Girls Night In, part 3

My friend is semi-obsessed with Nacho Cheese flavored Doritos, so when I saw this pin for Doritos crusted chicken, I knew I HAD to make it for our GNI!  I didn't actually try any of these, but NOT because they didn't look and smell ah-mazing!  I just filled up on pizza rollers (those will be in the next post)!

They are a little "brown" in some areas because I was busy talking and didn't get right to the oven when the timer went off.  They definitely weren't burnt, though, and there were no left overs!

Everyone tried them, and LOVED them.  I actually had to hide a couple of them for Hubbs to try when he got home (he loved them, also)!


Doritos Crusted Chicken Strips

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 large bag of Doritos, Nacho Cheese Flavor  (11.5 ounce)
2 cups flour
4 egg whites
1/2 Tablespoon of Garlic Salt

Directions:
Cut the chicken into thin ½ inch strips.

Using a food processor, crush the Doritos so that they are a texture coarse like bread crumbs. Set aside in a large bowl. (If you don't have a food processor, make a small hole in the Doritos bag and get the air out of it. Then use a rolling pin and crush the chips in the bag).

Mix the flour and salt in one bowl and eggs in another. Whisk the eggs so that they are well scrambled.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Set up the four bowls in order: 1. bowl with the chicken, 2. bowl with the flour and salt, 3. bowl with the beaten eggs, 4. bowl with the crushed Doritos, and then the pan.

Lift out a few chicken strips and place them in the flour so they are all coated. Lift the chicken strips out of the flour and shake off any excess. Place them in the eggs and turn them so they are evenly coated. Lift them out of the egg and then place them in the crushed Doritos - again so they are even coated. Place the coated chicken strips on the baking sheet. Do this with the remaining chicken strips.

Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. Mine is ranch and BBQ sauce!


~Heather

Girls Night In, Part 2.

By far, the fav "dessert" goodie that I made were the Reese's PB Cup Cheesecakes (click here for original pin)!  There were only a couple left over when all the girls were gone!  They were delicious, and EASY!  Seriously, I'm not sure there is an easier, tastier "no-bake" dessert to be found!  ;)

Reese's PB Cup Cheesecakes w/graham crumbs and choc chips

Close up version, so you can see the PB Cup on bottom.....delicious!

My mom LOVES peanut butter/pb cups, so for her birthday, I used the same no-bake mix and made a full size cheesecake, and put chopped up pb cups on top (pic below) instead of making (or buying) a cake.  

~Heather

Girls Night In! Part One.

A few weeks ago, I decided to have a Girls Night IN.  A lot of my friends can't find sitters to go out on Fri/Sat nights, so I figured maybe staying in would work out better.  And, it did!  Everyone I invited showed up.  I sort of went "Pinterest happy" with the goodies, but it was sooooo yummy!  I'll post one thing now, then do a separate post for each item I made (with the exception of deviled eggs...I made those, but they're not a Pinterest find). 

Cute little sign I made for the event invite on Facebook

I thought it would be super cute to have a little present for all the girls, so I made these glitter wine glasses (click here to see the pin)!  They were surprisingly easy, and didn't cost a fortune.  Everyone loved them, and that they got to take them home!  

{Supplies Needed: Wine glasses, Glitter, Mod Podge, Glitter sealer, & foam brush.}
Don't feel like making them?  Email me (beachgirlheather @ gmail.com) for a price!  :)

Of course, there was plenty of wine to fill the glasses (and some non-alcoholic sparkly for my preggo friend)!!

~Heather

DIY: Hand Scrub

I LOVE Bath and Body Works' 60 Second Manicure Hand Scrub.  No matter how many times I apply lotion my hands always seem dry, however, when I use this scrub followed by a nice hand cream, my hands are super hydrated and soft!!!!

Imagine my delight when I saw a "copycat recipe" for this on Pinterest (click here for the pin)!  So excited! 

