What's More 1950s Than Tuna Casserole?

I'd imagine that most people have not only eaten, but have also cooked, tuna casserole. It probably has a million variations, most starting with egg noodles and cans of tuna and cream of chicken soup. Over the years, I developed a distinct distaste for cream of chicken condensed soup; it's too salty and it... tastes fake. Because my Tommy Lee also dislikes it, and I wanted to have tuna casserole once in a while, I developed this way of making it. It completely eliminates the cream of chicken soup, uses albacore tuna instead of regular, and I like to add jalapenos to it, too!

By making your own sauce - which is surprisingly simple, TBH - it put YOU in control of the salt and preservative content of your casserole, something that the test kitchens of 1950s wrested away from us housewives long ago. It's time to take it back.

Watch me make this childhood favorite with a new twist here:

And download the recipe card to print by CLICKING HERE.

Text Recipe:
Tuna (Melt) Casserole
2 or 3 cans of tuna
1 pkg egg noodles
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
3 tbls chicken boullion
1 tbls granulated onion
3 cups water
1/4 cup Half & Half
1 cup shredded cheese
Jalepenos (diced - optional)

For topping:
Crushed crackers
1/4 cup cheddar cheese

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare egg noodles per package directions.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter or margarine and add flour to make a roux. Remove from heat and mix in chicken boullion and granulated onion. Add water, return to heat, and whisk to combine until flour/butter mixture is fully incorporated into the water. Add Half & Half and bring to boil, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and add cheese, stirring to incorporate.

In a large baking dish, combine drained tuna, pasta, and sauce. Stir to distribute tuna and sauce evenly throughout pasta. Level the pasta, then top with crushed crackers and cheese, spreading to cover completely.

Bake in 375-degree oven for 20 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 6 to 8 servings.



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Weekend Review: theBalm Schwing Eyeliner & Meet Matt(e) Hughes Lipstick

Over Mardi Gras weekend, theBalm had a sale, so I thought I would try out some of their products. I'd had some eyeshadow, lipstick, and eyeliner in my Amazon shopping cart for a while, so the sale at theBalm's web site made the purchase irresistible. I was going to get the same things from the sale, but the lipstick I wanted ("Committed") was sold out, as was the eyeshadow I wanted, but I did get their Schwing Eye Liner and Meet Matt(e) Hughes lipstick in a similar color, "Honest."

These purchases were delivered yesterday, so I thought I would give them a go this morning and see what I thought of them. My criteria for a good eye liner is as follows:

1. The applicator needs to be able to make a wing point that could draw blood
2. The liner itself needs to be thin enough to create said wing, but thick enough that it doesn't run into my eyes before it dries
3. Smooth to apply; no clumps
4. Dries quickly
5. Doesn't make my eye lids itch (I have this problem with a lot of liners) or swell up
6. Lasts all day

My criteria for a great lipstick are these:

1. Color looks great with my skin tone and makeup style
2. Lasts for at least a few hours
3. Doesn't get clumpy or make my lips dry or cracked

On the Schwing eye liner: I'm impressed. The applicator is small and sharp and lifts out a goodly amount of liner liquid, enough to make the whole wing and fill it in in one dip, which I like. It goes on smooth and does seem to dry quickly, as I didn't have to keep my lids low for too long while it dried. I've been wearing this application for about three hours now and I don't have any itchiness or swelling, which is a problem I have had in the past with some brands of eye liner.

As you can see, the Schwing eye liner delivered on making a sharp wing. My overall rating? A+! I love it so far! I will update if anything changes by the end of the day or after using it for a week, but the outlook on this one is BRIGHT!

On the Meet Matt(e) Hughes lip stick, the first impression I got from it was the scent of it. I had never really given a lot of thought to how a lipstick smelled, but this was really nice. It has the scent of Peppermint Patties with a strong chocolate overtone to a minty scent. My second impression of it was the color, which seemed really orange. I was a little afraid of how bright orange the color was, but I only applied it to my upper lip and then pursed to get it on my lower lip. After a soft blot with a tissue, I actually really liked the color, too.

I'm not usually one for a lipstick that is so matte as this one is, but I knew what was coming based on the name of the product. I actually like it a lot with my skin tone and coloring, and it seems like it will be good for understated looks. Plus, I've been wearing it for a few hours now, and it is still on, just like when I put it on, and I've eaten some crackers and cheese in the meantime. Makes me a happy glamper.

Overall rating on the Meet Matt(e) Hughes lipstick? A+! I'll definitely be buying the "Committed" color from Amazon next time I place an order.

St. Paddy's Day Pinup Hair Flowers!

