Tip-sy Tuesday: echocardiogram

Oops I did it again and haven't posted in a few days!!! I'll catch us back up hopefully tomorrow - we were out of town for a few days and I didn't schedule anything to post while I was gone.

Quick thing to share today because I had an echocardiogram this morning and I've never had one before, and other than googling for info on what to wear* I didn't even really know what it is so I thought I'd share my experience. 

An echocardiogram is an ultrasound of your heart. I had to remove everything above the waist and put on a gown open in the front. The tech had me lie on my left side with my left arm under my head; she attached an ekg monitor and then moved the wand thing around my chest gathering details on my hearts structure and functions. It was pretty interesting, painless, and took about 1/2 hour. Also, in case you wondered like I did, I wasn't just laying on the table exposed to the room hahahah, she was very good about keeping me covered (I definitely wondered how that was going to work!). 

I didn't have to do anything in advance of the test - no medicine changes, no dietary restrictions. 

PS: for the question of what to wear - just wear a top that can be easily removed, you only remove clothes above the waist so bottoms are just whatever is comfortable to lie on the table in - I didn't have to remove my shoes. 

Tomorrow I go for a stress test, which I've also never done. I'll let you know if there's anything interesting to share on that. 

2.3.25: pimento cheese re-run

2.3.24; words

2.3.23: heart mosaic

2.3.22: slow cooker crack chicken

2.3.21: valentine layered cookies

2.3.20: football stadium brownies

2.3.19: 🔥week 5

2.3.18: football toss game

2.3.17: root beer bbq pulled pork

2.3.16: cookie bites

MFIH: Cheeseburger Soup (lightened up!)

Made this lightened up cheeseburger soup for the family meal and it was a hit. I followed the recipe exactly other than adding more parsley and mustard powder and I added some dried thyme. I also added a splash of half-and-half because I didn't have much left in the fridge and wanted to use it up. 

The recipe says the soup will thicken considerably as it cools - look at these pictures and you can see how much thinner the soup was while on the stove (top picture is after it cooled). 

Georgie does a review at the end of this post - not sure she's grasping the whole '1 to 10' concept yet LOL

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/2 t. salt
• pinch of black pepper
• 4 cups peeled and diced Yukon gold or russet potatoes 
• 4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 t. dried parsley
• 1/2 t. mustard powder
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• chopped green onions or chives, sour cream, shredded cheese, for serving

• In a 6-quart pot set over medium heat, add the ground beef, carrots, celery, onion, salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking the meat into small pieces, until the meat is no longer pink. Off the heat, drain excess grease. 
• Return the pot to medium heat and add the potatoes, broth, parsley, and mustard powder. Stir to combine. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue to simmer for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
• To a blender, add the milk and flour and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into the soup and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the soup has thickened. 
• Off the heat, add the cheese a handful at a time and stir until melted. 
• Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed (important!). 
• Serve with chopped green onions or chives, sour cream and additional shredded cheese, if desired. The soup will thicken considerably as it cools.

yield: 6 TO 7 SERVINGS

 

prep time: 35MINUTES MINS

cook time: 25MINUTES MINS

total time: 1HOUR HR

NOTES

Ground Beef: for a less meaty soup, the ground beef can be decreased to 1/2 pound.

Gluten Free Substitute: for a gluten-free version, sub 2 tablespoons cornstarch for the 1/4 cup flour (blend and add to the soup per the recipe). 

Cheese: 1/2 of the cheddar cheese can be subbed for shredded Monterey Jack cheese, if desired (the cheese flavor will be less pronounced and the soup will be slightly creamier).
recipe found here at melskitchencafe

click here to see G's review of cheeseburger soup on youtube or go to this link:https://youtube.com/shorts/YOWugEpAjpI?feature=share

🔥 Around the Campfire (week 4)

Dear Campers ~ 

Here's a quick recap in case you missed anything at camp last week:

Posts ~

1/18: 🔥 week 3

1/19: MFIH chicken spaghetti (note: I didn't realize I posted this exact recipe in 2017, totally forgot!)

1/20: TT handy oil dispenser 

1/21: string art heart 

1/22: closet play room 

1/23: hockey rink lap blanket

1/24: words (let's stay home)

That's it for this week! See you next week for more projects, crafts, recipes, whatever we can think of to make at camp - bye :)

Sincerely ~

Jill

camp counselor

1.25.25: words (turn up)

1.25.24: safety pin bead bracelet

1.25.23: chipotle bbq meatloaf

1.25.22: thru the years

1.25.21: beaded mask leash

1.25.20: cauliflower parmesan 

1.25.19: spirit gloves (pompoms on glove fingertips)

1.25.18: anniversary card

1.25.17: Kyle's sausage stuffed acorn squash

1.25.16: stamped floor mat

  

1/24 ~ Words

1.24.25: penne alla vodka updated 

1.24.24: copycat in n out animal style fries

1.24.23: TT - laundry symbols

1.24.22: thru the years

1.24.21: 🔥week 4

1.24.20: candy cane hearts

1.24.19: DIY body wash

1.24.18: side table re-do

1.24.17: egg and avocado toast

1.24.16: citrus scented lamb stew

 

Hockey Rink Lap Blanket

For all my people who aren't in Michigan today - it's cold here. Like really really cold! 

Yep you're reading that right, the high will be 2' today. And at 9:00 tonight it'll be -7' (feels like -20).

We have a hockey game tonight, and don't get me wrong I LOVE hockey...but we have to walk quite a ways between parking and the hockey rink and it's pretty bad that the walk outside is going to be so much colder than sitting in an ice rink for 3 hours LOL. 

So I made myself a blanket.

A very simple reversible fleece tie blanket that literally took me 2 hours to put together - it's a rush job for sure but it turned out cute and will absolutely come in handy tonight (and future nights in a hockey rink haha). Click here for instructions on how to make one! Or just Google it, instructions are limitless online. 

Not including the fringe this finished lap blanket is 36" x 42"  (I cut 6" fringe all the way around). 

Nothing you haven't seen before hahaha, but it's what I made today so I'm showing you :)

GO GREEN!!! 

1.23.25: cranberry paloma cocktail 

1.23.24: TT copycat in-n-out spread

1.23.23: deck planter box

1.23.22: 🔥 week 4 

1.23.21: cord mask leash

1.23.20: tbt southern spoon bread

1.23.19: buttermilk drop biscuits (apparently not like Dave's mom used to make, insert eyeroll)

1.23.18: attempting to organize my life

1.23.17: heart and Scottie string art

1.23.16: Dave's cosmopolitans

Walk-Thru Closet turned Kid Play Space

We have a walk-thru closet that connects the guest room to my craft room and it's held some toys and a dollhouse on the floor for years - it only recently occurred to me that I could easily make this a little play room. We have a table that was originally built to go overtop 2 dog crates but it hasn't been used for that in a long time and has kicked around in various rooms - I put it in the play closet and set up the doll house so Georgie can now stand or sit on a stool and play (and Aunt Jill doesn't have to get up and down from the floor a hundred times LOL). On the other side of the closet I put half of a metal shelf to hold toys, blocks, stuffed animals, etc. at her level and she can help herself to what she wants to get out. 

The room was done until I had the idea that if I hung a curtain in front of the table we could have a fort and I think she'll love it. I hung command hooks at either end under the table top and one in the center. Took a piece of fabric that used to be a curtain someplace (I'm not really a lace person and have no idea where this lace curtain came from which means its been in my stash for a very long time hahah). It has a pocket across the top for a curtain rod, I ran a piece of white rope thru it and knotted the ends, then hooked onto the command hooks. Finally I cut a slit up the middle creating flaps where she can enter the fort. I might add tiebacks to hold the sides back but first I'm going to see if it's necessary. Oh, and I used the lace thinking she's only 2 for now and being see-thru might be a good idea so she isn't scared - later, if she likes it, I'll probably switch to a solid material.

Play room is now ready - I just need the kid to come over and play with me!!

