Welcome to Mumbai, Wisconsin

Okay, so I know the Indian food I make is not authentic in any way, shape, or form, but we do love it.  Our favorite Indian dish is Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani) with freshly made naan (Indian flatbread) alongside.


Living in fairly rural Wisconsin, I feel the need to continue to broaden my children’s world view on food, so I try to make something ethnic at least once a week. We recently had Butter Chicken over Farro, Naan, and Watermelon-Cucumber Salad.  It rocked. And I made enough chicken to put a meal in the freezer for the future.

The butter chicken recipe can be found at Tasty Kitchen.  Although the recipe calls for cooking it on the stovetop, I’ve also just put all the ingredients except the cream in the crockpot and it’s delish. Without heating up your kitchen.  This dish is not at all spicy, but you could make it so if you wished.

Naan

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
4 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)
1/4 cup butter, melted

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.

2. Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

3. During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.

4. At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill.

5. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes.
Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.  I cook mine on a cast iron grill pan inside, but it can be grilled outside, as well.

This is best served fresh off the grill, but it can be stored, wrapped tightly, then reheated in the microwave or oven.


This Cucumber Watermelon Salad is one of those happy accidents in the kitchen.  I needed a refreshing salad to go along with our Butter Chicken, and only had a couple of cucumbers so couldn’t make a cucumber salad.  I added watermelon, and it was exactly what I had in mind.

Cucumber Watermelon Salad

6 cups cubed seeded watermelon
4 small cucumbers, cubed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tablespoon white sugar (optional)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Place the watermelon and cucumber cubes in a large bowl, and gently toss with the salt, pepper, and sugar. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and toss to coat. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, then gently toss one last time before serving.

Click here to print recipes for naan and salad

Stamping on Soda Cans

Yes, if it doesn’t move, I’ll stamp it.  Actually, I’ve stamped on my hooligans cheeks for parades, so I guess that means I’ll stamp it even if it does move!

Way back before Christmas, I won an online giveaway at Northridge Publishing’s blog…some alphabet stamps for metal that I’d been craving.  And it’s a good thing I won them, since for Christmas, my GI Joe thought a cast iron grill pan was the equivalent of metal stamps.  Go figure.


Anyway, I needed some markers for the herbs in my Leaning Tower of Pottery that I made and posted about in May.


To make them, I first cut open a soda can (I used a seltzer water one so it wasn’t all sticky and needing to be washed).  I flattened it out a bit, then it was easy as pie to use the Modern Label punch from Stampin’ Up! to punch out a bunch of labels. 


Next I stamped the names of the herbs on the labels, using my letter stamps and a hammer. It’s pretty technical. Not really.  After stamping the names, I punched 1/8” holes in either end with my Crop-a-Dile.


For some, I used kitchen twine to tie them around the rim of the pot, but it was even easier to use bamboo skewers to make these stakes.  Please ignore the dying basil.  Apparently it’s not a great idea to leave your plants to thirst for water while you go on vacation.  But who knew it was never going to rain again in Wisconsin?

We’re just back from a two-week odyssey through Oklahoma and Colorado, so I’m planning a week filled with settling back into our summer routine.  Hope your week is fabulous, whatever you decide to do!

Linking up over at The Taylor House Thursdays
and 

Friendly Farewells

In this crazy military life we lead, we have become experts at saying, “See you later,” rather than goodbye.  Chances are, you’ll run into each other again somewhere, sometime.  Or at least you can pretend you will and avoid lots of tears.

Some of my favorite mementos are the hand-crafted gifts friends have given me as we PCS’d. (That’s a Permanent Change of Station, or a move to you normal, non-military types.) I always try to think of unique crafts that fit the friend to whom I’m giving the gift, and last year I made this for a longtime friend (whom I have been stationed with more than once, and plan to be again!).

I CASEd it from a Handmade magazine and it uses a sentiment from a Stampin’ Up! retired set.  I was mostly intrigued by these flowers and wanted to try them.  To make them, cut a rough, wavy edged circle about 2” in diameter (you can freehand it; it’s very rough).  Then cut a wobbly spiral into the center.  Again, rougher is better. Starting in the center, just roll it up. 

When one was rolled to my satisfaction, I put a dot of hot glue on a nonstick mat (or a nonstick pan will work) and stuck the rolled flower into it.  This is a pretty small piece.  I think the opening in the frame is only 3”x3".   It’s a great way to use up scraps of DSP, too.

I hope you don’t have to say goodbye to any amazing friends anytime soon, but if you do, here’s a way to send a little piece of you with them!

Creating with From My Heart

Hooray…I found time to ink up some more new stamps…and play with new accessories and paper!