As you can see, I just reused the Bath and Body Works container, but you can use any small container (mason jars, Rubbermaid containers, etc).  I used Palmolive's Soft Touch, but you can use any hand soap or body wash that you like the smell of an/or moisturization of.  There is no specific "formula", just add sugar and soap until you reach the desired consistency.  Nice and easy!  It worked just as well as the Bath and Body Works, but is sooo much cheaper!  I will definitely be using this "recipe" a lot!  

~Heather

Tried it! Parmesan Honey Pork Roast

So, we had an early summer heat wave (4 days of 90+ degrees), and it reminded me that I needed to find some new crock pot recipes!  I LOVE the crock pot in the summer; you can still have home cooked meals, WITHOUT using the oven and making the whole house hot!  

I found quite a few recipes that look good, and I tried the Parmesan Honey Pork Roast first, as I had already taken a roast out of the freezer to thaw. 

I admit, I was pretty skeptical, as there wasn't much liquid in the crock pot to start, so I thought it would end up dry, but after a few hours, it was very "juicy", so no worries!  

 

After 6 hours, the pork shredded easily with just a fork!  Hey, that rhymed, and I didn't even plan it!  LOL!  Anyways.   It doesn't look "juicy", because I drained the juice to make a gravy (that is included in the recipe as well).  My guys loved this and I will definitely be making it again!  


Ingredients:
1 (2-3 pound) boneless pork roast
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup honey
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp dried basil
2 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water

Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place roast in slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the cheese, honey, soy sauce, basil, garlic, oil and salt; pour over pork. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 160°.

Remove meat to a serving platter; keep warm. Skim fat from cooking juices; transfer to a small saucepan. Bring liquid to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually stir into pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Slice roast; serve with gravy (I also made mashed potatoes and the gravy was delicious on them!).

Notes: I didn't have minced garlic, so I used garlic powder.  I also used pre-shredded parm cheese.  My Hubby HATES honey, so I didn't tell him that there was any in here until he said he liked it.  He was surprised and said he didn't taste it at all! 

~Heather


**Original recipe click here

Tried it! Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake

I wanted a quick, easy dinner for the kiddo and I so when I came across this pin for Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake, I decided to give it a shot.  Kiddo LOVES buffalo/hot sauce....me....not so much.  It's okay, but not my fav.

Well, I must say.....kiddo loved it, as I expected.  I....really liked it!  Wouldn't say I loved it, but I'll def make it again!  Next time though, I'll add a bit more ranch, or a bit less buffalo sauce.  

Here's the recipe:

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake

1 16 oz. box Penne pasta, cooked and drained
*3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; cubed and cooked
**1/2-1 C. Franks Hot Sauce
3/4 -1+ C. Ranch dressing
1-2 C. Shredded cheese (Colby Jack or Cheddar)

1. Preheat oven to 350* and prepare a deep baking dish.
2. Mix together hot sauce and ranch.  In separate bowl, mix chicken, pasta and cheese.  Pour sauce over all and mix well.
3. Pour everything into prepared baking dish, sprinkle with cheese (if desired) and bake for 20-25 min.

*Easy Cheat...I used canned chicken!  Already cooked and cut up!  I used 1 big can, & 1/2 of a small one.  There was PLENTY of chicken throughout the dish.
**I used "Red Hot" Buffalo/Wing sauce, not "Frank's Hot Sauce", so I'm thinking any hot/buffalo sauce is fine!  :)


~Heather 

Pan Seared Sea Scallops

Tonight the man and I couldn't decide on dinner, so I went wandering through the grocery store. I found a great deal on sea scallops, so my mind was made up. When I got home I searched through pinterest for a good seared scallop recipe and I came across this link. 

Of course I made my own slight changes (added a sprinkling of cayenne pepper and parsley, no shallots) but this was AMAZING.

So easy. Delicious. Great flavor. 

I served with cheesy rice and broccoli. 

I will definitely make this again!!

