by richeychelsey | Sep 30, 2018 | BLOG POSTS, Uncategorized
You’ll crave this easy to bake Quiche Florentine after your first bite. I am always looking for recipes to impress my family with, but as a Mom, sometimes we struggle with fitting homemade foods into our schedules. That is why this will be your new favorite recipe, it is quick to prepare and you can refrigerate until you are ready to serve it the next morning. Your family will love it, you’ll save time in the morning, and feel good knowing they are eating something homemade and good for them. Don’t forget to save this post for later when they want it again!
Ingredients For Your Grocery List
1 Tbs Vegetable Oil
2 Tbs Flour
1 Package Pillsbury Premade Pie Dough
1 1/2 C Chopped Spinach
1/3 C Chopped Onions
4 Eggs
1 C Shredded Swiss Cheese
2 C Half & Half
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/4 Tsp White Pepper
1/2 Tsp (Heaping) Paprika
Kitchen Supplies You’ll Need
- Mixer
- Spatula
- Pie Dish
- Fork
- Napkins or Dish Towel (To Dry Produce)
Prepare Pie Tin
I have always found the old school way of preparing pie tins with oil then flour to be the most reliable. Pour a tablespoon of vegetable oil into the pan and coat the entire interior with your napkin. You shouldn’t see any excess oil drops or puddles, just a thin coat. After, drop a tablespoon or more of flour into the pie tin and turn it to coat it thoroughly. Give it a gentle tap over the sink to release excess flour before moving to the pie dough.
Prebake Pie Crust
If you have a family recipe for pie crust, feel free to use that. For this quiche, I have found the Pillsbury Prebaked Crust to be delicious and a huge time saver. Lay your pie crust into your tin gently. With your fork, poke about 15 holes into the bottom of the crust to prevent the bottom layer from bubbling up. Some people use pie weights to hold the base down, I like this method because it is simply easier. Prebake the pie crust at 450 Degrees for 10-12 minutes. While your crust prebakes, prepare the filling. Reduce oven temperature to 425 Degrees.
Chop Produce
Chop onions and spinach. Vegetables tend to release a lot of water when they bake so pat them dry with a paper towel or dishcloth. The less water they retain, the fluffier your quiche will be. One of my favorite tips is to sprinkle a light amount of flour onto the veggies before patting them dry, this pulls more moisture from spinach leaves etc.
Separate & Whip Eggs
Separate your egg whites and yolks. Whip the egg whites until they hold firm peaks that don’t settle. This will give volume to your quiche and again, make it soft and light. If you have trouble with the peaks, make sure there aren’t any traces of yolk or water in the bowl, that will usually prevent the peaks.
Mix Filling
Whisk your half and half and eggs together in a large bowl until fully combined and bubbles form. Add in paprika, salt, white pepper, shredded swiss, onions, and spinach. Once you have them fully combined, fold in your egg whites. Careful, if you mix them in instead of folding, your quiche will be dense. Fold them until they combine entirely. Slow and steady.
Bake Girl Bake
Cover the pie crust edges with foil to prevent them from overcooking, then fill your pie. My foil is never pretty but it gets the job done. Bake your quiche at 425 Degrees for 15 minutes. Then reduce temperature to 300 Degrees for 30 more minutes. Your pie is done once a knife can be inserted in the middle and come out clean, without runny eggs especially.
Storing Your Quiche
If you and the family even have leftovers, it should keep nicely in the refrigerator for up to three days when covered. I like to make these when I have time in the day, but store them until breakfast the next morning. They are perfect for when you have guests or family from out of town too. You can warm the pie covered in foil at 200 Degrees for 30 minutes, or just nuke a slice in the microwave for about 30 seconds at full power.
Overall
I love anything that saves me time and is better for the family. I am not a morning person, so with recipes like these, I get to sleep in a little but still be rockstar Mom. I would love to hear what other ingredients you would add, or your quiche baking tips that I may have forgotten. Comment below or send me a message in the contact form up top. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
Happy Baking!
