tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11640192334389351642024-03-14T01:56:07.514-07:00Griffin Family CraftsMalloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164019233438935164.post-63666579673897823322013-06-06T16:16:00.002-07:002013-06-06T16:16:21.112-07:00So I Sprained A FingerI sprained a finger on my right hand and typing is painful. I'm still working but I'm keeping online time to a minimum. <a href="http://www.facebook.com/GriffinHandspun">Griffin Handspun</a> now has a Facebook page so please like it for updates and check out the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.313363482129972.1073741828.306988389434148&type=3">Items for Sale</a> album. It's much easier to type up a sentence or two there so for the foreseeable future this blog will be on hiatus.Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164019233438935164.post-42368108551314469042013-02-21T16:32:00.001-08:002013-02-21T16:32:19.495-08:00Settling InWe now have less than a week 'til the in-laws are flying up to visit us and the house is.....less than ready. My office/workroom is by far the worst since it's been at the bottom of our list but I've finally started unpacking it. Last weekend Ikea had <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30058508/" target="_blank">shelving units</a> on sale for $9.99 so we made the (way too long) trip there and bought 4 of them. <br />
When we got home Hubby put them all together while I nursed #2 down for a nap. Once he zonked out I started going through boxes of fabric. After sorting through a 3ft square box and 2 2ft square boxes it's already looking much better but there's still a long way to go. If I had a morning/afternoon to myself I could get it all knocked out but that won't be happening any time soon; even when Hubby takes #2 so I can get something done #1 insists on following me around to see what's in the boxes. So it might be slow going but eventually I'll have everything unpacked and situated so I can get back to work. If I can get my camera charged up I'll take a quick pic of the room tonight. Although I hate how much stuff I have I love that I can work from what I have for quite a while. For example, #2 likes to be carried but Hubby doesn't like using wraps or ring slings so I'm going to make a mei tei for him. We have everything I'll need to make it in my office already and I got it all on sale. Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164019233438935164.post-12245907710452291172013-02-11T14:18:00.001-08:002013-02-11T14:18:25.054-08:00Buffalo ChickenI'm cooking all the freezer meals we have prepped so I can clean up some room and reorganize my chest freezer. Saturday I cooked up the buffalo chicken and since I had a batch of pizza dough leftover I decided to make buffalo chicken ranch pizza. My son isn't a fan of spicy food but the ranch mix I used instead of pizza sauce canceled out some of the spiciness without lessening the flavor so he devoured his slice. Dinner can be a struggle with him so I'm always happy when I find something that we all like. We used the leftover buffalo chicken to make quesadillas for lunch the next day and they also turned out tasty.<br />
<br />
Buffalo Chicken<br />
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast<br />
1 cup buffalo sauce<br />
Cook in a slow cooker on low 6-8 hours. Shred chicken, return to juice and let cook 30 more minutes.<br />
<br />
Buffalo Chicken Ranch Pizza<br />
1 pizza dough, broght to room temperature and shaped<br />
1 cup shredded buffalo chicken<br />
1 cup shredded mozzarella<br />
1/2 cup sour cream<br />
1/2 cup mayo<br />
1 packet Ranch seasoning<br />
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.<br />
Mix sour cream, mayo, and ranch seasoning. Spread a thin layer of the mixture on the pizza dough; save what's left for dipping sauce. Sprinkle on the cheese and chicken.<br />
Bake for 12 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.<br />
<br />
Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164019233438935164.post-59605652352118245402013-02-08T19:30:00.001-08:002013-02-08T19:37:10.043-08:00Carnitas Two WaysI knew when I made the carnitas a few days ago that I was going to make carnitas pizza with the leftovers, but I had so much left after I made 1 pizza that I decided to make creamy taquitos too. I used a recipe from the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/California-Pizza-Kitchen-Family-Cookbook/dp/B0044KMRB2/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1360380891&sr=1-1&keywords=california+pizza+kitchen" target="_blank">CPK cookbook</a> for the pizza dough and we loved it; I'm excited to try their honey wheat pizza dough recipe next.<br />
