www.visitingteaching.net
The website is so cute and has so many ideas to magnify our calling as sisters in the Gospel!
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Great Visiting Teaching Website!
I just stumbled on a new visting teaching website:
www.visitingteaching.net
The website is so cute and has so many ideas to magnify our calling as sisters in the Gospel!
www.visitingteaching.net
The website is so cute and has so many ideas to magnify our calling as sisters in the Gospel!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Anniversary Picnic in the Park
Tom and I will be celebrating our 2nd wedding anniversary on Monday, the 25th...which also happens to be Memorial Day. We decided on a very low key date that will probably include Briggy swimming in the neighborhood pool (the grand opening is tomorrow and the kiddie pool looks so nice!) We know he'll get a kick out of that. Then we thought just a quite picnic at the park with our little Briggy would be a sweet celebration.
I have been debating on the picnic menu, because I wanted to do something not "memorial dayish" and certainly not too fancy.
I thought an italian twist on the meal would be nice, since Tom and Italian go hand in hand.
Any suggestions for side dishes that would compliment what I have so far?
Let me know!
Muffaletta
1 Round Italian loaf, slightly hollowed out
2/3 c. Olive Tapenade* (see below)
2 c. Shredded Lettuce
4 oz. Sliced Mortadella
4 oz. Sliced Ham
4 oz. Provolone
1 Tomato, coarsley chopped
Directions
Slice loaf in half horizontally, then pull out some of the breading to create a hollowed interior.
Spread half the tapenade over the bottom half.
Layer the lettuce, mortadella, ham, and provolone.
Top with chopped tomato.
Spread the remaining tapenade into the hollowed top half of the bread.
Place the top over the bottom, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30min to 6 hours.
Cut into 6 pieces (like a pizza) and serve.
Makes 6 servings.
(Tapenade recipe)
1 cup pitted kalamata olive
1 cup pine nuts
3 garlic cloves
1-2 cup fresh parsley
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
1/4 cup olive oil
fresh ground black pepper
Optional
1 cup of pitted canned black olives (decreases saltiness)
Directions
Add garlic to food processor, blend until minced. Add remaining ingredients except olive oil. Blend until smooth, adding olive oil slowly while the blade is running.
Adjust ingredients to your liking - Additional pine nuts, parsley or pitted canned black olives will make it less salty and intense in flavor, while additional oil will increase the creaminess. You can also use other fresh herbs such as sage or basil.
Serve at room temperature.
Italian Picnic Salad
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 small red onion, chopped fine
3 scallions, both green and white, chopped fine
1 pint or 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half or quarters
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1 pound orzo, cooked and rinsed in cold water
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Directions:
We eat this almost all summer long in Italy. It's refreshing, light and goes with almost anything. Be sure to toast the pine nuts; I like to place mine in a 350 degree F oven in a rimmed pan for about 5-8 minutes until they turn a light golden brown.
1. In a large bowl, combine the onions, scallions, tomatoes, pine nuts, salt and pepper and the orzo pasta. Toss well.
2. In a small bowl, combine the fresh basil, vinegar, garlic and olive oil and mix well. Add to the orzo mixture and toss thoroughly.
And...not so Italian dessert....
Peanut Butter Brownie Cupcakes!
1 (18 1/2-ounce) package chewy fudge brownie mix (recommended: Duncan Hines)
1 (12-ounce) package peanut butter chips or 24 miniature peanut butter cups
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 regular muffin cups with paper cupcake liners.
Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions for cake-like brownies. Fill the cups half full with brownie batter. Place about 1 tablespoon peanut butter chips in the center of the batter, or press 1 peanut butter cup into the batter in each muffin cup until the batter meets the top edge of the peanut butter cup.
I have been debating on the picnic menu, because I wanted to do something not "memorial dayish" and certainly not too fancy.
I thought an italian twist on the meal would be nice, since Tom and Italian go hand in hand.
Any suggestions for side dishes that would compliment what I have so far?
Let me know!