Double Chocolate Coca Cola Cake

Ok, I didn't make this cake, but I DID eat it.  It was AH-MAZING.  I'm not a "cake person".  I'll eat it, but it isn't my FAV dessert.  This cake has made me a "cake person".  My friend made it for me yesterday for my birthday.  I was going to just "pin" it to Pinterest, but apparently they don't allow pins from Facebook.  Whatevs!

This is it.  The BEST, most amazing chocolate cake EVER.  

Here's the recipe, courtesy of "Living the Country Life" on Facebook!

Double Chocolate Coca Cola Cake

1 cup Coca Cola (real thing, not diet)
1/2 cup oil
1 stick butter
3 Tablespoon cocoa
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting:

1 stick butter
3 Tablespoon cocoa
6 Tablesppon of cream or milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 3/4 cups confectioner's sugar

In a saucepan, mix Coca Cola, oil, butter and cocoa and bring to a boil. In another bowl, combine the sugar, flour and salt. Pour the boiling Cola mixture over the flour mixture and beat well. Add the eggs, buttermilk, soda and vanilla and beat well. Pour mixture into a greased and floured 13 x 9 inch baking pan and bake at 350 degrees or 20 to 25 minutes. Remove pan. Cool for about 10 minutes before frosting.

Frosting: In a saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa, and milk. Heat until the butter melts. Beat in the remaining ingredients and spread on the cake while it's still warm. Enjoy!

***Note: I ate half of my {huge} piece of cake before my friend told me what was in the cake.  You can NOT taste the Coke.  I am NOT a Coke fan (or a fan of ANY soda.  Bleh!), so if you are like me and don't like soda, PLEASE, don't pass this recipe up just because of that!  You can NOT taste it.

~Heather

Tried it! Shredded Buffalo Chicken

I was craving something easy peasy but delicious...I knew I had come across this pin not too long ago, so I decided to throw it together.

I cooked on high for 4 hours, then served on Hawaiian rolls as sliders. SOOOOO delicious!! I highly recommend! 

Tried it! Clean Greasy Stove Hood Filter

OH MY GOD.  I can't even believe how amazing this pin is.  Seriously.  I have seen my disgusting "underside" of the stove's hood/vent, but have always just kinda...ignored it.  How on EARTH can you clean that filter??  Easily, it turns out!  :)

Couple things I tweaked in the process: I didn't have a pot large enough to fit the filter into, so I boiled water, and then put the boiling water and filter into my sink, along with the baking soda.  I also added a packet of Alka Seltzer (since it worked so well cleaning my coffee pot, I figured "why not?").  After about 5 minutes, all the nasty grease and grime wiped right off!!!  (I didn't take pics of the process)


~Heather

Tried it! Farmhouse Strawberry Pie

"Pin" pic

I had originally pinned this to make for Hubbs, as he LOVES strawberries!  I ended up trying it last week for the kiddo to bring to school for "Pi Day"!  He got 2nd place for best pie .  Not too shabby!!

I wanted to make one today for Hubbs, as he scrubbed the stove for me (inside and out), but...the oven died (new one on the way tomorrow).  Oh, well.  He'll get it tomorrow.  Good things come to those who wait, and all that crap, right?  ;)

Anyways, here's a pic of how "my" pie turned out!  I KNOW my crust isn't as pretty as the other one, but I was in a rush when I made mine.  Plus, I'm don't really care how it looks, to be honest.  Martha Stewart, I am not. 

~Heather

Tried it! Cheeseburger Crescent Pie

Pic from the Pillsbury website.

I actually saw a commercial for this recipe, so I googled it real quick, then pinned it so I wouldn't forget about it.  Since then, I have made it WEEKLY.  My husband LOVES it.  I love it, too since it is super easy to make!

Pic of my results!

Pic of the middle.

~Heather

Misc Funnies

Original Pin

I saw this the other day and busted out laughing.  It is so true!  :)

~Heather

Tried it! Warm Lemon Water

Okay, so the pic is not how I drink mine,
 but I just think it's so cute!

