German Chocolate Bars

 I made these for LeDonna's birthday, in the past I've made her just about every German Chocolate thing I can think of - bread, cupcakes,  - this year I googled for some other ideas and found this one for bars (pretty sure I'm going to have to go back to regular ol' German chocolate cake next year, I'm out of different ideas hahahaha). Oh, and Happy Birthday Mary - I know you also love German Chocolate so here ya go, enjoy these virtual bars :) 

The base is a cake mix but you only add an egg and melted butter, it turned out very much like brownies which I found really interesting, maybe I'll try this again without the German chocolate topping and see what it's like. 

Crust:

• 1 box devil's food cake mix
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg

Filling:

• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350'. Grease or spray a 13x9 baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the cake mix, butter and egg, and press flat  into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 7 minutes and remove from the oven.
3. While the crust is baking, mix together the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, egg, pecans and coconut. Pour evenly over the warm crust and sprinkle evenly with the chocolate chips. Bake for 24-30 minutes until the top is light golden brown.
4. Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting into squares.

My note: the crust is barely set after 7 minutes and when I added the filling it started sinking into the cake base. I then figured out to spoon small amounts of the filling all over the cake and gently smooth with a spatula. Don't dump all of the filling in the center of the cake! 

recipe found here

 

Tip-sy Tuesday: accessory organizing

 Here's a couple ideas to organize jewelry and purses - I did an overhaul of my accessories closet a few days ago and so far these ideas are working great!

1. For my large tote bags I'm using a plate (or maybe it's a lid?) stand to hold them up. A standing file holder would work too. I used another one to hold my smaller purse/wallets - so much easier to see what I have this way. 

2. I removed the top of a 24-count egg holder and put bracelets in the bottom tray egg spaces. It sits on top of more jewelry in a drawer in the closet, I can easily pick it up and move it to access what is underneath. Cheap and practical - can't beat that!

and the winner is...

I just did the random drawing to celebrate 5 YEARS of Make My Day Camp - and just to keep it honest I videoed hahahah: 

...although theoretically I could have just wrote the same name on every piece of paper LOL! 

No Brooke, I didn't do that 😂

🔥Around the Campfire (week 39)

 Dear Campers ~

First of all, remember you have until 9am (est) tomorrow morning to enter to win a $25 gift card to celebrate MMDC's 5th anniversary! Just comment here or on the fb page. 

Now - a quick recap of what happened this week at camp in case you missed anything:

Posts ~

9/20 🔥week 38

9/21: face mask with clear front

9/22: tip-sy tuesday: baby washcloths 

9/23: mounds cake

9/24: um...why is there no post on the 24th?!!

9/25: broccoli casserole

9/26: 5th Anniversary (a little late!)

What's Cooking ~

Well judging by my messed up posts (I posted Sunday's on Friday, and skipped Thursday?!)  everyone can probably tell that I had a crazy week - so no dinner menu ideas for you today! Lots of take out and fast food happening 'round here the past few days!

Miscellaneous stuff keeping me busy ~

See the previous paragraph! Life is the miscellaneous stuff keeping me busy LOL! 

Obviously I need to stop writing today and get on with getting myself better organized so I can create, cook, read, clean up the garden, etc this week...hope you had a great week and have it under control a little better than me hahahahaha. Please leave me a comment so I know you're out there and can enter you in the drawing that will take place tomorrow - and stop back soon for more camp happenings :)

Sincerely ~

Jill

camp counselor and pitiful poster this week

5 Year Anniversary Drawing

Well I totally dropped the ball and never did the gift card drawing for the blog's 5 year anniversary! Oops.  Let's blame it on my reallllllly bad memory and not that I'm just lame sometimes, 'kay?

So - who wants to enter to win? Just leave me a comment below, or on the blog facebook page this weekend and I'll put your name in a hat and draw at random. You have until Monday morning (9/28) when I remember to check hahahha. You don't have to write a big ol' comment, just say hi or leave your name so I know you're out there!

Good luck!! 

Broccoli Casserole

I've had lots of broccoli casseroles in my day, and they're pretty much all the same; so when Cathy made this one I figured I'd like it as much as any other version but I was wrong - pretty sure this one is the best I've ever had so naturally I had to have the recipe. 'Cuz when someone asks me to bring a veggie side in the future I have to be able to bring this dish and amaze everyone. Well, at least amaze everyone who would be amazed at broccoli casserole that is ;) 

                    

                    

I didn't ask what the trick is to making this dish so good and she didn't volunteer it - so when I got the recipe and saw the magic ingredient I could only think "of course! makes perfect sense now", because what isn't a better idea than using stuffing as casserole topping?! I've never heard of it and it's genius.

