A few things I've made recently.

We'll start out with the dress I tried to make.  I call it the disaster.  I'm going to try again.  It's cute...but there is so much wrong with it I'm embarrassed.

I made this really cute picture frame though!

And I finally mod podged a few pizza trays into serving trays, and I like them.  I used Gorilla Glue to hold the feet and handles on, and it's not holding very well.  I'll have to try something else.

I threw one of my best friends a baby shower today, and I can finally show the blanket I made for her online since she's seen it already!  It's one of my favorites and I'm getting better and better at it!

I also did the favors and they were too cute for words.  They're chocolate chip cookie mixes in a jar and embellished as I saw fit.

Then I made corner bookmarks that are pretty cute too.  I had them propped up on the cookie mixes.

That's it for now, hopefully this week will be another craft week in my house.

Blueberry Butter.

I made blueberry butter today too.  I found this recipe on line, I've put my variations in ().

Slow Cooker Blueberry Butter
makes approximately 3 1/2 pints of butter
8 cups of pureed blueberries (once pureed that is ALOT of blueberries! I only had roughly 3 cups)
2 cups sugar (used a little less than 1 cup)
1 lemon, zested (1/2 a lemon, juice and zested)
2 teaspoons cinnamon (1 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg (1/4 teaspoon)

Put the pureed blueberries in a slow cooker. Place a lid on the pot and turn it on to low. After about an hour, give it a stir (it's think and creamy at this point). At this point, you want to use something to prop the lid a bit. I found that laying a wooden spoon across the rim of the cooker and then placing the lid on gave it just enough room to let the steam evaporate.
I slow cooked it for about 6 hours total.  At the beginning of hour five, I added the spices and the sugar, removed the lid completely and turned the heat up to high, in order to speed the cooking down. (I goofed and added the sugar and spices after the first hour, but I'm pleased with how it turned out)
Once it’s cooked down sufficiently, pour into jars (leave a good 1/2 inch of head space), wipe rims, apply lids and screw on bands. Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes. Eat on fresh scones and store unopened jars in a cool, dark place.

Strawberry Yogurt Cake

Ingrediants 

1 yellow cake mix (and the necessary fixings on the back of the box)

2- 6 oz container strawberry yogurt (I used the cheapest I could find and it was so yummy!)

Cool Whip

fresh strawberries

Make Cake like normal, last step could be mixing in one of the 6 oz. containers of yogurt, just stir it until mixed well.  Then bake the cake according to the directions on the box.   Cool Cake completely, seriously, cool it, no heat allowed or you'll melt the cool whip. Mix the last 6 oz. yogurt with the cool whip and spread it on top of the cake.  Refrigerate until you're ready to serve it.  Serve with fresh strawberries on top.  YUM!

Becky's Famous Hot Wings!

I love a good Hot Wing, and ever since I left the east coast in 2004 I have not found a decent wing place to eat.  So......I made them myself, and OH MY GOD!!  They are wonderful!  I made some for the 4th of July BBQ we had with friends and everyone loved them.  Here's my recipe, sorry no pictures.

Ingrediants
Chicken wings and drumettes (as many as your heart desires, I personally buy them at Costco and it's enough for 3 or so meals)
Franks Red Hot Sauce (do NOT cheap out on this, you get the best results with Franks! and no I'm not paid to say that, although if they want to offer me money I'll say it over and over)
2 sticks butter
frying oil (I use cheapo veggie oil)
Tobasco sauce

First fry your chicken, I do not bread them I just fry them the way they are, washed of course.  I use my big double broiler pot and about an inch and a half or so of oil.  Fire up your oven and heat that oil.  Stick the chicken in, and fry it.  I do it for 27 to 35 mins, you're looking for that nice golden brown finish.

while frying your chicken, start the 2 sticks of butter melting in another pot.  Add in 12 ounces of Frank's Red Hot Sauce (original formula).  Shake in 5 to 10 drops of Tabasco, depending on how hot you like it.

