My Top 13 in 2013

So, I know I've been MIA for the last 4 months but I felt like I needed a little 2013 wrap up post. There were so many fun projects posted in 2013 and I've really been missing the blogging world lately. Hopefully 2014 will slow down enough for me to post some more of the fun projects I've been doing around here. Here are the top 13 favorite posts from 2013!

1. Anthropologie Rosette Pillow Knock-Off
This is for sure the favorite post of 2013. Thanks to all of my followers and all of the great blogs that have linked to my tutorial!

 2. Easy Homemade Crescent Rolls

 3. Shark Stuffie {Free Pattern & Tutorial}

 4. Dyed Ruffle Ombre Tablecloth

5. Creme Brulee Recipe

6. Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos

7. $5 Dress Up Station

8. Bathroom Makeover

9. Gold Leaf Table 

10. Crockpot Honey Curry Chciken

11. Pesto Ranch Pasta Salad

12. Valentine's Free Printable  

 I saved the two Valentine's posts for the end. I hope these come in handy this year! 2 weeks and counting until Love day!

 13. Valentine's Day Outfits

Easy Homemade Crescent Rolls

These rolls are divine. And they are easy. Could it get any better than that?? They are a process, like all bread but I swear there is no way to mess these up.

Dissolve yeast in 1 c almost hot water, sprinkle with 1 T sugar.
Slightly melt 1 cube butter. (I usually do about 20 sec. in microwave.)

Combine with sugar, eggs, & salt
Add yeast mixture after it has risen and is all frothy, like so…


Stir, and dump in 4 cups flour.

Mix thoroughly with a fork, cover, and let rise…

until doubled. Then, cut in half. Roll each portion out into a circle on a floured surface.
Spread your circle with butter
Cut into 16 wedges.

Roll each wedge into a crescent shaped roll.

Lay out your rolls onto baking sheets, cover and let rise (about 1hour and a half) Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 min.


ENJOY!!

-1 T yeast (or 1 pkg no
t quick rising)
-1 cup almost hot water
-1 Tbs sugar
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 cube margarine or butter
-4 c flour
-1/2 c sugar
-2 beaten eggs
Dissolve yeast in 1 c almost hot water (110 degrees) Sprinkle with 1 T sugar. Slightly melt butter (20 sec) Combine with sugar, eggs, & salt. Add yeast mixture after it has risen & is all frothy. Then, stir & dump in 4 c flour (yellow pkg better for bread flour). Mix thoroughly with a fork, let rise (while covered with a paper towel) until doubled. Divide in half & roll into a circle. Spread with soft margarine, cut into 8 wedges, then cut each of those in half (16 in all). Roll into crescent shapes (roll wedge side first). Lay out on baking sheet with rolled end down, covered again with paper towels. Raise again about 1 ½ hrs. Bake at 375 for 8-10 min.

Creamy Potato Soup

I love love potato soup. And my Mom’s recipe is my all time favorite. It’s creamy and delicious and has a slight sweetness to it. Put it in a bread boule and I am in heaven on a rainy night.

Creamy Potato Soup
-6 med potatoes cubed
-3 stalks of celery sliced & diced
-1 med onion chopped
-1 qt heavy cream
-1 cube butter
-3/4 cup flour
-3 tsp sugar (more or less depending on preference)
-Salt & Pepper to taste
*Cut all of your veggies and cover in water. Bring to a boil, then turn down to med/high heat and cook until tender. While veggies are cooking, melt butter in saucepan and then add in flour to create a rue. Slowly add in the heavy cream and cook on med heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Add in milk if you want more soup. Once the cream mixture is thickened add it to the veggie/water mix and stir. Add in the sugar, salt and pepper. Serve with lots of cheese on top in a bread boule or with some yummy rolls.

Avocado Lovin.

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Avocados from Mexico for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

In the Rohner household, we LoVe avocados. Kyle, I and the girls will eat them plain as a snack, in guacamole, on sandwiches, salads, as garnish, you name it we'll eat it with avocados. They are delicious and so good for you! I love that my girls think it's a special treat and beg for them. I have really been wanting to try making these avocado eggrolls (like Cheesecake Factory) for ages. They are my all-time favorite avocado dish. Here is the recipe for taco soup, we love it with avocado and sour cream. The perfect cold weather meal.
 

