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Poached Pears

Oh my. I told you yesterday that I was working on a simply divine dessert that I made that Hazelnut Caramel Sauce for. Well here it is…Poached Pears. They are so simple yet look so incredibly elegant dished with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream & a little drizzled caramel sauce over the top. Oh – yeah, I poached them with cinnamon so the whole house smelled AMAZING too. My son- the cinnamon feign – was in heaven from the start. It was all he could do to wait for me to photograph these before having some. Yes the poor children have all these wonderful smells floating through the house on a daily basis. I’m sure it can be quite distracting for them when they are trying to do school & all they want to do is come down to the kitchen & see what I’m making. Hehehe – seriously, these are that kind of dessert. Simply divine!

Oh my word – really, these are the perfect fall dessert.

I’m so in love with these poached pears. I could have a bowl just like this every single night.

Print Recipe

Poached Pears

Ingredients

2 firm pears - stems attached
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups water

Instructions

Peel pears & using a melon baller- scoop out the core from the bottom - leave the stem end intact
In a medium saucepan- combine pears, water, sugar & cinnamon
Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Cover & reduce to low
Allow to simmer 10-15 minutes -or until pears begin to soften
Let cool in the liquid - they will continue to cook as they cool
Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream & hazelnut caramel sauce

Want more great pear recipes?

Caramelized Pear Pie Filling

Caramel Pear Cobbler Bars

Caramel Pear Breakfast Cake

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Hazelnut Caramel Sauce

By Kleinworth & Co 5 Comments

If you are like me – this time of year is all about caramel. I love drizzling caramel on top of so many wonderful fall recipes. But if you are a regular reader here then you know that because I have given you a fairly healthy amount of recipes all oozing with caramel. I can’t help it. Something about seeing the dribble making it’s way down something decadent just makes me want to dive in. So it’s no surprise that I created this Hazelnut Caramel Sauce to share with you all today. You see, I was actually working on another AMAZING recipe that I will be sharing with you all tomorrow. I was ready to plate it & get it ready to photograph when I realized that it really needed a little somethin’somethin’ drizzled all over it. So I quickly whipped this up. I planned on just including it as part of the recipe tomorrow. But then I realized just how great this is as an ice cream topping or poured over a breakfast cake. It truly deserves it’s own post – it’s so GOOD!

You see – typically I would have grabbed the pecans first for a recipe like this. But then I saw this huge bag of hazelnuts staring at me from the pantry – just begging me to use them in something wonderful.

Print Recipe

Hazelnut Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

1/4 cup roughly chopped hazelnuts
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup salted butter
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Combine butter, brown sugar & milk in a small saucepan.
Heat over medium & bring to a boil - stirring constantly
Boil about 1 minute
Remove from heat & stir in hazelnuts & vanilla.
Cool slightly before serving immediately
or - transfer to sterile jars & keep refrigerated until ready to use. (store up to 1 week)
Serve warm

Want more great caramel recipes?

Best Homemade Caramel

Homemade Caramel Apples

Crock Pot Dulce de Leche

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Skinny Caramel Popcorn ~ Low Calorie Popcorn

By Kleinworth & Co 1 Comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.

This time of year is so treat heavy. I try to make better choices through the week. One thing I have really been trying to do is to take our family favorites & change them up a bit to make them in skinny versions. This way we can still enjoy the things we love- but have to spend far less time working it all off at the gym. Life is so crazy busy these days & so I really love products that make my life easier & are convenient without sacrifice. It seems most of the time if I want fast & easy it comes with a high calorie price. So I created this Skinny Caramel Popcorn for my family so we don’t have to feel like we are compromising. Let me tell you – it satisfies every craving & doesn’t taste skinny – which is why I love this Low Calorie Popcorn. Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas?

On my weekly shopping trip to Walmart I found this Skinnygirl Popcorn.

Any snacks that say skinny always grab my attention. So I had to buy it.

Here’s what we start with – Skinnygirl Popcorn in butter flavor. It also comes in Lime – which would be a tasty twist. Then we have raw honey, coconut oil, vanilla extract & yogurt covered raisins. I also added some trail mix – but it was last minute -so it didn’t make the shot.

We make our “caramel” first because it has to cool a bit & thicken up before pouring over the popcorn.

This only takes a minute or two to melt the honey & coconut oil together.

Pop your popcorn & add your mix ins while you are waiting for your caramel to cool.

I love making #SkinnygirlSnacks with the help of #CollectiveBias.

Mix it altogether – enjoy!! So simple- only takes a couple minutes.

My poor daughter – since she has braces she can’t enjoy this with the rest of us.

She is sure going to be happy when she can try this.

Skinnygirl popcorn offers great taste with just 25 calories per cup popped.

What makes the Skinnygirl products unique?

Every Skinnygirl product offers at least a 20% calorie savings vs. it’s competitors

No artificial flavors – No artificial colors – No artificial sweeteners (e.g. aspartame, sucralose) – No high fructose corn syrup

You know how I feel about all those things & how I have been working hard to eliminate those from our family’s diet as much as I can. So I was absolutely thrilled when I read this about Skinnygirl Popcorn.

The mix ins are great too. With regular caramel popcorn I would mix in some chocolate covered candy or marshmallows – or both. I have been known to mix in all sorts of things – but you know, this was just as good & I didn’t feel like I was missing out on any of that.

Print Recipe

Skinny Caramel Popcorn

Ingredients

*Note- this is a family size recipe
3 bags Skinnygirl Popcorn - popped
1 cup yogurt covered raisins
1 cup trail mix of choice
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup raw honey
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Starting with the sauce
Combine coconut oil & honey in small sauce pan & heat on medium until coconut oil is melted & the two are blended.
Remove from heat
Add salt & vanilla - stir & set aside to cool
Meanwhile- pop popcorn & place in a large bowl
Add your desired mix-ins
Once your "caramel" is cooled slightly it will look like thicker, milky honey
Pour over your popcorn mix & stir to coat evenly
Enjoy!

Want more great skinny versions of tasty favorites?

Peanut Butter & Jelly Ice Cream

Caramel Macchiato Ice Cream

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Jalapeno Cheddar Chicken Soup

By Kleinworth & Co 6 Comments

Do you love easy crock pot meals? Yeah – me too. Easy Family Dinner Ideas are my favorite. I love those days when I can throw everything in there & let it go & dinner is done. As these days get shorter it seems like the hubs gets home & before I know it- it’s time for bed. So anything I can do to speed up the dinner process the better it is for my sanity. A long while ago I came up with this recipe for Jalapeno Cheddar Chicken Soup that has turned into a family favorite. I’m sure it will be for you too!!

It’s not completely homemade- there is a little canned soup & chicken stock involved. But that’s part of the ease of it all. All these ingredients I keep on hand at all times – so when I am in a pinch for dinner it’s really nice to throw this together & not worry about it.

These cooler temps definitely call for a warm & hearty soup.

I am seriously obsessed with this one. I have a hard time not going back for seconds.

When we have company & need to make a lot – this recipe doubles quite well. Sometimes I do that even when we are not having company & then we have leftovers for a couple days. So one easy meal turns into 2-3…maybe that’s why I love it so much.

