So how are those family Bios coming along?? you ask...

 

Well, some progress is better than no progress right?  I have written book report style biographical sketches about all four of my grandparents.  So those are complete for the moment and I have started working on the great grandparents on my side of the family.  

I think those biographical sketches really add something more interesting to my genealogy research.  I love tracing my family tree and MY eyes glaze over at just lists of names and dates on records.  So I imagine my relatives who aren't so fascinated with genealogy might really not want to read anything that just is a list of facts.  Hopefully my kids and grandkids will enjoy reading snippets about their ancestors lives some day.

Here is one example of what I have for one great grandmother. 

Remember to tell your family's stories.

~Connie

BLT Wraps for an easy Lunch

 

Romain lettuce makes for easy lunch wraps.  I like to fill them with egg salad, cherry tomatoes and bacon. YUM!  Chicken salad is another great option.

Easy Egg Salad BLT Wraps

Hard boil 6 eggs. Chill in cool water then peel and dice them.

Mix with 3 Tablespoons mayo and two teaspoons of yellow mustard.

Add salt, pepper and diced chives.  

Fill lettuce leaves with egg salad, bacon and sliced cherry tomatoes.

Give theses wraps a try this Spring!

~Connie

New Cards on my Etsy shop!!

Happy to share that I have added some new card designs to my Etsy shop.  You can check them out at this link PrairieChick Studio

Snail mail, it's a thing.  Send some today!

~ Connie

Roasted Asparagus

 One of my favorite Spring veggies is roasted asparagus.  Even before it is ready in my garden, I buy it at the grocery just to enjoy it longer.  I roast it in the oven on a baking sheet or toss it on the grill for extra YUM!

Simply trim off the tough stem ends, and choose slimmer younger shoots for the most tender ones.

Place in a single layer on a baking sheet or grilling tray, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with you favorite seasoning blend like Mrs. Dash or Montreal seasoning.  Bake in a 350 oven for 10-12 minutes or grill for a similar time. Top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

~Connie

Denim Skirt Outfit Ideas to Copy!

 

Denim skirts are one of the most useful pieces in my wardrobe.  No matter the season they are the basic building blocks of so many outfits.  Essentially they work with any tops that you can wear with a pair of jeans.  So just think of all the possibilities!  Denim skirts come in all lengths and washes, so you certainly can find one that is flattering on your figure.  Personally I currently have two, a knee length medium wash skirt and midi length dark wash skirt.

These photos show a few different tops and styles of  skirts but their are lots more options.

Consider  trying these combinations when shopping your closet to find new outfits.

    Denim skirt with -

        1. a striped tee

        2. a graphic tee

        3. a button up blouse (print, stripe or solid)

        4. a pullover sweater

        5. a bright pop of color

        6. an animal print top

        7. a cardigan sweater buttoned up as a top

        8. a lace blouse

The possibilities are endless, so go have some fun pulling things from your closet!

~ Connie

Super Cheesy Pizza Grilled Cheese

 

Want something different for lunch??  Make this simple twist on a grilled cheese.  

Ingredients: Bread, butter, provolone cheese, pepperoni, pizza sauce and Italian seasoning

Butter two slices of bread,  With buttered side down on a plate build your pizza on the unbuttered side.

Add a spoonful of pizza sauce, a slice of provolone, pepperoni slices, a sprinkle of Italian seasoning.  Top with another slice of cheese and the top piece of bread with butter side up.  Carefully transfer your sandwich to a hot skillet or griddle and toast both sides until cheese is melty!

YUM  YUM!

~Connie

A trip on the Mighty Mississippi ...

 The river boat Twilight based in LeClaire, Iowa

A midwest trip that I highly recommend is a cruise on the river boat Twilight that is based in LeClaire, Iowa.  This Quad City area attraction is a hidden gem.  John and I truly enjoyed our two day cruise last Fall and it was a perfect relaxing getaway.  We departed from LeClaire by 8am and spent a relaxing day cruising up river to Dubuque.  The weather was lovely and our captain told us wonderful facts about the history of the river and towns as well as information about modern day navigation and shipping.  Our trip took us through two sets of locks and dams on the upper Mississippi, which is an interesting navigational process.  At another location we waited for a bridge master to open a railroad swig bridge so we could continue our journey north.

