Skeleton and Spikes Necklace

So, I planned on posting about the new jewelry I made over the last couple of weeks, but alas, my "smart phone" decided otherwise.  I seriously need to invest in a new phone and/or an SLR camera.  One of these would be nice (Santa baby are you listening?!?!).   Anyway, the only photos that made it through was of my "Skeleton & Spikes"necklace.

It's made with different colors of metals.  The spikes are silver and gun metal gray, the chains are copper and the skulls bronze.  I think they all go well together.  Like the perfect party where everyone hangs out and laugh, drink, dance and just have a really good time.  OK, maybe not, but I like it anyway.  

I plan on adding it to my Etsy store, but maybe need better photos???  Here is where the SLR camera would come in handy!  The colors of the metals would really show through.  

  

I hope the other photos make it through the download and I can post them next week.

Well, that's it for today.  I am SO looking forward to tomorrow.  The SoCal Social blogging event is tomorrow!  Will take photos and hopefully my camera phone will cooperate with me! 

Until next time!

TGIF!

Yes, I am so happy it's Friday! The last couple of weeks have been sad.  One of my best friends MIL passed away last week. She was a very sweet lady and will be greatly missed.  I made some desserts to take to the viewing that took place on Sunday.  One of the desserts was these delicious Citrus Butter Cookies from the great The Pioneer Woman  blog.  This is one of the fist blog sites I visited and several years later still love!  

I would post the recipe and how to, but really no one does it better than Ree.  So click on over to her site here and make these delicious cookies!  The cookies made people smile and that was my objective.  I also made chocolate chip cookies and Oreo cheesecake bites.  

I've also been working on making stuff for my Etsy store.  In the midst of that I made this  jewelry set for same best friend. It was her birthday present.  I'm happy to report she loved it (at least that's what she said).  

Over the weekend I also got to volunteer at the Patchworks Edible Edition in Costa Mesa, CA.  It was a nice event.  Not really what I expected, but good nonetheless.  

One last thing....Vivian was bored yesterday and made these drawings...

Pretty cool huh!  I was very impressed. My kid's got skills! 

Until next time!

This is Luna after I caught her messing up my bed.

Pizza Time!

I like making pizza at home.  Well, adding ingredients to a pre-made pizza dough that is. One of these days I'll try to actually make the dough.  Something about working with yeast makes me nervous.  Anyway, I usually purchase pre-made dough from Trader Joe's. Their Garlic & Herb Pizza Dough is especially good. 

While buying the dough I noticed the Pesto sauce and new it would be perfect for the pizza. I usually just use olive oil and Italian spices for the sauce.  

Next I added some spinach...

Some mozzarella cheese...

Some Italian deli slices...

And some more cheese in the form of Asiago & Parmesan...

And it's ready to bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.  

Pizza is ready!

Pizza is almost gone!  

 Until next time.

TBT photo of Luna.

Polenta & Sausage Bake

The other day after work I stopped by Trader Joe's to pick up something quick to make for dinner.  They were sampling this polenta bake but with vegetarian sausage.  I've made this before and loved it.  It's a quick meal that is very satisfying.  I purchased chicken sausage instead of the veggie kind.  And dinner was made...

Here are the ingredients....

1 Polenta Log
1 Can Marinara Sauce
1/2 tub Ricotta Cheese
1/2 bag Mozzarella Cheese
1 package sausage -- cut into circles and cook until done.

Preheat oven to 450.  Cut the polenta into  1/2 inch circles.  Place half of polenta at bottom of baking dish and then add half of the sausage.  Next add half of the Marinara sauce and the cheeses.  Now add the rest of the polenta, sausage, sauce and cheeses.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.  And done!

Unfortunately, the photo of it plated did not come out, but trust me it looked good!  And tasted delicious!  The polenta comes out soft and the cheeses melt into the sauce.  And the sausage...it marries so well with the rest of the ingredients.  5 ingredients...one yummy meal!  

Until next time!

Luna ready for bed.

Fingerlaces

As you know I purchased a lot of charms from eBay a while back.  I mean A LOT of charms.  Trying to use all of them will be difficult to do, but oh so fun!  Here is my first attempt.  I call them "fingerlaces"...basically necklaces for your fingers!  I'm thinking of copyrighting the name as I know they will be a HUGE hit!  OK, maybe not, but they sure are easy to make. 

Supplies needed...

1. Charm
2. Chain...measure to size of ring
3. 2 jump rings
4. A tool to open and close jump rings

Close chain with one of the jump rings.  Add the charm with the other jump ring to the center of the chain and done!  Super easy! Super cute!

I made this one for Vivian...

Fingerlaces!  

I made other rings too...

Vivian kept all of them.  I also made her this necklace...

Cuz I love her!   

Until next time!

Smiley Luna!  

What I've made...

I made these this past week.  

And these...

Oh, and in case Vivian forgets her name, I made her this...

Until next time!

Luna relaxing after a long walk.   

Roll-Ups Fail

I was catching up on The Chew and a Mexican chef by the name of Pati Jinich was on making something delicious with pork so I thought I would google her to get some recipes.  I found her website Pati's Mexican Table and, while going through it a recipe caught my eye.  It looked both yummy and easy to make and totally adaptable with ingredients I had on hand.  This past Sunday I volunteered Vivian to help me make Pati's French Toast Roll Ups Pati's French Toast Roll-Ups. All was going well, until I decided to bake them instead of frying them.  I baked them in our toaster conventional oven....

Not very appealing but oh so good!

That's Nutella busting out of the seams.  {sigh}  BUT!  They still tasted good!  Like a rolled-up french toast with Nutella & banana in the middle.  We also made some with strawberry jam and fresh strawberries.  I think it was a combination of too much stuffing and not rolling tightly enough.  Anyway, here's the recipe.

French Toast Roll-Ups
adapted from Pati's Mexican Table
makes 12

Ingredients:
12 slices of white bread 
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon + 1/2 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

filling of choice -- I think any jam and/or fresh fruit combo works.  
We used Nutella with bananas for half of the roll-ups and
strawberry jam with fresh strawberries for the other half

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 

Cut the crust from the bread.  Using a rolling pin, roll the slices gently until half it's width.  

Add the filling -- about a teaspoon (don't over fill!) and the fresh fruit.

Now roll the bread with the filling.  (Pati suggested like a "cigar or a rolled-taco".  Definitely do that as otherwise will get busted up roll-ups!)  Finish stuffing and rolling all.

In a shallow bowl whisk the egg, milk, vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and nutmeg together.  Place each roll up in the bowl and let soak for about 5 minutes.

Foil or use Silpat over baking sheet and lightly spray or grease the tray so the roll-ups don't stick.  Place each roll-up on tray, seam side down, and bake for 8-10 minutes.  Flip each roll-up and spray or butter the other side.  If using butter make sure you melt it first and brush on.  Now bake that side for 8-10 minutes or until completely baked.

In a plate mix sugar and rest of cinnamon.  Once roll-ups have finished baking you will roll each one in the sugar and cinnamon mixture.  And done!

Until next time!