Wild Rice Mushroom & Sausage Casserole

My husband worked late the other night so I decided to make something I love and he won't eat, he is a mushroom hater. This casserole is super easy and can be made into a casserole or eaten as is. It's also fairly easy to make it a bit healthier by substituting things like turkey sausage for regular sausage, which I always do. I really enjoy how simple this recipe is but how full of flavor it is, that's why I make it when my husband isn't home because I refuse to never get to eat things I like just because he doesn't. 

Wild Rice Mushroom & Sausage Casserole 

Ingredients:

1 6ox box Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice Original Recipe (I like the fast cooking box)

1 lb. Ground Sausage

1 Sm. Onion, chopped

1 4ox Can Mushrooms 

1 can Mushroom Soup

3 Tbs butter, melted (optional)

Directions:

Cook Rice according to package directions. In the mean time cook your sausage in a large skillet or dutch oven along with the chopped onion. Turn off heat and drain off grease. Combine the remaining ingredients into the pan. 

If eating as is heat through on stove, if making into a casserole (pour into casserole dish if not using a dutch oven) and top with melted butter (optional). Bake at 350 Degrees for 30 minutes

Try Adding/Substituting

Fresh Mushrooms

Turkey Sausage

Green Onions 

Slivered Almonds 

Sneak in a Veggie like chopped Spinach or Kale

Rhubarb Strawberry Muffins

When we moved into our home 3 years ago we were immediately over whelmed with the yard. It has tons of over grown plants and is just a lot of up keep. So basically it looks like a disaster and we are slowly ripping things out. We have about 3 or 4 rhubarb plants, who needs that much rhubarb? I try to give as much of it away as I can because I don't want it to go to waste and I have never used it. This year however I decided I should at least try to make one thing with it. So I found a recipe for rhubarb cinnamon muffins that I adapted into rhubarb strawberry muffins. I also added orange zest to give it more of a citrus note. I was a little skeptical at first, as I always am when trying and experimenting with new recipes but I was very pleased with how these turned out. 

This recipe is like most recipes as in you mix all of your dry ingredients in a separate bowl and your wet ingredients in the mixer then combine them. Pretty basic and simple I'd say. 

This is the size I cut up my rhubarb and strawberries, rhubarb was cut smaller since it's more tart, they are pretty small but if you love rhubarb then by all means cut them larger. 

My little man loves to help me make things especially if it involves using my kitchen aid. This picture shows you why. He loves to "test" out the batter by shoving his hands in the bowl.. pretty smart kid if you ask me. The batter was delicious so I now had high hopes. 

Once everything is mixed together it should be a thick batter. I sprayed my muffin tin and used a cookie scoop to fill the tins. It seems like to much batter at first but you want to fill them all they way to the top so it makes 12 big yummy muffins. 

I sprinkled the tops with sugar to give it a crispy top then into the oven it went. As they cooked my house smelled delicious so now I was getting excited, it's the little things that make me happy. 

Here is how they turned out, pretty aren't they? They also tasted AMAZING!! I guess now I will freeze some of my rhubarb so I can make these little gems a few more times. 

Rhubarb Strawberry Muffins 

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

3/4 cups sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt 

1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly 

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla 

2 tsp orange zest 

3/4 cup diced rhubarb

3/4 cup diced strawberries (fresh or frozen is fine)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt in a medium bowl. 

In a stand mixer combine sour cream, melted butter, vanilla and orange zest. Add in dry ingredients and mix to combine. Add rhubarb and strawberries and mix just to incorporate. 

Line a 12 muffin tin  with cupcake wrappers or spray with baking spray. Distribute batter evenly then sprinkle the tops with sugar. 

Place on middle rack in oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool. 

Try adding/substituting:

1/2 tsp Orange Extract 

Greek Yogurt

Doggie Kennel Makeover

I'm in the habit of seeing things that are old and worn down looking and wanting to fix them up and make them look nicer! So do I need to explain more about my next project? Ok, I will explain anyway... Recently we just got Doggie #2! She came with a Kennel she has had for years.  I have yet to see a dog kennel that I think looks nice. I mean, the plastic or metal ones.   It doesn't matter how old (or new) dog kennels are they are ugly!! My dog's kennel was no exception. It was an eye sore anywhere I put it. It wasn't anyone's fault except the makers of it! So, being the "fixer upper" that I am I decided to give it a good makeover! First, I started with a good scrub down! This is an important step so don't skip it or you won't have as good of a result! It's ok if you can't get all the stains off but at least scrub off what you can! (This applies to any project you play to spray paint or paint)

After I washed it as best I could, I got my spray paint and started at it! I used Krylon Spray Paint in Gum Drop. It's a really pretty purple, my favorite color!! 

