Turn Your Kitchen at Mosaic at Mueller Into a Pizzeria With These Pizza Dough Recipes

The next time you’re planning a pizza night at home, forget your usual delivery spot and make your own pie. With these easy and authentic recipes for homemade pizza dough, you can turn your apartment into your own miniature pizzeria!

Pizza Crust [King Arthur Flour]
If you have some free time early in the week, make this simple recipe that holds for up to two days. It bakes thin and crispy when rolled flat with a rolling pin, but if you prefer a chewy crust, it can also be made thicker.

Quick Basic Pizza Dough [Martha Stewart]
For hot, fresh pizza on the spot, this quick dough is very simple to make. Simply mix your flour with olive oil, salt and a sprinkle of sugar, and then give it a few kneads before using. If you have leftover dough, you can also wrap it in secure plastic wrap and store it in the freezer for up to three months.

My Favorite Pizza [The Pioneer Woman]
Whether you’re a vegetarian or a meat lover, this recipe for pizza crust can be topped with anything to make it your own. This recipe makes two separate pies, so it’s perfect for pizza parties, and it even stores in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Make Your Own Molten Lava Cake with These Two Recipes

"Sinful" may be the only way to describe the dessert known as molten lava cake. This decadent treat combines chocolate cake with a warm liquid chocolate center melts in your mouth. There are many ways this cake can be made, some healthier than others. Try one of these two recipes for molten lava cake.

  1. Healthier Molten Lava Cakes for Two [Texanerian]
    This dairy-free, whole-grain lava cake recipe is a healthier attempt at the usual dessert. It uses half the amount of butter and sugar that most recipes call for, yet loses nothing in taste and texture.
  2. Molten Lava Cakes [Food Network]
    Here is the classic molten lava cake recipe you’ve been looking for. Indulge in the full flavor of chocolate, butter, and sugar baked to perfection.

Puppy Bowl- Humane Society

We had so much fun handing out goodies at the puppy bowl last Saturday!

National Park Services Resources for Educators

Whether you’re a science teacher or a history teacher, America’s national parks are wonderful resources for any classroom. These activities from the National Park Service use information from national parks across the country to add a bit more fun to the usual lesson plans. They're also a reliable source of information for people who want to learn more about the history of the United States!

Coquina Queries
This archaeology and history lesson is made for students ranging from second grade to twelfth grade. Using coquina, the native shellstone from Northeast Florida, the class will learn why it made a good material for the construction of Florida's Castillo de San Marcos, the oldest masonry fort in North America.

Bison by the Numbers
In this lesson, students will learn about the dramatic decrease in the bison population in the Great Plains of North America after settlers moved west in the 19th century. Students will use bar graphs to chart population data.

For more educational lessons and resources using national parks, visit the National Park Service website here.

How to Save Money Around the Holidays

For most people, the holiday season is one of the most expensive times of the whole year, between purchasing presents for all of your loved ones, hosting lavish get-togethers and even travelling home for the event. Here are a few smart ways that you can save a bit of money while still enjoying all that the holidays have to offer.

  1. Create a budget. Long before the holiday season arrives, map out a budget for the maximum amount that you’re comfortably able to spend. Your budget shouldn’t just include gifts, but also travel fees, food, and other miscellaneous expenses that might arise.
  2. Write a gift list. It’s easy to overspend if you go to the mall without a plan, but by mapping out a list of gifts for each recipient, you can stick to your budget and still purchase meaningful presents. Creating a shopping list also enables you to find the best deals on each item.
  3. Send e-cards instead of traditional cards. Sure, a postage stamp coasts less than 50 cents, but if you have a large number of people to send cards to that number can quickly add up. E-cards are a free and equally thoughtful alternative.
  4. Limit your kids’ lists. If you have children, limiting the number of gifts they receive will not only save you money, but it will also make them more grateful for their presents.

14 Ways to Save Money During the Holidays [Bankrate]
7 Money-Saving, Stress-Less Holiday Shopping Tips [Real Simple]
Six Tips for How to Save Money During the Holidays [Beyond Today Blog]

Delicious Uses for Thanksgiving Leftovers

If you’ve ever made a turkey sandwich from Thanksgiving turkey, you know that the leftovers are almost as good as the meal itself. Here are a few new ways to use Thanksgiving leftovers in creative and delicious ways.

Thanks Benedict on Stuffing Cakes with Sage Hollandaise [Food Network]
If the long name on this one leaves you scratching your head, you’ll understand once you see this breakfast dish in action. Thanksgiving stuffing is molded into small, flat cakes and toped with pancetta and poached eggs to create a new version of eggs Benedict using mostly holiday leftovers.

Cranberry Sauce Over Pound Cake A la Mode [Rachael Ray]
If your dinner guests leave behind an excess of cranberry sauce, use it as a topping on this delicious seasonal dessert. You can also use pre-packaged pound cake to make the whole thing even easier.

Turkey Banh Mi [Martha Stewart]
Instead of your usual day-after turkey sandwich, get a bit global by creating a traditional Vietnamese banh mi with the leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Top it with spicy mayonnaise, fresh cilantro and crispy vegetables and serve the whole thing on a whole wheat baguette. This sandwich is especially great for those who can’t bare another bite of the cranberry and gravy flavors of Thanksgiving dinner.

