Veggie Burger

I'm in search for the best veggie burger recipe out there...if anyone knows of one, I'd appreciate knowing about it. I made one for dinner, my first attempt, it wasn't bad, but it's not a keeper. It was a recipe I found on Pinterest, not going to say where or who, cause it may have been my cooking. I just did not like it enough to try and tweak it to my liking.

It looked pretty, held together well...but the texture was not suitable for my taste, also needed more seasoning. I just don't think adding more seasoning will make me like this particular recipe any more.

So if anyone has a good veggie burger recipe, please leave the link or recipe. I'd love to try another one. I love veggie burgers, just have to find a recipe that I can make to my liking.

I made whole wheat buns, they turned out great. Made the sauce and it was ok, not great. One of those meals that just did not knock my socks off.

Maybe next time.

Tote Made With Upholstery Scraps

Photos by spbm

Another tote bag I made yesterday, it is made with scraps of upholstery. I've always cut labels from old clothing and saved them, love them, so used an old American Eagle tag and a stamp patch I purchased in Italy years ago, and I added a couple of pieces of vintage lace I purchased while living in Germany.These make wonderful book bags, I use them as a purse and, when I have only a few items from the store, this bag works perfect. I will probably be listing this in my shop. I am going to try and add a Paypal button to my blog so when someone wants, they can purchase directly from my blog.

I sold the tote above. But if anyone is interested, I can make another, it will not have the same fabrics, but will look similar. Send me a message if you are interested in one.

This is one of our favorite dishes right now, made it three times in the past couple weeks. They are just so easy and so delicious. They would be great made with a little Italian sausage, but I'm trying to skip meat, at least the majority of time.

Recipe here.

The only thing I changed at all was I added fennel seed, adds so much flavor, if you like fennel.

Eating and Quilting

I do believe Spring is just around the bend. The last couple of days has been 60, much warmer than what we have been experiencing.

I'm hoping to feel well enough to start doing some yard work soon, I'm thinking an hour a day would be a good start.

I was supposed to go in for an upper and lower GI this morning, cancelled for the second time. My mind just cannot wrap my head around more testing. I did the two day fast, drank the horrible stuff (not all, but drank until I started throwing it up). Thinking I was going to make it this time I went to bed and my head started swirling with crazy stuff. Around 1:00 a.m., I felt very sick and ended up hugging my toilet the rest of the night and early morning,trying to throw up on an empty stomach, Somewhere around 4 a.m., I could feel a migraine coming on, which made the throwing up even worse. I could hardly stand up, and was certain I could not make the trip to the hospital for the test, unless they were going to keep me and treat, which I was sure they would not. So, had to cancel. I was so hoping to have this behind me by this afternoon. I want to stop thinking about it. I'm not sure how I am going to get past this, but I need to get it figured out. They are going to get tired of dealing with me on this.

Anyways, after not eating anything for two days, was ready for something to eat today. I found a recipe of Pinterest, it turned out to be delicious. Stuffed shells with sausage and spinach and other good stuff. You can find the recipe here. My sausage was not very spicy, so I added some extra herbs and spices, had about a half cup of corn in the freezer so threw that in, and I can hardly cook a dish without onion and peppers, so chopped some up and added those. These were so easy to make and really delicious.

 I made extra to take to a guy who works at the station across the street from me, he is going through Chemo right now and I'm sure he is not eating properly. He is so grateful, and I really enjoy doing it.

Little A really liked her brother's Fancy Fox Quilt, so I am in the process of making her one in yellows and golds; it's going to be adorable.

 I have several quilts in the making. :)

Update...Miscellaneous Things

Wow ! It has been a while since I posted. I've been busy trying to get some things made to get my Etsy handmade shop going. And making things for my kiddos, which I enjoy doing so very much.
I'm very thankful for being able to make things.

Dutch Baby Pancakes this morning.

My healing is coming along. I am so grateful that I have no paralysis from my surgery, and the numbness is gone. They expected it to take up to two years for the numbness to go away, and didn't know if it would every go away. It is so wonderful to feel my face again.

I have started some of my medicine to hopefully help with the symptoms; as of yet, I can't tell they make a difference. I was so hoping the one to help produce saliva would do something. And since the two medicines I am on are costing almost $500 a month, I wanted it to work miracles. Because I lived with this disease for so many years without treatment, they do not know if I ever be able to produce saliva again. I can't tell you how miserable it is to need a drink every few seconds, not to mention how hard it is to sleep. I have been sleeping a little better, but for about five years I have been waking up every 10-20 min. needing a drink. I can't swallow anything without having a drink with it. Makes life uncomfortable and very inconvenient. :(

I'm still believing for a miracle !!!

