Made Famous By...

sneakpeeq

2012-03-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

Today I am guest posting over at Great Expectations and am thrilled to announce a new site that I will be working with. It is called sneakpeeq.

Online shopping is how a lot of people do their shopping right now and sneakpeeq is riding the wave of the future in shopping. When I say wave, I mean tidal wave because they have recently partnered with Facebook.

I am especially excited to see what their gourmet food category has to offer!! sneakpeeq’s latest foodie find was about Kookie Karma. Check it out here but be sure not to sign up for sneakpeeq via the kookie karma link. Use the link provided below.

When it comes to the Made Famous By/sneakpeeq giveaway, everybody wins! sneakpeeq is giving away 20% off your next purchase just for entering, plus a chance at the Grand Prize: one winner will receive a $20 gift card to use on your favorite food, style and home products—that goes a long way in sneakpeeq’s amazingly low-priced boutiques!

Come see all the things you love but haven’t discovered. sneakpeeq only has New Products that you have never seen before!

Enter the giveaway by clicking on this link: http://bit.ly/zTHgJk and joining sneakpeeq!!

How to enter, each qualifies as an entry:

1. Visit sneakpeeq’s site here and check out some of the amazing deals they offer. To qualify click the link or copy and paste this address into your browser http://bit.ly/zTHgJk. Clicking the link will allow exclusive 20% off at sneekpeeq.

2. You must be a NEW sneekpeeq user to qualify for the 20% off.

3. Follow Made Famous By on Facebook.

4. Follow Made Famous By on Twitter.

5. Subscribe to Made Famous By via Google Friend Connect.

6. Follow Made Famous By on Pinterest.

Rules:

-The sneekpeeq giveaway is currently limited to the U.S. only.

Good Luck Winning Friends!!

Trader Joe's Enchilada Cupcakes

2012-03-01T12:05:00.001-08:00

Enchilada Cupcakes

Made Famous By: Heather McMullin

(based on a recipe from Trader Joes)

I posted this on FaceBook yesterday and below is the conversation that followed with my friends. I would like to tell you that I made it all up, but this friends…..is my life. A true story from my life. I also must note one of the reasons I love my friends so much is that they laugh with me….or maybe it is at me……

AND I totally got busted by the Hubs at the end. Woopsie….

My Facebook post:

The brand new shirt I just got smells like B.O.!!!! I am thinking someone wore it and then returned it before I bought it. Eeeeeewwwwwww!!!!!!!!

Melany: HA ha ha….didn’t u know that items from Goodwill are used???? Lol

Cherie: Some materials smell like b.o. so maybe that’s the issue..don’t think the worst because that’s gross….LOL

Heather McMullin (me): I would like to think that was it Cherie. Only….I sniffed sniffed the air then I sniffed sniffed the bottom of the shirt. Then I sniffed sniffed both arm pits and my NOSE hair about got BURNED off!! I promise it wasn’t my stinky either!! Cuz I just took a shower and put my Secret Coco Butter Kiss deodorant on. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Funny MEL!!

Cherie: Ahahahahah Heather ur funny…That’s disgusting. Freaking nasty people. I can’t believe they took it back because I know I can smell b.o. from a mile away.

Jeannie: The awkward moment when you say, “I swear, it’s not me!” and you really (want to)mean it….I’m sorry girl; that sucks!

Heather McMullin (me): Hhahahahahahahahahaha Jeannie!!!!!!!!! It’s cool. The shirt is in the wash er with a double dose of Gain detergent. That should wash the nasty out!

Jeanie: LOL! So u rushed home and threw that shirt in the washer before even putting another shirt on first, didn’t you? HAHA! Yeah, I would’ve too! Funny!

Teresa: ew!

Heather McMullin (me): YES! It’s like you can read my MIND Jeannie! LOL!

Amanda: Gross!

Megan (my SIL): OMG, that’s gross.

Cade (my husband): What new shirt? I thought it was only shoes?

Heather McMullin (me): I plead the 5^th………..

Megan (my SIL): LOL LOL LOL LOL. LOVE those last two comments!

Maria: Hahahahahahahahaha, I LOVE your hubby’s remarks!!!!! Hahahahahha!

HAPPY THURSDAY!!

Enchilada Cupcakes

1 package Trader Joes’s Frozen Just Chicken

2 Jars Double Roasted Salsa

½ Cup Trader Joes’s Corn and Chile Tomato-Less Salsa

1 Can Trader Joes’s Slicked Black Olives

18 Corn Tortillas

3 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese

*Preheat oven to 350

*Using a large biscuit cutter cut a circle out of each of the 18 corn tortillas and then slice the left over tortilla. (pictured below)

*Place the cut out circles at the bottom of each cupcake hole and then line with the sliced tortillas. (Pictured below)

*In a large bowl combine the chicken, double roasted salsa, corn and chile tomato-less salsa, and olives. *Fill each “cupcake” with two TBS of the chicken mixture and 1 TBS of cheese.

*Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the top of the tortillas are slightly brown and crisp.

Cookie Dough Truffles

2012-02-29T09:03:00.001-08:00

I am starting to think I should stop being a good Mom.

