Pinterest Pass or Fail?

This week I tried Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Toast that came ultimately from Pioneer Woman but I found it by way of A Feast for the Eyes blog.

 At first, I said to myself "Self?  Do you REALLY need a RECIPE to make CINNAMON TOAST? Get a grip!"  But then again, I trust Ree and figured there must be something to this cinnamon toast recipe thing.

Oh, my word.  It's good!  It's even good with regular old sliced bread from the store.  But it's sinfully good with fresh cut french bread.  Wait, I need to wipe the saliva off my keyboard...

It's pretty simple, using all the same ingredients (with one secret addition):

I used about 1/2 stick butter, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon, & a few drops of vanilla and slathered 6 slices of bread. I baked at 350 for 10 minutes. 

It was good...real good.

PASS!

What Pins have YOU tried lately?

Pinterest Pass or Fail?

So, I've been busy trying all the pins I save every day, just not very good at reporting back to you!

I was feeling crafty last week and one of the first pins I saved to my Soul Sister's Projects Board was this Plastic Spoon Flower (originating at duitang.com)...because nothing says girlfriends like holding plastic spoons over an open flame? Who knows.

Look how cool this flower looks! Look how easy this tutorial is!

Yeah, not so much.  Here are my "petals":

 

I tried several times but never got anything useable, just these charred black, curled up spoons.  AND I almost set off my smoke detector and I think there is also a hole in the ozone layer directly above my kitchen.

FAIL!

What pins have YOU tried lately?

 

Baked Sharpie - Pinterest Pass or Fail

So, I came across this pin about using items from the dollar store to write on with Sharpie.  The pin claimed you could draw on a ceramic plate or mug with Sharpie then bake at 150 degrees for 30 minutes and the image would be permanent - no need to buy those pricey paint pens! Woot?

I was a little skeptical, so I just used an old mug I had around the house and tried it out.

The colored Sharpies didn't work at all and rubbed off in the first washing.

The black Sharpie adhered better but still showed some wear after one washing.

Darn...

I guess I have to give this one a fail...

Tried any Pins lately?

Quick Roast Chicken + Pinterest Pass or Fail

It's a rushed Tuesday night. You have baseball practice, guitar lessons, and a baby shower to plan...do you have time for a Roasted Chicken Dinner? Yes!

 I discovered the beauty of butterflying the bird last week and I roasted a 5 lb. chicken in 40 minutes!

The key is flattening out the chicken so it cooks more quickly and evenly, and you do this by removing the backbone.

Get your sharpest pair of kitchen shears and turn the chicken breast side down, girl! Now, beginning at the neck hole, cut along either side of the backbone.  Come on, put some elbow grease into it!

You will end up with a bony strip of chicken you can use later for broth. Why don't you just roast it alongside your chicken, then pop it in some water with veggies for soup tomorrow?

Open up the chicken with the inside facing down and press down firmly to crack the breast bone and it will lay flat on the baking sheet.

Rub with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and pop it into a preheated 450 degree oven for about 40 minutes, or until the breast reads 160 degrees and the thigh reads 180 degrees.

Throw in some Swedish Baked Potatoes from my Cookin' Mama Pinterest board beside the chicken along with some baby carrots and you will have a meal lickety split!

These potatoes are my Pinterest Pass or Fail this week, the recipe originated at Sea Salt With Food blog and they passed with flying colors! They were simple to prepare, pretty on the plate, and delicious.  They had a nice crunch around the edges and were tender inside.

What Pins have YOU tried this week?  Drop me a link so I can check it out!

Butter Top Biscuits - Pinterest Pass or Fail

Last week I featured and pinned Butter Top Biscuits to my Cookin' Mama Board last week (originating at Misadventures of Mrs B) and couldn't wait to try them!

They were simple to whip together and tasted like buttery pillows of goodness - a big Pinterest Pass! I loved them with butter and jam, but I will totally use this recipe the next time I make Strawberry Shortcake since we love a biscuit rather than cake topped with sweet berries and juice!

Mamadog made a book page wreath that looks like a giant chrysanthemum!

What pins have YOU tried lately? Drop me a link so I can go check it out!

Apple Trick - Pinterest Pass or Fail

I save all my pins that make me say "Doh!" on my Great "Doh!" Moments board. You know, those tips that make you say, why didn't I think of that?!?

Sometimes the tips are a little too good to be true.

One of the first things I pinned was a tip for making an Apple Puzzle for school lunches. You were to cut up the apple then reassemble it using rubber bands to hold it together.

The theory was that it wouldn't turn brown because the interior wouldn't be exposed to the air. This pin originated at @ Home with Real Food blog.

So, we went for a little bike ride this weekend and I packed some snacks, and some apples:



We biked for about 2 hours then stopped for a break. We pulled the band off the apple with anticipation...



Brown. Darn. Pinterest fail.

What Pins have YOU tried this week?

Computery Stuff - Pinterest Pass or Fail

My Computery Stuff Pinterest Board helps me organize all those little computery things I'm totally clueless about for my blog. I pinned a tutorial the other day to help me Add a Reply Button to my comments section for more interaction with comment-ers. The tutorial I used originated at Spice Up Your Blog and was a Pinterest Pass!

The instructions were simple and I had no trouble finding and entering codes (even while still learning my new computer!) to get the reply box installed. Blogger doesn't offer an option for the reply to go to the person's email like WordPress, but it is nice to have my reply line up under the correct comment.

**The only thing I will mention is that your comments need to be set up so they appear at the end of the page instead of in a pop up box, in order for the code to work (I cussed a few times before I figured that one out!).**

So, leave me a comment and I'll reply to you! Ha!

Trophy Wife blogged about a T-shirt Vest...

What pins have YOU tried lately? Drop me a link and I'll check out your post or pin!

Chick-Fil-A Sandwiches - Pinterest Pass or Fail

I have Chick-fil-a down the street - waaaay too close by - and my kids are always asking to have it for dinner. Always. Asking.

I came across this Pin for making Chick-Fil-A Copy Cat Chicken (originating at the From Away Blog) at home and pinned it to my Copy Cat Recipe Board. I figured it couldn't hurt to try it.

Pinterest Pass! We loved it and though it's a bit different that the original, it was very tender and delicious. We used chicken tenders and whole wheat buns and will definitely try this recipe again. You get the slightly sweet batter by adding powdered sugar - brilliant!



Bugglesnug found a fun way to repair her kids jeans!



What Pins did YOU try? Drop me a link so I can check it out!

Dots and Dashes Crochet Throw - Pinterest Pass or Fail

I just learned to crochet a few months ago and was hot to try to make something BIG (sick of those dinky scarves and granny squares)! I wanted to make this warm lap blanket (originating at Red Heart website) for snuggling.

"Come hither, I might not be wearing underpants..."

**A little aside...I have lots of "theories" and one of them is that the world is divided into two groups - those who like to snuggle under blankies every time they sit on a couch and those who don't. I'm a blankie girl.

Anyhoo, I Pinned this crocheted blanket tutorial to my Crochet Board (I'm really good at coming up with super original names like that) that seemed cute in a non-grandma way and was determined to try it.

Pinterest Pass! These instructions (I think crochet pros would call it a "pattern") were easy to follow, even for a novice like me. I learned the new stitch in no time and was on my way.

Here is my completed blanket (having trouble pulling off the "come hither" look with a blankie):

"Come hither, I am dressed for the gym and wearing no make up...I may or may not be stinky..."

Now, I have to be honest here about something...I do love to snuggle and I do love to try new things, and I do get distracted easily (look, a squirrel!) so I wasn't very good at keeping track of all those stitches.

So, let's take another, more objective look at my finished blanket:



Oops. Totally user error, people. Don't blame the Pin! So Pass for the Pin and Fail for me.

Mandy tried Crockpot Buffalo Chicken, what Pins did YOU try?

Drop me a link and I will check it out.

Mini Corn Dogs - Pinterest Pass or Fail?