• 1 1/2 cups fresh broccoli
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 T. flour
• 1/2 cup sour cream 
• 1/4 cup grated carrots
• 1 T. grated onion 
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/8 t. pepper
• 3/4 cup herbed stuffing mix
• 2 T. melted butter

Remove outer broccoli leaves and cut into 1" pieces. Cook stalks 5-6 minutes in salted water; add floretes and cook 5 minutes more. Blend soup and flour, then add sour cream, carrots, onion, salt and pepper; stir into broccoli. Put in a 2-quart casserole dish. Combine stuffing mix and melted butter, sprinkle on top of broccoli mixture. Bake at 350' for 30-35 minutes, when middle bubbles it's done. 

🔥Around the Campfire (week 38)

 Dear Campers ~

Oops, I meant for this to publish last Sunday and just see that I didn't push the button! So here's the recap just a little bit late hahaha!! 🤦‍♀️

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

Posts ~

9/13: 🔥week 37

9/14: cake topper

9/15: strawberry cheesecake poke cake

9/16: 5 year anniversary

9/17: MSIH: mexican jalapeno poppers

9/18: kid craft: painted mason jars

9/19: meaty minestrone

What's Cooking ~

• grilled chicken sausage, buttered orzo, roasted broccoli
• salmon, cauliflower rice, caesar roasted asparagus
• chicken parmesan, penne with marinara, mixed veggies
• sautéed veggies with leftover penne, pork tenderloin

Miscellaneous stuff keeping me busy ~

• read "Second Grave from the Right" #2 in the Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones, these are such fun books! Quick read, girl PI who is also the grim reaper. Yep you read that right haha! I enjoy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• cleaned out my accessories closet (I turned a small closet that's in a weird random spot in the middle of my bedroom into a space for my shoes, jewelry, purses, etc.) and got rid of a ton of things I don't wear anymore - ahhhhh I do love having a little breathing room in there and it's super organized now - I'll show you a couple little handy ideas next week.

That's it for this week - we are on a road trip visiting my mom but I have posts lined up for while we are gone. Stop back often to see new projects, recipes, and whatever else I can think of to make! 

Sincerely ~

Jill

camp counselor

Mounds Cake

Dave requested a 'mounds cake' for his birthday which drives me crazy. Backstory - years ago a woman in his office made a mounds cake for him and he was gaga gushing about it. I hadn't known him long when he was telling me about this amazing cake, but he asked her for the recipe so he could have me make it for him again. Well either I was the new girlfriend and this lady didn't like me, or she was one of those people who doesn't like to share their recipes, or she was mean and just wanted to sabotage the cake - because the recipe she gave him to give to me was nothing like the cake she made him! LOL!! Really, who does that. So, fast forward to the next 20 years when every year he wants a mounds cake, and every year I try to make a different version of one trying to match this random lady's mounds cake and sure enough every time he says 'nope, still not as good as whats-her-names'. Insert eye roll. And shaking of head. And clenched jaw. Because I'm sick and tired of trying to make a mounds cake that is as good as the one he remembers in his mind that I'm sure wasn't all that amazing because how could I have not come close after attempting it like 50 times??? Huh? Answer me that Dave!

Ok, rant over. 😂

Onto this years mounds cake. It's devils food cake base, topped with coconut filling and hot chocolate icing. What's not to like - seems like a mounds cake to me, if that's your thing. And for the record it's delicious so I don't get what his problem is hahahaha!! Oh, and even tho he always says it isn't like that darn ol' original mounds cake he never turns his nose up and doesn't eat it all LOL! 

Brooke added the candles, that'll teach him for jerking my (mounds cake) chain

Bake a devils food cake mix, doctored up with an extra egg and a scoop of sour cream,  in a 13x9" cake pan according to directions. 

During the last 5 minutes of baking, combine in a bowl and stir well:

• 5 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 (14oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar

When cake is done, remove from oven and cool. Poke holes in cake with a fork, spoon coconut mixture over cake (the juice will seep into the holes). 