Print Recipe

Jalapeno Cheddar Chicken Soup

Ingredients

5 pieces boneless skinless chicken breast - cut into chunks
26 ounces cream of chicken soup 1 large can (just the soup- don't add water as this will be taken care of with the broth)
16 ounces chicken broth you can use water instead if needed
12 ounces salsa
3 sweet peppers - diced (we love using the mini sweet peppers like these https://www.walmart.com/ip/Fresh-Mini-Sweet-Peppers-16-oz-bag/10324377?athbdg=L1200 )
½ purple onion - diced
½ bell pepper - diced (whichever color you prefer)
2 jalapeno peppers - diced
1 tomato - diced
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

Combine the chicken, cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, salsa, sweet peppers, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno peppers, and tomato in the crock pot & cover.
Cook on high for 4-6 hours - stirring occasionally.
After about 4 hours - remove the chicken & pull it apart in a separate bowl to shred.
Return the now pulled chicken back to soup & cook another 1-2 hours on low.
In the final 30 minutes - add the cheese - stir.
Top with additional cheese when serving if desired.

Want more great soups?

Tuscan Ravioli Soup

Crock Pot Turkey & Rice Soup

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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How to Build a Butcher Block

By Kleinworth & Co 5 Comments

A little bit ago I shared with you how I monogrammed my homemade butcher block with a promise that I would also eventually share how I built the block itself. Well today I am doing just that. You see – we started with just a salvaged scrap piece of a header from the pile outside our house during the construction process. I knew the moment I saw it that I wanted to make it into a butcher block. The hubs didn’t quite see my vision – but after months of talking about it, I finally had him on board to at least help me a little. I am happy to say that I was able to prove him wrong & he loves it. He was sure skeptical – but I think it gave him a sense of accomplishment to complete the project along with me. So let me show you How to Build a Butcher Block.

So here it is – the rough cut piece we salvaged. I actually think this was part of the piece from our mantle.

The hubs used a belt sander to get it as smooth as possible. Then I used the mouse sander to fine tune that sanding.

If you plan on monogramming your block – now is the time to do that.

It’s so much easier to do it before you add the legs so you can really move your block piece around.

For the tutorial – see How to Monogram a Butcher Block

We had bought these table legs for another project that I will share another time. They didn’t work for that one – so they sat there stained & ready for something else for months. I decided that I didn’t like the color after all – so I picked my favorite color paint & gave them a couple coats. It was just regular flat house paint. Then I used sealing wax – usually used on chalk paint over the flat paint once it was dry. This makes it really durable.

Now here is where the hubs ideas & mine differed. I wanted to attach the legs to one large board & then attach to the block. When he came home from the hardware store he had one long plank that we cut to the width of the block. As you can see – we used long wood screws from the top of the board to attach the legs to it. **Drill holes first – then screw in- otherwise you end up splitting the wood. While this particular part is not quite as I had originally planned – it works out fine. Also – adding this extra piece makes the block a bit taller – perfect for my 6’6″ hubs to use too.

Then we again- made our holes & then drilled our screws through them to attach the leg boards.

Now – oil, oil, oil!!!

You need to add oil to your block multiple times before it’s ready to use. The wood is thirsty!

We liberally oiled ours at least 4-5 times before bringing it into the house for use. Then re-oil once every few weeks to keep it looking great.

Here’s the finished piece!

I love how it turned out & I’m so happy I was able to add the monogram too.

Want more great projects for the home?

Antique Sewing Table Makeover

DIY Pallet Console Table

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Plum Fruit Leather

By Kleinworth & Co 5 Comments

Hi everyone!!! We are cruising right along through September. Wow – I already have Thanksgiving on the forefront of my thoughts. I can’t believe it. A couple weeks ago I shared this recipe for Plum Fruit Leather over at my dear friend Desiree’s. You see the hubs had done a produce stock up at Costco & things were going south faster than expected. I needed to whip up some recipes that called for some major quantities of fruit. So I started with the fruit leather. I just love it – what a great snack to grab on the go. Let me show you just how easy it is to make!

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

You start out washing all your plums & cutting in half & removing the pits.

Place on a large baking sheet – insides up.

Then roast them for about 20 minutes. Remove & carefully transfer them to the food processor.

Be careful- there will be hot plum juice all over your tray.

Allow your oven to cool to about 170-200 degrees.

Process until smooth. Then transfer to a large bowl & add your sugar. Mix well so that all the sugar dissolves.

Pour onto another baking sheet lined with parchment – make sure your parchment is larger than your sheet. You want all of the liquid to be contained in the parchment.
Once your oven has cooled to the right temperature – place your baking sheet back in & bake for 6-8 hours. I made the mistake of turning off my convection after the roasting & didn’t realize it until most of the drying process was done. If you have a convection oven – definitely use it & expect your fruit leather to be ready earlier. Keep an eye on it for timing. It will depend on your oven & the thickness of your liquid based on the size baking sheet/sheets you use. I was able to fit mine all on one 3/4 sheet.

You know it’s done when it’s no longer sticky & has a smooth surface. Mine dried around the edges first & sort of pulled the parchment in as it shrank up a bit. That’s okay if it does that. If it’s too dry on the edges when the center is finally done- just trim those parts off when cutting into your strips. Be sure to store in an airtight container.

The whole family loves these. So great for grabbing as we are running out the door to the gym or just need a little snack mid-morning. So I’m sure I will be making more soon.

Print Recipe

Plum Fruit Leather

Ingredients

4 pounds plums
1/2 cup sugar

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Washing your plums & cut in half & remove the pits.
Place on a large baking sheet - insides up.
Roast plums for about 20 minutes.
Remove & carefully transfer them to the food processor.
Allow your oven to cool to about 170-200 degrees.
Process until smooth.
Then transfer to a large bowl & add your sugar.
Mix well so that all the sugar dissolves.
Pour onto another baking sheet lined with parchment - make sure your parchment is larger than your sheet. You want all of the liquid to be contained in the parchment.
Once your oven has cooled to the right temperature - place your baking sheet back in & bake for 6-8 hours.
You know it's done when it's no longer sticky & has a smooth surface.
Store in an airtight container.

Want more fall recipes?

Apple Pie ~ Easiest Homemade Recipe

Cinnamon Candy Apples

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Popcorn Pork & Rice Supreme {Dinner in 30 minutes}

By Kleinworth & Co 1 Comment

This blog has been compensated by it’s advertisers for this post- all opinions are my own.

Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas? This time in my life is quite bittersweet. My kids are getting older & I am really, truly loving who they are becoming. Spending time with my kids is a wonderful experience. They are not just my children but great people too. Now that my oldest is half way through his 16th year I am all too aware that my days of having them here with me are passing by way too quickly. I have always cherished my moments with them & tried to savor my days that I get. With my mom gone now- I have grown to appreciate just how special the everyday moments can be. So the hubs & I have been bringing the kids into the kitchen more & more to have them help with meal prep. The boy has become my right hand when the hubs is working late & I need help in the kitchen. This is what happened the other night. The hubs had a Board of Commissioners meeting late into the evening. Normally I would make a crock pot meal- but I had other things going in it that day & it wasn’t available. So since I like quick & easy dishes – I decided to take a tried & true UNCLE BEN’S® Crockpot Chicken & Rice Supreme recipe (from Mars Uncle Ben’s) & turn it into a 30 minute meal. Let me show you how easy it was to make this Popcorn Pork & Rice Supreme.

I started with these UNCLE BEN’S® ready rice packets. Cheesy & good!!

Here’s the boy stirring the rice – he’s such a great helper. Look how tall he is now!!

Look at that! Just place a few pieces of popcorn pork over the top of the rice.

The crunch of the pork with the great cheesy flavor – so good.

Have you heard about UNCLE BEN’S® Beginners™ Cooking Program?

Cook as a Family for a Chance to Win Big Prizes!

UNCLE BEN’S® is giving away $225,000 in prizes!

Entering is as easy as making a short cooking video with your child.

How AWESOME is that??!!

