I sit in front of this computer way too much. I know what you're thinking. "Why don't you post more often then?!?" I know, I know... But my point is that I need to spend LESS time in front of this box. So I was going to start setting my kitchen timer for 15 minutes at a time to remind me to get up and do stuff. We have THREE kitchen timers. Two of them are really nifty...they have magnets so they'll stick to the fridge, and little stands in the back so that you can stand them up and watch the time, and all kinds of nifty features. Do you think either one of these were ON the fridge? Nope. Neither was the regular kitchen timer on the shelf, where it belongs. I know, nice, right? Ugh!
But I'm determined to set some kind of alarm. I hate using the timer on the stove (I don't know why), the one on my phone is annoying and my hearing isn't good enough to use the one in my bedroom. So, I decided to look online to see if I could find some kind of alarm. Viola! Here it is, an online alarm clock! It even has different ringers. I personally prefer the guitar. :-D
Showing posts with label homemaking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label homemaking. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Super Quick Crochet Curtain Holders
Oh my, two blogs in one day! Nobody have a heart attack, ok? You'd think that blogging would KEEP me from doing stuff, but it's exactly the opposite. When I'm working and getting things done, I want to share! The thought of blogging about all the fun stuff I'm doing actually gets me excited to do more. I'm going to have to remember that for future reference.
Anyway, so about these curtain holders (I haven't a clue if that's what they're called, but they hold the curtains, so that's good enough for me). I decided the other day to put my plants in my bedroom. Until now, they've had two very bad options...either getting torn up by excited dogs in the living room, or getting very little sun in the dining room. So, I got furniture moved around, cleaned off my dresser, and laid down this nifty runner I got from my friend Jenna (thanks, Jenna!). Then I realized that I have no way to keep the curtains back. It won't do me much good to bring the plants into my room if they get no sun. I've been crocheting a lot lately (maybe I'll do a couple more posts to show my other projects over the last few days), so I knew exactly what I wanted to do! I'm not even going to attempt to write this like a crochet pattern, I'm just going to explain what I did.
I used an N hook, because I wanted these to be done quick (and it worked...it's going to take me longer to write the blog than it took to make these). I grabbed some scrap yarn (there's a lot of green in my room, so I grabbed green yarn...it looks nice!) For the first one, I just made a chain until I figured it was about the right length (I don't even know how many stitches I did, I didn't bother to count). For the second one, I chained until I had about the same length (minus the end loops):
Then, I added another 5 chains. I turned, skipped those five chains to make a loop:
...and single crocheted back to the other end. Uh oh, I think I'm missing some pictures. Oh well. When I got to the other end, I chained five again, and single crocheted down the other side (the bottom of the original chain). I doubt it would matter if you crocheted across the top, it would just be a little crooked (when you lay them out, one loop will be higher than the other). But heck, it's not like anyone's ever going to inspect them, right? (Well, unless you have a mom like mine who has to criticize everything you're proud of...in that case, just don't tell her! LOL)
Now, the first one I did, I didn't slip stitch the last stitch to the loop on the end. It left a little "pimple" thing sticking out, so with the second one I made sure to slip stitch, and it looks much better. Again, no one's ever going to inspect these things, so I'm leaving it.
All told, these curtain holders took me maybe 10 minutes. Rock on! I got my plants moved in, and I am a happy girl!
Monday, May 4, 2009
Biscuits!
So, I came home tonight and decided to do some actual cooking. As in, not the quickie stuff I've been doing lately. I had the opportunity to try the baking mix from this post. At first, I tried the baking mix using whole wheat flour...but it just didn't work out. So, I took the leftover baking mix, and mixed it with a new batch of baking mix that I made with white flour. So, without further ado...
BISCUITS
Spoon 2 cups of the baking mix into a bowl.
Make a well; add 1/2 c. cold milk, all at once. Working quickly, stir vigorously with a fork just until dough follows fork around the bowl - this should take 30-40 seconds. Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead gently for another half minute (about 10 folds) to remove stickiness.
Roll or pat dough out to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Dip a 2-inch cutter or an inverted glass tumbler in flour; cut dough straight down - no twisting - to form biscuits.
