Monday- Casserole with Chinese eggplant, rice, cheese, and red wine tomato sauce. Sauteed broccoli, if the baby cooperates at dinner time. Frozen peas if she doesn't.
Tuesday- Youth Group night. Spiral cut ham, acorn squash, baked potatoes, and Fantastic Cauliflower (wash a whole head of cauliflower, coat it with a thin layer of mayonnaise, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, bake until soft). Hams were on super sale for after Christmas. I'll admit it.
Wednesday- Pasta with pumpkin and lentils, inspired by leftover pumpkin, which led to this blog post, which led to a riff on this recipe. Definitely extra sharp cheddar instead of feta, though.
Thursday- Fried rice with some of that leftover ham (or chicken from the freezer). Broccoli salad with lemon dressing (I prefer my broccoli chopped smaller than bite sized, but do what you will. I recommend either making a few hours in advance or steaming the broccoli for 15 seconds in the microwave so that it doesn't taste raw. Crush one clove of garlic with a generous amount of salt. Mix with half a lemon worth of lemon juice and some zest from said lemon. Add about the same amount of olive oil as you have lemon juice. Grind in a bunch of pepper. Dip the broccoli in the dressing to taste it and adjust until you like it. Mix everything all together. You can add some dried cranberries and lightly toasted almonds or sunflower seeds to fancy it up. I am seriously addicted.)
Friday- Ham and bean soup and bread. (I actually ended up making risotto instead of soup last Friday. And the munchkin really wants bean soup.)
Monday, January 23, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
2012 Homemaking goal- The weekly plan
I'm trying it out or the rest of the month, but my preliminary thoughts are:
Monday- Clean the kitchen and write the week's meal plan. This includes wiping down the fronts of the cabinets and surface cleaning the appliances. I'll clean the shelves in the fridge periodicly, but not weekly.
Tuesday- Clean both bathrooms.
Wednesday- Mop and vacuum the main floor. Vacuum upstairs at least every other week.
Thursday- Catch up on Laundry.
Friday- One to Three periodic tasks. I'll post those later.
Weekend- Grocery shop.
I know there are more tasks that would be ideal to do every week. But that would be getting too ambitious. For now, this is enough. And it'll keep the house presentably clean.
Monday- Clean the kitchen and write the week's meal plan. This includes wiping down the fronts of the cabinets and surface cleaning the appliances. I'll clean the shelves in the fridge periodicly, but not weekly.
Tuesday- Clean both bathrooms.
Wednesday- Mop and vacuum the main floor. Vacuum upstairs at least every other week.
Thursday- Catch up on Laundry.
Friday- One to Three periodic tasks. I'll post those later.
Weekend- Grocery shop.
I know there are more tasks that would be ideal to do every week. But that would be getting too ambitious. For now, this is enough. And it'll keep the house presentably clean.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Meal Plan Monday
Monday- leftover chicken; whole wheat vermicelli; and salad of carrots, peppers, and cilantro with nuoc cham.
Tuesday- Youth group night. Chicken noodle soup. Bread.
Wednesday- Baked ham, squash, and garlic-rosemary potatoes. Frozen peas.
Thursday- Casserole with cheese sauce over leftover ham and potatoes. Assorted veggies
Friday- Black Bean soup with Chipotle chilis. Bread. Carrot sticks.
Tuesday- Youth group night. Chicken noodle soup. Bread.
Wednesday- Baked ham, squash, and garlic-rosemary potatoes. Frozen peas.
Thursday- Casserole with cheese sauce over leftover ham and potatoes. Assorted veggies
Friday- Black Bean soup with Chipotle chilis. Bread. Carrot sticks.
Monday, January 9, 2012
2012 Homemaking goal- The daily plan
There are certain tasks which will need to be done in my home every day if I want to stay on top of the mess. For example, there's no way to vacuum in a livingroom with toys all over the floor. And if I have to start from a giant disaster cleaning up toys, I won't get to the actual vacuuming part. So if the daily routine keeps the house tolerably clean and tidy, I'll be able to get the more involved cleaning tasks done more often.
As I cook almost every day and I definitly feed my family at home every day, I need to wash dishes daily. I also cloth diaper and clothe 2 messy kiddos, so our family produces a bare minimum of 7 loads of laundry a week. The munchkin is a messy eater (big surprise), so I have to sweep up bread crumbs and Cheerios every day. And of course, the toys, coats, books, and general accumulated personal items that say "There are people living here!" all need to be dealt with. I think everyone should be responsible for their own personals, though. So the munchkin can pick up his own toys, and everyone can hang up their own coats, and whoever used that blanket can fold it and put it away, and it should all be done before bedtime.
