What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta.

I call this fake Alfredo because it’s not quite what you would order at a fine Italian establishment, but it’s pretty on-par in the taste department. And it’s so easy to make, it takes about the same amount of time as preparing the noodles to go with it.

A friend gave me this recipe on a post-it note several years ago – did I mention how easy it is?! I keep meaning to create a whole recipe box, but instead, I just slapped it on top of a recipe I photocopied out of a magazine and shoved it in a sleeve in my family’s self-bound recipe collection. It’s just as useful, and being on a yellow sticky note makes it easier to find for quick reference.

If you’ve ever tried the store bought Alfredo sauce that comes in a jar, you probably have been severely disappointed in the flavor department (it’s like eating white gravy with a hint of garlic). This is a wonderful replacement for that stuff, with a ton more flavor. I will warn you that with parmesan being such a hard cheese, it never truly melts like other cheeses, so be prepared for a grainy texture.

Fake Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 sticks of butter (or 3/4 c.)
• 1 c. half and half
• 2 c. finely grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. dried chives (or just a good sprinkling – I rarely measure this out)
• 1 tsp. dried parsley (same)
• 1 clove garlic (or three – can you really ever have too much garlic?)
• 8 oz. sour cream

What to do:

1. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat.
2. Add in the half and half, stir until combined.
3. Add in the parmesan cheese, stirring continuously. (Usually, I just use a whisk and keep that baby moving.)
4. Sprinkle in the chives, parsley, and garlic. Stir to combine.
5. Let mixture simmer for about 5 minutes, but continue to stir throughout.
6. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream until fully blended.
7. Serve, eat, enjoy!

Sometimes, I use up leftover chicken and stir in into the sauce before pouring it over some nice fettuccine noodles; sometimes, I sautee some shrimp in butter in a separate pan and then combine with angel hair pasta; and it makes a great dipping sauce for breadsticks, too, if you’re into that sort of thing. (Let’s be real – who isn’t?!)

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. Probably because it’s the one day during which it’s perfectly acceptable for adults to dress-up alongside their kiddos and join the fun of playing pretend. (Have I ever mentioned I’m a kid at heart?)

My favorite Halloween memories are times that I spent coming up with a group theme and creating homemade costumes with my family. We’ve gone as the Scooby-Doo gang, characters from Harry Potter, zoo animals, period characters from the old west, the Justice League, and basketball players.

Some years, we all have different ideas on what we want to be, so we don’t stick to a theme; but, even then, we enjoy chatting about our favorite interests at the moment and trying to make our costumes look cool. Sometimes, my kids just want something store-bought; I allow that, too.

This year, we’re all doing our own thing. My oldest is 18 and will likely opt-out of dressing up. My 13-year-old still hasn’t decided if this is the year it becomes uncool to wear a costume. My 5-year-old has flip-flopped so much, I decided to stick with our original Trunk-or-Treat theme of Pokemon while he’s now settled on being Darth Vader; we might have to do a crossover Darth Vader/Pikachu, but that will depend on time constraints.

For now, I’m attempting two firsts – making my own costume from scratch; and sewing my first complete outfit. I’ve already made several pattern adjustments and massacred three yards of muslin, creating two mock-ups of my dress bodice. But, I’m feeling pretty confident with all of my alterations and it’s time to start cutting my material for the project. This is where the excitement really begins!

Stay tuned for future posts about the alterations process, finished project, and our Trunk-or-Treat theme… In the meantime, I’d love to hear about your current/past/favorite Halloween costumes/projects!

Below are some of our favorites. (Please excuse the not-so-great photography).

Is it just me, or does it seem mermaids have gained in popularity over the last couple of years? Maybe they’ve remained popular and I just missed it because I have three boys…

There seems to be an influx of mermaid-related products – from lunchboxes to swimming gear and everything in between. Even my 5-year-old son has gotten into a couple of mermaid series shows on Netflix in the past year (which I happily snuggled up with him on the couch to watch).

To further support my theory that mermaids are all the rage right now (and not just in my head), a good friend who designs jewelry has had quite a bit of success with her wonderfully creative mermaid-inspired pieces. (You can check out her work here.)

