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Hi everyone!!! Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas? I’m so thrilled to have Carrie back today. I am always so inspired by how fun she makes mealtime & this recipe is no exception. She has made these Crazy Taco Faces that are just so adorable. Check them out!! Thanks Carrie!!

Hello, Kleinworth & Co Readers! I’m Carrie, from Kenarry: Ideas for the Home back again to share another fun food idea you can make with your kids. At our house, Tuesday dinner is typically “Taco Tuesday”, but we like to mix it up by offering a wide variety of Mexican dishes in addition to traditional tacos. Some weeks we have enchiladas; some weeks we have fish tacos; and some weeks we have shredded beef tortilla wraps. Anything of that genre is fair game for “Taco Tuesday” at our house, so you can imagine how delighted my kids were when we decided to make Crazy Taco Faces one Tuesday for dinner.

Crazy Taco Faces are a creative twist on traditional soft tacos. You and your kids will have a blast using olives, grape tomatoes, shredded carrots and taco sauce to make silly faces. If your family prefers crispier tacos, I would suggest you spritz or lightly brush all of the corn tortillas with olive oil and bake at 375 degrees for 4-5 minutes before you begin assembling the Crazy Taco Faces. This will make the corn tortillas crispier from the beginning. Otherwise, they tend to get soft once you add the beans, meat and cheese.

How to Make Crazy Taco Faces
What You Need:

6-inch corn tortillas
1 pound of ground beef or turkey
1 chopped onion (optional)
1 packet of taco seasoning
Water
1 can of refried beans
2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
Black olives
Shredded carrots
Grape tomatoes
Shredded romaine lettuce
Taco sauce

Instructions:

1. Prepare the ground beef or turkey. In a large pan on the stove, brown the ground beef or turkey. Throw in a chopped onion if you choose. Once the meat is browned, add the packet of taco seasoning and water (per the instructions on the packet).

2. Create the first layer. Use cooking spray to lightly grease a large baking sheet. I also like to line the baking sheet with foil before I spray it to make clean-up after dinner a little easier. Place tortillas on the baking sheet for as many Crazy Taco Faces as you plan to make. Spread a thin layer of refried beans on each of the tortillas. You can skip the refried beans if you don’t care for them, but the refried beans really help the Crazy Taco Faces stick together.

3. Add ground meat. Spoon the seasoned taco meat on top of the refried beans for each of the Crazy Taco Faces.

4. Sprinkle with cheese. Shredded cheese also helps the Crazy Taco Faces to stick together, so liberally add cheese to each of the tortillas. We used mozzarella since that’s what we had on hand, but any shredded cheese will work for the inside of the Crazy Taco Faces.

5. Top with another tortilla and bake. Place a tortilla on top of each of the Crazy Taco Faces. Bake at 375 degrees for 5 minutes or until the cheese starts to melt inside the Crazy Taco Faces.

6. Add more cheese. Carefully remove the Crazy Taco Faces from the oven. The corn tortillas may have started to turn up at the edges, so gently push the edges back down. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella on top of each tortilla. Again, any cheese will work here as long as it’s the same color (e.g. I wouldn’t use a colby jack blend or something two-toned for this part). Return the Crazy Taco Faces to the oven and bake for another five minutes until the cheese starts to melt.

7. Add eyes and noses. Now is the fun part. Create faces by using black olives for eyes, half a grape tomato for a nose and shredded carrots for eyebrows. We returned ours to the oven for another 4 minutes but if they’re hot enough to you, you could move on to the next step.

8. Put on a happy face. Put taco sauce in a resealable bag, then cut off a small corner of the bag. Use the bag to creatively decorate your Crazy Taco Faces with smiles, frowns, or jagged monster grins.

9. Transfer the Crazy Taco Faces to plates and serve. Use a large spatula to move the Crazy Taco Faces from the baking sheet on to a plate. Top those silly guys and gals with shredded lettuce for hair before serving.

Crazy Taco Faces makes a fun family dinner or a heavier snack if you’ve got leftover taco meat in the fridge from another meal. They’d also work great with shredded chicken or fish. If you’re a vegetarian you can skip the meat altogether and just go with the refried beans. No matter how you change them up, one thing is for certain — when your kids see this meal, they’re going to smile as big as these Crazy Taco Faces!

Print Recipe

Crazy Taco Faces: A Toasted Tortilla Treat Kids Will Love

Ingredients

6- inch corn tortillas
1 pound of ground beef or turkey
1 chopped onion optional
1 packet of taco seasoning
Water
1 can of refried beans
2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
Black olives
Shredded carrots
Grape tomatoes
Shredded romaine lettuce
Taco sauce

Instructions

Prepare the ground beef or turkey.

In a large pan on the stove, brown the ground beef or turkey.
Throw in a chopped onion if you choose.
Once the meat is browned, add the packet of taco seasoning and water (per the instructions on the packet).

Create the first layer.

Use cooking spray to lightly grease a large baking sheet. I also like to line the baking sheet with foil before I spray it to make clean-up after dinner a little easier.
Place tortillas on the baking sheet for as many Crazy Taco Faces as you plan to make. Spread a thin layer of refried beans on each of the tortillas.
Add ground meat.
Spoon the seasoned taco meat on top of the refried beans for each of the Crazy Taco Faces.
Sprinkle with cheese. Shredded cheese also helps the Crazy Taco Faces to stick together, so liberally add cheese to each of the tortillas.
We used mozzarella since that's what we had on hand, but any shredded cheese will work for the inside of the Crazy Taco Faces.
Top with another tortilla and bake.
Place a tortilla on top of each of the Crazy Taco Faces.
Bake at 375 degrees for 5 minutes or until the cheese starts to melt inside the Crazy Taco Faces.
Add more cheese.
Carefully remove the Crazy Taco Faces from the oven.
Sprinkle shredded mozzarella on top of each tortilla.
Return the Crazy Taco Faces to the oven and bake for another five minutes until the cheese starts to melt.
Add eyes and noses.
Create faces by using black olives for eyes, half a grape tomato for a nose and shredded carrots for eyebrows.
Return to the oven for another 4 minutes
Put on a happy face
Put taco sauce in a resealable bag, then cut off a small corner of the bag.
Use the bag to creatively decorate your Crazy Taco Faces with smiles, frowns, or jagged monster grins.
Transfer the Crazy Taco Faces to plates and serve.
Use a large spatula to move the Crazy Taco Faces from the baking sheet on to a plate.
Top those silly guys and gals with shredded lettuce for hair before serving.

You can connect with Carrie via Blog, Google+, Pinterest, Facebook & Twitter.

Be sure to check out these other fun foods from Kenarry: Ideas for the Home on Kleinworth & Co:

Personal Patriotic Pepperoni Pizzas

Thank you Carrie for sharing such a fun way to make dinner!!!

Want more fun recipes?

Blue Raspberry Jello Cups

Patriotic Pepperoni Pizza

Disneyland Copycat Churros

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Coconut Raspberry Slush

By Kleinworth & Co 7 Comments

Are you ready for a cool down? Yeah- I thought so. Now that it’s mid summer I thought I would share with you this Coconut Raspberry Slush. It’s a quick & simple slushie recipe that will have everyone raving til’ fall. We spent so many years in the heat of the desert that I have an over abundance of cool treat recipes to share with you all. I never seem to run out. We lived in various parts of Nevada for 12 long years. It’s warm there starting in March & doesn’t really get comfortable again until November. So that’s a whole lot of cool treats to keep us comfortable. This slushie is definitely one of our favorites.

I love the ease of this recipe. Everyone (kiddos included) can enjoy & it’s so easy that they can make it themselves too.

I love that it’s packed full of great raspberry flavor – so pretty too.

Just look at that great color!! This just makes me happy & is sure to be a crowd pleaser at every party! The kids LOVE it!

Print Recipe

Coconut Raspberry Slush

Course: Beverage

Author: Gina of Kleinworth & Co.

