Reduce, Reuse, Recycle...repurpose clothespin craft!

This is a perfect craft for kids of all ages!  
Reuse an old clothespin by decorating with pens or crayons.  Glue "wings" made of foam, felt, or paper.  Add eyes and antennas.  We also added a magnet on the back. 
The butterfly clothespin craft can hold photos, notes, reminders...anything!

How to Cut Melons

Honeydew Melons, Cantaloupes, and any round fruit is often difficult to cut.  Here's an easy way to cut them up quickly, and safely.

First, cut off the ends of the melon.

Turn it on its side, using the flat surface to help stabilize the fruit on your cutting board.  Moving your knife from top to bottom, cut off the skin.

 Cut melon in half.

 Using a spoon, scrape out the seeds.

Cut melon into sections, and then into smaller pieces.
Enjoy!

Nectarine and Arugula Summer Salad

This nectarine and arugula salad is delicious, and so easy to make!  As summer heats up, this salad is a simple dish to either add to the meal, or with additions of protein (shrimp, chicken, salmon, etc.) it could become the main dish! 

You can use whatever fresh ingredients you have on hand, and since I had fresh blueberries that I had planned on adding to Sunday morning pancakes, but didn't...they went into the salad too.

Nectarine and Arugula Salad
Arugula, washed and dried (you can use romaine, or any other greens)
Cucumbers, diced
Red bell peppers, sliced
Mushrooms, sliced
Tomatoes
Nectarines, sliced

Dressing-anything light.  I used a peach balsamic vinegar.  Regular balsamic vinegar and olive oil works too.  The sweetness of the nectarines and red bell peppers cut the spiciness of the arugula.  Yum!

Reuse and Recycle Coffee K-Cup Pods-Grow Herbs Easily!

Since buying our Keurig coffee maker a few years ago, we have gone through so many coffee k-cup pods.  When my daughter was given an assignment in school to find something to recycle-we came up with a way to reuse these coffee pods.  We decided to grow herbs in coffee pods!  We rinse them out and use them to plant herbs-Basil, Cilantro, Dill, etc. The hole in the bottom which the coffee dripped from, is great drainage. The left over coffee combined with rich soil, makes for a healthy planting bed.  What a wonderful way to repurpose coffee pods!

We also recycled soda and juice boxes to hold the cups and it was easy in watering (my daughter spills all over the place when she waters) and it dries out in the sun quickly.

We reused plastic spoons to create planter markers too.
It was a fun and educational activity for the whole family!

Ribbon Rack Holder-Get Organized!

I love to buy ribbon-and have tried every way to organize them...and have failed.  I've tried storage bins that you slide under the bed.  But out of sight, means I'll never use them. I've tried storage bins with lids-but stacking them on top of each other just means I'll never open them up and dig around to find my different options.  I've tried the ones with drawers-but I ended up with ribbon rolls on top of ribbon rolls and never got to see and use the ones on the bottom.

Alas...I found a ribbon rack holder to organize my ribbon rolls in a easy-to-use and functional way.  I bought a cheap shoe rack holder from Bed, Bath and Beyond and slid the ribbon rolls through the dowel, or in the case of my large ribbon rolls from Costco, I put it on top.  Now, I'm able to see my different ribbons, and are able to get to them easily.  How much ribbon will fit?  It depends on the size of the rolls.  If you have smaller ribbon like you see in my picture on the top, you can slide them through each of the dowels and a lot will fit.  If you have more of the large ribbon rolls, then less will fit.

I store my ribbon rack holder in a closet, but it can go just about anywhere.  My ribbon organizer has worked so well, I'm going to buy another shoe rack for the rest of my ribbon.

Baked Paprika Chicken and Vegetables Recipe

Baked Paprika Chicken and Vegetables Recipe


Chicken Breasts, flattened
1 onion, diced
3 large carrots, diced
3 celery stacks, diced
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
5 yukon gold potatoes, halved
Smoked paprika
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder

Line pan with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil in pan. Add vegetables and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.






Add chicken, potatoes, and garbanzo beans.  Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.  Season with paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.


Bake at 375-400 degrees for 45-55 minutes.








I'm always looking for healthy and easy dinner options for my family.  This baked paprika chicken and vegetables recipe is quick to prep, pop in the oven, and 40  minutes later-you have a delicious meal!  My kids love the wonderful smell during cooking too!

Edamame, Corn, Tomato salad recipe

Edamame, Corn, Tomato salad recipe-easy and tasty!
1 bag frozen edamame beans, thawed and shelled
1 basket cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 cups sweet corn
1 cup red bell peppers (optional)
Fresh basil
Salt and Pepper
Tzatziki dressing* or ranch dressing

Mix all ingredients together. Allow 2-3 hours or overnight best for ingredients and flavors to meld together.


*Tzatziki dressing: 1 cup greek yogurt, half cucumber diced, fresh dill chopped