All Stampin’ Up! supplies:  From My Heart stamp set

Very Vanilla cardstock; Natural Composition Specialty and Perfect Plum DSP

Perfect Plum, Pretty in Pink, and Lucky Limeade markers

Apothecary Accents and Labels Framelits; Framed Tulips Folder; Big Shot

Essentials Paper Piercing Pack

This card is a CASE of one on page 138 of the new 2012-13 Annual Catalog.  I just changed the colors because I had come up with this color combo while playing around with my Color Coach. 

If you don’t have one, it is an amazing tool.  All the colors Stampin’ Up! offers, with two suggested combos on one side and the other side is a solid swatch of that color.  And it’s only $14.95, with annual updates to add the new in-colors.

The From My Heart stamp set is quickly becoming a favorite of mine.  I love the vintage look, with contemporary sentiments using an excellent assortment of fonts.  I’m a sucker for fonts.  The Natural Composition Specialty DSP has glossy designs that feel as though you’ve embossed them. But you didn’t have to…how great is that?

Have a creative day!

Happy Independence Day!

[P]atriotism... is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.  ~Adlai Stevenson

As we celebrate our nation’s independence today, our family will hold in our thoughts and prayers all of those who have fought to ensure our freedoms, far too many of whom have made the ultimate sacrifice in their dedication to our country.  We've spent several July 4th's separated by deployment, and my heart is with those separated by deployment this year.

That's not to say we won't have a festive Fourth...it'll be filled with fun, family, and fireworks...and of course, food...maybe we'll even throw in a parade for good measure. I hope you and yours have a happy and safe Independence Day.

"America the Beautiful" is my favorite patriotic song, and here are my three favorite verses from it. You're free to hum along as you read it...so exercise your freedoms!

America the Beautiful

Words by Katharine Lee Bates,
Melody by Samuel Ward

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

Hooray for the USA…and Funnel Cakes!

Our family loves funnel cakes.  Oh, wait, that’s mostly me.  But that might be because I don’t share well. I generally decide whether a festival or fair is worth attending based on whether they have a funnel cake booth.  Really.  My GI Joe has even lured me to events with false funnel cake promises.

But no more wondering if my longing will be fulfilled, and at a cost of $5 or more (doesn’t that seem like a lot for a bit of fried dough and sugar?).  I can easily make these at home, and they’re just as delicious if not even more so. Oh, and bonus:  I can have one all to myself and not feel like a bad mom because I can’t share well.

And these are even the right colors for Independence Day!

Funnel Cakes

makes 8 (7”) cakes

·  about 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying

·  1 1/2 cups milk

·  2 eggs

·  2 cups all-purpose flour

·  1 teaspoon baking powder

·  1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·  1/2 teaspoon salt

·  3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

·  2 cups raspberries

·  2 cups blueberries or blackberries

1. In a small cast iron skillet, heat about an inch of oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. In a large bowl, beat milk and eggs together. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Stir into the egg mixture until smooth.  Pour batter into a gallon ziptop bag.

3. When the oil is hot, snip off the corner of the bag, making an opening about 1/2” in diameter.  Start from the center in a spiral, then back and forth a couple of times,  to make a 6 or 7 inch round. Fry on both sides until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and top with fresh berries.  Serve warm.

Indulge, and celebrate your freedom to do so!

Click here for a printable version

Most Delicious Raspberry Limeade

Now, don’t be hater, but I can’t stand limeades made with Sprite or 7-Up.  I’d rather have no limeade than those. The best limeades in the whole wide world come from Braum’s, a dairy and ice cream chain that’s found in Oklahoma and a little bit of Missouri, Arkansas, and Kansas. I think their limeades perfectly combine tart, fizzy, and a bit of sweetness with cherries and syrup.

When I was in college in Colorado, I’d try to time my drives back and forth to pass through Salina at a time that would justify a limeade, since it was my first or last chance, depending on my direction of travel.

On Fathers’ Day, I was trying to come up with a festive drink to have with dinner, and found a can of limeade concentrate in the freezer. Obviously I had forgotten to use it to make another pitcher of margaritas. 
Anyway, I combined it with 48 ounces of sparking water (made with my Sodastream…best Mothers’ Day gift ever, last year!) and about 1/4 cup raspberry syrup (the Torani kind, for coffee or Italian sodas).  It was perfect and tasted almost exactly like Braum’s Cherry Limeades. Wahoo!

To serve it, I poured it over ice in pint Mason jars.  I used a cupcake liner in place of the metal lid, and tightened the metal band to hold them in place. After poking an “x” with a small knife, I popped in some straws. 


While not spill-proof exactly, it made it easier on the kids…and harder on the bugs to get into our drinks on the deck!  That’s not an original idea, by the way…I saw it on Pinterest. But I did copy and execute it well, dontcha think?

Limeade is the perfect summer drink, I think…and who doesn’t love a pink, icy drink, that’s what I’d like to know?!