I have been letting my kids go fishing a lot lately and to be honest IT IS DISCUSTING!!!!!!!!

Completely gross and smelly!

The SMELLY is the worst part about it. Children don’t carefully handle the fish, making sure they don’t get any fish guts on their clothes. It is the complete opposite as a matter of fact. They MAN HANDLE the fish and then wipe it ALL OVER their clothes, arms, and face.

I wouldn’t touch my children with a 10 foot pole after they have gone fishing.

When they get home my OCD is in hyper mode. I quickly direct them straight into the bath, make them wash with soap 5 times, and throw any and all clothing into the wash.

Even after all of that the smelly lingers for the rest of the night. Or at least I think it does but then again maybe me smelling the fish smell is a lot like smelling “burning feathers”. (If you have seen the movie bandits you know what I am talking about. If you haven’t seen that movie you NEED to.)

Here is the most clicked post from last weeks Famous Linkz Party AND I have the recipe for my Breakfast Enchiladas Made With Crepes up now.

Cookie Dough Truffles

Made Famous By: TalentedTerrace Girls

Proof.

I still take them fishing any day they want to. :)

Coconut Lime Smoothie

2012-02-26T10:11:00.000-08:00

New Sponsor Highlight

Today I wanted to highlight an adorable blog Raising Dieter. Shay is completely adorable and has a couple cuties for kiddos too. She shares some fantastic recipes! Go check her out!

We have smoothies regularly at our house. I thought this one was delicious! I have also made this smoothie with milk kefir and we still really enjoyed it!

Coconut Lime Smoothie
1 Lime, peeled
1 Orange, peeled
1-2 leaves of Kale
1/4-1/2 cup Coconut Milk
2 ripe Bananas, frozen
Honey to taste
1/2-1 tray Ice Cubes
Enough water to make the blades turn

-Blend until well combined

Breakfast Enchiladas Made With Crepes

2012-02-24T08:27:00.000-08:00

Today I am guest posting over at Mess for Less. Vicky has such a fun blog that is perfect if you have little kiddos to entertain. She has so many ideas and crafts that you can do inexpensively! That is a win-win in my book.

Happy Friday Friends!!

Made Famous By: The McMullin Fam Bam

My boys have a serious love slash addiction to the ocean. Can’t say I blame them, so do I. There is just something so relaxing about laying out a beach towel, setting up a chair, spending hours listening to the waves and watching your children splash in the sea. I sit back, watch them and try to soak up every second of their childhood.

Yesterday my kiddos had two options. Go to Disneyland or go to the beach. They chose to go to the beach and fish. We could and have literally spent the entire day at the beach. These my friends are some of life’s cherished moments.

A while back at one of my gourmet cooking groups, Karene (one of my dear friends) had a the idea to make breakfast enchilada’s using crepes instead of tortillas. BRILLIANT I tell you!!

So I used my trusty McMullin crepe batter and McMullin breakfast burrito recipes to create this mouth watering dish. The result was nothing short of culinary perfection!!

The best part is that I had already pre-made the crepes earlier in the week and just saved some to make this recipe. They also freeze very well so I am going to be sending some with the hubs to work for breakfast.

BEST. WIFE. EVER.

Breakfast Enchiladas made with Crepes

6 Crepes

10 Eggs

½ Cup Turkey Bacon, cooked and chopped

½ Cup Cheese

2 TBS Canned Green Chillies

½ tsp Fresh Ground Pepper

¼ tsp Salt

¼ Cup Spinach (optional)

*Combine the eggs, turkey bacon, cheese, green chilies, pepper, salt, and spinach. (If you choose to)

*Once all the ingredients have been combined and heated through completely put ½ Cup of the filling into each crepe and roll it up.

*Serve with Salsa or ketchup.

McMullin Crepe Batter

1 Cup Flour

2 Cup Milk

8 Eggs

6 TBS Real Butter

1 tsp Salt

2 TBS Sugar (only for dessert crepes)

*Combine flour and milk in a bowl. Mix until well combined.

*Add the eggs and melted butter until well combined.

*Pour1/4 – ½ Cup of batter in your favorite crepe pan. Swirl the batter around until the edges are slightly brown. Run a knife along the edge and let the crepe fall onto a plate.

**If you are not making the crepes for breakfast enchiladas, we also like to eat them for breakfast with a little butter and powdered sugar rolled up into the crepe! **

Head on over to Mess for Less!

Skinny Egg White Omelette Cupcakes and {FREE} Decorative Cupcake Liners

2012-02-23T09:50:00.001-08:00

Made Famous By: Heather McMullin (Made Famous By)

LA gives me the creeps!

I know most of the world thinks it is all glamorous, but I am here to tell you it is one scary place if you get off of the main streets and are alone.

Yesterday I had a neurologist/neurosurgeon appointment at the USC medical center in LA. I didn’t get out of the appointment until about 5:40pm. If you have ever been in LA traffic you know how horrible it is. If I would have jumped on the fwy it would have taken me 3 hours to get home. So instead I decided to go to The Grove to wait out the traffic.