I gave it a couple coats, it took about 2 full cans. Next, I spray painted the screws that hook the top and bottom of the kennel together in Krylon Metallic Silver. 

Last and final step was, my favorite part, the polka dots. I used vinyl circles that I got from Turner sign company. They are 1.75" dots, I believe. I didn't have to measure anything. I just put them on where I thought they looked good! And the result is perfect! (In my humble opinion!) 

My sweet baby girl thinks it's fun! 

And so does my Mya girl! 

 I haven't completely finished it, I still need to decide if I want to spray her door or not (I probably will) and finish her sign.  I started it but just haven't finished. I will update this post after its all done. But I'm happy with it! Oh and her bed! I just took purple minky fabric and make a pillow case to put the foam pads that I had in. Easy!! 

Here's the thing: it might have been unnecessary for me to fix up her kennel. She loved it the way it was but I enjoy making old and ugly things have a new and beautiful look! I didn't want an ugly crate as an eye sore anywhere in or around my house! Now I have something to be proud of! Moral of the story? No matter how "insignificant" a piece is, if you want, fix it up!  You'll be happy you did!  Even if your the only one who is, it will be worth it! 

Remember when I said this was dog #2's kennel?? Well here is a sneak peek of dog #1's kennel 

UGLY, right??? Again... Maker's fault! But the after is worth coming back to see, I promise!!! So, stay tuned! 

DIY mirror and scrabble home letters

My entry room has a blank wall next to a busy wall (unfinished, of course!) I struggled what to do with it because I didn't want the room to feel uncomfortably busy. That's a big issue for me. I had a mirror hanging out in my basement that I had plans to use but never did anything with.  So, I decided to finally do something with it and felt that blank wall was the perfect spot.  I also found a piece of wood hanging out in my house that I decided to make something with... 

Here is my frame... And the wood I found hanging around.

Basically all I did for the frame was go to Home Depot and get a baseboard that I liked and cut it at 90 degree angles and then glued the 4 pieces together. Which made the fame. Normally I'd staple the corners together to make them stronger but I didn't have access to a staple gun at the time so I just used elmers wood glue and clamped it together until it dried. Next I picked out one of the many sample colors I have, mixed in my chalk powder and painted the frame. Why did I use chalk paint?? Well, because chalk paint dries faster so it makes doing a quick project well, quick! After it dried I took a 300 grit piece of sand paper and sanded my edges and middles or wherever else I thought would look good with wood showing through. Next, I wiped down the frame to get it clean and dust free. Finally, I took my bbfrosh dark wax and waxed the frame, making the creases a little darker. And that's it!! Easy!! Here is a close up of the wax coating.  See how it looks messy?? That's on purpose. I just wanted you to see that perfection is not what we are going for and anyone can do it and it would look awesome. 

I am sorry I don't have pictures of the steps. I can't find them anywhere. We updated our computer and all my pictures are hidden deep in the computer memory somewhere... VERY frustrating. 

Next I project for this space was my scrabble home blocks. It was the easiest project ever!! All I did was take those two boards I showed you in the first picture and cut them to the size I wanted. They were already 5 1/4" wide but I wanted them longer so I cut them at 7" so I cut 4 boards at 7". Then, I white washed them. For those of you who may not know what that is... I just dip my paint brush in the paint and then into water and paint my board. If I don't like how thick the paint it is just go over it with more water. Sometimes you need to wipe off the access water. I didn't this time. After a few minutes it was dry enough to continue into the next step. As you can see I antiqued my boards. There is several ways you can do this but because I have bbfrosh dark wax I saved myself a TON of time and just used the dark wax to antique the board. The best part about the wax is drying time. It's seconds. You put it on and rub it in and voilà it's dried! As a result I moved right into the next step... Again, you can do this so many ways but, this time, I cut the letters and numbers out of vinyl on my silhouette and just put the letters on. My intention was to paint the letters so I can sand them down but I ran out of time so I left the vinyl on... For now. I will update when I actually get to painting instead.  So next step was to just put them up!! 

