A Bit of Organizing

I want to share something I use to organize my ribbon. I do believe I have a ribbon problem. I can't turn down a ribbon deal. If Michael's has it 50% off, I buy. Ok, I over buy. Don't you! Please share your organizing secrets.

Life is crazy but I've accomplished so much!

Life gets crazier and crazier but I love it. I don't even have kids, yikes!

I know what your thinkin, how can it be crazy without kids? I do it to myself. One thing that kept me busy was organizing a Scrapbooking fundraiser in November. I offered a 6 ft table to scrapbook all day from 9am-9pm at a local church for a cost. I prepared all the food, did all the organizing and in the end donated all the profits. I was able to donate $250 to a local Church youth group. What a great feeling.  I think I'm going to do it again in Feb to help out a local family dealing with cancer. I need to deal with Christmas first,

I've decided to open up an etsy account since I enjoy crafting so much. I want to share my creations with others.  What I've been the most interested in at this point is baby things. I'm at that point in my life where every is having babiesnornadding to the family. Currently listed on etsy are fashion headbands for little girls. Check it out!

www.etsy.com/shop/UtterlyLovable?ref=search_shop_redirect

Well I hope thebHolidaysnarent stressing you out. Take a deep breath and enjoy each moment you can. Happy Holidays!

Oatmeal Mini Pieces Cookies

I found the best cookie recipe ever, ok maybe not the best, but the best in awhile.  I love to bake.  Of course if you bake, you must try.  I did more than try and taste these cookies. I ate 3 at one chance. If I don't freeze most of them, betweeen my husband and I we will eat them all.

 

Oatmeal Mini Pieces Cookies

2/3 cup shortening

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons milk

1-1/2 cups rolled oats

1-1/3 (10-oz pkg) REESE'S MINI PIECES Candy

 

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheet.

 

2. Beat shortening, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl until fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with milk to sugar mixture. Stir in oats and candy pieces. Drop by scant 1/4 cupfuls onto prepared cookie sheets.

 

3. Bake 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 10 minutes on cookie sheet. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.. Cook completely. Makes about1 dozen cookies.



Casserole or Hot Dish?

One of my favorite recipe books is the one I've had the longest, my family Church Recipe Book. Even with online resources, I will start first by looking in this book for a specific recipe. Easy, homemade recipes with no strange seasonings, you are guaranteed a good recipe with each one made. One of my favorite recipes that brings me to my younger years is the Tator Tot Hot Dish. Five easy ingredients and a meal all in one dish. It's a must try and a Midwest recipe that you'll make again.

 

 I omitted the onion today.

Tator Tot Hot Dish

1-1/2 lbs ground beef
1 med onion, chopped
2 cups Tator tots
2 cups mixed vegetables, frozen
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Add hamburger and onion in frying pan and brown. Fry until hamburger fully browned.

2. Mix hamburger, frozen vegs, and cream of mushroom soup. Put in ungreased 8x8 pan and add Tator tots over top.

3. Bake at 350 degrees F for one hour.

 

Enjoy!

A Nascar Weekend

It's funny what things I've ventured into since I've been married. 

I am the oldest of three girls. Growing up in a small rural community, I was surrounded by many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. My parents made the best with the money they had. Not poor, nor wealthy but truly content as a whole.  We never really traveled. My first airplane ride wasn't until I was 17 when I didn't travel with my family but a friend. As a family, we made yearly outings to Wisconsin Dells doing tours, riding go-Karts and enjoying our time away from  home. We didn't travel far around the Midwest. Being married just ONE year, it has been filled with some new adventures.  One that is the most recent was a weekend in Chicago surrounded by Nascar Fans. My husband is a sports fanatic like most guys in this area.   He enjoys watching almost anything related to sports including daily viewings of "Sports Center". 

Our trip to Joliet was an eye opener to me.  Nascar for most isn't the most exciting sports to watch.  On TV, watching a race is like watching a fly buzzing around your head.  You know there's a reason but ya just don't get it and you wonder when it will end.  For those who don't really get into sports you know what I mean.  Again surprised, I enjoyed myself. When going to a race, you purchase tickets for the whole weekend, watching qualifying and final races for both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup series. 

