Monday, December 17, 2012

Christmas Cross Wreath

I love Christmas wreaths on doors, but when I saw a cross made out of Christmas tree trimmings when we went to the Christmas tree farm, I knew I just had to make one!



Super simple, but a lovely way of remembering {and reminding others} of the real reason for Christmas. It's easy to forget when we are surrounded by Santa and pressured to buy gifts {often just for the sake of quantity not quality} at every turn of the head. 

Merry CHRISTmas.

.molly

Monday, December 3, 2012

Holiday Stitch Market is This Week!

In case you didn't make it to the last Stitch Market, it's now at Grace Church. Think: bigger venue... tons more goodies to shop... munchies to eat... close to downtown so you can come in after going out, or go out after coming in! Perfect for stopping in on your break on Friday, too.

Who/Where/When
:
* 25 local vendors, almost all handmade goodies
* Grace Church, 1350 Osos Street, SLO {across from Mitchell Park}
* December 6th {Thursday} 5-10p; December 7th {Friday} 9a-2p

What's Cookie+Curly bringing, you ask?:

The Ever-Popular Vintage Flower Necklaces:
Vintage Flower Tango with Turquoise
   Vintage Flower Ivory with Clear Aqua

New Beaded & Stone Necklaces:

Turquoise Beaded Necklace


New Recycled Glass Adjustable Necklaces:

Recycled Glass Adjustable Necklaces


Fun Assortment of Rings, with new styles making their debut:

Adjustable Antiqued Rings


Pacifier Clips, upon request:

Pacifier Clips


Fresh mobiles and new takes:

Sea Life Mobile
   Two-Bird Mobile

And of course, clips, earrings, and fabric cuff bracelets. Oh, and some new gold and silver jewelry. And that's just
Cookie+Curly's stuff!

Come and bring family {kids totally welcome}, friends {Girls' Night!}, neighbors and share some drinks, laughter, and shopping time with us! Heck, share this link with your friends now and start planning your time together.

$1 at the door. We now have centralized checkout and accept cash, checks, and most major credit cards.


Can you come?? I hope so! RSVP
here or just show up. If you're receiving this, it means I truly do hope to see you!

Molly


P.S. According to the
Made in America Challenge, the average American spends over $700 annually on holiday shopping. If just $64 of this was spent on gifts made in USA, the economic impact would equate to the creation of 200,000 American jobs. Come shop with us!

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Crock Pot Beef & Yam Stew

Mmmm... Isn't the chill in the air nice? It's about time! So how about a recipe for a beef stew to warm your tummy as the day ends...

My son's
school asks us to contribute 15 hours of volunteer work every trimester, and since I don't have a lot of extra time to be at school, I've chosen to fulfill some hours at home. Every two weeks the staff has a meeting and parents bring them a home-cooked meal to go with the theme of what they are teaching the kids at that time. The other week, I was tasked with making beef stew for 12. Had a made beef stew before? No. And this excited me.


After scanning Pinterest for simple, tasty beef stew recipes I noticed they were all kind of the same with little twists here and there. This is my rendition, and it's delicious, if I'm allowed to say that. {No pics... See the note at the bottom.}


Beef & Yam Stew

Serves: 6-8 for dinner; 10-12 for a side

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1.5-2 lbs. beef stew meat, cubed
all-purpose flour
salt & pepper
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 large yams, peeled and cubed
4 Tbsp tomato paste
28 oz diced tomatoes, with juices
Bay leaf
1-2 tsp cinnamon to taste
1/2 tsp all-spice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce {optional}
Beef broth, as needed

1. Heat slow-cooker to "brown" setting, or heat large soup pan to medium-high heat, and melt butter.
2. Place meat in brown paper bag with flour, salt and pepper and toss to coat.
3. Brown meat on both sides, then set aside in a bowl.
4. Cook onions in slow-cooker {or the same pan} with some olive oil for 2 minutes, then add yams and continue to cook until onions are translucent.
{You can add other veggies here, like peeled/cubed carrots, celery, etc. After onions are translucent, you can also add sliced mushrooms and cook for an additional 3 minutes or so.}
5. Stir in tomato paste and stir to cover veggies.
6. Add beef back in.
7. Add in diced tomatoes, bay leaf, cinnamon, all-spice, garlic cloves, Worcestershire sauce {optional} and beef broth {if needed for moisture or to make more soupy}.
8. Cover and simmer on low for up to 2 hours, adding broth if necessary. Consider making a day ahead to allow flavors to really mix together.

