Posts

Posted on

The Contest Is On!

We have turned the corner and now it is officially Fall! Fall is the time when a homeowner’s fancy turns to “The Contest”. What is that you ask? It is the time of year when you compete with your past and with others. It is the battle that separates the truly hearty from the mere posers. It is the ultimate battle of wills which you enter into with the cold temps, the dampness and your furnace. How long can I last without turning on my furnace? “Aim high” is my motto with at least a November 1 finish if not further. I must admit that I can stand the chill but when it is chilly and damp in the house my resistance begins to fade. Let the wagering begin! Keep in mind that I am very stubborn! However, I have lost to “put another sweater on” Karen in previous years.

Recipes

Crustless Zucchini Pie (kitchenfrau.com)

  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) oil (I use grapeseed oil)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup (140gms) flour (or 2/3 cup brown rice flour plus 1/3 cup potato starch or cornstarch)
  • 1 teaspoon  baking powder
  • 3 cups (720ml) grated zucchini
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 cup (240ml) grated cheddar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch deep-dish pie pan or baking dish. In a large bowl whisk together eggs, oil salt and pepper. Add the flour and baking powder and stir just until moistened. Stir in zucchini, onion and grated cheese. Spread into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 55 minutes, until starting to get golden brown at the edges and the center is fully puffed up. Insert a knife into the center and if it comes out clean, the pie is done.

Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

Serves 6.

Banana Cake Mix Muffins

Cake Mix Banana Nut Muffins (thelazydish.com)

  • 1 box yellow cake mix or you can use chocolate
  • 3 large very ripe bananas
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (you can switch this up to another type of nut or chocolate chips)

This simple muffin recipe is always a hit! Plus you feel a little bit better about it when it’s loaded with fruit and nuts. Simply mix everything together, pour the batter into a lined muffin pan, and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. (I used a banana cake mix and it was fantastic!)

Baked Oatmeal (pampered chef)

This recipe was wonderful! I served with fruit but syrup is also an option. Warm this is just simply BEYOND!

Alfredo Sauce (snappygourmet.com)

  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese good quality freshly grated (see note below)
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper (optional)
  • Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt butter, then stir in minced garlic cloves. Cook about 1 minute or until garlic is soft and fragrant, stirring constantly.
  • Slowly add the heavy cream to the saucepan, whisk until cream comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 3-5 minutes or until it starts to thicken.
  • Stir in Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper until smooth and thick.

Hacking Away

*Recently, I had a slow drain situation in my kitchen sink. I poured a half cup of baking soda and 1 cup of apple cider vinegar down the drain. Then I put the plug in and left it that way for a few hours while I was gone. Presto! Change-o! Drains like a charm now!

*Sometimes you run into a bottle (in my case a vintage medicine bottle) and it has all that cloudy white stuff inside. The fix for that is to put some automatic dish soap in it with water and let it sit for a bit. It really cleans it up nicely. When I worked in an airport terminal cafeteria we cleaned the coffee pots with automatic dish soap and ice. Just swirl around a bit and it looks brand new.

*I know I have shared before how hydrogen peroxide is great for taking out blood stains. It is also wonderful at taking out stains from fruit. I remembered this when I came home with a bag of raspberries and sat it down on my upholstery covered dining room chair. (Imagine my surprise when I picked up the bag and saw a stain larger than a softball.) I keep my peroxide in a spray bottle. I grabbed that and sprayed the stain liberally. I let it sit a few minutes and it was gone.

*Do you ever get confused the phrases, sell by, use by, etc.? I do so hear this is to clear it up!

Best if used by/before – indicates how long a product will have the best flavor or quality. It doesn’t relate to safety or purchase date.

Sell By – this tells the store how long to offer the product for sale and for inventory management. It is not related to safety.

Use By – This the last recommended date the product should be used to be at its peak quality. It only relates to safety when used on infant formula.

Freeze By – This is the date by which a product should be frozen to maintain peak quality. It doesn’t relate to safety.

The answer to how long food is good or how to know when it is bad, is to use your senses rather than dates. Does it look bad? Does it smell bad?

Crafting Into Fall

Little Red Wagon

I had this little red wagon in my Christmas decor. I borrowed it for Fall and made two pumpkins using a roll of toilet paper, two bandanas, two pieces of driftwood and floral wire to make a little piece of vine coming from the top. I then made a messy bow for the front corner. There is a DIY from all Dollar Tree items to make a wagon also. You could also use any fabric you wanted to make the pumpkins. Just cut a square big enough that you can gather all the material up around the roll of toilet paper and tuck in the center.

Haunted House

All of the items to make this came from Dollar Tree. I painted a pizza pan with yellow acrylic paint and the haunted house wood cut out with black. Using E6000 glue and a few dabs of hot glue to hold it until the E6000 cured, I glued the house to the pizza pan. I used hot glue to glue the Jack-O-Lantern to the house and the bat to the moon. The bad was a clip on that came in a set of 4. I broke the clip off the back before attaching it. I made a haunted tree out of black, glittery craft stems (pipe cleaners) and glued it beside the house. I am just leaning mine but you could easily make a hanger on the back if you would like.

Chair Cushions

I collect those old wooden folding chairs like churches and firehalls used to have. Whenever I see them at a sale I pick them up for a reasonable price. They get used for extra seating when needed. I made cushions for them. I purchased bandanas from Dollar General and 11 inch by 1 inch thick square foam pieces from Walmart. I sewed the two bandanas together for each cushion. On the fourth side I sewed in a folded over piece of bias tape on each corner. That enabled the cushions to be tied to the backs of the chairs.

Hanging Decor

A friend gave me this cloth bag that she picked up from an estate sale. I just love the “chilled” lead shot! Anyway, I wanted to display it so I put a neat piece of driftwood in the bag and inserted some faux eucalyptus with it. I then used the sisal to tie it securely at the top of the bag. The sisal at the back of the bag provided a nice hanger.

Evil Lurking

So, check out the roof over the porch. What evil lurks at this house?

See you next month! Have a great one. Hope something struck your fancy in the blog post today and thanks for reading. Leave a comment! I love them.

Posted on

Astoundingly Busy August

Wow! I have had multiple things each day. Has it been the same for everyone else? A friend of mine thinks it is because Winter is coming and Covid might be an issue so we are trying to fit in everything we can, while we can. She may be right. Chances are there is more than one factor at play. However, the end result is that I have been busy, in every facet of my life. If it has been the same for you, take a load off in peace and quiet for a few minutes and read my blog post. Deep breaths everyone!

Recipes

It has been really hot so there has been a minimal amount of cooking in my house but I do have a couple for you.

Mixed Fruit and Nut Cookies *Martha Stewart

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped dried apricots
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped dates
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped macadamia nuts
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped pistachios
  • Step 1Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
  • Step 2Put butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until smooth. Add sugars, and mix until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs one at a time until combined; mix in vanilla.
  • Step 3Reduce mixer speed to low. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in coconut, apricots, dates, macadamias, and pistachios.
  • Step 4Drop batter, 2 heaping tablespoons at a time, onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven; transfer cookies on parchment paper to a wire rack to cool completely.

These cookies were quite possibly the best cookies I have ever made. I don’t care for coconut or pistachios that much and I had a couple bags of dried fruit and nut mix on hand that included cherries, raisins, walnuts and a couple other items. I simply added up the amount of fruit and nuts in the recipe (which came to 7.5 cups) and used the corresponding amount of the mix that I had. It worked wonderfully. As I always do, I took them out of the oven a couple of minutes earlier then called for in the recipe. In this case I took them out at 13 minutes. However, that is just my oven so you would need to try your first sheet of cookies, watch them and the time they are done to your taste and finish the rest accordingly. This recipe makes more than they say it will. That was not a bad thing!

Baking Mix Peach Cobbler

  • 1cup Original Bisquick™ mix
  • 1cup milk
  • 1/2teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2cup butter, melted
  • 1cup sugar
  • 1can (29 ounces) sliced peaches, drained
  • Heat oven to 375°F.
  • Stir together Bisquick™ mix, milk and nutmeg in ungreased 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish. Stir in butter until blended. Stir together sugar and peaches; spoon over batter.
  • Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until golden.

This recipe was DELICIOUS! I used a store brand of baking mix since that is what I had on hand and it worked just the same. So, don’t be afraid to try that.

Brick Chicken

I fix chicken thighs in a cast iron skillet with a little olive oil and the seasonings on the chicken that I like. Brick chicken is simply a great way to get a even sear and a crisp chicken. You simply place a slightly smaller skillet or grill (I used cast iron) and place it directly on top of the chicken in the pan. Then weight it down with two or three cans from your pantry (don’t worry, the contents won’t cook) and cook your chicken!

I have several different categories of hacks this month so I decided to divide them up, unlike I usually do.

Kitchen/Cooking Hacks

When making brown rice or quinoa use tea infused water for a little extra flavor. Earl Grey or Chai seem to be two most popular.

Keep your plastic wrap in the fridge. It is much easier to come off the roll and to cut when cold.

Spray your measuring spoons with pan spray. Everything comes out so much cleaner.

Tomatoes last longer when stored stem side down.

Ripen fruit faster in a paper bag. This works so well for avocados, bananas and peaches.

Freeze cheese before grating. The whole process is so much easier!

If you need powdered sugar and are out of it. Just put regular sugar in a spice or coffee grinder, pulsing it until you get the consistency of powdered sugar.

When using products from a box, cut the corner off to use as a pour spout.

