WRECK IT WEDNESDAY!!! (Issue No. 5)

Last week, I told you guys we’re leavin’ the kitchen for the next Wreck. Well, guess what? Today is the next Wreck and I made it all the way to the dining table! Huge move, I know. What can I say? I have a small apartment, and therefore no more studio to be creative in. So I set up camp wherever the mood strikes me. Such is life.

Back to today’s Wreck: I have wood floors. While I do enjoy sliding down my hall in my socks, there are plenty of times that I wish I were a little kid so I can buy a pair of those super awesome non-skiddy socks. Yes, some of my wonderful family and friends might point out that my feet are small enough to fit into kids socks….that’s not the point. I am a big girl, and as such, I want to wear big girl non-skiddy socks. 

Today, we’re going to toss out that silly notion that we can only have non-skiddy socks if they sell them at the store. You have socks in your drawer, right? Well, all you need besides socks is puffy paint (3 dimensional fabric paint). Observe: 

Socks. Note that I did not go out and purchase brand new socks for this occasion. (as evidenced by the perma-stains on the bottoms, no doubt from all the hall sliding I mentioned earlier)

 

Paint. This is my puffy paint collection. It’s marvelous, I know. Don’t be jealous. If you’re not hoarding art and craft supplies like you’re preparing for a nuclear winter like me, you can find this stuff at your local craft store or Walmart. It’s worth mentioning that puffy paint is inexpensive. Depending on the store and brand, they typically run $.50-$1.00 per bottle. But with a 40% off coupon at Michaels, I paid 10 bucks for a pack of like 25. Don’t judge me.

 

Now that you have your socks and your paint, lay your socks out so that the soles are facing up….like so.

 

Now, we paint. I’m not gonna micromanage your creativity. I chose my turtle socks and decided to outline the shells.

 

We do not need to be a slave to the status quo. Stop worrying about what people are going to say about you, or about your new super awesome homemade non-skiddy socks. My dad once told me that “you shouldn’t spend so much time worrying about what other people think of you, because you’d be surprised at how little they actually do.” In the end, being successful has little, if anything to do with material wealth or possessions. Sure lots of money can certainly make living easier, to an extent. But accumulation of wealth and stuff is what traps us into doing the same old thing, just because it’s easy. In my opinion, success is to have created a life that is as unique as you are, one that puts a sparkle in your eye, and one you can be proud of. If you’re not excited about your life, then maybe it’s time to take stock and figure out what really brings happiness to your heart. If making really cool things that some people may not have even thought about makes you happy…then you and me, we’re cut from the same cloth…and Wreck It Wednesdays are just the ticket for a little inspiration.

Note: This would be an awesome little project to do with your children, if you have any. Also, I’d like to add that I’ve thought about making a couple of pairs for my dog…she loooooathes wood floors. Apparently she doesn’t share my affection for hall sliding. She doesn’t know what she’s missing.

I got ShamRocked…

I had the opportunity to attend Blake Shelton’s Well Lit and Amplified tour in Las Vegas on Saint Patrick’s Day. Wowzers! The show rocked my socks off. The line up? Dia Frampton (from the show The Voice) opening for Justin Moore and Blake Shelton. Here’s how it went down…

Walked from our room at Excalibur and made a…quick stop at the craps tables when we got to Mandalay Bay…

Okay, so it wasn’t a quick stop, but we’re in Vegas, so oh well. (My little brother would argue that we couldn’t get somewhere on time if our lives depended on it, but no one asked him.) We left the tables about 10 minutes after the show started. We got to the metal detectors outside the event center only to realize that we had both brought our pocket knives. Now before you raise your eyebrow at me, let me start by saying that I carry my knife on me just about everywhere I go. Its habit, so I didn’t even realize until the metal detectors were upon us. A very nice older gentleman tried to get us past security, as we were upstanding citizens and didn’t attempt to hide our weapons…to no avail. Then he suggested that we try checking them at the bell desk. He did caution us to the fact that they may not check them for us, since they’re weapons. Soooo….I tucked them into my hoodie’s pockets and handed it to the very nice bell desk attendant. Crisis averted.

Needless to say, we were not punctual enough to catch Dia Frampton’s performance. We also missed Justin’s first song.