Chelsey
by richeychelsey | Sep 11, 2018 | BLOG POSTS, Uncategorized
How To Make This Beautiful DIY Fall Wreath Your Neighbors Will Love
Don’t you just love Fall? All of nature’s bright, warm and welcoming tones. The set of mums I picked up for the porch last week inspired this fall wreath. To help you make your own, I created this step by step easy tutorial just for you. You can truly create whatever your heart desires, on an actual affordable budget. When comparing similar wreaths online, they ranged from $120-$240! This tutorial cost under $40. You’ll probably be driving to your hobby lobby in a few hours to make your own. Here is how to make your very own Pinterest worthy wreath, in just 30-40 minutes (even with a toddler).
What You Need
Let’s talk about what you will need, it isn’t much. I recommend shopping at A.C. Moore and Hobby Lobby for the best prices. Both of these stores have great coupons online, don’t go into the store without one. They pretty much price things to be used with their coupons. Just show them the coupon on your phone. At Hobby Lobby, their florals go on sale every other week, bonus savings!
- Hot Glue Gun
- 18″ Grapevine Wreath
- 24″ Ribbon – Jute Ribbon
- 10 Flowers – I used artificial Hydrangeas, Zinnias, and Dahlias
- Hot Glue Sticks – This project used ten 8 inch sticks
- Sharp Scissors or Wire Cutters
Prep
Pull the stems off your flowers, you won’t need them. Hydrangea flowers usually pop off too. Some are hard glued to the stems, cut them or they fall apart. Leave about three inches of stem to stick into the wreath, see below.
Plug in your hot glue gun, while it warms, work on placement. Before you glue anything, lay your flowers on the wreath and rearrange them until you fall in love with your design. Make note of the distance between flowers to ensure even placement as you glue your flowers to the wreath.
Plan & Design
When planning your design, keep in mind that odd numbers and groups of threes are more aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Choose colors in the same tones like warms or cools, or even color families like these sunset colors.
Pro Tip – Take a photo of your arrangement to reference before you start to glue. I came back to this photo about ten times as I secured the flowers to the wreath. It is easy to forget your planned placement, do yourself a favor and snap a pic.
Glue
Add hot glue to the stem and base of the flower, like above, then quickly pop it into the wreath.
Insert the stem of the flower into the wreath, sometimes it needs a little wiggle to go through. I left a larger stem on this flower to show placement, but mine are usually shorter. If your stem is coming out through the back of the wreath, cut it to be flush so it doesn’t push the wreath off your wall or door. If needed, go through your flowers again and cut the stems so they do not come out the back, it is easier to cut them before they go into the wreath than after.
Finishing Touches
Use the leaves that we pulled from the floral stems to cover gaps between flowers. This wreath was given three leaf stems, just enough to add color without overpowering the reds and oranges. Add glue to the tips of the leaf stem and tuck it into the grapevine. Place them at an angle to flow with the curve of the wreath, instead of sticking straight out. I like to hide the stem of the leaves underneath the flower petals next to the space we are filling.
Tie A Bow
You’re almost ready to hang up your beautiful masterpiece for the whole neighborhood to see! Take the jute ribbon and attach it to a sturdy branch in the grapevine. There are usually larger branches that spiral through the wreath, find one of these. Measure the length for your door and tie off the ends. You can also add bows, I tied a separate quick bow and hot glued it to the top knot, nothing fancy.
Hang It For Your Neighbors To Enjoy
Isn’t it gorgeous? You will never look at a wreath the same way again now that you know how easy it is to make your own. Especially when you see those price tags for $100+ and you can make the same one for under $40. If you’re wondering when you can set your fall wreath out, right away! The glue sets fast. I don’t recommend command hooks to hang them outside, mine always fall off. For metal doors, you can find magnetic hooks. For glass, these suction cup hooks are fantastic and about $3 from Joanns fabrics.
