Fall Wreath Pumpkins and Scarecrow

 So cute huh! Pretty easy 1 day project. I found ideas for both the pumpkins and the scarecrow on Pinterest but I made it into a wreath! The pumpkins and the scarecrow are made of toilet paper tubes!! I had all the supplies I needed already on hand, which makes my hubby happy. Not all items you need are shown. For this project you will need:

For the wreath:

• 1 large piece of cardboard (I used a pizza box lid)
• 1 12x12 piece of fall colors scrapbook paper
• Tape and/or glue
• Scissors
• Something 12 inches round you can trace (I used that wire wreath form)
• Pencil

For the pumpkins:

• 4 toilet paper tubes 4 1/2 inches long
• Orange paint and paint brush
• Green card stock
• Craft wire, green
• Sissors
• Ruler
• Glue
• Wire cutter

For the scarecrow:

• Toilet paper tube any size
• Popsicle stick
• Muffin cup
• Construction paper (I used wall paper samples because I have them)
• Masking tape
• Glue
• Scissors
• Markers

 I started by cutting out the toilet paper tubes for the pumpkins. Cut them 3/4 inch you should be able to get 6 rings for 3 pumpkins out of this. Cut 2 slits halfway down each ring as shown.

 Assemble by interlocking the 2 pieces at the slits together as shown. This gets kind of tedious but keep at it! 

Next I got my little helper to paint the pumpkins. Make sure do get all the ins and outs and all sides. We got a little messy but that's part of the fun! While the paint dried I cut out the stems and leaves. The stems are 3/4 inch wide by 1 1/2 inches long. The leaves I cheated and used my Cricut because I tried to freehand it and they looked horrible. I bent the paper to look like a stem and glued it to the pumpkins.While the glue dried I cut the craft wire about 5-6 inches. I folded it in half and curled 1 end with a pencil. I poked it through the pumpkin and the stem for stability then I curled the other end. On a few of them I added the leaves. 

I made the wreath part by tracing the insides of wire wreath form onto cardboard inner and outer rings and cut it out. I traced my paper with the outsides of the wreath form inner and outer rings so it was just a little bit larger than the cardboard. I folded the paper over the edges of the cardboard and taped it down to the backside of the wreath. For the inner ring I had to cut several slits before folding and taping it down on the backside. 

Using the directions from the linked site below. For the scarecrow I Cut 2 slits down your Toilet paper roll, opposite each other and about 1/2 way down the roll. I Slid the Popsicle stick into the slits. Wrapped the top 1/3 of the roll with masking tape (to make the scarecrows face, and to keep the TP roll together). Cut a strip of yellow construction paper about 5" X 11/2" big. Cut fringe at either end. Fold it to fit the top of the TP roll and glue on. Once your Scarecrow's hair is on go ahead and draw on a face and glue on your muffin cup hat. Add a little more color by cutting out small square patches for your Scarecrow. I made a cute little shirt and overalls with patches for my scarecrow. I also added a couple of little extra pieces of the straw hair into the sleeves to look like straw coming out. 

To attach the scarecrow I cut 2 slits up the bottom sides and slid it onto the wreath. I glued all the pumpkins to the wreath. I added a piece of craft wire by hooking it just a little under to the front side and put tape over it in the back so it wont scratch my door. I love how it turned out! If you have any questions or comments please to hesitate to ask below!

Original links to Pumpkin and Scarecrow projects!

Cheesy Ground Beef Rice Skillet

Alright so this is a complete transformation of a different recipe and it turned out to be AMAZING!! I will not claim this to be really healthy just really tasty and a big crowd pleaser! It is all done in one pan and no turning on the oven great for summer. Did I mention way easy and fast! You may want to make a green side dish to add some color. This serves four to six. My family loved it and I hope yours will too!

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion diced
1 tsp. bacon grease (or whatever you want to brown onions in)
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1-2 cups cooked rice (leftover)
1 c. beef broth
4 oz. Velveeta
1 can corn drained
1 c. shredded cheese
salt, pepper and oregano as desired

Directions:

Melt your bacon grease or whatever you use in a pan. Add your onions and saute till clear. Add ground beef and garlic and brown ground beef. Add  the tomato sauce, rice, beef broth, Velveeta, corn and seasonings. Simmer until desired consistency. Right before serving sprinkle on shredded cheese. 

The link to the very different but original recipe that I haven't tried is here: Cheesy Ground Beef Rice Casserole she uses the oven.

A note about bacon grease: Bacon grease is not good for you BUT it adds tons of flavor to anything you use it with. We like to save our bacon grease in a canning jar. NEVER put bacon grease in anything other than a canning jar or it could explode glass everywhere. Let the grease cool slightly but still liquid when adding to jar. Also make sure the jar is not really cold when adding new grease. Keep the bacon grease in the fridge, it will solidify but its soft enough to get out with a regular spoon and it doesn't go bad as long as you keep it in the fridge. 

Please leave a comment and let me know what you think of my recipes!!

Most Amazing Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies EVER!

