Back to School Teacher Gift Ideas

I can't believe it's the end of summer! Here in Oregon we don't go back to school until September 4th.  So we have a little time left to come up with the perfect back to school teacher gift.  I'm a firm believer in showing teachers how important they are!  And why not start the year off with a smile... and a treat.

Here are some great ideas I found out there in blogland.  We haven't decided which one we're making (so if you're looking at this Mrs. Fox or Mrs. Passmore, pretend to be surprised on Tuesday) =o)

Here's a simple one for the kids or the teachers from It Is What It Is. 

I just love this School Supply Cake from What's Scrapping.

What teacher wouldn't love this wonderful Back to School Wreath from The Ballard Bunch.

We made these great 1st Day of School Pencils out of Rolos.

This is a really fun Gift Bag and there's a free printable (gotta love free printables!) from Detail-Oriented Diva.

We made these fun (and easy) Pencil Holders for my kid's teachers 2 years ago.  (Yikes, it's been 2 years!)

This is an easy and fun idea for a "Write Teacher Gift".

I wish I could make cookies this cute for the teachers!  The Baking Sheet did an amazing job with these!

This is such a fun gift idea from Positively Splendid.

Fun ideas, right?  What do you think?  Which one should we make?

We hope that your children have an amazing year!  And if you're a teacher, thanks for all you do!

 

I'm linking to the parties on my sidebar.

FantasiCakes Review and Giveaway

I love, love, love desserts. I know. Surprise!  Here's another shocker.  I don't love any desserts.  I love good desserts.  Here's where FantasiCakes comes in.  FantasiCakes is a mail order handcrafted (aka homemade) pastry and bakery shop.  Did you read that?  Mail order!  Bakery!  Pastry!  All of my favorite things!  And check out what they have.

This Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake is calling my name.  It was created with the chocolate lover in mind.  It is made from their moist chocolate cake and a generous amount of high quality chocolate chips.  It's topped off with a chocolate icing to drizzle on.  Yes, please!

This may be the best of both worlds - The Marble Coffee Cake.  Can't decide if you want chocolate or vanilla?  Why not have some of both!  This is made with their vanilla and chocolate cake batters swirled together in this amazing coffee cake.  Made from scratch everyday using fresh eggs, Madagascar Bourbon vanilla creamy sour cream and a generous amount of high quality chocolate chips on top.  Sounds perfect to me!

I think this Raspberry Tart just screams summer.  Made with sweet raspberry filling covered in a shortbread crust.  I about fell over when I read that!  This is next on my list to try!

Don't they look amazing?  And there are so many flavors to chose from. 

Their online menu is amazing.  But I was so sad I didn't live in the Los Angeles are when I saw what you could pick up from one of their stores. 

My kids and I had a hard time choosing what amazing treat we wanted to try.  My daughter has declared she doesn't like chocolate.  Gasp!  But it was pretty easy to chose which one we wanted as soon as I clicked on the Coffee Cake tab.  Doesn't this Cinnamon Coffee Cake look delicious?!?!

 It arrived in amazing condition!  It was double packed and sealed for freshness!

We cut into it immediately.  I mean really, it looked so good!

One thing right off that I loved was the icing.  It came in a packet that you microwaved fro just a little while and then drizzled on the coffee cake.  I was expecting a powdered sugar and water type frosting that ran down the side of the cake and blobbed (yes, that's a word) all over the plate.  It didn't!  Instead, I drizzled it on and it hardened a little.  Not a lot so it was gross.  Just perfect so it was awesome!  (It's the little things that impress me!)

My daughter took the first bite (because, of course, I was taking pictures of the coffee cake) and she started moaning and giving me the thumbs up.  I quickly put down my camera and cut me a piece.  I have to agree with my daughter, it was delicious!

What are my thoughts on FantasiCakes?  I think the Cinnamon Coffee Cake was one of the best coffee cakes I've ever purchased.  It was moist and the cinnamon tasted like a high quality cinnamon.  The frosting added a nice touch.  It was fantastic!  And we ate it in 2 days.  Holy smokes!

