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Succulents Galore!

Last year, I shared my love of terrariums and made 4 tropical terrariums that thrive in enclosed containers with high humidity (check out Terrariums Galore! for all the details).  My heart really belongs to the Succulent variety, so I have made 4 more open-container terrariums and have literally filled every corner of my house.

Succulents Galore!

Succulents Galore!

Succulent Terrarium

Succulents thrive in dry conditions and need an open container, whereas tropical plants do better in high humidity and are best suited for a terrarium with a lid.  Select your container and plant varieties accordingly.  To create more eye-catching levels and dimension in your arrangement, choose succulents in a variety of sizes, colors and shapes.

Supplies:Succulents Galore

  • glass or solid container without a lid
  • washed gravel
  • cactus potting soil
  • sand and/or decorative rocks
  • succulents

Assembly:

Layer the washed gravel at the base of the container.  Next, fill in with cactus soil, leaving room for the succulents.  Plant each one carefully, making sure there is plenty of soil between the roots and gravel layer.  Arrange sand or place a few decorative rocks around the plants for a finishing touch.

Succulents Galore   Succulents Galore   Succulents Galore   Succulents Galore

Care:

Place the terrarium in a spot with plenty of indirect sunlight and water lightly about every other week, or as needed.  Over-watering can cause the plants to rot, but this desert variety does need water to survive.  The gravel will help with drainage, but avoid having a large amount of water sitting in the gravel layer which could cause too much humidity to build up in the container.

Succulents with White Sand

Succulents with White Sand

My new succulent terrariums are happily grouped together, and soaking in plenty of light from the adjacent dining room window.

These are a great alternative to fresh-cut flowers, which are pricey and die far too quickly.  I had all of the glass containers on hand, and spent about $50 in total for the plants, gravel, sand and soil to make 4 terrariums.

I love having living arrangements to add color and life to my home with very little maintenance   My husband was happy to hear that these terrariums would be replacing the need for fresh-cut flowers and for the cost of 2 bouquets, we could have 4 terrariums to last all year (and hopefully longer if I keep up my green thumb).  Of course, he referred to my idea of saving money by spending money as ‘women logic’, but that’s beside to point…

New Terrarium with the Old

New Terrarium with the Old

My very first terrarium, which I made over 2 years ago is still alive (after quite a few scares due to repeated over-watering and sometimes under-watering).  I grouped it with a tall cylinder vase with a succulent variety that will continue to grow up and out the top.  I can’t wait to see how my new plants will grow!

I’m obsessed!

Gluten-Free Italian Meatballs

Last week, the Hubby and I officially purged our cupboard and fridge of all items laden with wheat and gluten.  We are determined (for once) to stick to a diet of mainly organic fruit, vegetables, and protein.  Wish us luck!

Tonight, we were craving spaghetti and meatballs.  Using spaghetti squash instead of pasta is an easy swap, and we were pleasantly surprised with how light and moist these experimental gluten-free meatballs turned out!  We threw in a little bit of this and that, and ended up with the best meatballs we’ve ever made.

Gluten-Free Italian Meatballs

Gluten-Free Italian Meatballs

You can check out my Pesto ‘Spaghetti’ Squash & Prawns recipe for instructions on cooking a spaghetti squash.  For this weeknight meal, I simply doctored up an organic bottled marinara sauce with a little extra garlic, onion, red wine, diced tomato and italian seasoning, and after cooking the meatballs, they went for a quick dip into the marinara pool before getting smothered over the spaghetti squash.  I’ll have to save my spaghetti sauce from scratch for another post.

Gluten-Free Italian Meatballs:

makes 18, 5 min prep time, 25 minutes cook time

3/4 lb. ground beefalo
1 lb. ground chicken
1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
2 eggs, whisked 
1/4 medium sweet yellow onion, finely chopped
2/3 cup canned garlic & basil diced tomatoes, strained
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
2 tsp italian seasoning
1 1/2 tsp sea salt (to taste)
1 tsp finely ground pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
pinch of red pepper flakes (to taste)
2 tbsp ketchup
 

 Preheat oven to 350°.  Combine the ground beefalo meat and ground chicken in a bowl.  Add the almond meal, parmesan, and whisked eggs and stir until both meats are well incorporated.  Stir in all remaining ingredients, leaving the ketchup aside.  Form 1 1/2 to 2 inch meatballs and place on a foil lined baking sheet.  Place in a 350° oven for 20 minutes, and flip them over half way through.  Increase the temperature to 400° and using a basting brush, coat the top of each meatball with ketchup.  Remove once they reach an internal temperature of 160°, about 5 more minutes.

Toss them in your favorite marinara and enjoy!

 
 
 
 
 

Banana-Nutella Sandwich ‘Pops’

I’m not sure why it took me this long to discover Nutella, but I just bought my very first container of the delightful chocolate-hazelnut spread this week.  I’ve tried it over the years, at a friends house or in a restaurant dessert, but have always refrained from keeping it as a pantry staple (apparently many others do).  Of course, my 3 year old son was very happy about my recent purchase, so I decided to make a little treat for him today.  Kids go crazy over anything in a ‘pop’ form, so that’s what I did.

Banana-Nutella Sandwich 'Pops'

Banana-Nutella Sandwich ‘Pops’

Banana-Nutella Sandwich ‘Pops’:

makes 6 
 
1 ripe banana 
2 slices whole wheat bread
2 tbs Nutella
6 lollipop sticks

Using a 1″ biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter, cut out 12 circles from the wheat bread (toast the bread for an extra warm crunch).  Cut the banana into 1/2″ thick slices, spread the nutella on two bread rounds and sandwich the banana slice in between.  Press the lollipop sticks through the mini sandwiches and serve.

Assembly was a pinch on these yummy morsels!  They were the perfect Sunday afternoon snack, but would also be a hit for any kids party.

'Pops' to Share

‘Pops’ to Share

Simple Tablescape & Floral Centerpiece

For years, my Mom has impressed me with her ability to pull together floral arrangements in a variety of vases; big, small, low and tall.  I have known that she used a floral frog in some of her arrangements, and she even gave me one years ago, but somehow I never pulled it out until now.  Its sharp spikes were intimidating, and I always imagined using it would be complicated and most likely painful.  I was so wrong, the ‘frog’ has changed my floral arranging life!

Floral Centerpiece

How To Use a Floral Frog:

  • Place the floral frog in the bottom of your vessel and use floral tape to adhere it to the bottom
  • Cut flowers to desired length and stick the base of each stem into the frog, starting at the center and working your way outward
  • Cover the frog with decorative rocks and fill the vessel with water, ensuring the base of the stems are submerged

The floral frog pictured can be purchased on Amazon.com.  The one my mom handed down to me has more spikes than this one, but I’m sure it will do the trick.

For Thanksgiving this year, I kept the table setting simple.  I’ve never been one to enjoy holiday themed color schemes, or a lot of color in general.  Instead of using typical fall colors and leaf patterns on my Thanksgiving table, I used a more neutral color palette and added Thanksgiving flair with a Thankful Tree  and Golden Pumpkins (left over from Halloween) adjacent to the dining table.  The floral centerpiece was the star of the table.  That, and the place cards, helped to break up the neutral tones.  Simple and elegant, but still casual enough for everyone to relax and enjoy themselves.  No need to worry about staining a fancy tablecloth or breaking the china.

Simple Tablescape

Thankful Tree

I am truly thankful for my wonderful family, who filled my house with love and laughter this Thanksgiving.   Have you thought about what you’re thankful for this year?  It’s never too late to give thanks. . .

Over the years, I have seen many variations of ‘wishing trees’ and ‘thankful trees’ and thought it was time to create one of my own.  This was such a simple way to decorate for Thanksgiving.  It also served a very meaningful purpose to allow the family to share what they were thankful this year.

Thankful Tree

Supplies:

  • Large Twigs- I got mine for less than $7.00 in the floral department at the Market, or you can cut from a tree in your yard
  • Decorative Paper cut into leaf shapes- I made a template to get a uniform shape and used three different papers in the same color scheme
  • Thread or String to attach the leaves- I used thread and created a hole in the top of each leaf with a needle for a more discreet look
  • Vase & Decorative Rocks- Make sure to weigh down your vase with decorative rocks if your twigs are top-heavy 

Give Thanks. . .

My favorite thankful quote was from my Mom.  She wrote: “I am thankful for the family Thanksgiving traditions that my Mother and Mother-In-Law ingrained in us”.

Over the years, we have held onto many family traditions, and as our family has grown and extended, we have taken on new ones as well.  We are all creatures of habit, and the traditions that have been handed down can extend the legacy of those that started them and are no longer here to share in the joy they bring.