For the chocolate frosting you'll need:

• 1 stick butter
• 1 box confectioners sugar
• 7 T. cocoa
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 t. vanilla

Melt butter in small sauce pan on medium low. Add confectioners sugar, cocoa, and milk. Stir well until sugar melts and everything is well combined. Once the mixture reaches the consistency of hot fudge, remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour over cake, spread to smooth the top. Allow to cool and then refrigerate, tastes better if you bake the day before serving. 

The frosting is great - reminds me of Texas sheet cake frosting because it's poured over the cake while still hot, and then hardens so it crunches when you cut into it. SO GOOD!

based on a recipe found here
 

Tip-sy Tuesday: baby washcloths

Janis gave me this tip she got from her d-i-l Angelina who is an esthetician (and I hear she is an amazing one, if you live in Utah and need a facial I'd definitely go to her!). She recommends getting a pack of baby washcloths for washing your face - no little lint or fuzzies, and they are super soft so great for your skin. After hearing this idea I immediately went to Target and picked up a pack and she's right - they feel great! No picture, you'll just have to visualize what baby washcloths look like hahahah! 

PS: she gave me this tip a long time ago and I'm just getting around to posting it 🤦‍♀️, now I'm wondering about getting a facial in our new Covid world - will we still be able to get them? Hmmmm....

Face Mask with Clear Front

My niece works with kids at school and needed a clear front mask so they can see her mouth - I had some clear vinyl on hand and thought I'd give it a go. There are lots of patterns online, I actually made 4 different ones for her to try and she ended up liking the one that is made like my pleated masks but with a rectangle cut out of the center. I didn't take good pics while I was making the one seen below, so I made another to show you the steps (Mickey, watch your mailbox for a surprise from me LOL!).

Cut two fabric rectangles 8"x7", then trace a 4"x3" rectangle in the center with sewing chalk or a pencil. Using sharp pointy scissors, make a hole in the center of one of the rectangles then cut towards each corner making an 'x' in the rectangle and creating 4 triangles. Fold each triangle back on itself and press in place - now you have a 4"x3" window, repeat with other rectangle - match the two pieces of fabrics and thei windows together and make sure the windows are the same size, adjust if needed. You can trim the points off each triangle so there'll be less bulk.

                

            

Sew a 6" length of pipe cleaner or other wire along the top edge of one piece on the wrong side. Fold in 1/2" on each edge and press in place. See picture below to see what I'm talking about if my words aren't making sense!

                

With right sides together, sew the two pieces of fabric together along the top and bottom edge, leave the sides open.

                                  

Carefully flip inside out so the right sides are now showing. Fold the window hems and the edge hems back in place if necessary and iron again. 

             

Cut a piece of vinyl 5"x4" and insert in between the two rectangble windows, pin in place but make sure you don't poke a hole in the vinyl that will be exposed (or else germs will get in easier!). Sew around the opening to hold the vinyl in place, I sewed a double line to make sure the seam is tight. 

                  

Make 3 pleats on each side (see my regular full face mask posts here to see how to make the pleats) and insert the ear loop into the top and bottom edges, pin in place. Sew along the sides matching sure to catch the earlobes, I reverse and go over them a couple times to make sure they're in there good and won't pull out.

I used two different pieces of fabric for the front and back, so this one is reversible - two masks in one!

Meaty Minestrone

I read another of those 'Hannah Swenson' series books about a woman who owns a bake shop and solves murders - as implausible as that sounds, they are mostly light quick easy reading and she includes recipes so win-win. This recipe for meaty minestrone ('meaty' because minestrone is usually vegetable and pasta based) turned out fantastic, I ate it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner - and my friend Al also loved it and since he's Italian and a foodie I feel like he should know hahaha! The books might not be very deep, complex, or realistic - but this soup makes up for it in spades :) 

• 1 cup onions (2 small or 1 large), chopped into small pieces
• 1 cup celery (about 5 stalks), chopped into small pieces
• 3 or 4 uncooked Italian sausages (mild or spicy), cut into bite-size pieces (note: I removed the meat from the casing and pulled it into small pieces; used 2 mild and 2 spicy links)
• 1 medium-size yellow summer squash, chopped
• 1 small to medium zucchini, chopped
• 1 cup peeled carrot slices, chopped (I used crinkle-cut slices and chopped in bite size pieces)
• 2-inch square parmesan cheese (I used the rind, remove it before serving)
• 1 to 2 t. minced garlic
• 2 cans (14.5 oz. each) beef broth (I used a 32-oz. box instead)
• 1 24-oz jar spaghetti sauce
• 1 cup water
• 2 cans (6.5 oz. each) sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup dry, uncooked corkscrew pasta (I used small shells)
• salt and pepper to taste

additional ingredients depending on how full your crock pot is and if you want to stretch the soup:

• 1 cup cut green beans (I used frozen)
• 1 15-oz can white beans, rinsed and drained (I used great northern)
• 1 cup tomato juice (I added a cup of bloody mary mix instead)
• 1 beef bouillon cube mixed with 1 cup water (I omitted this since I had a bit extra broth above)
• grated parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top when serving

Spray the inside of a 5 or 6 quart slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray (or use a crock pot liner).

Add the onions, celery, Italian sausages, squashes, carrot slices, and garlic; toss together. Pour the beef broth over the mixture, then add the spaghetti sauce. Measure one cup of water and add it to the empty spaghetti squash jar, swish around to clean out any remaining sauce, and add it to the crock. Add the mushrooms with juices, stir everything until well mixed. Add the hunk of parmesan. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or until the vegetables are tender. Add the uncooked pasta. If you have room in the crock and want to add any of the additional ingredients, do it now. Stir again making sure everything is incorporated, cover and cook on LOW for another hour. 

Before serving, check the seasonings and add salt and pepper as needed.  Serve in soup bowls, sprinkle with grated parmesan if desired. 

from 'Coconut Layer Cake Murder' by Joanne Fluke

Kid Craft: painted mason jar holders

I've said this before, but I have so so so many photos of either old completed projects and recipes or ideas for projects and recipes - so many that I forget about them and then when scrolling thru my computer file I'll see something that makes me wonder why it didn't get posted before now! Case in point - this cute project that Brooke did soooooo long ago, back in 2016! Still a good craft tho so I'm sharing anyway, it's not like craft ideas expire  (even if the kid doing the craft is now 17 haha)! 

                                                   

                                                

She poured craft paint right into the bottom of the jar along with a little water, then using a paint brush pull the paint up the insides of the jar completely coating. Let it dry then use to hold whatever - she put on her desk with pens, markers, etc. 

Note if you use it like a vase and fill with water the paint is going to wash away...forewarned hahaha. 

My Sis is Hungry: Mexican Jalapeno Poppers

I made these for my sis but she never reviewed them for me - so I'm posting without her input! I don't eat jalapeño poppers but can tell you that this filling is delicious (I'm not a 'spicy' fan so usually don't even eat pepper jack cheese but in this case it was so good - I think the cream cheese tones down the heat) and my sis and Brooke loved them...you'll have to take my word for it instead of hearing it in her words this time hahahha! 

I googled recipes and after getting some filling ideas I just made up my own - so I don't have amounts, just eyeball it. Add ingredients to the cream cheese until you're happy with it (and obviously you have to taste it along the way to get it just right - that's how I know the filling is great even without trying the finished popper LOL!). I've learned from past experience making jalapeño poppers for my sis that *apparently* you need to remove most of the seeds or they are beyond hot and no one can eat them - here's what I do: wearing disposable gloves cut the jalapeño's in half the long way and remove the seeds. DO NOT touch anything while doing this step or it'll burn like a son of a gun and you'll be sorry! Then I add 3 seeds back into the jalapeño halves before filling with the cream cheese mixture. Remove and throw away the gloves. 

1 block cream cheese, softened
chopped cooked bacon
chopped cilantro leaves
2 green onions (white and green parts)
1 teaspoon mexican seasoning (I used Tajin)
a handful of shredded pepper jack cheese
8 jalapeños, sliced and seeds removed

Combine the filling ingredients (cream cheese thru the pepper jack cheese), taste and adjust to your liking. Fill the jalapeño halves, place in a baking dish and bake at 375' for 20-30 minutes. 

Five Year Anniversary!

5 years of daily posts is mind boggling to me - that's over 1825 posts (apparently I really DO have too much time on my hands LOL)! 

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 5 years (in which case, thank you!) or if you've just found this blog (and if so, welcome!).

This calls for a celebration for sure - leave me a comment below or on the blog facebook page by midnight tonight and I'll enter you in a blind drawing for a $25 gift card to Michaels (Joann and Hobby Lobby are options too - your choice!). 

WooHoo for free craft money and for your celebrating 5 years with me - in case you're wondering, it all started with some sprinkles (click for that post). 