Color us happy to know that we had made it for all of our favorite Justin Moore songs. I call that winning. He was charismatic, funny and connected to his audience instantly. He has a modest disposition and a “kiss-my-ass-if-you-don’t-like-my-music” attitude…it really felt like we were hanging out with friends than sitting in an event center with thousands of strangers. Maybe that’s just because we have a rough-around-the-edges group of friends (let’s face it, I’m pretty rough around the edges myself) but, aside from making amazing music, we found him very likable and entertaining. Extra kudos for putting on such a great performance despite having laryngitis. What a trooper he is!

Now, Blake Shelton. Well, the man is talented. Contrary to what some people think, he is not a new comer to the world of country music; he’s well established, though he has admittedly been on a hot streak, so-to-speak. His abundance of attention is well-earned, let me tell you.

He opened with a cover of Footloose that actually didn’t make me cringe. In fact, I enjoyed it very much, especially since he followed up with three more uninterrupted songs before pausing to speak to the audience. Like Justin, he was funny and modest and expressed his gratitude for his fans. Always nice to hear you’re appreciated, especially when you’re spending money you don’t really have on concert tickets. It turns out that he and Justin make excellent touring partners, considering their shared distaste in the suits trying to censor them and attempting to push conformity on them. He has an irreverent humor and attitude that made him immediately likable. He spoke about his experience with the tv show The Voice. He shared his admiration for his peers on the show and even played (most of) a Cee-Lo Green song. It made me smile.

In the middle of his performance, he let the band take a break and did an acoustic set at the end of the catwalk. Just him and his guitars. He tested the crowd’s “Blake Shelton music knowledge” as he played a number of songs from his early days. The crowd sang along…so we passed.

Later in the show, Dia Frampton took the stage to sing a duet that will appear on her upcoming album. I have to be honest. I wasn’t a fan. I don’t watch The Voice, so going into this, I had no idea who she was. It was my least favorite part of the show, even more so than having to wait in epically long lines for beer. Don’t get me wrong. I’m sure she has a beautiful voice and is immensely talented. But she seemed and sounded very nervous and it made me glad that we had missed the opening act completely.

The set list as a whole was awesome, all the songs we hoped he’d play…all except for God Gave Me You.

The show ended, and the crowed cheered. Of course we weren’t going to let him off the hook quite yet. Blake kindly obliged us with an encore that even Justin Moore came out for. Our patience was handsomely rewarded as he closed out with God Gave Me You.

:::::sigh::::: I couldn’t have asked for a better show. We sat in the cheap seats, and still had a decent view that didn’t at all detract from our enjoyment. If you ever have the chance to see Justin Moore or Blake Shelton, I highly recommend that you jump on it.

I give this Saint Patty’s day show a two thumbs up to the sky. (Yes, my thumbs may be small, but powerful, they are.)

WRECK IT WEDNESDAY!!! (Issue No. 4)

This one’s made in….New York City. ::::gasp!:::: NEW YORK CITY?!?! Remember those Pace Picante Sauce commercials with all the cowboys sitting around a campfire, about to have some delicious salsa, only to discover someone made a party foul and brought sauce made in New York?

No?

Hmm…well, regardlessly, this week’s Wreck is brought to you in part by my momma (because she taught me how to do this) and  also the hopes that I can coax you people out of your comfy routine of using the store-bought varieties for all your salsa needs. Sure, there are some pretty tasty ones out there, but today…WE ARE MAKING SALSA, PEOPLE!

I promise, it’s so simple, and your family and guests will be impressed at your worldly culinary prowess. :::wink:::

Lets get started. We are going to make a tomato-tomatillo salsa today. You could always use just one or the other, but this is my favorite combination because tomatillos give it a nice tang. And don’t you worry if you don’t know what a tomatillo looks like, I’ll teach you.

Now, I need you to cruise to your favorite market, and head straight to the produce:

1. Tomatoes. You could use any variety you want, but I prefer the smaller ones on the vine, or even roma tomatoes. The smaller ones tend to be about the same size as the tomatillos…which makes the cooking process easier because they’ll need the same amount of time. You will need about 5 tomatoes.

