When you're looking for a husband......

Robert and his reno work

I have 5 daughters.  Here's my advice when it comes to looking for a husband (mind you we have some time to go yet--the youngest is only 11) look for a man who respects you, loves you, helps you and knows how to fix things!  Yes fix things.  I know it will seem like I'm bragging but I hit the husband lottery because my guy not only knows how to fix things--he actually enjoys doing it.  Picture a Saturday afternoon and you must choose between a lazy afternoon watching football or mowing the lawn--he will choose the latter. And get this...he even does bathrooms.  Yes he will scrub toilets and mop floors.  Yes I know I am blessed to have such a wonderful man in my life. 

So as you know we have purchased a bank to turn into our COOK n CRAFT ACADEMY.  The biggest obstacle we face right now is lining up our contractor (which we started looking for months ago).  They say it's feast or famine when it comes to contracting work--well there is sure alot of feasting go on and our bank is not the recipient. We're on a waiting list of sorts.  And we're a bit impatient.  Now remember I have that handyman husband who enjoys fixing things....and so he has spent almost every night after working his police shift heading to the bank and ripping up carpets and tearing down teller booths and filling up dumpsters singlehandedly.  I am proud of him and his determination.  When he runs into something that seems impossible to do he figures out a solution.  He rents machines that help him rip up carpets--machines I didn't even know existed.  He is truly unbelievable.  I don't know where he gets his energy.  Well I know he gets alot of it from the excitement of our business.  He wants to see it take off.  We are hoping we can bring alot of joy and fun to lots of people.  We are excited to be business owners and part of a merchants community.  A community that has been so welcoming--offering advice and help and guidance.

I should let him teach a class when we're up and running.  It will probably include machines that no one knew existed...and it will make your life easier.  I know he has made my life alot easier ...and for that I am so grateful. xoxo  Love you Robert xoxo

We're getting there...little by little

Im not sure what this machine is called other than super duper glue remover

The man has gone thru about 4 pairs of work gloves, at least I know what to get him for Christmas

I love this guy. My lottery payout for husbands

no safe could lock my love for this hardworking guy!

Pierogi Lasagna

Ok, so it's cold outside and you're craving comfort....boy have I got a dish for you!  Ever hear of Pierogi Lasagna?  Think a mash up between macaroni and cheese and buttery mashed potatoes with carmelized onions.  It's a carb overload...so if you have a marathon in your future this is the dish for you...and if you don't have a marathon in your future you might want to run one after eating this decadent dish...nonetheless....it's delicious and worth every calorie of comfort!

Pierogi Lasagna

Recipe courtesy Christina Deyo

My mom makes homemade pierogi on special holidays so I grew up loving it.  I enjoy continuing the tradition and making it for my family.  My kids love it as much as I always did.  One day a friend told me she was at a party and someone made “Pierogi Lasagna”.  I couldn’t even imagine what this would be.  She said it consisted of rich buttery noodles, caramelized onions, and. creamy mashed potatoes.  I knew I was destined to try this.  So after some trial and error, I came up with this recipe.  I wasn’t sure how my family would react—but the empty lasagna pan told me everything I wanted to know. 

I like to make it “vegetarian” style, but you could add bacon to this recipe. To do this simply cook bacon with the onions and garlic.

Ingredients:

7 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

½ cup milk

½ cup sour cream

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 tbsp. butter

3 tbsp. chopped fresh chives.

Salt/pepper to taste

16 oz. package lasagna noodles

1 stick butter

1 large Vidalia onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

6 slices cheddar cheese

Sour cream to serve with

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.

Place potatoes in a large pot with water to cover over high heat.  Bring to a boil and cook the potatoes until fork tender.  Remove from heat, drain, and place in large bowl, then mash potatoes.  Combine with milk, sour cream, garlic powder, 2 tablespoons butter, fresh chives, salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package and cool under cold running water.  Set aside.