Ingredients

1-12 oz can ginger ale
1 cup frozen raspberries
1 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp sweetened shredded coconut
1 tsp coconut extract
2 cups ice
coconut for garnish

Instructions

Place all ingredients in blender & blend on high until all ice is crushed & no large pieces remain. This should be very slushie - no ice chunks.
Should take 2-4 minutes depending on your blender.

Want more cool & easy treats to keep you comfortable this summer?

Chocolate Marshmallow Ice Cream

Chocolate Malted Crunch Ice Cream – Just like you remember from Thrifty

Cake Batter Gelato

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Snickers Taffy Apple Salad

Erin @ Table for Seven

I have something YUMMY for you today. My friend Erin is back today to share with you all this INCREDIBLE treat. She makes super tasty goodies & I think I have drooled over each & every one. Today she has really turned on the drool factor with this Snickers Taffy Apple Salad. Thanks Erin!!!!

Hello Kleinworth and Co readers! I’m Erin from Table for Seven and it’s been so great be able to share on Gina’s amazing blog these past few months..thank you so much for having me here!

Today, I’m sharing an incredibly easy and delicious salad. It’s perfect for all those summer parties that you have planned. Of course, if you just want to whip this up and not share it with anybody..totally understandable 🙂

It’s just a few simple ingredients, then, put it in your fridge for an hour and then it’s ready to go. It’s a true family favorite of ours that I’m pretty sure will fast become a family favorite of yours too!

Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Snickers Taffy Apple Salad

Ingredients

1-5.1 oz box of instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 cup milk
16 oz whipped topping ex: Cool Whip or Truwhip
3 granny smith apples chopped
4-5 Snickers candy bars chopped
1/2 cup caramel sauce jarred or [Homemade Caramel https://www.ourtableforseven.com/2013/09/caramel-apple-ice-cream-with-homemade.html]

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, whisk together milk and pudding mix.
Fold in whipped topping
Stir in apples and candy bars.
Drizzle with caramel sauce.
Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

You can find me here…

Thank you so much Erin!!!!

I will definitely have a hard time sharing with anyone. YUM-O!!!

Want more amazing treats?

Flutternutter Mug Cake

25 Chocolatey Treats

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Camera Phone Tips – Urban Jungle vs. Green Jungle

Rock your Camera Phone

I have really enjoyed being able to bring you all some photography tips here every so often & I am so grateful that my wonderful photographer friends have been here to share all their tips as well. Today my friend Tamar is back to share some insight to her amazing camera phone photography! Check it out & rock your camera phone too!

Hi everyone. So happy to be back here at Kleinworth & Co. sharing another post with you today. I have another post about using your iPhone to capture what’s around you.

Last weekend, I was visiting my mom in NY. We spent a day in the city, seeing a show, and walking around. I enjoyed capturing the city with my phone, I find that the phone is a great way to capture the urban landscape without looking too touristy (the horror) with my big camera. Then, I just use a variety of apps to touch up the shots

After a day in NYC and some trips into the heart of downtown Boston this past week, I was thinking about the urban landscape. The jungle of the urban hustle and bustle. The noise, the hard lines from the buildings, and miles of sidewalks and streets.

Don’t get me wrong, I love living in a city, but I find it is nature in and around a city that makes a city livable, in my humble opinion.

So, after a few doses of urban jungle, I was craving some time in the green jungle. Last weekend, I drove about 15 minutes outside of town to a nature reserve and spent a few hours hiking. Again, I captured a bunch of pictures of the landscapes, with only my iPhone. It’s the perfect hiking companion: GPS and a camera – perfect, and no fear of losing or hurting my big DSLR.

And, after a few hours in the green jungle on a nice July day, I was super appreciative of my nice urban apartment with air conditioning and no bugs.

As I drove home, I realized, what I always tell people “it’s parks and greenery, which make it possible for me to live in a city” is true. Being able to escape into the green jungle, clear my head, and explore is just what I need sometimes!

So next time you find yourself in an urban jungle or out in a more natural jungle, don’t forget that your phone could help you capture the beauty, natural or constructed, that is all around you!

Great tips & insight Tamar!!! It really is more about rocking the camera you have in your hand at the time. No matter what it is.

Want more great photography tips & tutorials?

Tips for Street Photography

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Chalkboard Mini Frames

By Kleinworth & Co Leave a Comment

Happy day!!! I’m so excited today because my dear friend Ariean is here to share with you all these really adorable Chalkboard Mini Frames that would look so great with the new colors in our home. It’s like she knew exactly what I needed to add to my home & gave me some wonderful inspiration. Thank you Ariean!! Check out this really fun project!

Hi there Friends! It’s Ariean from OneKriegerChick here to share how I gave my boring storage baskets a fun and pretty update with Chalkboard Mini-Frames.

I have had these plain baskets sitting on top of my fridge for ages. One contains chips and pretzels and the other has treats (leftover candy I don’t want the kids to reach), but I was the only one who could ever tell which was which. Plus, they were just boring and needed some color.

So, I painted them turquoise. First, I painted them white, then added a coat of turquoise chalk paint. I finished them off by sanding them with sandpaper to distress the edges and giving them a coat of clear wax to bring out the color and texture.

Now to make them pretty…

I cut a section of chalkboard vinyl and taped it to the back of the frame using a strong tape like duct tape. Only tape the sides and bottom of the vinyl. The top needs to be left open for the next step. If you don’t have chalkboard vinyl, just paint a piece of heavyweight paper or cardboard with chalkboard paint.

Run a length of ribbon through the top of the frame as shown.

This is why you don’t tape the top of the vinyl.

Add labels with a chalkboard marker. This can actually be done before taping the vinyl to the frame…up to you! I wrote my lettering out with regular chalk first, then traced over it with my chalk marker.

And that’s it! Now I have pretty and organized baskets with no questions as to what they contain.

If you liked this idea, you may also like some of my other organizing ideas…

{Oatmeal Canister to Plastic Bag Storage}

{Salvaged Wood Jewelry Display}

Want more great project ideas?

Coffee T-Shirt

Summer Anchor Chalkboard Art

Office Organizer Board

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Bubblegum Milkshake

Ultimate Chocolate Milkshake

When I was a kid I always looked forward to summer because that was when Bubblegum Ice Cream became available. You see- where I was, they didn’t want kids chewing gum in school- so they didn’t offer bubblegum ice cream during the regular school year. Jump ahead to now- when I can literally get bubblegum ice cream whenever I want & it still brings back all those nostalgic memories of those special summer childhood days. My confession is that I originally set out to make my own bubblegum ice cream as I have been making all sorts of homemade ice cream flavors. However- my original recipe flopped. I was super bummed – the flavor was good – it just didn’t set up. Sooooo- I decided to use what I had & add some ingredients & turn it into this GREAT Bubblegum Milkshake.

All the wonderful flavor of bubblegum ice cream in a shake!

It had been so long since I tasted that wonderful flavor. It really is every bit as tasty as I remember.

Look at that pink color- it makes me smile!!!

Print Recipe

Bubblegum Milkshake

Ingredients

**This makes a pitcher full -for multiple milkshakes
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 carton vanilla ice cream
1 tsp Bubble Gum Flavoring
1/2 tsp Butter Extract
8 ounces frozen whipped topping
gumballs for topping

Instructions

Add heavy cream, & ice cream to blender & blend on high 30 seconds
Add bubblegum flavor & butter extract - pulse to combine
Fold in whipped topping.
Serve - garnish with a couple gumballs for fun

Want more frozen treats?

Caramel Macchiato Date Shake

Frozen Brown Cow

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Summer Anchor Chalkboard Art

By Kleinworth & Co 3 Comments

Hi everyone!!!! Are you enjoying summer?? I am!! We are in full decorating mode & our décor has changed from rustic cabin to a more beachy, relaxed feel. Which is why I was so excited when my FABULOUS contributor Sarah created this Summer Anchor Chalkboard Art to share with you all here today! I just love it!!!

