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June 23, 2011

A new Stand

I love tablescapes! A decorated table can make or break a party I think. I love finding old vintage items to make into new stands. I picked up this gem at a garage sale for $4. It was a little high but because the stand didn't have any stains or broken pieces I knew it would last me a while and be worth it.




I didn't love the color but I didn't hate it just needed some life added back to it. So I spray painted it a gorgeous yellow and I think that really made it pop! I can't wait to make cupcakes this weekend just so I can use my new stand.



So tell me what are you some of your favorite ways to use or make stands for presenting goodies?


xoxo,
Mrs. J

June 22, 2011

Homemade Coasters

I was trying to think of the perfect gift for my father in law, he is the man that has anything and everything and is super hard to shop for! But he loves his grandson so I know if I could incorporant him into the gift, it would be a hit! I was searchingblogs for inspiration and came across Lee La La post about DIY Tile Coasters. As soon as I saw it I knew it was what I wanted to make. This project is very simple and the cost makes it even better!!



Supplies:
4"x4" tile coasters
paper of your choice I used cardstock
printer
scissors
Mod Podge (Matte or Gloss)
paint brush
felt with adhesive backing

1. Print out a 4x6 photo onto paper.


2. Cut your print down to 4"x4"

3. Brush a thin coat of Mod Podge over your tile and paste your photo onto the tile. Let dry COMPLETELY! 
4.Once dry, put a thin coat of Mod Podge over your photo. Let dry completely.Repeat 2 more times, making sure each coat is dry before you do another, or else the paper will rip or smear.
5. To complete the coaster, cut out a 4"x4" piece of felt and attached it to the back.

xoxo,
Mrs. J


June 21, 2011

Revamped Tray

In blog world Chevron is everywhere! I actually love the pattern too, what can I say it's too cute to pass up. I have had this tray for almost 10 years! I have used it for many things around the house and actually keep it out at all times of the year.

I decided to give it a new chevron pattern. So I spray painted white primer over all the red.




Then I sprayed it Robins Nest blue. Then I decided to do something different, I wanted it to be simple. So I just used some painters tape and made my own design with it. Not that I still don't love the chevron pattern I just didn't want it  for this tray, maybe a rug soon!


Here is the finished product I love the way it came out!!!

 Thanks for stopping by, hope your weekend was fabulous!

xoxo,
Mrs. J

 

June 17, 2011

Rice a Roni, not from a box!


In our house we love rice! So rice a roni is often a quick fix for a side. I was really craving some last week and made it from scratch. I will never buy a box again! This was delicious. Hubby and baby both looved!


Homemade Rice-a-Roni or Rice Pilaf

¾ cup long grain white rice
½ cup small pasta shape, like broken fideo, spaghetti, angel hair, etc…
1-3 tbsp butter, depends how much fat you want.
14 oz no fat, low sodium chicken broth
1 tsp low sodium chicken base
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
½ tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
  1. Preparation is the same as stated on the box of Rice-a-Roni. Melt the butter in a pan and saute the rice and pasta until lightly browned.
  2. Add the chicken broth, base, parsley and garlic. Add any other seasonings if you would like.
  3. Bring to a boil and cover, then reduce heat to low. Cook 15 minutes without lifting lid.
  4. After 15 minutes check to see if all liquid has been absorbed and fluff rice with a fork. If the rice is tender but it is still a little wet just let it sit on low with the lid off for a few minutes.

June 16, 2011

Homemade Chicken Taquitos

Growing up my and during school breaks we always had taquitos, the frozen kind in the box, you warm them up in the oven, yeah not so great, huh? But I looved them! I had a whole package of flour tortillas to use and knew this is what I wanted to make. Mr. J doesn't care for them but I really wanted some taquitos so I made these pretty quickly. This was really a fast put together minus the chicken, but that can be made in advance. I served with a side of ranch dressing because this was a guilty pleasure of mine growing up.

                                    

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil, more for brushing tortillas
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 cups shredded cooked chicken meat
2 cups low-sodium, gluten-free chicken broth
12 (6-inch) flour
1 cup crumbled queso fresco or shredded Monterey jack or cheddar

Method

Preheat oven to 425°F and oil a baking sheet. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add onion and cook until starting to soften and turn translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, paprika and salt. Stir to combine and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer, until fragrant. Take from heat and stir in cilantro and chicken. Set aside.

