DIY: Tea Bag Holder Using Jar Lids

Got some jar lids kicking around? Here's a quick DIY. Turn those jar lids into used tea bag holders!

I didn't have any little saucers or plates that I could have used for my tea bags and other plates just seemed too big to use. One day as I was cleaning some jars and making myself a cup of tea, and without thinking I placed the used tea bag on the upside down lid that was sitting on the counter. I thought, wow, what a perfect size for tea bags. And that's when the DIY-moment came along.

You'll Need:

• jar lids
• super glue
• spray paint

How To:

1. Wash and dry the lids
2. Make sure you are in a well ventilated area. Put some super glue or loctite/epoxy on the inside of the lid to cover the rubbery ring/seal and let it dry overnight (first time I spray painted the inside without the glue the paint rubbed off the rubber seal, so I tried loctite and it worked wonerfully).
3. In a well ventilated area, spray paint (your colour of choice, I chose black to match our black mugs) the inside and topside, allowing drying time between sides and coats (2 to 3 coats should do). 
4. Leave the lids to fully dry for at least 24 hours after the last coat of paint. 
5. Wash and dry before you use it with your tea bags!

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What to do with leftover chorizos?

I know, it's been a few weeks since my last post! I've just been a bit busy with one thing after another. We went to Thailand for 10 days at the end of March, then it was a last minute birthday party for Shane and I (as we share the same birthday - April 16), then we had to find a new place to rent (with our lease ending and the owners wanting to renovate), pack up and move (five flights of stairs because the elevator was being serviced), unpack, settle in, Anzac Day (Australia's Memorial Day), a music festival and then me getting sick for the last few days, which brings me to now. *phew* Happy to say I'm nearly feeling back to my self.. about 80% there.

So in the midst of all the ness for the month of April, comes a new post. We had a bunch of chorizos leftover from our birthday party, which didn't get cooked up. I tried to come up with something to use them up with what little ingredients we had in the new place, having just after moved in. We were so busy we didn't even get a chance to go grocery shopping that week.

What did I come up with? Chorizos and Baked Beans on Brown Rice! Kind of 'student' / I'm-too-poor meal but it works quite nicely. It had a similar texture to risotto. Then the next day we made Slow Cooked Chorizo & Quinoa Chilli (aka Chilli Con Carne). That very well covered the meals for the rest of the week until grocery day. Yay!

And here's another - From Leftovers to Newovers: 

Chorizos and Baked Beans on Brown Rice

You'll need:

• 2 chorizos, chopped up in quarters
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 can of baked beans in tomato sauce
• ketchup (tomato paste), optional
• salt & pepper
• brown rice
• green onions, chopped, garnish

How to:

1. Cook your rice according to the directions on the rice package, either on a stove or rice cooker.
2. While the rice is cooking, in a medium sauce pan, heat up a bit of olive oil on medium heat and saute the onions until soft softened.
3. Add in the chopped chorizos and cook for 3-4 minutes.
4. Add can of baked beans (more/less depending on your preference). Add a squeeze of ketchup for more tomato flavour (or tomato paste if you have it - optional). Cook until it starts to bubble. Turn off and remove from heat. 
5. Salt and pepper to taste. 
6. Serve over brown rice and garnish with green onions.

It had the texture of risotto which I really enjoyed! Such a cheap and delicious meal!

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Slow Cooked Chorizo & Quinoa Chilli

Oops, I forgot to take photos of it mixed up and served!

You'll need:

• 3-4 chorizos, chopped in quarters
• 1 cup of quinoa
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 can of red kidney beans
• 1 packet of chilli (chilli con carne) mix
• 2 cups of water
• chilli powder, optional for more spice
• shredded cheese, garnish, optional

How to:

1. In your slow cooker, add onions, chorizo, kidney beans including bean liquid, quinoa, chilli mix, 2 cups of water.
2. Set it on low for 8 to 10 hours or high for 4 to 6 hours.
3. Once it's done it should look like the above photo. It looks like the quinoa didn't cook but when you mix it all you'll see the yummy cooked quinoa under that top layer. 

I found ours to be a bit on the thick side so I added a bit more water (or stock if you have it). It was really tasty but a bit strong in chorizo flavour so, personally, I couldn't have a big bowl of it.

A few ways to serve this yummy chilli:

1. As is, in a bowl, with cheese sprinkled on top
2. On a piece of toast
3. A grilled chilli cheese sandwich (our roommate Hoffy's idea - great idea) as shown below.
4. A chilli cheese wrap
5. Over nachos

Grilled Chorizo Chilli and Cheese Sandwich with a glass of wine!

