DIY Valentine's Day Wreath

DIY Valentine's Day Wreath Project

Last year my DIY projects consisted of making holiday wreaths for the front door. Here is a refresher for the DIY Valentine's Day wreath. Now is a great time to find Christmas ornaments on clearance and who doesn't like to save a few dollars? The Christmas colors are perfect for a Valentine's Day wreath. For this project you will want to buy shatterproof ornaments rather than glass ornaments. This little wreath also makes a great gift!
After making all of those wreaths last year, I discovered a great way to store them. I use a clothes hanger for each wreath. Place your wreath over the top of a clothes hanger and hang them in my extra closet. It saves space and you don't have to find shelf space or worry that your wreath will be damaged in a box.
Supplies:
60-75 ornaments (depends on the size of your heart and the size of the ornaments)
1 wire hanger or heavy wire to shape in a heart
Hot glue gun and hot glue
Ribbon to use for a hanger

Directions:

• Some of my ornaments had secure tops so I did not hot glue them to the ornaments. However, some of them were not as secure so I used hot glue to glue the tops to the ornament base.

 

• Bend your wire or hanger into the shape of a heart. You don't have to be exact on this, just a general heart shape will work, it can be a little abstract if you like. My strong helper used a pliers to bend the hanger for this step :)

 

• Start by placing the one end of the wire through the tops of the ornaments. I placed mine on one at a time so I could arrange them by turning them. You can leave the other end of the wire open (the ornaments shouldn't fall off or you can bend it if you aren't using a hanger for your wire).
• Continue to add ornaments to the wire hanger and let them bunch together for a full look. It won't be perfect because the ornaments will move around, it'll still be beautiful.
• When you reach the end of your hanger, twist one end of the wire over the other end at the bottom of the heart. You  may need to use your pliers for this.
• I cut a piece of ribbon about 20 inches long and wrapped it between ornaments on the left and right side of the heart at the top and tied a bow at the top.
• The entire project took me about 2 hours including minor distractions, you know... phone calls, texts, taking the dog out, etc....
• Total project cost was $7.50. I love that part for this fun little project!

Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi

Decorating With Family Photos

DIY decorating with an old picture frame for border and family photos

Happy New Year everyone!
I made only one resolution for 2015, to do better. I know it may seem like a rather broad concept but I know myself and I don't do well with specific goals in my personal life. I decided that every day there is at least one thing I can do better. Some days it might be small things like taking out the garbage before it overflows and the coffee grounds spill all over the floor, hang up my coat, eat more veggies, read more books, make more homemade jam...you get it, right? Then there will be those days that I will have an opportunity to make a difference in a life. It may seem like a small gesture but all of us need more kindness in our day. Maybe smile at a stranger, share a Bible verse, share a meal, tell someone thank you. Who knows? So that's it...do better every day.
My new year starts with organizing, cleaning out and of course more DIY projects! I finished a project yesterday and I have to share it. It began 7 years ago when we moved into our new house. Since day one, I have had a vision of a family photo arrangement above the sofa. So my first project of the new year began two days ago and today my vision is on the wall!

The Family Photo Wall Journey:
My husband painted the living room, dining room and kitchen a light gray color a couple of months ago. I had some wildlife prints on my walls but I wasn't feeling it for this space. So for two months we have had bare walls so I could plan the journey to complete my vision.

I started with an old, chunky, somewhat warped frame that was headed for donation land when I had an idea to highlight the detail on the frame. It was so dusty that I needed to clean it with a damp rag first. Then I wanted to dry brush it with some white paint. I started with a cheap, sponge paint brush (about an inch wide) and poured some white acrylic paint on a piece of cardboard so I could lightly dip my dry paint brush into the paint. I used a paper towel to wipe off any excess paint from the brush and painted lightly over the top of the frame. Within 15 minutes I was done with that step. Depending on the effect you like, you can always apply more paint.

Large frame - before painting

Frame details before painting

Frame after the dry brush painting

My next step was to measure the inside of the frame. I needed to know the size of frames and how many frames would fit in my larger empty frame. I planned to use the empty frame to border my family photos. So I needed 6 frames (8x10). The actual frames measured 10x12 inches. I also knew that I wanted to use 5x7 photos and I wanted white, white, white. I bought 6 white frames with white matting at Michael's (buy one get one free sale).

