Pink Apron Girl has moved . .

Dear Pink Apron Girl Followers,

I recently updated my blog and moved here - http://www.sewcookcreate.blogspot.com/ That way I can post about all my adventures in one place. Hope you'll follow me there.

Mary

Winter Decor

Winter Decorating

Today the Hubs decided he would do the cooking, and make a double batch of his famous "deer chili". So that gave me the opportunity to finish up a few projects so I could cross "winter decorating" off my to do list. Most of the winter decor has been up since I put my Christmas decorations away. There were a few things I had seen on Pinterest that I wanted to finish up and add to my winter mantle. So today was the day. Here's the full view of the finished project.

I made one of the Epsom Salt candle holders you can find on Pinterest. Very easy and I got all my supplies at the Dollar Tree. The plate was something I already had, and used my Silhouette to cut the "V" out of vinyl. The pitcher and bird were things I had.. I added a bit of "snow" to a pine cone.

At the other end, I added some black candle holders I picked up at the Queen's Antiques in Buford (love that place!), a metal ice skate from Michael's, and a few more pine cones with "snow" in a milk glass dish.

There are several ways to repurpose old sweaters on Pinterest. I decided to use an old white sweater and make a wreath for my living room mirror. I used a sleeve from the sweater to cover a styrofoam wreath, wrapped it with some yarn, and added a few fabric flowers. Taa Daa!! Here's a close up and another pic for the full effect hanging on the mirror.

Hoping you are enjoying your weekend as much as I have enjoyed mine. Spent some time with some special people, heard a great message at church this morning and finished my winter decorating. Really enjoyed the chili (very yummy and very spicy) and my day off from cooking. Thanks honey!

Come back soon to see what I do to this cute stool found at Mud Puppy Antiques in Winder (another favorite place to browse for treasures!).

I've been sick for the last 4 days. So sick that I haven't cooked since maybe last Friday. That is a stretch for me. Ask my hubby. Ask any of my children. Since I've been sick I've been able to watch the Food Network while I lay in bed, read some books that seem to have southern recipes written into the story line, and browse and pin new recipes and ideas on Pinterest. Today I've finally started to feel like I have a little energy, so I decided to try two new recipes tonight . . . must have an appetite again!

Have you heard of 7 Up Rolls? Have you tried them? Why haven't you told me? This is just one of the yummy recipes you can find on Pinterest . . . it was pinned quite a few times I might add. My mom makes the best yeast rolls I think I've ever tasted. She has shared her recipe with me, but mine don't turn out as light as hers. And they take some time to make. So I opted for this quick version of a roll to go with the soup tonight. Four ingredients - can't be much simpler than that and about 20 minutes from start to finish and they are done.

The soup I made was based on a recipe I saw Rachel Ray throw together on her show this week.

7 Up Rolls

1/2 stick of unsalted butter

2 cups baking mix

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup 7 Up

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. While oven is preheating, place 9" square baking dish in oven and let the butter melt. Remove dish when melted.

In small mixing bowl, place 2 cups of baking mix and 1/2 cup sour cream. Use two forms and cut the sour cream into the baking mix until a crumbly mixture forms. Pour in 7 Up and fold into baking mix and sour cream. This makes a very soft dough. Sprinkle extra baking mix onto a pastry board or on a sheet of wax paper. Turn dough out onto this surface and pat lightly into a 9" x 9" square. Cut into 9 rolls. Place into baking dish. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes.

* You might want to add an additional 1/4 cup of baking mix to the recipe. The dough was very soft and sticky. But the rolls turned out yummy - very light.

Italian Meatball and Pasta Soup

2 Tbsp. butter or olive oil

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

1-2 ribs celery

2 cans chicken broth

1 can diced tomatoes, 14-15 oz can

2 cans cannelini beans, 14-15 oz cans

3-4 carrots, peeled and cut into thick slices

2 small zuchinni, cut into small pieces

1 bunch Kale, chopped

Meatball Dumplings -

1 lb. Italian sausage

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

1-2 Tbsp. milk

parmesan cheese

Pasta of your choice

In soup pot, melt butter or heat olive oil. Add chopped onion, minced garlic and sliced celery.

Cook until veggies become transparent. Add 2 cans of chicken broth and 3 broth cans filled with water. Add diced tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil. Turn heat down, cover and let mixture simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Peel and slice carrots. Slice zucchini. Add veggies to the broth and let them cook for about 30 minutes until tender. Add another soup can of water if a lot of the liquid has cooked out. You want to make sure there is enough broth in the pot to cover the "meatball dumplings" you will be adding to the broth. Bring the broth to a low boil.

Mix italian sausage with 1/2 cup of bread crumbs, 2 Tbsp. parmesan, 1 egg and 2 Tbsp. milk. I use a melon baller to make uniform size meatballs. Drop meatballs into the boiling broth. Let them cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add kale and let cook for another 10 - 15 minutes until wilted.

I did learn a trick from Rachel about the pasta. Since my family doesn't always sit down to eat at the same time, this worked perfectly. I cooked the pasta separately, rather than adding it to the soup. Drained it, drizzled it with a little olive oil, and set it aside. Then when I was ready to serve the soup, I put some pasta in each bowl, ladled the hot soup over the pasta, sprinkled with additional parmesan and served it. Hubby just said I could serve this soup in a restaurant! He made my night . . . just one of the reasons I love him.

