tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58299384232921801132024-03-05T17:18:37.911-08:00Kelsey's CraftsKelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-35432290002510418992015-03-19T09:43:00.001-07:002015-03-19T09:43:24.895-07:00We've Moved CardsWe move waaaay too often.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(I loved the colors of this one!)</span></div>
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I thought that we needed a humorous way to tell everyone we've moved yet again. If you're not up on your U.S. geography we're moving from Virginia to Connecticut. We bought a house so we're finally ready to stay put for a little longer this time. It's a welcome change from the yearly move we've become accustomed to.<br />
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To make these cards I had a box of blank colored cards in my craft box. I Googled "Virginia outline" and "Connecticut outline" and sized them in Microsoft Word. I wanted Connecticut to be the focus so I made it the larger of the two, proportions be damned. I printed out the states and painstakingly cut out as much of the details as possible. I couldn't make them perfect, but as long as they were recognizable I wasn't too concerned. </div>
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Note: I have no suggestions for people moving to or from Wyoming or Colorado. Uncreative borders make for difficult silhouette distinctions.</div>
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I found some coordinating papers and traced the states so I could cut out little copies. Make sure you're tracing them the right way! A couple of times I had Virginia facing the wrong direction on the print side of the paper and I had to start over. Learn from my mistakes!</div>
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I used a regular glue stick to adhere the states to the cards. I drew a little heart on our new location with a pink pen. I used a black pen to draw the dashed line from Virginia to Connecticut. I decided to throw in a little loop for some flair because a straight line is so boring. </div>
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I free-handed the text using a piece of paper along the bottom to keep my writing straight. If you're not frequent relocaters like we are, you can omit the "again" and just announce that you've moved. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Look at them all!)</span></div>
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I'm glad we know few enough people to get away with only sending this many. And with facebook and everything moving cards aren't nearly as necessary as they once were, but I think it's charming to send out handwritten notes every once in a while.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Off to the mailbox!)</span></div>
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Many home improvement posts are coming up thanks to our new house. Stay posted!Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-77798249966579421252015-02-09T06:02:00.000-08:002015-02-09T06:02:45.611-08:00Buttermilk SconesDo you take tea time? In America this tradition is often overlooked, but I think it is the perfect afternoon pick me up. I work from home most of the time and a 15-30 minute tea is the perfect way to push through that last two hours. And what's tea without something to snack on?<br />
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Buttermilk scones are a perfect accompaniment. I'm partial to taking my scones with clotted cream and lemon curd, but these are absolutely perfect all on their own. I'm a purest when it comes to scones, but the flavor possibilities are endless when it comes to add ins. You can use anything from orange zest to chocolate chips to maple syrup to make these scones your own. A little cheese and garlic can turn them into savory dinner biscuits.<br />
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Assemble your ingredients. cake flour and bread flour are necessary for this recipe. Don't make any substitutions or your scones will come out hard or flat. And don't skip the sifting step even if your flour says pre-sifted. Room temperature butter, eggs, and buttermilk will make a difference. Plan ahead!<br />
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Beat the butter and sugar really well. It will give extra lift to your scones. Don't get over-zealous and add all the egg yolks at once. Take your time and do them one by one. </div>
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Add a little bit of the dry mixture and a little bit of the buttermilk. Fold gently. You don't want to overwork the dough. </div>
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Formed into a disc and cut into slices, our scones are ready for the oven!<br />
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<b>Buttermilk Scones</b><br />
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<i>Ingredients</i><br />
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2 sticks (1/2 lb) unsalted butter, room temperature<br />
6 Tbsp sugar<br />
3 egg yolks, room temperature<br />
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour<br />
2 1/2 cups sifted bread flour<br />
2 1/4 Tbsp baking powder<br />
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature<br />
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<i>Directions</i><br />
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1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.<br />
2. Beat the butter and sugar in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until pale, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well to combine.<br />
3. In a large bowl, combine the two flours and the baking powder, stir to combine. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in thirds alternating with the buttermilk.<br />
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and form a disc shape. Cut the dough into eight slices. Place the disc on an ungreased baking sheet.<br />
5. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown.<br />
6. Transfer the scones to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm with clotted cream and lemon curd.<br />
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<br />Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-81699645519534987882015-01-28T06:31:00.000-08:002015-01-28T06:38:20.227-08:00The Massive Four Month Project<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Phew. What a project. The last four months have been spent drafting, mocking, sewing, painting, and lacing. The costume that I made is Sheik from the Legend of Zelda and Super Smash Brothers series. She/he is a badass and the lovely Korina who wore the cosplay said she felt like she could take anyone while she was wearing it.<br />
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She wore it to Magfest and was stopped every two minutes for pictures. It took half an hour to go anywhere. A couple of people said it was the best Sheik cosplay they've ever seen. It was really cool being able to see people give compliments when I'm not the person in the center of attention. It was every introverted costumer's dream.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> (Awesome fight between the two Smash Brothers characters)</span></div>
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As per usual with all of my sewing endeavors, I was really bad at taking pictures in the middle of the project. I always get so caught up in the work that I'm five steps ahead before I realize I should take a picture. And then it's always such a mess in the room that I'm embarrassed about what else would be in the frame. I try to hide my sloppy tendencies as best I can. As far as anyone knows, I am quite tidy. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(My one and only progress picture. I hid my name on the back because it's covered by the corset piece anyway and it's in the writing system of Twilight Princess)</span></div>
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I'm considering adding a listing on Etsy for a custom Sheik cosplay since this one came out so well. Then I consider that this did take up four months of my life. So conflicted. Maybe in a month or two when I forget the hand sewing of forty eyelets. Maybe it will be like people who have babies. In a month or two they forget how sucky pregnancy and childbirth were and want another baby. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Fox McCloud was pretty awesome too, but my costume is on the left)</span></div>
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For now I'm ready for some different projects. Any suggestions?</div>
Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-38071258432514541092014-09-25T08:44:00.004-07:002014-09-25T08:45:28.181-07:00"Wallpaper"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: left;">An apartment has to be the worst living arrangement for a crafter. I can't put up curtains, shelves, and flooring. The worst part for me is the walls. I hate houses with walls that are all one colour. My solution was to make some "wallpaper."</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Chevron is everywhere right now so I decided to take advantage of that and apply scrapbook paper to the bathroom walls. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(It's really hard to get a good picture of the whole wall when there's another wall right there)</span></div>
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Supplies:</div>
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<li>12"x 12" Scrapbook paper in at least 10 different patterns or 1 colour (packs are great because everything will coordinate nicely)</li>
<li>Painter's tape</li>
<li>Pencil</li>
<li>Ruler</li>
<li>Scissors </li>
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Draw a line straight down the middle of your paper. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XIeYGEy2vwc/VCQqx_LDg7I/AAAAAAAAI0w/hcTFW2BWgu8/s1600/IMG_1283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XIeYGEy2vwc/VCQqx_LDg7I/AAAAAAAAI0w/hcTFW2BWgu8/s1600/IMG_1283.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Make a mark down the center line of your paper every four inches. Make marks on the sides so that you have nine marks total.<br />
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Connect your dots so that you get that lovely chevron pattern.<br />
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I started at the bottom of the wall and worked my way up with each level. Make tape loopies with your painter's tape and stick to both sides of your parallelogram. I left a little space between each piece so that the whole effect looked more even. I very accurately used the measurement of one finger width. I had to trim the rightmost piece to fit the wall. </div>
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For the next level I held a piece right above the taped piece and then added another tape-prepped piece above that one. Keep going up the wall and make sure everything stays straight. In no time you'll have a trendy and fun wall amidst the blah walls of a rental.</div>
