Very Vegetable Chicken Barley and Bean Soup Recipe

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Vegetable Chicken Barley & Bean Soup

2 boneless chicken breast cubed
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 small carrots, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
2 bay leaves
juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 glass white wine
8 cups chicken stock homemade or canned
1 cup quick cooking pearled barley
1 zucchini, cut in slices
1 cup canned or fresh corn
1 cup fresh or frozen spinach
1 28 ounce can of stewed tomatoes
1 cup cubed potatoes
2 cups fresh green beans
1 can of great northern bean or homemade beans
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon each oregano, parsley, garlic powder
1/4 cup pecorino romano cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan, add chicken and garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes. Add carrots, potatoes,  celery, rosemary, bay leaves, lemon juice and white wine and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and let it cook for 30 minutes. Add all other ingredients, barley, zucchini,  spinach, corn, tomatoes and let it cook for another 25 min. Then add green beans, great northern beans  and let it simmer until barley opens.  Remove the bay leaves and add salt and pepper,  herbs and  serve with grated cheese.
+claudia lamascolo  Author

Chilean Sea Bass Skewers with Lemon And Certified Steaks and Seafood

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Chilean Sea Bass is a delicate delicious fish that is so versatile. If you have never tried this it is truly one of the best tasting fish and everyone raves about this one. Thanks to the partnership opportunity with Foodie Blog Roll and Certified Steaks and Sea Foods I was able to bring this amazing offer to my readers! Use the coupon below to get $25.00 off your first box of delicious Sea Bass from Certified Steaks and Seafood.

Amazing taste to this sea bass and one of my favorites. I just love the pure white delicate flavor, then with a hint of lemon, this is just a perfect mild fish everyone will love. After cutting this into chunks I thought it would present better on he skewers, they were gone faster than I can thread them on the skewers. If you've never had Chilean Sea Bass your in for a fried Italian treat!

Chilean Sea Bass Skewer with Lemon:

1 pound Chilean sea bass fillet, skinless, bones removed and cut into chunks
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup Italian flavored bread crumbs or panko ( I add minced garlic,  around 1 clove, 2 teaspoons fresh chopped parsley and little Romano grating cheese, around 1 tablespoon.)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, oregano, garlic powder
Olive oil and butter
skewers
fresh sliced lemon

In a large plastic bag add flour, bread crumbs, garlic and seasonings. Shake cubes of fish in the bag to coat evenly.
In a large fry pan, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil and some butter around 1 tablespoon. Fry sea bass in hot oil till golden brown, while hot drizzle with fresh lemon juice. Thread on skewers to serve, its just for presentation.

 Dip or drizzle the skewers using this sauce. The juice of two fresh squeezed lemons mixed with 1/4 cup  olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, dash of basil, 1 teaspoon parsley,  salt ,pepper to taste and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Mix all together and drizzle over the kabobs or dip them into the sauce.
Facts about Sea Bass:
This is a  white tender fish that is surely popular on seafood restaurant menu's.  This is a healthy alternative and always a great choice to try. Here is a light butter sauce with an Italian flair.

 Grilled or baked a true delight. We always have 7 fishes on Christmas Eve this is the one we added this year since it's absolutely and elegant choice to serve! WE loved this one!

Check out the recipe vault they have as well!


Certified Steak and Seafood
Comittiment to have quality high standards and great customer service. The company has numerous
Certified Steak and Seafood Company was formed by the three Frisch boys, Mark, Adam, and Steven; all of whom thought that everyone should be able to buy the highest quality steaks and seafood direct. The brothers experience comes from a three generation family owned wholesale company that is one of the largest seafood importers in America.

Chilean Sea bass
One of the most flavorful white fish is seabass, very popular in popular seafood restaurants. The smooth tender and delicate flavored fish is a healthy choice. So if your a seafood lover this is a must try!


Buttery Prime Rib Filets Angus Beef
If you want melt in your mouth buttery filets to grill, broil or pan fry try these outstanding steaks online that will embed in your memory. These buttery flavored prime ribs steaks awaits you.

Our commitment to our customers is simple: Offer the highest quality products at the best price and back it with a 100% guarantee. We source directly with no 'middle man' making our supply chain the shortest in the industry. This allows us to maintain the highest quality standards all the way to your plate. On top of this, we sample all products at the moment of final packaging and have a world-renowned laboratory test for various types of adulteration or contamination. This ensures that the food you purchase from us is pure and safe.

