Hello! Is it already Wednesday? We are doing well, just very busy. We had company over this past Saturday and since it was rainy and perfect weather for baking, I made a couple loaves of Cream Cheese Banana Bread.
On Sunday, we attended a potluck and I took along a big pan of Jambalaya...cheater's style. ;0)
What else have we been up to? Grace and Emily started their weekly Spanish and Creative Writing classes. We talked to someone about converting our garage into a rec room. First, we have to have a shed built in the backyard to store our camping and gardening supplies, though. Does anyone have any "garage conversion" stories to share?
Lastly, I've had several questions about "Paper Crafting Wednesday." I've decided not to bring back that particular weekly feature, but hope to share card making projects on a more regular basis soon.
Hope you all are doing well!
That recipe looks really good! Sadly I do not have a mixer so it might be too much beating for me.
ReplyDeleteHere is my cheater Jambalaya:
- 1/2 lb chicken meat cut into bite size pieces.
- 1/2 lb spicy sausage (andouille, chorizo, Italian, etc) sliced (like 1/8 to 1/4")
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flake
- 1 red bell pepper sliced (1/4" strips)
- 1 cup white rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 can tomatoes (stewed, crushed, diced, etc) -- I think 14 oz will work here, but sometimes I double this recipe so not sure
Put a bit of oil in bottom of large cooking pot/Dutch oven at high heat to warm and add 1 pinch red pepper flake. Then add sausage and bell pepper and cook on high heat for a couple minutes, stirring, until you can really smell the sausage browning. Then add the water, tomoatoes, chicken, rice, and if you like it spicy another pinch of red pepper. Add more liquid if you need it (liquid should cover the contents and allow to move freely). Bring to a boil, then lower to simmer, cover, and simmer until rice is done, about 18 minutes.
Done!
Also if you add more liquid this could be a soup, if you add less then it is very thick like a stew or chili. You need enough liquid to allow the rice to cook without burning. Can also add more rice and more water to bulk it up for more people. Or double the recipe.
ReplyDeleteWould you share your recipe for the Cream Cheese Banana Bread? How about if I sent you mine for Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread in exchange? =)
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see some of your new card creations! I've been making some lately, but have also been giving them away before I can grab photos of them. Ugh! I just got some really pretty fall papers and embellishments, and I hope to post some of my projects next week.
~ Leah
Hello Kelli! Your cream cheese banana bread looks truly scrumptious.
ReplyDeleteWe converted our garage into a home office. We hired a private carpenter to do the work and it turned out great.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, that bread looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteSecond, almost 4 years ago now, my husband converted our 24x 24 attached garage into two bedrooms, a handicapped accessible bathroom, and a 5x16 hallway. It's beautiful, and you can't tell the house wasn't originally built that way. The bedrooms are very spacious, too. Have fun!
The bread looks delicious. I have always loved cooking because I grew up with a mother who loved it and taught me and my sisters. I loved watching her roll out noodles and pie dough. But my husband and I are trying to cut back and lose weight. I do not know about the garage transformation. But I do have a son in Ohio who is the best carpenter I know. His email address: edrconstruction@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteHe may have some ideas for you.
I have not been able to join in on Fridays lately but I have many things to share. Have a good week.
Mr. H. converted our one car garage into a bedroom for our then 5 year old daughter in our old house. It was really nice. He left about 3 feet? of garage space and then built a wall closing off her room. We were still able to open the garage door and use it for a little storage area. But you couldn't get in to the rest of the house from there. He installed a window unit air conditioner. You would never know it used to be a garage after he was done, except for the fact that the door to the attic was in her ceiling. ;-) He put a pretty little flower knob on it for her though. :-)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your conversion, and you better blog about it! ;-)
The banana bread & jambalaya sounds so good. I have made the cheater style before also. :) I am trying to watch what I eat and "everthing" looks and sounds so good.
ReplyDeleteThat bread look looks scrumptious! I'll have to try that for sure.
ReplyDeletecindy
Oh my I'm gonna make that banana bread tomorrow (don't have enough cream cheese, but going to Trader Joes today so will get some)! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYummy bread! I made a cream cheese banana bread for the first time last Saturday. It was good! I love seeing your card creations.
ReplyDeleteMeadow Walk, the Jambalaya recipe sounds really good. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteKelli, would love to see paper crafting every day if possible. Love your stuff and I always get inspired to do something after your papercrafing tutorials. But at a minimum would it be possible for you to have papercrafting once a week? Please? Thanks,Barb
ReplyDeleteYour bread looks so good!
ReplyDeleteKelly,
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to leave me a comment. I found your blog and just loved it. I especially like how you have pictures of your home decorated for the various holidays. I look forward to joining in on Show and Tell Friday as much as I can!
Anita
Hi we had our garge converted into a school and games room, for the kids. We had the roller panel lifted door removed, and a larged window and slider door fitted. Curtins hung and a air-con instilled. We layed a inter-locking floor that looks like timber floors, and layed a large mat down. I have photos under "school" on my blog to view.
ReplyDeleteI adore Jambalaya, I use the kind too! It just so simple! I have some sausage bought ready to make it! Now the banana cream bread sound wonderful! I need to check it out! We love the banana bread, so this would be wonderful! You have the best recipes! You should add these to Foodie Friday.
ReplyDeleteAs far as enclosing the garage, we did that when we were in the city. It was OK, except we were on a concrete slap and it seeped moisture. So if your on concrete, be sure and do something to take care of that. We missed our garage, and never built one for there was no room. Here in the country we do not have one and how I wish for one when it rains or its cold.
Hey that's funny I used that same mix the other day. :) It is also great to use any of the leftovers wrapped up in a tortilla as an easy fajita - just throw in some cheese and any other fajita toppings you like and kapow easy fajita.
ReplyDeleteI'll miss the Paper Crafting days, but I am glad you're still going to share some of your card-making. I enjoy seeing the ideas you com up with.
ReplyDeleteThat bread looks delicious! Wish I had some to go with tea this afternoon.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the garage. I've thought of converting ours, but as yet, don't really have the need.
Mary Lou
Hi Kelli
ReplyDeleteI sounds like you have been really busy! We did the garage renovation thing a couple of years ago. We bought a shed and moved the junk out and then turned the garage into an office, furnace room and storage closet. This is an old house and the garage was a wreck and so it was more expensive and time consuming then anticipated, but we enjoy the end result for sure. The one mistake we made was hanging the windows too low. We had 2 big skylights put in and they are so bright and open up the space wonderfully. I miss having a garage, and if we ever go to sell the house we'll need to build one! Down the road! Have fun with your project!