Make Your Own Baby Registry Cards {happy monday}

Happy Monday everybody! I went for my check up for baby this past Friday and everything seems to be fine. She had me have an ultrasound as she wanted to monitor the kidneys after she saw a slight dilation from the previous ultrasound. They are no longer dilated and little baby bella now weighs 3 pounds! During the ultrasound she was yawning and smacking her lips:)

So, I finally finished my registry announcement cards! I hope I have not waited to late, as we have not acquired much for baby yet. But I am sure everything will come together fine. I also have to make the bedding for her crib(bumper & blanket). Oh my, so much to do. I remember when it felt as though we had so much time and now I feel as though March is already over. Here are the registry cards that I sent out this weekend. I did them on the computer and I was a bit tired, so they are not totally up to par as to what I envisioned, but they will do. I registered at both Target & Wal-Mart to make things simple. If you are on a budget such as I, then I highly suggest making your own invites and announcements, heck, even if you are not on a budget, it is still quite fun to make your own!

14 day Menu 2/28- 3/13 2009

Ok, so this week, I only have 11 dinner ideas for you as I have no clue what I am going to cook for the remaining 4 days. I am supposed to find one dinner idea a day, yet it never fails that I find myself scrambling for recipes and ideas the Friday before I am supposed to go grocery shopping! Hopefully I will stick to my plan as it would make things even easier when grocery shopping time comes around. Anyhow, here is our menu for the next couple of weeks:

1.Black Bean Burgers w/ Sauteed Mushrooms & Onions & Provolone w/ Homemade Oven Fries

2.Turkey Meatloaf, Asparagus & Corn Salad, & Herbed Mashed Potatoes

3.Chicken Parmesean w/ Linguine & baby Portobella Mushrooms

4.Roasted Chicken w/ Pico De Gallo, Rice & Avocado

5.Potato & Leek Soup w/ Broccoli & Chicken Quiche

6.Stuffed Eggplant w/ Baked Penne Pasta

7.Shrimp Scampi w/ Herbed Rice & Steamed Broccoli

8.Pad Thai w/ Broccoli or Spinach

9.BBQ Chicken w/ Mac & Cheese & Veggies

10.Lobster w/ Lemon Butter Sauce, Pasta, & Salad

11.Cannellini Bean Soup w/ Foccacio Bread

12.Shrimp Stew w/ Hush Puppies

13.Tomato Basil Soup w/ Bruschetta & Marinara

14.Shrimp salad Sandwiches w/ Chips, Pickles, & Lemonade

Dryer Sheets Refreshed {tips that work}

Need a quick boost of fresh air in your abode? Then try placing several dryer sheets on top of your air conditioning/heater filter & the next time you run your heater or AC you will get a nice little whisk of fresh air!

Chicken Tortilla Soup {recipe}

This soup is super easy & quick to make and tastes so delicious! If you can, I would suggest preparing this one day before you plan to have it for dinner to let all the flavors marinate, or if you cannot make it a day in advance, try making it in the morning & let marinate in the fridge! The measurements used below was enough for 4 servings, so feel free to add more depending on the size of your family!

Ingredients:
1 Chicken Breast, thawed
Taco Seasoning
Cayenne Pepper
Garlic Powder
Cilantro, dries or freshly chopped
Salt for seasoning
Olive Oil
1 yellow Onion, chopped
1 Stalk of celery, chopped
1 dried/roasted red chili pepper
1 Tbsp. Poblano Pepper, finely chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic
3 Cups of Chicken broth
1 Can of Diced Tomatoes
1 Can of Black Beans
1 Stalk of White Corn
1/2 tsp. Ground Coriander
1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
Black pepper
4-5 Tbsp. Sour Cream
3 Tbsp. Flour
Tortillas
Vegetable Oil, for frying
1 Avocado, mashed
Salsa
Shredded Cheese

Directions for Chicken: Season your chicken with: salt, desires amount of cayenne & garlic powder, taco seasoning, and cilantro. Drizzle the top with a bit of olive oil and bake at 350 degrees until tender and done. Cut into small thin strips.


Preparing The Soup: Place about 2 Tbsp of your olive oil into your pot. Saute your onions, celery, garlic, and peppers until onion has browned and celery is tender. Add about 1/2 a cup of your broth to your pot, then add your chicken.

Add tomatoes and black beans. Stir. Now add the remainder of your broth and your fresh corn. Season with black pepper, coriander & cumin, and salt only if necessary.let simmer for about 10 minutes. Mix your sour cream with your flower. Now add a few spoon fulls of your soup into your sour cream and flour mixture & stir well. Pour & stir mixture into pot.



For Your Fried Tortillas: Simply cut your tortillas into short 1/2 inch strips. Fry your strips in your heated oil(make sure your oil is not too hot). STRIPS WILL BROWN VERY QUICKLY therefore you will only need to keep them in the oil for two or three seconds. Place your strips on a plate. Top with shredded cheese and cilantro. Place in the microwave long enough to let the cheese melt.

To Serve: Pour your soup into a bowl and garnish with shredded cheese. Serve salsa, sour cream and avocado on the side for both your soup and tortilla strips! Enjoy.

This meal would go great with a lime/lemonade over ice or if you really need a kick..a lime margarita:)

Fawn & Forest {for the chic-contempo kid}

How adorable! I love these pieces from Fawn & Forest! Their kid products are contemporary, fun, and colorful. I especially love the mobile below & I am trying to think of a way to make one of these myself to hang over the crib for our baby girl which is due in May! I'm thinking pastel butterflies! I will keep you posted on that! Anyhow, if your kids room or nursery has a contemporary feel, then you should head on over and check them out. Even if you do not have a contemporary feel in your child's room, they still carry some adorable pieces that would fit any style of decor!

Cardboard Picture Frames {craft time with the kids}

Lesson Learned: shapes, colors, centering,and measuring.

Need a new idea for your arts & crafts time? Then try making these super easy picture frames with your little one! We found this project out of Highlights Magazine and not only was it easy but all of the supplies needed you most likely have at home already.

Supplies Needed:
Paint Brushes
Scrap Paper, torn(construction paper/newspaper, etc.)
Cardboard/Cardboard Box
Scissors
Box Cutter / X-Acto Knife
Tape
Pencil
Ruler
Photos
Glue
Water
Computer Paper

Directions: mix your glue and a little but of water water together. Set aside.

Place a sheet of computer paper over your photo. draw the shape that you want to frame the picture(the inside of the frame, which the picture will show through. Now cut out your shape. Place your shape onto your cardboard and trace around your shape. Then draw the shape of your frame around that shape, making sure the opening will be centered.

Use your box cutter/X-Acto Knife and cut out the inside and outside of your frame.

Glue scraps of paper to the front of your frame. Let Dry. Center your photo where you want it through the opening and tape the corners of your photo to the cardboard. Use a strip of cardboard that is about four inches longer than your frame and tape it to the back of the frame, folding the remaining portion of your cardboard strip upward so that your frame can stand on it's own.

Mary Janes Attic {vibrant yarn & fibers}

I love the color palettes of yarn and fibers that you can find on Mary Janes Attic! The colors are fantastic and their yarn seems reasonably priced, so all of you knitters felters, and crocheters better click on over for some fiber goodness! I am dying to get back into learning the proper way to knit. It has been much too long since I have held a pair of knitting needles!

PS to all of my fiber readers in San Francisco! Visit the storefront for Mary Janes Attic:

Urban Fauna Studio
Fiber Boutique & Craft Studio
1311 16th Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94122
415-664-1267

Linguini With Garlic Crab Sauce {recipe}

Ingredients for Crab Sauce:
Crab Legs, fresh
2-3 C. Water
Salt for water
Beer (optional, yet the alcohol cooks out and adds a GREAT sweetness to your crab)
1/2 Lemon, fresh & cut into small wedges
3-4 Garlic Cloves
1 Tbsp.Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. Flat Leaf Parsley
4 Tbsp. Butter/Margarine
1 Tbsp. Sour Cream
1 Roma Tomato, diced
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Bay Leaf
1/8 tsp. Black pepper
Pinch of Crushed/fresh Basil
1/2 Tbsp. Red Wine

Ingredients for Linguine:
Salt for Boiling Water
3 Cups Spinach Leaves
1 Tbsp. Sour Cream
1/4 Tsp. Crushed Basil
Dash of Black Pepper
1/2 Tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp. Butter
Drizzle of Olive Oil

Topping/Garnish: Fresh Parmesean Cheese


Directions for Crab Sauce: Pour your water, salt, lemon, & beer(optional) into a large pot. Add crab legs & let steam until warmed. Remove from heat. Crack open your crab legs and remove the meat from them. Place meat into a bowl or onto a plate.

