Posts

Posted on

Hope Springs Eternal

Hope SPRINGS Eternal

There is possible snow in our future in my neck of the woods but I am still hopeful that actual Spring will arrive soon. I see evidence of it with the budding trees, the daffodils and snowbells poking up. I remain optomistic!

I have quite a few things for you in this post. Here’s hoping that you find some things of interest and try them out. Let’s get into it!

Recipes

Pizza Monkey Bread (reffors.com)

  • 2 cans (16.3 oz each) of refrigerated biscuits, quartered
  • 6 oz pepperoni, quartered
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup melted butter, cooled slightly
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
  • Marinara sauce, for dipping
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Get it nice and hot before the action begins!
  2. Mix it up: In a large mixing bowl, combine the quartered biscuits, pepperoni, mozzarella, Parmesan, butter, olive oil, Italian seasoning, and garlic. Toss everything together until well-coated and ready to mingle.
  3. Prepare the pan: Grease a 10-inch Bundt pan thoroughly. If you prefer a traditional approach, a 9×13-inch baking dish also works wonderfully.
  4. Bake the beauty: Transfer your prepared mixture into the greased pan, spreading it out evenly. Slide it into the oven and bake for about 35-45 minutes. To prevent over-browning, cover the pan with aluminum foil after the first 20 minutes. Keep an eye on it as it bakes, checking periodically in the last few minutes to ensure it’s done just right.
  5. Serve it up: Once baked, remove the bread from the oven. Run a knife around the edges to loosen them slightly. Carefully invert the pan onto a plate, then flip it again onto a serving plate so the top side is up.
  6. Enjoy: Pull apart the gooey, cheesy bread and dip each piece into warm marinara sauce. Delight in each bite!

*This was delish! What a great appetizer.

Mashed Potato Sundaes

I made this for some friends and it was a hit. You simply make mashed potatoes, beef and beef gravy. When you assemble your “sundae” you put 3 scoops of mashed potatoes, top with beef and gravy. Then add shredded cheddar (or cheese of your choice) and top with a cherry tomato which is standing in for the cherry. It was so cute and tasty!

Wafer Cookies Dipped in Chocolate

I constructed these as a little addition to a recent bake sale. You just purchase some wafer cookies, dip them in melted chocolate and top with some sprinkles. I always melt my chocolate or almond bark in the microwave in one minute increments. You don’t want to over heat the chocolate because it will get grainy.

Monte Cristo Sandwiches

12 slices of bread (I used white) 6 slices of cheddar cheese 6 slices of mozzerella cheese 6 slices of ham 2 c. shredded mozzerella 2 eggs 1/2 c. milk salt to taste

First you assemble your sandwiches with the ham in between the two slices of cheese. Next you whisk together your eggs, salt and milk. Dip each sandwich in the egg mixture. Do both sides. Place the sandwiches in a greased 9X13 pan and top liberally with shredded mozzerella. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes and enjoy!

Corn Casserole (adventuresofmel.com)

  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • ▢1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • ▢4 tablespoons salted butter
  • ▢1 teaspoon cane sugar
  • ▢1 tablespoon sour cream
  • ▢6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
  • ▢3 green onions minced
  • ▢32 ounces frozen corn
  • ▢1/2 box JIFFY Corn Muffin Mix
  • ▢1 teaspoon salt
  • ▢1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ▢1/2 cup cheddar cheese shredded
  • ▢1/2 cup Colby Jack cheese shredded
  • Pre-heat the oven to 325° F.
  • In a medium saucepan, add the cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, salted butter, sugar, and sour cream.
  • Cook the mixture on low heat until the cream cheese is fully melted. Constantly stir to keep the mixture from scorching.
  • In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cream cheese mixture, crumbled bacon, minced green onions, frozen corn, JIFFY Corn Muffin Mix (1/2 a box), salt, and pepper.
  • Grease a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Pour the casserole mixture into the baking dish, making sure it’s evenly spread throughout the dish.
  • Bake at 325° F for about 55 minutes, or until the mixture is set.
  • Add the shredded cheese to the top of the casserole, and bake an additional 10 minutes.
  • Serve while warm and enjoy! 

Craftiness!

St. Patrick’s Day Wreath

To make this wreath you need a 12 inch hoop or ring. You select the fabrics you want to use. I picked a yard each of three different ones but you can do as many as you like. I cut the fabric roughly into 7 in. by 1.5 in. pieces. Then you simply tie your fabric strips to the hoop. You can hang your wreath by the hoop or create a hanger with a loop of ribbon.

St. Patrick’s Gnome

I made this with Dollar Tree items. The hat I had left from a previous project. I purchased the car wahing mitt for the beard. What I wanted to use for the legs the Dollar Tree was out of. They were wooden leprechaun legs. Instead I used DT socks. For the nose you can use a wooden ball or pompom or a cotten ball. I hot glued all items together. The hat already had a ribbon loop on the back to hang it with but you could easily make one. (The hat was part of a DT decoration that was strung together. The hat was the top. Then come a Happy St. Patrick’s Day sign and finally leprechaun legs with feet. I had the hat left from something I made last year.

Dressed up Dollar Tree Bunnies

The bunnies have no clothes when you purchase them. I simply cut fabric to make a dress and a vest. I hot glued a button on the vest, gave the girl bunny some seeds and the boy bunny a carrot. The final touch was a little bow for the girl!

Mason Jar Bunny

For this project you need something to make the ears out of. I used tan and pink felt. You need a jar and a styrofoam ball being careful to make sure the sizes of each fit together well. I made the top hat out of a portion of a paper towel roll and some other cardboard for th brim. Both pieces were covered with felt. Additionally you need paint or other items to create you face. I used pink felt for the nose, black marker for the eyes, pink paint for the mouth, black floral wire for the whiskers and I had some little foam balls in pastel colors so I cut one pink one in half to create cheeks.

First you fill you jar with some Easter grass and whatever other little decor you want. The next step is to paint your styrofoam ball with a glitter coat. You don’t have to do this but it did add a little something. Once the ball is dry you glue it to the open top of your jar with the ring screwed on (don’t use the lid to the jar). From there I created my hat using hot glue and then hot glued it on styrofoam ball. I gave the bunny his face. The floral wire is just poked into the foam. The rest of the face was painted or hot glued on. Finally, I added the bow to hide the Mason jar ring.

Easter Egg Wreath

Some friends and I made these wreaths. They were easy to do. You can use an Egg Wreath form from DT or just trace one on thick cardboard. You simply glue the eggs on until you are happy with the way they look and not much of the cardboard can be seen. The Easter grass is tucked into the spots where some cardboard can be seen. We did not create a hanger for this wreath as we just hung it from the top inside of the form. Easy and cute!!!

Hacks

*I love to use my Crockpot and these charts help convert anything to a Crockpot recipe.

*You can make your own foaming hand soap. It’s cheaper. Save a foaming soap container that you purchased. Then simply refill using one part liquid hand soap and four parts water.

*Clean your microwave in a snap. Cut a lemon in half. Place the half in a bowl of water and heat in the microwave for a few minutes. The steam will loosen all food particles and make easy to wipe out. The bonus is the lemon makes your microwave smell fresh and clean.

*Do you want your drink to chill but don’t want it to be watered down when the ice melts? Freeze grapes and use them as ice cubes. They won’t water your drink down and make a sweet treat as they thaw. This is good for wine, juice, and even water.

*Use Mason jars for storage. Make your salads ahead of time by layering them in the jar. Put the dressing in the bottom and greens at the top. When you’re ready to eat your salad just turn the jar upside down and shake. Eat!

*When hosting a BBQ or picnic this summer use a muffin tin to serve condiments. Onions in one cup, catsup in one, mustard in one………………..you get the idea!

I hope you enjoyed this post! Let me know in the comments if you tried any of the recipes, crafts or hacks. See you next time! Happy Easter!

Posted on

Anyone Else Feel Like Winter Has Overstayed Its Welcome?

I have had a busy few weeks and am late getting my blog posted. I hope you have missed me just a little bit. Here we go…………………………..

Recipes

Lazy Pierogi in the Slow Cooker

2 cans of Cream of Mushroom soup

1 pound Kielbasa

1 pound sauerkraut

one onion diced

one pound rotini

1/2 to one stick butter

1 small can of mushrooms

1 cup water

Put everything in the crockpot. I cooked on low for as long as it took to cook the pasta. Everything else is already cooked.