I probably should have started with this step but I didn't pick my photos until the end. Seriously, I spent 3 hours of my life going through my digital pictures which almost sent me over the edge - ha ha!! I edited the pictures because I didn't want color, I used the black and white setting and printed them on glossy photo paper using my printer. They turned out beautifully and each special photo was now at home in it's own frame.

We centered and hung the large frame first. Of course I would have chosen to "eyeball" the placement of the framed pictures and started pounding the nails but my carpenter husband had to use the tape measure. So after many measurements (which I lost interest in after the first measurement), we eventually had our 6 beautiful family photos on the wall!

Family photo arrangement complete in living room

Enjoy today!
Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi

Minestrone Soup

Simply the best minestrone soup ever!

I decided not to follow an old tradition this year for our Christmas Eve meal. Luckily the guilt didn't last too long - haha!! We usually have oyster stew and a couple of other soups but this year I decided to replace the oyster stew with minestrone soup. I also made cheesy potato and ham soup (for the meat lovers in the family). I baked a smoked turkey for sandwiches, a variety of dips and of course goodies. Most of us still love lefse so I was busy making lefse on Christmas Eve morning. I just don't think I can give up on my lefse! The minestrone was an absolute rock star move on my part (or so I was told). And to top it off with grated Parmesan cheese was the best! My secret for the best flavored soup, use fresh ingredients or frozen from the garden. I know there are many varieties of minestrone soup so substitute as you like. For example, I don't like kidney beans so I use pinto beans or navy beans. I also love that you can make this in one large soup pot! Also a great recipe for our gluten-free family members!
Minestrone Soup Ingredients and Directions:
1/2 shallot, diced (you could use an onion)
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 T olive oil
Over medium heat in a large pan, heat the olive oil and add the garlic and shallots. Stir them around for a few minutes but make sure they don't burn, I cooked mine about 3 minutes. Add the next 6 ingredients and heat for about 15-20 minutes, then add the broth and beans and boil another 10 minutes.
2 cups of sliced carrots or one small bag of baby carrots
1 tsp celery seed
2 cups of green beans (fresh, trimmed and cut into smaller pieces)
2 tsp Italian seasoning (or basil, oregano, thyme and a pinch of rosemary)
3 cups diced tomatoes or a 28 oz. can with the juice
1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes or a 28 oz can
8 cups or 2 boxes veggie broth
2 cans (14 oz each) pinto beans, rinse and drain juice from the can
2 cups (dry) rotini pasta (I used gluten-free) but use your favorite
Salt and pepper to taste
Add the pasta when the soup is boiling and boil for another 7-9 minutes, then reduce to a simmer until you are ready to serve it. I simmered mine and stirred it occasionally for about an hour. When you are ready to serve, don't forget your grated Parmesan cheese as a topping over the soup. Yum!

Blessings for a Happy New Year and thanks for visiting!

Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi

Vintage Table Setting

Vintage quilt for a tablecloth 

I'm not too fancy at my house but I love vintage and one of a kind decor. My aunt recently visited with a great idea for a unique setting for the dining room table, use a quilt instead of a tablecloth. I loved it!! For the holidays I am using a vintage quilt from Mom. Even though we are a family of "spillers" (every meal someone spills something) I figure everything can be washed. But if you do get nervous about spilling, etc., you may not want to use the vintage quilt, maybe something less sentimental, like from the store. Mom gave me a set of her white china so I am using that, then of course I always use the ball jars for drinking glasses because I like to mix the fancy with the not-so-fancy. I always use cloth napkins so the girls folded them in the shape of a rosette. This is really simple. Start with a square cloth napkin and lay it flat so it looks like a diamond shape. Take the point at the bottom of the napkin and bring it to the point at the top of the napkin. Now you will have a triangle with the folded end closest to you. Start rolling the folded (bottom) edge to the top. It'll look like a round tube. Begin rolling the left side toward the right side until you have a pinwheel looking circle. When you get to the end, tuck it under and place your beautiful rosette in your cup. I used different colored napkins because I like variety!

Fold cloth napkin into a rosette

Have a Merry Christmas and wonderful Holiday season!
Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi

No Bake Marshmallow Bars

Chocolate peanut butter marshmallow bars

My holiday baking marathon has begun! I decided to use a few recipes this year that I haven't made for years and this was the first one I found. I had forgotten about these yummy bars but back in the day, they were a favorite from our family friend Delores. She was our neighbor, an excellent baker and had a heart of gold. During the holidays I find myself getting distracted by taking a little time to reminisce about those no longer with us. The happy memories are so heart warming and the kiddos love hearing the stories from the past. So I smiled when I found this recipe that our Grandma S. had received from Delores and of course Grandma (the teacher) had dated it, 11/15/1978. It made me smile. The great thing is that these are also gluten-free so everyone in our family can eat them. And we all like the part that they are easy to put together, no baking!
Marshmallow Bars Ingredients:
1 bag chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate, the 11.5 oz size)
1/2 bag butterscotch chips
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1 c peanut butter
Melt these ingredients together in a double boiler. I don't have a double boiler so I used a medium size pan filled halfway to the top with water and placed my ingredients in a glass bowl over the pan of water. I turned my stove on medium low. You don't want to heat them to quickly. When the ingredients have melted add:
3 c Rice Krispies (I used gluten-free)
1 bag mini marshmallows
Stir all ingredients together and spoon into a 9x13 pan lined with parchment paper or foil.
Cool in the refrigerator for a couple of hours and cut into bars. Makes 24-30 bars depending on the size you cut them. You can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I like to serve them at room temperature.
Enjoy!
Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi

Kitchen Organizing Tips

Use file folder holder to organize kitchen bowl lids

I'm not sure why in the middle of shopping, quilting, baking and a million other things happening during the holiday season, I choose to reorganize my kitchen cabinets. Well, that's just what I do!
To keep it simple, I donated any containers that I didn't use and only saved my favorites.
I used a file folder holder for my lids. I also decided to store my blender under the cabinet instead of on the countertop. The biggest hurdle for me is deciding what to keep. This year it was simple, if I use it, I keep it, the rest of the stuff has been given a new home!
Happy organizing!
Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi

Apple Spice Bread

My favorite scents and flavors during the fall and winter transition are the spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. I recently purchased some Teavana apple spiced cider tea that was absolutely my most favorite tea ever! I'm pretty sure I will have to add it to my Christmas giving list because I want to share it with everyone! I also baked some apple spice bread that filled the house with the most wonderful smell (oh and tasted great too!) It's a simply delicious cake-type bread that only takes a few minutes to put together. It was a perfect little addition to our first snowfall in the Midwest and a busy family project weekend!
Ingredients:
1/2 c butter, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature
2/3 c sugar (I use organic cane or raw sugar)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 2/3 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
2/3 c buttermilk (add 2 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar to 2/3 c white milk if you don't have buttermilk and let it sit for at least 5 minutes)
2 medium apples, I used honey crisp, peel and chop into small pieces
Topping is 3 T brown sugar, pinch of cloves, 1 tsp cinnamon (mix it together with your fingers or a fork)
Directions:
Beat (on low speed of mixer) butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and mix for about a minute. Add dry ingredients and combine until mixed together. The batter will be fairly thick.
 

Add the buttermilk while mixer is on low speed, it likes to splatter. Stir the apples into the batter with a spatula. Use parchment paper or your favorite grease/flour method for your loaf pan. I used a 9x5 glass loaf pan. Add your batter to the pan and sprinkle the top of the bread with the brown sugar topping.

Bake 350F for about 45-50 minutes, depending on your oven. I always use grandma's method and insert a toothpick into the bread, if it comes out clean, it's done. If not, try another 5 minutes until it's ready.
Enjoy your wonderful apple spice bread and don't forget to enjoy the scents of the season!
Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi

Old Fashioned Pumpkin Cookies

Soft pumpkin cookies

I have to admit that I am one of millions using pumpkin as my favorite ingredient right now. Pumpkin and fall are a perfect match! I've been adding pumpkin to my yogurt with a little cinnamon, pumpkin in my smoothies, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin tea...the list goes on and on. I had a strong feeling that grandma would have a pumpkin cookie recipe and she did! My family loved them and they were great for the lunch boxes! Makes 42 cookies soft, delicious pumpkin cookies.
Ingredients:
1 stick room temperature butter (1/2 cup)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin
2 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 c sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4-1/2 tsp ground cloves (I love the flavor so I used 1/2 tsp)
Directions:

