Before the craziness starts...

I realized something this year in talking with some friends.

Not everyone uses spreadsheets to track gift purchases (and budgets) year over year. Or sorts out their weekly menus on the spreadsheet with the corresponding grocery list attached. Or prides themselves on being finished with their holiday shopping and wrapping by early Dec.

I do. I find peace in the organization and structure. Honestly, if I was still wrapping (or buying) gifts at the last minute, I'd be very stressed out.

I have activities planned for the kids and family for each day they are here. I don't do last minute shopping. My pre-holiday baking is done on a schedule. I'll stock up on Christmas wrapping, cards, and ornaments the day after Christmas and already have purposes for them when I pack them up for next year.

This is pretty consistent to how I approach caring for the home. It's all on spreadsheets or on mobile apps. I clean as I go, which means someone cooking in the kitchen with me may find their 'stirring spoons' are cleaned up a few moments after they set them down. When I'm cleaning up the first meal, I'm already planning for two meals down.

I'm not in the moment.
I'm ten steps ahead.
When something unexpected happens, I'm already thinking of how that will impact things down the road.

While in some ways that means I'm an excellent, thoughtful hostess... it also means I'm flitting around in the background, always cleaning or planning when to take dessert out or when is the optimal time for coffee and tea without over-caffienating our guests so we're not wide awake at 4 am. It does make it hard for me to focus since I'm always scanning a room, checking for trash or empty glasses or plates that may need a refill. I rarely sit for long periods because I'm bustling around. My mind doesn't rest.

On Christmas, however, I do my best to take a few moments where I'm not the unfailing hostess with the perfectly timed agenda. Of the craziest of all days, I want to just let it go, and just be.

Be happy.
Be grateful.
Be hopeful.
Be aware.
Love and be loved.

I encourage you, no matter how family-filled and jam-packed your holidays get, to take a few moments to breathe deeply and let it all go. To recharge, and refocus.

Be in the moment, with all that surrounds you.

I know that it is a struggle for me to do so, but that my family is better served by my doing so.

Happiest of holidays to you and yours.

Menu planning for a week of family

My holidays mean I'll be having lots of extra visitors in the house during the week of Christmas to New Years. Specifically, in our case, we'll have a future mother-in-law, three tweens, and several out of town guests staying with us. For me, hostessing will not only mean keeping the house clean, laundry caught up and having several evenings where we host game nights or holiday events, but managing all the meals-- and this is during my "vacation". No small feat.

So I've started to plan out meals, taking into consideration any dietary restrictions and allergies as well as family traditions. I also started to make ahead a few things so I can whip them out of the freezer and into the oven while entertaining guests without spending hours in the kitchen.

Why plan ahead? It allows me to make sure we're eating healthy, balanced meals even in the midst of the holidays. It keeps me from being on autopilot and serving chicken for four days straight. And it helps to eliminate last minute runs to the grocery for forgotten ingredients for spur of the moment dinners. I even plan how to use the leftovers creatively so it's not just a case of "last night's dinner... warmed up". Best of all, it saves money and time.

Getting started:

• I use spreadsheets. :) The first page has a week's worth of days, broken down into meals (even breakfast) and allowing for afternoon snacks and a dessert. I insert direct links to recipes if I plan on using one specific one. The second page is the grocery list that will be generated from the meal plan.
• I check the pantry, fridge and deep freeze inventory first. If there's anything I already have on hand that I want to use, I populate the spreadsheet accordingly. I don't want to buy anything I already have on hand... especially during the holidays.
• I check my grocery ads to see if there's any specials I want to take into account when selecting recipes.
• I plan on buying once, using twice. If hamburger's on bulk sale, I may make half of the ground meat into tacos one night and save the rest for slow cooker sloppy joes, but brown up all the meat at once and THEN divvying it up into the two batches for separate meals. Leftover roasted chicken can be shredded for a tortilla soup for later in the week, or a quick chicken salad with pita chips... so I tend to roast extra because I already have uses for the leftovers in mind.
• Look for common ingredients in different recipes so you can buy once for multiple dishes.
• I also plan out my hors d'oevres when having people over to be sure I'm not missing anything.
• I pull out my tried and true recipes, but usually add in one or two new ones to keep it interesting for me. Pinterest is a good resource. So is epicurious. If they are available, I always read the reviews to see if there's something to account for it making the recipe (did the majority of the people complain about not enough seasoning? Is the cooking time off?)

