Making house a home

Menu Plan 1/26-2/1

2012-01-26T10:16:00.000-08:00

Thursday: Tuscan Garlic Chicken
*garlic bread

Friday: Lasagna
*breadsticks
*green salad
*dessert: baked smores

Saturday: Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
*peas or broccoli

Sunday:Justin in charge

Monday: Baked Coconut Shrimp
*cilantro lime coleslaw
*bread
*fruit

Tuesday: leftovers or freezer meal

Wednesday: crockpot orange chicken
*rice

Menu plan 11/17-11/23

2011-11-17T13:40:00.000-08:00

Thursday: chipotle chicken taco salad ( freeze leftover pork)

Friday: chicken cordon bleu
*garlic rice pilaf
*carrots
dessert: caramel apple pie

Saturday: pizza
*green salad

Sunday: Husband in charge

Monday: porkchops with caramelized apples and onion
*mashed potatoes
*cucumber salad

Tuesday: leftovers or freezer meal

Wednesday: minestrone soup (freeze half)
*green salad
*breadsticks

Food Storage: Let's Get Started!

2011-11-14T15:07:00.000-08:00

"We can begin ever so modestly. We can begin with one week's food supply and gradually build it to a month and then to three months...I fear that so many feel that a long-term food supply is so far beyond their reach that they make no effort at all."

-Gordon B. Hinckley
in Conference Report, Oct. 2002

in the past i have posted about food storage and eventually forgot about it and didn't post again. ( unfortunately this seems to be a pattern in my life) well, i have a spark again and have mapped out some goals to get our food storage in place. currently our food storage isn't half bad, but i would like to be more organized about it. so i am going to attempt again to post about food storage, but this time i have a six goal plan as follows:

Goal #1: Create 72 hour kits for each family member and a car emergency kit
Goal #2: Get a two week water supply
Goal #3: Set aside a financial reserve
Goal #4: One month supply of basic food storage
Goal #5: One month supply of expanded food storage
Goal #6: One month supply of non food storage

after completing these six goals, i plan to go through goals #3-#6 and work on a 3 month supply, then a 6 month supply and maybe even a 12 month supply.

i plan on doing a more detailed post about each of these goals as me and my family ~~go through~~ achieve them. i also plan on posting some other food storage related posts that support the goals. hopefully this will be helpful to some of you that are trying to create food storage in your homes as well.

so who's with me?

LET'S GET STARTED!!!

Next post: Why Store Food? aka Why become a food hoarder?

Menuplan 11/11-11/16

2011-11-10T18:08:00.000-08:00

Friday: Broccoli cheese soup
*green salad
*rolls

Saturday: Out to Dinner

Sunday: Lasagna
*green salad
*breadsticks

Monday: Oven fried chicken
*carrots
*baked potatoes
*cornbread

Tuesday: leftovers or freezer meal

Wednesday: Pork Carnitas
*tortillas
*lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, cheese
*pineapple

menu plan 6/30 -7/6

2011-06-30T10:55:00.000-07:00

Thursday: sweet and spicy grilled chicken
* green salad
*fruit salad
*rolls

Friday: creamy salisbury steaks
*mashed potatoes
*green beans
*rolls

Saturday: pineapple apricot skewers
*macaroni salad
*sunshine jello salad

treat: scotcharoos

Sunday: grilled steak and shrimp
*asparagus
*fruit
*rolls

Monday: grilled hot dogs and hamburgers ( lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, buns)
*potato salad
*cucumber salad or veggies + dip
* watermelon

dessert: homemade icecream

Tuesday: leftovers or breakfast

Wednesday: glazed porkchops
*green salad
*fruit
*rice

menuplan 05.26- 06.01

2011-05-26T08:29:00.000-07:00

Thursday: Beef Tacos
*guacamole and salsa, tomatoes and lettuce
*corn tortillas
*zucchini melody
*brazilian lemonade

Friday: Cheesesteak Sandwhiches
*baked fries
*watermelon or pineapple
*broccoli salad

dessert: strawberry cheesecake bars

Saturday: lasagna casserole
*green salad
*breadsticks or french bread

Sunday: hubby's in charge

Monday: glazed pork chops
*green beans
*carrots
*rolls

treat: chocolate zucchini bread

Tuesday: leftovers or breakfast for dinner

Wednesday: cream cheese crockpot chicken
*peas
*fruit
*noodles or rice

menu plan 05/05-05/11

2011-05-04T09:47:00.000-07:00

Thursday: southwestern beef or out to eat

Friday: chicken alfredo
*zucchini
*fruit
*breadsticks

Saturday: bajio chicken
*guacamole
*fruit
*corn
*fresh strawberry limeade

Sunday: cheesesteak sandwhiches
*fruit

strawberry cheesecake squares

Monday: hawaiian turkey burgers
*sweet potato fries

?treat: tres leches cupcakes

Tuesday: leftovers or baked creamy taquitos
*guacamole
*cilantro lime dressing or tomatillo salsa
*zucchini and corn medley

menuplan 04/13-04/20

2011-04-13T10:24:00.000-07:00

Thursday: broccoli quiches (try freezing some)
*fruit salad
*toast

Friday: out to eat

Saturday: Sweet and Savory Steak
*carrots
*baked potato
*rolls
dessert: tres leches cupcakes

Sunday: hubby's in charge

Monday: Steak fajitas (freeze leftovers?)
*cilantro lime coleslaw

treat: strawberry cheesecake squares

Tuesday: leftovers or freezer meal

Wednesday: sweet and sour chicken (freeze half)
*rice
*broccoli
*fruit

menuplan: 4/7-4/14

2011-04-06T12:59:00.000-07:00

Thursday: out to eat

Friday: cheesesteak sandwiches (try freezing leftover meat mixture?)
*spinach salad
*zucchini fries

dessert: strawberry cheesecake squares (freeze extra strawberry sauce)

Saturday: out to eat

Sunday: hubby is cooking

Monday: chicken alfredo
*broccoli
*breadsticks

treat: tres leches cupcakes

Tuesday: leftovers or freezer meal

Wednesday: zucchini casserole (freeze half)
*fruit and/or veggie

Inspired by: Heart Felt Wreath

2011-02-10T15:19:00.000-08:00

wow, i can't believe i actually finished a project! i've been kind of thrown off my groove with having a new baby, but now that he is kind of on a nap schedule, i might be able to get back into doing some more projects!

i saw this heart felt wreath from the idea room. i told myself i wasn't going to mess with valentine decorations, but i couldn't resist this wreath. and when i found the styrofoam heart at our local craft store for 50% off, this project was calling my name. i even had the felt and straight pins on hand. it really is super easy to make! go here for directions on how to make one for yourself!

while we are on the subject of valentine decorations here is some more i've put together, nothing fancy. it's actually a tradition that i've started this year. we call it, i love you because... each member of our family has a jar (i've covered our kids names with hearts) so that we can leave each other "love notes" and tell each other why we love each other. ( my jar is empty, i'm really feeling the love;)

another tradition that we have on valentine's day is "kicking valentines". this tradition came from my husband's side of the family. i had never heard of "kicking valentines" until i met him. basically you make a treat and deliver it to loved ones but you leave it on the doorstep, ring the doorbell and run. ( so it's doorbell ditching with valentines).

now it's your turn, what kind of valentine traditions do you have with your family?

Hearty short ribs

2010-11-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

photo found here

I made this recipe last night and it was so yummy! I served it with mashed potatoes, carrots, salad and rolls. Reminds me a lot of pot roast.

Hearty Short Ribs
Recipe found at taste of home

Ingredients

* 1 large onion, sliced
* 4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
* 1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms (i used an 8 0z. pkg)
* 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
* 1/2 cup water
* 1 envelope brown gravy mix
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (i omitted this but want to try it next time)
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 2 tablespoons cold water
*

Hot mashed potatoes

Directions

* Place onion in a 5-qt. slow cooker; top with ribs. Combine the mushrooms, soup, 1/2 cup water, gravy mix, garlic and thyme; pour over ribs. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 6-1/2 hours or until meat is tender.
* Remove meat to serving platter; keep warm. Skim fat from cooking juices; transfer to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil.
* Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Gradually stir into pan. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with meat and mashed potatoes. Yield: 6 servings.

