Savory Southern Stew

Posted on January 16, 2016 by Sarah

Savory Southern Stew!

I’m so excited that it finally got a little bit cold here in Southern-Ontario! In order to celebrate, I decided to make my favorite stew and I thought…. why not share it with you! It is seriously the easiest stew to make… All you have to do is lightly saute the beef, and then throw everything into the crock pot to simmer for the day!

What you’ll need:

1 cup of chopped or baby carrots
1 cup of diced potatoes
1 cup of mushrooms
1.5 lbs of cubed beef
2 tbsp of butter or margarine
1 can of condensed tomato soup
1/4 tsp each, of salt, pepper and thyme

Step 1: Lightly saute about 1.5 lbs of cubed beef in a frying pan in butter and pepper.

While sauteing your cubes of beef, this is where you could add in one and a half tablespoons of flour for a thicker stew. I chose to leave the flour out, since I’ve been trying really, really hard to eat super-healthy! If you are looking for a thicker stew, after your meat is sauteed, toss it in the flour until all of the flour has been absorbed… It will later mix in nice with the rest of the contents of your stew, causing it to thicken, but by mixing it in with the meat first, you will prevent the flour from clumping!

Step 2: Add beef, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, onions, spices, and one can of condensed tomato soup into the crock pot.

For this stew, I chose to use some of my favorite vegetables; carrots, potatoes, mushrooms and onions…. but really, you can use whatever kind of vegetables you like, or even whatever you already have on hand! I also used just a few of my favorite spices to keep it nice and simple, but you can also choose to use your favorite spices too!

Step 3: Let simmer for at least 4 to 6 hours.

I like to let my stew simmer all day long to make it extra savory! But since the meat is pre-sauteed, you really only have to make sure that your vegetables are cooked all of the way through before serving. Remember, that the smaller you chop your vegetables, the quicker they will be ready!

Step 4: Serve and enjoy! 🙂

A nice dinner roll or slice of bread with butter (plus maybe, a glass of wine)…. make the perfect accessories for this meal!

Magical Morning Coffee – The best trick ever!

Posted on January 8, 2016 by Sarah

Hey Coffee Lovers! Do you love coffee as much as I do? Its my fav, and I do not function properly without it… Recently, I have discovered the most simple, yet most magical little trick to make my morning coffee even more special! And by special — I mean extra frothy! And no — you don’t need any extra special, fancy coffee machines!

All you need to do is take your coffee cream, and before you put it into your coffee…. shake it up! And I mean shake it, vigorously! (Exercise & coffee? Bonus!)…. Then add the cream into your coffee, stir as normal, and enjoy!

It may sound absolutely silly, but don’t knock it until you try it! I did it once and have never looked back! 😉

Home Office & Command Center Organization (tricks from the dollar store!)

Posted on January 4, 2016 by Sarah

Since my latest and most exciting career change of becoming a college instructor, I must admit…. our home office has become a little — actually, a LOT, out of control! My poor husband…. I pretty much took over his desk, his computer, and his home office has now been re-titled as “our” home office.

As you can clearly see, I had to do something…. especially before the next semester started. It was a little difficult to figure out where to start with this home office project, so of course I decided to start it with a little bit of shopping! My budget for this project was extremely low…. (like $20 low!)

So I headed to one of my favorite stores ever, The Dollar Store! Instead of starting in the more traditional “office supply” aisle, I started out in the “kitchen” aisle, and boy, did I hit the jackpot!

See that super cute fruit basket?! Well guess what… now it’s an office supply basket! It was just so pretty, I had to have it!

See this super chic napkin holder?! Well now it’s a letter/mail holder! A little bit brilliant, if I do say so, myself…. 😉

My new pen/pencil holder is actually a kitchen utensil holder…. I chose it over a typical stationary holder because it is much larger, and it hides everything…. so much prettier!

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See this cute little cube wire rack organizer? Dollar Store! And the same with these cute little floral print baskets…. perfect for hiding those messy file folders and great for extra storage too!

This cute little 3 drawer organizer also came from The Dollar Store! Its perfect for hiding my paper clips, USB sticks, and any other super tiny “office-junk”.

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I also found this 5 hook hanger at….. The Dollar Store! And its chrome — it totally matches the rest of my new organizational items!

This giant calendar is definitely an organizational must-have! Although, I did accidentally by the French version (oops!)…. I guess it never hurts to learn something new! 🙂

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So here is my cozy command center/home office that I was able to carve out of a corner of “our” home office…. Not too shabby! Even though I had to wheel out the kegerator and wine chiller, I’m sure my husband will be so happy to have his desk back! 😉

Vinegar & Water De-Icer — Does this really work?!

Posted on December 29, 2015 by Sarah

Well, here in south-eastern Ontario we have finally been hit with our first snowstorm of the season, yahhhhh!!!!!! (And no, I’m not being sarcastic!)

Although I am absolutely so excited about finally getting some snow…. my truck windshield and windows are now completely covered with ice!