Getting into it:

• I make ahead casseroles the week or two before, double up the recipe and freeze the extras into smaller portions so that it's a great side to pull out and just stick in the oven. Rice broccoli casserole freezes well. Baked mac and cheese does as well. You can also freeze twice baked potatoes. That way, all I need to do is roast up some meat, toss together a quick salad or steam up a bag of veggies and I'm all set. My prep work has been halved... and so has my cleanup.
• Fresh herbs brighten and refresh frozen dishes you prepared in advance. Frozen lasagna? Chop up fresh basil and parsley to sprinkle onto it before serving.
• My recipes for banana bread and pumpkin breads always seem to make two loaves, so I wrap them up well and freeze them. Same with muffins. I defrost the day before for a quick breakfast- I usually have some yogurt, fresh juice and fruit to complement the breads and they can help themselves to breakfast while I am sleeping in :)
• I cook what I can for Christmas dinner in advance so that the actual work on that day is minimal. I want to be refreshed and focused on family.
• I have quick standbys in case things don't work out. I tend to grill up extra chicken breasts for my own salads so I always have extra on hand. In my case, it's salad with grilled chicken and the always present frozen bags of steamable veggies. I also have homemade soups frozen in smaller batches on hand for a quick meal of salad, soup, and crusty bread.

Simple Desserts:

• I have a homemade pound cake in the freezer, waiting to be defrosted. My menu plan gives me the head's up when to defrost it so that it's thawed for the next day's dessert. Fresh berries and whipped cream are a quick complement.
• Each time I made Christmas cookies, I held back a dozen or so of each recipe to freeze in small balls with cooking instructions Sharpied onto the ziplock bag. I can bake as many or as few as I want- straight out of the freezer and onto the baking pan, and have a variety of fresh cookies made by the time I've made the eggnog or hot cider.
• I also keep vanilla ice cream and a 2 liter of root beer on hand for rootbeer floats (possibly one of the simplest treats out there).

Purging before the New Year

The New Year means a clean slate to me; a chance to create memories for the upcoming year; a fresh start and room to breathe and be. It is a chance to let go of all the baggage and 'stuff' we've been carrying around that we no longer need.

And of course, the New Year comes directly after a month of receiving new gifts and pulling out once-a-year items for limited use. Now, I don't want to start cleaning the slate on New Year's Day. I want it already clean, organized and ready to go when we let go of the old year and welcome in the new one.

Which means... the time between Thanksgiving and New Year's is when I make the time for cleaning, organization, repairing, donating and purging. Impossible, during the holidays? I say no, if you break it down into smaller tasks and do a "clean as you go" sort of approach.

Some tips:

• Make a list of goals to accomplish. Be clear. Be realistic. Estimate the supplies needed and the amount of time it should take. Schedule them as you can. Also, make sure to schedule relaxation time to counter all this uberproductivity.
• I use Remember The Milk to schedule in bursts of cleaning/purging amidst all the holiday stuff, even if it is 7 consecutive days of 60 minute cleaning sessions out in the garage. RTM also has handy apps to track your tasks and to-do lists on the go. I'd rather do small projects for 45-60 minutes each day for a few weeks than to set aside a week of hard core cleaning at the end.
• Got a spare evening while you are watching holiday movies? Pull out your makeup bags and sort through it. Purge anything outdated or expired. Then set up an automatic calendar reminder to do it again in 6 months.
• Pinterest is a good resource for cute, DIY organization ideas.
• Now is a good time to donate anything from toys to coats to food to used furniture. If you aren't using it, haven't used it in the last two years and you know it is still good and serviceable, consider calling a local charity to donate. Save your receipt if you need it for filing taxes.
• If you have clothing or items set aside for repair.... now is the time to either get them repaired or call it quits. *Especially* if they've been out of commission longer than 6 months.
• Check when your local trash service picks up bulk items, and schedule accordingly.
• If I bring gifts for others into the home, I mark them off my gift list, store the receipts, wrap as soon as possible and get them to their owners if they are being mailed out and gifted. There is no need for them to sit in the house any longer than necessary. 
• In the same spirit- make room for new gifts and put them away in their designated space. If you need to make room on a bookshelf for new books, find a few you will not read again and take them to a half price bookstore or donate them (or give to a friend who you think will enjoy them). If you receive new clothes, check to see if there's any existing clothes in your closet you no longer wear or have outgrown to make the room for the new items.
• Purge through holiday ornaments/trinkets/knick knacks as you pull them out to decorate. Check them over for any damage to be repaired or assessed for purging. Get rid of any items you don't like/don't want/don't use... even if you are holding onto it for sentimental reasons, ask yourself how important it is to you in the long run, given the current condition it is in. Only you can make that call, but it's common for people to hang on to "stuff" they'll never use out of sheer habit alone.
• Label your storage boxes for holiday gear. Take the time to wrap up the ornaments and knickknacks when you are done, and wind the lights with care. I tend to stock up on new wrapping paper, gift boxes/labels/ribbons, decor, cards and ornaments on Dec. 26th when they are on clearance, and will list everything out on the label when packing up seasonal items. I also tuck new scotch tape and extra scissors in with all of the wrapping gear so I don't have to scrounge around looking for it next year. 
• I try to have the decorations down and in their place by New Year's Eve- the first weekend of January if absolutely necessary. Once I'm done with the holiday, I'm ready to move on.
• When you receive greeting cards, verify the address to make sure you have the most recent location in your records. Track who you receive cards from, and who you are mailing ones to.
• If you need to, farm out the heavier cleaning or tasks. If you only splurge once a year on a cleaning service, this may be your time to do so without guilt. The holidays can be the most stressful times of year, particularly with guests and additional entertaining and it may be worth it to remove extra stress. Look for local groupons for discounts, or ask friends for recommendations for cleaning services. Decide if you want to handle the basic cleaning, and ask them to do the heavier once-or-twice a year chores, or if you want them to come in and handle everything for you.
• I try to air out the house as best as possible when I'm doing that end of year cleaning.. that will depend on your climate but if it's possible to do so, I find it helps.