<br />
Carnitas Pizza<br />
Pizza dough (I made my own but store bought it <br />
1 cup carnitas, shredded<br />
1 cup shredded cheese, mexican blend or mozzarella<br />
1/2 sweet onion, finely sliced<br />
1/4 cup verde salsa<br />
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.<br />
Cook the onion until soft without browning it.<br />
Stretch the dough into a circle. <br />
Spread on salsa, cheese, onion, and meat.<br />
Bake for 10 minutes.<br />
<br />
Carnitas Taquitos<br />
2 cups carnitas, shredded<br />
1/4 cup sour cream<br />
1/4 cup mayo<br />
1/4 cup salsa verde<br />
1 avocado<br />
tortillas<br />
Smash the avocado with a fork, then mix in the sour cream, mayo, and salsa.<br />
Add the meat and combine.<br />
Put a 1 inch wide line of meat on the tortilla and roll it up.<br />
These can either be baked at 350 for 15 minutes or fried.<br />
<br />
The sauce I mixed up for the taquitoes can also be used as a sauce for the pizza; just double the salsa so it's not so thick. The taquitos freeze and reheat well so you could make a batch to freeze and then microwave for 30 seconds when you want one. Hubby likes to microwave and then pan fry them when he comes home for lunch.Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164019233438935164.post-46471946198613416382013-02-07T11:27:00.000-08:002013-02-07T11:27:47.344-08:00Carnitas!!!My mouth is watering just thinking about them. I feel like Homer Simpson thinking about a doughnut. Winco had pork carnitas on sale last week so I picked up a pack. Once I got home I looked for a recipe because I've never made them before. I found a few for carnitas tacos and it looked so easy (and sounded so delicious) that I went back and got 3 more packs. The recipes I found all called for the meat to be cooked MUCH longer than needed so I came up with one I thought would give the carnitas a nice crispiness without drying it out. They turned out great and now I'm going to make carnitas pizza to use up some of the leftovers.<br />
<br />
Carnitas Tacos<br />
Approx. 4lbs carnitas, cut into 2' chunks<br />
1 cup orange juice<br />
Juice from a handful of limes<br />
1 Tablespoon salt<br />
1/2 Tablespoon cumin<br />
<br />
Put everything in a cast iron dutch oven and add enough water to cover the meat.<br />
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cover and let cook until the meat is falling apart.<br />
Once the meat is done remove the lid and kick up the heat so the liquids boil off.<br />
Continue to cook, stirring when needed, until the meat has had a chance to fry in its own fat.<br />
<br />
We served on tortillas (flour because it's all we had) with a little cheese and salsa.<br />
Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164019233438935164.post-64334402003166463722013-01-29T22:00:00.001-08:002013-01-29T22:00:34.872-08:00Upcoming Recipes<div><p>Last month I ordered more diaper covers from <a href="http://www.momsmilkboutique.com">Mom's Milk Boutique</a> and when I got the package there was a caramel taped to the thank you note. It was the best caramel I have ever tasted. I got online and ordered more that same day. Now my mission is to replicate them. I <b>will</b> make celtic sea salt caramels that are so good you want to stop everything and enjoy while it melts in your mouth.<br>
Bread baking is also on my mind. There are a few recipes I've been meaning to try: banana bread, brioche, pita, and pizza just to name a few. I got a dough whisk and I'm so excited to put it to use. The Bread in Five Minutes books look interesting so I might get a 6 quart food container to try those as well.<br>
If the kids give me a minute of peace tomorrow I'll start on some bread. Mmm banana sounds good but I'm out of walnuts. Naan is great with just about anything. No, I think pitas would be nice. That would give me a reason to make honey chipotle bbq shredded chicken again. It is by far my favorite barbeque sauce and is really simple to make. There's a smoky chipotle flavor and it's not overly sweet. </p>
</div>Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164019233438935164.post-2731473998838807452013-01-26T20:36:00.000-08:002013-01-26T20:36:17.320-08:00Commisary DealsThe Fort Lewis Commisary has amazing deals on cereal right now. <br />
Honey Bunches of Oats with Pecans are $1.08<br />
Mini Churros are $0.89<br />
Honey Mini Wheats are $1.08<br />
Banana Nut Cheerios are $1.79 and there's a $1 off when you buy 2 coupon<br />
I stocked up. 22 boxes of ceral for $24. We don't eat cereal often so that's enough to last us the entire year.<br />
