There's a Chick in the Kitchen!

Recovering ugly chairs

2012-01-08T12:57:00.001-08:00

I bought my dining room table about 10 years ago. I didn't have children, or money. It was a small table with 4 chairs and I think I paid about $100. Quite a bargain! Over the course of the years the veneer chipped, bubbled and warped. The top of the table was uneven, stained and pretty unappealing. Also, I have two kids now. The smaller table wasn't working well for crafts, dinner and everything else that dining tables are used for. So I packed up hubby and monsters and headed to Lowe's where I found a very large piece of wood and some nice stain. I removed the old, ugly table top and screwed on the now stained wood. In no time I had a super-sized table!
But the chairs. They were falling apart. Literally. Pieces would break off, screws would fall out and I had to reattach the seats constantly. This poor table. I should just put it out of its misery and send it to the dump, but the thought of shopping for a new table does not fill my heart with glee. Instead I keep replacing, recovering and refinishing. I have twice before recovered the chairs and I think I have replaced every screw at least once in all 4 chairs. Through all that, I was now left with one original chair. I had this great plan to get 5 more chairs, all of various design, and recover them all with the same fabric, possibly even paint them. It would look eclectic and cute (I hoped).
Before I could find even one chair I wanted to refinish, let alone 5, the lone hold out from the original 4 dies. No chairs. My dining table has no chairs. How did this happen?! So I grabbed my younger brother and we set off to scour thrift stores in search of 6 similar, yet different chairs that I would then make look fabulous. We walked into the first thrift store and found 5 of these.

Hideous purple things that look like they belong on the patio of a Mexican restaurant where you pour your own soda. But I saw potential! And at just $5 a piece I was willing to give them a chance.

I removed the seat with a screw driver and laid it on some fabric like so:

Cut the fabric, making sure I had plenty to wrap all the around and simply starting stapling. I used a Stanley t100 staple gun, just $15 at WalMart. The fabric I had from previous projects, but I didn't have quite enough for all 5 so I had to use coordinating fabric on 2 chairs. Maybe not the eclectic look I had originally envisioned but I now have seating for 5 and what amounts to a whole new dining set for a grand total of: $50

Baskets on a wall

2011-12-13T17:19:00.000-08:00

Found this idea on pinterest and I applied it to my own bathroom.

My bathroom is large enough, it's just oddly narrow. So storage is a premium and vertical space needs to be utilized. Thankfully I had a few of these wicker baskets that my kids have somehow allowed to escape from their path of destruction. A stud finder, some screws and voila! Instant (and free!) towel storage.

Gluten Free chicken nuggets

2011-12-13T17:09:00.000-08:00

1 cup rice flour
1/3 cup corn starch
1/2 tsp each: garlic salt, chili powder, pepper, & salt
5 chicken breasts
Deep fryer, full of oil

Cube chicken, place in freezer for 10 minutes.
Combine all dry ingredients.
Stir in chicken.
Fry approximately 12 minutes in very hot oil.

I made a bunch to freeze. Now my little sweetie has chicken nuggets, ready to go.

And they are gluten free, dairy free and egg free. Which means Killian Friendly!

Gluten free creamy chicken pasta

2011-11-06T16:52:00.000-08:00

My house has been hit by the wrath of the wheat monster. Yes, we are now almost completely gluten free. I will possibly delve into this in another post and/or on another blog. But for now, here is a wonderful, if not exactly healthy, gluten free chicken dinner.
Enjoy!

1/2 box gluten free penne pasta
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 cups fresh broccoli, chopped well
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup prepared pesto sauce (I prefer Costco brand, better than homemade)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
salt, pepper, olive oil

Cook gluten free pasta according to directions.
In large frying pan heat olive oil. Add chicken strips and cook until almost done. Add garlic, salt and pepper and cook additional 3 minutes.
Transfer prepared pasta to casserole dish. Mix in pesto and broccoli. Top with chicken, sprinkle peas over pasta.
bake at 375 for 15 minutes
Sprinkle cheese on top and broil for 5 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Serve and savor!

