Non-Vodka Pasta

You'll Need:
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. Butter
1/4 C. Onion, chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/8 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
2 C. Tomato Sauce
1 C. Chicken Broth
1/4 C. Milk
Basil
Italian Seasoning
1 lb Pasta cooked and drained
1 C. Mozzarella, shredded

Heat oil and butter in skillet, saute onion 5 minutes on low.  Add garlic and pepper.  Cook on low 2 minutes.  Stir.  Add sauce, broth and seasonings.  Cook 5 minutes, slowly add milk.  Cook until gently bubbles.  Add noodles and mozzarella.

*You can omit the first 3 ingredients if you don't wish to use onions.  Just add the garlic and pepper with the rest of the seasonings instead of sauteing them with the onions.*

Enjoy!

Spring has Sprung!

First sign of Spring and I am outside.  I decided the rest of the "indoor" projects can afford to wait for a rainy day, that includes the dishes, the vacuuming, and the laundry ☺

I was fortunate enough to get all the kids down for afternoon naps at the SAME TIME!  It's a miracle.

Anyway this is what I did during nap time at the first sign of Spring:

My Seasons Bench

I started by changing the back on my Seasons Bench. My mother-in-law gave me this bench and this summer I'm thinking about making another one and seeing if I can't maybe sell them.  The back of the bench is interchangeable, this is my summer/spring back.  I also have winter snowmen and fall jack-o-lanterns. 

Question for my readers: Would you buy a similar bench? and How much would you pay for it?

Flower Beds

I went ahead and prepped my flowerbeds for spring as well.  I trimmed back my rose bushes (never done that before!  Hope I didn't screw it up!) and I also trimmed my perennials, weeded and tilled the beds with my ground weasel!  ( I love doing that! )  I picked up about a million acorns and put everything I collected in my compost pile out back.

My Mailbox

Next I put the first coat of stain on my wooden mailbox post.  We're the only house in the whole neighborhood who went with wood instead of plastic, but I do not regret the decision at all!  I think it looks stunning.  I'll put another coat of stain on it during the next sunny day we get.

A couple weeks ago I cut these mailbox letters with my Silhouette.

My Front Door

I also made a "Welcome" for my front door, but it's very crooked and needs to be peeled and replaced.  Waiting for a slightly warmer day so the vinyl doesn't peel the paint right off my door.  I'm too lazy to get out the hair-dryer.

My Patio

Seems we moved here so recently and my husband works a ridiculous schedule we have yet to landscape our backyard.  Which means mud.  Lots and lots of mud.  I hate mud 99% of the time.  We also have a puppy.  Puppies and Mud do not mix well.  I was so tired of looking at all the mud he tracked all over my patio.  I got out my hose and my push brush and I cleaned it.  Looks much better now.

I feel very productive! 

I just love spring.

Beef and Broccoli Stir-fry

I decided to expand my horizions.  I am attempting a few of my favorite dishes from my favorite fast food chinese resturants.  Beef and Broccoli is my favorite!  A little tid-bit: Did you know that Beef and Broccoli, although sold in chinese resturants all over America is about as Chinese as Apple pie?  Beef and Broccoli is %100 an American dish.  Interesting huh?

Anyway, it's still my favorite.
I've been perfecting it and tonight's was Pretty Darn Good!

  You'll Need:
3 Tbsp Cornstarch
2 Tbsp Water
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 lb Roundsteak, cut into strips and tenderized.
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
3-4 C. Broccoli Florets
1 Onion, Wedged
1/3 C. Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1/2 C. Water
Just a pinch of Ground Ginger




In a bowl combine 2 T. Cornstarch, 2 T. Water and garlic powder, stir with a fork until smooth.  Pour into a ziploc bag, add meat.  Move the meat around until it is completely coated.  Stir-fry in a large skillet in 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil, over Medium-high heat.  Remove meat when it reaches desired doneness.  Stir-fry broccoli and onion in remaining oil for 4-5 min.  Mix remaining ingredients and stir with fork until smooth.  Return beef to pan and add sauce.  Stir and Cook for 2 minutes.  Serve over hot cooked rice.

Original recipe found on http://www.food.com/.

Scraps

I've done a few vinyl projects lately that have had a lot of empty space.  I hate wasting crafting materials, they're so expensive!

So I found a cute little flower and a cute butterfly that I use to take up the empty space in my vinyl.  Then I paste them in my kid's rooms.  They love that I put "stickers" all over their cupboards and drawers.

It's a great way to make sure every little scrap gets used.

A Very Simple Project

While we were in Utah my husband's Omi gave us a candle holder that my husband made for her a long time ago.  It's a very basic candle holder, yet the simpleness of it is what I love the most. When we got it it was very dusty and the bows around each candle where hideous! They were stiff and ....ugh.  Anyway I cleaned it off and I found some fabric scraps I had from the quilt that hangs in my living room.  I tied a pretty bow around each candle and put it on top of my new shelf. 

As I'm writing this post I have an inspiration!  I'm going to ask my husband to make me a spice rack, similar to the candle holder above.  I'm going to buy really small glass jars and fill them with my most used spices.  I'll use my awesome Silhouette to cut cute little labels for each jar.

ooh I'm excited now.

Daddy's Shelves

I'm Baaaaack!  You missed me, didn't you?  I've got some big ideas flowing in.  Most of the projects I'm starting with are pretty simple and small.  Here's my first project.

My Dad makes these shelves.  I absolutely love them!  He gave me two of the red ones for my oldest daughter's room, and the one blue one for my littlest girl's room.

These are pre-made shelves, and they're not the exact colors I would like them to be.  So I'm going to change them.  The red will be pink and the blue will be aqua blue.

I'll post pics when I finish.  Might be a couple days.



Short Pause on Crafting...

due to a trip to Utah! Hurray for friends!