August Christmas Card Challenge

This is a tri-shutter card from Split Coast Stampers. When I saw the card I just knew I wanted to make one. After I watched the video tutorial and saw how simple it was to make the base of this card I knew I could make 5 for my monthly Christmas Card Challenge.

Thai Steak Wrap Delicious

This is one of my favorite healthy recipes that doesn't taste like a healthy recipe. I got it from a cooking show called "Cooking Thin" on the Food Network. It is not on any more, but I really enjoyed it when it was. Fortunately, one can still find all her great recipes on the Food Network site. I still have this delicious recipe that I make from time to time. Recently, I got to thinking I hadn't made it for a long time. With my new workout and weightloss plan I was craving beef. My trainer was suggesting no beef and for 2 weeks I had none and then couldn't stand it any longer. Decided a delicious healthy beef recipe was in order. Don't let the amount of ingredients scare you away. Most of them are for the rub on the meat. It is a very easy recipe.

Thai Steak Wrap
Recipe courtesy Kathleen Daelemans
Serves:
6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon allspice
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger, plus 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1 1/4 pound flank steak
1 tablespoon light sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 jalapeno, grated
3 scallions, thinly sliced
8 cups Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1 carrot, shredded
1 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
6 to 8 pita wraps, warmed
Directions
In a plastic re-sealable bag, combine black pepper, salt, paprika, cumin, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, allspice, 2 teaspoons of ginger, and the chopped parsley. Add flank steak and coat evenly. Seal bag and refrigerate for 1 to 12 hours. (I find it easier to rub the flank steak down BEFORE I put it in the re-sealable bag.)

Grill for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow meat to rest 10 minutes before slicing. (I didn't have time to light up the grill so I dragged out this contraption. It's my rotisserie, but it's also a grill. I've never used it as a grill. After seeing my parents use it as a grill thought I'd try it. It worked great for the flank steak. 10 minutes on each side cooked a perfectly medium rare flank steak.)

In a small non-reactive bowl, combine sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add remaining ginger and jalapeno.

In a wok pan, combine dressing and scallions. (I don't know how to really use my wok. A wedding gift that's never been used. So, I went to my old stand by large nonstick skillet.)

Cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add cabbage and carrot and toss until heated through, about 3 to 4 minutes.

(Huge pile of veggies reduces to about half in size with cooking.)

Remove from heat and add cilantro. (I let the flank steak rest after grilling and cut into bite sized pieces right before serving. One thing about this recipe it will dye your cutting board orange.)

Combine sliced flank steak and cabbage slaw and serve on warm pita wrap. (I must warn you and as a reminder to myself say the warm pita does not work well at all. The whole thing gets so soggy about bite 2 and starts to fall a part. Then you start eating all the soggy bites first in a race to eat it before it completely falls a part. I've used flat breads, which are hard to find around me that worked better. Hubby suggested we use a tortilla next time. I thought that was a great idea as there are some very good whole wheat tortillas around me.)

On Kathleen's show she did things slightly different than the recipe that I didn't remember until after I completed the recipe. She did not cook the veggies. She tossed all veggies and dressing as if it were a salad. Placed the meet and uncooked veggies on a warm pita for the meal. Any left over flank steak, dressing and veggies were then stir fried the next day for lunch.
I'm drooling just talking about it, so I hope you'll dive in and give this recipe a try.

Silly Summer Fun

I found a pattern for a fun crocheted ice cream cone online It just looked so silly and fun. So, I had to make a couple. This is my orange sherbet version. I gave this to my 4 year old friend Rebecca. I hope she thought it was as silly and fun as I did. She lives in Portland and haven't gotten word what she thinks yet. These pictures were taken at the gas station. I was on my way to see Rebecca's mom, who was in town for one night. I thought if I give the cone to her mommy I won't have to mail it. Then I thought oh geeze I haven't taken any pictures of my handy work. So, at the gas station my daughter posed for some quick pictures.

She kept looking around making sure no one she knew saw her. BUT she was a good sport and posed with my crocheted ice cream cone!

Knowing my daughter was showing the telltale signs of teenage embarrassment I had to tease her just a little. We had to go through a fast food drive thru to get my friend an extra large Mr. Pibb. While waiting at the window for our order I slowly started to pickup the ice cream cone. I slowly raised it to my face (all the while my daughter is saying "mom don't you dare") and just as I started to pretend to lick it my daughter yanked it out of my hand and threw it to the back of the car. Far out of my reach! She did it so fast I hardly knew what happened. We both laughed so hard. Me, because my joke was foiled and she because she wasn't going to let me embarrass her or myself for that matter.
The pattern can be found at "The Adventures of Wondermommy."

Stamp Camp July 2009

I always have a really good time a Stamp Camp. I never go away wishing I had a better time. There have been a few minor problems over the years. One being the "accidental adhesive hog" and the more annoying "on purpose adhesive hog." Then there is the "accidental scissors hog" and the "on purpose scissors hog."

I solved this problem with bringing my own scissors and adhesive years before they started actually asking us to do it. I'm not sure if they started asking us to do it to save money or to break up fights. I have been tempted to smack a nasty hog or too over the years. Grown-ups who don't know how to share things that don't even belong to them. grrrr. Not fun, but easy to ignore.

The first card I made was this little boy card. Just an adorable stamp set where each part of the little person you were making is a separate stamp. That way your boy or girl could have curly hair or straight or crew cut or long hair. One did have to know their way around a "Stamp-ama-jig". If you click on the link there is a tutorial. You may have to join the Split Coast Stampers site, but it is free and lots of great stamping info on that site.

The 2nd card I think is my favorite. I love cards that do things even as simple as hide a tag with a sentiment.

You can still open the turtle card to write a personal note as well.

This was my least favorite. Why I'm not sure. It's pretty. Easy to make. I guess I'm not a big fake flower fan or fan of pink.

I really liked this one too. I stamped the leafy imagine and then put it behind the punched out imagine on the card. It was fairly simple as well and I liked the look of it.
A purple recipe card... this stamp set would be SO up my alley. I've been making my own recipe cards since I was 16. Only problem I use 4X6 inch cards. I like the extra room on the cards. This stamp set is for a 3X5 inch card. Oh pooh. I loved the idea of decorating a stand to display the recipe. I may make some of these for Christmas.