Ham and Cheese Calzone Recipe

Here is my super easy recipe for yummy calzones!

Ingredients:

2 loaves of frozen bread dough

Mozzarella cheese

Ricotta cheese (if you choose)

Ham

Cooking Spray

Marinara

Let the dough rise in a warm place beginning in the morning

Preheat oven to 425 Degrees F.

When the dough has risen 2 or 3 X original size, roll out the dough.  

Then do some fancy dancy pizzaman skills...LOOK HOW BIG IT GETS!

Cut into 6 squares, and place desired fillings in the middle

Pull corners of dough over the fillings, and into the middle, pinch closed

Use a serrated knife and cut slits in the top of the Calzones

Place on a tin foil lined, greased cookie sheet and spray the Calzones with the cooking spray

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown

Serve with Marinara of your choice

Enjoy!

Super easy, Super Delicious Garlic Chicken Alfredo Penne

 

Looks yummy doesn't it?  I have NEVER made this before, but it is very easy, and very SEMI-HOMEMADE'ish, (is that even a word?).

Well, here goes:

Ingredients:

2-3 large Chicken Breasts

1 Jar Classico (or similar) Alfredo Sauce

1 pound Penne noodles (my favorite)

2 tsp.Minced Garlic

Put a large pot of water on to boil, (MY WATER TAKES A YEAR AND A HALF TO BOIL)

Grill the chicken breasts, I used my small George Foreman-ish (there I go again) grill until the chicken is cooked all the way through (I USE A MEAT THERMOMETER FROM THE DOLLAR STORE). 

Let the chicken rest after grilling to keep those yummy juices in. 

While the meat rests, boil the noodles for 11-13 minutes or until al dente. 

Drain the noodles and rinse with hot water.  

While the noodles drain, pour the jar of sauce and the garlic into the pot the noodles boiled in. 

Let it simmer until nice and BUBBLY!

Add the noodles to the sauce, and cut up the chicken into cubes, and add to the noodles.  

Mix thoroughly, and simmer till heated throughout.  

Serve it up, and ENJOY!

P.S.  KID TESTED and APPROVED  (SAM HAD SECONDS!)

A Winter Cocktail

Ladies, I have a secret...I love to eat snow~gross some might say, but I love it.

I have been especially fond of it recently.  You see, I have been shoveling a LOT recently.  We have had a very mild winter, but over the past two days we gotten well over a foot of snow, and it is still falling.  I am a bit out of shape, ok a lot out of shape, and therefore get very thirsty while shoveling. What better way to quench the old thirst, but some clean, white, lovely snow. 

Today when Sam got home from school I made us some Winter Cocktails

Take a glass full of the freshest, whitest, purest snow you can find

 

Pour over the snow a beverage of your choice.  

We are partial to some extra healthy Diet Mountain Dew...LOL~

 

Voila...THIRSTY???

Try it...I bet you will be hooked.  They are like at home slushies~kids love them!

Here is Sam after many slushies!

Laura

Potholder tutorial

I had a brainstorm today while taking my kettle for Apple Cider off the stove top...

I HAVE NASTY POTHOLDERS!  OK...should be singular, potholder.

I have had this one potholder for over 9 years...that is NINE!!!!

Look at how sad it is, worn, food smeared, and faded.

I had these small quilted pieces that I made at Christmas time.  I originally wanted them to be framed at some point, but never got around to it.

Today I decided that I would turn them into some hand little potholders. Much more practical than wall hangings don't you think???  HMMMMMM????

Inspired by the gorgeous potholders Julia received from Christina the other day, I thought I might try my hand at some.

So, here is my tutorial ladies, go whip some up, and keep those hands from getting burned

Take two coordinating pieces of fabric, and cut them to the size you would like the potholders.

(keep in mind you need a seam allowance)

Then take some batting, and cut two layers worth the same size as your cut fabric.

 

Next layer your pieces as follows...two pieces of fabric right sides together, then the two batting layers. Sew around the perimeter on THREE sides only. Leave a narrow side open to turn right side out.

This is how it will look after sew around THREE sides

Now turn it right side out so that the batting is between the two fabric layers.

Then take a 3 inch piece of your favorite ribbon

 

Turn in the edges of the open end, and place the ribbon just inside the turned in corner.

Pin across the entire edge

Sew up the pinned edge

Here is the finished edge

 

At this point you may quilt the entire surface, I chose not to so I didn't screw up my previously quilted look, but do as you like.  I am going to suggest that you hand wash the potholders that are not quilted though to prevent the batting from shifting.

Here are my three happy new potholders, ready for some hot food handling.

A summer bag!

The other day I was making a hat for my boy. I was with my Gram and Pa at a doctors appointment, and did not have my hat pattern with me.  As I was working the hat it became clearly apparent that it was not curling as my other hats had done, and I knew something was not right.  

So, in the spirit of improvisation, I decided to work with what I had and make a cute summer bag instead. 

I started with the round (hat) I had already made, about 8 inches in diameter.

Then I did a shell stitch in the next round.  I then did a row of half double crochet, and then did a picot stitch of a chain of 6 every 2 stitches, and did picot stitch for every round after that until the bag was at my desired length. 

I then finished off, and made a long chain of about a BILLION chains, give of take, just kidding, but I made it long enough to enable the strap to be doubled up on two straps. 

I then weaved it through the top row of the bag, and attached each end to the bottom of the bag at the edge of the center circle directly below where the exit points at the top.  Voila...  Confusing, but if you work it, it will make sense...I promise!

