My kids love holiday traditions and these Chocolate Mint Brownies are my daughter, Kelly’s, favorite Christmas dessert. In fact, she just mentioned that it is almost time to make a holiday batch! This recipe goes back probably 30 years. My childhood friend, Melissa, shared this with me. Melissa is quite the baker! So, thank you again, Melissa, for introducing this recipe to our family. INGREDIENTS Brownie Layer 1 C All Purpose Flour 1 C Sugar 1/2 C Margarine 4 eggs 1 1/2 C (16 ounce) Hershey’s Syrup Mint Cream Layer 2 C powdered sugar 1/2 C margarine 1 Tablespoon water...
Panko Chicken Recipe
With the temperatures getting cooler in Chicagoland, it is great to have a tasty alternative to grilling. This Panko Chicken recipe doesn’t disappoint! My sister, Colby, taught me how to make this – but, she still makes it the best! ingredients Chicken breasts halved, length-wise 2 eggs All Purpose Flour Lemon Panko Bread Crumbs Butter instructions
Amazon Prime Deals | October 2023
Today and tomorrow are crazy with suggestions on how to take advantage of Amazon Prime. I am sharing a few of things I use or am buying myself with the hopes these will bring you value! (Disclaimer – These are were available at the time of this post! And, I earn a small commission if you purchase! It doesn’t cost you anymore but helps support my blog!) BISSELL PORTABLE CARPET AND UPHOLSTERY CLEANER I have used this little machine so many times to clean the couch, chairs and spots off the carpet! It works really well and so portable! Cheese...
Puzzles are Smart Home Decor! | Cavallini Papers & Co. Favorites
I heard solving jigsaw puzzles improve your short term memory and visual spatial reasoning. And, problem solving skills and IQ improve as a result. I verified this on the internet so it must be true. So, sign me up! I have to say I cherry pick my puzzles. I tend toward puzzles that shy away from a lot of a single color or pattern or puzzle pieces that are too small. I happened upon a vintage “travel” puzzle by Cavallini & Co Papers a couple of years ago and these puzzles ticked the box on how I enjoy puzzles. The...
Bow Tie Pasta Fruit Salad
This salad is super simple to make (really assemble) and a crowd pleaser! My friend, Chris, shared this recipe with me earlier this summer and I made it several times since. It is sooo refreshing and easy make! INGREDIENTS Bow Tie Pasta (I use Barilla) Strawberries Green Seedless Grapes Blueberries Poppyseed Dressing (I love Brianna’s Rich Poppyseed Dressing) ASSEMBLY Cook the bow tie pasta as per the instructions on the box. While pasta cooks, wash and cut strawberries and grapes into smaller pieces. Add the cooled pasta to the chopped fruit. Add dressing to cover ingredients. Add more when eating...
Metal Railing Refresh
Metal railings fade and rust over time so a fresh coat of paint makes a world of difference! My sister has a 1960’s home and her metal railing needed a refresh! This wasn’t a simple or easy project and I can’t say I know the best tips. But, I do have some tips on what worked well and in other areas I am still a little puzzled. Here is a before photo. PREP There were four (4) different paint colors and I am not sure how many coats of paint. As much as I would have loved to sand everything...
DIY Paint Booth (Using PVC)
If you’ve painted with a sprayer, you know overspray mist is messy! Recently, I painted cabinets in a large kitchen and there was lots of spraying and the potential for a lot of overspray and dust! For this project, I made the effort to build a booth to contain the overspray. It was really quite simple! Materials 3-Way PVC Fittings (8 needed, this is a pack of 12)) 1 inch 10 ft pipe ( I purchased 8, bulk price) 2 mil Plastic Sheeting Clamps Saw (I used my miter saw but anything will really work) PVC Cuts (4) 7 ft...
Outdoor Lanai Curtains
My lanai gets lots of afternoon sun which can get too hot to enjoy and heats up the house. As my villa is a get-a-way property, I didn’t want to splurge on an elaborate solution such as blinds. So, I found an affordable curtain to filter the Florida sun. Fabric This curtain will be exposed to sun, rain and wind so I was reluctant to invest in expensive outdoor fabric. I chose drop cloth as the fabric after seeing many lovely curtains made from this fabric. And, (1) it’s inexpensive; (2) the edges are finished (I didn’t have a sewing...
DIY Dragonfly Patio Decor
This dragonfly patio decor was simple to assemble and made from repurposed fan blades and spindles. Hand-painted detail, as always, adds the beauty to the decor. The fan blades were scuff sanded, primed and painted with a white base. I had SW Snowbound on hand. Painter’s tape can be helpful in making checks. Since the surface was flat and the checks are larger in size, I used the tape to achieve more crisp lines. (Always a little something to touch up.) I sprayed varnish to protect the blades. The spindles have a black/white base as well. And, a bit of...