Category Archives: Homemaking

WFMW ~ Motivation to Get Going…

You can call this motivation to get going or an antidote to mild depression…

Step away from your computer and go find one of these in your house…

Now set it for 15 minutes. Walk to the sink and wash any dishes that might be dirty and do any general clean-up until the buzzer or bell goes off.

I guarantee you that you will be amazed at what you can get done in a mere 15 minutes. I think you’ll feel better about yourself and your house. Once you get into this you can try doing it once every hour. You might even consider increasing the time to 30 minutes. Once you get to the 30 minute activity time try going out and walking…

This always amazes me and works for me. I hope it will work for you too! Now head over to Rocks in my Dryer to see more tips.

Any photos missing from my posts are the result of Photobucket blacking out all my photos that I stored on their site since 2006.

Tea for Two ~ Vintage Blue

Tea for Two in my Library

Welcome back

 

I’m including this recipe for  tea sandwiches that my mom made for us a while back. .

 Curried Chicken Tea Sandwiches

 

INGREDIENTS

     2 cups cubed, cooked chicken, 1 medium unpeeled red apple, chopped, 3/4 cup dried cranberries, 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery, 1/4 cup chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions, 3/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing, 2 teaspoons lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, 12 slices breadLettuce Leaves

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Combine mayonnaise, lime juice and curry powder; add to chicken mixture and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut each slice of bread with a 3-in. heart-shaped cookie cutter. Top with lettuce and chicken salad.

 

 

So happy you stopped by my library for tea. You can still see more tea parties at Make Mine Pink.

Any photos missing from my posts are the result of Photobucket blacking out all my photos that I stored on their site since 2006.

WFMW ~ Simple Lists & Rewards

This simple 6 x 8 notebook is my organizational wizard. I use this each week to organize myself and to get things accomplished. With a pencil I line out 7 boxes for the 7 days of the week starting with Monday. Each box has the date and day of the week. I put the set appts. in each box. Along the left side I list all the tasks I’d need to accomplish or would like to accomplish that week. I add more as I think of them during the week. In the upper right hand sidebar I list any birthdays that are in that month. Below that I keep a running list of anything I need to buy at the store. Nine times out of ten if I have something on this list it gets done. I take great joy in crossing off accomplished tasks or purchased items. I put fun things to do on these lists too. Below are some pictures of one of the fun things I always try to include on my to-do list.

This is Leticia our waitress at our favorite local Mexican restaurant near our home in Washington. Eating at her family restaurant was on my list this week and voila here we are!

The restaurant is called La Corona and we’ve been here often enough that they know what we like to order and we have more than casual conversations with Leticia about herself and her family.

Laura and Josh joined us for a late celebration of their anniversary.

Dear, Ellen b. and Katie stuffed already on our favorite salsa that they make here. Katie’s friend Heidi joined us too after the photo-op.

So not only do I schedule chores but I schedule some fun too. Bottom line what works for me is organization with my little binder and eating out at a Mexican Restaurant at least once a week!

To see what works for other people head on over to Rocks In My Dryer and join the frenzy fun!

Any photos missing from my posts are the result of Photobucket blacking out all my photos that I stored on their site since 2006.

WFMW ~ Meals on Wheels

 When I’m asked to take a meal to someone who is laid up due to surgery or when someone comes home from the hospital after having a baby, I try to keep it simple. Here is a simple meal that I made last week to share with someone who had surgery. It’s got protein, veggies, and rice all in one dish. Easy to transport and I just add some extras like grapes and cookies and bread to take along.

Heat 1 T. oil in pan on medium heat. Add 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in strips; cook and stir until lightly browned, stirring occassionally.     (Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper)  Although the recipe didn’t call for it I would add some onion sauteed in the pan first before adding the chicken.

 ADD 3 cups cut-up fresh vegetables (carrots, broccoli and red pepper) cook and stir 3 to 5 min. or until crisp-tender.

Stir in 1 can of chicken broth (14- 1/2 oz.) and bring to a boil.

 Stir in 2 cups of instant rice (I used instant brown rice) and 1/4 C. Kraft Zesty Italian dressing: cover. Reduce heat to low. Cook 5 min. or until liquid is absorbed and chicken is cooked through.

The finished product. (BTW: I usually double the recipe so that I can take a meal and feed my family the same meal, too)

I added some focaccia bread, red grapes, cookies, and lilies to take along with the main dish.

Now here is a tip that the recipient of your meal is sure to appreciate. Take the meal to them in totally disposable containers. It can be quite the project for someone who is ill or laid up to return dishes to their rightful owners! And this is what those bulky Costco boxes you get at the checkout can come in handy for, to transport a meal.

Now you can head over to Rocks in My Dryer to see more Works For Me Wednesday posts…

Baba and Deda’s with the Girls and Jack

Deda and Baba

Niece Michelle, Daughter Katie, and SIL Kelly

We had a family “girls night out” gathering at my parent’s apartment since Katie is here for a short visit. As usual my mother went “over the top” in preparing a wonderful meal for all of us. We were doubly blessed this time because my SIL’s Kelly and Letty were able to make it.

