Love Nutrition Facts free printable

A free printable for you to celebrate all things love. This printable is perfect for Valentine’s Day. So, I made this love nutrition facts printable for you! It is an 8 by 10 size. Print on regular size paper and throw that baby in a frame (or not…mine’s on my wall with washi tape)! These love nutrition facts are great for everyone as a sweet gift for Valentines Day.

CLICK RIGHT ABOUT HERE to open the picture. Then save to your computer and print. Woo ha! It’s that easy! And might we recommend using cardstock to make this an even fancier thing?

Nate and I don’t go crazy for Valentine’s Day, at all. Often we have a nice dinner around Valentine’s Day (never ON Valentine’s Day…packed restaurants are NOT our thing!), and then we often grab take-out and binge on Netflix or new releases we’ve been saving. After 19 years of marriage, we don’t need the wine and chocolate cake. Besides, my chocolate cake recipe is the best there is. Not even joking…

Other free printables for Valentine’s Day on NellieBellie…
Cupid’s Cocoa printable
“You are the Tea” printable

Organizer from recycled jeans

This jean organizer has been making it’s rounds again as a popular pin on Pinterest and a featured craft on many websites. So, I wanted to be sure to share it with readers that may not be familiar with it. It’s an old post, as you will see from the photo’s, but is a fun organizing idea featuring recycled materials!

So, here’s what you need:

Old pair of utility jeans (cause they have GIANT pockets)
Hot glue.
Tacks.
Board, shelf, etc (to attach the jeans to)

What do you say about jeans? Yep, them are jeans…alright!

Cut out your butt pockets, your little side pocket thing, and your waist band.

You’ll need a board or piece of wood the length and height you are wanting your organizer to be. I used an old shelf I had. I covered it with the jean material I had leftover from cutting apart the jeans.

Trim around your pockets and waistband so it’s nice and neat. And then use hotglue to glue everything down to your board that you covered in jean material.

This is the general idea you want to end up with. Your pockets hold outgoing and incoming mail. Your little utility pocket holds pens and etc. And your waistband is perfect for rings and hooks.

I used upholstery tacks to tack everything down, this guarantees that it will be secure and hold. And…it looks cool!

Then, you can take out some sharpies and doodle all over your jeans!! It’s okay…I said so!

I think this a great way to recycle your old jeans…wouldn’t you say? Well, of course you would!

butternut soup recipe

This is the most basic butternut soup recipe I know. I realize that for some it is too basic. But, you can always jazz it up if you like. I am a big believer, though, that when learning to cook you should know the basic recipe BEFORE the fancy pants one.

I don’t peel and dice the butternut squash. Instead, I have everything in one giant pot. gasp! .And…I have only 9 ingredients…that includes the salt! But, this is the truest, most simple Butternut Soup recipe I know. (If you have other great ones…shoot them my way!

Yummy yummy yummy! We serve ours with a dollop of sour cream and a bit of cheddar cheese. Okay, let me know when you have tried this!
If you all have some other fun variations on Butternut Soup, let me know! This family would eat it all year!

[yumprint-recipe id=’244′]Speaking of good recipes…did you check out the Creamy Radish Soup Recipe?
And, here is one of my favorite soups. LOVE my Gourmet Mushroom Soup!

how to make a diy hair tool organizer

This DIY hair tool organizer post was created over 3 years ago (before the site’s name change). And it shows. I’ve updated much of it, added a video, and improved many of the pictures but many of the originals remain. This organizer is incredibly useful and practical for me and, I’m sure, for many of you, as well.

Start out with a board. You can use whatever type of board you have on hand just be sure that you’ve measured the space you have to hang it on the wall and that your board will fit. Also, make sure that all of your hair tools will fit into the space you would like them. You don’t want to do all this work to have a hair tool organizer that doesn’t work! It would be a good idea to lay out your hair tools and mark where you want them to be with a pencil. A little extra planning is always helpful!

You need a package of these…aluminum step flashing. I bought these when we lived in the middle of nowhere and found these at my local hardware store so they can’t be too hard to find. And it was I think $4.00 or something-inexpensive? You could also look where sheet metal is located at your home improvement store. I’m sure they have something similar. Or ask.

Now see how my board is a nice size for that flashing. Maybe you are scared because they don’t fit as nicely on your board? No biggie; they cut quite easily with your basic heavy duty scissors and can be attached easily with upholstery tacks. It works…really.

The upholstery tacks scratch the metal easily so be careful.

I have no idea what they call those things. I found them at the hardware store and knew they would be perfect. My guess is they hold pipes somehow.They come in various sizes.

I got 2 small ones for my small curling iron and straightener and 2 large ones for my large curling iron and blow dryer. These need to be screwed in with nice sturdy screws (that they come with) so that they can attach into the wood behind the metal.

Keep going up your board until you have this!

Note: After I put in each holder I double checked the placement of the hair tool before moving on to the next.

I covered the bare wood with Duct Tape to make it pretty! If you’re really smart, you could paint the wood before adding the flashing and screws. I wish I had done that and probably will, after the fact. sigh.

I have a surge protector just under the vanity this is over to have them all plugged into at once.
I can just turn it on and leave it in the holder.
That metal works great at keeping the heat from burning down my house! Now it is time to DIY a makeup organozer!

A reader kindly let us know that the clamps are called “pipe clamps”. Thanks!

how to make your own cocktail umbrellas

Learn how to make a drink umbrella with this easy tutorial! Super easy and fun addition to your next party!

I have a dream. A dream of warmth, pretty cocktails, cabana boys, and lying about. In my dream, all of my cocktails –every single one- come with a cocktail umbrella. Probably a pink one. And delivered by a cabana boy whilst I lay in the warmth and chat with Nate. I don’t hear children in this dream. I don’t see dirty dishes or bills (nope, this dream is paid for) or grass that needs mowing.

Today I have an itty bitty part of my dream fulfilled…

Supplies for cocktail umbrella:

paper
scissors
wooden skewers
hot glue
tinsel garland (optional)

To Do:

Cut paper into circles about 3 inches in diameter (I used a mason jar as a guide)
Cut a slit into the circle up to the center of the circle.
Form the cocktail umbrella from the circle. Hot glue into place.
(I cut my skewers in half but use the size you prefer!) Hot glue the umbrellas onto the skewers.
For extra fun…cut up a bit of tinsel garland. Put a dab of hot glue on the top of your umbrella and dip it into the tinsel.

Now you too can have a dream worthy cocktail umbrella for your cocktail! Cheers!

Now you know how to make your own drink umbrella’s! Make a stash for New Year’s or parties and keep them in a drawer. Drinks are always better with an umbrella…wouldn’t you agree? Why not check out our great cocktail collection and include pretty umbrella’s for the glasses? Fun!

microwave brownies in a mug.

This is a quick and easy dessert that serves just one. Perfect for when you are looking for a sweet midnight snack or your kids want an after-school treat. You can make up a microwave brownie-in-a-mug in about three minutes with ingredients you already have in your pantry…

And you can mix up the whole brownie recipe IN the mug (no extra dishes…score!) with a few quick and easy steps…

Seriously, this brownie was about 3 minutes. Including the cooking! Kinda like a glorified Easy Bake recipe…don’t you think? Please tell me I’m not the only one old enough to remember those guys. With their dangerous exposed light-bulbs, super expensive mixes, and little girls begging their parents for one?

Walah… a tasty, chocolatey, gooey brownie! All made up during the next commercial!

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If you are looking for fast, easy, and simple recipes like this you shouldn’t miss our Lazy Baker ENTIRE CATEGORY full of short-cut recipes. Like pull-apart breads, petit fours, and even Grandma’s fudge. These recipes are meant for those that are a bit gun-shy in the kitchen and still gaining confidence in their cooking skills. We hear ya. No need to fuss and stress…use our cheater recipes to look like a kitchen super star!

Cranberry Rosemary Orange Scones

These Cranberry-Rosemary-Orange scones are sweet, tangy, and delicious!! The orange glaze is just the icing on the top (get it — Icing on the top! :))Be sure to get this recipe!

Is there anyone in the world that doesn’t have a love affair with scones? I doubt it. Scones are sweet and buttery and light and flaky all at the same time. Add to that their ability to meld all sorts of flavors into themselves and you have a breakfast pastry that can’t be topped for its versatility, flavor, and simplicity.

