Race T-shirt Redux!

Tomorrow night I'm doing the Relay for Life in Tampa with my godmother and I am SO psyched to be getting involved in the community finally! It's something I've really been wanting to do, but haven't had the time/opportunity/balls to do it by myself, so I kind of drunkenly agreed a few weeks ago, and I'm so glad I did! Earlier tonight, we spent some time baking and decorating items to sell - painted corks, wine glasses, candle holders. They are super cute, maybe I'll take some pics tomorrow at the event. I'm not SUPER crafty, but some of them turned out really adorable, hopefully someone will pick them up for $1!!

Tonight we also picked up our relay shirts, and I usually am not big on wearing the race shirt TO the race but apparently everyone does it for this one. It's gonna be HOT as blazes tomorrow, so I wanted to turn mine into a tank somehow. Our team captain, Sarah, is really into pinterest (just like me! check out her page!) and showed me this adorable and easy t-shirt redux (it's also a bonus this blogger is from New Zealand, I love it there!). I decided to whip it up tonight when I got home and my mom helped me, of course.

I didn't take pics along the way, the blog tutorial is pretty self-explanatory and easy as it is. I did tweak it a little. I serged the raw edges and then straight stitched them under to make the arm holes non-raggedy. The logos were a bit higher on my tshirt than on the blogger's so mine got a little cramped at the top :/ but it turned out super cute anyways!

Close up :) 

I love to make a crazy face!

This legit only took straight stitches, it was super easy!

I'm off this weekend to a transatlantic cruise then spending a few days in Europe!
xoxo,
Janie from Scratch

UPDATE!! I got so many compliments and "how did you do that"s at the relay! A very successful t-shirt redux :)

Friday Happy Hour: Basil Caipirinha

OMG YALLLL!!!! Why haven't I done a Friday Happy Hour post in like 23434534531123945 years?!??! Because, let's be frank, I've done a LOT of drankin' in the past 2 months since I've been enjoying funemployment. 

So, bear with me as I digress... I left Ft Lauderdale on February 20 for a short 2-week road trip to Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville (this trip was basically based around a few races I'd committed to). Well, this 2 weeks turned into 3... then 4... then a month... While I've been gone I was so lucky to spend amazing quality time with my long lost Tampa/Orlando peeps, run 3 races (10k, 15k and 5k) and met an amazing man :) But I am SO GLAD to be home again home again jiggity jog! I have a LOT of changes going on in my life and once things are settled I'll share, but until then, it's basically time for me to soak it all in and enjoy it!

I've been having a slight caipirinha obsession in the past few months. A caipirinha is similar to a mojito, but made with fancy pants Brazilian "rum". It's refreshing, semi-healthy, and tasty! I made a few regular ones the other night for the bf and again tonight with basil when I got home from Tap42 (side note: this place is AMAZEBALLS!). So... here goes nothing! (And a big apology to you cocktail snobs out there...)

Basil Caipirinha

• 1/2 lime cut into wedges
• basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 1/2 ounces cachaça (you can find this in fancy liquor stores, I got mine in Total Wine; there's several brands, Leblon seems to be the middle of the road)
• ice
• water/soda water

In a pint glass, muddle half a lime cut into smaller wedges, a few basil leaves, and a teaspoon or so of sugar. Before I cut the limes, I always roll them a bit to get the juices flowing. Then add 2 1/2 ounces of Cachaça (now listen here, you know I am HUGE proponent of "use what you have"... but do NOT use just regular rum... I promise you cachaça has a completely different taste, and since you don't put a lot into this cocktail, it will absolutely alter the taste). So, once you have all this, add ice until the top of the glass. The liquid will not fill up to the top. So, top it off with water or soda water. You can stir it to combine, or I like pouring it all into a shaker, then pouring it all back into the glass. You can garnish with a lime or basil leaf or just drink it! HAHA!

Then take your cocktail to your balcony and really enjoy it :)
xoxo,
Janie from Scratch

Homemade Road ID

Ever since I started running on a regular basis, I've always been SUPER concerned that something would happen to me, and since I don't run with a phone or ID or anything, no one would ever know who I was. It's a serious paranoia of mine (amongst many others). They have ones you can buy online but they are super boring and sterile looking. So I enlisted my mom to help make one for my friend Ryan and I. 

Using my mom's embroidery machine I was able to create this super cute design, and then my mom sewed the button holes for the shoe laces. 

Jane B's machine stitching away

Then I laced it on and voila! Now I'll never be lost if something ever happens to me while I'm running :)

I can't wait to try it out at the Gate River Run in Jacksonville this weekend!


Side note: Ryan and I did our first 10k this weekend!! It was a great race. It was FREEZING and rained the first 1-2 miles, but after that, we both settled in and had a great run. It was funny because she was a little ahead of me but when we compared notes, we struggled and found it easy at the same spots. Mile 4 was great for both of us and mile 5 was terrible for both of us. And we even matched:

Twinsies!

So get outside and have fun! It's so nice out lately:)
xoxo,
Janie from Scratch

French Onion Dip from Jane B

So, I haven't actually made this, but my aunt did and my mom tried it and said it was AMAZING. So I will share with yall :) It's supposed to be similar to the onion dip you make from the little packet from the supermarket. Hope you like! 

French Onion Dip

• 3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter

• 2 pounds onions, chopped fine

• Salt & Pepper

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne Pepper

• 1/4 cup water

• 2-1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

• 1 cup sour cream

• 1/2 cup mayo

Melt butter in 12-in. skillet over medium heat. Add onions, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper & cayenne & cook stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent ~ 10 min. Reduce heat to med-low & cook until onions are golden ~ 10 min.

Add 2 Tbl water to skillet & cook, scraping up any browned bits, until water is evaporated ~ 5 min. Add last 2 Tbl H2o & cook until onions are caramelized ~ 5 min. longer. Remove from heat & add Balsamic vinegar. Put onions in med. bowl & let cool 10 min.
Add sour cream & mayo; stir to mix. Season w/salt & pepper to taste. Refrig. at least 30 min to allow flavors to blend.

Here's Jane B and my dad's sister, Aunt Marion and me!

Breakfast Burritos

Let's get the bad news out of the way first. I got laid off two Fridays ago. I've spent the majority of the past week drinking by the pool. But now it's time to focus, really get serious... and move my afternoons to the beach. HA! Anyways, last week I kept waking up super hungry, and I usually eat breakfast at work, but wanted to make something easy I could grab on my way out the door (TO THE BEACH!). I've been craving a breakfast burrito for awhile and have been wanting to make some so I ran to the store, grabbed some ingredients and whipped a few up! So easy (as always), so fast.

Janie's Breakfast Burritos

• breakfast sausage 
• eggs
• grated cheese
• frozen hashbrowns
• sauce -- you could use salsa, hot sauce, spicy mayo, anything!
• large tortillas

First, brown the sausage. I used half a roll of spicy breakfast sausage, but I think you could probably use the pre-formed sausage links. Then, scramble the eggs (of course I scrambled them in the sausage fat!). I used 5 eggs. Then assemble your burritos!

Put a spoonful of sausage, eggs, cheese and a few hashbrowns in the tortilla. I forgot to put the sauce, but some taco sauce or hot sauce would be super yummy! Save your mayo-based or non-microwave friendly for after you zap these. 

Roll up tight.

Then, roll up in a piece of plastic wrap.

And store in a big plastic zip lock bag in the fridge.

This made SO MANY -- 8 burritos in total! I microwave one for 45 seconds IN the plastic wrap so the tortillas don't dry out. Then, since I forgot sauce, I add a little sauce at every bite. (I actually had some leftover bloomin' onion sauce from a dinner party -- mayo-based -- and put that on as I ate, YUM!) Voila.. easy, quick and tasty breakfast. You could even make these healthier using egg whites, whole wheat tortillas, turkey sausage, and sauteed veggies instead of hashbrowns. 

For Your Mistle Toes - Holiday Gift

Of course, awhile ago I saw on pinterest what I wanted to make/give the girls at the office. Just a little something to brighten their holidays. So I found super cute nail files at Sally and bought some small nail polishes in Christmas colors and whipped up some homemade sugar scrub.

Sugar/Salt Scrub
1 cup coconut oil (I found some at Whole Foods)
1/2 cup sea salt
1/2 cup raw sugar
essential oils (I used eucalyptus & lavender)

Mix everything together. I ended up adding more salt & sugar because I wanted the consistency to be a little thicker. But just make yours as thick or thin as you like.

I found these super cute jars at Michael's (but actually they turned out to leak), but you can also use canning jars (my fave!).

 I made a few batches!

 Then, I made these super cute inserts for the baggies I was putting together.

 And I wrapped up the bigger ones individually.

And the smaller ones went with the nail polish and see the SUPER CUTE ADORABLE nail file? I chose ones that matched whoever the gift went to.

These were a big hit!!

Hope you have a WONDERFUL Christmas :) And Happy New Year!

xoxox,
Janie from Scratch

AFTER THE FACT: So, the little plastic jars leaked :( Next time I think I'll use mason jars instead!

Bacon Jam

Last time, I told you about the $9 Crock Pot my AWESOME coworker got me from Black Friday. I needed to christen it and what better way than with a batch of delicious Bacon Jam?! I first heard of this from my friend Flossie who loves bacon just as much as I do.

Now, I know what you're thinking... bacon jam... EW! But, take my word for it, it is AMAZING. It will change your life for the better, nay, the best. I brought a jar to work today for everyone to try and it got RAVE reviews! My officemate and I thought of ways to use it: on sliders, on biscuits or egg mcmuffins, as a "sauce" on a thin-crust pizza with onions, with baked brie instead of fruit jam. The list is truly endless. And, of course, it's SUPER easy. :)

Martha Stewart's Bacon Jam
1 1/2 lbs bacon, cut crosswise into 1" pieces
2 white onions, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup coffee
1/4 cup maple syrup (please don't cheat and use Aunt Jemima!)
1/2 cup brown sugar

In a large skillet, cook the bacon until the fat is rendered and the edges are just starting to brown.

Remove with a slotted spoon to the slow cooker. Add the chopped onions to the fat (Martha says to remove most of the fat first, but I refuse... fat=flavor) and cook until translucent.

Pour into slow cooker with bacon. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir to combine.

Cook for 3-4 hours on high with the lid OFF, until liquid is syrupy. Your house will smell amazing, as an aside.

Pour mixture into a blender or food processor, and blend/process until mixture is chunky, but not totally smooth.

 (As a reminder, if you blend hot liquids, leave the little middle lid off, and cover the hole with a dish towel to prevent blender explosions!)

Mmmm looks good!

Pour mixture into canning jars (I don't usually do the whole canning-jar boiling-water process because I put this right into the fridge, but you can if you want). Refrigerate until firm (the mixture will be runny when warm, but firm up in the fridge).

Then share with only your nearest and dearest!

Happy holidays lovies!
xoxox,
Janie from Scratch