Taste of Home Card Swap!

Hi from chickluvs2cook!

(Not my cookies - but I loved the pic.)

I have so enjoyed getting all of your Christmas cards these past few days...the recipes are awesome, too! I can hardly wait to start trying out some of them.  This is my third year to participate in this card swap, and I have been waiting anxiously for it to start.

If you have found your way here you have probably received my Christmas postcard. I send postcards because I think they are fun and an easy way to mail Christmas wishes to a lot of people (they also can be saved and used as a recipe card.).  All I have to do then is direct the receiver to my blog and they can get all of my info here. So, here goes...

I live in Yorkville, IL, which is a suburb of Chicago and in what they consider the Fox Valley area. I am married to an incredible man named Mike and we have a 2.5 years old puppy named Kiki that we adopted from a shelter. We don't have kids of our own, but love spending time with our nieces and nephews. They range in age from 6 yrs. old to 24 yrs. old ~ 5 boys and 2 girls. We travel a lot to see them b/c they live in IL, IN and AR (at least the younger ones - the older ones actually come to us).

I am the General Manager of an environmental consulting firm located in Geneva, IL and enjoy my job (most of the time). But I really love my "part-time" jobs...selling lia sophia jewelry (www.liasophia.com/brigette) and Wildtree products (www.mywildtree/brigette)! I have so much fun meeting new people, while helping them accessorize their busy lives and feed their families the Wildtree way...simple.healthy.natural.

As for hobbies, the main one is cooking...everything and anything about cooking. I collect cookbooks, watch the FoodNetwork every chance I get, and love to try and develop new recipes. I have even won a couple of local contests and  aspire to winning a big one one day. I have been cooking since I was little and would help my grandmother in the kitchen. She taught me so much in our 16 years together.  (If you like great community cookbooks, you need to check out the one I helped compile and publish for a local women's club that I am the President of here in Yorkville - www.yorkvillejwc.com).    =)


Something that my husband and I like to do together is cake decorating...and if you knew my husband, you'd be even more surprised - he is 6'3" and football player big, but can decorate a cake like you wouldn't believe.  We have taken the 3 main Wilton classes together and had a blast.  We even have a little side business for that, too (www.frosted-sweets-treats.com).  He was recently laid-off from his corporate job of 14 years and is going to be working for a new bakery that is opening up in our area as a baker/decorator a few hours a week until he finds gainful employment again (which will be hopefully soon and he'll only be able to work at the bakery on the weekends).

My other hobby (like I need one more thing to do) is photography. I take pictures of everything...I'm kind of the family historian shall we say. I find it so amazing to capture a moment in time and have it to look back on whenever I want to remember or relive the memory. 

Well, that is about it for me. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Eat, pray, love,

Brigette (TOH BB - chickluvs2cook)

Cookies Across America - Dec. 10th!

Cookies Across America

Making a difference through baking and sharing cookies.

Join Taste of Home on December 10 to "bake a difference." Cookie lovers unite! Whether it's baking and sharing cookies with the needy or donating cookie ingredients to a food bank, you can make a difference in your community this Christmas. Get Involved Host a Cookie Exchange Party More About Cookies Across America Gingerbread Boy Cookies As a Field Editor for Taste of Home, I will be participating on the 10th by baking cookies for the volunteers of Operation Santa that will be sorting toys for the children in need in Kendall Co., IL...I'd love to hear how all of you are also planning to participate. Eat, pray, love, Brigette

Fingers crossed!

What an awesome giveaway from Skip To My Lou.  I would so love to win one of these...it would make live & entertaining much easier!  The possibilities of what could be made are endless.  How fun would it be to try to find that end?!  It makes my head spin just thinking about it.  Wish me luck...fingers crossed! 

Go and enter as well...if I don't win maybe someone I know will and I can use it, too.  ;)

Eat, pray, love,

Brigette

 

$299 Silhouette Cameo {Giveaway}

posted by cindylouh on November 16th, 2011 | Giveaways |

Thanksgiving is next week! Are you ready? You do know what is next, don't you?  Christmas! Are you getting excited for Christmas?  I know I am!
To kick off the holiday season count down next week I'm excited to be sharing a week of advent calendars.
I {adore} advent calendars and I love finding and even creating new one's.
I have been working on a fun one and I can wait to reveal it to you {cheers}.  But first... I want to share with you an amazing giveaway that just might help you create one of my advent calendars next week {stay tuned}.
Get excited readers {squeal}!   I’ve arranged for one of you to get a brand spankin’ new and by new, I mean {newly released}  Silhouette CAMEO!  A lucky reader will receive a FREE Silhouette CAMEO machine. Valued at $299!