Once your chicken if fried and drained put them in the sauce in batches, coat well and serve!  OMG!  The left over sauce is fantastic the next few days with celery or potato salad.  YUM.

Entered another give away!

Hello everyone.  I have entered this give away:  http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/2010/06/its-time-huge-giveaway-worth-over-300.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FOivM+%28Tatertots+and+Jello%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

go check it out for yourselves!!

Shepherd's Pie for dinner.

I made a yummy dinner tonight!  I've tried several Shepherd's Pie recipes over the past few years and so far this one is my favorite!  Jack (my 3 year old) ate it like it was going out of style too!

Shepherd's Pie

4-6 potatoes (I did 5 medium and it was plenty)
1 lb ground beef
3 carrots, diced (I didn't have carrots so it's good without!)
1/2 an onion, finely chopped (used a whole one and left bigish pieces, super yummy)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated (I used minced and it was ok, but I recommend more)
1/2 small bag of frozen peas
1/2 small bag frozen corn
1-2 tbsp flour (eye ball it, I ended up using 3 tbsp but my burger was a little more than a pound too.)
1 c water
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
pepper, seasoning salt

Make mashed potatoes like you normally do.  John likes our really creamy.

Brown your beef, adding onions and garlic when it gets close to done (there is something missing in this recipe but I have yet to figure out what it is.)  Do not drain, add flour, and stir til flour coats meat and onions.  Add W. sauce, water, pepper and salt.  Stir til thickened, and then add corn, peas, and carrots.  Cook this mixture over low to medium heat til carrots are tender, but peas are still pretty color of green(do NOT over cook, you want the peas and corn to still have a little snap in them).  Pour mixture into 13x9 baking dish(way too big, I used a 1.5 qt  casserole and it was perfect), then top with mashed potatoes.  I topped mine with paprika and parmesean cheese, don't be afraid of over cheesing...it's so good!

Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees, just til the potatoes get a kind of crust on top and the gravy mixture is a bit bubbly.  Everything is cooked so you are just trying to brown the top.

My first attempt at a bag.

And I have to say...I LOVE IT!  It turned out a bit smaller than I thought it would, and it's far from perfect, but for a first attempt I'm pretty happy!  What do you think?

Look what I made!

So I moved into my current house in Feb. and I have something I've never had before.  A kitchen window over my sink.  I LOVE IT!  But it needs curtains right?  So I looked and looked for months and couldn't find any that I even remotely liked...soooooo I made some!  Do you like?

I have yellow ribbon tie backs now too and I think they complete the look.  I love them!  The bright colors against my dark cabinets really lightens it up in there!  They are far from perfect, but I'm impressed with myself.

I entered another giveaway!

Check the giveaway I discovered this morning.  I entered...have you?

http://cluckclucksewgiveaways.blogspot.com/2010/05/sponsored-giveaway-burgundy-buttons.html?showComment=1274544475494_AIe9_BHL2pFn8xctlR1VKAePWcbRU7rHCum9F4CHS8LlGzFRN-PhVOrnq0PRfg1L_0OZQQy1tXAv4BKWU80EJtxclhOXbi38v9Nx_ecploxSjc6kukqdal2V1vc3FRf2FcrWs-KOwzHGPaeN9xXk4G06K9Eiq3H_eZHIpKfa4qnoGVBSzG1DV6e2EneVcnfBawH8F5eIVaxnxWZLIO99tDa_b6zTlLY3Ad5OuKm4YzadlPOBae_nSRjZNnS5dzhkS4dqBKsZ2cGh#c3019245040981996726

Check out this give-away!

I entered a give away hosted here:  http://www.polkadotchair.com/2010/05/hey-today-is-fourteenth-of-may-ready.html

Go check it out and enter too!

Good Luck!

I'm still alive!

I know it's been a while but I'm still here!  I made this blanket today for the Foster Daughter we're hoping to adopt.  I have to say...I love it!!

