TIME TO DESTRESS

Good morning my fellow bloggites! How are you this steamy sticky Wednesday morning? I am just dandy. I had a good night's rest, the kids are off to school, and I got a busy schedule ahead of me! Let me be the first to wish you a HAPPY National Second Hand Wardrobe Day! Whether its passed down to you from a relative or bought at a thrift store... today is the day you should put it on and let it shine!



Alright, first on the agenda this morning would be to address something that effcts everyone at one point and time in our lives... it does not discriminate on age, sex, weight, religion, nothing! And it can even kill you if you have too much, can't handle, or don't deal with it. I know this all too well. Boys and girls I am talking about STRESS! Millions of things, both very little and very big, cause us stress all the time. Sometimes when we don't even really realize it. The less stressed you can be, the healthier you can become. I am working on this. I also found an article that gives some tips on some things you can EAT to help with stress. WAIT A MINUTE! You mean to tell me that there can be GOOD stress eating?!?!? OMG tell me more! Ok, I will LOL! Read this article about some stress fighting foods!

7 Best Stress-Fighting Foods
By David Zinczenko

I send out a lot of info on my Twitter feed, from nutrition news to management tips. I get the most passionate reaction—and the most retweets—when I talk about stress. In fact, a friend of mine recently told me that stress was her biggest dietary villain. “I eat when I’m stressed,” she said.

To which I reacted, “Good!” You should eat when you’re stressed—it’s our bodies’ natural reaction to want to store calories to face whatever challenge is causing the stress in the first place. The key, however, is to eat what your body wants—the foods that actually counteract the effects of stress, and make you stronger (and leaner) when the tough times pass. So next time anxiety runs high, be sure to grab one of these seven stress-fighting foods.

(And while you're at it, be sure to follow my Twitter feed for hundreds of instant nutrition and health secrets like these.)



Papaya
Wouldn’t it be awesome if there was a magic nutrient that could stop the flow of stress hormones—the very hormones that make your body superefficient at storing fat calories? Wouldn’t you want to gobble that food up like crazy, especially if it tasted great? Half a medium papaya carries nearly 75 percent more vitamin C than an orange, and provides potent protection against stress. Researchers at the University of Alabama found 200 milligrams of vitamin C—about as much as you’ll find in one large papaya—twice a day nearly stopped the flow of stress hormones in rats. It should work for you, too.

Other smart sources of vitamin C: Red bell peppers, broccoli, oranges

Bonus Tip: The closer an ingredient is to its original form, the healthier it is for you. Avoid the worst side of the nutritional spectrum by familiarizing yourself with this shocking list of The 15 Worst Food Creations of 2010.



Peppermint Tea
The mere scent of peppermint helps you focus and boosts performance, according to researchers. Another study discovered that peppermint tea makes drivers more alert and less anxious.

Other smart sources of peppermint: Peppermint candy and peppermint oil

Bonus Tip: Beware of disastrous drinks that only pretend to be healthy. Avoid 2,000-calorie shakes, 1,500-calorie smoothies, and other big offenders in this eye-popping list of The 20 Worst Drinks in America in 2010.



Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are loaded with stress-busting potential thanks to high levels of magnesium. Only about 30 percent of us meet our daily magnesium requirements, placing the rest of us at a higher risk for stress symptoms such as headaches, anxiety, tension, fatigue, insomnia, nervousness and high blood pressure. (Basically we’re frayed wires, and magnesium is the electrical tape that can pull us back together.) A quarter cup of pumpkin seeds gives you half your day’s magnesium requirements.

Other smart sources of magnesium: Spinach, Swiss chard, black beans, soybeans, salmon



Avocados
The healthy fats buried in the avocado’s flesh make it an ideal choice when you’re craving something rich and creamy. The reasons? Monounsaturated (healthy) fatty acids, and potassium--both of which help combat high blood pressure. Avocado fat is 66 percent monounsaturated, and gram-for-gram, the green fruit has about 35 percent more potassium than a banana. Whip up a fresh guacamole or slice a few slivers over toast and top with fresh ground pepper.

Other smart sources of potassium: Squash, papaya, spinach, bananas, lentils



Salmon
Not only does omega-3 fat protect against heart disease and cognitive decline, but according to a study from Diabetes & Metabolism, the wonder fat is also responsible for maintaining healthy levels of cortisol. And what’s the world’s best source of omega-3s? Salmon. But there’s another trick in salmon’s arsenal—a sleep-promoting amino acid called tryptophan. One salmon filet has as much tryptophan as you need in an entire day, and if there’s one remedy for stress, it’s a good night of blissful Zs.

Other smart sources of omega-3 fats: Flaxseeds, walnuts, sardines, halibut

Other smart sources of tryptophan: Chicken, tuna, beef, soybeans

Bonus Tip: The favorite trick of your friendly neighborhood restaurant? Substituting salt for flavor. Studies have linked high-salt foods to increased risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and even heart disease--and experts recommend getting no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium in your diet each day. Keep your salt intake in check by cooking with high-quality, locally sourced ingredients—and by dodging the salty disasters in this list of the 30 Saltiest Foods in America.



Almonds
The almond's first stress-buster is the aforementioned monounsaturated fats, but at risk of belaboring that point, let’s look at another almond-centered, mind-calming nutrient: vitamin E. In one study, Belgium researchers treated pigs with a variety of nutrients just before sticking them in a transportation simulator (basically a vibrating crate). After 2 hours of simulation, only those pigs treated with tryptophan and vitamin E had non-elevated levels of stress hormones. Almonds, thankfully, are loaded with vitamin E. To reach your day’s requirement from almonds alone, you need to eat about 40 to 50 nuts. Or you can mix them with other vitamin-E rich foods to save calories and add more dietary variety.

