Saturday, August 27, 2011

Fun at DownEast Basics

A few nights ago, DownEast Basics hosted a super-fun bloggers night to show us their new fall line.  I was thrilled with this because after all that school shopping for the kids, it's time for a little back-to-school shopping for mommy! We had a ball, running around meeting other local bloggers, but mostly SHOPPING! They have this great in-store promo - spend $50, get this purse for only $15!  Hello!  I snatched the yellow one, it was so needed!  Kelli from Lolly Jane was laughing so hard at my previous purse, she said I needed to send it back to Italy!  LOL!
They also have this great new kids line.  My 10-year-old has been begging me for a tu-tu-like skirt.  I keep telling her they don't make them in her size, but lo and behold.  We bought a super cute one there!
Ours was in bubblegum, but you get the gist!
DownEast was kind enough to give us each $25 to spend!
SO, to make it EVEN MORE FUN, DownEast is hosting an in-store giveaway for YOU LOCALS! Visit any DownEast Basics store in the Phoenix metro area from 8/29-9/12 & enter to win a fall fashion makeover! 1 lucky winner receives $250 shopping spree + DownEast will donate $250 to a local school of winner’s choice! I am totally going down there!  There were a few items on my list I didn't quite pick up yet.  See you there?

Monday, August 15, 2011

White Bread

This weekend I had this urge to bake bread.  Not just any bread, but wheat bread.  I found myself texting my mom late Friday night.  My mom has everything. Me:  Do u have a wheat grinder and wheat? Her:  yes Me:  Electric or hand? Her:  Electric Woohoo!  So I swung by on Saturday to pick it up.  This is what I found.
And here's another view.
ummmmmm.  I think it's older than me.  And I'm not young, friends.  Hitting 38 soon here.  At least it matches my Bosch, also older than me.
I happily switched my plans to white bread, as I wasn't too sure of what critters were living in that grinder.  I guess all those spider webs that were covering it could be healthy, but we were having people over for dinner.  Why risk it.
I wanted to share my never fail white bread recipe with you.  A few of you have told me you don't think you can make bread.  It's so easy!  No kneading or anything that takes too much time or energy.    That being said, you do need to make sure you are home to punch it down every so often.  And it's definitely worth the effort as it tastes 1000 times better than store bought.
White Bread
yeild:  2 loaves
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 cups warm milk
1/4 cup oil
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 Tablespoon salt
5 - 6 cups white flour 
In your kitchenaid or Bosch or whatever you have (A big bowl?), put in yeast and warm water.  The water should just be luke-warm.  NOT hot.  While that sits softening up, warm up the milk in the microwave just until luke-warm.  Now add everything except the flour.  
Ready for the flour?  Add it one cup at a time.  After 4 cups start to watch the thickness of the dough.  Keep adding flour just until it comes away from the side of the bowl.  It will be a little sticky.  I added 5 1/4 cups to mine. That is my usual amount in Arizona, but I guess if you have more humidity, yours could need a little more.  When you have enough flour added, keep it mixing until all the flour is incorporated.
Spray a bowl with Pam and transfer dough to bowl.  Flip it over so both sides are covered in spray.  Let it rise about an hour.  Punch it.  Let it rise again another hour .  Split it into two loaves, and place them in 2 bread pans sprayed with Pam.  Let rise once again about 30 minutes.  Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.
Yummy!

Monday, August 8, 2011

Sprucing up those backpacks!

School started today and I am doing the happy dance.  
I LOVE it when school is out, but I also LOVE it when it starts back up.  It's definitely time.
Has anyone else used their cricut/silhouette to spruce up their backpacks?  If so, leave me the link!  I'd love to see!

Friday, August 5, 2011

Back to School – Teacher Survivor Can

Last night was Meet the Teacher night at school.  The kids and I decided to make a quick survival can for the teacher's first week of school.
Supplies needed:
pop top can (I use something I can freeze for smoothies later) 
can opener that doesn't "cut" the can such as a pampered chef one
treats to fill the can i.e.  candy, gum, post it notes, etc
tissue paper
hot glue gun
scrapbook paper
ribbon to embellish
To start, flip that can upside down and remove the lid with the can opener.  Wash and dry.
Fill the can with treats.  Place tissue at the top to protect the items from glue.
Hot glue the lid on to the top
 Take off the label and add some scrapbook paper.  Tie some ribbon on the tab on the top and you are done!
Have a great first week of school!