I am so thankful for a weekend! Does anyone else think this was the longest week?
It will be a busy one. And this will be a short post because I need some downtime before tomorrow.
Weekend agenda:
Saturday:
1. Relax with some coffee!
2. Kate goes to chaperone Jr. Districts from about 1-6 pm.
3. Kate makes a grocery list/menu for the week
4. Dennis grocery shops and cleans the bathrooms while Kate's at Jr. Districts
5. Practice the viola.
Sunday:
1. A birthday brunch to celebrate my Mother-in-law!!!!
2. Dust/floors/kitchen.
3. Lay out clothes for the week.
4. My first New Hampshire Philharmonic rehearsal for our upcoming concert on 3/14/10
5. NH Phil rehearsal 7-9:30 pm
What are your weekend plans? Is your weekend as packed as mine?!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Days 26 and 27 - i just want to sleep...
Has anyone else found this to be the longest week in history? I'm shocked that it's only Wednesday!
Yesterday and today are my lesson days. My long days. Since we've changed semesters at work, they're now also my long work days... so big fun until June!
Yesterday I came home from work and Dennis had made a recipe from "Cooking Light" for fried rice. I thought it was pretty good. We both agreed that it needed a little more kick, so we're going to experiment with it a little bit for next time. After I had my supper I laid on the couch and checked email and read. I felt like doing absolutely nothing... on the verge of sleep. I'll be honest and say I skipped swiffering my floors. :( We did scoop the kitty box and sweep the bathroom, and load the dishwasher and clean off the counter tops. So we were almost there.
This morning I was meeting a student at 7:00 am, so I was awake at the crack of dawn. (Literally.) I'll be honest again - I didn't make the bed! I overslept and was running around trying to get to work on time and it just didnt' happen. Just to make a point for myself, I may try and make it when I get home. We'll see... by the time I get home it's almost bedtime anyway!
We all have these days, I guess.
Yesterday and today are my lesson days. My long days. Since we've changed semesters at work, they're now also my long work days... so big fun until June!
Yesterday I came home from work and Dennis had made a recipe from "Cooking Light" for fried rice. I thought it was pretty good. We both agreed that it needed a little more kick, so we're going to experiment with it a little bit for next time. After I had my supper I laid on the couch and checked email and read. I felt like doing absolutely nothing... on the verge of sleep. I'll be honest and say I skipped swiffering my floors. :( We did scoop the kitty box and sweep the bathroom, and load the dishwasher and clean off the counter tops. So we were almost there.
This morning I was meeting a student at 7:00 am, so I was awake at the crack of dawn. (Literally.) I'll be honest again - I didn't make the bed! I overslept and was running around trying to get to work on time and it just didnt' happen. Just to make a point for myself, I may try and make it when I get home. We'll see... by the time I get home it's almost bedtime anyway!
We all have these days, I guess.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Day 25 - it's only Monday?
I can't believe it's only Monday. It seemed like today went on forever!
Now that I'm home, however, I'm getting a little cooking done. Hopefully I can relieve my stress in the kitchen!
Tonight's dinner? Asian Spinach Salad with Hoisin-Glazed Salmon - another gem from the "Bride & Groom First and Forever Cookbook by Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford". I did cheat a little bit. I guess I didn't read the recipe carefully and I didn't buy hoisin sauce. Instead I found an asian sesame ginger teriaki sauce in the cupboard. I used that instead.
Dressing:
1 and 1/2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 and 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 table spoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
Dash of chili oil or chili sauce
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salad:
6 cups baby spinach
1 can (11 oz.) mandarin oranges, chilled and drained
1/4 cup chopped green onion, both white and green parts
1/4 cup torn fresh mint
2 skinless salmon fillets (6 oz. each)
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1/3 cup dry roasted, salted peanuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup chow mein noodles
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Combine vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili sauce, and vegetable oil in a jar. Cover tightly and shake until the dressing is thoroughly blended.
Combine spinach, mandarin oranges, green onions and mint in a large bowl.
Put the salmon in the center of the foil. Spread the top of each fillet with 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce and wrap the foil loosley around the salmon, creating a sealed package. Cook until the salmon is just opaque in the center, about 10 minutes.
Toss the salad with enough dressing to coat, divide between 2 bowls/plates. Top each with a salmon fillet and garnish with the peanuts and chow mein noodles. Serve immediately.
I thought it was great! Dennis isn't a huge salmon fan, nor a big sesame fan (the dressing has a definate sesame flavor) but he said he liked it. Another hit from our Bride & Groom book!
Now that I'm home, however, I'm getting a little cooking done. Hopefully I can relieve my stress in the kitchen!
Tonight's dinner? Asian Spinach Salad with Hoisin-Glazed Salmon - another gem from the "Bride & Groom First and Forever Cookbook by Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford". I did cheat a little bit. I guess I didn't read the recipe carefully and I didn't buy hoisin sauce. Instead I found an asian sesame ginger teriaki sauce in the cupboard. I used that instead.
Dressing:
1 and 1/2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 and 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 table spoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
Dash of chili oil or chili sauce
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salad:
6 cups baby spinach
1 can (11 oz.) mandarin oranges, chilled and drained
1/4 cup chopped green onion, both white and green parts
1/4 cup torn fresh mint
2 skinless salmon fillets (6 oz. each)
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1/3 cup dry roasted, salted peanuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup chow mein noodles
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.Combine vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili sauce, and vegetable oil in a jar. Cover tightly and shake until the dressing is thoroughly blended.
Combine spinach, mandarin oranges, green onions and mint in a large bowl.
Put the salmon in the center of the foil. Spread the top of each fillet with 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce and wrap the foil loosley around the salmon, creating a sealed package. Cook until the salmon is just opaque in the center, about 10 minutes.
Toss the salad with enough dressing to coat, divide between 2 bowls/plates. Top each with a salmon fillet and garnish with the peanuts and chow mein noodles. Serve immediately.
I thought it was great! Dennis isn't a huge salmon fan, nor a big sesame fan (the dressing has a definate sesame flavor) but he said he liked it. Another hit from our Bride & Groom book!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Days 23 and 24 - i need an eye for detail, apparently
Good evening!
Weekends are always so short, aren't they?
I started the weekend with a list. I didn't get it all done, but pretty close, so I'm calling this weekend an organizational success!
OK, not bad. I made an effort to get the oil changed! Honest! We drove to the dealership "express" area to get the oil change (I got the service plan when I got my RAV4 - so I have to go to the dealership...) but there was an hour wait, and I'm sorry, I don't have that kind of time. I'm calling tomorrow and getting an appointment next week, and we'll bring two cars so we can hang around (Barnes & Noble please?) while we wait.
Saturday was great! We washed my truck at the slowest car wash on the planet, and vacuumed the RAV! So, now I have a new item on my daily checklist. "Remove extra items from the RAV". This is huge for me, because I love my truck, and it always ends up a total pit. I spend way too much time in there. Does anyone else have this problem? Any ideas on keeping your car clean? I'm all ears, I need all the help I can get!
Dennis made a delicious potato salad for JJ and Katie's. He has hinted at a blog post to share it with you... I took a picture of it and everything. We shall see!
Sunday was productive as well. I slept in super late - after 10!!! I read my book for awhile and then we cleaned the house. The house is dusted, floors are steam mopped, laundry done, sheets changed. (As I wrote this, no joke, I saw my cat try to jump onto my dining room hutch and totally slide across the whole thing! I guess the "Pledge" works!)
We took a little drive to Lawrence, MA (aka - the "armpit" of the world, according to my Dad). My Grandparents and my Mother grew up in Lawrence, when it was "nice". Not so much anymore. However, Dennis found this place called Wichit - a totally cool coffee shop/sandwich shop. It was delicious!!!! If you live in the area you should check this place out. It's a real "hidden jewel" in Lawrence - the food is fantastic, the coffee is good, and they're all about organic products!