 Wait till you see the things you can do with the silhouette cameo -from holiday decorations, paper crafts to make your cupcakes the cutest, glass etching, custom vinyl and as if it that isn't amazing enough..... how about temporary tattoos for your kids! Yes, soon you could be making the cutest cards on the block! The options really are endless.

Exclusive Reader Discount

I’ve officially got you hooked up with an exclusive Skip to my Lou reader discount {use code 'Skip') starting on Black Friday and running through the 28th to get an additional discount on your purchase. It's so exclusive and top secret though (and gives you a sizable percentage off the already discounted prices provided by Silhouette), that I can't reveal it until next week.  Stay tuned!

Click here to make your purchase and save!

Simply comment to enter.
For extra entries: Please make sure to come back and leave a separate comment for each entry. Five entries max.
2. Tweet about the contest! Feel free to use this sample tweet,
Free Silhouette CAMEO cutting machine, a $299 value from @silhouetteam. Comment to enter! http://bit.ly/vwdJqg Pls RT
or just click this button to Tweet Tweet
3. Like Skip to my Lou on facebook.
4. Like  Silhouette on facebook,
5. Like Silhouette on Pinterest.
No purchase necessary.  US Residents Only.  Must be over 18. Giveaway will end on November 23, 2011 at 12am CST. One winner with a valid entry will be selected at random using random.org. Winner will be emailed, the winner  will have 48 hours to claim their prize or another winner will be selected.  Cindy Hopper and Silhouette are not responsible for lost or undelivered emails.

Happy Halloween!

Today is Halloween...enjoy a little Trick or Treating...and this easy recipe.  What better way is there to get everyone's stomachs ready for all that candy then these Mummies?!
  Eat, pray, love,
BrigetBrigette

Mummies on a Stick

Ingredients

• 1 tube (11 ounces) refrigerated breadsticks
• 10 Popsicle sticks
• 10 hot dogs
• Prepared mustard

Directions

• Separate dough; roll 10 pieces into 24-in. ropes. Insert a Popsicle stick into each hot dog. Starting at the stick end, wrap one dough rope around each hot dog, leaving 2 in. of the hot dog uncovered at the top for the mummy head.
• Place mummies 1 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. Place remaining bread sticks on another baking sheet.
• Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes. Add dots of mustard for eyes. Save leftover bread sticks for another use. Yield: 10 servings.

(Originally published as Mummies on a Stick in Taste of Home Halloween Party Food , p22)

House Cleaning Tips

I did not write this, but wish I had...I would love to work on getting into a daily or semi-daily routine so that I don't have to panic and spend hours when company is coming or it's just time to do it.

If anyone has any other tips or tricks, I'd love to hear them...please share by commenting to this post.

Eat, pray, love,

Brigette

How to Clean Your House in 30 Minutes or Less

Cleaning house can feel like a gargantuan task, especially when you’ve let things slide for a few days too many. But it doesn’t have to be such a time-consuming undertaking. By incorporating these easy tips into your daily routine and prioritizing the areas that have a knack for getting the messiest the quickest, you’ll find that keeping the house in order is as easy as pie. The only drawback is that now you’ll have to figure out what to do with your new-found free time.



Kitchen:

• Do the dishes or place them in the dishwasher after every meal. (5 minutes)
• Wipe down counter tops and stove with an all-purpose cleaner after cooking. (2 minutes)
• Wipe up any spills and sweep up any crumbs after eating. (2 minutes)

Bathroom:

• Keep sanitizing wipes under your bathroom sink so you can quickly wipe the countertop after each time you wash your face or brush your teeth. (2 minutes)
• Once a week, wipe the toilet and seat rim and clean the toilet bowl. By keeping the cleaning products within reach, you’ll be more likely to reach for them even if you’re not doing a major cleaning  (2 minutes)

Bedroom:

• If you’ve already started a load of laundry, don’t consider it finished until you fold and put away clean clothes. Doing it right away ensures you’re less likely to have piles of clean clothes on your bed. (5 minutes)
• Each morning, clear bedside tables of dishes, books, and reading glasses from the night before. (2 minutes)
• Get into the habit of making your bed every morning, the moment you get out of bed. You’ll be happy you made the time when you come home that night. (2 minutes)

Living Room:

• Every few days, wipe the tables with a microfiber cloth to pick up dust while you watch TV. (2 minutes)
• Break out the Dustbuster to swoop up crumbs on the floor and in the couch cushions. By doing this while you watch TV, you’re integrating the chore into your daily routine, instead of waiting for a deep-cleaning session. (2 minutes)
• Before retiring for the evening put away all entertainment gadgets, DVDs, newspapers, and games that have been left out. (4 minutes)

(This came from a post by DivineCaroline, on Mon Oct 10, 2011 - it's not my own, but I thought it was worth sharing.)

