Spicy Sausage BBQ Packets

Oh BBQ season. Probably the favorite season in our household. It might have to do with the fact that we have no air conditioner and hate heating up our house with the stove or maybe that I need quick meals to feed Chris before he heads to one of his ball games. Either way, this super quick meal does the trick!

This can basically be done with any protein or even just vegetables if that's your style! Digging around in my freezer after work I found a package of spicy Italian sausage. So that's what I used!

Start with laying out a peice of tin foil and giving it a little oil. Two feed the two of us (with leftovers for lunch) I grabbed 3 russet potatoes and sliced them into rounds. Make a layer of potatoes directly on the oiled foil and season with what you like best. In this case I gave them a bit of seasoning salt and fresh dill and Italian parsley. The sausage is quite salty, so season accordingly.

Fresh Dill and Parsley from the garden too!

On top of the seasoned potatoes I sliced up one small onion and added that to the mix. This onion made me cry like a heart broken school girl, mascara running and all. But I powered through!  Layer the onion on top.

Using the thawed, but raw, sausage, I cut it into nice bite sized pieces. Set those on top of the onions and that is it! Peppers or mushrooms would have been great to add, but I didn't have any so it was just meat and potatoes for us!

Mmm, raw meat!

Tear off another, smaller, piece of foil and place it directly on top of your layered mixture. Roll of the edges to give yourself a nice tight little BBQ packet.

Place these on your medium preheated BBQ (after the wedding I hope that our BBQ has actual temperature setting *hint hint*) and leave them for about 30 minutes. They should puff up pretty good and look like hot little tinfoil pillows! Remove from the heat and enjoy!

*Do not rest head on these pillows*

I topped mine with a nice dollop of sour cream (another favorite of ours). Delicious!

The Rules

Ingredients - 3 or 4 medium to large potatoes,  washed with the skin left on
- One medium onion
- 5 spicy Italian sausages
- Herbs and seasoning to your preference

Directions
- Oil a large piece of tinfoil.  Slice potatoes and make a thin layer on the foil. Season with seasoning salt and fresh herbs. Slice an onion and layer on top. Chop up the sausage in bite sized pieces and place on top. Add another piece of foil to the top and roll the edges inwards.

- Place BBQ packets on a medium temperature BBQ and coom for 30 minutes.

- Remove packets from the grill and enjoy!

Happy summer!

Love,  Jen

Rustic String Art Deer

This fall when I was visiting my mom at her place in Nipawin I made a stop in at Twisted Tree.  It is one of my favorite places.  It is full of housewares, clothing, purses, and some pretty cool art.  While I was there I saw this tiny little 8x10 string art.  I thought, "man I could make that!"  Off I went back to my mom and Bernie's (who are currently building a beautiful house and happen to have their own lumber mill) and found some cedar planks to take home.  They are actually from an old cedar power pole!  A quick stop at Canadian Tire for some nails and jute and a little help from Chris and voila!

I had Chris's help with the base.  I measured the planks to the length I wanted and had him cut and then lined them up so they fit the best, I was going for rustic and imperfect which I think I achieved! We took a large piece of chip board left over from some other project and secured the cedar planks to it.  We went a little overboard which made things a little heavy, if I were to do it again I would maybe make three small strips of chipboard to attach the planks to.  We covered the whole thing and left about a 1 inch border.

These boards aren't going anywhere!

I have seen different techniques for laying out the nails and I probably used the most difficult way.  While some people are smart and print out some kind of stencil to use, or use some kind of projector to throw the image on to the boards, I pulled up a silhouette on my phone and free handed it with a giant pencil.  My boards totaled in at about 3 feet high by 2 feet wide (roughly) and I though it would be smart to just draw it.  My proportions were off three or four times before I finally got it.  Pencil and light marks are important here.  While most of it will get covered with string or nails, you dont want to be able to see your sketch.  Especially if this will be more of a desk or nightstand project.

Close enough.

None of this project is hard in a technical sense, everyone can stencil and hammer, but this step was the most tedious.  Get yourself a box of finishing type nails, they sell them in different finishes so pick whatever you like, and start nailing.  Pick any spot and hammer the nails about 1/3 of the way into the wood.  You will need enough out to wrap multiple strings around, but also enough in to hold everything in place with the tension from wrapping.  Place them evenly spaced apart, about an inch (depending on the size of project). Have fun around those tight places!  When you have a lot of detail in one section, place the nails a little bit closer.

More nails.

More nails.

Phew.  That should do.

