Here Comes Santa Claus!

HAPPY HUMP DAY FRIENDS!


Only 2 days until the weekend- Whoo!

So now that Thanksgiving is officially behind us, we can bust out the Christmas tunes and eggnog. Except, we have been in the Christmas spirit since the middle of November and I don't like eggnog. But, the Gantz home is decorated and ready for Santa to slide down the chimney.


I went with a particular color scheme this year, silver and red, with touches of vintage and sparkle. Yes, I plan a color scheme each year, its that OCD thing coming out.


Let's start with the Christmas tree!

Those letters spell "Merry Christmas" and I got the inspiration at Pottery Barn. They were $3.50 a letter and I just couldn't see spending that on letters! Therefore, I bought the letters at JoAnn Fabric for $1.49, little left over silver paint and glitter spray and voila! My own letter banner.  You can semi-see one of the pillows we (well my mom) sewed for this season. One set is an awesome vintage Santa fabric and the other is fashioned after this pillow. Except, I did silver stars.

Up next, the buffet.

This is one of my favorite places to decorate in the main living area. The ornament garland I found at TJMaxx and the trees were half price at Hobby Lobby. The planter is left over from our wedding and I filled it with cute red bird and snowflake fabric. Layer in some ornaments and glitter pears to complete it! I love love this and can't wait to change the vibe each Christmas. Oh the possibilities!

Then let's move on to the dining room table.. Which is 100% complete!!

Yes I know our table is a little off center but just go with it. My wonderful mother sewed this adorable runner for me and it has vintage reindeer fabric in the middle. These white milk jugs I found at Target when we moved in and the berries I got half price at JoAnn. Add in some candles and hurricanes and we are complete! I am in the process of changing those yellow chairs to cream and will post them when I'm done.  (Look at that wood grain guys- success!)

Here are just a couple little projects I made...

These used to have some paper on them so I took a little acetone to them and dawn dish soap and they are as good as new. I painted stripes to go along with the color scheme for the year and filled with left over ornaments. I literally did not spend a dime on these and just used what I had!

These were wine bottles (obviously) that I gave a little makeover to. I free-handed the painting so the lines could be a little sharper but most definitely turned out better than I thought. Thanks mom for the cute bow!

Last, but not least, are just a few other things we did.

I found those stocking holders at TJMaxx for very little money and my mom made the stockings. I am eventually going to stencil a "G" and a "K" on them. The little wagon with the tree and snowman was once a baby blue. Black spray paint fixed that and now I can decorate throughout the seasons! Add a few Santa Claus' from Gabe's childhood and the Gantz home is open for the holidays!


Have you made some fun Christmas decor for the season? I'd love to hear what projects you guys are working on!


Up next in the Gantz life... Finish dining room chairs and.... start on... THE PALLET WALL! :)


Xo- Karl 

Table Update!

Happy Friday friends!!


I'd like to bring you a dining table update!


This post is about more sanding and removing paint, essentially getting the table ready for paint and stain. Here goes:

This is what the table looked like when I was finished sanding. We didn't sand all the paint off the legs and rails since we were going to re-paint those. The top has little flecks of the turquoise still left but I think it adds character. It is safe to say I never want to sand anything again ever, until the chairs are here. That's another blog post.

Once the sanding was up to par- we applied paint stripper onto the top of the table to get more of the turquoise off. Now, this stuff is nasty. It smells like a toxic orange dreamsicle and you have to wear gloves, but it is definitely worth it! Here is what we used:

Make sure you put it in a metal bucket! Then paint it on rather thickly and use a toothbrush to get down in the crevices. 

Follow the instructions on the particular stripping agent you are using, but we did not let ours dry too long because you don't want that gunk to be permanently stuck. Ew. 

Here is the second coat of stripper setting before we tooth-brush of it. Look at that wood grain! SCORE. 

This is what the table looks like after the final sanding and wood conditioner has been done. We are now ready to tape and paint! 

I went ahead at this point and tested the red color on the legs. Loved it, but it wasn't quite covering like I would have wanted it to. Therefore, PRIME! Piece of cake. 

We let this dry and then it was off to the races with the red paint! We applied light coats and let ample time for the paint to dry.  Here is what we came up with:

Ta-daaa!! I am officially obsessed with Valspar spray paint. We found this at Lowe's and its by far the best spray paint I have used (Mom agrees and she's the expert).  Remove the tape and voila:::

Time to stain and poly! I am really loving the way this turned out and can't wait to show you the finished product!

