The Uncleaners (Sorry this one is kinda long but good)

"Insanity is hereditary.  You can get it form your children" -Sam Levenson

Many women find the effort spent in trying to motivate a family to do their part of the household chores is often more energy-draining and tiring than doing them ourselves.  It is a major cleaning problem in most women's lives, and the only way it can be handled is with psychological muscles.

Oh how we wished that there really was a little man who rowed around in the toilet tank.  We would instruct him to scream at the little ones as they were leaving the bathroom,  "Don't forget to flush!" That giant sized, bald headed jinni in the liquid cleaner commercials could have come in handy to to pop in every morning and intimidate the kids into making their beds.  But most of all, think of having a ssparkling knight on a white charger always trotting down the street to remind your husband that if you stumble over those cast iron work boots in the front room one more time, there is an alternative (Of course, it would be worse to run off with the knight. Can you imagine polishing that gold plated armor, everyday, scrubbing down a mangy horse, and bleaching his mud splattered doublet and hose: The grass isn't always greener on the other side, especially if horse droppings are doing the fertilizing.)

"Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing, is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing"- Phyllis Diller

Like so many other mothers, I peeked in at my sleeping children at nap time and thought how peaceful and angelic they looked while they slept.  I had to run over to the neighbors to return a borrowed item, so I quietly slipped out of the house for a few moments.  When I returned there was a layer of extra small Styrofoam balls cover the family room.  I ran in a panic.  The little balls were stuck to every everything and you couldn't even wipe them off because of the static electricity.

As I was tryings to stay calm I said "What are you doing?"

The boys answered we just wanted it to snow.

Come to find out what those little balls were our of was a neck pillow that they cut open.

Instead of screaming and yelling at the boys I was furious at this point because I spent all day cleaning house, I call my poor husband at work.  He answered and before he could say anything, I said I am going to yell at you but you didn't do anything wrong, it is best I take it out on your instead of beating your kids.  After I talked to him I calmed down and dealt with the kids. It took me a good 2 hours to clean it up. This was about 2 years ago and I am still finding those little balls when we move the couches and stuff they just fall out.  Now that I look back on it, I wish that I had allowed myself a little chuckle. Cursing or laughing, I still had to clean it up.

I have not found anyway to prevent children from having those "creative accidents," but I learned one thing that made me feel better about them.   Almost every cleaning disaster is humorous after a little time passes. 

"Before I got married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children and no theories" -Lord Rochester (1647-1680)

The messes that our children make are not the only challenge for a parent.  I hope it is an obvious fact that children need to learn how to work when they are very young.  It not only takes some of the burden from the household chores, but it makes children feel needed and important.  If a child is having trouble in school, on of the first things a wise teacher or psychologist will ask is, "Do you give him/her responsibilities at home?"

"The person hardest to convince they're at the retirement are are children at bedtime." Shannon Fife

David O. McKay once said, "Let us realize that the privilege to work is a gift, that power to work is a blessing, that love of work is success" Children need this gift to be successful and happy.  Parents can help them obtain it by whistling, singing, and smiling when they are doing their own work; inventing little games and rewards for their children on work day, and giving each child a job that he or she can accomplish with pride.

Some parents keep a job chart.  One of my friend's daughters has a job dart board.  The children throw the darts and whatever chore it hits is theirs for the day.  Another friend has a candy store in her bedroom.  Each chore is worth a certain number of points. When her children have finished their work, they can use their points to go shopping in the candy store. 

Rewards and games are fun, but remember that work has its own built in prizes as well.  Straightening Mom and Dad's shoes teaches a child to find pairs. Helping sort out the dirty laundry is a good time to learn colors.  While setting the table, a child learns to count.  Folding towels help exercise fine hand coordination, and vacuuming and sweeping builds up large motor coordination.  Children take pride in these skills as well as in their work.

"By the time the youngest children have learned to keep the place tidy, the oldest grandchildren are on hand to tear it to pieces again." Christopher Morley

There are always favorite chores and chores that children consider nasty.  Most children love to dust or to spray windows and mirrors and wipe fingerprints away.  These tasks hold a kind of magic for children of the "now you see it, now you don't" variety.  Cleaning the bedroom, however, seems to be the most tedious and hated job for any child.  Clothes never land in the hamper if it has a lid.  Try using a new tall round garbage pail for dirty clothes.  Make a game of throwing the clothes like a basketball or football into the target.  If you or your husband are handy, you could even install a hoop above the hamper. Both boys and girls really go for this. 

