Thursday, August 9, 2012
A grand idea for Harley-Bree
I am building a doll house for Harley and am doing the bedroom now. I have been trying to think of how to build a doll bed and yesterday I found something truly lovely!! I will document it as I go, but bear with me as I have several irons in the fire. I found a wonderful wooden cigar box. I bought it for 50 cents at a tobacco store yesterday. This should make her feel like Arrietty!
Saturday, March 24, 2012
My 1934 compact
I went antiquing on my way to the grocery and found this wonderful YAY! item. It is a 1934 makeup compact. It has the patent number engraved in it so I could identify the year.
This is the lovely top. I am not sure what the material is but it is a lovely coral red and appears to be carved (but I could be wrong). I am still learning my camera so the picture is not as sharp as I would like
Below is the inside when you first open it. The left has a nice and unmarked mirrored metal surface and the right is where the powder goes. And what is extra special is behind the mirrored metal!
Yes! That is a rouge compartment and it still has the little puff and a bit of 1930's rouge. I have also opened the puff section where the powder goes and you can see the little screen for the powder. It is in wonderful shape but needs a bit of cleaning on the outside. Unfortunately, the pan for the powder is gone so it cannot be refilled.
Isn't it a lovely find, though? And only cost me $3.00 US.
This is the lovely top. I am not sure what the material is but it is a lovely coral red and appears to be carved (but I could be wrong). I am still learning my camera so the picture is not as sharp as I would like
Yes! That is a rouge compartment and it still has the little puff and a bit of 1930's rouge. I have also opened the puff section where the powder goes and you can see the little screen for the powder. It is in wonderful shape but needs a bit of cleaning on the outside. Unfortunately, the pan for the powder is gone so it cannot be refilled.
Isn't it a lovely find, though? And only cost me $3.00 US.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Nan and Sam have a cooking day
Today Sam and I went to my mother's (from this point on referred to as 'Nan') where he is spending the time cooking. No matter how good Mom's food is, grandmothers always are the better chef.
Chocolate Chip Bar Cookies
(they just used the recipe on the back of the Toll House bag.)
2 1/4 cups all -purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packaged brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12 oz.) Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Grease 15x10 inch jelly-roll pan. Spread dough onto prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack.
Reuben Sandwiches
(no picture, they were eaten too quickly)
Sliced corned beef
Sliced rye bread
Sliced Swiss cheese
Bavarian Sauerkraut (or sweet sauerkraut)
Thousand Island dressing
Butter
Spray the frying pan with baking spray. Build the sandwiches and then brown the sandwiches in the pan until they are golden brown on each side.
Chocolate Chip Bar Cookies
(they just used the recipe on the back of the Toll House bag.)
2 1/4 cups all -purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packaged brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12 oz.) Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Grease 15x10 inch jelly-roll pan. Spread dough onto prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack.
Reuben Sandwiches
(no picture, they were eaten too quickly)
Sliced corned beef
Sliced rye bread
Sliced Swiss cheese
Bavarian Sauerkraut (or sweet sauerkraut)
Thousand Island dressing
Butter
Spray the frying pan with baking spray. Build the sandwiches and then brown the sandwiches in the pan until they are golden brown on each side.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Lucky Thirteen by Melanie Jackson
Lucky Thirteen review
One of the things I like about good writers is that they can entertain and teach me something new without me noticing. Not only is Melanie Jackson a wonderful writer, but she also researches her subjects before she writes. In Lucky Thirteen Chloe and Alex travel to Florida for business and attend a horse race. Chloe, being Chloe, almost gets killed rescuing a dog and earns the friendship of one of the racehorse owners. Following this, she and Alex are invited to visit the horse breeding facilities and fall into the intrigue of professional horse racing. Chloe is once again pulled into solving a crime and preventing the financial ruin of her new friend.
Melanie Jackson has always been one of my favorite writers as she always knows her subject and presents it in a clear, tight story. I have become very fond of her Chloe Boston cozies and find that they fit my new reading lifestyle. They are short, interesting and I am never able to figure out the ending before Chloe. This is definitely a YAY in my book.
Available from Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com as well as http://www.melaniejackson.com
One of the things I like about good writers is that they can entertain and teach me something new without me noticing. Not only is Melanie Jackson a wonderful writer, but she also researches her subjects before she writes. In Lucky Thirteen Chloe and Alex travel to Florida for business and attend a horse race. Chloe, being Chloe, almost gets killed rescuing a dog and earns the friendship of one of the racehorse owners. Following this, she and Alex are invited to visit the horse breeding facilities and fall into the intrigue of professional horse racing. Chloe is once again pulled into solving a crime and preventing the financial ruin of her new friend.
Melanie Jackson has always been one of my favorite writers as she always knows her subject and presents it in a clear, tight story. I have become very fond of her Chloe Boston cozies and find that they fit my new reading lifestyle. They are short, interesting and I am never able to figure out the ending before Chloe. This is definitely a YAY in my book.
Available from Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com as well as http://www.melaniejackson.com
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Comments and suggestions please!!!
I love comments and suggestions. Send me a recipe and I will make it, feed it to my sons and let you know how they rate it.