(I decided to be a dork and use a cookie cutter to cut the biscuits...Jason picked a pumpkin shaped cookie cutter.)
For soft biscuits, place dough rounds close together in a shallow, ungreased baking pan; for crusty biscuits, place the rounds 3/4 inch apart on a cookie sheet. Prick biscuit tops with a fork. If you wish, brush tops with milk or melted butter. Bake in an oven preheated to 450F for 10-15 minutes. Makes about 12 biscuits.
Yep, the half white, half wheat flour combo is very yummy.
BISCUITS
Spoon 2 cups of the baking mix into a bowl.
Make a well; add 1/2 c. cold milk, all at once. Working quickly, stir vigorously with a fork just until dough follows fork around the bowl - this should take 30-40 seconds. Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead gently for another half minute (about 10 folds) to remove stickiness.
Roll or pat dough out to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Dip a 2-inch cutter or an inverted glass tumbler in flour; cut dough straight down - no twisting - to form biscuits.
(I decided to be a dork and use a cookie cutter to cut the biscuits...Jason picked a pumpkin shaped cookie cutter.)
For soft biscuits, place dough rounds close together in a shallow, ungreased baking pan; for crusty biscuits, place the rounds 3/4 inch apart on a cookie sheet. Prick biscuit tops with a fork. If you wish, brush tops with milk or melted butter. Bake in an oven preheated to 450F for 10-15 minutes. Makes about 12 biscuits.
Yep, the half white, half wheat flour combo is very yummy.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Homemade Baking Mixes
I borrowed this book from my co-worker awhile back...I forget what it was called, but she's had this book for 25 years, and it is absolutely the most awesome book I've ever seen (ok, there are others just as awesome, but maybe this is the most awesome cook-type-book). It's a huge book full of recipes for making your own groceries at home. I'll probably post various things from it from time to time, but for today, I decided to post the baking mixes section (wish I had the stupid power cord for my scanner, I'd just scan the pages and post the picture...oh well).
BISCUIT AND BAKING MIX (like Bisquick)
8 3/4 cups flour (I used wheat flour, but wouldn't recommend it...maybe half white and half wheat, but don't use all wheat, k? Just not good...)
1/3 cup baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp. salt
2 cups vegetable shortening
In a very large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Use a pastry blender, or two knives, or your fingertips to cut in the shortening, 1 cup at a time, until the mix looks like coarse meal. Put in a covered container or plastic bag. Store at room temperature for about 3 months. For longer storage, place in freezer. To measure mix for use, lightly spoon it into a measuring cup; do not pack; level with a spatula.
BISCUITS
Spoon 2 cups of the above mix into a bowl. Make a well; add 1/2 c. cold milk, all at once. Working quickly, stir vigorously with a fork just until dough follows fork around the bowl - this should take 30-40 seconds. Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead gently for another half minute (about 10 folds) to remove stickiness. Roll or pat dough out to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Dip a 2-inch cutter or an inverted glass tumbler in flour; cut dough straight down - no twisting - to form biscuits.
For soft biscuits, place dough rounds close together in a shallow, ungreased baking pan; for crusty biscuits, place the rounds 3/4 inch apart on a cookie sheet. Prick biscuit tops with a fork. If you wish, brush tops with milk or melted butter. Bake in an oven preheated to 450F for 10-15 minutes. Makes about 12 biscuits.
DROP BISCUITS
Increase milk to 2/3 cup. Do not knead. Drop dough from a teaspoon onto a well-greased cookie sheet. Bake as directed.
CHEESE BISCUITS
Add 1/3 cup grated cheese, any flavor, to dough.
ONION BISCUITS
Add 1/4 cup chopped, sauteed onions to dough.
HAM-BACON BISCUITS
Add 1/3 cup crisp bacon bits or 1/4 cup very finely chopped cooked ham to dough.
PANCAKES
In a mixing bowl, combine 1 1/3 cups milk and 1 egg. Add 2 cups of lightly spooned baking mix; beat smooth with an egg beater. If you wish, fold in 1/2 cup blueberries or 3/4 cup sliced apples. Drop mixture in 1/4 cup measurements onto a hot, lightly greased griddle. Makes 10 4-inch pancakes.