1. Mix butter, egg and vanilla together. Once mixed, add the pumpkin and beat until smooth.
2. Add dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
3. I used a cookie scoop and placed the dough onto parchment paper lined baking sheets.
4. Sprinkle some sugar over the top of the cookies or make a thin frosting (after cookies are baked).
5. Bake for 17-20 minutes at 350F.
6. If you didn't use a sugar sprinkle, you can make a thin frosting and use as a glaze. You should glaze them while the cookies are still warm. I used 1 1/2 c powdered sugar, 2 T milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 vanilla bean (insides). Place frosting in a baggie, cut off a corner and squeeze over the top of the cookies.

I stored my cookies in an airtight container. Enjoy!
Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi

The Best Indoor S'mores

 Chocolate Indoor S'mores!

I love camping season and everyone loves s'mores made over the open fire. But on rainy days and during the winter months, these fancy s'mores are fun to make and are so delicious! I make a variety of flavors including gluten free. I start with chocolate graham crackers, honey graham crackers, gluten free graham crackers, mint chips, chocolate chips and white chocolate chips (make sure you use a good brand). Small marshmallows or marshmallow fluff are required at my house. Don't forget your favorite toppings. The kids love the chocolate and mint chip combination, they think they taste like thin mint cookies but better!  

We love the sprinkled s'mores!

Gluten free s'mores

 Directions:

• Break your graham crackers in half or quarters. The gluten free graham crackers I use are already in squares.
• Place marshmallows on crackers halves and broil them in the oven broiler until they are lightly browned, it takes about one minute.
• If you are using fluff (marshmallow creme) just spread it over the cracker with a knife.

• Use chocolate spread in a jar and peanut butter to spread over the tops of the crackers for some extra goodness.
• Lightly press the cracker tops and bottoms together.
• Over low heat on the stove, melt your chocolate chips in a double boiler or you can melt them in the microwave, checking and stirring them every 30 seconds until they are melted.
• I let my melted chips cool on the counter for about 5-10 minutes so I don't burn my fingers when I dip the crackers.
• Spread parchment paper on a baking sheet.
• Dip each cracker into the melted chocolate. It's very messy, so have a wet cloth handy for your fingers! I use a table knife to spread the chocolate a little more evenly after I dip them. They won't be perfect but it's ok!
• Once the crackers are covered in the melted chocolate, get your toppings ready. I use sprinkles, candies, nuts, coconut or whatever you like for the toppings.
• Place the crackers on the parchment paper and start topping with your pretties!
• Place them in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes or until they are set.
• Store them in a covered container.

They don't last long at my house! Have fun and enjoy your pretty little yummies!
Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi

Fall Mantle on a Budget

Happy Fall everyone! It has been a busy month but I am finally enjoying my clean kitchen. It has actually stayed clean for more than 2 days in a row! Between canning and freezing my favorite summer goodies, my kitchen started looking like a disaster zone. But it was totally worth it! My pantry is now filled with jams, jellies, butters, dilly beans, pickled peppers and apple sauce. One more trip to the apple orchard and I think I will give my canner a break until next year. My freezer is looking full with the addition of corn, pesto, peaches, apples, roasted tomatoes and herbs. Stay tuned for some simply wonderful canning and freezer recipes.
I decided to take a break from the kitchen and decorated my mantle for fall. This is an easy little DIY project and you can use items you may already have. I used some of my pumpkins from last year and painted all of my old pumpkins white. You can dress them up with some pearls or sparkly bling after they are painted. I wove a strip of burlap between the pumpkins, left over from my burlap fall wreath, directions here Simply DIY Fall Burlap Wreath Project and used my corn of all of colors as an accent. I like the simplicity of the white with a few fall colors. For a look at last year's fall decorating project you can click on this link Simply DIY Pumpkin Decorating Project.
We are looking forward to one more camping trip this weekend! I made these little goodies, indoor smores, and will share the recipe next week!

