Perfect Pesto

I've had pesto at restaurants, always love it, but always thought it was probably WAY too complicated to make at home. However, I came across a recipe & it was totally simple & super easy! Sweet deal, I'll make it!!! The best thing about pesto is it is good on anything...ok maybe not EVERYTHING, but anything Italian! Pesto perfection!

Perfect Pesto

 

 

All you need is fresh Basil, 1 clove Garlic, Parmesan cheese, salt & pepper, & olive oil. Nothing too crazy like I imagined.

 

 

I put it all in my little blender & blended it up. Simple as that...then I have my yummy pesto!

 

 Then just to choose which way to prepare it...

 

 

Perfect Pesto Chicken

 

 

EASY, but the end result is soooooooo good (I can't emphasize this enough, I was in heaven with each bite)

 

 

Just cut your chicken breast in half & put on some tin foil on a baking sheet (easy clean up for us busy mommies) spread on your presto & bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked all the way. 

 

 

Take chicken out & add some sliced tomatoes & top with mozzarella & Parmesan cheeses & continue to bake for 5 more minutes.

 

Take it out & be prepared to say YUMMMYYY till the last bite!

 

 

Perfect Pesto Penne

 

 

Got leftover pesto after making your chicken? There is NO way you will throw it out, it's just too good. So I just cooked up some whole wheat penne noodles & added the pesto. With some fresh green salad and/or garlic bread you have a complete Italian dinner!

 

 

I should have been born Italian! I really believe this!!! I LOVE their food (I made it for EVERY meal while I was pregnant, no exaggeration!!! My husband was SO sick of it!!!) I also love BIG hair & a tan! Haha! Should have been Italian!

 

 

 



Spicy Mexican Rice

The smell of the cooking cilantro fills my nose & I can't WAIT for dinner!!! Cilantro is amazing-the aroma & the flavor! This Mexican rice is the best I've had! I seriously ate just this as my meal! Next time I'll add some shredded chicken to make it a skillet meal, but it also would make a great side for a Mexican fiesta dinner! Any & either way it is delicious!!! But I will warn you it is SPICY! Spicy in the best way!

Spicy Mexican Rice

Start by cutting up a red onion & adding it to a skillet with some olive oil in it. Sauté it until tender, then add 2 cloves of garlic.

 

 Next add in add in 1 cup long grain brown rice-not the instant kind! 2 cups chicken broth, 1-2 teaspoons cumin (I like adding extra), a little salt, some pepper, chopped cilantro, & a can of diced tomatoes with chopped green chilis.

 

 

 Bring all this yumminess to a boil, then cover & reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for 35-45 minutes until the rice is tender.

 

 

Nothing tops off any Mexican dish better than Guacamole! I have tried several different recipes through the years & tweaked them to make what I love!

 

Cabo Guacamole

 

 

 

Cut up those nutritious-delicious avocados & put into a bowl. Then dice up some fresh tomatoes & a little red onion. Next add a few squeezes of lemon & lime juice. Add salt, pepper, & chili powder next & a hint of cumin. Stir up & you have guacamole to add to your Mexican rice!

 

 

ENJOY!!!

 



 

 

 

 

Mommy Moments

Little tiny arms hug me tight, tight, & tighter! She clings to me & hides her face in my shoulder. She knows...knows it's time for mommy to go to work again. The look on her face as I hand her off to the sitter is one that makes my heart feel like it's jumping out of my chest & staying there with her, because as I go about my work day, my heart is not with me. I feel empty, wishing I could be home with her; playing, laughing, loving!

Her smile is so big it must hurt! I pick her up from the sitter & her happiness to see me is what makes being a mom above & beyond the most amazing calling in this world! She depends on me, I'm her whole world, her trust in me is unweavering. I could never imagine letting her down!

Mommy Moments I will never forget till I'm taking my last breath in this life!!!

Tasty Treats

I use to make elaborate, yummy desserts which took many ingredients which = lots of time! Now that I'm a mommy & working full time I don't do that ANYMORE! But I still want to make tasty treats for my family & co-workers...
Here are some super easy & VERY fast recipes that are delicious & not time consuming. Leaving me with plenty of play time with the baby!!!

Quickest Banana Cake

First grab a yellow cake mix, 3 ripe bananas, eggs, & a bowl!

