simple Analogy

Quick Meal Monday: Fajitas

[source]

In Texas there isn't anyone who doesn't love fajitas. This is a good standby for a Monday meal because it is reasonably quick to put together.

Martha's Beef Fajitas call for flank steak, which is a fairly cheap cut of meat. I usually buy a tenderized flank steak. The butcher runs it through a machine that "scores" the meat on both sides, and it really does make a difference in the texture of the meat. If I can't find a tenderized flank steak, I buy a regular one and tenderize it myself with a sharp knife. I usually only let the meat sit in the marinade for about 15 minutes because, well, it's Monday and I'm in a hurry to get dinner on the table. Then instead of cooking it in a pan/oven as the recipe says, I throw it on the grill (or rather have my husband throw it on the grill) for even quicker cooking time. Plus it just wouldn't be fajitas if it didn't have that grilled flavor!

While the beef is grilling, cook up the onions and peppers. Then just add the fixins... homemade salsa and guacamole (mash up a large avocado, add a few spoonfuls of salsa, a squeeze of lime, and season to taste with salt), shredded cheese, and sour cream.

Have a quick Monday meal? Link to it in the comments!

***************************************************************

Subscribers: If you're reading the feed, click on over to the site and see my new header!

 

 

My Finger Slipped

So I was editing my butterflies, and look what happened.  My finger slipped on the contrast.  I came out with this. 

Hey, I like it!  Have a wonderful weekend!

Winging It

I am not confident when it comes to scketching.  But when I start painting what I sketched, I find that my sketches arent' as bad as I thought. 

Maybe it's because the paint hides all the imperfections that I know are there.

Maybe it's because my scritch scratch comes to life.

Or maybe it's just that it's hard to mess up a butterfly. 

Anyhow, these little guys are making me happy right now.

On A Wing and A Prayer

Spreading my sketching wings...

Quick Meal Monday: Greek Grilled Chicken with Tomato Cucumber Salad

Greek food is so tasty, and this meal goes together in a snap!  I'm going to mix and match on this one, so let's start out with the chicken first.

[Rachael Ray's Greek Grilled Chicken]

This is my family's absolute favorite marinade for chicken.  As in, we have this chicken several times a month!  I like it because it's quick to put together yet tastes delicious.  Add marinade ingredients to a gallon ziplock bag, toss in chicken tenders or breasts, wait 15 minutes (or make it earlier in the day and let it soak for a few hours), then throw on the grill.  If your grill plans get rained out, like ours did the other night, just pull out the panini grill!  So fast!

Now while the salad and pitas that are included in the recipe are fantastic, sometimes I want something simpler.  In that case I go for this...

[Anna Maria Horner's Tomato Cucumber Salad]

I'm addicted!  Especially on hot summer days!  I always add a little feta, because feta is (to quote Junie B. Jones) the "bestest thing I love".  And let me share a little secret - campari tomatoes are the way to go!  They almost taste home grown.  And yes, go with the English cuke.  It makes a big difference!  Just chop up the veggies while the chicken is on the grill, and enjoy a quick Monday meal!

Got a quick meal for Monday?  Leave a link in the comments!

***Pictures are from the links above.

DIY: Simple Leather Bracelet

Isn't all the leather jewelry that's out there just beautiful?  I especially like it mixed with metal.  In all my jewelry making I've never really worked with leather, but there's always a first time.  You know my affinity for all things Vintaj...  I mixed turquoise colored leather with antiqued brass findings for a perfectly simple leather bracelet.  Here's how.

***Note:  Please forgive my dry, snarly hands.  I know I need lotion, but I can't stand the slimy feel of it.

Supplies:

Four 9" lengths of 1/8" wide deerskin leather lace (Hobby Lobby) or other very soft leather

One 2mm circumference hammered ring

small lobster clasp

2 small jump rings

Two 9mm  crimp ends

beading glue

ruler

beading pliers

Directions:

Start with two of the leather strands.  Find  the middle of both and center the middle over the middle of your hammered ring.

Pull the ends around the back of the ring and through the loop of leather on the front, making sure that the shiny side of the leather (not the suede side) is the side you see.  Pull tight.  Repeat with the other two strands of leather on the other side.

Now center your brass ring, which is almost an inch wide, on your ruler.  Measure from the ring about 2 3/4" and cut all the strands.  This measurement is for a 7 1/2" bracelet.  Adjust your length here if you want a smaller/larger bracelet.

On one end of your bracelet, gather all four ends of the leather into a nice neat stack.

Place your stack shiny side down into the crimp end lining up the ends of the leather with the top of the prongs.

Add a little bit of glue to the sides and top end of the leather/crimp end.

Using needle nose pliers, crimp one end down tightly over the leather.  Then crimp the other end over.  Give it a good squeeze and add a jump ring.

Repeat with the other end attaching the lobster clasp along with the jump ring.

This bracelet is so lightweight you'll hardly even know you have it on.  Looks perfect with jeans and a t-shirt or more dressy attire.  I'm pretty sure this will be my go-to bracelet for the spring/summer!

