Fish Tacos or "What to make when you're just not that into it"

I admit, I am a lazy cook. I like to eat more than I like to cook. I'm a big fan of one ingredient dishes, you know, grilled chicken, rice pilaf and green beans. I can do that. But I have always wished I had at the ready 14 interesting but fast, nutritious meals in my repertoire. In actuality, I have only three that fit the description, fish tacos, the ubiquitous spaghetti and the old standby grilled chicken. I'm not going to even count pizza. These fish tacos are worth sharing, though. We never tire of them because they're always a little different, depending on the type of fish. the condiments available and the tortillas used. I originally read about this in Real Simple years ago, but since I no longer can find the recipe, I call it my own.

Ingredients

Frozen Fish sticks

Tortillas, soft and/or hard( Trader Joes has yummy handmade tortillas)

Grated cheese (cheddar or whatever is on hand)
Store bought tartar sauce
Salsa
Lettuce; leaves or shredded

Optional
Onions minced
Guacamole
Avocados
Lime wedges
Chopped cilantro
Sour cream
Rice (leftover plain, heated with cilantro or flavored...be creative)
Beans

Cook the fish stix.

Make the condiment plate with the cheese, salsa, lettuce, onions, tartar sauce and/or whatever you fancy or have on hand.

Put enough soft flour tortillas for your family on a large ceramic plate and cover with another plate. Microwave on high for about 1 minute for 6 tortillas, adjusting the time for the number of tortillas.

If you are using hard taco shells (or both, which is yummy, but filling) heat them in the oven according to directions.

Assemble at the table.

We recently added TJ's Chimichurra (sp?) rice (that heats up in an instant) to the mix and that was a big success. We'll definitely try that variation again.

If you share your favorite, fast, family friendly recipe with me, I'll send you a pair of beach stones earrings for the effort. Just leave the recipe and your address in the comments. My goal is 14 and I've got 13 to go, unless you include spaghetti!

Happy eating.

Amazing Grace & Where to Get Business Cards

The saying "A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words" has more than one meaning for this artist, whose name I may not be getting right, but here goes: Hinaaoyama. There is not much else I can say regarding this amazing feat of manual dexterity, patience and artistic talent...and I don't even know what the words say! Check out the very tiny signature at the bottom right! To see other works by this artist go to shellydalyblogspot.link/flickr/lyon2.
And for those of you that don't know about moo.com, check that out, too! If need business cards and want something very cool but not necessarily cheap, it's the place to go. For cheap, almost free, go to vistaprint.com.

I love when I get emails like this....

"I got the NeckWreath! And its absolutely beautiful -- truly a work of art. Already wore it to the San Francisco Opera last night. The clasp is really great and does the trick -- first time I've seen one like that.

Keep up the good work and I'll keep checking in on your website."

Regards,

Luba Lehman

LOVE YOU, LUBA!

What do you do on your birthday?

What do you do on your birthday?

I do whatever I want to do and nothing I don't want to do.

That's telling...no wash, dishes, cleaning, cooking, no surprise there.

Today I just want to work on my show display. It never seems like the right time to take time to do this, except today! That feels like a real luxury.

And Marshall's home and taking me out to lunch...and Ian and Walter were so nice this morning. Guess what I got for my birthday....a wet saw! Don't be jealous, I know you want one, too!

I also discovered the nicest little thing about facebook. Your birthday is right out there for people to see and I got lots of birthday wishes!

And then there's the food, pumpkin pie, hmmm, the taste of fall, my favorite season. Pie of course is for breakfast as well as dessert. Can't decide on the actual meal, though!

Decadence, self indulgence and love, lots of love...I'll be a better person this year because of it!

Movie Monday

My movie recommendation for this week is The Brothers Bloom . Not often do I happen on a great movie accidentally. I usually have an inkling of what's good and what's not. But I had never heard anything about this movie which stars Adrian Brody, Rachel Weisz and Mark Ruffalo. Attracted by the list of actors and the intriguing story line, I nabbed this DVD thinking it was a long shot. On the first viewing it was very good, but I was doing production work and wasn't concentrating. I missed enough to be a bit confused but saw enough to know it was a winner. On the second viewing the next night with my husband, I had a chance to catch all the subtleties. It is a creative telling of a whimsical story with great acting and a plot that runs toward love, sacrifice and eccentricity. This is a movie I will watch yet again and even would like to own, which is a rarity. Enjoy!

Friday You Are Mine

Today I am supposed to be at an Art Teacher's Conference Craft Market. It is raining and cold and I was supposed to be there at 7am and it's 1 1/2 hours away. Up at 4:30am just didn't cut it so I made an executive decision not to go. So much for the $50 entry fee, the lose of sales and seeing my all time favorite teachers. But I have convinced myself they won't be buying much this year and besides, what I thought they might buy, my NeckWreath kits, went unmade.

