Another Idea for your Superbowl Party {or anytime else...}

Who doesn't love this combo?

 Try em' like this for your  Superbowl party...grilled cheese and tomato soup shooters!

 We had these at a winter wedding last year and I thought it was just an adorable idea.  However, they must be served hot to truly be appreciated.

You can also simmer your soup in a crockpot and slice your grilled cheese into strips to dip into the hot soup.  These ideas may be fun for the kids for lunch or dinner, too!

I'm still bringing the "crack bread"  http://coastalpines.blogspot.com/2012/01/fun-superbowl-recipe-lets-eat-recipe.html to the party we'll be attending, but I wanted to share that there is more to me than just bacon and butter!

Happy week everyone!

Fun Superbowl Recipe {let's eat ~ recipe swap}

 Excuse my fancy paper plate picture!  This was hastily prepared for New Years Eve...

making it again for Superbowl Sunday

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pulls aka Crack Bread

Ingredients

• 1 unsliced loaf of sourdough bread (preferably round)
• 8 to 12 ounces Cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
• 3-ounce bag Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Bits
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon ranch dressing mix

Method

1. Using a sharp bread knife, cut the loaf in both directions in a checkerboard pattern, being careful not to cut through the bottom crust.
2. Place slices of cheese between cuts.
3. Sprinkle bacon bits on bread, making sure to get between cuts.
4. Mix butter with ranch dressing mix. Pour over bread.
5. Wrap loaf in foil and place on baking sheet.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
7. Unwrap. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

I found the recipe in blogland and then used this version for my recipe (and the NYT picture is more appetizing than mine!)  http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/22/tailgating-recipes-cheddar-bacon-ranch-pulls/
Enjoy!! Go Giants!!
disclaimer:  We are Eagles fans in our household, but for the SB we have to root for our home team and for betting pool purposes.

It's Never Too Early... {cocktail recipe}

To start planning for St. Patricks Day!  Valentines Day?  Blah, blah, blah....March 17th is our go~to winter holiday.  Since it falls on a Saturday this year, chances are you may have a party, parade or event to attend.

 Why not whip up a batch of homemade Irish cream aka Baileys.

 or...a glass of creamy Irish cream by the fire?

Here is my version.  Most of the ingredients are already in your home.

Homemade Irish Cream

1 ½ c. Jamesons Irish Whiskey (more or less if you want. Sometimes less is more)

1 can of Eagle sweetened condensed milk

1 cup lite cream

4 beaten eggs

2 tbsp. chocolate syrup

2 tbsp. instant coffee

1 tsp. vanilla extract 

Mix in the blender for 3 minutes.  Let it sit overnight or for a couple of days; it gets better as it ages.  Don't let the raw eggs deter you, the alcohol will do its thing.  This will be good for one month.

Enjoy!!

Chalkboard Paint

 I'm a lil' late on my 2012 projects.  My real life job has been busier that ever and home has been hectic.  Thank goodness we are experiencing our warmest winter in awhile, so at least no major snowstorms.  Then I would be really overwhelmed.

 One of my top projects was painting a wall in the boys playroom with chalkboard paint.  While researching, I found that you can either buy...

 The good stuff...

 or make your own.  Decisions, decisions?  The Hudson paint comes in fun colors and would be a smooth finish for about $24.99 for the size wall I am painting.  Make-it-yourself is cheaper, comes in any color I concoct and will be a grittier finish (which I kinda dig...!)

Maybe I should start small and experiment?

And speaking of snow...this was an Instagram I captured on Saturday morning before it all melted away.  A quick, low accumulation, melts fast storm is the best kind!

Hopefully I will be updating here with the chalkboard wall results next week!

Thanks for visiting! xoxo Traci

all pics, except the snowfall, courtesy of Pinterest

Sorbet Punch

Hope you all are having a great 2012!  Ours has been busy, crazy, chaotic and I've yet to tackle any of my January projects.  Shocker.  Stupid job getting in the way and Brennan is receiving "rave" reviews in his role of Terrible Two.  Hopefully this weekend (a 3-dayer!) will provide some catch up time.  

Recently our 7-yo has been put on a milk-free and nut-free diet to address some GI and skin ailments.  I'm hosting a play date tomorrow night and to steer the emphasis away from baked & chocolate treats, I will be making Pop-your-own Corn and Sorbet Punch.  

I am also taking on suggestions for any suggestions for this new realm of feeding.  We've purchased rice cheeses and almond milk and coconut milk ice cream....but to be honest our heads are spinning!

So I leave you on this TGIF with a few fun images from Pinterest.  Thanks for visiting xoxo Traci