Cold Rise Pizza Dough (alsothecrumbsplease,com)

  • In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, salt, and yeast. Then add the water and stir with a spatula until it comes together and a shaggy dough forms.
  • Pour a little olive oil in the palm of your hand and knead the dough for a few minutes until it’s smooth and releases from the bowl.
  • Transfer the dough to a well-oiled container, also oil the top of the dough, lightly press the dough into the bottom of the container, cover, and let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Then transfer to the refrigerator until it has doubled in size.
  • Once the size has doubled, usually after about 24 hours, lightly oil your hand, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it onto itself. Turn the bowl by 90° and stretch it and fold it again. Repeat two more times. Then turn the dough upside down and lightly press the dough into the bottom of the container. Cover and chill for 2-4 days.
  • On baking day, preheat the oven and pizza steel to 482°F (250°C) for 45-60 minutes. Place the baking steel in the top third of the oven. Remove the dough 1 hour before baking from the refrigerator and let rest in the container for 30 minutes.
  • Then carefully remove the dough from the container with a dough scraper and place it on a work surface. Cut the dough in half and preshape both halves into rounds using a bench knife with as few moves as possible. Holding the bench knife at a shallow angle with the work surface, push the bench knife under the dough and from you away starting at 6 o’clock and make a fluid rotation up to 12 o’clock and push the dough back toward you to tighten the dough and shape it into a round ball. If the dough sticks to the bench knife, then flour the bench knife a little. Then flour the tops of the dough balls and cover with a dry and clean kitchen towel for 20 minutes.
  • In the meantime, cover a pizza peel with semolina flour and set aside.
  • Flour the work surface and the dough generously and turn the balls over with the bench knife. Lift one dough ball up and place it on your knuckles. Make two fists and stretch the dough and as the dough expands, gradually open your fists and sprout and stretch your fingers. Then place the dough back on the floured work surface and stretch with your fingers. Let gravity help you stretch the dough. Use enough flour to avoid sticking. Then lift the dough from two opposite sides and transfer it to the prepared pizza peel and shape it into an even round shape if necessary.
  • Top with San Marzano pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, your favorite toppings, transfer the pizza to the oven and bake for 6-7 minutes.* If your oven has a broiler setting, turn it on after 3 minutes. While the first pizza is baking, prepare the second. Then remove the baked pizza with the pizza peel and bake the second. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Pumpkin Bread (thegeneticcfhef.com)

  • 1 can pumpkin puree 15 ounce – I use Libby’s
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup neutral oil I use extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon or vanilla
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt
  • 2 tablespoons Pumpkin Spice I use my homemade pumpkin spice
  • 3 tablespoons sugar divided
  • oil or baking spray for preparing pans
  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Grease 2 (9×5) loaf pans with oil or baking spray. I use stoneware or nonstick metal pans. Sprinkle each pan with 1 tablespoon of sugar.
  • In a large bowl whisk the pumpkin, eggs, oil, vanilla or bourbon, and sugars until thoroughly combined.
  • In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin spice, combining well.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Slowly add it in while whisking to incorporate. Once it is mostly incorporated, stir for 50 strokes.
  • Pour batter evenly into the loaf pans.
  • Sprinkle the tops of each loaf evenly with remaining sugar.
  • Bake for 60 – 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at center of loaf comes out clean.
  • Remove from oven and turn them onto a rack to cool. Just be careful – they are hot!

*This is the first time I made a pumpkin bread with brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Boy did it make it really pop. So moist. So flavorful!

Bundtwich (pillsbury.com)

Fo the bread you get two rolls of french bread dough. You will find it in the cooler where the biscuits and cinnamon rolls are. To make the giant bundtwich you just remove the dough from the package and do not unroll it. Place the roll in one half of a greased bundt pan. Do the same with the second package but place it on the other half of the bundt pan. With your hands pinch both ends of the rolls together to form one ring. I added everything bagel seasoning to the top of the dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 33 minutes until bread is golden brown. Allow the bread to cool and using a bread knife cut the ring in half creating the top and bottom of your bundtwich. You can fill it with just about anything. I did cold cuts, cheese, lettuce. If making a cold bundtwich like I did, just provided your guests with mayo or mustard, etc.

Dog Cupcakes

My one dog just had her 6th birthday. She celebrated with her 2 sisters by having a cupcake.

3 Tablespoons pumpkin puree
3 Tablespoons peanut butter
3 Tablespoons oats
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 Tablespoons whipping cream
optional

  1. PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Place 1 or 2 paper liners into a muffin pan. Recipe makes one
    large cupcake or 2 medium sized cupcakes.
  2. WHISK together pumpkin, peanut butter, and oats in the bottom of a small bowl.
  3. MIX in the egg and baking powder until incorporated.
  4. BAKE for 20-25 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  5. COOL completely and frost if desired

*This recipe is for one single cupcake. I tripled it for my 3 dogs.

Craftiness

Pocket Hug

For my friends I made some pocket hugs for Valentine’s Day.

This is the link for the pattern.

https://zamiguz.com/wp-json/mv-create/v1/creations/84/print?ajax=true

Valentine Tree

I used a styrofoam cone, chenille pink yarn, little hearts and a heart on a pick all from Dollar Tree for this project. The tedious part of this project is hot gluing the yarn around the cone. After that it is just a few seconds to hot glue the hearts on and poke the heart on a stick into the top of the tree.

Hacks

If you are still using dryer fabric softener sheets go get yourself some dryer balls. I bought mine at TJMaxx (and you thought I only shopped at DT). I had home made ones made with tennis balls years ago and quit using them because they were so loud. The ones I just bought are not loud at all and I love them.

Garden Pot as a String Holder (countryliving.com)

Scan the barcodes with these apps.

ShopSavvy which will show you the lowes price at top retailers as well as comparisons for other sellers across the internet.

MyNetDiary which takes all the info on the packaging of a food item and assigns a food grade to it from A to D based on nutritional value.

Yuka which analyzes ingredients in food and body care products and flags potential allergens, endocrine disruptors, pollutants, carcinogens and skin irritants. If a product scores low for health or nutrition it will give you other suggestions.

I hope you enjoyed this post and hopefully something useful. See you next month. ( I promise won’t be more than a month. lol)

Posted on

Jingle, Jingle!

Another Happy Holiday season is nearly over. You prep for a long time. Baking, cards, shopping, wrapping decorating, planning the holiday meal and then it seems that the actual time of the holiday flies by in the blink of an eye. Now, is the time I sit back and relax while getting to appreciate my decorations and enjoying my gifts. I bet it is the same for you. This is a short post for December.

Recipes

Jeff Goldblum’s 4 Ingredient Sandwich

rye bread (your favorite kind) ham (again your favorite kind) Swiss cheese Russian dressing

This is just a very good combination. I have loved them and neve would have thought to use a salad dressing like Russian on a sandwich. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Post Thanksgiving Turkey Noodle Soup (lifeloveliz.com)

Turkey bones/carcass Fresh or already cooked 2 Carrots 2 Celery stalks¼ Onion, diced 2 tsp Poultry seasoning 2 tsp Seasoned salt 1 tsp Garlic powder, or ½ tsp fresh 2 tsp Thyme 4 C Chicken broth or water

Preheat oven to 350.

**This step is purely optional but highly recommended. Take all the turkey bones (fresh or cooked), and season the bones with HALF the poultry seasoning, salt, thyme and garlic powder. Baking the bones adds a richness to your broth that you cannot achieve simply from starting out with unbaked bones. Place seasoned bones on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake the bones until brittle (approximately ¾ – 1 hour).

Place all the bones (and juices collected from the baking sheet) in the slow cooker. Add the broth/water. Depending on the size of your cooker, you may have to add a bit more broth/water. You want the bones to be mostly covered so they can simmer.

Turn the cooker to high and let cook for 2 – 3 hours. After that time, give the broth/bones a stir and turn down to low. Cook for a minimum of 6 – 8 hours.

After 8 hours, strain the solids from the broth. Often times there is a lot of meat that can be separated from the bones. Feel free to reserve this meat (away from the skin and gristle ) to use in your soup.

Chop your vegetables (carrots, celery and onion). Add these to the broth along with the meat if you are using it. You can choose to also add stewed tomatoes, small chopped potatoes, etc. if you wish at this point. Use this opportunity to re-season your soup again with the remaining spices SHOULD YOU NEED TO. You might find that the seasoning is perfect for you without the additional seasonings.

Let cook on high for ½ hour. Test for softness of the vegetables. If they are tender, the soup is ready. As a last minute addition, you can also add a can of cooked beans (butter beans, kidney, pinto, etc.) if you wish, simply wait another 10 minutes after adding them to serve your soup so they can warm through.

