Thursday, June 30, 2011

Black Bean Brownies

by Leslie



Black Bean . . . what?  Yes.  Brownies.  You won't believe this when I tell you, but it's true.  These brownies are made with a can of black beans rather than flour.  And, to be quite frank, they taste pretty dang good.  My favorite thing about them was the texture--they were so smooth and rich, it was almost like they had pudding in them or something.  Delish.

The whole concept behind these brownies (I believe) was to find something that was gluten free but still had the text and texture of a typical brownie.  For the most part, I think this recipe pulls it off.

The taste is not as as sweet as a typical brownie--it is more of a bittersweet or dark chocolate flavor.  I'm okay with that, actually.

You start by pureeing your can of black beans until they are smooth.  

Then you add your oil, vanilla, eggs, baking powder, and sugar. My favorite part about these brownies is that they are done totally in your food processor (more on my love of my food processor later)!

And what you end up with is a rich, chewy, somewhat healthy brownie.  Weird, right?


I found the recipe here along with some other "family friendly" type recipes if you're looking.
 You should totally check these out.  Even if they aren't exactly what you were expecting, they do satisfy that insatiable chocolate craving.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

"Get Lost in Rochester!"

by Leslie

Today I was watching some reality TV about weight loss.  Typically, I am watching those shows while eating a brownie or stuffing my face with chips.  Today, though, I was feeling physic-ally fit so I decided to go on a nice leisurely walk and listen to my new favorite podcast.  I took my usual loop and saw the entrance to an appealing looking trail.  I decided today was the day to see where it led.

It was actually a beautiful trail with lots of trees, a babbling brook, and wildflowers.  Unfortunately, there were also lots of different paths I could take on the trail.  I took several routes, making sure I went back to entrance I took.  But then I decided to go on a different, more appealing path and ended up exiting in another area. When I stepped off the trail it was like I entered some weird suburban alternate universe.  Every street I went on was a cul-de-sac.  There were no people.  It was getting hot out.

So after 30 minutes of wandering I found a highway and walked in the ditch for a while.  Then I found a stoplight, and finally, a numbered street!  Eventually I made it home.  On the way, I found a gas station, a few new churches, and several of the apartment complexes we had looked for (and not found) when we were first moving here.

So, in honor of that, I Erin and I decided Rochester needs a new motto.  "Get lost in Rochester, you never know what you might find."

You know what I found?  A lovely farmer's tan.

After a walk of that nature, I came home wanting what every person wants after a "traumatic" experience.  A popsicle.  Fortunately, I had made some that very morning.

I used a variation on this  recipe to create a chocolate banana milkshake the same day I made the popsicles.

With what was left of the shake, I made popsicles in a cheap-o mold from Hy-Vee.  Worked like a charm.

Here I am woofing that thing down to sooth my soul after a long walk in the sun.

The recipe for this shake/smoothie is really easy and the original was created by a dietician as a healthy snack.  That means you should try it out guilt free!

Chocolate Banana Smoothie
Adapted from a recipe by Linda Wagner

Into a blender place:
1 frozen banana
1 cup of lowfat milk
2 T. cocoa powder
2 T. of sugar substitute (I used Stevia)
1 tsp. vanilla

Blend until smooth and creamy.  Enjoy cold out of the blender.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Oh my, what a delicious pizza pie!

Spicy Chicken and Pepper Jack Pizza

by: Laura

What's that, you have leftover chicken again?  Well, here's something to do with that chicken: make a pizza!  And it won't be your ordinary Friday night pizza, no, actually, the ingredients will put a spin on the usual suspects of pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese.

A few weeks ago I was browsing the My Baking Addiction Blog for recipes.  (I used some for my Bunko bash, check it out here.) I happened to have the home page up and Derek, my husband, glanced at the picture while checking his email.  Now, usually Derek doesn't request certain foods, but after seeing the picture of spicy chicken and pepper jack pizza on the blog, he had a request for just that.  I had to agree, I'd been perusing the recipe myself and so, with chicken in the fridge, I went for it.  The directions are as follows.  (so easy)

First, I got my ingredients together, what a beautiful sight!  I just love the look of fresh peppers, cilantro, and onion.  Yum!
The freshy freshness

Next, I prepared my Jiffy pizza dough (2 packages).  It doesn't get much easier than mixing together  hot water and the contents of a package.  (Set it aside for 5 minutes to rise)



Next, I sauteed 1/2 cup of onion for two minutes. And while they were sweatin'...

I pressed out the pizza dough, it's always a  pain, but with a bit of flour on your fingers, you'll get through it.

Once the onions had sauteed a bit, I added one green pepper (chopped) and a  1/2 of a red pepper. (Leftover from Chicken Basil Hash)

After cooking the peppers for about five minutes I added in my salsa (1/2 cup, but I would do a bit more next time).  

Now, being the multitasker that I am, as my peppers and onions were cooking away, my dough went in the oven for eight minutes at 425 degrees to firm it up for toppings.

And now for the toppings: salsa mixture, chicken and pepper jack cheese, ohhh la la!


Spread it with some Jack cheese, you got cheesy blasters! (Derek and I kept singing this as we were waiting for the pizza to get done, a little 30 Rock, anyone?)

After baking for another ten minutes, here it was all gooey and delicious looking.  
And for the final touch, cilantro.  What a great twist on your usual pizza night, right?

So there you have it, an easy Friday night dinner.  Why call the pizza guy when you've got the perfect easy recipe to whip up in no time?  Do you have any other interesting pizza ideas?  What do you put on your pizza for some added fun and flave.  Be sure to let the test nesters know.  For now, though, go print this recipe up and chow down!

Thursday, June 23, 2011

When life hands you a duvet cover . . . make curtains.

by Leslie

A few weeks back, when we first moved to Rochester, we went on a little trip to IKEA.  If you've been to IKEA, you know what can happen there.  You go with the intention to buy one thing (perhaps a bookshelf) and you come back with an abundance of things you didn't plan to buy: nightstands, lamps, a tv stand, pillows...the list could go on.  You also seem to come home with some new decorating ideas.

In fact, not only do you come up with new ideas, you want to change up everything you own.  Of course, while walking through the display floor at IKEA I was struck by all the wonderful design elements and cute and functional storage.  I was also struck by a really cute set of curtain panels.  I (like any good IKEA customer would) checked the tag on the curtain panels.  They were $10.  What a steal!  The tag said they could be found in the textiles section.  Sweet!  I would pick them up later.

When we headed down to textiles, I got really excited, the curtain panels were just around the corner!  Problem was, they weren't.  I couldn't find them anywhere.  When I finally found a customer service person, they (after claiming they had no idea they existed) found out that these curtain panels were no longer made.  They refused to let me buy the display set, so my plan was totally foiled.

Thus, we turned the corner into the bedding section.  And what did I see?  A duvet cover with the same pattern as the curtains!  Excellent.  Problem:  no queen sized.  Again.  Plans were foiled.

I've gone into a lot of detail here to tell you a rather simple story. In the end, I bought a twin duvet cover and made the curtain panels out of it.

And you know what?

It was super easy.  What made it even easier was the fact that I didn't even have to create a bottom hem.  I simply left the snaps on that allowed you to put a comforter in the duvet.  So that means one less step for me.

So let's check out the process.

See the edge that is already finished?  That was one less seam for me to do.  Excellent.
I started by ironing the curtains.

I folded down each side edge 1/4 inch and ironed it.

I then folded that over 1/2" and ironed it, then stitched it into place along the inside edge.

In order to make my curtains the right length without re-sewing the bottom hem, I  left a 5" seam at the top of the curtains.  I like this because I think it gave them a more airy and luxurious look.


This was a totally fun project to do because it was totally unexpected.  It was easy, and in the end, much cheaper than buying the actual curtain panels (which, it turned out were $35, not $10).  

The most time consuming part of these curtains was all the ironing.  And if you don't mind that, go for it.  I really suggest making your own curtains.  It is an easy project to start out with--and it is easy to fix any mistakes you make.  

So get out your sewing machine (or your mom's or your grandma's or your neighbor's) and whip up something summery.  You will enjoy it every time you walk past it!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Be Nice Dice! It's party time...

BUNKO NIGHT 2011

By: Laura

As a new mom, it's sometimes (wait, always) hard to find the time to get away for the evening and have some fun with the ladies.  I'm here to tell you, though, it's a must do, at least once in a while.  In order to keep from going crazy, I'm lucky enough to be in a Bunko group here in Norfolk that meets once a month.  For those of you who aren't familiar with the game of Bunko, here's the low down.  Basically, it's an easy dice game that anyone can play, including kids.  So, it's perfect for a group of chatty women who would rather talk than play a game anyway. (we just need some excuse to leave the house, not simply, "I'm going to talk with my gal pals for two hours or so, see you later, hubby.")

For that reason, when Bunko night rolls around, I'm kissing Ella and Derek goodbye and I'm out the door in two minutes flat.  This month, though, I was host of Bunko night, which means I had people heading to my crib.  In that case, preparations were in order.  Check out the appetizer menu as well as the decor chosen for the party.

To begin,  I decided to make some pom poms to hang over the buffet.  Leslie made some cute ones for her wedding last year to hang at her wedding reception.  She and mom got pretty good at folding and fluffing.  Here are the easy steps to follow on how to make one, or you can go to the Martha Stewart website to find more pictures and detailed directions.

First, fold a bunch of tissue paper pieces (7-10) accordion style .  Look at that excellent folding technique!  


Once your pieces are folded then trace a a circular pattern at the edge of the paper.  (you can do points as well, depending on the look you want.)

Next, use scissors or an exacto knife to cut your pattern.

Before fluffing, tie a piece of wire around the middle of the tissue paper folds....then get fluffing.  Doesn't my Mom look fantastic? No poses for her.  She just looks pleasant when crafting.

