MelissaEsplin.com

It's not summer until. . .

June 27, 2008
. . . You've had homemade ice cream!!! I've definitely been on an ice cream kick since getting my ice cream maker a couple of months ago. Now that the weather is heating up our apartment, it has been a great way to cool down. Included with the ice cream maker we bought we got a 'recipe book'. I've always been sort of skeptical of the quality of the recipes in there, but since Brittany from the ward suggested the maker and the recipes included, I thought I'd give them a try. I really enjoy how simple the recipes are, and how few ingredients you really need. My favorite recipes in the book are the Strawberry ice cream and Peach Frozen Yogurt. I've done my own variations on the recipes, either for convenience or taste, and they have turned out great. Strawberry Ice Cream
  • 1 pint fresh ripe strawberries, stemmed and sliced
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 cup sugar, divided
  • 1 1/2 cup whole milk*
  • 1 1/2 cup heavy cream*
In a small bowl combine strawberries, lemon juice and 1/3 cup of sugar. Stir gently and allow strawberries to macerate in juices for 20 minutes (in the freezer). In a medium bowl, whisk milk and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add cream plus the strawberry mixture. Turn on your ice cream maker and pour into freezer and mix until thick. *The original recipe calls for 1 c milk and 2 c heavy cream, but it's still super creamy if you use less cream. Also the original recipe called for 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, but I think it ruins the citrusy/creamy flavor. Apricot Pineapple Frozen Yogurt*
  • 6-8 apricots, pitted
  • 1/2 cup pineapple juices from canned pineapple
  • 2 cups plain yogurt
  • 1/2 cup sugar
Slice apricots in half and place in blender with pineapple juice. Blend until smooth. Add yogurt and sugar and blend until smooth and the sugar is dissolved. Turn ice cream maker on, pour mixture in, and freeze until thick (25-30 minutes). *This was originally peach frozen yogurt, but since there were no canned peaches in my house or at Trader Joe's, I used fresh apricots, and reserved the juices from canned pineapple. Also, the recipe calls for Fat Free Vanilla yogurt, and 1/3 c sugar. Since Vanilla yogurt is really sweet, I used plain instead and added a little extra sugar. Also, I used regular yogurt because fat free is just gross; not creamy at all.

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A note for those of you that may be interested in getting an ice cream maker, I read an article from Cook's Illustrated that tested many different types of ice cream makers and the Cuisinart was the best kind for the price.

Make Shift

June 24, 2008
I've had this fabric for a long time now, it was even partially sewn. I just lacked the motivation to do anything with it until now. Thank you to Hannah and Jonathan for providing me with the free fabric! For more information on what they do, go here. Stay tuned for more projects. . .

Bath Time!

June 23, 2008

I love how her personality is starting to show through. Isn't she just adorable?

Thanks, Chris.

June 21, 2008
Good thing it was labeled properly so I didn't mistake it for a refreshing drink.

Penelope's First Smile

June 18, 2008
It by far hasn't been her first smile, but the first one that I've managed to catch on camera. I was pretty proud of this little moment we had. I had the camera all set up with the timer and as soon as I hit the shutter button I ran over towards her and started making all manner of faces and cooing noises. She just might be smiling because I probably looked pretty desperate and funny running from the camera to her, then back again. She's a pretty cute baby, if I do say so myself.

2 People + 3lbs. Pulled Pork = 2 Weeks of Leftovers

June 17, 2008
Only rarely do I overestimate how much we eat, and when I do, usually the leftovers are gone within the first 4 hours of being in the fridge. However, when it comes to slow-cooking pulled pork, that's a very different story. I guess it really was two weeks ago that I made Maegan's version of the Cafe Rio Sweet Pork recipe (which is FABulous, by the way). I had made it before, but I think I only cooked a pound or so, and it was gone really fast. So, this time, I made it with the three pound pork loin and instead of using Dr. Pepper, I decided I'd try Coca-cola instead. I don't know if the Coca-cola made any difference at all to the flavor, but it was right on. The only thing missing was having my sisters and my mom here to enjoy it with me. whattodowithpork.jpg

Murphy?

June 16, 2008
Just another ugly creation that's just so ugly he's cute. dsc_1066sm.jpg

Happy Father's Day!!

