Let’s Have a Crafternoon – Washi Food Picks

February 5, 2020createcraft with kids, crafternoon, create, food picks, homemade gifts, washi crafts, washi tapearthurized Leave a comment

Washi picks are a fun way to dress up party foods and baked goods. This easy DIY project is perfect for crafting with kids; and quick enough to make for Valentine’s Day. If you’ve got twenty minutes, you can craft a set of food picks.

Here’s what you’ll need to make them:

Washi tape – I like to keep an assortment of widths, styles, colors and patterns on hand. (You never know when a crafting emergency will strike.)
Round wood toothpicks (lollipop sticks would work as sandwich picks)
Scissors

Optional supplies:

Micro pom poms
Tacky glue – I like this one

To make the flags, cut washi strips into approximately 3″ lengths. Carefully line up the ends of the tape so that the long sides are flush. Don’t worry about the ends, we’ll trim them later. Press the tape together until you are about .25″ from the center fold. Slide the toothpick into the fold and line the top of the pick with the top of the tape. Press to seal.

Without creasing the tape, gently fold the fly end of the flag from top to bottom. Snip the tape at an angle into the center to create the “v” shape.

There are so many ways to customize these by varying the flag shapes and sizes. Add a tiny pom pom to the top of the toothpick to create a little finial.

Create a double flag by combining narrow washi tapes.

Washi picks are not just for dressing up sweets and treats. They are equally cute on finger sandwiches and sliders. Gift a pack of handmade washi flags to a friend who loves to bake.

For more creative ways to dress up food, go here.

Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!

Copyright 2019-2021 © Arthurized Home – All Rights Reserved. This post is the original content of Arthurized Home. If you’re reading this on another site, it’s unArthurized.

Real Food Menu for Week of 2.2.2020

February 3, 2020meal prepclean food, gluten free, home cooking, meal prep, menu, menu monday, menu planning, real foodarthurized 1 Comment

We’re knee-deep in Arthur Birthday Season and had a super fun weekend of birthday prep and visiting with family. Pa Kettle has suddenly decided to be coy about his age, so he’s just telling folks that he is “forty-four more or less”.

With a busy weekend in the rear-view mirror and an even busier week ahead, we’re going back to the basics with several stand-by recipes. I’m excited to try the new recipe for Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potatoes.

Breakfast:

PBJ Overnight Oats – This tasty breakfast fuels our mornings with the familiar flavors of a PBJ sandwich.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/clean-eating-pb-j-overnight-oats/

Lunch:
The Bomb Paleo Chili – This recipe is a great way to get more veggies into your picky eater, especially if you grate them before cooking. (The veggies, not the picky eater.) We happen to like our veg, so no need for trickery. Don’t forget the special ingredient, cocoa powder. Delicious!
http://jennlosesit.com/the-bomb-paleo-chili/

Dinner:

Marinated Salmon with Garlic and Herbs – We love this simple supper and serve it over garlic and herb cauliflower rice, which Aldi carries in the freezer section.
https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/marinated-salmon/

Double Baked Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potatoes – New Recipe!
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/these-double-baked-chipotle-chicken-sweet-potatoes/

Chicken Pineapple Curry – So yum! Serve over brown rice or cauliflower rice.
https://www.5dollardinners.com/chicken-pineapple-curry/

Kale Salad with Apricots and Almonds – New Recipe! Pa Kettle shared this recipe with me. No, he didn’t make it. He received it in the mail and thought I would like it. It’s very similar to the Convert Kale Salad that we crave on a regular basis.
https://www.whatwouldcathyeat.com/2012/04/kale-salad-with-apricots-and-almonds/

Bowl of Doom – We’ll use up the rest of those sweet potatoes in this dish. This protein-packed Paleo dish would be equally good as a vegetarian meal, minus the beef.
http://www.vicariouslypaleo.com/bowl-of-doom/

Treat:
Superhero Muffins: Shalane Flanagan’s recipe packs a load of healthy ingredients into one muffin. This old favorite is doing double duty as fuel for training runs as well as the occasional treat. These freeze well, so I made a double batch.
https://runfasteatslow.com/blogs/news/superhero-muffins

Have a great week, Superheroes!