Have a fantastic weekend all! STAY WARM! 

Xo- Karl

And the hunt is over...

I have officially found a dining room table to "redo." Gabe & I found this awesome piece at an antique store in North Lawrence on Locust St. Why we do not go down to these awesome shops more, I do not know, but if you have not been, I highly suggest to go! There were so many things I would have loved to have found places for in the house :)

But.. back the the table. So... here is how it looked when we bought it.

Granted... I love the color. But it just was not quite the color I was going for. But it was the exact shape. And yes, I know this is a very typical shape and I could probably walk into NFM and get one. But this one cost me a whopping $165, and its solid wood. And the stuff at NFM is so shiny. So shiny. 

So let the renovation begin!

First up... SANDING. I had to take a few pauses and wipe the thick layer of mermaid green dust off the table so I could see where to sand. It was intense. But seriously.. thank Jesus for the invention of the palm sander. Without it, this job would be terrible. 

As you can see, the wood grain is gorgeous and there are still little flecks of turquoise on the top. That is where the paint stripper will come in handy. But, here is what I have done so far---

Whoo! The whole table top is sanded and it took me about 2 full hours. 

Here is the list left to do on the table:

1) Finish removing paint.

2) Use paint stripper to remove any paint in the nooks and crannies.

3) Condition the top of the table with a wood conditioner.

4) Spray paint the legs and rail.

5) Stain the top.

6) Poly a few coats.

7) Enjoy my masterpiece.

Stay tuned for more updates!!

XO- Karl

And the word of the day is....

There is this thing we do at work each morning. A veteran comes up with the "word of the day." This word is something for everyone to think about, like how it impacts their lives and try to practice that word that day. For example, today's word was "happiness." What does happiness mean to them and how can they strive for happiness?

I thought today's blog post would be my own version of "word of the day."


Today's word is.... Entitlement. Hang in there- this is a long one


I have been thinking about the latest happenings in the United States, from the government shut-down, to raising the debt ceiling, to the start of the ACA (Obamacare) and decided entitlement was a good way to describe the current climate in this amazing country. Here is why...

Let's start with the government shut-down. Right now, Capitol Hill is feeling entitled. They feel like they are entitled to play with people's jobs, livelihoods, and futures because they do not agree with the other side. One side refuses to give in in defunding Obamacare and the other side refuses to give in on reforming programs that would save the US millions to billions of dollars. If I was at work and refused to do a vital part of my job, say daily charting, because another coworker is doing something I don't particularly care for, do you think I would have a job for very much longer? Do you have to learn to compromise at work? What if I refused to ever compromise with my husband, do you think we would be married very long? The real world makes compromises every day, so why do our lawmakers feel as though they are "entitled" to always having their way? My advice for this problem: To those on Capitol Hill-- Put up. Shut up. And do your damn jobs like the rest of America.


The next major problem that is bound to happen on October 17th if some particular people do not do their jobs, is the United States will default on their loans. Guess what that means? Our credit rating will be downgraded and I won't get a paycheck. Now, we really want new carpet in our house, therefore I would like a paycheck. But do I feel entitled to a paycheck if it means the country will fall even further into debt and my children and grandchildren will be the ones who will actually be signing off on the new carpet? Absolutely not. This is where that lovely word of entitlement is being practiced in Congress. One side says no to raising the debt ceiling, where the other says raise it and give us more money for those programs we love. Now people, let's have a reality check. Would it not be easier to say "Okay, we will vote to raise the debt ceiling if you agree to cut the waste out of a few particular programs that are bloated with fraud." Therefore, I will get a paycheck along with millions of other people, but America will start on a path to being fiscally responsible. So therefore... Congress please refer to the last line of paragraph above.


A very smart man once said "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." I live and breath this everyday at work and have seen what helping your country can truly look like to some very brave men and women. This is where I tend to get a little angry because I see those saying "Gimme free healthcare" "Gimme free college" "Gimme a free cell phone" This my friends.. is the classic version of entitlement. What ever happened to "I will work hard for what I have and will strive to be the best version of myself I can be"? Am I saying that there are people in the United States who desperately need help? Not at all. There are those that are very much struggling and could use assistance until they get back on their feet. But that is where the gold is... until they get back on their feet. This does not include forever for the majority of Americans (hello 40 hour work week!) This is where the Affordable Care Act comes into play...

