Friday, July 1, 2011

Eat some CAKE

Here are some cakes I have made over the past year.  Some are better than others .. =)  I have just finished a Wilton Cake Decorating class and it was a lot of fun and I learned a lot.  I am going to take a fondant and gum paste class in October to continue adding to my skills.


Easter Bunny Cake


Master's cake I make for Drew every year




4 Layer rainbow cake made for my good friend Laura


Birthday Cake made for my Grandparents


Hamburger Cake made for my dad on Father's Day


4th of July Cake

Monday, May 23, 2011

I'm B-A-C-K!

I'm not sure if I even know how to do a blog post anymore!

Updates:

- I finished my first year of teaching and I think it was very successful and I grew a lot!

- Our house is on the market. If you want to see it..

- This summer I will be working on a website that will encompass advertising my freelance design work, (which includes decorating, space planning, and organization) as well as invitation design and my cake decorating ability! (I will be taking a cake decorating class the month of June to refine my skills)  I am very excited about adding those things to my list of things I can do.  So get ready!

- I'll leave you with a before and after shot.  These are prints my mother-in-law purchased at an antique store and decided she didn't have a place for them.  So I used them!


Before:



After:



Thursday, July 29, 2010

Stylish Blogger Award



Thanks to one of my BFF's Laura for nominating me for this very prestigious award.  She has a fabulous blog and it is hilarious.  So check it out!


So I have to tell you all 5 things about myself and then nominate another blog for the award.  So check ME out.

1.  I believe I have a small case of OCD.  Most of my friends and my hub can vouch for that.  Everything must be clean, straight, and I sanitize my hands quite frequently.

2.  I love MEXICAN FOOD.  Anytime we go out to eat we usually hit up a Mexican Restaurant.  Here are some of our favorites: Sol Y Luna, Superior Grill, Cocina Superior, Chuy's, and El Poblano.

3.  I totally wish I had my own show on The Food Network.  I watch it all the time.  Giada at Home, Cooking with Paula Dean, At home with the Neeley's, and Barefoot Contessa are a few of my favs.   Sometimes I also wish I starred in "The Real Housewives of Alabama."

4.  I am obsessed with Dance/Electronic music.  Now that I am driving the vehicle that has siruis radio, you can always find my radio tuned to BPM!

5.  A part of me would love to move to a HUGE city for a year or two in my young adult years (before children) like NYC or Chicago.  A part of me would also love to live on a lot of land like on a farm or something.  Just to experience it!

Ok so now that you know a few, very RANDOM things about me.  I would like to nominate my friend Josie for this award, check out her blog.  She has great ideas and wonderful recipes!

Friday, July 23, 2010

Recipe Friday: Salmon and Veggie Packets

Tried this last night and it was DELISH.  It's easy, but takes a little time.  It is from one of my Weight Watchers cookbooks.

Salmon and Vegetable Packets

4 Carrots, cut into matchstick strips
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into very thin strips
1 leek (white and green parts only) cleaned and thinly sliced
2 (5 oz.) Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and cut into match stick strips
4 (1/4 lb) skinless salmon fillets
1/2 Cup reduced-sodium vegetable broth, heated
4 Tablespoons dry white wine
4 teasponns olive oil
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 lemon slices

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2.  Combine the carrots, bell pepper, leek, and potatoes in a streamer basket, place in a saucepan filled with 1 inch of boiling water.  Cover tightly and steam until the vegetables are crisp and tender, about 2 minutes.  Remove the steamer basket from the saucepan.
3.  Tear off 4 (16 inch) squares of foil.  Place 1/8th of vegetable mixture in the center of each foil square. Top each mound of vegetables with a salmon fillet, then cover with the remaining vegetable mixture.  Spoon 2 Tablespoons of the hot broth over each portion; drizzle with 1 Tablespoon of the wine and 1 teaspoon of the oil.  Sprinkle each with the basil, ginger, salt, and pepper; top with a lemon slice.
4.  To close the packets, bring the 2 opposite long sides of the foil up to meet in the center; fold the edges over twice to make a tight seal.  Double fold the open sides to seal the packets.  Place the packets on a baking sheet and bake just until the salmon is opaque in the center.  About 15 minutes.  To serve, carefully open the packets, avoiding the steam that is released; slide the fish and vegetables onto plates.  Serve drizzled with any juices.

I did not use leeks and I don't have a steamer basket.  I just steamed the veggies in a sauce pan with an inch of water, covered.  Helpful hint: I lay out everything, ready, so that it makes it a lot easier and faster to put together.

Everyone have a GREAT weekend!

Before:

After:


Thursday, July 22, 2010

Before & After : Bench and Train

Before, Master Bedroom Bench hardware:
(I drilled too many holes, messed up, tried to glue, it was a disaster.)

After:
(So 1 year later I decided to fix it.  I scraped, sanded, and repainted before putting the new hardware on)







At Home: $8

Before:
(I found this train at a garage sale and thought it was SO cute.)




After:
(I thought it would be cute and more personalized to paint it for our nephew's birthday, which isn't until November... Hey, I am on top of things)




Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Before and After: Landing.

BEFORE:


AFTER:




BEFORE:




AFTER:




New Lamp from Pier One = $50

Zebra Fabric = $40

Not the best re-upholstering job = $50

All in 24 hours time!



Friday, July 16, 2010

Recipe Friday, snacks.

I know it has been forever.  I haven't really had anything to post about and no exciting ideas!  But I would like to share 2 really easy, completely opposite, yummy snack recipes.

#1 Fresh Salsa compliments of Ms. Paula Dean (She calls it Salsa on the fly!)

3 Large ripe tomatoes diced
1 small onion, chopped (yellow or white, I use yellow)
1 small green bell pepper (seeds and veins removed) minced
1/2 Cup chopped green chilies, with juice (4 oz. can)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon olive oil
salt

And when I saw her make this on TV she added 1 avocado, diced

It is delish.  I serve it with tortilla chips or on top of some tacos.  You have to know it is good since I recommend it because I am a salsa, pico de gallo connoisseur.

#2 Sweet Grapes

1 bag of green grapes
Wash in bowl , drain the grapes but make sure they are still wet, do not dry them off.
Pour 1 packet of Sugar-Free Fat-Free strawberry jello powder over the grapes and toss.
They look like they have red powder on them.  They are so good and a really healthy, sweet, easy snack.  It would be perfect for a Halloween Party too because they kind of look like eye balls! HA 

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend. Stay cool!

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