Vegan Pumpkin Bread

Monday, October 31, 2016 No comments

My grandmother's recipe is the best pumpkin bread.  The end.  You can get the original recipe here.

Last year I found myself with an extra can of pumpkin, and a brother coming to Christmas dinner that is vegan.  Once upon a time he loved this recipe too, so I decided to look up some substitutions.  Everything, BUT the eggs are vegan friendly.  I did some research on taste/rise etc and found a great substitute for this particular bread.  It calls for 4 eggs, which is a lot to substitute without altering the taste too much.

I did a half and half of banana and flax seed so it didn't taste too much like banana bread, but it also didn't have too many seeds/nutty flavor.

I soaked 2 T of ground flax seed in 6 T of water for 30 minutes.  I added two pinches of baking powder to that, and pour this and 1 large smashed banana into the mix when it called for eggs.
Honestly, I think it was even better than the original recipe!  It's very rare that I've found the substitutes don't impact the taste in vegan food.  I realize that isn't so significant for vegans, BUT....this recipe makes us all happy!  Vegans for the win on the new version of this one!

Dog Halloween Costume

Friday, October 28, 2016 No comments
 I made my dog a Halloween outfit.  I saw this idea on pinterest...where all good ideas begin.  She's a beanie baby.  Get it?
 I found an image of the tag and I just copied it and expanded it so it would be pretty large on her collar.
I even found an image of the inside of a tag.  I enlarged it too and then just pasted her name/birth/and a description of June (the beanie baby).  I laminated the whole thing because, well, it's June and she's a lab puppy still.  Now....the chihuahua gets an outfit....

Cart Makeover

Wednesday, October 26, 2016 1 comment
 I'm in the process of putting together a craft room.  It's a long story, and something I've been picking up pieces for over the last year or so.  If I bite off a project a little bit at a time, it tends to help afford said project. The problem is, because I'm always working on a 'little bit' of a lot of different projects I feel a little overwhelmed.  On the plus, I do always finish my projects, on the minus, it just takes a lot of time and quite a lot of chaos.
 In an attempt to be more frugal, as I flip over each room I'm trying to reuse things in my house.  I've had this cart forever.  I don't even know why I originally got it.  It held stationary in my closet forever, and then tissue paper in my hall closet, and now....it's going to hold craft 'stuff.'
Black is not going to work in my craft room.  I bought a can of spray paint (with a 50 percent off coupon-so...less than five dollars), and I went to town.  I covered the wheels just so I didn't have to stress about the paint rolling off.  It took the entire can, but....it was cheaper than buying a new one.  Once I add supplies I'm going to add vinyl words to label each drawer.  So....it's not done yet, but it's one piece that's finished to the big puzzle that will be my craft room.

Leaf Candles

Monday, October 24, 2016 No comments
 I've been slightly obsessed with coppers and golds this season....this is a super easy craft using my newest favorite colors.
 I cut out a leaf on scrap vinyl with my cricut (though you could do this by just tracing a pattern you print online trace/cut on contact paper.)
I sprayed the jar and when it dried I pulled the sticker off and the perfect silhouette was left behind.  I'm adding these to my decor this fall and putting candles inside.  Now....I need to go empty out some pickle jars and pasta jars to vary the size a bit.

Glam Pumpkin

I pretaped a segment that should air today on Good Morning, Texas.  I'll post the video later on facebook.  Basically, there will be a lot of glitter and jewels, case in point, this funkin the executive producer asked me to bedazzle.
It just so happens....I know about bedazzling.  I stocked up when they were half off at Hobby Lobby and then just used the adhesive on the back to stick them to the funkin.  If you want to keep it year to year, I'd suggest some supper glue, but for a one year display, the adhesive is pretty sticky for display purposes.  I also got some glitter letters to stick to the pumpkin as well.  I've been really into golds and whites lately....even in my fall decor.  Depending on our rain consumption and weather turns, browns are sometimes they only pieces of fall we get here in Dallas, but....here's hoping for some great colors as those leaves start to fall this year.

Pumpkin Pie Cookies

Friday, October 21, 2016 1 comment
 I made these pumpkin pie cookies last year.  I gave them out for Thanksgiving treats.  If you aren't a piping master, this is your cookie.
 I used this sugar cookie recipe and added karo syrup so the icing would harden.  It's so much tastier than royal icing.  I used the lid of one of my kitchen jars to press out the circles (I just held it up to the box to maximize my cookie size, but ensure it would fit).    I just squiggled on the 'crust' by cutting the tip off a ziplock.  I took a spoon and 'plopped' it on top of the cookie.
I found these little Wilton boxes that look like a pie container to put them inside (at Michael's).  I added a tag and ribbon.  So simple.

Freezer Meal: Pasta and Smoke Sausage

Wednesday, October 19, 2016 No comments
I'm in the process of filling my freezer.  I know some people do it all at once, but I've been doing it week by week.  I bought some containers at the Dollar Tree and when I make a meal that is freezable I cook half for now and half for later.  This one was hearty and carbo loaded goodness with all the right things.  The original recipe calls for peas, but I didn't add those to mine because after I discovered peas are a high carb/not so healthy vegetable....I gave those puppies up-vegetables and I have a casual relationship to begin with, I don't need to hang out with any that are bad influences.  I have enough of those in my life.  So, peas or not-that's up to you, but this one will stay on my freezer rotation.  :O)  The original recipe is from Taste of Home.
Pasta and Smoked Sausage
Ingredients:  2 c. uncooked penne, 1 lb smoked sausage (cut into 1/4 inch slices), 1 1/2 c. 2% milk, 1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted, 1 1/2 c. cheddar french friend onions (divided), 1 c. mozzarella cheesed (grated, divided), 1 c. frozen peas
Instructions:  
1.  Cook pasta according to the instructions.
2.  Place sausage in a pan and brown over medium heat (about 5 minutes).  Drain.
3.  In a separate bowl combine the soup, milk, 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, peas, 1/2 c. onions, sausage and pasta.
4.  Grease 13x9 pan and place pasta mixture into pan.  Cooke for 25 minutes.  Top with remaining cheese and onions and cook until cheese is melted (about 5 minutes).
*To freeze place pasta in a freezer pan, top with cheese and onions.  Cover.  Freeze.  When you are ready to eat it, set it in the fridge over night.  Pull it out and cook as directed above (center should read 165 degrees).  

Potion Bottles

Monday, October 17, 2016 No comments
I'm headed to GMT today to do some Halloween crafts....including this jar which is sooooo easy to make.  I'll post the video later on facebook, but...in the meantime...a sneak peak at one of three projects on the line up.

Halloween Treat Boxes

Friday, October 14, 2016 2 comments
 I'm putting together a few primitive crafts to take to GMT on Monday.  I saw some treat boxes like this made out of toilet paper tubes and I knew I had to add it to my collection.
 I found some little pads of Halloween paper at Marshalls and cut them down to fit around the tube of toilet paper.  I also used some tissue paper to close off one end so it can be filled with treats.
 I printed off some free cat pictures (a Michael Mead download) and cut them out and taped them to a toothpick.
I took some cupcake liners and just sort of poked a hole in the middle and set them down into the tube.  You can also glue it down. These will probably be some place card holders this fall.  More to come on Monday!

DIY Pegboard

Wednesday, October 12, 2016 No comments
I'm turning my guest room into a craft room.  All the guest I would have know I craft, so....it's time.  I've been doing a few projects over time and I'm just about to get started.  Paint and floors need to happen first, but then the magic happens.  I made a cork board I'll post about soon, but I knew I wanted a peg board.  I thought I might get a large frame a thrift store, but even at thrift stores they were more than 20 dollars.  BUT one evening I took my dog for a walk and someone had a huge frame out by the dumpster....
 I took it home and ripped out the glass/pictures/back so that only the frame was left.
 I grabbed a can of paint and gave it a good coating.
 Last I grabbed a pegboard from Home Depot and I used the inside picture to cut it down to size.  I also added to pieces of wood to the back of the frame so it sticks out a bit from the wall and I can put pegs on it.
So....for less than 7 bucks I have a 3x4 foot pegboard.  Dumpster diving is my new favorite activity.

Fall Wood Signs

Monday, October 10, 2016 No comments
 I bought a new jigsaw recently.  I was using one my brother left at my house over the last few years, but he took it away.  I also went all out and got a nail gun for my birthday (a gift from my brother)....and I currently still have his hand sander.  All that to say, I've been playing around with some wooden signs for the fall.
 Before I paint any sign, I've learned that a coating of exterior white house paint going on first (front and back) really helps the sign be weather proof, and additional paint layers go on thick the first time.
I always end my project with a layer of polycrylic paint (from Walmart) to add additional weather proofing.  The stakes I grab at the hardware store for just a few bucks...and everything is better with a raffia bow.  

Faux Copper Pumpkins

Friday, October 07, 2016 No comments
 I few years ago I bought some copper pumpkin lanterns that I fill with mums and candles.  This year I took a page out of the world of dollar crafts and I made my own with plastic pumpkins.
I just grabbed some spray paint and different sized plastic pumpkins (I love this current toddler size from Walmart that was about 80 cents.  It took one coat and now it's ready for a little potted plant/gift.  I'll be back with those results.

Glitter Glam Leaves

Wednesday, October 05, 2016 No comments

Here's a really simple fall diy=glitter leaves.  I just used the glitter I had on hand, and the light available in the evening, but they really are pretty in person.  These will be going into a fall centerpiece....just as soon as I clean off my dining table.  So....November maybe.
I bought this bag of leaves at Michael's, but I've also seen them at the dollar tree.  It doesn't really matter what color they are b/c you are going to cover them up, but I liked that they didn't have bulky plastic 'veins'.  I painted them with mod podge and then went to town with my glitter.  I shook off the excess and let it dry.  If you don't like glitter to 'shed' through the years, you can add another layer of mod podge over the dried glitter leaf, but it does dull it just a bit-it will go on white, but dry clear.  I'm used to glitter, so....glitter shed it shall be.

Pumpkin Painting-Gone Pickin'

Monday, October 03, 2016 No comments
I picked a picker last year.  He had all this random junk treasures...including this rusty old broiler lid.  He was at a parking lot sale.  He had junk, beautiful, beautiful junk.  This little lid got a makeover.  I love the rust and figured it'd needed pumpkins and a message.  I'm skipping the wreath this fall and adding a large broiler lid to my door instead.  Somebody has to keep the neighbors entertained.