I bought the fabric to make curtains for my kitchen too, we'll see how that goes! 

Sticky chicken finger salad and yummy parmesan herb bread!

Dinner tonight was really and I mean REALLY good.  The bread smelled so good when it was cooking and the taste did not let us down...and the salad was a light salad packed full of taste!  Sadly, we dug into the salad before I took a picture...and there isn't much left over!

4 chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup bread crumbs
2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
2 tomatoes
croutons
cheddar cheese, grated
ranch dressing
craisins
2 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup Frank's Hot Sauce(Original)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Dip chicken breasts into the sour cream and then into bread crumbs. Place on a sprayed/greased sheet pan. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked and crispy. 
While the chicken is baking, prepare salad and make the dressing. 
To make the dressing, combine the 2 1/2 cups brown sugar, 1/3 cup Franks Hot Sauce, and 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar in a pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Let boil for one minute only, if you boil too long it will turn hard. 
When the chicken is done dip into sticky sauce and place on a plate. Serve with what ever salad fixin's you want, but be sure to save the leftover sticky sauce as it adds a little something to your salad.

Parmesan Herb Bread!

Ingredients

• 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 tablespoons margarine, softened
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Sprinkle yeast over water in large bowl. Let stand a few minutes, then stir and dissolve yeast. Add sugar, salt, margarine, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, oregano and 3 cups of the flour. Beat at slow speed for 2 minutes. Beat in rest of flour; cover the bowl with a sheet of wax paper and a kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place 45 minutes, or until doubled in volume.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease one round, 2-quart casserole. Set aside.
3. Stir batter down for 1/2 a minute. Turn batter into casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 55 minutes.

Delightful Mint Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

All I can say is OMG.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups finely crushed Oreo cookies (about 18)
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz.) can condensed milk
3 eggs
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 tsp. green food coloring (optional)
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon flour


Mint Chocolate Cheesecake Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Combine cookie crumbs and butter. Press firmly on bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
2. In large mixer bowl beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth.
3. Add eggs, peppermint, and food coloring; mix well.
4. In small bowl, toss 1/2 chips with flour to coat; stir into cheese mixture. Pour into prepared pan.
5. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup chips evenly over top. Bake 1 hour or until cake springs back when lightly touched.
6. Cool to room temperature. Chill about 4 hours.

hmmm....dinner.

For dinner tonight I made a Mexican Crockpot Casserole.  It was pretty good, I'll not a few changes I'll make next time.  Then for desert I made Strawberry Milk Chipster cookies that I found on this blog:  http://picky-palate.com/2010/04/12/strawberry-milk-chipsters/

The Mexican Crockpot:
4 pieces Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 can (15 Oz. Can) Black Beans (NOT Drained)
1 jar (16 Oz. Jar) Salsa
1 can (8.5 Oz. Can) Corn, Drained (make sure it is NOT sweet corn)
1 block (8 Oz. Block) Velveeta (or Cream Cheese)

Preparation Instructions

Add the black beans (and liquid) to the crockpot.
Add salsa and corn and stir until mixed.
Add chicken breasts. (Mine were frozen and it worked perfectly)
Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours (I did high for about 3 hours, then switched it to low).
Sherd the chicken in the pot and add your cheese about 30 minutes prior to serving. (mine really needed a little kick so I may add some spicey peppers or something).  I served it with tortilla chips.

STRAWBERRY MILK CHIPSTERS
2 sticks softened butter
1/2 Cup strawberry milk Powder, Nestles
3/4 Cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1-2 drops red food coloring
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 oz bag White Chocolate Chips

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a stand or electric mixer beat the butter, strawberry milk and brown sugar until well combined.  Place eggs into a bowl and whisk in 1-2 drops of food coloring.  Pour into mixer along with vanilla and beat until combined, about 30 seconds.   Place four, baking soda and salt into a large bowl; mix to combine then slowly add to wet ingredients along with white chips.  Mix on low until just combined.