Happy cooking!

A Confession

We have had several days in a row of less than 90 degree temperatures, and I am loving it. Time to pull out jeans and a sweater to throw on over a t-shirt! Sleep with the windows open.

Before I write anymore, I must make a confession. I have become addicted to Pinterest! I think I'm not alone in this addiction. In my fellow Pinterest addicts defense, there is a wealth of information out there. Things that you can really use - amazing recipes, tutorials for sewing/crafts, recommendations of products, books to read, decorating tips and ideas. And that's just a few of the things to be found.

As the weather begins to cool off, I like to pull my crock pot out of the pantry and use it for some yummy suppers. Our family has found a recipe (on Pinterest) that is becoming one of our favorites - and we've used it for pork chops and chicken.

Creamy Ranch Pork (or Chicken)
6 pork chops or chicken breasts
2 cans cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom soup)
1 package of Ranch dressing mix

Put the pork chops or chicken in the crock pot. Mix the 2 cans of soup with the Ranch mix and pour over the meat. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.

We served this with Pioneer Woman's mashed potatoes (delish!!), green beans and squash.

Enjoy the cooler temps and spending time on Pinterest.

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Well, I've made it to the middle of another work week and I'm going to link up with Jamie at What I'm Loving Wednesday again. We're waiting for the rough weather to arrive here and I'm not loving that it will probably occur about the time I will be ready to go to bed. Haven't had a good night's sleep in several nights, but I shouldn't complain. I'm loving a new song by Laura Story called Blessings. One of the verses in the song says ---

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near

What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise.

That song really makes you think about life and the reason things happen. It sounds like things are bad in Alabama and parts of northwest Georgia now. Hope everyone stays safe!

Next I'm loving all the great blogs I keep finding. There are so many talented and creative

women out there. I could just spend hours and hours reading all their blogs. I really enjoy Lemonade Makin' Mama and TheHouse of Smiths.

I'm loving that our family will be attending the pinning ceremony for my middle child who is majoring in nursing at NGCSU. I am so proud of her and her many accomplishments. One more semester and she will be a nurse; something she's wanted to be since she was a little girl.

We celebrated Easter this past weekend. I'm loving that we went to church and then had a yummy lunch with my parents at my sister and bro-in-law's house. So nice to be together with all the family. Ham, potato salad, German potato salad, deviled eggs, green beans, strawberry & pineapple congealed salad, Mom's homemade yeast rolls (can I just say delish!!), layered salad, and then dessert - carrot cake, cheesecake, and cake balls.

Happy Wednesday everybody!

Top Two Tuesday - Collections

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Today's (actually last week's, but I just saw that!!) Top 2 Tuesday blog is about the top 2 things you collect. Of course, I'm sure my family will get a kick out of this as I seem to collect a lot of "stuff"! But if I had to choose, these would be my top 2.

1. Fabric!. Ever since I was in high school and got a part time job at JoAnn Fabrics, I have collected fabric. My parents used to ask if I brought any of my paycheck home or did I spend it all at work on more fabric. Unfortunately I don't think someone who sews (I think the new term is "sewist") can ever feel like they have enough fabric. There is always a new design or a new color that catches your eye and says "please bring me home and make something out of me"! Now that I've started Just Sew! Studio, I actually can say I HAVE to buy more fabric.

2. Pewter! When Dan and I got married (a long time ago - 30 years ago this July to be exact!), pewter was IN. My mother-in-law had lots of pewter, and I thought it was really pretty. There were several shops in the Pompano Beach / Fort Lauderdale area that sold only pewter. So I added it to my wedding registry. I'm glad I did that. Now I have a collection of quite a few things that I display on top of my kitchen cabinets. Steak platter, pitchers, sugar & creamer set, and a Noah's Ark baby plate & cup set ...but I think my favorite is my deviled egg platter!

Just curious. How many other people have a sock collection that keeps growing? I didn't mean to set out collecting socks, but I think my washing machine has set out to drive me crazy. No matter how many matched pairs of socks I put IN the washing machine, they never all come out. I am now the proud owner of an ever growing collection of only one sock from a pair. While we were shopping last Saturday, my sweet middle child (who is almost 21) proceeded to tell me that I could purchase another package of the low cut socks we wear when walking or exercising for about $5. Does she not understand how many times I have done this? Only to find that the new package of socks I purchased have just a little bit different finish around the ankle, different color stitching across the toe, no shaded heel area, etc. and that creates more unmatched socks when I only remove half from the washer. One day there may be only two of us left in the house, and I will send all the leftover, unwanted, unmatched socks to one of my children's homes so they can be obsessed with where did the other sock go! And having a dog who enjoys chewing socks up does not help either.

Happy Tuesday everyone!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

First of all, I'm loving that my two girls have been an inspiration to me to get myself outside when I get home from work and WALK! They both participated in their first 5K this past weekend and had been working up to this goal for the last few weeks. On Saturday I walked 3 miles . . . much to my surprise. I've repeated that walk 3 out of the last 5 days. I didn't get to it tonight because I had a hair appointment (another thing I'm loving Wednesday) and now it's time to cook supper.

Second, I'm loving another Pioneer Woman recipe. Who would have guessed? I tried Simple Sesame Noodles on Monday night, added some stir fried chicken, broccoli and carrots and am enjoying it for my lunch this week. Has to be one of the easiest things to make and very yummy!