I said I would try to post when I put new items in my Etsy shop, and so I am! There's still plenty of time to get your Irish themed hair flowers in time for your festivities, so don't wait! 

Click Here, Here, or Here to buy now!

It's Still Winter? How About Some Soup? Mid-Century Kitchen Episode 9 - Tortellini Soup!

Nothing warms up your bones in the winter like a big, steaming bowl of tasty soup... so, despite the fact that it is now March and we ought to be thinking about spring time, we here in Idaho still have 2 feet of snow on the level and it's supposed to snow some more every day this week. With that in mind, I give you one of my favorite soup recipes: Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup!

With complex flavors and easy directions, this soup will likely become a favorite in your house, too! I can whip this up in about half an hour including prep time and it really hits the proverbial spot, I'll tell you what.

Watch me make it here:

Download the printable recipe card by CLICKING HERE.

Here's the text recipe:

ITALIAN TORTELLINI SOUP
1 lb Italian sausage
2 cups carrots (chopped)
2 cups apple cider (not juice)
4 cups water
1 pkg fresh/frozen tortellini (any style)
2 cans tomato sauce
2 tbls onion powder
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried basil
1 tbls dried oregano
2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp crushed fennel seeds
1/4 cup fresh Parmesan (optional)

Brown sausage in the bottom of your soup pot. Deglaze pot with apple cider. Add tomato sauce, carrots, and water. Add all spices. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until carrots are fork tender. Add tortellini. Cook 5 minutes more or until tortellini floats to the top.

Serve hot and topped with fresh Parmesan cheese if you desire.

Serves 6 to 8. This soup is also fantastic reheated the next day!
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Lemon Loaf in the Mid-Century Kitchen with Molly Starlite, Episode 8!

Whenever I go shopping, I stop at Starbuck's and get myself a little treat, and, if they have it, I try to get their lemon loaf. But what if you get a lemon loaf craving at home and don't want to go to Starbucks? This recipe is an almost dead-on copy of the coffee chain's signature lemon loaf, but homemade! It's light, fluffy, lemony, and the thick glaze on top gives it just the perfect amount of sweetness!

This recipe is a family favorite - it almost never lasts the night after dinner - so it's perfect to take to potlucks or other gatherings to make sure you come back with an empty plate and no leftovers... not that you'd mind with as tasty as this treat is!

You can download the PDF recipe card HERE.

And watch me make this lemon loaf at my YouTube channel (make sure to subscribe or support me on Patreon!)

Coffee House Copy Cat Lemon Loaf
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
Zest of one lemon
1 tsp lemon extract
yellow coloring as needed

Cream together sugar, eggs, sour cream, and oil. Mix in lemon juice, zest, extract, and coloring. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet mixture. Pour into prepared loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Allow to cool in pan. Remove from pan and top with lemon glaze.

Like what you see here? Want to help me make more awesome stuff? Support me on Patreon.com and get instant rewards! You could get a custom song, free copies of my books, free jewelry, a say in my projects, and so much more! Thank you for your patronage!

Spring Holidays Hair Flowers - Now in the Molly Starlite Store!

I'm ready for spring; I don't care that there is still tons of snow on the ground here. Because I am so ready for spring, I have already started uploading my newest products to my Etsy shop: Spring-themed hair accessories! Easter, Mardi Gras, St. Patrick's Day, general spring pastels... over the next day or so I will be adding tons of new stock to my shop, so keep checking back. The first product available are these GORGEOUS hydrangea bunches in pale pastels colors of pink, yellow, and blue. I also made coordinating, detachable nests that clip to the flowers with alligator clips, so these hair flowers are perfect for Easter or any time, just by removing the nests!


I have tons of new products coming in the next day or so, so keep checking back, and I will try to remember to post here as I put them up for sale!

Like what you see here? Want to help me make more awesome stuff? Support me on Patreon.com and get instant rewards! You could get a custom song, free copies of my books, free jewelry, a say in my projects, and so much more! Thank you for your patronage!

Episode Seven: Cheesecake Brownies!

Yesterday was, of course, Valentine's Day, and my valentine is a choco-holic! How to satisfy his sweet tooth but still make something unusual? How about Berry Swirl Cheesecake Brownies?! In my latest episode of the Mid-Century Kitchen with Molly Starlite, I show you how to make this dessert that satisfies any chocolate lover but is not too sweet at the same time! The chocolate ends up soft and gooey and the cheesecake is just tart enough from the cream cheese. And, best of all, this dessert goes together quickly - I was done in about 20 minutes and then one hour to bake - which makes it delightful to put in the oven for later while you're getting ready for your Valentine!








