Friday Favorites

10 Habits for a Well Run Home -  and to stay sane
Natural Pantry - from Whole Living - items to stock up and create a natural pantry
Salted Honey Butter Popcorn -  sounds just yummy
Illustrated Knife Skills - just a nice illustration of knife skills
Veggie Cooking Cheat Sheet - for boiled, steamed or microwaved veggies - this lists them and times of how long to cook

Pantry: Snacks

I have went to the pantry and found a box of open crackers that are now stale or even an empty box sitting on the shelf. I have found multiple boxes of the same thing open or I can't find the snacks that were just purchased the day before because they are now buried under other things in the pantry. Or the thing I bought for that specific recipe I was going to make to take to the potluck is now gone because someone ate it. Yes I admit it I have had all of the above happen.

So here are my tips I have learned so that those things don't happen.

* Organize the pantry and have a specific area for snacks. I have a basket with a label hanging off the it that says snacks. So that family members know this is the area to snack from and help take away confusion of anything I bought for specific recipes.

* Get rid of things that come in boxes and bags you can't see through (make sure to try to recycle those wrappings). If you can see through it, you know if you are getting low with just one glance.

* Have chip clips, ziplocks or see-thru air-tight containers to keep things fresh.

* Keep stock up/backup items on a higher shelf or in another area of the house all together. So that you don't get more than one of the same item open.

* Sometimes it is hard to get that last little bit of crackers or raisins eaten. I am not sure why we don't like taking the last bit but what I have found works is taking those last bits and pieces and mixing them together into a trail mix. Maybe add some chocolate chips or nuts to give some extra flavor.

* Some times something that works for me is on stale items such as crackers and tortilla chip is to crisp them in the oven. Spread them on a cookie sheet and place in a preheated 300 degree oven. Keep a close watch on them - bake approximately 5 to 8 minutes. Allow to cool and then place back into an air-tight container or ziplock.

* And if that doesn't work then I throw all those bits in pieces in ziplock that I keep in the freezer. When it gets full or at least half way full, I run them through the food processor and use them as a replacement to bread crumbs. Often they have a lot of flavor, without adding a lot of spices. If you don't have a food processor, keep them in the ziplock and crush them with a rolling pin.

Reminder: Pantry Stock Up

Start being aware of your the weekly circulars at your grocery stores. Usually basics such as chicken stock, butter and flour and other baking supplies are on sale this time of year. So it is a good time to stock up.

Although I have noticed that some of my usual stores are higher on their prices - even when on sale. It is like some stores decided to up the prices before they put items on sale. So I have been doing some comparison shopping as some of the stores I don't frequent have had lower prices even on name brand items verses store brand.

Friday Favorites

Hot Coupon World - This was a link given to me by Sanna, a reader of Domestic. You have to register but it is free. And then it not only gives you coupons but has forums, chat, blogs and other resources on saving money on your grocery bills.

All You - it is a paper magazine but I found the link to the website in Real Simple. The website is full of tips on "enjoying life for less." A few articles I read and enjoyed....5 Coupon Blogs We Love, 6 Ways to Make Couponing Easy, A Month's Worth of Money Saving Ideas and 8 Surprising Foods You Can Freeze

Makes Great Leftovers from Woman's Day - We like leftovers so this link caught my eye. It had some recipes that were different to me. I am going to try to create a calendar of new recipes I want I try and hopefully add at least one of these.

Pretty Plastic Bag Organizer from Martha Stewart - I have one of these that was made by someone else and given to us. And it made from an ugly towel. But it is hung in the pantry where no one but me sees it and it works well. It is getting very old though and I think there is a little hole in the towel the cords are being worn away from how I have it hung so making a new one with a towel I like might be in order eventually.

Tie a Tie - It has how-to's for several knots, length calculator, tips and tricks, tells you about various necktie accessories and so on.

Meal/Menu Planning Resources

Just a couple meal planning resources.....

Organized Home Meal Planning Article and Printable Lists

And with that one that will help in meal planning....

Organized Home Pantry Pride

Meal/Menu Planning

When I make my grocery list, I make up a meal list. I don't put mine on a calendar that says Tuesday is going to be homemade pizza because our schedules just change so often that I might not have the time to make dough on Tuesday. So I have a list I can refer to and see the options. There are also things that are staples in our pantry/freezer/fridge that I can make almost anytime so those meal ideas are usually on the list too. If you have a fairly consistent schedule, writing out the menu on a calendar is a great idea. And if you see on Thursday you are making a roast -- you can write on the calendar the day you need to take it out to thaw. We have a dry erase board on our fridge so I usually write a note to myself there if I need to take something out that morning.

In making my grocery list and planning meals, I clean out the fridge, freezer and pantry. I toss things that are don't look good or are expired. I usually try to wipe down the shelves as I do that too. But also in cleaning out things, it makes it easier for planning meals because I have a clear view of what is actually available. It also makes unloading groceries easier if things are organized and cleared out.

I try to plan about 2 weeks worth of menus besides the usual staple dinners I just always have on hand (such as stir fry).

In planning the menus I...
go through my recipe box


go through cookbooks


look at recipes I have bookmarked online


look at past meal lists/menu calendars - helps me get ideas but also helps me not repeat


look through grocery ads - often looking through them I find something that sparks an idea or sounds good

look in pantry, fridge, freezer -- is there something that needs to be used soon? Is there something I have quite a bit of so should start using it up? Also is there something I have in the pantry that I always prepare the same way - maybe I can come up with something new for it?

think about seasonal produce -- I think about what I can incorporate that is in season. Fresh produce that is in season always tastes extraordinary without a lot of work put into it. Just a little olive oil and salt and pepper and usually you can have a wonderful side.

ask - I ask Himself if there is anything he is craving or would like to see on the menu

This all might seem a little daunting - taking the time to do this, but the more menu planning you do, the easier it becomes. And you will be thankful that you are not looking in the pantry thinking what's can I make for dinner.


Additional Resources:
Meals.com - I haven't ever used them for planning menus but used a couple recipes before

mealsmatter.org - I just found them today when googling menu planning and signed up so will let you know how I like them in a week or so

Livejournal - Dinner Ideas -- You have to be a member of Livejournal but is it a community I find useful. Because it helps me remember what I made. I can go back and look at what we have had for dinner for the last month very easily.

Uncluttered -- they have an exel spreadsheet or pdf file that you can download to help in menu planning