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We Are in the Thick of It

Memorial Day kicked things into gear and now we are heading toward July 4th. Picnic food, reading a book on the deck, yard games and bicycle rides are on the agenda. Of course, there have to be some crafting going on too. So let’s get to it!

Recipes

Breakfast Burritos

8 inch flour tortilla wraps eggs, cooked your way cheese, your favorite veggies, cooked and your favorite meat, of your choice cooked Salsa for dipping or topping (optional)

Just warm the tortillas a few at a time wrapped in paper towels for about 20 seconds in the mircrowave. Then on the bottom part of your tortilla, layer your ingredients allowing for a lower edge that will be folded up. So don’t place ingredients all the way to the lower edge. Once all your ingredients are in place fold up the bottom edge, then each side toward the center, one at a time. Then complete the burrito by folding over the top. Place on a cookie sheet with wrapped edge down. Bake at 350 degrees to crisp up the tortillas and there you have it! You can also freeze leftovers or keep in the fridge for a few days. It makes an easy grab and go breakfast.

Pizzatilla

8 inch flour tortillas pizza sauce pepperoni or sausage (or both) mozzarella cheese peppers and/or onions (sauted)

Just lay your tortilla flat on the cookie sheet. Put your sauce on and your cheese. Add the meat and veggies as desired. Put in the oven at 425 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes to melt cheese and crisp up the tortilla. Enjoy!

Crockpot Mac and Cheese (everydayfamilycooking.com)

I shared one recipe a few posts ago but this one is a little different as it useds Velveeta cheese and cheddar. It turned out really great. I just finished the leftovers.

  • 16 ounces elbow macaroni
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 stick butter cubed
  • 6 ounces evaporated milk
  • 16 ounces Velveeta cheese cubed
  • 1 cup sharp shredded cheese
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
  • cooking spray
  • Spray the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. 
  • Cube your butter and Velveeta. 
  • Add all of the ingredients to the crock pot. Stir to incorporate all of the ingredients, making sure all of the noodles are damp. 
  • Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 1.5 – 2 hours. Stir it a few times throughout the cooking time to keep the Velveeta and butter distributed as it melts. 
  • Test the noodles at 1.5 hours, and if they are not al dente, then continue to check on them in another 30 minutes.
  • Turn the crockpot off and serve.

Pizza Crack Appetizers

crackers butter pizza sauce pepperoni or sausage mozzarella cheese grated parmesan cheese

My Mom used to make these for my brother and I when we were little but they are great for people of all ages. A few to nosh on with an adult beverage is a good thing. They are so easy to make and look cute on a tray.

Just put a little butter on each cracker. Add a spoonful of sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and top with the meat of your choice. For a little extra zip you can add a little parmesan to the top. Broil in your oven for 3 or 4 minutes until cheese is melted and cracker crisp.

Crafts

Cute Calendar

I saw these in a shop and thought, “I can do that!” and so I did. I ordered small clipboard from Amazon and some Black card stock which measured 5″ by 7″. You could use a stencil for the numbers and color them in. You could also buy sticky numbers pre-made. I used my Cricut to cut vinyl numbers out and then realized a problem with the transfer tape being so sticky it clung to the card stock. A friend of mine suggested I use a sheet from a lint roller to transfer the vinyl and that worked perfectly. Anyway you choose to do it will be fine.

Area Code Sign

Once again, I saw this in a shop and then I made one. I bought a piece of wood 3/4″ by 1 and 1/2″. Then I cut 5″ piece off. I sanded the rough edges, gave it two coats of paint, sanded the edges a little once the paint was dry to give it a worn look. Using my Cricut I cut out the numbers for our area code and affixed them to the painted wood. I think it is CUTE!

Firecrackers!

To make this cute little firecracker decor is super easy. We purchased wood that was 1 1/4′ square and cut pieces in 10″, 8″ and 6″. As you can see one was painted red, one white and one blue. Before they were painted the rough ends were sanded and a small hole to hold the pipe cleaner wick was drilled in one end. Once the paint was dry we added a wooden star cut out which can be painted or not with your preference. I just put a light coat on mine. I hot glued each firecracker together and then glued the star on, just a little off center. The final touches were to add the pipe cleaner wicks and wrap the jute around and tie the ends with a bow. You can customize in any way such as; sparkly colors, different wicks, ribbon not jute. You get the idea. However you choose to do it, it will be super cute!

