$25 Etsy Shop Giveaway

We are giving a $25 shop credit to one lucky winner.  Find out how you can enter for your chance to win by visiting All in One Mom at:http://allinonemom.co/2011/06/simply-heaven-review-25-giveaway-ends-713/

Be sure to also visit our Etsy shop for more great products!

Good Luck!

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads.  Hope you enjoy your special day!

Simply Heaven Baby

Cool Summer Appetizer {Prosciutto w/cantaloupe/honey dew melon and fresh mozzarella cheese}

Summer is almost here and with summer comes entertaining to include backyard BBQs.  My kids and I went to the library recently to sign up for their summer book club reading.  I picked two books both by Williams-Sonoma.  One was Outdoor Entertaining and the other one was Essentials of Mediterranean Cooking.  I love looking at different cookbooks and trying new recipes.  I am especially drawn to books and magazines that include pictures of the recipe.   When we have guest over, I want to entertain them.  I don’t want to be in the kitchen all day long, which takes away from entertaining.  A cool yet flavorful dish you can whip up in no time is prosciutto with cantaloupe/honey dew melon and fresh mozzarella cheese.  While staying in Italy we were always served family style but these can easily be put on skewers and served individually.  All you need is:

Cantaloupe/Honeydew melon

Prosciutto

Mozzarella (the pearl mozzarella balls work great with this recipe if you can find them)

Olive oil

Basil (I love to experiment with different herbs so try some thyme also)

Salt

Pepper

If you have a melon baller start by scooping the cantaloupe into balls, take the prosciutto and randomly place around the cantaloupe balls.  (I am a big believer in you eat with your eyes so presentation is a big thing for me).  Next randomly place the mozzarella balls around the serving tray.  Once you have these ingredients in place sprinkle olive oil and finish up by sprinkling with kosher or sea salt, fresh ground pepper and basil (you can either tear or chiffonade the basil).

This is such a great appetizer that is perfect for summer entertaining and I know your guest will love them too.

 Buon Appetito

Memorial Day Sale! 15% off everything in our Etsy Shop

Not only have we added new items to our shop but to help celebrate Memorial Day we are offering 15% off everything in our Etsy shop!  Here are just a few of the things that we have added:


Fun Animal Print Toddler Bib


Super Cute Lovey/Security Blanket with Pacifier Holder


Baseball Print Stroller/Crib Blanket


Ever so cute Mommy Needs a Nap onesie

These are only a few of the items that have been added to our shop.  Visit our Etsy shop to take advantage of this sale.

Use code MEM11
This offer ends Monday at 12 p.m. EST
Happy Memorial Day! 

Genovese Basil

I know that I have not posted in a while but I have been busy getting all of my seeds planted.  I did not plant all of the seeds at once but I am finally finished planting all of the seeds that I ordered.  Can you believe I even went to Lowe's and got more during the whole planting process?  I have always planted sweet basil and loved the results but before placing my order with Burpee I took alot of time out to read the reviews about each item that I ordered.  After reading the comments for genovese basil, I definitely wanted to try it out since I love pesto.  Some of the comments and reviews stated that it was best basil for Italian pesto and very easy to grow therefore I wanted to plant some just to see if there was a big difference.  Although I have not made any basil this year, take a look at my plant so far:

I only recently planted the basil and it has grown the biggest thus far.  This basil has excellent germination.  In as little as 3-4 days the seedlings were emerging from the soil. 

Whether you are a green thumb or not these seeds are definitely a "must try" and here is an excellent recipe for pesto from an earlier post:

CLICK HERE:

Remember with basil in order to encourage growth pick the leaves quite often but do not allow to flower because they will lose some of their flavor and even become bitter. 

Happy Gardening!

Happy Easter!

Wishing everyone a Happy Easter!

{New Products Added to Etsy Shop} Amy Butler Collection

I thought this print by Amy Butler was so beautiful the first time that I saw it.  I have been torn for a while as to what I should make using this fabric.  Well I finally finished using most of the fabric and I am so excited of all the items that were made using this print.