SHORTCAKES
Use a fork to lightly beat 1 egg in a mixing bowl; add 1/2 cup milk, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 3 cups of lightly spooned baking mix. Stir quickly with a fork to moisten, about 30 strokes. Turn onto a floured surface and knead well, 8 times. Roll out dough 1/2 inch thick. Using a floured cutter or inverted glass tumbler, cut dough into an equal amount of 2 1/2- and 3-inch rounds. Brush a larger round with melted butter and place a smaller one on top of it. Repeat until you have 5 or 6 double shortcakes. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, gently prick tops with a fork; butter them if you wish. Bake in a preheated 425F oven for 12-15 minutes.
QUICK MEAT OR CHICKEN PIE
Pour 4 servings of canned or homemade beef or chicken stew into a buttered casserole dish; bake at 425F for about 10 minutes. Spoon 1 cup of baking mix into a bowl, make a well, and, all at once, pour in 1/3 cup of milk. Stir vigorously with a fork until moistened. Drop by teaspoonfuls on top of the heated stew. Bake 20-25 minutes more, then serve.
BISCUIT AND BAKING MIX (like Bisquick)
8 3/4 cups flour (I used wheat flour, but wouldn't recommend it...maybe half white and half wheat, but don't use all wheat, k? Just not good...)
1/3 cup baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp. salt
2 cups vegetable shortening
In a very large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Use a pastry blender, or two knives, or your fingertips to cut in the shortening, 1 cup at a time, until the mix looks like coarse meal. Put in a covered container or plastic bag. Store at room temperature for about 3 months. For longer storage, place in freezer. To measure mix for use, lightly spoon it into a measuring cup; do not pack; level with a spatula.
BISCUITS
Spoon 2 cups of the above mix into a bowl. Make a well; add 1/2 c. cold milk, all at once. Working quickly, stir vigorously with a fork just until dough follows fork around the bowl - this should take 30-40 seconds. Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead gently for another half minute (about 10 folds) to remove stickiness. Roll or pat dough out to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Dip a 2-inch cutter or an inverted glass tumbler in flour; cut dough straight down - no twisting - to form biscuits.
For soft biscuits, place dough rounds close together in a shallow, ungreased baking pan; for crusty biscuits, place the rounds 3/4 inch apart on a cookie sheet. Prick biscuit tops with a fork. If you wish, brush tops with milk or melted butter. Bake in an oven preheated to 450F for 10-15 minutes. Makes about 12 biscuits.
DROP BISCUITS
Increase milk to 2/3 cup. Do not knead. Drop dough from a teaspoon onto a well-greased cookie sheet. Bake as directed.
CHEESE BISCUITS
Add 1/3 cup grated cheese, any flavor, to dough.
ONION BISCUITS
Add 1/4 cup chopped, sauteed onions to dough.
HAM-BACON BISCUITS
Add 1/3 cup crisp bacon bits or 1/4 cup very finely chopped cooked ham to dough.
PANCAKES
In a mixing bowl, combine 1 1/3 cups milk and 1 egg. Add 2 cups of lightly spooned baking mix; beat smooth with an egg beater. If you wish, fold in 1/2 cup blueberries or 3/4 cup sliced apples. Drop mixture in 1/4 cup measurements onto a hot, lightly greased griddle. Makes 10 4-inch pancakes.
SHORTCAKES
Use a fork to lightly beat 1 egg in a mixing bowl; add 1/2 cup milk, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 3 cups of lightly spooned baking mix. Stir quickly with a fork to moisten, about 30 strokes. Turn onto a floured surface and knead well, 8 times. Roll out dough 1/2 inch thick. Using a floured cutter or inverted glass tumbler, cut dough into an equal amount of 2 1/2- and 3-inch rounds. Brush a larger round with melted butter and place a smaller one on top of it. Repeat until you have 5 or 6 double shortcakes. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, gently prick tops with a fork; butter them if you wish. Bake in a preheated 425F oven for 12-15 minutes.
