The Good Stuff Guide » Random and Fun

Cupcakes

Heidi Farmer — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:19:49 +0000

Written by Contributing Writer, Sarah Farthing

We just had a cupcake shop open in a retail space in our city’s quaint downtown area. It seems cupcakes are all the rage these days. I suppose that’s why these fun ideas have all caught my attention recently and they were too fun not to share!

Bloomin’ Cupcake

Available at 1-800-Flowers for $24.99. This is the most adorable flower arrangement for under $25 that I have ever seen!

Baby Cupcake Gift Box

I thought these gift boxes were such a fun gift idea for new parents and so functional, too! The cupcakes are made from receiving blankets, burp cloths and washcloths! Even socks and headbands can be included, they are made to order: check out TrendyBabyKC on Etsy. Under $30!

{Baby Boy}

{Baby Girl}

Cupcake Cake Pan

I have told you before about my love for Wilton Cake Pans. They make cake baking and decorating, well, a piece of cake. This pan that generates one gigantic cupcake is fantastic and is under $20 on Amazon!

Look at all that sweetness! (The babies and the cupcakes!) What a fun idea for first birthday pictures or any other celebration where a sweet treat is in order.

If you know about any other fun cupcake products, tell us about it!

{Repurposing} Baby Wipes Containers

Heidi Farmer — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:49:23 +0000

Written by Contributing Writer, Sarah Farthing

My boys have been out of diapers for quite some time but I still find it handy to keep baby wipes at our house and we seem to go through them regularly, whether we’re using them for cleaning sticky hands, wiping up glitter or handling paint drips. I try to always buy wipe refills in bags but somehow we still amass our fair share of empty rectangular containers. I mostly use ours for storing markers, crayons and other art supplies.

A few more creative ideas to consider the next time you pull out the last wipe:

1) Plastic bag storage (from a simple heart for home)

2) Lego Storage

3) Emergency Sewing Kit

4) Organizing gravy and sauce packets in the pantry.

5) First Aid Kit

6) Yarn or Twine Dispenser

7) Workshop towel or rag storage

Brick mold for making snow forts!

9) Barbie accessories or Polly Pockets

10) Baby grooming supplies- clippers, combs, nail brush, etc… (from The Well-Rounded Home)

If you don’t have an immediate use for the containers, or time to deal with them, you can store them with the lids flipped open and stack inside each other to save space!

I think my favorite new use might be #8!

Hot Ryes {Appetizer}

Heidi Farmer — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 10:23:54 +0000

Written by Contributing Writer, Sarah Farthing
Appetizer season is upon us with holiday fun, gatherings with friends and family and big games to feed hungry sports fans during. You will love this easy recipe:

Hot Ryes

Ingredients:

1 cup finely grated Swiss cheese

1/4 cup cooked and crumbled bacon

1 4.5 oz can chopped ripe olives

1/4 cup minced green onions or chives

1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 loaf party rye bread

Directions:

Mix together all ingredients except bread. Spread on party rye* and bake at 375 degrees for 10 or 15 minutes or until browned.

Makes approximately 36 hors d’oeuvres.

Note: These may be frozen after baking and reheated at party time!

After making these for years I really don’t measure much anymore, just add ingredients in proportion to my liking until it seems about right. Please, please do not shy away from trying these if you do not like some of the ingredients. I am not a swiss cheese, olive or Mayonnaise lover and I devour these!

*I find loaves of party rye in the fancy cheese/appetizer section of my grocery store- they’re not in the bread aisle. Also, when applying the mixture to each teensy bread slice, keep in mind the cheese will melt and help spread everything out, don’t overload them!

Do you have a sure-fire recipe to share with us?! E-mail sarah@thegoodstuffguide.com

Chicken & Sweet Potato Croquettes

Heidi Farmer — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 08:30:16 +0000

Written by Contributing Writer, Sarah Farthing

These are delectable! My sister-in-law first made these for us a few years ago. They are great re-heated for a hot lunch the next day or if you’ve made them in advance for a fast weeknight meal…