 

Mash your bananas

Then add in the dry cake mix & 2 eggs

Mix all together

 

 

 

 Add some spice to your life!

I love my banana bread with 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger & just a pinch of cloves...

 

 

Next smear it all into a greased casserole dish & throw into a 350° oven

& bake for 35-40 minutes.

 I added powdered sugar over the top of the whole cake to give it that extra sweetness!

 

Last but not least...ENJOY!!! Yummy!

 

 

 

 Strawberry Cool-Whip Cookies

 

 

For this next scrumptious treat all you need is a strawberry cake mix, 2 eggs, & cool whip...YES cool whip! All I could think is how do you bake cool whip, but it works & it makes these super moist cookies!

Mix all the ingredients together & grease your cookie sheet.

 

 

Now the key to making the dough into balls is you have to keep your hands wet as you form them, but they end up looking like these

 strawberry balls of goodness!

Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes.

 

 

 I took a whole plate to work & they were devoured before lunch time!

 

 

 PB & Banana "Ice-Cream"  

 

I LOVE Ice-cream, sometimes I even scream for Ice-cream! but I scream because of the calories in it! This is my new favorite! A way to have Ice-Cream without all the sugar & calories + it has PB which = protein!!! Personally I think it tastes just as tasty as the real thing!

 

 

I put 5 bananas into the blender added a little 1% milk & blended it all up!

 



 

Then just add in the Peanut Butter & stir together!

 

But in the freezer & waaa-laaaa!

ICECREAM!!!



Tutu Time!

I'm preparing for a summertime sidewalk sale booth I'll be doing in July! Here is a few that I've been working on!!!

If you love what you see & want one for that special lill princess in your life, check out my Etsy shop to purchase one of these fun tutu & headband outfits! I can always make a personalized onesie to go with it!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/HobbyHappiness

All Antlers

 

Here it is...my bare, boring shelf above my TV. It's only been driving me nuts ever since I moved into my house. I put this garland up during Christmas & thought I will figure out something cute to put up there later. & after months & lots of dreaming of what would look awesome it's done!!!

I can't take all the credit for this idea! My Grandpa is my HERO! He is an old cowboy & I have always looked up to him! Memories of horse races, hunting, going to the animal auctions & much more with my Gramps (I've always called him this) are dear to my heart! He came up with the idea to put sheds up on this shelf, then bought me this cute birdhouse for my birthday.

He talked with all his buddies at the coffee shop & collected all the antlers for me! Then I made a rope, burlap, pinecone garland to wrap around the antlers! Then the next idea came to me while I was going to sleep one night! & I have to say I'm so proud of it!

 

The baby had finished off her oatmeal cereal & I thought I bet I could make something with this, so I saved it! Then it hit me one night...I could make a vase with my left over rope from the garland!

 

 

I had a bottle of this plastic bonding spray paint laying around in the garage, so I tore off all the packaging on the cereal container & spray painted it.

I added the rope around the top of the container where the lid had screwed on. Then searched through my craft room & came up with some left over burlap & a piece of brown burlap ribbon I had left over from the garland! My best friend, HOT GLUE, put it all together!!!

 

 

I just can't stop staring at my shelf!!! I love how it turned out & finally bit by bit the house is becoming my HOME!!!



 

 

 

 

 

 

Busy Mamma's Pulled Pork

I love to see my hungry husband eat! Making a new recipe is like an adventure to me! I can't wait to taste it & see the look on my hubby's face when he really loves what I've made! I RARELY made the same thing twice, but when you become a mom the dinner game changes + when you're a working mom it changes even more! All I want to do when I get off work is hold, hug, kiss, & play with Kwintzy! Not slave over a big time-consuming dinner, yet I didn't want to start resorting to nasty frozen/TV dinners every night. Plus I have a passion for cooking & I didn't want to lose that either! So I have become BFFs with the crock pot! I work close to home so at lunch I can toss the ingredients in & when I'm off work BAM! dinner is ready, leaving lots of mommy, daughter time! I find easy recipes then tweak them to make them my own. Last night I made what I'm going to call....

 

Busy Mamma's Pulled Pork

 

 

 

Start by pulling out the AMAZING crock pot! Then adding a 1/2 cup of water, followed by a layer of your favorite BBQ sauce! I used Sweet Baby Ray's Honey BBQ Sauce-I highly recommend it! SO yummy + I had a coupon that made it only 75 cents a bottle!

