Counting On Me

Happy Groundhog Day 2012!

2012-02-02T20:57:00.000-05:00

Source: luckymecraftsandkids.blogspot.com

Happy Groundhog Day! Here in Maryland, we've been having a mild winter, so when our favorite weather forcasting rodent, Punxetawny Phil, predicted 6 more weeks of winter, I assured myself that I can definitely handle six more weeks of this. It was sunny and an atypical 70 degrees here yesterday. I even wore flip-flops!

To celebrate, the girls and I made these adorable Heart Groundhogs. I saw them on Pinterest late last night and knew we would be whipping some of these cuties up today. I love how both groundhogs and hearts are incorporated, making it a perfect February craft.

I've been a little under the weather lately, so I was happy to find a simple craft to do with the girls that didn't require me to venture out for supplies. To make it more uniform and easier to cut out the various hearts needed for this project, I printed the hearts right on the paper and then cut them. Here's the template I made for myself:

Heart Groundhog Craft Free Printable Template

The template makes two groundhog crafts. You'll only need a few other supplies:

1 sheet of white paper
2 sheets of brown paper (Tan, gray, red or pink would work just fine too.)
scissors -- My little ones are 2 and 3, so I did all the cutting in advance, while they donned their party hats and princess costumes in anticipation of Groundhog Day Craft Festivities. (See photos below).
glue sticks
4 googly eyes -- In a pinch, you could easily let the kids color the eyes on instead.
Optional: Tape -- We taped our Groundhog's ears on from the back. Several pipe cleaners in a neutral color -- We used strips of white paper, but if I could have found some pipe cleaners around my house that weren't red and pink, I probably would have let the girls use those for whiskers.

Here's Princess Zazu showing off her groundhog and her fine fashion sense:

Here she is again admiring her royal craftiness:

And here, Kaylicious shows off her groundhog while sporting a Hello Kitty Party Hat!

Happy Groundhog's Day, My Friends! We're wishing you beautiful weather wherever you are!

Organic Beer & Wine?

2012-01-15T22:11:00.000-05:00

I was both intrigued and inspired by Ridge Organics’ post “Is Organic alcohol hangover proof?” For me the bigger question is why the notion of organic beer and wine never crossed my mind previously? Regardless of whether organic beer or wine is less likely than its conventional counterpart to leave you with a hangover or the much dreaded wine flu, organic beer and wine are surely healthier for you than those tainted with pesticides, fertilizers and other toxins.

The Count & I Enjoying Some Locally Brewed Beers

Some Occasions Really Could
Use a Hangover Proof Option!
(or possibly a tad more moderation
than this crazy couple is exhibiting here :-)

The Count and I are definite beer fans. We love sampling different craft beers, and The Count began brewing his own beer at home last year. I am not sure why I never thought about organic beer before, since I stress about the contamination and impurities in so many other things in our lives on a daily basis. I have not noticed organic beer being sold here locally, but that may just be a complete oversight on my part. I am definitely going to have to check into it, and The Count is looking into buying organic supplies for his next batch of home-brew.

Have you tried organic beer, wine or liquor? Do you have any favorites that you would recommend? Have you noticed any less after effects from drinking organic beer, wine or alcohol?

Homemade Christmas Ornaments

2012-01-01T19:47:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! As we start 2012, I know many of you are taking down and putting away your Christmas decor today or planning to do so in the next week or so. This year we did all homemade Christmas Ornaments and the "Un-Christmasing" at our house, something I usually dread, was so quick and easy. Here's what we did:

Our Adventure in Homemade Christmas Tree Trimming

I have a large box full of painstakingly wrapped and stored Christmas ornaments carefully chosen and collected over the last twenty five plus years. I love those ornaments, but since having children, I have found that they bring me more stress and aggravation than joy. Getting them out and placing them perfectly on our tree, only to have my fragile little treasures ripped off the branches and thrown into a bucket of Little People or jammed into Elmo's mailbox is nerve-wracking for me.

Seeing baubles I have saved for years and years carelessly tossed about or crushed by excited two and three year old hands, is not something I wanted to have to deal with this holiday season. I also didn’t want to have to play "Christmas Tree Nazi" guarding and hovering over the tree, putting an ugly play-yard gate around it, only putting my favorite "grown up" ornaments on the upper branches of the tree where curious little hands can't reach and/or never allowing my little ones to help decorate or touch the tree. With hopes of making Christmas decorating simpler, more fun and more of a family affair, The Count and I decided that this year we would forgo our tradition tree trimmings for all home-made ornaments.

Quality Time and Crafty Fun with Our Teacup Humans
In the weeks leading up to Christmas, we made every single ornament that went on our tree. We made salt dough ornaments, some stamped and some painted and glittered, paper chain garland, snowmen ornaments from a craft kit, and hand-print snowmen Christmas balls. I think The Count and I enjoyed making our own ornaments as much as our kids did.

Stress Free Holiday Decorating!
The girls and I decorated the tree with no fuss over being careful with the ornaments or getting them perfectly placed. Kaylicious and Zazu absolutely loved the whole process, and The Count and I were both pleasantly surprised at how pretty our tree looked. It wasn't just "our babies made this pretty." It was truly a good-looking tree!