I am the least healthy person I know.  I don't eat fruit (some weird sensory texture issue~the texture of fruit freaks me out and makes me gag.  Don't ask), and I hate 99% of veggies.  I basically eat carbs and chocolate (I cook REAL meals for the fam, I don't force them to eat like me).  That said, I TRY to find healthy things to fit into my diet.  I've tried numerous things (apple cider vinegar, oil pulling, smoothies~again can't do 'em.  Texture issue again.  Etc.  Bleh) and couldn't stick with any of them for various reasons.  

I had seen warm lemon water for awhile now, but never tried it because it says it works best first thing in the am, on an empty stomach/before coffee.  Anytime I've ever tried to drink anything other than coffee in the am, I've literally gotten sick.  One of my friends said that the warm water didn't do that to her, so I gave it a try.  

Well.  I've stuck to the routine of warm lemon water every am, and even do it right before bed!  I'd like to lie and say that I've noticed tons of benefits, but I haven't.  Perhaps I'm not "in tune" with my body enough to notice the benefits, but whatev!  I will keep doing it because it does get me to drink more water, which I don't drink enough of.  And, hey, the benefits that it COULD offer are too good to pass up!

My lemon water. 3/4 cup warm water, juice from 1/2 lemon.

Possible benefits:

• Drinking water on an empty stomach purifies the colon, making it easier to absorb nutrients.
• Decrease wrinkles, and blemishes.  
• Boost immune system.
• Relieve tooth pain.
• Balance pH.
• Help with weight loss.
• Help with acid reflux and bloating.
• Aids digestion.

And, there you have it!  :)

~Heather

My "sources":

Lemon water in the morning

http://pinterest.com/pin/6192518209619247/

http://pinterest.com/pin/6192518209619226/

http://pinterest.com/pin/6192518209725710/

http://pinterest.com/pin/6192518209765645/

 (Water in martini glass found it via google search.  If it is yours, and you want credit or for it to be removed, just leave a comment).

Tried it!! Baked Brie

Since it is a blizzahd out here in New England, I am stuck inside...what better time to try out some pinterest recipes I have been hoarding....

I tried this just moments ago....

It was extremely easy, although since I have never purchased brie before outside of a restaurant, I wasn't exactly sure if I was supposed to remove the casing or not. I googled it and found that it is ok to leave it on....the recipe also said they left it on, but I wanted a second opinion...

Mine didn't look very pretty, the cheese wasn't as gooey as I would have hoped, but it tasted delicious!!

Here are some pictures....

Tred it!! Crock pot chicken & rice

I had come across this pin a few weeks ago and just added it to my crock pot board, then a facebook friend of my posted that she had just made it and it was so amazing, so I HAD to try it. I made a small batch to try (mostly because we are in the middle of a blizzard and I had only 2 frozen chicken breasts in the freezer). I also altered the recipe just a bit....I used 1 block of lower fat cream cheese, 1 can of cream of mushroom soup, 1 can of cream of chicken soup and 2 packets of italian dressing. I have to say this was DELICIOUS!! It was sooooo easy, the chicken was so tender, and the flavor was perfect. I served this on a bed of white rice and steamed green beans. It was perfect for a cold winter's night.

Tried it! Brownie Batter Dip!

OH.  MY.  GOD.  I was looking for something to bring to our friends house when we went over for the super bowl.  I decided to try this pin.  Thankfully, I didn't make it until right before we had to leave, because it was SO delicious that had I made it earlier in the day, I know I would have eaten it all and then had nothing  to bring to the party!

As you can see, I served it with pretzels.  It was definitely a hit, with the adults AND kids (3 teenage boys)!  There was none left in the container when we were ready to go home!

I actually made another batch of it today, to keep in the fridge (don't judge me)....lol.  My friend and I both had PMS, and whoa....this is going to be a staple in the house during PMS week for me from now on!