Certified Steak and Seafood Company was formed by the three Frisch boys, Mark, Adam, and Steven; all of whom thought that everyone should be able to buy the highest quality steaks and seafood direct. The brothers experience comes from a three generation family owned wholesale company that is one of the largest seafood importers in America.

They have vast experience in sourcing and selling high quality seafood and meat products to the commercial trade — and bring you the same grade of products fine restaurants, resorts, hotels, and high-end retail stores demand – and at a direct price that gives you tremendous value for every purchase.


Please visit the website to enjoy the many high quality meats and seafood assortments. Don't forget to use the coupon above to get your $25.00 off your first purchase.


 


This sponsorship is brought to you by Certified Steak & Seafood Company who we have partnered with for this promotion.

+claudia lamascolo  Author

Garlic Bleu Cheese and Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

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Mushrooms stuffed with crab meat, bread crumbs and Bleu Cheese swimming in a pool of butter and white wine.  A perfect orderve for that special occassion, wedding appetizer or party you want to wow your guests with.

18 large mushrooms cleaned and stem removed

1 cup Italian flavored bread crumbs
1/4 crumbled bleu cheese aged
2 tablespoons minced garlic in olive oil
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon parsley fresh of dried
3 tablespoon grating cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese optional

2 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup Chablis white wine

In a medium size bowl add the bread crumbs, cheeses, garlic, butter, olive oil and herbs. Mix to blend.
Stuff cleaned mushrooms place in a large baking dish, set aside.

In a small pan melt the 1/4 cup butter with wine and olive oil.  Pour around the bottom of the dish. Adding the extra stems of the mushrooms.
Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Bake on a hot preheated oven of 375 degrees for around 35 minutes or until the mozzarella browned on top.

+claudia lamascolo  Author

Refrigerator Dough Appetizer with Brie and Raspberry Jam

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Rolled Brie cheese, berry jam and pecans what a great appetizer to bring in the New Year!
Click link below to get the Brie and Triple Berry Nut Recipe to
use as a filling!

                                    Click here for Recipe baking Brie with berry jam and nuts

I always use parchment paper for easy clean up and even baking



 Refrigerator dough either buttermilk or use crescent roll dough I made three packages of 10 so this made 301 Brie Recipe see link above under Brie photo or click here(Use Triple Berry Ice cream topping or use Triple berry jam or other you prefer)Dried mint or parsley flakesparchment paperEgg white beaten with 2 tablespoons water On a slightly floured board, roll out the refrigerator roll to make a thinner circle or squares if using crescent roll dough. Place around 1 tablespoon of the brie, nut and jam combination and roll up seam side down and place on parchment paper. Brush with egg white wash. Sprinkle with dried parsley or dried mint.  Bake at 400 degrees until browned around 15 minutes. In a hurry try using Mascarpone cheese or cream cheese with seedless Raspberry jam mixed together. +claudia lamascolo  Author

Refrigerator Dough Broccoli Spinach and Cheddar Appetizer Recipe

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Broccoli, Spinach and Cheddar Cheese Appetizers, these won't last long!

This is that time of the year I love to make lots of appetizers for the New Year. Being a huge bread fan, I often make appetizers using refrigerator dough since it's so fast and they never fail me!

3 packages of 10 buttermilk biscuits taken out of the can
1 cup of packaged frozen chopped broccoli thawed and drained well
1/2 cup chopped frozen spinach thawed and drained well
1 teaspoon each garlic powder, basil, oregano,
 salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup shredded REAL cheddar cheese or use provolone
Mix all the above ingredients in a bowl and set aside

1 egg yolk beaten to brush tops

Topping:
store bought marinara sauce or homemade recipe  CLICK HERE

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl except the refrigerator dough, marinara sauce or egg yolk.
Roll each circle out and place up to a tablespoon of filling on each one. Roll up and place on parchment paper seam side down.  Bake at 400 degrees for around 15 minutes or until golden browned. Serve dipped in marinara sauce.

+claudia lamascolo  Author

Vegetarian Egg Muffin

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My first job, apart from working in my dad's paint store color-matching samples of paint chips, was, like many people, at Mc Donald's. It was right around the corner from my house. My buddy Andy and I would work breakfast, which meant waking up (or in many cases, staying up) until 4 a.m. to get the crates of eggs, muffins, gravy mix, and cheese up from the basement cooler and into the kitchen and start cooking. I actually learned a lot about cooking in those years. Burger University was my first and only formal culinary training. We had to memorize cook times, frying temperatures, and the stats on just about every item McDonalds sold in order to become a manager. That's right -- I was a manager at McDonald's when I was 16. I was also vegan at the time. Weird, I know!