Hacking Away

*Need a quick dewrinkle of a collar or some little spot and don’t want to get out the ironing board and iron? Use your hairstraightener. It works like a charm!

*Need an emergency heating pad? Just fill a sock with rice, put a knot on the open end and heat in the mircrowave for 2 to 3 minutes. Viola!

*Freeze leftover coffee in ice cube trays and then used them for your iced coffee. It adds a little zip and doesn’t water down your iced coffee.

*When packing for a trip put your shoes in those cheap plastic shower caps. The rest of your clothes will be protected frrom dirty shoes.

*Did you know you can turn two ziplock bags into one big one if you need it? Yep! Just turn one bag inside out and then you can seal them together (one tiny note, put your item in one bag first and then pull on the next bag from the opposite end and fasten together).

As I always say, thank you so much for reading and I hope you can use something I have shared. See you in July!

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Fall Is My Favorite!

I love the smells, the colors, the spices, the recipes, the harvests, and the decorating,basically everything about Fall. What is your favorite season? Do you tend to really do it up big when it arrives? As you will see, I do!

Recipes

Peach Dump Cake (shesnotcookin.com)

2 pounds peaches, peeled and sliced

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1 box (15.25 oz.) Yellow Cake Mix

1/2 cup melted butter

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Peel and slice peaches. (I like to leave one with the skin on and peel the remaining peaches).
  3. Add sliced peaches to a small mixing bowl. Add in brown sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and cinnamon. Stir well to combine.
  4. Transfer peach mixture to prepared baking dish.
  5. In a separate mixing bowl, combine melted butter and cake mix. Use a pastry blender (or clean hands) and stir until a crumbly dough forms.
  6. Sprinkle on top of peaches in baking dish. Top with coarsely chopped pecans.
  7. Bake in 350°F oven for 40 to 50 minutes, until top is light golden brown and peaches are bubbling at the sides.
  8.  Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Sweet Potato Muffins (goodinthesimple.com)

  • 3 cups of mashed sweet potato, see below for instructions
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ cup ground flaxseed meal, optional
  • To prep the sweet potatoes (this can be done a day or so ahead if you want to break up the muffin-making process): Pierce the potatoes with a fork and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 45 minutes, or until the inside is soft when poked with a fork. Remove and let cool. When the potatoes are cool, peel off the skin and mash the sweet potato filling with a fork or masher until any big lumps are gone. Measure out 3 cups worth of filling.
  • To make the muffins: In a large bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and then add the sweet potato.
  • Pour into muffin tins/cups. If using flaxseed, sprinkle on top of the muffins. Bake at 325 for approximately 30 minutes.

White Chicken Chili (deliciouslysprinkled.com)

  • 2 large chicken breasts
  • 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 can corn undrained
  • 10 ounces can Rotel tomatoes with green chilis undrained
  • 1 packet ranch seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 Tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ cup water
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • Spray bottom on crockpot with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Place the 2 chicken breasts on the bottom of the crockpot.
  • Add black beans, corn, rotel, ranch seasoning, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and water. Mix everything.
  • Place the block of cream cheese on top. DO NOT MIX.
  • Cook on low for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours. 
  • Stir and shred chicken. Serve and top with toppings.

Notes: This was so delicious that I would have eaten it with a straw until I burst! I didn’t have Rotel so I used diced stewed tomatoes. You can top with anything such as avocado, sour cream, fresh tomatoes, or shredded cheese. My pro tip would be to use chili cheese Fritos! It was to die for.

TikTok Viral Breakfast Wrap

You need to watch this video and try it! Quick and yummy.

Crafting Like it’s My Job

Denim Feather Earrings

Ghost With Wine Glasses

I bought two wine glasses and two multi-colored skulls at Dollar Tree. I turned the glasses upside down and glued the skulls to the bottom of the glasses. I am going to put LED candles in the bottom as soon as Amazon gets them to me. I have them on either side of my tv and not where pictured in this photo.

Skull Sunflowers

I bought sunflowers from Dollar Tree and then glued skulls in the center for a spooky bouquet. I used a clear glass vase filled with black stone.

Pink Ghosties Bouquet

I found these white leaves at Dollar Tree and cut little pink ghosties out of felt. I glued the ghosties on wooden skewers and viola!