Another thing I'm loving is that we celebrate Easter this weekend. Such an awesome thing to celebrate the love our heavenly Father has for us by sending his Son to die in our place and then rising from the dead. Can you even imagine the surprise that those women had at the empty tomb? Or when they disciples realized He was among them? One of my favorite songs that is all about why we celebrate Easter!

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Enjoy what's left of your Wednesday!

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

Okay, I'm going to jump in here and link up with Jamie for What I'm Loving Wednesday.

I'm loving that spring is here and the dogwoods are in bloom. They are my absolute favorite tree - very delicate. When we found the property we eventually built our house on, it was in the early spring and there were dogwoods in bloom all over the property. The following year when spring arrived, I started watching for the dogwoods to bloom. Nothing! I asked my sweet husband why our dogwoods weren't blooming like the others, and he looked like the cat who swallowed the canary. "I think I didn't know they were dogwoods and I must have cut them down when I was clearing out the woods!" he said. Gotta love him even though we only have about 3 dogwoods left on our property now. You'd think he would have planted some by now.

I'm loving that I finally gathered up my courage and Just Sew! Studio is officially in business. We've had 3 classes so far, 2 more planned for this month, and everyone has gone home with a finished project. Hopefully some of them will be inspired to begin sewing on their own. It seems to be a skill that people are becoming interested in again.

I'm loving that the only thing I cooked tonight was bacon for our club sandwiches. If you know me, you know that I cook a full meal almost every night so I'm really slacking if bacon is all I cooked. Pioneer Woman recently had a blog about her version of the club sandwich and decided if it was good enough for her, it was good enough for me! I'll be out of the kitchen in no time tonight.

Happy Wednesday Y'all!!

What I Cooked this Weekend!

Now I realize there might not be a whole lot of people who would say cooking is one of their favorite things to do, but it is one of mine. And have I cooked this weekend!!

Recently I became aware of Ree Drummond, aka Pioneer Woman. She sounds like a pretty awesome lady. She's married to the love of her life (Marlboro Man), has 4 cute kids, lives on a cattle ranch, cooks, takes beautiful pics, has a very informative and entertaining blog, and has a cookbook that hit #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, and has now written The Pioneer Woman - Black Heels to Tractor Wheels (basically the story of how she met "Marlboro Man" and fell in love).

Over Christmas vacation, I stumbled across her blog (http://thepioneerwoman.com/) while reading another blog (http://thelittlebrownhouse.us/) . . . can you tell what I did between Christmas Day and New Years? The Little Brown House was raving about Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls. So I decided to give them a try. Let me just say, they are AHmazing, and that's putting it lightly. Since then I've purchased her cookbook and her book and highly recommend them both.

The recipes are very easy to follow, don't call for any exotic ingredients, and have met with rave reviews from my family. I've made Basic Breakfast Potatoes, Edna Mae's Sour Cream Pancakes (don't think I will ever make pancakes from a mix again), Chicken Spaghetti, Chicken Fried Steak, PW's Creamy Mashed Potatoes, and Comfort Meatballs. Haven't been disappointed by one recipe.

So this weekend I decided to try Three Cheese Stuffed Shells with Meaty Tomato Sauce (http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/10/three-cheese-stuffed-shells-with-meaty-tomato-sauce/) and Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork (http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/03/spicy-dr-pepper-shredded-pork/). Not together, of course. I put the Three Cheese recipe together quickly late yesterday afternoon to take to a friend who had hip surgery recently. Her husband and mine like to get a rise out of us by calling us "woman". Now, this all came about during a sermon when the preacher was quoting Jesus who addressed a woman as "woman" and they thought it was funny to call us that, but they normally say it in a stern sounding voice like "WOMAN". Somehow, I don't think that was how Jesus was saying it. Anyway, our friend texted Dan after eating the Stuffed Shells and said he would no longer call me WOMAN, but he would now call me Mama Mia. I'm taking that as a compliment. We will be having our Stuffed Shells for supper tomorrow night.

Tonight we are having the Shredded Pork. It's been cooking in a 300 degree oven for six hours and it is falling apart (I peeked just a few minutes ago and had a taste - YUMMY!!). I'm serving it as PW suggests on warm flour tortillas, topped with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and grated cheese. Can't wait for supper.

So if you're stuck in a rut and tired of cooking the same old thing, please visit PW's website and try some of her recipes. You won't be sorry. Her recipes are very easy to follow and she includes beautiful pictures if you need step by step help. And you'll probably giggle a few times as you are reading her recipes.

Happenings at Just Sew! Studio

Well, it's official. The first class of Just Sew! Studio was held this past Friday night. A total of 6 pillows were made by 3 very industrious students. I am so proud of them and their accomplishments . . . and I think they are proud of themselves too. We stitched, stuffed, ripped out seams, talked, laughed, and vented. The class ran a little longer than I had originally planned , but we didn't have to break out the sleeping bags and pillows. Everyone was home before midnight!

On Saturday, a group of us got together to decorate some t-shirts to send to some of the children affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Susan @ Living with Punks was hosting a sew along by Chelsea at Pink Fig Patterns. We got a head start and finished 5 t- shirts in a few hours. I have three more to finish and then I'm sending them off to Cali to make their way to Japan. Please keep the people of that country in your prayers as they deal with this unimaginable situation. We take so much for granted, don't we? And didn't these ladies do a great job?