Since we were in Lawrence, we made a bad decision. There's this place called the "Italian Kitchen". They sell two things. Rice balls, and Crispelli. Crispelli are basically fried dough with a ricotta center. They are delightful. So we stopped in. And made a bad decision - actually five bad decisions in my case, and I feel like I have a brick sitting in the bottom of my stomach. Ugh. They were soooooo good though. I told my husband when we're setting the alarm for tomorrow morning and I waver on getting up at 4:30 to go to the gym or not he needs to look at me and say "Crispelli". I think it will work.
Speaking of going to the gym, that makes me think of packing my gym bag, which will be a snap because for the second week in a row I have picked out my clothes for the week in advance. I tried this last Sunday, and I have to say it worked wonders. I think I looked cute all week :) and my mornings were a lot less stressful!
So, I started cooking this evening. I decided that Crispelli would have to do it for dinner. Dennis agreed. So, I made a chicken soup for myself to take to work for lunch. I recommend this - I've done it the past few weeks. I make something on Sunday night and divide it in 5 Tupperware containers. Lunch is taken care of! Once again, makes my days a lot less stressful to not have to remember to pack lunch!
Here's the "how-to" on the Chicken Soup. I got the recipe from a fantastic book called "Bride & Groom, First and Forever Cookbook" by Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford. You should try to get your hands on this cookbook - everything in it is fabulous!
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion,m coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon powdered chicken bouillon, or 1 small chicken bouillon cube
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup white wine
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups shredded purchased roasted chicken
2 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
2 oz (about 1 cup) egg noodles
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, and (if using) powdered bouillon. Stir frequently and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
Add the wine and cook for about 2 minutes.
Add the broth, bouillon cube (if using), chicken, carrot, and celery.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until veggies are tender.
Add the egg noodles and cook another 5 minutes.
Stir in the parsley and a tablespoon of roasted garlic (optional - I don't use it to bring to work... kids don't like a teacher with garlic breath!)
Salt and pepper to taste.
So. Good.
I then tried to make a batch of chicken fried rice - but did not read the directions as closely. Apparently I need an eye for detail. I missed the word "cooked" next to the rice. So I have all my chicken, veggies, etc. mixed in with uncooked rice. Doh. I will retry tomorrow.
Enjoy your last few hours of freedom before returning to work!
Weekends are always so short, aren't they?
I started the weekend with a list. I didn't get it all done, but pretty close, so I'm calling this weekend an organizational success!
1. The usual - dust, laundry, iron, floors, bathrooms.
2. Make a potato salad to bring to Jared and Katie's - this may be a "Dennis task".
3. Get my oil changed.
4. Go to the car wash and vacuum my truck.
5. Get in some serious viola practice time - my first New Hampshire Philharmonic rehearsal is coming up quick.
6. Make a weekly menu and grocery shop.
OK, not bad. I made an effort to get the oil changed! Honest! We drove to the dealership "express" area to get the oil change (I got the service plan when I got my RAV4 - so I have to go to the dealership...) but there was an hour wait, and I'm sorry, I don't have that kind of time. I'm calling tomorrow and getting an appointment next week, and we'll bring two cars so we can hang around (Barnes & Noble please?) while we wait.
Saturday was great! We washed my truck at the slowest car wash on the planet, and vacuumed the RAV! So, now I have a new item on my daily checklist. "Remove extra items from the RAV". This is huge for me, because I love my truck, and it always ends up a total pit. I spend way too much time in there. Does anyone else have this problem? Any ideas on keeping your car clean? I'm all ears, I need all the help I can get!
Dennis made a delicious potato salad for JJ and Katie's. He has hinted at a blog post to share it with you... I took a picture of it and everything. We shall see!
Sunday was productive as well. I slept in super late - after 10!!! I read my book for awhile and then we cleaned the house. The house is dusted, floors are steam mopped, laundry done, sheets changed. (As I wrote this, no joke, I saw my cat try to jump onto my dining room hutch and totally slide across the whole thing! I guess the "Pledge" works!)
We took a little drive to Lawrence, MA (aka - the "armpit" of the world, according to my Dad). My Grandparents and my Mother grew up in Lawrence, when it was "nice". Not so much anymore. However, Dennis found this place called Wichit - a totally cool coffee shop/sandwich shop. It was delicious!!!! If you live in the area you should check this place out. It's a real "hidden jewel" in Lawrence - the food is fantastic, the coffee is good, and they're all about organic products!
Since we were in Lawrence, we made a bad decision. There's this place called the "Italian Kitchen". They sell two things. Rice balls, and Crispelli. Crispelli are basically fried dough with a ricotta center. They are delightful. So we stopped in. And made a bad decision - actually five bad decisions in my case, and I feel like I have a brick sitting in the bottom of my stomach. Ugh. They were soooooo good though. I told my husband when we're setting the alarm for tomorrow morning and I waver on getting up at 4:30 to go to the gym or not he needs to look at me and say "Crispelli". I think it will work.
Speaking of going to the gym, that makes me think of packing my gym bag, which will be a snap because for the second week in a row I have picked out my clothes for the week in advance. I tried this last Sunday, and I have to say it worked wonders. I think I looked cute all week :) and my mornings were a lot less stressful!
So, I started cooking this evening. I decided that Crispelli would have to do it for dinner. Dennis agreed. So, I made a chicken soup for myself to take to work for lunch. I recommend this - I've done it the past few weeks. I make something on Sunday night and divide it in 5 Tupperware containers. Lunch is taken care of! Once again, makes my days a lot less stressful to not have to remember to pack lunch!
Here's the "how-to" on the Chicken Soup. I got the recipe from a fantastic book called "Bride & Groom, First and Forever Cookbook" by Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford. You should try to get your hands on this cookbook - everything in it is fabulous!
1 tablespoon vegetable oil1 medium yellow onion,m coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon powdered chicken bouillon, or 1 small chicken bouillon cube
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup white wine
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups shredded purchased roasted chicken
2 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
2 oz (about 1 cup) egg noodles
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, and (if using) powdered bouillon. Stir frequently and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
Add the wine and cook for about 2 minutes.
Add the broth, bouillon cube (if using), chicken, carrot, and celery.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until veggies are tender.
Add the egg noodles and cook another 5 minutes.
Stir in the parsley and a tablespoon of roasted garlic (optional - I don't use it to bring to work... kids don't like a teacher with garlic breath!)
Salt and pepper to taste.
So. Good.
I then tried to make a batch of chicken fried rice - but did not read the directions as closely. Apparently I need an eye for detail. I missed the word "cooked" next to the rice. So I have all my chicken, veggies, etc. mixed in with uncooked rice. Doh. I will retry tomorrow.
Enjoy your last few hours of freedom before returning to work!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Days 19-22 - do I even live here?
Hey everyone...
It's been a few days, and I'm starting to ask myself... "Do I even live here?" :)
Tuesday was an icky, snowy day, and I ended up canceling my lessons after a few cancellations. It was nice to be home on a weeknight - I made leftovers for dinner and read my book.
Wednesday I had a full day, teaching lessons until about 7:30. I came home to a treat. My husband works with someone who frequently makes a "catered" lunch for the other people in the office. When there's something they think I will like, or if there are leftovers, sometimes I get a doggy bad dinner. This time it was prosciutto stuffed chicken breast with shrimp, garlic, and capers in a lemony sauce with pasta. It was fantastic, and delicious, and waiting for me on a plate! I love it!
Thursday was my BSO night with Alley. Dinner at Whiskey's in Boston - a salad and a Sam Adams spring ale... it made me want spring to come even faster!!!
Tonight, Friday! I took the last of my fiesta rice and tried something a little different with it. I made a dough (a packet of instant yeast mixed 3/4 cup of 110 degree water and a pinch of sugar - add it to 1 and 3/4 cup flour and ta-daaaaa you have a dough) and divided it in half. I made "fiesta pockets" by rolling each half out thin, filling it with salsa, the leftover rice, and cheddar cheese. I made pockets out of it and baked it at 500 degrees for about 14 minutes on my pizza stone. It was interesting - like a baked burrito. I wish I had some sour cream for dipping.
So - it's Friday, so that means it's time for the weekend list!
