br />
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First, I wanted something portable that I could pull off the table in a moment's notice. I decided to get a couple of those wipeable place mats. Plain white is best if you can find it, because it gives you the best "painting on paper" feel. However, if you can't find a simple white design, just get any wipeable mat and put a white piece of paper on it.<br />
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Next, get a gallon sized zip style baggie. I'm using Ziploc freezer bags for sturdiness. Pour (or squirt if you got <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIVVYGInsWwr8UIxB-v7nANdtZHWM3PlWPB4O1hoZhw8EOLPnZgjd76TRHYinTGITp6kO-aGylcMVr8IP484LHDMZSySAelxN_7zAdzbqjL9n_Jmr-EKJpK8JLNvQWet-EPome7uCZHJg/s320/IMG_0092.JPG" target="_blank">those bottles</a>) two colors into the bags - one in each corner like so:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUoY5YpG_1jWdw7YDxl80zqO-zQvZ8xuLJBTqEGnDfs3fLLYqYg-06o0o3StTjLLiNwSfJY1C7GybRpnqhEgy46-rrDcXLUGYqZQTQ0gnkHP7JRK1ZuQgZputhyphenhyphenBynLlYgCbQ2co_5qxE/s1600/IMG_0093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUoY5YpG_1jWdw7YDxl80zqO-zQvZ8xuLJBTqEGnDfs3fLLYqYg-06o0o3StTjLLiNwSfJY1C7GybRpnqhEgy46-rrDcXLUGYqZQTQ0gnkHP7JRK1ZuQgZputhyphenhyphenBynLlYgCbQ2co_5qxE/s320/IMG_0093.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next, move the top of the baggie up to the top of the place mat. If there's a logo or anything on the bag like mine, have that side facing up. You'll see why in a minute. Tape it down. I used painter's tape because it'll be easier to remove if / when I decide to change out the bag of paint.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEelQQIduxeonF0ES-ZhFmpqvFUsYBj48PMKnoo4U-CRruJyQke-cQ_Fb581t9a8piA5uTfbUqBCa-hq2E3mDm0e8rahCDIHEaozdFfCXvDWGjFdZxEo9MFvIleb8RvAunnOEC9paGpo/s1600/IMG_0094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEelQQIduxeonF0ES-ZhFmpqvFUsYBj48PMKnoo4U-CRruJyQke-cQ_Fb581t9a8piA5uTfbUqBCa-hq2E3mDm0e8rahCDIHEaozdFfCXvDWGjFdZxEo9MFvIleb8RvAunnOEC9paGpo/s400/IMG_0094.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Now, flip the bag down. See how the bag's logo is now on the underside? Yep, that's on purpose.<br />
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Tape down that top part again. All this tape is just extra security to protect from leakage. I will not stand for leakage.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nAupvp49o3A3RVBsJprhnT2phZFHYuLtxdy-Ps23mrLQXzaUhFltewIeeSpDOYooTGjON1VljYLdOQtw7TwnsHSl5n7nVAgOOYoRAH1pio5D9mMe8AdHwLQ3HdJM6eFaZdb-2losuuc/s1600/IMG_0098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nAupvp49o3A3RVBsJprhnT2phZFHYuLtxdy-Ps23mrLQXzaUhFltewIeeSpDOYooTGjON1VljYLdOQtw7TwnsHSl5n7nVAgOOYoRAH1pio5D9mMe8AdHwLQ3HdJM6eFaZdb-2losuuc/s320/IMG_0098.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now tape down all the other sides so it stays sturdy on the mat.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSHILisjT2oQnJp72dE480ntUmhrfl6pSgM7evet-ahg24aglk92NWvOeaZRYuZ2HZNS2Gik-VCw44jWjivmCoyYa6j3L0Of9bB81C5yZrwwFwnCoMWzUNAU9RlYCwHHn4tDrC_OyE4k/s1600/IMG_0099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSHILisjT2oQnJp72dE480ntUmhrfl6pSgM7evet-ahg24aglk92NWvOeaZRYuZ2HZNS2Gik-VCw44jWjivmCoyYa6j3L0Of9bB81C5yZrwwFwnCoMWzUNAU9RlYCwHHn4tDrC_OyE4k/s320/IMG_0099.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Beautiful! Two portable mess free finger painting stations ready for playing!<br />
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Great for teaching about mixing colors...<br />
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Smile! No paint on your fingers!</div>
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The kids had a blast with this. I love that it's portable. They'd create something, then run over with it to show me what they had. They did some hand prints... Then threw it onto the floor to do foot prints. The possibilities are endless!</div>
