2015 Reading Challenge - CATCH UP, part two

Two books I've recently read....

Mind of a Molester, by Kenneth Quinn

 

 

This book is written by a friend of mine. It is presented in a very informative and interesting way. It showcases and highlights a raw and open account of addiction and healing. He shares the story of his past and how he worked through it...and beyond it.

 

 

Why I Married a Murderer and How I Survived the Divorce, by Teresa Roberts.

 



 

You know... sometimes you just end up with a book in your collection...with no rhyme or reason for it being there. So you read it. That's what happened...and that's what I did.  Not impressed. This book was basically a run down of the ups and downs of dating and all the bad relationships this lady ended up in.......almost a "poor pitiful me" type thing. 



UPDATE: Pinterest Project - Homemade Laundry Soap

So... I left off with a full bucket of homemade laundry soap - with plans to return here in May with an update as to how well it's done on cleaning my clothes....and how long it lasted.

 

 

This was taken this morning. I'm to the bottom of the bucket --- with maybe enough detergent for 10-12 more loads. I'm impressed.... and I'd say this is a money saving venture. I spent $28 in January....and haven't purchased laundry soap since. As far as cleaning my clothes --- I've not had any problems. They're clean, they smell nice....so I think in the next few weeks I'll be gathering the supplies to make another batch ----We'll see if the second batch will last me the remainder of the year! 

My First Manicure

My First Manicure.....EVER.

What possessed me to do this? I have no clue. BUT... I did it. And I loved it!

The relationship I've had with my nails has always been a strained one....very rarely was I ever able to let them grow. But, I've tried to do better at this....  leaving them alone and just letting them do their own thing. 

I came across a Groupon 1/2 off coupon for a manicure at a local salon ... so I went with it. $15....not bad. Worth it. This one lasted for a good week.

Will I be going back? I do think so. The kicker for me is going to be the cost. $15 isn't a bad deal to spend ever so often for this little pampering.... but $30.Hmmm.... maybe for special occasions only!

2015 Reading Challenge - Catch UP!

This past month or so has been BUSY for me.... school has just about done me in this semester. I was taking 3 classes - one of which was Biology and the teacher in that class was rough-stuff! BUT --- here it is...the week of finals... and I'm actually able to take a small breath and a quick sigh of relief as I play catch up on several things.  My hope and plan is to get back in the blogging groove now that this semester is essentially done with.

First things first.... well... easy things first, how's that.  Somehow I have managed to read during all of this semester crazy-ness!  Six books, I think... is what I need to update on. Impressive, huh? Some of them were quick reads...so it's not as daunting and impressive as it sounds.

"A book set somewhere you've always wanted to visit" --- For this category I chose a book off my overstuffed bookshelf:

Two Old Women: An Alaskan Legend Of Betrayal, Courage And Survival is a novel by Velma Wallis, set in northeastern Alaska.
The basic summary of this story is two old women spend the winter abandoned by their tribe in the wilderness. They survive...and thrive. It was a quick read...and not overly impressive. I suppose Alaskan legends aren't really my thing. But, this little book has been on my shelf for a little while now - so it was time to read it and move on. I will find it a new home soon...
I chose this category...because I think Alaska is someplace I'd like to visit....maybe in the form of an Alaskan cruise?

Under One Roof: Lessons I learned from a Tough Old Woman in a Little Old House. by Barry Martin. This is a heartwarming story of an unlikely friendship between the superintendent of a massive construction project and the old woman who refuses to sell her tiny house that sits in the way of the project. I'm not sure if this is the exact story that the movie 'Up' was coined after.... but, it's a VERY similar tale. I was expecting to shed a few tears with this book.... but surprisingly I didn't. It was a sweet story. 
I put this book under the "book based on a true story" category.....and passed it on to my sis.

Fixed Trilogy: Fixed on You, Found in You, Forever with You. by Laurelin Paige. Similar to the whole 50 Shades storyline, but without a lot of the physical BDSM stuff. I LOVED this trilogy. I listed to the first two via audio book then read the third one on Kindle. If you liked 50Shades.... then I'd suggest you check this trilogy out.
I, of course, put this under my "Trilogy" category.

Hudson by Laurelin Paige. This is book 4 of the "Fixed Trilogy". I could've done just fine without this one. Take it or leave it --- it didn't really add much to the other three. It was just "ok" and provided a little backstory to Hudson, the main male character in the Fixed Trilogy. I read this via Kindle. 
I put this under the "Book with one-word title" category.

There ya have it.... the handful of books I've recently read. Not sure what I'll start on next......

As for the 2015 Reading Challenge --- I've read 14 books...leaving 38 more to read!

New Recipes: Teriyaki Pork Chops and Beef Tips n Gravy

Unfortunately I don't have any photos to share..... but, I do have recipes!

