I am a Honey Bee

All about my adventures with cooking, crafts, and travel

Archives for November 2011

December Daily Book (Before)

20111130-225458.jpgLast year I started to prep my December Daily album but I bailed at the last minute in participating the documenting my month. My fall was less than stellar so I didn’t feel like celebrating everything going on. I talked myself out of it ‘what do I have to document?!? I feel crappy and it’s not like I do anything exciting. I’m busy with work- great I’ll take a photo of my desk every day. I don’t have kids so there are only so many things I can take photos of.’

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Well this year I am so damn determined to stick to it! I dug my kit out where I left it and ripped most of it apart. I did a new cover quickly last night. I started to play around with the pages inside it but decided that I should make that my 5 minute creative outlet every night and go with the flow.

I am going to use my Fuji Instax camera for the process. It’s going to be hilarious going to yank this massive play school like camera out of my bag every time to take a picture… Pricer will cringe. I have to admit that I’m totally stealing Kelly Purkey’s idea since she did this last year for her Dec Daily album. Looked amazing so I’m going to give it a try this year.

Can’t wait for tomorrow!!

You can follow tweets about other crafters and scrapbookers doing this with the hast tag #decdaily

 

Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Hash

There is a restaurant and catering place a few blocks away from us called Bakers’ Best Cafe. We are typically so busy or away on the weekends that we don’t stick around our neighborhood, so it took us a few months to find it and go there. But since then we have been hooked! I order the Hash and Eggs (crispy homemade corned beef hash topped with two poached eggs and hollandaise sauce $9.50). It’s so good! My favorite brunch thing to get is Eggs Benedict, so this is a great spin on it.

While I would love to go there whenever we are in town and not going at break neck speeds, I can’t always justify a $30+ brunch bill. And that not including the mimosas I have a habit of throwing back, which I can make at home for a fraction of the price. So I decided to make something at home that reminds me of the delicious meal I enjoy there. Making this sweet potato & squash hash is a simple way of doing so.

I make this hash without corned beef in it because I don’t just have that laying around (who do you think I am?) and I’m looking for a simple recipe that I can do in my sleep. I think the key with this is letting the potatoes rest after being roasted because it softens up this crunchy pieces a bit. I don’t know about you but I hate super crunchy potatoes with my eggs, so letting them relax in the fridge over night solves that earth shaking problem. Also, it means you don’t have to get up super early to make this. After so the dinner clean up, cut up the squash and sweet potatoes, ditch them in the oven to roast while watching SNL (& skipping the bits Kristen Wiig is in), throw them in a container and in the fridge before going to bed. While making bacon, cut up and onion, then while your eggs cook sauté the onion and then add the rest of the hash to warm up.

I did use bacon grease to cook the onions in to pass on some flavor and is it was easy- basically dump out the leftover grease and don’t clean the pan… Win! Of course you can make this vegetarian by butter, vegan you say?… Use oil. Problem solved. No matter what, it’s gluten free! (Well, check the bacon.)

Sweet Potato and Squash Hash

-serves 4-6-

Ingredients

  • 1 large butternut squash
  • 2 large sweet potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons Lawry’s seasoned salt
  • pinch of crushed red pepper, optional
  • 1 large onion
  • 1 tablespoon bacon grease, or 1 tablespoon oil

Process

  1. Cut squash and sweet potato in 1/2″ to 3/4″ pieces.
  2. Toss with oil, seasoned salt and crushed red pepper to evenly coat.
  3. Roast at 375 for 40-45 minutes, stirring half way.
  4. Refrigerate over night, or at least cover and refrigerate for an hour
  5. Prior to serving, chop up an large onion. Saute in bacon grease until soft.
  6. Add the cooked potato and squash mixture to the skillet and gently warm through.
  7. Serve with eggs and bacon. And a mimosa or bloody mary can’t hurt!


Vegetable Enchiladas with Easy Homemade Sauce

These Vegetable Enchiladas are packed of flavor from the colorful vegetable filling and an easy homemade enchilada sauce that will knock your socks off!

Original post from 11/28/11, pictures updated 1/16/19

Post Contains Affiliate Links. Read my full disclosure HERE 

I love making healthy comfort food. It makes enjoying a big filling meal, less guilt inducing. Cozy without the conflict, which is perfect for me.

Really, who doesn’t love hearty meals!?!? I want to enjoy them, but I don’t want it to impact my waist line. Sure, salads are crave-able, but really, let’s focus on what we really want: some yummy enchiladas! 

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Not feeling it.

I’m not into blogging today.

Typically, I will come home and jump on the computer and finish a post, or I’ll get up early and do one. But this week has felt all off to me. It’s a short week at work so you would think I would have more energy but I think I’m checked out already even though I am busy (and still productive). So I think I’m mentally checked out of blogging for today. I have plenty of things planned, but the thought of pluggin in my SD card to retrieve photos, edit them, write a post, and blah blah blah has me want to crawl under the covers. So that it what I am going to do now, relax on the sofa and watch DVR’s Grimm and post something with substance tomorrow.