So Friday, You Are Mine.

Today I do not have to take care of my beloved dogs because I planned the day off (oops, if you're reading this Penny or Mary....sorry, this was not premeditated!!). I do not have to do the wash or make dinner (that means pizza) I do not have to do anything I don't want to do....and I am grateful!

So instead, I am going to give away a NeckWreath kit to you...that person that leaves a message to let me know you visited. This is positive reinforcement for visitors to take the time to leave a message. When I see the number of visitors on the "counter", I wonder who you are, why you visited, what you thought...or are those numbers just counting my visits to my blog. This all sounds so pathetic...and I guess it is... but my mama taught me honesty is the best policy!

My next post is going to be my about our home. We have a cozy, handmade home here in Baltimore and well, I think I'll just share with you how it got that way. I have been reminded how addictive Before and After photos can be when I visit Design Sponge, so I'll try to dig up those horrible Before pics! We moved here 20 years ago from Boston and bought the biggest house in the best neighborhood we could afford. It was not pretty, but it had good bones and we saw the potential. So please come back and see how our home evolved, room by room, year by year.....

Until then....don't forget to leave me a message that you visited and if you're the first, please make sure I know how to contact you so I can send you a NeckWreath kit. Let me know your favorite colors, too!

Mobbie Award Winner!

Thanks to everyone who voted for the BEST blog! We won! This brings with it some great media exposure through the Baltimore Sun...more on that later as I find out more! This is a dynamic group that's got some movers and shakers!

Craft in America on PBS Wednesday

Craft in America is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the exploration, preservation and celebration of craft and its impact on our nation’s cultural heritage.

Season 2 of the TV Series CRAFT IN AMERICA will air nationally on PBS this Wednesday, October 7. Season 1, which premiered in 2007, was an Emmy-nominee and winner of the prestigious Peabody Award. The series will cover the cryptic sounding topics of MEMORY, LANDSCAPE, COMMUNITY, ORIGIN and PROCESS, but none the less promises to be interesting at the very least. After all, it's on PBS and they rarely fail to deliver! To learn more about this fascinating upcoming series see the episode, themes, and artists on the Craft in America website.

Make a Difference

Pick 3. Spend 50.
What 3 independently owned businesses would you really miss if they disappeared? Stop in. Say Hello. Pick up something that brings a smile. Your purchases are what keeps these businesses around.
If half the population spent $50 in locally owned independent businesses, it would generate more than 46.2 billion dollars in revenue. Imagine the impact if 3/4 of the employed population did that!
For every $100 spent in locally owned independent businesses, $68 is returned to the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures. If you spend that in national chain, only $43 is stays here.
It just takes you and me to make it happen. Click on the image above for more information on this national movement to Think Local.

Ring Me

Etsy is a wonderland of global creativity. I don't mean this to be shameless self promotion, but it's true! Just look at this diverse variety of rings. There's the incredible miniature fantasy worlds from Madrid, Spain by Auka or these adorable and useful pin cushion rings from the Art Nest Shop or the perfect polymer flower ring from The Bline . Remember this holiday season to buy handmade! You'll not only know where your dollars are going, you'll also get the most value for the money and be supporting crafts people across the globe. And since most of us have our studios in our home, we have VERY small carbon footprints!

Resurrection Fern

You'll never guess why I love this shop....in this case a picture speaks a thousand words. Margaret Oomen's work reminds me that there's no limit to the imagination. And she's a family physician in Ontario! These photos happen to be prints for sale, but she does offer the crocheted stones, too. I especially like the photo at the top with the crocheted fish tales.
Check out her shop at www.knitalatte.etsy.com or her blog at www.resurrectionfern.typepad.com.

Day Two : Clean Studio

Well, here it is! Can you tell the difference? My Feng Shui has improved dramatically! Visual chaos reduced, more functinal equipment locations, clean floor work space...and flowers! I know that's a bit sneaky but what the heck, I'm an interior designer. Who knows what I'll accomplish now!

Fall Studio Cleaning

I swear it's instinctual...there's a certain week in the spring and the fall that I'm compelled to clean. Today it's my studio. I was looking for a hot knife I hadn't used for awhile and when I couldn't find it, I just started cleaning & reorganizing my space. So here's a a before picture...it looks worse than it is (does everyone say that?). I don't think I'll be on the tour of amazing home studios anytime soon. I hope you can tell the difference when I post the end result tomorrow. Too bad it wasn't my basement. Maybe in the spring....