Stacy's Chicken Enchiladas

2010-01-07T21:39:00.000-08:00

So good, so easy, so filling!
*see additional instructions below to make this dairy-free

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked & shredded chicken
1 brick cream cheese
2 cups salsa (spiciness to taste)
1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp pepper

2 Tbl Olive oil
8 flour tortillas
1 cup shredded cheese
1 cup enchilada sauce

Preheat oven to 350'
Combine first 6 ingredients.
Coat 9x13 pan with olive oil.
Fill tortillas with Chicken mixture & wrap in burrito style.
Place wraps in pan.
Bake 20 minutes
Cover with cheese
bake additional 10 minutes
Cover with warm enchilada sauce
Serve with corn & large side salad. YUM!

If you want to make these super-healthy I have included some easy add-ons. Feel free to use any or all, they should go unnoticed by all but the most sensitive of tasters.
Puree 1/4 cup canned white beans and sub these for same amount of cream cheese.
To chicken mix add 1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach.
Add 1/4 cup chopped carrots to salsa.
Cover with 1/4 cup chopped fresh or canned (chopped) tomatoes, along with enchilada sauce.

To make this dairy free and more allergy friendly simply use soy cream cheese and omit the corn. I have it on good authority that soy cream cheese is an excellent and nearly undetectable replacement for cow's milk cream cheese.

How to shred chicken for dinner tonight

2010-01-07T17:47:00.000-08:00

There are a few ways to shred a lot of chicken in a hurry.

First method involves a rotisserie chicken bought from any grocery store.
Just, ya know, take it apart. It should basically shred on its own, as you disassemble it. Get quart freezer bags to save the meat in serving portions to suit your family's needs. The average family should be able to make at least 3 meals from a whole chicken out of the deli.
1. Roasted chicken with potatoes and green beans
2. Shredded Chicken Quesadillas with broccoli and black beans
3. Taco Soup (will post recipe asap)
All of these can be made with very little preparation and in less than 30 minutes.

The second method would be to use a pressure cooker. I have a fancy new digital or electronic pressure cooker but I used to use an older style pressure cooker. Either way will work to cook in a hurry.
I hate to send you away, but the best method for cooking a whole chicken in a pressure cooker is found here
If you plan to use your pressure cooker to cook one of those bags of chicken breasts found in most grocery stores then you'll:
place the roasting rack in your cooker
empty the bag of breasts into your pressure cooker
add 1/2 cup water or stock
cook on High (let pressure regulator rock on high) about 15 minutes
allow pressure to drop naturally
shred with a fork and freeze in quart bags, portions according to your family size

You can then use your shredded chicken for SO many recipes. Enchiladas (recipe to follow asap), quesadillas, taco soup, stir fry, alfredo pizza, chicken scampi,chicken chili, thai pizza....

Online Learning Games from Fisher-Price – For Infants, Toddlers & Preschoolers

2009-12-29T18:48:00.000-08:00

Online Learning Games from Fisher-Price – For Infants, Toddlers & Preschoolers

Leftover Turkey or Chicken

2009-12-09T17:34:00.001-08:00

After picking apart the remains of your Thanksgiving turkey or perhaps even a rotisserie or whole roasted chicken use the leftover meat and turn it into this zesty asian-inspired soup.

To slow cooker or crockpot add:
3 cups leftover turkey or chicken
3 cans chicken broth
1 can refilled with water
2 cups chopped carrots
1 cup frozen, chopped spinach
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup instant brown rice
1 cup chopped cabbage

Cook in crockpot till done. Yummy!
Side note about the last four ingredients. If you like it less spicy reduce both curry & pepper by half the amounts listed.
Add the rice & cabbage during the last 3 hours, if possible. If they cook the whole time they'll be a little too mushy for my tastes.

Welcome back

2009-12-09T17:13:00.000-08:00

I am back from my seemingly everlasting maternity leave/computer meltdown. I now have a working computer & two boys. I believe as of my last post I had a computer teetering on the edge of death and only 1 son. Kolter Gauge Burnside is healthy, fat & so happy.
Killian's allergies are news-worthy. His milk and egg allergies are almost non-existent according to the allergist's blood tests. His egg decreased from about 1.5 to .54 and his milk was at .98 at one year old and down to .49 at his two year appointment. Which means he is in the mild/sensitive category for those two. Unfortunately his peanut went from what we assumed was 0 to a whopping 7.74! Yuck. He is likely to have an anaphylactic reaction if he happens to ingest peanuts or peanut products. On the bright side we have made the family transition to almond butter to replace peanut butter and we all love it.
We remain hopeful for a cure and/or that he will outgrow allergies. Our allergist did say he expects a peanut allergy cure to be readily available in 5-10 years, as Duke University and others are having raging success curing food allergies through very slowly introducing tiny amounts of the known allergen into the system.
I'll try to continue to update this page with the lastest in allergy news, allergy-friendly recipes, short cuts, time savers etc. Thanks for reading!

Slow Cooker Carnitas (Re-posted due to popularity)

2009-12-08T11:06:00.000-08:00

2lb. Pork Shoulder roast, or boneless loin, ribs etc.
1/4-1/2 cup water
1 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp curry powder
1 can seasoned, stewed tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup orange puree, if available, or throw in some chopped carrots
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Add water, seasonings, tomatoes and orange puree (or carrots) to Crock Pot, stir until well blended. Add roast and coat in seasoning juice.
Pour garlic over roast. Cover and cook on low until roast is done, 6-8 hours, turning & stirring occasionally if you can. The carrots will disappear as they turn to mush. Your family will eat secret veggies!
Once done pull out roast and cut netting off, then shred and cut up roast removing any fatty pieces. Return to Crockpot, add beans and continue to cook as long as possible, up to an hour.
Serve with tortillas, cilantro, guacamole, cheese, hot sauce and sour cream.

Rice Krispie Treats

2009-06-07T09:13:00.001-07:00

What?! A recipe for Rice Krispie Treats? Surely she jests?
Yup, go all the way back to 7th grade home economics and remember that first recipe you tried on your own? That's what we're making. But these Rice Krispie Treats have super powers! They are very allergy friendly (Not for celiac sufferers, unfortunately) and they have some actual health benefits. They contain iron, fiber, calcium and protein. They will stay soft, even overnight. I didn't measure the standard ingredients, so I'll guess, but feel free to add the last 2 ingredients to whatever recipe you like.

1 Tbl. Parkay squeeze (or other non-dairy margarine)
1 bag mini marshmallows
8 (or so) cups Rice Krispie-like cereal
1 Tbl. wheat bran (Bob's Red Mill or other bulk bran)
1 Tbl milk or soy milk

Now melt the margarine, add the marshmallows. Just as the marshmallows are getting smooth add the wheat bran. It looks a little suspect at first, so don't let anyone catch you at this step! Once the cereal is mixed in, you'll never be able to tell there's anything in there, I promise. Once it's thoroughly stirred in, add the milk. The milk is what will make your Treats stay soft for days, instead of hours. Add your cereal and flatten into a large glass dish.
Because these are so soft you should wait at least 20-30 minutes before you eat them. After that, feed your family a deliciously healthy treat!

Make your own nursing bra

2009-04-29T13:39:00.001-07:00

After a grueling search for a nursing bra that is comfortable and padded (reducing 'headlight' infractions) I found this site to make your own. I am now off to go buy a few bras. I plan to cut the clasps out of the bras I used while nursing Killian and re-sew them into the new bras.
I can't even begin to relay how excited I am at the thought of being able to wear a push-up and have some oomph while being a milkmaid!
Who knew you could put those giant things to good use in more than one way at a time?

Homemade Bread, all vegan friendly and everything

2009-04-15T13:34:00.000-07:00

As usual I found this on Allrecipes and changed it drastically. The result was super-duper yummy fresh baked bread. I am still experimenting with other changes but I've listed the two recipes that have so far turned into the best baked loaves.