Now I'm planning classes for April. On April 8 and 9, we will be making some really cute pajama boxers and a cute t-shirt - nothing better than climbing into bed in your favorite pj's! I promise, these are very easy and so cute. Erin & I made these for her "little" and many of her sorority sisters were asking where Erin got them. One of a kind just for "M"!

Then on April 29 and 30, we'll be sewing a precious apron and a matching pot holder . . . just in time for Mother's Day giving, a great gift for a bride, or a treat for yourself. I've ordered the Domestic Goddess Apron pattern from Amy Butler. If it's "new sewer friendly", that may be the pattern we use. Don't you love it?

I've also had some requests for classes on sewing children's clothes and learning how to use your own sewing machine. If that's something you're interested in, keep checking the Just Sew! Studio calendar for future classes. http://www.justsewstudio.com/Home.html

Happy Stitching from Just Sew! Studio.

And Then I Fell

We were up bright and early on Saturday morning. Erin and I headed over to Dana's to pick her up to head to the Original Sewing & Quilt Expo in Gwinnett. Of course, Dana offered to drive so we could ride in her new car - that was a treat. And of course, if you know my girls or me, we had to stop at the one and only fast food restaurant as far as we are concerned - Chick Fil A - for breakfast. Then on to the Expo. First time for all of us.

We walked into the exhibit hall and were met with displays from vendors from across the U.S. that were demonstrating and selling just about anything and everything a seamstress might need or want. Sewing machines, fabric, irons, embroidery and quilting machines, patterns, and even a booth that sold shoes for quilters . . . hmmm, I didn't know you had to have special shoes to quilt! They weren't very fashionable either - didn't buy any for my Mom who is an excellent quilter without those shoes!! They also offered classes and "make and take" sessions.

We walked through all the vendors once just to get an idea of who and what was there, pick our favorites, and then head back to make some purchases after we watched some of the fashion shows and demonstrations. One that really got our attention was titled "How to be a Charming Stripper"! Not what you think!! A charm pack is a pack of 5" x 5" fabric squares that can be used for quilting and this told how to use the charm packs for quilt strips. Whew!!

We watched two fashion shows - one that featured "new designers" mainly for adults and my favorite . . . Sewing for Children: The Hottest New Patterns. Lots and lots of class ideas there!

The main reason I wanted to go was to see some of the designer fabrics

that are so popular now - Amy Butler, Heather Bailey, Moda, and Jennifer Paganelli - that I hope to use in some of the upcoming classes at Just Sew! Studio. Some of the displays were disappointing as it looked like the fabric was the same old stuff that's been available for 10 years. But we found several booths that really sparked our creativity. Grand Bazaar Fabrics from Alabama had lots of Amy Butler's fabrics and patterns; Young at Heart from Griffin, GA was there with beautiful children's patterns and lots of precious fabric for kids and adults; and Sew it Up from Texas had really cute patterns from Pink Fig, Mod Kid Boutique, Lila Tueller and Sew Sensible just to name a few.

So we made a few purchases - fabric and patterns - and headed back home. We visited with Dana and Lyla for a bit and then Erin and I ran a few errands before going home. Dana #2 (Greg's girlfriend) met us at the grocery and Erin headed home with her before they went out for Mexican. I got home from the grocery and loaded up both hands with as many bags as I could carry and headed for the stone sidewalk that leads to our front porch. Just as I stepped from the driveway to the sidewalk, I rolled my ankle and couldn't seem to catch my balance. I felt myself starting to fall and there was nothing to grab on to to stop my fall and down I went. I thought I was going to fall face first on the stone walk, but thank goodness I turned at the last minute and landed on my right side. I laid there for a minute and then was able to turn and sit up and then the pain began. I knew I had done something to my right hand and quickly pulled my ring off in case my hand started to swell. I've heard several stories of people having rings cut off their fingers and I wasn't going there. My groceries were scattered all over the sidewalk along with the contents of my purse. I found my cell phone and called Erin to ask her to come help me get up. She got me into the house and did a quick nursely (new word I made up!) evaluation and decided I should put ice on my hand and take ibuprofen. I could bend my fingers but they were really sore. I didn't want to make a trip to the ER on a Saturday night. To make a long story short, I will be fine. We made a quick trip to Regional First Care this morning for x-rays. Just got a call from the doc and they reread the x rays and I have a cracked radial head (elbow) which will require a visit to the orthopedic doc now ... and hopefully not a splint! My right arm is in a sling for now. Hopefully my family will take care of me. And I didn't break either jar of pickles when I fell. Now I'm off to figure out how to start sewing some of those cute ideas with my arm in a sling. Maybe I'll make a cute sling!

Okay, I am a day late linking up to A Wee bit of Me Wednesdays, but here goes . . .
{one} what color is your kitchen?Sage green walls & black "antiqued" cabinets painted by Dan, Dan the painter man!