I was really quite pleased with myself for making up a stew and showering all before 11am, and that the kids were all still intact, although I didn't think to take any pics of the final product. As I dashed to the school I ran my fingers through my hair and realized I never washed the conditioner out of my hair! Oh well. Can't do it all. :)

enjoy.

molly

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Warm Chicken Salad with Goodies - Quick & Easy

My husband and I have gotten into a rut lately. We do this from time to time with our food. We get in the habit of having a protein {chicken, pork, turkey, beef, fish - all lean/extra-lean}, a vegetable {usually roasted or a salad} and a complex carb {usually a grain of some sort}. We know how to do it. It tastes good. And we know it nourishes our body.

While there's nothing wrong with the foods we eat, I get bored with it. And lately, I've been REALLY bored. So I turned to my new oracle... Pinterest. {Follow me: "Molly Trapp"}

Last week I found a simple chicken salad recipe from an awesome blog called "farm + house + table" that made it to my Top 3 Favorite Salads list. Here's a link to the recipe: Warm Chicken Salad with Peppers, Pears, and Toasted Pinenuts.

Super simple dressing with {optional: store-bought} roasted chicken:


Fresh fruit and vegetables. Crisp, tasty arugula. And we paired it with leftover roasted yams, sweet potatoes, and onions. I wanted to lick the bowl. 


Took no time to make, and absolutely great. Try it.

.enjoy!

molly

Sunday, September 30, 2012

The Sailboats are Sailing Away

I began making the Sailboat mobiles for all of you that have boy babes and didn't think a bird mobile would work for your little dude's room. {Birds work for everyone, you just gotta pick the right fabric... in my humble opinion.}


They've been so fun to make for you, especially the custom ones.


But alas, my time is hardly my own anymore {I'm hoping little Bridget will soon start sleeping more hours in a row!} and these sweet mobiles take a LOT of time to make. Since no one would buy them if I priced them to cover my time, I'm sadly having to pull them from my offerings.

The Sea Life mobiles are still up for grabs though, and talk about fun with the custom orders!




 Jump on in!

.enjoy

molly

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Balsamic Cremini Mushroom Side Dish

We had some extra cremini mushrooms in the fridge tonight so I turned to my new favorite oracle - Pinterest - for recipes and asked what I should make. What came up was simply delicious!

The original recipe was from "Dinners & Dreams" {"A Moroccan Recipe Journal"; a blog I hadn't seen before but I am definitely intrigued by it now} and suggested portobella mushrooms marinated in harissa, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and dried oregano, then skewered and barbequed. 

My version was cremini mushrooms marinated at room temperature for about 30 minutes in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and dried oregano {no harissa in the house} and then sauteed in more olive oil on medium for the first bit, then lowered to low to allow the juices to cook out a bit. The result... yum!


Paired it with flank steak and roasted broccoli with whole wheat pasta. The mushrooms added a fantastic sweetness such that I found myself rationing them out so that I could have some with each bit.

I can definitely see these in sandwiches, mixed in with some carb side {quinoa, cracked wheat}, and on top of cottage cheese with a bunch of other veggies. Next time, I'll make extra, and try not to eat it all that night!

What's your favorite mushroom side dish?

enjoy.

.molly

Monday, September 17, 2012

It's the Little Things

Do you ever have one of those days when you notice all "the little things". Well, today was one of those days. And thanks to our pastor's most recent sermon on Phillippians which talked about God's desires for the local church {be united; be joyful; be gracious; be humble...}, I had a fresh heart of appreciation and grace. 

Little Thing #1.

Do you even try to go for a run with your newborn who has an 0/4 record for sleeping soundly in {or even just politely tolerating} the stroller while you run, or do you try it just one more time... and thank God for the peaceful run as she sleeps.