"Bachelors' wives and old maids' children are always perfect."  S.R.N. Chamfort

Beds should be as simple as possible to make.  The fancy, frilly coverlet is really not all that necessary at first. In the summer, a single sheet has to be pulled over the pillow is quite sufficient.  In winter an added quilt isn't too difficult even for a preschooler to manage.  At first, it may not look as good as you would like it to, but remember that a child is proud of any little accomplishment. Don't shatter their world by doing it over for them or by being critical of their efforts. 

With luck, you can get your children motivated by work charts, games, and humor.  When these things do not move them, however, I still believe that at times a child to be raised "from the bottom up."

"To bring a child up in the way he should go, travel that way yourself once in a while." Josh Billings

Putting Housework in its place

Don't make a clean house more important than you.  A housewife should take time for herself everyday and do something that the kids, the dog, and the husband cannot undo.  That is why I do this blog.  It is more for me to just do something I love beside being a mom and a wife.  Read good book, take a walk, enjoy a hobby-don't feel guilty about it.  A short period of mental or physical recreation is as refreshing as a vacation (sometimes it is even more refreshing because you don't have to spend a week in a small car with screaming kids.)  Do not save your life for that day in the distant future when you will have the time.  The savings that are deposited in a time bank are not insured against sickness, disaster, or death. 

"The time that you enjoy wasting is not wasted time" Laurence J. Peter



And finally, never a structure of wood and brick take priority over people.  Enjoy a good laugh when your toddler escapes from the bathtub and runs through the house naked, even if he is dripping water on your newly mopped floor.  Don't be afraid of messing up the kitchen to prepare your husband's favorite foods or bake cookies for the kids.  Greet your unexpected company with open arms and big smiles and forget about the dirty underwear festooning the bathroom.  Wring every moment out of these times and hundreds more like them.  Long after the fun and laughter have died down and the dinner table is quiet (a blessing every mother hopes for, but doesn't enjoy all that much when it is a permanent guest), the housework will still be there-always beckoning, calling, demanding.

"Never hurry and don't worry. You're here for just a short visit, so don't forget to stop and smell the flowers."

New Website

I was on the Internet the other day and found a great new website, it is soap.com.  It is really great. If you guys are like me I hate having to buy laundry soap, cleaning supplies and makeup, because they are SO expensive. This website has great deals on lots of different things.  Everything from pest control, to organic products.  They have reasonable prices.  They also have quick delivery.  They off free shipping if you spend a very little and it is here in 1 to 2 business days.  It is great.  Go check it out.

Stuffed Chicken Breast

Ingredients:

Chicken Breasts
Bag of Baby Spinach
About 2 pounds mushrooms, sliced
4 Green onions, sliced
2 Cloves garlic, minced
Mozzarella Cheese

In a pan heat some extra virgin olive oil put mushrooms, garlic, and green onions in a pan. Don't salt and pepper yet. If you season the mushrooms before they are browned, it will pulll the juices out and just not brown.  After the mushrooms are browned, wilt the spinach in. 

Butterfly the chicken breasts salt and pepper the inside.  Fill the chicken with the filling and sprinkle with cheese, fold over and season again.  Place on a foil lined cookie sheet.  Bake at 375* until juice run clear. 

I served it will Stove Top Stuffing, which is my favorite.  Enjoy!!!

Cheese Meat

Tonight I cooked cheese meat for dinner.  It is a recipe I got from my husband's mom.  It is really simple and you can either cook it in the oven or in a crock pot.

Ingredients:
1 package round steaks, cut into small pieces like 4 inch pieces
3 Cans cream of mushroom soup
Cheddar cheese shredded

In a pan or a crock pot place round steaks in the bottom.  In a bowl combine soup, cheese and a splash of milk.  Mix it all together and dump on top of the meat.  Cook it on low in the crock pot or on 300* for 2 hours. 

I cook baked potatoes with it and the cheese sauce with the meat, we put it on top of the potatoes and serve with a biscuit. 

It is really good and easy to make. 

More Food Tips

Sorry everyone I have been on vacation and haven't been able to update it. 

·         When cooking oatmeal, coat the kettle with nonstick cooking spray.  It keeps the oatmeal from boiling over and sticking to the kettle.

·         Before party guest arrive, scoop ice cream into muffin tins lined with cupcake liners and refreeze.  You won’t have to fuss later when serving cake.

