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.  

Pumpkin Chicken Soup with Chickpeas

I am currently playing the game called "What Can I Cook Using Things I Have Since I Leave on Vacation  in a Week."  Because I really hate getting up and making my lunch for school I often make soup or something on Sunday and then eat it for lunch during the week.

Today using things I found in my freezer I made Pumpkin Chicken Soup with Chickpeas. It was super simple.

chicken broth (about 3 cups)
chicken (1 chicken breast thats been baked and diced)
1/2 a roasted pumpkin
1 can of chick peas
dash of chili powder
dash of paprika
garlic
black pepper
cumin
Combine and cook.  SUPER YUMMY and DELICIOUS!!!

Oops... My Bad.

So I just looked at my goals for 2011. I am FAILING miserably.  I have just started training for the St. Jude Half Marathon with some of my friends. If you would like to donate PLEASE feel free to check out our page.  


Being back to teaching full time has been fun and challenging.  Finding the time to do everything I want to do is simply impossible. I often feel like Jessie Spanno on Saved By the Bell.  


But, on the bright side I am happier than I have ever been.  I am okay with not meeting EACH of my goals. I just need to refocus on the important ones. 

SUPER SQUASH

Sorry I have not posted in about 6 months. I have been a little distracted.

This week I got a box of produce from my CSA. It had corn, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, basil, honey, and zucchini. I have been eating LOTS of yummy veggies this week. (Also, I have started weight watchers so I am trying to be quite healthy)

Today I walked by the produce pile on the table and decided to make something yummy.

SUPER SQUASH

1 yellow squash

¼ of a Vidalia onion

Chopped, diced into tiny pieces (I used the chopper from Pampered Chef)

Steam in the microwave for about 6 minutes with a splash of water (I used the steamer from Pampered Chef)

Drain and add:

2 wedges of Garlic & Herb laughing cow

¼ cup shredded Colby jack cheese (low fat)

1 tablespoon bread crumbs

stir it up and scoop into 2 soufflé cups. Bake at 350 until golden brown (about 30 minutes)

Let me just say... AMAZING!!!!

When you care enough to make the very best...

I have recently gotten into the habit of making cards for my friends that are personalized for their unique interests and preferences. One of my oldest friends recently had a birthday. We bonded my 8th grade year over our love for certain boys from the Boston area. I felt nothing was more appropriate for Rachel's birthday.

Also, my friend Robby got engaged... I knew that our love for Eastland alumni had to be a part of his card.

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

The blank wall in my kitchen had been driving me CRAZY! I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to put there. Then, while watching an episode of CougarTown I realized I needed to steal an idea right off their wall.

Also, I recently used my Uppercase Living lettering I had ordered to label my canisters. If you need any UL lettering, Lorrie is the person to contact. She is AWESOME!

Red Velvet Trifle

Red Velvet Cake is my favorite. After watching one of my favorite episodes of Friends where Rachel makes a trifle (as Joey would say, "Whats not to like?? meat- good, jam- good, custard- good) I decided that I needed to make one as well. I think Joey would agree that it was GOOD!

to make the cake

- Red Velvet Cake mix (yes, I know it is

cheating, but I was in a hurry and I wasn't really sure it was going to work)

- 3 eggs

- 2/3 cups water

- 1/3 cup oil (usually when I am make a cake I use applesauce, but I was out, so oil was

my other option

- half a box of cheesecake pudding

Combine all this (there is something scary about just how RED the batter is) and bake according to directions on the box.

Let me take a moment to talk about my most favorite cooking utensil... EVER. It would be the Pampered Chef Mix & Masher. I use it to mix cookies, cakes, brownies, etc. (you dont need to get the mixer out because it can be done with this great tool), i use it for guacamole and pretty much anything else that involves stirring. You should get one, ASAP! My AMAZING and AWESOME friend Stephanie will gladly help you get all the Pampered Chef Goodness that you need.

After the cake is baked, let it cool and crumble it up. Then you are ready for the creamy goodness. How I made mine was:

- 1 block of cream cheese

- about 1/2-1/2 cup of sugar

- 8 oz cool whip

- the other half of a box of cheesecake pudding

Combine these ingredients and layer with the cake, keep refrigerated