If you are removing kernels from cobs of corn, place the cob in the center hole of a bundt or angel food cake pan. The kernels automatically fall into the pan and you don’t lose any.

If a wooden spoon gets a little gunky, sticky or stinky, as they sometimes do, you can fix it. Use baking soda to clean your spoon or other wooden utensils and always when storing wooden utensils, wipe them dry and rub with a small amount of olive oil.

If your homemade marinara is a little acidic for your taste just peel a whole carrot and simmer it for a bit in the sauce. The carrot will absorb the acid.

Everyone gets the meal kit discounts or freebie offers in the mail or email. Use the good deals to try the services and just remember to cancel when your deal expires.

Check out the front and back pages of your grocery store sale flyers. They feature products called “loss leaders” where the grocery store actually loses a little money in order to bring you into the store. Try to use these items for your week’s menu and to stock up on non-edible items.

I was going on a road trip and wanted iced tea. I had plenty of bottles of water so I put a tea bag in each bottle and let it sit overnight. I had great drinks for the road. Here is a photo from when I first put the tea bags in.

No description available.

Around the House Hacks

When trying to put a suction cup to a pane of glass we usually wet the cup a little. Vaseline works much better and doesn’t dry out allowing suction cup to fall. Use a thin coat.

When hanging something on the wall that has more than one hanger, use a piece of paper to make a map of the back of the object, marking where you need nails. Use the stencil on the wall so you know where to put your nails or other hangers. You can do this right through the paper and then just rip the paper down.

You know those unsightly water stain marks you get sometimes on your ceiling? Save repainting by just mixing a solution of 9 parts water to 1 part bleach and using a spray bottle to spritz the area. The stain should disappear in a few days.

Saving a Little Money Hacks (and who doesn’t like that!)

Buy a lifetime National Park Pass if you are 62 or older. It is only $80 and well worth it. Your whole carload gets in for free at 423 sites that the Park Service oversees.

When traveling ask locals where to eat. They will give better advice than the hotel desk.

Any reusable bottle can get through the TSA check as long as it is empty. Just fill it in the restroom or water fountain (once they are usable again) and save money on expensive airport bottles of water.

Clean your car wiper blades to make them last longer and clean better. About once a month wipe them off with rubbing alcohol and then clean the windshield.

Get no cost service at auto parts stores. If you buy windshield wipers, batteries or the like at a parts store the sales staff will install them for you.

If a chat window pops up on your computer desktop when you are shopping online don’t be afraid to say that you are interested in an item but the price is a bit too much. Haggling still works!

If you use the ShopSavvy app you can scan the barcode on an item in the store and see if it is available at another store for a better price.

Ask about safe homeownership discounts on your house insurance. If you haven’t made a claim in a long time your company might discount the cost of your insurance, sometimes as much as 20%.

When printing out things from your computer use ink stingy fonts to save on ink cartridge replacement. Fonts like Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman and Century Gothic are ink guzzlers. Use light or condensed versions instead.

Find freebies on Facebook. Join a Buy Nothing Facebook group. There a many group pages in your area where items are up for grabs for free!

Use the warehouse section of Amazon to get better deals in multiple categories.

When getting a prescription filled ask the pharmacist if you are getting the best price (some automatically check for you) or use a pharmacy discount site like GoodRx. You can also use it for human medicines prescribed for you pet.

If you aren’t at higher than normal risk for cavities you might only need x-rays every 2 years. Ask your dentist about this.

Calling all Crafty People (or wanna be crafty people)

Two of my friends and I got together to paint rocks. We painted some to assemble like a turtle and others to be cacti. We used art brushes and acrylic paint. Since ours were going to be outside we sprayed them with a clear coat to protect the color.

I painted a plain clay pot to look like a head and face. In addition to the face color I painted eyes, eyelashes and lips. A headband, wooden bead for a nose, and sunglasses were added to complete the project. I coated it completely with a clear coat to protect it from the outside (before adding the sunglasses and headband). I put a corkscrew bush in her and her name is Carla.

For the next project I purchased a bin and 5 sets of rope from Dollar Tree. Using my hot glue gun I went around the bin with the rope, gluing as I went. Once done,using hot glue, I added the butterflies that I had on hand. I am using it right now to display my vintage road maps.

I went to a cute little shop selling vintage things with a friend and bought 3 little glass tubes. It inspired me to use a vintage door plate and doorknob that I had saved to make this little cutie. I just made a hanger from a piece of jute and securely glued the doorknob in place. I would like to find a skeleton key to dangle from the doorknob to complete this project.

A friend of mine and I saw a pineapple made out of sunflowers in a store for $25. Of course, we didn’t want to pay that much so we set about figuring a way to make one ourselves. We collected sunflowers from the Dollar Tree and found something to use as the top of the pineapple. But then, how to make the base? I knew we had to cut it out of cardboard but we needed something to make it 3D. We ended up using a small pineapple decor piece from the Dollar Tree. We removed the tinsel from it and just used the plastic base, since it was kind of crowned, in the center. We put this on top of some bunched up newspaper and wrapped the hole thing in burlap ribbon. To that we added the flowers one at a time with hot glue. The flowers were super easy just to pull of the stems. Then we used what we had for a top and applied a little glue to the bottom of it and stuck it into the newspaper. We were able to do this between the flowers at the top of the piece. We each made a bow out of our choice of ribbon. I used burlap as you can see. I fashioned a hanger with floral wire to the back and it is on my front door.

I have a lot of fun sharing with you. It is my hope you have a little fun reading too! Leave a comment. I love them! Also, be sure to sign up so that you get an email notification whenever I make a new post (which is once a month). Enjoy the wind down of summer!

Posted on

Monsoons?

As you might surmise from my title, we have been getting some rain lately. I don’t wish to not have any rain at all but a little better ration in the rain/sunshine ratio would be nice. In any case, my yard loves it (my mower does not).

Let’s get right down to business this month. I have some things that I hope will be of use.

Hackin’ in the Rain

  • If you have broken something glass it is always difficult to get it all up from the floor and can be downright scary if you have pets, children or go barefoot. I have recently stumbled on a solution. Take a slice of soft bread and press it on the floor like a stamp to pick up all the tiny shards. It really works!
  • If you would like to try a little twist on your traditional meatloaf recipe add the croutons from a stuffing mix instead of your bread or cracker crumbs. Then proceed normally. It gives the meatloaf a nice flavor and is just good for a change of pace.
  • I don’t know about you but I have always struggled with grilling burgers. It seems that I always start a fire! It makes me nervous and I feel like a novice! Recently I have started doing what my Mom did forever and wrapping my burgers in foil to grill them. I season them with salt and pepper and add a slice of onion if I want it, wrap them up in little packets and toss on the grill. You still get a nice flavor. You don’t start fires and it seems quicker and juicier to me. A win/win!
  • I just want to add in here a little reminder about the flashfood app. I am continuing to use it and really recommend that you give it a try. Here is a link that you can start with the app and save $5 on your first purchase. https://flashfood.app.link/pG2ylLdayhb
  • You can add two eggs and a half cup of oil to any cake mix to make a cookie dough.
  • If your shoes smell bad you can put them in a plastic bag and place them in the freezer overnight. The cold will kill the bacteria.

Slip, Slidin’ in the Kitchen (tastesbetterfromscratch.com)

Tomato Pie
5 roma tomatoes , peeled and sliced

▢10 fresh basil leaves , chopped

▢1/2 cup green onion (or red onion), chopped

▢1 9-inch pre-baked pie crust

▢1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

▢1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese

▢3/4 cup mayonnaise (or half mayo, half Greek yogurt)

▢2 Tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Place the tomatoes in a colander in the sink in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and allow them to rest for 10 minutes.
  • Use a paper towel to pat-dry the tomatoes and make sure most of the excess juice is out. (You don’t want wet (juicy) tomatoes or your pie will turn out soggy).
  • Layer the tomato slices, basil, and onion in pre-baked pie shell (see my note above in the post about how I prepare the pie crust.) Season with salt and pepper. 
  • Combine the grated cheeses and mayonnaise or Greek yogurt together. 
  • Spread mixture on top of the tomatoes and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. 
  • Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving.


I tried this for the first time when I had my vegetarian friend for dinner. We both enjoyed and I definitely will make it again! It will certainly get done when our local tomatoes are ready. I would love to try beefsteak tomatoes in the recipe as well.

Potato Soup Mix in a Jar (themakeyourownzone.com)

  • 1-3/4 cups Instant Potato Flakes
  • 1-1/2 cups Instant Dry Milk Powder
  • 3 tsp Chicken Bouillon Powder
  • 2 tsp Dried Minced Onion
  • 1/2 tsp Celery Salt
  • 1/4 tsp White Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Dried Thyme
  • 1/8 tsp Turmeric
  • 1 tsp Dried Parsley Flakes
  • 1 Tbl Dried Chives
  • Stir together all the ingredients.
  • Place the mixture into a food processor and process until the mixture is more powdery.
  • Store the mixture in a jar with a tight fitting lid.
  • To make the soup: Boil one cup of water and then stir in 1/4 cup of the soup mix.

This is definitely happening in my house for Fall and Winter use. I guess I better order some jars! I am going to research other flavors of soup to stock my pantry with. Stay tuned!

Splashing the Crafts!

