I love your Microbeads Martha!

For those of you that love the Martha Stewart Crafts line at Michael's as much as I do, you have to check out the new Microbeads. The colors are great, and they can be used in just the same way as glitter. I'm thinking about buying some vintage plain colored glass ornaments from Salvation Army and embellishing them with these little tiny beads. I'll definitely let you know how the project turns out. Anyhooo...microbeads. Go buy some! Or click here!

Pasta Delicioso

This is one of my favorite quick, cozy dinners that my kids love as much as I do! (I know, a meal the WHOLE family loves, crazy). The best part about it is you only need three ingredients and most of them you probably already have in your kitchen! I usually use UDON noodles, because my kids love being able to suck in the long noodle (think Lady and the Tramp). However, any pasta noodle works well. Just make sure to find one that takes about 10-12 minutes to cook. That way everything is ready to put together at the same time. Ok! Enjoy!

Pasta Delicioso!

Grocery List:

1/2 pkg Bacon

16 oz pasta noodles of your choice

Fresh Basil

Parmesan (optional)

1. Preheat Oven to 450F
2. Bring the water for the pasta to a boil.
3. (while waiting for water to boil) Chop the bacon into bite-sized pieces and spread in a single layer on a jelly roll pan. 
4. Put the noodles into the water for 10-12 minutes
5. At the same time...put the bacon into the oven. Let it cook until the noodles are done. 
6. Drain the noodles and place in a large serving bowl. Add the bacon (along with a portion of the grease from cooking) to the pasta. Mix well. 
7. Top with chopped fresh basil and quickly mix together. 
8. If desired top with freshly shredded parmesan. 
9. Enjoy!!

Hark A Vagrant!!

I stumbled across this artist while looking at some comics online. Anyways, her name is Kate Beaton. Her website, Hark A Vagrant, has a lot of her comics archived as well as mugs and t-shirts for sale. A history major born in Nova Scotia, she has a great sense of humor and a really unique aesthetic to her drawings. I love some of her T-shirt designs too.

Anyways, check it out here, if you'd like!!!! Kate Beaton! If you're looking for the perfect present for that slightly snarky friend of yours, you may just find it here.

King Ranch Chicken

Ok. This is seriously one of the easiest, most delicious, coziest recipes for the fall weather I know of. So I thought I'd pass it on along. A version of it was featured in Southern Living this past month, but I'll give you the version my grandma passed down (along with a lot of other lovely Southern ladies, I'm sure).

Grocery List:

• 2-3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
• 1 large onion
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 10oz can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 10oz can cream of chicken soup
• 1 16oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel Tomatoes, for example)
• corn tortillas
• 1 2 cup package sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• salt
• pepper
• few drops of tabasco

 Ok. So here's how you make it!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9 Glass baking dish.

In a large saucepan, poach the chicken breasts. I simply cover the chicken breasts with about 1/2 inch of water and bring the water to a boil. I let it gently boil until the chicken is done cooking, about ten minutes. Poaching allows the meat to remain really tender for pulling, as you will do later on in the recipe. For more detailed information on poaching chicken breasts, check out this website.

While the chicken is cooking...

1. Dice the onion and the bell pepper, and place in a large bowl. 
2. Add to the bowl the following of the ingredients

• cream of chicken soup
• cream of mushroom soup
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• tomatoes
• tabasco
• salt and pepper to taste

Then...mix all the ingredients together well.

When the chicken is done cooking, set it on a cutting board and pull it apart to shred it for the casserole. Add the pulled chicken to the bowl with the other ingredients.

Assembling!

1. Line the bottom of the glass baking dish with a layer of corn tortillas. It is fine if they overlap. 
2. On top of the tortillas, pour about one-third of the chicken mixture. Spread it evenly. 
3. Sprinkle one-third of the cheese on top of the chicken. Now, repeat steps 1-3. 
4. For the top layer, do a last layer of the chicken then sprinkle the cheese on the top. (This leaves a deliciously tasty cheesy layer on top for your first bite). 

Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, until it is bubbly through all the layers. Let cool for a few minutes, then enjoy!!!!

Mochi Mochi Land

Ok. For any of you out there interested in knitting, crafting, sewing, or just awesome things in general, you must check out Mochi Mochi Land. One of the latest amazing things to be featured on WhipUp.net, you will not believe the creations of this artist.

"Mochimochi Land was launched in early 2007 as a place where knitted toys and people can live together in a spirit of tolerance.

The toys that inhabit Mochimochi Land are at once cute and strange, and they appeal to adults and children alike. They are all original designs by Anna Hrachovec, a knitter who lives in Brooklyn. Anna finds inspiration in Japanese kawaii designs and illustrators like Dr. Seuss. Her knitted toys have been featured on The Martha Stewart Show, around the web, and in print. Her original knitted creations have appeared in galleries in New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Tokyo.

Downloadable Embroidery
Patterns!!

The Mochimochi Shop specializes in downloadable knitting and cross-stitch patterns. Printed Mochimochi Land patterns are also available for wholesale prices. (Please contact info [at] mochimochiland [dot] com to inquire.)

Anna’s first book of knitting patterns, Knitting Mochimochi, was released in June 2010." - this information was found on the About Me page of the MochiMochi Land Website.


All the creatures remind me of things you might see in a Hiyao Miyazaki movie. And most of the items seen on their site are things that you can download the patterns for, whether it's embroidery or knitting. Others are available for purchase on Etsy.


Anyhoooo...If I were you, I'd check out these awesome creations. If nothing else, they are really fun to look at!

Kombucha, y'all!!!

Ok. For anyone that is a fan of Kombucha Tea you must read the following. Some great friends of mine are now making their own and you can buy it too! It is NO KIDDING the best kombucha I have ever tasted. I will never buy one from anyone else again....unless they run out cuz they're so awesome...and then I would be forced to.

Anyways! It's called Cumberland Valley Kombucha. I am listing information below. Please contact them to try it for your own selves, cause it's hell-yeah awesome!!!!

Krysta K. and Melissa B.

(615)995-4994

krysta.kacz@gmail.com

You can also check out Krysta's blog Cumberland Pickles.