By the Tub

This is a flatware caddy from World Market for holding your forks, knives and spoons, etc - but I needed it by my tub for holding lotions, face wash and razors - and it works great!

Double Chocolate Mint Cookies

See those little white flecks in the cookies?  Those are Andes Mints!  This recipe from Giada is so easy and the cookies come out big, chewy, and delicious!  We recently wrapped them individually in parchment paper and took them on a date night!

Boots for Fall

I'm always on the hunt for comfortable yet stylish shoes with a heel...and they're hard to find!  So when I saw these boots at Rue 21 buy one/get one half off - I tried them on - they have a heel that is one of my faves - and the price was right!

These might not be the "best" made shoes out there - but they are great for this season - which is probably all I'll like them for.  And actually, I've bought booties at this store before and they've lasted a good while!

Check these out...I'm excited about the first pair because they're a fall color I've never worn on my feet!  And the second pair will look great with jeans!  I don't see the first pair on line, and I don't see the same sale on line - so you might have to go in the store for these.

Tomato Basil Hummus

I love hummus and I love trying new recipes for hummus.  This one was very easy and is very tasty - especially with carrot sticks and chili fritos!

You'll need:

1 can chick peas, drained and liquid reserved
8 sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, plus a few more for garnish
2 T olive oil from the tomato jar
3 T fresh lemon juice
2 T tahini
1 large clove garlic
1/2 tsp salt
2 T packed fresh basil ribs, plus more for garnish

Add chick peas to food processor with tomatoes, 2 T oil from jar, lemon juice, tahini, garlic and salt.  Pulse one minute then scrape down sides and pulse one minute longer.  Add 2 T liquid from chick peas and pulse 2-3 minutes.  Add basil and pulse til just minced into hummus.

If desired, top with more olive oil and basil and finely chopped tomatoes.

Pasta a la Tres!

I had this recipe for tomatoes and angel hair pasta, only I didn't have near enough tomatoes!  So here is my rendition of this pasta recipe that I guess I'll call Pasta a la Tres - because I added three different ingredients!

In a skillet heat some olive oil and chopped onion (because I was out of garlic!) and cook for a couple of minutes.

Meanwhile boil some water and then add in 1/2 lb angel hair pasta.

Into the skillet, add 10 oz pkg cherry tomatoes, chopped zucchini and kalamata olives (the two other ingredients I added), and a 1/2 tsp salt.  (Don't salt your pasta water too much, because the olives add plenty of salt.)

While the veggies cook, chop some fresh basil and shred some Parmesan cheese.

Add in a bit of the pasta water into the veggie mixture and simmer until about half the tomatoes burst.

Now assemble:

Drain the pasta, place in your dish.  Top with the veggie mixture and toss.  Sprinkle with the cheese and basil.

Enjoy!

Bandana Sweep

I watch Pioneer Woman, and on one of her recent episodes, she opened a drawer full of bandanas. She said she uses them for cloth napkins for all occasions - partly because they're colorful and partly because they wash and don't need any ironing.

So...I decided to buy some and use them as a table "runner" of sorts under my Mexican nacho bar - for which they worked great!

And when I washed them, it was true - they don't wrinkle and they fold up nicely!

So maybe this idea should "sweep the nation" like the Pioneer Woman said!

I bought a few at Party City, where they were three times the price of the ones at the Dollar Store - so I bought more there - and at Walmart - where they were super cheap, as well!

Black Bean Burger Mexican Style

I found this recipe for Mexican Black Bean and Wheat Germ Burgers when looking for recipes using wheat germ.  There are a lot of ingredients, but it sure turns out tasty:

Check out the recipe and directions here.

Christmas Pj's

I realize it's the end of August, but aren't these pajamas so cute?  It's not too early to order them for the kids in your family since they're so affordable - and why not get them now so you can have them for a surprise in a couple of months!

Soup's On!

Aren't these so cute?!

With fall just around the corner, having these soup bowls on hand will make eating soup so fun!

These are super affordable from Lakeside...

Market Bag

I LOVE going to the Farmer's Market and I just found this cute bag for carrying all of that produce!  And....it comes in five colors!

That's a Wrap

These wraps are super tasty, and easy for packing in a lunch!

Inside a spinach tortilla, layer:

roasted red pepper spread

shredded carrots

baby spinach

lemon juice

freshly ground pepper

edamame soy beans

avocado slices

Roll it up and enjoy!

Creamy Basil Dressing

This salad dressing smelled so good and tasted so delicious that I ate it with a spoon right before I poured it into a mason jar for the fridge.  Then I couldn't wait until lunch to pour over my salad - and it is really the best salad dressing I've ever eaten!  Not sure I want to buy bottled dressing any more...

In a blender, place...

1 c mayo
1 c chopped green onion (white and green parts)
1 c chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4  c fresh lemon juice
2 tsp chopped garlic
2 tsp anchovy paste (it's on the tuna aisle)
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper

...and blend until smooth.

add in...

1 c sour cream

and process till just blended.

refrigerate (can add a bit of milk if it needs to be thinned)

Big him and little him

Shhh...these are great ideas to grab now for Christmas....for him....

