Desserts

Cherry Dump Cake Dessert

This is by far one of the most requested desserts when I am asked to bring something – the Cherry Dump Cake dessert. I love the fact that it is so popular because it is so easy and delicious! Fattening, but oh so good.

This is best served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of Cherry Pie Filling
• 1 box of white cake mix
• 2 sticks of butter
• pecans (optional)

Directions:

• Preheat over to 350 degrees F
• Dump the 2 cans of cherry pie filling on the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan
• Spread the white cake mix on top of the cherry pie filling
• Sprinkles pecans over the white cake mix (optional)
• Cut the butter sticks in to thin slabs and lay on top of the pecans, make sure the butter pieces are touching and cover the entire surface
• Bake for 45 minutes, let cool for 15 minutes before serving

Super easy and super delicious!

Kids Rooms

Best Shoe Storage Solutions for Kids

If you have young children, most likely they don’t have 50 pairs of shoes. But even if they have four pairs of shoes, creating a place for them to keep their shoes organized will help teach them early about organization.

When it comes to organization for kids, there is one word to remember: SIMPLE. The shoe storage solutions that you have in place for your child, should allow them to be able to put their shoes up and get them out by themselves.

Here are some ideas for storing childrens’ shoes:

Under the Bed Shoe storage: There are some great products on the market for under the bed shoe storage for kids. They have a handle and a clear top, which allows for easy access and is easy for them to see their shoes.

Underbed Shoe Organizer – With Sewn In Fabric Shoe Dividers. No Cardboard!

Small Shoe Rack: Not only can they see their shoes easily, but it makes it easy for them to put away and take off.

Whitney Design 2103 Stackable 2-Shelf Chrome Shelving Unit

Hanging Shoe Shelf: You can use the bottom half to store their shoes where they can reach and the top half for items such as sweaters or pants.

Whitney Design Hanging Shoe Storage – Natural Canvas

Shoe Cubby: This is another item that makes it easy for kids to put their shoes away.

ClosetMaid 8505 15-Cube Organizer, White

I do not recommend shoe containers because not only can the lids be difficult to take off, but most children will not want to take off a lid and put it back on just to get a pair of shoes. Remember, simple is the key.

Decorating

Have You Entered HGTV’s Dream Home 2010 Giveaway?

HGTV’s Dream Home 2010 Giveaway is in full swing! You can enter today through February 19, 2010 until 5 pm. This year the home is in New Mexico.

Here’s a quick video clip and tour of the Dream Home.

I took a minute yesterday to go through most of the rooms on their 360 degree tour and it was breathtaking. They have a sunrise room! A sunrise room! Here’s how they describe the room:

Surrounded by walls of windows that overlook the desert courtyard, the sunrise room is designed for early-morning contemplation. A soft suede reclining chair and high-pile area rug underfoot begs one to relax. A dramatic wood sculpture connects this indoor space to the desert landscape. “I saw it at a gallery in Texas and knew exactly where it should go,” says interior designer Linda Woodrum. “It looked to me like a piece of wood from the desert. And I just loved it.”

The kitchen, master suite, walk in pantry, home theater and recycling room all caught my attention. Just gorgeous!

One thing I like to do every year when they introduce the new Dream Home is to see what elements I can pull from the home and apply to mine. They have amazing designers who put together each room with such details and with their cool little 360 degree tour feature, you can really stop and take a look at the details.

I have already jotted down some great ideas!

Organizing

How to Organize a Snack Pantry

It’s amazing what can get lost in the pantry. It’s also amazing how much food goes to waste when the pantry is not organized. Food always ends up getting pushed to the back and forgotten. The kids may also throw that box of crackers back in there and forget to close up the package. That’s money down the drain when half the box-of-crackers go stale.

Some kitchens have more than one pantry. If you do, then one of them may be your snack pantry which holds all the chips, crackers, drinks, peanut butter, dried fruit and fruit snacks. Everyone’s snack pantry will hold different types of snacks and items, but no matter what yours holds, it can be organized.

Follow these steps on how to organize a snack pantry and put an end to wasted food:

Step one: Sort through all the items in the pantry.

Empty the contents of the pantry one shelf at a time. Group all like items together and throw away anything that has gone bad. You can do this whole process on the kitchen floor.

Step two: Clean out the pantry.

Pantries are great at collecting dust and food crumbs. Wipe down all the shelves first and then sweep out the bottom. You will want your new organized to pantry to start off nice and clean.

Step three: Take a look at your inventory and decide if any pantry storage needs to be purchased.

If you would like a uniform look to the inside of your pantry, then you may want to store several items in matching containers. You can buy inexpensive storage containers that will look great and will also help your food to last longer.

You may also want to purchase storage bins for smaller items and also to keep similar items grouped together.

Don’t forget to measure the height and depth of your shelves so that the storage items you purchase will fit. Bring the measurements to the store with you and measure the containers also.