It’s probably no wonder, then, that I’ve found myself drawn to mermaid projects in the past year: mermaid tail blankets, mermaid-esque skirts, and anything with adorable mermaid printed fabrics.

Last fall, as I began my annual search for a new project that would make the perfect gifts for my adorable nieces and nephews at Christmas, I stumbled upon the idea of mermaid tail blankets. They basically combine all of my favorite things – fun, comfort, and imagination. So, of course, they were a perfect fit!

There are some beautiful designs, especially for those who knit (which I don’t). Rather than taking on a new craft on a deadline (because I never make up my mind until the last possible moment), I decided to find a design I liked that could be sewn instead.

If you’ve ever shopped for patterns for a project, you know how excruciating it can be to find the perfect design; if you haven’t, imagine searching for the source of a Pinterest “win” among a haystack of tutorials for the Pinterest “fail” version. Or, perhaps I’m just too picky. Either way, I want the things I make to look nice, and the only way to make that happen is to start with a good pattern.

I found exactly what I was looking for (and then some) with this pattern from Modern Vintage Designs. That’s because it also includes designs for a shark and fish tail that I knew would work well for the boys in our family. Not only does it produce quality-looking blankets, it’s well-written and provides lots of photos, which make it really easy to follow along.

A few shark tails and several mermaid tails later, I still love this pattern, and have even come up with a modification for a dragon tail (because my dragon enthusiast needed one). I’ve graded it up to accommodate some exuberant adults who wanted in on the fun, too, although the shop sells adult-sized patterns, as well. I haven’t done so yet, but have been thinking another fun modification would be to play around with the coloring to make a killer whale pattern.

When it comes to baked goods, I’m generally all about making from scratch. Once you go there, it’s just so hard to go back to buying pre-packaged junk. There, I said it – JUNK! Bake some of my Best Cookie Dough Ever and compare to a log of chemically-laden cookie dough from the store and you’ll see what I mean; you can just taste the chemicals.

While I don’t often use pre-made cake mixes, I’ve found that I can get that rich flavor I crave from a box with just a few little tricks and one secret ingredient.

1. It starts with quality – and that doesn’t always mean pricey (but, sometimes it does). Typically, when it comes to chocolate, I’m a Ghirardelli fan. They have a few boxed cake mixes available, and those are my go-to. Even if you use a cheaper brand cake mix (I have, and I ate it just the same), make sure to splurge on a quality brand chocolate for your frosting.
2. Dark chocolate mixes yield a richer flavor. German chocolate cake mix hardly tastes like chocolate at all (where is the flavor in that stuff?!) – and its light shade of brown should have been all the indication I would need of this fact, but I was blinded by the words “German” and “chocolate” together, because I have a soft spot for both. Anyway, stick with the darker mixes if you want more chocolate-y flavor. If you don’t want more chocolate-y flavor, I’m not sure you should even bother reading this blog…
3. Whip those eggs into a nice froth. In all of my cooking/baking adventures, one thing I’ve learned is that well-whipped eggs make for better foods. I don’t know the science behind it, I just know it’s a rule.
4. Swap the water that’s listed on the box for a secret ingredient…. Coffee! Really, chocolate and coffee are the perfect marriage for richness and flavor. I like using a medium roast, but feel free to experiment with what you have/like.

If you want to really punch up the chocolate, use a homemade ganache (glaze or whipped) for frosting. Whatever you do, don’t commit the ultimate chocolate crime of topping your cake with frosting from a can. (Just say no to canned frosting. Forever.)

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:

• 1 c. semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (buy the best quality you can afford)
• 2/3 c. heavy cream
• Pinch of salt

What to do:

1. Use a double-boiler to melt chocolate. Any amount of water will ruin the chocolate, so make sure your pan and spoon are completely dry. Stir chocolate until a smooth, melted texture.
2. Stir in heavy cream and salt until combined. Sauce should be a smooth, creamy texture.
3. Let sit for just a few minutes before pouring over warm cake; allow to set before cutting/serving (refrigeration may help). ~ OR ~ Let sit for about 10 minutes before whipping with a mixer to make a whipped frosting; top cake.
4. Lick the pan clean. Enjoy the delicious goodness.

