Baked Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Original Recipe Yield 4 cups

 

Ingredients

• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, combine spinach, artichoke hearts, 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, white pepper, and lemon juice. Mix well, and spoon mixture into a 1 quart baking dish. Top with remaining 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

LoveOverload.

Initially Yours Swap

suelovescherries.blogspot.com recently held a swap with the instructions of "Make something using only their first initial. (ex., S for Susan) You can make whatever you want: a tag, jewelry, clay, wood letter, etc.; thick, thin, big, small".
 
I got partnered up with super cool Sarah from GA who sells amazing, little, cross stitch pieces on ETSY. Her shop name also is full of S's - "Snarky Stitches".
I had a million ideas for the swap--but ended up making a zippered purse and a fuzzy S, just for fun.

Sarah sent me that wonderful, framed "Queen B" cross stitch that I can't wait to display prominently on my desk at work. The frame is a beautiful copper color - and her work is absolutely perfect. She's got mad skills. Buy her stuff.

 

Spinach and Strawberry Salad

• 2 bunches spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
• 4 cups sliced strawberries
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Toss together the spinach and strawberries.

  In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, paprika, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds. Pour over the spinach and strawberries, and toss to coat.

Unfinished projects- almost all finished.

I successfully finished a couple projects that have been hanging over my head. JD's diaper cake which ended up coming out fairly well. I felt like a dork giving it to her, but I know she appreciated it and CD will dig all the rattles on there.

I also finished my zipper purse for my first craft swap eva. I always wanted a pen pal from another country when I was little, but never had one.  I think I am making up for it now. My partner is from Austria, and is very skilled in sewing. I am a bit intimidated.  My pouch came out pretty good, had some mistakes, but I hope she will like it. I used Moda's Sugar Pop charm pack. Teaser pic posted.
I was surprised it only cost under 5 bux to mail it to Austria. I wonder how long it will take...

The last of the projects hanging over my head is a formally finished, but too small quilt, I am enlarging by about a foot in both directions. By the time I finished the original quilt, (my first quilting project ever/ a twin sized quilt/ stupid Brandy) all of the fabric had disappeared off the shelves of Joann's and I had to scramble to find matching fabric, once I decided to tackle the task of enlarging it. I am doing pinwheel blocks around a white on white small polka dot frame. it's hard to find the energy to sew with a baby...but i am motivated by finishing my purse and diaper cake...after the quilt, a sundress for Madeline in a dope brown material with mod pears on it. Then maybe a break of craft projects for a while. Or maybe another swap... :)

zippy purse swap_tease

zippy purse swap_tease, a photo by BrandyMac on Flickr.

new obsession. pinwheels.