DIY: sunglass pinboard

i have this problem where i lose and break sunglasses all the time. just the moment 

i decide to finally invest in a nice pair, i lose them, forcing me to go back to my $10 ones!

for those of you who have this same problem, i have found a solution that will help (at least a little)!

a do-it-yourself sunglass pinboard. for keeping your sunnies safe and sound and all in one place.

inspired by this

total time: 10-15 minutes

what you'll need

pinboard, any size or style

pretty paper (if desired)

there are great options at paper source

pushpins (cute or simple will work)

scissors

wire

your collection of sunglasses

instructions

1. first, assemble all the supplies you'll need.

2. lay out your sunglasses on the pinboard to get a feel for how they'll all fit.

for example, do you want the pinboard to sit horizontally or vertically?

3. measure out your cute paper (if using) and fit to the corkboard section of your board.

mine slipped right under the edge of frame, holding it in place.

if yours doesn't stay in place, no worries. the pins we'll put in later will help.

4. measure out your wire to stretch across your board, allowing 4-6" extra inches to work

with on either side. twist the wire around the push pin tightly and then trim off ends. 

measure it across the board again, in your desired location, and do the same for the second pushpin. stretch the wire across the board and secure the pins in place. you'll want the wire to be taut.

5. repeat step four until you have all the wires in place.

i laid out my sunglasses again after i had the first wire in place 

to be sure i had the right amount of room between my two wires.

6. feel free to put your sunnies in place while the corkboard 

is still laying flat and then move to desired location.

7. feel free to rotate out seasonally appropriate paper patterns 

or place pins replace sunnies with jewelry of all kinds.

tips & tricks: pineapple

ever since our honeymoon, i've been obsessed with everything pineapple and coconut.

it takes me back to the poolside drinks, tropical shaved ice, and a warm breeze smelling of sunscreen.

today i wanted to create the first edition of 'tuesday's tips & tricks'!

today's topic? pineapple!

finding the perfect pineapple

*the color of the pineapple does not indicate it's ripeness, 

so don't be alarmed by those green ones at the store!

*there are two great ways to tell if your pineapple is ripe.

smell the bottom to see if it has a sweet aroma and/or

pull one of the leaves from the very center of the top of the pineapple. 

if this pulls out easily - your pineapple is ready to go! 

if the leaf does not come out easily, give it a couple more days.

storing your pineapple

*pineapples are best stored at room temp until you're ready to use them. 

like most fruits, once ripe, you can extend their life a bit by putting them in the refrigerator.

*sliced pineapple is best kept well sealed in the refrigerator.

*i've heard that storing your pineapple upside down for 30 minutes prior to cutting 

allows the juices to distribute more evenly through the fruit, instead of settling in the bottom.

cutting your pineapple

1. pull off top set of leaves. these should usually break off easily.

2.  slices 1-2 inches off the top and bottom end of the pineapple.

3. set upright, and begin slicing down around the sides, 

allowing yourself enough margins to get all the outer layer.

4. go back around your pineapple and with a pairing knife 

scooping out any small sections of the exterior skin that remain.

5. slice into 1-2 inch rings

6. with a knife trace a small circle around each of your rings to cut out the core and discard.

7. enjoy solo or in your favorite recipe!

some of my favorite pineapple recipes:

pineapple upside down pancakes

broiled pineapple sundaes

and for some non-food pineapple inspiration, click here

corn on the corn in the microwave?

yes. that's what's happening in my kitchen today.

i know what you're thinking. you have reached an all time low.

you can't even cook your corn on the stove, or on the grill?

well, i could.

but i wouldn't be able to test out this awesome little trick i found here:

and hello, how cute is this grandpa?

so... i had to try it out for myself...

1. place corn (husk and all) in the microwave for 4 minutes for each ear

2. remove with oven mit and place on a cutting board

3. cut off the end

4. pick up with your oven mit and let the corn slide out the bottom

5. use for anything your heart desires,

or eat it plain, like i did :)

my little pizzeria

i love making pizza.

and honestly, my pizzas keep getting better and better!

here are my most recent tips for making an awesome pizza:

1. get a pizza stone

(i just used one for the first time - pretty sure it will change your life)

2. let your dough sit for 30 minutes prior to baking

(this ensures it has time to rest and will stay in shape once you roll it out)

3. pierce dough all over with a fork before baking

(this keeps it in place, as well as adds small pockets of air for perfect crust!)

