#ReesesCupcakes ok ok

a bokpmpk?! The kiddos have plans, my SO is headed to work, & this momma is heading out with her bestie for a girls’ night out in a few! While I wait, I wanted to share a recipe we tried this week. Chef Des & I have been working with a ministry called “Under the Bridge” for almost a year now, & it has been an awesome experience! Every Monday night the people of this awesome group help prepare & serve a meal to about 75 homeless & low income individuals. Not only is it a greatway to teach Des to help others, it’s been a fun way to use my love of cooking & seeing people enjoy what I make has always blessed me! This week we signed up to bring desserts & wanted to try something different. After looking on my favorite idea hub, Pinterest, I decided on Reese’s Cupcakes because seriously what goes better together than peanut butter & chocolate! We picked a super easy version that uses a boxed cake mix so I was able to quickly pull together a double batch. I can’t tell you how much everyone loved them… lots of compliments & requests for seconds! I love a recipe that isn’t hard but looks & tastes like you slaved in the kitchen over it!! On to the recipe…

Reese’s Cupcakes (makes 24)

Supplies:

• 1 box of chocolate cake mix + ingredients it requires
• 48 mini Reese’s cups (unwrapped)
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 3 Tablespoons milk
• 2 cups powdered sugar 

Directions:o

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Line cupcake pan with paper liners.
3. Prepare batter according to box directions.
4. Fill liners about 1/2 full with batter.
5. Place a Reese’s into each and gently press in place.
6. Bake 15-18 minutes.
7. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.
8. Cream together the butter and peanut butter.
9. Slowly adding in the sugar,it gets too thick then adding a little milk to thin.
10. Continue until all of the sugar is in and the frosting blended and right consistency.
11. Transfer to piping bag and pipe onto each cupcake.
12. Decorate each cupcake with one unwrapped Reese’s cup (original recipe calls for chopped Reese’s to be sprinkled on top, but I liked how the whole one looked.) 

Anyways, it’s time for me to finish getting ready. I hope you & your family have a fun-filled weekend!!

#5-Hour Energy Goes Pink Mission #Smiley360

After a couple days of feeling like poop (think my body is fighting something off), I was pleasantly surprised to find my newest mission packet waiting for me! As a working mom, I definitely can use a little pick-me-up off and on and am excited to try this free product that I received from Smiley360 for the purpose of my review! Not only is it full of B-vitamins for a natural energy boost, sugar free, & only 4 calories, now through December 31, 2014, Living Essentials will donate five cents from the sale of every specially marked bottle of Pink Lemonade flavored 5-hour ENERGY® to Living Beyond Breast Cancer. LBBC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting people with trusted breast cancer information and a community of support. The minimum guaranteed donation is $200,000.00. Just look for the white 5-hour ENERGY® bottle with the pink ribbon and you can help make a difference today! I’m already tickled with the pink ribbon bottle & opportunity to help raise money for breast cancer, but I’ll let you know how it works for me soon! 🙂

My 5-Hour Energy Goes Pink Mission Packet

#Mims Mullet Festival 2014 #Bowling For Junior Achievement

I thought I’d have plenty of time to kick back & relax during my 3 days off… silly me!! It’s been a crazy couple of days between work getting done on my car, a birthday dinner for my mother-in-law, homework, & just life! Don’t get me wrong it has been great, but once again I’ll be starting my work week completely pooped! Today we had a lot of fun events going on starting off with the Mims Mullet Festival. I know that might sound just a little too redneck for some of you, and well you might be right but we always have a blast!

The carnival style games, face painting, craft booths, car show, & balloon animals might trick you into thinking this is just any normal family event, but this is the Mims Mullet Festival…

First off the people in Mims, FL are colorful lot! I know; I was born & raised there! These clowns are all decked out in their fancy over-alls!

You might notice the festival workers are wearing t-shirts with mullets on them… mullets sporting mullets! These fish have missed the memo that their hair-do has thankfully long gone out of style! In case you think I’m just making this up, I took a picture of the kids with the beloved mascots!

While you snack on a fried or smoked mullet feast, you can check out local bands playing or catch the Miss Mullet Pageant! Then take a gander at the huge assortment of baked goods including mullet-shaped sugar cookies & local craft booths! Don’t forget to take part in the mullet toss! The winner takes home a highly coveted golden toilet trophy! It is harder than it looks to hold on to those slimy fish! One year victory will be mine!

Sadly we had to leave before the contest, but here is a picture from a previous year with our mullet.

After a wonderful free family fun morning, my friend Liz & I headed to meet our Publix family at a charity bowling event to raise money for Junior Achievement!

Our team Mary’s Moos (our store manager loves black & white cows) took a picture with Plato the Publixaurus while we waited for the bowling to commence.

Nothing quite like dressing up as cows & having fun with coworkers to support a good cause! Good thing we looked cute because our bowling game could definitely use some improvement!!

I hope you are having a crazy fun weekend like my family is! Stay tuned for more Halloween fun coming your way soon!!

#Brevard Heart Walk 2014

I think it’s important to instill a desire to help others in our young people! Today we participated in the Brevard Heart Walk with our Publix team to raise money for the American Heart Association! This is our first year participating in this walk though we have been walking in our local March of Dimes walk for several years. Not only is it a great cause, but it’s a fun experience as well. Local businesses donate snacks, drinks, & all sorts of goodies which the kids (and myself) love, & we get fresh air & exercise while raising money for research & getting life-saving information to those who need it most!

Did you know that cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of all Americans? In fact, someone dies from CVD every 39 seconds! Heart disease also kills more women than all forms of cancer combined.  And congenital cardiovascular defects are the most common cause of infant death from birth defects.

Find your local Heart Walk and get started today! Join your company team, start a team of your own, or join as an individual – whatever you choose, you can make a difference in people’s lives – including your own!