Weekly Menu

In an effort to expand my cooking skills and offer my family new and exciting dishes I devote two nights a week to new recipes. If everyone raves about it we add it to our regular rotation...for awhile.

This week I was reminded of a great home-cook-turned-pro I discovered in 2009. Remember Melissa D'Arabian from Food Network Star? She was my favorite on that years show. As a homemaker (like yours truly) she created delicious everyday dishes families would actually eat! So this week I'll be trying two new recipes from her show Ten Dollar Dinners: Lemony Shrimp Scampi Pasta and Fish Piccata.

Rounding out the rest of my weekly menu are:

BBQ Pulled Pork sandwiches
Chili
Beef Burritos
Chicken Pot Pie

I figure we'll eat leftovers once or twice. Or at least have enough for school or work lunches.

iRIP Steve Jobs

I'm kinda bummed about Steve Job's passing. We all knew it was coming. But still....




I understand he authorized a biography of his life earlier this year. No question I'll be downloading it to my ipad ASAP.

Well, Steve...I guess this is goodbye. Job well done, sir.

Art Picture Redo

I love art! But since becoming a stay at home mommy I no longer have the extra cash to spend on it. But luckily I have LOTS of time at home. So when I'm in the mood...and the kids aren't stalking me...I'll steal away to the basement and paint. This is my attempt at recreating a colorful piece I saw on Etsy. I can't remember the artists name. But I'll be sure to look it up. She has tons of wonderfully colorful pieces that I love.

I used cheap acrylic paint from the craft store. And one of those thin art canvases that come 3 in pack for $7. Overall I like it. Especially since I haven't painted since high school!

DIY Farmhouse Dining Table

Home Decor ADD is a real disease.

After upgrading to a single family home last year I became obsessed with furnishing it. One and a half years later I'm still arranging and rearranging our stuff. One minute I'm totally sure I want a Tuscan feel. Then the seasons change and I want something beach-y and coastal. Then suddenly I'll want ethnic prints and pops of color!

But through it all I've been completely satisfied with our kitchen table. It's a farmhouse dining table my husband built using this plan from Ana White's blog Knock Off Wood. You can find the plans here.

Here's the inspiration photo.

And here's the table my hubby built:

We still need to stain it. But hubby is so proud of his handy work he won't let anyone touch it!

Sweet Pea's Favorite Breakfast

My never fail breakfast for my picky little eater: strawberries, sausage and and a slice of raisin bread.

Weekly TWA Check

So, I'm steadfastly growing my Teeny Weeny Afro (TWA) out. This week I'm experimenting with comb coils, coil out and bentonite clay treatment. So far I'm liking the look. though my hair seems a bit dry. It drinks any moisture I put on it: conditioner, butters, oils, water, whatever. Plus my hair color doesn't reflect light as well as darker hues. So it's just something I have to deal with.

In the near future I'll experiment with earrings and makeup to soften the look as my hair grows out. Hair this short (on a head this big) needs a little help to make it pretty and feminine. Highlights would be cool too. I normally use African Pride Highlighting Kit in their lightest shade (Sahara Sand) to frame and warm my face in the winter months.

Weekend Crafts

While reading a natural hair blog last Friday I stumbled upon a few coloring pages that really spoke to me. I mean, I actually wanted to color those things!Well, one thing led to another and I managed to create 3 crafts from that post.

The first two gave me an opportunity to use my copic markers. I bought them months ago during a short lived manga phase. So it was really nice attempting to work with them. The colors are great and true. however I really need to work on my technique. Right now I'd describe it as very basic. But I've discovered a few tutorials on deviant art that might help.

Anyway, here are the coloring pages:

And here's a link tot he originals if you'd like to color them yourselves: Naturally Beautiful Coloring sheets

Here's a pic of a paper craft that came to mind using the last image. All of the supplies were found in my craft room except the tacks. They were less than $2 for one pack at Home Depot. Though I'm sure you can get them cheaper elsewhere.:

 I attempted to use foam backing to create a 3d effect. Not sure it shows very well in the pics. Now that I've made this rough draft I'd like to try it again with different media. Wooden or cork background and contrasting colors that pop off the page more. I'm also thinking of ways to color the tacks to offer a more customized look.