C'mon Spring!

I'm so ready! Daffodils and hyacinth's are already popping up in Texas. It's fuel for the creative soul. I decided to surprise my mom with a new wreath.



I purchased a decorative plaque from a local craft store for a focal point. My favorite element is the lime green woven wire garland which was so easy to work with, I believe its from Raz Imports. I used it (and mini easter egg garland) in lieu of ribbon. Variegated ivy hangs from the bottom for a "window box" effect.



It came together in a snap. And mom liked it. I value her opinion. She's totally responsible for my creative genes. Especially when it comes to wreaths and home decorating. Love ya, mom.

This week it was so beautiful outdoors, I got a real hankering for one of my favorite childhood memories...feeding the ducks at Trinity Park. It was the first time I've bought white bread in almost a year. Hubs and I grabbed two loaves and had a blast. Those quackers were hungry.




As always thanks for stopping by.

Party on.....
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When Life Hands You Lemons...

...make Lemonade Pie, of course!

Recently, a dear friend needed a little cheering up. Pie always cheers me up, how about you? I found a new (for me, at least) recipe in a Southern Living special magazine, Almost Homemade 2012. As a matter of fact its on the cover. The recipe is simple, it turns out pretty, and its less sweet than an "Eagle Brand" lemon pie. All in all, its yummy.




Lemonade Pie

1 (12-oz) can evaporated milk
2 (3.4-oz) packages lemon instant pudding mix
1 Tblsp lemon zest
2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 (12-oz) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 "extra serving" ready-made graham cracker crust
Whipped cream (optional, but seriously...whipped cream should never be optional, am I right?)

Whisk together evaporated milk and next 2 ingredients in a bowl 2 minutes or until mixture is thickened and smooth.

Beat cream cheese and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add about 1/3 of the lemonade and beat until very smooth. This will loosen the cream cheese and make it easier to whip. Continue until all the lemonade is incorporated. Add the milk mixture, and beat until blended. Pour into pie crust. Its a lot of filling so you can mound it. Dollop whipped cream on top.


I also made a card. Can you believe it? Its been so long. I found a challenge at My Mind's Eye, a very easy one. Use MME die cuts on a project.



Stella Rose paper,journal card, label sticker; Alphabet Soup paper; Abbey Road die cuts


Hope you try this recipe and like it as much as my friend did.

Thanks for stopping by.

Taco Soup and TCU Football

Acorns are falling like hail stones in our front yard. I got pelted pretty good a couple of days ago on my way to work. There's a cold front moving in this weekend and that means its football weather. Time to hang out with family and chow down on some Taco Soup while cheering for the TCU Horned Frogs. This is such a hearty soup. I love it. Especially when its paired with a big hunk of piping hot cornbread.

Here's the recipe I use:

Taco Soup

1 1/2 lbs ground meat
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 tblsp olive oil
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 pkg ranch dressing mix
1 (28 oz) can Rotel tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can Ranch-style beans, undrained
1 (15 oz) can black beans, undrained
1 cup water
1 can Hatch green chiles,chopped
1 can corn ( I like Green Giant crisp)

Brown meat and drain well. Saute onions and celery with olive oil. Stir in all other ingredients. Bring to a boil. Simmer 30 minutes on low. Serve with lots of toppings...sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, green onions, etc. Note: Be sure to taste before adding any salt. The seasoning packets usually provide enough sodium.

OK...time to open a cold one...GO FROGS!

Quickie Halloween Wreath

I'm so glad it's finally October. Spring is my favorite season in Texas, but fall is a close second. Time to get out the Halloween decorations and scrappy supplies, check out new holiday recipes, and open the windows for some glorious fresh air. This has been a difficult year. Lots of twists, turns, and big bumps in the road. Time to vent a little and regain my mojo (and sanity). So here's a peek at a quickie wreath that I threw together. I started with a purchased wreath from Raz Imports.

Of course, I didn't stop there. This sparse little baby needs some oomph. Time to embellish...

I've had this "bat hat" packed away for years. Time to spread its wings by outlining them with some wired tinsel trim. I thought I would have to hot glue the trim (sigh), instead I grabbed a stapler. Worked like a charm. I stapled about an inch apart, the staples just about disappeared. I'm sure Martha wouldn't approve, sorry Martha.

Next, I wove an orange boa around the wreath branches. Didn't even need to attach it so it will be easy to disassemble for next year. I felt the orange behind the black branches would pop. You know, there are so many wonderful black Halloween decorations out there, but the problem with black is, it doesn't show up from a distance. And that goes double at night.