Beyond the fun we had making all the ornaments and decorating the tree, I loved not worrying about it. Some of our new home-made ornaments got broken over the holiday season, but it was no big deal. The kids danced and ran around the tree more times than I could count, lots of fun, no stress!

The Christmas Cleanup was a Breeze
As a bonus, I was able to with the help of Kaylicious and Zazu take all the ornaments off the tree and pack them away it under ten minutes. I never look forward to having to put my ornaments away after Christmas. Wrapping and packing all those fragile porcelain and glass decorations is so tedious and never any fun. It usually takes me several hours.

A New Homemade Christmas Tradition? I think so!
Our adventure in home-made tree trimmings was such a success that it may be a new family tradition. Who knows when and if that big box of fancy-smancy, fragile Christmas ornaments will grace the branches of our Christmas tree again? I kind of relish the idea of someday having a tree decorated entirely in ornaments made by hand by my sweet little children and maybe even their children and grandchildren one day. What a festive trip down memory lane that would be for our family!

Sara the Elf is Not on the Shelf

2011-12-23T14:56:00.012-05:00

Every morning when Kaylicious and Zazu wake up, they run to find out where Sara, our Elf on the Shelf, is hiding or what kind of mischievous elf adventures she may have had the previous night. Sara the Elf is never on our shelf. The girls always discover Sara in some silly hiding place or frozen precariously in the middle of a crazy adventure. They both think Sara's hi-jinks are absolutely hilarious. They laugh so hard every time, especially Kaylicious, that they crack me up too. Recently they’ve found Sara perched on a castle wearing a tiara, swinging from the ceiling fan, riding Kaylicious’ piggy bank and chilling out on our wreath.

Elf on the Shelf Party Going on Now!

Don't forget to check out and/or join my Elf on the Shelf Link Party for more Elf on the Shelf ideas and adventures:

I Caught Santa!

2011-12-23T12:13:00.000-05:00

This is so fun! Imagine the look of wonder and surprise when your kids receives a photo of Santa caught in the act in your very own home. iCaughtSanta.com is a unique website that helps visitors create those memorable keepsake photos.

In three easy steps anyone can upload a holiday photo, add Santa Claus and print it as proof… or share it via Facebook and/or Twitter. Last-minute shoppers can purchase Gift Cards and eGift Certificates for loved ones with children, making iCaughtSanta.com a great gift idea even if you don't have your own children. It costs $9.99, but you can make yours for half off using code: SANTA50

I am definitely doing this, just need to wait until I get Kaylicious and Zazu's gifts all wrapped and under the tree, so I can snap a photo! They're going to love it! I will post our photo here once it's done!

If you get your own iCaughtSanta.com photo, leave me a comment with a link, so we can all check it out!

Elf on the Shelf Link Party

2011-12-19T00:05:00.064-05:00

In this final week before Christmas, are you running out of ideas for your Elf on the Shelf? Are you actually considering hiding your elf on a shelf? If so you've come to the right place. I'm gathering the best Elf on the Shelf ideas in the entire Blogosphere right here at Counting on Me, so you'll find Elf inspiration galore to get you through the week and many Christmases to come! Don't forget to leave comments for the Elf on the Shelf posts that you like the best.

Join the Party: If you got a great Elf on the Shelf post, please link to the party! We can wait to check it out. Please follow the rules and use the Blue "Add Your Link" Button below to join the party. You can add as many different Elf links as you want.

I made this graphic using PSE 8, an adorable freebie from ShabbyBlogs.com (I Love Them.) and what some might consider to be way too much time, but since I like the end result, I'm going to chalk it up to time well spent improving my Photoshop skills.

Thanks for coming to the party! You can use the following code to provide a link back to this party on your page, just cut and paste it into your html editor:

<a href="http://counting-on-me.blogspot.com/2011/12/elf-on-shelf-link-party.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s299/ShannonOBrennan/ElfParty-CountingonMe-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Elf on the Shelf Party"></a>

Sara the Elf on Our Shelf

2011-12-18T01:19:00.101-05:00

Our elf arrived last weekend from the North Pole and Kaylicious immediately named her "Sara." Zazu has bounced back and forth between calling her Sara and "Elfant" which seems to be a combination of elf and elephant.

Here's Sara hanging from our entry way light.

I used PSE 8 and a free quick page from Free Digital Scrapbooking to make this graphic.

We've had a busy week with Sara.

We've read Sara's Elf on the Shelf book multiple times.
Kaylicious was concerned that Sara wouldn't be able to fly to North Pole, if she didn't take the plastic off her box right away.
Had a make your own sundae party to welcome Sara.
Watched "The Elf on the Shelf: An Elf’s Story" (Kaylicious spotted Sara in one of the elves' dance numbers).
Taken Sara to visit Santa at the mall, after Zazu accidently touched Sara with her foot, zapping her elf power. Thankfully, Santa was able to give Sara her elf powers back, since it was an accident.
Talked extensively about Sara and discussed how she flies, and what she does when were not watching. Ever inquisitive, Kaylicious has endless questions and thoughts about Sara.
She has also asked if we could keep Sara after Christmas. She says she loves her and will miss her if Sara goes back to live at the North Pole.
Once I realized our Elf on the Shelf was a girl, I started thinking about more little elf outfits for her. I've seen the Claus Couture Scout Elf Skirt, but it seems like there should be a whole line of little elf clothes. What's a girl elf to do? One red leotard and one skirt most definitely does not qualify as a full Elf wardrobe. I thought for sure someone would have any Etsy shop selling Elf on the Shelf fashions, but so such luck. If you know where to find elf on the shelf clothes, please leave me a comment. I know Sara's inner-elf fashionista is dying to come out.