My native Indian Guide aka my GPS told me it was only 8 miles away. So I set out on my way. Well my native Indian Guide decided to take me the back way. Smack dab in the middle of the ghetto of LA.

Let me just tell you this is NOT a place you want to be alone, especially if you are a female. As I am driving I slumped down in my seat a little and tucked my arms in, cuz this would totally protect me if I got hijacked.

Then I did the next logical thing, I took my wedding ring off and stuffed it in my bra.

Cuz NOBODY would look there. HA!

Finally 25 min later I made it the 8 miles to The Grove. Seesh! With my wedding ring still safely tucked in my bra I then relaxed a little and did a little shopping. When it was time to leave (2 hrs later) my GPS wanted to take me the same way back through the ghetto. HECK NO!

I tried to remember the main streets in LA. I was on Beverly and drove until I reached La Cienega. Main streets = safe! Once I reached La Cienega my GPS finally got the clue and directed me to an actual fwy and I was safely on my way.

So there you have it, my near death experience in LA.

PS If I would have gone home at 5:30pm, rush hour, I would have gotten home at 8:30pm sitting in traffic for 2 hours. Waiting 2 hours until after rush hour, it took me 1 hour to get home. I got home at the same time, only I got to hang out at the mall for two hours instead of sitting in traffic for two hours. My hubby taught me that trick.

Pics from my adventure

Skinny Egg White Omelette Cupcakes

18 Extra Large Eggs

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Pepper

½ tsp Dried Green Onions

½ tsp Basil

¾ Cup Turkey Bacon, cooked and chopped

6 tsp Fresh Parmesan Cheese

6 Extra Large Cupcake Liners

6 Ramekins

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

*Mix together the eggs, salt, pepper, green onions, basil and turkey bacon.

*Layer 2 extra-large cupcake liners in each ramekin and fill each cupcake liner with the egg mixture until ¾ of the way full.

*Sprinkle each with 1 tsp of fresh Parmesan cheese.

*Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for35-40 minutes or until golden brown on top and cooked through.

Decorative cupcake wrappers

1 Trader Joes Brown Grocerie Bag

String

Pencil

Scissors

Ruler

*Cut the two largest sides off the grocerie bag.

*Measure 5 ½ inch squares and cut them out. If you have regular size cupcakes make the squares smaller.

*Place the cupcake in the middle of the square fold the sides in and tie with string wrapping it around twice.

Homemade Natural Lip Balm

2012-02-22T08:30:00.000-08:00

Famous Linkz Party

Yowza!!! Yesterday I thought it would be a great idea to go and get ONE THING at Michaels…….WITH ALL THREE OF MY KIDS!

Obviously I had a mental lapse.

They acted like it was Toys R Us. I guess I can’t blame them, it is kinda like Toys R Us for women, but I didn’t think they would ASKmeFOReverySINGLEthing!

I am pretty sure I said NO at least a million times. Maybe a million and one times.

Not to worry as I walked out I made a vow to myself with myself. I Heather McMullin, do solemnly swear to NEVER go to Michaels with my kids again. I put my right hand over my heart and my left hand on a stack of craft paper, stickers, holiday decorations, glue sticks, and Martha Stewart glitter.

Last week’s most viewed link was Natural Mother’s Network. It was for their homemade natural lip balm which I thought was very interesting and looks very easy to whip up in your very own kitchen. I am going to give it a try this week. My little princess is ALL about lip stick these days, which completely cracks me up!

Homemade Natural Lip Balm

Made Famous By: Natural Mother's Network

For the recipe go here or click on the picture.

You can grab my linkz button too! Just copy and save to your computer!

Easy Mexican Soup-5 ingredients!

2012-02-21T08:20:00.000-08:00

Made Famous By: Summer Davis

Presidents Day turned out to be such a wonderful day. We played at the beach for hours with the kiddos and then went on a family bike ride to Great Mex for dinner.

Each day I spend living at the beach the more and more I think I never want to leave. It really is incredibly relaxing and there are so many active things do to as a family.

This is the perfect recipe to throw together in 5 minutes if you haven’t thought about dinner until 10 minutes before dinner time or to stick in a crock pot. Ever since one of my besties Summer Davis taught me this recipe, I always have these ingredients on hand.

Fast, Easy, and Delicious!!

PS
I have posted this recipe before, but the pic was MUY FEO!!! So I am going to start working through some of the first recipes to make them look MUY BONITA!
Look at me and my fancy Espanol ~~pants~~ pantalones!

Easy Mexican Soup-5 Ingredients!

2 Cans Diced Tomatoes **Must use ROTELLAS diced tomatoes. It will NOT taste the same otherwise!!! **

2 Cans Chicken Broth

1 Can Refried Beans

1 Can Corn

2 Cups Cooked Chicken in bite sized pieces (I use rotisissary chicken from Costco.)

**I ALWAYS double this recipe**

*Combine all ingredients into a pot. Cook until warmed through. Serve with Fritos, Cheese, Sour Cream, and your favorite Guac!

I was so excited to see that Susan from The Weekly Sweet Experiment awarded me this sweet award. It truly made my heart happy!! Thank you and Thank you again!!

