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!

Here a Banana, There a Banana…………

Do you ever buy bananas and fail to eat them all before they start to get just a little too ripe for you? I think we all do. I imagine banana bread was invented just for that reason.

My problem is that I have a very narrow “banana window” to deal with. In the store I always pick out the banana bunch with the most green peels. I have to wait a day or two for them to be ripe enough that they suit me. Then I barely get 2 to 3 eaten and they are too ripe for me. I like just the certain sweet spot where they are sweet, firm and ready to eat. Since, as you might guess, I hate to waste money I will eat at least 1 banana when it is a hair too ripe. However, I often end up with 2 or 3 left over, no matter how few I purchase.

Of course, it happened again and although I love banana bread I felt like trying something else. I found a recipe for banana coffee cake and I love coffee cake!

Banana Coffee Cake

(Recipe from the blog, A Latte Food)

  • 3-4 medium or large bananas
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 6 Tbsp butter, cold.
  • Preheat the oven to 350. Grease two 8×4 pans.
  1.  In a small bowl, mash bananas, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon.
  2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
  3. Add in eggs and beat until mixed.
  4. To the wet ingredients, sift in flour, baking soda, and salt.
  5. Stir until just combined. Add in sour cream and stir.
  6. Pour in mashed bananas, and mix until combined.
Crumb Topping
  1. Combine cinnamon, flour, and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter, and mix until the topping looks like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle coating evenly over the batter in both pans.
  2. Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs stuck to it.
  3. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Move to a wire cooling rack.

  • Note;This came out beautifully. I had 3 large bananas that I used. The baking time was right on the money for me. If you would like to try it but don’t have the time when your bananas are begging for some baking, just pop them in the freezer to keep until you’re ready. That works really well.

Quick without looking guess, in your head, how many times I said  the word “banana”.

Ok, got it in your head? Look below for the answer.

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13! That’s a whole lot of banana talking right there.

Warning: Handy Tips Coming Ahead!

Did you notice as you read through the recipe that you are to use a pastry cutter to do the crumb topping? Of course, I use a pastry cutter for that and all other pastry such as pie crusts. This is so the butter doesn’t get too warm if you used your hands. You also get more uniformity using the pastry cutter.

I have another use for the pastry cutter and I learned it from my Mom. She always used a pastry cutter to chop up eggs for egg salad. It works like a dream! You should try it some time.

Above you see the unassuming lint roller. I have pets so I keep one in my bedroom, one in the dining-room and one in the car (for those last-minute occasions).

For 3 days I went on a cleaning frenzy here at my house! The lint roller is part of my cleaning tool box. My most favorite use for it is to clean the cloth lampshades in my living-room. The lampshades get, as you might imagine, a lot of dust on them and, in my case and probably other homes, some pet hair too. The lint roller is just the tool to clean them! I used to take them off the lamps and put them in the shower for a wash. That is more time-consuming and you have to wait for them to dry before putting them back where they belong. The lint roller allows you to work in place, is quick and I believe gets them cleaner.

Project Time

I was reading one of my magazines and saw how someone had made a lazy Susan for their table with a vintage dart board. Of course, I had to make one. The only thing is I didn’t have a dart board any more. You know how you get rid of things and then see a neat idea where you could have used it! Geesh, I hate that!

I made up my mind that I would look on eBay or wait until yard sale and flea market season and look for one then. Just about then I went into my 3 day cleaning frenzy. I was dusting and sweeping in my craft room when I happened to pick up  one of my vintage toys I have displayed there. It was a Chinese checker game. Remember those? Yep, that light bulb when on over my head just like you see in the cartoons and here is the result.

 The game that lit the light bulb.

 I had lazy susan bearings that were already on a wooden disk for cake decorating but you can purchase them also. I used Gorilla Glue to attach the metal plate that contains the bearings to the game.

 Bearings

  VIOLA!

It is my hope you found some inspiration here. Have a wonderful upcoming weekend! See you next week.

 

 

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