Don't you just want to stick your finger in that Soothie?!
Little Thing #2. 

Do you ignore {or better yet, give dirty looks to} a dad when he brings his super hungry {read: very loud} baby into the {over-crowded} Cry Room at church as your baby sleeps, or do you give him kudos once he single-handedly {literally} prepares his daughter's bottle and rocks her sweetly in the glider next to you. 

Little Thing #3.

Do you return a stranger's vicious attitude and behavior when she points something out to you that could have just been a simple comment but instead gets thrown into an ugly attack, or do you return her remarks with graceful kindness and hope that she's just having a bad morning {or hope that your response will help her to think about how she chooses to communicate with people}. 

Little Thing #4.

Do you rudely send your {overly} affectionate daughter {I call her "The Leech"} away from your baby who desperately needs to nap, or do you allow her to "tuck her in" and have "the best time of [her] life" and then thoroughly enjoy her incredibly warm smile while your baby miraculously coos herself to sleep. 


Little Thing #5.

After dropping your kids off at a friend's house who kindly offered to watch them along with her own two kids while she makes dinner just so you can go to the grocery store by yourself {yahooooo!}, do you quickly nab the parking spot closest to the store, or, because you aren't lugging a carseat and two young kids, do you take a parking spot further away and hope that that front spot goes to another mom or an elderly person. And when you discover it was a young college student driving a Boxster {what?!} that took the spot, do you choose to get your feathers all ruffled as the cold wind blows on your loooong {not really} walk to the store, or do you smile in your heart and say, "Oh well." {Maybe she was in a real hurry. Maybe.}

Little Thing #6. {And we've all been here...}

Do you quietly whisper under your breath that someone else besides you finally took the kitchen garbage out, or do you genuinely make a big deal and thank your dear husband for being so sweet and taking it out.

Life is full of choices. What we do not only affects our own life, but those around us as well. What are you going to do with "the little things" today?

.molly

Friday, September 14, 2012

Incredibly Delicious, Super Easy Apricot Oatmeal Bars

I ran across Six Sisters' Stuff when searching Pinterest for ideas on how to organize all the craft and home-school goodies that line pretty much every area of our home. {More on that later.} The blog is six sisters who have moved away from each other, but use the blog to stay in touch. They are all very talented ladies, each with their own specialties - hair, craftiness, FOOD, etc. Great blog - Check it out.

Well, upon my searching I ran across these incredibly delicious, super easy apricot bars that looked amazing, and now, as I munch on them, I can confirm that they are indeed superb! I'd advise having a sweet little helper to make sure everything turns out perfectly...




I didn't change up their recipe too much - I don't usually do that on the first trial just to make sure it actually works as written. The only thing I did with this one is use 1/4c less all-purpose flour and added in 1/4c+ ground flax {my fav.} and I used Trader Joe's Low-Sugar Apricot Preserves. The result was a fantastically moist, perfectly textured oatmeal/apricot bar that took about 5 minutes prep {25-30 min to bake}. It's at the top of my list of go-to ideas for a quick dessert to share with others.  



Action shots:
The dough

Packed into the pan
The Final Product - Delish!
All the while, she slept... Thank you!
The sisters suggest having them for breakfast! They are a little high in sugar for my liking for a breakfast item, but they're so sweet with the apricot preserves that I bet you could omit some of the brown sugar and pair them cottage cheese, eggs, or whatever protein you prefer to balance out the meal. I'll probably add them in the lunchbox for a treat snack at school from time to time.

BTW, apparently they have a "Healthy Meals Monday" tradition so check out their blog for some more suggestions on family-fun recipes!


enjoy!


.molly

Monday, September 10, 2012

She's Here!

I had this grandiose plan to quickly write a gorgeous and giddy blog post about our new arrival - Bridget Molly Trapp - but then life hit me and I haven't had time for sleep let alone blogging!

So, I write to you today with the "short" version of how our wonderful "Bridgey-Bridge" {known to her family} joined us on June 16th. There is a very tender back-story to her arrival, but I will save that for another day.

