Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Holiday Ice cream 🍁


Call me crazy, or maybe I can call it a "Christmas in July," kind of post while I can, but I'm getting the itch to do some pre-fall/holiday cooking.

This year I'm hosting Thanksgiving at my house, and having a spectacular menu is my goal. I cook Thanksgiving every year, but usually at my moms. I've made plenty of mistakes, trying recipes for the first time, overwhelming myself with way too many side dishes, and completely forgetting about a recipe, being left with a bushel of green beans that never made it to the table. So this year, I'm testing a few recipes every weekend, so everything is tried and tweaked come turkey day.

Holiday Ice Cream: 

-3/4 c. Sugar
-2 1/2 cups. Whole milk
-1/2 c. Heavy cream
-1 Tbs. Vanilla Extract 
-1 tsp. Almond Extract (take in that yummy holiday smell)
-1 Tbs. Cinnamon
-1/2 tsp. Kosher salt


Put everything into a large bowl. Whisk until sugar is combined and dissolves. Add into your ice cream maker and use according to your machine's instructions.
(About 20 minutes). Transfer into an airtight container, top with extra cinnamon if you are obsessed like me, and put in the freezer to set. 

* The ice cream is very milky, almost like chick fil a ice cream. So if you are looking for a thick and creamy custard this is not it..
Enjoy 🌞



Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Weeknight Mustard Fish

Just a quick post today, as my forearms are shaking from clipping hedges all week. Gotta love rental homes with hedges that have been untouched for months..maybe years. My bushes are as tall as my hedges and my hedges are as tall as trees.

Last night I made the fish I usually make during the week, it's easy and my husband and I aren't into buying expensive fish so tilapia is usually on the menu.

Ingredients 
-4 tilapia filets; or about a pound of a white fish
-1 cup of good mayo (I use light)
-1 small container of grain mustard (or a Dijon)
-The juice of 1/2 a lemon
-1 tsp kosher salt (to taste)
-1/2 tsp pepper (to taste)
-1 TBS sweet relish
-olive oil

-I served this with roasted green beans. 

Directions

1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Spray a cooking sheet or 9x11 Pyrex with non stick spray (or cover with tin foil for easy clean up). 
3. Lay fish in one single layer not overlapping (skin side down if not using tilapia) 
4. Drizzle olive oil over fish.
5. Add about 1 tsp of grainy mustard on each filet.
6. Place in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until fish is opaque white and flakes with a fork. (If doing green beans throw these in the oven too with olive oil and kosher salt).

Sauce directions 

1. Mix mayo, 1 TBS grain mustard, lemon, salt, pepper, relish. 
2. Spread on fish right before serving with a lemon wedge. 

🌞





Monday, July 15, 2013

DIY Rustic Headboard πŸŒ™

I can't convey how impressed I am with my husband for this beautiful headboard!! I have a real life Tim the Tool Man Taylor! But honestly, the job was not that difficult, and with the right materials and a little patience this headboard could be yours!! I don't know the exact price to build as the cedar planks were just laying around but I'm going to estimate under $200. This is very similar to designer headboards over $1000. So $200 worked for me and you can make it custom, (as tall as you want, whatever trim you want). 

Here is the finished product so you know what you are in for at the end of the project, and can decide if you want to scroll down and continue! (Wooden ram head not included :-)

Dimensions for a King Size Headboard:
72 inches tall, 86 inches wide
-this is a very tall headboard, obviously you can shop around at stores and take note of different heights.

Supplies:
-9 interlocking unfinished cedar planks; cut 86 inches long (they are each approx 5 inches wide)
-2 unfinished 2 1/2 inch wide wood trim planks (they are about 1/2 inch in thickness) get them cut to 44 1/2 inches long. *If the top decor trim you are using is 3 1/2 inches wide this will work perfect, If your top trim is wider or thinner in width  modify the length to sit beneath your trim.(You need them for this trim below, or it can be left off, up to you!) 
-2 planks 5 1/2 inch wide, for the legs and support, cut 72 inches long.
-1 strip of flat molding (mine was 3 1/2 inches wide) or trim for the top decor cut 86 inches long (if you get a slanted piece, and want your husband to hate you 😊, you will need an additional 2 1/2 wide trim piece to cover the top 86 inches long).

-1 can of stain, I used dark mahogany (small or medium, depending on how many coats you want. I did one coat with a stain and seal). 
-1 good brush
-Building supplies; nails, hammer

Tutorial:
-Lay down the 2; 5 1/2 x 72 in. planks on an outdoor surface you are ready to build on. 
-Spread the planks about 80 or so inches apart and ready to lay the cedar planks on top.
-Take a look at your cedar planks, pick ones you like the look of (cool knots or swirls in the wood) and make sure they fit together well before they are nailed down.

