Men's T-shirts are NOT meant for girls!

When I was little I was a gymnast. I was on the team and we went to a lot of gymnastic meets. At every one my parents would buy me a t-shirt. And they were great for the gym. I wore them all the time to gymnastics practice (which was a substantial amount of time: 4 nights a week for 3 hours). When I got to be a teenager big, baggy t-shirts were no longer my thing. And they still aren't. I like a fitted t-shirt - a girl's t-shirt.

Unfortunately, I still have some regular t-shirts. I've gotten them from conferences, from friends or family from vacations, or I've picked them up because they were the only kind of t-shirt available where I was and wanted a souvenir. With my addiction to Pinterest I've seen lots of ideas of how to transform those baggy men's t-shirts into something I might actually wear.

Since I happen to have 2 of these t-shirts I decided to try out the method I found here by Mrs. Dotson. It's a no-sew so I didn't have to fish my sewing machine out of the mess that is my den right now.

Here's the t-shirt I decided to experiment with

I turned the red t-shirt inside out. Then I brought out one of my favorite shirts and laid it on top of the t-shirt I was modifying. Since I was going to be tying knots with the fabric I drew chalk lines about an inch and a half larger than my favorite shirt.

Then I cut along the chalk lines, as well as along the bottom of the red t-shirt to make it shorter.

I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do with the sleeves. They are kind of long and way too wide but I really didn't want to hem them so I didn't want to cut them. I decided to continue the cut of the curve into the sleeve and just make the shirt have sleeves that reached my elbows.

Here's what it looks like after it's all cut up:

At this point you could just sew a hem all along the cuts. That's what I'm planning to do with the other shirt I have like this. For the no-sew method though out come the scissors.

Make small cuts all the way up the cut sides continuing on to the sleeves as well. Once all of the cuts are made comes the tedious task of knotting each pair of cut fringe.

I suppose you could put the fringe on the outside of the shirt but I liked the way Mrs. Dotson's looked being on the inside. I don't quite think I could pull off the exposed fringe. :)

In the end, I'm pretty happy. I definitely would like to use the sewing machine next time but for now this works. I like to wear a tank under my t-shirts anyway so the little holes are not a problem. I also really like the length of the sleeves.

Now it almost looks like a girls shirt on the hangar too!

Finally a Local 77 t-shirt that looks like it was made for a girl! Think I'll wear it to the Hall on Friday.

Menu #5 of 2012

I struggled with the menu this time. I guess I just really wasn't feeling much inspiration from the recipes I had laying around. I tried scouring some magazines looking for more but they also left me wanting more. Finally I went to my "Yummo" board and the "Food and Drink" section on Pinterest and my interested was piqued.

To prove that I'm actually using the system I put in place here is a picture of my Menu chalkboard for the upcoming two weeks:

I'm still perfecting my chalkboard handwriting...

In case you'd like a more readable copy:

• Ribeye & Prawns - baked potato - green beans
• Egg Bake
• Steak Fajitas
• Lasagna
• Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup
• Shrimp Coconut Curry
• Chicken Chili
• Olive Garden Chicken Marsala
• Veggie Tacos
• Artichoke sausage & Veggie Patties
• Honey Mustard Pork Roast & Sauteed Brussel Sprouts
• Veggie Alfredo
• Make-your-own-pizza Night
• Birthday outing - Owl & Thistle Irish Pub. Kids: Spaghetti (?)

Three dinners are carried over from last week because my folks took us out to dinner one night for my birthday, we went to birthday dinner for our friend's son and I had forgotten St. Patty's Day Dinner when I wrote the last menu. The new recipes we are trying this time: Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup, a new Shrimp Coconut Curry recipe, Veggie Tacos, and Veggie Patties.

Last menu's new recipes went over well. Here are our reviews of the new recipes we tried:

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

This recipe is made with the meat leftover from the Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Sammies. It combines the chicken with crushed white beans, cheese, onion and bell pepper and cook in fresh flour tortillas. They were delightful. The kids were thrilled with them. This recipe will definitely be moving into the family recipe book.

Tortellini Meatball Soup 

This recipe was pulled from a magazine and I really can't say enough about it. Homemade mini-meatballs, cheese tortellini and fresh vegetables combine for a delicious (and fast) meal. Paired with a loaf of toasted garlic bread? MMMmmmm is all I can say. The hubs and kiddos instantly wanted it added to repertoire and I couldn't agree more.

Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Sammies
This chicken was pretty good. In my opinion  it needed a bit more flavor and could've been cooked a little bit less. Overall because it lends itself to the BBQ Chicken Quesadillas I would try it again. It won't make it into the ol' recipe book yet though.

Beef Wasabi Tacos
I've already posted the recipe for these. They were outstanding and I can't wait to try them in Bahn Mi form. The hubs really enjoyed them even though food with Thai flair is not really his favorite. This kiddos gave them a thumbs up too, even with the Wasabi Sauce, though Lilly thought they were a little messy (she does not like her hands dirty).

As always, if you'd like a recipe post and let me know!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

St. Patrick's Day has always been an awesome day for me because it is the day before my birthday. In fact, my Mom was in labor with me all day on St. Patty's Day and I finally decided to make my appearance 49 minutes late. Oh well, we're only a little bit Irish anyway. :)

Every year for as long as I can remember I have had corned beef & cabbage on St. Pat's. There's just no other alternative. (OK, possibly in college, when I was poor and was at the bar by 4pm I may have skipped on the traditional Irish fare.) This year I was late picking up my corned beef brisket. I even forgot to put it on the last menu. So when I got home today at 3pm I had to cook our meal in a new way instead of my usual crockpot method.

I will try a recipe from anywhere - magazine, friend's referral, or a newspaper ad. That is where I found the recipe I used (and modified, of course) tonight. It turned out delicious and so I wanted to share.

Mustard Glazed Corned Beef with Roasted Cabbage, Potatoes and Carrots

Ingredients:
1 boneless corned beef brisket (2-3 lbs) with seasoning packet
8 cloves of peeled and crushed garlic
1 tsp. whole peppercorns
2 c. water
8 tbsp. butter
1 c. green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 c. horseradish or horseradish sauce
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 head of green cabbage, cored and cut into wedges
6 red potatoes, washed and cut into quarters
1-2 lbs carrots, peeled and cut in half
1/3 c. dijon mustard
1/4 c. brown sugar

1. Place oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place brisket in roasting pan; add garlic, contents of seasoning packet, peppercorns and water. Cover with aluminum foil making sure to fold the edges in tight. Put on upper rack of oven and braise for approximately 2 1/2 hours (50 minutes per pound).

2. Place potatoes in a plastic Ziploc bag. Place butter, green onions, horseradish sauce, pepper, and salt into microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high 1-2 minutes or until melted. Pour a 1/4 of the butter mixture into the bag and shake to coat. Put potatoes on aluminum lined baking sheet. Put carrots in the same bag, add another 1/4 of the butter mixture and shake to coat. Put carrots onto the same baking sheet with the potatoes. Place cabbage on the baking sheet and carefully pour the remaining butter mixture over the cabbage making sure to coat all sides with a pastry brush. Cover the baking sheet tightly with foil and place on the oven rack in the lower part of the oven. Roast for 55 minutes. After 55 minutes, remove the foil and leave in oven for additional 15-20 minutes.

3. Combine the mustard and the brown sugar in a bowl and stir to combine. When the corned beef is done cooking pull it out of the oven, place the brisket on a baking rack over an aluminum foil covered baking sheet. Set the oven to broil (leave the veggies in the oven) Spread the mustard mixture over the brisket and return to the upper rack in the oven. Broil until glaze becomes bubbly and starts to brown.

4. Remove everything from the oven, place on a serving dish and bring to the table!

Beverage Accompaniments
It wouldn't be St. Patty's Day without a bottle of Guinness. This year I had no luck finding any Harp's Lager anywhere so we couldn't make the traditional Black & Tan's, instead we settled for some Irish Car Bombs. If you've never tried them (and even if you don't like Guinness), I would recommend giving them a try. They are delicious! Here's a recipe:

3/4 pint Guinness
1/2 shot Bailey's Irish Cream
1/2 shot Jameson Irish Whiskey

Add the Bailey's and Jameson to a shot glass, layering the Bailey's on the bottom. Pour the Guinness into a pint glass or beer mug 3/4 of the way full and let settle. Drop the shot glass into the Guinness and chug. This is extremely important! If you don't chug it it will start to curdle - YUCK!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

Vegas is Calling

A few years ago Brie'n and I were sitting at work, loathing the day, dreaming of a warmer, sunnier place. Thoughts of warm weather, sun, and fruity drinks coursed through our minds. And then we decided we should go somewhere, just the girls, and get away from it all. That place: VEGAS.

