Book Review

I remember reading this book when I was younger and was totally fascinated by it. I have read it a few more times since and get more out of this book each time I read it. I absolutely LOVE this book. It is definitely one of my favorites. If you haven't read this book for some reason or another you should. The premise of this book deals with an idealistic society that is far in the future but the characters in this book live their lives in more simplistic ways then we do now. The only problem with their way of living is that they don't know what they are missing out on. Or do they...

Stromboli

Well this is a very simplified version and it is a lot like a pizza. All I do is make a pizza crust and layer it with sauce, ham, pepperoni and cheese. Then I roll it up, turn it over and cut slits in it. I bake it at about 325 for 20 minutes. Then it's done!

Eddie Ross Ornament Wreath

I must tell you that this wreath is the entire reason why I decided to change my attitude about wreaths because well lets face it I used to hate them....but I hate them no more. I first saw this idea last year but didn't get around to actually putting it together until this year. It is a work in progress and I might change it later but here it is for now.

The ornaments I used for this project were purchased at the Dollar Store. They are cheap plastic and won't break! Hooray! I took a wire hanger apart and bent it into an circle shape. I then put on the ornaments in an alternating pattern. To end I tried using a pair of pliers and twisting it together and then ended up putting twisty ties on it. It looks okay put I still want to fix it. I saw on Pinterest that someone just bought a foam wreath and stuck the ornaments in. Maybe I will have to try that, but for now I like it!

Book Review

I have to admit I don't remember where I find the review for this book but it looked somewhat interesting and I was in a book slump so I checked it out at the library. This book is about a woman named Hannah who has a dying wish for her husband. She leaves him a letter and tells him that he needs to get married again and gives him a list of three acceptable women that she knows. Now it is up to him to see if he actually goes and meets these women. 

This book is not a typical read for me but I enjoyed it all the same. It was fun to see how the story ended. Hope you like it!

Minestrone Soup

Confession: I LOVE SOUP, but I am picky about my soup so when I find one I like I jump for joy. I have always liked minestrone but lets face it, everything tastes better fresh so I needed to find myself a recipe. Well I came across a website a while ago that has a lot of great healthy recipes. Trainner Momma has given me the courage to try things that I wouldn't normally try. Here is her version of minestrone soup. 

Minestrone Soup

2 cans of beans, drained (kidney, garbanzo, pinto, navy, whatever)

8 c chicken broth

1 16 oz can diced tomatoes

Baby carrots chopped in half length wise

2 stalks celery, chopped fine

2 medium or 1 large onion chopped fine

2 cloves of garlic

1 c whole wheat macaroni, uncooked

2 Tb parsley

2 tsp salt

1 tsp dried basil leaves

¼ tsp pepper

1 bay leaf

1 ½ c or 1 can of cut green beans, drained

2 zucchini, cut small

Grated parmesan cheese

Add all ingredients except green beans and zuchinni. Simmer until tender, then add remaining two vegetables and cook until tender. Remove bay leaf, then serve with cheese on top.

December Kisses

I had this Christmas Countdown given to me many years ago and I love to still use it. For this countdown calendar all you need to use are Hershey Kisses!!! My favorite Christmas Kisses are the Peppermint and Mint Truffle. All I do each year is take some saran wrap and wrap the kisses in it. I tied ribbon in between each kiss so they wouldn't fall out. Pretty simple and fun! 

Here is the poem to help you remember to eat a kiss each day!

Book Review

This book is a children's novel and it intrigued me since I love language! This particular book it not quite like any other book I have ever read. It is a very slow paced book that leaves you with a lot of questions in the beginning. It is one of those books that doesn't fully make sense until the very end. I enjoyed this book, but make sure you stick with it until the end. 

Penne Pasta Bake

Let's just say that if I had it my way we would eat, breathe and sleep pasta. But since I have people around here who like a little meat this definitely pleased everyone. I really liked this dish. It is just a little different than eating our normal spaghetti. I found this recipe at Chef-n-Training and she has some easy recipes but beware most of them are desserts. 

PENNE PASTA BAKE

1 lb lean ground beef

1/2 medium yellow onion

3 cloves garlic

16 oz. penne pasta

2 (26 oz) marinara sauce jars

6 slices provolone cheese

6 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

16 oz. sour cream

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add penne pasta and cook until done (about 12 minutes) then drain.

In a large skillet, brown diced onion, 3 cloves of minced garlic and ground beef over MEDIUM heat.  Add spaghetti sauce and warm through.

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Lightly oil or spray a 9x13 baking dish.

Layer as follows; 1/2 pasta, 16 oz sour cream, 6 slices of provolone cheese, 1/2 sauce mixture, remaining pasta, remaining sauce mixture, 6 oz shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake 35 minutes at 350 F or until cheese melts

Side Notes: I only use 1 jar of marinara because 2 is way too much for me and I didn't like having a 2nd layer of noodles because they went hard and crispy. 

