Blegh...new homemade ironing board cover/replacement.

 Tonight was one of those nights...I got home from work, Aaron was not going to be home for dinner, I didn't REALLY want to do any normal housework type of things...but I wanted to do something. I moseyed on down to my "woman cave" (slash sewing room) and started putsing around in there. I believe this ironing board was Aaron's from his first few years of college--and it shows. I can't iron anything on it with out getting these weird crease marks in my fabric. I thought about getting rid of it a few times but for some reason I've kept it. Now I know why! I took one long look at the mini-ironing board you see here and thought...you're done-for Ironing Board Cover. I am slightly embarrassed to even put the before pictures up. But here they are:

Look at that one -------------------->

 No wonder I was getting weird creases in my fabric. The padding is completely gone on this one.

There were holes.

I tried to remove what was left of the padding and honestly...it fell apart in my hands.

Since Aaron and I are venturing to see his sister and husband soon and I am taking my sewing stuff with me (including machine) to help her make some curtains for their new house...I thought it might be nice to have this little ironing board as well. But, it was not making the trip looking like that!

To re-do the cover here are the steps I took: 

 First off, I took off the old funky cover and all of the lining. There she is...all naked...

 Then I proceeded to take out all of the stitching around the edge of the funky cover. It took quite a while...
I did this not only to get the string out that held the cover to the metal board, but also to use the funky cover as a pattern for the new one. You can see it pinned to the new fancy fabric.

Then I cut out the fabric, using the old cover as a pattern.

See how nice it looks...all cut out. Don't mind the folding wrinkles... :O) I then used a very hot iron on the steam setting to fold down my edges ...big enough to at least get a string or ribbon through the edges of the new ironing board cover so that the cover could be put around the board.Then I sewed the top little portion of fabric to the larger piece. This piece sort of makes the ironing board cover look like one of those hooded baby towels :op.  After that I continued to sew all the way around the project. 

As soon as that was done I threaded a piece of ribbon all around the edge that I just sewed. Then I put new batting down, placed the cover on, tightened it down...and VOILA :O)

Homemade Pesto!

In my wee little garden I planted some basil. I planted this basil for the sole purpose of making pesto! :O) In the past I have purchased pre-made pesto from the grocery store and while it is very good...it is also kind of expensive. Making this was so easy...here's how.

Ingredients:

4 cups of fresh basil

3-4 garlic cloves

1/4 cup walnuts

3 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

salt and pepper (to taste)

lemon juice

Step 1:

Combine walnuts and garlic in food processor. Pulse until ground together...but not too much, you don't want walnut dust. 

Step 2: 

Add basil a little at a time and pulse. Do this until all of your basil is incorporated and it is a thick paste. It should look like this:

Step 3:
Slowly pour the 3 tablespoons of olive oil into the food processor while hitting the pulse button until the thick paste becomes smooth. I actually added a little more after 3 tablespoons because I thought it was still "chunky" and not as smooth as I'd like. 

Step 4: 

Add in the parmesan cheese...and pulse away again.

Tada

Step 5:
Put pesto into an ice cube tray, cover each cube with a thin layer of olive oil, and put it in the freezer.   

I can't wait to try some on some pasta. Being that I froze it, all I have to do is pop one or two out and throw it on some hot pasta. YUM :O)

**The quality of the pictures is not up to par...but the camera decided to go on the fritz tonight, and so these pictures were taken from the iPad...which surprisingly takes awful, grainy pictures.

Better in the middle of the month than never right???

Here is my plan for dinners this month.

A few meals have not happened...due to the heat. Meatloaf? Really, what was I thinking??

The next week it is supposed to reach the 90s possibly...this is H-O-T for western NY. It is however a relatively low heat required type of week in terms of meals :O)

Here it is:

JULY DINNERS

Out of school for 10 years...yikes

This is one of those, "wow its been 10 years already" and "man, only 10 years" things.

On one hand it didn't seem possible that we (my classmates and I) graduated from our little ol' school 10 years ago...and on the other it was like "man it seems like forever ago".

To be honest though, not much has changed. One of us commented that for the most part we all look the same. There are some additions to classmates...significant others, spouses, babies, toddlers, and children. But, for the most part we all already knew that--ahh the beauty of Facebook.


We enjoyed a nice afternoon together having a potluck dinner, some pool time, corn hole, and kan jam. Following this, some of the boys organized a band on the beach and so we continued our evening at Barcelona.

It was nice to catch up and be reminded of some great years. Hopefully our 20th will be just as great...I'm thinking we will look different for that one. :O)

Wordless Wednesday--the beauty around us

*Lake Erie--July 9, 2011

*Photo by Sarah Myers

Haven't posted a recipe in a while...

This is a new recipe...and one for the recipe collection.

Because it's summer and because I don't want to turn the oven on unless I have to I have put many more grilling recipes on my monthly plan. This was a good start to that plan! :o)

Balsamic Glazed Flank Steak with Arugula (courtesy of Weight Watchers Sizzle It recipe book)

3/4 C balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp packed brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1  tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 (1 lb) flank steak
6 C lightly packed baby arugula

Directions:
1. Get your grill going...
2. Combine vinegar and brown sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the mixture is reduced to a syrupy glaze (about 8 minutes). Remove the saucepan from the heat; set aside.
3. Combine the garlic, oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl; rub the mixture on both sides of the steak. Place on the grill rack and grill until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the side of the steak registers 145 degrees for medium, about 5 minutes on both sides. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes. Cut the steak across the grain into 12 slices.
4. Divide the arugula evenly among 4 plates and top each portion with a few slices of steak. Drizzle with reserved balsamic glaze and serve at once.

Alterations:
-I did not spread the seasoning mixture on both sides of the steak...I just did the top. If I do this recipe again, I will double this mixture. There was really only enough for one side.
-I did not use arugula...instead I used Wegmans Spring Mix because I had a coupon :o)

JUNE!!

Happy June everyone...doesn't seem possible, but at the same time I'm welcoming it with open arms. It's been a very long, busy, stressful school year...and I'm ready for a break. I think I end up with more anxiety over final exams than my students do...


This past weekend was probably one of the best weekends I have had in a while. It was so nice to be with "The Seven" again...all in one room, no one with us via Skype...everyone in one room at the same time, sitting around the same table. Who knows when that might happen again?! :)


Here's the proof that we were all together: 

For this Memorial Day we were graced with an extra day off from school...so we had Friday through Tuesday off. Because of that extra day off I was able to complete June's Dinner Plan on time. Go me! To see it go here.