Menu Plan Monday (9-5-11)

Monday:  Cracker Barrel Grilled Chicken Tenderloins,  Corn on the cob, Grape salad

Tuesday:  Crockpot Baby Back ribs, Wax Beans, Cheesy bacon mashed potatoes

Wednesday:  Cheesy potato soup, French bread

Thursday:  Spaghetti carbonara, Garlic sauteed spinach, Italian salad, Cheesy garlic bread

Friday:  Pizza

Saturday:  Cooper's Birthday Party Menu:

Appetizers:  Pan fried onion dip w/ Krunchers, Green herb dip w/ crudites, Salsa and tortilla chips, BLT bites

Main:  Bacon cheeseburgers and Hot dogs, Pretzel salad, Awesome salad, Baked beans

Dessert:  Birthday cake and ice cream


Linking up with Organizing Junkie Menu Plan Monday.

Rhubarb Cake

I know it has been forever since I have posted here.  I want to thank those of you who still follow me for sticking around.  I thought things would be settling down now that summer vacation is here, but with swimming lessons, football conditioning, baseball, and golf I seem to be running around more than ever.  I am planning on using this summer to get some organizing projects done around the house while balancing  sports and fun activities with the boys.  I plan on sharing lots of recipes this summer.  We have already made three batches of homemade ice cream and I must say that my family is spoiled by my ice cream making prowess.

The other day my mom gave me some rhubarb.  I have never made anything with rhubarb, but grew up loving a crumble that my mom would always make and a cake that my aunt makes.  I decided to go my typical Allrecipes route when searching for an amazing recipe.  That is my go to recipe sight and I always choose the most highly rated recipes.

Oma's Rhubarb Cake

Rhubarb Cake recipe adjustments:

1 1/4 cups white sugar    (I used 1 c white sugar and 1/4 c brown sugar)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup sour cream

3 cups diced rhubarb   (I used 4 c rhubarb)

1 cup white sugar   (I used 1 c brown sugar)

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

ground cinnamon, for dusting   (I used my Mc Cormick cinnamon sugar grinder)

Here is a photo of what is left of the cake after last night.  I have no idea why my iPhone rotates pictures sometimes (they come out flipped from how I took them).  And I am now without my MacBook for the summer and have to use our Dell desktop that I loathe.  To bottom line you, this photo is upside down and even though it is right side up if I look at the photo from my computer, when I post it in Blogger it's upside down.  So I guess it is not my computer's fault, but some weird Blogger quirk.  The important thing is that this cake is moist and delicious and must be served with whipped cream (IMO) ice cream is optional.  Enjoy!

I am linking up to I Heart Naptime's Sunday Scoop link.  Be sure to stop by for lots of fabulous ideas from some very creative bloggers.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday:  Grilled cheeseburgers, chips, fruit salad, chocolate malts

Tuesday:  Leftovers

Wednesday:  Taco/nacho bar, fresh fruit

Thursday:  Guinness corned beef, cabbage, boiled red potatoes, marble rye bread

Friday:  Homemade french bread pizza

Saturday:  Bacon wrapped turkey tenderloins, grilled potatoes, grilled veggies

Sunday:  Garlic lime chicken, brown rice, corn, fresh fruit

2011 Week One Goal Review

This is a list of my 2011 goals and I thought I would check in with all of you after the first week.  I have been very busy with being back into school this week.  I also went to the chiropractor three times this week (about 25 min from my home) so that took up a lot of my after school time.

I am laughing because looking at my goal achievement it would appear that beauty is my most important category.  LOL  Honestly yesterday it was after 4 PM and I had sat through two Rec BB games and Greg was starting to get dinner together and I DRAGGED myself to the nail salon (believe me it was COLD last night and I would have preferred to stay all nice and snug by the warm and cozy fire.  I ended up getting a VERY long overdue pedicure and brow wax.  It was so very necessary and I came home to a delicious home cooked dinner of cedar planked salmon, grilled potatoes, grilled romaine salad (if you have never grilled romaine you absolutely must, it is the bomb!), and garlic olive oil haricot verts. Not a bad menu for being on a detox, don't you think?!

As far as finances go we have been keeping all our receipts and really have only spent money on groceries, gasoline, hot lunch for Drew, and preschool for Cooper.  We have to pay off our monthly balances on all our CCs so that is why we are really watching spending this month.  It helps that I am doing the detox so we are buying nothing processed at the grocery store, but the fruits and veggies are not cheap this time of year.  We loaded up on some things at Sam's club.  Our Sam's bill was much less than normal because we only bought essentials.

