DIY Printed Tee

I am doing Warrior Dash tomorrow and wanted to make my own themed shirt. This was so simple, cheap, and took less than 30 minutes!

You need a shirt that bleach will work to lighten the color on, cardboard, a small amount of bleach, paint brush, scissors, and tape.

I first found the image I wanted, printed it out and taped it down on the shirt as a stencil. I then put a piece of cardboard inside the shirt (so it won't bleed through to the back).

Then, I took out some bleach, a paint brush, and started tracing around the image.

I free-handed the details and lettering.

Now it is sitting to dry, and let the bleach take effect!

So easy, and now it's ready for the big dash!!

Lebanese Meat Pies

I have had pictures from when I made this recipe on my phone for several weeks.  Now I am finally posting it!  We love these, and they make great left overs as well!

In order to make the Meat Pie recipe, you will first need the Savory Pie Dough recipe. 

Savory Pie Dough
2 cups warm water
2 Tbsp sugar
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp salt
1 egg
5 cups flour

Place water and sugar in large bowl.  Add yeast, stirring gently.  Allow to rest for 5 minutes.  Add oil, salt and egg.  Fold in flour gradually

Depending on the brand of the flour, use judgements to decide if more or less water is required.  Knead until all flour leaves the edges of the bowl and dough is smooth.

Pat a little butter or oil over dough to prevent crusting.  Cover with plastic sheet, then tea towel.

Let rest in a warm place for 30-40 minutes.

Dough

While the dough is resting, you can prepare the filling.

Meat Pies

1 Savory Pie Dough recipe

1.5 lbs beef or lamb (ground)

2 large tomatoes (finely diced)

1/2 cup parsley (finely chopped)

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/2 cup tomato sauce

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp sinnamon

1 medium onion (finely chopped)

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

soft butter

While dough is rising, combine all the above ingredients in a bowl and mix well

Filling

After dough rises, divide dough in half and roll to 1/8 inch thickness on a floured board.  Cut with a round cutter 3 or 4 inches in diameter.  (Save unused dough from cutting.  Roll into a ball, cover, let rise to be used again)

Heat oven to 400 degrees F

Place a large tablespoon of the filling in each round within 1/2 inch of the edge.

Bring the edges up and fold slightly towards the center pressing the 1/2 inch edge down to make a ridge.

Place on greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 15-20 minutes.  If necessary, turn oven to broil until tops are golden brown.  Brush edges with butter. 

Optional - May be served with a squeeze of lemon juice on top

This is the recipe book I got these from:

Pita Bread Recipe

Here is a pita bread recipe that I make from my Lebanese cookbook - A Taste of Lebanon:  Cooking Today the Lebanese Way by Mary Salloum

2.5 cups lukewarm water
1 tsp sugar
3.5 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp sale
5.5 cups flour (white or whole wheat)

Place water and sugar in large bowl and stir.  Add yeast and stir slightly.  Let rest for 5 minutes.

Mix in salt and flour gradually, starting with 3.5 cups flour then adding the rest.  More or less water may be required, depending on the brand of the flour.  Use enough flour to prevent dough from clinging to bowl.  Knead well for 5 minutes.  Place a little vegetable oil on palms of hands and smooth all over to prevent crusting.  Cover with plastic sheet then tea towel and allow to rest for 20-30 minutes.

Set over to 500 degrees F

Divid dough into 8 balls.  Roll out each ball into 1/4 inch in thickness.  Let rest covered for 20 minutes on generously floured table or counter top.

Bake on greased cookie sheets for 5-8 minutes or until lightly browned.  The higher the oven temperature the better the results.

May be kept in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for several days or may be frozen

To warm Pita, place the round on the rack in the oven at 300 degrees F for 1-2 minutes.

What a Difference a Day Makes!

What a feeling to open my eyes and see things across the room!  This is amazing!  It makes the ordeal yesterday totall worth it!  Now if you think I'm overreacting all I have to say is I have gone from 20/2000 (yes that is 2 thousand!) to 20/25 vision in one day!  The doctor said I will continue to improve over the next weeks and months.  Basically I have 80% of my vision by the second day, 90% within the first few weeks and 100% over the next few months.

The Lord has definitely blessed me and I am so thankful.  The smallest things are so exciting.  I mean who wants to have to hold the shampoo bottle an inch from their face while in the shower to make sure you can read what you're using?! 

I still have a small bit of glare in my eyes but am so impressed with how quickly this has progressed!

A HUGE thank you to Dr Grin and his staff for being so encouraging and supportive!  They took me through each step of the way and made sure I was comfortable and informed.

Post-op LASIK

Yay! I got through the procedure! It was quite an experience overall. We got to the surgery location and checked in. We got called back where I signed paperwork, and they went over how I was to use the different eye drops after operation and other information.

I then was given a Vallium to help calm my nerves and keep me from wanting to pass out. My eyes were scanned to have a map of my eyes for the machine to use to customize the correction of my vision. We did a quick eye exam as well. We were given head covers and booties to wear before moving into the procedure room.

