365 Days to Simplicity

A new drive to SIMPLIFY!

2012-02-07T12:34:00.005-05:00

I apologize for yet another LONG absence! I feel like I owe you all 5 meal plans and a few jokes. I don't have that today. What I do have for you is some fresh insight on simplifying and my journey to FINALLY getting there!!

It all started when I came back from Haiti. Something just clicked inside of me and I came home eager, no desperate, to find a way to purge myself of unnecessary clutter and things.

Being in Haiti and experiencing people who had so little in the way of material things, yet so much in rich culture and community and for goodness sake, such a laid back attitude, made me realize how having so much "stuff" is holding me back and keeping me captive. I am a prisoner to my clutter.

My things, require a lot of maintenance. They need to be cleaned and put away and organized and told they look pretty and that they're not fat in that outfit...see what I'm getting at? My stuff was a needy girlfriend and I really needed to break things off with her. After all, she adds nothing to our relationship except stress and frustration.

What's a gal to do? Where do I start? How do finally break it off with my stuff?

Well, I actually have an answer to that. I stumbled upon a wonderful, realistic book about simplifying. The ironic part is this book was written by a blogger I quoted once on this very blog, but I didn't realize who she was until I was half way through the book! The book is Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider the founder of Simple Mom.

If you are where I am in life and looking for a uncomplicated way to simplify your life, then this book is for you!

Where do I start? I read the book cover to cover. Then I cried, rent my clothes and dunmped ashes on my head. A bit extreme? Perhaps. But to understand why this book means SO much to me, you have to understand where I am right now.

I've been suffering with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after the traumatic birth of my fourth (and last) child, for nearly a year now. Couple that with a natural bend toward anxiety and depression and what you've got there is the perfect storm of crazy. To make matters worse I've been struggling to try to simplify my life, to free up time for the things I truly enjoy like creating and hanging out with my family. It felt like no matter what I did to try to simplify, it just felt like too big a job. I couldn't find the ambition to get started.

When I cracked into Tsh's book, I was overwhelmed with how simply things were spelled out. I know that sound dumb, but I've read books on simplicity before that were so complicated, it felt like being simple was too hard unless you had the latest and greatest for the organization store. But alas, it's not too complicated to get simple. Don't get me wrong, it's not complicated, but it does require work. But with three boxes in hand and a pack of yard sale price tags, I set to work on my living room.

In Organized Simplicity, Tsh recommends creating a mission statement to keep you on track as you de-clutter and organize. Honestly as I thought on this, I felt a bit overwhelmed to have the perfect statement. I just couldn't find the right words. There I go again, making it harder than it has to be. After slapping myself clear across the face for being so complicated, I realized my goal was to be able to tidy up in ten minutes flat. At this point, cleaning up my living room took more like twenty minutes and that doesn't include sweeping and mopping. I wanted to be able to have this room picked up, swept and mopped in ten minutes. In fact I want it to be that easy with each room in my house. So there it is. My mission statement is to have the rooms in my house cleaned up in ten minutes each.

With this goal in my brain, I rolled up my sleeves and set to work. I grabbed three boxes. One I labeled Keep. The next I labeled Sell. Finally the last box I labeled Maybe. This last one was for the stuff I had to ask the Hubbers about. It consisted mostly of wires and plugs...he's a techy.

My guidelines for keeping and selling were this: If it made me happy and I found it beautiful, then I kept it. If it was forgettable, demanding or useless it went in the sell box. I think that everyone's guidelines are different, so if you attempt this in your own home, remember that it has to be what works for you.

After a successful purge, it was time to scrub the room from top to bottom. Tsh's book comes with excellent step by step instruction if cleaning leaves you scatterbrained and unsure where to start. Honestly though, once the excess of clutter is removed from the room and all you see is furniture and a few things, cleaning feels a lot like a breath of fresh air than a punch in the belly.

Here is the result of my week long de-clutter and clean session.

So clean. Bye Bye clutter!!

I'm BACK!!!

2012-01-17T11:54:00.000-05:00

I'm back from Haiti and it was a wonderful trip!!

I have to say, I went into this with a preconceived notion of what Haiti was like. My image of Haiti came from what we all saw two years ago after the earthquake. It's funny how quickly places like that are forgotten after all the news coverage goes away. I think, in my mind, it was going to be like all of the pictures you see of Port-Au-Prince in the aftermath of the earthquake; rubble, tent cities and displaced people.

Port was still a bit messy, but it was functional and bustling with people. Haiti isn't the same place it was two years ago. Life is moving on. The people are resilient and things are improving. Buildings are being repaired and with the election of new president with a desire for change, Haiti is finally changing for the better!

The people of Haiti, including my new Brother-in-Law, are kind and welcoming. It's is the kind of place you have to look everyone in the eye and say hello. Such a stark contrast to the East Coast of the U.S. where doing that is bound to get you flipped off or worse mugged!

Though our flight arrived in Port-Au-Prince, we spent most of our time in the town of Montrouis, which can be best explained as a coastal rural area of Haiti. Below is a picture of the Mission house we stayed at. It was beautiful!

Life Connections Mission

The entire trip wasn't exactly like staying a a five star hotel though. Electricity was spotty coming on and off whenever it fancied and generators supplied most of the power while we were there. Water for indoor plumbing like toilets and showers were gravity fed from cisterns on the roof. And I could go on and on about the COLD showers! Internet was down while were there, so there was NO Googled answers for the questions we had about types of birds and fish we saw around us.

The whole trip had a different meaning for me and what I'm trying to accomplish with the blog. The simplicity there was so overwhelmingly refreshing! I left with a renewed determination to further simplify my life. Without TV, the internet and a million other distractions that we have in the states, I felt sooooo relaxed. That's something I haven't felt in a long time!

See that beautiful couple? That's my sister and her new husband.

Yay!!

Packing and finding time for a project or two.

2012-01-12T16:24:00.000-05:00

So I'm packing. Okay I lie. I'm doing the laundry so I can pack. Why do we have so much clothing? We should all have three outfits each, all the same color family, so I don't need to separate the laundry! Well, maybe not. I would have to do the laundry more frequently then. Urggggg!

I digress. Anyway, I'm getting ready for a trip, but I have some exciting things happening around the old Izzo homestead too!

It all started last week. We had to go into Philadelphia, so I could get my passport renewed super fast. Yeah, I pulled that puppy out and realized it still had my maiden name on it! Oops! So I had to rush into the city and have it expedited. It was a rather long and painful process, but I made it out alive and now I have a valid passport to get into Haiti. Since we were in the city, we decided to make a little time to test the cheese steaks.

We went to Pat's King of Steaks and ordered two cheese steaks "Wit-out." (Proper Philly lingo) We then took our steaks back to the warm car and scarfed them down. Then I look up to see Geno's and said to Chris "Hey, wanna try Geno's too?" Chris, never one to turn down a cheese steak, agreed and off we went to Geno's for cheese steak number two.

Yeah, I had two cheese steaks in a row. Which I must say was rather alarming, because I was still not full after I ate them both. Can you say smaller portions Ang!

Anyway, we both thought that Pat's had better steak and Geno's had better rolls. I think they should consider going into business together and combining there recipes. After all, I hear that Jim's and Tony Luke's also have cheese steaks to die for.

How did I just talk about cheese steaks so long? Gosh I need to loose some weight!

So on our way home I had to go to the bathroom. I mean, I just ate two cheese steaks! So, we stopped at Ikea in Conshohocken. I'm a firm believer that when you use a bathroom the establishment needs to be compensated for the toilet paper, so I bought a cute little hangy thinger. It's Swedish name was Grundall and if you have a dirty mind...like Chris does (not me!) You went somewhere with that name that was totally inappropriate for public and then joked out loud about it. Yeah, you're just going to have to Google it!

Since we were in the neighborhood, we also stopped at Ashley Furniture and tried out some of the couches in the showroom. We hadn't intended to but anything, but they were having a super sale, like a SUPER DUPER SALE. We ended up leaving with a very reasonably priced sofa and loveseat. Thank you Christmas!

Well my furniture arrives in two to three weeks and since the furniture is tawny, I figured the living room wall color has to change!! The walls were due anyway. There were so many beautiful drawings on them from my little artist Abigail, but it was time for them to be covered up.

Now my living room is a lovely shade of happy blue and I must say it is much brighter and cheery in that room. Do you notice that old homes tend to NOT have enough windows? I guess it's because they needed dim lighting to hide their imperfections due to a lack of really good foundation makeup. Thank the Lord for modern times!

I also took it upon myself to further purge the other rooms of the house of unnecessary "stuff." This led to refinishing some side tables and finally completing the rolling island I made from an old wall cabinet.

See, I do keep busy still, I just don't have the time I wish I did to post it. I have a two year old an almost 1 year old to contend with. I love them though and wouldn't trade them for anything! That's what I have to tell myself everyday, so I don't trade them for an hour of alone time and a bar of chocolate! Because some days, I'll be honest, it's tempting.

Just kidding- No I'm not. Yes I am. Nope.

Tuesday

2012-01-10T10:40:00.000-05:00

Hello all. Please excuse my tardiness! I do not have a Meal planner Monday for you this week and here's why;

Angie's going to Haiti in three days!