Light & Fluffy Bread

1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/4 teaspoons, or 1 packet, active dry yeast

Using the order listed above, place all ingredients into the bread machine.
Set to dough cycle.
Once mixing is complete you can remove your dough from the machine.
Knead into a ball, then stretch to resemble a thick rectangle, approximately the same size as your loaf pan.
Punch dough into greased loaf pan
Set on counter and allow to rise again
Once dough is over the top of your pan place in oven
Bake 375' for 25 minutes

Seasoned Bread

1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tsp season salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1 tsp dried onion
2 1/4 teaspoons, or 1 packet, active dry yeast

A Year of CrockPotting: CrockPot Rice Pudding Recipe

2009-03-31T17:02:00.000-07:00

A Year of CrockPotting: CrockPot Rice Pudding Recipe

Anyone up tp make this vegan or allergy friendly? I'll let you know if I do. It sure sounds yummy, but I would need to use only soy milk and cut out the eggs somehow....

Pumpkin Pancakes (Veganized for your pleasure)

2009-03-07T08:17:00.000-08:00

Adapted from allrecipes and thoroughly changed by Katy

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

1 & 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups vanilla soymilk
1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup applesauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar

DIRECTIONS

In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, applesauce, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.
Heat a frying pan over low-medium heat and add a bit of Parkay Squeeze (vegan!) margarine. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
Cook all batter and freeze leftovers. Microwave for about 30 seconds for a quick breakfast with hidden fruits & veggies!

Breakfast Cookies for Killian

2009-02-18T07:45:00.000-08:00

Killian and I (and Preston, but that's a different post) started attending play group. It's very "feel good" and crunchy, focusing on non-violent parenting and establishing independence in your toddler. I hate it. Not because of what they teach but because Killian is forced to change activities every 15 minutes or so and he hates to sit still for story time. He will at home, where he can touch the book and help turn pages, but not in a group setting with so many other things to do.
In addition they serve snack which seems to consist of stupid Goldfish crackers! The playgroup is sponsored by the Idaho Healthy Families Initiative. How, exactly, do Goldfish crackers fit into that? Killian can't have Goldfish crackers, as I remind them almost every week, so he gets whatever I brought as a replacement and I am wracked with nameless bad feelings and guilt over my son's allergies. I hate separating his food like he's some little freak and I get so annoyed that they continue to serve these rainbow colored demons within arm's reach of him.
Last week I left Killian's graham crackers there so I wouldn't have to remember them every week. But someone stole them! Of course this week they were serving breakfast cookies with egg listed in the ingredients and I had no replacement. Granted Killian's allergies are mild enough that baked cookies with egg as an ingredient don't bother him but they don't know that and I try to keep the egg and milk intake to a minimum. He does get an upset tummy and we both pay the price if he overdoes it. The very, very kind lady that ran the group took the orange out of her lunch and served that for snack instead. I was extremely appreciative!
So this whole long vent leads to a great outcome. I modified a No Bake Cookie recipe from Allrecipes.com to come up with healthy, delicious Vegan Breakfast Cookies. They contain loads of anti-oxidants, oats, not too much sugar and protein in the form of peanut butter. Recipe follows:

Vegan Breakfast Cookies

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

In a saucepan over medium heat combine the maple syrup, oil, & cocoa. Boil for three minutes or until thickened and smooth, stirring constantly.
In separate bowl combine peanut butter and vanilla until well blended.
Add oats and stir as much as possible into peanut mixture.
Remove chocolate mixture from heat and stir in the oat mix. Stir until well blended.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper and chill to set, about 30 minutes.

Never Know It's Healthy Chili

2009-01-16T11:57:00.000-08:00

An easy and delicious slow cooker chili. It is allergy-friendly for most allergens. It has tons of hidden veggies and enough seasoning that you'd never guess it was low fat! I always make this large recipe and freeze individual servings for quick re-heats.