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<br />Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-46699458375453459052014-08-17T10:58:00.004-07:002014-08-19T06:28:19.829-07:00Cross StitchingI've been really into the cross stitching lately. I made a commercial cross stitch pattern.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtgoj2_v03cNV9l4ZOYuvr8XQvtu-FkNjSN35LiPfaeRk_bHjgQYBxIfUwwblXkRms7pAwlNfObNJ1O7-OoxgI6NhUY2m_ujRJJ08H5-fn4kOuGKdH6kaOXOwdQarS-8eYHVW8F1ziw4/s1600/IMG_20140817_134441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtgoj2_v03cNV9l4ZOYuvr8XQvtu-FkNjSN35LiPfaeRk_bHjgQYBxIfUwwblXkRms7pAwlNfObNJ1O7-OoxgI6NhUY2m_ujRJJ08H5-fn4kOuGKdH6kaOXOwdQarS-8eYHVW8F1ziw4/s1600/IMG_20140817_134441.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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How stinking cute, right? I would hang it up in my sewing room, but my sewing room is a closet right now. Yeah. Since we moved into a one bedroom apartment I set up my sewing room in the master closet. It's a little tight for sure, but it's better than having everything in storage and not being able to work.<br />
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Anyway, stitching. I got a pattern making program that I'm in love with. I made a huge baby deer project which I'm hoping to be done with in a couple of weeks. And I've taken to pattern making. My favorite so far is this one.<br />
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I've put him up on <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/200224647/classy-otter-cross-stitch-pattern?" target="_blank">etsy</a>. He's only $5.50. If you decide to stitch him post some pictures!<br />
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<br />Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-3100908168279745632014-07-21T07:48:00.002-07:002014-08-19T06:28:04.027-07:00Slow GoingI've been very busy on my etsy shop. I've posted and sold and shipped a bunch of sailor scout baby outfits.<br />
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Also a little super saiyan onesie. I plan on making lots more of these!<br />
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So cute!<br />
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I also put up a couple of other things that I've made just for fun. Check out my <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/CaseysCosplay?ref=l2-shopheader-name" target="_blank">etsy page</a> for those.<br />
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I'm also super excited about putting up custom wedding bouquets based on the one that I made for my own wedding.<br />
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You can check out the listing <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/196063030/custom-bouquet-with-hand-crafted-flowers?ref=shop_home_feat_1" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Also working on three corsets in a lovely black and red brocade.<br />
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I will have a special home decor tutorial coming up this week! A fun way to brighten up a rental. Well, it's back to the sewing machine for me!<br />
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<br />Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-4131843287214297622014-06-20T10:07:00.000-07:002014-08-19T06:27:44.605-07:00Home-made Laundry Detergent Up until we moved, we had to pay for the community washer and dryer. It cost us $3.50 a load! We wore jeans and shorts for a week until I could bring myself to spend that much money on wash. My habit of changing sheets weekly turned into changing sheets monthly. Yuck. With all that money spent on merely running the washer and dryer, I couldn't stand buying laundry detergent.<br />
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So I made my own for soooo much less. I am a cheapskate through and through and I am so happy that I made the switch to this home-made laundry detergent. I also love that it's not liquid. I've always hated using the liquid detergent. Drips were inevitable and so sticky. This method is nice and neat.<br />
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2 bars of soap (I used a shea butter bar for added softness and a nice scent)<br />
2 cups super washing soda<br />
2 cups borax<br />
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Grate the soap using a medium sized grater. Mix all the ingredients together. That's it. So easy and so cheap. I don't know the final cost since I already had the borax and super washing soda on hand. But I know it didn't come out to too much!<br />
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Now time for laundry! Yay! I guess?Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-83760085494348139082014-06-16T11:40:00.004-07:002014-06-16T11:41:33.259-07:00Black Bean Burgers with Guinness Braised Onions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We are moved into our new apartment! We're in a swanky, brand-new place with a major bonus. A kitchen that isn't the size of a broom closet! I would be lying if I said that the kitchen wasn't my entire reason for moving here. Luckily, the rest of the apartment is great too. For one of our first meals in our new apartment (our first meal pizza, but I won't count that) I decided to make some burgers. </div>
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We aren't vegetarians here, but that doesn't mean we're against meatless meals. In fact, we do them quite often. I promise you will not miss the meat here. These burgers are so flavorful that they stand up on their own. However, braised onions and cheese never hurt. Especially if it's onions braised in Guinness and Gouda cheese. Yum!<br />
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I'm going to keep this post short because I still have lots of unpacking to do, but I will be back with new recipes and posts soon!<br />
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<i>Ingredients </i><br />
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<i>Burger</i><br />
1 onion hamburger bun<br />
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided<br />
2 tsp garlic, minced<br />
1 (15.5 oz can) black beans, rinsed and drained<br />
1 tsp cumin<br />
3/4 tsp chili powder<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
1 large egg, lightly beaten<br />
1 large egg white, lightly beaten<br />
1/4-1/2 cup flax seed meal<br />
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<i>Burger Assembly</i><br />
4 onion hamburger buns<br />
4 slices Gouda cheese<br />
1 large onion, sliced<br />
12 oz Guinness<br />
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<i>Directions</i><br />
1. Add the onion and Guinness to a small pot and let cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until all of the liquid has absorbed and the onions are golden brown.<br />
2. Place the onion hamburger bun in a food processor and pulse until you have the consistency of bread crumbs. Put into a bowl and set aside.<br />
3. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil, garlic, and black beans to the food processor. Pulse until the beans start to form a paste, but there are still visible beans.<br />
4. Add the bean puree to the breadcrumbs and combine with the rest of the burger ingredients using your hands to mix. Add more flax seed meal if the mix seems too wet.<br />
5. Form the mixture into four patties. Add the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil to a skillet on medium heat. Gently place the patties into the pan and cook until brown (about 5 minutes) and flip. Cook for another five minutes on the other side.<br />
6. Toast the buns and melt a slice of cheese on one side. Put a burger on the bun and top with braised onions.<br />
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Enjoy!Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-39290296967960877432014-05-23T05:59:00.001-07:002014-06-16T11:23:03.905-07:00How to Cover a Box Spring<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We bought a mattress and box spring set about a year ago. Since we move so frequently we try to cut down on furniture as much as possible. Because of that, we never bought a bed frame and our bed looked a little sad. Living in an apartment can make one feel a little beige. My solution was to cover the box spring. I've seen tutorials which just have you cover the box spring with a fitted sheet. Come on. You are so better than that. </div>
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Let's gather materials. You need</div>
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<li>3 yards of a heavy duty fabric. I used canvas. Keep in mind that this is for a queen size bed. All measurements will be for a queen sized bed. </li>
<li>Scissors</li>
<li>Staple gun</li>
<li>Measuring tape</li>
<li>Tape </li>
<li>Box Spring (duh)</li>
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Cut your fabric. For a queen sized box spring cut four pieces to cover the corners (11" x 14")<br />
Cut the two longer sides (81" x 13")<br />
Cut the two shorter sides (65" x 13")<br />
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Time to start stapling. I suggest a partner if you have small hands. I could barely wrap my hand around the staple gun which made this an extremely difficult and painful process. Find a buddy to hold the mattress for you and use both hands for the staple gun. You have been warned.<br />
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Start off with the corners first. Staple the ends first and then pleat and tuck to make the corners look smooth. Make sure to pull the fabric taught. I ended up doing two of the corners first and then flipping the box spring instead of flipping it back and forth. We have a small bedroom. This was much easier.<br />
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Attach your short ends first. Fold and press the fabric over 1/2" so you have a lovely finished edge. Staple the fabric to the box spring making sure to tug and pleat and pull to make sure that the side looks nice.<br />
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Attach the longer side in the same manner as the short side. Make the corner look like the picture below. Continue with the other side. </div>
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Almost done! If you are an overly ambitious, bored housewife feel free to turn in the raw edges and hand sew. Everyone else can take some wide tape. Packing tape, duct tape, masking tape, anything works. Just tape the edges to prevent too much fraying. The appearance doesn't really matter because both sides will be covered. Hooray for fast solutions!<br />
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The finished product! I love the pop of color in our otherwise blah room. I would have liked a patterned fabric, but I wasn't ready to spend $20 a yard for this project. What type of fabric would you use?</div>
