Ganache Truffles

I had leftover ganache from making LeDonna a german chocolate cake for her birthday - I got it out of the fridge last night thinking I'd just pitch it but then remembered that I could roll it into balls and make super easy truffles. After rolling the ganache into balls I put them in the fridge to firm up (the ganache melted pretty quickly in my hands), and then rolled them in powdered sugar. Store in the fridge.

From the blog post for German chocolate cake:

• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 8 oz. (1 1/3 cups) semisweet chocolate chips

Bring the cream to a boil in a saucepan. Meanwhile place the chocolate in a large mixing bowl, then pour the hot cream over the chocolate, stir until the chocolate has melted. Let it rest on the counter for about an hour uncovered and it will thicken up a bit. Then you have options - you can serve warm as a glaze or ice cream topping; chill it in the fridge for a filling or scoop out with a melon baller into truffles and roll them in unsweetened cocoa powder;  or whip on high speed with an electric mixer for a whipped ganache frosting. This is SO GOOD - any way you use it!

Note: I whipped the ganache into frosting for the cake so that is what the truffles are made out of, I haven't made them with unwhipped ganache yet. 

9.20.23: chocolate chip cookie pie

9.20.22: thru the years

9.20.21: 30 minute tomato sauce 

9.20.19: hairy pretzels

9.20.17: funfetti cake dough brownie layer cake

9.20.16: finish what you start

Harry Potter Visor

I made this visor for Natalie's birthday - she is a huge Harry Potter fan so we looked at bunches of ideas before deciding on this simple 9 3/4 (if you know you know!). I played with different sizes on the Cricut Design Space; once I got it where I liked it I cut it out using iron-on vinyl. It's a 2-layer design, so I tacked the white background circle in place for a couple seconds with the iron, and then topped with the black circle outline and numbers and ironed for the recommended time. 

I forgot to take a finished photo but it turned out great and was easy to make! 

the 2 layers before I ironed them on

9.19.23: TT front loading washer

9.19.22: thru the years

9.19.21: 🔥 week 38

9.19.20: meaty minestrone

9.19.19: card stock gift box

9.19.18: strawberry swirl cheesecake

9.19.17: paper mugs

9.19.16: Steve's mac and cheese

9.19.15: dog crate cover

And the Winner is...

Thanks to everyone who entered to win the 9 year blogiversary drawing! I put all the names on pieces of paper, threw them down on my desk, closed my eyes and picked one - congrats goes to...

Drumroll please.........

Miss Jen!!! 

!!! Woohoo for you!!! I'll contact you about the GC so think about where you'd like to shop with it hahha!! 

9.18.23: and the winner is...

9.18.22: 🔥 week 38

9.18.21: Crocheted Afghan for Brook

9.18.20: kid craft: painted mason jars

9.18.19: German chocolate poke cake

9.18.18: plant hanger

9.18.16: Steve’s Mac and cheese

9.18.15: laundry room tip

 

Tip-sy Tuesday: How to Remove Oil Stain from Clothes

I will draw for the blogiversary prize this morning and let you know the winner tomorrow! In the meantime, here's a little tip for the day:

I wore new jeans to the movies and even though I thought I was being super careful, my buttery popcorn soaked thru the container and left a stain on my jeans. Ugh. 

I googled how to remove the stain and tried one idea of topping the stain with dawn dish soap, scrub with a brush, and rinse out with hot water. It took a couple tries but sure enough - no more butter spot!! I mentioned it to Tesha and she told me that the Dawn Powerwash spray also works really good. So happy my guilty popcorn treat didn't ruin my new jeans, whew. 

PS: HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEDONNA AND ALLYSON!

9.17.23: 🔥 week 38

9.17.22: and the winner is...

9.17.21: winner winner...

9.17.20: MSIH - Mexican jalapeno poppers

9.17.19: TT - apple chart

9.17.18: make a giant candy card

9.17.17: apricot, pine nut, goat cheese spread

9.17.16: german chocolate cake

9.17.15: organizing craft room

Blogiversary 9/16/24

Annnnd now it's 9 years!!! 3,274 posts all together - crazy. Crazy but also very fun, and I have no intention of stopping yet so hopefully you'll keep coming to day camp with me :)

Well this year has flown by and the blog anniversary snuck up on me! I told myself a month ago to start working on a post and then I just remembered yesterday that it's here already hahahah. So in order to get this posted on time this morning I'm just copying what I've written in the past haha, no reason to reinvent the wheel.

