Pinterested: Making A Sock Bun

This is Post 2 for today, be sure to head back to Post 1: Buckeye Cookie Bars!   

So I saw this cool thing on Pinterest, which lead me to a video of how to make curls using a Sock Bun.  Destiny LOVES when I take time to curl her hair, but let’s be realistic, it just doesn’t happen on school mornings.

  THIS is the answer to my “Who in the World has time to use a curling iron on a CRAZY school morning?” Problem’s!

What you’ll need:

Socks that you don’t mind cutting.  I used my size socks.

Roll it up tightly, continuing to tug as you roll, to keep it smooth.

 

Your Sock Bun should now look this:

Mine actually looked like this one, on the left, so I unrolled and cut the top “lip” of the sock as well.  Much better!

How to roll a sock bun:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=3FV-YO46E8Y

Basically you take damp hair up in a high ponytail, and slip the sock bun over it.  Grasp hair straight up in the air, as you pull the sock bun to the tippy top, and wrap the ends neatly.  Then you roll down, spreading the hair as you go, clear back down to the base of the ponytail. 

{You are going to want to watch the video. This is hard to explain!!!!}

  When you are done rolling it looks like this and is actually nice enough to be worn this way on day 1. 

Super cute!

  The next morning, it was time to find out if it worked!

  We had one that worked great, and one not so much.

Poor Avery with her thin, silky hair!!!!!  But Destiny’s was amazing!!!!!

That’s ok, Mommy.  We can try again tomorrow!

2nd time around, I cut a stray baby sock for Avery’s hair and made sure it was very damp this time.

  When we took it out the next morning, I could already tell a big difference.

  She was THRILLED to have curls like big sis.

  Supposedly this works great for adults as well, but I already have curly hair, so I haven’t tired it.  If you try it, make SURE to come comment and tell me about it!

   Go make a Sock Bun, your daughters will thank you!

~T

Update: 12-29-2012
Since posting this, we have done many a sock bun. Usually with freshly washed, damp hair on bath night, and I have a tip for you.  I have found that if I spray Avery’s baby fine, satin hair with leave in conditioner, the curls stay way better!
Case in point:

Buckeye Cookie Bars

Quick note:  For those that have been following 4 little Fergusons from the beginning, you know I post Monday – Friday at 8 am.  Due to the 125ish or so of you coming to visit every morning before 8, I figured I owed you an earlier post time.  Soo, I will now be posting M-F at 7 am! 🙂 Have a great one! Thanks for starting your day with us! 

This recipe comes from a friend and former neighbor.  If you like crumbly chocolate and silky peanut butter, than THESE are the Bar for YOU!

(click to be taken to TK for easy printing)

Ingredients

• 1 package Chocolate Cake Mix
• ¼ cups Oil
• 1 whole Egg
• 1 cup Chopped Cashews
• 14 ounces, fluid Sweetened, Condensed Milk
• ½ cups Creamy Peanut Butter

Preheat oven to 350*. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, oil and egg. Beat until crumbly. Stir in chopped cashews by hand. Press crumb mixture into bottom of greased 9 x 13 pan, being sure to leave out 1 1/2 cups for the top.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine peanut butter and sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Spread over crust and top with remaining crumbles.
Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool then cut into bars.

Dig in!  Dale says you HAVE to have a cold glass of Farm fresh milk to go with these.  Don’t tell him I said so, but I am pretty sure store-bought milk will do in a pinch! 🙂

~T

Be sure to head to Post 2 for today. Pinterested: Making A Sock Bun.

4 little Fergusons Photography: Welcome home, Soldier!

This is Post 2 for today, be sure to go back and catch “Chicken Every Sunday”.

It was my privilege to get to photograph this sweet father-son duo when Daddy came home on leave last month from Afghanistan, as well as some striking couple shots of him and his soon to be fiance.  I had so much fun working with them!

Thank you for your service to our Country!

~T

Chicken Every Sunday

  I think everyone’s Momma made this at one time or another: Chicken Every Sunday, or Chicken and Rice Casserole.  Basically, layers of rice, chicken and creamy sauce, tucked into the oven and ready and waiting for you when you come home, STARVING, from church!

  My best friend, Kasey and I put two of our favorite recipes together to improve Chicken Every Sunday, and make it bigger, moister and creamier. I’ve been playing with portions every time we make it, but this time, it was just right!  (Last time I made this was over 5 years ago, and I overflowed my dish in the oven: WHAT. A. MESS.) 

  No worries, it worked PERFECTLY this time, but you are going to need a 9 x 13 style casserole dish, but deeper.  I used my Deep Dish Baker from Pampered Chef and it was just right.

(click for easy printable)

Ingredients

• 1 package Dry Onion Soup Mix
• 10 ounces, fluid Organic Cream Of Mushroom Soup
• 1 container Bella Mushroom slices, sauteed in butter. 
• 8 to 10 chicken thighs  (6 Boneless Pork Chops Work Too)
• 16 ounces Sour Cream
• Salt, Pepper And Garlic Powder, To Taste
• 4 cups UNCOOKED Brown Basamati Rice
• 3 to 4 cups of water

Pre-heat oven to 300*. Combine dry soup mix, mushroom soup, mushrooms and sour cream in a large bowl, season to taste.
In an over-sized 9 x 13 casserole dish (I used my Deep Dish Baker from Pampered Chef) spread 4 cups of UNCOOKED rice in the bottom of the dish. Cover with cups of water. Next, a layer of rinsed chicken thighs, not overlapping, if possible.

