Pinned there, done that!

Sorry for the cheesy title. I love puns!

For the past few weeks, I've been challenging myself to actually TRY the things I pin! (Gasp, I know!) So I thought I'd share the results of several Pinterest recipes, tips, and projects that I've tackled. (There are a lot of recipes on here...don't judge me, I like food!)

Pin #1: Easy Masumun Curry from Shugary Sweets.

The verdict: DELICIOUS! To cut down on calories I used the low fat coconut milk and it was still great! I was happily surprised that Ryan enjoyed the dish, too. I added a little bit of sriracha to the recipe because I love it, but other than that followed the recipe. I'll definitely make it again--it could probably be made in the crockpot, too.

Pin #2: Mississippi Sin Dip from Plain Chicken

The verdict: Another winner! I have a reputation for being the dip queen at parties here. I love to make "grandma dip" (my grandma's recipe), cheese dip (the typical rotel + Velveeta mix--why mess with what works?!), and spinach dip especially. But for a post-reading reception last weekend I decided to try out this Mississippi Sin dip, so named because it contains hot sauce (again, I used sriracha) and is sinful (i.e. not for the dieting sort). Judging by the amount I brought back home (not a ton), it was a hit. And I didn't mind munching on the leftovers, either.

Pin #3: Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

The verdict: A pattern emerges--yes, another yummmmmy recipe from Pinterest! I made this for lunch today (and another to heat up for lunch tomorrow) and oh my goodness it was delish. It satisfied my huge Chipotle craving (minus the lime rice, of course--now I just gotta try this pin) and it was pretty easy! I added a little salsa to the wrap, but it would've been great without it, too. Definitely repeating.

Pin #4: Easy way to clean the microwave from Crafty Little Gnome (what an adorable blog name!)

The verdict: :( I was so hoping that this would work. The blog suggested combining water and a dash of vinegar, then heating it in the microwave for 5 minutes. The steam is supposed to loosen up stuck-on foods, making it super easy to wipe away messes! Unfortunately it didn't work all the way for me. I tried 5 minutes and wiped and a few smaller stains came out, but most were still stuck. So I did 5 more minutes and tried again--same sort of thing. Some of the more stuck-on ones came off, but not all. I ended up dipping my rag into the hot water/vinegar mix and using it to scrub off the stains, so it didn't go to waste, but I still had to use some elbow grease. Alas!

Pin #5: Yarn wreath from Decor Chick

The Verdict: Judge for yourself!

I love my wreath and plan to change it up for different holidays. Of course I'll probably retire it after Thanksgiving and put up a more wintery wreath, but I definitely see myself pulling it out in the spring and adding some Easter-y embellishments, then some summer-y ones after that, and maybe some Mizzou ones for football season next year! The leaves, pinecone thing, and Thanksgiving bunting are all detachable. Decor Chick's is still more gorgeous, but I like my version too!