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

Wednesday Wonder: Some Easter/Spring Ideas

 

Hello dear Friends 🌸

Do you have your Easter countdown on? Mine is a-ticking away over here. I've been tweaking my menu, and making my grocery and to-do lists and getting all set. 

Even though it's gray out today. And the forecast is calling for potentially 7 or 8 inches of snow by Friday (nope that's not an April fool...but our real forecast). Easter Sunday has a glorious forecast of sun and mid 40's. I will take that all day! ☀️🐰

Since I have Easter on my mind, and I was looking at some of my pinterest boards for inspiration...I thought I would share some of my finds with you too. In case you were wanting some added inspiration for the weekend ahead as well. But first, here's a look at my sleepy babies today. It is kind of a gray and good for a nap kind of day. Can you see  why I like to keep the recliner covered with a blanket? Less fur stuck in there. Lol

However, there's no time to rest. Easter is practically here! :) 

So here are a few fun ideas. If you want more in-depth info like the recipes etc - you can find all of these on my "Spring/Easter" pinterest board, and then click on the links directly. And a few of the salad recipes are under my "salads" board.  You can find my pinterest page if you click here.

First up, how about some fun decorating inspiration:

inexpensive hack to get free paint samples and cut out in egg shape for a cute garland

rustic but cute and inexpensive too 

love the idea of filling an old small trunk or case like this

i love how this wreath is simple, yet stunning

Now that we have things looking pretty, how's about we get it smelling pretty too. Love the idea of a Spring simmer pot. 

Now maybe it's time to create some fun appetizers to share with guests?

how cute are these peep and chick cookie cutters? (you could cut cheese and salami in these shapes too)

and I love the idea of decorating a crudite platter with a chocolate bunny or bunny decoration

Or have a Spring tea party and do the crudite in little teacups

And I think Springtime just sings for light pastas and salads as main dishes, don't you?

a light pasta filled with seasonal veggies and parm - perfect!

or create a seasonal salad or steamed veggies and use this vinaigrette 

maybe elevate a leftover Easter ham sandwich into this?

mmmm - more fun tea party ideas

And of course, we need to end with a sweet treat:

bunny topped pretzels or butterfly topped cupcakes...yes please!

be still my heart - look at these sweet teapot chocolate covered strawberries

or even enjoy Spring flavor sweets with your breakfast coffee

There are so many fun Spring and Easter ideas out there once you start looking. Do you have any favorites??

xoxo

Wednesday Wonder: Pinterest Love

 

Hello lovely Friends! 

Happy mid-week to you.☀️

 It's a gray and drizzly here today. I had to run some errands this morning. But then had lunch and hung out with my Annie a while. The time is flying so fast and she'll head back to college soon. So we've been doing lots of gabbing, planning, playing games, golf, watching shows together and just enjoying each others' company. I'm so grateful to have such a special relationship with her and reaching a level of friendship that fills my heart. I love my kiddos more than anything in this world and thank God EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. for the gift of them in my life. 🙏🏻

As I think about feeling so blessed to be their Mom...this thought transitions into to my topic today. Pinterest love. I have loved and used pinterest from the first moment I discovered it. I have way more boards and pins than I could possible need...but yet, they continue to grow. Lol I have many different themed boards that provide inspiration in many kinds of ways. So, back to my love of my kiddos - one of my boards is titled "mom stuff" and I have many quotes, funnies & some photos that makes me think of my kids or the joys of being a mother. 

Some examples include:

I think a lot of people use pinterest for recipe ideas. It's SO wonderful for that purpose. I have so many boards related to recipes and some include:

 

seasonal ones like a SUMMER one

CHRISTMAS & WINTER one

MY FAVORITE SEASON (FALL) one

SIDE DISHES board

YUMMY DRINKS  board

even a board dedicated just to SLIDERS

Here are some of what I have pinned on all of those various boards to give you more of an idea:

this is a maple chai pumpkin bread 😋

I have also used it as a tool when I'm working on plans for something specific. For example, I had a board for when I worked on Annie's graduation party and did a luau theme. And I have a board for inspiration related to the cottage renovation that Matt and I work on as our retirement plan. Here are some pins from those boards:

I have so many more boards than I've been mentioning here. And thousands of pins. But that's what works for me. I love knowing I have a giant resource, at the ready, that visually fills my brains in the inspirational ways I'm looking for. But I could understand that to some people that's just overwhelming. 

I have several boards that are just related to things that speak to my soul. Not for necessarily a definite purpose other than to make me happy. Or be a feast for my eyes and soul. 

Some of those boards include: 

STAINED GLASS  board

POETRY board

STYLE  board with outfit ideas

MOTHER THERESA  board filled with quotes

COLORS  board 

Here are some samples of pins from those boards:

So what about you? Are you a pinterest person? If you are, do you have thousands of pins? Or very few? 

I have more boards like salads, slow cooker, cottage core, scrapbooking, crafts, artists I like etc. If you want to see all of my pinterest boards and pins just click here.

💗💗💗