This is really a great recipe when cooking with your kids! Simple & quick & there is so much they can do to help in preparation.

Print Recipe

Popcorn Pork & Rice Supreme {Dinner in 30 minutes}

Ingredients

1 lb pork stew meat
1 12oz can cream of chicken soup
1 12oz can cream of mushroom soup
2 tbsp water
1 diced sweet pepper
1 tbsp butter
salt pepper, season salt & granulated garlic to taste
1 bag UNCLE BEN’S® Ready Rice Creamy Four Cheese Flavor
1/2 cup flour
peanut oil

Instructions

In a large bowl combine pork, flour & seasonings - toss to coat all the pork
In a large deep skillet - add peanut oil just enough so that it covers the bottom of the pan
Heat oil to frying temperature (350-375 degrees)
Place your floured & season pork in the oil & cook a minimum of 5-7 minutes on each side or until golden brown & crispy on the outside.
Remove from oil & place in a large bowl lined with paper towels - sprinkle with salt while still moist from the oil
Place bowl in microwave (do not turn on) to help keep it warm while you prepare the rice.
In a stockpot - combine soups, water, butter, chopped pepper & UNCLE BEN’S® Ready Rice
Heat over medium until it is hot throughout & starts to bubble. This should take no more than 10 minutes. Stir frequently.
Once heated - serve & top with popcorn pork
Enjoy!

See- I told you it was simple!

I love that this comes together so quickly – no excuse to not have a home cooked meal that tastes great!

This Post Brought To You By The UNCLE BEN’S® Brand.

Want more 30 minutes or less dinner ideas?

Simple Teriyaki Stir Fry

Gourmet Hot Dogs

Buffalo Loose Meat Melt

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Captain America M&M’s Cookies

By Kleinworth & Co 19 Comments

Do you like comics? How about your kids? I love the nostalgia that comes with comics – especially ones like Captain America. So today I’m sharing these Captain America M&M’s™ Cookies. As you know – I love all things patriotic & what character is more patriotic than Captain America? I am so LOVING these cookies.

Aren’t these just the cutest patriotic cookies? I love that they are adorned with M&M’s! Not only do they look great but they are so yummy too. My kids were so excited. They were commenting the whole time they were baking about just how wonderful the house smelled. I love that.

Print Recipe

Captain America M&M’s Cookies

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup 2 sticks butter
1-1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
red gel food color
blue mega M&M's

Instructions

In a medium bowl sift together flour, baking powder & salt. Set aside
In your mixer bowl with paddle attachment - beat butter until soft.
Add sugar & beat until light & fluffy.
Add in eggs one at a time - beating after each one.
Add vanilla
Add dry mixture & beat until just combined.
Remove half the dough & wrap in plastic wrap. Flatten out to 4x4" piece & refrigerate.
With remaining dough beat in food color to your desired pigment. I added close to 50 drops of gel color to achieve this red.
*Note - adding this much color will make your dough sticky. You may want to add in a tablespoon or two of flour to keep it more firm & easier to work with later.
Remove red dough & separate into 2 equal parts. Wrap with plastic & refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
After your dough has chilled - remove one of the red dough packs
Place between 2 layers of parchment & roll to a large rectangle
Remove top layer of parchment & roll dough into a log. This will be your center piece.
Wrap with parchment & place in freezer while you work with the next layer.
Remove your white dough from refrigerator & roll out in the same manner you did the first batch. Once you have a thin, even rectangle - place your red log on the white dough & roll into a larger log.
Follow these steps for the final red dough.
When you are done you should have a large red log with the centers looking like a bulls-eye.
Preheat oven to 350 conventional/ 325 convection
Line 2 - 3/4 baking sheets with parchment
Take your log & slice it into 1/4 inch rounds - I like to use unwaxed/unflavored dental floss to cut through the dough. This helps it keep it's shape when cutting.
Place on baking sheet 2 inches apart to allow for spread.
Bake 9-11 minutes
While they are baking you can separate our your blue M&M's from the package so you have them ready.
Immediately when you remove from oven - place your blue M&M's in the center before the cookies cool.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container for storage.

Want more great M&M’s recipes?

M&M’s Cookie Dough Bites

Patriotic Cookie Dough Brownie Bars

White Chocolate M&M’s Popcorn

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Fig Crumble Bars

By Kleinworth & Co 5 Comments

WOW – I can’t believe how fast this year is going by. It’s fall & I am so excited. For me September means lots of baked recipes, lots of caramel flavored things & figs, apples & pears. I know many are already into pumpkin. But I really feel that with all the attention pumpkin gets through October & November – I really want to hold off as much as I can on the pumpkin flavored things until then. So I am focused on all my other favorite flavors right now. I love the flavors of fall & that wonderful smell drifting through my house. Since I have not made a crumble bar recipe in a really long time, I decided to take a jar of that wonderful fig butter I shared a little bit ago & pair it with some buttery crumble bars. Then I topped the Fig Crumble Bars with a drizzle of glaze. But not just any ol’ glaze. I made this salted caramel mocha glaze that was absolutely perfect with the fig butter. Oh my – the family is sure loving the tastes of fall coming out of the kitchen right now. I love Yummy Bar Recipes!

I know I say this a lot- but it’s true, this recipe is SO EASY. If you can mix a couple ingredients in a bowl & then bake – then you can do these. Really- that’s all there is to it. Don’t you love quick & simple recipes? When I whipped these up I also had 3 other recipes to make in that same slot of time in the kitchen. When I have that much to do- quick is key. I love that clean up is easy too.

You know- you could use whatever flavor spread you want in these. I just happened to have all this fig butter on hand. Maybe next time I will make some with my pumpkin butter.

Such buttery goodness paired with that wonderful salted caramel mocha drizzle. Oh so YUMMY!

I’m telling you – these are the perfect way to kick off the fall baking season. I LOVE this Salted Caramel Mocha creamer. It’s great for starting my day in my coffee. But I also love that I can use it in so many other ways to bring that flavor I love into other recipes too. Salted caramel mocha tops my list for all time favorite fall flavors.

Print Recipe

Fig Crumble Bars

Ingredients

1 pkg white cake mix
2-1/2 cups quick oats
1-1/2 sticks butter- melted
8 ounces fig butter
2 cup confectioners sugar
2-3 tbsp International Delight Salted Caramel Mocha coffee creamer

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 conventional/ 350 convection
Line a 10x10 baking pan with parchment- set aside
In a large bowl, combine cake mix & oats.
Pour in melted butter & mix with a large spatula until crumbly
Pour 3/4 of the mix in your prepared pan & press down into an even layer
Add fig butter- spreading into a thin, even layer
Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over the top
Bake 20-25 minutes- or until golden.
Remove & cool completely before frosting & cutting

For the frosting

Place confectioners sugar in small bowl
Whisk in creamer one tablespoon at a time until it's thin enough to pipe across in a pattern but still thick enough to hold it's shape.
Transfer to pipping bag or a small zip top bag with the corner cut off
Pipe on in desired pattern
Cut into bars - enjoy
*Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator

Be sure to connect with International Delight for more great fall flavors.

Facebook & Pick up some great new ideas on Pinterest!

Want more great fall recipes?

Caramel Pear Turnovers

Caramel Pear Cobbler Bars

Caramel Pear Breakfast Cake

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.

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Peanut Butter Granola Cereal

By Kleinworth & Co 18 Comments

Did you know that September is Better Breakfast Month? How cool is that?! Most of you regular readers know that for over a year now I have been committed to homemade breakfasts for my kids. That doesn’t mean giving up things we love. It just means that I make my own versions of them. One thing the kids really love is this Peanut Butter Granola Cereal. I love that it is packed full of great protein from peanut butter to kick off their mornings right. I love peanut butter in most things & adding to to breakfast (beyond spreading it on my toast) is so much fun. It’s so simple to make too.