Writing has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. In fourth grade, I was convinced I would be an author (that may still happen one day); I spent more than a decade as a newspaper reporter/editor; and then the idea for this blog came along, and it seemed like a natural thing to jump into. But, as a mom of three boys and an avid sports-fan husband, quiet time to focus on composing my thoughts is hard to come by. (As I write this, my 5-year-old is singing and talking aloud to himself while he happily plays in his rice bin and my husband is yelling at the television over a football game.) So, rather than waiting for the right time to come along, I figure it’s time to just jump back in – noisy, crazy life, and all.

Anyway, though I haven’t been writing about my projects, I have still been working steadily on new stuff. If you want to follow along with up-to-date stuff, I pretty regularly post things on my Facebook page. I find it easier to just toss up a photo or a quick thought than composing a full blog post about it, and not everything I work on ends up here. So, feel free to join me there, too.

Now, on to the good stuff – the projects!

Purses galore

I’ve found I really enjoy making all sorts of purses. Some come together in just a couple of hours, and others I can work on just a little at a time, so these have been a go-to project as of late while I work on new techniques and test out new patterns.

I typically use a myriad of tutorials to complete each purse, taking different aspects of varying patterns to Frankenstein my own project. I’ve got a draft post going to put all of the pieces together to re-create my purses, but I haven’t completed it yet… Maybe sometime soon.

In the meantime, I’ll say that I do draw inspiration from these patterns/tutorials:

• http://www.skiptomylou.org/how-to-make-a-lined-zipper-pouch-tutorial/
• http://www.sew4home.com/projects/storage-solutions/wristlet
• http://so-sew-easy.com/add-zipper-pocket-purse-pattern/
• http://sewplicity.com/2014/05/sew-perfect-bag-straps/#chart
• http://sewplicity.com/2014/09/tutorial-adjustable-strap/
• http://www.sewmamasew.com/2007/07/tutorial-zippered-and-slip-pocket-tutorial/
• http://noodle-head.com/2010/04/gathered-clutch-tutorial.html
• http://www.elmstreetlife.com/2012/02/diy-bow-clutch-sewing-tutorial.html?m=1

I’ve also used the shapes of purses I have already to fashion a pattern and look at the overall construction to come up with ideas on what I want and how to do it.

Here are some of the recent purses I’ve completed:

Wallets and zipper pouches

Along the same lines, I’ve been busy with a couple of wallets and pencil pouches…

I pretty well just used these tutorials, adding a zipper pocket to the one wallet design for carrying change:

• http://zaaberry.blogspot.com/2013/12/in-snap-kids-wallet-tutorial.html?m=1
• http://www.midwesterngirldiy.com/2012/04/summertime-walleta-tutorial.html

Back in school

With my youngest beginning Kindergarten, a tote bag was a necessity for carting all of his papers and art projects (they are much easier to use for little hands than backpacks, I find). He’s also quite the picky eater, and if I want him to have any nutrition at all, that means I’m packing his lunches.

I loved this lunch bag tutorial – http://www.sewmamasew.com/2014/06/insulated-lunch-sack/. When I make him another one, I think I’ll add a should strap; but the handles are fabulous for little hands, and super sturdy.

I loosely used this tutorial – http://www.skiptomylou.org/how-to-make-a-simple-reversible-totebag/ – for making his tote bag. I say loosely, because I added a stiff interfacing to help the bag keep its shape and to make it more sturdy since I used simple quilting cotton; and I also boxed my corners using the cutout technique vs. the one listed. It has held up really well so far, so if you don’t have canvas on hand, I would recommend fusing some stiff craft interfacing to your cotton – unless, of course, you don’t need your tote bag to withstand a 5-year-old boy’s rough handling.

Well, that’s it for now… I’ve got some more food goodies, and a few more sewing projects I’ll be posting about soon.

I like to be somewhat fashionable, but I’m also fairly modest. I don’t want to wear a mumu, I just want something that keeps my private areas off of public display and that comes in two pieces (because let’s be real, who wants to spend 20 minutes in the bathroom untwisting a wet one-piece in attempt to pull it back up after basically removing the whole thing just for three seconds of bathroom relief?).