Meals were wonderful on board and the staff were very helpful which truly made our voyage a delightful experience.  Live music both afternoons was a treat and really added to the vibe of a riverboat journey from the 1800s.  Our overnight hotel stay in Dubuque was very comfortable and we had time to catch a few Dubuque attractions before our return trip to LeClaire on day two.  What a great way to enjoy the river and relax!

Views were awesome from any of the 3 decks!

Plan your voyage for the 2024 season.  With a variety of cruises from a couple of hours sightseeing to

2 day overnight trips there are options for every budget.  The Twilight is in operation from May thru October so plan a trip!  Visit https://riverboattwilight.com

Happy adventuring!

~Connie

Easy Baked Ranch Chicken with Bacon

This super simple recipe is one of my favorites!  It seems fancy enough for company, yet the ingredients are simple and usually kept on hand.  It is one of my go to recipes and I usually serve it with a salad or green veggie and bread.  So dinner is ready in 45 minutes!!

Ingredients-

4 boneless chicken breasts

1 and 1/2 cups of ranch dressing

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

bacon crumbles

1/2 cup sour cream

chicken seasoning blend ( like mrs. dash or montreal chicken grill seasoning)

Dash of dried parsley

Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish,  Season both sides of the chicken breasts.  Lay chicken in baking dish and sprinkle with half of the parmesan cheese.  Whisk together ranch dressing and sour cream and pour over chicken.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Top with remaining parmesan and bacon crumbles for the last 2-3 minutes of baking.  Add a sprinkle of parsley if desired.  This is such an easy and delish recipe your family will want it on repeat!  

Enjoy!

~Connie

 

The Leopard print flats or the red Converse?!!

How is it that my wonderful husband can live a complete and happy life with just 4 pairs of shoes!!

To me this is just unthinkable. Not that I have closets full of shoes mind you, but I do certainly have more than just 4 or 5 pairs.  During all those busy mom years I could find a cute pair of colorful tennies or fun bright sandals at my favorite TARGET while I stocked up on TP and toothpaste.  And I may have added to the shoe collection post pregnancy when only my shoe size had remained the same. 😉 When momma needed a shopping fix I could let myself buy new cute shoes over jeans in a new bigger size! (Can I get an AMEN?!)  Needless to say, now as a 50 something mom and grandma, I have a very cute collection of fun and stylish shoes.  This has actually been a PLUS as I started to refocus and revamp my fashion and style journey.

One of the best and useful tips I learned is -

STYLE TIP #3

A simple way to up your fashion game each day is to add one "Remarkable" piece.  You could be wearing basic jeans and a white T shirt but add those Red Converse high tops or those eye catching Gold sandals and you have just put together a "remarkable" fashion outfit! 😁  And someone WILL probably notice and say "You look great, and I love those shoes!" 

So no matter your size, or age or budget ... you can start today.  Just push yourself to add just that little extra "remarkable" item to your outfit.  (It may be shoes or a unique bag, or a cool scarf or even eye catching bold red lip stick!  You will be surprised how simple it is and how often you will receive a compliment on how great you look.)

Let's go be confident and uniquely us dear friends!

~ Connie

Turkey Cranberry Flatbread

 

This is a quick meal recipe I came up with after eating something similar at a restaurant.  It's great to use up leftover roasted turkey post holiday time, but I often make it with just deli meat that I have on hand for everyday sandwiches too.  For this photo I did not have fresh spinach, but I often add that if available.

