Big Calve Mud Boots

Okay, so I have always had big legs; they're not fat, just bigger than a "normal" ladies legs; we'll call them 'voluptuous'.   I know I'm not the only lady with this problem, so I thought I'd share.

Since I have these voluptuous legs, I have a very difficult time finding pants, especially jeans and knee high boots, especially ones that don't have any stretch at the tops.

So... I found these mud boots for only $5 last spring and they fit great except for on the top they were too tight!  Grrr!  

So after wearing them like that (uncomfortably) for a while, it finally occurred to me to do this:  

All I did was use a scissors and cut them {I figured what could I loose... a pair of $5 boots that aren't that comfortable anyway; I thought worst case I could just end up cutting them to be short mud boots} using the center back seam as a guide for the bottom point; just cut them with a gradual curve.  {You could also draw a guideline on the boots using a pen or a marker and cut on that line.}

 Now, I love them; they're comfortable and easy to get on and off.  Enjoy!

Cord Cuff

A cord cuff is a great way to hold your appliance cords when you are not using them.

It takes very little fabric and just a little time to make.  Also if you know you are going to make more than one cuff you could sew one long rectangle of fabric and cut to make multiple cuffs.  

I just might need to make one for my mixer, bread maker, panini press, electric can opener, etc.!  Enjoy!

Materials:

-scrap piece of fabric

-matching thread

-button

-needle, for sewing on button

-scissors

-sewing machine

-iron and ironing board

Process:

1.  Cut out 2 rectangle pieces of fabric {3" x 8" is what I used}; just decide what width you want and how long it needs to be to fit your appliance cord.

2. Place the rectangles right-sides together and sew with a 1/4 inch seam allowance on both long sides and one of the short sides.

3. Then trim the corners at a 45 degree angle to eliminate the bulk when turning the cuff right-side out.

 4. Turn the cuff right-side out and press.

 5. Fold in the open end about 1/4 inch and press.

 6. Sew around the edge of the cuff, closing and finishing all edges.

 7. Now use your button hole foot to create a button hole the size that you need.  {My button hole foot wouldn't make a button hole large enough, so I just stitched a straight stitch around about 3 - 4 times a rectangle the size I knew the button would fit through.}

 8. Use a sharp scissor and cut out your button hole.

 9. Sew your button onto the opposite end of the cuff.

 10. Use your cuff to secure any cuff you want!  Enjoy!

Sour Cream Horseradish Sauce

Fantastic with steak, french fries and would be awesome on a baked potato!  

This sauce is much milder than I expected it to be; I used some homemade horseradish sauce that I had canned in place of the prepared horseradish.  Yum!  It will also last at least a week in the refrigerator.  

The original recipe is from Bobby Flay.  I substituted whole green onions for the chives.

Ingredients:

-1 cup sour cream

-6 tbsp prepared or homemade horseradish sauce

-1/4 cup chopped fresh chives or green onions

-1/4 tsp salt

-1/4 tsp pepper

Process:

1. Whisk together all ingredients.

2. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

3. Enjoy!

Lioness...

R.I.P. Lioness, you were a great chicken
and you will be missed!

Endless Possibilities Marshmallow Bars

Yummy bars!  So good, everyone loves these!

You could change out any of the chips or nuts for any combo you like; add dried fruit...

* cherry chips and chocolate chips with almonds

* all chocolate chips with dried cranberries

* chocolate and peanut butter chips with chopped dried bananas

* chocolate chips with salted sunflower seeds

Really the possibilities are endless!

I originally found the recipe from Foodzaar, now Food.com in 2009.  Its a good one and that must be why I hung onto it all this time.

Ingredients:

Crust...

-1 (18.5 oz.) box yellow cake mix {I used 2 (9 oz.) boxes of Jiffy yellow cake mix}

-1/2 cup butter, melted

-1 egg

Layers...

-3 cups mini marshmallows

-1/2 cup peanut butter chips

-1/2 cup chocolate chips {I use semi-sweet}

-1 cup roasted peanuts

Process:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Mix the cake mix, butter and egg until blended well, it will be stiff, like a dough.

