Woah Doggie!

Every year I used to get together with my co-workers and have a Christmas luncheon.  I haven't worked for the company in like 4 years and we still get together.  I love that we built such a bond.  This year one of my gifts was for my dog, Dugan.  If he were bigger he would have knocked me over to get the treat.  For such a little guy he gobbled up that treat in less that 5 minutes.  Ken, Dugan thanks you very much and is licking his chops in anticipation for next year!

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you come again soon.

Yummo!

I have made this casserole several times in the past three weeks.  My friend Katie made it for our 'Chat & Chew' at the YMCA.  We needed a vegetarian dish.  All I got was a fork full from scraping the sides of the dish.  I could still tell that it must have been tasty.  I got the recipe the very next week.  I made it for a recent writing party I hosted (for adults), and it was a hit.  Whoo Hooo!  This is not a traditional holiday dish for me or my family, but I must add it to the list of harvest time recipes.  I think this is comfort food.

Butternut Squash and Kale Torte

I didn't use a spring form pan so it is more of a casserole than a torte.  Also, I used spinach instead of kale greens.  I also needed to cook the dish a bit longer.  And of course...I couldn't be dubbed the 'spice queen' if I didn't add more spice.  Whatever falls out of the cupboard goes in the casserole (LOL).  Welcome to the world of wingin' it in the kitchen.

Butternut Squash and Kale Torte
adapted from Women's Day November 2011


Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for the pan
1/2 small butternut squash (about 1 lb), thinly sliced
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 small bunch of kale, thick stems discarded and leaves cut into 1-inch pieces (or spinach)
kosher salt and pepper
1 medium sweet potato, (or Yukon gold potato) thinly sliced
6 oz. provolone cheese
1 plum tomato
1/4 cup grated Parmesan


Directions:
1. Heat oven to 425F. Grease a 9-inch spring form pan. Arrange half of the butternut squash in the bottom of the pan, covering as completely as possible.
2. Top with half of the onion, separating the rings. Add half of the kale, drizzling with 1/2 tbsp olive oil and season with 1/4 tsp salt. Top with the  potato slices and the provolone cheese.
3. Top cheese with remaining kale and drizzle with 1/2 tbsp olive oil plus 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Top with remaining onion, tomato and provolone followed by the squash. Sprinkle with the Parmesan.
4. Cover with foil, place on a baking sheet, and bake covered for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes, until vegetables are tender and the top begins to brown.
 

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If I could have used duct tape...

...I would have. (LOL) I am getting ready to make my holiday batch of Chai Tea.  I grind all the ingredients up in my Magic Bullet.  Wouldn't you know it...the magic bullet broke.  What ever shall I do...I have requests to fill...folks are expecting Teen Teen's chai tea.  

As it turns out many folks have had the plastic gear on the base of the Magic Bullet to break.  There were so many negative comments about the company online.  Well, my machine was a gift and I have had no problems before. Like a typical crafter, I tried to glue the broken piece back together.

Yeah, uhhh...that didn't work.

I went online again and found a fix for the problem, because folks were commenting that there was so much red tape to get replacement parts from the manufacturer and that the parts were expensive.  I was so frustrated when I trying to get the darn thing unscrewed.  I was determined to fix it!  I solicited help from my girlfriend "...here hold this nut while I screw.."  The thing wouldn't budge.  After two days of trying, I trekked out to the shed in the cold, uphill both ways, barefoot...oh that's is the wrong story...LOL.  I found some WD-40. 

Viola!  It worked. 

I guess I should mention that the directions online said to turn the screw counterclockwise....NOT!!!  The screw needed to be turned clockwise while holding the nut in place.  I was following the directions at first, but then that summer of engineering school physics class kicked  in (Thanks Mr. Pomeroy) and I figured out which way everything had to go.  By then I had tightened the screw even tighter.  At any rate...I have a fixed Magic Bullet and now I can hopefully make lots of tea. 

This better be the best tea ever!

 Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you come again soon.

Birthday Card

I used the Rock Princess Cricut Cartridge to make this image.  The card looked soooooooooo different in my head.  I wasn't real happy with the end product, but I mailed it anyway.

My niece thinks she is a rock star, so I thought this card would be fitting for her.

Materials:

cs

border punch

paper flowers

brad

leather trim

bling

glitter paper

pp

glitter pen

googly eyes w/lashes

Cricut layered cut (Rock Princess)

P.S.  My niece called and asked me to show her how to make "...that girl on the card you gave me..." (LOL)  And who said paper dolls were passe...tee heee.

Scrappy Chicks Christmas Tag swap

Here are the tags:

From left to right: Back row; Lynn, Diane, Pet.  Middle row; Cindy, Kathy, Faith.  Front row; JoAnn, Mary.
Thanks ladies!  Great work and techniques on these tags.

Thank you for stopping by.  I hope you come again soon.

So, I did add stickles...

...to the tags I made for the tag swap.  Overall I was pleased with the tags.  It was so difficult to come up with an idea.  When in doubt, just glue it down and keep moving.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you come again soon.

Holiday Bloggers' Challenge

My online scrapping buddy, Cheryl has posted another challenge.  The theme this week is "Letters to Santa."  What memories!  As a child I wrote a letter to Santa and made sure I was positioned correctly at the parade when the elves would collect the letters.

Besides social justice issues like world peace, salvation to everyone and to end world hunger and poverty...
My list today would include:
A new dependable car
A scrap room makeover or a craft house (whichever is easier-LOL)
A classroom addition to my house for conducting kids classes
An ADA kitchen and bathroom
Hmmmm...let's see what else?  Oh, and a Godly husband!

I'll stop there so as not to overwhelm Santa or to be too greedy (LOL)

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you come again soon.