I award this Liebster Award to these wonderful blogs:

Keep Calm and Call Your Mom

Dwell On Joy

The Bakery Box

The Terrace Housewife

Simply Sweet n Savory

A Liebster Blog Award is given to talented and loved bloggers who have less than 200 followers.

Just a few rules:

-Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.

-Link back to the blogger who presented the award to you.

-Copy and paste the blog Award on your blog.

-Present the Liebster Blog Award to 5 blogs of 200 followers or less who you feel deserve to be noticed.

-Let them know they have been chosen by leaving a comment at their blog.

Muah Muah to you all!!!

Easy Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread in 20 min

2012-02-17T08:30:00.000-08:00

Made Famous By: Heather McMullin

Pull apart bread in 20 minutes flat!!

Yes you read that right! I have been drooling over pull apart bread for a good 6 months. The only problem is that I stink at making bread from scratch.

My rolls resemble small stones not fluffy clouds.

Last night it dawned on me…USE THE CRESCENT DOUGH SHEET TO MAKE PULL APART BREAD! I was so happy I almost cried!

That happens with me and food…….

This was a way I could make the bread of my dreams and it would still turn out delicious! And guess what??? IT DID! Make it and you will feel like a rock star. Promise!!!!

Easy Pull Apart Bread in 20 minutes

2 Packages Sheet Crescent roll dough

1 Cup Brown Sugar

½ Cup White Sugar

4 tsp Cinnamon

1 Stick Real Butter

6 Ramekins

Makes 6 ramekins of Pull Apart Bread

(If you want to make a loaf of pull apart bread double the recipe and use a loaf pan.)

*Preheat the oven to 350

*Lay out two lengths of wax paper. On both sheets sprinkle a little sugar. This will help you get the dough off the wax paper easier. Barely roll out both packages of dough on the wax paper.

*Sprinkle ¼ Cup of sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, and 2 tsp Cinnamon on one sheet of dough. Sprinkle the rest of the sugars and cinnamon on the other sheet of dough.

*Slice the dough with a PLASTIC KNIFE into equal sized squares. You will have 12 squares on each sheet of dough.

*Slice a stick of butter so that you have 24 thin slices of butter. Place one slice of butter on each square of sugared dough.

*Stack up 6 squares of dough and then place in a ramekin. Repeat for the other 5 ramekins.

*Bake at 350 for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve warm with Cream cheese frosting!! Recipe Below.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 Cube Cream Cheese

1 pint Heavy Cream

¾ Cup Sugar

¼ Cup Butter

*In a medium sized bowl mix all ingredients until well combined.

*Slather on the Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread!

Famous {Linkz} Party and a free {Printable}

2012-02-15T08:30:00.000-08:00

I want to officially introduce you to my SIL’s amazing blog. It is called Keep Calm and Call Your Mom. I love love all of her ideas and especially her sewing. Home girl can REALLY sew. Check out this costume she and my Mother-in-Law made. M-A-D-E! You can find the tutorial here.

Personally I can’t even fathom being able to sew something like that. Here is a little deep dark secret of mine…..9 years ago my Mother-in-Law bought me an amazing sewing machine. I was excited to get it because learning how to sew is on my bucket list.

Well……um……it has only been used….once…..and that once was my HUSBAND. He sewed my son’s Cub Scout patches on. Not me.

THERE! I shared one of my deepest darkest secrets. I have kept it all these years because as CHOCOLATE as my witness, or maybe it should be FABRIC as my witness, I will learn how to sew someday…..at least I hope to.

To celebrate my SIL being a contributor she whipped up this fun printable. I am in love with it. I sing You are my Sunshine to my daughter every single night.

Printable Made Famous By: Keep Calm and Call Your Mom

Thanks for making such an amazing printable Megs!!

Here is the most viewed link from the Famous {Linkz} Party last week.

Made Famous By: Mrs Schwartz Kitchen

Life's Messiest Moments

2012-02-14T14:49:00.000-08:00

My messiest moments are always when my babies get sick. The latest was my little princess. As beautiful as she is, even she didn’t quite make it to the bathroom on time. Up it all came, all over my bedding, carpet, tile, and toilet. Thankfully I had some Clorox disinfecting wipes under the sink. It saved me! Clean up was fast and easy!! So instead of spending too much time cleaning up the mess, I was snuggling her back to sleep in no time.

I ‘m sharing my messy moment for the chance to win prizes from TidyMom as part of Clorox’s Bleach It Away campaign .

Toasted Marshmallow OREO Brownies

2012-02-13T18:46:00.000-08:00

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

my lovelies!

This treat is FAST and EASY!!

Made Famous By: Heather McMullin (Me!)

Just because I adore you all so much I whipped this beauty up. The toasted marshmallow on the top makes this dessert over the top incredible! The huge bonus is that it takes all of 5 minutes to whip up then you place it in the oven. Everything about it says LOVE to me. I will take marshmallow and a brownie with Oreos smack dab in the middle any time, any place. You with me??

I hope you all have an extraordinary day full of the people that matter most in your life. Don’t just tell them you love them, show them you love them.

The LOVE of my life!

Toasted Marshmallow OREO Brownies

2 boxes Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Mix

1 Bag Double Stuf Oreos

1 Bag Marshmallows

*Mix up brownies according to instructions on the box.

*Put just enough brownie mix to cover the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

*Put a layer of Oreos, covering the brownie layer.

*Add the rest of the brownie mix, covering the Oreos completely.

*Bake brownies. Take the brownies out 10minutes before they are done and put marshmallows to completely cover the brownies then put them back in the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the marshmallows are golden brown.

FAB {Find} Friday and the tale of the NAKED mailman!

2012-02-10T09:38:00.000-08:00

I HAVE to share this awesome slash strange experience I had at the post office.

My kiddos and I were dropping off a few letters after hours into the drop box at the post office. Being the curious bugs that they are they peeked into the two slots to see if they could see where the letters had gone.

All of a sudden the door next to the drop box opens and there was the mail man…

Standing in the door way….

WITH HIS SHIRT OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

His pants were still on (praise the heavens), but there he was in all of his big belly glory, flaunting what his mama gave him.

OMGosh!!!!!!

He said, “Hey kids do you want to come in side and see where the mail went???”

Of course my kids said YES and BOLTED in before I had a chance to tell them no.

Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!

I have to admit I was freakin’ out a little. When something like that happens all of your protective mommy red flags go up.

He then proceeded to try and talk to me about something, but honestly I don’t remember. All I could look at way his huge NAKED belly staring at me in the face….in the post office…

It reminded me of the MOLE guy in Austin Powers. You know when Austin Powers couldn't look or say anything besides MOLE. HAHAHA!

I left as quickly as I could, but his NAKED belly will forever be burned into my mind. Thank you for that present naked mailman.

For my FAB {Find} Friday I present to you something miles better than the mail man’s naked belly. Check out these beauties from one of my favorite bloggie friends at Dwell on Joy!!

Simple Valentine Snack

Made Famous By: Sarah at Dwell on Joy

Sugar Cookie Cake

2012-02-09T08:30:00.000-08:00

Made Famous By: Heather McMullin aka Made Famous By

“When people show you who they are believe them the first time. When they tell you who they are you better well believe it.”

“A person says to you I’m selfish or I am mean or I am unkind or I am crazy. Believe them, they know themselves much better than you do. More often than that those of us who don’t trust life, say don’t say a thing like that, you’re not really crazy or you’re not really unkind, you’re not really mean. As soon as you say that the person POW (hits you) and says I told you, I told you I was unkind. So now why are you angry.” -Mya Angelou (Oprah Life Class #13)

I want to take this a step further, if you are showing yourself who you are and you do not like it, change. You have the power within yourself to fix the things you are not proud of. Weakness are sometimes given to us so that we can change them into strengths. I have experienced this in my own life and with much prayer, determination and time I changed my weaknesses into strengths and am a better person because of it.

You can DO it! (said like that creepy guy in all of Adam Sandler's Movies)

So what do you do with the scraps from my Swirly Valentine Sugar Cookies??? You make a sugar cookie cake!! Here's how...

Sugar Cookie Cake
I used the scraps from my Swirly Valentine Sugar Cookies to make this Sugar Cookie Cake. If you are making this with out making the sugar cookies first the recipe is at the bottom of this post.
*To make the cake simply take pieces of the sugar cookie dough and smush (totally a technical baking word) the dough into the bottom of a heart shaped pan.
*Bake at 325 for 20-30 min or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

My little helper will demonstrate for you!

The BEST Sugar Cookies on the Planet!!
2 3/4 Cup Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
3/4 Cup Soft margarine (NOT real butter)
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp Almond Flavoring

*In a small mix flour, baking powder, and salt.
*In another large bowl Cream: Margarine, sugar, and eggs
*Add almond flavoring
*Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients
*Separate the dough in to three different bowls
*In the first bowl add neon pink food dye. In the second bowl add red food dye and leave the third bowl of dough plain
*Chill the dough in the fridge until firm. 4-5 hours or overnight.
**FYI this is a softer/sticker dough**

Famous Linkz {Party}

2012-02-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

Oh rain, rain go away. Today was a cloudy drizzily day. When I set out on the board walk to bike my kids to school I didn’t know it was supposed to rain. If it is cloudy at the beach it usually clears up by the time the kiddos and I get to their school. Not today.

As soon as I dropped them off at school the little rain drops started to trickle down. Which would have been fine because they were already at school, except…..I had my little daughter in the bike trailer behind me……DOH!

I am sure every single person I passed on the board walk was thinking, “Why is that Mom riding her bike in the rain with her little girl???” To be honest if anyone would have given me a hard time I probably would have given them a crusty look, but nobody did and for that I was grateful. The last thing you need when you already feel guilty is the verbal opinion of someone that you know is judging you. Well poo poo on them anyway for judging. HA!

So on to this weeks Famous Linkz Party. V-day is fast approaching so I hope you have all been baking and crafting away!! Here is last weeks Most Famous Post

Banana Bread Bars with Brown Butter Frosting

Made Famous By: Life's Simple Measures

Swirl Valentine Sugar Cookies and a {FREE} Printable!!

