Friday, September 30, 2011

Orange pumpkin bowl

I got my Halloween decorations out this week.  It has been hot and very humid here the past week and I think the weather likes my decor because it is getting cooler :)  My mom painted this pumpkin bowl when I was a kid in her ceramics class.  It decorated our house every fall when I was growing up.  When my mom moved, she gave me a few halloween things to make my house fun.  I have always loved this bowl and I love putting it in my house now.  

Monday, September 26, 2011

Zipper pouch giveaway winner!!!

And the winner of the zipper pouch is.....


Congrats to Sam {fitnessfoodandfaith.blogspot.com} !!!!! I sent you an email Sam :) thanks so much everyone for entering!  

Friday, September 23, 2011

Guest Posting Today!

I am so excited to be guest posting over at Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy! today!!
I am sharing a tutorial for my weather board with weather friends.  Come over and say hi!

Also, don't forget about my giveaway!!!


Orange zumba band

2 weeks ago I started adding Zumba into my exercise routine.  I never did it before but have been wanting to try it for a while.  I really loved it!  If you have been thinking about trying it but were afraid to, you should just do it!  I love that there are different levels you can do the moves at so it is really inclusive to everyone.  It didn't even feel like working out, but I sure was sweaty at the end of the hour!
Our instructor gave out some Zumba bands at the end of class this week and PB stole it and has been calling it his watch.  Happy Orange Friday!!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Don't forget about the giveaway!!!


I am doing a giveaway of a custom zipper pouch!!! Click here to enter!!!! I am extending it a few days to get more people to enter! please enter i am so grateful to have such great readers and this giveaway is for you :)


I will be back on Thursday this week, I am guest posting a new project somewhere special :) I can't wait to share this new craft with you!!! 

Our water heater decided to start leaking out everywhere on Sunday.  It took us a while to figure out that it was the water heater.  Long story short I have been spending a lot of free time sucking water out of the carpet in the basement.  YUCK! So i'll see you Thursday!

Friday, September 16, 2011

Orange Vase


Not be be confused with other orange vases I have shared before, this one is made of wood and it is hand carved. My Father In-Law got this for me in India or Singapore when he was there for work.  I think he said India when he came back from traveling but last time he was here he said it was Singapore.  I think that when you go to too many cool places in a week, they all just blend together.  It hangs out on my fireplace and oranges up the mantle.

PB turned 2 and 1/2 this week and he started 2 year old playdays.
I just had to share a pic from our photo shoot.  This is his "i am smiling at you and being cute for M&M's" face.  
Happy Orange Friday and happy weekend!!!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

1 Year Already?!?! let's celebrate with a giveaway!!

GIVEAWAY GLOSED

So it turns out I was having so much fun with summer that I completely missed my one year mark with this blog.  So happy Blogiversary to me (2 months late)!! I started this blog over a year ago because I loved being a SAHM but I needed something that was just for me. This blog had been a great motivator to get my craft on and try new recipes. 

I have really enjoyed all the comments you leave and making a few new friends along the way!! Thank you so much for reading! In honor of my blogiverasry I am giving away a custom zipper pouch to one of my followers.  The winner gets to pick the colors and I will sew it up and mail it off to you!! I can't believe how great the last year has been.  I never thought anyone would even read this so thank you so much for being there so I don't look like a crazy person talking to myself :)

Before I tell you about the giveaway... Here are my most favorite things I have done this year:

In Pizza 101 I shared my basic dough recipe and all the different ways I make pizza.  Pizza is my most favorite thing to make for people who come to eat at my house.  

I got to guest host for the first time ever this year.  I am still pinching myself.  I can't believe I got to do a pattern review for The Summer of No Pants over at Hideous! Dreadful! Stinky!.

In lemon week I shared some lemon recipes and crafts.  My favorite is Lemon Lavender Cookies and also the Limoncello which we just finished and I need to make some more!


The Zipper Pouch Tutorial is one of my most popular posts and one of the first things I shared.

PB's owl Halloween costume!! I had so much fun making this.  I am starting to plan this year's costume.  I really want to do another animal but I am having a hard time deciding.  

Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bacon cookies.  I never would have had the motivation to make these if I didn't have this blog.  That would be a huge tragedy because they are life changing cookies!!