QUICK MEAT OR CHICKEN PIE
Pour 4 servings of canned or homemade beef or chicken stew into a buttered casserole dish; bake at 425F for about 10 minutes. Spoon 1 cup of baking mix into a bowl, make a well, and, all at once, pour in 1/3 cup of milk. Stir vigorously with a fork until moistened. Drop by teaspoonfuls on top of the heated stew. Bake 20-25 minutes more, then serve.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Productivity
These days, productivity is rare for me. I've had some fairly major back pain issues for the last few years. I refuse to take medication for it unless I absolutely need it because when my pain is dulled, I can't tell how bad it is, and I continue to put more and more strain on my back, which just makes it worse.
Also, I've had some minor depression issues all my life, and I've been in "that" mode for a few months (maybe the winter weather affected me more than I thought it did). So, it has been increasingly difficult to have those productive days.
I have often sat and wistfully dreamed of the days when I could clean my whole house in one day...now I can't mop the floors. Or the days when I could make it to the top of Pilot Butte...I couldn't even make it from the parking lot to the foot of the Butte these days. I dream of the day (some distant, foggy day far in the future) when I might be able to do these things again.
Yes...I dream of mopping and hiking...two things I loathe, to be truthful, but I'd like to have the OPTION to do those things.
So, yesterday was a bit of a shock to me. I spent almost the entire day being productive. What changed, you ask? Well, my back has been hurting non-stop for days. It didn't matter if I was sitting, standing, bending, scrubbing...it just HURT. So I thought, well, if it's going to hurt no matter what I do, I may as well just suck it up and get moving. I felt like I had been run over by a tank by the time I fell into bed last night, but I was proud of myself in a way that I haven't been in over a year. This list may look puny to those of you who lead less sedentary lives, but allow me my pride...here's what I got done yesterday:
I rode on my "new" exercise bike...granted it was only a few minutes, but a few minutes is better than zero minutes.
I cleaned the entire kitchen, aside from the floor. It needed it, too. The sink is empty of the 4 days of dishes that had built up, the faucet and porcelain have been shined, counters cleaned (except a few spots), stove scrubbed. I cleaned and cured all my frying pans, AND my teapot (can anyone tell me how on Earth that thing gets so filthy every week? It's covered in grime an inch thick, and all I use it for is water! I think I need to store it on the other side of the kitchen...it picks up too much grease from cooking).
Oh yeah, and I actually cleaned the kitchen three times. Once for the big mess, and twice more after cooking and making a mess. It had better stay clean, I tell ya! (Had a little chat with hubs, and myself, to say that dishes are to be washed and promptly put in the dishwasher, not built up over days, and if you're going to cook for yourself, you're going to wash up your own dishes and clean up after yourself...I'm worse at this than he is, so I gave myself a much sterner talking to...heehee.)
I did all the laundry, which is huge. In the last few weeks, I've been getting most of the laundry done on Wednesday...to the point where I just have one last load in the dryer, and I just have to fold that and put everything away...and then I peter out. Well, last night, I didn't peter out (or, more accurately, I was already petered out by the time I woke up yesterday, so I just sucked it up and did it anyway). I even washed my blankets, since they were getting too heavy and warm. Hopefully that wasn't a mistake, since the weather is now cooled off again.
I cleaned the bathroom...counter, litter box, toilet (easy peasy, since I do the "swish" part of Flylady's swish and swipe at least every other day, so it wasn't that dirty to begin with), and the floor.
Organized cupboards, fridge, freezer, and a bunch of other stuff
Made bread
Made fudge
Wrote two blog posts...one about previously mentioned fudge, and one about cleaning supplies (which had to be edited about 15 times because I kept messing up...jeez).
Seems like there's more, but if I think of anything, I'll come back and add. I think that's enough bragging for now anyway. ;-)
Know what the best part is, though? That doesn't leave me a lot to do this weekend. Might have to find something fun to do with my spare time...
Also, I've had some minor depression issues all my life, and I've been in "that" mode for a few months (maybe the winter weather affected me more than I thought it did). So, it has been increasingly difficult to have those productive days.
