Candied Citrus

I have a lemon tree in my backyard, which is great, except now I have a ton of lemons that I don't know what to do with.  Which wouldn't be that bad, only my mother sent me a huge stockpile of oranges and grapefruit she got as part of a fundraiser.  Now I have oodles of citrus, and I can't eat it fast enough before it will go bad.

I've made lemon ice cream, frozen lemon juice, frozen lemon zest, sweet and sour mix...what's next?

CANDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Every year on Christmas Eve my family has a large extended family gathering.  Everyone brings food and a great time is had by all.  After dinner, pictures, and presents we have appetizers (a little backward I know, but hey we are who we are).  I wanted to bring something and I thought why not kill two birds with one stone?  This year I brought Candied Lemons and Candied Oranges to Christmas Eve.  They went over so well my aunt asked me to candy some kumquats from my Dad's garden for her!

I used Martha Stuart's recipe for the lemons.  The second batch I made I altered a little bit, the lemon's only needed to cook for 45 minutes.  I halved the amount of sugar for the oranges, they are sweet already, and added a cinnamon stick for extra measure.  The oranges cooked for 45 minutes as well.

Once the citrus cooled I cut them into fourths and piled them high into a serving dish.  I recommend serving these bit sized fruity treats with toothpicks, they stay quite sticky.

If you are looking for an easy dish to wow party goers I highly recommend these! They are easy, delicious, and make you look so cool!  Candy away my friends!

It's the Holiday Season

I love entertaining during the holiday season.  A few weeks ago I had several friends over for dinner and multitasking to get everything ready is what I thrive on.

I made a goat cheese asparagus pasta from Smitten Kitchen.  It was super easy and a huge hit!  Goat cheese is one of my favorites and a perfect pairing with the asparagus and lemon juice.

 

I served it alongside a simple bagged salad (gotta keep things easy you know), some great local bread, and wine my guests had brought.

In addition to the wine I also made a homemade sweet and sour mix for whiskey sours.  I love wine with food, but if I'm going to have a cocktail I love whiskey drinks. 

 

 

I've made whiskey sours for the family this Christmas as well and the recipe won several people over.  I only use lemon juice in mine (mostly because I don't have fresh limes) and it still turned out well.

 

Down south we need cold cocktails, even during the Christmas season.  If you have a powerful blender I recommend making whisky slushes.  1 part whiskey for 2 parts sweet and sour mix, add as much ice as you would like to water it down, and blend away!  

African Peanut Stew

This recipe came from the December issue of Clean Eating Magazine.  If you are looking for healthy, budget friendly, delicious recipes you should really check out Clean Eating.  Most of their recipes are not vegetarian, but focus on lean meats with lots of protein and healthy fats.  If you are vegetarian, a lot of the recipes can be easily modified to fit your lifestyle.

I was a little skeptical when I started this recipe.  As you will see from the ingredients, they aren't items that usually go together.  However, it was awesome!!!!  Even the omnivore roommate was singing it's praises.  It's perfect for the winter season.  This stew is warm, slightly sweet, spicy, and chock full of delicious and nutritious vegetables.  

African Peanut Stew

Ingredients

2 cups brown rice

1 tbsp cooking oil (sunflower, olive, canola, peanut)

2 yellow onions diced thickly

6 cloves of garlic, minced

3 jalapeno chili peppers, seeded and chopped  (I only used two, because they only had giant peppers at the grocery store)

2 tbsp curry powder (Apparently I don't have any curry powder.  Oops.  Instead I used equal parts of chili powder, paprika, and cayenne)

1 tbsp minced fresh ginger

4 cups low sodium veggie broth

2 cups boxed or jarred chopped/diced tomatoes with juices

1/3 cup smooth or chunky peanut butter

1 3/4 lbs sweet potatoes, diced into 1 inch squares

4 cups shredded green or red Swiss chard

sea salt to taste

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Cook rice according to package directions, cover and set aside.

2. In a stock pot heat oil on medium.  Add onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.  Add garlic, jalapenos, curry powder (or other spices), ginger and saute for 1 more minute.

3. Stir in broth, tomatoes and peanut butter (wear an apron or clothes you don't mind getting messy, I got tomato juice all over myself).  Add potatoes and chard and increase heat to medium high.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes and chard are tender, uncovered, 12 to 14 minutes.  Season with salt.

4. Divide rice among serving bowls.  Top with stew and cilantro.

Y'all this was so good! I didn't even mind eating it everyday for lunch.  It was that good!  

Let me know what you think of it!

Snowlady

I got this idea from a Pinterest post I saw forever long ago.  The only problem was, the one I saw was a snowman.  Who needs a snowman in their life? Only ladies in the house! Snowlady on the door!

This was a super easy project!  

Supplies:

Three different sized wreaths, floral wire, scarf, and a sparkly bow.

Step 1

Use the floral wire to attach each piece to each other.  The wreaths should have a wire circle around the  back which you can wrap the floral wire around to attach the wreaths together.

Step 2

Attach the bow to the top wreath with floral wire.  This was slightly more difficult because there was no obvious wire backing.  I just wrapped the floral wire around one of the branches of the top wreath.  

Step 3

Hang wreath on door.

Step 4

Put scarf on wreath.

See! Done! How easy was that!  I suppose you could put a top hat on him if you wanted a snowman, but I like my snowlady just fine!

Send me your pictures of Christmas wreaths you have made!

Just Dance

Teachers, parents, bored individuals, anyone looking for a dance workout at home!

I have an announcement for you!

Are you aware that there are tons of bootlegged just dance videos on YouTube?  (Not that I condone bootlegging in any way)

I discovered this in an offhand way a few weeks ago while I was looking for a song to do as a warm up with the dance team I coach at work.  Ever since then I've been utilizing just dance videos into a lot of my teaching.

