Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Chicken "Saltimbocca"


Quantity : 2 servings
Preparation : 5 min Cooking : 10 min
280 calories/serving

Ingredients
1 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, thinly sliced 300 g
1 tbsp white flour (all purpose) 8 g
6 leaves fresh sage 2 g
35 g Parma ham/Prosciutto 3 slices
6 toothpicks
1 tbsp olive oil 15 mL
2 tbsp white wine 30 mL
1 pinch salt [optional] 0.2 g
ground pepper to taste [optional]
1/4 cup chicken broth, low-sodium 65 mL
2 tsp butter, unsalted 9 g

Before you start

Keep the serving plates in the oven at the lowest setting so they are warm when you serve.

Method

Slice the breast horizontally into very thin cutlets. Flatten these cutlets using a rolling pin or meat pounder. Coat each cutlet with the flour; then shake off the excess. Place a leaf of sage on each piece and cover with a slice of prosciutto. Use a toothpick to keep the small sandwich together.
Heat the oil in a pan. Working in batches, add a few cutlets at a time. Start with the chicken side down, and cook over high heat. After 3 min, turn to brown the prosciutto side. Deglaze with the wine. Lower the heat, cover, and cook 2 min. Season with a little salt (prosciutto is already fairly salty) and pepper to taste. Remove the cutlets from the pan and keep them warm. Repeat the operation with the remaining cutlets.
Pour the broth into the pan, then cook over high-heat until reduced by half, about 1 min. Remove the pan from the heat, then stir in the butter until it has melted, about 30 sec.
Place the cutlets on the warmed plates, remove the toothpicks, spoon the sauce over the cutlets then serve.

https://www.soscuisine.com/recipe/chicken-saltimbocca-less-sodium

Sunday, April 26, 2020

Movie Review: Bubba Ho-Tep (2003)


From Leonard Maltin's 151 Best Movies You've Never Seen . . . let me present to you the thrilling  Bubba Ho-Tep . . .

I'm usually not interested in monsters back from the dead kind of movies but Maltin hasn't steered me wrong yet so I decided to give it a try.

OMG . . . this movie is awful.  The story is that Elvis Presley wanted out of the music business so he found an impersonator to take over his life and he took over the impersonators life.  One night he falls off the stage at a Elvis-look-alike show and breaks his hip, ending up in a coma and waking up in the Shady Rest Nursing Home where he befriends JFK who is now black.  They took out part of JFKs brain and dyed his skin so he wouldn't remember that he was who he was and no one would be able to recognize him.  But the sand must have shifted because he remembers now.

Okay stop laughing.  It gets worse.  A mummy with a curse is stolen from an exhibit and lost by the mummy-nappers in an accident.  The mummy wants to live so he has to steal souls.  Where better to steal souls than a nursing home where a few dead residents will hardly be noticed?  The problem with stealing old souls is that they are kind of weak so the mummy has to steal lots of souls.

Are you still with me so far?  So Elvis and Kennedy gird for battle with a walker and an electric wheelchair to take out the evil cursed soul-sucking mummy.



I think I have to go watch it again . . . If you are a fan of B movies or movies of the soul-sucking mummy variety you should really check this movie out.  If you don't have a warped sense of humour, I would just skip it all together.

Saturday, April 25, 2020

Sketch Challenge 25 Apr 2020 ~ 10 photos 2 pages


I think this simple layout allows lots of room for your own creativity to show through.  Enjoy!

SPEED ROUND ~ Challenge #5 Stickers, Die Cuts, Rub Ons, and Swaps

Challenge #5 - Stickers, die cuts, rub ons, and swaps 
Scrapbooking Lot 45 pieces Stickers, Embellishments, Rub Ons, Die ...

Stickers, etc. are another great challenge to me. I have yet to find my perfect storage solution so once again I will be seeking inspiration from you. Please share your storage solution with us by posting photos at 
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.2886880564731151&type=3

Stickers, die cuts, and rub-ons are some of the hardest things to organize because the different sizes and shapes pose many challenges. Rub-ons present their own challenges because if they aren't stored properly, they stick to each other and then they are useless. 


It's time to make S.P.A.C.E. 


