Maddie's Computer Art

Here is a picture that Maddie did on the computer
with the mouse and "Paint" program!

Just for fun I thought I'd share it, when she has actual crayons she finds her art much easier to do what she wants. I thought this was pretty good for using the computer program.

A Pictoral Blog

Here are some fun, beautiful, creative, cool and sweet

listings from my Homefront Team mates.

I just LOVE felted items

I am a seamstress and am completely fascinated by the art of making felted items. So here is a quick pictorial blog of some of the fun things I've found (click on the pic for link to purchase). Granted most of them are food, but I just am amazed at how realistic these look. I wish I'd discovered this kind of kid friendly toy when mine was young enough to want to play pretend with her "kitchen."

Big Government Survival Kit

I found this through a link on face book and just had to share it. Funny stuff for sure. Please note these are their pictures and you can click on either one to get a link to the Big Government Survival Kit site to purchase one of your very own!

Fried Green Tomatoes

Not a Southerner that is living in the South? Need to impress someone with your ability to cook Southern Food? Try this recipe, its easy, tasty and will impress the locals and transplants alike!


First thing is first, the tomatoes must be green! This means they will be small because green tomatoes are not yet ripe therefore not grown up to their fullest size. You'll need to figure no more than 3 - 4 slices out of each tomato, so gauge your purchase accordingly.

Notice the flaws in my tomatoes?

Yup, I like the ones that DON'T look perfect. The fruits and vegetables that look too perfect have little flavor in my opinion. I purchased these at the local Farmer's Market this morning. Don't get any that have any signs of ripening (yellow, orange or reddish skin), they just wont taste as good.

Heat oil in a skillet (I always use cast iron to fry in) about 1" deep. The egg wash I use is 2 eggs, about 1 Tbsp. of milk and salt (I always salt my egg out of superstition). The batter I use is White Lily White Flour, King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour (sometimes I'll use Jiffy Mix Cornbread mix instead of corn meal, but I skipped this all together tonight and it didn't seem to make a difference) and some seasonings - I used a basic chicken seasoning tonight. So set your assembly line up like this...

I'm working from Right to left as that's the space allowance in my kitchen. The skillet is on the far left just out of the picture. So Tomato, egg wash, flour, skillet. Repeat until the skillet is full, but do not let them touch if you can help it.

Last bit of info, if you'll put a cake cooling rack on your plate between the plate and paper towel (that you'll have to drain the oil off of the tomatoes) you will drain better and have less oil and grease in your meal. This works for bacon and anything else that you might drain on a paper towel and keeps things ever so slightly on the healthier side.


And here is the finished product. About 21 - 26
Fried Green Tomatoes

And I don't know if this is Southern or just the way we got the kiddo to eat these, but they aren't too bad with katsup either...! ENJOY

Congrats!

Congratulations to two of my Etsy Homefront team mates
for making it into the Etsy finds!

LilacAve for her
Ginger Peach Tea Lights

AND TO

SygnetCreations for her
Family Travel Neck Pillow Set.

Way to go ladies!

The Etsy Homefront Team is made up of over 200 shops, all owned by spouses and significant others of members of the U.S. uniformed services. We are male and female, of all ages and several different nationalities and are located, quite literally, worldwide!

Our one common thread is that we are personally involved in supporting our countries on a day-in, day-out basis. Without prejudice, or regard for religion, race, nationality or political views, we keep the homefires burning and our families together, no matter how far apart we are.

Check out our blog at: http://www.homefrontartistryteam.blogspot.com

"Off-the-Wall Art Strip"

First let me say that this is NOT my idea. I found this on "FamilyFun.com" via face book. It's says it is for a Toddler, but I think my 1st grader would live it just as much although slightly higher on the wall. I wanted to share it with you all, my readers since most of you are moms or have kids in your life one way or another. Please check FamilyFun.com for more great recipes, printables, 4th of July and many more ideas on things to do to keep the kids busy this summer.

Picture borrowed from FamilyFun.com

"The family refrigerator is happy to moonlight as an art gallery, but your in-house studio may be churning out more work than a couple of magnets can hold. Our kid-level display uses Velcro to make the most of a sticky situation: a small piece stuck to the back of the artwork means that it can be hung on and taken down from the Velcro-covered strip by the artist himself -- perhaps with a little help from Mom.