I teach creative movement and theatre, so I can easily fit the videos into my lesson plans.  I use these videos as warm ups, to get ideas for dance moves, and most often as a reward. 

In my classroom I have a chart that keeps track of the behavior of each class that I see throughout the week.  When a class gets 5 stars (5 days of excellent behavior) they get 10 minutes of a reward.  Ever since I introduced the 'Just Dance Dance Party' my students have gone crazy for it!

I understand that most teachers do not teach dance and theatre, but you could use these videos in a ton of other ways!

Ways to Use Just Dance in Your Classroom

As a reward: A certain percentage of good behavior in a week, great reviews from all specials teachers in a week, meeting a class set average on a test, or for getting 20 compliments from other teachers.

As a brain break: Learning can be exhausting, and those little (or big) brains deserve a break every once and a while!  Most of the videos on YouTube are only 2 minutes, put 2 of them on and you've had a 5 minute fun brain break!  The kids get moving, get their minds off what they've been learning, and allow them to come back to work fresh.

As a recess alternative: I remember when I was substituting that rainy or cold days were absolutely miserable.  The students needed that 30-45 minutes of play to get out a lot of their energy.  What do you do when you cannot have recess because of weather reasons?  When I was student teaching, my wonderful cooperating teacher would have a dance party on rainy days.  She would put on the radio and the kids would all get a chance leading the class.  If you have a smart board or a projector you can stream these off YouTube and give your a students an actual workout.  Not only will it get the energy out, but your students will have a blast!

If you want to check out this awesome resource for yourself just head over to YouTube and search for 'Just Dance' if you teach middle-high school or 'Just Dance Kids' if you teach elementary school.

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

One of the foods I miss the most since I have become a vegetarian is buffalo chicken wings.  I LOVE buffalo flavored food and every since heading down the veggie road I have been searching for a recipe to satisfy my buffalo cravings.



I've found it!  This recipe of Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower is the closest I have come to finding a satisfying buffalo chicken wing substitute.  It comes from Amazing Pinterest World and it was so good!  So good that I didn't actually get any pictures of my version...oops!  I swear, the roommate and I gobbled up most of it before I had a chance to photograph it myself.

That being said, this was super easy and super delicious.  It's vegan too!  Can't get any better than that! 

Christmastime is Here

Christmas is my favorite holiday.  It is the season of peace, happiness, love, charity, and hope.

It's true that Christmas has become so commercialized lately, and that all anyone seems to care about is  presents.  I don't seem to have too big a problem with that though.

I love giving gifts, and Christmas is a wonderful time to do it!  Gifts express how much you care about someone, why you love them, what you have in common, or anything else you wish to express.  I don't think about giving gifts in a monetary sense, but the meaning behind the gift is what is important. 

Christmas gifts should be a reflection of the relationship between the person giving and receiving.  To help me keep the balance and choose gifts that are meaningful I keep a few tricks up my sleeve. 

Tips for Christmas Shopping

The first thing I do is keep a running list on my phone of gift ideas for people.  Whenever I see a good movie with someone, go to a concert, read the same book, have a similar food interest, I write it down next to their name.  When that person's birthday or Christmas rolls around I have an already made list of their interests so that I can find a gift that will be meaningful. 

The second thing I do is try to buy throughout the year.  If I find something on sale or that screams the name of a family member or friend I will go ahead and purchase it.  This helps with budget issues as well as time issues once the holidays roll around.

The third thing I do is start early.  After Halloween I start getting my thoughts together about who I need to give gifts to, what my budget is, and my time frame for gifts.  Once all that is accomplished I can hit the ground running after Thanksgiving.

A trick I use is pinterest. Most of my female friends and relatives have a pinterest account.  I know that I often post products I would like to have in my life, ideas for craft projects, recipies I want to try.  Why not use that same information to give something wonderful and thoughful as a gift.  My cousin has a list of art she wants in her house, my friend has a board of books she wants to read, my sister has a board of jewelry she wants.  Pinterest is basically an already categorized wish list!
For the $5 stocking stuffer kind of gifts at Holiday parties I often bake, make candy, or something else homemade.  Everyone loves Christmas goodies, and they can be very cost effective when you make a large batch.  If you need to bring something not homemade keep an eye out at stores like Tuesday Morning, TJMaxx, or Ross.  These stores often have really great deals throughout the year on generic gifts like candles, lotion, kitchen tools, and other items.  You can stock up on these throughout the year, then have lots of items quickly at hand when you need them.

All of these help me stay sane during the holidays and enjoy what they are really about; spending time with loved ones.

Greasy Sae Soup

Last year a group of friends and I started a supper club based on the principles of Iron Chef.  Every Tuesday we would get together to watch Chopped on Food Network.  (Can you tell we love food, love to eat, and love to read/watch things about eating?)  There would either be a theme or ingredient that everyone had to incorporate into their dish.

It was great for us because most of us were recent college graduates and almost no idea what we were doing in the kitchen.  It also fueled our creativity and forced us to think outside of the culinary box week after week.

Around the time the Hunger Games was released into theatres, we are all huge fans, we decided to have a Hunger Games themed supper club.  Everyone brought amazing dishes to the table, it was one of our most successful nights. 

My contribution was Greasy Sae Soup.  It's not really called Greasy Sae Soup, the original recipe comes from My Recipes and is a Tuscan Kale, White Bean, and Ciabatta Soup.  The first time I made this recipe I went straight by the book.  I saw some ways I could improve upon it for my own tastes. 

