Cooking & Crafting Thursday(on a Friday): Brown Butter Ravioli & Updates

 Hello treasured Friends!

Happy TGIF! I hope this week has been kind to you so far. 

I'm posting this today as yesterday was my birthday and I was out and about for lunch and some shopping. :) 

I felt so loved and spoiled all day long! I had a stream of messages, calls and even snail mail cards that just made an old gal feel loved. Matt surprised me in the morning with a beautiful letter, card, and some gifts (he also took me out to lunch). My favorite was in my card there was a back rub certificate he made (always a favorite!). And my kids each sent me a beautiful text first thing that made me cry. When they tell me wherever I am will always be home and how much I'm a role model to them and the best Mom ever...you get the idea - I just know I must have done something right. ❤️ 

I received sweet gifts in the mail and a favorite was from my MIL Sue (a beautiful heart shaped necklace that are Angel wings with an opal in the middle - which is October's birthstone). And from Annie (she had sent me a beautiful stained glass hummingbird suncatcher, a cookbook I talked about wanting, and a set of 6 little glass pumpkins I can put around the house). That girl spoils me way too much and knows me far too well! All I can say is that my heart was full of gratitude all day for the love and purpose in my life and the amazing folks that fill it!! 

Okay, enough of my spoiled life - on to a yummy recipe for today. Matt and I had gotten these really delish caramelized onion and butternut squash ravioli from Costco. And I made browned butter sauce to go with them. I also toasted some pine nuts to sprinkle on the top. They were soooo mouth watering good!! 

I used a recipe by Giada for brown butter sauce which you can find if you click here. I used an Irish butter because European butter works better for the fat content in it. And I didn't have sage leaves but you could truly use whatever herb you like or have. I had rosemary from my garden yet - so I used that and it turned out awesome! Add some green veggies (I think we had green beans?) and it was a wonderful treat of a meal! 😋 And really very easy.

Next up a little craft update. I have a little kit of cute ornaments that are diamond art - so I worked on a few and added their twine as they are going to be little filler for some gifts I'm putting together soon. I also made more progress on Matt's cute diamond art coasters (one of his birthday gifts...his is the end of the month). And I'm getting there on the other Fall embroidery gift I'm working on. I need to get it done soon as I think us Autumn Gals are getting together before too long to celebrate our birthdays. 

And cheers to birthday time with Mrs. C, as we get together every year, and per tradition, we drive up the north shore of Lake Superior and go to the most charming place. It was wonderful as always and I treasure time with that bestie of mine always. 

And finally, I thought I'd leave with you with some more Fall cozy by way of cute pinterest art. I have my hospice volunteering soon - but I will come around and visit you all later! Blessings and love to you always beautiful Friends. I treasure the gifts you are in my life!! 

Wishing you a wonderful cozy weekend ahead. 

xoxo

Cooking & CraftingThursday (on a Friday): Apple Cider Chicken Thighs, Autumn Vibes & Craft Updates

 

Hello dear Friends!

Sorry I'm late to this post - I did start it yesterday and then got so busy I never finished it. So getting back to it today. Yesterday I played pickleball with my new pickleball group for 2 hours (so fun!!) and then picked up my Mom and spent the day with her. Then we got busy making dinner and watching our Packers (who are doing SO TERRIBLE this year🙈). I hope our team can get it together or I think we're going to start watching something else. Lol 

Anyways, I thought I would share the apple cider chicken thighs recipe I made last week. I found it at Sallys Baking Addiction website and I made it just as she suggested. I didn't have coriander on hand - so I substituted per her recommendation as well. It turned out so yummy and has all the wonderful Fall flavors. 🍎 😋 We had ours with twice baked potatoes and a garden salad with homemade sourdough croutons. Mmmm!!

The recipe is below. 

Time out from Autumn for just a sec to say that my garden is still producing some green beans - so we will be having one more fresh green bean side dish soon. And today is mid 60's sunny and warmer so I'm wearing my floral jeans and short sleeves - so still a bit of summer hanging on....

And sometimes when you're taking photos anyways, and the lighting is good, especially since you're pushing 55 - you take a quick selfie too. For posterity when I'm 65. Lol

Okay, now back to Autumn vibes. I did a messy manicure on myself but I did grab all my Fallish colors and created this look. Next time I'll take my time and do a better job but I love the colors for this time of year!

And nights have been CHILLY! I have even had to turn on the heat a few times (shhhh....don't tell Matt - he loves it cold). But loving the cozy glow inside....

And the beautiful Fall colors starting to show more out our windows...