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You can try different mediums in the bags too. Try adding some glitter, or maybe put just sand in there. Be creative and have fun!</div>Erratic Mommahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511542742377552891noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387402706399187332.post-16624615965573326092012-02-08T19:15:00.000-08:002012-02-11T11:00:13.139-08:00Homemade Finger PaintIt's been one of those weeks. A long, long week. I actually convinced myself as I was waking up this morning that today was Friday and I'd get to sleep in tomorrow. Ten minutes later, disappointment settled in as I realized that if that were true, I'd missed half a week. I'm pretty sure Wednesdays are worse than Mondays.<br />
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So anyway, to pull myself out of my sad, tired place, I decided a craft project with the kids was in order. Crafts are a great way to brighten up a day. Especially kid crafts. Finger painting has been on my mind for awhile because it's colorful and fun and the kids can get so creative. But, it's messy and I didn't want to have to buy finger paints from the store. So, this will be a two part tutorial, dealing with both those issues.<br />
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First, making your own finger paint! I have this recipe for a really simple, no cook finger paint. It only needs a few ingredients, and the kids can help make it, doubling the fun. Here's what you need:<br />
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2 cups cold water<br />
2 cups white flour<br />
Food coloring<br />
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First, you pour the cold water into a bowl.<br />
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Add the flour slowly. I had one of my kids stirring as I did this, and I also opted to sift the flour as I put it in to help avoid clumping. Mix it up good. My kids said it smelled good. Bonus.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv9PXxy7yYpo2WW8D3jk0MCy9BoAz-tDvNuH1OpcDD02L64j_kaAC_rHZ4T0rh6uqPNlHtGKYHbgcM4uye14g4ljAO2_UWAC06IryToOqul7PMfc5Idzuk_sU6BrzMz5TLhfx2MrP7YMk/s1600/IMG_0082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv9PXxy7yYpo2WW8D3jk0MCy9BoAz-tDvNuH1OpcDD02L64j_kaAC_rHZ4T0rh6uqPNlHtGKYHbgcM4uye14g4ljAO2_UWAC06IryToOqul7PMfc5Idzuk_sU6BrzMz5TLhfx2MrP7YMk/s320/IMG_0082.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Divide the mixture into four mixing containers, or however many colors you feel like making. I decided to use some disposable cups for ease of cleanup. Add food coloring of choice into each.<br />
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Mix, mix, mix!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6iixxG67rt0L_hPGsf84cOocoNxn7D83tn2V4Y0m5Iar-eehCoB1eatn3ipQY5txdpnm_bDoDxs9McVRKun9OZBT5LuxrKeXcJuRE9MCdqCDkUAGz8CWy7Dcsx0irUG6ixDZp4NZgKRY/s1600/IMG_0087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6iixxG67rt0L_hPGsf84cOocoNxn7D83tn2V4Y0m5Iar-eehCoB1eatn3ipQY5txdpnm_bDoDxs9McVRKun9OZBT5LuxrKeXcJuRE9MCdqCDkUAGz8CWy7Dcsx0irUG6ixDZp4NZgKRY/s320/IMG_0087.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And we're ready for painting! Isn't this picture sweet? Just so you know, that says "mommy" under the heart. Spelled M-O-M-E-Y. Way to go, sounding it out!<br />
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I found these cool squirt bottles in the travel section at the store. They're meant for things like shampoo and body wash, but I thought they'd be perfect for storing the colors I made. These are 3 oz each.<br />
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<b>EDIT: We opened one of these up last night and paint erupted from the bottle. It seems to have built up pressure while sitting... So, I would recommend maybe filling up your storage container about half way. Good news is: super easy to clean up!</b><br />
