A City Life For Me

:: World’s Best Dishcloths. My mom put me onto these, and since I had a house-warming gift card to spend, I went ahead and bought a six pack. I love them! I ditched everything else I had in my kitchen – even my homemade ones! I still change them frequently, but they don’t stink as often. They are soft, sized right, and do the job well!  :: Chore Charts . We are finally settled enough to establish some regular chores. I revamped the chore charts in my scrapbooking program, and the kids have done well staying on track. I am also enjoying the extra help of my now-much-bigger-little-people. Elaine washes the breakfast dishes and sweeps the back porch. (We live on three levels and have lots of drains…so if they’re not kept clean we’ll have a plumbing bill!) Nolan sorts the recycling for me and keeps the front patio in order. Liberty is fantastic at organizing the mudroom, and Nehemiah is learning to vacuum the steps! It’s worth teaching your kids to do chores! :: My house! So many of ...

One of our favorite meals has become Swedish Meatballs.  Honestly…I was never a meatball person.  So I never really cooked them for my family.  But in January we joined BJ’s and I found that a big bag of meatballs was really cheap.  So I started searching Pinterest for recipes, and experimenting on my family. And I found that the kids really like meatballs!  They especially like Swedish meatballs, though I usually take the big bag and make one meal of Swedish Meatballs and one meal of Honey Garlic Meatballs.  So we have Swedish Meatballs night and it’s everyone’s favorite.  There are never any leftovers!  And we really haven’t gotten past those two recipes yet because we like them so much!  These are the original recipes that I found: Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs Honey Garlic Meatballs But of course… I have tweaked them to be a little more my style. Swedish Meatballs 1 can cream mushroom soup 1 can (15 oz.) beef broth (close enough to 2 cup...

My friend Danielle passed this recipe (don’t really like the title of her blog) for a Quinoa casserole on to me.  We like it a lot!  But I’ve made a few tweaks…  When I went to make the casserole the first time I hadn’t been able to get any enchilada sauce at Aldi.  So I looked up a recipe to make my own.  The result was this super fragrant, delicious (and easy) enchilada sauce that I now use to make the casserole each time.  Quinoa Casserole 1 cup quinoa, prepared according to package directions 1 recipe enchilada sauce 1 can corn, drained (you could also use frozen…) 1 can black beans (or 2 cups cooked black beans.  I like to cook a whole bag at once and freeze in two cup portions so I can pull it out for recipes like this). Cilantro (I use dried, because I don’t cook with it enough to justify buying a whole bunch) Salt & Pepper to taste 3/4 cup shredded cheese 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese Follow the rest of the instructions as listed at the l...

I was blessed to have a Mom who taught me to do a lot of homemaking chores and tasks, and how to work and cook in the kitchen.  I’ve been married nine and a half years now, and I have picked up a few favorite recipes and tricks for things that I prefer to do “homemade” instead of “store bought”.  These things are simple to make, often more effective than their store bought counterparts, and usually a bit cheaper to DIY than to buy. :: Cream Soup Substitute – easy, cheap, and certainly more simple/healthy than the gloop that comes out of a can!  My friend Danielle shared an excellent recipe on her blog, and I’ve been using it ever since. :: Chocolate Chip Cookies – I settled for Toll House dough when we were on deputation, but I love to whip up a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies.  My tip is to pull them out when they look just barely cooked, and then leave them sit on the pan for 5-8 minutes to “cook” a little longer.  Best, chewy cookies ever!  I...

I had to make cookies for the Ladies Cookie Exchange at church last week, so it was a good opportunity for the kids to help me.  They helped mix the dough, then we cut out cookies after bath time, and frosted them the next day.  I’m not a huge sugar cookie fan {they take so much work, and chocolate chip are better}, but I tried a new recipe, found here.   The cookies weren’t anything special, but the icing was great.  I despise frosting cookies {I’m a mess with frosting} but this frosting whipped up fast, glided on easily, and dried nice and shiny.  It was perfect! I turned from helping Elaine make some cut-outs to discover Nolan had been “stamping” his cutter all over the rest of the dough.  Roll it out and start over again… several times! When he was done “sprinkling”, his fingers were stained red from licking and dipping into the sprinkles.  Don’t worry – I did not take Nolan’s cookies to church, and I threw away the remaining sp...

I have used many different methods of meal/menu planning since I got married.  My “style” changes with what is going on in our lives, the budget, and where we live.  When I was a new wife with no kids I did the menu one week at a time.  It was easy to shop at 4-5 different stores to get the best bargains on whatever we were wanting to eat.  I went through a phase where I didn’t want to be restricted to a menu plan.  So I made a list of meals, had the ingredients on hand, and at supper time we picked what we wanted to eat from the list. Now that I am without a vehicle most of the week, can’t walk very far, and have two toddlers that make dinner prep difficult, I have reverted to planning my meals a month at a time.  It’s one less thing to think about.  I plan a little flex into my schedule…leftovers, easy meals like soup & sandwich, and have a few back-ups just in case I really don’t want what’s on the plan. In February I did a lot of freez...

I just finished cleaning my kitchen in preparation to move.  I’m very glad for my menu plan, because it enabled me to know exactly what I needed to leave unpacked for the next three meals we will eat here.  All of those items are condensed onto two shelves in one cabinet, and everything else has been wiped down and scrubbed.  One less thing to do on Saturday! I’ve been making homemade cleaners for a while now.  I thought for sure I had shared this on the blog, but I can’t find it right now.  Most of my cleaners consist of baking soda, washing soda, borax, vinegar, and essential oils.  Here is the solution for All Purpose Cleaner that I use: All Purpose Cleaner From: Elizabeth’s Kind Café 1 Teaspoon Washing Soda 1 teaspoon Borax 2 Cups Hot Water 10 Drops Essential Oil (Lemon, Lavender, Tea Tree, or Pine) Small squirt of Dawn dish washing soap ½ c. white vinegar - addition from One Good Thing by Jillee I use this ...

I have finally been getting around to making some things I have pinned on Pinterest.  Here are a few things that turned out well: :: Homemade Floor Cleaner I really like my Pine Sol lemon for mopping the floor…but this is a great and frugal alternative!  Once my bottle of Pine Sol is gone I probably won’t replace it.  I always have Borax & Washing Soda on hand.  I cut this recipe in half so my bucket isn’t quite so full. :: Downy Wrinkle Releaser I love this stuff!  But it costs a pretty penny…so I was excited to try a homemade version.  I finally finished off my Downy and made my own wrinkle releaser with fabric softener and water.  So easy, and just as effective!  I can pick the scent this way, too! :: Homemade Laundry Detergent   This is something I’ve been making for a while, but I found a better recipe.  This one includes oxi-clean for more stain fighting power, uses a whole box of Borax & Washing Soda {mak...

When I was growing up my mom often did “Once a Month Cooking”.  We would spend a whole day planning & shopping, then another day cooking meals to stick in the freezer.  Then supper was easy – my mom would pull out a meal in the morning so it could thaw, and then it just had to be heated up at dinner time.  There were always meals in the freezer, and I know it saved my parents money. I have enjoyed doing some freezer cooking in the past, but I’ve been kinda “out of it” since Nolan was born.  I did some little meals here and there, but meal planning and couponing has been on the back burner.  Recently, my kids have been playing together and self-entertaining a little bit more, and I’ve had some more time for homemaking projects, like freezer cooking.  Coupled with my reason for last week’s Thankful Thursday post , we have an abundance of food & meals that can be ready quickly! I’m thankful for a mom who taught me how to cook & prepare meals....