I followed her recipe but I made my broth by boiling the carcass. This was delicious!

Craft

Champagne Cork Mouse Ornament

I used a champagne cork for the head and neck of the mouse and made ears out of a couple of thin slices off a regular cork. I assembled them with pins to hold the ears down, a metal eye screwed into the top of the champagne cork with string for hanging and finally a piece of ribbon tied around the neck for a scarf. The final touch was to make a face with black Sharpie Marker.

Hacks!

*I have thin skin on my arms and recently received quite an open wound. I wanted a waterproof bandage and found these babies! Nearly $6 for a pack of 10 but well worth it! I have had excellent healing and they are absolutely waterproof.

*Have you ever stained a piece of Rubber Maid or Tupperware with red sauce or some other item? The trick to getting rid of the stain is simple. Put a generous amount of dish soap in the container with 2 or 3 sheets of paper towels and to that add hot water. Put the lid on and shake. That’s it!

*Did you know you can make a simple birdhouse with an old glass or ceramic teapot? Just fashion a chain and hook for hanging and attach it to the handle of the teapot. Hang it up and there you go! (boredpanda.com)

*Magic Shower Spray

2 cups warm water 1/2 cup baking soda 1cup distilled vinegar Stir 1/2 cup blue Dawn dish soap Stir for 2 minutes Dilute with water and add to a spray bottle (about half mixture and half water) Spray, scrub and rinse away the scum!

*If you ever need sweetened condensed milk for a recipe and don’t have a can of the Eagle brand milk you can make your own. 3/4 cup powdered milk 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup hot water Blend until smooth. This makes what is equal to one can of the Eagle brand.

Have a wondeful and joy filled New Year! See you next month!

Posted on

We Prepped. We Came. We cooked. We Ate!

Thanksgiving is behind us but I am still eating leftovers! How about you? I have a mix of Fall and a little Christmas to share with you. Hope you find something of interest and useful in this post.

Recipes

Polish Dill Pickle Soup (simplystacie.net)


  • ▢1 yellow onion chopped
  • ▢2 medium carrots peeled and sliced
  • ▢2 celery stalks thinly sliced
  • ▢1 ½ cup chopped dill pickles plus ⅓ cup of the pickle juice
  • ▢1 ½ lb baby potatoes quartered
  • ▢6 cups chicken broth
  • ▢1 tbsp sugar
  • ▢1 tsp salt
  • ▢1 tsp pepper
  • ▢½ cup milk
  • ▢5 tbsp sour cream
  • ▢2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • ▢Fresh parsley for garnish
  • Add onions, carrots, celery, pickles, and potatoes to the slow cooker.
  • Sprinkle with sugar, salt and pepper.
  • Add chicken broth and reserved pickle juice.
  • Cover and cook on LOW heat for 4 to 6 hours, until potatoes are tender.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, sour cream and all-purpose flour.
  • Add milk mixture to soup and stir to combine.
  • Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot

This sounds unusual but was really delicious. Bonus, Crockpot cooking is my favorite!

Crockpot Bread (diethood.com)


  • ▢2¼ teaspoons (or 1 envelope) active dry yeast
  • ▢1 tablespoon sugar
  • ▢1½ cups lukewarm water, (about 105 degrees Fahrenheit)
  • ▢3¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ▢1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ▢¼ cup basil pesto
  • ▢1 teaspoon salt
  • ▢dried parsley,, for topping
  • ▢kosher salt,, for topping
  • Line a 6-quart slow cooker with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Place yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add water and continue to stir until combined. Add in the flour, olive oil, basil pesto, and salt; stir with a wooden spoon until well incorporated and a shaggy dough begins to form.
  • Turn out the dough onto a floured working surface and knead for 5 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth. IF the dough is sticky, add a little more flour, about one tablespoon at a time. 
  • Place the ball of dough in the slow cooker. Sprinkle the top with dried parsley and salt.
  • Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours or until golden on the bottom. The internal temperature of the baked bread should register at 200˚F.
  • Remove the bread from the slow cooker together with parchment paper and place on a baking sheet.
  • Place the bread under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown on top.
  • Remove the bread from the oven and set it on a cooling rack. Let rest until completely cooled before cutting and serving.

When I went to make this, I realized I was out of pesto. I substituted a little water and Italian seasoning. It was very good. My one son even ate it toasted.

Thanksgiving Leftover Stuffing Waffle

I sprayed my waffle maker with pan spray and then put an ample amount of leftover stuffing in it. I cooked it until it was nice and crispy. Then I topped it with leftover, warmed up gravy. Viola!

It doesn’t really photograph well but damn, it was good!

Crafts

My friend Shelly and I got together and made pumpkins out of pretty fall plates . First we bent the plates in half design facing inward. If you do this project do not actually crease the plate. Starting with the first bent plate we glued it to an empty toilet paper roll. We then glued each plate to the next one and the bend in the plate to the tp roll. I finished mine off with a twisted paper bag as the stem and some little bits of decor. Shelly used wine corks for her stem.

Liquor Bottle Pumpkins

I had seen these pumpkins done with Crown Royal bottles. I got my hands on some Maker’s Mark bottles from my son. He didn’t know what size I wanted so he brought me all 3 sizes and of course, I made a set. I painted the bottles with burnt orange chalk paint. It required 2 coats. For the stems, I covered the necks of the bottles by wrapping them with jute. Just to add a little somethin’, somethin’ I finished them off with a little bit of leaf ribbon I had on hand.

Clay Pot Scarecrow

My cousin had seen this project on Pinterest and wanted to give it a try. With it not being the season for clay pots I had to pay more for them than I would normally. I made a mental note to stock up on them this coming Spring from the Dollar Tree in case another project comes up.

To begin with we cut two long pieces of jute and holding them together put a couple of knots in the center. Then we inserted the one end into the top of a clay pot and turning the pot upside down pulled the jute through to the knot. You may need to more than double knot it depending on the size of the hole at the bottom of your pot. Before setting the other large pot right side up ontop of the overturned pot we used some glue like E6000 or gorilla glue of the same type and a little hot glue to hold it until the permanent glue sets. Pull the jute up through the bottom of the other pot and place on the glue area. ouow you have two pots of the same size with their bottoms glued together and two strands of jute coming out of each pot. These pots form the head and body of your scarecrow and the jute is to attach smaller pots for the arms and legs of your scare crow.

To attach the legs and arms (for these you use smaller pots than the ones that formed the body. )you just put the jute through the holes at the bottom of the pots. of the pots and tie a knot inside each when you have the length you want the appendages to be. After that it is all about the decor to jazz it up and the painting to make your cute scarecrow face.

I hope I have explained it well. If not, please leave a comment about what you need clarified.

Now, onto a bit of Christmas (so far).

My Doggie Advent Calendar

Quite awhile ago I had bought a large, industrial kitchen size muffin tin. It was just different and I thought I could do something with it. I had painted the cups with white chalk paint and the project never really came together like I wanted it to. Off to the craft room closet it went. Then this year I started seeing ideas for making pet advent calendars. I thought about the muffin pan and unearthed it. What do you know? It had 24 muffin cups! I had to touch up the paint a little. I then added one treat for each dog to each muffin cup. I ordered advent stickers from Amazon and cork coasters from Temu. I affixed the stickers to each coaster and using double sided tape i covered each muffin cup. There you have it!

Paperback Book Christmas Tree

I removed the covers, front and back from the book and ripped about a third of the pages off the spine. I made 3 different folds on each page to formn the pages into the shape of a tree. Below I have pictures of each fold for you. Once I had folded each page left on the spine I drizzled hot glue around the tree and before the glue set sprinkled fake snow on the tree. I topped it off with a wooden star.

Fold One

Fold Two

Fold Three

Doilly Christmas Tree

At our November Home Bureau meeting we made these cute little trees with doillies from Dollar Tree. (Hey, you knew I would go there eventually!) The doillies come with 4 sizes and 8 of each size. The first step was to fold the doillies in half and then in half again. Using a little dab of glue to hold the folds together. You do this with one of each size. When you choose the color you want your tree to be you just lightly dry brush the one side of the folded doillies. We also added a little sparkly coat over the paint. Before out meeting, we had each painted a wooden rectangular plaque we ordered from Amazon. They were painted white and distressed using the dry brush technique to give it an aged effect. Your next step is to glue the doillies in place in the plaque leaving room for a star at the top and a tree trunk at the bottom. I used a wooden star painted a pale yellow and a little wooden piece for the trunk. You could make a hanger for it or simply lean it up on something.

