Oh my goodness. Who's life suddenly got ten times busier? The dirty dishes have languished, sleep has been sacrificed, and I have only cooked once. Thankfully, it was a fun, delicious new recipe made from Thanksgiving leftovers. Let's face it, we all love Thanksgiving dinner, but the third or four repeat gets a little old.

Sausage, Kale, and Cranberry Pasta
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

1 lb rigatoni
Salt
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1/2 lb hot bulk Italian sausage
1/2 lb sweet bulk Italian sausage
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 med red onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
3/4 cup dry red wine, eyeball it
1 1/4 lb kale, stems removed and chopped
Black pepper
1/8 to 1/4 tsp nutmeg, to your taste
3/4 cup Romano cheese, 3 generous handfuls, plus some to pass at the table

Boil a large pot of water for the pasta. Add rigatoni and salt and cook to al dente or with a bite to it. Drain and reserve 2 ladles of pasta water.

While pasta cooks, heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, brown and crumble it, then add garlic and onions and cook until tender 5 to 6 minutes. Add cranberry sauce and wine and stir to combine then reduce a minute. Add kale in bunches and stir to wilt down. Add the reserved pasta water. Season the dish with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.

Add pasta to the pan with sausage and kale. Top pasta with cheese and toss with kale mixture to combine. Serve immediately with extra cheese for topping.

Hey guys! I'm sick - you wanted to know that didn't you.

So since I've been ordered to rest and have plenty of fluids along with my codeine-laced cough syrup (which is disgusting, btw) I asked the hubs to take some shots of our Christmas mantle.

It is similar to last's years mantle. I liked last year's mantle so why change it?



I still love that mixed nut wreath from last year, although I have been thinking of making it a bit more festive. Maybe next year.

Oh and just to refresh your memories - last year's mantle looked like this

See you guys next week! I can't wait to show off the house. :)

I wanted to post this project up Monday, but then Monday came and went and Tuesday came and I now have a cold, so there went Tuesday and now here we are on the eve of Wednesday and I'm finally sharing the bestest tree skirt ever.


This pattern is actually an old one that I had. Its the same pattern that is around my living room tree, except I changed it a little bit. :)

{McCall's Pattern 6453)

Now this pattern is not the one I used, but the skirt is similar. My pattern is out of print {I told you it was old}.

So anyways, I altered my pattern so that each of those 8 scalloped sections was ruched. In order to do this, I measured some paper to a length of 54". I had to cut two lengths of paper to 54" in order to be able to fit the whole pattern on it. Then I taped the pieces together and found the center of both ends of the paper.

Using the center mark of the paper, I lined up the pattern at the bottom of the paper and transferred the bottom curve. Then I moved  the pattern to the top of my paper and transferred the curve there. I made to clearly mark where my curves ended so I could match up my lines.


Then I just connected the two curves. This took some creative ruler making, but I made it work. Don't you just love the fedex thing to extend my ruler?

So after that was done, I just cut 8 pieces of tulle from this pattern. Gathered up each long side and basted it to the white muslin that I was using as the backing fabric. Then it was easy peasy to sew each section to another (leaving one open) and then adding some batting and the bottom of the tree skirt. After that was done I added some grosgrain ribbon to hide the seams and the feather trim for some fun. :)



Now isn't that a fun tree skirt? I love how flirty and girly it is. I did not enjoy being eaten alive by glitter. The glitter that is one that tulle must have the best adhesive ever, because I have glitter on my chest that has not come off even after bathing and showering. I think I may need  to scrub harder or something. Maybe I'm just transferring glitter from me to the loofah and back again. Oh well. I will beat this glitter problem. :)