All You Magazine at Dollar General Store

“This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and All You, but all my opinions are my own. #lifeforless #pmedia http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO


I think I may have mentioned this to you all this before....I am a magazine and cookbook fanatic!
I love the feel of a brand new magazine and the excitement of all the great ideas, tips and recipes that await me inside those glossy pages. 
Nothing is more relaxing to me than sitting on the deck with a Diet Coke and a new magazine :)

All You has been one of my faves for quite a while. 
All You is packed full of decorating ideas, beauty, fashion and exercise tips, craft challanges, cleaning tips, recipes galore and coupons!
If you are a coupon clipper, then All You is the magazine for you!
My latest issue had more than 15 coupons inside!
Now granted, I won't use all of those products, but I will definitely get back the $3 I paid for the magazine plus some. Woo hoo!

Now you may be asking "Where can I find this fabulous magazine?".
You can now find All You at Dollar General Store!
Check out All You here http://www.allyou.com/value.

Here is the July issue.

I was so excited to see cupcakes on the cover!! 

 

Nothing says summer like fresh strawberries, so I was all over making this cover recipe.
Instant Strawberry Shortcake - yes please!

I decided to garnish my cupcakes with fresh mint.

My little container garden is doing quite well :)

This recipe was super easy, especially using a box cake mix!

I'll even share the recipe with you :)

 

 

Instant Strawberry Shortcake 

 

Mix up a batch of your favorite yellow cupcakes or try this recipe.

Cut cooled cupcakes in half crosswise.

Top with 1 Tbsp. strawberry jam and 1 or 2 Tbsp. whipped cream.

Repeat layers.

Garnish with fresh strawberries and serve right away.

 

What are you waiting for?!? 

Run out to your Dollar General Store and get your copy of All You!

Coupons, recipes, informative articles, puzzles and tips galore are at your finger tips! 

Happy Reading :)

 

Funfetti Oatmeal

Oh my goodness.
I found a way to enjoy my beloved oatmeal for dessert!
Add Funfetti cake mix!
Oatmeal that tastes like cake batter - yes please :)



















Funfetti Oatmeal

1/2 cup rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup water
2-3 T Funfetti Cake Mix

Bring water to a boil.  Add oats to boiling water and reduce heat to medium.
Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and add cake mix.
Top with almond milk and additional sprinkles if desired.

Linking to:
Your Home Based Mom

Cascade Platinum Pacs #MyPlatinum

“I participated in this campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Cascade. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.”

When I bake I tend to use ALOT of bowls, spatulas, measuring cups, etc.
My dishwasher definitely gets a workout!
The thing that gets me is that I always need to rinse my dishes before I put them in the dishwasher to make sure they come out clean. 
Not cool. 
Who has time for that!

So when Cascade Platinum offered me the chance to try their new Platinum Pacs
I was all over it.
Don't the Platinum Pacs look cool!



















I decided to put Cascade to the test.
This is my morning green monster smoothie glass. 
I even let it sit all day before putting it in the dishwasher.

 

This is my smoothie glass after using Cascade Platinum - wow!

Sparkly clean!

I'm sold!

 

Now, more than ever, people eat with their eyes, and the evidence is all over sites like Facebook and Instagram. With that in mind, Top Chef judge and editor of Food+Wine magazine, Gail Simmons, has partnered with Cascade to discuss why presentation is just as important as preparation.

Learn more about Cascade's partnership with Gail Simmons by viewing videos available on the link to the Cascade Facebook page and Cascade's YouTube page.

 

How would you like to win a $10,000 Kitchenaid Kitchen Makeover?
The Cascade “My Platinum” contest is a four week Instagram contest that encourages all of us food lovers to upload photos related to the weekly contest themes. Show off how sparkly Cascade makes all your pots, pan and plates!
Each week you will have a 6-day entry period where you can enter the contest with your #MyPlatinum Photo. Cascade will choose two weekly winners and one final grand prize winner after the entry period has ended. Be sure to include both the #MyPlatinum hashtag and tag @MyCascade in your entries to the contest! If you are not on Instagram yet, you will have to sign up before entering the contest.  There are almost two weeks left, so go take those photos!

Weekly Contest Themes

• Week 1: My Platinum Plate (Entry Period: 6/3-6/9): Show us your best dish styled from the sparkling plate up!

• Week 2: My Platinum Bite (Entry Period: 6/10-6/16): Show us your best bite and most creative use of sparkling silverware!

• Week 3: My Platinum Clink (Entry: 6/17-6/23): Show us how you serve up creative concoctions in sparkling glasses. Cheers!

• Week 4: My Platinum Table (Entry Period: 6/24-6/30): Show us your sparkling tablescape for your most special celebrations!

• Grand Prize Winner (Entry: 6/3-6/30)

Instagram your favorite foods or super clean dishes and maybe you can win!

To learn more about Cascade Platimum be sure to visit their website and Facebook page.

Candy Bracelet Cupcakes

I think these cute little cupcakes may be one of my favorites so far.
So sweet for a little girl's birthday party.
I love the simplicity.

Candy Bracelet Cupcakes

1 box French Vanilla Cake Mix
4 eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place cupcake liners into cupcake pan.
In a large mixing bowl combine cake mix, eggs, buttermilk and canola oil with an electric mixer.
Beat for 2 minutes; occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl.
Using a large cookie scoop, drop batter into liners.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Place cupcakes on a wire rack to cool.

While cupcakes are cooling, make your frosting.

Vanilla Buttercream

 

3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 cups confectioners sugar
1 T milk or heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

In the bowl of your stand mixer add butter and beat for about 1 minute.

Add confectioners sugar one cup at a time.
Add milk and vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
Place frosting into a piping bag and pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes. 
Top with a candy bracelet and a Warhead sour chewy cube.
Makes 24 cupcakes.

Linking to:
The 36th Avenue
Today's Creative Blog
New Nostalgia
Chef In Training
Six Sister's Stuff

Follow Me and My Pink Mixer on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest
and Instagram.
It's more fun if you are there too!

 

Strawberry Bars

Check out all of these cool fruit tools I received from OXO!
We eat a lot of fresh fruit around here, so I was super excited when this package arrived!
 


















I decided to try out the OXO Strawberry Huller for the strawberry bars I made for my girl's night.
I'll have to admit, I was a little apprehensive about how well this little tool would actually work, but it was amazing! See how well it removes the stem and leaves all at once!
I will definitely use this little gadget ALOT this summer!
Love OXO!!

Strawberry bars just scream summer.
Cookie crust, sweetened cream cheese and strawberries - yum!

Strawberry Bars

1 pouch Sugar Cookie Mix (I used Betty Crocker)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 lb. sliced fresh strawberries
1/3 cup strawberry jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 13 bake dish with cooking spray.
Make sugar cookie dough according to package directions with 1/2 cup softened butter and 1 egg.
Press cookie dough into prepared pan evenly.  Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Cool completely.

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, vanilla extract, sugar and lemon juice.
Spread on cooled crust.  Place sliced strawberries over cream cheese.  Microwave strawberry jam for 20-30 seconds.  Brush melted jam onto strawberry slices.  Refrigerate until set, at least one hour.
Store leftovers in the fridge.

Peanut Butter Granola

I can't believe I use to buy granola from the store.
What was I thinking?!?
Homemade granola is SO easy and so much less expensive than the grocery store variety.
Oh yeah, and it makes your house smell amazing!!

The super nice people at Chobani sent me some of their greek yogurt to use in developing new recipes. After my run this evening, I wasn't much into coming up with new recipes, but I was definitely into making some peanut butter granola to put on top of the Vanilla Chocolate Chunk Greek Yogurt!! 
A healthy dessert that tastes fantastic - yes please!


















Peanut Butter Granola and Chobani Vanilla Chocolate Chunk are a match made in heaven!
Give it a try!

