Saturday, December 31, 2011

Happy New Year!

On our way to Epcot to ring in the New Year. May yours be fun and safe. Hopefully, I'll have lots of ideas to share with you next year. 2012, here we come!

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas to One and All!

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas! May your day be filled with family, friends, good spirit, and yummy food. We're spending the holiday with my husband's parents in Chicago with mine flying up from Hawaii. There's sadly no snow on the ground, but it's a nice crisp wintery day nonetheless, which along with family makes it feel Christmasy enough.

I don't have a new recipe for you today as I'm not cooking while on vacation. However, here's a blast from the past from the last time we were all together in Chicago that might be perfect for your dessert table, a chocolate log cake that I made in 2009. Click the title to go directly to the recipe on my blog or the picture to go to Pinterest and repin.

Chocolate Log


Tomorrow we'll be leaving for Orlando. It's my first trip ever to Disney World!!! I don't know how active blog-wise I'll be, so I shall now wish you a healthy and happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!!! Card #3

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas! May your day be filled with family, friends, good spirit, and yummy food. We're spending the holiday with my husband's parents in Chicago with mine flying up from Hawaii. There's sadly no snow on the ground, but it's a nice crisp wintery day nonetheless, which along with family makes it feel Christmasy enough.

Today's card goes along with my (apparently unrequited) love of snow. This might be my favorite snowman from the Winter Frolic cartridge. I also used a stamp from Tanner's (aka Mr. Cricut Crazy) Christmas, Christmas stamp set.

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Supplies
Cartridges: Winter Frolic, Sesame Street Seasons
Mr. Cricut Crazy "Christmas, Christmas" stamps
DCWV Holiday Collection Paper Stack - 2009
Paper Company glossy cardstock
misc twine, brad

Saturday, December 24, 2011

2011 Christmas Cards - #2

I didn't particularly care for this reindeer from the Winter Frolic cartridge at first, but I'm quite pleased with how this card turned out. I don't remember where I cut the tag from, but that shape is found on several cartridges as well as many punches. Hope you like my card:

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Supplies
Winter Frolic Cricut cartridge
Bug Bites - All Year Round stamps
Cuttlebug embossing folder
DCWV Holiday Collection Paper Stack - 2009
Celebrate It ribbon

Friday, December 23, 2011

2011 Christmas Cards - #1

Sorry for the long bloggy absence. Somehow life's been exceptionally busy since Thanksgiving--too much shopping I'm sure. Now we're traveling until the new year, so it's even more difficult to maintain a routine since there are a variety of social obligations. That being said, through a marathon bit of cardmaking, I managed to make all my cards before we left on Wednesday. I sent 18 to my office some time ago, then made about 30 more for family and friends. The trick to getting them all finished was to keep them relatively simple and make multiples.

Here's the first:

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Inside
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Another rendition
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Supplies:
Papertray ink cardstock
Gingerbread cartridge
DCWV Holiday Collection Paper Stack - 2009 (bought online at Joann's this year)
Scrappy Mom's Stamps - A Holiday to Remember
Cuttlebug folder - Candy Cane Stripes
twine

Hope you're having a wonder holiday season!

Baked Potato Skins

Despite my efforts to stop preparing meals with so much processed shredded cheese, a couple days ago I was overcome with a craving for potato skins. Thinking "how hard could it be" and just wanting to serve them as an appetizer or side dish I set about making two large skins for my husband and I. The trouble was that he LOVED them and immediately demanded more. Now don't get me wrong, these aren't difficult per se, but do involve a series of steps if you haven't prepared ahead. Thus, since I had already cleaned up and was still enjoying my own potatoes, I refused ;)

This recipe was found using the Allrecipes app on my Iphone. I modified it only slightly by using olive oil, estimating the herbs, and pre-cooking the potatoes in the microwave since they were huge.

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4 large baking potatoes
3 tbs olive oil
1 tbs parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
fresh ground pepper
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1.5 c shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream for serving.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

Though not required, I recommend pre-baking your potatoes part-way through. Cut potatoes in half and scoop out insides leaving 1/4 in of a shell.

Combine olive oil through ground pepper. Brush potatoes on both sides.

Bake for 7 minutes, then turn and bake for another 7 minutes. Continue baking until potatoes are completely tender and beginning to crisp.

Top with cheese and bacon, then bake for an addition 2-4 minutes to melt the cheese. (I put them under the broiler.)

Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Happy Holidays

It's been hectic since thanksgiving. I hope to start posting again soon, maybe suggested holiday recipes or "best of 2011." Meanwhile I'm in Chicago visiting family and friends.

Best holiday wishes to everyone!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone