Sincerely Crafted Etsy shop is open business

It is a very exciting day, I have officially launched my shop on Etsy. YEAH!!!!

Here is a link to see SincerelyCrafts

Preview of my work - 

Monday night dinner

Today I had a terrible case of the Mondays. The only thing keeping me going through this never-ending, "yawn" of a day: I knew I was going home to create my latest dinner masterpiece. SEAFOOD CHOWDER!  This is something I came up with through a mixture of loving clam chowder my whole life, watching the Food Network religiously, and the addictive "crockpot dinners" pins on Pinterest. I knew I wanted to create a soup that was thick and creamy, I hate a watery consistency. I wanted Campbell's "Chunky" soup to look in awe at mine. It needed to be more than JUST clam chowder, I wanted it to be fresh, filling, and rustic. I chose large servings of vegetables, seafood (not just clams but scallops, shrimp and calamari to go along with the traditional clam base), and bacon to create the ultimate seafood chowder.
My husband can eat a lot, and that is an understatement.  This man is always hungry. When preparing dinner, I always try to think of ways to make it more filling or make sure his portions are larger. It is also very common for us to have one or more of his friends (who share this voracious appetite) over for dinner, tonight being one of those nights.
Needless to say, this soup was so incredibly filling and hearty that my receipt made enough for leftovers, even with these two beasts of men having multiple helpings!! I had two ladles full and the guys each had about five; We have about a pint of leftovers in the fridge for lunch tomorrow.

Seafood Chowder:

• Trader Joe's Clam Chowder condensed soup (2 cans)
• Trader Joe's canned Clams
• Trader Joe's frozen seafood blend (shrimp, scallops and calamari)
• Potato
• Milk
• Trader Joe's mirepoix (chopped onions, celery and carrots)
• Bacon
• Salt and Pepper to season

How to prepare:

1. Dice potato and start sauteing. In a different sauté pan cook bacon. When potatoes are cooked almost all the way through add the mirepoix mix; let simmer until mixture is cooked. 

In a different saute pan cook bacon. Add seafood blend into bacon pan once bacon is half way cooked. 

2. While these both pans are cooking start a large pot for soup. 

In large pot, add both cans of clam chowder condensed soup. Refill each empty can with milk and add into the soup pot.

3. Once all ingredients are cooked combine together in large pot and let simmer. Add salt and pepper to your preference to season. 

TA DA : I recommend pairing with sourdough bread, or my personal favorite a sour bread bowl!

 Sincerely crafted,
SC

Fall in LA

It is officially fall in LA, but you would never know it. With little to no change in the weather the only indication of the change in season is large displays of pumpkins, halloween decorations and my personal favorite pumpkin spice lattes. Coming from the Northwest there is nothing I love more than watching the leaves change colors, smelling the fresh crisp fall air and enjoying a fall beverage. Creating a little bit of the fall feeling is as close as I will get to a Northwest fall experience. Last night I created a perfect Portland fall cocktail: 

Spiced Apple Cider Whiskey Sangria

• Trader Joe's Spiced Cider
• Apple
• Your favorite whiskey
• White wine (I used chardonnay)

Dice apple into small pieces. Soak apples in one ounce of your favorite whiskey. Combine equal parts Spiced Cider and white wine. Add in whiskey soaked apples. Wet the rim of your glass with an apple slice, dip glass in a bowl of sugar and cinnamon. Ta Da!