I Pinned a recipe for Mini Corn Dog Muffins, originating at the Iowa Girl Eats blog. I pinned it on my Par-Tay Food Board and planned to try it out for the Superbowl.

The recipe was so simple:

1 Tablespoon of corn muffin batter + 1 inch piece of hotdog. Bake.

Could they really taste like corn dogs?

YES!!! Pinterest Pass!!! Whoo hoo, I have to go the the gym 3 more times this week because I ate so many of them!!!

You could make it super simple and use a "just add water and egg" boxed mix, but cornbread is so simple to make I thought I would share my go-to cornbread recipe.

Quick Cornbread

1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cups corn meal (yellow corn meal looks more like a corn dog)
1/3 cup sugar (I like sweeter for the salty/sweet combo)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten

Combine ingredients just until dry ingredients are moistened. Don't over beat.

Spoon 1 Tbsp. batter into a greased mini-muffin pan.

Press a 1 inch piece of hotdog into the batter (1 hotdog should yield 6 pieces) and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until light golden.

Let the muffins sit in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

Eat until you feel like you might burst or turn into a walking corn dog.

Mamamadeitlookeasy tried a bandana quilt that is darling:



What Pins have YOU tried? Drop me a link and I'll check it out!

Cinnamon Bun Waffles - Pinterest Pass or Fail

I pinned an idea for Cinnamon Bun Waffles onto my Cookin' Mama board last week - it originated at Simply Designing.



How easy! Cook a cinnamon bun, from the pressurized cans, in the waffle maker. I tried it and it really was that simple!

I didn't use my Belgian waffle maker, just my ordinary thin waffle maker, and I was able to fit a waffle in each of the four compartments. Preheating and cooking took about 5 minutes and it was a fun weekend breakfast treat for the kids!

You can top with syrup, like I did, or spread a little of the cream cheese frosting on top. Easy Peasy!

I give this Pin a Pass!

What Pins have you tried lately? Drop me a link so I can check it out.

6 Pack Abs Oatmeal - Pinterest Pass or Fail

I pinned this recipe for Oatmeal from Men's Health to my Workin' on my Fitness Board. It claimed to liven up boring oatmeal and keep you full till lunch. Since my big 4-0 birthday is coming up in May, I'm on a fitness kick for a birthday trip to Key West my husband is planning for April, so this looked like it was worth a try.



Powerfoods Oatmeal

1 cup 1% milk
3/4 cup plain instant oatmeal
1/2 banana, sliced
1 Tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp honey
1 tsp ground flaxseed
Dash of brown sugar

Mix everything together in a microwave-safe bowl and nuke for 2 minutes. Remove and let cool for a minute or two.

Per serving: 515 calories, 22 g protein, 75 g carbohydrates, 13 g fat (3 g saturated), 9 g fiber, 172 mg sodium

I give this a Pinterest Pass! This recipe was easy to prepare on a busy morning and tasted good. It was a little thin for my taste, but that could have been because I used old-fashioned oats rather than instant. I have to admit, I could only eat half the portion so that nutritional information was a little off for me but it was still filling and held me over until lunch.

Last week, Payne-less Photography Blog shared a Pinterest recipe for S'mores Bars she passed with flying colors.

And Northern Cottage shared a bunch of projects that have "Pin-spired" her on Pinterest!

What Pins have YOU tried lately? Drop me a line and I'll check them out!

Removing Water Stains From Utensils - Pinterest Pass or Fail

I saved a Pin to my Housekeeping Board last week explaining How To Remove White Water Stains From Black Utensils originating at One Good Thing. Do your black kitchen utensils look like mine?



I only recently discovered this problem in my own kitchen, and didn't even realize it wasn't permanent! The recommended method for removal involved baking soda and hydrogen peroxide mixed to a paste. Rub the utensils and watch the stains disappear.

Did it work? Well, take a look at my after photo:



It was effective and bought me some time before my black kitchen utensils need to be replaced. Pinterest Pass!

Last week Patti told me about making Marbled Ornaments.

