RECYCLE - REUSE CONTAINERS

Happy New Year to everyone!  Make this New Year bring you much happiness, peace and health.  Thank you for supporting me last year.  I hope I have inspired you to try diys around your home. 

I live in a house with an environmentalist.  We are constantly being reminded that we should be doing something to reduce our carbon footprints.  This has finally hit home and now I am trying to recycle and reuse many of the containers that we get from our weekly/monthly food purchases.  Here are a few ideas that you can utilize around your home.

Coffee Container

 Your coffee containers can be utilized in many ways.  Try spraying the cover silver or any color of your choice and glue a candle holder to the bottom of the container and add some "bling." You now have a beautiful storage container.  I use my container to store cotton balls in the bathroom.





Oats Container
Oats container covered with a beautiful pieces bought at Hobby Lobby.  Measure, cut paper and apply using spray adhesive.  I used this to keep my craft items.

Oats Container

Spaghetti Jars

Spaghetti jars, perfect for storing items in your kitchen. I saw this unique label on Pinterest and I printed some for my pantry.  Bottle is being used to store baking soda.  My goal is to reduce as much boxes and bags in my kitchen.  Here is a link to the labels, if you really like.(http://pinterest.com/maureenjh80/diys/)

Spaghetti Container

Spinach Containers 

This spinach container has saved my day.  I have several ribbons left over from a recent wedding and I couldn't find a suitable container to store them.  I wanted a container that will make these ribbons visible.  Sometimes when items are stored in boxes and they are not visible; they stay there and you forget about them.

Spinach Container

I measure the length of the container (1/2 inch extra on each side)because I need something that would hold the rolls and make the ribbons very accessible.  I cut a piece of bamboo from my back yard (you could use a piece of dowel from the craft store).

Make a hole on either ends of the container.  Also make a slit on one of the sides to allow access to the ribbons. Put the stick through one of the hole, insert all the rolls of ribbon on the stick(make sure the end of each ribbon is accessible through the slot) then put it through the next hold.

Spinach container used as storage for ribbons

 

 Toilet Paper Roll used to make wall art

Each week we toss several toilet paper and hand towel rolls.  These can be used to make various accent pieces for your home.

Direction for making this wall art:   http://julesdiys.blogspot.com/2012/11/simple-diy-using-paper-rolls-wall-art.html

 



RECIPE FOR THE WEEK - GINGERBREAD CAKE & CREAM

Gingerbread Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4cup all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/2cup honey
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 3/4 cup  boiling water

Direction:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with vegetable cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour with the ground ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the canola oil with the brown sugar, molasses, honey, eggs, and lemon zest until smooth. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until combined.
4. Whisk in the boiling water. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
5. Set the pan on a rack and let the cake cool completely, about 2 hour.

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Cream

Ingredients:

• 1 cup(s) heavy cream, cold
• 3/4 cup(s) confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon orange extract

Directions

1. In a large bowl, using a mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the cream, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat.

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RECIPES FOR THE WEEKEND - DIPS

Football weekends are here.  With the bowl games and the NFL playoffs; there will be many games and a whole lot of tailgating and house parties.  If you are hosting these parties, I am sure that you would like dishes that are easy to prepare.  These dips below are easy and are huge crowd pleasers.

Homemade Salsa
Once you make this salsa you will never want to buy the bottled ones again.

Ingredients

• 1- 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1- 10 oz can orginal Rotel
• 1/2 small onion, roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1/2-1 jalapeno, seeded or not (depends on how spicy you like it)
• 1 teaspoon honey or sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• small to medium size handful of cilantro, washed
• juice of 1 lime, lemon can substitute.

Instructio
Add all other ingredients in the base of a food processor or a good blender and pulse to combine for 30 seconds or so until all the ingredients are finely chopped and salsa is at your desired consistency. Taste for seasoning and adjust to determine if additional seasoning is needed. Serve with chips.

 

 

 

Mississippi Sin
adapted from Plainchicken.com

• 16oz sour cream
• 8oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup chopped ham
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1/4 tsp hot sauce
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• salt
• pepper
• 16 oz French bread loaf

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients stirring until well blended.

Make a well in the loaf.

Fill hollowed bread loaf with the dip. Wrap loaf with foil.

Bake dip at 350° degrees for 1 hour. Serve with reserved bread cubes (made from the section that was removed), crackers, or potato chips.