And there you have the finished product.  Cute!


Now, hang them where you like.  Too bad this picture stinks!!!  I didn't realize.
 And on the table there are my little buffet bites.  I'll give you a closer look in the next few pictures.   

Here is the fruit dish.  So easy and so delicious. 


Followed by pizza dip with crisp french bread to spread it over.  This recipe is so easy.  I found it here.

Then there were the taco bites, which were too easy, and very delicious.  Check out the simple recipe here.
And, of course, the desert tray with s'more bars and scotcheroos.  The s'more bars are a bit time consuming to make, but they are so worth it.  Scotcheroos, on the other hand are super speedy to make and to die for.  The recipe is below.

And there you have it, a delicious bunko buffet.


This party was so simple to host because I chose easy to make items that were delicious to munch on, so go ahead and have a party, it doesn't have to involve bunko (but it would be fun), just be sure to make the menu a breeze so you can have some fun. 

The test nesters love having get togethers. What have you been up to lately? Any parties or summer barbecues? Let us know what was on your menu or what you plan to make.  We'd love to hear about it. 

Note: My mom also made homemade lemonade for the party, which was awesome, unfortunately I didn't get a picture of it, but check out a post of Leslie's to see how it looks and how to make it. 

Scotcheroos

Recipe courtesy of my Mom

1 cup of sugar
1 cup of light corn syrup
1 cup of creamy peanut butter
6 cups of rice crispies
1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup of butterscotch chocolate chips

In a sauce pan bring the sugar and corn syrup to a boil.  Take the mixture off of the heat and stir in the peanut butter until it is melted.  Add the rice crispies and stir until well mixed.  Pat them into a 9 by 13 pan.  For the topping, melt the semi-sweet and butterscotch chocolate chips in the microwave one minute at a time, stirring after each minute.  After the chips are melted, spread them over the rice crispy mix.  Let the scotcheroos harden and then eat up.  How easy is that? 


Sunday, June 19, 2011

Fresh Eggs & Peppery Bacon

by Erin

Is it just our family or do dads make the best breakfast?  When I go back home I can always count on my dad to make me whatever I want for breakfast: waffles, coffee cake, oatmeal, or my personal favorite, scrambled eggs.  I don't know what he does, but scrambled eggs always taste the best when my pops makes them for me.  That is why I thought I would dedicate this Father's Day post to my dad's best meal, eggs and bacon!

Last summer Max designed and helped build a chicken coop for our friend Garrison, and yes, he rents an apartment in the densely populated neighborhood of Albany Park, a true urban farmer he is.    Here are some pics of the designer chicken coop in progress.

Chicken coop in progress

The hens testing out their new home.
I think Max and Garrison could go into business designing and building upscale chicken coops, don't you?  Anyway, Garrison brought us over a dozen fresh eggs recently, so naturally we needed to make a farmer's breakfast of bacon and eggs.

Fresh eggs!

The scrambled eggs were prepared just like normal.  I whisked the eggs, salt, pepper, and a little milk together and then put them on a hot skillet.  If you ever doubted the power of fresh ingredients, I think buying farm fresh eggs at a farmer's market will sell you on them every time.  They are noticeably more flavorful and delicious than the eggs you buy in the store.  Oh man, I am wishing I still had some!

I opted for a little something different with the bacon though.  I restaurant I frequent when I head back to the capital city of Lincoln, Nebraska is Bread & Cup.  They have this delicious bacon that is coated with pepper.  I decided to give this version a whirl.  So I liberally coated both sides of the bacon with pepper then put it on a hot skillet.  The bacon cooks a little slower with the pepper on it, and the pepper also locks in the delicious bacon juices.  It turns out oh so good.  The bacon has a spicy kick to it and the texture is awesome.  This is a great way to change up regular old bacon.



So here it is folks, the easiest of breakfasts with a little punch from farm fresh ingredients and pepper.  Now the real question is, was it as good as my dad's?  Not a chance. . . 

Happy Father's Day, Pops and to the rest of you fathers out there!

Friday, June 17, 2011

Different Frame of Mind

By: Laura

 About two months ago, Derek and I hung a picture of our daughter on the wall and planned to put some other smaller frames next to the larger one.  My goal was to spend very little on the frames due to the fact that we spent quite a bit on the larger one, but I was having no luck.  I shopped our local Goodwill only to be faced with way too many ceramic cats.  I combed the clearance end caps at Target weekly, but always left empty-handed. It wasn't until last week that I found a couple of deals.
   I was in Hobby Lobby looking for some paper to create some crafts for a party I was having, (more on that in a later post) when I came upon four aisles of clearance items. They must have been clearing out the old and getting some new things in. (lucky for me!)  What I found there were these two obnoxiously ugly frames, but I had a vision for them (really!).

The frames were around two dollars each on clearance.




Live, glamour, inspire, so awesome.  Sorry 13 year old girl, you didn't get to Hobby Lobby fast enough! 


Nice diamond and gold effect.

