Map Art

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I think maps are so interesting and beautiful...so do a lot of others because it seems like maps are everywhere right now!   This picture is one of the first things I pinned when I joined Pinterest.  I loved the vertical trio of frames with the tall lamp.

 When we repainted the living room (which I promise I will show you the whole room soon!!) the poster I had in between the windows did not feel quite right.  I remembered 3 pictures frames I had been using on my old gallery wall that I had stuffed in the closet...they worked perfectly!

What I love most is that this project was free and is meaningful to our family.  The top map is of our town, the middle map is of my husband's state, and the bottom map we collected on a trip to Disney.  I think one of the most important things I have learned from bloggerdom is the realization that I do not have to spend a lot on my wall art.  (please pretend not to notice that one curtain is shorter than the other, it's on my "list" ....you probably have one of those "lists" too, right?!)

In case you have forgotten, here was the same wall just a few weeks ago!  Don't worry, in a decorating switch the poster (which I still love) has been relocated to the old gallery wall. 

 

What's for Dinner

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Tonight I tried two recipes that Pioneer Woman posted a few days ago.  Her Food Network cooking show premiers on Saturday morning and I cannot wait to watch!

Pork Chops with Apples & Creamy Bacon Cheese Grits

Oh my heck....it was delicious!!  I didn't make too many changes...I substituted apple juice for the white wine and half & half for the heavy cream.  Overall the recipes were easy to make and easy to follow....the only thing I should have done better is cut my bacon into smaller pieces.

I didn't even borrow the picture!  lol

OOOOOhhhhh....I forgot!  I did use quick cooking grits, simply because that is all I could find at the store.  Because of that the grits only needed to simmer for about 7 minutes before I added the cream and shredded cheese.

Two New Recipes

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In the last few days I have tried several new recipes and I wanted to share them with you.

Last night I made this coconut chicken with apricot sauce.

 

(I borrowed the picture)  I also added a little cayenne pepper to my dredging mixture...oh and I added a little soy sauce and water to the apricot sauce to thin it down, I then warmed it before putting it over the chicken.

It was a HIT!!  Everyone loved it and cleaned their plates...the yummy sauce even prompted McKinley to eat rice which he usually does not care to eat.

Yield: 4 servings
1 egg
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Preheat the oven to 400˚F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Lightly beat the egg in a medium bowl; set aside.  Mix the coconut, flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl.  Working with one chicken breast at a time, dip the chicken in the bowl with the beaten egg and then coat with the coconut mixture.  Place on the baking sheet.  Once all chicken breasts are coated and on the baking sheet, evenly drizzle with the melted butter.  Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, flipping once halfway.
To prepare the apricot sauce, mix the apricot preserves and the Dijon mustard in a small bowl.  Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

I also tried grilled sweet potatoes with a maple butter sauce from Sunny Anderson on Food Network.   I prefer my sweet potatoes really soft and this version left them still a little firm, next time I will bake them in the oven.  The maple butter was out of this world!!  I licked the spoon a few....dozen times.  lol

Ingredients

• 3 sweet potatoes, each cut into 8 lengthwise wedges
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Maple Butter, recipe follows
• Flaked sea salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Directions

Heat grill to medium-high heat.

Place the wedges in a large bowl and drizzle with oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Place on the grill, cooking on all sides until cooked through, about 10 minutes total. Remove and drizzle or brush with a bit of maple butter, sprinkle with salt and parsley to finish.

Maple Butter:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice

In a bowl, blend the butter, maple syrup and allspice together until light and smooth. Refrigerate and use as a spread or melt and drizzle over pancakes, grilled sweet potatoes or popcorn. Yield: 1/2 cup

Ikea Lack Side Table

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This is nothing new to blog world...but I am loving all the free printables you can find online these days!  They are a super simple and inexpensive way to add some whimsy to your decor.  Because they are essentially free, you can change them whenever the mood hits!  I already have several saved that I can't wait to use for fall and holiday decor.

I found this adorable quote on Pinterest yesterday.  You can download your own here.

Here is how mine looks on my little side table.

 

A few weeks ago while at Ikea with my husband, he threw this little table on the cart at the last second.  "I need a place beside the couch to put my drinks" he said....I figured for $7.99, why not at least try it?!  

I actually like the way it looks.  The white balances out some other darker furniture in our living room.  The $2.49 basket (I think I need to spray paint it a different color...silver, maybe?) underneath holds random pillows and of course it keeps my favorite catalogs in easy reach for me to browse when I have a free moment!  The wooden tray was something I had seen at Target, I bit the bullet (I say that because the little tray was 2.5 times the cost of the silly table!) and bought it along with some $1 starfish and sand dollars from The Christmas Tree Shoppes.

Cake Pops

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This week my nieces came to visit!  We had a blast swimming, going to the Indiana State Fair, shopping, and hitting downtown Indianapolis...somewhere in there we found time to make cake pops!

This was my first attempt at making them...

We took a picture of one of the "pretty" cake pops....but really they all turned out a tad sloppier.  We had a little trouble during the dipping phase.

The sloppy pops did not stop us from having a blast eating them though...they were delicious and fun!  I think I will make these for birthday snacks at school this year.

The little girls had lots of fun playing dress up for hours!

