Michelle James is back with another fabulous DIY project for your home decor, a Spice Rack to Cool Vase. I know you will enjoy it.
Spice Rack Re-Do
Spice Rack to Cool Vase
I am super excited today, because I leave tomorrow for my son’s wedding in Jamaica! I can’t wait to experience some warm weather, not to mention some beautiful beaches! Before I go, I want to share my Spice Rack Re-Do with you. I love this little guy.
I love to thrift shop, and I try to go whenever I can. I teach a class in Estherville, Iowa, each month, and I can always see the thrift store from her store window. Usually, they close early on Saturday, but a few months ago, I was able to get in there after my class and before they closed. Yay! I picked up a few things.
I found this for $2. I love the “test tube” look of it.
As usual it was very dirty. I think the spices got used up and it was taken directly to the thrift store. No washing needed.
I gave it good bath, and removed the grime and the spice powder from each glass tube. I loved that everything was sparkly and clean when I got done. I also removed the labels. They came off really easily, which I cannot say happens when I remove labels from wine bottles. I was pleasantly surprised!
I took the metal lids and the “rack” part into the garage and used some black, flat spray paint on it. It only took a couple of coats. I was going to paint the wooden base white but decided against it. I liked the rustic “partially painted” look I had created.
That was all it took. I love a nice, easy project that comes out so pretty! What do you think?
Here’s a fangtastic and fun chili idea for your Halloween Night dinner, plus a bonus spice mix recipe, from our Regular Contributor, Deborah!
Halloween Night Chili
A couple of Fangtastic Recipes
There is no night, other than Christmas Eve, that children anticipate more than Halloween. Energy levels are high, bordering on manic, and all they want to do is get their costumes on and get to Trick-Or-Treating. However, as parents it’s our job to make sure they get at least a little dinner to balance out all of the sugary treats they are about to indulge. So, the criteria for dinner is as follows: quick and easy (who wants to slave over a hot stove AND put zombie makeup on a kid), and it must be fun enough to grab a child’s attention. Since I know the kids are going to be too wild to eat much, I want to make sure they are getting something that is packed with protein and will stick to their ribs. That leaves me with one option…
We’re lucky this year, because Halloween is on a Saturday. This will give us some extra time to get everything in order. To make this basic chili recipe more fun, I’ve decided to add it to bags of corn chips, like a walking taco, or as I like to call them, Nachos to Go. You can read more about those here. My kids absolutely love eating food out of chips bags. I think because it feels slightly naughty.
Before we moved to California, I was the coordinator of children’s ministry at a church in my hometown. Every year we would host a “Trunk or Treat.” I really wish I would have thought of Halloween Night Chili sooner, so I could have served this to my volunteers (95% of the time it was freezing cold on Halloween).
Halloween Night Chili3>
Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef, browned. 2 cans of Chili beans with sauce 1 can of Black beans, drained and rinsed 1 can of corn, drained 1 can of diced tomatoes and chilies 1 packet of chili seasoning (Or make your own. See directions below) Sour Cream (Optional) Shredded cheese (optional) Diced onions (optional)
How to:
In a medium sized stock pot, brown ground beef with the chili seasoning. Open cans. Add chili beans and diced tomatoes to pot. Drain and rinse black beans, add to pot. Drain corn and add to pot. You can rinse the corn if you’d would like. This will help cut down on sodium. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Let cool for a bit before you add to chip bags. When cooled to desired temp, add a small ladle full to chips of your choice. Corn chips or nacho flavored tortilla chips would work perfectly. Top with desired ingredients and serve. For your youngest children, you may want to serve it in a bowl to keep their little hands from burning. This will also help them from spilling the contents of their bag.
1 packet of chili seasoning (Or make your own. See directions below)
Sour Cream (Optional)
Shredded cheese (optional)
Diced onions (optional)
Directions:
In a medium sized stock pot, brown ground beef with the chili seasoning.
Open cans.
Add chili beans and diced tomatoes to pot.
Drain and rinse black beans, add to pot.
Drain corn and add to pot.
You can rinse the corn if you’d would like. This will help cut down on sodium.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Let cool for a bit before you add to chip bags.
When cooled to desired temp, add a small ladle full to chips of your choice. Corn chips or nacho flavored tortilla chips would work perfectly.
Top with desired ingredients and serve. For your youngest children, you may want to serve it in a bowl to keep their little hands from burning. This will also help them from spilling the contents of their bag.
Notes
This recipe is from Life With Lorelai's Regular Contributor, Deborah Ward from the blog, Kentucky to Cali.
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Since I am so sensitive to sodium and MSG, I usually make my own spice mixes. For me, cooking is not an exact science. I’m a southern girl. I cook using measurements like: dash, smidge, pinch, etc. A few years ago for Christmas, my momma gave me some really funny, but very useful measuring spoons (pictured above). They say, “dash”, “smidge”, and “pinch”. Now I can actually write down my recipes with a little more precision!
Make your own Chili Seasoning:
In a small bowl, mix together the following ingredients: 1 tsp cumin ½ tsp chili powder ½ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp onion powder ½ tsp paprika ¼ tsp oregano ¼ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp ground black pepper 1/8 tsp ground red pepper Adjust each amount, if desired, to fit your taste buds. That’s another advantage of making your own spice mixes.
Ahoy, me hearties, it be me, th’ bloody laggard Barnacle Bill. Now, don’ skuttle me skippers, I be here to apologize fer makin’ th’ wench Lorelai miss Speak Like a Pirate Day. It be a jolly day indeed, ‘n quite a shame to have not be marked wit’ a fine blog message. But, just so ye be knowin’, t’was all me fault tha’ Lorelai was no’ available to scribe th’ scurvy pirate message. If ye spy wit’ ye eye, ye know I had her chained. Tha’ be right, me, Barnacle Bill, had th’ wench Lorelai chained in th’ galley ’til she came up wit’ an even more spectacular recipe fer me beloved Pumpkin Spice Syrup.
Alas, ye loyal readers be knowin’ tha’ she wrote ’bout Homemade Pumpkin Spice Syrup already before. ‘N as I sailed through Lorelai Lagoon last Autumn, I picked up some ‘o th’ tasty treat. Th’ syrup was delectable, like a fair breeze in a ship’s sail, but th’ tiny bits ‘o grit t’wer a sword in me throat. So, I told her she would walk th’ plank unless she agreed to create a New Improved Pumpkin Spice Syrup. ‘o course she agreed, how could she no’ wit’ me swashbucklin’ ways ‘n rugged looks. So chain her I did, ‘n ye gunna be thankful, savvy?
Lorelai set to cookin’ by gatherin’ th’ in’redients:
Th’ lass hardly gave no mind nor bother to th’ cannon ball ‘n chain. I t’was blown off me pegleg by how simple a task it wer to make th’ coveted syrup.
Ye must give one ‘o me favorite Fall breakfasts a go, cackle-fruit wit’ a side ‘o steamin’ buttered biscuits drizzled wit’ Pumpkin Spice Syrup. It be to die fer (at least them squawkin’ chickens be worthy fer somethin’). ‘N an Autumn day don’ go by tha’ I don’ stir some sweet syrup in me coffee ‘n ‘o course me rum. Oh, th’ heavenly grog! But I reckon th’ possibilities fer its uses be endless.
I wan’ed to charge a pair gold doubloon fer th’ New Improved Recipe, but th’ lady Lorelai was a bit o’ a spiky sea urchin, insistin’ it be free to all ye scabby landlubbers.
Ye can even print it fer safekeepin’; mark it wit’ an X–just like scurvy pirate gold it be so prized.
Pumpkin Spice Syrup: Add to coffee, hot chocolate, pancakes, drizzle over Bundt cakes, coffee cakes, ice cream, and more...
from: Life With Lorelai
Type: Syrups / Sauces /Marinades
Serves: 12 servings
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups Water
1-1/4 cups Sugar (granulated)
3-5 Cinnamon Sticks
8-10 Whole Cloves
1/3 cup Pumpkin Puree (generous serving)
1/2 tsp. ground Ginger
1 tsp. ground Nutmeg
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Directions:
In a medium saucepan, add Water, Sugar, Cinnamon Sticks, and Cloves. Simmer over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves completely, about 4 minutes.
Turn the heat down to low, and whisk in Pumpkin Puree, Ginger, and Nutmeg. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, Stirring occasionally. DO NOT allow mixture to boil.
Remove from heat, and Strain through a fine mesh strainer lined with a double layer of cheesecloth.
Stir in Vanilla Extract.
Allow syrup to Cool to room-temperature before refrigerating.
Shake or Stir before serving.
Notes
Store in a Mason Jar or airtight container. Syrup will last for 1-month in the refrigerator.
*** Break Cinnamon Sticks to release more flavor. I rinse well and re-use my Cinnamon Sticks for the next batch of syrup.
Recipe is easily doubled and tripled. Makes a great gift!
Find more of Life With Lorelai's Tasty Recipes at: https://lifewithlorelai.com
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Be no’ it a beautiful site, ‘n tasty too. I like to keep me Pumpkin Spice Syrup in a Mason Jar Pump. Ye can find ’tis clever DIY project here. ‘Tis recipe won’ end up in th’ barnacle-covered chumbucket!
One of my most favorite things about Fall is the Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks. YUM! I cannot get enough of them. Actually, I am very sparing about buying those delectably delicious delights because the are so cost prohibitive at nearly five bucks a pop. When I do stop in for a special treat, I usually order the Cafe Americano with Pumpkin Spice Syrup and add some half-and-half to give it more of a latte feel. This is exactly what I did the other morning on my way to court. Yes, folks, the Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back!
Thank goodness I have a gift card for Starbucks. I am trying to make it stretch as far as I can. But here is the greatest news ever… I just ran across a recipe for Homemade Pumpkin Spice Syrup!!! I am so excited. It is the first recipe or substitute that actually looks like the richly scented gorgeously colored brand name syrup. I will definitely be giving this a try this weekend.
Want to try this Homemade Pumpkin Spice Syrup with me? You really don’t need very much; in fact, most of the ingredients are probably sitting in your pantry right now waiting for you. And, this easy recipe only takes about 12 minutes to make. How cool is that. Well, here it is…
In a medium saucepan, add water and both sugars. Simmer on medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves, about 4 minutes.
Turn the heat down to low and whisk in cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and pumpkin puree. Simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not allow the mixture to come to a boil.
Remove from the heat and strain through a mesh strainer lined with cheese cloth or a clean tea towel.
Allow the syrup to cool to room-temperature before stirring in the vanilla extract. Store in a mason jar or airtight container. The syrup will last for 1 month in the refrigerator.
Cook Time: 12 Minutes
*NOTE* – My strainer is very fine and required no tea towel or cheesecloth. I did need to rinse my strainer after each ladleful and run the syrup twice through my strainer. Easy.
I found this recipe on Jennie’s blog… The Messy Baker. Please go check it out. Stick around and explore Jennies blog, she has some amazing recipes! You’ll love it.