2012-02-07T08:45:00.000-08:00

Made Famous By: Heather McMullin aka Made Famous By

Ah Valentines Day. One of my favorite holidays because it gives you an excuse to be extra mushy and go out on an extra special date with your special someone. One of my favorite quotes comes from a wise old bear.

{Free Printable!!}

AND can I tell you that I feel like the smartest person alive because I figured out how to do a free printable....it only took FOREVER!

Pooh and Piglet

Swirl Valentine Sugar Cookies

2 3/4 Cup Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

3/4 C Soft Margarine (NOT real butter)

1 Cup Sugar

2 Eggs

1 tsp Almond Flavoring

(To get enough dough I 4x the recipe)

*In a small bowl mix flour, baking powder, and salt.

*In another large bowl Cream: Margarine, sugar, and eggs

*Add almond flavoring

*Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

*Separate the dough into three different bowls.

*In the first bowl add neon pink food dye. In the second bowl add red food dye and leave the third bowl of dough plain.

*Chill the dough in the fridge until firm. 4-5 hours or overnight.

**FYI, this is a softer/sticker dough**

To get the swirl affect:

1. Roll out the neon pink dough on a floured silicone pad or wax paper. Cut the dough into a rectangle. Set aside on wax paper.

2. Roll out the plain colored dough on a floured silicone pad or wax paper. Cut the dough into the same size rectangle as the neon pink dough. Use the silicone pad/wax paper to place the plain colored dough exactly on top of the neon pink dough.

3. roll out the red colored dough on a floured silicone pad or wax paper. Cut the dough into the same size rectangle as the neon pink and plain colored dough. Use the silicone pad/wax paper to place the red dough exactly on top of the other two layers of dough.

4. Trim the sides so they are all even and then using the wax paper roll the dough up jelly roll style.

5. Place the dough in the freezer and let chill until firm. 4-5 hours.

6. Once the dough is firm slice the dough width wise into the thickness you desire.

7. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. For thicker cookie bake for 13-15 min

**DO NOT OVER BAKE. I take them out when the centers are barely cooked through. The cookie will not have brown edges.**

1-2. Mix the dough up.

3. Roll and measure out the pink dough.

4. Roll and measure out the plain dough.

5. Roll and measure out the red dough.

Below is how I got the swirl affect and how I added the sprinkles.

Valentine Craft Ideas

2012-02-06T08:30:00.000-08:00

Last night I got was woken up at 4am by my sick little princess. By the time I had changed the sheets twice she finally fell asleep again at 6:15am. I closed my eyes grateful to catch a few winks......... and then my oldest walked in at 6:20am and woke my princess up again.....

Definitely not one of the more glamorous parts of motherhood.

On the bright side or ewwww side, I get to pick out new sheets and a new duvet! I wonder if pottery barn is having a sale. I really like their duvets. Any suggestions??

The bloggie world is full of the most adorable craft ideas. Here are some of my favorite.

Valentine Blocks

Made Famous By: Mama’s Crafty Place

‘Heart Felt’ Wreath

Made Famous By: LoveSweet Love

Valentine Shelf

Made Famous By: Alderberry Hill

Valentine Printable

Made Famous By: Moments with the Motanos

Tic-Tac Covers

Made Famous By: SuzieHome Caker

Valentine Candy Bar Wrappers

Made Famous By: Home Spun With Love

Superbowl Food {FIND} Friday

2012-02-03T10:49:00.000-08:00

Healthy Turkey Meatball Subs

Made Famous By: Me!

Turkey Taco Soup

Made Famous By: LauraDenney

Rosemary Scented Turkey Quesadillas

Made Famous By: CleanEating

Zora’s Baked Beans

Made Famous By: AuntZora

PLEASE MAKE THESE!!! THEY ARE AMAZING!!

My SIL made the beans in the picture. Go check her blog out.

Keep Calm and Call Your Mom

Football Deviled Eggs

Made Famous By: MyRecipes

Individual Seven Layer Dips

Made Famous By: TheGirl Who Ate Everything (Love you Christy)

BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Skins

Made Famous By: HowSweet It Is

Baked Zucchini Sticks

Made Famous By: EatYourself Skinny

Super Bowl Dessert Table

Made Famous By: Best Friends For Frosting

Football Strawberries

Made Famous By: Shari’sBerries

Football Field Fudge

Made Famous By: Something Swanky

Quick Apple Crisp

Made Famous By: Pampered Chef

AND.....

The Winner of my cute apron GIVEAWAY is entry #12
(Generated by Random.org) I will be contacting you shortly. BIG CONGRATS on winning!!

mwimp said...

i'm your newest follower, i found you thru abbie's linky party over at five days five ways.

Elvis Presley Brown Butter Cupcakes with Brown Butter Frosting and Bacon!

2012-02-02T08:45:00.000-08:00

Made Famous By: Stephanie Yi

Elvis Presley Bacon Brown Butter Cupcakes with Brown Butter Frosting and Bacon!

Say that 5 times fast.

I know what you are thinking, Bacon on a cupcake?!?!?!?!?! It sounds super strange, but I am telling you they are HEAVEN! The perfect balance of salty and sweet.