I had a feeling on June 15th that the 16th might be "The Day", so I snapped one last shot of my incredibly uncomfortable belly before going to bed. Yeah, it was as uncomfortable as it looks.

"OUCH!" is all I can think, looking back on this
The morning of the 16th I came to my hubby in the kitchen at 5:15am - he gets up at 5am every morning {nuts!} - and said, "Well, I think today might be the day!" He replied, "Really? Have you been feeling contractions?" I explained I'd felt them off/on since 3:30am. His reply, "So should I go for my bike ride now?" {Insert grumpy-about-to-pop-pregnant-mommy face.} By the way, you should all know that my husband is quite possibly the best husband and dad ever, this just wasn't one of his best moments.

I took our firstborn {our pup, Ellie} for a walk and returned at 6:30am with very infrequent contractions so yes, I gave my sweet hubby the green light to go for a ride.

Contractions became consistent around 10:30am and by noon I realized it was going to happen within 24 hours! {I was in labor for 29 hours with my first; 9 hours with my second. Word of advise: WALK as soon as your contractions start. It shaved off 20 hours for me!}

My friend Jessica came over and walked around the block a few times with me, then I called my mom to come up from Santa Barbara. I told her she didn't need to rush, but it'd be good for her to leave as soon as she could.

Fast-forward 2 hours and my mom arrives when I'm madly pacing in our backyard, "strongly encouraging" my kids to pack up their overnight bags for their first sleepover, all the while trying to not bite their heads off. My husband was attempting to take a nap. {This blog makes him sound horrible but we agreed he should nap since we didn't know how long the process was going to take and I needed him to be strong. Little did we know how fast things would go...}

By 3:45pm I decided it was time to go to the hospital. With my second, I was in the hospital for 48 minutes before she was born and I didn't want to cut it too close with my third. {Ha!}

4pm is the last time I recorded a contraction on my phone as we headed out our front door. {"Full Term" is an awesome app, btw!} Jessica came and got our kids right as my hubby and I were heading to our car. Mom followed quickly behind. {She was at my first daughter's birth by accident almost - it went so quickly no one had a choice - but I definitely wanted her in the room for this one.}

I made my husband pull over at the high school so I could walk through my contraction and my water broke! This freaked me out as with my second, as soon as my water broke I HAD to push. Fortunately I didn't feel that sensation with this one but I wanted to get to the hospital fast!

Of course we hit every possible red light on the way there, the last of which I made my husband run it {after stopping for on-coming traffic, of course} and as we pulled into the hospital driveway I kindly yelled out the open window, "Oh for Pete's sake just ride your bike!!!" to a clueless young man riding slooooowly across the driveway.

I'll spare you the details of everything that happened in the hospital. I'll just leave it that they rushed me upstairs, and the nurse who drove me in the wheelchair announced, "Third baby, water broke, urge to push!" which brought on a swarm of nurses. I was told I was 7cm and not allowed to push so I had to "hold it in". {Ya, that's quite possibly the worst feeling ever.} Minutes {seconds?} later I was 9 1/2cm and very soon I was able to push. Two or three pushes later, Bridget joined us as 4:28pm.

Gnarly. Elated. Peaceful. Thankful.

I had "the shakes" after her birth, thus all the blankets on me.
Our "biggest" baby at 6 lbs. 13 oz.
I love her!
More on that back-story soon. Oh yeah, and Cookie+Curly business. ;) For now, with a grateful heart, I sign off... For bed.

.molly

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

One Yummy Kale Salad

Up until about three years ago, I always considered kale to be that super stiff, dark green plant that comes as a decoration or space-filler on your plate - it was definitely not to be eaten. And then I discovered kale chips. Oh, yum.

And now I *look* for recipes with kale in them so that I can enjoy kale in yet another amazing way. My most recent discovery was served to our family up at our cabin this winter. Delicious. I have to share.

And, if you're in my boat from years ago, thinking kale is way to green and nutritious-looking to actually taste good, try this {or kale chips} before you completely cross it off your list.