My outdoor furniture needed new cushions but oh my, have you checked the prices of those things?! You might as well buy a new furniture set in its entirety! I decided to make slipcovers instead. I was shopping online looking for outdoor fabric and found a really fun pattern at Walmart that was on sale for $3.86 a yard. That is a good price for outdoor material! I purchased 5 yards. I made the covers like pillow cases so they could easily be taken off and washed. While using I just tuck the ends in like an envelope. It works perfectly. I couldn’t find material at a reasonable price to cover my pillows. Since the furniture cushions themselves are rather busy, I wanted a solid fabric that would compliment them. Since I couldn’t find the material I wanted I order green pillow covers. They haven’t come in yet but I am sure they will look nice when they do.

You know how I adore the Dollar Tree store! My next project utilized materials entirely purchased at DT!

I used one foam wreath form, flip flops (child size), burlap ribbon, three coordinating flower blossoms and a flamingo ornament. I simply wrapped the ribbon around the wreath form using hot glue to affix the ends. Again, using hot glue I attached the flip flops around the form, attached the blossoms and finished it of with the cute little flamingo! I hung it on my front porch.

Last but certainly, not least, I made a necktie wreath for this Fall. My friend, Shelly, gave me some ties to use. I chose to go with red and blue colors as much as possible.

I started by cutting approximately two thirds of each tie off (cutting the narrower end), leaving just enough to wrap around the wreath form and have the larger end of the tie sticking out from the wreath. Then using hot glue I wrapped the piece around the wreath form and secured. To make the wide ends of the ties stick out from the wreath form and not flop down, I glued a craft stick to the underside of each wide tie end. Here is the result! I really do like how it turned out.

I used used black in my editing program to block out the center of the wreath so you could see the effect of the ties more clearly.

Let me know if you try any of the crafts or have a variation of your own. I would love to hear about what you’re doing!

I am going to hope for more sun and also hope you noticed my elusions to our rainy weather within this blog post. See you soon!

Posted on

Long Days, Almost Summer Solstice

It is that time of year that my Mother would love. Long days and short nights. Our longest day of the year is just around the corner. June 20, 2021. I hope your Summer plans are getting made. I am making a Summer Fun list myself. I have already kicked it off by starting an herb garden. What are you doing? Share a comment and let us know.

Hackin’ Away

  • Since the pandemic I have begun to realize how possibly many germs are around out house. One change I have made is to go to paper products instead of kitchen towels and hand towels in the bathroom. I use a product from Scott for my hands in the kitchen. I still use regular paper towels for messes, etc. but I like this product since they are heavy duty.

When I am able to find them, I purchase the Kleenex brand hand towels for the bathroom. I have yet to find a place with a steady supply other than Amazon. This switch to paper has not been that expensive and as you might imagine, it saves on laundry in addition to being more sanitary.

  • I love white vinegar! It just has a myriad of uses other than culinary! It attacks mold, mildew and hard water stains. My bathroom sink is a deep burgundy and the water stains really show on it around the faucets. White vinegar took care of them for me. Also, don’t forget that white vinegar will kills weeds in hard to get places like between sidewalk sections which are really annoy me.
  • Here is a great hack I picked up recently! If you are having a get together where balloons are involved you can insert one of those wire cages that you get for your tomato plants and tie the balloons to it. They can be arranged in many different ways on the tomato cage. You’re welcome!
  • There’s an app for that! In an effort to combat food waste Flashfood has partnered up with various stores to offer flash sales in your area. It is so easy. Download the app. It determines your location and if there are any stores in your area that participate. If there is one (or more) than they display the deals. You put them in your cart, purchase them online and then simply stop at the store. They have dedicated coolers and shelves for the Flashfood buys and it is quick and easy. Some of the stores that participate are Tops, Giant Eagle, Martin’s, Loblaws and Shop and Save. Tops is the one store in my area that participates. I have gotten some really good deals. The first time you order you get $10 off your purchase. Check it out!

Recipes

I was shopping with my friend, Shelly, and she said she wanted some chocolate mint candy melts. Of course I needed to know for what. She said she made Mock Girl Scout Thin Mints with them. Naturally, I bought some too and as well as, some salted caramel melts. I then got the original flavor Ritz crackers. You could use a store brand too. You melt the candy in the microwave a minute at a time until it is all melted. Stir in between each minute as these candy melts may look as if they are not melted but in fact are. The last thing you want to do is microwave it too long. It makes the chocolate gritty and tastes unappealing. Then using tongs, dip a cracker in the melted candy and place on parchment or waxed paper to harden. Yum!

Baked Feta and Tomatoes with Pasta *saltysidedish.com

This recipe has been going around online and my friend Cheryl told me how great it was and encouraged me to try it. She was right!

  • 2 pints Grape Tomatoes
  • 1/3rd cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2-3 chopped Garlic Cloves
  • Fresh basil bunch (about 1/3rd cup), see notes
  • 8 oz. block of feta cheese
  • kosher salt
  • cracked pepper
  • 8 oz. box of pasta – I recommend Cavatappi ( I have used bowties and small penne too)
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Pour in 2 pints of cherry tomatoes into casserole dish.
  3. Place feta cheese block in center of tomatoes.
  4. Sprinkle tomatoes and cheese with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper.
  5. Drizzle olive oil around dish, approximately 1/3rd cup, going over tomatoes and cheese. Its fine to use a little more or a little less.
  6. OPTIONALLY add 1/3rd cup fresh basil leaves
  7. Place in oven on 400 for 30 minutes.
  8. Move on to boiling pasta al dente according to box. I recommend Cavatappi, however other pastas can be used.

Jazzed Up Cream Cheese Brownies

I always keep a brownie mix (or two) around in case I need a quick and easy dessert. If you would like to jazz up your brownies a little you can! Just do your mix as usual and place in a prepared pan. Meanwhile, in a mixer combine 8oz. of cream cheese, one egg, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and if you want to really get wild fold in some chocolate chips. Once that is mixed place by dollops at random places on top of the brownie mixture in the pan. Using a butter knife gently swirl the mixture through the brownie to form a swirl pattern like you see in ice cream. Bake as you usually would but it will be thicker and take a little longer. Just let it go 5 minutes longer. Check for your desired doneness and if it isn’t there give it a couple more minutes. My grandsons gobbled it up!

Mexican Street Corn Casserole *easyfamilyrecipes.com

  • 32 oz frozen corn thawed
  • ▢1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • ▢1/2 cup sour cream
  • ▢1.5 tsp chili powder
  • ▢1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • ▢1/2 tsp salt
  • ▢1/4 tsp cayenne optional
  • ▢5 oz queso fresco grated or crumbled (I used a taco blend)
  • Garnish with cilantro if desired

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat the oven to 350˚F
  • Pour the corn into a large casserole dish.  Mix in the mayo, sour cream, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and half of the queso fresco until combined.
  • Bake for 30-40 minutes or until heated through and the sides begin to bubble.
  • Sprinkle the remaining queso fresco over the casserole and top with chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

Hummus

My daughter sells Pampered Chef and I was able to get their cooking blender. I tried making my own hummus and was very happy with the results. However, you don’t need a blender that cooks to make this! It was just my inspiration to try it.

  • 1 can (15.5 oz./440 g) chickpeas, drained (reserve ¼ cup (60 mL) liquid from the can)
  • 1 can (15 oz./425 g) Great Northern beans, drained
  •  Liquid reserved from chickpeas
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
  • 1   garlic clove, peeled
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) sesame seeds
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) salt
  •  Optional: grilled or raw vegetables, naan or pita bread, or crackers
  1. Add the ingredients, in the order listed, to the blender. Replace and lock the lid. Turn the wheel to select the GRIND setting; press the wheel to start.
  2. If the blades are still moving but not blending food, use the tamper to push the ingredients back into the blades.* Tip: Use the tamper in a circular motion to keep the hummus moving into the blades. Do not tamper for more than 30 seconds at a time.
  3. Serve with grilled or raw vegetables, naan, pita bread, or crackers.
I added some roasted red pepper to the top for a little extra pizzazz!

Jararcuterie

This is just what it sounds like and you might imagine. Charcuterie in a jar. Just put in each jar a portion of what little delicacies you would put on a charcuterie board and you have a party!

stylecaster.com

The Crafts Keep Coming!

You know that it just happens to be flag day so I am sharing some of my patriotic fare!

My Ribbon Flag

I just cut white lace and red ribbon (7 red and 6 white) and tied them to a piece of jute. For the blue field I used 1/4 of a blue bandana which I pinned to jute. I have it hanging from my deck.

Bandana Flag

I purchased 4 white bandanas, 5 red bandanas and one blue. I used a yard stick to suspend everything on. I had to drill a hole in each end to put some jute through for a hanger. To form the flag I cut the bandanas into 5 inch wide strips. I sewed two strips together. Then I ironed back both raw edges to form approximately an inch and a half band. I then attached each band I made with hot glue onto the yardstick. I did have some fabric left unused. When I was done with 7 red stripes and 6 white stripes I folded over the edges of the one blue bandana until it covered a portion of the first six stripes. Then ironed back those sides that I had folded and then hot glued it to the yardstick.

Not Enough Doors and the Wreath

On one of the sale sites I purchased an old wooden door for $10. I knew I would find a use for it. I sanded of the loose paint chips, leaned it up against the tree in my side yard and created a new place to decorate.

I used deco mesh and a 12 inch wreath form to imitate the flag in circular form. The deco mesh was 10 inches wide and I cut 10 inch strips to make a square. I then gathered that square up in the middle and attached it to the wreath form with pipe cleaners. I add some stars I bought from the Dollar Tree to the blue field. Wow! I just realized this is the first time in this blog post I mentioned the Dollar Tree! I can hardly believe it took me so long to get to it! You know, I love that store!

Summer Hat Wall Decor

Sue, Shelly and I get together to have lunch and craft a bit every so often. This last time, Sue had picked up straw hats from the Dollar Tree for us to decorate. Below you will see my effort. I simply painted letters a dark green that spelled SUMMER, found some little strawberries to hot glue on and made a bow using my bow maker for the first time. We used some floral wire to make a hanger for it. Simple but cute! It is also strawberry season!

I saw a woman using this bow maker in a video and I searched Amazon and found one. It is an easy tool to use.

Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a comment or if you have a question ask! Hopefully, you found something that is useful to you! See you next time!

Posted on

Let The Sun Shine In

Wow! The sunshine just seems to energize me and I bet it does you also! I have been crafting, cooking and trying new tricks that I am excited to share with you. So, let’s not waste anymore time and get right to it.

Recipes

I just want to put it out there that I never share a recipe I have found without trying it myself. Tried, tested and Beckie approved!

Peanut Butter Frosting (recipegirl.com)

  • 3/4 cup (1½ sticks) butter, at room temperature
  • 1½ cups creamy peanut butter (do not use natural)
  • 1/4 cup milk (or a little more, as needed)
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the butter and peanut butter. Beat until smooth and well-combined. Mix in 1/4 cup milk, then add in the sugar a little at a time until it is all mixed in. Sprinkle in a little more milk, if needed, and continue to beat until the frosting is a good spreading consistency. It should be creamy and delicious!
  • You can use this recipe to frost either a two-layer cake or 24 cupcakes.

Peanut butter frosting was my Mom’s favorite and she always requested it for her birthday cake. Unlike a lot of people who like PB frosting with chocolate cake she always wanted it with yellow cake as that is what her mother made for her when she was little.

Pineapple Angel Food Cake (ruthieskoziblogspot.com)

This cake is so simple, so refreshing! You will absolutely love it!

Ingredients:

  • 1 box angel food cake mix
  • 1 15 1/2 oz. can crushed pineapple (with juice)

Directions:

  1. Combine cake mix and canned pineapple, pour in ungreased 9×13 glass dish.
  2. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.

Cube Steak and Gravy in the Crockpot (thecountrycook.net)

  • 1 packet of au jus gravy mix
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup
  • 1 can French onion soup
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 ½-2 pounds cube steak
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 tbsp cold water
  • In the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker, combine cream of chicken soup, French Onion soup, packet of au jus and water.
  • Stir well.
  • Put cubed steak in slow cooker with gravy mixture.
  • Cover slow cooker and cook steak on low for 6-8 hours.
  • After cooking, it’s time to thicken gravy. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and cold water. Stir mixture into crock pot.
  • Turn the setting to high and cook for 30 minutes (until gravy is thickened

Jazzing Up Your Canned Refried Beans

We all know that canned refried beans lack that certain deliciousness that you find in a Mexican restaurant. I stumbled on a way to make them more restaurantish! Just add some sour cream, a dash of hot sauce and some shredded cheddar! These add ons are to your taste so just give it a try!

Pecan Praline Monkey Bread (melissassouthernstylekitchen.com)

  • 1 cup pecan pieces toasted & divided
  • 20 frozen yeast rolls thawed & quartered [I used Rhodes]
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • ¾ cup butter
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla or rum extract
  • sea salt optional
  • Prior to preparing: Place the frozen yeast rolls in a single layer on a platter, and thaw on the counter for 30 minutes. If the rolls are slightly frozen in the middle, they’re much easier to quarter. Use a sharp knife and quarter each roll.
  • Toast the pecans: Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Spread the pecan pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast for 6-8 minutes. Cool completely
  • To assemble: Spritz a tube pan with cooking spray. [The rolls will rise while baking. A Bundt pan is not quite deep enough for this monkey bread]
  • Mix together ⅔ cup of granulated sugar and 1 Tbsp of ground cinnamon.
  • Toss with the quartered rolls in a large plastic storage bag until evenly coated.
  • Sprinkle ⅓ of the toasted pecans on the bottom of the tube pan.
  • Layer half of the quartered rolls on top of the pecans in the pan.
  • Sprinkle the first layer of rolls with ⅓ of the remaining pecan pieces.
  • Layer the remaining quartered rolls on top.
  • Sprinkle any leftover cinnamon and sugar over all.
  • Top with the last ⅓ cup of toasted pecan pieces.
  • On the stove top, melt the brown sugar, butter and heavy cream together over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook for 1 minute.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla or rum extract. The mixture will be hot, handle carefully.
  • Pour evenly over the rolls in the pan. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise for 45 minutes.
  • Bake at 350 °F for 35-40 minutes until golden. Rest for 5-10 minutes before carefully inverting onto a platter.
  • All of the gooey praline sauce will drizzle down the sides. Sprinkle the top with sea salt.
  • Pull apart and enjoy!

DIY/ Crafts

This is just a simple little trick to jazz up a spot in a room. Just measure your light switch cover and find a photo frame that will fit around it. I bought mine at the Dollar Tree so not much of an investment for this project. The one I bought happened to have a little name plate so I put one of my Mom’s favorite quotes in there. Let me know what you think.

Many people are making vertical signs for their entrance on wood. I decided to give it a try. I sanded a plank and painted it with a green that I had on hand. I then used my Cricut to cut out letters spelling “HOME”. I measured the board and the letters and marked placement for the letters on the board. While I had my Cricut out I printed a border of coffee cups to use to embellish my sign. I placed the border below the letter “E”. I used jute rope I had and a hot glue gun to affix the rope inside the letter “O”. I added a piece of the rope at the top of the plank as well. My final touch was to use E6000 and a little hot glue to mount a plain white coffee cup at the bottom to which I had add some nice summery flowers. I kind of like my first attempt. What do you think? *Using the hot glue holds the item you’re gluing while the E6000 cures.

A couple of years ago I purchased a Singer treadle sewing machine stand from an antique shop. It came with a piece of wood attached to the top so you could use it as a table. I never cared for the wood as it looked like an open grid. I was trying to find some reclaimed wood I could use instead. I puzzled over this a long time until I had a thought and ran to my basement. Sure enough, some wood with numbers and symbols on it which came from a closed factory was there. I used my electric saw to cut 5 pieces the length I needed and then used screws to anchor them in a row on the base. I sanded the cut edges and applied some poly and viola!

I have been busy making decoupaged little cutting boards with cute napkins. I use a Dollar Tree square or round cutting board (only $1 of course), a cute napkin, waterproof decoupage, a paintbrush, plastic wrap and a brayer or other object (your hand) to smooth out the wet napkin. First you take the little plastic legs off the cutting board with a spatula or knife. Then you clean any sticky residue off. Using your paintbrush you spread the decoupage liquid evenly over the back side of the cutting board. You then need to separate the plies of the napkin. If you have a 3 ply napkin you will have to remove the back two plain layers. You want just the printed top ply by itself. Once you have that then you lay it printed side down carefully on the wet side of the cutting board and put a sheet of plastic wrap down over it as a barrier. Using your brayer or other item smooth out the napkin. Allow this to dry and then gently put another layer of the decoupage on top of your napkin as a sealer. Allow this to thoroughly dry. Then using a sanding block or small piece of sandpaper, over over just the very edge of the cutting board to clear off any excess napkin. *Here’s a little tip for separating the plies of a napkin. Use your finger nail or a credit card to gently over over the corner of the opened napkin several times. It flattens those little nubs out so that you can gently and easily pull apart the plies.

Dollar Tree (my preferred store! LOL) had some patriotic paper straws. My friend, Shelly, and I spotted them and immediately went to Pinterest to see what we could do with them. We found this sweet little flag that you can make with the straws, some jute or other cord and glue. We chose to put ours on a piece of poster board as a backing. Cute, right?

Finally, another little Beckie and Shelly thing. We cut strips of felt in red, white and blue. Then tied them to jute or other cord as a garland. The felt was only 33 cents a sheet and we used 6 sheets of each color. The cord/jute we each had on hand. It spices up my archway nicely.

Just realized I should have straightened my tablecloth but at least you know I am not perfect. Right?
Close up so that you can see that we simply tied the felt strips.

Hackin’ Away

*Have you ever had cookies, brownies, etc. get hard on you even if they have been covered? My trick to freshen them up is to put them in a ziplock bag and sprinkle a small amount of water in. Then you zip the bag up and let it sit for a few hours. Soft again!

*In the evening I brew some tea. Quite often there is a little left in the pot that doesn’t get used. I put that into an ice cube tray and use them for my iced tea. It really makes a difference in the iced tea since it doesn’t get watered down with regular ice. You can do the same thing with leftover coffee and use it for your iced coffee.

* I recently put a little slit in a window screen. I was really bummed since they are new screens. However, I remembered the clear nail polish trick. Just brush a small amount of the clear polish on the screen to seal the area and it is hardly noticeable.

*Don’t put any other paper product but toilet paper down your toilet. Toilet paper is made to break down super easy and facial tissue, napkins, etc. are not and could cause you problems.

*I shared with you before how I use my lint roller to clean my lampshades of the dust they accumulate. I also have another use for the trusty lint roller. I always use a tablecloth and they can get crumbs on them very easily. Instead of unloading my table to shake the cloth I simply go over the areas with my lint roller. Quick fix!

*You know how you get those plastic straps around boxes for shipping? I had always ran for my scissors to cut them and then found out that they have a tab to just peel and open. If you just look you will find it.

Right here —

*In the summer I like to put my mayo in a squeeze bottle like I do my catsup and mustard. There is an easy way to fill it even with mayo! Just use a plastic storage bag. Put the mayo in the bag, seal it, cut off a little piece of one of the bottom corners. You can then use it like a pastry bag to fill the bottle.