I have often sat and wistfully dreamed of the days when I could clean my whole house in one day...now I can't mop the floors. Or the days when I could make it to the top of Pilot Butte...I couldn't even make it from the parking lot to the foot of the Butte these days. I dream of the day (some distant, foggy day far in the future) when I might be able to do these things again.
Yes...I dream of mopping and hiking...two things I loathe, to be truthful, but I'd like to have the OPTION to do those things.
So, yesterday was a bit of a shock to me. I spent almost the entire day being productive. What changed, you ask? Well, my back has been hurting non-stop for days. It didn't matter if I was sitting, standing, bending, scrubbing...it just HURT. So I thought, well, if it's going to hurt no matter what I do, I may as well just suck it up and get moving. I felt like I had been run over by a tank by the time I fell into bed last night, but I was proud of myself in a way that I haven't been in over a year. This list may look puny to those of you who lead less sedentary lives, but allow me my pride...here's what I got done yesterday:
I rode on my "new" exercise bike...granted it was only a few minutes, but a few minutes is better than zero minutes.
I cleaned the entire kitchen, aside from the floor. It needed it, too. The sink is empty of the 4 days of dishes that had built up, the faucet and porcelain have been shined, counters cleaned (except a few spots), stove scrubbed. I cleaned and cured all my frying pans, AND my teapot (can anyone tell me how on Earth that thing gets so filthy every week? It's covered in grime an inch thick, and all I use it for is water! I think I need to store it on the other side of the kitchen...it picks up too much grease from cooking).
Oh yeah, and I actually cleaned the kitchen three times. Once for the big mess, and twice more after cooking and making a mess. It had better stay clean, I tell ya! (Had a little chat with hubs, and myself, to say that dishes are to be washed and promptly put in the dishwasher, not built up over days, and if you're going to cook for yourself, you're going to wash up your own dishes and clean up after yourself...I'm worse at this than he is, so I gave myself a much sterner talking to...heehee.)
I did all the laundry, which is huge. In the last few weeks, I've been getting most of the laundry done on Wednesday...to the point where I just have one last load in the dryer, and I just have to fold that and put everything away...and then I peter out. Well, last night, I didn't peter out (or, more accurately, I was already petered out by the time I woke up yesterday, so I just sucked it up and did it anyway). I even washed my blankets, since they were getting too heavy and warm. Hopefully that wasn't a mistake, since the weather is now cooled off again.
I cleaned the bathroom...counter, litter box, toilet (easy peasy, since I do the "swish" part of Flylady's swish and swipe at least every other day, so it wasn't that dirty to begin with), and the floor.
Organized cupboards, fridge, freezer, and a bunch of other stuff
Made bread
Made fudge
Wrote two blog posts...one about previously mentioned fudge, and one about cleaning supplies (which had to be edited about 15 times because I kept messing up...jeez).
Seems like there's more, but if I think of anything, I'll come back and add. I think that's enough bragging for now anyway. ;-)
Know what the best part is, though? That doesn't leave me a lot to do this weekend. Might have to find something fun to do with my spare time...
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Homemade Cleaning Products
I try to keep my house as environmentally friendly as possible. Some of these aren't as Earth-friendly as I'd like, but it's an improvement.
CHEAP "FEBREEZE"
Take an old spray bottle (I used the leftover Febreeze spray bottle), fill it half way with fabric softener, and fill it the rest of the way with water. This is the only thing I buy fabric softener for, since I use vinegar in the rinse cycle. I buy the phosphorous free softener.
DISH SOAP
3 tbsp liquid castile soap
2 cups warm water
2 tsp. vegetable glycerine
2 tbsp. vinegar
My favorite thing about making dish soap (this will show you what a dork I am) is putting in the first three ingredients, mixing them up, and then pouring in the vinegar. It's way cool. All the ingredients are clear, right? You've got crystal-clear, water-looking stuff in a jar...and then you pour in even more clear stuff, but it looks like you just poured in creamer...it's way nifty. (This coming from a chick who loves lava lamps, so take that for what it's worth.)
