Nursery Update 8; Mural

A couple of critters at the base of the tree.

On the left we have Ms. Hedgie, a hedge hog who is getting a flower from Mr. Squirrel. You can't see all the detail, but it gives you an idea.

Nursery Update 7; Mural

Blurry Picture, Sorry.

A little peek at what I've been working on.  This is a little bird on the wall...my dad thought it looked like a fish.  Oh well.  It's still fun to look at.  He has some pals in the tree too!

Fried Rice

Sorry, no picture.  It got eaten before I thought about it, but really...you all know what fried rice looks like right?  Right.  So, here's how to make it at home.  It's really easy.

Ingredients;
1lb. chicken tenders (I pull the meat in bite size pieces off the tendon)
1Tbsp. olive oil
3c. minute rice
3c. water
1 stick butter
1 bag frozen stir-fry vegetables ( I prefer the ones with mostly snap peas)
salt/pepper to taste
1tsp. celery seed
1-2tsp. yellow curry powder
2-4 Tbsp. lite Soy sauce
1 egg (optional)

In a large skillet, drizzle with olive oil, put chicken pieces in, and stir with curry powder, celery seed, salt and pepper.  In a separate pot, cook your minute rice, or if you have a microwaveable rice cooker cook rice that way.  (If you don't have a microwave rice cooker, invest in one.  It's worth all $15.  It looks like a plastic version of a stew pot.  And it steams the rice really nicely.  You just put equal parts minute rice with equal parts water and cook about 5 minutes, then fluff with fork.)  When rice finishes set aside.  Cook chicken until done throughout, then add frozen veggies.  In separate non-stick skillet melt butter, and stir in rice.  Coat rice with melted butter and let cook 1-2 minutes.  Push rice aside to create a blank space where you can scramble your egg in the same pan, then when the egg is mostly cooked spread it through the rice.  Carefully add the chicken/veggie mix into the rice or vice versa and mix together really well.  If you are like me it's a little much to put in one skillet, so stir carefully as not to lose any to the floor.  Or, split it between the two skillets.  Add your soy sauce to the mix and stir well.  Serve and enjoy.  Serves 4-6 easily with hearty portions.  If you serve this with something else it could easily serve 6-8. 

This recipe stores well in the refrigerator for about 1 week, also freezes and reheats well if stored properly.  I like to use Ziploc Freezer bags with all the air squeezed out.  Just write the date on it so you know how long you've had it.

Note: If you like different veggies you can add whatever you'd like, the frozen bag just makes it easy and cheap.  The onion, mushroom, snap pea blend is great, so is the broccoli, water chestnut, snap pea, and pepper version.  I just get whatever sounds good.

Nursery Update 6

I made this for Ryan for Father's Day.  He loved it, but said if we have a boy I'll need to make a new one that doesn't have glittery pink puff paint on it. :)  I guess it's good we are having a girl.

Dressing up the Bag

So I was given a great gift once called a Miche Bag.  

*Miche Bag does not know who I am, this is not a paid advertisement.*  

The base bag looks like this;

 

It's a purse with interchangeable shells or coverings and handles so you can change the look of your purse without having to move all your stuff to a new bag.  You just take the magnetic cover off and put a new one on.   Genius isn't it?  I have loved my Classic bag for quite a while.  Well, they also have the big bag;

And I wanted one.  The classic base that I first showed you is actually a great size.  Not too big, not too small, unless of course you carry a book and bottle of water with you everywhere.  Or, numerous snacks and toys and other things that women carry in their purses.  That's why you have the big bag.  I thought I needed one because it would be great for traveling.  So someone generously gave one to me.  The cover wasn't exactly my taste, but I'll use it for certain times of the year.  I decided to just use the base by itself for a while until I can get another cover.  The base itself is quite pretty.  Then, I decided to make it a sash...and ended up with this;

Ain't it purty! :)  I like it a lot.  I think I'll make some more!

I LOVE my Miche Bags, but you don't have to have this particular bag to do this!    If you have a purse that you just love and don't want to get rid of you might try making it a slip cover, or putting a ribbon around it.  Sometimes the accessories need to be accessorized too!