Mornings can be hectic, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice on flavor or nutrition. Making time for breakfast and choosing to incorporate ingredients like peanut butter which is high in fiber, protein and good fats can play a role in maintaining your diet.

We also like to spread peanut butter on a bagel, stir it in a smoothie or top off your waffles for a quick and easy serving of protein. Peanut butter is not only nutritious but it’s very versatile!

Did you know that 90 percent of American pantries contain one or more jars of peanut butter, making it an easy go-to ingredient to help make breakfast quick and convenient?! I know we have 8 different jars in our pantry right now- all different flavors & varieties. Yep- we love peanut butter.

Print Recipe

Peanut Butter Granola Cereal

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: granola, peanut butter

Servings:

Ingredients

3 cup oats
2 tbsp granulated sugar
¼ cup coconut oil
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
¼ cup raw honey
1 cup mix ins - I used a dried fruit blend of raisins cherries & blueberries

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 conventional/ 325 convection.
Mix oats, sugar & mix-ins into a large bowl.
In a small saucepan- combine coconut oil, peanut butter & honey.
Heat over medium until it's pourable & fully melted.
Remove from heat & pour over your dry mixture.
Toss to fully coat.
Spread out on parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake 10 minutes- mix stir to expose uncooked areas.
Bake an additional 10 minutes.
Remove & allow to cool completely before transferring to airtight container.

Notes

**To make this recipe in the Air Fryer - Preheat to 250 degrees. Adjust the ingredients, either reducing by 50-75% depending on the size of your air fryer. Cook for 20 minutes - stirring every 7 minutes. You can remove sooner than the called for time if the granola has reached your desired brown.

Note - this can be made with gluten-free oats. Alternate mix-ins can include walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, maple syrup in place of honey, dried raisins, fruit, or cranberries.

Want more great ways to use peanut butter?

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter & Jelly Ice Cream

Peanut Butter Sauce

Antique Sewing Table Makeover

By Kleinworth & Co 3 Comments

Do you have certain pieces of furniture around the house that really need some attention & yet you have been putting it off for years? I have several. Now that we are finally in our house AND I have a nice climate controlled studio space where I can comfortably work on such projects – things are actually getting done around here. It’s all a long time in coming but I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to finally do it. It’s helping me fine tune each room of our house & I am just so happy about it. This latest project is my Antique Sewing Table Makeover. It was really begging for some attention & it only took an afternoon to do it. I used Vintage Decor Paint from Martha Stewart Crafts® & I just LOVE how it turned out.

Let me show you how easy it was.

Here is what I started out with. My grandmother’s vintage sewing machine & cabinet. As you can see – it’s pretty thrashed. This is the original finish & after 60+ years – it’s definitely in need of some TLC. We are currently using it as a side table for the cat’s food & water in the laundry room. It was just sad & I was so happy to finally give it a makeover.

First thing- tape off the top from the bottom since I am working with 2 colors.

The color I chose for the bottom portion is Antique Sky – Martha Stewart Vintage Decor paint. It gives a great Matte Chalk Finish. I gave the bottom half of the table 2 good thick coats of this. I loved that there is no prep & the paint is self priming. Hurray for time saving products that take extra steps out & still turn out fabulous.

Antique Sewing Table Makeover

I knew I wanted a little extra flourish to keep it feeling vintage – so I added the bottom flower pattern using this Martha Stewart Stencil

Next I used the same paint – color… Wedding Cake on the top of the table. This matches the stenciled pattern.

Once it was all dry, I added this Clear Wax with this gorgeous brush. I have a thing for paint brushes -so I was really loving this one. The clear wax is great because it adds an extra tough layer over the paint to help guard against nicks & scratches. This table is used in my laundry room & my cats are jumping on it all day long. I am happy to have something over the paint to help keep all my hard work beautiful & looking perfect.

I had completely forgotten the color of the machine when I picked the colors of the paint. It works well I think. The room had a lot of warm light coming in during the time I was photographing this project. The color of the bottom half is really close to the color of the sewing machine. It’s just not showing up with the light.

I also gave a new coat of metallic paint in brushed nickel to the little piece of hardware to spruce it up.

Here’s a better look at the stencil.

Here is the table closed. This is usually how I use it. I wish the machine still worked. Then I would have set this up in my studio. How cute it would be in here. Maybe one day I will get it running. But for now- this is one antique in the house that’s looking great.

Want more projects for the home?

How to Monogram a Butcher Block

DIY Pallet Console Table

*Disclosure: I originally compensated for this post either monetarily or with product. All opinions are truthful & my own. Sponsored messages have been removed.

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

General Tso’s Chicken Salad

By Kleinworth & Co 2 Comments

Last week I shared with you this recipe for General Tso’s Chicken Salad as an easy homegating recipe along with a whole bunch of other info. Because we enjoy it so much & it’s sooo good, I really wanted to give it it’s own post. I think it really deserves that. Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas? Sometimes when I include recipes along with other content it tends to get overshadowed. That makes me sad, especially when it’s a recipe that we enjoy so much. It’s such an easy way to have a nutritious side dish or make it your main meal. The kids like to have leftovers for lunch too. Personally – I like my food to be visually interesting. So all these colors & then that pop of flavor make me happy.

Like most salads – just throw it all in there- give it a toss & it’s good to go.

I think that is why we are making this one so often – the ease & it’s soooo good

Print Recipe

General Tso’s Chicken Salad

Ingredients

3 cups fresh baby spinach
1 lb General Tso's chicken - cut to bite size
1 cup chow mein noodles
1/4 cup slivered almonds
2 small oranges

Instructions

Add spinach, noodles,almonds & oranges to large bowl - toss
Add chicken & sesame seeds - toss
Add additional sesame seeds when serving

Want more great salads?

Caprese Pasta Salad

Black Bean & Corn Salad

Garlic Cabbage Slaw

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

By Kleinworth & Co 11 Comments

Wow – it’s been a really long time since I baked some cookies. I had yet to break in the new oven with a cookie recipe & we moved in 2 months ago. It was sure time. The hubs has been begging me for some oatmeal cookies but I am just so over my regular recipe. I wanted something different. I was sent some samples of Peanut Butter from Peanut Butter & Co. & of course the first one I wanted to test was the White Chocolate flavor. No one had any objections & I was truly craving a really good cookie. I was not disappointed. These Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies turned out SO soft & chewy. YUM!

The kids LOVED these. We love soft & chewy cookies. Just like you get at the bakery.

The flavors of the peanut butter & white chocolate are fabulous.

The oatmeal just gives it a little more body & fullness that I often crave in a cookie.

Print Recipe

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies are easy to make cookie recipe packed with rich and creamy peanut butter and white chocolate chips.

Prep Time10

Cook Time11

Chill30

Total Time21

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cookie, oatmeal, peanut butter

Servings:

Ingredients

1/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup walnuts chopped
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick ) room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
3/4 cup quick oats
1 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

In mixer bowl- combine butter & both sugars. Beat until light & fluffy.
Add peanut butter, nuts, extract - blend well
Beat in egg
Add flour, baking soda & salt - mix well
Add oats - beat well for 1 minute.
Fold in 1/2 of the white chocolate chips
Cover & refrigerate at least 30 minutes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees conventional/325 convection
Line baking sheets with parchment
Roll spoonfuls of dough into balls & place at least 1-2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet
Top with additional chocolate chips
Bake 10-11 minutes for soft cookies- 13 for crisp cookies
Remove & allow to cool on baking sheet before transferring to wire rack
Store in airtight container

*Disclosure: I was sent product from Peanut Butter & Co. to try in order to facilitate this post. All opinions are truthful & my own.