I’m a bit larger, wearing a women’s size 18/20, so if my options weren’t already limited by my modesty, finding a good fitting top in my size that meets my specifications is nearly impossible.

I don’t know why designers feel the need to point out the fact that women have different chest anatomy than men, and further figure that fact should be flaunted and/or emphasized in a swimsuit. I’m pretty sure my larger-than-average measurements and the sheer nature of clingy swimsuit fabric already emphasize that fact, and I simply don’t need or want any more attention than those two things provide on their own.

I’ll just keep my skin covered, thank you very much. Because I’m going to spend a lot of time at the pool chasing down my rambunctious 5-year-old, who also sometimes finds my swim top straps make great handholds for when he loses confidence in his swimming abilities. Plus, I’d like to be able to do normal things, like bend over, without flashing anyone who happens to be at the pool trying to enjoy time with their families.

Apparently, that’s just simply too much to ask from the world of swimsuit manufacturers.

So, I find myself attempting to sew my own swimsuit top. I’ll probably go ahead and make the bottoms, too, although my old ones are still suitable – mainly for the experience, and because I’ll already have the material on hand to make them. Plus, they should be easier than the top, so if I can conquer that, making the bottoms should be a walk in the park.

The pattern I’m using is the X Factor Tankini from 5 Out of 4 Patterns. I like that the models for the finished tankini are representative of the different styles and sizes the pattern is designed for, and the fact that it meets my standards of coverage for a swim top. It looks supportive, too.

I’ve already begun cutting my pattern pieces out, so stay tuned…

Update: 7/10/16:

I just finished my suit top. I’m so excited to try this out on our upcoming vacation! I love how comfortable it is, and how comfortable I feel in it. I used the suggested power mesh layer between the main fabric and the lining material, and I did the sewn-in bra cups.

There were so many firsts for me on this project – knit binding, bra cups, ruching, and personal fitting – but, the design of this tankini and the detailed instructions were so easy to follow, which made it a lot less intimidating.

Can I also just say that I love the way this pattern prints out?! Every other PDF pattern designer should take note of this – no trimming to line up the pattern pieces means you can cut right into the pattern once it’s pieced together.

The instructions were clear and uncomplicated to follow, with plenty of photos and illustrations to compliment the directions. The adjustments and fitting instructions and examples were my favorite part, since I have no clue how to make clothing, and have no previous experience. The only thing I didn’t adjust that I probably will the next time is to shorten the bra section, since the elastic sits quite a bit lower than it should. I did make one more adjustment that wasn’t included, a dart in the armhole on each side, to help tighten that area and prevent gaping.

Although my technique wasn’t perfect, I have no problem showing this top off! It would definitely pass as off-the-rack to most people, I think. And best of all? It does exactly what I want it to do! I wore it around the house with my pajama bottoms on as I did laundry and some cleaning, partially to test it out, but mostly because it was so comfortable to wear, I didn’t really want to change out of it.

Please excuse the terrible lighting… I couldn’t wait to share my pictures!

Chicken Tortilla Soup, however, has gained our attention. It’s been passed around to several people in my family, who insist on having the recipe after enjoying a bowl. And it’s so incredibly easy to make, it’s no wonder it has kind of become a staple for us. I think it’s a great soup on its own, but what really makes it stand out are the garnishments – sour cream, shredded cheese, and crunched up tortilla or corn chips (so don’t skimp on those).

This recipe was adapted from one I received at a Pampered Chef freezer meals workshop I attended a couple of years ago. If you want to prepare ahead of time for freezing, assemble the ingredients and divide into two gallon-sized freezer bags (or equivalent-sized containers) and place in the freezer; the only additional step would be to place the bags in the refrigerator the night before to thaw. You could also make a smaller portion by cooking half and freezing the other half for later (using only one freezer bag); each half yields about 4 bowls of soup.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast Halves
• 1/2 Sweet Onion, chopped (you can also use frozen chopped onion)
• 2 c. Frozen Sweet Corn
• 1-1/2 c. Chicken Broth
• 2 – 10 oz. can of Ro*Tel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chiles (Original or Mild)
• 1 – 16 oz. can of Dark Red Kidney Beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 – 15 oz. can of Black Beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1- 15 oz. can of Tomato Sauce
• 3 Tbs. Taco Seasoning (or 1 packet of pre-made seasoning mix)
• 3 Tbs. Ranch Dressing Mix (or 1 packet of pre-made seasoning mix)

