Ranch Potatoes

 So I have been trying to be better at having sides with our meals instead of just the main meal. So this what we had the other night and it was a hit! I don't have a ton of time to make dinner so this is the best recipe it really only takes about 5 min to prepare. 

Ingredients:

2 lbs red potatoes quartered

1/4 C. vegetable oil.

1 pkg hidden valley ranch.

1 Ziploc bag 

Directions

Place quartered potatoes in bag. Pour the vegetable oil. Close bag and toss to coat the potatoes. Make sure they are coated. Open the bag and pour in ranch packet. Toss again to make sure they all get coated. Place in a baking dish and cook at 450 for 30 to 35 min or until potatoes are tender.

Temp: 450       Time 30-35 Min             Servings: 5

Crochet Elf Hat

So a few months ago i went through this crochet phase.

I made this super cute hat for my little guy.

It was super cute and way easy it didn't take long at all!! Unfortunately he couldn't wear it very long because he grew so fast. 

Anyway I got the tutorial from This Website.

*A few things i did differently or would change.

1. I would do all one color or maybe 1 color for the skinny part and a different color just for the wide band at the end. because you can tell where you switched colors there is kind of a hole. It still looks super cute but if your a perfectionist like i am it kind of bugged me.

2. I made mine longer than she suggested. You Can make them as long as you want. 

Applesauce Cookies

We were asked to bring the Desert to a party we were invited to and to be honest i completely forgot until like an hour before so i was trying to find a good fast recipe and this one was a hit. I thought for sure i would have some left over but when I went to go get my dish they were gone.

Ingredients

1 C sugar

1/2 C shortening

1 Egg

2 C Flour                                                                  1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp Cloves                                                           1/2 tsp Nutmeg

1/2 tsp Cinnamon                                                      1 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Baking Powder                                              1/2 C Rolled Oats

1 C Apple Sauce                                                       

Any Combination of the following

1 C Raisins, 1 C Nuts, 1 C Chocolate Chips ( I used chocolate chips)

Directions:

-Cream together the shortening and sugar.

-Add the egg

-Sift all dry ingrediants together

- Add  the dry ingrediants alternately with the applesauce

- Add nuts raisins or chocolate chips last.

-Drop by spoon onto a greased cookie sheet.

Temp : 375      Time: 11-15 Minutes         Yield: (I made 20 but they were quite big)

DIY Painted Curtians

I got this idea from this blog http://www.reckless-glamour.com/2010/11/painted-curtains.html and loved them. So i decided to try it myself. Our kitchen colors have been red and black sense we got married and I was ready for a change. I wanted to add a little color to our kitchen so we picked out a color we both liked and tried it.

Supplies :
-Curtains ( you can find cheep ones at Wal-Mart or target just plain white ones or just ones you have work just fine. These ones are ones we had from the other house we were living in)
-Tape ( so the paint doesn't bleed)
-Paint. (regular wall paint)

How to:
Tape off your stripes so they are all even or uneven how ever you want and paint. Be sure to paint a thick coat. Once you get them hung you will probably be able to see where you might have missed a little and its harder to touch up when they are hanging.

Zucchini Bread

I have wonderful neighbors who keep bringing me zucchini and squash and I was running out of things to do with them so I decided i would try to make some Zucchini bread. I got this recipe from my grandma it  is such an easy and fast recipe and tasted delicious.

Ingredients:

4 Eggs Beaten                                                           1 Tbsp Cinnamon

2 1/2 C. Sugar                                                          1 1/2 tsp. Salt

1 1/4 C. Vegetable Oil                                              1 1/2 tsp. Soda

3 C. Flour                                                                 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

4 tsp Vanilla                                                              1 C nuts (optional)

4 C. Coarsely shredded zucchini

Directions: 

Blend All ingredients on low speed for 1 minute. Scraping bowl constaintly. Beat on Medium speed for 1 minute. Pour into 2 bread pans.

Bake 350 Degrees for 50-60 Minutes. 

*Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Table Runner Tutorial

 Ok this Table runner seriously took me maybe 8 minutes to sew. It is super easy. Kind of a fun way to add color or decorate for the different holidays or seasons. I tried to take pictures while i was doing it so it doesn't seem confusing so hopefully they help. Sorry they aren't the best pictures.