I know, you're like "Pump the breaks, Ang! Haiti?" to which I respond, "yeah I know, but my baby sister's getting married...in Haiti!"

So in three days, I'm getting on a plane and heading off to the lovely town of Montrouis (pronounced Mo-Wee.) where my sister, Rebekah lives and works and is getting married.

Rebekah and Alex

Aren't they cute?

My sister works for a wonderful mission in Montrouis called Life Connections. (Please visit the link!) Here they provide education, medical care, food and other basic needs to the people of Montrouis. She's been involved with the mission for over two years and it was through the mission and her work there that she met her Husband-to-be Alex.

Alex and Corsange

This is Alex and his adopted son Corsange. Here is the story of how Alex adopted Corsange

Six year old Corsange was brought to the mission’s gates. His loving grandfather sobbed as he told Dale Moyers that he did not have the funds or resources to take care of his grandson. He was so desperate he was going to give his grandson to a restaurant so that he could live and work there. Never has LCM been given the opportunity to help a child as they have Corsange. Dale asked, 22 year old and LCM employee, Alex Binot to help. Alex simply said Corsange would become his son. Corsange is now 10 years old and still living with his “Father” Alex, attending the College Education Excellence and is in the top of his class. He is a happy and healthy soccer player and nothing makes the mission happier than knowing we have in fact saved this boy’s childhood.

Corsange is now my Nephew! So see I have a lot to look forward to. Please keep me in your prayers. I hope to have a lot of pictures to share when I get back!!

Meal Planner Monday

2012-01-03T09:45:00.000-05:00

Wow, January is off to a depressing start. I was visiting a dying neighbor in the hospital yesterday and I have a funeral to go to today. Not exactly the most uplifting start to the year, but it certainly makes you realize how lucky you are to have health and happiness.

Deep Sigh

Here's to a happy new year! How about some meals?

Meal 1

myrecipes.com

Ingredients

1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons chile paste (such sambal oelek)
10 garlic cloves, minced
12 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
Cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Combine vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, chile paste, and garlic, stirring until honey dissolves. Pour vinegar mixture into a zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 1 hour, turning occasionally. Remove chicken from bag, reserving marinade.
2. Preheat oven to 425°.
3. Place reserved marinade in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes or until syrupy, stirring occasionally. Place chicken on a rack coated with cooking spray, and place rack in a roasting pan. Baste chicken with reserved marinade; sprinkle evenly with salt. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes; baste. Bake an additional 10 minutes; baste. Discard remaining marinade. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until done. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Meal 2

thehungrymouse.com

Ingredients

4 chicken leg quarters

kosher salt
spray canola oil
3/4 – 1 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (optional)

Directions
Line a sheet pan with foil. Set a rack in the pan. Set aside while you sear the chicken. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Rinse and pat them dry the leg quarters . Sprinkle with a little kosher salt.

Set a nonstick pan on the stove over high heat and spray with a little canola oil. Let it heat up for a minute or two.When the pan is hot, drop in a few of the chicken leg quarters, skin-side down. You don’t want to crowd the pan (or your chicken will steam, not sear), so do this in a few batches.

Cook them on high like this for a few minutes, until the skin is nice and brown
When the skin is browned, transfer the chicken to your prepared pan. Repeat with the rest of the chicken. When all your chicken is browned cover each piece of chicken on all sides with barbecue sauce. Bake 15 minutes
After about 15 minutes, brush with the remaining barbecue sauce, covering each piece on all sides again. Bake again at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes more, until they’re cooked through completely. (Your chicken should be in the oven for a total of 45-50 minutes.)

After 30-35 minutes, they should have a nice crust. If you’re a meat thermometer type, you want a reading of 165 degrees in the thickest part of the chicken (without touching a bone).

Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Meal 3

allrecipes

Ingredients
3 pounds cubed beef stew meat
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup baby carrots
4 large potatoes, cubed
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups boiling water
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
3 tablespoons butter
3 onions, sliced
¼ beef broth
¼ cup warm water
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Directions
Place meat in a large plastic bag. Combine 1/4 cup flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt; pour into the bag with the meat, and shake to coat.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add stew meat, and cook until evenly browned on the outside. Transfer to a slow cooker along with the carrots, potatoes, parsley, and pepper. In a small bowl, stir together 2 cups of boiling water and dry soup mix; pour into the slow cooker.
In the same skillet, melt butter and saute onions until softened; remove to the slow cooker. Pour in beef broth and stir to loosen browned bits of food on the bottom. Remove from heat, and pour into the slow cooker.
Cover, and cook on High for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to Low, and cook for 6 hours, or until meat is fork tender. In a small bowl or cup, mix together 2 tablespoons flour with 1/4 cup warm water. Stir into stew, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until thickened.

Meal 4

foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 pork chops, 3/4-inch thick, bone-in
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup buttermilk
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Directions

Put the flour in a shallow platter and add the onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels to remove any moisture and then dredge them in the seasoned flour; shaking off the excess.
Heat a large saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil. When the oil is nice and hot, lay the pork chops in the pan in a single layer and fry for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the pork chops from the pan and add a little sprinkle of seasoned flour to the pandrippings. Mix the flour into the fat to dissolve and then pour in the chicken broth in. Let the liquid cook down for 5 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly. Stir in the buttermilk to make a creamy gravy and return the pork chops to the pan, covering them with the sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes until the pork is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Meal 5

allrecipes.com

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 (1 1/2 pound) round steak, cut into serving-size pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, or as needed
1 (14 ounce) bottle ketchup
1 onion, chopped
2 cups warm water

Directions

Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Gently press the steak into the flour mixture to coat and shake off the excess flour.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the beef until brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove beef from skillet and drain excess oil. Stir the ketchup, onion, and water into the skillet, then add the meat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until tender, about 1 hour.

Meal 6

hungrygirlchronicles.wordpress.com

Ingredients

3-4 tbsp of EVOO
2 (1 lb) boneless beef shoulder steaks (about 3/4 to 1-inch thick)
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tbsp of garlic, minced
2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups tomatoes in tomato puree
5 tbsp of lemon juice
6 tbsp of ketchup
3 tbsp of brown sugar
1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. In a bowl combine the water, tomatoes in tomato puree, lemon juice, ketchup, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce until combined; set aside.
Season both steaks with salt and pepper.
Brown both sides of the steak in hot oil then remove to a plate.
Add in onion to the skillet and sauté for about 3 minutes until onions soften.
Add in garlic and crushed chili flakes and sauté for another minute.
Add the steaks back to the skillet and pour in the sauce over and around the meat.
Cover and simmer on low heat for about 1-1/2 hours or until meat is tender.
Season with more salt and pepper if needed.
Slice steak into strips, pour sauce over the steak and serve warm.

Grand Total: $66.83

End of year wrap-up

2011-12-31T11:11:00.000-05:00

It's been 365 days. Have I achieved simplicity? Humm. That's a great question. Lets see what did I do this year?

January
I started off the year with a sick love affair with toilet paper rolls:

and I planned a lot of meals!

February
Had beautiful baby boy, which led to a near brush with death.

My Birth Story

Spent a few weeks recovering....

March
Battled postpartum depression and PTSD. Finally realized I needed help and went to the doctor to get on medication and talk things out with a therapist.

Made some wall art...

and a gallery wall...

April

Happier now and feeling charged to create!!
Spray paint weather...

More toilet paper roll art...

Bunk bed curtains...

Shadow box frames...

and finally my favorite project of the year...

easy no-sew Roman Shades

May

Made a bench out of a coffee table...

Had my DNA analyzed...and I AM human after all

23 and Me

Made some more wall art...

Made a skirt purse cover

Tutorial

June
Transformed wall cabinet trash into treasure...

Reached 100 followers to my blog! I never ever thought that would happen!

Found a dead butterfly...

and put it in a frame!!

Painted half of my house.

Before

(I need a bucket lift and someone NOT afraid of heights for the upper half!)

Made tuxedo onsies for my baby to wear at his Uncle's wedding, which he to managed poop out of before getting through the ceremony.

Painted a picture...

Realized my butt is beyond help.

Booty Pop

July
Hid unsightly holes in a favorite shirt with flowers.

Made a menu board.

August
Retake on the star-burst mirror.

Had a bridal shower for my sister.

September
Transformed a blah table into a party table...

Made a little sweater for a lampshade...

Painted over pink tile...

Got a little daring with paint and a corner cabinet...

gave a skeleton key a manicure...

October
Created some fall wall art:

November
Had pictures taken in my wedding dress eight years after the wedding, which required letting it Ouuuuuuuutttttt and adding a corset back!

December
And turned highly flammable boxes into a faux-fireplace!

Whew! What a year. I did a lot of "stuff" and in the process I feel like I trimmed a lot of excess from our lives. Not everything, but a vast improvement from before. In the upcoming year I would like to continue this purging process.

I like to set goals for myself for the new year to keep me accountable. So for 2012, one of my goals would be having everything have a place and to be so well organized I can function without wanting to cry. LOL.

I also want to train my children to be the same way. Which as anyone with children with too many "things" knows, is bound to be my biggest challenge!