Make Your Own Sundae Welcome Party for Sara the Elf

Make Your Own Sundae Elf on the Shelf Welcome Party

We've found Sara getting into mischief and hiding all around our house. After losing her elf powers once with the touch of tiny two-year-old toes, Sara has tried to stay up a bit higher out of Zazu's reach. Also, since Zazu and Kaylicious are only two and three years old, I think Sara tries not to make her hiding spots too difficult to find. Each time Kaylicious has found Sara, she has squealed and laughed with delight.

Here are some of Sara's hiding places this week:

On top of our Christmas tree
Going wild with streamers
Hanging upside down from a ceiling light
Sunning herself on the top our window blinds
Sitting on top of our kitchen cabinets -- Sadly, she got her feet caught in the cabinet and banged around that night trying to free herself for her trip to the North Pole, but she was stuck.
Riding Kaylicious' Piggy Bank
Sitting on top of an alarm sensor in our living room, where she could hang out with us and watch us all day.

Sara the Elf on top of Our Christmas Tree

Check my Elf on the Shelf Link Party.

Our Elf is Here!

2011-12-07T18:24:00.005-05:00

Our The Elf on the Shelf is here. I've got our Tivo set up to record "The Elf on the Shelf: An Elf’s Story" about an elf named Chippey who tries to help a young boy who is struggling to believe in the magic of Christmas. It will be on WJZ 13 Baltimore, our local CBS station, this Friday night at 9:30. Now, all I need is my little girls home from visiting their Nana in New Jersey, and we'll be ready to get this tradition started.

If you have any tips or creative ideas for introducing our Elf to my two and three year old daughters, please share them by leaving me a comment!

Elf on the Shelf Party Going on Now!

Check out and/or join my Elf on the Shelf Link Party for more Elf on the Shelf ideas and adventures:

Elf on the Shelf

2011-12-05T18:28:00.001-05:00

Do you have an Elf on the Shelf? When I first saw the Elf on the Shelf a couple years ago, I thought it was cute but a little odd. After learning more and seeing so many adorable Elf on the Shelf ideas on Pinterest, I think I am going to head over to Barnes&Noble and take the plunge. Kaylicious and Zazu are visiting their Nana in New Jersey right now, and I think it will be exciting to have their Elf here when they return.

Here's the Story behind the Elf on The Shelf:
from ElfOnTheShelf.com

Have you ever wondered how Santa knows who is naughty and who is nice? The Elf on the Shelf – A Christmas Tradition is the very special tool that helps Santa knows who to put on the Naughty and Nice list. This interactive holiday hide-and-seek tradition is perfect for children and families of all ages.

The tradition begins when Santa sends his scout elves out to Elf Adoption Centers. Waiting for their families to bring them home, these patient elves hibernate until their family reads The Elf on the Shelf, gives their elf a very special name, and registers their adoption online. Once named, each scout elf will receive its Christmas magic and become a part of the family’s Christmas each and every year.

Excellent listeners and even better observers, these scout elves are the eyes and ears of Santa Claus. Although they cannot be touched, or else they may lose their magic, the elf will always listen and relay messages back to Santa. Taking in all the day-to-day activities around the house, no good deed goes unnoticed; these scout elves take their job seriously.

Each night, after the family goes to bed, the scout elf uses his magical Christmas powers to fly back to the North Pole. Once there, the elf will make his or her daily report to Santa and visit with elf friends where they will tell stories about their beloved families, play with the reindeer, and of course, sneak some of Mrs. Claus’ cookies!

Before the family awakes each morning, their special scout elf will fly back to their home from the North Pole. However, since these elves like to play games, don’t expect to find them in the same spot! While some like to hide in the freezer (probably because it reminds them of the North Pole) and others prefer to sit on the fireplace mantle or hang from the chandelier, these elves love to play hide-and-seek with their families.

On Christmas Eve, the scout elf will listen for Santa’s bell and then fly back to the North Pole until the next season, wishing every girl and each boy a Christmas of peace and a year full of joy.

Source: flickr.com via Shannon on Pinterest

I love the idea of starting a new holiday tradition with my daughters. With virtually endless opportunities for mischievous holiday fun, I think The Count and I may enjoy "The Elf on the Shelf" every bit as much as Kaylicious and Zazu do.

You can check out my Elf on Shelf Board on Pinterest Here:
Elf on the Shelf Ideas on Pinterest

Send Me Some Elf Love:

I Want Hear About Your Elves . . . If you have an Elf on your Shelf, please share your thoughts. Leave me a comment, telling your best Elf idea or your funniest Elf moment.