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Hot Corn Dip
Don't forget the Corn Dip published on 11/20/2012.  This is definitely a crowd pleaser.


http://julesdiys.blogspot.com/2012/11/recipes.html

 

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Cheddar Bacon Dip
16 oz sour cream
1 packet Ranch dressing mix
3 oz bacon bits
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Mix ingredients together and refridgerate overnight.  Serve with chips, veggies or crackers.

RECIPES FOR THIS WEEK - PASTA CASSEROLE

Here is a recipe for the busy moms.  You can fix this recipe the night before; refrigerate then pop in the oven the next day.  This is a perfect dish for the kids!  This is actually a favorite dish for my family.  If you are watching those dreaded calories and cholestorol, use the low fat sour cream and cream cheese.

Ingredients:
4 ozs cottage cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
4 ozs cream cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup green onion
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash seasoning (original)
16 oz spaghetti sauce
8 oz pasta (I used Penne but you can use any pasta)
1 cup chopped mushroom (optional)
1 cup chopped green pepper (optional)

Directions:
1. Cook 8 ozs. pasta (cook until just crunchy, this will be baked so will take care of the rest of the cooking).

2.  Spread half of pasta in a baking or casserole dish.

3.  Mix together all the other ingredients (sour cream, onion, cream cheese seasoning) then spoon a mixture over the pasta in the dish.  Layer on the rest of the pasta.

4.  Pour on spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle on any other veggies – mushrooms, green peppers, etc.

5.  Top with cheese. Refrigerate overnight, then bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

 

Add a salad and dressing and you have a perfect dinner for the family!

 

 

Healthy Cream Ranch Dressing
This whole jar of ranch is only 1.75 grams of fat and 255 calories!
1 cup dannon oikos plain greek yogurt
1 packet hidden valley ranch mix
1/2 cup 1% milk.

Whisk together, chill 1 hour before use. This is perfect.  I sure you won't want to buy the bottle dressings again!

 

 







SPECIAL DIY JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS!

Christmas is right  around the corner and with the cost of gifts, a lovely low cost item should help out one's budget.  This is a jewelry board; used to store special pieces.  This item is functional and can add some glam to your room.  This can be a perfect gift for your daughter, mother, grandmother, granddaughter, niece or just a special person in your life.

This will be a gift for one of my daughters!

Approx. cost = $6.46
Fabric from Hobby Lobby = $1.22
Fabric was on sale for 40% off.  Bought 1 yard at $4.89.  This can cover 4 boards.

Framed Canvas from Michael's
Bought a pack of two for $9.00; and got a pack of two free.  Cost for one would be $2.25

Accent Pull with rhinestones from Hobby Lobby = $2.99
Each was $5.99 but Hobby Lobby had them on sale for 40% off.

Other pulls are leftovers from other projects = free
These pulls were black so I sprayed them silver.

Canvas, Fabric and Pulls/knobs. 

Measure the size of your canvas and cut the fabric with 2 1/2 inches extra (extra needed to attach the fabric to canvas).

 
After measuring (remember, "measure twice and cut once."), cut the fabric out that will be attached to the canvas. Keep your lines as straight as possible.

Lay your fabric on a flat surface with the right side of the fabric facing down. Lay the canvas on top of the fabric with the front side down.

Attach the fabric to the canvas.  Staple at the center point on all four sides. Remember to stretch the fabric so that it will be lay real smooth.

Once you have stapled the center points; staple the rest of the fabric to the canvas.  Stretch real well as you staple.

 

 

Measure the inside of the back of canvas. Cut a piece of plyboard that size. I used plyboard so it give some surface to attached the pulls and knobs.

After cutting out the plyboard I decided that it needs to look more presentable so I removed it and painted it white.

Sprayed ply board

 

  The plyboard should fit snuggly, if not you might need to glue in place.

Insert a screw in the top center of the board.  This is to attached the accent hanger that I purchased. 

Accent knob attached.

 

Decide where you want to place the knobs; drill holes and attached.  In completing this task, I realized that I should have mapped the place for the knobs on to the ply board then drill the holes.  This would make life much easier and reduce time spent on the project.  Project can be done in 3 hours.

 

Add hanging hook at the back of the board.

 

My gift is now complete; ready to be wrapped!!!

My gift is ready and costing me under $10.00!!!
 

