Tag

summertime

Pina Colada S’mores: A Nostalgic Summer Get-Together

I have been compensated by #LetsMakeSmores and #CollectiveBias for this post, but the opinions expressed are 100% my own.


There are two things that can immediately transport me back to childhood. Food and music. #LetsMakeSmores agrees. Not long ago, I heard The Pina Colada song by Rupert Holmes in the movie Grown Ups. This is one of those movies that I am ashamed that I actually like so much because I know so many people who hate it. However, I think what draws me to it, is the idea of reminiscing with old friends. Sometimes, there’s nothing better than sitting around a fire, listening to tunes and talking.

And what better way to get an immediate transport back to yesteryear this summer with my friends by combining this song with another childhood classic: S’mores.

 

This recipe takes less than 10 minutes, all of the S’mores classic ingredients Honey Maid Graham Crackers, Jet Puffed Marshmallows, Hershey’s Chocolate bars, and is perfect for those nights you’re already reminiscing with friends around a bon fire. If a bon fire is not your thing, these can easily be made indoors too.

 

The first trick is to making these awesome S’mores whenever you want for a quick treat is to always have S’mores ingredients on hand. Walmart already has them together for you in store for easy shopping.

 

So, get the old tunes cranked up, and invite your old pals over. It is time for some of the best S’mores you’ve ever had.

Pina Colada S’mores
Honey Maid Graham Crackers
Jet Puffed Marshmallows
Hershey’s Milk Chocolate
fresh pineapple cut into chunks
coconut flakes

 

When you’re outside with your friends, and you have a nice hot bon fire and always using fire safety, roast both one Jet Puffed marshmallow AND one pineapple slice. This helps to not only get your marshmallow perfectly gooey on the inside, but also gets the pineapple nice and caramelized on the outside.

 

While you are roasting the Jet Puffed marshmallow and pineapple, have a friend prep your Honey Maid Graham Cracker square with two or three rectangles of Hershey’s Milk Chocolate and some coconut flakes.

 

Whether your marshmallow is flaming or just golden, you be the judge of perfection, put your roasted goodies on your prepared graham and top it with one more Honey Maid Graham cracker square.

 

Then, in between bites talk about your fun summer adventures, or the time you waited in line all night for the midnight showing of Star Wars: Episode I and you were the only one not dressed up thus proving you were the nerd of the dorks.

 

In under 10 minutes you’ll feel like a kid again, but with a little grown up fanciness for good measure.

 

When you get together with your old pals this summer, how will you dress up your s’mores? What tunes will be playing? What memories will you be sharing?

 

If you like this post and would like to read more about all things domestic with a touch of humor, become a Home Everyday follower! For blog updates or to see other places I write such as ChicagoNow or Chicago Parent follow Home Everyday on FacebookTwitter, and Pinterest.

 

The Best/Worst Time of the Year

This time of year, I always have such mixed emotions. My love of school/office supplies, organization, school, and new beginnings always of course makes my heart all a flutter with possibilities with what is to come with the upcoming school year. Then, my heart is aching a teeny bit too. No more flying by the seat of our pants to take trips to the zoo, no more sweaty heads learning to ride two wheels, no more popsicles on the front porch for lunch, or running through the sprinklers.

 

This year brings an extra whole set of mixed emotions though. This year, my youngest is heading off to school a few mornings a week. I know it isn’t much, but for the first time since becoming a mother six years ago, I will be alone for a few mornings a week.

When I tell other mothers this, they all give me this mischievous smile as if to say, “I know what you’ll be doing.” I want to ask them, “What? What should I do?”

Will the laundry get done? Will the house be cleaner? Will I exercise during this time? Perhaps a pedicure? Shower? Write? What? What is your secret? Why are you winking at me!?

Maybe all of those things will get accomplished. I am sure I will be a little more productive during this time, but what I think those Moms are really saying with their winky eyes is that: I will ecstatic to be by myself for once.

That’s where the mixed emotions come to play. You see, I actually enjoy being home with my kids. While I would say it is the most difficult job I’ve ever had, I am not so quick to kick them out at the end of every summer, and I am especially not so quick to get my youngest out the door to school. Especially not at a time in their lives when we all truly enjoy each other’s company so much (Two Words: Teen Years).

However, I am so proud of my kids’ independence, their love of school, and cannot wait to see all they accomplish this year. There is a kind of growing that happens through school that I love to see. The relationships they are forming with their teachers and friends makes me happy and proud. The sense of accomplishment they feel each day, or the discussions we have each night at dinner about all they are learning are all things I love about sending them out into the big wide world.

So, this is the time of year when I am having a complete internal struggle. I am completely re-organizing the house, buying school supplies, and taking on projects to get ready for the beginning of the school year, while still trying to soak up every last bit of summer by running through the sprinklers.

 

It is a very confusing time, but I look at it this way: You cannot get that awesome smiley tight hug from your kids coming off the bus at the end of the school day because they missed you so much, unless you send them off in the first place.

If you like this post and would like to read more about all things domestic with a touch of humor, become a Home Everyday follower! For blog updates or to see other places I write such as ChicagoNow or Chicago Parent follow Home Everyday on FacebookTwitter, and Pinterest.

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Breaking Some Rules: Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake

There are two rules that I break all of the time.

1.) Don’t head to the supermarket when hungry.
2.) Don’t be pinning things and surfing for recipes when hungry.

The other day I broke rule number two, when I saw an awesome recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction for Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake. For those that don’t know I LOVE the combination of lemon and berries you can tell by my recipes for lemon blueberry cookies and fresh pink lemonade. Looking at recipes while hungry, led to me breaking rule number one.

However, if being wrong creates this delicious cake, I don’t want to be right.

There are two other rules that I break all of the time too.

3.) Don’t adapt baking recipes as it is a delicate balance.
4.) Give a cake ample time to cool before frosting.

Ok, I’m a rebel, what can I say. I adapted the recipe and I waited as long as I could, but we just couldn’t wait anymore!!

Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake (adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction)

CAKE
3 cups all purpose flour + 1 Tbs reserved
1 Tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
4 eggs
1 Tbs (yes a tablespoon) of pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
3 or 4 lemons zested and juiced (should yield about 1/2 – 3/4 cup of juice)
2 cups fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together 3 cups flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. In another bowl, toss together blueberries and reserved flour and set aside. (NOTE: this will keep the blueberries from sinking into the bottom of a cake, my mom taught me this trick and it can be done with raisins and chocolate chips in breads and cakes too.)

With a stand mixer or large mixing bowl with hand beaters, cream together butter and sugars until well blended. Then, add eggs, vanilla, and mix until incorporated.

Next, add slowly add the flour mixture and mix until just combine. (NOTE: don’t over mix it is ok if you can still see some flour in the mixture.)

Then, add buttermilk, zest, and lemon juice and mix until incorporated.

Next, using a spatula carefully fold in blueberries.

Finally, pour mixture dividing evenly between two cake pans and bake 26 – 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove cake from oven, and cool slightly for about 7 minutes in the pan. Then remove from pan let cake cool on a cooling rack about 1 hour. (NOTE: The cake should be cool to the touch before frosting, but if it is still a little warm because you cannot wait anymore that is fine too).

FROSTING
1 16 oz can Betty Crocker Vanilla frosting
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 lemon zested and juiced.

In a small bowl, whisk together ingredients.

When cakes are cooled, put one cake on a plate and put half the frosting in the middle of the cake and spread out with a spatula letting it fall over sides. Top with second cake, and add the rest of the frosting to the top and spread out and fall over sides. Garnish with blueberries.

Now, go break some rules, you little rebel you!

You know you want to.

If you like this post and would like to read more about all things domestic with a touch of humor, become a Home Everyday follower! For blog updates or to see other places I write such as ChicagoNow or Chicago Parent follow Home Everyday on FacebookTwitter, and Pinterest.

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Favorite Summer Memory: Truck Show

We were recently talking about how Autumn is almost here, and all of the things we had done this summer. The boys mentioned that other than going on their first boat ride and  going to soccer camp, attending the Truck Show was their favorite.

This is a FREE event that is about a half hour from our house. All the neighboring communities and businesses park their trucks and let little kids sit on them. What little kid wouldn’t love to pretend to be a real fire fighter or truck driver? Not to mention, they had free little cars and monster trucks to give away to the kids. We’ve already decided we will be back next year.

They went crazy for the cement mixer.

 

And of course, the emergency vehicles were a big hit.

 

 

A REAL ice cream truck?!?! This was my favorite.

Then it was time for lunch. We found the perfect shady spot.

While I’m a little sad that our care free summer days are over, I cannot wait for the pumpkin patch, cool nights with bon fires, hot cocoa, Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Linking up at Serenity Now.

Six Week Round Up: Busy Busy

Monday marked the start of my 6th week blogging, and I have to say I am enjoying it way more than I ever thought. It is definitely a way for me to “talk” to adults as well as showcase some of the things we do with the kids, our home, and in the kitchen.