LAUNDRY SOAP
1/2 cup liquid castille soap
1/2 cup borax
1/2 cup washing soda
Put these in a gallon jug, fill the rest of the way with warm water, and mix it up. I also like to add some shredded fels naptha (not much, though...it makes the soap clumpy). And I've been putting a teaspoon of seventh generation laundry powder in the wash to give it that extra kick, and it works wonderfully. I use a downy ball with vinegar in it for the rinse.
On a side note here, I used to use just plain baking soda in the wash (did that for about a year), and aside from the cost, it worked fabulously. Going through all my trials and errors with making laundry soap, I've often contemplated just going back to the baking soda days. But since I started adding in that teaspoon of commercial soap, I finally found a formula that works the same as the baking soda. And it's cheaper.
ALL PURPOSE CLEANER
2 parts water
1 part vinegar
Yep, that's it. Put it in a spray bottle or mop bucket, and off you go.
I've got plenty more where that comes from. I actually printed out a whole book of recipes for different things that I'll pull out when one of these won't do the job I need done.
And now, I'm off to clean the house...
CHEAP "FEBREEZE"
Take an old spray bottle (I used the leftover Febreeze spray bottle), fill it half way with fabric softener, and fill it the rest of the way with water. This is the only thing I buy fabric softener for, since I use vinegar in the rinse cycle. I buy the phosphorous free softener.
DISH SOAP
3 tbsp liquid castile soap
2 cups warm water
2 tsp. vegetable glycerine
2 tbsp. vinegar
My favorite thing about making dish soap (this will show you what a dork I am) is putting in the first three ingredients, mixing them up, and then pouring in the vinegar. It's way cool. All the ingredients are clear, right? You've got crystal-clear, water-looking stuff in a jar...and then you pour in even more clear stuff, but it looks like you just poured in creamer...it's way nifty. (This coming from a chick who loves lava lamps, so take that for what it's worth.)
LAUNDRY SOAP
1/2 cup liquid castille soap
1/2 cup borax
1/2 cup washing soda
Put these in a gallon jug, fill the rest of the way with warm water, and mix it up. I also like to add some shredded fels naptha (not much, though...it makes the soap clumpy). And I've been putting a teaspoon of seventh generation laundry powder in the wash to give it that extra kick, and it works wonderfully. I use a downy ball with vinegar in it for the rinse.
On a side note here, I used to use just plain baking soda in the wash (did that for about a year), and aside from the cost, it worked fabulously. Going through all my trials and errors with making laundry soap, I've often contemplated just going back to the baking soda days. But since I started adding in that teaspoon of commercial soap, I finally found a formula that works the same as the baking soda. And it's cheaper.
ALL PURPOSE CLEANER
2 parts water
1 part vinegar
Yep, that's it. Put it in a spray bottle or mop bucket, and off you go.
I've got plenty more where that comes from. I actually printed out a whole book of recipes for different things that I'll pull out when one of these won't do the job I need done.
And now, I'm off to clean the house...
