Pinned this...made that! Talapia and quinoa cakes

Pinned this...

Source: gavanmurphy.com via Janet on Pinterest

Source: anediblemosaic.com via Janet on Pinterest

made that!

 

Quinoa cakes tasted great, but definitely did not hold together AT ALL. Talapia was a bit bland by itself, but  when paired with the rest of the dinner, was very yummy.

Pinned this...made that!

I know I don't have many followers, but the main reason I write this blog is for me to document my own thoughts and adventures as a way to remember, reflect, and reminisce. (And it archives things since I'm terrible at keeping up with my scrapbooks and journals!). So, I'm starting a new series, Pinned this...made that!

I spend so much time pinning recipes on Pintrest and I really want to go back to cooking regularly like I did last year. So I figured I would start a series to document my efforts to cook what I pin. Don't know how long this will last or when I will post. But, it will be fun!

Makeshift Closet

My projects always seem to back up. Some day I will learn how to not procrastinate or maybe just how to not bite off more than I can chew :)

I've been trying to finish many started projects, but in the mean time, I figured I would share a projects that Nathan and I finished a while ago.

I've been reading the "Love Your Little House Series" at On the Banks of Squaw Creek. Someday when I own my own little house, I will be able to do more permanent projects and buy furniture that fits a space a little better, but right now that doesn't seem practical for a rental.

We have no closets on our first floor, so we had to improvise since I really hate when jackets get thrown over the banister on the stairs. Here's what we ended up with (never mind that I will have a MILLION holes to fill when we move out):

Cheesy...absolutely!

Art by Jennifer Hall

If only it looked this tidy all the time!

My Valentine

Valentine's Day was fairly uneventful. Not bad, just low key.

The cutest part of the day - watching a middle school relationship begin! I know it sounds a bit weird, but it was so fun watching two of the sweetest kids in the world beam and blush all day, avoid each other like the plague at the school dance and awkwardly meet the parents when they got picked up. Sometimes the conversations that I over hear at school scare me and make me feel old. They are so young and talk about such adult things. Now I know a lot of it is talk, but a lot unfortunately isn't just talk. It was really refreshing to see 2 middle school students exploring the idea of dating in such an age appropriate manner!

In other news, I made sure Monday night was my night to pack lunches. Nathan got a themed lunch, which I'm sure he rolled his eyes at.

It was completed with a PB + J sandwich cut into a heart!

Thanks BHG February issue and Design Dazzle for the great ideas!

Super Project Weekend

I didn't partake in the super bowl festivities last weekend. But, I did craft up a super storm.

Nathan and I have had 2 blank canvases for a long time - like since we moved in to our current house back in September. We painted them teal to match the bird in a painting we had in our room and then did nothing else to them. Until I pinned this painting from Etsy and recreated it myself!

This is what I ended up with. Needs some tweaking, but it's certainly better than blank teal canvases.

Then, I went to JoAnn Fabrics and picked up some pretty fabric, ribbon, and upholstery tacks. I used a broken table top and some left over batting to create this....

Trying to hammer the tacks caused me to say a few choice words. But, after all but but 2 of the 24 tacks in the box and a little help from Nathan, we hung my French Picture Board up and I must say, it looks fab! 

Back to School Nervous Tummy

Back to school in the morning and I can't sleep.....

I don't usually make New Years Resolutions because I try to make change when the need arises and not simply at the New Year. But, this year, I made a few resolutions. One BIG one in particular and it starts tomorrow.

I generally vent to Nathan but then do nothing to fix it. I just gripe and complain. It takes a toll on him and our relationship and destroys the balance of our home. He never complains about it to me, but it bothers me.

I read an article in a magazine over break (Whole Living or Real Simple) that talked about the danger of "talking it out." Basically the article said that if you "talk it out" you only end up transferring your stress and frustration to someone else.Valid point, yes, but what about when I need to talk it out because it helps me see multiple sides of an issue? That's why I devised my resolution.

I will not vocalize my frustration or vent to Nathan about anything work related until:

1. I have taken a few deep breaths
2. I have written down, journaled about, and reflected on the problem myself
3. I am ready to really brainstorm workable solutions

Let's see how I do!

Veggie Chili

Being back in MN for the holidays is wonderful. Still getting pampered. But, sometimes I have to help out as well :) The family is so wonderful about my desire to eat vegetarian. Who knows how long this "project" will last, but I really enjoy not having meat in my diet. Anyhow. Mom asked me to make dinner for my dad and Nathan while she was at Grandma's. Mom suggested veggie chili. I was only half listening when she was doling out instructions :) so I agreed to cook something that I have never actually made. Ooops. The final product was quite tasty. Although, I certainly wouldn't call it chili. Chili in my mind will always give you gas and must be consumed with large amounts of cheese. This soup, except maybe for those not accustomed to large amounts of fiber, will not give you gas. And, it didn't pair well with cheese. Definitely not chili. It did however, pair nicely with corn bread. The recipe is adapted from a few recipes I found online. Here's my best recollection of what I made. Wish I had pictures...

Veggie Chili/Soup

2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion (mine was yellow), diced

1 tablespoons jarred garlic – probably 3 cloves of fresh

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 ½ teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 carrots, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes including the liquid

2 cups water

2 cups vegetable broth

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can chick peas, rinsed and drained

Directions

1.     Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.

2.     Add onions. Cook until soft.

3.     Add spices and cooked until fragrant.

4.     Add the rest of the vegetables. Cook until beginning to soften. (I like vegetables in soups to be a little hard still, you could probably increase this cooking time if you like softer veggies in soup).

5.     Add tomatoes, water, and vegetable broth.

6.     Simmer for 45 minutes.

7.     Bring soup to a boil.

8.     Add beans.

9.     Reduce heat and simmer for 30 more minutes.