DIY Crayons

So I was browsing cute birthday parties on the ever addicting pinterest and came across homemade crayons. They are everywhere. I had a brand new pack and thought why not I have everything I need. So while I waited for dinner to cook in the crockpot I melted crayons in the oven. Peeling crayons is not the easiest task and I have a few wounds from it. At first I just tried to peel them off an that was a no go. Next I thought what could cut or easily so I used the exacto knife. This is why I have wounds, lol. Be very careful when slicing the wrapper!! Do this all at one time. I used one box of 24. After I peeled them all I broke them in pieces and separated by colors. I made 14 heart shaped new crayons. Preset your oven to 400 degrees then turn it off. Place mold into oven after it is turned off. About 15 minutes later remove them from oven and let cool. Once harden pop them out and let your kiddo color away!



ps. this was my first post from the iPhone so hopefully everything looks okay.

Xoxo,
Mrs. J

Our Trip to Austin

Soo this post is a little late, okay maybe a lot late but hey I posted it! We went to Austin for the Fourth of July. I did not book a room in advance and when we pulled into town we came to this Holiday Inn. It was less than $100.00 per night and had a pool and we could check in right then (it was early about 10am). Winner! It was also our anniversary, I dropped that hint to the concierge and they upgraded our room so we could have this beautiful view! Check it out. You can see the lake for miles. Unfortunately you can not really see the city from this side but that was okay. This was much prettier.

When we go to Austin we always go to Stubb's BBQ. Sadly I didn't care for my meal but Mr. J's was great! My hubby can eat BBQ 8 days a week :) My fried okra was soggy and mashed sweet potatoes were too sweet and cold.

Ribs, Brisket & Chopped Beef, Mashed Potatoes and Mac & Cheese

Chopped Beef Sandwich and Fried Okra and Mashed Sweet Potatoes



After we ate dinner we decided to walk down 6th street. It was still kind of early and we didn't really want to start drinking just yet. We walked past a few shops and then we stumbled upon this quirky stop. Museum Of The Weird. If you like weird s**t go here! I think we had to buy a t-shirt for admission to the museum area but it was worth and we had a good time. We even had a tarot card reading which was rather interesting to say the least.

 

After that we decided to head back to the hotel and go swimming and have some drinks. We had a great evening and looking out on that lake was just gorgeous!

For breakfast, the next morning we went to Juan In A Million. If you like breakfast tacos this is the place to go. When they tell you one is enough, listen. It is enough. The portion here is crazy and the price is great. We went here when we were leaving town to come home. Perfect filler up before the road trip.

Egg, Bacon, Potatoes and Cheese

I enjoy Austin very much. It is different than Houston not in a better or worse way, just different. And I like that. I love the downtown life they offer. They have tons of activities always going on. It was a great trip all in all and we can't wait to go back.

What is your favorite thing about Austin?

xoxo,

Mrs. J

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter Sage Sauce and Bacon

Recently I have discovered a new love for butternut squash. This stuff is amazing. I use it for my main go to vegetable currently. I have always loved raviolis and thought hmm that would be the perfect combination. I have been trying to come up with a few meat free meals. I did a quick google search and stumbled up Iowa Girl Eats as I was reading through the recipe I knew it was exactly what I wanted! I went and purchased the wonton wrappers since I had everything else on hand. Raviolis are hard to make y'all! Follow her directions they will be much prettier.

I did not have any come out perfect but they all tasted great. I made these and froze them exactly the way Iowa Girl Eats did. Now I have delicious clouds full of butternut squash at my hand anytime I want them. At the end of her post she had a recipe included for how she prepared them. I followed it and added some sage to the sauce, pure deliciousness!!! Just like Iowa Girl says total Food Coma.

The following recipe is from AllRecipes.com. It is basically the exact same. I liked Iowa girls raviolis better by browning them in the pan. check out both recipes and see which works for you better.

Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash - halved lengthwise, peeled and seeded
• 2 teaspoons butter
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 50 wonton wrappers
• 1 teaspoon egg white, lightly beaten
• Sauce
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh sage leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place the squash cut side up on a baking sheet. Place 1 tablespoon butter in the hollow of each half. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the squash with a sheet of aluminum foil tucking in the edges.
3. Bake squash in preheated oven until tender and easily pierced with a fork, 45 to 65 minutes.
4. Scoop the cooked squash into a bowl, and mash until smooth. Mix in the allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and Parmesan cheese until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Fill a deep pot with lightly salted water and bring to a boil.
6. To make the ravioli, place a wonton wrapper on a clean, flat surface. Brush edges with the egg white. Place about 1 tablespoon of the squash mixture in the middle of the wonton. Cover with a second wonton wrapper. Repeat with remaining wonton wrappers and squash mixture until all have been used.
7. Drop the ravioli into the boiling water, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Remove, drain, and keep warm until sauce is prepared.
8. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the sage. Continue to cook and stir until the sage is crispy but not browned. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place 6 to 8 raviolis on serving plates, and drizzle with sauce.

xoxo,

Mrs. J