Meal Plan 5/15 - 5/21 and Garden Update

Another gorgeous week here.  I have actually mowed my lawn twice already.  I have planted beets, carrots, potatoes (blue, yukon gold, and red norland) and spinach as well as dill, rosemary, and chives.  I am holding out until the weekend to plant the rest of my seeds and flowers.  I will probably wait until June 1st before I dare put in any tomatoes...but I'll just buy big plants that were raised in a greenhouse.  This is the first year that I have had a real garden (besides the odd flowers/veggies here or there), so I am really excited...and trying not to expect to much.

Before I can post any pictures of our progress with our retaining walls, raised beds, and fire pit area...I have to be able to get a truck in here to deliver gravel and bark.  However, our field was just plowed and getting a truck to the appropriate area will be a bit of a nightmare until the ground firms up.  I am dying to share though...but too embarrassed to post pics of dirt and weeds.

So, on with the meal plan.  A little shorter this week since we have a date night (sort of) planned and a restaurant night as well.

Meal #1:  Creamy Tomato Basil Soup with Cheese Toasts (we had a rainy and cold day that this was perfect for)
Meal #2:  Garlic Lemon Chicken Kebabs and Artichokes with Lemon Butter (1/2 stick of butter and juice of 1/2 large lemon)
Meal #3:  Chicken Paprikash with Tossed Salad (grrrr, I can't find the link)
Meal #4:  Pad Thai with Tofu and Cucumber Salad (1/2 c. white vinegar, 1/2 c. sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt poured over sliced cucumbers)

Do you all have gardens started?  If so, what are you growing?  What is your most successful veg/fruit?

Meal Plan and Update 5/8 - 5/14

I have been a bad, bad blogger and seriously neglecting this little hobby.  The sun has finally made an appearance here in the Inland Northwest and I can't seem to bring myself indoors.  Not to mention we have 10 acres of property that need LOTS of attention.  As I have previously mentioned, we built some retaining walls and 3 large raised beds (do you have any idea how much dirt it takes to fill those up?  Yikes!).  We have been planting seeds, herbs, and I got my dahlias in the ground (finally!) yesterday.

So, given the lovely weather...the meal plan for the week completely reflects my laid back attitude.  That, and the number of evening commitments between me and my husband...I am not wanting to spend my time in the kitchen.

Meal #1:  Sauteed Sweet Chicken Breasts with Tomato Chutney (never got to it last week)
Meal #2:  Dinner in the park:  Tuna Salad Sandwiches with Mini Carrots and Strawberries
Meal #3:  Grilled Chicken Sausages with Potato Salad with Celery and Scallions (seriously, the BEST potato salad I have ever had...and it can be out in the heat too!)
Meal #4:  Slow Cooker Bean and Cheese Burrito Casserole with Steamed Corn and Guacamole
Meal #5:  Rotini with Pesto, Goat Cheese, Basil, Grape Tomatoes, Artichoke Hearts, and Yellow Squash (Delish! and so easy)

I hope you are all having a wonderful week and are enjoying similar weather!

Meal Plan 5/1 - 5/7

The whole family did a 12K on Sunday (Bloomsday) followed by a few hours of intensive yard work (i.e. hauling dirt).  After a very last minute dinner of scrambled eggs and bagels, I came up with this meal plan - mostly from thumbing through my fave Rachael Ray cookbook.

Meal #1:  Black Bean and Chicken Enchiladas (sauce recipe here) with Steamed Corn
Meal #2:  Curried Chickpeas with Rice
Meal #3:  Spinach, Artichoke, and Egg Noodle Soup (based on a Rachael Ray recipe in 365: No Repeats)
Meal #4:  Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Spicy Tomato Chutney and Brown Rice
Meal #5:  Buffalo Turkey Burgers with Blue Cheese Dressing and Tossed Salad (again from 365: No Repeats)

Been busy lately putting in raised beds and retaining walls in the back yard.  Also getting ready to refinish some furniture and hopefully get to my sewing machine at some point.  Sorry for the lack of tutorials!

What are y'all eating this week?

Meal Plan 4/24-4/30 and Easter Recap

Wow...long time, no blog.  I have been a little busy with other obligations and a little (make that a lot) uninspired.  However, I am back and have new ideas brewing in my head...hopefully some will come out as expected.

We had a great Easter...the Easter bunny came and was very generous...little Bean got to hunt for eggs at home and at Grandpa/Grandma's house.  Lucky girl.  We had some amazing weather which is a first for us in the inland northwest...it has been a cold, wet, and windy spring here.  Here are a few photos of our day...

Non-stop running all day

Love, love, love this pic

These bracelets were her favorite Easter gift!

Check out these shoes!!!

Cousins climbing a tree

What else is this thing for?

Okay, thanks for pretending that you care about my Easter :)

Now, here's the meal plan for the week:

Meal #1: (was supposed to be Easter dinner, but we were still too full from Easter brunch to eat):  Sauteed Chicken with a Lemon Buerre Blanc with Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus
Meal #2:  Penne with Eggplant Marinara and Feta Cheese
Meal #3:  Egg Salad Sandwiches (to use up all of those dyed eggs) with Tossed Salad
Meal #4:  Asian Chicken Salad (again) with Sesame Ginger Dressing (gotta use up all that dressing)
Meal #5:  Butternut Squash and Black Bean Winter Chili with Cornbread

Have a great week everyone!

California Dreamin' Tube Top Tutorial

Consider yourselves warned...my arms are very white and I am a terrible model.  That being said, I am tremendously excited about this tutorial.  I LOVE summer and the sun.  Therefore I love summer clothes.  I have been dreaming up this tube top in my head for weeks now and it has finally materialized.  It is really easy and dare I say, really chic.

It was about 39 degrees and windy outside.  Yep, I'm that dedicated.

This is just a white interlock knit.  Super simple.  If you have not sewn with knits before, this is a great place to start.  No serger needed (although I dream that I will someday have one for projects like this).

What you need:

• one yard knit fabric
• coordinating thread
• 1" wide elastic (amount will depend upon your underarm measurement)

Start by taking your underarm measurement - right at your armpits.  Mine was 32.5".  Since we want all of the fabric to be gathered...add 12.5" to your measurement, so mine was 45".

For the length of the main piece, I went with 19".  However, I have an incredibly long torso, so if you are more average, you may want to go with 17".  But go ahead and measure - you will want the top piece to end  at the top of the hip...allow 1" total for seam allowance.

So, the first piece = underarm measurement + 12.5" x 17-19"

For the second piece, turn your fabric around and find the direction that does not stretch very much.  You want to cut in this direction.  In other words, you don't want the piece that sits on your hips to stretch very much so it will hold that nice shape.  So, measure well.  Take your hip measurement at the widest spot (mine was 34") and add .5" (so my piece was 34.5" long).  The width should be 11".

Second piece = hip measurement + 1/2" x 11"

Using the top piece (the large piece) decide which edge is the top and do a zig-zag stitch (or serge) along the top edge.

Now, with right sides facing, line up the edges (side of your top).  Stitch all the way from the bottom to top and then finish off with a zig-zag stitch).

Back to the top.  Fold over the top edge 1 1/4".  Stitch all the way around leaving a 1 1/4" gap to feed your elastic through.

For the elastic, my measurement was 32 1/2" but I don't want my top to fall down in the least bit, so I want my elastic working for me.  I cut it at 28" + 1/2" for total seam allowance.

Elastic = underarm measurement - 4"

Using a safety pin, feed the elastic through.

Once you have made it all the way around, stitch the elastic together VERY well.

Now to the smaller piece (bottom of your tube top).  With right sides together, stitch the sides from bottom to top.  Finish off with a zig-zag stitch.

Now, with the right side facing out...fold your top in half so it looks like this...

Turn your machine's tension all the way up and also set your stitch length at the maximum.  We are going to gather the bottom edge of the top piece.  Do not back stitch here and be sure to leave long threads on either end so that you can alter your gathering, if necessary.

It should look like this.

Now you are going to want to play with the gathers a little.  Using the threads you left on, pull  and stretch until your gathered edge is the same length as the bottom portion of the top (the piece pictured below).

Once you have this complete, you want to line up all of your rough edges.  Make sure that your top is right side out.  All the right sides are facing here.  

Now stitch all the way around and secure the seam with a zig-zag stitch.

Flip inside out and voila, it's done! 

Note:  For wearing, I turned the top elastic edge under so it looks a little more sophisticiated, but it looks great either way.

 



 

As always, if you make this project, please send me pictures!

Meal Plan 4/3 - 4/9

A little late once more.  What can I say?  One of these meals is one that we didn't get to last week due to MORE sickness.  Ugh...is it summer yet?  I feel so fortunate that Bean is old enough now to actually tell me what is wrong.

Anyway...back to food.  I am super excited to eat this week!

Meal #1:  Bowties Alfredo and Tossed Salad (I lightened the recipe...I cut down on the butter by half and used half and half instead of cream but increased the amount to make up for the butter...delish!)
Meal #2:  Tuna Melts with Lemon, Capers, and Provolone with Steamed Veg
Meal #3:  Asian Salad with Chicken, Orange, and Almonds with Sesame Ginger Dressing
Meal #4:  Southwest Pinto Bean Burgers with Chipotle Aioli and Sweet Potato Fries
Meal #5:  Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Crema and Cole Slaw

Also, I finally found the motivation to create something this afternoon...new summer tutorial on the way!  This one's for us ladies!

Have a great week!

Princess Cake and Pink and White Wedding Cake

Two lovely friends asked me to be a part of their special occasions by requesting cakes.  The first, Layla's little friend, was turning 3 and wanted a princess party (what little girl doesn't?).  So, what better than a pink tiara cake?

And another friend had a lovely Spring wedding with pink and black accents.  Here is the cute little square cake.

What did you all do this weekend?