Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup

August 28, 2012 by 2 Comments

There’s a time and a place for soup. At least at my house it’s that way. When planning meals, soup is never an option. I honestly think that my family would rather eat cardboard than eat such a thing called soup. It’s not because soup is such a bad thing. It’s probably just because when put up against a hearty casserole or grilled steak, soup just doesn’t compare. And therefore usually ends up being bypassed and never even a consideration. This is something that I’d loved to change here in my family.

I love soup! For many reasons too. You can make huge amounts at once, it freezes well, and best of all it’s cheap to make! All of my favorite traits of a good meal. So when I came across this Weight Watchers Cheeseburger Soup recipe, I knew I had to make it.

It’s contains the word, cheeseburger. I knew my family would have to love it.

It’s really easy to make. I healthified mine up a bit with ground turkey in place of the beef. The fam didn’t even know it. I take that back. They know me enough by now that all I use is ground turkey so maybe they did know. Either way, they didn’t care! It turned out really yummy and there are plenty of reasons why I love this particular soup. Not only was it cheap, but I made it in the crockpot so there was no slaving over the stove all evening.

Not to mention that it’s low-calorie. I mean come on, something that the family will eat that’s actually low-cal too? It’s a winner!

I made a few small changes to the recipe and it turned out really good. Mine doesn’t look near as yummy as theirs does, but I can assure you that it was just as tasty I’m sure!

 

Recipe adapted from Weight Watchers.

Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup
Author: Adapted from Weight Watchers
A meal that the whole family will love, this cheeseburger soup is easy and low-calorie too!
Ingredients
  • Cooking Spray or Crockpot Liner
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp Minced Garlic
  • 1 Medium Onion, Chopped
  • 1 lb Ground Turkey (see notes)
  • 2 Tbsp Flour
  • 3 Cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth (see notes)
  • 1 c. Reduced Fat Evaporated Milk
  • 8 oz Cubed Cheese (I used Colby Jack)
  • 1/2 Tsp Paprika
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste
  • Tortilla Chips for crumbling on top
Instructions
  1. Spray a skillet with cooking spray. Saute garlic and onions until tender. Spray the inside of a slow cooker with cooking spray and pour the garlic and onions into it.
  2. In same skillet, brown the ground turkey and break into small crumbles as it cooks. Pour off any grease and place into slow cooker.
  3. In a cup, combine 2 tbsp flour with 1/2 cup broth until there are no more lumps.Pour into the same skillet. Then add remaining 2 and 1/2 cup broth.Bring to a simmer making sure to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Pour into the slow cooker.
  4. Add evaporated milk, cheese, paprika, and salt & pepper to the slow cooker and stir. Cook on low for 2-3 hours.
  5. Serve with broken up chips on top.
Notes

I used a pound of ground turkey in this soup, but after making it and seeing how “soupy” it actually was, I would probably add another 1/2 pound next time. If you like your soups like this meaty, you might consider it.

This recipe originally called for chicken broth. I think that I will try part beef broth next time since after all, it is cheeseBURGER soup. Seems to me there needs to be more beefiness.

And honestly, the picture of this soup does not do it justice. It’s a lot more appetizing than the picture lets on. 🙂

Just notes from my brain about this dish! Enjoy!


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Cheesy Broccoli Tuna Casserole

August 27, 2012 by 2 Comments

Today I’m going to address a meaty ingredient that folks often overlook when it comes to making meals.

Canned tuna.

No, it’s not glamorous. Quite the contrary, the very thought of it is not appealing at all to me. When I pop open a can, I feel like I’m about to feed a cat, not make dinner. But undeniably, it’s a cheap meat. I don’t really mind the taste, as long as it’s covered with cheese or mayonnaise or mustard. I even love a good old-fashion tuna sandwich every now and then. Will my husband eat one? No. Will my kiddo eat one? No.

Enter Cheesy Broccoli Tuna Casserole. I adapted this recipe a little from this cookbook.

I’ll go ahead and warn you though, if you have tuna haters who can’t stand tuna, this probably won’t change their tune. It’s not one of those kinda casseroles. But it is quite tasty and a great way to save a little money using affordable pasta, meat, and veggies.

One of my favorite things about this dish is that you can microwave it instead of firing up the oven. That’s always a plus to me.