Sister Vera, SIL Letty, and Sister Kathy

 

We had Apricot Chicken, a Honeydew Spinach Salad with a wonderful mint dressing, a mixed veggie basmati rice, not to mention appetizers. Now for that fabulous cake pictured above, yummy Pistachio Cream Angel Food Cake.

 

The sisters enjoying a laugh. What a blessing to have loving, joyful sisters with peace between us.

Vera, Lana, Kathy and Ellen

Nana Kathy with grandson Jack. “It’s a high mountain goat.” My nieces Debbee and Melissa were there but didn’t get into a photo shoot.

My photos are being held hostage at the Photobucket site as of July 2017.

Recipe Round-Up ~ Summer Salads ~ Applesauce-Raspberry Jello

 Applesauce-Raspberry Jello

1 – 3oz. pkg. raspberry jello
1   cup hot water
1 – 10oz. pkg. frozen raspberries
1 – Cup applesauce
1 – Cup sour cream
1 – Cup miniature marshmallows

Dissolve Jello in hot water. Add frozen raspberries and blend carefully. Add applesauce. Pour into 9-inch square pan. Chill until set. Combine sour cream and marshmallows and spread over top of set Jello. Cover and Chill. Serves 6-8. I have doubled this recipe and put it in a 9 x 13 pan. Refreshingly cool salad!

Now for more great salad recipes head on over to Violet’s at Promptings.

Works For Me ~ Goodwill

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a bargain hunter. Goodwill in Washington (not California!) has been a very good shopping friend of mine. I have found countless treasures there. Today I’m sharing one of my daughters prom dresses that I purchased at Goodwill for $7.  She’s the one in the metallic grey dress. Now some kids probably wouldn’t do this but she bragged about the cost and where the dress came from to all her friends. The necklace and earrings that she purchased cost more than the dress! When I wanted to give up shopping at Goodwill for lent Katie exclaimed, “Now what good would that do?” So y’all shopping at Goodwill works for me, it might work for you, too.

 

Just yesterday my daughter and I went to Goodwill and I found all 7 of the Chronicles of Narnia books for $1.49 each. They are the Full-Color Collector’s Edition. So Goodwill works for me for clothes, books, housewares, purses, etc. etc.

Now go on over to Rocks in My Dryer to see more handy dandy tips!

June Recipe Round-Up ~ Desserts ~ Praline Brie

 Praline Brie ~ serves six

Ingredients:
1 – 8 inch wheel of brie cheese
2 – tablespoons butter
4 – tablespoons brown sugar
1 – cup pecans, chopped (walnuts would work well also)

crackers
fresh fruit

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Place brie on a baking sheet. Bake until soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Stir in pecans. Place brie on a serving tray and pour pecan mixture over, letting it dribble over sides. Serve surrounded by crackers and fresh fruit such as sliced apples and pears, strawberries and grapes.

This recipe comes from one of my favorite cookbooks, Simply Classic ~ The Junior League of Seattle. I have had success with every recipe I’ve attempted from this book.

 

Works For Me ~ Cool Grocery Shopping

Time for Works For Me Wednesday again.  I’m not a one stop grocery shopper. I might stop at 3 stores in one shopping trip. In Southern California it will probably be Von’s, Ralph’s, and Trader Joe’s. I keep a soft-sided cooler in my trunk and throw a camping ice pack in it. Any frozen items I buy at store 1 and 2 go in the cooler so they stay frozen. I also add all the other cold items. This way I don’t feel like I have to rush home before I get all my shopping done.

I also have a stash of paper bags reinforced with plastic bags to use for Costco stuff when I shop there.

This works great for my shopping habits hope it can work for you…

Now if you’d like to see some interesting ideas from other people go to Rocks in My Dryer.

Avocado and Jicama Salsa ~ Tyler Florence

 

This salsa is really good. I’ve made it as an appetizer for a few dinner parties and everyone enjoyed it. Thanks to Tyler Florence for his recipe.

You’ll need to make the Chimichurri sauce a couple hours before you start getting your salsa ingredients diced and cubed…

Avocado and Jicama Salsa

4 ripe tomatillos, husked, rinsed and diced
1 medium jicama, peeled and cubed
2 avocados, peeled and cubed
1/2 red onion, sliced
6 red grape tomatoes, halved

To prepare the salsa: Toss together the tomatillo, jicama, avocado, red onion and grape tomatoes. Pour half the chimichurri sauce into the salsa and toss to gently to coat. Serve with chips.(You can use the other half of the chimichurri sauce to marinate steaks before you BBQ them).

Chimichurri:
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 jalapeno, minced
1/2 lime, juiced
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley leaves
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt

To prepare the chimichurri: combine garlic, jalapeno and lime in small bowl. Whisk in vinegar and olive oil. Stir in parsley and cilantro. Add salt, cover and let stand 2 hours to allow flavors to marry.

To see some other salsa or guacamole recipes go to the Hutch and What Matters Most.

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Ht: Television Food Network