 

 

Next add pork chops. You can use as many as you think you'll need, but you are probably going to want to make plenty. Once you try it you'll want to eat ALOT! Promise ya! For my recipe I'm using 3 chops, but yes I wish I would have made more! Then comes the seasonings. Now my measurements are totally not measured out at all. Just use your own judgment, that's what makes cooking fun! A few shakes of cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, black pepper & a tiny bit of red pepper (don't want it too overpoweringly hot) then my little secret...sugar! Just add a few dashes of sugar to each piece of pork & it makes sooo much difference!

 

 

After that chop up part of a red onion & throw it over the chops. Followed by about 1/2 or more of the bottle of BBQ sauce. Then simply turn on the crock pot to low & go about your day for the next 7-8 hours.

 

When you get home be prepared to smell the most delicious mouth-watering smell in the world, because as soon as you smell it you are going to want to eat that very second! But first you have to shred the already-almost-falling-apart, tender pork! I did it with 2 forks with ease.



 

 Next step add the bun & devour! 

 



 

I wish so badly that you could taste though a computer! If you could just lick your screen you'd be running to the grocery store right now! No picture or description can justify the yumminess of this pulled pork! It's just something you have to try!!!! So easy, quick, & to die for deliciousness! Let's just say I got to see my hungry husband polish off more than a few!

 

 

Dresser Do-Over

At age 4 my Grandma's best friend passed away. She didn't have children of her own & had fallen in love with me. She left a gorgeous dresser just for me!Who knows how old it may be or the memories it held for her. I always treasured the dresser, but little hands & years are hard on belongings. It has been moved with all the adventures in my life. My parents home, apartments, our first rental as newly weds, & finally to my beautiful new home!!! However it was looking quite sad & just didn't fit with my all the newness of our very own home. I couldn't part with it, so why not make the old...NEW!!!

I wish I would have taken a good before picture, but in my enthusiasm to re-do it I forgot. Here is a tid bit of what it looked like before; Handles falling off, scratched, & falling apart.

You will learn my style is very country/rustic. So I set out for the perfect color of deep red to make over my special dresser! Being cheap, I went to Walmart & found my supplies!!!
 

 

My color: Red Delicious, Interior Semi-Gloss paint $11

My Primer: Kilz Original primer, sealer, & stain blocker $7

(no sanding required!!!)

My Varnish: Red Mahogany $4

 

I went to work for the better part of the day! 1st I did 2 coats of primer. The best part is the primer dries fast, so by the time I got around to the front where I started it was dry & I could start the 2nd coat. It allowed very little time waiting for the primer to dry. I'm not very patient when I'm EXCITED!!!!

Then 2 coats of the Red Delicious paint that I love!!!

After I felt the paint was completely dry...I went out for dinner & it was ready when I was back, so about 2 hours, I ended with the varnish!

Now this part is where the magic comes in!!!! The varnish covered up any blemishes & mess ups I had made (there were plenty) I 100% recommend the varnish! Not only did it make me look like a pro painter, it made the dresser take on the rustic feel I was going for!

I added some amazing handles I found at Hobby Lobby that were 50% off of $2.99 so for 5 it was about $8.

 

Drum roll.......Here is the finished dresser!!!

 

 

 

 

 

I LOVVVEEE the way it turned out! My dresser was saved! & for only $30! I made what may have seem to others a pile of junk into a gorgeous dresser I can enjoy for many years to come! The old ones are built SOO much stronger!Maybe I'll be passing it down to my daughter one day!

 

Try it out with some of your old furniture! I promise I am not an expert painter, but with the supplies I showed you, even the sloppiest painter can turn into a pro! & make something old SPARKLE!!!

Etsy

It all started when I was pregnant with my daughter & wanted to make her some cute tutus, bows, & nursery decor! I posted them on Facebook & suddenly had a few people asking me if I would make them baby items! So I thought why not start selling some of my stuff which lead me to the AMAZING/FUN site ETSY!!! I love it; selling & buying on this unique site! Check out my shop...Kutezy Kreations by: Hobby Happiness

https://www.etsy.com/shop/HobbyHappiness

My shop is definitely not "what you see is what you get" Personalize anything!!! If you have a idea, I CAN MAKE IT!!!