<br />
Also, they have the Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh lunch meat is on sale for $2 and there are $1 off when you buy 2 coupons on tear pads. That's the best price by far on those.<br />
<br />
Those of you who do freezer cooking might be interested in checking out freezerware by Glad. They're designed to not get brittle when frozen like reglar gladware does. I've been using them for my slow cooker meals instead of zip top freezer bags.Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164019233438935164.post-13026037023461566782013-01-26T17:22:00.001-08:002013-01-26T17:27:18.047-08:00Makin' The Most Of It<div>
<div>
Woo it was a busy week! It started Sunday when I took Baby Boy with me to get a Sunday paper and then to Target. We walked through the grocery section and they had Butterball frozen turkeys for $0.79/lb. I bought two: one to cook and shred, the other to grind up. I wanted to get the most bang for my buck so I decided to use the turkeys for meat, broth, and stock. On Monday I went to work on the first one. It was defrosted, cut up, boiled, shredded, and finally the bones were boiled. Here's how it was done.<br />
<br />
1 turkey, skin removed and cut up<br />
4 carrots, cut in quarters<br />
4 stalks celery, cut in quarters<br />
salt and pepper<br />
<br />
Everything goes in a big pot, along with as much water as will fit while leaving room to simmer. I don't have any big pots (forgot them at Mom's) so I divided everything to do 2 batches.<br />
Simmer for 1 hour, or until the meat is falling apart. Once it's done take out all the meat and let it cool. <br />
Use a collander and cheesecloth to strain the liquid left in the pot. Ta da! You now have broth.<br />
Cool the broth in the fridge, skim the fat off the top, then package and freeze it for later use. I put mine in quart sized freezer bags this time but last time I froze it in ice cube trays and put the cubes in a freezer bag later.<br />
Next pick all the meat off the bones and shred it. You can use this for any dish that calls for shredded chicken or turkey. <br />
Now put the bones in the pot with fresh water. Cover and simmer for 12-24 hours.<br />
Once time's up strain the liquid and you have turkey stock. Cool it in the fridge, remove the fat that rises to the top, then package and freeze it.
It took a few days since I was taking my time but I now have 2 gallon sized bags full of turkey meat, 12 quarts of broth, and 6 quarts of stock. <br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXx3w3FjMDUH-H2PY0_2wx2-x9doGEKoWuxB0qqOA9cHuznmHdvCkfugUI2OlCm4Z4BAr-H9UafIbxkaL_53DOeuUJd9Pq2UTyX5tuSonztL0Ipj9wYQIhWFA0ZAK4F-iD9f-qN3nRLg/" /></div>
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Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164019233438935164.post-74954230278546043792013-01-21T16:54:00.002-08:002013-01-26T17:28:11.878-08:00Easy Make and Freeze Meatballs<div>
It recently dawned on me that I've never made spaghetti & meatballs. Meatballs are great so I'm not sure how this happened. They're so versatile; you can make meatball subs, add them to spaghetti, cook them in a wide variety of sauces, and they freeze and reheat well. So while hubby was at work I put Baby Boy in the carrier and got to work mixing up a big batch of meatballs. I had been looking for a recipe online and wasn't happy with anything I found so I made my own.<br />
<br />
2 lbs ground beef<br />
1 lb ground pork<br />
1 onion, minced<br />
1 egg, beaten<br />
1 Tbs salt<br />
1 1/2 cups milk<br />
1 1/2 - 2 1/2 cups quick oats<br />
<br />
Mix everything except the quick oats. Then start adding in the quick oats until you've reached the correct consistency. You want it to hold together when formed into a ball.<br />
Next form the mix into balls. I like to make smaller, bite sized meatballs but if you want them bigger just remember to increase the cooking time.<br />
Finally put them in a baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.</div>
Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164019233438935164.post-44051636876000460522013-01-19T09:18:00.000-08:002013-01-19T09:18:48.473-08:00Pinterest Fail: Hula Hoop RugI stumbled across a pin a few months ago. It showed how to weave a <a href="http://spoonful.com/crafts/hula-hoop-rug" target="_blank">rug</a> from a hula hoop and t-shirt scraps. It incorporated things that I love: weaving, recycling, and kids crafts. So of course I saw it and had to try it.<br />
It was a huge fail.<br />