And I love the cozy going on in the kitchen. My oven is going strong already this season!  I baked a french onion chicken pasta last night for our dinner and we both loved it! I will share that recipe soon. 

I also made some sweet and spicy nuts this morning as one of the birthday gifts for my brother, Steven. We are celebrating him here this weekend and my Dad and step Mom are heading back to AZ soon - so we are looking forward to hanging out with them too. And my Uncle is coming for the festivities as well. 💗 

I also think I'm going to make one of my GoNanas mixes since I have bananas to use up. I'm going to make an apple cider loaf and brush it with a little melted butter and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on it when it comes out of the oven. I love these mixes because I just add protein milk, mashed bananas, coconut oil and some maple syrup - so some healthier ingredients too. And they have been so good so far. The cinnamon roll muffins I made several weeks ago were awesome! 

I know my Bro will love these: mixed nuts with olive oil, brown sugar, chili powder, onion&garlic powder, cumin, & salt and pepper. Baked for 15 mins.

Now for the crafty portion of catching up with you folks. I finished one of my embroidery projects for my fellow Autumn birthday gf. I got a cute frame to put it in just for embroidery projects. 

And I've started the next one for my other fellow Autumn birthday gf. I think they will both love them. :) 🎃🕷🕸🧡

And I'm also going to start these. They are Super Mario coasters that I'm going to do diamond art on. They will be for our downstairs media room. Matt's favorite place! They are going to be a little birthday gift for Matt as he is also a Fall baby. 😊🧡💛

We are going to start adding some more "gamer" touches down there soon - stay tuned! 

Love the cute holder they will go in.

Looking forward to celebrating my baby Brother this weekend. This was on a trip to South Dakota over 40 years ago ::gulp:: 

Where does the time go???

Have a blessed weekend Folks! I will come around and visit when I get a chance. Please know I always love and appreciate your visits here. 

xoxo

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Cooking & Crafting Thursday: Beef Stroganoff & Artsy Update

 

Hi Friends!

It's a gorgeous day here in the northwoods. Low 70's, a little sun and light breeze. It feels like summer hanging on today. However, the last couple of days felt more like this:

The days were in the low 60's with a little chill to the breeze or it was rainy. The nights have been in the 40's. For all of my poor friends in the sweltering warmth - I am sending you cool thoughts from the north winds. We have had some leaf changing happening, butterflies migrating and geese still doing their practice runs over the bay. I hope you get the Autumn vibes soon too!! 🍁🧡

But today, since it definitely feels like summer yet - I made a cucumber salsa/salad situation with fresh cukes, tomatoes, red onion, some cucumber balsamic I have, cilantro, jalapeno, lime etc. It's marinating in the fridge...along with some chicken breasts I put a marinade over this morning and threw in the fridge. Matt will cook them on the grill for dinner and we will top them with this cucumber salsa. Fresh and summery. I will share the full recipe soon. Along with a recipe for a wonderful sheet pan chicken fried rice I made a week or so ago that I have been meaning to share. 

But don't worry, for today I'm bringing the cozy vibes with this recipe to share. This is a beef stroganoff recipe that I grew up on. The recipe card is in my Dad's handwriting. Both of my folks made this different times during my childhood and it was often the dish they made if we had company over. It's so easy, yet rich and comforting. I thought I had shared it long ago here... but I looked back and couldn't find it. So I thought I'd finally share it today! 

My Dad used to go deer hunting when I was a kid - and I even remember he sometimes made it with venison. I definitely recommend it and to make it just as it's written. The key is not to cook the steak too long at the start - just brown it because it slow cooks the rest of the way through in the pot with the gravy. So so good!! Perfect dish for Fall. 

Speaking of my PapaBear, I went out to lunch with him recently to catch up. He and my step Mom have had a busy summer up here. But they head back to AZ next month...as well as Matt's folks too. So it's almost time for the snowbirds to fly - just another sign of Autumn in the air. 🌻🧡

And for the crafting update - here is the progress on the embroidery project I've been doing. I only have a few more small details and then I fill in that hat with black embroidery and it's done! I think it's turning out so sweet and I'm excited to get to work on the next one -which I will share next week. As well as a little side crafty I've decided to work on. 

And I also wanted to share that I found this lovely painting in my closet. My Mom had made it for my last birthday and I forgot to get it framed. She painted it from a kit. It's nice sized and the colors are so beautiful! I just love it and since it's special because she put in all the time for me - I want it framed nicely to preserve it. So I'm bringing it in soon and will share it again when it's all matted and framed. :) 

Blessings to you all for a great weekend ahead! 

xoxo