I wanted to, of course, paint these lovely pieces, so I prepped them with a bit of sanding.

Then I started spray painting

And then I did some more spray painting.  It's pretty enjoyable, actually and so easy!

And low and behold I had the finished product.  I actually wanted to hang them both horizontally, but didn't have the right pictures to do so.  Maybe I will some time.

And that is that.  Two new frames for around five dollars.  You can't beat it.  So go check out the clearance aisle and see if you can find something ugly and make it lovely!  Have you already done so?  Please share you ideas or experience with the Test Nesters.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Going Green! Creamy Pesto Pasta and Enchiladas con Salsa Verde!

by Leslie

Hi all,

As you might know, I'm trying to get settled into my new home in Rochester, MN.  Although some things are different (i.e.  not having a job, not having cable, and a newly acquired accent), most things are the same.  I still feel the same midwest hospitality, the same weirdo weather that changes every five minutes, and the same stores I knew from home.

And the main thing that's the same right now?  Summer.  Oh yes, I do love summer.  The trees are green and lush, kids are outside playing, and you don't have to have an excuse to enjoy a cold beverage all the day through.  Because of this summer weather, I have noticed a change in my culinary point of view.  You guessed it from the title--green.  

I have been spending a bit more time on meals and that means that instead of just throwing together whatever it is I have at the time, I actually get to think about my menu.  One of our first "big meals" here in Rochester was Lucinda Scala Quinn's enchiladas with salsa verde.  Yum!  If you've not checked out LCQ's show Mad Hungry, you are missing out.  She has a thing for coming up with great easy meals that aren't boring.  She sometimes has her grown up sons on the show with her--she said they couldn't go off to college without knowing how to cook, and I think that should be true for all teenagers.  

So anywho, I decided to turn the volume up on these enchiladas by playing a little Latin music while cooking.  Then I decided to pick out a flick in Spanish to watch while we were eating (this totally backfired--apparently I have already seen all the films in Spanish that are worth viewing--there are some bad choices out there!)  Whether we had the film or not, though, we had to have Cokes from Mexico.  A glass bottle, sugar cane, culture--it all comes together to help create the perfect fiesta.  Here are some (horrible) photos from our little party!


These hot and delicious enchiladas are topped off with a cool green salad--it is  a great combo!

Needless to say, the food was the highlight of the evening thanks to my new food mentor, Lucinda Scala Quinn.

Other dreams in green:

Just yesterday, I was out on our little patio enjoying the view (little kids playing soccer on the field behind our apartment) and looked down to see my cheap-o basil plant from Trader Joe's.  It was flourishing!  I decided it was my day to make pesto.

I had never made pesto before, but had been trying to acquire the correct ingredients since I bought the plant.  I used my girl, The Pioneer Woman's recipe for the pesto, and adapted her Creamy Pesto Pasta recipe to our (somewhat lighter) tastes.

So, while watching some older episodes of The Voice, I got out my food processor and went to town.  I will say all in all, I was VERY happy with the turnout.  The pesto was most excellent.  I used milk instead of cream for the sauce and it turned out fantastico.  Too bad we ate it all.  This recipe is definitely a keeper for me.  And to my basil plant I say this:  "Thank you my dear friend.  And please don't die on me like all the rest of my plants."




So, in closing, let me say this.  Go green this summer.  Then, tell me how it goes.  Enjoy the sun!


Sunday, June 12, 2011

Summer to Do List...Part 1

Washing Windows
by: Laura

After today, I realized there are 22 windows in my house.  Why do  I know this random fact, you ask?  Well, I washed them all!  You may think, well, that's not all bad; you got your Windex out and went to it.  The fact is though, I'm not satisfied with Windex. Nope.  I needed to get down and dirty so I pulled out the vinegar, ammonia, water, and newspapers (what? oh, you'll find out) to create the perfect window cleaning elixir.  It was a lot of hard work, but when your house is bright and smelling fresh, you'll find it was all worth it!

To begin, get your supplies: ammonia, vinegar, towels, rags, and newspapers.



In a gallon sized bucket, add 1/2 cup of vinegar or so. 


A tablespoon of ammonia

Then fill up your bucket with water.

Find a dirty window.  (Yes, this was dirty, but it's hard to tell  in this picture.) And get to work!  


Step One: Use a wet rag with the vinegar, ammonia and water mixture on it to thoroughly clean the window.

Step Two: Wipe the window dry with a towel.

Step Three: Wipe the window with dry newspaper. This will prevent that pesky lent from forming on the window.  (Isn't that a cool trick?)

Finally, put your window back together if need be...


Or just imagine you're outside (it feels like it with these spotless windows!)


And that's it, you're finished.  You can cross one thing off the summer to do list.  (let me tell you, I love crossing things off the list!)  Let the test nesters know what's on your to do list this summer.  Do you have projects to do on your home or garden?  Maybe you're to do list involves relaxation or reading.  We'd love to hear about it.  There will be more to come on my summer to do list so be sure to check in all summer long.  

