DIY Up-Cycled Starfish Wall Hooks

So since I decided to start this blog back up I know I want to do more then just recipes… although I think that will always be my specialty! I SOOOO wish I had taken step by step instructions for this do it yourself but I wasn’t planning on sharing it with the world at the time and truly just took a picture for my instagram! 

I moved into a pretty old home (it was built in the 1950s) and it has been virtually untouched! It is super exciting because it is a blank canvas with SOOO much potential but that also means SOOOO much work. We are excited to slowly but surely put our personal mark on it! As much as I would LOVE to jump strait into the big projects those require lots of time, money and knocking down walls so I am starting small instead! 

We downsized to move into this house, although we gained a HUGE backyard and are an hour and 45 minutes closer to my family. It’s so nice having my sons grandma and grandpa less then 10 minutes from driveway to driveway!! 

Okay, okay I’m going on a tangent here… let’s reel it back! So yes, small diy projects to start! I needed a nice piece to hang my purse and keys and all of that fun stuff that tends to pile. I use to have a built in cabinet to put everything so it was out of sight and mind. Now I didn’t have that luxury but I wanted something that still looked good! I looked high and low but unless I wanted to spend $150+ and get something that I kind of liked I seemed to be out of luck. I decided instead to build the piece of my dreams!  

Time About 30 minutes broken up

Materials needed 

-Some kind of board. This is a great instance to upcycle. Use an old basic cabinet. A repurposed earring hanger (what I used.) Get creative! Go to a thrift shop, a flea market a garage sale. Something perfect is out there just BEGGING to be made beautiful! 

-Rustoleaum spray paint/primer (it should be in one can.) You could go with a cheaper brand but I personally don’t recommend it. This goes a long way where the others seem to fizzle fast!

-burlap

-any kind of embellishment (I used white starfish from my wedding that I had stored in our garage)

- knobs of any sort 

- a hanger

-hot glue gun 

Directions:

So first thing is first take your board and clean it. You don’t want to paint a dirty piece or the paint won’t look right! Wipe it dry and make sure there is no dampness. I just laid mine in the sun for 20 minutes to ensure it was nice and dry. If you really want to you can sand the piece but I didn’t since I was going for a little bit of a distressed looked anyways. 

It’s now ready for the first coat of paint. I ended up putting 3 coats on (mainly because I didn’t sand.) You just want to shake the can really well and spray while going back and forth while moving downward. You never want to spray the sides and then the top as this will inevitably cause drips. I learned that lesson the hard way! Let each coat dry then do the next. After you have finished the final coat and it has dried you are ready to do the rest! I would suggest letting the paint rest for 24 hours just to be extra safe though. 

Screw your hangers on the back. I would do two if you plan on hanging heavy items on the piece. One thing I store on mine is my laptop bag for work so I wanted to make sure it was nice and sturdy. This is where you need to be SUPER careful that they are perfectly level. Spend extra time on this and double and triple check!!

Next you are ready to embellish. I decided to put a piece of burlap just wider then my starfish and glue it on the center portion (the portion that use to be for earrings.) Next I glued the starfish on. 

Once that was done I screwed the hardware on. You want to be careful about what you use and you don’t want it to go out further then the piece you use to mount it to the wall. After that you are all done. Hang your piece and smile at your success… then post it on instgram (http://instagram.com/bsalling) and let me know! I would LOVE to see your take on this project! 

ENJOY!

Cajun Crab Cakes with Spicy Jalapeño Aioli

Whenever I have left over crab it’s time to make crab cakes! Leftover crab is something like leftover wine though, it doesn’t happen often. Trust me on this one, you will want leftover crab!  This delicious meal motivates me to have leftovers!!  In a perfect world these are best enjoyed with a nice mojito al fresco!

For the crab cake

About 1 cup of crab meat

2 tablespoons of mayonnaise (I used the kind made with olive oil) 

1 tablespoon of deli style mustard (Dijon works fine)

½ teaspoon old bay seasoning

¾ teaspoon Cajun seasoning (I use webers) 

1 finely diced stalk of celery (I know it’s not traditional but I like a little crunch)

2 tablespoons parsley

½ cup of bread crumbs 

Add all of the ingredients except for the crab meat and the bread crumbs. Mix well. 

Add the crab and toss to coat

Add the breadcrumbs and fold the mixture until well mixed

Form your crab cakes. I served these for dinner so I made 4 large but if you want to make this for an appetizer feel free to make them smaller*.

Sprinkle some additional Cajun seasoning on top of the formed crab cakes and then place them in the freezer for about 5 to 10 minutes. You want them to firm up a bit so when you cook them they stay in their cake form. I imagine you can place them in the fridge for about an hour instead but I wanted my crab cakes!   

Heat a pan to medium high heat and coat with oil. I used Canola. You want to brown the crab cakes so about 3-5 minutes each side.

*If making smaller cakes you will want to reduce freeze time as well as cook time. 

For the Jalapeño Aioli

½ cup of mayonnaise

2 garlic cloves

1 jalapeño (seeds removed if you want it less spicy) 

the juice of 1 very juicy lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a food processer or blender and blend until all combined. Place in the fridge to chill until crab cakes are ready.

Top your crab cake and ENJOY! I decided to add a bit of avocado and parsley for an extra delicious garnish. 

Spicy Sesame Noodles

This is a recipe that I got from somewhere else to get the basic ingredients but I completely changed the amounts of everything and a few of the ingredients. Every time I make these everyone sucks them down and asks for the recipe!! They are simply delicious!

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

1 (16 ounce) package thin spaghetti pasta (I use the one with protein added)

8 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons safflower oil

4 tablespoons rice vinegar

4 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 teaspoons chili sauce

6 green onions, sliced

1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted

A good amount of minced ginger or a couple good shakes of the powder kind

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and transfer to a serving bowl.

2. Take a small bowl (or cup even it makes it easier!) and Stir in garlic, sugar, oil, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili sauce. Stir until all blended and suger has melted

3. take mixture and pour into a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Pour sauce over noodles, and toss to coat. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Enjoy!

Blueberry Crisp, one recipe two ways

My mom actually gave me the recipe for the sweeter version seen here

The big carton of fresh blueberries I think about 3 or 4 cups

2 tablespoons white sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/4 cups butter

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a large bowl, gently toss together blueberries, and white sugar; set aside.

3. In a separate large bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cut in butter until crumbly. Press half of mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Cover with berries. Sprinkle remaining crumble mixture over the berries.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until fruit is bubbly and topping is golden brown.

------------------------

This disappeared really fast especially since we had company staying with us all weekend so I decided since we ate it so alarmingly fast I decided to try and make a much healthier version

And changed the ingredients to

3 or 4 cups fresh blueberries

1 tablespoon all-purpose sugar

… then this is where it gets tricky since I tend to not measure when I cook…

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

2 ½ cups rolled oats

1 more cup rolled oats for later

1 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup walnuts

1 stick of butter

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a large bowl, gently toss together blueberries, and white sugar; set aside.

3. In a food processer blend walnuts until fine.

4. In a separate large bowl, combine flour, walnuts, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cut in butter until crumbly. Press half of mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Cover with berries.

5. Add the extra oats Sprinkle remaining crumble mixture over the berries.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until fruit is bubbly and topping is golden brown.

I like the second one much better since it is a lot healthier… still not necessarily a heath food but you can get away with eating it for breakfast and then at dessert just put a small scoop a vanilla ice cream on top and there you go a yummy breakfast and a relatively healthy dessert!

pokitini

one of the best martinis ever and there is no alcohol! Still not okay for pregnant women though. This is one of those recipes here we love it here in Southern California but most people think we are weird for loving it! Ahi is one of my absolute FAVORITE foods! But once hen out o dinner with my fiancees mom, who is from the midwest, she freaked out that "my fish wasn't cook, don't eat that! It took awhile for everyone at the table to convince her it was okay but she wasn't going near it!

ahi (tuna)

green onion sliced thin

avocado cut in small squares

pine nuts

sesame oil

sesame seeds

soy sauce

First you want to find a beautiful sushi grade piece of ahi. Next you can just cut it up or sear it for a few seconds on each side over medium heat. I prefer it raw but not everyone does. Take the pine nuts and cook them over medium heat stirring constantly until they turn slightly brown. Next mix it with the green onion, avocado, pine nuts together with a dash of sesame oil and soy sauce to taste. top with a few sesame seeds and a bit of the green onion and you have a beautiful and healthy dinner in minutes! I serve mine in martini glasses and call it a pokitini.

Enjoy!

A summer salad

Okay so this one is not so much a recipe but an idea. This is a popular one in our house during the summer but it is hardly ever the same twice. The only ingredients that I always add are baked goat cheese, spinach, some kind of nut and different fruits. I usually always top it with shrimp but scallops are also tasty and chicken would go great as well!

Okay so start with spinach, we like spinach because of all of the nutrients but it also pairs perfectly with the goat cheese.

Then put on whatever fruit you please. Recently I used raspberries, strawberries, grapes, avocado and pomegranate seeds. I have also used mango and pineapple but didn't have any. Really any sweet fruit would work!

Then add some sort of nut. I usually use sliced almonds and pine nuts.

lastly take some goat cheese and roll it in your hand and then gently flatten... kind of like you would do with a small cookie. brush some olive oil on each side and then coat with bread crumbs place them on foil on a cookie sheet and broil them for about 5 minutes.

The best stuffed shells you will EVER make.

I left on a business trip so there wasn't a whole lot of cooking going on since I was across the country from my kitchen. Later in the week, cooking resumed and my first night home I had a small impromptu dinner party, yea, I don't know what I was thinking either. All in all it was a great time, great friends and great food!

I wish I could take full credit for this one but I can't. I do change it up a bit so I will post the recipe and then at the end tell you how I change it. This one comes from the food network from Giada.

(12-ounce) box jumbo pasta shells (recommended: Barilla)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pound ground turkey

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon

1 (8 to 10-ounce) package frozen artichokes, thawed and coarsely chopped

1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese

3/4 cup grated Parmesan

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

5 cups Arrabbiata Sauce, recipe follows

1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella (about 5 ounces)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and partially cook until tender but still very firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the garlic and cook until the onions are soft and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the ground turkey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is slightly golden and cooked through. Add the artichoke hearts and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl combine the cooled turkey mixture with the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, basil, parsley, and the remaining salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

To stuff the shells, cover the bottom of a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with 1 cup of Arrabbiata sauce. Take a shell in the palm of your hand and stuff it with a large spoonful of turkey mixture, about 2 tablespoons. Place the stuffed shell in the baking dish. Continue filling the shells until the baking dish is full, about 24 shells. Drizzle the remaining Arrabbiata Sauce over the shells, top with the grated mozzarella. If freezing, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 1 day and up to 1 month.

To bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake until the shells are warmed through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 60 minutes (20 minutes if shells are unfrozen.)

Arrabbiata Sauce:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 ounces sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

2 garlic cloves, minced

5 cups jarred or fresh marinara sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce and red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool until ready to use.

Yield: approximately 6 cups

Okay now with a recipe that good what do I change? Well I have said before and I will say again we love garlic in our house so there is plenty of that! I would say I increase it by three times as much. I also add more parmesan then it calls for and use a high quality high flavor cheese. I include lots of extra basil and parsley as well. I grow it myself and we love the fresh flavor of basil. Lastly I do not make the arrabbiata sauce. If you have a trader joes by you you will be doing yourself a huge favor by going to the store and picking up two jars of their arrabbriata sauce. Seriously it is fabulous! I don't think I could make it any better if I tried! One of the best parts about this recipe, if you didn't read it already, it freezes! It makes a TON and you can freeze as much as you want!