Want more cookie recipes?

Oatmeal Date Cookies

Mini Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Peanut Butter Nutella Salted Sandwich Cookies

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Caprese Pasta Salad

By Kleinworth & Co

Now that we are settled in our house we are getting back into our routine of making family dinner each night. I can’t tell you just how nice it is to be in the kitchen together as a family & creating wonderful dishes that we all enjoy. Family time is so precious & I am enjoying each & every moment I can. Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas? One thing we do often is make enough one night so that we have enough leftovers to last us another night or two. This makes it easy when coming home late from the gym to still have a delicious meal when we aren’t here to prepare it. Our latest creation is this Caprese Pasta Salad. It’s perfect for those evenings when we don’t have a lot of time – which seems to be more often than not these days.

I love that it has everything in there that we need. Veggies, beans for protein, olives, homemade croutons for grains & mozzarella for dairy.

It’s practically a meal in itself. An 6 ounce serving left me quite satisfied.

If you plan to make this full quantity & have some leftover for the next day, I recommend holding out the croutons & adding them when serving so that they stay crunchy when refrigerated. When ready to serve – give a drizzle of Kraft House Italian Lite Dressing for that perfect zest every time. I like it because it adds just the right amount of flavor & still keeps it light.

I’m adding the recipe here which is great for a large family with a second night of leftovers. There are 5 of us & this was enough for a second night AND lunch on the 3rd day. This portion is also great for parties & potlucks. If you are making this for a small family, or a single night – you can easily half the recipe. For personal size, 1/8 recipe is perfect.

Print Recipe

Caprese Pasta Salad

Ingredients

16 ounce box Garden Rotini pasta - cooked al dente & cooled
2 cups grape tomatoes
6 cups baby spinach leaves - rinsed & dried
12 marinated artichoke hearts
1-1/2 cups homemade Garlic & Herb Croutons
16 ounces mozzarella cheese - cut into bite size pieces
1 can pitted olives
1 can black beans - drained & rinsed
1/3 cup Kraft House Italian Lite Dressing

Instructions

Cook pasta a according to box directions - drain, rinse under cold water & add to large bowl
add in all other ingredients
Toss to disburse dressing & mix ingredients
Serve immediately
If you plan on saving some for leftovers - add croutons after serving individual plates
Keep refrigerated
Will keep for up to 24-48 hours

For more recipes using Kraft House Italian Lite Dressing connect with Kraft!

Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | YouTube

Want another great side dish? How about this…

Black Bean & Corn Salad

Need a beverage to pair with this?

Coconut Lime Tea

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Change up your dinner routine with Kraft. Visit KraftRecipes.com for great recipes and meal ideas, featuring Kraft. Because food deserves delicious.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Kraft. The opinions and text are all mine.

How to Monogram a Butcher Block

By Kleinworth & Co 11 Comments

Do you ever have those projects that you say you will do “someday” & then sort of get put off? That is until you find new inspiration to jump right in with both feet. That’s what happened to me with this project. You see – when we were in the beginning stages of building this house, I found this piece of header laying in the scrap pile. I squealed & then asked the hubs to save it for me. So we took it back to our rental & it sat in our garage while we waited for our home. He kept asking me, “what are you going to do with this thing?” I kept telling him that I was going to make it into a butcher block. Well – we just hit our 2 month mark here in our home & the project is complete. I will be sharing how I actually built the butcher block in another post here soon. You see, the thing that sparked my desire to finally get it done was the addition of the Dremel Micro 8050 to my arsenal of tools. So today I am going to share How to Monogram a Butcher Block. It was so FUN & easy – even for this beginner diy-er.

Here it is! Check it out!! It comes with a great little kit of starting bits & tools.

I love the variety that came in the starter accessory kit.

Light and easy to handle in tight spaces, the Dremel® Micro™8050 is packed with features that have crafters, hobbyists and DIYers in mind: soft grip, LED front-end lighting to illuminate projects, a docking station that continually charges, and an 8V Max Lithium-ion battery.

Once my block was ready, I created my monogram design in photoshop & printed on just regular paper. Then I used image transfer carbon paper between my image & the block. Then I traced the image.

I traced over my image transfer with pencil so it was easier to see.

Then I started with my cutter accessory & started cutting away at my design.

**I should tell you that I used a small scrap piece of wood to practice on first. I wanted to be sure I knew the feel of the Dremel & was comfortable with it before starting on my actual project. I was so happy I did because it took a little getting used to so I knew exactly what the tool would do & the pressure that was needed to work the project like I needed to. Things like the lines in the wood from the tree rings – it’s harder than the rest of the wood & that took some practice to work with.

Here is what it looked like after cutting. This did take some time because I wanted it pretty deep. Because it’s cordless – I ran it out of battery several times. Which gave me time to stretch my legs & work on some other projects I had in the works that weekend too. I did get over 1-2 hours of non-stop cutting with each round.

So in my trial piece I used wood stain & a cotton swab to darken the area. That didn’t work so well & the cotton swab was too big. There was a bunch of bleed over & the color wasn’t quite right. So my son suggested that I use those furniture scuff fix markers. While I thought that was a great idea – I decided that a regular fine tip Sharpie in brown was the right tool. It did bleed out a little bit in some areas – but I like that it gives it a burned & rugged look.

That’s it for the monogram. I told you it was easy for a beginner diy-er. Here is the finished block.

I really can’t wait to start working on my next project with the Dremel Micro.

The Micro 8050 can cut, carve, engrave, sand, grind, sharpen, clean and polish—helping you bring just about any brilliant project to life.

You can purchase the Micro 8050 nationwide at Home Depot and Lowe’s and online at Amazon.com for $89 USD.

I love how it turned out & that it’s a sentimental piece from our house – that is now being used in our house.

I actually sent the hubs back to the hardware store to pick me up the mega pack of accessories for future projects.

My head is swirling with ideas now. The possibilities are endless.

Dremel wants to celebrate its fans’ brilliant projects, work and ideas! Now through October 3, share, tweet or post photos on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram that depict your brilliant ideas using the hashtag #MyBrilliantIdeaSweeps for the chance to win weekly prizes, including free tools, gift cards and handmade gifts, or the grand prize: a custom-engraved Honda scooter and a Micro 8050. Visit www.facebook.com/dremel for rules and to learn more.

For more information on Dremel products, project ideas and problem-solving tips, visit www.dremel.com.

Connect with Dremel on Twitter & Pinterest

Want more projects for the home?

DIY Pallet Console Table

Raw Husk Corn Husk Wreath

Easy Rope Vase

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Garlic & Herb Croutons

By Kleinworth & Co 2 Comments

The other day we were making salad as a side dish. There is this joke in the house that I like to have a little salad added to my bowl of croutons. If you know me – then you know I’m not a huge fan of salad in general. But I will on occasion have a garden salad with the family – as long as I have plenty of croutons. But this particular day we didn’t have any. So I finally did what I have been saying I would do for a very long time. I made these Garlic & Herb Croutons & I can’t believe I have been paying for them for all these years. Really – it was so simple- they tasted fabulous & I didn’t have to worry about having bread go to waste. The best part is that I was able to have my bowl of croutons garnished with a little salad along with the family. Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas?

Okay – so I said it was easy. When I say easy, I mean crazy easy!!!

