Cooking and CraftingThursday: Pizza Eggs in Purgatory & Finished Projects (yay!)

 

Hello my lovely Friends!

How has your week been going so far? It's sure been a gray and rainy one here. I was excited with the changing of the clocks because it would be lighter in the mornings...but I'm still waiting for that to happen, as it's still dark and rainy each morning. Lol I guess it's supposed to get sunnier tomorrow and the long range forecast looks good too. 

I do love the cozy of rainy days and the way it makes me want to curl up and read something, or watch a Hallmark movie, or work on crafts. And first up today I thought I'd show you my completed embroidery projects crafts. Yay they're finally done!  I'm so pleased with how they turned out for being a beginner in embroidery. I am getting together soon with my 2 girlfriends, whom also have Autumn birthdays, and these are one of the gifts I'm giving each of them. They embrace Fall like I do so I think they will love them. I started them back in September but just worked on them bits here and there. And I just finished the last one earlier this week (just in time - phew!) 

I know it's a little late in the season for them to put them up - but I'm glad we didn't get together earlier because I needed the time to finish them. 😂 

I think they will like them for next season though. 🎃🍁🧡 

And I already have a new embroidery project for Christmas I'm just starting and will share in the future. 

Today I also wanted to share this recipe I made the other night. It was so flavorful and fun to dig into it. We both loved it! I think I shared shakshuka as a recipe here before (under my recipe tab). Spicy tomato sauce that you put eggs on top and bake and then dig in with naan bread toasts. Another name for something like that is eggs in purgatory. 

Well I follow a gal on youtube called the Hunger Diaries (she's on other social media too). And she made a pizza eggs in purgatory that looked so good - so I wanted to give it a go. It was pretty easy and so very flavorful. And you can completely control the spice level if you don't want it too spicy. Just leave out the things that make it zippy. She used calabrian chili but I just did a small pinch of red pepper flakes instead. She also used passata (which is like a tomato sauce). I just used my favorite marinara. I love she added cannelini beans. They made it really hearty and they add protein and fiber. I used a smaller pan so I did just a little bit smaller amount of ingredients and I only added 4 eggs for the 2 of us. But if you have a big pan that can cook on the stove and then go in the oven - definitely make the whole thing. It was SO tasty!! And so fun to dig into with big sourdough toasts. 

When it comes out of the oven and is done she recommends topping with chili crisp, hot honey, and burrata or ricotta or marscapone cheese (we did ricotta), and fresh oregano (I used dried). Totally make it your own the main thing in my opinion is use a tomato sauce you like - add the eggs & cupping pepperoni on top, and then the fun toppings of choice. And of course digging in with some good toast! What a fun way to make a different kind of brunch for a group too. Maybe serve with a caesar salad and some fresh fruit? Yum! Recipe and photos below:

simmering sauce

adding in fresh grated parm

nestle the eggs in their spots, add pepperoni, and put in the oven

all baked up and perfect jammy eggs and crispy pepperoni

all the fun toppings: we did dollops of ricotta, hot honey drizzle, and some oregano

I cooked some big slices of sourdough in a pan on the stove with a little butter and olive oil and they were great dippers 😋

Also, a bonus recipe tip is to use some of the leftover ricotta cheese for breakfast. I made a toast and put some of the creamy ricotta on top and drizzled a little honey and topped with berries. Absolutely delish with coffee and ricotta is pretty healthy for you. A 1/4 c. is a serving and it's only 70 calories and 4 grams of protein. I think it's actually yummier than cream cheese and it's better for you. 

I thought I'd end this post by sharing this sweet pic I caught of our furry babies snuggling together last night. Chilly nights calls for sharing the big fuzzy pet bed. 💞

I hope you have a very fun and cozy weekend ahead!

xoxo

Cooking Thursday: Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken & Easy Buffalo Ranch Chicken Bowls

 

Hello my dear Friends!

I hope you've been having a cozy week so far. 

We've had a few warmer days for the northwoods (sunny and 60's). But the nights still get plenty chilly and we have needed the heat on in the evenings more often than not. We have a lot of windows so during the day the sun heats us up just fine yet. Today, though, it's gray and cloudy and in the 50's and perfect baking weather....and I just so happen to have a banana bread baking away in the oven. So cozy kitchen vibes are vibing here. :) 

I don't really have a craft update. I've just been working on finishing that same embroidery project because I'm getting together with my fellow Fall birthday Besties soon, to celebrate. So I need to finish the 2nd one stat! Lol Here's a quick peek of the progress:

I will share photos when I'm finished with this one and they are both done and framed. 

What is it about this time of year? When it starts to have a chill and blankets become a necessity. When we want to fill our bellies with something warm and comforting...and it often includes things you eat in bowls. I guess because here in the northwoods that often means soup, slow cooker things, and "hot dishes" as we call them around here. Lol There are so many recipes that combine everything in one "bowl" and those are so yummy and comforting too. 

So today I thought I'd share a few slow cooker recipes with you that we enjoyed recently. 

This was another one I found on social media by the account by Kate Fuller. It was easy and so yummy. I love recipes like this where you add whatever toppings you like. I made an easy micro spanish rice...and we served it over that and then added or toppings.  We did protein ranch instead of sour cream, some shredded cheese, taco sauce, and chili cheese fritos as toppings. Delish! But avocado, jalapenos, taco chips etc would also be wonderful as toppings.

slow cook a while

shred chicken and add beans...

and sweet corn..

and a bit of lime juice

and then you're ready to dig in

😋😋😋

The next slow cooker recipe I made I sort made up with what I had on hand. I seasoned some chicken breasts with some s&p, garlic powder, and ranch dressing mix. I put some Franks buffalo sauce on the bottom of the slow cooker and put the seasoned chicken breasts on top. Oh, and I also added a little chicken broth to the bottom of the slow cooker - about 1/2 cup. I let it cook on low about 6 hours. Then shredded it up. We had ours as bowls because I had sweet potato to use up. So I cubed and baked that at 400* for about 30 mins or so. I always season my sweet potatoes with s&p and some cinnamon. We put the roasted sweet potato on the bottom of our bowls. Put the buffalo ranch chicken on top. And then topped them with protein ranch, a little shredded cheese and chili cheese fritos too. We had raw veggies of celery and carrot on the side like they give you with buffalo wings in the restaurant. Again, so easy and so flavorful. 

Are you a soup, stew, or "bowls" kind of a person for warming comfort food this time of year? Do you have a fave go-to comfort dish?

I hope you get to just enjoy some cozy time this coming weekend. Here's a couple of cute pinterest moments that gave me a smile. 

Blessings to you always Friends. 

🍁🎃xoxo🌻🧡

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