Enjoy and be blessed!
Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi

Peach Upside Down Cake

Grandma's homemade peach upside down cake

I spent most of the weekend in the kitchen and loved every minute! My canner was on the stove from Friday night through Sunday afternoon. I canned peach jam, peach butter, mint jelly, blueberry jam, pickled banana peppers and dilly beans. My basil was getting out of control in the garden so I picked enough to fill a basket then made and froze pesto. We visited the local farmer's market so I froze enough sweet corn, Simply Freezing Sweet Corn to take us through the winter months. I bought 2 lugs of peaches and had some left over so I froze about 6 quarts, Simply Freezing Peaches. Three peaches were left on the counter so I pulled out Grandma's 1929 cookbook and discovered a peach upside down cake recipe. I love the old recipes and once again the taste testers said it was the best ever!
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
2-3 fresh sliced peaches
Cake Dough:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup white sugar ( I used organic cane sugar)
1/4 cup butter, softened not melted
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup milk
Directions:

• I started with a 9 inch round cake pan and buttered the sides.
• In a small pan I heated the butter and brown sugar over medium heat on the stove just until the brown sugar was melted.
• Pour the melted sugar and butter into the cake pan.
• Arrange the peaches in the bottom of the pan over the melted mixture.

• In a medium size bowl, mix the cake dough ingredients together and beat on low with a hand mixer until all of the ingredients are combined. 
• Using a spatula, spread cake batter dough over the peaches. It'll be too thick to pour.

• Bake in a 370F oven for 30-35 minutes. The cake will spring back when touched with the finger.
• Cool 10 minutes on a cooling rack.
• Place a large serving plate over the top of the cake and turn upside down. Lift the pan off the cake.

And there is your beautiful cake! This makes 8 delicious servings. Serve warm and enjoy!
Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi

Quick and Easy Mini Pizzas

My daughter gave me a great idea for a quick meal. You can choose your own ingredients, use gluten free, organic, homemade, fresh from the garden...the list can go on and on. These little pizzas only take a few minutes to put together and they are delicious!
Ingredients:
English muffins or bagels
2 T Pizza sauce or pasta sauce per serving
1 tsp garlic powder
Mozzarella cheese, fresh is the best
Tomatoes
Fresh basil

• Toast muffins or bagels
• Spoon about 1 tablespoon of sauce on each half of muffin
• Lay 1 slice of fresh mozzarella cheese over the sauce
• Lay 1 basil leaf over cheese
• Slice tomatoes and place on top
• Sprinkle lightly with garlic powder and salt and pepper 

Heat muffins until the cheese melts. If you use the microwave, it takes about 30 seconds. These are great for camping too so if you have a grill, just place them on a hot grill for a couple of minutes.
Have a great weekend and enjoy!
Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi

Pasta and Veggies in 15 Minutes or Less

This is a great little recipe when you don't have much time to cook, or if it's a little too warm to start the oven. My supply of fresh ingredients is running low so I experimented with what I had on hand. Use your favorite fresh veggies for this healthy recipe. I used gluten-free penne pasta and my family grated some fresh parmesan cheese over the top.
Ingredients:
1 bunch of fresh asparagus, I use the tips
12-14 grape tomatoes
2 cups sugar snap peas
2 T olive oil
Garlic, 1 clove, minced or 1 tsp garlic powder
1/3 c vegetable stock
Fresh basil, I cut 2 leaves
Penne pasta (12 oz box)
Salt and pepper to taste
Freshly grated cheese, optional
Directions:
Boil the pasta in salted water about 7 minutes, uncovered. In a skillet, add the other ingredients, garlic and oil first, then the stock. Add the fresh herbs and veggies to the skillet and heat over medium heat about 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the pasta is cooked and drained, add the veggie mixture. Stir and enjoy!
Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi

Grilled Orange Roughy

My favorite food choices are often related to family memories, so I wanted to share one of our favorite grilled fish recipes. Our Dad used to take us fishing and we grew up eating the fish we caught ourselves. Then came the time when we had to start buying fish, I searched for types of fish that didn't taste too "fishy". It's hard to accomplish that in the Midwest, we don't always have many choices. We were introduced to orange roughy during a trip to San Diego where my great-uncle treated us to some of the most wonderful seafood we had ever eaten at an establishment called Anthony's. It was the first time we had eaten orange roughy and it was white, flaky and not too fishy tasting. After a few experiments, this is my favorite method to prepare it at home. Serves 4 or 2 with leftovers!
Ingredients:
4 orange roughy fillets
1/4 c fresh cilantro, I use a small handful
* if you are not a cilantro fan use fresh dill, about 1/4 c chopped
2 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove garlic, minced
1 lemon, quartered
1 lime, quartered
salt and pepper to taste