Ingredients

2lbs Ground beef, turkey or game

1/4 Onion, chopped

2 cans Black beans

2 Small cans tomato sauce

2 cans Diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon Chili powder

1 Red bell pepper, chopped finely

1 Yellow bell pepper, chopped finely

2 cups Baby carrots (about 20) chopped finely

1 teaspoon Paprika

Pinch of oregano

1/2 tablespoon Garlic powder

1 teaspoon Cumin

Salt and pepper

1/2 tablespoon Season salt

Preparation

Cook both meats through then add onion and cook until soft. Drain off grease and place meat and onion mix in a colander over your sink. Open both cans of beans and empty into colander over meat. Rinse everything thoroughly under hot water. Add to Crockpot.

Add all remaining ingredients to Crockpot and cook on low for at least 3 hours and a maximum of 10. Enjoy!

Sites to Ease the Pain of Domesticity

2009-01-10T10:27:00.000-08:00

Visit Geezeo
This is a personal finance site. Set a budget, track your spending, personalize your bill pay reminders. Do it all in one free, easy to use site!

SpringPadit
This is a site for all of those who love a To-Do list! Instead of trying to find that crumpled piece of paper wadded up in your purse just keep it online. Make grocery lists, keep recipes, even plan ahead a week of meals, all just a click away.

ConsumerSay
You know when you think, "A mom/woman/person could not have invented this or it would work so much better?" Well, make them listen here!

Visit Venus Smile Makeover
And once you've gotten all your bills paid, added to your savings, planned all your meals, gone grocery shopping and made the world a slightly better place you can visit this site and give yourself a virtual makeover! C'mon, you deserve a laugh and a break.

Literally Sick of the Time Change

2008-11-03T11:12:00.000-08:00

Ugh! Killian was sick all last week and I spent all weekend throwing up and struggling to keep down gatorade so I didn't get everything finished. I feel like I should get a reprieve and I am generously allowing myself an extra week to finish. I guess that's a mom's prerogative, though, right? See ya soon!

Time Change is Approaching

2008-10-27T12:34:00.000-07:00

So I have accomplished a lot but I am not done with my list yet. Since I only have until Sunday I better get crackin' on my bi-annual cleaning spree! Here is my original list:

Check all smoke detectors.
Replace fridge's water filter.
Clean out kitchen cabinets. Donate what's unlikely to be eaten and rarely used small appliances.
Move and clean behind stove and fridge.
Clean all interior windows.
Clean all exterior windows. (YIKES!)
Get carpets professionally cleaned.
Dust all light fixtures and replace at least 1 bulb in each room with a CFL.
Get yard ready for winter *directions to follow* including getting all toys boxed up and inside.
Clean baseboards!

And here is my revised list:

Reclean all interior windows and make Killian stop licking them.
Schedule carpet cleaner
Replace fridge's water filter.
Organize kitchen cabinets. Collect unused appliances and give as Christmas present to poor, unemployed brother.
Clean behind stove. (Did the fridge!)
Finish the light fixture cleaning.
Clean baseboards!

I am more than halfway done if you look to see that many of the BIG jobs have been removed. I mowed my lawn and had the sprinklers winterized already. All toys and wood from the deck project have been placed in an appropriate area until next year. I may do a bit more work, like chop the weed field down and get the junk pile on the side of the house to the dump but all necessary lawn care has been finished. I have gone through both the kitchen and the cold storage for excess food and donated it all to either the food bank or the poor/unemployed brother so now I need to go through my mixing bowls and small appliances to get my cupboards nice and bare. Some light fixtures have been cleaned but unfortunately I had to replace all the bulbs in my ceiling fan so all my cfl bulbs are in use and will not be spread throughout the house at this time. I will continue to replace burnt bulbs with a cfl though.
As for the exterior windows, they were really not that hard to clean. I fear no ladder so I just climbed up with a bucket of soapy water, a squeegee from Bed, Bath & Beyond, a few dry rags and Windex. For detailed instructions post a comment and I'll get them to you. It was actually kind of fun playing with a bucket of soapy water on a nice warm and sunshiney day. Of course there was a storm that same week so all my work was for naught. Such is the life of an overly ambitious housewife!
I am now down to a few very manageable tasks that are all under the 20 minute range. If I could make myself do them instead of reading a new novel every spare minute...

