New Project: Chalkboard Cabinet Door

In my opinion coming home from work only to try to figure out what to make for dinner is one of the worst things ever. Your brain is fried, you're tired and no one can decide what they want. The only way that I can prevent this from happening is to plan a menu, buy groceries according to the menu (so that we have everything we need) and post it so that Brandon can see what we'll be having for the next two weeks.

The problem is I write my menu on my grocery list. And my grocery list goes in my purse.....or in my pocket.....or in my coupon holder. And it almost never gets posted right away. In a morning rush this is the conversation between myself and the hubs:

Him: "What should I take out for dinner tonight?"
Me: "I don't know."
Him: "Well what's on the list?"
Me: "I can't remember.
Him: "Well, where is it?"
Me: "Ummm, I'm not sure right now."

SO, in order to avoid all of this, and since I have this newly painted kitchen which I am organizing and prettying, I decided to paint the inside of one of our cupboards with chalkboard paint. I can write out the menu after I have it done and there will be no question as to where it is. Also, we can cross off the ones we've already had so we don't end up having the same thing twice in one week (it's happened).

First Brandon had to sand down the inside of the door. Then I wanted to tape off a border for two reasons;, 1) for decorative purposes, and 2) so that I didn't have to worry about the screw from the knob or the hinges. First, I measured two inches in all the way around and made small marks to make sure the tape was straight.

Next I taped off the border:

Then, in order to prevent those nasty paint leaks under the tape, I painted the tape line with a clear acrylic. This is the kind we had at home already:

As soon as the clear acrylic was dry I got to start painting the chalkboard. After the first coat it was clear a few more were needed.

After the third coat was dry I pulled the tape off and low and behold there was a beautiful new chalkboard!

After you paint the chalkboard you have to wait three days before you apply any chalk so today I got to condition it and start using it. You condition the chalkboard by rubbing a white piece of chalk all over the board and then wiping it off with the eraser. This preps the board so that it erases easier in the future. Finally, I got to write my menu on the board!

Since we often also have a handful of recipes from magazines and we have another cabinet right next door that will fully open when the menu door is fully open, I had Brandon attach a clip so that the new recipes (as well as the old ones) would all be in one place and ready to use. As a bonus, we often do our prepping on this part of the counter so we can actually just put the current recipe in the front of the pile and work off it while it hangs from the clip.

So excited to have another organizing project done! Having a routine and a specific place for stuff makes me very happy!

New Project: Conquer Kitchen Counter Mess!

Like I'm sure many of you can sympathize with, our kitchen counter top is a catchall for all kinds of stuff: mail, kids binders, newspapers, keys, dishes, food, etc. It seems like no matter what we do we cannot keep stuff off that counter!

While thinking creatively about my kitchen and pantry re-organization I decided to tackle this as well. We have this blank wall next to the back door where I used to have a little chalkboard hung up. We never used it and the little shelf it had was just a dust collector. So down it went. I was at Marshall's one day and found a wall hanging for office organization that immediately gave me inspiration for this space. So I bought it, brought it home and hung it on the wall.

It fit perfect and it fits over the phone outlet nicely so that once filled, you will not see that ugly thing anymore.

On the same shopping trip with Tonya and Heather, Tonya found these super cute frames at Kohl's that have a magnetic space on them. I decided I would get one to go with each of the baskets and add pictures of us. A little bit decorative but still useful - I love it!

My handy hubby was nice enough to install them for me so that they would be securely fastened to the wall.

Look! He even has the construction worker shirt!

It was looking so good. I debated about what kind of system I wanted for the baskets and decided that file folders would be the most functional for us and they fit right into the baskets. So I ran to Staple's since I knew they carried pretty file folders. I had a hard time finding semi-boyish folders for Logan but I managed to find one with blue polka dots and one with little sunbursts.

Next, I had to put my graphic design skills to work to finish up the project and make everything look pretty. I created labels to put on the file folders. I decided that the kids would have 2 folders, 1 labeled "School", and the other "To-Do". In the school folder I added 2" fasteners and attached their syllabi's, their lunch number information, and any other notes from the school. Any homework papers, project descriptions or other papers that will be vacating the folder in the next couple weeks are loose in the folder. The categories I used for Brandon and I are: New Mail, Ready to File, Bills, and Miscellaneous.

