*Tips and Tricks*

*You can create homeade flavor to any boxed cake, frosting, etc. by adding a tiny bit of flavored extract. Use any flavor you like and it will give the food an extra burst of flavor, as well as make it taste homeade! Almond extract is one of my favorites!

*Save any containers from your groceries or take out (berries, salads, lunch meat containers, etc.). You can reuse them to make cute little care packages or give your guests leftovers. You can even decorate them if you want to be really crafty!

*Get a very "Pottery Barn"-ish look in your child's room by framing some of his/her artwork. Glue it on a colorful background, put it in a cute frame, and decorate his/her room with the work. The kids love to see their work displayed, and is an inexpensive way to add cute style to your little one's room! It makes great gifts for family too!

*Pumpkin Cupcakes*

These little pumpkin cupcakes are so cute and festive for Halloween!

To make, you can use mini-bundt pan molds, or any small mold you have (I did these with a flower bundt mold that I have). You could also just use regular cupcake pans if you want.

-1 package of white cake mix

-3 eggs

-1 and 1/4 cup water

-1/3 cup veg. oil

-orange food coloring (or red and yellow to mix)

green food coloring (or blue and yellow to mix)

-white frosting

-green licorice (they have mini green sour sticks), or any green or brown candy you can use as the stem

1. 
   
   Preheat oven to 350
   
   
   
2. 
   
   Mix cake according to directions on box
   
   
   
3. 
   
   use food coloring to dye the cake mix orange
   
   
   
4. 
   
   pour into pan/mold
   
   
   
5. 
   
   Bake according to directions
   
   
   
6. 
   
   let cool
   
   
   
7. 
   
   mix food coloring in frosting to make green
   
   
   
8. 
   
   frost the cupcakes with the green frosting to make it look like leaves on top
   
   
   
9. 
   
   put the "stem" in the middle
   
   
   

Enjoy!

*Crack*

This is a recipe that everyone always asks for anytime I make it. It is so good... hence the name "crack"!!! And it is so easy to make...

1. 
   
   Preheat oven to 350
   
   
   
2. 
   
   Line a greased cookie sheet with foil.
   
   
   
3. 
   
   Line the sheet with Saltine crackers (it takes about 1 to 1 and 1/2 sleeves)
   
   
   
4. 
   
   Mix 2/3 cup brown sugar with 2 sticks of butter in a saucepan til mixed well.
   
   
   
5. 
   
   Pour sugar over the crackers.
   
   
   
6. 
   
   Bake for 5 minutes.
   
   
   
7. 
   
   Make sure the crackers are lined up and even (you might have to adjust them with a fork). Let cool.
   
   
   
8. 
   
   Melt chocolate chips (semi-sweet is best). You can do this by using a double boiler (chocolate in a bowl on top of a pot of boiling water- don't let the water touch the bowl, thoguh!) or you can nuke them in the microwave for a minute and a time, stirring til melted.
   
   
   
9. 
   
   Once crackers are completely cooled, spread chocolate over with spatula.
   
   
   
10. 
    
    Add any toppings you want (slivered almonds, white choc. chips/shavings, etc.)
    
    
    
11. 
    
    Cool overnight in fridge (or at least a few hours).
    
    
    
12. 
    
    Break apart with your hands and enjoy!
    
    
    

This really takes little time and is a sure hit with everyone!!! Make it special for any occasion by putting different toppings on (crushed candy canes during Christmas, orange sprinkles for Halloween, etc.)

*Cowboy Caviar*

This is such an easy, great recipe that you can whip up for company, or just to have in the fridge for snacking. I have been making so much of it lately! The best thing about recipes like this is that you can add or take out any ingredients you want to make it just the way you like. This is how I like it:

-about 5 medium-sized avocados, peeled and diced

-about 1/2 a red onion, peeled and diced

-1 red pepper, diced

-1 tblsp. chopped garlic

-1 can corn (I like the white corn), rinsed and drained

-1/2 can black beans, rinsed and drained

-a good helping of chopped cilantro

-the juice of one or two limes (you can even add in some lime zest)

-salt and pepper to taste

Mix it all together and you have the bet dip ever! :)

Like I said, you can make substitutions, add anything you like or leave anything you don't like out. It's so great that way! Personally, I like everything to be diced pretty small for this dip.

The Birth of a Blog...

I am so excited to start this blog!!! I am doing it because I started a family blog, "The Pasquels' Pics", and I wanted a place where I could share some things that I love to do- like cooking, baking and crafting. I thought it would be fun to be able to link this blog to my family blog, so that I could have a space, separate from the family blog. Also, I just figured out how to decorate and add to blogs, and I just wanted another chance to play around with it all! :)(By the way, this blog is blue with yellow, green and pink accents cuz that's the colors in my kitchen!) I plan to share all sorts of fun things- recipes, book lists, tips and tricks with the kids, etc. and I hope others will comment with their own ideas!