SORT

Time to be ruthless. Consider if you are really going to use these items. If you bought a whole sheet of die cuts just to use one or two tags, why are you hanging on to the whole sheet? Those stickers you bought in 1999 were adorable then, but definitely not your style now, are they? So, sort into piles: TRASH, SELL, DONATE, TO KEEP 

PURGE

Throw out the TRASH pile. Bag up, and assign a price and your initials to the SELL pile and put them directly into the garage sale box. Make immediate arrangements to rid yourself of the DONATE items. 

ASSIGN

The KEEP items need to be divided into categories that make sense to you: by colour, by manufacturer, theme, size, or type. 

My containers

CONTAINERIZE

Here is an article about storing stickers, die cuts and rub-ons: 

EQUALIZE

Take a few minutes at the end of each scrap session and whenever you return from a crop or a shopping trip to put your stickers, rub-ons and die cuts where they belong. 

While you are busy sorting your stickers you should also sort any swaps you’ve been holding on to.  Many of us have fallen victim to the lure of scrapbook swaps among local and online groups. All the hours, material, creativity, and postage costs make these items difficult to purge. But let's face it . . . not everything is YOUR style, you are NEVER going to use some of it. 

It's time to make more S.P.A.C.E.

SORT

Keep only what you love. If the colour or style does not make you smile, it must go. Keep only what is significant to you - don't keep the soccer page swap items if your kids are into hockey and dance. Sort into: KEEP, TRASH, SELL, DONATE

PURGE

Pack up the DONATE pile and give it to a beginner scrapbooker who might appreciate these items. Throw out the TRASH pile. Bag up and assign a price and your initials to the SELL items and put them directly into the garage sale box.

ASSIGN

Sort your KEEP items into categories, theme, holiday, colour, whatever makes sense to you.

CONTAINERIZE

Store your keepers in page protectors by theme in binders, or get them into giant ziplocs to create page kits for your next cropping session.

EQUALIZE

Next time a swap arrives in the mail, take a few minutes to toss or give away what you know you'll never use, create a page kit for your next cropping session, or put in a page protector in your swap binder for storage.

At one point in my scrapbooking life I participated in a ridiculous number of swaps. Not any more . . . So I can say that Challenge #10, for me, is done.

I'm off now to get some serious crafting done . . .

When you are done, please share a photo showing your storage system. Post here.

Thursday, April 23, 2020

Journal Prompt 23 Apr 2020 ~ History

Today's Writing Prompt: History

What were you doing a year ago today? 5 years? 10 years?


One year ago?  At a rally protesting against education cuts.



Five years ago?  I imagine I was getting packed for a pyjama party themed crop.


Ten years ago?  I did nothing.  I was pretty busy on the 24th though.  My friend's 50th birthday party and then to the community theatre for Lend Me A Tenor.







Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Marengo Chicken

This recipe is REALLY delicious!!!!  I served it with corn on the cob and couscous.


Quantity : 2 servings
Preparation : 10 min Cooking : 45 min
320 calories/serving

Ingredients
2 chicken legs, with back, skinless 600 g
2 tbsp white flour (all purpose) 16 g
1/2 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 shallots, finely chopped 40 g
7 button (white) mushrooms, sliced 100 g
1 tbsp butter, unsalted 14 g
1/2 tbsp olive oil 8 mL
1 bay leaf 0.2 g
1 sprig fresh thyme 0.4 g
1/3 cup white wine 85 mL
1/3 cup chicken broth 85 mL
2 tsp tomato paste 12 g
1 pinch salt [optional] 0.2 g
ground pepper to taste [optional]


Before you start

Put the serving dish in the oven at the lowest setting to keep the chicken warm.

Method

Coat the chicken with flour. Prepare the vegetables: Finely chop the garlic and shallot; slice the mushrooms.
Heat the butter in a pan, over medium heat and sauté the pieces thoroughly on each side until golden, about 6-7 min. Set them aside on the warmed serving plate in the oven.
Add the oil to the pan and heat. Add the garlic and shallot, bay leaf, and thyme. Cook 2-3 min. Pour in the white wine then scrape the bottom of the pan thoroughly as the wine comes to a boil.
Add the chicken back in. Add the warm broth and the tomato paste, cover, and simmer. Turn the chicken pieces 2 or 3 times during the cooking. Add the mushrooms to the pan after the chicken has cooked 30-35 min. Cook an additional 10-15 min. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

https://www.soscuisine.com/recipe/marengo-chicken

Sunday, April 19, 2020

Movie Review: The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio


I still have my trusty list of Leonard Maitlin's 151 Best Movies You've Never Seen.  Leonard Maitlin is a film critic and cinema historian.  The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio is on his list.