Super Yummy Kale Salad

Salad:
1 bunch kale of choice
Craisins - chopped
Sunflower seeds - toasted {optional: with vegetable-based "butter" & lightly salted}

Dressing:
Lemon zest
Lemon juice
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

You'll notice there are no real quantities listed out. That's where YOU come in. Play around with what tastes best to you. If you're new to kale, you may enjoy more craisins &/or seeds in your salad. I love lemon so I prefer more lemon than olive oil, but you could be different.

If kale is not new to you, how do you enjoy it best? I'd love to try it your way!

.enjoy

molly

P.S. Kale is an incredible source of vitamins A, C & K, as well as fiber, magnesium, and a boat load of antioxidants. It's worth getting to know.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Mommy & Baby Birds in a Nest

I love getting requests from people - Thank you! Recently, I've had many requests from people for more birds in nests. 

For the most recent addition to Cookie+Curly's website, I got a little carried away when making the nest {yes, they're all handmade} and I made a big one, suitable for a mommy and baby, not just one bird. So...




I hope you like it! I just love how it came together. So sweet.

The only other available mobile with a nest at this time is this one in yellow, grey and white:


I hope to get more out to you soon, but I have a few great new fabrics that I already have in the making for you so hold tight for those first. In the meantime, if you'd like to order a custom mobile in your favorite style, please email me and we'll get something going for you.

Please note: My custom order capabilities will slow down in about 4-6 weeks when our Baby#3 comes so get your orders in now!

.enjoy

molly

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Scrumptious Granola Packed with Goodness

So... Yes, I haven't been blogging. Sorry.

Being pregnant, having two kids already and wanting to be a hands-on, creative mom, running a business, trying to keep a clean house, and attempting to stay physically active... Oh yeah, and being a wife :) has made me re-set my priorities a bit and sadly Cookie+Curly's blog has been set a little lower than I had hoped. 7 weeks now until Baby#3 so we'll see how I do. I'm hoping to be better, and I'm starting now...

This post includes one of my favorite recent recipes: 

A Scrumptious Granola Packed with Goodness

My friend, Jessica, is an amazing go-getter in the kitchen and she loves trying new things, as do I. She forwarded along her delicious granola recipe, which I completely LOVED, but I couldn't help but doing a little experimenting. I think I have my version dialed in and here it is:

Ingredients:

4 c oats
1 c raw sunflower seeds
1 c raw pumpkin seeds
1 c wheat germ *
1/2 c shredded coconut
1 c blanched almonds

1/2 c canola oil
1/2 c honey

1/3 c brown sugar
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla pinch of salt

* OR 1/2 c wheat germ + 1/2 c ground flax
* OR 1/2 c wheat germ + 1/2 c ground flax + 1/2 c chia seeds
* OR 1 c wheat germ + 1/2 c chia seeds

Directions:

1} Mix spices and liquids together in a small saucepan and simmer for a few minutes.

Two things to note here:

a} If adding chia seeds, add them into the liquid mixture once in a syrup state. This keeps them sticky and minimizes "loose" chia seeds in the mixture once it's done. I like it all clumpy together.
b} You can mix in any seeds/nuts in the dry ingredients. The more you add though, the more canola oil/honey you will need. 

2} Then mix with dry ingredients and bake on parchment paper. 325 F for 15 minutes, stir, then another 15 minutes. It will look slightly underdone when you take it out, but that is fine - it will burn if you leave it in any longer! It will finish crisping up while it cools.

We recently had the pleasure of delivering a huge jar of this granola to the local firehouse and were told they really appreciated getting healthy food from people.



Deliver some to your local firehouse and tell them Cookie+Curly sent ya! :)

enjoy.

molly

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Honey Garlic Balsamic Chicken - in 30 Minutes!

We had a scrumptious dinner tonight, thanks in large part to Bree over at "Baked Bree".

Her newsletter arrived in my Inbox just at the right time today and I couldn't resist her picture of her Honey Garlic Balsamic Chicken.

Source: BakedBree.com
I mean, how great does that look?!

We enjoyed it with roasted broccoli (400F; toss broccoli florets with olive oil, sea salt, freshly ground pepper; roast until golden brown appears) and orzo with fresh pesto. Yum!

