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Talk about a quick job! I did this one in just under two days, using only materials I had on hand. My daughter volunteered to be part of a fashion show for the Derby Days here in town. She would be wearing a Victorian-style dress and carrying her doll. Dolly was supposed to wear something yellow, so that she would kind of match, but where's the fun in that? I decided to make a replica of the outfit my daughter would be wearing. I didn't have any yellow fabric, but I had some yellowish-orange chiffon, and some white muslin, so I layered them together and the effect was that of yellow fabric. Lace, ribbon, and a flower rosette I found in my stash completed the outfit. And while it's not an exact replica, it's pretty close, and it looked well with my girl's dress.

Chicken with Awesomesauce. Served with garlic-ginger zucchini and steamed broccoli w/cultured butter I didn't name this, my family did. It's quick, easy, and tastes wonderful.  Basically it's chicken in a sort of sauce or gravy that tastes really great poured on top of things. First, a few notes about ingredients. We use tamari sauce in our house, because unlike most regular types of soy sauce, it doesn't contain wheat. The onions can be any kind that you have on hand, from leeks or scallions to green onions or the real deal. I mostly use the dried minced onion that comes in a bottle, because it's fast and I don't have to chop onions. Usually I serve this with veggies, most often broccoli and green beans, that have been steamed and tossed with cultured butter. It's definitely a household favorite. Oh, and the amount of chicken here works well for my family of four because not all of us are adults and because the chicken I buy at Costco tends to be lar...

Chicken Delicious, top of stove style I've gotten so many requests for three certain recipes lately that I 'm going to post them all here, one at a time. The first is named "Chicken Delicious", and that's pretty much what it is. A marvelous concoction that can be like creamed chicken or more soupy like a luscious chowder. It can be made on the top of the stove if you like, although I find I prefer the crockpot version. I'll list both here. Also feel free to add other nourishing veggies like broccoli or zucchini closer to finishing time if you'd like. My family also really likes it when I put in a small potato or two but if you are looking for a healthier option than you could add some chopped cauliflower instead. Also, if you are planning to make ahead to freeze, don't use potatoes. Celery root is a wonderfully convincing substitute. ***Please note all amounts are approximations (except the butter and cream cheese) so feel free to use more or les...

      Are you ready for some serious insanity?  Brace yourselves and get ready for a seriously long post explaining what I've been doing for many many months. (So grab your smoking jacket- and a bib...kudos to you if you know what I'm talking about!) By the end of it you'll see why I haven't posted since Halloween.      I agreed to help out with costumes for a production of an Irish-style Nutcracker. Not just because I can sew, but because I was the only person who volunteered to do it. So basically I was told what was needed (or I helped decide it), was given the dancers' measurements, and then I drafted patterns. First I made costumes for the three girls doing The Claddagh Ring Dance. As a cheap and easy solution I came up with the idea that they could look like Roman Goddesses, dressed in what would look like liquid metal. This way, the costumes could be worn by different girls of different sizes year after year without much need to alter them. ...