WhiteMagicWoman

Crockpot Spinach Lentil Stew

1 med onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped (or use baby carrots sliced if you have them)
1 bag dry lentils
1 large can chicken stock
10 o.z bag of frozen spinach (use fresh chopped if you want)
15 oz. can of petite diced tomatoes
1-2 bay leaves
salt
pepper
thyme

Chop onion and carrots, add to the pot.  Rinse the lentils and pick out any stones, add to the pot.  Add whole can of diced petite tomatoes along with the liquid to the pot. Stir.  Add salt, pepper, and thyme to taste.  Add bay leaves.  Add spinach.

If you have a 5-qt crockpot, add enough chicken stock to come up to just 1″ below the rim.  If you have a larger crockpot, add the whole large can of chicken stock.

If you want a little tang, add a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce (I don’t usually).

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  It’s done when the lentils are soft and tender.

Tags: lentils, spinach, stew
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One of my friends knows Max very well, and I wanted to let you know more about him and the wonderful things that he does for people.
 
Max is a natural born healer who has had great results healing, or at minimum provided intense relief, to those suffering from arthritis, bad circulation, seizures, back/shoulder pain, erectile dysfunction, burns, unexplained pain, swelling, depression, stress, psoriasis and many other health issues.   She has had first-hand experience with him, and she was one of many that actually felt his healing energy going through her body during the healing sessions.
 
Max wants to help relieve as many people in pain as he can with his gift.  For this reason, he still offers an initial free long distance healing session.  Most people feel immediate results from him after just one session, some do not even feel a need for a repeat healing.  So if you are even slightly doubting his ability to help you, you have nothing to lose with a free healing.  We  strongly recommend you give him a try!

Take a look at his Web site at www.maxthehealer.com and read about him, his testimonials, and how to contact him.

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So beautiful!

With all the snow we’ve had this year, I’m not surprised at how big the icicles are everywhere.  Some of them at my place were more than 6 or 7 feet!

After a little melting, a few well-placed snowballs aided in the crashing down process…  lol! 

Here are some pics of the icicles at my aparment complex.   (Click here)

Here are some general pics of the snow we’ve had so far this winter.  (Click here)

Enjoy!

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When I moved into my apartment 3 years ago, I had to get new furniture (basically, because I had nothing). 

Knowing that the apartment situation is only temporary, I didn’t want to spend a whole lot on a dining room set.  I found a great metal set with inlaid stone accents.  Beautiful slate colors – grays, blues, blacks, with flecks of copper and terra cotta.

So, what color cushions did they put on the chairs?  Tan.  Beige.  Call it whatever you want, but it’s ugly.  And cheap looking.  And dirty looking, right out of the box.  And it shows every brush stroke on the mircrofiber.  And it’s just blah. 

Who’s the brainiac who chose that fabric?  What a missed opportunity to make the cheap set look so much more expensive…

I’ve hated the cushions from the beginning.  So, this weekend, I finally did something about it.  I reupholstered them!

I used a nice, deep charcoal microfiber that’s at least three times thicker than the original tan, and the quality is so much better – almost like thick velvet.

Old:      New: 

Look at the difference the fabric makes!  It just added a whole new dimension to the old set.  I love the new cushions now!

There are tons of videos and instuctions on the Web on how to reupholster chairs so I won’t re-create them here, but I will say it was a lot easier and a lot less scary after watching a couple of them and doing the first chair.

Fabric, staple gun, staples, screwdriver, and scissors.  That’s it!

The best part of this is that I used a fabric remnant that I got at Jo-Ann’s Fabrics in the Red Dot section.  $8.00

Woooooooo hooooooooo! 

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Chorizo, Kale, and White Bean Soup

This is a hearty soup that will warm up your insides for the cold weather that’s coming.

* 3 oz of Chorizo, removed from casing
* 1 cup diced onion
* 2 cloves of garlic, minced
* 4 cups of chicken broth
* 2 cans of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
* 4 cups of fresh kale, washed and chopped
* Salt and pepper to taste

Remove the Chorizo from casing and cook for 2-3 minutes. Break it up in the pan as you cook it.

Add the onion and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes more, until the onion is soft and translucent.

Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Add the chicken broth and beans.  Use a potato masher and mash some of the beans to help thicken the soup.

Season with salt and pepper.

Simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the kale and simmer for a few more minutes, until the kale starts to wilt.  You want it to still have some texture.  Don’t simmer the crap out of it.  LOL!

That’s it!  Easy and delicious.

Note:   This might be a little spicy for young children.  If you want to make a less spicy version, use regular sausage or kielbasa.

Tags: food, soup, stew
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Like this!

Click here to see the slideshow.

I really don’t know what I was thinking.  I must be totally insane.