 

2. Tomatillos. Remember I told you I would teach you? Well you can’t say I lied. This is what they look like. Underneath that husk, they like very much like green tomatoes. Try to pick ones with husks intact. Just like other produce, avoid the ones that look wrinkly, bruised or pitted. Also, You’re going to want ones that are similar (exactness isn’t that important, just more convenient) in size to your tomatoes. You will need about 5-7, depending on the size. I try for a 1:1 tomato to tomatillo ratio. Like I said about exactness just a second ago, it’s not important. Having more or less of one or the other will not ruin this recipe.

 

3. Serrano chili peppers. Don’t be scurred, this salsa is not meant to scar your taste buds so they never trust you again…I promise. Serranos look a lot like jalapeno’s slimmer, taller cousin with better taste. I would like you to pick out the 4 prettiest ones you can find. Just like I said about the tomatillos, you’ll want to avoid any that appear wrinkled, bruised or pitted.

 

4. Cilantro. No, you cannot substitute with parsley or any other herb for that matter. I don’t know what the heck chef’s are thinking when they write a recipe and say they this herb can be substituted with something else. It’s a completely different herb, with a completely different flavor. It’d be like telling someone that it’s fine to substitute sugar for salt. It just doesn’t make sense. I digress. I need you to choose 1 bunch of cilantro. Again, the prettiest one you can find, avoiding ones that are wilted or bruised.

 

That about does it for the market…let’s take it back to the house…

At home, you will need the following:

4. A medium pot.

5. Water.

6. A blender.

7. Salt.

8. A big soup spoon.

9. A fork.

That’s it. That’s all you need. Now doesn’t all that wonderful produce you just bought look lovely?

 

Okay, enough with the produce admiration. Let’s continue with our tomatillo lesson. This is what a single tomatillo looks like up close, in it’s husk. I’ve been told that I need to note that I have small little midget hands, so the tomatillo you’re looking at may appear larger than it really is. Consider this fact duly noted.

This is what the same tomatillo looks like naked. See, I told you it looks like a green tomato. Notice that the skin is smooth and shiny. That’s the way, uh huh, uh huh, I like it. Uh huh, uh huh.

This concludes your lesson in tomatillos for today. We will now return to your regularly scheduled Wreck…

Now, here is how you make the salsa:

1. Remove the husks from all tomatillos

2. Remove any stickers or stems that may have traveled along with your tomatoes.

3. Pull off the stems from your serrano chile peppers

4. Place your tomatoes, tomatillos and peppers in one medium pot, like so…

 

5. Fill the pot with water until the produce is just covered, and boil on high for about 15-20 minutes. What you’re looking for is the tomatillos to turn a dingy, split pea soup color and more importantly, you’re looking for the skin on your tomatoes to be peeling off, like so…

 

6. Now that your tomatoes are shedding their skin, grab the pitcher of your blender and set it next to your pot. With your big soup spoon, fish out one of your tomatoes. Now, using your fork, peel off and remove the skin from the tomato and discard. (I normally just drop it back into the pot…it’s not an issue, I promise.) When your tomato is properly naked, place it in the blender pitcher. Repeat for all of your tomatoes. No, you do not need to do the same for the tomatillos.

 

7. Fish out all of your tomatillos and place in the blender also.

 

8. Add ONE of your serrano peppers. Just one. Trust me. Spiciness can vary tremendously among individual peppers, so we play this one by ear. Try one, and if it’s not spicy enough, add another, and so on. If you’re feeling extra cautious, you could cut them in half and add them halves at a time.

9. Set your blender pitcher back on its base, put the lid on (this part is important…unless you prefer to wear your salsa or have been toying with the idea of painting your walls with salsa.) and pulse until it looks similar to this:

 

10. Now, like I mentioned before with the chile peppers, add one at a time. Pulse the blender in between additions, then taste. Here, you’re tasting for spiciness…you’ll be adding salt later.

11. Transfer the mixture to a medium mixing bowl.

12. Chop up your entire bunch of cilantro (just the leafy parts…we don’t want the stems) and stir into your salsa. You can play this by ear also…since I don’t know how big your tomatoes are, I don’t know exactly how much salsa you’ll end up with. If you use the same size as me, I used pretty much the whole bunch and filled a quart-sized mason jar with salsa.