With stove OFF, drizzle your olive oil into a pan. Add remaining ingredients including the lemon wedges from your steamed crab and simmer on high until your butter has melted. Continue simmering on low for about 10 minutes. Turn off heat, cover, and set to the side, as you do not want your crab meat to overcook.


Directions for Linguine: After your linguine has boiled to a tender texture in your salt water, add all of your ingredients and toss together.

To Plate: lay a bed of linguine onto your plate and top with your crab sauce. Garnish with fresh parmesean cheese!

My Days {little black books & organization}

I recently went through a long period of time where I would re-write, and re-format written out schedules on sheets of notebook paper to help clarify my life and my responsibilities. I had the hardest time trying to figure out how in the heck to organize my days, especially with having so many responsibilities and goals. Well, just recently I finally came up with an idea that seems to keep me inspired and organized and it involves two "little" black books!

I am in charge of the budget for now so I keep a 4 column ledger in which I keep track of EVERY single transaction that is made with our card as well as savings. I also do this for our business accounts as well. I keep small "check" registries at hand for those. In a large 3 ring binder is where I keep my life..LOL! But really, it feels that way. I love this book! I keep EVERYTHING tabbed in here that includes in this order:

In the front I keep a Daily Schedule/To-Do-List & a Two Week Menu(where i try to write down dinner ideas for 14 days) & a Pre-Printed Grocery list with space for special ingredients(I write down ingredients needed for the dinner ideas here & this way by the time i go grocery shopping i will have everything i need already in a list format)

Special Holidays/Birthdays

2009 Calendar

Address of special friends

Categories of My Life: Special Friends, Event Planning, Budget, Ymib, JuBella, Style Gypsy, Inspiring Mama, Crafty Hues, Tulips & Honey, Mery Tut)

Projects-to-Do & Project Wish lists: This is where I keep a running list of craft projects that I need and want to do as well as little notes about the current crafts I'm learning about

Homeschool Tabs: Reading, Writing, Spelling, Phonics, Math, Science, History, geography, Culture, Arts & Crafts, & Culinary(our little one LOVES to cook and says he wants to be a chef, so for now we are entertaining the thought...hey ya never know!)



So, in respect to not making this post into a book, I will spare you the details of each tab and will most likely share many of them in a few "Tips That Work" posts later on. I wanted to share this because like I said, organizing all of our responsibilities within motherhood can be not only challenging but can get really out of hand, which leads to unnecessary stress, & believe me, I have had so many stressful days and still do at times! I use to try to keep all of my life categories organized in separate binders, and it was beginning to get quite aggravating keeping up with them all. Having everything at hand in one binder is so much better!

The funny thing is that once baby arrives and our son starts his homeschool program through k12 this fall(we will register next month..keep your fingers crossed for us as far as getting through the registration process easily), I will have to totally re-arrange all of this! yet for now it works, and I am beyond thankful to have at least some sort of guide to live by!

After All Have Gone To Bed

How Do You End Or Begin Your Days?

As much as I would like to say that I am a morning person, I am just not! I happen to enjoy the late hours of the day when everyone has snuggled up in bed and have fallen off to sleep. This is when I find my quiet time. I take a hot shower/bath, find something good to sip on/snack upon, light a candle, grab my favorite floral/thrifted sheet and nestle in to the corner of my couch. Usually you can find me in this spot up until about 2am blogging, working, budgeting, dreaming, watching either the food network, nick-at-nite or some random movie. I find total peace at night. I have always been that way ever since high school! My favorite is to have a cup of chai and something sweet to keep my taste buds company while I write.

I think it is crucial for all mothers...anyone really, to find that special time within the day as well as a special place that you can just be at peace. A place to daydream, a place to feel inspired. Whether it is morning, night, or mid-day!