·         Pour cool broth from meat or poultry into a glass jar with a secure lid; refrigerate upside down.  The fat will harden and remain in the jar when you pour out the liquid to use in recipes.

·         To keep marshmallows from turning hard, store them in the freezer.  When thawed, they’re like fresh.

·         To thinly slice meat, first partially freeze meat.  Then use a sharp knife to cut across the grain.

·         When selecting fresh pork, look for bright pink color and choose meat that has a high proportion of meat to fat.  Avoid fresh pork that appears grace in color.

·         When preparing pasta salads always remember to rinse the cooked pasta under cool running water to prevent it from becoming gummy.  But for hot pastas that are served with sauces, then sauce will cling better if you don’t rinse the cooked pasta.

·         If dried bean soup recipe calls for tomato, lemon juice, or vinegar, add it after the beans are tender.  Otherwise, acid  in those ingredients will delay softening of the beans.

·         Keep a quart size freezer container handy for leftover vegetables.  Add them layer by layer and store in the freezer until ready to make homemade vegetable soup.  Its amazing how quickly

these “useless” bits will add up to make a delicious soup.

·         Goof-Proof Gelatin, when layer gelatin, refrigerate each layer until the gelatin is set, but no firm, before adding the next layer.  An easy way to add the next flavor of gelatin without disturbing the previous layer is to gently spoon rather than pour, each layer onto the previous layer of gelatin.

·         How to Caramelize Onions

Slice root and top off onion; cut in half.  Peel and slice.  Use a large heavy skillet so the onions are not crowded.  Heat oil in the pan over medium heat; add the onions and stir to coat. 

Cook onions, stirring occasionally from the bottom every 5 minutes. Once onions begin to brown, reduce heat.  Continue cooking 20-30 minutes, stirring every 2-5 minutes until onions are golden brown, adding more oil if needed.

When onions reach their desired color, remove from heat to stop cooking. Sprinkle onions with salt, pepper and sugar to enhance flavors if desired.

·         Make extra caramelized onions to keep on hand in the fridge for 3 to 4 weeks or freezer up to 3 months to dress up soups, salads, sandwiches and dips in a flash.

·         Proofing Yeast:  To make sure active dry yeast (not quick rise yeast) is alive and active, you may first want to proof it.

Here’s how:

Dissolve one package of yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in ¼ cup warm water (110-115 degrees) Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.  If the mixture foams up, the yeast mixture can be used because it’s active.  If it doesn’t foam, the yeast should be discarded, and you’ll need to proof another package.

Spring and Fall Cleaning

A time seems to come in every woman's life when she gets an uncontrollable urge to giver her house a thorough cleaning.  Heaven help her, because no one else usually will!  Many women still follow the old fashioned spring and fall schedule.  Spring cleaning was unavoidable many years ago when coal stoves were used all winter long, coating everything with a thick, greasy dirt.  Fall cleaning had to be taken on because the windows were open all summer long, letting the dust sift and settle throughout the house.  They both could have been abandoned when air conditioners and central heating were installed.  This tradition is especially a burden to women who work outside the home.  There just isn't enough time to tackle this HUGE job, unless you use your vacation days. 
A modern woman alternative is to clean one room thoroughly at least once a month.  It is easier to remember to do this if the same day is scheduled for cleaning.
Rooms with a stove or fireplace should still be cleaned in the spring.  The kitchen is the biggest job and usually takes two days to do.  It needs to be cleaned about every 6 months because cooking spreads greasy dirt on everything.  Bathrooms may also need to be thoroughly cleaned every 6 months if there is a problem with mold and mildew.
You can use an ancient method to determine what room to clean each month.  You look around the house and decide which room is absolutely driving you crazy, then start tearing it apart.