Turkey Cranberry Flatbread

Ingredients:

Diced up cooked turkey(leftovers or just dice up deli meat slices into small bite size pieces 1/2 c. per)

1 -2 Tablespoons Ranch or creamy Italian dressing per flatbread, adjust to taste.

mashed whole berry cranberry sauce (about 1/4 c. per flatbread)

fresh spinach leaves as much as desired

1/4 c. grated parmesan per flatbread

Sprinkle of dried rosemary or dried oregano

A package of flatbreads or pitas

Arrange pitas on a baking sheet. Spread with ranch or creamy Italian dressing. Add fresh spinach leaves.  Sprinkle on diced turkey and drop on spoonfuls of mashed cranberry.  Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and dried spices.  Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Cut with a pizza cutter to serve.

For a meal I usually serve with a salad.  Narrow wedges could also be served as an appetizer.

Hope you will give this a try soon.

~Connie

Just tending my plant babies ...

 

A couple of weeks ago I started some of my plants for the garden and for my flower beds.  I usually hate the weather this time of year as everything is gray, gloomy and still brown outside. This year those warmer Spring days are coming fast!

Two years ago my wonderful hubby build a growing rack in one of our buildings.  It has racks for flats of seedlings and some grow lights.  We heat that area to about 50 degrees so it works well for starting seeds early when it is still snowing on occasion here in central Iowa!

Flowers are what seem to take the longest to sprout.  I have petunias, coleus and nasturiums started so far. And this week I should add marigolds, holly hocks and dwarf zinnias to the flower plans.  As far as veggies planted early I have started red onions, yellow onions, bell peppers and hot peppers.  Tomato seeds will be planted next week as well as some herbs and squashes.  

I will be busy tending these plant babies indoors until the week before Mother's Day.  At that point I will begin hardening them off with gradual introductions to sun, wind and outdoor temps.  

Our area's predicted last frost date is right around Mother's Day so I will be prepping the garden soil and getting ready to do my transplanting in mid May.  It will be a busy but fun time digging in the dirt!

I will try to occasionally update the flower and garden's progress here in my blog.  I've gardened long enough to know there will be both success stories and failures along the way, so check back to see what's happening down our gravel road!

~ Connie

Peach Scones for your Spring Brunch ...

 

My son's house has a peach tree so I have quite a stash of peaches in my freezer.  They seem the perfect thing to use up for a Spring Brunch.  I hope you will try this easy peach scone recipe soon.

Peach Scones

       2 cups flour

• ▢1/3 cup granulated sugar
• ▢2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), frozen
• ▢1/3 cup peach Greek yogurt (I use this kind)
• ▢1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• ▢1 large egg
• ▢1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢1/2 cup fresh peaches (about 1 peach), diced

For the Glaze:

• ▢1 cup powdered sugar
• ▢1-2 Tablespoons milk
• 
  

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

• In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 
• Grate the frozen butter and add to dry mixture. Use a fork or pastry blender to cut in the butter.
• In a separate bowl whisk together yogurt, cream, egg, and vanilla until well blended. 
• Add to the dry mixture and use a rubber spatula to fold the ingredients in until it starts to come together in large clumps.
• Stir in the diced fresh peaches. Gently knead mixture by hand (in the mixing bowl) just a few times until it comes together. Try not to handle the dough too much.
• Dust a clean surface with flour and drop dough onto surface.  Gently pat and shape into 8 inch round.
• Cut into 8 wedges then transfer to parchment lined baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden, about 16 - 18 minutes.
• Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes before drizzling on glaze.

Enjoy!

~Connie

You'll find me in the tiny house...

I've been working lately on some more acrylic paintings.  I did a couple of them as Christmas gifts for family.  The photos above are pieces I painted last winter, and I enjoyed adding them to our home.

My art studio space is out in the tiny house on our property.  The previous landowner used it as a hunting cabin before our main house was built.  When we moved here, I claimed it as my art space and when we have a full house of visitors, it doubles as extra guest quarters.  We hope to upgrade it in the future for our guests, but it works great for me to get away and focus on a painting project.  I don't worry about leaving my art supplies strewn about when I'm in the middle of something ... works better than the kitchen counter in that regard!

The barn quilt was my 3rd, and my largest piece so far.  It looks awesome hanging above our fireplace and I am quite pleased with it.

The windmill, was a first attempt at painting a landscape in acrylic.  It turned out pretty well I think for a first try.  

I have a couple of other projects in mind for this year, will have to see what I actually have time to get done!

~ Connie

Dill pickle stuffed flank steak

 

A favorite recipe from my childhood was what I called "pickle steak"!  Back in the day it was a delicious way to cook a cheaper cut of beef.  Now days I have a difficult time finding flank steak at my local markets but I tried this recipe with a flatiron steak that my local butcher said was similar and the results were delicious!  This photo from the internet shows a version with bacon added as well which I will have to try out next time I cook this up.

Dill Pickle Steak

a flatiron or flank steak

yellow mustard

a jar of dill spears

Score both sides of the steak with a butcher knife and lightly salt and pepper the meat.

Spread one side liberally with yellow mustard.  Place 3-4 dill spears across the meat and roll into a log shape.  Secure with a few tooth picks.

Lay the beef log into a glass baking dish pour some of the pickle juice over the meat.  I like my meat to bake in 1/4 to 1/2 inch of juice.  Cover with foil and bake at 325 for about an hour and a half.  Cut into slices to serve.

I served our steak with a side salad and some crusty bread. YUM!  There were no leftovers!

Happy Eating!

~Connie 

Playing it loose ...

The change of seasons is usually a good excuse to go thru my closet and take stock of what I have hidden in there that I have not worn in a while.  I like this idea of shopping my own closet and coming up with a new outfit or two!  So if you are doing the same at your house, keep this latest style tip in mind.

Style Tip # 2

Fashion proportion is key!  (In other words, pair loose & flowing with tight)
Very few people on earth can pull off head to toe baggy or top to bottom form fitting.  So take a cue here and team your flowing tops and sweaters with something body conscious on the bottom.  Or the opposite with a very form fitting top and a loose and full skirt or wide leg pants!  No matter your shape or size this is a basic fashion principal that can work for all.

Above are all great examples of loose or flowing on the top paired with something slim on the bottom.

(Think skinny jeans, pencil skirts and leggings)

Just as these close fitting tops are the perfect go to with these full and flowing skirts.

(This dress also shows this principal in it's wonderful styling!)

I am sure there are some new combinations lurking in the clothes you already own...so go have some fun and put this style tip into action today!

~Connie

Quick company dessert hack!

 

An easy dessert hack I use often is to keep a brownie mix and an assortment of baking chips on hand.  Then if you have unexpected company coming, mix up the brownie mix and add a cup or so of the flavored chips to the mix before baking and you will have a quick and easy homemade treat!

I use mint chips often but others that work are white chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch, toffee bits, and even diced dried cherries or cranberries along with the white chocolate chips!

This is also a great trick to use if you have to take treats for some event.  Try to keep the supplies on hand and you can easily have something ready to go in a flash!

Happy baking!

~Connie

A little trail thru the woods...

We have been on this property for 7 years this May, and over the years we have been trying to spend some of our outdoor time reestablishing a trail thru our woods to the pond.  At one time there was a trail but it has had numerous years of neglect ...so it has been a challenge to cut back the trees and the under story plants.  That however is the 1st step to creating a neat trail thru our property that we hope the kids and the grands will enjoy in the future!

I hope this summer and in years future to add some cool artwork and signs along the trail.  Maybe a fairy village, a fishing bridge at the pond and a playhouse in the woods will pop up in the next few Springs!  John and I have some fun ideas in mind.  So I will try to remember to share some pics of our creations here.

~
Connie

Slow Cooker Chicken Burritos

Warm comfort food always sounds good on a cold evening and when it's a simple crockpot recipe that's even better.  Hope you will find it as tasty as my crew does.

Easy Crockpot Chicken Burritos

In a slow cooker layer in 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  Sprinkle over them 1 package of taco seasoning mix.  

Next add to the crock pot, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 can whole kernel corn and 1 can of black beans.

Cook on low for 6 hours.   With 2 forks shred chicken in the crockpot and mix in 3/4 c of sour cream.  Cook 1 package of Spanish rice as directed.

Serve chicken with, rice, flour tortillas, salsa, grated cheddar and any of your favorite taco toppings!

YUM!

If you'd like to receive more free recipe ideas from me, please check out the recipe tab at the top of the blog.  If you would like me to start an email list for new recipes that I post, please send me a note about that and I will see what I can come up with.  Contact me at prairiechicknotes@gmail.com

Happy Eating!

~ Connie

 

Do you know what's most flattering on your body shape?

                 

We've all been there ... saw a great looking outfit in a store display, tried on those same pieces and then hated the results!  Could you figure out why those pieces were not flattering on you??  I think learning a few tips to help you know your body shape and a few tricks for dressing that body shape will help us all find outfits we love.  Can you determine your shape by reading the descriptions below??  If you are unsure, check this body shape calculator link here.

Body Shapes in Fashion

Apple - Fuller bust and waist, carries most weight in upper body with slimmer legs.

Pear (Triangle) - bust is narrower than hips, defined waist, carries more weight in hips, butt and thighs.

Straight (Rectangle) - bust, waist and hips are all similar width. No real curves.

Carrot (inverted triangle)- shoulders are widest part, waist not defined, narrower hips.

Hourglass - bust and hips similar width with a narrower waist. 

Apple Body Shape Style Tips- the key to styling an apple body shape is to accent the legs and bust areas, while creating a more defined waist and a balanced silhouette.

    *Best Tops - V-neck styles, empire waist styles, peplum tops, wrap style tops and long line cardigans & coats.

    *Best Bottoms- Boot cut jeans and pants with a midrise, a line skirts, straight leg trousers.

If you are an apple shape read more here about do's and don'ts, plus tips on jacket styles, accessories, outerwear and more.

Pear Body Shape Style Tips- the key to styling a pear body shape is to bring balance to your look.  Focus on waist definition, shoulder widening sleeve details and wider necklines.  Brighter colors and stripes or patterns on the upper body (instead of the lower body) will help with balance too.

    *Best Tops - brighter colors, sleeve and shoulder details like pouf or ruffles, stripes or patterns, boat or sweetheart necklines, off the shoulder or tie strap shoulders.  Crop length jackets and cardigans with shoulder pads will widen the shoulders and accent your waist.

    *Best Bottoms- Boot cut jeans and pants with a higher rise, a line skirts, straight leg trousers.  Remember darker washes in jeans and pants will be most figure flattering.

If you are a pear shape read more here about styling your shape, plus tips on jacket and dress styles, accessories, outerwear and more.

Straight (Rectangle) Body Shape Style Tips -  the key to styling a straight (rectangle) body shape is to bring balance to your look.  Focus on waist definition and drawing the eye in toward the center of the body.

    *Best Tops - peplum styles, wrap styles and V necklines are all great. Avoid overly boxy shapes and loose fits, instead look for more tailored shaping and ruching to define a waistline.

    *Best Bottoms- Boot cut jeans and pants with a higher rise, a line skirts, straight or wider leg trousers will all highlight the waistline.

If you are a straight (rectangle) body shape read more here about more ways to style your shape, plus tips on jacket and dress styles, accessories, outerwear and more.

Carrot (inverted triangle) Body Shape Style Tips- the key to styling an carrot body shape is to accent the legs and hip areas, which will create a more balanced silhouette.

    *Best Tops - V-neck styles, scoop neck styles, halter tops, wrap style tops and one shoulder tops.  Stick with solid colors on top and avoid horizontal stripes which will over emphasize your broader shoulders.

    *Best Bottoms- Boot cut jeans and full or wide leg pants with a midrise or high rise, full skirts, and pleated skirts will look great on you. Prints and brighter colors on your bottom half will help bring balance to your shape.

If you are a carrot (inverted triangle) body shape read more here about styling your shape, plus tips on jacket and dress styles, accessories, outerwear and more.

Hourglass Body Shape Style Tips -  with a narrow waist and balanced bust and hip measurements, your body shape is celebrated in the fashion world, but it can still be a challenge to find styles that fit well!

    *Best Tops - peplum styles, wrap styles and V necklines are all great. Avoid overly boxy shapes and loose fits, instead look for more tailored shaping to hug your curves.

    *Best Bottoms- Boot cut jeans and pants with a higher rise, a line skirts, straight or wider leg trousers will all highlight the waistline.

If you are an hourglass body shape read more here about more ways to style your shape, plus tips on jacket and dress styles, accessories, outerwear and more.

Hope all this info provides some help and gives you a starting point for evaluating the clothes you already own, as well as gives you some ideas on flattering pieces to shop for.  Keep a list of YOUR figure flattering items on your phone.  This will help you evaluate a piece in the dressing room before you buy.  Going thru your closet on a cold winter day to eliminate items that don't work for you will help you feel better about your closet ...just think of it as EARLY Spring cleaning!

Reach out with any questions. Email me at prairiechicknotes@gmail.com

~Connie

Beef and Cheese Foldover

Here is a quick and simple dinner idea... my mom made this when I was a kid and it has been a staple in our family of BBQ lovers.

Beef & Cheese Foldover

1 pound ground beef

1/2 c. diced onions

2 tubes crescent rolls

6 slices american cheese

3/4 c. BBQ sauce

Brown ground beef and onions in a skillet. Drain.

Unroll one tube of crescent rolls on a baking sheet. Flatten into a bottom one piece crust.

Mix BBQ sauce into ground beef and spread this mixture over crescent roll crust.  Layer on the slices of cheese.  Unroll 2nd tube of crescent rolls to form a top crust. Pinch together edges.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  Slice into pieces and serve with additional BBQ sauce if desired.

** A ham and cheese variation ~ Spread a honey mustard sauce over bottom crust.  Layer on sliced deli ham and american cheese. Add top crust and bake as above.

If you would like me to start an email list for new recipes that I post, please send me a note about that and I will see what I can come up with.  Contact me at prairiechicknotes@gmail.com

~Connie

My Books!!

 

    

                                                            A page from "Hello, Ruby!"

One of the things I've been wanting to do in my retirement is write kid's books.  For my first book I had an idea to make a counting book for toddlers and I wanted to feature the antics of my two real life "dorky" cats!  Emmett and Ruby are brother and sister and we rescued them about 10 years ago.  The pandemic winter provided me with the time to really work on my illustrations and the spring was a time to search for a way to self publish my board book.  (Not an easy task!)  It is way more costly to print a small order of books than I expected, but sooo exciting to see my creations published!

I presented that first board book "Hello, Ruby!" to my oldest granddaughter on her birthday in 2020!  

My second book idea came from watching Emmett and his adventures around the farm.  He is such a goofball!  This second book featured a lot of family members too, so hopefully the granddaughters will enjoy seeing their aunts, uncle and grandparents drawn out as book illustrations too.  I then gifted "Shoo, shoo Emmett!" to the little Shaver girls for Christmas 2022.  The photo above is from "Hello, Ruby!"  and I will share a photo from "Shoo, shoo Emmett!" below. 

 

                                                       A page from "Shoo, shoo Emmett!"

This past Fall I finished "Ruby's Pumpkin Surprise!"    These little books have brought me so much joy and I hope they will be family keepsakes for years to come.

My brain is already spinning up new adventures for the crazy cat duo, so there may be more books in the future. 😀

If you'd like to order any copies ... check out my Etsy shop at this link PrairieChickStudio

(and please note the price you see is the printing cost per book, I am not marking them up for profit)

~ Connie