Knot Top Sewing Project

2011-11-26T21:29:00.001-05:00

One of my goals for the year is to do 50 craft projects before my 35th birthday. I have definitely been crafting up a storm, but I haven't been so great about keeping up with all my projects here on my blog. Kaylicious wore one of my sewing projects from September on Thanksgiving and that spurred me to post about it.

McCall's Pattern M6387

Matilda Jane Percy Knot Dress

I absolutely love Matilda Janes's knot dresses and tops, but my debit card
doesn't like them one bit. So when JoAnn's had a sale on McCall's patterns in September, I scooped up McCall's M6387 -- Children's/Girls' Top, Jumpers, Detachable Aprons and Pants for $1.

Before this project, the last time I had successfully used a sewing pattern was in 8th grade Home Ec. Class. The pattern was labeled as "Easy," but I was worried that it might turn out to be beyond my skill set.

The knot ~~dress~~* top was a bit of a challenge to say the least, but in the end it turned out really cute. The Count (my husband) helped me select the fabric and trim for this project. I wanted the fabrics to go together without being too matchy matchy. The Count is surprising good at that sort of thing. I am more of an completely matched or terribly clashing sort of fabric chooser.

*I had originally planned to make a knot dress, but I struggled so much with the upper ruffle that I couldn't bring myself to try it again with even more fabric for the lower ruffle. Between broken and stuck thread while trying to gather the material, fabric that shouldn't have been part of the ruffle getting accidently stitched into the seam, and not being able to get the circumference of my ruffled "skirt" to line up with the circumference of the bodice, my seam ripper and I became very well aquainted. I am definitely going to need some more practice with gathering before I attempt this again. If you have a tried and true method or know of a great tutorial that has worked for you when gathering two yards or so of fabric while making clothing for small children , please don't be shy. I need help, please leave me a comment.

Two things I learned during this project that were much easier than I anticipated were how to make button holes and sew on buttons using my sewing machine. If only the gathering had been that easy, my little ones would probably have a whole closet of these adorable tops and dresses by now.

As challenging as the process was for me, I love the end result. The knot top is kind of tunic length right now and very versatile. Here's Kaylicious sporting it on a warm day with capris:

The apron with its green monkey trim is detachable, but it really makes the top, so Kaylicious hasn't worn it without the apron. The straps are adjustable, just untie them and re-knot however you like.
Here she is wearing the same top with a white eyelet long-sleeve swimsuit cover up (Sometimes, it's good not to discriminate about season or purpose when it comes to your wardrobe.), thick brown knit tights and furry boots on Thanksgiving.

Isn't she a cutie?

I feel like I'm always crafting, but this is only my 5th project of the year that I have posted about. I am going to work on catching up, so stay tuned for more craft projects soon.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T22:00:00.006-05:00

I hope you had a wonderful holiday and were able to enjoy some quality time with your loved ones. If you're like most Americans, you probably also overdid it with the Thanksgiving goodies. Did you know that to burn off the calories from the average Thanksgiving dinner you have to walk, jog, or run a full-length marathon? That's 26.2 miles. Scary, huh? Even scarier . . . the left-overs! Many of you will eat that same meal again tomorrow and the next day. Unless you're one of those wild and crazy ultra-marathoners (and I know a few of my followers are), I hope you will try to find some balance this weekend . . . a few less left-over Thanksgiving calories and a little more exercise.

The Infographic below breaks Thanksgiving dinner down by calories and by the miles of walking, running or jogging required to burn it off.

Source: newmango.com via Shannon on Pinterest

If you can't read the print, you can click the image for a larger view of the graphic or press Ctrl and + at the same time on your keyboard to enlarge everything on your screen. (Pressing Ctrl and - at the same time will decrease the size when you are done.)

A Thanksgiving Milestone for Me

Since this is Counting on Me, I thought I'd also share a little milestone that I celebrated today. Today was the 22nd anniversary of the day I became a vegetarian. That's 21 years meat free . . . no red-meat, no poultry, no pork, no seafood. I chose Thanksgiving to officially go vegetarian because there are so many great meat-less side-dishes on Thanksgiving, I figured I would never miss the turkey. I didn't miss it way back then and I never have since.

Source: meatlessmonday.com via Shannon on Pinterest

Playaway View: Have you seen these yet?

2011-11-19T10:52:00.001-05:00

The library near our house, the Abingdon Branch of the Harford County Public Library, is a fantastic and free resource for me as a mom of two small children and it just got even better. They recently started lending the Playaway View. In a single word, the Playaway View is AWESOME! At 3¾ and and almost 2 respectively, Kaylicious and Zazu absolutely love them, and so do I.

The new Playaway View is so easy and so portable. Our library allows me to check out two Playaway Views at a time and keep them for one week each. I can carry them in my purse and hand them to the girls, while I am running errands or doing other tasks for which toddlers only have so much patience. I love that I can give each child her own Playaway View, especially at times when they are not sharing well or can't seem to keep their hands to themselves. The Playaway Views are the perfect little distraction to help keep my girls from fighting with each other, crying, screaming or whining while we are out in public or for long car rides!