What to do with all this zucchini?

2008-10-05T16:48:00.000-07:00

My neighbor has a plethora of vegetables in his garden and he likes to share the wealth. I am botanically challenged so I gladly accept all hand-outs from those so inclined. So far this year I have gotten grapes, yellow and green zucchini, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos and basil. I've made numerous tomato dishes and sauces as well as salsa and pico de gallo. With the recent addition of fresh, local and organic yellow zucchini to my kitchen counter I started searching for recipes. My 1 year old son is allergic to milk and eggs so traditional zucchini bread wouldn't work. Using the ingredient search I found a great recipe without eggs. I did change the flour from all purpose to a healthier blend that is courtesy of Missy Chase Lapine

Kingman's Vegan Zucchini Bread

"Delicious and fluffy zucchini bread can be made without eggs!"
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups all-purpose flour *or 1 cup white flour, 1 cup wheat flour & 1 cup wheat germ*
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup applesauce
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups shredded zucchini

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F, Grease and flour muffin pan for 24 muffins.
Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, & baking powder, in a bowl until evenly blended; set aside.
2. Whisk together the applesauce, white sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth. Fold in the flour mixture and shredded zucchini until moistened. Use a small 1/4 cup of batter per muffin.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2008 Allrecipes.com
(Original recipe slightly altered by Katy but copyright & credit still remains with Allrecipes.com)

The result was a plateful of delicious and healthy muffins! They weren't too dense, they rose beautifully and they tasted delicious. Next time I will decrease the white sugar by half and replace it with additional brown sugar. My son loves them just the way they are though and I couldn't be happier. I will keep these in the freezer and pop them into the microwave to warm. If I add a bit of Parkay Squeeze (also vegan and allergy friendly and oh-so tasty) they are a homemade breakfast that we can eat on our way to story time, music class or running errands.

Hearty Breakfast

2008-09-30T09:02:00.000-07:00

There's a chill to our mornings and that means autumn is upon us and winter will be settling in soon. In the hopes of replacing Cheerios I have been exploring warm breakfasts. This morning I made up a super healthy, anti-oxidant rich and very tasty breakfast that my notoriously picky toddler ate up. I used organic, no sugar added blueberry juice and just plain old Malt O' Meal. I think I'll cut the portions in half next time in order to decrease the cooking time and finished portion.

1/2 Cup blueberry juice
1 1/2 Tbl Malt O' Meal

Basically just follow the instructions on the box from here. I microwaved it for 1 minute, stirred, then continued the microwave then stir in 30 second increments. I stirred in an ice cube to cool it and it was a nice, smooth consistency. It had natural sugars from the juice for sweetness so I didn't even have to bury it in brown sugar! In addition, Malt O' Meal is pretty cheap so it helps to offset the relatively high cost of juice.
Let me know how you and your wee ones like it.

Falling back again

2008-09-29T13:30:00.000-07:00

The time changes soon. Another 6 months or so gone by and another hour lost on the clock. We 'fall back' and lose an hour on November 2nd, which seems to be coming up sooner than I can believe! Each time change there is always an article or two reminding the population to check the batteries in their smoke detectors but has anyone ever actually followed this advice?

Well this year I am making myself a promise to not only check the batteries but also make a whole twice a year to-do list. Using the "6 Excruciatingly Simple Steps" I am creating my list and I will accomplish it by this autumn's time change. My list revolves around getting and keeping my house sparkling clean. Then when I actually manage to get it all picked up and vacuumed my house will look like one of those supremely immaculate homes that always leave me shaking my head and asking why mine never seems to really shine.
My neighbor Janeille is an awesome realtor and really great at the staging business. Basically she goes in and gets her clients to clean out closets, put out plants and other little tips to make their place look so gorgeous that buyers are sucked in by the cookie scent wafting out of the kitchen and offer up double the list price. OK so maybe not double, but she can really spruce a place up and make it much more appealing to potential buyers. I asked her what could be the difference between the houses that look picked up versus the houses that shout out "a clean-freak lives here!" and her response was genius. Baseboards. According to Janeille the biggest thing that you will never notice is clean baseboards.
I took this gem of wisdom and I am running crazy with it. I am going to have clean baseboards at every time change from now on but there is more. I may be a little too ambitious with my time-change-to-do list since I only have a month, but I will keep you updated on my progress. I didn't get started today because I was out of every grocery staple but it is on like Donkey Kong tomorrow, as soon as Killian and I get back from story time.
Feel free to take my list and make it your own. If you're attempting something similar let me know how it goes! Post your own list here and keep us updated on your wade through dusty curtains and cobwebbed corners.

Check all smoke detectors.
Replace fridge's water filter.
Clean out kitchen cabinets. Donate what's unlikely to be eaten and rarely used small appliances.
Move and clean behind stove and fridge.
Clean all interior windows.
Clean all exterior windows. (YIKES!)
Get carpets professionally cleaned.
Dust all light fixtures and replace at least 1 bulb in each room with a CFL.
Get yard ready for winter *directions to follow* including getting all toys boxed up and inside.
Clean baseboards!

6 Excruciatingly Simple Steps to Creating an Awesome To-Do List | Dumb Little Man

2008-09-29T13:18:00.001-07:00

6 Excruciatingly Simple Steps to Creating an Awesome To-Do List | Dumb Little Man

Posted using ShareThis

Written on 9/29/2008 by Grace Kepplin. You can find Grace at Face to the Sun where she writes to share some of what she's learned, puzzle about what she's yet to experience, and to make sense of this crazy world we live in. Photo Credit: purpleslog

I think I wrote my first To-Do list in 4th grade when I was trying to juggle a geography test, getting a merit badge I really wanted, and catching grasshoppers with my little brother. Lists have been faithful companions ever since but there are right and wrong ways to create them. Taking the wrong approach and you risk setting yourself up for failure.

First, remember that you never will finish all the items on your list. If you do, you haven’t put enough items on it.

Rather, consider the list as a planning tool, an anti-anxiety device (if it’s on the list you won’t forget it), a push in the behind to get the engine started, and a rationale in the name of getting something done.

Once you've grasped that thought, use these strategies to make your to-do list even better.

* Write when you are fresh
I used to prod myself into making a list before I left the office at night, but after a really hectic day, I was zoned. My brain was in final stages of rigor mortis and my body was chanting home! home! home! in the background.

Then I tried writing lists in the office when I first got there in the morning and found, often as not, that I hit the deck running, diving into the first crisis of the day. The list got, sort-of, put together by 10 am or so, when I came up for air. By then the day evaporated in front of me.

What I finally discovered was the art of the 5 minute list - composed after breakfast, before hitting the road. The items that I remembered then, away from the office, turned out to be the ones most important to the day ahead.

* Keep the list short and simple
My first boss gleefully wrote his To-Do list on a post-it note that he waved under my nose. There were days I felt like shot-putting him out of the window. The reason why he could do that, I wanted to point out, was that my to-do list was three pages long.

It wasn’t until much later that I learned the magic of Pareto’s 80/20 percent rule. Eighty percent of the value of anything comes from the 20 percent of the most important items. You just gotta figure out which 20 percent to focus on.

That’s why you start fresh (see #1 above). If your original list has 20 items on it, save that list, but rewrite your new one with only the 4 most crucial items.

* Eat dessert first
To that list, add at least 3 of what Alan Lakein (in How to get Control of Your Time and Your Life) categorized as “C-Low priority” items. Make them things you can do in 10 minutes or less; do them first.