-Starting from the top, nail each pre cut cedar plank to the 5 1/2 planks 1-2 nails per side. (If you are not planning on using any finish wood, space the nails out so the headboard will look more uniform). 
-Make sure to slide cedar planks together to interlock before nailing!
-Continue with all 9 cedar planks.
-The head board looks pretty good at this point and wood was so beautiful, I felt like sealing it and just leaving it as is for a more modern and primitive look. But my husband reminded me of how un-modern the rest of our furniture is, so we pressed on..
-Lay the 2 1/2 inch pre cut edge trim pieces on either side of the headboard perpendicular to the cedar planks. This should butt up to the side and bottom edges, leaving enough room for your top decor trim to sit above it. This will add a finished look and a frame to the outside, and also hide some of those pesky nail holes.
-Try to use only 2 nails in this process, one close to the top of the 2 1/2 inch trim and one at the bottom, to keep the headboard free of excess nail holes.
-Complete same step to other side using other 2 1/2 inch piece.
-Top Trim...if you have a nice flat piece, good for you!! Nail that baby on carefully to the top using smaller trim nails to keep your wood from splitting. If your trim has a tilt, play around with the angle, add the top 2 1/2 piece that was purchased if necessary. This takes some improvisation, but my husband had me hold the top 2 1/2 inch trim and the decor trim in place as he placed nails to the trim through the top and into the trim attaching it to the cedar plank to hold. I think if we were more patient some wood glue and putty would have helped.
-I think some wood letters or wooden scrolls from the craft store would also be cool for the top..have fun staining!!
*PS: I had so much stain left over I ended up staining a bench to put either at the foot of our bed or as a bit of decor in our room. It was nice to have another piece to bring the room together!

🌞



Thursday, July 11, 2013

Smaller Scale Decor

So the last post may have seemed a little daunting. I did a few smaller wall collages around my house and once you get the hang of these a larger version will flow a lot easier!
Here is the small collage in my master bedroom. 
Obviously the "B" needed to be the focal piece. It's a cool project from http://www.craftcuts.com/. 
You can find any size wooden letter you want and customize 
font, size and thickness. The B in the picture was used for wedding decor in my December wedding. A little spray paint, and some dry brushing! 
When doing a smaller wall collage try using a larger item and balance it with a few smaller items on the opposite side. Remember texture (using a shelf and my bouquet), along with the piece above it, to balance out the same size.

Thanks for reading!

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Wall Collages: Where the heck to start?!

Wall Decor; a task some may feel is daunting while others go to school and do it for a living. I am somewhere in the middle, sometimes I find it fun and other times I get in a rut.
With the new move, it's safe to say I have hung more pictures and used enough nails and screws to fill the Grand Canyon. I feel warming up your walls with things that represent you and your family can help turn a rental house into a home. 
Wall collages can be a fun way to dress up a room and make it feel very custom and unique. 

Here's how I start:
Excuse my mother in law, husband, and bulldogs, but here is the house we moved into. It's a very nice room with actual color on the walls (coming from a sterile white town home), and has a nice huge wall to the left of the fireplace, that also acts like a hallway, which needs to stay clear of bulky furniture, but needs a little color and life.

Here is the finished project:
For a big wall like this, which can take a lot of art, I start with a larger painting or art piece that I want to showcase. It's easier to start with a big piece and "frame" it in a way. Use different shapes, textures, and nothing has to "match," it's all about BALANCE.

1. Hang a large piece of art somewhat centered.
2. Start hanging above either a sequence of a few small pieces, or a distinct middle "crown" as I did here using the wreath. 
3. Start filling in, using similar shaped items I filled in the areas on either side of the crown piece and worked my way down.
4. Arrange pieces on the floor that are too similar to put next to each other, but will be good to balance out both sides, such as the "circle" type objects. I used the basket on one side and the circle frame on the alternate side.
5. Use more than just art work; a wreath, wooden letter, shelf with layered smaller frames, this adds depth and interest.
6. Don't try to "line up" everything, staggering is a lot easier and it looks more organic. Try it in a few different places (find a nice friend to lower and raise it for you), until you think it's just right. *I usually line up the next picture somewhere in the midpoint of the last hung picture. (So hang a picture, put the next picture to be hung directly next to it and scoot it half way down the previously hung pictures frame.. If that makes sense..)

*TIP: make your own pieces to fill space!!
You don't have to be an artist to buy a pre primed canvas at the craft store and take stick on letters or a sharpie to it, many of my pieces here I did just that!! I also incorporated some of my younger sisters art work, when framed properly and hung with more adult decor of the same color scheme, it can be showcased right in the living room!



 


Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Almost baking; Paleo No Bake "Oatmeal" Cookies

Well, I'm baking again!! Kind of. I felt inspired today, somewhat getting back into the swing of things after moving from south Florida to the panhandle. That meant moving, getting takeout, unpacking, getting takeout, almost done with the place, and celebrating with dinner out on the town!! Needless to say we are ready to get back to some healthy eating. 
Two days in and I'm already craving sweets. I fooled around with a few recipes and came up with some healthy cookie dough balls, "oatmeal" to be exact, minus the oatmeal.

Paleo No Bake "Oatmeal" Cookies

 
-2 cups of almond flour
-1/4 c. of honey
-1/4 c. of pure grade A maple syrup
-1/4 c. of a nut butter (I used peanut, shame on me, but it was all I had; almond peanut; whatever you have)
-1/4 c. of coconut oil (in solid form)
-1tsp.-1TBS. of cinnamon (to taste)
-3/4 c. of finely chopped walnuts (measure after chopping)
-1/2 c. of raisins 

Directions:
Get out a large bowl dump everything in except the walnuts and raisins. Mix with a wooden spoon until everything is moistened and a dough forms. Chop up walnuts with a knife, processor, or take out frustrations on the walnuts in a ziplock and use a rolling pin as your weapon of choice. Add the walnuts and raisins to the mixture, stir until they are distributed.
Next grab a plate or cookie sheet (that will fit in fridge or freezer) using two teaspoon sized spoons scoop and scrape dough onto the plate or sheet. Sprinkle with an extra dash of cinnamon and a drizzle of honey, cover lightly with plastic wrap and let harden in the freezer or fridge for a few hours to your hardened likeness!! Or eat out of the bowl if you lack the will power.
Here are some pictures, pictures are helpful.
Enjoy 🌞