Friday, February 26, 2010

Stuffed Peppers for Foodie Friday

       


                Linking up to Foodie Friday!!!
      My Mom used to make these all the time with green peppers, but my family seems to like the red peppers more. You'll need:
     at least a half of a pepper for each person
     a cup and a half of white rice
     a few tbl. of oil
     1 chopped onion
     1 lb. of chopped meat (ground beef)
     1 clove of garlic (or not)
     Some chopped fresh parsley (or dry if you are in a pinch!)
     S and P
     Mozarella cheese ( my fam eats anything with cheese on top!)

Cut the stem end off the pepper. Cut the pepper into 2 boats. Take ou the seeds and white.

Cook the rice (I have been cooking rice in the microwave while doing the rest-1 1/2 cup of rice 3 cups of water in a casserole covered for  10 minutes and then 10 more at half power. Watch it because sometimes it takes more or less)
Put oil in a pan and add chopped onion, parsley and minced garlic cook till onion is opaque then add meat and brown.


When the meat is cooked add the rice to the mixture. Add half of a large can chopped or diced tomatoes. Put some of the mixture heaping into each boat. Place them in a pyrex, roasting pan or low casserole dish.  Sprinkle with mozarella cheese and pour some of the tomatoes around the peppers



Cover and Bake a 350 degress for 35 to 45 minutes.
 

Don't they look good?

I hope you enjoy these!



Tuesday, February 23, 2010

It's My Birthday!!

      My kids told me to post this...because they have facebook and I do not...because they have facebook-get it? Yes, well, they felt it was only right to have my birthday on the internet just like they do. This was an ambush cell phone photo- Please do not zoom!
             "It's my birthday." A few of us like to say that everytime we answer the phone, don't we?

             I am going into the city for dinner with #3 to meet up with my daughter and husband at Tony's Di Nanpoli in NYC.


Right now it is cold and rainy and sleety, but that won't dampen our spirits! Ha!
Wish #2 could be with us but he is at college.

All of you have made for a very different and happy year...I feel that I know so many more people around the country (and the world!). Thanks for the fun!

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Trash Chair Gets New Life

I was driving my son to school and went the other way around the block because on my earlier train run, thought I spied a goodie- I did...The chair back had me at cane...This chair was out by the curb  and the garbage truck was dangerously close to gobbling it up. ( I wish people would put their excellent trash out for appraisal earlier.) My son jumped out and popped it in the back of the Jeep and off we went.
Now, I know I took before pics, but can't find them.- It looked similar to this as far as color and seat color-gold velvet, well worn.


So as as quickie I present cane back beauty painted black and seat covered





to match this desk!
$25 Craigslist

which now looks like this!!!! I will shabby them up a bit, but right now I like the simple black...
Linking up with:






Saturday, February 13, 2010

Happy Valentine's Day! My New Bedroom-I think...

         
First, I made this :
from this:
cute! trapped in on the snow day!

     I just got back from the movies-Verrrry unusual for my husband and I to go to a movie alone! We usually see a family movie or wait for the video! But, this time I was "asked" to go see "Valentine's Day"! It was very sweet and full of beautiful people! (Ashton, Topher, Patrick Dempsy, Bradley Cooper, Eric Dane...oh and pretty girls, too) It reminded me of "Love, Actually", which I do like. Hey, it is not going to get the Oscar, but I laughed and smiled and -so it was good in my book.  With the coming attractions, they showed many clips of many of my fave movies set to "1,2,3,4," by Plain White Tees. -When Harry met Sally, Enchanted, Say Anything, Princess Bride, 27 Dresses-cute.  It is here as an ad.




before (zenful by BM)

          Now for my room. We painted Phillipsburg Blue by Benjamin Moore a while ago! I love the color and we will put up crown mouldings-eventually. I haven't hung anything-except the one picture over the bed-while I wait to do this room!





 I was waiting to get a new mattress to get new bedding, but it is on hold, too. So, on a one day sale at Macy's with a coupon that actually worked (!!!!) I got a new mattress pad, and a down coverlet.


I just put those on the other day and my husband says it feels like we are in a hotel-a good thing.  Then I brought home this from Target

becasue I like this.

But on the bed it looked too undone for me....I like things more conservative/simple. The buttons were shiny. It really was ok but I felt it was a younger look than I should have. I saw a white matelasse coverlet at TJMaxx  and the shams called "Cecelia" and I liked. I put it on the bed and I think this is it...what do you think? Simple but pretty?