Since the instructions say to use a cut up t-shirt for the warp too it quickly stretches out of shape. This causes you to end up with a bowl shape instead of a flat circle. While following the how to didn't work out it was a good idea--it just needs to be done slightly different. Instead of using t-shirts for the warp use plain muslin fabric; it won't stretch out of shape causing the rug to be misshapen. Also, I'm clumsy and have slipped on rugs that weren't backed so I'd suggest putting some <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Environmental-Technology-16-Ounce-Fiber-Lok-Backing/dp/B000YZ5IY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358214831&sr=8-1&keywords=rug+backing" target="_blank">rug backing</a> on the underside of the rug to prevent it from sliding.<br />
Now that I've gone over how it can be done better, I guess I'll show you the monstrosity I ended up with. D wanted a rainbow rug which I won't attempt again. Even if it hadn't ended up being a misshapen mess I still wouldn't like the thick stripes of color. For version 2.0 I'll pick 3 or 4 colors, cut the strips, throw them all in a bag, and pick at random as I weave.<br />
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<br />Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164019233438935164.post-72929443226067081682013-01-17T17:49:00.001-08:002013-01-17T17:49:07.800-08:00Slow Cooker ApplesauceWe recently bought 40 pounds of apples because they were only $30 through Bountiful Baskets. For those of you who haven't heard of them I encourage you to check them out. There's no way we can eat 40 pounds of apples before they go bad so I decided to use half to make applesauce to freeze. The second half will be sliced and frozen for later. Freezing food for later use is one of the best ways to save money on groceries so I'm so happy we finally bought a chest freezer.<br />
.<br />
First I had Hubby start peeling and slicing apples. I got <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004ZEMSDO/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i01" target="_blank">this one</a> because it makes 12 slices instead of 8 like all the ones I've found in the store.<br />
<br />
Slow Cooker Applesauce<br />
<ul>
<li>apples - peeled, cored, and sliced</li>
<li>2-4 Tbs brown sugar </li>
<li>1 tsp cinnamon</li>
<li>1 tsp vanilla</li>
<li>other spices you like </li>
</ul>
We have a 6 quart slow cooker and I had him fill it almost all the way to the top with apples. <br />
Next I sprinkled the brown sugar on top. The amount of brown sugar you'll use will depend on how sweet your apples are. I've had some that didn't need any sugar at all. It's better to start with less and then add more later.<br />
Then add the cinnamon, vanilla, and whatever else sounds good. Sometimes I use them and sometimes I leave them out. This time I used cinnamon, allspice, vanilla, and a small bit of citrus peel.<br />
Put it on low and let it cook. I let it go overnight but it'll depend on the size slices you use. Once it's ready you can leave it like it is if you want it chunky or take a stick blender to it if you want it smooth.<br />
It doesn't look like it from the pic but I had enough to fill a gallon sized freezer bag.<br />
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<br />Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164019233438935164.post-59232314325229595092013-01-16T10:26:00.002-08:002013-01-16T10:27:40.423-08:00Buffalo Chicken Garbage BreadI have been in the mood for recipes with buffalo chicken so we've had lots of it lately. The latest one is buffalo chicken garbage bread. <br />
<br />
uncooked pizza dough<br />
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced up<br />
1 cup shredded cheese (I went with a mozzarella/monterey blend, but use what you like)<br />
1/2 cup Frank's buffalo sauce, divided<br />
1/4-1/2 cup ranch dressing (depends on how hot you want it)<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.<br />
Cook chicken in 1/4 cup Frank's. <br />
When done mix chicken, the rest of the Frank's, and the ranch together.<br />
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Spread the dough out into a rectangle on a baking sheet.<br />
Spread the chicken/sauce mix on the dough and sprinkle the cheese on top.<br />
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Roll it up into a log. Pinch the dough on the ends to seal.<br />
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Bake for 20 minutes, or until browned. Let it cool 5 minutes then slice and enjoy.<br />