Other smart sources of vitamin E: Sunflower seeds, olives, spinach, papaya



Oatmeal
A biochemical effect of stress is a depleted stock of serotonin, the hormone that makes you feel cool, calm, and in control. One reliable strategy for boosting serotonin back to healthy levels is to increase your intake of carbohydrates. That said, scarfing down Ding Dongs and doughnuts isn’t a sustainable solution. Rather, to induce a steady flow of serotonin, aim to eat fiber-rich, whole-grain carbohydrates. The slower rate of digestion will keep seratonin production steady and prevent the blood sugar rollar-coaster that leads to mood swings and mindless eating.

Other sources of fiber-rich carbohydrates: Quinoa, barley, whole-wheat bread, Triscuits

Now it's time to talk crafts. Molly over at the Purl Bee has something I absolutely fell in love with! Giant Strawberries! Now you know that there is a huge berry bandit running rampit somewhere in my house that hides from me and I can never seem to catch LOL. But every time I go to the Farmer's Market, it manages to eat my crate of strawberries! LOL! I love them so much that once I saw this craft I have contemplated redo-ing one of my rooms in the house in a strawberry decor! OMG these are just too cute! Make sure to go to the site for the step by step photos and instructions. They are pretty easy to make and cute as a... well a BERRY! LOL!



Craft Idea of the Day: Giant Strawberry Pillows

Materials:

1 1/2-yards of Kiyohara Organic Woven Dots in Pink
1 1/2-yards of Kiyohara Organic Woven Dots in Red
1/2-yard of Organic Cotton Duck in Avocado
Two bags of Stuffing
A spool of light green thread to match the cotton duck, I used color #8975
A spool of neutral thread for sewing the berries
A ball of cotton embroidery floss
A Creative Grids 6.5-inch by 24.5-inch ruler or a protractor
A Strawberry Pillow Stem Template printed and cut out, available for free here

Ok folks, time for another crazy pick for your MEMORABLE MOVIES week. Today in the theme of destressing our lives, I have picked a light-hearted movie full of hope, humor, and the goodness of humankind. The movie is called "Michael" starring John Travolta, Andie McDowell, William Hurt, Bob Hoskins, Robert Pastorelli, Jean Stapleton, and even Teri Garr. (Synopsis: Frank Quinlan and Huey Driscoll, two reporters from a Chicago-based tabloid, along with Dorothy Winters, an 'angel expert', are asked to travel to rural Iowa to investigate a claim from an old woman that she shares her house with a real, live archangel named Michael. Upon arrival, they see that her claims are true - but Michael is not what they expected: he smokes, drinks beer, has a very active libido and has a rather colourful vocabulary. In fact, they would never believe it were it not for the two feathery wings protruding from his back. Michael agrees to travel to Chicago with the threesome, but what they don't realise is that the journey they are about to undertake will change their lives forever.) Ok, so in this movie, they are at a tavern and they order pie... lots and lots of pie! They even make Andie McDowell's character sing a song about pie. OMG I love pie! I can't help but to sing the song everytime I even think about pie! Its a super cute movie, so if you haven't seen it, definitely check it out! And with that, I have picked 5 super yummy pies for you today... although there are literally thousands of types of pies out there! Eat & Enjoy!



Saskatoon Pie

A not-too-sweet and fruity pie. Saskatoon berries are known as serviceberries in the United States. This berry has often been compared with blueberries though it has more of an apple flavor

Ingredients

4 cups fresh serviceberries
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
1 tablespoon butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

In a large saucepan, simmer berries in 1/4 cup water for 10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice with berries. Combine sugar and flour together in a medium bowl, then stir into berry mixture. Pour mixture into a pastry lined 9 inch pie pan. Dot with butter. Place second crust on top of pie; seal and flute edges.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake for an additional 35 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown.



Creamy Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup whipped topping
10 peanut butter cups, divided
1 chocolate crumb crust (9 inches)

Directions

In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and peanut butter until smooth and light. Fold in the whipped topping. Coarsely chop half of the peanut butter cups; stir into cream cheese mixture.

Spoon into crust. Quarter remaining peanut butter cups; arrange over top.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before cutting. Refrigerate leftovers.



Sunshine Pie
By: Cool Whip

"A creamy layer, a fluffy pudding layer, and a topping made with fresh orange zest fill the graham cracker crust of this sweet, no-bake orange pie."

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk, divided
1 (8 ounce) tub COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
1 (6 ounce) HONEY MAID Graham Pie Crust
1 orange, zested and juiced
1 (3.4 ounce) package JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

Directions

Beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup condensed milk with mixer until well blended. Whisk in 1/2 cup COOL WHIP. Spread onto bottom of crust.

Whisk orange juice, remaining condensed milk and dry pudding mix in medium bowl 2 minutes. Stir in 1-1/2 cups of the remaining COOL WHIP. Spread over cream cheese layer.

Stir orange zest into remaining COOL WHIP; spread over pie. Refrigerate 4 hours.



Caramel Pecan Pie

Buttery, nutty, and a touch of caramel, this is a very yummy pie! Full of flavor! Serve hot or cold, with a good size dollop of whipped topping or vanilla ice cream."