3. Press cake mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 9 x 13 baking dish.

4. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

5. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with marshmallows.

6. Mix the peanut butter and chocolate chips and sprinkle them over the marshmallows.

7. Sprinkle the peanuts on top of the chips.

 8. Place baking dish back in the oven and bake for about 3 minutes longer, until marshmallows puff and turn lightly golden.

9. Cool completely and cut into squares.
10. Enjoy!

Big Cheeseburger Pizza

This pizza is fantastic and a big hit with everyone in my family, even my 2 and 6 year old.

Its also very easy and you could buy a prebaked crust instead of making your own.  I found the original recipe here.

Ingredients:

-pizza crust: buy a prebaked pizza crust, make your own recipe or use mine... Awesome Pizza Crust

-1/2 to 1 lb. ground beef

-1 onion, chopped

-1 cup thousand island dressing

-1/2 tsp seasoning salt

-1 cup shredded cheese, any kind you like (or more if you like)

-cooked bacon or real bacon pieces (optional)

-shredded lettuce

-tomato, chopped

-pickle slices

Process:

1. Brown beef and onion in a skillet over medium-high heat, until cooked and evenly browned.  Drain in colander and rinse with warm/hot water.

2. Season meat with seasoning salt and set aside.

3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

4. Spread dressing on baked pizza crust.

5. Top with the meat and onion mixture.  Add bacon if desired.

6. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

7. Bake for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted.

8. Allow pizza to cool for about 5 minutes before you slice it.
9. Serve with lettuce, tomato and pickles.  My kids also like ketchup with this.

10. Enjoy!

Awesome Pizza Crust

We LOVE this pizza crust recipe!  I literally keep it in a magnet clip on our refrigerator.  You can use all the dough to make one thick crust as pictured or you can split it up and make two pizzas or a pizza and bread sticks!

I found the recipe on AllRecipes here.  I always end up adding more flour than the original recipe calls for.

Ingredients:
-2 1/4 tsp dry yeast
-1/2 tsp brown sugar
-1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110 degrees, so it feels warm to touch, but not hot... hot will kill the yeast)
-1 tsp salt
-2 tbsp olive oil
-3 1/2 cups flour, plus more if needed
-optional herbs: oregano, basil, garlic, etc. {If you want to season your crust with herbs you can but its not necessary.}

Process:
I make this recipe in my bread-maker.
1. Add the warm water, brown sugar, olive oil, salt and flour to the bread pan; add the dry yeast on the top.
2. Place bread pan into the bread-maker and set to the dough setting.  Check the dough after 5 minutes to see if it is forming a good dough ball without being too sticky.  If sticky add a little bit of flour until the dough seems to be a good consistency   
3. Allow bread-maker to finish the dough setting. {Sometimes I will pull the dough out when there is about 30 minutes left if I am limited on time; that remaining 30 minutes is rising time and it can rise after you form your crust.}
4. Remove from bread-maker and form into your crust. {I like to use oil on the pan with a little dusting of cornmeal.}

5. Let formed dough sit and rise covered with a clean kitchen towel for about 20-30 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450 degrees.
7. You can top the crust with toppings before baking or prebake it if you like; you decide, I've done it both ways.
8. Bake for 20-30 minutes.
9. Enjoy!

Prebaked crust
All dough used on one pizza crust.

Binder Clip as Chip/Bag Clip

This is a great tip... 

I was spending money on bag clips that always seemed to break after too little times being used.

Then, one day it occurred to me that these binder clips work great on paper and therefore they would probably work just as good on bags in the kitchen; and they DO and I've been using them in the kitchen ever since!

These are my favorite size to use in the kitchen!  Enjoy!

Garlic Press

This is my Pampered Chef garlic press, its awesome!  I have had this for over 10 years, that sounds crazy!  But its true and it is still used almost every day and never fails to do a fantastic job!

Microplane

I love this microplane.  Its intended for sea salt so you know it will hold up to whatever you use it for.  It works great for removing citrus zest, grating ginger or horseradish, or really anything and everything else!

I ordered mine on Amazon, here.