Taking My Frustrations Out In The Kitchen...Chicken Enchilada Pasta

When I am frustrated I cook.  I recently sent my daughter and best friend to college roughly 1000 miles away and I am trying to cope with the change.  So I've been scouring my recipe books and cooking magazines and rolling up my sleeves.  It has been therapeutic for me. 

Last night I tried out a new dish.  I don't typically like spicy dishes but my family LOVED Chicken Enchilada Pasta.  So it is a keeper and going into my ever growing recipe binder. 

*Notes:

• I omitted the jalapenos, I don't care for a burning mouth.
• The little sweet peppers are expensive so I used bell peppers instead.
• DO NOT wait to cut up everything while the pasta is cooking.  Do it before and prep time will go lickety-split.

ENJOY!!!

Apothecary Jars - Simple to make

Did you know that 100+ years ago if you needed any kind of medical attention, you would go to an apothecary.  They had these little jars with glass lids where they would keep their ingredients for mixing up your medications.  These apothecaries were like a glorified pharmacist.  These days we have specialists for all of our specific medical needs.  But in days of yore, you had the apothecary.  Apothecary jars have been making a come back, but not for medical ingredients.  They are more or less for holding little decorative thises and thats.  And they are expensive.  I don't like to buy things if they are expensive {whispers, unless they are shoes}. 

I love the dollar store.  You can get all kinds of stuff and turn it into different stuff.  To make your own apothecary jar, get a glass candle stick and either a large drinking glass or vase.  Large candle jars work great as well.  A glass jar with a glass lid works best since a true apothecary jar has a lid.  I use this amazing industrial strength glue called E2000 (see below).  You can get it from a craft store.  I paid $4 for mine.  And it dries clear!  Just glue that $1 candle stick to the bottom of your jar and let it sit upside down over night.  And voila, you have an apothecary jar. 

Let me know how yours turns out.

Simply SophistiKate,

Me

Dangerously Delicious BRANana Nut Muffins

My darling husband gave me a gift subscription to some cooking magazines a couple of Christmases ago.  He knows that I really like to cook.  I also LOVE to bake, but don't love what my baking does to my hips {smirking face}.  The other day I was going through some old magazines looking for some new dinner recipes (Dinner Menu Organizing Tips coming in another post) and I found this great banana muffin recipe with some healthy ingredients.  I found it in the Taste of Home February/March 2010 issue on page 32.  I never can just leave a recipe alone so I tweaked it a little bit.  Here is what I came up with...

BRANana Nut Muffins

(Makes approximately 36 muffins)

Turn oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix together wet ingredients in a large bowl:

6-7 very ripe, I'm talking brown, bananas

1 and 1/2 cups plain yogurt

4 eggs

4 Tablespoons melted butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In another large bowl mix together dry ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cup white flour

1 and 1/2 cup wheat flour

1 cup wheat bran

1/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup flax meal

2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

combine wet and dry ingredients together.

Add:

1 cup walnuts, or pecans, or peanuts (optional)

2/3 cup chocolate chips (optional, but highly recommended)

Bake for 22-25 minutes.

Let sit for 5 minutes and enjoy!

Let me know how yours turn out.

Simply SophistiKate,

Me

Make Your Own Corbels

I love corbels.  They can add such elegance to any space, but OH MY they are expensive.  I really wanted a set of corbels for my newly designed living room.  How did I remedy my want (corbels)/need (more cash to afford them) dilemma?  I decided to make them myself {chuckles...with the help of my DH, Darling Husband}.  They really aren't that difficult.  Just have a little patience. 

Here is what you do:

1.  Go online and find a corbel

or design of one that you really love. 

Then trace it onto graph paper. 

Or print it if your corbel is small enough.

2.  Go to your big box store, Home Depot or Lowes,

 and find some culled wood in the width you need. 

This is where you may need patience.

3.  Trace out your design onto your wood. 

Use the same template to trace each one out

so they will all end up the same sizes. 

4.  Cut them out with a jig saw {this is where DH comes in handy}.

5.  Glue and nail separate pieces together,

for the thickness you want. 

Corbels are usually chunky.

6.  Use wood filler to fill up the holes.

7.  Paint or stain.  I chose to use Minwax

water based white washed pickling. 

The wood filler shows through, but I love

that is has an old world, rustic, weathered look to it. 

8.  Hang on your wall.  Make sure the shelf will  be level. 

You will need something like these babies for strength. 

TRUST ME...Do not skimp on these.



And be sure that you make your family eat on the floor while
your painted corbels are drying on the kitchen table {chuckles}. 
Yes, Kate always uses a table cloth. 



 This whole project cost under $20.  I just love how looks and adds that special charm that I was wanting.  And they nicely display all my junk!  Tell me how your corbel project goes.  I'd love to see.

Simply SophistiKate,

Me

Book Page Starburst

This is a project I have been wanting to try for a very long while.  It really only took me an hour and a half to do.  While my kids watched Disney's Mulan upstairs, I started and completed this project.  By the time the movie was finished, so was I.  It really is a pretty little thing.  Here are step by step instructions of how to do it. 

Here's what you'll need:

1.  An old book.  GASP!  I know.  But this one was in a lanuage I didn't even know.

2.  A round piece of cardboard.  One from a frozen pizza will work, but possibly messy.

3.  Something for the center.  This can be a small picture of anything.  Or you can use a little mirror like I did.  I got it from the dollar store.  It is actually a flat candle dish. 