What am I going to do next?  I'm totally ordering a Raspberry Tart =o)

Where can you find FantatiCakes?  Thanks for asking.  They can be found on their website www.FantasiCakes.com, on Facebook, Twitter, and on their Blog.

Would you like a chance at winning one of these amazing cakes?  Enter on the rafflecopter below for your chance at winning a 8' bundt cake or coffee cake of your choice.

Giveaway ends September 14, 2012 and is open to US residents.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
 

Great Coupons to Print from #MyBlogSpark

I'm a coupon shopper.  MyBlogSPark sent me these coupon links and I thought I would pass them along to all of you.

Click here to print off an $0.80 coupon for one box of Fiber One Chewy Bars.

Click here to print off a $0.75 coupon for Pillsbury Bagette Chips.

Click here to print off a $0.60 coupon for Mott´s® Medleys Fruit Flavored Snacks.

It's like free money!

Crayola Back to School Giveaway with #MyBlogSpark

What word is synonymous with back to school?  No, not headache.  Crayola!  Am I right?  I don't care if you're 8 or 108, live in Oregon or New York, you know the name Crayola. 

Buying back to school supplies can be a pain in the rear.  I know!  Last year I don't know what I was thinking and I bought a different brand of paints and crayons.  What was I thinking?!?!  I tried to color with them and thought "what is this, a piece of colored wax!"  Forget this.  I immediately threw them away and went back to the store and bought the name I trust - Crayola!

And Crayola is so much more than just crayons, paints and colored pencils.  Look at all these amazing products they carry.

We were sent a box filled with goodies.  It included:

* Crayola Bright Fabric Markers

* Crystal Effects Window Markers

* Crayola Window Mega Markers

* Wild Notes Index Cards

* Wild Notes Sticky Notes

* Wild Notes 1 Subject Notebook

* Dual-sided Dry Erase Board

The package came right as we were leaving to drive to the beach.  Was that perfect timing, or what?!?!   My son doodled (he LOVES to doodle) for hours on the Dual-sided Dry Erase Board and my daughter wrote love notes to everyone in the family on the Wild Notes 1 Subject Notebook.  It comes with a rainbow pen that looks so cool when you write with it.

I work in a middle school so I'm taking the Wild Notes Sticky Notes to work with me.  Cool, right?

I'm also taking the Wild Notes Index Cards.  But don't tell me kids =o)

We absolutely love the window markers! 

My kids have had so much fun writing on the windows and then wiping it off.  And how much fun will these be on Holidays?  My plan the first day of school (which is next week - yikes) is to write a love note to them on the bathroom mirrors in the morning.  I think they will love it and these markers are so much better than using lipstick.  Seriously!  Who does that?  It's horrible.

Where can you find Crayola?  Most stores carry Crayola products but if you want to find out more information on all the fun colorful products they have, check out their website at www.crayola.com or you can find them on Facebook and Twitter.

Would you like to win an amazing Crayola "Color Your Way Back To School" prize pack?  It includes"

* Crayola Bright Fabric Markers

* Crystal Effects Window Markers

* Crayola Window Mega Markers

* Wild Notes Index Cards

* Wild Notes Sticky Notes

* Wild Notes 1 Subject Notebook

Enter to win on the rafflecopter below. Giveaway ends September 21, 2012 at midnight and is open to US residents.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure:  The information, products and additional Crayola Back-to-School gift pack was provided by Crayola® through MyBlogSpark.

 

Pillow Pizza ... Or Is It???

I get the idea of why this is called pillow pizza but it's not really pizza is it? It has spaghetti sauce and hamburger in it. I don't eat spaghetti sauce and hamburger with my pizza. Hmmm... So maybe Pillow Spaghetti? Nah, that doesn't sound as good. I'll have to think about this for awhile.

Until I have an epiphany and come up with the perfect name, I'll stick with pillow pizza.