Toy Soldier Ornament

Wine corks were used for this project. I painted the corks appropriately for the toy solder and added a screw in eye to the top of the soldiers hat. Then I used red and white twin to fashion the hanger. You could do this with a number of traditional Christmas themes like Santas, etc.

Let’s Talk Life Hacks

*If you’re planning a little getaway and need an hotel room, call to the hotel directly. They often offer cheaper prices rather than having to give an agrigation site like Priceline a cut.

*If you want or need to travel by train consider being a Night Owl. Amtrak offers ultra low fares for trips between stations along the Northeast Corridor from 7pm to 7am. You dan go between Philly and Baltimore for only $5 and between NYC and DC for $20. Check it out!

*Take an online or in person driving course and save up to 25% on your car insurance. I did the online one and you can save your progress and come back to it as you have time.

*Consider getting Walmart+. You get free delivery from the store with orders over $35 and free shipping with no order minimum. You can also save on gas and more.

*Rub wax paper on your shower curtain rod so the shower hooks slide smoothly.

*If you’re making bread or a cake in your slow cooker you don’t want condensation dripping on your batter. Place a kitchen towel over the top of the slow cooker and then put the lid on. Problem solved.

*You can make your own cooking oil spray. Use 1/4 cup water and 3/4 cup oil. Mix together and put in a spray bottle.

*Before you grate cheese spray the front and back of your grater with cooking spray. It makes grating cheese and cleaning up a whole lot easier.

*If your drain is clogged or running slower just pour down a cup of baking soda followed by a cup of white vinegar and let it work its magic. I did i with my toilet and had to do it twice but it worked.

As always, hope you enjoyed this post and leave a comment. (I not so secretly love them.) Enjoy this month and if you’re spending it shoveling, I feel ya!

Posted on

The Colors of Fall Are Amazing!

It has been a busy month. One full of crafting and my first Crockpot of Chili. We had a few cold days and therefore, the chili had to be made. However, today it is 77 degrees and I want a grilled hotdog. Life’s ups and downs!

Recipes

Grandma’s Fudge

All my life we have made my Grandma Nellie’s Fudge. I hadn’t made it in a long time and thought I might make it and add some marshmallow fluff to her old recipe and see what resulted. The recipe card is yellowed and stained. The words are old-fashioned but it’s a great recipe.

1 and 1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup milk

Butter the size of a walnut (the old-fashioned words)

I heaping tablespoon of peanut butter (I use about a half cup)

Cook the sugars, milk and butter to a rolling boil. Stir constantly. Test a drop of the syrup every once in awhile in a dish of cold water to see if it forms a ball when rolled in the water. When it does, you turn off the heat and beat until the mixture thickens. Once that happens add the peanut butter and combine. This time I added a tennis ball size (my old-fashioned words) amount of marshmallow fluff and mixed that in. Finally you pour the fudge onto a pre-buttered plate and allow to set.

Crockpot Tomato Soup (thediaryofarealhousewife.com)

  1. 28 oz Crushed tomatoes, (canned)
  2. ▢30 oz Diced tomatoes, (canned)
  3. ▢1/2 cup White onion, (diced)
  4. ▢1 teaspoon Thyme, (dried)
  5. ▢1 teaspoon Oregano, (dried)
  6. ▢1/2 teaspoon Basil, (dried)
  7. ▢1/2 tablespoon Sugar
  8. ▢1/2 teaspoon Salt
  9. ▢1/4 teaspoon Pepper
  10. ▢2 cups Vegetable broth
  11. ▢4 tablespoons Butter
  12. ▢1 cup Half & half
  • Add all ingredients to the slow cooker. Give it a mix then cover with the lid. Allow to cook for 4-5 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low.
  • Use an immersion blender to blend soup until smooth and creamy. Serve warm and enjoy!

This came out so good! I highly recommend this soup!

Mom’s Pizza Cracker Treat

My Mom used to make these for my brother and I on Friday nights for when we watched TV. There’s nothing complicated or gourmet about these but they are tasty and bring back good memories for me.

You lightly butter one side of saltine crackers. First you add some pizza sauce (don’t over do it) and then add your mozzerella chees and finally a slice of pepperoni. Put on a tray in the oven. Use the broiler setting for 3 to 5 minutes.

I remembered to take a picture when I prepared them but not when they were done. I was having company and the crackers went from baking tray to serving plate asap!

TikTok Ramen (mommymouseclubhouse.com)

I recently tried this after seeing it online so often. It was easy and tasty.

  • 1 Package Ramen Noodles (3.5 ounce)
  • 1 Tablespoon Butter
  • 1 Teaspoon Garlic, minced
  • 1/4-1/2 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 Teaspoon Brown Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
  • 1/4 Cup Reserved Broth
  • 1 Egg, lightly beaten
  • 1-2 Teaspoons Everything Bagel Seasoning
  • Sliced Green Onions, optional
  1. Start by cooking a package of ramen noodles al dente according to package directions. Add the seasoning packet if desired and mix with the noodles. Drain the liquid, reserving 1/4 cup of the broth before draining.
  2. In a separate pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and red chile flakes to the melted butter and cook for about one minute.
  3. Stir in brown sugar, soy sauce, and reserved broth. Bring to a simmer and let cook for about two minutes. Add the cooked noodles to the sauce and toss to combine.
  4. In a small bowl, beat the egg lightly with a fork. Slide the noodles to the side of the skillet and slowly pour in the beaten egg. When it starts to set up, stir to create ribbons of cooked egg throughout the Ramen noodle mixture.
  5. Transfer the cooked ramen noodles to a serving bowl and top with a few sprinkles of bagel spice, sliced green onions, and some sriracha sauce for more flavor!

Crafts

Man In The Moon

For some reason the man in the moon face is a big deal lately. Of course, I wanted one but wanted to make it myself. I found a free downloadable to print. I printed that out and on the back of it I rubbed pencil lead on the paper where the features of the face were. I painted a wooden disk white and when it was dry I lightly sanded it. I put the paper on the disk with the face up and the back side where the pencil rubbing was down. Then I used a pencil to trace the outline of all the features. This transferred the pencil rubbing to the disk. When I removed the paper you could clearly see the outline of the face. Using a paint marker I traced over my pencil transfer and then filled in all the features. I am really happy with how it came out!

Halloween Eyeball Plant

Seeing this on Pinterest a lot and just decided to do it! For the planter I used a black skull that I use to hold a liquid handsoap and put a small block or floral foam inside. I used bbq skewers I had kicking around and deco mesh tubing from the dollar tree to make the stems. The eyeballs were from the Dollar and a Quarter tree also. My handy hot glue gun was used to secure the eyeballs to the “stem”. Once all the eyeballs had stems I pushed them into the floral foam. As you can see in the picture, some of the eyeballs were droopy. That was by design. I used moss t hide the floral foam.

Mop Head Witchy Ghost

This is so simple and cute! All the supplies are from Dollar Tree except the hat which I made from black construction paper. You pick a vase from DT’s that is tall enough to let the mop head hang nicely. First you turn the vase upside down and open up the mophead so that it lays flat on the bottom of the vase and glue in place. This means that the black base of the mophead is sticking up. Don’t worry, the hat hides that part. Using black felt, material or construction paper cut out and glue your eyes on the mop head. (There are many tutorials online as to how to make a witch’s hat or you can just buy one. ) I glued down my hat on top of the ghost, adorned it with some ribbon and a sunflower. Finally, I put an LED tealight under the ghost and there you have it!

Pool Noodle Spooky Candles

You will need a pool noodle, black paint, hot glue, Halloween tealights and any adornments you would like. I used a miter box and a bread knife to cut the pool noodles. The miter box to keep the cuts straight so my candles took nicely. You could make a batch of 5 candles too. I only made 3. It is always more pleasing to the eye to have an odd number in any grouping. After cutting the pool noodles I used the handy glue gun again to form drips on one end of each piece. When you cover the glue and the pool noodle with black paint the glue looks like dripping wax. Before you paint you should hollow out the center if the pool noodle a bit to accommodate the tealight. Once you have done that and painted all 3 pieces (and it is dry, of course) you can glue the three candles together and put something around all 3 to bundle them.

Little Bit ‘O Life Hacks

*Before shopping day, inventory your freezer to see what has been shoved lost to the back/bottom of your freezer.

*Plan one or two meals a week using up what has been in your freezer or on your pantry shelf the longest. (Waste not, want not)

*Flipp is an app that gathers up sales flyers in your area and allows you to see them all together on your phone. You can then pick the best deals.

*Scan freebie websites like FreeStuffFinder, ILFT or FreeFlys. These sites offer samples of name brands that are promoting consumer products. You will have to enter your name, email and street address to get the samples.

*Every year check that the top of your washing machine is still perfectly parallel to the floor. Even off a little bit can tilt the basket and cause the motor and bearings to work harder.

*Clean the drain trap in your dishwasher periodically. It will lengthen the life of your machine and you will have cleaner dishes.

*Don’t open your oven door when baking if you can avoid it. Each time you open the door the oven temperature will lower by 25 degrees. This means using more energy to heat it back up. Use your oven light instead.

*One more appliance thing – cover your sewing machine when not in use. The oil that lubricates the parts can get all gunked up from dust. This cause wear.

Hope that your enjoyed this post. Let’s dive into November and have some fun!

Posted on

Boys and Girls, It’s “Boo” Time!

I am in the mood for Fall with its smells, colors, baking, soups, etc. You name it, I’m in it!I haven’t done as much cooking/baking as I have crafting. Let’s get caught up!

Recipes

When I started traveling to Massachuesetts with my friend, Darcy, I fell in love with Portuguese Muffins or Bolo. They are on the order of English muffins but a bit sweet and denser. We just went up to Mass and all I could find to bring home with me were 2 muffins! I decided I needed to make some. They were yummy and I learned some of what not to do.

Portuguese Muffins (cookingwithmichael.com)

  • 1 package yeast 2¼ teaspoons
  • ¼ cup warm water add a pinch of sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 cups milk warmed
  • 7.5 cups flour
  • ¼ cup butter melted

Re-hydrate the yeast by adding it to a bowl with a pinch of sugar and ¼ cup of warm water (105-115°F). Set aside

  • Warm the milk to about 115°F. The milk should feel warm but not hot to the touch. This will help speed up the time it takes for your dough to rise.
  • Mix together eggs, sugar, salt and milk. Stir to combine. Add in flour, re-hydrated yeast, and butter. Stir to combine, using your hands if needed to incorporate all the ingredients into a wet dough. It will be coating your hands or spoon.
  • Knead the dough for 5 minutes. Let it proof, or rise, until it has doubled in size. This will take any where from 1½-2 hours depending on the temperature of your ingredients and the temperature of the air.
  • Generously coat the countertop with flour. Once the dough has doubled in size, knead again for 3 minutes. After kneading, shape the dough into balls about the size of tennis balls. Flatten the balls slightly into discs about 3 inches in diameter. Place them on a floured baking sheet. Leave room in between each bolo so they have room to expand. Let them rise for about 1½ – 2½ hours
  • Cook the bolos on the stove top in a pan over medium-low heat, about 5 minutes on each side. Then transfer to an oven preheated to 325°F, for 10-12 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 190°F. This will allow the exterior to brown slightly and develop a slight crust and then the interior will finish cooking in the oven.

*I learned that my “medium low heat” for the stove top was not low enough. They mean pretty darn low. I also learned not to let my dough rise to 3-4 times its size. I have double the muffins. Still yummy!

Kale Chips (tastesbetterfromscratch)

I was given kale and I am not a fan so I figured making them into chips would a good treat. I mean, you know, chips. They did have a very good flavor and if you like kale, this is for you.

  • Remove large stems from kale. Chop into chunks and wash well. (I use a salad spinner, which works really great for removing all the water from the kale.) Dry really well! This will make all the difference in allowing the kale to bake up crispy, instead of “steaming” because of water droplets.
  • Place kale in a large bowl. Toss with olive oil, sea salt, and garlic. 
  • Lay flat on a large baking sheet. For best results, don’t overcrowd the baking sheet. (Make these in two batches if necessary).
  • Bake at 300 degrees F for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until crisp. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
  • Serve warm or store in an airtight container to save.

New “Fresh Pet” Style Dog Food (with all the nutrients a dog needs)

3 pounds of ground turkey or chicken

1 small bag each of frozen sweet potatoes, carrots and peas, and spinach

1 cup of rice

2 cups of water

2 cups of bone broth

Put all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low until veggies are done, rice and meat are cooked.

*I had to sub mixed veggies for the peas and carrots this time as the store was out of them.

Craftiness of All Sorts

Denim Coasters

Remember my denim wreath of a previous post? I had the pockets from the jeans I used leftover and of course, I had to save them since they just might come in handy. I made them into coasters.

I cut the entire pocket out of the jeans and not just the front. I cut plastic lids from containers like Cool Whip to fit inside the pocket. Then I sewed them shut when I added the jute like edging. Finally, I added a little ribbon detail. I think they are cute as a button!

Skeleton Candle Ring

I used netting, black leaves, a wreath form, a black charger and the skeleton heads from the Dollar Tree. First I wrapped the netting around the wreath form so I would have a good base to hot glue the leaves on. I then added the leaves until they were nice and full. The skeletons were glued on next and I place the whole thing on the charger. I found the candle at Big Lots and it was the perfect one for this spooky display!

Embroider Hoop Jack-O-Lantern

I had an old metal embroider hoop in my craft room that I used. It was small but I was having trouble finding a book page to fill it as I saw in the example on Pinterest. I ended up using newspaper instead. I simply put the newspaper in the hoop as you would fabric. For the face I used a black ink pad to color some newsprint and then cut the mouth and eyes out. One dab of glue each and it was assembled. This would be a great craft for kids of all ages.

Witch’s Broom

All you need for this project is a plunger and 2 packages of rope from the Dollar Tree. Oh, and hot glue. I am going to insert the link below from the video I used.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNi-03V3-RMhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNi-03V3-RM

Here is my finished product.

Stamped Kitchen Towel

I stamped a plain kitchen towel with an apple and red paint. I put the stamp in each of the four corners. I used fabric paint so that the towel would really be able to be used. I found that after you cut the apple in half it is better to let it sit and dry out a little before stamping. You just coat the half apple with paint and stamp on the fabric. If anything isn’t as clear as you would like or didn’t get enough paint on the fabric you can fill it in with a paint brush. You can use almost any fruit or veggie to stamp. I think I will try a canvas tote next time with a variety of veggies that I could use at the Rarmer’s Market to bring my goodies home.

Wine Glass Witch

I had a Dollar Tree wine glass on hand (does that surprise you? lol). I painted the inside of the goblet portion with orange paint. The stem and base were painted on the outside with black paint. The face was done with the black paint on the outside also. I added a couple of pieces of ribbon to the stem and an LED tea light from (all together now………….) Dollar Tree so the face glowed.

Fall Tree

We made these in our Home Bureau meeting last month. I used a Dollar Tree candle holder for the base. The tree itself was made from a 15 inch styrofoam cone that I ordered online. The Fall leaves I had on hand but you could find them “you know where”. Using hot glue we attached the fall leaves to the cone and any adornments that we wanted. The final touch was to add the little fairy lights.

Spooky Clock Face

You know how I collect things for “just in case”.I had picked up this clock face from a little shop probably a year or two ago. I cut out hands ominously pointed near midnight, added the skeleton hands and some spiders. I have it resting on a little shelf.

Hacking Life One Idea at a Time

  • Pro-tip, if you like condiments like I do you might like this. Heinz is making a pickle flavored catsup. It is YUM!
  • Credit card companies make all their money on outrageous late fees. Set a reminder on your cell phone calendar so you don’t miss a due date and give them some of your hard earned cash.
  • If your insurance company gives you money to spend on OTC items make sure you use them and not let them expire.
  • Keep your block cheese fresh by wrapping the block in a paper towel that has been dampened with white vinegar before you put it in that ziplock bag. The moisture prevents the cheese from drying out and the vinegar’s acidity fights off mold and bacteria.
  • Keep track of National Food Holidays like National Pizza Day which is February 9 and National Coffee Day which is September 29. Many stores and restaurant apps offer specials on these special days that you can take advantage of. On Pi day this year I took advantage of a special for 2 slices of pizza or $3.14 at a local convenience store (with great pizza) and I got my free medium coffee from my favorite coffee shop on National Coffee Day.
  • Go on Facebook and put in the name of your town or county and the words “buy nothing”. Chances are you’re going to find listings of items that people are just trying to give away.
  • If you’re going to travel at Christmas this year, lock in your savings in early October. Average prices for flights bottom out 71 days before mid December. You’ll get your best deal!

I love reading comments to leave one if you can. Hope you found something of use in this post. See you next month!

