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JUST ONE S’MORE CUPCAKE RECIPE

October 1, 2020

a fun cupcake twist on the classic S’ more

I never would have found this recipe if I had a digital cooking timer on the counter. Our new oven, from our recent kitchen, remodel, intimidates me. And, the built-in digital timer is a p.i.t.a to operate. So I read anything within arms reach during the last 3 minutes of oven time. In those minutes I stumbled upon the S’ more cupcake recipe on the side of Betty Crocker’s chocolate fudge cake box.

Just stick with me. I always try to bring you back with me to the point of my story.

If I did not have a persnickety oven timer I never would have had the time to read the S”more cupcake recipe.

Instead, I would have watched Frasier reruns on the new Peacock network.

I set a few cupcakes aside to make this twist on the classic S’ more.

The best part was I almost had all the ingredients from a S’more filled summer.

S’ more Cupcake Recipe Details

I substituted the white frosting with a batch of buttercream frosting.

I forgot about this step (until just now) that the white frosting was supposed to be combined with 1/3 cup marshmallow creme.

Oops! I bet that is why I opted to make my own frosting.

I don’t love the marshmallow creme out of the jar so it worked out just fine. Don’t tell Betty.

Yummy!

I totally missed that ingredient and just went on my merry way to frost a dozen cupcakes with my favorite buttercream frosting.

If you follow my baking segments (recipes) for a minute you know my recipes tend to go off the rails.

Just ask my sister!

These cupcakes were easy to prepare and frost.

The crushed graham crackers and chopped chocolate disguised by sloppy frosting skills.

S’more Cupcake Toppings

Crushed graham crackers (or the graham cracker crumbs work!

S’More Cupcake Recipe

S'MORE CUPCAKES

Betty Croker

A fun twist on the classic S'more.

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Ingredients

1 BOX CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE (FOLLOW BOX INSTRUCTIONS)
1 CONTAINER WHIPPED WHITE FROSTING + 1/3 CUP MARSHMALLOW CREME
1/3 CUP MARSHMALLOW CREME + 1 CONTAINER WHIPPED WHITE FROSTING
1 CUP CRUSHED GRAHAM CRACKERS
1/2-1 CUP BROKEN CHOCOLATE PIECES OR CHOCOLATE CHIPS

Instructions

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES
PREPARE CAKE MIX PER BOX INSTRUCTIONS + BAKE CUPCAKES
COOL
COMBINE FROSTING + MARSHMALLOW CREME
ADD GRAHAM CRACKER + CHOCOLATE PIECES ON TOP

P.S. This recipe could easily be adapted if you are one of those bakers who need to whip out all of the ingredients to make what Betty Crocker combined into one convenient bag. If you want to know the history of the Betty Crocker brand this is a short read.

No judgment.

I love to make cakes from scratch like this new favorite chocolate cake.

What do you think?

Do you want to make S’ more cupcakes? Or, here is another S’ more bar recipe!

Wait Until you See This Farmhouse Sink

September 29, 2020

If my parents had installed a farmhouse sink in my childhood kitchen I most likely would have not complained (so loudly) when it was my night to wash the dishes deemed too dirty for the dishwasher.

Even the soap suds looks prettier against my new farmhouse sink.

As we got closer to our kitchen remodel I shared a list of favorite sinks here.

Tip: I often create Pinterest boards for future projects because I find it gets my husband on board (no pun intended) if he has a visual. He just needs to see the vision.

I am happy to share my Pinterest boards with him. #almostemptynesters

When we renovated our kitchen last fall a cast iron sink was at the top of our wish list.

We decided to keep the location of our sink in the original corner of the kitchen overlooking the backyard.

At first, it felt like there was a lot of unused counter space behind and below the sink, but over time I began to appreciate the clutter-free kitchen corner.

If you are on the fence about a farmhouse sink and the different styles, I found this

article from the crew at This Old House to be helpful.

In preparation for our kitchen renovation, I routinely emailed bloggers who had farmhouse sinks to get their feedback and suggestions. And made a few blogger friends along the way.

WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THIS FARMHOUSE SINK

The Basalt apron sink is striking against the counters, cabinets, and the coordinating backsplash.

It is a grey/blue color that compliments our glass backsplash.

We took a leap of faith on this dark and stormy blue/grey color.

I had a moment of doubt when the sink was installed because of the contrast between the white counters and cabinets.

But with the white cabinets and dark blue/grey backsplash, it was the perfect splash of color for this farmhouse corner sink. It is now the reason I love the Basalt color. It makes a statement in the corner of the kitchen.

We had the convenience of a Kohler showroom in Cherry Creek in Denver to take a look at the color options up close and personal.