Garnishments:

• 1-2 c. Shredded Cheddar (I prefer Sharp Cheddar, but use what you like)
• 1 c. Sour Cream (full fat – none of that low-fat jazz here)
• 1 bag Tostitos, Fritos, or similar crunchy taco-style chip
• Sliced green onions, if desired (I rarely use these, but they are a great addition)

What to do:

1. Open your cans and drain and rinse your beans (if you haven’t already done so).
2. Dump your broth and tomato sauce into a large crockpot.
3. Add in the Ro*Tel tomatoes.
4. Because I’m horrible at prepping my ingredients appropriately, this is where I would chop the onion. If you’re better than me at this, go ahead and add the onions and skip to Step 5. Fun Fact: When my recipe only calls for half of an onion, I typically go ahead and chop or slice the other half, scrape it into a freezer bag, and toss it into the freezer. For most recipes, you can interchange frozen and fresh chopped onion, so I’m always rotating through this stash. Add the chopped onion.
5. Add the beans, corn, and seasonings to the crockpot.
6. Stir mixture to blend ingredients.
7. Add the chicken breast halves and submerge slightly into mixture.
8. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.
9. Shred chicken (you can usually do this easily with two forks, or even a wooden spoon).
10. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish each with a handful of crushed up chips, shredded cheese to your liking, and a dollop of sour cream.
11. Enjoy the explosion of textures and flavors in your mouth!

This soup does wonderfully re-heated, as well. If I make a full batch, we eat up the leftovers for lunches for the next couple of days. I have also drained some of the brothy part of the soup and scooped the meat mixture onto some Spanish rice and mixed in the garnishments for a sort of Tex-Mex dish. This recipe has a lot of versatility, which has helped its staying power in our home. Just be prepared to share the recipe!

How could she be the Belle of the ball with half of her waist seam gaping from a major hole that had developed on the backside? How could she sing to the birds in her Snow White gown with ribbons that had tattered and torn? (That just wouldn’t do!)

I knew the waist seam would be an easy fix, but I was unsure of how to tackle the ribbon issue. I took both to see what could be done.

As suspected, the repair to Belle’s gown was simple and went off without a hitch.

After much investigation and consideration, I decided there was no easy way to make the ribbon repairs to Snow White’s dress without removing the sleeves. I contemplated whether or not I had the confidence to carry through with such a task as reconstructing and reattaching the sleeves.

I found this blog post about making pouf sleeves, and read through it a couple of times, checking the existing sleeve construction and deliberating over the decision. I found material that was a perfect match, so I went ahead and bought it and some new ribbon.

A couple of days later, I decided I was either going to have to go through with it, or give up. (I don’t like to give up – just ask my husband, or anyone who knows me, for that matter.) I prayed about it, because surely if anyone could help, the Lord could help.

And then, I just did it. I bit my lip and ripped the seams along the shoulder of one sleeve, completely detaching it from the dress. I slightly panicked. I texted a couple of friends for well wishes and a confidence boost (thanks, ladies, for the support!).

This is the part where I tell you everything went smoothly and it was wonderful. That’s not quite how it all happened, though…

The reason I had to rip the sleeve off to make a new one was because (1): I had no pattern for the size/scale for that particular dress, which means I had to use the existing sleeve for the pattern piece; and (2): the material used to make the original sleeve was already coming apart at the seams, so to re-use the existing sleeve would mean I’d have to make the sleeve smaller (tighter), which didn’t seem like a good idea, considering the seam was already coming apart.

In my quest to use the old sleeve as a pattern, I traced around the sleeve pieces and fudged it to add a bit more material for the seam allowances. This is always a bit of a trial and error kind of situation.