Peanut Butter Granola

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups rolled oats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.
Place peanut butter and honey into a medium size glass mixing bowl.
Heat in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or until peanut butter has melted.
Stir to combine.
Add cinnamon and vanilla to the peanut butter mixture; stirring until smooth.
Toss in the rolled oats and stir until oats are completely covered.
Spread mixture out evenly onto the baking sheet.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until granola is lightly browned.
Cool completely.
Granola will get more crunchy as it cools.

Funfetti Dip

So I hosted a girl's night/Thirty-One deck party at my house this week.
Sangria, tote bag shopping, girlfriends and a warm summer evening.
What a great Tuesday night!

Girl's night is the perfect opportunity to try new recipes.

You have a lot of guinea pigs and they give you honest opinions!

This one was definitely a winner - the bowl was empty at the end of the evening and everyone was asking how to make it.  It could not be any more simple with only 3 ingredients!

 

Funfetti dip is obviously not high on the nutrition scale, but fat-free yogurt, lite cool whip

and fat-free animal crackers make it a pretty low calorie sweet treat.

And it tastes like you're licking cake batter right out of the bowl!

Funfetti Dip

 

1 box Funfetti cake mix

2 cups fat-free plain yogurt

1 cup Cool Whip Lite

Fat Free Animal Crackers or Graham Crackers

 

Combine cake mix, yogurt and Cool Whip in a large bowl.

Whisk together until completely combined.

Cover and place in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

Serve with animal crackers or graham crackers.

 

Note:  This makes a lot of dip.  I halved the recipe using a little over a cup and a half of cake mix.

Use the leftovers to make it again later or try Cake Batter Rice Krispie Treats or Cake Batter Blondies!

 

Source: Eat Yourself Skinny

 

Hello Monday

Hello to my nephew graduating from high school.

Hello to making lots of graduation cupcakes this weekend!

Hello to cousins celebrating together.


















Hello to special times with my Dad and daughter.

Hello to chocolate chip cookies made with instant pudding,
Recipe here.




















Hello summer!
I'm so glad you're here!
Have a great week everyone!
Thanks for stopping by :)

Linking up to Hello Monday with Lisa Leonard.

Congratulations Taylor!

My nephew Taylor graduates from high school this Saturday.

Isn't he handsome!

This weekend will be full of family, food and celebration!
Can't wait!

Congratulations Taylor!
We are so proud of you!

Frozen Chocolate Chip Cookie Dessert

Yay - it's summer!
Time for lounging by the pool with a good book, cookouts with friends and frozen desserts!

This dish is super easy to make and comes together in no time.

Just be sure to give it plenty of time to firm up in the freezer before you plan to serve it.

Overnight is best.

Check out those layers of yumminess!

Frozen Chocolate Chip Cookie Dessert

1 sleeve crushed graham crackers (a little over 1 cup)

1/4 cup sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

1 package Original Chips Ahoy chocolate chip cookies

1 cup of milk

8 oz. container of whipped topping

chocolate fudge sauce (I used Hershey's)

Make graham cracker crust by crushing 1 sleeve of graham crackers. 

I use a Magic Bullet to crush mine.  Add sugar, salt and melted butter to combine.

Press crust into the bottom of an 8x8 bake dish.

Dunk cookies into milk one by one. (Save 4-5 cookies for the top). 

Layer cookies over the graham cracker crust.  Fill in spaces with broken cookies.

Top with a layer of whipped topping.

Warm fudge sauce and drizzle over whipped topping.  Top with dry cookie crumbs.

Cover and freeze overnight.  Let thaw a few minutes before serving.

Hello Monday

Hello to a lot of juice drinking going on around here.
Contrary to popular belief I do not eat cupcakes every day :)

Hello to Thursday night prep for lots of Friday night cupcake baking.

Hello to Friday night fun of baking and frosting 230 cupcakes.

Hello to making pretty pink fondant flowers.



















Hello to decorating all of those cupcakes.

Hello to celebrating birthdays with girlfriends.

Hello to sharing some cupcake love with my favorite Sheetz ladies that ring up my
Diet Cokes EVERY DAY!

Hello to you my lovely readers.
Thanks for visiting my little space on the internet.
I'm glad you're here.

Linking up to Hello Monday with Lisa Leonard.