Apartment Therapy Feature!

Apartment Therapy  featured Maya's Cleopatra Costume in their recent DIY Halloween write-up! 

Check it out for 17 other cool kids costumes you can make from stuff around your house. 

This Cleopatra costume was made with a pillowcase, paper shopping bag, and vinyl stickers. 

The original post for this costume is here if you are interested. 

Thank you Lauren  for the sweet feature! 

Southwest Black Bean Salad

The Southwest Black Bean Salad is something I make quite often when I want something hearty, healthy, and refreshing. It's quite easy to make and very satisfying! My recipe has a bit of an asian twist.

Here's the easy recipe:

Easy Banana Bread Recipe

Ever have a few bananas that sit around because they weren't consumed before the black freckles start forming on the skin? Once that happens, no one in my family will eat them.
Instead of throwing them out, I pop them in the fridge until ready to be used, and make this simple banana bread!

Homemade Brownies

A little something for Maya's teacher on her birthday!

Shopping bag handle turned flower hair clip

1. I cut off  both bag handles then cut into equal strips.
                 I made a puffy center with scrap fabric and filled with cotton. 

2. Fold each handle in half and fasten to the centerpiece. 

3. Added felt leaves, sequence, and feathers. Sewed on the hair clip to the back. 

By the way, I used the Urban Outfitters shopping bag handles to make this hair clip.

LOVE DAY treats

Pesto recipe

Over the weekend, I met up with a few of my neighbors for wine. We all have our own separate lives, but we share one thing in common. Our love for rural living, which is why we chose to live here in Sleepy Hollow, the only untouched pocket in the suburbs of Chino Hills. We are so fortunate to live in a beautiful place surrounded by nature.

That evening, we took a tour of one of my neighbor's beautiful garden, and she gave me fresh thyme, parsley, and basil to take home. I thought this was a good opportunity to share an easy Classic Pesto recipe with you!

Classic Pesto made with freshly picked basil

 A jar of pesto is something we have on hand because it is so easy to make, and easy to use.
We add it to penne pasta with chicken and fresh tomatoes, my children spread it on their
pizza slices and garlic bread, and it adds another dimension to turkey sandwiches too. Yum!

::: CLASSIC PESTO ::: (makes 1 cup )

Ingredients:

*4 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves
*1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
*1/3 cup pine nuts or other nuts
  (I've used walnuts, almonds, & macadamia nuts & all turned out great)
*2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
*1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  (any will do, but I like to use Parmigiano Reggiano)
*squeeze of lemon juice
*1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
*dash of pepper

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth.
Store in an air tight jar or container.

Enjoy!