The Artisans Marketplace

I am so excited!!! The stuff I make is now on sale at the cutest shop- The Artisans Marketplace in Mt. Juliet, TN  1870 Lebanon Road, Mid-Way Center, Mount Juliet, Tennessee 37122  

The Artisans Marketplace is filled with great gifts and great things for yourself.  Check out their facebook page. 

Also, feel free to check out AliRage on Etsy

Here is some of my stuff in the shop: 

SUMMER!

YAY! 

My favorite time of year.  It's hot. It's sunny.  I have 8 weeks off work.  What is not to like??

This summer I decided to set goals.  The top three were: 
1. get a new car
2. have a yard sale
3. sell the Saturn ( i miss you, little car!) 

Well, those were all accomplished by June 16th.   So, since I am the most list driven person on the planet I needed to find another way to fill my time.   

I decided to divide the summer in to 4 parts: 
June 1-15
June 16-30
July 1-15
July 16-28

Now I am listing things I accomplish: (Books read, projects completed, adventures had, etc) in each section.   (It also makes the summer seem a bit longer!) 

I am also dedicating LOTS of time to AliRage, cooking, laying by the pool, and making other random stuff.   Keep looking, i will post more stuff soon! 

Getting Ready for the Garage Sale

I have been working hard getting my universe organized.   Dear friends, let me know if you want any of this stuff.  If you are randomly reading this and do not know me... sorry to bore you.  :) 

Love board games... I do to.  Any of these can come live with you for $4 each.   Or... all of them can be yours for $30. 

Who does not love Dr. Gregory House???  You can enjoy 5 seasons of him for $5 each.   Or all of them for  $25

Who does not love cookbooks from 1974, 1968, 1973, and 1971,   you can cook the classics for $1 each. 

Cookbooks are fun and $1. 

More books, $1

and more... $1

Get the whole collection for $3

$1 each 

New York in Black and White

Pumpkin Chili

Its getting chilly outside, so its time to start making chili.   I have recently started adding roasted pumpkin to mine and it is DELICIOUS!!!  (and SO SO SO SO very easy)

Pumpkin Chili
1 - 2 cups roasted pumpkin (i use the small pumpkins-  cut in half, scoop out seeds, bake in an oven pulp side down in a water bath at 350 for about 45 minutes)

1 can garbonzo beans, drained

2 cans diced tomatos

2 packages of chili seasoning

1 onion, chopped

2 bell peppers, chopped (red, green, orange, yellow--- it does not matter)

1/2 cup- 1 cup sliced mushrooms

Cook for a couple of hours OR in a crock pot all day!   ENJOY!!!!!

Fall = Tomato Soup

I’ve been back to school over a month, so to me, it seems like fall.  What is my favorite thing about fall?  It very well could be tomato soup.   This morning when I work up I decided that my long weekend would not be complete without some super delicious tomato soup.

            I have also been trying to save money. So, I felt the need to go to the cabinets and see what I could find to make some delicious, warm tomato soup. 

            2 cans diced tomatoes with basil and garlic

            1 cup diced onions

            1 tablespoon salted light butter

            spray olive oil

            1 cup tomato juice

           

1. Drain the cans of tomatoes.  (Save the juice).  Place on parchment paper. Spray lightly with olive oil.  Then broil the tomatoes.

2. Cook the onions and butter until the onions are soft. 

3. Combine the broiled tomatoes, onions, juices and blend. 

4. Bring to boil; reduce heat.  Cook on medium for half and hour.

Super easy, super delicious.  I think I will be enjoying some soup and grilled cheese today.  

Christmas Brunch at Mom and Dad's

This year we had brunch at mom and dad's house for Christmas.   I made several things, but 2 of the things I made were REALLY REALLY easy and REALLY REALLY good, Eggs with Specks and Sausage & Rice Casserole.

Eggs with Specks (quite possibly the simplest thing to make... EVER!)
6 eggs (scrabbled)
2 cups of monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 small can of chopped green chili peppers, drained

- spray a 9x9 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.   combine ingredients.   bake at 350 for about 20 to 30 minutes (watch it until it is golden and solid)


(I got this recipe from my friend Brandon when we had a HONEY, YOU GOT SERVED brunch.   Guess what movies we watched that day! )

Sausage and Rice Casserole
1 box of wild rice (cooked)
1 lb of sausage, browned and drained
1 package of red, yellow, and green peppers and onions
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk

- combine and bake at 350 for about 40 minutes

Apricot Nectar Cake

I do not follow directions when I cook.   I may start out with a basic recipe and then change it to suit my needs. I add things, take away things, replace things.   (Thus, baking is a difficult process since you actually have to follow directions because baking is science) 


Apricot Nectar Cake is the only thing I will cook and follow the recipe.  It is my grandmother's recipe and it is delicious.  


Apricot Nectar Cake 
1 box Lemon Supreme Cake Mix
1 box small instant lemon jello pudding
4 whole eggs
3/4 cup oil
1 cup apricot nectar
- Mix and bake in greased and floured bundt pan at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.  Use toothpicks and make holes in the cakes 


Icing
1 stick of butter
-1/2 box confectioners sugar
1/4 cup apricot nectar

-  mix well and pour over hot cake

Gifts for Christmas Extravaganza

Sadly I could not make it to Christmas Extravaganza this year.   I was very disappointed.  Here are the gifts I made for the girls.   Customized clipboards and ornaments.  

"Russ, Please dont eat the truckster!"

Little brother's birthday card.