What gives?

I spent yesterday in bed with a head cold and even made myself chicken soup. Today I had several meetings and worked on my newsletter article in between. With all that has been going on for the last two days, can someone explain why my house can't function with me at the helm? What's going to happen when I travel this summer and leave the house, kid and dog behind with adult supervision? I just hope the plants get watered and don't die.

Been a while....

I have moved back into my home despite the fact that my kitchen renovation is not quite done, necessitating that I wash dishes in the bathroom up stairs (only working sink) and so I am grateful for canned items with pull tabs (my can opener is packed away in storage), the automatic water dispenser on my new fridge and my patient daughter especially when she asks, "Mom, what's in the sink?" and I reply "I washed pots this morning."

Well, it's a saturday night...

The kid is sleeping over at Grandma and Grandpa's house and I am cleaning house, organizing, doing laundry and even making mac n' cheese for a family dinner tomorrow night (yes, homemade) and wondering why I am not taking this time to do for myself rather than for my household (I don't count doing my laundry as self care).

Tuesday's Tip: Plants

Water plants when the soil up to 1" deep feels dry, so as not to over water them and possibly kill the plants

Tuesday's Tip: Cleaning the refrigerator

To clean refrigerator drawers—like mine where forgotten food rots and smells, try this from Real Simple Magazine....

Refrigerator drawers: Remove them and soak for 15 minutes in hot, soapy water in the sink. Drain, sprinkle the insides with baking soda, and wipe clean with a sponge. Still smell something? Use this age-old trick: Wipe down drawers with a cloth dipped in undiluted tomato juice, rinse with warm water, and dry.

Real Simple Magazine

The act of recovery....

According to Dictionary.com...

RECOVERY: restoration or return to any former and better state or condition.

Well, I am in RECOVERY from wrist surgery and will be back in the full swing of my blog soon.

Tuesday's Tip: Instant greenhouse

To protect plants and keep them moist while you are away on vacation, place them in clear plastic garbage bags and seal the tip with a bag clip; this creates a greenhouse effect allowing in light which creates a moisture environment inside the bag.

(P.S. I have tried this on many occasions and it works great. In fact I lost some plants last winter, because I didn't do it and they did not get enough water because the plant sitter came only once during the week.)

On being prepared....

For a networking meeting yesterday, members were asked to bring in an item that represented their business and I heard so many people say, "I forgot it at home" that I heard myself say an equal number of times, "Pack it the night before" that I realized that enough people know that you less likely to forget an item or hunt for keys if you pack you bag the night before.

A milestone years in the making

I never learned to ride a bike as a kid (and the reason is too long to tell here) and so I decided a few years ago to promise my daughter I would learn and ride with her, so this year I bit the bullet and got an adult trike knowing I would never learn a two-wheeler and I can honestly say that I love my trike, but even  more I love fulfilling my promise to my daughter.

In the kitchen on Thursday: Making clouds

Coconut and Almond Meringue Bars

4 large egg whites
1/2 C. Sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Cream of Tartar
1/2 C. ground coconut (or shredded)
1/2 C. sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 325. Add salt and cream of tartar to egg whites. Beat on high until frothy. Add sugar gradually and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Stir in coconut and almonds. Line a 5" X 9" pan with parchment paper. Pour in egg white batter and spread out in pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool. Cut each side in 4, making 16 bars. To store bars, simply cover pan in tinfoil.

(My daughter, mom and husband can vouch that these are sweet "clouds" that should not go to waste.)

Tuesday's Tip: Oil and Honey

If you are cooking or baking with a sugar syrup (i.e. honey, molasses, etc.) measure the oil first or spray the measuring tool with cooking spray so the syrup comes out easier, practically none left in the measuring cup or spoon.

Time to go or not?

Yesterday I took my daughter ice skating (her new found favorite activity) and told her we would leave at a certain time only to realize that there was no real reason we needed to be home, so I let her skate till she was done and when I was done , I got a cup of coffee and read a book on my Iphone and learned that sometimes it is better to let a kid decide for themselves when to stop than drag him/her kicking and screaming the hole way home.

The ingredients: a kid, a parent and punishment

Over the weekend my daughter acted out and had to be punished and she said that I had hurt her feelings and betrayed her (I said I would do one thing and then read the situation and did another) and so she wanted to punish me and at first I resisted and then gave in thinking, heck, even parents need a to be put in line.

(P.S. I am still waiting for my punishment, while my daughter has lost "screens" for today and maybe tomorrow too.)

Have I learned anything today? YES

In speaking with my business mentor, she said that people like to know upfront what things cost so they  know if they can afford them and this really resonated with me—one because there are no prices on website (soon to be corrected) and two because my 9 y.o. is very conscious of what things cost and how much she is spending (Thank you, Helen).

In the kitchen on Thursday: The savory and the sweet

"Ceasared" Brussel Sprout Slaw

8-10 large Brussel Sprouts washed, the ends cut off and cut in hlaf. Then cut each half in strips.
Dressing:
2 cloves garlic
2-4 Tbsp. Lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
1/2  C. Olive Oil
1/2 C. Parmesan Cheese grated.

Mix all ingredients together. Pour half over the Brussel Sprouts and toss until well coated. Save the rest of the dressing for another salad. Makes 3-4 side servings.

Oatmeal Bars

1/2 C. Butter (1 stick)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. White sugar
1/2 C. oat flour
1 1/2 C. oats
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 eggs
1/4 C. Semi-Sweet Chocolate chips
1/4 C. White Chocolate Chips.

Preheat  oven to 350. Mix all ingredients, except chocolate chips together with an electric mixer. Mix in chocolate chips with a spoon. Pout into greased 9" X 13" pan and bake for 35-40 minuted. Allow to cool and then cut into bars.

Plants and analogies

Yesterday, I was removing dead stuff from two plants and it got me thinking about plants and analogies and then I thought, "what dead stuff can I trim from my life?" and so begins my journey of "removing dead stuff."

Tuesday's Tip: Watering Plants

Watering plants at night allows them to soak up as much water as possible without the sun light evaporating the water or drying out the plants.

In the kitchen on Thursday: A good gift....Homemade Hot Sauce

Hot Sauce

6 oz. hot peppers (any kind or a mix)
2 oz. garlic cloves
1 Tbsp. Kosher salt
3/4 C. distilled white vinegar

Wash and cut the tops of the peppers. Peel the the garlic. Roast both on a cookie sheet on broil for 3-5 minutes until pepper skin begins to blister. Pulse in food processor with salt. Scrape into jar and add vinegar. Let sit for two weeks and then strain out the pepper seeds. Makes a great gift for a spice loving family member or friend.

In the kitchen on Thursdays, opps, Friday: Easy Chinese

1 package Tofu, medium firm
1 bunch Bok Choy, large
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/3 C. water
1 tsp. ground Ginger
2 cloves of garlic
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. oil (sunflower, grape seed or peanut)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix soy sauce, water, ginger and garlic together. Slice Tofu and marinate in soy sauce mixture. Place on oiled baking tray. Wash Bok Choy and seperate. Toss with oil, salt and pepper. Place on cookie sheet, spreading out leaves. Place the Tofu in the oven. After 10 minutes add Bok Choy and bake for 20 minutes longer. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve imediately. Make 3 servings.

Tip: If the Bok Choy leaves are getting too crispy, cover with foil for the remainder of baking.

Tuesday's Tip: DIY Manicure

If you paint your nails at home start with the nails on your dominate hand and there is less chance of messing them up as you do the other hand.