Pumpkin Heads & Spooky Bats

Growing up, I didn’t carve pumpkins like most kids.  Our family tradition was creating silly faces on pumpkins using vegetables and gourds.  These are super fun to make and I think they’re much more kid friendly for the younger trick-or-treaters.  They would also be great for decorating a children’s Halloween party, or as a party activity.

Pumpkin Heads

Halloween just isn’t the same without these funny pumpkin-heads on my porch.

Pumpkin Heads

There are endless possibilities for decorating a pumpkin-head, but I try to stick to heartier vegetables that will withstand the weather, and hold well with a toothpick.

I typically use a variety of kale or collard greens for hair.  For this one, I found Chinese Long-Beans at the market that made a great dreadlock hairdo.  It’s become  slimy over the last couple of weeks, which is perfectly fitting for this spooky holiday.  I usually try to make these no more than 2 weeks before Halloween, any longer than that and the vegetables start shriveling and falling off.

Pumpkin Heads

Pumpkin-Head Tips:

  • Use hearty vegetables
  • Poke toothpicks into the pumpkin, leaving the other half out to skewer through the vegetable
  • Use a thimble to push in the toothpicks (don’t poke your finger)
  • Eyeballs:  Use mushrooms, radishes, potatoes, beets, or zucchini, and layer them up for more dimension
  • Nose:  Use funky gourds, carrots, parsnips, mini pumpkins, or peppers
  • Lips:  Use red peppers, carrots, or beets, and create sharp teeth with a slice of mushroom or potato cut into a zig-zag
  • Ears:  Use baby carrots or radishes
  • Hair:  Use kale, collard greens, or Chinese long beans, and attach with discretely placed toothpicks

Spooky Bats:

Last year, I made these little bats from a template found on MarthaStuart.com.

Spooky Bats

I used black construction paper, and hung them with clear wire and thumb-tacks.  They were very easy to make and have lasted 2 years!  They held up great outside (under a covered porch), but would also be perfect for inside party decorating.

There are two sizes and best of all, the template is free!  You just download and print.

Happy Halloween!

Golden Pumpkins

Halloween is fast approaching, which means it’s time for Fall decorating.  This year, I painted golden pumpkins and gourds for a simple table centerpiece.

Golden Pumpkins

These pretty pumpkins couldn’t have been easier.  I used masking tap to cover the stems and 2 coats of spray paint, allowing some dry time between each coat.

Table Centerpiece

I found the Rust-Oleum Metallic Paint & Primer in One, in ‘Champagne Mist’ at Home Depot for about $7.00.  It covered well and dried pretty fast too.

Golden Pumpkins & Gold-Tipped Pinecones

Most of my pumpkins were white to start, which gave a truer golden finish.  The gourds which were originally orange and green turned out with a more grey undertone.  In the end, I liked the contrast and variation between the pumpkins, and am happy they didn’t turn out exactly the same color.

I arranged the pumpkins on a tray from World Market and added gold-tipped pinecones in a goblet for extra Fall flair.  I supposed I could have added the gold sparkles to my own pinecones, but they were on sale at Michael’s ($1.50 for 4 pinecones), which was too good to pass up.

In addition to the dining room table centerpiece, I also filled an extra-large decorative brandy glass with more small pumpkins and pinecones, and displayed them on my coffee table.  I started getting lazy, and didn’t mask off the stems on these ones, which I am now regretting.  Hopefully, people won’t look that closely (other than everyone who’s reading this).

Coffee Table Centerpiece

I love the sparkle they add to the antique-gold tray on my coffee table.  These should transition well into November, and the pinecones will surely be used for Christmas.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

If it’s not chewy, what’s the point? There’s nothing worse than a crunchy cookie (other than no cookies at all), and if I do come across a cookie with too much crunch I am sure to eat it with a great deal of reluctance.

So, today I was perusing a cute little cookie cookbook I’ve had for years (but have never tried a recipe), and found what looked like the perfect Chewy Chocolate Cookie recipe.  I had to give it a whirl.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

The book is 500 Cookies: The Only Cookie Compendium You’ll Ever Need, by Philippa Vanstone.

With my 3 year old son as my helper, and a few pantry substitutions, I created what may now be one of my favorite cookies of all time.  I’m sure the recipe would have been just as delicious as is, but I didn’t have the exact ingredients on hand; below is my version.  These cookies turned out tasting like lava cake (which is my favorite kind of cake).  They were soft and gooey in the middle, with a solid glossy finish on the outside.  Perfect to pair with a tall glass of milk, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Adapted from –  500 Cookies: The Only Cookie Compendium You’ll Ever Need

2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup sweet butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup superfine sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
6 oz. semisweet mini chocolate chips
 

Preheat oven to 350°.  In a small saucepan, or double-boiler, melt the chopped bittersweet and semisweet chocolate with the butter.  Let cool slightly.  Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar until light in color and fluffy in texture.  Slowly add the melted chocolate and mix on low.  Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix on low until well combined.  Stir in the mini chocolate chips.

Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper, and drop tablespoons of the cookie dough with enough space to spread out.  Bake for 10 minutes and cool on a wire rack.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Don’t worry, I ate those crumbs. . . And the other two cookies.  :)

 
 
 
 

Simple Arugula Salad

Fall is here.  The leaves are turning bright shades of coral and red, the air is crisp and clean, and I have the insatiable urge to get back in the kitchen after a hectic summer.  Fall typically means massive carb-cravings for me, so tonight I curbed those cravings with a deliciously simple arugula salad.

Simple Arugula Salad

The inspiration for this salad was the box of local cherry tomatoes I bought at the market last night.  They were vibrant and colorful, and needed to be the star of my next meal.

‘No Woman’ Jamaican Jerk Cheese from Beecher’s

The peppery zest of the arugula was the perfect pair for the tomatoes, along with thinly sliced radishes, a creamy champagne vinaigrette and an unexpected finish with my favorite local Seattle cheese from Beecher’s. The ‘No Woman’ cheese from Beecher’s is laced with Jamaican Jerk seasoning and has a nutty finish that’s to die for!  Check out their website HERE for many other delicious cheesy morsels.

Simple Arugula Salad

5 0z. baby arugula (small box)
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 radishes, thinly sliced
3 tbs. Beecher’s ‘No Woman’ cheese, finely grated

Champagne Vinaigrette Dressing:

4 tbs. champagne vinegar
1 tbs. dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic
1 tbs. honey
1 tsp. thyme, minced
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 egg yolk (make sure it’s fresh or use mayonnaise as a substitute)
3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
salt & cracked pepper
 

Prepare the salad dressing in a medium bowl.  Add the vinegar, dijon, minced garlic, honey, thyme, lemon zest, and egg yolk.  Stir the ingredients to combine.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing becomes rich and creamy.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the arugula, cherry tomatoes, and sliced radishes with the champagne vinaigrette in a large bowl.  Top each serving with a healthy coating of cheese and cracked pepper.  Enjoy!

 

Simple Arugula Salad

 

Superhero Birthday Party!

My little man turned 3 this week and I threw him a Superhero Birthday Party that won’t soon be forgotten.  My wonderful friend, Vanessa Gosseen, helped me capture photos of the party details.  Check out her blog Project 52: A Year in Photos.  (Photo’s not marked with TheLushNest.com are credited to Vanessa)

Super Enzo!

The theme for this party was inspired by the ‘Superhero Calling’ birthday invitations I purchased on TinyPrints.com.  Once I saw the invite, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with the rest of the party.

Superhero Picture Backdrop

Tiny Prints Invitation

The grassy knoll and abstract city skyline made the perfect backdrop for the Superhero on the invitation, so I decided to replicate the scene for a picture backdrop during the party.

I re-purposed the backdrop frame I created for the Peacock Bridal Shower.  I simply removed the old fabric and staples, and it was ready for a new look.

To be cost-effective, I used a plastic tablecloth from Party City instead of fabric for the blue background color.  The tablecloth was less than $2.00.  I used duct tape to attach it to the back of the frame and made sure to stretch it tightly to release an wrinkles.

Superhero Backdrop

The black buildings were cut from sheets of felt and yellow paper helped to light the windows from inside.  The puffy white cloud was created from left-over batting from a throw pillow and the grassy knoll was cut from an oversized sheet of green construction paper.  I used craft glue to attach everything to the blue background, and also created a green floor mat out of craft foam.

Capes & Masks

Super Enzo!Go Superheros!On Superhero Watch!

The kids had fun getting their picture taken in front of the backdrop and they loved playing ‘Superheroes’!

They each had masks and a cape with their first initial as their superhero logo.  They flew around the house with their arms out like Superman.  It was so much fun to watch!

The capes were very easy to make, thanks to the great time-saving idea I spotted on TheSouthernInstitute.com.  I came across their Superhero Cape Tutorial and knew the capes would be great during the party as well as a party favor for the kids to take home.

I went to my local craft store and they had a great deal on solid colored t-shirts (5 for $10), so I purchased a different shade for each kid.  Using my rotary cutter I carefully cut out the shape, leaving the neck hole in tact.  I cut the length of the t-shirt as well, since some of the kids are still small, I thought shorter might be better.

You could easily leave the edges unfinished, but I chose to turn them under one time and used a contrasting thread with a zig-zag stitch to add a bit more polish.

For the letter logos, I purchased colored sheets of felt with sticky backing.  For a more permanent solution, you could sew the felt on, which is something I simply didn’t have the time to do.  The sticky felt worked great and was very easy to cut through with an Exacto knife.  I sketched each logo on paper first and looked at the sketch as a guide while cutting out the felt.

The capes turned out to be really fun during the party and I’ve heard the kids are still wearing them at home!

I also purchased black masks for the boys and white masks for the girls from Party City.  They were only 99¢ each, and made the perfect addition to the superhero costume. Overall, the cost of the cape and mask for each child was about $4.00.  I’m so happy I took the time to make these; hopefully they will be added to their dress-up collections for years to come.

Super-Buddies!

The pictures in front of the backdrop turned out super cute, and even some of the adults got into the action.  I’ll spare them the embarrassment, and won’t be posting those pictures.  :)

Party Food

After the kids had a chance to break in their new capes, we sat down for lunch.

Healthy Lunch

Crudité

The adults enjoyed a simple and healthy meal that was quick and easy to throw together.  With a chaotic kids party, keeping the menu simple was important!

I made chicken souvlaki skewers, warm quinoa salad, a crudité platter, and fresh berries.

The quinoa was dressed up with chopped tomato, chopped cucumber, finely chopped red onion, minced garlic, parsley, mint, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper.

Quinoa Salad

This salad is healthy and tasty, and can be served hot or cold, which makes it great for parties!

For the chicken souvlaki, I tossed the chicken tenders in a quick marinade of lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, minced oregano, olive oil, salt and pepper, and set it in the fridge for about 30 minutes.  I skewered each tender and used an indoor grill-pan instead of the bbq, which was super quick and easy.

To drink, we had lemonade and sparkling lemon water (simple and refreshing).  I put the beverages in matching pitchers and garnished with fresh slices of lemon.

For the kiddo’s, I made sack lunches complete with a ‘Super-Enzo’ logo on the bags and all of the special snacks my little man loves.

Sack Lunches

The kids had mini PB & J sandwiches, applesauce ‘squeezies’, string cheese, strawberry fruit bites, and a choice of a juice box or chocolate milk to drink.

Kids Lunch

I set-up the lunch bags and kids drinks on a tray with another city-scape backdrop behind.  This one was made with foam board to fit above the desk in the kitchen.  I wrapped the foam board with another plastic party tablecloth, similar to the picture backdrop.  The buildings were cut from construction paper and attached with craft glue.

City Backdrop

The ‘Super-Enzo’ garland and tags on the lunch sacks were another special touch.  I used teal textured paper with a yellow background to create Enzo’s very own Superhero emblem.

Super-Enzo Emblem

I started by cutting out the outer shape in the teal paper and used an Exacto knife to cut out the ‘E’ on the inside.  I mounted the teal on yellow paper, leaving a slight border of yellow around.  To avoid making a million of these, I scanned it to my computer and then made color copies in different sizes for the lunch tags and the garland.  The color copies were a huge time saver, and they still looked dimensional, even up close!

Ice Cream Bar

To finish off lunch, the kids (and adults) enjoyed making their own ice cream sundaes.

Ice Cream Sundae fit for a Superhero!

l put ice cubes in the bottom of a small galvanized beverage bucket, placed a large plate over the ice, and set three 1/2 gallon containers of ice cream on top of the plate  (this kept the ice cream cartons from getting soggy).

I chose 3 classic flavors: Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry.  The kids got to choose their ice cream flavors and their special toppings.  The sundaes were served up in clear plastic cups with red spoons.

To top off the layers of yummy ice cream, I had a selection of fun toppings.  Gummy bears, mini chocolate chips,  star shaped sprinkles, crushed oreos, mini marshmallows, and even more sprinkles…

Sprinkles Galore!

Once the Superhero Sundaes were assembled, Enzo blew out his candle and made a wish!

Yummy!

Make a Wish!

After an afternoon of Superhero fun, my big 3 year-old was tuckered out…

Time for a Nap…