Here it is together! Putting up the frame was fun. I just got metal mirror hooks from Home Depot and nailed up the mirror to the wall. And instead of permanently gluing the frame to the mirror I got command stripes and stuck them up. Command stripes are my favorite! Now if I ever decide to switch out my frame I can. Easy!! I used command stripes to hang up my Home blocks as well. Ahh yes, you're wondering about my "be mine" sign??  Well stay tuned. I will post a link to teach you how to do that as well. And where I got the FREE printable of be mine. (Unfortunately it wasn't my design) 😀😀Oh... Yes my LOVE letters are unfinished, of course, but I got them at wood connection. And I will show you how I do those as well... When I finish them. 😂😂😂  if you have questions feel free to ask!! 

Simple Pesto Pasta

Are you ready for a super simple and sort of healthy pasta dish. It only took 4 ingredients so it was also pretty cheap. 

In a medium sauce pan boil some broth or you can just use water. I just like the extra flavor. Once it boils add your noodles. You can use any shape you like, I just always have elbows in my pantry because they are easy for my little boy to eat. 

There won't be a lot of liquid in the pan because you want it to be as full of flavor and starchy to help the pesto to stick.  When your pasta is finished cooking you can drain it if you feel like there is to much liquid but save the liquid. I drained mine but there wasn't much liquid and I ended up pouring it all back in to help combine the other ingredients. Add your pesto and stir to combine. Then add as much cheese as you want. That's it. 

I made sure I saved some cheese to top my pasta on my plate. This came together so quickly. I sauteed some mushrooms on the side because my husband doesn't like them then I just added them to my pasta on my plate. 

I also served it with Jenny O hot turkey sausage links to try to keep things a little on the healthier side. Remember its all about making healthier choices. I was going to steam some veggies but forgot, oops!! 

So simple and pretty darn tasty. I had to buy the big container of basil pesto because they didn't have the small one so now I have lots of left overs that I will have to get creative with. Try to buy the fresh stuff that's in the deli section not the stuff in a jar by the pasta sauce. The fresh stuff looks better and tastes better. Or be amazing and make your own. 

Simple Pesto Pasta

3 1/2 cups Chicken Broth (or water)

2 cups Elbow Noodles, or any shape, uncooked

1/2 cup Basil Pesto

1 1/2 cups Italian blend cheese (or Mozzarella or Parmesan) 

Boil broth in a medium size pan. Add noodles and cook until desired tenderness. There should be some liquid left in the pan but if there seems to be a lot strain it but save the liquid. Add the pesto and stir to combine. Add the cheese. If it's to thick or won't combine well add some of the cooking liquid to bring it all together. Serve and top with extra cheese. 

Try adding/substituting:

Mushrooms

Spinach

Sausage

Red Chili Flakes

Chopped cooked Bacon

Cooked Chicken, bite size

Vegetable Broth 

Sauteed Onions  

*** I put some of the extra pesto on a turkey wrap and grilled it. Super yummy!! Its also good tossed with some quartered red potatoes and roasted in a 400 degree oven***

Newest project!

Well true to my normal behavior I took on another big project before finishing my other ones. THIS time it comes in the form of this adorable face! 

Potty training and behavior training. So far so good. Because it's just part of life I'm going to post some trick my family does to train this intelligent, active and stubborn breed! He has been amazing so far! A little scared at first but he is warming up to is quickly. My little man is in heaven! My little princess is not sure how she feels yet. She definitely hates it when he barks at her so we have to train her too 😳😂. Here is my very first tip for any new fur baby... If they are having a hard time not being scared #1 and most important, BE PATIENT! Poor things are taken from their comfort zones. #2 try doing an activity of sorts that goes in line with the breed. For instance, this cute little fur ball was really struggling. He was unsure about being in my house and he was uninterested in eating and drinking anything. Worried me a little bit. But then we took him outside, in the snow, and let him play. He opened up right away and it has only gotten better since. This little guy is a Husky German Shepherd mix. He's an active breed that thrives in the cold weather. It was simple! Nothing thought out or torturous and it worked like a charm. So #1 be patient. #2 adapt them by doing something they are already familiar with (something to do with their breed. It's in their blood, they will feel comfortable!) #3 don't overwhelm yourself by thinking of all the things that have to change now that you have a dog.  (Speaking to the choir in that one!!) Change is always an adjustment. 😀 but it's with it when your kiddos are so happy!! 

