Parmesan Garlic Rolls

These melt in your mouth.  I promise.  Add a little butter, fat, and cheese to anything and it's bound to be delicious.

A friend brought these to us after Little S was born.  We devoured them.  The tray below was eaten in less than 1/2 hour at our house.  I'm dead serious, they are that good.

These are Melinda's signature rolls she takes to new moms, so I had to promise NOT to copy her.  Pinky promise.  Thank you thank you thank you for sharing your recipe on this one!

Parmesan Garlic Rolls
From Melinda

1 dozen frozen Rhodes Rolls
2 Tbsp Butter
1/4 cup Mayonnaise
1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
Garlic Salt
Dried Parsley

Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray.  Melt butter in a bowl.  Prepare mayo and parmesan also in separate bowls.  Dip each frozen roll (just the top 1/2) in 1st - the butter, 2nd - the mayo, and 3rd - the parmesan. Lay out the dipped rolls on your baking sheet.  After they are all dipped, sprinkle with garlic salt and dried parsley.  Let rise about 4 hours, until doubled.  Preheat oven to 350.  Bake 15-20 minutes until lightly golden.

I'm not certain if you've caught it yet...but I love my carbs.  All things bread are wonderful.  Wheat Thins are the best cracker alive.  So if you have a good bready recipe that I need to try, please send it my way!

P.S. Speaking of carbs, do you let your kids eat crackers/granola bars/anything in the car?  Mine make a complete mess.  Yesterday I started a new game...whoever makes the least amount of crumbs while eating wins.  SUCCESS!  I don't know why I didn't think of this one before.  If you say anything in a happy and competitive tone, they totally buy into it.  My car is quite clean.

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Yogurt Pie

Yogurt in a pie?  No way.  That sounds weird and kinda gross...but then I tried it.

Hands down.  My favorite pie.  End of story.

This past month when the grandparents were in town, Tyler's mom whipped this up for us to try.  It can be eaten without toppings.  Or you can mix it up with fresh fruit or little chocolate chips.  I'm not sure you could make it wrong.

Yogurt Pie

From Deanna

1 pkg crushed graham crackers

1/2 cup melted butter

1 cup chopped pecans and/or walnuts (if you omit these, only do 1/3 cup butter)

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg yolk

1 cup powdered sugar

dash of salt

1 Tbsp milk, as needed

16 oz yogurt (I used raspberry)

1 small cool whip

fruit, fresh or frozen, chopped

fresh fruit or chocolate chips (optional toppings)

First make your graham cracker crust.  Preheat your oven to 350.  Mix your crushed graham crackers and chopped nuts with the butter.  Press into 2 pie tins.  Cook for 10 minutes.  Let cool completely before filling.

Second, mix together the vanilla, egg yolk, powdered sugar, and salt.  If it's too thick, add some milk.  If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar.  Divide in half and spread on the bottom of your pie crusts.

Last, mix together the yogurt, cool whip, and fruit.  Spread over the top of your pies.  Let set for several hours or overnight.  This allows the cool whip to firm the yogurt, preventing gooshing when the pie is sliced.  

Eat with or without toppings.

The first powdered sugar layer.  Spread thin and wide.

Also, thanks to people leaving their garbage by the dumpster, we scored a Little Tykes Town Playhouse and Slide!  I dragged it from the dumpster down the street.  The kids thought we were pretty cool.  I was happy for the $450 still in my pocket.

For the record, does anyone else have better navigation skills than their husband?  I'm pretty sure I wear the pants on that one.  :)

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Taco Cones

Last week we ate the same thing for dinner about 4 nights in a row.  Lame.  I love the costco unbaked tortillas with sliced chicken patties and veggies, but it feels so un-creative.

I've stepped it up for this week.  

You might remember these from an earlier post (with recipe).  They are SO much better with the unbaked tortillas (baked before eating...of course).  I was feeding a crowd, so I added taco beef as well to the mix.  

Par-tay in your mouth.  

And in case you didn't know, one of my favorite things is a full bottle of Shout Spray-n-wash.  It's a funny thing to be gleeful about, but I can't help myself.

Another random thought - today we were at the park and I was glad it wasn't my kid who took of their pants and decided to run around naked.  That can't make going down the slide any easier.  :)

Marshmallow Lollipops

I didn't think I'd like these.  I mean for real, this looks like kid heaven (peeps are gross).  Wrong!  Sure you can eat them right after you dip them, the chocolate still warm, fondue like.  However, I let these set up and the crunch of the chocolate on the marshmallows was perfect.  

So if you're in the mood for smores without the mess...you have to try the ones rolled in crushed graham crackers.  The kids loved them all.  I found the idea from Whimsical Creations.

*Quote from my 5-year-old: "Mom, I love chocolate.  If I see chocolate, I just have to eat it."  I know exactly how he feels. 

Chair Facelift

I scored a great chair in my craigslist perusing (I'm an addict) and had my friend Lisa work her magic.  Who doesn't love a distressed black chair!?

As for the chair cushion, I was thinking a black and white chevron would look great.  Then I thought frugally and went to my fabric stash.  I had to have something that would work, right?  Yes I did.

Using a leftover yard from some fabric wall art, probably at least 3 years ago, I had the perfect patterned canvas.  Thank you ikea fabrics.

Welcome new computer desk chair.  Low arms, great lines, perfect find.

Before

 After

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I WILL own this light

Words cannot describe...

In June's edition of Elle Decor, they highlighted Keri Russell's home and I love everything about it.  I'm sure her light cost more than a couple pennies, but isn't it beautiful?

This is what I'll be getting instead.  It just might be a happy birthday present to myself...when that day eventually rolls around again.

photo courtesy overstock.com

Cilantro Lime Ranch

If you haven't made ranch from scratch, now is the time.  I don't mean the hidden valley ranch packets mixed with mayo.  I mean the buttermilk, mayo, spice cupboard type; along with a hint of lime.

After some friends invited us to dinner, and they put on quite the impressive spread, I couldn't resist asking for her secret.  I think I love dinner parties so much because I am intrigued by new recipes and ideas.  So if you invite me or bring something yummy to me, expect me to bug you for the recipes. 

A potato salad recipe is coming to mind.

I digress.

Cilantro Lime Ranch
1/2 pint buttermilk
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream (or mayo if you're not a sour cream lover)
1/2 tsp dill
1/2 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced

Mix all ingredients together using beaters.  Adjust seasonings to taste.  If it's too thin, add more mayo, too thick, add more buttermilk.

I can't decide if I'm eating salad to be healthy or to eat more dressing.  I think it might be the latter.  I'm pretty sure I'm a sauce person.

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