I'm so thankful that you are here at camp with me - whether it's looking for craft ideas or recipes, getting some tips, reading my silly stories and book reviews, seeing what my friends and family contribute on guest posts, being inspired to be creative...whatever the reason, I'm happy you're here whether it's been for all 9 years (in which case, thank you!) or if you've just found this blog (and if so, welcome!).

To thank everyone for joining me on my blog journey, and to celebrate 9 years, I'm giving away a $35 gift card (your choice of store as long as I have access to it,  but I'm partial to the crafty ones like Michaels, Joanns, and Hobby Lobby). 

There are a couple ways to enter to win:

• leave your name or a comment here on the blog, please include your name because most of the time it just says 'anonymous' for some reason
• like today's post or leave a comment on the blog facebook page
• text or email me 

You have until 10:00 a.m. EST tomorrow morning (9/17) to enter, I will randomly draw a name and let you know. On your mark, get set, GO!!! Good luck 🙂

PS: I've been getting lots of views from out of the country, probably automated phishing attempts, but just in case there are actual eyes on the blog haha I am limiting entry to the U.S. 

9.16.23: 8 years 

9.16.22: 7 years

9.16.21: blogiversary

9.16.20: 5 Year Anniversary

9.16.19: enter to win

9.16.18: 🔥 week 37

9.16.17: MMDC Turns 2

9.16.16: Celebrate!

9.16.15: first ever post: Sprinkles

🔥 Around the Campfire (week 37)

Dear Campers ~ 

Here's a quick recap in case you missed anything at camp last week:

Posts ~

9/8: 🔥 week 36 

9/9: individual vegetable cups

9/10: TT practicing with piping tips

9/11: mini wedding cake

9/12: antipasto skewers 

9/13: creamy baked pasta

9/14: words (bit stressed)

What's Cooking ~

• halibut stacks 
• burger salad
• grilled chicken, spinach ravioli with roasted tomatoes, steamed broccoli
• steak, steak fries, sautéed mushrooms, caesar salad
• baked salmon, coconut rice, creamed spinach

That's it for this week! Make sure you stop back tomorrow for a surprise - well not exactly a 'surprise', it's the same thing I post every year on 9/16 haha but hope you'll check in!

Sincerely ~

Jill

camp counselor

PS: HAPPY BIRTHDAY PATTY!!! 

9.15.23: words

9.15.22: 7 years later...

9.15.21: year 6!

9.15.20: strawberry cheesecake poke cake

9.15.19: 🔥week 37

9.15.18: when your sister blogs for you...

9.15.17: wall decoration by Brooke

9.15.16: first year blog anniversary 

9/14 ~ Words

 

I'm not particularly stressed but this made me laugh :) Happy Saturday!

9.14.23: MSTI: tortilla pizza

9.14.22: camping rag wreath

9.14.21: TT - truck bed organizer (short person solution!)

9.14.20: cake topper

9.14.19: 4th Anniversary

9.14.18: how to use a Big Shot 

9.14.17: road trip - S. Dakota

9.14.16: pina colada cupcakes

Creamy Baked Pasta

Quick idea from LeDonna that I've never heard of  - she adds cream of mushroom soup to her spaghetti sauce, tosses it all together and tops with cheese, bakes until heated thru. 

She brought some for lunch the other day and I loved it! This time she added chopped zucchini and fresh basil, yum. Not a great picture but you get the idea:

9.13.23: sweet potato breakfast hash

9.13.22: TT table covering

9.13.21: chocolate cola cupcakes

9.13.20: 🔥 week 37

9.13.19: MSIH - zucchini breads

9.13.18: card with gift holder 

9.13.17: road trip - Mt. Rushmore

9.13.16: wine cork keychain

Antipasto Skewers

Here's the second app we made for the anniversary party last weekend (click here to see how to make individual veggie cups) - and these antipasto skewers were a big hit. Thanks to lots of helping hands we had an assembly line going for threading the skewers so putting together a large quantity wasn't too time consuming.

Our 6" skewers held an assortment of ingredients:

• salami
• cheddar cheese cubes
• mini mozarella balls
• marinated artichoke hearts, quartered
• small pickles
• green and black olives
• cherry tomatoes 
• banana peppers

9.12.23: TT microwaving corn on the cob tip

9.12.22: dust if you must

9.12.21: 🔥 week 37

9.12.20: sausage and potato soup

9.12.19: lemon zucchini bread

9.12.18:  how to make 'perfect' cheesecake

9.12.17: road trip - eclipse hunting

9.12.16: wood canister holder (junkin' with Candy)

Miniature Wedding Cake

I made this mini cake for Ray and Tesha's 50th wedding anniversary, I have a set of pans to make this size tiered cake but you could also cut rounds out of a baked 8 or 9" cake (crumb coat and freeze before frosting will help make it easier to frost with all the cut edges if you go that route). 