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Hubby wold like me to point out that the finished bread looks like a <a href="http://tremors.wikia.com/wiki/Graboid" target="_blank">graboid</a>. Please excuse the less than great pictures; I was taking them while holding a hungry baby. And I'd like to add that the finished bread is golden brown, not crispy burnt like it looks in this pic. Once it was cool we sliced it up and served it with green beans. Hmmm now that I'm thinking about it this would be good if you cooked cauliflower with the chicken and then you'd have the veggie in the garbage bread. I feel like we don't get enough vegetables so I try to add diced up veggies to other things.Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164019233438935164.post-78455929885459121932013-01-12T10:07:00.001-08:002013-01-12T13:21:04.476-08:00Bakery Outlets<div>
Growing up I loved when my mom would take us to the day old bakery. Of course back then I loved it because Mom let us pick out 1 snack. Mmm...there would be our options laid out: cake rolls, snowballs, pudding pies, zingers, moon pies, and more. It was great.<br />
Now I love it for a different reason. Bread is not cheap; the bread I prefer to buy is even more so. We were lucky enough to hear that there was a Franz Bakery Outlet 15 minutes away and after my first time there I was hooked.<br />
Today I got 4 loaves of bread, 2 packs of thin sandwich bread, a pack of brownie bites, and 12 packs of mini donuts. <br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiqDcPTUdj0fng_2caZaMqs1yh9aZ7CFuu198jJJOJ_XzEdqlO2HfCGJsl_i8B7zg0w2W7MQ6a3h5fjGvzMzz1LGtdEII1oMNXweBAa2vMPMXjh54ipDTs1-R6RkpGMqEuZNazGzGx_HM/" /><br />
All of that would cost around $35 at the grocery store but I only spent $10 and change. As an added perk our local bakery outlet has a rack full of freebies; you get to pick out 1 or more based on how much you spend. It's not only plain bread either--last time I got a loaf of organic nine grain for free. Normally we don't get the sweets because we're both working about eatting healthier but a little treat now and then is nice, and at the greatly reduced price I don't mind so much.</div>
Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164019233438935164.post-53433687196200750312013-01-11T11:09:00.002-08:002013-01-12T10:14:15.334-08:00Chicken Cordon BleuSince Liam made his appearance I have been all about slow cooker/one dish meals. I need tasty, healthy meals that I can put together quickly during the week (since I'm getting everything done with a squirmy baby in the ringsling). <br />
Last night we had slow cooker chicken cordon bleu. I didn't take a picture, mainly because it didn't look very nice, but it was delicious. Everything was layered in the crock at 11 and dinner was ready to go when Hubby got home at 5.<br />
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Crockpot Chicken Cordon Bleu<br />
1 can cream of chicken soup<br />
1 can full of milk<br />
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts - cut in 1/4<br />
6-8 slices ham - cut in 1/4<br />
6 slices swiss cheese - cut in 1/4<br />
1 package dry stuffing mix<br />
1/2 stick butter/margarine - melted<br />
Mix the cream of chicken soup and the milk, pour 1/2 into the slow cooker. <br />
Place chicken evenly in the crock, then the sliced ham on top of the chicken and the swiss on top of the ham. <br />
Pour remaining soup/milk mix on top. <br />
Evenly pour the stuffing mix on top and then drizzle the melted butter over the stuffing. <br />
Cook on low 4-6 hours or high 2-3 hours.<br />
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I love chicken cordon bleu but Hubby has always hated it. This, however, he loved. Even my picky 4 year old cleaned his plate; if you knew how rarely he wants to eat dinner you'd know what a miracle this is.Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164019233438935164.post-11967759579686134922012-12-16T10:09:00.001-08:002013-01-12T10:12:51.516-08:00New Addition<div>
Liam Connor<br />
He was born on November 10th at 12:01am, weighed 11lbs, and was 21.5 inches long.<br />
That's right. 11 pounds. I birth giants.<br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZByTctMkDmYNDx76HcOiJssbjOHRb4tdk2BA171f7_sJis0PS1aUdvxPVmrovDYcT3JaTgm2_4O_7aa85hHt45hPUlIOiYpyWbVWCsm8ZH4UD6faDoSl84AEy8DtCS3pawV3-6gwsN50/" /></div>
Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164019233438935164.post-33517089934255569412012-12-16T09:55:00.001-08:002013-01-12T10:09:53.406-08:00It's Been Busy...<div><div>
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Hubby came home, we moved 1200 miles to Washington (state, not DC), we moved into our new house on post, and I had our 2nd baby. <br />