It’s funny, my daughter was eating it and she couldn’t quite put her finger on what was in it. She was blind-sided by the yummy cheese and broccoli (this is what makes this one so sneaky!) and didn’t realize that there was tuna inside. She then said “Ew, fish!” and gave me the oh-so-famous “I don’t like it.”. I told her to just pick out what she didn’t like. She once again stated that she didn’t like the tuna part.

Later on, washing the dishes I found nothing but pieces of mushroom on her plate. She didn’t even know that she was actually eating the tuna and not eating the mushrooms. So the moral of this story is that from now on, I’ll make this dish without mushrooms.

And p.s.- be prepared to have your entire kitchen smell like tuna. If you figure out a way to avoid that, please let me know!

Cheesy Broccoli Tuna Casserole
Recipe Type: Main Dish
Author: Adapted from 366 Low-Fat Brand-Name Recipes in Minutes Cookbook
Affordable canned tuna makes up a very simple yet tasty supper!
Ingredients
  • 10- 12 oz Wide Egg Noodles
  • 10.75 oz Can of Cheddar Cheese Soup
  • 5 oz Evaporated Milk
  • 1 tsp Onion Flakes
  • 2 Cans Tuna packed in water, drained
  • 4 oz Mushroom Pieces, Drained (optional)
  • 16 oz Frozen Broccoli, Thawed (I used steamfresh)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large pot, boil noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, combine cheddar cheese soup and evaporated milk. Add onion flakes and mushrooms.
  3. Layer 1/2 the noodles in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Crumble 1 can of tuna over the top of the noodles. Add 1/2 of the broccoli and then pour 1 cup of the sauce on top of that. Repeat layers ending with the rest of the sauce.
  4. Top with a sprinkle of shredded cheese if desired.
  5. Bake for 20 minutes.
  6. Microwave version- assemble as above. Then microwave on high for 8 minutes. Then reduce power to 50% and microwave another 5 minutes.

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3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits

August 24, 2012 by 1 Comment

So yes, this isn’t a picture of candy bars. But you’ll be happy to know that it is a picture of something just as incredible. These biscuits were my very first biscuit success! A friend of mine who blogs at Thrifty T’s Treasures recently shared a biscuit fail of her’s. Let’s face it, it’s not easy making perfectly fluffy biscuits.

They never said biscuit-making would be easy. Isn’t that a famous quote? No? Well it should be. Because it’s the truth! Pillsbury has made life too easy on us. (Never thought I’d say THOSE words)

But I also don’t want to spend my entire afternoon in the kitchen creating the perfect biscuit dough, either. This momma has plenty to keep her occupied without slaving over biscuits. So I was very excited to find this recipe over at Fun Cheap Free. And I figured they were worth sharing because A) I was able to snap pretty narly pictures of them and B) they were actually edible and C) Addie just loved them and she’s my biggest critic.

The ease of this recipe is what makes it so good. That and the fact that it only contains 3 easy ingredients.

Start with 3 cups of self-rising flour. The self-rising part is very important so don’t use any other kind.

Or if you don’t have the self-riding kind, make your own self-rising flour with this recipe:

1 c. flour
1 & 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Make a well in the middle with your wooden spoon and pour in 1/4 cup vegetable oil. Or canola oil, or whatever kind oil you have.

Next, slowly add in 1 & 1/4 cup buttermilk and then using a fork stir to combine. Don’t worry about it being all lumpy.

Lose the fork and then use the two best cooking utensils that God gave you, your hands. Knead the dough until well combined and then turn out onto a floured surface.

Roll it out, but not too thin. You want them pretty thick in order for them to rise a bit and have some fluff to them. Using a biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out circles and place them on your baking sheet.

Place them on the stove while you let your oven preheat to 400 degrees. This gives them some time to rise a bit. But just being honest, mine rose very little and they still turned out fine.

I also put a little square of butter on each of mine before I placed then in the oven. And then when I got them out of the oven I sprayed them with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter. Neither of those are required, but make them extra good.

Bake for 10 minutes.

All you need is a good old cup of coffee and some jam to go with your biscuit and you’re set.

These seriously were the easiest biscuits I’ve ever made. While they are buttermilk biscuits and don’t have that buttery taste like some biscuits, you can add whatever you like to them to make them yummy.