And, the Basalt color adds a bit of a mood to the kitchen corner.

Especially under the new light fixture.

Who knew a sink could get me to hustle the dishes into the dishwasher? I had a head start on keeping the sink area clean when I shared these quick tips.

Did I mention how much I love the color? Thanks for stopping by today. If you have questions please email me.

Not ready for a kitchen renovation, here is a 45-minute project to update your current space!

The Secret to a Bathroom Remodel

September 27, 2020

I felt a little guilty sharing the bathroom remodel with friends and family and not let them in on the secret. The other thought swirling in my head is the song Secrets by One Republic. You know, like it’s something that I can’t confess.. but now I need to give all my secrets away. Well, today is the day to share the secret to a bathroom remodel.

I shared the boys’ Jack & Jack bathroom remodel here, but I did not let yall in on the secret. It’s more like a tip than a secret. Either way here we go …

I dreaded the demo bathroom remodel phase. We had just completed an upstairs bath remodel in our daughter’s room/guest room).

Neither of us was prepared for the amount of work involved to remove the following: tub, shower, shower tile, toilet, vanity, baseboards, tile flooring, sink and all that tile.

And, then the madness of the remodel is we turn around and reinstall the exact same bathroom essentials.

We learned why tile crews where jeans and not running shorts.

My husband and I learned that hauling trash bins full of tile and drywall down four flights of stairs makes a strong case to bring back the concept of the laundry shoot (or a dumb waiter).

My husband found out the task to remove shower and floor tile cost my husband a few weekends away from the slopes because of a pulled back muscle.

We planned on the bathroom remodel to be completed before our oldest son (my lefty) returned home for Thanksgiving.

We should have clarified the year.

best-decision-we-made-on-a-bathroom-remodel

The Secret to a Bathroom Remodel

Days before we planned to start the bathroom remodel I tossed a question around in my head.

No one else was in my thoughts.

“What if we could pay someone to demo the bathroom?”

Just asking the question made me feel like I was cheating on my bathroom.

To settle my guilty conscience, I ran the question by my husband. Casually … while I texted a Realtor friend for the name of her demo guy.

Together, we decided, after I had already texted this guy, there was no harm in getting a quote for a bathroom demo.

If the sequence of events sounds a bit off it is to protect my sources and timeline of events.

Secrets …

A demo crew member was in the boys’ bathroom two hours after that text inquiry to measure the bathroom to work up a bid.

Kenny’s quote was $100.00 more than I planned to pay.

I almost countered (I am a Realtor) except he sent the 2nd text that he was only free on the upcoming Saturday.

Is there a patron saint for DIY projects?

I grabbed these pics to capture a few before the demo bathroom pics and a few memories.

Scroll down to see what the boys’ bathroom looked like over the summer.

And, when I say boys I mean highschool/college-age young men. But they will always be “my boys.”

And, here was the boys’ bathroom five hours after Kenny and his two-person crew arrived on Saturday morning.

After the Demo Crew

Five hours, not months, weeks or even days. Five hours.

You guys this took a two-person crew five hours to remove the vanity, sinks, mirror, ceramic floor tile, tub, toilet, shower tile and the drywall surrounding the shower.

They removed, hauled the vanity, sinks, mirror, tub, toilet, tile and flooring debris down four flights of stairs. And then? The second best thing besides hauling it out of the house… they hauled it away.

It was the cleanest the boys’ bathroom has been since we moved into the home.

Because we all need a little help once in a while.

Before you go here is a funny story about what happened to the bathroom countertop just before we installed it (ourselves). Karma for keeping a secret!

How to Make a Centerpiece With Branches

September 25, 2020

If you want to know how to make a centerpiece with branches make friends with an arborist. That is how I learned how to make a centerpiece with branches. While parallel parking in the city I asked an arborist, who was trimming trees in Denver, to help me parallel park my car. I didn’t have him park my car, I just needed some eyes on the curb and hand signals. Once parked, I asked him about the stack of branches next to the curb. Before I could finish my offer to take a few bundles of branches, his crew loaded the twigs and branches into the back of my car.

The leaves and bugs were included at no extra charge.

As I pulled away from the curb, he asked me what I planned to do with a carload of branches.

I told him I did not have a clue, but, I would figure it out.

Which is my motto in life.

With a car full of branches and bugs I was on a mission to get home and spend a few ~~minutes~~ hours on Pinterest.

I needed a plan to explain to my family why there were bundles of branches leaning on the side of the house.

My craft plans tend to go sideways quickly because I lack the patience and discipline to follow directions. What I lack in talent I make up for in personality.