We used real eggs in those days, but that was over 20 years ago. I'm not sure how they do it now. Today, I'm still making a version of America's favorite breakfast sandwich, but with a few key changes. We like to use a whole-wheat English muffin, cheddar cheese, and a simple cured slice of portobello mushroom, a terrific vegetarian stand-in for Canadian bacon.

Vegetarian Egg Muffin 

2 thick, large portobello mushrooms
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cane sugar (like Whole Foods 365 brand)
3-4 drops liquid smoke
4 slices sharp cheddar cheese (like Whole Foods 365 brand)
4 whole-wheat English muffins (split, toasted)
4 poached eggs*

The first step to making this breakfast sandwich is to cure the mushroom slices overnight, so it's best to do this ahead of time. Slice the mushrooms about 1/4-inch thick starting at the top of the mushroom and working across parallel to the gills. (You should be able to get 3 to 4 slices out of each mushroom before getting to the gills.) Save the gills and the rest of the scraps for another use. Mix the kosher salt and sugar together in a small bowl. Into a glass container, place a slice of the mushroom and sprinkle it with the salt and sugar mixture. Continue until all slices and seasoning have been used. Add the liquid smoke, cover, and place in the fridge overnight. The salt and sugar will draw a lot of moisture from the mushrooms. 

To assemble, place the cheese on the toasted  muffin. Sear cured mushroom slices in a a hot, dry pan for a few seconds until brown. Place 1 or 2 mushroom slices on top of the cheese, top with poached egg, salt, pepper, and the muffin top. Wrap it up and take it on-the-go or sit down and enjoy it with a cup of espresso. Either way, it beats the drive through.

Makes 4 breakfast sandwiches.

*How to poach an egg: Fill a 10-inch frying pan 1/2 full of water and set it over medium 
heat. Add to it 1/ 4 cup white vinegar and 1/8 cup kosher salt. That seems like a lot of salt, but think of it like salting pasta water. Once the water starts to gently simmer, slowly crack an egg into the water. By slowly I mean open it halfway and let the albumen touch the water for a few seconds then gently let the rest of the egg fall into the water. This will make for a more compact egg. Be patient! Once the white has mostly set, you may flip the egg using a spatula. Push the egg against the curved edge of the pan and it should flip. Flipping it makes it cook faster, but you will loose that beautiful yellow yolk showing.

It takes about 5 minutes for a runny yolk, 6 for a slightly set yolk, and 7 to 8 to form a little, yellow, rubber ball of a yolk. You can poach the eggs ahead of time and cool them in an ice bath once they are cooked to your liking. To reheat them place them in hot water for a few seconds.

The trick is the vinegar. It coagulates the albumen as soon as it hits the water so the egg doesn't go everywhere.

Purple Potato Pierogi

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If you've never had a pierogi, allow me to describe it to you: it's like a cheesy, potato-y, onion-y ravioli that is seared in butter. These things are, in a word, heaven. Not all pierogi are made with potatoes--some are made with sauerkraut, and some with fruit. In our house, we like the potato ones best. 

Here, we've used purple sweet potatoes (available at Whole Foods) and purple onion to make for a colorful surprise inside the little dumpling. It also makes for a slightly sweet foil to the sourness of the sauerkraut. You can use any kind of potato you want here. Get creative and make it your own. 

Purple Potato Pierogi

1 1/2 cups peeled, chopped purple potato (about 1 medium)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
1 1/4 cups finely diced diced purple onion (about 1 medium)
1/4 cup white wine (like Pinot Grigio)
1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper (to taste)
Pierogie Dough (recipe follows)
1 cup vegetable broth (like Whole Foods 365 brand)
Sauerkraut, sour cream, and chives to garnish 

Boil the potato in salted water until tender (about 8 minutes), drain, and set aside in a large bowl. In a medium frying pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and cook the onion until translucent and starting to brown. Deglaze the pan with the wine and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the onion to the potato and mash until no large pieces of potato are left; you want it to have some texture. Fold in the shredded cheese and add salt and pepper to taste.