I think they would make great biscuits for making and freezing sausage biscuits!

3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits
Recipe Type: Breakfast, Side, Bread
Author: Fun Cheap Free
Ingredients
  • 3 c. Self-Rising Flour + extra for counter
  • 1/4 c. Vegetable Oil
  • 1 & 1/4 c. Buttermilk
Instructions
  1. Place 3 c. flour in a large bowl. Using your hand or a wooden spoon, make a well in the middle. Pour oil into well.
  2. Slowly add the buttermilk and use a fork to combine. Don’t worry if it’s lumpy. Use your hand to knead it into a dough ball.
  3. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out leaving it fairly thick. Use a cookie or biscuit cutter to cut out circles and then place them on a baking sheet.
  4. Place on stove to rise while you wait for your oven to preheat to 400 degrees.
  5. Once preheated, (optional- place a tiny square of butter on top of each), bake for 10 minutes or until starting to get golden.
Notes

Her recipe said these only make about 6 or 7 biscuits, but I was able to get about 24 of them out of it. Mine were a lot smaller than hers, I’m sure. But they were plenty big for us.


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The Great Milky Way Disaster…(Vlog)

August 23, 2012 by 1 Comment

I promised to share it all with you. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Well, maybe not the ugly. If it’s really ugly, I probably won’t be taking a picture of it.

Anywho, I have created a video to share with you my situation…


Yeah….that. Kindergarten has me in a tizzy. I didn’t expect it to be this way, but alas I have buckled under it’s pressure. I’ll get used to it. I think…

THIS is the failure. It happened more than once actually.

Yes, it tasted heavenly. Yes, I ate WAY too much of the carnage. And I was bouncing off the walls at 9 o’clock at night after eating my weight in pure sugar.

While I’d really like to call it quits, I simply MUST conquer the Milky Way candy bar. And you’ll be there first to know when I have!

Until then, will you leave me a comment with your favorite candy bar? Maybe it’ll get my mind off this mess!


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Homemade 3 Musketeers Bars

August 22, 2012 by 9 Comments

Oh man, I’m still on a sugar high from all of this week’s candybars. When you have bowls of fillings and melted chocolate in front of you, it’s impossible to resist. I’m just sayin’.

We’re going to go a bit lighter today on our candy bars and talk about how to make Homemade 3 Musketeers Bars. Once again, the simplicity of this recipe stunned me. There are once again just 3 ingredients in this one and it’s as simple as pie to make. Well, maybe not apple pie. It’s really not that easy to make apple pie from scratch is it?

I digress…

The main ingredient in the filling for these candybars is whipped cream. You don’t get much fluffier than that, huh. I think that’s why it’s so much lower in fat than most other candybars. It also explains it’s lighter than air texture.

You simply melt up 2 cups of chocolate chips. I used semi-sweet this time around, but I won’t be using those next time.

UPDATE- I tried the nougat part with milk chocolate and it made it WAY too runny, so I do not advise using the milk chocolate chips.

Anywho, melt those up in the microwave or double boiler (I prefer this method) and then give them a good whippin’ with your mixer. Beat in an 8 ounce container of cool whip just until combined and fluffy.

Pour into a lined square dish and freeze. The longer, the better. At least 30 minutes, but overnight is great!

Sorry this picture is so dark. I got these put together at night and the lighting was just horrible. But you get the idea don’t you?

Once frozen, cut it into bite-size squares and dip into your melted chocolate wafers. I used a fork to turn and coat them well. These were a little more difficult to work with than the Butterfingers. These didn’t turn out as pretty for me, but they were still tasty!

Recipe from Monster Mama.

Homemade 3 Musketeers Bars
Recipe Type: Dessert, Candy, Snack
Author: Adapted from Monster Mama
Ingredients
  • 2 c. Milk Chocolate Chips
  • 1 8 oz Tub Cool Whip (You can even use sugar-free or fat-free!)
  • 2 c. Chocolate Melting Wafers
Instructions
  1. Melt chocolate chips in microwave or using a double boiler (I use this method). If you do use the microwave, it’s best to melt them on 50% power in 30 second intervals, stirring between each spurt.
  2. Beat your melted chocolate chips with a mixer for about a minute. Add in the cool whip and beat just until combined and fluffy.
  3. Pour into a lined 8×8 baking dish and freeze for at least 30 minutes. The longer, the better!
  4. Take out and cut into bite-size squares.
  5. When frozen, melt chocolate wafers according the package directions and using a couple forks, roll the squares until coated. Place on a wax-paper lined baking sheet. Place in the freezer to set.