All in all, I am so very thankful to have had the best doctors, and two of the most amazing surgeons the universe could offer. And I cannot express my gratitude enough for Truman Hospital. I know I do this in almost every post, but I feel the need to express my gratitude in every thing I say and do.

One daughter and family was home for Thanksgiving, It was so wonderful !!! I was a bit fearful of not feeling up to cooking Thanksgiving and needing to be in bed, but I was up the entire time and cooked a great dinner. Not a lot of stuff, but the things we like the most. That worked out well anyway, I don't have a very large refrigerator and no place to keep a lot of leftovers. Having my two beautiful grand -kids here was awesome. So much to be thankful for.

Here are some pics of the little people in the family, modeling some things I have made for them.

All photos by spbm

Table Cover/Throw made with vintage fabrics. For sale in my Etsy Shop

Crazy Quilt Style Banner: For Sale in my Etsy Shop. I made stamps from fabric pieces and sewed on each pennant. 

 I have several of these head wraps listed for sale in my handmade Etsy shop.

Dutch Baby Pancakes with Cherries

photos by spbm

Quinoa Chili with Lime and Cilantro

photos by spbm

And remember this:

You are unrepeatable.
There is magic about you that is
all your own.

~d.m. dellinger

Sauerkraut Cabbage Roll Soup

Trying to get back into cooking, a little hard to do some times since I can all at once, without warning need to hit the sofa. I am feeling stronger for the most part, have even walked to the store twice. Still lots of test coming up, so not looking forward to them. The swelling in my face has gone down a little more, will be so happy when it is gone. the swelling makes it hard to sleep, it hurts if I lay anywhere close to that side of my face, and, my left side is getting very sore from having to lay on it non stop for the past six weeks. 

Yesterday I made a Sauerkraut Cabbage Roll Soup from Closet Cooking and it was DELICIOUS!!!

I'll definitely be making this again this fall and winter. The only thing I will do differently is not add the sauerkraut juice, we eat a low sodium diet and that made it taste really salty to us, but I find it hard to eat out because food taste over salty.

I was able to find a raw sauerkraut that tasted exactly like what my mom and I used to make when I was growing up. I did use brown rice, but will also try it with quinoa. I will also try it using cabbage instead of kraut.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Sunday!

Chili Mac

 I used the recipe from Damn Delicious, I have to add my own touches and likes to recipes - I added about a half cup of diced green pepper, an extra 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon vegetable bouillon, 1 tablespoon tomato paste (because I always have some in the freezer and it just adds a little extra richness to it, imho. But definitely not necessary. And. I added some of our favorite chili toppings.) This was quick and easy...and a most delicious meal. A definite keeper.

May 8th

Finally winter has moved on...and I'm one happy lady. So much yard work to do, I feel a little overwhelmed when I go outside to work, but I feel this way every spring when I start yard work. I am grieving, we lost our fish this winter. After keeping the alive and healthy for the past few years, this winter was too much for them. It's hard for me to look at the pond without them there looking at me, pleading for a snack. When we got them, they were just minnow size - they had grown to 12 and 14 inches in length, there were nine of them. I haven't decided whether I want to try again or not.

I've been working on making my little Ada several pair of leg warmers, she'll be set for next winter. :) She will be starting her ice skating classes soon and wanted a couple pair for that, so, she ended up with several. I'm sure she doesn't mind.

I'm pretty excited, my kids will be home in July. It will have been a year in July since I have seen them, and boy am I ready.

Cooked a brisket in the crock pot a couple of days ago, made some bbq tacos with it, too delicious for words. I love cooking the brisket in the crock pot, it always turns out so tender. I never use a recipe for it, it taste a little different every time I make it. Just add your favorite herbs and spices, and I add a little vegetable or beef stock, which ever I happen to have on hand, a tiny bit of liquid smoke, and a small amount of bbq sauce. I can't use too much bbq sauce because of David being diabetic, just enough to give it a bbq flavor.

This kraut relish is so good and so easy to make, and, it is so good on burgers and bbq sandwiches, also delicious with beans.

Recipe for Sweet and Sour Kraut Relish: (From Better Homes and Gardens Bigger Better Burgers Cookbook)

1/2 cup vinegar
1/3 cup sugar

1 16 oz. can of sauerkraut, drained
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green or red sweet pepper ( I used green, red, and yellow)
1/4 cup sliced green onion (I didn't have any so used chopped red onion)
1 2 oz. jar pimiento drained and chopped.

In a sauce pan bring vinegar and sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Cool

Mix remaining ingredients, after vinegar and sugar have cooled pour over vegetables. It will be ready to eat the next day. It keeps for 2-3 weeks. You can store it in a bowl, plastic container, but I like keeping mine in jars. Besides, I have this thing about washing and cleaning jars and storing them away until I have a use for them. So needless to say, I have glass jars taking over my house. It's that frugal side of me that just will not go away.