Fabric Square Wreath

I made this wreath a few years ago. I just love how it turned out and thought I would share it with you. It was so simple to make but it was a little time consuming but in my opinion it was worth it. I made mine for Valentines day but you could choose any size foam wreath or any fabric colors you want. 

 I used a foam heart wreath that I got from Hobby Lobby. I believe it was the medium sized one. I chose light pink and medium pink solid color fabric. I can't remember exactly how much I bought but I'm going to say it was probably 3/4 of a yard of each. This of course will depend on how big your wreath is. I wrapped my wreath in some cream or white colored fabric that I had just laying around for the base but you don't have to do that. 

Cut your fabric into 3 x 3 inch squares. This picture also shows the size of pin I used to insert the fabric into the wreath. It just needs to be long enough to hold the fabric in the wreath but you want the head of the pin to be small so you don't see it.  (I took this off of my wreath so it already has a crease in it and hole marks from the pin) 

Fold the square to form a triangle.

Then fold it again from point to point so you have another triangle. Insert your pin at the pointed end of the fabric then insert into your wreath. 

I wanted mine to have no pattern to it so I just scattered the colors but it will depend on what look you are wanting. My thumbs did start to hurt after awhile so you might want to use a thimble or wrap your thumb with some tape. 

Here is what it looks like close up. It should be full so pin the fabric close together and in opposite directions. When you are done fluff up the fabric a little. I added a white ribbon loop on the back so I could hang it and I used the same ribbon to add a bow but that is optional. 

And that's it. Like I said very easy but just a little time consuming. Pop in a movie and you will be done before you know it. I hope you get creative with the colors on this. I think it would be so cute to do a red and white one for Christmas on a round wreath and make it look like a candy cane. This is by far my favorite wreath I have made. 

Here is a variation I did as just a simple home decor wreath. I used yellow fabric and blue that had a pattern on it. I used 1/2 yard of each and a round foam wreath that had straight edges. I cut the fabric into 3 1/2 inch squares and laid them two by two to make more of a stripped effect. 

I then took left over yellow fabric and scalloped it around the perimeter to make it look more full but that's optional of course. It looked great with out the extra fabric but I just wanted it to look a little fuller. 

Hope you have fun. 

Healthy Cauliflower Potato Soup

In my quest to make healthier eating choices I have given much thought on ways I can substitute ingredients for healthier ones. Since here in beautiful Utah its still very cold soup for lunch is a great go to. Its simple but warms you up and to me its a comfort food. I love potato soup but in the last few years I have come to realize that my body doesn't like lots of heavy dairy like whipping cream or whole milk. It's a big ick for my digestive system so I got thinking about how I could still get creamy potato soup but with out the dairy or thickener like butter and flour. That's when the cauliflower light bulb came on. Why couldn't I use pureed cauliflower as the creamy base for the soup instead of cream. I'm sure some other healthy smart person already though of this ingenious idea but I'm going to pretend like I'm the very first because it makes me feel special. So out came the pots and pans, cutting board and veggies. I was ready to experiment, luckily for me my child was napping so I had no distractions. 

I started by putting a little olive oil in a medium sauce pan so I could saute an onion. I wanted my cauliflower puree to have some flavor to it and not just be cauliflower. I added a little salt and pepper and a few chopped cloves of garlic. 

Now I was ready to add my broth and milk. If you are like my dear friend Margie and have milk allergies in your family then you could definitely leave out the milk and just add in more broth. I just used it for a little extra creaminess. Once it came to a boil I added my cauliflower. I learned by watching America's Test Kitchen that if you cook cauliflower for 30 minutes it makes it creamier and not so smelly. On the show they cooked half of it for 15 minutes then added the other half for the last 15 minutes so I did the same. I think this just makes it so there is more body to the puree. I also added half of my celery at the last 15 minutes as well. 