To make this cake - my pans are 2", 4", and 6" or cut out whatever size circles you want. I doctored a white cake mix with an extra egg, replace the oil with melted butter, replace the water with whole milk, add a teaspoon of vanilla, and a handful of chopped white chocolate chips. Make according to package directions. 

I frosted the entire cake with white buttercream and piped dots around the bottoms of each tier; then piped rosettes with swirled two-tone pale yellow and pale orange frosting, and added stars and little fluffy flowers with solid pale yellow and pale orange frosting. To finish I sprayed it with edible gold glitter (I found a small bottle at Walmart). 

9.11.23: hem guide

9.11.22: 🔥 week 37

9.11.21: 9/11 20 years

9.11.20: dill pickle dip

9.11.19: zucchini bread

9.11.18: blueberry sauce

9.11.17: "sweet" candy gift

9.11.16: 'where were you' lyrics

Tip-sy Tuesday: practicing with piping tips

Quick little tip when decorating a cake - before I pipe whatever designs onto my frosted cake I practice a few times on a spatula or pastry knife using the same frosting I am going to decorate with. That way if I don't like the tip I'm using I can switch it out for a different one before actually applying it to the cake, and I just scrape the practice ones back into the bowl so I can reuse it. Easy and it's saved me a lot of mistakes haha!

9.10.23: 🔥 week 37

9.10.22: cinnamon roll waffles

9.10.21: flower seed wedding favors

9.10.20: organizing and defrosting the deep freezer

9.10.19: TT how to use a shredding disk 

9.19.18: arm knit afghan

9.10.17: salad in baked meat cups

9.10.16: pineapple upside-down cake cocktails

Individual Vegetable Cups

These were one of the appetizers we made for the party last weekend - individual vegetable cups (Covid really changed how we serve certain foods at big parties, didn't it?!). We squeezed Ranch dressing into the bottom of small 3 oz. clear cups (I ordered them from Amazon, they're 2 1/2 by 2 1/4"), and stood a baby carrot, pea pod, celery, and a cherry tomato on a toothpick in the dip - quick to put together and held up at least until the next morning so they are ok to make-ahead of time.

To serve with placed the veggie cups and (our other appetizer) skewers together on large trays. 

9.9.23: words

9.9.22: personalized phone case

9.9.21: window signs (paint on old windows)

9.9.20: croissant bread pudding with bourbon sauce

9.9.19: DIY no-sew tutu

9.9.18: 🔥 week 36

9.9.17: wine cork flower holder

9.9.16: chopped champion aprons

🔥 Around the Campfire (week 36)

Dear Campers ~ 

Here's a quick recap in case you missed anything at camp last week:

Posts ~

9/1: 🔥 week 35

9/2: peach onesie for Georgie

9/3: TT how to layer iron-on vinyl

9/4: 'one' onesie 

9/5: pickled beets

9/6: mini cheeseball appetizers

9/7: words (anniversary)

That's it for this week! See you next week for more projects, crafts, recipes, whatever we can think of to make at camp - bye :)

Sincerely ~

Jill

camp counselor

9.8.23: philly cheesesteak inspired sandwich

9.8.22: grilled mini pizzas

9.8.21: mojitos

9.8.20: TT stovetop toasted garbanzo beans

9.8.19: 🔥 week 36

9.8.18: b.l.a.t. sandwich

9.8.17: crown braid by Brooke

9.8.16: rearranging furniture

  

9/7 ~ Words

 Today's 'words' are more of a shout-out to Tesha and Ray celebrating their 50th anniversary tomorrow!

9.7.23: insect repellent sachets 

9.7.22: strawberry cream pie 

9.7.21: TT - solo cup measurements

9.7.20: face mask with filter pocket

9.2.19: wild mushroom and thyme soup 

9.7.18: tomato tart

9.7.17: first aid certification

9.7.16: brownie, oreo, reese's ice cream cake

Mini Cheeseballs

We are going to a party this weekend and I'm helping with the appetizers - there's been much discussion of what to make and we settled on individual cups of veggies and dip, and antipasto skewers (I'll share pics of both after we make them!). I came across these mini cheeseballs with a pretzel rod in them, I haven't made before but I'm sharing the idea so I don't forget it in the future. We decided since we'd need to make like 100 of them it was too much work, but for a smaller party this seems like a fun and different munchie. 

