3D flower

Pinterest...you strike again. I saw this on pinterest some time ago, and I did not pin it. DUH. Try as I might I could never find it again. I confess, it was generally because my interest was to find it than about a million other things popped up and there was no way I could stay focused on the task at hand. Anyway fast forward a few months and... I saw this on fb friends page and realized it could be done with card stock...which I happened to find at the fabric store on clearance for $7! I bought it with the intention of doing the alphabet with it, but I haven't gotten around to it, good thing because I used it tonight and I am loving the results!! We are re-doing our daughters room and this is just the little accent I am looking for. This one is large, I will scale it down for her and do it in muted pastels with polka dot and stripes....SO to get to it, start with card stock, it comes in a book and pattern choice is endless.

Next pick out the paper of choice. I used eight for the large petals and 5 for the small. I used scraps to curl for accents.

Draw out the petal and repeat, I scaled down inside petal, I did this free hand, and I am NOT an artist, I mean, AT ALL. This is about as good as I get, so you can do this too.

Next lay out the pattern until you have a color combo you like.

A step I didn't photograph was that I glued 2 small paper plates for structure and started gluing the petals, I used extreme glue stick as recommended by my fb friend.

Continue gluing, it is your flower do as you wish.

Next comes the small petals, glue them and let dry then push up to make the 3d part. I used clothes pins to hold up the petal while the glue dried. Continue on. Oh and cut a circle out to cover the center. I traced a sippy cup, UMMmmm yeah, I am a mom and it is what I got!

Now let this dry, almost there.

Now hand on the wall....Not thrilled, needs more work.

Viola, now I think for Lydia's room I will add ribbon and maybe a little fine spray glitter. Possibilities are endless. If you had a storm door this could be a decoration for the front door, a teacher gift or any occasion. Have fun!!

Roasted Butternut Squash

Butternut squash....NOPE not just a decoration in the fall. It is absolutely deliscious, it is cheap, simple and oh so good for you! I didn't realize the vegetables were so intimidating to some...so here is a great veggie that even the kids will like. Mine love it. Wash the squash and peel with a vegetable peeler, cut in half and scoop the seeds out. Next you will chop in 1-2 inch cubes and place on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray.

I add a drizzle of olive oil (I used spray today) sprinkle with salt and pepper and I love it with cumin. I also prepare sweet potatoes the same way. I took a portion and added a little brown sugar for Lydia, this is her favorite way to eat it.

Bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 min depending on how big you cut them.

Notice the brown color, the squash carmelizes and gets sweet. It can be eaten alone, or I add this to risotto with safron and it is delicous I omit the cumin when adding to risotto.

This was my lunch today along with some vegetable beef soup! ENJOY!

Vegetable Beef Soup

This soup is very low cal, high in flavor and very filling...bonus is that it is low cal. I put this in individual freezer containers so that I can have it at all times. This is in my freezer at all times, it is a great lunch that makes you feel like you have had a warm, hearty meal without the calories.

Ingredients are simple. Beef stew meat, mixed veggies ( I either buy the mixed pack or individual for a large batch. 2-3 bags of mixed or a small bag of each green beans, corn, carrots and peas) OK to use fresh too, but its the midwest and Feb...frozen it is! Next I use beef stock 4 cups, (I use better than bullion if I don't have stock), V-8 spicy hot juice, onion, salt and pepper.

Saute' onions until soft then add beef stew meat that you have seasoned with salt and pepper.

Cook until meat is done. Mix 2tbsp of the bullion in 4 cups of hot water.

Slowly add the 4 cups of stock to the cooked beef. Cook until half of the liquid is reduced down and the meat is tender. My grandmother would use the pressure cooker, but, I don't even remotely know how to do that, so this is a good way to get the meat tender and develop flavor in the base of the soup.

Next simply add the frozen vegetables and the entire bottle of V-8, salt and pepper to taste. I actually only use Lawry's, I prefer the taste but regular salt is fine.

Nothing like a simmering pot of soup to warm the soul...ENJOY! This indeed is a favorite of mine.

Repurpose old things to make them new and FABULOUS

Had an old sweater that I never wore...so , since I have a new sewing obsession I figured I would upcycle it and this is what I came up with... Just to help fuel my obsession with navy grey and yellow I showed a potential outfit.

One sweater

Find the middle and cut the top layer and open it up

Double wide bias tape, I took each side of the sweater and sandwiched it in the fold of the tape and pinned in place.

Next sew in place, I used a wide zig-zag and made two rows since I wasn't quite sure how it would hold, love the way it turned out. Watch out thrift stores!

Swiss Steak

Recipes can take you back in time. I am always on the look out. My friend Ashlie says this is what she would request her mom to make still today, it is from her childhood. I made a few changes...ENJOY! Ingredients: Cube steak (5-6) 2 large cans of tomato sauce, can of tomato paste, 1 cup of beef stock, onion chopped, green pepper chopped, worstershire sauce 1tbsp, salt, pepper

Salt and pepper both sides of the cube steak, the dredge in flour.

Brown in a bit of olive oil and a pat of butter. Olive oil prevents the oil from burning.

When you have a hot pan and do not touch the meat, you get a beautiful crust full of flavor.

While browning add tomato paste, worstershire and tomato sauce to a bowl and mix. 1 tsp of salt and cracked pepper.

When all the cubed steak has been browned on both sides, add to a 9x13 pan, pre-heat oven to 350. Add green pepper and onion to pan and brown.

layer the onion and green pepper in the pan covering the cube steak, then pour tomato mixtuer over the entire thing.

Look good already. Now bake for 3-4 hours, could also be put in a crock pot at this point, refrigerated and then started the next day.

Side dish is fire roasted veggies, I used broccoli and cauliflower. Simply cut up, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 450 for 20-30 min, finish with parmasean and a squeeze of fresh lemon. This is by far the only way to cook fresh veggies. I have a little helper here too. I promise no feet touched the food ;-)

Remeber to season your food, at the table is too late!! Even Lydia knows this important step.

Spread those veggies out!

Next simple smashed potatoes, skin on. If you haven't discovered Yukon Gold potatoes...get them. Thin skinned, buttery in texture and so good. I cube them, add to salted water and boil then smash roughly with butter, salt, pepper and milk, this is a great accompanyment to the yummy gravy made by the cube steak!

Roasting veggies like this makes them sweet, the kids like them too. Sweet potaotes with cumin, parsnips, brussel sprouts....possiblities are endless.

Dig in and enjoy!

Crafting for Lydia's new big girl bed!

Daddy is building the princess a new bed from these plans, so mommy must decorate.
http://ana-white.com/sites/default/files/1.JPG

The theme is girly, I have a pottery barn anywhere chair for a reading nook and owl bedding. I will be adding in a few things here and there, like attempting to paint a dresser, which I will blog later. Here is one of the first crafty things that are super cheap and cute! Paint, canvas, ribbon, buttons and a staple gun.

Painted the canvas a lavender shadeThe second canvas got some chevron stripes...my new obsession. (This is a rough attempt)

Very Easter Egg like...luckily I am not done.

....back to the first canvas, I arranged buttons in the shape of an L, thanks Pinterest. I heart you! Glue will dry clear and I will add ribbon to hang.

Now that the 2nd canvas has dried I add ribbon and with my hubby's help staple the ribbon down and add Lydia's cute little hair bows.

Can't wait to see it hanging in her room!

Clearly we have more bows, so more canvas may be in our future.

Stromboli, hot gooey and DELICIOUS!!

Ingredients: Rhodes frozen bread rolls, 1lb of salami and ham, 1/2 lb of provolone cheese, 1 pkg of itialian shredded cheese mix (ok to use mozerella too), 1 egg, itialian seasoning.

This is a delicious treat. So easy too. Start with Rhodes white bread. It comes frozen in loaves.

Place on greased cookie sheet in a warm kitchen for 5-8 hours, it will thaw and rise.

Once dough is ready flour a large surface and get ready to assemble. Roll out the dough to about twice the size of the original loaf. It is very stretchy so do not over roll, just stretch gently. Place one layer of ham.

Next place a layer of provolone and sprinkle with italian seasoning.

Next add a layer of salami then italian cheese and again italian seasoning.

Continue to layer the ingredients, about 3 times depending on the thickness of your layers.

End your layers with cheese and italian seasoning, snip small slits on both sides of the dough. then braid the dough together using egg wash as the glue to hold it all together.

Brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle with seasoning. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Slice and serve with pizza sauce.

This smells soooo good as it is baking too.

Perfect appetizer for a game night. mmmmm!

Snacks. Dinner. Potluck.....Really you can't go wrong with this. Delicious and very filling, all fresh from your oven. I think, YES!!!