All Keyed Up...

 I love an easy DIY project that is FREE... 

My mother's mother was a collector
of mostly antiques.

She lived in a real, bonafide cabin in the north woods of Minnesota
and her home was chock full of lovely antique furniture,
old coffee grinders,
a genuine crank telephone, hand braided rag rugs,
you name it... 

After my grandparents died,
all those wonderful artifacts were dispersed
among family members... 

Little by little, my mom handed some things down to me...

My favorite is the pie safe my grandpa found in the trash...

Grandma restored it and now it houses my Wedgewood,
silver and crystal vessels...

There is nothing like a piece with history attached to it....

So Sunday, Mom gave me a battered velvet panel
that had dozens of old skeleton keys wired to it... 

It must have been in a frame at one time...

The keys looked so interesting
that I had to restyle them for my home....

I got to thinking and then I remembered
I had saved a burlap pillow cover
that had been tortured by the kids... 

I liked the vintage print on it
and wanted to repurpose it somehow...

Eureka!

I pulled out a frame I had been saving
and duct taped the burlap to its backing...

Next I washed, dried and arranged the keys on the print..

I whipped out my trusty glue gun
and set to attaching the keys (with a few burned fingers) and,

Voila'!

I love its vintage look
and it will be perfect as part of an ensemble
around the TV on the wall in the living room...

The whole project cost zip, nada, nuttin',
which is the best of all...

So, if you want to "Get the Look.."

Head to JoAnn Fabrics...

Make sure you have one of their coupons
at the ready to save some dough...

Check out the home decor department
for a burlap-y vintage print... 

I think all home decor fabrics are 50% off right now...

Most often,  their frames are on sale, too.

Kohls puts their frames on sale frequently, as well...

The key part is the hardest.... 
but guess what?

I found a whole passel of them for sale on Ebay for CHEAP!

Check it out here...

Flea markets are a good place to hunt for old keys, too...

Hopefully you already have duct tape and a glue gun, right?

Please tell me you do....
Okay, whew!
 Have fun!



Here's another goodie for you today.... 

This week is "Eat out of the Pantry Week"...
aka, we are broke....

So, I pulled out some ground beef to make burgers...

Sorry if you are tired of me sharing recipes from The Pioneer Woman,
but her food is so DANG GOOD!!!
I can't help it....I might have a crush on Ree....

Here is her burger recipe...

All I can say is, my son kept extolling the burger's virtues...good enough for me!

His/Her Burgers
Courtesy of The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food From My Frontier

Ingredients:
2 lbs 80/20 ground beef
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/3 C heavy cream
5 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Tobasco sauce to taste
8-10 burger buns

Combine all ingredients and form into 8- 10 patties.  Grill or fry them in a skillet over med/high heat until they are no longer pink in the middle.  Holy Mother of Beef, they are tasty!!!

What Makes Mama Happy....

You know those days where everything goes wrong
and you want to have an all out tantrum...

The two year old variety where you thrash and kick
on the floor of the grocery store
while the produce manager stares?

Just before they call security, you force yourself
to find a little gratitude... 

Yeah, I've had those days too,
more than I care to share...

Today is not one of those days...

In fact, barring a piano landing on my head
any moment for tempting fate,
I am feeling pretty good...

Thus, a short list of the things that make me happy, right now!

Some things are purely material in nature,
others money can't buy...

1. Land's End Sneakers...


















These classic, Keds look alikes are comfy
and look great with capris, shorts,
casual skirts or jeans.
I feel like I am channeling Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly in them....
I know, I'm a dork...

2. The new Athleta Store...


















Owned by Gap, this awesome women's clothing catalog
just opened a store in our neighborhood.
Mind you, I can't afford anything,
but I sure can drool...

3.  My Back Yard...













Spring sprang right up
and last year's investment of bulbs have rewarded me aplenty.
The hostas are peeking out and the daffodils and tulips are so pretty...
A year ago my back yard was a wasteland of construction debris and dirt....
I am so grateful to have my yard back...

4. Pellegrino with Lemon...
On those nights when I can't share the Pinot G
with Tom, the Pellegrino at least looks like a cocktail
and it's very refreshing...

5. DHC Olive Oil Cleanser...

















This product is an awesome cleanser and eye makeup remover.
One bottle lasts about six months, too.
DHC rocks...

6. Pinterest Recipes...

If you are seeking decadent desserts, inventive dips
or fantabulous casserole recipes, Pinterest is your site.
It has become my go-to recipe source...

7. Ree's Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp...















Have you noticed a lemon theme?
So did I... Oops...
I made this while at Amelia and it was sooooo good!
I'll be making this again soon
and will serve it over spaghetti...
Deelish!!!

8. Parkour...














Parkour is this French-invented street tumbling
that you have probably seen in commercials.
Guys leap from building to building, run up walls,
flip all over the place, etc.
Jack is taking a Parkour class
and I love it because he does
and mostly because it wears his little fanny out!


9. The Hunger Games...

















As usual I am late on the trend watch,
but I am flying through Book 3 of the trilogy...
Can't wait to see the movie...

10.  Downton Abbey...














Again, late to catch the wave, but who cares?
Tommy and I cuddle up in bed each night
and watch an episode on his tablet computer.
We share this addiction together and we love it.
He has no interest in my "Top Chef" devotion
and I shun him when he watches "Sons of Anarchy",
so Downton brings us together...

And that is my favorite thing of all....