Lay tortilla on a work surface and spread 2 or 3 tablespoons chicken mixture over bottom third. Top with a tablespoon of cheese and roll up. Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Spray or brush tortillas lightly with oil and bake until crisp and lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.


xoxo,
Mrs. J

June 15, 2011

Banana Nutella "Ice Cream"

A few weeks ago I stumbled upon The Nifty Foodie she had this recipe posted and as soon as I saw it I had to make it. Last night I had a craving but we didn't have any sweets around the house and then I remembered Banana Nutella "Ice Cream." I only had a little bit of nutella left in the jar but it ended up being perfect! I actually reused the nutella jar and filled it with my "ice cream" and let it freeze overnight. I tried some this morning and it was too die for! This is perfect for a diet or for someone who is lactate intolerant. I love the way the nutella gets a little hard but when you bite into it, it melts in your mouth. Mmmhmm! Love this stuff.


Banana Nutella “Ice Cream”
adapted from via 
The Kitchn
Ingredients:
  • 4-6 very ripe bananas
  • 3 tbsp. nutella
Directions:
  1. Slice bananas into small bites and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
  2. Freeze the bananas for 2-3 hours or overnight.
  3. Place the banana slices in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
  4. Place the “ice cream” in a bowl and swirl in the nutella.
  5. Freeze for a couple of hours until set, if you’d prefer a scoop-able ice cream. Eat immediately if you prefer soft serve.
xoxo,
Mrs. J

June 12, 2011

I got it!

Remember when I said a neighbor has the twin of my purple chair? Well I asked her for it today and even told her I would pay for it even though I knew it came from the trash pile. She said she didn't really want it and to take it away!! I was soo happy. It's currently on the front porch. It's the same pink and I'm trying to decide what to do with this one. What color do you think I should paint it? Leave a comment please.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

xoxo,
Mrs. J

June 6, 2011

Eggs Benedict, My Way

Let me tell you breakfast used to be my favorite meal of the day! Not that it's less of a favorite but I don't enjoy it like I used too, maybe it was because my mom always used to make it for me? I wanted something I had never had before and I always wanted to try Eggs Benedict or some version of it, well after looking at a million recipes it seemed I just came up with my own. My only fear in the past was I don't like runny eggs but I knew if maybe I tried it I would and oh boy I loved it!!!


SET UP THE TOASTER with Sandwich Thins
1 Sandwich Thin, toasted and (if you like) buttered or
Replace the butter with Ricotta like I did!

ASPARAGUS
1/2 pound skinny asparagus
1 tablespoon butter
Salt & pepper to taste

Wash the asparagus and snap off the woody ends. Cut into 1/4 inch pieces and saute in butter a skillet til just done.

HOW TO POACH EGGS
In a large shallow skillet, bring salted water and a splash of vinegar (which helps the whites set) to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a slow simmer. Carefully slip four eggs into the water (it helps to drop them in small bowls beforehand, then gently slip into the water) and let cook, using a spoon to ladle water over the tops if needed. Cook til just done. (With liquid or soft centers, the eggs will not be fully cooked and so shouldn't be served to anyone concerned about raw eggs or salmonella.) Remove with a slotted spoon, draining well.

I also added a two slices of bacon to mine.

Layers were:
Poached Egg
Avocado
Asparagus
Bacon
Ricotta
Sandwich Thin

O.M.G. it was amazing!!! I can't wait to make it all the time.

xoxo,
Mrs. J

June 3, 2011

Peach filled Puff Pastry

I've had a sheet of frozen puff pastry in my freezer for almost 6 months and I knew I had to use it right away or it would go bad. I kept thinking about what I wanted to use it for and then it just came to my mind peaches! I love love love peaches. This was very simple and could be done for a dinner party easily.

1 sheet Puff Pastry
1 bag frozen peaches
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup sugar
dash of nutmeg and ginger. seriously just a dash of each.

Let puff pastry thaw at least 45 minutes in advance. Also let your peaches thaw out. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Once everything is thawed, place the puff pastry on an ungreased cooking sheet. In a bowl combine peaches, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. While the oven is warming up let this mixture sit. Once oven is preheated, pour the bowl of peaches right in the middle of the puff pastry. It will seem like a lot but once it cooks it will reduce. Pull up each corner to cover peaches. Let bake about 35 minutes or until golden brown all over. Enjoy!

xoxo,
Mrs. J

June 2, 2011

Oxtails with White Rice and Collard Greens

Growing up my mom used to make oxtails maybe once sometimes twice a year, they are kind of costly but oh soo worth it! I, myself, have never attempted to make them. I always felt like that was Mom's dish. HEB had a good deal on some so I picked them up. Now I won't lie I was scared! I knew I also wanted some good greens. I don't even like greens but during the holidays they are always around  and well I have tried them a time or two but I just don't like them. I must say mine turned out so amazing that I actually had a second serving of them. If you don't like something or have had bad experiences with a certain type of food you should try it again anyways, you never know you may end up loving it.



3 to 4   bay leaves
2   large yellow onions, peeled and sliced into half-moons
Several dashes soy sauce
Paula Deen’s House Seasoning
2   whole oxtails, sliced into 2-inch pieces

Buttered Rice
2 cup uncooked rice
4 cup water
1   stick butter
Kosher salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Trim fat from oxtails. In a broiling pan, toss oxtails with House Seasoning and soy sauce. Top with onions and bay leaves. Add water to fill pan 1/4 of the way to the top. Cover pan with foil and bake until oxtails are tender, about 2 1/2 to 4 hours. Prepare rice according to package directions, adding butter and salt, to taste. Serve rice alongside oxtails.


Collard Greens

  • 2 1/2 pounds collard greens
  • 2 garlic cloves

Remove and discard stems and center ribs of collard greens. Cut leaves into 1-inch pieces. In a kettle of boiling water cook collards and garlic 35 minutes and drain and enjoy!!!

June 1, 2011

Painted Upholstery - Part 2

So I know part 2 should have came before the finished project but I just haven't had the time to sit and write about the project. I really enjoyed doing it. It did take about 3 weeks in total but only due to our weather. I feel like painting took forever!!! My arm really was worn out after each time. I think I could have just done the satin paint and liked it just as much as adding the latex paint. Here are some tips from Hyphen Interiors.
 
Is it crunchy or stiff?
It started out as a velvet fabric.  It is not soft like velvet anymore, but it is also not hard, crunchy or sand papery.  It’s like a stiffer rougher fabric, similar to painted canvas.  If you rub it in the direction of the grain, though, it’s not bad at all.  If you rub it in the opposite direction, it’s more rough.


Does the paint come off on clothing?
Not at all.  I tested it out and even wet it and sat on it.  No problem.   Similarly, if you paint a t-shirt, the paint doesn’t rub off.


Tips?
- A smoother fabric is likely easier to work with.  Textures will show through the paint.
- The final acrylic paint layer is very important.  It will give the consistent deep color.  Be sure not to overdo it on the latex paint.
- Go light on seams.  Water this down and don’t overdo it.
- Sand down any particularly rough spots.
- For a more leather-like finish, you could try a glossy paint or a wax finish.
- Choose a chair that is in the color range that you are aiming for (I chose light blue and wanted to go teal) or choose a color in the range of your current chair.
- It MAY work even better if you skip the latex coats, but I’m not certain since that is not how I did it… You may need them as a primer.  I’m not sure.
- You’ll find that the better shape the fabric is in, the better the paint will go on and the less stiff it will be.  The arms on my chair were a tiny bit worn compared to the rest of the chair.  As a result, they are a little rougher now.  I do think that in time, with use, it will all even out in texture, though.
- It’s not a chair to cuddle in.  It’s not super plush anymore.
- I’m not sure how it would be for heavy use.  We use our chair occasionally.
- Someone made a a good point – it’s a little like the concept of the velvet Elvis
paintings.
- Best practice is to do a pillow first if you have one or the underside of a cushion if it is possible.


Here is the finished project with and new pillow I made last night.

Ugh please excuse the mess surrounding :)

xoxo,
Mrs. J