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Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-25175472532652468172014-05-02T04:55:00.002-07:002014-05-02T04:55:41.449-07:00Crack CookiesI've been a little lax about posting lately. Two jobs, moving, and all my at-home projects have been keeping me swamped. Excuses, excuses, I know. But now my husband is on an underway so I suddenly have too much time on my hands. Any spouse who spends weeks at a time alone knows that nothing makes them miss their loved one more than idle time. So here I am!<br />
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And here is what I have for you today. These are crack cookies. No, they don't contain any form of narcotics. But they do have a veeeery addictive quality. Have you heard about the comparison between Oreos and cocaine recently? It's like that. These are the Lays potato chips of cookies. I bet you can't eat just one. And the best part? They're super easy to make. Oh and customizable. I'm not sure which is better. Actually, no, the taste is the best part. I don't know. I'm conflicted. Make them and be the judge for me.<br />
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Cream cheese and butter. The perfect start to any recipe. Amiright? Cream those room temperature suckers together until they're so fluffy that you want to use it as a pillow. </div>
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Stir in vanilla and your egg. Here's where the customization part comes in. I usually use yellow cake mix for these cookies, but you can use any flavor that your heart desires. I also really love making these with strawberry cake mix. Drool. Anyway, add 1/3 of the cake mix until incorporated and do the same with the next 1/3. Mix the remaining cake mix in by hand. </div>
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Not the sexiest looking dough in the world, but looks can be deceiving. Pop the bowl in the fridge for half an hour so that the dough is nice and stiff. Spoon onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake for 11-15 minutes or until just set. You don't want to brown them too much. They're best when they're a little soft. </div>
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Pour yourself a nice glass of almond milk and have a cookie. Or two. Or three.......<br />
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Crack Cookies<br />
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Ingredients</div>
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1/4 cup butter, room temperature</div>
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1 (8oz) package cream cheese, room temperature </div>
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1 egg yolk</div>
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1/4 teaspoon vanilla</div>
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1 package yellow cake mix</div>
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Directions</div>
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Cream butter and cream cheese together at medium speed in the bowl of a stand mixer for five minutes. Mix in the egg yolk and vanilla. </div>
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Add cake mix, 1/3 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the last third by hand, mixing with a spoon. Chill for 30 minutes. </div>
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Heat oven to 375°F. Drop by leveled teaspoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until very lightly browned. </div>
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Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-53555534206383792112014-04-10T06:52:00.000-07:002014-06-16T11:23:13.919-07:00Coffee Infused Vodka<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Coffee Vodka. Is that not the most wonderful combination in the world? My husband loves any type of coffee flavored drink so when he and I went out to dinner he ordered a cocktail with coffee vodka in it. It was perfect. I knew I would have to attempt to recreate it at home otherwise we would end up going to that restaurant every weekend just for a drink. Spending $12 for a cocktail I could make at home? No way. </div>
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So I started by figuring out the ingredients. I asked the waiter what was in the delicious drink. There was the coffee vodka, of course, along with coffee liqueur, strong brewed coffee, and cream. I didn't want to spend $40+ on a small bottle of flavored vodka so I decided that I could make my own. I also used lowfat milk for his drink and almond milk for mine since cream is gross. </div>
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I took a big bottle of vodka (I figured we would end up using a lot of it) and some whole coffee beans (Costa Rican coffee is by far the best. I refuse to be told otherwise). </div>
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I put about three handfuls in a flat-bottomed container (measurements aren't super important for this). </div>
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I had another container that nested in the lager one so I used that to smash the beans. You could also use the bottom of a glass. You want to break them into smaller pieces so that the vodka really gets all of the flavor, but not too broken up. </div>
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Pour some of the vodka out of the container (do with it as you please). You need to be able to fit all of your beans in there plus a little wiggle room for shaking. Use a funnel to pour the beans into the vodka bottle. I shook it for about 30 seconds. I kept the bottle under the bar and shook it every day for five days. On the fifth day I strained the liquid through a coffee filter and poured the vodka back into the original bottle. </div>
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Ta da! Delicious flavored vodka at a fraction of the price. You can drink it straight, but I recommend making the following cocktail. </div>
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<b>Coffee Infused Vodka</b><br />
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<i>Ingredients</i><br />
Vodka<br />
Coffee beans<br />
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<i>Directions</i><br />
Pour a cup of vodka out of the vodka bottle.<br />
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Crush three handfuls of coffee beans. Do not grind. Break them into pieces.<br />
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Funnel the beans into the vodka bottle ensuring that you have enough room to shake the mixture.<br />
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Shake the bottle for thirty seconds and store in a cool, dark place.<br />
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Shake the bottle every day for five days. On the fifth day filter the vodka through a coffee filter to ensure that the vodka has no particulates.<br />
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<b>Coffee Martini</b><br />
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<i>Ingredients</i><br />
2 ounces coffee infused vodka<br />
2 ounces coffee liqueur<br />
2 ounces strong brewed coffee, chilled<br />
2 ounces milk, dairy or almond<br />
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Pour all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and add ice. Shake vigorously.<br />
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Pour into two martini glasses and enjoy your delicious cocktails.<br />
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Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-42376257169792075542014-03-31T07:02:00.000-07:002014-06-16T11:18:57.335-07:00Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Almonds Copy CatI love Trader Joe's. I don't think I have purchased a single product there that I didn't love.<br />
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Their cereal? Love it.<br />
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Their guacamole? Love it.<br />
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Their pizzas? Love them.<br />
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I also love their chocolates. My favorite Trader Joe's chocolate snack has got to be their dark chocolate almonds. Not only are they almonds covered in rich dark chocolate (which is an amazing start), but they are also sprinkled with turbino sugar and coarse sea salt. Drool. It's reminiscent of chocolate covered pretzels which are always amazing. The only issue with these chocolate covered bites of heaven was the price. So naturally I thought, "Hey! I can make my own!"<br />
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So here we are.<br />
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This recipe takes a bit of time because chocolate needs to melt and then set. All that good stuff. It also has two layers of chocolate because the TJ's version has a fairly thick chocolate coating.<br />
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First, i assemble my ingredients. I have my pound of delicious dark chocolate, my almonds, my sugar, my sea salt, and the original recipe to sample on while I make my own. It was purely for research. I swear.<br />
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I melted half of the chocolate in the microwave. (You can use a double boiler if you are more comfortable with that. I know a lot of people have trouble over doing the chocolate in the microwave). Next, I tossed the almond with the melted chocolate and placed them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I tried to keep them separated, but I got tired and laid them out all clumped together. After they were completely dry, I repeated the process with the remaining chocolate. While still wet I sprinkled the sugar and salt over the top.<br />
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Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Almonds Copy Cat Recipe<br />
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Ingredients<br />
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1 lb dark chocolate<br />
12 oz almonds<br />
1 Tbsp coarse sea salt<br />
1 Tbsp turbino sugar<br />
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Directions<br />
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1. Melt half of the dark chocolate in a large bowl either in the microwave or using the double boiler technique.<br />
2. Stir the almonds with the chocolate until completely coated.<br />
3. Drop the almonds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.<br />
4. Allow to sit for an hour or until the chocolate is hardened.<br />
5. Mix together the sea salt and the sugar.<br />
6. Repeat the first three steps with the remaining chocolate. While the chocolate is still soft sprinkle the almonds with the sugar and salt mixture.<br />
7. Allow to sit for two hours or until the chocolate is hardened. Transfer to an airtight container.<br />
