Paper Bag Popcorn

So I was sitting at work today thinking about food. I was hungry apparently... anyways... I started thinking about popcorn and how much I love microwave popcorn because it's easy and I don't have to clean anything after I make it. But then I thought about the things I hated about microwave popcorn... how much it costs, how much more unhealthy it is than regular popcorn. Ok... so there are only two things I hate about microwave popcorn. This got my wheels turning... could I make my own microwave popcorn????

The answer folks is, YES YOU CAN!

All you need are popcorn kernels, a brown paper lunch bag, and a microwave!



Ok. Listen up. You'll have to follow these directions very carefully...
Alright. I'm kidding. This is so easy anyone could do it! This would be a great thing for your kiddos to do before the fam cuddles up on the couch for a movie night!

Begin by measuring out anywhere between 1/4 C. and 1/2 C of popcorn kernels. Pour them in to your paperbag. Fold the top of your paperbag bag over a couple of times. Put the bag in the microwave on its side... just like you would with a microwave bag. Allow the popcorn to cook in the microwave on high between 2-3 minutes. Keep an eye on it while its popping to make sure it doesn't burn.

Be careful opening the top of the bag because it will be steamy!!!

Loaded Fruit Nachos

The weather here in Wisconsin has been unseasonably warm and I am not complaining. I mean, it's the middle of March and I am wearing capris and a tank top! ahhh-mazing! It has made me want summer to come even sooner so this warm, sunny weather doesn't go away. Today I wanted to make a summer inspired, weight-watchers friendly dessert to share with my hubby before he leaves for a business trip. This is what I came up with!

This is what you will need to make these fruit nachos:

For the Chips

• Tortillas of your choice (I used whole wheat)
• "I Can't Believe Its Not Butter" spray
• Cinnamon
• Sugar

For the "Cheese"

• 8 oz Fat Free Cream Cheese
• 1 tub Fat Free Cool-whip

For the Extras

• Chopped Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Sliced Bananas
• Chopped Kiwis

You will want to start with your chips since these require cooking. Take your uncooked tortillas and slice them up like a pizza.

Place your tortilla slices on a cookie sheet and spray them with your spray butter. Mix together your cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle it over the top of the tortillas.

Place these under the broiler in your oven until browned to your liking. Mine took a few minutes.

While my tortilla chips were cooking mixed my "cheese" together. Take your softened cream cheese and thawed Cool-Whip   and mix together using a hand mixer (allow the cool-whip to thaw naturally... what I mean is... don't use the microwave. It totally doesn't work!)

I also took this time to slice up my fruit.

Once you've got your chips out of the oven and you've given them a chance to cool, you are all set to serve it up! Enjoy!

Breaking up is hard to do.

Dear Pinterest,
I still love you but I found something better. Clipix just had some features that you cannot offer me. For example, private boards... I mean honestly. The whole world does not need to know that I need help organizing my closets. Simply put, this is a deal breaker for me. I think we should still be friends and I will still visit from time to time... I know in time you will understand why I am making this decision.
Love Always,
Kim

Photo from Relationshipcures.com

 

So originally I heard about Clipix through this post at Maybe Matilda and I will be honest, I scoffed at it. It seemed to be that Clipix was a Pinterest wannabe. I am sharing this website because I need to tell the world that it is not.

 I have explored Clipix and it is better... much better.

 You can make private boards, sync boards with friends and family, and link multiple boards together to help you organize your clips. I think my favorite part about Clipix is the private boards. Honestly, I still have a word document that I use to put links to pages that I don't want everyone I know to see... I mean, nobody needs to know about my obsession with babies and nurseries. I am not pregnant... I wouldn't want people to start spreading rumors! 

The only downside is that it hasn't become uber popular like pinterest and none of my friends are on it. I' love to have someone to sync my boards up with! The other thing is what about all of the things that I have pinned? I have decided that I will visit pinterest to visit my friends (until they all make the switch too!) and view my old pins but anything new is going straight to Clipix.

I know breaking up is hard to do. Maybe you could just cheat on Pinterest until you make your decision... or just play the field for awhile. Either way, seriously, check it out... you will fall in love too.

Crab Rangoons... Weight Watchers Style

So. I'm not going to lie. I am really frustrated. In the last 4 weeks, I have only lost about 2 pounds. Weigh-ins have begun to make me feel emotional... and I am an emotional eater. In fact, immediately after I weighed in at my meeting today, I texted Andy and said "lets get Chinese"... but I gave up fast food for Lent (and yes, Chinese is fast food) and I am determined to have a big loss next Monday at the scale. BUT... then I had it in my head.I needed Chinese food. desperately. I have no idea what I will do if I ever get pregnant, I already have consuming cravings that must be satisfied pretty much immediately.

The thing I always want most is crab rangoons. They are my favorite... however... from the Chinese restaurant they are 5pp for two! This recipe is 6pp for 4! YAY!

Here is what you need!

• Won Ton Wrappers (16 pieces)
• Low-fat Cream Cheese (8 oz)
• Imitation Crab (or the real stuff if you are rich) (4 oz)
• Green Onions (1/4 cup)
• Garlic Powder (1/2 tsp)

Ok. This is pretty easy to do...  Chop up the green onions, flake up the crab.... and throw everything in a bowl and mix it together to make the filling. Not including the wrappers of course! I used an electric mixer which also flaked up the crab a bit more.

 Once you have your "guts" all mixed up, spoon approximately 1 teaspoon of the mixture on to the middle of a wonton wrapper.

Moisten the edges of the wrapper with a little bit of water and close 'er on up!

Place your finished rangoons on a cookie sheet that is sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

Ok. Pop them in the oven at 425 degrees for about 7 minutes, or until lightly brown!

Enjoy 4 of these babies for only 6 pp (3 pp for 2!)... well worth it to me! ENJOY!

Check out my new 'do!

Pizza Pan Menu Board

For Lent this year I have given up fast food and drive-thrus. I don't think that I have ever gone 40 days with out fast food. I don't think I have ever gone a week without stopping through a drive-thru. I know... it's sick, but fast foods and drive-thrus are so easy at the end of the day. I hate getting out of work and then having to think of something to make for supper. So then Andy and I usually have the conversation that goes something like this...

"what do you want for supper?"
"I don't care, whatever you want"
"Well think of something and I'll make it"
"Well, you are the one cooking, so pick out whatever"

and then we can't think of anything that we want to make, so off to McDonald's we go.

In the past I have done meal planning but somewhere along the line I got away from it. I am blaming the yuckyness (which apparently is not a word according to spell-check!) of the dry erase board I used to use.It just wasn't fun to use anymore.

I know everyone has seen a million variations of menu boards all over pinterest, but this one is unique because all I used were pizza pans from the dollar store, 12x12 scrapbooking paper (which I happened to have on hand), and Mod Podge. This project costs about $5 and is so easy to do! Plus its magnetic... and I have had a bit of an obsession with magnets lately.  I didn't take any pictures along the way, but basically you cut your paper into 11 1/2 inch circles and use Mod Podge to glue it to the pizza pans and then brush the Mod Podge over the top of the paper to seal it.

Here are some pictures a bit more close up. Notice the magnets used here are the Bottle-Cap Fridge Flair and a tutorial for these can be found in this post.

What a great place to keep your grocery list!

My First Sewing Project

So I got this sewing machine for Christmas 5 years ago and I have never used it. I have had many grand plans in the past but I have never pulled the trigger and actually used it. I decided that I needed to use it. After all, Santa didn't buy it for me just to collect dust in my basement.

So I went and bought some fabric and this pattern... looks easy enough right? I figured that if I could make anything, I could make an apron...  Then I opened that cute little packet of love that was going to show me how to make the cutest apron ever and saw this....

 

I promptly googled "how to read a sewing pattern" and set to work. Contrary to the outside of this pattern that says that this is a "Kwik-Sew" it was not quick... I have about 15 hours logged into this beauty (no thanks to Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte)

Well, here it is... the long awaited final product. Please don't laugh...

 

Here's a closer look... and here are a few things I learned.... 

• Cutting straight is important
• the grain of the fabric makes a difference
• I have no idea how to make things even
• Sewing straight is important ( I wish I knew how)

Well there it is! My FIRST sewing project ever... even with all of it imperfections, I think I love it and I will wear it!