My favorite recipe uses a combo of cranberries and rosemary…a classic flavor duo…but with an added touch of orange. The orange keeps the scones light, fresh, and fun. And the orange glaze drizzled on TOP of the scones? Oh. My. Gosh. It’s bright and packed full of flavor. You’ll be licking off the tops of your scones.

Wherever possible, when using orange and rosemary…use fresh. It’s tempting to pull out dried herbs and zest for baking, but the flavor you get from the fresh ingredients really is the best. The extra two minutes of chopping rosemary and zesting a lemon will be worth it.

Note:

Did you know that smelling citrus boosts your feel-good hormone in your brain? True story.

It’s important to use cold butter when making scones so that you can achieve that beautiful buttery and flaky pastry.

Why cold butter?

When the butter melts in your dough while baking in the oven it creates little pockets where steam expands and helps the dough rise. If you have butter that is melty before you get to the dough to the oven, you lose those pockets of gas expanding, leaving you with a denser, less fluffy scone.

Tip:

Freeze your scone dough for an hour or so before baking to get the ultimate in light and flaky scones!

Don’t get crazy with forming and rolling your scone dough. The less you handle it, the better. Simply pat it into a circle about 9 inches in diameter, as evenly thick as you can get it, and slice it into eight pie wedges. Then bake.

Sure, those scones will come out of the oven ready to be shoved into your mouth. Frankly, you might not make it to the glazing step before you find yourself minus scones. I would highly recommend baking these up when your family isn’t home. And if they are home, DON’T turn your back.

Off topic…

Have you played the Super Mario board that has the little ghosts that will attack you if you turn your back to them for too long? As long as you are looking at them they stay where they are but the minute you turn your back… BAM! My family is little ghosts when I’m baking in the kitchen. DON’T TURN YOUR BACK!

Anyways, you can feel free to use purchased orange juice for the glaze but since you already of the fresh orange to grab zest from why not use fresh orange juice? It really will make a huge difference!

You think that I’m crazy with the vodka addition to the glaze, don’t you? Try it sometimes and you’ll be a believer. Vodka adds a wonderful kick to the glaze that cuts a bit of the sweetness from the scones out, in the best possible way.

Plus, everything is better with alcohol. It’s truth.

ingredients.

For scones:
3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tab grated orange peel
1 tsp rosemary (just used dried, it’s easier)
3/4 cup chilled butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1 cup cold buttermilk (for a quick substitution, see below)

For glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tab vanilla
2 tab vodka (optional)

directions.

For scones:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Put flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, orange peel, and rosemary into large bowl.
Add butter and mix into flour mixture…gotta use your fingers! You want it to look like crumbs.
Mix in cranberries.
Gradually add buttermilk, use fork to stir until it gets mostly mixed together (it will still have clumps!).
Put the dough onto a floured counter and knead a few times so it sticks together. About 4-6 times.
Form the dough into a circle about 9 inches in diameter. Cut into 8 wedges. (if you have time pop the wedges into the freezer for about an hour)
Put the wedges onto the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes.

For glaze:

Mix all ingredients together.
If necessary, to achieve needed thickness add more powdered sugar.
Drizzle the glaze on top of the cooled scones.

To make buttermilk :

Put 1 tablespoon lemon juice into 1 cup milk.
Let sit for about 5 minutes.
Wa la! Buttermilk.

How to make a ring dish at home.

This diy ring dish is so quick and easy to make, so adorable to have, and so incredible awesome to give!. All in all…you NEED this in your life in some fashion. And after you see how to make it you will be wondering why on earth you haven’t made one for your grandma or aunt before.

This DIY ring dish is so quick and easy to make, so adorable to have, and so incredibly awesome to give!. All in all…you NEED this in your life in some fashion. And after you see how to make it you will be wondering why on earth you haven’t made one for your grandma or aunt before. This Christmas will be the year of awesome gift giving!

The CUTEST little ring dish you ever did see…right!! And it’s so easy. Here are the materials you need…

Materials:

super glue
paint (spray paint keeps this easy!)
knickknack
dish

Let’s talk about these materials for a bit. There is no right or wrong to what you choose. You want to find a knickknack that fits nicely with the dish and stands up a bit. It can be a cow, a bell, a tree…or a man :). As long as it’s fairly skinny, and not too wide that it covers your dish. If you can find a deer with antlers…how cool would that be (rings could go on the antlers!)! And, if your figurines don’t match that doesn’t matter …because you will be painting it anyways!

Glueing is just that…glueing. Nothing fancy about this. I would recommend that you just watch that you don’t glob so much glue on that it seeps out from under the figurine and creates a yucky edge. Hold it firmly for a minute or so and then let dry.

After your dish is dry…take the paint to it!! More coats with less coverage are better than heavy coverage with fewer coats. Truly! Let dry in between coats!

The gold paint I used is awesome because it dries very quickly in between coats (remember, thinner coats!) allowing me to reapply quickly after!

Tip:

Use a large box to paint your dish. Set a fan nearby to keep the fumes from being crazy bad. Or, if it’s nice outside where you are…take it outside.

That’s truly it! It is so easy to make this sweet dish.

I think this is a wonderful gift idea! You can customize it however you like, exactly the way you know the recipient would like it! DIY ring dish= happy Christmas gift giving!

poor man’s Beef Wellington recipe

I call this recipe the poor man’s Beef Wellington because it’s, well, for poor people :). Like me. Rather than using an expensive steak this wellington recipe uses easy to find, inexpensive ground beef. But don’t be fooled…it is utterly delicious and decadent. This recipe is one of my husband’s favorites and I pull it out for Valentines Day, anniversaries, and the occasional Sunday evening.

Puff pastry is every cook’s favorite secret helper because it’s utterly delicious AND speeds up prep time.

Poor Man’s Beef Wellington

(this recipe makes 8. 1/2 the recipe for 4)

2 beaten eggs

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

4 tablespoons crushed saltine crackers (or bread crumbs)

2 tablespoons dried parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cream

3 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, chopped fine

4 cloves of garlic, minced

8 ounces baby bella mushrooms

1/2 cup red wine (or grape juice)

1 teaspoon basil

mozzarella cheese (optional)

2 sheets of puff pastry

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix first 6 ingredients together well. Set aside.

In a large saucepan melt butter. Add onion and mushrooms.

Cook on medium high heat until mushrooms sweat and onions are translucent.

Turn down to medium while you add the garlic, red wine, and basil.
Turn the heat back up to high and continue to cook until reduced. Remove from heat. Cool.

Lightly grease a cookie sheet.

On a lightly floured surface lay out pastry sheets. Cut each sheet into 4 squares

Spread mushroom mixture across each square. Top with thin layer of mozzarella cheese

Put 1/2 cup of meat mixture (formed into flattened balls) on top.

Pull corners up over meat and pinch edges together. (don’t worry if this is tricky, it is for everyone…it isn’t just you!)

Put the bundles on a cookie sheet with seam side down. Cut small slits on top and brush the tops with cream or beaten egg.

Bake for 30-40 minutes (at 400 degrees) or until golden brown and meat is cooked through.

Serve with brown gravy

(I like to add 1/2 cup of red wine to the gravy, it adds so much to the flavor of this recipe!)

lemon cake recipe |2 ingredient|

Why spend a lot of time and energy putting together a completely homemade cake when you can cook up a two-ingredient lemon cake recipe? We think that is a valid question.

Let’s get something straight; we love homemade cake. We have several recipes for homemade cake, including our favorite chocolate and white cakes. And we encourage everyone who likes baking to try them. Even people who don’t like baking should try them, so they can see how easy baking really can be. But sometimes, and for some people, spending a couple hours baking a cake just isn’t worth it all the time.

We have more important things to do. Or we realized at the last minute we needed to bring something for church. Or any number of reasons we just don’t feel like taking the time to bake a cake completely from scratch.

Enter the two ingredient cake easy lemon cake recipe.

We are not claiming that this cake is as delicious as homemade ones. It isn’t. And it would be very sad if all our work making cake from scratch didn’t matter. It does!

But, if you add a delicious frosting or a bunch of whipped cream…it’s still quite good. And there are some events that don’t require you to spend the time necessary to make the most amazing cake ever. Good is good enough. In those cases, make this cake!

This is also a great starter cake for kids. A box of mix, a can of soda, and a supervisor to make sure they don’t burn themselves on the oven is all you need. Then, as they get older, you can graduate them to 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies.

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