Hey I’m Sarah, I blog over at Creative Ramblings, and I’m happy to be back here at Kleinworth and Co. sharing a piece of chalkboard art with you.

If you are a crafter of any kind you probably have a stash of half done projects and thrift store finds just waiting for your attention. Or at least I hope I’m not the only one! I keep most of my big projects in my garage on a shelving unit. I was clearing off the top shelf this week and stumbled across a piece of MDF about 14 x 19 that I had painted with chalk paint last summer. I had cut this piece of wood and painted the wrong piece by accident. I stuck it up on the shelf (then painted the correct piece) and moved on.

Now that I had it in hand I knew I needed to do something with it. I decided to create a summer piece for my mantle. I do enjoy summer but I do not decorate for it specifically. My mantle has not changed much since spring so this piece would serve as a little update.

I chose to use an anchor and a verse from Hebrews, something that lends itself to the season but also something I could keep around throughout the year. I am not a free hand artist by any means, but love the look of chalk art. To accomplish the look I created a stencil.

Using my Silhouette I designed and cut out my stencil on cardstock. You could get the same effect using store-bought stencils or cutting your own with a craft knife.

To prep the chalkboard I seasoned the “fresh” paint by rubbing a piece of chalk over it and erasing it.

I lightly taped my stencil to the chalkboard. There were some gaps but I wanted this to look semi-hand drawn so a few imperfections were fine.

To achieve crisp lettering i used a chalk marker. These write like a marker but dry like chalk and erase with a wet cloth. I used regular blue and yellow chalk to add a few pops of color as well.

This simple piece updates my mantle just enough for summer. I am so happy I found this leftover piece, it’s a really good size and I can update it come fall with a new graphic!

How are you decorating this summer? Have you used any nautical items?

Want more great projects?

Rustic Summer Wreath

Beachy Painted Corkboard

Abstract Beach Art

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Pepperoncini Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

By Kleinworth & Co

Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas? Do you like sandwiches? My son can’t seem to get enough – which means I’m coming up with all sorts of new & fun sandwich ideas all the time. One we recently made, Pepperoncini Pork Tenderloin Sandwich, he labeled “all-time favorite cold sandwich” which I was pretty happy with because there were many things on there that I added he had never had before. But he’s always up for trying new & fun ideas when it comes to food – which is why sandwiches are so great. There is always something new & exciting to create when assembling the perfect sandwich.

We started with pumpernickel bread, mayo, Mezzetta Savory Garlic Spread, lettuce, provolone cheese, bbq pork tenderloin- sliced & Mezzetta Pepperoncinis.

I sliced the loaf thin & spread on my mayo on one side & the Savory Garlic Spread on the other slice.

Added my lettuce & then cheese & pork.

Topped with a heaping pile of pepperoncinis & closed it up.

It was so good – his eyes were rolling in the back of his head! That’s when I know it’s AMAZING!

RIGHT NOW– You can enter the “Make That Sandwich” contest by sharing your original sandwich recipe and photos.

The “Make That Sandwich” grand prize winner receives $25,000, and two runner-up winners receive $1,000.

www.makethatsandwich.com

Mezzetta products are available everywhere you buy groceries nationwide.

Connect with Mezzetta on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter & Instagram

Print Recipe

Pepperoncini Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

Ingredients

pumpernickel bread
mayo
Mezzetta Savory Garlic Spread
lettuce
provolone cheese
bbq pork tenderloin- sliced
Mezzetta Pepperoncinis.

Instructions

Sliced the loaf thin
Spread on mayo on one side
Spread Savory Garlic Spread on the other slice
Added lettuce & then cheese & pork.
Top with a heaping pile of pepperoncinis & enjoy.

Want more ideas?

New England Dip Sandwich

Pilgrim Butty

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Mezzetta. The opinions and text are all mine.

Plant Companions ~ Gardening Tips

Mason Jar Wall Garden

So now that gardening season is in full swing my friend Suzi is back today to share with you some of her gardening tips for Plant Companions. Did you know that there are certain plants that work better together when they are planted close? I never even thought about it until Suzi told me. So she’s here to share all her expertise on the topic today.

Do You Give your Plants Companions?

The gardening season is here, and I’ve been too busy to garden! Am I the only one this year that feels that way? Currently the only things blooming in our garden are a few volunteer sunflowers, which the bees seem to be thankful for. Although, I’m sure they’re wondering what’s taking me so long to plant the rest of the garden! I’m hoping to plant a few things this Sunday, and purchased a few companion plants to help motivate me to get moving!

This year the goal is Quality over Quantity, as I tend to fall in love with the “Romance of gardening”, planting rows of tomatoes, and peppers and other yummy fruits and vegetables. With beautiful fun names and promises of gorgeous heirloom colors it’s hard not to get carried away. But come harvest time our tiny kitchen and storage areas are overflowing with produce, and it’s very hard for the two of us to keep up with it!

So this year I’m cutting back. I’ve purchased a few seedlings to get a “jump start” on my late start. But no matter how much I cut from my garden, I will continue to plant companion plants, as I’ve found my fruits and vegetables seem to thrive when I make sure to check if the seedlings and seeds I plant “play well” with their neighbors.Basil and tomatoes are great companion plants and supposedly encourage a 20% increase in tomato production, and so every year they make the cut. Plus I love the taste basil in my sandwiches. A Basil, Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato sandwich is amazing! Basil, roasted peppers, provolone, and tri-tip? Even better. Tomatoes, Basil, Sweet Peppers, and Eggplant all do well together in the garden, and so they will be returning to our 2014 garden line-up.

Hot peppers have done great for me, and I love growing them! Unfortunately we still have tons of dried ones from the two ROWS I planted last year, so I’m going to have to curb my urge to purchase more, unless it’s a single Jalapeno for grilling. Plus they need a special place in the garden as they don’t always “play well” with others.

Companion Planting Tip: If planting tomatoes, try to keep them away from Black Walnut trees, Chili Peppers, and Potatoes. If you have a hornworm problem, plant some dill in a separate corner of the garden to attract them away from your tomatoes.

I do have a fun staple plant in our garden that comes up every year. It supposedly can grow almost anywhere in the U.S. But I didn’t become familiar with them until I moved to California. It’s an Artichoke plant! They usually grow quite big large, but the drought in California and my lack of watering has it looking a little small for the season. For a thistle they do seem to like the water and they LOVE compost! Thankfully they seem to do well about anywhere in the garden, however since they can get 6-feet wide and equally as tall, we plant them towards the back so they don’t shade the other sun loving plants. Fresh artichokes from the garden are such a treat for me, and taste completely different than the pickled variety found in most stores. (I love grilling them!) If you can find one that grows in your area it’s worth the extra space in the garden that they require. (And if you accidentally leave it too long, they turn into gorgeous flowers!)

Do you companion plant?

If so, what are your favorite combinations? Hopefully soon, I’ll have some yard long beans and pumpkins weaving amongst my sunflowers, and perhaps a honeydew melon trailing along with some pretty nasturtiums. (Also edible!) I’ll add some marigolds for the boarder to form a natural bug barrier, and of course there will be a variety of basil surrounding my tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant too. It will be nice to “cut back” for a year, and give our garden a bit of growing room. I’ll be sure to share the progress soon!

Thank you so much Suzi for all the wonderful tips. I will definitely need them & put them to use!

Want more great gardening ideas & tips?

Tips for Cutting Roses

Tips for Planting Potatoes

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Banana Marshmallow Fudge Parfait

By Kleinworth & Co 5 Comments

Light, simple, easy to make – all on my list of criteria when deciding what to make during the summer. I don’t know about you – but when these warm months hit I am looking for easy, no-bake treats to enjoy. If I can come up with something tasty & it only takes 5 minutes to throw together- I’m in. Even better if it’s something so simple that my kids can prepare on their own while the hubs & I are making dinner. So I created this Banana Marshmallow Fudge Parfait to satisfy all cravings & keeps me out of the kitchen as much as possible.