  Season chicken layer. Spread goo over the top of the chicken. {Yes, it will look weird, don’t worry!} Cover with foil for 2-1/2 hours or until water has absorbed into the rice and chicken is cooked through.

Delicious and easy!

~T

Making Every Moment Count

This is post 2 for today, head back 1 post for some yummy Hummus Pizza! 

Do you know the BEST time to talk to your kids about life, the Bible, manners, their future spouses, hopes and dreams…you know, the heart to heart stuff?

  In the car.

  Yup, the car. 

It’s guaranteed time with your kids near-full attention! I mean really, where are they going to go? They are strapped in! You have a CAPTIVE audience!

Guess that means its time to put down your cell phone.

Guess that means no more starting a movie the second the van door slides closed.

Guess that means turning the radio off.

Talk to them about what they see outside their windows.  Pray for them on the trip to school.  Talk to them about their day when you pick them up. 

Just talk to them.  Then listen.

Betcha you won’t be sorry………

Kids say the coolest things.

~T

 

Hummus Pizza

  If you love Mediterranean cuisine, you will love this Hummus Pizza!  This yummy pizza uses hummus and kalamata olives. Instead of buying a whole jar of these expensive olives, just go to your local salad or olive bar and buy a few instead……then you can really enjoy this pizza guilt free!

(click for easy printable)

Preparation Instructions

• 1 whole Refrigerated Pizza Crust Or Enough Dough For 1 Crust
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 whole Garlic Clove, Pressed
• 2 whole Roma Tomatoes
• ¼ whole Medium Red Onion
• 1 whole Seedless Cucumber, Thinly Sliced
• ½ cups Pitted Kalamata Olives
• 7 ounces, weight Garlic Hummus Spread
• 12 ounces, weight Quartered, Marinated Artichoke Hearts, Drained. (I cut them smaller)
• ⅓ cups Mediterranean Seasoned Feta Cheese Crumbles (I Found No Mediterranean And Did Seasoned Instead)

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Unroll dough onto bottom of lightly greased bar pan or cookie sheet. Gently stretch and press dough to cover bottom. Combine oil and garlic and brush over dough. Bake crust 12-14 minutes or until light golden brown.
2. Meanwhile, for toppings, slice tomatoes in half, scrape out seeds and dice. Thinly slice onion. Slice and quarter cucumbers and chop olives.
3. Remove crust from oven and cool. Spread hummus evenly over crust. Arrange tomatoes, onion, cucumbers, olives and artichokes over hummus. Sprinkle with feta cheese. Cut pizza into squares and serve.

Enjoy!

~T

 

Custard Pie

  My Corn Fed Country Boy LOVES Custard Pie, so I have been on the hunt for “THE” Custard Pie recipe.  It’s taken me some time, some flops and some “ALMOST got it’s” before I did it.  Today, I achieved THE Custard Pie, and here it is!

{click title to print}

Ingredients

• 4 whole Large Eggs
• ⅔ cups Sugar
• 2-⅔ cups Whole Milk
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg, a scant measuring
• Cinnamon

Prepare your favorite 10 inch pie crust and par-bake it. My favorite is Easy Push Crust, found here. Then, continue below:
Preheat oven to 450*. Beat eggs slightly with wire whisk before adding in all remaining ingredients, except cinnamon.
Fill your par baked crust carefully with egg mixture and cover generously in cinnamon. Slide into oven, careful not to slosh, and bake for 20 minutes.
Turn down oven to 350* and bake 15 minutes more. Pie should jiggle, but not slosh when you test it.
Cool 2 hours before serving. This will be safe for a total of 4 hours on the counter and can be served room temperature the first night.  Don’t be worried, it is also great served cold from the fridge the next day, in fact, that’s how some prefer it!

Dig in!

Hugs, T

4 little Fergusons Photography: Paxton ~ 18 months old

  Paxton is 18 months old!  Time for a photo session. (better late than never)

 

   This is my first session done WITHOUT my very very favorite editing program.  It makes me want to cry that I will not have access to Picnik’s easy to use tools, texts and collages.  Even though it’s not gone for good yet, I MADE myself edit in Lightroom tonight. MADE MYSELF! 

  It is better for me to practice and tweak on my own kiddos than someone who is paying me to take their session. I have GOT to learn this program and soon! 

  It was difficult and I seriously was seeing spots by the time I was done, from staring at all those tiny sliders and words, ugh.

  Without further adieu, (or whining) I give you, my first edits in Lightroom of my sweet baby Pax.

I KNOW they need work, some are too blue, some are too red, some are too green, they are all darker than I like them to be…Rrrrr!!!!  I’m working on it, and practice makes perfect, right?!?!?!  Oh yeah, I said no more whining. 

Carry on! 🙂

 

 Such a sweet baby face and I just wanna kiss those smooshy lips!

~T