Creating a Cotton Candy costume for a toddler

Posted by Misty Montano on Sunday, October 28, 2012 In : Home 

If my 2-year-old understood Halloween or at least the concept of dressing up for candy, I have no doubt she'd dress up as a princess or as Jesse from "Toy Story." But, she doesn't. So I selfishly decided that I wanted to make her a costume of my choosing!

It's been an emotion and stressful few weeks on the job front and I needed to get into the "crafty mom" mode as an escape. It just popped in my head one day, "cotton candy." The idea stuck, so that's what I made a cotton candy costume!

We'll s...
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Waste not... recipes for disguising foods for the family

Posted by Misty Montano on Monday, October 1, 2012 In : In the kitchen 

Okay, I admit it. I LOVE to “sneak” healthy food into the meals I make for my family. I rejoice in the triumph of getting them to eat right when they don’t know it. I absolutely do cartwheels when what I have disguised can throw off its cloak and becomes a favorite food. 

One such triumph was spinach. I used to secretly add it to my homemade marinara and chopped it up beyond recognition for salad. Now everyone eats it without a fight... except for stewed tomatoes and spinach, but I think...
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Reuse, refresh and renew an antique bedroom set

Posted by Misty Montano on Monday, August 6, 2012 In : Home 
Two weeks ago we bought a home! If you've been following our journey you know it's taken a lot longer than we thought with many twists we didn't expect, like living with my in-laws for almost a year. You'd think after everything we would have rushed right in and moved in, but that didn't happen.

I paused when standing in our new home holding the key in my hand for the first time. The house was our clean slate to make ours. I asked my dear husband for time to move in to make sure everything was...
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Green Chili - vegetarian and pork recipe

Posted by Misty Montano on Saturday, July 7, 2012 In : In the kitchen 

I slow cooked one 7lb pork loin and I've made Barbecue Pork sandwiches and Tamales. I have just enough pork left over to make the green chili for the tamales. Since my father-in-law is a vegetarian, I also make a vegetarian green chili.

Ingredients:
12 chopped roasted green chilies - the amount of seeds will create your level of heat OR 1lb can of whole green chilies

2 cups chopped tomatoes or roasted tomatoes
Half a finely chopped onion
4 cloves garlic
2 Tbs flour
2 cups of water - separated
Sea...
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Tamales: pork and vegetarian recipes

Posted by Misty Montano on Saturday, July 7, 2012 In : In the kitchen 

I love tamales and I enjoy making them even though it’s time consuming. I definitely haven’t mastered a technique, but it’s fun trying. I’ve only done this a handful of times and learn something new each time. Eventually, I’ll get it just right.

My father-in-law is a vegetarian so I’m making both pork tamales and green chili with cheese tamales. It’s my first try at the vegetarian tamales. 

What you need for tamales: corn husks, masa tamale dough, and meat or vegetarian filling.

...

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Barbecue shredded pork recipe

Posted by Misty Montano on Saturday, July 7, 2012 In : In the kitchen 

The meat:

Slow cook pulled pork 

The sauce:
20oz can all natural tomato puree or 1lb of your own stewed & pureed tomatoes
1/2 cup apple cider or red wine vinegar
1 cup brown sugar
1 medium finely chopped onion
1 small finely chopped green pepper
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp dry mustard
Cayenne pepper
Sea salt
Paprika
Chili powder
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

 Ingredients:
  1. Drizzle EVOO In a large sauce pan and heat on low 
  2. Mash garlic cloves into bottom of pan and add chopped onions and green peppers
  3. Saute until oni...

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Slow cook pulled pork for tamales and sandwiches

Posted by Misty Montano on Saturday, July 7, 2012 In : In the kitchen 

In the freezer I found an almost 7lb pork loin and immediately I know I want both tamales and BBQ shredded pork. Can I do both with this one big chunk of meat? I’m going to try!

We like our meat full of flavor and spice (who doesn’t?) To me, this means using the same slow cooked pork for both tamales and sandwiches can be done. So, here I go:

Ingredients:

6-7lb pork loin (if you only want half the amount only 1 dish, use 3-4lb pork loin)
Lemon pepper or whatever meat rub you have on hand
Extra...

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No Sugar Mango Mojito Recipe

Posted by Misty Montano on Thursday, July 5, 2012 In : In the kitchen 

Mojitos are one of my favorite drinks, especially on a hot summer day or on a holiday like today.

However, I don't like the sugar that is a part of the drink. Some mojitos are way too sweet for me. So I started making my own without sugar, but are just as tasty or even as sweet. For the first time I tried a flavored rum, mango to make mojitos. The mango flavoring made the drink even sweeter, almost dangerous to the point you can forget you're drinking rum!

Ingredients:
Rum - favorite white Rum, ...
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Tradition: family, fun and fireworks. Now #NoFireworksFun

Posted by Misty Montano on Monday, July 2, 2012 In : Home 

My best memories from my childhood are all my family get togethers over all the holidays. The 4th of July was always the best… bare feet… summer… Grandma's homemade ice cream… Grandpa's grilling… cousins… slip-n-slide… running through the sprinklers… and the grand finale of our own fireworks show!

All the men surrounded the grill and set up a variety of fireworks displays. The spinners nailed to a post was so awesome! All the women gathered in the kitchen talking and catching u...

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I broke my funny bone

Posted by Misty Montano on Tuesday, June 19, 2012 In : Home 

We're two weeks into the Montano Family Challenge and the only update I have is: I broke my funny bone.

No joke.

Well, okay I didn't actually break any bones. I have ulnar nerve damage from hitting my elbow a.k.a. my funny bone extremely hard on a corner of a desk at work a few weeks ago. Whatever injury I caused didn't heal and now the nerve is inflamed to the point that I have only tingly feelings in my pinky and ring fingers on my left hand. The pain radiates from my elbow through my...
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About Me: No I'm not a mystic


I answer to many names Misty Lou, Misty Jean, Mistycal and even Extrafancy are just a few of the nicknames to which I answer. The most important names though are Wife, StepMom and Mom. With all these names it's sometimes hard to know who I am! This blog started as a Nebraska girl learning, trying, succeeding and failing at gardening in Colorado. Along the way in growing my garden, I grew my family too as I married a wonderful man and became StepMom to two precious Boys. Now our family grows more as we have a Baby Girl. So here is all of me as I share my family, home and garden. BTW my middle name is Jennifer; my name is Misty Jennifer Montano.

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