For the Fabric:

1/2 Yard for the back and self boarder

1/3 yard for the front

So as you can see there is quite the difference int he sizes. That is how it is supposed to be. Make sure the lady cutting them cut them straight mine weren't that straight and you can kind of tell because i didn't fix it.

Lay right sides together and stitch down the length of each side with 1/4" seam. This will form a tube

Turn right side out.

 

*Now it is best to iron it now. So measure out so you have the same amount of boarder on each side and iron it. it should be about 1 1/2 inch on each side. I didn't iron until the end and i think it would have looked better if i ironed now.

* Fold the runner in half with the front side together and stitch 1/4" on each end..

* Unfold and iron the seam open. Turn the point right side out and iron forming a triangle and your done!

I liked up with sugarbeecrafts.com

Crockpot Stuffed Dumplings

I am not a big fan of dumplings because i hate doughy things they make me gag. So i was hesitant about making these but they actually turned out great! they weren't doughy at all. I hope you like them :)

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp chicken bouillon
salt and pepper
dash paprika
4 green onions
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1/2 the soup can of milk
1 pkg refrigerator biscuits


Directions:

*Place chicken breasts in crockpot. sprinkle bullion, salt, pepper, and paprika over top. pour 1 cup of water around the sides and cook on high 3-4 hours or low 6-7 hours.

*Shred Chicken. Mix 1/2 of the chicken with chopped green onions. Mix soup and milk with remaining shredded chicken in the crockpot.

* Press biscuits to resemble mini pizza crusts (i found it was eaiser to press them between my hands than on the counter top) fill the biscuits with the green onion and chicken mix and fold edges up and seal dough together.

* Place on top of the soup mixture in the crockpot. Tilt the lid a little to vent the steam. Cook on high for 30-60 minutes or until biscuits are cooked in the center. They shouldn't be doughy.

p.s if you don't have slow cooker bags like in the picture i suggest you get some they are amazing and you don't have to clean the pan afterward. Just throw the bag away and your done :)

(sorry for the picture my husband ate most of them before i could take a picture of them done)

Pie Crust

Pie Crust:

Ingredients:
2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour (i use half all purpose half wheat)

1/4 Cup Sugar( i use honey cause its more healthy)

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1 Cup Shortening

1 Egg

1 Tablespoon Vinegar

1/4 Cup Ice water

Directions:
-  In a medium bowl mix together flower sugar and salt.

-  Cut the shortening into the flour until pea sized crumbs form (using a pastry blender or a fork works too.)

-  Carefully stir in egg and vinegar.

-  Sprinkle in water until dough starts to hold together.

-  Shape dough into 2 balls

-  use to make two 9 inch single pie crusts or one for double pie crust (the double pie crust is the one in the       picture)

-  Add the first crust to your pan. then put the filling in and place the last crust on top.

-  Crimp edges and put slits in for the pie to breath

-  cook the pie as long as the filling says to. usually its 400 degrees for 40 minutes.

* If you recipie calls for a baked pie shell roll out dough press into the pie pan, trim and flute edges prick the bottom of the shell with a fork and bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes.

Pizza Crust

Pizza Crust:

Ingredients:
1 pkg Active Dry Yeast

1 tsp Sugar

1 C. warm water

2 1/2 C Flour (i use half wheat and half all purpose flour)

2 T olive oil

1 tsp Salt

Directions:

- Dissolve yeast & sugar in warm water. Let it stand until creamy (about 10 minutes)

-Stir In flour, salt & oil and beat until smooth let it rest 5 min

-Knead dough for 3 minutes just to get it soft If you have a kitchen aid or something like that 
it works better if you knead it with your hand instead of the kitchen aid.

-Roll out to fit your pizza pan. and put toppings on.

Cook 450 for 15-20 Min.

Now ill tell you what we put on ours which i think is delicious.

-I chop up 1 onion and put a little olive oil in a frying pan and saute the onion.Then i add 2 cans of mushrooms to the pan and saute that with the onion until the onion is translucent. 

- We grill up some steak, then cut it up into small peices

So we put sauce usually spaghetti sauce then one layer of mozzarella cheese then the onion and mushrooms then the steak then another layer of mozzarella. It tastes wonderful.

I apologize for my picture i am still learning how to take food pictures and make them look good.

I linked up with sugar bee crafts