I hope you have a wonderful Memorial Weekend and that you spend it with those you love. See you next time!

Posted on

Feelin’ the Spring and Sunshine

It is always my goal to share things in a timely fashion so that if you like any ideas you can try them (of course while adding your special signature to things). However, life gets in the way and I don’t end up having a solid block of time to get to my blog. I imagine I should work on it in stages when I have a little time and that will be my goal for my May post.

The things I am sharing in this post are a mixed bag of Spring and Easter but I am sure you can adapt them for other times as well. Or as my brother told me the other day, he saves all my blog posts in a folder in his email so that he can look back on things should he want to. I was totally and completely flattered by that. I know he is my brother but still it was so nice to know!

Recipes

Pierogi Crockpot Dinner *dailydiylife.com (This was delish! It’s kind of like Polish scalloped potatoes.)

  • 3 -16 oz. boxes of frozen pierogis
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 8 oz. block cream cheese
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 pound kielbasa – sliced (or other cooked meat mentioned above)
  • salt & pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in your crockpot. Cook on high 2 – 3  hours, or on low for  4 – 6 hours.

This was super easy and definitely one I will keep in my repertoire.

Knock Off Olive Garden Italian Chicken *sparklestosprinkles.com

  • 2 Pounds Boneless Chicken Breasts or Tenders
  • 16 oz Bottle Olive Garden Signature Italian Dressing (I used Kraft Italian)
  • 1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan
  • 8 oz Block of Cream Cheese
  • 16 oz Cooked Pasta of your choice
  1. Lay your chicken in the bottom of your crockpot.
  2. Pour the dressing over the chicken.
  3. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese over the dressing.
  4. Lay the cream cheese on top.
  5. Place your lid on. Cook on HIGH 4 hours or LOW 5-6 hours.
  6. Shred the meat with two forks or very carefully with a handheld blender.
  7. Pour the cooked pasta into your crockpot. Mix well to combine.
  8. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese and mix to combine.

I didn’t mix the pasta in with the chicken. I served it over the pasta instead. This recipe made enough for 2 meals of 4 people each and enough to send to a neighbor. The first time I put the chicken over linguini and the second time I put it over penne. I think you could use any pasta or even rice or zoodles. This was a BIG hit.

Does is seem like I love my slow cooker? Yeah, a little. I favor one pot meals and ones that cook slowly and fill the house with a great smell are just sublime!

Cheesy Bacon Biscuits

I needed some rolls or biscuits for our Easter dinner and didn’t find any in the stores that I wanted. So I improvised a little and everyone seemed to like them.

I used 2 cups of baking mix (Bisquik or store brand) 2/3 cup milk and a cup of shredded cheddar. That was a standard recipe I found online. Suddenly inspiration hit and I remembered I had real bacon bits in the refrigerator from another recipes so I added about a 1/2 cup of those. Once mixed, I spooned them on a baking sheet. I placed them in a 450 degree oven and baked for 8 to 9 minutes. When I pulled them out of the oven I brushed them with a mixture of melted butter and garlic powder. YUM!

Hacking It

*You can turn any cake mix into cookie dough by adding 2 eggs and 1/2 cup of oil.

*Have you ever found your jar of honey all crystalized? Don’t throw it out. It isn’t bad. Put it in a pot in your sink and run warm tap water in the pot. Let it sit. You may need to change the water to make it warm again depending on the size of your honey jar.

*Ever have trouble getting a knot out of a shoe string, string or jewelry chain? Get the under used cornstarch out of your cupboard and put some on the knot. Work it in. The item becomes sort of slippery and will come apart with ease.

*Now that we are heading for nice weather, that pesky sand in the car issue will soon be upon us. If you took a barefoot walk on the beach (shout out to Karen D.) and are heading for your car, just shake some baby powder on your feet and the sand will easily come off.

*Have you ever needed to convert temperatures from Celsius to Fahrenheit? Here’s an easy trick. Double the Celsius and add 30.

*I have tried this hack and although I can’t technically prove it, I think it works. When you fill your gas tank hold the trigger on the pump handle half way. You get more gas and less air.

Crafty Spring

I made a very simple craft for myself and a friend. I made a simple bow with two loops. To this bow I attached the ears from a bunny headband which I bought at Dollar Tree. Hot glue wouldn’t hold them securely so I stitched them on. I then glued a bunny tale to the knot of the bow with hot glue. I purchased this at Dollar Tree as well. It was a clip for hair and I pulled the clip off the back prior to gluing. I ran fairy lights through the loops of the bow and down the tails, securing the switch inside the back of the bow. Finally, I fashioned a hanger out of jute and tied it to the back.

I made a 3 tiered tray using a Dollar Tree pizza pan, a pie pan and an 8in. round cake pan. To separated the tiers I used two candle holders also from, you guessed it, Dollar Tree. Using E6000 and a little hot glue to hold the pieces until the E6000 cured I assembled the pieces.

Then I used ivory chalk paint to cover the entire 3 tiers. It took 3 coats for me to achieve the coverage I desired. Just to even things out and remove any brush strokes, I lightly sanded it. I also added a little jute wrapped around the pie tin’s outer edge. This it before and after decorating. I plan to use the 3 tier tray for multiple seasons/holidays.

For many years I have had a child’s vintage wooden ironing board. I have used it to display things in the past. It just hit me that the top of it would be the perfect shape for a bunny. My son, Josh, helped me sketch out the outline of a bunny using chalk. I then used paint to fill in the bunny. I used ivory and then shaded some while the ivory was still wet with grey. The eye was made with some black paint and I used a light pink for the inner ears and the nose. With my trusty hot glue gun I attached a neck bow from ribbon I had on hand, a carrot, some grass and two Easter eggs left over from other projects. When I was done I sprayed a light coat of clear matte finish on the whole thing. He was on my porch during the holidays sitting on a wooden box by my door that I put a green piece of felt over. I had many compliments!

Because I am craft obsessed (I think it is an official mental disorder) I made many things for Easter/Spring but I will share just one more. I promise!

Two friends and I got together and crafted one afternoon. We have recently started doing this. We switch hosting duties and have lunch together first. It is a fun time. (Shout out to Sue and Shelly!)

This last time we made, surprise, a little Easter bunny. For this you need fabric of your choice, hot glue, a bunny tail (either purchased or a homemade pom pom), adhesive craft foam in white and pink, ribbon for your bow, jute or string to create a hanger and an embroidery hoop (I used 8 inch but you could use any size you would like).

You begin by stretching your fabric taunt inside the embroidery hoop and securing the closure on the hoop. Glue or sew your tail on. Using the white craft foam cut out 2 ears and 2 feet. The size should be proportionate to the size hoop you chose. With the pink foam cut out foot pads for your bunny’s feet. I used pinking shears for this. Place the sticky side of the feet down on the hoop where you would like them for the feet of your bunny. Finish off the feet by putting the pink foot pads on, sticky side down, of course. Place the white ears sticky side down on the wrong side of your fabric and then cut the excess fabric off. Using hot glue place the ears on the top part of the hoop. I used two different fabrics but you can use the same. It is all up to what you like. The last touch to the bunny is to make a bow and glue it down between the ears. I used white string to make the hanger and tied it on to the fastener of the embroidery hoop. It is nice because you can individualize your bunny with size, fabric and color.

(You are instructed to pay no attention to the thread that came from the fabric on the bunny’s right foot. I didn’t see it made the picture until now.)

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you found something that struck your fancy. See you next month!

Posted on

Gettin’ Crafty

As the title may suggest to you, during this snowy, cold, Covid time I have been doing some serious crafting. I have also been cooking and other things but crafting has definitely taken the lead. Drop a comment and let me know how you’re spending your time.

Recipes

Butternut Squash Soup (Diary of a Real Housewife)

  • 1 large butternut squash
  • 1 large yellow onion
  • 3 large carrots
  • 1 tablespoon rosemary leaves
  • 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 32 oz vegetable broth
  • 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
  • Preheat oven to degrees 350 F. Prepare a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. 
  • Start by peeling and dicing your squash, onion, and carrots. Place them on your prepared baking sheet. Season with rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Place in the oven to roast for 60-75 minutes or until all vegetables are tender. 
  • Once tender add all roasted vegetables and broth to a large pot. Use an electric immersion blenders to blend soup until smooth. Allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes. 
  • Remove from heat and mix in heavy whipping cream. Serve and enjoy.  

This soup was delicious and froze well.

Cauliflower Soup (Pampered Chef)

  • 1½ lbs. (700 g) russet potatoes, peeled (about 3 medium) * I used whatever type I had
  • ½ cup (125 mL) vegetable broth
  • 4 oz. (125 g) sharp cheddar cheese (1 cup/250 mL grated), plus more for topping
  • 2 cups (500 mL) cauliflower florets (6 oz./175 g)
  • 3 cups (750 mL) milk
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) Three Onion Rub * I used onion powder
  • ½ cup (125 mL) sour cream

Optional: bacon bits, chopped green onions

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Add potatoes and broth to microwave safe container and cook covered in the microwave for 11 minutes.

Meanwhile, coarsely grate the cheese.

Rotate the potatoes and add the cauliflower mixture. Microwave, covered, until hot, about 7-9 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.

Coarsely mash the potato and cauliflower mixture. Add the milk, butter and Three Onion Rub. Microwave, covered, until hot, about 4-5 minutes.

Place the sour cream in a small bowl. To temper, add 1 T. of hot soup at a time, whisking between each addition until the mixture is warm. Then add the sour cream to the soup. Stir in the cheese and gently whisk until it fully melts.

Top with additional cheese, bacon and green onions if you like.

Crafts

I know that it is after Valentine’s Day but for future reference I wanted to share a couple of things that I did.

You know by now that I love the Dollar Tree store! I bought this die cut truck after Christmas. I had been make to show Christmas trees in the back of the truck. I painted it an off white and the tires black with silver rims. I decided it needed a little more depth or interest and dry brushed some black on top of the off white. To make it usable for Valentine’s rather than Christmas, I purchased a package of adhesive hearts from the Dollar Tree, also. I used them for the bed of the truck to hide the trees. All together it cost $2 for this piece since I had the paint and brushes on hand.

This is another Dollar Tree special! To make this I purchased a pack of gold coins, a die cut pot of gold, and a leprechaun wall hanging. First, I removed the jute hanger. I painted the pot completely black. It said the word “lucky” on the front but I covered it up by hot gluing the “Happy St. Patrick’s Day” sign from the leprechaun wall hanging. I then used the feet from the wall hanging and glued them on the top of the pot so that it would give the appearance of a leprechaun diving into the pot of gold. Finally, I glued the gold coins on for a three dimensional look. By gluing the gold on, I covered up the holes to reattach the jute hanger so I hot glued it to the back of the piece. Viola!

For my St. Patrick’s door decor I purchased 3 shamrocks and one scarf from Dollar Tree. I removed the hangers from 2 of the shamrocks and using the scarf tied the shamrocks to together, alternating their orientation. I think for $4 it sure is cute!

I also purchased this die cut shamrock from my favorite store and found some St. Patrick’s Day napkins at TJ Maxx. I painted the entire piece white after I removed the jute hanger. The inner petals of the shamrock were raised. After the paint was dry I applied Mod Podge to the raised part. I removed the top, printed ply from a napkin and cut it into fourths. I took 3 of the quarters and put them on each raised part. To get all the wrinkles out I put a piece of Saran Wrap over the area and gently rubbed out any bubbles or wrinkles. Then I removed the plastic and allowed it to dry. As you can see the top, inner, petal is now a solid green. That was due to a mishap. I tried sliding the napkin ply since was a little off. That didn’t work at all. In fact, it made quite a mess. So I sanded it smooth and gave it 3 coats of green. I think it looks nice and you probably wouldn’t know it was a mistake unless I told you. I put the jute hanger back on and I was done.

For a couple of days I went nutty making snowmen because, well, this is Western New York and it is snowing.

Snowman #1

As I am sure you can tell, this is made from a vintage cheese grater that I had on hand. Originally I was going to paint it as a Santa but the holidays got too busy and my idea morphed into a snowman. I painted him, added a scarf and some embellishment to his hat and there you have it. A candle or some twinkle lights inside could be added as well.

Snowman #2

This cute little guy is from a vintage bed spring to which I glued some buttons and added a snowman head. I made the head from an old flashbulb from a camera. I painted the face, added a strip of fabric for the scarf and had an old felt hat from another snowman.

Snowman #3

I had purchased 3 small fish bowls from Dollar Tree a long time ago. I put Styrofoam in each to imitate snow and added some decor that I had on hand. I then glued the three together and made a hat. The hat was made using a cardboard circle, half of a toilet paper roll and was covered in felt.

Hacks

  • When you get advertisements or bills in the mail and don’t use the return envelopes hang onto them. You can use the envelopes to drop of night deposits at your bank, to hold local bills that you drop off, or use them for many other purposes. I buy much less envelopes than I used to and I am saving a tree or two.
  • I am sure you all know that you can make your own meat broth but do you think to make your own vegetable broth? I hadn’t until recently. Whenever I prepare carrots, celery, onions, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, etc., I put the scraps in a freezer bag and pop them in the freezer. I keep adding to the bag. When I get a gallon bag full I prepare my broth. Add the vegetables to a large part and with water to about an inch above the vegetables. Cover and cook on low for at least 3 hours. Depending on how tightly your cover fits you may need to add water from time to time. After the 3 hours (or longer if you wish) strain the vegetables from the liquid and add salt to taste. You can store in the fridge for a week or so and the freezer for a couple of months. If you can, then you could do that as well. Each time you make the broth it is a little different as you have different amounts of each vegetable or different vegetables entirely. Below are listed some of the ways in which different vegetables add different flavors to the broth.
  • Onion ends/roots (or skin that is too tough to cut) – for depth of flavor
  • Celery pieces – for depth of flavor and body
  • Carrot ends/peels – for sweetness
  • Mushroom stems and Tomato ends (these add GREAT umami flavor!)
  • The “core” of peppers (sweetness)Stems of fresh herbs, such as Parsley and Cilantro (more depth/body)
  • Stems from leafy greens, like Kale (depth)
  • Tops and/or unusable parts of Sweet Potatoes and Squash (sweetness)
  • If you ever have to pay for medication for yourself or a pet please do yourself a favor and shop around at different pharmacies. You could save a lot of money! I had to get medicine for my dog once that the vet didn’t keep on hand and it was also a medication for people. He gave me a script and advised me to call around. I called one major pharmacy that I always use for myself and it was $90. I then called a pharmacy in a discount store and it was $43. Finally I called an independent pharmacy and it was just slightly over $8. The lesson learned here is “shop around”.
  • Sticking to the medical area for another minute, let’s talk about high out of pocket medical bills. If you happen to have one, as my one son recently did, there are some suggestions to help. You can arrange an interest free payment plan. You can also negotiate a deal. By this I mean, offer to pay a lump sum in exchange for a percentage off the bill. It is called a prompt pay discount. Apply for financial assistance. However, don’t use a credit card to pay it or ignore the bill. It won’t go away!
  • I don’t usually mention makeup ideas but I do have a couple that I have recently adopted. 1. I don’t use eyeliner under my eyes but it is nice to have a little definition there in addition to my mascara. Before I apply my mascara I take a flat, small brush and get some darker eyeshadow on the tip. I gently run the brush along my eye under the lashes. It really makes a difference! 2. I have just discovered a heated eyelash curler. They are awesome! I ordered mine on Amazon and although they have many brands, I ordered a Panasonic. It uses an AA battery and heat up quickly. You just hold it on your lashes, pressing up slightly for 3 seconds and there you go!! You should definitely try it!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009DT39W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thank you so much for reading! Hopefully you found something of interest to you. See you next month.

Posted on

That Quiet Week

This is the quiet relaxing week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. I am still enjoying my Christmas decorations and the holiday treats are still hanging around. I was very fortunate this holiday season in that I got to see small groups of my family, share a meal and exchange gifts.

I am going to share several Christmas projects that I managed to get completed and a couple of the recipes I made during the holidays. I also, managed to recover a couple of chairs that I want to share with you. So, let’s get to it!

First, I would like to tell you about some Dollar Tree items that I have discovered and are the on the top of my useful list. Some of them I have mentioned before and some I are new.

Dollar Tree Top Ten (where everything is really one dollar)

  1. Foil sheets that come 25 sheets in a box and are 14 in. by 10.5 in. These are easy to work with and so much better than the roll of foil.
  2. Parchment paper sheets that come 10 in a pack and are 15in. by 12 in. each. Just like the foil sheets they are so much more easily used than when you get parchment in a roll.
  3. Jumbo size 2.5 gallon slider seal storage bags. I use them in the kitchen and everywhere else! When knitting it holds the yarn, pattern and tools. Any other project where you want to keep things together.
  4. Picture frames come in a great variety of sizes and designs. I have used them for pictures but also other projects.
  5. Disposable roasting, pizza pans, etc. I used these for my holiday meals.
  6. Greeting cards are a great item at this store. They are really nice and they have quite a variety. Some are even 2 for $1. I usually buy a month’s worth of birthday, anniversary, etc. at one time. I also keep a small supply of sympathy, get well and congratulations on hand.
  7. Clothing hangers which come in a pack of 7. As a side note, I wanted to let you know that there are a lot of craft projects on Pinterest which use hangers. Check out the large snowflakes you can make!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW9m-6mSntc
  8. Gift bag, wrap, ribbon and all the party supplies.
  9. Craft supplies and they even have teacher supplies. These sections have really grown over the years. I always buy my wreath forms there.
  10. Holiday napkins, paper supplies and plastic wear.

These items are so economical and of good quality. You should check them out!

Hacks

  1. On Christmas morning my brother was making waffles and discovered he didn’t have enough milk for the batter. He substituted eggnog instead and it came out fantastic! There are recipes online for eggnog pancakes as well. Now, in my brother’s house there is a new Christmas morning tradition.
  2. Do you like jar candles like my daughters and I do? (Bath and Body, Avon, etc. ) Does it seem wrong somehow to through the jars out after? Do you like to store things in a neat, nice looking manner? When you’re done burning the candle there is always some wax left in the bottom. Put the jar in the freezer for a couple of hours. This shrinks the wax and it pulls away from the glass. Usually using a butter knife to loosen the wax it comes out in one hunk. Sometimes that doesn’t work and you have to scrape out little pieces. The bottom sticker and any side label will easily come off by soaking the glass in a bowl of warm water. Viola! Nice jars for storage.
  3. Have you ever had a pan that has rusty? Usually this is just surface rust and can easily be removed in 2 steps. First pour any cola, although Coke seems to work the best, in your pan covering the rust areas. There is an immediate chemical reaction that begins loosening the rust. If your pan is quite rusty it might need to sit a bit. Then take a piece of foil and scrunch it up a little. Scrub the pan with the foil. This loosens all the rust. Rinse off your pan and dry it. That’s it!
  4. If you are already in the process of making a recipe and discover you don’t have enough eggs there are a few solutions. For one egg you can use either 1/4 cup applesauce, 1/4 cup vegetable oil or 1/4 cup mashed banana.
  5. I have found that you can freeze cottage cheese and ricotta cheese and still use it in your recipes. I have done this several years and then used them in lasagna or manicotti.
  6. The corrugated sleeve that lightbulbs come in can be flattened when the center inserts are taken out. I am sure you have done this to throw it away or recycle it. You can use it instead to protect pictures when mailing them. It gives extra padding inside the envelope to prevent bending.
  7. I used to quite often make a mess when putting batter into cupcake pans. Here’s a way to avoid that. Use an empty condiment bottle (like catsup). Wash it thoroughly and then pour your cake batter into it. You can easily squeeze the correct amount of batter into each well in the cupcake pan.