{two} do you have a good luck charm?No - just pray a lot
{three} do you prefer to write with a pen or pencil?Depends on what I'm writing

{four} can you use chopsticks?No! None of the food makes it from the plate to my mouth.
{five} do you prefer baths or showers?Showers. I tried to relax in the tub when the kids were little,
but someone would always knock on the door and ask if I was okay orsome other very important question that couldn't wait until I was out. Greg used to slide notes under the door to me!
{six} what is your favorite salad dressing?After a trip to Italy - extra virgin olive oil with just a little salt.Amazing!
{seven} can you sing the alphabet backwards?I've never tried

{eight} do you have any allergies?Ragweed
{nine} crunchy or creamy peanut butter?creamy. reduced fat.
on a toasted english muffin with a banana& honey!
{ten} have you ever hitch hiked?Never ever!

Head on over to www.myleighashley.com and link up!

Just Sew! Studio

The world we live in moves at such a fast pace. Instant this, drive through that, and I have to have it now! One thing that seems to have been lost in recent years is the ability, or desire, to make something yourself. But if the blogs I’ve been reading lately are a sign of things to come, crafting and sewing might just be making a comeback.

Sewing used to be a skill that was passed down from mother to daughter –teaching her to make her own clothes and things for her home. Boys were taught to build things with their hands – furniture, barns and houses. These were things that my parents were taught. My Dad built my parents first home with the help of his uncles. He filled that house with pieces of furniture that he built by hand – a cradle, a dining room table, a hutch, a desk, a Grandfather clock. My Mom and Grandmother learned how to sew and quilt. My Mom has made quilts for each of her children, grandchildren, and siblings. One of my most prized possessions is a quilt my Mom made and gave to me when I was about to leave home to attend college in another state. That quilt was made with leftover scraps of fabric from the many outfits she sewed for me as I was growing up. You can’t buy that in a store!

When I was about 12 or 13 years old, my Mom signed me up for sewing lessons at the local Singer store and I haven’t stopped sewing since. Barbie doll and baby doll clothes, blouses, pants, shorts, skirts, dresses, curtains, pillows, my wedding veil and the suit I wore as my “going away” outfit at my wedding are all things I’ve sewn. I remember being so proud when I modeled something I had sewn for my Dad and he would ask me, “Did you build that yourself?”. Or if I started sewing something on Saturday to wear to church on Sunday he might ask, “What are you building?”. If you think about it, sewing is very similar to building. You are taking individual pieces and connecting them to make a finished product.

My daughters have encouraged me this past year and a half as I’ve started Francie Beth Boutique and sold handmade signs and picture frames. Even my husband and son have pitched in and cut and sanded signs and slapped on a few coats of paint. Now, I hope to share my love and knowledge of sewing with others who might want to learn to sew with Just Sew! Studio. If your mom tried to teach you to sew, but ran out of patience after threading the machine for you for the 10^th time in 10 minutes or if the pattern instructions were too confusing, give sewing another try. In March I will be offering two classes teaching you how to make a decorative pillow. The class will be about 3 hours long and you will leave with a finished pillow. It’s a cute project, you’ll learn a few basic things you need to know about sewing, and you’ll go home with a pillow that you can tell everyone, “I made it myself!” and no one else will have one exactly like yours! For more information please visit here.

We Interrupt This Marriage For . . .

We hadn't been married very long in the early 80's when I realized that occasionally football came before me. Not all the time; just Saturday, Sunday, and Monday nights. Now back in the day I still had a good bit of free time (meaning no children!) and enjoyed cross stitching. Does anyone still do that? Anyways, while Dan watched football, I cross stitched (or did laundry, or the dishes, sewed, cleaned or went shopping).

There aren't a whole lot of things you can cross stitch for an outdoors kind of guy, but I found something that fit him perfect. A small cross stitch sampler that had a football goal, football, and heads of the people in the stands with the saying, "We interrupt this Marriage for the Football Season!". Perfect!! So I cross stitched away and gave him his gift. He was impressed.

Now almost 30 years later, I have come to realize that simple saying, "We interrupt this Marriage for . . . " is a powerful piece of advice. In the last 29+ years, our marriage has been interrupted for any number of activities - football, fishing, camping, hunting, 4-wheeling, time with the guys, and now the most recent . . . a boat - a fixer upper no less! He boasts to his buddies that when we were first married, and he would head off with some friends for a day (or weekend) I was so sad to see him go. Now I tell him to go and have fun! I now welcome the time alone to go off and do the things I enjoy or to stay at home and relish the peace and quiet. If you know my husband, you know that we are total opposites. He is the outgoing, always talking, never met a stranger kind of person who falls asleep and wakes up talking while I am much more introverted and quiet. I love my peace and quiet!

All of this to say that these interruptions have been good for us and I think we are both happier for the time apart, but we also enjoy our time together more!

January 2011 Snow Day(s) + Snow Ice Cream

On Monday morning, most of Georgia woke up to a winter wonderland! Everything here was covered with a thick blanket of white snow, and it was still coming down. We ended up with about 7 inches of beautiful, fluffy snow. But then, the icky sleet and freezing rain came and covered everything with a sheet of ice. Now I should tell you, ice is not my friend. Never has been, never will be! In the past, I've slid on ice in my car and was then hit by another car that started sliding and I've slipped and fallen while walking on ice. Neither event was fun. So now I cringe and stress about having to get out on the ice (in a car or on foot).

On Tuesday, I was beginning to get a slight case of cabin fever so Erin and I went outside and built a mini snow lady. She's a pretty cute snow lady with sweet gum balls for eyes (makes her look like she has eyelashes), a carrot nose, and she hasn't melted a bit over the past two days.

