Top 10 Favorite Pinterest Finds of 2013

None of the photos are mine.  The credit goes to the link provided.

10. So, I had to make these 3 times in 1 week, as they kept getting gobbled up by my family, and of course, me.  EASY ~ delicious, and fun!

 (link Peanut Butter Frosted Brownies | Plain Chicken )

9.  My mom used this for the entire year, and asked for another one this year.  I made a few modifications, added a notes side bar, so she could write down appointments etc.   We used card stock, glue sticks and printed photos on photo paper.  Any present that gets used for a whole year is a big WIN!  (link An ounce of creativity ~Tutorial: 2011 Star desktop calendar )

8.  Brilliant.  Just needs no explanation.  Do it. a solution for bottles and travel mugs!  obviously this is not the original post - but, again, needs no tutorial.

This is great - no more searching for water bottles, no more avalanche of bottles from the cabinet.  Best $7 I've spent for a shoe rack (not my photo)

7.  Organizing my kids school work (and other "What do I do with this" stuff) Destination Domestication: Boxes  I store them in my walk in closet, and about once a month take a pile up and put in the boxes.  My best guess at the end of 1st grade we will have to start a new box, or I'll have to sift through and see what I can thin out.  I even started one for my husband and I.

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6. This idea, from rainbow themed birthday partyDomestic Goddesque I used this for my oldest birthday party, and the kids thought it was AWESOME that they got to take home balloons.  I loved it because I didn't have to deal with all the leftover balloons floating around my house!

5.  Lego's on the GO! : lego travel box we have used this handy trick so often, I bought another set of boxes last time I was at Ikea.  We have even used it for small super heroes, race cars, man I wish I'd thought of it, but SUPER glad someone pinned it!

4.  Cork circles.  Gorgeous way to display kids art, and when not in use, no ugly cork board to stare at.  -- my post Pinterest Again. | My Life on Standby  ~~> original pin Tablón de notas con salvamanteles de ikea | Muy Ingenioso  For mine, I bought fabric squares at JoAnn's then glued them over Ikea cork circles.  About 10 minutes of work for 1 year of use. 

3. NO more begging your kids to eat "just a few more bights"  We've used this trick quite often.

Dice as Vegetable Counter

Decide how many more bites of dinner your child has to eat before being excused. Let your child roll so he’s the one controlling his fate. You'll end up with a more peas-ful family meal.
Collette Mather
Teaneck, New Jersey

2.  Simply the tastiest Mac and Cheese Ever.  Bacon Mac & Cheese Recipe | Savory Sweet Life   I'm not going to lie, this took some effort.  But, hey every now and then a little effort gains big rewards. 

1. Blessing Bags: KWAVs: Blessing Bags How To This simply has changed the way I look at homeless people.  Having a bag ready in both cars at all times, makes it easy to do a good deed.  Giving money to beggars never felt right to me.  It teaches my kids the wrong message; throw money at the problem.  Instead, we all have learned a bigger lesson; be prepared to help others.  Whenever I am at the grocery or target etc., we keep an eye out for travel sized items.. soaps, razors.. for girls or boys, as men aren't the only homeless.  Also, we add a small bottle of water, apple and a pop top soup (obviously you don't want to include something that requires a can opener.)  Anyway... it's been a Blessing to us as well.  HIGHLY recommend this if you have homeless in your town.

From Scratch Empanadas

 For spanish class I did a presentation on Empanadas.

Empanadas are simply a bread pocket with filling.

 I used Apple Cinnamon Empanadas recipe from About.com as my guide.  Along the way I replaced some of the flour with wheat flour and I skipped the corn starch all together, my apple filling gelled fine without it.

They turned out the perfect 3 bite snack.  My classmates hardly listened to my presentation, and my professor gave me a 100% and remarked that I had not referenced my notes.  

Had he not been blinded by the Empanadas he would've noticed I had my iPad propped against his computer and constantly referenced my notes.  Thankfully he was distracted by food :)

I used a biscuit cutter to make the circles.  IT is important to have some sort of round cutter, as it makes it easier to shape them in the end.


Recipe:
Dough - note I used a wine bottle because I don't have a roller, maaay have drank some of the wine along the way.

• Pastry:
• 1 cup butter, chilled 2 sticks 
• 8 ounces cream cheese, chilled
• 2 1/3 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4-5 firm green apples (like Granny Smith)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• Pinch of salt (to taste)
• 1 egg yolk
• Sugar for sprinkling

Mix the dry ingredients - then cube cut the butter and add it mix with food processor - turn it out onto plastic make into disks then fridge.
chill for a bit while you make the filling.

heat filling until just soft

 chill.

Drink some wine.

Drink another glass.

Get dough out, roll it out with wine bottle.

Add small teaspoon of filling, wipe some of the filling juice around the edge so it will seal, use a fork or fancy roller to close.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

This says best served right away.  I found they were MUCH better after being in the fridge overnight.

But I did wake up that morning and bake them after they'd been in the fridge overnight, and served them still warm to my class.