Author Archives: sam

About sam

Hi! I'm Sam. Thanks for stopping by. I'm a wife, mother & grandmother with a passion for crafting and diy projects.

Easy Corsage Tutorial

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Making a corsage is easier than you  might think.  These can be used for the upcoming Prom season, Weddings, Mother’s Day and even baby showers.  It can be customized easily by changing up the colors of the ribbons & floral types or colors.

The finished product…

Easy Corsage Tutorial

Using only a Dollar Tree Rose Bush, Baby Breath, Ribbon, Floral Tape & something to attach it to your dress.  (Corsage Pin, Safety Pin, or a Jewelry Pin)

Easy Corsage Tutorial

And if you want to know what to do with your corsage after you’ve worn it?  Try using them as curtain tie backs.  They make a nice feminine touch to a room as well as keeping the memories close.

Easy Corsage Tutorial

If you want to see how I made this, check it out on YouTube:

I hope you enjoyed this.  Happy Creating everyone!

(Almost) Sugar Free Granola Bars

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This is one of the recipes that I make to pack in hubby’s lunches.  And since it almost sugar free, it’s one of the snacks that I can have now and again.  It’s really easy to make.  Hope you like it!

What you’ll need:

1 greased 9” x 13” pan

2 cups Rice Krispies

4 cups Oatmeal

Mix together in a large bowl.  Set aside.

1 stick Butter

½ cup sugar free Honey

2/3 cup Splenda Brown Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

Melt butter in a sauce pan.  Add Honey & Brown Sugar.  Cook until it comes to a bubble.  Reduce heat & cook for 2 minutes.  Turn off heat & add Vanilla.

Pour hot mixture into dry ingredients.  Mix well.  (you can add fruit or nuts now if desired)

Put into the 9” x 13” pan, smooth & pat down.  Let cool for 20 minutes.

Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Cut into bars.  Wrap each bar in parchment paper or plastic wrap for lunches.

If you’d like to watch me make them:

Happy Creating everyone!

 

Spaghetti Pie ~ Video

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This is a recipe that I’ve been making for years.  It tasted like a cross between spaghetti, pizza & lasagna.  It’s easy to make, and really doesn’t take much prep time.  I hope you enjoy it.

6 oz. spaghetti (cooked, rinsed & drained)

2 tbs. butter

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 eggs (well beaten)

1 cup cottage cheese (8 oz.)

1 # ground beef

½ cup chopped onion

¼ cup chopped green pepper

1 (8 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 (6 0z.) can tomato paste

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp dried oregano, crushed

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp. onion powder

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook spaghetti according to pkg. directions, drain. (About 3 cups)

Stir butter into hot spaghetti.  Stir in Parmesan cheese & eggs.  Form spaghetti in mixture into a ‘crust’ in a buttered 10” pie plate.  Spread cottage cheese over bottom of spaghetti crust.

In a skillet, cook ground beef, onion & green pepper until vegetables are tender & meat is browned.  Drain off excess fat.  Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, garlic & onion powder.  Heat through.

Turn meat mixture into the spaghetti crust.  Bake, uncovered, in a 350º oven for 20 minutes.  Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top.

Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese melts.

Makes 6 servings.

To see how I made this, watch the video!

Happy Creating everyone!

 

Oatmeal Cookies

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I’ve been making this recipe for well over 30 years.  It’s the first recipe I learned to make & has always been a favorite in our household.  It’s very easy to make & packs well in a lunch.  Making homemade insures that there are no preservatives, is much less expensive than store bought and always tastes better.

Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup shortening

1 & 1/3 cup sugar

4 eggs (beaten)

½ cup milk

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. salt

2 cups rolled oats

Cream together: shortening and sugar.   Add eggs and milk to sugar and shortening.  Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  Stir in rolled oats.  Add creamed mixture.  Mix well. Drop by teaspoons on cookie sheet.  Bake 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Makes about 30 depending on how large you make them.

Watch to see how I made it!

I hope you enjoy this recipe.

Happy Creating everyone!

 

Cheese Broccoli Soup Video

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Cheese Broccoli Soup

1 qt. water

2 cups diced potatoes

½ cup diced onions

2 – 10 oz. boxes chopped frozen broccoli

2 chicken bouillon cubes

Add:

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 lb. Velveeta cheese, cubed

¼ lb. sharp cheddar cheese, cubed

 

Combine water, potatoes, onions, broccoli, and bouillon.  Heat to boiling.  Boil for 20 minutes until potatoes and onions are tender.

Add other ingredients.  Simmer on low heat 15 minutes or until cheese is melted stirring occasionally so that the cheese doesn’t burn on the bottom.

Serve & enjoy!

Happy Creating everyone!

Creamed Tomato Soup

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I had a bad reaction to canned tomato soup that actually put me in the hospital.  I never realized how much sodium was in that little can.  I managed to swell up, twice the size, from just above the knees all the way down to my toes.  I couldn’t get my shoes on and it hurt to walk.  The swelling didn’t go down for almost a month (even with diuretics and sleeping with my legs up)  When I told a co-worker about it, he gave me his recipe for tomato soup.  This is low sodium & tastes better than any canned tomato soup that I’ve ever had.  I’d like to share it with you.

2 tbs. unsalted butter

1 onion, coarsely chopped (I used 1/2 onion & next time I’ll mince it)

1 to 2 cloves of garlic

28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes

Sea Salt & Pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock or water

1/2 cup heavy cream (this is optional but is highly recommended.

  • Melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.  Cook onion & garlic, stirring constantly, until soft & translucent, about 3 minutes.
  • Add tomatoes, chicken stock & season with sea salt & pepper to taste.  Bring it to a boil, then reduce heat & simmer 10 minutes.
  • On low heat, whisk in cream (if desired).  Add more sea salt & pepper if desired.
  • Serve immediately.

I can’t tell you how much I love this soup.  I hope you’ll give it a try.  To see how I made this, click the video below!

Happy Creating everyone!

Vegetarian Vegetable Soup ~ Pressure Cooker method

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This is a Lenten favorite for our family.  It’s easy to make & you can customize it to your liking.

In a 6 quart pressure cooker:

1/2 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

Cook with olive oil until the onion is translucent.

Add:

2 ribs of celery, diced

1/2 bag of petite carrots, diced

2 to 3 cups of diced potatoes

1 small to medium head of cabbage, cut into bite sized pieces

1 large can of diced tomatoes

1 can of creamed corn

1 box of unsalted vegetarian vegetable broth

1# bag of frozen green beans

1# bag of frozen mixed vegetables

You can add any vegetable that you like.  This is for your family.

Close the lid of the pressure cooker, add the pressure valve, turn heat up to high until the pressure valve begins to rock.  Lower the heat to medium low, and cook for 20 minutes.  After the soup has cooked for 20 minutes, cool with cold water.

It’s done!

Optional additions, precooked noodles, barley, or rice.

Click on the video below to see how I made it.

Happy Creating everyone!

 

 

Filing With Binders – Colored Paper

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This is another in my Filing With Binders series.  As a crafter, I use a lot of colored paper as well as Card Stock.  I used to keep in in stacks, but sunlight can discolor it & it gets dusty.  Organizing the paper stacks into binders took care of that problem.  All of my colored paper is now neatly put away in a filing drawer & I can get to it easily.

If you’re not familiar with this series, you can find it here, here, here, here & here.

Filing With Binders - Colored Paper

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