Posted on

Is it Really Time for Pumpkin Spice Everything Already?!

Yep, I did some shopping yesterday. I saw Pumpkin Spice cereal, candy, cookies, coffee, soup. You name it, I saw it! I mean, I like pumpkin, but not in August and I could totally live without the spice part!

Anyway, I have some Fall (and some others) crafts to share because I am ready for that! Let’s start with my recipes and get this post started! (Did you just hear Pink singing Let’s Get This Party Started or was it only me?)

Recipes

Fresh Corn on the Cob Soup (I know this sounds fall-ish but it is corn season,)

3 to 4 cups of corn removed from the cob 4 medium potatoes, cubed 2 large carrots, sliced 2 large stalks of celery, sliced 1 medium onion chopped 1 teaspoon ground thyme 1 quart corn broth 1 quart vegetable broth salt and pepper to taste

I put all of this into a crockpot and cooked it on low until all the vegetables were cooked. Then I used an immersion blender to make it a little more creamy but still chunky. You can use all vegetable broth or all chicken broth. Really any combination you have will work. I had made the corn broth by boiling the cobs in water after I removed the corn. I am not giving credit for this recipe to anyone because I made it up myself. I loved it and the people who I served it to gave really good reports!

Stuffed Waffles

I bought a stuffed waffle maker as I mentioned in my last post. Finally, I tried it! I stuffed the waffle with scrambled eggs, bacon bits and cheddar cheese. It was delish and also very filling. You could stuff them with fruit, chocolate, peanut butter, and really anything you can think of! You will need the special waffle maker.

Stuffed Tomatoes

It is also tomato season. I stuffed my tomato with tuna salad but you could use chicken salad, cottage cheese and maybe other things. I found the best way to stuff the tomato is really to take out as much as you can of the seeds, etc.

Tortilla Bowls (steamykitchen.com)

I used an oven safe bowl that would accommodate the tortilla. I preheated the oven to 325 degrees. Before putting the tortilla in the bowl I sprayed both sides with cooking spray. When you put the tortilla in the bowl you will naturally have all those little folds. Bake in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes or until bowl is browned and crunchy.

Let’s Get Crafty!

Spooky Skeleton Bottle

You have to use what you have, right? So, I had a wine bottle that had a skull on it. ( I love me some sugar skulls or really any skull.) I added fairy lights and instant Halloween decor.

Bones in a Specimen Jar

I used a smaller size canning jar to which I added water with neon green food coloring. Now, here is my first Dollar Tree reference. Finally, I added bones from DT. I am debating how I did the covering on the lid. I may do something else. If you have any ideas leave them in the comments.

Watering Can

I had several watering cans that I used at one time for a decoration for my front steps. They were all painted black and orange. For this project I repainted one a turquoise color. I suspended fairy lights from the spout and hung it on a small shepard’s hook.

Light Globe Ghost

While thrifting with a friend I found a light globe from a ceiling fan. It was just what I needed to try and make a cute little ghosty! I added some ribbons and eyes, viola!

Serving Tray

For this project I used a 12 inch in diameter wooden disk that was a half inch thick. First, I painted it white and after it dried completely it was given a light sanding. Next, I separated the top ply of a watermelon napkin from DT. Using Mod Podge I coated the top side and edges of the disk. Then the napkin was laid down and I used a brayer and plastic wrap to smooth out the napkin on the tray and down the sides of the disk. A coat of Mod Podge was then put on top of the napkin. When everything was dry I used E6000 and a little hot glue to attach spoons that had been bent for handles to opposite sides of the tray.

Thrifted Bird Bath

I have wanted a bird bath and have seen ideas on how to make your own. I started looking for vintage glassware. For the base I found a divided serving tray with a well in the center for a bowl of dip. It cost $2.99. It was harder to find the vases for the stem that would match up for gluing. DT to the rescue. I bought 2 vases for $6.(So, the bird bath was not totally thrifted really but close.) . There was a little more hunting involved to find a large shallow serving bowl for the actual bath portion. I finally found it at Savers for $3.99. Again I used E6000 to glue the pieces together. I let each section cure for 24 hours before the next section was added. The height of the bird bath is approximately 2.5 feet +. The whole project cost me $13.

Sunflower Screen

At the end of a friend’s yardsale a few years ago I was given a couple of old screen doors. I used one to paint a sunflower on. If you try this do make sure you use a stiff bristle brush as it can better with stand the grating of the screen. The door was originally white and I painted it green. It made the flower stand out more. It is now hanging on my front porch.

Hacking It

*This may not really be a hack but I am sharing it here anyway. I recently learned about a website for exchanging postcards. I collect them so it was right up my alley. I registered on the site and was given a name and address for a lady in Hong Kong. You are also given a postcard ID number which you put on the postcard along with your message. When this lady receives the postcard she will post that using the ID on the website. I will also be getting cards from people by the same process. If this sounds like fun to you, the website is postcrossing.com. I will let you know in my posts when I start getting postcards. By the way, an international stamp costs $1.65.

*Need a home improvement project done inside your house? Contractors are less busy in the Winter and are more likely to give you their full attention and a better deal during the cold weather.

*Everyone seems to know that matinees at the movie are a cheaper way to go but also check to see if any movie theaters near you offer midweek evening specials too. A Tuesday or a Wednesday often is less busy and movie theaters give deals to draw in customers.

*Restaurants often offer more food at a cheaper price for lunch. Pro tip: order at lunch time and take home for dinner.

*Keep track of National Food Holidays! Whether it is National Pizza Day or National Coffee day, you might find deals or even freebies at various restaurants. This past pi day I had a deal at local convenience store to get two slices for $3.14. Check this website to stay in the know, http://NationalDayCalendar.com.

See you next month! Enjoy the rest of your summer and leave a comment. I love to read them!

Posted on

The Dog Days of Summer!

It has been a busy few weeks for me along with a pesky bout with COVID! I do have some things to share with you though. I am stretching my wings and trying some new things. Hope you find something useful or maybe even inspiring!

Recipes

Chilled Corn Soup (crazylaura.com)

This is very seasonal as we are in the thick of corn harvest!

  • 8 ears yellow corn (Note 1 for frozen corn)
  • ▢3 litres / 3 quarts water
  • Corn soup:
  • ▢100g/ 7 tbsp unsalted butter
  • ▢2 garlic cloves , chopped
  • ▢1/2 onion , finely sliced
  • ▢1 celery stalk , sliced
  • ▢1/2 leek , white part only, finely sliced (sub 1/2 onion)
  • ▢1 tsp salt , cooking/kosher salt, plus more as needed
  • ▢1 cup cream , full fat
  • Herb Spice Sachet (Note 2):
  • ▢2 sprigs of thyme
  • ▢1 bay leaf , preferably fresh otherwise dried
  • ▢1 tsp black peppercorns
  • ▢1 tsp coriander seeds
  • Cut off kernels: Cut the corn kernels off the cobs and transfer to a bowl.
  • Corn stock: Cut the cobs in half. Place in a large pot with the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain – it should be 2 litres. If it’s much more , simmer to reduce. If less, top up with water.
  • Sachet: Bundle the bay leaf, thyme, black peppercorns and coriander seeds loosely in a small piece of cheesecloth to create a sachet. Tie with cooking twine to secure.
  • Sauté aromatics: Melt butter in a pot over medium high heat. Add onion, celery, leek and garlic. Cook for 4 – 5 minutes until soft.
  • Cook corn: Add corn kernels then cook for 6 to 7 minutes.
  • Simmer: Add the corn stock and the sachet. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
  • Cream: Add the cream and cook for 3 minutes.
  • Blend and sieve: Remove the Sachet. Blend in batches in a blender on high speed until smooth.CAUTION! Hot liquid + tightly sealed blender lid = soup explosion! To avoid this, either cool before blending. OR remove the lid of the feeding tube in the blender lid. Cover the exposed hole with a folded tea towel as you blend hot liquid. You will see me do this in the recipe video.
  • Strain: Pass through a fine sieve.
  • Adjust salt: Taste and add more salt if needed.
  • Chill and serve: Cool, then transfer to the fridge to chill completely. Intended to be served chilled or cool, but also great at room temperture or warm!
  • How to serve: In shot glasses as a canape, tea cups as a small starter, or bowls as a meal with hunks of crusty bread. Garnish with kernels sauteed in butter with green onion slices and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (basil oil would be even more incredible!).

