Taco Bell last night. No fun recipes for anyone today. We had to something quick and easy b/c it was getting way too late after my step-son's wrestling tournament. Oh well. But.......it's EARTH DAY! And being huge recyclers in my family, this is a great day for us!! So here are a few things you could do today to get you started on your eco-friendly life, along with some things I will be doing.
EARTH DAY TO-DO
----------------------
1. Plant a tree! There are many beautiful decorator trees to choose from if you don't want a crazy maple or oak covering all your sunlight. You'll get tons of birds, and it'll be awesome.
2. Speaking of birds, go out and buy a bird bath. They range from cheap tree-hanging ones to crazy huge stone ones. I have a beautiful concrete one. Just remember to flip it upside down if you live in the freezing north for the winters!! Earth Day isn't just about plants people!
3. Make a birdhouse with your kids. There are fun kits that you can buy at your local hardware store.
4. Buy cute pots at your local Younkers (hehe) to pot some awesome annuals in and display proudly in your yard.
5. Weed out your gardens. Get rid of that harmful junk, lay down some mulch, plant some beautiful yet invasive plants to keep them out. I started weeding today.
6. Speaking of gardens, start a veggie/fruit garden!! They don't have to be your typical farmer's garden. Just plant your veggies/fruit where there is ample sunlight. It can look just as good as a flower garden if you do it right. I have rhubarb circling a walnut tree in the back. As soon as the nights stop dipping below the freezing point, I'm planting these cabbage plants I have hanging out on my counter.
7. Adopt a puppy! Come on, they are part of mother nature too. Give 'em some love!
8. Plant a bush. Who doesn't love a bush in the front of a house??
9. Buy your produce today from a farmer's market (if you live in an area where they are actually open during this time of year)
10. And lastly, go to your hardware store and pick up some nifty recycling bins. That's right, everyone should recycle. It takes only a little bit more time (if you have a nice system set up) and it really does make a difference!
Hope you enjoy your Earth Day! BE GREEN!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Crab Ragoons, Palm Sunday Kids Project
Good supper last night. Chinese night. I made almost everything from a box. Pre-made eggrolls, general tso's chicken, stir fry (put it over white rice), but I DID make the crab ragoons. They taste 1,000 times better than box crap, and they are super-easy to make!
Crab Ragoons
---------------
1. Get out your deepfryer and set that bad-boy to 400 degrees. I'm not a patient person, so the highest setting is my setting. Don't have a deepfryer?? Head to your local Younkers (hehe) and buy our new CoolTouch models. Great for around curious little ones. They also come with a lid that you can HAVE ON while the food is cooking. Good for when the oil starts bubbling.
2. Put out 12 wonton wrappers (or pot sticker wraps) which can be found in the produce aisle at your grocer.
3. Soften 4oz. (usually half a package) of cream cheese. I just zap it in the microwave for 30 sec.
4. Add in 1/4 cup of light mayo. Make sure you use mayo and not miracle whip. Miracle Whip will give it an obnoxious tangy taste.
5. Finely chop 1/4 cup of green onions. Try just to chop the green parts. Toss it in.
6. Put a can of crab meat in it.*** Try to get it to the same size as a tuna can. I once bought crab meat in a double sized can. Fishy.....blah. Anyways, mix all that crap up in your bowl.
7. Put a dab into the centers of each of the wrappers. If you have wonton wrappers, take the four SIDES and squersh them into the center. If you have pot stickers, they are circular, to just pick 4 points opposite each other and squersh to the center. Pinch the centers to seal the opening.
8. Throw some of those babies into the deepfryer facing up, and fry for about 2-3 minutes, or until crispy and browning. Drain and eat!
***not all my family likes seafood, so this recipe is just as good without the crab. I rarely add it
On a different note, it's crappy out. I went to Menards to buy some 1x4 lumber so I can start making my cottage-style shutters. Even if in 5-10 years, they could stand a new staining, I actually think it will add to the charm. Eventually, when I get my house nearly done remodeling inside and out, I want people to believe that they are actually out in the country when they visit my home. With a fence, arbors, trellises, trees, pergolas, etc. I am hoping to almost completely block out the view of my neighbors.
