Recipe "Shrimp and Zucchini Tostadas"

Its that time again to share another new recipe I tested out. This one is from Martha Stewart. It is quick, easy and doesn't disappoint! I made a few modifications with two minor changes* for ease and preference! I am sure fresh shrimp would be great but if you are on a time crunch and haven't found any on sale frozen is a great alternative, just picking up a bag of prepared frozen shrimp on sale and having it in your freezer for a few recipes depending on the amount you use. I also chose to use the shredded Mexican cheese as we usually have it on hand * great for quesadillas, but mostly because Sammie loves the cheddar cheese. It gives it a bit more color on the tortilla verses the image shown here.

     * view results image & time prep/cook notes below recipe

4 burrito-size flour tortillas (8-inch)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 ounces) * I used Shredded Mexican Cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound large peeled and deveined shrimp * I used frozen prepared and defrosted per directions on package
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 cup sour cream
3 scallions, thinly sliced


Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

Place tortillas on two large baking  sheets. Brush with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until  cheese is melted and tortillas are crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add  garlic and zucchini; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring  frequently, until zucchini is crisp-tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Add shrimp  and cook, stirring frequently, until shrimp are opaque throughout, about  3 minutes. Stir in lime juice. Spoon shrimp mixture over tortillas and  top with sour cream and scallions.

This recipe is quick, easy and tastes amazing. Prep/ to Serve time approx 25-30min. Honestly I can see I can see this as a great spring  / summer dish for serving on the patio. Add a little rice and salad on the side with a pitcher of margaritas and a few friends, well you get the picture! We just had them as is and it was filling and delicious. I'd love to know if this is a dish you would try~ 

What is your favorite quick and easy recipe? Would you like to be featured and share it? Just email me! My email is on the side bar~

phone pic of results

Valentines Day Craft Round Up

Here is a round up of some great tutorials and printable s from some great sites to add a little sweetness to your Valentines Day without the calories ~

Mini Valentine Banner Tutorial & Printable from Kind Over Matter

Message Heart Door Hanger *felt
Linwood Ave. Tutorial PDF 

Make your own coupon book - For template link and Tutorial visit Kind Over Matter

I also  found this great recipe for making Valentines Heart Pretzels! Remember I was looking for a healthier way to have some treats for Valentines Day. Ok, you might want to make this any time of year but, either way here is the recipe and how to with images just visit Maya Made. Valentines Treat bags or Brownie Bags visit Twig and Thistle. Well I hope this gets your creativity going and inspired by the tutorials you see here. If you have a tutorial you would like to share feel free to email me or leave me a note with the link in the comments section so I can feature you! What is your favorite thing to craft for Valentines Day? Do you love to wear red on Valentines day? What about hearts? Do tell~ 

Valentines Day Crafting & Packaging Video Tutorials

 This year I was looking for a healthier alternative to giving chocolates to the family. So I found these two video tutorials one that is perfect for wrapping up a sweet little gift and another for  making a homemade pop up card! I hope you enjoy them. I will have some more Valentine Inspiration this week which will give you plenty of time to grab your supplies and put a twist on the inspiration~
Do you craft for Valentines Day? What is your favorite thing about Valentines Day? 

Gnomes, A Story and Free Valentines Printables

Gnome Books

Do you ever feel like you need a gnome? What is the definition of a gnome any way?
A legendary creature resembling a tiny old man; lives in the depths of the earth and guards buried treasure.
So you are wondering why I am asking you this?

 Well for 1. I have always loved images of these little creatures, men. 2. I could of used a guard to protect my buried treasure on my computer and blog. OK, I may of lost you but let me reel you back in. I had a whim, yes the kind that blows in with a breeze and takes over like a hurricane. My whim was to redo my header, but what does that have to do with gnomes? Well, you see I misplaced in my 11,000 images my header. Yep, then I tried to retrieve it from the original place and it didn't fit properly, then I tried to re size it. Are you starting to see where I am going with this? Well, suffice to say nothing was going my way. So temporarily until I decide if I am going to just to an entire blog makeover or locate my original header and make it fit it will be like it is. I won't say I am happy, but the next time I am having a whim I am asking a gnome for some protective help!

Now back to some crafty goodness. Yes, I wouldn't do a post without sharing something of value.  I came across this free printable. Perfect for Valentines! Sweet and Creative~

So just click here and go to visit and grab your free printable~  & click here to visit Jamie the crafter behind the printable  and her link up with other crafty goodness. You are sure to find more great inspiration!