Ghost and Candy Corn Stuffies

I used muslin and cut our several ghostly shapes with pinking shearers. I sewed them together leaving an opening. I then stuffed them with fiber fill, sewed up the little opening and put a face on with a black fabric marker. For the candy corn I used burlap cut in the shape of the candy and used the same process to sew and stuff. I used acrylic paint to put the traditional colors on.

Dragonfly

I used a table leg and painted it black. To cover the metal screw at the top and to make a head, I used a plastic bottle roughly in the shape of a lightbulb, painted it black as well and glued it to the top of the leg. To add some bling, I painted a couple of areas on the table leg with gold paint. I then went to work on four discarded ceiling fan blades. The fan blades were cleaned and dried thoroughly. I used 3 different colors of spray paint to jazz them up. Finally I screwed the fan blades onto the table leg. I used paint to cover the heads of the screws. To make a hanger I stapled some wire to the back of the dragon fly about 2/3 up the leg.

Hacks

  • Fruit flies are a particular problem this time of year. I put a little wine or vinegar in a small dish. To that I add a little dish soap. The bugs are attracted to the wine or vinegar and the soap kills them. Works like a charm.
  • Preserving your pumpkins is easy. Fill your sink with water. Add about a cup of white vinegar. You know you have enough when you can smell the vinegar. The ratio is about 10 parts water to 1 part vinegar. Place your pumpkin in the mixture. Clean it and then let it sit in the mixture for ten minutes. If your pumpking couldn’t be fully immersed in the sink, just turn it over and let the side that hadn’t been covered now soak for ten minutes.
  • If you want your house to smell like Fall you need look no further than your slow cooker. Fill the slow cooker with water. To that add a handful of cinnamon sticks, rind from 2 or 3 oranges, 2 tablespoons of whole cloves, and 3 to 5 whole bay leaves. Simmer away on low!

Hope you found some fun ideas and please make that chili! I guarantee it will knock your socks off! See you next month!

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March Comes In Like a Lion and Goes Out Like a Lamb……….Maybe

Recipes

Crockpot Chicken Dinner

This is one of my toss it all together, taste test along the way, and have dinner recipes. All ingredients are “approximate”.

3 skinless chicken breasts

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup of white rice

2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables

Water and chicken broth (1 part water to 2 parts chicken broth) enough to cover all ingredients.

Salt and pepper to taste.

I cooked on low for 5 hours

It was delicious and made its own gravy. I ate it just like it was but you could put it over biscuits or potatoes, whatever sounds good to you.

Crockpot Vegetable Soup

4 cups vegetable broth

1 bag of mixed cauliflower and broccoli

1 small bag of mini carrots

1 russet potatoe cut up

1 T. garlic minced

1 onion diced

1 small can of stewed tomatoes, not drained

1 can of tomato paste

2 stalks of celery diced

1 bay leaf

salt, pepper, Italian seasoning to taste

I put everything in the pot and cooked on low overnight. I adjusted the seasoning by added a little more of each and it was lunch! It is always better to start with a little seasoning and then add a little at a time. Once you put it in, you can’t get it out again! LOL

Bacon Wrapped Crackers (peartreekitchen.com)

  • 54 buttery crackers , like club crackers, about 1 ½ sleeves
  • 16 ounces thinly sliced bacon , cut into thirds
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • Take bacon out of the refrigerator and allow to soften slightly.
  • Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
  • Prepare a baking sheet with sides by lining with non-stick foil or parchment paper. Spray foil or parchment with baking spray.
  • Cut bacon slices into three pieces if using regular bacon, or cut slices in half if using center cut bacon.
  • Wrap one bacon piece around one cracker. Repeat with all crackers.
  • Lay on the baking sheet with seam side down. These can be placed close together, but not touching. Repeat with all crackers.
  • Sprinkle the top of each wrapped cracker with brown sugar. Do not use too much or it will run off and create a hard caramel layer. Repeat with all crackers.
  • Place into preheated oven and cook for 30 to 45 minutes. Longer may be required for crisper bacon.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
  • Move to serving tray and enjoy!

Praline Candied Bacon (giftofhospitality.com)

I have not made this but looked up the recipe after I had it at a local restaurant, Music For Your Mouth. It is amazing! This is not their recipe but I am sure it is similar. I am buying bacon today!