RECIPE FOR THE WEEK - BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP

One day this week I went to Panera Bread and bought a bowl of their Broccoli Cheese Soup.  It cost me about $6.00.  After having the soup, I questioned my decision.  Why am I spending so much money on lunch when I could do this at home and take it with me?  I decided that I would try my hand at doing this soup and also do a better job at fixing my lunch.  With the cost of living as it is, I can save approx. $6.00 - $10.00 per day for lunch by preparing and taking lunch daily.

So here we go, my copycat Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup:

Broccoli Cheese Soup
Servings - 4

Ingredients
2 cups chopped broccoli
1/2 cup shredded carrot
4 ozs cheddar cheese
3 tbsp flour
2 cups broth
1/3 cup butter or olive oil
1/4 cup diced yellow onion
1/4 cup diced green onion
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
1 cups milk (I used 1%)
1 cup heavy cream
2 tsp Mrs. Dash seasoning (original)
1 tsp Norton's seasoning
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:
1.  Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add in carrot, onions, green onions and cook, stirring frequently until onion is soft, about 3 minutes.

2.  Add in garlic, dried thyme and continue to stir for 1 minute.

3. Stir in flour, and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.

4.  Slowly pour in milk, broth then cream. Cook, stirring frequently, just until mixture begins to gently bubble and thicken. About 5 minutes.

5.  Reduce heat to medium low and add in broccoli pieces and cook until broccoli is tender about 6 - 8 minutes, stirring frequently.  
6.  Turn heat off, add in cheese and stir until melted, season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle a little cheddar cheese on top, serve warm. with slices of french or harddough bread.   

My family loves this one and I am sure your family will too!  Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from( The Pioneer Woman)

NEW TABLESCAPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS

 

Can you believe it's that time of the year again!  I'm definitely thinking about how I want to decorate for Christmas this year and I've decided to go with a blue/gray theme.   Since my living room opens to the dinning room, I am using the same color scheme in the living room too.  There is no rule that one has to stick with red and green for Christmas. 

 

Plate settting (Parchment by Mikasa)

 



 Silver charger plate, gray and white plate setting, blue napkins, blue glass.

 

 

 

 Vase filled with ornaments (various shades of blue); being used as centerpiece.

 

 

Pine cones used as personalized placecard holders

 

 

My other option - sprayed the pine cone silver and use a simple Christmas tag.

 

The complete tablesetting

 

I hope you like this setting and that this will inspire you.



RECIPE FOR THE WEEK - MY "NEIMAN MARCUS" DIP

Christmas is just around the corner and I am sure you will be entertaining a lot.  During the busy season everyone is looking easy but flavorful dishes to wow guests.  Here is crowd pleasing dip that will bring joy to your table and make you the favorite party host for this holiday.  This dip is so yummy!  

This dip is known as "Neiman Marcus Dip."  There are several versions on various websites.  I have tweaked this one to suit my gang's taste.  Some of the ingredients are optional, if you have family members who allergic to nuts, you can omit the almond.  Some people don't like green onions, you can reduce the amount.

You can always double or triple this recipe, depending on the number of people you will be serving.

Prep Time:  15 mins
Serve: 8 -10

 

Ingredients

2 large green onions, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups mayo (used the reduced fat mayo, if you are watching your cholesterol)

8 ozs. cheddar cheese

3 tablespoons bacon bits

1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 tsp Mrs. Dash (original)
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper



 

Directions:
1.  Chop 4 green onions.

2.  Grate cheddar cheese or use cheese that has been already shredded.

 

3. Add the bacon bits, almonds, pepper, Mrs. Dash and mayonnaise to cheese.

4.  Stir well and refrigerate for a few hours so all of the flavors blend together. Serve with crackers.

There you go! Simple! Simple!

Enjoy!!

RECIPES II (BAKED POTATOES & CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE

This week I am sharing three new recipes (Baked Potatoes and Cream Cheese Pound Cake)from my kitchen.  I have used these recipes for a long time and my family enjoyed these.

 

I hope you and your family will enjoy these as much as mine!

Baked Potatoes

Wash and cube red potatoes with skin on.

Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, coat with a package of zesty Italian dressing mix and stir to coat.

Add minced onion for flavor, salt and pepper to taste. Cook 400 degree oven for 45 minutes or until tender.

Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

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Cream Cheese Pound Cake
 
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 package (8 ounces) Philadelphia brand cream cheese (at room temperature)
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2  teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup milk

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly butter a 10-inch bundt pan, then flour it.

2. Place the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar, increase the speed to high, and beat until light and airy, at least five minutes.