So here's today's To-Do
------------------------
1. Start making cottage-style shutters (how-to's will follow after I'm done)
2. Hang John's Palm Sunday picture. (Awesome project. HOW-TO BELOW)
3. Spray paint the milk canister in a hammered copper finish.
4. Talk to a student advisor at school about my RN program.
5. Go to Will's tournament at 6:30. Bring camcorder to finish my awesome wrestling video for Will.
6. Prime my new picture frames (apparently no one carries white frames anymore) so I can finally mount my modern-style paintings (done by me, of course) in the mudroom. Possibly spray paint them tonight. We'll see.
HOW-TO: Palm Sunday scrapbook picture.
--------------------------------------------
So my kids go to Sunday school every week, and this past Sunday my son brought me two cute paper palm leaves he made in class. So I decided to further the project:
1. Pick out two pieces of green construction paper. Fold each in half the long way. Draw half a palm leaf on one side. (Ya know, ovalish body, stem) Once your child has that cut out (or you can cut it!) cut slats along the edge at a diagonal. When you open up the paper, it should look like a palm leaf.
2. Buy a picture frame that will fit both. I bought a long frame. Not sure of the dimentions right now. Anyways, ya know that picture that they put in the frames? Turn it around, and use the white back side, or find a piece of paper large enough to make a backdrop.
3. Have your kid smear stick-glue all over 1 side of each leaf. Mount those bad-boys in any fashion that your kid chooses.
4. Take out your trusty bible, and find the chapters (Mathew, John, etc. have different versions) about Jesus entering Jerusalem. I picked John 12:13. Which happens to also be my son's name. Make sure you put the chapter and verse and whatnot. John wouldn't be happy if you violated the copyright laws =).
5. Go on MS Word, or an equivalent. Type it up, play with the font, colors, size, etc. and print it up.
6. I have a bucket of scrapbooking scissors. ($10 at Walmart for a starter kit of scissors) Let your kid pick out one. Cut out your verse.
7. Have your kid stick-glue it on a piece of natural-looking scrapbooking paper. Cut that out with you decorative scissors. Glue is somewhere by your leaves.
8. You can embellish it with nature stickers or such. Check Walmart. They have tons. My son chose a cool jungle butterfly with wire antennaes.
9. Put it back in the frame and hang!
Crab Ragoons
---------------
1. Get out your deepfryer and set that bad-boy to 400 degrees. I'm not a patient person, so the highest setting is my setting. Don't have a deepfryer?? Head to your local Younkers (hehe) and buy our new CoolTouch models. Great for around curious little ones. They also come with a lid that you can HAVE ON while the food is cooking. Good for when the oil starts bubbling.
2. Put out 12 wonton wrappers (or pot sticker wraps) which can be found in the produce aisle at your grocer.
3. Soften 4oz. (usually half a package) of cream cheese. I just zap it in the microwave for 30 sec.
4. Add in 1/4 cup of light mayo. Make sure you use mayo and not miracle whip. Miracle Whip will give it an obnoxious tangy taste.
5. Finely chop 1/4 cup of green onions. Try just to chop the green parts. Toss it in.
6. Put a can of crab meat in it.*** Try to get it to the same size as a tuna can. I once bought crab meat in a double sized can. Fishy.....blah. Anyways, mix all that crap up in your bowl.
7. Put a dab into the centers of each of the wrappers. If you have wonton wrappers, take the four SIDES and squersh them into the center. If you have pot stickers, they are circular, to just pick 4 points opposite each other and squersh to the center. Pinch the centers to seal the opening.
8. Throw some of those babies into the deepfryer facing up, and fry for about 2-3 minutes, or until crispy and browning. Drain and eat!
***not all my family likes seafood, so this recipe is just as good without the crab. I rarely add it
On a different note, it's crappy out. I went to Menards to buy some 1x4 lumber so I can start making my cottage-style shutters. Even if in 5-10 years, they could stand a new staining, I actually think it will add to the charm. Eventually, when I get my house nearly done remodeling inside and out, I want people to believe that they are actually out in the country when they visit my home. With a fence, arbors, trellises, trees, pergolas, etc. I am hoping to almost completely block out the view of my neighbors.