Chicken & Sweet Potato Croquettes

*From Every Day with Rachel Ray

**Mine don’t turn out like the croquettes pictured, read below the recipe to find out why!

3 pounds chicken drumsticks (about 12), rinsed and patted dry
7 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper
3 cloves unpeeled garlic
1 large sweet potato
½ cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup chicken broth
2 large eggs
1 cup bread crumbs, preferably panko
½ cup vegetable oil
Lemon wedges, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 425°. Place the chicken on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, rub all over with 2 tablespoons butter and season with salt and pepper. Wrap the garlic cloves in foil and set on the baking sheet. Roast until the chicken juices run clear, about 45 minutes. Set the roasted garlic aside and let the chicken cool for 15 minutes. Discard the skin and bones and finely chop the meat; set aside.
Meanwhile, pierce the sweet potato in several places and place on a paper towel in the microwave oven. Cook on high for 6 minutes. Turn over and cook until tender, 6 to 10 minutes more. Cover with a paper towel and let stand for 5 minutes. Peel the potato and the reserved roasted garlic and transfer to a large bowl; mash and set aside.
In a small saucepan, melt the remaining 5 tablespoons butter over low heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring until a paste forms, then cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir the paste into the reserved mashed potato mixture. Stir in the reserved chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon water. Place the remaining 1/2 cup flour and the bread crumbs on separate plates. Divide the croquette mixture into eight ½-inch-thick oval disks. Coat with the flour and shake off any excess. Dip in the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off, then coat with the bread crumbs. Place the breaded croquettes on wax paper.
In a small skillet, heat the oil over high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in 2 batches, fry the croquettes until golden brown, 1 to 1½ minutes per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Serve 2 croquettes, with a lemon wedge, per person.

**Okay, that’s the thorough and official recipe but many times after I get the chicken legs baked and chopped, I simply add a finely diced onion, minced garlic and mashed sweet potatoes plus a little salt and pepper. I form patties (similar in size and form to salmon cakes) out of that mixture, roll them in flour (skipping the egg step) and pan-fry them. Works like a charm and I don’t have to look at a recipe!

Do you have a sure-fire recipe to share with us?! E-mail sarah@thegoodstuffguide.com

AAA Membership- Take Full Advantage!!

Heidi Farmer — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 08:10:52 +0000

Written by Contributing Writer, Sarah Farthing

I have been a AAA member since I first owned a car, like so many people I know. How many of us only ever take advantage of roadside assistance and maybe AAA discount rates for hotel rooms and car rentals?! Not anymore! There is so much more to a AAA membership and I am committed to taking full advantage from here on out!

When they say “From travel to your favorite store, AAA Membership can save you money everyday” they are not kidding! Here’s a glimpse of the savings I found quickly for very recognizable brands:

The UPS Store: Save 15% on services and 5% on shipping! (I ship at the UPS store all the time, how have I been missing this!!!)

1-800-Flowers: Save 20% on everyday purchases.

Barnes & Noble: Save 10% in addition to online pricing discounts of up to 40%

Bath & Body Works: AAA members save 25% on purchases!

Dell: Save 25% off the Market Price of Select Dell computers during the month of September!

Target.com: Save 10% off $100 purchase

DirecTV: New customers to DirecTV receive a $10 bill credit on their monthly bill for 20 months!

Hard Rock Cafe: Save 10% on food and merchandise.

That’s not all, there are so many more discounts: 1-800-PetMeds, prescription savings, exam and eyeglass discounts, Banana Republic Factory Outlet, Hollywood Theaters ($6.50 tickets!), I couldn’t possibly list them all. Visit www.aaa.com and explore the links in the sidebar to see everything that is available.

Minnesota Fabulous

Heidi Farmer — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 09:24:40 +0000

***I had a 2-way tie for favorite home of 2010, so I’m running this one today and another tomorrow. Enjoy!***

Happy Home Tour Friday Thursday to you!

Today we’re headed to Minnesota to see a gorgeous beauty located on 10 fabulous acres.

Designed as a new ‘farmhouse’, this home was built to complete an existing group of outbuildings, which included barns, garages, storage sheds and a pool house, re-establishing the childhood farmstead for the homeowner, who grew up on the property.

Bring me some lemonade please. I’ll be here all afternoon.

The placement of the house takes advantage of the abundant natural light, and captures the near and distant views offered by the site’s 10 fabulous acres.

I just love all these windows.

Moving inside…

The design in this room is simply stunning. Love the subtle palette to allow the sunlight to take center stage.

The painting through the entry is my favorite. I can just imagine dinners stretching for hours here.

The kitchen: I’d venture to guess any gourmet chef would be thrilled to craft their magic here.

In the family room, this niche created with the cabinetry for the painting frames it perfectly. Love this room.

In the sunroom, let the light shine in. Gorgeous.

Okay I had to save this for last because this outdoor kitchen in the screen porch is, well, pretty incredible.

Many thanks to the following team for this amazing tour:

Architect: Paul Buum, AIA, SALA Architects, http://www.salaarc.com/buum_resume.html

Interior Design: Christine Frisk, ASID, InUnison Design http://www.inunisondesign.com/

Builder: Choice Wood Company http://www.choicecompanies.com/

Photography: Dana Wheelock Photography http://www.wheelockphotography.com/index_1.html

Best wishes for a fun, safe and happy Memorial Day weekend to you. Be sure to sneak away from your BBQ on Monday for a quick second to see a GREAT giveaway!