1. Rinse the fish fillets with water and pat dry with a paper towel.
2. Spray or rub olive oil on a large piece of tin foil.
3. Place fish on the foil and cover with cilantro or dill.
4. Sprinkle with garlic or garlic powder, salt and pepper.
5. Using your fingers, lightly pat the seasonings into the fish.
6. Squeeze the lemon and lime juice over the fish and place the fish in the foil wrap.
7. Fold the foil over the fish so it is sealed on all edges.
8. Use another layer of foil so the juices stay inside the foil wrap while grilling.
9. Place the foil packet on the grill and cook on medium for 10 minutes on each side (or until flaky).

My garlic secret? I buy the best garlic and garlic powder from Annie's Garlic.


Enjoy!

Love and peace,

~ Simply Tammi

Fresh Veggie Salad

Fresh Veggie Salad

A healthy, simple to make summer veggie salad is a great addition to any meal. You can use any fresh veggies for this salad. I only used a few items for this salad but it still tasted delicious!
Fresh Ingredients:
1 bunch asparagus tips, sliced
2-3 cucumbers, sliced
6-8 tomatoes, I used Roma
1 c sugar snap peas
1/2 shallot or onion
1/4 c fresh, chopped basil
2 T freshly chopped dill
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
1/4 red wine vinegar
1-2 tsp honey, optional
salt and pepper to taste
(or use your favorite Italian dressing)

1. Cut all ingredients into bite size pieces until you have approximately 5-6 cups of veggies. 
2. Whisk olive oil and vinegar together. I added a little honey to sweeten it up a bit. 
3. If you have a favorite Italian dressing, pour that over the veggies and skip the olive oil and vinegar.
4. Pour dressing over veggies and stir gently until the veggies are coated. 
5. I usually let my salad sit for about 30 minutes. It's great if you let the veggies soak up the dressing before serving.  

Enjoy a blessed day!
Love and peace,
Tammi

Fruit Smoothies

Pineapple-banana smoothie

It finally happened to me...I'm officially addicted to smoothies! I was looking for something filling for breakfast because I wasn't enjoying my hot oatmeal during the summer months. I bought a KitchenAid blender (that I love) and knew I would end up using it to make something delicious! This led me to my current smoothie experiments and they are simply awesome! These are my 3 favorite smoothies (so far): pineapple-banana, banana-vanilla and peach-vanilla bean. 
So try something new and let us know your favorite fruit smoothie ideas!

Pineapple-banana directions:
1 cup V8 Splash Smoothie juice (tropical colada)
1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
1 banana, peeled
1 cup crushed ice
1/2 tsp coconut extract
Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.

Banana Vanilla Smoothie

Banana-vanilla directions:
1 banana, peeled (fairly ripe)
1/2 c vanilla soy milk (or milk of your choice)
1/2 c vanilla yogurt
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped insides
1/2 c crushed ice
Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.

Peach Vanilla Bean Smoothie

2 peaches, fresh and sliced (I left the peeling on)
1/2 c vanilla yogurt
1/2 c 1% organic milk (or any milk of your choice)
1/2 vanilla bean, sliced down the middle and the insides scraped
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c crushed ice
Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.

Enjoy a blessed July 4th holiday as we thank those men and women that have made our freedom possible!

Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi

Ice Cream Sundaes

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer! We have been busy with projects, gardens and birthday parties! The favorite party idea this month was an ice cream sundae bar. I'm not sure who loved it more, the kiddos or the adults! This is super simple and you can use as many goodies as you want (or have on hand) for the toppings!
We started with a half-gallon each of our favorite soft serve ice cream, strawberry, vanilla and chocolate. We served 12 people and had some ice cream left over. I bought some glass ice cream sundae dishes at our local Goodwill store, they're so cute!
I used small dishes for the toppings and set them on the bar. For the super heroes party, I had some extra material to place under the goodies.