1. The usual - dust, laundry, iron, floors, bathrooms.
2. Make a potato salad to bring to Jared and Katie's - this may be a "Dennis task".
3. Get my oil changed.
4. Go to the car wash and vacuum my truck.
5. Get in some serious viola practice time - my first New Hampshire Philharmonic rehearsal is coming up quick.
6. Make a weekly menu and grocery shop.
Nothing too strenuous. Laundry is already going, so I'm partially done already! Woo-hoo!
Happy weekend!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Day 18 - a cave fiesta!
My day off! It's always nice to be home - I'm glad to say I got a little relaxing done and a lot of work! As I said yesterday, I wanted to save my cleaning for today. So, after breakfast I dove right in. I decided that since I had cooking plans for the afternoon I needed to reorganize my refrigerator and freezer.
Let's go step by step...
First, I emptied the contents of my refrigerator onto the counter. Yes, at some point I thought to myself "What am I doing?!" But it turned out alright!
Next step? Organize the inside. The shelves are organized by category and the door is organized by how often the items get used. Hopefully it will make things a lot easier to find!
After my fun in the kitchen, I tackled the rest of the house - mainly the living room. I wanted to do a little something different over my mantle, and clean up some stuff that was still kicking around the pellet stove area. I found a little Valentine's Day wall hanging, and put some candle holders and pictures up.
Next - it was time to cook!
I wanted to get a minestrone soup made for me to take to lunch this week. I halved the recipe from last time and after it cooled a bit, separated it out in between 4 plastic containers. Off to a great start!
Next, I made some Fiesta Rice. Since it is Tex-Mex week around here - it's delicious and makes a lot so I can use it throughout the week. I made a chipotle bean burrito filling, and for dinner tonight we had the fiesta rice and the burrito. It was delicious! The bean filling was super easy to make and I found it in my new "Cooking Light" magazine!
To make the burrito filling...
Heat a tablespoon of canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Add a minced garlic clove and cook for 1 minute.
Add 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder and stir constantly for 30 seconds.
Add 1/3 cup water, 1 (15 oz.) can of drained black beans, and 1 (15 oz.) can of drained kidney beans. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 3 tablespoons fresh refrigerated salsa. Mash the beans with a fork to desired consistency.
I got fat-free tortillas and made burritos with a little reduced fat cheese, chopped tomato, lettuce and sour cream. It was very easy - and even Dennis commented that it was "a lot of food!"
Back to work tomorrow...
Next - it was time to cook!
I wanted to get a minestrone soup made for me to take to lunch this week. I halved the recipe from last time and after it cooled a bit, separated it out in between 4 plastic containers. Off to a great start!
Next, I made some Fiesta Rice. Since it is Tex-Mex week around here - it's delicious and makes a lot so I can use it throughout the week. I made a chipotle bean burrito filling, and for dinner tonight we had the fiesta rice and the burrito. It was delicious! The bean filling was super easy to make and I found it in my new "Cooking Light" magazine!To make the burrito filling...
Heat a tablespoon of canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Add a minced garlic clove and cook for 1 minute.
Add 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder and stir constantly for 30 seconds.
Add 1/3 cup water, 1 (15 oz.) can of drained black beans, and 1 (15 oz.) can of drained kidney beans. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 3 tablespoons fresh refrigerated salsa. Mash the beans with a fork to desired consistency.
I got fat-free tortillas and made burritos with a little reduced fat cheese, chopped tomato, lettuce and sour cream. It was very easy - and even Dennis commented that it was "a lot of food!"
Back to work tomorrow...
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Day 17 - a week in style
Sunday afternoon. It's got that "just about to snow" feeling outside...
I was looking at my Friday night list - and I think I forgot about the fact that I have Monday off! (I know, I know... how can I forget a day off? I don't know either!) I've decided to put off the cooking and the dusting, etc. until tomorrow when I'm home. You're off the hook this week, Dennis!
So - I have two challenges for this week. Want to do them with me?
Number one. The leftovers challenge. I decided that this was "Tex-Mex" week at my house. The goal is to make a couple of things and use them in different ways throughout the week - to save food, time, and $$$!
So here's the weekly menu.
Tonight is leftover night already - I brought home some of Katie's baked mac & cheese. I'm going to pair it with some Merlot since I don't have to work tomorrow!!!
I'm making a half batch of that minestrone soup from last week. I'm going to divide it between four plastic storage containers and BAM - lunch is packed for the week. I'm going to cook the pasta separately and store it separately. I don't like it when it gets over absorbed in the soup!
The big staple of the week is going to be "fiesta rice" which I found on the wonderful blog "Tiny Kitchen Cooking". I'll be using it sometimes as a side dish, and I'm going to try it as a filling in a stuffed baked burrito. I'm also going to making chicken with a cilantro marinade, and chipotle bean burritos! Ole! Exact recipes to come...
Challenge number two? I'm very excited about it. It's all about clothes. (I got the idea from the "my happy house" blog - link to the right. My friend Christy also does this and says it works well!) I went to home goods and picked up a big basket with a lid (the lid is to keep the cat out!). I picked out clothes - including undergarments and socks - and got them set for the week! The hanger stuff I organized so the clothes will go Tuesday through Friday. The folded stuff is organized by day in the basket. 
Now, weather it's packing my gym bag the night before, or getting dressed in the morning, everything's set. I'm thinking this will keep my outfits from looking thrown together, and save me a lot of time - especially in the morning. No more morning meltdowns because I'm half dressed and can't find the skirt that matches my shirt. (Yes, please tell me I'm not the only one who's had these morning meltdowns!)
Want to join me in the leftovers or the clothes challenge? Tell us about it!
I was looking at my Friday night list - and I think I forgot about the fact that I have Monday off! (I know, I know... how can I forget a day off? I don't know either!) I've decided to put off the cooking and the dusting, etc. until tomorrow when I'm home. You're off the hook this week, Dennis!
So - I have two challenges for this week. Want to do them with me?
Number one. The leftovers challenge. I decided that this was "Tex-Mex" week at my house. The goal is to make a couple of things and use them in different ways throughout the week - to save food, time, and $$$!
So here's the weekly menu.
Tonight is leftover night already - I brought home some of Katie's baked mac & cheese. I'm going to pair it with some Merlot since I don't have to work tomorrow!!!
I'm making a half batch of that minestrone soup from last week. I'm going to divide it between four plastic storage containers and BAM - lunch is packed for the week. I'm going to cook the pasta separately and store it separately. I don't like it when it gets over absorbed in the soup!
The big staple of the week is going to be "fiesta rice" which I found on the wonderful blog "Tiny Kitchen Cooking". I'll be using it sometimes as a side dish, and I'm going to try it as a filling in a stuffed baked burrito. I'm also going to making chicken with a cilantro marinade, and chipotle bean burritos! Ole! Exact recipes to come...
Challenge number two? I'm very excited about it. It's all about clothes. (I got the idea from the "my happy house" blog - link to the right. My friend Christy also does this and says it works well!) I went to home goods and picked up a big basket with a lid (the lid is to keep the cat out!). I picked out clothes - including undergarments and socks - and got them set for the week! The hanger stuff I organized so the clothes will go Tuesday through Friday. The folded stuff is organized by day in the basket. 
Now, weather it's packing my gym bag the night before, or getting dressed in the morning, everything's set. I'm thinking this will keep my outfits from looking thrown together, and save me a lot of time - especially in the morning. No more morning meltdowns because I'm half dressed and can't find the skirt that matches my shirt. (Yes, please tell me I'm not the only one who's had these morning meltdowns!)Want to join me in the leftovers or the clothes challenge? Tell us about it!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Day 16 - a huge advancement!
Saturday was a great day! We took one of my weekend agenda items and kicked it in the face!
We finally bought our granite breakfast bar! Woo-hoo!!!! We went to a few places and ended up making the purchase at Merrimack Stone Industries in Merrimack, NH. We found a piece of stone that we liked called Peacock Green. We were then able to go outside and find it in a remnant. A remnant is a fantastic thing if you're looking for doing a small surface in granite. It's basically a leftover piece that was cut from a larger order. It's waaaay cheaper than cutting from a full sized slab of stone. So we were fortunate and found what we liked at a good price! Merrimack Stone Industries was great - I liked that they had all of the full slabs out to see. Their "showroom" is not like you would picture a showroom to be. It was not showing different counter tops already cut. It was literally giant slabs of granite and stone all over a huge warehouse space. I liked it because you got to see the actual stone you were getting - because they're all a little different. For example - the one in the picture on the left... ours has a lot more black than that. (At a glance you may think it's black.) There are strains of the green, and strains that look teal, and some that are brown - but it's dark and looks black.