I look forward to Orange Friday every week.  I have shared almost 60 orange items in my house and I'm not going to run out anytime soon!  I don't know whether to feel pride or shame for that one.  I'll go with pride, I'm not a hoarder yet :)

Now onto the giveaway!!! One custom made zipper pouch could be yours :)

To Enter: 
1. Become a follower of everywhere orange.
2. Leave a comment and tell me what you would like to see more of next year or what your favorite thing has been so far.
3.  Be sure to include your email address, if it isn't in your profile, so I can contact you.
4. For an extra entry, like everywhere orange on facebook and come back here and tell me you like me :)

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

A new quilt

I just got a package in the mail yesterday! it was some fabric for a new quilt!!! I am making an I-SPY quilt for Peanut Butter's bed.  I was in the Crafterhours Spoonflower I-SPY swap last year and got all these fabulous squares.  I am sad that it has taken me a year to get started on this quilt, but better late than never.  I will have to work on this while I work on PB's halloween costume. I can't wait to show you what I have planned!!

Friday, September 9, 2011

Guest posting at Oops! I Craft My Pants


Happy Orange Friday!! I am guest posting my zipper pouch tutorial at Oops, I Craft My Pants today.  Come by and check it out!!

Orange Gym Bag

This is the bag I use to take my orange running shoes, socks, lock, water and headphones to the gym.  My cousin, D, gave me this bag, she knows how much I love orange :)

I signed up to do my first 5K in October so I have been training for the run.  I am really excited to do my first 5K and training has been going pretty good.  The race is in little over a month and I really am only interested in finishing and hopefully jogging the whole thing no matter how long it takes :)  Happy Weekend!

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Zucchini Cake

Well it's the last recipe in Zucchini Week, and this one takes the cake! 
I recently hosted an event at my house and needed a cake to serve my guests.  All those zucchinis were staring at me so I decided to look for a zucchini cake recipe.  I loved the lemon rosemary zucchini muffins so I decided to hit up Simply Recipes again.

This cake reminded me so much of a carrot cake but just with zucchini instead.  In fact the recipe is very close to my carrot cake recipe.  Anyway, here is the recipe for zucchini cake.  I used Jen from Beantown Baker's recipe for Cream Cheese Frosting.  My guests loved the cake and they didn't even notice the zucchini was in there.  Since there is zucchini in the cake it totally counts as a vegetable, right?

Thanks for tuning into Zucchini Week! 

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

zucchini fritters

 loved these!  They were like potato pancakes but I felt like they were healthy, you know as healthy a veggie fried in oil can be. :)  

II made two versions of these, both delicious.  One was Zucchini Cakes by Sam of Fitness, Food and Faith and the other was the Zucchini Fritters by Deb of Smitten Kitchen.  They were both fantastic and crunchy on the outside.  I am sharing both recipes because I would definitely make either recipe again.  With all the zucchinis our garden gave us, I was glad to be able to try both recipes!

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Stuffed Zucchini

Zucchini stuffed with spicy poultry sausage, zucchini, Parmesan cheese, tomatoes and topped with garlic bread crumbs.   YUM!
When I was making the zucchini lasagna I was thinking about making lasagna stuffed into the zucchini. I omitted the ricotta cheese from this one, but it is still something I would like to try.  The zucchini was perfectly done and what I love about this recipe is that the sausage can we switched out for any meat or even with veggies to make a vegetarian dish.  
I also love that it is it's own cute little package.  I am not a huge fan of peppers so I never make stuffed peppers.  I have made this twice so far, in 2 weeks.  I wish I would have made it earlier in the summer, this was one of our favorite new zucchini dishes.  PB was a huge fan too!

Stuffed Zucchini- recipe by me- serves 4

1 pound spicy italian poultry sausage, or your favorite meat
2 large zucchini hollowed out into boats
1 medium zucchini, chopped
olive oil
1/4 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 garlic clove, smashed
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 c bread crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
handful Parmesan Cheese
1 tomato, diced
salt
pepper

In a frying pan on medium heat, take sausage out of casings and break up into little pieces and cook until brown.  Make sure the sausage is in little pieces, it makes it easier to stuff. Set aside.

In a large pan place a few Tbsp of olive oil and cook onions and garlic with a pinch of salt and black pepper on medium heat until onions are translucent.  Toss in chopped zucchini and cook for 5-8 minutes, stir occasionally.  Don't let the zucchini get too soft.  Turn off heat.

In a small pan melt butter with smashed garlic.  When butter is melted and garlic is fragrant, add bread crumbs and stir.  Coat the bread crumbs in the butter and lightly toast.  Turn off heat, set aside. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place hollowed out zucchinis on a baking pan covered in aluminum foil.  Coat with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  

Beat an egg and stir it in the cooled zucchini, onion pan.  Stir in a handful of parmesan cheese, diced tomato and the sausage.  Divide the stuffing between the 4 zucchinis and stuff them full.  Top with the bread crumbs.  Bake for 40-45 minutes.  Tops will be golden brown.  