June 15, 2008
nellyheartsdaddy.jpg Happy Father's day, Chris! Happy Grandfather's day, Dad and Cordell!! Yesterday was Chris's first Father's day! It wasn't a huge celebration by any means, but I wanted to do something special for him. I decided I'd make sticky buns and wake Chris up with Nelly P (isn't her outfit perfect for today?). Breakfast was delicious; the sticky buns were just the right amount of sticky, and the berries we had were divine. dsc_1083.jpg Church was great, dinner was great, and naps were much needed. It was also great to talk to the parents and see how they were doing. Cordell and Eric had just gotten home from Palau; they had an 8 hour layover in L.A. and SUPER tired so we didn't get to talk to them. I did get to talk to my dad for a little bit, it's always good to talk to him and hear what he's been up to. I was just a little sad I wasn't with all of the family for the Father's day festivities. I just want to take up a little bit of web space to write down why all of the dads in my life are so awesome. . . Chris:
  • He helps me out when I'm too dead tired to do anything
  • He's understanding, even when it's 8pm and I haven't showered or dressed or even done anything around the house
  • If ever I ask him to do something, he'll do it
  • He's perfectly happy taking Penelope all day when I want to hang out with the girls, He's not afraid of hanging out with the Nelly P
  • He sings to Penelope
  • He makes up songs for Penelope
  • He is an expert baby burper
  • He thinks Penelope's bodily functions are just as cute as I think they are
  • He works hard
  • He loves cuddling with Penelope
  • He's really funny
  • He loves to dance with Penelope and me
Steve and Cordell:
  • Hard working
  • Funny/Silly
  • Enjoy spending time with family
  • Great examples of what Fathers ought to be
  • Outdoorsy
  • Smart
There are obviously more reasons why these men are wonderful, these traits only sum them up.

Sleeping Penelope

June 11, 2008
It's about time for a Nelly P. update! She is now 7 weeks old and growing up so fast! I'm pretty sure she's been going through a growth spurt recently because she is eating an astronomical amount of her formula (the breastfeeding thing didn't work out, sadly enough). She has been drinking between 6-8 ounces each feeding! Most babies her age that are formula-fed are doing around 3-4 ounces. I'm so proud of my good eater! She has also become a great sleeper as of late! This week she has averaged 5-6 hours per night, and last night she slept a whopping 7 hours! I have been SO grateful for every minute of uninterrupted sleep; it has truly been such a blessing and an answer to prayers. I'm so grateful for that much-needed shut-eye! sleepingbeauty.jpg The photo was taken this morning during her nap, I just love how she tucks her feet in. She's such a sweet little bundle. Chris and I are so grateful for her and love her SO much. She has also been smiling a lot, recently. It just melts my heart to see her staring at me with a toothless grin on her face. I have yet to capture one of these on camera, but I'm working on it.

No-Sew Diaper & Wipes Clutch

June 9, 2008
It was SOOOO annoying to have diapers and wipes just floating around my already disheveled purse; it was even more frustrating when I had to use one of the diapers and found gum wrappers inside the puffy, unused diaper. So, I modified a MarthaStewart.com business card tutorial to fit my needs, and made a poopy clutch out of leather. I LOVE it and have it handy wherever I go.

• T H E  P O O P Y   C L U T C H   P A T T E R N   H A S   B E E N   U P D A T E D •

I had to make myself another poopy clutch (the old one was misplaced) and thought I could do much better than the tutorial/pattern I gave you last year. Without any further ado, I give you THREE versions of the old tutorial!! The new patterns are smaller and still fit up to 3 size 4 diapers plus a travel wipes case!! Very convenient for undercover diaper bags (aka purses). This tutorial is free for personal use and should not be distributed/republished without my consent. Altering the file NOT ALLOWED. If you would like to use this tutorial for commercial purposes, please EMAIL ME. Thanks! Materials Notes: It might be useful to note where my supplies can be found. Button studs, Leather (you'll want 2-3 ounce leather for this project) and hole punches can be found online at tandyleatherfactory.com, or check out their store locator for the store nearest you. (I sound like an advertisement, but seriously I LOVE this place.) I mention below, you can also leather, vinyl or fused plastic. The folks at Etsy labs have a great tutorial on fusing plastic bags. I've seen some really cool fused bag projects.

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Leather Poopy Clutch

The No-sew Version Similar to last year's pattern, this pattern is optimized for leather, vinyl or fused plastic. No sewing required! Click here to download the Normal Poopy Clutch Instructions

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The No-Sew Version + SCALLOPED EDGE This version is my personal favorite. It's just like the first, it's made for leather, vinyl or fused plastic, but with a decorative scalloped edge to add a little flirty flair to those messy diapering sessions. No sewing required. Click here to download the Scalloped Edge Poopy Clutch Instructions

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Sewn Fabric Version Can't find leather or vinyl? Wanting to use up your ever-growing fabric stash?!? This pattern is for fabric, complete with instructions for two different edges. Click here to download the Normal Poopy Clutch Sewing Instructions

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*Thanks SOOOO much, Jane Maynard, for linking to me on DesignMom!! *Also a big thanks to Tipnut for the link!

The CWPC Would Be So Proud...

June 5, 2008
Melissa, it's getting late and you should get some sleep. I'll take care of Penelope tonight.
dsc_0834_2.JPG Thanks so much to Cornerstone Research for the book and the gift card!!

Justice

June 3, 2008
I don't make many posts, but this video deserves it.  I know I've seen these logos, but I was probably five years old the last time they were on the tele.  Melissa says that watching it the second time is even better.