Our friends over at 3M had sent me these nifty decorative metal damage-free Command hooks that stick to the wall. Something that stick to the wall and doesn’t require tools means I can complete the project quickly, which is key to me getting ANYTHING done. They also came with detailed instructions on how to remove them (in literally 2 simple steps) so that they don’t leave a mark on the wall. I hung this one, in oil rubbed bronze, so that it matched the rest of the decor.  But they come in other metals as well.  I’ll give the play by play after the jump, of how I hung the wreath, but how does it look?

Pretty cute, right?  The hook just blends right in, which was great, and it took me about 30 seconds total to hang the hook – pretty good on timing.   This particular one holds up to 3 lbs, but they come larger, if you want to hang a very heavy wreath. Like this ice skating wreath!

This wreath is a tab small for the space, too. The next one I hang will definitely be larger.  If you’d like to make this Valentine’s wreath, check out the simple tutorial here. 

For details on how to hang a wreath without hurting it, continue after the jump!

So here’s what I did. First, I hung the hook. I peeled the sticker off one side, as directed, and attached the sticky tape to the hook.

I then removed the back tape and stuck the hook to the wall, as straight as I could get it, because I was too lazy to find a level.

Following the instructions, I then slide the top part of the decorative hook off, and pressed the stick tape and inside of hook firmly to the wall for 30 seconds.  I let it sit 1 hour as directed before hanging my wreath. 

In the meantime, I fastened my bow to my wreath by using a pipe cleaner. Pipe cleaners are pretty much magical. You can use them for EVERYTHING you would ever need. I also always make my bows separate and attached to a wreath with another ribbon or pipe cleaner. I twisted it tight so that the bow would stay put.

Then I cut a ribbon to hang the wreath from the hook.  It was about a foot.  I slipped it under the pipe cleaner in the back of the wreath, so that it was hidden.  And tied it in a very, very tight knot.

I moved the knot to the back of the wreath, again, to hide it. And hung the wreath!  That’s it, you’re done! 

To comply with FTC guidelines, 3M sent us these fancy hooks. But I only wrote about them because I think they’re awesome.

But at $49.50 for a box of 9 of the top, and $68.50 for a box of 24 of the bottom ones, they are just too pricey to purchase for yourself!  So of course, I decided to Google to see if I could find the recipe and recreate their deliciousness at home.

And, you know what, I found it!  It wasn’t perfect – in fact, far from perfect. (Particularly the icing!) But I learned a lot along the way, and I’m going to try to make them again.  Just with a different icing recipe this time.   After the jump I’ll share the recipe, thoughts, tips and what I plan to do next time!

Here’s the recipe I used: http://www.ivillage.com/elenis-sugar-cookies/3-r-65854

We followed it to a T!

Mixing, mixing, mixing.

But when we took it out and attempted to roll the dough, it was so sticky we couldn’t cut the shapes, even on a very well-floured mat.  The recipe said that it wasn’t exact, because Eleni’s makes their cookies in such large quantities.  The recipe called for 5 cups of flour.  We decided to add 1/2 cup more.  We did, and it improved the situation DRAMATICALLY.

As described, we rolled out the dough onto a well floured surface. (the flour is IMPERATIVE to being able to pick up the cookies!) But the first few ones I did were too thin.  It said an 1/8 of an inch, but I definitely rolled it out closer to like, 1/16 of an inch.  When the dough was rolled too thin, the cookies were way too crispy!

Using the cutters!

Another mistake I did was using the dough twice – as in, the scraps around the cookies.  Because they had been rolled out in the flour, when I used them twice, rolling them out in flour YET AGAIN, they were too flour-y.  The result were very bland cookies that didn’t have that delicious sugary cookie taste.

The ones that were thicker were DELICIOUS.  Very, very close to an Eleni’s, in fact!  So next time I made them, I will focus on making them thick enough, and not re-using any dough.

The next issue was the icing.  I found this recipe for Eleni’s Royal icing: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Elenis-Royal-Icing-104142?id=104142

the icing got shiny, as it was supposed to, but it just never hardened right! So I couldn’t draw cute things on the cookies, and I couldn’t package them at all, even the next day!  Well, I did, but they got all messy.  My co-workers ate them, and we decided that the cookie recipe does have merit!  The icing tasted good, but was just not exactly perfect for gifting.  I’m going to try again with a new icing recipe!

I started to knit a scarf using this really nice cashmere yarn I’d gotten at Knitty City on the Upper West side last winter. I SWORE I had four skeins left.

I cast on 22 stitches and begin knitting.  I did the whole scarf Garter Stitch – which means I only knitted – 22 stitches each row.  But when I got the end of my second skein, I realized I was wrong, and had to end the scarf early.  It was beautiful and soft.  While shorter than I had initially wanted, it was still just long enough to tuck into a man’s overcoat, without having too much extra hanging out or getting bunched up.  But, it was also just a tad too short to stay close up to your chin when those brutally cold days come.

So I decided to add a button, just like I did to this scarf! But this button I wanted hidden.  I found a big, clear button. I tested where I would want it on the scarf, to keep it closed tight almost up to my chin on a cold day.  I sewed the button on with a big needle and the same yarn I made the scarf from. First I tied the string of yarn tight into the scarf with a simple knot, then used that piece of string to sew on the button.

On the opposite end of the scarf, I sewed on a loop that would fit just around the button. I tested out the scarf, putting it on so that the button faced towards my body – so that it would be hidden when closed. It’s a perfect fit!

I always use this Paula Deen recipe, but you’ll see, she leaves out some steps in the instructions! I also changed the ingredients just slightly. I also think this dish is just a tad too big.  Next time, I’ll try it in a smaller pan.  I used a store bought crust, because frankly, I was lazy.  I put the crust in pie dish and cooked it on 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  While that was cooking, I made the curd.

1. I separated three eggs with this nifty separator from the Pampered Chef, saving the whites for the meringue:

2. Next I squeezed the juice from 3 lemons, which gave me JUST over the 1/2 cup needed in this recipe. I used all of it, even though it was a bit extra. I added it tot the egg yolk.3. I added the 14 oz. can of condensed milk to mixture, and grated in about half a teaspoon of lemon zest. I mixed it all together and set aside.

4. I took the crust out and let it cool. Once cooled, I poured the curd into the crust and put it back into the oven for 12 minutes on 375. (Next time, I’ll cook for 15 – 12 wasn’t quite enough.)

5. While cooking, I made meringue.  I cheated and added a 4th egg white, because I thought my eggs were small! I added 1/4 cup sugar and a 1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter to the mixture and beat it until my hand wanted to fall off for 10 -15 minutes with the electric hand mixture – until the meringue formed stiff peaks!

6. I poured it onto the curd while it was still warm, formed some cute peaks with the meringue, and put it back in the oven for 12 minutes.  At first, I had it on too high of a shelf – so make sure its near the bottom, so it doesn’t brown too fast!

]]> http://yaydiy.com/2012/01/how-to-make-a-darn-good-lemon-meringue-pie/feed/ 0 http://yaydiy.com/2012/01/comfort-food-for-a-snowy-day/ http://yaydiy.com/2012/01/comfort-food-for-a-snowy-day/#comments Sun, 22 Jan 2012 03:49:49 +0000 Erin http://yaydiy.com/?p=4462 Continue reading →]]> Baby, it’s cold outside! So I decided to give my new Cuisinart slow cooker a try. I know people rave about slow cookers, but I resisted for years, until this Christmas when my grandmother gave me one as a present.  And, after its first use, I can’t believe I didn’t get on the bandwagon earlier.  I made this beef stew recipe.   It’s from Real Simple.  It was so tasty! There was a bit of legwork at the front end, so I probably wouldn’t make this recipe before work, but its definitely great for a weekend.  Perfect for a cold Saturday night like tonight!  Does anyone have any other favorite slow cooker recipes? I’m looking for ideas!

We made two flavors: Italian and an herb flavor with Herbs de Provence.  They were both delicious, but the Italian was my favorite.  The main thing I learned was: don’t be stingy with the fat! I definitely trimmed a bit too much off of the pork shoulder.  It was still very tasty (and obviously better for me), just not quite as greasy as sausage should be.

Here’s a tutorial with photos and the recipe!

You will need:

1. Pork Shoulder, about 8 lbs
2. Spice mixture of your choosing (see below in post for ideas)
3. 1 cup cold white wine
4. Meat Grinder or Kitchen aid attachment
5. 1 cup finely chopped onion
6. 4-6 cloves garlic finely chopped

Start with a pork shoulder. I used  and one that was just 8 lbs, because that was the smallest my grocery store had.

Looks tasty, doesn’t it? One of the keys here is to KEEP IT COLD.  As it gets warm, the fat gets stringy and gelatinous, which makes it difficult in the grinder and difficult to mix.

Nest, peel back the skin and cut it off:Try not to cut off any extra fat. Then cut the shoulder into cubes.  As you cut the cubes, put them pack in the fridge to keep cold.

More photos, step by step and the spice recipes after the jump!Next, break out your food grinder or Kitchen aid attachment: Begin putting the cubes through the grinder.  Again, leave most of it in the fridge, just take out a bit at a time to run through the grinder.  The fat can easily clog the grinder if it gets too stringy (this happened to me!) and the colder it is, the more likely it is to NOT do that.

Put this back in the fridge while you create your spice mixtures.  Here were ours – for half of the meat, since we made two.  Double this if you’re only using one spice:

Herbs:

1. 2 Tablespoons Herbs de Provence
2. 1 Tablespoon fennel
3. 1/2 tsp. garlic salt.
4. 1 tsp. salt
5. Generous grinding of fresh black pepper

Italian

1. 2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
2. 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
3. 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
4. 1 Tablespoon fennel
5. 1 tsp. salt
6. Generous grinding of fresh black pepper

Next, chop one cup of onions – finely – and 4-6 garlic cloves, finely. Put your ground meat in a bowl, separate into two if you are using two spices.  Pour in the wine, onions and garlic (half into each if you are using two spice mixtures.) Add the spices and mix!