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Homemade Butterfingers

August 21, 2012 by 7 Comments

We’re now on day number 2 of our CandyBar Week here at Pennywise Cook. It’s great making cakes and cookies and casseroles and all, but there is great satisfaction that comes when you have a batch of homemade candybars laying around. I’ve been using them for more than just eating by themselves. I’ve thrown a few in homemade ice cream a couple of times. They also make great bribery tools for the kids. And the husband…

Today’s homemade candybar is Butterfinger! Oh yeah, that’s right. Peanut Buttery, orange goodness. You might just be surprised by what exactly goes into these.

It’s possible that you may need to have a seat before you continue reading.

Almost everyone that tasted these could not guess what it was that these are made of. But they ALL said they taste exactly like the real thing.

It all starts with the famous fall candy, candy corn. I’m a big fan of it myself, but just like coconut I know there are some who don’t like it. It doesn’t matter. If they like Butterfingers, they will like your candybars even though they contain candy corn. If you’re concerned about whether that will make a difference, just don’t tell them. It can be our little secret.

But you might just be dying to share this 3-INGREDIENT recipe with everyone.

It starts with 1 pound of candy corn getting all smooth and melty in the microwave. I was a little surprised, but this was my first experience melting candy corn. It was fun. I was surprised at how quick it went back to being firm again.

Here’s a view of the melted candy corn awaiting the arrival of peanut butter. That’s the next step once you get it melted. Stir in a 16 oz jar of creamy peanut butter.

Then it’s time to pour it into a square pan to freeze. I used another piece of wax paper to smooth the top out and create a perfect square. I didn’t freeze it with the wax paper on top.

No need to freeze it long. Just let it get firm for about 15 minutes. You’ll find that the candy corn really firms up well.

Cut it into squares. You decide how big. Just eyeball it. I tried to make mine smaller so I could eat more. 🙂

Then it’s all a matter of using two forks to roll the squares through melted chocolate wafers. When I started, mine were really ugly y’all. But as I went on, I got better and they began to look fairly similar to a candybar. I even used my fork to drizzle little lines on the top to mimic the real thing. Not perfect, but I think it was a nice touch.

And they turned out SO good! They taste so incredibly similar that it’s crazy. I was very impressed with them and I know you will be too!

Let me know if you make them!

Recipe adapted from Plain Chicken.

Homemade Butterfingers
Recipe Type: Dessert, Candy, Snacks
Author: Adapted from Plain Chicken
With just 3 simple ingredients, you can create your very own Butterfinger candybars!
Ingredients
  • 1 Pound Candy Corn
  • 16 oz Jar Creamy Peanut Butter
  • 2 Cups Chocolate Wafer Melts
Instructions
  1. Melt candy corn in the microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir then continue microwaving in 15-second increments until melted completely. Stir between each interval.
  2. Stir in the peanut butter until smooth. Pour into a lined or greased 8×8 square baking dish. Freeze for about 10 minutes. Place wax paper onto a cookie sheet.
  3. Cut into small squares. Melt chocolate wafers according to package. Using two fork, roll the square into chocolate coating all sides. Lay on wax paper and allow to firm. Freeze for about 10 minutes once all are coated.

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CandyBar Week: Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

August 20, 2012 by 2 Comments

Happy Monday! There are only about a million reasons why today is a GOOD Monday, y’all. First off, my oldest baby starts kindergarten today! It just doesn’t seem right. I’ve been at home with her since the beginning and it’s going to be really different around here without her energetic self. I might just be able to keep the house clean. 😉

Another reason that today is a great day is because I had a fantastic weekend and someone those always seem to make way for a good week. Enjoyed some time with all of my family. I got to snuggle my step-sister’s little boy and even worked a little Scrabble game in. My dad even made me up some homemade ice cream. You know, the automated cranked kind. (I must be really special, huh?!) It was such a wonderful weekend and makes me so thankful for my family.

