Outdoor Planter Projects
How to Make a Unique Stone Heart
Tricycle
Wine Bottle Hanging planters: super Cute!
Fountain
Simple DIY Ideas!
DIY Succulent Wreath
DIY moss covered chair for your garden!
DIY Handmade Wall Art
Felt Flowers DIY
Easy Tuscan Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 medium zucchini, diced
- 1 yellow summer squash, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 quart vegetable (or chicken) broth
- 2 (14 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14 ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with juices
- 3 cups chopped kale, ribs removed
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 6 quart or larger Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, zucchini, and squash. Saute for 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme and rosemary. Cook 30 seconds.
- Stir in the broth, beans, and tomatoes. Bring the contents to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and add the chopped kale. Cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender* to partially puree the soup, leaving some chunks of beans vegetables for texture.
- Add the salt, pepper, sugar, and vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Serve topped with Parmesan or Dubliner cheese and a side of crusty bread.
*Alternatively, transfer small amounts to a counter top blender and puree as desired.
Source
Thick and Creamy Chocolate Peanut Butter Breakfast Shake
Ingredients
- 2 large ripe bananas, cut into chunks and frozen
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (preferably with no sugar added, but any brand will really do the job)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups almond milk
- Place all of the ingredients in the body of your blender and pulse until completely smooth. Pour into glasses and serve/drink at once.
Source
Gardening!
Inexpensive Mini Greenhouses
Got Weeds Use vinegar
DIY Tiered Plant Hanger
Easy vegetables to grow
Garden
Garden Stuff!
Fun DIY {Heart-Shaped} Stepping Stones!
DIY Moss for the Garden- Blend up 1 Part Moss, 1 Part Sugar, 2 Parts Beer... pour or brush over pots, stone or pavers and moss will grow!
Hanging Baskets Gardening
One of a Kind Artisitc Birdhouses by Thom Bruso....love the slate roof and copper trim!
Simple DIY Planter Hangers
Mediterranean Stuffed Tomatoes
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup cooked red or black quinoa
- 8 medium on-the-vine tomatoes
- ⅓ can quartered artichokes (about 4 ounces, or ½ cup), roughly chopped
- ½ cup full fat feta, plus a few tablespoons extra for topping
- 15 kalamata olives, sliced thin (I prefer the Mediterranean Organic brand)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves fresh garlic (minced or use a garlic press)
- ground sea salt, to taste
- Cook your quinoa: Measure out ⅓ cup of quinoa, pour into a mesh colandar, and rinse the quinoa under running water for a minute. Pour the rinsed quinoa into a small pot and add ⅔ cup water (you’re going for a 1:2 ratio of quinoa and water). Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from heat, let sit for a few minutes, and fluff with a fork. ⅓ cup uncooked quinoa should yield a little over one cup cooked quinoa. I would use all of it in the filling.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
- Core the tomatoes by slicing off the top ⅛ inch of each tomato. Run a small knife vertically around the core. Be careful not to cut through the bottom. Use your finger to gently pull out the core and use the knife to clean out any excess left inside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the filling (cooked quinoa, feta, artichokes, olives, olive oil and garlic).
- Taste and add salt if necessary (feta and olives are salty to begin with, so you may not need any).
- Spray your dish with cooking oil and brush the tops of the cored tomatoes with olive oil.
- Use a spoon to stuff the tomatoes with the quinoa mixture.
- Top each tomato with extra feta.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the feta starts to turn golden.
- Garnish each tomato with a small basil leaf.
Roasted Red Pepper & Goat Cheese Alfredo
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 whole red bell peppers
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup fat free half & half
- 4 oz. garlic & herb goat cheese
- 2/3 cup grated parigiano reggiano cheese
- 1/2 cup artichoke hearts (optional)
- 1/2 lb. linguine, cooked to al dente
- salt & pepper, to taste
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place red peppers on baking sheet and bake 20-30 minutes until peppers are charred. Remove from oven and cover with foil 10 minutes.
- In the mean time, saute onions and garlic in olive oil 7 minutes or until tender. Pour in half & half, goat cheese, salt & pepper. Stir to melt goat cheese into sauce and keep warm over low heat.