Mugshots

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Well, it's the first day of school.....I admit, it did a teeny tiny happy dance on the inside.  I have had a great summer with my kids, but boredom had definitely set in...it will be good for me to get back to work and them to get back into a routine.  

Here are the obligatory I look like I just rolled out of bed because it's the first I've been up early all summer long first day of school pictures!  lol

 I am cracking up because McKinley agreed to hold the sign at home, but not where anyone could see him.  Little did he know these pictures would be on my blog and probably facebook too...heehee...

I am also cracking up because they look like mugshots!  Hilarious!

Sugar & spice...and new canisters

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A few weeks ago I shared my inspiration for new chalkboard canisters.  The little project is complete and I am loving the new corner of my kitchen!

  Things have been busy around here the last week or so and I haven't had much time to cook in my new space.  I had the opportunity last night and I am so happy with the way things turned out!  I have to admit the whole Ikea knife magnet used to creep me out...but having my knives, canisters, and most used spices (kosher salt, black pepper, minced onion, minced garlic, seasoning salt, and Italian seasoning) right there above long counter makes cooking very seamless!

The chalkboard canisters were the perfect choice for me!  I am thinking of adding one more for powdered sugar or whatever else I might be using at the moment.  I love that the chalkboard allows me to rewrite what is in the canister and play with the "fonts."

I really wanted the metal scoops and my BFF saw them at Walmart...I ran out that day and picked them up!  They were $3.97 for 3.   The canisters were from Target and chalkboard contact paper came from Amazon.

In case you had forgotten here was my little kitchen corner before:

When projects don't work....

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Do you remember the last time I showed you my entry way...this was before we repainted everything to light blue...

I loved the leaf prints against the green...but against the light blue they did not work at all, they just blended into the lighter wall color.

I had the idea to repaint the canvases and spray adhesive these fun photo letters that I found at Hobby Lobby for $1.99 each to them.  (In case you are wondering the letters spell our last name.  lol) Well the project came out pretty good!  However...it looked horrible above the new mirror I picked up for over the dresser.    (If you haven't heard this...mirrors brighten up spaces and it's true!  I love what that little mirror has done for my entry.)  The scale was way too large.

 

Here is a grainy picture I took with my phone to give show you how it looked.

On my last trip to Ikea I picked up some Ribba frames and the scale is much better!  I also snagged a large wire basket for $2.49 that fits perfectly under the dresser.  It's a great place to stash things that need "returned"...such as library books or Target purchases gone wrong.

I am keeping the canvases and will use them somewhere else in the house.  ;)  So there is my project that didn't quite work out, more sneaks of my new paint color, and my new entry mirror.

Now I have to make a decision on if  I want to paint that dresser or leave it stained...I am on the lookout for a new lamp...I need to pick up some Rub 'N Buff for the dresser knobs...look for a new rug...it never ends!

Never too late...

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...to start new traditions, right?

I have always loved when I see first day of school pictures and the kids are holding a sign telling what grade they are entering.  Yet, I have never done this with my own kids....

Today on Pinterest I came across these adorable, FREE, printables. Perfect!  CLICK HERE to print your own!

7th Birthday

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I know every mom says this...but seriously...where does the time go? I cannot believe my baby girl is 7! Yesterday was her birthday and in my true fashion I waited until about Wednesday to start planning her party.

Because our house is small and gets hot in the summer, I decided to order pizza. I invited my mom, dad, sisters, and BFF's family. My planning also morphed into a Soda Shop theme...

Stephanie over at room*6 whipped up one of her signature patchwork skirts on Friday for Evie to wear! Make sure you check out her Etsy store! I found the free birthday printable on Pinterest.

Welcome to Evie's Soda Shop! I admit...I wanted to buy cool looking bottles of different soda flavors...but after much debate in the grocery store, I knew the kids would love the little cans and they were $15 cheaper.

I made the little signs in photoshop and my sister helped me with the pizza banner...she also taught me how to make the tissue pom pom's. The "sundae" cupcakes were topped with little cherry candies, sprinkles, and a straw. I was going to do an ice cream toppings bar...but again...after pricing it out root beer floats were more affordable and my kids LOVE them! I did pick up a set of Mason jars to use as our frosty mugs. We rounded out the soda shop with a bright tablecloth, strawberry lemonade, and a little candy bar for the kids to make goody bags.

The kids had a blast and loved their root beer floats!

Happy Birthday dear, sweet Evie! I love you so much!

Sweet & Tangy Pork

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While we were on vacation we ate the most amazing pulled pork! Ever since then I have been trying to replicate the taste...I stumbled upon this recipe and gave it a try today. I think it was pretty close!

Here is what you need, along with a pork loin roast.

In a bowl mix:

Jar of apricot preserves
Minced onion (or chopped fresh onion)
2 Tbs dijon mustard
2 Tbs Soy Sauce

I threw in some salt, pepper, and minced garlic because I figured why not?!

Cook in your slow cooker on low for 8-10 hours, shred and allow it to cook in the juices for another 30 minutes or so...

Here is the final result! This would also be great with cole slaw or thin sliced cucumbers on the sandwich. Tomorrow night we will be having leftovers...pork nachos with cheese and salsa!