Recipe Tuesday

Is it Tuesday already?!?
Today I have a Spaghetti Sauce Recipe for you!
MMMmmmm...this is a very good recipe from my husbands grandmother.

Servings: 18
Preptime: 30 Minutes

Hold on b/c there is kind of a lot of ingredients, but it's very good!!

3 pounds ground beef
3 medium onions (chopped fine)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tablespoon Accent (name brand) seasoning mix
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 pounds tomatoes canned
18 ounces of tomato paste
1/3 cup parsley
1 can mushrooms (chopped and optional)
1 1/2 cup water
2 whole bay leaves
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (YES!! CINNAMON)
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Brown Ground Beef, drain. Add the onion and garlic (or you can add this while the meat is browning). Sprinkle with accent and salt. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until sauce is thickened and flavors blend. This makes about 3 quarts.

Optional: Leave beef out and make meatballs with it.

This does take a while to prepare, but you can freeze it if you would like and it tastes wonderful!

Zag Bag Designs

So I went to a Party on Friday Evening (you know one of those parties that is similar to Pampered Chef, Stampin' Up, or Creative Memories). This one was unique though it was for hand bags. It was called Zag Bag you can check out their website here. It was really a neat party. When I got there I walked into the lady's house and there was a table set up with numerous different bags and another two tables set up with fabric swatches and trim samples. The key to this party was that you looked through the bags and picked a style that you like. Then depending on the bag you picked the fabric from their swatches layed out on the table to decorate you bag. It was really kind of neat. They would then send your information to Missouri (where the company originated) if I am correct in saying that they employ 11 people (who cut out the fabric patterns and get things together) and send the sewing to contractors.

There were 2 little girls there (the hostess's nieces) the hostess let the little girls pick out their own bags and that was their birthday gift it was such a neat idea. They loved picking out their own fabric (the bags they had made had 5 different fabrics to choose from).

I also picked out what I wanted for bag (now remember I am not a purse person, I can count the number of times I carried a purse on two hands) but I figured you got to start someplace and this is a bag (not a purse). :) Well, I picked out a bigger bag, one that I could also put everything a 14 month could possibly need inside of it. I was able to choose 3 fabrics for my bag and it will have 5 pockets in the inside! I'm not sure how long it takes to get it back, but when I do I will post a picture of it.

Make sure you check out their website at: www.zagbag.com

Sew....Sew Saturday

Sorry to have not posted for a week. I was working on my bloggy giveaway and decided to take the week off blogging (like I blog on here much anyways)lol! Okay so I did get a couple of things sewn this week. One I have a picture of the other I don't.

So here's the one I have a picture of...

For those of you who know me, I am not the most girly-girl. I have always been a tomboy (more so when I was little...ask my mom. i.e. I have always loved baseball caps, I own about 45-50 of them now, most still at my mom's house. I have about 10 here. I would never wear pink, bows, flowers, or hearts). So when I found this fabric in the remnants from Ben Franklin for real cheap I couldn't pass it up. It's a bug print (lady bugs and butterflies, but it's in pinks and purples) because I have a feeling my little girl is going to be a girly-girl. *sigh* Here's a close up of the fabric.


(My little model pictures are in the camera, sorry)

My current project is a twin size quilt for when we move Annika to a big girl bed (which may be sooner than we think)...NO I'm not pregnant!!!! Actually, we've been going in her room to get her and the crib railing keeps falling down and we're not sure why, so instead of buying a new crib right now (since we are not in need of one) we are looking into possibly just purchasing her a twin size bed and putting up a railing (so she won't fall on her head). :) I have started sewing this together but do not have pictures, but here are the fabrics I am using.

It is not going to be anything way fancy b/c I cannot do anything way fancy, but I think it will look cute...at least the fabric will make it look cute. :)


***For those who signed up for my bloggy giveaway, I will have a winner choosen by this evening***

Bloggy Giveaway

I wanted to thank you all for entering my Bloggy Giveaway, it was sooo much fun! Stop by my store anytime or come back here, you never know I may decided to give another one away in the future w/o the help of the Bloggy Giveaway!

Congratulations to:

Commenter #78 (and to the Random # Generator) :)

Here's what was said.

Someone Being Me said...

I would love to get the black frame with the red background. Those are amazing. You are very talented.

It's that time again!

Yes you read it right it is time for the quarterly Bloggy Giveaway. Where you can win free prizes (yes that was FREE)!!! Everyone loves free stuff! This is my second giveaway!

Here are the official guidelines to the giveaway. You can click on the Bloggy Giveaway box above to redirect you back to more free giveaways so head on over and start signing up!

What I'm giving away:

Hand Stamped Name Plaques

To Enter:
Go to my Perfectly Named website and look through the options on the right hand side. Come back and tell me: (these MUST be included in order to be entered)
1. which frame option you would choose if you won
2. which background color you would choose if you won

My giveaway ends Friday Evening at midnight. I will randomly draw a winner by noon on Saturday.

This giveaway is for bloggers and non-bloggers alike. You can only vote once. If you are a non-blogger remember to leave me with some way to contact you if you are the winner.

Don't forget to tell your friends!

No Sew Sew Saturday

I am sad to say that this last week has not been a sewing week. I have been so busy that I did not get any sewing done. I did however make a name plaque for one lady (I forgot to take a picture of it though). I also helped a lady in my church with her daycare (Thursday and Friday) and today there is a funeral that I need to be at.

