megasimple

Productivity

2012-01-02T22:52:00.001-05:00

The new year has me thinking a lot about productivity. I recently watched this Ted Talk that takes productivity to a genius level. I find this level of thinking and development really amazing. Do you watch Ted Talks? They are riveting talks by remarkable people. Brene Brown’s talk is one of my faves.

Glitter and Gold Confetti DIY

2011-12-30T10:00:00.001-05:00

It doesn’t get easier than this and I’m not even sure this counts as DIY, but you can’t argue that it’s not megasimple. Take some glittery scrapbook paper (1.99/piece) and some circle punches. Punch away to make your holiday table sparkle.

Pintersting Gifts

2011-12-29T07:41:00.001-05:00

My brothers’ girlfriends gifted us with some creative gifts inspired by Pinterest. Haley made us each a set of coasters and Tracy made us tangerine sugar hand scrub. Did you give or receive any pinteresting gifts this year?

That’s a Wrap

2011-12-28T20:44:00.001-05:00

The holiday festivities are wrapping up and I’m taking some time to blog a little since I have the week off. I wrapped these presents on Christmas Eve. Pretty megasimple, but the bows took me a little time. I spotted the top middle bow on pinterest which inspired me to try out some others too. Pinterest and I have a love/hate relationship right now. It is a true source of inspiration, but completely exploits the procrastinator in me. I’m contemplating a 2012 Pinterest Rule: No Pinterest until I complete something pinteresting. I received some pinteresting gifts this year from my brothers’ girlfriends. To be posted…

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T12:27:00.001-05:00

This morning as I procrastinated my shower after a basement flood has left us hot waterless, I reopened the book, One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp to figure out where I left off weeks ago. Starting a book is hard, finishing it is even harder. Guessing where to begin again, I opened to Chapter 5. Could I really have made it to page 79? Oh the defeat of hopeless reader; I’ll start over again. Before I restart, this quote by St. John of Avila catches my attention. It is appropriate for this day of thanks and inspires me to blog again. Amongst many things that are agreeable to my inclinations, I am thankful we are hot waterless which lead me back to my book and blogging.

Pelotonia 2011 Update

2011-08-04T06:00:00.000-04:00

Kent called our summer, Camp Archbold. We didn’t venture far from home, but still managed to have a really relaxing, yet equally productive summer. Our main focus has been training for Pelotonia. We have been riding 6 days a week for the last 5 weeks. Those of you that know me are likely shocked by this. Trust me, no one is more shocked than me.

It hasn’t been easy. In fact, it’s been mentally and physically challenging for me. I could go on and on about my challenges, aches and pains. Kent can attest to these of mine, I’m sure. I could go on, but I won’t because I have perspective that continually reminds me that riding in Pelotonia isn’t about me. It’s a perspective,for me, gained through the real life experience of watching my Pop fight his three month battle with cancer.
My mental and physical challenges while training pale in comparison to those he faced while fighting cancer. Actually, there is no real comparison.

No matter how hard I think a ride is, there is always quick relief and healing at the end; a huge glass of water, food, a shower, a nap and I’m basically like new again. For my Pop, these simple things offered no relief from his constant pain and suffering. I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that I do think he had moments of relief. Relief found only by resting in his faith. And as faithful as he was I think these moments of relief took all the energy he had. That’s how hard cancer is.

So when I feel like I want to quit or even skip a training ride, I quickly cling to this perspective. A perspective that reminds me cancer isn’t a choice that can be skipped when it’s too hard. A perspective that won’t allow me to give up.

Pelotonia is just three short weeks away. To read my profile you can click on the green bar above or visit my rider profile here. I’ve raised almost $1130.00 of my $1800.00 goal. I am so thankful for the support of my family, friends and coworkers!

Angola Balloons Aloft

2011-07-10T17:11:00.001-04:00

My reverse summer list is filling up and the latest adventure added was the Angola Balloons Aloft event. The balloons are really pretty and when it got dark they all lit up at the same time. I’d love to visit the international Balloon Fiesta held in Albuquerque in October. Check out the photo galleries from the Balloon Fiesta here.

Spring Rolls

2011-06-30T08:12:00.001-04:00

Ok, you know I only do easy so go ahead and give these a try. I procrastinated attempting this because I thought the rice paper would be difficult to work with, but I was wrong. It’s delicate, but really megasimple to work with.

You will need rice paper and any veggies you like. We used green onions, avocado, yellow and green pepper, carrots, mini cucumbers, romaine lettuce and cilantro. At the last minute I decide to throw in some shrimp which worked out well.

Slice all veggies up as thinly as you can. This makes eating the rolls easier. I used a vegetable peeler to shave the carrot. I also only used the green parts of the green onion.

After your shrimp and veggies are ready it’s time to prepare the rice paper. All you do is put it in some warm water for maybe 20-30 seconds. It tends to curl up right away, but I just pushed the edges down in the water with my fingers and they flattened out and softened up nicely. Lift the rice paper out carefully and let the excess water drip off.

Lay it on a plate and you are ready to fill it up.

Fold the bottom half up over the veggies.

Fold one side in.

Fold the other side in…

and roll up.

We ate this with a Pad Thai sweet and spicy sauce and some sweet and sour sauce.

I also threw together some quick salads with romaine hearts, avocado, cilantro, green onion, mandarin oranges, rice noodles and a sesame ginger dressing.

Dining Etiquette 101

2011-06-29T06:43:00.000-04:00

Here is the poster I mentioned yesterday. My research revealed that it originated from The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Etiquette by Mary Mitchell. Who knew asparagus was a finger food? Who has that much silverware? I did find it useful in the respect that I can never remember which side of the plate the fork and knife belong. That’s about as sophisticated as our dining etiquette gets around here.

The Fresh Market Salmon Dinner

2011-06-28T06:41:00.000-04:00

We are back in the cooking mode again. Sometimes we get in an eating out rut, but summer brings with it more time for us to grocery shop and cook more. A visit to The Fresh Market helps facilitate the transition back to cooking, especially healthy cooking.

Last night we had Bourbon Glazed Salmon, roasted baby white potatoes with fresh herbs and broccoli. It was so easy, fast and healthy. Kent cooked the salmon to perfection (only 4-5 minutes per side) on our mini charcoal grill. I quarter the potatoes and added some olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper and roasted them for 25-30 minutes at 425 degrees. I picked some fresh rosemary, dill, parsley and chives from our herb garden and added those just prior to serving. The broccoli boiled for 3-4 minutes and it was finished.

The table setting is megasimple and doesn’t come close to proper table setting etiquette. Coincidentally, I came across a very useful table setting poster on Pinterest yesterday, but clearly didn’t reference it. We’re about simplicity here, not perfection, but you never know when the poster and real etiquette rules might come in handy so I pinned it. I’ll see if I can find the original source and post it for you tomorrow.

Crosby Arts Festival

2011-06-27T22:37:00.001-04:00

I blogged about the Crosby Arts Festival and The Fresh Market last year (here) and we visited both again on Saturday. The weather was perfect and the gardens were gorgeous. I’d love to go back and visit the gardens again. They are really large and I think we missed several parts. You can find more information about the Toledo Botanical Gardens here.

2011-06-24T09:57:00.001-04:00

Do you pin? I’ve wanted to try this for a long time, but I knew it would be in my best interest to wait until summer. Here is my fair warning to you…You will love pinterest and it will love your time. With that being said, I think it is genius.

Pinterest is a visual display of all things beautiful and of interest to the person pinning. I would describe it as an easy to view, visual display, of the best of every blog. It’s a real inspiration source. I’ve just started pinning and already have some new DIY projects and recipes to try. The picture above is a screen shot of my boards that include my first 18 pins!

It’s very easy to get started. First, just click on the screenshot above. Then, at the top left of the page click on “request and invite”. Enter your email and click on “request invitation”.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend and happy pinning!

Strawberry Ice Cream

2011-06-23T06:38:00.000-04:00

I forgot to mention in my last post that we picked our strawberries at Johnston’s farm in Swanton. The boys helped Kent make homemade strawberry ice cream in our Cuisinart ice cream maker.

The recipe we used is from www.cuisinart.com. It turned out really well considering it was the first time we tried this particular recipe. It made for a perfect father’s day treat that we enjoyed with Grandpa on Sunday!

Ingredients:
3 cups fresh ripe strawberries, stemmed and sliced
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-1/2 cup sugar, divided
1-1/4 cups whole milk
2-3/4 cups heavy cream
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions
In a small bowl, combine the strawberries with the lemon juice and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Stir gently and allow the strawberries to macerate in the juices for 2 hours. Strain the berries, reserving juices. Mash or purée half the berries.
In a medium mixing bowl, use a hand mixer on low speed to combine the milk and remaining granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream, reserved strawberry juice, mashed strawberries, and vanilla. Turn the machine on; pour the mixture into freezer bowl, and let mix until thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes. Five minutes before mixing is completed, add the reserved sliced strawberries and let mix in completely. The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture. If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours. Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving.

Strawberry Jam

2011-06-22T08:17:00.001-04:00

Our nephews spent the night and we went strawberry picking last weekend. We got caught in the rain which I was thankful for because it was hot. Wil ate the whole time and Sammy was very focused on picking.