1.22.25: spinach cheese pinwheels 

1.22.24: felt football field runner

1.22.23: 🔥 week 4

1.22.22: whiskey sour lite

1.22.21: cauliflower crust pizza

1.22.20: jam crumb cake

1.22.19: kale salad

1.22.18: skillet chicken and veggie pot pie

1.22.17: reserved signs

1.22.16: pencil holder by B

 

String Art Heart (re-run)

This is a re-run of a couple string art projects that I did years ago - my sis's anniversary and the upcoming Valentines day made me want to show this heart again.

Original post from 1/2017:

I love making string art! This is pretty simple, hard to mess up, quick, fairly inexpensive, and a different pretty gift - what's not to love?

Here are two projects that I've done - a Scottie (I made for myself just 'cuz) and a heart for my sister who got married yesterday! On hers I stamped the date, it looked good before I added that but I wanted to make it more personalized.

Supplies:
-piece of wood: for the Scottie I bought an unfinished wood plaque from the craft store and painted it using craft paint; for the heart I bought this wood pallet board with attached hanger at the craft store.
-embroidery floss: for the Scottie I used solid black, for the heart I used 3 different colors (light gray, blush, metallic dark gray)
-small nails: scottie is gold, heart is copper
-hammer
-paper template of the shape you want to make: I found a free Scottie outline on line and adjusted the print size until I got the size I wanted, for the heart I just freehanded a 6" heart and cut it out.
-ruler if you want to measure the spacing between the nails, they don't have to be exact if you want to just eyeball it.

Directions:
-lay out the template where you want it to go on the board. make dots on the paper where you are going to put the nails. for the scottie I didn't measure as carefully, just tried to follow the shape putting the nails where they would create the best outline. for the heart I did about 1/2" spaces between the nails.  how close or far apart you put them will depend on the size and simplicity of your pattern.
-lightly tap in the nails around the outermost edges of the paper shape, try to keep them at a level depth.
-after all the nails are in gently remove the paper. if any of the paper gets stuck around the nails just carefully pick it out with a sharp object.
-tie one end of the string around a nail then just go back and forth, up and down, winding the string around different nails to create whatever pattern (or I should say non-pattern) that you want. If you don't like how it's looking just undo the string and start again! To get a nice finished outline I wound the floss around every nail in a row around the outside edge. You'll want to pull the string taut but not so tight that the nails move, and be careful about letting go before tying off because it unravels easily!
-when you are done stringing the floss between the nails tie off the end on a nail and trim the excess.
-I left a tail on the heart because I liked how it looked! For the Scottie I trimmed the end off close to the final nail.

cut out whatever shape you are making, mark dots where the nails will go

nail all around the edge of the shape to create the outline, then remove the paper

wind the string back and forth around the nails, go in all directions to create an almost cobweb look

this is with one layer in light gray. next I did a layer of blush and then finished with a layer of metallic dark gray. 

          

1.21.25: TT how-to pipe Christmas trees and wreaths 

1.21.24: 🔥 week 3

1.21.23: phone case and cute story

1.21.22: mushroom potato soup

1.21.21: Natalie's butter curry chicken 

1.21.20: making plarn

1.21.18: greek pork, lemon rice pilar, tzatziki sauce

1.21.17: Jen's stuffed spaghetti squash

1.21.16: painting a side table         

Tip-sy Tuesday: a handy oil dispenser

I just read this tip in the old book I got at a garage sale ('Rodale's Book of Hints, Tips and Everyday wisdom') and I think I'll try it - maybe not with a dish detergent bottle but I have lots of squeeze bottles that would work.

"Put your cooking oil in a clean, well-rinsed dish detergent bottle. You'll find that the squirt top makes pouring oil cleaner and easier than having to deal with a screw-on cap."

I already decant olive oil into a glass jar with a spout and we use it every day; it actually is cleaner and easier to use this way, I've never thought to do that with the canola or vegetable oils I use less often. 