Just layer those ingredients in there – Oreos,fudge,bananas,fudge,marshmallows – repeat.

I used the Marshmallow Krispie flavored Oreos!

Perfect to fill a table with them at your next gathering. Your guest will love it.

When you are talking Oreos, marshmallows, bananas & hot fudge….

it’s easy to please everyone.

Print Recipe

Banana Marshmallow Fudge Parfait

Ingredients

3 Marshmallow Krispie Oreos - crumbled
1/3 banana
handful mini marshmallows
3 tbsp Toasted Coconut Hot Fudge

Instructions

Start layering your ingredients in the glass -
I started with Oreos, then fudge,bananas,fudge,marshmallows - repeat.
EASY & yet so satisfying.

Use this Hot Fudge recipe when making these treats!

Toasted Coconut Hot Fudge

Want more easy treats??

Layered Strawberry Shortcake

Grasshopper Ice Cream Cake

Caramel Gingerbread Ice Cream Cake

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Avocado Goat Cheese Dressing

Italian Garlic Butter

Do you like a little yumminess to drizzle on things? I like to keep it light & refreshing in the summer – which is why I came up with this Avocado Goat Cheese Dressing that I’m sure you will love. I originally shared this post on Or So She Says a while back & I have been so excited to finally share it with you here. This creamy avocado flavor with the crumbles of goat cheese makes this the perfect topping to so many things during the warm summer months.

What is it about summer that says AVOCADO?

I don’t know – but growing up in So Cal – they were always around & they remind me of home.

My older daughter can’t get enough salad & she sure loves having this to drizzle on top.

Print Recipe

Avocado Goat Cheese Dressing

Ingredients

1 ripe avocado
2 tbsp vinegar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayo
1-1/2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 tbsp garlic paste
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 c goat cheese crumbles

Instructions

Add all ingredients except goat cheese to blender.
Blend on medium/high for approx 60-90 seconds
Gently fold in goat cheese
Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks (depending on the freshness of your dairy ingredients at the time of preparation)

Want more great summer dips & spreads?

Simple Pepper Jelly

Sweet Garlic Avocado Dip

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Easy Garlic Bruschetta

Sweet Garlic Avocado Dip

It’s so nice that the weather is warm & it’s so inviting to be outside. The week before last we were in the 50’s with rain. Then the sun made an appearance last week. I can’t complain – I’m loving that it’s not over 100 degrees outside. However, it’s still warm enough that I don’t want to eat heavy. When it’s hot I certainly don’t like heavy food. So I wanted to share with you all today my super simple recipe for Easy Garlic Bruschetta. It’s the perfect summer appetizer. Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas?

We LOVE garlic. We add large amounts to almost every dish. Do you like garlic?

After I added this to the toasted bread I decided to add a little bit of my Sweet Garlic Avocado Dip to the top. The blend of sweet with the garlic bruschetta was perfect.

I could snack on this all day long! Perfect summer appetizer.

Print Recipe

Easy Garlic Bruschetta

Author: Gina Kleinworth

Ingredients

2 medium tomatoes- diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced onions
1 tbsp granulated garlic
1/8 cup olive oil
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1 baguette loaf
4 tbsp melted butter

Instructions

In a medium bowl- combine all ingredients except the baguette & butter.
Toss to combine
Cover lightly & place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
While waiting - slice your baguette into 1" wide slices
Brush with melted butter & broil several minutes to toast & bring to a golden color
Remove & allow to come to room temperature
Top with 1 tbsp bruschetta
Add a little drizzle Sweet Garlic Avocado Dip- optional

You can grab the recipe for the Sweet Garlic Avocado Dip here.

For more great summer recipes….

Gourmet Hot Dog Recipes

Baby Back Ribs

….and how about a little dessert?

Double Berry Cheesecake Frozen Yogurt

Frozen Mocha S’Mores Overload

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Sour Berry Cubes

Watermelon/Cherry Limeade

For me- when I go to big parties or gatherings, it’s the little things that seem to pack a big punch. The details that can seem so trivial or unimportant that end up making the experience memorable. Something as simple as colorful or flavored ice cubes in your beverage can really add to the moment. I have seen many people make ice cubes with summer berries before. But I wanted something with some flavor too – so I created these simple but tasty Sour Berry Cubes.

Check out how easy they are to make.

The key here is the Simple Lemon Syrup. It adds such great flavor to whatever beverage you are enjoying.

You could do this with any fruit – but since it’s summer- patriotic themed with blueberries & raspberries is perfect.

Because these are made with Simple Lemon Syrup instead of just water – they freeze a little softer than a regular ice cube. So don’t let them sit out for long before adding them to your drinks.

Print Recipe

Sour Berry Cubes

Ingredients

Simple Lemon Syrup
1 cup Raspberries
1 Cup Blueberries
or any other fruit flavor combo you prefer

Instructions

Prepare your Simple Lemon Syrup ahead of time & make sure it's chilled before starting.
Place your fruit in ice cube trays - however many will fit into however many trays you want to fill
Pour chilled Simple Lemon Syrup into each cube reservoir to just under full to allow for expansion
Freeze overnight before serving.

Want some ideas of what you could add them to?

Red White & Blue Daiquiri

Sour Shirley Summer Drink Recipe

Blushing Whiskey Sour

Blueberry Lemon Green Tea

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Blackberry & Honey Daiquiri

Red White & Blue Daiquiri

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of ALO Drink for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have been on sort of a daiquiri kick. With the heat here to stay for a while- a cool blended fruity beverage is just the thing to cool down & relax with. I love coming up with new easy drink recipes. With all the summer entertaining going on, it’s great to have an arsenal of bevies to pull from when you have so many tastes to appeal to. It’s nice to have something unique to serve guests & this Blackberry & Honey Daiquiri is just the thing to WOW them.

The key ingredient in this daiquiri is ALO Drink. ALO Drink the #1 ready-to-drink aloe vera beverage in the U.S., it is also the first aloe vera beverage to receive the Non-GMO Project Verification. It is all natural, low in calories, gluten-free and fat free. Win, win & win! ALO Contest

ALO Drink comes in 9 flavors for ALO original & 3 flavors for ALO light.

There is also a Coconut variety in 2 flavors for Coco Exposed (an aloe vera and coconut water beverage)

Definitely a great blended beverage for all your summer parties.

If you wanted to keep this drink 100% healthy – just omit the rum & increase the ALO Drink. Super simple & still so good!

Print Recipe

Blackberry & Honey Daiquiri

Ingredients

4 ounces ALO Drink Original & Honey Flavor
1/2 cup frozen blackberries
1-1/4 ounce rum opt
2 cups ice

Instructions

Add all ingredients to blender & blend on high for 1-3 minutes depending on your blender - until you have a slushie like consistency & it's free from all large pieces of ice.
Garnish with additional blackberries

ALO Drink comes from an organic aloe vera farm and is made with real aloe vera pulp, straight from the leaf, never from powder.
Additionally, ALO is low in calories, gluten-free and fat free!

DON’T MISS THIS – On every bottle of ALO Drink, there is a QR code that leads to a specific song that was made specifically for that variety. Visit the ALO Drink SoundCloud home page and listen to all of the songs.

*** RIGHT NOW: ALO is holding a Facebook Giveaway (US residence only)! The promotion is called ALOVE and is a photo contest. A winner is selected every weekday until July 11, 2014. Each winner receives a sampler pack of all of the current ALO Drink varieties, giving your readers a chance to try a great product and try your recipe! Fans who have never tried ALO Website or don’t have access to ALO Drink products in their areas can enter by simply writing down why they want ALO to send them a sampler pack on a piece of paper and take a photo of that. Fun / creative drawings are welcome as well. Visit the contest tab on the ALO Drink Facebook page for examples: ALO Facebook

Connect with ALO on ALO Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

Want more drink ideas?