Cut, toss with your addins & bake. Done! Literally! There is no reason why you should be buying croutons – EVER!

I think I may now take them & crunch them up to use as topping for other things too. YUM!

Now I’m hungry as I type this. I may need to go find a snack. Just looking at these makes me want some!

Print Recipe

Garlic & Herb Croutons

Easiest homemade crouton recipe!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: croutons, garlic

Servings:

Ingredients

½ loaf french bread 1-2 days old is perfect
¼ loaf pumpernickel bread
⅓ cup olive oil
2 tbsp granulated garlic
2 tbsp Mrs. Dash seasoning
1 tbsp parsley

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 conventional/ 350 convection
Cut bread into cubes & place in large bowl
Slowly drizzle olive oil over bread - turning to coat
Add seasonings & continue to toss to be sure to distribute the seasonings & oil as evenly as possible
Place on large baking sheet & bake for 15-20 minutes
Allow to cool completely on baking sheet before transferring to airtight container
Will store well up to 2 weeks in pantry

Notes

These can be made in the air fryer - just cook at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, stirring after the first 5 minutes. You may need to reduce the recipe or work in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.

Adapt seasonings as desired.

So what to have with your croutons & salad???

This French Onion Cheese Sauce is great on some grilled chicken – with a little salad on the side.

How about a little pasta? This Chipotle Spinach Fettuccini is FABULOUS!

Do you like a soup/salad combo? You could use the croutons in this Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup too.

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

John Wayne Casserole

By Kleinworth & Co Leave a Comment

John Wayne Casserole is a hearty casserole with ground beef, veggies, biscuit crust, creamy gravy, and cheesy topping to feed a whole family.

It is a biscuit casserole dish that has been around since the 70s, and you’ve probably heard about it at least once.

A classic family dinner casserole, that feeds a crowd and is an easy meal to make even on weekdays. Many recipes have the same name now but all share the same hearty rich flavor and simple ingredients.

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3 Tips to Mixing Modern and Rustic Styles in the Home

By Kleinworth & Co Leave a Comment

Since I am talking more & more about our home, I have here today Tali Wee of Zillow to share with you all 3 Tips to Mixing Modern and Rustic Styles in the Home. I think eclectic styles are the easiest for most people to put together in their homes because most people collect pieces from all sorts of places when they are putting their homes together. But there is a way to do it right so that it all comes together nicely. It doesn’t have to be all matching to work well together & Tali is here today to show you how.

Zillow Digs: The Corcoran Group

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Blackberry & Banana Ice Cream

By Kleinworth & Co 2 Comments

Okay – last summertime post I swear! After today I’m jumping into fall. But I just loved this Blackberry & Banana Ice Cream so much that I couldn’t let the last little but of summer slip away without sharing it with you. It’s simple, quick to make & HEALTHY too. You have got to love that.

Just look at that color!! I just swoon. I had no problem letting the kids eat this for breakfast on our last couple hot days we had. Bananas & blackberries – just because it looks & tastes like ice cream doesn’t mean it’s not good for you. They absolutely loved it.

With this one I decided to freeze it overnight before serving. I had a few other things that needed to be eaten first. But I think next time I will eat immediately & enjoy it soft serve style.

I originally shared this Blackberry & Banana Ice Cream post on Or So She Says.

Print Recipe

Blackberry & Banana Ice Cream

Ingredients

5 frozen bananas
2 cups frozen blackberries
1-1/2 cups almond milk

Instructions

Add all ingredients to blender & blend on high until completely smooth & combined.
Serve immediately for soft serve or transfer to airtight container & freeze several hours for a firmer ice cream.

Want more easy treats?

Peanut Butter & Jelly Ice Cream

M&M’s Cookie Dough Bites

Frozen Kit Kat Pudding Pie

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Cake Batter Meringues

By Kleinworth & Co 8 Comments

Today is all about MERINGUE!!! You see – meringue was a favorite for my mom. She baked A LOT & meringue was her “go-to” thing. I originally planned on sharing her Meringue Buttercream frosting. But then I decided to make her favorite cookie – meringues instead. But that’s not all! Since one of our favorite things to do while baking together was lick the bowl while we waited for cakes to bake – I decided to make these little gems cake batter flavored. She would have loved these Cake Batter Meringues.

These are definitely a tribute to my wonderful mom. It was however rough for me while making them. I can touch just about anything of hers – except her baking stuff. Baking was so much a part of who she was & so many of my memories are of us together in the kitchen. It’s really hard to even touch her tools without breaking down. But in honor of her – I did it & she would love these.

Light & airy – with a subtle hint of cake batter flavor. YUM!

This made several dozen cookies. They are about 1-1.5 inches in diameter & they filled my 3/4 sheet. I probably should have used my full sheet for these – but I was already committed once I figured that out. 🙂

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Cake Batter Meringues

Ingredients

4 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
pinch of cream of tarter
1 tsp Cake Batter Flavoring
Food Coloring Optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 175 degrees for conventional/ 150 for convection
Line a 3/4 size sheet pan or several smaller baking sheets with parchment & set aside
Place sugar & egg whites in medium bowl over the top of a pot of simmering water. Do not allow bottom of bowl touch the water.
Constantly whisk until the sugar has dissolved.
Transfer to mixer bowl
Using whisk attachment - beat on low & add in Cake Batter Flavoring
Gradually increase speed & continue to beat until stiff peaks have formed & meringue is glossy in appearance.
Transfer to pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.
Pipe meringues onto parchment about 1 inch apart.
Bake in preheated oven for 90 minutes. Then turn off oven & allow cookies to cool in oven with the door slightly open.
Once completely cooled - transfer to airtight container away from heat & moisture.
Can also be stored in the freezer.

Want more great cookies?

Oatmeal Date Cookies

Peanut Butter Nutella Salted Sandwich Cookies

Mini Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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DIY Pallet Console Table

By Kleinworth & Co 40 Comments

DIY Pallet Console Table is a quick and easy project that can be completed in just a few hours. This repurposing project is great for small spaces.

Looking for a quick and easy weekend project to spruce up a small space? This DIY Pallet Console Table can be made in just a couple hours and is the perfect addition to an entryway, hall or any tight space that needs a little extra something.

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Pineapple Sparkler

By Kleinworth & Co 3 Comments

Are you ready for fall or are you still hanging on for summer??? Well I’m sort of in-between. I love fall- it’s my favorite season. However, with the whole move & not getting to really jump in to summer posts here with both feet, I’m sort of wanting to cling on to summer for just a bit longer. The temps here this time of year are so up & down anyway – but I’m not complaining because if we were still back in Vegas, I would still be talking about 100’s. But with all that said – I just had to throw in this super tasty summertime Pineapple Sparkler that I know you will love.

This probably won’t be my last summer post of the season- but am feeling the need to wrap it up & start sharing with you all the fall ideas I have swirling around. I have to say- I started thinking about fall as soon as we got settled here back in July.

I love how easy it is to whip this up. I almost always keep a fresh pineapple on hand. So when I’m cutting one up to have with lunch – I just take a little & pop it in the blender with the other ingredients & there you go. Tropical drink in about 90 seconds – start to finish.

Print Recipe

Pineapple Sparkler

Ingredients

2 cups fresh pineapple- cut into chunks
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup cream of coconut
12 ounces coconut sparkling water
1-1/2 cups ice

Instructions

Place all ingredients in blender & blend on high for about 45-60 seconds- making sure all the ice is crushed before pouring into your serving glasses.
Garnish with pineapple, lime or mint.

Want more refreshing beverages to cool you down?