Ingredients

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
36 individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup pecan halves

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C.) In a saucepan over low heat, combine caramels, butter and milk. Cook, stirring frequently, until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt. Gradually mix in the melted caramel mixture. Stir in pecans. Pour filling into unbaked pie crust.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown. Allow to cool until filling is firm.



Nectarine Pie

Ingredients

2/3 cup white sugar
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
5 nectarines
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Place a large pot of water over high heat, and bring to a boil.

Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, heavy cream and almond extract. Set aside.

Place the nectarines in boiling water for 30 to 45 seconds. Immediately place nectarines under cold running water and remove skins. Cut nectarines in half and remove pits. Place halves in the pie shell with the cut side down. Pour the cream mixture around the nectarines.

Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 35 to 40 minutes. Good served warm or cold.

Well kids, I'm outta here! I am off to clean, freecycle, sew, and whatever else suits my fancy! Thanks for joining me today and I say... let them eat pie! LOL! Be smart, be safe, and be frugal in whatever life leads you to today! Until tomorrow... HUGS!

SUPER SALADS & SEWING

Hey there everybody! How are you doing this fresh first day of the work week? I am crazy stoked… I have lots to share with you from yesterday! I am quite proud of myself. I have already fed my kitties both inside and out, watered what’s left of the garden (including my new babies), picked a few yummies that wanted to come inside, taken the kids to school, and now I am writing you before I leave for work. Cool huh?



Well folks, Freshman marching band starts this afternoon, and my kids have to be there so they can get their partner. That means the chaos, which we call marching season, is right around the corner! Each year the upperclassman get “assigned a freshman”. The older band members are to tutor and mentor the young ones if they need any help. This year we are gaining 87 freshman!! That’s the biggest number in one year in the band’s history! (I wonder how many I will be gaining around my house LMAO!) Our band is getting close to covering the field with this addition! It’s Gonna be crazy now! Anyway, they have 2 weeks of freshman band before the summer and then the whole band starts summer training the beginning of August before school. This picture was our band this past year (October) at one of the competitions hosted by Sam Houston State University. LOL I know it (the whole band) doesn’t “belong” to just me, but I have a lot of pride in them and sometimes I just blurt out “That’s MY band” LOL! They are great kids! So it will be interesting to see how the new recruits do under the pressure… and if you think there isn’t any… GUESS AGAIN! Dickinson Marching Band is NOT for the faint hearted LOL! Let’s just say, it gets pretty tough! My brother even shattered his ankle one year and STILL tried to march! Yea band and football is a big thing around here… and I have one in each! CRAZY!!



I started out the day by running to the store to get a few things I kept forgetting to buy… including my B1G1F roses at Home Depot! Aren’t they just so pretty? And they weren’t very expensive either… 9.95 each, so it was $10.78 for both, or roughly $5.39 each… not too shabby I think. They are covered in buds, so I hope to have some beautiful bushes soon!



Once I got back home, the race was on… the sewing race that is! I made a list of 10 DIFFERENT things I wanted to get done. Sadly I only accomplished 6 of the crafts off the list, but I think I did pretty cool. This was the first thing… the Grandma T-shirt purse. I saw these shirts at Wal-Mart for like $5 and there were a couple I just had to get for the sheer purpose of making bags. This was the first one… and it reminds me so much of my mother! I matched the wording color with the butterflies on this fabric and I think it turned out really well!



This is the second T-shirt I got to make a bag… yes my pride in Texas really shines through huh? LOL! The state has the map on it and the awesome cow skull. I paired this with a pretty fabric that has the Texas Flag and bluebonnets (the state Flower) on it. I purposely narrowed the bottom as I was trying to make it similar to the shape of the state. I think its pretty nifty! I am gonna have a hard time getting rid of this one! LOL!



Here is a plastic canvas box with a Casino theme. I plan on using it to make a gift basket/package filled with Casino related items. I have a matching purse with the same print too. Isn’t it awesome!? I think it will make a good basket/container for a gift package.



Ok, this is a plain black apron my son got when he worked at Subway. He no longer needs it as he doesn’t work there, so he gave it to me. I wasn’t quite sure what to do with it then I said, “I’m gonna put some pockets on it and use it as a crafting and do-it-herself apron. I won’t be losing any more tacks, nails, etc. anymore as I work around the house! LOL I thought it was a pretty good recycle idea!



Ok, now since the band kids have to have a special towel to sit on when they are at games and such, I figured so do I LOL! So, I had bought these blue towels on clearance one time and had them sitting in a box you’ve come to know as “the green crate” LOL! What to do, what to do… MUSIC NOTE SCRAPS TIME! LOL! Now I have my own special pair of band towels for competitions, games, etc! In the school color too!



Ok, so its time to stop and make dinner. Now when I was at the store they had a really good deal on crispy chicken tenders so I decided to make the Seasonal fruit and chicken salad for dinner and try it with the crispy chicken instead of the grilled chicken like normal. While it was super delish, the whole family agreed that we like it better with the grilled chicken actually. But isn’t that so pretty?



What would dinner be without a dessert? The other day when I took my mom to the store I got some clearance breads for 49 cents each. I also had a few more packages of those apple slices left too… so I made Apple Cinnamon Bread pudding. OMG let me tell you, it made the house smell absolutely marvelous! It tasted really good too LOL!