Finally, I added some gorgeous ribbon from a company named Katherine's. It has appliqued jack-o-lanterns, embroidered vines, sequins...its just yummy. Then I added some glittered BOO's. And there you have it. Simple, fast, and better yet...done. Happy Halloween.

Something For A Special Friend

Just wanted to share with you a very basic, simple fabric wreath. I'm friends with a gentleman, a retired veteran, who's going through quite a rough patch. He moved recently and I thought it would be nice to make his new front door a little more welcoming. Allowing him to proudly show his patriotic spirit. (The photo was shot outside at my office, he will hang is fabric wreath indoors.)

This was slightly challenging for me because I love to embellish. He's not a glittery, frou frou kind of guy as you might have guessed. So I opted to make it more personal than glittery using painted wooden stars in various sizes. They were glued to the fabric with "industrial-strength" hot glue pellets that are melted in a craft frying pin. Sizzling hot and very dangerous since I'm such a klutz. Regular hot glue just wouldn't cut the mustard.

The badge plate is a complete replica of his distinguished service awards in exactly the same order. I purchased most of the badges at a local Army surplus store, they had a few Air Force badges. The ones I couldn't purchase at the store, he acquired for me at the NAS base in our city. His new neighbors have commented on the wreath and started conversations regarding his military history.

Thanks for stopping by...I'm hoping someday I might start scrapbooking again. August in Texas always wrecks my creativity. I hate summer. Blah. Thank goodness for Pinterest, at least I can dream, lol.

Did Ya Miss Me?

I've missed YOU! So without further ado, here's a post...a food post...WHAT!?

When you can't be creative with paper or decorating, be creative cooking. Hopefully my scrapbooking mojo will return before the end of 2012. But in the meantime, I want to share my new recipe for Stuffed Cabbage Rolls...crockpot style.

In the dog days of summer, I hate heating up my kitchen with the oven which can be very limiting for menu planning. And I've been craving stuffed cabbage, weird, huh? So I experimented this weekend with a modified version of Ina Garten's recipe.


Ingredients
For sauce:
3 regular cans tomato sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tblsp garlic powder
salt and pepper

For filling:
1 lb ground chuck
1/2 lb pork sausage
1 medium onion
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
1/2 cup bread crumbs (optional)
1 tsp thyme
1 tblsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp paprika
salt and pepper
cabbage

Make the sauce in a medium mixing bowl. Simply combine all ingredients. Prior to making the sauce, fill a large stock pot with water and bring it to a boil.

Remove the entire core of the cabbage with a paring knife. Immerse the head in the boiling water for a few minutes, peeling off each leaf with tongs (or asbestos fingertips, lol) as soon as it gets flexible. Set leaves aside. You will need maybe 14 leaves.


For the filling, finely mince the onion in a food processor. Combine all of the remaining ingredients.

To assemble, place a cup of sauce in the crockpot along with any "broken" cabbage leaves to line the bottom. Add 1/3 to 1/2 cup filling in an oval shape ner the rib edge of each leaf and roll up toward the outer edge, tucking the sides in as you roll. Place seam side down in crockpot. Alternate layers of rolls and sauce (about three layer). Cover with remaining sauce and cook on low setting for 4-5 hours.

Easy peasy. The beauty of this dish is how easily you can scoop out individual servings for freezing. Makes a great grab and go lunch for the microwave at work. My hubs detests cabbage, so I've got little lunches stacked up in the freezer. And I've satisfied my cabbage craving. Bingo!

Southwestern Door Candy

Long time, no blog.

My computer's been suffering from the flu. Sorry I haven't been around much. Hoping you enjoyed Halloween and the current change of seasons. Personally, autumn couldn't get here fast enough.

I wanted to share a little something with you. This time its a ristra (dried chile peppers woven together), very common in our southwestern region. I "glammed" the wreath with ordinary craft store glitter glue simply using my finger to apply. Oh yes! And please NOTE: wear plastic gloves. We're talking about chiles here, ya know! The extra glitzy stuff mostly came from Raz Imports, a wholesale decoration company found in many frou frou stores. I attached two beaded picks and two velvet oak leaf picks on the exterior, staggering the levels. I don't like things to be too matchy matchy. A bow was added at the top along with a gorgeous sequined sunflower. Its topped off with a glittered, painted, monogram letter. Fabulous!

Thanks for stopping by!