Sunday, October 28, 2007

Weiners

Without further ado (and I'm sorry I made you wait so long!!), with all the precision a wound up 6 year old can muster...we have our weiners for my recipe challenge!!
These three lovely ladies will each receive a vintage apron from my fabulous collection!!!

Congratulations and thanks again to all who submitted recipes. It was great fun!!

And an artsy pic - I took this in the front yard yesterday. The leaves are finally changing and it is officially fall in New Mexico...with its lovely crisp mornings just perfect for a sweater and a scarf:)

Recipe #11

From my dear, sweet Happy Zombie:) -

Here's my standard once a week chicken dish.

Whole chicken, cut down back and "opened". Mix one 1/2 jar of apricot jam with equal amount of shoyu (soy sauce) and pour over chicken. Bake uncovered at 425 for about 15 minutes (watch so that it doesn't burn), and then loosely covered at 350 until done. And I have no idea how long "done" is, sorry. Serve with rice, green beans, carrots, etc.

YUM! I bet the jam and soy sauce really play off each other. I will definitely be trying this one:) Thanks Monica!!!

Scraplift

I haven't done much crafting, other than sewing lately and I was thrilled when I saw one of Joy's newest layouts for the Studio Calico design team she is on. As soon as I got home from church today I scraplifted it and I'm digging how it turned out. (Joy's in on the left and mine is on the right). It's the first time in years that I have completed a layout by choice without pictures - there was a Christmas about 10 years ago when I didn't have any film so I scrapbooked a bunch of the tags from our presents. But this layout purposely has no pictures and I love it. I have it on the organ in the living room for all to enjoy.

This layout also qualifies for my Handmade Monday entry for an awesome new blog Mary Ann started. Everything but the main brown cardstock is from my scrap (oops I almost wrote "crap") pile.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Recipe #10

This one comes to us all the way from Fiona in Australia!

ZUCCHINI SLICE (Like a quiche)

375g Zucchini (Grated)
1 onion (Diced)
½ cup cheese (Grated)
½ cup oil
1 cup Self Raising Flour
5 Eggs (Lightly Beaten)
3 Rashes Bacon (Diced)
2 Carrots (Grated) (Optional)
½ cup cheese for top (Grated)
Salt & Pepper


Method

Mix all ingredients together.
Pour into well greased rectangular tray with high sides.
Sprinkle with extra cheese
Bake in Moderate Oven for 30 – 40 mins or brown.

Great Hot or Cold the next day. Great with BBQ or salad

This sounds delicious!!! I can't to use the zucchini in my fridge for this one - thanks Fiona!!!

Sunday, October 21, 2007

For Carrie....



I came across The Mother's Day Project through another blog - I wish I remember who. You can read all about the project here.
The soldier's name I received was Carrie L. French...she was killed on June 5, 2005. Just 19 years old...and she brought back sweet memories of another fallen 19 year old. There is a beautiful webpage about Carrie that really touched my heart. She sounds like she was an amazing woman...teenager really. I chose green embroidery floss for her name so that I could share my favorite color with her.
Please go read about the project and help if you can.

Saturday, October 20, 2007

More Recipes Please!!!!

Check out this awesome recipe Kelli posted...yum!! Pumpkin was on my grocery list today specifically to make this cake:)
And I'm giving everyone a couple more days to submit recipes for a chance to win one of three vintage aprons!! Just post the recipe in a comment here or email it to me at raeshadrz at yahoo dot com.
I'll extend the deadline to the 23rd since I was feeling yucky the last few days of this week and NOTHING sounded good to me:) I was fighting off a stomach bug and I'm so glad I did! I'd rather feel just slight yucky for a couple days than have the full blown stomach flu:)

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Grateful

My sweet friend, Selena, started this great little meme. I am definitely in need of this one today (just take a look at my last post).

I would like you to list five things you are grateful for in your life. They can be silly or serious or just simple and heart felt. Imagine what the world would be like if we all could be a little more grateful for the small things. 1. I am grateful for fabulous friends....IRL and my blogging friends who love me for who I am and never fail to lift my spirits on bad days.
2. I am grateful for my home, a full pantry, gas in my car, and even when money is tight, knowing that I have just enough to get by.
3. I am grateful for my ability to craft and my love of making things.
4. I am grateful for my faith.
5. I am grateful for Swedish Fish.

