hydrate

it's a busy week with lots of meetings (lame). 

and there are so many things to share, but they will have to wait a bit. 

in the meantime, here is spoon, doing what he loves to do -- drinking water from a glass.

why does he love it? 

i do not know. but it is adorable.

xoxo

potholder winner!

Congrats to Lindsey HM! She's our potholder giveaway winner!

Thanks to all who entered and checked out Craft to Table.  There are plenty more potholders on the site  to add to your home collection. 

Keep cooking kids.

xoxo

book clutch -- part 1

Ashley found this DIY project to make a clutch out of a book! 

Of course, we had to do it.  

We are following Caught on a Whim's plan strictly, and have thus broken up the project into three steps

Here's how our part 1: covered book went:

We went to the used book store and picked out our books - I'm using a spanish-english dictionary and Ashley picked a bird book, adorable. 

We picked out our fabric - I'm using a colorful floral and Ashley is using a blue Marimekko from the pile of fabric Ben brought us back from his last trip to Finland (oh yeah, pretty awesome right?)

Step 1 is to cut out a piece of fabric with about an inch border around your book, like so:

Then, take some mod podge and a brush (we used the foam kind) and paint on an even layer over the cover of your book:

Carefully attach the fabric to the front, pressing it down securely.  Proceed with doing the same to the spine of the book, and then the back 

Next, open your front cover and paint some mod podge on the edge of the inside of the cover and fold over the fabric flap, pressing down to seal.  Proceed with the two remaining sides.  We folded the corners of fabric in half before gluing down the sides

We then did the same to the back cover so all you are left with are the spine flaps.  We put some wax paper between the covers and the book before continuing.  Then we put some mod podge on the fabric flaps and tucked them into the spine and pressed down until it stuck

And that's it! Let them dry before removing the wax paper and continuing onto the next steps.

1/3 done.

xoxo

don't forget!

Today is the last day to enter the giveaway!

Just follow Craft To Table on twitter and tweet at them 

OR 

leave a comment on the giveaway blog post, here.

Hurry up! You only have until midnight tonight to enter.

Good Luck!

xoxo

trophy time

Trophy Brewing Co. just opened up in Raleigh and so of course we went to check it out.

And it's a winner.  

The bar is intimate and filled with trophies, of course.  

They are working on the restaurant section, which will expand the size.  

We started with a flight:

and then had the porter:

And it was all delicious.

We were actually really impressed with the beer, given they are so new.  We were afraid they would still be working out the kinks, but we really liked everything we had. 

Also, hands down, the best thing about this place: 

There is one TV in the bar, and what was it showing? 

No sports.

Nope.

Animal planet.  

Specifically, the show Too Cute!

Yes, the show that follows around puppies and kittens. 

Now this is my kind of audience.

Check plus Raleigh. 

xoxo

our next venture

aprons.  

Shira had a birthday and Ashley had the great idea to make her an apron, and while we're at it, commission Megan to make some matching potholders! (Don't forget you can win your own pair!)

So we went to the store and picked out two fabrics - a yellow/grey floral and a black/white polka dot.

We didn't really have a pattern, we just looked at our favorite aprons (yes, we have a lot of aprons between the two of us) and went from there.

We cut a rectangle and sewed a folded hem around three sides, 

and then folded pleats at the top:

pinning as we went down the line:

Next we cut an 1-1/2 inch black grosgrain ribbon to be long enough to wrap around and tie a bow!

Then we sewed the ribbon to the pleated edge, centering it to leave equal tails on either end:

We then cut another square to be the top of the apron and sewed a folded hem around all sides and sewed it to the ribbon above the bottom piece:

We cut two more pieces of the ribbon to be the top ties and sewed those to the top of the apron:

Finally, we put the polka dot fabric to use in two ways. 

First, we cut two equal sized rectangles, sewed a folded hem all around, and then sewed three of the edges onto the bottom piece to form pockets.

We also cut a rectangle piece sized to cover the centered part of the ribbon 

(again we did a folded hem before sewing it on): 

Isn't it precious?  

Then we put Ashley in the apron as a test drive: 

And, Megan made the adorable matching potholders:

Sew Cute! 

(Ha! Get it?!)

Of course, Shira loved it all and is now ready to cook in matching style:

Ashley and I are thinking about making some more because we loved how it turned out.

xoxo

giveaway! craft to table potholders

So I'm really excited about this: it's Crafts and Cookery's very first giveaway! 

Craft to Table is the crafty creation of my dearest best friend Megan.  You can find her on Etsy here.

Crafting and cooking are what this blog is all about and Megan has combined the two with her adorable heart-shaped potholders.  They make perfect gifts to any cook in your life.  I of course already have a pair, and they are so lovely.    I was gifted mine many years ago and they have held up so well.   She sells pairs in various patterns and colors for only $27.50 plus shipping!  

Megan has now officially launched Craft to Table and to help spread the word she is giving away a pair of these cuties to one of my lucky readers!  

I've had my eye on this pair - nautical themed with navy polka dots, red and blue pendants, and red binding.

Back sides: 

Front sides:

An alternate view of one's front and the other's back: 

And the flipside:

Aren't they awesome? 

Although I'd like to keep them for myself, I also want to help share the glory of these guys so get excited! 

To enter to win this pair of potholders for yourself just follow Craft to Table on twitter and tweet @crafttotable something about how cute these little mitts are. 

No twitter? No problem! You can alternately enter by going to the etsy site and then leaving a comment here, at the bottom of this post, with which pair of potholders is your favorite.  But only one entry per person is allowed. 

The giveaway is open until 11:59 pm on March 24th.  Then a winner will be chosen at random and contacted to receive their new potholders. Full list of giveaway rules below.

Good luck!

xoxo


All the giveaway rules:

--No purchase or payment of any kind is necessary to enter or win the giveaway. A purchase won’t improve an individual’s chance of winning the giveaway.

--This giveaway is open to all readers worldwide. 

--Follow the entry guidelines to enter through twitter or commenting on the giveaway post.

--A limit of one entery is allowed per person.

--All entries must be received before the entry deadline of midnight on March 24th.

--The winner will be announced on the blog and contacted via twitter or email (depending on entry type) by March 27th. 

--You must respond within 30 days of the announcement or forfeit the prize.

--Any federal, state or local taxes associated with the receipt of the prize are the sole responsibility of the winner.

--There is no prize substitution. 

rant/rave: kale

I know you just saw this picture on Wednesday, but it's the only one I have of some kale. 

Yes, I said it was spinach, and it mostly was, but there was some kale mixed in there too.  Let me explain. 

First off, my mother is always ahead of food trends.  Yes, food trends are very much a thing, and I mean it especially in terms of health-related trends.  This meant yes to whole-wheat flour and bread, no to canned tomatoes, and being a trans-fat free house since I was in elementary school.  It was hard to say good-bye to oreos at age 10, but life goes on.  

As a result I'm now trained to feel guilt and think twice anytime I pick up a box of processed food in the grocery store.  

But back to the now current trend of kale: all my life my parents have raved about kale, how delicious it is and of course, how good for you it is.  But I never cared for it.  I was never going to pick it from a list of vegetable options, and I was probably going to complain a little (or a lot depending on your memory) while eating it. 

But yes, kale is some type of super food they say, and everyone and their mother is currently raving about it as the best thing ever.  Their making kale chips, kale salads, kale pasta, kale everything.  So I thought, maybe, just maybe I should give this another go.  We eat a lot of spinach and I keep it in the freezer for a quick super-food side. So I recently mixed it up and bought kale instead of spinach.  

We tried it, and both Jonathan and I agreed, it's so mediocre. The texture and flavor of spinach is much superior.  And you know what, spinach is still really awesome for you so we don't even feel bad about not liking the currently hot super-food.  We're sticking with spinach in my kitchen and enjoying every moment of it.  That said, because we weren't fans, I mixed in the remaining kale with the spinach so there is still some remnant of it in the house.  

But not for long.

Don't forget to eat your greens, but remember, they can be any type of greens!

xoxo

food lately: cooking it all

I'm on spring break right now. And, let me tell you something, it's awesome.  I think it's safe to say it's the best spring break ever.  

There are two reasons that make it so:

1. I'm not in classes anymore so this is the first time I get a break from school and work with no school work that I actually need to be doing during break, so it's an actual break. 

2. I didn't go anywhere.  It's a staycation.  Filled with crafting, cooking, and relaxing.  I slept in until 10 am on Monday!

Of course I still made lists of all the things I wanted to accomplish over this break.  Things that would probably take a year to do if I had all the time to dedicate to them.  But some of the things are getting done.  I'll share those soon.

But until then, here's some food as of late, of all meals of the day:

Breakfast, quesadilla with scrambled eggs, veggie bacon, cheese, butter, tortillas, and done

Lunch, pesto pasta and "chicken" milanese. It's one of those gardin fake chicken breasts, pretty good

Also lunch, buffalo mac-and-cheese.  Basically I just added buffalo sauce to my mac and cheese, and some green onions.  A little on the salty side

Dinner, German-fest, soy beer brats, sauerkraut, mustard potatoes, and pretzels

Dinner, scallion pancakes, and faux pho.  It wasn't really pho at all, the noodle-to-broth ratio was off, but still delicious, with grilled tofu on top

Dinner, Americana, spinach, baked beans, BBQ tofu, and mashed potato cakes.  For the cakes I made mashed potatoes, added some chopped up veggie bacon and then shaped them into patties and pan-fried them in some more butter.  And yes, they were delicious.  What's not to love about a crispy crust around creamy mashed potatoes? 

Hope you're enjoying this week as much as I am!

xoxo

the pros and cons of technology

So, as you may know, I've given up the internet on Saturdays for Lent, and I'm a big fan of disconnecting for the day.  I think I just waste too much time on all of these devices.

And yes, this is point 467 that I'm a grandma. 

But, although I may want to disconnect, that doesn't mean others have to follow.  Specifically, the cat.  Spoon has been entertaining us with his use of his cat-approved app.  

Yes, I let the cat use the ipad, because it's the cutest thing ever.

This is Spoon being introduce to the Cat Fishing Friskies app:

Don't worry mom, Spoon has claw caps on so he's not scratching the screen! 

xoxo

a classic

There is a place in Durham called Dame's Chicken and Waffles.  

Yes, it's like Roscoe's, but maybe, please forgive me, better. 

Let's break it down.  Chicken and Waffles is composed of two parts: the chicken and the waffle.

The chicken is chicken.  It should be fried in a skillet, with some spice, and come out with some crunch.  Dame's has the basics covered.  The chicken is tasty, good old fried chicken.

Now the waffle, the waffle is where I think you really decide who makes the best chicken and waffles. Dame's shines on this point.  Their waffles are out of this world.  I had the original, and it was delicious and so fluffy.  

We went to Dame's for Lisa's birthday, and it was amazing. It's a very straightforward setup - there are combinations of different pieces of chicken, waffles, and flavored butters. And you get a side.  

I got the basic - a chicken breast, original waffle, maple butter, and a side of mac and cheese...

Thankfully, I was also able to taste basically everything else on the menu from what everyone else ordered:

First of all, everything was crazy delicious. And so filling. I got two meals out of my dinner and was painfully full after each eating. But I need to highlight three items on the menu (in this order): the gingerbread waffle, the greens, the grits.

Apparently, Dame's excels at the g's.  This gingerbread waffle is like the fluffiest piece of gingerbread cake, and their greens are perfectly cooked with a spicy kick. And the grits are soft and creamy, as they should be but so rarely are. 

I almost shouldn't be telling you any of this.  There is already a wait for this place, but it's so good, I can't keep it to myself.

So, the next time you are in Durham, check out Dame's.  

Just be sure to wear some loose pants and leave time for digestion.

xoxo

food lately: baking times

It's been cold out, which means more baking. Some sweet, some savory.

Almond cupcakes with Chocolate Cinnamon Frosting for Ashley's B-day:

Mom's chocolate chip cookies for everyday treats:

Tomato Basil Bread for sandwiches:

Better than...Cupcakes for the Oscars: 

More pretzels because they are so good, but this time, in a pretzel shape!

Keep eating!

xoxo

a bicycle: it's like riding a bike

Ok. This post is so late, but it's rather fitting since really, better late than never!

I can ride a bike.

I know it's so very crazy, but it's true.  It took three lessons and I'm still in the beginner stage but I can do it.

The first lesson was all about getting used to being on a bike, since you know, I wasn't used to that.
I was basically trying to master gliding. Like so:

The second lesson was actually about me putting my feet on the pedals and trying to balance and well ride a bike.  I got there and was able to ride for approximately five seconds.  But then with further attempts, I was having a lot of trouble maintaining balance. 

The last lesson was awesome. It all just clicked. And I rode the bike. Not fast. And not on hills.
Here is a link to the video of me riding the bike on this great lesson.


So where are we now? I'm riding around and to Ashley's.  I don't like going fast, so going downhill is no bueno.  And going uphill is hard. Biking works a whole new set of muscles.
And I'm not ready to be around cars. They are scary.

So yes, that's where I am. Still working on it, but I can ride a bike. How crazy is that?

And yes, all thanks to the wonderful boy for being as patient as he could while teaching me.


xoxo

boozy pasta?

Pasta in Vodka Sauce.  Whatever you want to call it, it's so good.  

So here's my take, vegetarian-style:

Ingredients:

1/2 box (~8 ounces) of medium pasta, I use the Pipette shape, but small shells will work too.

4 slices of veggie bacon, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon each of Red Pepper Flakes, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder

1/4 teaspoon each of Salt, Pepper

1/3 cup vodka

1 1⁄2 cups marinara sauce

1⁄4 - 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente.

In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and garlic and saute for 2 minutes before adding the bacon.  Continue to saute for another 5 minutes, until the bacon is browned and the onions translucent.  Add the seasoning.

Add the vodka to the pan and cook until it reduces down, about 2 minutes.  Then add the marinara sauce and cook for another five minutes.  Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the cream until it reaches the desired color, a medium pinky-peach.  

Toss in the drained pasta to coat, like so:

Top it with some Parmesan cheese and eat it up:

A delicious classic. Now veggie-friendly.

xoxo