Roll the dough out using your pasta maker on a number 5. Alternately, roll the dough out using a rolling pin to get the dough just about as thin as possible. Place 1 heaping tablespoon about 1/2 inch apart, fold the dough over, and cut a half-moon shape using a fluted pasta wheel. Continue until all the dough and filling has been used. You can re-roll the scraps and use those if you have more filling to use. Makes about 24 pierogi.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and in a separate 12-inch frying pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over low heat. Boil 12 of the pierogi for about 3 minutes, crank the heat under the butter to high, transfer the boiled pierogi to the buttered pan; allow them to cook undisturbed for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes for a nice sear. Add 1/2 a cup of the vegetable broth and flip the pierogi using a pair of tongs. Repeat this process with the remaining pierogi or freeze them for another day.

Serve the pierogi of a bed of warm sauerkraut garnished with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of chives. Spoon the pan sauce created with the broth and butter around the plate.


Pierogi Dough

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (like Whole Foods 365 brand)
1 large egg (beaten)
1/2 cup 2% Greek yogurt (or sour cream)


In a large bowl add the flour and make a well in the center. Add the egg and the yogurt. Mix until a smooth dough forms. Cover and set aside until ready to roll it out.

Vegetarian Tom Yum Soup (Oil Free and Vegan)

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Anyone who reads this blog knows that we are very susceptible to the power of suggestion. We hear a dish mentioned, and we just absolutely must make it. At the I Love Memphis blog, the Tom Yum soup at Shanghai was mentioned as one of the 10 best things this year. (View the complete list HERE.) 

Anytime I eat Thai food, I always longingly stare at the Tom Yum on the menu. It always contains shrimp stock and chicken stock -- it's just how that soup is made. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands and come up with a great vegetarian version of this classic soup. 

Kombu is the key here. It's a sea vegetable, and it has the highest amount of umami of any vegetable. The part of the shrimp, a classic component of this soup, is being played by king oyster mushrooms which, as you can tell by their name, have a very 
seafood-like texture and flavor. These elements paired with the fragrant punch of the broth, the spiciness of the sambal, and the acidity of the lime make for one great bowl of soup.


Vegetarian Tom Yum Soup

2 stalks  lemongrass
1 quart low-sodium vegetable broth (like Whole Foods 365 brand)
3 lime leaves
1/2 inch sliced ginger
1/2 ounce kombu (about 3 small sheets, rinsed)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon (or more)  sambal
2 tablespoons vegetarian fish sauce (or soy sauce)
4 cloves crushed garlic
1 cup tomato wedges
1 red pepper (sliced)
1 cup full-fat coconut milk  (like Whole Foods 365 brand)
1 1/2 cups sliced and quartered king oyster mushrooms
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1 lime (quartered)

Trim the ends off of the lemongrass and peel away the first two layers. With the back of your knife or a frying pan, beat the lemongrass until it splinters. Cut into 4 pieces and set aside. In a large saucepan, bring the broth to a boil with the lemongrass, lime leaves, ginger, kombu, brown sugar, fish sauce (or soy sauce), and garlic. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer; allow this mixture to cook for 20 to 25 minutes. Strain out the solids leaving only a fragrant broth. Return the broth to the saucepan over medium heat. Add the tomato, red pepper, and coconut milk. Allow the tomato and pepper to warm through. Just before serving, stir in the king oyster mushrooms. (They're easy to overcook and become rubbery of they sit in the hot broth for too long.) Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime. (Serves 4 as a starter and 2 for dinner.)

Candy Kale Chips and Pickled Kale Stems

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We love lacinato kale, a.k.a dinosaur kale, around here lately and have been wanting to make some kale chips that no one could possibly resist. Using honey and fresh orange juice to take away some of the inherent bitterness in the greens helps to make that happen. Other kale chip recipes have you cook the kale at 350 degrees, but at this temperature, the thin kale goes from limp to burned on the edges in no time flat. We figured out that if we cook the kale at a lower temperature for longer, the result is a crisper, more evenly cooked chip.

Doing something good with the tough stems of kale that are removed before making the chips was a goal, too. This recipe is for a simple, quick dill pickle, but feel free to add whatever spices you like to the pickling liquid. Try it today, and you just might start obsessing over this super-healthy superfood just like we are. 

Candy Kale Chips 

6 cups loose packed laminate/dinosaur kale (stems removed and reserved; about 1 1/2 bunches)
1 tablespoon orange blossom honey
juice from 1 satsuma orange (about 1 tablespoon)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt flakes (+ a pinch or two)
1/8 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Cut de-stemmed kale into pieces about 2-3 inches long. Place into a large bowl and set aside. Whisk honey, satsuma juice, olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt flakes until emulsified and pour over kale. Massage the mixture into the kale for 1-2 minutes until the leaves are completely coated. Spread kale out -- no leaves should touch -- on a parchment-lined, rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle a pinch of salt on top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Let chips cool and then store them in a glass container. 


Pickled Kale Stems

Stems from 2 bunches kale
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 clove garlic (sliced)
5-10 peppercorns
5-10 whole coriander
1/4 teaspoon dried dill


Trim stems to fit in a 1/2 pint jar. Pack stems into the jar. Bring the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, garlic, peppercorns, coriander, and dill up to a boil. Pour hot pickling liquid over kale stems and screw the cap on. Let stems rest in the fridge for at least 3 days before serving. Pickled kale stems will last 2 weeks in the fridge.

Paleo Energy Snacks

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My sister Lindsey is a great cook. She and her family live in Boulder, Colorado, and they follow the paleo diet: lots of protein, lots of veg, but sugar is out. These little energy snacks definitely count as dessert, though. When we first tried them while visiting out west in July, we knew we would have to beg Linnie to share her recipe. 

These are great snacks before or after a workout or a nice long run. Because they're packed with good fat, they stave off hunger pangs for a good long while. They are quite addictive, too. Best of all, they are really simple and easy to make using your food processor. Here's how she does it. 

Paleo Energy Snacks
10 dates (pitted)1/4 cup coconut oil2 tablespoons coconut milk1/2 cup sliced almonds 
a generous pinch of sea salt flakes1 1/4 cup finely shredded coconut, unsweetened
In your food processor, add pitted dates, coconut oil, and coconut milk; process until it is smooth. Add sliced almonds and salt and pulse (three times or so) until almonds are broken down but still chunky. Transfer mixture to a medium-sized bowl and mix in the coconut flakes by hand. Using wet hands, form into densely packed spheres smaller than a golf ball. Line snacks up on a parchment-lined pan and bake for 10 minutes on 350 or until slightly golden brown on top. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. Store in a container in the fridge. 

It's The End Of The World As We Know It

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So in 1999, we knew what we were in for with the whole Y2K thing.

All the power would go out at once, we'd be plunged into darkness and have to drink out of the toilet. I knew a LOT of people who bought generators and stockpiled Snickers.

But it was a known quantity. No power.

With the Mayan apocalypse bearing down on us, I'm amazed at how poorly defined it is.

Will yetis or zombies come barreling out of the Barton Creek Greenbelt to eat us? Will an asteroid hit us? Will we spontaneously combust?

I think the Mayans must have been very unorganized people to have such a poorly defined apocalyptic prediction. Had crafters been in charge of the apocalypse, we would have organized a themed blog hop, had custom digital downloads for the pinhole sunglasses you'd need when the sun and all the stars exploded, and strategically pre-staged glitter and die cutting machines for those in harm's way.

It's embarrassing, really, to see what a shoddy apocalypse this is. So we just have to carry on and guess.

Since I just organized my glue collection, I'm actually feeling pretty confident that I can face whatever is coming.

In the meantime, I think it's very important that we don't stop recycling. Because if it ends up being a huge fizzle like 1999 we don't want to be surrounded by mounds of trash. And generators. And zombie bullets.

So I have three reanimations for you today.

I went to retail church yesterday - Whole Foods - and I worshiped some Hail Merry Tarts and the precise number of Telicherry peppercorns I needed for my insanely awesome carne guisada - I love the bulk section.

Since I didn't bring a bag, I got paper bags for my holy goods. And man, are they gorgeous - all year. You may remember my last Whole Foods bag project. I loved those saturated greens.

But the holidays are upon us and the bags have kept up. So, in order to procrastinate cleaning and prepping for my classes, I sat down and did a little recycling.

Supplies: Whole Foods paper bag, Poppy Parade Ink, Whisper White Cardstock & Seam Binding

Turns out their ink is a dead on match for Poppy Parade Ink, so I used Word Play to finish it off.

BUT - there are even CUTER holiday versions over at Project Reanimate - and all three of these cards were made with a single bag.

Recycling gives you good Mayan karma, I promise. And if it does come to pass, please head to the designated glitter pickup station for supplies. I'll be the one in the cute apron.

Loveyameanitbye.

Taking a Break

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Every now and then you just have to take a break.

Thankfully, I've never had the urge to take a break from stamping - it's what I DO when I take a break.

But I find when things get chaotic and hectic and busy, what I need to do to get back on track is organize. You've done this I'm sure - especially in your crafty workspace - just let all your stuff pile up and work around it until it becomes unbearable.

