Monday, January 31, 2011

January 31- February 6 Menu Plan















Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Chicken Barley Soup, and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Wednesday: Stroganoff-Topped Potatoes, Winter Mix Vegetables, and Peas

Thursday: Chinese Noodle Chicken, and Pan-Fried Asparagus

Friday: Skillet Bow Tie Lasagna, Green Beans, and Salad

Saturday: Country Breakfast, and Corn

Sunday: Salsa Chicken, Rice, and Peas


Submitted to:
Visit I'm an Organizing Junkie to see more menu ideas.

Chinese Noodle Chicken

















4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup sliced onion
2 cups broccoli florets
2 carrots, julienned
2 cups snow peas
4 cups dry Chinese noodles
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce

In a large skillet brown chicken in oil, stirring constantly until juices run clear. Add the onion, broccoli, carrots and peas. Cover skillet and steam for 2 minutes. Add the Chinese noodles and teriyaki sauce. Stir noodles into chicken/vegetable mixture, making sure they are coated with sauce. When the noodles wilt, serve.


Servings Per Recipe: 4
CaloriesPer Serving: 531


Teriyaki Sauce


1 T. cornstarch
1 T. cold water
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. cider vinegar
1 clove minced garlic
ground ginger and ground black pepper (to taste)

Simmer all together, stirring regularly until thickened. Toss in with the noodles.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Cake Mix Recipes: Funfetti Cookies




















1 pkg. Funfetti cake mix
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs
1/2 can frosting
1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, combine cake mix, oil and eggs; stir with spoon until thoroughly moistened. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. With bottom of glass dipped in flour, flatten to 1/4-inch thickness.

2. Bake at 375°F. for 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.

3. Spread frosting over warm cookies. Immediately sprinkle each with candy bits from frosting. Let frosting set before storing. Store in tightly covered container.

52 Weeks: #4 Basement Storage

My husband and I organized one our food shelves in the basement along with another shelving unit.

Food Before:



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Food After:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Shelving Storage:
 
I forgot to take before pictures so these are after organizing some of our shelves. This is decorations, paper dinnerware, homeschool stuff, and the food storage that we moved off of the shelves in the picture above.
 
 
 
This is our homeschool storage. It needs alot of work and I need to go through alot of it but for now we moved it all of it to one side of the selving unit so that it is all together and organized.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Submitted to:

I'm an Organizing Junkie 52 Weeks of Organizing
Works for Me Wednesday

Monday, January 24, 2011

January 24-30 Menu Plan














Monday: Pork Chops, Baked Potatoes, Peas, and Spinach

Tuesday: Bacon and Cabbage Soup, Garlic Bread, and Salad

Wednesday: Stroganoff-Topped Potatoes, Winter Mix Vegetables, and Peas

Thursday: Pork Chops, Mushroom Barley Casserole, and Green Beans

Friday: Skillet Bow Tie Lasagna, Green Beans, and Salad

Saturday: Country Breakfast, and Corn

Sunday: Chicken Breast, Roasted Baby Potatoes with Rosemary, Green Beans and Garlic


Submitted to:
Visit I'm an Organizing Junkie to see more menu ideas.

Mushroom Barley Casserole















1/2 cup barley
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 (4 ounce) can whole button mushrooms, drained

In an ovenproof skillet, sauté barley in oil until golden brown. Stir in water, bouillon and salt; bring to boil. Remove from the heat; add onions and mushrooms. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 40-50 minutes or until barley is tender.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Cake Mix Recipes: Coconut Squares

Crust

1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 egg
1 tablespoon water

Filling

1 cup shredded coconut
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 pound powdered sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven 350F. Crust: Mix cake mix, margarine, egg and water. Mold with hands into 9 x 13 x 1 inch baking pan. Sprinkle Coconut over cake mixture. Set aside. Filling: Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, eggs and vanilla, Pour over coconut. Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes. Cool before cutting into squares.

Makes: 16

52 Weeks: #3 Shoeboxes

I have a collection of shoeboxes stored in my basement that I am clearing out.















I made 2 piles of the boxes empty and full.



