One of my besties Stephanie Yi came to visit me this week and brought these beauties along with her. I knew I loved the girl, but COME ON! She came bearing gifts AND they were gifts I could eat. The perfect present in my opinion. I think I pretty much ate all of them by myself. Proud of it thank you.

She named them after Elvis Presley because he LOVED bacon. To be honest I had no clue until she told me. Who knew, right??

Thank you, thank you very much! *said in my best Elvis voice, lip curl and all! *

Maple bacon cupcake
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted browned butter
1 tablespoon bacon fat (from the cooked bacon)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup milk
12 slices of good thick bacon - not the cheap thin stuff

Browned butter maple frosting
1 stick of BROWNED butter
8 ounces of cream cheese - softened
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar

*Crisp cook the bacon (no greasy chewy pieces). Place on a paper towel lined plate & allow to cool. Crumble or chop into little pieces. It should be about 1/2 cup with the extra for the topping. Also reserve 1 tablespoon bacon fat for the cupcakes.
FOR THE CUPCAKES
*Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tins with paper liners. I use a cookie scoop (large) & usually it'll make about 15 or 18. Set aside.

*To brown the butter, heat a pot over medium heat. Add the butter cut in small pieces & whisk as it melts. Once it melts it'll foam up a bit. No worries, it's supposed to. Little brown flecks will begin to form. Watch it closely. Once the butter is golden brown & yummy nutty smelling, it's done. Be careful, because it can happen really fast & go from yummy to nasty if it burns. Pour the butter into a bowl to cool. I put it in the fridge & stir it every few minutes till it has the consistency of softened butter. DO NOT LET IT COOL IN THE POT!

*In a small bowl, whisk flour & baking powder.

*In large bowl of electric mixer, on medium speed, mix browned butter, bacon fat & sugar till its fluffy. Add the eggs and maple syrup. Beat well.

*Add the flour mixture & milk, alternating, on low speed until just combined. Stir in 1/2 cup of bacon pieces.

*Using an ice cream scoop, evenly fill muffin tins. Bake for about 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes in the pan then put on a wire rack to cool completely. Once they're cool then you can frost.

FOR THE FROSTING
*In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat browned butter, cream cheese, maple syrup & vanilla on low speed till combined. Add powdered sugar & beat till fluffy.

*Frost the cupcakes & top with the leftover bacon pieces.

Valentine Famous {Linkz} Party

2012-02-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

Valentine’s Day is getting closer and the bloggie world is exploding with cute fun yummy Valentine treats. I am loving looking at all the amazing things I can do for Valentine’s Day. My kids are lovin’ it too. They love the V-day stickers that are out.

Here was your favorite recipe from last week’s linky.

Made Famous By Beurrista

Angelina Jolie White Chocolate Oreo Cake

2012-01-31T08:40:00.000-08:00

Angelina Jolie White Chocolate Oreo Cake
Made Famous By: Fahrenheit 350

Seems like a funny name, but the name of the original recipe wasn’t descriptive enough. This dessert is by far one of the {BEST} desserts I have ever made. The cake is beyond amazingly good and then to make it even more amazing you top it with mini chocolate chips and drizzle it with sweetened condensed milk. OMGosh!!!!!!!!!!!

So I figured they were kinda like Angelina Jolie. She is devastatingly beautiful and then to top it all off to make her even more amazing, (as if her beauty wasn’t enough), she has talent galore. Then just drizzle Brad Pitt and her adorable 6 kids to her life and you have the perfect dessert…..I mean life….

So enjoy this beauty of a dessert and please eat this piping hot right out of the oven. mmmmmm……..

Angelina Jolie White Chocolate Oreo Cake

6oz (1 ½ bars) Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Crème Chocolate Candy Bar

½ Cup Sugar

½ Cup Butter

2 Eggs

½ tsp Vanilla

1 Cup Flour

½ tsp Baking Powder

Pinch of Salt

7oz Sweetened Condensed Milk

Semi Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips

*Preheat oven to 350

*Melt the cookies ‘n’ crème chocolate bar, sugar, and butter over low heat until melted. Once melted take off the heat.

*Lightly beat together two eggs and vanilla.

*Temper the eggs by adding in a tablespoon of the melted butter mixture into the eggs. After the first tablespoon is thoroughly mixed into the eggs add one more tablespoon and mix well. Then add the entire egg mixture into the butter mixture and mix until well combined.

*In a mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Stir until mixture is incorporated and smooth.

*Pour into greased 9” springform pan. Or you can make mini cakes like I did in the picture.

*Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

*Remove from oven and immediately pour 7oz sweetened condensed milk over top of brownies.

*Layer with ¾ cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips and let cool OR if you are like me serve it as quick as you can so you have a wonderfully warm dessert! J

Sabatino's, Newport Beach, CA

2012-01-30T09:30:00.000-08:00

(Down the path is where the ship yard and the ocean is)

One of the most fun things to do is to find a restaurant that is a hidden gem. That is exactly what Sabatino’s is. If you don’t know what you are looking for, are not a local, or haven’t heard of by word of mouth, chances are you have never seen it or heard of it.