Recipe: Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp, 

Courtesy of Pioneer Woman

Prep Time: 5 Minutes  |  Cook Time: 25 Minutes  |  Difficulty: Easy  |  Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Raw Shrimp, Deveined, Shells On
• 2 sticks Cold Unsalted Butter Cut Into Pieces
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 4 cloves Garlic, Peeled
• 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
• 1 whole Lemon, Juiced

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse frozen shrimp to separate, then arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.
In the bowl of a food processor, add cold butter, garlic, lemon juice, salt, parsley, and red pepper. Pulse until combined. Sprinkle cold butter crumbles over the shrimp.
Bake until shrimp is opaque and butter is hot and bubbly.
Serve with hot crusty bread. Peel and eat the shrimp, then dip the bread into the butter in the bottom of the pan.

On the Air...

 We just returned from visiting family in Florida
over spring break.... 

How grateful we are to have the grandparents
living in a warm and fun place... 

It was either that or a "stay-cation",
and you can imagine how fun, exciting
and dangerous that could have been... 

By day three I would have been holed up in my room,
while mutiny would have erupted below... 

I was not prepared to be the "Entertainment Committee" this past week.... 

I am already panicked about summer,
but that's another story... 

So it was a great week at Amelia Island...

The weather was hot,

the pool was packed

and the waves were tasty, man.... 

You won't believe this,
but I drank only ONE pina colada the whole week... 

Dang headaches were timed just right for the trip,
so I was the designated driver once again... 

As my mom says, "Drugs are good!",
and I was able to hold the migraines
at bay most of the time...    

Here's what I observed while on vacation:

Chlorine kills a variety of oogies... 
I saw more snotty noses than I ever care to see again
and I decided to not put my head under water
amid Kate's pleas...

Chicken Tenders are the food of the childhood gods:  
My kids could eat those every day, with fries and a Coke... 
So much for anything that grows out of the ground....
Sigh...

Six year olds must have more swimsuits 
than Imelda has shoes: 
Thank goodness Grandma likes to buy bikinis
to satisfy the little fashion diva...

Smoothies are like crack:  
Around 3pm each day, moms would turn into zombie slaves
and head to the bar to get their kids smoothies. 
Once a single smoothie emerged outside,
every child  at the pool would freak out and beg for one... 
There is no methadone for this addiction, I promise you...

Bicycles belong at the end of an Easter parade: 
We nearly witnessed three kids become road kill
while teetering on their bikes with training wheels
in front of festooned golf carts...

Easter Mass can feel like an eternity to a kid, 
even when it's being held outdoors on a beautiful day....

Your husband might immediately worry about a car bomb attack 
targeting the hoards of worshipers 
in tiny Fernandina Beach, FL.: 

Okay, maybe just my husband looks for escape routes at mass services
and Chuck E. Cheeses....

Spring Break is never long enough:  
Kids will wail to stay longer,
move to Florida
and skip school the day after break ends. 
Ignore them and drag them to school at all costs.... 

Family togetherness is lovely and memorable,
but who's kidding who? 
I LOVE school!

The other thing that I love is the fact that
Jack's commercial aired on National Geographic Channel yesterday. 

Here it is...  

They are playing it a lot from now until the new series,
 "Out of Order" airs on April 17th.
 
Jack was so thrilled to see himself on national television last night. 
I love a good, genuine smile!

To celebrate his commercial
and the news that Tom cancelled his trip to Uganda this week,
I am making some tasty morsels
 from Ree Drummond's TV show, "Pioneer Woman". 

Meatloaf

2012 Ree Drummond, All Rights Reserved

Ingredients

Meatloaf:

• 1 cup milk
• 6 bread slices
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt, such as Lawry's
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 8 to 12 thin bacon slices

Tomato Sauce:

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 6 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• Dash or 2 hot sauce (more if you like)
• Dash or 2 Worcestershire sauce

Directions

For the meatloaf: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Pour the milk over the bread and allow it to soak in for several minutes. Place the ground beef, milk-soaked bread, Parmesan, salt, some pepper, seasoned salt and parsley in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the eggs. With clean hands, mix the ingredients until well combined.

Form the mixture into a loaf shape on a foil-lined broiler pan, which will allow the fat from the meat to drain.

Lay the bacon slices over the top, tucking them underneath the meatloaf to give the meatloaf some support.

Next, make the tomato sauce: Pour the ketchup into a bowl. Add the brown sugar and dry mustard, and splash in the hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Stir the mixture until well combined. Pour one-third of the sauce over the top of the meatloaf.

Bake for 45 minutes, and then pour over another one-third of the remaining tomato sauce over the meatloaf. Bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes; the meatloaf should be no longer pink in the middle. Allow to sit 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with the remaining tomato sauce on the side as a dipping sauce

Twice-Baked New Potatoes

2012 Ree Drummond All Rights Reserved

Ingredients

• 12 new potatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh chives
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• Salt and pepper

 Directions 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle the potatoes with the olive oil and toss them to coat. Roast until the potatoes are tender and the skin is slightly crisp, 20 to 25 minutes.

Use a spoon or small scoop to remove the insides, leaving a small margin of potato intact.

To the scooped out potatoes, add the Monterey Jack, cream cheese, sour cream, chives, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Mash until the mixture is totally smooth. Give it a taste and add more salt if necessary.

Scoop the mixture into the potato shells. At this point you can cover and refrigerate them until dinnertime. When you're ready, bake the potatoes in the oven until golden brown on top.