Have you ever lost your header? What size is the right size for blogger any way for a proper fit? If you know I'd love to know so I can make my own! ~ Next post I have a easy and tasty recipe for you. Until then...
Happy Creating and Crafting~

Sewing and Craft Storage & Eye Candy

AllQuiltPeople.com

I have an old suitcase and I would love to transform it into storage like this! Swoon~

AllPeopleQuilt.co

Soda Straw dispensers to hold ribbon! Does it get much prettier than this? 

 

AllQuiltPeople.com

How about this? A vintage baking tin with your buttons and a pin cushion. making it easy for grabbing and working on your project! 

I guess I needed a little sewing storage and organization inspiration before cleaning today. If you want to see more inspiration and what looks like a wonderful quilt sewing site visit All Quilt People and if you want to see their article and more sewing and  crafty storage click here. I know I am going to spend some time after cleaning checking out their web site! Oh, and if you are looking for eye candy related to sewing or vintage notions  this is a must see a visit to The Charm Of Home. Honestly I can say I am swooning when I should be cleaning right now~ What sites are inspiring you lately? Have you done any sewing in the new year? Do you plan to? Do tell I would love to know!

Quick and Easy Recipes "Chicken Teriyaki"

via

Well my family declared enough with the same menus! So I have been trying to try quick and easy recipes to keep them pleased. No easy feat. I made a easy sloppy joes recipe. I thought it was good, Sammie thought it was ok and Papa bear well he said I like the flavor of the ones from the store! What??? Really, no one ever made you homemade sloppy joes? and you really prefer the ones from the store? Well I guess I won't be making that recipe again but this one from Martha Stewart Everyday was a winner from even  for our most particular, picky eaters.

So I thought I would share it with you it is super easy but I think that you need to watch the level of where you place your baking sheet. Now bare with me, in my oven 4" was too close from the top and when I checked they had gotten so hot it caught on fire. So first I grabbed the pan out and then lowered the rack! Whew! Fired averted!! But yes, I did set off the smoke detectors. Ok, I can laugh now but at the time not so funny at the time. Now on to the recipe;
Serving Size 1 - *( so for our house we picked up a package of 12 wings and had no left overs. Served 3)
wings were separated at the joint
Coarse salt 
Fresh Pepper
2 Tbsp. reduced -sodium soy sauce  (* ours was regular soy sauce)
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar *(ours was seasoned rice vinegar and it worked out fine)

In addition I cooked rice for 4 people and broccoli to complete the dish.  


1. Heat the broiler with 4 " from the heat * See note above!! 
Arrange wings on an aluminum - foil - lined rimmed baking sheet. Season with the salt and pepper. Broil turning once, until lightly browned and tender, about 20 minutes.


2. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey and vinegar. Reserve 2 Tbsp. for dipping.


3. Remove wings from the broiler; brush with remaining sauce. Return to broiler turning and brushing sauce twice., until browned and glazed. 2-4minutes. Brush with pan juices before serving.


During the 20 min. cooking period I made my rice and broccoli and plated them on the side to complete the meal. This was a very quick, easy and great meal that everyone enjoyed! 
Thanks to Martha Stewart s Everyday Cooking App. with my I pod. 


I hope you get a chance to try this. I would love to know how you like it. I will continue to post my quick and easy recipes for you to enjoy. What is your favorite quick and easy recipe? I would love to know~

PS. Now I played along with Inspiration Avenue this week and if you would like to see what inspires me and find out more about Inspiration Avenue please visit me over here. The images I posted mostly are from others, some from me but eye candy and so I hope you can pop on over.
Until next time, thanks for stopping in!