The first room I went into was the machine to create the corneal flap. I felt a bit of pressure and had quite a strange sensation on my eye. This was by far the most uncomfortable part of the procedure. Dr. Grin was so comforting, and talked me through each stage of the surgery. This was very helpful, especially when after the flap is created, there is a period of time I couldn't see at all. This would've been very scary had I not had warning.

We then moved into another room to do the laser treatment. I felt absolutely nothing throughout this portion of the surgery. I could see that he was moving the flap but couldn't feel anything. The laser then went to work correcting my eye, and Dr. Grin then replaced the flap and gave me several eye drops. We did the other eye and were done. I was at the facility for a total of 1.5-2 hours. The procedure itself took only about 20 minutes. Literally the time that machines were at work on my eyes was about 2-3 minutes per eye.

I am in awe that we have technology that take my sight from worse than 20/200 to where I can see without aide of corrective lenses. I am so blessed! I will be having a follow-up appointment in the morning and look forward to waking up and being able to see without putting on glasses!

My husband was so supportive, and I don't know that I would have done as well without him there holding my hand.

What an experience!

Before and after pics attached

Pre-op Jitters - LASIK

     In November of last year we had open enrollment for corporate benefits.  As a part of this I decided to put aside funds in a Flex Spending Account to get LASIK done.  I went through the LASIK evaluation in early February and confirmed that I am a candidate for the procedure.
     Fast forward to this whole week, and each day I have been getting more anxious about the surgery tomorrow.  Now sitting here the night before I have second guessed my decision to do this, and am very nervous. 
     I have been wearing some sort of eye correction (contacts or glasses) since 2nd grade.  The thought that after just over 20 years in corrective lenses I have the opportunity before me to have my vision improved is hard to digest.  I have continually reminded myself of all the benefits, but it is still hard to face this without getting nervous.
     Part of my difficulty is the fact that I have a long history of passing out.  From the age of about 5 years old I have passed out for a variety of reasons.  This has happened over 20 times in my lifetime.  These include at the doctor's office, dentist, optometrist (at least twice), after blood draws on several occassions, and various other situations.  I just want to be able to get through this without passing out!
     So I'm nervously anticipating the surgery in the morning and thankful for the anti-anxiety prescription to help ease those nerves.  We'll see how this goes!
    

Sensory Stepping Stones

This weekend I got to spend some time with our nephews, so I decided to give a project I found on Pinterest a shot.

I made sensory stepping stones, found on this blog - http://wendyjanelle.blogspot.com/2010/05/sensory-steps.html?m=1

I cut out rectangle pieces of cardboard, put cheap ($.94 for a 5ft roll at Wal-Mart) shelf paper on one side and a fun texture on the other. The shelf paper on the bottom keeps it from sliding when it gets stepped on. Some of the materials I used for the tops were bubble wrap, felt, bath poof, make-up sponges, craft pom poms, plastic bag, and foam packing paper.

I hot glued the material to the top and the shelf liner to the bottom. We set them on the floor, took our shoes and socks off and had a ball! The 1 & 1/2 year old loved it! He particularly enjoyed the pom pom and make-up sponge options.

It is definitely a great way to talk about textures and descriptive words with the little ones!

Workouts

I've deviated a bit from the Cuts & Curves program with the help of one of the personal trainers at 24 Hour Fitness. I wanted something that would kick my booty, and get me ready to tackle Warrior Dash in May! So far, so good. I still have to modify for my knee a bit, but it seems to be working so far.

I like that it has picked up the pace of the workout and it doesn't take as much time away from my evening. We also added cardio intervals between strength training sets on a couple of the workouts. Definitely a booty kick!

I also wanted to share my new running shoes! I love them! They are made by Under Armour.

St Valentines Day Massacre 2012

Went to part 1 of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre in OKC to see my brother play. He is in the band Dark Ascent. It was my first time seeing them play live, and they were worth the trip! I have to say it was fun to see my parents at a metal concert! lol I learned that they are the band 'mom and dad' because they attend all the shows. It was a great evening, and I'm proud of my brother and Dark Ascent for putting on a great show!

What a Find!

Today we went to Good JuJu in Kansas City. http://goodjujukc.com/ We found this gem that will be a new piece of decor in our home.

I have a few other little finds that will be great for wall decor as well. I look forward to sharing as I get them arranged. Love new projects!

Quilted Reversible Rag Bag Tote

This is a project that I did 2 Christmases ago for my mother-in-law and sister-in-law as gifts.  It did take some work, and was my first sewing project.  However, I did enjoy making them and had a lot of fun picking out fabric that I thought would compliment their owner's interests and likes.  I also love that when you wash them it leaves one side with clean edges, and the other with a more tattered look.

Here is a link to the instructions I used:  Rag Bag Tote

And here are some pictures of how my 2 projects turned out:

Bag 1 Side 1 - Close

Bag 1 Side 1

Bag 1 Side 2 - Close

Bag 1 Side 2

Bag 2 Side 1 - Close

Bag 2 Side 1

Bag 2 Side 2 - Close

Bag 2 Side 2

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

So after church and a trip to the gym, we've settled into a nice afternoon. My cat Boris is flying around the kitchen floor after a bottle cap. They inspired me to post a few pictures of them.