Thankful Tree

Each year after all the Halloween decorations are put away and candy is consumed I like to think about the next upcoming holiday. Thanksgiving is a day that is forgotten quite often and let's face it not quite as fun as Christmas. I for one wanted to make it a point this year to be better at being thankful for all that I have and all that I have learned this past year. 

I have seen this concept for a thankful tree in many places but here is my version. I found some sticks from outside and stuck them in a vase with dried beans so they would stay in place. Then I pinned on felt leaves in different fall colors. One each leaf I then write what I am thankful for and can look at it everyday as a constant reminder of how truly blessed I am. 

Book Review

I like to look at book reviews on blogs and I found this book on several so I knew it needed to be on my reading list. I tried reading this book a couple of months ago during a hard time and it was a little too much for me to take but I picked it back up and I have to say I liked it. This book is about the roundup of French Jews in Paris during WWII. It tells the story of two people Sarah during the roundup and Julia in present day. I had a hard time with the first 50 pages or so but then I it picked up after that and I really enjoyed it. This book is a heavy read in the sense that you need to be prepared to read something very serious. I would highly recommend this book. 

Quick Coffee Cake

When I was younger I remember staying at my aunts house and she would frequently make a coffee cake for breakfast. Now I don't drink coffee but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy some good olde coffee cake. 

Quick coffee Cake

1 c milk

1 egg

¼ c melted margarine

1 ¾  c flour

1/3 c sugar

2 t. baking powder

½ t. salt

Crunchy Topping: Melt 2 T margarine. Blend in ¼ c firmly packed  brown sugar, ½ t. cinnamon, ½ t. nutmeg and ½ c crushed cornflakes. Sprinkle over coffee cake batter.

Preheat oven to 400°. Grease bottom of 9” square pan. Beat milk, egg and margarine until well mixed. Add dry ingredients, mix only to moisten. Turn into pan cover with topping. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until edges pull away from the pan.

Halloween Rag Wreath

Last year as I was trying to come up with a unique but cheap way of putting a wreath on my front door I came across a few rag wreaths and thought this is perfect. So here it is my friends!

This project was so easy. All I did was take a wire hanger and bend it into the shape I wanted. I bought three coordinating Halloween fabrics and cut them into strips. Then I just tied them on in an alternating pattern. Simple right! Now I wonder if I should add more to it. We'll see. 

Book Review

I really liked this book! Although I will have to admit I am very partial to utopian and distopian type novels so this book hit the spot for me. It really makes you think about what is most important to you. I really like the character Shay in the beginning of the book. This book is very well balanced and has a small romantic interest but I like it because it doesn't overshadow the intended plot of the book. If you are interested in a more detailed review do to Amazon.com. I hope you like it as much as I did!

Boo Block Letters

This is one of the first things I saw when I started looking at blogs a few years ago and thought that it was too easy not to do so here is my version of Boo block letters.

Lets get started...

To make these letters go to your local craft store and get some Halloween paper, wooden letter blocks, paint and some Modge Podge. Start by tracing the letters onto your paper. Then paint the letters and let dry. Then apply Modge Podge to letters and apply paper carefully. After it is dry apply a coat of Modge Podge on the front to get a shinny look. Now your done!

Strawberry Spinach Salad

I have seen these salads all over the place and wanted to try one. 

I just bought some spinach and strawberries and made the same 

dressing I use for a salad, and put it all together. 

Here are the results! 

Dressing Recipe

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dry mustard

1/2 c red wine vinegar

1/2 c sugar

1 c canola oil

Mix all together and put onto salad!

Book Review

If you are a Pride and Predjuice fan then I think you will like this book. This book is about a hopeless romantic named Jane who finds herself in a setting just like the one Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy would have lived in. Through her experience she finds out a lot about herself. I really liked this book and I highly recommend it. If you want a more in depth review you can look at amazon.com. 

Homemade Playdough

When I was little I can remember my mom making homemade playdough for me all the time. I always liked it than the store bought kind that is stiff and dries out way faster than it should. Since play dough is cheap and easy to make I thought it was time I tried my hand at making some. Be aware that this recipe makes a lot of play dough.  Here is how it turned out.

Play dough

3 c. flour

1 1/2 c. salt

3 c. water 

2 T. oil 

1 T. cream of tartar

food coloring

Combine all ingredients into a large pot and cook on low until the mixture is think 

and it starts to come away from the sides of the pan. 

Handmade Purse

I must confess that I made this about 6 months ago and am finally posting it. Better late than never right! Most of us have that one purse we absolutely love. I know I did but it was getting old and dirty so I wanted a new one. I saw this tutorial from Disney at rufflesandstuff.blogspot.com and thought I would make one. Her tutorial was rather easy to follow. She doesn't show it on her tutorial but I am pocket crazy so I added some to the inside of my purse.

I will admit that I tried to put pleats on the outside of the purse but it ended up looking like a gather instead. I also didn't measure out the pleats right and my top piece was too short so I had to add a piece. Oh well. If I make this purse again I think I will use a heavier fabric. But I have to say I love my purse!