13. Season your salsa with salt to taste. My momma says that the salt can help tone down the heat. Momma don’t lie…not even when she’s not telling the truth. That’s called tricking. But that’s a whole ‘nother post. (Love you momma-I hope I made you smile. If I didn’t remember that I’m your baby and you love me. )

14. Enjoy. I like mine on just about everything..chips, eggs, tacos, burritos…

Please refrigerate this salsa. You don’t want critters growing in it. It should keep, stored in an airtight container for about a week or two.

I wouldn’t be able to tell you for sure, because it doens’t normally last much for than a couple days…I must have a salsa-loving mouse in my fridge because it disappears…

I hope that you enojyed this week’s Wreck. Lord knows I enjoyed blowing your mind, teaching you that salsa comes from your kitchen and not a jar.

Next week, we leave the kitchen. Guess where we’re going next?? Stay tuned to find out!

Operation: Chicken, Episode One

Chicken is what’s for dinner. It’s always what’s for dinner, isn’t it? Well, it certainly seems that way to me.

I was at Costco, and I thought I was buying a huge pack of boneless skinless chicken breasts. Alas, I was not. I bought boneless skinless chicken alright, but they were tenderloins, not breasts. Luckily, I roll with the punches. What do I do? I do what any self-respecting twenty-something woman would do. I made chicken strips.

Normally the drill is, slice the chicken breasts into strips dip them one by one in a couple beaten eggs, then dredge in bread crumbs.

It was time for a departure from the standard. So since I was already off to a great start because the chicken needed no cutting (hip, hip, hoorraay!) I decided to mix up the preparation. I had recently purchased some Boars Head brand honey mustard that turned out to be pretty dang delicious, so I added a healthy helping of honey mustard to the beaten egg (about a 1:1 ratio). I added some parmesan cheese to the bread crumbs (about 1:3 ratio-cheese to crumb) and dredged those chicken tenderloins….then they got fried.

Turns out, honey mustard in the egg is a winning combination. I highly recommend it…as long as you enjoy the taste of honey mustard of course. Otherwise, I don’t suppose it’d make sense.

I like to do little side notes, so this post is no exception…If I had been thinking about it last night, I would have used crushed Ritz crackers instead of tired bread crumbs. Next time.

WRECK IT WEDNESDAY!! (Issue No. 3)

So in last week’s Wreck, I promised bacon, so bacon you shall have. It has come to my attention (mostly because up until about a month ago, I was one of these people) that there are FAR too many people that cook their bacon in a pan on the stove.

Well boys and girls, today is the day we wreck that bacon-cooking rut of yours. Sure, your mom probably taught you how to cook bacon, and I’m sure she is a very lovely and sweet well-meaning woman with a sparkling personality such as mine. But I have a dream. I have a dreeeeeeam that one day, our sisters and brothers will no longer sully their pans and their stoves with all that bacon grease and slave over the sink scrubbing their bacon-cooking pans… I’m going to show you the light. Today, you will cook those strips of greasy deliciousness in the oven. Trust me, you’ll thank me later. (pssst…you can tell your mom you made it on the stove if it makes you feel better…but if you’re not a liar liar pants on fire, maybe you can show her this nifty little gem of bacon-cooking innovation)

Here’s what you need for this week’s lesson:

1. Bacon (if I had to tell you this one, them maybe you should stop reading here)

2. Rimmed baking sheets. I say plural, because for one, the baking sheets I own are kind of like my apartment (small), and two, I know my bacon is sliced fairly thin so there’s far too many slices to fit on a single pan. If you have one of those hoity-toity baking pans that is big enough to fit all of them, then one is all you need. Be sure it’s rimmed and not just a flat cookie sheet…unless you enjoy grease fires or looking for a way to get a firefighter in your house. :::wink wink:::

3. Aluminum foil. This is for covering your baking pans and saving your delicate hands from dish soap.

4. Oven. (duh.)

Now that you have your supplies rounded up, here’s how you do it:

1. Do NOT pre-heat your oven. Don’t ask me why, just follow the directions.

2. Cover your pan(s) with aluminum foil. This is not completely necessary, but if you’re anything like me, you loathe washing dishes. This makes clean up a cinch.