What colors would you use? Would you choose different flowers? Make sure to tag me on Facebook & Instagram with your creations at @chelseybychelsey or send me a pic of your creations to be featured! Stay posted for the full Fall Porch DIY On a Budget, I’ll teach you to make beautiful front door signs under $20 and more!Subscribe to the monthly newsletter and don’t forget about the giveaway to be announced soon! It’s not too late to sign up.
Happy wreath making!
Chelsey
by richeychelsey | Aug 30, 2018 | BLOG POSTS, Uncategorized
Hey lady, listen, grocery shopping can really take a toll out of our day. Between making our lists, driving, endlessly searching aisles, and having to go back because we forgot that one thing we went there for… you get it. So I was super excited when Amazon and Whole Foods introduced Prime Now aka Whole Foods Delivery Aka Amazon Fresh. Basically, they’re delivering groceries. This isn’t a new concept, many other stores have done this for the small cost of… just kidding most of them add up to ridiculously expensive. Amazon, however, is doing it for FREE. You heard me, free, if you’re an Amazon Prime member that is. So my brain was swirling, how easy would it be to shop for the groceries online? How well would it go? Would it be expensive? It was Whole Foods after all, but they promised to lower their prices. A lot of you were curious too, so I played the guinea pig and gave it a try for you. Guess what? I did not expect what I found, at all.
Here’s How It Works
You can order your groceries and personal items two ways, on the computer or through their new app Prime Now. To my surprise, their app was ridiculously easy to use and navigate. They also make suggestions for items such as milk and bread that you may forget. Thank goodness because I literally almost forgot the milk. Compared to other services, this app was a dream come true. Literally, I sat in the salon chair for my semi-annual hair appointment while I browsed their site for banana chips. I’ve tried so many other online grocery shopping apps and sites that were way too complicated and overwhelming. Overall, the Prime Now was a very neat and easy app to navigate. I’m already impressed.
Is It Really Free?
If you opt for their two-hour delivery window, your delivery is free. However, I am a professional procrastinator and couldn’t wait so I paid an additional $4.99 for the one-hour delivery. Not bad. The app also calculated a $10 tip into my bill, which is to be expected when paying for a service.
Substitutions
One thing you should know if you order groceries is that they almost always make substitutions. For instance, if you order cherry fruit snacks but they are sold out, they may choose another flavor in the same brand, etc.
In this case, the herb roasted potatoes I ordered were substituted with rosemary roasted potatoes. I couldn’t taste a difference.
Bonus, they notified me through the entire process with updates by text. Every substitution was sent to my phone with a link to review the changes. If you don’t like the substitution, deny it with the click of a button. Do note, if you do not accept or deny the changes,
Wait, You Can Talk To Them?
Here is where I am way too excited about Prime Now. My daughter invited another guest for dinner and I hadn’t ordered enough ground beef. There is an option to message your grocery assistant right through the app! I sent a quick message asking to double the amount of ground beef, and received a quaint response within minutes, “Sure thing!” You won’t find that communication field with other services, it was life-saving, or at least dinner saving.
How Was Delivery?
By this point, my friends, I am smiling ear to ear. I can’t describe how much I love this service. When they are finished with your shopping you receive a notification that they are on the way to deliver. You also have a map showing where they are. Instead of waiting at home for the two hours, you can gauge when you’ll need to be home.
Packaging
The Whole Foods bags were lined up nicely on my doorstep, and the ones containing refrigeration items were marked on the top of the bag. I grabbed those first and touted them to the kitchen. My toddler carried the rest to the pantry, he puts away the dry goods so he can find the fruit snacks.
Inside the bags for refrigeration was another insulated bag to keep items cool. However, unlike meal delivery services like Home Chef, they do not contain ice packs. Be sure to schedule delivery for when you are home. Especially because they drop and fly.
Drop & Dash
No need to change out of your lazy clothes or pajamas either. The delivery driver simply dropped the groceries at my door and went on his way. Nothing to sign, no awkward interactions with strangers.