But never fear! I am going to Walmart to get some fabric for A's quilt that I will be working on shortly. I had purchased some white already but it ended up being to thin. Guess I'll have to save that for something else. :)

I won't be posting next week b/c the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival is coming again and I'm going to host a giveaway! For a free name plaque, so make sure you come back and enter my giveaway! So you regular readers come back the following week. :)

Sewing I want to try...

I have found so many blogs with all of these great sewing ideas! I am in the middle of making Annika a quilt, sewing some cloth diapers for a friend, making hand stamped plaques, and helping a lady in my church with her daycare. Oh did I mention I'm a mom to a (almost walking) 13 month old?!? I often wonder when I will have the time to do all I have to do (or rather all I want to do).

I don't know if I will have the time to sew these but I thought i would share them with you! You can go to this site and see the picture and tutorial on how to sew these. They would be great gift ideas!

They are little sewing buckets and the tutorial can be found at this site:

http://vintagericrac.blogspot.com/2007/09/back-with-buckets.html

Recipe Tuesday

Blonde Brownies

Recipe By: Carol Isaacs (David's Grandmother)
Preparation Time: 30 Minutes
Category: Cookies/Bars

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup nuts (chopped)
2/3 cups oil
2 cups brown sugar
2 whole eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips

Mix first four ingredients and set aside. Mix sugar, egg, vanilla, and oil. Add dry ingredients. Press into a greased 9x13" pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Bake @ 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

This is a very YUMMY recipe!! Easy to make also! Enjoy!

I also wanted to apologize for missing my Sew Sew Saturday Thread. We were out of town.

Recipe Tuesday...Strawberry Pie

David absolutely loves strawberry pie! I have to say I am not to fond of strawberries but I love to go outside and pick them. So last year I picked enough to freeze, make jam, and make a few pies.

Here is the recipe for a Fresh Strawberry Pie: (while this recipe may look hard because of all the steps it really isn't)



Pie Crust:
1 1/4 cups of flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
4 or 5 tablespoons cold water

In Medium bowl stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces are pea-size.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water over part of the flour misture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl. Repeat moistening flour mixture, using 1 tablespoon of the water at a time, until all the flour mixture is moistened. Form dough into ball.

On a lightly floured surface use your hands to slightly flatten dough. Roll dough from center to edges into a circle about 12 inches in diameter.

To transfer pastry, wrap it around the rolling pin. Unroll pastry into a 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plaet without stretching it.

Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry. Crimp edge as desired.

Prick the bottom and sides of the pastry with a fork. Line pasty with a double thickness of foil. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 5 to 6 minutes more or until golden. Cool on wire rack.-or- You can buy an already made pie crust (I personally enjoy making my own) :)

Filling:
1 1/2 cups of Sugar
1 1/2 cups Water
3 tablespoons Cornstarch
3 ounces strawberry gelatin powder (this is about 1 and 1/2 packages I believe)
1 quart strawberries (I use a little more)

Combine sugar, water, and cornstarch. Cook until thick and clear. Add in jello and dissolve. Pour over strawberries in pie shell. Chill overnight.

Note: Maybe frozen but not as good

This recipe says it's enough for two recipes but I have used it for just one deep dish pie and lots of strawberries, but you can be the judge!

New Shoes...CHEAP

So my old pair of tennis shoes finally died. *sigh* I have been looking around for the last couple of days for a new pair. Today I went to the Nike store to see what they had (I had already checked there once) but I thought why not stop again (that and I found a 20% off coupon). So I went and looked down the aisles (before i just went to the clearance section). Little did I know that I would find some shoes that were cheap and comfortable!!

So here they are my $11.99 Nike Tennis Shoes from the Nike Outlet. YES that says $11.99!!


And before any of you leave a comment about the pink (I'm not a huge pink fan which everyone knows and seems to buy Annika pink because of the fact). For as cheap as they are I can deal with a little pink!! I actually do like them!

Sew...Sew Satruday

I made these really cute top for Annika using the pillowcase dress patterns below.

http://www.jenleheny.com/pillowcase-dress-instructions
http://www.andersonsplace.net/sewing/pillow_case_dress.htm

Note: I just shortened them to make a top.

Fabric: (no pillowcase here) I purchased the first fabric from Walmart for $1/yard (who would of thought).

My little model:

The second top: I found this fabric sitting around my house in a skirt I made for myself but did not wear.Yet another picture of my little model:

Note: I varied the patterns a bit because my arm wholes did not look the greatest, so I added the ribbon around each arm whole instead of just for the ties

I also "whipped" this skirt up for Annika. It's a little big yet, but one of the easiest things I have ever made. I got the fabric from Walmart (you know the stuff that all you have to do is make it the length you want and then sew the one seam, everything else is done for you). I found it for $2 and it was just her size. I have enough fabric to make her about 2 more in larger sizes.
(my little model wasn't being to cooperative for this project)

I finally embellished the prefold that I dyed about a month ago!

My little model loves her belly lately!!

Here's the best I can do. I am still learning how to put these things on. I also have to say that I love the snappi (this has made using prefolds sooo easy)!! For those who do not know the snappi is the little contraption on the diaper used instead of pins.


More info about the Snappi:

• It is an easy way to care for your baby
• It is made from non-toxic material
• The Snappi stays in place to ensure a comfortable-fit diaper
• The Snappi is safe, economical and affordable
• It is easy-to-care-for and can be sterilised in hot water
• It is durable and can last as long as six months
• The grips are designed and manufactured to ensure a better fit diaper
• Snappis are available in a wide range of attractive colours.
• Snappi has been clinically tested in various hospitals and clinics around the globe and passed all the tests with flying colours