I'd like to end this year by saying this: From time to time I will share with you things that may make you think I'm a liar when I call this blog 365 days to simplicity. But I want to reiterate that 365 days to simplicity is not about easy glue projects, or simple recipes that require very little effort. It's about taking the time to do something, whether it be difficult or easy, to attain the ultimate goal of simplicity. It's not so much about the process as it is the end result.

Here's to a happy and healthy new year!!

Meal Planner Monday

2011-12-27T00:45:00.001-05:00

Hey Christmas, it was fun...but I'm exhausted and now I'm ready for normal to kick back into full gear! Even though this week isn't normal per-say, it's the best week of the year in my book because Chris takes off work the the week between Christmas and New Years and we enjoy seven full days of family fun!

So I've planned some fun meals the whole family should enjoy (fingers crossed!) And honestly, when new years rolls around you might find these somewhat expensive to prepare meals nice to take to a party! Anyway, here it is:

Meal 1

(tip: to bring down the cost of this meal, try replacing the beef tenderloin with rib eye steaks.)

Ingredients

¼ c extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for fillets
4 T (1/2 stick) butter
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin
salt and pepper
½ c dry white wine
½ c dry Marsala wine
½ c beef broth
2 T balsamic vinegar
6 (6oz.) beef tenderloin fillets
pinch of finely chopped fresh parsley
6 fresh rosemary sprigs

Directions

Heat the oil and butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and a pinch each of salt and pepper; cook for 10 minutes or until the onion is softened and browned.

Add both wines, the broth, and vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce is reduced by half.

Rub the fillets with oil; season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the grill to 350°F.

Grill the fillets to the desired doneness.

Strain the onion from the sauce and arrange on a platter. Top with the sauce and the steaks. Garnish with the parley and sprigs of rosemary.

Meal 2

(To bring down the cost of this meal, try using slightly cheaper cuts of meat, like thicker minute steaks)

Ingredients

9 T soybean oil
1 large Spanish onion, sliced thin
1 medium green bell pepper, sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
½ c sliced mushrooms
1 ½ lb rib eye steaks or roll steaks, sliced thin
1 (15oz) jar Cheez Whiz
4 Crusty Italian rolls
ketchup for serving

Directions

Heat an iron skillet or a nonstick pan over medium heat.

Add 3 T of the oil and saute the onion to the desired doneness; remove the onion and set aside. In the same pan, heat 3 more T of the oil and saute the peppers and mushrooms. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the remaining 3 T oil and saute the slices of meat quickly on both sides. While it’s cooking, break the meat into smaller pieces with two spatulas. melt the Cheez Whiz in a double boiler of microwave.

Divide the meat among the rolls. Add the onion, and pour the Cheez Whiz over the top.

Serve with the sauteed green and red peppers and mushrooms for garnish, along with ketchup.

Meal 3

Ingredients

4 cups apple cider vinegar
½ c Tabasco sauce
½ c sugar
4 c hot water
3 lbs pork shoulder

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the apple cider vinegar, Tabasco sauce, sugar and hot water. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the marinade over the pork, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 450° F.

Remove the pork from the marinade and place in a baking pan. Save the marinade. Roast the pork until browned, about 1 hour.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300° F, pour some of the reserved marinade over the pork, cover, a slow-roast for an additional 2 hours or until the meat pulls away from the bone easily. Pull the pork apart into long shreds using two forks.

Alternately, you can prepare this recipe in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high

for 3-4.

Meal 4

Ingredients

1 lb Italian sausage
8 oz. smoked bacon, chopped
4 c water
2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
2 large russet potatoes scrubbed and cubed
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 c chopped kale or Swiss chard
1 c heavy cream or half and half
salt and pepper

Directions

In a skillet over medium heat, brown the sausage, breaking it into small pieces; drain and set aside.
In a separate skillet, fry the bacon until brown; drain and set aside.

Combine the water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

Add sausage and bacon; simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the kale and cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste and simmer until the soup is heated through. Do not allow to boil.

Meal 5

Ingredients

1 lb. Velveeta, cubed
½ cup milk
½ t cayenne pepper
½ t paprika
meat of one boiled lobster tail, shredded
½ c chopped red bell pepper
2 T minced fresh parsley
2 large loaves of crusty bread

Directions

Combine all the ingredients except the red pepper and parsley in a saucepan.

Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the cheese has melted.

When ready to serve, garnish with red pepper and parsley.

Meal 6

Ingredients

Mashed Potatoes
1 ½ lbs. Potatoes
1 c milk, plus extra as needed
2 T butter
3 cloves garlic
salt and pepper

Roast Beef and gravy
1 (10.25-ounce) can beef gravy
1 t dried thyme
⅛ t pepper
12 ounces sliced deli roast beef

Directions

To make the mashed potatoes, Pierce the potatoes with a fork; microwave on high for about 12 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

When cool enough to handle, halve the potatoes lengthwise; scoop the pulp into a medium microwave-safe bowl. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or beat with an electric hand-mixer, reserve.

Place the milk, butter, and garlic in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 2 minutes; thoroughly mix into the mashed potatoes.

Mix in additional milk, if necessary, to reach the desired consistency.

Season the mashed potatoes with salt and pepper to taste. Microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes until hot.

Meanwhile, prepare the roast beef and gravy. In a 2 quart saucepan, combine gravy, thyme, and pepper; bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Add the beef slices and heat through. Serve the beef and gravy with the mashed potatoes.

Grand Total: errrrrr..... $109.68 (it's all that first recipe's fault!)

Shopping List

Produce

2 large russet potatoes

1 ½ lbs. Potatoes
5 cloves garlic
2 c chopped kale or Swiss chard

2 medium yellow onion

1 large Spanish onion

6 fresh rosemary sprigs

1 medium green bell pepper
2 medium red bell pepper
½ c sliced mushrooms

fresh parsley

Dairy

6 T (3/4 stick) butter

1 c heavy cream or half and half
1 lb. Velveeta, cubed
1½ c milk, plus extra as needed

Baking

¼ c extra virgin olive oil
9 T soybean oil

½ t cayenne pepper
½ t paprika

1 t dried thyme

½ c sugar

Canned/ Packaged

½ c beef broth
2 T balsamic vinegar

4 cups apple cider vinegar

1 (15oz) jar Cheez Whiz

4 Crusty Italian rolls

2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth

½ c Tabasco sauce
1 (10.25-ounce) can beef gravy

2 large loaves of crusty bread

Meat

6 (6oz.) beef tenderloin fillets1 ½ lb rib eye steaks or roll steaks, sliced thin

3 lbs pork shoulder1 lb Italian sausage
8 oz. smoked bacon, chopped

meat of one boiled lobster tail, shredded

12 ounces sliced deli roast beef

Misc.

½ c dry white wine
½ c dry Marsala wine

Monday Meal Planner

2011-12-19T16:56:00.001-05:00

Good afternoon my friends. How many of you are scrambling to finalize your Christmas Preparations? (Ooh Me ME!) Who doesn't feel like cooking until after Jesus's birthday? (Me ME ME!) Who wants easily thrown together meals for the family? (ME ME ME!)

Do you get that I don't feel like cooking like I normally do this week? Yeah, I'm still crafting and wrapping my gifts. I'm not ashamed to say it either! I'm not finished and Christmas is six days away. Will I get it done? Yes, of course. I always finish a project even if it takes me two years and gallons and gallons of coffee! So in an effort to save time, I'm sharing with you six easy meals that require just a little dumping and stirring...okay that didn't sound right! I mean you just have to pour ingredients together and cook! Yeah, you know I love you!

Here's your Monday Meal Planner:

Meal 1

Ingredients

1 pound tilapia fillets

1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder (see Tip)

1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoon canola oil

3 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions

Sprinkle both sides of tilapia fillets with five-spice powder. Combine soy sauce and brown sugar in a small bowl.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tilapia and cook until the outer edges are opaque, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, turn the fish over, stir the soy mixture and pour into the pan. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook until the fish is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes more. Add scallions and remove from the heat. Serve the fish drizzled with the pan sauce.

Total Cost of Meal: $7.19

Meal 2

Ingredients

2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix

1 1/4 cups water

5 1/2 lbs pot roast

Directions

In a slow cooker, mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and water.

Place pot roast in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture.

Cook on High setting for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low setting for 8 to 9 hours.

Total Cost of Meal: $21.94

Meal 3

Ingredients

1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (15 1/4 ounce) can corn

1 (15 ounce) can minestrone soup (ready to serve)

1 (15 ounce) can mixed vegetables

1 (15 ounce) can black beans , rinsed

Directions

Mix all ingredients in a pot and warm.

Total Cost of Meal: $5.19

Meal 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons orange-juice concentrate, thawed

1 tablespoon finely chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, (see Note)

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons molasses

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed

Salt to taste

Directions

Preheat grill or broiler.

Whisk together orange-juice concentrate, chipotle pepper, vinegar, molasses and mustard in a small bowl.

