#28 The Pizzadilla

When switching to healthier eating habits, there are some things that are really difficult to give up (even I can admit that). Instead of giving them up, find a healthier way of making that favorite item. For me, pizza was a favorite and I wanted to find a healthier way to make it.

Once I started making little individual pizza's on whole wheat tortilla shells, another idea came my way. And then I saw it on pinterest... The Pizzadilla!

What is great about the pizzadilla is that it is taking an american classic and making it into a portable on the go meal.

First you take a whole wheat tortilla shella and fill one side with your favorite pizza ingredients. Then you fold the other half over creating the pizzadilla (or a healthier version of a calzone). Bake at 350 F for 10-15 minutes (or pan fry if your in a time crunch) until all of the pizza goodness is melted and heated together and then enjoy!

http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/13-healthy-and-gluten-free-ways-to-make-pizza?sub=1691254_464460

 

Posted with Blogsy

#27 DIY Shellac

I am really marking this one as a fail. I followed the directions to a T with this DIY Shellac and within one day, they started to chip after doing everyday activities.

First, the three items that you needed to ensure you would have a no chip manicure for two weeks are Sally Hansen's No Chip Acryllic Top Coat, an Essie nail color of your choice and Sally Hansen's Powerful Acryllic Gel.

Step 1 - On clean nails, use the No Chip Acryllic Top Coat and let dry.

Step 2 - Paint your Essie nail color of choice and let dry.

Step 3 - Finish with the Sally Hansen's Powerful Acryllic Gel.

Step 4 - Have your nails chip the next day.

Honestly, I have tried a few different methods and even have gone to the salon, I guess I am just too hard on my nails and hands and normally they chip a day or two after. This is why if I have an event in which I want my nails to look nice, I normally stick to doing them that day.

I will let you decide on whether you want to spend the money and try it out.

http://pinterest.com/pin/139893132147596388/

 

Posted with Blogsy

#26 Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Bell Peppers

Can you say YUM?! And healthy to boot!!!

5 simple ingredients (I made it for 3 people)

• 3 Bell Peppers
• 6 slices of mozzarella cheese
• 3/4 pound thinly sliced Italian Beef (as much as I hate read meat, I did purchase a rarer italian beef because I knew it was going to cook even further)
• Sliced Mushrooms
• Onion

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, saute the mushrooms and onions along with a tablespoon of butter, season with salt and pepper once mushrooms are cooked through. Side note - did you know that if you add salt to your mushrooms too early, all of their natural juices will cook out and you will be left with rubbery mushrooms? Well, now you do, so don't season those bad boys too early.

Slice the Italian Beef in to small strips and mix with onion and mushroom mixture. Either half or cut off 1/4 of each bell pepper (laying it on it's side to do so). Place a slice of mozzerella cheese in the bottom of each pepper and add Italian Beef mixture then top with another slice of mozzerella cheese.

Place in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown on top and your peppers are tender. Enjoy!

http://bestrecipesmagazine.com/philly-cheesesteak-stuffed-bell-peppers-easy-recipe-colage/

 

Posted with Blogsy

#25 Ninja Turtle Halloween Costume

Looking for a quick, simple and cost effective Halloween costume? Let me guide you the way!

You will need:

Green shorts (and I made a little green tutu out of two different kinds of green tulle and a piece of elastic)

Green tank Top

Yellow Felt

Orange (or your favorite ninja turtle color) Fabric (ripped into strips)

Large Roasting Pan & Green Paint for the shell

(Also pictured is my BFF and little sister dressed as one half of one of the famous couples from Big Bang Theory - Amy Farrah Fowler)

http://www.costume-works.com/ninja_turtles-3.html

#24 Car Bomb Cupcakes

These little gemstones were made for a friends golden birthday. He has a love for all three liquors involved in these cupcakes and may have taken down one or two car bombs in his time.

For the cupcakes:

1 box of chocolate cake mix

1 container of applesauce

3 eggs (or 3/4 cup egg beaters)

1 cup of Guiness

1/3 cup of water





Mix all of the ingredients together and fill the cupcake liners (in the pan) 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. Let cool completely on a cooling rack.

