Nigella Lawson Beef & Bean Pasta ~

Recipe | Weeknight Inspiration

Have I told you how much I adore Nigella Lawson? I absolutely love her cooking series - Nigella Feasts and Nigella Express - and her books are fabulous. Her shows are described as delectable and they truly are - I love her passion for cooking and her smooth, painless recipes. 

So, with as much as I enjoy Nigella, I simply had to download her iphone app! Tonight I tried my first recipe directly from my app and I am still very much in love.

One-Pan Beef and Beans with Pasta

Ingredients

1 Onion, Peeled

1 Clove Garlic, Peeled

1 Carrot, Peeled

1 Stalk Celery

1-2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1/2 Pound Ground Beef

1 15oz Can Borlotti Beans, Drained (I used Cannelloni beans)

1 Quart Beef Stock

1 14oz Can Chopped Tomatoes

2 Tablespoons Red Wine (yes, yes, yes!) 

 Directions

Finely chop onion, garlic, carrot and garlic in food processor. Cook vegetable mixture in the oil in a saucepan for 5 minutes (do not brown). Then add the beef until browned. Add the drained beans, beef stock, can of chopped tomatoes and red wine - add liquid slowly. Bring to a boil with lid on, add the macaroni and cook uncovered, for 12 minutes or more if the pasta and/or meat need it. Taste for salt and pepper, and grate some Parmesan.  

 This is a great, quick, comforting meat sauce that is simply yummy! A family favorite for sure! Now I am a huge fan of beans - I love all beans - but my hubby is not as fond, and has requested next time I hold on the beans. I think even without the beans, it will be a huge hit.

So True ~

via gingerella

Bunco Recipes ~

Recipe | Entertaining Inspiration

Happy Friday all! 

I have received a ton of requests for the recipes from my recent Bunco party, so here we go.  

Let's start with the yummy Jalapeno Poppers - 

I will fair warn, this are delicious, just don't pay attention to the actual ingredients. 

Ingredients

22 Fresh Jalapeno Peppers
1 Pound Jimmy Dean Sausage
8 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1 Cup Parmesan Cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut the peppers in half - remove all seeds and large veins - set aside for stuffing. Saute the sausage until crumbly, drain off the fat (ha, this might help cut out a few calories). Remove the sausage from heat and add the cream cheese and Parmesan cheese - mix well. Then stuff each of the 44 pepper halves with mixture. Place poppers on a cookie sheet and bake until peppers are soft - about 15-20 minutes - do not over cook. Serve warm.

Next up is the fresh bruschetta -

 This is super easy and way healthier than buying the processed pre-made variety. 

Ingredients

Tomatoes

Fresh Basil

Fresh Garlic

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Salt 

Pepper

Directions

For this recipe the key is fresh ingredients. From there, just add as much or as little of each that your like. Finely chop your tomatoes, mince your garlic and chop your basil. In a bowl mix together the tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. The great thing about this recipe is you can't really mess it up. I personally like is once it has sat for a little bit. 

Seriously, all I need is this with a chunk of crispy bread and a great glass of red wine and I am set! If I didn't have to feed a family (and be responsible), this would be my dinner 9 out of 10 times! 

Here is the recipe for the Bunco Buns and the Yummy Cookies. 

I hope you all have a splendid weekend!

Fabric Flower with Silhouette & Great March Promo ~

DIY | Easter Inspiration

Today I will show a little project using the Clean Cut Fabric Interfacing from Silhouette. Remember they have a great promo going on this week (details at the bottom).

I started by downloading the "3d Flowers" from the Silhouette Online Store for .99 cents. I then ironed on my interfacing to my fabric and cut out my shapes (really like magic).

I then crumpled up my pedals a bit and assembled my flower.

I then gathered a few supplies to make an Easter basket.

And I think my fabric flower makes a great addition!

Here are the promotion details:

• A Silhouette SD
• One of each fabric interfacing (clean cut & sewable)
• A roll of white flocked heat transfer material 

All for $229!

