March 28, 2014

Retro Sketches #107

I have been following Retro Sketches for awhile, but this is my first time playing along with them! I quite like the sketch, I haven't made a card like this before. Here's my card using one of my current favourite sentiments for birthday cards:


Patterned paper - Dream Pop (CTMH); stamp set - Let's Get Sip Faced (Unity Stamps); 
ink - Honey (CTMH); Martini Die (Paper Smooches); Pink sequins (CTMH).

This recipe comes from my time at school in Victoria. My sister, Jen, was living there at the time and would have me over for some wonderful home-cooked meals. Here is an Alfredo sauce recipe I got from her and have played around with over the years:


Alfredo Sauce - serves 4
1/2 cup sweet butter
4+ garlic cloves, minced
2 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
3/4 cup Mozzarella (I use Kraft Shredded Italian mix)
1/3 cup cream cheese

Melt butter in pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic, cream, and pepper, bringing mixture to a simmer. Stir often. Add parmesan and simmer sauce for 8-10 minutes or until sauce has thickened and is smooth. When sauce has thickened, add mozza and cream cheese, and stir frequently until smooth. Serve over your favourite pasta.

For me, that favourite pasta was Spinach & Ricotta Ravioli! I just got this handy new tool from Sur La Table (which may be my new favourite store!) and had to try it out.

This new tool worked basically like a stamp over the two panels of pasta dough, so that I did not need to crimp the edges myself. Check out this post for my pasta dough recipe. Here is my recipe for the filling:

Spinach & Ricotta Pasta Filling

olive oil
onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 large spinach bunches
500g Ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups Asiago cheese, grated
1 tsp. lemon zest
1/2 cup mix of chopped basil, oregano, parsley
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a small pan and sauté onion. Add garlic and sauté until golden. Set aside. Wash and chop spinach, discarding stems. Heat a large pot of water over medium-high heat. Place washed spinach into the pot and toss with tongs until the leaves are wilted. Drain and cool in a strainer. Squeeze excess water from spinach and add to a bowl with sautéed onion, cheeses, lemon zest, fresh herbs, and pine nuts. Mix thoroughly and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Delicious :)!
March 16, 2014

First Steps

Spring must be coming with all of these babies being born lately ;)! Here is a card I made for someone in our family using the current Deconstructed Sketch. This card also fits in with the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge of a card for a special girl.
cardstock - Kraft, Slate, White Daisy (CTMH); patterned paper - Dream Pop (CTMH); ink - Slate (CTMH);
stamp sets - B is For Baby, Love Clusters (CTMH); Pearl Opaques, Sequins, Sparkles (CTMH); White embossing powder.
Shapes cut from Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge (CTMH).
March 09, 2014

Aged to Perfection

I love love LOVE the sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches this week and have been wanting to make a card like this for awhile! I have a feeling these stamp sets are going to become some of my favourites and I am also adoring the new Close To My Heart embossing folders too!
sentiment reads: "You've pretty much aged to perfection"
patterned paper - Sonoma (CTMH); cardstock - Bamboo, Smokey Plum (CTMH); ink - Smokey Plum
Burlap (CTMH); Quatrefoil embossing folder (CTMH); stamps - Let's Get Sip Faced, Shall We Unwined (Unity Stamps).
March 08, 2014

Polka Dot Love

Friends of ours had a baby last week and I wanted to take over a little gift and card. Once I saw the Polka Dot Love over at Paper Sweeties Inspiration, I knew that's what I wanted to use! I also liked the colours of the polka dots over at The Shabby Tea Room...I couldn't make a final decision on the colours I wanted to use, so I made two cards. I used the current Seize the Sketch for the layout.
All supplies are Close To My Heart:
patterned paper - Dotty For You; cardstock - Lagoon, Colonial White; ink - Lagoon, Creme Brûlée, Sweet Leaf;
stamp set - B is for Baby; Lagoon twine; Bitty Sparkles; shape cut from Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge.
After lots of cutting, distressing, embossing, and a few taping sessions, my sister-in-law's invites are finally done! Her theme is rustic with a hint of west coast for her wedding here this summer. I thought her colours aligned well with the Dynamic Duos colour challenge this week of Blushing Bride and Sahara Sand.


cardstock - Kraft, Whisper, Colonial White (CTMH); stamp set - Urban Alphabet (CTMH);
ink - Grey Flannel (CTMH); embossing folder - Woodgrain (Stampin' Up); Burlap (CTMH);
starfish ordered from Loving Coastal Living (SeashellsbySeashore on Etsy); font found on Etsy.

March 03, 2014 in

Man-Pleasing Chicken

I first saw this recipe here and from the first time I have made it, my husband and anyone who is over begs for some more! I would actually call it All Around Pleasing Chicken as it is delicious, easy and cheap to make with common ingredients we usually have around.



Man-Pleasing Chicken
Serves 2

2 chicken breasts
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup Maple syrup
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1-2 sprigs fresh Rosemary, chopped

Preheat oven to 450F. In a small mixing bowl combine Dijon mustard, Maple syrup, vinegar and chopped rosemary. Place chicken in a small roasting dish and cover with sauce. Bake in oven for approximately 40-45 minutes, basting halfway through. Garnish with more rosemary if desired.

***This recipe is adapted from “The I <3 Trader Joe’s Cookbook” by Cherie Mercer Twohy***


Serve with Cheesy Noodles!
1-2 pkgs. Step-On soup (Ichiban noodles!)
knob of butter
handful of shredded cheese

Cook noodles according to package directions, but do not add the seasoning. Drain and return to pot. Add butter, seasoning, and shredded cheese. Stir well. Serve with chicken.


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