~Heather

Tried it! Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

I was in the mood for cabbage rolls for some reason, so I searched out some pins of recipes this afternoon. I decided to try this one.

I forgot to take pics, but I can tell you mine didn't look any different than the ones on the original post!

I did not tell my 9 year old that there were mushrooms in the mixture, and I omitted the onions only because I forgot to buy some....instead I added a tsp or two of garlic powder for flavor. 

Overall thoughts:

The filling tasted very good. I need to work on my cabbage rolling skills. Everyone said they liked it, and the 9 year old asked for seconds.

I would make this again, maybe adding more seasonings. I would probably add parsley and italian seasoning. YUM.

Tried it! Lemon Bars

I LOVE lemon.  Well, let me amend that.  Lemon FLAVORED stuff.  You know, lemon cake, lemon bars.  Okay, okay!  I love lemon DESSERTS.  ;)

When I was a kid, my mom used to make lemon bars....they were ah-mazing.  I don't have her recipe, but if you google "homemade lemon bars", you easily find numerous recipes.  Two things with these homemade lemon bars:  they're delicious, but they have butter....(which I also love), which makes them not very waistline friendly.  They require multiple ingredients, which ups the time factor.

Well, let me introduce you to "2 Ingredient Lemon Bars"!!!  I was soooo psyched when I saw this pin!  I made them yesterday, and OMG....delicious, and easy!!!

Angel food mix & lemon filling in 9x13 pan

The recipe says not to mix the ingredients too long, just enough to "moisten" the cake mix.  I think I found out why.  Apparently there is something in angel food mix that is "foamy" (no, that isn't a technical cooking term).  When I pulled the bars out of the oven, they looked more like a big, fluffy cake (I didn't get a pic of that)!  But, they were a light golden brown, and smelled heavenly.  I waited for them to cool down a bit, so I could sprinkle powdered sugar on top (which makes them 3 ingredient, but since it is optional, the recipe lives up to it's name of "2 Ingredient"), and they had deflated.  Not an ugly, inedible deflated, though!  ;)  I sprinkled on the sugar, and cut them up.......   

Voila!  Don't they look ridiculously yummy?!?!?!?  They taste as good as they look; they're half gone already!  I will definitely be making these again....soon.  If you try them, lemme know what you think!

~Heather


**One change I made to the recipe: it calls for a 15oz can of lemon pie filling, but I bought a 22oz can on accident.  I used the whole can, and will do so again in the future.

Tried it!! Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders

This is a pin I make on a regular basis....

Anyone who knows me knows I live for football, wings, and beer. All of which aren't easy on the waistline (well, football would be if I participated in it). So when I came across this pin I was happy: a version that isn't fried, still had the same flavor, and is easy to make. I make them both with buffalo sauce and without - just plain for the kiddos. I have also tried a variation using spicy panko breadcrumbs vs. regular panko, I don't notice a difference but the kids do. 

This is definitely a game day staple in our house!!

With Buffalo Sauce

Without Buffalo Sauce

Tried It! Slow Cooker Pork Chops

I came across this pin some time ago, but just got to try it today.  

It came out very good, good flavor, extremely easy, and it only took 4 hours on HIGH in the crock pot. The meat came out a bit dryer than I would have liked, more like a pulled pork consistency, however I think if you were to sear the meat prior to putting it in the crock pot, then it would be more likely to stay juicy if you like it that way. I would recommend this recipe to my pork loving friends!

Pinned it! My style....

I came across this pin and proceeded to laugh hysterically, while it slowly sunk in that this girl is spot on!!!

I have gained more than a few pounds recently and this post has made me realize that I may look like I am wearing the dreaded MOM JEANS!!! 

It is on my agenda this weekend to go out and get some jeans that are flattering to my figure and make my ass look good.

The dreaded MOM Jeans

And for the plus-sized crowd, there is this pin.

~Melissa

Tried It! Crock Pot Breakfast Casserole

 I made this pin for the first time back in November, and ever since then the three pickiest eating girls on the planet have been asking for it. So, I made it again this past weekend. Again, it was a hit! It is so easy and so delicious. 

