Flange CD Lamp

I saw this amazing thing on Pinterest, a lamp made from old CD casings.  Light and use of light is my favorite kind of art, so I repinned the photo.   The artist who created it hadn't shared the recipe and though many others had commented on it, but I couldn't find HOW to do it.

So I decided to just figure out how to do it by doing it.   

Ingredients:
cds
light source
wire

First I needed the light source.  Ikea sells these, but the ones at amazon are a little bit cheaper and you don't have to get into a fight with your husband at Ikea.  

I have three boxes of old cds "waiting to be burned", so I didn't need to worry about finding that supply.

We have tons of wire from old theatre projects, and a life-long love of the arts and crafts.  I just needed to figure out how to attach the light source to the cds in an attractive way.

A trip to the hardware store!  I needed something circular that would serve as an internal frame to hold/attach the cds too, that would also allow the cord and light to nest inside.   I told myself I was an artist, and it was ok to walk up and down the aisles aimlessly looking at all of the items in hopes of finding the perfect way to repurpose it.   Screens, sink drains, netting, finally resting on a large flange about 6.5 inches in diameter.   AND it cost less than $2.00 so if it didn't work I needn't be bitter.

Cranberry Coffee Cake

This is my new favorite coffee cake. It is really easy and fills the house full of deliciousness smells!

Cranberry Coffee Cake

Yield: Serves 9-12

Cook Time: 40-45 minutes

This easy Cranberry Coffee Cake is made with Greek yogurt, fresh cranberries, and has a streusel filling and topping.

ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 1 large orange
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs
1 cup plain Greek Yogurt (I used Chobani)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh cranberries

Streusel Filling and Topping:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 stick unsalted butter

directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan or a bundt cake pan (my preference) and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set dry ingredients aside.

3. In a small bowl, combine granulated sugar and orange zest. Rub together with your fingers until fragrant. Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar mixture until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beat until smooth. Beat in the Greek yogurt and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.

4. Slowly add in the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Gently fold in the fresh cranberries.

5. To make the streusel topping and filling, place the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl and stir well with a wooden spoon. Work the butter into the mixture with your fingertips until evenly distributed.

6. Pour half of the coffee cake batter into the prepared cake pan and sprinkle with half of the streusel topping/filling. Spoon the remaining batter over the filling, spreading gently. Sprinkle with the remaining streusel.

7. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. Cool to room temperature and serve.

Broccoli Soup

This Broccoli Soup is easy to cook and very nutritious. I got the recipe off of "About.com" sub-header: low fat cooking.

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cubed
• 4 cups fresh broccoli, including stems, chopped
• 2 cups low-sodium, fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cups nonfat milk

Preparation:

Heat oil on medium heat in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Gently sauté onion and celery for 3-4 minutes, until onion is softened. Add potato and chopped broccoli, followed by the broth and milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Allow soup to cool slightly, then transfer to a blender in 2-3 batches, and blend until smooth. Return soup to pot and heat gently until ready to serve.

Serves 6.

Per Serving: Calories 88, Calories from Fat 16. Total Fat 1.8g (sat 0.3g), Cholesterol 1mg, Sodium 83mg, Carbohydrate 13g, Fiber 3.1g, Protein 4.9g

Sunday Cooking

Sunday is the new cooking day at MuckenReel's house. I am trying to get us eating less processed foods and making a lot of items from scratch. Today I made a Cranberry Coffee Cake for our breakfasts and Broccoli Soup for dinner with a side of Blue Cheese Crostini with Honey. Everything turned out great.

Cheers to more cooking in the New Year.

Butternut Squash Apple Soup

My oh My!

My handsome husband got me an immersion blender for Christmas. This was the TOP item on my list with the Ipad 2 being a close second. I am in heaven.

We celebrated our personal holiday on Monday night, so first thing I did after work on Tuesday (ok, partially AT work on Tuesday) was to look up a good soup recipe to break-in the new blender.

Le Recipe!

1 yellow onion, chopped
3 tbs garlic powder
I carrot, chopped
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, chopped
1 tart green apple, peeled, cored, chopped
(squash and apple should be at a 3 to 1 ratio)
3 cups vegetable broth
Pinches of nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper

Combine garlic powder, onion, celery, and carrot in large saucepan. Cook for 5 minutes. Add squash, apple, and broth. Bring to boil. Simmer for 10 minutes or until squash is soft. Puree. Add spices to taste.