The first sleeve I made looked pretty good, but the armband cuff at the bottom of the sleeve appeared to be more narrow than the original sleeve by the time I got done with it, so I decided to scrap that one.

My second attempt went south when I tried to incorporate the elastic cuff (cutting both the sleeve piece and cuff piece to the same width), but still using a cuff instead of the tutorial’s suggestion to make that the end of the sleeve. If you were thinking of doing that, don’t. It won’t work. I promise.

The good news is that by my third attempt at a sleeve, I was getting better at constructing them.

I decided that since I was going to have to remake both sleeves, I would make them at the same time so it would be easier to follow along and not accidentally skip a step. (I am sometimes easily distracted or get too confident and quit following along only to discover I missed an essential step. At least I know my limitations, right?)

This is one of those projects that once you get it, it’s actually quite satisfactory to see the results as you go along. I was a little intimidated about reattaching the sleeve, mainly because I hoped it wouldn’t get all wonky mid-attachment, but it was (as my 5-year-old likes to say,) “Easy-peasy, lemon-squeezey.”

The second sleeve was easier, simply because the sleeve was already completed and all I had to do at that point was remove the old and attach the new.

While I was making repairs, I noticed part of the elastic on the back of this gown had detached itself from the fabric and the threads were loose, so I finished up the project by sewing it back in place.

Now, hopefully, the gowns will have several more years of wear before they have to be retired or made into something new. I’m certain the Pretty Little Princess will get the chance to enjoy them for as long as they fit – which hopefully will be for a while longer. They grow up so fast!

My pastor’s wife recently inquired about my sewing capabilities. She said her daughter has outgrown some dresses and wondered if I might be able to make doll clothes using the material from the dresses.

While I’m gaining confidence, I haven’t touched clothing (except for the basic seam repair). Much like my aversion to making stuffed animals with all of their intricate pieces and curves, I’ve avoided making clothing items because quite frankly, it intimidates me.

On the other hand, I like a good challenge, and I love to learn. So, I decided to attempt making doll clothes using my own scrap material first, just to test the waters (because I don’t want to be responsible for ruining material that has any sentimental value).

I found this tutorial for a mock pillowcase dress (doll-sized), which seemed easy enough to try for a first attempt; and this straight-forward tutorial for doll shorts. Both came out beautifully.

I’ve decided doll clothes are fun to make, and come together really fast, so I can see why there are so many people who make them. And they’re super cute – who doesn’t like looking at miniature versions of people clothes?! (Mother of three boys here.)

I was excited to share my new creations with this sweet (and very shy) little girl. I’m told she really likes them.

Pretty Little Princess, part 2 – repairs and reconstructing pouf sleeves

We had discussed bow ties and she found some cute white and blue chevron fabric for the project. She had also picked up two widths of matching grosgrain ribbon to make mock suspenders on a onesie.

This was one of those projects that should have been pretty simple and straightforward, but resulted in a couple of hours and one re-do after I accidentally attached the double-sided interfacing on the wrong side first and then subsequently sewed the bow tie fabric closed (because I was busy talking). I tried ripping the seam, but the interfacing was too sticky and the whole thing ended up being a balled up mess. Oops! We ended up scrapping that one and started again fresh. (Thankfully, I have wonderful friends who love me!)

Her iron had some weird malfunction, too, where water was literally pouring out of one of the bottom steam holes all over her board and floor. It only did that after she lifted it back up from ironing each time, and of course, we didn’t notice this right away, so it had accumulated a little puddle under and on her board before we caught on to the problem.

Between the mishaps, our talking, and our combined three kids needing random assistance throughout the visit (one snotty nose, two spilled goldfish crackers incidences, three television show discussions, and the pretend eating of half a dozen delicious play cupcakes), we finally accomplished our goal to make one dapper onesie for a sweet little lad!

You can find directions on how to create a bow tie on this blog post. Her instructions are easy to follow, and include additional options (like a strap to wear the bow tie) if you’re looking for something a little different. I simply added a snap to the back of the bow tie so it could be snapped onto the onesie, and tacked the ribbon ends to the onesie top and bottom seams on either side for the “suspenders” look (be sure to leave a little give for movement).