Pinterest Challenge #8

Okay, so I have fallen off the wagon at bit. I think about doing a challenge, but there is just no motivation to do something.  Just in a slump right now.

I did make a recipe last week that I found on Pinterest. I thought it was rather yummy.

Spinach and Sausage Pasta- The inspiration

My attempt:

Supplies for Dinner

Served with lots of Parmesan Cheese (yummy) and cantaloupe and honey dew

I added some yellow, red and orange bell pepper and some grape tomatoes for color and flavor.  I used tortellini noodles instead of penne pasta. I got it on clearance at Safeway, and I liked the flavor the cheese in the tortellini gave the dish.  I think it would be neat to try with different pasta (there are lots of  different tortellini options) and sausages would be good.

Naw Ruz Celebreation and Pinterest Challenge #7

So this activity was actually before I decided to to my Pinterest Challenge, but I am including it because I got the ideas from Pinterest. Every March the Bahai's of Moscow hold a Naw Ruz  [nouˈɾuːz] celebration.  This marks the last day of the 19 DayFast which started March 2nd and the beginning of the Baha'i New Year.  Naw Ruz always falls on the First day of Spring, though there have been times in Moscow it has been snowing, this year it was actually decent weather wise.

This year I decided to tackle the table decorations. I am actually very happy with the way they turned out.

First the Pinterest Inspiration pictures:

Such a cute piece

Baha'i Nine-pointed star

Now for my result- I combined the idea of the above two. The flower piece is a Mason jar filled with green tissue paper, pipe cleaners and paper flowers from the American Girls Collection Paper Pad. Creating the Nine-Pointed stars was interesting, and not something I recommend doing after your normal bedtime. It is amazing how complicated rolling paper can be when you are tired. The jars have little ladybugs, butterflies and bumblebees on them as well. Overall I like the way they turned out. I used one of the American Girl Felt Flower Bouquet Kit to make something to hang on the door people walked through. I think it turned out really neat and it was nice to have something on the door. However, the stickers that come with the kit aren't really strong enough to do anything so I would recommend hot gluing everything together. I did the flowers with hot glue, but used the stickers to stick it to the base. I need to go back and hot glue everything together as well as make the other one I purchased. I don't have a picture of the felt bouquet all done. If I remember to take one I will try and remember to post it.

My Version

Transportation of  Center Pieces-not the easiest thing.

Door Hanger-not put together

The Venue-Schierman's Event Center

I also created a banner that says "Happy Naw Ruz". The banner hung behind the food tables. It wasn't anything fancy, but it was very nice to have a little something on the walls. I got the Letters and Shapes from Shanty-2-chic.com. I printed them on brightly colored card stock the tied them together with some ribbon. I want to see about getting the banner laminated for future use.

Banner

Here is the cake, well cupcake cake to be exact that was the centerpiece of our dessert table. It was yummy, but I felt guilty being the first person to take a cupcake and breakup the beautiful artwork Safeway did. However that guilt went away when I tasted it.....it was delicious.

Naw Ruz Cupcake Cake

We also had Safeway do a little cake just because.

The Sweet Adeline's provided some beautiful music.

Sweet Adeline's

Peter and Jolie Haug graced us with singing some Red Grammer songs, of which singing along is required.

Check out one of my favorite Red Grammer songs "I Think You're Wonderful"

Pinterest Challenge #6

I made Cinnamon and Sugar Bananas and Strawberries to have with some left-over Jambalaya. I didn't let the Coconut oil heat up enough so they aren't really 'fried' but I thought the flavor was really good. The cinnamon and sugar formed a nice syrup over the bananas and strawberries. I will make again but be a little more patient with the cooking process or method. I of course forgot to take a picture of my attempt, so all you get is the picture from the Pinterest Inspiration. Sorry about that. Overall they were yummy and I recommend trying.

Pinterest Inspiration 

Cinnamon and Sugar Bananas

Pinterest Challenge #5

I had a Delta Delta Delta event to go to and a treat was requested. So I made these. The pearl is one of the Fraternities symbols. These took about 30 minutes total to assemble and I thought tasted quite good.

They are Vanilla Wafers, whipped cream frosting (not homemade) and Sixlet pearl candies. I tinted the frosting, but I think even leaving white would have been pretty then the pearls would have really shown up. I also think using a thicker frosting like butter cream frosting and actually using an icing bag to pipe the icing would make them turn out prettier, but I had neither and am still pleased with the results. Plus they tasted yummy.

The Pinterest Inspiration

India Nite 2014

University of Idaho has a big Indian Student population and every year they treat us to a glimpse into their culture with India Nite. The event is so much fun and I look forward to it every year. In fact my parents have started coming over for it, they have said it is tradition now. I love that!

We get treated to several Indian Dances or songs and an amazing authentic dinner. The pictures aren't great at all, but wanted to share them anyway.

The entertainment was as follows:

National Anthems
Indian Student Association President's Speech
Bharatnatyam
Snake Dance
Retro Dance
Bollywood Jugalbandi (Musical Fusion)
Raas Garba and Dandiya
Dinner-see below
Bollywood Dance
Filmy Dance
Star Kid Performance (an amazing 6 year old!!!)
Mass (South Indian) Dance
Fashion Show

This is a song set-the guys had great voices

I can't remember what this dance was sorry

This is a Bollywood Dance

Mass (South Indian) Dance- these guys are amazing!

Dinner-YUMMY!!!!

Diner was the following:

Cutlets (the round thing)- a combination for mashed potatoes, onions, green chilies, carrots, cabbage, spinach, green peas, spices and salt and grilled to perfection.

Chana Masala (Choley) (lower row-middle square)-Garbanzo beans cooked with Indian Spices, onions, tomatoes, and ginger garlic paste.

Puri (lower row, left square)- Deep-fried Indian Bread made from wheat flour.

Aloo Mutter (top right)- Potatoes and green peas cooked in a traditional Indian Curry along with onions and tomatoes.

Butter Chicken (upper row, middle item)- Boneless Chicken marinated with freshly roasted spices and then sauteed and cooked in a hot and sweet Indian Curry.

Jeera Rice (next to the Butte Chicken)- White Basmati Rice cooked with Cumin Seeds.

Gajar Kheer (dessert in small up on top row)- Traditional sweetened milk boiled and served on a bed of fresh carrots sauteed in butter and topped with some dry fruits.

Mando Lassi (tall cup at back)- A refreshing buttermilk and yogurt based drink with mango pulp. Served chilled.

It was all so very good and I could have gone back for more.

We are very lucky to be able to go to this every year and I love that it has become tradition.

Pinterest Challenge #4

I used a new application called Waterlogue. It  allows you to turn pictures you take with your smartphone or tablet and turn them in to watercolor creations. I think the application works better with pictures that have lots of varying color, but overall it is fun and a puts a new twist on photos.

The Pinterest Inspiration- just beautiful

My attempt:

Original-taken June 2004

playing with Waterlogue

canola field taken Summer 2013

Playing with Waterlogue

I have seen some pictures where the color is just amazing and it is frame worthy. I haven't figured out all the tricks or anything yet, but it is a fun application to play with. It is available for both Android and Apple.

Pinterest Challenge #3

So behind on posting my challenges. Getting right to the point

Challenge 3 was a food dish, that I did alter but the inspiration came from Pinterest.

Gnocchi with White Beans

Picture from Pinterest Pin-Looks delicious!

My version- I added sausage, chicken and apple sausage to be exact. I thought it could use some more seasoning or something, as it seemed a little bland. I will make it again and play with different herbs and spices and even make it with a different type of sausage or leave that out all together. Overall it was good. I don't know how it tasted as a leftover as we are not leftover eaters and the leftovers got tossed after sitting in the fridge for a week.

The Ingredients minus the spinach which was on another counter

Cooking away

Served up with some strawberries