Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Hexagon Love

Have you ever had a desire to create something yet you can't get motivated to do it? That's where I am creatively. My mind thinks of so many ideas but I can't seem to get past the thinking and in to the doing! In hopes that will change if given the right motivation, I have put together a collage of inspiration found through Pinterest for hexagons. Yes, I know they are done over and over and no, I haven't ever tried them. But...I love the idea of something portable and something new to try. I am planning to try English Paper Piecing method. I have searched for tutorials and there is such a quick tutorial video series done by Texas Freckles that I found to be helpful. Melanie even has printable hexagon sheets to download. So, what do you think? Have you tried EPP hexagons before? 

Blueberry Park has one of my favorite large hexagon projects. 

Stitches and Scissors has this adorable zippered pouched featuring hexies.

How adorable is this wall hanging by Sunflower Seeds?

clair101 has a entire file of hexagon flowers. Isn't this little owl fun?

And that is just a hint of what is out there to inspire me!

I still haven't decided what I will make but the ideas are churning. Now, if only I can get the scissors, needle and thread to cooperate! :)

Monday, March 11, 2013

Yummy Salad Recipe


A few weeks ago, while in MS visiting family, Stan's sister, Debbie, made a wonderful salad. I promptly got out my trusty iPhone and made a list of the ingredients. She didn't have a name for the salad but since it tastes so yummy, I named it appropriately Yummy Salad. I have made it several times and each time it is praised by all who eat it. It has so many wonderful flavors that meld beautifully. Now, on to the recipe so that you may enjoy your own Yummy Salad! One thing to keep in mind, add as little or as much for each ingredient. Deb's directions were to add a handful of this and a handful of that. I measured my handful and came up with 1/3 cup. It worked for us. :)

Yummy Salad

Ingredients:

1 bag of Romaine salad mix or Spinach
     (I have used both. Romaine was the original recipe but we actually like Spinach best)
1/3 cup of each of the following ingredients:
  dried cranberries
  cashews
  walnuts or pecans
  slivered almonds
  pine nuts
1 tart apple, cubed in to small pieces
1 can of pears, in own juice, or 1 large pear, cut in to small pieces
Fresh grated parmesan cheese, to taste
Creamy poppy seed dressing, to taste

Directions:

After cutting fruit, add all ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently with the dressing. 

I have served this salad with fish and chicken. It takes just minutes to prepare this yummilicious (not sure that's a word but I like it) salad.

Enjoy!

sharing:




Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Easy Chicken Pita Sandwich Recipe



We are at the beach for seven entire days! Yay! However, the first two days have been rainy, stormy weather. Stan and I decided to stock up on a few easy meals to have in the condo for when we might want to eat in. I know...eat in on vacay?!? But hey, it's not a bad deal. We sit and look at the waves crashing against the dunes with the palms and pines blowing in the storm. The view is great and we stay nice and dry. 

Now, I love me some Tzatziki sauce and yes, I know it can be easily made. But like I said...I am on VACAY! ;) So, we went to the local Harris Teeter and put together this quick and easy sandwich. We both loved it for dinner and will make it again at home.
Easy Chicken Pita Sandwich Recipe

Ingredients:
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tomato, thinly sliced (I bought grape tomatoes to use in a salad and the sandwich and just sliced several of those for each sandwich.)
1 tsp. or however much you like, Tzatziki Cucumber Dip 
Pita bread or pita pockets
Rotisserie or baked chicken - the grocery had cut baked chicken and we decided to give that a try instead of the Rotisserie. We loved this option because each piece had a crispy texture. 

Directions: you can't get much easier than this!
I sliced the pita pockets and layered the onion, tomato, sauce and chicken. Pile as high as you want and enjoy a tasty sandwich. 

sharing:
Wednesday Adorned From Above
My Girlish Whims
Sew Much Ado
Gingersnap Crafts
Rae Gun Ramblings
Savvy Southern Style
Finding the Pretty and Delicious

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Pearl, One Sexy Dog!


There isn't much creativity with crafts, food or sewing going on around here. I came back from our trip to MS sick and have been doing the bare necessities by just keeping up with laundry and keeping the kitchen clean. 

I took this photo of Pearl this afternoon. She tickles me everyday. Since she is the only female in our home that is doing anything, I thought I would share her "sexy" pose with you today.

We are on the hunt for a wedding venue for our daughters big day. The first week of March we will be visiting several places. I am so excited for Hanna and Rob and can't wait to nail down a few details.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Slow Cooker Meatloaf Recipe, Busy Life & Saying Goodbye


I made this meatloaf on Sunday for lunch. I put it in my slow cooker before church and came home to a house smelling divine. It is an easy recipe to make and was moist and delicious. It heated up nicely the following day for sandwiches.

Slow Cooker Meatloaf Recipe

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds of ground beef - I used extra lean
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 cup bread crumbs - I used seasoned Italian
2 teaspoons fresh, chopped onion

Mix all together. I used my KitchenAid mixer with the dough hook and it mixed easily.

Place in a sprayed slow cooker crock. 

Ingredients for glaze:
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire

Wisk all together and spread on the top of the meatloaf.

Cook on low for 6 hours.  
I served mine with scalloped potatoes and a salad. Enjoy!

Life has been hectic over the last month. Stan's sister and her husband were here for three weeks for a visit and we had a wonderful time. One of the Saturdays we took them on a Carolina country exploration. Here are some of the photos from that day. 

Isn't this a beautiful covered bridge? It is Campbell's Covered Bridge and was built in 1909. It is the last extant covered bridge in SC. It is no longer used as part of a road but instead has walking trails and a picnic park in the area. It is always so peaceful. 

