Cucumber Subs

 

 I saw this idea on Pinterest, and immediately wanted to make it.

You will need:

• 1 cucumber
• Lunch meat (I used turkey)
• Veggie dip (I used a DELICIOUS Greek yogurt, cucumber, dill, and feta dip, but you could also try a seasoned cream cheese)

 Cut your cucumber in half, width wise, to make it manageable.  Then, cut each half in half length wise.  Scoop the seeds out with a spoon.

Add your turkey and dip

Put the halves together, and enjoy!  I will say, it's a little tricky to eat, so I might recommend putting turkey and dip on each side and enjoying it that way...  Delicious either way!  And so refreshing for lunch on a hot summer day. :)

Working Woman: Office Updates

My office before I made it mine

This week marks my third week at my new job working in human resources. It's been a bit of a whirlwind, but I think I'm finally settling in. To help settle in and feel more at home in my office, I picked up a few odds and ends:

I added this wall decal art to spruce up the plain walls (from Target)

A lamp to combat fluorescent light bulbs,
and a cluster of frames featuring Inga, John, and my parents

A plant, of course. 
Indirect light, minimal to moderate water needs makes this office friendly

A sunny mug for tea, some monogram post-its, and the coolest paper clips!

Baked Brie Tart

 

I think I'm going to just start coming up with as many variations of tarts as possible since they're so easy to make and SO delicious to eat :)

You will need:

• 1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed
• 1 wheel of brie (we used just over half of it)
• 1-2 pears, depending on size
• 1/3 yellow onion

Like the asparagus and goat cheese tart, you will need to score and perforate your puff pastry sheet:

Pre-bake your puff pastry according to the package directions.  While it is baking, slice and saute the onion until it is caramelized:

.... slice your pears (excluding the seeds and center):

.... and slice your brie as thin (or thick!) as you'd like:

By now, your pastry should be done pre-baking.  Take it out of the oven and cover it with the brie, the onions, and the pears in layers:

Bake for another 12-15 minutes until the pears are tender.

Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Bacon Cream Cheese Puffs

These are so good!!!  Warm and savory and creamy... I want some more right now!

You will need:

• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1/3 cup bacon bits (get the good kind, not the crunchy ones!)
• 1 package of crescent rolls

Preheat your oven according to the crescent roll directions.  In a bowl, combine the bacon bits and cream cheese until smooth and blended:

Then, roll out your crescent rolls and put a tablespoon or so of the cream cheese mixture in the center:

Pull the corners together and mush them down to cover the cream cheese center:

Bake for about 15 minutes, until they are golden brown:

Enjoy!!  For an extra kick, add some green onions, chives, or jalepeno.

New Uses for Nail Polish

Since I'm trying to quit biting my nails (with pretty good success!), I've bought a bunch of new nail polish lately.  All of the extra bottles that I'm sure I could never finish had me wondering what else I could use them for.  So, here's a little list of fun ideas:

1.  Stop a run in your panty hose (or tights).  Use clear polish.

2. Make custom bobby pins!  Use colored polish to match your outfit by coating a couple of bobby pins.  Just make sure you let them dry completely!

3.  Fix a chipped dish.  My mom has used this idea for years.  Simply find a polish that is a close match to the color that has chipped and dab it on.  No one's the wiser!

4.  Make some jewelry.  Use some jewelry tools or keep it simple by using washers from your work room.

Pendants made by Sweeter Lemon

Washer pendants made by Captain Crafty

5. Keep your fingers green-free.  You know those yucky green lines you get on your finger from some of your favorite rings?  Well, run a coat of clear polish around the inside of your ring and say goodbye to green fingers.

6. Color code your keys!  Pick a pair of polishes so you can quickly spot your house key, mail key, garage key, etc.

For stick-free drying, use a paper clip and the pages of a book to secure your key until it's done drying

Ta da!

Have any ideas to add to the list?

Oven Roasted Cabbage

 

Another find from Pinterest, this cabbage recipe is delicious and easy, just the way I like it!  The original recipe comes from Green Lite Bites.

You will need:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons bacon bits
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoons worcestershire
• 1 cabbage, quartered

Preheat your oven to 425.  Wash and quarter your cabbage.  Combine all the remaining ingredients in a small bowl.  Brush the mixture onto the cabbage quarters, wrap in foil, and bake for about 30 minutes, or until tender.

When we made this recipe, we only used half of a cabbage and saved half of the mixture.  We decided to use the remaining mixture to make a glaze for our chicken breasts. 

Simply cook your chicken in a frying pan.  Then when it is just done, add a tablespoon of honey on top of each breast, top with the leftover mixture, and allow the flavors to simmer together.  Serve with the roasted cabbage for a delicious and harmonious meal.

Enjoy!

DIY Sugar Cubes

I first ran across this idea on Pinterest (surprise, surprise) and it comes from a cute little blog called Nifty Thrifty.  It's super easy, doesn't take a whole lot of supplies, and makes the perfect gift for the host who has it all.

You will need:

• Silicone ice cube trays (I got mine at Ikea for just 97 cents!)
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• Small dish of water

 Using a teaspoon, add a bit of water to the sugar at a time, mixing it up to make a sugar paste.

Then, add a teaspoon of the paste to each ice cube opening, pressing it in firmly.

Let the sugar dry completely (at least a day) and gently pop the cubes out of their trays.  So cute!

Grilled Cream Cheese Sandwich

 

If you are looking for a new breakfast for the weekend, this is it!  So simple, but totally delicious.

You will need:

• 2 pieces of bread
• 2 ounces of cream cheese
• A handful of raspberries
• Margarine or spreadable butter

Butter one side of each of your pieces of bread.  Place one piece butter side down on a non stick pan and top with one ounce of cream cheese. 

Pack as many raspberries on top of the cream cheese as you can

Add another ounce of cream cheese over the raspberries. 

Top with your other slice of bread (butter side up).

Grill until each side is golden brown.

Enjoy!

Office Space

Our office (among many other areas of the house) is in need of a face lift.  Recently, I took one step in that direction by getting a new rug for the room.

Our old rug was scratchy, a bit too big for the space, seriously stained (Inga hit it right away as a tiny puppy), and just kind of dull. 

The new rug, from IKEA, is low pile but plush, and carries the color scheme that we seem to gravitate toward into yet another room of our home.

Close up of the pattern on the rug

Now, we just need to do something about the paneling... and the curtains... and the floor... :)