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Black Bean Brownies

by Leslie



Black Bean . . . what?  Yes.  Brownies.  You won't believe this when I tell you, but it's true.  These brownies are made with a can of black beans rather than flour.  And, to be quite frank, they taste pretty dang good.  My favorite thing about them was the texture--they were so smooth and rich, it was almost like they had pudding in them or something.  Delish.

The whole concept behind these brownies (I believe) was to find something that was gluten free but still had the text and texture of a typical brownie.  For the most part, I think this recipe pulls it off.

The taste is not as as sweet as a typical brownie--it is more of a bittersweet or dark chocolate flavor.  I'm okay with that, actually.

You start by pureeing your can of black beans until they are smooth.  

Then you add your oil, vanilla, eggs, baking powder, and sugar. My favorite part about these brownies is that they are done totally in your food processor (more on my love of my food processor later)!

And what you end up with is a rich, chewy, somewhat healthy brownie.  Weird, right?


I found the recipe here along with some other "family friendly" type recipes if you're looking.
 You should totally check these out.  Even if they aren't exactly what you were expecting, they do satisfy that insatiable chocolate craving.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

"Get Lost in Rochester!"

by Leslie

Today I was watching some reality TV about weight loss.  Typically, I am watching those shows while eating a brownie or stuffing my face with chips.  Today, though, I was feeling physic-ally fit so I decided to go on a nice leisurely walk and listen to my new favorite podcast.  I took my usual loop and saw the entrance to an appealing looking trail.  I decided today was the day to see where it led.

It was actually a beautiful trail with lots of trees, a babbling brook, and wildflowers.  Unfortunately, there were also lots of different paths I could take on the trail.  I took several routes, making sure I went back to entrance I took.  But then I decided to go on a different, more appealing path and ended up exiting in another area. When I stepped off the trail it was like I entered some weird suburban alternate universe.  Every street I went on was a cul-de-sac.  There were no people.  It was getting hot out.

So after 30 minutes of wandering I found a highway and walked in the ditch for a while.  Then I found a stoplight, and finally, a numbered street!  Eventually I made it home.  On the way, I found a gas station, a few new churches, and several of the apartment complexes we had looked for (and not found) when we were first moving here.

So, in honor of that, I Erin and I decided Rochester needs a new motto.  "Get lost in Rochester, you never know what you might find."

You know what I found?  A lovely farmer's tan.

After a walk of that nature, I came home wanting what every person wants after a "traumatic" experience.  A popsicle.  Fortunately, I had made some that very morning.

I used a variation on this  recipe to create a chocolate banana milkshake the same day I made the popsicles.

With what was left of the shake, I made popsicles in a cheap-o mold from Hy-Vee.  Worked like a charm.

Here I am woofing that thing down to sooth my soul after a long walk in the sun.

The recipe for this shake/smoothie is really easy and the original was created by a dietician as a healthy snack.  That means you should try it out guilt free!

Chocolate Banana Smoothie
Adapted from a recipe by Linda Wagner

Into a blender place:
1 frozen banana
1 cup of lowfat milk
2 T. cocoa powder
2 T. of sugar substitute (I used Stevia)
1 tsp. vanilla

Blend until smooth and creamy.  Enjoy cold out of the blender.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Oh my, what a delicious pizza pie!

Spicy Chicken and Pepper Jack Pizza

by: Laura

What's that, you have leftover chicken again?  Well, here's something to do with that chicken: make a pizza!  And it won't be your ordinary Friday night pizza, no, actually, the ingredients will put a spin on the usual suspects of pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese.

A few weeks ago I was browsing the My Baking Addiction Blog for recipes.  (I used some for my Bunko bash, check it out here.) I happened to have the home page up and Derek, my husband, glanced at the picture while checking his email.  Now, usually Derek doesn't request certain foods, but after seeing the picture of spicy chicken and pepper jack pizza on the blog, he had a request for just that.  I had to agree, I'd been perusing the recipe myself and so, with chicken in the fridge, I went for it.  The directions are as follows.  (so easy)

First, I got my ingredients together, what a beautiful sight!  I just love the look of fresh peppers, cilantro, and onion.  Yum!
The freshy freshness

Next, I prepared my Jiffy pizza dough (2 packages).  It doesn't get much easier than mixing together  hot water and the contents of a package.  (Set it aside for 5 minutes to rise)



Next, I sauteed 1/2 cup of onion for two minutes. And while they were sweatin'...

I pressed out the pizza dough, it's always a  pain, but with a bit of flour on your fingers, you'll get through it.

Once the onions had sauteed a bit, I added one green pepper (chopped) and a  1/2 of a red pepper. (Leftover from Chicken Basil Hash)

After cooking the peppers for about five minutes I added in my salsa (1/2 cup, but I would do a bit more next time).  

Now, being the multitasker that I am, as my peppers and onions were cooking away, my dough went in the oven for eight minutes at 425 degrees to firm it up for toppings.