Playaway View is the first and only pre-loaded video player. Each View can hold multiple hours of digital video content while keeping with the Playaway promise of simple, portable and durable. With the best educational and entertainment content out there, Playaway Views are currently exclusive to libraries

Pre-loaded with multiple videos

Full color LCD screen with shatter-resistant acrylic screen

Built-in speaker and optional headphone jack

Rechargeable internal lithium-polymer battery provides over 8 hours of continuous play

Simple 7 button functionality

Weighs only 5.4 ounces

Who's Playaway View For?

Toddlers/Kids: These durable devices can go wherever they go; with content from Sesame Street to Little Pim, it's a great way to learn and grow

Teens: Shakespeare, National Geographic and more—school-work has never been so fun

Busy parents: No downloads or internet needed; each View is pre-loaded with multiple videos from top studios across the nation

Have you tried the Playaway View Yet? If so, please leave me a comment with your or your child(ren)'s favorite titles. Sesame Beginnings and Sesame Street Numbers & ABCs are the only titles we've tried so far, but my daughters are already requesting countless other titles for the Playaway Views. Our library has a decent-sized collection considering that they just started offering them, but I already can't wait for them to get even more titles.

Google+

2011-11-08T12:45:00.003-05:00

I just discovered that Google is now offering Google+ Pages for businesses and brands, so I created a Google+ Page for Counting on Me. If you're on Google+ you can find Counting on me here:

Counting on Me

on Google+

Pinteresting, Very Pinteresting

2011-10-21T17:42:00.019-04:00

I have a new obsession. It's Pinterest. Are you on Pinterest yet? I'm totally addicted. It is without a doubt my favorite web site in along time.

What is Pinterest? Pinterest is a Virtual Pinboard that lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes. Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests. Pinterest is by invitation only, but if you leave me a comment including your email address, I'd be happy to send you an invite.

This is a screen print of my Pinterest.

You can find and follow me on Pinterest here:

You can find links and photos of all kinds of crafty, yummy, fashionable and funny stuff plus much, much more on Pinterest and save them all to your pinboards. It's like a super, awesome visual version of your favorites or bookmarks, but everything is organized on boards instead of in folders and each link has a photo, so you (and everyone else) can see it all in a glance. I first discovered Pinterest right after I started writing this blog, when I realized that thousands of people were visiting my blog with the majority coming from Pinterest. Thousands of visitors from a site I had never heard of . . . I was definitely intrigued. I'm so glad I checked it out, because I love it.

I made this and few other Pinterest signs below. Feel free to grab it!

I have found Pinterest to be very well designed and user-friendly. The only issue I ever have is that it sometimes runs slowly or gets overloaded, but it usually rights itself within a few minutes. Could it be that too many pinners are pinning too many pins? Nah . . . impossible! I have a feeling the creators of Pinterest were just not expecting such a HUGE response quite so quickly.

Pinterest 101:
If you are new to Pinterest The Daily Digi has a great tutorial: http://thedailydigi.com/pinterest-101-a-tutorial/

Source: thedailydigi.com via Shannon on Pinterest

And for the already well-initiated, here are some great Pinterest-related pins I've come across:

Officially Addicted to Pinterest

If you like it then you shoulda put a pin on it!

Pinterest is taking over my life (but I love it).

Pintervention . . . I may be headed down that road.

Go ahead and Curate the Internet. You know you want to.

I don't always repin . . .

Here are few Pinterest Freebies that I made just for you. If you like them, please feel free to grab them for your own use. Linking back to this blog and following me on Google Friends Connect, Pinterest or Facebook are not required, but always appreciated.

These are .JPEGS on White Backgrounds:

These are .GIFs on transparent backgrounds:

Pin It

Meatless Monday Recipe Roundup

2011-10-09T22:14:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the first Meatless Monday Recipe Roundup. This is my first Meatless Monday Recipe Link Party, but I am hoping if it is successful to host it regularly. Whether you are a life-long vegetarian like me or just looking for some meatless recipes to try, this party is for you!

Grab a Meatless Monday Recipe Button.

Here's the code:

Meatless Monday: Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

2011-08-15T18:04:00.000-04:00

The Count whipped these up for us last week and they were so delicious! I could eat them every week! They tasted great reheated over the next couple days for lunches too. They are without a doubt the best vegetarian stuffed peppers I have ever had!

Vegetarian Stuffed Pepper Recipe
Makes 8 Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:
4 Large Green Bell Peppers
15 MorningStar Farms Veggie Sausage Patties
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp Crushed Red Peppers (Optional)
1 tsp of Salt
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
3 Cloves of fresh Garlic (Minced)
2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
¼ C of Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 C Marinara Sauce

Directions:
Wash the peppers and remove their stems. Cut them in half from top to bottom and remove their seeds and veins. Boil the peppers in a large pot for 7-10 minutes, until slightly tender. Remove from the pot and drain. Microwave the sausage patties for 1 minute on each side. Then run the patties through a food processor to form a consistency similar to ground beef. In a large skillet, add 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil and sauté the garlic. Add the crumbled sausage patties and toss. After a couple of minutes, add the Italian Seasoning, Red Pepper, and Salt. Continue to sauté for a few minutes. Add the Parmesan Cheese and toss for a minute. Add 1 Cup of the Mozzarella Cheese and toss until the cheese has melted. Add the Marinara sauce and cook for another minute, then remove the skillet from heat.