Since that first supper club I have made this several times.  It is so easy, and so delicious.  As everything simmers together there is a wonderful earthy taste and texture that gets going.  I always think I'll have enough to freeze, never happens!  It's so good I end up eating the whole pot in just a few days. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

And so, I present to you:

Greasy Sae Soup

Ingredients

1 can white beans, drained
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms (I use cremini mushrooms, but feel free to choose whatever you prefer)
2-2 1/2 qts veggie broth
10 garlic cloves, minced
10 fresh sage leaves
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 bunches kale, rinsed chopped
1 tblsp fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tsp capers
1 tsp pepper

Directions

1. Place broth, beans, garlic, salt, pepper, garlic cloves, sage, and chili flakes into a stock pot.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat.

2. Add the mushrooms and simmer for 20 minutes.

3. After the 20 minutes have passed, add the capers and kale.  Add the kale a handful at a time.  If you put both bunches in at once it will be quite overwhelming and you won't be able to stir it at all.  Once you've placed a handful of kale in the pot, spoon the broth over the kale to begin to wilt it.  As the kale wilts it will get smaller and you can continue to add more and more. Once kale has all been added, simmer for another 15-20 minutes.  The second simmer is to get the kale wilted down to a size and texture you like.

4. Once the kale has wilted down as far as you would like it to go, turn off the heat and serve!  You can add more salt and pepper at this point to suit your taste level.  You can also add either Parmesan cheese or feta to each individual serving dish.  I don't (I'm trying to stay as vegan as possible with my home cooking) and I don't miss it at all; but do as you wish!

This soup is served best hot with some crusty bread on the side.  As you can see from the picture, I didn't have any crusty bread, toast had to do.  Such a lovely end to a rainy and dreary day!

Dragon Noodles

This is one of my new favorite recipes!

It comes from Budget Bytes, one of my favorite websites for recipes!

Things I love about Dragon Noodles:

1.     Spicy
2.     Easy
3.     Cheap
4.     Did I say spicy?

When I make my dragon noodles I usually don't use the lo mein, I usually use half a container of fettuccine.  I rarely have lo mein hanging around my pantry but I often have fettuccine or other stringy pasta. 

You can easily make this a vegan recipe by using margarine instead of butter.  The recipe also calls for eggs but you could easily use egg beaters or tofu instead.
This may be one of the easiest pastas I have made in a long time!  And almost all of the ingredients come straight from your pantry!  (Stay posted for a post on keeping green onion around all the time!)

Sleep Cycle

I seem to be seeing a lot of interest on pinterest (see what I did there?) lately on sleep.  Posts about when to go to sleep depending on what time you need to wake up, how to have a more productive night's sleep, and how to wake up more productively. 

I wanted to share with you how I get a good night's sleep. 

I used to struggle with sleep; I could never get to sleep well, I slept fitfully throughout the night, and would wake up in the worst moods.

Something that took me a long time to figure is what to do physically if you cannot sleep.  Do not toss and turn and try to force sleep upon yourself.  Get out of bed and distract yourself, but not with anything with a screen.  Read the newspaper, a magazine, pay your bills, clean the kitchen.  Do not watch TV or get on your computer. The flashing lights will stimulate your mind further and it will be harder to fall asleep. 
When I can't sleep now I pray the rosary.  The repetitive nature of the prayers calms my mind and keeping my fingers busy gives me something to focus on. 
Obviously praying the rosary isn't for everyone.  Everyone can find at least one thing that calms their  mind down and allows them to focus.
At the combined advice of professionals and friends I have come up with the a system that works really well for me.

Steps for a Good Night's Sleep:

1. Make sleep a priority.  Everyone is different and everyone needs a different amount of sleep.  Some people can get by on 4 hours a night, some people need 9.  Listen to your body!  If you feel yourself getting sluggish throughout the day or your body isn't working it is supposed to; you may need to adjust the amount of sleep you are getting.  Experiment with more or less sleep to find what your body needs.  Set time aside and realize that sleep is an integral part of brain function, metabolic functions in the body, and heart function.  Is that extra episode of Criminal Minds really worth the hour of sleep you will lose?

2. Create an environment that helps you sleep.  I like to sleep in total darkness, I find I wake up less when I have less light in the room.  Make your bed a cozy and comfy place where you can relax; really what this means is don't do work in bed.  Your bed should a no work, no TV, no computer zone. 
3. Create a bedtime routine.  When you consistently follow the same routine before you go to bed, your body will start to recognize that it is almost bed time, and start to get sleepy at the right time every night.  My night time routine consists of washing my face, brushing my teeth, turning off all overhead lights, then reading or writing in a journal.  Usually by the time I am in bed and pulling out a book my eyelids are already heavy; whether it is 8:30 or 1:30.

4. Sleep Cycle.  This app is the best investment I have made in a long time.  I got it under a recommendation from a friend and it is awesome.  The app is an alarm clock, but it works a little differently than your average clock/radio.  You set the time you want to wake up, then place your phone facedown on your bed.  As you sleep the phone will track your movements; more movement=lighter sleep, less movement=heavier sleep.  Sometime in the 30 minute block before you need to wake up, the phone will start an alarm.  But get this!  The alarm will go off when you are in your lightest state of sleep, this way you wake up when you are already at your most awake.  I tend to wake up in a far better mood when I wake up to this alarm than I do with any other alarm clock I have used.

5. Sound Machine.  This isn't for everyone, I used to hate sound machines and now I couldn't live without it.  I use an app on my phone, which can run at the same time as my Sleep Cycle app.  I don't listen to the ocean, or macaws; I use noises that sound more like white noise.


Try out one or more of these and see if they work for you!


Start with one of these 

Money! Money! Money!