* could try this recipe using a roast

menu plan 8/26-9/1

2010-08-25T09:19:00.000-07:00

Thursday: grilled summer porkchops
*coleslaw
*peaches

Friday: campout bring dessert: blueberry cheesecake

Saturday: southwestern beef
*cilantro lime coleslaw
*corn

Sunday: husband's in charge

Monday: chicken fettucine
*broccoli
*fruit
treat: peaches n cream pie

Tuesday: leftovers or freezer meal

Wednesday: peking porkchops
*broccoli
*fruit

menu plan 8/5-8/11

2010-08-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

thursday: harvest vegetable quiche (freeze one)
*cantaloupe

friday: marinated steak
*broccoli
*mashed potatoes
*rolls
dessert: chocolate pie

saturday: steak fajitas
*guacamole
*corn
*grapes

sunday: husband in charge

monday: spaghetti (freeze half)
*squash or green salad
*garlic bread
treat: no bake cheesecake or yogurt pie

tuesday: leftovers or freezer meal

wednesday: chinese chicken salad (crockpot chix freeze some)
*rolls

Menu Plan 7/22-7/28

2010-07-21T09:32:00.000-07:00

Thursday: grilled summer porkchops
*grilled corn
*spinach salad
*rolls

Friday: hot dogs
*grape broccoli salad
*fruit salad
*baked beans

Saturday: picnic

Sunday: honey butter shrimp tacos
*mango salsa or pineapple salsa
*guacamole
*salsa
*avocado rolls
*creamy grape salad
*summer bean salad
dessert: black bottom pie

Monday: Grilled teriyaki burgers
*summer bean salad
*creamy grape salad

Tuesday: leftovers

Wednesday: pork carnitas
*guacamole
*salsa
*corn
*fresh fruit

Honey Walnut Shrimp

2010-05-27T14:16:00.000-07:00

this was a seriously yummy recipe! even my 3 year old gobbled it up. i've got one more honey walnut shrimp recipe to try to compare, i'll let you know which one is better, but for now this one was great!

Honey Walnut Shrimp

recipe found at allrecipes

Ingredients
• 1 cup water
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 4 egg whites
• 2/3 cup mochiko (glutinous rice flour) (I used cornstarch instead)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon canned sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup vegetable oil for frying

Directions
1. Stir together the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and add the walnuts. Boil for 2 minutes, then drain and place walnuts on a cookie sheet to dry.
2. Whip egg whites in a medium bowl until foamy. Stir in the mochiko until it has a pasty consistency. Heat the oil in a heavy deep skillet over medium-high heat. Dip shrimp into the mochiko batter, and then fry in the hot oil until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
3. In a medium serving bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, honey and sweetened condensed milk. Add shrimp and toss to coat with the sauce. Sprinkle the candied walnuts on top and serve.
*Can cook walnuts in 2 Tbsp. butter and 2-3 Tbsp. brown sugar

*Served over rice

*Suggested side dishes: broccoli , pineapple

Pistachio Cake

2010-05-27T13:59:00.000-07:00

this would be a fun cake for st. patrick's day. it was extremely moist!

Pistachio Cake III
recipe found at allrecipes

Ingredients:
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant pistachio pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 7 drops green food coloring

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan.
2. In a large bowl mix together cake mix and pudding mix. Make a well in the center and pour in eggs, water, oil, almond extract and green food coloring. Blend ingredients, then beat for 2 minutes at medium speed.
3. Pour into prepared 10 inch tube pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly pressed. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

*Some suggested adding sour cream ½ c. and used 2 eggs instead
*Frosting: pistachio pudding mix + cool whip
Or almond glaze: powdered sugar, milk and almond extract

Mushroom Asparagus Quiche

2010-05-27T13:51:00.000-07:00

Mushroom Asparagus Quiche Recipe
recipe found at taste of home

Ingredients:

• 1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls
• 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
• 1-1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano and rubbed sage

Directions:

• Separate crescent dough into eight triangles; place in an ungreased 9-in. pie plate with points toward the center. Press onto the bottom and up the sides to form a crust; seal perforations. Spread with mustard; set aside.
• In a large skillet, saute the asparagus, onion and mushrooms in butter until asparagus is crisp-tender. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; stir in asparagus mixture. Pour into crust.
• Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the edge comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting. Yield: 8 servings.

Zucchini Cornbread Casserole

2010-05-27T13:37:00.000-07:00

Zucchini Cornbread Casserole
recipe found at allrecipes

Ingredients
• 4 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 zucchini)
• 1 onion, chopped (I used ½ an onion)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 (8.5 ounce) package dry corn muffin mix
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 8 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8X8 dish.
2. In a large bowl mix together the zucchini, onion, eggs, muffin mix, salt and pepper. Stir in 4 ounces of the cheese. Spread this mixture into a greased 8x8 dish; top with remaining 4 ounces of cheese.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes.

menu plan 4/8-4/14

2010-04-08T07:36:00.000-07:00

Thursday: pork carnitas with guacamole, sour cream, tortillas ( freeze half)
*green salad
*fresh or canned fruit

Friday: fish lake meatballs (freeze half)
*mashed potatoes deluxe
*carrots
*rolls
dessert: oreo cookies

Saturday: sweet and sour chicken w/ rice
*green beans
*fruit
*hawaiian bread

Sunday: hubbys in charge

Monday: chicken alfredo
*green salad
*breadsticks
*grape salad
treat: freezer slab apple pie with icecream

Tuesday: leftovers or freezer meal

Wednesday: cream cheese crockpot chicken w/ noodles
*frozen veggie
*cucumbers and onion salad or green salad

la la la lemon bars

2010-03-18T12:50:00.000-07:00

photo source

La La La Lemon Bars
recipe found at nesting habits

Ina Garten's recipe. You'll like them.

Ingredients

For the crust:
•1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
•1/2 cup granulated sugar
•2 cups flour
•1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

For the filling:
•6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
•3 cups granulated sugar
•2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
•1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
•1 cup flour
•Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar.

menu plan 3/18-3/24

2010-03-17T10:32:00.000-07:00

Thursday: southwestern beef
*green salad
*fruit

Friday: asian orange chicken
*rice or noodles
*broccoli
dessert: strawberry shortcake

Saturday: yummy chicken casserole
*noodles or rice
*corn and zucchini casserole
*fruit
breakfast: apple pancake dutch

Sunday: hubby's in charge

Monday: southwestern egg rolls
*fruit

treat: orange glazed poppyseed bread

Tuesday: leftovers or freezer meal

Wednesday: pineapple and sweet potato chicken
*spinach salad
*hawaiian bread

check it out

2010-03-16T14:01:00.000-07:00

*tin can caddy
*organizing odds and ends
*patchwork kitchen mat
*make your own bird pillow
*one adorable apron from two napkins
*interchangable flip flops
*homemade laundry soap
*framed monogram

menu plan 3/12-3/17

2010-03-11T14:52:00.000-08:00

Friday: Coconut shrimp
*cilantro lime coleslaw
*pineapple
*garlic cheddar biscuits

Saturday: Honey lime chicken enchiladas (homemade salsa and guacamole)
*green salad
*creamy grape salad

Sunday: hubby's in charge

Monday: Asian orange chicken
*rice or noodles
*frozen veggie
treat: sweet potato sensation

Tuesday: leftovers or freezer meal

Wednesday: Southwestern beef (with homemade salsa and guacamole)
*green salad
*fruit

check it out

2010-03-08T14:15:00.000-08:00

*food storage friday: water
*pillows with pizzaz
*tutorial: 10 min. toddler leg warmers
*proclamation photo overlay tutorial
*spring wreath
*bath toy bag
*freezer cooking
*how to plan freezer cooking
*how to freeze onions
*guest bedroom reveal
*moss monogram
*20 uses for baking soda
*boy's bathroom

menu plan 3/4- 3/10

2010-03-03T14:07:00.000-08:00

Thursday: Dad's Meatloaf
*potatoes
*carrots
*rolls

Friday: Coconut Shrimp
*cilantro lime coleslaw
*pineapple
*garlic cheddar biscuits

Dessert: lemon bars

Saturday: Roast Chicken
*asparagus
*sweet and savory spuds
*rolls

Sunday: hubby's in charge

Monday: Chicken Pot Pie
*green salad

treat: sweet potato sensation

Tuesday: leftovers or freezer meal

Wednesday: Pineapple chicken and sweet potatoes
*coleslaw
*fruit
*hawaiian bread

check it out

2010-02-15T13:54:00.000-08:00

*saving money at the grocery store
*easy valentine craft
*tips on food storage
*blanching
*organization tips
*repurposed sweater pillow
*pettiskirt
*heartattack
*real world housekeeping schedule
*pretty polish memo board
*copy cat pottery barn number pillows
*ikea wardrobe makeover
*ikea shelves become entertainment center

menu plan 02/11-02/17

2010-02-10T12:55:00.000-08:00

Thursday: scout banquet

Friday: pepperoni casserole
*green salad
*garlic bread

Saturday: valentine's dinner

Sunday: hubby's in charge

Monday: best chicken fajitas
*mexican rice
*refried beans
*oranges
treat: sweetheart brownies

Tuesday: leftovers or hamburger helper

Wednesday: spaghetti
*green salad
*fruit or fruit salad
*breadsticks

check it out

2010-02-08T15:17:00.000-08:00

*help with pictures and collages
*organized home office
*snow icecream
*from eeek to shabby chic
*anthro knock off
*night owl party
*pom pom lights

check it out

2010-02-01T08:37:00.000-08:00

*lace trim t-shirt and tutorial
*decrapification the pantry
*composition book cover tutorial
*ruffled cardigan tutorial
*william's 4th birthday
*essential home selling tips
*diy tufted headboard
*gilded lace crowns

check it out

2010-01-26T13:40:00.000-08:00

*game board storage art
*beautiful kitchen
*grocery planner
*ruffled scarf
*dollar store version of ws glass hurricane
*quiet books
*recycle a skirt into an apron

check it out

2010-01-25T13:51:00.000-08:00

*tips for the tidy home
*sheet music side table
*playing
*a well stocked pantry (also has great menus and recipes for food storage)
*made by girl craft room
*redo ironing board
*bible carrier for kiddos
*envelope wallet and tutorial
*diy pinecone seating card holders
*diy charging station

brownies to die for

2010-01-21T13:35:00.000-08:00

i thought these brownies were amazing! if you like coconut and pecans you'll love these. i especially liked how moist they were. i will try and get a picture next time i make these because i will be making them again!

Brownies To Die For
recipe found at allrecipes

Ingredients
• 1 (19.8 ounce) package brownie mix
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 (16 ounce) container coconut pecan frosting
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. Mix the brownie mix according to box directions, omitting 1/2 of the oil asked for. Stir in the sour cream and coconut pecan frosting. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in preheated oven, or until done. Be careful not to overbake, or they will harden and be impossible to eat! About 5 minutes before brownies are done, remove from oven, and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top along with chopped pecans. Place back in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove pan from oven, and use a spatula to spread the melted chocolate chips over the top to frost the brownies.

menu plan 1/21-1/27

2010-01-20T13:44:00.000-08:00

Thursday: chicken cordon bleu with alfredo sauce
*pasta
*squash
*fruit salad

Friday: out to eat for date night
dessert: cheesecake topped brownies

Saturday: homemade pizza
*green salad

Sunday: hubby's in charge

Monday: best ever meatloaf
*potatoes
*carrots
*biscuits

treat: pistachio cake

Tuesday: leftovers or freezer meal

Wednesday: asian chicken bbq
*broccoli
*fumi salad

check it out

2010-01-19T13:50:00.000-08:00

*diy laundry system for small spaces
*photographing your hobbies
*diy fabric covered headboard
*organize your kids schoolwork
*keep organized with calendars
*organize your bills in a box
*make your own pom poms
*felt mr. potato head
*freezer cooking: what can you freeze?
*montly chore jars

check it out

2010-01-18T12:26:00.000-08:00

*abc burlap magnets tutorial
*gathered pillow covers
*vanity tray earring display
*daily quick cleaning checklist
*entertainment center to child's kitchen
*how to slipcover a sofa
*diy burp cloth
*family memory game
*minimize freezer burn

menu plan 1/14- 1/20

2010-01-13T14:07:00.000-08:00

Thursday: out to eat for date night

Friday: chicken and spinach alfredo lasagna
*green salad
*breadsticks
dessert: brownies to die for

Saturday: chicken chimichangas
*corn
*fresh fruit
*chips and salsa

Sunday: hubbys in charge

Monday: sweet chili
*cornbread
*salad or fruit
treat: pistachio cake

Tuesday: leftovers or freezer meal

Wednesday: sweet and sour meatballs ( in the crockpot)
*rice
*veggie
*fruit

Copycat Winger's Sticky Fingers

2010-01-12T13:59:00.000-08:00

my husband absolutely loved these! i really liked them too. i would like to try the sauce on a hamburger. i am also going to try the sauce with grilled chicken, and homemade chicken fingers. oh and my husband also suggested the sauce would go well as a chinese chicken dish served with rice. i think i'll try this sauce with this recipe and this recipe. if you keep a bag of breaded chicken tenders on hand in the freezer, its a great quick fix recipe!

photo source

Winger's Copy Cat Sauce for sticky fingers (or what ever you like it on)
recipe found at real mom kitchen

**Covers about 8 sticky fingers
3 Tbsp. Franks Hot Sauce (It has to be Franks Hot Sauce... no other sauce will taste as good)
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. water

Heat up hot sauce, brown sugar and water in a sauce pot until all the sugar dissolves ( I brought it to a boil and let it boil for a minute or two). That's it.
You can use it to coat wings, popcorn chicken, etc. I used Tyson breaded chicken strips. You can get a big box of them at Sam's Club or just get them at your local grocery store. Once you chicken is cooked pour sauce over or put chicken in a container with a lid, pour sauce over the chicken, cover with the lid and shake to coat chicken in the sauce.

Ranch Dipping Sauce

1 pk Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing

Make according to package directions, except substitute buttermilk for the milk.

bowtie chicken pasta salad

2010-01-12T13:49:00.000-08:00

photo source

Bowtie Chicken Salad (I made half of this recipe)
recipe found at real mom kitchen

16oz. Bowtie pasta, boiled until tender
6 large chicken breasts, boiled till cooked, cut into bite size pieces.
3 can mandarin oranges, drained (I would up this to 4 cans)
2 cups water chestnuts, drained (I left these out)
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped (left out)
1 bunch green onions, chopped
3/4 cup honey roasted peanuts (I used a mixture of honey roasted cashews and peanuts)
6oz. cranberries (left out)
10oz. spinach (add spinach before serving, I would leave this out)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds (I would skip these)

Dressing
1 cup oil (i will try using less next time)
1/2 tsp salt
6 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup white whine vinegar (I used red)
2/3 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Whisk all dressing ingredients together
Combine all ingredients except spinach (I’d reserve a little of the dressing to toss in before serving). Place overnight in refrigerator in zip-lock bag.
Before serving: Mix together zip-lock bag ingredients and spinach…serve (I would skip this of just serve the salad on the spinach to make it look pretty)

check it out

2010-01-11T14:27:00.000-08:00

* speed up dinner with these easy tips
*meal ideas for pre cooked meats
*freezing food: a few tips
*four generations baby quilt
*make your own magnet board
*tackle clutter with a to do list
*felt vegetable tutorial
*superhero cape tutorial

menu plan 1/7-1/13

2010-01-06T15:36:00.000-08:00

Thursday: ranch chicken wraps
*green salad
*pan fried potatoes

Friday: bowtie chicken pasta
*rolls
dessert: blueberry dump cake

Saturday: french onion soup
*green salad

Sunday: roast
*mashed potatoes with gravy
*carrots
*rolls
*jello

Monday: sticky fingers
*green salad or veggie
*fresh fruit
treat: chocolate peanut butter cup cookies

Tuesday: leftovers or freezer meal

Wednesday: melt in your mouth porkchops ( in the crockpot)
*green salad or veggie (green beans)
*rice

beef taco bake

2010-01-06T15:20:00.000-08:00

this recipe is certainly not the best recipe i've ever had but it was tasty and a great one for using up tomato soup. i would really like to try it substituting the ground beef for chili con carne. i would also like to try it using macaroni noodles in place of the tortillas to make it more food storage friendly.

photo source

Beef Taco Bake

recipe found at real mom kitchen

1 pound ground beef
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell’s Condensed Tomato Soup (regular or 25% Less Sodium)
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup milk
6 flour tortillas (8-inch) OR 8 corn tortilla (6-inch), cut into 1-inch pieces (I use my pizza cutter to do this)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)

Cook the beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it’s well browned, stirring often. Pour off any fat.
Stir the soup, salsa, milk, tortillas and half the cheese in the skillet. Spoon the beef mixture into a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Cover the baking dish.
Bake at 400°F. for 30 minutes or until the beef mixture is hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. (I put it back in the oven for 5 min to get the cheese nice and melty)

*to make it a stovetop meal skip the baking part and serve warm and heated out of a skillet

Food Storage items used: tomato soup, salsa, could substitute beef for beans or chili con carne, could substitute milk for evaporated milk or powdered milk, could substitute tortillas for cooked macaroni noodles

mom's sloppy joes

2010-01-06T15:03:00.000-08:00

real mom kitchen has done it again! seriously her recipes are fantastic, we must have the same taste ( i think we both like things a little on the sweet side). these sloppy joes were the best i've ever had, and i've tried about 2 or 3 recipes, but this one is my favorite! i did end up adding a tad bit more bbq sauce and i used sweet baby ray's honey bbq sauce because it is our favorite.

photo source

Mom’s Sloppy Joes

recipe found at real mom kitchen

1 pound hamburger
1/4-1/2 cup onion chopped (could use dried onion)
1 can condensed tomato soup
3 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp or more barbecue sauce
8 hamburger buns
8 slices of american cheese, if desired

Brown together the hamburger and onion. Add the soup, sugar and barbecue sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. You can add more barbecue sauce to make it the consitency you like. Serve on buns

Food Storage items used: dried onion, tomato soup, sugar, bbq sauce

flourless peanut butter cookies

2010-01-06T14:52:00.000-08:00

this is a really thick and rich peanut butter cookie. if you like peanut butter you'll love these cookies. i didn't take a picture of the ones i made because they were too thick to shape. i also really liked these cookies because they were still soft and chewy the next day! this would also be a great food storage recipe. if you substituted the egg for powdered egg then you would be able to use all food storage ingredients!

photo source
(mine looked nothing like this)

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
recipe adapted from allrecipes

Ingredients
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup white sugar (used ¼ c. white sugar and ½ c. brown sugar instead)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. Combine ingredients and drop by teaspoonfuls on cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Let cool. Recipe doesn't make very many, so you could double recipe as you desire.

*could try adding ½ tsp. baking soda
*still really soft the next day!

food storage ingredients used: peanut butter, sugar, vanilla, (could use powdered egg)

eating from my pantry challenge: week 1 review

2010-01-06T14:21:00.000-08:00

well week one was kind of an unusual week because of new years eve and new years day we had been fed by family. we also had a more than usual amount of leftovers in our fridge this week so i didn't get to as many recipes as i had planned but here is a review of what i did make:

thursday (new years eve): fed by family
*made flourless peanut butter cookies ( super thick but yummy, will add this recipe to my file)

friday (new years day): fed by family

saturday: leftovers

sunday: leftovers

monday: mom's sloppy joes (really good, will add to my recipe file)
*old fashioned potato salad ( just okay i've had better, will not add to recipe file)
*cruncy peanut butter swirl brownies (again just okay, will not add to recipe file)

tuesday: beef taco bake ( not the most wonderful recipe, but a good one for tomato soup and leftover salsa, will keep for future tomato soup)
*frozen corn

so there you have it. i have managed to clear out some more room in the fridge from using up some leftover ingredients.

this is what i have used up so far:

*celery
*pickle relish
*frozen corn ( i have a lot of frozen veggies right now that need to be used up)
*salsa
*bbq sauce
*tomato soup
*peanut butter
*brownie mix

this is what i still need to use up:

*horseradish sauce
*teriyaki sauce
*hot sauce
*grape jelly
*peanut butter ( i've knocked out two jars so far but i've got about 4 more to be used by march)
*jello
*cake and brownie mixes
*evarporated milk
*beef broth
*cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soup
*tomato soup
*pork and beans
*canned peaches
*frozen veggies, fruit, rolls, and various meats

wow that list is super long. i'll be posting my menu plan for this week next.

eating from my freezer, fridge and pantry challenge

2009-12-28T20:02:00.000-08:00

we cleaned out our freezer today to make room for the beef that is coming next week. it's amazing to find out what you have! i am hoping to make it a goal this year to keep it organized and use up what i have. i was reading money saving mom's post today on the pantry challenge and thought that would be perfect for me as well because i feel i am bursting at the seams with all of our food. so i made a list of items in our fridge and pantry (food storage too) that need to be used up. i can't believe all the condiments that accumulate in our fridge! so i made a list of recipes that could be used per ingredient.

fridge recipes:

pickle relish
*cheddar and macaroni salad
*cindy's turkey salad
*tuna waldorf salad sandwhich
*old fashioned potato salad
*special deviled eggs
*special hamburger sauce
*the best potato salad
*toasted chicken sandwhich

horseradish sauce:
*special deviled eggs
*southwest dipping sauce

teriyaki sauce:
*bbq steak teriyaki
*hawaiian chicken
*melt in your mouth pork chops
*orange teriyaki chicken
*teriyaki marinade
*teriyaki steak
*chicken wraps
*bowtie chicken pasta salad

hot sauce:
*detroit hot honey wings
*sticky fingers
*sweet spicy wings

grape jelly:
*quick sweet and sour meatballs
*sweet and sour smoky bites

pantry recipes:

peanut butter:
*chocolate peanut butter cup cookies
*creamy peanut butter fudge
*creamy peanut dessert
*crunchy peanut butter swirl brownies
*flourless peanut butter cookies
*fluffy apple dip
*fudge puddles
*buckeyes
*layered peanut butter bars
*caramel crunch bars
*loaded peanut butter cup cookies
*magic in the middle cookies
*peanut butter trifle
*solid peanut butter cups
*decadent chocolate and peanut butter mousse pie
*oatmeal peanut butter cookies
*peanut butter bannana bread
*peanut butter bars
*peanut butter truffle brownies
*peanut butter brownie cookies

jello:
*sunshine jello

cake and brownie mixes:
*blueberry dump cake
*brownies to die for
*cheesecake topped brownie
*goey butter cake
*homemade oreos
*mandarin orange cake
*million dollar cake
*nieman marcus cake
*pistachio cake
*goey butter cake II
*pecan pie bars

evaporated milk:
*sue's hot fudge sauce

beef broth:
*department store onion soup
*french onion soup III
*rich and simple french onion soup

cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup:
*chicken and spinach alfredo lasagna
*chicken chimichangas with green sauce
*chicken ranch enchiladas
*sandy's casserole
*simply creamy lemon chicken sauce
*slow cooker enchiladas
*sonora's chicken
*tator tot casserole
*hashbrown casserole

tomato soup:
*bacon cheeseburger pasta
*best ever meatloaf
*hubby's favorite casserole
*mom's sloppy joes
*sweet chili
*beef taco bake

pork and beans:
*pronto chili
*frito pie

canned peaches:
*ooey gooey peach cobbler
*peach cheesecake

i am hoping to avoid buying lots of food at the grocery store except for the essentials: milk, cheese, eggs, fruit and veggies (although i have a lot of frozen veggies that need to be used up). i hope i can stick with this challenge!

menu plan 12/24- 12/30

2009-12-23T13:05:00.000-08:00

Thursday: traditional christmas eve dinner @ mom's
( ham, potatoes, rolls, etc.)

Friday: breakfast casserole
*butterscotch bundt rolls
*fruit
*homemade hot chocolate

dinner: chicken pasta salad (make the day before)

Saturday: bajio chicken
*fresh fruit

Monday: beef stroganoff
* rice or noodles
*peas
*biscuits

Tuesday: leftovers or freezer meal

Wednesday: slow cooker split pea soup
*cornbread

meatloaf dinner

2009-12-16T17:43:00.000-08:00

Meatloaf Dinner
recipe found at 365 days of slow cooking

Ingredients:
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
2 slices bread, cubed
1/4 cup chopped onions
2 tbsp chopped green peppers (I used red peppers)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1/4 cup ketchup
8 small red potatoes
4-6 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks

Directions:
1. Beat together eggs and milk.
2. Stir in bread cubes, onions, green peppers, salt, and pepper. Add beef and mix well.
3. Shape into loaf that is about an inch smaller in circumference than the inside of the slow cooker. Place loaf into slow cooker.
4. Spread top with ketchup.
5. Place carrots and potatoes around meatloaf.
6. Cover. Cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce heat and cook on low for 7-8 hours longer.

molly's rolls

2009-12-16T17:32:00.000-08:00

photo source

Molly's Rolls
recipe found at real mom kitchen

1 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk (I just heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds and let it sit while the yeast bubbled)
1/3 cup sugar
1 package yeast(2 1/4 teaspoon)
1/3 cup oil
1/2 T salt
1 egg
flour (I think I ended up use 4 1/2 cups)

In mixer combine yeast, sugar, and warm water; let grow until bubbly(about 5 minutes). Add milk and mix. Mix in oil and egg. Slowly add 2 cups flour, mix and then add salt. Add 1/2 cup flour at a time until it comes away from side of bowl. Let rise in mixing bowl for about 30 minutes. Form rolls as desired and place on a greased cookie sheet. Let rise and additional 30 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Brush hot rolls with melted butter. I made 2 dozen with this recipe.

sweet and sour chicken

2009-12-16T17:16:00.000-08:00

photo source

Sweet and Sour Chicken
recipe found at my kitchen cafe

Chicken:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce:
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
½ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes.

chicken crunch

2009-12-16T14:49:00.000-08:00

photo source

Chicken Crunch
recipe found at ksl

Ingredients:
• 6 boneless/skinless chicken breast halves cut into bit size pieces
• 2 cups Captain Crunch Cereal
• 1/2 cup Corn Flakes
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup milk
• Canola Oil

Method:

1. Cut up chicken breast halves into bite size pieces. (Hint: Chicken Breasts cut easier when semi-frozen)
2. Crush the Corn flakes and Captain Crunch Cereal, in a Ziploc bag, with a rolling pin.
3. Combine dry ingredients in a deep dish or pie tin and mix well.
4. Mix together, beaten egg and 1 C of milk in a bowl.
5. Dump chicken bites into the liquid first and then using a slotted spoon, put into the dry ingredients. Stir them, so they are well coated.
6. Heat oil in a frying pan to 375 degrees and fry for 4-6 minutes or until golden brown.
7. For the "Less Fat" inclined cook, follow the same instructions, however, don't fry in oil, but heat up the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 20 minutes until crispy.

