Month: October 2024

Around the House

Feeling A Bit Ordinary?

JanetLeave a comment

Believe it or not, that is a good thing!

After decades of various versions of social media the idea that everything must be ‘perfect’ is overwhelming. Notice I said ‘idea’. Depending upon the situation or person, ‘perfect’ is a non-defined illusion. It usually includes some collection of perceptions; the spotlessly clean home, the perfectly organized closet, the illusion that everything is easy and quick and cheap.

Reality is often a far different situation.

In my experience, a house that is lived in – comfortably lived in – isn’t spotless all the time. There are dishes to be washed or put away. Clothes in some state of either being cleaned or heading to the closet. Bathrooms that might give the impression of a tornado stopping by to say ‘hello’. And that is only a small list… Each home is different.

I’ve been both amazed and amused at the number of YouTubers who focus on organization and cleaning. Granted, it is a huge topic to consider but … ? Ditto for those who seem to spend more time creating and prettifying their monthly planners than actually using them. Or that is the impression I get. Yours might be different.

Don’t get me wrong, I fully understand that we have a lot of folks who simply have no idea how to do a lot of things. But I think what has gotten lost in the shuffle is the idea that ordinary does not mean perfect all the time. Ordinary is taking one day at a time to do what you need to do, what you can do, and being okay with it.

I’ve been enjoying watching See Mindy Vlog because she has focused on the ordinary. I think it is a breath of fresh air and gives some space to not be pressured into thinking that the life you are living isn’t up to par. Check out this recent entry:

I had to chuckle when I saw the caption on this one because I had mentioned to a friend the day before that I wasn’t sure I was ready to Monday.

Sometimes I think we need to give ourselves permission to be less than ‘Perfect’ because perfection is an illusion most of the time. I appreciate Mindy for reminding us that ordinary is often just fine. We can always strive to be better at something, but I think we need to never lose sight of the fact that the journey is often more important than just getting to the end of the road.

As we head into what is usually a highly stressful time of year, I hope we each find ways to ease the stress, enjoy the opportunities that come our way, and realize that nothing is permanent. The stress will ease, the chores will get done (or not), and we can give ourselves grace to just do the best we can.

Enjoy!

Cooking

Souptober?

JanetLeave a comment

The weather in my corner of the world has not yet made up its mind if it is Summer, Fall, or something totally different. This makes meal planning a bit of a challenge at times.

I love a good soup! Pair it with a great bread, add some fruit for dessert (or a cobbler) and it makes a tasty meal.

Recently Mindy over at See Mindy Mom posted several slow cooker soup recipes that made my mouth water. Check them out:

Don’t they get your mouth to watering? LOL!

The best part about using your slow cooker is that it will keep the meal warm if you need to be out of the house for a bit, saving that last minute rush to get dinner on the table.

Enjoy!

Cooking · Food · Meal Building Blocks · Musings

Meatloaves and Meatballs

JanetLeave a comment

Ideas

When I think about making a meatloaf or meatballs I often wish I had some option that would make it easy to create smaller portions for cooking and freezing. A sort of make it once and cook later sort of thing. Well, here is what I’ve found:

Start with your favorite meatloaf mix. You can use whatever you prefer – and why not? I’ve included a base recipe below. Pay attention the the amounts as they might vary from your favorite meatloaf mix. If your recipe makes a larger quantity, use more pans.

Square Meatballs

Take your broiler pan and spray both the pan and the rack with nonstick spray and then line the pan with heavy duty aluminum foil. Both the spray and the foil will make clean up easier. The rack allows the fat to drain off the meat as it cooks. You will want to keep an eye on it as it cooks should you need to turn the meat.

For those of us who don’t particularly want to spent a lot of time prepping the meat into balls, this is an easy way to get 36 meatballs (4 servings).

Prepare your meatloaf mixture, then place it into an 8 inch square pan patting it out into an even layer. Chill for 15 minutes to allow it to firm. Remove from the fridge and tip it onto the prepared broiler rack. Carefully cut into 36 even pieces; do not separate. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the mixture is completely cooked through.

