Tried and true

Don' t you hate it when something is hyped up and you get so excited to

 try it but it fails miserably to live up to your expectations?

Yeah, me too.  

You learn pretty quick on Pinterest that just because something says pinner 

said it was the best thing ever, it does not necessarily ring true.

Does that mean you shouldn't try it?

Heck no!

You should still try it for yourself, just know that it might bomb instead of being "the bomb" ;)

Today I thought I'd share some of my Pinterest successes with you.

~ From my "In the Kitchen" Board ~

Snickerdoodle Blondies

These babies were pretty delicious, must have been all that butter and sugar ;)

Substitute Greek Yogurt

I've substituted Greek yogurt for Mayo and sour cream so far and 

I tell ya, 

I don't miss them at all!

Baked Onion Dip

This one is from one of my favorite bloggers...Ruthie!  

I made it for 2 parties over the holidays and it went quick! 

Simple to make but oh so good...perfect!

~ From my Luscious Locks Board ~

Honey and Oil hair treatment

This made my hair so sleek and shiny.  

I do this about every 2-3 weeks.

Double Bun pin-up

This was one of my favorite ways to wear my hair when it was longer.
 Took only minutes to put up and looked totally put together,
that's what I need in the mornings!

~ From my Beauty Board ~

Clean your makeup brushes

It's one of those little science experiments where your grossed out by how dirty your brushes are
but you secretly like seeing how much gunk is coming out.

Oatmeal and Baking soda exfoliant

This works way better than the St. Ives exfoliating scrub I was using.
It leaved my skin feeling so soft!  But only leave it on for a minute like the site says
...cause it can start to burn a bit after that.

So there you have it.
Those are some of my tried and true pins.
Hope you may have found something useful to try!
Do you follow me on Pinterest? You can do so here.
I'd love to see what you're pinning!  Leave me your username!

*given the ending of GFC, I do hope you'll follow me on Bloglovin!

Linking up here today!

Its in the sauce y'all

You all know I'm no Paula or Giada (or even a long lost cousin), but when I do have something that makes my taste buds sing and is simple to make too, well by golly I'm gonna share it with y'all.  

Yes, I'm southern today so "y'all" it is.

General Tso's is my absolute Favorite Chinese dish.  There's just something about that sauce.  

*swoon*

And ladies I have found THE. BEST. store-bought General Tso's sauce for your "no-take-out" dish by Iron Chef.  Trust me when I tell you it will not disappoint.

The best part of this meal is how easy it is, you literally throw it together.  No recipe needed.  I use popcorn chicken cooked in the oven.  We let ours in there a little longer than the directions on the package so it's nice and crispy and won't go limp in the sauce.  Then I cook up some frozen broccoli in one pot and rice in another (what could be easier?)

 

Then I literally toss the broccoli and chicken in the sauce, spoon over rice, and serve. 

Come on now, you have time for that right?  

This quick meal is a staple around our house.  There is only one store in our area 

that sells the sauce though so when we go, we stock up on that baby!

Go on and getcha' some!

Pie Pops

We recently got away from the house for a bit and went up to my Dad's farm for a vacation visit.  

Now if you've been following me for a while, you may remember that my stepmother, Rose,
is an awesome cook ;)

You really should check out here blog Sprigs of Rosemary.  

I love when we visit because she always has something new to try.  This time she made these adorable little pies on a stick, or "Pie Pops" if you prefer a fancier title.  They were so cute, you couldn't resist them (and they tasted just like the real deal).

 

You can find the recipe she used here.  

Rose's blueberry version

 Rose made up her own filling though with their farm fresh blueberries....delish!

So if you want to get some "oooh's & ahh's" at your next picnic, try making these cuties.

Happy weekend girlies!

Summer Eats

I've been pinning like crazy lately and figured it's high time 

I actually make some of the things I pin.
(see my side bar to follow me on Pinterest, I'd love to follow back)

I thought these would be great for summer with all sorts of picnics and get-togethers coming up.  

Now I just need to decide which one to make first!

Pinterest via: source

Chicken can get kind of boring so I'm always looking for new recipes to keep things interesting.

This one looks simple....my middle name.

Pinterest via: source

 Seems like avacado is the food of choice right now. 

Everywhere I look there are recipes or sales on them at the store.  

I think this recipe looks unique and delicious.

Pinterest via: source

I adore zucchini, pretty much in any form.

Pinterest via: source

 You can't go wrong with cheese, just look at that ooey-gooey goodness!

Pinterest via: source

This grape salad looks like the perfect refreshing summer dessert, sign me up!

I tend to fly by the seat of my pants, trying new recipes when it's time to contribute to a party.  

Hubsy doesn't necessarily think it's wise of me to experiment on others :)

How about you?  

Do you like to experiment or do you have a 

go-to recipe you use for summer picnics?

Thank you to everyone who expressed sympathy on my last post, 

it really is so appreciated!

Aromatic Mushroom Galette

Ok.  It's no secret that I am not a whiz in the kitchen.  I'm not terrible, just...inexperienced let's say.  So when I come across something that makes me look like I know what the heck I'm doing, I feel it my duty to pass it along for any other poor souls out there.  You're welcome.