Trying to use my unexpected time off wisely due to the snow days, I did some organizing in my pantry, several loads of laundry, and worked on a few Francie Beth Boutique projects, and I cooked! In case you don't know it, cooking is absolutely one of my favorite things to do when I have plenty of time. Two new Gooseberry Patch cookbooks were added to my cookbook collection at Christmas and I have been browsing all the recipes and hints. So it was just second nature to try out some new recipes. It's been hard to find a granola recipe that has the texture and consistency I've been looking for but I think this one is pretty close (crunchy with some clumps of granola). We made the easiest snow ice cream recipe I've ever seen (thanks to Paula Deen's post on Facebook). It's especially yummy with a spoonful of Nutella on top! And I think I've found just about the best brownie recipe.

Unfortunately my snow days have come to an end even though our yard and decks are still covered in white frozen stuff. Dan drove me to and from work today, but I'm on my own for tomorrow. Hopefully no sliding is involved. And I'll be getting back to my Zumba workout to get rid of the extra calories I enjoyed.

Paula Deen's Snow Ice Cream

8 cups of fresh snow or shaved ice

1 can sweetened condensed milk (I used fat free!!)

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Pour condensed milk and vanilla over the snow (or ice). Mix well and serve immediately.

Granola (adapted from Sunny Anderson's recipe on FoodNetwork.com) Great for breakfast, as a snack, mixed in with yogurt, or on top of ice cream!

1/2 cup maple syrup* 1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil pinch Kosher salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon 2 egg whites

3 cups rolled oats 1 cup coconut (optional)

1 cup sunflower seeds 1 cup craisins (optional)

1 cup chopped nuts (pecans, almonds)

1/4 cup flax seeds (optional)

1/4 - 1/2 cup wheat germ (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In small pan, whisk syrup, oil and cinnamon. Cook until it bubbles. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

In large bowl mix oats, nuts, seeds, wheat germ, sugar and salt. Pour syrup over and mix well.

In small bowl, whisk egg whites. Pour over granola and mix well. Evenly spread the mixture onto prepared sheet pan. Bake 35-40 minutes, stirring three times during the baking time.

Remove from oven and place in a bowl and cool. Add remaining ingredients when cool.

*Substitution for Maple Syrup - 3/8 cup corn syrup, 2 Tbsp unsalted butter and 1/4 teaspoon of maple flavoring. Add these ingredients in place of maple syrup to the oil & cinnamon and follow recipe as listed above. I've tried the recipe with the maple syrup and this substitution and I like the substitution the best.

Brownies (I need to think of a more exciting name for this recipe, because these are more than just brownies!)

1 cup unsalted butter 2/3 cup cocoa

2 cups sugar 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

4 eggs 1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla 1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup unsifted all purpose flour 1/2 - 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Melt butter and stir in sugar and cocoa until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool. In separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Beat eggs and vanilla into the cooled cocoa mixture. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Spoon into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until brownies spring back when touched in the center. Cool completely before cutting (if you can wait!).

I was on "vacation" last week. Vacation from work, from my home & my responsibilities there, and from cooking. It was enjoyable to eat out for a few nights and not have to worry about did I have this ingredient or that, was there enough time to fix this before it got too late, and especially not having to do the dishes.

Dan and I had a wonderful time exploring the North Georgia mountains - Tallulah Falls, Clayton, Hiawassee, and Blue Ridge.We enjoyed fish & chips, coleslaw, and fried green tomatoes at Rumor Hazit in Clayton (this restaurant was decorated very "beachy"; probably the closest I will get to the beach this summer) and prime rib, baked potatoes, and fresh veggies at The Stockton House while taking in beautiful views of the mountains. But I was definitely glad to get back home to my family and to my kitchen. Some people say they hate to cook. I love to cook - just don't like all the clean up after I'm done! Tonight I decided to try a new recipe for Calzones. I'm still waiting for Greg to get home from the lake and give it his approval, but Dan & Erin said this recipe is a keeper.

The basic recipe I followed was on allrecipes.com, posted by D. Adams. I changed it just a bit.

Calzone Dough - (should make enough dough for 8 calzones)
1 7/8 cups warm water
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups flour + 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. dry milk powder
2 1/4 Tbsp. sugar
3 tsp. active dry yeast

Fillings -

Pepperoni
Italian Sausage
Mushrooms
Green Peppers
Onions
Mozzarella Cheese

I used my Kitchen Aid mixer & dough hook to make the dough, but you could also do this in a food processor. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Combine flours, salt, dry milk, and sugar. Slowly add yeast & water and mix until a ball is formed. Dough should be soft and hold together. Depending on the weather you may need to add a bit more water or flour.

Pour 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large bowl, put dough in and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap or heavy kitchen towel and set in warm place and let rise until doubled.



Once dough is doubled, punch down and shape into a ball. Knead it a few times and then divide it into 8 pieces. On a lightly floured board, roll each piece out into about a 6-7 inch circle.