For the buttercream filling:
2 cups of confectioners sugar
1 stick of unsalted butter
3-4 tablespoons of buttercream (the tiny bottle was the perfect amount)

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add butter and beat on medium speed for several minutes, until light and fluffy. Slowly add the sugar, a few tablespoons at a time.

When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, drizzle in the Baileys and whip until combined. If the frosting becomes too thin, beat in another spoonful or two of confectioners sugar. Once the cupcakes have fully cooled, pipe the Baileys buttercream into the cupcakes. You can core out the middle and add more buttercream. I choose not to as in a traditional car bomb, the Bailey's isn't supposed to be overpowering.

For the Chocolate-Whisky Glaze:
2/3 cup heavy cream
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (I used chocolate chips and it worked out just fine)
1 tablespoon of corn syrup
2 teaspoons Irish Whisky (Jameson)

Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Place chocolate and corn syrup in a small bowl. Pour hot cream over chocolate mixture, and stir until smooth. Add whiskey and stir until completely incorporated. After piping in the Baileys buttercream, refrigerate for 20-30 minutes before dipping in the Chocolate Whisky Glaze.

I then added a little golden sparkle to the top.

http://fancyfoodfancy.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/car-bomb-cupcakes/

#23 Lollipop Pumpkin

Every year at work, the week before Halloween, we have our "Magic Pumpkin" week. During the week, each classroom incorporates different pumpkin and halloween related activities into their lesson plans. Then towards the middle to end of the week, the children plant a magic pumpkin seed in the morning and after nap their pumpkins have grown.

We had some left over lollipops from a recent marketing event and I came across this cute idea. You simply need a pumpkin, a nail and hammer (or in my case at work, a thin screwdriver and the end of a socket wrench.) Now, my one fail to this project was when I started the first row, I put the holes really close together.

Once you have the holes appropriately spaced, then add the lollipops and put it out for display and for the children to take.

http://www.simplydesigning.net/2011/10/lollipop-pumpkin.html



#22 Amazing Indoor Recess - Adventure to Fitness

This might be my favorite pinterest find to date! I work at a child care center where the typical child is with us for 10+ hours. After a few rainy days in which they cannot get outside, everyone starts to go a little crazy. So you can imagine my appreciation for this site and our gym area that we have accessible to us.

Adventure to Fitness provides 30 minute interactive videos where the children go on an adventure along with the guide. They have to run, walk, climb, jump and slide down along the way.

The one misleading factor when I first pinned this website is that the pinner I had obtained it from stated that it was free. In order to do the complete adventures, you do have to sign up, which does cost money. There are different packages and as you choose a longer time span, you do save more. To start off, I had choosen the 1 month for $9.99.
 

I had originally purchased it for a non-school day with the Elementary students, they weren't having it (although I think some of it had to do with the fact that the speakers weren't working). We then tried it out with our Prekindergarteners and they loved it! (Despite not being able to hear again, that has since been fixed.) I would recommend this to any parent or school during the winter and rainy months.

http://adventuretofitness.com/

#21 Chocolate Covered Strawberry Hearts

Recently, two of my best friends got engaged. Both of them get government holidays off, so their engagement occured on a Monday evening (to throw her off). They did try to come by my apartment later that night to tell me, but I am a grandma when it comes to sleeping during the week and had already been asleep for hours when they swung by around 11:00 pm.

Needless to say, I never woke up to their phone calls and felt bad once I found out and invited them over for dinner the next night. I decided to make these adorable chocolate covered strawberry hearts for dessert.

You will start with washed strawberries and cut them in half (leaving the stems attached). From the original pin, they had put a toothpick through the middle to hold them together. I found that if you lined a cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper and then put a small dab of chocolate down first, there was no need for the toothpicks.  

From there, I drizzled/painted the melted chocolate over the tops and the heart takes shape and stands out! 

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/165929567494317300/