Here's the original post and picture I found here, you could make whatever cheeseball you like and just roll them into small balls. I have a couple recipes on the blog if you want other ideas, click here and here

Mini Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball Recipe

These mini bacon ranch cheeseballs are a great party appetizer. Serve on a pretzel stick or with chips on a platter. Small plates with individual portions would make a great display. You guests will love this popular holiday snack. Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Halloween - any reason to throw parties! This is a make ahead recipe!!

Course Appetizers

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10minutes minutes

Total Time 10minutes minutes

Servings 30

Calories 106.9kcal

Author Jenny Bullistron

Equipment

• Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowl Set (3-Piece)
• OXO Good Grips Wooden Spoon Set, 3-Piece
• Hidden Valley Original Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing Mix, 16 Ounce

Ingredients

• 12 ounces cream cheese softened
• 8 ounces cheddar cheese shredded
• 1 tablespoon dry ranch seasoning
• 1 cup bacon finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 30 pretzel sticks

Instructions

• Add the softened cream cheese to a medium bowl and smooth with a spatula or a hand mixer. Add the cheddar cheese and ranch seasoning and mix until combined.
• In a small bowl, combine the bacon and parsley.
• Use a melon baller to scoop out a ball of the cheese mixture. Use your hands to make sure it is in a ball and then roll it in the bacon mixture. Set aside.
• Repeat until all of the cheese balls are made. Place a pretzel stick in the middle of each cheese ball and serve.

Notes

You can substitute chives or green onions for the parsley.

If you're short on time, use precooked bacon or store-bought bacon bits.

If you are watching your salt intake, use low-sodium bacon and half of the ranch dressing mix.

You can make dry ranch dressing mix from scratch - this is a great way to limit the amount of salt.

Nutrition

Serving: 1mini cheese ball | Calories: 106.9kcal | Carbohydrates: 1.6g | Protein: 3.5g | Fat: 9.6g | Saturated Fat: 4.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 24.2mg | Sodium: 181.4mg | Potassium: 38.3mg | Fiber: 0.02g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 242.2IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 65.2mg | Iron: 0.1mg

9.6.23: hot cream cheese dip

9.6.22: TT cream puff dessert 

9.6.21: 'welcome to the wedding' sign 

9.6.20: 🔥 week 36

9.6.19: plastic lacing gimp keychain

9.6.18: roasted tomatoes with pasta

9.6.17:  morning glory muffins

9.6.16:  Japanese steakhouse carrot-ginger salad dressing

I made both refrigerator pickled beets and canned pickled beets using the beets Kyle gave me - I haven't opened a jar of these yet since we are working on the refrigerator jar first but I assume they are going to be just as good! I followed this recipe other than I added some black peppercorns in with the cloves. 

I'm copying and pasting the original post:

Pickled Beets

Pickled beets are easy to make with freshly cooked beets and a brine made with sugar, pickling salt, and vinegar. This recipe is one of my "must-do" yearly canning recipes when I have a bumper crop of fresh beets. 

Submitted by SHARON HOWARD

 Tested by Allrecipes Test Kitchen

Prep Time:

 

10 mins

Cook Time:

 

25 mins

Additional Time:

 

15 mins

Total Time:

 

50 mins

Servings:

 

60 

Yield:

 

10 (1-pint) jars

Ingredients

• 10 pounds fresh small beets, stems removed

• 2 cups white sugar

• 1 tablespoon pickling salt

• 1 quart white vinegar

• ¼ cup whole cloves, or as needed

Directions

1. Gather all ingredients.

2. Place beets in a large stockpot with water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, inspect 10 pint-sized jars for cracks and rings for rust, discarding any defective ones. Immerse in simmering water until beets are ready. Wash new, unused lids and rings in warm soapy water.

4. Drain beets, reserving 2 cups of beet water. When beets are cool enough to handle, peel and discard skins.

5. Fill each sterilized jar with beets. Evenly divide cloves among the jars.

6. Combine sugar, 2 cups of beet water, vinegar, and pickling salt in a large saucepan; bring to a rapid boil.

7. Pour the hot brine over the beets in the jars, and seal the lids.

8. Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.

9. Enjoy!

Recipe Tip

If using large beets, cut them into quarters before boiling.

Nutrition Facts 

           

calories60
total fat 0g
sodium 176mg
total carbohydrate 14g
dietary fiber 2g
total sugars 12g
protein 1g
vitamin c 4mg
calcium 15mg
iron 1mg
potassium 246mg

9.5.23: TT cleaning an RV shower track 9.5.22: happy labor day '22 9.5.21: 🔥 week 36 9.5.20: stuffed tomatoes with grits 9.5.19: insta-pot tortellini by Jen 9.5.18: raw fresh tomato sauce 9.5.17: birthday party