Wendy has been making recipes from Pintest - Creamed Eggs over Toast, Chicken and Black Bean Enchilada Bake and Christmas Tree Meringues. There are some passes and fails in there.

What Pins have YOU tried lately?? Drop me a link so I can check it out!

Edible Candy Plate - Pinterest Pass or Fail

I pinned this idea for making a Plate or Tray from Peppermint Candies (originating at Tutta Bella) this week and thought I should try it for my party tonight.

The directions were simple enough:

1. Arrange peppermints on a piece of parchment or waxed paper (I used a silicon pad)



2. Bake 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

3. Let cool, peel from the paper, and use as a serving tray or plate.

The baking took me more like 10-12 minutes and the mints almost look like they are not melted together when you take them out, they just get square. (**My first try I waited until the mints actually looked melted and they had totally lost their shape and the square became all blobby and was super thin and fragile.) Also, make sure you set your mints in from the edge of the paper at least an inch, because it will grow and roll over the edge.



I would say "Meh". It's okay, but not as cute as I expected. It definitely worked as described but I probably won't pull it out at my party. The kids? They loved it!

So, I'm going to give this Pin a PASS.

Paulette tried a Cinnamon Glazed Pretzel Pin and turned it from a fail to a pass!

What pins have you tried lately?
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DIY Glitter - Pinterest Pass or Fail?

image

So, sometimes things I see on Pinterest cause me to say "DOH! Why didn't I think of that??" hence, my Great "Doh!" Moments board.

One such pin for DIY Glitter originating at PlanetPals explained how to make glitter in your oven with salt and food coloring.

The directions were as follows:

Mix together 1/4 cup of salt with 1/2 teaspoon of food coloring until well mixed.

Spread mixture on a foil lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Cool and use as glitter in your projects.

Robyn commented that this pin might be a fail, so I decided to try it out for myself.

I followed the directions and though the salt colored well and uniformly, it just wasn't sparkly as shown in the example photo! It resembled colored sand:



Wait! This would be great for sand art projects. But glitter? It's a stretch. I have to give this pin a FAIL. Let's rename this pin "DIY Colored Sand".

But hold up, this pin gives me a thought. Let's experiment:

DIY Colored Sugar:

Mix 1/3 cup sugar with 1/2 tsp. food coloring until uniformly colored.

Spread onto a foil lined baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 5-10 minutes. Watch closely because sugar will melt and/or burn!

Cool and pour into an airtight container, breaking up any clumps that may have formed. Use to decorate cookies!




Robyn made Toffee with Saltines.

Shelly learned how to cut her son's hair.

Jennifer learned how to Photograph her Christmas Tree last week.

What pins have YOU tried lately?
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Olive Fritte (fried olives) - Pinterest Pass or Fail

We are hosting The Big Guy's executive staff Christmas Party at our home this year (so scared!). It will be the 1st time a General Manager at his club has ever hosted the staff at home and I just want everyone to feel comfortable and enjoy themselves. We are having some of the food catered, but I feel like cooking for guests really shows you put some effort into the event and I wanted delicious food that even his award winning chef would enjoy.

I've been saving Par-tay Food on Pinterest and have been intrigued by the Olive Fritte, originating at Bellalimento for a while.

I finally decided to test it beforehand and was shocked at how quick and easy the whole process was! I made up a few and tried them hot and at room temp. to determine if they could be made ahead and they were delicious both ways. The Big Guy is concerned about the smell of oil in the house so I might plug in my frier on the back porch.

Olives are tricky, you either love them or hate them. I love them and used a blue cheese to stuff. Here is the scoop:

Olive Fritte

Find large, pitted olives

Stuff each with a small sliver of cheese (blue, chevre, ricotta...)- you can do this ahead

Set up a breading station of flour, beaten egg, and bread crumbs.

Begin by coating the stuffed olives in flour then egg.

Scoop out with a slotted spoon and drop right into the bread crumbs to coat.

**I need to experiment to see if I can do everything up to this point ahead of time.**

Slide olives into 350 degree oil and fry for about 20 seconds or until golden. They fry quickly, so have your slotted spoon and a paper towel covered plate ready, sister!

I have been dreaming about this little delicacy since I made them last week! Yikes!



PINTEREST PASS!

Jennifer tried this new hair styling technique with a flat iron.

And Kassie tried my own Doughnuts with Biscuit Dough pin.

What pins have YOU tried this week? Drop me a link and I'll check it out!

How to Stretch Your Boots - Pinterest Pass or Fail?

I found a pair of boots a few years ago that were a great bargain. They were the perfect black boot for every day. I loved them, but they were too tight along the sides. I bought them anyway with the intention of stretching them out. I imagined myself bopping along in my new black boots looking all sassy. That never happened.

They were too uncomfortable to even wear around to stretch them! So, they hung out in my closet. They were embarrassed.

I tried to give them away to Treat Girl, but they were too big. Finally, I discovered this tutorial for stretching your boots with ice! I pinned it to my DIY board and vowed to wear those boots!



This is a Pinterest PASS! It worked! Now, I'm trying to think of all the other shoes I have that may pinch. You can use this method with any leather shoe.

After I removed the ice I rubbed boot conditioner on the inside of the boot, paying close attention to the seams, and wore them around with some old socks for a few hours. Nice and comfy.

So, that is my Pinterest Project for the week. What Pins have you tried?

Mama Izzy made this Pesto Pasta. Drop me a link so I can check out what you tried and if it passed or failed!

Psst! Tomorrow is December 1st - do you need Advent Calendar ideas? Never fear, look what has already been linked to Tutorial Tuesday so far:

Toilet Paper Roll Advent Calendar

Advent Calendar Bags

Mini-Box Advent Calendar

Envelope and Twine Advent Calendar
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Easy Quilt - Pinterest Pass or Fail?

A few weeks ago I pinned this Soft Flannel Quilt that originated at Do It Yourself Divas. The original design was meant as a baby quilt, but I liked the idea of a lap quilt and imagined lots of plaid flannels on a chilly night.

The idea was simple, layer 3 layers of flannel in strips and sew them together. The top of the quilt has the raw edges of a rag quilt and the bottom has the right sides of the seams. Check out the Diva's quilt:



Pinterest PASS! Though I have lots of strings right now, the Divas assure me that is normal at first. Some of my plaids may not have been true flannels and will shed more threads.

It's a nice comfy lap quilt for watching TV on cold nights.

Lori at Waterstone Jewelry tried a recipe for Apple and Winter Squash Soup this month.

What Pins have you tried this month? Did they PASS or FAIL? Toss me a link so I can check them out!

Baked Kale Chips - Pinterest Pass or Fail

smitten kitchen's kale chips photo

This week I tried Baked Kale Chips from my Cookin' Mama Board. This recipe originated at Smitten Kitchen and sounded pretty good, easy, and healthy. Could it be true?

Check out the directions:

*Rip up kale into bite-sized pieces

*Drizzle with olive oil and mix in a bowl.

*Pour onto a cookie sheet, sprinkle with sea salt, and bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes.

It really was that easy!

The chips had such an interesting texture, they kind of shatter in your mouth. I liked the flavor, but they had a burnt aftertaste - I'm not sure if I baked them too long or if that is the flavor of the kale. My youngest son and I had a love/hate thing going. We ate them and liked them until about 30 seconds after we swallowed them. Then we didn't like them anymore, yet we kept coming back for more!

So, with some tweeking I give this Pin a Pass!

Wendy made some Princess Cupcakes she pinned.

What Pins have you tried? Post the link so I can check it out!

Pinterest Pass or Fail? Getting Fit!

This week I tried to incorporate this Quick Workout originating from the Getting Fit Tumbler Page. I pinned it to my Workin' on my Fitness board. This quick workout takes about 10 minutes to go through it 2-3 times and it works! It's a great go-to workout for days when I'm too rushed to devote to an hour long class. My heart rate was up, I was sweating, it was a great mix of cardio and resistance...I give it a "Pinterest Pass"!

Shelley tried Biscuit Pizza Rolls and liked them:



Did you try any Pins this week?