First, lets start with the title. The Affordable CARE Act. Does that say the Affordable HEALTH INSURANCE Act? I didn't think it did. Therefore, why was the entire country sold on receiving free or reduced health insurance premiums when that clearly is not what is happening? The cost of care is going to go up as well so I guess there is no good title. Here is why this is frustrating, let's do a case study:
       ~30 y/o male with wife and kids. All healthy, no significant health problems. Insurance premium under Obamacare is to increase ~41% (which is accurate, the exchange said so). This male is also the owner of a small business. Say his insurance premium was a measly $100 a month before (which that number is most definitely made up, it is closer to $500), then he will now pay $141 each month for health insurance under the ACA. Per year, that is an extra $492 spent on health insurance. Now you say, $492 in business terms is a drop in the bucket. But, what if that amount covered all the office supplies? Now as a business owner, cuts will have to be made to come up with that extra $492. Do you think as a fiscally responsible business owner, he will hire more workers when he is having to come up with more money to keep running his business? The simple answer is No.

This is where the word of the day is coming into play. There are those in the United States that feel entitled to health insurance, even if it hurts their fellow man. There is no way to build a strong middle class when people are forced to join something that is not fiscally stable. IT makes zero amounts of sense. Did our health care system need an overhaul? Of course it did. But when doctors are retiring early because they are afraid of the future and families are forced to allocate their funds differently when it really isn't possible for them.. it is just plain wrong. There is already a program for those who are struggling to pay for health insurance... it is called Medicaid. What should we have done? Here are Karl's expert suggestions

1. Delay the individual mandate until all the "glitches" are figured out.
2. Let health insurance companies sell across state lines- HELLO FREE MARKET.
3. Don't give people free cell phones to entice them to join the collective. 
4. PASS a budget. (2009 was a really long time ago)

I  know this is a long one.. I hope you enjoyed the "word of the day" and it sparks a little thought on this gorgeous Monday!

Xo- Karl 

Casserole Craze Part II

Ok... I promised. Here is number II!



So there is this thing at the grocery store called a rotisserie chicken? Ever heard of it? Ever bought one? They may be my second favorite thing in the world... Besides shoes... And Gabe... so lets make it third favorite.

Now that I am contributing to society full-time... I am exhausted at night. Insert a rotisserie chicken and some other stuff... and voila!! Tomatillo Chicken Enchiladas... on a weeknight! And yes I know.. enchiladas are not technically a casserole.. but you cook them in one pan.. .thats a casserole to me!

These puppies are pretty delicious if I do say so myself... here is what you need:

Ingredients:
half a rotisserie chicken
greek yogurt-plain
sour cream
5-6oz thawed frozen spinach (excess water squeezed out)
oregano
red pepper flakes 
S&P
cotija cheese (in the specialty cheese case- it looked fun..so I bought it)
small flour tortillas
can of tomatillo enchilada sauce (the green stuff)

First things first.. you must "pick-the-chicken." The picture below shows you my method.. (almost) mess-free. I pick the whole chicken at once even though I only used half of it (the other half- perfect topping to a frozen spinach & feta pizza later in the week). So here is my method...

Leave the chicken in the bag! Discard bad parts to a grocery sack & the deliciousness into a bowl! EASY!

Put the desired amount in a bowl (I used a little less than half for 5 enchiladas). Then I put about a 1/2 cup of greek yogurt & the same of sour cream in the bowl. Double-check you do not have vanilla greek yogurt... that would not mesh well.

Add in the frozen spinach and spices to desired amount. ( I did tsp of oregano and a few sprinkle of red pepper flakes). Stir together then crumble some of this awesome creation in...

This cheese reminds me a lot of feta. So if you cannot find it, use feta or queso fresco. Same diff.

Mix together and spoon into flour tortillas. You can nuke your tortillas for a few seconds to make them more pliable. I filled mine pretty full.. but it all works out in the end.

YUM.

Once you have all your enchiladas rolled, pour the can of enchilada sauce over the top. If you want a thicker sauce, mix your enchilada sauce with a little mexican crema (or sour cream). Either way I think would be stellar. Then crumble more the cotija on top as noted below...

Bake at 375deg until the sauce is bubbling & cheese is an amazing golden color... which conveniently just enough time to make... Mexican Rice!

