Fun with Batter

I have to admit, I absolutely love batter (especially cake and brownie) and had to be "scared away" from it as a child in order to have enough left to actually make something. Now I am finding many wonderful recipes that either utilize cake mix in a new way or replicate the flavor to a "t"...can you imagine my excitement? Trying to be more health conscience has made me more alert to fruit dip recipes or sweets that are not going to completely derail my efforts and I have been fortunate to find ways to indulge and keep the goal of a slimmer figure in sight! One recipe is for a glorious fruit dip that only needs 3 ingredients: cake mix, plain yogurt and whipped topping! Honestly you mix a couple tablespoons of each in a bowl and you have this amazingly flavorful fruit dip that will make you and any picky eater wanting to go back for more. So, my charge to you is to find a way to make an indulgent treat a little more health-friendly by using it in a different way, fixing an alternative recipe, whatever makes you happy! Whatever you do, make it trendy and treat those tastebuds!

Pinterest...a foodie's dream!

My DIY nature has taken me to the inner-depths of pinterest and I am now an addict! For those of you unaware of this new web phenomenon, Pinterest is an invite-only website that allows you to maintain virtual pinboards to show the world your interests. You can follow friends, make new friends and have people follow you...wow, sounds a bit stalkerish, but it really is a great way to exchange ideas. If I visit your "boards"and find something that I like or want to try, I can repin what you have and share it with my followers,exciting! I have to say, it has been wonderful to receive new recipes and gather a huge list of party ideas. I also now have a honey-do list as long as my body!
What makes us so interested in the do-it-yourself world these days and much more eager to try cooking at home (gasp) or being creative with upcycling? In my opinion, our lackluster economy is driving people to be more thrifty and conscientious of their surroundings. Granted, restaurants are trying to amp up the attractive factor with their "two for twenty" menus, but sometimes we just have to stop and look at how much we can cook in the home for that amount of money. There is no doubt that I absolutely love to dine out and try all kinds of unique cuisines, but for the sake of our families financial health, I need to cut back. So, pinterest has opened the world of possibilities for food, fun and a little bit of craftiness. I mean, I even found a link on how to make a beautiful lamp out of a doily and a balloon!
So, that is my conquest! To continue to enjoy wonderful food, but making sure my spending limit is clear :) I better get into the kitchen, these recipes certainly are not going to fix themselves.
Whatever you crave, just keep rockin' those trendy tastebuds!