Pintresting Week.

I, along with many others, am addicted to Pintrest.

I like trying new recipes.  So here are a few of the new "keepers" with pictures of my final products.  I'm not going to include all of the ingredients and instructions, just a link to where I found it (each title is the recipe link).  If I made variations or have tips... those will be below the pictures :)  

Asparagus, Goat Cheese, & Lemon Pasta

* I definitely added lemon juice

* My goat cheese log was 8oz so I put in the whole thing :) hehe

* I added 2 cloves of pressed garlic

* I substituted chopped fresh basil for the tarragon

* I like that they combine steps (the boiling of pasta and throwing in the asparagus for the last 3 minutes!)

* It was SOOOO good.  We had it as a side to a delicious bone in prime rib. Definitely making this again!

No-bake Energy Bites

* I substituted dried cranberries for the toasted coconut

* I used dark chocolate instead of semisweet or milk

* I used wheat germ

* I suggest spraying your measuring cup with cooking spray before the peanut butter and honey (it comes out easier and you don't leave half of it in the cup!)

* I used a cookie scoop to start the ball then rolled with my hands.  

* They're good :)  Nice and chilly in the frig and a quick snack.  

Peachy Keen Bars

* I used a french vanilla cake mix, margarine, low fat cream cheese, & Splenda as healthIER substitutes

* I followed the directions exactly and it was a little difficult to spread in the bottom and spread out the cream cheese mixture as it was pretty sticky.  I went with the "plop" method.  haha.  Still came out delicious (as you can see from the corner I tasted as soon as I took it out of the oven!).  With some vanilla ice cream... whoahhh Nelly!!  

Diet Water

* Followed directions exactly. 

* Drank 96 oz. today and LOVED it!!  I was actually carrying it around with me everywhere!  Coming from someone who doesn't drink NEARLY enough water, this makes it easier!!

xo-mB

My homeland.

Fact: I was born in Idaho.

Fact: We have a cabin in Idaho.

Fact: I love potatoes, but I think I would love them even if the first fact weren't true.

Our family cabin is one of my favorite places in the world (along with Napili Shores, Maui and being cuddled in Brian's arms).  I am SO happy we were able to make a family trip up there this year and I am even happier that I was able to bring Brian!  I combined some of my pictures so that you wouldn't be scrolling for days.  I just wanted to share with you a place I hold dear to my heart.  Welcome to Island Park, Idaho...

Here are a few pictures of me, my pink fishing pole (with fluorescent line that everyone gave me crap for, but it matched my pole so I used it, and violaaaaa.... FISH! take that boys!) ...

Here are some pictures of Brian doing what he loves...

I have been begging Brian to teach me how to shoot.  Here's a few pics of me shooting for the first time (you're allowed to just carry guns in Idaho... no big deal).  And some pictures of my daily relax spot and new amazingly delicious Reese's s'more concoction... 

Confession: I will not touch fish.

This creates a problem when I catch them.  So Brian, being the patient and loving boyfriend that he is, went out with my at the Coffee Pot campground on the Snake River and waded with me while I fished for a bit.  I only caught some weeds, but I had a good time... and I looked damn SEXY in that gettup!! Side note: The campground host said that a few nights before, a grizzly bear attacked an elk just on the other side of this river where those trees are.  Gotta love wildlife...

Brian and I took a day trip through Yellowstone National Park (another one of my favorite places).  It was his first time so we did the loop and stopped at the beautiful scenic spots.  He has most of those pictures, but I had a few in my phone.  The top left is a buffalo, Old Faithful is top right and bottom left, and Upper Falls is lower right.  More to come...

We had an awesome time fishing and sightseeing.  I am so glad that I was able to spend quality time with the ones I love.  Brian and I were 2-time Hand and Foot champions as well (card game for those who aren't familiar)!!

Here's my last one... I took it in the wee morning hours on our 17 hour drive home... the Idaho sunrise in my mirror...

I hope you enjoyed.  xo-mB

Leaving on a jet plane.

Ok.  I lied.  We left in a rented Dodge Grand Caravan.
I just like that song.
Focus Marissa...

One of my favorite parts about taking vacations that require a lot of driving is CAR SNACKS!!!  haha... says the chubby girl.  But really, it is.  My mom was always so prepared growing up and had tons of yummy options for us.  One of my favorites that she has been making for years was cut off of a Kellogg's Crispix box.  It is so easy to make and doesn't require baking.  Here are the ingredients:

8 cups Crispix cereal
1 cup mini pretzel twists (I used probably 3 cups)
1 cup honey roasted peanuts
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt (I used garlic powder)
1/2 teaspoon onion salt (again... just onion powder)
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke (hickory or mesquite barbecue flavor)


1.  In a gallon zipper storage bag combine the cereal, pretzels, and peanuts.  Set aside.
2.  Mix together sugar and spices in a small bowl and set aside.
3.  Combine oil, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke.  Mix well.  Pour oil mixture over cereal mixture.  Close bag and gently toss until everything is coated well.
4.  Add spice mixture and close bag.  Gently toss cereal mixture again and coat well  
Store in an airtight container.  Yields about 8 cups.


