Recipes & craft ideas galore!

My idea came from Martha Stewart site:


I http://www.marthastewart.com/article/bird-mobile

I didn't follow her's to exact detail, because I was trying to use stuff on that I had on hand! I like to reuse stuff , to make new stuff with!

I didn't have any cherry blossom flowers, so I took the smallest flowers I had, mix some red & white watercolor paint & painted the flowers with that!



Here's them painted:


The mobile was very easy to make, when looking for the supplies, not everyone knows what armature wire is, if you got to AC.Moore, they will have it in the art supplies section.



Here is a picture of the final product!

I also finished Emma's curtains finally! They took me sometime, with moving & plus dealing with my sewing machine lol! Ugh that thing frustrates me to noooo end!



I recently was browsing esty & saw this lady was selling "kissing balls" for valentines day! I thought they were soo cute so I just analyzed her's & made a couple! They were very time consuming but very cute!


Here's a hair clip holder, I made for all of Emma's clips & bows!


I made some amazing 3 Cheese bread , that I have to absolutely share with you all! I found the recipe on PaneraBread.com.


Three Cheese Bread
STARTER
1 cup (8.375 ounces) warm water (95-105° F)
2 teaspoons (0.25 ounces) fresh yeast
1 cup (4.875 ounces) all-purpose flour
DOUGH
3/4 cup (5.75 ounces) warm water (95-105° F)
3 tablespoons (2 ounces) honey
4 teaspoons (0.5 ounces) fresh yeast
1/4 cup plus one teaspoon (2 ounces) vegetable shortening
4 3/4 cups (23 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon (0.5 ounces) salt
1/2 cup (2 ounces) 1/2-inch cubes Romano cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) 1/2-inch cubes Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) 1/2-inch cubes Asiago cheese
starter (recipe follows)
TO CREATE THE STARTER, combine the water and yeast in a medium mixing bowl. Stir to dissolve the yeast fully. Add the flour to the bowl and stir until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Cover with a cloth and ferment the starter at room temperature for 30 minutes.

FOR THE DOUGH, combine the water, honey and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir to dissolve the yeast fully. Add the shortening, flour, salt, cheeses and fermented starter. Mix on low speed until the dough is fully developed. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl.

Divide the dough into 2 pieces weighing about 22 ounces each. Set aside any remaining dough and freeze for future use. Roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball. Place the dough on the counter or in a proofing basket and cover with a warm, damp cloth to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400° F.

Form the dough into loaves, cover with a warm, damp cloth and proof at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Score the loaves with a sharp knife, spray with water and bake for 30 minutes, or until the crusts are a deep golden brown and the middle of the loaves is 190-200° F.

Remove the bread from the oven and place on a cooling rack for 30 minutes. If the bread was baked in loaf pans, remove the bread from the pans before cooling.



I simply adore Martha Stewart website! I could spend hours just looking through all her craft ideas! I recently tried her making her paper roses out of coffee filters! Thats right coffee filters! Here's the link to her tutorial on how to make them!
http://www.marthastewart.com/article/paper-roses

I only made a few for my kitchen!


I'm going to be post some pictures of some easter decorations I made! Here's a preview of what is to come :


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*~Tonights Menu~*

Herbed Beef Stew~Crock pot recipe! & cheesy Biscuits!

1lb of beed round cubed
4 Tbsp, seasoned flour * recipe below*
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 garlic clove
1 bay leaf
4 carrots sliced
3 potatoes, cubed
2 onions sliced
1 rounded tsp, frsh thyme or 1/2 tsp of dried thyme
1 rounded tsp chopped fresh basil or 1/2 tsp dried basil
1 TBsp fresh parsley or tsp dried parsley


Seasoned flour
1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp peper

1. Put meat in slow cooker. Add seasoned flour. Toss with meat. Stir in remaining ingredients. Mix well.
2. Cove. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low 10-12 hours!



Put meat in slow cooker.


Cheese Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon dried chives
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, chives, garlic salt and salt. Cut in the shortening until the mixture has only small lumps. Add milk and cheese and stir until moistened. Drop dough by heaping spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden.

She's 2 years old!

Well.. recently my daughter just turned 2 years old! She had princess theme party, with a princess doll cake! It was my very first time piping & I really enjoyed myself! I also made a princess crown pinata! I had such a fun time making all her decorations! Here's some pictures from her party! Enjoy!

Also be on the look out for a few more post of some crafts I've been working on, plus a tutorial on how to make flowers out of card-stock! I'm actually thinking of doing a video one!

Banana Milk Drink

So I found this recipe on allrecipes.com but changed it up.

1 large ripe banana
1 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons honey ( the original recipe called for sugar)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 dash ground cinnamon *optional* the original recipe called for it but it's good with or without.
Hand full of ice

Directions

Place the ingredients in a blender except cinnamon; cover and process until smooth. Pour into glasses; sprinkle with cinnamon if desired. Serve immediately.

Cookies, Cookies, Cookies!

Coconut Macaroons

1 (14) ounce Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk ( I didn't have any on hand, so I made my own) *Recipe below*
1 egg white, whipped
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1 (14) ounce packaged flaked coconut

1.Preheat oven to 325*
2.In large bowl, combine the condensed milk, egg white, extracts and coconut; mix well. Drop by teaspoons onto foil-lined greased & floured baking sheets; slightly flatten each mounded with a spoon.
3. Bake 15-17 mins or until lightly browned around the edges. Immediately remove from baking sheets. ( Macaroons will stick if allowed to cool on baking sheets0; cool on wire racks. Store loosely covered at room temperature. Makes about 4 dozen.

SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK SUBSTITUTE
2 eggs
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Mix all ingredients and use as a substitute for sweetened condensed milk in recipes for pies, bars and desserts.

*Pecan Pie Cookies*

Cookie
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup land O Lakes butter, softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Filling
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup firmly packe brown sugar
1/4 cup Heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 350*
Combine all cookie ingredients except flour & baking powder in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour & baking powder. Beat until well mixed.

Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Make indentation in each cookie with thumb; rotate thumb to hollow out slightly.

Combine all the filling ingredients in small bowl; fill each cookie with 1 rounded teaspoon filling.

Bake 8-12 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.

It's that time of the year!!

We had our family pictures taken on Saturday by the amazing Live View Studios : http://www.liveviewstudios.com/

Here some of our pictures:











We have family newsletter that I will be posting in the next couple days! Be on the look out for that! Have a blessed Monday!

Love never fails,
Sarah Nicholson


"Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men"
Psalm 07:8

Throw Pillows~

Last night I stayed up super late, but it was worth it to make these super cute throw pillows! I ended up using some curtains that I found at local thrift store for the fabric!

You will need:
fabric
pillow stuffing
ruler
pencil

I cut two pieces of fabric 15x15 right-sides together & doubled sewed all the sides together so they wouldn't come undone in the wash. Then I stuffed them with pillow stuffing & sewed the final hem!

My favorite Pizza Crust

Ingredients

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar I have used Honey in place & it taste just as good.
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
Directions
Very easy to make in kitchenaid or any other mixer.
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar or honey in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes.
Stir the salt and flour all together in the bowl. After the yeast has set, add in the oil. Then add spoons of flour until its all mixed together. Let it knead in the mixer until the dough isn't sticky
Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it.
Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.