(you should really sing this title to the tune of the ABBA song)

Make Money With Things You Already Own

That's right!  Make a little extra cash with items you already have around the house!

I'm not a coupon queen, a secret shopper, or in any way an expert on saving (or making) money. 

HOWEVER,

I do have a couple of tips to help you clean out your house and make a few bucks along the way!

Clothes:

With the holidays right around the corner it's a good idea to start cleaning house.  You need to get rid of the old to make room for the new!  Go through your closet, anything you haven't worn in a year needs to go!  Unless it has extreme sentimental value you need to make room.  This is a great time of year to think about what you have or haven't worn throughout the year.  I promise, if you didn't wear it last spring you won't wear it this spring.

Everyone has a thrift store in their town, which you know I'm a huge fan of.  Thrift stores don't pay you for donating your clothes though.  You know who does?  Consignment stores.  Most consignment stores are selective about what they take, meaning they may not take everything you bring them.  If you have good quality items that are in season, the stores may pay you up to 50% of what they will sell them for. 

Usually the store will give you the option of choosing the cash or store credit.  There are pluses and minuses to both.
Cash: Negative-if you decide to take cash, you won't get the full percentage of what the store values your item to be.  Instead of getting the 50% the value of what you are selling, you may get 15-20%.  Positive-you walk out of the store with cash you then put towards whatever you need.
Store credit-Negative-you can only use it in the store, not for groceries or bills.  Positive-if you shop at the store often, this option will pay off in the end.  Sometimes, if you are using the credit the day of your sale, you can use the credit for tax costs as well.

Books

Every town has a public library, a library will always take donations of used books.  Will a library give you monetary compensation for your books though? No.  Most used book stores will though!  Similar rules apply to selling used books as do selling used clothes.  The store will value the popularity and condition of an item and give you around 50% in store credit and about 15% in cash. 
I would definitely recommend taking the store credit on this one.  You may not be a big reader, but I'm sure someone you know is.  Birthdays and the holidays always seem to be around the corner; it can be awkward to buy someone clothes, but never books!  This is also a store credit that won't go out of style, you won't gain weight and never want to wear it again, and when you take it home and it falls apart you can still use it!

Electronics and Electronic Media

Amazon and Ebay are great places to sell old textbooks, movies, CD's, stereos, DVD players, or any other electronic items you may have. 
Ebay allows you to price the item at the price you would accept, then people can bid higher if they want.  A bidding war will occur when an item has a high popularity, is rare, or fills a special niche.  The negative side of Ebay is that you have to individually sell and ship each item you sell.
Amazon Market is very similar to Ebay in that you list prices and individuals from anywhere in the world can buy it.  Amazon Market is different in the way that it does not allow shoppers to bid and raise the price of an item.  On Amazon Market shoppers can compare an entire list of items matching what they want and buy from the lowest priced seller.  Amazon Market has the same negative as Ebay.
Amazon Trade-In is a specific part of the Amazon Market.  If you decide to sell to the Amazon Trade-In, Amazon will buy your items from you.  Once you list the item Amazon will set a Trade-In price, based on the popularity and condition of your item.  The positive thing about Amazon Trade In is once you agree to sell a set of items, all you have to do is print a shipping label, pack up your items, and your mailman will pick it up at your house.  The negative part of Amazon Trade-In is that Amazon may not offer you the fairest price and Amazon Trade-In will only pay you in Amazon credit, not cash.



Take all that old junk laying around your house and make some money off of it!

DIY Storage

About a year ago I invested in a set of airtight storage containers to use in my kitchen.  They are great, keep my ingredients fresh, and look adorable. 
The only problem was keeping everything straight and the ingredients separate.  I didn't want to slap a post it note on them but I wanted something equally as changeable. 
I decided to paint the top of the containers with chalkboard paint.  Now, I can change up what is inside the containers without having to print new labels every time. 

I've also started expanding the collection, this time without the added expense of purchasing new containers. 

We don't have glass recycling where I live and I constantly find myself with empty spaghetti sauce containers, bottled veggies, etc.  I didn't want to just throw away these things, so I decided to give them a new life!  I cleaned out the containers, took the labels off the jars, and painted chalkboard paint to their lids as well. 

I love having these smaller containers!  I am able to store herbs I buy in the bulk bin, make my own essential oils, make salt scrubs to put in them, anything I want! 

This project allowed me to reuse objects that would otherwise have been thrown away.  Reusing these glass bottles also gives me opportunity to contain other projects I want to start on!

Stay posted for more projects using food stuff containers in a new life!

Spinach Burger

I'm not sure if I've shared my love of veggie burgers with you yet.  If not, I LOVE THEM.  They are they chock full of hidden vegetables to keep you healthy and super convenient to warm up when you are in a pinch.  And they are delicious (that's the most important part)!

The bummer of Veggie Burgers when you buy them at the store is that they can be quite pricey.  I don't know about you but I'm not a huge fan of pricey.  Store bought veggie burgers also tend to have non-nutritious fillers that aren't helpful for the health conscious.

The most recent veggies burgers I've made were actually spinach based.  The recipe comes from Better Homes and Gardens and it was so easy! I doubled the recipe so that I would have enough to freeze and take to work for lunch later on.

What else goes with burgers but fries?  I've been trying to make healthier choices and fries are often not on the healthy list.  Instead I decided to make cauliflower poppers as a fry substitute.  The recipe I used came from Delighted Momma and it was super easy as well! 

Add a Coke and you have the perfect vegetarian substitute for the classic burger meal!

Magazine Holder

I need all sorts of organization in my classroom.  There are coloring sheets, magazines, scrapbook paper, construction paper, lined paper, graph paper (you get the picture).  Browsing through educational websites to find ways to organize all these things can be quite discouraging however.  Most items you see in educational stores are quite expensive and hardly seem to fit all of your needs.  What to do? Make your own!