4.  My favorite...a hot glue gun.

5.  Something to hang it from.  I used an old ribbon.



You will need a piece of cardboard and a compass to draw your cirlce. 
I would do at least 9" in diameter.



Then rip pages out of a book.  OUCH! 
I know, but it will be so pretty.
Roll the inside of the page over without creasing it. 
Then roll the other side over so the corner of the
page matches the corner where the two edges meet. 
Hold it and continue rolling the second side around
and glue the corner with a dab of hot glue.



Start placing the glued pages on in a North, South, East, West
fashion so you can keep the lines straight. 
Then keep adding a page to the middle of each set of two glued pages. 
Some may slightly overlap, but that's okay. 
It gives it more dimension that way. 
When you are finished with the first layer, add a
second layer the same way, just move it one inch inward.




When you have both layers, add your round picture or mirror. 
Hint:  If you get hot glue on you fingers, stick them in your mouth. 
Trust me, it will congeal the glue and stop the burning. 
I learned that the hard way.  Owee!



Add something to hang your creation by. 
I just used an old ribbon and glued it to the back. 

And that's it.  That was easy.  And not as painful as you thought it would be (Glue or book).  LOL!  I've hung mine up and love the charm it adds to my home.

It's not too late! More Valentine ideas for teacher and class

I's not too late.  Here are some fun last minute ideas.  I'm going to try some with my kiddies tonight!  Have fun!  Links to all these pics are at the bottom of this post.  Or you can go to my Pinterest, poke the Pinterest button on the left, and go to my likes page.  Happy Valentine's Day!!!

To find links to all these pictures go to my likes page on Pinterest.

This one came from my good friend Kathy Greenwood. 
She is AMAZING!

Etsy

Well, what can I say?  I did it again...let me back up.

Several years ago my dear friend asked me how I liked having all my children in school full time and having a whole house all to myself.  I replied that I HATED IT!  I was lonely and bored.  She told me to just celebrate it.  I thought about this for a long time and tried to figure out exactly what she meant.  And within the last year everything just started falling into place for me.  I am finally CELEBRATING!  I now have time to do the things that I love.  I love Interior design and decorating my home, escpecially with things that I have created myself.  That is when it hit me!  Why not make decorative items for the home and sell them on Etsy?  (I've actually always wanted to have my own little boutique shop.)  We'll see how it goes, but so far I am having a ton of fun.  Go check it out.  I call it Simply SophistiKate, of course.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SimplySophistiKate 

Keep checking back to see what else ends up in my shop.

A Pretty Throne for a Princess

My older sister had a bedroom set growing up.  It was green and yellow.  I never was fond of this set but when she handed it down to my daughter we weren't gonna complain.  We painted the set a crisp white but wanted to do something a little different with the chair.  My daughter painted the chair black and we recovered the green and yellow stipes with a TOWEL.  Yup, we found a beautiful embossed pink towel at Target.  We cut it in half and stapled it to the bottom of the chair pad.  My princess loves her new bedroom set as I am sure my sister once did.  A Simply SophistiKated job well done!

I just love the texture.



Ain't she a beauty?



This poor chair just needed some love.

Tray Chic

My mom had this hideous black tray with orange laminant on the surface.  I was the kid who used it to hold my plate of food when my extended family would gather together and watch football on the television on New Years Day.  I don't have any fond memories of this tray.   And when my mom was going to throw it out I let out a startling "NO!" which surprised us both.  But, I took the tray home to use for my own family.  It sat in a cupboard for years and was rarely used.  I recently was trying to decide if I should just chuck the ugly thing or make it lovely.  And, of course, I decided to make it lovely.  I had my older kids help rip off the old laminant.  I spray painted it my favorite shade of Heirloom White.  And I decoupaged it with some of my favorite paper.  Here it is in all it's splendor.  I think it is "Simply SophistiChic" if you ask me.





Hmmm...still not sure what they were thinking.





It was rather difficult to tear off this fashion statement.

Goo Gone works wonders.  I LOVE this stuff.

Make a sweet Valentine's gift for your teacher

Yikes!  Is Valentine's Day only ONE week away?  I have to get on the ball and start planning for my kids' parties at school. 

First things first.  I believe that the teacher should get something special {that does not mean expensive}.  And not some cheap larger version of the post-card thingys the kids hand out.  Your kids can even help out with this too!

Here is a tutorial on how to make Red Velvet Cake in a jar.  You can make several gifts if your child works with more than one staff member as my little boys do.  Decorate the jar any way you like.  Don't forget to add the spoon.

Here is the recipe for Red Velvet:

Cake in a jar

1 box white cake mix (“pudding in the mix” variety) -
2 Tbs. cocoa
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 whole bottle of red food coloring (1/3 jar of paste or gel coloring)

Mix all the ingredients together on med-high for two minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Grease jars well. Bake at 350º til tester comes out clean. Cool completely before removing from jars.

Cream Cheese Icing:
1 stick butter (1/2 cup), softened
1 8 oz. pack of cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy (about 2 minutes. It will be very dry and then suddenly will come together.) Add cream cheese then beat another 30-45 seconds. Beat in vanilla and salt.