We did our first family game night ever last night and it was a raging success.  We played Busytown (Cooper's choice) and then Guesstures.  The boys love Guesstures and it was lots of fun.  They asked if we could do game night again tonight.  :)

I do need to get on track with my Project 365.  I want to remember the ordinary things in life, because they are soon forgotten, but so extraordinary when I look back on them as the boys get older.

Here are the goals and the check mark means I did that this week.

1) Spiritual:

*Attend church regularly  √

*Visit at least THREE other Presbyterian churches to see if we can find one we like that is closer to us

*Say prayers before bed 

2)  Financial:  

*Follow Dave Ramsey Steps

*Make a monthly spending plan and track ALL expenses  √

*Use envelope system for certain spending categories

*Boys commission (chore charts)

*Monthly budget meeting

3)  Fitness/Health:  

*Do a month long detox (starting next week under the advisement of a nutritionist) √

*Chiropractor appts √

*Exercise 90 min per week

*Healthy eating √

4)  Beauty:  

*Morning/Evening routine √

*Manicures/Pedicures monthly  √  (Pedi)

*Schedule brow wax every 6 weeks √

*Keep nails polished √

5)  Home:  

*Make home binders

*Keep house clean (daily tasks) 

*Keep better laundry schedule

*Organize office and closets

*Make a list of decorating/painting needs and set a schedule

6)  Career:

*Organize Module Binders

*Continue on BCT √

7)  Family:

*Weekly date night with Greg √

*Family game night 3x/month (each boy decides plan for night) √

*Greg and Sherrie overnight getaway 2x/year

*Family vacation

*Plan  thoughtful holiday/birthday celebrations

8)  Personal:  

*Blog regularly here at Organizing Diva and my family blog  My Life With Boys

*Plan dinners out with GFs and Mom

*GNO monthly

*Dinner w/ friends

9)  Hobbies:

*Project 365

*Scrapbooking-plan one night per month to scrap

*Take a class at the Scrapbook Store

*Organize scrap supplies and set up an area for scrapping

*Make 10 layouts for each boy for 2011

10)  Menu planning:  

*Monthly menu plan

*Weekly menus √

*Grocery lists √

*Inventory freezer

*Inventory pantry

*Clip coupons

I am really happy with my goal achievement for the first week of 2011.  How did you all do on your goals?

Menu Plan Monday 1-3-11

I am starting a detox later this week so trying to figure out a weekly menu plan was a challenge.  I have a basic idea of what I will be able to eat, but won't know for sure what I am restricted on until my appt tomorrow.  I still want to make meals that my dh and boys will enjoy.  No sense in all of us suffering.  ;)

Monday:  Glazed meatloaf, Butternut squash puree, Baked potatoes

Tuesday:  Turkey sandwiches, chips, veggies

Wednesday:  Baby Back Ribs, Corn, Cheesy bacon mashed potatoes for guys (dinner out for me)

Thursday:  Leftovers

Friday:  Frozen pizza for the guys (salad for me)

Saturday:  Salmon, grilled veggies, grilled potatoes, salad

Sunday:  Garlic lime chicken, brown rice, corn, fruit

Shopping list:
Veggies for grilling
Fruit
Salad ingredients

Check out Menu Plan Monday at Organizing Junkie for links to many menu plans.  Maybe you will find a new recipe to spice up your menu plan.

Using Binders to Organize

Some people are binder people and some aren't.  I am definitely a binder person.  I think my love affair with using three ring binders to organize myself began back in the early 90's when I started to organize all my teaching units in three ring binders.  Old school teachers were using manila file folders, but not me.  I instead chose to use a three ring binder for my school units.  I couldn't even begin to count how many binders I have assembled/organized over the past two decades, but I assure you the number is great.

I am a bit anal when it comes to binder organization.  You see I need everything in a sheet protector.  Forget about three hole punching something and putting it right into the binder.  Who wants the three punched holes showing up on copies?  Not me to be sure.

Now everyone is not as crazy does not have to be as anal as me when it comes to binder organization.  Remember the key is to do what works FOR YOU.  I personally love to buy the four pack at Sam's Club.  I already took the packaging off them so I am not sure the brand name, but if you shop at Sam's you will know what I am posting about. You get four one inch binders in green, blue, pink, and white.  I don't remember the cost, but I think the pack is under $10.  Of course any old binder will do, I just love the cute colors!  I also always buy my sheet protectors from Sam's.  I get the Samsill Non-Glare 200 count heavy weight sheet protectors.