Materials

• 5-foot length of wood molding
• Tools and mounting hardware (we used screws)

• 5-foot strip of self-adhesive Velcro tape
• Packing tape

Instructions

1. Mount the molding on the wall at your child's height. Adhere one side of the Velcro tape to the molding, positioning the Velcro so it covers the screws.

2. Next, apply a strip of packing tape to the back of each piece of artwork and top it with a 3-inch strip cut from the other side of the Velcro tape. (This allows you to remove the Velcro without tearing the paper.)

3. For added sturdiness and decoration, we affixed our artwork to larger pieces of card stock before hanging them. When your artist decides to take down his work, store it in a clean pizza box."

Wishes and Dreams!

Is there really anything more to say? This is NOT where I am, this is a picture I took last year at my absolutely favorite beach resort . This is where I wish I could be and where I dream about going again soon.

Feature Coming Soon

I will start doing a weekly feature which will include a short interview and hopefully some fun and funny stuff to read. Until then, please enjoy a few pictures of some of the most beautiful places in East Tennessee...

Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park



A creek in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Light & Easy

Boiled Artichokes and Bruschetta (my way)

This meal is one that has no meat, but once in a while its nice to have a meal that doesn't revolve around meat and potatoes. Surprisingly the artichokes are very filling, however for the first time you might want to add one other appetizer with it to be on the safe side. This meal is enough to easily fill us. I have lots of pictures so I'm going to try to be as thorough as I can.
For the Artichokes You'll need:
Whole artichokes (1 per person) garlic, olive oil, fresh herbs of choice
First thing is first, get your water started boiling. You'll need a pot large enough to allow your artichokes freedom of movement while boiling, so get that water started before anything else.

Cut the thorns off the artichokes! This is an important step and one you'll only forget once! They aren't called "chokes" by accident. Use scissors to cut the tip of each leaf off and then use a sharp knife to slice off all of the top portion at once.

Next cut off the bottoms so that they sit even as pictured below.


Once the water gets boiling, add olive oil, about 2 turns = 2 Tbsp. should do it add minced garlic, I've shown in pictures the best way to get the skin off the garlic, chop, then mince it. So here ya go:

Put the clove under the knife blade facing away from you and SMASH it.

Take the skin off and discard it as I've never found a use for the skin... yet.

Now that its smashed its much easier to chop, then take your blade and rock back and forth the opposite direction in which you chopped. Scrape it back into a pile and do this a few more times until the garlic is minced to your liking.

Put the minced garlic clove, minced herbs of choice (I used what I have growing - Rosemary, Thyme, Greek Oregano, and Sweet Marjoram)

a pinch of salt and the artichokes into the boiling water (chokes should be bottom side down). Put the lid on and let them boil for 30 minutes - then flip them over to boil bottom side up for another 15 minutes. Once they're done (45 minutes total boiling time) take them out to a colander to strain the water out.

While they're boiling make the Bruschetta and dipping sauces for the chokes.

Bruschetta, you'll need
Italian or French loaf bread (sliced to about 1" thick), garlic clove, olive oil, diced tomatoes (I use canned sometimes when they're not in season locally since I didn't can any myself last year), fresh basil (since I didn't grow Basil this year I chose the same minced herbs I used in the boiling water with the artichokes), and Parmesan cheese.

Toast Bread then rub with 1/2 clove of garlic (toasting it first is important for this step to work). Brush with Olive Oil, put diced tomatoes fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese on and broil for about 2 minutes.


For the dipping sauces I don't have pictures, but the directions are simple.

1st one, get about 2 Tbsp. of Mayo (or that Miracle Salad Dressing it doesn't really matter) and add about 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil and herbs as you prefer, mix it all together.
2nd one, melt butter and add garlic, Parmesan cheese to taste.
Both are used to dip the artichoke leaves in, to eat the leaves you scrape the meaty underside against your bottom teeth and discard the fibrous top part of the leaf. The "heart" is really the soft bottom that once you peel all the leaves off will be fabulous to eat but DO NOT eat the "choke" which you should be able to tell what it is as it would undoubtedly choke you!

Bon Appetite!