2.  With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart.  Bake for 9-11 minute or until edges just start to brown.  Let cookies cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Makes roughly 3 dozen cookies.

I was crafty today!

Today I finished a blanket for a dear friend of mine who is trying to adopt a little boy.  This is the third time I've made this blanket, it's so easy and I love it to death!

honestly, it's not my favorite fabric, don't get me wrong, I love the design, but the fabric itself was a little cheap and the fleecey I think shows it.  Still really cute, but I'm not 100% happy with it.

This one I made for my brother who welcomed his first child, a boy, Jacob, to the world on March 25th.

And this one I made for my best friend Miranda who had a beautiful baby girl, Livvy, on March 12th.  I loved this one the best, the colors and the fabric...I just wanted to keep it for myself!

What's for dinner?

Tonight I tried a new recipe.  Sweet and spicy stir-fry.  It was a smash hit with everyone including my 2 year old!  Here is the recipe, hope you enjoy!  I'm trying to remember to take pictures of what I'm cooking to share but alas I keep forgetting!

The Sauce:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
Dash of garlic powder or fresh minced, if desired (I used about a 1/2 teas of minced)
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste (I like spice and a whole tsp still wasn't enough)

The Stir-fry:
Any combination of chopped vegetables to equal 2 cups (I used carrots, celery, and broccoli)
3 or 4 chicken breasts cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. warm water





Make the sauce first by mixing together the brown sugar and soy sauce, add in the garlic and crushed red pepper, stick on the stove until all the sugar is melted, then remove from heat and put aside.  Heat your wok and 2ish tbsp EVOO, throw the veggies in for 5 mins or so then remove them from the pan.  Add 3 or 4 more tbsp EVOO to wok and add your chicken stirring frequently until mostly cooked (I'm weird about chicken and usually over cook it a bit, but still yummy!)  Add vegetables back in and stir in sauce; reduce heat to medium and cook until sauce is heated through and slightly thickened. If you don't like the thickness of it, add your cornstarch and warm water together, stir until mixed then add to your wok, it should thicken nicely.  Serve with rice!

Picture frames.

I made these picture frames at Christmas as inexpensive gifts to give to friends.  I love how they turned out and they are so easy to do!  I might have to do some more with different themes.

Yummy Yummy Vanilla Crumb Cake

I wish I had taken a picture before we devoured it!  Trust me it's fanfreakingtastic!  Here's the recipe!

¾ cups Granulated Sugar
¾ cups Light Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
3-¼ cups Flour
½ teaspoons Nutmeg
1 cup Butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
½ teaspoons Baking Soda
½ teaspoons Salt
2 whole Eggs
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1 cup Buttermilk

FOR THE GLAZE:

⅔ cups Confectioner's Sugar
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Tablespoon Milk, Or More As Needed



Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl, combine granulated sugar and the brown sugar.
Add the flour and nutmeg, whisking until well blended.
Cut butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two butter knives until crumbly.
Remove and reserve 1 cup of the crumb mixture.
Stir into the remaining crumb mixture the baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, the vanilla, and the buttermilk together until well combined.
Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until just moistened.  (Batter will be super thick and super sticky!)
Spread batter gently into a greased and floured 9″x13″x2″ cake pan.
Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture evenly over the batter, pressing lightly into the batter.
Bake in oven for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
In a small bowl, combine the glaze ingredients until smooth. If too thick, add just a few more drops of milk. Drizzle over the cooled cake.

Hello there!

I'm starting this blog out to show you all my craftiness and to share some of our favorite recipes we have.  Please have patience as I try to figure out when I'm going to have time to do this.  I am a SAHM with a part time job at William Sonoma, working nights and weekends.  During the day I stay home, craft, clean, take care of my rambunctious and fantastic almost 3 year old.  My darling husband and I are in process of adopting a little girl from the states foster to adopt program, we are so excited!  Stay tuned!!