Digital tape measure for the big him...

railroad track tape for the little him...

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken

I found this recipe on line, and it attracted me because it's a slow cooker recipe.  I tried it today and it was easy and yummy.  I used brown rice, and I did top the chicken with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions.  It made a great dinner!

Fall Shoes

Fall is around the corner and new shoes are so fun to find, buy and wear!  Check out these finds from Urban Outfitters - a bit pricey - but maybe you can get just one pair!

Sued Bessie Heel

suede Chelsea boot

ivy loafer

3 for Fall

Found some fun buys at Rue 21 in the store...

a fun sweater vest....

a burnt orange long crocheted cardigan...

a comfy wrap print with a hood...

Foil Packet Dinner

Easy, no clean up, so good...sweet potato and sausage dinner!

2 sweet potatoes chopped
1/2 sweet onion chopped
1 lg zucchini chopped
chipotle pepper in adobo + 1 tsp adobo sauce
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp kosher salt
2 spicy chicken sausages sliced
1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
cilantro

preheat oven to 425.  in bowl, toss together all ingredients but sausage.

place 4 large strips of heavy duty foil on counter.  place 1/4 of potato mixture and 1/4 of sliced sausage in each one.  fold over longways, seal then curl edges to seal.

place on  a rimmed baking sheet and bake 20-25 min til potatoes are tender

carefully open and top with cheese and cilantro

yum

Manchego Fig Grilled Cheese

Honestly, when I made this grilled cheese, I didn't even wait to plate it  - I bit into it and couldn't stop eating it - it's THAT good...

For two sandwiches, you'll need:

4 thin slices of olive bread (i used sun-dried tomato bread)

dried fig jam

manchego cheese, shredded on large wholes of grater - 1 cup

2 T soft butter

olive oil

Lightly spread both sides of the bread slices with the butter.  Spread each slice with 1-2 T dried fig jam to barely cover the bread.  Mound half a cup of shredded cheese on top of the fig spread on two slices.  Close the sandwich with the other two slices of fig spread bread.

Heat 1 T olive oil in a large pan over med-hi heat.  Place both sandwiches in the pan and cook until bread is browned, about 3 minutes.  Turn and cook til other side is browned, cheese is melted, another 2 minutes.

Cut and serve hot.

Vintage Apron

Sur La Table has a huge sale on line, and I found these really cute vintage aprons on sale 55-75% off - for $14.99!

What great gifts for Christmas or for yourself!

Lunch Wrap

This is a great, tasty, healthy wrap!

You'll need:

baby spinach leaves
1 can black beans
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
chopped romaine
grated cheddar cheese
salsa
greek yogurt
salt
tortillas

In a skillet, place 6 cups chopped fresh spinach along with one can of black beans, rinsed and drained.  Heat until spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes.

In a tortilla (this recipe makes six), place the bean mixture, 1/4 cup brown rice (cooked), chopped romaine lettuce, cheddar cheese, salsa and a bit of Greek yogurt.  Season with kosher salt.

Fold up wraps into a burrito.

Great Tray

Magnolia Farms website has some great pieces for home decor - a bit pricey - but some are unique and worth the bucks.

I love trays, and this one is cute and colorful and made from recycled wood - a great conversation piece too!

Crossbody bags

Cute crossbody bags from Old Navy -

Striped:

Fold Over:

Cheese Philly Steak Skins

These were delicious!

You'll need to oil and salt six medium to small Yukon potatoes and roast them 30 minutes until fork tender.

Meanwhile in olive oil and butter, cook 4 oz chopped mushrooms and 1/4 tsp kosher salt, about five minutes.  Add chopped deli roast beef (4 oz) with 1 tsp steak seasoning, and 1 T worcestershire sauce.  Cook another 2 minutes.

Remove potatoes, let cool, then half, and hollow out.  Place chopped provolone in bottom of halves, then the meat mixture, then more cheese.

Broil til cheese melts, and top with green onions.

Yum!

Spa Tin

We have friends with kids going off to college, and what a great gift this is...or for a couple getting married...or for yourself!

It's found at Uncommon Goods and the items are packed in a cute tin for giving!

Fall Art Tote

A friend of mine, Susan Michutka, paints folk art in such unique expressions, and it's now available not only on canvas, but on many other products - like this cool tote bag I ordered and just received!

It's amazingly beautiful - super roomy - the artwork is on both sides of the bag - and I cannot wait to carry it this fall!  This tote is about 18 X 18 inches - maybe a little bigger.

Check out all her pieces and pick a product and order one for you, and more for gifts!

Her art shop is in Bastrop, Texas.  Follow her on Facebook!

The & Board

I LOVE cheese boards - and this one for cheese AND crackers with the big & sign carved out of the wood is super cute!

Put this on your Christmas list now!

What a fun way to serve guests, or have a romantic dinner for two, starting out with fancy cheese and assortment of crackers!

Salt Cellar

I enjoy my salt bowl I've had for a while now, but I wanted one for salt AND pepper.  It's so much easier having these two seasonings available to pinch and sprinkle while cooking.

I found this really cute one at World market and love it!  The top swivels open and then shuts with a magnetic closure: