Lemon Cheesecake Pie

Oh Lemon Cheesecake Pie, you had me at Lemon AND Cheesecake AND Pie.

Oh,  AND again at lemons, just so you know how much I love lemons.

The lemons have come out to play!! Can you sense that Spring is in the air and that Summer is nipping at its heels?

 I am pretty excited about this pie. I am excited that I made it. I am excited that it was pretty. I am ecstatic that I got to eat it...well not the whole pie...just a piece...or two...

When I was growing up I would pick a piece of pie over a piece of cake any day. My pie of choice was Marie Callender's Sour Cream Lemon Pie. We didn't have it often, which made it that much more special.

This isn't a knock off recipe for that pie. While I sure loved that Sour Cream Lemon Pie, it was missing two of my favorite things. That would be a good graham cracker crust and some cheesecake.

Well, don't worry (cause I know you were) this Lemon Cheesecake Pie takes care of that. Bam graham cracker crust and cheesecake meet yourselves some lemon.

Go ahead and fall in love.

I won't judge you if you lick the screen right now.

Now after you lick the screen, you probably should make the pie because the screen might look as pretty as the real thing, but it won't actually taste like pie. Just in case you didn't know that. Hehehe.

Now go get your lemon on and start enjoying nicer weather!

Lemon Cream Cheese Pie
adapted from Top Secret Recipes

crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 Tablespoons sugar

cheesecake filling:
1-8oz package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg

lemon filling:
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
pinch salt
1 cup water
2 egg yolks
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make the crust by combining the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar in a bowl. Then press the mixture into a pie pan. Set aside.

Prepare the cheesecake filling mix by combining the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and egg with a mixer. Mix well until smooth. Pour the mixture into the graham cracker crust. Bake for 30-35 minutes until center is set and cooked.

Let the pie cool while preparing the lemon filling.

For the lemon filling start by combining the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and water in a small saucepan. Bring it to a simmer over low heat, stirring frequently.

Whisk in egg yolk. Then add in the lemon juice and butter. Keep stirring. Once the mixture simmers immediately remove it from the heat. Pour the lemon filling over the cream cheese filling. Let the pie cool.

Once the pie is cool, chill the pie for at least 3 hours.

Serve with whipped cream.

Follow along with Just Another Day in Paradise

Instagram        Facebook        Pinterest        Twitter

Green and Orang Hoppy Easter Mantel

Happy Easter...or should I say HOPPY Easter?!

I went a little cray with the HOPPY theme for my Easter decorations.

After I made the Easter Teacher Appreciation gifts for this year, I fell in love with the whole bunny thing. I also happened to become obsessed with using green and orange for my Easter colors.

With my bunny love and green and orange obsession in mind I went to brain storming.

In the middle of that storm my brain settled on something that I was rather giddy about.

I am in love, love I tell you, with the oh-so-popular song by Pharrell Williams "Happy".

My love of this song sparked me to make a printable to go along with my Green and Orange Hoppy Easter Mantel.

Drumroll...

Ta-Duh!

Oh heavens! I really love these clipboard signs. It was one of those moments when I actually felt a bit clever. Just a bit mind you.

A funny little Easter homage to my current favorite song.

Download HERE

I paired my happy...er...uh...hoppy signs with a lot more green and orange, including some tissue pom poms. I do love my tissue pom poms.

I also am a big fan of decorating with candy, because well, duh I LOVE candy.

Another thing I love, giant kelly green bunny art. Now I haven't always been in love with giant green bunnies. That is new.

Thanks to this.

He sits there rather jollily.

I also added in these ceramic bunny garden stakes to some IKEA fake grass. I found these sweet little bunnies at Target. I simply spray painted them orange to fit into my green and orange theme.

Then it seemed best to throw a carrot printable in. Ya know the whole bunnies like carrots and carrots are orange and green thing seemed to fit.

So I created these simple carrot prints using PicMonkey. Then I put them up with some green washi tape next to my giant green bunny.

Download HERE

There ya have it. My whole green and orange obsession right there in one Springy and festive place.

I hope you enjoy my bit of spring and Easter.

I hope you enjoy these printables...especially my little ode to Pharrell Williams' HAPPY. 

Thanks for reading!

Follow along with Just Another Day in Paradise

Instagram        Facebook        Pinterest        Twitter

Barbacoa Tacos: Slow Cooker Saturday

We really like tacos at our house. Like really, really, REALLY.

While I love a good traditional taco along with the next gal, I grow a little weary of having them every time we want tacos.

That means a little variety is in order.

So far some of the varieties we have loved are Shredded Chicken Tacos and Shredded Beef Tacos. Yum!

This new variety, Barbacoa Tacos, is equally delightful.

I will be truthful that they are a wee bit on the spicy side. That is due to the delightful chipotle peppers that go into it. So you can either adjust it to make it less spicy, you can slather them in sour cream and guac, or you can make the kiddos some quesadillas while the adults scarf down on the Barbacoa Tacos.

