Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Super Bowl Recipe Ideas

Here are some of my favorite recipes that are perfect for Super Bowl parties...of course none of them are healthy. What are some of your favorites?

Idiots Delight

Ingredients
1 lb sausage
1 lb beef
1 lb Velveeta cheese (cut into chunks)
butter
garlic salt
onion salt
cocktail ryes

Directions
In a big pan, brown meat and drain. Return meat to pan and melt cheese in with meat. Spread butter on bread and sprinkle with salts. Put meat & cheese mixture on bread. Bake at 350 for 10 or 15 minutes.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients
2 cans (10 oz) white chunk chicken
3/4 cup of hot wing sauce
2 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese
1 cup ranch dressing
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Bag of Fritos to serve...or whatever you desire

Directions
Drain the chicken well, mix chicken and hot sauce on stove top until hot. Add cream cheese, ranch dressing and cheddar cheese. Once mix thoroughly. Serve up with Fritos or whatever you want.

Sopapilla Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients
2 cans of crescent rolls
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Press 1 can of crescent rolls into bottom of 9 X 13 inch pan. Mix cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla until creamy. Spread over rolls in pan. Cover with other can of rolls. Melt butter and stir in rest of sugar and cinnamon. Pour over top. Bake for 30 minutes. Can be served warm or room temperature.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Ingredients
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, 1 stick melted, 1/2 stick softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon plus 2 pinches salt
1 2/3 cups flour
4 ounces cream cheese, chilled
1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon vanilla, the baking powder, the baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour.
Using an ice cream scoop or tablespoon, drop 12 generous mounds of batter, spaced evenly, onto each baking sheet. Bake until springy to the touch, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter with the cream cheese. Add the confectioners' sugar and the remaining 2 pinches salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; mix on low speed until blended, then beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Spread the flat side of 12 cakes with cream cheese frosting. Top each with another cake.


Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Anyone tried this?

Boscia at ShopStyle


I'm a big fan of Boscia products, especially the "black" line, I'm especially obsessed with the Black Luminizing Mask. I was excited to see that they've come out with an eye cream. I have yet to find an eye cream that I love so I'm tempted to try this when my other Boscia eye cream runs out. The reviews on Sephora are very favorable but I'm curious if any of you have tried it. What did you think?

Monday, January 23, 2012

Giveaway Time!

Pottery Barn at ShopStyle

In trying to keep a balance of my usual blog posts and baby blog posts I've decided to do a giveaway! One of my favorite Christmas presents this year is something I want one of my lucky readers to have - Vinturi Wine Aerator

Williams-Sonoma at ShopStyle


For those of you not familiar with a wine aerator, here's a description from Amazon:

Easily and conveniently enhance the flavor, bouquet, and finish of any wine with Vinturi's Essential Wine Aerator. Wine needs to breathe to allow it to open up, release its intended aromas, and of course, make it taste better. Vinturi's patent-pending design speeds up this process by instantly aerating with ease and convenience in the time it takes to pour a glass of wine. Hold the aerator over a glass and pour wine through for instant aeration. It mixes the proper amount of air in the right amount of time.

Now for the good stuff...how to win:

Entries will be accepted till midnight ET on Jan 27. Winner will be announced the following week. You have a few different ways to enter are below.

Must follow my blog through friend connect and leave a comment letting me know you are a follower and what your favorite wine is.

Extra Entries
Friend Christina's Favorite Things on Facebook

Tweet about this giveaway and be sure to include me (@xtinafavthings)

Please leave a comment for each entry

Friday, January 20, 2012

Gift Idea Friday - Citrus Lane

It's been a LONG time since I've done gift idea Friday and I have a great gift idea for you. I came across Citrus Lane right around when I found out I was pregnant. For those of you familiar with Birch Box it's like that but for baby stuff. When you sign up, Citrus Lane sends a monthly box filled with products for your child. You fill out a form that has details about your children, age, sex, etc. and they will send products that are age appropriate. The boxes are good for newborns through age 3. I was given a monthly subscription and it's such a great gift. You can buy just one box, a three month subscription or a year subscription. The boxes are filled with lots of great stuff! Makes a great baby shower or new parent gift. Check it out here.

What are some of your favorite gifts to give expectant or new moms?

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Decorating Dilemma


We've started getting the nursery together for the little one and I need help deciding on a mobile for the nursery. Above is what the bedding looks like and we are painting the walls yellow. The furniture is an espresso color. For those of you following me on Pinterest I've started a board that has all the nursery stuff.

One of the decisions I'm having a hard time making is the mobile. I have narrowed it down to two. First up is this adorable one from Pottery Barn Kids.




I absolutely love this one. I think it will go great with the bedding and look super cute in her room but I've heard that the cutesy mobiles are just only for looks and don't help soothe or entertain.

The other one is a more "practical" one I guess. It's from Tiny Love. It's gotten great reviews on Amazon and my SIL has it up in my niece's nursery. It's cute but definitely doesn't go as well with the bedding.

Tiny Love at ShopStyle

I need your advice. Which one should I go with?

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

With a new baby comes...


...a new car for me. This new car was a long time coming for us. I have been driving the same Toyota Corolla since I graduated college so I was well overdue for something with more space and handled better in bad weather. We looked at a bunch of different crossovers and decided on the 2012 Toyota Highlander Limited. It had everything we wanted - leather seats, GPS, third row, great safety ratings, Bluetooth, spacious and comfortable. And the best part was we got a great trade in offer for my Corolla and we don't have a car payment.


I absolutely LOVE the interior with no wires...everything is right there at my finger tips. I've definitely had to get used to driving a MUCH bigger car but so far so good.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Back to blogging with exciting news...

As I mentioned in a post a few weeks ago, Hubby and I are expecting our first baby. It's been hard to keep it a secret which is why I just stopped blogging all together. Most of the things I would normally blog about now had a baby aspect to it. Well I'm happy to say that now that it's public I can get back to blogging and share some exciting news with all of you. Last week Hubby and I found out that we are...It's very exciting news. The shopping has already begun. There are so many cute things out there for little girls, I need to start having some control. We both can't wait to meet her at the end of May. Since Spring is a crazy time at work for me, Hubby and I are busy getting the house and nursery ready these next couple of months. We started out by picking the bedding.

Skip Hop at ShopStyle

I love the simplicity of this and it's not too overwhelmingly pink. The plan is too paint the walls a light yellow. What do you think? Any other ideas on how to make this an absolutely adorable nursery?

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