Spicy Bow Tie Pasta with Broccoli & Sausage
Mar. 2 10
I am sure that I’ve mentioned at some point or another that I have absolutely no skill whatsoever in the cooking department. So it may seem a bit strange that we’re posting such a delicious recipe in place of our regular tutorial Tuesday. BUT the recipe is actually from a surprise guest poster: Katie Goodman of the incredible food blog, goodLife {eats}. I am so excited to have her here today sharing this yummy meal.
A little more about Katie before we get to the recipe… She is a stay-at-home mom determined to make family meal time a priority while providing a variety of healthy and delicious food choices. Katie’s interest in cooking was born out of her love for delicious foods and, as you can imagine, was shaped by the influence of many family members (including her two kids). Read more here. So let’s get to the good stuff. Take it away Katie….
Want to know a secret? I make up a lot of my pasta dishes with this basic 3-2-1 formula. It’s probably not a new idea, but it definitely helps me throw different dishes together using what I’ve got on hand. I use this formula a lot. Sometimes when I’m really at a loss with what to make for dinner, especially when I haven’t gone grocery shopping, and I’m trying to put a mish-mash of ingredients together for a respectable meal it can be really helpful.
These dishes come together fast because they’re all basic ingredients. Sure you can jazz it up with a little something extra special or make a sauce if you want to. It just gives me a starting place. We all need a starting place to give us a push in the right direction once in a while. I know I’m not the only one who has opened the fridge 20 times within an hour period only to declare that there is “nothing worth eating in this house,” while feeling totally exasperated!
Ready for the formula? It’s pretty simple!
I made this Spicy Bow Tie Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage on one of those exasperated evenings. The only fresh vegetable in sight was 1 crown of broccoli. I knew that wasn’t enough to do a lot with, so I added the sundried tomatoes to get a more significant serving of vegetables. I grabbed 2 links of sausage from the freezer. I always have onion and garlic on hand. And suddenly we were getting somewhere, and it sure wasn’t going to be take-out pizza.
I cooked up the entire meal in less than 30 minutes while I talked to my BFF on the phone. We had started the conversation with me complaining about not knowing what to make for dinner and ended it with my proclamation of dinner being done. HOLY COW, she says! I secretly smiled, proud at my accomplishment. I can indeed make dinner out of “nothing.” And it was most definitely better than “good.”
Spicy Bow Tie with Broccoli and Sausage
a goodLife {eats} creation
-2 cups broccoli florets, cooked till tender crisp
-1 cup sundried tomatoes, soaked in oil
-2 cups mild italian sausage, about 2 links
-1 red onion, sliced thinly
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1/3 cup dry white wine
-1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper, more if you like
-salt and pepper to taste
-8 ounces bow tie pasta, cooked according to package instructions
In a large saute pan, drizzle a couple teaspoons of olive oil. Heat over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, cooking until browned on all sides. Remove sausage and slice into rounds. Return to pan. Add onion to the sausage and saute until the onion is tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute more.
Deglaze the pan with the white wine, making sure to scrape up all the browned bits. Stir in the tomatoes, pasta, and broccoli. Season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle with crushed red pepper. Serve topped with grated Parmesan cheese.
*Note: when I cook the pasta, I add the broccoli to the pot for the last 2 minutes to cook it.
Yum! I love bow tie pasta. Thanks so much Katie for sharing this with us today. For more recipes from Katie Goodman, visit goodLife{eats}.
{DIY} Pocket Size Letterpress Sketchbook
Feb. 23 10
Anything pocket-sized is cool with me. Grab it and go types of things. And of course, letterpress is always a plus. So I combined a couple of my favorite things for today’s diy: a pocket size letterpress sketchbook. Its similar to a project I did for 100 Layer Cake a while back, but I switched some things around to accommodate for a more practical everyday item…
What do I need to make this?
Materials: Needle and thread (or embroidery floss), scissors, blank sheets of paper (consider using a thicker weight than standard printer paper) and blank letterpress cards. Optional: bookbinding awl and paper cutter. The most important materials though are the letterpress cards that you choose. I chose a blind embossed eyelet lace set from Pistachio Press. Look for letterpress sets with multiple cards to save even more money, and use an A2 size card (4.25 x 5.5 inches).
How do I make this?
Steps (above for images): 1. Measure the letterpress cards you are using, and then with a paper cutter or a pair of scissors, cut the sheet in half horizontally. Now you have two halves of paper that are of equal size.
2. Trim about 1/4 inch off of your newly cut sheets all the way around the edges. Then fold sheets in half (hamburger style this time) and stick the pages inside your letterpress card.
3. Trim any excess so that it fits neatly into your letterpress card. There shouldn’t be too many problems with that though since we already trimmed the pages before folding them in half.
4. Next, turn to the middle section of your newly formed booklet. Using a stab or bookbinding awl, create three evenly spaced holes down the spine of your booklet.
5. Use your needle and thread or embroidery floss to go through the three holes as if you are binding a book. Then tie the thread or embroidery floss off and cut off any excess. Thats it- all done. Here’s the finished product…
Looking for more ideas for quick and easy projects? Click here to visit the tutorials page filled with almost 30 diy’s.
Vintage Glam Clutch {before and after} DIY
Feb. 16 10
I love a good before and after as much as the next girl. So today, I’ll be sharing an easy diy that transforms a worn out clutch to a glamorous evening bag. The idea came to me several months ago when I found a great vintage bag that needed some TLC.
Days later, I opened up a little handbag shop called Laur, where I sell hard-to-find vintage pieces, that are either left in their original condition or hand-painted by me for a new look. These are the results from one project.