The next part is pretty fun.  There are no rules to it.  Tie a little knot with the jute around a single nail and start criss-crossing and winding and wrapping.  Every nail should be wrapped more than once, and going in a row for a little bit around detailed sections helps create a shape.  Every now and then I would do a total loop around one single nail to lock everything in place.  I used just over one roll of jute (way cheaper at Canadian Tire than at a craft store! Plus same aisle as the nails. Win.) and when I ran out I tied the end of the new roll to it and kept winding.  I didn't take any photos while I was winding (hands were too busy with all the string) but here are some close ups of different sections so you get the idea.  When I thought it was full looking enough for me I just cut the jute from the roll and tied a tiny knot on one of the nails.  If you tuck the knot in beneath some other string you can't even see it.

Antler Madness!

Yeah, check out that neck curve.

Complete!

Have fun and be creative with this one! You can do almost anything and they look amazing once finished!

Supplies Needed:

- Wood for base and for securing together.

- One or two rolls of Jute (depending on the size of the project)

- Box of finishing nails

Love,

Jen

Party Pizza Muffins

Muffins per serving: How many can you eat before they are all gone?

This recipe is one of everyone's favorite when they are invited to a Chris and Jen party.  Or even when we are invited to "feel free to bring something when you come over".  Let me tell you a secret.  These are probably the easiest thing to make.  They start with a tube of Pillsbury Grandes or Country Biscuits.  I don't usually like to cook with food that comes out of a tube, but they just turn out so fluffy and perfect, practically impossible to mess up.  Grab a tube or two of the biscuits, a small can of pizza sauce, pepperoni (I like pepperoni sticks, but Chris prefers the shredded kind), and shredded cheese.  Thats it! How easy? 

Chris wins this round.

Pillsbury is already pretty full of lard, but to be on the safe side I like to lightly spray a muffin tin with cooking oil.  Better safe than sticky!  Each tube of 10 will make you 10 Pizza Muffins so plan accordingly.  Take all of the pre formed biscuits out of the package.  How do they do that anyway?  Have all these pre cut and shaped biscuits jammed into a tube for however long.  I would probably rather not know.  It's a good thing they turn out delicious.  I digress.  Cut each biscuit in half.  Right down the middle.

Caution: Not pierogies.

This next step involves a little more work. You need to take 10 of your 20 halves and turn them in to little circles. One at a time, press them out flat (pulling the corners together) and press it in to the muffin tins. It should cover the bottom and come up the sides just a little bit. 

Time to play pizza dress up!

Now build little pizzas! I believe in you! A teaspoon of sauce onto each (hot sauce if you want a little kick), pepperoni next, and top with shredded cheese.  You can add something a little extra here, there isn't a ton of room but it's all up to you.  Just cheese is always good too.  If I ever have a little left over sauce I usually just add more on top.  Saucey Party Pizza Muffins are one of the best kinds!

Almost there!

Once you have little pizzas made in the bottom of the muffin tins you take your remaining 10 dough halves, turn them in to little flat circles as well and place them on top of your pizza toppings. I give them each a little tuck around the edges so they are mostly sealed up and then top with a little more shredded cheese. Perfect little packages of pizza goodness. Bake according to the dough's packaging instructions.  They should just pop out once baked.  Allow to cool a little bit and then get one before they are all gone!

Cool down... but just a little bit.

The Rules!

Ingredients

- One tube of Pillsbury Country Biscuits

- Can of pizza sauce

- Hot sauce (optional)

- Pepperoni

- Shredded cheese

Directions

Preheat oven according to Pillsbury instructions. Lightly grease a muffin tin. Open biscuits and cut each biscuit in half.  Take 10 of the halves and flatten in to little circles and place in the bottom of the greased muffin tin. Spread a teaspoon (roughly) of pizza sauce, top with pepperoni and shredded cheese. Flatten the other halves and set on top on the pizza toppings. Tuck the ends of the lid down the sides of the muffin tin and top with shredded cheese. Bake according to package instructions. 

Immediately remove from the muffin tin and allow to partially cool before serving. 

These are best served with friends and maybe a few beers!

I hope you all enjoy!

Love,

Jen

Sweet Sautéed Nectarines

I find that when I try to eat healthier - banana breakfast muffins, veggies and salad for lunch, lean meat and grilled vegetables for supper - I crave sweets in the evening. I really don't want to undo a whole day of eating well just so I can have a cookie or chocolate bar in the evening. My go to, other than dipping an apple in some whipped peanut butter, is sautéing fruit. This week I had a whole package of nectarines. Chris likes to tell me that I buy and waste too much fruit.  Not this week! I was determined to use up all the fruit while he was away on the farm!

This is probably the easiest non recipe to whip up when the sweet tooth hits. Warm up a frying pan and add a little bit of corn syrup to the bottom, just a drizzle. Cut up your fruit (I have done this with apples, pears, peaches, and now nectarines and usually use two of whatever I choose) add to the pan and sprinkle about a teaspoon of brown sugar on top. It does not take a long cooking time. You are just warming the fruit, you don't want a mushy mess. 

A little bubble and then throw them in a bowl and top with cool whip!

Serves one!