 I used a small head of cauliflower since I didn't want to make a ton of soup

The pieces don't have to be perfect and can be fairly large, they cook down really easily. 

The liquid cooks down a lot so if you feel like you don't have enough you can add some more broth or just add water. And yes it will look kind of mushy and not all that pretty. Just be patient.

Once it was done and nice and tender I strained it into a bowl. I wanted to reserve the liquid so I could use some in the blender to help puree it but also use some of it to cook my other veggies. 

I got about 3/4 of liquid that drained off

I put it in the blender then let it sit for a minute, mainly because I didn't want to wake my child but also because it was hot and it was ok if it cooled down a bit. I didn't want to dirty a million dishes like I often do so I just rinsed out the same pan to cook my veggies. I put a little oil in then added my celery, salt and pepper and some chili flakes. 

Next I added diced carrots, I wanted them smaller then the potatoes since they take longer to cook. I sped up their cooking time by cooking them for a few minutes before adding in the broth. 

Next I added my broth and potatoes. If you wanted you could even use vegetable broth, I just prefer the taste of chicken broth. I also added in a half a cup of the drained liquid from the cauliflower. 

As that cooked I pureed my cauliflower, which of course woke up my child, bummer!! Make sure when you are blending hot food to take out the middle insert on the lid, this allows some of the steam to escape so it doesn't blow up on you. That would burn. Put a towel over it though just in case, no worries the steam can still escape into the towel. 

I used about a 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid to help blend it but ended up having to add a little water to get it to puree smoothly. Just don't add to much, you want it to be thick. 

Once your potatoes and carrots are done add in the puree. If the consistency is to thick for your liking add more broth or water. 

I added some chopped parsley and chives for added color and flavor.

I love these dried herbs, you just add a little water to bring them back to life and BAM! instant fresh herbs that won't go bad in your fridge after 5 days. 

I made the slightly unhealthy choice to top mine with cheddar cheese and some bacon bits but for you healthier better people out there you could definitely leave this out. I just love cheddar in my potato soup. Cheese is yummy ok. I definitely liked how this turned out. It was warm and comforting and super thick and creamy yet I didn't have tummy troubles an hour later. I look forward to eating my left overs. 

Healthy Cauliflower Soup

2 Tbs Olive Oil

1/2 Medium Onion, chopped

2 cloves Garlic, chopped 

2 1/2 cups Chicken Broth

1 cup Milk (I used 1%)

1 small head Cauliflower

2 Celery Sticks

Pinch Red Chili Flakes (optional)

1 Carrot

2 Medium Potatoes

Salt and Pepper

1-2 Tbs Parsley

2 tsp Chives 

Cheddar Cheese and bacon for topping

Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a medium sauce pan. Add onion and saute for 3 to 5 minutes. Add a dash of salt and pepper and the garlic cloves. Cook for 30 seconds, don't burn the garlic, then add 1 1/2 cups of the broth and the milk. Bring to a boil. Chop Cauliflower into chunks and add half to the boiling liquid. Cook for 15 minutes then add the remaining cauliflower and one celery stick, chopped. Cook for another 15 minutes. Drain into a strainer that is sitting in a bowl to preserve the cooking liquid. Transfer cauliflower into a blender. Add 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid to help puree it. If its to struggling to blend add a tablespoon of water at a time until its thick and smooth. Set aside.

In the same pan heat the other tablespoon of olive oil and add remaining chopped celery. Add a dash of salt and pepper and some red chili flakes (optional). Saute for 2 minutes then add diced carrots. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes then add broth and chopped potatoes. Cook until tender, 10-15 minutes depending on the size of your veggies. Then add your cauliflower puree and stir until its incorporated. Taste it to see if it needs more salt and pepper then add in the parsley and chives. Top with cheddar cheese and bacon if desired. 

** If you have milk allergies or kids with them, like Margie does, leave out the milk and just use more broth. Or if you want it more rich and creamy use 2% or whole milk. 

Time: 1 hour

Yields: 3 Servings 

Try adding/Substituting:

Vegetable broth

peas

parsnips

shallots

leaks

green onions (topping)