Lightly oil the grill or broiler rack (see Tip). Season chicken with salt and grill or broil for 2 minutes. Turn, brush with the glaze and cook for 4 minutes, brushing occasionally with glaze. Turn again, brush with the glaze, and cook until the center is no longer pink, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Total Cost of Meal: $4.45

Meal 5

Ingredients

4 -5 lbs country-style pork ribs

1 (18 ounce) bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce (I used brown sugar flavor)

1 onion , chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Place all ingredients in crock pot.

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours (Mine took about 6 hours).

Meat starts to fall off the bones-- be careful of the small ones in the juices!

Total Cost of Meal: $16.03

Meal 6

Ingredients

12 ounces pasta ,like rotelle

1 (12 ounce) jar roasted red peppers (drained)

1 container garlic & herb spreadable cheese

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile puree red peppers in blender or food processor.

Add peppers and cheese spread to drained pasta and over low heat stir until cheese is melted.

Total Cost of Meal: $6.89

Shopping List

Produce

1 onion

3 scallions

Packaged

12 ounces pasta, like rotelle

1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix

Canned

1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (15 1/4 ounce) can corn

1 (15 ounce) can minestrone soup (ready to serve)

1 (15 ounce) can mixed vegetables

1 (15 ounce) can black beans

2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 tablespoon chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 (12 ounce) jar roasted red peppers

1 (18 ounce) bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce

Diary

1 container garlic & herb spreadable cheese

Baking

1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 teaspoons molasses

Frozen

2 tablespoons orange-juice concentrate

Meat

5 1/2 lbs pot roast

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 -5 lbs country-style pork ribs

1 pound tilapia fillets

Total Cost of Meals: $61.69

Chestnuts roasting on an cardboard fire...

2011-12-14T15:49:00.000-05:00

Have you ever seen these little cardboard fireplaces people put up at Christmas?

Well, I hadn't either until a few weeks ago when my neighbor expressed a love for them.

If you know me, I have two weaknesses (more if you ask my husband) One is that I think- NO, I know, that I can make anything. Arrogant? Yes. But only in that respect!! I think negatively about everything else about myself and you can take that to the bank!

My second weakness is I'm a sucker when I hear that you want something rare and handmade. I will move heaven and Earth to make it for you. That is how this whole fireplace came about. My neighbor, as mentioned above, told me a few weeks ago that her uncle had one of these cardboard fireplaces when she was a little girl and that she always wanted one just like it.

You see, I can't hear that and not want to make that dream come true. I also couldn't just buy one online. I mean really, that would be like the cake boss sending little Debi cupcakes to his kids school birthday celebration. NO, this one had to be lovingly hand-crafted by me. So when my daughter's bunk-bed arrived in super big boxes, I set to work right away crafting a hand-painted cardboard fireplace.

It was surprisingly easier than I thought it would be. I just mentally high-fived myself!

Meal Planner Monday!

2011-12-12T12:40:00.000-05:00

Top o' the Mornin' to ya! Boy oh boy! It's been a long time since I've had a chance to post! Too long if you ask me.

Thankfully the Christmas show is over and I can get back to normal...whatever normal is around here! I would have been back in the game last week, but my family was ravaged by a horrible stomach bug and I was up to my elbows in puke and poop. Literally, it was up to my elbows!

BUUUUTTTTT....Today is a new day, heck it's a new week and since it's Monday, it's time for your weekly meal planner!

Meal 1

Ingredients

1 cup dried pinto beans, rinsed

1 jar (11 ounces) mild or medium salsa (1 1/2 cups)

2 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8)

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), chopped

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream, for serving

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for serving

Directions

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, stir together beans, salsa, chiles, flour, and 1 cup water. Season chicken with salt and pepper; arrange on top of bean mixture. Scatter onion and bell pepper on top of chicken.

Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours. (Do not open lid or stir.)

Remove chicken from stew; shred into large pieces and return to stew. Serve topped with sour cream and cilantro.

Average Cost of Meal: $7.70

Meal 2

Ingredients

For The Meatballs

2 slices white or sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup whole milk

8 ounces ground beef (85 percent lean)

8 ounces ground pork

4 ounces ground veal

1/2 cup finely grated pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese (1 ounce)

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 garlic clove, minced

1 large egg

Coarse salt

Marinara Sauce

For The Sandwiches

2 dozen brioche rolls, split

1 1/2 cups coarsely grated mozzarella cheese (5 ounces)

1/2 cup finely grated pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese (1 ounce)

Small basil leaves

Directions

Make the meatballs: Soak bread in milk for 5 minutes. Gently mix bread and milk with meats, pecorino Romano, parsley, garlic, egg, and 1 teaspoon salt. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Roll mixture into twenty-four 1-ounce balls (each about the size of a golf ball).

Heat sauce in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Drop meatballs into sauce, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, partially covered, until meatballs are cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.

Make the sandwiches: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Working in batches, arrange rolls, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Place 1 meatball, a spoonful of sauce, 1 tablespoon mozzarella, and 1 teaspoon pecorino Romano on bottom halves. Bake until cheese melts, about 3 minutes. Sandwich with basil.

Average Cost of Meal: $14.99

Meal 3

Ingredients

Extra-virgin olive oil, for baking sheet and brushing

10 ounces baby spinach

Coarse salt and ground pepper

All-purpose flour, for work surface

1 pound store-bought pizza dough (thawed if frozen), cut into 4 equal pieces

8 meatballs, halved, and 1 1/2 cups sauce reserved from <u>30-Minute Spaghetti and Meatballs</u>

8 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces

1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. In a large saucepan, bring 1/2 cup water to a simmer. Add spinach and season with salt; cover and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer spinach to a fine-mesh sieve and drain, pressing with a rubber spatula to release as much liquid as possible. Transfer spinach to a cutting board and roughly chop.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll each piece of dough into an 8-inch round. In a medium bowl, stir together spinach, reserved meatballs and sauce, cheese, and red-pepper flakes (if using). Season with salt and pepper. With a slotted spoon, divide mixture among bottom halves of dough rounds, leaving a 1-inch border. Fold top half of each round over filling and roll and pinch edges to seal. Carefully transfer calzones to baking sheet. Brush tops lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until calzones are golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes.

Average Cost of Meal: $9.60

Meal 4

Ingredients

4 teaspoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 can (4 1/2 ounces) chopped green chiles

2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes in juice

Coarse salt

1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn

Directions

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add onion; cook until softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cumin; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes more.

To the pan, add chiles, beans, tomatoes and their juice, 2 cups water, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered, until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.

In a blender or food processor, puree 2 cups of the stew. Return the puree to the pan, and add corn; simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Average Cost of Meal: $7.91

Meal 5

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef chuck

1 pound ground pork

3 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1 1/2 cups whole milk

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 garlic cloves, minced

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

3 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups canned reduced-sodium beef broth

Grape or red-current jelly, cooked egg noodles, chopped parsley, for serving (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. In a large bowl, combine beef, pork, panko, 1/2 cup milk, eggs, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and allspice. Mix just until combined.

Using a rounded 1-tablespoon measure for each, form mixture into meatballs (you should have about 48). Place meatballs onto two rimmed baking sheets; bake until golden brown and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.

Meanwhile, make sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high. Add flour; cook, whisking, 1 minute (do not let darken). Gradually whisk in remaining cup milk and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until sauce has slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

Using a slotted spoon, add meatballs to bowl with sauce; gently toss to combine. Serve as an appetizer, on toothpicks, with jelly on the side; or as a main, over noodles, garnished with parsley, with jelly on the side.

Average Cost of Meal: $14.01

Meal 6

Ingredients

Coarse salt and ground pepper

3/4 pound ground turkey (93 percent lean, dark meat)

1/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons butter

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

8 ounces orecchiette or other short pasta

1/2 pint bocconcini (about 20 balls)

Directions

Set a large pot of salted water to boil. In a large bowl, combine turkey, breadcrumbs, garlic, egg, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, 1/4 cup parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; mix to combine. Using a level 1-tablespoon measure for each, form mixture into meatballs (you should have about 24).

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high. Add meatballs, and cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 5 to 7 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups water; simmer, stirring occasionally, until meatballs are cooked through and liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup, 10 to 12 minutes. Add tomatoes; cook until they begin to soften, about 1 minute.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain, return to pot, and place on the still-warm burner. Add bocconcini, meatballs and sauce, remaining 1/4 cup parsley, remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and remaining tablespoon butter. Season with salt and pepper, and toss until combined.

Average Cost of Meal: $11.15

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cost for meals this week:

$65.36

Shopping List

Don't forget to go to AllYou.com to find the best deals in your area on these grocery items!

Produce

1 pint grape tomatoes

1 medium onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 medium red onion

1 red bell pepper

9 garlic cloves

3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Small basil leaves

Packaged

1/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs

8 ounces orecchiette or other short pasta

egg noodles

2 slices white or sandwich bread

2 dozen brioche rolls, split (croissants make a fine substitute)

3 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1 cup dried pinto beans

Canned

1 can (4 1/2 ounces) green chiles

2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans

2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes in juice

3 cups canned reduced-sodium beef broth

Marinara Sauce

1 jar (11 ounces) mild or medium salsa (1 1/2 cups)

2 tablespoons canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

Baking

coarse salt

ground pepper

4 teaspoons olive oil

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/3 cup and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Meat

3/4 pound ground turkey (93 percent lean, dark meat)

1 1/2 pound ground beef chuck

1 1/2 pound ground pork

4 ounces ground veal

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8)

Dairy

4 large eggs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

5 tablespoons butter

1/2 pint bocconcini (about 20 balls)

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups coarsely grated mozzarella cheese (5 ounces)

1 cup finely grated pecorino Romano (2 ounces)

Frozen

1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn

Busy Season

2011-11-18T10:01:00.001-05:00

If your wondering why I've been M.I.A. let me share with you why.

