iMade an iPad cover

Work gave me an iPad for Christmas (get ready 2012), so I decided to make a cover. I went to the Crystal Amsinger Motes school of sewing and crafts, which basically means if you can think it then you can pretty much make it. With a little quick thinking this took about an hour to make and now I have my own unique cover.

The fabric was found at work. EO offered up a bunch of old swag and I picked up about 10 bandanas in different colors. I had envisioned a tote bag but hadn't got around to making it yet. Since the iPad will be used largely for our civic engagement work, this design seemed appropriate.

It's a simple project that you can do too! The measurements can be adjusted to fit your tablet/iPad/etc.

Materials:

• fabric (I used 2 squares of 20" by 20")


• batting (2 rectangles of 12" by 9")


• zipper (I used a 12" and cut it down to 10")


• sewing machine


• 2 pieces of cardboard (I cut mine to 11.5" by 8")

Directions:

1. Iron your fabric.


2. Put 1 piece of cardboard in between 1 folded over piece of batting. Stitch up the sides. This will provide structure and added cushion to the cover.
   


3. Sew the two fabric pieces together inside out (design sides in). This will make a pillow case. Flip inside out to show designs.
   


4. Fold the pillow case in half (with the fabric you want on the inside facing out). Sew the sides together. Now flip inside out. Stuff the two now batting covered pieces of cardboard into the openings at each end. This will make a booklike cover.
   


5. You should have a book cover with stitched up sides but opened tops. This is where you add the zipper. Fold over the edges (in towards each other) on each side. Place 1 side of zipper in between. Hand stitch zipper in on both sides.
   


6. All done! You can see the case is bigger than the iPad but had plenty of cushion for it.

I have plenty more bandanas (orange, purple, blue -- magenta and pink shown) if anybody wants one! :)

Chicken Enchiladas!

And...we're back! I had chicken on hand, needed something new to make, and went searching on the internet. This recipe lacks pictures (except for the one bad camera phone shot) but it is easy to make, feeds a large bunch, and fills your tummy. Minus the cheese and sour cream it is pretty healthy too.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil


• 1.5 pounds of skinless boneless chicken (cutlets are easiest for this)


• salt and pepper


• 2 teaspoons cumin powder


• 2 teaspoons garlic powder


• 1 teaspoon Mexican Spice Blend (think taco seasoning)


• 1 onion chopped


• 2 garlic cloves minced


• 1 (16-ounce) can of corn


• 1 red pepper


• 1 green pepper


• 1 (28-ounce) can of stewed tomatoes


• 1/2 teaspoon all purpose-flour


• 12 whole wheat tortillas (really dependent on size of dish and how many fit)


• 2 (16-ounce) cans of enchilada sauce (mild, medium, hot depending on your liking)


• 1 cup of Cheddar and Jack cheeses


• optional garnish: sour cream, cilantro, scallions, chopped tomatoes

Coat a large saute pail with oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken over medium heat. Sprinkle the chicken with cumin, garlic powder, and Mexican spice blend. Remove chicken and place on platter, allow to cool.

Saute onion and garlic in the chicken drippings until tender. Add corn and peppers. Stir well to combine. Add canned tomatoes, saute 1 minute.

Pull the chicken apart by hand creating shredded pieces. Add chicken back into the pan, combining with the vegetables. Dust the mixture with flour to help set.

Microwave the tortillas for 30 seconds (this makes this soft and flexible). Pour 1 can of enchilada sauce into your casserole dish to coat the bottom. Scoop a few spoonfuls of the chicken/veggie mix into a tortilla. Fold over and place into the casserole dish, seam side down. Once all are in the dish, top evenly with 1 can of enchilada sauce. Top with the cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 350 degree over. Garnish as desired. Serve with beans and rice.

Southern sweetness...in my mouth

I love some Southern sweetness...especially in my mouth. Luckily, the Pioneer Woman (yes, her again) had a great recipe which she got from Steel Magnolias, a good chick flick about the women in a Southern town (which I finally watched in full this weekend, but now I digress). This yummy goodness is as easy as its name: a cuppa this, a cuppa that, another cuppa, and bake! I present to you the Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa Cake.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoy all things Southern.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of self-rising flour


• 1 cup of sugar


• 1 can of fruit cocktail eith the juice


• softened butter to grease pan


• Cool Whip for topping

Preheat the over to 350 degrees. Stir together the flour, sugar, and fruit cocktail (including the juice). Pour into a buttered pan.

Bake for 45 minutes. The cake will be a perfect golden color, just like any Southerner. A cut into the cake will show you the yummy goodness inside. Pair with a scoop of Cool Whip and enjoy!

Beam...it's what's for dinner!

What's a hungry girl to do when the main ingredient in my kitchen is a handle of Jim Beam? Use it to make dinner naturally.

