the kernel

make: easy Italian

I was fortunate to go on a family trip to Sicily this summer and you better believe I brought some souvenirs home with me.  My lovely bottle of Grillo has been languishing in my fridge while I made plans for an authentic Italian dinner.  I finally called friends this weekend and I should have ages ago: the dinner was so good, and it was also so easy. Note to self: do this again soon!

My souvenir Grillo!  For a full dinner we started with a simple salad (herb mix greens, romano cheese, dressing--all Trader Joe's)

No matter where you are buying your wine, this is a dinner you can impress with without going too far out of your way (or out of the country!).  Your guests will be impressed but you'll barely spend more effort than making Kraft macaroni: boil water, cook pasta, stir in extras.

 

Artichokes, Capers, Olives, Lemon Zest and Italian Tuna on Pasta Shells

While the ingredients sound fancy (artichoke hearts and Kalamata olives), I found everything I needed just at Trader Joe's which means this is a nice dinner that won't break the bank. For some reason mine was out of pasta shells, so we substituted fusili and that worked just fine.  Almost any pasta will do but a thick shape (shells, penne or pennette, fusili, etc) will scoop up the toppings better than a thin one (spaghetti, etc).  One last positive: everything except the lemons are not perishable items.  Keep the jars in your pantry and you can whip up a meal whenever you get the urge or have impromptu company.  Here's the recipe, posted on Epicurious:

Artichokes, Capers, Olives, Lemon Zest and Italian Tuna on Pasta Shells

1 lb small pasta shells

Salsa Cruda:

• 1 (6-ounce) jar artichoke hearts, drained
• 1/4 cup drained and rinsed capers
• 1/2 cup pitted and chopped Kalamata olives
• juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 2 (6 1/2 ounce) cans imported Italian tuna in olive oil, drained
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a 10-quart pot, bring water to a brisk boil. Add salt and stir in the pasta shells. When the water returns to a boil, begin timing and cook al dente according to the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta, but do not rinse. Transfer the shells to a large serving bowl. Stir in the reserved pasta water to keep the pasta from sticking to itself. Pasta continues to cook and absorb water even when it has been drained. Add in the salsa cruda ingredients and toss.

Epicurious took the recipe from a book called Stylish One-Dish Dinners which sounds like something I'll definitely need to look for on my next library trip.

Note: cooking for yourself?  Make a full batch and you'll have some great lunch leftovers.  Otherwise, the recipe is pretty easy to half.  Use only one can of tuna and keep the remaining artichoke hearts and olives in the fridge for use in salads, omelets, etc.

Advanced:Use extra lemons to make a cake for dessert.  I added lemon zest to a simple poundcake and it was the perfect match for Italian lemoncello.

make: office Valentines

There's been a major decrease in posts thanks to a major increase in work.  This is good for my paycheck (dare I say shopping is getting to be in sight?) but a bit of a bummer in terms of Valentine's crafts.  I don't have a specific Valentine this year but I always liked the idea of small Valentines to spread a little love to anyone you come in contact with--kind of like the paper cards you gave to every kid in your kindergarden class.  So when DesignSponge posted this DIY for heart shaped paperclips they really...stole my heart.

Even with limited time and a limited budget, these are sure to warm the hearts of any co-worker.  Directions here.

make: jewelry organizer

In my dream life--the one where I have oodles more time that I do right now--I head over to Architectural Salvage and pick out a medicine cabinet to refurbish and end up with a jewelry cabinet that looks like this:

Yes, that's coral velvet in there, and the towel rack for your scarves.  Sigh, so perfect.  Full directions over at Martha Stewart.

In the meantime, my favorite solution is both easy and cheap!  What's the secret? The same pegboard your dad uses for tools.

While you could rip a piece out of the garage, you probably want to head to Home Depot for a clean piece.  A 2x4 foot sheet is less than $5...and that's a lot of hanging space.  If it's more than you need or if you just want to fit a limited space (say, the wall inside your closet) just ask them to cut it to size.  This is a service they do for free and will save you a lot of time and energy.

You can buy pegboard in white instead of the industrial looking brown, but also consider painting before hanging.  Spray paint makes quick work of the job, but if you have leftover paint from your bedroom, you might want to use that too.  The only other supplies you will need are the hanging hardware, a screwdriver and hooks.

Hooks come in a huge variety, so you can buy exactly what you need and space in a way that makes sense for what you own.  I have a lot of long necklaces, so I can let them all hang without tangling.  My cousin Ashley had a lot of earrings (I don't have pierced ears) and came up with an ingenious solution: an ice cube tray!  Her beautiful (and tidy) new organizer looks great:

 

make: prize ribbons

 

These were featured on Daily Candy this morning and I just had to share.  If merit badges are a little pricey ($25) but you want to send your favorite girl more than a congratulatory card, consider a prize ribbon.  The cute ribbons read "You are a Prize" but you can also choose one for a birthday.  Available at One Hundred Wishes.

What I really love about these though, is the inspiration for something you might want to craft yourself: it's definitely more heartfelt when it's handmade, not to mention that I always feel silly paying shipping on something under $10.  Really the best part of doing it yourself is the opportunity to customize though.  Make a ribbon for any occasion or make it small and keep it blank for an accessory you can pin on your jacket in place of a pin.

• Use scraps of ribbon, fabric or construction paper.  You only need small amounts so you shouldn't have to buy too many supplies.  A pin-back is optional.

• Find great directions for making the rosette here. 

• If you need help getting started, consider a kit.  It costs more than the ribbon, but then you'll be set to make several. 

• Not very adept with sewing skills? Simply print one and color it.

make: custom date book

I am one picky customer when it comes to date books.  I need something small and sturdy because it's something I carry in my bag 365 days a year.  I hate spiral bound books and I'm on a budget.  Most of all, I need a format I can use!  Many date books cram Saturday and Sunday into one space, but thanks to my regular M-F job, I cram all my plans into the weekend.  Solution: homemade.

Supplies:

• Any blank book you like (make sure you have at least 52 pages though or you'll be making new ones all the time)  My book came from Poketo.  In addition to being cute, it comes with a ribbon page marker, is a good size for me and is not too expensive ($8).

• Adjustable Date stamp--free for the borrowing in most offices or available at any Office Supply store.  I used one with red ink for fun.

• A little patience.  Really, it doesn't take as long as you think.

I did my book with Monday through Thursday on left and Friday through Sunday (extra room!) on the right but the best part is giving yourself exactly as much space per day as you need.  Try one day per page (make sure you have a book with enough pages) or all seven in one.

One last consideration: I love the bleed of the stamp I used because it adds to the unique character, but if you want neat, clean pages, be sure to check your stamp and paper thickness first.

 

UPDATE: After I made my own I was introduced to this perfect little date book which has the same page formatting as mine and is only $10.99...without the ink on your hands.