I love eggs and could eat them for every meal, but this recipe just takes it to a whole other level. Of course you can tweak the recipe to fit your personal taste, but I just used the basics listed in the recipe. My only suggestion would be to turn off your crock pot and eat it as soon after it is ready as possible because otherwise the bottom and sides can get too crusty from overcooking. 

I definitely recommend it, and my three girls do too!

YUM!!

~Melissa

Tried it! Alka Seltzer

One Good Thing By Jillee

I came across this pin today for "17 alternative uses for alka-seltzer", so I clicked on it.  SO GLAD I did!!!  There are some really good ideas listed that I'd never have guessed you could use Alka-Seltzer for!  The one I tried today?  

"Clean Your Coffeemaker: fill the water chamber of the coffeemaker and then drop in three tablets. When the Alka-Seltzer has dissolved, put the coffeemaker through a brew cycle. This will clean out all the internal components. Run through another plain water cycle before using the machine again for coffee."  Sounded simple, and it was!  I followed the instructions exactly, and the results are below!

After "brewing" the alka seltzer with a full pot of water

You may not be able to see clearly, as I am no pro photographer, but the brown you see on the coffee pot, is NOT actually ON the pot.  It is IN the pot, floating around!  Gross, right?  But awesome at the same time!  I always clean my coffee pot with vinegar, and have NEVER seen this before, which to me says that Alka-Seltzer is way more effective than vinegar!  My coffee pot is less than 2 months old, and had all this "yuck" in it.  I can't imagine what an older one has.  Bleh!!

I'm super excited to try out some of the other uses!  Have you tried any of them?  Did they work?

~Heather

Tried it! Evening Primrose Oil

I have noticed over the last 6 months-ish that my PMS symptoms (mainly cramps and moodiness) have gotten really bad.  So bad that I can't even stand myself most of the time.  When I came across this pin about Evening Primrose Oil saying "...Helps with hormonal acne, PMS, weight control, chronic headaches, menopause, endometriosis, joint pain, diabetes, eczema,..." I figured why not try it?  I get lots of headaches, have eczema pretty bad in the winter, and well, I already explained about PMS.  

On a recent shopping trip, I picked up a bottle since it was inexpensive. 

The results?  I can't give you any.  Upon opening the bottle, I was so grossed out.  They smell absolutely HORRIBLE.  Be glad there is no scratch-and-sniff computer monitors; seriously...I would torture you, too.  I may have been able to plug my nose and deal with the smell, however, these suckers are HUGE.  I put some next to my iPod Nano to give you a size comparison.  Also, keep in mind, I regularly take very large vitamins.  Taking pills has never been an issue for me.  So, if you had seen and/or pinned these pills, just beware the smell and size!  ;)  

Have YOU tried them?  Let us know your results!  I'd love to hear if they actually work!  Want to try?  You can order Evening Primrose Oil on Amazon, or just pick them up at a store local to you.

~Heather

Intro!

Heyyy!  Ok, so by the name, you already know that this blog will be about Pinterest.  All things Pinterest.  I spend waaaay too much time "pinning" things that I'll do "someday".  And, from what I've seen online, that seems to be the case with most people!  So.  This blog will be putting all those pins to use....FINALLY!!!  

My name is Heather, and I started the blog, but I have a couple friends who will be contributing to the blog along with me!  Here's a bit about each of us:

Heather

**Blurbs "about us" COMING SOON!**

Melissa~ I live with the love of my life. We have a blended family of three girls: 13, 10, 9. I work full time and I am currently working towards my Global MBA at Southern NH University. I love to read, watch mindless trashy TV, I am addicted to sports (especially NFL) and Zumba! My favorite movie and book: Gone With The Wind. I am also a little bit addicted to Pinterest.  You can also find me on my personal blog,  "Peter Gibbons is my BFF".



Caroline



Cheri