Monday, April 20, 2009
Menu Planning Again
Oh, this saving money thing completely rocks. In case anyone's wondering, I don't make my menus on a set schedule. Generally, I wait until payday, after paying bills (so that I know if my budget is off), and then whenever I have time. Well, I had the time today. (I only worked 1 hour today, and I worked from home). This time, I'm going to show you my menu and my shopping list. I only planned 28 meals this time because I ran out of ideas. But it won't matter, we'll have plenty. Also, we were out of town quite a bit and Jason is now working nights, so a lot of the food I planned for last month never got cooked. About half the menu is being carried over from last month as a result. Without further ado:
KABOB'S
Stew meat (have)
Mushrooms
Peppers
Onions (have)
Tomato
CHICKEN ALFREDO
Sauce Mix (I looked up a recipe for making my own sauce mix)
Pasta (have plenty, but I'm buying more with double coupons at Albertson's today, making them free)
Chicken (have)
Veggies (I just put random veggies with this meal, whatever sounds good...we have some frozen veggies from when the Steam Fresh veggies were on sale, and I got them for 50 cents each)
ALFREDO SAUCE MIX PACKETS
Dry milk (have)
Parmesan
Dried onion (have)
Garlic powder (have)
Salt (have)
White pepper
SPAGHETTI
Pasta (have)
Sauce mix packet (have)
Tomato Paste (have one but will need 3 more)
Meatballs (we have some of these, and might be able to get more free...if I can't get them free, we'll do without)
Veggies (have)
CHICKEN CURRY
Chicken (have)
Curry (have)
Coconut milk (have one can, need one more)
Rice noodles (have)
Spring rolls (we like a certain kind of veggie spring rolls...we have 2 boxes, but will need more)
Oriental veggies (we have enough for one meal, but we'll need more)
Soy sauce (have)
ENCHILADAS (have a meal kit)
Beans (have, will make a big pot of refried beans)
Cheese
Sour cream (have)
Veggies (have)
CHICKEN STRIPS AND FRIES
Chicken (have)
Potatoes
Bread crumbs (have)
Condiments (have)
CHILI AND CORNBREAD
Kidney beans (have)
Dried veggies (have WAY too much)
Chili Seasoning (if we don't have a packet, we have the spices)
Onion (have)
Diced tomatoes (have)
Cornmeal (have)
RAVIOLI
Frozen pasta (have)
Spaghetti or Alfredo sauce (whatever I'm in the mood for, and we have on hand...we have plenty of both)
BURGERS
Patties (have veggie burgers)
Buns
Condiments (have)
Lettuce, tomato, onion (have onion)
TUNA CASSEROLE
Pasta (have)
Tuna (have)
Cream mushroom soup (have)
Peas
CORN CHOWDER
Potato soup (have)
Corn (have)
Evaporated milk (have)
SOUP AND SALAD
Tomato soup (have)
Salad (we have some, but we'll need to grab more whenever we want this meal)
Dressing (have some, but will need more)
Crackers
CHOW MEIN
Chow Mein noodles (have)
Rice (have)
Bean sprouts (have)
Soy sauce (have)
Chicken (have)
Veggies
Sauce packet (have)
Spring rolls
MEATLOAF AND POTATOES
Ground turkey (have)
Ketchup (have)
Bread crumbs (have)
Egg (have)
BBQ sauce (have some, might need more)
Onion soup mix (have)
We'll be having multiples of a lot of those, so it adds up to 28 meals total. Here's the grocery list I have so far:
Fresh mushrooms
Bell peppers
Tomatos
Parmesan
White pepper
Cheese
Potatoes
Ranch dressing
Burger buns
Peas
Spring rolls
Oriental veggies
Crackers
That's it. For the whole month. I haven't looked through my master list yet, so I'm sure I'll add a few things, but I'm pretty well stocked up on the regular items. Did you see how much stuff I already have on hand??? Wowza. And that's not even including canned fruits and veggies, snacks, etc. I rearranged the cupboard this afternoon to make more room, and holy cow we have a lot of food. Time to add some shelves!
KABOB'S
Stew meat (have)
Mushrooms
Peppers
Onions (have)
Tomato
CHICKEN ALFREDO
Sauce Mix (I looked up a recipe for making my own sauce mix)
Pasta (have plenty, but I'm buying more with double coupons at Albertson's today, making them free)
Chicken (have)
Veggies (I just put random veggies with this meal, whatever sounds good...we have some frozen veggies from when the Steam Fresh veggies were on sale, and I got them for 50 cents each)
ALFREDO SAUCE MIX PACKETS
Dry milk (have)
Parmesan
Dried onion (have)
Garlic powder (have)
Salt (have)
White pepper
SPAGHETTI
Pasta (have)
Sauce mix packet (have)
Tomato Paste (have one but will need 3 more)
Meatballs (we have some of these, and might be able to get more free...if I can't get them free, we'll do without)
