Simple Chili

This is a very easy and wonderful chili for the cool days ahead.

1 lb. ground beef
2 cans stewed tomatoes (run through a blender)
2 cans Bush's chili beans (preferably hot or medium)

Brown the meat then add the rest - no draining - and let simmer for 20 minutes or throw in the crock pot on low for a couple hours.
That's it!
If you like a little more heat, add some chili powder and your favorite hot sauce. So easy and one that everybody will love.

Fabric Brooches

The new trend this season seems to be headed towards brooches and vintage jewelry. Vintage jewelry is great and fun to collect, but not always easy to find the good quality pieces. One way to follow this trend is with fabric brooches. They are a fun and inexpensive way to accessorize. No need to match either, the trend is to layer and not necessarily to coordinate which means you can wear whatever you like with whatever you like!

These fabric pins are also a great way to individualize that scarf you love, that somehow half your friends seem to have too. Or to accentuate your one-of-a-kind purse that you just saw someone else toting. I love to pin them on my jean jacket, trench coat, purses, my daughter's backpack, and to keep my scarf twisted and in place. They're also great added to gifts as an extra special treat and an easy way to make your package look extra special.

This is one trend that is easy to follow in these tough economic times. And what a fun way to add color to your day! The ones pictured can be found at thecoralfish.etsy.com.

Hearty Vegetable Soup

This is one of my favorite soups. I make it all through the Fall and Winter months, it is a staple in our home. It is also very easy to customize to your own tastes.

1 lb. lean ground turkey OR 1-2 cans kidney beans
1 1/3 cups sliced carrots
1 cup diced onion
1 Tbsp garlic
6 cups broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable)
2-3 zucchini, diced
2-3 squash, diced
1 1/3 cups green beans cut up or 1 can
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 tsp dried Basil
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp dried Oregano
1/2 tsp salt

Brown turkey in sauce pan in a little Olive oil. Saute carrots, onion, garlic, zucchini and squash on low heat in large pot. Add turkey, broth, beans and remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for about 15 mins. Serve and enjoy.

Cake Stand

I found this beautiful cake stand at my favorite antique store and didn't really know what to do with it at first...

I hated the thought of hiding it in my cabinet, so instead of keeping it safely tucked away (a decision I may later regret with 2 small children running around the house) I decided to use it to display my favorite seashells. This is a wonderful way to display some of your prize collections instead of just having your cake stand out the few times a year you use it for cakes. It would be wonderful to stock full of mini pumpkins or gourds for the fall, a few of your favorite Christmas ornaments or a mini Christmas scene for the winter, pile high with Easter Eggs, or whatever neat things you may have tucked away around your home. Change it with the seasons, holidays, etc. Enjoy the pieces you have in your home and think of new ways to use them, which always makes them more wonderful and special as the years go by.

3 Bean Salad

This is one of my favorites and something you usually find in my fridge. I like to have it around to snack on, instead of my usual cookies and bread. It makes a wonderful side dish or topping for a salad. Lasts for several days in the fridge.

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup, give or take, Kraft Tuscan House Italian dressing
1 handful fresh spinach, chopped

optional toppings to be added just before serving:
grated Parmesan cheese
crushed Jalapeno flavored potato chips

Varsity Letters

Ever wonder what to do with those old varsity letters from school days? Sew them onto pillows for a unique way of displaying them. It's a fun way of showing off your school spirit!

Great for a boys room,

library or den.

Tex Mex Eggrolls

These eggrolls are always a big hit in our house during the football season and are easy to make. We usually have them as the main course at our house, but they also make great appetizers.

1 package eggroll wrappers (found in refrigerated section in produce)
1 can black beans, drained
1 can original Rotel tomatoes, drained
1 can fiesta corn, drained
1/2 pound ground beef cooked in 1/2 packet taco seasoning - let cool slightly
optional add ins: cheese, spinach

toppings: salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cheese

mix the above ingredients together and spoon into eggrolls according to directions on eggroll packet. The eggrolls can be baked but we find that fried in canola oil is by far the best. Any remaining mix makes a great topper, with Doritos, for a taco salad. I hope you enjoy these as much as we do.

Simply Made Valance

This is a great valance that is so easy to make. It will give your room a more sophisticated and finished look.

I started with one yard of fabric for each window. Hem the sides and bottom of the fabric and make a 1 1/2" pocket along the top of the fabric (allowing enough room for the valance rod). Can't sew? No problem! Just use stitch witch and a hot iron, or like me - use a hot glue gun. That's it. The valance rod is very inexpensive (around $2 each at Target) and the fabric can be too. I spent $10 a yard on mine. Use ribbon sold by the spool to tie up the sides, only a few dollars for several yards. The knots can be hidden in the back or covered with shells, buttons, etc. to dress up the front. Have fun and be creative.

I added a couple of pictures from the valances I've made for my home. I hope they help to give you ideas for your own home.

Old Brooch, New Style

Ever wonder about what to do with those old brooches of Grandma's? Try attaching one, or several, to your favorite handbag. It gives it a vintage flair and a one of a kind designer look without the price. Pictured here is a vintage 80's very large gold lion brooch pinned to a The Sak bag found at a local consignment store. Great look that easily goes with almost every outfit in your closet. And the guarantee that no one else will be carrying the same purse as you!

The Coral Fish: The Coral Fish

thecoralfish.etsy.com

Almond Broccoli Salad

This is an easy and elegant salad perfect for company, potlucks, or an easy meal on the go. If preparing ahead then add the bacon and almonds just before serving.

4 cups fresh broccoli, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup red grapes
1 cup green grapes
8 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup chopped scallions
2/3 cup sliced almonds

Toss above ingredients with the following dressing

Dressing:
1 cup mayo
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp curry powder

New Entry

Tired of that ugly old hole in the door for your pet to enter and exit through? Add some charm by painting your pet's name over the door and adding a few topiaries to the sides to dress it up. Create a fun entrance for your pet that you both will enjoy and get creative. You can even paint it to match the front entry to your own home. Don't be afraid to try it yourself first. You just might be surprised at what you can do. Start off penciling out the design then finish with paints found at any craft store. And don't worry, if you fail miserably you can always paint over and try again, or find a friend with a talent for painting.

The Coral Fish

The Coral Fish is the name for my Design Space. I would love this blog to be a place where I show you simple ways to decorate around your home or add a little unique flair to your wardrobe without spending alot of money. I have my degree in Interior Design with a minor in Art. I spend the majority of my days at home now with my two children and have found that I miss having a "creative outlet". I am hoping to use this space for that. I have also recently opened a shop on etsy to showcase and sell some of the wonderful pieces I have found and collected over the years. Please check it out... TheCoralFish.etsy.com

I hope you will enjoy this site as much as I am looking forward to creating it!