"Women's minds are cleaner than men's- they change them more often." -Oliver Herford

Start with closet and throw away or give away clutter.  Wash the shelves and then reorganize the remaining contents.  If you are working in a bedroom, pull off the blankets, mattress pads, and pillows and run them through the dryer on the air fluff cycle.  Turn over the mattress.  Regardless of where you are cleaning, move all the furniture to one side of the room, then work on the empty side.   Vacuum the curtains, blinds or sheer curtains or put them in the dryer.  Some types of sheers should be washed.  While the curtains are down, scrub the walls and mop boards.  Use the crevice tool on the vacuum cleaner to clean the edges of the carpet and the baseboard, then vacuum or sweep the floor.  I don't scrub the portions of the carpets that have been under heavy furniture because they are protected from traffic and dirt.  The only exception to this is a dirty ring on the carpet around the heat or air vent.  If the room is uncarpeted, the floors should be washed. 
When the floor is dry, move all the furniture to the clean side of the room and repeat the process.
After the furniture is back in order, vacuum the couches and chairs thoroughly.  If the seat cushions or back cushions are removable, vacuum the tops, bottoms and sides and the area under the cushions.  Use the crevice tool to vacuum around the upholstery buttons and tucks and down in the crevices.
Give all the wood furniture a good cleaning.  Pull out the drawers and vacuum or dust the casing.  These dark corners make luxurious nests for spider families.
Wash the chandeliers, light fixtures, and windows and finally scrub the middle of the floor. 

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!

I am one that really thinks Valentines is kind of a stupid holiday.  I don't we should just show love 1 day a year to the ones we love, we should show it all year around.  I did get 2 dozen of beautiful roses and chocolate from my hubby.
Tonight for Valentines I want my 3 boys to know that Valentines is special for some girls so I made a candle light 3 course dinner for them.  I set the table kinda fancy and served them dinner a course at a time.

The first course Salad
Main Course Chicken, Broccoli, Mushroom Alfredo and Garlic bread
Dessert: Brownie Sundaes

My oldest Trey just kept saying this is really fancy Mom, thanks for doing this.  He is so sweet.

The recipe for the Alfredo

10oz Package fettuccine noodles
1 1/3 Cup whipping cream
2/3 Cup milk
1/3 Cup butter
1/4 Teaspoon oregano
1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 Teaspoon pepper
1/4 Teaspoon salt
1/3 Cup Parmesan cheese

Mix cream, milk, and butter in a large skillet.  Add oregano, garlic powder, pepper, and salt.  Bring to a boil and then simmer until sauce is decreased by half and thickened.  Stir in parmesan cheese. I add in cooked cubed chicken, steammed broccoli and mushrooms.

Cheap and Super Easy Dinner

My boys seen these on TV last week and having been dying for my to make them.  So tonight I needed some quick and easy to make for dinner.

 

Crescent Pizza Rolls

 

1 can (8 oz) Crescent dinner rolls

1/4 cup pizza sauce

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup sliced pepperoni (24 slices)

1 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese

 

Heat oven to 375°F. Unroll dough on cookie sheet and separate into 4 rectangles; press each into 6x4-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal. Spread 1 tablespoon pizza sauce on half of each rectangle to within 1 inch of edge. Sprinkle each with 3 tablespoons cheese; top with 6 slices pepperoni. Fold dough diagonally over filling; firmly press edges with fork to seal. Sprinkle each triangle with 1/4 teaspoon grated cheese. With fork, prick top of each to allow steam to escape.

Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until deep golden brown. Serve warm.

I just added some sauce for dipping because my littlest one loves to dip, some peas and carrots and peaches. To complete the meal.  It was a huge hit.  The only thing I would change about the recipe is add more to the filling of the pizza pockets.  The recipe doesn't have you add very much so it is more bread than filling.

Valentine's Day Treats

This year for Valentine's Day I made these treats for all of my boys' teachers.  I normally don't do this but I didn't get to do Christmas Gifts with the mess up the snow day. 
On the plate I have 2 Mini Red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting with a strawberry slice, chocolate bon bons with coconut and powdered sugar, vanilla bon bon with coconut and powdered sugar and 2 fortune cookies. 

Here are the recipes. 

Red Velvet Cupcake:

1 1/4 Cup cake flour
1/4 Cup cocoa powder
1/2 Teaspoon baking soda
1/2 Teaspoon baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1 Stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 Cup sugar
2 Eggs
1/3 Cup vegetable oil
1/2 Cup buttermilk
1 Teaspoon white vinegar
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1 Ounce red food coloring gel

Cream cheese frosting
4 oz Cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 Stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 Teaspoon vanilla
3 Cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.  Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl using hand half electric beater, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vegetable oil and beat well, then add buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, and food coloring; beat until just combined.  Add dry ingredients to the wet and blend until smooth and thoroughly combined.  Fill muffin tins and bake 13-15 minutes.

Frosting:
Cream butter and cream cheese together.  Mix in vanilla and powdered sugar.