If you’ve ever thought about canning/freezing, jams are about as easy as it gets so it’s a great first recipe to try. The recipe I use comes from the Sure Jell box. I typically freeze my jam because it is so fast, but you can also hot water bath jams to store on the shelf.

Freezer Strawberry Jam
1. Wash and rinse freezer containers. (I use small plastic or small canning jars)
2. Prepare fruit. Wash, de-stem and mash with a potato masher or food processor. Don’t puree, but pulse to a very fine chop.
3. Measure 2c. of smashed strawberries
4. Add 4c. of sugar to the strawberries. Mix well. Let stand 10 minutes.
5. Stir 1 box of Sure Jell pectin and 3/4 c. of water in a small saucepan.
6. Bring to a boil on high heat stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly, then remove from heat.
7. Stir pectin mixture into fruit mixture. Stir until sugar is dissolved about 3 minutes.
8. Pour into prepared containers leaving 1/2 inch of headspace for expansion in the freezer.
9. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours or until set. Refrigerate for 3 weeks or freeze for 1 year.
Did you purchase new silver rings and lids? I finally caved even though I have plenty of the gold, but I do like the way these look.

Wrapping Paper at Cambria Cove

2011-06-20T08:45:00.001-04:00

I read via designmom that Cambria Cove is going out of business. Everything is 50-70% off. I picked this pretty paper up at 70% off the original cost!

How was your weekend? Ours was busy and productive. I’m working on some posts related to strawberries (peaking right now) for later this week! Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

A Reverse Summer List

2011-06-17T07:55:00.001-04:00

While doing a little Google research on lists/list making,I came across a super cool blog, Cornflake Dreams, by Jillian. This is her summer bucket list. Sounds fun and so pretty too.

Are you a list maker/crosseroffer? Don’t you find satisfaction with crossing items of a list? The cross off signifies accomplishment, but also comes with expectation.

I’m reversing the list making process for summer. Instead of listing everything I want to do and crossing it off, I’m adding things to my list as I go that have already been completed. The only expectation is that I have a list that portrays a summer lived purposefully and well.

Do you have a summer bucket list? Anyone else want to make a reverse summer list?

It’s only June 15th, but I think my summer has been one of the best yet! Here is the start of my Summer on Purpose List…

Pelotonia Garage Sale #1
50 mile bike ride
Pelotonia Garage Sale #2
Michael Buble Concert
Planted a vegetable garden and an herb garden
Family weekend together for Alex and Morgan’s graduations!
Mud Hens Game

TO BE CONTINUED…

{Thirty Five}

2011-06-10T08:07:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday to my twin, Emily, who is thirty five today! Isn’t this the perfect little birthday cake?!I found it via Oh Hello Friend, but it is originally from Call Me Cupcake.

Thank You!

2011-06-10T07:59:00.001-04:00

Our Pelotonia Garage Sale was a huge success! Thanks to all who donated and stopped by to shop! Special thanks to my Mom and Emily who did a huge amount of work to make the sale a success! We are well on our way to reaching our total of $2425!

Garage Sale Update

2011-06-02T07:27:00.001-04:00

Our sale starts Friday at 7am! We will be open until 6pm and on Saturday from 8AM-1pm. ALL proceeds will be donated to Pelotonia, in support of one goal, to end cancer! Thanks to those who have donated items already! We will be working in the garage getting ready tonight. If you still want to donate items for the sale, stop on by! Some items for sale include…

Crazy Coupe Car

3 other small riding toys

Bucket of Side Walk Chalk

Fertilizer Spreader

Rubber Stamping Supplies

4 small wood student chairs

Stools

Black picture frames

Microwave

2 shelf bookcase

3 shelf bookcase

Housewares

Longaberger basket

Desk with Hutch

Clothes

Books

IKEA Curtains

Pottery Barn Books, Pillows and Dining name card holders

Christmas Decorations

AND MORE!

Hope to see you there!

Garage Sale with One Goal: End Cancer

2011-05-26T23:06:00.001-04:00

Pelotonia is a grassroots bicycle tour with one goal, to end cancer. I wrote about Pelotonia here last year. Back then, my sister Morgan was interning at Pelotonia and my brother Alex rode from Columbus to Athens. This year Morgan is now employed by Pelotonia as the volunteer coordinator and I will be joining Alex in the ride from Columbus to Athens.

Alex and I need to raise a total of $2425.00 to ride. 100% off ALL funds raised by Pelotonia directly support cancer research conducted at the Comprehensive Cancer Center and James Cancer Hospital/Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC-James) at The Ohio State University.

Your trash is our treasure! Next Friday and Saturday we are having a garage sale at my mom’s house. ALL proceeds from the sale will support our rides.

You can support us by donating items for our sale or by stopping by to shop! Send me an email if you would like to donate and want us to pick up your items or just drop them off at my mom’s house by 9:00PM Thursday night!
Sammy will be selling pop and water to support Alex’s ride. He has already raised $25.00!

Affordable Art at 20x200

2011-05-17T07:47:00.001-04:00

Check out 20x200 to find affordable art. This company was founded by Jen Bekman and is based on this formula…

(limited editions x low prices) + the internet = art for everyone

Artwork by Jane Mount

Artwork by Valerie Roybal

Artwork By Paul Octavious

Artwork by Joseph O. Holmes

Images from 20x200

Groupon Summer Fun Activities!

2011-05-10T19:25:00.000-04:00

Groupon brought me back to blogging because these deals are just to good not to share! Did you know that Groupon is celebrating Ohio Tourism week with great deals for activities across the state? Are you having summer guests? Do you need some summer activities for your own family? Many of these tickets are being offered at 50% off or more. Some of the current deals include…

Sauder Village in Archbold.
The Butterfly House in Whitehouse. (Only 4 hours left for you to buy)
A Frank Lloyd Wright House in Springfield.
The Football Hall of Fame in Canton.
The African Safari Wildlife Park in Port Clinton.

You can click on my referral link here to get started and check out the great savings on these deals! Make sure you read all the fine print and pay attention to when the sales end.

Relativity

2011-03-23T07:37:00.001-04:00

My sister said that I should fess up that things are more megacomplicated over here than megasimple these days. Really, megacomplicated only translates to megabusy, which is why I haven’t been posting, but I do miss blogging. Escher’s Relativity lithograph is the best visual representation of “megacomplicated” that I could find and I found it in lego form too! Don’t these people look busy?
Daniel Shiu and Andrew Lipson created the lego version.

Homemade Bread

2011-03-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

One of the things on Kent’s Lenten List is to make bread once a week. I’m loving his list. He made me French bread on our first date and it’s been my favorite ever since. Sunday night he took his French bread recipe and made it in regular bread loaf pans instead of the French loaf shape. It turned out really good. We had one to eat and one to give.

Recipe: French Bread Recipe Adapted from The More with Less Cookbook
Dissolve: 2 pkg dry yeast in 1/2 c. warm water and 1/2t. of sugar.
Combine: 2T sugar (Kent uses brown sugar) 2T fat (Kent uses olive oil) 2t salt, 2 c. lukewarm water
Add: Yeast mixture to combined mixture.
Stir In: 7 1/2c – 8c flour. Knead 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, turning once. Let rise until doubled. Punch down and let rest 15 minutes. Divide dough in half.
For a French Loaves: On floured surface, roll each half to a 12 X 15” rectangle. Roll up, starting at 15” edge. Place loaves on greased cookie sheets and make 4-5 slashes diagonally across tops. Let rise until doubled again. Mix 1 egg and 2T of milk and brush on the top of the loaf.
For bread loaves: Form into a loaf and put in greased loaf pan. Let rise until doubled.
Bake: 400 degrees for 20 minutes

Lenten Lists

2011-03-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be posting, but will be making my best attempt to keep things megasimple. We’ve created Lenten lists of 40 items to focus on during this Lenten season. I’m starting with sharing part of the list I created to help me focus during the next forty days. Lists are a fairly effective tool for me. Do you make lists? Do you have any Lenten goals/plans/ideas?

2. Make megasimple food.
4. Give
9. Read :mnmlst
12. Water
14. Finish sewing projects I’ve started.
22. Fast
24. Complete organization project #2.
27. Spend time with Grandpa.
29. Learn more about The Daughter Project.
33. Clean out inboxes.

Fat Tuesday

2011-03-08T07:45:00.000-05:00

I’ll be skipping Fat Tuesday because we had Fat Monday. We took my nephews out for Five Guys and Coldstone. Have you had Five Guys? The menu is pretty simple with mostly burgers and fries. The burgers are really good and the fries are made from whole real potatoes. Sammy’s favorite part was eating the free peanuts from the shell while we waited for our food. If you visit their website do not look at the nutritional information. I repeat…do NOT look at the nutritional information. It is a perfect joint for Fat Tuesday. We ended the evening at Coldstone, or frozenstone as Sammy kept calling it.

Do you have any Fat Tuesday traditions/plans?

Happy Fat Tuesday!

Home Improvement Before and After

2011-03-07T06:33:00.000-05:00

Before…
The Pioneer Woman might have her Marlboro Man, but I’ve got a Doorman…a Garage Doorman. Kent works for Haas Door which is a company that manufactures garage doors. If you are in the market for a garage door check out their brand new website that Kent created. It’s a quick and easy way to give the exterior of your home a facelift.

