Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

I found the recipe on http://savorysweetlife.com/2011/04/chocolate-buttercream-frosting/#more-835.
This is hands down the BEST recipe I've ever had for chocolate buttercream! I used ghirardelli cocoa powder for my recipe. I say when it comes to desserts, never skimp when it comes to the chocolate!

Prep time: 2 mins Cook time: 3 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: 3 cups

Ingredients
-1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened (but not melted!)
-3 1/2 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
-1/2 cup cocoa powder
-1/2 teaspoon table salt
-2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon almond extract (I prefer Watkins Vanilla)
-4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Instructions
Cream butter for a few minutes in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Turn off the mixer. Sift 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the dry ingredients do not blow everywhere) until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time.

Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

I found this amazing recipe on http://savorysweetlife.com/2010/03/buttercream-frosting/.

Prep time: 2 mins Cook time: 3 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: 2.5 cups

Classic American Buttercream frosting. This recipe uses powdered sugar, butter, vanilla and milk. This is a great recipe for decorating and piping on cupcakes and cake.

Ingredients
-1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened (but not melted!) Ideal texture should be like ice cream.
-3-4 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar, SIFTED
-1/4 teaspoon table salt
-1 tablespoon vanilla extract
-up to 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Instructions
Beat butter for a few minutes with a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the sugar doesn’t blow everywhere) until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk 1 tablespoons at a time.

Cherry Vanilla or Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

1 Vanilla Cake Mix or Chocolate Cake Mix
1 Can Cherry Pie Filling
3 Eggs

Mix together with mixer on low until blended. Then continue on medium for 3 more minutes. This is actually very important. It will keep the cupcakes airy and moist!

Put in muffin cups and bake for the amount of time on the cake mix box. Cool completely. Frost. Enjoy!!

Homemade Baby Wipes

Ingredients:
1 roll Bounty Select-A-Size paper towels
2 tablespoons baby bath
2 tablespoon baby oil
2 cups warm water


Cut the roll of paper towels in 1/2. Place one of the cut rolls in a container where the towels are upright. Mix liquids together and pour over the top of the towels. When soaked the cardboard center will easily come out. Pull from the center and you're set! I used Baby Magic Baby Wash this time around and they smell so good.

Supply "cake" for our teachers

My friend Sam, her daughter, Amber and myself whipped these up for Quinn and Izzy's teachers for back to school gifts.
Here's a list of supplies:
1 rectangle box tissues
1 square box tissues
1 cardboard cake base
12 glue sticks
24 Pencils
2 red pens
5 blue pens
5 black pens
1 glue bottle
1 ruler
2 erasers
4 boxes crayons
2 boxes colored pencils
1 wired notebook
1 scissors
1 antibacterial wipes
Ribbon to wrap

I used double sided tape along the tissue boxes to keep things in place.
A practical gift that looks cool!!

Homemade Tub & Shower Magic

So I decided to give “Tub and Shower Magic” by Bobbin at Food.com a try:

You will need:

a 24 oz spray bottle
12 ounces of Ultra Dawn dishwashing liquid
12 ounces of white vinegar**

(1 part of each product. Easier to remember!!)

Pour in bottle, shake and clean!!! I spray the tub and surround down, leave for 5 minutes, come back with a rag or sponge and wipe it down. Here's the best part, turn on the shower on hot/warm and let it do the work of rinsing the soap down the drain! Granted you might have to do some rinsing, but how easy!!!

***It says to heat up the vinegar, but I didn't and it works great!!***

Homemade All Purpose Cleaner

1 tsp Borax
1 tsp of washing soda
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 cups hot water
25-30 drops of essential oil (Tea Tree, Grapefruit, Eucalyptus, Lavender.)
24 oz spray bottle

Mix together in a fine must spray bottle and start cleaning!

Homemade 'Pergo' Laminate Flooring Cleaner

To a fine mist spray bottle, add the following:

1 part Water
1 part White Vinegar
1 part 2% Isopropyl Alcohol
Few drops of liquid dish detergent
Mix all ingredients together and start cleaning!!

Homemade Dishwasher Soap

Homemade Dishwasher Soap
1 cup Borax
1 cup washing soda
½ cup table salt
1 cup Lemishine

Mix everything together and store in a plastic container. Use 1 Tbsp per load. Use white vinegar in the rinse aid compartment of your dishwasher to help keep your dishes from getting spotty.