But why? I feel so much better when things are put away. Getting a Scrapbox has really helped me manage some of my biggest piles - which are primarily paper and embellishments. Now I know where everything is and can go straight to it - so I have a drawer for glimmer paper instead of a three foot tall pile of DSP that I'm SURE had some glimmer paper in it.

You know what I'm talking about.

One of the other things that always runs away and hides is my favorite adhesives collection - the things I use every day - Mono Multi, Mini Glue Dots and tapes. I do a lot of masking with artist's tape. For a while I tried a paper towel holder on my desk that I stacked the tapes on, but because they were all different sizes, the mini glue dots and Sticky Strip would always get lost under the artist's tape and I got annoyed.

So, while I was working on the Weekly Inkling this week, I saw an ad and  realized that I already had the perfect solution right in front of me - my Ribbon Roll Control! So I dumped out all my ribbon and added all my tapes and I am SO happy!





Now I need two more to put my ribbon back into! Okay - maybe 50 more. I love these because they are acrylic so the container itself takes up nearly no space. You snap them together - no instructions necessary - and they can be desktop or wall mounted, in case you have naughty, ribbon eating cats :).

The best part? They're made in the USA. There's a few more bucks not going to China. That always gets my stamp of approval!

If you want to see them, the ad I saw was here, and it says free shipping until 12/31.

Now onto a little clean and simple now that I took an organizing break.

I made an all white version of the Christmas ornament that's on the cover of the Holiday Mini Catalog, with a little help from the awesome filter paper that's a sneak peek from the upcoming Spring Mini, which is completely amazeballs.


So easy and fun. I used the dies from the Ornament Keepsakes Bundle, the Rosette die, a Vintage Faceted Designer Button, and one of the new extra large sparkly rhinestones from the Spring Mini. I bet you can't wait to see it :).
So make a little space for yourself and see if it doesn't make the holidays feel less crazy. You deserve a break.

Loveyameanitbye.

Happy Cool Color Caturday

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Happy Caturday!

I haven't celebrated Caturday with you in a while, and Maddie was protesting, so I had better comply before she does something completely wicked. Which wouldn't even really make today any different from any other day of the week, truly. But it's good to be careful.

The little kitteh is a Prima image from the Yuki line and I colored him with Touch Twin Markers - just two greens - GY48 and F124 with the palette blending method - my fave blending technique. Then I made him a little kitteh shadow with CG 0.5. There's a heart in the stamp image, but I decided to punch one out of DSP with my itty bitty heart punch to put where the heart image is in the stamp because I wanted those cute polka dots.

I used a Sixxix Texture Fade to get the blank spot in my embossing folder and some of that awesome Summer Smooches DSP.

I know - most cats aren't green. But mine is. And I love him. :)

I'm presenting you with this adorable lime green kitteh for Dina's VSN challenge to use cool colors, and also for the Marker Pop blog hop today - if you comment on all the posts in the hop you can win oodles of markers, so be sure and visit my fellow hoppers today for fame, fortune and prizes! :) And possibly more kittens.

Loveyameanitbye

I Just Invented the Austin Shower Head

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I've spent my Sunday inventing something.

Well, really, sneezing. Which caused me to invent something. I call it the Austin Shower Head.

This shower head is very much like a regular shower head, with the exception of a slot between the water source and the little holes the water comes out of.

This slot is designed to fit specially designed self vaporizing tablets in the following varieties: Vicks Vapo-Rub, Benadryl, Visine AC, and Cort-Aid.

Let's say you're just congested and haven't been sneezing for twelve hours. Pop in the Vicks tab and shower yourself with sinus-clearing menthol vapors.

Been sneezing for 48 hours straight and can't see or speak? Pop in the Benadryl tablet and inhale the delightful antihistamine fumes right into your inflamed lungs and nasal passages.

Just encountered a furry dog? Add a Visine tab AND a Cort-Aid tab and feel soothed from head to toe.

As one of the countless victims of Austin's wet and dry mold colonies and cedar plague, I feel I have a duty to my fellow sufferers to try to make God's country a better place.

I can see other applications as well - maybe a champagne tablet for just a fine misting of bubbly before brunch. An espresso tablet for when morning coffee just can't come fast enough. Maybe an Advil mist for after those grueling workouts.

Or how about a few just for men - a wide variety of deer pee tablets or whatever they need for hunting. I tend not to pay too much attention to things like this, but I'll hire a man to figure that out. Deer pee is probably close enough. I don't think men read my blog, so I bet deer pee is fine in theory.

It's important that we continue to make technological advances in America and remain the home of innovation.