Monday, February 13, 2012
New clothes for the Harley Blog
But what is up with fashion dolls and the commando look with dresses? searching for Barbie/FR/Liv panties
Friday, February 10, 2012
FRIDAY IS CHILI DAY!
Picture coming soon! Start soaking the red kidney beans!
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef or turkey (or chicken or goat or road kill....wait...not the last one) Just make sure it is lean
1 diced green and 1 diced red sweet peppers
1/2 lb dried red kidney beans, sorted, rinsed and soaked for 36 hours
1 diced onion
2 cans diced tomatoes (low sodium please! Salt should be your taste, not some factory's)
2-3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin (or don't add it at all, I personally hate the stuff)
cayenne powder to taste, try 1 teaspoon at a time
1-2 teaspoons cocoa powder (yes, the stuff you use to make fudge, trust me on this)
Drain the beans, pour them into a BIG pot, add the beans and tomatoes, do not drain the tomatoes, and then add 1 can of water. Simmer to cook the beans (I hope that I do not have to remind people to OPEN the cans and just use the contents!)
While the beans and tomatoes are cooking, brown the ground meat and diced onions until they are done. Drain and then add all the spices but the cayenne pepper. Brown a bit more so that the spices and cocoa are infused into the meat. Add to the pot along with the diced sweet peppers. Stir.....taste....add the cayenne pepper, salt, pepper and maybe even more chili powder to taste. Me? I use 4 tablespoons chili and 2 tablespoons cayenne...and then add the hot sauce at the table.
Teen boy scale? This is a 10...especially if you let them dress up their own portions with shredded cheese, hot sauce, and even more cayenne and chili.
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef or turkey (or chicken or goat or road kill....wait...not the last one) Just make sure it is lean
1 diced green and 1 diced red sweet peppers
1/2 lb dried red kidney beans, sorted, rinsed and soaked for 36 hours
1 diced onion
2 cans diced tomatoes (low sodium please! Salt should be your taste, not some factory's)
2-3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin (or don't add it at all, I personally hate the stuff)
cayenne powder to taste, try 1 teaspoon at a time
1-2 teaspoons cocoa powder (yes, the stuff you use to make fudge, trust me on this)
Drain the beans, pour them into a BIG pot, add the beans and tomatoes, do not drain the tomatoes, and then add 1 can of water. Simmer to cook the beans (I hope that I do not have to remind people to OPEN the cans and just use the contents!)
While the beans and tomatoes are cooking, brown the ground meat and diced onions until they are done. Drain and then add all the spices but the cayenne pepper. Brown a bit more so that the spices and cocoa are infused into the meat. Add to the pot along with the diced sweet peppers. Stir.....taste....add the cayenne pepper, salt, pepper and maybe even more chili powder to taste. Me? I use 4 tablespoons chili and 2 tablespoons cayenne...and then add the hot sauce at the table.
Teen boy scale? This is a 10...especially if you let them dress up their own portions with shredded cheese, hot sauce, and even more cayenne and chili.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Recipe for Hamburger Soup!
This was a 10! Recipe to follow and maybe a better picture. Both boys ate it and loved it.
1 lb ground meat (I used lean beef)
2 diced onions
2 cans diced tomatoes (low sodium)
2 cups dried beans (I used red kidney and soaked till soft)
1 chopped green pepper
1 can beef broth
brown meat and onions (use olive oil if too lean)
drain and add to pot Add all ingredients and 2 cans of water. I also added some funky noodles I had just a few tablespoons of and about the same amount of millet. simmer until done. If you want to reheat in the microwave, a fun thing to do is put a slice of cheese or crumbled cheese on top and toast it in an oven-safe one serving bowl. Cheeseburger soup!
1 lb ground meat (I used lean beef)
2 diced onions
2 cans diced tomatoes (low sodium)
2 cups dried beans (I used red kidney and soaked till soft)
1 chopped green pepper
1 can beef broth
brown meat and onions (use olive oil if too lean)
drain and add to pot Add all ingredients and 2 cans of water. I also added some funky noodles I had just a few tablespoons of and about the same amount of millet. simmer until done. If you want to reheat in the microwave, a fun thing to do is put a slice of cheese or crumbled cheese on top and toast it in an oven-safe one serving bowl. Cheeseburger soup!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Remy again
Monday, January 23, 2012
split pea soup
This rocks! really...not kidding....teen boys ate it and didn't complain it looked like baby sh...um......well, we won't say.
rinse the peas, fry the onions in olive oil and salt in the bottom of a big pot.....add the broth and the peas when the onions are translucient (or carmalized if you are really good), bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes....take out half and throw it into a blender then add it back to the pot...yummm.....decorate with the paprika and olive oil (I skipped the last two)....imagine it now with tiny chunks of carrots or sweet potatoes...yum!!!!
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
2 cups dried split green peas, picked over and rinsed
5 cups water (I used a box of low-sodium, non-fat chicken broth and then one cup of water)
a few pinches of smoked paprika
more olive oil to drizzle
rinse the peas, fry the onions in olive oil and salt in the bottom of a big pot.....add the broth and the peas when the onions are translucient (or carmalized if you are really good), bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes....take out half and throw it into a blender then add it back to the pot...yummm.....decorate with the paprika and olive oil (I skipped the last two)....imagine it now with tiny chunks of carrots or sweet potatoes...yum!!!!
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