The house is slowly coming together but my workroom hasn't been touched yet; it's full of boxes and there's no telling when I'll be able to start unpacking. Last night I was able to make 2 necklaces and a bracelet while nursing Liam on the couch so yay for multitasking. <br />
With some luck I'll be back to crafting soon. Happy holidays!</div>
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<img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEird34PS9tgYmBegmAgpJflqB5-8SaFz8F5OTzWRnKufQUjdRNu-YxeBXRwCsTHqBzMnCcF5FN8dYPcJVulGHyhvBgnFD8yskj8fxBduoWYkmotvZjlwfIUy-K_s02WXnaPhCrmGjV4vT4/" width="300" /></div>
</div>Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164019233438935164.post-31228372558189286952012-08-20T22:32:00.000-07:002013-01-12T10:13:51.480-08:00Mini Dutch BabiesLast year I saw an episode of Good Eats about popovers, and one of the recipes he made was for a dutch baby. We made one later that week and it was good but lately I've been looking for small, single serving things to make for breakfast. It feels like I've seen <strong>everything</strong> made in muffin tins lately so I decided to make mini dutch babies.<br />
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The recipe is very basic:<br />
<ul>
<li>6 eggs</li>
<li>1 cup milk (I used 1% because that's what we had)</li>
<li>1 cup flour</li>
<li>1/2 cup sugar (I use less and sometimes skip it completely)</li>
<li>3/4 tsp kosher salt</li>
</ul>
Spray your muffin tin with a nonstick spray. Mix all the ingredients together and fill the cups 2/3 full. Cook in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, or until they're lightly golden and fluffy. Once they've cooled remove them from the pan. Serve by drizzling with lemon juice and sprinkling a little sugar on top.<br />
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My first batch was slightly overdone so the centers didn't deflate like they should have. The second batch was so good it was gone before I had a chance to take a picture. The recipe made 18 mini dutch babies but that number will vary depending on how full you fill the cups.<br />
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These came out soooooo good. As an added positive: they freeze and reheat well too. I froze the leftovers and later on my son wanted more so I put them in the microwave until they were warm and he gobbled them up.Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164019233438935164.post-32112906102652832662012-08-15T18:34:00.002-07:002013-01-12T10:16:54.158-08:00Unbreakable (I hope)<div>
Dorian can't leave a crayon in 1 piece. I don't know if all kids have a phase like this, but I'm hoping this one doesn't last too much longer. This morning I sat him down with a pack of crayons and a coloring book; instead of coloring he decided to break every. single. one. My frustration gave me an idea: crayon pucks.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkOaehMeaCm71ybLjMM1kJr-Bm7zlnQeF8-G3Dng-Al4xOft-LfMgLDxaBdJI9URiudPIuO67YIqBtu2nLBsKYpyte6q7n3no0uGE3f7ZqJA-yTMvvWCTyfKFYVNJgahB2fGZKLyTc-zs/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkOaehMeaCm71ybLjMM1kJr-Bm7zlnQeF8-G3Dng-Al4xOft-LfMgLDxaBdJI9URiudPIuO67YIqBtu2nLBsKYpyte6q7n3no0uGE3f7ZqJA-yTMvvWCTyfKFYVNJgahB2fGZKLyTc-zs/" /></a>First you'll need a mini-muffin tin and 4-5 boxes of crayons (I got 24 packs for 25cents at Target). Start out by taking the paper off all the crayons. Next, break up each color into 1/2-1 inch pieces and put them into the muffin tin, while keeping the colors seperated.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtqnFXH66bJK8sB_kKYWTCq3hvP8UhOrAQulYWgRDiQmk5YGnFdBuJV2Oy6J3Yd3mshNA6_5B-Fl_P2AMNpVkcHCtYu5xOzGrOW8nhmK6koufUvdpS5Q1HTGFdv23ye5mTRrtcL5tdKeE/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtqnFXH66bJK8sB_kKYWTCq3hvP8UhOrAQulYWgRDiQmk5YGnFdBuJV2Oy6J3Yd3mshNA6_5B-Fl_P2AMNpVkcHCtYu5xOzGrOW8nhmK6koufUvdpS5Q1HTGFdv23ye5mTRrtcL5tdKeE/" /></a>Now put the tin in the oven at 225° until they are melted, about 7-10 minutes. Once melted take them out of the oven and let them cool. After the tin is no longer hot put it in the freezer for 10 minutes. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbI58-2I0QxKZyb1zwDKajpStWwLy55BgNvQ2k0nL4su6qmau-NZ6w2_KE2n_r4Y63hEfys6-Fs0BBtUd9fb1vFPSvTlVqb_XSNnchAsqEcLJRQurue35bUtwtIVga_sxnsRes-MH5ztM/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbI58-2I0QxKZyb1zwDKajpStWwLy55BgNvQ2k0nL4su6qmau-NZ6w2_KE2n_r4Y63hEfys6-Fs0BBtUd9fb1vFPSvTlVqb_XSNnchAsqEcLJRQurue35bUtwtIVga_sxnsRes-MH5ztM/" /></a><br />
