BABY IDEAS

Some of us are really focusing on "baby ideas", I for one will be a grandma soon, I thought that this would be an inspiration to all who will become mothers or grandmas....what I have done was to make baby blankets, toques and baby crib spread.  This time I thought of making some outfits.  I have too many ideas in mind...and some of them was to make a "snowsuit jacket and pants".  My daughter said that I had made too many blankets and crib spread.  She also said that it would be beneficial for her just to have a basinnette to be able to just get up and have this in her room, rather than the baby's room.  What a perfect idea, indeed!  So that means, that I will be making bassinette cover and mattress for my next project. 

Fleece Blowout Sale at Hancock Fabrics

Snowsuit made of fleece fabrics (jacket, pants, and mittens)

The sleeves can be rolled and same with the pants.  I also made fleece linings on both of them.  The snowsuit is reversible. 

HOMEMADE CHICKEN FAJITA Recipe included

 

 Here is my take on "chicken fajita", easy to make and you can also have it on flour tortilla with sour cream, avocado, and thinly sliced iceberg lettuce lightly dressed with salt and cider vinegar.  Or you can just add rice mix with the chicken fajita.

 

CHICKEN FAJITA:

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breast, cubed or sliced
3 various colors of bell peppers, sliced in strips
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium onion, chopped and diced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 or 2 jalapeno pepper, chopped and seeded
1/4 cup cilantro
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper

In a skillet sautee garlic and onions with olive oil.  Add cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper , sliced chicken breast.  Cook for 5 minutes, then add jalapeno peppers, cilantro and bell peppers.  Let it cook for 3 minutes.  Serve it hot either on flour tortilla or rice

 Chicken Fajita with jasmine rice. 

Do you have a palate for spicy and hot? JAMAICAN BEEF PATTIES-Recipe included

I love ethnic foods, I can name a few that I really loved some are spicy and some are mild.  And to top it all off, with my voracious cravings and tastes for ethnic dishes, there was a time when I was in Morocco, tasted all their foods whether it was in a restaurant or street vendors, I became ill, could not attend some sight-seeings with the group of tourists and no desire of getting out of the hotel...due to this I learned my lesson, never taste something that is not cooked when you're away on vacation outside North America, do not eat fresh salad or fresh fruits as they might have not been washed.  :-)

Here is my take on some global dishes that most of us might like to taste.  "Jamaican Beef Patties" are very common in North America, especially in Toronto, Canada.  I craved for them as their hot and spicy, the crust is crispy.  You can make them at home and serve them for snacks or dinner with iced cold tea. 

JAMAICAN BEEF PATTIES

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. margarine
• 1 lb. ground beef (90% or 85% less fat)
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp. curry powder
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. rosemary
• 1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. hot sauce or Tabasco sauce (depending on your likeness of spiciness)
• 1/4 cup red bell peppers, chopped and diced
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 egg, beaten to use as eggwash

Preparation:

• Brown ground beef with margarine in a skillet over medium heat.  drain the fat off.  Add onion, curry powder, dried thyme, chili powder, rosemary, salt and pepper.  Let it cook for 3 minutes, then add beef brothm red bell peppers, hot sauce or tabasco sauce.  Cook for another 3 minutes until all ingredients well blended.  Let it cool while preparing for the pastry dough.

PASTRY DOUGH:

• 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. turmeric or curry powder
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• 1/4 cup ice water

Preparation for Pastry Dough:

Blend together butter, turmeric or curry powder sea salt, and flour in a bowl.  Using fork or a pastry blender (or pulse in food processor) until mixture turns coarse with some roughtly pea-size butter lumps.  Drizzle at least 3 tbsp. of ice water evenly over the mixture and gently stir with fork until mixture incorporates.  Squeeze a small handful, if it doesn't hold together, add more ice water.  Do not overwork the pastry as it will become tough.

Turn dough into a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 portions.  Using heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to distribute fat.  Gather pastry dough together, wrap in a plastic wrap until firm.  Chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so.  When ready, PREHEAT the oven to 375 degrees F.  Take the pastry dough out, roll it out on a lightly floured surface pressing it to make a round dough at least 1/4 inch thick.  Spoon filling over the dough, wash the edges with either ice water and close the dough by using a fork to close the edges.  Brush top of the patty with eggwash.  Place them in the oven for at least 20-25 minutes until golden brown.  Enjoy and I hope this will inspire you to make your own Jamaican Beef Patties.

CHRISTMAS FABRICS

My idea this Christmas is to give a new outlook, make a new Christmas tree skirt, placemats, table covers, and chair covers with Christmas motif fabrics.  These are the materials I have stashed or put away for a year and perhaps start sewing.....:-)

 

MORE JEWELRIES~NECKLACES

These are some of the beads that I recently purchased from the my favorite internet store of beads and gems..."FireMountains Gems and Beads", I tried to make some plain and simple ones as these were very minute beads...because of the beads minute sizes, I used "beadalon" monofilament illusion cord, silver plated findings and clasps.

An 18 inch necklace made pebble like green aventurine beads and nugget like light green glass beads.

Another 18 inch necklace made of carnelian beads and quartz with silver plated findings and clasp.

ROSARY NECKLACE ~ made of different kinds of beads with bronze wirings and antiqued bronze medallion and crucifix

Back to my jewelry making projects before the end of the year, due to have ordered several beads at my favorite internet store of gems and stones, I tried to minimize my inventory of beads and gemstones in my craft room to give more room for the fabrics I purchased from Hancock Fabrics and some of my old fabrics which I have from Toronto, Canada.  This is a "rosary necklace" a 22 inch size and made of swarovski crystals, thimble-like peridot beads, freshwater cultured copper pearls, bronze wirings, antiqued bronze, clasp, antiqued bronze crucifix, and antiqued bronze medallion.

I also added some oval puffed venetian glass beads to give more glitter to the necklace as well as the swarovski crystal beads.  In my inventory of beads, I still have quite a few to get rid of...........