Strawberry Cheesecake Poke Cake

We were invited to an impromptu dinner party at Al and Cathy's, it was their neighbor Cindy's birthday so I volunteered to make a (quick and easy!) birthday cake - I didn't tell her it'd be quick and easy but that was my plan when I offered to bring cake hahahah. I was thinking in the back of my head that I'd do a simple poke cake with strawberry jello and cool whip frosting - when looking for my recipe I came across this different twist on a poke cake and thought I'd go out on a limb and try it (all in the name of research for new things to post LOL).

Just as quick and easy - the twist is that this recipe calls for both jello and pudding to be spread on top of a cake with holes poked all over the top. Oh, and because it's a birthday cake I decided to add sprinkles to the batter before baking the cake - you can never have too much going on with a birthday cake right? Stripes of red jello and cheesecake pudding, sprinkle batter, and a layer of strawberries - yum!

• white cake mix, plus ingredients to make it according to the box
• 1 small box strawberry jello
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 small box cheesecake instant pudding
• 1 1/2 cup milk (I used 2%)
• 1 cup sliced strawberries, plus additional if you want to put on top of the cake
• 8 oz. cool whip

1. Bake the cake according to package directions in a 13x9" cake pan. The box said to bake for 35 minutes but I checked at 25 minutes and it was done. Cool completely.

2. Once cake is cool, poke holes all over the top (I used the bottom of a bamboo skewer). Combine 1 cup boiling water with the jello, once dissolved pour all over the cake making sure to cover all the holes. Next combine the pudding and milk and whisk until dissolved, about a minute. Spread over the cake, pushing down lightly to get the pudding into the holes, there will still be a layer on top that doesn't soak into the cake. 

3. Top the pudding with a layer of sliced strawberries and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

4. Before serving, top with the cool whip and additional strawberries if desired. 

original source found here

click here to see how to make the festive cake topper

Festive Cake Topper

I made a quick easy poke cake to take to a birthday dinner last week (posting tomorrow, check it out!); since it was for a birthday I'd normally put sprinkles or something festive on top but didn't think that'd work on the cool whip topping (I didn't want the sprinkles to run and it seems like they would, right?) so instead of leaving it plain I decided to make a cake topper to insert into the cake and jazz up the white cake top.

This idea came to me at the very last minute so it needed to be a quick project - checking in my party supplies drawer I was inspired by a paper birthday hat and paper straws and came up with this easy decoration -  just cut out the 'happy birthday' from the center of the hat, punch a hole in either end, tie onto paper straws using curly ribbon, then curl the ribbons. Done!

click here to see how to make the strawberry shortcake poke cake

🔥Around the Campfire (week 37)

 Dear Campers ~

Here's a quick recap in case you missed anything at MMDC last week - but first, I can't believe I'm saying this but...I started this blog 5 years ago this coming Wednesday the 16th!!! 5 years of posting just about every day and you know what that means - time to celebrate! Let's see, what should we do this time - another gift card? Yes! On Wednesday leave me a comment either here or on FB and I'll put your name in a hat and draw for a $25 card to Michaels, Joann, or Hobby Lobby. WOOHOO, 5 years!

PS: side note - after all this time of not being able to comment back to comments posted on the blog it fixed itself! So you can finally leave me a comment and I can respond, about time right?

Posts ~

9/6: 🔥week 36

9/7: pleated mask with filter pocket

9/8: tip-sy tuesday: stovetop toasted garbanzo beans

9/9: croissant bread pudding

9/10: organizing the black hole

9/11: dill pickle dip

9/12: sausage, potato and white bean soup

check out this amazing spiderweb that I almost walked into (hate when that happens!)
this is just about the most intricate, detailed, and organized web ever - a spider after
my own heart hahahaha! 

Miscellaneous stuff keeping me busy ~

• read #3 in the Will Robie series by David Baldacci - time to take a break from him, the first two were ok but this one was boring, the lead female is not a good character and her dialogue is so not like a real person talks hahaha - I finished it so I'll give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️ but I need to pause before finishing the rest of the series.
• had my iPad repaired (that's where I read most of my library books now) - it had an undetectable hairline crack and my touching the screen was putting too much pressure on the led or something like that so it caused the screen to go black. Who knew? Thank goodness I can now get back to my books (and Words with Friends hahaha). 
• golfed one of my best games on Thursday, then one of my worst on Friday. How does that happen? Stupid game.

Hope you had a great week! Stop back often to see more fun projects, recipes, and whatever else I can think of to make!

Sincerely ~

Jill

your camp counselor