Real Food Dips for the Super Bowl

February 1, 2020Foodapple cottage cheese dip, buffalo chicken dip, honey mustard dip, ranch greek yogurt dip, southwest black bean diparthurized 2 Comments

I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know a thing about football. Truly. First down, blah, blah, offside, yada, yada. After twenty five years of marriage, I still don’t understand the game and it’s not for Mr. Arthurized Home’s lack of explanation. Bless him.

I can still enjoy the pageantry of the Super Bowl, though right? All the pre-game hoopla, tasty snacks and funny commercials. Now that I think of it, the commercials have been pretty lackluster the past few years. Love it, anyway. What better chance to spend an evening with friends and share some delicious eats?

Since you’re gonna need snacks, they might as well be tasty and healthy. Here are some (mostly) real food dips and spreads to make your Super Bowl get-together epic. All of these recipes are found here, I’ve detailed the changes that I made where applicable.

Honey Mustard Dip – Serve with fresh veggies and pretzels. This one is super quick, five minutes and you’re done!

Ranch Greek Yogurt Dip – Go a little easy on the garlic, if you’re not a fan. I used fresh dill and about 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Serve with fresh veggies.

Buffalo Chicken Dip – So good! I think the 1/4 cup of hot sauce is perfect, add more if you love heat and don’t need those taste buds. This dip is great with celery sticks or as a spread for crackers.

Southwest Black Bean Dip – I used a red bell pepper for that pop of color, and doubled the chili powder and lime juice. Serve with cucumber slices or tortilla chips. We like Late July or Simple Truth Organic, but any clean brand of chips will do the job.

Apple Cottage Cheese – I enjoy a good apple and cheese combo, but Mark wasn’t a fan of this one until it was blended smooth. Now he loves it. I doubled the cinnamon at his request.

Whether you’re a rabid fan or casual watcher of “game ball” as our niece called it when she was little, I hope your weekend is filled with friends, fun and oh yeah, football!

For other healthy and delicious dips, check out this post.

The cute football field towel is by Stonewall Kitchen and I found it here.

Gardening in Virginia – Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

January 29, 2020gardenbaker creek heirloom seeds, heirloom seeds, no dig garden, southern gardenerarthurized Leave a comment

With snow in the forecast, I’m doing a little garden planning and researching new varieties of plants. I’ll re-visit some trusty, old favorites and try a few that will be a bit of a stretch for this gardener. Thanks to a Christmas gift card from my sister, Anna, here’s what I ordered from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. (I’m not in partnership with them, I just like their products and think you will too!)

I’ve ordered from BCHS for several years now and have always been pleased with the quality of their seeds and the accuracy of order fulfillment. I can’t speak to their customer service response, because I haven’t needed them for any reason. Having said that, they seem to go above and beyond. Even the shipping materials are attractive and they included a fun surprise with my order.

Genovese Basil – This Italian classic has large leaves, perfect for summer salads, pasta sauces and pesto. It’s great for use in monsters, too.

Thai Holy Basil “Kaprao” – Tulsi tea is a favorite, so I’ll try my hand at dehydrating the leaves for caffeine free herbal tea. Holy Basil plant is insect repellent as well.

Marvelous Mix Mint – Can’t have enough of this! Mint attracts beneficial insects and repels pests. We like to add mint to cold drinks in the summer, and use it in salads like Ina’s tabbouleh. (I substitute quinoa for the bulghur wheat to make this gluten free.)

Yes, mint has a reputation for spreading aggressively, but we plant it in areas of the yard where it can run and we contain it by mowing.

Broad Leaf Sage – I’ve never grown sage before, but we like it dried in savory dishes like Turkey Herb Stuffing-Style Riced Cauliflower.

Milkweed – Pollinators love this stuff and we have a low area of the yard where this can self-seed and spread. My mother-in-law grew milkweed to attract monarch butterflies to her yard. These seeds are currently chillin’ in the fridge.

Giant of Italy Parsley – This herb is my absolute favorite, we use it in soups, salads, and as a garnish on chicken and fish dishes. Despite being an annual, it’s frost hardy. This picture was taken in mid-January, the last of the harvest.

