Monday, December 27, 2010

Christmas Gifts...

Well we got all kinds of Christmas gifts this year from toys for MacKenzie to a new purse for mommy and coffee mugs for daddy! These coffee mugs were quite interesting! Soon as they arrived in the mail (sent from my father in law) I just knew they were vintage! I looked at the bottom of the cup and it looked as though I was right so off I went to the information super highway to do some research! Within 5 minutes I had located the information I needed to confirm that yes they were vintage! I found some interesting things out about these little coffee mugs too! The brand of the coffee mugs were Anchor Hocking Fire-King and some of this line was even used on Martha Stewart's cooking show! Here are a few things I found while doing some research:
Source              
Fire-King was originally produced in the 1940s for everyday use, rather than display. It was often sold in bags of flour as a promotional item or was given away at gas stations. Fire-King could also be purchased at local grocery and hardware stores.
Today, Fire-King is an affordable collectible found in antique stores, garage sales, flea markets, and thrift stores, as well as on the Internet. Source

What a neat story that came along with these little coffee mugs! I love the ones we got they are green to match our new kitchen theme! My father in law also got my husband a coffee pot that matches as well! Why do you ask is this a gift for the hubby and not me? Well I'm not a coffee or tea drinker but my husband has been into drinking hot tea lately so it was the perfect gift for him! I too love to see those pretty coffee mugs and the cute tea pot sitting out on my stove though! My daughter even loves the tea pot we had to convince her that her's was more fun! A real tea pot is a bit heavy for a one year old to carry around but she did it until we put it up and reminded her of her own toy tea pot!

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

New Crafty Projects!

I have alot of new projects going on hence the absence of blogging....so this is whats going to happen...I will take this break from Blogging then once my projects are done I will blog about them and show pictures! Here are a few of my new projects:
1) Dress for MacKenzie
2) Redecorate MacKenzie's Room to a toddler room
3) Making stuff for MacKenzie's First Birthday Party
4) A few holiday crafts (I know already but better now than putting it off and never doing them!)
5) Lots of new hair bows and hair accessories!
6) Pillowcase dress for a friends daughter (we may work on this together, it's going to be adorable!)
7) Adding new decor to my kitchen, living room, hallway, and dining room (we moved in and I was pregnant and didn't feel like doing much now I'm ready to decorate this house!)

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Thrifty Thursday's

Picture from: Click Here
I got MacKenzie this Kids Digital Camera used for $1 and when I was looking for one new they ranged $40-$95! We got a really good deal! Soon I will be posting some of the pictures she takes with it!

Monday, October 4, 2010

Magazine Mondays is Back!

Womens Day December 1.2009

Simple Inspirations

I love the insert in the back of all the Womens Day magazines called Simple Inspirations! It's wonderful! It's just a bunch of qoutes by famous people such as Dolly Parton, Joan Rivers, Winston Churchill, Nicole Kidman and many more!

Here's one from th Dec. 2009 issue that I love:

"We make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give." Winston Churchill
I believe that many people that have went to school for social work would agree that when going into such a field you must believe in this statement!  Social work is all about giving back and helping others, I miss all the things I got to do in school to help others. I normally find ways outside of school to help others but since I've moved to the Island and had a baby well it's just tough to have time. I am starting to give back as I get use to my new role of being a parent!  I just donated a ton of stuff this week and I did the walk for breast cancer...now I need to plan some stuff for next month...baby steps...as they say...little by little I will get back in to my social worker attitude!

If you would like to join in on the fun of Magazine Mondays just pick an article  from a magazine you love and want to share and write about it on your blog and link back to this blog! Leave a link on my blog for your Magazine Mondays so I can comment on your blog as well as other readers!