Every year, I see and read tons of blogs and blips about mixing water and vinegar to use as a car window de-icer…. and every year I think “Hey — What a great idea… I must try this!”…. And every year, I never do…. Until now!

Just about every recipe using vinegar and water that I read, called for about 1 part water and 3 parts vinegar. So, I found myself a nifty spray bottle and started mixing.

I then took a beautiful “before” picture of my truck window, and then started a-spraying! I then started waiting…. and waiting…. and waiting. Nothing happened! If anything, the sprayed mixture just created another layer of ice on my window… Eek!

Thanks to my simple little experiment, I can now safely tell you not to waste your time, it does not work! However, that being said, further research indicates that vinegar may be used to prevent ice build up, but whether or not this actually works, I cannot say.

If you have tried this and had a different outcome, please let me know! And for more tips & tricks on keeping your windows ice-free, check this awesome Creek Line House post out: Handy tips to de-ice your car and windshield!

Memoirs of a 178 year-old Farmhouse – Wallpaper Edition

Posted on December 28, 2015 by Sarah

Welcome to the very first edition of, Memoirs of a 178 year-old Farmhouse! This is the very old, (and very intriguing) farmhouse that I grew up in, and of which my parents still reside in, to this very day. This house was built in 1838, and is one containing somewhat of a colorful history, as at one time, it was an inn with a saloon, bordering the railway tracks in the now sometimes forgotten, community of Anson, Ontario.

I have always been completely intrigued and fascinated with this farmhouse, whether it be antique and treasure hunting, ghost stories, or just plain research and facts. One of the remarkable things about this beautiful old farmhouse is that believe it or not, there are still a few rooms in the home containing the original wallpaper…. and oh — what wallpaper it is!

This is the wallpaper that can be found in the old saloon, or in what we refer to as “the Bar-Room”. In this tiny room, you can actually tell exactly where the bar tender stood, as that spot in the floor is worn down and indented. My parents absolutely hate this wallpaper, but I of course, love it! It looks a little orange-y in the photos, but don’t be fooled… it is pretty pink!

Below is the wallpaper from the old basement stairway…. I can’t be sure, but I assume that it would have consumed the entire kitchen at one point in time. It is definitely tied in first place with the bar-room wallpaper, as my favorite!

The most ornate original room left in the house, is the room that was at one time used as the parlor room. It has beautiful wooden moldings around the windows and doors, and beautiful intricate wooden paneling beneath the windows.

Connected to the parlor room of the house, is what once would have been the “Picture Room”. This room would have been full of photos…. I can only imagine what it would have been like, back in its prime…. (If only wallpaper could talk!)

I hope you enjoyed this first edition of, Memoirs of a 178 year-old Farmhouse! Lots more to come, as I cannot wait to share more with you!

How To Create: The Perfect Jello Shot!

Posted on December 16, 2015 by Sarah

Jello shooters are my favorite type of shot… They taste delicious and go down easy — perfect for getting the party started!

It took me many years, many half-set shots, and even a few straws and bowls to perfect the perfect jello shot! Some have even referred to me as the Jello Shooter Queen… and now my friends, it is time that I shared this knowledge with you!

What you’ll need:

1 pack of Jello
1 cup of boiling Water
1 cup of Vodka or Rum
Disposable Shooter Cups

All you need to do, is follow the directions on the back of the jello pack, but replace the cold water with Vodka or Rum. Next fill your disposable shooter cups. (I usually get about 24 shots per package of jello)… Chill in the fridge and let set for at least 2 hours. Serve and enjoy!

Tip: I always mix my jello shots in a large measuring cup… this way, they are easy to pour into the shooter cups!

Cranberry Brie Appetizer

Posted on December 15, 2015 by Sarah

Whether entertaining over the holidays, or during any time of the year, this Cranberry Brie appetizer is the perfect dish!

What you need:

1 wheel of Brie Cheese

1 cup of frozen Cranberries

1 Tbsp of Margarine or Butter

2 Tbsp of Brown Sugar

1/4 cup of chopped Almonds or Walnuts (Optional!)

1/8 cup of Kahlua (Optional!)

In a sauce pan, melt the butter, add the cranberries and simmer until the cranberries are soft. Stir in the brown sugar and Kahlua. Let simmer until the mixture is thickened…. for approximately 10 minutes. Remember the mixture will thicken as it sits, as well. Remove from heat and stir in the nuts of your choice.

Slice off the top of the brie cheese wheel, but leave it in place. Next, place the brie cheese wheel in tin foil, (this makes it easier to transfer out of the oven and onto a serving tray). Bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove the brie cheese wheel from the oven and place it onto a serving tray. Then, remove the top of the Brie cheese wheel, and place the cranberry mixture on top. Serve with crackers and enjoy!

If you are looking for another yummy appetizer to make, check out this amazing 3 Ingredient Crab Dip…. Its my fav!!!!