Blueberry Daiquiri

Frozen Colada

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Patriotic Porch Art

By Kleinworth & Co 6 Comments

I have mentioned how much I LOVE this time of year because of the 4th of July. As much as I love beachy, calming tones most of the time- the red, white & blue color combo just makes my heart sing. Americana decor is something that I will be bringing into the new house more & more- but in subtle ways. Touches of the stars & stripes here & there throughout the house. So since I am in the process of paining furniture for the kids anyway – I decided to do a little wood craft & create this Patriotic Porch Art. It can decorate our new porch & bring happiness out there during this patriotic time of year. But I will probably also keep it displayed out in the house somewhere year round. It was super easy to make – the only time consuming part was waiting for the paint to dry between tape for each color.

I started with a scrap piece of plywood I picked up at the local scrap free for all. I used sample colors of Olympic in Burning Bush (red), Valspar in DuJour (off-white),Valspar in Indigo Cloth (blue) & Valspar in Belle Grove Buff (cream tone for the stars). I fell in love with these colors because they are in the traditional red, white & blue but sort of have a deeper tone- not true red, white & blue. So it automatically gives a slightly more vintage feel without me having to distress the board.

Depending on how I feel once we get moved & see how the rest of the decor comes along I may or may not distress this board. We already have a lot of antiques which we have always displayed in our home. Most of our decor is currently vintage, antique or rustic in description. We will be moving away from that in the new house because we have just been looking at these pieces for so long that we are ready for a new feel. Sooooo- we will be packing away many of our antiques & only displaying those things that still add to the mood we are after. Rather than putting everything out just because we have always put it out.

To make this – I taped off my stripes each at 4 inches wide. I painted white first- waited a day to dry before I taped it off & added the red. I waited another day before I taped off the blue stripe (again at 4″ wide) and I just waited until it was dry to the touch before using a little craft stencil to add the stars.

Want more patriotic ideas?

DIY Scrappy Flag Pillow

4th of July Ideas

How to Photograph Fireworks

Patriotic Decor Round-Up

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Blueberry Daiquiri

Red White & Blue Daiquiri

If you have been visiting here for a while then you know that I have been on quite a blueberry kick. They are so good & good for you. So when the hubs looked at me the other day & said “hey, want to make a Blueberry Daiquiri” I knew I had to share it with you. Blueberry recipes are really hot right now so why not change from the traditional strawberry daiquiri?! This turned out great!

Not all daiquiri recipes are blended – however, being that I had not made a blended one in a really long time & I was itching to make a blended bevi of some type – blended is what we have here today.

Make these for your 4th of July party – maybe garnish with a strawberry to make it super patriotic.

Print Recipe

Blueberry Daiquiri

Ingredients

**makes a pitcher full
1-1/2 cups blueberries
8 cups sweet & sour
4 ounces rum
1 banana
4 cups ice

Instructions

Place all ingredients in blender & blend on high until all ice is crushed & no large pieces remain.
Serve immediately
Garnish with additional blueberries or strawberries

Want more great mixed drinks?

Sour Raspberry Tom Collins

Millionaire Sour

Blackberry Irish Whiskey Sour

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Bourbon Peach Tea Cakes

Red White & Blueberry Pie Bars

Tea Cakes – I love them. My fabulous Contributor Rochelle from Oh So Sweet Baker must have known that because she’s back today to bring you these AMAZING Bourbon Peach Tea Cakes that I absolutely CAN’T WAIT to try. Check them out – drool a little & then make some!!! Enjoy!

I’m back from my blog Oh So Sweet Baker with another recipe for you, which I’ll hope you’ll love.

Be sure to check out our Bourbon Cake too!

Okay I seriously can’t get enough mini cakes right about now especially these bourbon peach cakes. They totally scream summer and since cake is in the top 5 of favourite desserts and peach in the top 5 of favourite fruits I knew I had to combine them together complete with a generous dousing of bourbon, because you can never go wrong with alcohol.

UK is full in summer mode. Sorry I lied. UK tbh doesn’t really have what everyone else calls summer. We have more of autumny spring weather with like 4 days out of the whole summer term actually sunny. Mini bourbon peach cakes bring the summer with them. The fresh, bright juicy flesh can brighten up anyone’s dull day with mini kick up the pants from the booze.

These are basically similar to my mini berry teacakes that I made the other day. First these are made with brown butter, can’t go wrong there, with a little hint of sage which works well with the hazel-nuttiness from the brown butter. Followed by lemon scented bourbon mascarpone and macerated peach slices making for a summer filled treat.

Print Recipe

Bourbon Peach Tea Cakes

Ingredients

Brown butter sage cakes...

115 g 1/2 cup butter
3-4 sage leaves
115 g 1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
100 g 1/2 cup sugar
185 g 1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Macerated peaches...

3-4 small ripe peaches
2 tbsp bourbon
1 tsp sugar

Bourbon mascarpone...

150 ml ' 2/3 cup heavy cream
2-3 tbsp bourbon
zest of 1 lemon
3 tbsp powdered sugar
200 g 3/4 cup mascarpone

Instructions

Brown butter sage cakes...

Spray a cupcake tin with non stick spray. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F
Brown the butter in a medium saucepan and the sage and allow to cool down.
Strain then add the sour cream, vanilla and eggs and whisk to combine.
Combine all the dry ingredients together and gradually add the wet.
Divide the batter between the cupcake holes and bake for 15-20mins.
Allow to cool slightly before turning out to cool on a rack

Macerated peaches...

Remove the stone out of the ripe peaches.
Place in a bowl and add the bourbon and caster sugar.
Allow to sit for at least 30mins

Bourbon Mascarpone...

Whip the cream, bourbon, icing sugar and lemon zest together till it forms soft peaks.
Beat in the mascarpone and place in a piping bag with a star nozzle.
Pipe a swirl of the cream on top of each cake.
Top with the macerated peach slices and a piece of sage leaf.

Thank you so much Rochelle!!!!!!!

I absolutely LOVE this recipe & I know it will be a HUGE favorite in our house.

Want more great fruity treats?

Blackberry Crumb Bars

Blackberry White Chocolate Buckle

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Chocolate Marshmallow Ice Cream ~ Almond Milk Recipes

By Kleinworth & Co 6 Comments

**This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. #CollectiveBias

It’s that time of year when I have ice cream on the brain. The summer months sort of mandate that ice cream is enjoyed on a daily basis in this house. Unfortunately dairy isn’t all that wonderful for all members of the family so I have been creating new Almond Milk Recipes to replace some of our old family favorites. The benefits of almond milk are a huge plus & now that there are so many varieties & flavors to choose from – it makes it so easy to swap ingredients out & make new favorites. One that I am really loving is this Chocolate Marshmallow Ice Cream. With just 4 ingredients & no churning required – you can’t beat it.

You know – I have an ice cream maker. I used to use it all the time. I also have the ice cream bowl attachment for my mixer. But with the move happening this week & next – it’s hard to keep them frozen to use when I am making a new batch of ice cream. So I have been resorting to some super easy, no-churn recipes that I’m really loving.

It’s really nice that this only takes 4 ingredients to make. When it’s summer – I want to spend as little time as I can in the kitchen. So being able to blend this together, pour & freeze is GREAT! You won’t believe just how quick & easy this recipe is.

Chocolate Marshmallow – yep, so YUMMY!

You would never guess that it’s not regular ice cream. But now everyone in the house can enjoy.

Print Recipe

Chocolate Marshmallow Ice Cream ~ Almond Milk Recipes

Ingredients

1 15 oz can Cream of Coconut
2 cups Almondmilk Protein+Fiber
1 tsp Butter Extract
1 pkt Chocolate Marshmallow Frosting Flavor mix-in like Duncan Hines Frosting Creations

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in blender
Blend for 30-60 seconds
Transfer to freezable container (metal dish or reuseable plastic)
Cover & freeze overnight
Enjoy!