Muffaletta
1 Round Italian loaf, slightly hollowed out
2/3 c. Olive Tapenade* (see below)
2 c. Shredded Lettuce
4 oz. Sliced Mortadella
4 oz. Sliced Ham
4 oz. Provolone
1 Tomato, coarsley chopped
Directions
Slice loaf in half horizontally, then pull out some of the breading to create a hollowed interior.
Spread half the tapenade over the bottom half.
Layer the lettuce, mortadella, ham, and provolone.
Top with chopped tomato.
Spread the remaining tapenade into the hollowed top half of the bread.
Place the top over the bottom, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30min to 6 hours.
Cut into 6 pieces (like a pizza) and serve.
Makes 6 servings.
(Tapenade recipe)
1 cup pitted kalamata olive
1 cup pine nuts
3 garlic cloves
1-2 cup fresh parsley
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
1/4 cup olive oil
fresh ground black pepper
Optional
1 cup of pitted canned black olives (decreases saltiness)
Directions
Add garlic to food processor, blend until minced. Add remaining ingredients except olive oil. Blend until smooth, adding olive oil slowly while the blade is running.
Adjust ingredients to your liking - Additional pine nuts, parsley or pitted canned black olives will make it less salty and intense in flavor, while additional oil will increase the creaminess. You can also use other fresh herbs such as sage or basil.
Serve at room temperature.
Italian Picnic Salad
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 small red onion, chopped fine
3 scallions, both green and white, chopped fine
1 pint or 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half or quarters
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1 pound orzo, cooked and rinsed in cold water
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Directions:
We eat this almost all summer long in Italy. It's refreshing, light and goes with almost anything. Be sure to toast the pine nuts; I like to place mine in a 350 degree F oven in a rimmed pan for about 5-8 minutes until they turn a light golden brown.
1. In a large bowl, combine the onions, scallions, tomatoes, pine nuts, salt and pepper and the orzo pasta. Toss well.
2. In a small bowl, combine the fresh basil, vinegar, garlic and olive oil and mix well. Add to the orzo mixture and toss thoroughly.
And...not so Italian dessert....
Peanut Butter Brownie Cupcakes!
1 (18 1/2-ounce) package chewy fudge brownie mix (recommended: Duncan Hines)
1 (12-ounce) package peanut butter chips or 24 miniature peanut butter cups
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 regular muffin cups with paper cupcake liners.
Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions for cake-like brownies. Fill the cups half full with brownie batter. Place about 1 tablespoon peanut butter chips in the center of the batter, or press 1 peanut butter cup into the batter in each muffin cup until the batter meets the top edge of the peanut butter cup.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Briggy and Ollie's playroom....
is ALMOST done. I need to buy bean bags for the reading center and in front of the TV. I wanted those reallllly cute fancy kid cozy chairs that have their names stiched on from PBK or Land of Nod...but those are 100 bucks each! :( Too rich for my blood...so I'll probably end up buying 4 bean bags for walmart for the price of one cute chair....as long as they arent the shiny vinyl kind, they should look cute. I am also waiting to drive up to IKEA to get the red table and chair set...other than that, I am pretty much done...I have a spot for an easel, but I think I'll wait until Briggy is a bit older to put that in.....oh...and I was trying to figure out what the heck I could store books in that WASNT a bookcase (lack of room and they make me nervous with a very climby Briggy) I found these chrome plated magazine racks that hang (I guess theyre meant for the bathroom) Anyway, I want to buy three and spray paint them red and hang them up vertically in the space between the canopy and the window...they'll hold plenty of childrens books and look cute (I can't wait to post pictures!) I want to hang a large bulletin board up for when Briggy actually starts making pictures so I can display them....but I haven't found any reasonably priced boards (I want a pretty big one...like four feet long) if any of you spot one, could you let me know?