How to Make a Centerpiece with Branches

I tend to take a few shortcuts. Get it?

I needed an easy way to layer the branches on a base. With a quick look around the garage, I settled on a cardboard box. I made a cardboard form for my centerpiece’s base.

From there, I just needed a glue gun to create the centerpiece with branches.

My vision came together for my centerpiece. I love, love upcycle projects and this was the perfect us of reusing everyday objects for a centerpiece with branches.

And, from there it was just adding a boxwood wreath to add a pop of greenery. I get most of my boxwood wreaths from here.

My first plan was to layer berries and twigs, but then I remember the stash of boxwood. I love boxwood because it is a seasonal favorite.

I love to use a small boxwood wreath to layer and stack candles during the holidays.

This centerpiece made with branches was coming together.

I added my favorite mini candle from Anthropologie to pull the centerpiece together.

This upcycled centerpiece, made from Denver’s tree branches is ready for this table.

The lesson with this centerpiece is to always say hi to your neighborhood tree trimmer.

5 Favorite HomeGoods Finds

September 24, 2020

I used to keep a small book that included paper slips and I tore them off of a perforated edge to submit payment. I had to MANUALLY record my purchases with a ballpoint pen. It was like a beta version of Venmo. #wink The one thing in common on all my weekend entries was TJMaxx and/or HomeGoods. So one could argue I started this list of 5 favorite HomeGoods finds years ago.

And yet today? There are people I know who have never shopped at HomeGoods. Or, even worse they shopped once and never returned.

I know, right.

What happened in their twenties that they never discovered the therapeutic qualities of a HomeGoods field trip with a list of favorites to go in search of on a rainy Saturday afternoon?

That just means more finds for us!

Rain, snow, sleet, hail, or heat one can always find refuge at HomeGoods.

5 Favorite Finds at HomeGoods

We all have our favorite sections and aisles, right? Where do you steer your shopping cart when you run into a HomeGoods? Do you grab the smaller cart or do you go big?

On any given visit I have a route and a memorized list of favorites. I never forget my list of favorites, but on any given day I will call one of my boys, Elliott.

Elliott is our Bernese Mountain dog.

1. Coffee Finds

Coffee is first on my list of favorite finds. I love flavored coffees with the same description you might find on candles. My sister cannot believe I buy my coffee from HomeGoods.

The coffee brands are almost always Made in the USA and packaged regionally.

Sometimes the brand’s name or label is the only reason I buy a bag of coffee.

The same strategy applies to my wine purchases.

2. Candles at HomeGoods

A close second on my favorite 5 lists is candles. I love the hunt for a great smelling candle in a cute jar. How cute is this lantern-shaped candle?

Recently, I shared an easy way to up-cycle my favorite glass candle jars.

Oh, and HomeGoods has a huge selection of Made in the USA, soy and paraffin-free candles too!

favorite- homegoods-finds-everyday-edits

3. Book Finds

Next up on the list of my favorite finds are hardcover books!

A friend of mine is a home stager & color consultant and she is always on the hunt for hardcover books for her coffee tables.

I found a copy of Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines recently, for 1/2 the price. Coffee table books are a lovely reminder to put the phone down, take a break from social media and read the pages.

4. Food Finds at HomeGoods

Another unexpected find at HomeGoods is bottled or packaged pantry staples. Again, no one thinks to buy their jams at HomeGoods, but there are popular brands and a few new ones on every trip. HomeGoods has a fun selection of olive oils and tea too. Their prices are almost always a better value than at the grocery store.

A friend turned me on to Sarabeth’s Preserves. I love the jar of this most recent find! I just need five more Blackberry Patch jars for a set of mason jar glasses!

5. Stationery Aisle

My final pick for my favorite finds at HomeGoods is in the stationery aisle.

I love the gift wrap paper and gift bags.

When my sister (aka Auntie Tricia) visits from Knoxville we will spend 20 minutes flipping through notepads and spiral notebooks.

There are so many seasonal fun wrapping paper prints. I shared this easy repurpose project with their wrapping paper here.

HomeGoods offers the cutest packs of gift card size gift bags. I always grab a set during the holidays and graduation season.

Recently, I snagged a few greeting cards. I love Hallmark, but some of their cards are over $5.00/each.

I could give a Starbucks gift card for that amount.

So I tend to pick up one or two cards. And, another seasonal favorite in the gift wrap section are the cute cocktail and holiday napkins.

Tip: Do not pass on those funny, seasonal napkins that are well stocked in September.

That hesitation will result in plain orange napkins, instead of the snarky, sassy napkins, when you host your first annual Wine & Witches party.