Good luck!

Dirty laundry

Danae asked me to share a post I had written about my love of laundry.

One of the first things that stopped my owner in his tracks is when he saw that I had two books on laundry on my 'service' bookshelves. It's one of my favorite chores.

I perform valet services as well as laundering. That includes laying out his clothes on a daily basis, providing at least twice a week changes of fresh sheets and towels (pillowcases are changed out more frequently) and providing a change of comfortable clothes after work if he wants, including fresh socks since he doesn't wear slippers. It also includes being available to serve as his barber or provide a hot towel shave and facial massage. I also assist in dressing him in the mornings if I am available, or in the evenings before we go out.

As for the laundry, some of my favorite tips:

• We use homemade laundry detergent.
  
• I have a solid understanding of fabric types including specialty fibers such as cashmere, and how to launder them from my fiber arts.
  
• I tend to run loads according to the fabric type (for temperature and level of agitation) and color, and save handwash items to do in a batch at one time.
• When transferring items to the dryer, I try to snap them out so the items are not wadded up.
  
• I don't overdry items.
  
• I never use fabric softener with towels or items intended to be absorbent.
• Often, the only softener I'll use is diluted vinegar.
  
• Unmatched items are not placed back into the drawers until they are paired up again.
• My preference is to fold things right away if possible.
  
• If items are worn to the point where they need to be replaced, I bring it to his attention. It's his call if he wants new ones purchased.
  
• I monitor seasonal items and launder/store them as needed.
• I also can perform bootblacking and leather care.

He's very appreciative. He's commented on how much softer and more absorbent his towels are and how much he enjoys sliding into fresh, crisp sheets on a far more regular basis than he was used to.

He's never short on clean items to wear, never has to fish around in a drawer for matching socks, and enjoys that he doesn't have to manage when and how the laundry gets done.

Fresh bedding, changes of clothing and clean towels just somehow happen. :)

Gift idea: Biscotti

After baking up a ton of sweet stuff this holiday, I was looking for something homemade to gift some foodie friends on my list. Biscotti came to mind- not too terribly sweet, but flavorful and it still gives me the chance to play around with different combinations of ingredients.

I adapted Giada De Laurentiis' holiday biscotti recipe. I opted not to dip them in white chocolate and cover them in sprinkles, and changed out the nuts from pistachios to chopped walnuts. The result was a slightly sweet cookie with a gentle lemon undernote, just the right amount of crumble when dipped in coffee, and a buttery, nutty flavor accented with cranberries.

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup dried cranberries

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a heavy, large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl to blend, and set aside.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, lemon zest and salt together.
Add eggs in, beating them one at a time.
3. Add the flour mixture and mix until everything is just blended. Stir in dried fruit and nuts.
4. Form the dough into a log, about 3” wide, on the prepared baking sheet. Mine ended up being about a foot long.
5. Bake until light golden – about 40 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. There may be some crumbling when you slice... I made sure to cool completely before moving onto the next step to minimize that.
6. Using a serrated knife, slice through biscotti at a diagonal. Arrange slices onto baking pan, slice-side-down. Bake again at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until the tops are light golden brown and the edges are crisp.
7. Cool completely before packaging.