Preheat the oven to 350. On a baking sheet, greased with Olive Oil, arrange the Peppers with the open side up, creating small bowls. Stuff the sausage mixture into each of the peppers. Top each evenly with the remaining 1 Cup of Mozzarella. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Muffin Tin Monday

2011-08-08T10:19:00.000-04:00

Have you tried Muffin Tin Meals for your little ones yet? I've seen lots of posts about them all around Blog Land, but hadn't tried them until recently. I only had full-size muffin tins (with 12 cups), so I purchase four 6-cups muffin tins at The Dollar Tree especially for muffin tin meals. The cups in the tins are regular size, but the tins themselves are small (just six cups). At first it was a little bit of a challenge for me to come up with six healthy, balanced servings of kid-friendly foods, but it gets easier and my girls really love them!

Here are a few of the combinations we've tried so far:

1. Morning Star Farms Chik'n Nuggets

2. Carrots

3. Raisins

4.Watermelon

5.Keebler Club Minis Multi-Grain Crackers

6. Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1. Annie's Bunny Grahams Friends
2. Blackberries
3. Chobani Blueberry 0% Greek Yogurt
4. Nature's Promise Organic Unsweetened Applesauce
5. Strawberries
6. Plain Quaker Oatmeal w/Raisins Added

1. Mashed Potatoes

2. Snaps Peas

3. Watermelon

4. Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

5. Baby Carrots

6. Mozzarella String Cheese

1. Chobani Blueberry 0% Greek Yogurt

2. Post Banana Nut Crunch Cereal and Milk

3. Grapes

4. Banana

5. Raspberry

6. Craisins

And here's Zazu cheesing like a crazy baby in anticipation of her muffin tin breakfast:

Can you tell she loves them?

Meatless Monday: Mashed Potato Wreath

2011-08-01T10:40:00.000-04:00

My blog has been completely neglected lately while I've been off enjoying the summer, but I'm back now with a super yummy Meatless Monday Recipe. The Count and I collaborated on this recipe and we both loved the result! This recipe was inspired by the Pizza Skins (without bacon) at Uno's Chicago Grill. Sadly, they closed the Uno's near us, so the creation of this recipe was an attempt (a delicious attempt) to satisfy my Pizza Skin craving.

This is some serious comfort food.

Ingredients:

3lbs of Red Skinned Potatoes (Peeled)

3/4 Stick of butter or margarine

2 Cups of Sour Cream plus extra for garnish

Garlic Salt to taste

2 Cans Reduced Fat Crescent Rolls

8 oz Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Mashed Potatoes

This is a two for one recipe, because these may possibly be the best mashed potatoes ever! Peel the Potatoes and cut the bigger ones in half. Place the Potatoes in a large pot and completely submerge them in warm water. Bring the water to a boil and boil the potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes. It is important not to overcook the potatoes as they will become gluey. You can tell they are done when a small fork will pass through with almost no resistance. Remove the Potatoes and place them in a strainer.

While the Potatoes are still hot, place them in the stand mixer with the butter. Use the wire whisk attachment and beat the potatoes until the butter is mixed in completely. (This could also be done with a hand mixer, but mine is broken and I love my stand mixer.) Then add the sour cream in intervals until the potatoes reach the right consistency. Add garlic salt to taste and set them aside.

The Wreath

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Arrange the crescent roll triangles on a pizza stone in a sunshine sort of shape like this:

Use a Baker's Roller or your fingers to press the center of the circle together. It doesn't have to be perfect.

Scoop the mashed potatoes onto your wreath like this:

Cover the top on the potatoes with the shredded cheese.

Fold all of the points of your sun into the center of your wreath and use your fingers to press the points into the bottom layer of dough in along the edge of your center circle.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Serve with a side of sour cream and a nice salad!

If your pizza stone is well-used and "ugly" like mine, you can transfer your wreath to a nice serving platter if you want or you can just dig in!

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Meatless Monday -- Black Bean Lasagna

2011-06-27T10:52:00.000-04:00

Years ago, my good friend Michelle made this hearty Mexican-flavored lasagna for me, and it's been a favorite of mine ever since. Even your most dedicated carnivores will love it! It reheats well, and in my opinion tastes even better then next day!

Black Bean Lasagna

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 c. chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans black beans, rinsed
1 can chopped green chilies
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 c. chopped fresh tomatoes
1 Tbsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander
Salt and pepper to taste
1 c. fat-free sour cream
8 oz. Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
Large bottle thick and chunky salsa
12 Oven-Ready, No Boil Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles
Non-stick cooking spray

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Sautee the onion and garlic for a couple minutes, then add the beans, green chilies, red pepper, tomatoes, cumin, and coriander, and simmer for ~15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set bean mixture aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray lasagna pan with cooking spray. Spread 2 to 4 Tbsp salsa in bottom of pan. Layer four lasagna noodles, slightly overlapping. Spread 1/2 bean mixture over noodles, and top with enough salsa to spread an even layer and 1/2 of the sour cream. Top sour cream with 1/3 of the shredded cheese. Repeat noodle layer, bean mixture, salsa, sour cream, and cheese. Finish with one more layer of noodles, salsa, and remaining cheese. Bake covered for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until cheese is browned on top (~7 to 10 minutes). Let stand 10 minutes before serving (If you don't it will be OK, just liquidy). Enjoy!

