Watermelon Cooler

I made an adaptation of Martha Stewart's Watermelon Cucumber Cooler.  I just call it a "Watermelon Cooler" since I was out of cucumbers and wasn't able to use them.

Hubby and I enjoyed them after dinner last night.  He said it was light and fresh.

I am a huge fan of cucumbers so I can't wait to try it again with the cucumbers.

Ingredients

            5 cups cubed seedless watermelon (about 1 & 1/2 pounds)

            1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)

            2 tablespoons honey

            2/3 cup vodka

            Ice

            Lime slices, for garnish

Directions

Set a large fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl or pitcher. In a food processor or blender, puree watermelon. Pour watermelon puree through sieve, pressing on solids with a rubber spatula (you should have about 2 cups juice).

In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together lime juice and honey. Add to watermelon and vodka. Adjust sweetness with more honey if desired. To serve, fill four glasses with ice and top each with cocktail. Garnish with lime slices.

Chicken Lo Mein

I love Chinese food but I'm not a huge fan of Chinese takeout so I decided to try a recipe for Chicken Lo Mein that I found on the Family Fun website.  


In order to cook dinner while my 3 year old is running around, helping my 10 year old with homework and hubby is at work, I needed my 'Mommy Juice' :-)

Mommy Juice :-)

I don't have a wok that works with an electric stove so I used a large skillet and it worked out fine.

Stir frying vegetables

My kids are not fans of mushrooms so to prevent a dinner revolt, I didn't use them.

For those of you like me that enjoy Chinese food, this one is definitely a keeper.  I hope you enjoy as much as we did.

Renee

Ingredients

•                1/2 pound angel hair pasta

•                3 tablespoons hoisin sauce

•                1/4 cup chicken broth

•                2 tablespoons soy sauce

•                2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

•                1 teaspoon cornstarch

•                2 tablespoons vegetable oil

•                1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

•                1 medium onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

•                4 to 5 shiitake mushroom caps, thinly sliced

•                1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots

•                1 cup broccoli florets

•                1 cup sugar snap pea pods, halved

•                1 (15-ounce) can Chinese baby corn, drained and cut in thirds

•                1 to 1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-size strips

Instructions

1.             Cook the noodles according to the package directions until just tender. Drain out the water. Rinse the noodles with cold water, drain them well, and then set them aside.

2.             In a small bowl, mix the hoisin sauce, chicken broth, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Then set the sauce aside.

3.             Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large wok or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the ginger for 30 seconds. Then add the onion and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and carrots and stir-fry 2 minutes more. Finally, add the broccoli, pea pods, and corn. Stir-fry the vegetables for 2 more minutes, then transfer them to a plate.

4.             Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the pan. Add half of the chicken and stir-fry it until it's no longer pink, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer it to another plate. Stir-fry the remaining chicken, then return the first batch to the pan. Add the cooked noodles, vegetables, and sauce. Turn the heat down to medium.

Using two spatulas or wooden spoons, lightly toss the mixture until heated through, about 3 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.

Outdoor Sectional

When we moved into our new home this summer, one of the very first things we wanted was patio furniture.  We have a great backyard and were really looking forward to sitting outside and enjoying it.

Unfortunately, for me I fell in love with a beautiful and very expensive outdoor sectional at Crate & Barrel.  After the heartbreaking reality set in that we couldn't afford the sectional I wanted, I started searching for one we could afford.  Little did I realize that all the sectionals I liked were either too expensive or were poorly made.  Luckily, as I searched the web I ran across a great site, Ana-White.com.  This site is a DIY fanatics dream.  There are hundreds of free plans for all types of furniture.
Did you find a sectional you ask??? Why yes, I most certainly did :-)  There were plans for this great Simple Modern Outdoor Sectional.

Simple Modern Outdoor Sectional - Ana-White.com

I enlisted the help of my hubby, since I am a little apprehensive about using a circular saw.  He did all of the wood cuts to ensure I didn't cut off a finger.  I counter-sinked all of the holes and we both put in the screws.

After all the benches were put together it was time to putty and sand all of the holes.  Patience is definitely a virtue I am lacking.   So for me, waiting for the putty to dry and sanding was probably the most time consuming part of the entire build.

