by | April 18, 2011 · 8:04 am

{Giveaway!} A Year of Organic Valley Products

*** This giveaway is now closed.  Thanks for participating! ***

Today we have an awesome giveaway from an equally awesome company, Organic Valley, an organic dairy cooperative which started in Wisconsin and is now the number one provider of organic milk in the nation.

In honor of Earth Day this week and Organic Valley’s general philosophy on food, they invited us to be a part of their Earth Dinner initiative.  The idea behind Earth Dinner is to get people thinking and talking about eating locally produced foods, centered around a meal where as many ingredients as possible are locally sourced.   Since 2004, Earth Dinner meals have spread to include college campuses, restaurants and individual families hosting Earth Dinners.

The awesome folks at Organic Valley are giving away a package that contains everything you would need to host your own Earth Dinner:
1) Coupons for One Year’s Worth of Free Organic Valley Products (a $520 value!)
2) 4 Earth Dinner Books
3) A reusable, packable shopping bag for carrying your bounty

Pretty covetable stuff! Just the idea of the Earth Dinner has us itching to get into our gardens and out to the farmers market to pick up local produce and dreaming of desserts that involve homemade whipped cream…because, seriously, Organic Valley’s heavy whipping cream is hands down the best we’ve found.  Try it on any of our pies, cobblers or other treats!

Belgian Shortbread with Whipped Cream

Ideas to get inspired and get involved:
Whether you’re the lucky winner or not, there are lots of ways to get involved in the Earth Dinner project and also easy ways to eat more locally sourced food this spring. Check out the links below for ideas:
Plan an Earth Dinner at Home
Check out Organic Valley’s Recipes – including Earth Dinner ideas, spring produce specialties, potluck & tailgate winners and gluten free options
Eat at a local restaurant hosting an Earth Dinner

Enter to Win!

First, show your support by heading over to “like” Earth Dinner on Facebook. Next, leave a comment below sharing one new thing you plan to do this year to eat more local food so that we can pick a winner!

The contest is now closed. 

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by | April 15, 2011 · 8:00 am

{DIY} Rustic Monogrammed Wreath

Perhaps you can blame the lingering cool weather on me. Up until this week, I had yet to take my winter wreath off of my front door. This was mostly because I didn’t have anything to replace it with. So with a little trip to JoAnn, I bought a few materials for less than $15 that will take my front door through the warmer months.

I still incorporated the yarn that I loved from my winter wreath, but added more of a rustic element using a sage colored burlap. Super easy!

What you need:
1 yard of burlap
1 12 inch foam wreath form
1 package of yarn
1 wooden letter
chipboard letters
straight pins

1. Start by cutting a few strips of burlap, about 3-4 inches thick.

2. Wrap the burlap around the wreath form, holding it in place with a few stick pins as you pull it tightly around the form.

3. Wrap yarn around the wooden letter. Depending on the shape, this can be tricky in spots (like the bottoms of the W) but you should be able to move the yarn around to cover up any open spots.

4. Put 2-3 stick pins through the yarn on the back of the letter and insert the pins into the form.

5. Wrap yarn around the wreath form until you are pleased with look.

6. Using chipboard letters, spell out your last name and affix letters to the wreath using a small dab of Krazy Glue.

7. Either hang the wreath on a door hanger, straight to a nail, or twist a little floral wire into a loop and affix it to the back of the wreath with a pin.

Here’s to warmer days!

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by | April 13, 2011 · 8:16 am

Toasted Ham and Cheese Sandwiches with Onion and Poppyseed Butter

While growing up, these ooey gooey sandwiches were a weeknight staple.  The secret is the butter that is spread on both sides of the bread.  It melts into the cheese and gives the sandwiches a ton of flavor.  Serve with a fresh salad and you have a weeknight dinner that is on the table in 20 minutes.

Toasted Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

6 onion rolls
shaved ham
12 thin slices of Swiss cheese
1 stick of butter, softened
1/4 cup thinly diced or grated onion
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
2 Tbsp mustard

Create the butter mixture by mixing the grated onion, poppy seeds and mustard into the softened butter.

Split your rolls and place, face up, on a large cookie sheet.  Spread a thin layer of the butter mixture on each side followed by a slice of swiss cheese on each side.  Top with Ham.

Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the roll is toasted.

These may sound like your everyday toasted sandwich, but don’t be fooled!  These ham and cheese melts pack lots of flavor and are filling enough for dinner.