Here’s what the clutch looked like before…
And the “after” is at the top of this post.
So, how do you get the look? Well, it’s a lot easier than it looks. Here is the step by step…
1. Once you’ve found the perfect clutch to makeover (remember you want to look for something that is leather or something similar to leather like vinyl for best results), choose a high bonding textile paint in the color you would like to use. I recommend the brand Jacquard.
2. Using a round paintbrush for the least amount of visible brushstrokes, start painting using thin, even strokes, while avoiding any metal or hardware that you don’t want painted. You may even want to tape those areas off if you think you will have trouble avoiding it.
3. Once a layer has been applied, use a dry cloth or paper towel to remove some of the paint while it is still wet, with a patting technique. This is going to help the first layer to really get into the material and also will help diminish the look of brushstrokes.
4. Repeat steps two and three with 3-5 layers of built up paint. That’s it!
Pretty simple right? Here’s a couple more pictures of the finished product:
Organize Your Life: Bulletin Board Tutorial
Feb. 9 10
In an attempt to organize my thoughts and of course, my odds and ends, I created this bulletin board using recycled and vintage materials, that has a special pocket too. Its cork, so you can stick things right to it quick and easy. And you can do it too…
What do I need for this project? Materials: Recycled Frame, Cardboard or other hard-backing, fabric (or recycled hankies, which I used), cork, staple gun, craft glue, paint and brush
How do I make this? Steps: 1. Clean recycled frame, so it is ready for paint. Cut cardboard to fit inside frame.
2. Take cut cardboard and begin gluing thin pieces of cork to surface. Covering the entire piece.
3. While waiting for glue to dry, begin painting the frame with several layers of paint. I like to use leftover house paint because it dries flat and is very durable.
4. While waiting for paint to dry, begin wrapping fabric around the front of cork-covered cardboard and pull around to back to secure with staple gun. I used a vintage handkerchief instead of fabric for the larger fabric piece.
5. To create a pocket for the “bottom” of the bulletin board, I added an inexpensive linen separate from the larger piece. I folded the linen in half and ironed it to create a finished edge. And then overlapped the linen on top of the large navy piece by two inches and secured it in the back with a staple gun, but left the front open, creating the pocket.
6. Once that is done and the paint is dry on the frame, pop the finished cardboard/fabric piece into the frame and secure in the back. Now, its ready to hang or lean up against your dresser.
Side note: I actually had a different tutorial planned for today. One that is more Valentine’s inspired. But I unfortunately couldn’t finish it in time. So, check back tomorrow…fingers crossed, I might just have that tutorial ready for tomorrow. Until then, visit the tutorials page to create more than 25 fun projects.
Unraveling a Letter {diy}
Feb. 3 10
Here’s a fun idea for sending a message to someone you love… stamp it. I found these little wooden spools at the craft store and wanted to come up with a clever use for them. And since Valentine’s Day is coming up, I thought this would be a unique keepsake. Writing a letter that needs to be unraveled to be read. This could work for any occasion really….birthdays, just because, etc.
What do I need? Materials: Fabric or ribbon (length will vary depending on length of message), wooden spool (from craft store or recycled), rubber letter stamps, stamp pad, craft glue
How do I make it? Steps: 1. Cut a long strip of fabric about 1.5 wide and at least one yard long depending on how long you want your letter to be. You can also use ribbon as oppose to fabric (cotton webbing works great).
2. Leave a couple of inches on the end of the fabric strip blank and then begin stamping your message.
3. Once message is complete, glue the start of the message (the area that you left blank at the beginning) to the spool using craft glue. Ravel your message around the spool. Place in a decorative box and you are all set.
Looking for more ideas for quick weekend projects? Click here to visit the tutorials page filled with more than 25 easy diy’s.
How to Create a Modern + Feminine Mirror
Feb. 2 10
I don’t know about you, but doilies are one of my craft staples. I swear I can weasel them in to almost any project.
Case in point: today’s tutorial for how to make a modern (but feminine) frosted glass doily mirror. It’s pretty easy and makes for a great weekend warrior project. Make your own…
What do I need? Materials… Mirror (framed or unframed), paper doily, frosted glass finish spray, double-sided tape
How do I make it?
Steps… 1. Clean mirror with soap and water to remove any debris or dirt, and let dry.
2. Choose a paper doily that works for the size mirror you have. My doily is about a third of the size of mirror. On the backside of the doily, place double sided tape all over. You will want to overload it with tape so that you can stop the spray from going into areas you don’t want it to be. But you also want to be sure not to put tape over any areas that are suppose to be “open” in the doily. Then turn over and secure to the mirror anywhere you wish. Remember: The area you put the doily, will be the only spot in the mirror you will actually be able to see a reflection when we are done.
3. Place mirror down on flat surface. Shake frosted glass spray according to directions and then spray 7-12 inches away from the mirror in even, sweeping strokes. Thin layers are the best way to go about this to avoid drips and other inaccuracies. Wait for each coat to dry (about 15-10 minutes) before applying the next coat. My mirror took four coats.
4. After the last layer is completely dry, gently remove the paper doily and double-sided tape from mirror. Clean with damp cloth and you are ready to hang.
Looking for more ideas for quick weekend projects? Click here to visit the tutorials page filled with more than 25 easy diy’s.
Domestic DIYs
Jan. 26 10
Big thanks to Peter for introducing me to he and his wife’s amazing blog called The New Domestic. I found this great DIY project there for dinner party place cards. Totally cute.