My next batch? Walnuts, dried cherries, dipped halfway in melted dark chocolate.

Stretching a budget for the holidays...

This month, we are celebrating the Christmas holidays, as well as three birthdays and hosting family for New Year's Eve. So I've been charged with the task of making sure that the grocery budget stretches as far as we can. Considering the amount of social activities and extra shopping/visitors we'd be hosting this month, I wanted to see how far I could get with smart planning and cooking in bulk.

First, I checked with the Boss about his preferences for the holiday meals and then asked for preferences of those celebrating their birthday. Those would be the cornerstones I had to work around.

Then I raided the pantry to see what we had on hand. With a list of basic ingredients in hand, I planned out meals where I could make once, eat twice... basically, make a double batch and cook one immediately, then freeze one for use at the end of the month. Lasagne, casseroles, soups, chilis all made that list.

Then I looked for similarities in the recipes where I could buy in bulk and split up the items. Italian sausage is a great multitasker: I planned to use it for lasagne, migas, and roasted polanos with sausage. Rotisserie chicken was planned for chicken cheesy nachos, a spicy chicken tortilla soup (turkey leftovers work awesome with this recipe, too), and homemade chicken stock. I have three recipes to use with butternut squash- including a sweet roasted squash, a savory casserole, and a soup with roasted apples.

I don't use tomato based sauces often, so when I used a marinara sauce for a dipping sauce for pepperoni monkey bread, I planned on making the lasagne shortly after so I could use the remainder of the sauce. I made a note of what type of shredded cheeses I'd need to buy in bulk.

I consolidated all the recipes into a master grocery list, looked for coupons and sales, bought in bulk where I could. With the exception of milk, eggs, ice cream for the birthdays and fresh salad greens, I believe we are done for the month and we've only used half the normal budget. When all is said and done, I expect to spend about 70% of what we'd normally spend, despite the various special occasion meals we'll be having this month.

I have casseroles tucked away in the freezer, a loaf of pumpkin bread, several soups and chilis frozen in smaller portions, frozen cookie dough waiting to pop into the oven, ingredients for 2 types of lasagne and scones ready to be prepped this week. I also have ingredients for candy and other holiday treats ready to go.

On top of this, a lot of pressure off me is gone. I don't have to worry about unexpected guests dropping in or spending my time in the kitchen cooking the entire time while we have visitors... I can pull out something I prepped earlier. Best of all, when we go to potlucks or have a work event, I always have homemade cookies I can bake in less than 15 minutes.

Discipline and motivation

An exchange with a friend about self discipline and motivation... I thought it might be interesting to others as well.

"I wondered about keeping yourself motivated. I am usually a fairly self disciplined person, but in the past 6 months or so, I have noticed that I am "slacking" off in certain areas of my life, exercise, housekeeping, diet etc...It hasn't really become a huge issue yet, but for those of us without Dominants/Masters to help keep you in line - what "tricks" do you use when you find yourself backsliding?"

I'm extremely goal oriented and driven. I write down my goals and commit to making them happen. Sometimes certain ones take a backseat for a while but that is just a matter of priorities. I can't make more hours in the day.

Another reason why I write down my goals is because I like to cross them off my list, and see what I've accomplished in a month, two months, a year, five years. Accountability and commitment.

Now... back to staying on track domestically. :) I consider myself domestic mostly because I like living well. And for me that means creating a home environment (for myself, or my owner) that is soothing, peaceful, calm, clean and comfortable. For me, it is a matter of mindset. I used to have a hard time doing things for myself. I would do it for my master, but when it came down to just doing it for me, I would be more apt to let it slide.

When I was single, I realized I could always be *awaiting the one*, and in the meantime, I'd be letting things slide here and there if he wasn't there to enforce me getting stuff done. I could cook and serve a formal dinner to someone else, but when it is just me, I'd just grab a snack here and there because it didn't seem worth going through the trouble.

But my happiness is just as important as any future master's. So now if I am single, I do it because I am worth taking the extra time and energy for- its a form of self love. So is exercising, eating right, improving myself- I'm not only improving my life in the meantime and creating my own happiness, but I am improving the value of the potential property.