It's Christmas Show time at Glick's Greenhouse! Every year for the past 6 years I've helped my good friends at Glick's Greenhouse prepare for their annual poinsettia show. The show is a display of the beautiful poinsettias they grow there each winter season. It's free, its fun and it's a great way to kick off the Christmas season!

Here a few pictures of the work in progress...

The Theme is a Cowboy Christmas

here's the Postcard I designed inviting people out to the show;

Sales area

That's My Mom! She's my right hand lady and 95% of the landscapes you see, she painted. I love that lady!!

That's the Cowboy I painted. Those awesome mountains are courtesy of my mother!

Close up of the mountains.

The cowboy.

This room's theme centers around a cabin by a creek. There's a sleuth for gold panning and a rustic cabin. The Carpentry is thanks to my friend Andy. He's the man!!!

Work in progress...

Gold sleuth.

Poinsettias!!

More Poinsettias!!

Andy made this covered wagon. It's the brain child of my friend Michelle.

I'll have more pictures as we fill in the displays. Wait till you see what my friend Betsy does when she fills these spaces in with props!!

Anyway, I've been busy at work, planning and painting and setting up displays. Because I'm busy with that and because I have a lot of kids, blogging has taken a back seat. But after the first week in December the show will be over and I'll have a lot to blog about!

I'll still try to get meal planners out, so check back, please!!

2011-11-09T09:51:00.003-05:00

Lately I've been feeling very out of shape. You know you can only use the "I just had a baby" excuse for so long. Eight months ago isn't that convincing anymore! With all that in mind, I know that my worst enemy right now and the biggest obstacle to me getting back to my pre-baby weight, would be my constant cravings for terrible foods. Truly, I feel so bad, because even as I'm typing this post, I'm eating junk! Spanish rice with Taco Bell creamy Ranchero Sauce on top, and that's just breakfast!

This morning I stumbled upon this interesting chart on what your food cravings mean and what that craving is actually telling you your body actually needs. I guess I'll have to try it. My absolute favorite part of the chart though, is the alcohol and recreational drug craving. I'm pretty sure that if your craving recreational drugs that means your addicted to them. I never say things like, "boy, I'm really craving some crystal meth right now! Maybe I'll just have some turnip greens instead, because obviously my badly needs calcium!" Really?

if you crave this... what you really Healthy foods that have it...

need is this...

Meal Planner Monday

2011-11-07T13:35:00.000-05:00

Good Monday to you! I finally have some recipes for you today. It was a rough morning. I'm literally covered in snot from my sick babies constant rubbing their noses on my shirt. Do I look like a tissue?

Geez. Here's your meals!

Meal 1

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 jar (24 ounces) Italian Sauce

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

3 cups penne pasta, cooked and drained (about 4 1/2 cups)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until well browned on both sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet.

Stir the sauce and vinegar in the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the basil. Return the chicken to the skillet. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Slice the chicken. Serve the chicken and sauce over the penne. Sprinkle with the cheese.

Meal 2

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Tomato Soup 1/2 teaspoon Louisiana-style hot sauce

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or 4 slices blue cheese

4 Hamburger Rolls, split

Lettuce leaves, red onion slices, tomato slices (optional)

Directions

Shape the beef into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) burgers.

Lightly oil the grill rack and heat the grill to medium. Grill the burgers for 10 minutes for medium or until desired doneness, turning the burgers over once halfway through the grilling time.

Heat the soup and hot sauce in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Top the burgers with the soup mixture. Sprinkle with the cheese. Serve the burgers on the buns with the lettuce, onion and tomato, if desired.

Meal 3

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)

1 medium green pepper, diced (about 1 cup)

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Tomato Soup

2 cups water

1 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice

1/2 pound fresh or thawed frozen medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 large tomato, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

Chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until well browned, stirring occasionally.

Stir the onion, pepper and Cajun seasoning in the skillet and cook for 2 minutes.

Stir the soup, water and rice in the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked through and the rice is tender. Stir in the tomato and parsley, if desired. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Meal 4

Ingredients

8- ounces dry penne pasta, uncooked

1 8- ounce package 1/3 less fat cream cheese, cubed

1/3 cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1/2 cup chopped fully cooked ham

1 10- ounce can Mild Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies, undrained

1/2 cup Baby Sweet Peas

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt; add peas during the last 2 minutes of cook time. Drain; set aside and keep warm.

In pan used for pasta, combine all remaining ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until cheese melts and mixture is bubbly. Stir in pasta and peas.

Meal 5

Ingredients

For the Chili:

One can kidney beans

One jar salsa

½ lb ground beef

I packet of taco seasoning

For the Fries:

Bag of French fries

1 bag of cheese

Directions

Bake the fries according to package directions

In the mean time, brown the ground beef and drain. Pour in the taco seasoning, salsa, and kidney beans and let simmer. When the chili comes to a boil pour over the fries and top with the cheese.

Meal 6

Ingredients

2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1/2 cup olive oil

2 pounds pork tenderloin

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Mix bread crumbs and olive oil in bowl to reach consistency that would be moist enough to stick to the meat when pressed. Place pork on a shallow cooking sheet. Press the crumb mixture onto all sides of the meat until there is no pink showing, usually 1/4 inch thick.

Bake for at least 35 minutes until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F (75 degrees C) or until there is no pink when the pork is cut. Let the pork rest for 10 minutes, then cut into 1/2 inch slices.

Remake a dress that fits with a corset back

2011-11-04T11:50:00.000-04:00

Today I'd like to show you how I fit my breastosauruses into my eight year old, much too small, wedding dress. In case you're wondering why I would even want to attempt getting into my wedding dress again. Inevitably enduring the pain and suffering of realizing my body will never ever be that perky or thin again, please refer to yesterday's post- I trashed that dress!

Yes, it's all the rage these days. Slipping back into your wedding dress after the event to get a couple really artsy, really fun shots you never would do the day of your wedding. In all honesty, it IS a lot of fun! I enjoyed climbing trees and getting into frigid water all for that perfect shot. But wait, lets back the truck up! When I first decided to use my retired wedding dress to do this photo shoot, I had to come up with a way to fit my post four babies body (most importantly my post four babies boobs) into a tiny little dress.

In my extensive google search for DIY alterations, I came across a blurb on corset back dresses. In it, a woman with a friend in the alteration business said corset backs were a common solution for fitting into a dress that was a bit too small. It did warn that corset backs only work if all of the other parts of the dress fit. Arms and extreme differences in waist size would require a bit more, but when dealing with the old "I can get the dress on, but I can't zip it up" problem, a corset back will do the trick!

The article was very vague, but with a little imagination I knew this was the perfect solution to my mammoth breast problem. Without further ado here is how to sew a corset back...

Here's the front of the dress.

The dress is made of silk, so I went to a fabric store and found an inexpensive satin material that matched the color of the dress.

Part One: Modesty Panel

Yeah, it's exactly how it sounds. The modesty panel goes behind the corset so no one sees how squishy the back fat is.

Measuring from the top of the dress to the waist, I get an idea of how long the modesty panel should be.

The measurement was 15 inches.

I added a few extra inches to the panel so that it can be tucked into the dress.

I cut two rectangles twice the length of the measurement I came up with above. In other words, my panel is 18 inches long, so I made my rectangle 36 inches long.

I'm going to cut the folded piece into a triangle. I'm going to do this twice and sew the two double sided triangles together so that the fabric modesty panel is nice and sturdy. You can use one double sided panel and sew interfacing in between the sides too if you'd like.

I took the 36 inch panel and folded it to be 18 inches. Then I folded the 18 inch panel in half the long way. I do this so I can cut a symmetrical triangle.

Triangle Time!!

The panel is so long I have to use two rulers; one for length and the other for accurate cutting. Using a long ruler, I measure from top right corner to bottom left corner.

Then I take the cutting ruler and butt it up against the long ruler.

I remove the long ruler and cut with a rolling cutter.

You may have to put the long ruler back on the fabric and line the cutting ruler up with it to finish the cut. Do the same thing with the second fabric rectangle. When they're both cut, they should look like this. The above triangle shapes are four layers thick as they are two folded diamonds.

Just to add a little more support, and to hold the two open dianmonds together for easier sewing, I pressed a strip of heat n' bond in the crease of one of the open diamond shapes.

I trim the excess paper.

Then peel back the paper strip.

Then with WRONG sides together I press the two pieces with a hot iron, adhering them together with the heat n' bond. Now any way you flip it the diamond should be shiny satin.

Sew down each side: top, left and right side leaving an opening at the tip of the triangle to turn the panel right sides out.

Finish the rough edges with a zigzag to prevent fraying.

