Pineapple Upside Down...Cupcakes?

Yummo! Happy Pineapple Upside Down Cake Day. No joke. Check the specials calendar near you.

I made these on Sunday in fear I would not have time to make today but these were so good. Here is the recipe for your pleasure:

1 box Yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 c oil
1 1/4 c water
1 20oz can crushed pineapple
1 stick butter
1/2 c brown sugar
cherries (optional-I did not have any on hand)

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Mix cake mix, eggs, oil and water together. Set aside. Melt butter in microwave or on stove top, mix together with brown sugar. Spray/grease two 12 count muffic pans. Add 1/2 teaspoon of butter, brown sugar mixture to each muffin section. Add one cherry to each section (if using). Spoon 1 teaspoon crushed pineapple into each section. Evenly add cake batter to each section.
Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Make sure to let these guys sit and completely cool before removing or they will break apart.
Enjoy!

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Posted in: baking,cake,cherries,dessert,food,food network,holidays,pineapple,yellow cake,yummo

More fun days ahead!

Getting ready to roll to Target and pick up a few items. My kittens are ready for more food and treats so I can not neglect them. :D

I am also picking up a Pyrex dish or two, I dont think you can ever have too many of those things.

I have missed a few "special days" lately guys and gals, sorry about that. Key days lately:
April 14th-Sinking of Titanic (moment of silence please)
April 15th-1st McDonald's opens in 1955 (FYI did you know that the founder of McD's opened his many McDonalds for real estate investments more than the food?)
April 16th-Eggs Benedict day-I have personally never had these but the hubs loves them
April 17th-Daffy Duck's Birthday! Created in 1937, Happy Birthday Daff!

On the Menu:
Apricot Cream Chicken
Ranch Potatoes
Asparagus Pea Casserole

Crockpot Creamy Potatoes:
2 lbs small red potatoes, quartered
2 packages cream cheese, softened
1 can Cream of Potato soup
1 envelope Ranch salad dressing mix
1 tbsp Milk

Places potatoes in crockpot. In a bowl beat together crem cheese, soup, salad dressing mix and milk, Stir into potatoes. Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours.

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Spring Time Wreath

A couple of weeks back I decided to head to Michael's Craft Store and pick up a few items to bring my living room wreath up to Springtime Standard.
About 60 later I got what I needed. Holy moly, decorating can be expensive. Next time I am going to hit up the dollar stores first. :D My friend, Carmella, would be so dissappointed I spent so much money. She has a knack for getting the cutest items at the cheapest prices. I need to hang out with her more. :D

At this moment, the wreath is Easter-centric. After Easter I will remove bunnies, eggs and replace with flowers and more butterflies. Enjoy!

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Posted in: bunny,butterflies,crafts,decorating,easter,Michael's,rabbit,spring,wreath

Happy Birthday Tom!

Today is Thomas Jefferson's birthday. I am actually related to him through marriage waaay down the line.

Today is also "hump" day for all of you workers out there. Myself included. I like Wednesdays simply because the remainder of the week seems to go faster. :D What is your favorite day of the week?

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Posted in: birthday,favorite,Jefferson,special day,Thomas Jefferson,Wednesday

Oh How Fun! Happy Free IceCream Ben & Jerry!

Found on MSN that Ben and Jerry's is having a free ice cream cone day. Find a Ben & Jerry's near you: Go to www.benjerry.com

My diet is not going to allow me to partake but I hope someone will! :D

What is your favorite Ben & Jerry's flavor?
I have only tried a couple of flavors. My first being Chunky Monkey. I also really like Cherry Garcia.

Has anyone tried Late Night Snack yet? Seems interesting....Chocolate covered potato chips in ice cream... Hmmm.....

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Happy Sunday!

We have the opportunity to celebrate two specials days in one today:
1. National Sibling Day
2. Young Writer's Day

Do you have any siblings? Yes, sometimes family can be a pain, especially when we are younger. :P BUT I would not give anything for my brother and sister. They are several years old than me, I was the baby of the group. But they have always supported me in my wacky endeavors and grew to be great parents. Love you two!

Young Writer's Day is very exciting. I dont believe there are enough writer's in the world today. We need to encourage writing. Be it poems, journals, diaries, short stories, plays, etc. Writing opens up the world of imagination and dares one to think outside of the box. So encourge the young writer in your life today.

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Posted in: books,family,national holiday,plays,sibling,special day,stories,writer,young writer

Shrimp and Lemon Pasta

All credit goes to Giada De Laurentiis from the Food Network. :)

I was searching for a springtime meal that was light and full of flavor. I usually dont use many of Giada's recipes, no offense, but this one hit the spot!

Ingredients
For the lemon oil:
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zested

For the pasta:
1 pound linguine pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
16 ounces frozen shrimp
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1 lemon, zested
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces arugula (about 3 packed cups)
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions
For the lemon oil:
Combine the olive oil and the lemon zest in a small bowl and reserve.

For the pasta:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, in a large, heavy skillet warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until pink, about 5 minutes. Add the cooked linguine, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine. Turn off the heat and add the arugula. Using a mesh sieve, strain the lemon zest out of the reserved lemon olive oil and add the oil to the pasta. The zest can be discarded. Add some of the cooking water to desired consistency. Add the chopped parsley to the pasta and toss to combine. Serve immediately

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Posted in: cooking,dinner,easy cooking,food network,lemon,light meal,olive oil,pasta,quick meal,recipe,shrimp