The biggest reason that I’m so glad that it’s Monday is that I have now declared TODAY the beginning of CandyBar Week here on Pennywise Cook! Oh yeah, we’re talking homemade versions of your favorite candybars that take very little time, money, and effort. I had no idea how easy my favorites were to make! I’m so glad to share these with you this week. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

And my entire family and friends have. I have now shared some of my candybars with most of my family by request. They were all in aw of how close they were to the real thing! And by the ingredients too….you might be surprised what it takes to make them. But I’ll shut up now and start you off today with Homemade Peanut Butter Cups!

I can already tell you that you will love these Homemade Peanut Butter Cups. Much like the original Reese’s Cups, these are much more special because they are made with love and ingredients from your very own kitchen. Can’t you just imagine them as perfect Christmas gifts?

Grab your old trusty double boiler, or perhaps your two small saucepans like I do. Throw some hot water in the bottom one and get it going on a slow boil. Melt up a cup of milk chocolate chips. Or use your microwave if you’re brave. I’m not, so I use my saucepans.

Line a muffin tin with liners and drop a thin amount of melted chocolate into each cup. Use your spoon to get it into each little crevice of the liners. This is what really makes it look like a peanut butter cup. Then pop them in the freezer for a bit while you whip up the filling.

The filling is super easy. In a mixer, mix together natural peanut butter, powdered sugar and honey. Voila! It’s ready to be rolled and then flattened into your frozen bottoms.

Use about a teaspoon of the filling per cup. Roll it up into a ball, then flatten onto the chocolate leaving a little space around the outside. This way the chocolate can ooze down in there to create a smooth outer shell.

Melt another cup of chocolate chips and smooth it on top of each cup and freeze for a little bit longer and you’re done!

So tasty and so close to the original thing that you’ll believe that’s just what you’re eating.

The first time I made them, I used semi-sweet chocolate chips for the coating. It was ok, but not near as good as the milk chocolate. We liked the ones made with them a lot better. I also made them in the mini muffin tins the first time and the second batch was in the larger ones. After having it both ways, my hips told me to go back to the smaller muffin tins next time. 🙂

Mine weren’t perfect by any means, but here’s the inside. Oh my goodness, I want one right now y’all!

Let’s talk about how to make them…

CandyBar Week: Day 1- Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
Recipe Type: Candy, Dessert, Snack
Author: Pennywise Cook
With just 4 ingredients, create peanut butter cups that rival even the biggest peanut butter cup competitors.
Ingredients
  • 2 c. Milk Chocolate Chips
  • 1/2 c. Natural Peanut Butter
  • 3 Tbsp Powdered Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp honey
Instructions
  1. Melt 1 cup of the chocolate chips in a double boiler. Drop equal amounts into a lined mini muffin pan. Use a spoon to even it out into the crevices of the liner. Place in freezer for 5-10 minutes while you make the filling.
  2. With a mixer, whip together the peanut butter, powdered sugar, and honey. If you notice your filling being a little too thick, pour a few drops of the natural peanut butter oil into it to thin it out just a bit. It should be like dough and able to be rolled.
  3. Remove the chocolate from the freezer. Roll the filling into 1 teaspoon- 1 and 1/2 teaspoon balls. I used about 1 and 1/4 tsp for mine. Flatten them on the chocolate leaving a little space on the outside of the filling for the chocolate to go into.
  4. Melt the other cup of chocolate chips and even pour equal amounts on top of the peanut butter filling smoothing it out as you go. It’s best to do one cup at a time because the peanut butter can make the chocolate harden faster this time.
  5. Freeze for about 10 minutes then serve!

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Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole

August 17, 2012 by 1 Comment

We’ve made it to Friday my friends! I start looking forward to Friday beginning on Monday, don’t you?  I love Saturdays especially because there’s no rush to wake up and you can eat breakfast whenever you prefer. It’s always a good day of the week for a big breakfast since you can usually sit down as a family unit to eat without rushing off to work or school.

But who in the heck wants to slave over the skillet, or oven, or even microwave on a Saturday morning? Well that last one isn’t that difficult, but I must admit that I find it a little laborious sometimes. 😉 That’s when a slow cooker comes in handy. Making something up ahead of time to enjoy later is a win-win situation no matter how you look at it.

But for breakfast you say? Yep. Even breakfast. Your Christmas morning may never be the same again.