The full ones have small manipulatives I made for my kids when they were younger for homeschooling but I have resisted throwing them away since I put so much time into making them. I am giving the boxes full of manipulatives to a homeschooling family and after they decide what they want they will pass the extra on to another family in hopes that somebody can use them. I loaded up the shoeboxes into my husband’s van so he could drop them off which he did the next day.



















The empty boxes I saved for storage, craft projects, Operation Christmas Child or Military Care Packages but I have decided to donate them now to help clear out some of my clutter in the basement. I loaded the empty boxes into my van and donated them to the Clothes Closet.

Submitted to:
I'm an Organizing Junkie 52 Weeks of Organizing
Works for Me Wednesday

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Snow


















Announced by all the trumpets of the sky, arrives the snow.

by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

2010 Reading List 2

I read 73 books in 2010. To see what I read the first half of the year visit this link 2010 Reading List. You can click on the month to visit the links to each of my monthly reviews.

In August I read:















English Garden Series by Lori Wick
The Proposal
The Rescue
The Visitor
The Pursuit

In September I read:















Canadian West Series by Janette Oke
When Calls the Heart
When Comes the Spring
When Breaks the Dawn
When Hope Spring New
Beyond the Gathering Storm
When Tomorrow Comes

In October I read:















Belles of Timber Creek Series by Lori Copeland
Twice Loved
Three Times Blessed
One True Love

Lydia’s Charm by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Indiana Cousins Series by Wanda E. Brunstetter
A Cousin’s Promise
A Cousin's Prayer
A Cousin's Challenge

In November I read:















An Amish Christmas by Cynthia Keller

A Plain & Simple Christmas by Amy Clipston

A Merry Little Christmas (Compilation)
Unto Us A Child… by Catherine Palmer
Christmas, Don’t Be Late by Jillian Hart


In December I read:















On Strike for Christmas by Sheila Roberts

A Victorian Christmas Cottage Collection
Under His Wings by Catherine Palmer
Christmas Past by Debra White Smith
A Christmas Hope by Jeri Odell
The Beauty of the Season by Peggy Stoks

Submitted to:
Life As Mom I’m Booking It in 2010!

Monday, January 17, 2011

December 2010 Reading List















On Strike for Christmas by Sheila Roberts













Joy is fed up with her husband not wanting to participate and complaining about family get-together every Christmas season. It is her favorite part of the holidays and she does less of it during the year to accommodate him. Laura is tired of playing Martha Steward to her husband’s constant invited to their home during the holidays when he doesn’t lift a finger to help.

Joy decides she is going On Strike for Christmas and if her husband wants anything he has to do it himself. She tells her knitting club and Laura decides to do the same along with several others. Soon it is in the paper and their whole community is involved. It is hilarious all the adventures that they have. But it comes to an end when their friend has a recurrence of cancer and they find they want to help her and her husband who has been doing it all alone. In the end they all decide in the future to make Christmas a little simpler and everyone pitching in the help.



A Victorian Christmas Cottage Collection














Under His Wings by Catherine Palmer

Lord William visits his Brackendale House and finds the only help is a kitchen maid named, Gwyneth. He ends up spending an enchanting evening with her talking. After the other house help returns he finds himself stopping to talk to her frequently and she is delighted by his company but some of the other help is jealous that she is getting attention and special treatment so she tried to detour him. They end up falling in love anyways as she is planning his big Christmas party.



Christmas Past by Debra White Smith

Madeline and Davis was childhood friend until one Christmas Eve when Davis kissed her. She was 16 and was not ready for such a relationship and he was heartbroken but knew he must not rush her and let her grow up a few more years. He tried to keep his distance but it hurt her very much especially when her grandfather died.

Madeline’s mother had raised her in her grandparent’s house after the death of her father. Soon after her grandfather died her mother decides to marry and move away. This cause hurt to the grandmother and she disowns her daughter but continues to financially support her granddaughter and have visits during the summer. Years later when her grandmother passes Madeline goes to her grandmother’s home to go through the possessions and she the house as her mother wishes. Davis and Madeline are still angry and hurt from their past but eventually as they work together they fall in love.



A Christmas Hope by Jeri Odell

Gabrielle is from a family that had been well to do but had lost their fortune and home. They moved to the other side of town were the elite society thought less of them. She had a boy that she liked named Jonathan that she thought she could eventually marry and provided for her finer tastes and she could moved back to the side of town that she was accustom. Her parents enjoy the new life they have made and feel closer to god and hope that Gabrielle will change her mind and find a nice boy to marry. They invite Nathaniel over for dinner because they hope to get their daughter and him together but she isn’t interested because she only sees him as a poor farmer. She does wonder how he could afford his own home and property and eventually comes to find out that his parents had been rich and cold toward him but after their death he inherited their money but decided to live a simple life. After spending time together they eventually fall in love.



The Beauty of the Season by Peggy Stoks

Rebecca who goes by the name Bell goes to stay with her favorite Aunt and Uncle to help care for her Aunt who hadn’t been well. But her Aunt and Uncle had motives to get the local vet and her together. They are both interested right away but she doesn’t think he would be interested because she has a large birth mark on her face. They become friends but she will not let it go any farther until he eventually gets her to realize that he is in love with her and doesn’t mind the birth mark.

Submitted to:

Life As Mom I’m Booking It in 2010!

Friday, January 14, 2011

52 Weeks: #2 Recycled Craft Box

I have a box of craft supplies that I got at a recycling craft class I attended several years ago. I have not made any of the crafts and don’t have directions for them. They are not all in great condition such as some of the paint is coming off of the jars.


I went through the Recycled Craft Box and took out the supplies I wanted to keep. I then put the keep items away such as the fabric in my fabric stash, buttons with my craft button collection, and votive candles with my candle storage.

I put the remainder of the box into my van right away and donated it to the Clothes Closet.
Submitted to:
I'm an Organizing Junkie 52 Weeks of Organizing
Works for Me Wednesday

Cake Mix Recipes: Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting




























1 box yellow cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 container chocolate frosting
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup chopped peanuts

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, eggs and 3/4 cup peanut butter with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about 2/3 full).

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

In medium bowl, stir together frosting and 1/4 cup peanut butter. Frost cupcakes with frosting mixture. Sprinkle with peanuts; press lightly into frosting.

Makes: 30 Cupcakes
Calories per Cupcake: 280

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Bonbons















3 boxes powdered sugar (1 1/2 pounds)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 sticks margarine
¼ teaspoon each of 3 different extracts, such as mint, orange, or rum
Food coloring
3 to 4 packages imitation milk chocolate chips (see note)
1 inch paraffin wax

1. Mix powdered sugar with warmed-up milk (heat opened can in saucepan of boiling water) and margarine until smooth. Separate filling into 3 batches. Flavor and color each batch. Wrap in plastic wrap to prevent air from drying out filling when it’s not being worked. Shape each batch into a different shape (patties, logs, or balls), making them candy-size. Put them on cookie sheets and stick them in the freezer to set until chocolate coating is ready.

2. Melt chocolate and wax together in the top of the double broiler. Chocolate is the right consistency when it pours from the spoon. If too thick, add more wax. Dip the candy forms into the chocolate and set out on foil-lined cookie sheets to cool. Pack the up in gift boxes about the size of powdered sugar boxes and store in cool place. Makes enough for about 6 small gift boxes (about 200 candies).

Note: You can use real chocolate chips, but it’s harder to get the chocolate to set up right when making the candies. Be prepared to use more wax.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Butterscotch Banana Bread















¼ cup canola oil
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ cup skim milk
½ c. butterscotch chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a non-stick 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan (or a muffin tin) with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, beat together the oil and brown sugar. Add the eggs, bananas, and vanilla, stirring well.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Gradually combine the dry ingredients and the milk with the with the banana mixture, stirring only until combined.

Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Bake 18 minutes for muffins.

Monday, January 10, 2011

January 10-16 Menu Plan



















Monday: Steak, All Day Macaroni and Cheese, and Herbed Broccoli w/ Mushrooms


Tuesday: Italian Breaded Pork Chops, Scalloped Potatoes, and Corn


Wednesday: Stroganoff-Topped Potatoes, Winter Mix Vegetables, and Peas


Thursday: Pork Chops with Cream of Mushroom, Salad, and Garlic Bread


Friday: Skillet Bow Tie Lasagna, Green Beans, and Salad


Saturday: Country Breakfast, and Corn


Sunday: Sloppy Joe Cornbread Bake, Green Beans, and Salad


Submitted to:

Visit I'm an Organizing Junkie to see more menu ideas.

Friday, January 7, 2011

52 Weeks: #1 Christmas Decorations















I wanted to purge and reorganize our Christmas decorations. I had help cleaning up our Christmas decorations and putting them into the storage boxes in the basement. My problem is that everything is not organized or put into any of its packaging. My husband and I spent some time organizing everything properly and now everything is in its place.




























I started by sorting through everything and reboxing things that I wanted to keep and put things I didn't want into a bag for donation. I have wanted to get rid of most of our Santa Themed decorations and go for a Nativity Theme for several years. This year I got a little closer to my goal by doing a Nativity Theme with Holly & Poinsettia in my kitchen. As I was organizing my Christmas decorations I purged most of my Santa stuff so next year I will be able to display the Nativity Theme through the house. I am going to pick up a couple of Nativity things at thrift stores throughout the year. After I finished purging and organizing I packed away everything that we are keeping and donated the rest to the Clothes Closet.



Submitted to:
I'm an Organizing Junkie 52 Weeks of Organizing
Works for Me Wednesday

52 Weeks of Organizing















I am pretty organized but always have some area of the house that needs work so I am joining I'm an Organizing Junkie’s 52 Weeks of Organizing. I am hoping to tackle a couple areas that I have put off such as magazine storage. Along with some that I tend to work on each year such as my office and pantry.

I have a collection of organizing books on my bookshelves that I plan to look through and see what information I can use. I will be getting rid of some as I go since I really don’t need that many. I have also ordered some books from my library that are more up to date since all of my books are from the 1990’s.

I am going to post what I organized for the week with picture's. I also hope to offer some tips or book reviews as the year progresses depending on what I find on my 52 Weeks of Organizing journey

Cake Mix Recipes: Cherry Delight Cake

1 pkg. white cake mix
1 pkg. (3oz) cherry gelatin
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
2 cups whipped topping
1 can cherry pie filling

Bake cake in a 9x13 pan according to directions on box. Let cool. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Poke holes in cake with toothpick or fork and gently pour gelatin over it. Cool for 15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. In bowl beat cream cheese and fold in whipped topping. Carefully spread on cake. Top with pie filling and chill for 2 hours.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Snowflakes



















Out of the bosom of the Air,
Out of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken,
Over the woodlands brown and bare
Over the harvest-fields forsaken,
Silent and soft and slow
Descends the snow ...

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Monday, January 3, 2011

January 3-9 Menu Plan



















Monday: Cheesy Vegetable & Ham Chowder and Slow Cooker Hoppin' John Chowder, and Hoagies

Tuesday: Italian Breaded Pork Chops, Scalloped Potatoes, and Corn

Wednesday: Stroganoff-Topped Potatoes, Winter Mix Vegetables, and Green Beans

Thursday: Pork Chops with Cream of Mushroom, Salad, and Garlic Bread

Friday: Hamburgers & French Fries

Saturday: Steak, All Day Macaroni and Cheese, and Herbed Broccoli w/ Mushrooms

Sunday: Sloppy Joe Cornbread Bake, Green Beans, and Salad


Submitted to:
Visit I'm an Organizing Junkie to see more menu ideas.

Cheesy Vegetable & Ham Chowder

3 c. water 3 potatoes, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 c. celery, chopped
3/4 c. onion, chopped
3 c. milk
2- 15 oz. cans creamed corn
6 Tbsp. butter
1/4 c. & half of 1/4 c. flour (1/8 c.)
1/2 tsp. pepper
3-1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
3 c. cubed ham

In large saucepot, combine water, potatoes, carrot, celery and onion. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer covered for 10 min. For cheese sauce: melt butter, stir in flour pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened & bubbly; add cheese and cook and stir until melted. Add cheese sauce to vegetable mixture. Stir in corn and ham; heat through on low. Do not boil.