I linked up:
 

Monday, September 5, 2011

Fried Zucchini


When Hubby and I were talking about what we were going to do with all our zucchini, this was one of the first things that came up.  We don't have a deep fryer or normally deep fry things at home so this was a first for me.  They were delicious!! I am no longer scared to fry at home after trying this. We did make some mozzarella sticks and fried pierogies at the same time.  We already had the oil heated up, we figured we would have as much fun as possible!

Fried Zucchini- recipe by me

Approx 48 oz peanut oil
Panko bread crumbs
i egg beaten
1/2 c flour
salt
pepper
zucchini (amount depends on how many people)
frying thermometer

Put oil in a large pot on the stove on medium high heat make sure it is a few inches of oil, enough that the zucchinis can submerge the oil.  Place the thermometer in the oil.  You want it to heat to 350 degrees.  Cut zucchini into sticks, leave the skin on. Make sure you remove the seedy center.  Place flour in a bowl with a pinch each of salt and pepper.  Toss zucchini in the flour.    Coat zucchini in egg and then coat in the Panko bread crumbs.  The zucchini needs a second coating of egg and Panko to have a nice crispy crust.  So dip the already coated zucchini back in the egg and into the Panko. Lay the zucchini on a baking sheet until the oil has reached 350 degrees.  

Now that the oil has reached 350 degrees you are ready to fry! Place about 6 zucchinis into the oil at a time.  They are done when they are golden brown.  You can turn them with a slotted spoon or if you have a handy wire frying spoon.  Get a plate ready with a paper towel to drain.  Sprinkle some salt on the freshly fried zucchinis as they drain.  Serve hot.  We ate these without a sauce but they would taste great with ranch dressing!

Friday, September 2, 2011

Orange archway

I am taking a pause from all the zucchini for a little orange.  More zucchini recipes are coming next week!
This is the archway between our lounge and butler's pantry that leads to the kitchen.  Hubby gets all the credit for this one.  It was 100% his idea to paint it orange and he had to convince me to try it.  I am not adventurous when it comes to painting a wall.  I usually pick neutrals because we have some pretty loud accents.   
I am so glad he pushed me out of my painting comfort zone.   I wanted to paint it the same color as the wall. Our lounge looks so much more fun with an orange wall!  Happy Weekend!!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Zucchini Lasagna

Hubby, PB and I love lasagna.  Hubby and I had the most amazing lasagna in Italy a few years ago that I still dream about and one day hope to recreate.  I never even thought about using zucchini instead of noodles until we had a truck load in our kitchen waiting to be eaten.  Zucchini really made a great substitute for noodles; I was pleasantly surprised.  This would be a great option if you are watching your carbs.  We like spicy poultry sausage in our lasagna, so I still added that in.

The lasagna was a little watery so I took these pics after it cooled.  When I served it up the night I cooked it there was just a big delicious mess on my plate.  PB loved this dish.  He gobbled it right up!  My little secret is that I like to make lasagna in an 8X8 metal pan. Since it is only the 3 of us there is less to be eaten and the 8X8 pan is a little taller so I can squeeze in more layers.  More layers is what made the lasagna in Italy more delicious.   

Zucchini Lasagna-recipe by me- makes 1 8X8 pan

1 super large zucchini or a bunch of smaller ones
salt
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
olive oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp oregano
meat of your choice, I used about 3/4 pound spicy poultry sausage
15 oz container ricotta cheese
handful parmesan cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
handful parsley or basil chopped
pepper
8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
cooking spray

Using a mandolin or a knife, slice long thin and wide slices of zucchini.  trim the really seedy pieces out so it doesn't get too soggy.  Sprinkle some salt on the zucchini slices and let sit in a colander to drain.  Let drain about 40 minutes.

Set a sauce pan on medium heat.  Pour in a few Tbsp olive oil and the smashed garlic and red pepper flakes.  Once fragrant add in the whole can of crushed tomatoes, pinch of salt and oregano.  Let it come to a bubble and then turn down to low heat and cover.  

Brown meat and break up into small pieces. 

Mix ricotta, parmesan cheese, egg, parsley (or basil), pepper and about a handful of mozzarella cheese.  Set aside.  

When zucchini has drained for 40 minutes you are ready to build.  Spray an 8X8 pan with cooking spray.  Place enough sauce to just cover the bottom of the pan. Layer pan with one level of zucchini.  Spread ricotta mixture, sprinkle meat then top with a few dollops of sauce.  Layer more zucchini in opposite direction.  Repeat and end with zucchini.  Top with remaining sauce.  Bake uncovered for 35 minutes.  Top with mozzarella cheese and bake 10 minutes more.  
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