bringing out the big gun!

i'm linking up today with jessica for some pintertest kitchen.

last week the kids and i had the week off from school. yeah!!!  for winter break. we actually had to go away to get any resemblance of winter {more on that in the next post}, as the temps here were in the high 60's to mid 70's. warm weather makes me happy so i'm not complaining.

okay enough rambling, now on to the pinter-testing.

because we had the week off i'd hoped to get my craft on and attempt a few things i've had pinned over at pinterest.

the first  AND ONLY thing i attempted was this pillow. 

the instructions said it would take 30 minutes.  it did take 30 minutes... plus another 330 minutes (6 hrs total). either i am craft-challenged or the gal who created this pillow is a crafting-prodigy.  i think it is a combination of the two.

when i finally got to the center {at minute 240!} i was having a difficult time sewing the petals on because of the already-stitched in petals were thick. my sewing machine-which is already out to get me- was causing me grief.  so i did what any wise crafter would do- i kicked the Singer to the curve and got out the only crafting resource that can be trusted...

my glue gun.  i'm not ashamed.  think of how many more hours of my life would have been dominated had i not pulled out my heavy artillery!?

2 sticks of glue and 20 minutes later i had this  

here it is complete and in a happy place on my couch, where it looks awful because 'what was i thinking using yellow & white ticking on striped couches!?!'

whatever.  i'm sure it will find a home somewhere around here, and who knows maybe i'll get my trusty glue gun out and whip up another one... over easter break.

here's a quick overview of a few other pinteresting things that have been whipped-up sans the glue gun-this past month.

rainbow cake-jars  for josie's 10th birthday celebration. 

eeeaassy. 

{take my word for it, if i say it's "easy"  it is!} 

for valentine's day~
peanut butter cookies with chocolate hearts

so simple a 10 yr old in a homemade tutu can make them with minimal supervision.

and last but definitely not least,
{because i love me some vegetables
as much as i love chocolate. no joke}.
portobello mushroom pizza.

 i cheated a bit and used mozzarella cheese instead of parmigiano.

oh! this was tasty.

if you are a veggie addict too, another delish dish i made from pinterest was

the zucchini & sweet potato frittata.

yuuu...umm!

are you on pinterest?
find me at

http://pinterest.com/denisevictoryrd


what pinteresty things are you planning on tackling in the near future?

why i married my husband

i tell michael i married him for his black bean salsa.  

it is SO. GOOD. 

we whip up a large bowl of it nearly every sunday afternoon then munch on it alllllllllll week long (it's  good for you too).  

i figured i had one of three options:

share michael (yeah, not gonna happen).

hoard the recipe for myself (and deprive the world of it's yummy goodness, NEVER!)

give you his recipe so you can make it yourself (now, that's more like it!)

black bean salsa

4 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

7 diced roma tomatoes

1/2 red onion diced

1 bunch chopped cilantro

4 green onions thinly sliced

1 heaping tablespoon of garlic

1 lime's juice

1 7oz can mild diced green chilies

1 tablespoon diced jalapenos

1 cup chunky salsa of your choice.

garlic-salt to taste

cumin to taste

red chili peppers to taste

mix together then sample with your favorite tortilla chips.
add a bit more garlic-salt and cumin, mix, and sample again with your favorite tortilla chips.
stand over bowl of black bean salsa goodness "sampling" for 15 minutes making sure the flavor is just right.
have someone with a bit more self-control than you pry the bowl and tortilla chips away from you.
store salsa in fridge.


delicious on a fried egg for breakfast.
great served over warmed brown rice for lunch (as shown in picture).
terrific in a warm tortilla, topped with cheese, and guac for dinner.


and now you'll have to excuse me, it's time for lunch!