Super simple. Like she says, "Everyone needs a meal that they can have on the table in 30 minutes that is healthy, easy, and delicious." Try it out. You'll love it.

.molly

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Lean and Mean Lasagna

We just had this tonight and I feel the need to immediately share such a yummy recipe with you. 

I've never made lasagna before but my kidlets wanted to have "lasagna with Daddy" so... Mommy got to learn! There are a ton of tasty-looking recipes out there but I couldn't pick one so I put my own together. 

In our household we eat lean proteins, whole grains, little cheese {upon my husband's tummy's request} and as many veggies at dinner as possible. This recipe fits the bill.

Try it out and let me know what you think. Honestly, delicious!

Lean and Mean Lasagna

2 Tbsp olive oil, separated
6 oz mushrooms, chopped
1 large bunch red chard, chopped {did Spring cleaning of our veggie garden - more on that later}
3 large zucchini, shredded
1 bottle low-sodium marinara sauce {if you're not in a rush, homemade sauce is best!}
2 Tbsp Tbsp fresh thyme {from our herb garden - so fun to use home-grown!}
2 Tbsp fresh parsley
1 Tbsp raw sugar {agave nectar could be an option here - we are out}
8-12 whole wheat lasagna noodles
1-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sauted {olive oil, salt, pepper} and chopped
8 oz firm tofu
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 egg
1/3  cup grated Parmesan cheese
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Bring large pot of water to a boil.
2. Heat olive oil on medium in saute pan. Saute mushrooms until golden.
3. Add chard to mushroom mix and heat until soft.
4. Stir in spaghetti sauce, thyme, parsley, and sugar. Heat through and transfer to a bold. Cover.
5. Cook pasta according to directions. {8-10 minutes}
6. Add olive oil into same saucepan and saute zucchini, pouring off liquid, until softened. Combine with other vegetables and cover.


7. In a food processor, combine tofu, cottage cheese, and egg. Process until smooth.
8. Spray or line bottom of 9x11 inch Pyrex pan with olive oil and a light layer of plain marinara sauce.
9. Start layering the ingredients with pasta, tofu mixture, marinara/veggie mix, and chopped chicken. 


10. Finish with a pasta layer and a light layer of plain marinara. Top with a very light layer of Parmesan cheese.
11. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes until starts to bubble and cheese melts.

 


I have no idea how to cut lasagna so it actually looks nice, but man does this taste good! {Season with salt and pepper, if desired.}

eat up!

molly

Sunday, March 18, 2012

New Flower Vintage-Style Necklaces Available

You spoke. {I love that!} I listened! 

I first made these for a show at Bianchi Winery up in Paso Robles a few weeks ago and some of you caught a glimpse of them on Facebook. {BTW, do you "Like" Cookie+Curly on Facebook?} We'll I've made more and they're now available on my website.


They're going fast...


But I'll be making more...


And I'll have them at the next Stitch Market April 26/27 as well, for all those local to SLO.

Any color, flower, or stone requests? You know I love custom orders!

Oh, and lots of new Sterling silver and gold-filled Circle Necklaces will be up soon, too. Start dropping Mother's Day hints now - You know it takes them a few hints before they really get it.

.molly

Friday, March 16, 2012

Irish Hills

As my belly {amongst other things} grows, I've been hitting the pool two to three times per week rather than my customary trail run. I've greatly missed the outdoors though - as has my sweet pup who continues to gain pounds with me - so we ventured out on a new trail today.

Ever been to Irish Hills in San Luis Obispo? Gor-geous.


The trail map made me super excited to get out running again {patience, patience}, but I also took so much pleasure in enjoying all the little discoveries with my kids and sister-in-law today. So neat.

Sister-in-law gazing over her new neighborhood - Welcome to SLO!
{This must have been the one and only 20-seconds the leash dropped as dogs are supposed to be on-leash.}

Lots of apparently new trails shooting off in all directions - mountain bike-friendly, lots of shade {depending on the path you choose}, and amazing views all around.

get outside. molly