Ok, so after dinner I was slowing down dramatically. So I was just really piddling with the scraps in the crate and I managed to make 10 cell phone pouches. BUT I ran out of snaps, so they aren’t all totally complete… I still need snaps for 3 of them and the store I need to get them at was closed for the day so they have to wait. But 7 are completed and 3 almost done. That was some pretty spiffy productive piddling huh? LOL!



And finally… the piece de resistance! The LOTTO TICKET BAG IS COMPLETED! OMG this is so freakin’ cool! I ran into a few bumps and snags along the way, but let me tell ya, this is the most awesome thing I have ever made I think! Not only did I recycle, its just freaking super-de-duper! And expensive LOL! The bag is made out of $54 worth of losing lotto tickets and then material, thread, etc. But I don’t care… I think its awesome!!!!!!! I probably won’t be making another one for a long time (that’s a lot of money for a bag) unless I put out an ad for people to save their losing tickets for me across the county! So that makes this purse truly unique as well! Ain’t that just the shiznizzle??!!!

So now you see my exciting day of sewing marathon… whatcha think? I think I rocked it out… especially the lotto bag. But all my stuff is super cool I think. And that’s what makes it so fun. So let’s get you into another great craft… especially if I have managed to inspire you! Now I told you I was gonna bring you some patio/garden crafts, etc. And yesterday I showed you a cute bird bath with terra cotta pots and told you how I love them so LOL. Well guess what… I have another neat little terra cotta craft for you!



Craft Idea of the Day: Clay Pot Wind Chimes

Materials:

3 to 4 clay pots in different sizes.
Jute (you can also use macrame twine)
3/4” to 1” wooden bead.
Paints of your choice.

Directions:

It is best if you paint your pots first. You can free hand a design or use stencils. There are a lot of decals on the market that you can also use. Any craft store will have decals in all different designs. Swans and ducks look really nice on chimes.

Cut about a yard of jute. Put one end of the jute into the wood bead. Tie a knot and pull the ball down to the bead. Tie another knot about 1 ½’ up from your bead. I usually put a washer on top of the knot because the knot will shrink in time and your pot will slip past the knot.

Put your smallest clay pot on next. You will have to judge where to put your next pot. It should hang over the smallest pot by about ½”. Keep working up the line with your pots getting bigger. After you have your last clay pot on tie a loop to hang it with. If you have extra jute at this point just cut it off.

You now have a clay pot wind chime that you can hang anywhere. These wind chimes are very easy to make and make great gifts.

Now, we have been having such fun with themed food weeks, I figured I would bring you another. So far, I've brought you casseroles, soups, pizzas, and grilling. Now I want to go to something else that sparks excitement in some and dread or fear in others… SALAD. This week is SUPER SALAD WEEK! Now salads don’t just have to be green lettuce with raw veggies, etc. You have many different kinds of salads… pasta salads, meat salads, veggie salads, fruit salads, etc. So this week is a sneak peek at salads unique! LOL! I’m not posting the salad I had for dinner last night again because I posted it on March 27th, so go check it out there! LOL I am, however, going to bring you the first salad, which also has a bit of grilling… the perfect cross-over recipe to start another fantastic theme!



Grilled Pepper Steak Salad

Ingredients

2 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound lean skirt steak or flank steak
8 cups packed torn romaine lettuce or mixed salad greens
1 large tomato, seeded, chopped
1 ripe avocado, peeled, seeded, diced
1 1/4 cups Sargento® Shredded Reduced Sodium Mild Cheddar Cheese, divided
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion (optional)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons pureed chipotle chlies in adobo sauce (optional)

Directions

Rub 2 teaspoons garlic and pepper over steak. Grill over medium-hot heat on a covered grill 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium doneness depending on thickness of steak. Transfer steak to a carving board; tent with foil and let stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine lettuce, tomato, avocado, 1 cup cheese and red onion in a large bowl. Combine oil, lemon juice and remaining garlic in a small bowl; mix well. For a spicier dressing, add chipotle chilies. Add mixture to bowl; toss with lettuce mixture. Transfer to four serving plates.

Carve steak crosswise into thin slices; arrange over salads. Top with remaining cheese.

Okie dokie gang, it’s that time again. Time for me to get off here and get dressed and ease on down the road. I’ve had a blast this morning sharing my day off crafting photos and everything else with you today. I hope you can meet me back here tomorrow, because you never know what I’m gonna have in store for you! So until then… HUGS!

KITCHEN CRAZY

An early bird good morning to you all out in bloggy land! How are you doing this what-was-supposed-to-be-a-pretty-spring-day!? I had to have the DD to band practice early this morning… back to life as we know it- the normal rat race! YAY! LOL! You ever see someone so in love with occasional chaos? LOL! It’s a cold 45 degrees here and its not even light outside yet!

Ok, so I was in the kitchen all day yesterday playing with all the goodies I got at the market. Since I played yesterday, today is gonna be all about food! I hope you’re hungry LOL! BTW Hazel, your comment was so awesome! I almost fell out of my chair LMAO! I’m glad to know I am not the only “berry thief” around LOL! SO anyway LOL, I have noticed that whenever I have tons of goodies to play with I want to stay in the kitchen all day… and I normally do LOL! So I was originally going to make the Chicken tacos… LOL but the day didn’t really turn out that way!