Boz, left, and Boris, right, having a lazy day. Natasha being my sweet snuggle buddy on our favorite purple blanket.

Oh for that easy life!

Chile Brittle

This is a recipe a co-worker shared with me recently.  It may sound odd to some, then again maybe not.  If you are fan of chocolate with a bit of spice you should definitely try this one.

I will note any changes I made at the end.  Enjoy!

Chile Brittle

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup chile (half habanero & half dried ground chipotles)  <--Yes you read that right!  It says a 1/4 cup!! (see change below)

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 cup soft butter or margarine

1/8 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups of nut of your choice (whole peanuts, cashews or coarsely chopped pecans, walnuts or brazil nuts)

Boil together the sugars, corn syrup, water, chile and salt until the mixture reaches hard crack stage (300 degrees F on a candy thermometer).

Stir the mixture only until the sugar is dissolved so it doesn't scorch.  Add the butter and baking soda, stirring until the mixture foams up.  Add nuts and quickly stir them in.  Pour the mixture onto a greased heat-proof flat pan.  Spread the mixture until it is very thin.  Loosen from the sheet before it cools and hardens.  Break into crude pieces.

Changes or additions:

     - My co-worker used 1/4 tsp of chiles to the mix.  I however used closer to 1 tsp or so.  What I did, and would recommend is that you stir the mixture of sugar, corn syrup, water and salt in the pan BEFORE you put it on the heat.  This way you can gradually add the chiles to the mixture and taste, so that it reaches an acceptable heat/spicy level for you.  This isn't intended to be a fraternity prank!  Mine turned out with a subtle smoldering sensation, and that's meant in a pleasant way.  :)

     - To counterbalance the spicy, I took the advice of my co-worker and dipped the brittle in chocolate.  I melted down some of Baker's semi-sweet chocolate and dipped the cooled brittle pieces into the chocolate, covering them completely.  I then laid them out on a piece of parchment paper to allow the chocolate to harden.

Tip:  My Silpat was perfect for this, I poured the brittle mixture onto it to cool.  It made it a breeze to remove!

Super Turkey Chili

I went to find this recipe online so I could add it to Pinterest, and it was gone!  So, I decided to post it here!  We love this recipe and I'll note changes I made to the original recipe in case you want to experiment.  I began using this recipe during Phase I when we did the South Beach Diet.  It is an easy recipe, and one of my favorite cold weather meals!

I added the ingredients into myfitnesspal.com and the calories per serving is about 470.

This is a place holder pic...will add my own the next time I make this  :)

Super Turkey Chili
Serves 8
Serving size about 1 cup

2 lbs natural ground turkey breast
2 tbs olive or canola oil
3 medium onions, diced (about 2 cups)
1 medium zucchini, diced (about 1 cup)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 (28oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 (6oz) can tomato paste
2 (15oz) cans dark red kidney beans
4 tbs chili powder
1 tbs cumin
1 tsp cayenne (optional)
2 tsp salt

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add oil, onion, zucchini and garlic, saute for 5 minutes, or until soft

Add ground turkey, cook and stir until browned

Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, and salt

If chili is too thick, add water or broth to achieve desired consistency.  Simmer for at least 20 minutes.  Ladle into bowls and serve piping hot.

My changes or additions:
      - Use 1 can dark red kidney beans & 1 can black beans
      - Fresh diced tomato instead of canned
      - 1/4 tsp cayenne
      - Dash white pepper & black pepper
      - Dash of red pepper flakes
      - Sometime to change it up, I use lean ground beef
      - I've also added a little ground chipotle from time to time as well

Cuts & Curves

This is a 3 month boot camp of sorts that was featured in Muscle & Body Magazine.  I have completed one full week and am hopeful that between this and good nutrition I will rearrange my body shape a bit.  The idea is to do the boot camp to reach my goal body composition and then go into a more sustainable maintenance mode.

I had tried P90X and really enjoyed it.  However, due to knee issues the program reaggrivated them and doctor said no more P90X for me.

For the life of me I cannot find the link to the actual workout on their website, so I will attempt to share it here.

If you'd like to read the articles, they are here:
Month 1
Month 2
Month 3

The pdf of the workout plan for all 3 months can be found by clicking on the below Cuts & Curves picture.

I Spy!

I spy a way to get rid of those stacks of magazines! 

Yeah...those!

I have a cute little nephew that loves cars and windmills and other things little boys are interested in.  :) 

So I bought a 12x12 scrapbook and cardstock paper and began cutting up magazines.

I then arranged them on the pages and glued them down

Next I wrote a little poem of things to find in the collage of the pictures. 

It was a great way to get rid of magazines and make a custom book for a special nephew.

Renewed Vision

It has been awhile since I ventured on to the blog, and I have decided to expand the subject matter a bit.  So instead of just writing about restaurants we've tried and enjoyed, I thought I'd venture into projects I'm working on, books I've enjoyed, and anything else that I find of interest.

I have a few projects that I have accomplished and a few that I am in the process of diving into that I'd like to share.  However, I will have to begin after I do my evening workout!