Our general clutter collectors are the kitchen counter, the dining room table, and Hubby's desk, so those need to be cleaned off constantly. As clutter tends to breed, one envelope left on the counter soon has 5 baby reciepts, and those reciepts produce a dish full of screws and 15 coupons within a day, and then the coupons have a litter of pop cans, and it just spirals out of control. So I need to clean off the table, counter, and desk both morning and evening.
As the desk is mostly Hubby's stuff, and I don't feel comfortable just dealing with it, I have created a "Things to Do" file in the filing cabinet. Hubby's papers that I don't know exactly where to put them will be filed for his perusal. Hopefully that don't result in major problems. We'll see.
So with that too much information!!!
The morning routine (while preparing and immediately after breakfast):
Empty the dishwasher and dish drainer.
Sort dirty laundry. Wash and dry one load before noon.
Clean off the kitchen counters, dining room table, and desk.
The evening routine (beginning immediately after dinner):
Sweep and spot clean the kitchen and dining room floors.
Load dishwasher and wash dishes.
Fold and put away laundry.
Enter reciepts into our budget program.
Clean off the kitchen counters, dining room table, and desk.
Pick up personals.
As I cook almost every day and I definitly feed my family at home every day, I need to wash dishes daily. I also cloth diaper and clothe 2 messy kiddos, so our family produces a bare minimum of 7 loads of laundry a week. The munchkin is a messy eater (big surprise), so I have to sweep up bread crumbs and Cheerios every day. And of course, the toys, coats, books, and general accumulated personal items that say "There are people living here!" all need to be dealt with. I think everyone should be responsible for their own personals, though. So the munchkin can pick up his own toys, and everyone can hang up their own coats, and whoever used that blanket can fold it and put it away, and it should all be done before bedtime.
Our general clutter collectors are the kitchen counter, the dining room table, and Hubby's desk, so those need to be cleaned off constantly. As clutter tends to breed, one envelope left on the counter soon has 5 baby reciepts, and those reciepts produce a dish full of screws and 15 coupons within a day, and then the coupons have a litter of pop cans, and it just spirals out of control. So I need to clean off the table, counter, and desk both morning and evening.
As the desk is mostly Hubby's stuff, and I don't feel comfortable just dealing with it, I have created a "Things to Do" file in the filing cabinet. Hubby's papers that I don't know exactly where to put them will be filed for his perusal. Hopefully that don't result in major problems. We'll see.
So with that too much information!!!
The morning routine (while preparing and immediately after breakfast):
Empty the dishwasher and dish drainer.
Sort dirty laundry. Wash and dry one load before noon.
Clean off the kitchen counters, dining room table, and desk.
The evening routine (beginning immediately after dinner):
Sweep and spot clean the kitchen and dining room floors.
Load dishwasher and wash dishes.
Fold and put away laundry.
Enter reciepts into our budget program.
Clean off the kitchen counters, dining room table, and desk.
Pick up personals.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Resolutions 2012
I prefer to think of them as New Year's goals. And I prefer that they be SMART. Yay acronym! SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time delineated. OK, so attainable and realistic are pretty much the same thing, but SMAT isn't nearly as catchy, and SMRT reminds me too much of the Simpsons.
Because it's rewarding for me to be able to say "Yes, I completed this goal" and check it off of my list, I do better at actually completing my resolutions when they are SMART. So without further ado, here they are:
1. HOME- Create a house cleaning plan and follow it at least 25 days a month so everything gets cleaned on a semi-regular basis.
2. HUSBAND- Go on at least two blogable "dates" per month February through November.
3. CHILDREN- Take my kids to a museum, conservatory, or zoo at least 6 times.
4. EXTENDED FAMILY- Make all of the non-food 2012 Christmas gifts before November 30th.
5. CAREER- Find contact hours or private practice clients to fill at least 8 hours a month by July 1st.
6. EDUCATION- Finish my last class and thesis to graduate from my masters program.
7. PHYSICAL- Learn a 15 minute workout routine I can do while wearing the baby in a wrap by the end of January. Do it at least once a day, 5 days a week thereafter.
8. SPIRITUAL- Read the Divine Hours prayers with my children in the morning 5 days a week more weeks than not.
9. SOCIAL- Host at least 4 parties with over 12 guests.
Because it's rewarding for me to be able to say "Yes, I completed this goal" and check it off of my list, I do better at actually completing my resolutions when they are SMART. So without further ado, here they are:
1. HOME- Create a house cleaning plan and follow it at least 25 days a month so everything gets cleaned on a semi-regular basis.
2. HUSBAND- Go on at least two blogable "dates" per month February through November.
3. CHILDREN- Take my kids to a museum, conservatory, or zoo at least 6 times.
4. EXTENDED FAMILY- Make all of the non-food 2012 Christmas gifts before November 30th.
5. CAREER- Find contact hours or private practice clients to fill at least 8 hours a month by July 1st.
6. EDUCATION- Finish my last class and thesis to graduate from my masters program.
7. PHYSICAL- Learn a 15 minute workout routine I can do while wearing the baby in a wrap by the end of January. Do it at least once a day, 5 days a week thereafter.
8. SPIRITUAL- Read the Divine Hours prayers with my children in the morning 5 days a week more weeks than not.
9. SOCIAL- Host at least 4 parties with over 12 guests.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Meal Plan Monday
I just got home from a week at my mom's house. She watched my beautiful children while I finished my thesis. Woo hoo! I love visiting my mom, but I am not good at showing dietary restraint in her home. At this time of year, there are too many cookies. Plus amazing cheese dip. Plus she cooks me delicious food for every meal. And then there were the weekend Christmas parties. Ugh...
Less than a week to go before Christmas, and I need a little "normal" in my life right now. Back to the morning and noon prayers. Back to "treats are for sometimes" rather than cookies every day. Back to a regular nap and bedtime schedule. Back to some walking for exercise and fresh air. We'll try. Saturday there's a midnight service at church, so the weekend will be totally crazy. But I will try for the next 5 days.
This week, my goal is only healthy foods until Saturday. None of the cookies on my counter. None of the Christmas candy I'm making for presents. The only sugar I am indulging in is the little I put in my bread recipe and a couple tsp. in my morning coffee. I WILL show some restraint. Seriously! OK, on to the healthy menu.
Monday- Garlic lime fish, black bean and corn relish, maybe grilled zucchini, and corn tortillas
Tuesday- Veggie and noodle soup with bread. (The munchkin specifically asked for noodle soup, so we'll see what we can cobble together from the crisper drawer and freezer.)
Wednesday- Eggplant and chickpea curry (adapted from this recipe). Chapati (aka. whole wheat flour tortillas)
Thursday- Tomato soup from scratch and garlic-cheese bread sticks
Friday- Baked potatoes with chili on top. Broccoli salad if I go shopping, frozen peas if I don't
Less than a week to go before Christmas, and I need a little "normal" in my life right now. Back to the morning and noon prayers. Back to "treats are for sometimes" rather than cookies every day. Back to a regular nap and bedtime schedule. Back to some walking for exercise and fresh air. We'll try. Saturday there's a midnight service at church, so the weekend will be totally crazy. But I will try for the next 5 days.
This week, my goal is only healthy foods until Saturday. None of the cookies on my counter. None of the Christmas candy I'm making for presents. The only sugar I am indulging in is the little I put in my bread recipe and a couple tsp. in my morning coffee. I WILL show some restraint. Seriously! OK, on to the healthy menu.
Monday- Garlic lime fish, black bean and corn relish, maybe grilled zucchini, and corn tortillas
Tuesday- Veggie and noodle soup with bread. (The munchkin specifically asked for noodle soup, so we'll see what we can cobble together from the crisper drawer and freezer.)
Wednesday- Eggplant and chickpea curry (adapted from this recipe). Chapati (aka. whole wheat flour tortillas)
Thursday- Tomato soup from scratch and garlic-cheese bread sticks
Friday- Baked potatoes with chili on top. Broccoli salad if I go shopping, frozen peas if I don't
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Gingerbread!
Why no, I did not drop off the face of the earth. We're taking a date hiatus during the madness of the holidays. And I had so many leftovers after Thanksgiving, not Thanksgiving leftovers, just regular meals, that I basically took a week off from cooking. Yay!
However, we have been up to some fun around here. I'll tell you about the Advent calendar later, but today, it's gingerbread!
We hosted a gingerbread house making party for the ladies from my Bible study. I followed the recipes from this book and cut my own template based on the dimensions of his Cape Cod house. Using my brilliant math skills, I determined if I halved the original dimensions each batch of dough would make 2 houses. I forgot to take into account that 6x6 is actually 4 times the size of 3x3. So don't make that mistake.
Our houses ended up being 3 inches north/south, 5 inches eat/west, and 5.5 inches in total height, which was just about right. And now, from the benefit of my experience, here are some tips for hosting a successful gingerbread house building party.
Before the Party
1. Start early. If you don't want to go crazy, this will be a 4 day process. Day one, shop. Day two, mix your dough. Day three, roll, cut, and bake your pieces. Day 4, host your fantastic party.
2. Have some inspiration. I checked out a dozen library books on gingerbread house decorating. They were helpful, not only to give me recipes and ideas on what candies to use (hint, pretzels and Chex cereal for half-timbered and thatched roof houses), but also as visual inspiration for the guests.
3. Use parchment paper. I rolled my dough on a silicone mat, and while it didn't stick (yay), it did stretch when I picked it up (boo).
4. Give yourself at least three hours for the party. It takes a long time if you want to build and decorate gingerbread houses. We were working from 7 until 10:30. *Whew*
5. Have your guests bring surfaces to build on. It saves you preparing cardboard until the middle of the night or buying 20 trays. Successful surfaces include cake stands; cookie trays; rigid cutting boards; and pieces of sturdy cardboard, wood, or Styrofoam covered in aluminum foil. Don't use anything flexible unless you can leave the house undisturbed for 12 hours. Lifting a wet house on a flexible surface will result in your house falling apart.
On the Day of the Party
1. Erect the walls of the houses, and then look at the books. You want to give your walls a good chance to solidify before you put on the roof, or else your house will collapse. Maybe serve coffee and hot cocoa while your guests look. Or wine. Or some veggies and cheese to counteract the frosting and candy that they're bound to eat while decorating.
2. After the walls are solid, add the roof, then decorate the grounds and the walls. The same logic as #1. You want your roof to dry in place quite a while before you try to decorate it, or else it will slip off and/or break in the middle.
3. Quart size zipper-top plastic bags work just fine for piping icing. But you can get disposable piping bags, which work even better, waste less icing, and look classier.
4. Have a lot of scissors. Table knives, spoons, and a fine grater for shaping uneven cookie pieces are also handy. But everyone will want scissors to open piping bags or cut licorice sticks or defend their chocolate kisses. Run several pairs through the dishwasher.
5. Amuse your small people. Let them make marshmallow snowmen or decorate sugar cone trees. Keep them busy mucking so that the don't topple your guests' precious creations.
Happy sugar high!
However, we have been up to some fun around here. I'll tell you about the Advent calendar later, but today, it's gingerbread!
We hosted a gingerbread house making party for the ladies from my Bible study. I followed the recipes from this book and cut my own template based on the dimensions of his Cape Cod house. Using my brilliant math skills, I determined if I halved the original dimensions each batch of dough would make 2 houses. I forgot to take into account that 6x6 is actually 4 times the size of 3x3. So don't make that mistake.
Our houses ended up being 3 inches north/south, 5 inches eat/west, and 5.5 inches in total height, which was just about right. And now, from the benefit of my experience, here are some tips for hosting a successful gingerbread house building party.
Before the Party
1. Start early. If you don't want to go crazy, this will be a 4 day process. Day one, shop. Day two, mix your dough. Day three, roll, cut, and bake your pieces. Day 4, host your fantastic party.
2. Have some inspiration. I checked out a dozen library books on gingerbread house decorating. They were helpful, not only to give me recipes and ideas on what candies to use (hint, pretzels and Chex cereal for half-timbered and thatched roof houses), but also as visual inspiration for the guests.
3. Use parchment paper. I rolled my dough on a silicone mat, and while it didn't stick (yay), it did stretch when I picked it up (boo).
4. Give yourself at least three hours for the party. It takes a long time if you want to build and decorate gingerbread houses. We were working from 7 until 10:30. *Whew*
5. Have your guests bring surfaces to build on. It saves you preparing cardboard until the middle of the night or buying 20 trays. Successful surfaces include cake stands; cookie trays; rigid cutting boards; and pieces of sturdy cardboard, wood, or Styrofoam covered in aluminum foil. Don't use anything flexible unless you can leave the house undisturbed for 12 hours. Lifting a wet house on a flexible surface will result in your house falling apart.
On the Day of the Party
1. Erect the walls of the houses, and then look at the books. You want to give your walls a good chance to solidify before you put on the roof, or else your house will collapse. Maybe serve coffee and hot cocoa while your guests look. Or wine. Or some veggies and cheese to counteract the frosting and candy that they're bound to eat while decorating.
2. After the walls are solid, add the roof, then decorate the grounds and the walls. The same logic as #1. You want your roof to dry in place quite a while before you try to decorate it, or else it will slip off and/or break in the middle.
3. Quart size zipper-top plastic bags work just fine for piping icing. But you can get disposable piping bags, which work even better, waste less icing, and look classier.
4. Have a lot of scissors. Table knives, spoons, and a fine grater for shaping uneven cookie pieces are also handy. But everyone will want scissors to open piping bags or cut licorice sticks or defend their chocolate kisses. Run several pairs through the dishwasher.
5. Amuse your small people. Let them make marshmallow snowmen or decorate sugar cone trees. Keep them busy mucking so that the don't topple your guests' precious creations.
Happy sugar high!
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