Downturn Detroit Has An Urban Garden!

I love Downtown Detroit's urban garden. Its so beautiful and its only MARCH! If your like me and you live in a huge city visit a urban garden soon. And if there isn't one start one!

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I love kids parties! I'm always the Mom who loves to go just a little overboard (while still on a budget) when it comes to my kids parties. It's so bad that I've been planning my 7 month old's 1st birthday party since before he was even born. I even bought him a special birthday outfit when he was one month old WITH a matching crown. Well I came across this awesome party for twin girls turning 4 years old that couldn't be any different. Take a look at this mom's party mashing skills.

 

Birthday Cakes

My Booth at The Town Peddler



So if I haven't told you yet I recently opened a booth at the Town Peddler located in Livonia Mi. Its definitely still a work in progress but its getting there. Here is my recently updated felt food booth.

I am super obsessed with this site. Artist/cooks illustrate recipe with super awesome drawings. I want to submit a recipe and drawing SO bad but honestly when would I find time in my crazy schedule to illustrate a recipe?! Well...I guess there is always when the kids turn 18 and go off to college.

Garlicky Green Beans

I come from one of those families...You know the really big one where your Grandmothers cooking is (in my Barney for HIMYM voice) legendary. Yeap my Grandma (who is NEVER to be referred to as such...Momma, Big Momma, Bay, Miss Emma is fine so take your pick) could defiantly burn. Growing up I quickly learned that she never really had a recipe for anything. It was always "a lil' of this and a lil' of that" whenever you want to make one of her famed recipes. I never quite understood until I became a Wife and a mother myself. sometimes cooking is just done from the heart and not the brain. These recipes here and here are both from her collection but with a little  "Abigail Temple" sprinkled in. So here is one of my "A Lil' Of This" recipe. There is no wrong or right just do what feels good for you and your family and don't forget to taste as you go.

Dedicated to Emma "Momma" Cobb the world's bestest Big Momma who's still putting it

 down in the kitchen today!

Ingredients

About 2 lbs of fresh green beans

Chopped garlic (I use the pre chopped kind in the plastic jar...super easy)

Butter or Margarine

1 medium-large onion

Lemon pepper seasoning

1) Snap green bean ends and boil until soft, about 10-15 mins

2) While boiling chop a medium to large onion in long thin slivers

3) Drain water off of green beans

4) Put enough butter or margarine in a large skillet to cover the bottom (plus a little extra if you like)

4) Saute onion slivers  for about 3 mins or until soft

5) Add in green beans and toss

6) Add lemon pepper seasoning

(this is defiantly a trial and error step even for me depending on the amount of green beans. You should add in a

little at a time and taste as you go.)

TIP *You can always add in more seasoning but its very hard to take it back out

7) Toss over low-medium heat for about 5 mins

8) Add in chopped garlic

TIP *Wait to add the garlic until the very last minute or two. No one likes that bitter taste that burnt garlic has.

9)  ENJOY

A Great Metro Detroit Produce Market

Jack Fruit

Mushrooms

Peppers

Fresh Herbs

Collard, Mustard and Turnip Greens

I love Joe Randazzo's! Its like a Saturday farmers market all week long. Every foodie knows that produce markets are the best place to score fresh fruits and veggies at a great price. so bypass the big box stores frozen department and head over to your local produce market today.

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Rigatoni with Sweet Italian Sausage

INGREDIENTS
1 box of rigatoni
1 1/2 jars of tomato sauce (I use Prego....YUMMY)
1/2 medium green pepper
Sweet Italian Sausage
1/4 sweet onion
Parmesan cheese, salt pepper, parsley, minced garlic (to taste)
sugar, splenda etc (optional)

Directions

1) cook pasta following directions on box

2) while pasta is cooking slice your sausage into small circles and cook in large skillet or pot until brown

3) cut green pepper and sweet onion into bit size pieces, add to skillet with sausage; saute for 3 minutes

4) add tomato sauce, pasta, salt, pepper, parsley, minced garlic,

and sweetener

5) MIX

6) Serve and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese or in my families case sprinkle HEAVILY with Parmesan cheese



Tissue Paper Gift Wrap Purse

*Guest Craft*

So I haven't told you this yet but my family is probably one of the most creative in the world. In fact if there were a reality show for super crafty, super innovative, super talented families we would defiantly win. At my dinner party last week (yummy Bucca de Beppos) my ubber creative sister Anna presented me with a gift wrapped in tissue paper to resemble a purse, because anyone who knows me knows I love anything ultra girly. I instantly knew that I wanted her to do a tutorial for my blog. I mean who doesn't love a chic (and cheap) gift wrap option!

You'll Need:

1-2 Sheets tissue paper

1 sheet tissue paper in contrasting color/print

tape

glue

rhinestones or buttons

1) Place box face down on tissue paper. If you are wrapping a large sized box tape to pieces together like in photo. Tape one end of the tissue paper to the box to secure.

 

2) Flipping box over bring tissue paper around to the front.

 

3) Measure to the end of box and then trim. (This end will become the flap of the purse)

4) Fold both ends to the middle forming a point and tape to secure.

 5) Trim excess

6) Tape closed

7) Cut circle out of contrasting

8) Fold circle in half,

roll center, tape.

9) Using contrasting paper again trim a length of tissue paper. Fold both ends of paper

to a point.

10) Attach pointed ends to the sides of the box.

11) Attach rhinestone or buttons to finish the faux bag.

VOILA