Recipes

Coffee Nuggets

These are similar to Mexican Wedding Cookies but with the coffee flavor.

1/2 cup butter

3 tbsp. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tbsp. instant coffee

1 c. sifted flour

1/2 cup finely chopped nuts

Cream the butter, sugar, vanilla and coffee until light and fluffy. Add the four and the nuts and mix thoroughly. Chill dough for 1 hour. Use one 1 tbsp. dough for each cookie. Form into balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar while warm and then again when cool. Delish!

Pork Meatballs with BBQ Gravy

Meatballs

1.5 pound ground pork

2 eggs

1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs (if the mixture seems to loose, add more bread crumbs)

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. onion powder

salt and pepper

Form into balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. I used a scoop to get the mixture out the bowl which keeps the size of the balls uniform. Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven until internal temperature is 145 degrees. It was about 12 minutes for me.

BBQ Gravy

  • 3 tbsp. fat (pan drippings, etc)
  • 3 tbsp. flour
  • 2 c. chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1/2 to1 c. barbecue sauce, to taste (homemade or favorite bottled)
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  1. Melt fat in a skillet.
  2. Add flour and stir with a whisk over medium heat for a minute or two to cook the rawness from the flour.
  3. Slowly add 1 1/2 c. of stock while continuing to whisk.
  4. Allow to thicken slightly before whisking in the barbecue sauce.
  5. Cook until desired thickness. If mixture is too thick add part or all of the rest of the stock.
  6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

I find this is great served with mashed potatoes (cheesy mashed are great too) or even French fries if you are a gravy over the fries person like I am.

Crafty Projects

Square Christmas Wreath

I purchased a square wreath form at (you guessed it) Dollar Tree. I then used a plaid ribbon and wrapped it around covering the entire wreath. The beginning of the ribbon was anchored with hot glue as was the end. I then used another ribbon and some holly leaves to create the bit of accent for the corner. Finally, I suspended three bulb ornaments at varying lengths from thin ribbon which was secured with hot glue on the back of the frame. This wreath can be hung using double sided sticky foam on each corner, as I did, or you could hot glue a hanger of ribbon or yarn on the back. You could take this idea of a square wreath and customize it with your own taste. Any item(s) could be suspended in the center. Use your imagination!

Furniture Covering

I was given two slipper chairs by my friend, Kim. Although the fabric was very nice it didn’t match anything in my house so I decided to cover them using a canvas painter’s drop clothes. I ordered 2 from Walmart at $9.99 each. It turned out that I only needed one and I was able to make two accent pillows out of it too!

I used this blog post at Confessions of a Serial DIYER as a guide.

Slipcovering an Armless Accent Chair

I used yellow dye using the washer method to color the leftover material for the pillows. I had a couple of accent pillows that didn’t match the room any more so they were ready to be covered. I embellished them with twine and buttons. Here was my end result.

Candy Cane Wreath

Of course you can guess where I bought the candy cane wreath form. Using that form I covered it by wrapping it completely with red burlap ribbon. I then used a different ribbon to create the stripes by skipping areas as I wrapped to allow the red to show through. All the ribbon was anchored with hot glue at the beginning and the end to secure it in place. I created a bow accent by using other various ribbon pieces and some ornaments. I used the messy bow technique which I have talked about before (https://www.livinglocurto.com/how-to-make-a-bow/) and hot glued that to the candy cane.

Here’s hoping for a wonderful 2021!! We deserve it! See you next time!

Posted on

Turkey Day

It is nearly Thanksgiving and for many, if not all of us, the holiday will be different this year. Our usual large group is about 13 or 16 is breaking into 3 smaller groups. Such is the pandemic 2020 Thanksgiving. It will be different and I could be sad if I thought about it. However, I am just focusing on all of us being here to do it the traditional way next year. No one in the hospital. No one on a ventilator. That is the goal. We will video chat with each other and I am sure there will be shenanigans!

If you have a way of celebrating pandemic style please drop it in the comments. I want to see how everyone is doing it.

Recipe

The one recipe I am sharing is a cut out cookie recipe I have had for 45 years. A friend of mine when we lived in Dover, Delaware gave me the recipe and told me it came from a Tupperware party she had. It has served me well for all these years and I hope you will try it. If you do, please let me know what you think. I always triple the batch for our crowd and I have frosted them in many ways. You can use your preferred method for that.

Sugar Cookies

1 -1/2 cups sifted confection’s (powdered) sugar

1 cup butter

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 -1/2 cups of flour

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 tsp. almond flavoring

1 tsp. baking soda.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream sugar and butter. Add the egg and flavorings and mix thoroughly. Sift dry ingredients together and slowly add to the sugar mixture until all is blended nicely.

Divide the dough in half and roll out on a lightly floured board to your desired thickness (about 1/4 inch). Place on lightly greased baking sheet or parchment paper. Bake for 7-8 minutes. Check at 5-6 minutes to see progress. Cool on a cooling rack. These may be frozen and then iced later when you need them or you can ice when cool and store in a sealed container.

Enjoy!

Hacks

I have been picking up my groceries (and various sundries) at Walmart. They are no longer using plastic bags and have to bag my groceries with my own bags as they load them in the trunk. I always feel bad about them doing all that but due to Covid they don’t want you out of your car helping. I have decided to try a new method. I bought 3 economical laundry baskets for my trunk. That way all they have to do is put the items right in the baskets and I can bring them in more easily as well. I am going to ask them to distribute the weight if possible.

I always have a problem with cords for different electric devices. I have 3 methods to keep them separated and untangled. Which method I use depends on the size of the cord when wound up. How do you store your cords?

Do you throw change in one of your cupholders in the car so that you have it right there when you need it? Many people do but it can be a pain to get the last few coins out or to get them out to clean. A simple solution is to put a silicone baking cup in the cupholder. That way all you have to do is lift it out. Genius, right?! The set of 18 below can be purchased from Amazon for $6,99.

Have you ever driven someone else’s car or gotten a new car and needed to buy gas? That moment when you realize that you don’t know which side to pull up to the pump hits you. I learned recently, thanks to HuffPost how to instantly tell. There is a gas pump image on your gas gauge and an arrow by it that points to which side your tank is on. Easy, right? I guess at least I know now.

Now here’s one that you will thank me for! When bringing home take out food turn on your heated seat to keep your food toasty until you get home.

I picked up this little tip from DealsPlus.

Craftiness

I am crafting more than I am doing anything else, it appears. I do hear my house calling me to clean.

Gnomes seem to be all the think this year! I attempted to make a couple. The one above I used a marshmallow fluff container with some marbles in for weight as the base. I then covered that with a sock I bought at Dollar Tree. I had a mop head in the basement and I tore it apart so that I had individual strands. I used hot glue to glue the strands all the way around the container. Then I placed a hat on him that I had from a visit to Punxsutawney and added a wooden ball for his nose. I think he turned out fine and he will be part of my Winter decor since he is not specifically Christmas.

My next effort was a gnome tree topper. I have a pink Christmas tree and I think this gnome angel will be just the ticket. I started out with a soup can and padded it with felted wool I had in my craft closet. After I hot glued that around the outside of the can I covered it all with a white sock from Dollar Tree. The opening of the sock was tucked into the open end of the can. When placed on the tree I may need some padding on the inside to hold him properly on top. I then used another mop head which I purchased at Dollar Tree and took a part. I hot glued the strands around the can and made them a little thicker in front. I found a white infant’s had and placed it jauntily on the top. I painted the wooden bead pink in this case to tie it into the color of the tree. For the wings I used craft foam cut in the shape of wings. I glue them to the back of the gnome and then glued white feathers I purchased from Amazon onto the wings. Viola!! I kind of like him!

I got together this past week with two friends for visiting, lunching and crafting. It was an excellent experience! We each made a snowman from splatter screens purchased at, you guessed it, Dollar Tree. We each painted our splatter screens white ahead of time. Using floral wire I overlapped and attached two screens together. I did this at the top and the bottom. I then put the third screen on for the face of the snowman using floral wire, again, and overlapping slightly. I attached the screen at the left and right bottom. My friend had, thoughtfully, spray painted some straw hats black. It seemed like for mine that a half hat would do the trick so it was easy enough to cut. The hat was decorated with ribbon and a floral pick and then glued onto the snowman’s head. For the eyes I used buttons and for the nose I cut one out of a rusty orange piece of felt. I have been making t-shirt yarn and I had some red so that was glued on to make a mouth. Now, for the body. I glued 3 buttons down the front and used a piece of an old scarf for the neck. I embellished the scarf with a snowflake and a poinsettia. In my yard sticks abound and were put into action as the arms. He’s pretty cute. I haven’t decided if I will hang him or put him on a stand.