Coconut Lime Iced Tea

Blackberry Watermelon Fizz

Coco Piña Colada

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Glitter Wave Table Makeover

By Kleinworth & Co 9 Comments

If you remember when we were first moving into our house, I mentioned that I was putting unpacking on hold while I worked on getting some final projects painted so they could finally be put into their permanent space. Well one of those little (& more fun) projects was this Glitter Wave Table Makeover. I had been dragging around this really inexpensive accent table since I bought it for my very first apartment when I was 18. Jump ahead all these years & I still have it. It’s traditionally used under a table skirt – which is how I had been using it or storing it for all these years. Until I saw someone paint a similar table a few months ago. The light bulb went off – duh! I love transforming things with a little paint. So I pulled out some colors to match the powder room & got to work. Check out how easy it was to complete.

Here it is – in all it’s sadness. You can still buy them at places like Walmart. I don’t even think Walmart had made it to the west coast yet when I bought mine. You can see a similar one here.

So I started with the pale pink shade all over the whole table – Valspar Cape Sands. Then I used the Martha Stewart Champagne for the waves. I was so excited to find actual glitter paint while shopping one weekend.

Once the paint was dry I used some leftover shape tape that I had from another project.

I purposely made the waves progressively larger from one side to the other.

Just a couple coats – pulled off the tape & let it dry overnight.

Then I added the glass piece for the top when I finally placed it in the powder room.

It was so easy. I wish all furniture makeover projects were this simple. I like it so much better than draping a table skirt over it.

I have a couple more projects I did for this room – so stay tuned for those in the coming weeks.

Want to see more from our new home?

Easy Rope Vase

Master Bath 2nd Vanity

Coastal Decor {Living Room Reveal}

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Scavenger Hunt Sunday 8 24 14

By Kleinworth & Co 6 Comments

I realized a few weeks ago that I have been spending so much time working- that I almost never pick up my camera for creativity anymore. It was sad. Not only that – but when it comes to creative processing…it was bad. I had lost all vision. I am clearly out of practice. So I have decided that since I began honing my photography skills by joining up to the weekly Scavenger Hunt Sunday years ago – that it would be a good challenge for me to jump back in as often as I can. I really need to keep up on my photography beyond work & this is a wonderful place for me to do it. So I am going to do my best to keep up & participate more frequently.

So here are the prompts for this week….

Flowers

Click through below to see the rest of this week’s prompts.

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Black Bean and Corn Salad

By Kleinworth & Co 9 Comments

So Labor Day is like right around the corner. Can’t even believe I just typed that. This year is just flying by. Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas? But because it is so close to the final BBQ of the season I wanted to share with you this recipe for Black Bean and Corn Salad. It comes together so quickly & makes a LARGE amount. So it’s perfect for those Labor Day entertaining with your friends or those fun end of summer church picnics. Whatever the occasion- this is a great side dish recipe to bring along to feed the crowds.

I love the vibrant colors. I literally just started throwing things in the bowl based on the colors I felt it needed to be visually interesting. Of course I took into account flavor medleys – but I really wanted this to have a nice array of colors to just pop out of the platter.

Simple & easy – you know that is the best when it comes to preparing for a large crowd.

My kids went back for thirds! We enjoyed this on the side of our Baby Back Ribs.

Print Recipe

Black Bean and Corn Salad

Ingredients

2 15.25 ounce cans black beans - drained & rinsed
32 ounce bag corn - cooked & slightly cooled
10 ounces cherry tomatoes - halved
1 large orange sweet pepper - finely diced
2 cup spinach leaves - chopped
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese
4 ounces feta cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Combine all prepared ingredients to large bowl - toss well to coat with oil & seasonings.
Chill in refrigerator for about 20 minutes prior to serving.

Want more great side dishes?

Garlic Cabbage Slaw

Restaurant Style Refried Beans

Slow Cooker Black Bread

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Coconut Lime Tea

By Kleinworth & Co 10 Comments

Coconut Lime Tea – perfectly brewed with the refreshing flavors of coconut & lime. Such a delicious way to hydrate all summer long.

You know – the weather has been so fickle. This time of year it can’t decide if it still wants to be summer or if it really would rather start heading into fall.

We have a couple of days of low 80’s – which is soooooo nice. (The So Cal girl in me really wishes it were like that all the time) But then it gets back up near 90 again & I start heading for the kitchen for a cool down.

Scroll to the bottom for the Printable Recipe

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Prosciutto French Onion Tea Sandwiches

By Kleinworth & Co 2 Comments

Prosciutto French Onion Tea Sandwiches are perfect for bridal or baby showers, Mother’s day celebrations, or backyard pool parties. Super easy & delicious.

August tends to be a very busy month for us in regards to celebrations. I mentioned earlier that the munchkin celebrated a birthday.

This month we also celebrate the birthday of my niece & the anniversary of my brother & sister-in-law. And before we had hit mid-month we also celebrate the hubs birthday.

Scroll to the bottom for the Printable Recipe

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French Onion Cheese Sauce

By Kleinworth & Co 11 Comments

Remember back in April when I attended the SNAP! Conference? Well – the first night of the conference they fed us this INCREDIBLE chicken smothered with this sauce. It was so good. It was all I could do to not ask for another plate of it…..or 4 or 5 more plates. I could have eaten it until I was sick. It was amazing. So literally ever since then I have been craving it. Clearly I didn’t get enough. So I started experimenting in the kitchen with different sauces for my chicken. I came up with this French Onion Cheese Sauce that is really quite tasty. It isn’t quite like the one I mentioned before- I’m still working on recreating that one. But this was still tasty & share worthy. Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas? Top it on your chicken, add it to some noodles- whatever. It’s YUM-O!

We just grilled some boneless, skinless chicken breasts on the BBQ with just seasonings.

Then added the sauce just as we plated it.

Add a little additional parsley to the top to make it look pretty!

Makes for a scrumptious dinner with a side of baby spinach.

Print Recipe

French Onion Cheese Sauce

Ingredients

3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup French Onion Recipe Mix
3/4 tsp teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
sprinkle of parsley

Instructions

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat
Once melted- whisk in flour to make a roux - cook 1-2 minutes
Slowly add milk & water - whisking briskly to fully incorporate & keep milk from scalding
Keep whisking 5-8 minutes to thicken sauce
Remove from heat, add french onion mix, teriyaki, cheese & parsley - whisk in well
Serve warm
Ladle over your grilled chicken
garnish with additional parsley after plating.

Want more dinner ideas?

Chipotle Spinach Fettuccini

Simple Teriyaki Stir Fry

Chicken Cordon Bleu Creamy Mac & Cheese

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Almond & Macadamia Nut Butter {Back to School Extravaganza & Giveaway}

By Kleinworth & Co 12 Comments

Do you ever have those things on a so-called “recipe bucket list” that you keep meaning to make? Those things that you have been hearing about for a while & you keep telling yourself that you will do it & then days, weeks, months – maybe even years go by & you still haven’t done it yet? Yeah – for me – it was nut butter. In our effort to eliminate as many processed foods as we can from our diet- without taking away the wonderful conveniences of living in today – I finally tried my first attempt at making nut butter. Since macadamia nuts are my favorite nut – I already had a bunch on hand. So I started there…with a little mix of almonds for a twist to create this Almond & Macadamia Nut Butter. I’m happy with my first attempt. Excited to try some different varieties in the future.

