Seasoned Crackers

If you're looking for a spicy little snack, these seasoned crackers are the perfect thing! And you can make them as spicy or mild as you like. This batch was extra spicy because I used one box of PREMIMUM Minis Original Saltine Crackers (11 oz.). If you use these crackers, use two boxes. Unless you want some extra spicy little crackers!

Seasoned Crackers

1 (.59 oz.) pack Hidden Valley Ranch Dip mix
1 cup Crisco Vegetable Oil
2 tbs. or tsp. crushed red pepper (depending on how spicy you want them)
1 (1 lb.) box PREMIUM Original Saltine Crackers OR 2 (11 oz.) boxes PREMIMUM Minis Original Saltine Crackers

1. Pour vegetable oil into a measuring cup.
2. Mix in ranch dip mix and crushed red pepper. Stir until mixed together.
3. Place ½ of the crackers (2 packs) in a Ziploc bag.
4. Pour ½ of the oil mixture in the bag; zip bag and shake to coat crackers.
5. Put the other 2 packs of crackers in the bag, and pour in the rest of the oil mixture; zip bag and shake to coat crackers.
6. Continue shaking the bag every 15 minutes for an hour until all of the crackers are coated.

Flower Headbands

I couple of weeks ago I discovered a blog called Design Mom. I enjoyed looking through all her past posts. She has so many great projects that you can do with your kids, or if you're like me, you can just do them because they seem fun and simple. (This is where I found the directions for McKenzie's tutu.) I really liked the headbands her daughter made for her sisters for Christmas.

These are the ones I made:

Ricky

Ricky is my brother-in-law (Carol's husband).

Ricky likes to hunt.

Ricky also had the misfortune to be born on Christmas day.

His Mom always fussed at him saying he made her

miss Christmas dinner on the day he was born!

We celebrated his birthday on Christmas Eve (2008).

Everyone liked his cake, though I didn't get

to spend as much time on it as I wanted to.

My sister, Anna, told me she doesn't understand

how I can enjoy something so much that takes so much time to get done.

I guess we all have our favorite things to do...and baking is one of mine!

Ricky blows out his candles while Ian patiently waits.

Carol

Since I just got started on my blog

I'm going to post some pictures from last year.

My sister, Carol, turned 28 in December (2008).

She always has a birthday party with a "kid" theme.

One year it was Cabbage Patch Kids; another year it was Cars.

She insists that she does it so our neices and nephews can enjoy it.

I think she's just a big kid at heart! This year, it was a Care Bears party.

The kids would've liked this cake, but they didn't make it to the party.

The birthday girl loved it though! I guess that's all that matters.

Marshall

I made this cake Sunday (1.25.09) for my boyfriend's dad, Marshall. He collects '57 Chevrolets. I was going to make a cake in the shape of the car, but I ended up doing something easier instead. I made the Chevy "V" and Happy Birthday "dots" out of fondant. I guess I could've done better, but I was trying to rush. I was upset when I first colored the icing because it was PINK instead of red! And it wasn't turning out like I wanted it to. My sister said, "Well, if it doesn't turn out good you can always put it on Cake Wrecks!" I don't think it's that bad, even if it does, for some reason, remind me of a drive-in movie theater! But, HEY...they had drive-ins in '57 (I think).

McKenzie

This is my favorite picture of one of my favorite people: my niece, McKenzie. McKenzie turned 9 last week, and she wanted Aunt Crystal to make her a Barbie birthday cake. She had her party last Friday night (1.23.09), and this is the cake she got.

She loved it! Especially the fondant pieces. The only pieces she shared were the flowers (I guess because there were so many). She also LOVED my gift, which was homemade. I think they are the best kind. I got this picture just as she was about to twirl in her new tutu. It was real simple to make. I got the tulle tutorial from Design Mom.

I Finally Did It!

I finally decided it was time to start my own blog, instead of just looking at all the others every day. I've gotten many great ideas from the blogs I look at daily, and I hope that soon someone will be able to say that about mine! One can only hope. I love to bake, so you'll be seeing a lot of pictures of the things I make. I love to take pictures, so I will randomly share my favorite pictures. I love to read, so from time to time, I will share a favorite book. I love to write, so you might see a favorite poem.

With me, you never know what I might share...but I will always share a few of my favorite things!