The one downside, they don’t ring the bell when the food arrives, or send a text alert. My groceries could have sat for hours if I wasn’t keeping an eye out for them. Hopefully, this is improved on in the future, but I have heard the same from others as well. Be sure to check the app or your doorstep for the food.
Tipping
Do note, they are not allowed to accept cash tips, probably to assure their safety. My order automatically added a 10% tip to the bill, that you can change in the app.
Cost & Quality
I’ll be the first to tell you, Whole Foods isn’t as expensive anymore. I would even say that they are quite affordable now! It is honestly so reassuring to know that I am able to feed the kids and my husband healthier food and snacks and not break the bank doing so.
All of the products and items were delivered perfectly. One onion had a little bit that needed cut off, but not enough to bother me.
I received 23 items, nothing missing, for $106.37 including tax, tip, and the $4.99 fee for the one-hour delivery.
Overall
I’m gonna preach about Amazon Fresh Whole Foods Delivery like I’m their missionary because it’s that good.
- I love being able to order prepared foods for dinners, a bonus time saver.
- I don’t have to lug all of the kids to the store, search the aisles for ingredients I need, or yell at the kids to stop twirling near the glass.
- The app was so simple to use, free delivery is a huge perk, and the items I received were spot on.
- Great prices Whole Foods I am impressed and happier that better ingredients are made so convenient and available to more families.
- Be sure to check the app so you don’t miss the groceries on your doorstep. Nice that we don’t need to open the door for a stranger, or tip them in cash, safer for everyone all around.
So, what are you waiting for chica, go and download the Prime Now app & save yourself some time. Then, I want you to let me know how it goes, comment below, or message me directly on Instagram, Facebook, or here on my website. See that contact button up top ^. Let me know what you would like to see on the blog, or simply introduce yourself.
That’s enough for today, I’m off to order more groceries for next week!
Happy Shopping,
Chelsey
by richeychelsey | Aug 9, 2018 | BLOG POSTS
You find dirty dishes piling up next to an empty dishwasher, and toys are littered across the floor like a minefield. Sound familiar? Our children have a talent for crafting messes like no other, that’s what kids do right? What if I told you that my kids clean up after themselves and help keep the house clean too? It’s true, and they only have one job each. So how is it done? It’s a lot easier than you would think.
Don’t Make Cleaning Their Chore
I don’t really like the word chore, I envision children slaving about the home for hours with cleaning rags and mops. In fact, my kids only have one “job” each. So when do they clean? A little here and there.
When we give our children large and daunting tasks to start, they’re less likely to want to complete them or do them well at all. When they fail, those tasks become negative ones to them and they are going to let you know it’s their new enemy. Set them up to succeed with smaller tasks and praise, praise, praise them for those little tasks! A little here and a little there adds up to a lot of help from your little ones. Then, one day, they’ll be ready for bigger jobs and more responsibilities.
Team Work Hardly Seems Like Work
You wash, I’ll dry! Let’s pick up these toys, I’ll get the legos, you get the playdoh! I’ll get the living room done before we go, can you pick up your room or would you rather do the hallway? Heck, split up lunch and dinner cleanup.
Get the gist?
Of course, we already have to clean, but it’s more enjoyable to our kids when they’re included and spending time with us. The same goes for us, we don’t want to be alone in this cleaning thing. Children go with the flow when you make it a positive experience, say it with a smile! The next time the house needs to be cleaned, delegate the tasks and work together to get them done.
Nice Mess Kid, Have Fun Cleaning It
It sounds awful, and it is to them, but sometimes we have to learn from our experiences. We could hoot and holler all day long when they graffiti the walls or paint the counters with who knows what, but do they really understand what they just did? Some messes are REALLY hard to clean! Let them try. When I was sick of cleaning my daughter’s constant soapy mirror art, I handed her a wet cloth and said, “Have at it chica, clean it up!” She shed some tears but quickly learned that the soap just kept on sudsing. That it was hard to clean. Guess what happened? Yep, she never did it again.