Mary Washington Asparagus – I’m going where gardeners fear to tread with this one. I have no experience growing asparagus, and we don’t have the rich soil for it, but I’m going to give it the old college try. I’ll amend our Virginia clay soil with loads of compost and manure. Note to self: Choose the right spot for this plant, it could grow for 20 years there.

Gypsy Sunshine Marigold – While I don’t enjoy the scent of marigolds, they are almost universally beneficial companion plants. We’ll intersperse these beauties throughout the garden and herb garden.

Munstead Strain Lavender – Ditto on the lavender. I don’t care for the scent, but it’s a solid companion plant, pretty to look at and tasty to eat.

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds sent a pack of surprise seeds with my order – Dark Purple Opal Basil. The packaging features a fetching hipster dude wearing a basil fascinator tucked behind his right ear. If I’m not mistaken, that means he’s available and approachable. I’ll leave that to you, single ladies.

I’m excited to try this variety, and I have no doubt this basil will grow beautifully in the herb garden.

I can’t wait to get my hands in the dirt. Now, it’s your turn! What are you looking forward to planting this year?

Real Food Menu for Week of 1.26.2020

January 27, 2020meal prepclean food, easy meals, gluten free, home cooking, meal prep, menu, menu planning, real food, weekly menuarthurized Leave a comment

Ever since we deep-sixed our microwave, we’ve done a lot of our cooking in this toaster/convection oven. Because this little dude is more energy efficient than our full size oven, we’ve realized $20+ monthly savings on our power bill. It’s large enough to bake a 12″ pizza, and doesn’t heat up the kitchen like the full-sized oven does. I guess that’s not really a bonus this time of year, but we appreciate that benefit during warmer months.

Breakfast:
Healthy Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal – So good. Don’t skimp on the cinnamon!
https://www.erinliveswhole.com/healthy-carrot-cake-baked-oatmeal/

Lunch:
Cauliflower Pizza – Here’s an old favorite made Mediterranean diet friendly by loading it up with veggies. I made two pizzas, so that Mark can have his favorite, pepperoni.
https://thestonesoup.com/blog/2016/09/27/cauliflower-pizza/

Dinner:

Carb Buster Breakfast – We love breakfast for dinner and this vegetarian meal is a satisfying, savory option!
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/carb-buster-breakfast-2324125

Chicken and Rice Soup – New Recipe! I’m subbing canned coconut milk for the evaporated milk. Don’t worry, the coconut adds creaminess, not coconut flavor.
https://www.spendwithpennies.com/chicken-rice-soup/

Chop Chop Fresh Veggie Salad – Do you crave fresh veggies in the winter, like I do? This is so refreshing.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/chop-chop/

30 Minute Mustard Glazed Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
https://unsophisticook.com/baked-chicken-thighs/

Snacks: Popcorn (can’t stop, won’t stop), apple slices with cheddar, carrots with roasted red pepper hummus

Treat:
No Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip – This is one of those 10% treats. Minus the chocolate chips, this recipe is processed sugar-free. We use these stevia sweetened chocolate chips. Hubs eats his with gluten free cookies, I’m having mine with apple slices. We sampled this dip with gluten free pretzels, and that’s a tasty combo as well.
https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/09/27/new-recipe-sugar-free-cookie-dough-dip/

What’s cooking in your kitchen? Have a great week, everyone!

Gardening in Virginia – Seed Savers Exchange

January 22, 2020gardengarden, garden planning, no dig garden, seed order, seed savers exchange, seedsarthurized Leave a comment

My seed orders are in! Each Christmas my sister is so kind to send us a gift certificate to Seed Savers Exchange. I love to see what’s new each year and order seeds that we couldn’t source locally. (This post is not sponsored by Seed Savers Exchange. I simply enjoy their products and I think you might too!)

We’re long-time customers of Seed Savers Exchange and have been very pleased with the selection and quality of their seeds. I’ve never interacted with customer service, because the orders have always been accurately fulfilled.

I love that SSE shares the history behind the seeds. To think that some of these seeds were handed down within families for generations or tucked away and forgotten for decades!

Delaway Kale – We buy a ton of organic kale and use it in salads and soups all year long. I chose this variety because it is a fall crop with relatively smooth leaves. (I don’t enjoy the texture of curly kale; it’s like munching on a Brillo pad) As a bonus, this kale has an Irish provenance.