12 Days of Giveaways: Chuggington Training Yard Loop Set

Heidi Farmer — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 09:37:01 +0000

Well, it’s the last day of these 12 Days of Giveaways. Where has the time gone???

This one is pretty cool for ages over 3…

The Chuggington Training Yard with Loop Playset.

This set includes a diecast engine and a motorized launcher to propell up to 3 engines through the loop. This is pretty incredible to watch!

While this can be played with on its own, there are additional Chuggington sets you can add to create a full trainyard play experience.

To see more of the Chuggington Train sets in action:

Giveaway

One lucky, lucky winner can 1 Chuggington Training Yard with Loop Playset simply by leaving a comment by Wednesday, December 15th. I’ll choose the winners using Random.org on Thursday.

Because I just LOVE comments, here’s how to gain extra entries (please leave them as separate entries):

1. Do you subscribe by email or RSS to The Good Stuff Guide? I love my subscribers, so you get an extra entry. Wahoo!

2. Email 5 of your friends about The Good Stuff Guide and tell them what a rockin’ website this is. We’d love to have them join us!

3. “Like” The Good Stuff Guide on Facebook and receive the latest news and your chance at additional giveaways. (I LIKE you too!)

4. Tweet this: “12 DAYS of GIVEAWAYS going on now at http://su.pr/2TJPO2 – Playmobil, LEGO, Leapfrog, Fisher-Price and more!”

Good luck!

Many thanks to Learning Curve for sponsoring this awesome giveaway!

You can find the Chuggington Training Yard with Loop Playset ($30) – best price at ToysRUs. Be sure to check out the other Chuggington Toys by Learning Curve toys too at Amazon (*but I found their prices really high this time so check around).

Now no worries – we’ll be back with Giveaway Monday in 2 days…

And thanks for making these 12 Days of Giveaways such a success!

The Gratitude List

Heidi Farmer — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 09:03:11 +0000

On this day of Giving Thanks, it’s easy to focus solely on the cooking or the guests arriving and thus miss the essence of this day.

Being Grateful.

Celebrating Abundance.

Feeling Blessed.

I often remind myself “The Best Things in Life are Not Things.” This gratitude has nothing to do with material things, money or “having more”.

It’s about substance: people, relationships, spirit.

Here is my Gratitude List for today.

1. The Running Man who is my partner for eternity.

2. Our 2 little adorables with their mischief shrieks and laughter who have brought so much more love into our home, even when creating mayhem.

3. Our parents and siblings who provided us with quite a foundation.

4. An interesting and sorted group of ancestors whose stories have taught me “life is what you make it”.

5. Close friendships with an incredible collection of people both entertaining and inspiring.

6. Random acts of kindness by complete strangers.

7. The shocking beauty of this world.

8. Traveling to distant countries and corners of our own country to see the innate goodness of people.

9. Our U.S. soldiers stationed here and abroad who defend our freedoms.

10 This website for the reconnection with old friends, introduction to new friends and all the joy it has created.

My wishes for a fabulous, grateful day to you and yours. Happy Thanksgiving.

What are you grateful for? Please share – it’s so inspiring to read.

Country Living Does Dishes (Giveaway)

Heidi Farmer — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 09:35:20 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving week to you!

Today, we’re in for a special treat. Country Living has launched a new line of dishes and bedding at Kmart and Sears stores nationwide.

I thought these dishes were so festive for the holiday, while at the same time, usable every day.

Aren’t they fun?

Giveaway

One lucky winner can win four place settings of a dinner plate, salad plate, bowl and mug of Red Friends dishware simply by leaving a comment by Friday, November 26th. I’ll choose the winners using Random.org on Saturday.

Because I just LOVE comments, here’s how to gain extra entries (please leave them as separate entries):

Do you subscribe by email or RSS to The Good Stuff Guide? I love my subscribers, so you get an extra entry. Wahoo!
Email 5 of your friends about The Good Stuff Guide and tell them what a rockin’ website this is. We’d love to have them join us!
“Like” The Good Stuff Guide on Facebook and receive the latest news and your chance at additional giveaways. (I LIKE you too!)

Good luck!

Check back tomorrow for great Thanksgiving entertaining ideas from around the blogosphere!

Best Advice I Ever Heard…

Heidi Farmer — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 09:56:13 +0000

… was from our Window Repairman.

When he first visited our home, I was 8 months pregnant with our first adorable. He mentioned he had 4 sons and then he shared a golden nugget that I’ve carried with me these almost 5 years…

Are you ready?

“No baby has ever died from crying.”

Photo by bbaunach

When you see this face and think the world is ending, just remember this little pearl: “No baby has ever died from crying.”

I can’t tell you how many times this allowed me to calm down and gain a fresh perspective.

What was the best advice you received? Please share!