Tangy Mustard Sauce
Ingredients:
• 4 Tbs. Grey Poupon country style mustard
• 6 Tbs. mayonnaise
• 2 tsp. yellow mustard
• 2 tsp. creamy style horseradish sauce
• 2 tsp. honey

Menu Plan 12/17-12/23

2009-12-16T14:34:00.000-08:00

Thursday: spaghetti
*green salad
*zucchini and yellow squash
*garlic bread

Friday: tacos w/ fresh salsa
(lettuce, tomatoes, olives, sourcream, guacamole)
dessert: rice pudding

Saturday: christmas party (cheese ball)

Sunday:

Monday: pasta figoli
*green salad
*breadsticks
treat: peppermint popcorn

Tuesday: leftovers or freezer meal

Wednesday: chicken and sweet potatoes (in crockpot)
*veggie or green salad
*fresh fruit
* hawaiian bread

breakfast ideas:
*muffins
*cereal
*grapefruit
*bagels
*toast

snack ideas:
*toast
*crackers and cheese
*carrots
*cucumbers
*celery
*apples
*oranges
*cookies

christmas decor on a dime

2009-12-15T14:54:00.000-08:00

welcome to my little christmas home tour. most of my decor was purchased from last year's christmas clearance, the di (thrift store), the $ store, or items found around the house. i did it on a very low budget! i hope you enjoy...

i got the wreaths and ribbon from after christmas clearance last year.

that is pretty much all of our outdoor decor. come inside, it's cold out there!

here is what you see when you walk in the front door.

for my tree this year i went with family winter and christmas pictures. i just lined them with red paper and hung them with some twine. i wanted to line them with silver paper to, to give it the look of a silver frame but i could not find any silver paper in town. the garland is made from burlap. the ornaments are from after christmas sales last year.

this just makes me smile. those with kids know how kids like to arrange ornaments, in clumps. as my two year old helped put the ornaments up she would say "this one needs a friend"

this is a metal star that i mod podged with some extra christmas piano music i had. i used her instructions found here.

my favorite nativity picture with a framed scripture next to it. i used to have a nativity to display here but in an attempt to spray paint it....it broke. it was just a cheap one so i thought the framed picture of the nativity would go well in its place until i can find a new one.

a clearance silver framed with a reminder for me why we celebrate christmas. the urn and glass vase were finds around the house. the glass got some pinecones and ornaments added to it.

the apothecary jars and picture frames are up year around. i just switched the pics out for some winter ones ( pottery barn inspired) the jars are filled with faux snow, pinecones and ornaments. the little deer ornament i found at tj maxx. i would love to fill my tree with them but at $4 a piece i just bought one for the shelf.

the peace sign was inspired by this one. super cheap and easy to make.

i feel like this arrangement is lacking something. maybe some greenery? i'm thinking maybe a green wreath hung on the wall. the basket and lanterns are up year around. i just added some pinecones and ornaments (bought last year after christmas clearance) to the lanterns. the trees came from the di and i just sprayed them silver they were clear glass.

this is my pottery barn inspired framed joy. i bought the frames on clearance for $4 each and just printed the letters out on my computer.

for the mantle i started out by using a prelit garland with some burlap wrapped around it. i added some silver ornaments and some candles i had around the house. the topiaries are on the mantle year around and the pinecones are placed in metal toothbrush holders that i got on clearance for $1 a long time ago. i knew they would come in handy one of these days.
if it looks like something is missing you're right. the stockings....i am working on them.

to hang my cards up i just used some chair webbing and hung it up with twine.

here is the hutch. i just added a greenery garland from the dollar store. the tree up top was found at the di. i got the grass (bottom shelf) from a yard sale. and the two black containers filled with pinecones were found at di and spray painted black. (i lined my hutch with burlap if you would like to see how i did that click here)

i already had the pitchers and other dishes on display, so i just filled the one with some leftover ornaments.

i made the noel sign by cutting out the letters from some light cardboard (that came in a pack of page protectors) and glittered them. my inner hoarder is now telling me not to throw anything away because you can make so many great things from what would be trash. i had the candlesticks and just stuck an ornament on the top.

i had this bowl that i got at the thrift store, i filled it with some pinecones and ornaments that i had.

i cut out a piece of burlap for the runner. i got the two small trees from walmart for $4 each. i then found some small metal containers to put them in for about $2.50 each.

thanks for stopping by. i hope you enjoyed the home tour! have a merry one!

i am also linking up with diy day@ a soft place to land

Menu Plan 12/10- 12/16

2009-12-10T13:52:00.000-08:00

Thursday: chicken crunch
*green salad or fresh or frozen veggie
*fresh fruit
*hawaiian bread

Friday: broccoli soup
*green salad
*leftover rolls or molly's rolls

Saturday: wedding

Sunday: Spaghetti
*green salad
*garlic bread

Monday: chinese honey chicken
*rice
*fresh or frozen veggie
treat: rice pudding (cook at lunch and serve cold?)

Tuesday: leftovers or freezer meal

Wednesday: crockpot meatloaf
*potatoes
*carrots
*fresh fruit

clam chowder

2009-12-10T13:43:00.000-08:00

Clam Chowder

2 cans of chopped clams
1 onion, chopped
1 c. chopped celery
2 c. cubed potatoes
3 carrots chopped
¾ c. butter
¾ c. flour
1 pint half & half
1 tsp. sugar
salt

Add enough water to cover vegetables and cook for about 20 mins. Add clams and juice to vegetables. In a separate pot melt butter then add flour , stir and add half and half, sugar and salt. Stir until thickened, add to vegetables and clams. Heat through.

*suggested sides: green salad, rolls, breadsticks or homemade bread

cheesy sweet & savory spuds

2009-12-10T13:18:00.000-08:00

Cheesy Sweet & Savory Spuds
recipe adapted from allrecipes

Ingredients
• 6 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (try using half and half next time)
• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules ( could try using less next time)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions
1. Place the potatoes and sweet potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Cook about 15 minutes, until tender but firm. Remove from heat, and drain.
2. Preheat the oven broiler.
3. In a large bowl, mash the potatoes. Gradually mix in butter, heavy cream, chicken bouillon, brown sugar, and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a medium baking dish, and top with Monterey Jack cheese.
4. Broil uncovered in the preheated oven 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.

*very good but very rich try using half and half in place of cream and maybe try using less chicken bouillon.

slab apple pie

2009-12-10T12:55:00.000-08:00

photo source

Slab Apple Pie
recipe found at life as mom

One batch Gramma John's Pie Crust:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter or margarine, cut into chunks
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-2 Tablespoons cold water

In medium bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup butter and salt with a pastry blender, or two knives held together. Kids can do this with a fork if that is easier. Work these ingredients together until they form pea-sized crumbs. Quickly stir in cold water and combine until a dough forms. Pat into a pie plate, pushing the dough thin and up the sides.

Slab Apple Pie with Easy Crumb Top:

6 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 375°. Prepare pie crust according to directions and pat it into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. In large mixing bowl, combine apple slices, sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon. Spread in an even layer over crust. In food processor, combine flour, butter, and brown sugar, pulsing until coarse crumbs are formed, or in a large mixing bowl, combine these ingredients, cutting butter into sugar and flour with a pastry blender or two knives held together. Stir in nuts. Sprinkle crumb top over apple layer.* Bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until filling bubbles. Cool completely.

If preparing ahead of time to freeze. Wrap with foil and label at the *. Then, when ready to serve, bake frozen pie at 425° for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375° and continue baking as directed.

*food storage items used: sugar, spices, flour, brown sugar

*food storage items that could be used: dried apples, powdered butter or shortening

Food Storage for December

2009-12-03T14:55:00.000-08:00

Food Storage Month by Month

December

"If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear."

Basic Storage:
· Rice 44 lbs per person
Sugar and honey 20 lbs per person

Expanded Storage:
· Popcorn

Nonperishable item:
· Matches

Food Storage Recipes for Rice:
*beef stroganoff over rice
*honey glazed chicken over rice
*mandarin chicken over rice
*cheesy broccoli and rice casserole

Food Storage Recipes for Honey:
*shockingly simple coleslaw
*honey lime chicken enchiladas
*honey glazed chicken
*honey butter mexican shrimp tacos

shockingly simple coleslaw

2009-12-03T13:37:00.000-08:00

Shockingly Simple Coleslaw
recipe found at real mom kitchen

16 oz bag of coleslaw mix
½ Cup mayonnaise or miracle whip (I’m a mayo girl)
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard (I used honey Dijon)
1 teaspoon honey

Place cabbage into a large bowl. Place mayonnaise, sugar, mustard and honey into a small bowl and mix together. Pour and stir into cabbage until combined. Serve immediately for a crunchy slaw or refrigerate for 1 hour for a more tender slaw.

honey lime chicken enchiladas

2009-12-03T13:22:00.000-08:00

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas
recipe adapted from real mom kitchen

6 tablespoons honey (might try using slightly less next time)
5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)
1 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (I cooked mine the day before in a crock pot with chix broth)
8-10 flour tortillas (I made 7, I really filled the shells)
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1/2 cup heavy cream

Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour (I tossed mine together in a ziploc bag in the morning and let it sit in the refrigerator all day). Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

Cheesy Potato Casserole

2009-12-03T12:49:00.000-08:00

Cheesy Potato Casserole

Ingredients:
6 peeled potatoes, boiled and grated
I c. sour cream
6 Tbsp. butter, softened
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 c. grated cheddar cheese

2 c. crushed corn flakes
2 Tbsp. melted butter

Directions: In a bowl mix potatoes, sour cream, butter, cream of chicken soup and grated cheese. Pour into a 9x13 pan. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter and add crushed cornflakes. Top potato mixture with cornflake topping. Bake at 350 for 45 mins or until bubbling and golden brown.

slow cooker maple brown sugar ham

2009-12-03T12:39:00.000-08:00

photo source

Slow Cooker Maple Brown Sugar Ham

recipe found at my kitchen cafe

7-8 pound bone-in spiral-cut ham
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup all natural maple syrup (yes, please use pure maple syrup and not pancake syrup)
2 cups pineapple juice

Use a 6-7 quart slow cooker. Unwrap the ham and discard flavor packet. Place the ham into the slow cooker stoneware, flat-side down. Rub brown sugar on all sides. Pour on maple syrup and pineapple juice. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. An hour before serving, baste ham with the collected juices from the bottom of the slow cooker. When cooking is done, remove carefully and let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before carving.

*suggested sides: cheesy potato casserole, green beans, rolls

Menu Plan 12/4 - 12/9

2009-12-03T11:22:00.000-08:00

Friday: out to eat
dessert: slab apple pie (double and freeze one)

Saturday: salmon
*fresh veggie or green salad
*cheesy sweet and savory spuds
*baguette

Sunday: broccoli and cheddar mini quiches (with ham)
* fresh fruit
*toast

Monday: clam chowder (freeze leftovers)
*green salad
*30 min rolls
treat: peppermint popcorn

Tuesday: christmas party (pork)

Wednesday: maple roasted chicken and sweet potatoes (try cooking in crockpot)
*green salad or fresh veggie
*fresh fruit
*hawaiian bread

check it out

2009-11-09T14:51:00.000-08:00

*apple pin cushion tutorial
*pinecone wreath tutorial
*FREAKING AMAZING bedroom reveal
*and check out her freaking amazing office
*vintage bird knobs
*little girl's ruffled shirt
*jana's scrapbook room
*make a towel mat
*twine fruit

check it out: halloween edition

2009-10-27T13:49:00.000-07:00

hutch makeover

2009-10-13T15:42:00.000-07:00

this hutch was handed down to me by my mother. although i like pine, i think there is a time and place for it and i wasn't really digging the pine with the lines of this hutch.

before

during

so i painted it black. but i did not finish painting the very back of the hutch because i thought it was too much black. i wanted to break the black up. i really liked the bead board on the back so i considered painting it, but then i decided to try something else...burlap. i also knew that i didn't want to do anything permanent in case i wanted to change things up down the road so here is what i did.

supplies needed: foam board

a sharp knife

a ruler and/or measuring tape

masking tape

scissors

burlap

hot glue

first measure the area you are going to cover. cut out your foam board according to your measurements. go test the foam board in the area to make sure it fits before covering them. i had to do some trimming to make mine fit. then place the foam board on your burlap.
(i had some odd measurements so i had to cut and tape my foam board to make it long enough)

cut about 1- 1 1/2 inches around the board

hot glue edges to foam board ( one side of my foam board was blue, don't let that throw you off)

make sure you pull nice and tight as you glue, so that it doesn't hang loose.

i wish i would have ironed that crease out before i started glueing.

if you measured correctly they should just fit in place. i didn't need to use glue or anything to hold them in place because they fit in there pretty snug.

and here is the finished product. i love that the burlap matches so closely to my wall color. it also gives it some nice texture. i also love that it is temporary. i didn't have to use any glue or adhesive in case i want to take it down and go back to the bead board.

i've got another project i've finished to share with you but it'll have to wait until i can get some better lighting. here is a sneek peak...

i've joined diy day over at a soft place to land

here are some other posts about my kitchen:

the kitchen {before}

the kitchen { plan }

the kitchen { room update }

the kitchen { a sneak peek }

check it out: halloween edition

2009-10-12T12:44:00.000-07:00

haunt the house

bloodshot deviled eyeballs

*tasty treats

*apothecary labels

*boo burlap pillow
*made with love and glue's halloween decor

*halloween chic

* the polka dot chair's halloween decor

*the lettered pumpkin

fall must haves: coats, jackets and cardigans

2009-10-09T14:34:00.000-07:00

such a great color for fall and winter

solid pea coat

$59.99

aeropostale

plaid girly coat
$69.99
aeropostale

another surprise from walmart
ruffle cardigan
$15.00
walmart

no longer available in yellow, bummer but navy
fine gauge cardigan
$10.50
forever 21

crinkled faux leather jacket

$34.80

forever 21

lace overlay cardigan

$22.90
forever 21

love this color!
adrian dress coat

$87.50

delias

fall must haves: scarves

2009-10-09T14:27:00.000-07:00

stripe scarf

$9.99

aeropostale

two tone printed scarf

$12.50

old navy

click here for some pointers on ways to wear scarves

fall must haves: boots

2009-10-08T14:27:00.000-07:00

i've started off with my two favorites for boots. i am really liking the western boot inspriation...

sofia suede boot

$99.50

delias

sadly i can't find these anymore

but i think i found them at charolette russe

slouchy leather western boot

$23

go jane

ruffled boot, too cute

$21.50

go jane

surprise these boots are from walmart. i think they're kinda cute
flat boots
$29
walmart

again from walmart. tweed mary janes, great combo. would be cute paired with some colored tights
tweed mary janes
$20
walmart

another great shoe paired with some colored and textured tights
reta pump
$32.99
target

i'm really into mary janes and t-straps for some reason
patent mary jane
$19.99
target

i can see these black and plum pumps paired with plum textured tights
t-strap pumps
$19.99
target

you've got to have some black pumps as a classic staple to your wardrobe. i thought the pleats on these pumps gave it that extra oomph.
pleated pump
$10.48
target

sorry for the teeny tiny photo. i wasn't so sure about these at first, but i am starting to kind of like them. although i am not sure what you wear them with? maybe some skinny jeans?
criss cross heel
$26.50
wet seal

gingham check flats
$8.50
forever 21

not a great one for cold weather but i love t-straps and wedges
t-strap wedge
$8.74
target

again not the best shoes for cold weather but they sure are cute
$18.24
sunny flower wedge
forever 21

oh i love the cranberry color, the ruffles and velvety texture

ruffle flats
$24.99

target

i really love the color of these pumps

$22.99

charlotte russe

and there you have it. my favorites for boots and other shoes for the fall! which are your favorites?

cheesy broccoli and rice casserole

2009-10-07T14:37:00.000-07:00

photo source

Cheesy Broccoli and Rice Casserole
adapted from Cook's Country

Serves 8-10 as a side dish

2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons butter, melted; plus two tablespoons chilled
1 garlic clove, minced
2 pounds broccoli (about 3-4 medium heads of broccoli), florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stems chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups long grain white rice
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/4 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9X13-inch baking dish. Pulse bread, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and melted butter in a food processor until coarsely ground. Add garlic. Set aside.

Microwave broccoli florets (save stems for later), covered, in a large bowl until bright green and tender, 2 to 3 minutes (no need to add water). Be careful not to overcook or they will become soggy and discolored. Melt remaining butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion and broccoli stems until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until rice is translucent, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, half-and-half, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until rice is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Off the heat, stir in cheddar cheese, cayenne, remaining parmesan and broccoli florets.

Pour the mixture into prepared baking dish and top with bread crumb mixture. Bake until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the top is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Serve.

recipe source

something wicked this way comes...

2009-10-06T16:20:00.000-07:00

i've been trying to do daily activities with my little one lately and i decided this halloween countdown would be fun to do. we made a witch version.

burp cloths, bibs and onesies oh my!

2009-10-06T15:01:00.000-07:00

i had a few friends having babies lately so i decided to put some of that cute baby inspiration out there to work....

i made these burp cloths out of cloth diapers and fabric from...wal-mart (i know can you believe they actually carry some cute fabric?)

i also got some help from this tutorial but instead of a zig zag stitch i added ribbon and sewed it on using a straight stitch

i also made some reversible bibs by using one of our own bibs as a pattern and following this tutorial

i also made some flower clips and a card (using inspiration from here for the card)

the clips are easy all you need is some ribbon, flowers and hot glue.

here is the boy set that i made:

burp cloth

reversible bibs

i decided to make some applique onesies with this set. i got the rocket template and applique instructions from here

elephant template

and there you have it. it's a very cute and practical baby gift. you can never have too many burp cloths right? i'm not the best seamstress out there but really these are very easy and simple to make. keeping it real, i did have some difficulty with the machine eating up my burp cloths but all in all its easy. if i can do it, you can do it!

p.s. thanks for all the tutorials and inspiration. if you would like to see my collection of inspiration go check it out here

i am also joining kimba's diy party. go check out what everyone else is making here

thanks for stopping by!

check it out: halloween edition

2009-10-05T14:15:00.000-07:00

easy halloween wreath

the witch is in

no carve pumpkin decorating

fall in 5 mins

no bake spiderweb cheesecake

martha stewart

potterybarn

woman's day

woman's day

good housekeeping

good housekeeping

*halloween treats from family fun

*mummy pizza and mummy dogs

*numbered pumpkins

my favorite: fall must haves

2009-10-02T14:31:00.000-07:00

i am well aware that i do not have what we like to call "fashion sense", it is more apparent to me after having a child that i am a little lost when it comes to fashion. i just don't put the time into it as much as i used to. having said that i do still love clothes and fashion and have decided to do a little (and by little i mean little) research and come up with a fall must have list that includes classic and trendy pieces. i am hoping those that read this might be able to put in their two cents and give me the heads up if i am totally wrong or if i have skipped out on something. if i can stick with it, it will be a little mini series. so here is my list of megan's fall must haves:

* boots
*scarves
*coats and cardigans
*headbands or pieces (with flowers and feathers)
*plaid, especially buffalo plaid
*skinny jeans (to wear with tall boots)
*colored and patterned tights
*maxi dress
*flowers and ruffles
*jewel tones and other fall inspired color pallettes

so help a girl out, what have i totally missed? what have i totally been so wrong on? well wrong or right i'll show you pictures of what i have found on the internet that i personally like that fall (get it fall?) into each category.