It wasn’t hard to do. However- pack your patience. This did take far longer than I expected. Far longer than others mentioned in their recipes. Maybe it was me – maybe just how I was doing it. I did find that I had better success with my blender than with my food processor. I think there was too much space with the food processor & the nuts were not getting enough of the blades – which is probably what contributed to the additional time. I ended up transferring to my blender & things went a lot quicker after that. Sooooooo- my next batch I will start with the blender. I’m sure I will be sharing future recipes with you – so I will be sure to share my thoughts on the process change as well.

This turned out pretty tasty. I love that I made it myself.

I can’t wait to enjoy it with some of the jams I have been making lately.

Print Recipe

Almond & Macadamia Nut Butter {Back to School Extravaganza & Giveaway}

Ingredients

1-1/4 cup macadamia nuts
3/4 cup almonds
2 tbsp + 1 tsp raw honey
1/2 tsp Princess Cake & Cookie Bakery Emulsion
1/4 - 1 tsp salt - to taste
1 tsp coconut oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 conventional/ 325 convection
Spread almonds on baking sheet - toast 6-8 minutes to help release oils
Remove & transfer immediately to food processor or high powered blender
Add macadamia nuts
Puree until smooth - approx 4-6 minutes - scraping sides often
Add honey, bakery emulsion, salt & coconut oil
Puree again until creamy - the longer you puree- the creamier it gets. This can take 6-20 minutes depending on your machine. Be patient & scrape sides often.
Transfer to clean & sterile jars - store in refrigerator.

So what will I pair it with?

Definitely this Huckleberry Jam for a great sandwich.

Want to try another SUPER YUMMY spread?

How about this Chocolate Chip Cookie – Cookie Butter?

For me, traditional Back to School time means good old fashioned Peanut Butter & Jelly! But many kids can’t bring peanut butter to school anymore. So I thought this would be a great Back to School alternative for those that need a substitute.

I have teamed up with an awesome group of bloggers (you know them all) & I’m sharing this recipe as part of our

Back to School Extravaganza & Giveaway!

Added BONUS in this giveaway…4 spice packs from Urban Accents! Two dry glazes and two veggie roasters. Available at grocery stores, Costco Midwest and online at UrbanAccents.com. PLUS, they make specialty items for Crate & Barrel, Sur La Table and World Market.

Please follow/ like them on Facebook Instagram Twitter and Pinterest.

Don’t forget to enter the GIVEAWAY!!

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To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Easy Rope Vase

By Kleinworth & Co 5 Comments

Remember when I said I was crafting up a storm & revamping things to fit in the new house? Well I’m still working on things but I thought I would share with you this super simple & Easy Rope Vase that I made for the hearth. I have had this plain ol’ vase sitting around for forever. We had some flowers in it on the coffee table at the old house. But it wasn’t very pretty & honestly, I was so tired of the same old look. I contemplated painting it on the outside, or maybe on the inside…..or even just staining it. I left it sitting in this box of “still deciding what to do with- last of the move” stuff for a while. Then I was inspired to take a little sisal rope & transform it into something that actually matches our house decor & is a little more visually interesting too. Let me show you just how easy this was.

Literally – just the hot glue gun, sisal rope & this vase – 20 minutes max.

Just a little dab of glue & wrap until you get it to where you want it. Dab & wrap, dab & wrap. All the way up.

It matches with the coastal vibe of the space so nicely.

These are so popular these days. But with $10 coil of sisal & some hot glue sticks I made this for a bargain. Especially since I have seen similar ones sold for as much as $140. Really??!!

I love it when I see something I would like for the house & I look at the hubs & say “I can totally make that”. Then I go home & I actually do it. Then he’s all impressed & I’m pretty happy that I was able to save while still getting the look I want.

Want more projects for the home?

Beachy Painted Corkboard

DIY Clay Coasters

Updated House Numbers Sign

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Rag Wrapped Bracelets {Back to School Craft}

By Kleinworth & Co

Do you like re-purposing projects?? The kids & I are always looking at things we have collected, used containers & whatnot to see if there is anything we can use it for before it goes to the trash or recycle bin. One thing we go through A LOT of in this house is coffee creamer bottles. I hang on to them to store things like buttons or glitter or beads in the craft room. But then I came up with this fun craft for my tween – Rag Wrapped Bracelets. We may not be going back to school (because we break during the holidays)- but most public school kids ARE heading back to school soon. So I thought this would be a fun back to school craft for girls to do with their friends or as a mom/daughter activity.

These are incredibly simple to make. Took just a few minutes!!

Start with some fabric of choice & your empty & washed creamer bottle.

You will also need a hot glue gun & ribbon if you do the second style I created.

Cut your bottle into rings. I STRONGLY suggest you use scissors & not the exact-o knife like I did.

I ended up slicing myself pretty good with it & nearly needed stitches.

Cut some long strips of fabric about 1″ wide.

Because I was closer to the neck of the bottle & this ring was smaller – I cut it to make it wider.

Place a dab of hot glue at your starting point & then attach the end of your fabric.

Then just wrap the fabric around until you come to the end & you have covered the entire bracelet piece.

On the one I cut open – I then attached a small piece of ribbon on both ends.

Then I glued another piece around the tip to finish off the ends.

If you do a standard bangle style- just glue the end piece down when you get to the end. It will blend in.

Here’s the finished bracelets. I love how they turned out. I see many of these in our future.

As you can see I did some thin & some wide. My girls like to alternate them.

I’m just LOVING these! Such a fun little project with my girls.

Be sure to pick up your International Delight to enjoy & then re-purpose the bottle into these Rag Wrapped Bracelets.

Look for the new International Delight Logo when picking up your own favorite flavors!

I would love it if you would connect with International Delight!! It’s easy!

Join the International delight Community at internationaldelight.com

International Delight members are entered to win prizes every month. This month, the prize is a tablet.

Follow on Twitter @indelight & use #IDelight & don’t forget to connect on Facebook too.

They’re on Google+ & Instagram too!! Find more International Delight on PINTEREST

Want more re-purposing projects?

Coffee Can First Aid Kit & Printable Checklist

DIY Wasp Trap – from an International Delight Creamer Bottle

Corn Husk Luminaries

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Ice Cream

By Kleinworth & Co 6 Comments

With the whole hubbub of back to school going on I thought I would make a little something that just screams school time to me. Peanut Butter & Jelly Ice Cream! With just 3 simple ingredients, completely dairy free & it’s ready in just 5 minutes. So incredibly easy. When I did my little quality control taste test – I was really surprised by how it truly tastes JUST like a good ‘ol PB&J. It also made me realize just how little the bread contributes to the overall flavor of a PB&J. This Peanut Butter & Jelly Ice Cream is all I ever need when I’m craving those two wonderful flavors together.

The kids were all over this. I love that I can whip it up in my blender & it’s ready so quickly.

I decided to use my Huckleberry Jam that I shared with you on Monday. So I suppose this is really peanut butter & jam ice cream. But it doesn’t have the same ring to it now does it?! Besides – you can use any flavor jelly you like with this so the name still holds true for recipe recreation purposes.

Print Recipe

Peanut Butter & Jelly Ice Cream

Ingredients

5 frozen bananas
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup jelly (I used my Huckleberry Jam in this batch

Instructions

Place peanut butter in the bottom of blender (this helps make sure it's fully incorporated)
Add bananas
Blend on high for several minutes
Scrape down sides & continue blending until creamy
Transfer to medium size bowl & fold in jelly/jam being careful to not fully blend it in. You want ribbons of jelly throughout.
Enjoy immediately for a soft serve ice cream or transfer to air tight container & freeze overnight for firm ice cream.

Want more recipes made with frozen bananas?

Caramel Macchiato Ice Cream

Toasted Coconut Banana Ice Cream

Banana Root Beer Float

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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