So... I'm super excited! They're coming to do the template on the 29th, and we'll schedule an installation after that. Great news, great day!
In the evening we went to my Jared and Katie's and had Katie's homemade mac & cheese, salad, and apple crisp - followed by playing Mario Kart on Wii. Fun night!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Day 14 and 15 - weekend agenda
Happy Friday everyone!
It's Friday night - and we're living it up in the cave. I have a pizza in the oven (our Friday favorite) and a glass of red at hand. Dennis and I both had what we would describe as looooong weeks. It seems like forever since last weekend - and we are exhausted. He's playing XBox and I'm writing to you then reading curled up on the couch. We really are wild people!
What's the weekend agenda?
1. Spend some serious time on Saturday granite browsing for our breakfast bar.
2. Laundry washed, folded and ironed.
3. Going to JJ and Katie's again! Making an apple crisp and salad... possibly a homemade dressing? Any ideas?
4. Plan meals for next week and grocery shop... Next week may be Tex-Mex week... what do you think?
5. Clean the kitchen.
6. Dust the living room and sun room.
7. Clean the bathrooms.
8. Dust the bedroom.
9. Steam mop all the floors and vacuum the sun room.
10. Set up a new organizational idea - hint - it has to do with clothes... you'll have to wait until later to find out!
What's your weekend agenda? Any good granite countertop advice?
It's Friday night - and we're living it up in the cave. I have a pizza in the oven (our Friday favorite) and a glass of red at hand. Dennis and I both had what we would describe as looooong weeks. It seems like forever since last weekend - and we are exhausted. He's playing XBox and I'm writing to you then reading curled up on the couch. We really are wild people!
What's the weekend agenda?
1. Spend some serious time on Saturday granite browsing for our breakfast bar.
2. Laundry washed, folded and ironed.
3. Going to JJ and Katie's again! Making an apple crisp and salad... possibly a homemade dressing? Any ideas?
4. Plan meals for next week and grocery shop... Next week may be Tex-Mex week... what do you think?
5. Clean the kitchen.
6. Dust the living room and sun room.
7. Clean the bathrooms.
8. Dust the bedroom.
9. Steam mop all the floors and vacuum the sun room.
10. Set up a new organizational idea - hint - it has to do with clothes... you'll have to wait until later to find out!
What's your weekend agenda? Any good granite countertop advice?
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Day 13 - while waiting for the pellet man...
So the pellet man has been here for a little over two hours. The stove's not working yet, but I'm still hopeful.
While home with the pellet man I was able to get some cooking done - so I have two yummy recipes to share!
Tonight I'm making Minestrone Soup (source: Elodia Rigante's Italian Immigrant Cooking) and am very excited about it. The recipe calls for a half pound of pancetta - which I am not using... it's just too fattening. If you're in the mood to splurge though, you should add it with the veggies... I'll bet it's fabulous!
I put on some music and cut up my veggies. I bagged them so when I get home from teaching private lessons tonight I just have to cook it up - no prep work! Yay! This is an organizational tip I can share with you. Prep in advance. Devote some time on the weekend and cut up and
measure everything you'll need that week. Then when your busy work week comes around, you just have to grab the appropriate bag. It helps you have a delicious home cooked meal every night. And if you're like me - and plan leftovers down to the mouthful - you'll be cutting time and money! So anyway... I went from a pile of lovely veggies (top) to this (bottom).
Here's what's in the soup...
While home with the pellet man I was able to get some cooking done - so I have two yummy recipes to share!
Tonight I'm making Minestrone Soup (source: Elodia Rigante's Italian Immigrant Cooking) and am very excited about it. The recipe calls for a half pound of pancetta - which I am not using... it's just too fattening. If you're in the mood to splurge though, you should add it with the veggies... I'll bet it's fabulous!I put on some music and cut up my veggies. I bagged them so when I get home from teaching private lessons tonight I just have to cook it up - no prep work! Yay! This is an organizational tip I can share with you. Prep in advance. Devote some time on the weekend and cut up and
measure everything you'll need that week. Then when your busy work week comes around, you just have to grab the appropriate bag. It helps you have a delicious home cooked meal every night. And if you're like me - and plan leftovers down to the mouthful - you'll be cutting time and money! So anyway... I went from a pile of lovely veggies (top) to this (bottom). Here's what's in the soup...
1 cup diced onion
1/8 cup minced garlic
1/8 cup olive oil (seems like a lot - but it's spread out over many servings!)
1 cup chopped cabbage
1 cup cut green beans
1 cup diced zucchini
3 large potatoes, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
3 carrots, diced
3 cups chopped tomatoes with their juice
8 cups chicken stock (I use broth because it's in lower fat)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon sage
1 tablespoon fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 cup precooked (canned) red kidney beans
1/2 pound small pasta
1/2 pound pancetta (optional)
salt and pepper
1/8 cup minced garlic
1/8 cup olive oil (seems like a lot - but it's spread out over many servings!)
1 cup chopped cabbage
1 cup cut green beans
1 cup diced zucchini
3 large potatoes, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
3 carrots, diced
3 cups chopped tomatoes with their juice
8 cups chicken stock (I use broth because it's in lower fat)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon sage
1 tablespoon fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 cup precooked (canned) red kidney beans
1/2 pound small pasta
1/2 pound pancetta (optional)
salt and pepper
Heat the oil and add the onion and garlic. Cook until translucent.
Add the rest of the veggies and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the broth, water, sage, basil, parsley. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes. (If you don't like the parsley in the soup, you can give the soup the parsley flavor by tying the parsley sprigs and cooking - then discard after the soup's done.)
Add the beans and pasta and cook another 10 minutes.
To go with this I tried a Weight Watchers recipe for cheddar sage scones. When you think "scone" you think "sweet" but these are not. Savory - perfect to have with soup!
Add the rest of the veggies and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the broth, water, sage, basil, parsley. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes. (If you don't like the parsley in the soup, you can give the soup the parsley flavor by tying the parsley sprigs and cooking - then discard after the soup's done.)
Add the beans and pasta and cook another 10 minutes.
To go with this I tried a Weight Watchers recipe for cheddar sage scones. When you think "scone" you think "sweet" but these are not. Savory - perfect to have with soup!1 and 2/3 cup AP flour
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/8 teaspoon red pepper
3 and 1/2 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup low fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup 1% milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
cooking spray
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/8 teaspoon red pepper
3 and 1/2 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup low fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup 1% milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
cooking spray
Preheat oven to 400.
Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, sage and red pepper in a mixer. (Or large bowl). Add the butter and pulse the mixer until mixture is a coarse meal. (Or use two knives).
Stir in cheese. Add milk and egg and stir until just moist - don't overstir!
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 3 or 4 times until incorporated.
Put on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Pat into a circle until about 7 inches in diameter. Cut into 8 wedges but do not cut all the way through the dough.
Bake for about 17-19 minutes or until golden brown and delicious! Cut through the dough to seperate wedges and let cool on a wire cooling rack.
The resulting meal is wonderful! Enjoy!
I'm glad I had to stay home with the pellet man. Maybe I should just quit my job and cook all day! This life suits me! (Just kidding...)
Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, sage and red pepper in a mixer. (Or large bowl). Add the butter and pulse the mixer until mixture is a coarse meal. (Or use two knives).
Stir in cheese. Add milk and egg and stir until just moist - don't overstir!
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 3 or 4 times until incorporated.
Put on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Pat into a circle until about 7 inches in diameter. Cut into 8 wedges but do not cut all the way through the dough.
Bake for about 17-19 minutes or until golden brown and delicious! Cut through the dough to seperate wedges and let cool on a wire cooling rack.
The resulting meal is wonderful! Enjoy!
I'm glad I had to stay home with the pellet man. Maybe I should just quit my job and cook all day! This life suits me! (Just kidding...)