Because it’s my blog and I’ll do what I want. Thank.You.Very.Much.

 

Nails

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ladies (and gents),

I need your help.

I’m in need of nail inspiration.

I love using Pinterest to find new designs and save them for later on my ‘Nails’ Board since I’m in a crazy nail stage (for me). I want to paint my nails all the time. Buy tons of nail polishes. Do my nails in fun and different ways.

Tonight, I started my nail’s with:

I love the Insta Dry polish since it really is instant, which works for me since I screw up my nails all the time and I eliminate that it with this product. I just need to get some nail art pens since using a tooth pick was not the easiest way of getting a consistent dot. Anyway, the color combo is not great since the black dots are lost against the purple, but I’m just happy to have my nails done again. I’m sure I’ll change them up again in a few days anyway.

So the point of this post-

Link me some of your favorite nail images! What are your favorite polishes and colors? Send me some fun designs!

Thanks!!!!!

 

Buffalo Chicken Pita Pizzas

Last weekend was Price’s good friend’s 30th birthday. To celebrate, another friend stayed with us so we could all go out on Sturday night. As the guys were marathoning through video games and episodes of Ninja Warrior, I bugged them about what to have for a lunch/snack because I knew it would be hours until dinner. I started by suggestions snacks and things seemed settled on a dip, then they picked buffalo chicken dip with chips and veggies. As I started to plan and double check they changed their minds and decided on buffalo chicken pizza.

  

I planned on using a pre-made pizza crust to make the pizza quickly for the guys. Then I debated on making them using sandwich wraps, similar to my Whole Wheat Pesto Pizza with Ricotta, Mushrooms, and Red Onions, but then I decided to go with sandwich wraps. I figured that thicken pita bread would stand up better to the heavier buffalo chicken. All that thought for some simple buffalo chicken pizzas.

  

The pizza really delivers an intense buffalo chicken flavor. Most buffalo chicken pizzas I have had don’t pack the same punch since they use some sauce on the chicken and on the crust. Instead, I made a thicken sauce with the sour cream and buffalo wing sauce to coat the chicken completely and have a thicken sauce on the pizza. Typically, the heat from the buffalo sauce is counter balanced with the blue cheese dressing and celery. In this case, the sour cream cuts the heat. I didn’t want to add celery to the pizzas so I added avocado to represent the green you typically have on the plate.

  

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

*Serves 3*

Ingredients

  • 3 whole wheat pitas
  • 2 10 oz cans of white meat chicken, rinsed or 2 large breasts of cooked chicken
  • 1/2 cup of buffalo wing sauce, I prefer Frank’s Buffalo Wing Sauce
  • 4 oz of sour cream
  • 12 oz part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1 half of red onion sliced
  • 3 oz of blue cheese, crumbled
  • half an Hass avocado, diced
  • 3 scallions

Process

  1. Preheat oven to 425
  2. Split the pitas. Lay them out on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake for 5-8 minutes. They should be slightly crisp.
  3. While the pitas are baking, combine the chicken with sour cream, and buffalo wing sauce.
  4. Put 3 tablespoons of ricotta on each pita, spread out evenly.
  5. Divide the buffalo chicken evenly on the pitas.
  6. Sprinkle slices of onion and pieces of blue cheese evenly on each pita pizza.
  7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the onions have shriveled and the blue cheese has melted.
  8. Let cool for 5 minutes, then add pieces of avocado to the pizzas and cut some scallion on each pizza. Then cut each pita into 4 pieces.

Hands full

We are visiting Price’s family this weekend for a pre-Thanksgiving dinner. We hung out with his nephews since this morning when we went to watch Addison ‘play hockey’ (skate around) until we finished dessert. So that is why I could pass out by 7pm. Turkey and 2 cute little boys equals exhaustion.

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Addison skating

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Braedan and his lovely curls

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Addison on the 4-wheeler

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Sunset… A beautiful end to the day

Pom Vivant Cocktail {And a Giveaway}

Ah, Friday. How do I love thee? Making this cocktail for this ‘Freixenet Friday’ post really happy. As I layered the drink in the flute the dark ruby hue changed to a light vibrant pink cheering me up from a dreary week in Boston. My mood changed like the color changing as I finished my cocktail.

 

I picked the Pom Vivant cocktail on the Freixenet website from their cocktail recipe options. The cocktail features pomegranate juice, which of course is available year round, but the fruit is in season from  September through February. I love when I can enjoy something that goes with the season.

Their Pom Vivant recipe makes 6 cocktails with an entire bottle. While Price and I can easily split a bottle, or I can have it all myself, I decided to scale the recipe down to make 1 drink.

 

The Pom Vivant

makes 1 cocktail

Ingredients

  • 2 oz unsweetened pomegranate juice
  • 1 teaspoon simple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon orange juice
  • 1 bottle (750ml) Freixenet Cordon Negro Extra Dry
  • Orange zest (optional)

Process

  1. Layer the pomegranate juice, simple syrup and orange juice in a flute glass.
  2. Fill the rest of the champagne flute with Freixenet.
  3. Add orange zest, to garnish.

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And now the good stuff… the GIVEAWAY!

The “Freixenet Friday” package includes six elegant Freixenet fluted glasses as well as The Freixenet Social Survival Guide, a pocket reference guide for social situations. This savvy little red book is filled with common sense advice including: Ten Commandments the perfect guest or host should live by, the sophisticate’s guide to tipping, ordering wine with confidence, quick fix-its on the fly: stains, fallen hems and broken heels, from work to play: 18 hours of style for those working from “nine to wine”.

To Enter: Leave a comment telling me if you prefer bloody mary’s or mimosas for brunch. Or do you like something else?

Extra Entries: 

Spread the word- Tweet: “I want to win a @freixenetusa Friday Package that includes fluted glasses from @iamahoneybee http://wp.me/pzEAP-1C” OR share on Facebook. Come back here and leave me a comment telling me what you did.

Follow Freixenet- you can follow the Freixenet truck as it hops around the country @FreixentUSA OR like them on Facebook. Come back here and leave me a comment telling me what you did.

Contest Ends Monday night at Midnight EST. Good luck!

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In Addition to that Giveaway…

Discover & Share Segura Sweepstakes Enter to Win a Weekend Getaway for Two to Sonoma, California

Segura Viudas, Spain’s artisan cava and the sparkling wine world’s best kept secret, is announcing its Discover & Share Sweepstakes. An engaging way to learn more about Segura sparkling wine and share the discovery with friends, the online contest offers several opportunities for entry and the chance to win a wine tasting weekend for two to Sonoma Valley, California. To enter the contest, visit the Discover & Share Sweepstakes link on theSegura website or their Facebook page and complete any of the Discover & Share challenges, such as answering questions about cava, uploading photos of toasting with friends, “liking” the Segura fan page, or sharing the sweepstakes. Complete all the challenges and earn up to 10 entries to increase your chances of winning. A random drawing from all entries on December 18, 2011 will decide the winner, who will receive a weekend getaway for two to Sonoma valued at $2,500, including round trip airfare, hotel accommodations, a $250 AmEx gift card, and a VIP tour and tasting at Gloria Ferrer Sparkling Caves & Vineyards, a Segura sister winery. Read theOfficial Rules for complete details. Segura Viudas (seh GOO rah vee YOU das) is the sophisticated go-to bubbly for those in the know. Made in the méthode champenoise (the same process used to make champagne) and handcrafted with modern winemaking techniques, these artisan Spanish cavas are polished yet approachable and just waiting to be discovered and shared. To find Segura sparkling wines in your area, visit the Segura Viudas Wine Locator. Imported by Freixenet USA of Sonoma, California.

Donut Love LO- Studio Calico 8.28 Sunday Sketch

Knsketch

– 8/28 Studio Calico Sunday Sketch-

The Sunday Sketch featured on 8/28 worked so well for what I had in mind for this layout about our visit to Doughnut Plant. Besides that I loved the doughnuts, I loved that they decorate the shop with plushy donuts, in both their round and square shapes, on the wall. I wanted to recreate that look on my layout.

Using scraps of patterned and solid papers I got to work punching them out with a square and circle punch. Then I used my crop-o-dile to punch the hole in the center to create the complete donut. After I arranged them I put a few of them on foam spacers to add a little dimension for the page. In addition to the donut accents, I added a sticker strip that I felt would also relate well to the donut shape.

I want a doughnut now…

Mr Mellow Yellow

Our rabbit Jack has been ‘off’ lately. Not sure what is going on but he has been pretty blah. We have checked him over and don’t see anything physically wrong with him but it still has us worried at times when he just lays out and is mopey.

So we gave him extra attention tonight and I snapped a few photos in the process.

Maybe he has seasonal affective disorder.

*Mellow Yellow= sad, depressed. No reference to the song. Price and I basically have our own language. Pay no attention.

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes with an Oreo Cookie Crust

Something that has always shocked me are the blog posts that receive the most traffic. Two of my top ones are the post about the adventure that Emily and I took to Satan’s Kingdom in MA and my recipe post about Mini Cheesecakes with an Oreo Crust. I love that people keep searching for those things and come to my blog that way. Unfortunately, with the cheesecake post the photos are awful. (must redo post and photos!)

Since the mini cheesecake post is such a hit I figured that making an autumnal version would be a hit for this time of year. At least I know it was well received with the contractors I work with. I brought dozen over for them (in addition to some peanut butter and jelly cookies) and I heard they went quickly at an afternoon meeting.

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes with an Oreo Cookie Crust

Makes 18 Mini Cheesecakes

Ingredients

  • 18 Oreo cookie sandwiches
  • 2 eight ounce packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 Cup canned pumpkin purée
  • 1/2 Cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 3 eggs

Process

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 18 cups of 2 muffin tins with liners.
  2. Place 1 whole Oreo cookie at the bottom of the liner.
  3. Combine the softened cream cheese, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and pumpkin spice. Beat until completely smooth. Fold in the eggs. Divide evenly among the liners.
  4. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the centers are just set. Cool completely before serving.