Step four: Decide where everything is going to go.

Items that are not used everyday or that are very light weight like bags of chips can go up on the top shelf.

Store snack items that you want your kids to be able to get themselves on a shelf where they can reach it.

The bottom of the pantry can be used to store heavy items like coke bottles or gallons of water.

Step five: Fill the storage containers you purchased.

You can put crackers and cereal into a sealed containers so they will stay fresher longer. Remind those in your family that putting the lid back on when they are done is important. If they don’t, they may have to eat stale cereal! Yuck.

Fill the rest of the containers and group like items together.

Step Five: Fill storage containers if needed

Step six: Put everything back in the pantry on the designated shelf.

This is the fun part. Your pantry is starting to come together!

Step seven: Label the shelves if you desire.

By labeling the shelves, family members will know where everything goes. They can put back what they got out of the pantry in the right spot. They can also help put up the groceries and they will know exactly where to put things.

Step eight: Schedule regular weekly maintenance to keep your pantry organized.

In order for the pantry to stay organized, you will have to go through it on a weekly basis and tidy up a bit. Things may have been placed on the wrong shelf by accident, lids may not be on tightly or there may be some items that need to be thrown away.

Congratulations! You are done and you now have an organized snack pantry that the whole family can enjoy.

Cooking

The BEST Potato Soup Recipe – At Least I Think It Is!

My family has about 5 things that I make on a regular basis that everyone loves. One of those is my potato soup. It’s a staple for us in these cold winter months. I have been using this same recipe for about 13 years and I just love it!

Now, I am not one to really measures things, so pardon me for the non-accuracy of my recipe.

Potato Soup (Feeds 5)

Ingredients:

3 cups of diced potatoes

1/2 cup of onions (or a dash of onion powder if your kids do not like the onion texture)

About 1 carton of chicken broth (enough to cover the potatoes)

1 cup of milk

1 cup of sour cream

1 Tbsp. flour

Salt and pepper to taste

Shredded cheese ( I use co-jack)

Bacon (cooked and crumbled)

Green onions (diced)

Directions:

• Cook the potatoes, broth, onions and salt and pepper together in a large pot until potatoes are tender (About 25 – 30 minutes). Don’t let it boil, but just simmer.
• After the potatoes are tender, add the milk, sour cream and Tbsp of flour. Bring soup to a boil stirring so that you break up and mix in the flour.
• Simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Spoon into bowls and top with shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, diced green onions and a dollop of sour cream if you like. You may also need to salt and pepper it some more.

I serve the soup with some fresh fruit and it’s a very filling meal! It’s also delicious leftover and I DO NOT do leftovers, so if I’ll eat it left over, any one will. Enjoy!

Image: SXC

Decorating

A Simple, Yet Beautiful Home Accessory

I love decorating with candles (and vases, but that’s for another time!). They serve so many purposes. They look nice, smell nice and create such a great ambiance when lit.
I bought this glass container to put some apples in for decoration and silly me bought one that was too small. I didn’t return it because I knew I could use it for something else and I got it on clearance for next to nothing. One day, I was going through my stuff and found a bag of rocks, some old off white pillar candles and I decided to combine them all.Yes, it is something so simple, but I love it. I have it on our sofa table as people come in the front door. It looks gorgeous when lit because the light flickers off the glass.

My point isn’t to show off some amazing creation. Combining a glass container, rocks and a candle has obviously been done before, lol. My point is to have you look around your home and see what you can create. Fill a bowl with some fruit and put it on your dining room table. Arrange an assortment of candles or vases on an end table. Stack a few cool looking books on the floor in a corner to add a different perspective to the room.

Use what you already have laying around your house and see what you can come up with. You just might be surprised.

Organizing

Sorting Through the Clutter

The first step in organizing a room is to Define the Space. The next step? Sort through all of the clutter!

This is the stage that takes the longest and where people tend to get stuck most often when it comes to organizing a room. This is what happens: you decide you are going to organize your bedroom closet. You pull everything out, start trying to decide what to do with all the stuff piled on your bed, shock and awe hits when you realize how much stuff you had crammed in there, and then you close the door and sleep on the couch.

There is a method to the madness when it comes to sorting through the clutter. You need to have a plan and you need to know what questions to ask as you handle every item.

It’s also a good idea to enlist the help of a friend or family member. Be sure it’s some who is good at making decisions and someone who is not afraid to tell you to get rid of that shirt you haven’t worn in 15 years!

Here’s how to sort through the clutter:

1. Gather your supplies.
You will need four boxes labeled keep, throw away, donate/sell and belongs in another room. It’s also a good idea to get you a big glass of water and put on some music that gives you energy. You are going to need it when you are sorting through years of stuff.

2. Start at one corner of the room and work your way around.
Don’t start hopping from one end of the room to the other. If you start at one corner and work your way around, you will be less likely to get distracted by that broken lamp you love that’s on the other side of the room. Wait to deal with that when you get to that side. There is such a thing as organized chaos when it comes to sorting through the clutter.

