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Wedding Favors…flashback

May 21, 2012 by Lacie

So in two days time  it will be my 13 month anniversary.  About time that I posted something wedding related. I didn’t have a blog when I was making wedding favors. And I’m sure that if I had, I wouldn’t have had time to blog anyway what with wedding planning and tax season…AGHHH.  For wedding favors, I made burlap bags (beware…smelly) with hand made felt flowers.  I made the felt flowers with my die cutter!  I tried cutting them out by hand but that lasted about 5 minutes.  Anyway, I got to use my carpal tunnel syndrome to buy a Sizzix (not very often that Carpal Tunnel comes in handy)  I would highly recommend a die cutter for all crafters :) – it’s amazing.  AND I still spent less than I would have if I’d bought the favors.  In the bags I wanted to put a daffodil bulb but turns out that they are impossible to find in late April so Momma and I went down to Ace Hardware two days before the wedding and bought some Gladiolus bulbs.  I put a little piece of paper in each bag explaining what Gladiolus’ symbolize; faithfulness and honor (perfect marriage symbol).

My programs are little booklets that included our proposal story, the attendants, etc.

Thanks to my awesome bridesmaids for staying up tying 200 programs & favor bags with ribbon the day before the wedding!

My wedding favors & programs

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May your chain never tangle…

May 6, 2012 by Lacie

We have been slackers (when I saw “we” – I mean “me”)…Jaclyn carried me through April so I could get through tax season without worrying about y’all being without something to read.  As soon as tax season was over, I threw myself into all of those chores that used be just a distant dream of “well I’ll do that after tax season” – like cleaning the basement, organizing the junk drawer, dusting the bar, and most importantly reorganizing my craft room.

So as my first project in my updated craft room – I wanted to make some necklaces. I’ve been hung up on making earrings for a while..and realize that my necklace collection needed a pick-me-up.  There is a store in at the downtown mall in Cville (something Quilts, yet they carry like 15 quilts and everything else is random) – But this store has these awesome necklaces made with seed beads.  That is where the idea for this necklace came from.  It only took me about 5 hours in two shifts. :)  Brett thinks it’s too colorful :) He’s probably right but I still like it.

Braided Seed Bead Necklace

The next necklace took about 30 minutes and that includes time for yelling at Brett for using bamboo skewers as drumsticks on the dining room table (very distracting when he’s supposed to be “studying”).  It’s made with antiqued copper looking chain and ceramic teal beads.

Teal and Copper Necklace

Lastly, this necklace took all of ten minutes!  Its made with blue chain and shell beads.  WordPress wont turn my picture so turn your head (and pretend you don’t know i’m using my skirt as a backdrop)

Blue & Shell Necklace

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Alternative to a Tuna Fish Sandwich

April 22, 2012 by Jaclyn

I have been running out of blog ideas lately because I realized I was feeling compelled to blog about desserts. While I may be craving all sorts of sweets lately, I am trying to stay away from making them and having only healthier options of fruits and vegetables available in the house, which in the past has never been a problem but for some reason being pregnant for me means craving anything unhealthy…

In any case, when I realized I was being silly about only feeling inclined to post about desserts, I suddenly have so many options to blog about! :) I figured I would start with an alternative option to a food you aren’t really supposed to eat when pregnant: canned tuna fish. I am pretty sure it is ok to eat canned tuna fish in small quantities, but luckily I have not really felt like it lately. However, when my mom sent me Giada’s new recipe book for Easter, there was a recipe in there for what essentially is an alternative to a tuna fish sandwich: a Mediterranean Halibut sandwich which looks delicious!  I have had many fish sandwiches before but it is usually fish with a tartar sauce or fried, etc. This recipe was more of a take on a tuna fish sandwich where you mix the fish into a mayo mixture and it was delicious! In the mayo mixture were a bunch of my favorite ingredients: sun dried tomatoes, basil, and lemon zest, so how could I go wrong! Also this recipe is a great way to make more out of your fish, because a pound of fish can make about 4 sandwiches.

Once again Giada did not disappoint! :) Here is the recipe for those who are interested: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/mediterranean-halibut-sandwiches-recipe/index.html

Enjoy!

P.S. Sorry about the poor photo…that is my other downfall of blogging I never remember to take a picture, so this is better than nothing! Now Lacie just needs to remind me to take a picture of the sweet potato soup I made and maybe there will be another post later about that! :)

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Mozzarella, Tomato, & Avocado Salad

April 18, 2012 by Jaclyn

So I know I am totally stealing this recipe from another blog that I found on Pinterest, but it was soo good, light, and easy to make I wanted to share it with family and friends! Scott and I truly believe that anything is better with avocado so when I found this recipe to add avocado to a simple tomato & mozzarella salad, we had to try it. It was delicious! It also incorporates a lot of lemon juice to help prevent the avocado from going brown which is a nice addition since we don’t normally put lemon juice in a tomato and mozzarella salad.

Here is the recipe that I wanted to share so you can have another go to recipe during tomato season! :)

Ingredients:

  • 1 container cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • 1 carton of fresh mozzarella, drained
  • 1 avocado, peeled and diced
  • 1/3 c. basil, julienned
  • 2 T. fresh parsley
  • 1/4 c. lemon juice
  • 1/4 c. olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Baguette (optional)
Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine the tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and parsley. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl whisk the lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper.
3. Pour over tomato mixture. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
4. Just before serving stir in the chopped avocado.

We had this for lunch over a toasted baguette but I think it would be awesome over salmon or halibut as well!