If Only They Cleaned Up As They Went
Oh yay, dried cereal on the bowls. It would have been easier if they just rinsed the dish off… what do we do? Build better habits, that’s all. Strap in because those take us a little time. 66 times to build a habit to be exact. Remember potty training? We had to stop and rush to the task at hand, again and again, to help them learn. The same goes for building better cleaning habits. Give gentle reminders, but don’t nag or they’ll dread helping.
Try, “I would love if you could rinse off your dish, please and thank you!” Avoid, “You’d better wash that off!”
Think of working with them, not against them. It sounds silly, and sometimes frustration gets the better of us when we want to just scream, “Oh my gosh please just wash the friggin dish, for the last time!” Bite that lip and remember, 66 Momma, 66 times giving them gentle reminders or working together to build better cleaning habits. You’ve got this!
Throw It All Away
Do your children really need that many stuffed animals? Do they have too many toys for them to possibly keep their rooms clean on their own? Now is a great time to teach them the rewarding feeling that donating brings us. Do yourself a favor and shed the excess items so that tidying up is actually easy for them. If they really don’t play with it or use it, take it to Goodwill and be done with it.
Then go through their rooms together, make sure every item or toy has a place. Teach them how to organize so they can successfully do it on their own.
Make it a habit to go through their rooms together every time the seasons change, as they get older, they’ll do it on their own.
Get It Done Before We Go
One of the best ways to keep the house clean with our children is to tidy up before we leave the house. As parents, we are always on the go, to the grocery store, to their sports and activities, make it a priority to leave the house clean. The best motivation is when the kids want to go somewhere, but their messes stand between them and their fun.
Yes, this means that sometimes we don’t get to go.
One day my children were begging to go to the local library, but the house was a wreck. Cleanliness is important to us. My children watched me clean and scrub and scour the house while they watched television, the clock ticked by, then the library closed. That’s life, important things have to come before fun. If we make our priorities theirs as well, they will join in to complete them. We don’t have to make it a miserable task, because like I said before, teamwork hardly seems like work.
Let your children know which tasks have to be done before leaving for fun. This also sets the example for them that messes cannot wait, if you leave it then they will too. Remember; they learn from watching.
Take Away
Teaching our children to help clean up, and keep the home clean, is a very doable task. Start with small tasks and make them positive experiences! Giving them praise for their hard work, then build up to bigger jobs. Team up or split tasks to get work done while spending a little time together. Stay consistent and positive, and before you know it, they’ll be helping out on their own without even asking them to.
What do you think about chores for kids, and keeping the home clean? What are some tasks you ask of your kids? Which of these tips are your favorites? I love to hear from you! Comment below or message me directly!
Happy Cleaning,
Chelsey
by richeychelsey | Jul 26, 2018 | BLOG POSTS, Uncategorized
It’s that time again, school shopping! This year’s supplies are so cool that I’m ordering some for myself too. Who knew supplies could be so fun to shop for? These will have you totally organized for a super successful start to the year. Here are the must-have school & office supplies that we need right now.
Stay Organized with Chic Planners
I have been on the hunt for the perfect planner, and have finally found it! These agendas have plenty of room for notes, and space for creativity! They fit perfectly into handbags and backpacks too. Love them!
Cost: $20+
Save & Plan
Sometimes we splurge, sometimes we save; there are planners to die for in every budget. We love these more affordable planners at Target! They give you plenty of room to plan, and they save the bank! There are so many beautiful designs this year, it makes us wish we needed more than just one.
Cost: $6+
Posh Pencils
Does your pencil motivate you? If not, you’re doing it all wrong. These quoted pencils from Ban.Do are so adorable, they might not get lost this time. We can hope!
Cost: $10
Keep It Together With Pouches
This year is all about holographic supplies, and we are just crushing over these pencil pouches! They’re super chic, and you can see what you’re looking for. What more can we ask?
Cost: $7.99
Stick To It
There are sticky notes, and there are these AMAZING sticky notes. We died over the cute ball they come in, both an accessory and a functional way to take notes! Plus, you’ll never have to dig for that little post-it pad again, you won’t want to put it away!