I got these pillow covers at Pottery Barn on a great sale, and was not sure of the color, but maybe I like it now...A little rosey color for now? 
(The embroidered pillow is from Hungary  from about 1920 from my grandmother-she came here in 1914 right before WW I and was married here in 1917 she either brought it or  it was sent to her. I restuffed it)


Here Hooked on Houses said to show your house a little love and her pics were of homes with a touch of red.  I am not a red girl, but I think it looks nice with the white and  ok with the blue. Then,  I could do blue toile pillows for spring?

         Do you like this or look for something with a print?
Have a LOVE-ly Valentine's Day!!!



Linking up to:






.............................................and Pure Style Home- a blog you will love!


Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Salvaged Baker's Rack-FINALLY GOT TO IT!



I posted about this rack way back in October. My husband had found this at the curb and brought it home. He knew that I had been eying baker's racks that would run $200 at the least with shipping-if not more-so this was a worthwhile treasure to bring home.
It was shiny hollow brass, but intact and it moved in (after making husband wash it down-as long as he was doing the car...) It immediately began to get loaded up with stuff-surprise, surprise...

          Well, after the Ikea couch came in I said it was time to tackle the spare room...yeah, well, not yet...but I did get to work on the rack. The green couch-from a neighbor-went to the basement.

The room is still yellow-an "in" color, but this yellow is a bit intense.  I wrote before how this was to be my kitchen, until it went up and I screeched! It was much too vibrant for my sunny kitchen! So, since I am so cheap  thrifty, we used the color in the little spare room-craft room-guest room (with no bed at this time) -office-reading room-computer room. 


So, I hit it with satin black spray paint and it took nicely.




Logan approves or is searching for missing toy...
My pretty sign by Rita (see my sidebar).
      
          Right now, it is in the family room, trying out its baskets-the top ones are from TJMaxx and are 2 nested baskets. The little ones are cute, but with little purpose. The bottom 4 are from Target. They were on sale and then I had my 10% ("you spent too much money at Christmas") award. They come out to almost the same. The Target baskets make better use of the space as they are not angled. I am not sure if I should do 4 of them anyway. Magazines-which I have too many of-fit perfectly standing up or laying down.  What do you think?
       Anyway-Free rack, left over spray paint, baskets (about $11 each for the Target) ($9 and $7 for TJMaxx) and storage for tons of mags and Wii games and remotes.

 I think it looks pretty good. The top shelf will not have baskets and will hold plants and book perhaps. Right now modeling my sad aloe plant
frame and driftwood and shells to remind me of summer....


Instead of this which we have right now!  This is before the worst of it, which begins now at around 2pm! We did not have the last storm which so many bloggy friends had-so it is our turn.
Linking up with:

Friday, February 5, 2010

Foodie Friday-Snickerdoodles

I an linking up to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum, where you will not believe how beautiful her post is today!!!
 Perhaps these have been here before, I don’t know, but these are a favorite in this house. Maybe, this will be a little reminder of this nice simple cookie. They are perfect for last minute baking, as I always have these ingredients in the house (once you have the Cream of Tartar) and they are easy to throw together.


         How many times have I heard,”Mom, I forgot, I need something for tomorrow (or now)!” and these are doable! I think that they are nice and old-fashioned, too.

Snickerdoodles    (set oven to 350 degrees)

½ cup butter or margarine

¾ cup sugar

1 ½ cup flour

1 egg

1 tsp. Cream of Tartar

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

{1 tbl. sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon mixed-to coat}



In a bowl, cream butter and sugar.

Beat in 1 egg.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour adding in Cream of Tartar, baking soda and salt.

Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Chill a few minutes.

Roll onto 1 inch balls and roll them around in the cinnamon

and sugar mixture until completely coated.

Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet

(I still use the parchment or silpat)

Bake 8 to 12 minutes until lightly browned but still soft.

Remove from oven a let sit a minute then let cool on rack.



I get about 3 dozen out of this recipe. This time I had 40 cookies and I usually need 12 minutes for bake time.



Try one warm-yum! These stay soft inside yet crisp outside -but I don’t think they have ever lasted longer than one day on this house to know for sure how long! I would store them in an air-tight container or tin. Mine get left on the plate and disappear.



So, why not try these and enjoy them with a nice cup of tea or coffee or a cold glass of milk!



Anyway, it’s fun to say!