Vegetarian Enchiladas from the freezer

While I'm away with my hubby on a lovely holiday, my kids will be eating this dish from my freezer: Vegetarian Enchiladas. They're quick to make, freeze well, and served with a green salad they are a complete and filling meal...even for the non-vegetarians.

Ingredients:

• 1 can whole Pinto Beans
• 1 can refried beans
  
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  
• 1 small can chopped mild green chilies
  
• 1 can mild enchilada sauce
• 6 corn tortillas
• 1- 2 cups brown rice
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 cube knorr vegetable bullion or equivalent
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes

I don't play favorites with my brand names. Can you tell? But I would if someone paid me.

1. Cook brown rice (according to directions on box). For a bit of flavor and mexican punch, you can add the cumin, bullion cube and red pepper flakes to the boiling water prior to adding the rice. 

2) When rice is done cooking, divide between two small casserole dishes. I prefer to divide my ingredients into two containers and freeze one for later. This recipe will also work well in one 8x8 pyrex casserole dish.

3) Combine beans, cheese, and green chilies. (no, that isn't dog food).
4) Spoon bean mixture onto a warmed corn tortilla and spread around. 

I warm mine directly on the stove top individually. You can also place a stack in the microwave with a damp paper towel for a few seconds too. Warming prevents the tortillas from splitting when they are rolled.

5) Place the enchiladas on top of the rice. Squeeze in as many as you can so they fit snuggly like peas in a pod. And while you are doing it, your hand will look more alive and colorful than mine! Promise.

6) Pour Enchilada sauce over all of the enchiladas, making sure the entire corn tortilla is drenched in sauce. I start with ends first since they will tend to dry out if not covered in sauce.

7) Sprinkle with cheese and place into an oven set at 350 degrees. Cover and bake until heated, aproximately 45 minutes.

Yummm.

These will really hit the spot.

In fact, if I wasn't away on vacation, sipping wine and relaxing by the ocean with my high school sweetheart, I swear I'd be devouring these right now!

Never Say Never

Check this place out.

Carmel Valley Ranch 

My sweet husband of nearly 26 years suprised me with a weekend get-away to this location. Wow is all I can say. He's never suprised me like that before. We've never left our kids for more than a night. He's never arranged a get-away for just the two of us. And he's never picked such a nice place to stay. 

All I can say is NEVER say NEVER.

Winner...

"son, pick a number: One, two, or three."

THREE

That's it. SEW N SEWS PLACE, you are the THIRD person to leave a comment. So guess what? You are the winner of a handmade glass pendant.

Contact me with your mailing information.

Pendant Give Away...

I cannot believe it's that time again already!

I'm teaching another DIY class at Collage this week.

That means some lucky person will receive this glass pendant...for FREE.

Simply leave your answer to this question in the comment box below: Where in the world is your favorite place to vacation?

I will randomly select a winner and announce it on Saturday Morning.

Samples of Good Font Combinations

Here is a nice contrast of fonts.

The actual fonts are called out where they are used.

To learn more about choosing type and creating successful combinations, click on links below:

Before and After.
Type Combinations by Yours Truly
Inspiration Bits
Jon Tan Web Font Test Stacks
Samples for headline and body by Unitinteractive
Smashing Magazine

TO REACH ME

1) Leave a comment on my blog
2) Convo me through my Etsy Shop: www.thecraftjunkie.etsy.com

Read on for more than you'd like to know!
I live in beautiful (though rainy) Portland Oregon with my 2 kids and husband of 28 years. I'm a mother, artist, educator and active community volunteer. My passion is for crafting & and almost anything that is creative. I absolutely love figuring out how to make something, then figuring out ways to simplify the techniques in order to teach others.

For me, blogging is a way to organize my thoughts, improve my writing skills, learn more about photography, share my crafts, research ideas and connect with others who have similar interests.

For many years I enjoyed a professional career as a Graphic Designer - working with reputable companies such as Nordstrom, Ninetendo, and Microsoft as well as several Design Firms.

Favorite things (in no particular order)
Documentaries. Chocolate Chip Cookies. Rascal Flatts. Sunshine and Tulips. Car seats with warmers. Massages. Non Fiction. New tools. Haircuts. Getting my magazine subscriptions in the mail, seeing my dog wag her tail when I walk into the room.

Thank you for visiting. I hope you find something interesting or useful in my blog. Please stop by again soon!

A dog and her boy.

There is something really wonderful about a dog and her boy.

Their bond is like no other.