After…

We are back in the mood to do more home improvements. Next is finishing an office for me and painting the kitchen.

Taaaa Daaaah!

2011-03-03T22:52:00.001-05:00

I finished my sundress at my sewing class tonight! There is something really satisfying about creating something and…well, finishing it. I’m often pretty good with the starting part, but the finishing is another story. I highly recommend the classes at Sauder Village. All of the teachers are really patient and so helpful. For a newbie like me sewing can be pretty challenging, but our teachers guide us through every single step. I think what I love most about the classes is that they allow me to forget about work, laundry, bills etc. It’s really good stress relief. I’m hoping my next project is a small quilt.

Vote Morgan Intern of the Month

2011-03-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

My post about Morgan yesterday ends up being quite timely because today I learned that Morgan is up for Intern Life of the Month on the website The Intern View. Go here to vote for her and learn more about her internship experiences. If she wins she’ll be featured on the website next week!

Morgan is my Fave

2011-03-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

So recently I’ve been contemplating this blog. Do I keep going? Do I let it go? Do I start that other blog I’ve been considering? Do I do both? Last week, I told Morgan, my little sister, that I had a bad case of blogger block and I was thinking about dumping it. Then we went on our “meet Ree” adventure and I continued to blog and did another giveaway. She texted me last night…

Morgan: “R u still having blogger mid life crisis or did the giveaway pump u back up?”

Me: “Umm well…I’ve got nothing to post for tomorrow?.

Morgan: “Umm…All ab how ur little sister is ur fave-DUH”

Me: “OK…I’ll work on a post about you and I’m including that last text…verbatim."

Morgan: “Fo reals?”

Me: “Fo reals.”

Morgan: “Ballerrr. Don’t make me sound like a dooooohdahhh.”

Me: “The more you text the longer my post keeps getting.”

CRICKETS

Why Morgan is My Fave

10. She wrecked her mo-ped 20 minutes after she got it and Pop called her Sarah Fisher and she cried a lot on her birthday.
9. She ran over Alex’s mo-ped with our Pop’s truck and wedged it under another truck the day after Alex found someone to buy it from him.
8. She holds the world record for owning, losing and spilling buttered noodles on an infinite number of cell phones.
7. She is a third wheel in the best way.
6. She is a social butterfly that can and will talk with anyone about anything.
5. She is very happy and sings…Haaaaaapppy Hooooolidays even when it’s not the holidays.
4. She uses the word “whoopasies”…daily.
3. She’s a misfit. She owns it. She laughs at herself. Refer to #10,#9 &#8.
2. Despite the spectacular display of literary composition in her texts, she’s extremely smart and is graduating early this Spring from college and has job offers coming in.
1. She is the most well rounded, solidly grounded and light hearted girl I know.

And…those are just 10, among many, of the reasons she’s my fave.

And the Winner is…Harmony!

2011-02-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

Random.org selected #10 which means Harmony is the winner. Did you know that when The Pioneer Woman has a giveaway there are often over 40,000 comments! I like these odds better. Thanks to all 18 of my readers that commented!

Sewing Class

2011-02-25T20:01:00.001-05:00

I took my second sewing class at Sauder Village last night. I was exhausted before I went and forgot the manual to my machine. Our teachers are so patient. I couldn’t even remember how to thread my machine, but they both helped me out all night long. I also purchased the wrong pattern size. Lesson #1 of the night…even though the back of patterns tell you how much fabric to get for 8 different sizes you need to look at the front of the pattern because it really only works for 3 sizes. So I bought fabric for a size 2, but bought the pattern for a size 6,7,8. Hoping I can still make it work.
I’m making a little sundress dress with this Alexander Henry fabric. I’ll be finishing it at the next class and will post a final picture. Does anyone have a little girl that wears a size 6? If it turns out, it’s all yours!

See you back here on Monday when I’ll announce the Black Heels to Tractor Wheels winner! You can still enter by commenting here. Trust me, you want to enter this giveaway. It’s the best novel I’ve read in a long time.

One Dress…for 6 months.

2011-02-24T07:31:00.001-05:00

Photos from Amy’s blog.

Could you wear one dress…for 6 months? Amy Seiffert, from BG, is doing just that for a good cause. Check out her blog and find out why.

Bacon of the Month

2011-02-23T07:45:00.001-05:00

photo from Zingermann’s

You’ve heard of the fruit of the month club or the cheese of the month club, right? I just discovered the Bacon of the Month club at Zingermann’s. Do you know a bacon snob? I do. This would be perfect for them.

I discovered this while reading a newly discover blog, Oh Joy. Check it out. They made bacon cookies. Mmmm….

Design Mom

2011-02-22T07:31:00.001-05:00

Design Mom is another one of my long time favorite blogs. She and her husband just packed up their 6 kids and moved to France for a year.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway for The Pioneer Woman’s novel by commenting on this post. It is so good I can’t put it down.

What blogs or books are you reading? Any recommendations?

The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond & a Giveaway

2011-02-21T07:20:00.001-05:00

After a long week last week we drove to Columbus on Saturday to meet The Pioneer Woman! Ree is arguably the biggest and most successful blogger on the whole world wide web! She is one of my all time favorite bloggers that I’ve followed consistently since I began reading blogs three years ago. Ree writes about her life on the ranch, cooking, photography, home and garden, homeschooling and her family. She is on her book tour promoting her new romance novel Black Heels to Tractor Wheels.
We waited at Barnes and Nobles for 5 hours to meet her and it was worth the wait! Ree is so genuine and took her time talking to all her fans, signing books and taking pictures for hours. I don’t even think she ever took a break. She is really approachable and so down to earth. Hundreds of people came out to meet her. Special thanks to Kent and my sister Morgan for coming with me and to Kent for taking all these pictures. I’m so lucky that he enjoys these little adventures as much as I do.

Of course, the second it was our turn to meet her I got super nervous for whatever reason and forgot to ask her the questions I wanted to. In my nervous groupie state, I blanked. We did discuss that Morgan and I are sisters and twins, but not with each other and that Ree tweeted me once. Talk about making an itty bitty bloggers day! One tweet from THE PIONNEER WOMAN about naan made. my. day.

And…because I was missing last week and missed you all so much…Ree signed a book for one of you. I thought this would be a perfect Megasimple Giveaway! Leave a comment on this post and I will randomly select one reader to win Ree’s new book. Black Heels to Tractor Wheels! Entries accepted until Sunday at 5:00PM. The winner will be announced on Monday and must contact me by e-mail by Wednesday at 5:00PM.

White Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse Minis

2011-02-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's day! For the occasion I attempted another mini: white chocolate mascarpone mousse. The chocolate seized when I mixed it with the cream as Helen of Tartlette cautioned that it might. The texture ended up a little gritty, but aren’t they pretty minis?

Minis are harder than I thought they might be, but then again this recipe was from a French pasty chef so I don’t know why I was expecting it to be simple. I mean, for goodness sakes the only mini that has turned out so far for me was layered red and green jello. Now that’s wifetastic…and megasimple. Go here if you want this recipe and to see some really awesome pictures.

Mini Crème Brulee–part 2

2011-02-09T22:45:00.001-05:00

I have some research to do. This first attempt at crème brulee wasn’t bad, but it could be better. The taste was pretty close, but I’ve got some work to do on the texture.

As many commented in the reviews of the recipe I used, it didn’t set up well. The recipe calls for baking at 275 degrees for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean. I baked mine at 275 for 60 minutes then turned it up to 325 for 20 more minutes. The knife never was clean and they were jelly like when I took them out of the oven. They did firm up more in the refrigerator, but not enough.
We also tried brown sugar for caramelizing and some super fine crème brulee sugar. The super fine sugar caramelized much more evenly than the brown sugar.

So…definitely edible, but needs some tweeking. Surely, I’ll do a follow up crème brulee post sometime. I of course would love any tips or tricks that any of you might have?!

Mini Crème Brulee–Part 1

2011-02-08T22:32:00.001-05:00

This recipe will be in two parts basically because I’m super busy these days which makes blogging a little challenging. Tonight I made mini versions of crème brulee. They are in the oven as I type. We frequently eat egg whites for breakfast and I can’t think of a better way use the yolks than in this megasimple dessert.
If they turn out they might possibly be the most megasimple dessert ever. If they don’t turn out… well, this will likely be the last time I make one recipe cover two days of blogging.

The Recipe
Wisk together the following ingredients until creamy.
2 cups of heavy cream
1.5 cups of sugar
1 T. vanilla
5 egg yolks

Put ramekins in a 9x13 baking pan. Fill ramekins with crème brulee mixture. Fill baking dish with hot water to approximately half way up the ramekins.

To be continued…

Sara Aschliman featured on Apartment Therapy

2011-02-07T06:04:00.000-05:00

Sara Aschliman of dwellbeing was featured on Apartment Therapy for the unbelievable renovation of her Goethe home in Cincinnati! Sara is an architect, originally from my hometown, who has vision, style and design skills that I dream about. She has developed some amazing plans for major renovations to our house that we are still hoping to use someday.

