Dixie's Dragon

craving

Ooohh, look at this book...

Healthy Granola

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, but since I don't eat eggs or bacon (well, I try not to eat bacon) I am constantly looking for a healthy breakfast alternative which provides lots of protein. Soy isn't my bag either so tofurkey and the like don't work for me. Cereal for breakfast necessitates a hobbit-like need for a second breakfast around 9 or so. So, I came up with this granola recipe which when served with Stonyfield non-fat yogurt was delish and kept my pregnant tummy full until noon.

Healthy Granola

Raw oats, flax meal, chopped almonds, and wheat or oat bran in a mix you like to equal 4 cups or so

Frozen orange juice concentrate 2/3 cup or so

brown sugar 1/2 cup or so

vegetable oil -about 1/2 cup or so

Mix the liquids up in a measuring cup and slowly drizzle over the dry ingredients in a sheet pan until the mixture is crumbly, but not sticky.

Back at around 300 degrees for 30-45 minutes. After it cools add dried fruit (I added cranberries, yum)

 

beady eyes

I thought a spied a little face when I looked at and the email advertisement for a sale at Happy Mango beads and I did, I did,
you can get them here

French Kissing: Explained

My sweet little six year old and I were reading peacefully on Sunday when for some reason she told me she knew all about French kissing. Hmmm, I said, tell me about it. "well, you stick your tongues out and lick each other", hmm, I say, who told you that?  "Keira, told me" and she continues,"but I am not going to listen to her because she doesn't know anything about French people, but my daddy does, so next time he comes to school to have lunch with me, I am going to have him talk to her." Hmmm, I say, no, don't listen to Kiera.

Happy Valentines day everyone. Treat yourself to a visit to Cute Overload to celebrate.

dirty dishes

Cynthia Rowley's new line of plates, available at FishsEddy, aptly named dirty dishes. This will make your husband pay attention to your cooking.

And if your mind has totally gone blank on what to give your male significant other for the impending Valentines Day, you can get this at the same place.

 

My house is a shambles waiting for the floors in our downstairs to be elevated to a condition such that they are usable. They are concrete, so this is going to be an interesting project. Ivan is coming to diamond grind the glue and other ick left after removing scads of carpet which was more than a tad past its prime. Now, I am planning, the epoxy color and  pattern upon which will rest an Interface Flor area rug which is also under design. Next furniture, I am scoping out WestElm and Todd Oldham's furniture collection. Would show a before, but the floor is simply too hideous. For now, there is a sea of nasty glue covered floor between me and my craft closets. This is my current excuse for the lack of original craft projects. (but I did make soup and scones today)

hmmmm - interesting project?

I found this via Make  - it's a purse, made from, ahem, a bra. Instructions available at Craftbits:

I guess that your own anatomy will determine whether you make an evening or hobo bag???

I poked around Craftbits a bit and found these Fortune Cookie Gift Pockets that I thought were worth consideration.

I know you are probably wondering, "what the heck have you been making?". I haven't finished anything in what seems like ages. I have however, been cooking lots (mainly to satisfy my cravings) and working lots (lawyering is admittedly scads more lucrative than crafting, though not as fun). My craft room is totally under construction and I cannot get to anything without a hassle that is just not surmountable.

I am so inspired by Toni at Simple Sparrow. She is a crafting machine (and mother of five which blows my current excuse for paltry crafty due to pregnancy with #2). Not only is she a wonderful crafter, but a sweetheart. I received the most delightful birthday package today. A precious lime green (my fave color)Japanese handbag, some buttons, tea and book of needles (desperately needed). Thank you Toni! (picture is lame, sorry for the exposure)

A collage of goat cheese rounds at harley farms.  Yum.

Was anyone as appalled as I with the knee highs Madonna was sporting on the Grammys last night? I am awaiting for their encore appearance on Go Fug Yourself

I love love love these poppies and chickens via Grenouille Plus:

 

Valentines coming up...

Thanks to MeggieCat for this link to TheToyMaker which includes many lovely downloadable foldable toys for Valentines, like this one:

It's rainy and dreary and this about sums up the attitude in my house:

I detest football, so much so that I am actually physically incapable of watching a game without my eyes glazing over. If a guy has to wear a plastic protector over his manly equipment, then something is wrong with the nature of the game. I do watch the Superbowl for two very good reasons: 1. the commercials are innovative and hilarious and 2. it's  perfect excuse to eat foods normally unwelcome in this home. For example, Rotelle dip. Rotelle dip, yes, with Velveeta cheese -the most unnatural food product ever created, Rotelle tomatoes and chilis, jalapenos, cilantro (something healthy must be added) and corn chips. I can't wait.

Cookies and Wallpaper

As all my friends know, I have a voracious sweet tooth, which prompts me on many an evening to bake something to satisfy it. I also adore peanut butter, and firmly believe that anything with peanut butter included has a sufficient amount of nutrition to condone consumption in any amount.

These satisfy my peanut butter and sweet urge and are simply the easiest cookies ever. I modified a Gourmet recipe to come up with this. I monkey around with the cup of sugar: sometimes it is all brown sugar, sometimes all white sugar, sometimes a mixture, it works regardless of the combination. Although, if pressed I would say brown sugar in some quantity really makes the recipe work best.

Ingredients:

I cup sugar
I cup crunchy peanut butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
I egg  - lightly beaten.

To the beaten egg add the other ingredients. Roll dough into small balls and place on cookie sheet. Do the little thingy with the fork to smush them and make a criss cross pattern. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees.

I was perusing my SuperNaturale  newsletter this morning and saw this absolutely gorgeous wallpaper crafted by WookKim. 

 

This weekend, I read a book called One Thousand Days in Venice by Marlena De Blasi. I am not one for love stories, but I am one for food stories and this incorporates both in a stunning, mouth watering, page turning way. The story is peppered with fantastic visual analogies as well as recipes. Immediately upon completing the book (which I did within 24 hours of receipt) I tried the Pasta with Walnut sauce, which was lovely. If you are so inclined to try the recipe, add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese (Reggiano, not the fake stuff). 

I am having much fun reading a blog that I just discovered: Cute Overload. If you love animals, you will love this blog.