Starring Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson, the story is quite endearing.  Harrelson plays Kelly Ryan, a factory worker barely making enough money to support his wife and ten children.  Moore plays his wife, Evelyn.  Kelly is given to drinking binges and fits of rage.  When Kelly isn't drinking they are a happy family.

Evelyn has a skill which keeps the family going.  She writes prize winning jingles and sells the prizes when they arrive.  The problem is that her constant wins further alienate Kelly.  Although this scenario may sound like a "downer" the  movie is actually interesting, sweet and even funny at times.

I was very surprised to learn this movie is based on a book and the book is based on a true character.  This is a put-my-feet-up-with-a-cup-of-tea-in-the-afternoon kind of movie.  Enjoy.




Saturday, April 18, 2020

How To ~ What do you mean by I have to RIP the pretty paper?

Not everyone loves ripping paper.  I do.  But not everyone.  And I don't mind if my ripping is a bit wonky.  The wonkier the better.

But I do know some people who just hate the idea of ripping paper.  So here is how to rip paper in a tidy manner.


Fold your paper where you want the rip to be.  Open it flat again.  With a paintbrush, paint a line of water in the fold.



Now gently pull the paper apart.  Voila.  A ripped edge . . . but a tidy one!


Sketch Challenge 18 Apr 2020 ~ 1 photo 2 page layout


SPEED ROUND ~ What the heck is ephemera?

e·phem·er·a
/əˈfem(ə)rə/
noun
  1. things that exist or are used or enjoyed for only a short time.
    • items of collectible memorabilia, typically written or printed ones, that were originally expected to have only short-term usefulness or popularity.


      While you are organizing your photos is the perfect time to organize memorabilia, journaling notes, and create a holding album.

      Gather your memorabilia together in one spot. Sort by event name, or date, or whatever works for you.  Choose your storage system. You can use file folders, oversized manilla envelopes, 12 x 12” iris boxes or pizza boxes.  If you are making page kits you can include your memorabilia in or with the page kits.

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

SPEED ROUND ~ What about our finished layouts?


After an interesting discussion on our Facebook group a few months back I realized that finished layouts are something we've never included in our challenges . . . until now. Even if you don't have albums available or if your layouts are randomly done and not chronological, you still need to protect your finished layouts. I'm not the only one who has noticed that improperly stored layouts are prone to damage and missing pieces.

I suggest storing your layouts in pizza boxes, iris cases or some other safe environment where they won't be constantly handled and damaged . . . until it is time to put them in an album.

So Challenge #2A is to find a safe way to store finished layouts.

Chicken Cutlets Milanese



2/3 chicken breast, boneless, skinless (obviously I used a whole breast . . . LOL)
1 large egg
2 tbsp bread crumbs
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp canola oil
salt and pepper to taste

Tenderize the chicken by flattening the cutlets using a meat pounder.  Slice breast horizontally into 2-3 cutlets.

Prepare 2 shallow dishes:  beat the egg in one, and put the bread crumbs in the other.  dip one cutlet at a time in the egg, let the excess egg drip off before coating the cutlet with bread crumbs.  Turn the cutlets to coat both sides, then set them aside.

Heat the butter and oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, taking care not to let them burn.  Add the cutlets and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes on each side.  Add salt and pepper.  Serve on the warmed plates.

Any remaining beaten egg may be cooked as an omelet and served along side the cutlets.

Serves 2

Enjoy a make n take . . . Painting with Bleach

The pictures say it all . . .

Stamp images using StazOn ink

Pour a tiny bit of bleach in a dish

Paint designs on the stamped images




Monday, April 13, 2020

Hope Springs (2012)

Hope Springs (2012 film) - Wikipedia

Hope Springs . . . touching, romantic, hysterically funny, a little risque . . . a must see with the girls or with your favourite man.  Yep, it is that kind of movie.  It will be enjoyed by everyone especially the more mature audience.

Kay and Arnold have been married for 31 years and Kay is lonely.  In an attempt to reignite the spark in their marriage, Kay arranges for intensive couples therapy with a marriage specialist.  The hard part is getting Arnold to go.

That's all I'm going to tell you because I don't want to spoil the movie for you.  But I promise you will giggle, laugh out loud, perhaps shed a tear or two . . . but you will definitely be glad you watched it.

Hope Springs stars the magnificent Meryl Streep, the manly Tommy Lee Jones and the ever enjoyable Steve Carell.

SPEED ROUND ~ Challenge #1 Clean Your Work Space

SPEED ROUND ~ Challenge #1 Clean Your Work Space.

The first challenge of our ORGANIZATION CHALLENGE is to clear off your crafting work space. Maybe you have a desk committed as your craft space, maybe you have an entire room of tables, or maybe you have taken over the dining room table. Wherever you craft, completely clear off the entire surface of your work space, dumping everything into a big box. Give your surface a good scrub and polish, removing every speck of paint, adhesive, and uh.... is that chocolate????

Take a photo of your newly scrubbed craft space and upload it to our Speed Round Challenge #1 Album in our Facebook group.

Here is my BEFORE photos: 




And now for my AFTER photo:



My table is nicely scrubbed and ready for use.

Okay, now let's get to work on that big box of stuff.

Now is the time to learn that you need S.P.A.C.E. to craft:

* Sort * Purge * Assign * Containerize * Equalize *

We're going to use this method for each and every challenge of the Speed Challenge. So, let's go over this method:

SORT

Going object by object, divide everything in the big box into categories that make sense to you. You may want to have some baskets laid out and labelled: SELL, DONATE, TRASH, STORAGE (for stuff you want to keep but doesn't belong on or in your desk/work surface) , NOT IN HERE (for items that sneak their way into your craft space but belong elsewhere in the house) and ACTION (for items that you want to keep in or on your desk). Set up these boxes or baskets or whatever near the door of your craft room or, even better, outside of your craft room

Look very seriously at all your stuff and decide if you really need each item. If your answer is yes, you need to ask yourself if it belongs in your craft room. If you answer no to either question you need to PURGE it.

PURGE:

1) Throw out everything in the TRASH pile - all the ripped, broken, dried up, crumpled STUFF.

2) Bag up and assign a price and your initials to everything in the SELL pile, and put in your sale box.

3) Call the person who could use the DONATE pile, and immediately set up a time to drop off, bag it up, and hang on the door knob so it doesn't sneak back into your studio area. 4) Put the NOT IN HERE stuff where it belongs.

ASSIGN

You have a couple of options here for your STORAGE pile: put the stuff aside to be organized when we work on other areas, or (and I strongly suggest this alternative) put the items away where they belong using your current organization system.

CONTAINERIZE

Sort all of your ACTION items into the appropriate drawer, container, and boxes. Containerizing gives you a chance to make everything pretty and inspirational to you. You may need to make a shopping trip to purchases containers that you love to look at, are sturdy enough to withstand repeated openings and closings, and are the right size. Make a list and take measurements. Label everything.

EQUALIZE

Each time you finish a crafting session, return from a crop, or bring home new supplies, spend a few minutes putting everything away where it belongs. By the time you are done this challenge you will have “a space for everything” so put “everything in its place.”

SPEED ROUND ~ Day Dreaming

SPEED ROUND ~ Day Dreaming 


Why do we come up with cute, self-deprecating names for our crafts and our craft space? Why do we not take ourselves seriously?

Several years ago I realized the only thing holding me back from taking my work seriously was me. How could anyone else take me seriously when I didn't see my self as a serious craftperson?

I’m “only” a scrapbooker but I’m a scrapbooker who has been developing her talent for over 20 years, who has taught others, who has written books on the topic . . . so why wasn’t I taking my skill seriously?

I started ordering my business cards with my title, Paper Artist and Blogger. And my crop room became my studio. I may never become rich or famous but that doesn’t change the fact that I am an artist and what I create is very serious and very important to me. 


Organizing your creative space should be taken seriously too. Constant clutter will block your creative energy and keep you from doing your best work.

So it is time to do a little day dreaming. What would your perfect studio look like? How would you improve what you currently work in? Start jotting down ideas and making sketches. Go through some magazines looking for ideas you think would be perfect for you. What do you need in your creative space to make you enthusiastic and and yet content?

Take a look at the seating in your room. Are they comfortable to sit on for several hours of crafting? Do you want your seating to be on wheels or stationary? Do you have enough seating?

Take a look at your tables and other work surfaces. Is this enough space to craft? How about the height? Is everything at a comfortable height for me? Is there storage available as part of your work space or under your work tables?

