"Anchors Away" Nautical Bejeweled T-Shirt***ACCOMPLISHED**

This is my version of the top.  I used decorative stones from the dollar store, which make it a wee bit too heavy and I am not sure how well this will last up through repeated washings.  I may just cut around the decorations on the shirt and turn it into a bib type necklace.

http://craftsandcreationswithkathy.blogspot.com/2009/06/designer-inspired-nautical-bejewled-top.html

http://carboncouture.blogspot.com/2009/05/anchors-away.html

OTTOMAN FROM LARGE RUBBERMAID TOTE

This is something I want to make for Kyle to take to college with him, although I might end up just grabbing one of the totes he has in his room already and make it now.
http://sewing.today.com/2009/05/07/slipcover-ottoman-from-rubbermaid-container/?comment=new#comment-161

CANNED CARROT RECIPES

I have several cans of carrots in my cupboard because while we love raw carrots, whenever I ask what veggie for a side it usually corn and sometimes Italian green beans but never carrots.

I want to use up and went in search of some recipes.


Whole Grain Carrot & Cheese Crackers over a Foodwhirl.  It calls for steamed carrot that are then pureed, so I think it could be easily adapted.


This site has a list of 24 carrot receipes
http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/recipeslist.html


One recipe is for "Carrot Spice Pie

• 8oz of canned carrots
• 1oz butter/marg; 1oz honey
• 2oz white sugar; 2oz brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 inch pastry crust.

Combine carrots, butter, honey, vanilla, salt, eggs and spices in a mixing bowl and mix till smooth. Fold in sugars and pour filling into pastry crust. Bake at 350F for 1 hour. To determine if pie is done insert toothpick. If it comes out clean it is ready."
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Here is a receipe for Amaretto Carrots
It is still basically cooked carrots but sounds interesting to try, but I would have to buy a small bottle the Amaretto and almond extract.
http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/easter/amaretto-carrots.htm




"Amaretto Carrots

• 1 lb. fresh carrots, sliced, or 2 (15-ounce) cans carrots (see note)
• 1/4 t. salt (if using fresh carrots)
• 2 t. amaretto liqueur
• 2 t. almond extract
• 2 T. butter1 T. cornstarch
• 1/3 C. honey

Place carrots in a medium saucepan; cover with water (about 1 1/2 cups). Add salt; cook over medium heat until fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Remove carrots to a warm dish and set aside. Ladle a tablespoon or two of cooking liquid into a small dish and set aside to cool.Add amaretto, almond extract and butter to saucepan; stir constantly until butter is melted. Whisk cornstarch into the small dish of reserved liquid; whisk cornstarch mixture into saucepan and continue cooking until sauce is thickened. Stir in honey. Return carrots to pan and heat through.Yield: 6 to 8 side-dish servings.Note: If using canned carrots, drain liquid into a saucepan, then add other ingredients except salt according to method above. Add carrots to sauce to heat through. "
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Caramelized Carrots
This is for carrots chopped vertically, but could still be used.
http://www.kayotic.nl/blog/?p=1567
Ingredients:

• 1 pound carrots
• 1 medium onion
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• garlic
• salt
• pepper

Directions:

Peel and dice the carrots. I’m turning them into medium-sized match sticks. It’s prettier to serve and it reduces the cooking time.

Coarsely chop the onion and grate a large garlic clove.

Heat 1 tbsp butter (I’m using the liquid version) and 1 tbsp oil. You can also use just butter or just oil. Get everything sizzling hot.

Plunge in the onions. Give them a good stir losely followed by the garlic. Why does the garlic always come in second?

Add 1/4 tsp cumin, a heaping 1/4 tsp curry powder and a tsp dried thyme.

In with the carrots! Stir them until the carrots are coated with the onions and thyme.
Pour in 1 cup of chicken broth.

Sprinkle some salt and pepper in there as well. I’ve used coarse sea salt, probably close to half a tsp. It also depends on how salty your broth is.

Bring everything to a boil and cook over medium to high heat (without a lid or the lid cracked, I prefer no lid) for 10 to 15 minutes until the broth has vaporized. The cooking time also depends on the size of the carrots, of course.

Here comes the good part - when all the liquid is gone, the carrots and onions will caramelize giving them an amazing flavor. This should start to happen after about 10 minutes, make sure you’re nearby then and flip them with a spatula once or twice, or you’ll burn them rather than caramelize them.

The carrots will still have a bite to them, but are incredibly juicy, sweet and fragrant."


***ACCOMPLISHED***



Carrot Cake With Canned Carrots Recipe
http://www.grouprecipes.com/47922/carrot-cake-with-canned-carrots.html
Carrot Cake With Canned Carrots Recipe
Ingredients
Cake
2 C. flour
2 t. baking powder
2 t. baking soda
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
2 C. sugar
1 1/2 c. oil
3 c. canned carrots, drained
4 eggs
1/2 c. pecans
icing
1 box 10X sugar
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
1/2 stick margarine
Mix ingredients in the order listed.
Stir in eggs one at a time.
Then stir in nuts
The carrots will fall apart when you mix, so no need for chopping.
Pour in a 9 X 11 greased and floured pan
Bake at 350 until cake tests done (approx. 25-35 minutes) 
Mix icing ingredients together and spread over cooled cake

This had a nice flavor and was very moist, but as canned carrots are used you are not going to get the consistency that is usually associated with a carrot cake and there is only a hint of carrot flavor, it is more like a spice cake.  When I make this again I will probably add a teaspoon or two of nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice.

SHIRLEY TEMPLE CUPCAKES

http://www.lafujimama.com/2009/05/shirley-temple-cupcakes.html

MAKING TACO SHELLS AND CUPS W/RECIPE OF SALSA & GUACAMOLE

http://rootsandwingsco.blogspot.com/2009/04/cinqo-de-mayo-dinner.html

The above site has how to make taco bowls. They use flour tortillas and trace the size they need and but the tortillas to fit. After cutting, they put them in a muffin tin for the smaller bowls or a bowl for the larger one. They then prehead the oven to 450 degrees and fill the bottom of the tortilla with dried beans to keep it from puffing up, then bake for 6 mins. Afterwards, they turn they empty out the beans and turn the bowles upside down on a baking sheet, then put a ball of aluminum foil underneath to keep their shape and put them back in oven for 3 mins.

Salsa recipe

• 1 Cup Fresh Diced up Tomatoes
• 1/4 C Onions
• 2 Teaspoons minced Fresh Cilantro
• 1 Large Garlic Clove, minced
• 2 tsp Lime Juice
• A dash of salt and pepper
• Small can of diced green peppers (optional)t

Guacamole:

• 1 Cup Salsa recipe
• 2 ripe Avocados

Mash avocados, add salsa, and stir. Make this very last minute to keep it from changing color.

Chips

Coat a sheet pan in vegetable oil and salt rub both sides of tortilla in the mixture. Cut the tortilla into quarters and lay on baking sheet and bake at 400 for 2 minutes. Then, turn them all over and bake for another minute.

LONDON TUBE MAP CROSS STITCH

http://meish.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/xmap.png

Peach Whipped Cream Frosting Recipe

http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2009/05/whipped-cream-frosting-with-peaches.html

I ran across this receipe at the above blog and want to try it as it would make a nice alternative to heavy frosting for cupcakes in the summer.

• Peach Whipped Cream Frosting Recipe
• 1 C heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 C sugar
• 2/3 C finely pureed peaches, fresh or canned (If you plan to pipe the frosting, be sure to puree finely, otherwise they will get stuck in your piping tip - no fun! I used a food processor.)

Beat whipping cream on medium speed for about five minutes, until soft peaks form.
Mix in sugar.
Fold in peaches to the whipped cream.
Be sure to keep refrigerated.

DIY J Crew Astrid Sweater with Ruffles

I am probably too old to wear something this girly, but that isn't going to stop me from making this lovely sweater that I saw over at the following.

http://mightygirl.com/2009/05/06/diy-j-crew-astrid-sweater-with-ruffles/

Her inspiration was this project:

http://www.orangebeautiful.com/blog/post.php?post_id=896

Here is the link to the tutorial:

http://www.orangebeautiful.com/blog/post.php?post_id=905

Tribal Easter Egg Necklace

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=303494.0

This was an entry into Craftser Challenge 38 where you make something out of plastic Easter Eggs and she has a tutorial on how to make it over there also. I like how it looks and think I want to give this a try.