So the first thing I made was some super delicious pasta salad. Mom used to make this for us as kids and I loved it back then. Now I make it for my own family and its just as loved in this house! I use Wacky Mac pasta, which has beets, tomato, spinach, and regular pastas of different types. Then I cube up some yellow squash and zucchini. I also toss in some fresh carrots and toss the whole bowl lightly with some Zesty Italian salad dressing. You can eat it as a side to a meal or as a meal with some club crackers by itself. Either way its awesome! Its traditionally a summer dish, but I say if you’re in the mood… by George go ahead and make it!



Then I had that yummy delicious box of strawberries taunting me so I knew I had to do something with them before I ate them all and didn’t have enough to do ANYTHING but eat them LOL! Remember I told you they were big berries? Well this is just showing you that the SMALLEST one in the box was as big as an egg and a lime!



SOOO… I washed and quartered 2 pints and dry packed them and froze them. I figure I can make something yummy later on down the road (if I can leave them in the freezer long enough LMAO! Smoothies or something… ok so then I quartered another pint and put those aside to use for dessert. I had some little cakes I got on clearance… any idea where this is going yet? LMAO… With another pint that was washed and hulled, I diced the berries and made more yumminess! LOOK at this homemade glaze… which is also great on other desserts such as cheesecake, etc!



Homemade Strawberry Glaze

Ingredients

2 pounds (32 oz.) fresh strawberries, stems removed
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon corn starch

Instructions

Combine the water, strawberries, water, and lemon juice in a large saucepan on high heat. Stir thoroughly while bringing it up to a boil.

After the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat to low, and allow to cook for up to ten minutes, occasionally stirring throughout. As the strawberries soften, use a wooden spoon to break them in pieces to release the flavors from the strawberries.

Remove from heat. Using a strainer, pour liquid into a bowl ensuring to press as much juices through strainer with wooden spoon. Dispose any of the solid strawberries leftover from mixture, and return liquid to pan on low heat.

Meanwhile, whisk the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Then, pour into the simmering pan of strawberry juice.

Increase heat to high, and continue to whisk the mixture until it thickens into a glaze (approximately 3-5 minutes).

Remove glaze from heat, and pour into separate bowl to cool down. Once the glaze has reached room temperature, place in refrigerator until it is chilled.



OK, so fresh strawberries, homemade glaze, some whipped cream and a fork and OMG YUM! I found these sponge cakes on clearance and they were the perfect mini sizes for each person to have 1. Yet another summer dish… hmm think my subconscience is rebelling against mother nature? Maybe… but either way slightly sweet and very fresh and delicious.

Ok, so staring at the red onions and all the other things in sight… hmmm red onion, fresh cilantro, tomatoes, jalapenos, and fresh limes… OH YEA! Homemade Pico De Gallo…



Pico De Gallo

Ingredients

4 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
1 small red onion, minced
1/2 a bunch chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 lime, juiced

Directions

Stir the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, and lime juice together in a bowl. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.



Alright so now I see the onions and huge red bell pepper… slice and dice time! Add some of the Napolitos from the bag in the fridge and 2 cloves of fresh minced garlic…. I sliced some of those steaks I found on clearance at the beginning of the month into thin strips and soaked them in a homemade Fajita marinade for about 3 hours! Here’s my marinade recipe:



Fajita Marinade

Ingredients

1/4 cup lime juice
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

In a large resealable plastic bag, mix together the lime juice, water, olive oil, garlic, soy sauce, salt, and liquid smoke flavoring. Stir in cayenne and black pepper.

Place desired meat in the marinade, and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight. Cook as desired.



Here’s what we ended up with for dinner! Beef fajitas with bell peppers, onions, and nopalitos, fresh Pico De Gallo, sour cream and cheese wrapped in warm flour tortillas served with a side of Spanish Rice. Doesn’t that just look summer festive yumminess? It was a pleasant change from the soups and such from the winter months past. Followed that with the homemade mini Strawberry shortcakes and we had a bunch of happy people! Not to mention how much of the market goods I used today too! I have red-dyed fingers from all the strawberry juice, but it was worth it!

Now if Texican isn’t your flavor… I have something else you could try. How about a bit of Italian goodness?



World’s Best Lasagna

Ingredients

1 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 1/4 pound lean ground beef
1 cup minced onion
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
4 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
4 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagna noodles
16 ounces ricotta cheese
Dash of nutmeg
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Soak raw, hard noodles in a large bowl of very hot tap water for 20-30 min. Noodles won't be cooked but soft, and can complete it's cooking in the oven. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

**You can make this in a pan and freeze it for cooking in the future. Just assemble and freeze. When you are ready to use, thaw in the fridge over night and them bake as directed. Will taste just as wonderful!**

Ok kids, that’s all the food my stomach can handle today! LOL… hopefully there is something here to tempt your taste buds. As for me… well I think today I am going to chase the DH away so I can enjoy the peace and quiet of no kids! YAY! Lazy day for me (yea right) would be a dream, but the truth is, I need to go survey how much damage my garden sustained and fix anything if I can/need to. Then I will also probably go start the final clean up of the storage unit. Hopefully I can get that done by the end of the month! That extra money would be pretty nice! So to all my faithful followers… I’ll see you tomorrow! HUGS!

MONDAY MORNING MADNESS

Well a big hi there and hello to all my friends. Thanks for stopping in this bright and crazy day! I hope this blog finds you well… happy and healthy. Its been an early start here today as the DD had band sectionals at 6am before school, then coming back and prepping the boys for school, etc. Not sure yet what today is gonna hold in store for me. Yesterday, I have to say, was rather interesting!



I got my strawberry plants put in my custom made hanging basket LOL. That little bucket took a lot more dirt to fill than I thought it would! But I got both my plants in there and its hung up on the rail of the front porch. Isn’t it so cute?!