Minky Binky Blanket

Baby Bib and Burp Cloth Set

Stroller Blanket

We also have toddler bibs and more. 

We have them all listed in our Etsy shop. Be sure to visit our shop for this collection as well as our other items!

New Product Added to Etsy Shop (Heirloom Baby Jewelry)

Many families pass down items to the next generation.  I can remember my dad giving me a quilt that my great-grandmother made by hand.

As you can see the quilt is too big for the picture and this is a very big quilt.  I can only imagine how many hours it took her to finish just one quilt and she did this all by hand, no sewing machine involve.  Her hand stitching was impeccable and she made several of these quilts and they are very thick and heavy.  So heavy that years ago I tried putting this quilt on my bed one winter while we were living in Germany and I had to take it off because I was literally about to burn up.

 I hope to be able to pass this very quilt down to my kids and keep the tradition going.  She was an awesome seamstress and I hope to be as good as her one day. 

Jewelry is the same way and I am so excited about this heirloom item that has been added to our Etsy shop.

This bracelet features sterling silver beads and Swarovski crystals that can be passed down from generation to generation.

Check out this item as well as many other items in our Etsy shop



Spring....Again

     Last week we had a cold spell but today it is back in the 80s and all of a sudden the other azalea bush bloomed.  One day there were leaves and the next day there were blooms.  I love this time of the year but got set back with my garden because of a snake (Yikes).  I am not use to snakes at all.  We rented a medium duty tiller from Home Depot on a Saturday for 24 hrs.   I was so excited and I started tilling away.  I was almost finish and out slithers a snake from under the ground.  I ran so many ways around the yard calling my husband’s name that my neighbor and his dog probably thought I was crazy.  Slowly but surely I am getting back into the yard but I am definitely keeping a watchful eye.  I still wanted to show everyone my beautiful azalea despite the snake encounter:

I will keep you posted on all the entire process of my 2011 planting!

{New Products} Spring Cleaning

Spring is finally here!  One way that I can tell is the flowers are starting to bloom.  Take a look at the azalea that is in my backyard.

So beautiful! 

I love spring because everything seems to come alive.  The birds are chirping, the bees are buzzing and unfortunately here in the south the pollen is falling.  I have been in the yard racking, planting, and cleaning.  I have also started my spring cleaning inside.  I have washed and stored the blankets as well as cleaning the windows and welcoming spring.  When I think of spring, I think of airy and light.

One quick way to decorate and welcome spring is by changing throw pillows.  This is quick and easy to do and it can quickly change a room.   I saw this fabric and immediately thought SPRING!  We are now offering these throw pillows in our Etsy shop and we are offering a SPRING SALE!  Visit our Etsy shop for these throw pillows as well as other items!

HAPPY SPRING!

{Recipe} After-School Snack Fresh Fruit with Cream Cheese Dip

It is starting to get hot down here in the south therefore I have to encourage my children to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration while playing outside.  If you have not heard this a million of times, I love to cook, entertain, and anything else that is domestic. 

 When the kids get home from school, they normally grab a snack before beginning their homework.  Yesterday, I thought that I would do a little something different.

I made a very small fruit tray with a cream cheese dip.  They were so surprised!  I wanted to share the cream cheese dip with you but WARNING: it can become addicting!

You can pair this with any type of fruit that you have available.

Cream Cheese Fruit Dip: 

1-8oz. package of Philadelphia cream cheese

1-7oz jar of marshmallow cream

Splash of milk

Splash of vanilla extract

Directions: 

Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature (this makes it more easy to work with).

Beat cream cheese, marshmallow cream, and splash of milk together until smooth.  Add splash of vanilla and serve with fresh fruit.

This is also great to have at family functions, parties, or gatherings.  Let me know how you like it. 