We didn't attach the benches to each other so we could move them around as needed.

Once all the putty and sanding were done, I put a stain on the sectional to protect the wood from the elements.  I used Cabot Australian Timber oil in honey teak that I purchased from Lowe's.

I love bright colors so I was hoping to find cushions that were either orange (my favorite color) or red.  I was able to find the perfect cushions online at Wal-Mart.

Building this sectional was so much better than purchasing one.  First it was a heck of a lot cheaper.  The wood and supplies totaled about $250.  The cushions were the most expensive.  I spent around $500 for all 15 pillows (I purchased the red accent pillow from Garden Ridge).

Second it was so gratifying to make this on our own.  Now I have a list of things from Ana White's website that I am going to build.  I do plan to take a class at Home Depot or Lowe's to help me learn how to use the power tools.
It took us about 1 week to finish the project.  We could have completed it in one day if we were able to, but kids and life got in the way.

We also built a small table to go with the sectional, but I have been too lazy to finish the putty and stain it :-(

The patio also needs a little work, I want to refinish the concrete so it will look better.  I will share that project with you also.

Triple Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake

My 10 year old and I are chocoholics, but my husband prefers pastry type of desserts.  Since this week we will be celebrating our 13th wedding anniversary I decided to bake something that he may really enjoy.  I have become truly addicted to Pinterest because of all the great ideas I can find there.  One of my favorite finds is Sweetapolita.  There you can find the most delicious looking desserts.  I decided to make their Triple Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake.


When I found this recipe, I knew it would be perfect for my husband.  It reminded me of a lemon meringue pie with blueberries, two of his favorite things.

Sweetapolita -Triple Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake

The cake was absolutely wonderful.  There several different steps involved in making the cake, but it was well worth it.  This link will take you directly to Sweetapolita's recipe on their blog.  

My cake


I was definitely intimidated by the icing part of this cake (since I am not very good at that part), but I did the best I could.

I am a little embarrassed to put up pictures of my cake because I definitely did not do a great job with the icing.  I put up pictures to show the average baker (like me) that you can still make a delicious cake   even if it isn't the most beautiful :-)

Crayola Art project

I've seen this art project all over the web lately so I decided to make one of my own.  It is really simple and inexpensive.

The only supplies you need are a 64 box of crayons, canvas, hot glue gun and a blow dryer.

Glue all of the crayons to the canvas.  Group all of the like colors together and take out the black and brown color in order to keep the colors bright.

After I glued all the crayons onto the canvas, I let it dry completely before using the blowdryer.

Blow high heat on the crayons until you get the amount of melted crayon wax on the canvas that you like.  I found it better to blow the heat directly on the paper portion of the crayon and not the tip of the crayon in order to keep the wax from blowing in different directions.

Here is the finished product.  I think it really looks nice.  My intention was to hang it in the kids playroom, but it is so bright and colorful I hung it in my kitchen.  Not sure if I will keep it there, but I will leave it there for now because it looks great against the grey kitchen walls.

Soft Salmon Tacos

My husband and I are in need of lots of veggies and healthy meals after all of our fun in New Orleans for Mardi Gras.  As everyone knows the food there is WONDERFUL, but it is definitely not how we eat on a regular basis.   On one of my endless searches of Pinterest I ran across a great salmon recipe on the Trainer Momma blog that I knew I had to try.  
Fortunately for us I had salmon in the freezer (I go to Costco at least once a month and stock up on meat and fish to put in the deep freezer).
I am not normally a huge salmon fan, but this recipe was a huge hit with my entire family. My 10 year old who is the pickiest kid ever even enjoyed it.

It was very easy to prepare.  After you make the black bean salsa and put it in the fridge to chill, then preparing the salmon is a breeze.  If you are like me and looking for quick, tasty and healthy meals to prepare for your family this one is for you.  Especially with summer quickly approaching, I am looking for meals on the lighter side. 

 I made one version with avocados and one without since I am the only person in my house who likes them :-)

Salmon Soft Tacos 

2 Tb extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tb chile powder
1 Tb fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 4-ounce wild salmon fillets, about 1-inch thick,
8 corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix oil, chile powder, lime juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Rub it liberally all over the salmon.  Bake in oven uncovered for 15-20 minutes until salmon is flaky**.

Remove from oven and slice each fillet in half horizontally.  Serve on a corn tortillas with 1/2 cup of Black Bean Salsa.

Makes 8 tacos.  158 calories per taco (no salsa).  231 calories with salsa

The Trainer Momma blog has lots of great recipes and I will definitely go back for more.  

Square Foot Garden

This year one of my New Year resolutions is for my family and I to eat healthier and one way I plan to do this is by growing a vegetable garden.  I’ve decided to follow Mel Bartholomew’s template for a Square Foot Garden (SFG) www.squarefootgardening.com.  He has a very informative book called All New Square Foot Gardening that I am using as a guide to get started.  This is my very first attempt at gardening aside from a few pots of herbs in my kitchen window so I hope all goes well.

The principal behind a square foot garden is that you can grow just about any vegetable, fruit or flower in just one square foot.  Mel states that it is a very practical way for most people, especially those who don’t have a huge yard, to have a garden.  As I did research to start my garden I found that many places sold prefabricated raised gardens that I could have used, but I figured it would be much less expensive and more gratifying to build one myself (with the help of my hubby).  The pre-fab ones ranged from around $40 to upwards of $250.  I ended up spending around $8 for 2 – 8 foot 2″ x 6″ boards (which we cut in half) and a roll of weed fabric.  We already had 3″ screws and power tools.  We predrilled 3 holes in each piece of wood and screwed them together to make a box.  Afterward I stapled the weed fabric to the bottom.

Mel has also come up with the perfect growing medium (soil) to use in the Square Foot Garden; he calls it Mel’s Mix.  It consists of 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 vermiculite, and 1/3 blended compost.  The peat moss and vermiculite basically act like sponges to hold in moisture and the blended compost serve as the nutrients.  After you have combined all three of these ingredients and place them in your garden, you should place them in your raised bed.  With the perfect soil and the weed fabric under the bed, you are supposed to have little to no weeds in your garden.  Once you add the Mel’s Mix to the bed, you should section it off in one-foot section.  I used string instead of the lat boards that Mel recommended and so far it is working out ok.

Most of the vegetables I plan to grow in the garden I am starting from seed, but on one trip to Lowe’s I saw some broccoli and romaine lettuce transplants that I decided to use in a couple of my squares.  I bought the broccoli because it is kind of late in the season for me to start it from seed and I bought the romaine just to have something else already green in the garden.

I have also planted carrots, other types of lettuce, kale (I love to use in my green juices), and spinach from seed.  If you notice there are a few squares that are still empty, those I am saving for my summer crops, tomatoes, and peppers.  I have started those from seed inside my house and they are doing great.  When it gets warm enough and the transplants are large enough, I will plant them in the garden.  I am also going to have my herb garden again.  I have basil, oregano, mint and thyme.  I plan to grow those in pots as it warms up some.

I actually started the garden about 2 weeks ago and the seeds have already started to sprout and the broccoli and lettuce is growing larger.  I am sooo excited!!

I am really enjoying the garden so far.  I will definitely keep you posted on my ups and downs as I experience my gardening adventure.  If anyone has any suggestions or comments, I would be very happy to hear from you.  As I said I am a true novice to gardening and I can use any help I can get.

Renee

Welcome Buddy!!

This is Buddy our new puppy.  He is approximately 6 months old and we rescued him from the pound last week.  In October, we had to put down Gypsy, our dog for 13 years.  She was a wonderful dog and we all miss her very much.  So far, Buddy has been a wonderful addition to our family.

Mardi Gras Time!!

My family has spent the last few days in New Orleans (my home town) celebrating Mardi Gras.  For those of you who have not experienced Mardi Gras I highly recommend you do it at least once in your life.  It is definitely something you will never forget!!!

I've found some great looking Mardi Gras cupcakes that I plan to make next year. Don't they look yummy?

Mardi Gras Cupcakes

I've also found a great solution to some of the leftover Mardi Gras beads that my boys have all over my house.  I will make these Mardi Gras coasters.

Mardi Gras coasters