I had been to Vegas before that trip, but going with "the girls" was a whole different experience. Brie'n and I flew out a day before the other two gals we were meeting and were thrilled to be in Sin City. We got there late, explored very little and shopped most the next day. That night we met up with two of Brie'ns friends in front of O'Shea's. It did not take long to know that the four of us would get along famously. We got free drinks (courtesy of Brie'ns "assets"), we strolled the Strip with 40's in our hands, we danced the night away...it was a blast and I will never forget it. On the trip home it was decided: this would need to be an every year thing.

We made good on our promise the following year. We stayed in a better location (MGM Grand is THE BEST!) and enjoyed the lazy river hung over...and still drinking.

By then the buzz had started. Brie'n and I always had such a good time, and came home with such good stories, our co-workers began to ask us, "When are you going next.....and can I come?" And so we planned it. We collected a bigger group, organized the rooms and flights and it was set. Labor Day weekend 2010! There were a lot of us, and it was crazy, and again we couldn't wait to go back.

Then this went and happened:

Two of us original four decided that babies were more important than our annual Vegas trip.... just kidding :) In any case, Vegas missed the "Seattle Girls" in 2011.

Now that it is 2012 I feel like I'm expecting a phone call any day. "Hello Vegas, yeah, we need some more alcohols and we need some more beers."

So let's set the date Brie'n. I need something to count down to :)

THE Lemon Cupcakes

A few years ago I was in search of the perfect lemon cupcake. I could have spent hours messing with a homemade concoction but why, when a modified box cake is just as good, if not better!?! I bought boxes and boxes of every different brand of lemon cake mix and every time I made them I tweaked the recipe just a little bit differently. All of them tasted good (you can't really go wrong with a boxed cake mix), but I have finally perfected the recipe. I used to think that I had to keep all of my tips and tricks to myself, but I've decided it would be criminal to keep these to myself - they're just too good!

The first and most prominent ingredient is the cake mix. It's from Pillsbury and is their Moist Supreme Cake Mix in Lemon. In our area it seems to be difficult to find but when I run into it I buy every box they have.

Now for the tweaking:

The back of the box says that all you need is 1 cup of water, 1/2 cup of oil and 3 eggs. The ingredients you'll need to make it my way are:

1/2 c. water
1/2 c. fresh squeezed lemon juice (approx 3 lemons)
1/3 c. oil
3 eggs
2 tbsp fresh lemon zest

Then, follow the directions on the box! Here they are in case you need them:

1. Set oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with baking cups. (My favorite are these ones from Reynold's.)

These Reynolds^® Baked for You^® StayBrite^® Baking Cups are THE BEST because they don't get the soggy, oily, see-through look a lot of the baking cup liners get.

2. Blend cake mix, water, lemon juice, oil, eggs and lemon zest in a large bowl until moistened. Beat with a mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. (I set the timer and mix for exactly two minutes.)

3. Bake 18-22 minutes. Let fully cool before frosting.

FROSTING
Again I have experimented many times with this frosting to get it just right. Here are the ingredients you need:

3 - 3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened (DO NOT MELT)
1/3 c. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. lemon zest

With a mixer, beat together the powdered sugar, butter and lemon juice. Once well combined, add milk and lemon zest. If it seems to thick continue to add lemon juice a tablespoon at a time until the perfect consistency. If you want them to look yellow you could add some food coloring but I prefer to leave it natural.

Here is what they look like when you're finished:

 I like to add a little slice of candied lemon to make them cuter but it definitely isn't necessary.

There is something about lemon that is so fresh and delicious. I am constantly asked to bring these to social functions and they really are easy to make.

Enjoy!

Operation Make Dollars on Etsy

In case you didn't already know, I own my own business with one of my bestest friends. We started out making wedding invitations and then, upon request, we expanded our business into planning weddings. It has been a wild ride. We have spent hours and hours with a computer, a printer, a paper cutter and glue dots. We have laughed hysterically, we have gotten angry (mostly at technological equipment) and we have totally stressed out. This past year my dear friend Brie'n had a baby and so we decided to take some time off. Now that time is over and we are forced to evaluate where we want to take our business going forward.