And now for the toppings: salsa mixture, chicken and pepper jack cheese, ohhh la la!


Spread it with some Jack cheese, you got cheesy blasters! (Derek and I kept singing this as we were waiting for the pizza to get done, a little 30 Rock, anyone?)

After baking for another ten minutes, here it was all gooey and delicious looking.  
And for the final touch, cilantro.  What a great twist on your usual pizza night, right?

So there you have it, an easy Friday night dinner.  Why call the pizza guy when you've got the perfect easy recipe to whip up in no time?  Do you have any other interesting pizza ideas?  What do you put on your pizza for some added fun and flave.  Be sure to let the test nesters know.  For now, though, go print this recipe up and chow down!

Thursday, June 23, 2011

When life hands you a duvet cover . . . make curtains.

by Leslie

A few weeks back, when we first moved to Rochester, we went on a little trip to IKEA.  If you've been to IKEA, you know what can happen there.  You go with the intention to buy one thing (perhaps a bookshelf) and you come back with an abundance of things you didn't plan to buy: nightstands, lamps, a tv stand, pillows...the list could go on.  You also seem to come home with some new decorating ideas.

In fact, not only do you come up with new ideas, you want to change up everything you own.  Of course, while walking through the display floor at IKEA I was struck by all the wonderful design elements and cute and functional storage.  I was also struck by a really cute set of curtain panels.  I (like any good IKEA customer would) checked the tag on the curtain panels.  They were $10.  What a steal!  The tag said they could be found in the textiles section.  Sweet!  I would pick them up later.

When we headed down to textiles, I got really excited, the curtain panels were just around the corner!  Problem was, they weren't.  I couldn't find them anywhere.  When I finally found a customer service person, they (after claiming they had no idea they existed) found out that these curtain panels were no longer made.  They refused to let me buy the display set, so my plan was totally foiled.

Thus, we turned the corner into the bedding section.  And what did I see?  A duvet cover with the same pattern as the curtains!  Excellent.  Problem:  no queen sized.  Again.  Plans were foiled.

I've gone into a lot of detail here to tell you a rather simple story. In the end, I bought a twin duvet cover and made the curtain panels out of it.

And you know what?

It was super easy.  What made it even easier was the fact that I didn't even have to create a bottom hem.  I simply left the snaps on that allowed you to put a comforter in the duvet.  So that means one less step for me.

So let's check out the process.

See the edge that is already finished?  That was one less seam for me to do.  Excellent.
I started by ironing the curtains.

I folded down each side edge 1/4 inch and ironed it.

I then folded that over 1/2" and ironed it, then stitched it into place along the inside edge.

In order to make my curtains the right length without re-sewing the bottom hem, I  left a 5" seam at the top of the curtains.  I like this because I think it gave them a more airy and luxurious look.


This was a totally fun project to do because it was totally unexpected.  It was easy, and in the end, much cheaper than buying the actual curtain panels (which, it turned out were $35, not $10).  

The most time consuming part of these curtains was all the ironing.  And if you don't mind that, go for it.  I really suggest making your own curtains.  It is an easy project to start out with--and it is easy to fix any mistakes you make.  

So get out your sewing machine (or your mom's or your grandma's or your neighbor's) and whip up something summery.  You will enjoy it every time you walk past it!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Be Nice Dice! It's party time...

BUNKO NIGHT 2011

By: Laura

As a new mom, it's sometimes (wait, always) hard to find the time to get away for the evening and have some fun with the ladies.  I'm here to tell you, though, it's a must do, at least once in a while.  In order to keep from going crazy, I'm lucky enough to be in a Bunko group here in Norfolk that meets once a month.  For those of you who aren't familiar with the game of Bunko, here's the low down.  Basically, it's an easy dice game that anyone can play, including kids.  So, it's perfect for a group of chatty women who would rather talk than play a game anyway. (we just need some excuse to leave the house, not simply, "I'm going to talk with my gal pals for two hours or so, see you later, hubby.")

For that reason, when Bunko night rolls around, I'm kissing Ella and Derek goodbye and I'm out the door in two minutes flat.  This month, though, I was host of Bunko night, which means I had people heading to my crib.  In that case, preparations were in order.  Check out the appetizer menu as well as the decor chosen for the party.

To begin,  I decided to make some pom poms to hang over the buffet.  Leslie made some cute ones for her wedding last year to hang at her wedding reception.  She and mom got pretty good at folding and fluffing.  Here are the easy steps to follow on how to make one, or you can go to the Martha Stewart website to find more pictures and detailed directions.

First, fold a bunch of tissue paper pieces (7-10) accordion style .  Look at that excellent folding technique!  


Once your pieces are folded then trace a a circular pattern at the edge of the paper.  (you can do points as well, depending on the look you want.)

Next, use scissors or an exacto knife to cut your pattern.

Before fluffing, tie a piece of wire around the middle of the tissue paper folds....then get fluffing.  Doesn't my Mom look fantastic? No poses for her.  She just looks pleasant when crafting.