Saturday, October 2, 2010

2010 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

2010 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer
Honolulu, HI


Saturday, October 2, 2010

I had such a great time today at the walk it was a 5-mile walk route from Richardson Field to Ford Island.  It was way easier than I thought it would be especially since I pushed a stroller the entire way and for about a 1/2 mile carried MacKenzie in my forward carrier while pushing her stroller as well! Whew! That was some work! I signed up about three days before the walk so there wasn't alot of planning involved but I am so glad I jumped in and went for it! What fun! I want to do another walk again sometime! I did this one in honor of my Aunt and my Grandmother who had breast cancer but were both survivors! I only raised $5 since it was only three days but next time I do one I will try and plan in advance and raise more money! Pictures to come at a later date!

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Where have I been?

Well, Magazines Mondays, Thrifty Thursdays, Aloha Fridays, and even catch up Saturdays have been on hold since I went on vacation! We went to the Big Island of Hawaii! It was so much fun and it was the first vacation I have went on since I had my daughter, it was really different and exciting to have her along for vacation! Here are some photos from our trip:

Monday, September 27, 2010

Baby Clothing Addictions

I love to buy baby clothing so much that I wondered do I have an addiction to buying them? Well actually I don't one thing about addition is that you can't stop yourself and well I can. Also I've read some other moms blogs about being addicted to buying them and well it's normal anyways! I think it's fun to dress my baby in all kinds of cute stuff and it's fun to buy them too! I find myself shopping for her way more than myself these days! She's more in style that me! Don't get me wrong I still try to keep up my appearence but her closet it packed way more than mine!

Do you have a baby clothing addition? What are your favorite brands?

I LOVE Carters! I also have alot more faves but just too many to list!

These are carters outfits we have all of these but pink one on the right which I believe my daughters friend Isla does have, her mom and I love this brand! I am assuming one day we will accidently dress them in the same outfit at the same time but it would be cute for them to be dressed the same!

This one my mom bought for MacKenzie, it is also Carters brand! Very cute!


Friday, September 24, 2010

Trying something new!

I've been taking my daughters portraits since she was born and I was getting tired of doing the same type of photo shoots so I signed up for a online photography school (not for a future degree, just for fun and it's free!). The first day I reviewed some material on the website I got inspired! The website showed a new type of baby photography that I wished I knew about since MacKenzie was a newborn.  They set up a link to a blog of a lady who made this popular. Click here to see her blog.

This is my version of this type of photography (notice my baby is awake as she is much too old to be sleeping thru such a thing).

Photo Removed For PRIVACY reasons, sorry...

Monday, September 20, 2010

KCWC


Want to join in on the fun click here.

The challenge is to:
For one hour each day the week of September 20-26 work on making clothes for kids.
 
Look for what I make next week!
 
 

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Gardening and Beyond!

My family has been into to gardening alot lately! We love it so much! It's wonderful family time outdoors too! I ran across this cute idea while reading a blog and wanted to share:
Click here to view the blog that this idea came from.
I love to read blogs about DIY projects, I would say that was what first got me into reading blogs. I have found so many neat ideas others have posted on their blogs and I was able to do something similiar for my own home! Even if you can't replicate their project exactly it's okay it's not the point it's just a way to get your creative juices going and make something of your own that works in a similiar way for you! I love this idea above and may do something similiar soon!

Hair Clip Storage Solutions!

If you have many different types of hair clips this one would work well! Also great for traveling!


This idea came from: click here.
Cute idea for clips...
This idea came from a blog I read click here to view.

I love this idea so much! I may do something similiar for Miss.MacKenzie's little clips!

Click here for the instructions on how to make it!


Above image from: click here.
This is a similar idea with bigger clips but I think I like the one above this one better! I think the big clips need bigger dresses to go with them!

 

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Saturday Blog Catchup #2

Saturday Blog Catchup

Thrifty Thursday's

Here are some things I did recently that I consider to be thrifty!

1) Ordered Business Cards online a couple weeks ago and forgot to mention the great deal I got! I saved money just from ordering online instead of getting them in a office store then I got them on sale at 50% off the normal price! What a deal!