October in The Dells...

We actually had the opportunity to visit The Dells in the beginning of October this year.  We usually go the 3rd weekend of the month to celebrate our anniversary.  But this year it was the 1st weekend, and oh, how things are different at the beginning vs. the end.  You wouldn't think that two weeks would really make that big of a difference, but boy does it.

The first thing we noticed is that the trees still have leaves and they are starting to transform into the beautiful colors of fall that we all know and love.  The other thing that was very apparent is that people were still coming to visit.  There were people every where from downtown to the restaurants to the hotels.  And...things were still open for these people to come visit.

One of our favorite experiences in the Dell's to eat at Paul Bunyan's Cook Shanty (http://www.paulbunyans.com/), but they close for the season the 2nd weekend of October.  So this year it was very exciting to drive into the parking lot and see lots of cars and know we were going to get that great, home-style breakfast we love so much.  (Isn't it funny what people get a kick out of?!)

So, if you get a chance to visit the Dell's in the fall...we highly recommend the first or second weekend of October...you won't be disappointed.  We are even thinking of changing our visits from now on, too...so you might see us there.  ;)

It's finally Fall!

It's officially (& finally) Fall today...Yay!!!  This is my favorite time of year for so many reasons.  I love that the weather starts getting cooler, and caramel apples can be found everywhere.  I love that the leaves start changing colors, and pumpkins are found outside front doors.  And I really love pulling out my Fall recipes.

In the next few posts I'll be sharing some of my favorite recipes that include all of those yummy fall flavors so many people enjoy.  If there is a particular one that I make and you would like to see me feature it, just let me know.


Now go out and enjoy Fall and all it has to offer!

Eat, pray, love,

Brigette

Spa Day...

It was a spa day...for Kiki!  She was able to enjoy the spa services of the Midwest School of Pet Grooming in Barrington, IL.  Thanks to Christy Schroeder (dog groomer extraordinaire (please ignore the incorrect word from the previous version - darn auto spell checker) and Mike's cousin's wife) who is currently enrolled in the school and is able to recruit "models" for the students to groom.  Of course we were all over the opportunity to: 1.) help Christy and 2.) to save big time on the cost of grooming (1/2 of what we pay normally).

As you can see from the pic Christy did a great job and Kiki looks fabulous!  She was so good she even got a special treat.  : )

Eat, pray, love,

Brigette

Shake, Share & Care

Things have been a little crazy, busy lately, and I realized it had been a few days since the last post...that's why when I received this email I knew it would be a good to share.  I have copied it straight from the email and give Daily Candy all of the credit for this one...but enjoy, it's for a great cause!

Eat, pray, love,

Brigette



Pink: It's Your Favorite Color Shake, Share & Care with Pink Grapefruit Tic Tac® mints
Your mouth won’t be alone in its love for the return of limited-edition Pink Grapefruit Tic Tac mints. Originally conceived in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness and to support CancerCare’s mission to help all those affected by cancer, Pink Grapefruit Tic Tac mints will captivate your heart and soul, too.

The Tic Tac brand will once again partner with CancerCare — a national nonprofit that provides free, professional support services to people with cancer, their loved ones, and their caregivers — through the Shake, Share & Care campaign and has launched the Extraordinary Caregiver Contest.

Simply go to the Tic Tac USA Facebook page between now and October 3 to submit a nomination for the caregiver you think has most dedicated him/herself to someone affected by cancer. Then check back between November 1 and November 11 to vote for one of the finalist entries. Three extraordinary caregivers will each win $2,500¹ to use toward an extraordinary experience, and the nominators of the three winning entries will each receive a $500 gift card².
The Tic Tac brand is also donating $100,000 to CancerCare. Because if there’s one thing that Tic Tac mints knows, it’s that a little support goes a long way.