I didn’t want to pay hundreds of dollars for a larger cage, but my little birdies now have baby birdies, and the other flight cage is going to get very crowded very fast!

I looked at tons of cages online — hundreds of them.  They were either very cheap and looked like crap or very expensive for larger ones that looked like a piece of furniture.

The solution?  Make one!

Ha!  And this folks, is how I get myself into trouble…

Fortunately, it came out ok.  It’s not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s good for what it is.  It’s 1×2 scrappy white pine, so it’s not like it’s oak or maple.  But a nice coat of stain and poly made it look nice.  

It’s 4 ft wide, 3 ft high, and 2.5 ft deep.

I built it in my apartment and stained it out on my balcony.  I got a lot of strange looks from folks, and I’m sure my neighbors underneath me hate my guts now with all that sawing and hammering…

But, I did it!  It’s done!

I hope my little birdies like it.  Spoiled rotten…

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Potholders and Dish Cloth

These are two potholders and a dish cloth that I made for my Mom.  While I don’t really like the mitt types, I do think that for older folks, the material around the hand is a good idea. 

So, when she asked me to make some potholders for the matching placemat set I made her, I thought it would be a good idea to provide some extra stability and support by adding an extra piece of material about 2/3 of the size on the front (the red material).  This makes a pocket that she can slip her hands into if she wants, or not use the pockets and use it as a regular potholder when she wants.  It’s a nice option to provide.

Tags: decor, home decoration, potholders
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Turkey Spinach Artichoke Quesadilla

These stemmed from trying to create a version of one of my favorite sammiches.  Panera has a turkey artichoke pannini that’s simply delicious!  It’s sliced turkey, an artichoke spread, and caramelized onions on a thick bread.

I always wanted to try making a spinach-artichoke dip, so
I thought, why not just try making a spread and use it on a sammy?

So, tada!  Easy-easy.

1 package of frozen spinach
2 cans of artichoke hearts
1 cup of shredded cheese (parmesan, cheddar, monterey…  use what’s on hand)
1/4 cup mayonnaise

Defrost spinach and squeeze out the excess water.  Chop the artichoke hearts into small pieces.  Add the cheese and Mayo.  Mix together.  That’s it.  (Well, that was my original attempt.  Last night making the quesadillas, I added a can of black beans for interest…)

If I was to make this into a dip, I would put it in the oven and heat it so that the cheese melts.  Using it as a spread in the sammy, the cheese melts when it’s cooked in the pan.

I took some leftover Thanksgiving turkey, spread the mixture on the flour tortillas, folded them, then put them in the skillet.  The golden-brown, crispy outside provided the perfect crunch to remind me of the pannini, but without all of that extra thick bread.

This version has more filling inside and less bread, whereas the Panera pannini has more bread and less filling.

This is a nice way to get some extra veggies in…

Tags: artichoke, food, quesadilla, sandwich, spinach, tortilla
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More Zebra Finches!

Yes, I completed my zebbie family.  I now have 3 males and 3 females.  The original pied male and white male are on top.  Sitting on the branch from top to bottom (right to left) are the new ones: dark female, medium female, light female, and little light male.

It took a little while for the original males to get used to the new birdies, but everyone is getting along great now.  For such aggressive and pushy little birdies, they are becoming one big happy family.  Sure, a few squabbles here and there, but not nearly as much as the two males alone.

It’s been a very educational experience in the social structure of birddom.  Amazing to see how they get to know each other and handle new things.

They are tons of fun!

Tags: birds, pets, Zebra Finches
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Mini Apple Tarts

These are always a hit! 

The secret is to buy the prepared phyllo dough cups in the frozen food section.  They are already baked, so all you have to do is defrost them.

You can fill them with just about anything — make them sweet or make them savory…

This time, I made little mini apple tarts with them.  This recipe isn’t really a recipe — it’s more like a method.  I just usually “wing” all of the amounts.

Wash, peel, and dice some apples.  If you are doing a large batch, put them in a bowl of cold water with a quirt of lemon juice.  This will keep them from browning.  When you’re done with the apples, drain them well.

Add a little bit of brown sugar and add a little bit of cinnamon (to taste).  Mix thoroughly.

Put the mixture into a baking dish, cover with tin foil,  and bake at 350 degrees for about 35-40 minutes or until the apples soften to the consistency you want.  I like my apples to still have a little “bite” to them.

Cool the mixture.

Fill the tart cups with about 1 tablespoon of the mixture.

Melt some caramels in a microwave-safe bowl.  Drizzle it over the top of the apples.

Done.  Voila!  How easy is that???

I’ve made these before using a sausage stuffing mixture, and they came out extremely well!  Get creative!

Tags: Appetizers, apples, food, tarts
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