- Uncover peppers, peel off skin and remove stem and seeds. Chop into large pieces and place into sauce along with parmesan cheese. Stir to melt cheese and remove from heat. Pour sauce into food processor and puree, or use an immersion blender. Place back into hot pan and toss with cooked pasta. Taste and adjust seasonings. Top with more parmesan cheese, pepper, salt and parsley, if desired.
Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Eggs
Ingredients
- 1 cup Peanut Butter
- 1/4 cup Butter
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
- 8 oz Dark Cocoa Melting Chips
- Melt peanut butter and butter for 1 minute in microwave.
- Stir until blended.
- Add vanilla and powdered sugar and mix well.
- Divide mixture into 10 portions and shape into an egg shape.
- Place on parchment paper lined sheet and place in freezer for 15 minutes.
- Melt chocolate in microwave by heating for 30 seconds then stirring and repeating process until it is melted and smooth.
- Using a fork, dip egg into chocolate and flip to cover completely. Lift with fork and gently tap on edge of the bowl allowing excess chocolate to drip off.
- Place back on parchment paper.
- Refrigerate 10 minutes until chocolate has set.
Blueberry Breakfast Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Ingredients:
- Cream cheese
- Icing sugar
- Whole wheat bread
- Butter
- Blueberries
- Sandwich maker (I’m sure you could use a frying pan, but the sandwich maker sealed everything in which was perfection)
- Mix cream cheese with icing sugar (to taste – I didn’t want it super sweet)
- Butter outside of bread
- Spread cream cheese mixture on the inside of one slice of bread
- Place butter side down on sandwich maker and top with blueberries
- Place second piece of bread butter side out on top
- Close lid
- Grill for about 1 minute
Baked Mostaccioli
Ingredients:
- 1 (1 pound) package mostaccioli
- salt
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (2-ounce) package spaghetti sauce seasoning
- 1 (16-ounce) jar Alfredo sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Prepare the pasta according to the package directions, adding the salt and garlic to the water in which the pasta is cooking. Drain and set aside.
- Brown the sausage in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and drain the sausage on paper towels.
- In a large bowl, combine the sausage, tomato sauce, seasoning, and Alfredo sauce. Spoon half of the pasta into the bottom of the baking dish. Follow with half of the meat sauce. Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese over the meat sauce. Repeat each layer, ending with the cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Cheesy BBQ Bacon Jalapenos
Ingredients:
- 20 fresh jalapenos
- 16 oz. cream cheese (2 packages), room temperature
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 lb. bacon, cut into thirds
- BBQ sauce (Stubbs, if you're especially cool)
- 40 toothpicks
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix cream cheese and cheddar until well blended.
- Add cumin and paprika and stir until incorporated.
- PUT ON GLOVES.
- Slice each jalapeno in half USING YOUR GLOVED HANDS. Carefully remove seeds from each half WITH YOUR HANDS THAT ARE PROTECTED BY GLOVES.
- Scoop mixture and generously fill each jalapeno half.
- Cut bacon into thirds. Wrap each half with a slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick.
- Slather BBQ sauce over tops of jalapenos.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes or until bacon is browned.
How to Make Edible Googly Eyes
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites
- 4 C powdered sugar
- 1 tsp lemon extract, optional
- water as needed
- Beat egg whites large bowl with mixer at high speed until foamy
- Gradually add sugar and lemon extract.
- Beat at high speed until thickened and desired consistency
- If it is too thick add a few drops a water, a little at a time. If it is too runny add some more sugar.
Guilt-Free Ice Cream
Ingredients:
- 4 large very ripe bananas
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- Peel bananas and slice into 1/2 inch discs. Arrange banana slices in a single layer on a large plate or baking sheet. Freeze for 1-2 hours.
- Place the banana slices in a food processor or powerful blender. Puree banana slices, scraping down the bowl as needed. Puree until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Add the peanut butter and puree to combine. Serve immediately for soft-serve ice cream consistency. If you prefer harder ice cream, place in the freezer for a few hours and then serve.
- *Note-if you have a hard time creating a creamy consistency, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of milk to help puree the banana slices. Make sure you use a powerful food processor or blender!
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