Zigzag Stitch

Now flip that panel right sides out.

Next run a straight stitch around the sewn edges like pictured above.

Finally the open end of the modesty panel can be finished with a zigzag stitch over the rough edges.

Part Two: Replace the Zipper with Corset Loops

The back of my dress was adorned with a plethora of non-functioning buttons. Anything like this needs to go, so put that seam ripper to work!

Before ripping zip the zipper down to about the waist. This varies from person to person. Gauge this by by how far up you can zip it up comfortably. If you can't zipper it up at all, then completely remove it.

Because I could zip it to the waist, I have to put something on the zipper track to keep it from coming undone. A knotty stitch will do the trick.

When the zipper stoppers are sewn you can trim the top and then put a hook and eye right above it to keep the zipper from unzipping itself while you're walking about. Consider it a way to keep your hinee from showing!

The next thing to come out is the rest of that ol' zipper. This is the scariest part. It's painless really, but it's scary nonetheless. As I held the seam ripper to the first stitch holding that zipper in place and the cold sweats came over my body, all that was running through my mind was how much I paid for that dress. I then slapped myself across the face and said, "Get over it! You already ruined it with the spilled beer down the front!" True Story.

When the zipper is removed you will most likely be left with the dress bodice and the inner shell or liner. It is in between these two layers you will be putting the corset loops.

Step Three: Sewing the Loops and Ribbon

This step, again, is very flexible and can be tailored to your preference. I chose to make my loops of my corset back to be about 3/4 of an inch wide. Lets face it my girls are really big and they need a lot of support.

You'll also need to keep in mind how far apart you want the loops to be. If you remember, the back of my dress from top to waist was 15 inches long.

I think it looks best when the loops are close together, so I chose to set my loops one inch apart all the way down my back.

I started with long strips of fabric

Then I sewed the strips to the desired width.

I was a silly girl and cut the strips before pulling them right side out! You can learn from my mistake and pull the strips right side out before cutting. It will save you 15 minutes or so.

Now you can cut the strips into the sections of loop. I chose to make mine three inches long.

To keep the satin from fraying, I ran a straight and a zigzag stitch down each side of the cut loops.

Now it's time to fasten the loops to the dress.

Here, I pinned each loop an inch apart in between the liner and he outer shell of the dress.

Then I ran a stitch through the outside, loops and liner of the dress.

Part Four: The Ribbon
First I cut a long very narrow strip of satin. I wanted to keep it about the same width as the loops on the back of the dress.

I sewed the entire length.

To finish the edges I stuffed the rough edges into the ribbon itself like this:

Then I sewed with a zigzag stitch to secure it.

The ribbon is now ready to be looped up!

Criss Cross all the way down...

Finally tuck the bow into the dress.

TA DA!

It fits!

8 Years and counting

2011-11-02T14:38:00.001-04:00

8 years ago yesterday, I married my best friend! I can honestly say that after eight years of marriage, I love him even more that I did then. Truly, I do. He's wonderful father and amazing husband. There's nothing I enjoy more than hanging out with him watching our favorite shows or just talking about our day. This is mushy, I know, but Chris and I have been through a lot and Lord knows we aren't perfect. I'm a neurotic freak without a socially appropriate filter and he's a...well he's a box hoarder. It's just hard evidence that God can take two hoardy-crazy people and transform their lives for the better.

Eight Years Ago

Trash the Dress with Nathan Desch Photography

Tomorrow I'll show you how I fit my large chest in my old wedding dress!!

Happy Anniversary Christopher!!!

2011-10-31T10:18:00.000-04:00

Hey all! I'm back on track. I had a little chat with my therapist and she gave me some nifty tricks for my anxiety and a lovely CD with her voice telling me to calm the heck down- all right it's not that blunt, but it should be! I can get soooooo worked up! But I'm trying to get it together.

It's a new week and my meal ideas are coming your way! Today I'm feeling a little cheap, so I'm going to share six meals that cost less than two dollars per serving. I think it's a good idea to have a few inexpensive meals in the planner for weeks when you need to trim from the food budget. So here they are:

Meal 1

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked medium egg noodles

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut crosswise into 12 (1-inch-thick) slices

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup dry white wine

3 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Directions

Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

While the noodles cook, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the pork with pepper and salt. Place pork in pan; cook 5 minutes, turning once.

Combine the wine and mustard; pour into pan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove pork from pan; keep warm.

Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Stir cornstarch mixture into pan; bring to a boil, and cook 1 minute or until thick. Serve pork with sauce and noodles.

Meal 2

Ingredients
6 (6-inch) flour or corn tortillas
3/4 cup fat-free refried beans
3/4 cup jarred red salsa
1 cup shredded Cheddar (about 2 1/2 oz.)
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup shredded Romaine lettuce
2 tablespoons sour cream

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F. Mist every other cup of a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Press a tortilla into each sprayed cup, flattening out edges, and bake until golden, about 8 minutes.
Divide beans among tostadas, top with salsa and sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven and bake until warmed through, 7 to 10 minutes.
Place each tostada on a plate and sprinkle with cilantro. Top with some lettuce and a small dollop of sour cream. Serve with extra salsa, if desired.

Meal 3

Ingredients

1 pound fresh or frozen cheese tortellini

1 cup frozen peas

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1/4 pound ham, chopped

Preparation

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook tortellini until just al dente (do not overcook), as package label directs. Add peas to pot for last 30 seconds of cooking time.

Drain tortellini and peas and return to pot. Stir in butter, cream, salt, pepper, Parmesan and ham. Turn stove on to medium heat and cook, stirring, until ingredients are heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Meal 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 onions, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes with juice

2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Preparation

Combine chicken, olive oil, curry powder and salt in slow cooker and toss to coat.

Sprinkle onions and garlic on top of chicken. Pour tomatoes on top. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

During last hour of cooking, stir in chickpeas. Serve hot.

Meal 5

Ingredients

1 7-oz. can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

1 15-oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 2-lb. beef chuck pot roast, fat trimmed

Salt and pepper

Corn tortillas, shredded lettuce and Jack cheese, sliced avocado and sour cream, all optional

Preparation

In a blender or food processor, puree chipotle chiles with adobo sauce until smooth. Spoon 2 1/2 Tbsp. into slow cooker; reserve remainder for other uses. Add tomatoes, lime juice, onion and garlic; stir to combine. Season beef with salt and pepper and add to slow cooker.

Cover and cook on high until beef is tender enough to shred easily with a fork, about 6 hours. Using two forks, shred meat; spoon into a serving bowl with sauce. Serve beef with warmed corn tortillas, shredded lettuce and cheese, sliced avocado and sour cream, if desired.

Meal 6

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 onion, chopped

one 15 oz (1 liter) white kidney (cannellini) beans

2 carrots, sliced

9 oz (250 g) spinach

1 leek, white and pale green parts only, sliced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves, chopped

8 slices Italian bread

1 quart (1 liter) chicken stock

2 tbsp grated Parmesan (optional), for serving

one 14.5 oz (411 g) chopped tomatoes

Directions

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrots, and leek and cook until softened but not colored. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the stock, tomatoes and their juices, and tomato paste.

In a bowl, mash half the beans with a fork and stir into the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Return the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the remaining beans and spinach and simmer for 30 minutes more.

Place a slice of bread in each soup bowl. Ladle in the soup, and, if you like, top with a sprinkling of Parmesan.

Hi!!!!

2011-10-27T12:01:00.000-04:00

You know, when I first started blogging, I didn't expect I would have as much fun as I did. Even when I had my fourth baby and was so sick for weeks, I looked forward to blogging. Then the depression hit and still blogging made me feel like I was "doing" something besides wiping hinees and making dinner (not that there's anything wrong with that!)

Lately though, blogging has felt like a chore and I couldn't figure out why. This weekend I realized it because in all the months I've been blogging, I haven't really reached my goal of simplicity! After all that's what this blog is about- my quest to make my life more simple. Just to clarify, when I say simple, I don't mean easier. If I've learned anything the past 10 months it's that getting simple is far from easy! It requires a whole lot of purging and cleaning and organizing and fighting your box-hoarding husband to get it it done!

So yeah, 10 months have gone by and I don't have anything to show for it except for 2 organized rooms and some sweet ass projects. Sigh. I do love my projects.

So what have been up to these past few weeks? Well, I've been super depressed...again...and I've been trying to pull myself out of it without having to visit my totally cold and unemotional Psychiatrist to adjust my medication.

I guess as everything else feels crazy and chaotic in my life, I've been catching up in the simplicity part of my life. With this renewed determination to make my household a well-oiled machine, I've gotten up the ambition to get back to the whole purging, cleaning and organizing thing. And honestly this time it feels like I'm getting somewhere! My friend Jessi told me about this blog she was reading and calls this a need for "white space." The idea of white space is this in a nut shell:

This is me in a nut shell:

So here's what I'm going to do: I'm going to finish once and for all simplifying my house! From Attic to the main floor...I can't handle the basement with all those tools and crap. That's one for the man of the house!! Next week, I'm coming back at you with Meal Planner Monday and other fun things I have to share. Talk to you next week!!

