plain yum

May 24, 2011

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This weekend a bridal shower was on the agenda for my friend Nina (Neha to me), so my friend Owen and I got busy cooking and baking. With 5 kids running and crawling around us, we made chicken curry salad sandwiches, tuna sandwiches, and salted caramel brownies (via bliss) from scratch. They were all supercalifragilistically yummy!!!

salted caramel browniessalted caramel browniessalted caramel brownies
Seriously, these brownies are amazing!!! They aren’t your regular kind and much more savory (gotta love that salty sweet combo), but really, not sure if I could go back to the normal kind after this. But if you knew what went in it, you would be sure to not make this everyday. That stuff is just dangerous! This is the next one I want to make.
And the chicken curry sandwiches… we didn’t make them so healthy, but a healthy version using a soy-mayo will be recreated in this home for sure. If you have some other delicious chicken curry sandwich recipe to share, please do!
Once again, thank you for your responses to the seriousness of the previous post (your emails and comments really meant so much to me). My heart was busy thinking all day about it. Before a post like that, I always wonder to myself, “Should post it? Is it too personal? Am I being clear? Will I lose readers?” Those are the honest thoughts that run through my head. Of course, if I really did go by that last question then this blog would be around just to please people and I can’t live by that. I have so much more I want to say, so I am sure those things will come out in subsequent heart to heart posts.
In the meantime, you will still get the bit of crafting, daily life with my girls, yummy eating, lovely old things, and funny stories that travel through our home regularly. I never know what to exactly classify my blog as I don’t just stick to crafting, food, vintage or any one particular area. I jump around and I hope you all don’t mind that (and if you did, I guess that really wouldn’t change too much around here). I just enjoying sharing life and the bits of pieces in my heart. I hope you enjoy that too!

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edible crafting

April 6, 2011

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If you have kids, you know you have to be creative. They don’t want to do the same ‘ole, same ‘ole everyday, so you have to be able to think of something fun to engage them. And kids aren’t hard to please either the other day I took some melted milk chocolate, marshmallows, warmed sunflower butter (cause True is allergic to dairy), toothpicks, and we had a grand ‘ole time making and eating!
edible craftingedible craftingedible craftingedible crafting
The simplest things can be fun and pretty at the same time. I am sure you have those things lying around your house, so if you need a quick project one afternoon, go at it!
I first saw marshmallow goodies at this fun party. It wasn’t an activity, but just a little snack, but I thought those were too cute and yummy looking to not make with the kids. Hmm… now I think these will be next cause I have some homemade doughnut dough stashed away in the freezer!
Anyone have any other quick and fun projects to do with kids? I would love to hear all about it.

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burgers this weekend

April 4, 2011

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Ben came home with a surprise Friday night. He was going to make these burgers, which I have been craving for awhile now. We substituted the steak meat for lean ground turkey and they are so good. Brave was especially lovin’ the blue cheese. That girl is going to be a cheese and wine kinda girl. Well, actually she just loves all food! The girls got teeny tiny slider versions and Ben and I got a nice hearty sized one. We even had some left over for Saturday, which this baby belly is so happy about!

burgers burgers
So happy to get lots done this weekend. There was some gardening, cleaning, and decorating, and I even took a quick cat nap Saturday afternoon. We are in the midst of doing lots of cleaning and purging and to start with we are selling this twin bed frame along with the storage baskets underneath. If you are in southern California and might be interested, send me an email. Now, I am off to do more cleaning, get this posted on craigslist (I have never used that before) (see listing on craigslist here.), and watch the season finale of Chopped.
Hope your weekend was just as productive!
*edit: thanks to readers and friends, items are sold! more things coming later!