I also purchased a planner to keep in our basket with the family calendar. We always have a hard time remembering what's going on, especially with my sometimes crazy schedule. Also, I was tired of the calendar inside the cabinet door. The planner calendar allows us to look at the month at a glance and then if there is something that requires more explanation we can write it in the daily pages that follow the monthly calendar

For the final touches I had to create the labels for the front of the baskets. I kept it with the same theme as the labels I made for the folder labels.

WaLa! I'm proud of myself for finishing a project and I LOVE the way it looks. So far we've been good about using the system and our counter top (with the exception of the work we've been doing on the science project) has been clear!

My next additions to this piece of the wall are chore sheets for the kids magnetic boards and an important number list to have near the phone. Soon!

Creamy Gorgonzola Fettucine

Creamy Gorgonzola Fettuccine

16 oz. fettuccine

6 c. roasted asparagus

4 tsp. olive oil

8 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

1 c. heavy cream

1.5 c. milk

1/2 c. cream cheese, cut into cubes

1/2 tsp salt

5 oz. Gorgonzola

2/3 c. walnuts

To Roast Asparagus:

1. Cut asparagus into 3" lengths. Put asparagus into a large Ziploc bag with 2 tsp. olive oil and 2 cloves of chopped garlic. Toss to coat.

2. Spread asparagus on a broiling pan and put in the oven at 425 degrees for approximately 15-20 minutes or until tender.

While the asparagus is roasting:

1. Measure milk and heavy cream and put into a separate bowl.

2. Add the remaining olive oil in a saucepan and warm over medium heat. Add remaining garlic and cook until soft and fragrant. Add contents of pan to milk/cream mixture.

3. In the meantime bring a pot of water to boiling to cook the noodles.

4. In the same saucepan melt butter and add flour to create a roux. Slowly whisk in the milk mixture and cook over medium heat until thickened (approximately 7-10 minutes)

5. Once sauce has thickened add cream cheese and stir until melted.

6. Add salt and 4 oz. of the Gorgonzola, simmer until noodles are done cooking.

7. When the noodles are finished, drain and separate into individual bowls. Top with roasted asparagus, then sauce. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and the remaining Gorgonzola cheese.

This was so yummy tonight I had to share. The sauce has a pretty subtle Gorgonzola taste so if the kiddos don't like the strong taste of that cheese they should still like this dinner. I just don't sprinkle theirs with the extra Gorgonzola.

Yeah buddy!

Menu #4 of 2012

With the kitchen renno underway these last few weeks our eating schedule has been less than routine. We are now at the point that we only have the flooring left (Hello, Home Depot, any day now?!!) and so the dining room table is clear and we can cook in the kitchen.

In the last two week menu Brandon and I seemed to have a hard time taking meat out of the freezer in the morning and so we have a few carryovers from the last menu. It seems like this is a pretty typical thing for us. For one of the night's Brandon couldn't find the recipe and so he made us a new recipe out of an existing cookbook for sweet-n-sour pork. It was delicious. He did a great job. The Greens & Grains Torta that we tried? Not so hot. It was everything I could do to keep a straight face eating it while the kids gagged it down. Needless to say, that one went directly to the trash.

Here are is the new menu. Like always, if you would like a recipe let me know. I promise I will try to be better at getting them to you right away. I've started a Reedy Family Cookbook and am creating an online document to keep our recipes so it will be easier to copy & paste & send!

• Ginger Pork & Broccoli
• BBQ Chicken Quesadillas (new recipe)
• Tortellini Meatball Soup (new recipe)
• Clam Chowder
• Egg Bake
• Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Sammies - Jicama slaw (new recipe)
• Creamy Gorgonzola Fettuccine
• Pork Chops with Mushroom Gravy - Fried Potatoes - Broccoli & Cauliflower
• Steak Fajitas - Mexican Rice - Refried Beans
• Turkey Chili
• Tuna Melts
• Whole Chicken stuffed with garlic cloves & rosemary - Veggie Rice - Corn
• Beef Wasabi Tacos - Fried Rice (new recipe)
• Olive Garden Chicken Marsala (here's hoping this is close to theirs)

I'm late submitting this so we've already tried the Ginger Pork & Broccoli. It was a good concept but way too overpowering with the soy sauce. There are so many other stir fry's that are better that recipe made its way to the garbage. Tonight we are having Creamy Gorgonzola Fettuccine. This is one of Brandon and I's favorite meals. It is vegetarian which we try to fit in at least once a week and it features garlic roasted asparagus. Yummy!

Rockin' Chicken Chili

My poor friend Jennifer has been waiting for this recipe for forever...or at least since November. :)

Here you go, the best Chicken Chili I've ever had.