You can also make a low-fat version by using the fat-free Philadelphia cream cheese or the 1/3 less fat. 

Enjoy!

<a href="http://www.skiptomylou.org/" ><img src="http://www.skiptomylou.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/button2.jpg" /></a><br />

{New Products} Preserving Memories…www.simplyheavenbaby.com

Do you ever think about how a child grows up so fast?  I mean literally right before your eyes.  It is like they are a baby one day and a young adult before you know it.  I always feel like I did not take enough pictures of my kids.  I would take pictures of them at school events and holidays but really not the everyday routine.  I also hired a professional photographer a few years ago to take pictures of my girls just being themselves.  I love these types of pictures because it is not the traditional, one two, three, say cheese.  Many people are also using professional photographers today to “capture the moment” of their family.

Sometimes, I will sit down and go through pictures and it is so amazing how fast my kids are growing up.  Some of the pictures are in photo boxes, some are in photo albums, and some are still in the sleeve that the school sent home. 

I know there are parents that take tons of pictures of the babies during the first year.  That is why we are adding large photo albums to our inventory.  These photo albums are so cute and can hold 200 photos.  That’s a lot of pictures.  We also have brag books in stock that you can pull out quickly and show your friends and family.  These items are all sale priced so visit our site today!

www.simplyheavenbaby.com

Pepperpot Nest Large Photo Album 

Pepperpot Molly Large Photo Album 

Pepperpot Molly Brag Book 

Pepperpot Oliver Brag Book 

{New Products} www.etsy.com/shop/SimplyHeaven

Looking for super cute clothing for baby? Don't forget to visit our Etsy shop! We are always adding new items like this one!

Visit our Etsy shop at:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/SimplyHeaven

{Gifts} Valentine Day Treats

So as usual, I wait until the last minute and run out and try to get everything done at once.  My daughter asked me in January what was I going to do for Valentine’s Day?  That should have been my first sign to begin planning and I did… a little.  I have read time management books, articles, and even did courses.  I have gotten better but believe me I still have a long way to go with my time management skills.

So Sunday we had a Valentine packaging party for my daughter’s second grade classmates.  I bought more candy that I did not plan to buy but we also included a Valentine pencil, eraser, and notepad.  I think they came out great and the kids really enjoyed them.

Did any of you do anything special?  I would love to know.

I do hope that everyone enjoyed their Valentine’s Day!

Happy Valentine's Day

{Recipe Review} Chicken and Orzo Salad

Last month I picked up the latest edition of Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade magazine.

http://www.semihomemade.com/

She really had some great recipes in this edition that really persuaded me into buying this magazine.  I recently tried one of the recipes in the magazine.  Chicken and Orzo Salad.  This is a healthy and hearty recipe but it really was great!  The following ingredients are needed:

·         1 16oz package of orzo

·         1 cup of light olive oil and vinegar dressing (made my own version of Italian dressing)

·         3 tablespoons reduced fat pesto with basil (Buitoni) (made my own pesto, get the recipe HERE).

·         2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I cooked chicken breast with Mediterranean spices since this is like a Greek dish).

·         1 pint of cherry tomatoes

·         1 8oz block of feta cheese, cubed

·         1 6oz bag of fresh baby spinach

·         1 4oz jar of pitted kalamata olives, drained

Directions:

1.         Prepare orzo according to the directions; drain and rinse with cold water to cool quickly and drain well.

2.        In a small bowl, stir together the dressing and pesto.

3.       In a large bowl, combine cooked orzo, chicken, tomatoes, cheese, spinach, and olives.  Pour dressing mixture over orzo mixture to coat.

Not only is this a quick meal for your family on any given night but it is healthy and feeling.  Sandra Lee also has a blog that offers great recipes.  You should definitely try the chicken and orzo salad and well as other recipes on her BLOG!