Meal Planner Monday

2011-10-17T11:19:00.004-04:00

Good Monday to you. Here are six meals for your stomach's eating pleasure. I don't have a lot to say except please try the football fiesta casserole! It's delicious!

Meal 1

Ingredients(copy and paste ingredients here to find the best deals!)

Chicken:

2 small skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts

2 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs

2 bay leaves

1 small carrot, coarsely chopped

1 small onion, quartered

1/2 orange, sliced

Salt

BBQ Sauce:

1 cup organic ketchup

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

2 shots of bourbon

2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

Juice of 1/2 orange

Slaw:

1/3 cup vegetable oil or olive oil

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon superfine sugar

About 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 red onion, grated

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 pound cabbage (red, green or a mix), shredded

1 large green apple, peeled and coarsely grated

Brioche rolls( or hamburger rolls) , split

Bread-and-butter pickles, for topping

Directions

For the chicken: Place the chicken breasts and thighs in a pot with the bay leaves, carrot, onion, orange and some salt. Cover with water, then cover the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook at a low rolling boil for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Strain the broth, then return to the pot and boil for a few minutes to reduce it slightly. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken and shred the meat.

For the BBQ sauce: Meanwhile, combine the ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, maple syrup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, bourbon, garlic and orange juice in a small pot. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.

For the slaw: Whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, lemon juice and onions. Season with salt and some pepper. Add the cabbage and apples and toss to combine.

Add 1 cup poaching liquid to the BBQ sauce, then add the chicken, stirring and shredding it with 2 forks. Pile the chicken on the rolls and top with pickles and slaw.

Meal 2

Ingredients (copy and paste ingredients here to find the best deals!)

8 whole Chicken Thighs, Bone-in, Skin-on

Salt And Pepper

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 whole Large Onion, Diced

4 cloves Garlic, Minced

2 jars (24 Ounces Each) Marinara Sauce

Fresh Basil - To Taste

Parmesan Cheese, For Sprinkling

16 ounces, weight Penne Or Rigatoni

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Sprinkle chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown chicken thighs quickly on both sides until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a separate plate.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon grease/oil. Add onions and garlic to pan and stir around to cook, about 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in marinara sauce and stir to heat. Add chicken thighs back into the sauce. Cover and place pan in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. (You may also simmer on the stovetop on the lowest heat possible.)

Cook the pasta according to package instructions Serve 1 chicken thigh with sauce over pasta, adding more marinara if needed. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve. (For smaller children, you can cut the meat off the bone for them. Chicken is very tender!)

Meal 3

Ingredients (copy and paste ingredients here to find the best deals!)

1 pounds lean (90 percent) ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 package taco seasoning

1 (28 oz.) cans tomato sauce

3 (16 oz.) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (6 oz.) can black olives, drained and chopped (1 cup)

1 bag (9.75 oz.) corn chips, such as Fritos

1 pound low-fat Cheddar, grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mist a skillet with cooking spray. Sauté beef over medium-high heat until no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Add onion; sauté for 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute. Add taco seasoning, cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add tomato sauce, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Mist a deep 9-by-13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Spread half of meat in baking dish, then half of beans, half of olives, half of corn chips and half of cheese. Repeat layering with remaining meat, beans, olives, chips and cheese.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden and crispy on top and bubbling.

Meal 4

Ingredients (copy and paste ingredients here to find the best deals!)

1 large onion, chopped

2 pounds extra-lean (90%-93%) ground beef

2 (28 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

8 ounces uncooked corkscrew pasta

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Put onion in pot of slow cooker. Crumble ground beef on top and pour tomatoes over beef. Cover and cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Break up any large pieces of beef with a wooden spoon. Season with salt. Remove half of sauce and reserve for another recipe; keep remaining sauce warm in slow cooker. (Makes about 2 1/2 quarts meat sauce.)

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions, stirring often, until al dente. Drain and transfer to four shallow bowls. Spoon meat sauce over each portion of pasta. Serve with Parmesan cheese, basil and freshly ground pepper.

Meal 5

Ingredients (copy and paste ingredients here to find the best deals!)

Burger:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs

1/4 cup canned whole-kernel yellow corn, drained

1/4 cup prechopped onion

1 large egg

Ketchup:

1/3 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Remaining ingredients:

4 (2-ounce) Kaiser rolls or hamburger buns

4 lettuce leaves (optional)

4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato (optional)

Directions

To prepare burgers, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Combine kidney beans and black beans in a large bowl; partially mash with a fork. Add breadcrumbs, corn, onion, and egg; stir until well blended. Form bean mixture into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) patties. Add patties to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until crisp and beginning to brown.

To prepare ketchup, combine ketchup, honey, lime juice, chile powder, and cumin, stirring with a whisk.

Spread 1 tablespoon ketchup on bottom half of each bun; top each serving with a patty, 1 lettuce leaf and 1 tomato slice (if desired), and top half of bun.

Meal 6

Ingredients (copy and paste ingredients here to find the best deals!)

1 1/3 pounds raw Italian sweet sausage, casing removed

A drizzle olive oil

2 cups ricotta

A handful flat leaf parsley, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

A handful grated Parmesan, plus extra, for knots

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated or a couple pinches of ground

A few grinds black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped pimento

2 (10-ounce) tubes prepared pizza dough

2 cups shredded mozzarella

Garlic oil (1 or 2 cloves chopped and heated in 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil)

2 cups tomato, marinara or pizza sauce for dipping or Five Minute Spicy Marinara, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Brown sausage in a small skillet in a drizzle of olive oil. Transfer the cooked crumbled sausage to a paper towel lined plate to drain.

Combine sausage with ricotta, parsley, garlic, Parmesan, nutmeg, pepper, and pimento. Roll out dough and halve cross-wise. Place a dough rectangle on a nonstick cookie sheet. Use 1/2 cup mozzarella on half of each dough rectangle and pile a mound of filling on half of the total area. Fold dough over and pinch edges to seal. The result is a rectangular turnover.

For half-moon shaped calzones, trim excess dough. Roll dough bits into strips, tie in knots and brush with garlic oil and cheese. Garlic knots are fun to dip at the table.

Bake calzones 15 minutes or until golden all over. Serve calzones with warm tomato, marinara, or pizza sauce for dipping.

Cook's Note: For an additional time saver, 2 packages precooked sausage crumbles, 8 ounces each, may be substituted for raw Italian sausage used in the above recipe.

Five Minute Spicy Marinara:

2 tablespoons (two turns around the pan) extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic crushed

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 (32 ounce) can chunky style crushed tomatoes

Salt and pepper

1 teaspoon Italian dried seasoning

1 handful Italian parsley leaves, chopped

Add olive oil to medium saucepan over moderate heat. Add garlic and crushed pepper to the heated olive oil; when pepper snaps and garlic sizzles, stir in crushed tomatoes. Season sauce with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook for five minutes and stir in parsley. Serve.

Fall finds it's way to the Izzo's

2011-10-13T10:20:00.001-04:00

Yesterday when I should have been posting Wall Art Wednesday, I was working on a few fall projects. The anal retentive part of me was having a fit! I wanted to keep to the schedule, but hey, sometimes you've got to deviate! So, that's just what I did.

Here are a few of the things I created yesterday (God made the leaves):

Real leaves twisted into vine.

Leaf is wedged between two glass panes over top of a matted piece of scrapbook paper.

Leaves mounted into a shadowbox frame.

Pumpkin Centerpiece

Jar filled with berries and vine.

Mod-Podged Leaves for extra durability.

My bird is not Fall decor, but wait till Christmas, when I'll strap antlers on that little guy!

Meal Planner Monday

2011-10-10T10:51:00.000-04:00

Good Morning Everyone! I had such a restless night last night that I'm having a very hard time focusing. Poor baby Owen has a stuffy nose and tooth pushing through, so he was up a lot last night.

Lack of sleep should make you have a dreamless night, but for me, lack of sleep made it worse. I had a doozy last night. A classic "Ang" dream that only a weirdo like me would have! It was so weird, I just have to share it with you (Mostly because Chris left early for work this morning.)

I'm sharing the abbreviated version to spare you from a long drawn out story (I know you want you meal planner right?)

So the dream starts with me attending some prestigious ceremony in New Zealand, which in my dream was located at the top of the world (I know.) Celebrities and politicians are sitting on bleachers by the oceanside. The sun is setting (over the North Pole?) and the waves are lapping calmly in the water. Being that I was a lowly non-important person at the event, I was situated on a hill overlooking the water.

All of a sudden the water begins to churn. It is then my sleeping brain realizes there is about to be a tsunami (we've had way too many natural disasters in recent years!) Just as the water begins to recede, my brain does "recompute." I could feel it thinking "This isn't going to scare her enough! Change the senerio!" So instead of being washed away by a tsunami, my brain decides that native New Zealanders are going to rise up from underneath snow, that was all of a sudden covering the ground, and surprise attack the spectators (that was when I realized I read WAY too many novels!)

So the natives attack, killing everyone by the shore. I miraculously survive by hiding under a snow bank. Flash forward a few years. The attack was in my past and in my dream I still struggled with the trauma of it. How do I deal with it? I decide to have a boob job. For some reason this was the cure-all for my sadness! Except that didn't go well either. I had them done twice and each time they just sagged longer and lower.