Cost : $12
Final Thoughts
We are just in love with this year’s totally adorable & must have supplies. Have you ordered any of these yet? Which are your favorites? Do you love something that needs to be on here? Let me know! I love to hear from you all and hope supply shopping is a blast this!
by richeychelsey | Jul 16, 2018 | BLOG POSTS, Uncategorized
I just love a freshly baked cake, don’t you? Here’s the thing, I’m a mom, we don’t have a lot of free time in general. When I need to make a cake, it has to be quick, but still look super pretty. Whether you are new to cake decorating, or like me and in a pinch, my secret & easy cake tricks will make you look like a professional. Literally, your family and friends will be blown away. Here is how to make a Pinterest worthy cake, in less than two hours like it’s no big deal.
What You Need-
- Vegetable Oil
- Flour
- Cake Mix
- Frosting
- Cake Pans
- Cooling Rack
- Frosting Spatula
- Paper Towel / Napkin
First We Prep! Old School Style
There are a lot of sprays that promise your cake won’t stick, but I like the good ole’ fashioned way the best! Grease and flour. For each nine inch round, drop in a heaping tablespoon of vegetable oil, coat the pan all the way up the inner sides with a paper towel or napkin. Drop in a tablespoon of flour for each pan and turn them until thoroughly coated. Then simply give them a gentle tap over the sink to remove the excess flour. If one spot isn’t covered, rinse and do it again. Simple, but quite possibly the most important step. You need them to come out in one piece, this gives them their crisp sides.
Let It Cool Properly Before You Think of Touching It
Remove your cakes from the oven, they’re still baking from the heat of the pans and their internal heat. Lay them on a raised wire baking rack, or somewhere that air can travel below and above the pans. Do not even think of touching them until they are fully cooled (minimum 30 minutes usually). When they are done, give them a gentle tap on the sides until they release from the pans, turn them out and lay them on a flat surface. To make sure they are cooled, lay them on a clean counter; if you see condensation or steam around the cake, place them back on the rack to cool some more. Easy peasy. If you decorate when they are warm, you’ll have a heaping mess of frosting disaster.
Sandwich Layers Crust Side Out – UPSIDE DOWN!
This is my secret tip for no fuss, quick and pretty cakes. Typically I would cut the cakes to level them, but we don’t have time for that. Lay the first cake on the plate upside down. Frost just the top where the cake layers meet, then lay the other cake upside down on top. The crusted sides help you achieve an expert look. Start frosting with a thin layer, pulling excess to the sides and down.
Take Frosting Breaks To Chill
Chill, not you, the cake. Once you apply a thin layer of frosting to the cake, place it in the icebox. When your frosting and cakes are cold, the next layer of frosting will glaze over like glassy butter. The warmer your frosting is the harder it is to work with. Alternate between frosting and cooling to achieve that polished look with crisp sides.
Hot Rinse & Smooth Technique
Another secret! When you finish frosting the cake, run your cake spatula under hot water, then wipe it dry. While the spatula is hot and clean, make long swipes across the cake to get that flawless smooth frosting. Between swipes, rinse and wipe clean again. Remember, if the frosting gets too warm to work with, give it another five in the fridge.
Final Touches
Sprinkle time, no cake is complete without a garnish of coconut or color. I always keep sprinkles on hand in the pantry, something for every occasion. You never know when you’ll need to celebrate! No sprinkles? You can top your cake with chocolate chips, fruit (dry it thoroughly first), or even shave a chocolate bar with a potato peeler for a curled chocolate topping. The possibilities are endless. What is your favorite topping?
Take Away
The key to a pretty cake is in the prep, patience, and attention to detail. They should take more than two hours and everyone will be impressed! With just a few tools, these secret techniques, you’ll have beautiful cakes in no time.
What do you think? Do you use any of these techniques or have any secret tricks of your own? Share them with us in the comments! Don’t forget to send this to your friends that need it, or that love to bake!
Happy Cake Making,
Chelsey