And it's also important to stop sneezing. For the entire month of December. Seriously.

Now that I'm a potential billionaire, I'd like to share the card that will accompany my Forbes cover story.



Stamps: Feel Goods (sneak peek - let me know if you need a catalog) Ink: Crumb Cake 
Paper: Whisper White, Real Red C'oredinations, Newsprint, Crumb Cake Accessories: Label Framelits, Linen Thread, Time for Tea Trinkets, Honeycomb Embossing Folder, Refillable Sanding Block, Real Red Marker

Seriously - how perfect is that?? I LOVE THAT STAMP! Nearly everything on this card is a sneak peek from the Spring Mini, which will make you SQUEE!

Provided you're not sneezing, that is.

Loveyameanitbye.

The Best Things in Life Aren't Things

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I saw the coolest thing happen on the Geocaching forum tonight.

A newbie was asking a question about some features of the premium site membership. A young person, to whom $30 was a little out of reach for a recreational site.

Suddenly in the middle of his conversation, he or she noticed that their title had changed to a Premium Member.

A sweet, anonymous gift. :)

Other users just suggested that he/she pay it forward somehow.

I think I will too. Someone was nice enough to gift me a membership, and I've had days and weeks and months of fun with it.

That's the holiday spirit. Anonymous gifts are a blast. Wanna try it with me?



I think I'll also send a card or two. Start practicing for the new year. Maybe I'll start with this one.

Yes - this is sneak peek goodness from the upcoming Spring Mini! I LOVE the flower trim, the lace trim, the resin flower - SQUEE!!! The stamp set is called Feel Goods. If you are on my mailing list you probably already have this beautiful catty in your hot little hands! If so, what do you think?

Best. Catalog. Ever.

Oh - and to answer a question from SL from the last post - I used a Sizzix Texture Fade plate to get the blank spot on my card with an embossing folder.

But if you don't have the texture fade plate - we actually have a tutorial called Double Embossing on Splitcoast to teach you how to get this look yourself.

Loveyameanitbye.

Slow Cooker Hawaiian Oxtail Soup

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I first saw oxtail soup on Pinterest, and I was intrigued. Ihave always wanted to use oxtail in a recipe, but I have never gotten around toit. I finally bought 2 lbs of oxtail to make a slow cooker Hawaiian oxtailsoup. I have a lot of lemon grass growing in one of my herb pots, and I had afew carrots that were ready to be picked, so I thought this was the perfecttime to make some Hawaiian oxtail soup. Most Hawaiian oxtail soup recipes use star of anise, but I used anise hyssop instead because I have lots of anise hyssop growing in my garden right now. Both star of anise and anise hyssop add a licorice flavor to dishes, so this was a perfect substitution to make my soup utilize more local ingredients. 
This is a very hearty soup with a very rich broth. Duringthe last 30 minutes of cooking, I added lemon grass, my soup enhancer cubes, and anise hyssop whichwere perfect because the greens did not become an over cooked mush. This slowcooker Hawaiian oxtail soup was very filling after a long day. I can see myselfmaking this soup again in fall when I have more carrots available from mygarden.

Ingredients (serves 6) inspired by many sources includingSimply Recipes and In Our Kitchen

• 2 lbs oxtail
• 2 tsp coconut oil
• 6 quarter slow cooker
• 10 carrots, chopped
• 2 daikon radishes, chopped
• ½ cup raw peanuts, soaked over night
• ½ cup shitake mushrooms, sliced
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 inch piece of ginger, bruised
• 5 cups Filtered water
• 4 green soup enhancers
• 2 large stalks of fresh lemon grass
• 1 sprig Anise Hyssop

Directions
1.      Sear the oxtail in a pan with the melted coconutoil on medium high heat. Turn the meat on all sides to brown the entire oxtail.You do not want to cook the meat all the way through.2.      Trim the excess fat off the oxtail.3.      Add the oxtail, carrots, radishes, peanuts,mushrooms, orange zest, salt, and ginger to the slow cooker.4.      Fill the slow cooker with water to the top. Iadded about 5 cups water.5.      Cook on low for 10 hours.6.      Add the green soup enhancers, lemon grass, and anise hyssop. 7.      Cook on low for 30 minutes.8.      Remove bones, lemon grass, anise hyssop, and ginger beforeserving.9.      Serve hot in bowls.