What I have for you today is a pictorial tutorial on how I made my own organizers out of cereal boxes!

Step One

I took a regular 12" ruler and drew an angled line across my cereal box.  I didn't use any specific measuring tool for the angle, just fiddled around until I found an angle I liked.

Step Two

Next I cut off the four flaps at the top, then cut down the line I had drawn on the cereal box.

Step Three

Use the piece you just cut as a template for the second side so they match.  I laid out the cut piece and drew my cutting line so that both sides would have the same angles.  After you have cut both sides you can cut the small piece running up the middle with a straight line in the middle.



See! Three sides cut out!

Step Four

Measure out the amount of wrapping paper you will need, just as you would if you were wrapping a present.  Start with one side of your box on the edge of your wrapping paper, and keep flipping it until you have measured out each side.

Step Five

Now start wrapping it up like a present!

Step Six



I trimmed about half an inch from the top and bottom to make sure I wasn't folding up an absurd amount of excess wrapping paper.

Step Seven



I wrapped the bottom of my cereal box just like I do when I wrap gifts.  Everyone has their own way of wrapping gifts, use your own judgement for how you wrap yours.

Step Eight

The last thing you need to do is trim away the excess paper at the top of the box on the angle.  I cut small slits on each corner, folded the tape into the box,  and taped them down.

Note to crafters: I discovered that the size of the Life Cereal box was too small to comfortably fit magazines inside.  I plan on repeating this project again, but I will use larger cereal boxes.

The Festival! The Festival!

One of the wonderful things about the South is that we love to celebrate.  There are festivals celebrating local agriculture, local music, local art, movies, our history.  Each area has it's own special celebrations honoring what makes it special! 

This weekend I attended the Peter Anderson Festival in Ocean Springs, MS.  The festival honors the memory of Peter Anderson, a potter from the area who supported many local cultural programs while he was alive.  Over the last few years the festival has evolved from a small local art show to one that takes up an entire weekend with over 400 artisans from all over the country.

There was an amazing selection of art available, everything from pottery to posters to pretty jewelry.  In addition to the wide array of shopping available from booths, all of the stores in downtown Ocean Springs were open and ready for business with special deals celebrating Peter Anderson.

This year the festival organizers did something a little different and created a 'food court' in one area of downtown to showcase local food vendors.  Restaurants along the festival route also had tents set up on the side of the road showcasing their specialities.  Blue Moon was one of the sponsors for the festival and there were Blue Moon booths set up around the route selling beer and other drinks for shoppers.

One of my favorite booths, a new vendor to Peter Anderson, was Catherine Herrington. She is a graphic designer who uses mixed media in several of her pieces. I loved her use of Southern phrases in her work and picked up a few things to decorate the apartment!

So, we've got good food, great art, and amazing weather.  What are we missing?  Music!  Local bands and singers were set up around the parade route to keep the mood light.  It was an amazing weekend spend with good friends and family!   If you aren't sure what sort of local celebrations are going on in  your area keep an eye on your local newspaper.  If anyone is going to spotlight local events they are.  A more tech savvy option would be to check out The Southern Living Event Calendar, they also have links to other more local magazines. Get out there and support your local entertainment, local vendors, and celebrate what makes your city special!

Start the Day Off Right

I love breakfast, but it's not often that I have the time to really put some effort into it. 

This weekend I was visiting my sister and we made a absolutely scrumptious breakfast that I just had to share with you.

Vegan French Toast with Fall Fruit Compote

Ingredients

4 slices white bread
1 cup almond milk
2 tblsp cornstarch
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tblsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tblsp vanilla
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 a zested orange
Canola oil

Directions

Pour your milk into a large mixing bowl, add the cornstarch and mix until evenly distributed.
Add the flour and mix again, it's okay if it's a little lumpy.  Then add in all the spices.

Toast your bread lightly in the toaster so that it gets a light crunchiness to it.
Soak the bread in the almond milk mixture until it starts to get spongy.

Heat a large skillet on medium high heat with a light layer of canola oil on the bottom.
Cook each piece of bread for a few minutes on each side.  The bread should be golden brown on each side with flecks of dark brown.

We served our french toast with a pear, apple, and cranberry compote that my mom had made earlier in the week. 

Sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top and enjoy!

Recipe Binder

I love the way recipe boxes look, they are so neat and put together.  But here's the thing, my life isn't so neat and put together.  I like to make a mess, stir vigorously, splatter when boiling,  stack dishes, and use my hands while I cook.  These tendencies do not work well with a tiny card consisting of cramped directions.  This is why I have created a recipe binder!

(Sorry the pictures are a bit blurry)

I have found that keeping my recipes in a binder allows me to have all the ingredients and directions on one page.  Since I am using full pages I do not have to cramp my writing, write in (later undecipherable) short hand, or worry about ruining recipes that one of my family members may have written by hand.  I achieve all of these things by keeping all of my recipes in plastic page protectors.

I used to keep all of my recipes in a composition notebook, which is why most of the recipes are written in my handwriting in slipped into the page protectors.  As I have added to the collection within the recipe binder I have been able to print out recipes I have gotten online or slip in recipe cards from family members  into the page protectors as well. 

I separated my recipe binder into 9 categories: breakfast, appetizers, soups/chilis, salads, side dishes, pastas, main dishes, bread, and desserts.  You can change the categories based on what you cook most often!  I made my tabs out of some cute file folders that I found on sale at Wal-Mart a few weeks ago. 

