Lego Cake and Brownies

Jayden wanted a green Lego cake.  I had seen this on Pinterest as well, along with the Lego brownies.  The Lego brownies only had icing on the top, but Dave wanted to coat the whole thing so it looked like Lego blocks.  I have a pan that makes a few square brownies that we used for the Lego brownies.  Then we cut them once to make the 1x3 and 2x3 blocks.  Whenever I cut brownies they get a huge mess!  So I figured using the pan that makes little squares and making one cut would be  a lot less messy.  I didn't want cut marks on the Lego cake stand so we put the brownies on that.  Oh, if you can't tell, we used M&M's on the brownies.  

And for the cake, I made a 9x13, cut off the rounded ends, maybe an inch from each end.  Then cut that piece in half and stacked it.  And for the top round pieces we used double stuffed Oreos.

Jayden wanted us to put some of his Lego guys on top of his cake so I grabbed a few and Dave put them on.  He sort of made the Lego guy's hold the candle's.

He was a happy boy with his cake!  He knew we were making a green Lego, but we didn't let him see it until it was time to blow out the candles.  Happy Birthday Jayden!!!!

Lego Cake Stand

I saw this Lego cake stand on Pinterest and Dave agreed to make it.  I thought Jayden would love it.

I had also bought a box of 600 Lego pieces at Walmart at Christmas time for $15.  I was there getting other things and just happen to see it.  JJ loves to make his own creations and I always wanted to buy a box of just bricks with a few windows, doors and wheels.  When I got home I looked on Amazon to see how much it cost and the same thing was $30 on Amazon.  I'm glad I happened to see it at Walmart and that I picked it up!  It's really cute.  Not only does it have all these Lego bricks, wheels and stuff, but it came with a book of instructions to build lots of different things!  You can build a a really cute shark, pirate ship, canon and I can't remember the rest.   Jayden loves it!

Here is the the cake stand Dave made and a couple action shots of him making it...

The picture on the left is the top view and on the right is the bottom view.

Special Birthday School Lunch

Jayden always packs a lunch so this worked out great, I saw this on Pinterest.  The night before his birthday I wrapped everything in his lunch!  I even put more things in then normal just so I'd have more stuff to wrap!  Dave and I also both wrote a special birthday note for his lunch box.  

After school I asked him about it and he said he just kept it closed.  He was said he was afraid others would keep asking him to see it and also he didn't want others to say "no fair."  He only showed a couple of his good friends.  And he didn't even open everything!!  When he came home his trash for what he did open was still in his lunch box (not normal) and half of it was still wrapped!  I guess he didn't want to throw away the wrapping paper of what he did open because he was afraid others would see it.  LOL!  He's so funny!  But I do believe he liked it and it made him feel a little special!

Anyway, it was fun to do and I'm glad he liked it, even if he didn't show everybody.  He's a cute kid!

Almond Oat Bran Sugar Free and Gluten Free Cookies

Almond Oat Bran Cookies

I found this recipe online over a year ago and when you're eating sugar free, it's not too bad!  It's one of the best sugar free and gluten free cookies I've tried!  I think they can be a tad bit dry, so I like them fresh, like within a couple hours of being made or frozen.  I let them thaw a few minutes then eat them when they are partially frozen.

Ingredients

1 Cup oat bran flour
1 Cup brown rice flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 Cup almond butter (my homemade recipe, click here for it)
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract (make sure there's no added sugar of any kind, like corn syrup)
4 full droppers of Stevia or adjust sweetness to taste
3/4 Cup unsweetened coconut milk

Optional Garnish

• 1/4 Cup Almond Flour
• a few pinches of sea salt
• a sprinkle of Stevia powder

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 with the rack in the middle.  Prepare cookie sheet with parchment paper.  In a medium bowl mix together dry ingredients.  In another bowl mix together wet ingredients.  Combine wet and dry ingredients to form a batter.  Taste the batter and add more sweeter if desired (no egg, so okay to eat.)  Make cookie shapes with about 1 1/2 Tablespoons of batter per cookie.  Flatten with your hands and press almond meal into the tops.  Sprinkle on some salt.  Bake cookies for about 10-12 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown.  Let the cookies cool for a few minutes and then transfer to cooling racks.

Gluten Free Pita Pockets

I LOVE these!!!!  I use them for pizza crust, turkey or chicken burgers, chicken salad (especially when it's made with avocado and lime juice instead of mayo), homemade sloppy joe's anything you would use bread or rolls for!

They are super easy and quick to make!  I make several batches and freeze them.

Here's the recipe I found online over a year ago, sorry I printed it, but I don't know where I got it from.

Gluten Free Pita Pockets

Ingredients
1 egg
1/4 Cup of water
1 Tablespoon oil or melted butter
1 Tablespoon coconut flour, firmly packed
1/2 Cup almond flour, firmly packed
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Whisk together the egg, oil and water.
3. Add dry ingredients and mix well to form batter.
4. Pour two equal parts onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

I doubled the recipe and got 3.

5. Spread each pita 5-6 inches round.
6. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Here they are done.

Note: If I double this I get 3, not 4.  I would just double and make 3 because I like the size of them better.  If I made 4 I think they're too small, make whatever size you'd like.  However I normally 4X it and make 6 at a time, and freeze them.

Cut them in half, the slice the center open to form your pocket.

When I freeze them I cute squares out of the parchment paper I cooked them on, and put the squares in-between them so they don't freeze together.  I also freeze them whole, but I don't know what harm it could do to freeze them cut.

Put them in a quart freezer bag, label and freeze.

Elf Fishing in Toilet

My boys have been dying all month for TJ to fish in the toilet!  They have even prayed for it when they'd say prayers.  So we Cloroxed the toilet good and I put rolled tape behind him because I did not want him falling in.  And we had him fish in the toilet.  The boys were thrilled!