Also, readers that already have a Silhouette can get 25% off fabric interfacing...whoot, whoot!

All you need to do is enter "INSPIRE" as your promo code.

My Fabric Egg & Silhouette March Promo ~

DIY | Easter Inspiration 

Silhouette has a great promotion staring today, so they sent me samples of their new Heat Transfer Fabric Interfacing - both sewable and clean cu for me to play with. Today I am going to show you a little project with the sewable variety. 

 Now I want to be very clear, I am not a seamstress (not even close). I truly am still learning how to use my sewing machine (yes, a bit embarassing) - and I thought this product was amazing! It was like magic watching my Silhouette cut the fabric. 

I started by creating a simple egg shape in Silhouette Studio, ironing on my interfacing and instantly I had these two shapes cut and ready to go.
 The interfacing definitely made my flimsy fabric feel much more substantial.

I sewed them together and stuffed my egg (don't laugh at my "bunchiness" - operator error).

I made a few linen flowers. And attached them to my egg (yes, with hot glue. I know this is a sewing project, but I love me some hot glue).

I then decided to add a little ribbon to the top to hang.

 

Now for the awesome deal from Silhouette!

Our lovely friends over at Silhouette are offering a great package deal:

• A Silhouette SD
• One of each fabric interfacing (clean cut & sewable)
• A roll of white flocked heat transfer material 

For $229....yep, that is a great deal!  

Also, readers that already have a Silhouette can get 25% off fabric interfacing...whoot, whoot!

All you need to do is enter "INSPIRE" as your promo code.

Act soon, as this offer is only good until the 27th.



Today is the last day to vote!

Bunco Baby ~

Entertaining | Inspiration

I hosted my neighborhood Bunco awhile ago and thought I would show you guys a few pics.

I got an excuse to pull out my Bunco flags...wave them high ladies!

The most important part of Bunco is....the vino...of course!

And the second, cheese (my opinion, the stinker the better).

And if there is a third, it has to be potato chips!
I love how great they look in this vase.

I made my new favorite cookies.

These "Bunco Buns" - found recipe here.

Some fresh bruschetta (one of my absolute favs and so easy to make).

And you can't go wrong with jalapeno poppers...can you?

Some table yummies...

And my new motto!

Wish you all an astounding weekend!

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My Side Table "Got Knobbed" ~

DIY Project | Inspiration

We have had this side table forever and it is boring, blah, dull...but it currently serves as the kiddos art supply cabinet. So for now it stays.

So to give it a little "pick me up" I pulled out my collection of knobs. 

Let me introduce you...

So armed with my screw driver (this is my attempt to make this seem a bit more substantial than it really is) I turned this boring, blah, dull piece into this:

I know, hold you back right? Ha. 

So made my boring, blah, dull side table a little less boring, blah and dull. 

But it does makes me smile when I open it now. 

Which really means, job well done!

So, let's recap. Before.

After.

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House Tour Tuesday ~

House Tour | Inspiration

Here is a great house tour thanks to the wonderful design of Sarah Richardson - I don't know about you, but I am a fan of her work!

 

Happy Tuesday!

Clock Top Table ~

DIY | Inspiration

So yes, I love clocks...not the digital-annoying-wake-you-up kind, but lovely clocks with detailed hands and rustic faces. I was sad the day this one no longer worked. He is big and grand, but sadly not in the misfit closet. So I pulled him out the other day determined to find a use for his lovely face.

Remember this Goodwill table?

Well, if you add a large clock face to a kinda-boring table, you get a one-of-a-kind side table with just a touch of whimsy!

Yes, it is possible that your hubby may look at you sideways, but you might just fall in love. 

Before:

After:

When the weather gets a bit warmer, I might give that base a nice coat of black...or maybe find a new home for my lovely clock face altogether.

Ah, the beauty of an ever evolving home!

A larger table? check

A use for my lovely clock? check

A fun unique piece? check

Hubby renewed love for my creative side? we will see! 


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