3.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

4.  Sift together flour and baking soda.  Add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.  Stir in vanilla and almond extract.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and shake lightly to even out the top and get rid of large air bubbles. Bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, 1 1/4 hours.

6. Place the pan on a cake rack and cool for 20 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan and let it cool completely. Serve at room temperature.

 
 

 
 

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Recipes - Cranberry Sauce, Corn Souffle, Hot Corn Dip

My Favorite Recipes

Christmas is just around the corner; during this season everyone wants to bring out their best dishes.  For years I have been making my cranberry sauce from scratch.  This is nothing like the stuff in the cans.  Once you make this you will never buy those in the cans again.  Below I am sharing a few of my favorite recipes.  These are sure to be the favorite dishes at your next party or family dinner.

Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients

• 4 cups (1 12 ounce bag) cranberries
• 1 cup water or orange juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp grated ginger

Directions

1. Bring the cranberries, water, ginger and sugar to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until it starts to thicken, about 15-20 minutes. 
2. Let  cool and serve.



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This is a perfect dish to add for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. This dish will disappear in minutes.  I have gotten so many compliments.

Corn Souffle

Ingredients:

• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 can creamed corn
• 1 stick of butter, melted (1/4 cup)
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 1/2 pint sour cream (1 cup)
• 1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Mix all of the ingredients together.
2. Pour mixture in a greased dish.
3. Sprinkle cheese on top.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour 15 minutes.
5. This recipe can easily be doubled or even tripled, but you may need to increase the baking time accordingly.

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Here is a second version without eggs; if you are watching your calories & cholesterol levels, this one would be perfect for you.


Corn Souffle

Ingredients:

• 1 can whole kernel corn
• 1 can creamed corn
• 1 stick of butter, melted
• 1 cup sour cream (fat free)
• 1 box Jiffy Cornbread Mix
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Mix all of the ingredients together.
2. Pour mixture into greased baking or Pyrex dish.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour 15 minutes.
4. This recipe can easily be doubled or even tripled, but you may need to increase the baking time accordingly.

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This will be a hit with your guests.  Serve this dip at a recent baby shower and everyone enjoyed it!



Hot Corn Dip

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack
• 1/2 of a small jalapeno pepper (remove seeds); use less or more depending on your taste.
• 1/2 cup Mayo
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder or 1 garlic clove (crushed)
• 1 11oz can of corn, drained
• 1 small tomato, diced
• 1/4 chopped sweet pepper
• 1 tbs cilantro, chopped
• 2 tbs green onions, sliced thin

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Mix the cheeses, chili, mayo, garlic powder/crushed garlic and corn together. Pour into an oven safe dish.

3.  Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

4. Top with diced tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro. Serve immediately with tortilla chips.

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TABLESETTINGS FOR THE HOLIDAY

The holiday season (Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year) is the time to bring out your beautiful dishes.  What spell celebration better than a beautiful table setting?  You don't have to over do it; a simple layout can be sophisticated.

Don't have an expensive china set? don't worry just use what you have.  Mix and match the pieces you have around.  You will be surprise how elegant these can look. 

Here are two different plates that I have; I pair them together and add a blue napkin.

 

 

The same setting from above.  I added a silver charger plate.  You don't have to purchase expensive charger plates.  During the holiday season you should be able to get these for about $1.99 or less.

Remember, you can get great deals at the end of the season.  I purchased several silver charger plates after Christmas last year for $0.99.

These plates I actually brought at the Dollar Store.  For $3.00 you can have a beautiful table setting. I added a gold charger plate to give some elegance.

For this setting I use 3 different pieces.  I used just every day pieces and group them together.

Cream plates with gold ring on the edges, gold charger plate and orange napkin. Pine cone is being used as place card holder.

You could spray the pine cones gold or silver; this will depend on your color scheme.  Keeping them natural would work just fine too.




 I will be using the above setting for Thanksgiving.  Cream plates with gold ring on the edges; glasses with gold pattern, orange table napkins; cream candles and off-white tablecloth.

 

 

My table is set and ready for Thanksgiving; now bring on the turkey, stuffing, ham, collard greens, pound cake, cranberry sauce and of course I won't leave out my rice and peas.

 

This tablecloth was purchased at a yard sale.  This is made from a linen/cotton blend fabric with very detailed embroidery work.  I don't normally use tablecloth but this one is special and I must include it in the tablescapes this year.  Can you believe I purchased this for only $10.00 (tablecloth and 12 napkins)? This was the perfect size for my 6/8 seater table.