Since I have the plastic page protectors I never have to worry about ruining my recipes! I just wipe them off with a sponge, a Clorox wipe, a paper towel, or any other cleaning product then it is good as new!  Everything is organized, easy to find, and colorful!

Who Are We?

When I'm looking for bulletin board ideas for my classroom I often get frustrated.  I teach dance and theatre and those subjects aren't often taught on an elementary level.  Most of the board ideas I see are for boards outside classrooms that display the classroom demographic and names of all the students. 

I've been looking for ideas for the bulletin boards in my classroom and this is one that I came up with!

This board is a display of some of the work my theatre students are doing.  One of the first days of class I let each student pick out  one prop or costume piece and I took their picture.  The next day their journal entry was to create a character, different from themselves, who was in the picture.  Students had to write the name of their character, how old they were, what they like to do, what they did for a living, and any other details they wanted to add.

This was a great assignment for a theatre class because it allowed them to create their very own characters, but this assignment could be tweaked to fit any English Language class.  Not everyone has a prop box or closet of costume pieces to choose from but not to fear! 

Students could bring in a costume piece or favorite piece of clothing from home.  Instead of one writing assignment it could become two.  The first would explain why the student chose that particular item, for the second the student would take their picture and create another person (or animal) to write about. Another option would be for students to swap items.  Students could explain why they love what they brought and see how it can be transformed.

For the actual bulletin board I wanted to create something dynamic.  The walls in my classroom are really white, and there is a lot of white space right now.  I love the way teal and red look together, and I was lucky enough to find these matching speech bubbles at my local education store. (A tip from me to you, laminate everything in your classroom!)

Stay tuned with some more ideas to bring the arts into your classroom!

Trick or Treat

I was inspired by a post on Woman's Day for this Halloween craft.

Supplies

Newspaper
Black construction paper/scrapbook paper
Glue
Twine
Silver Paint
Stencil
Paintbrush
Ruler

Directions

Cut the newspaper into large strips 4"x8 1/2"

Fold the newspaper into halves longways and glue the edges together.  Make sure that you don't glue all the way to the fold or you won't be able to string the twine through.    I used krazy glue because I'm hoping these will last for a few Halloween's past this one.  You could easily use regular glue or tape instead.

Cut the black scrapbook paper into pieces a little smaller than the folded newspaper.

Glue the black scrapbook paper onto the newspaper pieces.

Trace the letters to spell 'Trick Or Treat' onto the paper.

Paint the letters!  I did three coats, but you may need more depending on your paint.

Coat with clear coat to make it waterproof.  I did three coats on each side, letting each side dry before I would flip it to coat the other side. 

String up and hang on your porch!

Pictorial Directions



Strips of Newspaper





Fold and Glue Newspaper





Glue Paper to Newspaper









Trace Letters onto Scrapbook Paper

Paint the Traced Letters

String and Hang



Parfait Please

It's fall y'all!  I love fall, it is my favorite holiday!  However, it is still quite warm down south. 

What's a southern girl to do?  I need my fall flavor fix, but it is far too hot for squash casseroles, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin  pie every day.

The answer! Make pumpkin parfaits for breakfast!

This recipe was inspired by Budget Bytes pumpkin yogurt parfaits.  Beth's parfaits were created as a dessert item, however I decided to turn mine around and make them a breakfast item.

Ingredients

Granola
Greek Yogurt
Unsweetened Pumpkin Puree
Cinnamon
Pumpkin Pie Spice

I don't have any ingredient amounts because I just eyeballed the ingredients based on my taste.  I used a dash of each spice, every time I used it.  For the filling I used about 1 1/2 tblsp each as I layered.

Directions

Layer each of the ingredients in whatever order you choose. 
I layered:  pumpkin
                cinnamon
                granola
                greek yogurt
                pumpkin pie spice
                granola
                pumpkin
                cinnamon
                granola
                greek yogurt
                cinnamon
                pumpkin pie spice

Next time I make this breakfast (probably tomorrow) I'll use less layers.   I got very full about 3/4 of the way through the parfait.



A note about granola.  In my grocery store there is a great bulk bin section with an amazing granola selection.  I don't eat a lot of granola, so I like to buy a cup or two at a time from the bulk bin so it won't go stale.  Much to my surprise, what did I see when I was trying to decide what sort of granola to get? Pumpkin Spiced Granola! Perfection!

Indian Fix

I LOVE Indian food.  It is a great culture to experiment with culinary wise for vegetarians.  The basis of most dishes are legumes which contain tons of protein and other healthy stuff we miss by not eating meat.  Tonight I made a Simple Lentil recipe from Anupy Singla's cookbook The Indian Slow Cooker.  It was delicious and one of the easiest dishes I've made in a long time.  If you love Indian food but don't always have the time to cook it, this cookbook is for you. 

In addition to my slow cooked lentils I made spicy roasted cauliflower.  This recipe is inspired by a curry cauliflower dish that I get at Whole Foods.

Spicy Cauliflower

Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower (broken into 1in florets)
1/2 red onion (diced)
1 1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tbls chili powder
1/2 tbls cumin
3/4 tsp garam marsala
3 tbls olive oil
1 tbls minced garlic
1/2 cup veggie stock
salt and pepper

Directions

Heat the oil, cayenne, chili powder,salt, pepper, and cumin over medium heat for about 2 minutes (or until you can smell the spices).
Add the red onion and garlic to the oil and saute for about 2 more minutes.  You want the onion to start to break down, it will begin to get translucent and soften.  Stir often to make sure the spices don't burn.
Once the onion has become fragrant add the veggie stock and cauliflower.  I added some salt and pepper to this step as well.  You want to continue to stir the cauliflower to make sure that the cauliflower gets coated with the onion/stock/spice mixture. 
Saute the cauliflower for about 3 minutes.  Once the cauliflower has started to soften mix in the garam marsala. 