There you have it...serious....goofy...a little bit of both. Please join in - we all need a little more thankfulness in this world.
(Picture courtesy of Paper Source - what a fabulous website!!)
And thanks Monica for your fabulous post today. It made me smile:)

Mood Killer

GOSH DARNIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was all happy tonight and getting ready to post my grateful meme inspired by Apron Thrift Girl when I had one ?&%!!*&% of an accident in the kitchen. We have a big watermelon that's been sitting on the table for the last few weeks. I walked by and pushed a chair in at the table and it must have hit the watermelon cause it rolled off the table, knocking down one of the chairs and landing on top of it. It snapped one of the arms of the chair in half, the chair made a big dent in the hutch behind the table and the finish on the chair left a nice several inches long brown mark on the hutch when the chair fell against it. I am so bugged!!!! Hubby said that chair is beyond repair and we should just throw it away but I told him we should just try to fix it. We normally have chair covers on the chairs anyway so even if it looks weird you won't be able to see it. I hate when stupid accidents like happen. Then, when I was cooking dinner I dropped my favorite spoon behind the stove so I won't see that spoon again for years.

But, I did receive a nice phone call before dinner- an old friend that I haven't seen in years called to ask if she could stop by so I could help her make an anniversary card for her parents 54th wedding anniversary. So it was nice to visit with her for a few minutes.

I'm about to chuck that darn watermelon out the window....though that would cause even more damage than it has already.

EDIT: The gosh darn watermelon did not have a single scratch on it after this debacle....I think that's what pissed me off the most!

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Great Goodies, but Horrible Pictures:(

Oh my - I didn't realize quite how horrible some of these pictures were until I loaded them....

I received my fabulous package from my Owl Swap partner, Meg - she completely spoiled me AND Miss S! Miss S was so excited that there were goodies for her too. She got her own owl tote bag filled with all sorts of fun stuff.

And I received this beautiful owl...and the most perfect purple and green corduroy tote bag filled with goodies for me too:)

An Owl notebook, pens, and scrapbooking papers and stickers in an awesome case.


And an "Owl Remember" perpetual calendar book...I have a hanging one at home, but I LOVE this one cause I can keep it in my bag with me.
Thank you so much Meg! You were so generous and obviously spent a lot of time and energy into making an awesome package for me and Miss S.

And I also received a fabulous package from Regina that I won as part of a little giveaway she had....a gorgeous pouch that couldn't be more perfect, buttons, trim and handprinted cards. Thank you!!! You ahve to visit her blog - she is SO creative and she takes wonderful pictures...unlike my sub-par, too dark, slightly blurry that I tend to take. Even when I try hard, they still don't turn out that great!

Recipe #9

lauren sent in this great recipe...

vegetarian sweet and sour "chicken"

1 green bell pepper chopped into small pieces
1 8oz container of mushrooms coarsely chopped
1 can of pineapple tidbits
1 box of defrosted Morning Star "chick'n" nuggets chopped into small pieces
1 jar LaChoy Sweet and Sour Sauce
Canola Oil

Sautee bell pepper and mushrooms. when slightly soft, add pineapple, "chick'n" pieces and jar of sweet and sour sauce. Warm up and serve over rice(we like Uncle Ben's Teryiaki Rice) and with vegetable eggrolls. MMMMM

I'm loving the vegetarian recipes:) This sounds great Lauren - Thanks!

We have one more week to submit recipes - check out this POST for all the details on my fun little challenge:)

Recipe #8

From Christy we have this delicious entry:

I completely understand the boredom! Most days I have no desire to eat my own cooking! I look forward to trying some new recipes.

Here's one of my fall favorites:
Chicken Chili (6 servings)
1 1/4# boneless, skinless chicken
2 (15.8 oz) cans Great Northern Beans, rinsed & drained
1 (15.5 oz) can white hominy, drained
1 (1.25 oz) envelope taco seasoning mix
1 (4.5 oz) can chopped green chiles
1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
Sour Cream
Chopped green onions

Place chicken in 3-4 qt. slow cooker (crock pot). Top with remaining ingredients, in order, except sour cream and onions.
Cover and cook on low heat 8 - 10 hours.
Before serving, stir gently to break up chicken pieces. Top with sour cream and onions.

OH yum! A fantastic "white" chili. This will be perfect to warm up our cold New Mexico nights. Thanks Christy!

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Rested

I passed out on the couch last night before 8:30...then hubby woke me up at 9:45 so I could stumble to my bed. I slept like an absolute rock. I woke, bright eyed and bushy tailed, at 6 am ready to face the day and have a nice productive Saturday. I guess there really is something to that old saying - "early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."