I stole this recipe from the Pioneer Woman (check her out if you haven't already). It seemed like a perfect fit. It was quick and easy and makes a large batch. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 24 ounces sliced mushrooms (baby portabellas work well)


• olive oil


• kosher salt


• black pepper


• 2 tablespoons butter


• 1 whole large white onion, peeled and sliced


• 1 3/4 cups of whiskey (Beam works well)


• 1 cup heavy cream


• 12 ounces pasta

Cook 12 ounces of pasta.













Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice 24 ounces of mushrooms. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside.

In a large pot, heat olive oil along with the butter over medium heat. Throw in the sliced onions and saute for a couple of minutes.

Pour in the whiskey and allow to bubble for a minute or two.

Whiskey bubbles (in case you were wondering):

Pour in broth and allow the liquid to reduce for a couple of minutes.

Stir in cream and reduce to low heat. Add mushrooms, salt, and pepper, and simmer until sauce thickens.

Toss in the cooked pasta.
Voila! Here is the delicious result:

Verdict: very yummy and pairs nicely with Sam Adams Coastal Wheat.

* Note: this is probably not a child appropriate meal.

Lollipopping 101

Last week Morgan asked me to help her with lollipops for a bachelorette party. I had never made lollipops. It turns out that they are fun and easy to make! This past week, Ben pointed out that I had posted a blog since January...oops! So, here's a new post all about making lollipops.



How does one make lollipops? Simple! First, head to the craft store. Michael's had a good selection, but Hobby Lobby has a fantastic selection of supplies. You will need to buy a candy mold, chocolate melts, and lollipop sticks. This is a cheap and easy project. If you want, you can buy little treat baggies and ribbon if you want these pops to go.

Sidenote: Hobby Lobby has a large selection of candy molds (hearts, stars, animals, bridal themed, sports, etc.). They also have a wide assortment of colors for the chocolate melts.

First pour about 25 of the chocolate melts into a microwave safe container. Set for 30 seconds. Use a spoon to mix the chocolate melts. It will form a nice chocolatey liquid.

Scoop a dollop of the melted chocolate into each mold. It doesn't have to be perfect. Once all of your molds are filled, tap the entire tray on the counter. This will help the chocolate fill each crevice of the mold. It will also prevent bubbles in your final product. Add a stick to each.

Stick the mold tray in the fridge and let sit for at least 15 minutes.

When you remove the mold tray, tap it lightly on the coutner. The lollipops will be easier to remove. They should pop out easily.

Add a treat baggie and ribbon, if desired.

The color choice of the pops in this blog post are no mistake. Next weekend there is an alumni of Florida universities of event. Attendees were asked to bring something to share. I will be bringing about 100 orange and blue lollipops. The display will be the best part. I will post picture once it is done. Bring on football season! :)

snow white and apple chips!

The snow has been falling all evening. In a fit of productivity and cleaning it occurred to me that I need to make use of the produce I have. Particularly the two granny apples that I have in my fruit bowl. I'm also craving something sweet that won't add 15 pounds to my waist. The result is an attempt at making apple chips. Sounds easy enough, right?

This recipe is courtesy of the PurpleFoodie.com and simple to follow.

Ingredients:

• 2 apples
• 2 tbsp of sugar
• 1/2 of cinnamon
• 1 tbsp of lemon juice
• 1 cup of very cold water

Directions:

1. Set the oven at it's lowest setting 170 degrees F.

2. Fill a bowl with the water and lemon.

3. Slice the apples (removed seeds and core), placing the slices immediately into the water-lemon mixture. This will prevent your apples from turning brown.

4. Shake off the excess water and place the apple slices on a baking sheet.

5. Combine the sugar and cinnamon. Then sprinkle the mixture over the slices.

6. Put into the oven and bake for 2 hours. Add an hour as necessary, depending on the width of the slices.

butternut squash and apple soup

It's cold outside! I think a new soup would be perfect. After scanning FoodNetwork.com I came across a butternut squash and apple soup that looks yummy and easy.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 large yellow unions chopped
• 2 tablespoons mild curry powder
• 5 lbs. (2 large) butternut squash
• 4 McIntosh apples
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2 cups of water
• 2 cups or apple cider or juice

Directions:

1. Peel the squash, cut it in half, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into chunks.

2. Peel, core, and quarter the apples.

3. Warm the butter, olive oil, onions, and curry powder in a large stockpot uncovered over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are tender. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot.

4. Add the squash, apples, salt, pepper, and two cups of water to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the squash and apples are very soft.

5. Puree your soup. This would work best in a food processor, which I don't have, so I used blenders. Luckily I have two!

6. Pour the soup back into the pot. Add the apple cider or juice. Mix soup and serve hot.

Enjoy!