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So, this was my first time making this particular paint. Here's what I think of it: It's just okay. Honestly, it doesn't cling to the paper very well. My son had to put a lot on his finger and basically push it around the paper. But it's colorful, fun, and if you get those natural food colors (beets and cabbage and whatnot) not unhealthy at all. Also, I had worried at the start that having food dye mixed in might be a stain producer... It wiped off of the fingers and table easily. Luckily none got on any clothes, so I can't vouch for that. I suspect it won't be hard to clean off though.<br />
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I think if I decide to do traditional finger painting with the kids again, I'm going to go for a recipe that requires cooking and see how that is. My husband suggesting maybe putting a little oil in this recipe could help it to cling a little better. I may have to try that. If you try it before me, let me know how it turns out.<br />
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All that being said, this recipe is <i>perfect</i> for the next tutorial I have in mind... <a href="http://erraticmomma.blogspot.com/2012/02/mess-free-finger-painting.html" target="_blank">Mess free finger painting</a>!Erratic Mommahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511542742377552891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387402706399187332.post-74581733704408286512012-02-06T09:46:00.000-08:002012-02-06T09:46:58.915-08:00Keep Towels In Place!You know what I hate? I hate it when an hour after I put up a nice clean towel in the bathroom, I see it on the floor. In the bathroom. Drives. Me. Nuts. Seriously. My kids are just incapable of keeping the towel on the towel rack when drying their hands. Something had to happen. There had to be a solution.<br />
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I thought about safety pins, but I really didn't want to use them on our towels. I could just imagine the kids yanking on them and tearing holes in their sides. But what to do?<br />
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Here's what I came up with:<br />
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Binder clips! They're safe for the kids and won't ruin the towels. So, I headed to the store and found these in the office supply section. I was very excited they had something that matched our bath decor. I wasn't really expecting that to happen. I just wanted the dang towels off the floor.<br />
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I went home and snapped these onto the side of the towel, making sure both sides of the towel were sandwiched together, and voila! A towel on the towel rack, that did not move from the towel rack from that point on. Until I had to wash it. Which is exactly as it should be.<br />
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And that's the story of how the towel got off the floor.Erratic Mommahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511542742377552891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387402706399187332.post-80930749339201752412012-02-05T14:16:00.000-08:002012-03-07T16:50:10.165-08:00Two Ingredient Fudge!Hi, my name is Jennifer and I'm addicted to Pinterest. I can literally spend hours at a time looking at all the cool DIY projects, crafts, and recipes. One of the recipes I stumbled upon, I just had to try. The Pinterest post I found led me to <a href="http://cookiesandcups.com/strawberry-2-ingredient-fudge/">Cookies & Cups</a>, a fun blog filled with awesome recipes. The fudge recipe looked simple and I had the ingredients on hand, and I thought it would be great to do with the kids.<br />
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So, I grabbed a can of chocolate fudge frosting and a bag of chocolate chunks. My youngest son has a bunch of food allergies, but both of these items are safe for him. I have a habit of calling all food items that are free of his allergens "Henry Friendly." His name is Henry if you hadn't gathered. ;)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-tzw9d6IKqNa9ZLpYAJFjaJYxf8LVF0EY5EV000cKhxeh_2fExYtDvkNF57LbCAxrc-a12SgoiPrrxO8Ohcd2cmq-cub8K4GvZulyxiNcYg67YXp5tqfWER5kc10zLjL7v7M7e3bY9U/s1600/IMG_0033.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705754613305197298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-tzw9d6IKqNa9ZLpYAJFjaJYxf8LVF0EY5EV000cKhxeh_2fExYtDvkNF57LbCAxrc-a12SgoiPrrxO8Ohcd2cmq-cub8K4GvZulyxiNcYg67YXp5tqfWER5kc10zLjL7v7M7e3bY9U/s320/IMG_0033.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; height: 240px; width: 320px;" /></a></div>
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I melted the chocolate chunks in the microwave and stirred in the frosting. Then, plopped it into my sprayed pan and attempted to spread.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOdSVrT2tN1yI40yDLaFFJhCe0sayox46St_Ly2GnU7LX9u9pVb7MZugQnV6u3UPfTLO2CbR4FD4c1f7fGi72trlOlBDrhYKYvUrURlyY2xAhonYYAxLieXVHgccSgwY_5dGv8MYUMNg/s1600/IMG_0037.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705757366348913634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOdSVrT2tN1yI40yDLaFFJhCe0sayox46St_Ly2GnU7LX9u9pVb7MZugQnV6u3UPfTLO2CbR4FD4c1f7fGi72trlOlBDrhYKYvUrURlyY2xAhonYYAxLieXVHgccSgwY_5dGv8MYUMNg/s320/IMG_0037.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 320px;" /></a>Hmm. This didn't seem quite right. I expected a more spreadable consistency. Instead, it seemed to be this blob that I had to push into place.<br />
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I imagine this might have had something to do with the fact that I had my kids help. Yes, it is a very easy recipe, but... they are not the fastest mixers. I think that in the time it took them to mix it up adequately (which never actually happened as I had to take over) the mixture began to harden.<br />
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Even so, I managed to manipulate it enough in the pan (squish, squish) that it reached all edges and seemed fairly even. I felt like I had wasted a fair amount because it would stick to my spatula and there was no way for me to get it all off. But no matter. I was going for taste, not looks. And the kids were proud of it.<br />
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So, we stuck it in the fridge and 30 minutes later we had this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9b_71BYdvmspc3HKxgtFP59tigWKNFmp-gQmHtexOppvfuPcei0rIDey-ZqsNiBWLFlMx12ri3K7XMKp1cAxldCrNAp2ljyWn295q-ucwf8Mp_pDjAFnGACm0-sy60F2r7MfyvStEwdw/s1600/IMG_0048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9b_71BYdvmspc3HKxgtFP59tigWKNFmp-gQmHtexOppvfuPcei0rIDey-ZqsNiBWLFlMx12ri3K7XMKp1cAxldCrNAp2ljyWn295q-ucwf8Mp_pDjAFnGACm0-sy60F2r7MfyvStEwdw/s320/IMG_0048.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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Not too bad. Cutting was easy enough. Trying to get it out of the pan, not so easy. I had several break on me, and it had a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pan even though I had sprayed it. But, the kids thought it was great which was the important part.<br />
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I decided to try again. This time, it was not Henry Friendly. It was Me Friendly.<br />
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Instead of spraying the pan, I lined it with parchment paper.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP-WK7tx7hnx2AHrq5UOjW0NZTEUYI3oASlpgmXLClKPUjX3yh81V2R0NhnxoNe43IteaVdTsn_fa8kUD_1ZbudHx7PbfoNcpseh0h3FHH2MNQ3heo1DjrLiu_nI4ZK9XcJnEChrTIxPs/s1600/IMG_0055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP-WK7tx7hnx2AHrq5UOjW0NZTEUYI3oASlpgmXLClKPUjX3yh81V2R0NhnxoNe43IteaVdTsn_fa8kUD_1ZbudHx7PbfoNcpseh0h3FHH2MNQ3heo1DjrLiu_nI4ZK9XcJnEChrTIxPs/s320/IMG_0055.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Melted the chips in a bowl and stirred in the frosting, just like before but sans kids. I tried to be very quick about the mixing, but I still felt like it wasn't a good spreadable consistency. So, I popped the bowl in the microwave for 15 seconds.<br />
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Much better.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg22wrNWzDmos1WHtBLj6RBZJ12uAUDr9c7oRb_Hk8xgXm9gQuc01t7xhgOB1yFbFWu71tpWGG4wcoFDR5TwUCBcvQE3ot_UVVTQmeizpSjq8_w_qa9oUNavbWRmkesqYPXfj0WOrYaYY/s1600/IMG_0061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg22wrNWzDmos1WHtBLj6RBZJ12uAUDr9c7oRb_Hk8xgXm9gQuc01t7xhgOB1yFbFWu71tpWGG4wcoFDR5TwUCBcvQE3ot_UVVTQmeizpSjq8_w_qa9oUNavbWRmkesqYPXfj0WOrYaYY/s320/IMG_0061.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I threw in about 8 crushed Oreo cookies, which turned this into a three ingredient fudge. <br />
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This time, the mixture was <i>poured</i> into the pan, and spreading it around was much easier. I'm using a 9x13 inch pan, and I was worried that it might be too thin but it ended up being just the right size for nibbling. I might try the 8x8 or 9x9 next time and cut into smaller squares, but this was great for using cookie cutters.<br />
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Also, the parchment paper was excellent. I just lifted it out of the pan and the fudge slid right off onto my cutting board.<br />
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Here's the final product:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZe2E56BW1BXY2KuvBP_dxWiAg9Qsmwi9sUl9PRAZY2QaE7KXrPqs3V2KuOyZdNuCI54FhAKGTe5sS263wRpquZnj0mMlDiZG8opTbpWqt_f675Yq4mDUkkL-7vP9JGTLw7j81bf_tODo/s1600/IMG_0068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZe2E56BW1BXY2KuvBP_dxWiAg9Qsmwi9sUl9PRAZY2QaE7KXrPqs3V2KuOyZdNuCI54FhAKGTe5sS263wRpquZnj0mMlDiZG8opTbpWqt_f675Yq4mDUkkL-7vP9JGTLw7j81bf_tODo/s640/IMG_0068.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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So there you have it. Two (or three) ingredient fudge. I'll be trying orange/vanilla and peanut butter/marshmallow varieties at some point. Fun, creative, easy and very yummy - what could be better?<br />
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<table border="1" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="1" style="width: 90%;">
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<td><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="font-family: georgia,serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><b>Two Ingredient Fudge</b></span></span></span><br />
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Make fudge using just two (or three) simple ingredients. Get creative with flavors!<br />
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<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/erraticmommaprintablerecipes/two-ingredient-fudge" target="blank">Print Recipe</a> <br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<ul>
<li>
1 - 12 oz bag of chocolate or white chocolate chips</li>
<li>
1 - 16 oz can of frosting</li>
<li>
Optional: Crushed Oreos, sprinkles, candies, anything you think would be great in your flavor mix</li>
</ul>
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<b>Instructions</b><br />
<ol>
<li>
Prepare 9x9 pan for thicker fudge or 9x13 for thinner. Spray lightly with non-stick oil or line with parchment paper for easier removal and clean up.</li>
<li>
Melt chocolate / white chocolate chips in microwave according to package directions, or in double boiler.</li>
<li>
Stir frosting into melted chocolate quickly. Microwave for about 15 seconds if needed for smoother consistency. This is when you'll mix in additional ingredients if desired.</li>
<li>
Pour and spread into prepared pan. Allow to set in fridge for about 30 minutes.</li>
</ol>
</td>
</tr>
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</table>
<br />Erratic Mommahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511542742377552891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387402706399187332.post-37412549552273374822012-01-30T13:33:00.000-08:002012-02-04T23:35:15.556-08:00Business Card Holders!<!--[if !mso]> <style> v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> 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priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]-->I'm so excited about this project... I started making these business card holders last May because I wanted something cute to hold my cards and didn't want to dish out a bunch of money for ones I liked in certain home business catalogs... So this is what I came up with!