My house is my sanctuary and my refuge from the craziness that comes from trying to do more things than I have time or energy for. So it is very important to me that I keep it in order, uncluttered, clean-- my time in my home balances out the chaos from work and social life, and lets me unwind. Because I am so busy, I found it easiest to write out all the weekly tasks that I need to do to keep my home the way I want to.

Then I break them up into what I can fit into a 30 minute time period. I open the windows during the half hour and air out the house, and set a timer for 30 minutes for focused, steady work. If I need to, I do 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes at night. Anything I skip gets added to the next night and weekends are my catch up times.

Just as an example, I might plan out the following:

• Monday: scrub the bathrooms, put out fresh towels, wipe down the kitchen and put fresh sheets on the bed
• Tuesday: mop, sweep, wipe down the kitchen and bath
  
• Wednesday: clean out the fridge, make up my shopping list, and wipe down the kitchen and bath
  
• Thursday: tidy my bedroom (change pillowcases) and living room, and wipe down the kitchen and bath
  
• Friday: dust, vacuum, wipe down kitchen and bath
  
• Weekends: Laundry, grocery shopping, filling up the car/washing it, cleaning ceiling fans

Then I build those into my calendar so they pop up and remind me.

If needed: Once a month, I set aside an afternoon for one task (organizing spare room, purging closet, cleaning out garage) as well as an afternoon for things like shampooing carpets, wiping out fridge and oven.

Mostly, I try to do certain things every day: air out the bed, make it, wash dishes and put them away, put away shoes and laundry into hamper. The rest is just simply making the rest into a habit of cleaning 30 minutes a day to maintain. 30 minutes is not so much, and it will make a world of difference. And if not 30, then 20.

Even when I was single, this practice helped me stay on top of things so that if I ever served someone who wanted me to keep the house clean *and* spend time with them, I could keep the housework minimal and spend the extra time doing more fun things :) If you stay on top of it, it doesn't seem overwhelming-- especially since you already have a lot on your plate with working two jobs, socializing/dating, exercising, getting enough sleep, etc.

And if housework is not your thing... there are options so you don't have to do it, which opens up time to do the things you do want to do. Pay someone else, do a trade, have a friend come over to help and then go to their house the next weekend... but do something to get it off your list of things to do.

Random finds....

I've been on an organization/purging kick lately and found the following resources while surfing in the wee hours when I should be sleeping.

Clean Mama Blog- excellent blog posts on green cleaning, spring cleaning and housekeeping along with project ideas and organizing. My favorite? Her step by step clean ALL your bedding blogpost (I'm not a fan of flat sheets, either!)

Simplify 101- professional organizers that provide online workshops and offer a good selection of free tips and articles on organization. I liked the fact that not only did the tips cover decluttering, organizing and cleaning on both home and office, but it covered productivity and life goals/changes as well.

Crazy Domestic Blog- good articles overall on cleaning and organizing but the one that got me really excited was this guest tutorial on etched glass storage jars. So cute! (I am totally doing this for the holidays).

My new discovery: Podcasts on Organizing (I'm still in the process of finding which ones I like, but it never occurred to me to check itunes for podcasts on cleaning/organizing)

Friday Favorites

This week, I'm celebrating the flavors of summer before it winds down.

Raspberry Limeade Slushies
I've been going through a lime juice phase. So I definitely perked when I saw these luscious slushies with two of my favorite fruit.

French Martini Sorbet
A yummy cocktail inspired dessert from Cooking Light, combining the flavors of raspberry, lemon and pineapple.

Insalata Caprese
Usually by this time of year, we are overrun with tomatoey goodness. My favorite way to use them is Insalata Caprese (the leftovers- if there are any- are great in a sandwich the next day). Best of all, it's a no-cook recipe that's ready in ten minutes. While the traditional recipe only calls for olive oil, occasionally I will cheat and drizzle a few drops of a rich balsamic vinegar on top.

Argula Salad with Peaches and Goat Cheese
This is a new-to-me blog but I love some of the recipes showcased. Make sure you read the helpful Kitchen Notes at the bottom of the recipe. I love using fresh fruits in salads- blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, peaches. So the combination of argula and peaches picqued my interest immediately. Especially with creamy goat cheese and a garlicky dressing. Yum!

And... from the same blog: summertime equals sizzling steaks from the grill for me. But I like to add a fresh, herbal summery kick with chimichurri sauce during these hotter than hot months (plus I can drizzle the sauce on grilled veggies, salads, bread, etc). Blue Kitchen has a recipe that went immediately on my "must try now!" list: Pan Seared Steaks with Chimichurri Sauce

Enjoy!