Blog Love & Click and Print Banners

At Second Street

I have been under the weather a bit but when I visited my friends blog Yesterday on Tuesday written by Malia she had this awesome Valentines Round Up. Be sure to visit her to see the rest of her picks. * she has awesome link ups, crafty goodness and more. I really love how she has grown her blog. Speaking of crafty goodness in the easy form.  This one from At Second Street was one of my favorites as it is a click and print so you can make your own banner of either Love or Be Mine.*link for tutorial under pic

Will you be putting up some Valentines decor? or Crafting some special somethings for your special someones? I'd love to know~

Felt Crafting

 Theresa Huse 2011 felt design

Well hello again, yes I am still smitten with felt. This pic is from my phone, so the quality might just be so so, but it is a little design I am working on. Any way I had to share a felt artist and crafter I just found. Oh no you say not another link but really bare with me Melissa has a wonderful felt tutorial for Valentines Day!* featured on SewMamaSew Melissa is so inspiring with her felt know how and designs. I know three young ladies having babies and her Getting Girly post on her site is just what any mom to be would want to hang on her babies room wall. So if you feel like some more felt inspiration hop on over and visit her! But don't forget to tell me what you loved about her creations and her blog!! Here is one of Melissa's goodies from her Etsy shop.

Melissa's Etsy shop Little Pink House
Just in case you don't have time to create something of your own you can always visit her shop~
What will you be crafting with felt? What crafts are you currently working on?

Easy Sewing Tutorial Round Up

 I am Planning on sewing in the new year with some simple sewing that is oh, sew cute! So here is my Sunday round up of three easy tutorials~

Vintage Towel Tutorial via Lovely Nest Designs

January is definitely the time to think about the beginning of spring cleaning and easy sewing! When we are cleaning up from the holidays and sprucing up our homes to be fresh in the new year we are constantly using towels. Towel use not just for cleaning but for after washing our hands from doing projects and keeping germ free. I came across this cute little sewing tutorial about how to liven up towels and make them look vintage. How perfect for using those bits of lace, pom poms and other edgings collected from grandma or a left over art project!

Now Jamie also has a handsewn Spring Fling Garland Tutorial I just love this idea especially with the image of having the close pins on the garland. I can see making one of these for oldest daughters up coming wedding where she can have guests pin love notes on the garland ~ But she has examples of other decorative uses you might like for your home!

A weighted Pin Cushion Tutorial via Sew Mama Sew
I love the idea of this! How often you need these items whether sewing by hand or next to the sewing machine. It is perfect with the detachable holder to catch pins or fabric scraps as you are sewing along! So by the sewing machine, on the back of the couch or on the go this weighted pin cushion could sure be handy! Check out Sew Mama Sew for the all the details from the link above! The sewing tutorial is clean and simple~

I hope you enjoyed these simple sewing links to get you stitching in the new year. PS.  I'll have some crafty sewing links coming soon~
What sewing projects are you working on or want to work on in the new year? I'd love to know~

Happy New Year! & Recipes

Happy New Year! I thought I would share a snapshot of our holidays. Baking cupcakes, wrapping packages, Christmas with the newlyweds, visiting family, good food, window shopping, browsing the bookstore & finding new books to read, playing lots of monopoly, bundling up and blowing bubbles and dreaming in the New Year with Big Dreams!! As soon as I am unpacked, clothes washed I promise to have some crafty goodness,  more recipes and such to dish out to you! Wishing you all a wonderful, healthy, happy and prosperous New Year! (hugs)  Theresa 

While you are warming up to the new year you might like to try this potato soup recipe and a salad~
Honestly the easiest and best tasting recipes. Yum!

 Image via For The Love Of Cooking *she has another recipe but takes longer

Baked Potato Soup
Four Servings, prep time 10min, cook time 20min  (*you can modify as you like, last 3 ingredients I leave out)

Ingredients

• 3 bacon strips, diced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup half-and-half cream
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• Shredded Cheddar cheese
• Minced fresh parsley

Directions

In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Set bacon aside. Saute onion and garlic in the drippings until tender. Stir in flour, salt, basil and pepper; mix well. Gradually add broth. Bring to boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, cream and hot pepper sauce; heat through but do not boil. Garnish with bacon, cheese and parsley.  All Recipes.com 

Cafe Green Salad
Prep time 10min. Serves 4

Ingredients
Mustard Vinaigrette:

* 1 garlic clove, sliced in 1/2
* 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
* Small splash soy sauce
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

3 cups mixed greens, the darker the better (not iceberg)

Rub the inside of a large wooden bowl with the garlic clove and then either discard it or save it for another use. Put the mustard in the bowl and whisk in the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce (a French secret!) vigorously for about 10 seconds to get a creamy consistency. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle in the olive oil as slowly as possible with 1 hand while whisking as quickly as possible with the other hand to emulsify. Lay the salad greens on top of the dressing and toss just before serving. Food Network