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<br />Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-15640690642703594992014-03-27T08:29:00.002-07:002014-06-16T11:24:53.104-07:00Crock Pot Chicken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My husband and I are kind of weird. </div>
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For a lot of reasons actually, but the one I'm focusing on today is that we both don't really like chicken. </div>
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Every once in a while I do try to make some sort of chicken dish in order to change our minds. Those are the days that our son (AKA our dog) is the totally psyched about because he gets the majority of our leftovers. </div>
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So I decided to make crock pot chicken because worst comes to worst our baby gets a couple days of fresh food. I threw together a chicken, a sliced onion, three stalks of celery, four carrots, a couple of potatoes, a head of smashed garlic, steak seasoning, and a beer (not pictured, whoops). </div>
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The result was pretty tasty. We both decided that this was our favorite chicken dish in a while. My only issue with the crock pot was that the chicken ended up a little pasty. In hindsight I should have totally expected that outcome. But that easily fixed by putting everything in a pan and popping it in the over under the broiler for a couple of minutes. </div>
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Love that crispy brown skin! </div>
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Crock Pot Chicken<br />
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Ingredients<br />
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3-5 lb chicken<br />
1 onion, chopped<br />
3 stalks of celery, cut in half<br />
4 carrots, cut into two-inch pieces<br />
2 potatoes, cut into one-inch pieces<br />
Steak seasoning to taste<br />
12 oz beer<br />
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Directions<br />
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1. Place the first five ingredients into the crock pot.<br />
2. Rub the steak seasoning on the chicken, inside and out.<br />
3. Pour the beer around the chicken.<br />
4. Cook on low for 4-8 hours depending on the size of your chicken. Use a thermometer.<br />
5. Once the chicken is fully cooked transfer to baking dish and put under the broiler for 5 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown.<br />
6. Slice and serve with the vegetables.<br />
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Enjoy your dinner as much as these two chicken-haters did. Don't feel too bad for the pup though. He did get some of the chicken.<br />
<br />Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-31818327248664669942014-03-19T04:57:00.000-07:002014-06-16T11:23:56.750-07:00Wedding Bouquet Part 3In the <a href="http://kelseys-crafts.blogspot.com/2014/02/wedding-bouquet-part-1.html" target="_blank">first post</a> about wedding bouquet construction I showed you how to make origami lilies.<br />
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The <a href="http://kelseys-crafts.blogspot.com/2014/02/wedding-bouquet-part-2.html" target="_blank">second post</a> showed how to make paper roses. </div>
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This post will finish up the project by showing the final bouquet construction.</div>
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Materials:</div>
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Waterfall bouquet holder</div>
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20 origami lilies of various sizes</div>
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15 book page roses of various sizes</div>
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Full fake flowers in the wedding color</div>
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Fake filler leaves</div>
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Spray foam (optional)</div>
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In the first post I mentioned picking up one of these waterfall bouquet holders. This will make things a lot easier. </div>
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However, my wedding is over and I want to frame my bouquet so I'm going to use this flat disc floral foam. The shape is the same, just missing the handle so just follow along in the same way. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IBEdz6xcS64/UvOL6UoeJ0I/AAAAAAAADPQ/TAaugrLcEOo/s1600/IMG_1043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IBEdz6xcS64/UvOL6UoeJ0I/AAAAAAAADPQ/TAaugrLcEOo/s1600/IMG_1043.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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So you have your larger and smaller roses and lilies. Take the larger flowers and clip the stems of 5 lilies and 4 roses as seen below. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lYZ7hsFlSIw/UvOL7RjxAuI/AAAAAAAADVk/c0WtR3acqEc/s1600/IMG_1045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lYZ7hsFlSIw/UvOL7RjxAuI/AAAAAAAADVk/c0WtR3acqEc/s1600/IMG_1045.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Stick the flowers into the base so that there is even coverage. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hz5PRaEiwuA/UvOL8ABh2mI/AAAAAAAADVs/mNsrEb2FHAc/s1600/IMG_1046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hz5PRaEiwuA/UvOL8ABh2mI/AAAAAAAADVs/mNsrEb2FHAc/s1600/IMG_1046.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Take three of each flower and cut the stems at about 12" and bend the end closest to the flower so that you have a squared edge as seen below. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XHP1ePtIbOQ/UvOL8_6FakI/AAAAAAAADV4/wPOHf4vehvY/s1600/IMG_1047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XHP1ePtIbOQ/UvOL8_6FakI/AAAAAAAADV4/wPOHf4vehvY/s1600/IMG_1047.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Insert the flowers at the bottom edge of the bouquet holder so that the flowers are facing outward. Don't worry if they spin about at the moment. As you add more flowers they will stay pretty still. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a-8lme6jhMw/UvOL9j6icnI/AAAAAAAADV8/i729Kap9kuE/s1600/IMG_1048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a-8lme6jhMw/UvOL9j6icnI/AAAAAAAADV8/i729Kap9kuE/s1600/IMG_1048.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Continue adding flowers in the same method, adding inches to the stem each time to make a cascading look. Also use the smaller flowers at the bottom.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yrh-oMMm0uI/UvOL-gwIoYI/AAAAAAAADWE/dxxBWWmAfPg/s1600/IMG_1049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yrh-oMMm0uI/UvOL-gwIoYI/AAAAAAAADWE/dxxBWWmAfPg/s1600/IMG_1049.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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These are the fillers that I used for my bouquet. I wanted a little bit of color while still keeping the whimsical homemade look so I chose silver leaves and sparkly purple flowers. Just make sure to pick something that will be easy to cut and arrange within your bouquet. </div>
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There's really no measurements involved in this step. Just cut and stab into the foam. Keep adding flowers until you are satisfied with the result. Be very careful to not overwork the foam. I lost a couple of flowers walking down the aisle because the stems of those purple flowers were rather thick. In hindsight I would have sprayed the bouquet holder with that canned foam so that everything was tight. </div>
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The gorgeous final result! The best part is that this bouquet cost only $20! I also loved the flair that this bouquet had. Crafty flowers and DIY represent me much better than any bought bouquet ever could. </div>
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I hope these posts help you build a bouquet all your own. If you do take up this project please send pictures! I would love to see the results. Good luck and happy crafting!</div>
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Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-8594906721782036412014-03-15T07:45:00.001-07:002014-06-16T11:20:14.614-07:00Shepard's PieAhhh March. The month where everyone is Irish.<br />
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Not that I'm complaining. I can buy Guinness in bulk for the rest of the year. Guinness, Baileys, and Jameson recipes abound and the color green is everywhere. (My favorite color by the way). But my husband actually is Irish so we make corned beef all year long. Irish food is not a once a year occurrence.<br />
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Shepard's pie is one of our favorites and I have adapted the recipe from a favorite Irish blogger of mine. You can find her website <a href="http://www.irishamericanmom.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. This Shepard's pie recipe is the absolute best I have ever had. It is the ultimate comfort food.<br />
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In my adaptation I've incorporated fennel in this recipe which is not used in traditional Irish cooking, but it's super healthy and I like to substitute it for onions. If you want to use onions instead go for it. I also use colcannon in place of the plain mashed potatoes that are usually used. Colcannon is a wonderful version of mashed potatoes that incorporates kale. It's just an easy way to pack some more nutrition in this delicious dish.<br />
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Ingredients<br />
3 tablespoons Olive or canola oil<br />
2lbs lean ground beef<br />
salt and pepper<br />
2 fennel bulbs, sliced thin<br />
2 garlic cloves, minced<br />
3 tablespoons tomato paste<br />
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard<br />
1 cup Beef broth<br />
4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce<br />
1 cup Guinness extra stout<br />
1 tablespoon bittersweet chocolate chips<br />
1 tablespoon dark brown Sugar<br />
1 teaspoon dried thyme<br />
1 teaspoon dried parsley<br />
1/2 teaspoon dried sage<br />
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram<br />
12 oz pkg frozen pea and carrots, thawed<br />
3lb russet potatoes<br />
8 oz sour cream<br />
5 oz kale<br />
1 cup Irish cheddar cheese (grated)<br />
2 packets brown gravy mix<br />
1 and 1/2 cups Water<br />
3 fl oz Guinness extra stout<br />
1 teaspoon tomato paste<br />
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce<br />
1 teaspoon brown Sugar<br />
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Directions<br />
Scrub the potatoes and cut them into 2-inch pieces. Place them in a large saucepan over high heat and cover them with water. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 or until fork tender.<br />
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Meanwhile, season the beef with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. Brown the beef in two batches to prevent overcrowding. Strain the beef through a colander to drain off the excess fat. Set aside.<br />
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Add the last tablespoon of oil to the pan and brown the fennel and garlic in the skillet.<br />
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Return the beef to the skillet with the fennel. Next add the tomato paste, dijon mustard, Guinness, Worcestershire sauce and beef broth. Stir well.<br />
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Add the thyme, parsley, sage, marjoram, brown sugar and chocolate chips. Stir to disperse them throughout the beef broth.<br />
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Return the mixture to the boil, then turn the heat down to low and allow to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until the mixture is thick and glossy.<br />
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While the meat sauce is reducing, add the kale to the potatoes. Cook for another minute and strain the water. Mash well and add the sour cream, salt, and pepper.<br />
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When the meat mixture has thickened nicely, pour it into the bottom of a greased 2-quart baking dish. Top the meat layer with thawed peas and carrots, spreading them evenly over the surface of the meat. Spoon the colcannon over the vegetable layer and spread gently over the top.<br />
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Place the shepherd’s pie in an oven pre-heated to 350°F. Cook for 15 minutes before adding the grated cheese. Return to the oven and bake for a further 20 to 30 minutes until golden brown. While it is cooling, make the gravy.<br />
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Add the brown gravy packets to the water in a saucepan over high heat. Whisk in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, Guinness and brown sugar. Keep whisking the gravy as it comes to the boil. Remove from the heat once it starts to bubble.<br />
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Using a metal serving spatula, divide the shepherd's pie into 6 to 8 rectangular servings. Serve with gravy poured over top.<br />
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<br />Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-16202443523253042112014-03-11T07:43:00.001-07:002014-06-16T11:20:08.967-07:00Breakfast Sandwiches<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My husband goes to work at 5:30 AM. That does not leave a lot of time for a well rounded breakfast. I don't even want to think about eating breakfast at 5 AM let alone cooking it. Hitting the button on the kuerig is about the only thing that I'm capable of doing at that point.</div>
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So I whip up these bad boys once a week and freeze them. I just unwrap the foil, put it on a plate, microwave for 1 minute, wrap up in the foil again, and voile! Breakfast is served. It sure beats a Micky Ds egg mcmuffin. Not that either of us has stepped foot in a McDonalds in five years. But you get the point.<br />
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The best part is that it's really easy to incorporate a little variety in these sandwiches. Use sausage instead of bacon, scramble rather than fry, toss some spinach in the eggs, and so on and so forth. Every week I do something a little different so things don't get too boring.<br />
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So first off we assemble the desired ingredients!<br />
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This week I have eggs, cheddar cheese, whole grain english muffins, and turkey bacon. Usually the meat will take the most time to cook so just cook it how you normally would. I cook my bacon in the oven on a baking sheet.<br />
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Next, I fried the eggs over medium heat in some butter.<br />
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My crappy apartment stove has lopsided coils so the eggs always end up drifting to one side. One day I will have an even stovetop! One day!<br />
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All nice and fried and salted and peppered.<br />
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Next, I start my assembly station. I used deli squares of cheddar and folded them up in the middle of the bottom half of the english muffin so when I microwave them the cheese doesn't end up everywhere.<br />
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I topped with an egg and one piece of bacon broken in half to fit nicely.<br />
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Perfect! Then I just individually wrap each one in foil and pop them in the freezer. So easy!<br />
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Breakfast Sandwiches<br />
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Ingredients<br />
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6 pieces Turkey bacon<br />
6 eggs<br />
1 Tbsp butter<br />
salt and pepper<br />
6 deli slices cheddar cheese<br />
6 whole-grain english muffins<br />
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Directions<br />
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Preheat the oven to 400°F<br />
<br />
Arrange the slices of turkey bacon on a baking sheet so the pieces aren't overlapping. Bake for 8-10 or until desired crispness.<br />
<br />
Melt the butter in a pan on medium heat. Add the eggs to the pan and cook until the egg is set on one side. Flip each egg over individually and cook until the other side is set. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste.<br />
<br />
Make sandwiches by layering the bottom half of the english muffin, a slice of cheese, one egg, one piece of bacon broken in half to fit the sandwich, and the top half of the english muffin. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.<br />
<br />
To freeze:<br />
Wrap each sandwich in foil. To reheat, remove the sandwich from the foil and place on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for one minute and rewrap in the foil for portability or eat right away.<br />
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<br />Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-11436267644855838722014-03-04T10:14:00.000-08:002014-06-16T11:20:22.965-07:00Reuben CasseroleWARNING!<br />
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<br />
This is not a diet friendly meal.<br />
<br />
Meat + crescent rolls + cheese + dressing = many many calories<br />
<br />
So naturally, this is my husband's favorite meal.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>I make this meal as a special occasion dish. For instance, when he comes back from a three week underway and just wants to eat everything. And we spend an entire weekend binge watching Dexter and only moving to walk the dog and heat up leftovers.<br />
<br />
Since this dish is a casserole, it is not a looker. I think lasagna is the only casserole that comes out looking gorgeous. All other casseroles don't look like much until you take that first bite. Then you can overlook its ugliness.<br />
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<br />
Assemble your ingredients!<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 13" x 11" baking dish.<br />
<br />
Unroll one of the crescent roll tubes and press into the baking dish. Try to seal the perforations as best as you can.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wSV5uJaZOXw/UwUUZcBuHfI/AAAAAAAADkg/d4kIkK56feg/s1600/IMG_0979.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wSV5uJaZOXw/UwUUZcBuHfI/AAAAAAAADkg/d4kIkK56feg/s1600/IMG_0979.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Ugly pale crescent dough)</span></div>
<br />
Bake for 8-10 minutes until you get a lovely golden brown color.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GJeddJ4W9nQ/UwUUaJi5zRI/AAAAAAAADks/wRNiEbsKmN8/s1600/IMG_0981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GJeddJ4W9nQ/UwUUaJi5zRI/AAAAAAAADks/wRNiEbsKmN8/s1600/IMG_0981.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Like so)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
While the crescent sheet is baking, combine the sauerkraut and the Thousand Island dressing in a small bowl.<br />
<br />
When the crescent sheet comes out of the oven layer with half of the Swiss cheese. Then layer all of the corned beef.<br />
<br />
Side note: We're originally from New Jersey, but we're in Virginia right now. Virginia is the place where pizza and Chinese food come to die. Every "New York style" pizza place has crust the thickness of a Chicago pizza. Don't even get me started on the sauce! The Chinese places make crab rangoon with provolone. Sacrilege! We literally eat pizza and Chinese the whole time we visit our family. So we were ecstatic when we found a delicatessen that was owned by guys from New Jersey. We were finally able to get some decent corned beef without making it at home (I do that frequently anyway, but sometimes you need corned beef on short notice). They also have fantastic pastrami. I'm drooling right now. So long story short: try to find a place owned by people from the New York/ New Jersey area to buy your corned beef. They know what they're doing. I promise.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Yum)</span></div>
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Dollop the sauerkraut and dressing mixture over the corned beef. Layer the remaining cheese on top.<br />
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<br />
Unroll the remaining tube of crescent dough and lay on top of the casserole. Gently stretch the dough to cover the entire area. Try to seal the perforations after it's stretched out. Sprinkle the caraway seeds on top and bake for 14-16 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.<br />
<br />
Let cool for five minutes before cutting.<br />
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<br />
Reuben Casserole<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
2 tubes (8 oz each) crescent roll dough<br />
7 ounces sauerkraut, rinsed and well-drained<br />
2/3 cup Thousand Island dressing<br />
1 lb sliced Swiss cheese<br />
1 lb sliced corned beef<br />
3 teaspoons caraway seeds<br />
<br />
Directions<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 13" x 11" baking dish.<br />
<br />
Unroll one of the tubes of crescent rolls and press into the bottom of the baking dish making sure that the perforations are sealed. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.<br />
<br />
Mix the sauerkraut and dressing together in a small bowl.<br />
<br />
When the crescent dough has come out of the oven layer half of the Swiss cheese on top. Then layer all of the corned beef.<br />
<br />
Dollop the sauerkraut and dressing mixture over the corned beef. Layer the remaining cheese.<br />