Every time I take these cookies somewhere…I get lots of comments.  They are just so delicious!  I actually portion them out into baggies and freeze them…to ensure there are enough to fill Ben’s lunch box for the week.  Because they don’t last long in our house!  We even enticed Elaine to take her first steps by holding out one of these cookies!  And she loves to dunk them….see more about that here . I think this recipe came from Better Homes & Gardens.  I had two different cookbooks from them as a newlywed.  The recipes were different for Chocolate Chip Cookies…so I combined, adjusted, and…perfected?  I love chocolate chip cookies.  And I like them soft – not crunchy & crumbly.  I use margarine in this recipe, but it is phenomenal with real butter too!  I like milk chocolate chips best, but we often use semi-sweet because they are available at Costco. Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe From Andrea Hamilton via Better Hom...

I have never liked beans.  But our current budget sorta mandates that we eat them.  Because they are cheap.  So I try to “dress them up a little” and try new recipes…always hoping to disguise the bean taste.  It doesn’t always work…and I am learning to like beans.  For several years I have enjoyed making Southwest Roll-ups from Money Saving Mom.  I had a bunch of tortillas in the freezer and wanted to make a batch f these burritos to have on hand for a quick meal.  But…Houston we have a problem…no refried beans.  I did, however, have a bunch of beans in the freezer which I had cooked up previously.  So I pulled up a recipe and made my own refried beans. And they are delicious. Refried Beans Recipe from Jill of The Prairie Homestead via Money Saving Mom Homemade Refried Beans (Feel free to cut this recipe in half- it makes quite a lot. However, they also freeze well.) 4 cups cooked pinto beans (You may used canned whol...

Let me just preface this by saying that I don’t like oatmeal .   It’s never been a favorite.  I think it’s the texture – it’s always gloopy and sticky.  Not with this recipe!   I’m not too much of a breakfast person either, unless you are enticing me with Chicken Minis from Chick-fil-A.  Yum!  Back to the oatmeal…this oatmeal is thick and warm, with a bit of sugar.  We like ours with fresh strawberries on top.   It’s great in the freezer, or overnight in the fridge, or whipped up in the morning.  That makes it versatile – the best kind of recipe! It’s also very filling.   I make one batch and split it in half.  There are always leftovers, though when I look at the dish I think,  “ there is no way this is enough for all of us .” Baked Oatmeal Recipe from Crystal Paine at Money Saving Mom Freezer-Friendly Baked Oatmeal  1/3 cup butter, melted 2 large eggs 3/4 cup raw sugar (or brown sugar) ...

There are several new-to-us recipes which have quickly become favorites.  I have been meaning to share them for a while, but I never got around to it.  So here they are!  I hope you will love them as much as we do!  I will post them in several posts so that they are easier to find/print. Breakfast Cookies Recipe from Pam Odd at  Keeping Life Creative Ingredients:  2 cups wheat flakes (such as Total or Wheaties) 1/2 cup flour 1/4 cup wheat germ 1/2 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup yogurt 1/4 cup oil 1 egg 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. baking soda 2 tsp. vanilla 1 cup dried cranberries Directions: Preheat oven to 375F. Crush wheat flakes with a rolling pin. In a bowl, mix yogurt, egg, oil, and vanilla. Add crushed wheat flakes, flour, sugar, wheat germ, salt, and baking soda. Mix well then add dried cranberries. Place by spoonfuls on a cookie sheet and bake for approx. 10 minutes or until set.  Variatio...

Ben and I have been teaching Children’s Church for just over a year now.  And last week…for the first time ever … EVERYONE brought their Bibles!  This is something we have been challenging the kids to do…but inevitably someone always forgets.  Ben wants the kids to understand that they need to bring their Bibles so that they can verify whether or not the Pastor or teacher is teaching correctly.  This is based on the principle in Acts 17:11 speaking of the Berean Christians.  “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” I wanted to do something special for the kids…but not just giving them candy.  Plus, we have two kids with allergies, so we have to be careful in the candy department.   I finally settled on bookmarks and Jell-O.  Okay, that probably sounds lame, but let’s take a closer look! I made these bookmarks ...