Wild8Designs Hair Clip Giveaway Winner

2011-06-26T11:28:00.000-04:00

The winner of the Wild8Designs Giveaway is Rebecca Bode from Grand Terrace, CA. Congratulations, Rebecca, I will get your prize in the mail to you tomorrow! Rebecca won these adorable hair bows from Wild8Designs:

For the rest of you, you can still get these and other cute hair clips directly from Wild8Designs. Their barrettes are so affordable with most costing only $2-$3 each!

DIY: 4th of July Table Runner

2011-06-23T13:01:00.000-04:00

This month the project for my sewing group was a table runner using this tutorial: Quilted Table Runner Tutorial. With the forth of July coming up, I decided on a patriotic theme for mine. This was my first attempt at anything quilted, and I love the way it turned out!

It's 6 feet long by 15 inches wide and goes perfectly on our bar.

This is what the opposite end looks like.

I love how bright and festive it is . . . almost makes me want to have a party, almost.

It's reversible with a more understated flip-side.

When I first read the tutorial, I was a little confused about how it would all come together since it has you sewing through the top layer, the batting, and the bottom layer all at once while piecing the strips of fabric together, but when you start in the middle and keep matching right side to right side and sewing up the edge closest to the end of the runner you are working toward it turns to be quite easy.

There was a lot of cutting in this project and I would not even have attempted it without my Gingher Rotary Cutter! I love that thing! Even so it still took me over two hours to cut all my material. I think like chefs have a prep cook, I need a prep cutter!

With 14 feet of binding going on this table runner, there was no way I was going to hand sew it, so I got lots of practice machine sewing bias tape, and creating square corners (versus rounded, which I think might be a little easier.). I ended up creating a tutorial for sewing bias too: How to Machine Sew Bias Tape.

Total Cost: $29 -- I bought every thing at Jo-Ann's either on sale or with a coupon and I have tons of material and thread left over. I am planning to make a dress for one of my girls and a rag wreath with the leftovers.

Time to Complete: 7 hours

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DIY: How to Machine Sew Bias Tape

2011-06-23T12:52:00.000-04:00

When I made my 4th of July Table Runner, I searched for a good tutorial for how to use my sewing machine to bind the edges using bias tape and leaving the edges square, but I really didn't come across a tutorial that covered it all, and I had to piece the information together from multiple sources and modify it to fit my project. Here's what I figured out:

Before applying your bias tape, cut away any extra seam allowances, thread, or jagged edges you may have. You need a nice smooth edge to start. I used my Gingher Rotary Cutter, cutting mat and ruler to get a nice straight, clean edge. I love Gingher products! I would not have even attempted this project without my rotary cutter. It's like a pizza cutter on steroids!

Make sure the raw edge of your project is neat and straight.

Take your bias tape out of the package and decide which side is wider, One side of your tape will be just barely wider than the other. The wider side of the tape will fold over onto the back or "wrong" side of your project. In my case, my table runner is reversible, so there is no wrong side. I decided to pin to the lighter side of my fabric, so if I sewed over the edge of the bias tape and into the table runner on the opposite darker side, the red thread would blend in with all the crazy patriotic material on the underside. If your project is not square, you should start with the longer sides first.

I used 1/2" Extra Wide Double Fold Bias Tape.

With your bias tape unfolded, pin it with the narrower side facing your edge on the "right" side of your fabric. Align the bias tape up with the very edge of your fabric. Leave about 1/2" of bias tape hanging over the end of the fabric. You will fold this in to create the squared off corner. Pin the bias tape to your fabric on second fold from the edge. With the bias tape still unfolded, you will sew a seam straight down the first fold. This seam will not be visible on your final project.

Your bias tape will fold itself back up after you pin it, so you will need to use your hands to open it up as you feed it through your sewing machine.

This is what your folded in corner should;d look like before you sew.

Now, wrap your bias tape around the edge of your fabric. Fold the 1/2 inch of bias tape that you left hanging over the edge of the fabric at each end in, so it looks like the photo above. Iron or pin the folded corners as needed to hold them in place so you can sew them. You may still be able to see your a tiny bit of your fabric in the edge of the fold. That is okay, because the bias tape going on the short side will cover it.

Start at your folded corner and stitch through all layers of your project
(front of bias tape, project material, back of bias tape).

Now, sewing on the same side of your material as you already stitched the bias tape to and starting at your folded corner, sew the binding within an 1/8th of an inch or less of its open edge. Be sure to add a few reverse stitches to secure the edge of your bias tape at the corner, then sew all the way to the other end of you fabric using a straight stitch. Finish with a few reverse, then a few forward stitches. Stay as close to the edge of the bias tape as you can without sewing over onto your fabric. As you feed your project through the machine, use your hands to keep the bias tape smoothly wrapped over the edge of your unfinished material. The bias tape has to stay snug against your unfinished edge in order for you to catch the underside of the tape, Remember, that the bias tape on the other side of your material is just slightly wider than the side you are sewing on but just barely, so you really need to stay close to the edge of your bias tape when sewing.