INGREDIENTS  

  • 1 lb thick cut bacon
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ½ cup very finely chopped pecans INSTRUCTIONS 
  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and top with a wire rack. Lay the bacon in a single layer on the wire rack (it can touch slightly but not overlap).
  • In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard. Use a pastry brush to brush the half the brown sugar mixture over the bacon.
  • Bake the bacon for 20–25 minutes, or until the bacon is mostly cooked through.
  • Remove from the oven and flip the bacon onto the other side. Brush the bacon with the remaining brown sugar mixture. and sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top, pressing gently with a spatula to adhere if necessary.
  • Return to the oven and cook until the bacon is very crisp, about 5–10 more minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Serve immediately.

Hacks

*I am cleaning pennies for a 50th anniversary gift and this works great. Just put the pennies in a dish and cover with any citrus juice like lemon and add salt. Allow to sit for 15- 20 minutes and then scrub with an old toothbrush to get off all the gunk! Dry with a soft cloth. This works with any coin.

*When reheating leftovers, create an empty circle in the middle of the food. This empty space will help the food heat up more evenly.

*Taking something apart to fix it? Take a photo before you start. This will give you a visual reference when putting it back together.

*Ever get a ring stuck on your finger? Spray some Windex around the area. It will slide right off.

*When making any toasty sandwich like BLTs, place two slices of bread together in a single toaster slot. This way, the bread gets toasty on the outside, but stays soft and chewy on the inside.

*Need a quick measurement but don’t have a ruler? Use a dollar bill. It is 6 1/8 inches long. You can get a rough length measurement that way.

* There’s a trick to keeping your refrigerator clean. Line the shelves with plastic wrap, waxed paper, etc. When there are spills just replace the liner.

*You can take the crumbs left in the bottom of a chip bag and save them in a jar. Just puree them in a blender and they can be used as a coating for fish or chicken.

*Don’t have an apple corer? You can use a winged corkscrew instead. This works great! Try it with baked apples.

*Amazon return bag trick, what you say is this? My hairdresser sharedn this with me. Thanks, Kim! Just watch, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG5M9S56LDM

Craft Cache

It’s been a bit of a crafty time. I either have to give more away or get a bigger house!

Several years ago in a ceramics class did these bird houses. The base they were on broke but I saved them for future use. I finally found a use! I hot glued them to the bottoms of some small clay pots I had and put some moss around the base. I haven’t decided if I want to to any embellishment to the pots or not. I kind of like the plain look. What do you think?

This banner is Dollar Tree (more accurately, Dollar and a Quarter tree but I am not bitter at all! Grrr) all the way! I started with the plain banner and then added some pastel little bunnies that I painted. I had this adorable plaid pastel ribbon from DT too, so I just added a little bow. It is cute and was super quick to make. Painting the bunnies took the longest and that wasn’t too long at all.

This cute little bookmark is made from a square of scrapbook paper. Watch the video to see how simple it is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEwl0fvqo18

This adorable carrot was all Dollar Tree too. I started with the wooden carrot cutout from which I removed the jute hanger. I painted the carrot orange, the raised part of the carrot top white and the trim was painted lime green. I then used a dollar tree napkin (that I took the top decorated ply off bottom plain ply) and decoupaged it too the raised carrot top. I used orange burlap ribbon to wind around the carrot, securing it with hot glue. Finally, I added that sweet little bit of carrot ribbon to the top of the carrot. The jute hanger went back on and there you have it!

Isn’t this bunny adorbs?!! 3 of us got together and made these wreaths. The form was a bunny head and ears from DT. First, I wrapped bulky pink yarn that my friend, Shelly, shared with me, around the entire form. You can either tie a knot to anchor the yarn or use hot glue. Next was the black and white check fabric in the center of the ears. I cut two rectangles of the fabric that were slightly larger than the ears and glued them to the back of the ears. After the glue dried I cut the excess fabric off so you couldn’t see it from the front. I fashioned a messy bow using four pieces of ribbon, two black and white check and two pink. The bow was then glued to the wreath slightly of center. The final touch were some flowers in a deeper pink. I took the larger flowers off the stem and hot glued them, centering more toward the left ear. To finish it off, I added some stems of smaller flowers. You can make a jute hanger that will be hidden behind the ears.

The egg wreath form was from, you know where (DT). The rope and embellishments were purchased there as well. I anchored the rope with hot glue and wrapped the entire form with it. The embellishments were added and I made a messy bow from ribbon I had on hand which was glued slightly off center, at the top.

I hope this post finds all of you doing well and that you saw something of interest in it. Share your thoughts, etc, in the comment section and see you next month! Thanks, as always, for reading.

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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!!

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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!

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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!

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St. Patrick’s Day Switches to Easter!

Wow! We just were decorated for St. Patty’s Day and we need to switch to Spring/Easter decor. We only have 13 days! I am a massive decorator. I do it up for Cinco de Mayo and any other holiday that comes down the pike. Do you love to be festive too? Please share in the comments.

I have some recipes and crafts to share with you that are appropriate for this month. Here’s hoping you see something you find interesting.

I am switching the order of my topics a little to spice things up.

Hacks for Your Life

*Are you still pouring your pasta water down the drain? You may want to stop that and save it! If you’re making bread the pasta water has starch and the flavor from the pasta in it and will give the bread a depth of flavor. You can also use pasta water to cook your rice. It will add flavor and a richness to the rice. The pasta water can be used to thin out to thick of a sauce like marinara or as broth in soups. Another use is to let the water cool and water your plants with it.

*Did you know you can use fabric softener sheets for many reasons other than in the dryer? Used dryer sheets make great dustclothes and you can ward off gnats and mosquitos. Just put a fresh dryer sheet in your pocket and leave just a little sticking out. These pests hate the smell! Discourage dust from collecting on your tv just by wiping it down with a used dryer sheet.

*Ever have cloudy glass bottle or the like? You can clear that up with rubbing alcohol. If the opening is large enough to get your hand in you just use a paper towel and the alcohol to wipe that cloudiness away. If the opening is too small you can pore some rubbing alcohol in the bottle and by covering the opening with your hand you’re able to twirl it around in the bottle. Clouds gone!

*If you have ever wanted to reuse a Cool Whip other container for a project but that printing on the container annoying? You can use nail polish remover to get all that off.

*If you would like to get your wooden cutting board really clean and free from smells and food residue just rub it with coarse salt and let it sit for 15 minutes. Ta da!

Recipes

Sweet Potato Muffins (goodinthesimple.com)

Ingredients

  • 3 cups of mashed sweet potato, see below for instructions
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ cup ground flaxseed meal, optional

Instructions

  • To prep the sweet potatoes (this can be done a day or so ahead if you want to break up the muffin-making process): Pierce the potatoes with a fork and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 45 minutes, or until the inside is soft when poked with a fork. Remove and let cool. When the potatoes are cool, peel off the skin and mash the sweet potato filling with a fork or masher until any big lumps are gone. Measure out 3 cups worth of filling.
  • To make the muffins: In a large bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and then add the sweet potato.
  • Pour into muffin tins/cups. If using flaxseed, sprinkle on top of the muffins. Bake at 325 for approximately 30 minutes.

These are very tasty without being overly sweet. This is also a good way to use leftover sweet potatoes.

Veggie Pot Pie in the Crockpot (lifecurrents.com)

Ingredients

Pot pie filling:

  • 1 large onion
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 medium Yukon gold potatoes
  • 6 medium carrots
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • ¼ cup dry white wine
  • 3/4 cup frozen peas thawed

Dumpling Biscuit Crust:

  • again, I’m not sure that this will work in all crock pots. still testing, but included for those that it has worked for in the past
  • 1 & ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 & ¼ teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 2 & ¼ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoons salt
  • ¾ cup buttermilk

Instructions

Make filling:

  • Finely chop the onion. Add chopped onions, oil, salt, and pepper to the bowl of a large slow cooker, cover, and turn on high while you prepare the rest of the veggies.1 large onion,3 tablespoons olive oil,1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt,½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Chop the potatoes into ½-inch dice. Make sure they are all fairly uniform in size so they cook at about the same rate.3 medium Yukon gold potatoes
  • Peel and chop carrots into ¼-inch thick slices.6 medium carrots
  • Add chopped potatoes, carrots, and broth to the slow cooker. Cover and turn to low. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.3 cups vegetable broth
  • After filling has cooked for 6-8 hours, and veggies are tender.
  • In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter in the microwave, about 30 seconds. Stir the ½ cup of flour into the butter, and mix the 1 ½ cups milk, dried thyme, garlic powder, and wine into flour. Stir with a whisk until most of the lumps have dissolved. Don’t worry if you have some left, they will disappear into the pot pie.1 tablespoon unsalted butter,½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour,1 ½ cups whole milk,1 teaspoon dried thyme,2 teaspoons garlic powder,¼ cup dry white wine
  • Stir the milk-flour mixture into the veggies in the slow cooker, fully mixing it in.

Make biscuit dumpling crust

  • In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the buttermilk to the dry ingredients in the bowl, and mix until a loose sticky batter forms, and all ingredients are combined.1 & ¼ cups all-purpose flour,2 & ¼ teaspoons granulated sugar,2 & ¼ teaspoons baking powder,¾ teaspoons salt,¾ cup buttermilk
  • Drop the biscuit crust batter by large spoonfuls onto the top of the pot pie filling in the slow cooker. Leave the lid off and cook for 1 hour on high.

Finish pot pie:

  • Stir the thawed peas into the pot pie filling, (remove one of the biscuits from the top if necessary to get at the filling). Taste the filling for salt and pepper.3/4 cup frozen peas thawed
  • Serve the pot pie while hot. Garnish with additional fresh thyme if de

This recipe was super scrumptious! So much flavor and the dumpling crust was to die for!

Leftover Mashed Potato Soup (togetherasafamily.com)

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 4 cups leftover mashed potatoes
  • 1 cup shredded medium cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or more to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (or more to taste)

Garnishes for Serving

  • sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, bacon, sliced green onion

Instructions

  • In a large pot, over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Once melted slowly sprinkle in the flour, while whisking constantly, until it forms a thick paste texture.* This should take less than 30 seconds of constant whisking. You don’t want to burn it. Just mix until it’s combined and turns into a thick paste.* Have the flour measured out and ready to go before starting the recipe. Same thing with the milk, have it measured and ready to pour.
  • Add the whole milk and whisk together to combine. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes, while whisking frequently, until it has thickened.
  • Add the vegetable broth and bring the pot of soup to a simmer (low boil on the edges of the pot).* If needed, turn the heat up to medium to bring the soup with the broth to a simmer (a slight boil). Watch carefully and whisk it frequently to avoid the milk from burning.
  • Add the mashed potatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine everything together and to melt the cheese.
  • Soup is ready to serve when it’s thicker and the cheese has fully melted into the soup. Serve with chopped bacon, additional shredded cheese, sour cream, and sliced green onions.

Green Velvet Brownies (plainchicken.com)

Brownies

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened
  • 3 Tbsp butter, softened
  • 1½ cups powdered sugar
  • ⅛ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottom and sides of a 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease foil.
  • Microwave chocolate chips and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. 
  • Whisk in sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking just until blended after each addition. Gently stir in flour, green food coloring, baking powder, vanilla, and salt. Pour mixture into prepared pan.
  • Bake for 44 to 48 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 2 hours).
  • For the frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and salt, beating until blended. Stir in vanilla.
  • Lift brownies from pan, using foil sides as handles; gently remove foil. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting on top of brownies, and cut into 16 squares. Garnish, if desired.

I made these as dessert for our traditional cornbeef and cabbage dinner for St. Patty’s Day. They were a big hit. I would say that they are chocolatey but not as much as tradition brownie. I actually liked that fact.

Loaded Mashed Potato Bowls (budgetbytes.com)

Ingredients

  • 6 cups prepared mashed potatoes $2.17
  • 2 cups frozen corn kernels* $1.49
  • 1 15oz. can can black beans $0.79
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder** $0.10
  • 4 oz. cheddar, shredded $1.00
  • 1/2 cup BBQ sauce $0.68
  • 2 green onions, sliced $0.22
  • 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional) $0.33

Instructions

  • Allow the corn kernels to thaw, or heat them through if you plan to eat the bowls immediately. Rinse and drain the black beans, then add them to a bowl along with the chili powder and stir until the beans are coated.
  • To build the bowls, place about 1.5 cups mashed potatoes in each bowl, then top with about 1/2 cup corn kernels, 1/3 cup black beans, about 1/4 cup shredded cheddar, 2 Tbsp BBQ sauce, and a sprinkle of sliced green onions and jalapeño.
  • Serve the bowls immediately, or refrigerate until ready to eat. To reheat, simply microwave until the mashed potatoes are hot and the cheese is melted.

I made this recipe but switched it all up due to having a mixed group of people (vegetarian and none vegetarian). I used a white biscuit gravy in place of the BBQ sauce. For toppings we used the green onions, shredded cheddar, sour cream, bacon bits, and chives. Each person created their own bowls and topped what they wanted.

Cheesy Cauliflower Soup (realhousemoms.com)

Ingredients

  • 32 ounces chicken broth
  • 1 head cauliflower green part discarded & cut into chunks
  • 1 cup leeks diced
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Garnish

  • Cooked and crumbed bacon
  • Green onion or chives chopped
  • Shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

  • Add chicken broth, cauliflower, leeks, garlic, and pepper to a 6-quart slow cooker.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours.
  • Add everything from the slow cooker into a blender, cover, and pulse until smooth. (or use an immersion blender right in the crock pot.) Add the blended soup base back to the slow cooker.
  • Add in shredded cheese and heavy cream. Stir until the cheese is melted into the soup. Check the seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper to taste. (I usually add about a 1/4 teaspoon and a pinch of pepper.)
  • Portion soup into bowls and serve topped with bacon, cheese, and chives, if desired.

I love using my crockpot for soups! It is so easy and it makes the house smell wonderful! I used some corn broth that I had made and frozen instead of the chicken broth. I gave some to people and they are loved it. It was very savory and delish!

Crafts

Leprachaun Hat

I belong to a Home Bureau and we get together to do a project once a month. We also, socialize and share a meal. It is a great time. For our February meeting w made this little cutie.

We used a 6 inch clay pot and corresponding tray. First we painted the pot and tray green and allowed it to dry. The black stripe at the bottom of the pot was painted and added after that. We had tried to use felt or ribbon for the stripe but with the way the pot narrows at the bottom it was too hard to make it lay flat. The shamrock was a scrapbook sticker and the buckle on the hat was thin gold ribbon that I cut and hot glued in place. I stuffed a little more than half the pot with tissue paper and then used coins from the Dollar Tree to top it off.

Stackable Bunny

The Dollar Tree was selling these stackable eggs in their Five Dollar section. (I think they’re going to have to change the store’s name.) They also sold them in all white. I stacked them and then used this fluffy wired yarn stuff I had on hand to wrap around the bottom of each egg. Then I used a Dollar Tree bunny ears headband and hot glued just the center portion to the top. Lastly, I added a bunny tail (one guess where I bought it) and put the bunny on a silver charger.

Spring Wreath

I used a wooden beaded wreath, flowers and ribbon from the Dollar Tree to make this wreath. I hot glue the bow and the flowers in place and made a hanger out of ribbon. I am not sure I will leave the hanger on because it seems to draw out the beaded circle and it looks more like an oval.

Paper Straw Egg

This, along with a bunny shape, was our project for Home Bureau this month. We used a wooden cutout from Dollar Tree from which we removed the jute hanger. We hot glued the straws onto the cutout. Some of us measured and cut before we glued them down and some just glued the straws on and using an exacto knife cut the excess off after glueing. I added a bow and a little bunny cutout that was painted to match the bowl. Of course the little bunny had to have a tail too! The piece is displayed on a plate stand. I haven’t quite finished my bunny but will share it next month.

See you next month and have a wonderful beginning to your Spring! I love to get comments so leave one.

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February Means Hearts, Groundhogs, Presidents and Mardi Gras

Most of my crafting this month has been about hearts. However, I did celebrate Groundhog’s Day with my t-shirt, coffee mug and flag outside. This is the time for warm comforting food, sweaters, and appreciating loved ones. Here’s hoping you’re having a cozy time and living life to your fullest!

Recipes

Tomato Basil Soup (pamperedchef.com)

I have a cooking blender but this recipe could be translated to any mode of cooking and/or the use of a submersion blender.

1/4 c. water or low sodium vegetable broth

1 tsp. salt

2 Roma tomatoes

1- 28 oz. can of whole tomatoes

1/2 medium onion

2 cloves of garlic

After all items have cooked and blended add 1/4 c. fresh basil and blend again.

So simple. So fresh. So tasty!

Lacking a cooking blender I would simmer all ingredients on the stove until onions and Roma tomatoes are cooked to tender. Then using a submersion blend, blend until smooth.

Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup for the Crockpot (eatingonadime.com)

  • 1 lb. extra lean ground beef Browned and Drained
  • ▢½ yellow onion chopped
  • ▢1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • ▢5 cups chopped green cabbage about half of a medium sized head
  • ▢32 oz. low-sodium beef broth
  • ▢2 cans tomato sauce 14.5 oz each
  • ▢1 cup shredded carrots
  • ▢1 bay leaf
  • ▢2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • ▢1 tsp. Salt
  • ▢1 teaspoon pepper
  • ▢1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
  • ▢2 cups cooked white or brown long grain rice
  • Place everything but the rice in the crock pot. Cook on low for 6 hours.
  • 15 minutes before ready to eat, remove the bay leaf, stir in the cooked rice and serve

When I made this I used ground turkey and put the rice, uncooked, in about an hour before completion. You could easily make this vegetarian by using plant based crumbles and vegetable broth.