And what makes it cuter? I have a baby berry on it too! Actually I have a few berries already on it, but this one is the biggest! I got very excited planting yesterday… and for a little while when I was messing with all my plants, I didn’t have a care in the world!



Then I put my Christmas Tree outside too. Yes I have a live baby Christmas tree LOL! It needed some sun and water, etc. Of course I might have to bring all the plants BACK in tonight as we are expecting another stupid freeze! I am getting so sick of this weather, it’s not even funny!



I also brought my rosemary and my Agave plants to the front porch as well. Here you see my rosemary plant. Sadly, I have lost half of the pot, but the other side is going great, surviving the cold VERY well surprisingly! I’m gonna get some more plants and fill the pot back up. Excuse the shoes LOL as I forgot they were on the porch LOL!



Then here is my Agave… or as I joke with my mom… my Tequilla plant LOL! She’s growing great guns, considering she was small when I got her. And now she has at least 4 baby plants as well that I need to separate and repot. The cold seems to have had no effect on that one either. I have some stout plants, let me tell ya! It just makes me more excited to get my gardening underway!

Ok, so as I think about kitties and gardens, and listening to the birds chirping... I’m thinking to nature and as the kids are emptying the milk jugs by eating bowls of cereal, I washed them out. And I’m gonna use them… know how? You can look to Feb. 11th post for a paper milk carton bird feeder, but this time I am using a big plastic gallon jug. Check this out.



Craft Idea of the Day: Milk Jug Bird Feeder

Take a milk jug and cut holes on two sides. Poke holes in bottom for rain drainage, one below each large hole and one on each side of top. Put wire through top holes for hanger and a skewer through side holes for perches. I have painted these and also decoupaged them with fabric. They do very well outside with a finish coat of clear spray paint from Walmart (about a $1 a can.)

Yesterday also was full of kitties! Remember how yesterday, as I sat here writing this blog, I kept hearing the weird noises outside and it turned out to be more baby kitties? Ok so after I was done, we (yes the whole gang LOL) watched kitties all day. Then it hit me! I need a “CAT”-alog of all my outside kitties… and my inside ones too! LOL… so the crazy MEOM I am, I went around taking pictures of all the cats. I made a list of them all, if they have names, etc. I have about 6 more (out of 21… lol not bad) that I need pictures of. I keep records of estimated birthdates, etc… just in case anything happens. Then the coolest thing happened about dusk. I was on the front porch tending to my plants and one of the cats we named R2 came up to me and actually let me pet and play with her! This was ground breaking for the outsiders LOL! She played for about 30 minutes or so… she is a little love hound LOL! When I get all my pictures, I’ll introduce you. Shoot, we still need names for a few of them!

Ok, so its time to munch… but what sounds good? The kids want spaghetti, dad wants steak, and me? Well I think that some Asian Orange Chicken sounds yummy… if my teeth are up for the challenge LOL!



Orange Sauce Chicken

Ingredients

12 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup sliced almonds (optional)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

In a small bowl beat together eggs and milk. Add 2 cups flour, salt and pepper. Beat all together until smooth. In a shallow dish or plate mix together the breadcrumbs and almonds. Dip chicken in egg batter, then in breadcrumb mixture.

In a large skillet melt 1 tablespoon butter/margarine and saute coated chicken in skillet 8 to 10 minutes. Place chicken in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish and bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

To Make Sauce: Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan mix together the sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon flour. Then stir in the orange juice, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup water. Mix all together and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils. Let boil for 3 minutes, then remove from heat.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter/margarine, the orange rind and the lemon rind to the orange sauce and stir together. Remove chicken from oven and pour orange sauce over warm chicken or put in a gravy boat for people to pour themselves. Enjoy!

Okie dokie gang… I am gonna go ahead and get off here and see what kind of craziness I can come up with today! Ya’ll be safe and happy out there and I will meet you back here tomorrow! HUGS!

MARY MARY QUITE CONTRARY…

Rain, Rain go away… oh… morning everyone. LOL Hope you are staying warm and healthy wherever you may be! And I was so happy to hear from a couple of my readers… I am glad you are still here and I wish you the best! Jean, eat those soups and feel better soon my darling! Susan, I will play with some stuff this weekend and see what I can come up with for that recipe you’re looking for. A couple of the other readers haven’t checked in, so I hope they are ok.

I’ve been working on stock up cooking a little this week… preluding to this weekend LOL. Well last night I worked on a few breakfast things. I made burritos, croissants and omelets. Wrapped and labeled and ready for quick grab-n-go meals. Check these out…



These are the Southwestern omelets I made. The have cooked taco meat, tomatoes, bell peppers, cheese, onions, etc inside. Didn't they turn out pretty?



Remember all those croissants I found on clearance? Well I got more the other day and made more breakfast Crossiant sandwiches with cooked sausage patties, egg, and cheese. Assemble and wrap them up and stick them in the fridge. 45 seconds to 1 minute and you have a nice hot and filling breakfast on the go!



Ground pan sausage browned, eggs, and cheese wrapped up in a burrito size tortilla and wrapped up for hungry teens are easy. Heat it up in the morning for 1 minute 15 seconds and they are good to go!

