friday fuzzies

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

this week let's talk turkey since the US's thanksgiving is now 2 weeks away.  this is plenty of time for you to add some handmade goodness to your thanksgiving celebration if any of these catch your fancy.

we'll start with thomas the turkey plushie from SaintAngel...  a turkey that you can hug and love, and will be around next year!

turkey napkin holder by elvisgrl63...  a cute, modern, and functional piece for your feast

thanksgiving place card holders by carriveau...  let each guest know where they are sitting with these elegant place card holders

turkey crocheted kufi hat by chickandbud...  this girlie hat comes with a very cute removeable turkey hair clip

but the boys need a hat too!  fleece cooked turkey hat by halfpintboling made me smile really big when i saw it this morning. =)

just like grandma's

this blog post is more for my family members than anyone else, but even if you aren't this is worth reading! 

as the weather gets colder and colder, more and more recipes from my childhood resurface.  the following is some of the best comfort food i've ever had because it brings back wonderful memories of my beloved grandma.  she's not in the best of health at the moment and stupid me never asked for or wrote down her recipes.  however...  sometimes being a perfectionist is a good thing!  i have worked long and hard to replicate the taste of these two signature dishes of hers.  these are now to the point where every bite brings me back to her kitchen.  =)

stuffed cabbage/gołąbki

1 large green cabbage
1-1/2 lbs ground beef chuck
1 lb ground pork
4 cups cooked rice (cooked with 1 tsp salt)
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 cans Campbell's Tomato Bisque soup
4 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

1. boil the cabbage in a large pot with about ¼ cup salt for about 10 minutes.  remove and let cool.  break off leaves from the core.
2. while the cabbage is boiling...  preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  in a large bowl mix together the meat, rice, and garlic.  season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. use the outer leaves of the cabbage head as a layer on the bottom of your pan(s) [we use 2 large corningware bakeware pans with glass lids].  in the middle of each leaf add about a cup of meat mixture.  roll cabbage from the core side up to the outside of the leaf, making sure to tuck the sides in.  place side by side in pan.
4. when done, in another large bowl empty the 3 cans of soup.  add 1/2 can of water to this and mix.  pour the soup over your cabbage rolls.  cover and bake for 30-40 minutes (longer if you want it your rolls a little dry like grandma's were, lol!)

makes about 12 cabbage rolls.  enjoy! =)



and pair this with a famous grandma side dish...

grandma's sour cream cucumbers

3 cucumbers, peeled and sliced very thin
2/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tbs sugar (start with 1 tbs and add to taste)
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
dillweed to taste (optional)

1. add all ingredients to a large bowl.  mix well.  cover and chill for at least an hour before serving.

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/golabkiandsourcreamcucumbers.pdf

friday fuzzies

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

this week's theme is inspired by autumn leaves and their colours...

how cute is this doxie and owl friend in the autumn leaves pouch by persnicketypelican?  it made from custom fabric and you have to see the listing to see how cute it comes packaged.

wool felt baby owl booties by claraclips...  these booties in 3-6 month size are ready to ship for your little pumpkin (also, go check out her adorable hair clips and finger puppets!)

woodland walk peacock feather flower hair fascinator by HeadFullofFeathers is simply gorgeous...  i *wish* i had an occasion to wear it to!

retro apples mitt set by collisionware...  this cute print works well for all seasons but especially for fall.

and to kick off holiday baking season, we must also have an apron...  half apron in earth mod dots by crzybaglady will help get you in the mood for some cookies with it's cookie-like print!

freshly baked

once halloween is over, the thing i look forward to is holiday baking.  i make cookies, a cinnamon & sugar bread, cakes, cupcakes (lots of these recipes to come)...  yeah, i am in the gym A LOT in the winter, haha.

but since i have not done a dessert recipe in a while, i thought i'd start with these peanut butter & chocolate chip cookies that i was craving madly while working today.  it's a dreary, rainy thursday and what better way to catch up on the blog recipes by sharing this one!

peanut butter & chocolate chip cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 egg
1-1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (i use hershey's brand)

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. in a large bowl, combine all ingredients except for the peanut butter and chocolate chips.  once combined, add the peanut butter.  when that is well mixed, fold in the chocolate chips.
3. form into firmly packed 1" balls and drop onto ungreased cookie sheet about 2" apart.  flatten to about 3/8" with the bottom of a glass.
4. bake 5-7 minutes.  remove from cookie sheet and let cool.

makes about 4 dozen cookies.  enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/peanutbutterchocolatechipcookies.pdf

wearing handmade wednesday: sunshine monster!

"Well, some go this way, and some go that way. But as for me, myself, personally, I prefer the short-cut."

isn't this "cheshire hat" from SunshineMonster cute?!?  erica normally makes these in pink and purple stripes just like the colours of the cheshire cat from disney's version of "alice in wonderland", but me having to be take my short-cut...  i requested mine to be made in my beloved black and white stripes!

there are a lot of other cute and quirky hats in her shop, along with purses, some mad doorknob covers and other fun accessories.  personally, i love her bacon scarf which i featured in one of my "friday fuzzies" posts.  so go check out her shop and bring a little sunshine to your wednesday. =)

back to eating!

well, not exactly.  i've been cooking and baking up a storm but haven't had time to post these recipes!  this dish is one that started as a costly recipe, and has evolved into a more simple, much cheaper, and much tastier recipe.  we like to enjoy this with a flavorful side salad and homemade bread.  NOM!!

sausage stuffed pork chops

4 thick cut pork chops
1/4 cup garlic & herb flavored bread crumbs, plus about 1 cup, divided
1/2 lb, bulk italian sausage, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
2 cloves of garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste
2 tbs. olive oil
1 egg, beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups finely chopped sweet onion
1/4 cup butter
1 cup dry white wine
1-1/2 cups chicken broth

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  with a knife, slice a pocket in the side of each chop.  in a bowl combine the 1/4 cup bread crumbs, sausage, mozzarella, garlic, salt and pepper.  stuff each chop with this mixture.
2. dredge each chop in flour, then dip in egg, then roll in the rest of the breadcrumbs to bread them.
3. heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  when the oil is hot, place them in the pan and fry about 3 minutes per side.  when done, place them in a roasting pan.
4. add the onions, butter, white wine and chicken broth to the skillet.  cook over medium heat for about 7 minutes, stirring constantly.  add this mixture to the roasting pan with the pork chops and bake for 45 minutes.  drizzle the chops with roasting pan juices for serving.

makes 4 servings.  enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/sausagestuffedporkchops.pdf

wearing handmade wednesday: ms christa!

it's almost halloween, and how perfect is this hair accessory for the holiday (and beyond, in my case!) made by the fabulous MsChrista?!  it's a black rose with skeleton hands peeking out from underneath, but she has many other colours and designs available for purchase in her shop.  christa usually makes these on combs but she also offers them on a french barrette, as i picked.  i've worn this several times since i received it and i love it!  i use it as a great alternative to wearing a ponytail - and with wicked style! =)

ccccccccccrrrrr-ash!

i've been really busy lately due to work, but also due to my computer having some big problems over the last 2 weeks.  i officially lost my hard drive yesterday... it's not that big of a deal since i have a current backup.  but i have to spend a lot of time rebuilding my computer this weekend.  this is why there haven't been new recipes or friday fuzzies recently.  next week i hope to be back on track, and will be doubling up since i have many things to share!

happy weekend! =)

wearing handmade wednesday: zen and coffee designs!

it's another edition of "wearing handmade wednesday", and coincidentally pili chose the same handmade shop to feature (click here for her post)!  we both love zenandcoffee's fabulous fingerless gloves!

i picked up this boot camp design of wren's to go with the military trend that is big in fall fashion this year.  i prefer mine a little shorter than her original listing so she made them custom for me.  they are well made, fit great, and i'm so happy it's getting a little cooler out so i can finally use them to accessorize my outfits! 

wren has nearly 200 designs in her etsy shop so she's got something for just about everyone.  i know i've got my eye on a couple of them.  i'm sure pili does too! =)

soup is good and easy food

the one thing i do welcome as far as colder weather goes is soup!!  i love to make one pot meals and this is another recipe that my sister gave me which i altered.  even though we are siblings we definitely have different tastes, so tweaking it here and there made this soup one that is well loved in my house.  it's also one that could easily go vegetarian without the sausage or the chicken stock, and is super easy to make!

tortellini soup

2 tbs. olive oil
1-2 large sweet yellow onions, diced
2-4 cloves garlic, minced (depends on your taste)
32 oz. carton vegetable stock (2 for vegetarian)
32 oz. carton chicken stock
28 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
8 oz. package dried cheese tortellini
1 lb. bulk italian sausage (optional)
4 cups spinach, chopped
1 tbs. fresh basil, chopped
1 tbs. fresh oregano, chopped
shredded mozzarella for top (optional)

1. add oil to dutch oven.  heat on medium heat and sautee onion and garlic.
2. add in stock and diced tomatoes.  bring to a boil.  throw in tortellini and cook to time required on the package.  while boiling, drop in sausage in small chunks.
3. once tortellini is cooked, reduce heat to low.  add in chopped spinach, basil and oregano.  let simmer about 10 minutes.  top with mozzarella cheese before serving.  serving suggestion: serve with a crusty bread.

makes about 8 servings.  enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/tortellinisoup.pdf

friday fuzzies: saturday edition

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

ok, this time being late wasn't my fault.  i was trying to do my post yesterday and blogger was down and not allowing me to do it...  but enough of that - this week's theme is witches!

let's start with one darn cute 5x7 witch print by keitosan of millie and her cat, tofu...

halloween cupcake with witch hat amigurumi crochet by beachbunny...  you know i always try to find a cupcake with my weekly theme, and this is it!

tres brujas t-shirt by pendientuda...  3 cute witches you can wear - and choose your colour of t-shirt to have them printed on!

crazy ol witch resin necklace by Lunaricsales...  she may be crazy but she's awfully cute!

calypso witch of the crystal rose by HeartshapedCreations...  i love the story behind this figurine.  you'll have to visit the listing to read it!

and i can't do a post about witches without a cauldron.  trouble trouble soil and bubble soap by WashableArt is a perfect way to end this. =)

wearing handmade wednesday: indiscretion!

my dear friend pili has inspired me to partake in "wearing handmade wednesday"!  i have some handmade clothing items, lots of jewelry and many other accessories so i know i will have a lot to share in weeks to come.

my inaugural post is about a handmade top.  the design was inspired by a movie favourite of mine - tim burton's "alice in wonderland".  i found a downright wicked dress in mara's etsy shop, Indiscretion, which i fell in love with.  however, i don't wear dresses too often and the dress listed was not my size so i asked her if she'd make me just the top part in the same design.  she did, and i LURVE it!!! now go check out this listing because if you love it as much as i do, you can have one too! =)

let's pretend it's saturday

i know i said i'd post the 2nd recipe on saturday and that didn't happen.  why?  well, i rarely measure things when cooking. when i make a recipe to photo & post on here i have to make sure i measure things properly.  then i did a big deep cleaning of my house saturday morning and misplaced all my notes on my stew!  i finally found them, filed with the electric bill of all things.  so let's pretend it's saturday and i'm posting this on time, ok? ;) 

southwestern beef stew

1 tbs vegetable oil
1 lb sirloin strip steak(s) cut into bite sized pieces (you can use stew meat too)
salt
4 ripe medium tomatoes, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
2 jalapeño peppers, minced
1 white onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, mined
1 14 oz. can of beef broth
1 medium zucchini, halved and sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (or more, depending on your taste)
1-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbs cornstarch
1/4 cup water

1. heat the oil in a dutch oven on medium high.  add in the meat and stir fry until lightly browned.  remove from pot and salt to taste.  set aside.
2. add tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic and beef broth to pot.  bring to a boil.  reduce heat to low and cover.  let cook about 20 minutes.
3. stir in zucchini, cilantro and cayenne pepper.  add back in steak.  let cook about 10 minutes.
4. prepare cornstarch by dissolving it in water.  add to pot.  cook and stir until thickened, and if needed bring heat up to medium high to thicken.

makes about 6 servings.  enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/southwesternbeefstew.pdf

friday fuzzies: part 2

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

post #2 of the day - the theme is mummies!  all wrapped up halloween cuteness!

little mummy by PWdesigns... now this is a mummy i could hug!

cute mummy custom halloween tee by sugarlocks...  an adorable little mummy for your little one to wear!

hello kitty mummy necklace by missmercy...  hello kitty is cute in anything, even a mummy costume!  and if you like this get it fast - there's only 2 left!

halloween reversible tote/trick or treat bag by EMCreativeDesigns...  cute dancing purple mummies which reverse to purple circles.  perfect for use all year long!

friday fuzzies: part 1

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

since i missed "friday fuzzies" last week, i'm going to do 2 of them today!  this is part one with the theme of zombies! (and for those looking for the second recipe of the week, it will be posted saturday)

i cannot do a zombie post without my favouritist little zombie EVER!!!!!  zombie lovers tee by rockythezombie is available for kids of all ages (i have a tee and a tank myself!) on your choice of tee, tank or hoodie!  here's to ROCKY WORLD DOMINATION!  ;)

undying love pendant by thegraphicsshoppe...  love is forever even beyond the grave!

zombie kyle wooden kokeshi doll by licoricewits...  a super cute and shy little zombie who is really rather harmless.  he likes to nibble on ears because he's not brave enough to go for the brain.

zombie cupcake charm by baconFaced... comes with a complimentary penny sized cookie!

tor the stuffed zombie strongman by FireBongo...  he has a trick arm!  it falls off when he tries to lift his dumbbell.

OOAK needle felted zombie bunny by amberrosecreations...  walt is the first in a series of "zombie cuties".  i can't wait to see the others!