Friday Favorites

Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
Excellent overview of Super Washing Soda, including what makes it an effective cleanser and two recipes featuring washing soda. This is actually part of an on-going Back to Basics series that also discusses 20 Mule Team Borax, Bon Ami cleanser, and a few others. Good stuff.

Tips for Washing Lingerie
Five helpful tips for washing your intimates. And if your intimates include corsets or cinchers, there are tips for how to wash a corset (and this one, too)

Garden Web
My go-to resource online for all things gardening. There's active forums, an excellent FAQ on a variety of topics from organic gardening to plant or seed exchanges to local seasonal gardening.

Orangette's Popsicles
Summertime is made for popsicles. And Orangette has a super yummy recipe for a raspberry-yogurt popsicle that is easy and delicious. (Actually, her blog is one of my favorite food blogs. Bookmark it while you are there)

MQM: What makes it service?

What do you feel is the difference between just having to clean house and serving domestically? I have to clean house no matter if I am owned or not so what makes it serving if I had to do it anyway? I had to buy a gift for his Mom even if I wasn't owned by him because he is a man and gift buying usually falls to women. I do crafts for me because I am enjoy them so what makes it a service to him? It is hard for me to wrap my mind around that I am serving him by doing those things.

For me, it's not specifically what I do, but the why I do it.

You know... I gave a local talk about service, and someone grumbled about halfway through "this sounds like housework to me". And I was actually taken aback because for me, it's not. It's about being useful to someone in a way they specifically value or permit.

When in service, I don't clean because 'it has to be done'. I care for the boss' home in the manner which pleases him. His tastes dictate what I do. I base decisions on either his directly stated preference, or to make something more convenience/pleasant/comfortable/less stressful for him. If he doesn't like something, I don't do it again-- even if I liked it. If he doesn't care how something is done, I may default to my general taste on how to get a task done, but I do so knowing that could be vetoed at any time.

If I am buying a gift on someone's behalf, I am well aware that my selection reflects on them. I would not presume to purchase anything as a gift for someone else simply because he's a man and I am a woman.

I provide that service because:
A) it's desired
B) I have more experience comparison shopping than someone else might
C) they are too busy or... can't be bothered
D) it's a way to free up some time for them
E) I wrap better than they do
F) we both enjoy the display of my usefulness

I do crafts for me, unless he specifically tells me to serve him in that way. It's not a service unless he makes it so. But it does afford me some relaxation and entertainment, and generally I've found the people I serve encourage that interest provided it does not interfere with my service to them.

In her answer, kaya wrote: "Having to do it is not the service. Having to do it in a manner that pleases him is the service." I could not express this better.

Naan

One of our favorite items around here is fresh naan.

The base recipe is the master bread (no knead) recipe adapted from “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day,” by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François (Thomas Dunne Books, 2007).

Base Recipe:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons yeast
• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 6 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, more for dusting dough

1. In a large bowl or plastic container, mix yeast and salt into 3 cups lukewarm water (about 100 degrees). Stir in flour, mixing until there are no dry patches. Dough will be quite loose. Cover, but not with an airtight lid. Let dough rise at room temperature 2 hours (or up to 5 hours).

2. Bake at this point or refrigerate, covered, for as long as two weeks.

For Naan:

1. Because the dough is damp, so sprinkle a bit of flour onto the dough before using scissors to snip off a ball about the size of lemon. If you want larger Naan, cut a ball of dough about the size of peach.
   

2. Sprinkle your board and your rolling pin with flour, and roll the dough to about 1/8” thickness. Make sure your cast iron pan is super hot. Add about a teaspoon of butter and swirl across the pan to coat. Drop in the dough.
   

3. Cover the pan. My skillet doesn’t have a lid, so I use a cookie sheet. Take a peek after about a minute. If you see dough bulging up, it’s ready to turn. Cook the other side for a similar amount of time.
   

4. You can use a portion of the dough, or if you’re feeding a crowd, all of it. Whatever you don’t use, just recover your bowl with plastic wrap (leaving just a smidge of an opening to allow gas to escape) and stick it back in your refrigerator.

March Question Month: Tasks

"What is your favorite domestic task and what is your least favorite and why."

My favorite task is scrubbing the bathroom.

