Turkey Noodle Soup Express

 

Monday, I showed you Granny's noodle recipe, and today I've got a turkey noodle soup that you can use those homemade noodles in!

You will need:

• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
•  Dash of pepper
• 1 medium carrot, sliced
• 1 celery rib, sliced
• 1/2 cup uncooked medium egg noodles
• 1 cup cooked turkey

Now, full disclosure, I love the veggies and my carrots were looking a little scrawny, so I tripled my carrots and doubled the celery :)  .... and I probably added more turkey and noodles than called for, too. Haha!  At any rate, however much you add, this is a tasty soup :)

Add the chicken stock, pepper, carrots, and celery to a large pot and bring to a boil.

Add the turkey and the noodles, and continue to cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the noodles are tender.

Spoon it out and eat it up!  Yum!

Homemade Noodles

Happy Monday!  I had quite the weekend!  We made a trip to a really great off-leash dog park where you can hike around with your dog along the Mississippi River.  We also went to a musical put on by our alma mater, and I bought lots and lots of craft supplies.  I'm gearing up for some major DIYs!  I also tried my hand at making homemade noodles from my Granny's recipe:

For about 10 ounces of noodles, you will need:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 1/4-1/2 cup water

Put the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the center.

Add the salt, baking powder, vegetable oil, yolks, and egg to the well.

Mix together, adding water bit by bit until the mixture forms a ball.

Turn the ball out onto a well floured surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic, about ten minutes.

Cover the dough and let it rest for another ten minutes.

Divide the dough into four equal parts and roll them out paper thin.

Place the sheets on a towel and allow to dry for 20 minutes.

Using a pizza or pastry cutter, cut your pasta as desired.

Separate the pasta and allow to dry for another 2 hours. Store in the freezer to prevent the noodles from sticking together.

On Wednesday, I'll be sharing another Granny recipe featuring these noodles :)  Hopefully I made them correctly and they cook up deliciously!

Granny's Household Hints

 

I was digging through Granny's recipe box, looking for some fun new dishes to try, when I found this gem waiting to be discovered and shared:  Household Hints!

1.  Rust on Linoleum:  If you have rust on linoleum (which we do!  Inga's dog bowls rusted on the kitchen floor), lemon juice will remove the rust from linoleum.

2.  Fruit Stains: Rub powdered borax on fruit stain.  Then pour boiling water through the fabric before washing.

3.  Iodine for scratches in furniture.  This hint is super helpful to us because... Inga locked herself in the bathroom the other day!  So, of course, we have scratches all over our bathroom door.  Now I know how to hide them :)

4.  (My favorite household hint) Spots on Wallpaper: Use a paste of cornstarch and water to remove grease spots.  Let it remain on the spot until dry and then brush off. 

Why do I love this hint so much?  Well, it's marvelously dated.  One, not many people use wallpaper these days let alone wallpaper in rooms that you're likely to get a grease stain on the wall (the kitchen, the garage?).  But, if you have a wallpapered bedroom and your lotion gets a mind of its own and splurts on the wall, you'll know what to do!

DIY Magnetic Bookmark

 

We have our book club meeting again tomorrow!  I love having book club, and it always motivates me to make little book related goodies.  Today, I've got a DIY bookmark.  I still love my heart felt bookmark, but since I'm reading a few different books all at once, I can never have too many book marks :)

The great thing about this project is that the fabric needed is such a small amount that you can use up some of the tiny, otherwise useless scraps left over from old projects.  (I used a scrap of fabric that was used years ago by my grandmother to make some clothes for my mom.)

You will need:

• Scrap fabric
• Needle and thread (or a sewing machine)
• 2 Thin, small magnets

Cut your fabric down to size, using your magnet size as a guide.  The magnets will sit nestled in the fabric, so you should cut your fabric twice as wide as the magnet, plus 1/8 inch for your seam.  Mine ended up being about an inch and a half by four inches.

Fold your fabric in half, length-wise and inside out, and sew down the open side and one of the ends, either with a sewing machine or by hand (if you're sewing by hand, I recommend a running back stitch).

Use a pencil to help turn your fabric right side out.  Then, slide your first magnet in all the way to the bottom of the pouch/tube.  Run a quick couple stitches to secure your first magnet in the bottom of the bookmark.

Then, slide your second magnet in and sew the top of the bookmark closed.  You can fold the ends in and stitch it up neatly, but I kind of like an overly obvious stitching in a contrasting color.

Finally, slide your second magnet up to the top as far as it will go and run a few quick stitches to secure it in place.  The bookmark will hug your page and keep your place for you!

So, what are you reading?

Shoe Makeover

I have had these shoes since I visited Spain, the summer after my junior year of college.  I bought them there, but sadly haven't gotten much use out of them.  They seem a little... drab.  Plus, the straps are falling to pieces!  I thought that a facelift might make them better fit into my wardrobe.

I bought some new straps (identical to the old), and some fabric paint.  I thought a deep blue would give them a nautical touch. 

On a whim, I sewed on a pair of vintage buttons to the front.  I think they turned out quite cute!

I think this would be so fun to do to a pair of scuffed up Keds, or any canvas shoe, to breathe new life into them.  All you need is shoes, a paint brush, and fabric paint.  Can't you just imagine a cute oxford pattern painted onto a plain pair of canvas sneakers? :)  Happy Monday!

Rice Cake Sushi

This is so tasty and light; it makes a perfect snack or light lunch.  Though, is it sushi if it doesn't actually have fish?

You will need:

• Avocado
• Rice cakes
• Cucumber
• Sesame oil

Mash up the avocado and spread it onto the rice cakes.  Then drizzle a few drops of sesame oil and top with sliced cucumber!

So yummy, crunchy, and crisp :)  Hope you all have a terrific weekend!  As for me, tonight we're celebrating Valentine's day with dinner out at Spasso.  This weekend, we'll be rock climbing, of course :)

Pearl Necklace Update

 

Need something pretty to wear for Valentine's day?  This is a quick and easy way to put a twist on a classic strand of pearls.  I went with blue because I really love this brooch, but pink ribbon and a gold brooch would be beautiful for a romantic Valentine's dinner date :)

You will need:

• Pearl necklace (it's best if it's on the shorter side, but a longer strand could be twisted up too)
• Ribbon
• Brooch
• Scissors

Fasten the pearl necklace and tie the middle of the ribbon over the clasp.

Then, tie the ribbon to the middle of the pearls and make a bow.

Trim the ends of the ribbon to prevent fraying.

Affix your brooch to the necklace to cover the knot.

Voila!

I hope all of your Valentine's days tomorrow are wonderful!!