Nominate and vote for an Extraordinary Caregiver who has dedicated him/herself to those affected by cancer online at facebook.com/tictacusa. Look for limited-edition Pink Grapefruit Tic Tac mints in select stores.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. Contest open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and D.C., age 18+ as of date of entry. Entry period of essay submissions to the contest starts at 12 pm EST on August 26, 2011, and ends at 11:59:59 am EST on October 3, 2011. For Online Voting Period and Official Rules, go to facebook.com/tictacusa.


¹Awarded in the form of a check.²Gift card vendor to be selected by Sponsor.

Shake It Up!

I've been a fan of Martha Stewart's clever ideas for several years (I have friends that still call me Martha), so when I find a really fun one I have to share it with my peeps.  It also involves another thing that I love...eating alfresco (picnics, cookouts, potlucks, and anything that involves getting together with a bunch of friends and family and eating).

With this little gem of an idea though, the kids get to help with the "work" and enjoy the results.  It's homemade whipped cream without a mixer...that's right - no mixer!

Shake It Up Whipped Cream (my version of the name)

Before you leave for your outing, put 3/4 cup heavy cream and 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar in a 1-quart airtight container. You'll "whip" the cream when you're ready to serve it.

Now here is the fun part!   At your outing, kids (big & small) can take turns shaking the container of cream and confectioners' sugar vigorously (two to four minutes), until the mixture is thick and fluffy. Don't shake it too early, or it will deflate before you serve it. Spoon fruit into cones (another awesome idea - no bowls need to serve), and top with a dollop of cream.

How easy is that?!  And you don't have to skip the good stuff just because you're not at home.

Eat, pray, love,

Brigette

As much as I would like to take full credit for this, I can't...read more at Marthastewart.com: Beach Ideas, Gardening Projects, Vacation Crafts, and Relaxing Ideas - Martha Stewart .

Tom is not who I thought he was...

My tomato plant is not a beefsteak producer like the tag said...it's a cherry producer.  Although I won't be making that big, beautiful BLT sandwich I've been dreaming about, I will have some awesome salads.  Jennifer & I actually ate the first 2 ripe ones last week and it looks like I'll have a few more to "harvest" this week.  I guess I'll just have to rely on the farmer's market for the BLT.  But I love going to the farmer's market so it's a win, win! 

Aren't they cute?!

Yay...my first container "garden" was successful.  Who knows what next year will bring - the sky's the limit (or what our little deck will hold)!  ;)

Eat (tomatoes), pray, love,

Brigette

Vaca - 2011

The summer vacation is officially over (boohoohoo), and we are back into every day life again (BIG BOOHOOHOO).  We had an awesome week with the McAfee's...as usual.  We spent a day at the beach at IN Dunes, we went to Legoland (again) and had a birthday dinner for Chris at Bahama Breeze, we went to Brookfield Zoo and closed the place down, Jennifer, Nathan & I saw The Smurfs Movie, we spent an evening at the Sugar Grove Family Fun Center doing go-karts, bumper boats & mini golf, and finished off the week at Raging Waves Water Park and closed that place down, too.  Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun times!

As a little surprise, the big nephews (Kai - 21 & Bryce - 19) stopped by on Friday and stayed until Sunday.  They were at a concert in Indianapolis and came for a quick visit on the way home to AR.  They went to the water park with us, made a trip to the Apple store in Naperville with Mike & enjoyed some awesome Mexican food with us before heading home.  It was a lot of fun having them...hopefully they felt the same.  ;) 

It was a busy week, but a very fun week.  Memories were made that will last a lifetime...that's why I love summer vacations!

Eat, pray, love,

Brigette

Dad's New Baby!

Well, it has officially happened...my dad has really retired!  Today was a big day for him, he picked up his new baby...the Tracker ProGuide something, something, something, fishing boat.  He has talked for years about getting a fishing boat, and he & mom finally did it.  And believe it or not, my mom likes to fish almost as much as he does.  So they will really enjoy having it and being able to go when they want to do a little fishin'.  I have a feeling there will be a lot more fish fries in our future, which is awesome!

I'm not much for the fishing part, but I love to be on the water boating & floating.  Hopefully we'll see them more by meeting them at Starved Rock or Ottawa for a day on the water.  They have even said that Mike & I may be able to use once in awhile - we'll see how that pans out.  ;)

Eat, pray, love,

Brigette

I Heart Faces - Water Photo Contest!

I'm at it again...I've entered another pic into a photo contest.  This one has the theme of Faces + Water.  One of my all time favorite pics of Evan (my nephew) is of him and Uncle Mike playing in the pool at Big Cedar in MO.  It was a great vacation and as you can see we had tons of fun in the water that very hot week in August.

Photo Challenge - Water

So here it is the pic that may win it all...

I'll keep you posted!

Brigette

Crock Pot Baked Potatoes!

With the heat making it too hot to turn on the oven, I thought this would be a good time to share another crock pot idea with you all...baked potatoes.  I have to give credit where credit is do, this one comes from my friend Dee Dee.  She's a full-time nurse, mom & wife and loves her crock pot as much as I do.  :)

All you have to do is wash 4-6 (or however many you need) baking potatoes, poke them with a fork a couple of times, slather on some olive or grapeseed oil (garlic GSO from Wildtree will make them really good), sprinkle with salt & pepper (optional for those that actually like to eat the skin, too), and wrap each one in foil.  (You can skip the oil step, but they stay more tender with a little on them.)  Once the potatoes have been prepped, place them in the appropriate sized crock pot and top with lid.  Cook on Low for 8 hrs. or High for 4 hrs.  They come out cooked to perfection!  Plus, it's an easy way to make a bunch of them to have throughout the week if you'd like.  My mom has actually made them and reheated them in the microwave later and they were still very good.

Stay cool and keep...
...eating, praying, loving,

Brigette


(Pics are from Skip To My Lou)

Christmas In July!

Each year at Christmas I have to come up with gift ideas for everyone, not only for Christmas, but for my b-day, too. As a person who would much rather give than receive, I always struggle with coming up with things to ask for (which is also hard to do).

So this year I decided I would start keeping track of ideas...thus Christmas in July!

Here's the first thing that I have found...I've been watching Giada use it on her shows/commercials & I love it. It is...

"Giada De Laurentiis™ for Target® Stainless Steel Mezzaluna Knife" & it's only $20!

Product Description

Description
Known for her warm personality and creative approach to everyday cuisine, Giada De Laurentiis brings her signature style to Target, offering a unique and integrated approach to the table. Her exclusive Target line features this Mezzaluna Knife, great for mincing, chopping or dicing.

Features
Blade Material: High Carbon Stainless Steel
Handle Material: Steel
Cutlery Construction: Forged
Care and Cleaning: Hand-wash Only
Dimensions: 3.0 " W x 14.0 " H x 0.5 " D
Weight: 0.6 Lb.
Warranty Description: Lifetime Limited Manufacturer Warranty




Beautiful, isn't?!


Eat, pray, love,

Brigette

Happy 4th of July!

I hope you are all enjoying your 4th of July with great food, awesome friends & family, and flying the red, white, & blue in honor of our free country! 

Eat, pray, love,

Brigette

Tom is growning!

In case any of you were wondering, the tomato plant is growing!  It's only been about a week and he has already almost doubled in size and has sprouted more blooms.  Hopefully I'll be picking some mighty nice tomatoes in no time at all and making that BLT I've been dreaming about lately.

We'll see how he does for the 4 days we'll be gone over the long 4th of July weekend though.  I have to admit that I even entertained the thought of taking him with us, but that would be silly, right?  Yes!  He's planted in the Miracle-Gro® Expand'n Gro™ soil that is supposed to hold water so that container plants don't dry out as fast...we'll see if that was worth spending an extra few bucks on...or if it was just a hoax.  I'll keep you posted.  :)

Eat, pray, love,

Brigette

Fun 4th of July Food!

We're getting close to one of my favorite holiday's.  The 4th of July is just a few days away and I've started planning some the fun food I'd like to do for the fam.  I found this awesome idea on Living Locutro (an online blog that I follow) for dipped strawberries and knew they had to be on the menu while we're in Indiana for the festivities.  They are super easy, too.  All you have to do is dip the end of the berry in white chocolate candy melts then dip the tip in blue sugar.

How cute are these "flag" strawberries?!  I can hardly wait to try them.  All you need to do them yourself is:

- Strawberries
- 1 bag of white candy melts (or white chocolate chips or almond bark - follow directions on pkg. for melting).
- Blue sugar (you can make your own colored sugars by putting sugar in a baggie, adding a couple of drops of food coloring, and shaking until all sugar has been colored).

They could also be done in school colors for school parties, pink & blue for baby showers, wedding colors for bridal showers...the possibilities are endless.

Eat, pray, love,

Brigette

Lettuce Storage

Lettuce storage has been a issue of mine for many years.  I eat a salad almost every day, so I buy a lot of lettuce.  But even with eating a lot of salads, I still end up throwing some away that has gone bad.  When lettuce turns, it turns fast and then it's slimy and gross. So I started doing a little research (as most of you know I love to do) and stumbled across a very happy surprise.  Mason jars are the perfect storage devise for lettuce!  How did I not know or not think of that?  I use mason jars for everything...why not lettuce? 

So I decided to give it a try.  I bought some fresh new hearts of romane, cleaned it, chopped it and packed into the jars.  Tonight was the true test...we were having a salad with dinner.  I opened the jars, which had created their own vacuum pack from the lids alone and poured it out...it was still bright and crunchy...like the day it went in the jar.  WooHoo!  I've finally found a way to keep lettuce from going bad before it all gets eaten.  Yay!!!!!

Brigette

Home Grown Tomatoes!

Summer Project #2...grow the tomatoes for Summer Project #1...canning...salsa, marinara, etc.  It has been several years since I have had a garden - 14 to be exact.  There is nothing like the taste of a fresh, just picked tomato.  I used to love to help my Grandpa Schrock pick the "new fancy cherry" tomatoes in his garden. About 1 in every 10 went straight into my mouth.   (He was always trying new plants and seeds.  One year we had green and striped pumpkins - now you have to pay twice as much for one like that - Clifford was so ahead of his time.  He even tried to grow kiwi fruit once - he found out you need a male and a female plant to make that happen - ordering just one didn't work.) 

So this year I decided to try the container garden method, at least for tomatoes.  If it goes well then I will expand next year.  And you my faithful friends & family followers get to go along for the journey.  To the right is a pic of the little guy in his new home just starting out...I'll keep you posted on his progress.  :)

Brigette

The Help...The movie!

I am so excited that they have made the book The Help into a movie.  I loved the book and can't wait to see it come alive on the big screen.  If you haven't read it or are looking for a great read for the summer...check it out.  And I mean literally check it out...I use my library all of the time.  I can access every book they have (and most others in the Chicagoland area) right from my computer.  I put it on hold and they send me an email when it's ready to be picked up.  It's literally the world at your fingertips!

Here's a little bit more about The Help...

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

"At the outset of the civil rights movement in Jackson, Mississippi, three unique women unite to share the stories of dozens of the city's black servants, who have been kept voiceless for too long. Skeeter is fresh home from college, with big dreams of becoming a journalist, though her mother just wants her to find a husband. Aibileen, a black maid, is the heart and soul of her household, now working on raising her seventeenth white child. Her best friend Minnie, is the best cook in the city, but can not find a job because of her tendency to speak the cold truth. Together, these three unforgettable ladies launch a crusade to collect the stories of the town's silent servants, and try to tear down the unspoken racial barriers that traverse the homes and hearts of everyone in Jackson."

Brigette

Learn To Can!

That is going to be my summer project...I'm going to learn (or re-learn) how to can.  I did it with my Grandma Schrock and my parents as a kid & really didn't care for it.  It was hot and boring, and I always had to do the yucky jobs.  Now I see it very differently though.  I now see how awesome it was to have all of those great summer veggies and fruits and jams and sauces in the winter when I was missing them the most.

So wish me luck...I'm going to do this (at least the hot water method - pressure cookers still scare me to death) this summer and be very grateful this winter.

Brigette

Awesome Cookbook!

Do you have summer parties that you need food ideas for or just for your own dinner ideas for the family?  The Yorkville Jr. Women's Club cookbook has some awesome recipes that are perfect for summer entertaining.  A sample menu from the cookbook would be Lemonade Party Punch (pg. 4), Apple BBQ Pork Loin (pg. 21), Bruschetta Pasta Salad (pg. 9), and Strawberry Cheesecake Triffle (pg. 51).  Yummmmy!

The cookbook is for sale for only $10 and has a ton more recipes to help with all of your dining needs.  To get one for yourself (or as a gift for someone else - they make great gifts) you can go to http://www.yorkvillejwc.com/.  Or contact me directly.  (Note:  I am the current President of the Yorkville Jr. Women's Club and am very biased towards this cookbook, because I happen to have several recipes of my own in it.)  ;)

Brigette

No "S'more" Sticky Fingers!