1.20.25: craft room update 

1.20.24: words

1.20.23: shrimp scampi by Macey

1.20.22: smoothie tips and treats

1.20.21: mixed fruit crisp

1.20.20: transplanting from pot to ground

1.20.19: 🔥week 3

1.20.18: broccoli apple salad with creamy Italian dressing 

1.20.17: loaded cauliflower

1.20.16: dry erase message frame

MFIH: Chicken Spaghetti

This week's family feast is chicken spaghetti. It's very easy to put together and we really liked it - Macey added that she put hot sauce on her and I can see doing that, the flavor is good but you might want to punch it up a little (I'm a weenie tho and kept it plain haha). The recipe from Pioneer Woman isn't written great tho and you have to read her whole post to get better information than is included with the recipe. Click here for all of her additional info - I'm giving you the recipe as written but here's a couple things to note if you don't read her post: 

- *you are poaching the chicken in a pot of water until it's cooked thru. I boiled chicken breasts by covering them in water and added poultry seasoning, pepper, kosher salt, and a big scoop of chicken bouillon (I like 'better than bouillon'
).  She notes you could also just use rotisserie chicken already cooked. If you go that route I would then boil the pasta in chicken broth. 

- if you poach the chicken yourself, do not drain the pot. You'll boil the spaghetti in the leftover liquid from the chicken.

- ** do not drain all of the liquid once the spaghetti is done, you need to reserve 2 cups for later. To save some liquid I set a colander over a large measuring cup, dump the cooked pasta in the colander and let the liquid collect in the measuring cup underneath. 

- I sautéed the onion and pepper in a little oil, along with some fresh mushrooms, before adding to the mixture. You could add other veggies as you like 

• 2 cups cooked chicken*
• 3 cups spaghetti, uncooked and broken into 2" pieces
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
• 3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided 
• 1/4 cup finely diced green pepper
• 1/4 cup finely diced onion
• 1 (4 oz.) jar diced pimentos, drained
• 2 cups reserved chicken broth from pot**
• 1 t. Lawry's seasoned salt
• 1/8 to 1/4 t. cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook 1 cut-up fryer chicken, and pick out the meat to make two cups.

2. Cook spaghetti in same chicken broth until al dente. Do not overcook. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except 1 cup reserved sharp cheddar cheese. 

3. Place mixture in casserole pan and top with remaining cheese. Cover and freeze up to six months, cover and refrigerate up to two days, or bake immediately: 350' for 45 minutes until bubbly. If the cheese on top starts to get too browned, cover with foil. 

1.19.25: 🔥 week 3

1.19.24: office in a closet

1.19.23: peach mustard barbecue sauce

1.19.22: 12 week workout plan

1.19.21: TT Teri's baked chicken tenderloins

1.19.20: 🔥 week 3

1.19.19: tri-color veggie saute 

1.19.18: carved watermelon helmet

1.19.17: color coded keys

1.19.16: chopping vegetables (and not your fingers) 

🔥 Around the Campfire (week 3)

Dear Campers ~ 

Here's a quick recap in case you missed anything at camp last week:

Posts ~

1/12: tiny train scene

1/13: TT meal prep with GF concerns 

1/14: MFIH: slow cooker chicken tortilla soup

1/15: thru the years

1/16: thru the years

1/17: words (cute coffee cup)

What's Cooking ~

• marinated salmon filets (frozen at Costco), rice blend, creamed spinach
• grilled chicken, pasta with creamy tomato sauce, roasted broccoli
• potpies, wedge salad with blue cheese dressing 
• dry-rubbed pork tenderloin, roasted butternut squash, spinach salad with beets and feta
• chicken spaghetti, green salad

That's it for this week! See you next week for more projects, crafts, recipes, whatever we can think of to make at camp - bye :)

Sincerely ~

Jill

camp counselor

1.18.25: words (today...)

1.18.24: omelet wrap

1.18.23: ham. potato, and bean soup

1.18.22: healthy-er potato soup

1.18.21: chain mask leash

1.18.20: avocado fries 

1.18.19: meat lovers pasta sauce
1.18.18: birthday card gift box
1.18.17: cinnamon roll fail
1.18.16: parachute cord dog collar