Check out her company dwellbeing here and the Apartment Therapy feature here. I’ve been meaning to contact Sara for a while to find out where she got the chandelier in this photo and to if she liked the square white sinks in the master bathroom that sit above the countertop?

Stella Leona Valentine Chocolate

2011-02-04T05:55:00.000-05:00

Photo from www.stellaleona.com

What will you be giving or hoping to receive for Valentine’s Day this year? I received the gorgeous Stella Leona hand painted Heart Box for Valentine’s day last year and I’d be totally fine if it became tradition.

Stella Leona has some new Valentine creations that are really gorgeous and equally as delicious. Go here and here to check them out!

Have a great weekend! I’ve got more Valentine ideas, desserts and treats planned for next we so I hope to see you here.

Snowshoeing

2011-02-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

We tried snowshoeing last year and really liked it. To make the most of the projected “blizzard” we made a quick trip to Toledo Tuesday evening to buy our own snowshoes.

We found two pair at Mountain Man Ski Shop and also found a pair for Sammy at
Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Snowshoeing is super easy to do. If you can walk, you can snowshoe, but I’d forgotten what a great workout it is. We snowshoed in Goll Woods on a trail that had only been traveled by deer since the snow came. It’s as beautiful of a workout as you can get which makes it really easy to enjoy.

Valentine’s Day Crayon Card

2011-02-02T14:37:00.001-05:00

Kent made a Valentine’s Day card to go with the molded heart crayons and I’m sharing it with all of you! There is a black and white version here and a version with a little color here. Print them on cardstock or just plain old white paper. Fold the card in half for a mini coloring book!

Have your child fill out the To: and From: on the back. Drop them in a cellophane bag or sandwich baggie, tie with a bow and the Valentines are complete!
I had several questions about where I got the Wilton heart molds. I found them at Kroger and also saw them at Target. I think they were around 8.50 for a dozen. You can find them on Amazon, but they are over 13.00 there. As an alternative I tried the molded crayons in a mini muffin tin.

I sprayed the pan with cooking spray. These melted completely in only 7 minutes at 375 degrees. I put them in the freezer for about 15 minutes and they popped right out when I turned the pan upside down!

Valentine Crayons

2011-02-01T05:47:00.000-05:00

Molded crayons seem to be all the craze these days and I’ve wanted to try making them for a while. We had our nephew over two weeks ago to spend the night and we gave it it a try. It was really fun and super megasimple.

1. Remove the paper from old crayons.
2. Break crayons in to small pieces.
3. Fill molds with 3 shades of one color or 2-3 different colors of crayons bits.
4. Melt in oven at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and let them cool for 5-7 minutes.
6. Place whole mold in freezer for 12-15 minutes.
7. Pop crayons out of molds.

Valentine’s Day Card

2011-01-31T06:01:00.000-05:00

Photos from The Hungry Workshop.

I love this letterpress Valentine’s Day card by The Hungry Workshop. The colors are beautiful and I love that you can add your personal touch to this card.

TED Ideas Worth Spreading

2011-01-27T06:02:00.000-05:00

Have you seen TED? TED is a small nonprofit dedicated to sharing ideas worth spreading. TED conferences bring the worlds most fascinating thinkers and doers together and challenges them to give the speech of their lives in 18 minutes. The last speech I watched was by Brene Brown and it is titled, The Power of Vulnerability. It was worth 18 minutes of my time and I found it very interesting.

Organization 2011 Project {1} Coat Closet

2011-01-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

Better organization is one of my 2011 goals. I started with a small project, the coat closest. This closet is at the bottom of our stairs in our family room and had gotten all little out of control with stuff. It is hard to ignore because it doesn’t have a door. Here are the steps I took from start to finish to complete this small project.

1. Remove everything and sort in piles.
2. Sort each pile further into STAY or GO.
3. Sort each STAY pile to decide if it was going back in the closet or to the attic for storage.
4. Clean closet top to bottom before refilling.
5. Purchased three baskets at Target for 1)games 2)hats mittens and scarves 3)blankets. Purchased 2 packs of wood hangers at IKEA for 3.99/ea.

Over 60% of the junk is this closet made it in the GO pile. It feels good to get rid of clutter. I like starting with small projects. It makes me motivated to tackle another organization project. The next one is going to take a little more time.

Ruffle Skirt

2011-01-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

I love that you can learn almost anything from the internet. I read this skirt tutorial then made this skirt for my niece. Although I didn’t use a t-shirt it worked well for the fabric I had on hand.

At my sewing class we talked about how sewing isn’t as frugal of a thing as it used to be. I appreciated this tutorial for reminding me that by sewing with used materials sewing can still be super frugal. I’ve got a couple other skirts in the works that I’m creating from button down shirts purchased at Good Will.

Sauder Village Sewing Class

2011-01-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

I took the sewing class, Me and My Sewing Machine that I mentioned last week. It was an excellent class taught by Linda Rufenacht at Sauder Village. We made a pillow case using a megasimple “hotdog” technique. I learned a lot and it was so nice to have a defined time to complete a project from start to finish.
The Sauder Village classes are a fun thing to do with friends. These girls were some of my classmates and are proudly displaying their finished pillow cases. There will be more classes in the future so remember to check out the Sauder Village website and sign up.

West Elm

2011-01-20T07:30:00.000-05:00

Photos from the West Elm website.

West Elm is another favorite store for inspiration and ideas. You can shop online, but there is a West Elm store at Easton so it is on my list to visit the next time I’m in Columbus.

Chocolate Truffle Brownies

2011-01-19T05:36:00.001-05:00

Valentine’s Day will be here before we know it and I’ve got chocolate on my mind. I also need to take something chocolate to work on Friday. I had forgotten about these, but they will be perfect for Friday because they are so easy. Find the original post here.

Ikea

2011-01-18T05:45:00.000-05:00

We are slowly, but surely beginning to work on our house again. This weekend we browsed Ikea for ideas and inspiration. We failed to measure the room we are working on which means we’ll need to make a trip back to purchase some larger items.

Of course, we couldn’t walk away empty handed. Here are a few of our finds. We bought some wooden hangers for an open coat closet on our main floor. For 3.99 they make the difference we were hoping for. The roll of paper cost 4.99 and the metal rod for storing it costs 7.99. Sammy has already picked out a spot in my new office for his project materials. We purchased 4 dish towels at .49 cents each. The cheese slicer was 4.99 and seemed a necessary purchase after our cheese making class.

Guest Post by Kent: Mozzarella Class Recap

2011-01-17T05:45:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend, we celebrated our anniversary by heading to Ann Arbor, Michigan. It’s is great place to hang out with lots of great shops, restaurants and many other things to do. One of our favorite places to visit is Zingerman’s Deli. We stopped there for breakfast on Saturday morning, but also visited the other four Zingerman’s locations: the Roadhouse, the Coffee Company, the Bakehouse and the Creamery. We actually did the Tour de Food: all five locations in 24 hours. We got a free T-shirt, which made a great and megasimple anniversary present.

OK, I’m joking about the gift, because my real anniversary present to Megan was the Mozzarella Making Class at the Zingerman’s Creamery! Here’s a recap of what we learned . . .

First, we added rennet and citric acid to a gallon of whole milk and mixed it in a large bowl. Then we waited . . .

While we waited, our instructor Aubrey gave us a very thorough overview of the cheese making process. I was very impressed with her knowledge, and she was also really fun to get to know. After the class she even recommended a great restaurant and then proceeded to call and get us reservations. That’s Zingerman’s customer service though!

After letting the mixture set for around 15 minutes – to about the consistency of custard – we used a large knife to cut the curd into about 9 sections (right).

Then came a time-consuming process of pouring 180 degree water over a spatula to heat up the curds and then dumping it out after the water had cooled. The curds are very delicate at this point, so we didn’t want the hot water hitting it directly.

We repeated this process between 5-6 times, until the curds became very solid.

This is what the curds looked like as we heated them up. The photo below on the right shows what the curds looked when we were finished with the process.

Next we drained the water and gathered the curd together into a single mass. We gently stretched the mass until it became firm.

Aubrey demonstrated how to form the cheese by folding it and then shaping and squeezing it into a mozzarella ball.

We were able to form about 4 mozzarella balls from our curds. When finished, we placed the balls into a heavily salted water bath for about 20 minutes.

We finished the class by making some mozzarella from curds (instead of milk like we did above). The photo below on the left is mozzarella wrapped with myrtle. You bake it in the oven and the myrtle seasons the cheese. In the photo on the right, Megan is showing her finished Burrata. This is mozzarella cheese wrapped around some curds and cream. The finished Burrata is placed in a bowl and cut width wise into small bite size pieces. Add olive oil, salt and pepper along with your favorite bread and enjoy.

We had a great time and expect to head back soon for more classes at the Creamery or possibly the Bakehouse.

You can learn more about the classes at Zingerman’s here.

Fresh Mozzarella Class

2011-01-14T07:35:00.000-05:00

photo from finecooking.com

I am super excited about my anniversary gift. We are taking a fresh mozzarella making class. It’s not just any class either. It’s a class at the Zingerman’s Creamery that makes my very favorite fresh mozzarella cheese. If they let us take pictures of their super secret process I’ll have a full post next week. I don’t think it’s really super secret since they offer the class every Saturday.