Finally, turn the tin upside down and the crayon pucks will pop out. Now your kids can't spend drawing time snapping crayons in half and you don't need to spend more money on thicker crayons.<br />
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Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164019233438935164.post-67541524322964467552012-08-15T00:33:00.001-07:002013-01-12T10:17:17.825-08:00Quickie Craft<div>
So I just noticed that I never published this post. Posting it now...
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My husband is a few thousand miles away so we're always thinking of ways to keep him in our son's thoughts. I saw popsicle stick puzzles online where a woman drew a jack'o'lantern on the sticks and gave them away. Since I have tons of pictures of Walter (hubby) and Dorian (oldest son) I decided to make a puzzle using one.<br />
I took 5 popsicle sticks, glue, and a picture. I cut excess backround off the picture, laid out the sticks, rubbed a thin row of glue on them, and put the picture I chose on top. Once the picture was dry I used my rotary cutter to cut the sticks apart. Then...all done!<br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHNbaHNmirrqUBWSht6LgwyBgglS27V6Ed3oBzqtNcj47l-agk7qgWD1DREKmLRbvrJsHdB7W70-joU8e9TRZ2SuCutkuWcuchuQxIJsn5PvHMXg-v6fKcN_2kLuyY3r8fSDk6xyYuL8/" /></div>
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Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164019233438935164.post-12418017861069209312012-08-10T18:16:00.003-07:002013-01-12T10:18:04.693-08:00How to Make a Needle BookIt seems like I'm always buying large eye sewing needles. I only use them to sew in yarn ends when I'm done knitting something but every time I need one, I can't find any. Last year I made a knitting needle holder & a crochet hook holder, and since I still have fabric left from those I decided to make a sewing needle book.<br />
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I started out by cutting 2 pieces of cotton fabric and 1 piece of cotton batting 3.5" x 5" each, a piece of felt 2.5" x 4", and a small piece of cotton fabric 1.5" x 3".<br />
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Second, I folded the 1.5" x 3" piece with right sides together, sewed the long sides, and turned it right side out. Then I put the fabric I chose for the cover on top of the batting, put on 1 side of a snap about an inch from the right edge, and pinned the short piece to the left side.<br />
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Then I placed the fabric for the inside of the book, right sides together, on top and sewed around while leaving an an inch open at the bottom for turning. When I finished that I trimmed the excess batting.<br />
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I used a long knitting needle to turn it right sides out and then I added the other side of the snap to the tab.<br />
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Lastly, I pinned the felt in place and sewed it using embroidery floss (and yes, I know the stitching isn't quite straight but my son chose to get into everything while I was doing that part).<br />
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That's it. Now I can stick my sewing needles in the felt and keep this book with my other needle and hook holders. After I get some other sewing out of the way I'll make another one with extra felt pages to keep my sewing machine needles organized too.<br />
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Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164019233438935164.post-40672861155761109052012-08-07T13:37:00.000-07:002013-01-12T10:19:25.679-08:00Just Add Water Paint PagesWhen I was a kid I had coloring books with colored dots on the page. I'd swipe a wet paintbrush across the dots and I could paint the picture. A month ago I bought one for my son but it was a big let down. The colors were pale and pictures were printed on each side of the page so the water being used on one side ruined the other. I'm always looking for new craft ideas (thanks to Pinterest I'm finding tons) and I found <a href="http://lissybug.com/make-your-own-paint-with-water-pages/" target="_blank">this post</a> on making watercolor paint pages earlier this week.<br />
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I made a Joann's run and luckily the one near my house has a good selection so I was able to find watercolor paper and watercolor paints.<br />
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The watercolor paper was 9x12 which is a little big for my 3 year old (he tends to make smaller pictures) so I used my rotary cutter and ruler to cut the pages in half so they'd be 6x9. <br />