<br />
Unroll the other tube of crescent dough an lay on top of the casserole. Stretch the dough to cover the dish, making sure not to tear it and sealing the perforations.<br />
<br />
Sprinkle with the caraway seeds and bake for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown.<br />
<br />
Let sit for 5 minutes before cutting.<br />
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Enjoy!Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-88611759992591318492014-02-26T11:52:00.002-08:002014-06-16T11:20:34.098-07:00Thai Coconut Shrimp SoupSometimes I wonder why I never cook shrimp.<br />
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I like the taste of shrimp, but I always seem to be reluctant to make it at home. Then I make a recipe with shrimp and I have an 'aha!' moment. Peeling and deveining shrimp is the biggest pain in the butt. Nothing <br />
<a name='more'></a>grosses me out more than eating a shrimp dish and there is some "vein" (if you don't know what the vein really is, I suggest that you do not look it up). So I devein the shrimp as meticulously as I can. Which means it takes about half an hour to peel and devein half a pound of shrimp. And my hands are like ice cubes because I never seem to thaw them all the way.<br />
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<br />
Feel free to use the pre-peeled and deveined kind, but I don't have that kind of bank account (plus there always seems to be a couple of shrimp that aren't cleaned properly). You can also use any size shrimp you want. I prefer the medium size because this is a delicate soup and that kind of goes out the window when you're trying to shove an entire jumbo shrimp in your mouth. Even though there was the hassle with the shrimp, this dish is lovely and is really quick if your shrimp is already prepped. It is also a great way to introduce people to Thai food if they're not adventurous eaters.<br />
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Combine the stock, coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce, ginger, garlic, and salt. (You can use regular coconut milk, but the calorie count will skyrocket. Also the fat content. I know that a lot of paleo dieters say how great coconut fat it is, but fat is never healthy no matter what new fad says that it is)<br />
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The 2 teaspoons of curry powder listed in the ingredients is for a medium spiciness. It just has the slightest hint of spice. If you want your soup very mild, use 1 teaspoon. If you want it hotter, use 3 or more teaspoons. I recommend adding the paste in increments and tasting as you go to ensure it doesn't go too far.<br />
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Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.<br />
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Add the green beans and cook for two minutes.<br />
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Add the shrimp and cook for 3-5 minutes. It depends on the size of your shrimp. You want to cook the shrimp until it gets that nice pink color.<br />
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Next, top with some sliced scallions and serve with lime wedges.<br />
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That's all it takes. Enjoy!<br />
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<br />
<br />
Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth<br />
1 14 oz can light coconut milk<br />
2 tsp red curry paste<br />
1 Tbsp fish sauce<br />
3 tsp ginger juice or grated fresh ginger<br />
2 garlic cloves, minced<br />
1/2 tsp Kosher salt<br />
1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces<br />
1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined<br />
2 scallions, thinly sliced<br />
1 lime, sliced into wedges<br />
<br />
Directions<br />
<br />
In a medium pot over medium-high heat combine chicken broth, coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce, ginger, garlic, and salt.<br />
<br />
Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.<br />
<br />
Add the green beans and cook for two minutes.<br />
<br />
Add the shrimp and cook until pink. 3-5 minutes depending on the size.<br />
<br />
Top with scallions and serve with lime on the side.<br />
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<br />Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-69083991648478148162014-02-24T09:50:00.001-08:002014-06-16T11:20:42.076-07:00Passion Fruit Lemonade<span id="goog_1856652735"></span><span id="goog_1856652736"></span>I love tea, but I can be somewhat of a tea snob. I only like tea that actually has tea leaves in it. Herbal teas just make me feel like I'm drinking flowers. Unfortunately, friends and family know I drink tea so they buy it as gifts. They always give me those tea towers that have ten different types of tea bags which I never drink. I offer them to company when they come over, but I still end up with a bunch of flowery teas.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
My solution was to make an Arnold Palmer.<br />
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<br />
I'm used to living in an area where it's snowing through March, but right now I'm in Virginia and it's 50°F which is amazing. T-shirts in February? Unimaginable. Sorry for everyone up north, but it's springy enough for me to sip lemonade on the patio and that's just what I'm going to do.<br />
<br />
I used passion fruit tea bags, but you can try any kind of tea you want. I think the passion fruit tea gave the drink a lovely color and I wanted a tropical flavor. If you want a more traditional Arnold Palmer, use black tea bags.<br />
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The lemonade adds enough sweetness that no other sugar is needed.<br />
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Put the tea bags into a heat proof container. I used two mugs and split the tea bags between the mugs. Pour the boiling water over the tea bags.<br />
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Let the tea bags sit in the water until the brewed tea comes to room temperature. Once the brewed tea is cooled, remove the tea bags. Mix together the tea and the lemonade. I used the bottle that the lemonade came in and drank a glass or two while the tea was brewing. Chill the passion fruit lemonade and enjoy!<br />
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<br />
<br />
Passion Fruit Lemonade<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
6 passion fruit tea bags<br />
2 1/2 cups of boiling water<br />
5 1/2 cups of lemonade<br />
<br />
Directions<br />
<br />
Place the tea bags in a heat proof container. Pour the boiling water over the tea bags.<br />
<br />
Let the tea bags sit in the water until the water comes to room temperature.<br />
<br />
Mix together the brewed tea and the lemonade, removing the tea bags. Chill.<br />
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Woo spring!Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-89393823093438700652014-02-18T05:32:00.001-08:002014-06-16T11:20:52.004-07:00Wedding Bouquet Part 2<a href="http://kelseys-crafts.blogspot.com/2014/02/wedding-bouquet-part-1.html" target="_blank">Wedding Bouquet Part 1</a><br />
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This post will show how I made the paper roses for my DIY wedding bouquet. I chose to use a dictionary and cut out petals from pages with meaningful words. You could also use a favorite novel or a flower field guide would give a splash of color. Keep in mind that you want a book with very white pages if you are wearing a white dress. If the pages are slightly off-white it will show up harshly against a white background. </div>
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For this tutorial I used plain printer paper. </div>
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I bought a cheap fabric rose from the dollar store and took apart the petals and traced them onto paper. You want a couple of different petal shapes for each size to keep the roses organic looking. Layer your paper with as many sheets as you can cut through. </div>
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I found it best to keep the petals arranged in size order to easily select the next size needed in assembly.<br />
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Curl the edges of the petals to give them a little shape. Then you want to pinch the base of the petal so that you have a slight crease on the opposite side where you curled in. </div>
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Depending on your bouquet, you can use green or silver floral wire. In a waterfall bouquet the stems hardly showed so I used silver wire which matched my filler anyway. You want a heavier gauge to support the weight of the hot glue. </div>
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Take your first petal piece and glue one side to the wire. </div>
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Wrap the paper around the wire and use a dot of hot glue to hold it in place.<br />
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Take the second smallest petal size and put a dob of hot glue in the center of the crease and stick to the base of the flower. Layer two more petals around the base of the flower. </div>
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Keep layering the petals, increasing in size until you reach the desired fullness. </div>
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Part 3 can be found <a href="http://kelseys-crafts.blogspot.com/2014/03/wedding-bouquet-part-3.html" target="_blank">here</a>. The last part is assembly. </div>
Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-70490310124070264972014-02-13T10:46:00.001-08:002014-06-16T11:21:00.445-07:00Gin and Jam CocktailThe first time I heard the words jam and cocktail used in a sentence I was quite confused. It seemed like two things that did not belong together. Kind of like when people add bacon to drinks. But weirdly enough, the jam really works to sweeten this cocktail.<br />
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With the crushed ice this cocktail is basically a grown-up slushie. I call that a win. If you're not a fan of gin you could easily substitute vodka or another clear liquor. I know a lot of people are expecting snow so you can use some fresh snow instead of using crushed ice. You could also substitute other citruses in place of the grapefruit if you have something else on hand.<br />
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Add your gin, grapefruit juice, simple syrup*, and jam to your shaker. Add ice and shake until the jam is evenly dispersed (about twenty seconds). Pour into a glass filled with crushed ice.<br />
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*Simple syrup is as easy as it sounds. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together equal parts of sugar and water. Bring the mixture to a boil to dissolve the sugar completely. Take the pan off of the heat and let cool.<br />