Apply These Easy Decorating Tips to Your Child’s Bedroom

It’s important for your little one's bedroom to be a reflection of his personality, but you want the room to look nice, too! If you’re searching for some fun, affordable ways to decorate your child's room, these creative tips can help.

  1. Add a gallery wall. If your son or daughter is a budding artist, encourage him or her to paint a few pictures on a variety of different paper sizes. Frame the artwork in colorful frames and hang them in a group to create an eclectic gallery wall that your child will be proud of.
  2. Restore hand-me-down furniture. It seems silly to invest in expensive furniture that the kids will outgrow in a few years, so give that old dresser a fun facelift instead. Sand down the existing paint or stain and paint it your child’s favorite color.
  3. Add removable wall decals. Most home goods stores today sell wall decals in a variety of different styles, so let your child pick the one he or she likes best. They’re a fast way to add personality to the room, and they dress up the wall without painting.
  4. Mix patterns. From throw pillows to rugs, mixing patterns based on the same color scheme creates a funky look while still coordinating perfectly.
  5. Invest in simple storage. Things like low dressers and cubed shelves with removable bins keep the room organized, and they’re simple enough to encourage the kids to put away their own toys.

Affordable Kids' Room Decorating Ideas [HGTV]
10 Decorating Ideas for Kids' Rooms [HGTV]
Decor Ideas for a Kid's Room [Real Simple]
DIY Kid's Room Decor Ideas [Babble]

Space-Saving Storage Solutions for Bicycles

Whether you're a cyclist yourself or just share a space with one, you're likely already aware of how much square footage can be zapped up by bicycles. All's not lost, though: These space-saving solutions will show you how to store your wheels without too much obstruction.

  1. Purchase an apartment-friendly bike storage shelf. Many outdoor retailers and sporting goods stores sell large-scale shelving units that are designed especially for storing your bike in an apartment. They feature a large, open area where you can tuck the bike away, as well as smaller shelves below for storing things like your helmet or bike bag.
  2. Add a wall-mount bike rack. If you want to store the bike but don’t need the extra shelving, try a classic bike rack that mounts right onto the wall and can be easily removed when you move out.
  3. Try a two-bike stand. If you live with a fellow cyclist, store both of your bikes using one convenient setup with a two-bike stand. These vertical racks stand upright and stack one bike on top of the other in order to save the maximum amount of space possible.

Stylish Bike Storage Ideas For Your Home Or Garage [Decoist]
6 Clever Ideas for Bicycle Storage [Dwell]
14 Best Space Saving Bike Rack Solutions for Apartments [HiConsumption]

Shop for Discounted Home Decor on These Flash Sale Sites

Designing a magazine-worthy home can come at a steep price, but by shopping flash sale sites for decor and furnishings, you can furnish your living space without breaking the bank. Here are just three of the best places to shop online for deals on home decor.

One Kings Lane
Once you sign up for free membership on this flash sale site, you’ll be able to shop One Kings Lane’s gorgeous inventory of unique kitchen supplies, Art Deco furniture, and globally-inspired area rugs, all at a significant discount.

Dot & Bo
If you’re a fan of mid-century modern furniture but you simply can’t afford to invest in an authentic vintage piece, Dot & Bo is the answer to your retro decor woes. This flash sale retailer requires a free membership in order to shop, but once you sign up you’ll have access to teak credenzas, starburst wall clocks, and more unique accent chairs than you can even imagine.

Joss & Main
Joss & Main is a beautiful and charming home furnishing website that offers up to 70 percent off of some of the most popular design trends. Shop shabby chic dressers, dining tables inspired by the French countryside, and everything in between.

Deliciously Simple Ice Cream Cake Recipes

Those with a sweet spot for cake know that there's only one possible way to make the dessert even better: Combine it with ice cream! You might think ice cream cake is difficult to make at home, but these three tried-and-true recipes prove otherwise.

Frozen Chocolate Cookie Cake [Food Network]
Taste buds of all ages with do back flips for this recipe from Food Network star Sandra Lee. Requiring only 20 minutes of prep time, the recipe entails baking two chocolate layer cakes, then sandwiching the cakes around a molded slab of ice cream. To make the whole thing even more decadent, a rich chocolate ganache is poured over top. The best part of this recipe is its versatility; you can use whatever ice cream and cake flavors you desire!

Neapolitan Ice Cream Cake [Martha Stewart]
You'd expect a recipe from Martha Stewart to be time consuming and complicated, but this ice cream cake recipe is, well, a piece of cake! To create this neapolitan-style dessert, three different flavors of ice cream are layered within a loaf pan. For that signature cookie crunch that everyone loves and expects from an ice cream cake, chocolate cookie crumbs separate each ice cream layer. The most difficult part of Martha's recipe is just waiting for the cake to set up in the freezer.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Cake [AllRecipes]
To make this cake truly decadent, its crust is crafted from crushed chocolate chip cookies. Then, a layer of hot fudge is poured over top of the crust. After the fudge crust cools, the recipe entails spreading a layer of softened ice cream over the crust, then freezing overnight. A healthy dose of whipped cream on top takes the cake to a whole 'nother level!

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