Anyway, the main reason I am posting about the playroom today is the toy storage that I found last night at Walmart. I was planning on buying that (really cute) but really expensive toy drawer unit from ikea that I posted awhile back. It was reasonably priced ($300) compared to all the other storage units I had been looking at at other stores....but still a hefty sum. They had on display a "rollback" of these Sterlite "recycling center" drawer units. They only had four left (I kind of wanted six...so I might venture out to the next town to see if they have any more...) But they are cute because they are a bright blue and green, and the boxes are SUPER DEEP and BIG...so they can actually fit REAL toys...not those dinky little bins....they were only $14 for the 2 drawer unit....so $60 compared to the $300 makes mommy and daddy very happy! In the picture below you'll notice I have a cheap white laundry basket on top...I'm going to buy three more and spray paint them the bright cherry red to fit the longer bigger toys that wouldnt fit in the drawers...and give that wall the punch of red that it needs. I'll probably hang up the bright red clock I had in Briggy's old room up there too.
What do you think? maybe not QUITE as cute as the Ikea unit, but pretty good considering...and it will get the job done!
I found these at www.alwaysbrilliant.com for $10.99 a piece. Not to bad...they'll look cute bright red hanging on the yellow wall!
Anyway, the main reason I am posting about the playroom today is the toy storage that I found last night at Walmart. I was planning on buying that (really cute) but really expensive toy drawer unit from ikea that I posted awhile back. It was reasonably priced ($300) compared to all the other storage units I had been looking at at other stores....but still a hefty sum. They had on display a "rollback" of these Sterlite "recycling center" drawer units. They only had four left (I kind of wanted six...so I might venture out to the next town to see if they have any more...) But they are cute because they are a bright blue and green, and the boxes are SUPER DEEP and BIG...so they can actually fit REAL toys...not those dinky little bins....they were only $14 for the 2 drawer unit....so $60 compared to the $300 makes mommy and daddy very happy! In the picture below you'll notice I have a cheap white laundry basket on top...I'm going to buy three more and spray paint them the bright cherry red to fit the longer bigger toys that wouldnt fit in the drawers...and give that wall the punch of red that it needs. I'll probably hang up the bright red clock I had in Briggy's old room up there too.
What do you think? maybe not QUITE as cute as the Ikea unit, but pretty good considering...and it will get the job done!
I found these at www.alwaysbrilliant.com for $10.99 a piece. Not to bad...they'll look cute bright red hanging on the yellow wall!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Vinyl Lettering Party
Last night was my first night out "on the town" without a husband or brigham attached to me. Normally, I prefer to be with them, and have rarely (I think maybe 3 or 4 times) left Brigham with Tom and *once* with a babysitter (while he was sleeping) I know, I'm a freak. I get so worried and the whole time I'm out all I am thinking of is horrible things that could possibly happen to my little guy. (I must also confess that I never even let Tom take Briggy anywhere without me) I know, I really need to loosen up! But actually, last night was the first time I didn't really fret or think too much about what was going on at home while I was out having a good time! Baby steps....
Anyway, I am in the market for some vinyl lettering to fill some space on my walls..so this was the perfect opportunity for me. The hostess was great, the company was fantastic and I even won a 12x12 ceramic tile with a beautiful quote that matches my kitchen wall color! Yippie!
The ladies that sell the vinyl are super sweet and have tons of options..not to mention they will customize anything for you. If you live in the Dallas area...I would definitely check out their blogs (and parties)
Distinctive Designs:
Carrie Folsom and Andrea Petttit
Vinyldistinctivedesigns.blogspot.com
Vinyldistinctivedesigns@gmail.com
Here is the beautiful tile that will really help me spruce up my kitchen!
PS--Gymboree's circle of friends 30% is going on until this sunday! Online code is GYMCIRCLE (purchases will go towards earning you gymbucks!)
PPS-this is my 95th post! I am planning a special giveaway for my 100th....stay tuned for details!!!!
Anyway, I am in the market for some vinyl lettering to fill some space on my walls..so this was the perfect opportunity for me. The hostess was great, the company was fantastic and I even won a 12x12 ceramic tile with a beautiful quote that matches my kitchen wall color! Yippie!
The ladies that sell the vinyl are super sweet and have tons of options..not to mention they will customize anything for you. If you live in the Dallas area...I would definitely check out their blogs (and parties)
Distinctive Designs:
Carrie Folsom and Andrea Petttit
Vinyldistinctivedesigns.blogspot.com
Vinyldistinctivedesigns@gmail.com
Here is the beautiful tile that will really help me spruce up my kitchen!