Photo from singer.com

Speaking of classes. I need to take the “Me and My Sewing Machine Class” ~~found~~ ~~here~~. (update – This class is booked, but a reader told me they are planning to schedule another one) “Me and my sewing machine”…we know each other, but I wouldn’t say we are friends. That sewing project I was hoping to post this week will wait until next week.

What do you want to learn this year? Are you taking any classes?

Have a great weekend. See you back here next week!

Wifetastic Chore Wars

2011-01-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

**Photo from appliancist.com

Shortly after the holidays there was a silent war going on in our house. We were having The Silent Dishwasher War XII. Who is going to unload and load…again? We were both holding out without mentioning it to the other.

One day passed. Two days passed. On the third day, I came downstairs and much to my surprise, I found the the war was still on. The dishwasher was still full of clean dishes waiting to be unloaded and the sink had been filled to the brim with dirty dishes. I wasn’t about to lose, so ate my eggs with a spoon.

The third night I finally broke the silence. I told Kent, “We both know the dishwasher war is on and I’m sorry, but you don’t stand a chance.” I continued, “I ate my eggs with a spoon this morning and I am prepared to drink my coffee from a measuring cup if I have to.” He laughed. Offering no other response, I knew this meant he intended to continue the war. And he did.

The truth of the matter is that on day four I came home for a quick lunch and I unloaded and loaded the stinkin’ dishwasher. Not because I wanted a fork, not because the kitchen was starting to smell, but because I felt sorry for Kent. Although I was impressed that he made it to day four, he just didn’t stand a chance. I can win the dishwasher war EVERY time. So I let him win.

Do you have any chore wars at your house?

iPhone 4. Verizon

2011-01-12T06:14:00.000-05:00

It’s official. Verizon will start selling the iphone on 2.10.2011. I’ve not posted much about technology, but I’m committed to it. I’m committed to continuing to change with it and learn from it. I’ve got one month to research and contemplate my need for and the value of the iphone. Any iphone users out there have a review for me? Any other phone users want to convince me why I don’t need an iphone? I’m open to your thoughts/suggestions.

Pelotonia 1.11.11

2011-01-11T17:00:00.000-05:00

Do you know someone who has cancer? Did you make a New Year’s Resolution to get in shape, exercise or just be healthier? If you answered yes to either of these questions this event is for you! Today is the first day to register to ride in Pelotonia 11’! Check out the Pelotonia website here. Read my recap of Alex’s ride and Morgan’s work for Pelotonia 10’ here.

Three Ways to Wear a Regular Scarf

2011-01-10T06:04:00.000-05:00

I took advantage of using my little sister as a model while she was home for Christmas break. The scarves are my first sewing project of the year. I’m working on my next project which I hope to post by the end of the week.

1. Simple neck wrap.

2. Slip Knot

3. Double Loop Knot. This is the knot that prompted the scarf posts. It was new to me. Good thing my little sister keeps me in the fashion loop.

Random Friday

2011-01-07T06:07:00.000-05:00

Askinosie Bean to Bar process poster.

Man with the Golden Voice!

New Starbucks logo.

IPAD Giveaway.

Snow Sculptures.

Hope you have a great weekend! I have zero plans and I like it that way for a change. See you here next week!

Thrift Store Score {2}

2011-01-06T06:07:00.000-05:00

I’m thrifting more these days as part of our money saving plan. I found this Old Navy Vest for 3.00 last week. My little sister, Morgan, modeled it for me while she was home over Christmas break. I’ve got her hooked on thrifting too! If all goes as planned she’ll be moving into her first ‘real’ apartment after she graduates this Spring. She’s got a new plan to furnish/decorate it by thrifting as much as she can.

Are there any thrifters out there? Have you had any luck with Ebay or Craigslist? Got any thrifting tips?

Two Ways to Wear the Infinity Scarf

2011-01-05T17:00:00.000-05:00

1. Figure 8 wrap.

2. Double Figure 8 wrap.

DIY Homemade Infinity Scarf

2011-01-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

I want to learn to sew and I’ve started with a megasimple project. I made two infinity scarves to give away as Christmas gifts. I showed the fabric here. Three cuts and one straight line of stitching and it was done. I started with a super soft fabric made from bamboo.

1. Cut fabric into a rectangle that is approximately 26 inches X 77 inches.

2. Pin the ends together.

3. Sew the ends together. I like to leave the pins in and sew over them to help keep the fabric in place as I sew. The particular fabric tends to curl on the ends.

This is my sister, Morgan, she showed me multiple ways to wear scarfs and we documented them all for another post.

2011 Etsy Honeysuckle Finds {1-12}

2011-01-04T12:00:00.000-05:00

1. Simple Floral Post Earrings 2. Honeysuckle Pink Scalloped Cowl 3. Throw Pillow 4. Honeysuckle Yarn
5. Fine Art Print 6. Ten Things Earrings 7. Chrysanthemum Modern Cross Stitch 8. White Clutch
9. Receiving Blanket 10. Honeysuckle Print 11. Honeysuckle Hair Clip 12. Honeysuckle Infinity Scarf

Pantone 2011 Color of the Year {Honeysuckle}

2011-01-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

“Courageous. Confident. Vital. A brave new color, for a brave new world. Let the bold Spirit of Honeysuckle infuse you, lift you and carry you through the year. It’s a color for everyday – with nothing “everyday” about it.” Per Pantone, this is a color for all seasons.

Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute stated, “In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward of the blues. Honeysuckle derives its positive qualities form a powerful bond to its mother color red, the most physical, viscerally alive hue in the spectrum.”

2011 Megasimple Wordle

2011-01-03T06:04:00.000-05:00

I’m starting the year off with a wordle word cloud again. This year all I did was enter my megasimple url and wordle automatically pulled words from my blog. All I had to do was choose the font, color and a couple other layout options. The other option is to enter your own words. It’s a fun and free writing tool. I’ve seen it used in educational settings in a variety of ways. It’s a great way for kids to creatively express their thoughts and ideas. See my 2010 wordle here. Make your own wordle here.

megasimple 2010 Final Post

2010-12-31T06:00:00.000-05:00

I made it. My goal was to blog for a year. Often times my ideas can be short lived, but this one lasted. Blogging keeps me interested in learning new things. Thanks to all my readers and commenters! I love hearing that you tried something I posted and liked it or found it useful!

I’m really looking forward to 2011. I’m working on publishing in a new format and although I don’t have it ready to roll out for the New Year, I’m super motivated to get it done. I’m going to continue trying to keep things megasimple while adding some new post ideas too.

Happy New Year!

Megasimple 2010 Wrap Up Week {Post 4}

2010-12-30T06:15:00.000-05:00

This week I’m going to be wrapping up 2010 by re-posting 4 of my most read posts followed up with a megasimple “year in review” post on Friday. This will give me some time plan and gear up for megasimple 2011! Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. See you back here Jan. 3rd!

Stimmel’s Market

{reposted from 3/3/2010}

Two of my colleagues recently told me about Stimmel’s Market in Napoleon, Ohio. We made our first, of what I’m sure will become many stops. This market specializes in beers and wines and hosts a deli and bar as well.
The deli menu is written on chalkboards; always a good sign. We ordered a jalapeno cheese dip/chips appetizer. Fully expecting a hot dip, we were skeptical upon it's arrival, but soon pleasantly surprised that that this dip was served cold. The kick from the jalapenos was balanced by the cool temperature and likely would have been too spicy for me if heated. It’s a definite recommendation. We shared the Erie and Riverview, two vegetarian sandwiches and neither disappointed.
Be sure to become a fan of Stimmel’s on Facebook. They faithfully update their soups of the day. Rumor has it the lobster bisque is A…mazing!

Much to my surprise, this Saturday afternoon adventure proved to satisfy two of my goals for this blog: explore/appreciate what the Midwest has to offer and meet new people. We were talking with our server, Kimberly Bischoff, only to find that she is a fellow blogger. Kimberly is one of only five women participating in “The Happiness Project” with Woman’s Day magazine! She will be posting on the Women’s Day Happiness blog all year long. Check out the happiness project here and read all of Kimberly’s posts here. Leave her a comment to show your Midwest support!

Megasimple 2010 Wrap Up Week {Post 3}

2010-12-29T06:40:00.000-05:00

Piada – A Restaurant Review

{reposted from 09/07/2010}

I love an extra long weekend and ours started early. We left on Thursday for a quick overnight trip to Columbus to attend the Ohio State Buckeyes opening football game. Included on the agenda was a trip to Piada, a new Columbus restaurant that my sister, Morgan, has been raving about.
Saturday we visited Piada for lunch. It is an Italian Street Food restaurant that can be compared to Chipotle in regards to ordering procedure and complete freshness of ingredients, but it definitely has its own original and authentic Italian twist. The menu is quite self explanatory and takes you through the 5 step ordering process.