So here's today's To-Do
------------------------
1. Start making cottage-style shutters (how-to's will follow after I'm done)
2. Hang John's Palm Sunday picture. (Awesome project. HOW-TO BELOW)
3. Spray paint the milk canister in a hammered copper finish.
4. Talk to a student advisor at school about my RN program.
5. Go to Will's tournament at 6:30. Bring camcorder to finish my awesome wrestling video for Will.
6. Prime my new picture frames (apparently no one carries white frames anymore) so I can finally mount my modern-style paintings (done by me, of course) in the mudroom. Possibly spray paint them tonight. We'll see.
HOW-TO: Palm Sunday scrapbook picture.
--------------------------------------------
So my kids go to Sunday school every week, and this past Sunday my son brought me two cute paper palm leaves he made in class. So I decided to further the project:
1. Pick out two pieces of green construction paper. Fold each in half the long way. Draw half a palm leaf on one side. (Ya know, ovalish body, stem) Once your child has that cut out (or you can cut it!) cut slats along the edge at a diagonal. When you open up the paper, it should look like a palm leaf.
2. Buy a picture frame that will fit both. I bought a long frame. Not sure of the dimentions right now. Anyways, ya know that picture that they put in the frames? Turn it around, and use the white back side, or find a piece of paper large enough to make a backdrop.
3. Have your kid smear stick-glue all over 1 side of each leaf. Mount those bad-boys in any fashion that your kid chooses.
4. Take out your trusty bible, and find the chapters (Mathew, John, etc. have different versions) about Jesus entering Jerusalem. I picked John 12:13. Which happens to also be my son's name. Make sure you put the chapter and verse and whatnot. John wouldn't be happy if you violated the copyright laws =).
5. Go on MS Word, or an equivalent. Type it up, play with the font, colors, size, etc. and print it up.
6. I have a bucket of scrapbooking scissors. ($10 at Walmart for a starter kit of scissors) Let your kid pick out one. Cut out your verse.
7. Have your kid stick-glue it on a piece of natural-looking scrapbooking paper. Cut that out with you decorative scissors. Glue is somewhere by your leaves.
8. You can embellish it with nature stickers or such. Check Walmart. They have tons. My son chose a cool jungle butterfly with wire antennaes.
9. Put it back in the frame and hang!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Tenderloin, Country Couscous, Garlic mashes potatos, Tips from Brittany's kitchen
I make awesome meals, I know that. Even my MIL has commented about how well my culinary skills are, and that's saying a lot! So....why the mini brag-fest?? I am (if I'm not too lazy) going to be posting awesome recipes from meals that I had the day before. I believe it will give my boring complain blog a little zip!
And of course I will still have my random thoughts, to-do lists, and general crap.
Tenderloin
------------
1.Pick out good cuts of meat. Nobody likes gnawing on fat.
2. I like to tenderize the crap outta my meats, especially for the little ones. Take a fork and jab 1,000 holes into the meat. It will help the seasonings sink in later. Take out you're trusty meat tenderizer and beat the living crap out of it with the jagged side. By the time you are done (make sure you flip and do the other side!) it should almost double it's size. If you have an old wooden tenderizer, burn it up in your fire pit and go to your local Younkers (hehe) and buy a nice metal one. Mine's not dishwasher safe, but wood ones hold all the VERY harmful bacteria inside your uncooked meats. Don't be a douche by getting your loved ones sick, k?
3. Pick out a nice steak rub. Most grocers carry them now. I chose not to drown mine by marinating it b/c I wanted more of the steak's natural flavor to show through. So just sprinkle a bit of rub on it, and well..rub! Flip and repeat.
4. Slap that baby on your grill and slow-cook it until it gets to your perfect "done". Can't tell when it's done??? Head to your local Younkers (hehe) and buy one of the new digital grilling forks. Preset rare-well done, poke it in, and it will tell you where your meat is!
Country Couscous
-------------------
1. There are premade couscous, but what fun is that?? Go out and buy an "original" package of couscous.
2. Dump in a bag of vegetable medley. I thaw mine first so that when you dump it in the water, it has more time to soak up the juices of the water. I like the brocolli, cauliflowerl, and carrot medley.
3. Put in a couple chicken bouillon cubes to taste **. I stick in 4, but whatever.
4. Make sure you add more water than what the box of couscous says! Or you will be peeling burnt couscous off your pot! More bulk=more water!