<br /><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyCpUPKdOrxGwE-1w6GRsJOdLVnorJVNHV1i5DgRpFT2KqvOtJYBDKDzcrIZ5dp_5_AqTrQJfKTl1mzTleLSOGlcxAoZizNS9Rb0WOL2FgzfDEui5F7xaLDhe5H24HCA-78ANpDFRGnCg/s1600/bc1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 234px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyCpUPKdOrxGwE-1w6GRsJOdLVnorJVNHV1i5DgRpFT2KqvOtJYBDKDzcrIZ5dp_5_AqTrQJfKTl1mzTleLSOGlcxAoZizNS9Rb0WOL2FgzfDEui5F7xaLDhe5H24HCA-78ANpDFRGnCg/s320/bc1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5703541824295845506" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjWmk4KzIG718kXrh3awL_h95CeS2hjrKH9DydIpZDp_rD-SwSlaLJE0Ohy90lmhnL2rYfqLlSE8MaX5YMJfg9_3yV_EpueI1ktlg5I-b6PITAGFu17fa4u1kM0ZMR4xnHPeRBahxMO4/s1600/bc2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 314px; height: 234px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjWmk4KzIG718kXrh3awL_h95CeS2hjrKH9DydIpZDp_rD-SwSlaLJE0Ohy90lmhnL2rYfqLlSE8MaX5YMJfg9_3yV_EpueI1ktlg5I-b6PITAGFu17fa4u1kM0ZMR4xnHPeRBahxMO4/s320/bc2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5703541969162491490" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br />This was my very first business card holder creation. I thought it was super cute, but a little rough. I made a couple of others, each one better than the one before, and this past week I ended up with this:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOzwgYm7W1BgYo4LQLGt8r3AaoPbZk20rCsR3qInDyeGyT2GktxBHzb2tUPS4gDxzg04xgz_jFbQu2mM0TSCm8vDufy5uRWG20ffdgzkCvZmpfC_BCMlblF4ASRQF6mU3oOwzkZGIpWY/s1600/bc3.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOzwgYm7W1BgYo4LQLGt8r3AaoPbZk20rCsR3qInDyeGyT2GktxBHzb2tUPS4gDxzg04xgz_jFbQu2mM0TSCm8vDufy5uRWG20ffdgzkCvZmpfC_BCMlblF4ASRQF6mU3oOwzkZGIpWY/s320/bc3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5703541698274512290" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCttdyxbSznpGbAiDUPJ-GK0pqO9gBaQxeIWPbmW_UrAmCdsAY0gI_Fp0aFX6VEU6VaBWVYdPuLpJTnXc2STIRtdjDX0y9cOe2hjuqHny6QvLvrDMl3KsE3pxOESmQIUIuCjqyIkp_gBA/s1600/bc4.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCttdyxbSznpGbAiDUPJ-GK0pqO9gBaQxeIWPbmW_UrAmCdsAY0gI_Fp0aFX6VEU6VaBWVYdPuLpJTnXc2STIRtdjDX0y9cOe2hjuqHny6QvLvrDMl3KsE3pxOESmQIUIuCjqyIkp_gBA/s320/bc4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5703542189028411634" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqMCKO7_TyCExAvPrrCjz7XDO4-7xqyA36TvNnmd6RDTg7Fusx9t3-PmdHrie2Ub6t1gItpohRiw_VwBs5bccdeyU5nASlofQIZeVLOrFu9MPxrfwRncrlW9YCyGFFIE-fTsRrLWUrlf0/s1600/bc3.jpg"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style=""></span></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiynklumcLRv1MFawgY-Z2vN_BZmJPwfzNDvPp8FvtTo2v8zwDhndaNH9UVtZGVU0Tu4tppDfp1e-ao9hZWBVEB81vzAtnakLfVZiX13g2aNzr-N-NHT9vWsGNuKjvepaenUzCxUo5_9IA/s1600/bc4.jpg"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style=""></span></span></a><br /><br />Yay! My sewing skills are progressing! I'm really happy with how this turned out.<br /><br />My first holder was given to a dear friend who saw it and claimed it for her own. My second was sold to someone who saw hers (yay!) and my third I made for my hubby. His was the first with the awesome magnetic snaps. This one, my fourth, is my best though. :) What do you think?</p>Erratic Mommahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511542742377552891noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387402706399187332.post-48542238328887494252012-01-30T13:27:00.001-08:002012-01-30T13:27:34.463-08:00First PostI've been contemplating starting a blog like this for awhile now.
Mostly as a place for me to record all the things I enjoy in life... or
think I would enjoy if given the opportunity. I'm excited about the
possibilities for this space and hope somewhere down the line it can be
an inspiration for others.<br />
<br />
So, a warm welcome to those yet to come!<br />
<br />
Here we go!Erratic Mommahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511542742377552891noreply@blogger.com0