Things I've Made: Pinterest

I've been making a lot of my pinterest pins lately.  I love the idea of being productive in the kitchen and creating things.  Truth is, though, a lot of the times I find that the pinterest recipes or DIY instructions need to be tweaked.  Especially DIY stuff.  I can't believe how many directions are left out.  Anyhow, here are the things I've made:



http://pinterest.com/pin/145100419214467230/

Rubber banded candle holders.  I actually found a lot of different online instructions about how to make these candle holders and all of them said it was super easy.  I found that it wasn't easy until I figured out that you needed to use thick rubber bands that were tight on the vase.  You couldn't have any rubber bands that were twisted, otherwise the spray paint would seep underneath the rubber band and you wouldn't get clean lines.  We used frosted glass spray paint and made straight stripes.  I won't post pictures of what mine looked like until after their grand unveiling at the wedding.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Cheesy-Beef-Taco-Dip


Cheesy Beef Taco Dip was really, really good.  Like, almost too effing good.  Some tweaks were that I added a jalapeno to the meat, pepper, onion saute.  Once the meat, peppers and onions were sauteed, I put them in a crock pot and added the rest of the ingredients to let them melt.  I sprinkled red pepper flakes on everything in the crock pot to give it extra spice.  I have found that hot dip recipes don't work as well on the stove top as in the crock pot.  I think when you make something on the stove top there's a tendency to rush the cheese melting and then the cheese clumps when cooling.  Plus, the crock pot keeps everything warm.  I loved this dip, but I have a friend who made it and thought it was bland.  So, this could be a dud.

http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2011/02/grasshopper-brownie-bars.html

Grasshopper Brownie Bars were effing fantarriffic.  They were so good.  Even though there are three layers that you have to create, I didn't think the recipe was all that fussy.  And normally I am a spazz in the kitchen.  The fluffy mint part in the middle didn't set quite right on mine and it was a little bit melty when I put it on the brownies.  I think that when I make these again, I will put the brownies in the freezer after they are cooled to get them really cold so that the mint layer won't melt at all. 

http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2009/09/football-kickoff-buffalo-chicken-dip.html

I wanted to LOVE this dip.  And I liked it, but it wasn't my favorite.  I think I cooked it too fast and so the cheese didn't melt right.  Plus, it didn't look appetizing.  My version of it looked barfy, which always makes things less appetizing.  I cooked all of this on the stove, but might try it again in a crock pot so that it stays warm longer.

http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2012/03/mexican-stuffed-shells.html

Mexican Stuffed Shells are perhaps my most favoritest of all the dinners that I've ever made.  They were unbelievable.  I really spiced them up by using spicy taco seasoning, spicy taco sauce and spicy salsa.  It was a little too spicy, so I think maybe using a mild taco sauce would be best.  I could have eaten a million of these.  On a side note, Mike hates cream cheese and so he was skeptical of the recipe.  I kept telling him that cream cheese only makes things taste better, but he didn't believe me...until he tried them.  He was so happy when he was eating these, he looked like a little kid at Christmastime.