Thursday Things... Show Your Colors

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Wordless Wednesday


submitted by alfabette zoope

Garden Vegetable Soup

Garden Vegetable Soup
I find that if I prep whatever I can in the morning or during the day, making dinner is a cinch. I like to prep while Piglet is napping in the morning, that way on some days Diva can help me and other days she is in school.
I make this soup with tomatoes but Piglet doesn't seem to tolerate tomatoes too well during nursing, so I take a portion out for her then add canned diced tomatoes, if I could simmer it longer I would use fresh seeded tomatoes

This is more of a method than a recipe...
Chicken breasts- broiled with salt and pepper cut into bit sized pieces (optional)
Minced garlic clove
Chopped red bell pepper
Chopped carrots
Chopped celery
Chopped onion
Chopped zucchini
Fresh green beans cut into ¾ in size
Frozen corn
Low sodium chicken broth (2 1/2 boxes)
Can of diced
tomatoes
Bay
leaf
Italian seasoning
Sea salt
Black pepper
Lime juice

Garnish-
Chopped parsley
Chopped celery leaves
Lime wedges
Heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed stockpot over medium low heat. Once heated sweat garlic and onion with a little salt. Add carrots, green beans, bell pepper, celery, bay leaf and Italian seasoning, cook for about 5 minuets, stir. Add zucchini, roasted chicken and any juices, broth, salt and pepper. Increase heat to high and bring to a simmer. Once simmering lower heat and cook until vegetables are fork tender. Add corn kernels a little before cooking time is up. Remove from heat and add about 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice. Discard Bay leaves. Serve with garnishes.

 Fresh veggies all ready to go...













Broiled chicken. You can use any leftover chicken, rotisserie also.














Sweating the onions...

Vegetables that take longer to cook are put in first

Adding broth and zucchini...




This was first posted at GPAC.





Wordless Wednesday

CONGRATS to our Chaco Creations giveaway winner!

Noeller67 on Rav
You'll be contacted soon! Thank you.

Funny Friday

Wordless Wednesday

Pumpkin Pie Bars



Adapted from Joy The Baker
1 1/3 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar (Divided)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
1 15oz can pumpkin or about two cups of homemade pumpkin puree

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional-
chocolate chips, butter scotch chips or cinnamon chips


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the flour, brown sugar and 1/4 cup of sugar and cut in butter. I put it all in my food processor and Piglet helped me with the pulsing of the machine. You want it to look like coarse crumbs.







Add the oats. If using nuts, add them now. Stir to combine.
Reserve 1 cup of this mixture.








Press the mixture into a 9x13 pan that is lined with parchment. Make sure the parchment comes up the sides a bit so you can lift the bars out later.







Beat the cream cheese until fluffy, add eggs. Beat well. Beat in remaining sugar, spices and vanilla.
Stir in chocolate, butter scotch or cinnamon chips if using.





Pour mixture over the top of the crust, sprinkle with reserved topping. Bake for 25-30 minutes until set, test it with a knife. Poke a knife in the middle and if it comes out clean it's done. It will set up as it cools.
Let it cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Then lift it out of the pan to finish cooling on a rack before cutting. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.


Originally posted on Give Peas A Chance.





Featured Artisan Chaco Creations

Meet our Featured Artisan Kathi of Chaco Creations.
I started Chaco Creations almost 3 years ago. I have been sewing for about 10 years and knitting for longer. I was creating mostly quilts until a friend wanted a knitting project bag. I designed and made her one and she really liked it. I did some adjustments on the original design and decided to start selling them. I've added in other knitting/crocheting items after that and expanded into messenger bags and purses.
I work full-time outside the house as an Archaeologist and EMT. I also have a wonderful, understanding husband and two great kids. So needless to say I don't get as much sewing done as I would like. Sewing, for me, is my "away time" or destressor. I'm happy if I can get a couple of uninterrupted hours in on the weekends!
Who taught you how to sew?
My mom sewed when I was young but didn't really teach any of us. I remember sewing a skirt when I was in Girl Scouts but that was about it until a friend asked if I wanted to take a quilting class with her. I took the class and loved it. So I have been "really" sewing since about 2000. Started with mostly quilting projects and taking classes and slowly worked into making knitting bags and other items. 

Where did the name Chaco Creations come from?
I decided on Chaco Creations as a name because it reminds me of home. I am an archaeologist, by profession, and worked mainly in the Southwestern US before moving to Missouri a few years ago. Chaco Canyon in one of the major Southwestern sites in New Mexico. I worked in that area for years. Also, my cat that I had for 18 years was named Chaco, so the name has multiple meanings for me. When I was trying to think of a name for my business I decided on Chaco Creations because of the meanings the name has for me.

What is your favorite item to make?
Now...I have just discovered making upcycled dresses and shirts! I'm just totally having a great time collecting older shirts and combining them and making new dresses and shirts! This is a new obsession - LOL...so before this I would have to say making my knitting bags. I love digging through my stash (which is quite large) and picking coordinating fabrics. The only part I don't like is the hand sewing to finish off the draw strings...that would classify as my least favorite thing! 

If you were going to pick up another craft what would it be?
Another craft? Well actually, I have been fixated on learning to weave for a couple of years. There are no resources or teachers in my immediate area so I've been looking online and have bought a couple of books on weaving. I don't see learning any time soon as 1) the lack of close-by resources and 2) I have no room to house the craft supplies I have now for sewing, knitting and scrapbooking! LOL!!
 

All my gallery photos are in flickr. I've picked out a few - but if you want to look in the gallery to see if there are better ones have at it!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15280318@N04/sets/72157603915097382/with/2960246170/





Give away:
Knitting/Crocheting Project Bag
(I have all the fabric cut out but need to get it sewn up today so I don't have photos of it yet)
Info:
These bags are great for all your knitting/crocheting projects, or anything else you can think of to use it for!
This bag is larger than the usual sock project bag. Will hold more than 4oz of yarn plus project and supplies.
Base of bag is 5 inches in diameter.
Opens to 24 inches circumference.
Bag is 10 inches tall, 9 inches from base to bottom of drawstrings.
There is a pocket inside with three (3) small pockets and one (1) larger pocket to carry extra needles, hooks, pencils or what every you want to use them for!


To enter, post a comment to this blog post what you would use your bag from Chaco Creations for. (required).

For additional entries:
* Visit Chaco Creations and post your favorite item as a comment on this post
* Follow the team blog and leave a separate comment telling us you are a follower
* Fan the team on Facebook and leave a separate comment telling us you did so 

Please make sure to leave each comment in a separate post, and be sure to give us a way to get in touch with you in case you win! Winner will be picked using random.org on Monday, September 20th.

Funny Friday: Baby Discusses Some Serious Topics

Check this out if you need a laugh!

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-- submitted by Holden's Landing