Watch me make one here:

Here is the recipe (download a PDF here):
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
12 tablespoons butter (salted)
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

For Cheesecake Batter
8 oz (1 box) cream cheese (softened)
1/4 cup sour cream
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt.

Berry syrup

DIRECTIONS
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8" by 8" square baking dish. Set aside
In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients for brownie batter and mix thoroughly, until all butter pieces are incorporated. Pour into baking dish and spread batter to edges. Set aside.
Rinse out bowl (or get a new one) and combine all ingredients for  cheesecake batter. Beat until all clumps are worked out of the cream cheese. Pour cheesecake batter on top of brownie batter and gently smooth to edges.
Drizzle berry syrup on top of cheesecake and swirl through with toothpick, making sure not to get down into the brownie layer.
Put in oven and bake for 1 hour or until edges of cheesecake layer are a soft, golden brown.
Allow to cool completely before cutting. Makes 9 servings.

Mid-Century Kitchen with Molly Starlite - Episode 6: How to Make Dress Straps the EASY Way!

Top strap is the underside; bottom
strap is the top side.

If you remember my how-to sew a swing dress post from last summer, you'll remember that I struggled to make straps that looked neat and finished and weren't interminably frustrating to make. After much trial and error, I finally found this method that doesn't involve sewing and turning fabric, isn't frustrating at all, and takes only minutes to make each strap.

That's right: using nothing more than a hot iron, an old bath towel, and a can of spray starch, you can turn a 4-inch wide by 18-inch long piece of cotton into a sturdy strap for dresses and tops in just a few minutes. The only sewing involved is a simple seam down the edge to secure it, but these things come out looking neat and clean and professional in literally just minutes.

Watch me make one here (my 5-year old was taping this, just to explain the videography on this one):

Like what you see here? Want to help me make more awesome stuff? Support me on Patreon.com and get instant rewards! You could get a custom song, free copies of my books, free jewelry, a say in my projects, and so much more! Thank you for your patronage!
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Viva Las Vegas Is Coming!

My pinup life really started with Viva Las Vegas... I entered their pinup contest last year and needed a pinup name to enter, and Molly Starlite was born! Someday, I hope to actually make it to Viva, and I hope to do so as a contestant in their pinup contest... big changes in my life this year (that are continuing this year) prevented it from even being a consideration this time around, but maybe next year or the year after. Fingers crossed!

I daydream a lot about getting to go to Viva or Tiki Oasis; all the big conventions are so far from me, though, and, what with running our own businesses, it's harder than you might imagine to get away for that length of time and keep the budgets in line. Over the last 5 years, my Tommy Lee and I have been saving to drill a deep water well here on our property. We moved out here and there was nothing: no house, no electricity, no plumbing, no utilities, and no water. Over the last five years, we cleared a spot for the house, put in a house, dug a septic and drain field, put in electrical, put in Internet, put in phone access, built a shop and an office, and remodeled the entire house to be a midcentury oasis. We had a five-year plan when we started and we're at the beginning of Year Five; all that's left to do is get water into the house and build a snow roof over the house. Last fall, we got the hole in the ground for our water well developed; this spring, we'll be running the pipes to the house. I'm so excited! We're almost done!

And after we are done, I will start saving a little bit every month to take my first vacation to one of these retro conventions - haven't decided which one yet - and I CANNOT WAIT!

Like what you see here? Want to help me make more awesome stuff? Support me on Patreon.com and get instant rewards! You could get a custom song, free copies of my books, free jewelry, a say in my projects, and so much more! Thank you for your patronage!

Mid-Century Kitchen with Molly Starlite: Episode 5 - Birthday Cake Exfoliating Scrub!

As a teenager - or pretty much all through my life - I was never prone to acne or anything; I was really lucky. That is, until I quit smoking several years ago. Then, I got really bad cystic acne that took forever to heal. I needed to find something to exfoliate and moisturize my skin that wouldn't break me out worse.

After a lot of trial and error, I finally hit on this recipe while messing around in the kitchen one night:
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons solidified coconut oil
Vanilla extract

The sugar and vanilla work together to make this totally natural and edible paste taste like birthday cake, and the sugar works as a mild exfoliant to get rid of dead skin cells and dirt while the coconut oil is soothing and moisturizing! And as a lip scrub, this tasty concoction works wonders. I just saved some glass jars from my eye cream and fill them with this scrub. You can put the jars in your purse to exfoliate and scrub your lips anywhere, or keep it at your vanity for a quick pick-me-up for your face.

Watch me make it here: