Pizza Sign

I have had this pizza board for 5 1/2 years.  I have always wanted to paint it and hang it in the kitchen.  Well, I finally found the right stencils.

 

I love painting...it is probably my favorite craft! (And I love sunflowers!)

Tasty Tuesday

This weeks recipe is from "The Essential Mormon Cookbook"

Meltaway Cookies

1cup butter

3/4 cup cornstarch

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 cup flower

1 recipe cream cheese frosting (see below)

In a medium bowl cream butter until fluffy.  Add cornstarch and sugar and blend well.  Beat in flour until thoroughly mixed. Drop by small teaspoons onto baking sheet and flatten out with the bottom of a glass. (Dip glass in powdered sugar to prevent sticking) Bake at 350 degrees F, for 10 to 12 minutes.  Cool on wire rack and frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (3oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all ingredients together.  Color with food coloring if desired.

These were the simplest cookies I have ever made!  And they really do melt in your mouth!

Memory Monday

Memory Monday is a little different today.  I found some ugly, square frames at a dollar store.  I thought it would be fun to make them over.  So, I sprayed them with primer and painted them.

 

Then, I added some ribbon to make them looked tied together.  (Note, if you do this make sure the staples aren't longer then the frame is thick...other wise they poke through! Lesson learned!)

I put wedding photos in them since our colors were black, white and yellow.  I am loving the way they turned out! :)

Memory Monday

Do you have a lot of miscellaneous pictures laying around?!  I know I do.  One of my favorite things to do with those extra photos is to create an "ABC" book.  Find pictures of loved ones, activities, place, etc. And have a page for all the "A's", "B's", "C's"...you get the picture!  I also like to write a border around the page of all of our favorite things that start with that letter...just incase I don't have a picture. :)

Now, I can't take credit for these pages...my mom made them years ago.  I am working on my very own "ABC" book.  (And yes, the little girl in the octagon is me!)

Tasty Tuesday

Sorry I missed Memory Monday yesterday...I just don't know what happened to Monday! It flew by and I just couldn't find the time.  Here it is 10:30 PM and I am finally finding time to post for Tasty Tuesday! :)  (Better late then never, right!?!)  This recipe also comes from the Pampered Chef's cookbook, 29 Minutes to Dinner.  I love this one...simple and great on hot days! (Can you tell I am hoping for summer!)

Thai Basil Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Peanut Sauce

2 tbsp dry-roasted peanuts

1 tbsp chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup poppy seed dressing

2 tsp Asian Seasoning Mix

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp water

Salad

1 small cucumber

1/2 medium red bell pepper

1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken

4 large Boston or bibb lettuce leaves

Additional chopped peanuts and basil (optional)

1. For sauce, chop peanuts and basil. Combine peanuts, basil, dressing, seasoning mix, vinegar and water in a small bowl and set aside.

2. For salad, peel cucumber, slice into julienne strips, avoiding seeds. Slice bell pepper into thin strips. Shred chicken; toss with half of the sauce. Set remaining sauce aside for dipping.

3. To serve, divide cucumber among lettuce leaves. Spoon chicken mixture over cucumber. Top with bell pepper. Garnish wraps with additional peanuts and basil, if desired. Serve with remaining peanut sauce.

Yield: 2 servings

ENJOY!

Another Poll

This time I need your help with Thursday.  I have two great ideas, one I am more excited about then the other, but again, I want to know what my readers want. 

Thirty Thursday, I thought would be fun to post projects that take about 30 minutes...keep in mind it will be a project that will take 30 minutes for me.  Some of you might take longer or shorter depending on skill, enjoyment, and/or interruptions.

Thrifty Thursday would be crafts that are for people like me...on a tight budget. Dollar store finds, refurbishing, re-purposing...that kind of stuff.

Let me know what you want to read about...I might use both...only time will tell.  :)

Tasty Tuesday

I thought it would be fun to share recipes on Tuesday's.  So here is my favorite recipe!  The picture and recipe are in the 29 Minutes to Dinner, from the pampered chef...BEST COOKBOOK EVER!

Glazed Chicken with Apple Salad

Dressing and Apple Salad

2 tbsp cider vinegar

2 tbsp apple jelly

1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise

1 Granny Smith apple

1 red apple such as Jonathan, McIntosh, or Gala

1/2 cup lightly packed watercress

plus additional for serving

(I use shredded lettuce and sometimes mix with watercress)

Chicken and Glaze

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp coarsely ground pepper

2 tbsp apple jelly

1 tsp stone-ground mustard

1 tbsp brown sugar

1. For dressing, mix together vinegar, jelly and mayo; set aside. For salad, slice apples into julienne strips. Remove leaves from watercress stems (discard stems); coarsely chop watercress leaves. Combine apples and watercress in a bowl and set aside.

2. For chicken, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Meanwhile, flatten chicken to an even thickness using a tenderizer. Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook chicken 4-6 minutes or until grill marks appear. Turn chicken over; cook 4-6 minutes or until center of chicken is no longer pink.

3. While chicken is cooking, prepare glaze. Combine jelly, mustard and brown sugar in a bowl. Brush chicken with glaze during last minute of cooking. (WARNING...it burns really easy! I learned the hard way!)

4. To serve, arrange additional watercress on serving plates, if desired. Pour dressing over salad just before serving; toss gently to coat. Top watercress with salad and chicken.

Yield: 4 servings

Hope you all enjoy! Let me know what you think.

Memory Monday

Let me start by saying that I don't belong with any craft "company".  I am in no way a consultant or expert.  I just enjoy crafting and I know what I like and what I don't like.  I know that I still have a lot to learn too!

So, are you ready for "Memory Monday"...because I sure am!

Do you get a lot of cards? Birthday, Christmas, Thinking of You, etc. And not know what to do with them?  And what to do with graduation, wedding, baby cards...congratulating you...you don't want to get rid of them, but don't know where to store them?

Why not scrapbook them!?!  Here are some examples of my scrapbook.  The first one was a shower invitation my aunt made for one of my bridal showers.

The other three where shower and wedding cards.  I actually really enjoyed scrapbooking all of them.  Some people really take the time to write/make a card for you, why not keep it forever?!  Mix in cute stickers, miscellaneous pictures and just have fun.