New Colors

I will have some new headbands in my Etsy shop next week. I am excited about the new colors. Feeling inspired by the nautical look.

Saint Patrick's Day Tradition: Corned Beef

My dad is half Irish and so every March we are a family who definitely celebrates Saint Patrick's Day. Our celebrating goes beyond wearing green and eating green bagels. We eat traditional corned beef and cabbage. My mom usually boils the corned beef in a stock pot, adding the cabbage, carrots and potatoes at the end. This year I decided to cook mine in the crock pot. I fried the cabbage with garlic and baked the carrots with brown sugar. I also baked Irish brown bread with turned out amazing. A lot of people aren't familiar with eating corned beef, and many may be intimidated to cook it, but it is so simple and SO GOOD. Jared and I compared it to beef jerky. Pairing the meat with some mustard or horse radish really complements it.

Recipes

Corned Beef

Remove corned beef from package, rinse in cool water and pat dry. Place meat in crockpot with the FAT SIDE UP. Rub the seasoning packet on the top. Quarter an onion and place around the meat. I also rubbed some brown sugar on the top of the meat to add some sweetness. Fill the crock pot with water just until it is even with the top of the meat.(you may need to add more water through out the cooking process, always want the water to be at this level). Cook on low for 6-8 hours. You will know that a corned beef is done because the meat will literally fall apart. For serving, scrap the fat off the top, and cut against the grain of the meat. 

Irish Brown Bread

15 oz. raisins or craisins

1/4 cup butter

3 eggs

3 1/2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp all spice

1/2 tsp nutmeg 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Place raisins in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and let boil for 15 min.

Drain 1 cup of the cooking liquid from the raisins.

Add butter to the cooked raisins and let cool.

Once cooled mix in lightly beaten eggs.

Mix dry ingredients together and mix in the raisin mixture.
Grease a tube pan really good, and pour mixture in.
bake at 350 for 1 hr.

This bread is really good with cream cheese!

What I have been working on

Well I made my first sale on Etsy! I was pretty excited. Hopefully there are more to follow. I have been pumping out these headbands trying to get a small inventory started. They are so adorable. Im lucky to have cute in house models. All headbands are for sale at my Etsy shop here https://www.etsy.com/shop/LynnEleanorDesigns?ref=search_shop_redirect

Rustic No Knead Bread

This bread is amazing, and REALLY EASY!

3 1/2 cups of flour

1 1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp yeast

1 1/2 cups water

1. In a Large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Mix ingredients to distribute evenly. Add water. Stir until incorporated; dough will be sticky. Cover bowl and let rest for 12 hours. (when surface is dotted with bubbles dough is ready) I used my kitchen aide mixer with and let the dough rise in the mixing bowl. I also added granulated garlic, basil and oregano. 

2. Place dough on well floured work surface then gently press dough being careful not to pop any bubbles then. Sprinkle with flour and fold dough a few times. 

3. Coat a second large bowl with butter or cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, cover and let rise until double it's size (about 2 hours). 

4. Preheat oven to 450. place a heavy covered pot such as a dutch oven in the oven while it heats up. (I used a dutch oven, but I have also used a pyrex casserole dish with a lid before, both work great). Remove dutch oven from the oven once it has preheated. Place dough in, cover and bake for 30 min. Uncover and bake for an additional 5-10 min or until golden brown. 

Every Girl Needs a Tutu

I wanted to make a tutu for Ellie for her first birthday. This was so easy!

1" elastic
a roll of tulle. (I used 3 different colors)

I measured Ellie's waist and then sewed the elastic band together, then attached the tulle. I think anyone could do this.

What girl doesn't look good in a tutu?