For one thing, I find it relaxing to get my scrub on and often use the time to think while I clean. A bathroom is small enough that I can have it scrubbed, mopped, aired out, wiped down from ceiling to baseboards and mopped very quickly whenever the mood strikes me. (As opposed to some other chores where I run out of steam about halfway through and I'm stuck with a room that looks like my closet exploded)

The other reason is that like my bedroom, I prefer to keep my bathroom uncluttered and serene. I'm big into bubblebaths and pampering. So I keep my bath area airy, full of white space, and as spa-like as possible.

I air it out/sweep/wipe down nightly, and mop/scrub down twice a week.

My least favorite task is dusting, especially if the home has a plethora of knickknacks (aka dustcatchers).

Anything dust related plays up my allergies. I especially do not enjoy cleaning ceiling fans/air vents where the dust falls on me. At the same time, I'm squicked out by ceiling fans with an inch of dust hanging off the edge of the blade, so it's actually the first thing I dust in a room. Then I work downward (from ceiling to floor) before I vacuum.

Thanks for the question! I'm looking forward to hearing what others' enjoy, or don't.

Winter Shoe Care link

DSW shares some great tips on winter shoe care.

Speaking of which... I need to go shoe shopping. :)

Overhaulin'

I love spring cleaning. This process lets me let go of the winter blues and greet the spring with a clean slate. It’s hard work for sure, but deeply satisfying.

Usually when I think of spring cleaning, I think of… well, an overhaul. Scrubbing out the aftermath of winter when we’ve been housebound more than usual, washing window screens and window treatments, cleaning behind all the major appliances, washing the walls and airing out the house. And danae’s compiled some outstanding checklists to help keep that process organized.

But this year… I’m going to ramp up to Spring Cleaning with a few other overhauls.

• De-cluttering the calendar: I prioritize my time and activities to make sure I am using my time effectively, and give myself enough time to recharge. I also build some time into the schedule to get outside and enjoy the breezes and sunshine with a walk or workout. Most importantly, I make sure I get enough sleep on a regular basis- even if I have to schedule it in.
• Spring cleaning the PC: I set aside an afternoon to do a backup, defrag, virus check, security patch updates, organizing my desktop and any loose files that need a home, deleting anything outdated (or uninstalling unused programs). I also remove any RSS feeds or groups that I no longer have time to read, catch up on emails, and make sure my contact list/address book is updated and backed up.
• Checking expirations on cosmetics and medications/vitamins: I do this two, maybe three times a year, primarily because I love makeup and have a terrifying amount of ‘stuff’. Here’s a good rule of thumb for cosmetic expiration dates. I also purge vitamins and supplements as needed, as well as items in my first aid kit and medicine cabinet. I put out the oldest items in front, so I use those up first.
• Freshening up my hair and makeup: I usually make major changes in spring, whether it’s cutting my hair, adding in a few highlights to chase away the darker winter tones, switching to brighter, sheer colors in cosmetics or just wanting something fresh and different. When I switch over to my warmer seasonal clothes, I take a head-to-toe look to see if I’m where I want to be. I also try to take a critical eye to my mirror and make sure I'm not in a rut... (What would they say to me on What Not to Wear?)
  
• Unconditioning: I’ve found my winter hair conditioners and moisturizers are not always my best choice for spring/summer. Usually, I switch to lighter lotions instead of body butters and often find my conditioner is too heavy in the warmer months.
• Detailing the car: I normally wash my car weekly, and vacuum/wipe down inside twice a month. But in the spring, I do like to spend the time on a deep clean/detail (or dropping it off to get done :) It allows me to really examine the car for any damage (especially if you are in cold climates, where the roads are treated during icy/snow conditions) or other contaminants such as tree sap/bird droppings that might affect the paint. And I can shampoo/condition the interior.
  

Friday Favorites...

January's my month to nest and be crafty, so I'm including some of my new favorites.

For those who make jams, etc... here's a few cute options for packaging and printable labels/tags.

• Fabric Jam Jar Topper How To + Free Printable Jam Tags & Labels
• DIY Home Made Jam Packaging- Free Labels

Artful Arranging
Some great ideas on different ways to arrange art in space. I love how many photos there are to inspire and illustrate examples of using the space.


DIY: Canvas Frame Inspiration Boards
Tutorial for a cute inexpensive craft project- customize with your favorite fabric. Make one, or several for a mosaic-like effect.


Refreshing Your Home- 8 tips
Timeless, easy, inexpensive tips on freshening up your home space.


Tutorial: Glossy Bookmark or Magnet
Excellent tutorial, with step by step instructions on how to make some thoughtful gifts for about $2 each. I liked how you had the option to make it a magnet, or a bookmark, with charm or without.

Friday Favorites

Alton Brown's Hot Cocoa Mix
I don't know about anyone else, but a monthlong streak of rainy, chilly weather has me craving some warm drinks by the fire. Alton's recipe is super rich and super comforting- and the cayenne pepper is just the right touch!

This also makes great last minute gifts for other cocoa lovers. If you gift it, be sure to add...

Smitten Kitchen's Homemade Marshmallows
I'm not even a marshmallow person but this recipe may convert me! Although part of me just wants to make a batch, not let it set, and just make Rice Krispie Treats.

Make your own mulling spices
Because I don't always want to spend $10-15 on mulling spices from the local foodie store. Whether you mull wine, or cider... the house smells A-Mazing when you have something mulling on the stove. This recipe is simple, the site offers gifting ideas (including printable premade tags with instructions!) and best of all: it has a Mulling Spice Calculation Worksheet in case you need to make a smaller amount.

Almond Biscotti
Another recipe I've been craving since my hot beverage intake is on the rise. It also looks like it would make an excellent gift for a friend of mine, presented with a bag of dark rich coffee beans or exotic tea.

Epicurious Guide to Entertaining (featuring Clinton Kelly)
Granted... I'm a little biased here. One of my fantasies entails a week of shopping, lunches and fabulous parties with Tim Gunn and Clinton Kelly. So that alone would make this link worthwhile (for me). But I know not everyone crushes on fabulous stylish 'lifestyle gurus'... but the videos themselves are pretty good. In the "cocktail party/home bar" video, he talks about different ways to offer beverages for small or large parties, including using recipe cards for guests to make their own drinks, or serving a signature cocktail so it's easy to have made ahead in batches, and how to calculate how much to plan (ice, booze) per guest. Pretty fun, fast paced videos to watch, and some handy little hors d'oeuvres recipes.

Kitchen Essentials

Build your own Smitten Kitchen: A Practical Gift Guide
An outstanding list of essential kitchen items Deb's compiled, that make your life easier, everyday. Excellent list to consider for gifts this year.

In her words: "My interest is in items that are practical, well-constructed, clever enough to multitask, pretty enough to move from kitchen to table, and — look, this is just my personal schtick as I fear things that melt close to temperatures I routinely use when cooking — involve as little plastic and silicone as possible."

And while you're there, check out her gift worthy section of amazing recipes.

I originally had my eye on the Coffee Toffee, but now I'm drooling over the salted chocolate caramels...

Friday Favorites

These are a few of my favorite things...


Thanksgiving chat with Alton Brown: Admittedly, everyone I know that's brined a turkey has done so after watching Alton Brown do it on Good Eats. The chat's from 2001, but Alton Brown weighs in on everything from side dishes to desserts to turkey and ham, including recipe ideas and alternatives for traditional dishes.

Chipotle Bacon Jam Recipe: Because bacon makes everything better. Well, nearly everything... and what it won't fix, I bet new shoes will!

Seriously... how yummy does a simmered concoction of bacon, garlic, chipotle, Mexican hot chocolate and coffee sound? This is definitely on my must-make list. If you aren't a chipotle lover, try this version.

Crafty Love: Perfect for knitters, crocheters, designers, spinners, and dyers... Ravelry is my addiction. And I'm not alone... over half a million have joined this site. It's one of the best laid out social communities I've seen, that helps me keep track of my yarn, tools, and patterns, and look to others for ideas and inspiration. My favorite part? The ability to see what other people have done with the same yarn that I have no idea what to do with.

Tyler Florence's French Onion Soup One of my favorite comfort foods is French Onion Soup. Not the ones that taste just like broth from a can with cheese on top... I want the complex richness of wine and seasonings, perfectly paired with the right amount of cheese. Especially during the holidays... this is one of those dishes to savor and unwind over.

5 Homemade Bath Salts & Soaks I'm a big believer in devoting some time to relaxing and unwinding-- especially during the holidays. Here's some recipes for homemade bath salts and soaks, as well as recipes for homemade foot soaks. (Great for gifts, too!)

100 Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do

Excellent article on service from a restaurateur's perspective

Part 1 (tips 1-50)
Part 2 (tips 51-100)

My favorite: 9. Do not recite the specials too fast or robotically or dramatically. It is not a soliloquy. This is not an audition.