Taco Tortilla Roll Ups (sugarapron.com)

  • 8 oz Cream cheese softened
  • 4 oz Sour cream
  • 2 tbsp Taco seasoning
  • 1/3 cup Salsa taco or picante sauce
  • 1-2 Jalapenos seeded and diced finely, up to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1 1/2 cups Chicken cooked and shredded
  • 1/3 cup Cilantro finely chopped
  • 6 8 inch flour tortillas
  • In large bowl, combine all ingredients except tortillas until well mixed. Lay a tortilla out on a plate and spread an even layer of the bacon and cheese mixture all the way to the edges (about 2 to 3 tbsp).
  • Roll up tortilla tightly and place on a plate and then repeat until all the ingredients have been used. Pop into the fridge to chill for 2 hour.
  • Slice each rolled tortillas off the ends and set aside. Garnish with additional Cilantro
  • * – make sure your tortillas are at room temperature before you roll them so they are nice and flexible.
  • * -Smaller tortillas may be used, however you will need to adjust the amount of taco chicken and cheese mixture you add to each tortilla.
  • * -If time is an issue, you can skip the refrigeration before slicing or refrigerate for less time. However, for best results, refrigeration is recommended.
  • * -Boiling the jalapenos for a few minutes takes the heat right out of them!

These are easy and a crowd pleaser. When I make them I use banana peppers instead of jalapenos because I don’t like hot. If making them for a crowd I would make some of each. I also leave out the cilantro. (Yes, I am one of those!)

Crafting!

I am trying my hand at watercolor painting. I have always wanted to explore it. It is super helpful that there are many instruction videos online and well written explanations of the techniques such as wet on wet and wet on dry. I am not a Monet but it is fun to learn and maybe improve. I am still on the beginner videos. This was my second attempt and was using the wet on wet technique.

On Pinterest I discovered a technique using Sharpie markers and rubbing alcohol to create art. You use a canvas, (where did I get mine? All together now, DOLLAR TREE!). Then you draw a picture, or pattern, It can be realistic or abstract. Put your rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle and squirt onto the canvas. I tried more realistic but I plan on trying some sort of pattern or abstract one next. It is really fun!

On Facebook I asked my friends if anyone had any old jeans or denim of any type that they were ready to get rid of. They really came through and I did a recycled wreath with strips of denim. I attached some peonies to one area and as summer comes to a close I will switch those out to sunflowers. To make the wreath I used a wire wreath frame, cut strips of denim about 7 inches in length and tied them on the rings of the form. Then simply added the flowers. It is super summery!

Pockets

Not being one to waste anything, I cut the pockets off of all the jeans that my friends gave me. I was thinking I could use them for something. It turns out there are many ideas. I chose a very simple and quick craft for my first project using the pockets. I had a dyecut wooden piece in the shape of a cutting board. I used antique wax to stain it. Used the tie that came with it for hanging. Then I hot glued a denim pocket to the wood and inserted 2 seed packets which I secured with more hot glue. To this I added a little bow and some cute little bees with hot glue to set off the seed packets which were honey bee mixes.

Hacking Away

*Let’s say that some dishes in your cupboards get seldomly used, like mixing bowls. You pull them out to make a batch of cupcakes and find a layer of dust in them. When you are done baking and wash them, before storing put a shower cap over the top. That’s why I save the ones from hotels!

*If you ever want to give your coffee pot a good cleaning, fill it with ice and add a liberal amount of salt. Put the lid on the pot and shake it around a bit, while securely holding the lid on with one hand and the bottom of the pot with the other. Viola! Crystal clear pot!

*Ever hang a sweater or hoodie on a hook and then when you go to use it again it has that awkward bump from where it was hanging? You can solve that with a tennis ball. Use a box cutter to cut an X in the tennis ball, insert it on the hook and no more bumpy sweaters!

*Walmart’s Gadgets to Gift Cards program will give you gift cards for your old electronics like smart watches, cell phones, ipads. The value of the gift cards varies with the age and type of item. Just visit the retailer’s Gadgets to Gift Cards website to get a printable packing label.

*Cluttered email inbox? Start a new email account for only shopping a promos! Also, retailers will often offer you a percentage off if you give them your email. Home Depot was recently gtiving 5% off and American Eagle was giving 10%. Having a separate one for shopping keeps your personal email free of all the promo offers and sales.

Hope you enjoyed this post and I will see you next month with hopefully, more engaging content!f Enjoy your August!!

Posted on

We Are Kicking Off Summer!

With the Memorial weekend we are all setting our sights on all things Summer! I am little by little bringing up all my Summer decor from the basement. Hotdogs, macaroni salad and baked beans are sounding really good right now! My plants that wintered in the house are now happily thriving on my deck. I just can’t help but have my spirits lifted. The only thing I really haven’t enjoyed was the putting away of cold weather clothes and getting the warm weather clothes out. I wish I could have waved a magic wand and had it all done for me. How about you? What gets you in a good mood? What do you dread?

Recipes

Hellmann’s Original Macaroni Salad (itsakeeper.com)

  • 1 pound Macaroni, uncooked elbow
  • ▢1 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise
  • ▢¼ cup White vinegar
  • ▢⅔ cup White sugar
  • ▢2 ½ tablespoons Yellow mustard
  • ▢2 teaspoons All Purpose Seasoning
  • ▢1 Onion, finely diced
  • ▢2 Stalks celery, finely diced
  • ▢1 Green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
  • ▢¼ cup Carrot, grated
  • ▢1 teaspoon Celery seed
  • ▢4 Hard boiled eggs, chopped
  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
  • Add the macaroni, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes.
  • Rinse under cold water and drain.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard and House Seasoning Blend. Stir in the onion, celery, green pepper, carrot, celery seed and macaroni.
  • Gently fold in chopped eggs.
  • Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving, but preferably overnight

*I made this and it was soooooo good!

French Salad Dressing (from my Mom’s recipe box)

1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup ketchup (or catsup, lol) 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup white vinegar salt and pepper to taste

*French dressing and Catalina are my favorites. If I am ever out of the store bought, I can whip up a quick little substitute.

Cheese and Pepperoni Balls (bisquick.com)

2 cups of Bisquick 1/2 cup of water 1 cup diced pepperoni 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Mix together and shape into balls the size of walnuts. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. This makes a nice little appetizer.

Cousin Linda’s Veggie Salad (obvioulsy, cousin Linda)

Marinade

1 cup sugar 3/4 cup white vinegar 1/2 cup oil 1 t. seasoned salt

Bring to a boil. Let is sit for 5 minutes. Then pour over veggies and let it sit overnight.

Veggies

1 c. small peas 1 c. corn 1 c. french style green beans 1 c. chopped onion 1 c. chopped green pepper 1 c. chopped cucumber 1 c. chopped celery

Crafts

I have been doing a little crafting. I bet that doesn’t shock you!

I have a couple of old wooden ironing boards that I picked up and thought I would use for something one day. I found a use for the one pictured above. I tore off the padding and there was a picture someone had painted on it. I sanded that off and stained the board with antique wax. The sunflower decal was from Amazon and I made the “Hello” with my Cricut. I fashioned a burlap bow for the top and now I have a cute porch sign.

Both of the above “flowers” were made using canning lids and rings. The first image has a hanger to put it on a wall or window. The second one I made a stem and leaves for. It works well in a bud vase. To start with I used pinking shearers to cut strips of fabric about 8 to 9 inches long. Once that was done I folded the strip in half, put the folded end under the ring and brought the cut ends over the ring and looped it through the closed end. I did this over and over until the ring was completely covered. The next step was to cut a circle of burlap a little bigger than the canning jar lid. I placed the burlap on top of the lid and worked it into the ring. It took a little effort but it worked. For the hanging flower I used a piece of jute tied to form a loop and hot glued it to the back of the canning lid. For the stemmed flower I used wired jute from the Dollar Tree to form the stem. I bent it twice at the top to conform to the canning ring and hot glued it at both bends to secure it. The “ribbon” was from the Dollar Tree as well and I just tied it to the wired jute.