I was gifted with The Dinner Doctor cookbook several years ago and as usual I marked several of the recipes but only ended up making one.  The galette.  It was a hit with me Hubsy so we added it to our repertoire.  Unfortunately the boys turn their collective nose up at anything mushroom so it became somewhat impractical to make if me and Hubsy were the only ones that were going to actually partake of it.

find it here

It became an out of sight out of mind kinda thing.  Until recently when I was revisiting some recipes I hadn't made in a while.  I think this one turned out the best yet.

Aromatic Mushroom Galette

1package (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls

2 cups (8 ounces) pre-sliced mushrooms (I used baby portabellas)

3 cloves garlic, crushed in a garlic press (I used pre-minced garlic)

2 tablespoons olive oil, or butter, melted

1/2 cup pre-grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon dried oregano

salt

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Unwrap the crescent rolls; you will have 8 triangles.  Arrange the triangles of dough on an ungreased baking sheet or pizza stone so that they form an 8-pointed star.  Start by placing one triangle in the 12 o'clock position, one at 6 o'clock, one at 3 o'clock, and one at 9 o'clock.

 Place the remaining dough in the empty spaces.

The edges should overlap slightly.  Work dough together with your fingers to seal the whole created in the center.

3.  Place the mushrooms, garlic, olive oil, 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese, and the parsley and oregano in a mixing bowl, and stir to combine.  Season with salt to taste.  Spoon the mushroom filling into the center of the star, then pull the tips of the dough up , and fold them over the filling to create a bundle.  (The recipe does not call for it, but I added an egg wash here).  Sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese over the top of the galette. 

4.  Bake the galette until the crust is deeply browned and the mushroom filling bubbles, 22 to 25 minutes.  Remove the galette from the oven, run a metal spatula underneath to loosen it, then slice and serve warm.  Serves 6-8.

Use this as a sophisticated appetizer at your next gathering or pair it with a nice green salad and glass of white wine for an elegant and light dinner.

I think it's high time I revisit some of the other recipes I marked in this book.  What I love about it is that she gathers several recipes to use with one particular ingredient that you may have already in your pantry.  Check these out...yum!

Enjoy!

Nutrition...uh...I don't get it

Is anyone else as completely confused and overwhelmed by the idea

of trying to eat right?  

I mean, should I be watching calories, carbs, sugar, sodium, processed foods, protein, fat or what!!!???  I'm sure the answer lies in some combination of all of these....

that means I'm in big trouble :)

Why re-evaluate what I eat?  

#1 I'm no spring chicken , more like a mid-summer chicken.  

I'm 33 (sshhhh almost 34) and while I don't believe that makes me old by any means, my body is starting to tell me otherwise.  The things I used to be able to do to lose weight aren't working as well.  Things are sagging, yes, sagging! And that nagging aching in my knees?  Oh please tell me it's not arthritis already!  I better start paying some serious attention to nutrition if I want to prevent things from getting worse and avoid illnesses and all those nasty things that go along with being overweight.  I want strong bones, healthy muscles, and a good immune system for as long as possible.

#2 Keep my weight under control.

Aahhh, the lifelong struggle.  I've been in about a 14 pound weight range over the last 2 years.  Technically I guess I'm 8 pounds out of my "healthy" weight range but truthfully could use to lose probably more like 10-15 pounds. 

Of course as I write this a co-worker of mine has entered the room eating a large slice of the fabled "Oakmonter" cake.  Any of you local in Pittsburgh may know what that is.  The bottom is chocolate cake and the top is cheesecake with a layer of fudge in between.  Then generously swabbed in chocolate icing with crushed Hershey bars and cherries on top.  I mean come on!  The force is strong but I am so far resisting :)

So the current nutrition theory I am buying into is trying to eat all natural and cut down on sugar.  Well...just trying to eat mostly natural cause I know I can't go all the way.  I have to assume this is an OK way to go, I mean , if God made it, it should be good for you right?  The trouble is to find foods handy and convenient to grab in a hurry.  

This mama is on the move!

If you have any tips or links on healthy eating, please share!

I thought I'd include a healthy recipe that I love, at least I think it's healthy ;)  I found it long ago on Spark People.

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

Love when these are fresh out of the oven, crusty on the outside and soft on the inside!

Ingredients

1 cup old fashion rolled oats (not instant) 1 cup non-fat milk 1 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce 2 egg whites 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. sugar raisins or nuts (optional)

Directions

Soak the oats in milk for about one hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Spray muffin pan with cooking spray.
Combine the oat mixture with the applesauce and egg whites, and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl measure and whisk the dry ingredients together.
Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until just combined. Add nuts or raisins if desired.
Do not over mix the batter or the muffins will be tough. Spoon muffin mixture into muffin pan.
Combine the cinnamon and sugar and top each muffin with some of the mixture.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until done.
Remove from pan, cool and enjoy.
These can be frozen and reheated in the microwave for a quick breakfast.

Number of Servings: 12

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 12
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 93.5

• Total Fat: 0.5 g
• Cholesterol: 0.4 mg
• Sodium: 196.2 mg
• Total Carbs: 20.5 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1.7 g
• Protein: 2.9 g 

Miscellany Monday

Today I'm posting Carissa style from Lower Case Letters for the Miscellany Monday Blog Link up.

1.  No bad news on Fridays!

The weekend started with some bad news this past Friday, what's up with that?  It's supposed to be TGIF.  Oh well, we're hoping God will spin some good out of it.
Time will tell, we have faith.

2.  Sweet Nothings

My 5 year old says "Mom, I love you more than
an 8-legged octopus".  

Well, I guess I'll take that as a compliment.

3.  No gourmet here

Grandpa and Nona (Sprigs of Rosemary) came for a visit on Sunday since they couldn't make it to the boys' birthday party.  We were planning on having Bacon Ranch Burgers and potato skins, respectable right?
Well we discovered our potatoes weren't in the best shape just as we began to prepare them so we moved to plan B - lounge fries (a local hit at the Lounge or Clubhouse of fries smothered in bacon, cheese, and ranch dressing).  So I took out the frozen bag of french fries and realized that instead of getting french fries the last time I was at the store, I got tater tots.
So we had burgers and tots...you can't feed a foodie tater tots!...how embarrassing.  

4. Beadworks Buzz

Now that the boys' birthday party is over, I can refocus back on my home showing.  The invites go out this week.  I've come to realize I will have to have more than one. Not that that's a bad thing :)  There too many people to invite and my home is only so big.  I don't want people tripping over each other so I think I'll go for a few smaller gatherings.  New business cards should arrive next week.  And I'm finishing up some last new designs and my raffle piece.  I promise to post some sneak peeks soon.

5. Anytime soup

I made one of my favorite soups this weekend called Mediterranean Soup.  I haven't made it in years.  My husband calls it stinky soup, I think he just can't comprehend having cinnamon in soup.
Cinnamon does NOT stink.  
Anyway here's the recipe....it's delicious!

Saute these items

3-4 diced garlic cloves

1 cup diced onion

2 tsp Olive Oil

Add: 1-1/2" cups water

1 (16oz) can of chicken broth

1 (14-1/2oz) can of diced tomatoes

1/2 tsp of ground cumin

1/4 tsp of cinnamon

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 TBSP chopped parsley

Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 min.

Add: 1 (15oz) can chick peas

1/4 cup Ditalina Pasta (or other small pasta)

Simmer 9 minutes and then serve!

A day in the life....my "go to" meal

As a full-time buyer, mom, business owner, and wife, I need fast meals that my family will like.  Unfortunately, I have 2 picky eaters at home so I often have to prepare
more than one meal.   
I HATE to do this and try very hard not to.
We try to make the kids at least TRY whatever we are having but it is often met with sour faces.  My oldest is a little strange in that he won't eat noodles, not of any kind.   
What kid doesn't like noodles!
My 2 year old likes basically bread and fruit.  He's also just finicky, one day he'll love something and the next he refuses it.  Flat out spits it out....drives me nuts. 

Thankfully I have a few "go to" meals that never fail to make us ALL happy.  I received the "Cheap, Fast, Good" cookbook as a gift and have found several good recipes in there but this one is my favorite.

Bayou Stew

I usually make it in the morning or even the night before.  It just seems to have an extra bit of flavor if it has "sat" a while.

Bayou Stew
from Cheap, Fast, Good!

1 cup long grain rice
2/3 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons butter
2 large onions
8 ounces kielbasa sausage
1 medium sized green pepper (about 1 cup chopped)
2 cans (14 oz each) beef broth
2 teaspoons Cajun blend seasoning
2 tablespoons flour

For Rice: Bring 2 cups lightly salted water to boil in a covered saucepan. Add the rice. Stir and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
Melt butter in 4 ½ qt Dutch oven over medium heat. Peel onion and finely chop them, adding to the pot as you chop. Cut the chicken into bite size pieces adding them to the pot as you chop. When all the chicken has been added, raise the heat to medium high. Cook stirring until the chicken is almost cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile cut the sausage in half lengthwise, the slice both halves into roughly ¼ in pieces.
Add broth to the pot, raise the heat to high and add the bell pepper, cover the pot and bring the soup to a boil.  Add Cajun seasoning and cook at a moderate boil until the green pepper is tender, about 3 minutes. (Uncover the pot partially if pot begins to boil over.)

In small jar with lid, mix flour with 3 tablespoons cold tap water. Cover jar and shake well until the mixture is combined and the lumps have disappeared. Gradually add the flour mixture to the soup stirring constantly until the soup has thickened slightly. Remove the pan from the heat. Divide the hot cooked rice among four large soup bowls and ladle soup over the rice and serve at once.  Four generous servings.

For more great recipe suggestions and just plain good-reading visit Sprigs of Rosemary.

Happy Eating!!

Also swing by The Busy Budgeting Mama where I am linking up today.