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week’s end

March 25, 2011

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from the garden
Whew! That was a busy week. Between the rainy days and the sunny days, there was a lot of playing, cleaning, and most especially gardening. The girls were all out with me yesterday playing as I was planting. My hands are so calloused and roughed up from all the gardening (and I already have dry hands to begin with). I ought to use gloves but it just doesn’t feel the same. I like feeling the soil and bringing it up to my nose and smelling it! Best of all, I love that there are flowers outside that I can bring inside.
But after the days of gardening, last night I conked out in bed. After I read, I meant to go downstairs to snack and get my camera to upload pictures and blog, but then I was so tired I couldn’t move and then fell asleep. Ben came upstairs to check on me, which woke me up, and I realized I still had to wash my face, floss, and brush my teeth. I hesitantly got out of bed to do so, but went back in bed to floss, then fell asleep while flossing. Ben had to wake me up to brush my teeth. Man oh man, I was tired. It is a good hard working kinda tired though and not a morning sickness tired. The days are getting better for me… praise God!
Things I learned this week…
– No one is selling any peony plants in our local nurseries.
– These would make the cutest gardening shoes.
– This thrifty challenge sounds like fun.
– My main problem isn’t my impatience with the girls, but I have a much too demanding spirit and self-will. I need to be much more unselfish and prayerful about everything, but especially the girls.
– Child commercialism is so deceiving, of course own-ness also must be given to the parents. Watch this documentary.
– This book is such an eye opener. I really love it. Read it.
– Sales like the one over at Ms. Tips are always friendlier on the pocket book.
What did you learn this week? Happy weekending!!!

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pizza night

March 24, 2011

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Last week we had a pizza making night. It all started because I had another craving and this time was homemade pizza with shrimp on it. Good thing, I made a bunch of whole wheat pizza dough (recipe here) awhile ago and just stick it in the freezer for days such as these.
pizza making nightpizza making night
True of course gets her pizza with no cheese because she is allergic to dairy.
pizza making night
Brave gets her pizza with loads of cheese because that girl loves dairy.
pizza making night
And the baby belly and I were happy as clams with our chili garlic oil and shrimp pizza with a bit of basil put on to add more oomph!
Once again, I don’t do any cooking, but just watch as Ben and the girls work their magic in the kitchen. I love having my own personal chefs!
Who’s the cook in your home? I am definitely not the cook, but I am the baker. Hence, I was the one who prepared the dough and stuck it in the freezer.

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tacos, mini pies, and auntie heather

March 17, 2011

Filed Under: Comment: 8 Comments

I hope you aren’t getting sick of all the food talk here. I am pregnant after all, so that is usually what is on my mind, and between the girls and my morning sickness, there is not much time left for crafting, so it has become all about food. Tuesday night, right before bed, I suddenly smelled tacos (my way of making them). Mind you, it was nowhere around or wasn’t cooked recently, but the smell just came to me and so did the craving. Thus, crunchy shell tacos with lean ground turkey (and loads of light sour cream) was on the menu for Wednesday night. I added a bit of hot sauce, cheese, and some greens to make the tummy happier!
tacos, pie, & auntie heather
Then earlier in the day, I saw these mini pies and knew I had to make those for dessert! I originally wanted to do pumpkin pie, but then saw the can of apple pie filling with no sugar added and thought that was a better route to go. Then, we ate ours with some vanilla ice cream. It is the easiest and cutest dessert ever! I want to have more people over pronto, just to make these cute little babies!!!
tacos, pie, & auntie heathertacos, pie, & auntie heather
tacos, pie, & auntie heathertacos, pie, & auntie heather
Wednesday was obviously a very good day food wise and what made it even better was that Auntie Heather was in town to join us (Uncle Ele came later in the evening).
tacos, pie, & auntie heather
The Nepos moved to Prescott, AZ last year and we don’t see them as often anymore, but Auntie Heather came with lots of treats from the antique stores of Prescott (those treats deserve a whole other post) and a stack full of menus from local restaurants (for Ben) that she did a darn good job convincing us that we must make it out there soon. I love the way that city sounds and already can’t wait to make Prescott our next road trip.
Another reason today was a good day is because Soulie’s fever finally broke and red little bumps appeared all over her abdomen. Now I know she had the sickies because of Roseola. Praise God she is on the mend!
Thank you Lord for very good days (and even the bad ones too)!!! How did your day go?
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The winners as chosen by the random robot are:
The tapestry bag from the Attic People goes to “violet and fern” who said..

The $50 gift certificate to Petunia’s Tiny Tree Design goes to “Carrie” who said…

Congrats ladies, it must be your lucky day! Please send me an email so you can get in touch with my lovely sponsors. Thank you to all who entered, I have more coming up soon!!!
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