Bon Bons:
1 Dark chocolate cake mix
1 16oz Dark chocolate frosting
Chocolate sprinkles, cocoa, cinnamon, powdered sugar, coconut  or crushed walnuts
Prepare cake mix according to directions.  Cool, crumble cake into large bowl and stir in frosting completely.  Form each bon bon into a bite size ball and place on parchment paper lined tray.  Cover with plastic and freeze for at least 1 hour.  Let bon bons sit at room temperature until outside is barely tacky.  Roll each ball in your choice of coating.

You can do the same with any cake mix and the same flavor of icing.  I did it with a white cake mix and vanilla frosting.

Mrs. Stewart's Liquid Bluing

I recently was told about this stuff that makes your whites really really white, so I decided to try it.  It is called Mrs. Stewart's Liquid Bluing.  The only problem is that I tried it on all my boys' socks because they get so dirty on the bottom for some reason.  I have the new front load washer and dryers and I wasn't quite sure which section to put it in. I put it in the liquid bleach part and it quite didn't work it turned all my socks a spotted blue, but I rewashed them and they came clean and they were so white.   Next time I will put it in with my laundry soap and probably not as much as I did the last time. 

I would recommend using this over bleach, it made everything whiter and brighter.  Just be very careful of how much you use and where you are putting it in the washer compartments.

The Quick Once Over

There are several things that stick out like a piece of black raisin caught in your front tooth:
1. YOU: Many women like to clean house in an old bathrobe, but getting caught that way at eleven in the morning can ruin the effect of all your hard work.  So get dressed and make yourself presentable before you start the cleaning.  Then if a neighbor or salesperson stops by before you have things in order, you can at least close the door behind you and talk to them outside, and they won't be left with an impression of sloppiness. 
This one tip I really need to work on.  I normally start out by cleaning then shower and get dressed for the day after all my house work is finished.

2.  FRONT HALL AND LIVING ROOM: These are the first the areas that need to be attended to each day.  Pay special attention to dirty windows, finger smudges on walls and doors, dust furniture, and an unvacuumed carpet or dull and dirty floors. I have always been told that these things are the signature of a poor housekeeper, but sometimes they are also the trophy of a busy mother with small children to care for or a working mother who comes home tired at the end of the day.  Still, they make a house look unclean and gloomy.

"The FBI has more than 10 million fingerprints. So has every home with two or more kids in it."

3.  COBWEBS:  I hate to walk into a house and see cobwebs.  Like magic, they appear in the middle of nowhere just in time to sweep down and hit some finicky lady in the face.  You can De-cobweb a three story house in about 20 minutes.  Put a damp towel or rag over a broom and brush away.  If you have a rough ceiling, then really wet the rag.  For hard-to-reach places, put an old sock or pillow case over a yardstick or broom handle and secure it with an elastic band.  If you try to do the job with your vacuum cleaner, it will probably never get done and if you do find time, it will take hours.

4. CLUTTER: There are two types of clutter.  The first is the kind that children make with their toys and paper cuttings and story books.  Never worry about this kind of clutter.  As the years go by it will cure itself all too soon. 

The second type is adult clutter.  If you haven't used something within the last three years, get rid of it.  Let it clutter up someone else's house.  Take all the broken and "someday" projects that you have been meaning to fix or do, the Tupperware that has been sitting around because you melted the lids in the dishwasher, out of the cupboard and store them somewhere else.  Get rid of old newspapers and magazines.  If you haven't found time to read them yet, you never will.  Instead of building new closets or moving, try removing the outdated clothes from your closets.  A lady one day recommended this prescription to a doctor I was working for, and one day he rumbled up my driveway with a station wagon full of old clothes.  That year she made patchwork quilts and crayon aprons for all her children and grandchildren for Christmas.

"Clutter: Things that are worth saving but haven't been put away, deposited on top of things that are not worth saving but haven't been thrown away, which have settled next to things you aren't sure what to do with."  Jill C. Major

Valentine Treats

Chocolate Marshmallow Fondue

1 11oz Package butterscotch chips
4oz.  Unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 14oz Can sweetened condensed milk
1 7oz Jar marshmallow creme
1/4 Cup 2% milk
1/2 Cup flaked coconut
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
Fresh strawberries
Cubed Angel Food Cake

In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt butterscotch chips and chocolate; stir until smooth.  Stir in the condensed milk, marshmallow creme, and milk.  Microwave at 15 second intervals, stirring until smooth.  Stir in coconut and vanilla.  Keep warm.  Serve with strawberries and cake.

