Day 4: Dirt Cake

Today seems like a dirty cake type of day! No special event....it's just Friday and who doesn't need a little sugar shock at the end of the week :)

This recipe has a few more steps than the last couple...but like I said its Friday!!

The original recipe can be found at

Ingredient list:
1.5 package of Oreo Cookies
1 (8oz) package of cream cheese
1/2 C. butter, softened
1 C. powdered sugar
3 C. milk
1 (12oz) tub of whipping cream
2 (3 1/2 oz) packages of instant pudding, chocolate or vanilla
1/2 tsp. vanilla

The original recipe can be found at thegalwaygirl.com

Step 1: Crush all sandwich cookies (the recipe calls for Oreos, but I used Great Value...cheaper but offers the same taste in the cake). Then set them a side.

Step 2: Mix together the butter, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla.  Set aside

Step 3:  Mix together the pudding and the milk.  Then fold together the cream cheese mixture and the pudding.

Step 4:  Add whip cream to the mixture.

Step 5:  Layer the crushed cookies and the pudding mixture starting with the cookies.  3-4 layers of cookies and 2-4 layers of pudding mixture (depending on how you want it to look).

I made mine just because I love it SO much and it seemed like a good way to end the week!  You can add gummy worms to the top if its for kids & for a more adult party you could use a clean flower pot & stuff a few fake flowers on top.

I love this "cake" and like to use any excuse to make it!!  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Day 3: Olive Garden Copy Cat Dressing

Day 3 I choose to do a salad dressing...it "suppose" to be a copy cat of the yummy dressing everyone of us love from the Olive Garden.  The originally recipe can be found at mommysaves.com

It was a fairly easy recipe to follow...put all the ingredients together, mix & add to salad.  Most of the ingredients are things you most likely have in your cabinets.  The only thing I was missing was the Italian seasoning...I substitute a few "Italian" spices I had in my spice rack (oregano, basil, salt & a little pepper.)

As you mix it up you'll notice the dressing is a more creamy look than the more oil like Olive Garden dressing. 

Olive Garden Salad Dressing

• 1/2 C. mayonnaise
• 1/3C. white vinegar
• 1 tsp. vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp. corn syrup
• 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbsp. Romano cheese
• 1/4 tsp. garlic seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. parsley flakes
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice

I am giving this recipe a 2.  Overall it was really quick & easy to make...but not really like the Olive Garden's.  This is more like a creamy Italian dressing.  Would I eat it again and/or make it...yes, but I wouldn't advertise it as a Olive Garden copy cat.  Give it a try & let me know what you think...I will be having Momma S try it this weekend and get her opinion.

Day 2: Crock Pot Beef

This was a super easy recipe!! I LOVE throwing things in a crock pot & coming home from work & it's ready to eat.

Since I have to leave for work on Wednesday at 6am...yes 6...AM. I did most of the putting together the night before.

I started by putting a crock pot liner in the pot (that's for Mr. J since he does dishes if I cook), then added a frozen chuck roast.

The original recipe calls for pouring the broth & soup over the roast than mixing it together....but that is a little difficult with frozen meat. So I combined all the liquids & onion soup mix in a bowl & poured it over the roast.

The last & most surprising ingredient was the peppers & juice! I chopped off the stems & throw the peppers & juice in with the other ingredients.

Put the lid on & stuck it on the fridge. That way in the early morning am all I have to do is put it in the crock pot & turn it on!

11 hours...yes you read that right 11 hrs later it was ready to go. I shredded the beef & put it back in the juices while I got the rest ready. I served it on kaiser rolls that I toasted under the broiler topped in provolone cheese. With a side au ju for dipping.

Mr. J & Little T both loved it!! I enjoyed it as well...there is enough left over for lunch tomorrow. Hooray...my favorite!

I rate this one a 4. It was easy...only took about 10 mins to put together & 10 minutes to prep for serving. It was really tasty & the peppers gave it a deliciously different taste. The only thing I might do different it sauté for onions & green peppers to add on top.

Happy New Year!! Starting my resolution...

Happy New Year to everyone! Hope you had a good year...I know I sure did!

So when starting the whole idea of a Pinterest blog, I decided to rate everything on a scale of 1-5: 1-being an epic fail & 5-being a huge success!

For the first day I choose to do a New Year's Day breakfast of cinnamon roll waffles!!

I am giving this one a 3: for how easy it was & less mess then traditional waffles.

The first time I made them I put them in the waffle iron just as they came out of the tube...they were a little thick & more like a two sided crusty cinnamon roll.

The second time I smushed them down a little bit & they came out with a texture more like a traditional waffle. I think those were Little T's preferred way to eat them.

The third & last time I was using the left over, broken piece & just "threw" them in the waffle iron. That batch came out perfect for kids...a little crazy looking but tasting.

This is an easy recipe...all you need is a waffle iron & a tube of cinnamon rolls (I used the Great Value brand...but any brand will work).  As far as time, very waffle iron works differently.  Mine you put them in when the light is on & take them out when it goes off.  It seemed like it took 2-4 minutes (it also depends on how you what them done.)

All together this recipe took me about 10 minutes to make the whole tube.  Little T & Momma S (my mom) both seemed to like them.  Next time I am going to try using a tube of caramel rolls!! Yummy!

I found the original post on

(Still learning this blog thing...pictures will follow soon)

Tomorrows project...crock pot beef sandwiches!! Yum yum!

New to blogging

For New Years this year I decided instead of trying to loss weight, quit drinking pop or cut out chocolate (that's just crazy talk...I couldn't live with out chocolate) I would create a blog. A blog about what you might ask?!? Pinterest...of course!

I have a tendency to pin & pin & pin & never actually produce them I thought this would be a good way to challenge myself. I will do anything & everything! Cooking, cleaning, decorations, crafts & holiday!

Have a pin you're afraid to try or had trouble with share it with me I will give it a shoot & share me results with all of you.

My daily posts will start Jan 1. Stay tuned I am sure the result will be fun, informative & a little humorous I'm sure!

Allison