A piada, also called a piadina, is a wrap-like sandwich built on thin-crust, stone-cooked dough that is stuffed with pastas, meats, cheeses, sauce and vegetables. The chef created my Piada to my own liking with angel hair, chicken, pesto, lettuce and tomatoes. My piada was generously stuffed with the perfect blend of my favorite ingredients. I also had a cheese Piada stick with a parmesan dipping sauce. It was light and crisp and my only regret was that I didn’t bring some home. Piada’s food quality did not disappoint; tasting equally as healthy and fresh as it looked. The interior was modern yet comfortable with a mixture of brick, wood, stainless steel and classic signage that pulled it all together.

Fresh, fast, affordable and unlike any of our other routine Columbus stops, I highly recommend you give it a try.
(Photos/menu from the Piada website and face book page)

Megasimple 2010 Wrap Up Week {Post 2}

2010-12-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

Red Rambler

{reposted from 12/6/2010}

Recently we’ve been spending some early Saturday mornings enjoying some super good coffee at Red Rambler in Wauseon. We’ve gotten to know the owner, Jo Michelson and she let us come early this week to get some pictures of the shop before it opened.

The large cup is a double mocha, my favorite!

They roast their own beans at Red Rambler!

You can purchase coffee beans to grind at home or they’ll grind them for you at the shop before you leave. You can order coffee online here.

These gift packages are perfect for anyone who enjoys a good cup of coffee.

What better to go with a cup of coffee than a Stella Leona Artisan Bar?!

Jo turned her passion into her profession and is living her dream of owning a coffee shop and it’s been great getting to know her. Red Rambler is in Wauseon, OH, but you can also get their coffee at Stimmel’s Market in Napoleon, Stella Leona in Pettisville, Stella Blue in Archbold, Coffee Gallery in Waterville, Sutton's Deli in Angola, IN and the new Sullivan's in downtown Wauseon.

Megasimple 2010 Wrap Up Week {Post 1}

2010-12-27T06:24:00.000-05:00

Dominican Habichuelas

{reposted from 2/29/2010}

A couple of weeks ago, as we brainstormed possibilities for meatless Lenten meals, Kent recalled a dish that he had eaten everyday for three months in the Dominican Republic. Since giving up meat for Lent, Dominican Habichuelas have become a staple in our house. On Kent’s last day in the small village, he skipped work and stayed home with his Dominican mom so he could learn how to make habichuelas.
The picture above is the kitchen where Kent learned to cook this meal. Notice the tiny stove top/oven his mom, brother and sister are standing next to.
Kent said, “I think I still have that recipe somewhere.” I thought to myself…We have trouble locating a recipe we printed last week let alone finding one you wrote down 18 years ago while in the D.R. Kent left the room and to my complete amazement, no more than 3 minutes later, he returned with the recipe in hand. This was for a single serving that his mom made that day. Undoubtedly, this recipe will live on in our repertoire of favorites beyond the Lenten season.
Ingredients: Pinto Beans, tomato paste, water, vinegar, white rice, sazon seasoning (a general Mexican seasoning mix that includes cilantro, achiote, garlic, salt), garlic and olive oil.
Drain and Rinse a large can of pinto beans. Add 8 c. water, beans and 4T. olive oil to a large stock pot. Boil until the beans are soft begin to crack open.
The water will be cloudy and some of the beans will be cracked.
To the stock pot add 1.5 T. vinegar, 4T. tomato paste, 4.5t. minced garlic, 2 1/2T. of Sazon (depending on your seasoning preference) and bring back up to a boil for 30 minutes. This is when we start to make the white rice. We make 2c. dry rice. Follow directions on the bag.
After 30 minutes to liquid will have reduced down further and turned a deeper red color. Cilantro makes a perfect garnish, but isn’t necessary. I like to add a little sour cream on top of mine and eat it with a warm tortilla shell. We mix the leftover rice and beans together and store for leftovers. This reheats very well. This meal is megasimple and megafrugal. We estimated this makes 4-6 servings for under 3.00!

2010 Christmas Card

2010-12-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

This is our 2010 Christmas Card that we designed together. I think it’s a simple way to personalize a card if you aren’t up for sending a picture. Here is a megasimple tip that we learned the hard way…a 5x5 card can’t be sent with one 44 cent stamp. It costs more because it is square and can’t go through the automatic reader. That explains why our Christmas cards had a really beautiful Christmas stamp along with two other stamps (A ram stamp and a red, white an blue star stamp) that totaled 64 cents.

I’ll be back on Monday to start a 2010 megasimple wrap up week. Have a wonderful holiday weekend. Wishing you the best of the season! Merry Christmas!

Etsy {6} Wooly Baby

2010-12-23T07:23:00.001-05:00

Wooly Baby makes slippers from recycled sweaters. I bought these for my niece for Christmas and I think they will look very sweet on her.

~~I’m finishing up some Christmas projects today and am hoping to post at least one more time later this afternoon, but we will see.~~ Update…I won’t be getting another post up here today, but these slippers just arrived in the mail and they are super soft and even cuter in person.

Hot and Spicy Snack Mix

2010-12-22T06:44:00.000-05:00

The Hot and Spicy Chex mix is back because it was such a huge hit last year! Sammy and Wil stopped by this weekend to make a batch to give as gifts. This is another megasimple recipe that is very kid friendly and can be completed in about 15 minutes. There is no measuring and everything is dumped into a garbage bag for mixing. Sammy did most of the work and Wil taste tested everything that Sammy dumped in the bag. Wil was intrigued and said, "WOW” every time Sammy added a new ingredient.

This year, they plan to bag the snack mix in baggies (because it is oily) then place them in brown paper bags. They will tie the card above to the bag with a Christmas ribbon to give as gifts to special people in their lives.

Just a few more pictures because I love these little guys.

“WOW”
We love having Sam, Sammy, Emily and Wil over for projects.

Wifetastic {3} You say Bokeh, I say Booyah.

2010-12-21T06:10:00.000-05:00

{A} Wifetastic photography conversation…

Me – “Keeeeeeent?” (that’s me yelling toward the den where Kent works on his photography from my spot on the couch where I work on my blog).

Kent – “Whaaaaaat?”

Me – “I want to blog about the Stella Leona ornaments will you take some pictures?”

Kent – “Yeah.”

Me - “Can you make sure you get the booyah effect with the lights?”

Kent - (trying not to laugh) “You mean bokeh.”

Me - “Yeah, that’s what I said. Can you get the bokeh effect?”

Kent - “No, you said boooooyah effect. Bahahaha.”

Me- “Whatever…just take the picture.”

{B} Ironic Origin

I asked Kent to write a brief tutorial and show some examples of Bokeh. For whatever reason while he did some research for this tutorial he looked up the origin of the word bokeh and found the following . . .

The origin of the term is from the Japanese word which in romaji (english characters) is spelled "boke" ( pronounced bo-keh) and which means "fuzzy", but usually in the sense of "touched in the head" or "senile". It can also be used to describe someone who says stupid things, or makes silly mistakes.” – from www.bobatkins.com

{C} Finally, the Bokeh (as in “photography effect”) tutorial.
Bokeh refers to the rounded light circles in the background area in some photographs that are out of focus. It is produced, often times on purpose by photographers, using a shallow depth of field or larger aperture on the lens.

Checkout a Bokeh tutorial by The Pioneer Woman here along with reader submitted Holiday bokeh pictures here and here. They are amazing.

Mini Dessert {1}…for kids.

2010-12-20T06:41:00.000-05:00

I’m easing into this mini dessert thing in a super megasimple and frugal way. I wanted to make a dessert that my niece and nephews might enjoy this holiday season. This is simply red and green layered jello with fresh whipped cream on top.

These particular mini dessert dishes I picked up at a Goodwill for 25 cents each.

Ingredients:
2 small boxes of strawberry jello
2 small boxes of lime jello
water
Directions:
1. Prepare one box strawberry jello per box instructions.
2. Fill each dessert cup with 1 oz. of jello.
3. Place in refrigerator until set.
4. Make 1 box of lime jello per box instructions. After mixing, let it cool for a couple of minutes so it doesn’t melt the previous layer.
5. Fill each dessert cup with 1 oz. of lime jello.
6. Return to refrigerator until set.
7.–12. Repeat steps 1-6 again until you have 4 layers.
13. Add a dollop of fresh whipped cream and serve.
Makes Approximately 17-18 4oz servings.

My taste testers approved. Sammy said, “Wow, it’s a pattern!”. When he was almost finished I said to him, “Does this get a thumbs up or thumbs down?” He said, “Aunt Meg, I don’t like it.(pause) I LOVE it!” He was also very curious about how I layered the jelly (as he kept calling it) and asked if we could make it together sometime.

Thrift Store Score

2010-12-17T22:49:00.001-05:00

While shopping for dishes for the garden flower project I came across these three green glass dishes. Although they would make gorgeous flowers I decided they were perfect for the holidays and plan to keep them. For a total of $7.00 I think they might be my best thrift store score ever.

ANDES CHOCOLATE MINT COOKIES

2010-12-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

This recipe is a Flowers Family favorite and my brother’s girlfriend graciously shared it with me. Haley raves about these cookies so I thought I should give them a try. Turns out they are megasimple and oh so good with a cup of coffee.