I love s'mores....love, love, love them...but hate ending up with sticky fingers after the marshmallow oozes out the sides.  And, those of you who know me know that I had to get sticky while I eat.  Yuck!  Well no "s'more" sticky fingers!  Jet Puffed the makers of the new Stacker Mallows have finally come up with a square marshmallow that fits in the borders of the graham cracker & chocolate. 

My prayers have been answered!  (And I'm sure I'm not the only one...they didn't develop a whole new marshmallow just for me...that I know of.  ;)  I can hardly wait to try my first perfect s'more!

Brigette

No more ooozing s'mores  :(

Bridesmaids!

OMG...funniest movie I've seen in a loooooonnnng time!

I went and saw this movie last night with 7 other girlfriends (love my Jr. peeps) and we laughed so hard we were in tears (some even peed a little - shhhh).  It has a cast of incredibly funny women and actually tells a good story.  The premise is bride has an old friend and a new friend...they fight over being her best friend...need I say more.

This is definitely a movie you are going to want to go see with a group of girls.  One of us would start laughing and then the rest of us couldn't stop; however, the group of teenagers in front of us thought we were crazy.  I guess some of it you just have to be older to truly appreciate.  

There are so many RIDICULOUSLY funny parts, but I don't want to ruin it for anyone so I will refrain from telling too much.  All I have to say is..."BEEEELLLLLLLLCH, I would apologize, but I'm not even confident as to what end that came out of!"

I need to go now and get some more tissue, just writing about it is making me laugh until I cry again.

Brigette

Girl's Night Out ~ the movie Bridesmaids ~ a full review to come ~ WooHoo!

Grilled Pizza!?!

It was so hot today and I knew I did not want to turn on the oven…but wanted pizza for dinner.  So, I thought why not sure the grill as the oven.  I use it as an “oven” to make my Apple Pork Tenderloin, why not pizza?  

All I did was heat the grill like normal and then made the pizza on a piece of foil (spray with cooking spray to avoid sticking) on a cookie sheet for easy transport/transfer.  I, of course, made my crust from the fabulously, delicious Wildtree Pizza Crust mix and my sauce from the Wildtree Pizza Sauce mix ahead of time so it was all ready to go when I was ready to “bake” the pizza.  (I sell Wildtree so I’m going to add my own little ad/link here…www.mywildtree.com/brigette…if you haven’t tried it, you should – it is amazing stuff to help make meal time easy & healthy!)  Once I topped it with my toppings, I slid it off the cookie sheet onto the grill, which I turned down to low, and shut the lid.  After 10 mins. I checked it and found this beautiful, bubbly, cheesy pizza ready to be devoured.  I simply pulled the foil off the grill (with tongs) onto the cookie sheet and we were ready to enjoy!



Before



After

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed a pizza without heating up the house with the oven.  We can hardly wait for grilled pizza night again!

Eat, pray, love always!

Brigette

Point to ponder...

Why do firemen smoke?  Wouldn't they be the last people on earth to want to inhale smoke and risk starting a fire?   I started thinking about this after driving by a fire station that had a smoking area with one of those tall containers to dispose of cigarette butts.  It all seemed so odd to me.

Fun & Yummy!

Remember the ice cream push up pops of our youth?  Well, they're making a come back with a twist.  Cupcake Push Up Pops...and they are yummmmy! 

We were recently invited to a graduation party that we offered to do the cakes for (that will be another story, another day), and I wanted to make it fun - it was a high school graduation after all.  So I started doing a little research and found this awesome new cupcake trend.  Cupcake Push Up Pops!!!

It was love at first sight...I knew I had to do them for the party.  Since it's the newest trend in cupcakes, I found that the containers are a little hard to find.  But I did and everyone loved them!  Who knew a couple of mini cupcakes and my favorite Italian Meringue Buttercream frosting could be loved any more!?!  

We are definitely adding them to our cupcake menu at Frosted Sweets & Treats. 

PS:  Congratulations Amanda!

Here we go again...I hope!

Well...I'm going to try this again...I hope! 

I'm going to try to blog about things that interest me, humor me, I love to do, and just about everything that happens in between.  I love to cook, so most of it will be about food.  I also love to travel (but don't get to do it nearly enough), so some of it will be about our adventures.  And...as you could probably guess, a lot of it will be about my family & friends and all of the fun times we have together.

I'm really going to try very, very hard to post each day, but please forgive me if I miss a day or so - I'm only human (a very busy human at that).

So sit back and enjoy the ride!