They never worry about combed hair and brushed teeth when they're together. Lounging around all day in pajamas is perfectly fine, and morning breath or foul odors is just an accepted and humorous part of their relationship.

They can find all sorts of ways to spend quality time together.

Chewing on a stick...

Taking a jog...

Or just plain smootching.

Time spent together is never dull.

Out of all the humans that visited her litter, this little dog chose my son to be her boy. And that will forever warm my heart. 

Basket Ball and Beagles

I absolutely love this painting of a Beagle playing basketball.

Created by a 5th grade student and based on a lesson plan about Marc Chagall. To view more elementary student art click here. To view a lesson plan about Marc Chagall click here. 

Have a wonderful weekend. Forcast is for sunshine in my neck of the woods and that makes me about as happy as a Beagle. 

Button Crafts

Here is an awesome book on Button Crafts.

Button Girl

by Mikyla Bruder "More than 20 cute-as-a-button projects."

If you're a weekend crafter, into buttons, or just looking for something fun to do with children, you should take a look at this book. The projects are relatively simple to create, with great results. It contains projects such as: Hip Ribbon and Button Belt; Snuggly Scarf with Button Trim; Slumber Party Slippers; Button Rings; Button Earrings; Button Napkin Rings; and Button Coasters.

Below are photos of a button necklace and hair clips I made.

This book contains lots of big photographs showing the finished projects.

Sidebars list all the items needed like a recipe. The spine of the book is a spiral wire which allows the book to lay flat while you work. Very convenient for reading directions while making the projects.

I found this book at JoAnn's Fabrics for $12.95.

Tulips from My Garden

I love the color combinaton of these pink and orange Tulips in my garden.

Below is the shot straight out of my crummy point and shoot camera. 

I ran the photo through photoshop and applied some Pioneer Woman's actions.

1) Fresh and Colorful

2) Sharpen

3) Burn Edges 

Then I cropped out that suburban parked in the street.

Here is a link to Pioneer Woman's Photoshop Actions.

They are free.

Student Art Part 5: Setting Up An Art Show

It's exhausting. It's exhilarating. But oh so rewarding.

This is my story of how we install the student art show, with a sprinkling of artwork and links to the lesson plans they were based upon.

Every Spring, our school gymnasium is transformed into a temporary Student Art Gallery.

3rd Grade. Lesson: About Face.

The days are long, but the thrill of viewing so much art is indescribable.

5th grade. Lesson: Chagall, Dreamlike Painting. 

The Gallery serves to display over 700 works of art created by students from lessons written and taught exclusively by parent volunteers during the year.

3rd Grade. Lesson: Wild Wires 

Set up begins with students selecting two pieces of their best work. This usually includes one 2-D (flat) and one 3-D (multi dimensional) piece of work.

1st Grade. Lesson: Van Gogh Sunflowers

The 2-D artwork is grouped by grade and subject.

The pieces are cohesively arranged and attached with removable blue sticky tac to long black vinyl banners.

The vinyl banners hang from thick wood curtain dowels purchased Home Depot.

A ball finial and black spray paint give the dowels a completed professional finish.

The dowels hang from clips and chains attached to various gym fixtures such as the basketball hoops and window hardware.

No holes are ever drilled into the walls of the gym during installation.

Installing the art show is the collaborative effort of many people.

Dad's help make tough decisions, and climb ladders.

Children entertain themselves on the floor.

In the center of the gym, hinged hollow core doors on rolling wheels provide additional display surfaces for 2-D art.

The doors are rolled away during the day when the gym is used for P.E. classes.

Wooden pedestals of various heights display 3-D objects and vases of flowers.

These pedestals were built by a skilled dad who volunteered his time and materials.

The hallways are transformed by the display of clay pieces in cabinets,

and Masks hung by finishing nails along wood strips.

Next to each group of art, a description is posted.

Every piece of art is clearly labeled with a title, student name, and grade.

A hand painted a banner welcomes visitors and directs them to the gallery.

Greeting cards are made with photographs of student work and sold at the entrance to the Gallery. Proceeds help offset the cost of art materials used throughout the year.

Here is the school Gymnasium before the show...


Here is the school gymnasium after the Art Gallery is set up....

The center rock circle encloses a display of student Sand Art – influenced by traditional Tibetan sand paintings.

After a long day, installation is complete. It feels great.

The Gallery is ready and will be opened to the public for 3 days.

To learn more about the Parent directed Art Program at Duniway, click on these links:

History of Art Program at Duniway

Choosing Student Art for a Poster

Announcing the Show

Designing the Poster

Do-it-Yourself, by Christine Claringbold