14 Day Menu : 2/14 - 2/27 2009

Hi everybody! So, as mothers, we all know how frustrating dinner can be, yet one thing that I have found to be lifesaving is to develop a 2 week menu for my dinners. I cannot begin to express how much time and stress having a pre-made menu has helped me! I am always on the prowl for fresh ideas for dinner because leftovers pretty much does not exist in our home and repetitive meals can get quite boring(but I must say that I do have my standard "back-me up, because I do not feel like cooking a darn thing dishes...aka pizza, sandwiches, burgers, etc.)

I watch the Food Network during the day at random, and this helps me get at least an idea if not an entire recipe of new things that I can try in the kitchen. My favorite is Ina Garten/"Barefoot Contessa", "Everyday Italian" with Gaida, "Jamie At Home", and I have started watching "Healthy Appetites". I truly think that you do not need hamburger helper or fast food to make your family happy. All you need is a bit of patience, creativity, and the will to feed your family wholesome food with love! Whether you are vegetarian, vegan, a raw foodist, or an avid meat eater, you can make most of your meals specials!

In addition to planning out my menus, I also have pre-printed grocery lists and menu outlines that I can just grab and take with me when I go grocery shopping, which is usually every two weeks. I wake up Every other Saturday around 7am and head out to the market, grab some hot tea or a "Naked Mighty Mango" smoothie, pull out my list held firmly on a clip board along with a pencil and calculator(oh yes, I am serious about our budget...LOL). The grocery lists have all the basic items that 99% of the time I will end up needing. I did this because I was growing tired of writing out grocery lists every 2 weeks that contained the EXACT same ingredients more or less. I keep a space at the bottom for miscellaneous ingredients that any special recipes may call for.

Ok, so here is our tentative menu for the next two weeks. I will try my best to share these lists with you all as I make them twice a month as well as photos every now and then! Ok, here ya go. Bon Appetit!

The Menu:

Baked Zuchinni Crisps w/ Roasted Tomatoes over Marinara Spaghetti. Red Wine

Chipotle Tofu Burritos w/ Chips & Salsa & Lemon Chillers

Chicken & Chick Pea "Tagine" w/ Cinnamon Oranges & Bananas. Sweet Tea

Pizza w/ Salad

Turkey Burgers w/ Fruit Salad

Sea Scallops Wrapped in Smoked Salmon over Homemade Pasta/Rice & Withered Spinach

Linguine w/ Crab Sauce

Lasagna w/ Turkey Meat Sauce

Tomato Basil Soup w/ Personal Spinach Quiche Cups

Shrimp Ceasar Salad w/ Homemade Rustic Bread

Baked Tilapia w/ Avocado, Tomato, & Corn Salsa, Jasmine Rice, Broccoli

Shrimp w/ Brussel Sprouts & Corn on the cob

Black Bean & Portobello Mushroom Burgers w/ Baked Fries. Lemonade

Honey Mustard Chicken Sandwiches w/ Fruit Salad & Chips

Dessert Ideas:

White Chocolate & Macadamian Nut Brownies

Personal Fruit Tarts w/ Lemon Cream

Pineapple Smoothies

Meal Idea: Chicken & Spinach Alfredo Casserole

Note: please forgive me for my lack of measurements, as I am usually stepping into the kitchen freestyle and just taste and test until I get it to where I want it, Yet as I grow this blog, I will make it a point to offer exact or approximate measurements for you! I promise!

Here is a super simple meal idea for those nights that you feel like whipping up something quick but tasty! If you are not a fan of chicken, then you can also try substituting the chicken with some baked shrimp seasoned the same way as you would the chicken below.



Ingredients I used:

Large Macaroni Noodles,cooked & salted
Chopped Spinach
Fresh Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs
Olive Oil
Mozzarella Cheese

For The Alfredo Sauce:
1 Block of Cream Cheese
Olive Oil
Crushed Basil
Dried Oregano
Salt to taste
Hot Water or Cream (I used water)
Garlic Powder
Black Pepper
Dash of Sugar

For The Chicken Breast:
Olive Oil
Salt
Crushed Basil
Garlic Powder
Dried Oregano
Black Pepper


Directions: Simply combine your noodles, chopped spinach, cooked chicken and sauce into a casserole dish. Stir until well combined & sprinkle mozzarella on top. Top with fresh bread crumbs and drizzle with a bit of olive oil on top. bake until fresh bread crumbs are golden brown and crisp. Garnish with a fresh sprig of parsley. Serve with a nice red whine or iced tea!