Ingredients:
3/4 c margarine
1 1/2c dark brown sugar (packed firm)
2 tablespoons water
2 c. semi sweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
2 1/2c flour
1 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 boxes Andes chocolate mint candies

Directions:
Melt margarine, sugar and water in a saucepan then add the chocolate chips and stir until almost melted. Remove from heat. Cool for 10 minutes. After cooling, add 1 egg at a time and beat until mixed. Add dry ingredients, blend on low. Refrigerate for one hour. Roll mixture into balls about 1 1/2". Place on a non greased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes at 350 degrees. After removing from the oven place an Andes mint on each, let melt then spread with a spoon. These are good freezer cookies. This recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies.
You will see in this picture I tried a half a mint on some of the cookies, my personal preference is definitely a whole mint per cookie.

Haley – Are these supposed to be crunchy or soft the next day? My were crunchy and I liked them, but wondered if I cooked them too long. I know you are busy and all, but If you could let me know when you get done gallivanting around New York City that would be fab. Yes, while I’m home baking cookies Haley and Alex or off to New York City for her company Christmas Party. Huh? What? Seriously…they are like 22. When I was 22 the company I worked for didn’t even have a Christmas party. I’m totally jeal.

If you don’t know what jeal means…it means jealous. I learned it from this blobber who actually lives in New York. That’s not a typo, Reagan’s blog is called Reagan’s Blob so I think that makes her a blobber. Hey Reagan, if you see Haley and Alex tell Haley Happy Birthday for me!

Oh and BTW…Haley, please stop reading my blog until after Christmas (you do read…right?) because I’m going to be posting your Christmas gift on here soon. Thanks.

Dishes Repurposed into Garden Flowers

2010-12-15T06:14:00.000-05:00

Last year my friend and co-worker showed me a garden decoration she received for Christmas. It is gorgeous and adds an extra special touch to her already beautiful garden when it sparkles in the sunlight. I think it’s a genius way to repurpose old dishes.

My mother in law is a really fabulous vegetable and flower gardener and I thought a couple of these would make great Christmas gifts for her. My sister and I have been searching Goodwill and second hand stores and found some gorgeous dishes at extremely good prices.

Materials:
Old glass dishes in small, medium and large sizes.
Re-rod (for the stems)
Rod (for the leaves)
Bolts, nuts and washers

Tools:
Chop Saw
Welding machine
Drill Press
Ceramic drill bit

In addition to the materials and tools you need an AL.

Al is a farmer which means he has all kinds of tools and supplies for this type of project. It also means he’s automatically super skilled and knows how to use them. Here is how it’s done.

First you cut the rod and rerod for the stem and leaves. If you look closely my eyes are closed…real safe. Not recommended.
Next, use a vice to shape the leaves.

Then, have Al fix the funky shaped thing you made so that it looks like a leaf.
You can shape and reshape using the vice until it looks like you want.

Lay the leaves on the stem and weld them on.
I gave the welding a try, but it’s more difficult than it looks. Al is a pro. I was having trouble seeing and it’s not safe to close your eyes while welding either. I need some serious practice.I love how Al is laughing. He’s probably thinking, “Why is she trying to weld the flower to the table…it’s the leaf to the flower.”
Al is giving me pointers. You know like…”Open your eyes.” “Put the welder right here.” “You are welding the leaf to the stem.”What do you suppose Al is thinking here? “What is she doing? Awww go ahead and weld the flower to the table I can chisel it off.”
Next Al welded on the “L” shaped stabilization piece…
and a bolt which is where the dishes will attach.

Then, Al drilled a hole in the center of each dish with a drill press.
Judy and I began to assemble the flowers. We stacked the dishes on the bolt then added a washer and nut and they were complete.

We were appreciative that Al and his Judy gave up their Sunday afternoon to help us out! Truth be told as you can see from the pictures, Al did most of the work. Thanks Al and Judy!

Oh and I did call my mother in law yesterday and asked her not to read my blog until after Christmas so she’ll be surprised.

Homemade Pasta

2010-12-14T06:10:00.000-05:00

Last night we made some homemade pasta with the Kitchen aid Pasta attachment I bought Kent for his birthday. We didn’t have any regular flour so we made whole wheat rigatoni and fusilli. It was megasimple for sure and I can’t wait to try it.

Ingredients
2 1/2 c. whole wheat flour (sifted)
1 c. bread flour (sifted)
4 large eggs
1/2 t. salt
2 T. water

Directions
1. Mix all ingredients with flat paddle for 30 seconds.
2. Mix all ingredients with dough hook for 2 minutes.
3. Hand knead for 2 minutes.
4. Place walnut size dough balls in pasta shoot.
5. Cut pasta at desired lengths.
6. Let dry for an hour then bag.

Edible Ornaments by Stella Leona

2010-12-13T06:05:00.000-05:00

I received these as a gift last week and I think they are really beautiful! They are individual Stella Leona Chocolates packaged in a small clear box on a string for hanging on your Christmas tree.

Below is a video of Nancy’s most recent visit to Toledo 11 news. In this segment you will see a small Christmas tree filled with these little edible ornaments.

Pomegranate Deseeding

2010-12-10T06:03:00.000-05:00

**photo from nuri.com
This is why Martha gets paid the big bucks. Check out this video. I’ve stayed away from using/eating pomegranates because I’ve seem my sister wrestle one for what seemed like forever to get the seeds out. After watching this video I think I may try using pomegranates in one of my mini desserts.

It’s snowing here and I’ve got of weekend of holiday projects planned! See you here next week.

MyDrap

2010-12-08T06:58:00.001-05:00

Have you heard of these? They are washable, re-usable, 100% cotton perforated napkins on a roll. They are biodegradable and recyclable. You can order them online here. They come in three sizes and a variety of colors. I’ve been looking for light blue and/or orange napkins and they have both!

**Photo from Styleathome.com
Can you tell I'm procrastinating my projects that I hinted about here. I’ve got a overly packed week, but I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to get some of them done this weekend.

Loveleigh Again Sale

2010-12-07T06:01:00.000-05:00

Speaking of turning your passion into your profession…after we left Red Rambler we went to Liberty Center and met another super sweet woman who has done just that: turned her passion into her profession! I think it’s really inspiring to meet these women who are living their dreams. Leigh Ann has started a business making old furniture “LoveLeigh Again”. You can see from the pictures how talented she is.

We purchased the glittered “Joy” sign and it’s hanging on a door in the center of our Christmas cards. We also purchased a small chalkboard. We hung it in the kitchen and made a huge “to do” list on it which seemed to make us extra productive this weekend. I told Kent I think it’s a magic chalkboard. There is just something about making a list and crossing things off as you go. Be sure to “like” Loveleigh Again on facebook so you get updates on new furniture and sales. You can also follow her blog here.

**Photos from the Loveleigh Again facebook page.

Red Rambler

2010-12-06T07:55:00.001-05:00

Elf on the Shelf

2010-12-03T06:05:00.000-05:00

Have you seen Elf on the Shelf? It’s a story about an Elf that watches little boys and girls and reports to the North Pole every night on their behavior. I recently bought this book for my nephews. Along with the book comes a little Elf. They love trying to find their elf every morning. Sammy’s not so sure this is real and told his mom, “The elf has flat sticker eyes…that means…not real.” Even though he is a bit skeptical he still has fun finding his Elf every morning. Learn more about the Elf on the Shelf here.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2010-12-02T06:15:00.000-05:00

This soup only takes about 10 minutes to throw together which makes it super convenient after a long day at work. It’s nothing fancy, but it hits the spot on a cold winter night like last night.

Ingredients:
2 c. Salsa
4 c. Chicken Broth
2 cans Navy or Great Northern beans (drained and rinsed)
1 lg can of shredded chicken (strained)
1 t. cumin
Optional Toppings: sour cream, tortilla chips and shredded cheese.
Directions: Mix all ingredients together and heat to desired temperature.

You really can’t mess this up. Typically we use a little more salsa, but we only had 2 cups left and it worked. We added the second can of beans tonight and sometimes we only use one.

Holiday Projects

2010-12-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

I’ve been thinking up some holiday projects and here is a little peak. I’m hoping this post will get me motivated to get some of them going so I can blog about the final products. Do you like these mini dessert dishes? I’m jumping on the mini dessert/tasting craze and have been researching recipes to fill these up.
This post is probably a little ambitious considering all the different fabrics and the fact that I don’t know how to sew, but I think the projects I’m imagining are megasimple even for a non sewer. We will see.

I also need to figure out what we are sending out for Christmas cards this year. I’m hoping maybe we can add that to the project list and design our own.

A Holiday favorite…the mail.

2010-11-30T06:22:00.000-05:00

I love the mail this time of year. Christmas photo cards are my favorite. I love seeing our friends and their families grow from year to year. I like them so much that I made an “Our Christmas Cards Album” where I save our photo cards.
Our friends, the Meyers, have been sending some really unique cards every year and their card is usually the first one I receive. I know what it’s going to look like because Kent creates them, but it is always a sign of the new holiday season. This is their 2010 card.
This is their 2009 card.

Do you look forward to photo cards too?

Using Pesto - Recipe {6}

2010-11-28T23:16:00.000-05:00

Kent’s pesto bread is always a crowd pleaser and of course is megasimple to make. It’s a take on focaccia, but is a little sweeter and cakier in texture than a traditional focaccia. Kent says in terms of a focaccia it’s not his favorite and he is in continual search of a better recipe. Whatever this bread is…I love it.