Turkey Tenderloin in the Crockpot (beafitmommy.com)

  • 24 oz Turkey Tenderloin
  • 1.5 pounds small yellow baby boomer potatoes
  • 2 cups carrots
  • 2-4 TBSP Olive oil
  • No salt seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Place potatoes and carrots in slow cooker.    Drizzle olive oil, no salt seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper and stir together making sure each potato and carrot is coated. Top veggies with the Tenderloin. Cook low for 7-9 hours

When I made this I cooked it on high for a couple of hours and then lowered to low for 3 to 4 hours. I’m impatient!

Crafts

It has been all about hearts for my crafting this past month!

Wooden Heart

I used a wooden heart from the Dollar Tree (you had to know, right?) and painted the edges red. I had some pretty pink dotted fabric which I used decoupage to affix to the heart. All I added was a fabric rose. Simple but oh, so sweet!

I filled the two holes on a, (all together now), Dollar Tree heart cutout with wood filler. Then when dry I sanded. I painted the heart pink but you could use any Valentine color or combination of colors. I also had 3 wooden cubes from DT which I painted pink and glued to the bottom of the heart. As a finishing touch I put a sparkly glaze on the little heart stand and used some themed items to decorate it. I makes a nice centerpiece.

I had, from last year, a metal heart and two porcelain figures I had purchased at a vintage shop. I put together this sweet little piece and all I added was a heart sticker and a little ribbon.

Also, from DT last year, I had a rippled metal heart. I “aged” it with some brown watered down stain. Then I added a wooden heart, painted red, and a black and white checked bow.

The final project we created in our Home Bureau group. Each of us had a different way of making our mobile and the all turned out cute. For mine, I painted a wooden dowel pink and when dry used a drill to drill and hole on each end. I then added the jute to create the hanger for the mobile. Now, onto the hearts! I used a wooden shape as a template and traced four pink hears and six red hearts from felt. After cutting them out I used embroidery floss to blanket stitch around the outside. Before going completely around, I added fiber fill to make the hearts fluffy and then finished stitching. I closed off by pulling the floss into the center of the heart, pulling it taunt and then cutting the floss. The end disappeared into the center of the heart. I used red and white twine to create the hangers for the hearts by inserting the twine using a needle through the center of each heart, tying the two ends together over the dowel. Each heart was at a different length from the dowel. Finally, I took a black and a pink fabric marker and created the face on each heart. I was happy with the piece and would like to create one next year using the typical heart shape.

Let’s Do Some Hacking

  • Want to clear snow off your car quickly? Use a leaf blower! Now, this won’t work completely, obviously, with ice mixed in but it would still save you some time. With a light fluffy snow it would completely do the job.
  • For a relatively short flight ( of less than 500 miles) check out Amtrak. They have discounts and offers that can make the train way cheaper than a flight. Also, people over 65 get a ten percent discount. Another way to save on Amtrak is to travel between 7pm and 5 am. Go to Amtrak.com/nightowl to find deals on overnight routes.
  • When traveling, skip those rest stop burgers. Use Roadfood.com to find regional diners, clam shacks, and other local places. Yelp, Tripadvisor and Foursquare also advise on local places where you get the local experience and pay less.
  • When looking for appliances and used furniture, surplus remodeling supplies and othe furnishings look for a nearby Habitat for Humanity ReStore location.
  • Foam soap is just soap and water. Make your own using an empty foam soap bottle. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of your favorite liquid soap and the fill the bottle with water. Such a great savings!
  • Puzzled by “sell by dates’, “best if used before dates”, ” use by dates” and “freeze by dates”? Here’s a crib sheet. Sell by tells stores how long to display a product for sale but is not a safety date. Best if used by or before dates indicated when a product will be in it’s peak flavor and quality time. A use by date is the final date a product is estimated to be at it’s peak quality. The only exception is infant formula. In that case that date is set in stone. A freeze by date indicates when a product should be frozen to maintain peak quality. It is not a safety date.

Hope there was something useful for each of you who read this post. See you next month! Will next month be potatoes, shamkrock and stew? Who knows?!

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