Crochet Giveaway

Hey everyone! My friend, Nancy, is celebrating her first "blogiversary"! To commemorate the event, she is giving away some of her own crochet work. If you'd like to participate, just click on the link below and comment on her blog.
http://www.facebook.com/l/27b58OpS7m9Z7jNjBkQIOzyzpXg/stitch-witchery.blogspot.com/2011/02/can-you-dig-it.html

By the way, I forgot to mention that when you first click on the link above, it will take you to a "Please be careful" type of page. It is perfectly safe to continue on to the site, I promise!
Good luck!
Sherry

Spice Storage

I enjoy cooking with spices. However, what I didn't enjoy was searching for them in the cabinet above the stove, where they were previously stored.  Whenever I was looking for a particular spice, I had to stand on a chair and pull out the spice containers in front, in order to view the ones in the back of the cabinet.  After living with this situation for quite some time, I decided some reorganization was in order.

I figured t it would be more functional to store the spices so they are within easy reach.  I found these chrome spice racks listed on eBay.  The auction included five of them for $4.99.  I thought they would be perfect to mount on the wall over the stove.   

 
Next, it was time to select storage jars for the spices. I thought something with a commercial look would be great with the chrome wall racks I found on eBay.  After looking around online, I found these oval clamp spice jars on crateandbarrel.com.   They were exactly what I was looking for and at $15.95 a dozen, the price was right.  I ordered two dozen of them.

Of course, the spice jars needed to be labeled.  I ordered a set of 96 clear spice labels on amazon.com for $3.95. 


I also found these cool commercial  grade measuring spoons on eBay for $4.99.  In addition to their function, I thought they'd look great hanging from the spice rack.

 

My husband mounted 4 of the chrome shelves on the wall above the stove and fastened the fifth shelf to the bottom of the cabinet on the left side.  

Once the shelves were mounted, I began the task of filling the jars with the spices I use  most frequently.  Once they were filled, I added the clear labels to the front of them. 

I am very happy with my new spice racks!  Not only do they add a sleek look to the kitchen, they make cooking a joy because the spices are within easy reach.  Best of all, installing them was a frugal project!

Thanks for stopping by.

Frugal Fashionista Finds

You don't have to spend a fortune to pull together a great outfit.  Next time you're out shopping, hit the clearance racks first. Whenever I shop, my eyes  immediately gravitate toward the clearance racks, because I know I can usually find a good bargain there.  A recent shopping trip to Kohl's was no exception.  I was looking for a casual top to wear with jeans.  I found this great tunic from Apt. 9.  The original price on the tag was $44.00.  However, it had been marked down to $13.70, and with a 15% off coupon, it was a real bargain for under $12.00. 

Not far away was a rack of sale-priced, Sonoma jewelry, where I found this great shell necklace and earring set for $6.99.  After applying the 15% off coupon, I paid under $6.00 for them.  The pretty burnt orange shells coordinate perfectly with the colors in the tunic. 

I plan to pair my frugal finds with items I already own. I think they'll look great with my  cropped pumpkin blazer, bootcut jeans and dark brown leather ankle boots.  With a few items from my closet and about $18.00, I've got a great casual outfit to wear out this weekend.

Thanks for stopping by!

Mediterranean Veggie Wrap

 

These are my favorite sandwiches to eat at lunchtime.  They are easy to make, healthy, and delicious!

Healthy Tip:  Skip the chips; substitute with raw zucchini slices.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 slice Joseph's flax, oat bran & whole wheat square lavash bread
• 1 teaspoon sundried tomato and basil hummus
• 1/2 cup Mediterranean salad mix
• 1/3 roasted red pepper, sliced
• 1 tbsp. sliced olives
• 2 tbsp. crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

Evenly spread the hummus on the flatbread.  Sprinkle the salad mix evenly on top of the hummus.  Arrange the remaining ingredients on top of the salad mix.  Roll the sandwich up like a jellyroll.  Slice in half and serve.

Enjoy!

Linking up with

God's Wonderful Creation

I felt blessed to spend yesterday afternoon with this sweet, little bundle of joy named Max!  As I was cradling him in my arms, I was in awe of just how perfect he is.  That perfectly round head, those sweet cheeks, beautiful eyes, pouty lips, those cute little fingers and toes...It made me think of Psalm 139:14:  "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."   God does amazing work!


Genesis 1:27 states "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. " We were created in His image so that we would come to know Him and therefore love Him, worship Him, serve Him, and fellowship with Him. Deuteronomy 6:5 states "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."  



Just like Max, we are truly special because we were made in God's image, He loves us and wants to have a relationship with us!  

If you'd like to learn more about God and His plan for your life, e-mail me.

Linking up with

Best-Evah Hot Chocolate

There's nothing like curling up with a cup of delicious hot chocolate and a good book in front of the fireplace on a cold winter's night!  I have experimented with many hot chocolate mixes and concoctions over the years and have come up with what I believe is a winning combination.