Ingredients:
3/4 c. + 3 T. Warm Water (90-100 degrees)
3 c. white flour
2 T. Dry Milk
3 1/2 T. Sugar
1/2 c. Pesto
2 T. Melted butter or margarine
1 pkg. active dry yeast

1. Measure lukewarm water in a measuring cup and add the sugar.

2. Add the yeast.

3. Stir until completely dissolved.

4. Pour yeast mixture in a bowl.

5. Add the remaining ingredients: flour, pesto, butter and dry milk and combine ingredients with your hands until it is mixed enough to pour out on kneading surface.
**The above picture shows that I took the pics for this recipe. See my reflection in the measuring cup?! See Kent in the left of the reflection directing me?! This explains why there were 181 pictures to sift through just for this recipe. Ok…back to cooking.
6. Remove mixture and knead the dough for 10 minutes.

7. Until it looks like this.

8. Place dough back in bowl (spray with oil or pam to prevent sticking) and cover with towel to let it rise for 15 minutes. We typically let it rise in the oven, but the oven is off.

9. Remove from bowl and spread out on pan in a circle that is 12-15 inches wide.

10. Cover and let rise in cool oven again for 20-30 minutes.

11. Use handle of wooden spoon or brush and make indentations about every inch.

12. Brush with olive oil.

13. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

14. Cut into strips. It is perfectly good plain, but we like to dip it in olive oil and parmesan cheese.

Making Pesto here.
Pesto Recipe 2 here.
Pesto Recipe 3 here.
Pesto Recipe 4 here.
Pesto Recipe 5 here.

Churros

2010-11-24T07:03:00.001-05:00

I’ve been wanting to learn how to make churros since our last trip to Chicago when I tried my first churro ever. This recipe is so megasimple and they were really good.

Ingredients/directions
1 c. water
2 T. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. butter
1 c. flour
2 eggs
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon

Directions
Combine sugar and cinnamon in bowl or plate at set aside for dusting later.
Mix eggs and vanilla with mixer and set aside.
Combine first four ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a good boil. Remove from heat.
Add flour to saucepan and stir until combined.
Add flour mixture to mixing bowl and mix until combined with eggs/vanilla.
Fill pastry gun with dough.
Heat vegetable 1 1/2 – 2 inches of vegetable in a saucepan to 375 degrees.
Press 4-5 4 inch churros in the oil and cook for 1-2 minutes per side.
Remove churros with slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to absorb some of the oil.
Dip churro in cinnamon and sugar mixture while still warm!




The only tip I have for this recipe is that you may need to adjust your burner to keep the oil close to 375 degrees.

Wifetastic {2}

2010-11-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

I lose things. I used to lose things a lot, but I’m getting better and I think it’s down to a little. St. Anthony (Patron Saint of lost things) and I are total BFFs.

Last week, Kent laughed uncontrollably while watching Modern Family because the clip below is a conversation that we have had…twice. It was the line “Somebody came in here and stole them!” that had him rolling because I’ve used that one before. Just watch…

See, I knew other people said and did wifetastic things too.

megasimple money saving tip {7}

2010-11-22T06:11:00.000-05:00

#7 My friend taught me how to make laundry detergent last week. It is super megasimple and will save us a ton of money. This recipe makes almost 2 gallons of detergent and takes less than 20 minutes.

Ingredients:
1/2 c. 20 Mule Team Borax
1/2 c. Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda
1 bar Ivory Soap (can also use 1/3 bar of fels naptha soap)
Water

Directions: Grate the soap with a cheese grater. In a pot add 6c. of water and the soap and stir until it is melted. Add 1/2 cup of the borax and 1/2c. of soda and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat. Add 4c of hot water to a large bucket. Add the soap mixture to the bucket and stir. Add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water. Stir and pour in storage containers. I used a recycled milk and orange juice jug. Let it sit overnight to gel. The detergent may get a little chunky, but you just need to give it a good shake before using if it’s chunky.

Use 1/2c of detergent per load. It’s safe for high efficiency machines too.

See megasimple money saving times 1-3 here and 4-6 here.

Glass Pieces Arts Studio

2010-11-20T12:16:00.000-05:00

I’ve been wanting to go to this art studio for some time and they are having an open house this weekend and next weekend. They are having glass blowing demos, refreshments, blow your own ornament opportunities and musical entertainment. Check it out on Sat. and Sun. Nov 20-21 and 27-28 from 11am-7pm. Located at 106 North LIncoln in West Unity, Oh.

Weekend Wrap Up

2010-11-18T06:21:00.000-05:00

We made a last minute decision on Friday to head to Cincinnati for the Sanctus Real, Leeland and The Afters concert. When we walked in my nephew said exactly what I was thinking, “Where are the chairs?” Even though we stood for four hours it was totally worth it. All three bands were really good! The lead singer from Sanctus real, Matt Hammitt, has a newborn son who was born with a heart defect. You can follow his progress here.
Right before the guitar player from Sanctus Real went on stage, Sammy got his picture taken with him. It was definitely a high point of the evening. It made me feel slightly redeemed after my Aunt faux pas a month or so ago. I saw on Sanctus Real’s facebook page that the drummer was holding a drum clinic that night. It was free and for all ages. Sammy loves to play the drums. I quickly called my sister and told her about it. They drove an hour to take him to the drum clinic only to get there and find out it was actually the day before! Apparently I missed the fine print on facebook under the status that showed the status update was “yesterday”. Lucky for me this little guy is very forgiving.

100th Post Giveaway Winner

2010-11-13T12:20:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to commenter #19, Jo Michelson!

And…In the spirit of giving and because it’s going to get really cold next week I randomly chose three additional commenters to receive a small container of Stella Leona Hot chocolate.

Thanks for all the great comments and ideas! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Random Friday

2010-11-12T12:27:00.001-05:00

A chicken coop like none other. Makes me want to be a chicken.

Check out Nie Nie’s 2011 Calendar.

Don’t forget to enter my 100th Post Giveaway! If you have had trouble entering your comment, the “anonymous” account has been enabled. If you don’t have an account with any of the other options choose anonymous then be sure to type your name in your comment. I can’t wait to see who wins!

Next week, I’ve got a megasimple money saving idea to share with you. It’s so megasimple that I should have started it a long time ago. I also have another pesto recipe and the giveaway comments have inspired me to start thinking up some homemade gift ideas!

Have a great weekend!

Children Inspire Design

2010-11-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

You know how I love a time elapsed video. This one shows artist Rebecca Peragine making one of her creations from recycled materials. Check out Children Inspire Design here.

Per the Children Inspire Design Site…

“Artist and designer, Rebecca Peragine, has combined her passion for global design with her desire to teach children to create Children Inspire Design. Children Inspire Design launches with a line of stylish, eco-friendly and culturally diverse wall art, wall cards, posters and stationary full of whimsy designed to help children learn. Each eco art image is lovingly created with recycled papers, scraps and earth-friendly inks. Her collage art is what creative recycling is all about!”

“CEO and Founder, Rebecca Peragine firmly believes that if we teach the importance of global responsibility at a young age, carrying that responsibility into the future will be second nature for our children.”

“Working together to create a peaceful world – Children Inspire Design”

LoveLeigh Again

2010-11-10T06:03:00.000-05:00

Can you look at something and see it for what it could be and not what it is? I think Leigh Ann of LoveLeigh Again has quite a gift for seeing the potential in old furniture and repurposing it. I can’t wait to meet her and hope to make it to her next sale on Dec. 4th. Visit her blog here. “Like” LoveLeigh Again on
facebook for details of her next sale. Check out these amazing before and after pictures.

100th Post Giveaway

2010-11-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

The Holidays are just around the corner and this giveaway includes three things on my “gifts to give” list this holiday season!

1. The “Meg” bag by Laura Bickel of My Little Bicklets! Who wouldn’t love a My Little Bicklet for Christmas?!

2. This mini mat is from a line of recycled newspaper products that I love from Ten Thousand Villages. I gave this as a gift to my sister once and she hangs it on her wall. It’s functional fair trade art.

3. Hot Chocolate from Stella Leona is definitely on my gift giving list this year! I think it would make a perfect stocking stuffer.

To enter please leave a comment on this post that answers this question…

What is your favorite gift to give?

To increase your chances with a second entry all you have to do is tweet or facebook about this giveaway then post another comment that answers this question…

What is your favorite gift to get?

The winner will be randomly selected and announced on Saturday!

99th Post

2010-11-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

This is my 99th post. I spent some time in a super cool coffee shop this weekend brainstorming some things for the future of my blog. It’s hard to believe I’ve almost reached my goal of sticking with it for a whole year! I’ve got so many post ideas to fit in over the next two months. You can expect to see upcoming posts about coffee, repurposed furniture, more pesto, holiday gift ideas, DIY projects and more money saving tips. Oh and I might just throw in one more wifetastic post before the year is up. I’m open for suggestions too.

I think a giveaway is long overdue and would be perfect for my 100th post. I have no idea right now what the giveaway will be yet, but it’s going to be good…I promise! Be sure to check back tomorrow to enter! See previous giveaways here, here and here.