You'd think that having loved through an traumatic attack would be the hardest thing I had to deal with. Not in my dream. I was devastated because I had saggy boobs and I could find the right bra! I was so upset I woke up thinking it had really happened. I did one of those grab my chest and thanking God I was two cup sizes smaller and only slightly saggy! It's scary to live in my brain!

So on to the meals:

Meal 1

Ingredients (copy and paste ingredients here to find the best deals!)

6 large red or green peppers, rinsed

1 pound lean ground beef

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup long-grain white rice

1 1/4 cups chicken or beef broth

3/4 cup diced tomato (fresh or canned)

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pepper, to taste

1/3 cup grated Parmesan, plus a little extra for garnish

1 large egg, lightly beaten

3 cups of your favorite tomato sauce

Instructions

Slice the top 1/4 inch off each pepper. Finely chop the flesh on the stem end; set it aside. Remove the seeds and white pith from inside the peppers. (If the peppers won't stand up straight, take a small slice off the bottom with a paring knife to make a flat surface.)

Put a steamer basket (or a colander) inside a large pot and add an inch or so of water. Place the peppers in the basket. Bring the water to a boil and tightly cover the pot. Steam the peppers for 8 minutes. Remove the peppers with tongs and set them on a wire rack to cool.

Combine the reserved chopped pepper, ground beef, onion, and garlic in a large skillet. Brown the meat over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.

Drain any visible fat from the pan, then return it to the heat. Add the rice, broth, tomato, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer it, tightly covered, for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat and let it stand for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the egg and the 1/3 cup of Parmesan.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a large baking dish or casserole and pour in 2 1/2 cups of tomato sauce. Using a large spoon, scoop about 3/4 cup of filling into each pepper. Set the stuffed peppers into the prepared pan, so they are evenly spaced and surrounded by sauce. Spread a spoonful of the remaining sauce over the top of each, to keep the filling moist, and cover the pan with aluminum foil.

Bake the peppers until they're heated through, about 35 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle the tops with Parmesan. Serve the peppers hot, in pools of tomato sauce.

Meal 2

Ingredients (copy and paste ingredients here to find the best deals!)

FOR THE BISCUITS

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick cold salted butter, cut into 1/2-inch slices

3/4 cup cold 2% milk

FOR THE GRAVY

1 pound bulk breakfast sausage or links with casing removed

1/2 cup flour

4 cups 2% milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

cayenne (optional)

Instructions

First prepare the biscuits. Heat the oven to 400°. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Use a pastry blender* or two butter knives to cut the butter into the mixture until it has a coarse, pea-size texture. Add the milk and stir the mixture until it forms into a shaggy dough.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Use your fingers to gently flatten it into a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle. Fold the dough over itself and flatten it once more. Repeat three or four times, working quickly so that the butter remains solid.

Flatten the dough a final time, then use a 3-inch biscuit cutter or a drinking glass to cut out 10 dough rounds. Transfer them to a 12- by 17-inch baking sheet and bake them until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

While the biscuits cook, make the gravy. Brown the sausage in a medium skillet over medium heat. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan.

Slowly sift the flour into the pan as the meat continues to cook. Use a wooden spoon or a spatula to work the flour into the meat.

Add the milk, then let the mixture simmer, stirring constantly, until it begins to thicken. Add the salt and pepper and let the gravy continue to simmer as you stir, until it reaches the consistency of a creamy soup. Be sure to maintain medium heat so that the mixture doesn't boil. If the gravy becomes too thick, thin it with more milk, adding a small amount at a time.

Add a few pinches of cayenne, if using, and more salt and pepper, if needed, and stir in well. To serve, put a biscuit on a plate and ladle the gravy alongside or on top.

Meal 3

Ingredients (copy and paste ingredients here to find the best deals!)

4 Italian sausages

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 minced garlic cloves

3/4 cup chicken broth

14-1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes

4 cups cooked white beans, thawed and drained, if using frozen

1 teaspoon sage

1 teaspoon parsley

2 cups baby spinach

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large skillet, sauté the sausages until they're cooked through, then slice them and set them aside.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat and swirl to coat the cooking surface. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 4 minutes, then add the garlic and sauté for a minute. Add the sausage, chicken broth, and diced tomatoes. Mix in the cooked white beans, sage, and parsley. Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.

Add 2 cups of baby spinach and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.

Meal 4

Ingredients (copy and paste ingredients here to find the best deals!)

3 cups oil for frying

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon shortening, melted

1 (12 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

Directions

Heat oil in a heavy pot or deep fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Beat together egg, milk, and melted shortening; stir into flour mixture. Mix in the corn kernels.

Drop fritter batter by spoonfuls into the hot oil, and fry until golden. Drain on paper towels.

Meal 5

Baby Back Ribs

Prep Time:
8 Hrs

Cook Time:
2 Hrs 30 Min

Ready In:
10 Hrs 30 Min

Ingredients (copy and paste ingredients here to find the best deals!)

2 pounds pork baby back ribs

1 (18 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce

Directions

Tear off 4 pieces of aluminum foil big enough to enclose each portion of ribs. Spray each piece of foil with vegetable cooking spray. Brush the ribs liberally with barbeque sauce and place each portion in its own piece of foil. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).

Bake ribs wrapped tightly in the foil at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 2 1/2 hours. Remove from foil and add more sauce, if desired.

Boston Baked Beans

Prep Time:
30 Min

Cook Time:
4 Hrs

Ready In:
5 Hrs

Ingredients (copy and paste ingredients here to find the best deals!)

2 cups navy beans

1/2 pound bacon

1 onion, finely diced

3 tablespoons molasses

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

Directions

Soak beans overnight in cold water. Simmer the beans in the same water until tender, approximately 1 to 2 hours. Drain and reserve the liquid.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Arrange the beans in a 2 quart bean pot or casserole dish by placing a portion of the beans in the bottom of dish, and layering them with bacon and onion.

In a saucepan, combine molasses, salt, pepper, dry mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and pour over beans. Pour in just enough of the reserved bean water to cover the beans. Cover the dish with a lid or aluminum foil.

Bake for 3 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until beans are tender. Remove the lid about halfway through cooking, and add more liquid if necessary to prevent the beans from getting too dry.

Meal 6

Ingredients (copy and paste ingredients here to find the best deals!)

12 whole Chicken Thighs, Bone-in, Skin-on

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Butter

1 whole Yellow Onion, Diced

1-1/2 cup Whiskey

12 ounces, fluid Barbecue Sauce

1 jar Peach Preserves

1/2 cup Water

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

4 cloves Garlic, Peeled

3 whole Green Onions, Sliced Thin

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Heat oil and butter in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Place chicken thighs, four at a time, in the pot, skin side down. Brown both sides, then remove to a plate and repeat until all chicken is browned.

Pour off half the grease, then return pan to stove. Add onions to pan and stir, cooking for 2 minutes. Pour whiskey into the pot, being very careful if you're using an open flame. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan, allowing whiskey to reduce for a minute or two. Pour in barbecue sauce, peach preserves, water, and Worcestershire sauce. Throw in garlic cloves. Stir until combined, then return chicken to the pot, skin side up. Cover and put pot in oven.

Cook for 1 1/2 hours, then remove from oven.

Serve pieces of chicken over a big pile of smashed potatoes. Sprinkle sliced green onions over the top.

Blowing the dust off a wedding dress

2011-10-06T09:35:00.001-04:00

I've been M.I.A. the past two days! I wish I had some cool reason why, like I was feeding the hungry or wrestling alligators, but I wasn't. No, I was doing my second least favorite thing in the world (the first being cleaning pee off the toilet seat)- the laundry!

My laundry situation is the perfect storm- I have a very small laundry room, four kids and no ambition. Alone those three things can be overcome. Put them all together and you have a disaster and that exactly what was happening in my laundry room this week! So I took two days, yes two, to do my laundry, fold it and put it away. Score one for me!

Now that it's all finished, I can move on to my next project- fixing up my wedding dress for a fun photo shoot that I have scheduled for two weeks from now. I am so excited! The idea of the shoot is Trash the Dress. You wear your wedding dress in potentially dirty situations and have your picture taken. All right I'm not the best at explaining this so I'll show you an example of my very talented friend Nathan Desch's work. Here are some friends of mine in their photo shoots:

Aren't those ladies beautiful? I really have gorgeous friends, don't I? Anyway, my photo shoot is two weeks away and I'm preparing to fit back into my dress. HA HA! Yeah it's not a pretty sight.

Okay I'm not going to sit here and complain about how fat I am, because I know I'm a slight person with Dolly Parton-sized boobs and NO butt- true story! I look at that dress though and I think was I really ever that small? You have to understand, two months after that picture below was taken, I was with child and four kids later it never was quite the same!

So in my research I found that I can add a corset back to my dress so that I can fit back into it! This should be interesting. Also interesting was the amount of stains all over the front of my dress when I pulled it out of the storage box:

I have no idea what that is or why the dry cleaner wasn't able to get it out. I guess I spilled wine or something. I'm such a winebibber.

Stayed tuned to see how it turns out!