Thank you so much to those of you that read. I have only received positive feedback, and I totally appreciate it. It makes me want to share more with you. So stay tuned for more kids crazy antics, home projects, and cooking adventures. Please keep reading because my to do list is forever long, and your reading gives me the motivation to keep going.

Blogging also has the added bonus of being a scrapbook for us to look back. So, here is a round up of our last six weeks. Crazy huh?
We have definitely been enjoying summer with the kids and getting to try some new things in our neighborhood like the fishing derby, soccer camp, and the new gelato place.
We’ve also been enjoying some relaxing time at home enjoying some impromptu play time or the fake Olympics.
Let’s not forget time spent with family.
And the projects Brian and I have been working on around here like our vegetable garden that I talked about here and here.
Not to mention the painting projects that I’m constantly doing in Brian’s parking spot of the garage. So far, I’ve fixed up our mailboxrefinished some chairs, painted an old bookshelf, and painted some nightstands. By the looks of things around here, maybe I should open a furniture refinishing shop.
There have been some smaller projects we’ve tackled like the kids’ art display, my ticket stub art, or replacing the kitchen light fixture as well as the HUGE project of hosting a garage sale.
But let us not forget la piece de resistance, the gorgeous plank table Brian built and I stained.
So far this summer too, I’ve been cooking and baking up a storm (too bad it isn’t storming for real around here; the drought has wrecked havoc on my garden). Here are links to all the amazing recipes that I’ve tried. Luckily, they all have been winners, but trust me I’m sure there are several mishaps to come, and I can share those too.
As you can see we are busy around here. Thank you again for reading and the positive feedback! It really does brighten a gal’s day.

Soaking Up Summer

Almost everyone around here is back at school or about to start again. My kids, on the other hand, still have a few more weeks of summer left. I definitely have mixed emotions about it. I’m excited for them to meet new friends and be learning new things, however, I’m really going to miss having three kids home with me full time.

Sometimes I’m sure I’ll be grateful (going to the grocery store will be easier), but I think that overall I will miss being able to do things at our own pace (which this summer was very slow).

This past weekend, we went for a walk after dinner to the gelato place that recently opened in town. We took our time strolling up there, and took the long way home with a little bypass to the park. The kids went to bed a little later than normal, but that’s what summer is all about, right?

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Hope you are enjoying the rest of summer!

Molto Zucchini: Fresh Zucchini Frittata

Are you sick of zucchini? I hope not because I have so much zucchini in my garden that I will be trying to use it up. I actually had to start giving some away.

 

So, when Brian was a kid zucchini frittata was his absolute favorite thing that his grandmother would make him. She never had written the recipe down, but after talking to Brian, I think I have mastered it. The last time I made it Brian had a Ratatouille flashback moment like this. He said it tasted just like grandma used to make.

Grandma Yo Zucchini Frittata
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium zucchini cut into thin discs
4 eggs beaten thouroughly (add a splash of water)
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 sprig fresh thyme

Preheat broiler.

In large oven safe skillet over medium heat add olive oil and zucchini tossing occasionally until zucchini is slightly brown around edges, about 2 to 4 minutes. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper. Then, add scrambled egg and water mixture. As egg mixture begins to set around edges, about 25 to 30 seconds, using a heat safe spatula, carefully push cooked egg from side of skillet toward center so uncooked egg can reach bottom of hot skillet. Repeat constantly 8 to 10 times or for 1 to 2 minutes until eggs are almost set but still creamy and moist on top. Turn off flame on stove sprinkle with parmesan cheese and put in oven for 1 to 2 minutes until eggs are set and cheese is melted (watch carefully as to not burn). Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh thyme. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

This is a great summer recipe, and is awesome with some fresh crusty bread and a summer salad.

Splish Splash

As I mentioned yesterday (here), we took a day trip out to see my Aunt, Uncle, Cousin, and her new baby. My Aunt and Uncle have a gorgeous home which they have completely renovated themselves! It is on a beautiful lake, and the weather was perfect, so there was plenty to do. The kids had a ton of first time experiences, and are still talking about all they got to do.

First, we took a boat ride.

 

 

 

Then, the boys went tubing.

 

After getting off the boat…

 

 

…it was time to play in the water.

 

I made a sandcastle.
Then it was time for little ride on the swing.
After a perfect day spent with family, we made our way home. Thanks Aunt and Uncle for the food, hospitality, catching up, boat ride, and most of all for an awesome night’s sleep.