Improvising in the Kitchen

Breakfast and Brunch

Hello guys! Hope everyone is having a great Passover/Easter weekend. The weather was pretty yucky yesterday, but the sun is finally out and we can all enjoy being together with family and friends, no matter what your beliefs are!

So yesterday, Becca really wanted to make blueberry muffins. When I cleaned out the pantry not too long ago, I found a box of Jiffy Blueberry Muffin Mix, so we mixed it up and got it all ready to go in the oven, then the oven would not heat past 150 degrees. Hmmmm. So, we just kept the batter and this morning I made mini pancakes on my electronic mini-pancake maker, which is a thing.

They came out super yummy! They tasted just like the blueberry muffins, but in pancake form! The only thing I did is add a few fresh blueberries to the batter to add more of a fresh blueberry taste. This one box made 6 mini-pancakes, and they were fabulous!

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Bow Tie Pasta with Spinach and Mushrooms

Vegetarian

Oh, and LOTS of Parmesan.

First I boiled a big pot of salted water and cooked my pasta. While I cooked the pasta, I sauteed half a container of mushrooms in a bit of olive oil for 5 minutes. Then I added and sauteed an entire large clam shell full of spinach until wilted, about 5 more minutes. Then I added the pasta and a bit of the pasta water. The I added more olive oil and a ton of Parmesan cheese. No measurement. Just add as much as you want =) For the family, I also added some Red Pepper and Asiago Chicken Sausage. They loved it. I had a few bites of the sausage just to try it. It was yummy, but I have to limit my meat intake now 😉

Some Spring Break Pics…

Misc. stuff

It is Spring Break in Georgia. Usually we just hang out at home and do some Staycation activities (movies, aquarium, zoo, downtown stuff, etc…). Occasionally we get to go on a vacation as a family. A couple of years ago, we went to Washington D.C. and had a blast! This year, we were supposed to go on a cruise, but that wasn’t in the cards (thanks, Royal Caribbean #firstworldproblems).

Instead, we decided to go to Disney! They first time we went was 8 years ago for Lizzie’s Make A Wish trip. Then we went 5 years ago, because we knew it would be the last time we could go with Lizzie. This year we went to the main 3 parks and rode almost every single ride- except Pandora in Animal Kingdom, because the girls were not interested in standing in an almost 3 hour line for something they didn’t know about. If we had a fast pass maybe, but no…

Our first stop was Give Kids the World. We stayed there on Lizzie’s Make a Wish trip. It was so special and moving. It has been built up so much since the last time we had been. New rides and growth for families. We even got to walk by the cottage we stayed in. They gave us free lunch and ice cream 😉

Next stop… Embassy Suites right outside the parks. Thanks to the hubby’s job, we have lots of points and perks staying here. I am sure that staying inside the park is magical, but this hotel was amazing! Amazing pool, kids corner (Wii, Nintendo, art,  games, free cotton candy, etc), free breakfast, free happy hour, cheap pizza and ice cream all day and night, Disney movies streaming all day and night, plus basketball for the fans…img_5480img_5483img_5274

Next stop… Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Animal Kingdom

Food Highlights…

Spaghetti and Meatballs

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Pinot Grigio, Grilled Veggie Pesto Sandwich, and Italian Salad (note to self, add fennel to salad).

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Churros with Caramel and a mango margarita for Mama img_5262

Epic Epcot dinner- Steak Kabobs and Fries for the girls, Steak Kabobs and Moroccan carrots and rice for the hubby, and Lemon Olive Tangine Chicken with Potatoes for me. So amazing!img_5642img_5644img_5643

Epcot dessert-  Macaroons, Creme Brulee, Chocolate Mousse, and Napoleon- Perfection!img_5650

Great vacation! Can’t wait to see where our next adventure takes us!

 

Flexitarian- My body is telling me to eat less meat…

Misc. stuff, Vegetarian

I’ve decided that even though I love bacon and still will cook some occasional meat for my family, I’m going to be a (mostly) vegetarian again. I’ve realized how much better I feel not eating meat. I will still eat the occasional meat/seafood dish that I want, but I’m going mostly vegetarian again just for my own body. I’ll still post all my recipes on my blog, meat or not!

Rose Water Sprinkle Vanilla Cake

Sweet Treats

So after my week, I felt like I needed some cake and sprinkles in my life! Boxed cake with my Amy sprinkle touch… I am not sure why I thought this would work, but it is the BEST CAKE EVER!

Follow the directions…

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Add a heaping tablespoon of rose water…img_4954Add in a bunch of sprinkles. You want a measurement? Like 50 shakes? Mix and add in a bunt pan and cook according to box time.  Perfection. img_4946

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Melt some canned vanilla frosting with extra sprinkles. Pour over the top and Add more sprinkles and let it set. I may have poked my finger in the middle to make sure it tasted ok.. I mean, look at that icing pool!!!!! My true friends at work get the leftovers tomorrow!img_4948-1img_4956