Anyway you choose to serve them up, you should. Every one needs a little fiesta once in awhile.

Just add pico, some guac, and an indulgent helping of tortilla chips. Oh, and if you want, open up a yummy Mexican soda. After all, it is a fiesta, even if it is just a fiesta at the dinner table.

Seriously. Yum.

I insist you make these. I mean, I don't want to be pushy, but really I am just looking out for your taste buds. They should really get to experience these.

Ole'.

Slow Cooker Barbacoa Taco
adapted from Top Secret Recipes

4 pound chuck roast
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3 Tablespoons lime juice
2-3 canned chipotle chiles (or less for less spice)
2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon  ground cloves
3/4 cup chicken broth
3 bay leaves

tortillas
cheese
lettuce
pico de gallo
guacamole
sour cream

Make an adobe sauce by combining the vinegar, lime juice, chipotles, garlic, cumin, oregano, black pepper, salt, and cloves in a blender until smooth. Set aside.

Trim excess fat off of the roast. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium heat. Sear the roast on each side until browned, about 3-4 minutes a side. Transfer the roast to a slow cooker. Pour the adobo sauce over the meat. Next pour in the chicken broth and add in the bay leaves.

Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours.

Take out and shred. Skim the fat off of the liquid. Add the meat back into the liquid. Cook another 30 minutes with the lid off.

Serve over tortillas with the toppings of your choice.

Enjoy!

Follow along with Just Another Day in Paradise

Instagram        Facebook        Pinterest        Twitter

Easter Teacher Appreciation Tags: Thirty Handmade Days

 My April project for Thirty Handmade Days include these really magical and ridiculously cute Marshmallow Peep Bunnies. Could you die?

I did. Then I pulled myself together. Then I may have bought a whole bunch so I could give them away as an Easter Teacher Appreciation. I made a cute little tag using PicMonkey with an appropriately cheesy saying on it. I also made a non-teacher tag in case you want to just let a special someone know that some bunny (that would be you) thinks they are special.

Both tags are available to download over at Thirty Handmade Days.

Head over and download these tags and say hi!

Follow along with Just Another Day in Paradise

Instagram        Facebook        Pinterest        Twitter

Pirates, Playing, and Pinterest:Finding Imagination and Adventure

 

 

I live with a bunch of pirates. My house is often turned into a treasure-hunting island in the middle of the sea and my couch's cushions are flung off making it a rugged sea worthy pirate ship. It is always an adventure.

 

 

I am not always a fan of my couch cushions being strewn about haphazardly or of the swashbuckling of swords barely missing my lamps. However, if there is one thing I am a fan of it is carefree imaginative play in my children.

 

All children should be able to let their imagination rule the day and enjoy daily adventures.

 

Sometimes as a mom I get so bogged down with the day to day stuff that I don't provide my sweet little Pirates with enough opportunities to have adventures.

 

I love that there are so many resources for providing both adventures and the ideas for them. 

 

I have gathered a few of my favorite Pinterest Boards for great ideas for encouraging play and adventure. The boards showcase anything from great play spaces to fun DIY costumes. Since I live with Pirates, I am also sharing some of my favorite pirate ideas from these boards.

 

One great board for fun pirate ideas is Disney's The Pirate Fairy Board. The board celebrates all things pirate with a fun addition to fairies too all in celebration of Disney's "The Pirate Fairy", which just happens to be an all new Tinker Bell movie now available on Blu-ray and Digital HD.

 

Available HERE

 

Here is one of my favorite Pirate themed projects from this Board. How cute is this pirate paper bag puppet?

 

 via Spoonful

 

Another board I LUHVE is Pottery Barn Kids Play Spaces Board. A good play space can come in many shape and sizes. There are quite a few swoon worthy play spaces on this board. There are also some really cute and easy to remake ideas.

 

This pirate boat is killing me. How cute would that be full of stuffed animals. Ooh or balls! So much fun!

via Apartment Therapy

Another great way to encourage imaginative play is through costumes. This DIY Costumes For Kids Board from Handmade Charlotte has SO many great costume ideas. There were several really cute pirate costume ideas.

My boys would love making themselves a hook to go with their pirate sword.

via Make and Takes

Did you know Etsy has Pin Boards? They do. They are marvelous. I love their Etsy Kids Board. There are so many ideas from projects and activities you can do to fun toys that will spark their imagination.

This Carrots of the Carribean toy is perfect for the baby pirates in your life. Could you die?

via Etsy

The last board I want to share with you is from one of my favorite party idea girls. The lovely Kara from Kara's Party Ideas has awesome Pin Boards. She just happens to have a whole board dedicated to Pirate Parties.

I have thrown a pirate party. I really loved it, but man oh man I wish I had this board to help out with some of the details.

So CUTE. I love the jute wrapped around the drink container.

 via Kara's Party Ideas

 

 

If you don't already follow these boards, go check them out and spend a few minutes...er uh...hours...hehehe...pouring over all the great ideas in these boards.

Happy Pinteresting everyone!