Use your hand to make sure the bias tape is right against the edge of your unfinished edge on both the top and bottom and feeding through the machine smoothly.

*If you discover after you have sewn on your bias tape that you have missed a spot on the opposite side of your bias tape. You can flip your material over and sew second seam up the bias tape on the "wrong" side. Do not sew closer than 1/16 of an inch from the inner edge of the bias tape. Repeat this procedure on your other long side (or if you have a square, the side parallel to one you just completed.) Then you can work on your shorter sides. Your shorter sides will be done the same as your longer sides.

Neatly, fold your short side corners in and press or pin to hold them in place before sewing. This will be your exposed corner and you should not have any fabric showing at the corner at this point.

This is what your completed square-off bias tape corner will will look when you are done.

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Meatless Monday: Vegetarian Burritos

2011-06-20T11:15:00.000-04:00

This recipe is quick, delicious, and very versatile. There are many substitutions or add-ons that can boost flavor, add certain nutrients, or strip it down to an even healthier version. This meal should take about 20-25 minutes to prepare and cook and is simple to clean up after as everything is thrown into one skillet.

Vegetarian Burritos with a side of Vegetarian Refried Beans and Sour Cream

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Sweet Onion (Diced)
1 Can of Petite Cut Diced Tomatoes (Slightly Drained)
10 oz. Vegetable Crumbles (We used Morning Star Farms brand.)
1 Pkg Taco Seasoning
1/2 C Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese
Burrito Sized Tortillas
Sour Cream (Optional)
Guacamole (Optional)
Salsa (Optional)
Lettuce (Optional)
Tomato (Optional)

Directions:

In a large skillet heat the oil. Add the onions to sauté for 3-5 minutes on medium to medium high heat. Stir in the canned tomatoes and continue to simmer for another 3-5 minutes. Stir in the Vegetable Crumbles and the taco seasoning. Reduce the heat and simmer for at least 5 more minutes.

As this simmers, begin to warm the tortillas by first sprinkling with water and then placing them between two paper towels. Microwave the tortillas for 20-25 seconds. The tortillas should be very soft and pliable.

Add the cheese to the veggie mix and stir it in until melted. Spoon about 3/4 of a Cup of the mixture into the center of each tortilla. Fold the tortilla at both ends and then roll it closed. Garnish with Salsa, Sour Cream, Lettuce, and/or Tomatoes.

* Other options to add variety to this meal include stuffing the burritos with Spanish Rice and/or Refried or Black Beans along with the ingredients listed above.

** For a spicier flavor, use Zesty Jalapeno Diced Tomatoes, add Jalapenos to the veggie mixture, or add Tabasco.

*** You can really cut out some calories, fat, sodium and add nutrients by using: Reduced Fat Sour Cream; Reduced Fat Cheese; Reduced Sodium Taco Seasoning, and Whole Grain Tortillas.

Here's what the filling inside looks like right before you fold it up.

I'm Linking to:

Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Your Recipe My Kitchen
My Sweet and Savory: Meatless Monday
Midnight Maniac Meatless Mondays

Wild8Designs Hair Clip Giveaway

2011-06-18T09:14:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited to host my first giveaway. I'm even more excited that the giveaway is of adorable summery barrettes and a headband from one of my favorite shops, Wild8Designs. Wild8Designs is run by 2 moms who have 4 kids each thus the wild8. They sell the cutest array of hair clips at super reasonable prices! One lucky winner will receive a strawberry, crabs and stars, cherries, a frilly white bow, and a patriotic butterfly all on partially lined alligator clips and a red, white and blue woven headband! You can enter here: Wild8Designs Hair Clip Giveaway Entry Form. Read on to learn how to get up to six chances to win.

Your little girl will look so sweet in these.

The butterfly can be worn on or off the headband for a variety of looks.

Strawberry and Cherry Barrettes made of Grosgrain Ribbon. So Cute.

Perfect for summer!

How to Enter:
6 chances to win! You must complete the Entry Form to me be eligible to win: You will receive one chance to win for each of the following:

Like Wild8Designs on Facebook and leave a comment on their wall telling them you've entered the giveaway at Counting on Me.
Look through the photos of Wild8Designs products and leave me comment telling me which are your favorites.
Share a link to this contest on your facebook wall with a comment letting your friends know which of the hair accessories in the giveaway is your favorite.
Place an order with Wild8Designs and leave me a comment telling me what you got -- You can order by emailing Wild8Designs at Wild8Designs@aol.com.
Follow this blog using Google Friends Connect
Like Counting on Me on Facebook. Leave a message on my wall letting me know you've entered the contest!

The contest will close on Friday, June 24th at noon EST. Good Luck!

Fill out this Entry Form to win!!!

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Wild8Designs Hair Clip Giveaway Entry Form

2011-06-18T02:26:00.000-04:00

You can find more details about this giveaway and how to enter here: Wild8Designs Giveaway Details

Contest Closes at noon EST, June 24, 2011

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Sara the Elf on top of Our Christmas Tree Check my Elf on the Shelf Link Party.