Melt the stick of butter in a large sauté pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, and garlic as well as salt and pepper.  Sauté until caramelized and light golden brown. (approximately 7 to 10 minutes).

In a 9 x 13 greased baking dish place 3 lasagna noodles.  On top of that spread a third of the mashed potatoes, layer on top of the potatoes a third of the buttery onion/garlic mixture.  And on top of that place 1/3 of the shredded cheddar cheese.  Repeat these layers with the remaining noodles, potatoes, onions and cheese ending with a layer of noodles.

When completed add a final layer of cheese slices.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until cheese is melted, and bubbly and golden brown.  Serve with sour cream and fresh chives (optional)

Save Money!

   

      Everyone loves saving money!  My kids sometimes turn their heads with embarrassment when I start rummaging through my purse in search of my latest coupon or gift card that I bought in order to get gas points.  I felt like I knew all the tricks in the book. That was until my daughter Caroline told me something that I really wasn't aware.

     When it comes to shopping for craft supplies I am a big Michaels shopper.  I suppose because Michaels is only 10 minutes away from me.  Sometimes I shop depending on who has the better/bigger coupon.  But no more...not now when I found out this precious little gem of a secret that I should have known and didn't.

     First things first.  When you're shopping at Michaels or AC Moore or any favorite craft store -- sign up for their loyalty program.  Michaels will send additional coupons in the mail and via email.  As a matter of fact today I got an inbox saying that all items in the store--even sale items are 20 percent off.   That is a general sale email--but because I am a rewards member I received a postcard in the mail saying that I would receive 25 percent off all items in the store.  AC Moore rewards customers with a point system  Every dollar you spend you get a point and when they add up to a particular amount they send you a gift card to their store.  It's great marketing because it always gets me in the store.

      Now my daughter Caroline just got a job at Michaels.  She loves it.  And she told me this sweet little gem which I did not know.  She said, "you know mom, Michaels honors competitor discounts" .  I was surprised.  I couldn't understand why I never even thought to ask if they did.  So today I was shopping at Michaels and I had my 25 percent off coupon for all items in the store.  But I also had received a Joann Fabrics coupon in the mail that today I could receive 60 percent off a regular priced item in their store.  I presented it to the Michael's cashier and asked, will you honor this?  And she smiled and said, "of course".  I was waiting for the catch.  I then asked, "you know I also have this 25 percent off coupon all items--even sale items".  She smiled again, and said, "yes we'll take that too".    So many of you may have already known about that particular little secret.  But if you didn't....start taking advantage of your sale coupons and HAPPY MAKING!!!!

The beauty of slime...wait is there any?

    
    

Slime....it's everywhere.   My past self would embrace Slime to the moon and back.  Oh what fun it is!   But my love affair with slime stopped when the slime factory in my house opened (actually I should say in my son's bedroom).  First a little backstory.
      My kids love the stuff.  They know everything about slime.  They know the different types, which works best, different recipes etc.  I remember the time my daughter Gemma told me she wanted to make a new slime called butter slime.  I told her that was the biggest waste of butter ever...and at 3.99 a pound we're not making butter slime.  Imagine my humiliation when she told me butter slime doesn't call for butter, it's just slime that has the consistency of butter.  Gee why didn't I--Crafty Christina know about that????  Butter slime consisted of a concoction that used laundry detergent and shaving cream.  Oh the different recipes that exist now.  Slime has definately exploded!  But not more than it did in my son's bedroom aka the slime factory. 
     Michael's sister Becca thought it would be great to open a slime factory.  She even asked my permission.  And while I was doing 101 other things, I definately didn't hear the words slime factory--but yet somehow I must have nodded my head that it was ok to do.  She made bags and bags of the stuff.  Her favorite concoction was peanut butter slime that looked and felt like peanut butter--but did not use any peanut butter.  She was creative enough to even take our used peanut butter jar--clean it out and put her peanut butter slime inside. Anyway back to the disastrous slime factory.  I was in my son's room picking up some clothes when i noticed that peanut butter slime's bag was open.  It was a gallon size bag and it slimed right out and onto his book shelf onto his books and then making its way into his rug where it took hold and refused to leave.  I applaud their creativity--but the mess made me make the announcement....OUR HOME IS SLIME FREE!   SLIME IS BANNED AT THIS HOUSE.
      Lots of sad faces on that announcement.  But unless we can be responsible slime friendly citizens, slime is not welcome here.  Ok I won't say never (I did let it come back after a few days).  But the factory is definately closed.  Now we make slime outside of the house and we have a rule.  If the slime is not in a bag and put away it's fair game for the garbage can. (That's so mean of me...right????)  I'm must trying to keep the peace between my rugs, furniture and the gooey stuff.   With all that said, here is my daughter's secret recipe for "Butter Slime".