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Day 12 - another test passed...
Another Tuesday - another organizational test - my late night - completed! This is typically the night the house starts to fall apart because I get home exhausted after a 12 hour day.
This is a low key evening... leftovers for dinner. The biggest thing to do is sweep around the pellet stove because the pellet man is coming tomorrow to hopefully fix it. You know what that means? YES! I'm staying home to meet the pellet man. A bonus day off! Bliss!!! I plan on doing a little cooking and a lot of reading.
This is a low key evening... leftovers for dinner. The biggest thing to do is sweep around the pellet stove because the pellet man is coming tomorrow to hopefully fix it. You know what that means? YES! I'm staying home to meet the pellet man. A bonus day off! Bliss!!! I plan on doing a little cooking and a lot of reading.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Day 11 - Not bad for a Monday...
A pretty typical Monday. Nothing too exciting.
I think I'm starting to establish a routine around here. Even if it's just picking up the clutter. After coming home to a clean house I relaxed a little before dinner... which was pretty nice. I made a baked mac and cheese with broccoli. This was a weight watchers recipe - slightly modified.
Basically...
Cook about 3/4 lb. of pasta - add a 10 oz. package of frozen broccoli right before the pasta is finished cooking. Drain and set aside.
Melt a teaspoon of butter in a small sauce pan and then add 1/3 cup breadcrumbs and 1 TBS of parm. cheese and brown for about two minutes. Set aside.
Whisk 2 and 1/2 cups of milk with 1/3 cup flour in a medium saucepan. Add a small diced onion. Bring to a boil and cook for a couple of minutes until thickened. Add a cup of shredded low-fat sharp cheddar, a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, 2 TBS parm cheese, a dash of hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper. Mix and then spoon over the pasta/broccoli mixture and stir. Put in a 2 quart dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Top with the bread crumb mixture and bake uncovered for about 25 minutes or until golden brown and delicious. Yum!
Unloading the dishwasher and swiffering the floors before bed! We have a tidy cave!
I think I'm starting to establish a routine around here. Even if it's just picking up the clutter. After coming home to a clean house I relaxed a little before dinner... which was pretty nice. I made a baked mac and cheese with broccoli. This was a weight watchers recipe - slightly modified.
Basically...
Cook about 3/4 lb. of pasta - add a 10 oz. package of frozen broccoli right before the pasta is finished cooking. Drain and set aside.
Melt a teaspoon of butter in a small sauce pan and then add 1/3 cup breadcrumbs and 1 TBS of parm. cheese and brown for about two minutes. Set aside.
Whisk 2 and 1/2 cups of milk with 1/3 cup flour in a medium saucepan. Add a small diced onion. Bring to a boil and cook for a couple of minutes until thickened. Add a cup of shredded low-fat sharp cheddar, a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, 2 TBS parm cheese, a dash of hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper. Mix and then spoon over the pasta/broccoli mixture and stir. Put in a 2 quart dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Top with the bread crumb mixture and bake uncovered for about 25 minutes or until golden brown and delicious. Yum!
Unloading the dishwasher and swiffering the floors before bed! We have a tidy cave!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Day 10 - Weekend Recap
The weekend is over already?
We had fun here at the cave, and got a lot accomplished as well!
Here's the recap..
1. Make grocery list and go shopping Done! You read about my Wal*Mart experience, right?
2. While out, pick up a plastic bin to put the Christmas decorations in
3. Put away Christmas (not the snowmen stuff... those stay out until March)
4. Finish laundry Well, almost done - I still have two "gentle cycle" items to do tonight.
5. Pay bills for the week This will have to wait until Monday after work.
6. Clean bathrooms
7. Clean kitchen/dining
8. Change sheets
9. Dust the house
10. Steam mop the floors
11. Polyurethane (is that spelled right?!) the new piece of wood between the hallway and the dining room The stain came out funny - putting this on hold until we figure out what to do.
12. Vacuum sun room
13. Go to the dump This was a huge pain - snaps to Dennis for taking care of it!
14. Replace the starter and distribution fan in the pellet stove. (This is a Dennis project!) Didn't get done - but it's not our fault! Something severely screwed up with that thing - we called in Duane and it's still not sorted out - we need the pellet man to come out and figure out what's wrong.
15. We're going to Jared and Katie's (my brother and his wife) on Saturday night, so make something to bring over after we decide on a "menu".
16. Practice the viola Another Monday activity.
Sunday evening - my orchestra rehearsals have not started up for the winter yet, so it's relaxation time. Cheers!
We had fun here at the cave, and got a lot accomplished as well!
Here's the recap..
1. Make grocery list and go shopping Done! You read about my Wal*Mart experience, right?
2. While out, pick up a plastic bin to put the Christmas decorations in
3. Put away Christmas (not the snowmen stuff... those stay out until March)
4. Finish laundry Well, almost done - I still have two "gentle cycle" items to do tonight.
5. Pay bills for the week This will have to wait until Monday after work.
6. Clean bathrooms
7. Clean kitchen/dining
8. Change sheets
9. Dust the house
10. Steam mop the floors
11. Polyurethane (is that spelled right?!) the new piece of wood between the hallway and the dining room The stain came out funny - putting this on hold until we figure out what to do.
12. Vacuum sun room
13. Go to the dump This was a huge pain - snaps to Dennis for taking care of it!
14. Replace the starter and distribution fan in the pellet stove. (This is a Dennis project!) Didn't get done - but it's not our fault! Something severely screwed up with that thing - we called in Duane and it's still not sorted out - we need the pellet man to come out and figure out what's wrong.
15. We're going to Jared and Katie's (my brother and his wife) on Saturday night, so make something to bring over after we decide on a "menu".
16. Practice the viola Another Monday activity.
Sunday evening - my orchestra rehearsals have not started up for the winter yet, so it's relaxation time. Cheers!
Day 9 - I Hate Wal*Mart
Wal*Mart has advantages.
Of course, the prices are low... you can't beat that. I did my weekly shopping - including some more expensive "grocery" items (laundry detergent, deodorant, face cream, eye makeup remover), and a large plastic storage bin. All this, and I only went over my weekly grocery budget by $8.00 - which I think is pretty impressive.
Another Wal*Mart advantage? They sell everything. Where else can you buy a rotisserie chicken, wiper blades, a bra, tampons and a shotgun all in one place? No where but Wal*Mart.
This being said. I hate that place.
There's never any parking. People always leave their carts hanging out in parking spaces so it's often necessary to get out of your car and move it before you can park. The carts. They suck. They pull, and are hard to push (I know I sound like an old lady - but notice it the next time you go - the carts are really hard to push. You can shove it and it doesn't roll. It just stops.). There are always poorly behaved children in the store. I have to listen to whining, crying, and scolding. In the frozen food aisle some kid kept trying to hand me her dirty tissue. "Here. You take this." My response was "No thank you." and her parents' response was to ignore her - and me. The produce is really bad. I was supposed to get zucchini - but every one in the bin looked like Bunnicula had visited it the night before. They didn't have shredded low-fat cheese so I had to get a block of low-fat cheese with the intention of shredding it myself. No hummus. At the checkout there
was a TV at each register playing a stream of commercials. There was no plastic divider - so I had to wait until the woman in front of me was all rung through before I could begin loading my groceries. The lady at the checkout barely said hello, and I had to identify a lot of my veggies. "That's parsley."
All this being said - I did get my storage bin and made terrific use of it once I got home! Christmas is put away around here. The snowmen stuff are still out - I don't usually put them away until mid-March. As much as I love Christmas, it's nice to have my
living room back to normal!
The day is ending with some pizza at my brother and sister-in-law's place. I'm bring homemade apple crisp, and we're watching "Knocked Up".
How is your un-decorating going? Do you have any tips on staying organized for the next year?
Of course, the prices are low... you can't beat that. I did my weekly shopping - including some more expensive "grocery" items (laundry detergent, deodorant, face cream, eye makeup remover), and a large plastic storage bin. All this, and I only went over my weekly grocery budget by $8.00 - which I think is pretty impressive.
Another Wal*Mart advantage? They sell everything. Where else can you buy a rotisserie chicken, wiper blades, a bra, tampons and a shotgun all in one place? No where but Wal*Mart.
This being said. I hate that place.
There's never any parking. People always leave their carts hanging out in parking spaces so it's often necessary to get out of your car and move it before you can park. The carts. They suck. They pull, and are hard to push (I know I sound like an old lady - but notice it the next time you go - the carts are really hard to push. You can shove it and it doesn't roll. It just stops.). There are always poorly behaved children in the store. I have to listen to whining, crying, and scolding. In the frozen food aisle some kid kept trying to hand me her dirty tissue. "Here. You take this." My response was "No thank you." and her parents' response was to ignore her - and me. The produce is really bad. I was supposed to get zucchini - but every one in the bin looked like Bunnicula had visited it the night before. They didn't have shredded low-fat cheese so I had to get a block of low-fat cheese with the intention of shredding it myself. No hummus. At the checkout there
was a TV at each register playing a stream of commercials. There was no plastic divider - so I had to wait until the woman in front of me was all rung through before I could begin loading my groceries. The lady at the checkout barely said hello, and I had to identify a lot of my veggies. "That's parsley."All this being said - I did get my storage bin and made terrific use of it once I got home! Christmas is put away around here. The snowmen stuff are still out - I don't usually put them away until mid-March. As much as I love Christmas, it's nice to have my
living room back to normal!The day is ending with some pizza at my brother and sister-in-law's place. I'm bring homemade apple crisp, and we're watching "Knocked Up".
How is your un-decorating going? Do you have any tips on staying organized for the next year?
Friday, January 8, 2010
Day 8 - Wine and Weekend Planning
Am I the only one who feels like this was the looooongest week ever?
Well, I have to admit I'm feeling a little proud right now. It's Friday night, and I'm sitting in the living room. It's clean. The house has not gone completely over the edge with clutter and this weekend will be actual cleaning instead of just picking up a weeks worth of shit.
Any major accomplishments this week? A lot of work stuff. Our concert was a lot of work, and I'm glad to say that amidst all the stress I kept things together and organized around here. In fact, I think it helped me be calm about all the work stress... if that makes any sense?
I have a load of laundry going - and that will be all for tonight because I'm out of detergent. D'oh. Homemade pizza in the oven and a glass of Merlot next to me on the couch. I'm planning an evening of reading and relaxation... and I can't wait!
By the way - this pizza is very easy to make and it's our Friday night standby.
We've been buying the frozen dough lately but if you want to make
your own dough it's easy.
1 3/4 cups of four
1 packet of instant yeast
3/4 cup water @110 degrees
pinch of sugar
salt and pepper (and sometimes I throw in some dried herbs to keep things fun)
Bring the dough together and let it sit for a few minutes while the oven preheats to 500 degrees. We use a pizza stone (they're fabulous!). If you're using one, make sure it's in the oven while it preheats!
Spread the pizza with canned sauce - or use my favorite, stewed tomatoes that have been drained and broken up.
Cover with Mozzarella cheese and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown and delicious! Go nuts with any toppings you like - I've used caramelized onions and butternut squash chunks in the fall, or fresh mozzarella and fresh basil in the summertime.
Yum!!
Weekend is here, which means there are things to do around here!
1. Make grocery list and go shopping
2. While out, pick up a plastic bin to put the Christmas decorations in
3. Put away Christmas (not the snowmen stuff... those stay out until March)
4. Finish laundry
5. Pay bills for the week
6. Clean bathrooms
7. Clean kitchen/dining
8. Change sheets
9. Dust the house
10. Steam mop the floors
11. Polyurethane (is that spelled right?!) the new piece of wood between the hallway and the dining room
12. Vacuum sun room
13. Go to the dump
14. Replace the starter and distribution fan in the pellet stove. (This is a Dennis project!)
15. We're going to Jared and Katie's (my brother and his wife) on Saturday night, so make something to bring over after we decide on a "menu".
16. Practice the viola
It looks a little overwhelming right now, but I don't think it will be too bad. We actually don't have a lot of Christmas stuff. It's mainly the tree and lights.
Well, I have to admit I'm feeling a little proud right now. It's Friday night, and I'm sitting in the living room. It's clean. The house has not gone completely over the edge with clutter and this weekend will be actual cleaning instead of just picking up a weeks worth of shit.
Any major accomplishments this week? A lot of work stuff. Our concert was a lot of work, and I'm glad to say that amidst all the stress I kept things together and organized around here. In fact, I think it helped me be calm about all the work stress... if that makes any sense?
I have a load of laundry going - and that will be all for tonight because I'm out of detergent. D'oh. Homemade pizza in the oven and a glass of Merlot next to me on the couch. I'm planning an evening of reading and relaxation... and I can't wait!
By the way - this pizza is very easy to make and it's our Friday night standby.
We've been buying the frozen dough lately but if you want to make
your own dough it's easy.1 3/4 cups of four
1 packet of instant yeast
3/4 cup water @110 degrees
pinch of sugar
salt and pepper (and sometimes I throw in some dried herbs to keep things fun)
Bring the dough together and let it sit for a few minutes while the oven preheats to 500 degrees. We use a pizza stone (they're fabulous!). If you're using one, make sure it's in the oven while it preheats!
Spread the pizza with canned sauce - or use my favorite, stewed tomatoes that have been drained and broken up.
Cover with Mozzarella cheese and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown and delicious! Go nuts with any toppings you like - I've used caramelized onions and butternut squash chunks in the fall, or fresh mozzarella and fresh basil in the summertime.
Yum!!
Weekend is here, which means there are things to do around here!
1. Make grocery list and go shopping
2. While out, pick up a plastic bin to put the Christmas decorations in
3. Put away Christmas (not the snowmen stuff... those stay out until March)
4. Finish laundry
5. Pay bills for the week
6. Clean bathrooms
7. Clean kitchen/dining
8. Change sheets
9. Dust the house
10. Steam mop the floors
11. Polyurethane (is that spelled right?!) the new piece of wood between the hallway and the dining room
12. Vacuum sun room
13. Go to the dump
14. Replace the starter and distribution fan in the pellet stove. (This is a Dennis project!)
15. We're going to Jared and Katie's (my brother and his wife) on Saturday night, so make something to bring over after we decide on a "menu".
16. Practice the viola
It looks a little overwhelming right now, but I don't think it will be too bad. We actually don't have a lot of Christmas stuff. It's mainly the tree and lights.
Day 7 - Boston with Alley and Yo-Yo
A full week - but not a full working week yet!
I spent a fantastic evening with my friend Alley. We spend as many Thursdays as possible going to hear the Boston Symphony perform. Did you know you can get "rush" tickets on Thursdays? If you get to symphony hall in Boston around 4:15 and don't mind standing in line they reserve 100 tickets to sell at 5:00 for only $9! (Cash only.)
So... we were able to see Yo-Yo Ma perform last night for a grand total of $18 for the two of us. Our seats were horrible - way in the back. We tend to treat symphony hall like Fenway Park, so we stood around on the side until the orchestra began tuning and then slid ourselves into 5th row seats where we remained for the duration of the concert!
We had a great (and inexpensive) meal at Whiskey's, and walked around the mall before the performance. I love our Thursday nights!
When I got home, Dennis was still awake - and the house was still clean! I put away some dishes and he scooped the kitty box. I did not sweep the floors, but I'm not beating myself up over it... especially considering the fact that no one is home all day!
Yo-Yo Ma leaving the stage after his piece.
Alley and I during intermission.Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Day 6 - Relaxing
It's time to relax after my students played a fantastic concert. Nothing really new to report - take-out for dinner because I was on the move. Still did my daily checklist even though I'm exhausted and ready to hop in bed!
Almost a full week or organization and going strong...
Almost a full week or organization and going strong...
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Day 5 - A Test
Tuesdays are the test. I'm a music teacher, as you can probably tell from my profile, and on Tuesday evenings I teach private violin and viola lessons. It's a long work day for me - 12 and a quarter hours today because I arrived at school at 6:45 this morning for an extra rehearsal with my 7th and 8th graders, and taught lessons until 7:00 tonight.
