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With all the indulging these holidays, wouldn’t it be nice if you showed up to a party with the healthiest dish? One of the healthiest grains, brown rice, was used in this casserole.

This is a versatile side that can double as an entrée too, with its combined flavors of nutty brown rice, two hearty sausages, various vegetables, crisp almonds and broth. Just the thing to complement roasts or salads anytime of the year.

Believe it or not, that’s a Kindle case.

You seldom spot anyone at the Quirk HQ without his or her trusty iPads. Whether we’re rocking out to our respective iTunes playlists at our desks, playing intense games of Angry Birds during lunch, or reading using the iPad’s Kindle App, Apple’s handy tablet is always within reach.

However, as book people, we often miss the look of a well-designed cover while reading eBooks, especially with Doogie and Katie creating their masterpieces on the third floor. This is where Retro Readers comes in.

An Etsy shop ran by Melissa Obrien, Retro Readers takes vintage books and repurposes them as shells for your eReader of choice. The designs are elegant and beautiful, with a handful that work quite well around the holidays. Check out this Christmas cover!

Retro Readers doesn’t only specialize in iPad covers. They also craft some really nice Kindle and Nook protectors, such as this Circle of the Seasons piece, with its lovely green accents and charming ribbon.

The covers are reasonably priced too, cashing out at around $40 after shipping. A small price to pay for a truly unique case that will be envy of all your bookish friends.

Retro Readers @ Etsy
http://www.etsy.com/shop/RetroReaders

Photo by Amanda Pinprick

Sewing can be intimidating, but few basic tips can make that apprehension disappear. In this post I will describe a few topics that will not only help the appearance of a sewing project, but increase the durability and will help make things easier. Some of these things are topics I have wrote about on my own blog, trailscrafts.com, and some are new.

1. Know Your Sewing Machine. All sewing machines are different. Whether you purchased your machine new or used, it's important to have a manual. Usually you can find it online if one did not come with the machine. Knowing the functions of the machine will help through any project. Also, it's very important to keep your machine properly oiled. The manual for the machine will say which parts need to be oiled and how to get to them. It's also good to have extra parts of the wearable items. For instance, the bobbin case. Over time the screw that adjusts the tension on the bobbin thread will move. Some sewing machine manufacturers tell you that you'll never have to adjust the bobbin tension, and that the bobbin case comes adjusted from the factory, but anyone who has had to adjust the tiny screw several times in a row and still not have the tension quite right, knows how frustrating it can be to fix a bobbin case that is not adjusted correctly.

What’s America’s favorite way to eat leftover Thanksgiving turkey? You guessed it: in a sandwich. Specifically, “The-Day-After-Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich.” Yes, its got an official name.

While variations exist, this sandwich generally consists of thick slabs of toasted white bread covered with a mountain of leftover turkey meat, mashed potatoes or stuffing, cranberry sauce, and brown gravy.

It’s colossal. It’s comforting. It’s as American as apple pie. But a whole lot better.

When Jenn Erickson (Rook No. 17) emailed me with a link to her review for Microcrafts by Alicia Kachmar, Katie Hatz and Margaret McGuire, I was positively blown away. Instead of simply crafting what was in the book, she took Sarah Goldschadt's precious little owlies and made something entirely her own.

An owlie mobile.

"My girls had ½ days at school last week," she wrote in her email, "so we finally had time to slow down and spend two entire afternoons on our first project from Microcrafts. The girls chose the mini owls, and we turned both into mobiles. We’re looking forward to making more crafts from the book over the holidays.

Jenn was kind enough to share her photos with us. Have a look at them after the jump, and be sure to visit her wonderful blog.

After all the hours you’ve spent cooking Thanksgiving dinner, chances are you’re not in the mood to scrounge for ingredients or run to the grocery store to ready your next meal. And let’s face it, you’ve got tons of leftovers. With this recipe, you’ll have everything at your fingertips. This is the best casserole you can make with everything that’s left over from Thanksgiving.

Just heat up a bit of butter in a skillet. Throw it all in: celery, turkey, sausages, green peas, carrots, corn… even the gravy. And those croutons? Crush them and top the layer of mashed potatoes with the crumbs. Bake quickly. It’ll come out bubbly, crusty, buttery and packed with all the flavors of a perfect holiday feast. It’s easy and quick.