This is my version of a simple Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole. This is made with things that I had on-hand. Very cheap to make and best of all, simple. My favorite part? It makes a TON! I’m able to make more than just 1 breakfast out of this which saves time and hassle for a few days to come.

I love Save-A-Lot’s 10 for $10 sales. You can’t go wrong with turkey bacon for a $1.You could also buy precooked bacon to make life easier if you’re willing to shell out the extra dough. Otherwise, it’s just a matter of cooking up the bacon before adding it to the crockpot.

Enjoy your weekend! I’ve got a special giveaway coming next week. I can’t wait to share!

Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole
Recipe Type: Breakfast, Main Dish
Author: Pennywise Cook
Breakfast doesn’t get any easier than creating it the night before and have it wait for YOU in the morning!
Ingredients
  • 1 Package 24 oz Frozen Hashbrowns
  • 1 c. Onions, Chopped
  • 1 12 oz Package Sausage
  • 10 Pieces Turkey Bacon, Chopped
  • 12 Eggs, Scrambled
  • 3 Tbsp Chicken Broth
  • 1/4 Tsp Salt
  • 1/4 Tsp Pepper
  • 1 c. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Instructions
  1. In a skillet, cook onions, bacon, and sausage until no longer pink.
  2. In slow cooker, place the hashbrowns and top with meat mixture.
  3. In a large bowl, scramble eggs and add the chicken broth and s&p. Pour over hashbrowns and meat mixture in slow cooker.
  4. Put lid on and cook on low for 4-6 hours. You can choose to stir it halfway through the cooking time if you prefer or leave it be. I did stir mine, but I think I’ll leave it next time.
  5. minutes or so until you plan to serve, sprinkle the shredded cheese over and replace the lid to let it melt.
Notes

If you’re making this overnight, you might even use the “warm” setting on your slow cooker to avoid overcooking.

I made this during the day (to have breakfast for dinner) and did not cook my meats through before hand. Mine cooked for 8 hours and I stirred halfway through.


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Coconut Poke Cupcakes

August 16, 2012 by 4 Comments

I want to preface this post today with a warning to my sister. If you are reading….STOP right here.

And for everyone else, you might wonder why I say this to my sister. It’s because I’m going to expose a little family secret today. One that in her undisclosed amount of years on this earth, she has never found out. My grandmother has always made this incredible coconut cake almost every year around the holidays. It usually marks a special occasion. My sister always requests it and it just makes her day when she gets a piece.

To my surprise, I was told this family “recipe” around her birthday this year. My mom shared it with a coworker who made one of these cakes just for my sister’s birthday. She thought it tasted exactly like my grandmother’s coconut cake. No wonder, it’s actually very simple to make.  I realize that many people don’t like coconut, but if you are one of the few that do, you’ll want to learn about this cake. It’s soooo yummy and soft and will definitely put a smile on your face. My grandmother usually makes this in cake form, but to narrow the portion sizes (I can’t help myself), I made them into cupcakes this time around.

It starts with your favorite white cake mix. Yes, that’s right. Save yourself the hassle and let Betty Crocker help you out for once. I actually used the Coconut Supreme version this time around to give it more coconut flavor. Bake the cupcakes according to the package and while they are still warm, use a wooden spoon to poke 3 holes in the middle of each.

Pop open a can of sweetened condensed milk (I use fat free) and drizzle some down in each of the holes in each cupcake. As you drizzle, it will absorb and will seem to disappear. Don’t go overboard though or you can cause the cupcake to get extremely mushy.

Place a dollop of whipped topping on each cupcake and even it out just a bit.

It’s time for the cupcake to take a coconut bath….

Dip that baby into the coconut and let it settle into the whipped topping. Don’t push too hard, it doesn’t take much for the coconut to catch on.

Oh my heavens, that’s it! From the outside you can’t even tell that it’s got a gooey and yummy center. But the fluffy, white coconut top is enough to get me to dive in.

And when you do, you’ll see how moist the inside is. It’s like a fluffy cloud of coconut heaven y’all.