Now, if you have one of those nice pans that is big enough to fit all the bacon, you probably won’t have a single sheet of foil to effectively cover the pan. Do not despair. Itssunnyinmysoul has a genius solution for you. I only just now thought of this, so I don’t have a photo to illustrate, unfortunately. Cut two pieces of foil, about 2 inches longer than your pans. Stack the two sheets on top of each other and fold over one of the long edges (fold both pieces together.) Do this a couple more times to ensure there isn’t grease leakage. Now you have a giant sheet of foil to protect your huge pan from having to be washed. You’re welcome.

3. Arrange your bacon slices on your covered baking sheets. Note: try not to overlap slices, as they will end up stuck together. However, if you’re trying to make a bacon flag or placemat…then overlap away!

4. Place your bacon in your COLD oven. It is cold, right? Good. NOW you can heat your oven to 400 degrees F.

5. Set a timer for 20 minutes. Now, this is how long it should take to make your bacon perfectly crispy. Unfortunately, I have an electric oven, and it literally took almost the entire 20 minutes to heat to 400 degrees. Needless to say, my Huckleberry Hound of an oven took closer to about 30 minutes to make my bacon the way I like it. I would suggest checking your bacon at about 17 minutes to survey the damage progress, just to make sure it’s not burning already. (you might have a Speedy Gonzales type oven for all I know) Proceed accordingly.

6. When the 20 minutes is up check your bacon. If you like yours a little on the crispy side, and it looks like this (below), then congratulations, your bacon is done cooking.

Now, if you lined your pans with foil, and you’re not a bacon fat collector, pull off the foil and toss in the trash. Easy peasy bacon greasy.

7. Enjoy your bacon.

Voila! You have perfectly cooked bacon, aaaaand you didn’t have to wash the greasy mess of a pan you would have had to if you had cooked it like your momma taught you. Also, no grease spatters all over your stove. Win.

I hope you all enjoyed this week’s Wreck. I haven’t decided what next week’s will hold, so please feel free to leave suggestions in your comments

WRECK IT WEDNESDAY!!! (Issue No. 2)

Horray!! It’s Wednesday again! (Yes I know this post is a little bit late, gimme a break) That means it’s time to trash pre-conceived ideas of how things should be done. So lets get to it!

It’s just about spring cleaning time, and that means it’s time to clear the cobwebs and clutter: out with the old and in with the new. Right? Well, If you’re anything like me, you’re not swimming in a sea of extra cash to be replacing a bunch of stuff around the house, That’s where this week’s Wreck it Wednesday comes in awfully handy.

Today, we’re gonna take a fresh look at some not so fresh decor. If you’re like me, you have things hanging around that you’ve thought of tossing out the door. I say, “Nay, nay!” Wait just one hot minute. For just a few bucks, you can completely change your decor from outdated to outstanding.

Between a divorce, a move and a new job in the last year, I have cleared a great deal of the riff-raff out of my home. But these three amigos for some reason have dodged my “goodwill drafts” time after time. I honestly don’t even recall how they made it into my life to begin with. I have been staring at these vases for what has easily been 2 years, plotting their fate. Today, They are finally getting the cosmetic surgery they need to fit into the society that is my tiny apartment.  I suggest you take a look around your house, clear the clutter and figure out how to make what you have left into something you love.

Now that we have our facelift subjects…we need to consider how these items can be transformed to feel more at home, in our home. I decided to color them happy, which can be done for a few dollars with a can of spray paint. The awesome thing about spray paint, besides being inexpensive, is not only does it come in super sweet colors and finishes, but it also comes in textures. This gives a fairly substantial array of choices and options to redecorate with the things you already own.

Apply an even coat of primer first.

Once the primer is dry, apply paint....evenly, duh.

Apply a second coat, if needed. Evenly, duh.

Allow to dry completely before applying a second coat...and before attempting to pick up/move the object.