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by | April 11, 2011 · 8:04 am

{Giveaway!} Double Dose of Pet Accessories

***This giveaway is no longer accepting entries***
And the winner is…Emily and her yellow lab, Murray, who will soon be sporting the Scout Tag and either the blue/brown harlequin pattern ribbon collar or the football collar – depending on if Emily let’s her husband make the pick or not! Congratulations!
(Winner chosen using random.org)

Today we have fun double dose giveaway for all you pet owners out there!  With all the blasé collars and ugly machine-made pet tags to be found at chain pet stores, Etsy turns out to be chock full of stylish options!  We featured some of our favorites in last year’s holiday gift guide – including the fabulous sequined collars made by Jen from RogueCollars and the super chic ID tags made by Tessa from MakeYourDogSmile.

One lucky reader will win a pet collar of their choice from Rogue Collars and a personalized pet ID tag of their choice from MakeYourDogSmile. Read on to meet these two crafty pet lovers and for details on how to win!

sequined dog collar by Rogue Collarsstylish dog ID tag

Name: Jen
Etsy store: RogueCollars.etsy.com
 Dogs or Cats?: definitely dogs, but I love all animals
Favorite breed?: Great Danes and Boxers (of course), as well as Boston Terriers, French Bulldogs and Dogue de Bordeaux (like Hooch in Turner & Hooch!)
Your pet(s): Rogue, 5, a Boxer, and Storm, 3, a Great Dane (yes, they are named after X-Men characters!)
Pet smooches – great OR gross?: great, just not on the mouth.  My dogs have learned to give me kisses under my chin.  🙂
Other crafty hobbies?: My latest have been just making additions to the dog collar line – including leashes and key fobs. Otherwise, I enjoy working on my wedding scrapbook.  It’s been a long drawn out process…I’ve been married 7.5 years and it’s still not done!  🙂
I started my Etsy shop because: Storm was in the typical puppy chewing phase and her latest fad was chewing collars.  She literally chewed a collar off of herself, as well as chewing collars off of Rogue too.  I got tired of buying new ones so I found a pattern online, bought a sewing machine and haven’t looked back!
Day-time gig besides Etsy?: I’m a nerd by day, as I work in IT for a large company, supporting their email environment.
Leader of the pack or wrapped around their paws?: Definitely leader of the pack – I trained both of the girls, so they follow me everywhere and obey me over my hubby!  But, on some occasions, I have to say, Rogue can be quite the princess…  I’ve taught her how to say “mom” (yes, literally), and she has learned to use it when she wants something.  How can you refuse a dog’s request when they call you by name?!  🙂
Rogue Collars

Name: Tessa
Etsy store: Makeyourdogsmile.etsy.com and HattieRex.etsy.com for people things
Dogs or Cats?: Dogs
Favorite breed?: Labrador Retreiver
Your pet(s): Hollie, black lab; Sofia, Westie; Ryder, mini Australian shepherd
Pet smooches – great OR gross?: Kinda gross, but it’s the thought that counts!
Leader of the pack or wrapped around their paws?: Leader of the pack! My husband is a different story!
Other crafty hobbies?: Refinishing antique junque, painting
I started my Etsy shop because: I had been making and selling at craft shows and one day I saw a mention of Etsy in a magazine.  I set up shop the same day.
Day-time gig besides Etsy?: Not anymore.  I was previously a high school Spanish teacher and also have a Master’s degree in technical communication.
Make Your Dog Smile Etsy

Enter to Win!

To win, just pop over to RogueCollars and MakeYourDogSmile to look for your favorites. Leave a comment telling us your pet’s name and which collar and ID tag you would pick for them!
Bonus! Get an extra entry by “liking” HAP on Facebook!

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by | April 8, 2011 · 8:19 am

{Haute Pie} Amaretto Apple & Peach Skillet Pie

A fun new tool joined my kitchen arsenal this Christmas: a cast iron skillet. So far, I have not been disappointed with the meals I have cooked up in this wonderful beast of a pan. I had to try to make something sweet after trying a few savory dishes. Naturally, I made a pie.

This apple and peach pie, laced with a little amaretto, is the perfect transition from winter to spring.

Amaretto Apple and Peach Skillet Pie

4-5 apples, peeled, cored and sliced (I used Gala)
3-4 peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
2 TBSP cornstarch
1/3 C. sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 TBSP cinnamon
2 TBSP unsalted butter
1/4 C Amaretto liquor
1 refrigerated pie crust, or homemade pie dough
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix apples and peaches. Softly stir in cornstarch, sugar, salt and cinnamon. In a cast iron skillet over medium high heat, melt butter. Add apple and peach mixture and stir. Pour in amaretto. Heat through until liquid reduces, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Place pie crust over top of the skillet, molding the dough to the apple and peach mixture. Brush egg lightly over the pie crust. Sprinkle with a few pinches of sugar. Bake for 35-38 minutes or until golden brown.

Cut or scoop pie out of pan. Serve warm, topped with cool whip or vanilla ice cream.

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by | April 6, 2011 · 8:22 am

{Retail Replicate} Burlap Message Board

I saw this Burlap Message Board in the Ballard Designs catalog last month and fell in love.  It was perfect for my entryway, although the $79.00 price tag was a little steep.

After spending some time poking around my local craft store, I decided to try and replicate this message board using a method I saw the amazing Kate do on her blog Centsational girl.  She used a painters canvas to create an inspiration board for her office and I thought I might be able to use that same method for this project.

 

The message board turned out great and the best part was it only cost me about $20!

Here’s what you need:

Painters canvas, any size
squares of cork board
glue
burlap or any other fabric – I used fabric that was 100% cotton, but had a burlap look and feel
upholstery tacks
staple gun
hammer

First, you want to  glue the cork board to the back of your canvas.  Start by placing a thin layer of glue on the back of your board.

Secure the cork to the back of the canvas, cutting the pieces so that they fit into the back, being sure to slide it under the wood bar that goes down the middle.  Smooth out each piece as you go.

When you are finished, it will look like this.

Next, Cut your fabric so you have a couple extra inches on each side to wrap around the frame.  Iron out any creases that exist.  Lay the fabric down on a flat surface and place the canvas on top.  Pull up one side at a time and staple all around the edges so that the fabric lays flat.

Once you have secured your fabric, measure out how far apart you would like your upholstery tacks and nail the tacks down with a hammer.

Finally, attach D Ring Hangers to the back for hanging.

The message board turned out great and it looks perfect in my entryway.

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by | April 4, 2011 · 8:02 am

Office/Guest Room Makeover

I never really liked the old “office” in our house.  With a mish-mash of clunky inherited furniture and drab green walls, it was never a place that I really wanted to work.  Now, with a baby on the way the old office is soon to become the nursery, which means the guest room has to serve a dual purpose. It was the perfect opportunity to create a space that was both functional and inspiring to work in.

BEFORE
When we bought our house, the guest bedroom was a buttery baby yellow. It was fine but not very sophisticated so the first step was to repaint.

AFTER
I swapped out the yellow for a calming grey on the walls, leaving all the moldings and trim bright white. Since I had already refinished the dresser and bed frame in a sleek black, the rest of the room started to take on a black, white and grey scheme with pops of yellow and gold for personality.  The gilded mirror is vintage. The flowers are dried cock’s comb from last year’s farmers market.

Besides repainting, I also rearranged the placement of the bed in the room.  Originally we had the head board placed against the other wall (right wall of this photo) so you could easily make the bed.  However, that would have left no space in the room for a desk.  By just rotating the bed and positioning it against the wall, it created enough space for a desk and chair, plus a much better flow for the room.

The same day I scored the gilded mirror, I found this awesome 1950s yellow chair at a different antique store.  The moment I laid eyes on it, I had to have it and at just $30 it was a steal of a deal.  The pillow cover is from The Home Centric on Etsy.

Since the room is not huge, I chose the slim, modern Parsons desk from West Elm and surrounded it with things that will inspire me while I work or blog, like my DIY idea board, fresh flowers and scented candles.  Every day supplies like pens and scissors look decidedly more chic in a vintage milk glass vase.



The closet got a major overhaul, organizing gift wrap and craft accessories into various storage bins, bags and shoe boxes. Reducing the extra clutter makes it much easier to find the items I need and make notes when I run out of supplies.


The final project will be to frame a very large world map for the large wall above the bed. Since framing something that large costs a fortune, I’m currently scheming ideas for a DIY framing project. Stay tuned!

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by | April 1, 2011 · 7:46 am

The Art of Toddler Food: Breakfast Time

Baby food days are in the past. I now face a pint-sized man who creates a challenge much larger than himself. Meal time.

