What I've Been Up To...

I haven't wrote a post in a while, so I will just post some pictures of what I've been up to.  I'm trying to increase the numbers of meals I actually prepare and cook, and I've been sewing like crazy, along with some projects that will remain a secret since they are gifts.  So here are some pictures.  Hopefully I will have some time this week to explain what each thing is and provide a recipe or explanation on how I made some of the items.

Roasted Red Pepper and Mozzarella Panini 

And I actually make my own roasted red peppers....  To make these, I cut a large red pepper in half, and place it, skin side up, directly on the oven rack and turn the broiler on.  Once the skin is blackened, I flip them over and let the other side cook a little.  After they are done in the oven, I place the peppers in a plastic container and put the lid on the container.  Then let the pepper sit for about 15 minutes, or even longer.  This makes the skin super easy to peel off.  And then you have fresh roasted red peppers that are super yummy and sweet!

And now on to some the things I've been sewing.  I don't have pictures of the rag quilt that I made for a friend's mom.  I will try to get pictures and post those eventually.  Below are some pictures of a credit card/business card holder.  But I think it would also make a great way to give a gift card.  I used some scrap pieces of fabric and came up with these.

And here is a sneak peak of something that I recently started...

Birthday Present!

My niece turned four this past week and I wanted to make her something fun for her birthday.  She loves dress up and when I saw this skirt, I knew I had to make it for her!  I purchased the pattern, because I knew I wouldn't be able to figure out how to even start making the skirt and I knew I would use again for other birthday gifts (I have five nieces!).

After lots of sewing, ruffling, seam ripping, and sewing some more...this is what I came up with.

Yummy Alfredo Sauce

I decided that I wanted to try and make my own alfredo sauce.  I really don't care for the stuff in the jar and I'm not sure about the stuff that comes in the packet and you just add milk.  So after a little looking online, I found this recipe.  I followed the recipe and it came out perfect!  Very simple to make and super quick.  I served it over some angel hair pasta and broccoli.  Much better then any of that alfredo sauce in the jar!

Wednesday Night Chili!

After hearing the weather report Tuesday night, I knew Wednesday would be a snow day for Jeremy and me.  I figured I make a big ol' pot of chili for dinner on Wednesday.  Personally, I think the best way to eat chili is after its been in the slow cooker all day long.  I really don't follow a recipe for chili...I just add things that I think will make everything taste good.  

To make this chili, I cooked up 2 pounds of ground turkey and 2 Tbsp. of chili powder, added in some minced garlic, peppers and onions.  In the slow cooker, I added in a jar of whatever spaghetti sauce we had in our pantry, and a can of rotelle (diced tomatoes and green chilies).  Once the turkey was cooked through, I added it to the slow cooker and mixed everything together.  I set it to 8-hours and just let it simmer all day. 

Right before we were ready to eat, I made some cornbread.  My favorite mix is the Jiffy brand, that comes in the blue box.  It's cheap and easy to make (all you add is eggs and milk).  

I like to top my chili off with some cheese and sour cream.  

What a great meal for a snowy, windy night!

Baby Bag

A co-worker of mine is pregnant with her second child and is due at the beginning of March.  I wanted to make her something and was searching the internet, looking for an idea on what to make.  I came across Sew Much Ado and found an awesome baby bag pattern.  I even loved the colors and knew my co-worker would too!

So off to Joann's I went to find some fabric.  The pattern suggested home decor weight fabric, so that's I what I got.  I'm glad I did, because the bag was much more stable and durable.

This is one gift that I made for someone that I'm pleased with how it came out (as you can tell, I'm very hard on myself when it comes to being crafty!).

Here are some pictures of the finished product.