Baked Mini Corn Dogs!

I'm easily talked into making anything once.  My husband and I love what we call football foods----nachos, corn dogs, mini tacos, pizza, pretty much anything that can be bought in the frozen section at the grocery store.  Instead of buying it and feeling oh so guilty later, we try to put a healthier spin on it and sometimes it turns out and sometimes it doesn't.  I would make these again, but the corn dogs could use a little sweetness, probably some honey would put them into the definitely make category.  Matt enjoyed them though so I guess I can't complain.

Adapted from:  http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/recipe/pork/baked-corn-dogs/

Nonstick cooking spray
6       turkey cheese dogs, halved
3/4    cup flour--I used Whole Wheat White All-Purpose
1/3    cup yellow cornmeal
1       Tbsp. Splenda
1       tsp. baking powder
1/4    tsp. dry mustard
1/8    tsp. salt
1/3    cup skim milk
1       egg, lightly beaten
1       tsp. olive oil (it's all I had on hand)
)

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

2.  In a medium bowl, mix together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, dry mustard, and salt.
 

3.  In a small bowl, combine milk, egg, and oil. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and mix just until combined.  It will be thick.

4.  Take each half of hot dogs and dip into batter.  (Note:  I found it easier to dip and then use my hands to finish covering as I was placing it on the baking sheet.)  Place each hot dog on lightly sprayed baking sheet.

5.  Bake for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown.

6.  Serve with condiment of choice and enjoy!

DIY Twine-tacular Vase!

Sorry for the delay in an update.  Life's been extremely hectic and I haven't had a chance to get on the blog lately.  Never fear though, I have definitely been cooking and crafting up some new fun things which I will be sharing with you.

The first redo I will share with you is the easiest vase I made and it only cost me $9, which includes the flowers in it!  Thank you Michaels for your 50% off coupons and saving me money!

I started with a vase that my mom got at Bargain Bills about 20 years ago and it just doesn't match any of our decor since our living room is too packed to begin with and it went with the furniture.  I liked the idea of dressing up our bathroom with a little something as I always thought our rental was pretty bleak but I didn't want to go over the top.  When I was on Pinterest I kept seeing wine bottles made with hemp or twine covering them and I thought, I can totally do that to this vase!  It's a pretty self explanatory process, just be careful not to burn your fingers---I might have a few times when I got distracted by the TV I was watching.

I started at the top and worked my way down so I was sure that the vase would sit flat when I was done.  It's easier to tuck the hemp inside the top just a bit and then wrap over it to cover it.  I then  slowly and steadily put a small line of glue, pressed hemp on, glue, hemp, glue, hemp, etc.  When I finally got to the bottom, I set it on a counter and continued to wrap until just covered so I was sure not to obscure the bottom and make the vase tippy.  Since it was at the bottom, there was no need to hide the end as it pretty much blended in.

Please excuse the sweat---no air conditioning plus hot glue gun on a 100+ degree day=overheated me!

TA DA!  New vase and flowers with a rustic but pleasant vibe.

I Do Voxbox Courtesy of Influenster

As most of you know, I am a huge couponer, survey taker and product tester.  I guess one could say I have a passion for it, so my blog will also mention different things related to how I save money, what I like and what I don't.  If you're interested in product testing and having your voice heard, my top pick is Influenster.

Below is one of the many things I got in my complimentary I Do Voxbox from Influenster (http://www.influenster.com/).  The Dr. Scholl's® For Her Ball of Foot which I placed in my work shoes.  They do take a little getting used to as I notice they are in there, kind of like my sock being bunched up or something, but with time, I think I will get used to them.  I do notice less stress and pain in my feet at the end of the day though, so they are definitely worth it.  Plus, if they don't work for you, Dr. Scholl's stands behind their products and offers money back guarantees, so you have nothing to lose trying these out.

Dr. Scholl's® For Her Ball of Foot

It's Official!

It's Official!  Welcome to my first blog post!  I've finally broken down and set up the blog I've been meaning to do for years.  My main blog focus will be to share my DIY crafts, cooking, creations and stories in hopes of allowing others to enjoy my passions just as much as I do.  My friends always call me the creative one, but the truth is, anyone can be a little creative, they just have to let their mind run wild and their kid-like spirit free.  I may be 26, but I definitely stay young at heart.

Honestly, my family is where I get my skills from.  They taught me everything they know, and continue to do so.  To give you an idea of what I deal with, my family hosted my brother's graduation party and made everything, and I mean everything, from scratch.  The buns for the sliders, sauteed onions, sliders (I believe 176 hand-pattied perfectly sized burgers), chicken Cowboy Beans, BLT pasta salad, tuna noodle salad, and homemade potato salad, as well as beer dip and ham salad.  The guests couldn't stop raving about how great everything was.  As one can see, the bar in my family is set pretty high.

 Homemade Slider Buns

 Homemade Sliders and Smoked and Grilled Chicken

Condiment Bar 

Cowboy Beans

BLT Pasta Salad, Tuna Noodle Salad and Homemade Potato Salad

In the weeks to come, I will post DIY tutorials, recipes, and anything else you may be interested in seeing.  I will be posting things I've done in the past, as well as things I have coming up in the future.