Butter Slime

• Tablespoons white school glue
• 2 Tablespoons liquid starch
• 1 package Model Magic modeling clay
• a squirt of shaving cream 
• Mix together
  
  
  
  

Sunday Supper

Growing up in an Italian household every Sunday we had meatballs, homemade gravy and pasta.  And it was delicious.  I will often duplicate my Sunday supper that I had as a child, but not every Sunday.  Tonight it's steak, quinoa and peas.

I bought the steak on sale at 5.99 a pound.  They sold pre-sliced beef for 7.99 a pound, but here's a little secret not too many people know--but you might.  You can take that $5.99 pound beef to the butcher in the store and tell him how you would like it sliced...1 inch cuts, maybe 2 inch--whatever you like.  And the butcher will even trim the fat for you.  And guess what....when all is said and done that $5.99 a pound steak with the cuts and the trim is still $5.99 a pound.  That's a huge savings, especially when you're feeding my family of 8.  So if you know about that little well known secret--great!  And if you didn't, now you know--go and start saving money!

Quinoa is not a typical household word.  I will admit I barely made it, but I was introduced to it by Martha Stewart.  It's grown primarily in South America.  It is a highly potent super grain and it offers many health benefits.  It is one of the most protein rich foods we can eat.  It is a complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids.  It contains almost twice as much fiber as other grains.  It contains iron. It also contains lysine which is essential for tissue growth and repair...great food for an after workout snack.  Quinoa is rich in magnesium which helps relax blood vessels and thereby alleviates migraines.  It is also high in Riboflavin which improves metabolism.  I can go on and on.  And guess what, it's really delicious.  I prepared mine tonight with sauteed mushrooms and onions.

And finally I steamed some peas in the microwave.  You know those steamer bags which are usually more expensive than the regular bags of frozen vegetables.  Here's my tip.  pour your frozen peas in a glass jar, cover with plastic wrap put one slit in the plastic wrap and microwave on high in 5 minute intervals.

Dinner was simple and yet delicious and elegant at the same time.  The most important part of every meal is the family sitting together, talking, and enjoying it. 

I'd love to hear any of your tips!  Thank you.  Crafty Christina xoxo

What's for dinner tonight....MINI MEATLOAVES!

What’s for dinner tonight…..

I haven’t made meatloaf in a very long time.  I am not even sure why?  It used to be a family staple that we all really enjoyed.  And I can’t figure out how it made it’s way out of the Deyo family repertoire.  I suppose what’s important is that it made its way back onto our dinner table tonight.

But this time I’ve decided to make mini individual loaves.  Of course meatloaf always calls for my buttery, creamy mashed potatoes along whatever is the vegetable of the day.

Everyone has a famous meatloaf recipe, here’s mine:

Ingredients:

1 egg

¾ cup milk

½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1 pound ground beef

2/3 cup ketchup

¼ cup brown sugar

1 ½ tsp. spicy brown mustard

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine the egg, milk, breadcrumbs, salt, garlic powder and parsley.. Add the ground beef, mixing well, and form this mixture into eight miniature meatloaves. Place these on a baking sheet.
3. In a separate small bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Stir thoroughly and spread over each meatloaf.
4. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes