MONDAY MUNCHIES: Peanut Butter, Banana & Berry Salad

In my mind - there will never be enough ways to use Peanut Butter! Here is a fun way to incorporate Peanut Butter into your SALAD - yeah!

Peanut Butter, Banana & Berry Salad

2 medium bananas, sliced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 cup sliced strawberries or raspberries
1/4 cup chopped peanuts

PEANUT BUTTER DRESSING
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup low-fat vanilla or plain yogurt
2 tablespoons orange juice


1. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender and process the mixture until smooth.

2. In a small glass bowl, gently toss the banana slices in the lemon juice to keep the fruit from browning.

3. Divide the lettuce among four serving dishes and then top it with the bananas and berries. Drizzle peanut dressing over each salad and garnish with chopped peanuts. Serves 4.


More recipes at familyfun.go.com

Princess Puppy Chloe is Growing UP!

Hubby took this adorable photo of puppy Chloe yesterday! When we brought here home in late November she was about 3LBS but now she is already 5.75LBS - awwwww. She is such a doll that I just had to share!

Enjoy!

What Does Your Studio Space Say About You?

What Does Your Space Say About You?

The holiday season left my studio in quite the shambles! Right now my studio would be saying - I am a pig sty, you are so unorganized and a bit lazy! Here are some tips on creating a good workable home studio:

1. Set up a permanent work space
If you are trying to build your art into a business you really need a dedicated space in your home for a studio - even if it might be a small one. Without a designated space you will be consistently setting up and taking down your set-up which is a huge time waste.

2. Create a room of inspiration
Your space does not have to be large or expensive - just tidy and a reflection of you. Surround yourself with inspirational materials and simple home decor items that make your area feel fresh and inviting. Be sure your organizational system allows for easy access to your materials and is well organized.

3. Turn up the light
Insufficient lighting is not only bad for your eyes but if you are shooting your images in your area - bad lighting can make or a break your photo shoot. The best lighting for both artwork and photography is natural lighting so if your area has a great window - be sure to use it. Otherwise consider energy efficient daylight bulbs for your studio.

4. Source out ideas
Find images in magazines or online of studio organization ideas that inspire you. I have created a treasury filled with great organizational I found on Etsy to give you a start. Collect these and take them with you when shopping for your studio decor.

5. Consider ergonomics
Be sure your workspace is ergonomically correct - a table that is too low or an uncomfortable chair can cause all kinds of issues. Not only is it hard on your body but is also very detrimental to creativity! If you are like me and sitting for long periods of time - be sure to get up, walk around and stretch a bit throughout your creative process.

These are just a few ways to get you started! If you have ideas or items you would like to share - post em' here - I would love to hear them!

MONDAY MUNCHIES: Chocolat-y Cinnamon Coffee

There is just something about a hot cup 'o' joe in the morning that just gets me going! This is a fun recipe that literally spices up that regular home brewed coffee - for even more coffee enjoyment!

Chocolat-y Cinnamon Coffee

1 1/2 cups whole milk
2/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
( 2-inch) cinnamon sticks
1 strip orange peel, about 1/2 inch by 3 inches
10 whole cloves
2 to 2 1/2 cups hot brewed strong coffee
1/4 cup cold heavy cream
Ground cinnamon or cocoa, for garnish
Whipped Cream

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, 2/3 cup of the sugar, and cocoa until smooth.

2. Add the cinnamon sticks, orange peel and cloves and bring to a simmer, stirring, to dissolve the sugar and prevent the cocoa from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes.

3. In a medium bowl, whip the cream with the remaining 1 teaspoon sugar until thick, frothy and peaks form. Set aside.

4. Strain the milk mixture into a coffee pot or carafe and add 2 cups of the hot coffee (2 1/2 cups for stronger coffee flavor, to taste). Pour into cups or small mugs and top each with a dollop of the sweetened whipped cream.

More recipes at foodnetwork.com

MONDAY MUNCHiES: Chicken Enchiladas

Mexican is by far one of my favorite types of food. With that said I am always on the look out for new quick and easy tex-mex recipes and this one is it!

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup Pace® Picante Sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 2 ounces)
6 flour tortillas (6-inch), warmed
1 small tomato, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 green onion, sliced (about 2 tablespoons)


1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Stir the soup, sour cream, picante sauce and chili powder in a medium bowl.

2. Stir 1 cup soup mixture, chicken and cheese in a large bowl.

3. Divide the chicken mixture among the tortillas. Roll up the tortillas and place seam-side up in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Pour the remaining soup mixture over the filled tortillas. Cover the baking dish.

4. Bake for 40 minutes or until the enchiladas are hot and bubbling. Top with the tomato and onion.

More recipes at campbellskitchen.com

*NEW IN SHOP* Valentines Day Goodies

Normally I dont blast this much new stuff in one but quite frankly - I am a little behind and Valentines Day stuff is already being featured all over and I dont want to miss out!

So I decided to release all 3 of my 2011 Valentines today! You might recognize the "Do You?" minis from last year - you all loved them so much I took them further with a matching greeting card, gift tags and notecards! They are so fun!

VIEW THEM ALL HERE

MONDAY MUNCHIES: Mini Quiche

Sorry for the delay on this one - I set this to be a scheduled post for this morning but it didnt work and I just got back up here from printing to check it out! Anyway, this week we visit a fun appetizer that I enjoy for breakfast with tea or coffee.

Mini Quiche

6 hard-cooked eggs
6 prebaked puff-pastry shells
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
1/3 cup grated Fontina cheese
Crumbled bacon

1. Slice eggs crosswise and place 1 in each prebaked puff-pastry shells (found in the frozen-food section).

2. Top with fresh sage and grated Fontina cheese.

3. Bake at 400° F until the cheese melts (about 5 minutes). Garnish each tiny quiche with crumbled bacon, if desired.


More recipes at myrecipes.com

New Treasuries

I am currently suffering from the treasury bug - I just love making them so you will be seeing them quite often here on the blog. These are two that I did this week but I have done a TON more if you want to see those - click here. Otherwise click below to visit these goodies!

LIVING HANDMADE

PRETTY, PRETTY PRINCESS

Hope you enjoy them!

Top 10 Fonts of 2010

Although I am not a type freak as some would assume - I do still have a great appreciation for correct usage of type. There are so many typefaces out there but I tend to stick to a small line of trusty typefaces that are very versatile.

In looking to add a few new ones to my line this year I came across this article on Ascender Fonts that shows off what they believe to be the top 10 of 2010 on their site. They state "While it is easy to compile a 'top 10' list based on sales or downloads, we thought it would be better to highlight what we feel are the most innovative fonts from 2010" - click below to see all 10.

While I don't find myself loving all of them there are a few that might be a great addition to my line. Do you have any favorites to share either from this list or elsewhere?

TOP 10

*NEW IN SHOP* Scarf, Notecards & More

The coming months are going to be amazing here at Sweet Harvey LLC - I have a ton of new stuff just waiting to be shared. This week I am trying to get out some of things that have been in the studio for a while but the busy holiday season kept me from photographing.

These are just two of the new items I added to the shop today - click below to see all of the great new stuff! Check back as I will be adding new stuff everyday this week!

BE SURE AND NOTE - There is only 3 of this scarf left and no more fabric available in the Emerald Green so if you love the scarf - snatch it up because these are all that is left as they were a huge hit this season at my shows.

CHECK OUT NEW STUFF

MONDAY MUNCHiES: Baby Chick Cupcakes

Happy New Year everyone! Glad to have had the time off but also glad to be back. I hope that you all had a fantastic holiday & were able to spend time with friends and family.

Today we are back with a new recipe as promised. I had quite a bit of time to scout out new ones but this one - although it isn't quite spring - this one couldn't wait!!!

Baby Chick Cupcakes

1 box Vanilla Cake Mix
Buttercream Frosting
4 cups sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
1 piece (10 inches) black licorice lace, cut into 40 (1/3-inch) pieces
20 whole almonds
140 red candy-coated licorice pastels (about 1/3 cup), or pieces of snipped red licorice

1. Bake cupcakes according to package instructions and cool completely.

2. Turn each cupcake upside down on a plate or wax paper which becomes the body of a chick.

3. Spread buttercream frosting on each cupcake to anchor it to the serving plate while you are working. Use a small offset spatula to coat the sides thickly with frosting, and then mound more on top to create a dome shape.

4. Press toasted shredded coconut into the frosting -- it stands in for fuzzy feathers. Hold the plate at an angle while applying the coconut so the excess falls back into the bowl.

5. Place eyes (made from snipped black licorice laces) on chicks using tweezers. Use a whole almond for the beak and red licorice for the feet and comb; both can be pushed into the frosting by hand.

See step by step photos at marthastewart.com