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Have fun with this drink! Experiment a little. I think I might try using strawberry lemonade instead of the grapefruit and simple syrup with lemon curd next time. A tropical slushie could be made with rum, pineapple juice and coconut milk. The possibilities are endless!<br />
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Gin and Jam Cocktail<br />
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2 oz gin<br />
1 oz freshly squeezed grapefruit juice<br />
1 oz simple syrup*<br />
1 teaspoon of seedless raspberry jam plus another teaspoon for garnish<br />
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Add gin, grapefruit juice, simple syrup, and jam in a shaker with ice.<br />
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Shake for twenty seconds or until jam is evenly dispersed.<br />
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Pour into a glass filled with crushed ice.<br />
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Garnish with a spoonful of jam and stir into the cocktail as you drink.<br />
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*Make simple syrup by putting equal parts of water and sugar into a pot over medium-high heat. Once the sugar is completely dissolved let cool.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Adapted from <a href="http://honestlyyum.com/6393/gin-and-jam/" target="_blank">Tom at Honestly Yum</a>)</span><br />
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I now accept jam as an acceptable addition to cocktails.Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-38105793281621192292014-02-10T06:17:00.002-08:002014-06-16T11:21:09.667-07:00Coconut Body ButterI have been using coconut oil as a moisturizer for about a year now. I like the really low price, I love the smell, and I love that it's all natural. But I still have not gotten over that gross, oily feeling you have immediately get after spreading the coconut oil over my skin. I know that a lot of other people avoid using coconut oil for this reason. So I decided to make a body butter that absorbs better, but still has all of the things I like about coconut oil.<br />
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This body butter feels a million times better. The cocoa butter helps your skin absorb the moisturizer. I also added some vanilla extract to make this body butter smell like an amazing coconut-vanilla cake. You can use actual vanilla bean pods if you want, but I'm saving mine for another project coming up.<br />
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You still only need to use the smallest amount of body butter at a time. Otherwise, you will feel greasy. It also doesn't hurt to rub the body butter between your hands to warm the oil before using it on the rest of your body.<br />
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If your applying the lotion to your body after a shower always pat dry your skin with a towel rather than rubbing. You want to keep your skin moist before applying the lotion because it helps your skin absorb it better.<br />
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I suggest using a unrefined, extra virgin coconut oil. This is the kind of coconut oil that has that lovely coconut scent. The cocoa butter that I used was just something I picked up in the clearance section. You want equal parts of both of those. I used 1 cup each because I wanted enough to fill my lotion jar.<br />
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You can use vanilla extract or vanilla bean seeds. For this batch I used 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract.<br />
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Combine all of the ingredients in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whisk away for ten minutes on full speed.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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Coconut Body Butter<br />
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Ingredients<br />
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1 cup unrefined, extra virgin coconut oil<br />
1 cup cocoa butter<br />
1 Tbsp vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean pod, halved and seeds scraped<br />
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Directions<br />
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Add coconut oil, cocoa butter, and vanilla extract to an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.<br />
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Whisk on high speed for 10 minutes or until the body butter is light and fully combined<br />
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<br />Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-54185208251041425802014-02-05T05:16:00.001-08:002014-06-16T11:21:19.194-07:00One Tray Sausage and VegetablesThis meal is so quick and easy. You pretty much just throw everything onto a tray and pop it in the oven. And it's done in less than half and hour.<br />
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You can use any type of sausage you want. I like to go for chicken sausage to avoid extra, unnecessary fat. I found an awesome apple and maple chicken sausage at Trader Joe's. The apple flavor went beautifully with the acorn squash.<br />
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The best part is that this meal produces three things to wash (excluding dinnerware). All it takes are a cutting board, a knife, and a baking tray.<br />
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Preheat oven to 475°F<br />
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Lay your acorn squash and onions on a rimmed baking sheet. (I usually line it with foil first to help with cleanup). Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Toss to combine and make sure that your squash is in a single layer.<br />
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Add the sausages on top.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MWT9WIlS9wk/UukQEB3ZdKI/AAAAAAAACz8/Z3H577TQg2o/s1600/IMG_0785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MWT9WIlS9wk/UukQEB3ZdKI/AAAAAAAACz8/Z3H577TQg2o/s1600/IMG_0785.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Super unattractive picture of pasty sausages)</span></div>
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Bake for 15-18 or until the vegetables are tender.<br />
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Heat the broiler and add the sage and Asiago cheese to the veggies and sausage. Broil for 3 or until the cheese is bubbly.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Much better picture of browned sausages)</span></div>
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It also makes amazing leftovers when chopped up and put in an omelet.<br />
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One Tray Sausage and Vegetables<br />
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Ingredients<br />
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1 large acorn squash, halved, seeded, and cut into 1/2" slices<br />
1 red onion, cut into 1/4" slices<br />
3 Tbsp olive oil<br />
1 Tbsp Kosher salt<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper<br />
16 oz package sausage<br />
1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese (2 oz)<br />
1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage leaves or 1 1/2 tsp dried sage<br />
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Directions<br />
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Preheat oven to 475°F<br />
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On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the squash and onion with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.<br />
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Place sausages on top.<br />
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Bake for about 15 to 18 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.<br />
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Heat the broiler and sprinkle the cheese and sage over the vegetables and sausage.<br />
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Broil for 3 minutes or until the cheese is browned and the sausages are heated through.<br />
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Yum!Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-81288207346890518842014-02-03T04:07:00.001-08:002014-06-16T11:21:33.408-07:00Wedding Bouquet Part 1I loved preparing for my wedding. I know a lot of people get really stressed and go nuts over little things (looking at you, Bridezillas). But I loved the idea of being able to make our wedding totally crafty and a little nerdy. (Bonus: making most of my wedding elements saved a TON of money).<br />
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Now, I have seen nerdy weddings. They are cute and fun, but only to those who are also nerdy. I am not a fan of making the entire wedding video game, anime, whatever themed. There will be relatives there that will have no idea what is going on and they won't have as much fun. This is going to be an unpopular opinion, but I think that you should throw a wedding that is fun for everyone, not something that only the bride is happy with. </div>
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We made our wedding classic, but with a couple of nerdy elements thrown in. Our save the dates had an anime twist, but our invitations were classy. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr46i9TNwMJLJyjEHhbMoNyf4sUniP-zCHJ8jQcEQnmalTwN6Ef4XjVmeeEKjkKO3eBx9mmlaZI-G0Z2lfs650TJ54ViYeuj9CkpprW6GsuebR0TG4Pf-EMj8YP6NJTG7xxh-Mk1h1pno/s1600/savethedate.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr46i9TNwMJLJyjEHhbMoNyf4sUniP-zCHJ8jQcEQnmalTwN6Ef4XjVmeeEKjkKO3eBx9mmlaZI-G0Z2lfs650TJ54ViYeuj9CkpprW6GsuebR0TG4Pf-EMj8YP6NJTG7xxh-Mk1h1pno/s1600/savethedate.png" height="312" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Spice and Wolf nerdy save the date)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Classic invitation)</span></div>
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We had a handful of Japanese songs that were meaningful to us, but we played mostly popular music. </div>
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We kept our cake classic white, but we had our two Pokemon cake toppers.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Ninetails with a tiara and Arcanine with a sailor hat)</span></div>
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A great part about having our wedding in the winter was that I was able to incorporate a lot of sparkly elements without it looking trashy. I was also able to use the decorations that the place had set up for Christmas. Frugal win!</div>
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I spent a lot of time figuring everything out so with the invitations and the bouquet so I thought that some tutorials might be handy for other brides-to-be. I wanted to start with the part that I had the most fun with: my bouquet.<br />
