Sweet paul

Recipe Monday

Im not a big fan of making sushi at home.
Just the though of someone else then a trained sushi chef handling the raw fish Im about to eat does not agree with me.
But this cucumber sushi is fine, no raw fish here.
I call it "sushi in training".
Great way for kids to get used to the idea.
You can fill it with cucumbers, avocado, peppers or whatever vegetables you like.
Enjoy!

Cucumber Sushi
Serves 4

4 sheets of nori (dried seaweed), cut in half
4 cups sushi rice, cooked according to package instructions
1 cucumber, cut into long sticks
Soy sauce, to serve

Place the nori on your work bench.
Spread about 1/2 cup of rice on top.
Place cucumber sticks lengthwise on the rice.
Roll up into a cylinder.
Cut into bite-size pieces.
Serve with soy sauce.

Photo by Colin Cooke

Crafty Friday

This is one of my favorite craft projects from the kid's issue.
I loved turning simple inexpensive cardboard boxes into toys, so much fun.
This one was extra fun since I collect vintage robots.

You will need:
One medium box, ours was 16 x 12 x 12
Two round silver tube boxes
Hot glue gun
Box cutter
Light bulb
Clear top of a container
Six coffee pods (we used Nespresso pods, but you can use bottle caps)
Water-based red paint
Water-based silver paint
1 yard soft metal wire

Start by hot gluing the top flaps of the box together.
Hot glue the two tube boxes to either side of the box.
Cut a hole just a little smaller than the clear top lid of a container and hot glue it in place.
Cut a small hole on the top of the box and hot glue the bulb in place.
Hot glue the knobs onto the front of the robot head.
Cut off the side flaps on the bottom of the box.
Paint the light bulb red and the whole box silver.
Make a small hole in both tube boxes and stick the wire in it; hot glue in place.
Bend the wire to create an antenna.
Photo by Ellen Silverman

Easter with Good Housekeeping

I worked on this easter story last year with the fab Sara Lyle and the great Kate Mathis.
It was great fun, and it turned our really nice.
For how-to's check out the story at GH site, right here!

Recipe Monday

Bread and Tomato Necklace
For the little fashionistas in your house.

Makes 8 necklaces

1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup warm water
3 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
48 cherry or grape tomatoes
Kitchen twine

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and honey in 1/4 cup of water.
Let stand until bubbly, about 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix flour, 1 cup of water, yeast mixture, salt and olive oil.
Mix well until it becomes a smooth dough.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 2 hours.
Knead the dough and cut into 64 pieces.
Roll each piece into a ball.
Transfer to a baking sheet.
Spray with a little water.
Bake at 390˚F until golden, about 15 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack.
Using a bamboo skewer, poke a hole in each of the bread balls and thread them on a kitchen string.
Make holes in the tomatoes and string them on. Use firm tomatoes, otherwise it will all be a big mess.
Tie and your necklace is ready to be used and eaten.

From todays shoot

Result can be found in the summer issue......

Recipe Monday

Cupcake on a Stick

The perfect treat for kids of all ages.

Makes 12 large, or 24 mini cupcakes

1 stick butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk
1 jar store bought frosting

Preheat oven to 350˚F.
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy.
Add the eggs and beat well.
Add, flour, baking powder, vanilla and milk; mix well.
Fill paper cupcake liners three quarters full and bake until golden and firm to the touch, about 12 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack.
Fill a piping bag with the frosting and decorate the cupcakes.
Gently stick each one into a bamboo skewer.
Photo by Frances Janisch

My happy dish winner

Check out this issues winner of "My Happy Dish" recipe contest.
Alicia DiRago won with her Grandmothers recipe for Applesauce Cake.
She won us over with moistness and taste.
Check it out in the spring issue here!
And next week we will launch the summer issues contest.
Photo by Frances Janisch

Recipe Monday

I do love a good chicken pie.
Who would not?
I usually make individual ones for everyone.
Its something really cute about getting your own little pie+it's great portion control.
This recipe with the potatoes on top is great, they become crispy while the filling is soft and creamy.
Enjoy.

Chicken Pie
Give each kid their own little pie.
Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely shopped
4 ounces bacon, cubed
2 chicken breasts, trimmed and chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken stock
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 large potatoes, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350˚F.
Heat the oil in a medium-size saucepan.
Fry onion and bacon until the onion turns soft.
Add the chicken and cook until the chicken has color on all sides.
Add cream and stock and cook for 2 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer mixture into 4 ovenproof dishes and top with sliced potatoes.
Brush with melted butter.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
Photography by Colin Cooke

Crafty Friday

First of all I need to apologize for being such a bad blogger lately.
The magazine plus my regular jobs have taken up so much time that I have totally neglected my blog.
Shame on me.
Well, not any more. Im back!
So this crafty friday is a brand new idea fresh from the spring issue.
Have a fab weekend.

Lamp shade

What you’ll need:
One lamp shade
Wool yarn
Glue gun

Strip the fabric from an old lamp shade down to the frame.
Take a piece of wool yarn and wrap it around the lamp shade to create a stripe effect.
Then, make about 20 pom-poms, all the same size, and hot glue them to the top of the shade.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski

Spring issue is out!

Its out.
So proud of it.
What do you think?
Check it out here!