I picked up my Silk Almondmilk Protein + Fiber at Safeway. It was even on sale!

Want more DAIRY FREE treats?

Toasted Coconut Banana Ice Cream

Banana Root Beer Float

Toffee Banana Dippers

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Abstract Art w/ Sharpie Paint Markers

Ocean Waves Glitter Vase

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Sharpie, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #PaintYourWay

Oh I have been having so much fun getting creative & making new things for the house. Aside from updating furniture & making all sorts of decor type pieces to display all around the house- I have been painting too. Every time I pull out paint & canvas I am reminded of just how much I love to paint. I don’t do it nearly often enough. I hope once we are moved & settled I can find time to do it more. It not only brings me peace but also reminds me of my times with my mom when she was teaching me all her techniques that are now second nature for me all these years later. We are doing 2 variations of a beach theme for the girl’s rooms because they both chose a beach theme & it’s up to me to make them still very different. So I decided to create some fun, whimsical & abstract art for their rooms & I used some Sharpie Paint Markers to help make the process so easy.

I started with large canvas, Sharpie Paint Markers, 4 different paint colors & my tools (paintbrushes)

Sharpie Paint Markers come in both water & oil based versions. I used water based ones for this project.

I started by lightly dipping my brush in one of the dark colors of paint & lightly brushing it across – making sure I wasn’t concentrating the color in any one area. I wanted the placement random. Then I did the same with the creamy color starting towards the top of the canvas & working my way down to blend in with the blue & green. This gave it a very tranquil water feel.

Once the paint dried I took my water based Sharpie Paint Markers & just started doodling on the canvas. I added bubbles in blue on one & then a wave pattern on the other in light green. I loved being able to use the paint markers for this because it really cut my time & made it so easy. Usually I would have had to use a fine tip brush & continually re-dip to the paint. I wouldn’t have had as clean of a line either. So for this project- the paint markers were key to making this quick & easy.

As you can see here – I took the white paint marker & added highlights to each spot of blue, green & the yellows & pinks I added to the tops of the canvas. It helped give more dimension to the piece.

They turned out really fun.

We took them over to the house with us one evening when we were going over to check progress on things. The girls held them up where they planned on hanging them in their rooms. I think they will both be hanging them above their desks once we finally get to move in. As you can see – we are in the “blue tape” stage where the detail crews are coming through & using the blue tape to mark all the little imperfections that need to be fixed prior to our walk through. (I may or may not have gone through & added some of my own blue tape to places that they didn’t catch. That’s what happens when they are dealing with a family where 4 out of the 5 people have OCD.)

I picked up my Sharpie Paint Markers at Michael’s.

Head to at Michaels.com to pick up your Sharpie Paint Markers.

Connect with Sharpie on Twitter & Facebook.

Visit & Follow on Pinterest for more Sharpie Inspiration.

Want more fun projects?

Glitter Jars

Beachy Painted Board

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Buffalo Loose Meat Melt

Sweet Garlic Avocado Dip

Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas? Do you ever want to eat something that you have never had before? This happens to me all the time. I will try to explain to the hubs that I want something but it’s something that we have never made & I have never seen anywhere before. This is usually how my recipe creations go. Some turn out not so great – some (like this one) AMAZING! We spent most of Father’s Day weekend shopping for things for the house. But before we headed out to do that we had a brainstorming session over coffee to figure out exactly how to make what it was I was wanting. Meat – but something a little more interesting than beef. But I wanted it melty & cheesy & a little crunch & a buttery toasted roll. Sounds good huh?! All that ended up turning into this FABULOUS Buffalo Loose Meat Melt.

To add to the wonderful flavor of the ground buffalo we added CHEESE! Lot’s of cheese to this sandwich. Not only is there a little slice of provolone melted over the top – but there is a whole bag of Velveeta Shreds, 7-8 slices of Kraft Provolone & about 5-6 slices of Velveeta Slices melted into the meat.

All that cheese not only adds lots of flavor but also helps hold the meat together a bit more on the roll.

If you are looking for something to wow everyone at your next summer party – this is for you! Definitely more exciting than your average burger & SO INCREDIBLY GOOD!

Print Recipe

Buffalo Loose Meat Melt

Ingredients

2 lbs ground bison
2 lbs thin cut flank steak
4 sweet peppers
1/2 purple onion
1 pkg Kraft provolone cheese
1 bag Velveeta shreds in Mozzarella
5-6 Velveeta slices
Buns
Butter
Beer battered onion rings for garnish
Additional purple onion slices for garnish
spices seasonings to your taste

Instructions

Brush buns with melted butter - broil several minutes until toasty & golden. Remove set aside.
Chop onion & peppers
Combine onion, peppers, flank steak & bison in large skillet & cook on med-high until fully browned
Once meat is thoroughly cooked - add entire bag of Velveeta shreds, 7-8 slices of provolone cheese & Velveeta slices.
Stir until all cheese has melted throughout meat.
Spoon onto prepared buns
Top with another slice of provolone cheese & allow to melt
Top with onion & onion ring
Enjoy!

Want some sides to go with this Buffalo Loose Meat Melt?

Garlic Cabbage Slaw

**I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser. #CollectiveBias

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Beachy Painted Corkboard

No Bake Chocolate Caramel Oat Bars

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of FrogTape for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

As you all know I have been working on projects for the kids to make their new rooms more special for them. It’s particularly important for the girls as they have been sharing a room for the last 10 years. To think that the munchkin has never had a space to call all her own makes me sad. Sooooo – she ended up with the biggest room in the new house. She may be the smallest & she may have the least amount of stuff – but she will live in her room for longer than the other two will be in theirs. To make it more personal for her I let her pick a concept for the space & I have been making all sorts of little things to help bring that idea together once we move in. She chose a beachy theme for her room. She wants cool coastal tones which I am incorporating into as much as I can. My latest creation to help keep her organized is this Beachy Painted Corkboard. I love the waves – fits the vibe of the space perfectly.

Let me show you just how easy this was to make!

I have a ton of these old & outdated oak picture frames laying around here. I chose this one because the glass broke & has been sitting on a shelf waiting for me to do something with it. You can see how old this picture is & how long it’s been in this frame – those are my 2 oldest kids. (they are now 16 & 13 years old) Yep- it was time for a makeover.

Supplies

Picture frame

Cork roll

FrogTape's Shape Tape in Scallop

Paint Color of Choice

Paint brushes

Glue

**One thing I like to do before any project that has the potential for being messy is lay out a shower curtain over my work space. In this case it was to protect our hardwood floors. It would be tragic to spill paint on these floors.

I removed the picture & then used the mat as a template for the size to cut the cork.

I then hot glued the cork to a piece of cardboard.

I started with my Shape Tape™ It splits in the back to make applying SUPER EASY. I just measured out the length, cut & removed 1/2 of the backing. Adhered to the cork & then removed the backing for the other side to finish placing.

I love the PaintBlock® Technology in FrogTape®. It’s a super absorbent polymer that reacts with the water in latex paint & instantly gels to form a micro-barrier that seals the edges of the tape. This is what helps prevent paint bleed – even with a porous texture like I was working with. It gave me these nice clean lines -SO EASY & BEAUTIFUL!

I then started painting. I actually painted my frame first because it needed two coats to cover up all that honey oak. Then I painted my corkboard with a lighter shade of green.

I was able to immediately remove the Shape Tape™ to reveal this beautiful wave pattern. I didn’t have to wait for the paint to dry. I just love it – I want to do it on everything now.

I love how easy it was to give this regular corkboard idea for her room the pop of beachy vibe it needed. This project was done in about 1 hour & that was just because the frame took so long to dry.

Using the Shape Tape™ will make it so easy to add more beachy feel to her whole room. Once we get moved in I can use it on an accent wall in her space too.

This was such a fun project. I can’t wait to move on to larger ones once we get settled.

You can connect & find out more about FrogTape® on Twitter @FrogTape

Be sure to follow them on Pinterest too for more creative inspiration!

So tell me…..what would you paint with Shape Tape™?

Want more projects?

Office Organizer Board

Ocean Waves Glitter Vase

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Blue Raspberry Jello Cups for Kids {Tropical Turtle Beach}

By Kleinworth & Co 8 Comments

Blue Raspberry Jello Cups for Kids {Tropical Turtle Beach} are a fun treat for a tropical party, Hawaiian luau, or a summer pool party. They are easy to make and so cute too!

Are you planning a fun summer pool party? Or maybe you just want something fun – but easy to make for the kids on these hot summer days.

My AWESOME contributor Carrie from Kenarry: Ideas for the Home is back today to share this adorable Tropical Turtle Beach JELL-O idea for Blue Raspberry Jello Cups for Kids with you. I think they are ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!

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Coffee Infused No Bake Cookies

By Kleinworth & Co 3 Comments

Are you cranking on the AC?? Not wanting to turn on that oven to make some easy summer treats? I have just the thing for you! My friend Ariean from One Krieger Chick is here today to share with you this easy recipe for Coffee Infused No Bake Cookies that you will be making again & again. I know I love no-bake treats & when you add coffee- perfection!

Hello Kleinworth & Co Readers! It’s Ariean from One Krieger Chick here to share a yummy no-bake treat perfect for all of you Coffee lovers out there.

For Mother’s Day, my sister gave me a gourmet Gluten-free Espresso No-Bake Cookie and it was delicious. So delicious, in fact, that I have been wanting another one ever since. So, I played around with my favorite No-Bake Cookie recipe until I came up with one that tastes just like how I remember the Espresso cookie tasted.

Print Recipe

Coffee Infused No Bake Cookies

Ingredients

1 c. light Agave Nectar
4 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee with 2 Tbsp. dry non-fat milk powder stirred in while hot let cool
1/2 butter
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
1/2 c. reduced fat creamy peanut butter
3 1/2 to 4 c. old fashioned oats

Instructions

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
Add the agave nectar, cocoa powder, and coffee.
Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Boil 1 minute, then remove from heat.
Stir in vanilla, salt, peanut butter and oats.
Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto wax paper.
Allow to cool and set up.
Store in an airtight container.
Enjoy!

Once you’ve made a few, you could eat the entire batch like I might. Or…package up a few to share with another coffee loving friend.

Small, Sweet, with a hint of Coffee flavor…A Coffee lovers No-Bake Cookie.

If you liked this recipe, you may also like…

3-Ingredient Homemade Coffee Creamer

No-Bake Honey Peanut Butter Balls

Thank you SO MUCH Ariean!!!! These will be made here frequently!!

Want more No-Bake treats?

Banana Caramel Ice Box Cake

Toffee Banana Dippers

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Gluten Free Vegan Cheesecake

Toasted Coconut Banana Ice Cream

Okay- so something that I have not shared with you all yet. The hubs & I are trying a semi-vegan diet. This means that during the week we eat 90% with just 1-2 servings of say milk or cheese. Then on the weekends we add in meat or poultry for one meal. We are in the beginning of this test. Who knows if we’ll like it, how it will make us feel. We are huge carnivores- so trial is key here. But because of this I was super excited when I saw that my dear friend Tamar from Random-osity sent me this Gluten Free Vegan Cheesecake to share with you all today!! Now I can have a treat & not feel guilty at all.

Hi everyone! I’m super excited to be back guest posting for Gina and I am excited to share a recipe with you all today.

When I blog recipes, they are always gluten, dairy, and soy free since I have allergies to all those foods. But fear not, I only blog recipes I know taste good! I also blog recipes connected to my Jewish heritage and that is what I have for you today.

This past week we celebrated the holiday of Shavuot, which is a celebration of our receiving the Torah/Commandments at Mt. Sinai. It’s a very special holiday and one of the customs is to eat dairy meals (we don’t mix milk and meat in Judaism and usually eat meat meals when celebrating). Some of the traditional Shavuot foods include blintzes (Jewish crepes), noodle kugels, and cheesecake.

I was never a fan of the latter when I could eat dairy, but have been curious to try the raw cashew cheesecakes I often see around the interwebs, so try I did. I was super successful and had to share my successes with you! I mean, would you believe this beauty is dairy, gluten, and soy-free and not baked?

Well, feast your eyes on it, because it is all of the above!

The process was quite simple too! I once made a real cheesecake and it was a fickle process, but this was easy-peazy.

Have food processor – will make vegan cheesecake…

Totally justify this as healthy too – nuts, dates, coconut, a little maple syrup, and some orange juice.

I am pleasantly happy with this and even my non-healthy-food enthusiast taste tester deemed it good, but he refused to call it a cheesecake (-:

Gluten Free + Vegan Cheesecake

adapted from: Raw Blueberry Cheesecake

Print Recipe

Gluten Free Vegan Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust ingredients:
1 cup dates soaked overnight
2 cups slivered blanched almonds
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
zest of 1 orange
juice of 1/2 an orange

Cheesecake ingredients:

2 cups raw cashews soaked overnight
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
juice of 1/2 an orange

Topping ideas:

fresh fruit compote
whipped topping
chocolate
the possibilities are endless!

Instructions

soak the dates and cashews, separately, overnight, drain and set aside
In a food processor or blender: blend the crust ingredients, scraping down the sides until blended and the nuts are pulverized.
Press into a greased springform pan and set aside
In food processor or blender: blend the cheesecake ingredients until smooth, scraping down sides
**adjust sweetness to your liking
Pour over crust and spread over evenly
Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and put in freezer to set
Remove from freezer and pan and serve with favorite toppings
Enjoy, enjoy!

Thank you SO MUCH Tamar!!!

I not only love getting new recipes to try but I just find it so interesting to learn about new traditions & customs too.

Want more healthy recipes?

Green Tea Banana Smoothie – This isn’t dairy free – but still good for you.

Toffee Banana Dippers– chocolate chips are gluten free but if you use these Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, Gluten, Dairy, nut & Soy Free, Mini Chips then they are also soy, nut & dairy free too. (omit the toffee)

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Banana Blueberry Smoothie Pops

By Kleinworth & Co 9 Comments

Hey there! Some of you know that for a good long while we lived in the Nevada desert. We learned in that time some tried & true ways to cool down in the hot months. You see- the heat arrives as early as late February & sticks around until close to November. When I say heat- I mean it’s reaching 80 degrees during February & November & to us that meant comfortable. While we were there we had close to if not more than 100 days over 100 degrees. It’s scorching hot there right now. Fortunately we now live in North Idaho – so heat isn’t so much a factor anymore. But I still love making yummy cool treats when it’s finally warm enough here to kick off the heater. One thing I love to make is smoothie pops. These Banana Blueberry Smoothie Pops are really yummy & 100% healthy too.

We like a grab one, sit on the porch & watch the summer thunderstorms roll through.

Because they are all healthy ingredients, the kids like to have these with a bowl of fruit for breakfast too on those warm summer mornings.

Soooo good & if it’s really hot – have two!

Print Recipe

Banana Blueberry Smoothie Pops

Ingredients

1 cup blueberries fresh or frozen
1 large banana
1 cup milk

Instructions

Add all ingredients to blender & blend on high for about 60-90 seconds
Pour into pop molds, insert stick & freeze for several hours until solid
I like to make mine the night before & let them freeze overnight.

These are so incredibly simple- only takes a couple minutes to prepare.

Ready the next morning. EASY!!

Want more summer treats? Check out these!