Then you can get on to the really big stuff with those three items already crossed off your list. Sure it’s playing a game with yourself, but it’s a big psychological boost when you most need it—facing the start of another challenging day.

* Put the list where you can find it
My desk gets buried by noon with incoming projects. I found that if I scotch-taped the list to the surface of the desk I always knew where it was. I just dug through the new paper stacks and voila! There it was waiting for me.

* Start with a new list each morning
Keep the old list, so you won’t forget anything, but reprioritize and start over each morning. New most important 20%, new three slam-dunk items. That way you only deal with each day’s guilt, not pile on the batch from not-done items on yesterday’s list as well.

* Keep a bedside worry book—with a pencil
Ever wake up at 2AM with that problem still tornadoing around in your skull? Write it down. Write down one possible solution, even if it’s only that you’ll work on it tomorrow. If you do it in pencil you know that it’s being recorded. Then go back to sleep. You’ll be much more refreshed in the morning. If the item is still important in the morning, add it to that day’s list.

The rest is just bells and whistles. Use your PDA or computer to set up those long-term ticklers. Break down big projects into smaller doable pieces. Group phone calls together. Turn off the alarm on your email and only check at specified times of the day.

You know that you’ll be working as hard and as fast as you can. That’s what we do. But accept the fact that only so much can be done within an 8 or 10 or 12 hour day. Then your to-do list will become an ally, not an enemy.

Out of dishwasher detergent

2008-09-13T13:55:00.000-07:00

While cleaning the other day I had the dishwasher all loaded and ready to clean dirty dishes when I realized I had ran out of dishwasher detergent. My child was asleep, which is why I had a few minutes to actually make my house presentable, so running to the store was out of the question. I really didn't want to beg more off of my neighbor since I had borrowed a load's worth fairly recently and that just gets tacky after awhile. So I did what any modern mommy does in a cleaning crisis. I Googled "out of dishwasher detergent" and let the internet work its magic.
After wading through a bunch of hippy weird-os and their off beat posts I noticed I did find a similar recipe on most pages. Equal parts Borax and baking soda. Some helpful advisers also recommend a bit of oil for smelling purposes but I don't particularly want my plates to smell like essential vanilla anyway so I decided to omit this. It's a personal choice, feel free to add it if you wish.
Unfortunately for me though, I had never actually heard of Borax before this internet sojourn. So I had to wait until Killian awoke from his slumber anyway, but I was intrigued by this supposedly cheap and effective dish washing method. On my next trip to The Bowels of Hell, (you may know it as WalMart) or TBoH, I located said Borax near the laundry soap and it seems to have a myriad of uses. They're listed on the box so I won't bore you with them here but I now keep a box in my laundry room and I find myself using it more and more.
Now for the dishes I do supplement some regular dry dish detergent but I keep my baking soda/Borax mix in an old spaghetti jar next to the detergent and I use about a Tablespoon of each for my dishes. According to the Internet Advisers I am helping to reduce the pollutants introduced into my city's sewer systems and therefore the world at large and also saving myself a few dollars a month. Who knows, I may even save enough to not feel so guilty about that $5.00 latte?

Who is this chick and why is she in the kitchen?

2008-09-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

I am a suburban wife and momma. I love my family and try to get them to eat their veggies, I strive to keep our house clean, prevent diseases, add to our savings, keep up with fashion, save our planet, be a good role model, stop cussing, encourage everyone to try new things.....
Sound familiar? As women we try to be super heroes. I am always striving toward self-improvement. It can take on various forms from decorating the front room to designing a deck off the back door or maybe learning how to have a bit of grace and tact in my friendships. In conversations with friends I find that we often trade bits of advice that we pick up along the way and I started to realize that maybe I should start documenting these bits.
I am the chick, Katy, and we are the in the virtual kitchen. So pour a cup of joe and let's get to it. I'll post topics that I find interesting, maybe a little tip and we can share. No topic is off limits and if there is something you want to share, ask or just point, out please do. This is a forum for us, the adventurous suburbanites.