5. Keep an eye on it, stirring, until the water is pretty much gone.
**Instead of adding water (like the box says) you can add chicken broth in a box/can. Does the same thing, but water and bouillon cubes are cheaper.
Garlic Mashed Potatos
---------------------
You can go the easy way and buy the pre-made box stuff, go the hard way and boil/mash potatos, or do an in-between. That's what I did. I didn't want to make a feast yesterday =).
1. Grab a box/bag of instant mashed potatos. Add the water/milk/butter in the amounts that it says
2. Dump a bunch of garlic powder (I just eyeball it) and parsely flakes in.
3. Once you got that sucker boiling, add your potato flakes, stir, and serve!
You CAN mince up some garlic. But if you don't have a processor (head to your local Younkers and buy the super-easy super-compact Cuisinart model, hehe) or don't feel like dirtying up any more dishes, garlic powder does just fine. Plus, no one likes to crunch on a not-well-processed chunk of garlic. Least of all vampires. (I'm funny and you know it....)
*****TIPS FROM BRITTANY'S KITCHEN*****
What kind of cutting board do YOU have??
Wood---toss it. It holds sooo much harmful bacteria. If you care about your family's health, toss it. "I don't cut meat on it." you say?? Veggies/fruit hold insane amounts of chemicals, and cheese also has bacteria. Just toss it already.
Tempered glass---woohoo. you care about your families health. good for you. Now do you care about your blades?? How can you make chef-quality meals with dull blades?? I've never seen a product chip so many knife blades. We have people trying to return QUALITY knives because of these stupid boards. Ummmm....ma'am, you just voided your warranty on these. Take it up with the company. Seriously, some companies will void your knife warranties. "Oh, but they are such pretty designs under them and they compliment my kitchen" Shut up and toss them.
Plastic/polyurethane---Still dulls knives faster than wood, but not a poor choice. Design wise, they are ugly. Don't toss it. Keep it up for a backup board, incase your good one's in the wash.
Flexible plastic---You're basically cutting on a placemat. Whoever invented this should be shot. After a while of use, you'll cut right through the thin plastic and scratch up your beautful coutertop. Don't toss it. Use it as a placemat.
SO WHAT DO I BUY??? Bamboo---Brittany's Top Pick. And since I deal with kitchen crap all the time at my job, take my advice. If you don't have one, buy one. 1. Bamboo grows faster than other woods, so it's very eco-friendly (a big plus in my house). 2. It's more dense than wood, so it doesn't hold in all that harmful bacteria. 3. It's just like wood where it won't dull your knives as fast. 4. It's very pleasing to the eye. 5. If you don't like the scratches that it will get (just like wood), pull out your sander and go to town.
And of course I will still have my random thoughts, to-do lists, and general crap.
Tenderloin
------------
1.Pick out good cuts of meat. Nobody likes gnawing on fat.
2. I like to tenderize the crap outta my meats, especially for the little ones. Take a fork and jab 1,000 holes into the meat. It will help the seasonings sink in later. Take out you're trusty meat tenderizer and beat the living crap out of it with the jagged side. By the time you are done (make sure you flip and do the other side!) it should almost double it's size. If you have an old wooden tenderizer, burn it up in your fire pit and go to your local Younkers (hehe) and buy a nice metal one. Mine's not dishwasher safe, but wood ones hold all the VERY harmful bacteria inside your uncooked meats. Don't be a douche by getting your loved ones sick, k?
3. Pick out a nice steak rub. Most grocers carry them now. I chose not to drown mine by marinating it b/c I wanted more of the steak's natural flavor to show through. So just sprinkle a bit of rub on it, and well..rub! Flip and repeat.
4. Slap that baby on your grill and slow-cook it until it gets to your perfect "done". Can't tell when it's done??? Head to your local Younkers (hehe) and buy one of the new digital grilling forks. Preset rare-well done, poke it in, and it will tell you where your meat is!
Country Couscous
-------------------
1. There are premade couscous, but what fun is that?? Go out and buy an "original" package of couscous.
2. Dump in a bag of vegetable medley. I thaw mine first so that when you dump it in the water, it has more time to soak up the juices of the water. I like the brocolli, cauliflowerl, and carrot medley.