Ingredients:

• Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix
• Reddi-Wip Whipped Cream Original
• ground cinnamon
• ground nutmeg
• cinnamon sticks (optional)

Directions:

For each cup of hot chocolate, place the contents of one envelope of cocoa mix into the bottom of a tall mug.  Sprinkle about 1/8 tsp. of nutmeg and 1/8 tsp. cinnamon into the dry cocoa mix.  Fill the cup approximately halfway with boiling water and stir.  Add a very large dollop of whipped cream to the cup and continue stirring.  Add more boiling water until the cup is full.  Add rows of whipped cream to the top of the cup using a circular motion, mounding it higher in the center.  Finish by sprinkling ground cinnamon over the whipped cream and adding a cinnamon stick.

Enjoy!

Two Thumbs Up for Toning Sneakers

While I was shopping at BJ's Wholesale Club yesterday, I noticed they had Avia toning 'n motion sneakers on sale for $25.00.  Since I wanted to tone up a bit before our spring vacation, I thought "I'll take any extra help I can get!" and grabbed a pair.  

After bringing our order home from BJ's, I headed over to the gym wearing my new toning sneakers.  It was awkward walking in them at first.  They feel similar to those Earth shoes I wore back in the day, only with a higher wedge.  However, it didn't take long for me to get used to wearing them.

About halfway through a 30-minute workout on the elliptical trainer, I could feel the burn in my legs.  When I was done, my quads and adductor muscles in both thighs were screaming!  Wearing the toning sneakers definitely made a huge difference in the effectiveness of my workout.  

If you haven't tried toning sneakers yet, I highly recommended them. I'm going to continue wearing mine around the house and while working out at the gym.  I've been told they are not suitable for running, so I will only use them for walking and when using the elliptical trainer.   Overall, they get two thumbs up in my book.

Thanks for stopping by!

Herb Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

I recently saw a similar recipe over at Karen's blog, Goodbye City, Hello Suburbs.  It looked yummy, so I created my version of it to suit our tastes and save a bit of time.

Ingredients:

• 1 2 ½ to 3 pound whole chicken
• 2 onions, quartered
• 1 garlic bulb
• 3 celery stalks with the leaves chopped
• small package fresh baby carrots
• 4 potatoes, skin on, quartered
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup water
• 1 pkg. McCormick's Italian Herb Potato Steamer Seasoning

Directions:

Wash the chicken well, inside and out. With the olive oil rub the chicken all over back and front. Take the whole garlic pods from the bulb skin on and put ½ of them in the cavity of the chicken. Insert the short steams with the leaves from the celery into the cavity of the chicken. Sprinkle the oiled chicken with the seasoning. Toss the quartered onion, chopped celery, baby carrots, and quartered potatoes with the seasoning in the bag that comes with the seasoning.  Save about a teaspoon of the seasoning.  Spray the baking dish with nonstick cooking oil spray.  Arrange the vegetables in the bottom of the baking dish. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and sprinkle with seasoning. Place the remainder of the garlic pods around the top of the vegetables. Pour 1 cup water around the edge of the pan so you don’t wash off the seasons. Place the baking dish in the oven, uncovered.  Roast at 425 for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Linking up with

Cranberry Orange Crockpot Chicken

 

This delicious dish is easy to prepare and makes the whole house smell  wonderful while it is cooking! 

Ingredients:

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
• 1 cup orange juice
• 3 tablespoons flour

Directions: 
 

Stir flour into orange juice, then place all ingredients in the crockpot.  Cover and cook on low 6 to 7 hours, until chicken is tender. 

I served the chicken with organic brown rice, which I cooked using the sauce from the chicken instead of water.  It was delicious!

Enjoy!

Birthday Girl

 

It doesn't seem possible!  My baby girl turned 18 on Monday!  Where did the time go?  It seems just like yesterday she was a baby, rolling over, crawling, and then taking her first steps. Later on, there were ballet and piano recitals, softball games, pool parties, and summer camp. 

It seems like she grew up overnight. I am proud of the young woman she has become.  I know God has great things in store for her.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Olive Garden™ Minestrone Soup

One of my favorite items on the menu at the Olive Garden™ is their delicious Minestrone soup!  It's so good, you can make a meal out of it. So, naturally, I was excited when I found this Olive Garden™ Minestrone soup recipe.  It's perfect on a snowy day like today!


Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small minced white onion
• 1/2 cup chopped zucchini
• 1/2 cup frozen cut Italian green beans
• 1/2 stalk minced celery
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cans (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained
• 2 cans (15 oz) great northern or small white beans, drained
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 cups hot water
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1/2 cup small shell pasta

Directions:

1. Measure olive oil into a large stock pot and heat on medium.
2. Put the onion, celery, garlic, green beans, and zucchini into the pot and saute for about 5 minutes or until the onions become see-through.
3. Add the vegetable broth, drained tomatoes, beans, carrots, hot water and spices to the pot.
4. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Add the spinach leaves and the pasta and cook for an additional 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Linking up with