Regardless of the name, it's delicious!  I had no doubt in my mind that it would be anything else.  I found the recipe over on Tiffanee's blog, One Crazy Cookie.  I've been following Tiffanee's blog for awhile now and I just love it.  Recipes that are perfect for me and my lifestyle.

I love how easy it is but so delicious!

Pillow Pizza
Source: One Crazy Cookie

* 2 tubes of refrigerated biscuits (10 biscuits a tube)
* 1 pound hamburger
* 3 - 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
* 2 cups spaghetti sauce

Optional ingredients:
* onion
* green peppers
* pepperoni
* Canadian Bacon
* you get the idea... other pizza toppings

(I only had 1 tube of biscuits so I halved the recipe and it worked great too.)

Cut the biscuits into quarters and lay on the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13 pan.

Sprinkle with 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese.

Cook hamburger.  Drain.  Add spaghetti sauce.

Add hamburger mixture over cheese layer.

Add any other pizza toppings you would like.  We opted to add none.  Top with remaining cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

It was even great the next day heated up for breakfast =o)

 

I'm linking to the parties on my sidebar.

Greek Salad and a Taste of Summer

I love summer time.  All the fresh veggies!  (I can do without the fruit, but the veggies I'm thrilled about.)  And tomatoes?  Fresh off the vine?  Pure heaven!

This Greek Salad is something I could eat everyday of the summer.  It's light and crisp and totally delicious!

Greek Salad
Source: Better Holmes and Garden New Cookbook

*cucumbers, chopped
* tomatoes, chopped
* pitted Calamata olives, chopped
* Feta cheese
* 2/3 cup olive oil
* 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1/4 tsp. dried oregano, crushed

Look at all the frsh ingredients!

Enjoy!

I'm linking to the parties on my sidebar.

Bread and Butter Pickles

This is one of those recipes that you will look at and think "nah, I'll just buy them."  But let me tell you - you are missing out!  These are truly the BEST PICKLES OF ALL TIME!!!  I made a batch and loved them so much I asked my Mom to buy me some more pickling cukes at the Farmer's Market so I could make some more.  Well, she bought my 15 pounds more!  Holy heck!  But I'm not complaining.  We now have pickles to last the winter and my kids and I are super excited!
  
Bread and Butter Pickles 
Source: Slightly adapted from A Feast for the Eyes

* 5 pounds pickling cucumbers
* 1 large sweet onion, sliced really thin
* 1/3 cup Kosher salt
* 3 cups cider vinegar
* 2 1/2 cups sugar
* 1 tsp. ground tumeric
* 1 1/4 tsp. celery seeds
* 4 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
* 2 Tbsp. coriander seeds

Oh how I love cucumbers!

Wash cucumbers and cut off the ends.  Slice crosswise into 1/4 inch slices.

Toss in a large bowl with the salt and onion slices.

Cover with about 4 to 6 cups of ice cubes and let sit for 4 hours or refrigerate overnight.

Prepare the bowling water bath.  Add water to a large canner with rack and heat to about 180 degrees.  The water should be high enough to be about 1 inch higher than the filled jars.

Wash jars thoroughly and heat water in a small saucepan; put the lids in the saucepan and bring to an almost boil.  Lower heat to very low to keep the lids hot.

Drain the cucumber mixture.  I was afraid they would be too salty but the salty taste goes away by the next day. 

In a large pot over medium heat, combine the other ingredients and bring to a boil. 

With a slotted spoon gently fill jars with the cucumbers.

Ladle the liquid into jars, dividing equally among the jars.

With a clean cloth, wipe any liquid off around the mouth of the jars and put lids on.  Adjust the screw on lids firmly but don't over tighten.

Place filled jars in the boiling water bath, filling with more boiling water if needed to cover the jars.

Bring the water to a boil.  Cover and boil for 10 minutes.

Lift the jars out of the water and place on a rack to cool.

Makes about 6 pints.

They are so good you will eat an entire jar before you realize they are gone.



 

I'm linking to the parties on my sidebar.