To make these AMAZING, use exact ingredients and no substitutes :) My sister in law gave me this recipe so all credit goes to her, Thanks Kami

Ingredients:

1/2 cup room temperature butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups quick oats
1 1/4 cups old fashioned oats
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups (your favorite) chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

1. Cream together butter, shortening, sugars, eggs, and vanilla (I like to use my Bosch, Kitchen Aid would work good to, I would not recommend by hand unless that's all you have)

2. Mix together dry ingredients in a separate bowl and slowly add to batter

3. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes depending on oven until golden brown

4. Place on a cooling rack and let cool slightly, ENJOY!!!

Makes about 5 dozen depending on size of cookie scoop :)

Tip: I like my oats mixed, quick and old fashioned you do not have to use both but if you only have old fashioned and want both just put desired amount in a blender for a couple of seconds and voilà you have quick oats.

Please let me know what you think of these cookies!

Pizza Stromboli Recipe (bread maker)

I don't have a lot of little things like store bought frozen pizza dough or bottled pizza sauce on hand and I don't plan my meals ahead or make special trips to the store so I make them from scratch. Also I am currently pregnant so I want it simple! My husband is a really awesome guy but has a very picky pallet so if I post it here it has to be good! This was EASY and VERY good. Not my picture but it looked like that. We served it with salad on the side for greens but you could add olives, green peppers, mushrooms or anything else you like with pizza.

Pizza Dough:

This is from my Welbilt ABM4000 Manual.

Add ingredients in the order listed. All ingredients must be at room temperature. 

3/4 cup water

1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 cup grated Parmesan/Romano cheese blend (or what ever you want Cheddar, pepper jack) 

2 Tablespoons olive oil (I didn't have any so I used vegetable oil)

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups bread flour (I used all purpose white flour)

1 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

Put all ingredients in bread maker  Set bread maker to dough setting and let run (mine takes 1 1/2 hours). When it's done turn it out on a lightly floured surface. Roll out into a rectangle as thin as you desire. 

Stromboli

This is my own recipe I had to use what was on hand so feel free to improvise :)

Pizza dough (recipe above)

1-3.5 oz package Hormel pepperoni (the large ones, there was 21 slices in the package)

1/2 to 1 cup shredded Colby jack cheese, divided

1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan/Romano cheese blend  

1/4 to 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese

1 finely chopped green onion 

Pizza sauce for dipping (recipe below)

Roll out dough into a rectangle as thin as you desire. Leaving 1/2 inch of edge all around. 

Spread pepperoni all over rolled out dough layered in 3 rows down 7 across. 

Sprinkle cheeses over that leaving some of the Colby jack for on top. 

Add green onion and any other topping you desire. 

Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with the long side; pinch seam to seal and tuck ends under. Place seam side down on greased baking sheet. Sprinkle on remaining cheese. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. 

Serve with Pizza sauce on the side for dipping. Careful its hot.  Refrigerate leftovers.

Pizza Sauce

This isn't fancy but it works.

1-8 oz can tomato sauce 

1/8 cup water

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 teaspoon dried basil

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/16 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 a bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until sauce starts to boil.

Lower heat and simmer, covered for 30 to 45 minutes or until it is as thick as you like it.

Through away bay leaf and serve.

Please leave a comment on what you thought of this recipe or ask a question I will answer it if I can.

Easter Wreath

 What you will need:

Oval wreath
Cute plastic eggs
Green Easter grass (mine was paper)
Sparkly Easter grass
Wire
Wire cutters
Glue gun and glue
Cute happy Easter sign (I has this already)
Ribbon
Scissors

Steps:

Take your heated glue gun and spread a lot of glue in one area, quickly take a small handful of green grass and cover area pressing firmly. Repeat this step until all of front is covered in green grass. Do this step again with a little sparkly grass. Add a good size dab of glue to the back of the plastic egg and press onto grass firmly. Repeat with remaining eggs. Use a piece of wire or glue to secure "Happy Easter" sign to wreath. Tie ribbon through a piece of wreath at the top and make a bow to hang it with . Take your scissors and cut long or out of place pieces of grass. Some of the grass will shed off as you pick it up so watch out. Ta Da! Super cute wreath!

Super Yummy Baked Chicken Flautas

My family LOVES these! They are easy, cheap, not too spicy for kids and wimps like me and SUPER flavorful! You can serve these plain or with salsa, sour cream, guacamole, ranch dressing or whatever you like.  Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 4 Tablespoons salad oil
• 2/3 teaspoons dried parsley or 2 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
• 1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice concentrate or juice of 1 lemon
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Cups raw boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenders (cut into bite size pieces)
• 4-5 24 inches flour tortillas or more smaller ones
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
• A little extra vegetable oil for brushing on

Directions:

Marinate chicken in the first 5 ingredients for one hour in the refrigerator. Then cook the chicken with the marinade over medium-high heat in nonstick pan until cooked through. Mix together cooked chicken, sour cream and cheese. Spoon some of mixture onto each tortilla and roll up tucking in the ends. Place the flautas in a baking dish, brush with oil, as desired (this makes them crispy). Cook for 15 minutes in a preheated 400 degree oven. Carefully with tongs turn the flautas over, brush with a little more oil and cook an additional 7 minutes. Careful these are hot!! let cool a little before serving. I hope you like them and please let me know what you think!