My 1st Tilda Card

Yesterday, I spent the afternoon and evening at Ann's house crafting our hearts out. I finally got a chance to color my first Tilda. Having now had this intense copic coloring experience, I have a new found respect for all the stampers who turn out these beautiful images on a regular basis! Although I totally enjoyed making this card, the coloring was so detailed!!

For this card, I used the following supplies: The paper used on the card came from a DCWV pack, the sentiment is from Stampin Up on the outside and inside of the card, rectangle scallop nestabilties, pop-up glue dots from SU, Copic Ciao 72 set A, bazzill cardstock, SU circle punch, SU scallop circle punch, paper punch butterfly & firefly, and an EK Success corner punch for the design on the inside of the card.

I wish everyone a blessed new year. Thank you so much for your support over the past year. I have enjoyed getting to know my readers and I appreciate all of the feedback provided. Here's to a prosperous and healthy 2009 =)

Hugs,

Birthday Dinner

This is probably going to be my last food and recipe post until next year when I decide to cook again ;) I cannot believe how good the food turned out for my husband's birthday dinner! I got the recipe from a member of a yahoo group that I belong called CopycatsClones-n-BrandNames There are so many wonderful recipes posted in the group and such nice members there.

Here is the recipe:

Cheesecake Factory Louisiana Chicken Pasta
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons flour

Cajun Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1 small yellow pepper (chopped)
1 small red bell pepper (chopped)
3/4 small red onion (chopped)
3 whole garlic cloves (minced)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1-1/4 pints whipping cream
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
4 tablespoons fresh basil (thinly sliced)
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 (12 ounce) package bow tie pasta
1 cup mushroom (sliced)

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.

Add yellow and red bell peppers, mushrooms, and onion to same
skillet,until crisp-tender, about 4 minute.

Add garlic and crushed red pepper to skillet and saute 3 minutes.

Add whipping cream and chicken stock.

Simmer until sauce re-heats and thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.

Add basil and 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese to sauce, stirring to
incorporate.

Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low,
simmer; sauce will reduce and thicken.

Wash and drain chicken breasts.

Pound until very thin (the thinner the chicken breasts the better).

Mix breadcrumbs, flour, and Parmesan cheese together.

Place milk in dish for dipping.

Dip chicken in breadcrumb mixture and then in milk and then back in
breadcrumbs.

Place in fry pan that the oil has been heated and fry at medium high
temperature until golden crisp and cooked through.

Add more oil as needed.

Remove and drain chicken; keep warm.

Meanwhile, cook bow-tie pasta in large pot of boiling salted water
until tender but still firm to bite.

Drain and return to pot.

Add sauce and toss to coat.

Place pasta with sauce on plate, and top with chicken breast.

Serve, passing additional Parmesan separately.

Serves 5 to 7


Thank you for all the lovely comments. It is so nice to be back posting and reading your blogs =)

Hugs,

Hubby's Birthday

It seems that the week before and the week after Christmas are filled with tons of parties in our home. Today, is my husband's birthday and we are having another party at our house. I just finished cleaning up from my daughter's party and now we are onto another =)



It has been months since I have picked up my copic markers and I was not happy at all with my coloring on this card. Finding a male card was difficult too and so I settled on the golfer image - even though my husband has never golfed in his entire life ;) I will be baking his favorite chocolate chip cookies as part of his gift and I am trying my hand at a new recipe for dinner.

Here is the recipe for Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies:
6 dozen cookies

4 1/2 c all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
2 (3.4 ounce) packages of instant vanilla pudding (you
can use chocolate to make chocolate choco chip cookies
or any other flavor to get creative and change it up)
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

preheat oven to 350
sift together flour and baking soda, set aside

in large bowl cream together butter, brown sugar white
sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended.
Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour
mixture. Finally stir in the choco chips and nuts.

drop cookies by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased
cookie sheets

bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Edges should
be golden brown.

keep in Tupperware and they'll stay super soft and
chewy for as much as a week and a half.


I hope everyone has a great end to the weekend. Happy Hanukah if you are celebrating =)

Hugs,

Elmo Birthday Party

Today we are celebrating my daughter's 4th birthday with family and friends. I made these cupcakes for her Elmo themed party. I am relatively new to baking so I am definitely happy with how these turned out.

Also, do not forget to enter for a chance to win some yummy blog candy over at Ying's. It is the perfect way to start thinking about those new year resolutions too =)

Hugs,

Seasons Greetings

Just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. We had a wonderful holiday and my little girl truly enjoyed getting all of her gifts from Santa. It is amazing to watch the holiday through the eyes of a small child.


Here is a wreath that I made for my outside door. I used a fake pine wreath, stick decorations that were on sale, and ribbon. I twisted the decorations and ribbons right into the leaves of the wreath. The most challenging part was tying the bow =)


Seasons Greetings,

Merry Christmas

I still am not fully better, but I just wanted to wish my friends a very wonderful holiday. I hope to be back in full action for the new year. Here is a cute Christmas tree that was very easy to make. I used a cylinder shaped styrofoam cone, scrapbook paper cut into strips, and straight pins. I then dusted the loops with some sparkly modge podge. Finally, I screwed into the top a star that I looped some ribbon on.


Have a wonderful Christmas filled with family, friends, and good times =)

Out of the Loop

I have not posted in a very long time. If you were wondering what happened, I have been ill for the past 2 months. I am finally starting to feel a little better and I hope that I will be back to myself very soon. I am excited to catch up on my blog reading. I have been out of the loop for so long! I would like to thank Deb for being such an amazing friend. She has been an enormous help to me! I plan on creating some stuff and posting soon.

I also will be carrying Whiff of Joy Stamps and Magnolia Stamps. Feel free to check out Wish On A Scrap for the most adorable new stamps. I apologize for not putting forth a kit for the month of November. I hope to be able to do one for December. It really all depends on my progress. Thank you for all of your well wishes and understanding.

Hugs,