Let me just get this out of the way up front.  No – I am not expecting.  These are not pregnancy cravings.  Sorry Grandma, grandchild #3 is not on the way. Okay, moving on.  I gave up my coffee recently for several reasons.  It is expensive.  I like it only with liquid creamer or half and half.  Also expensive.  And I was wasting a lot when I would get distracted by kids and household disasters, coming back to find my coffee cold.  You can only reheat it so many times before it looses something, you know? I have never liked hot chocolate, except on rare occasions.  Until now.  With a tight budget, the sweets have also been gone.  One night I was desperate for something hot and chocolate-y.  So Ben whipped up some homemade hot chocolate.  I was instantly hooked.  It actually tasted like chocolate – not like a powdered cocoa packet.  Smooth.  Creamy.  You get the point. But alas, hot chocolate ...

Money Saving Mom had a link to a recipe for Pumpkin Scones recently.  I made a batch…and then another!  They were sooooo delicious.  They are the perfect autumn breakfast or coffee compliment!  Here is the recipe, originally found at The Shoebox Kitchen . Ingredients: 2 c. flour 1/4 c. + 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar 1 Tbsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1/4 tsp. ground cloves 1/4 tsp. ground ginger 6 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into pieces 1/2 c. canned or fresh pumpkin puree 3 Tbsp. half and half 1 egg Directions: Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.  Mix dry ingredients together.  Using a pastry cutter, blend butter into dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.  In a small bowl, combine pumpkin, half and half, and egg.  Add at once to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.  The secret to perfect scones are a minimum of handling!  Turn dough onto...

We’ve made a few changes around the Hamilton household recently.  They really are just little things, but we are enjoying the new and I thought I would share.  They are mostly diet changes.  We didn’t eat bad things before, but things were probably not quite as balanced as they should have been. I suppose my first indicator came when Elaine started asking for cookies all the time.  Or maybe when she walked out of the kitchen with a bag of potato chips before breakfast.  And I confess that my pregnancy cravings were not healthy.  And Elaine got to indulge in everything that I did when I was expecting Nolan.  Most days Ben dashes out the door without breakfast, or with just a piece of toast.  And he frequently reminds me that diabetes runs in his family so we should be careful with the sugar.  I used to make a batch of cookies every week.  I would set some aside for Ben’s lunches and Elaine and I (and sometimes Ben) would help to ea...

Money Saving Mom has recently changed her strategy on Freezer Cooking.  Rather than try to do a whole day in the kitchen with three kids to care for, she is doing one hour segments each week.  I decided to give it a try and whip up a few meals for after the baby’s arrival.  There’s not much variety here, but it will help!  I did all of this in an hour and fifteen minutes… I made: 2 lasagna 4 bags of Southwest Roll-ups + one bag of burrito mix (just need some more tortillas 2 small bags of shredded chicken – for pizza 2 large bags of shredded chicken – for casseroles 1 batch of chocolate chip cookies (not pictured) Coming today or tomorrow I am going to add: 3x pizza dough 2x Stromboli dough 2x Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls (We have a tradition of having homemade pizza or Stromboli every Friday night!)

May is Project “Projects” at I Heart Organizing .  I didn’t really have any large projects on the list, but there are a couple of things that I wanted to finish before the baby arrives next month.  I happened to get to all three of them last week! First, I have been wanting to re-do my recipe book for a while now.   I “scheduled” it as my February project, but still never got it done.  I discovered that recipe cards don’t work great for me, and they’re hard to keep track of.  I liked my binder with page protectors, but it was in poor shape.  The page protectors make it easy to wipe off if I splatter on the recipe when cooking.  I print a lot of recipes online, and so I had lots of full size sheets of paper floating around. First I designed some divider sheets and a cover page.  I found page protectors with tab dividers at Office Max – perfect for what I needed!  I divided my recipes into 8 categories, then started organizing.   ...