To my sister if you did continue to read on, I’m very sorry to have spilled the beans on this beloved cake. But I thought it necessary to share it’s simpleness with the world. It’ll be a blessing to coconut lovers like us everywhere. 🙂

Coconut Poke Cupcakes
Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: Grandma Johnson
This simple method creates a fluffy coconut cupcake made in heaven!
Ingredients
  • 1 Box White Cake Mix (Or Coconut Supreme if you’re feeling frisky)
  • 1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • 1 8oz Tub Whipped Topping
  • 1-2 Cups Coconut Flakes
Instructions
  1. Cook cupcakes according to package directions. DO NOT LET COOL.
  2. While cupcakes are still warm, poke each about 3 times most of the way down. Drizzle some sweetened condensed milk equally among them all being careful not to overdo it. The sweetened condensed milk will be absorbed so it may not look like it’s going in, but it is.
  3. Place a dollop of cool whip on top of each cupcake spreading it out a bit.
  4. Place the coconut flakes in a bowl and dip each whipped topping covered cupcake in the coconut flakes to coat.
  5. Serve! And keep refrigerated.

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DIY Coffee Mug Holder

August 15, 2012 by 66 Comments

One thing that you may not know about me is that I have an obsession with mugs. No, not with faces, but with the ceramic formations that hold the most incredible substance that keeps me going every day, coffee. I only started to drink coffee about a year and a 1/2 ago and yet it sucked me in so fast that I didn’t even know what was happening!

I now enjoy scouring flea markets, thrift stores, and any other places finding the most unique and eclectic mugs that I can. I’d call it a “hobby”, but that would be giving in and I’m afraid that my obsession would deepen so I’m just going to pretend that it’s just something that I do. 🙂

When I noticed that there wasn’t any place to put regular glasses in my cabinet, I decided that something need to be done.

I needed a place just for mugs. After all, they are worthy.

So I thought up this mug holder idea and got to work. I knew that I wanted it to be inexpensive and semi-simple to make since I’m no carpenter. Brace yourself, I took a lot of photos for this one…

I started with cheap board from Lowes. I had them cut it to 2 feet so that it would fit on the side of my cabinet. I didn’t want anything too thick, but I wanted it thick enough to hold screw hooks well. I believe this board is 1 inch thick which turned out just right. I painted the board with a light blue before lightly painting over it with an off-white. Then I sanded it a bit to distress it.

And in the process I got paint on the garage floor. It needed some color anyways.

I found this fantastic technique for transferring text onto wood at Elm Street Life. It doesn’t get any simpler than your printer, a pencil, and a pen.

Print off the text of your choice from your printer. No need for reversing the text or anything. Cut out most of the white surrounding the text. Then using a lead pencil, color the back of each letter like the picture above. The need for a cheetah print pencil is not necessary, but it helps to make you feel awesome.

I may have gone a bit overkill, but here’s what it will look like on the back.

Tape your words lightly to your wood so it won’t try coming up on you. Using a pen, trace around each letter firmly. The lead will transfer to the wood and you’ll be left with an outline of your words.

Like this! Then you can use a brush (if you’re brave) or a paint pen to fill in the outline. They actually make an assortment of paint pens these days which is nice.  Just remember that it doesn’t have to be perfect. You can always sand it a little and if you’re going for a vintage feel anyways, it wouldn’t look perfect either.

Use your paint pen to go around the letters and then fill them in. When buying your paint pens, be sure to look at what kind of tip you are getting. Some are made for calligraphy and others for painting. I don’t suggest the calligraphy tips for this.

Tah dah! We have a board. We have text on the board. now we just need hooks and mugs for our mug holder!

You may have seen my post on Toilet Paper Roll Art. It’s quite genius and is so simple and fun. I used a paper towel roll to create this flower and then dipped it into some of my favorite aqua paint.

I gave the board a little detail with my flowers and I even added an orange one on top to give it some more color.

I let it dry and then screwed in the hooks in an unexpected way. Or at least it was unexpected to my husband. He thought I would have made it a little more uniform, but as I started hooking them in, it seemed to make more room with them being offset this way.

UPDATE: We hung this by screwing screws directly through the backside of the cabinet into the board itself. We used 4 screws total and it holds just fine.

And there you have it! A simple yet cute way to display your coffee mug obsession (if you have one) and to give your cabinets a little more room.

It’s not just functional, but it looks really cool too. We’re going to make one for my husband’s mugs for the other side too.

Happy DIYing!


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