Fillings - fill with anything "italian". I used sweet italian sausage links that I sliced into pieces and browned while I was waiting for the dough to rise, pepperoni, chopped onions & green peppers, sliced mushrooms, and mozzarella cheese. I used maybe 1/2-3/4 c. filling for each
calzone, keeping the filling just off center on one side of the calzone. Then gently lift the side of the dough that has no filling on it and stretch it over the filling so you have a half-circle shape. Take a fork and push the back of the tines into the dough to "seal the edges. Then poke the fork gently in the top of each calzone about 4-5 times to let the steam escape when cooking. Place on a baking sheet you've lightly sprayed with Pam. Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes. About half way through the cooking time, I beat one egg and added 1 Tbsp. of water. I brushed this on the top and edges of each calzone to help it brown and be a little shiny.


I served my sauce on top of the calzones.
1 14 oz. jar of pizza sauce
leftover green pepper, onions & mushrooms
1 clove garlic

Saute any leftover green pepper and onions in pan with olive oil. Add chopped garlic and stir until veggies begin to sweat. Add mushrooms and sauce. Simmer over medium low heat until calzones are done.


Buon appetito!

An Early Thanksgiving

This past weekend we got together with some friends to celebrate an early Thanksgiving because one of them is being deployed in the next week and won't be home to celebrate the holidays with his family and friends. This young man was in middle school when I met him. He is now a grown man, married, and has a precious child of his own. He's headed off on his second tour of duty.

On Sunday morning our church had a special Veteran's Day program. My eyes filled with tears as this young man I've watched grow up stood in front of the church along with 45 to 50 men and women who have served, or are serving now, in the U. S. Military. I am so thankful to him, to my Dad, and to all the others who have served or are serving now to allow us the freedoms we enjoy today. Thank goodness there are still those who volunteer to serve!

As I was deciding what to bring to this early Thanksgiving, I automatically thought of what my family always has on Thanksgiving and Christmas - two of my favorite times of the year! Turkey (there's another story here about a deep-fried turkey but I'll save that for another day), dressing (made by my Dad), green beans, corn pudding, sweet potato souffle, cranberry relish, pumpkin pie. As family and friends gather together to share all the blessings we've experienced in the past year, we also share some some really good food. Why do we only make some of these dishes on these two days?

One of the dishes I took Saturday night to the get together was Corn Pudding. Several of the people there said they had never had corn pudding, but it's something my family has had at Thanksgiving and Christmas for as long as I can remember. The Microwave Corn Pudding is actually my favorite, and the one we normally make. Both are good!

As I look forward to celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas at home with family and friends, I remember all the young men and women who will be far away from home on these special days. I pray for their safety and quick return home, and am so thankful for their sacrifice!



Microwave Corn Pudding - Serves 8
(Recipe can be easily doubled or tripled for family get togethers!!)

1 can creamed corn
3 Tbsp. margarine, melted
3 Tbsp. self-rising flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten

Mix ingredients in ungreased casserole. Cover and microwave on high for 12 minutes or until center is firm. Lid can be removed halfway through cooking time if pudding is too soupy.


Baked Corn Pudding - Serves 10

1/3 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. all purpose flour 1/2 tsp. pepper
3 eggs 1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup milk 1 (14.75 ounce) can cream-style corn
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions - In a bowl combine the sugar and flour. Whisk in the eggs, milk, butter, salt and pepper. Stir in the corn and cream-style corn. Pour into a greased 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. (Adapted from Baked Corn Pudding as posted by Peggy West on allrecipes.com)

Tomato Corn Pie with Biscuit Crust

I am a third generation Florida "cracker". You won't find too many of those there today. Most people who live in South Florida now came by way of New York, New Jersey, or somewhere that has at least 5 months of really cold weather. I permanently moved to Georgia on Super Bowl Sunday in 1987. We packed up and left balmy January temperatures in Florida only to arrive to snow on the ground in Georgia!

My hometown used to be a rural area with lots of farms. I grew up eating all kinds of fresh vegetables - squash, tomatoes, green beans, bell peppers, corn! What could be better than a supper of fresh vegetables right out of the garden? My Daddy always had a small garden in our back yard.

My Mom is from Kentucky, and during the summer we would go visit her parents. My Granddaddy truly had a green thumb. He had a garden full of onions, beans, peas, yellow squash, zucchini, corn and tomatoes and lots of beautiful flowers. Grandmother would let my sister and I set up a table in the front yard, make a sign advertising "vegetables for sale", and earn some spending money! Sitting around the supper table listening to my Granddaddy tell us stories was my favorite time of day. And eating squash, tomatoes, green beans, and corn while we listened wasn't bad either.

When I came across this recipe from Dinner with Julie, it reminded me of summers in Kentucky. I added vidalia onions instead of chives.

Tomato-Corn Pie with Biscuit Crust

Crust: 2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup milk

Filling: 1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
6-8 Roma tomatoes
2 cups corn, cut from the cob (about 3 ears)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp. chopped chives or 1/4 cup chopped onion
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Blend flour, baking powder, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a food processor or bowl (I used my Kitchen Aid stand mixer). Add the butter and blend with a fork or pasty cutter (or pulse in the food processor, or mix with mixer) until blended with pieces no bigger than a pea. If you're using a food processor, transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add the milk and stir until you have a soft dough.