Yes, I could send these little gems to Misfit Island (my stash of crap I intend to garage sale…someday, in the next 50 years or so). But it’s so sad to see these treasures being unutilized or sold at rock bottom prices just because their colors don’t quite fit in anymore. Why should I get rid of them, just to go out an spend more money, duckets I don’t have, mind you, on shiny new vases?

Well, here you have it: my pretty “new” vases, and it cost me less than $10. I call that a win for the bargain decorator. You’re welcome.

Okay, I'm sure you all are noticing my sloppy handiwork here, with the drippy paint. I will have you know that it was done on purpose. Call it art, I guess...but that's the way, uh huh, uh huh, I like it. Uh huh, uh huh. To each their own.

Here’s a nice little tip: if you don’t have vases, and would like to have some, you could go to Walmart and buy a case of mason jars for super cheap and do this same project. Presto change-o. Oh and if you’re sloppy with your painting like me, never fear. Nail polish remover works wonder on taking that rogue paint off your skin.

I hope you all enjoyed this week’s Wreck. Next week, we talk bacon. You don’t even know.

You gotta let me know…should I stay or should I go?

Today I want to talk about love and relationships. Most of us have been there, right? Well, I recently read the February issue of Psychology Today, and wouldn’t you know it, the cover article is about love. The title of the article is Are You with the Right Mate? by Rebecca Webber.

Well, are you?

Being a fairly young person, and divorced, I found this article particularly interesting. In the article, Webber states that, “Our marriages are not always a source of satisfaction. Sometimes they bring pain and sorrow. That’s necessary for growth.” Now, for anyone that has been married or even in a committed/long-term relationship, the first part of that statement is old news. The interesting idea is the last part: pain and sorrow is necessary for growth.

We all experience pain and sorrow, however, we all experience it differently and we all deal with it differently. Some people ignore it, some people withdraw from the world, some folks get pissed off and lash out, and others grieve and move on. One could assume that the ways that we confront (or don’t) adversity would account for the success (or failure) of not just marriages, but relationships in general. Based on this, one could also assume that if we focus on improving the way we meet challenges, we will in turn improve our relations with others.

While it is true that there sometimes people who just flat-out do not belong together, how many marriages and friendships are thrown away just because one or both people gave up, blew up or was just indifferent? I, for one, can vouch for how sad it is to lose a friend or significant other because one or both of us just couldn’t get our acts together. It’s a shame when we get so caught up with petty differences that a good friendship goes sour.

Let’s not let that happen. Let’s nurture and fight for those relationships that are worthy of treasuring. Opposite that, let’s finally sever those relationships that are incompatible and detract from your contentment. Take a look at those you surround yourself with. Do they contribute happiness, joy and abundance to your life?  Take a look at yourself, do you offer happiness, joy and abundance to those you call friends? If you answered no to either of those questions, you might want to consider why. Is this relationship worth fighting for? If it is, fight. If it’s not, then maybe it’s time to say adios, amigo. It might not be an easy thing to do, but in the long run, it could save both parties a lot of heartache  and energy.

It’s not often easy to be honest with those around you about your needs and wants. It’s certainly not easy to tell someone you care about, but just can’t seem to keep things together with, that you feel you would be better off just moving on. You’ll soon see what a blessing it is to be free from the burden of tending to the needs of others before your own. Someone once told me, that if I don’t take care of myself, no one else will. That, my friends, is what they call a true story.

On the other hand, once you’ve identified relationships that need work, but are worthy of the effort, you can get started growing that relationship into something truly beautiful.

If you would like to read the full article, and I suggest that you do, you can read it here http://psychologytoday.com. while this post has just a little bit to do with the actual article, it did serve as a jumping point. Webber did a really excellent job examining the complexities of marriage and the idea of finding the right mate. Her ideas are certainly helpful for those who have been, are or thinking about getting married. Marriage isn’t always peaches and cream, but if you throw in the towel, you could be missing out on something really amazing.

So much to do, so little time

Well…it’s been a while since I last wrote a post for you all to enjoy….without further ado, I’m back!

I’ve had quite a bit on my plate, and on my mind but now I’m ready to get back into the swing of things. Lucky you! Do you know what this means?! Yes, this means that my super fun, exciting, incredible and inspiring Wreck it Wednesdays will be back, and boy is it gonna be awesome! So stay tuned.