header

header

7.18.2011

Cowboy Beans



This bean recipe of my Dad's is my go-to for summer pot lucks. I have several copies of this recipe whenever I bring it along to hand out to all the people who request a recipe!

Cowboy Beans

ingredients:

1/2 lb. bacon, chopped

1 1/2 lb. ground beef

1/2 cup each: chopped onion, celery, green pepper

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 tsp each: parsley, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, old bay, vinegar, Worcester sauce, Frank's Red Hot sauce, chili powder

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup ketchup

1 Tbsp. yellow mustard

2 (28 oz) cans Bush's Baked Beans

2 (14 oz) cans Campbell's Pork and Beans

2 (14 oz) cans Chili Seasoned Kidney Beans

1 (14 oz) can pinto beans

1 can cut yellow beans (drained)

1 can cut green beans (drained)

Heat oven 350 degrees.

Brown meats, pour off grease.

Add veggies, spices, brown sugar, ketchup, mustard. Cook until veggies soften. Set aside.

Dump all the beans in a large bowl and mix.

Add meat mixture and mix.

Pour into casserole dish (this makes a large aluminum pan, perfect for a party), cover and bake 1 hour.

Remove cover and cook 15 min. more

**Sometimes I like to make a smaller batch. I split the recipe in half and pour ingredients into a crock pot. Put on low setting for 4 hours or so.

7.15.2011

Kickboxing Princess

An Australian father has been training his 8 year old daughter to kick box and allowed her to compete in a ring with another little girl before a paying audience. You can view the story from the Today Show here:



There has been a major backlash against this father and since it's Feedback Friday, let me ask you...

Do you disagree with this father's decision to put his daughter in the ring?

Would you allow your daughter to kick box?

Does the fact that it is a competition make a difference?

Would you feel the same way about a boy?

.

7.14.2011

Drink "Charms" for Cans


Though my kids will still drink juice boxes and Koolaid, they love to have "pop" or cans of soda when they have friends over or for a special treat. Wet cans of pop don't lend themselves to being written on with markers and kids are famous for setting down a can and forgetting which one is theirs. They are also famous for not wanting to drink from a can unless they are SURE it belongs to them!

Rubber bands to the rescue (unless you are from Pittsburgh, then you would call them "gum bands"). I like to think of this as a red neck wine charm!

Save your fat bands (often I save them from produce like broccoli and lettuce) and write each child's name.

Slip the band over the can and it's marked!

You can also use this method for keeping track of the number of soft drinks they have had by marking a little hash mark beside their name ... just in case your kids are like mine and try to fib about how many cans they have had. They won't even notice the mark and will wonder just how you knew they were asking for a 3rd can!

.

7.11.2011

Tutorial Tuesday!

Hope Studios


Welcome to Tutorial Tuesday - If you are new here, this party is to showcase your weekly tutorials. What counts as a tutorial? Anything to Teach Me Stuff counts - a recipe, a kid's craft, a DIY project, how you got your baby to sleep through the night ... I'm not picky.

This week I taught you how to recycled blue jeans into a Drink Cozy!


Check out some of my favorites from last week: Stuff I Learned

Please... (this is the part at the end of the commercial when the announcer talks real fast)

* Link up using the link to your actual post (not your general blog address) using your name and a the subject of your tutorial to generate interest.

* Add my button or a clickable link back to this post so everyone can join in.

* Visit and comment with all our friends. Show them some love! Meet some new friends! Learn something new!

Ready? Teach Me Stuff!

Please... (this is the part at the end of the commercial when the announcer talks real fast)

* Link up using the link to your actual post (not your general blog address) using your name and a the subject of your tutorial to generate interest.

* Add my button or a clickable link back to this post so everyone can join in.

* Visit and comment with all our friends. Show them some love! Meet some new friends! Learn something new!

Ready? Teach Me Stuff!

Hope Studios





Blue Jean Can Cozy

I love to recycle and repurpose and while leafing through a magazine last month (AirMall?), I saw a cute Drink Cozy made from repurposed blue jeans! Living in a house with 3 boys, I have an abundance of jeans with holes in the knees that can't be donated.

Blue Jean Drink Cozy:

Supplies:

Old jeans
Scissors

Instructions:

**(I used the waist band to use the interest of the belt loops, but the whole jean could be used if you sewed a hem in the top)

Cut 4.5 x 10 inch strips from your jeans



Trace around the bottom a can onto the wrong side of the fabric and cut it out 1/2 larger all around to allow for the seam allowance.

Sew the strip of jean material, right sides together, to form a cylinder.



Pin the circle to the bottom of the cylinder. Make sure the jeans are inside-out and the circle is pinned like this:



Sew then turn right side out...slip in a Coke (or a Yuengling Lager) and enjoy!



Want to teach me something? Come back for Tutorial Tuesday to link up to be inspired!
.

7.08.2011

Not Guilty? Feedback Friday


The verdict in the Casey Anthony trial:

Aggravated Child Abuse: Not Guilty
Aggravated Manslaughter: Not Guilty
False Information To Law Enforcement: Guilty


Thoughts?

7.07.2011

Stuff I Learned!

Wow, I've learned a lot in the past few busy weeks! I'm finally catching up to post some of my faves:

Natural Mosquito Repellent:


My sister-in-law always talks about learning to do this when she was young and I always wanted to learn! How to Carve Fruit:


Cereal Specimen Chart:


10 Minute Pillow Case:


Rustic Spoon Pendant:




My garden will soon be producing cucumbers, so here are 10 Great Pickle Recipes!

Got an old T-shirt? Make a skirt out of it!


CLICK PICKS
(most clicked links):

How Dare You Jenny Craig!

Upcycled Floral Dress

Guest Room in a Hurry

Organize Your Pantry

7.05.2011

Tutorial Tuesday!

Hope Studios


Welcome to Tutorial Tuesday - If you are new here, this party is to showcase your weekly tutorials. What counts as a tutorial? Anything to Teach Me Stuff counts - a recipe, a kid's craft, a DIY project, how you got your baby to sleep through the night ... I'm not picky.

Please... (this is the part at the end of the commercial when the announcer talks real fast)

* Link up using the link to your actual post (not your general blog address) using your name and a the subject of your tutorial to generate interest.

* Add my button or a clickable link back to this post so everyone can join in.

* Visit and comment with all our friends. Show them some love! Meet some new friends! Learn something new!

Ready? Teach Me Stuff!

Please... (this is the part at the end of the commercial when the announcer talks real fast)

* Link up using the link to your actual post (not your general blog address) using your name and a the subject of your tutorial to generate interest.

* Add my button or a clickable link back to this post so everyone can join in.

* Visit and comment with all our friends. Show them some love! Meet some new friends! Learn something new!

Ready? Teach Me Stuff!

Hope Studios






7.01.2011

Extreme Couponing!

Okay, this new TLC show has hooked me and I'm obsessed...OB. SESSED. I'm starting to dream about coupons and look for them everywhere! Have you seen it yet? Go ahead and click...I'll wait...



I know, right?!?

So, I'm by no means an Extreme Coupon-er yet (some of those folks have some hoarding tendencies - and that's another show altogether!) but I am trying to think ahead before shopping and I'm trying to purchase a few extra of the really good deals.

My best trip so far was $210 worth of groceries for $150. Not too bad? I got a medium bottle of Wisk detergent for $2!

It's Feedback Friday...

Do you coupon?

Where do you find your coupons?

What has been your best "haul"? (I'm using the lingo!)

How to Avoid Stress At Work