Bouquet Dill – We use dill when it is in season and freeze it for use in salads and dips, especially tzatziki.

Diamond Eggplant – I haven’t grown eggplant in several years, but I love it studded with garlic and roasted or in my favorite roasted eggplant dip.

Sea Shells Cosmos Mix – I chose this because it’s pretty! These little sun-lovers tolerate poor soil and drought. I’ve never grown cosmos before, but I have a few bare areas of the yard to beautify.

Petite Yellow Watermelon – This little icebox variety is just right for a family of two. Watermelon is our go-to summertime dessert, we just can’t get enough.

Red Velvet Lettuce – Let’s get real, I chose this for it’s bold color. How pretty will this be on the plate?!

Winter Density Lettuce – Cold tolerant, slow to bolt, imported from England; what’s not to love?

Parris Island Cos Lettuce – In addition to kale, we go through a ton of romaine around here. I’m interested to see if this variety will tolerate a little late spring heat.

Glass Gem Corn – So, my sister Anna bullied me into buying this seed. Just kidding, she said I should give it a try. And I figured, why not? Mark has experience growing corn, although we’ve never dried it for popping. We’ll give it a whirl. Gardening is one giant experiment, right?

What are you planting this year?

Real Food Menu for Week of 1.19.2020

January 20, 2020meal prepclean food, gluten free, home cooking, meal planning, meal prep, menu monday, real foodarthurized Leave a comment

Monday means it’s time for another menu filled with easy to prepare real food! As always, my menus are gluten-free and most importantly, tasty!

Cottage Collectibles – Miniature Log Cabin

January 17, 2020Collectdollhouse miniature, folk art, handmade, log cabin, miniaturearthurized Leave a comment

Before we were married, I told Mark that when we’re retired I’d like to have a cabin in the woods and a cottage at the beach. That way we can enjoy each location, and alternate between them when the tourists get annoying.

Many years ago, we were browsing a new consignment store and wandered into the children’s section. Mark pointed out this little log cabin and said “There’s your log cabin. I’ll buy it for you today.” We laughed and then went over to inspect it. It was filled with a jumble of furniture and household items.

As we looked at the construction of the cabin, it became very clear that someone lovingly built this from scratch. It is more folk art than a scale miniature.

The stairs are wonky, the shingles are enormous, there are pencil markings where the builder notched the logs and a few adhesive smears on the windows. Nothing is to scale, and there are large holes drilled in the back for nightlight bulbs.

I like to imagine that Grandpa made this for the grandkids to enjoy. I had to have it.

For $35, we brought it home and cleaned it up. I used nail polish remover to clean the adhesive from the window glass. The chimney was covered in what looked like aquarium gravel. Little bits fell off every time we moved it, so I scraped all that off. I plan to add stone that is more to scale.

I added dollhouse miniature wood floors and covered the plywood ceilings with embossed paper to mimic tin panels. With doors that are 4″ high, it’s somewhere between 1:24 and 1:18 scale. It can be a challenge to find furnishings that fit because it is not a standard size.

The roof lifts off, and the 2nd floor lifts out to access the first floor. The only other access is through the tiny doors.

I gave the furniture a coat of paint, and painted the kitchen hutch to resemble our Hoosier cabinet.

When our nieces and nephews were little they loved to play with the furnishings and decorate it for the holidays. They’re now teenagers and young adults with no interest in the log cabin. I guess it’s up to me to carry on their important work!

I found some new miniatures in my advent calendar, so I have a few tiny projects to make for the log cabin. I love coming home from work in the evening and seeing the warm glow of the log cabin with the lights on. So cozy.

Eradicating Japanese Stiltgrass – The Saga Continues

January 15, 2020gardenhome gardener, japanese stiltgrass, weed control, winter gardenarthurized 1 Comment

This past October at Go Outside Festival, I spoke with two lovely, master gardeners about our little (okay, massive) Japanese Stiltgrass invasion. They each used two different methods of controlling stiltgrass in their own gardens.

One of the ladies used a pre-emergent herbicide. This product creates a barrier in the soil to prevent stiltgrass seed from germinating. In our U.S. planting zone (7), you apply the herbicide in late December and again in early April. There are two options, granular and a liquid concentrate. The granular is broadcast and needs moisture to activate. The liquid is diluted with water and sprayed on.

Once the product is dry, it’s safe for pets and people to re-enter the area. (But I probably would wait a few extra days just to be safe.) Always use common sense and do your homework before trying a new product in your landscape.

While Prodiamine controls chickweed, dandelions and other common weeds, the master gardeners assured me this product will not kill turf grasses and other desirable plants. If you apply the herbicide in spring, wait until fall to put down grass seed.

A patch of Japanese Stiltgrass in our woods.

The other master gardener is using the time-tested method of hard work and vigilance to remove her stiltgrass. She was not comfortable with using an herbicide, so she is hand-pulling this invasive weed. She admitted to having a much smaller property, and scourge of stiltgrass than the first lady.

The pre-emergent gives me pause. I really don’t like the idea of using it on our property, but I also don’t see how we’ll get rid of the stiltgrass without it. I think for now we’ll stick to weed-eating the wide swaths of stiltgrass in our woods, and hand-pulling it from our banks and lawn. My back aches just thinking about that; but I have to remind myself how truly terrible this stuff is.

In happier news, I present to you the best gardening gloves ever! Seriously, these are so good. My mother-in-law gave these to me about 15 years ago, and they finally developed a hole after years of heavy use. The perfect gift for the gardener in your life. If that’s you, treat yourself!

I’ll leave you with a pretty picture, because all those brown weeds are just depressing. Spring is right around the corner!

Real Food Menu for Week of 01.12.2020

January 13, 2020Cottagecharcuterie, clean food, gluten free, home cooking, meal plan, meal planning, menu, menu monday, real foodarthurized Leave a comment

One of my goals for the new year is to reduce food waste (and hopefully food costs) by doing a better job of meal planning. Wasting produce is a huge pet peeve of mine. I suppose composting it gives it a second life, but it’s not what I intended.

We received this compost bin at Christmas and I just love it. We previously kept our kitchen scraps in a bowl and emptied it every day. Now we can get away with emptying every few days because the filter eliminates any odors. Yay!

Breakfast:
Blueberry and Raspberry Baked Oatmeal – This recipe is an old favorite. Perfect for using up a few bananas that are heading into banana bread territory. We like it with a little coconut milk on top.
https://www.sohowsittaste.com/blueberry-raspberry-baked-oatmeal/

Lunch:
Slow Cooker Cabbage Soup – New Recipe! Tastes like a cabbage roll without all that work. The recipe says it yields 12 servings. Um. Maybe if you’re feeding tiny people, or consider a cup of soup a serving? This makes 8 nice bowls of soup.
https://www.veggiebalance.com/cabbage-roll-in-a-bowl-slow-cooker-recipe/

Dinner:

Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup – New Recipe! – Very likely the most monochromatic meal we’ve ever had, but tasty nonetheless. We’re having this with Brazilian cheese bread on the side.
https://cookieandkate.com/creamy-roasted-cauliflower-soup-recipe/

Mediterranean Chicken with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Artichokes and Capers – New Recipe! UPDATE: This meal was not only visually unappealing, it had a sharp acidity which neither of us enjoyed. And we don’t shy away from acidity around here.
https://juliasalbum.com/mediterranean-chicken-sun-dried-tomatoes-artichokes/

Pickety Bits – Unfamiliar? It’s a charcuterie board, a grazing board, or whatever the trendy name for it is today. I prefer ‘pickety bits’. Essentially, you just arrange your favorite snacks on a serving board or platter and call it dinner. My kind of cooking. This is best made for a low-key evening; great for game night.

Turkey Herb Stuffing Style Riced Cauliflower – This isn’t a new recipe, I just forgot to take pictures of it! We’ll throw some turkey cutlets in the crock pot to serve with this delicious side.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/cauliflower-stuffing/

Snacks:
Clementines, Bananas, Bell Peppers, Cucumbers and Hummus, Popcorn
Rinse and repeat (we never tire of this).

Treat:
Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondies – Here’s a fun fact about Mr. Arthurized Home: He hates chickpeas. But he LOVES these little babies. We like them with these chocolate chips.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/chocolate-chickpea-blondies/

Thank you for taking time to read here! Have a great week!

Arthurized Home

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: