{celebrate}

July 4 is less than one week away! For those that may have missed my Memorial Day blog, I am re-posting that one because it was so popular.

click here: {red, white and blue}

Have a safe July 4 and let's always remember to thank our military men, women, and their families for our freedom!

{honey lime chicken}

Here's another Stephanoff original recipe that you definitely want to try, I promise! My husband came home from the farmer's market with fresh vegetables, so here's what we made for dinner:

Ingredients
1 lb chicken, boneless, skinless, and cut into strips
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons butter
1 fresh sweet yellow pepper, diced (optional)
1/4 cup honey
2 fresh limes
1/4 cup feta cheese

Directions
1. Heat olive oil & butter in skillet.
2. Coat chicken strips in flour & black pepper, then fry.
3. Add more EVOO as needed to prevent sticking.
4. Once cooked, reduce heat, add honey to skillet, stirring & coating the chicken.
5. Add diced sweet pepper, stir.
6. Squeeze limes onto chicken, stir and simmer 3-5 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and transfer prepared chicken to your serving plate.
8. Top with crumbled feta cheese.

Serve with fresh vegetables. We ate it with sweet potatoes, broccoli, and fresh tomatoes. Ohhhh so yummy! Look at the colorful presentation and nutritional value!

Don't be afraid to experiment and create your own recipes! And then share the good news!

Other favorite creations:
Pesto Pizza
Bruschetta Pizza
Mocha Chocolate Chip Muffins

{things we all do}

Just for fun, check out this site for things you probably do...this guy has me pegged in a lot of ways!
Disclaimer: this post strays from home and decorating but not from bringing sunshine & smiles!






source: thingswealldo.tumblr.com

{confession: flower addiction}

Last fall I purchased a red ladder back chair from the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Instantly I envisioned repurposing the chair as a flower planter for my screen porch. One snag: I did not allow myself to buy flowers this spring. I know I know, why not? Because I have this crazy tendency to get carried away (could be qualified as an addiction). So I used restraint and did not step into the garden center at all this year (alcoholics can’t go into bars either ya know). But Saturday morning came and with it, this thought: “Okay okay so maybe just a quit walk thru this ONE time to just pick up enough flowers to do the chair I purchased from Habitat LAST year.”

Yes, I succumbed. Oh my! I was in the right place at the right time following the right person in the red vest. She had her clearance gun in hand and was slashing the flowers and plants to 50cents. Jackpot! Definitely the right place at the right time. Thank you, kind red vest Lowe’s lady!

Here is the repurposed chair...

 

Potting philosophy: Thrill, Fill, Spill. Add thrill with different textures & varying heights/color. Fill it up (don’t wait for your arrangement to grow into the space, pack it day one). Be sure to include plants that will vine and cascade over the planter.

What can you repurpose from your attic, garage, or the Habitat ReStore to make as a creative accent to your yard or porch? Here’s a complete listing of the Habitat for Humanity ReStores in South Carolina.

Truth be told…confession time…my flower addiction couldn’t make it. I ended up grabbing more than my original intent. But I’m done now. Right?

{everything in its place}

I don’t know about you, but my keys have never had a home. That is until last week! Up until then, I’d toss them in my purse, sometimes on the kitchen counter, or maybe my husband’s junk basket. It was anyone’s guess. So during my recent trip to Hobby Lobby, I picked up a few things to create a “home” for our keys, including our address so our keys would never get lost again!

Want to borrow this idea for your home? Asking where can I find?

Empty vintage frame:  It’s the second of the two vintage-looking wooden frames I picked up at a yard sale for $1, originally from Hobby Lobby (sticker price still on it for $24.99).

Iron address numbers, padlock, and key hook: all from Hobby Lobby… on sale of course!

{FRIENDS iconic door}

I’ve always loved Friends and that iconic empty frame on their door. So cool! And because I strive to be that cool, here’s my personal version of that idea.

Instead of using a wreath hanger or nail in the door, I secured the frame to the door with a little bit of Velcro along with the sticky dots used in scrapbooking. I hung the “S” to the frame with a single strand of twine and also a little bit of Velcro on the back so it wouldn’t wobble every time we open the door.

I took the plain “S” and simply started tightly wrapping jute twine around it, every now and then applying hot glue to secure the twine around the curves and corners. No particular method, just wrap it.

Like anything you see? Asking where can I find?

Empty wooden vintage frame: originally from Hobby Lobby but I snagged it at a yard sale for $1. Gotta love a good yard sale!

Monogram: Michaels, of course!

Inspiration credit: TV Sitcom Friends...

 

Inexpensive , fun thrill. What do you think…did I achieve the “cool” look? 

{mocha chocolate chip muffins}

I heart chocolate! Add coffee flavoring, and I double heart chocolate. Here’s a new recipe I’ve made twice this week. I took a plain muffin recipe from an oldie but goody cookbook The Good Housekeeping Cookbook. I’ve turned to page 421 so many times that the page fell out of the cookbook. Take a look…

You know it’s a favored recipe when the corners are curled and there are food prints on it! I’ve tweaked this recipe here & there and, well, here’s my latest version to the original. I’ll call it what it is: 

{mocha chocolate chip muffins}

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon double acting baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons instant coffee granules

1 egg

1 cup milk

¼ cup coconut oil

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

·         Preheat oven to 350. Grease twelve 2 ½ inch muffin pan cups.

·         In large bowl, with spoon, mix flour and next 4 ingredients.

·         In small bowl, with fork beat egg slightly, stir in milk and coconut oil.

·         Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture.

·         With spoon, stir just until moistened.

·         Gently stir in 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

·         Batter will be lumpy. Spoon batter into muffin pan cups (half full).

·         Bake 20 minutes.

·          Serve warm with a glass of cold milk! (Yes, those are ice cubes in my milk.)

Quartered so you can anticipate the ooey gooey chocolate melting in your mouth with the divine burst of coffee flavor (PLUS caffeine)! 

And if you need an extra perk to try this recipe: Coconut oil is the latest rave in health and skin benefits so this is a terrific first recipe to experiment with coconut oil. The hint of coconut was just enough, not overpowering at all. 

Enjoy!