Another MAP BAG

The hubster had asked for a bigger document bag this morning to carry his stacks of papers...and so I went to work on my sewing machine with a map that I had rescued from the trash and lots of vinyl.

This was an easy one to sew...I decided to sew on the wrong side instead and so I had to flip the bag to the right side and that was what was really hard to do.

My paper map got a little crumpled in the process but no biggie as the vinyl layers have kept the map in one piece with no tears or whatsoever. So here it is....my waterproof (crumpled) MAP BAG for my dearest.

The map is printed on both sides so it's mappy on the inside of the bag too...NICE!

And there's a map of Boston and vicinity....good for when we get lost!

Can't wait for spring warm-up....

It's spring already but still quite chilly over here. We have been in the 40s & 50s this whole week. I'm almost fully recovered from a flu that I caught last week probably due to the hot-cold weather changes.

I can't wait for warmer days to come!!! And I'm gonna have some important visitors late spring :) *crossing fingers & toes*

Snagged a lovely pair of Lindsay Phillips Switchflops from Ocean State Job Lot for $15 (selling for close to $40 on amazon)...it's comfy, pretty and it also has interchangeable straps (for matching with your outfits/purses?!). How cool is that?

Now...when can I start wearing my flip-flops already!!! *impatience*

The return of puff filling

As usual, I made too much puff filling so this leftover queen (moi of course!) created a few new dishes with the leftovers.

Here are some curry tartlets - puff filling put into lil sweet pastry shells and topped with shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.

And this was my lunch earlier....sandwich wrap using a whole-grain flat bread with boston lettuce, puff filling, ham and avocado. Super delicious I tell ya!!!

I was almost disappointed that I had used up all the leftovers. There's something about creating yummy stuffs out of boring leftovers that makes me oh-so-happy! :P

Oven baked curry puffs

I had 2 boxes of frozen puff pastry that had been lying there for the longest time.....so I decided to make some curry puffs with them.

I made the puff fillings like I normally do - the cheat's way. I boiled the potatoes and chopped them into bitesize pieces. I also chopped up some leftover rotisserie chicken breast into chunks. I fried some chopped onions till soft, added some packet curry paste (I used Brahim's meat curry) and a little bit of chicken stock...followed by the chicken and potatoes...and kept stirring till thoroughly mixed and heated. Set aside.

I left the frozen puff pastry out to thaw as per the instructions on the box. When ready, I unrolled the puff pastry and cut them into squares (the size of the square is all up to you).

I spread the puff filling on one side and topped with a slice of egg. Then I folded the puff pastry to make a triangular shape and sealed the sides by pressing the pastry with the tips of a fork.

I brushed the surfaces of the puffs with beaten egg and gently placed the puffs onto a baking rack that's on top of a cookie sheet (that's to allow the puffs to bake nicely on both sides).

I popped the puffs into the preheated oven of 370F for about 1/2 hr or till nicely browned.

Potato chips cookies

Did you know that 14 Mar was National Potato Chip Day? Well......neither did I!

Anyway, someone posted the link for making Potato Chips cookies on FB and I was like....hmm! this looks really gooood. You see, I generally prefer savory snacks than sweet ones.

So this morning, to keep myself awake (long story, I won't go into it here), I followed the recipe (with few changes) and made these crunch savory cookies.

Instead of rolled oats, I used whatever leftover instant maple/brown sugar flavored oatmeal that I was probably gonna toss out eventually 'cos it tasted awful!

And a surprise (NOT!) ingredient for the POTATO CHIPS cookies - POTATO CHIPS!!.....what do you know right! :P  Ok, my crap aside.....I used Kettle Lightly Salted chips. I also toned down the salt amount to maybe 3/4 of a teaspoon.

I pounded at the chips bag with my fists until they crumbled into smaller bits. Good workout for a sleepy me! I had some difficulties incorporating the chips into the dough with a spoon.....so in the end, I used my hands (they were clean ok!) and kinda squished the chips and dough together.

I also just scooped the dough with a tablespoon onto my palm and again - squished them into tighter rounds.

I made about 36 cookies. Whatever the number....I prefer it to be an even one. I'm weird like that.

They look almost like regular cookies but look closer and you'll see the potato chips. The chips give a really nice savory crunch.....if you are the sort who can't eat just one chip....then you might have a problem with these cookies too. So crunch-munch away!

No knit knit bag (upcycling)

I saw some knitted bags on etsy....they are soooooooo pretty but costly....and unfortunately, after a 2-decade hiatus, I've totally forgotten how to knit :P

So I thought....hey, I can sew right?! How about if I make use of old knit sweaters and convert them into purses?

I found a natural color cable sweater at Salvation Army for $3 and I set about to create my first ever no-knit knit bag.

The original bag design was a little more ambitious....but once I started cutting up the sweater...I was horrified to see the knit fabric "disintegrating" right in front of my eyes.

Having had no prior experience sewing knit fabrics...I soon realised that I had bitten off more than I could chew.

Anyway, to keep long story short...I learned that I need to stablise the knit fabric first before I cut. I did that by using a zigzag stitch to sew along the entire length of where I wished to cut. And I also had to prevent fraying of the knit fabric by running the zigzag stitch again around all the edges. And 'cos of the "technical difficulties" involved, I decided to keep the bag design simple...at least for my virgin attempt.

Well...TA-DA!

The fabric flower was made out of an old sheer curtain.

I have to admit that I'm a little intimidated by knit fabrics now after my virgin experience....but I have promised myself to attempt a couple more such no-knit knit bags and not admit defeat so soon....especially when I still have another 3 knitted sweaters from Salvation Army for this purpose....yikes! :P

Meatloaf wrap

Truth be told that I don't really like meatloaf when eaten on its own......but I absolutely love using leftover meatloaf to make all sorts of other dishes.

This meatloaf wrap is one of my favorites.

Here's an easy tutorial on how to put it all together.

Step 1: Heat up a piece of tortilla (cold is fine too. I used a low-fat spinach herb tortilla). Spread fat free mayo on it....alright, i'm a little sloppy  at mayo spreading but who cares right!

Step 2: I like to start layering with lettuce and other vegetables right in the middle of the tortilla. You can add all sorts of veg & fruits i.e. carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, avocado, grapes, apples, kiwi etc.

Step 3: After piling on the vegs, I added in slices of meatloaf, cheese and dollops of my special meatloaf sauce.

Step 4: I actually piled on more veg before rolling the tortilla up tightly.  Tuck in both ends neatly.

Step 5: To ensure that the ends are secure and to make eating easier and less messy....I like to foil wrap both ends.

Step 6: Cut the wrap in the middle at a slant....you can serve it with soup, salad, chips or other sides. It packs well in lunchboxes too.

ENJOY!!!