You can serve fruit, nuts, sprinkles, flavored syrups, mini-m&ms, chocolate chips, cherries for the top, whipped cream, crushed cookies and your personal favorites!
Enjoy a blessed day!
Love and peace,
~Simply Tammi

A New Look for a Used Bistro Set

After our long, cold winter I decided I wanted lots of color on my deck this summer. I started by sewing bright, new cushions for our patio set. (I'll be posting simple directions for those later). I had some left over material and Mom graciously offered her vintage bistro set for my DIY project!

The seats and backs were attached with screws so I removed the screws and threw away top layer of the old fabric. I left the layer underneath that was previously on the cushions because it is easier to recover and I didn't need to replace the wood seats, backs or foam. I used the circles as my pattern for my new outdoor material.

I added 2 inches of material and cut out a circle for the seat pattern. I used a staple gun to attach them to the wood seats. I attached the covered seats to the chairs using new screws rather than the old rusty screws. I followed the same process for the backs of the chairs.

If you find a used bistro set and need a fresh look you can also spray paint the set before you recover the seats. I love how my recycled bistro set turned out and sometimes the older, vintage sets can be sturdier than some of the newer sets.

Enjoy a blessed day!
Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi

Chicken Satay

I am so excited to share this recipe! I have been recording past episodes of the Nate Berkus Show and I was so happy to find Jamie Oliver and one of his healthy chicken recipes. So I had to try it immediately and guess what? It was awesome! The ingredients are fresh and healthy, which I love! You probably know that I adapted the recipe with ingredients I had on hand. I also grilled my chicken instead of using the broiler. So get your food processor out of storage and try our new family favorite!
Satay:
1/2 - 3/4 bunch of cilantro, even the stalks
1 red chili pepper or 1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes
1/2 clove garlic
1/4 cup peanut butter, (homemade peanut butter is my favorite)
Soy sauce to taste
1 inch piece of fresh ginger root, peel and slice
1 small shallot or 1/2 medium red onion
1 lime, zest first then squeeze the juice into the mixture
Place all of these ingredients into the food processor and mix until they resemble a paste-like texture. Take about 1/2 of the sauce from the food processor and save to serve with the meal. The rest will be used to spread on the chicken.

Chicken:
8 chicken breast tenderloins or cut 4 chicken breasts into pieces, I use my hands and coat each chicken piece with the satay sauce and place them on the grill. I turn them several times but for the small pieces it only takes about 10-12 minutes.


Boil noodles according to package (I use organic lo mein noodles but you can use any pasta or rice). I rinse mine and toss with about a teaspoon of sesame oil. I serve mine chilled rather than hot.

Place 1 T honey in a small skillet and add 3/4 c unsalted raw cashews. Turn heat on low-medium and stir cashews and honey until the cashews are light brown in color. Remove from heat and let cool.

Garnishes:
Romaine lettuce leaves
Fresh lime, cut into slices
Satay sauce
1/4 bunch fresh cilantro, rough chopped
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Honey roasted cashews

garnishes

Can serve it with lettuce on the side

I serve my chicken satay in romaine lettuce leaves. I start with some satay sauce, noodles, soy sauce, cilantro, chicken and squeeze some fresh lime juice over the top. Then I add the roasted cashews. 

If you want to try something new and healthy, this is perfect!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Love and peace,

~ Simply Tammi

DIY Fireplace and Mantel Project

After

I have a new face on my fireplace so I decided to change the whole look.

before

I have been planning to change my paint color too so I experimented with a new color, Pebble Gray, on the fireplace wall. I love the soft gray colors that are so popular now.

I put the finishing touches on the mantel and surround by rubbing (my favorite) Annie Sloan dark soft wax with a soft cloth over the wood. It turned out perfectly! I was hoping for a darker, vintage, oak color and that's exactly what I got! I especially the darker shades in the grain of the wood. 

I searched through my accessories but I didn't have anything that would complete my vision so I purchased a recycled glass vase and candle holders at World Market and a new mirror at Target. My sister and I sent numerous texts, pictures and talked several times about the placement of the new items. We didn't Skype this time, because I don't need any more mirrors falling off the mantel!
I wanted to keep the look simple and I simply love it!
Hope you like it!
Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi