After some time off from my Etsy page, I have taken it off vacation status and it is open for business once again. I have only activated a small, select assortment of my items to see how things go for now. I have also lowered prices a bit. I am not going to be making my living off my Etsy shop so I changed prices to reflect more of what I think is a fair price. I had taken some advice (most of it unsolicited) and made changes in pricing and the look of my shop because I thought others who had been selling on Etsy longer knew better; part of what I realized during my break from Etsy is that I know what is best for MY shop. What works for one person may not work for another, just know your product and be yourself. Another thing I realized during my break is that the forums did not work for me. I don't mind being part of a couple but some of the forums are so over wrought with rules and policies, just trying to abide by all the rules was just too much. For me the forums were not creating any monetary worth, so I have cut down on my activities with forums. Another tip, again what works for one doesn't work for others, is that I created a separate Facebook personal page to use to share with other artisans on Etsy. When you "like" someone's Facebook page for their business you have to do it from your personal Facebook page. My personal page was being overrun by Etsy shop pages and I didn't feel comfortable with my personal life events necessarily being seen by people with whom I had just a business relationship. As time goes on you will see other changes with my shop. I bought a Criqcut machine and will be doing some paper crafting that will get added to the shop, so I will also be changing the name of the shop to reflect a wider assortment of items and mediums.
So much for Etsy, I have a recipe to share that is basic and most everyone has a recipe for it, but for those who don't it is a good easy one to try.
Chunky Goulash (or some call it American Chop Suey)
1 lb. ground beef or lean ground turkey
2 medium green sweet pepper, diced (1/2 inch dice) (you can also use red, yellow or orange)
1 medium onion, chopped
4 gloves of garlic, finely minced
2 Tbls. good olive oil
3 14 oz. cans of stewed tomatoes
2 tsp. oregano
1 Tbls. paprika
1 tsp. salt (I use kosher salt)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 lb. dried elbow pasta, cooked per box instructions.
pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
In medium deep sauté pan or dutch oven, place olive oil in pan heat on medium high heat until oil is slightly warm, add diced peppers and chopped onions. Cook for about 10 minutes until onions are slightly translucent and just soft. Add oregano, paprika, black pepper, salt, cayenne and minced garlic. Let cook for 1 to 2 minutes, to let the spices bloom. Add ground meat and cook until browned and cook through. Add 3 cans of stewed tomatoes. Simmer on low, covered for approximately 1 hour. In the meantime cook pasta per box instructions to just under al dente. In the last ten minutes of the meat/tomato mixture cooking time, add the cooked pasta, continue to let simmer for the remainder of time. The pasta will finish cooking and abosorb the flavors. Check for seasoning and adjust to taste. Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and some good crusty bread.