Meal Plan 10/1- 10/7

2009-09-30T13:44:00.000-07:00

Thurs: sloppy joe turnovers
*cheesy broccoli and rice casserole

Fri: coconut shrimp
*green salad

Sat: 72 hour kits

Sun: 72 hour kits

Mon: oven fried picnic chicken
*fresh or frozen veggie
* 30 min rolls

Tues: leftovers or freezer meal

Wed: crockpot meatloaf
*carrots
*potatoes
*rolls

Think Halloween

2009-09-29T16:08:00.000-07:00

as i was gathering up some halloween inspiration, i decided to take a look in my other holiday inspiration files to see if it could be spookified. ( i think i just made up a new word) i might be a little out there but i think it could work.

instead of a red frame how about black with the word spooky

black glitter, orange glitter, purple glitter, green glitter the possibilities are endless. spooky, halloween, trick or treat again possibilities are endless. pair it with a black and white polka dot ribbon

how about a spooky black tree or even branches spray painted black with pictures of past halloween costumes on display. or with pictures of halloween silhouettes.

instead of ornaments how about small pumpkins and/or gourds may with some candy corn thrown in the mix

orange and black or black and white pom pom garland

how about some bats hanging from the ceiling in place of the ornaments. and for the candle jar filler some black and orange m&m's or jellybeans or candy corn

pumpkins and gourds

again pumpkins and gourds

how about orange and black pinecones or metallic pinecones: copper, gold etc.

i can see some halloween words: spooky, trick or treat, witches, etc.

trick or treat in place of let it snow or B O O

instead of a pincone wreath how about a black or orange feather wreath paired with a bowl full of small mini pumpkins

happy halloween garland

pumpkins placed in varied heights small containers

urn full of pumpkins and/or gourds maybe with some black or orange feathers for filler

halloween fabric or burlap flag banner

how about black and orange bandannas

Honey Glazed Chicken

2009-09-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

photo source

Honey Glazed Chicken

2 lbs of diced uncooked chicken breast
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
5 TB butter
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. ground ginger
Cayenne Pepper to taste-depending on how spicy you like it

Heat oven to 350. In a shallow dish combine the flour and seasonings. Dip each piece of chicken in flour mixture and coat evenly.

Melt 2 TB butter in a shallow baking dish, large enough to accommodate chicken in a single layer. Arrange chicken in pan and bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt remaining butter and add honey, lemon juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger and cayenne pepper. Boil for several minutes until sauce begins to thicken.

After chicken has baked the 30 minutes, turn each piece over and pour sauce mixture evenly over chicken. Bake another 30 to 40 minutes basting frequently.

Serve over rice. I usually double the sauce ingredients to make more to serve over the rice.

recipe adapted from here and here
*suggested sides peas, rice

check it out

2009-09-28T13:47:00.000-07:00

*how to make your own chicken stock

*bottling peaches

*personalized frame

*redo lamp shades

*how to build a paneled mailbox

*framed doilies

*pretty paper coat rack

*bathroom makeover

*octopus and rocket applique patterns

*playroom turned game room/lounge

*jute wreath tutorial

*thrift store plate mirrors
*little girls dress made from a sheet

Menu Plan 09/24 - 9/30

2009-09-23T13:20:00.000-07:00

Thursday: maple roasted chicken and sweet potatoes
*green salad

Friday: coconut shrimp
*green salad
*fruit
dessert: peaches n cream pie

Saturday: sloppy joe turnovers
*green beans

Sunday: broccoli and cheddar quiche
*hashbrowns
*fruit

Monday: honey glazed pork chops
*rice
*peas
fhe treat: lemon creme bars

Tuesday: leftovers or freezer meal

Wednesday: ranch house pork chops
*carrots
*mashed potatoes

a love letter...

2009-09-22T13:59:00.000-07:00

Dear Target,

My love has grown for you more and more each day. Now that you have lowered your prices, and price match I can't stop thinking about you and wish you were here in my small town. I love your dollar section, I love your great clothes for a great price. I love your clearance selection and most of all I love your potterybarn look a like home decor. You have it all, you're everything I've been looking for great prices, groceries, clothes, home decor, clearance. I could go on and on.

Again, I wish you were here, but I understand my hubby might get a little jealous with all the time we would spend together. Not to mention Walmart would never see me again. I guess we will just have to continue our online love affair. If you ever decide to make the move to my small town, I'll be here waiting for you.

Until we meet again,

Megan

Mandarin Chicken

2009-09-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

photo source

Mandarin Chicken

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
½ tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon of garlic powder

Mandarin Sauce-
2/3 cup sugar
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon fresh ginger (minced)
¼ cup water
4 teaspoons cornstarch

Pound chicken breasts with a mallet to an even thickness and season both sides with sugar, salt, and garlic powder. Grill chicken 4-6 minutes on each side or until no longer pink inside. Remove from grill and cut into bit sized strips. Set aside.
In a bowl combine sugar, soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic and ginger. Pour into a wok or sauce pan. Heat the mixture until almost at a boil. Combine cornstarch and water. Once the sauce starts to boil add the cornstarch mixture and stir until thickened.
Add grilled chicken to the wok and coat with the sauce. Simmer until heated thoroughly. I served it over cooked rice

recipe source

*suggested sides: fresh veggie such as steamed broccoli

*this recipe was really, really sweet even for my sweet tooth so i am going to try it with less sugar next time.

*if you don't have a grill, just pan fry the chicken in a little butter or olive oil

Bajio Chicken

2009-09-22T13:22:00.000-07:00

first of all i have to give a shout out to real mom kitchen. so far i have tried about three recipes from her site and they were delicious!! another reason i love her site is because you can do an ingredient search, which comes in real handy when planning my meals for the week. seriously you will love her recipes, she does not disappoint go check her out! here is one of the recipes i tried and it was soooo good and easy!

photo source

Bajio Chicken

5 chicken breasts
1/2 cup salsa
1 Tbsp cumin
1/2 cup brown sugar (more to taste, I added at least an extra 1/8 cup)
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
6 oz. Sprite (1/2 can)

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Return to crock pot and cook 1 more hour. Thicken the juices with a little cornstarch mixed in water.
Serve with flour tortillas, lettuce, cheese, black beans and any other taco fixings.
If you want it spicier rather than sweeter add a hotter salsa and more green chilies.

recipe source

*suggested sides: cilantro lime coleslaw, fresh corn

*i used fresh salsa in mine and it was sooo good, but i'm sure the store bought kind would be good too.

check it out: fall and halloween edition

2009-09-21T14:16:00.000-07:00

*halloween decorating

*spooky cakes

*trick or treat

*nail head pumpkins

*fun fall party treats

*creepy halloween apothecary

*jello blood worms

for more fall and halloween inspiration check out this post

check it out

2009-09-21T13:25:00.000-07:00

*coupon binder
*tips for journaling with kids
*rain gutter bookshelves
*headboard bench tutorial
*chore charts
*how to wrap scarves
*ribbon storage solutions
*food styling
*creative hidden storage solutions
*scrapbook room/office
*kitchen makeover (love this!)
*hutch makeover
*playroom reveal
*barnwood shutter

check it out

2009-09-14T13:53:00.000-07:00

*darling playhouse with kitchen
*wall mounted tv disguise tutorial
*headboard turned coat rack
*chic coffee table
*lace frame jewelry holder
*cowgirl cookies mixes
*how to paint concrete floor
*iron on onesies
*uses for sticker paper
*baby burp cloth tutorial
*scrap piece baby bib
*old mirror turned chalkboard
*headboard turned bench
*an easy recycling center

check it out

2009-09-09T13:45:00.000-07:00

*another baby word book

*instructions for a crate liner
*super organized craft room
*burlap corkboard
*perfect vs. good
*how to have a swap meet
*monogram wreath
*five strategies for shopping success
*picture labels to organize toys
*old window organizer
*fun ways to practice writing the alphabet
*wallpaper filing cabinet
*pillowcase dress/top
*guide to spring cleaning or "selling your house"

check it out

2009-09-08T14:08:00.000-07:00

*making your own sewing labels
*monogrammed window
*old painted cottage before and after reveal
*bottling tomatoes
*delicate balancing of parenting and housework
*framed calendar
*rotating toys
*fun storage for children's books
*homemade photo children's book from blocks
*home tour, abbie's food storage
*dining room turned office
*organizing your photographs
*freezer paper art
*old dresser turned rolling tool cabinet

you could win...

2009-08-26T21:01:00.000-07:00

a cute camera strap cover from knittybitties! (or something else from her shop, but i want the camera strap cover ) just head over to simplify to see what you need to do. good luck, i sure hope i've got some!

Food Storage Recipe: flautas

2009-08-26T14:41:00.000-07:00

i've been trying to try (wow that makes me sound totally lame) some more food storage recipes lately and last week i made these flautas. they were pretty yummy, especially for food storage. although i have to admit i used fresh salsa in mine, but i'm sure the bottled stuff is still good. so here is the recipe directly copied from safely gathered in:

photo source, recipe source

Flautas:
6 10-inch flour tortillas
1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 can or 2 cups chicken
1 can of black beans or approximately 1 1/2 -2 cups of beans
1/2 cup bottled salsa
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Cooking oil for frying

Preheat oven to 350. wrap tortillas tightly in foil. Heat for 10 minutes or until heated through.
In a large skillet cook oil, beans, chicken, and spices until heated. Spoon about a 1/2 cup of filling into each warm tortilla. Roll tortilla tightly and secure with wooden toothpicks.
In a very large, deep skillet, heat 1 1/2 inches of cooking oil. Fry flautas, two at a time, for 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp and golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Keep fried flautas warm in a 300 oven while frying remaining flautas.
Remove toothpicks and serve...

If you prefer to bake them you can place on a baking sheet and brush with cooking oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and heated through.

When rotating, we serve these with cheese, sour cream, salsa, and guacamole... for obvious reasons these things are not food storage friendly! Hope you enjoy!

*note added: could use leftover roast, steak or pork

*suggested side dishes:
cilantro lime coleslaw
refried beans
mexican rice

Menu Plan 8/27-9/2

2009-08-26T13:45:00.000-07:00

Thursday:
chicken cordon bleu
*fresh fruit

Friday: night out

Saturday: night out
dessert- zucchini brownies

Sunday: hubby's cooking

Monday: zucchini alfredo { adding garlic and onion }
*green salad
*parmesan bread
FHE treat- blueberry zucchini bread { with struesel topping }

Tuesday: leftovers or freezer meal

Wednesday: meatloaf dinner
*best green beans
*jello with fruit

online shopping at old navy

2009-08-25T13:11:00.001-07:00

old navy has some really great deals on toddler girl's clothes. here are some that i just bought: $3.99

$5

(great for layering under shirts for fall and winter)

$2.99

$5 each when you buy 2 or more

$5 each when you buy two or more

here is what i didn't buy, but i wanted to:

these shoes were actually on sale, but i didn't get them. i'm kind of kicking myself for that

i am seriously thinking about splurging on this last one, its just "tu tu" cute!

anyway like i said old navy is having some great deals and on top of that if you buy today (tuesday) then you can use the promo code: YAYTUE15 to get 15% off

and use promo code: SHIPFREE to get free shipping on any size order

and if you use your oldnavy card, you can get triple rewards points on your purchase!

(promo codes found via my shopping addiction )

check it out

2009-08-24T15:06:00.000-07:00

*potterybarn decorative balls
*felt food obsession (i'm not the only one ;)
*entertainment center turned play kitchen
*diy party banner
*how to make ribbon flowers
*giving your kids choices
*craft/tool station wall organizer
*coke cleaning
*car seat cover
*numbered jars
*framed window photo project
*fabric strawberries
*mod podge jewelry case
*handmade baby bibs

check it out

2009-08-17T13:05:00.000-07:00

*old book photo frame
*practical pallet furniture
*tips on how to create a relaxing bedroom
*how to spruce up a picnic table
*organizing on a budget
*10 tips for looking your best
*blogging and balancing time
*can't i just vacuum?
*rag letters tutorial
*oreo pudding popsicles
*chic on a shoestring
*frozen grape pops
*laundry soap dispenser
*mini blinds to roman shades

my not so extreme homemakeover: the kitchen { plan }

2009-08-10T21:07:00.001-07:00

so now that summer is almost over, i feel that things might settle down enough for me to dive back into my not so extreme home makeover. i've got it all mapped out so let's pray that i can stick with it. i am still currently working on my kitchen. i have continued to paint my cabinets, but i thought i would share with you my plan and inspiration.

i have decided on keeping my walls green and painting my cabinets white like in this photo:

i even thought about throwing in a little accent of red...

i plan on putting some corkboard inside my cabinets so i can post my recipes that i am using...

do you not love this sign? i am hoping to make one similar to this...

i would love to have some pics and recipes hanging from clothes pins like this...

and make some chalkboard labels...

for my hutch i am thinking of lining it with burlap...

or fabric similar to this...

or if all else fails, paint it the same color as my walls like layla's...

i plan on spray painting my main light fixture oil rubbed bronze, hoping it will look similar to these light fixtures...

i would like to have some potted herbs...

i've bought some jars from ikea to hold things such as oats, brown sugar, powdered sugar, noodles, etc....

i am going to hang 2 to 3 shelves to hold them like she did here...

i am going to paint my table legs white, and chairs black like she did here...

and i really want to find or build a bench like this one...

i don't know where i found this picture ( it was labeled cindy's kitchen) but she has all the elements that i want to implement into my kitchen: white cabinets, oil rubbed bronze hardware, beadboard backsplash, metal backsplash behind stove, white sink and silver faucet.

another beautiful (dream) kitchen...

so there you have it. you can see my to do list to the right on my side bar. red= it's done, green = it's done and click on it to see it.

to see the rest of the story:

my not so extreme home makeover

my not so extreme home makeover: the kitchen { before }

my not so extreme home makeover: the kitchen { inspiration }

kitchen room redo update

a sneak peak

check it out

2009-08-10T14:13:00.000-07:00

*recycled jar lanterns
*diy burlap bulletin board
*diy window boxes
*rewards points system for kids
*more felt food inspiration
*baby memory blanket
*flower clip tutorial
*rain gutter bookshelves
*$ store wooden tags
*nail head trim stool
*tips for taking good blog photos
*how to keep your house clean enough
*paper lace banner
*beadboard wallpaper cabinets tutorial

check it out

2009-08-03T13:22:00.000-07:00

*a few ideas for storing food
*another tutorial on making roman shades from mini blinds
*frozen watermelon pops
*framed fabric tutorial
*photostyling your crafts
*abc embroidery pillow
*framed message board
*coffee table turned bench
*alphabet block magnets
*pudding finger paint
*entertainment center redo
*cupcake applique shirt
*kitchen redo
*diy burlap book rack

check it out

2009-07-27T13:32:00.000-07:00

*silhouette pillow
*firetruck pillow
*make your own puzzle blocks
*heritage tributes
*redesigned luggage
*how to make tissue pom poms
*pretty plastic bag organizer
*gathered skirt with knit waistband
*covered thumbtack tutorial
*shirt to dress refashion
*recycled baby food jars
*diaper burp cloth tutorial
*just married banner template

check it out

2009-07-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

*breakfast bib tutorial
*rainbow cake
*back to school organization
*another diy play kitchen
*how to make a ruffled pillow
*seashell shadowboxes
*diy wipeoff board
*headboard makeover
*upcycling kids clothes
*how to put the voom back into your vacuum
*baby blanket tutorial
*table redo
*men's shirt to toddler dress
*reusable gift bags

2009-07-14T12:35:00.000-07:00

*tips for using chalkboard paint
*picnic tote
*tips for opening up your space
*beautiful wall mirrors
*build your own picnic table
*little pots of moss
*DIY: craft organizers
*window message board
*faux mudroom
*how she furnished her house without spending a ton
*paint can planters
*repurpose old sweaters into chairs
*beach cottage tablescape
*shabby chic desk

i feel like a jerk

2009-07-06T15:02:00.000-07:00

oh my gosh, so i was looking through some posts that i like, that i save and happen to come across this one. boy do i feel like a jerk. here i thought i was being so creative and thought i would share that creativity with you and then i find that v and co had done the exact same thing!

in all honestly i really had thought of the bandanna skirt being inspired from this. i guess maybe v and co's post was always in the back of my head. anyway just wanted to clear some things up. i never would want to take credit for someone else's ideas.

(and to think i could of just referred to her post to make it, geez i feel like a jerk)

(on another note v and co is an excellent seamstress so that makes me feel a little better about myself)

p.s. isn't ironic that we both have making house a home on our banner?i promise i didn't copy that. we must just think a like.