Hacking This Life

  • The next time you are bothered by nagging worries write them down on a piece of paper, rip it up and toss in the trash. The brain handles thoughts as though they are objects, so ripping up your troubles encourages your brain to discard them and move on. One study indicated this could help with anxiety in 15 minutes.
  • Here are some used for those wine corks other than crafts. You can put them on the tip of your knitting needles so your already knitted fabric doesn’t slip off of the needle. You can safely store knives in your drawer by cutting a slit in the end of a cork and inserting the tip of the knife into the slit. If you wish to cover the whole blade just cut a slit lengthwise in more than one cork and place the blade into the slits. Cut some corks in half and then grind them in a food processor and mix the little bits into your potting soil, The little bits of cork will absorb excess water when you are watering your plants. Then as the plant dries out the cork will slowly release the water. Have any cupboard doors that shut with a bang? You can slice a cord in 1/8 inch or so slices and glue a slice to the inside of the cupboFard door. Silence!
  • For the fluffiest scrambled eggs cook your whisked eggs over medium high heat but instead of keeping the pan on the burner the entire time, shift your pan on and off the heat in 5 second intervals. This keeps the eggs from drying out and over cooking.
  • Sheet pan dinners are all the rage lately. To make your life easy, match your protein cooking time with the cooking time of your veggies. For instance, chicken works well with carrots, turnips and potatoes. Beef and pork work best with beets, brussel sprouts and cauliflower. Fish cooking time pairs well with asparagus and broccolini. Remember to drizzle with olive oil and line your pan with parchment paper!

I hope there was something useful for each of my readers! Please leave a comment. I love reading them. See you next month and enjoy the sunshine!

Posted on

Looking Forward to May Flowers

We certainly have had a lot of showers in April and judging by that, we should have a lot of May flowers.

I am going to do a recap of the Eclipse party I had as well as the snacks, crafts and hacks as usual. Where were you for the eclipse?

My son was home for a couple of days and I was able to try some new recipes which I am excited to share.

Recipes

Whole Roasted Cauliflower (ketocookingchristian.com

  • 1 medium head cauliflower
  • ▢¼ cup olive oil
  • ▢¼ cup parmesan cheese, divided
  • ▢3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • ▢3 garlic cloves, grated
  • ▢1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ▢½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ▢1 teaspoon salt
  • ▢½ teaspoon ground black pepper

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.Wash your cauliflower and trim the stem and leaves, making sure you don’t cut off any florets.Place the head of cauliflower in a dutch oven, casserole dish or large pot, stem side up.In a small mixing bowl, add in all the remaining ingredients and whisk to combine.Pour half the mixture on the underside and brush to get in between the florets.Flip the cauliflower over, brush the remaining mixture all over the top and sides, making sure the entire cauliflower is coated.Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Then remove the cover, increase the temperature to 425°F and bake for another 15 minutes or until fork tender and golden.Allow to cook slightly, then slice into wedges and serve.

The cauliflower came out so moist and flavorful. I would highly recommend this recipe.

Omelet in a Waffle Maker

This was so easy and fun. We really enjoyed them and will definitely do this again.

Crack 2 eggs in a bowl and mix them as you would to make scrambled egss. Then you add any ingredients you desire in your omelet. We used small ham chunks and shredded cheddar but the sky is the limit. Just add what you love. When the waffle maker is hot just pour your mixture into the waffle maker. I did spray my waffle maker with cooking spray. Close the lid and wait for the magic to happen. There is a soft little pop as the egg expands. I checked for the right amount of doneness a couple of times until I was happy and used a fork to remove the omelet. Let me know if you try this. Kids, especially, would love making them!

Black Bean Burger (buildyourbite.com)

  • 2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • ▢½ cup chopped yellow onion
  • ▢3 cloves garlic
  • ▢1 egg
  • ▢½ cup panko style bread crumbs
  • ▢½ cup oat flour
  • ▢¼ cup powdered parmesan
  • ▢1 teaspoon cumin
  • ▢½ teaspoon salt
  • ▢½ teaspoon pepper
  • ▢½ teaspoon paprika
  • ▢1 teaspoon chili powder
  • Drain and rinse the black beans, shaking off any extra water
  • Add the black beans, diced onion, and garlic cloves to a food processor
  • Process until the onions and garlic are combined into the beans and no chunks remain. The mixture should resemble refried beans
  • Transfer the black bean mixture to a large bowl. Add the egg, bread crumbs, oat flour, parmesan, cumin, salt, pepper, paprika, and chili powder.
  • Mix well to combine
  • Form the black bean batter into 6 burgers. If you want a thicker burger, you can make 5 instead of 6.
  • Coat a skillet with olive oil, and heat to medium heat
  • Cook the burgers for 5 – 8 minutes per side, until browned on both sides

These were delish and held together as well as a beef burger and maybe better.

Leave Alone Chicken

2 pounds of chicken breast salt pepper olive oil

You will need to tenderize the chicken breast. If you don’t have a meat tenderizing mallet, just use the bottom of a glass. Once they are tenderized, season both sides with the salt and pepper. Heat your skillet (I used an iron skillet) to medium high. Once the pan is hot, add enough olive oil to swirl around and coat the bottom of the skillet. Gently put your breasts in the pan in a single layer. Cook on one side for about a minute or until there is a little brown. Now turn your breasts over, turn heat to medium/low and cover with a lid. Cook for 10 minutes and using a thermometer, check to make sure chicken is at least 165 degrees. If it isn’t, just recover and cook for anothe minute or two. Recheck and you should be up to temp.

This was so moist and juicy. I will use this method from now on!

Crafts

Bee Wreath

I am sure you won’t be surprised that I made this using a bee wreath form from Dollar Tree!

I used bulky black yarn to go all around the body, head and wings of the bee, gluing where I needed to secure it. I then used regular black yarn to wrap around the antennae. This was difficult and I think if I were to do this again, I would just paint them black. From the thrift store i obtained a black and yellow stripped baby blanket which I cut to fit for the bee body and hot glued in place. For the head I had some black sheets of foam. I cut those to fit and glued to the back of the head as well. I had black and yellow ribbon from Dollar Tree in two styles, polka dot and stripe. I cut those in approximatelly 5 to 6 in pieces usinng the shark tail cut. I twisted them in the center and made kind of a V. Then I glued each of these to the back of the wings. Finally, I added a flower to finish it off. This whole thing was done in under $10.

Beehive Wall Hanging

The hive form came from Dollar Tree as well. I hot glued burlap to the back of the frame. Then used rope to cover the lines of the wreath that give the hive definition. I used that black foam sheet again to make the entrance to the hive and put rope around it. To finish it off, I added a messy bow and some bees.

April Showers Bring May Flowers Wreath

To begin with I wrapped blue yarn around 2/3 of the 10 inch wreath form to mimic the sky. The remaining 1/3 was wrapped in green to symbolize the grass. The yarn was secured using hot glue where needed. Once that was complete I cut clouds out of a white foam sheet and added some gray for definition. I used small jewels strung on thread to imitate the rain. The final touch was to add the May flowers!

Buffalo Bills Shirt

I live in Bills country and you have to have the appropriate attire for football season. I created this shirt now so that come August the the pre-season games begin, I will be ready!

I used my Cricut Explore 2 to create the iron on transfer.

Easter Bunnies

I wanted to do a little something for some friends for Easter and I came up with the idea to make bunnies. The fabric was some I had on hand and so was the ribbon. I made a template and used chalk to trace the shape onto the material. Using pinking shearers, I cut each one out. I sewed them (leaving a little opening to add the stuffing) and stuffed them (after this I sewed up the little opening) and added the ribbon.

Eclipse Party

I had several treats for the event that I want to share with you.

I had a craft, a crossword puzzle, and a worsearch for fun, The craft was a total eclipse on black construction paper showing the corona. I also created mugs using mugs from the Dollar Tree and using my Cricut. The mugs had the eclipse and the date on them.

Eclipse wine provided by my friend, Shelly.

Brownies cut in the shape of suns and moons.

I used crescent roll dough for these.

Hacks

Ever try to put your usb in the socket and it is the wrong way which means you have to turn it over and try again? Mark it with a sharpie marker on the correct side indicating “this side up”.

*I think most of us try to carry too many shopping bags at once to save us a second or third trip to the car. Just use a caribiner to hold all the bags and you just hold onto it.

(peoplish.com)

*Have you ever struggled with putting a new key on your keyring? It turns out that it is easy to avoid that struggle. Just use a staple remover to hold it open and once your key has started it’s journey onto the keyring, just take the staple remover off.

(peoplish.com)

*If your candle has burned down low into the jar and you don’t have one of those long lighters, you can use a piece of spaghetti to light your candle.

(familyhandyman.com)

*If you have seeds left from planting this year you can keep them good for next year by placing them in their packets in a small storage container and add a couple of silica packs which will keep the seeds from germinating over the months. I always save the silica packs from purses and other things I buy because there are many uses for them.

(familyhandyman.com)

I have tried these hacks and they do, in fact, work.

Hope you enjoyed this post and found something of use! See you next month! Don’t forget to leave a comment or two!

Verified by MonsterInsights