3. Handle every item once.
This is better known as the rule OHIO or only handle it once. Pick up each item and make a quick decision. If you agonize over each item, you will eventually get burnt out and not finish sorting through everything.

4. As you handle each item ask yourself some of these questions:
*Is it garbage?
*Does it need to be repaired?
*Has it been more than a year since it has been used?
*Do I use this item in a different room? If so, put the item in the “belongs in another room” box.
*Is the item actually used and enjoyed in this room? If so, put it in the keep box.
*Can this item help someone else?
*What is the worst that could happen if I get rid of this?

5. After you are done sorting every item, distribute the boxes.
Take the trash box and put it next to the trash can. Put the “belongs in another room” box and the “donate/sell” box in another room to deal with later. Right now your main focus is the current room you are working on. Don’t let yourself get distracted.

Now that you have sorted through every item in the room, you are ready for the next two steps: assigning items a home and choosing the best storage solutions. I’ll cover those in the next few days.

Decorating

Thanksgiving Decorating Ideas for the Table

I am a little behind on my Thanksgiving decorating this year, but have been doing a little decorating this morning. Although the snow outside is making me want to get out that Christmas tree, I am an avid believer in waiting to get out the Christmas deco until Thanksgiving is over!

Here are a few easy and beautiful Thanksgiving decorating ideas for the table. Please feel free to share your own as well!

*Sprinkle a few harvest colored leaves in the center of the table.

*Create a beautiful centerpiece by filling a horn-of-plenty basket with nuts, gourds, fall leaves, apples, Indian corn, and silk mums.

*Fill a large glass bowl with small pumpkins, gourds, nuts and leaves.

*Put off-white pillar candles in silver candle holders on the table.

* Fall wreath centerpiece

*Place cards and napkin rings

*Centerpiece with fresh fruit and flowers

Do you have some Thanksgiving decorating ideas for the table? Please share!

Image Credit: HGTV

Cooking

Sweet Potato Recipe for Your Thanksgiving Side Dish

Are you looking for a tasty, easy Thanksgiving side dish? Or maybe an easy sweet potato recipe? Look no further because I have a recipe that was handed down to me by my mom and it is fabulous! She’s been using it for years and so have I.

I used to think that making sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving by scratch was hard, but then my mom showed me that it is actually really simple! I haven’t opened a can of sweet potatoes in years.

I don’t have exact measurements of everything because I just guess. Use as much brown sugar, butter and marshmallows as you want. It just depends on how sweet you want them.

Ingredients:

Sweet potatoes

butter

brown sugar

marshmallows

Directions:

1. Wash sweet potatoes and put in large pot. Cover sweet potatoes with water, just until the potatoes are covered.

2. Bring to a boil, then turn down stove just to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 30 – 45 minutes until tender when poked with a fork.

3. Uncover and let the sweet potatoes sit for about an hour (or more). This makes them super easy to peel! Be sure and save the cooking liquid because you will need it!

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

5. Peel and slice sweet potatoes about 1/2 inch thick.

6. Pour a little of the cooking liquid on the bottom of a large baking pan until it covers the bottom of the pan.

7. Put potatoes in pan in a single layer.

8. Sprinkle potatoes with brown sugar and dot with some butter.

9. Pour a little more of the cooking liquid on top of the potatoes.

10. Cover the pan with foil and bake for about 20-30 minutes.

11. Take off the foil and put the large marshmallows on the top. Put the pan of sweet potatoes back in the over (uncovered) and brown the marshmallows. Watch closely! It only takes a minute or two and marshmallows burn easily.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Cooking

My Favorite Easy Apple Pie Recipe

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and it’s time I posted some Thanksgiving pie recipes. One of my favorite pies to have around this time of the year is an apple pie and my mom has an easy apple pie recipe that she shared with me a long time ago. I’ve been using it for years and I love it. So does my family!

Ingredients:

2 cans sliced apples (drained), or 6 cups thinly sliced, peeled cooking apples

1/2 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup white sugar

2 Tablespoons flour

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp.vanilla

1 Tablespoon butter or margarine

Pastry for 2 crust pie

Directions:

1. Prepare the first pastry and lay in pie pan.

2. Lightly mix all ingredients for filling, except the butter.

3. Pour apple pie mix into pie pan.

4. Take the 1 Tbsp. of butter and dot the filling with pieces of the butter.

5. Cover the pie with the second crust. Seal and flute the edges of the crust. Cut 4 steam vents in the crust of the pie.

6. Bake at 375 degrees F for 45-55 minutes, until crust is golden and filling is bubbling through the steam vents.

7. Pie is best served when cooled a bit, but still warm on the bottom.

Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. YUM!

I’ll have some more Thanksgiving dessert recipes to share leading up to the big day!