Posted on Simple Lives Thursday

How to Train Melons and Cucumbers to Grow on a Trellis

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Trellising melons and cucumbers can save a lot of space and allow you to grow more fruits and vegetables in a smaller space. A lot of people do not realize that you can train melons to grow on a trellis allowing small plot gardeners to enjoy home grown melons. Training your melons is an easy task. You just gently unwind the small growing tips and wrap them around your trellis. This easy tip will allow even small plot gardeners to enjoy home grown melons.


Posted on Simple Lives Thursday

Leftover Summer Fruit Baked Oatmeal

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I love summer fruits, but sometimes our family has a hardtime eating all the delicious that come into our house quick enough. I think wehave a tendency to over buy fruit because we are all so excited about all thedelicious fruits coming into season. When I notice our fruits starting to gobad, I usually make large baked oatmeal where I use up any fruit that needs toget eaten. In this case I had some Rainer cherries and apricots that had to beeaten.
I also add whatever nuts that I have on hand. My mom iscurrently visiting, and she has been told to eat more protein, so added a fulltwo cups of nuts to this baked oatmeal. I soaked both the nuts and oats overnight to make the oatmeal easier to digest. My mom loved this baked oatmeal. Shewould eat the leftovers cold while I chose to heat up my leftovers. Little BBQcalled this baked oatmeal a cross between cake and pie. Miss Bubbles can eat ahuge serving of this healthy breakfast in the morning. This leftover summerfruit baked oatmeal was a huge hit at our house.

Ingredients

• 2 cups steel cut oats (do not use instant oatmeal)
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• 2 cups walnuts, chopped
• 2 cups water
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 ¼ cups milk or milk substitute
• ¾ cup honey
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 cups mixed fruit, pit removed and chopped
• 9 x 13 in glass pan, greased

Directions
1.      Mix the oats and buttermilk in a medium sizebowl. Cover the bowl and place in a warm place over night.2.      Mix the nuts and water in a medium size bowl.Cover the bowl and let set over night.3.      Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.4.      Drain the water from the nuts. Rinse the nuts with cool water.5.      Mix the buttermilk oat mixture with the nuts.6.      Add the baking soda, salt, milk, honey, eggs,applesauce, and vanilla. Mix well.7.      Gently add the fruit to the oat mixture andstir.8.      Add the oat mixture to a greased 9 x 13 in glasspan.9.      Bake the oatmeal for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5minutes or until the oatmeal is golden brown on the edges and no longer lookingsoggy in the middle. This baked oatmeal is very moist so a tooth pick will notcome out clean when inserted in the middle.10.  Serve warm.

Posted on Simple Lives Thursday

Roman Stracciatella Soup

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It is winter time, and that means that my family is eating lots of meals prepared from food that I canned over spring, summer, and fall. I found this amazing looking soup called Roman Stracciatella on Tasting Table. Roman Stracciatella is an Italian soup that contains shredded egg similar to what you would find in egg drop soup at your favorite Chinese take out place.

I changed up the seasoning from the original Roman Stracciatella to accommodate the flavors preferred by family. I also added canned tomatoes to add some more bulk and vitamins to this soup. This soup pairs well with a simple grilled cheese sandwich on a cold winter night when you need a fast meal.

While I loved this soup along with Miss Bubbles, the men of the family were not fans of this soup. Dr. Lazy Palate is not a fan of tomato based soups, and he found the hard cheeses in this recipe to be too flavorful. Basically, this recipe was too gourmet for his simple palate. Little BBQ said he did not like the texture of the egg which is odd because he loves egg drop soup. I think if you enjoy Italian flavors and tomato soup, then you will love this recipe. Otherwise I would recommend skipping this delicious soup.



Ingredients (serves 4 lunch size servings)modified from Brandon McGlamery on Tasting Table

• 6 cups of chicken or vegetable broth (I used homemade)
• 1 sprig thyme (my sprigs were about 4 inches long)
• 2 sprigs oregano
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pint jar of canned tomatoes, chopped and juice reserved 
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 2 tbsp Asiago cheese, shredded
• 1 lemon, quartered

Directions

1. Simmer the broth, thyme, oregano, garlic, and bay leaf in a medium sauce pot for 20 minutes.
2. Remove the thyme, oregano, and bay leaf from the soup.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and juice to the soup. Bring back up to a simmer.
4. Whisk the eggs and cheese together in a small bowl until well mixed.
5. Slowly whisk the egg mixture into the hot soup.
6. Whisk the soup until the eggs are fully set, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
7. Ladle the hot soup into 4 bowls.
8. Squeeze fresh lemon juice into each bowl of soup. Serve immediately.