Is not hard to tell that these two are siblings, is it? 
Their mom walks the exact same way. :)

Stan and I
We visited another favorite bridge, it was built in 1820 and was on the state road from Greenville, SC to Asheville, NC. It cuts through the woods and over the mountain, as the song goes.  The bottom architecture is so beautiful, we always climb down to the creek.

Donna and Eddie

We saw our first snow that same day. Only a dusting.

We adopted a rescue beagle. Her name is Pearl and Stan calls her our Honeybeagle! She just doesn't care. ;)  Almost two months later, she is finally feeling secure in our home and instead of hiding/hoarding all her toys and bones, she is now bringing them to share. She is so sweet and is a joy to us both.

I am in the process of hanging a gallery wall of my precious niece, Jordan. It's not quiet done but I love how it is turning out.

On January 29, my son turned 26! I am way too young to have a child that is now closer to 30 than 20! After he left work, he and his dad went to meet the Atlanta Braves caravan players and coaches that were in the area. Then they got all manly and went to the firing range. I got a called to meet them for dinner at a Japanese restaurant Cody had chosen. We went home for birthday dessert. He chose The Better Baker's Peanut Butter Delight recipe instead of a traditional cake. He loved it. 

I attended our church women's conference in Charleston, SC at Seacoast Church. Pastor Greg is in the center with our ladies from Greenville. I was blessed to be there.

I took this photo of my mom and grandmother at Christmas. We said goodbye to my grandmother this week. I shared the following words on FB the morning following her death.

I loved my tiny grandmother, all 4 feet and 9 inches. She was feisty, fun and oh, so creative, before her strokes stole most of that 5 years ago. I am blessed in so many ways to be her granddaughter. Maggie taught me to cook, sew and quilt. She instilled in me a desire to stay busy with my hands. My grandmother loved hymns and didn't miss church unless she was extremely ill. She was well known for her cooking, gardening, sewing and quilting. She was the first to make food for a friend or a family in need and loved having her large family together. She was the proud mother to 4 daughters, 9 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren. Her legacy will live on for many years. I had the great privilege, along with my sister, Angie, and my mom, Linda, to be with her as she left this life and passed in to one far grander than we can imagine. I have a joy and peace in knowing her broken body and mind is now healed and she is rejoicing once again.

God's timing always amazes me. As I was sitting with my grandmother her last morning, I received an email from Marsha at Better Baker blog. She had noticed I had not posted recently and was checking to make sure I was okay. She told me she was praying for me that day. Isn't that amazing? I am so blessed to call many people friends and am so thankful for the ones I have never met face to face but share our daily lives through our blogs. What a comfort to know that God knew my needs before I did and had placed me on Marsha's heart. We serve a great God.

We lay my grandmother to rest on Saturday in MS. She took her very first plane ride last night, as her body was being sent to the local funeral home. My first cousin and my husband will be leading the service and 4 grandsons, one grandson-in-law and three great grandsons will serve as pall bearers. What an honor for her family to do this one last act of service for my mammaw. 

sharing:


Sunday, January 13, 2013

Lemon Meringue Pie Fudge



Crazy For Crust has the most incredible recipe for Lemon Meringue Pie Fudge. My sister-in-law is here visiting and whipped this up for us this week. She and my husband both love lemon and fudge. What's not to love about the two combined?!? Just saying. ;) 

Lemon Meringue Pie Fudge

Ingredients

For Crust:

  • 1 1/2 cups cookie crumbs (lemon shortbread or shortbread cookies)
  • 3 Tbls melted butter
For Fudge:
  • 4 cups (2 bags) white chocolate chips, divided
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 tsp pure lemon extract
  • 2-3 drops yellow food coloring, optional
  • 3/4 cup marshmallow fluff
Directions

For Crust:
  • Mix cookie crumbs and butter together and press in to an 8x8 or 9x9 pan that has been covered with foil and sprayed with veggie spray.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool while preparing the fudge.
For Fudge:

  • Place one cup of white chocolate chips in a bowl and set aside.
  • Place the remaining three cups of chips in a medium sauce pan with the sweetened condensed milk. Heat on medium-low heat, stir until melted.
  • Melt the 1 cup of reserved chips on 50% power in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, stir every 30 seconds.
  • Remove pan with chips and condensed milk from heat and stir in food coloring and lemon extract. Pour over crust.
  • Stir the marshmallow fluff and the melted 1 cup of chips together and spread over the top of the fudge. Work quickly. The chips thicken quickly.
  • Let set on the counter 15 minutes and then chill until set.
Hint:
Once I turned the fudge out of the pan on to a cutting board, I removed the foil and cut with a pizza cutter. It makes the smoothest cut for fudge. :)
Then eat and enjoy!

We made this in January with the high in the low 50's but I can so imagine this recipe made and taken on a summer picnic. 


Thursday, January 3, 2013

Eggnog Pie Recipe - So Creamy & Delicious


The Parsons Daughters has a recipe from 2009 that I ran across on Pinterest. My husband loves eggnog and I decided to treat him with this easy and oh so delicious pie. He is a fan and has said the recipe is a keeper. I know the holidays are past but this one to save for next year. 

Eggnog Pie

2 packages of 4 servings size cooked vanilla pudding
2 cups eggnog
1 1/4 cups milk (I used whole milk)
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (I grated fresh nutmeg)

1 baked 9" pie shell, cooled

Combine all ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until mixture comes to a full rolling boil.

Remove from heat. Cool 5 minutes, stirring twice. Pour into the cooled pie shell. Cover surface of filling with plastic wrap. Chill at least 3 hours.

Cut, serve and enjoy!

sharing: