Invisible
Pixie Dust Pouches
By
Maureen
Hardegree
Perhaps
you have a little one intrigued with the idea of flying with
Peter Pan and Tinkerbell. Or maybe fairies captivate your
child’s imagination. These little pouches are inexpensive and
simple to make. They’re a great party favor for a Peter Pan- or
fairy-themed birthday party, too.
Materials
(makes 12):
1 yard
Naugahyde™ or fake leather
1 spool or
bundle of jewelry cording or jute
1 bag of
multicolored beads (diameter of hole should be large enough to
accommodate twine/cording)
1 sheet of
printable business cards for Pixie Dust recipe (optional)
Tools:
Pinking
shears
Regular
shears
Pen
Large
dinner plate
Awl (to
punch holes). Very sharp, so be careful!
Hole punch
(for recipe cards)
Scotch
tape (for ends of cording or jute)
1.
Purchase materials. For a rustic Peter Pan and the Lost Boys
look, choose a green or brown Naugahyde™ and jute cording. For a
pretty fairy look, choose white, pink or lavender pleather and
metallic jewelry cording.
2. Lay
yardage shiny side down on table or floor, and trace around a
large dinner plate. If you use a smaller plate, the pouch will
be too small.
3. Using
pinking shears, cut out your circles.
4. With
awl, punch holes through shiny side 1 to 1 1/2 inches below
pinked edge at 1-inch intervals. Make holes large enough to
accommodate the diameter of your twine/cording. Also make sure
you have an even number of holes so that both ends of the twine
come to the outside for tying purposes.
5. Cut a
12-inch length of twine/ cording, and put a little tape on the
ends to make it easier to slide through the holes. Starting on
the right side, weave the twine/cording through the holes in and
out.
6.
Print Invisible Pixie Dust recipe on standard business cards.
Rustic template
Pretty Fairy template
Hole punch
left corner of card.
7. Tighten
cording to create pouch. Tie cording. Add Pixie Dust recipe to
left strand of cording. Add beads to the end of the
twine/cording on both sides and double-knot ends. Cut excess
twine/cording.
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Vegetarian Recipes
by
the Noodlers
Whether you’re a true
vegetarian or just want something a little different to eat this
summer, you’ll find some tasty recipes here.
Black Bean and Cumin Chili
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (12-ounce) onion, coarsely
chopped (about 3 cups)
1 large yellow pepper, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons minced, canned
chipotle chilies
3 (15-ounce) cans black beans,
well drained
2 (14-ounce) cans diced
tomatoes with roasted garlic
2 cups vegetable broth
Heat oil in a large, heavy pot
over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and cumin seeds,
and sauté until the onion is soft and golden, stirring
frequently, for about 10 minutes. Add the chipotle chilies and
stir 30 seconds. Add black beans, diced tomatoes with juices,
and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to
medium. Simmer uncovered until liquid is reduced by half,
stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Transfer 2 cups of
chili to blender or processor. Blend to coarse paste; return to
pot. Simmer chili to thicken, if desired. Season chili to taste
with salt
and pepper. You can adjust the
heat by how many chipotle chilies you use. I’ve also made this
using the diced tomatoes with chipotle chilies already in them,
and it works great. It’s a little less work. I just added some
garlic powder to the mix. Also, if you don’t have a blender or
don’t want to mess with that, just smash some of the beans with
a fork.
Diane’s Easy Crock-Pot™ Beans
Contributed by
Diane Perkins
1 package of mixed dry beans (or bean soup mix without
the seasoning packet)
1 (16-ounce) jar salsa
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green or red pepper (or both)
2 (14-ounce) cans vegetable broth
Rinse beans as directed on the
package. Place in a Crock-Pot. Add salsa, onion and peppers and
vegetable broth. Cook on low for 8 hours then on high for 4
hours. Check from time to time to make certain you have enough
liquid. I use a little less liquid than the soup recipe on the
package requires so that the consistency is thick, not soupy.
Serve hot or cold. This is great for a filling, low-calorie
lunch or for a dinner main dish.
Vegan Sandwich Grill
Submitted by
Norah Wilson
Soft tortilla
Colored bell peppers, sliced
Diced onion
Diced celery
Salsa
Salt and pepper
Place small mound of diced
vegetables in center of soft tortilla. Add several tablespoons
of salsa, salt and pepper. Fold tortilla into a neat envelope.
Use toothpicks to secure. Place in pre-heated toaster oven, seam
side up, at 400 degrees for five minutes. Remove toothpicks
(tortilla will have self-sealed) and flip. Toast for another few
minutes. Remove; allow to cool slightly and enjoy. For a
vegetarian version, add your favorite cheese before wrapping the
tortilla. This works great in a professional sandwich grill, in
which case you can dispense with the toothpicks.
Impossible Pie
Contributed by
Karen Potter
One (1-pound) bag frozen
vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots)
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 (8-ounce) can mushrooms
Mix above ingredients and cook
briefly (until you can smell them) in microwave. Spoon into
9-inch pie plate that has been sprayed with a release agent
(Pam).
Mix in blender:
1 (two-egg) container egg
substitute
2 teaspoons chilled, low-fat
margarine
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup skim milk
6 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon light salt
Pepper to taste
Blend on high for 15 seconds.
Pour over vegetables and bake for 30 minutes, or until done, in
a 400-degree oven. Sprinkle 1 1/2 ounces grated, low-fat or
fat-free Cheddar cheese on vegetables. Return to oven until
melted. If you’re a Weight Watchers member, half of this recipe
is approximately 4 1/2 points. Servings: 2.
Fresh Couscous Salad
Contributed by
Colleen Gleason
1 cup cooked couscous
2 tomatoes, cut into
bite-sized pieces
1 avocado, cubed
1 orange or red pepper,
roasted and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons red onion,
chopped
1 can black beans, well
drained (may substitute cannelini beans)
1/2 cup feta cheese (Fat-free
feta is okay.)
2 tablespoons cilantro,
chopped
Apple cider or balsamic
vinegar to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
Combine all items in a large
bowl. Yummmmmy summer luncheon!
Vegetarian Pad Thai
Contributed by
Merrillee Whren
8 ounces
uncooked rice noodles
2 teaspoon peanut oil
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 large, ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
4 ounces snow peas, strings removed
4 ounces firm tofu, drained well and cut into 1/4-inch-thick
matchsticks
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup (1 ounce) chopped cashews
4 scallions (white and light green parts), chopped
2 ounces (1 cup) fresh bean sprouts
In large pot, bring 3 quarts
water to a boil. Add noodles; stir to prevent sticking. Cook
until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
Meanwhile, in large wok or skillet, heat oil over medium-high
heat. Add garlic and bell pepper, and stir-fry for 3 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes, snow peas and tofu, and stir-fry until
vegetables are just tender, about 4 minutes. Add soy sauce and
lime juice, and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, 2 to 3
minutes more. Stir in cooked noodles and cilantro. Divide noodle
mixture among plates. Sprinkle with cashews, scallions and bean
sprouts, and serve right away.
Quick Vegetarian Curry
Contributed by
Kiki Clark
2 large (1 lb. 12-ounce) cans
diced tomatoes (I use Muir Glen Fire Roasted.)
2 medium (15-ounce) cans
garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 small (5.5-ounce) can
unsweetened coconut milk
5 ounces frozen spinach
1/2 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, de-seeded and
chopped
1 tablespoons turmeric powder
2 teaspoons coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of your
favorite hot-pepper powder (optional)
Salt to taste (Start with 2
teaspoons.)
3 tablespoons oil
Heat oil to medium high. Saute
turmeric, coriander, cumin and pepper powders for a minute.
Don’t let them brown particularly. Add chopped onion, lower
heat, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 or 4 minutes
(you can chop the pepper while this is happening). Add the rest
of the ingredients and stir to combine. Cover and simmer for ten
minutes. Serve over rice.
I usually start the rice
first. By the time it’s done, so is the curry. If you want an
even lower-calorie dish, omit the coconut milk.
Crustless Asparagus Quiche
Contributed by
Lee McKenzie
1 bunch of fresh asparagus
1/2 cup Asiago cheese, grated
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup fresh mushrooms,
thinly sliced
1/2 cup green onion, finely
chopped
10 large or 8 extra-large eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup cream (half and half is
a consistency)
Salt and pepper to taste
Steam the asparagus spears
until tender crisp, and trim them to fit a greased, 10-inch
baking dish or pie plate. Mix the cheeses and spread in a
uniform layer in the bottom of the dish. Arrange the asparagus
spears on top of the cheese, and top those with the mushrooms
and green onions. It’s okay if everything rises above the edge
of the pie plate—it’ll cook down. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and cream then pour that
mixture over the vegetables and cheese. Bake for about 45
minutes at 375 degrees. When it’s done, a knife inserted in the
center should come out clean. Remove from the oven and let it
sit for five minutes before serving. Served with a salad, this
quiche is great for brunch or dinner. If you want more carbs, it
also can be made with a crust. Asparagus not in season? Broccoli
makes a great substitution.
For metric conversions of the measurements above, consult any
of the following sites:
http://southernfood.about.com/library/info/blconv.htm
http://www.thatsmyhome.com/recipes/conversion.htm
http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/conversions.htm
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