PS--Gymboree's circle of friends 30% is going on until this sunday! Online code is GYMCIRCLE (purchases will go towards earning you gymbucks!)
PPS-this is my 95th post! I am planning a special giveaway for my 100th....stay tuned for details!!!!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
another coupon....
I am making a framed photo wall for my living room with *lovely* sepia tone versions of some of my favorite pics. I always thought Walmart was cheapest...but walgreens is actually really affordable. (2.99 for an 8x10) I missed the free walgreens 8x10 coupon for mothers day--my computer was NOT cooperating :(
anyway, I typed in walgreens coupon codes just to see if anything might pop up and
AFFSAVE33 saved me 33% of my order...so I ended up only paying $11 dollars for 6 big prints....pretty good.
The coupon expires 5/22/09 and it works if you have a photo order of $15 or more.
Jessie made these cooler for me: (they'll be 8 total...but the 3 that are going to be oliver...have to wait a few months! :)
anyway, I typed in walgreens coupon codes just to see if anything might pop up and
AFFSAVE33 saved me 33% of my order...so I ended up only paying $11 dollars for 6 big prints....pretty good.
The coupon expires 5/22/09 and it works if you have a photo order of $15 or more.
Jessie made these cooler for me: (they'll be 8 total...but the 3 that are going to be oliver...have to wait a few months! :)
Oriental Trading Company Coupon
I recently recieved the "reading corner" canopy for the playroom, and inside the box was a coupon for 10% off any order of $65 or more. There are a ton of crafts and games and learning tools for sale (which are great for bored summer syndrome and sunday school activities...) anyway, I thought Id share!
This offer expires May 31st:
APRBB09
(thats the keycode you would type in when checking out online)
PS--Briggy loves the canopy!! I can't wait to get that room all done!!
This offer expires May 31st:
APRBB09
(thats the keycode you would type in when checking out online)
PS--Briggy loves the canopy!! I can't wait to get that room all done!!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Cherry Rhubarb Crisp
In honor of my new blog background, I dug up a recipe I saved from last summer as a *must make* for a summer barbeque party. I am excited to make this, because Tom has never had rhubarb before! I told him how when I was growing up I would break off the rhubarb stems at my nana's house and she would let me dip them in sugar between swimming breaks....those were the days....
Cherry and Rhubarb Crisp
Fruit Filling
3cups Sweet WA Cherries; washed and pitted
3 cups Rhubarb; washed and chopped
1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
1 Tbl. Cornstarch
2 tsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
Topping
3/4 cup All-purpose Flour
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
1/2 cup Walnuts; coarsely chopped
1/3 cup Butter; melted
1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Lightly butter a 2 quart casserole dish.
3. Place cherries and rhubarb in a medium sized mixing bowl.
4. Combine the sugar and cornstarch and sprinkle over fruit mixture.
5. Add the lemon juice and toss gently. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
6. Sift together the flour, sugars, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the walnuts. Pour in the butter and toss with a fork to form large crumbs.
7. Sprinkle topping over filling.
8. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until crumbs begin to brown and filling juices are bubbling. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Cherry and Rhubarb Crisp
Fruit Filling
3cups Sweet WA Cherries; washed and pitted
3 cups Rhubarb; washed and chopped
1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
1 Tbl. Cornstarch
2 tsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
Topping
3/4 cup All-purpose Flour
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
1/2 cup Walnuts; coarsely chopped
1/3 cup Butter; melted
1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Lightly butter a 2 quart casserole dish.
3. Place cherries and rhubarb in a medium sized mixing bowl.
4. Combine the sugar and cornstarch and sprinkle over fruit mixture.
5. Add the lemon juice and toss gently. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
6. Sift together the flour, sugars, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the walnuts. Pour in the butter and toss with a fork to form large crumbs.
7. Sprinkle topping over filling.
8. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until crumbs begin to brown and filling juices are bubbling. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
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