Foodie Friday: Grilled Chicken Tex-Mex Pizza

We love grilling in the summer. One of our specialties is pizza. It isn't always easy, but the extra effort is definitely worth it. I came across this recipe for Grilled Tex-Mex Pizza at A Spicy Perspective and thought that we should give it a try. I used my usual homemade dough recipe. We also didn't take the time to grill the chicken first, although I am sure it would be tasty. I just cooked it up on a skillet on the stove. We used our normal method for grilling pizzas which involves a terra cotta plant saucer. It was delicious. Everyone happily ate it and there are a couple of pieces left over for a yummy lunch another time. Here is a link to the recipe: Grilled Tex-Mex Pizza, please note that the recipe makes two pizzas.

Foodie Friday: BLT Chop Salad

I love this time of year. When I can just mosey out to the backyard, cut some lettuce and spinach from our garden and make a yummy salad. Nothing beats fresh lettuce in a salad. Normally I just make my salads by throwing in whatever sounds good that we have on hand. However, I pinned this recipe from the website Key Ingredient and made it this week. It was so yummy. I wasn't sure how the lack of a true salad dressing would be, but we all loved it with just the olive oil and lime juice. Instead of the arugula, I used spinach. Otherwise, I followed the recipe. Jump on over to Key Ingredient for the full BLT Chopped Salad with Corn, Feta, and Avocado.

Foodie Friday: Texas Toast French Toast Bake

We had some overnight guests as they were passing through this past weekend. This awesome family lives in the city I first lived in when I graduated college. It was awesome seeing them again. Unfortunately only one of their four kiddos made the trip with them. (I taught their oldest son in preschool. He is now 13!!! Eeek!) They weren't here for long, but we picked up right where we left off. The sign of true friends. The girls were already in bed when they arrived, but they both had a blast the next morning waking up to company in the house.

Couldn't these girls all be sisters?

Anyway, I have found a new breakfast dish that I like to make when we have company Texas Toast French Toast Bake from Chew Out Load. It is an overnight dish which is perfect for when you have visitors. You do a little work the night before and then in the morning all you have to do is pop it in the oven. And it is soooo good. One of my breakfast specialties is from scratch cinnamon rolls, but they are time consuming and are never ready super early in the morning. This Texas Toast French Toast Bake is almost as yummy and seriously a fraction of the work.

This picture was actually taken the next morning. Let me tell you, it is just as good  the second day.

Craft Booth Sign and Name Tag

So, before my sale last weekend, I decided to make a new sign for my booth. I also decided to make my mom and I name tags. Of course I always put these things off until the last minute. So, Friday afternoon when I should have been cleaning the house and loading the van, I was in my craft area creating these items. However, I handle pressure well and a deadline is sometimes  just what I need to sit down and hammer out a good project.

For the sign I used a spray painted frame I already had. I then cut out a piece of tag board to fit the opening and gave it several coats of chalk board paint. To give it a little support, I cut two pieces of cardboard to put behind the tag board. (I was classy and used masking tape to secure the cardboard. I am cool like that.) I did prime the board with chalk, but since time was of the essence I didn't wait the full 24 hours recommended to use it, but it all seems to have worked properly. I then added the rolled fabric rosettes to the corner. Thankfully I found a metal easel in the house and it worked perfectly to hold the frame.

For the name tags, I used rolled fabric flowers as well that I backed in felt. I added a bar pin as well as an alligator clip to the back. (Really happy that I did that as I ended up clipping it to my winter coat. Ha!) Then I attached one of my twill tape tags that I make as well as a piece of twill tape for my name. And a name tag was born.

Cold Sale, Fun Sale

This past weekend I was able to be a vendor at a biyearly sale in our community. It was my third time participating. And I have had a blast every time. (You can read about time #1 here.) This time I did the show as kiki b omi designs rather than with my friends. So I didn't have to sit out there all day by myself, I recruited my mom to come and do the show with me! (I am totally kicking myself that I didn't have anyone take a picture of the two of us at the booth. Doh!)

This sale will always be remembered as a very cold and windy sale. However, the people still came and we all had a great, although chilly, time. I look at it like a merit badge. I made it through the coldest outdoor sale of all time!!! I am a hard core crafter, people!! Watch out! (Okay, that might be an exaggeration, but it is my blog.)

Anyway, Mr. Cherry came down with me to help me get my backdrop all set up. I have these peg board panels that I bought used. To spiff up the pegboard a bit, we have been covering it all with craft paper. (And by we, I mean Mr. Cherry. I like to leave all things that require precision and attention to detail to him. It just works better that way.)

Once we got the backdrop set up, I started playing around with the layout. We ended up taking one of the side walls down so that I could make use of my two tables. I set my 5 footer up on one end and then my 4 footer at the other. I ended up extending the 4 footer to the counter top height. I covered the tables with some of my vintage table cloths and started plunking down my displays.

For displays, I go around the house and look at anything that might be able to hold something. Then I throw them all into the van and figure it all out on sale day. Hey, don't mock it. It works! Anyway, I ended up with my all time favorite display for this show. Woohoo!

Then it was just a matter of waiting for the people to come and the show to open. The main attraction at this show is re-purposed and refinished items, mainly furniture. Hence the name, Junk Market. People start lining up over an hour ahead of time to get in! Even in the freezing cold, there were still people lining up. Gotta love living up north.

We are hardy here! And while there were quiet times throughout the day, it was a good show. And when it was quiet, I got to sit and chat with my mom. I also got to meet some cool people. The booth next to me was also being manned by a younger mother-daughter team. They were so sweet.

After being outside for around 10 hours, it was time to pack it all up and head home to Chinese food!! (We had been smelling Chinese all day and were craving it!!!)

The take away from this story is that not everyday will be perfect, but it is wonderful to know that people are out there to support small and local businesses! That was indeed heartwarming!

 Did you see something in these pictures that you might "need"? Check out my Facebook page to see if they are still available!! kiki b omi designs