 

As you probably can tell, Shane likes Dale Earnhardt Jr. and so I guess I support him too! Sitting in the stands and experiencing a race isn't something you can explain. The noise, the smell and the overall environment makes the sport exciting.  Spending the weekend at Chicagoland Raceway was a weekend that I will never forget leaving me with a positive impression of the sport I had never watched before taking this venture.

 

Have you attended a sporting event that you were unsure about?

Homemade Granola

Lately I've been on a yogurt kick.  I could eat it with every meal. I like it plain, in smoothies, or with fruit or granola.  I've noticed the granola I've been buying has been full of sugar and extra additives.  I don't eat organic and maybe I should, but I've been trying to be smarter about what goes into my mouth. I found this recipe in the "Better Homes and Garden: New Cook Book".  It's kinda weird I say book in which I have tons of recipe books, but I normally go for online recipes. I love the idea of having reviews and alternative recipe suggestions out there. Online has been a great tool for that but I was reading through the BHG recipe book and found this.  My review: Awesome!  It has a great texture and crunch that most store bought granola has without a great deal of sugar.  Of course granola is going to have sugar but this recipe only calls for 1/2 cup of honey or maple syrup. Can't get any more natural than that. To keep it fresh, store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Or store in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. This will last me for a while.

 

Granola

2 cups regular rolled oats

1 cup coarsely chopped sliced almonds, chopped walnuts, or chopped pecans

    *I used 1/2 cup almonds, 1/2 pecans. You could add more nuts if you wanted

1/2 cup coconut (optional)

    *I used it and really can't taste it in there

1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds

1/4 cup toasted wheat germ

1/4 cup flax seeds

1/2 cup honey or maple-flavored syrup

2 tablespoons cooking oil

1 cup dried fruit

 

1. Grease a 15x10x1 baking pan; set aside. In a bowl combine oats, almonds, coconut (if desired), sunflower seeds, wheat germ, and flax seeds. In a bowl combine honey and oil; stir into oat mixture. Spread evenly in the prepared pan. Bake in a 300 degree F oven for 30 minutes to 35 minutes or until light brown, stirring after 20 minutes. If desired, stir in dried fruit.

 

2. Spread on a large piece of foil to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Or store in freezer bags and freeze for up to 2 months.

 

 



EEK!!!

Halloween is coming fast and I really can't wait. I love Halloween. It brings me back to my younger years going from house to house accumulating a bag full of candy from all of our neighbors. Living in a small community, our neighbors gave us a lot of candy, sometimes even a full size candy bar.  I love the smell of Fall and the sound of leaves crunching from underneath with every step. Halloween is a Holiday that really gets my senses going.  So I've been working on a few projects.  The Halloween wreath is almost done, I'm hoping to finish tonight; just adding some detail.  I just finished decorating the letters "EEK".

 

I found some letters at a local store and mod podged them with Halloween paper and added some detail.  Allowing the letters to be separated leaves options open for placement. It turned out great!

A Recipe from Duluth, MN

We always have a few bananas that go rippen before we even eat them and so I am always looking for new recipes. Last year, we went to a Bed and Breakfast in Duluth, MN called the A.G. Thomson House and had an amazing time. If your in the area, you should check it out. http://thomsonhouse.biz/  They had made the most delicious breakfast ever and so this recipe is one that they served us.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

1 ½ cups unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
3 very ripe bananas
6 tbsp sour cream
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
¾ tsp baking soda
2 ½ tsp baking powder
9 oz Mini Chocolate Chips

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, bananas, sour cream, salt, and vanilla. Fold in the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.

Spray two loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray. Divide the dough into each one. Bake at 350 degrees for about 65 – 75 minutes or until center comes out clean. You could also use muffin liners in muffin pans to have single servings and to speed up baking time.

Halloween Wreath

Wow, can you believe it, It's the end of August!  This year is flying by. Before you know it, it will be Christmas.  At this point in my crafting, I am working on a Halloween Wreath. I'm getting closer to done and I am super excited to share the final project. It really has taken longer to finish than expected.  It includes, Fabric, Wooden letters, and a Wire Wreath Frame.  Again another Pinterest idea. Halloween is my favorite Holiday. I will be posting pictures soon so stayed tune!!