{Sewing} My New Baby

I have been so busy making Valentine gifts for my girls.  (You will see in a later post).  I have been sewing left and right to ensure that I am done on time.  Well I was on my last pair of pants last night and “pop” went my serger.  I was so upset because this was the last pair of pants and now this happens.  I tried to re-thread, adjust the needles, and do just about everything that you can think of and still….the serger would not work.  It is so ironic that this should happen to me because in our local Sunday’s paper there was an ad for a free maintenance check.  I told my husband it is about time for me to get my sewing machine serviced but really I forgot about it.   Once this happened last night, the first thing I did this morning was to start researching for another serger.  I looked at different features and was amazed.  I have purchased several  sewing magazines for the longest and I always see an ad for a Baby Lock product and I immediately went to Baby Lock’s website.   I have read so many good reviews and I think the whole “swoosh” jet-air threading had me mesmerized.  It takes me so long to thread my serger.  I wanted to see this machine but there are no local sewing centers here.   The nearest sewing machine center is in Savannah, Georgia which is about 45 minutes away.  My husband suggested that I just get the serger fixed and I said he was right, I will just get it fix.  If I was taking my serger to be fixed, I thought I might as well take my sewing machine also so that it can be serviced.  I loaded up my sewing machine and serger and off to Savannah I went.  The man was sooo nice and stated that he would be able to fix it.  Then he asked how did I like my sewing machine.  I stated that it was O.K. that I had this machine for like 10 years now, and I was really considering an upgrade once I did my research on sewing machines. 

He showed me a demonstration on this machine below:

Janome Magnolia 7330

I think that I blanked out because while driving I looked in the back seat, and I had a new sewing machine!   So totally not what I went there for but I really did want to upgrade.  I am still getting my sewing machine serviced and will pass it down to my daughter.  As far as the serger I will keep it but the cool thing about the new Janome is that I will not even have to use the serger!

What type of machine do you own?

{Gardening} Seeds Ordered

I tried to trim down my seed order  for this year’s garden but it kept getting longer and longer.  I put items in my shopping cart and then took them out and then put them back in.  Needless to say, I have my seeds ordered.  I plan to start some of them inside so that once I think the last frost has past  they will be ready for planting outside.  I ordered from Burpee Gardening.  It was so helpful to read the reviews that others had written about different types of seeds.  Because of this I will make sure that I also provide a review about my gardening experience in hopes that maybe it will help someone else.  I ordered the following items:

·         Zinnia (Cut and Come Again)

·         Baby Leaf Lettuce Mix

·         Fordhook Summer Squash

·         Fourth of July Tomatoes

·         Roma Tomatoes

·         Bell Pepper (Gypsy)

·         Sweet California Peppers

·         Cucumber (Sweeter Yet)

·         Cilantro

·         Sugar Baby Watermelon

·         Earliglow Strawberry

·         Tenderpod Bush Bean

·         Maple Sugar Corn

·         Eggplant

·         Spinach

·         Argula

·         Basil (Genovese and Sweet)

·         Oregano

·         Thyme

·         Nasturtium (Empress of India)

·         Gourmet Blend Lettuce

·         Lavender

·         Mortgage Lifter Tomatoes

This seems like a lot and it is. I really tried to eliminate some items but I am so excited because this is my first summer back in the United States with my own yard so I wanted to go big.  I plan on doing some garden planning before I actually begin planting all of the items listed above.

I picked up the latest Urban Farm magazine edition (March/April 2011), they had a great article entitled The Birds and the Bees.  It states that pollination is an important part of growing fruits and vegetables.  Birds and bees transfer pollen therefore it is encouraged to plant flowers that bees are attracted to in order for them to pollinate the crops. 

I can’t wait until my order arrives.  I will keep everyone posted on the progress.

{Kitchen} Freezer Cooking

Once upon a time I would make a weekly menu for the family and this is how I planned my grocery shopping.  Those were the best days because we knew exactly what we were having each day no questions ask.  Somehow I have fallen by the wayside but I will get back on track soon.  For the last few days, I have been waiting until the afternoon and asking myself, “what are we going to eat tonight?”  I start looking through the hundreds of cookbooks and magazines that I have and nothing is really popping out at me.  Then I look on the internet for quick meals, and different recipes and nothing there is really popping out.  I know that I have so many under 30 minute meals but I will tell you from start to finish all of them are OVER 30 minutes.  Most of the times if I do see a recipe that I want to make, there are so many ingredients involved and most of them I do not have on hand and.... another trip to the grocery store.

Tired of going through the same situation every day, today I did a little “freezer cooking.”   In the February edition of Martha Stewart’s Living magazine she has a great recipe for a Ground-Meat Mix.  I took the base of the recipe added some Italian spices and parmesan reggiano cheese and made Italian meatballs.  I bought a cute little meat baller scoop years ago (but I added the same meat baller scoop that I have to my Amazon widget below just in case you are looking for one) so I had 62 cute meatballs. 

I put them on a baking tray in a big Ziploc bag so that they would not lose shape and once frozen, I took them off of the baking sheet and into the bag.  When I can’t think of what to have for dinner, I can easily make spaghetti with meatballs or use them as an appetizer .

The next recipe, I have been making for about a year on a regular basis because it is that good.  It is another Martha Stewart recipe.  It is Baked Penne with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes.  This recipe makes enough for two batches.  Now, Martha Stewart states that you can cook one now and save the other for later.  The first one that I make never tastes as good as the one that I freeze.  I think that it is because the flavors have time to “marry” when you freeze them as opposed to when you first make the dish.  I use Martha’s recipe as a base but I always have to go a step further.  For example, I use more chicken breast, and instead of using just salt and pepper, I also use Italian seasonings which really wakes the chicken up.  I also use a provolone/mozzarella mix because while staying in Italy the provolone by itself was very pungent to me.  

 This dish is perfect with a salad and garlic bread.  I have popped this dish when we had friends over and they think that I have been in the kitchen for hours.  Here is the finished product once it goes into the freezer:

 I wish that I could have made more “freezer meals” but my freezer is only so big but this is a good start for those days when I just can’t figure out…what our family will eat.

{Gardening} Gardening Dilema....What to Plant???

I have lived in Japan and Italy.  During those times, I have had patio tomatoes and a few herbs that I have enjoyed but never a full garden because I know that I could not take it with me or something that I could continue from year to year.  In Italy, I did not have a yard and in Japan I did not have a big yard so most of the time I had container plants.  Now that I am back in the US and have my own yard, I want to plant a garden.  I am a subscriber of the Martha Stewart Living Magazine.  One of the things that she suggested is to order your seed catalogs now and decide what you would like to plant.  I thought this was a great idea being that I am a procrastinator and tend to always wait until the last minute.  I was so excited and set out to order seed catalogs.  I received my catalogs one by one and now I have a problem.  I want to plant so many things but I do not have enough room.  I do not have acres and acres of land but there is so much that I would like to plant.  Burpee gardens has a great online catalog if you do not have time to wait at:http://www.qg.com/smartools/ebook/hosted.rails?issue=9acdfd4811704936a6d5e8f7b860ef12f47fc85568ce42b594b8e8f7b860ef12

I also received a catalog from Harris Seeds and I received frequent emails Urban Farmer.  I do want a few plants and I thought that the Blueberry Lime Jam Petunias  would be perfect for my backyard patio.

I am not sure what I would like on the front but I thought maybe some Zinnias or Marigolds would be nice.

  I am more concerned with the fruit and vegetables that I am wanting to plant for the summer.  I already place an order at California Root Stock for grape plants.  While staying in Italy, I was fortunate to attend a winemaking place and I would like to try my hand at that.  If nothing else I have to have tomatoes and fresh herbs.   I have analyzed the different plants and the way the sun hits our backyard.  I would like to plant corn, eggplant, zucchini, strawberries, peppers, and watermelon and that is just to name a few.  This fall I planted only turnips and a mesclun mix of lettuce and I absolutely LOVED it.  Not only was it fresh but my family and friends wanted more.  I love gardening because I know what I am putting into MY garden, the only problem is space planning.  I know that I cannot take up the entire back yard because my kids will have nowhere to play but I want to enjoy the outdoors and reap the fruits of my labor, and just eat fresh.

