Easy Sauteed Mushrooms

You will always find a fresh container of mushrooms in my fridge.  It's like a staple at my house.  My kids don't eat them and Randy is only "so-so" about them, so I get to indulge in them almost exclusively.  YUM!

One of my favorite ways to eat mushrooms is sauteed.  This simple recipe was taught to me by my mama, who also loves mushrooms.  I remember standing in the kitchen with her, watching the mushrooms simmer down into yummy goodness and served as a side dish.  Oh my!

So, here's the recipe for you.  Three ingredients! (plus a dash of all purpose seasoning, which is completely optional.)

Enjoy!

A Pictorial

 

 

You win some, you lose some...

Time to 'fess up.  I love Pinterest.  But, really, who doesn't?  It's just an awesome resource for all things recipe, craft and decor... not to mention fashion, hair ideas and shoes... and let's not forget party ideas, tutorials and general humor.  It's my new search engine.  Literally.

I recently searched for and found a recipe for chalk paint on Pinterest.  I've been intrigued by chalk paint, by its ease of use and versatility, that I decided to whip up a batch and decide for myself.  (I used this recipe.) 

I used interior paint from previous room painting projects.  I also had some wood pieces in my "to-do" craft box that have been waiting for such a time as this.

No need to go into the application details, as you can read about it here on the original blog source, but here is how my projects turned out.  I'm very pleased.  It makes me want to tackle BIGGER projects. 

I think my favorite part about this project is the natural shabby chicness the sanding gives the paint.  I also love how soft and smooth the texture becomes once the Minwax Finishing Paste is applied. Nice.

Anyhow, I'll keep ya posted on what I decide to do next. A lot depends on what I find at Goodwill.... And,  I may even head out to Lowes and buy some funky new summer colors in the Valspar sample jars (for less than $3.00) just for grins!

By the way, follow me on Pinterest!

Loving in the Summer(time)

<<<(This is a reference to the "Regular Show", which is officially our favorite show to watch.  It airs on Cartoon Network and if you have a chance, you should really watch it. Or TiVO it... Or DVR it... HILARIOUS STUFF... )

Y'all, I'm loving summertime!  We've been lazy and it feels good!

The girls are getting along beautifully with one another... the chore chart is working out fantastically... and we're all stress free... which is bliss!


Elisan has been dabbling a bit in the kitchen and it's fun to see her interested in cooking.  She is also finishing up the third book in a series that she has really enjoyed reading.  It's "The Mysterious Benedict Society" books.  They are quite lengthy, but she's been reading them non-stop.  (Which, no complaints here, right?) 

Kyla has been working on her soccer juggling.  She is up to 35 juggles in a row, which means... she keeps the ball bouncing on her feet or knees without dropping it.  Y'all, that's awesome and especially since she's only 8.  She's also reading quite a bit more these days.  I think I finally found a series of books that interests her.  I'll admit, it's not my first choice of reading material, but it's on her reading level and it keeps her motivated... which in the reading department, that's saying a lot! 

Both girls began indoor soccer season this past weekend.  They had a great time and they are both on teams that are blowing away the competition.  It's fun to see them win for a change!

And as for me?  Well, I'm just keeping up with the girls... and my housework, which is amazing!  (Of course, it helps having the girls pitch in here and there.)  I've been running in the evenings, but honestly, I can only finish 2 miles before I feel like collapsing in the 95+ heat.  I wanted to begin swimming at the local indoor pool at the rec center, but I swear, the water is so cold, I can't get used to it.  Not even after swimming several laps!  I'm such a wimp when it comes to cold water.  The girls will swim until their lips turn blue!  Ah, to be a kid again...

That's about all.  I wish there were more to report... well, not really.  I'm glad there's not much to report.  Have I mentioned I like NOT being busy or stressed out?  Oh, yes... I believe I have.

Ah, no stress!

One week of summer down and it feels good to not be stressed out with all things related to school!  It's been nice to just hang out, swim and have lazy mornings as you can see here.

Unfortunately, someone in our family is stressed out right now, and that someone is T.J. the Malti-Mutt. He's not so sure why we are home.  In fact, the first few days we were home, he camped out in his bed, watching us from the peep holes in the side of his bed.  But, he's slowly getting accustomed to us being here more and is emerging from his hidey-hole.  (You can see the uncertainty in his eyes in the above picture.)

We had an eventful weekend.  My folks drove in for my nephew's graduation in San Antonio on Saturday.  I cannot believe my nephew is old enough to be a highschool graduate. (That means I'm getting old as well...sigh.)

Here is Brandon around 3-4 years old. 

And here he is on Saturday.  All 6'6" inches of him.

He's a cutie isn't he?

This weekend, we also picked up some "new" furniture for Kyla's bedroom.  She's only had mis-matched leftover furniture in her room and it was her turn to get a new set.  I've been looking on Craigslist for at least a year, trying to find the best deal on little girl furniture.  It's either been too expensive, not the right pieces, or not in good shape.  But, when I saw this set, I knew I had to get it!  The price was AMAZING, it came with a chest of drawers, armoire, sleigh bed w/trundle and night stand.  It's solid wood and in near perfect condition!  Total score!  (It's all about patience, my friends... patience.)

Excuse the weird lighting in these pictures.  But, you get the gist.
She loves it and so do we.

Freebie Printable Gift Card Holder

I created this thank you box/envelope to hold gift cards for end of school gifts this year!  I think they turned out so cute and I couldn't resist sharing them with you!

Click here to download this freebie printable!

I'm tired of going green!

I've been drinking green smoothies since the Fall. To be quite honest, I believe whole-heartedly that drinking a green smoothie for breakfast has helped me in my weight management. Plus, it has helped me get a full serving of fruit (and spinach) first thing in the morning.

But, I needed a change. And after experimenting with several combinations, I think I've found my new Summer smoothie recipe.

I use a combination of frozen berries and fresh fruit because I like to use frozen berries instead of ice.

Erica's Summer Berry Smoothie

1/2 Cup Frozen Berries (this mix has cherries, blueberries and currants)
1/2 Cup Mixed fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries and blackberries)
1-1.5 cups of Almond Milk (the unsweetened variety has 40 calories per cup)
1 packet of stevia (Truvia brand shown)
(Optional: for extra nutrients, try adding vanilla protien powder)

Blend and enjoy!