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I shopped around for flowers and the prices made me want to cry. Everything I wanted was outrageously expensive. $150 for flowers that will waste away? I don't think so.<br />
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So I browsing pinterest and I saw this <a href="http://www.100layercake.com/blog/2011/07/22/diy-storybook-paper-roses/" target="_blank">tutorial for paper roses</a>. I realized that I could make my own bouquet!<br />
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I'm definitely a lily person over a rose person so I looked up origami lilies. It turns out that they look awesome. I knew I wanted a waterfall bouquet because they are just gorgeous so I went to my local florist and bought a waterfall bouquet holder.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdfeDpIBAW0XaqVGbD8H1TzHAUu4TgClHtWFdYpZdFx6zzOrPAJz9jU0gwOUK7YxHSkfx-07rMkCAQYlBjkbzir3HoQmQTnrBBsKWXL49TiaumkiG7cxOALo4fK7jGttAQvliA14-NImI/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdfeDpIBAW0XaqVGbD8H1TzHAUu4TgClHtWFdYpZdFx6zzOrPAJz9jU0gwOUK7YxHSkfx-07rMkCAQYlBjkbzir3HoQmQTnrBBsKWXL49TiaumkiG7cxOALo4fK7jGttAQvliA14-NImI/s1600/download.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Like this one)</span></div>
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Next I made mountains and mountains of flowers. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Origami Lily</span></div>
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First, I squared off a whole stack of printer paper. </div>
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<i>What? Printer paper? Shouldn't you be using origami paper that costs $10 for a pack of 12 sheets? </i></div>
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Nope. Not this budget savvy bride. I found that printer paper works just as well as origami paper without the high price, but I wanted my lilies to be white. If you want another color you will have to spring for more expensive paper. </div>
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I went to Staples and used their long arm paper slicer to make the 8 1/2 x 11" paper into a couple of different sized squares. I made 6" to 8" squares.</div>
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Make a fold from one corner to another.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UMxvFJl346Y/Uu5WXvDzZ1I/AAAAAAAADDM/BOYef-7h0sY/s1600/IMG_0708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UMxvFJl346Y/Uu5WXvDzZ1I/AAAAAAAADDM/BOYef-7h0sY/s1600/IMG_0708.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Make another fold meeting the opposite corners.</div>
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Flip the paper over and fold in half one each side. </div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">This is a water balloon base. If you are new to origami look up a video on how to make a water balloon base. </span></div>
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You're going to make a squash fold. Repeat three more times so that you have a kite shape. </div>
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Kite Shape</div>
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Next you're going to fold the lower edges of the kite to the center line. Fold down the top. Unfold.</div>
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This next part is a little tricky. You want to use those creases you just made to make a petal fold as seen in the following picture. Put your finger under the first layer of paper and fold the layer up at the top crease while pushing the sides to the center. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iyQlP8w1IUM/Uu5WcKYgfiI/AAAAAAAADEg/h0SrE9Ds7qU/s1600/IMG_0722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iyQlP8w1IUM/Uu5WcKYgfiI/AAAAAAAADEg/h0SrE9Ds7qU/s1600/IMG_0722.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Continue doing the petal fold for the other three sides until you get another kite shape. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ikBmvr6g1JI/Uu5WcYuf3AI/AAAAAAAADEo/nHkJLu9pjX8/s1600/IMG_0723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ikBmvr6g1JI/Uu5WcYuf3AI/AAAAAAAADEo/nHkJLu9pjX8/s1600/IMG_0723.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Fold the top down to get a diamond shape. Repeat with the other three sides. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-otK2h-SZwdQ/Uu5WcxPxosI/AAAAAAAADEw/GpX32pEqESo/s1600/IMG_0724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-otK2h-SZwdQ/Uu5WcxPxosI/AAAAAAAADEw/GpX32pEqESo/s1600/IMG_0724.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Fold the edges to the center line and repeat with the other three sides. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EKgbLqcJSMU/Uu5WdRnPFcI/AAAAAAAADE4/SbXfJXLMowY/s1600/IMG_0725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EKgbLqcJSMU/Uu5WdRnPFcI/AAAAAAAADE4/SbXfJXLMowY/s1600/IMG_0725.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ShERY2UU_DA/Uu5Wdxp6BfI/AAAAAAAADFA/NNkXHsFK-d0/s1600/IMG_0726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ShERY2UU_DA/Uu5Wdxp6BfI/AAAAAAAADFA/NNkXHsFK-d0/s1600/IMG_0726.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Curl the top down. (I used a pencil to get a nice curve). Repeat with the other three sides to reveal your lily. </div>
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This concludes Part 1 of making the wedding bouquet. Part 2 can be found <a href="http://kelseys-crafts.blogspot.com/2014/02/wedding-bouquet-part-2.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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Here's a little look at the finished product. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7wFZ-71BIKDQua6HuKtnrTizAaKzIS3mZot_iZoN7TmMFkVcQOAYGdwd7aCeKemehR5l4P0PCTo4bnTBrEDczP1_-KsBEUtz9dS7vnGf9q9bloLqJry6OCf8a2PeDjSZYG5i6J0rklR0/s1600/0107+KM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7wFZ-71BIKDQua6HuKtnrTizAaKzIS3mZot_iZoN7TmMFkVcQOAYGdwd7aCeKemehR5l4P0PCTo4bnTBrEDczP1_-KsBEUtz9dS7vnGf9q9bloLqJry6OCf8a2PeDjSZYG5i6J0rklR0/s1600/0107+KM.jpg" height="428" width="640" /></a></div>
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Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829938423292180113.post-49080508356212315912014-02-01T08:04:00.000-08:002014-06-16T11:21:42.941-07:00Pappa al pomodoroYou know how amazing grilled cheese and tomato soup is?<br />
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This soup is like those two things mixed together.<br />
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With wine.<br />
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This recipe is adapted from my favorite cookbook: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Barefoot-Contessa-Back-Basics-Ingredients/dp/1400054354/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1391027771&sr=1-3&keywords=barefoot+contessa" target="_blank">Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics</a>.<br />
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Ina Garten makes some of the best food, but some of her recipes involve a lot of kitchen time or an expensive shopping list. This recipe doesn't involve either of those. It is simple and cheap and healthy.<br />
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You're going to want a big pot. A stock pot or large dutch oven will do the trick. Heat the olive oil in your vessel of choice and toss in the onions and garlic for five minutes.<br />
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Add in the carrots and fennel and cook for another five minutes.<br />
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Once the vegetables are nice and tender, add in the ciabatta. Five more minutes!<br />
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Meanwhile, you want to coarsely chop the plum tomatoes. Some people like to use kitchen shears, but I used my immersion blender right in the can. You can also use a food processor and pulse about five times.<br />
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Add the tomatoes, stock, red wine, basil, salt, and pepper to the vegetables.<br />
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Turn the heat up to high until the soup boils. Put a lid on halfway and turn the heat down low to simmer for 45 minutes.<br />
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Use a whisk to break up some of the bread. Stir in the Parmesan. I went a little crazy and added in the whole block. I love cheese so 1/2 cup of Parmesan turned into 2 cups....<br />
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Serve hot and top with some more Parmesan cheese (if you have any left) and extra bread!<br />
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Pour an extra glass of wine for yourself. You just made dinner. Reward time.<br />
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Pappa al pomodoro<br />
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Ingredients<br />
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1/4 cup olive oil<br />
2 yellow onions, finely chopped<br />
3 carrots, chopped<br />
2 fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored, and sliced thin<br />
4 cloves of garlic, minced<br />
3 cups (1-inch) diced ciabatta or other Italian bread<br />
2 (28 oz) cans whole plum tomatoes<br />
4 cups stock<br />
1/2 cup dry red wine<br />
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves<br />
1 tablespoon Kosher salt<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper<br />
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese<br />
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Directions<br />
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Heat the oil in a stockpot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally.<br />
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Add the carrots and fennel and cook for another five minutes or until the vegetables are tender.<br />
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Add the cubed ciabatta and cook for five more minutes.<br />
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Use an immersion blender or a food processor to coarsely chop the tomatoes. Add the tomatoes, stock, red wine, basil, salt and pepper to the pot.<br />
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Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and let simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes.<br />
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Beat the soup with a wire whisk to break up some of the chunks of bread. Stir in the Parmesan and taste for seasoning.<br />
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Serve hot with some extra Parmesan cheese on top.<br />
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<br />Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184940789710561315noreply@blogger.com0