Berry Cheesecake Bars

Berry Cheesecake Bars. You tell me, what doesn't look amazing about these? Well, I am very pleased to tell you they really ARE amazing! Refreshing and scrumptious in every way. From the pecan cookie crust, the fresh lime cheesecake filling, all topped off with bright berries, this dessert will definitely wow a crowd!

Berry Cheesecake Bars

Crust:

1/2 c. Butter (1 stick) at room temperature

2 T. Olive Oil

1/3 c. Packed Brown Sugar

1/3 c. Sugar

2 c. Flour

1 c. Chopped Pecans

Cheesecake Filling:

2 pkgs. of Cream Cheese- at room temperature

1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 Lime- squeezed, about 2 1/2 T. of juice

1 T. Lime zest

1 T. Cornstarch

about 1 c. Fresh Blueberries and sliced Strawberries

Preheat oven to 350. 

Crust: In a large bowl, beat the butter and oil about 1 min, add both sugars and beat for 3 minutes. Add in the flour and pecans. Press the mixture into a 9 x 13 nonstick pan. Bake at 350 for 8-10 min. Let cool a couple minutes.

Cheesecake filling: In a bowl bean cream cheese and sugar for a few minutes. Add in the eggs and vanilla, beat another couple minutes. Beat in the fresh lime juice and zest. Add in the cornstarch and beat until smooth. 

Pour the filling over the crust and bake at 350 for 20-25 min or until set. Cool a few minutes, then refrigerate at least 1 hour. Cut into squares trimming off the browned edges as you go. Refrigerate until serving. Top with the berries and serve. 

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Father's Day Playing Cards Card - round-up

Need some new ideas for Father's Day Cards? How about this cute one? I came up with this late one night when I couldn't sleep. I swear that's when all of my good ideas come to me. Is anyone else like that? 

Anyway, I'm making this for my father and father-in-law. I know they will love it! Super easy and SUPER COOL! Check it out!

Grab a blank card

Grab some old or new playing cards

Take the cards you want king, queen, jack, joker, ace, 10 etc. all in the same suit or different

Type up the words you want each card to represent

KING of Cool, KING of Cars, KING of ... you make up your own

Humble before the QUEEN, Always treated us like QUEENS, etc.

JACK of all trades, etc.

A JOKER at it's best, always a good JOKER, etc.

On a scale of one to 10 your a 10!

etc.

Make up the things that best fit YOUR  father!

Check out these other awesome ideas for Father's Day!

1) DIY Etched Beer Glasses by Tiny Sidekick
2) Kid-Crafted Storybook for Dad by Persia Lou
3) Superhero Sleep Masks by Cutesy Crafts
4) Child Drawn Shirt Designs by Homemade Ginger
5) Father's Day Playing Cards Card by Cook and Craft Me Crazy




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Bridal Shower Date Jar

Is anyone throwing a Bridal Shower soon? Or is it just me? Well, in that case, if you are or if you're not, this is a cute idea to keep in your "idea safe" - I have one, don't you? It's called Pinterest! Ha ha. 

I recently made a date jar for a wedding present and also an anniversary present. This one however is different because it doesn't have just my ideas going into it. It will be everyone who attends this shower's date ideas! I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with! Its pretty much a present from everyone!

Grab a quart sized mason jar and decorate it with fun scrapbook paper, ribbon and sticker jewel embellishments. 

Cut 8x10 pages of paper into strips - NOT cutting all the way through- leave it attached, just a little.

On a card write or type up what you want the guests to read explaining the jar as they arrive.

You can have them rip off their idea and place it in the jar, this would leave it a secret to everyone except the bride and groom who have to do the date one day or another.

OR....

Have everyone write their date idea and leave it attached to the paper so the bride can read them to the crowd and rip each one off as she goes.

It's up to you!

I'm doing the second choice- I want to hear what everyone's date ideas are! I also put a money limit because my niece who I'm throwing this shower for will be poor college students with her husband. (Weren't we all at some point in our lives?!) This way they can get creative! There's a lot you can do for under $20!


Here is my original Date Jar
Click HERE for the list of dates and how it was made

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Scrapbook Paper Barn Star

As you can tell from my previous writing, we're in the Air Force thus, Red, White and Blue are ALWAYS in season. I made this barn star last year with my sister, and I LOVE IT! We both made one together. She wanted one for her door and I wanted one for everywhere! I've put this on my door, in my house, outside etc. It's been all over, and I've had endless comments of praise on it! Super simple and timeless!

1. Purchase a wooden barn star and paint it white.

2. Make a template for the star angles from a piece of scrap paper.

3. Cut the different angles of the star on different scrapbook pages

4. Mod Podge the paper angles down to adhere (make sure there are NO bubbles)

5. Mod Podge over the whole star to seal.

6. Paint white lines just barely on top of each paper to finish it off

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Guess Who's Getting Married - Bridal Shower Game

Take a guess, can you tell who's getting married? My genius mother came up with this game years and YEARS ago for a bridal shower she was throwing. EVERYONE was ROLLING in their seats trying to guess who was "in" the wedding dress! 

I made this particular game about 5 years ago when I threw my first Bridal Shower for my friend Angela. I bought a stack of black card stock, a bridal magazine, and a "People" magazine. With some scissors and  glue by my side, an hour or so later this game came to life! Everyone loved guessing the iconic faces who were posed in the wedding dresses. Most people use the phrase "if the shoe fits," well in making this game you say, "If the FACE fits!"

Make your own bridal guessing game to make your guests giggle! 

Simply cut out wedding dress pictures from the bridal magazine and find celebrity faces from the other magazine to match! Attach finished work onto black card stock and number each page.

When you're all done making the celebrity "wedding pictures" stack them according to their numbers you wrote on the bottom of each picture page. Take a piece of paper and write your answer key, so only YOU know who is who! Have numbered sheets of paper for your guests to write down their guesses to who each celebrity is. When the game is done, use your answer key to go over each celebrity picture- HAVE FUN!

(as an option you can always get a picture of the bride to be 

and glue her face on a bridal gown to add to the fun!)

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Italian Chicken Pasta Salad

I think this will be my new go to salad for barbecues. This is only 4 ingredients! Cooked Pasta, cooked chicken, Italian salad dressing and cheese.  How much easier can you get? I also love that you can leave this as simple as you want or make it as elaborate as you want! Add tomatoes, olives, croutons etc. Oh yeah, it's as easy as that!

Italian Chicken Pasta Salad

1 box rainbow rotini noodles cooked according to package directions- drained- and rinsed in COLD water

2 chicken breasts (cubed)- cooked in olive oil with a few dashes of salt and garlic powder 

Italian Salad dressing to taste (our favorite is Olive Garden's Salad Dressing, a little goes a long way)

1 handful of Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Mix in a bowl and serve! SO EASY!

Add Ins-

Diced Tomatoes

Olives

Croutons

Cheese Cubes

Chopped Onion

Etc.

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35+ Black Bean Recipes

Who loves black beans? We do! We eat them probably more often than we should. Since our love of black beans has only flourished, I wanted a page where I could go to try new things with one of our food staples. I hope you use it as a reference as much as we will! So here it is, a round-up of different recipes, all using black beans! Check them out!
They all look FABULOUS!

Grilled Vegetables and Black Bean Tacos


Corn, Black Bean and Avocado Salad

Black Bean Chorizo Soup

Spicy Chicken Pasta

Spicy Tortilla Lasagna


Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken


Avocado, Black Bean and Red Pepper Salsa


Tilapia with Black Bean and Avocado relish

Crispy Black Bean Quinoa Burritos


Tart cherry fudge thumbprint cookie

Enchilada Stuffed Tomatoes

Baby Baked Beef Burritos


30 Minute Mexican Soup


Black Bean Lava Cake

Black Bean Falafel Patties

Black Bean Lasagna


 Black Bean and Feta Cheese Ugly Dip


Vegan Mexican Quinoa Salad

Black Bean Beef Burgers with Blue Cheese 

Layered 7-Bean Salads in a Jar 


Mexican Black Bean & Quinoa Burgers


Sweet Potato and Black Bean Hash with Jalapeno Sardines

Black Bean Brownies

Black Bean Salsa


Spicy Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burger


Sherried Black Bean Soup


Spicy Black Bean Sliders


Flourless Black Bean Brownies


Black Bean Soup


Mexicali Chopped Salad


Homemade Black Bean Veggie Burger


Taco Pasta Bake


Garlicky Red Quinoa Patties with Mango Black Bean Salsa


Easy Lime Cilantro Black Beans and Brown Rice


Chipotle Black Bean Burger


Black Bean Dip

Chorizo, Black Bean & Kale Hash