Mocha Java Ice Cream

Easy Popsicles

Banana Root Beer Float

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Blueberry Cheesecake

By Kleinworth & Co 17 Comments

Hello! Now that it’s summer I’m starting to think about all the summer birthdays we have in our family. I have been playing with the traditional no-bake cheesecake recipe that I took over from the hub’s grandmother. Each year I make her recipe for him. But this year I decided that I wanted something a little different. Because her recipe is no-bake it doesn’t hold it’s shape. So that means getting a traditional slice gets messy – unlike a New York Style Cheesecake. So these No Bake Blueberry Cheesecakes in individual serving cups solved my problem.

The traditional topping in our house is cherry, it’s the hubs favorite!

It’s everything you love in a cheesecake- in a perfect little personal size.

Blueberry Cheesecake www.kleinworthco.com

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Blueberry Cheesecake

Ingredients

2 sleeves 18 full size crackers Graham Crackers
16 ounces 2blocks Cream Cheese
1 14oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/4 cup Lemon Juice
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Blueberry Pie Filling

Instructions

Place your graham crackers in food processor & pulse until you have find crumbs.
Add 1-2 tbsp to bottom of each glass - set aside
Place cream cheese in mixer bowl & beat until smooth
Slowly add in sweetened condensed milk while beating & continue mixing until fully incorporated
Continue beating & add in lemon juice & vanilla extract.
Scrape down sides & beat again for another 30 seconds to be sure all in combined & there are no lumps.
Spoon into each glass on top of graham cracker crumb layer
Top with pie filling
Cover & refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving

Want the topping recipes?

Blueberry Pie Filling

Cherry Pie Filling

And you can use them to make this Cherry Pie Parfait too (or blueberry if you prefer)

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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DIY Scrappy Flag Pillow

By Kleinworth & Co 7 Comments

YAY! I mentioned to you all yesterday that I LOVE patriotic things. I can’t get enough & I am bummed out that we are in the middle of the moving, packing, chaos & I am not decorating for the 4th of July. Soooooo you can imagine how excited I was to see that my AWESOME contributor Amber from Averie Lane was so sweet & kept with the PATRIOTIC LOVE & created this AWESOME DIY Scrappy Flag Pillow to share with you all today. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!!!!!! Check it out!

Hi I’m Amber from Averie Lane and I am back to share a super easy sewing tutorial with you today!

As you know, we just celebrated Memorial Day and before we know it, it’ll be the Fourth of July! Which really only means one thing…

Red, White & Blue.

I came up with this idea for a flag pillow to use up the scraps leftover from a pillow making marathon over Memorial weekend.

It turned out so cute, I just knew I needed to share the tutorial with you!

Supplies:

Scrap Fabric ( red, white and blue )

sewing machine

thread (I used RED)

burlap

poly fill

Step 1:

Cut your scraps to the following sizes

2 Red @ 1.5 in x 11 in

1 White @ 1.5 in x 11 in

2 Red @ 1.5 in x 18 in

2 White @ 1.5 in x 18 in

1 Blue @ 4 in x 7 in

( or 4 Blue to equal 4 in x 7 in – I had to do this to get my scraps to work right, but its not necessary)

2 Burlap (or other fabric ) 13 in x 20 inch

Step 2:

Starting with the 3 short strips, lay them out so they alternate red, white and red. Sew your strips WRONG SIDES together with the smallest seam allowance you can manage.

Repeat with 4 long strips.

*NOTE* When you sew your strips together they may no longer line up evenly with all the other pieces. Just trim everything after sewing so it fits together nicely. Remember – this is a scrappy pillow and isn’t meant to be perfect!!

Step 4:

Sew the short side of your 3 Short strips to short side of your BLUE rectangle. (again wrong sides together)

Step 5:

Sew your 4 strips to your piece with the blue rectangle and the 3 short strips.

Step 6:

Iron the flag so all the seams are open – trim excess fabric so your stripes become more defined.

Step 7:

Center your scrappy flag on 1 of your 13″ x 20″ pieces of burlap. Pin in place.

Step 8:

Using a zig zag or straight stitch sew around the edge of your flag to connect it to burlap.

Step 9:

Place your two pieces of burlap Right sides together and sew together leaving a 3 to 4 inch opening on one side. Turn right side out and fill with poly-fill. Sew the opening shut with a slip stitch.

When you’re all done you’ll have this fun Scrappy Flag Pillow!

Mine is the perfect finishing touch to my Americana themed porch swing!

I love how it ties a hodge podge of fabrics together in one pillow!

What do you think!? Will you give it a try?

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!

If you liked this project, be sure to follow me!

Thank you SO MUCH Amber- I will be giving this a try once I get set up in my new studio space.

Want More Projects & Tutorials?

How to Sew ~ Tips for Getting Started

No Sew Sleep Mask

No Sew Patriotic Hair Ties

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Midnight Texture Set ~ Life n’ Reflection

White Chocolate Custard Frozen Pops

As part of being on the Life n’Reflection design team, I get the chance to try out some of the new photoshop textures & goodies Kristy is offering. I love it because it gives me a chance to play in photoshop & push my creativity where I normally wouldn’t. I’m so wrapped up with all the images for this here blog & for my clients- that I rarely just process images for fun. In fact- I rarely pick up the camera for anything other than work these days. So I welcome the opportunity to play when I can.

This month I’m trying out these new Midnight Textures Set. They give a grungy feel if you leave them at full opacity (which is really fun for urban feel sessions with the kids) or you can play with blending modes & opacities. The results are just gorgeous!!!

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Black & White Fudge Pops

By Kleinworth & Co 9 Comments

*Disclosure: I have been compensated for this post with product. All opinions are truthful & my own.

All through my childhood there was a certain frozen treat that was a constant – the fudgesicle. It was one of my grandfather’s favorite treats & my grandmother would stock up on them at a place called Price Club (which was one of the first for places like Costco). My grandfather had a sweet tooth & chocolate was his thing. I could say that’s where I got it from- but the fact of the matter is, there are many in my family with a serious chocolate addiction. My grandmother was so good about making sure he always had his favorites. True love I tell you. They knew each other from the time they were about 4-5 years old – sweetest love story. So anyhow, when I look back on my favorite things from my childhood- which seems to be something that happens more in the summer than other times of year- I always remember the fudgesicle being present. So I decided to do my thing- twist it up a bit & make these Black & White Fudge Pops to give an old time favorite a Gina flare.

Just like I remember them- but now fancier!

The whole family – even the hubs- polished these off in no time. I was actually surprised by the hubs- he tends to lean towards things like pie & traditional home favorites. He’s not a huge chocolate guy- but these- he loved these.

Print Recipe

Black & White Fudge Pops

Ingredients

1/3 cup Milk Candy & Molding Chocolate
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp dutch process cocoa powder
2-1/2 cups 2% milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp salted butter
1/2 cup milk Dipping and Coating chocolate- for dipping
1/2 bottle Drizzle and Design White Chocolate to decorate

Instructions

Place molding chocolate in saucepan- heat on low until melted. Stirring frequently.
Add sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder & milk to melted chocolate - heat over medium - stirring to combine.
Continue cooking until mixture thickens- about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat - add butter & vanilla - stir to combine.
Transfer to pop molds, insert sticks - freeze overnight.
The next day melt dipping chocolate in microwave in 30 second increments until melted & smooth
Remove pops from mold & quickly dip in melted chocolate & place on parchment lined baking sheet.
Melt white chocolate to package directions & drizzle over pops to decorate
Place pops back in freezer to set about 15 minutes
Transfer to airtight container for storage or serve immediately

Chocolate I used…

1 lb Bada Bing Bada Boom Candy & Molding Formula – Milk to mix in

1 lb. Bada Bing Bada Boom Dipping and Coating Milk to coat

1 Bottle Drizzle and Design White Chocolate to decorate

Want More POPS?

Cherry Limeade Pops

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

How to Sew ~ Tips for Getting Started