I’ve been working eagerly to develop meals and snacks our whole family can eat, while staying in the parameters of what Lincoln is able to chew with the few teeth he has. It can’t be too spicy, too crunchy, to hard, to messy or too bold.

For years, my go-to breakfast has been Quaker instant oatmeal. It was always easy to bring to work and eat at my desk. But as Lincoln started to transition from baby food to the real thing, he wanted to eat my oatmeal with me. I realized after days of hunger pangs by 9 a.m. that the half bowl of oatmeal I was eating would no longer cut it. I didn’t want to waste a whole packet on Lincoln, so I started making my own. And I tell you this: I will never go back!

After a few days of practice, I finally had my recipe for banana bread oatmeal. Making homemade oatmeal takes much less time than I previously thought. This recipe is quick, easy and healthy. We both gobble it up!

Banana Bread Oatmeal
makes 2 servings

1 1/4 C milk (whole, 2% or skim)
2 TBSP light brown sugar
1 whole banana, mashed
1 tsp vanilla
1 C old-fashioned oats
1/4 C chopped walnuts (adults only)

In a small sauce pan, mix together milk, brown sugar, vanilla and mashed bananas. Heat through to a low boil. Reduce to medium heat. Stir in oats, continuing until oats soften. If using regular old-fashioned oats, heat for approximately 3 minutes. If using quick oats, one minute will do. Remove from heat and serve. Top adult servings with chopped walnuts.

I’ve tried many variations on this recipe that are equally as tasty, depending on your mood:

Add one tablespoon peanut butter
Substitute vanilla with almond extract
Substitute one tablespoon of brown sugar with a drizzle of maple syrup
Substitute banana with 1/2 C natural applesauce

Whether this is for you, your toddler, or both, I think you’ll find it a nice way to start the day!

What do you feed your tiny tot for breakfast?

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by | March 30, 2011 · 8:27 am

Cream of Potato Soup

I am such a fan of home made soups.  They are quick to make, satisfying and give you leftovers for days.  My neighbor makes the most amazing Cream of Potato Soup and I was so excited when she shared the recipe with me.  This soup is rich, creamy and surprisingly, easy to make. Top it with some shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon and you have the perfect meal for chilly, early spring night.


Cream of Potato Soup

8 – 10 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons chicken bouillon crystals
8 oz cream cheese
1-2 cups milk
2 – 3 Tablespoons corn starch
1/4 cup water
salt and pepper to taste

bacon, grated cheese and green onions for topping

Place diced potatoes  in a large soup pot and fill the pot with water until it is level with the potatoes.  Add the butter and the bouillon crystals and boil until the potatoes are fork tender.

Next, stir in the cream cheese until completely melted.  Add 1-2 cups of milk until you reach a nice, soup-like consistency.  Bring this mixture just to a boil. Be careful not to overheat this soup or some of the potatoes may burn to the bottom of the pan.

In a separate bowl, mix water and cornstarch until smooth.  Add it to the soup a little at a time until you reach a nice, thick consistency.  Add salt and pepper to taste, remove from heat.

Serve with cooked and crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese and green onions.



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by | March 28, 2011 · 8:14 am

Super Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

Sometimes you find a recipe that’s just too good to mess with. My old peanut butter cookie recipe always seemed to dry out after just a day or two so when I recently had a craving for pb cookies I tested out the version from America’s Test Kitchen and found a new fave.

My inlaws got me hooked on America’s Test Kitchen‘s very reliable cookbooks and TV program awhile ago. ATK (as the inlaws call it) is a test kitchen that literally tests popular recipes hundreds of ways with real taste testers to find the absolute best version. It’s really no wonder that their peanut butter cookies are perfectly soft and chewy…plus they unbelievably stayed that way for almost a week!

I did decide to mix it up and throw in some extra M&Ms I had laying around into half the batter. Chocolate chips or Reese’s pieces would be tasty too.

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
recipe from America’s Test Kitchen
1 C (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
1 C chunky peanut butter
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 C flour
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 C dry roasted peanuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in peanut butter until well-combined. Add vanilla extract and beat. Beat in eggs one at a time. Gradually beat in dry mixture, scraping down edges of bowl to incorporate throughout the dough.

Use a small food processor to finely chop peanuts. Mix in 2/3 of peanuts into the dough until they are evenly dispersed. If using M&Ms or chocolate chips, fold in candy until evenly dispersed. Top cookies with remaining chopped nuts or candy.

Use a cookie scoop to scoop dough onto baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.


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