Do you any of you have any suggestions on space planning?  If you plan on planting a garden let me know what you will have in your garden this year.  I will keep you posted and post pics of our 2011 garden.

{Recipe Review} Pasta E Fagioli (Pasta and Beans)

During the holidays, I picked up the December 2010 edition of the La Cucina Italiana magazine.   One of my favorite cuisines is Italian food.  While staying in Italy, I just loved the food, the atmosphere, and the ambience of Italian living.  Good food surrounded by good family is what you would see on a daily basis.  The families would always eat together and just to be a part of it was definitely an honor.  I still have so many Italian recipes that I would like to try but I tried Pasta E Fagioli which basically translates into pasta and beans.  I know that this was a hit for my family because my husband is not a big fan of beans but he loved this recipe.  I give this recipe 5 stars because the flavors were amazing and filling.  This recipe as well as other great recipes can be found at:  http://lacucinaitalianamagazine.com/

Photo from: http://lacucinaitalianamagazine.com/recipe/pasta-and-beans-

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces dried cannellini beans (1 cup)
• 1 whole head garlic plus 1 garlic clove
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, rosemary or sage
• 7 ounces thick-cut pancetta, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 5 1/2 ounces sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
• 4 cups vegetable broth 
• 8 ounces ditaloni rigati
• Fine sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper 
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

 

Instructions

Rinse beans, then place with head of garlic and herb sprigs in a large saucepan and cover with water by 3 inches. Soak for 8 hours, or overnight. 

 

Place saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a low boil; reduce to a gentle simmer and cook, adding water as necessary to keep level 2 to 3 inches above beans, until beans are tender, about 45 minutes or more (cooking time varies depending on age of beans). 

 

Reserving cooking liquid, drain beans through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl; discard garlic and herb sprigs. Separately, set aside beans and their liquid.

 

Finely chop remaining garlic clove. In a large heavy pot with lid or Dutch oven, combine pancetta and sausage; heat over medium-high heat, stirring frequently and breaking up sausage into bits with a wooden spoon, until fat is rendered and sausage is cooked through, about 7 minutes. Add onion and oil, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add chopped garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Add reserved beans, 2 cups bean cooking liquid, broth and 2 1/4 cups water; bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 25 minutes. 

 

Increase heat to bring soup to a low boil; add pasta and cook until pasta is just al dente (pasta will continue to cook in soup; do not overcook). Season with salt and pepper to taste (soup can be thinned, if desired, using remaining bean cooking liquid). Ladle soup into serving bowls; sprinkle with parsley and drizzle with oil. 

 

 

Due to the fact that I stay in the south, it was very hard for me to find cannellini beans.  Many people substitute this bean for white navy or great northern beans.  I was fortunate to be able to find some cannellini beans at Marx Foods.  They are so wonderful and creamy just like I remember while living in Italy.

 

If you are looking for a great soup to warm you up and full of flavor, I encourage you to try this one and let me know how your family liked it.

{New Products} www.etsy.com/shop/SimplyHeaven

We have some new products added to our Etsy shop and I am so excited!  It took me a little longer than what I had anticipated but I really enjoyed working on each piece.

We have added the "Hot Couturier" fabric by Robert Kaufman.  The fabric is so cute and so contemporary and it is totally unisex.

"Hot Couturier" Collection Print (Print by Robert Kaufman)

Baby Onesie

 Toddler Bib

 Baby/Toddler Travel Pillowcase

Visit our Etsy shop and our website at: http://www.simplyheavenbaby.com/ for this collection and more cute products.