Veggies (have)
CHICKEN CURRY
Chicken (have)
Curry (have)
Coconut milk (have one can, need one more)
Rice noodles (have)
Spring rolls (we like a certain kind of veggie spring rolls...we have 2 boxes, but will need more)
Oriental veggies (we have enough for one meal, but we'll need more)
Soy sauce (have)
ENCHILADAS (have a meal kit)
Beans (have, will make a big pot of refried beans)
Cheese
Sour cream (have)
Veggies (have)
CHICKEN STRIPS AND FRIES
Chicken (have)
Potatoes
Bread crumbs (have)
Condiments (have)
CHILI AND CORNBREAD
Kidney beans (have)
Dried veggies (have WAY too much)
Chili Seasoning (if we don't have a packet, we have the spices)
Onion (have)
Diced tomatoes (have)
Cornmeal (have)
RAVIOLI
Frozen pasta (have)
Spaghetti or Alfredo sauce (whatever I'm in the mood for, and we have on hand...we have plenty of both)
BURGERS
Patties (have veggie burgers)
Buns
Condiments (have)
Lettuce, tomato, onion (have onion)
TUNA CASSEROLE
Pasta (have)
Tuna (have)
Cream mushroom soup (have)
Peas
CORN CHOWDER
Potato soup (have)
Corn (have)
Evaporated milk (have)
SOUP AND SALAD
Tomato soup (have)
Salad (we have some, but we'll need to grab more whenever we want this meal)
Dressing (have some, but will need more)
Crackers
CHOW MEIN
Chow Mein noodles (have)
Rice (have)
Bean sprouts (have)
Soy sauce (have)
Chicken (have)
Veggies
Sauce packet (have)
Spring rolls
MEATLOAF AND POTATOES
Ground turkey (have)
Ketchup (have)
Bread crumbs (have)
Egg (have)
BBQ sauce (have some, might need more)
Onion soup mix (have)
We'll be having multiples of a lot of those, so it adds up to 28 meals total. Here's the grocery list I have so far:
Fresh mushrooms
Bell peppers
Tomatos
Parmesan
White pepper
Cheese
Potatoes
Ranch dressing
Burger buns
Peas
Spring rolls
Oriental veggies
Crackers
That's it. For the whole month. I haven't looked through my master list yet, so I'm sure I'll add a few things, but I'm pretty well stocked up on the regular items. Did you see how much stuff I already have on hand??? Wowza. And that's not even including canned fruits and veggies, snacks, etc. I rearranged the cupboard this afternoon to make more room, and holy cow we have a lot of food. Time to add some shelves!
Friday, April 17, 2009
Garage Saling
Ok, so I haven't been to a garage sale in years. I'm living vicariously here, people. Work with me.
I talked to Shannon earlier, and she was telling me all about her fabulous garage sale finds. I'm jealous. We might scrape by this month, if we're lucky, so to think about having that extra $20 to spend on cool stuff at a yard sale, garage sale, or even a thrift store, is the stuff of my dreams right now.
Then, I'm looking through the recent posts for the blogs I subscribe to, and I saw this one. Oh man...that link went into an email to Shannon faster than you can say "way cool!". I love the monkeybox blog. Window shopping/vicarious living at its finest. *sigh*
I talked to Shannon earlier, and she was telling me all about her fabulous garage sale finds. I'm jealous. We might scrape by this month, if we're lucky, so to think about having that extra $20 to spend on cool stuff at a yard sale, garage sale, or even a thrift store, is the stuff of my dreams right now.
Then, I'm looking through the recent posts for the blogs I subscribe to, and I saw this one. Oh man...that link went into an email to Shannon faster than you can say "way cool!". I love the monkeybox blog. Window shopping/vicarious living at its finest. *sigh*
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Cleaning Up The Clutter
I just now realized that I haven't posted since the day before yesterday (beings that it's after midnight, that is). I'm so tired, and should have been in bed hours ago, so I'm going to make this a quickie.
I'm addicted to this blog. Mostly out of envy, I must admit. I was doing so wonderfully with my own clutter a couple years ago...but unfortunately, I've fallen right back into old patterns. *sigh* I'm hopeful that Barb's posts will eventually convince me to get back on that bandwagon.
Enjoy!
I'm addicted to this blog. Mostly out of envy, I must admit. I was doing so wonderfully with my own clutter a couple years ago...but unfortunately, I've fallen right back into old patterns. *sigh* I'm hopeful that Barb's posts will eventually convince me to get back on that bandwagon.
Enjoy!
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