4. drain your tomatoes/other juicy veggies!

(one of the main issues i run into is ending up with a soggy middle of my pizza due to juicy tomatoes!

draining fresh sliced veggies ensures no sogginess! yay!)

5. brush edges of the crust with olive oil right when it comes out of the oven

(keeps the crust moist and locks in freshness)

 this week, we tried the following...

roasted veggie pizza

tomato basil feta pizza

pepperoni-mozza pizza

(all recipes via cooking light)

feel free to use these basic instructions and just go with whatever ingredients inspire you :)

roasted veggie pizza

ingredients

1 pound refrigerated fresh pizza dough

1 red bell pepper, seeded and quartered

1 (4-ounce) zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch-thick diagonal slices

1 (4-ounce) yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch-thick diagonal slices

1 small red onion (about 7 ounces), cut into 12 wedges

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Cooking spray

1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal

1/2 cup lower-sodium marinara sauce

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced and torn into pieces

directions

1. preheat grill to medium-high heat.

2. remove dough from refrigerator. let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

3. place a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet in oven. preheat oven to 500°

(keep pizza stone or baking sheet in oven as it preheats)

4. flatten bell pepper pieces with hand.

arrange all the vegetables in a single layer on a large cutting board or baking sheet;

brush both sides with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. 

arrange vegetables on grill rack coated with cooking spray,

and grill for 3 minutes on each side or until crisp-tender and grill marks appear.

remove from grill. coarsely chop bell pepper.

5. roll dough into a 14-inch circle on a lightly floured surface,

and pierce entire surface liberally with a fork.

(think like 100 times, not 10)

6. carefully remove pizza stone from oven.

sprinkle cornmeal over pizza stone; place dough on pizza stone.

bake at 500° for 5 minutes. remove the partially baked crust from oven.

spread sauce over crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border.

arrange the vegetables over dough, and sprinkle evenly with salt and crushed red pepper.

top evenly with cheese. carefully return pizza to pizza stone.

bake at 500° for an additional 12 minutes or until the crust and cheese are browned.

brush edge of dough with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil.

tomato basil feta pizza

ingredients

 1 pound refrigerated fresh pizza dough

4 plum tomatoes, sliced

2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon cornmeal

4 ounces feta cheese

1 ounce pitted kalamata olives, halved (1/3 cup)

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

directions

1. let dough stand at room temperature, covered, for 30 minutes.

2. arrange tomato slices on a jelly-roll pan lined with paper towels;

top with more paper towels. let stand 30 minutes.

3. place a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet in oven.

preheat oven to 500° (keep pizza stone or baking sheet in oven as it preheats).

4. combine tomatoes, 2 tablespoons oil, and garlic.

roll dough into a 14-inch circle on a lightly floured surface,

and pierce dough liberally with a fork.  carefully remove pizza stone from oven.

sprinkle cornmeal over stone; place dough on stone.

arrange tomato mixture on dough. crumble cheese; sprinkle over pizza.

bake at 500° for 19 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is lightly browned.

remove from oven; top with olives and basil.

brush outer crust with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil.

 

pepperoni-mozza pizza

ingredients

1 pound refrigerated fresh pizza dough

1 tablespoon cornmeal

2/3 cup lower-sodium marinara sauce

6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, torn into 1/2-inch-wide strips

1/4 cup small fresh oregano leaves

directions

1. let the dough stand at room temperature, covered, for 30 minutes.

2. place a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet in oven.

preheat oven to 500° (keep pizza stone or baking sheet in oven as it preheats).

3. roll the dough into a 14-inch circle on a lightly floured surface,

and pierce entire surface liberally with a fork. carefully remove pizza stone from oven.

sprinkle cornmeal over pizza stone; place dough on pizza stone.

spread sauce over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border; top with cheese.

bake at 500° for 14 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is lightly browned.

remove from oven; brush outer crust with olive oil.

arrange pepperoni over pizza; top with oregano.

what i've been learning in the kitchen...

alright friends,

it's been almost 6 full months of my cooking/blogging adventure.

so, i figured it was high time for me to share the
top ten things i've learned in the kitchen so far...

(don't worry, this list could go on for days, but we'll just stick to 10 for now) :)

1. read your recipes

yes, i am that person that totally forgets one ingredient,

because i don't read the instructions :)

i'm learning to read my recipes over and over.

a couple of times before i go to the store,

as well as the night before i plan to make something

i feel like this allows time to

a) not forget anything, and

b) best plan ahead...

(for example: do you need milk at room temperature, etc)

2. start with a clean kitchen

there is something to be said for the peace of mind of starting

your cooking adventure with a clean kitchen.

and trust me, i always end up with a mess anyway,

so starting clean and organized allows me more room to think and move around.

3. substitutes

as i'm learning #1 above,

i've also learned there are some super easy substitutes if you are in a pinch.

one of my fave references for these is here.

this also has allowed me to better understand the 'chemistry'

of a lot of ingredients. example: the other day one of my recipes called

for buttermilk... well, in true christine fashion i hadn't planned for that. oops.

easy enough! i found out all i need is some lemon and regular milk!

4. when to 'whole foods'

i shop at a pretty standard grocery store for a number of reasons.

a) i like buying everything in one place, and sometimes specialty stores make this hard,

and b) i don't want to pay extra on top of my already growing grocery bill.

i have learned, however, that there are just some certain things

you HAVE to get at whole foods.

seriously.

if there is something slightly out of the ordinary,

or maybe even something i haven't heard of,

i don't even look for it at my grocery store...

i just ask at whole foods.

they honestly are the nicest, most helpful people.

i had the most frustrating experience trying to find tahini the other day.

i asked about 12 different people and got a total runaround
each one telling us to go somewhere else in the store.

when i finally arrived at whole foods and asked the same question,
the clerk said 'oh, what type???'

(pretty sure i was in heaven!)

every time i ask for something they walk with me right to it's location

AND, the meat counter doesn't laugh at me during my classic...

'hi, i'm making ________. what meat should i buy?' :)

do it.

5. the glory of a vanilla bean

how i had never been let in on the secret of a vanilla bean, i have no idea.

i'm just glad i'm not in the dark anymore.

what an amazing thing!!!

the flavors, aroma, and authenticity it adds to any dish.

i'm starting to use it more and more.

(learn how here!)

6. how to: butter

i go through a lot of butter.

maybe like 6-8 sticks a week on average

(don't quote me on that)

i'm learning that there is an art to having your butter

 at the exact right consistency needed for your recipe.

whether that means melted, softened, or something else.

follow those instructions diligently.

it will make your dish better 99% of the time.

7. the magic of a crock pot

if i was a working mom,

the crock pot might literally be my best friend.

it's amazing. SO easy. SO simple.

honestly, it's a no brainer.

i've loved learning easy breezy recipes that i can throw in to cook all day long,

and spend my time a) doing something else, b) cooking dessert!

8. the art of failing

i remember the first few times my recipes didn't turn out - i was so frustrated!

you spend all this time, and all these ingredients, and then it's a complete flop!

i've learned a few things...

a) laugh at yourself (obviously)

b) revel in this moments...

THIS IS HOW YOU LEARN!

some of my best failures so far...

attempt at cinnamon yogurt pretzels - disgusting and soggy

first attempt at cream puffs - totally didn't rise

creme brulee - kind of mushy and didn't have the tools to toast the top

the list goes on.... but you get the idea :)

these things make me learn how to do things right!

there is a finesse in baking and cooking,

and sometimes, even if you follow the directions exactly,

your recipe won't be perfect.

9. take your time

i've learned that i most enjoy the kitchen when i take my sweet time.

i'm in no rush, i'm not scrambling, i'm not under a deadline.

i think it also makes your food better.

10. don't be scared

there are a lot of ingredients i used to be scared of.

i'd look at a recipe and automatically write it off for a whole host of reasons.

it had meat i didn't like, an ingredient i had never heard of, too many spices, etc.

i've started embracing these items as a challenge and an adventure.

thanks so much for reading my blog!

i'm having a lot of fun, so i hope you are too :)

top ten travel tips

from a very small age, i began traveling quite frequently.

my parents lived in different states, so i got accustomed to airports and airplanes quickly.

even as i've grown older, and gotten the opportunity to travel

more internationally for fun, and more domestically for business,

i've rather enjoyed myself, even when en route.

here are my top ten tips for how to travel well

1. pack well

don't overpack. you'll regret this.

travel light.

if you need to, pack a couple of days before your trip

and then reevaluate what you have in your bag as you get closer.

stick with one color scheme.

example: for business, i'll have a black pair of shoes and a black trench

i'll wear every single day - but can change up the base outfit.

when traveling abroad - bring things that mix and match well.

that way you won't get sick of the 2 sweaters and 3 shirts you brought so quickly.

2. arrive early

people argue me on this, but i like to be at the airport

the full 1.5 hours before my flight (2 hours prior for international travel)

my theory? things will go wrong. allow time for them.

i'd rather not be stressed about something that i don't have to be.

allow enough time to take it easy.

get a coffee, buy a magazine, wait at your gate, etc.

3. be in your happy place

get excited, and go into your trip with a good attitude.

you might need to go to your 'happy place' for this.

this is my same approach for day 1 of the nordstrom sale.

don't be frantic. be prepared for people to annoy you, walk slow,

be poor travelers, etc. but do what you need to do to just have fun with it.

know what you're getting into.

4. don't freak out

i realize some people have a fear of flying.

know the facts.

you're more likely to have gotten in a car crash on your way to the airport,

then to die in a plane crash.

be clam. grow up :)

5. bring something or someone to keep you company

bring enough things to occupy you for your entire trip.

bring your book, magazine, fully charged ipod, ipad, computer, kindle, etc.

people, like easy-going friends and family, work well for this to.

tip for traveling with friends/family: know your limits. set your boundaries.

example: would you enjoy your trip more if you didn't sit together?

does your travel partner get cranky when hungry - plan ahead.

tip for long flights: plan ahead to avoid jetlag.

calculate what time you need to go to sleep on your flight

to make the most out of your first day in a foreign city.

if sleeping on board is hard for you - use some all natural sleep aids

6. know what you like

do you like the aisle seat? the window?

a neck pillow? a snack?

an in-flight drink?

me? i never get up to use the restroom,

and find it annoying when i have to get up for others.

so i try to sit by the window whenever possible.

this also makes for good views.

i also find that when working on my laptop

the window seat provides more elbow room for typing,

and no extra bruises from those dang carts

additionally, i'd encourage you to get ONE drink on board

to enhance your flying experience.

i recommend a white wine or vodka and OJ

(bonus - vitamin c to fight all those germs)

7. dress comfortably

wear what's comfortable.

change in the airport if you need to.

for me, this also means always bringing socks.

not only do i cringe at the thought of every stranger walking through security barefoot,

but i also like to be warm and comfortable once on board.

8. know the rules

i was traveling with my grandma just this past weekend,

and as we approached security, my mom ask her if she had already taken

out her ziplock of liquids. she apparently had no idea she needed to do this.
(she is 86 years old)

avoid hassle at the airport by being organized and knowing the rules.

sometimes if i'm lazy in my packing and don't want to find my mini-bottles,

i just check my bag. either way, just plan ahead :)

9. laugh at yourself

i am a huge dork, just ask the co-workers that have traveled with me.

oh yes - i've had my ponytail patted down in security,

accidentally brought full bottles of water and scissors in my suitcase without knowing,

trip and fall quite frequently, the list goes on and on.

don't take yourself too seriously. you'll have more fun this way :)

10. have fun!

don't just look forward to arriving at your destination.

enjoy the traveling too. it's all part of the adventure :)