3. Put in a couple chicken bouillon cubes to taste **. I stick in 4, but whatever.
4. Make sure you add more water than what the box of couscous says! Or you will be peeling burnt couscous off your pot! More bulk=more water!
5. Keep an eye on it, stirring, until the water is pretty much gone.
**Instead of adding water (like the box says) you can add chicken broth in a box/can. Does the same thing, but water and bouillon cubes are cheaper.
Garlic Mashed Potatos
---------------------
You can go the easy way and buy the pre-made box stuff, go the hard way and boil/mash potatos, or do an in-between. That's what I did. I didn't want to make a feast yesterday =).
1. Grab a box/bag of instant mashed potatos. Add the water/milk/butter in the amounts that it says
2. Dump a bunch of garlic powder (I just eyeball it) and parsely flakes in.
3. Once you got that sucker boiling, add your potato flakes, stir, and serve!
You CAN mince up some garlic. But if you don't have a processor (head to your local Younkers and buy the super-easy super-compact Cuisinart model, hehe) or don't feel like dirtying up any more dishes, garlic powder does just fine. Plus, no one likes to crunch on a not-well-processed chunk of garlic. Least of all vampires. (I'm funny and you know it....)
*****TIPS FROM BRITTANY'S KITCHEN*****
What kind of cutting board do YOU have??
Wood---toss it. It holds sooo much harmful bacteria. If you care about your family's health, toss it. "I don't cut meat on it." you say?? Veggies/fruit hold insane amounts of chemicals, and cheese also has bacteria. Just toss it already.
Tempered glass---woohoo. you care about your families health. good for you. Now do you care about your blades?? How can you make chef-quality meals with dull blades?? I've never seen a product chip so many knife blades. We have people trying to return QUALITY knives because of these stupid boards. Ummmm....ma'am, you just voided your warranty on these. Take it up with the company. Seriously, some companies will void your knife warranties. "Oh, but they are such pretty designs under them and they compliment my kitchen" Shut up and toss them.
Plastic/polyurethane---Still dulls knives faster than wood, but not a poor choice. Design wise, they are ugly. Don't toss it. Keep it up for a backup board, incase your good one's in the wash.
Flexible plastic---You're basically cutting on a placemat. Whoever invented this should be shot. After a while of use, you'll cut right through the thin plastic and scratch up your beautful coutertop. Don't toss it. Use it as a placemat.
SO WHAT DO I BUY??? Bamboo---Brittany's Top Pick. And since I deal with kitchen crap all the time at my job, take my advice. If you don't have one, buy one. 1. Bamboo grows faster than other woods, so it's very eco-friendly (a big plus in my house). 2. It's more dense than wood, so it doesn't hold in all that harmful bacteria. 3. It's just like wood where it won't dull your knives as fast. 4. It's very pleasing to the eye. 5. If you don't like the scratches that it will get (just like wood), pull out your sander and go to town.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Golfing Date
Today's high-67 degrees
Tomorrow's high- 44 degrees
So I'm going to enjoy the day.
As I type, I'm on the front porch on my new bistro set with my trusty dog sitting by my side, sipping a piping hot cup of chai tea. Don't even need a sweater on. Does life get much better than this?? Soooo peaceful.
And in a bit we will be dropping the kids off at grandma's house and my husband and I will be heading to the golfing range, or playing 9 holes. Switching it up a little. Keeping it fresh.
Tomorrow's high- 44 degrees
So I'm going to enjoy the day.
As I type, I'm on the front porch on my new bistro set with my trusty dog sitting by my side, sipping a piping hot cup of chai tea. Don't even need a sweater on. Does life get much better than this?? Soooo peaceful.
And in a bit we will be dropping the kids off at grandma's house and my husband and I will be heading to the golfing range, or playing 9 holes. Switching it up a little. Keeping it fresh.
UPDATE!!! PICS FROM OUR AWESOME DAY TOGETHER----
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Potty Mouth
So though I plastered it all over facebook, I will be once more repeating a quote that my son made at the doctor's office. My shining moment--------
"I GOT A SHOT FOUR FUCKING TIMES!!!" right in front of the nurse. Yep, I'm proud, lol.
My dirty mouth son---
"I GOT A SHOT FOUR FUCKING TIMES!!!" right in front of the nurse. Yep, I'm proud, lol.
My dirty mouth son---
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
