Raising Teens, Tweens, and Foody

one.  teens....boys

oldest spent the night with his buddies on saturday.....I get a phone call around 8:30am (I was confused on why so early ...those boys usually sleep until noon)  he asked if I could pick all 4 of them up ...bring them to our house....let all of them shower....feed them....and then they were off to friends.

so let me get this straight....all 4 boys need a shower and food?

Yep.

I'm your girl!

i even baked a chocolate sheet cake.....bam!  born to be a mother!

two.  tweens

aww the lovely tween stage.  not old even for a true teenager....but still a sweet little girl...but who's body and age doesn't say 'play with paper dolls' anymore.

where they are stilling learning that sometimes mommy says things b/c it makes sense

tween's friend (who she spent the night with) learned the hard lesson of making sure you take your make up off at night.  her friend's eye swelled up and got infected.  bam.  sweet mini me's friend helped me teach the lesson of  WASH YOU FACE EVERY NIGHT really easy.  life lessons...it's hard being a girl huh?

how many times have i told her ...no matter how sick or tired you are you ALWAYS wash your face every night.

now i think she gets it

three.  copy cat

i told you back on my birthday i baked the olive garden's copy cat Lemon Cake ....

i've made it twice now.....did i mention that Wally World sells mascarpone cheese for half the price of the $$$ grocery stores?  yep.  so now you can cook like a pro with the good stuff

you MUST make this cake.

here's what you need and do

Ingredients

1 pkg of white cake mix

1 pkg of lemon cake mix

1/2 cup of sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

lemon zest (1-2 lemons)

lemon juice of 1 lemon

1 tub (8oz) mascarpone

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup whipping cream

4 tbs softened butter

I found using a Spring Form pan worked...but a 9-10" circle pan will work too.  Grease or butter your pan.  Prepare white cake mix using the box ingredients plus 1/2 cup of sour cream and 1 tsp vanilla to the mix.  Pour in pan and bake according to the box directions

For the filling....beat mascarpone cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, and powdered sugar until creamy.  Whip your whipping cream in 2nd bowl until creamy.  Fold the 2 mixtures together and put into the fridge until firm (or until cake has cooled completely will work)

After cake cools...slice in half.

Spread 2/3 filling over bottom half....Top with 2nd cake

Spread a bit of filling over top and sides of cake  (doesn't need to cover...using this to have the topping stick)

To make topping...

Sprinkle some lemon cake mix over the butter and cut in....keep adding until mixture crumbles or until it's what you like.

Pat topping over cake and sides

Chill

You won't be disappointed!

four.  pallet love ♥

they were building a house across the street and they put some pallets to the curb for trash.  i made hubs run over there and get me a few.  (one persons trash is another person's pinterest project)

i know he thinks i'm insane....but i've got some great ideas ahead for him all my ideas

i adore this idea for a guestroom headboard

Source: twigandthistle.com via Bren on Pinterest

also love the herb/veggie garden idea

Source: goo.gl via Cowboy Boots on Pinterest

can't wait to get started...

five.  foody fun

i stumbled upon this recipe the other day...it had a few variations....(chile lime...yum)

but i made this one...

cheddar bacon tenders

Source: progresso.com via Cowboy Boots on Pinterest

along with a thick ranch dipping sauce....you know where you take the packet of ranch and mix it with sour cream! 

fantastic chicken tenders.  it says to use those bacon bits from a packet...but we made our own bacon!!!!