Ingredients:
6 tbsp butter
2-3 lbs. chicken breast, cubed
1/4 c. flour
1/2 medium sweet onion, chopped small
1/2 medium red onion, chopped small
1/2 c. bell pepper - I like to use yellow and red
2 c. chicken broth
1 c. half-and-half
1 tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground chipotle chili powder (more if you like it spicier)
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
2 (14.5 oz) cans of small white beans, drained and rinsed
1 small can of mild green chiles
1/2 c. mexican sour cream
grated cheese (cheddar or pepper jack are good) & cilantro for garnish

Directions
1. In a large pot melt 3 tbsp. butter over medium high heat. Brown the chicken until browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove to separate bowl leaving any liquid in the pot.

2. Add remaining butter to pot and melt. Stir in the flour until well mixed. Add onions and peppers and cook for approximately 1 minute, stirring constantly.

3. Add the chicken broth and half-and-half. Lower heat and cook until thickens, approximately 5-10 minutes.

4. Add all spices, season with salt & black pepper. Stir and cook for 5 minutes

5. Add the white beans, chiles (with the liquid they are packed in) and chicken. Simmer for approximately 10 minutes.

6. Just before serving stir in sour cream and heat through. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with cheese and cilantro.

I have to have a Moshi Monster!

The other day I found myself having a very serious conversation with my children about the importance of carefully choosing your username and passwords. It is important. They require some consideration and I have to be aware of their choices as well so that I can monitor what they are doing online. But it seems like such a funny conversation since I don't really have anything to compare it to in my childhood.

Let me first say that they know that they are not allowed to create any account online without our permission. As far as I know they haven't broken this rule. (I am pretty sure Lilly won't anytime soon as her internet privileges are sacred to her - God forbid she not get to watch a YouTube video of Justin Bieber!) The problem is that I've given them permission on a couple of occasions when I was busy doing something else and wasn't paying enough attention and they've set up their own accounts. Later, when we were talking about their accounts I asked them about their usernames and passwords. To put it simply, they have no clue.

To them they are just looking for something that they will remember. They don't understand that there could potentially be crazy, effed up people creeping around a website designed for little kids to "own" a monster. They are kids. They see the best in people.They are still innocent and don't fully understand some of the crazy stuff that happens in this world. And so they use some conglomeration of their names. To which this parent responds, "AHHHHHH!"

And so we talked. We discussed (in elementary school age language) the importance of having a somewhat oddball username and password. We discussed not EVER giving your password to anybody, even your best friend. We tried to figure out how to cancel their accounts so that they could start fresh with more secure screen names.

When I was a kid we talked about people calling the house when my Mom and Dad weren't home. We talked about what to do if someone knocks on the door when no one else is home. The Internet didn't come to my house until I was about 15. And it was dial up. And it was limited. It was nowhere near the crazy place it is today.

I still teach my kids those lessons my folks taught me. They know how to answer the phone and not state that we aren't here. They know that they are not to open the door for anyone. And now they know that they have to come up with some concoction of initials, their favorite pets names and their Webkinz pets birthdays to come up with a username and password.

Gosh, sometimes this parenting thing is hard! You just can't think of it all ahead of time and plan it all out. There's so much thinking and making decisions on the fly.

Have any of you had problems with this?

Score!

Like many women I love to shop. I also like to find GREAT bargains. I'm not one to ever pay full price for anything. I have been known to walk out of Macy's with a mini-wardrobe that I gleefully only used my $50 birthday gift card to purchase. I swear some of my friends go shopping with me for my bargain karma.

Today I stopped at Kohl's to get a pair of tights. I was one of the lucky ones who got a 30% off coupon in the last ad so I knew I wouldn't be able to get a better deal anywhere else. Turns out they were having their "Gold Star Clearance" event and everything on clearance was an additional 25% off! Woohoo! I really restrained myself though and even as I poked through every clearance rack in the store I kept telling myself, "You don't need that. You don't need that. Even if it is only $5.60!"

Here's the loot I walked away with:

I got my tights, and I also got a flower for my hair, a cute black ruffly cardi, a pair of panties for Lil and the Converse sneakers Lil has been eyeing since before school. My total bill? $12.94!!! Everything I bought (minus the tights) was on clearance so it was an additional 25% off, then they took my additional 30% coupon off, then I had $10 Kohl's cash from a shopping trip earlier this week. I saved $109.87 according to the receipt.

A good bargain is a thing of beauty. And it often makes the things I virtually got for free some of my favorites!