2) Old Navy shopping trip! We went to Old Navy on Military Savings day! We got a percentage off on all our purchases! Plus they were having a sale that was 30-40% off the already low clearence marked items! I got MacKenzie a adorable pair of shoes that were not on sale but still very cheap for soft sole mary janes for babies, I paid $7.50 before the military discount was taken off!

3) Got a T.J. Beary Tales story for MacKenzie's Bear on clearence for only $1! This was at our military store on base we call the Annex.



What have you done to be thrifty lately?

Vacation coming!

My little family is about to take a vacation to the BIG Island at the end of September! We are really excited! Some of the things I've been thinking about doing while there are:
1) Visit Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens
2) Visit Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corp.
3) Visit Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park
4) Visit Punalu'u Black Sand Beach
5) Shopping on the Big Island of course! One place I want to go shopping at is: Ali'i Gardens Market Place


Image from: click here
Black Sand Beach
To join in on the fun: click here
Here's this week’s edition of Aloha Friday!
Just simply ask a question for your readers to answear or ponder!

My question/statement is . .
For all you moms out there: What was the most creative/fun play date you went to for your baby/toddler? If you don't recall one then what would you of liked to do for a play date for your small child but never got around to it?

So far I've not attended any too creative ones (just your normal play dates) but I am hoping to create some fun ones for my friends and my daughter/her little friends! I really love to be creative so it's right up my alley! Also I love to do fun things with my little baby girl and it's nice to have things to look foward to like fun play dates! One of my upcoming events is a baby race! All the babies will be using a toy car and they will all be the same ones too! It's going to be adorable and fun for both mommy's and babies, (at least I hope so!).

Monday, September 6, 2010

Magazine Mondays!


All these pictures above are of the different magazine articles I wanted to share.

The top left side is a article from Womans Day (October 7th, 2008).  This article is about Halloween and how to do some cute crafts for the holiday! I love fall and I love to decorate for it and all the holiday during fall! I also put candy corn in a jar around Halloween and I loved the way this article shows it displayed!  I also love that it gives tips from websites that are helpful! Here are some of the links: JACK-O-LANTERN.COM  CRAYOLA.COM/HALLOWEEN   WILTON.COM   FRIGHTCATALOG.COM

Hope those links are helpful to you this fall!

The top right hand side is a article I found when I was pregnant with MacKenzie. I thought these babies looked so cute in their customes! I kept it just incase I liked one of the ideas for her when it was time for her first Halloween! The only problem is I like the one in the top left (Baby Bug-Gymboree's Glow Worm $30) and it's much too warm for here in Hawaii! I need to find a custome that doesn't keep her warm! This is a hard thing I just found out, over the weekend I went shopping for a custome and well I ended up with nothing so far! I may just have to make her one! This article was from AmericanBaby Magazine (October 2009).

The next two in the middle are Halloween Crafts! I kept these to do later and I'm glad I kept them because they are so adorable! The article came from Womens Day Magazine (October 2.2007) For more Halloween crafts from Womens Day go to womanday.com/halloween 

The next article is from Real Simple Magazine (April 2008).  This article was about Fabric Fundamentals! I love articles like these! They really help out a home maker!
This article has tips on fabrics such as: Linen, Cotton, Synethetics, Wool, Silk, and Rayon.
Tips:
Wool - Use Cedar hangers to repel moths.
Silk - Test for colorfastness
Rayon - Iron when slightly damp
Cotton- Sun yellows it: line dry in shade.
Synthetics - Use fabric softner to curb static
Linen - Dry-Clean or hand wash in cold with mild detergent. Air-Dry. Or machine wash on gentle.

My own tips for baby clothing:
1) Wash in mild detergents for babies sensitive skin
2) Use a dryer ball not fabric softner
3) Wash seperate from all other household laundry
4) Wash soiled clothing seperate and make sure to pre-rinse
5) Hang out clothing that has stains in the sun it normally will remove stains (this can lead to a lighter or more yellow color to the overall outfit but better than a huge spot!)


Saturday, September 4, 2010

Saturday Blog Catchup

This blog is for all those blogs I don't get to during the week like my Thrifty Thursdays or Aloha Fridays....Some weeks I get so busy I don't get to them in time.

Thrifty Thursday:

This week I was still Miss. Thrifty but didn't have the time to include my thriftyness in my blog.

Here is how I was thrifty for the week:
1) Got a used stroller at a yard sale to take on vacation so our expensive one will not be put thru the abuse in the airport etc. for $7! Full size stroller too!
2) Got a Little Tykes swing for my daughters little friend for $1 from a thrift store, my daughter has the same one but in Fisher Price brand and we love it!
3) Took a free Yoga class sponsered by a new mom support group for Navy moms
4) Went to a bag sale at local thrift store where you can fill a bag for $5, and I got a ton of baby clothes!
5) Found some leggings for my baby for yoga class on cleareance at the department store on base for $2 and a bathingsuit for her for the next size up for $5!
6) Still enjoying using the points programs for my daughters diapers/wipes where I go online and put in codes from the diapers and wipes and they add up to get discounts and free stuff!
7) Registered with a company to fill out surveys and receive a few phone calls to get free baby stuff like sippy cups and I got a discount on my business cards for doing it too!

What did you do this week to be thrifty?

Friday, September 3, 2010

Monday, August 30, 2010

Magazine Monday's!

I've had a love for reading magazine's since I was a teenager! Then I read magazine's like Seventeen Magazine and Glamour now I read Women's Day, Real Simple, Martha Stewert Living, and an assortment of Scrapbooking/paper crafting magazines. Those are just to name a few! I've starting reading parenting magazines as well! This blog on Monday's will be a time to share things I read in those magazines as well as projects and ideas I've found useful.  For a little over 5 years now I've been saving a collection of pages from my magazines instead of the entire magazine...the saved pages include recipes, craft projects and tips on cleaning for example. Some of these pages I've put into a scrapbook others just a small box...this blog will be a way for me to put together all those favorites I've saved and share them as well.
To participate it's easy, just post something that interested you from a magazine on Mondays and mention the magazine you got it from of course. Also comment on Homemaker's Heaven Magazine Mondays entry each week that you blog and that way I can comment on your blog as well as other participants. Please share links to the magazines if you would like or pictures as well! Feel free to use the image above for purposes of Magazine Mondays in conjuction with this blog. Also please make sure to make a link back to this blog on your Magazine Monday blog! Thanks! Have a Happy MONDAY!

For this weeks Magazine's Monday:

Magazine = Family Circle
Article Subject: Food
Title: The best BAKING PANS

This article is nice because it informs you of what basic stuff you need for baking. This is good for newbies and also people who are down sizing the house from having too much clutter (what do I really need to keep?).

The Basics:
two 9-inch round cake pans
one 10-inch tube pan
one 8- or 9-inch square cake pan, preferably 2 inches deep
one 9-inch pie dish
one bundy pan
two jelly roll pans (1-inch lip all around) or cookie sheets (small lip at one end)
one 9x5x3-inch loaf pan
two 12-cup muffin tins

if you have room:
one mini-muffin tin (24 cups)
one 9-inch spring form pan
one 1.5-quart souffle dish
one quiche pan
assorted tart pans, gratin dishes and ramekins
one madeline pan
pastry, biscuit and assorted cookie cutters; flour sifter

Must-Have Accesories:
rolling pin
two cooling racks
liquid and dry measuring cups
two sets of measuring spoons
three mixing bowls that nest
a silicone baking mat
 mixing utensils: wooden spoon, rubber and slotted spatuals, icing spreaders (offset and straight)

This article was written by: Tery Trucco

Turns out I have most of the these items but on the "if you have room" list I am missing a few items but I have things not listed as well. I wish I had this list when I was stocking up my kitchen with bake ware, it would of made the venture a bit easier!

What are your most used baking items in your kitchen? Mine would be a cookie sheet... 

Friday, August 27, 2010

Aloha Friday!

Aloha Friday!

We are about to take my 8 Month daughter on a vacation this fall and it will be her first time flying. I am trying to think ahead for all that I need to plan to get her ready for this. We need to pack different types of outfits for her (since we'll be in a colder location that we are use to) and we will need to bring her pack n play, toys, car seat, stroller and much more! WOW! This is going to be one vacation to remember!

Do you remember a vacation that was especially difficult for you? (Like you got sick during it, you took your baby for the first time on vacation, your first time flying etc.)
What was your situation?

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Birthday Decisions....

Well my little one will be turning 1 in November so I'm planning her party and the theme is giving me the most trouble! I can't decide! I have a list a mile long of the themes I like! Here are a few: Rainbow Party (seen this on another moms blog and it was adorable!), Hawaiian Party ( live in Hawaii -decorations will be easy to find! perfect), Hello Kitty (alot of this stuff on the island too), Ballerina ( I took ballet for many many years so I love this), Princess (she's my princess!), Minnie Mouse, and Lady Bug (a little over done but cute!).  Any suggestions or vote for one of these???

Magazine Monday's!

Homemaker's Heaven

I've had a love for reading magazine's since I was a teenager! Then I read magazine's like Seventeen Magazine and Glamour now I read Women's Day, Real Simple, Martha Stewert Living, and an assortment of Scrapbooking/paper crafting magazines. Those are just to name a few! I've starting reading parenting magazines as well! This blog on Monday's will be a time to share things I read in those magazines as well as projects and ideas I've found useful.  For a little over 5 years now I've been saving a collection of pages from my magazines instead of the entire magazine...the saved pages include recipes, craft projects and tips on cleaning for example. Some of these pages I've put into a scrapbook others just a small box...this blog will be a way for me to put together all those favorites I've saved and share them as well.
To participate it's easy, just post something that interested you from a magazine on Mondays and mention the magazine you got it from of course. Also comment on Homemaker's Heaven Magazine Mondays entry each week that you blog and that way I can comment on your blog as well as other participants. Please share links to the magazines if you would like or pictures as well! Feel free to use the image above for purposes of Magazine Mondays in conjuction with this blog. Also please make sure to make a link back to this blog on your Magazine Monday blog! Thanks! Have a Happy MONDAY!

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Thrifty Thursday's!

Thrifty Thursday is something I wanted to start on this blog from the beginning but it took me a while to get everything ready! So here are the rules:
1.) Got to love being thrifty!
2.) Share something you did that was thrifty for that week or during the month.
3.) To let others see your post comment on my thrifty thursday blog and invite others to look at your post for the week.
4.) You also must comment on at least one other blogger's Thrifty Thursday post whether it be mine or someone elses. As Thrifty Thursday grows we will ask you to comment on a few more per week so everyone can join in on sharing!
Okay that's it! That was easy! Now I will share my Thrifty Thursday a day late to get things started!

Thrifty Thursday

I decided to go to my usual thrift store this week but not to look for my usual buys...I wanted to explore other things that I could find to be thrifty! I love to do crafts so I looked around and sure enough I found some things to help me with my crafting! Crafting can get expensive so this really helps! Here is a list of my finds:
1.) Photo Prop for Baby Photo's- Red Silk Mini Purse
2.) Something to add to my Fall wreath this year...
3.) A picture frame, not sure what I'm going to use it for yet but I found it particular special since my family has a love for board games and it was so unique! (cost was $1)
4.) A Toddler Dress in Size 4 (to be used to make a apron for my daughter) This seemed to be perfect sense it had cherries on it and something about the red and white just appealed to me. (cost was $1)
The Before...
The After...
5.) A picnic Basket (it looks brand new, it has a removable liner you can wash too) I loved this because I've always wanted a picnic basket but never find one that I really like. I love this one with the exception of the flowers on it. I am thinking of changing the flowers but we'll see. I'm planning on using it the first time this weekend on a family picnic...me the hubby and baby MacKenzie! We love going on picnics!
6.) I know, I know...the list is still going! I really did great this week! The next wonderful find was a suprise for sure! I found a Teddy Ruxpin ( I had one when I was a child and loved it!) this Teddy looked untouched! I can't beleive the good condition it is in! My daughter already loves it and I've not even got batteries in it yet! I of course only let her play with it while I'm sitting with her since it's for ages 3 and up but it's really a great toy for story time anyways!
7.) Okay so my daughter loves Teddy Bears, I figured this out because I had one in my room since she was born she's always adored looking at it then she began to love to play with it so just about any time we are out and she sees a teddy she seems to love it! So where am I going with this, you ask? well I found another amazing Teddy Bear! This one is much like Teddy Ruxpin but it is much much much more expensive and for good reason! It's face, ears, and arms all move! It talks to you, sings and tells stories! You can even buy items for it to place in his hands that he will wave around and these items come with special stories too! So what is this wonderful bears name? T.J. Beary Tales! We only have the story and songs that come with him but MacKenzie loves him! I do however want to order some from ebay to add to the one she has! Okay the best part I saved for last! This bear retails for around...okay gasp here....$190.00! I paid $1 that right $1! Now thats a deal!

8.) Last but not least...a Fisher Price Drum for my daughter...okay okay I know...I said I was getting crafty stuff only but I found these things and well couldn't pass them up they were awesome and to think for the toys I paid a grand total of $3! My daughter has a collection adding up of musical toys because we do music time everyday! She really enjoys it, we sit together and I get out instruments for her, I sing to her, I play music for her, and I encourage her to move to the beat of the music! So much fun! These drums were in my preschool classroom when I taught toddlers and I remembered the children loving them! I had to get them for MacKenzie, I just know she is going to enjoy them!

Okay that was it! I know it was alot but not every week is this good! Who am I kidding, I'm pretty good at this! I have a eye for these deals...or so I've been told!

Friday, August 20, 2010

Beach in a glass!

Okay I have a beach theme in my guest bathroom and I found this wondeful idea on someone else's crafty blog and I LOVE IT! I want to do something similiar for my guest bathroom shelf! When I get around to making it I will post my version of this marvelous idea!
Photo and Idea from: click here

Aloha Friday

To participate in ALOHA FRIDAY click here.
For Aloha Friday you simply ask a question to your readers.

My question is: What items from your childhood did you keep and why?
My Answear: small purse (because it was my first one), ballet shoes (because it was special to me, I took ballet for 19 years), a toy hair brush that came with a purse (not sure why), cabbage patch doll (it's cute!), and a few other random things...

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Craft Area Chaos Solved!

So I love do crafts and I have a ton of supplies that are tee tiny! I made these lovely boxes to store them all in and it works wondefully! Most of these supplies are my scrapbooking supplies (my favorite craft). I got the boxes from Jo-Ann Fabrics Store I believe and I used 1/4 inch black ribbon around the sides. The ribbon was put on by using scrapbooking doublesided ribbon tape (found at wal-mart). I found the tags used in the office supply area of Wal-Mart and just wrote on them to label them! Simple Project!

So whats in some of these boxes you ask??

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Pig N a Blanket

A McMurry Family favorite! We've recently changed them up a bit! We switched the dough for them to Pillsbury Buttery Cresent Rolls and the meat we use is now hot dogs with no nitrates and they are made of black angus beef! So tastier and a bit healthier! Want to try these hot dogs click here for coupon! For a Pillsbury Coupon click here!

Girl Scout Cookies made healthier!