Miss S got her school pictures back this week and I am SO on the fence about them.

Her smile is a little goofy and even though I specifically asked them NOT to, they retouched Miss S's scars on her cheek and nose. Miss S said a boy at school told her that her pictures are really pretty. I asked her what she thought and she told me that the shirt I made her wear "was SO last year". We have until the 17th to decide if we want retakes....let me know what you think. I just need some unbiased feedback:)

Recipe #7

Another delicious recipe from Vallen (she's hosting a virtual potluck so head on over and visit her!!)

Sour Cream Rice

six cups cooked rice
1 pint sour cream
Chopped fresh or canned chilis (one small can)
Monterey jack cheese, grated (maybe two cups)
butter

Mix chilis into sour cream. Layer rice, sour cream, then cheese twice. Dot with butter and bake at 350 until bubbly and browned.
Everybody wants the browned crispy part so bake it in a large pan.

YUM!! This would go great with the Salsa Chicken! Thanks Vallen!

Recipe #6

Andie submitted this easy peasy recipe:

salsa chicken:

chicken breasts (how ever many you need)
salsa

place chicken in crockpot, cover with salsa (i use cheap store brand) cook on low all day.

eat!

Thanks Andie! How much better can it get? Two ingredients and your crockpot! I can't wait to try this one. If you have a blog, let us know:)

Thursday, October 11, 2007

A Quick Funny

I've been catching up on a few blogs instead of heading to bed:) I don't know why I do that...I have tons of work to do tomorrow and I will probably be at a hearing all afternoon so I really should be in bed getting some rest.

A couple of the blogs I was reading posted different "funnies" that their children have done or said lately and I was reminded of a hilarious story about Miss S and show and tell at her last daycare center. Miss S had chosen one of her little purses for show and tell. When Hubby picked her up that day, her teacher called him aside and shared that there was a little "something" in Miss S's purse and THAT is what she had brought for show and tell, not the purse itself.

Hubby about died of embarassment because the "something" was his talking Homer Simpson beer opener. When you press the metal part Homer says "MMMM Beer" and "Chug, chug, chug" and various other beer related phrases. Miss S demonstrated each saying for the class during her show and tell turn. Hubby refused to go to the daycare for at least a week!


Years later she is still fascinated by this little gadget and I generally find it stashed in her room when we are cleaning. Now Hubby and I are both a little wiser and we always check what Miss S had inside her purse when she leaves the house.

Recipe #5

It's time for a sweet treat from Micol:

Here is my family and friend's favorite PB Cookie Recipe.
Can't be more simple and delicious!

RecycleMicol's Unbelievably Good
Peanut Butter Cookies

1 Cup Peanut Butter - (crunchy or creamy)
2/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
1tsp. Vanilla
1 Egg

Mix well with spoon. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto dry cookie sheet.
Bake at 325 degrees for 13-14 minutes.
Do not over bake!
Let cool at least 5
minutes to firm up before removing from pan.

Tips: Recipe can be doubled. They are small and do not spread much
while baking. You can keep dough in refrigerator for up to three days, or
use a teaspoon to drop onto a paper plate and place it in the freezer. After
15 minutes, dump them into a large plastic freezer bag. They won't stick
together and you can take out as many as you'd like and thaw them at
room temperature for 10 minutes before baking as directed.

I know what Miss S and I are baking this weekend! Thanks Micol!!

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Recipe #4

This one comes to us from my friend Dana...

This is a favorite at our house. It's my mom's recipe.

Filling Balls

1lb ground beef or turkey
1 pack Stove Top stuffing
1 can cream of mushroom soup

a little bit of milk

Prepare the stuffing according to the directions on the box. Make a ball of stuffing (about baseball size). Take the ground meat and press it in to a thin layer to cover the outside of the stuffing ball. Make sure this is a THIN layer;). Do this with all the rest of the stuffing and meat. Mix the cream of mushroom soup with a little bit of milk to thin it. Pour it over the top of the filling balls. Cover with foil and place in
oven set to 350. Bake for an hour. Remove from the oven, uncover and serve:)

These sound great! And what a great recipe for getting your little ones to help too:) And I always have these ingredients on hand too. Thanks, Dana!

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Recipe #3

This one comes to us from Sweet Lucy of Sweet Repeats

This is a great side dish--perfect for Thanksgiving:

Lucy's Creamy Corn

2-3 pounds of frozen corn
8 oz pkg. cream cheese cubed
1/2 cup butter or margarine melted
2-3 TBS sugar or honey
2-3 TBS water (optional)(I use milk)

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.Cover. Cook on low setting 4 hours. Tastes like buttered corn on the cob.

Thanks Lucy! How did you know that corn is my all time favorite vegetable??

Recipe #2 and Pumpkin Fun

Vallen's Meat Loaf
one pound meat
one egg
one pkg salad dressing, (Vallen uses Good Seasons Italian)
one handful of parmesan cheese
one big hunk of bacon
Salt and pepper

Mix everything but the bacon together and put in a bread pan.
Lay the bacon strips on top of the meatloaf
Bake one hour at 350 to 375

I am always on the lookout for a good meatloaf!! Thanks Vallen!


Miss S and I spend Columbus Day at the McCall's Pumpkin Patch - it's about 30 miles
outside of town and there are all sorts of fun activities, then you get to take a hayride
out to the pumpkin patch to pick your pumpkin. We had a marvelous time and the weather was perfect.
So much so that I came home with a nice bright red face:(


My formatting is really wonky in this post...sorry about that but I'm not sure how to fix it.

Monday, October 08, 2007

Recipe #1

I'm so excited to have recipes trickling in from all of you!! This is going to be so fun. Here is one of the first submissions-

Dawn's Taco Skillet Dinner

(serves 4)

1 lb ground turkey or 1 lb vegetarian ground "beef"
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 16-oz bag frozen "southwest" style vegetables
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 16-oz jar salsa
2 cups coarsely crushed tortilla chips
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a large skillet fry meat in oil for 6 minutes, or until brown, stirring to crumble.
Stir in frozen vegetables, black beans and salsa. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook 6 - 8 minutes.
Sprinkle with tortilla chips and cheese, cover and cook 2 more minutes.

Serve. Or if you want to be really schmancy, sprinkle dish with chopped cilantro and serve with corn bread and sour cream on the side.

The very best thing about this meal is that you can have everything for it in the pantry and the meat in the freezer. Nothing fresh required!

Thanks Dawn! This sounds delicious!

Sunday, October 07, 2007

BORED!!!!!!!

Can you believe that I'm bored?? No, not really...I'm just bored with my cooking... sick to death of the 5 recipes I have worn out.

SO my challenge to you is to leave your recipe in a comment or email me with your favorite recipe (you can email me at raeshadrz at yahoo dot com) - I love quick, simple recipes. I will randomly post recipes that are submitted for the next couple weeks too so we can all add new dishes to our recipe boxes!!

And what do you get in return? A chance to win one of three vintage aprons!! The deadline to submit recipes is October 20 so that gives you almost two weeks. You can submit more than one recipe and you'll be entered in the drawing once for each recipe you submit. Remember - these can be any type of recipes - main dishes, salads, desserts, etc....with an emphasis on quick and simple!!!

Happy Sunday

I was awakened this morning by the sound of a hot air balloon flying over the house. This is the week of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta and our house is in an ideal spot as we can see a lot of balloons from our backyard. The swoosh from the propane being turned on is what woke me up.

Sometimes they fly close enough to the house that you can wave and talk to the pilot. Check out the awesome pictures my friend Raine took of the Balloon Fiesta.

And since I was up, I finished some atcs for an upcoming trade. The theme this month is "What Time Is It"....I chose "it's time to destash". I've had these pretty pieces of ribbon and the star eyelets forever. I think they turned out very cool.

Friday, October 05, 2007

Two Minutes

Literally - it feels like all I have these days....2 minutes here, 2 minutes there. Work has still been busy and I have been doing about 2 hours worth of work at home each evening. That means I end up getting to bed later than normal...then I'm even more cranky the next day. I am SO looking forward to the three day weeeknd. Ballet was cancelled, it's General Conference weekend so I can watch church on TV and I will be cleaning and crafting and replying to emails to my little heart's content. I have a baby shower tomorrow night and I have not even started the gift:) Oh and I get to sleep in for THREE days! That's probably the best part.

I participated in Missy's Owl Swap - such fun!! My package arrived to my partner, Meg, so here's a look at what I made her. Isn't that owl adorable!!! I used the tutorial from Floresita for the stuffies - this should be the You Tube link for it. I'll confirm that tonight and add all the links tonight too...cause I have two minutes until I'm supposed to leave for work:)

I have some fun stuff planned for my little blog this next week....a contest (with a giveaway of course).

**Two Minute Edit - to include all the correct, awesome linky love:)