Here's the final product (through the ziplock bag):

I know... I know... just another snack party mix.  But this one truly is delish.  Sweet, salty, savory.  I obviously love it in the car, but it's also perfect around 5pm with a cocktail or brew on the porch.  I reckon it would go well at parties, bbq's, sporting events, etc.  So... get your snack on.  And try this one next time cruisin up the 15 freeway on your way to Idaho ;)
xo-mB

A Pretty Clean 4th.

This post serves a dual purpose.  One, to show off a popular Pintrest recipe that I made for the 4th of July.  And two, to talk about a product that I think is awesome.

So... I decided to jump on the bandwagon and make the 4th of July famous chocolate dipped strawberries from The Sisters Cafe blog.  Here is a picture of my finished product:

Not too shabby, eh?!  Ok... so now for my tips:

1.  Make sure your strawberry is dry before dipping it!! I learned the hard way on the first one as the chocolate wouldn't stick.  I pat mine dry with a paper towel before dipping.  

2.  I highly suggest using the chocolate candy melts (commonly used for chocolate molds).  I purchase the Wilton brand melts at Michaels.  I feel that they melt better and are smoother for dipping.  Plus... think of all the colors you can use for other holidays!!  I'm thinking... white chocolate and green sugar for Christmas, pink chocolate for Valentines's day, and I've seen orange chocolate with orange chocolate lines as carrots for Easter!  

3.  I highly suggest using a spoon to put the sugar on.  I tried "dipping" a few into the sugar and it mushed the chocolate up (since it's still wet) and some clumps of chocolate dropped off into the sugar.  Spooning some sugar and pressing the sides of the strawberry tip into the sugar worked best.

Now... for my product tip.  I purchased this product at the Orange County swap meet after watching their demonstration (I'm usually not a sucker, but I had just purchased all of my fruits and vegetables and they demonstrated it on the food I purchased so I was SOLD!).  It is a Fruit and Vegetable wash called Eat Cleaner (there is also a Seafood and Poultry wash).  Here is the pictures of the bottles front and back:

Here are some of the perks (they told me about them there and that's why I was so interested, but I also looked them up again on their website):

• 99.9% more effective than rinsing with water to remove pesticides, wax, and contaminants that carry bacteria
• extends food shelf life by 200% to reduce waste and save money!
• made with natural ingredients in the USA
• they offer concentrate to refill and reuse the initial bottles you purchase
• they also have biodegradable produce wipes!

It is simple to use... just place food in a colander, spray generously and let soak for 5 minutes, then rinse with water into a bowl until water becomes clear.  I was SOOO surprised when I saw how much dirty water was in the bowl.  I highly suggest you check them out!  Here is a link to their site :)

All in all... I feel that with the use of this awesome product, I was able to create a CLEAN & PRETTY holiday treat for my boyfriend's family to enjoy.  God bless America.  xo-mB

sweets for my sweet.

To celebrate our 6 month anniversary (this past January), I made my man a treat bucket called Sweets for my Sweet with silly sayings on candy to remind him of how much I love him.  I'm pretty sure his son and nephews loved it, too seeing as though I jam packed it full of candy and could barely close the bucket!!

I saw many posts on Pintrest about different candy sayings.  One of my favorites was The Dating Divas (cute blog site!!) and their post on {Quick Sweet Treats to show your hubby you love him!} (boyfriend in my case).  The Dating Divas also had this post for a candy poster that had some really cute sayings.  Another pin I recently saw, that I didn't use but think could be helpful, is from Crafts by Friends... titled Sweet Treats Two (a follow up after their Sweet Treats and Teacher Survival Kit posts). 

Through the inspiration from these awesome ideas... I used some and made up some of my own!  Here is how I made it and the final product!

Supplies:

• candy bars
• clear plastic paint bucket from Michaels
• colored paper
• double stick tape
• ribbon
• markers

Steps:

1. I made a list of the candy bars I wanted to use and brought it with me to the store. While I was there, if I saw another candy bar I wanted to use and came up with a cute saying for, I wrote it down.  Otherwise, I would forget what my intentions were with it and probably eat the stupid thing.  
2. I typed up the sayings on the computer in two columns on Word and changed the fonts to make it more interesting.
3. After printing them on bright lime and turquoise paper, I embellished each saying with my own little flair.  Then, I cute them out (attempting to be creative so they weren't all just squares) and stuck them to their candy with double stick tape.  (see pictures below)
4. I made a cute saying for the front (see picture toward the top) and also typed out a personal note for the opposite side (no picture of this... gotta keep some things personal ;).  I taped these on the inside of the bucket using double stick tape also.
5. The tricky part was strategically placing all of the candy inside the bucket so I could close the lid!  eventually, it worked!
6. Lastly, I tied lime and turquoise ribbon bows (the ribbon was from Michaels and was super cheap) on each side of the handle (just to add some color, he probably didn't even notice this haha).  

And some super "silly" ones...

So there you have it.

Sweets for my Sweet.  xo-mB