And there you have the finished product.  Cute!


Now, hang them where you like.  Too bad this picture stinks!!!  I didn't realize.
 And on the table there are my little buffet bites.  I'll give you a closer look in the next few pictures.   

Here is the fruit dish.  So easy and so delicious. 


Followed by pizza dip with crisp french bread to spread it over.  This recipe is so easy.  I found it here.

Then there were the taco bites, which were too easy, and very delicious.  Check out the simple recipe here.
And, of course, the desert tray with s'more bars and scotcheroos.  The s'more bars are a bit time consuming to make, but they are so worth it.  Scotcheroos, on the other hand are super speedy to make and to die for.  The recipe is below.

And there you have it, a delicious bunko buffet.


This party was so simple to host because I chose easy to make items that were delicious to munch on, so go ahead and have a party, it doesn't have to involve bunko (but it would be fun), just be sure to make the menu a breeze so you can have some fun. 

The test nesters love having get togethers. What have you been up to lately? Any parties or summer barbecues? Let us know what was on your menu or what you plan to make.  We'd love to hear about it. 

Note: My mom also made homemade lemonade for the party, which was awesome, unfortunately I didn't get a picture of it, but check out a post of Leslie's to see how it looks and how to make it. 

Scotcheroos

Recipe courtesy of my Mom

1 cup of sugar
1 cup of light corn syrup
1 cup of creamy peanut butter
6 cups of rice crispies
1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup of butterscotch chocolate chips

In a sauce pan bring the sugar and corn syrup to a boil.  Take the mixture off of the heat and stir in the peanut butter until it is melted.  Add the rice crispies and stir until well mixed.  Pat them into a 9 by 13 pan.  For the topping, melt the semi-sweet and butterscotch chocolate chips in the microwave one minute at a time, stirring after each minute.  After the chips are melted, spread them over the rice crispy mix.  Let the scotcheroos harden and then eat up.  How easy is that? 


Sunday, June 19, 2011

Fresh Eggs & Peppery Bacon

by Erin

Is it just our family or do dads make the best breakfast?  When I go back home I can always count on my dad to make me whatever I want for breakfast: waffles, coffee cake, oatmeal, or my personal favorite, scrambled eggs.  I don't know what he does, but scrambled eggs always taste the best when my pops makes them for me.  That is why I thought I would dedicate this Father's Day post to my dad's best meal, eggs and bacon!

Last summer Max designed and helped build a chicken coop for our friend Garrison, and yes, he rents an apartment in the densely populated neighborhood of Albany Park, a true urban farmer he is.    Here are some pics of the designer chicken coop in progress.

Chicken coop in progress

The hens testing out their new home.
I think Max and Garrison could go into business designing and building upscale chicken coops, don't you?  Anyway, Garrison brought us over a dozen fresh eggs recently, so naturally we needed to make a farmer's breakfast of bacon and eggs.

Fresh eggs!

The scrambled eggs were prepared just like normal.  I whisked the eggs, salt, pepper, and a little milk together and then put them on a hot skillet.  If you ever doubted the power of fresh ingredients, I think buying farm fresh eggs at a farmer's market will sell you on them every time.  They are noticeably more flavorful and delicious than the eggs you buy in the store.  Oh man, I am wishing I still had some!

I opted for a little something different with the bacon though.  I restaurant I frequent when I head back to the capital city of Lincoln, Nebraska is Bread & Cup.  They have this delicious bacon that is coated with pepper.  I decided to give this version a whirl.  So I liberally coated both sides of the bacon with pepper then put it on a hot skillet.  The bacon cooks a little slower with the pepper on it, and the pepper also locks in the delicious bacon juices.  It turns out oh so good.  The bacon has a spicy kick to it and the texture is awesome.  This is a great way to change up regular old bacon.



So here it is folks, the easiest of breakfasts with a little punch from farm fresh ingredients and pepper.  Now the real question is, was it as good as my dad's?  Not a chance. . . 

Happy Father's Day, Pops and to the rest of you fathers out there!

Friday, June 17, 2011

Different Frame of Mind

By: Laura

 About two months ago, Derek and I hung a picture of our daughter on the wall and planned to put some other smaller frames next to the larger one.  My goal was to spend very little on the frames due to the fact that we spent quite a bit on the larger one, but I was having no luck.  I shopped our local Goodwill only to be faced with way too many ceramic cats.  I combed the clearance end caps at Target weekly, but always left empty-handed. It wasn't until last week that I found a couple of deals.
   I was in Hobby Lobby looking for some paper to create some crafts for a party I was having, (more on that in a later post) when I came upon four aisles of clearance items. They must have been clearing out the old and getting some new things in. (lucky for me!)  What I found there were these two obnoxiously ugly frames, but I had a vision for them (really!).

The frames were around two dollars each on clearance.




Live, glamour, inspire, so awesome.  Sorry 13 year old girl, you didn't get to Hobby Lobby fast enough! 


Nice diamond and gold effect.

I wanted to, of course, paint these lovely pieces, so I prepped them with a bit of sanding.

Then I started spray painting

And then I did some more spray painting.  It's pretty enjoyable, actually and so easy!

And low and behold I had the finished product.  I actually wanted to hang them both horizontally, but didn't have the right pictures to do so.  Maybe I will some time.

And that is that.  Two new frames for around five dollars.  You can't beat it.  So go check out the clearance aisle and see if you can find something ugly and make it lovely!  Have you already done so?  Please share you ideas or experience with the Test Nesters.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Going Green! Creamy Pesto Pasta and Enchiladas con Salsa Verde!

by Leslie

Hi all,

As you might know, I'm trying to get settled into my new home in Rochester, MN.  Although some things are different (i.e.  not having a job, not having cable, and a newly acquired accent), most things are the same.  I still feel the same midwest hospitality, the same weirdo weather that changes every five minutes, and the same stores I knew from home.

And the main thing that's the same right now?  Summer.  Oh yes, I do love summer.  The trees are green and lush, kids are outside playing, and you don't have to have an excuse to enjoy a cold beverage all the day through.  Because of this summer weather, I have noticed a change in my culinary point of view.  You guessed it from the title--green.  

I have been spending a bit more time on meals and that means that instead of just throwing together whatever it is I have at the time, I actually get to think about my menu.  One of our first "big meals" here in Rochester was Lucinda Scala Quinn's enchiladas with salsa verde.  Yum!  If you've not checked out LCQ's show Mad Hungry, you are missing out.  She has a thing for coming up with great easy meals that aren't boring.  She sometimes has her grown up sons on the show with her--she said they couldn't go off to college without knowing how to cook, and I think that should be true for all teenagers.  

So anywho, I decided to turn the volume up on these enchiladas by playing a little Latin music while cooking.  Then I decided to pick out a flick in Spanish to watch while we were eating (this totally backfired--apparently I have already seen all the films in Spanish that are worth viewing--there are some bad choices out there!)  Whether we had the film or not, though, we had to have Cokes from Mexico.  A glass bottle, sugar cane, culture--it all comes together to help create the perfect fiesta.  Here are some (horrible) photos from our little party!


These hot and delicious enchiladas are topped off with a cool green salad--it is  a great combo!

Needless to say, the food was the highlight of the evening thanks to my new food mentor, Lucinda Scala Quinn.

Other dreams in green:

Just yesterday, I was out on our little patio enjoying the view (little kids playing soccer on the field behind our apartment) and looked down to see my cheap-o basil plant from Trader Joe's.  It was flourishing!  I decided it was my day to make pesto.

I had never made pesto before, but had been trying to acquire the correct ingredients since I bought the plant.  I used my girl, The Pioneer Woman's recipe for the pesto, and adapted her Creamy Pesto Pasta recipe to our (somewhat lighter) tastes.

So, while watching some older episodes of The Voice, I got out my food processor and went to town.  I will say all in all, I was VERY happy with the turnout.  The pesto was most excellent.  I used milk instead of cream for the sauce and it turned out fantastico.  Too bad we ate it all.  This recipe is definitely a keeper for me.  And to my basil plant I say this:  "Thank you my dear friend.  And please don't die on me like all the rest of my plants."




So, in closing, let me say this.  Go green this summer.  Then, tell me how it goes.  Enjoy the sun!


Sunday, June 12, 2011

Summer to Do List...Part 1

Washing Windows
by: Laura

After today, I realized there are 22 windows in my house.  Why do  I know this random fact, you ask?  Well, I washed them all!  You may think, well, that's not all bad; you got your Windex out and went to it.  The fact is though, I'm not satisfied with Windex. Nope.  I needed to get down and dirty so I pulled out the vinegar, ammonia, water, and newspapers (what? oh, you'll find out) to create the perfect window cleaning elixir.  It was a lot of hard work, but when your house is bright and smelling fresh, you'll find it was all worth it!

To begin, get your supplies: ammonia, vinegar, towels, rags, and newspapers.



In a gallon sized bucket, add 1/2 cup of vinegar or so. 


A tablespoon of ammonia

Then fill up your bucket with water.

Find a dirty window.  (Yes, this was dirty, but it's hard to tell  in this picture.) And get to work!  


Step One: Use a wet rag with the vinegar, ammonia and water mixture on it to thoroughly clean the window.

Step Two: Wipe the window dry with a towel.

Step Three: Wipe the window with dry newspaper. This will prevent that pesky lent from forming on the window.  (Isn't that a cool trick?)

Finally, put your window back together if need be...


Or just imagine you're outside (it feels like it with these spotless windows!)


And that's it, you're finished.  You can cross one thing off the summer to do list.  (let me tell you, I love crossing things off the list!)  Let the test nesters know what's on your to do list this summer.  Do you have projects to do on your home or garden?  Maybe you're to do list involves relaxation or reading.  We'd love to hear about it.  There will be more to come on my summer to do list so be sure to check in all summer long.