It is tucked away in the ship yard on Lido Island in Newport Beach, CA. The journey to get there adds to the charm of this fantastic restaurant. Inside feels like you are right in the middle of Sicily. The food is nothing short of amazing. If you go you MUST order the sausage appetizer and the stuffed bell pepper. OMGosh!!! Heaven on earth!!

Don’t be surprised if the bell pepper is not on the menu, because it isn’t. When my husband ordered the bell pepper the waitress said, “It isn’t on the menu, but we always have it.” AWESOME! You and I are now in the secret club of you-know-an –item-that-is-not-on-the-menu-club. Doesn’t that make you feel just a little special? What can I say? It is the little pleasures in life. J

One of the most amazing things about Sabatino's is that you can buy some of their ingredients and take it home to incorporate into some of your favorite recipes. Just look at that fresh sausage and home made pizza dough. YUMMMMY!

Picture via Oc Insite

Here is how OC Insite describes some of their dishes. "Also known as Lido Shipyard Sausage Company, Sabatino’s specializes in sausage blended with goat cheese. Before refrigeration, the saltiness of the goat cheese helped to preserve the sausage. Now, its sole purpose is to make the sausage more juicy and flavorful. For more than 20 years, locals have flocked to the restaurant’s deli to bring the lean meat sausage into their own kitchens.

The stuffed peppers—-stuffed with veal, rice and sausage and served on a bed of linguini-—are mouthwatering. So is the vegetable lasagna, a vegetarian dish made with four imported cheeses and topped with both marinara and a creamy alfredo sauce."

My new Lil' Luna Family

2012-01-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

I am thrilled to announce that I am going to start contributing over at the super cute site called Lil' Luna. It is Kristyn’s site and it is amazing. Every time I pop on over to Lil’ Luna I love to see all the amazing crafty, yummy ideas she has come up with.

Here are a few other gals that will be a part of my new blog family. They are all adorable and have creative magic from their heads to the tips of their sparkly toes.

I already love them!!

Go check out their sites and give some creative, sparkly, bloggie love!!

www.boxwoodclippings.com

GiVe AwAy and Fabulous {Find} Friday!

2012-01-27T07:00:00.000-08:00

Y’all heard me….cuz I am from the south….or California….

I am having a give away since we reached over 100 fans! YIPPIE!!

I am so very thankful for all of your support. One of my new years resolutions is to grow this little blog of mine and you are the peeps that are making my dream come true.

So I have a little present that is OH so adorable!!

All you have to do is:

UNO: Follow me on TWITTER

DOS: Follow me on FACEBOOK

TRES: JOIN MY SITE~over on the right hand side

QUATRO: Tell a couple friends about Made Famous By

For Fabulous {Find} Friday I would love to highlight the most viewed Link from my Famous Linkz Party this week.

Brownie Bites and OMGosh Frosting

Made Famous By: Crazy For Crust

Go check out Dorothy’s adorable blog. She is a girl after my own heart and loves her some crust. Congrats on being the most viewed! :)

Good Luck friends and HAPPY FRIDAY!

Giveaway ends on Feb 1, 2012

Valentines Chocolate Chip Cookies

2012-01-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

Made Famous By: Lisa Scott

Have you seen the movie We Bought a Zoo? If you haven’t GO SEE IT! I thought I was going to see another silly kid’s movie, but was quite surprised. It is a movie that really makes you think and cry. There I admitted it! I cried….a little.

The part of the movie that struck me the most was the moment that the Father, played my Matt Damon, knew it was right to buy the zoo. They were walking the grounds and all of a sudden he found himself staring at a lion, this huge, dangerous, powerful, majestic, strong beast.

In that moment everything got still. As he stared this lion in the eyes, he knew. He knew that what he was about to do was right. It was going to be hard and maybe the craziest choice of all of his options, but he knew as he gazed into the eyes of the lion that it was the right choice.

Isn’t life like that?! Sometimes the right choice appears to be a lion. Sometimes that right choice seems scary, difficult, unattainable, and most definitely the hardest choice, but it is the right choice.

In my life this always seems to happen when we are making big decisions. When all the options are weighed and prayed about, the path we know in our hearts is right, most always is the hardest. But it is beyond a doubt the right choice. The storm inside becomes still and peace overcomes the senses as you stare into the lions eyes.

Every time we have followed the promptings we have received it has always worked out even better than we could have dreamed possible.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 lb. Real Butter

1 ½ C. Sugar

2 C Brown Sugar

3 Eggs

2 tsp. Vanilla

6 Cups Flour

½ tsp. Salt

1 ½ tsp. Baking Powder
Neon Pink Food Dye

4 C Chocolate Chips

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees

*Cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar.

*Then add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.

*In a separate bowl mix the flower, salt, and baking powder.

*Add the dry ingredients to the wed ingredients and mix until well combined.

* Add the neon pink food dye until desired color.

*Add the chocolate chips.

**Bake at 350 for 15-25 minutes. Time will vary with each oven. You don’t want them to be brown when they are done. You want them to be barely cooked through in the middle. This will keep them chewy and soft.