Feb 7, 2014

CRUSH Teacher Valentine (Printable)


Here is an easy last minute valentine that is perfect for the teachers at your school that I am totally crushin' on. Sorry I had to.

This year for PTO (which is just like PTA by the way), I was beyond happy to have the assignment of Teacher Appreciation. I have kind of geeked out over ways to show the teachers at our school we love them. Our teachers are pretty much all that is awesome. I feel it is so important to thank a teacher and to make them feel as special as they are.

Like I said, here is an easy and fun way to say Happy Valentine's Day to your school's teachers. A little valentine to let them know that you are crushin' on them.

All you need to make this Crush Valentine is cans of Crush Soda (I used grape to match the tags) and this CRUSH Teacher Valentine Printable.


I made this Crush Valentine Tag using PicMonkey (I am working on a post letting you know how I use this magical photo editing site). I removed the PTO part so that it is more generic and can be used by more people.

Once you have the soda and the printable, all you have to do is cut out the tags and tie them onto the cans of Grape Crush Soda.


Nothing easier. Nothing sweeter. Nothing better than thankin' a teacher.

Follow along with Just Another Day in Paradise

Instagram        Facebook        Pinterest        Twitter

Feb 6, 2014

Guava BBQ Kahlua Pork Quesadillas


A couple of weeks ago I kind of went on and on about a certain eatery in Hawaii that served this guava bbq kahlua pork quesadilla. I may or may not have mentioned that I loved it so much I just shoveled it into my face and got the insanely awesome guava bbq sauce all over my bathing suit.

At the time I was actually posting a recipe for Slow Cooker Kahlua Pork

I couldn't help but talk about our Hawaii quesadilla experience then because the basis for the quesadilla was kahlua pork. When we decided we wanted to recreate the Guava BBQ Kahlua Pork Quesadilla, we knew we had to start with the Kahlua Pork before we could move on to the quesadilla.

Well friends, with the Slow Cooker Kahlua Pork we took care of that part.

Yum and Yum.

That meant that I could move on to the Guava BBQ part of the Guava BBQ Kahlua Pork Quesadilla.


This sweet, slightly smokey, and just spicy enough guava bbq sauce is delightful. This recipe was years in the making people. Right when we got back from Hawaii I actually tried to find a recipe for guava bbq sauce.

That was a big fat no go. I couldn't find one.

At least not right away.

Then after a lot of searching, some mixing, and a little pinching of that and pinching of this, I finally concocted a recipe that was quesadilla worthy. Well, pretty much lick off the spoon, my fingers, and right off my face good.

Now that I have both the Kahlua Pork and the Guava BBQ Sauce you know what that means?

Okay, so you totally know what it means. I have been talking about it non stop this whole post. I am being more than transparent about my love for that once-ate-that-one-time-I-went-to-Hawaii quesadilla.

Now I don't have to go back to Hawaii to have my favorite quesadilla. Don't get me wrong, there are a million other reasons to go back to Hawaii, it just doesn't need to be the quesadilla.

Guys I am so excited.

You should be too. This quesadilla is like super grand.

Now that I have brought the Guava BBQ Kahlua Pork Quesadilla back into my life I feel like I need to pass on that love.


And...You're Welcome!

Enjoy Peeps. Don't worry about the napkins. You won't want to waste some of the sauce on some stinkin' napkin.

Guava BBQ Kahlua Pork Quesadillas

Ingredients:

Kahlua Pork recipe (can use left overs from original dinner)

guava barbecue-
1 cup cold water
1 cup guava paste
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tablespoons minced onion
1 Tablespoon ginger paste
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons ketchup
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
salt and pepper

monterey jack cheese, shredded
cheddar cheese, shredded
tortillas
butter

Use left overs of this Kahlua Pork recipe.

Prepare Guava BBQ Sauce by putting all of the ingredients but the salt and pepper into a sauce pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer on medium high heat. Whisk the mixture frequently. Once it is at a simmer, add in salt and pepper to taste.

Reduce the heat to medium low. Let it low simmer for 10-15 minutes. If the mixture gets too thick, add small amounts of water to thin out.

Cool the barbecue sauce.

To assemble the quesadillas, start with 1 tortilla. Spoon 2-3 spoonfuls of sauce on the tortilla and spread it around. Sprinkle with cheddar and monterey jack cheese. Add a layer of Kahlua pork. Sprinkle with a little more cheese. Drizzle with a bit more bbq sauce. Top with the other tortilla.

Melt  a tablespoon of butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the quesadilla in the melted butter. 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side. The tortilla should be golden on each side and the cheese should be melted.

Serve immediately. Serve with a side of Guava BBQ Sauce.


Follow along with Just Another Day in Paradise

Instagram        Facebook        Pinterest        Twitter

linking up:
Thirty Handmade Days, The 36th Avenue,
The Idea Room, Whipperberry

Feb 4, 2014

Love Potion Kit at Thirty Handmade Days



Today I am over at Thirty Handmade Days.

For those of you who follow me on Instagram (if you don't follow me, you totally should @larissa_anotherday) you know that I get to be part of the Creative Team over at 
Thirty Handmade Days. Eek. SO excited! 


Today is my first contributing post.
I am sharing how to put together a Love Potion Kit and have a free printable available too.

Go check it out! 
Go say hi and give some comment love (that would make my day)!
Go and grab the Love Potion Kit printable!
If you like this idea, make sure to go to Thirty Handmade Days and PIN away!

Thanks lovelies!!
Love you guys!

Follow along with Just Another Day in Paradise

Instagram        Facebook        Pinterest        Twitter

Feb 3, 2014

Outta This World Valentine


We are now officially in February. The month of love. The month of Valentine's Day. The month of classroom parties, love notes, roses, chocolate, and cupid's arrow.

Good times.

Here is my most recent classroom Valentine idea. This could be a candy Valentine or a non candy valentine. This valentine could also be both.

I went with the phrase, "You are outta this world!" with the idea of pairing the valentine up with Milky Way candy bars and glow in the dark stars.

Then I made a valentine printable. I used my Royale membership from PicMonkey and one my favorite features, the transparent background on the canvas function. That is what allowed me to make circular tags. Woot.

Anyway, I digress.

So I made these double sided "You are outta this world!" classroom valentine printables.


All you need to make these classroom valentines is:

Milky Way candy bars
glow in the dark stars
small cellophane treat bags
Outta This World Printable

Download HERE

Then you just cut them out, load up the treat bags, and staple the tag closed over the bag.

Easy, peasy done.


Be prepared to have a classroom full of Outta This World Valentines!


Some of my other Valentines:

Follow along with Just Another Day in Paradise

Instagram        Facebook        Pinterest        Twitter

Feb 1, 2014

Asian Lettuce Wraps {Slow Cooker Saturday}


Since we have moved from a suburb by a big city to a small town that is the big city, I find myself missing a few things. Now, don't get me wrong, there are a lot of things I love. Maybe I should list a couple of those so I don't seem all Negative Nelly.

Things I love about living in a small town:

-really friendly neighbors
-no traffic
-safety
-family oriented

Now that I have been positive for a minute, I will spill the beans about what I don't love about living in a small town:

-not close to a lot of attractions
-less access to more stores
-absence of my favorite restaurants

On that last point, I would like to tell you how much I have missed one restaurant in particular. I have missed PF Changs like you wouldn't believe. Okay so I have missed there and Panera. Insert cry face and boo-hooing here. 

I have missed three things from PF Chang's the most. 1. Mongolian Beef; 2. Cheesecake; 3. Lettuce Wraps.

Since I live 3 hours plus away, I figured I should probably just accept the fact that I might need to find some homemade alternatives.

So accept I did.

Recipe I did.

Cook I did.

Love I did.

This Asian Lettuce Wrap recipe is amazing. The whole family loved it. That is huge people! Huge. One of the Little Men is more than a little picky. Even he ate this filling. Don't ask about the lettuce though. I don't want to talk about it.

The fact that he would eat the filling though tells you how yummy this filling for the lettuce wraps is.

People it gets better. The filling for these Asian Lettuce Wraps is made in the slow cooker. You know how I love using my slow cooker. Slow Cooker Saturday came to the rescue.

This is a recipe that comes together quickly. The recipe also is a quick slow cooker recipe. Meaning it isn't an all day slow cooker recipe.

So easy. So yummy. 

So, go ahead and make yourself some. 

Slow Cooker Asian Lettuce Wraps


1 lb ground pork
1 red bell pepper, cored and finely diced
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 oz sliced water chestnuts, chopped
3 green onions, sliced
1 head iceberg lettuce

Cook the pork in a saute pan until no longer pink. Drain off fat. Put the cooked pork into the slow cooker. Stir in the bell pepper, onion, garlic, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours. Do not be tempted to cook it on high, there is no need. Cooking it on high will just dry it out.

After 2 hours, stir in the water chestnuts and green onions. Let the mixture cook for another 5-10 minutes. 

Serve over lettuce leaves.

Enjoy!

Follow along with Just Another Day in Paradise

Instagram        Facebook        Pinterest        Twitter

 

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...