Author: Kelsey

Classic Cucumber and Onions Salad

Kelsey Recipes, Side Dish , , , 2 Comments

Great for Side Dish for BBQ and PotLucks

classic cucumber and onions

For Mother’s Day we had a bbq, and I decideded to bring deviled eggs and this classic cucumber and onions salad, two staples for barbecues! This recipe is one that I have used for years, you can use white or red onions in this, my husband bought red ones, so that is what we used. It adds a bit more color when you use red, but it is totally whatever you prefer.

Family Fun

My sister in law had a selfie stick so we put it to good use and did a fun family photo of everyone! I loved having to cram everyone on the couch all scrunched up so we could capture this photo! This is Adam’s parents and the three kids and our families and that my sister-in-laws mom and sister! We had tons of food, and lots of fun play time! Clay really loved being around everyone! He has one little cousin that they are one day shy of a month apart, so they could play together well!

family

We love to have fun and do silly pictures, it helps make life more fun! I hope you all had a wonderful Mother’s Day!!!

Okay Okay… enough pictures and let’s move on to the recipe shall we!

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Classic Cucumber and Onion Salad

Ingredients

  • 3-4 cucumbers (thinly sliced)
  • 1 Red or White Onion
  • 1 Cup Vinegar
  • 1 Cup Water
  • 1/2 Cup White Sugar
  • Salt and Pepper

Instructions

  1. Peel and thinly slice cucumbers. Then slice onion thinly as well.
  2. Place in bowl, add in vinegar, water, and sugar. Mix up and put in fridge.
  3. After like 2 hours go and stir it and add in some salt and pepper to taste.
  4. The longer this sets the better the flavors, I normally make a day before the time I want to eat it.
  5. If you think it is a little strong or something feel free to add a little more vinegar, water or sugar. Just play with it to fit your taste buds.
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classic cucumber and onions

If you make this recipe I hope you all enjoy it! Also, another add in is dill. A lot of people love to add dill to this, I personally am not a fan of dill so I always leave it out. If you do add it in, I think a teaspoon will do!

Baby Einstein Musical Motion Activity Jumper

Kelsey Baby/Kid Toys, Products We Tried , , , 2 Comments

Clay Loves His Musical Motion Activity Jumper

 

My sister gave us this Baby Einstein Musical Motion Activity Jumper to use for baby Clay! She used it for her daughter, and wanted to pass it along. This is probably Clay’s favorite thing to play on, he absolutely LOVES this thing! He can jump and jump and pass the time so easily! All the fun activities as he twirls around in his seat helps a lot on keeping him entertained as well! It is super sturdy, and that is a huge plus for us, we don’t have to worry about it falling apart!

baby einstein musical motion activity jumper

I think what makes this jumper really nice is it offers so many different activities to keep him mind busy! He can play music or play music and more. He loves being able to swivel all the way around in the seat, it gives him a 360 degree view of the room!

Activity Jumper Your Baby Will Love

jumper

He has really begun to play with the sun and cloud, he can pull on it as it is flexible so he can bend it down and chew on it! Clay loves to put everything and anything in his mouth these days!!! Another thing I wanted to highlight is you can wipe all this down super easy! If your child spits up or you want to clean it up, use the cleaner of your choice and wipe it down! That is such a nice option, some toys are almost impossible to get clean, so I love how easy this is!

Is this something your baby or a child you know would enjoy! 

Meridian Panel Room Darkening Curtains – Saves on Heating and Cooling Costs!

Kelsey Home Decor, Products We Tried , , 0 Comment

Thermal Insulated Backing CurtainsMeridian Panel Room Darkening Curtains

We recently bought these Meridian Panel Room Darkening Curtains, and I am in love! They are so gorgeous, I love the print on them! These are thermal insulated backing curtains that help to block the light as well! We wanted something that offered a neat print but was also effective in saving money for our home. We have older windows, so they are not very energy efficient! In time we will save up and get new windows installed!

These curtains do not fully block out all the light, they block around 75-85%. BUT, with that said, our old curtains when the light was blaring in, it would blind you. You can see the light on the window curtain but it doesn’t blind you at all. With it being Spring the sun is out longer, and we wanted our house to be darker say 7 o’clock time as that is when baby goes to bed. These curtains help do that for our living and dining room area!

Meridian Print Thermal Curtains 

Meridian Print Thermal Curtains

Designed for a look of elegance, the grommets are spaced in such a way that the drapery forms neat pleated gatherings when left partially open. During the day we open ours up to get some natural light in our house. I love how pretty they make the windows look! They are a great way to add a pop of color to a room, and the print makes a fun statement!

Different Colors and Styles to choose from, if you interested! Plus, you can get rods as well if you need them. They have a ton of gorgeous ones to choose from!

If you want a different print or color, they have lots of fun designs to choose from! Plus you can shop your local stores like Walmart, as well to find them! I just love Amazon!

VTech Sit to Stand Learning Walker – Interactive Baby Walker

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Sit to Stand Learning Interactive Walker

VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker

For Easter, the Easter Bunny dropped off this fun VTech Sit to Stand Learning Walker, for Clay! It is a fun interactive baby walker, that is sit to stand. It is best for age range 9 months to 3 years, but he got his a little early and he is still able to play and have fun with it!

The reason why we picked out this one, is because it has a lot of fun activities he can do, from learning piano, spinning rollers, pretend telephone and more. Plus it has a nice wide handle area for him to place his hands when he begins to work on walking!

Clay can’t stand yet, so for now he plays with it on the floor or we put it on his high chair. The play panel what you see below is what comes right off the walker.

sit to stand baby walker

As you can see here the play panel does clip away from the wheel stand, and he loves to sit with it in his high chair and play. He loves listening to the music, seeing the blinking lights and munching on the phone! This is great for your child as it helps to develop their fine motor skills! 

Vtech Sit to Stand Walker

vtech sit to stand walker

This is a pretty affordable walker and it is so nice that it can be used for such a long time! Plus it is great you can use this before they start walking, I love buying things that will last awhile instead of using them for just 1 month then moving on!

I would recommend this walker to anyone who has a baby or wants to buy one as a gift! Very well made, lots for your child to play and learn from, and helps them learn and grow!

What is one toy you would recommend to parents to help entertain them as they grow?

 

Quick And Easy Shrimp Spring Bowl – Fresh Take on Spring Rolls!

Kelsey Pasta, Recipes, Salads , , , , , 0 Comment

Light and Refreshing Take to Spring Rolls! Shrimp Spring Bowl

Spring is here and Summer is on the horizon and in that I want light and fresh meals, like this quick and easy shrimp spring bowl! This is a fun new take to the classic spring rolls! No struggle messing with rice paper, just use rice noodles! They are so delicious I seriously can’t get enough of them! Our local Chinese has them and it is a must have when we eat there!

Shrimp Spring Bowl

As you can see this is a gorgeous meal, and also very fresh! I love the veggies on the side, you are welcome to chop them up smaller so they are bite size if you don’t want them in bigger chunks. For this recipe I used the smaller shrimp, it works wonderful for salads. If you have fresh shrimp on hand feel free to use that!

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Quick And Easy Shrimp Spring Bowl

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup small (salad) shrimp, cooked and cleaned.
  • 1 cup rice noodles
  • 1/2 ripe avocado, sliced
  • 1 large carrot, washed and sliced
  • 4 large pieces of romaine lettuce, chopped
  • *3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
  • *1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
  • (*Note: Can substitute with Sweet and Sour Sauce*)

Instructions

  1. Prepare rice noodles as directed, rinse with cold water, and drain.
  2. Add the rice noodles to a bowl.
  3. Add lettuce, carrots, avocado, and shrimp to the top of the noodles.
  4. In a small bowl, mix together sweet chili sauce and fish sauce. (Skip this step if substituting)
  5. Pour sauce over prepared bowl, and enjoy.
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Quick and Easy Shrimp Spring Bowl

So as you can see this is super quick to whip up, and of course this is something that is great to save and eat the next day. Just keep the items separate and then create another bowl when you are wanting more! You can 100% play around with the veggies you want to add to it. If you don’t like something keep it out and feel free to replace it with something different. Just keep in mind the sauce and think what could go good with it.

If you are interested in the fun bowl and spoon like I have here, I will link some below that are similar! They really make a fun presentation to the meal! They are fun to have on hand when you are hosting a party, or just want some fun dinnerware to match your delicious meal like this!

 

Is this a meal you think you would enjoy!? 

Nespresso Inissia Espresso Maker – Delicious Espresso with Touch of a Button

Kelsey Kitchen Accessories, Products We Tried , , , 0 Comment

Espresso In Your Home With the Touch of A Button Nespresso Inissia

I got this Nespresso Inissia Espresso Maker a few months back. I thought it would be fun to have on hand to create Iced Lattes at home. I am not completely tough enough for a straight espresso! That is something that is a bit to strong for me, even the mild blends! BUT, if you are a fan of straight espresso this machine works really well! I am a fan of creating iced lattes! 

Iced Latte

I chose this one, because it is a nice compact size, so it doesn’t take up to much room! This machine is energy efficient, which is a pretty big must these days, and it automatically shuts off after 9 minutes of inactivity! If you stop and think about it, this is around the same price as buying a Keurig or any other type of single serve machine! This though doesn’t do coffee, it does espresso and hot chocolate. You can make a tall cup of espresso to help tame the flavor so it is not as strong, and can be somewhat close to coffee.


Now, you can buy reusable pods, or buy pods that are already filled with the flavor you want! There are so many brands out there you can buy that are compatible with the machine, which will help save money! You can also try out regular coffee and see how it taste, I personally haven’t tried that so I can’t vouch for it!

espresso

I do think this is a great investment if you are an espresso drinker! It will save you from paying $5 or so for an Espresso at your local coffee shop, and you can make it in seconds and not have to get out of your pj’s! 

They do have different styles of machines to choose from!

KitchenAid Stand Mixer – Great Investment!

Kelsey Kitchen Accessories, Products We Tried , , 0 Comment

Classic White KitchenAid Stand Mixerkitchenaid stand mixer

My husband, Adam, bought me my KitchenAid Stand Mixer a few years back I think for Christmas! When he did I was beyond excited as I had been dreaming of owning one for years! I love to bake and cook so I knew it would be a huge asset for me! What I love about this mixer is it is so versatile. You can whip up cookies, mashed potatoes, shred meat and more! You really can use this mixer for so many things, it is amazing!

I have the 4.5 quart KitchenAid Mixer, they do offer a bigger size. For me, this size fits me well, I don’t need the bigger one. The mixer does hold a lot, I was surprised at just how much it can. The one thing is when you are pouring in say flour, you have to be careful if it is running as it can fly out the sides. So I normally stop it, and pour the flour and then fix. I am a messy cook, so that could be the problem! Plus their are so many attachments you can buy for them! I want the ice cream maker attachment! 

Kitchenaid 4.5 qt Classic Plus Stand Mixer – My Sidekick! 

kitchenaid 4.5 qt classic plus stand mixer

As you can see it does offer multiple speeds. I normally stir on 1-3, rarely have I ever done more. For like frostings and such I have went over but for the most of items I use it for I use a lower speed. The 10 setting is so fast it is crazy! I truly love my mixer, and it is a little pricey but it is worth the investment! It is very well made, and they can last a lifetime! 

They offer different colors and sizes to choose from! 

Recipes That I have used the KitchenAid With! 

baked oatmeal cups

Baked Oatmeal Cups– these are great for quick breakfast on the go! I like them cold but you can also pop in microwave for like 20 seconds to give them a little bit of warmth!

Irish Soda Bread

Irish Soda Bread– This is so fast to whip up and nice and filling! I love it, and speaking of it, I need to make some real soon!

Do you own a KitchenAid Mixer? If So what are your thoughts on it?! 

Infantino Activity Triangle for Babies – 6 months and Older

Kelsey 6 months and up, Baby/Kid Toys, Products We Tried , , , 0 Comment


Clay Loves His Activity Triangle Infantino Activity Triangle

Awhile back I ordered this Infantino Activity Triangle at a discounted price. I thought it would be something fun for Clay to play with. This is great for age of 6 months or older. It is a triangle toy that offers many fun activities for your kiddo to enjoy! From rattle beads, spinning knobs, texture wheels and more. Clay loves to pick it up and move it around and find new fun activities to play with.

This is a great way for your child to develop hand-eye coordination, and I love that. I am a firm believer in buying toys that your child can benefit from in their growth and have fun while doing it! 

Activity Toy Your Child Will Love

Activity Toy for Babies

He is playing with it here, and you can see he gets pretty interested in it. All the different colors and activities really keeps him intrigued! Plus it makes a lot of different noise as it twist and turns around, which is a lot of fun!

I am so glad we bought this for him, it has really been a fun toy for him. He played with this activity triangle before he could sit up, and it was nice. He would just lay on his  tummy or side and reach out and play with it. Now that he is sitting up good, he can hold it and play even more.

This would be a great toy for a gift for a birthday or holiday for a kiddo in the 6 month or up age range! 

My Pal Scout by LeapFrog – Teaches First Words, Feelings and More!

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Personalize your My Pal Scout to say your child’s name and more! 

My Pal Scout

I wanted to share a fun toy we got for our son, Clay, it is the My Pal Scout by LeapFrog! We bought this for him knowing at the time he was still a little small for it but would grow in to playing with it! Now that he is a few days shy of 6 months he has began really enjoying his My Pal Scout! The age range recommended for this is 6 months to 36 months. 

My Pal Scout is Clays New Buddy! 

my pal scout leapfrog

The one reason why we decided to buy this for Clay is because it is a great way for kids to learn new words, feelings, colors, counting and more. It is a great learning toy that is fun for the baby and beneficial! Plus you can personalize this with your child’s name from your smart phone, tablet, or computer. You can also put in their favorite color, food, and it makes it really fun for the child! When he hears Scout say his name he perks up and gets all giddy! 

Can’t view the video, click here to watch on You Tube.

 

Each paw has a button, games, songs, 5 minutes of sleep time and the power button. The child can push them easily to have interaction with the dog. It does turn off on it’s own after a few minutes of not being played with. So it will help save your batteries. It offers two different volume settings, which is nice.

LeapFrog toy

We love Scout and Clay does as well! It has been a great interactive toy for him that helps pass time, and he learns as he goes! You can buy in girl or boy! 

Best Italian Pasta Salad Ever – Quick and Easy!

Kelsey Recipes, Salads , , , , 1 Comment


Crowd Pleasing Italian Pasta Salad

Italian Pasta Salad

If you are looking for the best italian pasta salad ever, then you have come to the right place! This is the recipe I have used for a very long time with a few tweaks along the way! My family truly loves this salad and is always asking me to make it! I recently got a new salad dressing and I think it made it even taste better! But, you are always welcome to use whatever italian dressing that you and your family love the most! 

Clay and Me With having an almost 6 month old baby, it is sometimes hard getting dinner on the table, so I love having pasta salads in Spring and Summer months because I can make them up, and we can have them through the week! It is simple and saves me time! Plus it doesn’t heat up the house when it is 100 degrees outside! 

Italian Pasta salad

If you are interested, this is the Rachael Ray garbage bowl, my sister got this for me a few years back and I am in love with it! I love all the fun colors in it, and looks so pretty serving up a pasta salad in it!

QUICK and EASY Italian Pasta Salad

Print
Best Italian Pasta Salad Ever – Quick and Easy!

Ingredients

  • 1 Box of Noodles ( I use the rainbow pasta)
  • 1 Can of diced olives
  • 1 Bag of Mini Pepperoni ( or 1 bag of big pepperoni cut up)
  • 3-4 Tomatoes Diced
  • 1-2 Cucumbers
  • 1 Pepper
  • Italian Dressing (1 Bottle) I use Wishbone Ristornate Italiano
  • 1 small block of mozzarella cheese diced up

Instructions

  1. First off you want to cook pasta according to package.
  2. While that is cooking work on dicing up the cheese, and vegetables into bite size pieces.
  3. Place all veggies and cheese, and paste in a bowl. Pour in some of the dressing. Enough to coat everything.
  4. Once pasta is done, drain and run cold water on it till pasta is cold. Then put pasta in with the veggies and stir. At this point add enough dressing so that it is well coated.
  5. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  6. NOTE: That right before you serve it can dry up a little, just add more dressing and stir.
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pasta salad

Now, a little note, say you want to play with the veggies, feel free to add or take away vegetables so it fits your tastebuds! This is a very basic but yet tasty recipe, and it is very simple to make!

My husband loves to eat it with Cheez It crackers, he crushes them up and sprinkles over the top. I thought it was absolutely crazy, but it is actually super tasty!

Hope you all enjoy this recipe, and make sure to come back for more recipes in the future!