Click here for Recipes

There are many different recipes out there that are similiar to girl scout cookies but these are healthier and sound really tasty! I'm going to start out trying the Samoas first they sound really good with the added coconut! I'll update you on how mine turned out but wanted to share this website now incase someone else wanted to try them now too! YUMMY!
Image from: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/uimages/kitchen/2009_04_02-Samoa.jpg

Monday, August 16, 2010

Craft room has been occupied alot lately...

I have many new crafts I've been working on and soon when I finish some I will be posting pics of them! I am currently working on new bows and flower clips for MacKenzie and I'm working on a cute little apron for her! Can't wait to finish them and post pics!

Friday, August 13, 2010

Being green can cause you to spend the green...

Ever noticed that being "Green" can cause you to spend more money? Well here are some ways to be "Green" without spending lots of money!

Shopping at thrift stores (you are reusing materials that may otherwise get thrown in the garbage)
You can buy books, clothes, shoes, purses, and much more from thrift stores!

Bring your Own Bag (the new military slogan at the exchanges)... use green bags... this is fairly cheap to do...if you don't go crazy buying expensive bags! Don't cheap out too much and buy the $1 bags though they don't last long (if you wash them). Canvas bags work out great!

Once your done with clothing, books etc. donate them or to make some money yard sale them!

Recycle! In Hawaii you can turn in your cans and bottles and actually get your deposit back!

Here's a easy one...turn out the lights when you leave a room! Saves energy!

Go to the library! It's wonderful to read library books and return them once your done (no need to donate and there was no need to spend the money on the book in the first place!) It's nice to know that many people get use out of one book!

Okay get out there and B green! (the cheap way!)

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Pineapple Upside Down Mini Cakes


One of the types of fruit that I have come to love since living on this beautiful Island of Oahu is Pineapple! Today I decided I was going to make some Pineapple Upside Down Mini Cakes! Yummy! Recipe and photos soon to follow! It's a EASY and QUICK treat and great for summer desserts for those of you on the main land!

As Promised:

Recipe=

You will need:

2/3 cup of packed brown sugar

1/3 cup of butter, melted ( I used 1 and a half sticks of butter once it melts it's not very much)

2 (20 ounce) cans sliced pineapple (I used 1 can of crushed pineapple)

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix (follow directions on package to make cake batter with the exception of using your drained pineapple juice from the can of pineapples in place of most of the water it is likely you will need 1/3 cup of vegetable oil and 3 eggs to make the cake mix)

Maraschino cherries halved (12 cherries) if you would like to top the cakes with them ( I didn't but only because I didn't have them available this time)


Now this is the fun and EASY way to make it:

Preheat oven 350 degrees

Grab a muffin pan or two that will fit 12 muffins in it...I used one muffin pan and three mini loaf pans but you can use two large muffin pans as well, whatever you have available. Once you have your bakeware you need to line it with pam or whatever you use to grease your pans. Next you put one level teaspoon or so of brown sugar in each muffin slot. Next pour butter to cover the brown sugar in each cup. Then you will Put 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of crushed pineapple into each slot. Mix cake mix according to box instructions except use your pineapple juice for as much of the water it calls for you can what ever amount of juice you lack use water to fill the difference. Put one tablespoon cake batter into each muffin slot (some may need a bit more use your own judgement on how much based on how they look...you want it to be about the same in each if you can so they all are about the same size (especially if you are making them for a event etc.) Now you will bake them for 19-23 at 350 degrees until brown and toothpick comes out clean or cake tester stick. Transfer bakes cakes as soon as cooked. Place a tinfoiled covered cookie sheet over muffin pan and flip cakes onto sheet. Your done! See it was EASY! Now once you are doing enjoying your dessert put those leftovers in the frigde loosly covered! This is to insure the cake doesn't get hard and otherwise distasteful too soon! Hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!


Also I wanted to add that if you are going to be visiting Oahu or live on Oahu The Dole Pineapple Farm is a great place to visit! They have a maze, gardens, gift shop, train ride tour (AKA Pineapple Express) and a wonderful thing called a Dole whip which you must try! Yummy!