We currently belong to the Snohomish Wedding Guild and had our monthly meeting tonight. In May we are participating in the Snohomish Wedding Tour and will be at Craven Farm which means we have to start planning the event. While we have had a great time planning this event in the past, this year everyone seems a bit less enthused than previous year's. It could be the economy, it could be the number of new members in the Guild, it could be that we're just at the end of our planning journey and need to start something new.

On the way home we chatted about the possibility of dedicating more of our time towards expanding our Etsy store. Brie'n and I are both pretty crafty. With her new addition she has expanded her crafting repertoire to include adorable projects for babies. She wants to start crocheting. I am becoming more and more obsessed with organizing in a pretty and sensible way. I also still love paper crafting. We are two peas in a pod when it comes to our passion for crafty stuff. And we have complimentary talents - where I lack skill, she is proficient and vice-versa.

An invitation we created for Kirk and Tiffani
Photo complements of our incredibly talented friend Laura Marchbanks

And so we have some work to do.

We really need to make a decision whether the planning thing is something we still want to pursue. From our discussion tonight I get the impression her passion for it is as deflated as mine. It's not that I don't get satisfaction from seeing an event that we created come together flawlessly (at least in the eyes of the bride), I'm just not so sure I'm willing to subject myself to that much stress anymore.

We also need to get our Bella Vita blog back up and current to bring the world a way of connecting with us, not only for the products we create but to indulge in the ups and downs of the creative process with us.

One of our issues is: What should we make? What will sell?

So tell me: What kinds of crafts do you see on Etsy, or Pinterest, or somebody's blog, that you wish you could make but either lack the craft gene or just don't have time? What would you be willing to pay for that item?

Beef Wasabi Tacos

We tested out a new recipe and I had to share. These tacos were delicious; I just can't say enough about them. I got the recipe from Better Homes & Gardens and, of course, altered it a bit.

First, we seem to be having a ton of pork dishes on our menus lately (maybe we should be seriously thinking about raising pigs) and so I decided that I would substitute beef in these tacos. Other than that, I didn't really change much - though I have some ideas to improve on this already good recipe for next time.

Here's the recipe as I made it:

1 1/2 lbs top sirloin steak, cut into cubes
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
8 raw flour tortillas, cooked just before serving
2 tsp. wasabi paste
4 tbsp water
4 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp white rice vinegar
3/4 tsp sugar
3-4 cups of napa cabbage, chopped
2 large carrots, shredded
1/2 English cucumber, sliced thin lengthwise
1/3 bunch cilantro

1. Cut the top sirloin into chunks and put them into a Ziploc bag with the hoisin sauce and let them marinate for an hour and a half.
2. While the beef is marinating, prep the cabbage, carrots, cucumber and cilantro.

3. Once marinated, skewer the beef chunks onto 6" skewers (enough for about 4 chunks of beef).

4. Place on a rack on top of a foil-lined baking sheet (much less mess later) and broil for 8 minutes, flipping skewers every two minutes.

5. In a Mix & Pour or a small bowl, combine the wasabi paste, water, canola oil, rice vinegar, and sugar. Whisk together until combined.

6. Place a non-stick pan on medium heat. Once warm cook raw tortillas until just light brown and bubbly.

7. Serve by placing veggies and a skewer of beef on top of a tortilla. Drizzle wasabi sauce over the filling, fold and eat!

These really were delicious and the wasabi sauce was not too hot for my kiddos or the hubs. They are reminiscent of a sort of Latin fusion paired with the Banh Mi sandwiches that I love at the Saigon Deli in the International District in Seattle. P.S. If you haven't ever tried a Banh Mi sandwich you MUST try them. They are outrageously inexpensive and are to-die-for good. My favorite is the barbecue pork. They have a special mayonnaise, pickled vegetables, cilantro and fresh jalapenos. Wowee, my mouth is watering just thinking about them!

We all really liked them as tacos, but this is what I plan to do with this recipe next:
I want to try using the carne asada cut beef you can find at the supermarket and marinate it in the hoisin sauce overnight. Next, I will leave the water out of the wasabi sauce and instead use mayonnaise to thicken it up. Hopefully by some miracle I will be able to find a really good baguette to put it all on. Oh, and the jalapenos, at least on mine I'll add fresh sliced jalapenos.

I seriously can't wait to morph this recipe even more!