Teriyaki Pineapple Chicken

I have always liked the idea of Hawaiian Haystacks...rice with cream of chicken topped with chow mein and fruits/vegies, but I wanted something a little different. I went to my favorite recipe site allrecipes.com and found this one. I really liked it, although I would put in less red pepper flakes. I served it over brown rice. 

Teriyaki Pineapple Chicken

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced thin (I omitted these)
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
• 1 1/4 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup teriyaki sauce
• 1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks, undrained
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Recipe found at http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Teriyaki-and-Pineapple-Chicken/Detail.aspx

Book Review

Wish You Well 

I will have to admit that the last time I read this book was a couple of years ago but for some reason it came to my mind again. I loved this book. I think I have actually read it twice. For a review of the book go to Amazon.com. In my opinion this book makes you believe in hope and happiness no matter what circumstance you live in. If you look for the good in life then you can truly be happy with what you are given. I highly recommend it! 

Spring Wreath

Spring is in the air... at least I think it is. I can't wait until this warm weather stays for good but until then I wanted to make something that would remind me of sunny days ahead. I made a spring wreath. I got the idea from A Little Tipsy so all credit goes to her but I must admit I absolutely love it! All I did was buy a grapevine wreath and 5 bunches of styrofoam berries from Dollar Tree. I cut the bunches off and just stuck them in where I felt they needed to go. They have stayed so far but I might eventually hot glue them in place.

Chili and Cornbread

It has been wet and cold around here the past few days which means that I can still cook some of my favorite winter foods. Growing up I always had chili from a can and never realized what I was missing out on until I had homemade chili. So I have been converted and that's the only kind of chili we eat. I have tried a couple recipes but have found this one on Oopsey Daisy that we like the best. She also has a cornbread recipe that we really like. 

Crock pot Chili

1 lb. ground beef

1 chopped onion

1 large can crushed tomatoes

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 large can tomato sauce (15-16 oz.)

1/2 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. chili powder

1/8 c. sugar

1 22-oz. can chili beans

Brown ground beef with onion.  Drain.  Mix remaining ingredients inside crock pot.  Add ground beef.  Simmer on low heat in crock pot all day long!  (Or on high heat for 4 hours.)  Stir around the edges a couple of times during the day.

Cornbread

2 eggs

1 c. milk

1 1/2 sticks melted butter (or 2/3 c. oil or applesauce)

2 c. Bisquick

2/3 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3 heaping T. cornmeal

Beat eggs.  Add remaining ingredients in the order listed.  (If you don't have Bisquick, use 2 c. flour, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. baking powder.)  Mix well.

Pour into greased 9x13 pan.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350.  Enjoy!

Lucky Letters

Many people don't do anything special for St. Patricks Day, including me but why not embrace the day and celebrate. I have wanted to make these LUCKY blocks for some time but just got around to finishing them. Oh well maybe they will see more daylight next year. There is no tutorial because it was so easy to make. I cut some 2x4 pieces of wood and painted them green then I mod podged some pretty green paper onto them, trace and cut out the letters in green card stock and put a finishing layer of mod podge.

Book Review

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

 

I chose this book because I had heard a lot of great things about it and was intrigued by the title. The entire book is composed of letters written to and from the different characters. I must say that I really enjoyed this book. It is very different from any other book I have ever read but I like it. The style of the book made the characters more real. I would recommend this book. Also if you would like to read other reviews go to Amazon.com to read more.

Love Decor

My house was looking a little sad with no holiday decor to help brighten the drab mood around here so I decided that these Hanging Rose balls would be a cute and not to mention cheap way to get me thinking about Valentines Day! I will warn you they do take a long time to complete but the end product is so worth it. For these particular balls I used 3 inch balls that I found at JoAnns.

The Valentine Printable I found at eighteen25 where they have some of the cutest ideas for Valentines Day! I found the frame at the DI for a dollar and I think I might paint it pink but it will stay white for now.

All things Girly

Who doesn't love to play dress up and pretend like your a princess or a ballerina? I do, so I thought why not make a bow holder fit for a darling dancer! This bow holder is one that I made on my own but had a lot of inspiration from looking at many different ideas throughout blogland.

I made the Bow Holder I used fabric, batting, cardboard,tuelle, ribbon,a glue gun and lighter.

To start I traced and cut out the body portion out of cardboard...if I make another one I might use something more sturdy but that is what I had to work with. Then cut fabric and batting and place over cardboard. Glue to the backside. Then I cut out tuelle and glued it to the bottom of the body portion. Next I added the ribbons which I singed before hand with a lighter as to prevent it from fraying. Last I made some bows and added some finishing touches. It was really fun to make!

I needed some cute picture frames but didn't want to pay a fortune for them. All I did with these is use Mod Podge and glue the fabric unto canvas and let it dry. Then I added scrapbook clips to hang the pictures up and added some bows. Pretty cute and super easy to make!