Inspired by Pinterest

I like making stuff. I find it to be fulfilling. Like "ohhh, look at this awesome thing I just made". Like a preschooler who wants you to love every picture he draws of you, even if your arms and legs are coming directly out of your head. I like to make stuff. As long as it's fairly easy. So, I search around on Pinterest for ideas to copy, because I am certainly not that creative on my own. It's so much easier to copy someone else's ideas, particularly when they provide you with a step-by-step tutorial. That's the best. So here's what I have done lately.



Quite a while ago I happened upon an idea to make bird feeders from loose birdseed and gelatin, which we already had on hand. It seemed like a fun and easy craft to do with the boys. They enjoyed the simple project. The finished feeders sat on the kitchen counter for weeks before we finally hung them in our one tree. The next morning I saw tons of birds testing them out and I was so excited! And then Nathanael's broke and fell on the ground. And all the birds told their friends that the birdseed sucked and no more birds came to eat. And they hang in our one tree still.



Slowly, Claire's room is getting decorated. I have found many ideas for things to make for her walls that I just love. Of course, I can't make them all, so I started with one of the simplest. Using a frame from Goodwill, some spray paint, and buttons, I was really pleased with the way her C turned out.
And then, I'm always looking for new recipes, whether for desserts, dinners, or healthy(ish) breakfast/snack options. I have tried several dinner recipes lately (flavorless,  bland, meh), all of which were edible, but definitely will not be making a second appearance.
Finally! Tonight's dinner was delicious! And possibly the easiest recipe I've EVER cooked. Try it. Perfect for a cold night spent at soccer practice.

Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili
recipe from PlainChicken.com

1 can black beans
1 can corn, undrained
1 can Rotel, undrained
1 package ranch dressing mix
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 8 oz package light cream cheese
2 chicken breasts

Drain and rinse black beans. Place chicken at bottom of pot, then pour out whole can of corn (undrained), rotel, and black beans. Top with seasonings and ranch mix. Stir together. Place cream cheese on top. Cover with lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Stir cream cheese into chili. Use 2 forks to shred chicken. Stir together and serve.

Seriously, can it get any simpler than that? No, it cannot. I used frozen corn and added a bit of chicken broth in the beginning. This definitely makes a thicker chili, great for serving with tortilla chips.

Months ago, when it was seasonally appropriate to cook pumpkin things, I came across this next recipe, which has been a staple all winter long. The first time I made it, I thought it was a little blah. But it definitely grew on me and the boys love it. Since it's got pumpkin and very little oil, it qualifies as a healthy snack or breakfast option to feed them. And of course, I've been experimenting with whole wheat flour lately, so I make it using half white/half wheat. It's definitely more of a breakfast bread than a dessert bread. It's not overly sweet. We like it.

Pumpkin and Cheese Spice Bread
recipe from AnEdibleMosaic.com

Yields 3 mini loaves (the mini loaf pans I use are 5 3/4 inches long X 3 inches wide X 2 inches deep)

For the Cheese Batter:

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 large egg, room temperature, lightly beaten
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Pumpkin Spice Batter:

3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
2 large eggs
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cloves

For the Cheese Batter: Use a handheld electric mixer to beat together all ingredients until smooth and creamy.

For the Pumpkin Spice Batter: Preheat oven to 350F; lightly grease 3 mini loaf pans with butter.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and eggs until light and fluffy, then stir in the pumpkin, canola oil, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet, being careful not to over-mix. Divide the pumpkin batter between the 3 loaf pans, then pour the cheese batter on top.

Bake until golden around the edges, about 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted inside comes out clean or with just a couple crumbs. Cool 10 minutes in the pans, then remove from the pans and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.