Here is my recipe for rice:

Ingredients:

1 Tb butter

1 c. rice

1/3 palmful cumin

1/3 palmful chili powder

2 small dashes of cinnamon

S&P

2 c. chicken stock

Toast rice in butter for a few minutes. Add in all spices and toast until fragrant. Add in chicken stock and simmer, covered ~20minutes. It will make your house smell edible!

Serve enchiladas with a scoop of rice... and a margarita if necessary.. after all..it is Monday! 

Hasta Luego!

Xo- Karl 

Leave me a message if you make these or any of my recipes and let me know what you think!

Casserole Craze.

Happy Monday!! 

Do you have a case of the Mondays? Because I do.

Well here are two easy easy easy casserole recipes that you can whip up even if you have a case of the Mondays too.


Up first... Bierock Casserole!
This original recipe I found in a cookbook Gabe & I received as a shower gift. It is called "A Gift of Love- From Heart and Home" by Barbara Bausch. I have to give her credit for the original recipe but here is my version!

Ingredients:
2 lbs hamburger
half an onion
1 can cream of mushroom
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
S&P 
cayenne pepper
shredded sharp cheddar cheese
shredded swiss chess
2 pkg crescent rolls

Brown the hamburger and chopped onion together. Drain off excess grease. Add S&P to taste and as much cayenne as you would like. Once stirred together, add in cabbage and cook until it has wilted a little bit. It should all fit in a large cast iron pan. Then add the cream of mushroom soup and incorporate together until you get a mixture that resembles this...

Once this is done, spread one can of crescent rolls into the bottom of a dish (that is sprayed) like this...

Then spread on the swiss cheese and sharp cheddar like so.......

Then add the second can of crescent rolls on top of the cheese.... I didn't get any more pictures because I was too anxious to get this bad boy in the oven! Bake at 350 degrees for about 30min depending on your oven. Once it is golden brown and oh-so-delicous smelling.. take it out and ENJOY!!!

Stay tuned for post numero dos...

Xo-Karl

Friday is oh so sweet!

Happy Friday all!

Some of you may be heading off to tailgates this weekend (our Cats are away in Austin- Go State!) so I thought I would share something that would be perfect to bring to your tailgate- or if you are in need of just a little fall sweetness!

I made these Chocolate Pumpkin Salted Caramel bars last night and the pan is almost empty... (We have been sharing though!)

The original recipe is from Two Peas and Their Pod and the original is DELICIOUS! I have been taking those bars to tailgates for awhile now... but I thought I would change it up and put my own spin on it.

So here goes-
First, preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

   Here are pictures of most everything you need... minus heavy whipping cream and coarse sea salt.      (If you can't tell I really love my label maker- obviously I know that is brown sugar in the container)

First, combine the 12 Tbs melted butter, 3/4c brown sugar, 1/2c white sugar together in a mixer. Once, mixed, add in one egg, plus one egg yolk. Beat until combined. Add two caps full of vanilla and 3/4 can of pumpkin puree. (NOT pie filling, just the puree).  Once all combined, you have this glorious electric orange liquid.

Then add this much cinnamon.  Sometimes when I bake.. I just guess amounts... Lets call this, 1/3 palm full.

Once that is all together... it is time to start on the dry ingredients. Add in a few pinches of REGULAR table salt, 1/2 tsp baking soda and combine. Then add in 2 1/4 c of flour in small increments. Turn your mixer down or you will be wearing the flour... its not the best look. Once combined, add in 1 1/2 c of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Adjust according to how much you like!

Spread half the batter in the bottom of a baking dish. I think mine is approximately 11x8.
Now comes the fun part.....

Mix about that many caramels ( I used half of a small bag..adjust accordingly) and 3 Tbs heavy whipping cream. Melt in microwave until blended stirring every 30 seconds. Do not forget to stir!! Once it is melted.. Pour over the batter layer and sprinkle with coarse sea salt... like this!

Once you have sprinkled the right amount of sea salt... add the second layer of batter. BE careful! The caramel is still gooey so if you spread the cookie dough, all your caramel will end up along the edge.. the middle will just be sad. It should look like this...

Sprinkle with a little more sea salt and pop this beauty into your preheated oven. I baked mine for about 35 minutes... start checking yours around 25 and go from there!!  Then pull them out of the oven...

....and try to not eat the whole pan in 2 days.... it is hard.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Xo- Karl