And then...it is that time of year...when I love making meringues and topping with fresh fruits. I added a little Amaretto to the chopped strawberries and kiwi, so good. Also made a spiced chocolate sauce that was fantastic with this.

I'm telling you, this is so darn good ! I do not make my meringue very sweet, and I do not add sugar to the fruit, so this is not a heavy dessert. I used real whipped cream, one could use cool whip, but I do not like cool whip much and never have it on hand.

So, I'm believing it's going to be an awesome summer.

Let's have fun and enjoy every moment of it.

Snow is on the way

Snow on the way - they say. I really hope they are wrong. 

Tied to the house after David's surgery. 

The surgery went well, just freaking out a bit since he was supposed to go in the morning for the surgeon to check things over and make sure there is no infection and that all looks well, but they called this afternoon saying the appointment was cancelled due to winter weather tomorrow, that has not happened??? Working on keeping my panic under control, since it is wrapped and they told me not to unwrap it, I can't tell if everything is ok or not. And to top that, their nearby office is closed all week and they scheduled the appointment in Lenexa, Kansas for Thursday. I would not worry so much had we not been battling the feet problems for four years. On the brighter side of things, I really liked the surgeon. I can only hope he understands how fragile this situation is. 

Little Marelli and Portia are really enjoying the situation. David is staying on the sofa in the living room and they really like that he is not moving around and they can just hang out with him.

Made one of my favorite dishes tonight, brussel sprouts, red grapes, Italian sausage (you can use sweet italian sausage), and walnuts. I'm telling you, I could just about live on this dish. As always, I seldom follow a recipe, but this one is so simple you do not need one. 

 photos by spbm

Wash, trim and cut the brussel sprouts in half, toss everything in a baking pan or skillet (I use skillet, my favorite) and gently toss with olive oil, sea salt and fresh ground pepper, (tonight, I drizzled some maple syrup over the top, not a lot, probably about two tablespoons. Will depend on how large a batch you bake) bake in 400 degree oven until sprouts are fork tender and caramelized. I turn the oven off, drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar and sit them back in the oven until ready to eat. Totally DELICIOUS!!!! 

I've made this without the sausage and it's really good, but the sausage makes it great!

Dreaming and Eating Kind of Day

After living on this planet for a few years...I have concluded that I cannot be defined by a particular style. My style changes from day to day, sometimes from hour to hour. One thing I am consistent with is this, I want a house with a beautiful view, (even a house with a room with a beautiful view will do.)

It kind of bothered me that I could not come to terms with one particular style. Not so anymore, I am okay with being in love with a different me every day.

Today I am coveting this gorgeous home featured on Apartment Therapy.

And who would not want this place to hang out? Looks like a great place to sleep, in my opinion.

Take the their house tour here: Apartment Therapy

Loving this room...the wall mural is super-duper cool!

House Tour here: Apartment Therapy

Today was a soup kind of day. But, when is it not a soup kind of day?  Made mixed bean soup, roasted beets (was craving beets), homemade wheat rolls. Also took a journey back in time with a Cheesecake Fluff dessert my grandma used to make. I would eat my weight in the stuff (if she would let me.)

 Food photos by spbm

Lemon Cheesecake Fluff:

Step one:
1 small pkg. lemon jello
Juice of one lemon
3/4 cup boiling water
Dissolve jello in boiling water and add lemon juice. Gel until thick, but not set.

Step two:
1 8 ox. pkg. cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1 teas. vanilla
Blend with mixer until creamy.

Step three:
1 can Carnation or Milnot evaporated milk, chilled in fridge.
Whip until semi-stiff peaks form.

When jello is thick, add half of step one mixture and half step two mixture and mix until mixed well. Then fold combined mixture into whipped evaporated milk.

Process several graham crackers in a food processor. Sprinkle bottom of dish or cake pan with graham cracker crumbs, pour mixture on top, sprinkle graham crackers on top. Chill until firm.

Then, EAT this heavenly light and fluffy stuff.

Wishing everyone a beautiful week ahead.

Sending some positive energy your way from Abraham-Hicks...

"We want you to come to the vibrational reality. We want you to go where it feels best. We want you to find the good feeling of optimism and leave behind that practiced attitude of pessimism. We want you to find that feeling of well being, that positive expectation. We want you to look out at the world and see what it really is. That's what you came for." *Abraham-Hicks Quotes 

Cinnamon Sugar Popovers

After seeing some cinnamon sugar popovers on Pinterest a few days ago, my mind would not let go of the image. I made them this morning, minus the cinnamon sugar on the outside. I mixed a little butter, cinnamon and honey and instead. So easy to make, and who would not be impressed when they are served one of these pretty, fluffy, light and delicate muffin-like works of art!?

Photos by spbm

Recipe here: Cinnamon Sugar Popovers