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Once I had some cut I laid them out so they'd overlap with only an inch at the top of each page showing. This isn't necessary but it was much quicker to be able to make a bunch at once instead of one at a time.<br />
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Next I added a dot of paint, starting with red, to the top (or bottom) of each page.<br />
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After I was done with red I did the same with all the other colors. <br />
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After I finished adding all the colors all that was left was to let the pages dry. Once dry they can be used with a damp paintbrush. Dorian loves playing with these now. Next time I make a batch I'll need to do it after I put him to bed since the entire time they were drying he was asking every 5 minuutes if they were ready yet. <br />
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Here he's using one of the full 9x12 sheet I originally made (he decided he'd rather swirl the colors together than make a picture).<br />
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<br />Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164019233438935164.post-58540446996019747952012-05-27T20:39:00.001-07:002013-01-12T10:21:26.290-08:00Memorial Day in MissouriFor those who don't know, my husband is in the Army and currently stationed (without our son and I) at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. Since he was going to be getting passes Saturday, Sunday, and Monday for Memorial Day weekend I had the insane idea to drive 1700 miles <u>each way</u> to spend some time with him. Last time we made this trip I had some down time so this time I made sure to bring my spinning wheel. <br />
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We got to Fort Leonard Wood Thursday night and I was able to get some spinning done while Dorian watched Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (off topic but he saw a little person at the store the other day and stared a ton so we had to have a talk about how everyone's different). I brought three 4 ounce braids that I bought from an etsy seller, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/chimera" target="_blank">Chimera</a>, months ago. I chose to spin one called Starry Night because that's always been my favorite Van Gogh painting. Then on Saturday morning Walter, Dorian, and I went to the park and I was able to spin up the rest of the 4 oz braid of falkland wool top.<br />
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Once Walter had to report back to the barracks for formation Dorian and I went back to the on post hotel and I got to work plying. By the way, plying yarn while your toddler alternates between jumping around your second floor room and trying to get as close as possible to touching your wheel without actually touching it is less than easy. After telling him "Don't touch", "Stop jumping! We have people in the room under ours", and "That'll hurt" dozens of times a piece I finally finished.<br />
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Turns out my bobbins don't like holding a full 4 ounces of wool. It was as full as I was going to get it but hopefully it can fit more of a thinner yarn. That I'll have to find out another day because right now I'm in a mood to spin thicker yarn, possibly even try out some art yarn. There's so much on my crafty to do list that right now I'm doing some spinning just to spin. There's a partial bobbin of BFL in a colorway called Toadstool (it made me think of camo so I got it to spin & knit something for Walter) waiting to be finished, but it needs to be a 3-ply fingering weight yarn and right now I don't have the patience for spinning that fine. For now I'm happy with spinning up fiber from my ever growing stash.<br />
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On a side note, I hate Missouri. It's beautiful here and I love the post but I hate the weather and the bugs. I'm 4 months pregnant and the heat brings out the worst pregnancy symptoms for me; it's been in the 90's the entire time we've been here and it's humid all the time. Last time we were here I woke up with some evil looking cricket thing on me and this time I found a brown recluse in the closet. Thankfully our family will be out of here soon: Dorian and I'll be heading home in a day or two, then Walter's off to Virginia for more training in 5 days.Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659658567761535399noreply@blogger.com0