Elf Eating Pancakes

TJ made himself some miniature pancakes...

Teacher and Bus Driver Gift

I had made the teachers and bus driver Honey Roasted Almonds.  (Click here to go to the recipe.)  I put them in a baggie and in a container they can re-use.  I made tags that said "I'm nuts about  my teacher!"  They had told me it was pretty cute.

If you'd like to use the tags, just right click and save the image to your computer.

Honey Roasted Almonds

I found this recipe a few years ago and I just LOVE it!  It's super easy to make!  And I like to make it and hand it out at the holidays or anytime really.  Most of the people I have given these too I've found just love them too!

Honey Roasted Almonds

2 C whole almonds, skins on

1/4 C sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 TBL honey

2 TBL water

1tsp. almond or vegetable oil

Spread the almonds in a single layer in a shallow ungreased baking pan and place in a cold oven.  Bake at 350 degrees, stirring occasionally, until the internal color of nuts is tan (12-15 minutes).  Remove from oven and set aside.

Thoroughly mix the sugar and salt.  Stir together the honey, water and oil in a medium size pan and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Stir in the roasted almonds and continue to cook and stir until all the liquid has been absorbed by the nuts (about 5 minutes).  Immediately transfer to a medium bowl and sprinkle sugar mixture over all and toss.  Spread on  wax paper and cool.

(I mix the sugar and salt in a medium bowl and dump the nuts in it and the stir it up.)

I just love these and think they are so yummy!  I hope you enjoy them too!

It the first picture, in the blue bowl, that batch I accidentally used a TBL for the oil instead a tsp.  I didn't notice until my husband made another batch, the second picture in the off white bowl.  I asked him why he didn't just use the same measuring spoon for the oil that he used for the honey and water and he said "because it's a teaspoon of oil, not a tablespoon."  oh my!  I had given that 1st batch I made to the boys teachers and to the mom of the kid I baby sit.  I quickly sent a text to Tiff and she said she thought they tasted fine.  I had eaten some of that batch too and thought they tasted fine.  But the 2nd batch my husband made, with the right amount of oil, tasted better!  So I guess you can't really mess it up too much, because I messed it up and it still tasted good.

Elf Zip Linning

TJ was zip lining on fishing string in the kitchen.  The boys loved this one!

Elf Playing Game

Our Elf, TJ, was playing a fishing game with some other toys.

Elf on the Shelf Flying Helicopter

TJ was flying one of Jayden's helicopters...

Lego Manger

Since I have yet to get around to making the manger for the Nativity set, Jayden made a Lego one...

Pretty cute!

Elf on The Shelf Copies and Scans Himself

Our desk is in our family room, right below our stairs but it took the boys a long time to find the Elf this morning!  They sure thought it was funny that he copied and scanned himself!  I babysit my nieces and when they showed up they couldn't wait to show them what their Elf did!  And they took one of the copies into school to show their friends and teacher.

Elf Spells "Be Good"

The kids thought it funny that the Elf was eating some cereal and warned them to "be good."

My younger son did clean up the words and put the cheerios back in his bowl, but they never touched him.  I was really surprised he has stayed at every spot so far this year without being touched.

Elf Holding Baby Jesus

The Elf was found holding baby Jesus today.  I think this was the only day that the Nativity wasn't re-arranged, because they didn't want to touch the Elf not he Shelf for fear he'd loose his magic.

Elf Sleeping

This was another morning that it took the kids awhile to find their elf.  We keep our tissue box in the pantry cabinet so he was hiding and sleeping with a rubber duck and a bunny.  He folded up a tissue for a pillow and used one for a blanket.

Elf in the Fridge

It took the kids awhile to find their Elf this morning!  He was in the fridge drinking out of the syrup.

Elf Draws on Pictures

The Elf used a white board marker and drew on my kids pictures.  They got a kick out of it, but then thought it was okay to do it themselves.  

The Elf Brought Christmas Socks

I was in the Dollar Tree and saw some Christmas socks for my kids.  So I wrapped them and had the Elf bring them.  They were super excited to get a present from the Elf!

Elf Tea Party

My daughter, who is 2 1/2, wasn't too happy the Elf was having a tea party with her dolls.  But I thought it was cute.  And it was another last minute set up.

Elf

A quick and easy one, I looked around and asked "what can I put him in?"  I saw the bird house my 7 year old son made and put him in it.  And they loved it!

Banana Split Ice Cream Cake

Wrong time of year for this, most likely, although I can eat ice cream cake all year round!

But as I said before I'm working on finally get my 2010 family blog book done and pulling out and re-uploading all my pics to my computer, so I came across this and thought I'd post it.

It's wonderfully amazing!

We had some very special people coming over for their birthdays and they requested an ice cream cake.  It just happened after I got their request I was surfing through some craft blogs and came across an easy recipe for banana split ice cream cake.  I was so excited!  It's super easy.  This is all you need...

Banana Split Ice Cream Cake

Ice cream sandwiches

Heath bits

Carmel and Hot Fudge topping

4 Bananas

Sliced Strawberries

Small can of crushed pineapple

1 container of whipped topping

You open all 12 ice cream sandwiches and lay them on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Slice the bananas and put them on top.  The use 1/2-1 cup of Hot Fudge and Carmel (each) and put on top.  Then layer the sliced strawberries.  Mix a small can of crushed pineapple including the juice with a container of whipped topping.  and then put that mixture on top.  Sprinkle a crushed butterfinger or heath bits on top.  And freeze for at least 4 hours.  and wa-la....

A very yummy ice cream cake!!!

Just a tip, leave it sit for a few minutes so you can actually bite into it.  I don't know about you, but I don't like my strawberries to be totally frozen, just a little.