Divide the dough in half, with one half just slightly larger than the other) and roll the larger piece on a floured countertop (or between two pieces of waxed or parchment paper) into a 12" round; transfer to a pie plate and gently fit it inside without stretching. Trim off any overhang.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F with the rack in the middle. Whisk together the mayonnaise and lemon juice. Peel tomatoes, then cut in half. With a small spoon or fork, gently remove the seeds and extra juices. Then slice crosswise into 1/4 - 1/2" thick slices. Arrange half of tomatoes in the crust, followed with half the corn, half the basil, chives or onions, salt and pepper to taste, and one cup of the grated cheese. Repeat layers with remaining tomatoes, corn, basil, chives or onions, salt and pepper. Gently spread mayonnaise over the filling and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Roll out remaining piece of dough into a 12" round and fit it over the filling, folding overhang under edge of bottom crust and pinching or crimping the edge of crust to seal. Cut 4 steam vents in top crust, and brush crust with a bit of olive oil or melted butter.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the pie is golden and bubbly. Serve warm, or cool to room temperature. (Do ahead - Pie can be baked 1 day ahead and chilled. Reheat in a 350 degrees F oven until warm, about 30 minutes.)

Pink Apron Girl

Salmon Cakes & Patties

It can be challenging to work all day and then come up with a quick, nutritious and yummy supper night after night! After cooking for my family for 25+ years I sometimes feel like I'm cooking the same thing over and over. So I've been trying some new recipes lately, but also going back to some I've cooked many times.

Here are two recipes for salmon cakes or patties. The first recipe is the way my Mom always made them - easy and quick. The second recipe is a bit more involved, but well worth the effort.

Salmon Patties -

1 lb. can salmon
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup cracker crumbs
1/2 cup canola oil

Open can and drain liquid from salmon. Remove bones and skin from salmon. Flake salmon in small mixing bowl. Beat eggs and stir in milk and salt and pepper. Add to salmon. Mix in seasonings and crumbs. Form into small patties. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Place patties in skillet and brown; turn once and brown on the other side. Place on paper towels to drain the oil. Serves 5-6.

I tried the following recipe tonight. Same result - delicious salmon cakes with a few more flavors added in.

Salmon Cakes (Recipe courtesy Melissa d'Arabian)

Ingredients

• 2 strips bacon, cooked until crispy, crumbled, bacon fat reserved
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 lemon, zested
• 1 (14-ounce) can wild salmon, checked for large bones
• 1 baked or boiled russet potato, peeled, and fluffed with a fork
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat in a small saute pan over low heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Cool the onions for a bit.

Mix the bacon, onion, egg, mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, and lemon zest in a bowl. Add the salmon and potato, mixing gently after each addition. Form the mixture into 12 small patties. In a shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and pepper, to taste. Coat the patties in the bread crumb topping. Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, and cook the salmon cakes in batches until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add more oil, as necessary. Arrange on a serving platter and serve.

So depending on how much time you have . . . and how many of the ingredients you have on hand, try one of these recipes and see if you don't agree with me!

Have fun in the kitchen!!

Pink Apron Girl

Today I reached a milestone in my life. I turned 50! That's a hard thing to say (type)! I haven't quite figured out how to feel about this yet, but one thing I have figured out is 50 isn't as old as I thought it was when I was 25.

Twenty five years ago I had been married for all of 3 years and we were expecting our first child. At that time I wasn't quite sure how a new addition would affect our lives and now I know. It fills your life with laughter and love, joy and pride, fears and doubts, and blessings too many to count. And now that baby who I hadn't seen yet on my 25th birthday is about to be married. Where did those 25 years go? She has grown into a beautiful, talented, smart, witty, caring young woman who cares about her family, friends, and students. She is one of the strongest women I know and I am amazed at her strength.

Twenty years ago when I turned 30, our second daughter had been part of our lives for a little over two months. I now had a four year old who was a "little mom" and helped take care of this little sister - talking and singing to her, keeping her entertained for hours at a time, and forging a very special bond. I was blessed to be able to stay at home with these two precious girls. I now have a very independent "middle" child who has been this way for as long as I can remember. I remember her first day of kindergarten worrying about the short walk to the bus stop. She assured me that I didn't need to walk down the hill with her to catch the bus, she could "go by herself" with her big sister. At the time I was crushed that she didn't need me. But now I am in awe of this independence. She is full of life, and destined to become a wonderful nurse. She has also grown into a beautiful young lady, full of determination and loyal to her beliefs. I am so proud of her.

When I was 32, our family grew again. Little did we know at the time how upside down our world would be turned by this baby boy! Our days of baby dolls, pink bows and ruffled dresses turned into hours filled with blue jeans, mud, tree forts, hunting, anything with big tires, boots and the outdoors! Now that sweet baby boy with wavy brown hair and dark brown eyes has grown into a handsome young high school graduate. All those hours of taking toys apart and "building" things with leftover parts has taught him that he is very mechanically minded and he will start college soon to pursue a career that will put these talents to use. He is very much like his Dad - a huge heart hidden inside a rough exterior. As I am writing this I was just blessed with a precious hug from him and a wish for a happy birthday, and a priceless "I love you, Mom".

So on this day that I haven't decided how to view yet, I do know that I have been blessed these past 50 years. Blessed with loving parents and a very special sister, a great husband, health and happiness, and 3 awesome children. My hope and prayer is that I have been the best daughter, sister, wife and mother I could be for each of them. And I hope they all know how precious they are to me. I'm thankful that they've been with me on this wonderful journey that is life and pray that they will all be with me for many more birthdays to come.