 

 

Avocados from Mexico have some really fun stuff right now going on to share the love of avocados! They have a Share the Avocado Love Facebook app where you can download different things like ringtones, blog badges and a virtual gifts. 

I was lucky enough to get to try out some of the new gear from the Avocados from Mexico Cafe Press store! I chose to get the reusable shopping bag. They have lots of fun colors and I can never get enough shopping bags to use. I chose the cute kiwi green one and can't wait for it to come in the mail!

 

 

Avocados from Mexico is having an #iloveavocados Twitter party on Feb. 7th between 3-4pm EST. Follow @guacgirl or hashtag #iloveavocados to join in on the fun!

 

 

 

Pesto Ranch Pasta Salad

Oh heyyyy here is a recipe that is so delicious and so refreshing I can eat it as leftovers for days. Yuuum. I always save a little pesto on the side to dip some good italian bread in. I feel like you could add chicken and it would be good too. I hate cooking meat though and love it without. Also, another hint. I buy a big jar of pesto at costco and if we can’t use it in time I freeze the pesto in icecube trays for later. I have a hard time saying how much dressing to put, it’s different every time we make it depending on how saucy we are feeling like..

Pesto Ranch Pasta Salad

-Cooked box of bowtie pasta

-Couple handfuls of spinach (we use the spring mix of greens from Costco)

-Container of cherry tomatoes

-Ranch Dressing

-About 2-3 Tablespoons of pesto

-Feta Cheese to top it

 

Gather your ingredients.

Cook up your pasta. Run cold water over it after it’s cooked.

Toss all of your ingredients together.

 

Top with your feta and enjoy :)

Mason Jar Cocoa

I love good mason jars and I also love some good hot chocolate. When you put them together it equals awesome. I searched for some recipes for homemade hot chocolate mix and decided to make up my own. This hot chocolate recipe is good and rich. I tried it with milk and water. Both were fine but I think I prefer with water. I also used freezer paper and wrapped a couple candy canes and then crushed it with a glass cup. I layered the cocoa mix, marshmallows, crushed candy cane and a little more marshmallows. Tied it all up with some bakers twine and delivered it to friends & teachers. This is the perfect last minute neighbor, teacher, or friend gift because it whips up fast & simple. AND is cute.

Hot Cocoa Mix

{About 20 Servings}

-3 cups non-fat dry milk

-2 cups powdered sugar

-1 1/2 cups cocoa powder

-3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

-3/4 cups white chocolate chips

-1/4 tsp salt

*Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl with a whisk and gradually add the mixture into your blender or food processor. grind it all up until the chocolate is powder-like. (I had to do pretty small batches because our blender is on it’s last leg FYI). We used about a half cup to 3/4 cup powder to 1 cup boiling milk or water.

Enjoy!

Uncle Dave’s Pasta Recipe

This is our dinner plan for tonight and we haven't had it in awhile so I'm excited to make it. This is one of our family favorites. It’s easy and delicious and we lovingly call it Uncle Dave’s pasta. My Uncle Dave was one of the most amazing men I knew. So strong, loving, kind, happy and spread joy to all those around him. He passed away years ago but he still has an impact on my life and I think of him often. Through finding his cancer he made it possible for our entire family to find a mutated gene that about half of my family have. We all have been able to be proactive in fighting against getting the same cancer. I’m so grateful to him and the amazing example he was and is. And also so grateful for the knowledge that we will be able to be with him again.

Ok, now on to the the recipe. I’m not sure if this is his original recipe but through the grapevine this is how we make it around here.


Uncle Dave’s Pasta
-1 handful of cilantro (chopped)
-1/2 onion diced
-some minced garlic (ha I’m the worst at measuring. Maybe a TBl or two?)
-1 can diced tomatoes (I like petite, and so do my kids)
-1 box bow tie pasta
-1 jar of alfredo (I like Classico 4 cheese I believe. But any will be good!).

Chop up your cilantro.


Saute your onion in a little butter with your garlic. Once your onions are pretty translucent, throw in your tomatoes to warm them up.


Then, add in your cilantro…


While you are cooking the onions, boil your pasta. Once they are cooked dump in your jar of alfredo and mix to warm. Combine your pasta with the tomato/onion/cilantro mixture.


Serve with a French baguette and some salad and enjoy your 20 minute meal!!