Did you know?
Wondering how whoopie pies got their name?  One story has it that Amish women prepared the tasty cookie sandwiches and tucked them into farmers' lunch boxes. When the farmers discovered the treat sensations after a long morning of hard work, they shouted, "WHOOPIE!"

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

2oz Semi sweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 Cup butter, softened
1 Cup sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon red food coloring
1 1/2 Teaspoon white vinegar
1 Teaspoon clear vanilla extract
2 1/4 Cups all purpose flour
1/4 Cup baking cocoa
2 Teaspoon baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/4 Baking soda

Filling:
1 8oz Package cream cheese, softened
1/2 Cup butter, softened
2 1/2 Cups confectioners' sugar
2 Teaspoon clear vanilla extract

In a microwave, melt chocolate; stir until smooth.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, sour cream, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.  Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.  Stir in melted chocolate.  Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart on parchment paper lined baking sheets.  Bake at 375* for 8-10 minutes or until edges are set.  Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.  For filling in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy.  Beat in confectioners sugar and vanilla until smooth.  Spread filling on bottoms of half of the cookies, about 1 tablespoon on each.  Top with remaining cookies.  Drizzle with melted baking chips and chocolate; sprinkle with nuts.  Store in the refrigerator. 

Fun Cooking Tips

Chop sweet red peppers, green peppers, and onions, put them in plastic containers and keep them in the fridge.  When you cook eggs, a stir fry, hamburgers or any recipe that calls for peppers or onions.  You can have them handy.  I like to using fresh veggies rather than frozen ones because they don't add so much extra moisture to the dish I am making.

It's helpful to freeze honey to keep it from crystallizing.  It will never freeze solid since the moisture content is low.  It will, however, become thick and sludgy until thawed to room temperature, when it should return to its original consistency.  When buying a large amount of honey, divide it into freezer-proof containers and freeze.  When needed, defrost at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Choosing an olive oil can be confusing.  Bottles simply labeled "olive oil" (also called pure olive oil) contain oil with up to 3% acidity.  It is usually a blend of refined olive oil and virgin or extra virgin oil.  It has a light color and mild flavor.  "Light" olive oil is also available.  "Light:" refers to the color and flavor, not its calorie content.  Light olive oil also contains up to 3% acidity.  It has gone through a fine filtration process, so it has a very milk flavor and light color.

For fast homemade freezer waffles, bake and cool on a wire rack; freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet.  When frozen, store in heavy duty freezer bags.  When ready to use, pop the waffles into the toaster or toaster oven to defrost and reheat. 

Opened cheese should be wrapped with waxed paper, then wrapped again with a tight seal of plastic wrap or foil.  Mozzarella cheese stored this way in the refrigerator will keep for several weeks.  If mold develops, trim off the mold plus 1/2 inch extra of cheese and discard it.  The rest of the cheese can be eaten.  High moisture cheeses such as cream cheese or cottage cheese should be discarded if they develop mold.

Chopping an ingredient before or after measuring it can make a difference in the outcome of the recipe.  Here's a trick that might help you remember.  If the word "chopped" comes before the ingredient when listed in a recipe, then chop the ingredient before measuring.  If the word "chopped" comes after the ingredient, then chop after measuring.  Using the example of "1 cup nuts, chopped" you should measure 1 cup of nuts and then chop them.

Light and dark brown sugar are both a mixture of granulated sugars and molasses.  Dark brown sugar contains more molasses than light brown sugar.  Light brown sugar has a delicate flavor, while dark brown sugar has a stronger, more intense molasses flavor.  They can be used interchangeably depending on your personal preferences.

More Superbowl Snacks

Mini Marinated Beef Skewers

1 beef top round steak about 1 pound
2 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon dry sherry
1 Teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 Cloves garlic,minced

Cut beef crosswise into 18 (1/8inch thick) slices.  Place in large resealable food storage bag.  Combine soy sauce, sherry, oil, and garlic in cup; pour over beef.  Seal bag; turn to coat.  Marinate in refrigerator at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
Preheat broiler.  Soak 18 (6inch) wooden skewers in water 20 minutes.  Drain beef; discard marinade.  Weave beef according style onto skewers.  Place on rack of broiler pan.
Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat 2 minutes.  Turn skewers over; broil 2 more minutes more or until beef is barely pink.  Garnish with cherry tomatoes and serve on lettuce lined platter.

Throw Together Short Ribs

1/3 Cup water
1/4 Cup tomato paste
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon prepared mustard
2 Teaspoon seasoned salt
2 Teaspoon cider vinegar
1 Teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Teaspoon beef bouillon granules
2 Pounds beef short ribs
1 Small tomato, chopped
1 Small onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon cold water

In a 3 quart slow cooker, combine the first 8 ingredients.  Add the ribs tomato and onions.  Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until meat is tender.
In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; gradually stir into cooking juices.  Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until thickened.

Get the kids in the kitchen!!

Here are some do's and dont's in the kitchen you can teach your kids.

1. No bumped heads, please! Always close cabinet doors.
2. Sharp knives seen not felt.  Always ask an adult to help you if you need to use a sharp knife.
3. Ouch! a burned finger! Remember to use hot pads.
4. Cutting boards are made for cutting-please don't use the counter or tabletop.
5. Use paper towels to wipe any spill-so nobody slips and falls.
6. Keep your work space neat.  You'll find it's easier to work when everything is in order.
7. Always remember to turn off the oven and burners when you are through cooking.
8. Before you start making any recipe, be sure to read it all the way through.  Check to see that you have all the ingredients, the right size pots and pans, and then begin.
9. When you are finished cooking, be sure to clean up and put everything back in its proper place.

Never a Flop

• Measure ingredients properly and accurately using standard measuring cups and spoons. 
• Bake at the temperature specified in the recipe.
• Use the size pan called for in the recipe
• Let ingredients sit at room temperature for a few minutes before using.

If you get your kids in the kitchen with you and let them help cook, they are more likely to eat a bigger variety of foods.  They think it is really cool how they can prepare and cook the foods.

Emergency Substitutions

• Bacon, cooked and crumbled, 1 slice = 1 tablespoon bottled bacon pieces
• Bread crumbs, dry 1/4 cup = 3/4 cup soft bread crumbs, 1/4 cup cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup cornflakes crumbs or 2/3 cup rolled oats
• Buttermilk, 1 cup = 1 Tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to make 1 cup (let stand 5 minutes before using)
• Cornstarch for thickening, 1 tablespoon = 2 tablespoons all purpose flour, or 2 teaspoon quick cooking tapioca
• Cream, heavy or whipping, 1 cup whipped and sweetened = 2 cups thawed frozen whipped topping
• Cream, sour, 1 cup = 1 cup plain yogurt
• Garlic, 1 clove = 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder or mince dried garlic or 1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
• Ginger, fresh, minced, 1 tablespoon = 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• Half and Half, 1 cup = 2 Tablespoons margarine or butter, melted plus enough milk to make 1 cup
• Herbs, fresh, snipped, 1 tablespoon = 1 Teaspoon dried herbs, crushed
• Honey, 1/4 cup = 1/4 Cup light corn syrup
• Margarine, 1 cup = 1 cup butter or 1 cup vegetable shortening plus 1/4 teaspoon salt, if desired
• Milk, fresh, whole, 1 cup = 1 cup 2%, 1% or skim milk, or 1/3 cup evaporated milk plus 1/2 cup water
• Mustard, prepared as a spread/dip, 1 tablespoon = 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard plus 2 teaspoon vinegar
• Onion, 1 small, chopped about 1/4 cup = 1 teaspoon onion powder or 1 tablespoon minced dry onion, rehydrate
• Pepper, ground red (cayenne), 1/8 teaspoon = 4 drops hot pepper sauce
• Poultry seasonings, 1 teaspoon = 3/4 teaspoon dried sage leaves, crushed, plus 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
• Sugar, granulated, 1/2 cup = 1/2 Cup packed brown sugar
• Zucchini, sliced 1 cup = 1 cup sliced summer squash

BBQ Beef Brisket

1 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon chili powder
1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 Teaspoon onion powder
1/4 Teaspoon celery seed
1/4 Teaspoon pepper
1 Fresh beef brisket 2 1/2lbs.

Sauce:
1/2 Cup ketchup
1/2 Cup chili sauce
1/4 Cup packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1 to 1 1/2 Teaspoon liquid smoke, optional
1/2 Teaspon ground mustard

In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients; rub over brisket.  Place in a slow cooker.  In a large bowl, combine the sauce ingredients.  Pour half over the brisket; set the remaining sauce aside.  Cover and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or until meat is tender.  Serve with the reserved sauce. 

