New Blog!

So our new blog is officially up and Kristin has already shared her first project, so check it out!

http://brilliantlikefireflies.blogspot.ca/

Moving...

Just an update, I won't be posting anything more on this blog as I will be joining my sister on our new blog very soon! I will re-direct you to the new blog as soon as it is up and running.

Stay tuned!

Blue Mason Jar

Yesterday I decided to tackle a project that I've been wanting to do but for some reason I thought it would be harder than it actually was so I kept putting it off. Pinterest provided me with a lot of inspiration and examples for diy-ing my own blue tinted mason jars, but the one I eventually went with was on the Craftberry Bush blog, here:

http://craftberrybush.blogspot.com/2011/03/mason-blue-glass-canning-jar-diy.html

So, since I already had an old mason jar laying around, and some modge-podge (and glue) all I needed to get was some blue food colouring.

While on the example she carefully measured out the amount of modge podge/glue and food colouring, I just eyed it. First I tried to use the method of pouring the modge podge and food colouring mixture into the jar and shaking it to cover all of the inside.

Unfortunately the modge podge seemed to be too thick or something so it didn't drip out easily and too much stuck to the surface. So I washed it out and started again, this time using a the mixture of glue and food colouring to paint on the outside of the jar. It turned out pretty streaky, but since on the directions she said it would dry I let it sit. And what do you know, it did!

I think it turned out pretty well, but since it isn't a permanent way to tint the jar blue maybe next time I'll try another way with special glass paint.

This post was linked on the Pinterest Challenge on Young House Love, check it out here

Individual Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

When I got a set of ramekins for Christmas this was the first recipe I chose to make in them. They're a great alternative from Shepherd's Pie and the fact that they are individual make them a little extra special. I believe it is a recipe from a Kraft magazine that was delivered to my house.

• Ingredients

  1 large sweet potato, cut into 2-inch pieces

• 2 tbsp. herb & garlic cream cheese spread

• 1/2 lb. ground beef

• 1 cup sliced mushrooms

• 1 green onion, chopped

• 2 tbsp. sun-dried tomato & oregano dressing

• 2 tsp. flour

• 1/4 cup water

• 1 cup frozen green beans

• Heat oven to 375 F.

• Microwave pototoes in bowl on high for 4 minutes, or until tender. Mash until smooth. Add cream cheese and mix well.

• Brown meat with mushrooms and onions in dressing, drain. Mix flour and water. Add to meat mixture, cook for 2 mintues. Stir in beans; spoon into 2 (2-cup) ramekins sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with mashed potatoes.

• Bake 15 minutes, or until heated through.

• 
  



I linked this post to Made by you Monday on Skip to My Lou, Mix it up Monday on Flour Me With Love and Tuesday Talent Show on Chef in Training

Alfredo Chicken

Here's a really simple crockpot meal that is beyond delicious in my opinion.

Ingredients

6 chicken breasts

1 jar Alfredo sauce

4 tbsp pesto sauce

Mix all three together in crockpot. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours. Serve over rice.

Enjoy!

Picture Hangin' Time

Quite a while ago I bought some pictures from the etsy shop, Little Brown Pen, the yellow postcard collection. My plan was to buy the same Ikea frames that they showed the photos in on their site and hang them in my living room. But time passed and I never got the opportunity to go Ikea (the nearest one to where I live is about an hour and fifteen minute drive away) until recently.

There are nine photos in the collection but for right now I bought four frames. I decided to hang them above my bookcase which looked like this:

Since I didn't really trust my plaster walls in my apartment and just didn't want to put any more holes in the walls I decided to use Command Strips.

After the fact I realized I probably should have taken the time to carefully measure out where to hang them and use a level but for now I think they look pretty good.

Chalkboard Paint Mugs

Here's another Pinterest project - diy chalkboard paint mugs. I saw this project in a couple of different variations so I tried two myself and one worked out well.

First, the supplies.

I found the mugs at the dollar store, of course $1 each. It made it easier not to worry about making a mistake when they were only a buck.

The chalkboard paint was $10 at Michaels, but I used a 40% off coupon so it came to about $6. The painter's tape and paintbrush I already had.

The first way I tried was just to make a strip of chalkboard paint in the middle of the mug. The second way was to paint the bottom half of the mug with chalkboard paint.

I did two coats on each mug, then immediately pulled the tape off. The strip around the middle of the mug turned out while the other mug didn't, probably because the tape wasn't stuck around it well. So I'm only going to show the one that did.

Then I used the chalk I also got at the dollar store and presto, the chalkboard paint works! I'm guessing that the chalkboard paint isn't dishwasher safe, but as I don't have a dishwasher myself it doesn't really matter to me. I will have to see how it goes when I wash the mug in the sink though.

I linked this post to The Tuesday Talent Show at Chef in Training

Lemon Loaf

Last weekend I had guests over so I decided to step out of my comfort zone and try out a new recipe for a lemon loaf that I had found in the newspaper. It turned out well, and was actually fairly simple.

Lemon Loaf

1/2cup (125 ml) soft butter
1 cup (250 ml) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp. (15 ml) finely grated lemonrind
11/2cups (375 ml) all-purpose flour
11/2tsp. (7 ml) baking powder
1/2tsp. (2 ml) salt
1/2cup (125 ml) milk2 Tbsp. (30 ml) lemon juice
Syrup:
1/3 cup (75 ml) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice

Directions:
Line 8-x 4-inch (1.5 L) loaf pan with parchment paper or grease; set aside. Heat oven to 350F.

In large bowl, beat butter until light and creamy. Beat in sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and lemon rind.In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir a third of these dry ingredients into butter mixture, followed by half of milk, half of remaining dry ingredients, then remaining milk and lemon juice and dry ingredients.
Scrape into prepared pan; smooth top. Tap smartly on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake in centre of oven until a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes. With a skewer, make about 20 holes, evenly spaced and down to bottom of loaf.
To make the syrup, bring sugar and lemon juice to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil for 1 minutes. Drizzle this syrup over cake, aiming frequently at holes. Let cool.

I linked this post to Made by you Monday on Skip to My Lou and Mix it up Monday on Flour Me With Love