Then I stuffed it with all my goodies, and I am ready for the day

Please Note: my super cute wallet on top...bought from the lovely Vintage Fern at Etsy!

Have a great day everyone!

A substitute...

Albeit not my favorite thing to make, I decided since I can not sell and make baby goods, I was going to try my hand at something...GASP...for myself~

I decided to use the same premise for the clothes that I have made for babes, and increase it a bit...OK...A LOT!

I took a sweater that I wear frequently, and started my chain for the yoke neck line.  I made my chains the same length as the sweater I was using as my template.  Then I worked the sweater vest in a feel as I go, with frequent try-ons, and arm pit measuring until it all came together.  

Here is the finished product, kindly modeled by the beautiful Julia, it is very nice having a clone to try on my clothes for me.  Altering is much easier, as you can well imagine!

The end before it really began...I am sad~

Julia and I have officially closed our shop on Etsy, and will no longer be doing any sales at the farmers markets due to the labeling requirements we would have to have in place for our items.  That being said, thanks to all for the kind words on the items we sell, and our shop.  

The end came too soon, almost before it began, but here are some of our highlights...

Our First Farmers Market!  The boys were angels!  Made a whopping $35.00...LOL

A Plattsburgh Fair where we met lovely Ilena

Playing with our wonderful boys to pass the time

Finally...Our last Fair EVER...if only we had known~

Thanks to Julia for all the support, love, and late night crafting and creativity

Thanks to Sam and Eben for being so well behaved and helpful when your mommies dragged you to the shows

Thanks to Mom for all of your support, love, and for watching the boys for us

Thanks to Jay for helping with the boys, dragging the sewing machine, boxes of goods, and huge tupperwares up and down the stairs for me.  

I LOVE YOU ALL, and we definitely could not have done any of this with out you.

 TEAR

Oodles of new projects...

Here are four of my newest babies I crocheted this week for the shop...

A (6-12 MOS) Picot Style Top

A Baby Blue Alpaca Cardigan (0-3 MOS)

A Shell Pattern Light Pink Cardigan (0-3 MOS)

A (2-3 T) Chunky Wool Cardigan 

Just might do a little sewing tomorrow...tune in to see what comes of my sewing day!

Laura

Priorities...

 

Have you ever felt like your priorities are not in the right place?

I have been feeling a bit like a flake as Chef Mom lately...leaning towards the easy grab it foods and not making a healthy, rounded meal for my family.

I have had entire days to plan a menu, prep a meal, and pop it in the oven.

Entire days I tell you!

I have had my priorities in the wrong order.  I have been hard pressed to tear myself away from the

latest crochet project, the juiciest celeb gossip site, or the most inspiring blog.  

Yesterday was the straw...I realized that my child had had not had a Mom home cooked meal since MY mom made him one on TUESDAY!  

I was ashamed, sad, and embarrassed...No EXCUSES...I WAS LAME~

Today I decided to make another HOMEMADE meal for MY family.  

In the hopes of turning over a new leaf.

I made my first ever Barbeque Roasted Pork Loin, Lipton Creamy Garlic Noodles, and Peas...Definitely not a gourmet meal, but it was tasty, my boys asked for seconds, and my PICKY HUSBAND even ate it!

Here is to healthy meals, and my putting FAMILY FIRST!

Ohhhhhh....and sticking with it!

No Joke...

We were at Walmart last week, and I forgot to share this Eben moment...he is the best~

Me: Eben, will you help me pick out some dish soap?

Eben: Sure Auntie...I like the green one, with the cute little penguin on it! ...Is that OK, Is that a good one?

Me: Yeah, oh and look, we can help save a penguin when we buy it.  Good job Eben.

Eben: Auntie, where can we go get the penguin, and wash him with the soap with his picture on it?

Me: Eben...I love you~and if you see a penguin we will buy him and you can give him a bath

~OUT OF THE WORDS OF BABES~

My spin on a family recipe

Today I was missing my Gramma Hough's Tomato Beef Macaroni Soup.  She made THE BEST! So amazingly delicious, and there was rarely a bowl left when it was on the stove.  She had a way with the recipes, never measured, and it ALWAYS came out the same delicious way.  Heaven.

That being said, I decided to try my hand at it today since I had some ground beef already thawed.

Here is my recipe:

1 large can diced tomatoes
1 large can crushed tomatoes
2 tsp minced garlic
1 lb. UNDRAINED cooked ground beef
1 can drained light red kidney beans (if desired)
1 lb. elbow macaroni
Salt, Pepper, and Herbs de Provence to taste

On medium heat simmer the tomatoes, garlic, and beans.  Brown the ground beef, and pour directly into the tomatoes.  Boil the noodles and leave the soup to simmer. Salt, Pepper, and Herbs to taste now.  When the noodles are cooked, pour 1 cup of the noodle water into the soup, and drain the rest of the water into the sink and rinse the noodles.  I kept the noodles separate from the soup and mixed separately into each persons bowl...I hate slimy, limp noodle. Serve with some delicious crusty bread and enjoy.  Laura

Finally...

I FINALLY made the Shamrock Octagon that I had blogged about a while back when I got my awesome book stash from Tracee.  

Today I decided to sit down, and with St. Patrick's Day coming up

I found it fitting to get my little shamrock crafted.  

It took about 30 minutes to make.  Surprisingly larger than I anticipated, but I love it.

Here is the pattern...follow linearly 

 

  I pointed out the point where you will get a cluster of stitches on both the instructions, and on the one I made, so you can see what it will look like.

For those of you who give the pattern a go...let me know how it turns out!

Laura