Anyways... this is usually the day when the house starts to fall apart. Mainly because I've worked for 12 hours and am exhausted and the last thing I want to do is sweep the floors! That's why today is a test - and I think I'm doing well. Dishes loaded - check. Leftovers for dinner, so the counter tops are tip-top. Check. All that's left is the floors and the kitty box, which is easy and laying out my clothes, which is also easy - and essential because I need to pack things to change into after my concert.
Almost a full week into my organized life challenge!
Wish us luck at our concert tomorrow!
Anyways... this is usually the day when the house starts to fall apart. Mainly because I've worked for 12 hours and am exhausted and the last thing I want to do is sweep the floors! That's why today is a test - and I think I'm doing well. Dishes loaded - check. Leftovers for dinner, so the counter tops are tip-top. Check. All that's left is the floors and the kitty box, which is easy and laying out my clothes, which is also easy - and essential because I need to pack things to change into after my concert.
Almost a full week into my organized life challenge!
Wish us luck at our concert tomorrow!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Day 4 - Disaster in the Kitchen
The day started off not so great. I was awake until 1:00am totally stressing about work and our upcoming concert this week. I had every intention of going to the gym, but at 1:00 the idea of that alarm going off at 4:30am was too much to take. I reset it for 6:00. So my gym bag was abandoned - the upside? It's all packed for tomorrow!
After a crazy day I came home looking forward to making creamy spinach soup. The instructions were to simmer the spinach in 8 cups of chicken broth. I did this. Next, I was supposed to transfer this to a blender and blend until smooth. I filled my blender and set aside the remaining spinach/chicken broth mixture in a bowl. Easy.
I turned the blender on.
Apparently when you agitate hot steamy liquid in a blender the steam will blow the lid off of the blender sending boiling hot spinach and chicken broth flying all over the kitchen. All over the counters, the floor, the cabinets, and all over me. I had spinach in my eyes - I had to go to the bathroom to take out my contacts. This is upsetting.
Foolishly, I thought maybe I had overfilled the blender so I filled it only halfway and tried again. Ka-Boom! I clamped my hand over the lid in an attempt to control the eruption, but this only resulted in a burned, spinachy hand. Dennis walks in the door at this point. I'm on the verge of tears, there is spinach all over my newly washed floor, cabinets, countertop, and wall... not to mention the new shirt my brother and sister-in-law gave me for Christmas. He quickly decided he did not want to be involved whatever I had going on in the kithcen.
I salvaged as much of the spinach mixture possible and tried to finish the recipe. I had already come this far...
So, I read the next part of the recipe. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. No problem. I set it on the stove. Next, slowly add half and half. Ugh. Are you kidding me? I forgot to buy half and half. I donn't even have milk. At this point I've had it. I'm throwing in the towel. I instructed my husband to call the local pizza place and get subs. Forget it. I'm not destined to cook tonight. As I rounded the corner back into the kitchen butter was splattering all over the stove making a terrible mess - oops, should have turned that off.
So now the kitchen is freshly scrubbed. My gym bag is packed for tomorrow. Hopefully it's a better day!
After a crazy day I came home looking forward to making creamy spinach soup. The instructions were to simmer the spinach in 8 cups of chicken broth. I did this. Next, I was supposed to transfer this to a blender and blend until smooth. I filled my blender and set aside the remaining spinach/chicken broth mixture in a bowl. Easy.
I turned the blender on.
Apparently when you agitate hot steamy liquid in a blender the steam will blow the lid off of the blender sending boiling hot spinach and chicken broth flying all over the kitchen. All over the counters, the floor, the cabinets, and all over me. I had spinach in my eyes - I had to go to the bathroom to take out my contacts. This is upsetting.Foolishly, I thought maybe I had overfilled the blender so I filled it only halfway and tried again. Ka-Boom! I clamped my hand over the lid in an attempt to control the eruption, but this only resulted in a burned, spinachy hand. Dennis walks in the door at this point. I'm on the verge of tears, there is spinach all over my newly washed floor, cabinets, countertop, and wall... not to mention the new shirt my brother and sister-in-law gave me for Christmas. He quickly decided he did not want to be involved whatever I had going on in the kithcen.
I salvaged as much of the spinach mixture possible and tried to finish the recipe. I had already come this far...
So, I read the next part of the recipe. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. No problem. I set it on the stove. Next, slowly add half and half. Ugh. Are you kidding me? I forgot to buy half and half. I donn't even have milk. At this point I've had it. I'm throwing in the towel. I instructed my husband to call the local pizza place and get subs. Forget it. I'm not destined to cook tonight. As I rounded the corner back into the kitchen butter was splattering all over the stove making a terrible mess - oops, should have turned that off.
So now the kitchen is freshly scrubbed. My gym bag is packed for tomorrow. Hopefully it's a better day!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Day 3 - I hate my shower doors.
I hate my shower doors. There. I said it publicly. They suck. They're glass, which you would think is nice but it's really not. I spent 25 minutes cleaning my shower today (it wasn't that dirty - I was being meticulous). Most of the time was cleaning the damn doors! We have "hard" water - which I don't know much about other than it has to do with the mineral content. It creates some serious problems on the shower doors. I know what you're thinking. Yes. I use daily shower spray. It doesn't seem to make a difference. Does anyone else have this problem? (I also need to get an additional towel rack - but that will wait until I've gotten to the "upstairs bathroom" in my renovating process.)Above: The shower doors. Below: The counter/sink area. You can't see it in the picture, but the cabinets, medicine cabinet, and shelf next to the cabinets have been reorganized too!
So. I had some weekend goals, and I'm happy to report they were all accomplished.
I made a yummy salad for my in-law's New Year's party. Laundry is put away. Ironing is done. I made a grocery list last night and after going out for breakfast this morning, Dennis and I hit the grocery store. The upstairs bathroom is obviously clean from our whole shower door conversation. Dennis cooked a chicken, corn, and black bean enchilada casserole. It's a weight watchers recipe, and not that great so I won't share... on the upside - I'm taking it to work Monday-Thursday so lunch is taken care of for the week. Score!
Busy week ahead - our orchestra concert is on Wednesday so I will be stressed until then and exhausted afterward. Let's see how organized I stay now that I'm going back to work. Is vacation over already? :(
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Day 2 - Planning the Weekend
There's **snow** falling from the sky in New Hampshire this morning. I feel glad that I get to write to you from my dining room table - the room is still under construction, but all tools and such have been organized in the corner.
Before I share my weekend plans, I want to share a great recipe with you! My brother and sister-in-law called yesterday and invited us over to watch a movie, and we couldn't go because I was already knee deep in my cooking project. The recipe is for lentil soup, it's delicious, it makes a TON, and it takes forever. :)
Here you go...
Before I share my weekend plans, I want to share a great recipe with you! My brother and sister-in-law called yesterday and invited us over to watch a movie, and we couldn't go because I was already knee deep in my cooking project. The recipe is for lentil soup, it's delicious, it makes a TON, and it takes forever. :)
Here you go...
1 pound lentils
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large celery stalks, diced
2 large carrots, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 pound pancetta or ham, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon sweet basil
1 teaspoon sage
2 bay leaves
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups precooked pasta (small like orzo or pastini)
salt and pepper to taste
freshly grated Romano cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large celery stalks, diced
2 large carrots, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 pound pancetta or ham, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon sweet basil
1 teaspoon sage
2 bay leaves
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups precooked pasta (small like orzo or pastini)
salt and pepper to taste
freshly grated Romano cheese
Cover the lentils with a few inches of water and soak overnight, discarding any that float to the top. The following day, rinse the lentils and put them in a large pot, covering them again with 2-3 inces of water. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 1 hour. (**I'm going to try not soaking the lentils next time to get a thicker soup**)
Add the olive oil, celery, carrots, onion, pancetta or ham, garlic, basil, sage, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes, adding more water if you need to.