Lighting? What kind of lighting do you have? Is it enough? How can you improve the lighting in your room? I personally prefer white light bulbs. Most light bulbs give off a yellow light which can skew your colour choices.

What about electrical outlets? Are they close to where you need them to be. Will you need extension cords or multi-plugs? How can you set up your space to take full advantage of the electrical outlets available?

How do you feel about the wall colour? If you can, paint your room using colour schemes that suit you. Unfortunately, I live in a building where we are not supposed to paint the walls. Yep, six rooms of beige. So I hang up art . . . only pieces that make me happy or give me happy memories. I have two Clark McDougall prints hung in my studio that bring me joy every time I look at them. And, of course, I’ve hung up some of my own art. My solution to the boring beige walls is art.






Look for your problem areas. Think of ways you can solve the problems. Take notes. Make sketches. Don’t think about costs yet. Don’t buy anything yet. That comes later. Just day dream . . .

SPEED ROUND: Craft Space Organization Challenge




Welcome to our Speed Round: 
Craft Space Organization Challenge 


For inspiration, sharing and support please join our Facebook group In My World: Craft Space Organization Challenge

This is my studio today . . .





It is the one room in our home that always seems to become a cluttered mess. As the clutter piles up it becomes harder and harder to find what I need. Same for you?

Today is the day to begin taking back your space so you can accomplish more and get more enjoyment out of your precious crafting time.

The problem with setting such a lofty goal . . . Cleaning My Craft Room . . . is that it is too big of a goal and there is no instant gratification. We have broken down the big lofty goal into 10 easier to attain goals and built in some rewards along the way. I am a big believer in gold stars and pats on the back. I think it is important to celebrate our successes.

The benefits of a Clean Craft Room are many.

* You’ll be able to enjoy your crafting time because you won’t spend the whole time looking for what you need. This also means you will get more accomplished.

* You’ll be able to save money because you won’t keep buying duplicates of the same products that you can’t find because they are buried somewhere under the mess.

* You won’t be embarrassed to have friends over to play.

* And, most important of all, you’ll be more creative and less stressed . . . and have control over your space.

These challenges were originally set up for scrapbookers but they work quite well for just about any type of crafter . . . which is a good thing for me. I did manage to kick my husband’s leatherworking station out of my space but my studio is still set up for my home businesses, paper crafting, quilting, stamp collecting, letterboxing, knitting and crochet, writing, genealogy, cross stitch, and tapestry. I need a system that works for ALL of my crafts.

The information in these challenges can help both new and veteran crafters to get organized. It doesn't matter if you are starting a new craft room or you need to dig out from the one you don’t recognize anymore, you are not alone. It doesn’t matter if your space is a room, the kitchen table, a designated part of a room, a closet, or a laundry basket.

And here comes the first possible reward . . . would you like a chance to win a prize?

Design Strategies for Scrapbookers - black & white edition


Paperback, 47 Pages 
     This item has not been rated yet
Price: $13.00
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Do you ever sit and stare at your scapbooking supplies and wonder where to begin? Do you believe your friends are more creative than you are? Do all of your scrapbooking layouts look the same? Are you in a scrapbooking rut? In my 16 years of scrapbooking I have learned a few things that will make all the difference to you. So take a deep breath, relax and go to page 1 of Design Strategies for Scrapbookers.



Well then, what I want you to do right NOW is take a photo of your craft space. No . . . leave the dirty coffee cup where it is. Yes, I know you let your cat sleep on your keyboard. Do not touch ANYTHING. Just take a brutally honest photo of your craft space and upload it to our Facebook group in the Speed Round:  Messy Space Challenge Album. A random winner will be drawn on April 23, 2020.

You’ve already seen my before photo and believe me you don't want to see what is hidden under my table and behind my computer monitor . . . LOL.

Come on!! You can do it!! No shame here . . . just hope and encouragement. If I can get MY MESS fixed, ANYONE can. Just follow the challenges I'll be posting over the next 20 days. You can do this!!!

There will be TWO more blog posts from me today. Stay tuned.

Monday, April 6, 2020

Mexican Rice

Mexican Rice - Restaurant-style Mexican rice can easily be made right at home, and it tastes a million times better too!

1 cup long grain white rice
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic, finely chopped

In a medium sauce pan, cook rice in oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes.  Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Stir in green pepper, jalapeno and diced tomato.  Season with salt and pepper, cumin, cilantro and garlic.  Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low.  Cook for 20 minutes.