Well, it’s cold and wet and nothing has changed weather wise here. So I am trying to make the inside bright and sunny and happy! Oh I have to share with you my new babies…





Aren’t they cute?!! OMG these are gonna be the perfect start to my garden! Two healthy strawberry plants to start my season! I have to build new planters but wooden palates are a dime a dozen here. I have tons of seeds I am waiting for to germinate. I’m aiming for a big crop this spring/summer… I have all kinds of peppers, tomatoes, melons, squash, zucchini, and a ton of other stuff… herbs, fruits, veggies, you name it! I might even try a few fruit trees! Not sure yet… either way I am going green and hope for tons of free fruits and veggies! You should try it. Even if all you have is a small concrete patio balcony or something… try a husky cherry tomato or something else that grows well in containers. . A number of edibles including herbs, small-fruited tomatoes, salad greens and peppers are suited to grow in containers. Pole beans, cucumbers and squash can be trained to grow up a trellis, arbor or fence, providing vertical interest and plentiful production. You can join the Home Depot Garden club and you will get coupons in the email and snail mail good on all kinds of things to help your gardening adventure. I also find it very therapeutic. They have those Topsy-Turvey things you can try to grow your tomatoes, etc from hanging planters to help with space issues as well. I have seen the tomato and strawberry hanging planters at Home stores and even Walgreens and CVS! And they have bonus bucks and coupons you can use on your purchases too… just something to think about. Don’t want to spend a bunch on the planters? Use buckets, etc to make your own… save money, recycle, and have fun! You can find lots of instructions online to build your own hanging planters.

Ok, so if you haven’t guessed already, the crafts I am making today are going to be for my upcoming garden. I am making the Spoon Garden markers with some old wooden spoons. I am transforming a couple of cat litter buckets (that have been super scrubbed out) into hanging planters. I’ll be prepping some wooden palates for building my box planters. I will be making lists of things I need to get… compost, etc. Also gotta map out my plant placement, etc. And of course, I am planning to make the yard pretty and nature friendly… I have to attract bees and other pollinators and of course birds, etc. So check out some of these yard/nature crafts I’m working on…



Terra Cotta Garden Birdbath

You can choose what size terra cotta pots and trays you want to use. Glue them together with clear caulking, let dry at least 24 hours. Whitewash with thinned out white acrylic paint. Let dry about an hour, then paint what ever you want on it, or just blend paints, that is also nice. I liked the leaves and frogs on mine. It is really whatever you like. Let it dry 24 hours then spray with sealer. You really should let it dry 24 hours then spray again and let dry another 24 hours. Fill and watch the birds play in it.



Milk Carton Bird Feeder

Here's how to recycle a milk carton or juice carton to make an excellent bird feeder for finches, sparrows, chickadees and other small feathered visitors to backyard bird feeders. This design protects the bird seed from rain and snow, which is very useful in the winter months when many bird feed platforms become snow covered and unusable. Don't forget, however, that feeding the birds is a year-long commitment; during the nesting season in spring and summer, the nutritional needs of many birds increases tremendously as they work to build nests and feed their young.

Supplies:

milk or juice carton
craft knife or scissors
wax pencil or crayon
ruler or straight edge
two small lengths of double-sided tape
two bamboo skewers or straight, small diameter twigs to use as perchs
bird seed
hole punch
twine to make a hanger

Instructions:

1. Use the wax pencil and ruler to draw the shape of the opening on the front of the milk carton, as shown in the diagram at right. The opening looks like the outline of a house with a peaked roof. You should allow about two inches at the bottom of the carton to hold a good amount of seeds.

2. Use the craft knife to cut out the opening. Younger children will need an adult to help with this part.

3. Using the top of the peak as a center point, fold the piece of milk carton that you just removed in half along its length. Make a half inch cut from the point of the peak down the center fold. Fold up a half inch flap on either side of this cut, as shown in the diagram at right.

4. Attach a length of double-sided tape to each flap.

5. Insert this roof piece into the top of the opening and use your fingers to press the flaps against the inside of the milk carton until the double-sided tape holds securely.

6. Poke a bamboo skewer or thin straight twig through the wall of the milk carton, just below the left side of the opening. Repeat on the right side. Poke skewers all the way through and out the back wall of the carton. This keeps the perches straight and secure.

7. Use a hole punch or a skewer to punch two holes through the top line of the carton.

8. Thread twine through the two holes to make a hanger. 9. Fill the bottom of the feeder with nyger seed or a small bird seed mixture. Hang your milk carton bird feeder from a tree branch that you can reach easily when you need to add more bird seed.



Painted Strawberry Rock

Find a larger rock that is either naturally more round, or you can chip it into a rounder shape. Gather your paints and have fun making a yard Strawberry! And did you know that May is National Strawberry month? Check out some interesting info HERE regarding strawberries including some great recipes!

And then of course… let’s talk about BUTTERFLIES! Both my mom and I thought there were worms in our gardens that were there to eat everything! Well she killed them… I just threw them in the field. We later discovered they were butterflies! OMG did we feel horrible! So we started having “sacrificial plants” strictly for the butterflies! It works great! So I wanted to stress the butterfly issue for those who are thinking about starting a garden and I found this article that is great about the importance of butterflies to your garden..

Butterfly Gardening: What to Plant in Your Garden to Attract Butterflies
Copyright © 2002-2008 Jane Lake

One of the joys of having a garden is seeing the butterflies take wing among the flowers. By adding a few new plants to your backyard you may attract up to 50 different types of butterflies, says landscape architect Katherine Dunster, designer of the Gosling Wildlife Gardens at the University of Guelph, Ontario. Butterflies, like the honeybee, are excellent pollinators and will help increase your flower, fruit and vegetable production. The secret to successful butterfly gardens lies in providing a wide variety of flowers and shrubs.

Start by seeding part of your lawn with a wildflower seed mix, available through seed catalogues and garden centers. Wildflowers are a good food source for butterflies and their caterpillars.

Aim for a wide spectrum of flower colors. Some butterflies prefer oranges, reds and yellows, while others like whites, purples and blues.

As a rule, simple flowers are better than fancy double-hybrids, offering an easy-to-reach nectar source.

Plant your annual and perennial beds with butterfly milkweed, arabis, sweet rocket, black-eyed susan, purple coneflower, honesty, hollyhocks, sweet william, white and purple alyssum, cosmos, coreopsis, phlox, daisies, catnip, heliotrope, sea holly, asters, stocks, zinnias, yarrow, globe thistles, lavender, rosemary, thyme, stonecrops, sweet woodruff, candytuft, verbena and gaillardia.

Good choices for shrubs and small trees include the butterfly bush, common lilac, mock orange, beauty bush, blackberry, potentilla, honeysuckle, hawthorn, weigela, sumac, rose of Sharon, spirea, privet and pussy willow.

Try growing some of these plants in masses, rather than as single specimens. Butterflies are attracted to a riot of color and will return to an abundant nectar supply.

Most caterpillars have specialized food requirements such as grasses, common weeds and wildflowers. However, if it appears that caterpillars are destroying a favourite plant, reduce the population by removing them by hand. Spraying is not recommended as it may also harm beneficial insects.

In addition to selective planting, there are a variety of other ways to offer butterflies their food and attract them to your garden.

Mud Puddling

Butterflies, particularly males, enjoy pulling up a stool to the local mud bar - otherwise known as "mud puddling." They are seeking salts and minerals that enhance their libido and encourage breeding. According to the University of Kentucky, Department of Entomology:

"Butterflies also like puddles. Males of several species congregate at small rain pools, forming puddle clubs. Permanent puddles are very easy to make by burying a bucket to the rim, filling it with gravel or sand, and then pouring in liquids such as stale beer, sweet drinks or water. Overripe fruit, allowed to sit for a few days is a very attractive substance (to them!) as well."
From the University of Texas article on Butterfly Gardening:
"A damp sand patch, baited with a small amount of manure, fermenting fruit such as bananas or cantaloupe, or ripe fish will attract butterflies in a puddle assemblage where they will be less wary. These assemblages make observation and photography easy."

The damp edges around garden ponds are perfect areas for butterfly puddling, but you can also make your own butterfly puddle by filling a small bowl with sand and moistening with water. Find a nice spot in your garden and dig the bowl into the ground. Add a small pinch of salt to entice the males; you may find that many males of a single species come to visit with their friends. Decorate the butterfly puddle with river rocks or clam shells to give the butterflies a nice place to bask in the sun.

According to the University of Kentucky, Department of Entomology:
"Butterflies also like puddles. Males of several species congregate at small rain pools, forming puddle clubs. Permanent puddles are very easy to make by burying a bucket to the rim, filling it with gravel or sand, and then pouring in liquids such as stale beer, sweet drinks or water. Overripe fruit, allowed to sit for a few days is a very attractive substance (to them!) as well."
The measure of your success as a butterfly gardener will be the number and varieties you manage to attract. Experimenting with different color and flowering plant combinations over a few years will establish which plants are best for the species in your area. All that remains then is to purchase a field guide to butterflies, and to sit back and watch your garden take wing.

Okie dokie… all this talk about fresh veggies is making me hungry! Of course they are wonderful for soups, roasting, or even eating fresh! So its time to share some great recipes with fresh veggies! Oh I just remembered… I have some fresh pears in the fridge and oh this salad is yum… think I’ll have it for lunch LOL!



Roquefort Pear Salad

Ingredients

1 head leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
3 pears - peeled, cored and chopped
5 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled
1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and diced
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup pecans
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

In a skillet over medium heat, stir 1/4 cup of sugar together with the pecans. Continue stirring gently until sugar has melted and caramelized the pecans. Carefully transfer nuts onto waxed paper. Allow to cool, and break into pieces.

For the dressing, blend oil, vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, mustard, chopped garlic, salt, and pepper.

In a large serving bowl, layer lettuce, pears, blue cheese, avocado, and green onions. Pour dressing over salad, sprinkle with pecans, and serve.



Broccoli Salad

Ingredients

10 slices bacon
1 head fresh broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup raisins
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sunflower seeds

Directions

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the broccoli, onion and raisins. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar and mayonnaise. Pour over broccoli mixture, and toss until well mixed. Refrigerate for at least two hours.

Before serving, toss salad with crumbled bacon and sunflower seeds.



Spinach and Strawberry Salad

Ingredients

2 bunches spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
4 cups sliced strawberries
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tablespoon slivered almonds

Directions

In a large bowl, toss together the spinach and strawberries. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, paprika, sesame seeds, almonds, and poppy seeds. Pour over the spinach and strawberries, and toss to coat.

Oh yummy yummy! Refreshing and the best part is you can “Pear” LMAO these with a nice dinner entrée like a steak or chicken. If you have a child who might not enjoy fresh salad… try these and maybe you will have them eating greens in no time! Okie dokie… I’m gonna get off here for the day and get working on my garden goodies! You take care, be safe, and I’ll see you back here tomorrow… HUGS!