Just Make Stuff

Favorite pens...

 

I have three to do lists going at once. A general life one, one for school this week, and school in the future (about fifteen lectures, activities, or worksheets I want to create for upcoming class topics).

So, today I reached into my pen drawer, since I decided a to do list item needed to be written in orange, and was reminded that having too many pens in so many colors really does make me unreasonably happy.

Some of my very favorites lately are neon pink, teal, and pumpkin.

Oh and a to do list idea I really love...the ta da list.

Crockpot Barbecue Beer Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwiches...

I have decided that meat + beer + crockpot is pretty much my favorite cooking trick. Or at least in my top ten. I use this same chicken to make quesadillas, but it is also awesome as a grilled cheese sandwich with buttery toasted bread.

Crockkpot Barbecue Beer Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

(makes 6 sandwiches)

Ingredients:

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts*
• 1 large onion; rough chopped
• 1 bottle of beer (I used Sam Adams Boston Lager)
• 1 cup barbecue sauce (use your favorite--I used Sweet Baby Rays)
• 12 slices provolone cheese
• 12 slices sourdough bread
• 3 tablespoons butter; softened
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Instructions:

Place chicken breasts in a crockpot with chopped onion. Pour in barbecue sauce and beer. Cook on low for six to eight hours.

*You can also use frozen chicken breasts. When I do, I cook on high for an hour and then switch to low for 6-8 hours.

Remove chicken breasts from the crockpot and shred them. Add the shredded chicken back into the sauce to keep warm.

Spread softened butter on slices of bread and sprinkle lightly with onion powder. Build the sandwich with a slice of cheese on both pieces of bread and a pile of shredded chicken in the middle. Grill sandwich on both sides until browned and toasty.

Fall planner cover...

The forecast says it will be about 104 degrees today.

104.

Oh well, at least the front page of my planner indicates it's fall...if only it included a crisp breeze when you open it up.

Essential oil foot soak...

Isn't there a saying for parents that the, "days are long, but the years are short"?

For people teaching college it should be, "the semester is short, but the hours at the computer are looooong". 

Whether it's grading papers or futzing with a power point for a lecture or returning student emails or grading some more (I had seventy students turn in an assignment today), I usually feel less than awesome when I am done. 

There is lots of stretching and often an ice or heat pack for my neck and shoulders, but one other thing I have been relying to feel better is soaking my feet in epsom salts with essential oils. 

I simply fill a small jar almost full with salt, sprinkle in several drops of oil, and shake it around to mix it. Oh and then, of course, I just had to make labels for the jars.

These three foot soaks are all my favorites. I have been using this bucket, which was a major upgrade from the empty plastic storage box I used to use. All it takes is about 15 minutes and I end up feeling so much better.

It's been just over two years since I started using oils for headaches, colds, falling asleep and calming the heck down. Sean has had good luck when he's used oils for his allergies, instead of the medication he took for years, so we are both believers at this point.

I am sure you have heard about essential oils just about everywhere at this point...and pretty much the last thing I will could ever be is a sales person. However, if you are interested in trying a couple oils, or ordering a kit like I did two years ago, please email me and I would love to help.

Five favorite fonts...

one.two.three.four.five

And here are more favorite fonts.

Backyard bocce court...

We first fell in love with bocce when visiting friends in 2008 (especially when there are appetizers too). Since then we have always had a bocce set that we would occasionally play with on the grass in the front yard. We even have an indoor set that we used to teach our nephew and nieces how to play.

There is no public bocce court anywhere around our house to play, so we always thought it'd be extra awesome to have a bocce court in our backyard. 

Granted the size of an official bocce court (sixty feet long and twelve feet wide) is about half of our small backyard...so ours is only a third that size.

And, traditionally, a bocce court is covered in crushed oyster shells. However, I never wanted sand of any sort because that just seemed like we would be inviting all the cats wandering our neighborhood to a gigantic liter box. We thought of just packing dirt down really well or trying tiny gravel. Then, when we were having the artificial grass installed, we saw the option for a putting green surface. 

The company said our idea would work and Sean prepped and painted the wood border. Within a day our bocce ball set had an official home. We also bought a scoreboard to make it extra official...and to track that Sean will pretty much always beat me.

So now all we need is a pool...we have about two square feet left for it.

Green green grass...

Sean has dreamt of artificial grass for years, so early this summer we had it installed where the tiny patch of grass was in our backyard. It's been three years since we put in gravel and a fire pit on the other side of the yard. In that time, despite our best efforts, our grass would look awful for most of the summer. 

With drought conditions as they are in Southern California we couldn't imagine using the amount of water it would take for new sod. So Sean's dreams came true.

Mine too since this "grass" always looks perfect. 

Next week I'll share what we did with the awkward strip of grass the runs along our concrete patio. It's another dream come true...

Well Wishes...

Well Wishes...a homemade card shared on Wednesdays.

A new kind of class planner...

For six out of my seven semesters teaching I have made a class planner. It started when Mac asked me to make him one for high school...little did I know his request would end up being one of the best things I could do to help myself be a better teacher. 

In the past, I have had the covers laminated and the book spiral bound. But the last couple times it hasn't been done very well, (even though I tried more than one place to have it done) which left me wondering how to solve the problem. 

The solution came in an entirely different direction. The Arc planner (just like the Happy Planner).

I bought a notebook with a clear cover and invested in the puncher. I was worried that it might not hold together well, but I started using it this summer and it's been perfect.

Right behind the cover I usually have fun with a title page. I discovered this design from Drew Ellis and loved the humor that in a year where my dream of a full-time position was a bust, it's time to re-focus on creating coursework for my students.

I print out my syllabus for each course with a few extra pages to keep track of participation assignments and office hour meetings. Then each week of the semester has two pages...one to brainstorm class plans and the other to write all the things I need to get done.

The index tabs take me to the course schedule for each class. 

And of course there had to be a patterned paper bookmark too. I also bought the clear Arc planner pockets to store my notes and worksheets for class. Before I always had a file folder for each course, now it's all together in one item in my school bag. I just put in what I need for the day.

I always print note pages for each power point lecture where I add all the extra bits I want to tell my students...you can see a pink and blue lecture on gender tucked away. 

In the past I was at the office supply store the night before the semester started begging to have this spiral bound with no time to spare. Now I can put in whatever extra things I can think of (or don't want to forget) and I can take out whatever I am not using. 

So not to be overly dramatic or anything, but this class planner switch has been life changing.

Creamy Tomato Soup...

During the school year, I prep a couple of dinners on the weekend and we switch back and forth between the two. This has been one of our meals this week and is a new favorite. Since it's taken me well into adulthood to start liking tomatoes, I never understood the tomato soup & grilled cheese combo. After concocting this, I totally get it...and it's amazing.

Creamy Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 onion; rough chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic; smashed
• 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes 
• 15 ounce can tomato sauce
• 6 ounce can tomato paste
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon better than bullion
• 2/3 cup heavy cream; room temperature
• 1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese; finely grated

Instructions:

In a heavy stock pot or dutch oven melt butter over medium heat and cook onion and garlic until tender. Add canned diced tomatoes, sauce, paste and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and use an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender) to blend until smooth. Bring soup to a light simmer again, add bullion, sugar, heavy cream and 1/4 cup of grated parmesan. Serve sprinkled with remaining parmesan and a grilled cheese sandwich.

Fall Planner Bookmark...

I made one last January and I made one for the summer that I never shared...oh and I made one for my new school planner too.  

Now I've made one for fall. There really is nothing better than a fresh combination of patterns and colors.

This week...

We ended up with an hour on Sunday night to sit in the backyard and read. Mac started at the community college (first day of school photos forever). I have to make dinners on the weekend if we want to eat during the week and left Mac instructions to get it started in the oven. Sean turned 39, and since I couldn't stop by his school as I have been able to in the past, I mailed him a helium balloon and birthday decorations with a lot of washi tape on the box. And the joy of a Cal State...parking full, full, full.