Average But Inspired

Inspiring creativity at home with crafts, DIY, and home decor projects.

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Sensational Summer Side Salads

Holy post title alliteration, Batman! 

But seriously.  Let’s talk about summer side salads for a minute.  They’re a crucial component of any successful outdoor soiree, don’t you think?  In my book, they’re probably right up there with tasty beverages.

That’s why this roundup of sensational summer side salads is FABULOUS!  So many varieties of mouthwatering salads all in one place.  I honestly cannot decide which one I want to make first.

YUM! This roundup of summer side salads will make your mouth water! You'll definitely find the perfect recipe for summer entertaining! [Read more…]

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Freezer Cooking Tips – How to Make it Work for You!

Until recently I’d never tried freezer cooking (where you prepare lots of meals in advance and store them in the freezer until they’re ready to be cooked and eaten).  Why?  Because I was intimidated by the entire process.

In my mind, you had to be a serious cook/homemaker/very frugal person to tackle freezer cooking and make it work for you.

Since I am none of those things, freezer cooking scared me to the point of never even trying.

But then one day I decided to give it a go.  And it was glorious.  And what was even more glorious was not having to actually prepare and cook dinner on the weeknights that I had meals already prepared.  I saved time and money with this process, making it a total win.  (For a little context, I prepared five different slow cooker recipes (for ten meals) in a little over 1.5 hours, and spent less money than I did on a regular trip to the grocery store.)

I know that I am not the only one out there who was intimidated by freezer cooking, so I thought I would try and help dispel the fears associated with it – – – as a public service and all.  (It’s a serious problem, folks.)  I’ve learned from the mistakes I made along the way, as well as the things I did right, and I hope they will help you, too!  Don't let freezer cooking intimidate you! Make this meal planning process work for you with several tips from Average But Inspired. [Read more…]

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10 Red Velvet Treats for Someone Sweet

You.Guys.

Valentine’s Day is NEXT WEEK!  I’m not exactly sure what my husband and I will be doing to celebrate, but I’ve been thinking of some ideas to help make the day special.

One of those ideas is to bake something.  From scratch.  (If that isn’t love, I don’t know what is.)

Needless to say, I’ve been scouring Pinterest for tasty treats for my sweet and think that a red velvet something-or-other is the way to go.  I mean not only is it delicious, but it’s just so festive for Valentine’s Day!

I’ve narrowed it down to ten treats, and I don’t know how I will decide which to make. 10 Red Velvet Treats for your Sweet! Any of these delicious recipes is sure to make your Valentine happy! [Read more…]

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Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Swirl Cake

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted a recipe on here. I think it’s because I despise cooking in the summer. My kitchen gets so hot and I get so crabby.

With the turn of the season, however, I’ve felt more of a desire to bake. I’ve also been feeling a need to eat a lot of comfort food, so I just had to bake this brown sugar and cinnamon swirl cake for a special weekend treat. Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Swirl Cake My daughter said it was “the most fantastic amazing cake” she’s ever eaten. (Disclaimer: this statement was likely made only because I allowed her to eat it BEFORE dinner.)  Not sure I’d go that far, but it was very good and a perfect taste of fall with its gooey, cinnamon and sugar flavor.  Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Cake whole It also made my home smell divine while it was baking. I wish I could make the smell of this cake baking into a candle. (Business idea!)

Yield: 8x8 cake

Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Swirl Cake

Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Swirl Cake

A comforting cake blended with flavors of fall.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • BATTER:
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 tbl cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup butter (melted)
  • TOPPING:
  • 1/2 cup butter (softened)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbl all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbl cinnamon
  • ICING:
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tbl milk
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Mix all of the "batter" ingredients in a large bowl, except for the melted butter.
  2. Add the melted butter slowly, and mix well.
  3. Pour batter into a lightly greased 9x9 cake pan.
  4. In a separate bowl, mix all of the "topping" ingredients together.
  5. Pour over the cake batter and swirl with a knife.
  6. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes.
  7. Once the cake is finished baking, remove it from the oven.
  8. Mix "icing" ingredients together in a separate bowl and drizzle over the cake while it's cooling.
  9. Let the cake stand for at least 15 minutes prior to serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

9

Serving Size:

1/9
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 654 Total Fat: 27g Saturated Fat: 16g Trans Fat: 1g Unsaturated Fat: 8g Cholesterol: 112mg Sodium: 524mg Carbohydrates: 94g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 45g Protein: 11g
© Bre Eggert
Cuisine: Cake / Category: Food
cake 2 Looks good, doesn’t it?  Will you bake this brown sugar and cinnamon swirl cake?
-Bre

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Totally Easy S’mores Brownies

Hello, friends!

I bet you forgot that Sunday, August 10 is National S’mores Day, didn’t you.

Embarrassing.

Well don’t worry – you still have time to prepare for this important holiday, and I’ve got just the recipe to ensure that this will be your best National S’mores Day yet.

Totally easy s'mores brownies - quick and delicious! Average But Inspired

These s’mores brownies are not made from scratch, per se, so I don’t recommend them to foodies.  But they are DELICIOUS and hassle-free, so I recommend them to anyone else who enjoys non-fussy, yummy treats.

All you’ll need is your favorite brownie mix (and the ingredients necessary to make the brownies), a graham cracker pie crust, and marshmallow fluff.

Make up your brownies and pour into the baking pan of your choice.
 
Then, crumble up the graham cracker pie crust and sprinkle it on top of the brownies.  The pie crust is much softer than regular graham crackers, so it crumbles very easily and works perfectly as a topper on the brownies.  Bake according to the directions on the brownie package.
Drop spoonfuls of marshmallow fluff on top of the brownies, and spread the fluff with a knife.
Add some teddy grahams to the top if you feel like making your brownies beary cute.  (That’s your cue to grin and shake your head.)
Now they’re ready to eat!
 
They look good, right?
From the bottom of my heart, I wish you all a happy and healthy National S’mores Day.
 
– Bre
 

Stenciled Chair Seats – A Thrifty and Fun Kitchen Chair Makeover

Thank you to Cutting Edge Stencils for providing the stencil used in this project and the prize to be awarded in the giveaway.  The project and opinions are all my own. One thing I love is giving a plain object new life and personality with a simple change.  Stenciling the seats of my beat up kitchen […]

Two-Tone Painted Dresser Makeover in Cypress Vine Green and Wood

Have you ever had a vision of how something would look in your home – and you were convinced it would be awesome?  That’s what happened to me when I purchased this antique tall dresser in a Facebook resale group recently.  I knew it would be gorgeous in my living room (to take the place […]

Chalk Painted Drop Leaf Table Makeover

Several weeks ago my kids and I were driving when I spotted a table in the alley behind our church.  Like the dedicated furniture hoarder that I am, I immediately threw the car into reverse and backed into the alley to check it out.  It was an old drop leaf table that hadn’t sold at […]