In true Southern fashion I enjoy spicy food.  My Yankee family may think something they have made is spicy enough and I reach for the hot sauce.  These spicy cauliflower may be too spicy for you, or may not be spicy enough.  Adjust the seasoning to your liking!  The cayenne and chili powder give them a bit of heat, the cumin adds a little depth, and the garam marsala finishes everything off with a nice smokey flavor.

Take one of your favorite store bought recipes and recreate it at home! You can make everything according to your taste preferences and save a bunch of money along the way!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween Everyone! October is here and it is time to start decorating for a fun indulgant holiday!  October to me is Halloween month, so this month I'll be working on some crafts to celebrate Halloween! 

Pumpkin Painting

The first thing I wanted to do was get my pumpkins out front.

This year I decided to paint my pumpkins instead of carving them.  If you carve your pumpking you have to worry about it rotting through before Halloween arrives.  However, if you decide to paint your pumpkins they will keep through the fall. 

I went with a black/purple/silver motif.  As I continue to make or purchase Halloween decorations for my house I plan to stay in this color motif.  When I decorate I like to have a consistent color pallete.  If you keep the colors consistent you can play with texture and pattern.  I had one striped, one polka dotted, and two chunky striped pumpkins; I kept the same colors but chose different ways of decorating.  By keeping your colors consistent your decorations will look more cohesive and have a stronger impact.

To paint the pumpkins I used some acrylic paint I had left over from other projects and a 3/4 inch brush.  I used the natural lines on the pumpkin for the stripes on the last three pumpkins.  I used the cap of a small spray paint can to trace the polka dots on the first pumpkin.  I then went back and painted in the traced polka dot.  I also painted the stems of the pumpkin silver for a little extra sparkle. 

Pumpkin Shopping

I bought my pumpkins at local church's Pumpkin Patch.  They may be a little pricier than your grocery store counterpart, but to me the experience was well worth the extra cash.  Picture the following:

A chilly fall morning; the sun in shining, the wind is blowing, you are wearing boots for the first time this fall.

You walk up to a cute church green space that is covered with pumpkins!  There are kids playing, people mingling, and all shapes and sizes of pumpkins.

You puruse the field of pumpkins, people come to ask if they can help you and they actually know what you are looking for!

When you go home you not only have adorable pumpkins to decorate but you know that money you spent is staying in the community. 

One of the reasons why I wanted to get my pumpkins from a local patch vs the grocery store is where the money goes.  I like knowing that the church will use the money to fund local educational programs, services for the poor, and support for the homeless. 

Another reason I enjoy pumpkin patches over store bought pumpkins is the experience.  Getting a pumpkin is the kickoff of fall and I want an experience I can remember.  Three fourths of the fun comes from hunting for the perfect pumpkin in the crisp fall air, walking up and down the aisles, hugging your sweater to you for warmth. 

The church members who ran the pumpkin patch knew their wares.  They helped me find exactly the shape and size that I wanted. 

Pumpkin Presentation

I don't have a large porch or stoop area to display decorations.  This year I've decided to use my pumpkins as a door stop for my screened door.  You can stack your pumpkins on one top of the other, use pumpkins on either side of your doorway, down front porch steps, or wherever else you can find in your front yard! 

I'll keep you updated with other Halloween projects I create as the season continues!

Make It Work

Sometimes you don't want to go to the store.

Sometimes you don't have any food in your refrigerator.

This is when you have to make it work.

Tonight I made a delicious baked pasta with the leftover ingredients from past made meals.

I may or may not have eaten half of this tonight.  It was that good!

Ingredients

8oz pasta
2 cups ricotta low fat cheese
1 1/2 cups marinara
2 tsp basil
salt and pepper
2 tsp Italian herbs
2 tsp dried oregano
1 zucchini
Mozzarella cheese

Directions

Cook the pasta in salted boiling water for around 9 minutes, or until the pasta is still a little bit chewy.

While the past is cooking preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all the rest of the ingredients together.  Adjust the seasoning to your liking. 

Once the past has cooked, mix it in with the sauce/cheese mixture. 

Pour the saucy pasta in a 8x8 baking dish and sprinkle with mozzarella.  Put the baking dish into the oven and bake for about 20 minutes.


I don't have any other pictures because I really wasn't expecting this dish to be so delicious!  When I made it I was just trying to clean out the fridge and avoid going to the store.  Who knew throwing these ingredients together would be so good!

Clean out your fridge and see what you can create tonight!

Fake Expo

In case you haven't heard recently, teachers tend to be underfunded, underpaid, and overworked. 

Well I have a little tip to help the teachers out there just the tiniest bit.

I am fortunate to have several white boards in my classroom.  White boards are great, but they are quite difficult to keep white.  I tend to be a little anal about keeping my classroom clean and looking nice.  The fact that there was an odd blue film on the boards even when I cleaned them really started to burn my biscuits. 

I inherited expo board wipes and expo spray cleaner.  These are wonderful tools, however replacing them when they run out can be quite pricey.  I'm not a huge fan of pricey so I did a little experimenting and now I have my own white board cleaner that works wonderfully!

Ingredients

12oz spray bottle
5oz water
5oz isopropyl alcohol 70
Few drops of your favorite essential oil

Directions

Combine all ingredients in spray bottle.  Shake to mix.  Spray and clean!


I've been using this mixture in my class for about a week and I absolutely love it!  The equal parts of alcohol  and water cleans all my writing off the white board.  I used eucalyptus oil which not only has antibacterial properties but keeps my room smelling nice (and not like children's feet).

I use a rag when I clean my board, I've found that the expo erasers are not very effective in cleaning the board after the first few uses.  I try not to use paper towels because they create extra waste that is unnecessary when I can just use an old rag from home.  I take the rag home on the weekend and wash it with another load of laundry.

Upcycle Fan

If you are like me, you shop online or go through magazines often. When you do, you sigh heavily over things you love but can't afford.  So when I find an opportunity to upcycle something I already have, or can buy cheaply, and make it look expensive I'm all for it. 

My apartment does not have central AC, we have window units and box fans.  My window units aren't the most effective; they blow out cool air but can't properly ventilate the room.  Enter bedside fan.

In the somewhat oppressive New Orleans heat, I find it essential to have moving air while I sleep.




(so I forgot to take a before picture, please use this picture as an example of what my fan looked like before I painted it)



This fan is fine and all, but doesn't have a lot of pizazz.  I like pizazz. 

Enter Pinterest and a tutorial by Starr Family Blog.

Now my fan looks like this!


After!


Look how much pizazz it has now!

This is super basic to accomplish.

Steps

1. Find a spray paint color that you love that will enhance the color palette already in your room.
2. Take apart your fan.  All the components should unscrew without any extra tools.  I had 6 pieces in total (front grate, cap for fan blade, fan blade, cap for back grate, back grate, base).
3. Wrap your cord in painters tape to protect it.
4. Lay out your newspaper/drop cloth and place your fan pieces on it.
5. Get to spray painting! At least two coats on each side.

Tips

Try to spray paint when there is little to no moisture in the air.  The more humid the atmosphere the longer it will take to dry, the gummier the paint will be, and the paint will be much more likely to clump.
If you live somewhere like I do, you just have to hedge your bets, keep an eye on the weather, and try to wait until a dry spell happens.

Keep an eye out for the crevices.  There are sneaky little areas you might forget about: the edges of the blades, the pivot spaces on the base, and the edges of the grates.

My paint did clump a little on the front grate, but I kind of like it.  It gives it a bit of texture.  If you really hate it you can cut a cover out of scrapbook paper, fabric, or sand it down and start over again!


I haven't had any problems with the gears gunking up, the fan not rotating properly, or a weird smell.
Good luck with spray painting and upcycling your own fans!

We Make Bread

or, The Little Things

I'm a big fan of happiness. I think everyone should be happy and that you can always find a reason for happiness. 

Happy people just don't kill their husbands. (teeheehee, if you don't get it YouTube that phrase with 'legally blonde')

Everyone has those little things that make us smile inside.  One of my things is making bread.  It is the perfect thing to get out my aggression after a long day or to savor some time to myself after being with small people all day.  And you get such a tasty, simple, and amazing product at the end of it.

I don't have a bread maker or a dough hook on en electric mixer.  I make all my bread from hand and that's the way I like it.  Making bread is usually a long process, at least two hours.  It's nice to take a break from the day and set some time aside for yourself. 

If you think you don't have time to make bread I tell you

WRONG

True, you do need some time to make bread.  But it's not hours spent in the kitchen working and kneading dough.  The actual hands-on time when making most bread is about 20 minutes, total time about 3 hours.  I do laundry, clean the house, plan lessons.  I like to pool all the things I have to get done during the rise time, that way when the bread is done all I have to do is enjoy it.

Basic Bread Recipe

This is a combination of several recipes I have used to make bread.  It's basic and super delicious.

2 TBLS butter

4 TBLS sugar

2 tsp salt

2 TBLS active dry yeast

1 1/2 cup hot water

5 cups + all purpose flour

Add all the ingredients except the flour in a small bowl, mix, and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes.  This allows the yeast to start to ferment.  You'll know it's ready when there is a blooming of different colored stuff in the middle of the bowl.

After the yeast has started to ferment, you will start adding the flour in.  Add around 3 cups first, stir it all together and then slowly start adding more flour about 1/2 cup at a time.  Soon you won't be able stir it with a spoon and now it's time to get your hands dirty. 

Wash your hands then have at it!  Generously flour your counter, plop the dough onto the counter, flour your hands, then start to knead the dough.  Keep adding flour until the dough isn't sticky anymore.  You'll need to knead the dough for around 10 minutes, until it reaches a non-sticky doughy state. 

Once you are done kneading the dough; grease a large bowl and put the dough in it.  Allow the dough to rise for about two hours or until it has doubled in size.  Punch it down, then separate it into two balls.  Round each ball and place it on a cookie sheet.  If you want to, you can cut fun designs into your bread at this point.  Allow the dough to rise for another 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours. 

 

(At this point, if I were you, I would preheat the oven)

The bread should rise to about half the size you want them after they bake.  If you want to rush this process you can set your oven on around 175 degrees and allow the bread to rise in the heating oven.

Once your dough has risen to the height you want it paint it with an egg wash (egg whites and water mixture).  You can also add spices to your bread at this point.  My favorites are kosher salt and fresh rosemary. 

(If you are going to use fresh herbs, make sure you press them into the bread so they don't fall off when you start cutting into your delicious treat)

After you top your bread with extra specialness, pop it into a 400 degree oven for around 30 minutes.  I don't want to tell you specifics because every oven is different..  Adjust the degree and time based on your oven particularities.

You know your bread is done when it starts to brown around the edges and on top.  You should also be able to smell it while it cooks at this point.  Let it cool for about 15 minutes on a wire rack, then behold your marvelous baking prowess!

Serve with favorite soups, salads, or eat it on it's own!  I usually just eat it on it's own, it's almost too good to dunk into other flavor profiles. 

Eat and Enjoy!  I hope making bread brings you as much peace, joy, and fulfillment as it does me!