Flipped Curtains

I realize that this is a cooking blog so in theory I should only be posting cooking stuff but I am a rebel and its my blog so I can do what I want  :) This is first and foremost a mommy blog. I have other super powers besides cooking so I may post my little tips or tricks here from time to time.  Today's blog delves into one of my favorite things...decorating. We are in the process of trying to sell our house so this week and next week I am doing little repairs to prepare for an open house (fresh coats of paint, changing the switch plates, spray painting the vent covers etc.) Since painting Miss Lily's room last year I had not purchased curtains for her window, she had blinds and it was not a necessary expense but it did leave it looking a bit blah.I found a pair of pink tab top valances that used to hang in Emme's room that matched Lily's room perfectly, there was only one problem...Lily's curtain rod was just one of those cheapie ones, not exactly attractive with tab top curtains. So...as the saying goes...when life gives you lemons...add sparkle!

Here is what I started with:

Regular pink tab top valance

Cheapo curtain rod

Note the thick hem at the bottom of the valance, this made covering up that cheapo curtain rod simple but then I was left with the tab tops hanging down. Mind you, this didn't  look awful but I had horrible visions of people walking through my house and thinking 'what kind of doofus doesn't know how to hang a tab top valance? I'm certainly not buying this place, who knows what else she has screwed up' and then we would never sell our house...all because of a curtain. SO I just decided I needed to make those tabs look intentional. I made the short trip to Lowes and picked up a couple packs of replacement chandelier crystal prisms (these were less than $5 a pack)

BLING!

Now here is what you do:

STEP ONE open up the hanging wire at the top of the prism, pinch the bottom closed to secure the prism and bend the top up and to the side so it looks like a coat hanger.

You want to bend the hook to the side so when you lace it through the tab your crystal hangs facing forward

STEP TWO thread the hook through the tab pinching and gathering the fabric until you are through then bend the wire closed around the tab.

Fab-a-lous

And here is what you end up with:

perfect...well except for my crappy lighting

Now if the house doesn't sell I know it isn't because of the curtains! :)

Breakfast Burritos (freezer meal)

If my girls had their druthers they would have a full spread for breakfast every morning. Cereal is really more of a last resort in this house, Lily tends to be a muffin, cinnamon roll and pancake girl whereas Emme gravitates towards protein (she's like her Momma) so its usually eggs,bacon/sausage on her lists of wants. When we started doing the Once a Month Cooking I wanted to come up with freezer breakfasts that would have that Saturday morning feel that could be prepared on a Monday morning time frame. These breakfast burritos are not only yummy, they are quick and loaded with protein to keep little bellies sustained until lunch.

You will need:
1 package of (10) flour tortillas
1 large carton of liquid eggs
1 log (16 oz) of sausage
1 bag (2 cups) shredded cheese of choice (I recommend cheddar)


Step One:
Brown your sausage and drain any grease

Step Two:
After you have drained any grease  move the browned sausage to one side of the pan and start pouring the egg substitute into the cleared side about a cup at a time mixing it into the sausage as it cooks until the entire carton has been added.

 

Step Three:
Scoop about 2 tbsp. of your sausage/egg mixture into the center of a burrito shell and top with cheese before rolling and placing seam side down on a wax paper lined cookie sheet.

Note there are only 8 burritos in this picture, I am sad to report that two of them lost their lives to the chef...they were delicious.

 Step Four:
Place the cookie sheet in the freezer and flash freeze the burritos until they are frozen enough where you can pick them up without the shell unwrapping. Wrap each burrito individually in foil and place them in a labeled freezer bag for storage.

To prepare simply unwrap from foil and wrap in a paper towel (this is key, if you don't wrap it in a paper towel it takes longer to heat and you end up making the wrap crispy), microwave for 1 minute- 1 minute 30 seconds depending on microwave until heated through and cheese is melted. ENJOY!
*CAUTION* just like hot pockets (or as we call them...lava pockets) any liquid released from defrosting can be HOT, I suggest eating it over a plate not your lap or tipping it up and letting any liquid drain before wrapping it in a paper towel for on the go.


 

Grandma's Bundles...with a twist

We all have that one meal we remember from our childhood, the quintessential "Moms cookin" meal that we equate with comfort and family,  for me that meal was "Bundles Casserole". Bundles Casserole was a recipe  from my grandmother on my Dad's side, there was a story behind how it got its name, one I cannot remember at the moment, but it had something to do with a family friend with the last name  Bundles...apparently this was his favorite...as it is mine. The original recipe is very much like Shepherds Pie, being topped with mashed potatoes and then a layer of shredded cheese (feel free to make it this way as well) but for the blog post I am making "Bundles Bundles" YUM YUM!

In hindsight the presentation of this would have been much better on an actual plate...but I was hungry and it was either this or eat it directly off the cookie sheet.

You will need:
1 pound ground round
1/2 can cut green beans (drained)
1/2 can whole kernel corn (drained)
1/2 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 small 8oz can of tomato sauce
2 cups shredded cheese of your choice (I suggest colby jack)
2 cans of crescent rolls

*Note since I made freezer meals I doubled the meat and used the full can of each* 

Step One:
 Brown your hamburger and drain the grease
 
 Step Two:
After you have drained the grease from your pan add the beans,corn,cream of chicken soup, tomato sauce, and cheese to the meat and stir until all is mingling.

Looks like slop but it is the perfect combination of yummy

 Step Three: 
  Unroll a tube of crescent rolls and separate into four rectangles pinching the diagonal seams closed.

 Step Four:
 Just like the Chicken crescent bundles spoon mixture into center of rectangles, i use a cookie scoop and add two scoops each (about two tablespoons)
 Grab opposite corners and give them a swirl at the center of the bundle. Repeat with the other corners, tucking in any openings on the sides to seal it up. Repeat steps 3-4 for second can of crescent rolls and place all 8 bundles on a cookie sheet.

bottom left shows amount of filling,top left shows bundle

To Freeze:

If you intend to make this a freezer meal, put the baking sheet in the freezer and flash freeze. Once frozen, place in labeled Ziploc bag.

To Bake:

If you are preparing these right away simply pop into the oven, 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until crescent roll is cooked completely and is golden brown.

If you are preparing them from the freezer, thaw completely overnight or during the day before baking 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. 

TA-DA! Bundles with a twist