We didn’t use casings.  I bought artificial casings, and I just couldn’t figure them out. So we settled for patties! Make JUST ONE PATTY.  Fry it up in a little oil and taste it – see how you like the spice.  Do you need more? More salt, more pepper, more everything?  Add what you may need if you think it needs more flavor, then form the remaining meat into patties.

Cook them if you want to eat them now, or freeze them for a later date! If you cook them, cook them in a skillet with a touch of oil over medium heat until brown throughout.  And that’s it, you’re done!We ate ours with homemade ravioli! 

Ambergris Caye is an island off mainland Belize. The water is a beautiful greenish-blue and it’s known for its snorkeling and scuba diving! You can’t really swim there, unless you go out to snorkel, as the water right by the shore is very grassy.  But there were a few places you could jump in, which was fun.  And the sand was perfect white – perfect for beach sitting under a palm tree.

Here’s what I did all week: ate lobster, laid in the sun, stared at stingrays, saw some Mayan temples, snorkeled, went cave tubing (not as exciting as it sounds) and drank ALOT of rum punch.  Oh, and told my cute hubby how much I loved him about 1 million times.

We had to take a puddle jumper from Belize City to San Pedro, Ambergis Caye.  Here’s the view from the plane, and the plane!

We arrived at Victoria House. It was love at first site.  The resort was small, about 50 rooms in total, all different sizes. Huts, suites, a house, etc. It also boasts one of the Island’s best restaurants.  We ate there several times, and also ventured out to time quite a bit. Here’s one of VH’s pools:And the hut we stayed in the first night:And the dock, where you could swim off the end:And here we are, looking at VH’s property from that very dock.  That’s the bar you see on the shore, and the little hut is where they organize excursions and rent snorkeling gear. The palm trees help make the beach super private.

More photos (lots more!) after the jump.On our first day there, we took a walk down the beach to town. It took about 35 minutes and we made plenty of stops along the way to have Belikins:It was before 11 am and I already had a rum punch. Best.day.ever.We spent alot of time staring at the beautiful water.  And spotting sting rays in it!
On our second night there, we moved into the honeymoon suite.  A little house. Here was the view from our room.  We spent alot of time reading on that little porch in those compfy lounge chairs. The beach: And more of the grounds at VH, that’s the restaurant right next to the pool:The second pool, an infinity pool overlooking the grounds and the ocean:

We pretty much only have pictures of us that we took ourselves. Woops.

This is the property next to VH. It’s for sale! I was obsessed with the detail on the building, and its beautiful beach front. I wish I could buy it and turn it into a beautiful B&B.I’ll have a few more photos tomorrow!  All in all, it was a magical place.  We would both LOVE to go back to Victoria House one day. I highly recommend it for a honeymoon or any romantic vacation.  I can’t say enough good things about the hotel and their staff.  As for Ambergris Caye, we felt totally safe there.  The hotel was located far enough away so that it was private, but close enough to take a golf cart (this is how everyone gets around) or walk to town. Cabs were also cheap and easy to get, and going out to different restaurants at night was so easy.  It was just great!

She knew that I would love the craftiness of this – I was so impressed with how creative it was – I’ve never seen anything like this! She took a regular salad bowl, and filled it with crumpled up money, which was the lettuce.  She cut up sponges to look like tomatoes, and created strawberries from construction paper! She wrapped it up in netting and it was ready to give as a present.  So, so cute. And, it really looked like a salad!

Next time you’re giving a gift of cash at a bridal shower (which is ALWAYS appreciated!) consider presenting it in a cute way, especially if you’re going to a display shower like mine was!

While I had few reasons to venture outside, I did have plenty to keep me busy indoors, including entertaining some very special house guests over those five days! I was lucky enough to have two of my very best friends from high school visit me over the break. On one night, there was a very important Giants football game on. Since I’d rather poke my eyes out than watch the Giants, I decided to make homemade raviolis for our guests! Here’s Ema, my helper! I’ve made raviolis before, but this time, I tried to use these big stamps to make large ones: Normally, I use this: I made ALOT of mistakes with the large stamps, so I’m going to hold off on giving you instructions until I can make them perfect. I need to play with the thickness and sealing of the ravs with the big stamp.  But my friend Mike did take some pics of the process, so I thought I’d share, just in case you’re bored at work and want to take a peek! First, we made dough. I adapted the dough recipe, I think this was part of the problem:

Then, we made some fillings. More photos, after the jump. Cheese (Ricotta, parm and black pepper):and meat (veal, beef, pork, mortadella):Then I rolled out the dough: And started filling:And sealing:And Stamping!And sealing:And eating! Stay tuned for the recipe at a later date, after its perfected!