KariV | Sunshine in my pocket

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4th of July Picnic in the Backyard

By KariV on July 3, 2013 in 4th of July, Dinner in Minutes, Holidays, Recipes

It’s that time of year for BBQs, Picnics, family gatherings! I love an easy backyard picnic for the 4th of July and today I am sharing with you a fantastic (and easy) family meal!

The menu:

So Tender BBQ Ribs (check out this easy tip for getting the most tender ribs in a short period of time)
Lemon Picnic Pasta (my favorite picnic food!)
Salad with shredded carrots, cheese, tomatoes and cucumbers
Chocolate Chip Muffins
Watermelon

The decor:

Root Beer Bottles filled with Primroses
Easy Paper pockets

I had so many empty Root Beer bottles from our Root Beer Taste Test and I just knew they would come in handy! So I took some scrap fabric in red and white gingham, tied it around the bottles and added some stars and jute rope. I just traced and cut those stars from scrapbook paper that I had in my stash. It’s great to use what you have around the house for a centerpiece! Then I cut some primroses from the backyard and put them in the center of our table. Cost: $0!

When you serve BBQ ribs, you need some wet napkins right? So I made a double-sided pocket and put some Wet Wipes in one side, and Laffy Taffy (for a few jokes) on the other side. Then I set it all up outside on the backyard patio.

I set up the food buffet-style for our guests to pick and choose what they wanted. Easy foods like watermelon, muffins, and make-your-own salad are perfect for an outdoor meal! And back in the silver bowl is my favorite Lemon Picnic Pasta!

And don’t forget those BBQ ribs! (There’s my hubby the Grill Master…thank you for the perfectly grilled BBQ ribs!)

Here’s the secret for easy and FAST bbq ribs: first, pressure cook them in water to cover half-way up the ribs and set the timer for 45 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. Be careful when you remove them from the pressure cooker…they are already SO tender and ready to fall apart! Then, put them on the grill and brush on your favorite BBQ sauce. Grill for a few minutes on each side. Oh, these ribs are so delicious and so tender…better than restaurant ribs! (really)!

We had so much food that we literally had to use two plates! I picked up those darling gingham plates from the Dollar Store and they sure made it look like a real picnic. 🙂

With just a few touches and a little extra attention, you can throw together a fun and easy picnic BBQ that everyone will love. I wish you a happy and safe 4th of July!

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Taste Test Tuesday — What is “Sugar Bread”? (Nephew in charge)

By KariV on July 2, 2013 in Taste Test Tuesday

Surprise! I’m back with a Taste Test Tuesday. Normally, I only publish these taste tests every other week and this is not the regular week. However, my 5-year-old nephew said he had a good idea for a taste test and he wanted to conduct this taste test!

So, of course, I agreed! I mean, how can you say no to this face:

When I asked him what the taste test was, he said “Sugar Bread!” and he needed:

Bread
White Sugar
Brown Sugar
Bowls for mixing (preferably bright colored, plastic bowls – hey, these are not my rules, that’s exactly what he specified!)

We had cinnamon bread and so that is what we used. G gave me some detailed instructions for the preparation, and I hope I can accurately report them back to you. 🙂

First, you put white sugar in one bowl and brown sugar in the other bowl.
Second, break up the bread into bite size pieces in each bowl.
Third, mix together thoroughly (it’s ok to use your hands)

And there you have it! Sugar Bread! (Yes, G came up with this recipe all by himself.)

Once the Sugar Bread was made, G assembled the taste test panel. All the judges told him which one they liked the best. When the taste test was over, I asked G which Sugar Bread was the winner.

And he looked at me and said, “I like them both!” (only instead of the “t” sound he uses an “s” sound…so it was: “I like them bose!”) So there you have it, both delicious. And a very unique recipe developed by a 5-year-old!

Which one would YOU declare the winner?

I hope you enjoyed this special edition Taste Test Tuesday. Stay tuned for our next taste test: Sweet Pork (Cafe Rio Style)…and our recipes DON’T use any soda. See you then!

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Card Candi Challenge

By KariV on July 1, 2013 in Paper Crafting

I have three packages of Card Candi that I haven’t had the chance to use. So when I saw the Challenge from Simon Said Stamp, I decided that now was my chance!

See those circle shapes: the zebra and the hot pink metallic pieces? Those are the Card Candi.

I used Liquid Pearls to “paint” the word happy and I love the depth it adds to the word. It’s hard to tell in this picture, but I also watercolored a sunset behind the cutout and the flower.

It’s a simple card, but it does feel happy, doesn’t it?

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Dose of Sunshine Monday – Say it three times

By KariV on July 1, 2013 in Inspiration

Good Monday Morning! And Happy July! I have to say how thankful I am for beautiful blessings: my nephews came to stay with me for a few days, I had a NEW nephew born last week, and we’ve been celebrating birthdays and breakthroughs.

So it reminded me of an activity I used to do (and might take up again today!) that focuses on blessings and gratitude.

All you have to do is look in the mirror into your own eyes. Say this out loud three times:

Also name specific things you are thankful for. This will “Lock it in” and start your week off on a positive note! And it’s great to do throughout the day. Especially if you are having one of “those” Mondays.

So go ahead, let’s hear what you are blessed with!

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Lemon Picnic Pasta and a Free Printable Label (Plus 20 more fantastic summer recipes!)

By KariV on June 28, 2013 in Cooking Light, Recipes

Summer is great for light and easy recipes and I’ve joined forces with some other fabulous bloggers to bring you some fantastic summer recipes!

I love the flavors of lemon in the summer. I usually think of lemon dessert when I have a bunch of lemons, but this savory pasta dish comes in as my favorite picnic dish ever!

In fact, I am in love with this new pasta we made for our picnic last week. I call it “Lemon Picnic Pasta” because you can take it with you on a picnic, and it doesn’t have to be refrigerated. In fact, it is BEST when eaten warm or at room temperature. And that is the best kind of dish to take on a picnic!

It’s a quick recipe to throw together, too. {Bonus!} All you have to do is first, boil the bowtie pasta in water until al dente. Drain.
Add the butter, garlic, olive oil, salt, basil and lemon zest. (Find the full recipe near the end of this post). Stir well to well incorporate. Then simply enjoy!

Have you ever used a pair of these herb scissors? They are so great for cutting your basil into ribbons (chiffonade) for this dish! Or you can use a knife or a pair of regular herb scissors, but these are WAY more fun. 🙂

That lemon zest adds just the right amount of freshness and flavor to the dish. It is so refreshing in this pasta dish!

Just look at that pasta bursting with basil and lemon flavor! My husband prefers a little less lemon than what I usually put in, so I suggest you add a little at a time and taste it for yourself. You can always add more. 🙂

To take this on a picnic, just package it up in a chinese take-out box and add your label. Oh, yes, I made a Lemon Picnic Pasta label just for you! If you don’t have printable label sheets, you can print it on regular paper and just tape it onto your take-out box.