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Slow Cooker Overnight Oatmeal

April 15, 2012 by Jaclyn

I love big Saturday and Sunday morning breakfasts, but lately I have just been way to lazy to get up early to make breakfast. Plus I am one of those people that wakes up hungry and I NEED to eat breakfast within 30 minutes of getting up or I get very grumpy. (Often when we go out to breakfast, I eat a bowl of cereal before we go to hold me over, but since I LOVE breakfast food, I can usually still eat the entire breakfast out as well).

Anyway, I have been getting a little sick of the cereal or toast for breakfast routine every weekday as well as weekend morning since I have been too lazy to make waffles, french toast, muffins, etc. I found this recipe for overnight oatmeal that uses steel cut oats which are super healthy for you, so I figured I would give it a try. I mean how perfect to wake up and breakfast already be ready for you! The oatmeal was pretty tasty and it definitely filled me up for longer than a bowl of cereal does in the morning, so when I have my leftovers this week hopefully my stomach won’t start growling on 9 AM like it usually does! The only thing I would change is I didn’t think the oatmeal was sweet enough so I am planning on adding some syrup or dried fruit to the top of it to sweeten it up a little. However, I am posting the recipe as is because I know a lot of people don’t always like sweet things for breakfast. Whereas I could almost always go for something sweet for breakfast (as my friends up North are well aware of my sister’s and my obsession with the Baby Apple at Bickfords!)

Ingredients
  • 2 apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2-1/2 to 3 cups chopped)
  • 1 1/2 c. fat-free milk
  • 1 1/2 c. water
  • 1 c. uncooked steel-cut oats
  • 2 T. brown sugar
  • 1-1/2 T. butter, cut into 5-6 pieces
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 T. ground flax seed
  • 1/4 tsp. salt

Directions

1. Coat inside of 3 1/2 quart (or larger) slow cooker with cooking spray. Add all ingredients to slow cooker. Stir, cover, and cook on low for 7 hours. Spoon oatmeal into bowls; add additional toppings, if desired. Store leftovers in refrigerator. Freezes well.
Enjoy!

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Peep, Peep…

April 8, 2012 by Lacie

Happy Easter!!

My Momma and Daddy always told me to wait until after Easter to plant the garden…just in case of a late frost.  A late frost seemed very unlikely this year but nevertheless, I waited until today to plant my garden!  It was a beautiful 70 degree day to work, plus my husband offered to help!  First, we went to Lowe’s to get a bell pepper plant.  Well we got that green bell and a few of it’s friends.  We came away with a green bell, a jalapeno, a cowhorn pepper, a gypsy pepper, an anaheim pepper, and an orange bell.  We also got a big boy tomato and a few colored tomato cages (because my garden must have personality).

Then we gardened and gardened…

After we cleaned up, Brett asks “when are we going to dye eggs?” – since we started dating, I’ve forced this man to dye eggs every Easter, and every Easter he would complain and then proceed to make the ugliest eggs (one year he even made one that was brown and spotted…trust me…it was ugly :) ) So this year, I didn’t buy any eggs thinking he wouldn’t miss it…well I was wrong.  So we dyed eggs.

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P.S. While I was out buying eggs, I bought some purple peeps – I wanted yellow but they were all out.  Why Peeps you say…because Jaclyn has never had a Peep.  I’ll agree that they are not a culinary treat – but they are an Easter institution – so tomorrow…Jaclyn will eat her first Peep, a purple Peep.

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“Sweet Tart” – Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

April 4, 2012 by Lacie

I named this cupcake after myself *wink *wink :) .

In my cupcake making adventures, I’m starting to get more creative.  I was tired of the boring ‘ol strawberry (sorry Jaclyn), chocolate, etc.  So I started thinking up other desserts that could be made into a cupcake.  One of my favorites…lemon meringue.

Recipe

Cupcakes

1 cup cream (I used heavy whipping cream)
1 cup extra fine sugar (not powdered sugar, I used normal sugar that I put in the food processor)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
1 tbsp potato starch
Finely grated rind of 2 lemons

Lemon curd
1/2 cup lemon juice
7 tbsp butter
1/2 cup extra fine sugar
1 egg
3 egg yolks

Meringue
3 egg whites
1/2 cup extra fine sugar

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees – place 18 cupcake liners in pans
2) Whisk cream, sugar, & eggs until smooth – add flour and zest slowly and continue mixing until smooth (make sure to scrape bottom)
3)Using cookie scoop (I demand the use of the cookie scoop!) to get batter into the pans
4) Bake 15-20 minutes or until cakes are springy
5) For lemon curd – Combine eggs and sugar in a medium size metal bowl and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Measure citrus juice and if needed, add enough cold water to reach 1/3 cup. Add juice to egg mixture and whisk smooth. Place over top saucepan of simmering water (double boiler method) Whisk until thickened, approximately 8 minutes, or until mixture is light yellow and coats the back of a spoon. Remove promptly from heat and stir in butter a piece at a time, allowing each addition to melt before adding the next. (i know it is time consuming but if you don’t do it right then you have lemony scrambled eggs – yuck)
6) For meringue – beat egg whites until firm peaks form – add sugar a tbsp at at time
7) Assemble – cut a whole out of middle of cupcakes – fill with lemon curd – pipe meringue on top (I used a ziploc)
8) Put cupcakes under broiler for 1 minute to brown them – watch them carefully!!

 

These cupcakes were extremely popular at work today so give them a try and let me know how it goes.

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