A Shot of Wisconsin

The landscape in Wisconsin isn't something you are going to see everywhere. The Midwest really has some natural beauty.  Today we took a walk amidst some land in Buffalo County and here is what we seen.

So quiet, well except for all the bugs.  Life in the country is the way I would love it. It's too bad its a distance to work. I love Wisconsin and the rolling hills.

Baby Scrapbook Pages

Scrapbooking is one of my hobbies. Costly, yes. Could I do digital, of course. But cutting, taping, and designing brings me back to my younger years. I have always enjoyed creating with my hands.  I will admit, sometimes my creations aren't worth sharing. I have found that my creativeness comes out near the end of the day, bedtime.  That is good and bad. Good because I usually accomplish something and don't feel stuck but bad because I usually hit a peak of tiredness.  My patience and ideas usually stop at a halt at that point. Pictured above are three pages I recently finished for a baby book.

Green Bean and Mushroom Medley with Cheese and Chicken Shells

All I can say is that I love Pinterest!!  Tonight I tried two different recipes and both turned out amazing.  If you're looking for something light and somewhat healthy, these are some good starters.  

 

The Green Bean and Mushroom Medley was a great side dish.  With the summer here and the farmers' market as an option, the ingredients in this dish can be made for very little. 

 

GREEN BEAN AND MUSHROOM MEDLEY

• 1 pound fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths
• 2 carrots, cut into thick strips
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Place green beans and carrots in 1 inch of boiling water. Cover, and cook until tender but still firm. Drain.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions and mushrooms until almost tender. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 3 minutes. Stir in green beans, carrots, salt, seasoned salt, garlic salt, and white pepper. Cover, and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.

Reference: allrecipes.com

 

 

The Cheese and Chicken Shells were advertised as a Weight Watchers Recipe and it didn't disappoint. The recipe calls for ricotta cheese but I prefer cottage cheese for more flavor and used dry seasonings instead of fresh.  If you choose to do the same, remember to reduce the amount of the dried seasonings to avoid a strong flavor of oregano and basil.

 

CHEESE AND CHICKEN SHELLS

• 12 jumbo pasta shells
• 1 1/2 c pasta sauce
• 2 large egg whites, gently beaten
• 1 1/2 c part skim ricotta cheese
• 4 oz. chicken, cooked and diced
• 1 c frozen spinach (chopped) thawed (drain all excess water)
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tbsp chopped basil
• 3/4 c part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook shells in boiling water according to the directions on box.
3. Rinse with cold water and set aside for later use.
4. Lightly spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and spread 1/2 c of pasta sauce evenly over the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
5. For filling: Stir together egg whites, ricotta, chicken, spinach, garlic powder, basil, and seasoning. Stir in 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.
6. Fill each shell with mixture and place filled shells in the baking dish on top of the sauce. Spread remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 30 minutes.

Reference: lifeinthegreenhouse.com

I hope you enjoy them both as much as we did.

Ziploc Zip' N Steam

I have to share a product I love.  As I try to eat healthy, the idea of boiling vegetables doesn't sound so appealing anymore.  Boiling foods makes them lose their nutrients, get water logged, and frankly takes too much time.  The Zip' N Steam bags have been a great find.  They are a quick way to eat healthy. Simply put your food in the bag, add a bit of water and seasoning and microwave.  On the outside of the bag, detailed instructions are given in regarding to certain food items and the length of time needed to be microwaved. Today I tried fish. From the freezer to the bag, three fillets took 6 minutes.  The flavor was cooked completely through each fillet.  I added season salt, lemon pepper, a TBLS of butter and a splash of water and the taste was very vibrant and the texture was moist but not soggy. You could use this bag to steam fresh or frozen vegetables, seafood, poultry and so much more.  I give this product 5 STARS!

So hear I am, dabbling in the "Blogger" world. Not quite for sure where it is going to take me but it has always intrigued my senses.  So here it begins  . . .