I put a little bit of water in the cooker with the brisket so it doesn't dry out.  My family loves this brisket.  My hubby says it almost tastes as good as Famous Dave's brisket.

Superbowl Snacks

Baked Nachos

8 Corn tortillas, torn into large pieces
8oz Can cooked kidney beans
2 Large tomatoes, seeds removed and cut into a small dice
6oz Mozzarella cheese, torn into small pieces
6oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/4 Bunch fresh cilantro, chopped rough
Low fat sour cream

Preheat oven to 375*.  Arrange the torn pieces of tortillas on a baking sheet for 7 to 8 minutes or until tortillas are crispy.  Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.  On a oven safe serving tray or round baking sheet, lay a layer of tortilla crisps on the bottom.  Layer with the beans, tomatoes, cheeses and cilantro.  Add another layer of tortillas and repeat process until all ingredients are used.  Once the nachos are arranged, bake in the oven for 4 to5 minutes or until the cheeses are melted.  Serve with sour cream.

Salsa

1 Can Del Monte original recipe stewed tomatoes
1/2 Green pepper
1/4 Onion
Clove of garlic
1 Jalapeno with seeds
Season salt to taste
Oregano to taste
Fresh cilantro

Put all in a food processor and pulse until all blended. 

Mexican Cheese Dip

1/2 Cup grated cheese
1/2 Cup evaporated milk
1 Small can green chiles
1/8 Teaspoon onion salt
1 Pound Velveeta cheese
1 Medium tomato, chopped
1/8 Teaspoon garlic salt

Melt cheese on low heat.  Add milk and mix well.  Add remaining ingredients.

Southwestern Potato Skins

6 large baking potatoes, scrubbed
1/4 Pound ground beef
2/3 Cup water
1 Package taco seasoning mix
1/2 Cup sliced green onions
1 Tomato, chopped
1 (2 1/4oz) Can slice black olives, drained
1 (4oz) Cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Pierce potatoes with fork.  Microwave on high 30 minutes, turning over after 15 minutes; let cool.  Cut potatoes in half lengthwise, scoop out insides, leaving 1/4 inch shell.  Reserve potatoes insides for another use.  Brown ground beef in large skillet over medium high heat, stirring to break up meat.  Drain fat.  Stir in water and taco seasoning mix; bring to a boil. Reduce to low; cook uncovered 15 minutes.  Stir in green onions.  Preheat broiler.
Spoon meat mixture into potato shells; top with tomato, olives and cheese.  Place filled potato shells on baking sheet; broil until cheese is melted.  Top with dollop of quick taco dip.

Quick Taco Dip:
Combine 2 cups sour cream and 1 package taco seasoning mix in medium bowl; mix well.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Organizing Your Housecleaning

Remember that keeping a house is just not one skill; it is a combination of many, many skills.  Getting windows sparkling clean is a totally different skill from organizing cupboards efficiently.  Maintaining shiny floors is a separate skill from retaining the stain finish on wood furniture. 

First, make a list of all your housecleaning skills.  This doesn't help too much in becoming a better housekeeper, but it does cushion the shock of the next step a bit.

Second, make a list of your weaknesses or skill deficiencies.  Be honest, but not depressing.  Give yourself credit for partial conquests. 

Third, choose a realistic, easy goal from the second list.  Studies show that anytime you try to make a drastic change in your life the chance of failure is very high.  Failing makes the project more miserable and discouraging on the next try, so make your goal as simple and as precise as possible.  For example "I am going to vacuum the floor when it needs it instead of waiting until I know that company is coming." When you have worked this task into your routine, choose another goal.

Fourth, be patient with yourself. Becoming a better housekeeper takes knowledge and time.  The basic knowledge is found reading books or searching the Internet.  It will teach you total care of everything in your house.

Time, of course, is an individual matter, but most of us don't have enough of it.  Learn to be a very clever impostor, by following a basic housekeeping rule that compensates for the lack of time: Being every cleaning effort by attacking those areas that visitors will see first.   

"Housekeeping is like stringing beads with no knot in the end."

Welcome to my Blog!!!

Welcome to my blog.  I am doing this blog because I love to cook and try new recipes.  I am compiling recipes for a cookbook that I am making and just want some feedback on some of the recipes.  I will also be posting about tips and trick on cleaning and cooking.  I hope you enjoy it.