When the lentils are soft and the soup is thick, stir in the chicken broth. Continue to simmer to another 30 minutes or so, adding more water/broth to achieve the consistency you prefer. (**I did not precook my pasta - since I wanted a thicker soup, I added uncooked pasta at this point**)
When the soup is the proper consistency, add the pasta and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in soup bowls with grated cheese on the side. (Recipe from "Elodia Rigante's Italian Immigrant Cooking")
My dresser - don't mind the gym bag in the corner. It's got a couple of things I need to remember to bring to work on Monday. :)
The bed - Tommy says "Hi."
The nightstand and my husband's dresser. A pile of viola music on the chair... I can live with that - it keeps me on task with my practicing.
The sweater chest.
Add the olive oil, celery, carrots, onion, pancetta or ham, garlic, basil, sage, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes, adding more water if you need to.
When the lentils are soft and the soup is thick, stir in the chicken broth. Continue to simmer to another 30 minutes or so, adding more water/broth to achieve the consistency you prefer. (**I did not precook my pasta - since I wanted a thicker soup, I added uncooked pasta at this point**)
When the soup is the proper consistency, add the pasta and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in soup bowls with grated cheese on the side. (Recipe from "Elodia Rigante's Italian Immigrant Cooking")
It was delicious. While the soup was cooking, I cleaned the bedroom. Removed all junk that we don't use, organized my drawers, polished the furniture and floors. It was so nice waking up in there this morning! Also - for the record - I hate this wallpaper. It's not high on the to-do list though, we decided to tackle downstairs first.
My dresser - don't mind the gym bag in the corner. It's got a couple of things I need to remember to bring to work on Monday. :)
The bed - Tommy says "Hi."
The nightstand and my husband's dresser. A pile of viola music on the chair... I can live with that - it keeps me on task with my practicing.
The sweater chest.So... the weekend agenda you ask?
* Make salad for my in-law's New Year's party this afternoon.
* Put away laundry.
* Iron.
* Make shopping list and grocery shop.
* Clean upstairs bathroom - the last room to get a good cleaning to start 2010.
* Probably get some cooking done for the week - it's going to be a busy one.
What's your weekend agenda??
* Make salad for my in-law's New Year's party this afternoon.
* Put away laundry.
* Iron.
* Make shopping list and grocery shop.
* Clean upstairs bathroom - the last room to get a good cleaning to start 2010.
* Probably get some cooking done for the week - it's going to be a busy one.
What's your weekend agenda??
Friday, January 1, 2010
The Beginning - Day 1
And so it begins.
So nice to meet you. My name is Kate, and I'm unorganized. I want to be, and every year it's my resolution but I always fail. But... this year is going to be different. It's all about the blog, folks. It will keep me honest, and hopefully you can add some comments and/or ideas along the way.
You should be proud! I've spent a good part of my vacation reorganizing the house. The way I see it, I don't stand a chance being organized for a year if I start off with the house a complete disaster!
Let's go room by room, shall we?
Look at those organized kitchen cabinets!
This used to be a wall. Now it's a big gaping hole with a lot of potential. My fantastic Father-in-law is helping us build a breakfast bar. We took the whole wall down and built this half wall. At this point we need the granite before we can move on to the next step.
The hutch. It was filled with scrapbooking crap - now it's organized!! Notice the very attractive bucket of joint compound in the corner...
The truth. The pile of tools and shit in the corner of my dining room. I want these to go away.
Time to relax with a beer and book. Cheers, and Happy New Year!
So nice to meet you. My name is Kate, and I'm unorganized. I want to be, and every year it's my resolution but I always fail. But... this year is going to be different. It's all about the blog, folks. It will keep me honest, and hopefully you can add some comments and/or ideas along the way.
You should be proud! I've spent a good part of my vacation reorganizing the house. The way I see it, I don't stand a chance being organized for a year if I start off with the house a complete disaster!
Let's go room by room, shall we?
The kitchen.
My favorite room in the house. You will notice clean countertops! The wallpaper has been stripped but needs to be prepped, primed and painted.
My favorite room in the house. You will notice clean countertops! The wallpaper has been stripped but needs to be prepped, primed and painted.
Look at those organized kitchen cabinets!
This used to be a wall. Now it's a big gaping hole with a lot of potential. My fantastic Father-in-law is helping us build a breakfast bar. We took the whole wall down and built this half wall. At this point we need the granite before we can move on to the next step.The dining room.
It used to be impossible to keep warm because it was all by itself. This used to be a solid wall. We (along with Duane, my super Father-in-law) made a doorway. The difference in airflow and heat is HUGE!!!
It used to be impossible to keep warm because it was all by itself. This used to be a solid wall. We (along with Duane, my super Father-in-law) made a doorway. The difference in airflow and heat is HUGE!!!
The hutch. It was filled with scrapbooking crap - now it's organized!! Notice the very attractive bucket of joint compound in the corner...
The truth. The pile of tools and shit in the corner of my dining room. I want these to go away.The living room.
The Christmas tree. (Awww...) This is my favorite place to read - my book is laid out. You will also notice Tommy and Quimby... the sweetest cats you'll ever meet. (Awww again!)
Slightly littered with Christmas stuff. Don't mind the box fan on the chair pointed at the pellet stove... another adventure in home ownership was our pellet stove blower thing making the most God-awful noise you can imagine. (Think fingernails on a blackboard...) so we were forced at 1:00 am (on a school night I might add) to rip the f**ker out. So to heat the house until the pellet man comes we are simply pointing a box fan at the stove and it's blowing hot air around. Classy, huh?
The sunroom.
This is Dennis' favorite place. We bought the house because of this room. All that needs to be done is to paint.
The downstairs bathroom.
On a particularly ambitious day last July, I stripped the wallpaper and took off the mirror. I thought... "Hey, this will be an improvement over the ugly wallpaper, and also easy! Yay me!" Not so much. Apparently we need to unbolt the toilet and sink in order to get at the wallpaper behind it. Ugh.
Another unexpected snag. Those cabinets don't go all the way to the wall. there's a wallpapered space between the cabinets and the wall. My body only fits in the small space if I twist myself at an unatural angle. If you think you can fit, I am willing to exchange a couple bottles of good wine for that wallpaper to disappear. Any takers? I got the vinyl part off and I'm thinking I will just prime/paint over the paper backing still stuck to the wall - does it really matter? It's behind the washer and dryer!
Look at those organized cabinets! Before this picture was taken they were filled with all kids of crap - from cat toys to Ann Taylor shopping bags... you name it. This is much better.
The Christmas tree. (Awww...) This is my favorite place to read - my book is laid out. You will also notice Tommy and Quimby... the sweetest cats you'll ever meet. (Awww again!)
Slightly littered with Christmas stuff. Don't mind the box fan on the chair pointed at the pellet stove... another adventure in home ownership was our pellet stove blower thing making the most God-awful noise you can imagine. (Think fingernails on a blackboard...) so we were forced at 1:00 am (on a school night I might add) to rip the f**ker out. So to heat the house until the pellet man comes we are simply pointing a box fan at the stove and it's blowing hot air around. Classy, huh?The sunroom.
This is Dennis' favorite place. We bought the house because of this room. All that needs to be done is to paint.The downstairs bathroom.
On a particularly ambitious day last July, I stripped the wallpaper and took off the mirror. I thought... "Hey, this will be an improvement over the ugly wallpaper, and also easy! Yay me!" Not so much. Apparently we need to unbolt the toilet and sink in order to get at the wallpaper behind it. Ugh.
Another unexpected snag. Those cabinets don't go all the way to the wall. there's a wallpapered space between the cabinets and the wall. My body only fits in the small space if I twist myself at an unatural angle. If you think you can fit, I am willing to exchange a couple bottles of good wine for that wallpaper to disappear. Any takers? I got the vinyl part off and I'm thinking I will just prime/paint over the paper backing still stuck to the wall - does it really matter? It's behind the washer and dryer!
Look at those organized cabinets! Before this picture was taken they were filled with all kids of crap - from cat toys to Ann Taylor shopping bags... you name it. This is much better.Upstairs is not done yet, I won't take a picture of the mess. :)
Thanks for taking the tour! If all goes according to plan, it should only get better from here!
Thanks for taking the tour! If all goes according to plan, it should only get better from here!
Time to relax with a beer and book. Cheers, and Happy New Year!
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