I also purchased the Avery Big Tab Extra Wide Insertable Dividers (you can get 5 or 8 tabs, I always go for 8).  I bought these at Office Max and was shocked that they cost $2.59 a set.  I am not that big of a fan of Office Max, but there is one in my city so it was convenient to stop there the other day.

I have plans to set up several different binders to help me get organized in 2011:

*Household

*Coupons

*Gift Cards

*Recipes

*Financial

*Holidays

*Ben

*Drew

*Cooper

(I already have a binder for each of the boys to put important school related items, but I need to do a better job of using them, it would save lots of time looking for where important papers were placed).

I am starting to work on my Household binder first.  I have two excellent resources for setting up a household binder the first link will explain the general concept,  Organized Home's household notebook of setting up a household notebook.  Printable pages you can use for your own notebook.  I love that website and have used it for years.  Another suggestion is Flylady's Control Journal.  I know people seem to either love or hate Flylady.  There are some valuable resources on her website to help you organize your life.

I suggest you spend some time perusing the links I have shared and decide what works for you and get started on your own household notebook (which I call binder).  I spent some time this morning printing out things from all the links I shared and now will be putting together a hybrid of the two.  I will definitely share my finished product and how I ended up setting it up.  I will also share the other binders I have mentioned above as they get finished.

Please share with me if you do make any binders for yourself.  I would love to see the finished products!

Life Goals 2011

Happy New Year!  2011, you have got to be kidding?  Can someone just explain to me where the last decade two decades have gone?  I am starting off the new year posting my goals for 2011.  One of my goals is to blog regularly.  Thanks for all of you who have stuck with me, through some big gaps in blogging.

I have to admit that I cheated a bit and used my Life Goals from 2007 (that I found while in the home office) as a starting point for this coming year.  I promise to do a monthly Goal Review (and encourage you all to do the same) to assess progress.  

1) Spiritual:

*Attend church regularly 

*Visit at least THREE other Presbyterian churches to see if we can find one we like that is closer to us

*Say prayers before bed 

2)  Financial:  

*Follow Dave Ramsey Steps

*Make a monthly spending plan and track ALL expenses

*Use envelope system for certain spending categories

*Boys commission (chore charts)

*Monthly budget meeting

3)  Fitness/Health:  

*Do a month long detox (starting next week under the advisement of a nurtrionist)

*Chiropractor appts

*Exercise 90 min per week

*Healthy eating

4)  Beauty:  

*Morning/Evening routine

*Manicures/Pedicures monthly

*Schedule brow wax every 6 weeks

*Keep nails polished

5)  Home:  

*Make home binders

*Keep house clean (daily tasks)

*Keep better laundry schedule

*Organize office and closets

*Make a list of decorating/painting needs and set a schedule

6)  Career:

*Organize Module Binders

*Continue on BCT

7)  Family:

*Weekly date night with Greg

*Family game night 3x/month (each boy decides plan for night)

*Greg and Sherrie overnight getaway 2x/year

*Family vacation

*Plan  thoughtful holiday/birthday celebrations

8)  Personal:  

*Blog regularly here at Organizing Diva and my family blog  My Life With Boys

*Plan dinners out with GFs and Mom

*GNO monthly

*Dinner w/ friends

9)  Hobbies:

*Project 365

*Scrapbooking-plan one night per month to scrap

*Take a class at the Scrapbook Store

*Organize scrap supplies and set up an area for scrapping

*Make 10 layouts for each boy for 2011

10)  Menu planning:  

*Monthly menu plan

*Weekly menus

*Grocery lists

*Inventory freezer

*Inventory pantry

*Clip coupons

What are your goals for 2011? 

Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Plan and tablescape preview

Thanksgiving Menu Plan:

Appetizers:
Salami/cheese/cracker tray
Crudites and dip

Dinner:
Turkey
Stuffing w/ golden raisins and walnuts
Mashed potatoes w/ gravy
Sweet potatoes
Green bean casserole
Corn
Cranberry sauce
Cranberry Fluff
Rolls

Drinks:
Wine
Sparkling grape juice

Dessert:
Pumpkin pie w/ homemade vanilla bean ice cream
Pecan Pie
Pumpkin Twinkie Dessert


A little preview of the tablescape.  Greg and I decided that we are going to use our formal china and flatware for Thanksgiving dinner this year.  We got most of this for wedding gifts and rarely use them (we do use the crystal often).  Please ignore the wrinkled tablecloth, I was just testing out the color combo.  The table linens have been washed and will be pressed for Thursday.

 Noritake Chandon Gold China

 Noritake Vendomme Crystal

Yamazaki Ariana Gold Flatware

I will post a photo of the complete tabslescape later.  I just wanted to give you all a sneak peak.  I hope all your Thanksgiving preparations are going well.  Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because I love the food and hanging out with my family, without all the stress some other holidays bring.  A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is also my favorite show of all the Charlie Brown movies.  :)

I bought the movie The Long Way Home for us to watch together as a family.

I am back with a recipe review Barefoot Contessa's "Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with warm cider vinaigrette"

I have to apologize to all of you for neglecting this blog for so long.  The simple fact of the matter is that I teach 7th grade math full time, have three very active young boys (two of which played tackle football and fall baseball this fall).  That means we had two football every Saturday and two baseball games every Sunday until late October.  We had a wedding in Chicago the second last weekend of October and then we spent three nights in Door County the last weekend of October.  I spent the day shopping in Chicago the first Sat of November and last weekend we visited our beautiful brand new (one week old) niece Josie.  That pretty much brings you up to speed of where I am at.  My dh and oldest son are hunting this weekend and it is honestly the first weekend since last Spring that we I have no plans!

I promise you I have been spending loads of time cleaning, organizing, menu planning, doing laundry (some things never change), shopping, decorating, and getting us ready for the holidays.  I also planned a birthday party in Sept for my youngest, and two parties for my middle in October (which included a sleepover and taking five third grade boys and my oldest two to the HS homecoming game... yeah I am either the best mom EVER or just plain crazy).  I have had the opportunity to try out several new recipes and I will be sharing my feedback with you.  I am anxiously awaiting my copy of my new book:

I love Ina and dream of the day that she invites me over to her house for a delicious home cooked meal.  Until then I will have to settle for cooking her recipes myself.  ;)  I recently made a new recipe from Ina Garten.

Recipe review  Roasted butternut squash salad with warm cider vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 1 (1 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch) diced
• Good olive oil
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup apple cider or apple juice
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 4 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry
• 1/2 cup walnuts halves, toasted
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.

Place the arugula in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enoughvinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.    -Source Food Network

A photo I took with my iPhone of the finished salad.

The salad was delicious and I will definitely make it again.  The flavors really seemed to work well together.   It was a bit labor intensive for a salad, but we were eating it as our main course.  I used cubed butternut squash from Trader Joe's which did save some time.  If you decide to make the salad let me know what you think.

Twenty Questions You Should Ask Yourself Every Sunday

The following comes from the blog  Marc and Angel Hack Life.  As a very goal oriented person I think these questions would definitely keep me living my life in concert with my goals.

If you would like to maximize the benefits of self reflection, I have 20 questions for you.  These questions should be reviewed every Sunday morning or sometime during the weekend when you have some quiet time to think.  Remember, reflection is the key to progression.

1. What did I learn last week? – If you have trouble answering this question, it’s time for a change.  It doesn’t matter how old you are, you should learn something new every week.
2. What was my greatest accomplishment over the past week? – Reflecting on your accomplishments is a healthy way to raise self confidence and contentment.  It’s also an effective way to track your progress.
3. Which moment from last week was the most memorable and why? – It may open up your mind to new passions and goals, or simple pastimes worth revisiting.
4. What’s the #1 thing I need to accomplish this week? – Everything else is secondary, and should be treated as such.  Nevertheless, this question will also shine light on other noteworthy tasks.
5. What can I do right now to make the week less stressful? – Set reminders in your calendar, get your laundry done, fill the car with gas… organize yourself.
6. What have I struggled with in the past that might also affect the upcoming week? – The idea here is to learn from your struggles and better equip yourself for future encounters.
7. What was last week’s biggest time sink? – Steer clear of this in the future.  Setup physical barriers against distractions if you have to.
8. Am I carrying any excess baggage into the week that can be dropped? – Physical clutter, mental clutter… eliminate the unnecessary so the necessary may shine bright.
9. What have I been avoiding that needs to get done? – Pencil in a time to get these things done.  For any 2-minute or less tasks, consider scheduling them first thing Monday morning.
10. What opportunities are still on the table? – If it’s still available and you want it, make a concrete plan to go after it this week.
11. Is there anyone I’ve been meaning to talk to? – Regular communication can solve problems before they fester.  Always keep an open line of communication to those around you.
12. Is there anyone that deserves a big ‘Thank You’? – Take time each week to thank the people who have helped you.  Your kind gesture will not go unnoticed.
13. How can I help someone else this coming week? – The easiest way to get what you want is to help others get what they want.  If you help them, they will remember you when you need help.
14. What are my top 3 goals for the next 3 years? – You’ll never make any progress in life if you don’t setup realistic goals for yourself.
15. Have any of my recent actions moved me closer to my goals? – If the answer is no, something needs to change.
16. What’s the next step for each goal? – Knowing the next step is the key to accomplishing the whole.
17. What am I looking forward to during the upcoming week? – The answer can act as a great source of motivation.  If nothing exists, schedule something to look forward to.
18. What are my fears? – Consciously address your fears each week and slowly work on resolving them.  It’s all about taking baby steps.
19. What am I most grateful for? – It’s a smart way to keep things in perspective, and something you should never lose sight of.
20. If I knew I only had one week to live, who would I spend my time with? – Another helpful reminder… Life is short.  Spend more time with the people you care about.

Gazpacho

If you follow my blog you probably already know about my obsession this summer with gazpacho.  Just as I was obsessed with shrimp ceviche last summer, it seems to be gazpacho this summer.  The good news is that this is so very easy, fresh, and healthy!  It is a great way to get your veggies in.  I cannot sing the praises of my gazpacho enough.

I have made three batches this summer and it is just so yummy! The first time I made it I used a food processor, the second time I only did a couple of the veggies in the processor, the third batch I chopped everything by hand. It is so chunky and delicious and a great way to get some veggies in. I was able to use cucumber, green pepper, tomato, and tarragon from our garden.

This is the original recipe I use with a few modifications. Gazpacho

I use two 11.5 oz cans of V-8 vegetable juice in place of tomato juice. I use a red onion, two or three cloves of garlic, no sugar, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper, I sub cilantro (because I LOVE it) for the parsley, and I have been using fresh tarragon and basil.

My gazpacho:

Ingredients

• 2 11.5 ounce cans V-8 juice
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cucumber, chopped
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon (I use fresh)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil (I use fresh)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (I use cilantro)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

The amazing cast of characters

You can see the coarse chop of the veggies.

With the herbs added in.

Fresh healthy fabulousness in a bowl!

If this sounds good to you I strongly urge you to make it.  I need to make myself another bowl this weekend (it only lasts a few days).

Pantry Organization

Well the family reunion/50th anniversary party was a raging success!  We had such a great time and everything went so well.  All the hard work and effort Greg and I have been putting in to getting the house and everything else ready was well worth it.  People were completely impressed with the house and extremely grateful for us agreeing to host.  My boys met their cousins from NY and MN and all got along fabulously.

I We did manage to get several organization/home decor projects taken care of this summer.  I will be posting photos of several of the things we accomplished this summer so keep checking back for new posts.

Now on to the pantry!  This project took took less than a day.  I started by going through all the Tupperware storage containers and throwing things out that were outdated and consolidating things into the proper sized containers.  The blue bins (I am not a fan, but my dh bought them and they work for now) hold snacks, baking supplies, granola bars, pudding and applesauce containers.  We keep them accessible so the boys can grab snacks when we need them.  Sorry for the quality of the photos as I used my iPhone, but you can get the idea of what the pantry looks like.

It is amazing how well the clutter can be hidden behind the pantry doors.

Ben wondered why on Earth I was taking photos of the nasty pantry and wanted to be in the photo.  

Scary, I know!

Much bettter!

I love my tupperware containers!  Yes we have an absolutely ridiculous amount of cereal (not all of those have cereal in them, but most do).

Look at those fabulous potatoes we got at the farmers' market.  That empty shelf is where we keep our bread (as you can see we it was time for a trip to the grocery store).

It was such a necessity to get the pantry organized prior to having all our relatives descend on our home. That empty shelf was soon filled up after a trip to Sam's club and a major purchase for feeding all our company.

I am so thrilled that the pantry is looking so great.  I love getting everything organized before school starts.  Greg put up a nail so we can hang our plastic grocery bags that we end up using for all sorts of things.  It is so nice to have them neatly organized instead of shoved in on the side.

Hope you enjoyed the tour of the newly improved pantry!  :)