Have a wonderful holiday! I will post again before Christmas. Hope something was useful for you.

Posted on

All Things Fall

I love 89% of Fall. Among the items on the pro-Fall list are decorating, apples (and the things you can bake with them), pumpkins, mums, the coziness of sweaters and blankets, the crisp air and bright sunshine, and the thought of Thanksgiving and Christmas to come. This is not an all inclusive list but just the high points.

The one thing I don’t like about Fall is the chilly, rainy days. To be honest, I would rather have snow than cold rain. We have to take the good with the bad I suppose. So, I try not to complain and look at the first list of Fall attributes.

Another notable thing about Fall for me is a game I play against myself. I try to see how long I can last without turning on my furnace. The longer I can wait, the more Western New York tough I am! Silly, I know but hey, it saves on the gas bill too! I always make it until November but depending on how the weather goes determines how long in November I last. The one thing I can’t take is dampness. I can take a little cold but when combined with damp, I cave!

There is also my theory of decorating for the Fall. First I do early Fall decorating after school starts with sunflowers, some pumpkins, leaves, etc. Once October hits out come all the Jack-o-Lanterns, Day of the Dead and spooky things in addition. When Halloween is over we are back to just Fall and with a cornucopia and some Pilgrims added in for good measure. Since I love decorating and fussing with my surroundings this is a banner time of year for me.

Recipes

Apple Fritter Bread (*homeiswheretheboatis.net)

  1. 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  2. 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  3. 2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
  4. 2/3 cup +2 tablespoons sugar
  5. 1/2 cup butter, softened
  6. 2 large eggs, room temperature
  7. 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  8. 1 1/2 cups cups all-purpose flour
  9. 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
  10. 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  11. 1/2 cup + 1 – 3 tablespoons milk
  12. 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper, with ends hanging over edge of pan. Spray parchment with nonstick spray.
  2. Mix brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon together in a bowl; set aside. Toss apples with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and remaining teaspoon cinnamon in another bowl; set aside.
  3. Beat butter and remaining 2/3 cup granulated sugar together with mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time; add vanilla extract.
  4. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in another bowl, then add to creamed butter mixture and beat until blended. Mix 1/2 cup milk into batter until smooth.
  5. Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan; add half the chopped apple mixture.
  6. Sprinkle half of the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture on top of apple layer.
  7. Pour the remaining batter over apple layer and top with remaining chopped apples, then the remaining brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.
  8. Lightly pat apples into batter; swirl brown sugar mixture through apples using a knife.
  9. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes. Watch bread and cover with foil during last 10 minutes of baking time to prevent overbrowning if needed.
  10. Let loaf rest in pan for 15 minutes , then remove from pan using edge of parchment and place on wire rack to cool completely.  

To Make Glaze

  1.  Mix powdered sugar with remaining 1 to 3 tablespoons milk, thinned to desired consistency.
  2. Drizzle bread with glaze.

*The one thing I would do differently is do three layers of the apple mixture so there would be a little more gooiness involved!

Corn and Onion Casserole

2 Jiffy Cornbread mixes (or one of a larger mix)

1 can of cream corn

1 8 oz. container of sour cream

1 large white onion sliced thin

1 to 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease an iron skillet or 9X11 casserole dish. Mix the cornbread mix according to directions and place in pan. Saute the onions with olive oil or butter. When the onions are translucent mix them with the remaining ingredients and pour over the cornbread mixture. Do not mix together. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. When casserole appears solid and set it is ready.

You could add some dill or bacon bits to this if you desire. It is wonderful either way.

Hacks

* I had an abundance of bananas (I wonder why Karen D.) and I did do some baking with them. However, my son freezes bananas and makes smoothies with them and I reasoned that the same could be done for baking. I peeled all the excess bananas and put them in freezer bags. Now, when I have a hankering for banana muffins, bread, bars or cookies they are ready. You never have to toss a banana again!

*Do you struggle with making popcorn? I have. I have a wonderful popcorn popper for my microwave and use that a lot but when you are making a large batch or just want that top of the stove, popped flavor I have found the trick. Put 3 tablespoons of oil in your popper or a regular pan. To that add 3 kernels of popcorn and heat over medium high heat. When the kernels pop you are ready. Just add 1/3 cup of kernels to the oil and remove from heat for 30 seconds. You can actually count it out or use your stove’s timer. When the 30 seconds have passed put your popper or pan back on the heat and proceed to pop. The 30 seconds allow the kernels to all get to the same temperature and you are then able to pop most or all of your kernels to perfection. This works!!!!

*Did you know that you can make your own vanilla extract? I didn’t until I overheard a lady telling about how she does it. I came home and looked it up and sure enough you can. Even the Pioneer Woman has a method for doing it. The woman I overheard said that she uses a liter bottle of vodka and adds 3 vanilla beans to that. She then seals it back up and lets it set for one year. Admittedly, when you first start that would be a wait but after the initial time you would have your yearly bottle of high quality extract at a good price. Even though the beans are kind of expensive, for the quantity and quality you get it is still a money saver. I have ordered Grade A Madagascar vanilla beans and when they arrive I am starting it. The Pioneer Woman uses one cup of vodka, 6 vanilla beans and only waits 2 months. There are a variety of recipes and you can choose the one best for you. (Linda A., I thought of you when I found this out).

Fall Craftiness

I asked my cousin if there was a support group for people who did crafting. She told me yes and that they get together and make stuff. So, I guess there is no hope for me in this area. LOL! I have it bad, as you will see below!

*I bought a vintage child card table set for $10 on a Facebook sale page and decided to redo it. I sprayed it with apple red paint and ordered oilcloth from ebay to cover the top, seats and seat backs. I used E6000 glue to adhere the cloth to the furniture.

Before:

After:

*I used two pumpkin wreath frames from Dollar Tree to make a Fall centerpiece that I plan to use on Thanksgiving. First you wire the tops together using floral wire. Then you spread the bottoms out wide enough to allow for the decorations you want to put inside and staple them to a piece of wood or something similar. I used a Halloween sign saying “Beware” from Dollar tree, turned it over and chalk painted it a stone color. I used flowers, leaves, wheat stalks and a pumpkin pie candle to complete the display and the bonus is that I had all of the items at home already. For a finishing touch I made a refabbed bow for the top. The ribbon I already had as well from the Dollar Tree (I LOVE that store!).

*Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and it is a cause near and dear to my heart (my maternal grandmother died as a result of breast cancer which spread to her bones when she was 68.) I made a display using pumpkins. I bought 3 of the carvable foam pumpkins from, you guessed it, Dollar Tree. I cut out the tops and gave them each 2 coats of pink acrylic paint. I used 3 slightly different pinks. I then put some Spanish moss in the top and anchored it with a little bit of hot glue. I also had fake succulents from Dollar Tree. I removed them from the small plastic pots they were in and placed them with some hot glue in the top of the pumpkins.

*For a dear friend who is a BIG fan of Disney I made a Halloween Minnie Mouse out of embroidery hoops and some embellishments. It really turned out cute. Below you will find my inspiration from wdw magazine. I used Halloween ribbon to make a refabbed bow for one ear and Fall Flowers to place on the lower right of the large embroidery hoop. You could literally do one for any season, holiday or occasion! The hoops were adhered to each other using hot glue. For the ears you use the inside of a small hoop and the outside. I hid the metal fastener with the refab bow. The larger hoop you use the inner ring and outer ring together.

*I seriously think I have a crafting problem as I am not done yet! Next, I made a family of Jack-o-Lanterns out of vintage shovels. First I cleaned and spray painted the blades of the shovels orange. Then using outdoor acrylic craft paint I used stencils I found online to paint the faces. I tried to jazz up the faces with some points of light. Then I decorated the handles with a variety of embellishments. I tried to do a Halloween bowtie for the “Daddy” shovel.

I love 3 tiered trays or tidbit trays as they are called. I normally tend to the vintage ones but for Halloween I decided to try a Dollar Tree idea I had seen and kind of make a wacky one for this season. I started by using E6000 (which takes 24 hours to dry and a little hot glue to hold things together in the meantime) for attaching the various parts to my tiered tray. As you can see in the picture below, I used two bread pans, set a little off kilter, a cookie sheet and two taper candle holders to form my tray.

I then spray painted it all black and added Halloween ornaments and some other items I had on hand. This is the result. Yep, you guessed it! All items except for the paint was purchased at Dollar Tree.

*Lastly, I got together with my cousin and we made a witch’s hat using a a witch’s hat wreath frame, deco mesh and ribbon. All were purchased from the Dollar Tree. We cut the the wreath frame at the top joint and bent it a little to make the bend in the top of the hat. We attached 12 inch lengths of deco mesh which had been gathered up in the center and secured them each with a half of pipe cleaner. We did that all over the bottom of the hat. The crown of the hat was done with black deco mesh just wrapped around it and secured in the back again with pipe cleaners. Then a refab bow was fashioned from ribbon and attached to the top. For a little variety you can attach lengths of ribbon here and there with pipe cleaners as well. There are as many color combinations as you have in your imagination. My cousin actually did a scarecrow hat and used browns and other Fall colors. I was particularly attracted to purple, black and green but couldn’t find enough of the purple and green to do the project.

.

Whew!!! I have been busy! It appears just with fun things though. Oh well! Let me know if you like any of the hacks, recipes or craft ideas and definitely if you try any of them. Hopefully, this was a fun read! See you next month.

Verified by MonsterInsights