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DIY: Canvas 'Pin' Board

I did this painting last year. Being a Canadian with a love for snowboarding, I wanted to bring the mountains into our Australian home somehow. So, I just started playing around with some ideas and came up with this snowboarder in the mountain concept. Not bad since I haven't picked up a paintbrush in long time, but I never really whole-heartedly liked it so, after a year and a half, I decided to paint over it for something new. I wanted something colourful and abstract. I also got some inspiration from Dans le Townhouse.

After placing the finished painting on my desk, behind my laptop, I decided to turn it into a 'pin' board with some string and mini wooden pegs. It worked out really well and it's much prettier than the usual cork pin board - and super easy too. Here's a few ideas for ways to use your canvas pin board: as a note board, inspiration board, photo display, or mood board. My board contains a little bit of each! So, pin - or should I say - 'peg' away.

You'll Need:

• a canvas, whatever size suits you
• acrylic paint
• paint brushes
• your imagination
• string / yarn
• small wooden pegs
• masking tape

How To:

1) Paint your canvas. A few coats of new paint, and this is what I came up with:

2) Measure out the length of string needed from one end the other. Fasten one end of the string to the back of the canvas with some painter's tape. I clipped a few pegs and hung a few papers to get an idea of how the string will hang on the canvas. That way I would know how much slack to give before taping the other end of the string.

I chose tape so if one day I decided to hang it up just as a painting, I can easily remove the string. You go even further and paint the wooden pegs but I just left them au natural since my background is quite colourful. I went with 2 rows higher up because I wouldn't see the bottom anyway with my laptop in front.

3) Time to hang your notes, pictures, reminders, dreams, goals, inspirations, etc.

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Printable: Easter Gift Tags

Me with an Easter basket
many years ago

Easter is one of my favourite holidays. I have many fond memories of waking up to find a big, beautiful Easter baskets that the 'Easter bunny' had left my sister and I. Opening it up to find a stuffed bunny, candies and chocolates in little plastic eggs! And with Easter there's spring and also my birthday is usually just a couple weeks away! 

Here are some printable tags for your Easter treats and give aways! You can print them on a good quality card stock and use them as gift tags or print them on sticker paper for stickers.

Happy Easter!

Click to download the PDF

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From Leftovers to Newovers: Creamy Curried Cauliflower & Sweet Potato Soup

Now that's a mouthful! Let's hear you say that 3 time fast! Haha

Today I'm introducing a theme for my blog: 'From Leftovers to Newovers.' When I was as kid, I didn't really like eating any leftovers from the fridge. Now, I've grown to like leftovers and I enjoy finding leftovers to create 'newovers' (does that work?? It's going to be a thing I tell ya haha!). I like to try to use up all the odds and ends I find in the fridge to come up with an new dish. Whether it be a bowl of rice, half a jar of sauce, veggies that are just about to go bad, or a bowl of butter chicken, it's fun to try and figure out what you can make with it all - kind of like my very own little Master Chef challenge. Once it's cooked up, it will last a couple more days in the fridge. Unless of course it's been eaten up, which is even better!

So instead of letting stuff in the fridge go to waste, try to find ways to use it up and you might end up with something delicious and maybe even a new recipe. Trying to find ways to combine ingredients that you wouldn't normally combine, is the challenging part but also fun part because you get to be creative and experiment! It's so rewarding when you've successfully made a nice meal and knowing that you got the most out of your money and groceries.

Here's my version of a curried cauliflower soup with my leftovers, but feel free to improvise your version!

Oods and ends findings: cauliflower and half a jar of butter chicken sauce.
What I turned it into: creamy curried cauliflower and sweet potato soup!

Tip: Having a well stocked pantry (as Jamie Oliver likes to say), helps for turning odds and ends into something yummy.

Serves: 4 to 6

You'll need: 

• 1 small head of cauliflower, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium sweet potato, chopped 1 inch cubes
• 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 500ml chicken/vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp curry powder, 
• butter chicken sauce (if you have it kicking around like I did, if not you can substitute with 1 tbsp of curry powder / curry paste)
• 1/2 tsp chili powder (1 tsp if you like some more heat)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 can coconut cream (optional, but recommended)
• salt & pepper to taste

How to:

1. In a large sauce pan, heat the vegetable oil on medium heat and sauté the onions until softened, about 5 minutes. If it starts to burn, add a tbsp of water.
2. Add cauliflower, sweet potato, chicken stock, spices, butter chicken sauce and if needed, add just enough water so the vegetables are just submerged. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and cook for about 20 to 30 minutes or until veggies are tender.
3. Once the vegetables are soft, remove from heat. Using a stick blender, purée until creamy and smooth. 
4. Return to heat and if it's too thick, thin with more stock if desired, add coconut cream (optional). Salt and pepper to taste. Heat for a few minutes until hot.
5. Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley or cilantro. 

Tip: Alternatively you can use a light cream instead of coconut cream. The soup is pretty good with out the cream but the coconut cream and curry go so well together and gives it that extra creaminess. 

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