Sunday Dinner, Pasta with a Side of Pasta.

We were on carb overload after this Sunday dinner.  Pasta, paired with another pasta, plus toasted bread and some cupcakes ended up delicious, but heavy on the carbohydrates.

While my sister took on the pastas, my mother and I attempted to make a homemade frosting that involves a candy thermometer and was featured on KARE11 a month or two ago when I filled in for Belinda on a Saturday morning.  The frosting was made by Sweets Bakeshop and is to die for.  To my surprise, it wasn't too difficult to make, especially when you factor in our boxed cupcake mix.

I followed the recipe online for Italian Meringue Buttercream exactly, with one exception.  I omitted the vanilla in favor of some lavender.  Yum!  After topping the cupcakes, I did eat some leftover frosting by itself... it is that good.

On to the main dishes... these two pastas, were both fab.  Although the boys of the group did enjoy the spicy chicken dish a bit more than the light basil and lemon one.  If you ask me, they were both good, both for different reasons.

The lemon basil one was nice and light.  Pine nuts added a great bit of texture.  Plus, you could easily add chicken or another protein if you wish.  Here's the recipe from I Nom Things.

The spicy chicken pasta dish was a great one pot wonder, and using canned sauces are a great time saver.  Next time, I would add even more sauce since the pasta soaked it up quite a bit and didn't leave quite enough on the plate to justify eating a slice of bread alongside it.  :)  Here's the recipe from Tastebook.  We accidentally forgot our frozen peas...

Sunday Dinner, Mother's Day Brunch.

For Mother's Day my mom requested we go to church to see her play in the bell choir, and that we all have brunch.  Easy enough.

Brunch for us consisted of only two dishes, but we were so full that making any more food would have just been a waste.  We made Corned Beef and Gruyere Casserole, as featured by Michael Symon on The Chew and bacon pancakes!

The casserole is so freaking good.  Add Gruyere and some fresh herbs to anything and I bet it would taste good!  Here's the recipe: Michael Symon's Corned Beef Hash Casserole

The bacon pancakes are easy and delicious, and can be made one of two ways.  After mixing pancake batter using your favorite box or homemade mix you can either crumble in some cooked bacon or, lay the bacon slices on a griddle and pour a scoop of batter over each one.  Cook and flip as usual and voila!  I tried the second method and it worked great.  I recommend real maple syrup on the side too!

Homemade (Sort of) Foaming Hand Soap.

Easy DIY is so right up my alley.  This is one of those no-brainer choices...

Foaming hand soap is so much more fun than regular hand soap.  But it can cost like $3 to $5 a bottle!  So here's an easy DIY:

Take an old but clean foaming hand soap bottle and fill it almost to the top with water. (I used filtered water, but I'm sure tap will do as well.)  Squirt in some dish soap.  I'm not one to measure, but I would guess I put in 2-3 teaspoons.  Screw on the cover and gently shake to combine the soap and water.  Voila! 

Pump and scrub away!  Just like a new store-bought bottle!

#Foodtruckforecast

I am so pumped up!  Fork in the Road Foodtruck and I have teamed up for a daily forecast just for food trucks and their patrons. 

As the official food truck forecaster, I'll send out a tweet each weekday at 9:30am and again at 11:30am with the MSP weather conditions for the lunch time rush!  Follow me on twitter @laurabetker and follow the hashtag #foodtruckforecast!