Mini Meatloaves

Take the meatloaf mixture and three mini loaf pans measuring 5 3/4 x 3 inches. Split the mixture evenly among the pans. Put the pans on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any spills and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the loaves are done; 160 degrees F.

NOTE: If you usually use one 9×5 inch loaf pan, the same amount can be equally split into three 5 3/4 x 3 inch mini loaf pans.

Print

Italian Meatloaf Mix

Course Main Course
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Egg slightly beaten
  • 1/2 Cup Onion finely chopped
  • 1/4 Cup Italian Style Bread Crumbs
  • 1/4 Cup Ketchup
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 1 Pound Lean Ground Beef at least 80% lean
  • 1/4 Pound Ground Pork OR Italian Pork Sausage Casings removed

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Prep pan(s).
  • Mix all ingredients and follow instructions for loaves or meatballs
  • MEATBALLS
    Shape mixture into an 8 inch square. Chill for 15 minutes then put onto the rack of a prepared broiler pan. Cut into 36 meatballs but do not separate.
    MEATLOAVES
    Spread mixture among 3 mini loaf pans.
  • Bake for at least 20 minutes or until temperature reaches 160 degrees F.

Cooking · Food

Pantry Must Haves?

JanetLeave a comment

Recently I began noticing several posts talking about the ’50 most important things to have in your pantry’ and such. Granted the idea was a good one, in some cases eye opening, but here’s the thing. My pantry list could be quite different from yours.

How can that be?

Easy. I stock my pantry based on the things I actually eat and need to create the meals I enjoy. That list might not be the same as yours.

Many years ago I brought in a homemade from scratch cake for a coworker’s birthday. She was shocked to learn that I had everything I needed to make the cake and frosting in my pantry.

I know many folks who would react the same way as my coworker. The concept of having things on hand for a last minute cookery adventure boggles the mind.

Remember the meal planning we talked about?

When you have a clear idea of what you want to eat and what that takes, then create a pantry to make those meals, you have the power to change your mind at the last minute.

You don’t have to buy everything at once. See Mindy Mom over on YouTube has some great videos that cover stocking a pantry on a budget in addition to a huge variety of budget meals. Check her out.

Back to that list

You will discover your ’50 most important things to have in your pantry’ as you create your meal plans and shopping lists. You might be surprised to see how it evolves over time.

Happy cooking!

Cooking · Food · Meal Building Blocks

Meal Planning 101

JanetLeave a comment

Do you want to keep your budget under control, eat healthy, flavorful meals without spending a lot of time in the kitchen, and have an emergency back up plan Just In Case? Meal planning is your best option. Not sure where to start or how to proceed? Keep reading!

Things to Consider

Budget Your meal plan will be affected by the budget you set.

Availability Consider the foods available in your area as well as the equipment you have on hand. It is a good idea to have your calendar handy. If yours is a busy household, your calendar will help you determine how much time you have at any particular time to create your meals. You might also consider a regular cooking day. This might be once a week, biweekly, or monthly.

Balance If you are health conscious or have food allergy issues, your menu should be nutritionally balanced. You can achieve this by limiting, or removing, the foods that create allergic reactions as well as maintaining nutritional balance.

Recipes Choose recipes you can prepare in the time you have available. While favorites are an easy starting point, consider adding a new recipe once or twice a month, if not more often. You might consider developing a list of your favorite meals and then collecting recipes for those favorites.

Backup In case of emergencies have a backup plan in place. Keep an Emergency Meal or two in your pantry along with your regular staples. Consider foods that do not require cooking should the power go out. Don’t forget to have bottled water on hand, too.

Routine Pick a specific time and date to sit down and review your pantry and create your meal plan. This might mean sitting down the day before you plan on shopping. Gather the store sales flyers or check online to see what specials are on offer.

New Foods The best way to keep your meals fresh and interesting is to introduce new foods and recipes. Your next Family Favorite could be just waiting for you to try it.

Tools While you might start out with pen and paper, there are many different tools to help you plan your menu, create your shopping list, and contain favorite recipes.

Check out USDA Make A Plan HERE for more information.

Books

From The Reading Table: Oh Gussie!

JanetLeave a comment

Oh Gussie!: Cooking and Visiting in Kimberly’s Southern Kitchen by Kimberly Schlapman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Every once in a while I come across a cookbook that really speaks to me. As in food I like, recipes that capture my interest, and a book that might not spend more time on my shelf than in my hands being used.

This is one of those books.

Granted, the food is not for everyone. It is old school Southern cooking with a slight modern twist.

It is comfort food. It is NOT diet food. It is not intended to ‘get you by until…’, it is food that fills your belly and your soul while bringing smiles to the folks around your table.

If you are looking for something like this, give it a try.



View all my reviews

Books · Crafting · Food

Food For Thought: Do I Really Need this?

JanetLeave a comment

It’s that time of year! That time when the <cough> Big Sales come along with all sorts of great prices and options. That time when gift giving might (or might not) be a part of your Winter Holiday planning. That time when you find yourself dreaming about all sorts of goodies you might want to add to your Wish List.

Okay, sure, for many folks this describes pretty much every day of the year.

Personally, I find myself browsing a lot of Pinterest boards, vlogs, and ads that come my way and thinking ‘ Oooooh, that looks like fun!’ My Amazon view history can often be overwhelming at times.

Granted, some of those items are ones I’ve searched for myself. I occasionally get a wild idea that I might ‘want’ or ‘need’ to find [ fill in blank ] and am looking to see what might be available and fit the criteria I need. Thanks to view history, I can return to that search many times.

The thing is, more often than not I discover that I really am not all that interested in whatever that item is and the ‘need’ isn’t as pronounced now than it was at the time I started looking. Hmmm

I love to window shop (thanks, Mom!) because it often has a powerful effect on my wallet (as in: I don’t spend a penny) and I get the opportunity to really think about what I have found.

Once I have devoted some time for the research, I give myself time to decide if at the end of a few days I still really want the item. I ask myself some questions before I jump to buy.

My core questions

  • Do I really need it?
  • Is the price justifiable?
  • Do I have room for it?
  • Do I already have something that I can use instead?
  • Will I really use it?

Luckily, I have limited space in my home. Yeah, I know most folks would not think that a good thing. In my case I am limited by what I can add to my home without removing something else.

What I have discovered is that most of those potential purchases have been replaced by better options or dropped because I really didn’t find a true need for them after all.

As we slide into Holiday Season, when I am asked what I would like as a gift, I have a better idea of what to answer. Hint: Often it is not something I would use like a pair of socks. 😀

Now all of this is not to say I don’t make quick purchases when I find something that just tickles my fancy. I do. I just might not do it nearly as often as I once might have.

Best of all, there is the Thrill of the Hunt. Because there’s not much more enjoyable than finding just the right whatsit. Right?

Cooking

How Did I Not Know About This?

JanetLeave a comment

Crocktoberfest!

It is no secret around here that I love my slow cooker. That being said, I have no idea how I managed to now know about Crocktoberfest until now.

If you love your slow cooker and are not aware of this either, join the fun. Check out AllRecipes 31 Crocktober Recipes by clicking HERE. Scroll through to see what strikes your fancy.

If that isn’t enough, add ‘crocktober’ into your search bar or on Pinterest to see what comes up. You’ll find a wide array of recipes and ideas that just might make it into your regular rotation.

Happy Cooking!

Meal Building Blocks

Food For Thought

JanetLeave a comment

Recently I’ve been indulging in some vintage recipe videos over on YouTube. Besides enjoying a sense of nostalgia, I’ve been reminded of the treasures in my own vintage cookbooks.

As I look through my cookbooks one of the things that has stood out to me is the abundance of recipes that could easily become part of my regular meal rotation. Granted a few might need a few tweaks to make them a bit healthier but overall they are things I already like and would enjoy.

I don’t know about you but I suspect it is just a bit too easy to overlook what we already have on hand and depend upon the Internet to provide. We acquired these books for a reason, why not use them?

I’m looking forward to finding new favorites. Care to join me?