Non-Edible Creation

So I've been cooking up something lately... It just isn't something to eat. Shocker, I know. We are in the process of moving into our first home and I am looking for ways to cut corners, save some money, do it myself, and still have my house look great.

I saw a pin on Pinterest where she made her clear plastic drawers look more classy and was able to match it to her bathroom decor (it was a small drawer)... So the wheels in my head started turning. I have 4 sets of those drawers split between my kids rooms. Lets face it, they hold a lot and are cheaper than a dresser. But they are clear and show everything that is in the drawers... So I took a little trip to good ol' Walmart.

I bought some craft paint ($.57 each):

And a pack of foam paint brushes:

And then I got to work. The trick to this project was painting the inside of the drawer. When I first started painting it looked streaky and I was thinking, great, these are going to look terrible. But the trick is to move from one side to the other, using the same stroke pattern (long horizontal strokes were what I did) and to use a lot of paint (and keep your brush coated with paint). I let the first coat dry and then added another coat. Once dry and placed back into the proper drawer cubby you would never be able to tell that it didn't come that way. Yes, if you hold the drawer up toward the light you will see some streaks, but that wasn't my plan for the drawers. 

 
The drawers in their drying process.


Eventually, I may add a top coat so the paint doesn't scratch off. But most of my drawers are being used for clothing, so the scratching should be minimal. The picture below is the first set of drawers I did. I will add more once they are dry.

Good luck with your project.

More pictures:

The drawers while they were still drying ^

Finished product for my sons room.

Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes with a "Hot Chocolate" Frosting

So I got a craving yesterday evening... (No, I'm not pregnant) I just NEED something sometimes. Yesterday, it was chocolate cupcakes... I thought about taking a drive to Gigi's Cupcakes or Just Baked... But I didn't see exactly what I wanted, and they were going to charge me $3 a cupcake.. Sorry, but that is outrageous, especially when I can make lots of cupcakes and a small round cake for under $5.

This is what I came up with. (I should mention I like things to be easy, especially at 7:45pm, so this recipe is from a box, the best kind in my opinion).

Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 Box Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix
1 Box of Chocolate Fudge Pudding (4 1/2 servings size) (I didn't realize I had grabbed the Cook N Serve, it                                
                                                                                                                                          worked though)
1 Stick of Butter, melted
4 Eggs
1 Cup of Sour Cream
3/4 Cup Milk (I had used 1 cup, but I think it needs to be reduced)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line or Spray a muffin tin (I lined). If you want cupcakes and a cake, spray a small round spring form pan as well as the muffin tin.

There isn't really an order for the mixing of ingredients. So put it all in a large bowl and mix it up. I used my stand mixer, but you could use an electric mixer too. I let it mix for a couple minutes until it was voluminous (lol, odd use of wording there, but I am keeping it).

I like to use a an ice cream scoop or a measuring cup when distributing the batter into the cupcake liners  so all of my cupcakes will be the same size. Do whatever suits you best :) Once batter was in it's liners and cake pan I popped them into the oven. 

Cupcakes baked for about 15 minutes (give or take), insert a toothpick to check their doneness. The cake was in for about 30 minutes. 

Cool before frosting.

"Hot Chocolate" Frosting

Ingredients:

2 Packets of Hot Chocolate Mix (No Marshmallows)
2-3 Tablespoons Half & Half (Milk could work too)
Small handful of chopped chocolate or chocolate chips (I used Semi Sweet)
1 Stick of Butter (Softened)
6-8 Ounces Cream Cheese (Yeah... I don't know exactly how much I used)
About 3 cups of Powdered Sugar
Splash of Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Place Half & Half, Hot Chocolate Mix, and Chocolate Chips into a small saucepan and heat over low heat  until the hot chocolate mix is dissolved and the chips are melting (they don't have to be melted all of the way).  Don't boil this mixture. Turn off the heat and let it sit ( it will cool a bit, and that's good).

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat butter and cream cheese until it's smooth and looks like it's getting fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add vanilla and mix until incorporated. Add powdered sugar, about a cup at a time, beating in between. (Once the sugar is mixed in enough, I turn the speed to high so the frosting can get a good beating/whipping).

Slowly add in the melted chocolate (again, mixing in between additions).

At this point I tasted the frosting to see if I needed to add anything, and decided to add a little more sugar, but that is up to your taste.

Frost away and enjoy.