Quick Meal Monday: Paella-Stuffed Peppers

[source]

Bump dinner up a notch without killing yourself in the kitchen - that's what our Quick Meal Monday series is all about.  This delicious take on stuffed peppers will not disappoint.

One of my favorite sections of the Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine is the Fast Ideas section.  Most of the recipes are quick fixes that only require a few ingredients.  That's where I found the recipe for Paella-Stuffed Peppers.  Perfect for a Monday!

I've made these several times.  The first time I used poblano peppers.  A poblano is a poblano - right?  I thought they were all fairly mild peppers.  Obviously not!  The flavor was so good, but we were dying from the heat of the peppers.  

Last Monday at the grocery store I was on the hunt for MILD peppers.  Turns out that at this time of the year, the only mild pepper I could find was bell pepper.  I'm not usually a fan of the cooked green bell pepper - too bitter and I don't like the mushy consistency.  But in this recipe they worked out perfectly.  They were mild, and since they are cooked for a short time at a high temperature they were crisp-tender and not bitter at all.  I just cut them in half (through the stem), scooped out the seeds, and stuffed with the paella.

Chorizo is also a big factor in this meal.  Make sure you buy a good chorizo!  You don't want one that's soft and mushy; these tend to be less expensive, but more greasy.  Choose a good firm chorizo, and you'll be much happier with it in the long run.

What rice do I use?  HEB Spanish style rice in a bag in the freezer section.  All you have to do is pop it in the microwave for 5 minutes while you're cooking up the chorizo.  Can it get any easier?

Have any quick meals to share?  Leave a link in the comments.

Happy Monday!

Making My Own Antiques

Over a year ago, I found a frame at Hobby Lobby that was horrid - brassy metallic gold with black splattered dots, several gashes in the edges - but was heavily discounted.  I bought it thinking I could paint it and spruce it up, stuck it in the craft closet, and promptly forgot about it.  I came across it again as I was cleaning out the craft part of my closet a few weeks ago.  Alas, I forgot to take the before picture, but it spruced up nicely after a little bit of love.

I spray painted the whole thing with Krylon Ivory and let it dry completely.  Then I tried the new Martha Stewart line of paints at Michaels.  You're supposed to be able to use her paints on any surface:  metal, glass, wood, etc.  I used the antiquing medium mixed with Espresso, painted a coat over the entire thing, then gently wiped off some of the excess.  Fun, fun, fun!  

Here it is on my mantle.  And no, that's not a live orchid.  I learned early on in my marriage that my indoor plants needed to be silk.  The green thumb - she's not so green.

If your wondering, the print is a free download from Dear Lillie that I printed on my favorite watercolor paper. 

Quick Meal Monday: Essence of Stroganoff

Mondays seem to be eaten up with school, grocery shopping, the weekly trip to the library, emails, and usually laundry.  Dinner on Mondays is fast becoming... shall we say lack luster.  Let's get this clear.  I am not above plopping a store bought rotisserie chicken and salad in front of my guys.  Love me a rotisserie chicken!  But when you go down the rotisserie road a little too often, it can get a little stale.  So, I'm on the hunt for quick and yummy meals to make on Mondays.  This will be my Monday theme during the month of February.

First up, let's do pasta!  Love it and so do my guys.  Even better - it's quick to make.  But the men, they must have their meat. 

Emeril's Beef Stroganoff fits the criteria:  quick to make, pasta WITH MEAT, delicious!  And for extra points (and really it's what MAKES this meal), let's throw in a tasty seasoning (included in the recipe) that can be used on more than just this dish! 

Essence.  I make up a batch and keep it in an empty spice jar so that I can sprinkle heap it in other dishes here and there.  I use it to season any and all ground beef.  And for tacos my family actually prefers it to regualr taco seasoning; it's that good.  I've made it with and without the paprika.  Either way it's just as tasty!

So, anyone out there have a quick and yummy meal to share?  I'd love some Quick Meal Monday options!  I thought I'd try out the linky tool.  It's quick and easy to link up below!  Or if you're not quite sure what to do with the new tool, just leave a link to your favorite recipe in the comments.  Thanks in advance!

 

February Kid's Craft Along: Shaving Cream Valentines

{source}

Gong!  Out with cheapo, boring boxed Valentine's cards!  Valentine's day will be ever so much more fun with these interactive cards. 

Supplies:

4 x 5 inch ziplock bags (find at a craft store near the jewelry supplies)

cheap shaving cream (not gel)

food coloring

colored duct tape

whatever thread/string you have on hand

photo frame cards (or for a cheaper version just use card stock)

Q-tips

Approximate cost:  Less than $10 (will make enough for a classroom)

Directions:  Shaving Cream Valentines from Modern Parents Messy Kids

Suggestions:  Don't have photo frame cards on hand and don't want to cut your own?  Follow the directions for preparing the shaving cream bags, then use colorful duct tape to mount each end onto a piece of card stock. 

***Take heed:  The directions say that it's best to make these 12 to 24 hours before you give them away so the shaving cream doesn't go wonky on you!

"Be creative, Valentine!"  Have fun squishing all that shaving cream.  I'd love to see your take on this project!  Upload pictures to the Kid's Craft Along flickr group!