This past weekend, I stocked up on a few groceries and decided to throw together a couple more freezer meals while I had the stuff -- and the time.

Teriyaki Pork Chops
4-5 pork chops (I chose the boneless chops)
salt and pepper to taste
2 minced garlic cloves
2 tbs brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup chicken broth

Combine all ingredients in Ziploc. Freeze. Thaw the night before. Crockpot it for 4-5 hours high or 6-7 hours low.  Serve with mashed potatoes or rice.

(I took this same recipe and prepared a freezer meal with chicken as well. So - two meals with one recipe. We haven't tried this version of Teriyaki chicken yet.)

I dumped the bag in the crockpot on lunch and set it to low. Once home that evening, I whipped up some mashed potatoes and veggies and served the pork chops like I normally would. The juice was too runny for any sort of gravy.

The chops were super tender --- and full of flavor throughout. Em and I both enjoyed this recipe --- and will be making it again.

Beef Tips n Gravy
1 1/2 lbs of stew meat
1 pkt dry onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom
1 (14oz) can of beef broth
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in Ziploc. Freeze. Thaw the night before. Crockpot it 8-10 hours on low, 4-5 hours on high. Serve with/over mashed potatoes.

THIS RECIPE IS YUMM-O-LISCIOUS!!  I was late getting it dumped into the crockpot...2pm... so worried that it wouldn't be done when I got home from work. I was right. Even though I set it on high, when I got home around 5 and checked it - the meat was done, but not tender. So, I went on with the evening taking care of other things around the house. At 7pm I checked it again - PERFECT! The meat chunks were tender and dinner was ready! I whipped up some mashed potatoes and heated a can of carrots and TA-DA! Dinner was served....and dinner was YUMMY!

This recipe ended up making a lot of gravy. Well, and a lot of food too. Em and I enjoyed it for dinner, then I savored it again for lunch the following day. I kept the remaining gravy and had it over mashed potatoes again the following night for dinner. So - next time, I may try it with 2 pkgs of stew meat instead of just one.

This is comfort food to a T!  Em enjoyed it ... but I'm not sure she enjoyed it as much as I did.  This will definitely be done again!

2015 Reading Challenge - Black Like Me

For the 2015 Reading Challenge, the category "A book your mom liked" -  Well, when we asked mom what her favorite book was.... her response was that she didn't really read much, and the only book she could recall ever reading was "Black Like Me".  So, this will have to do for this category.

My thoughts. The book is a slow read....hard to get through at times...dry and slow.  But - I think the overall story behind it was interesting. Here's the summary on it from Wikipedia:

Black Like Me is a nonfiction book by journalist John Howard Griffin first published in 1961. Griffin was a white native of Dallas, Texas and the book describes his six-week experience travelling on Greyhound buses (occasionally hitchhiking) throughout the racially segregated states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia passing as a black man. Sepia Magazine financed the project in exchange for the right to print the account first as a series of articles.
Griffin kept a journal of his experiences; the 188-page diary was the genesis of the book.
At the time of the book's writing in 1959, race relations in America were particularly strained and Griffin aimed to explain the difficulties that black people faced in certain areas. Under the care of a doctor, Griffin artificially darkened his skin to pass as a black man.


One thing I found interesting...and would have enjoyed seeing worked into the book somehow, was towards the end of the book the author mentions having photos taken at some of the places he went. I would be neat to see those photos....but they weren't included in this book.

I think this book would be an interesting and informative read for anyone studying race relations and such. I certainly wonder how the experiment would be different in today's world.

New Recipe - Steak Roll Ups

Em and I tried steak pinwheels (steak, cheese, spinach rolled together) a while back ... that Kroger had available in their deli. They were really good....but... really expensive. Almost $11...for 2. WOW. 

So I've been rolling it around in my head, trying to figure out how to do these at home - cheaper, but just as yummy. I came across some thin sliced steaks the other day.... and thought they'd be the perfect size to try this. The cost of 6 thin sliced steaks...$3.

The next step was to figure out what kind of cheese was in the pinwheels. Last night when I was grocery shopping, I stopped by the meat case and there they were ... the $11 pinwheels. It would appear the cheese used is Parmesan. Interesting. From there I went to the cheese department -- to try and figure out if it was possible - financially sound - to purchase a chunk of Parmesan. It was.. less than $2. 

The spinach --- I had purchased a box of mixed salad greens for salads and such ---- so I picked out the spinach leaves.

So --- for less than $6 I had all the ingredients to attempt this. Quite a bit cheaper!

 

Sliced the cheese. The actual cheese I used was Parmentino - a blend of parmesan and sharp cheddar. It's a good cheese -- strong, but good.

 

Layered the cheese slice on top of the meat, then a layer of spinach leaves. Rolled them up tight and pinned them shut with a toothpick. (Soaked the toothpicks in water beforehand) They aren't "pinwheels" ... so we named them "roll ups".

 

Covered them in foil and baked them for 15-20 minutes at 350degrees. Uncovered and turned the heat up for about 5 more minutes. Done!

 

 

 

Served with Parmesan couscous and a side salad of mixed greens. I think this is a pretty healthy meal --- and it turned out GREAT!!!

 

My take: Yum! I'm comfortable to experiment with this idea again.

Ems take: "Really good -- better than I thought it was going to be. Maybe even better than the other ones from Kroger."

 





New Recipe - Chicken Fajita

Chicken Fajitas

We've tried several different "recipes" for fajitas.... and haven't been pleased with any of them yet. Until now. This was a freezer meal .... and I was "snowed in" today... so I decided to crock pot it this afternoon/evening for dinner. Em isn't here to enjoy it with me --- but, that's her loss, I suppose.

The flavor was spot on with this recipe --- not to spicy, not too ....chemical tasting... We've experienced that before with the packet fajita seasonings. The chicken cooked up tender - as it does so perfectly in the crock pot.  The only complaint I had --- the onions and bell peppers were a little... chewy, maybe? Their skin didn't "break down" so well .... so there was some chewing going on. Next time I'll see about cutting them differently. I chopped them in bigger pieces and strips because I figured they'd do better for fajitas. BUT --- I'll go smaller next time. I don't want to leave them out -- because, again, the flavor is good.

I wrapped these in wheat tortillas....sprinkled some shredded cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream. They were yum! And there's enough for lunch tomorrow.  We will be enjoying this one again!

New Recipes - Chicken Teriyaki and Honey Garlic Chicken

So this past week we tried two of our freezer meals --- Chicken Teriyaki and Honey Garlic Chicken.

The Chicken Teriyaki was really good. I dropped it in the crock pot on my lunch break and it was ready for dinner when I got home. We had this with plain white rice. It was my plan to pick up some broccoli - but forgot once I got home and settled. So - next time I'll make sure broccoli is on the list - it would've made a nice compliment to this meal.

 

It's nothing pretty to look at -- but it was good. The chicken was nice and tender, the sauce was great --- although we agreed, it could be thicker and saucier.   We both enjoyed this meal -- and will be fixing it again... next time adding more chicken to the bag (there was an excess of sauce).

 

Next was Honey Garlic Chicken. Same thing... I tossed this in the crock pot on lunch one day...and dinner was pretty much ready when I got home from work. The plan was to serve this meal with rice as well ----- but --- an odd thing....we were out of rice. Neither of us have any clue as to how this happened..... I don't recall using the last of the rice. And, we have a "rule" that whenever we're low or run out of something - we jot it down on a list....and.... well.... rice wasn't on the list.  It disappeared somehow.  But... I digress.... No rice... so we had to improvise a little. We had a little bit of mashed potato flakes remaining in the box...(no worries, they're on the list)... so I stirred them up and fixed up a quick box of mac n cheese. I know - carb overload - but, I was thrown off a bit with the disappearing rice....and...well... to be honest, I wasn't sure how this honey garlic chicken would turn out. But, I've got mac n cheese leftovers for lunch, so all is good.

This one turned out looking much prettier. And... it was good, too! Again, the sauce was really runny... Em and I agreed it needed to be thicker and saucier. There was a garlic-y twang too it --- almost a little too salty. We will have this one again....but I'm gonna check the recipe and if it calls for a pinch of salt or something along those lines, I'll adjust. Again the sauce was plentiful - so we'll add more chicken next time.

 



 

I think this makes us down to only 2 more freezer meals remaining..... bbq chicken and fajita chicken. I'll be browsing pinterest soon to see what we'll put together for the next go around. This has been an easy way to cook .... throwing the bags in the crockpot mid day and having dinner ready after work. Perfect for my busy schedule right now!



2 New Recipes.... Cilantro Lime Chicken and Alfredo Chicken

This past week we tried two different freezer meals.... Cilantro Lime Chicken and Alfredo Chicken.

The Cilantro Lime Chicken was pretty good. We shredded the chicken a bit and wrapped it up, along with the beans and corn mixture, a little shredded cheese and some sour cream, in a tortilla and had....wraps/burritos/tacos of sort. There was a little leftover so I nibbled on it for lunch the following day. I think we'll be doing this one again. Em enjoyed and so did I. I didn't get photos to share....but will make sure I do next time.


The Alfredo Chicken was pretty good as well. I boiled some penne pasta noodles and mixed them with the crock-pot mixture once I got home from work. I added a big spoonful of sour cream, to help add to the creamy-ness --- the mixture looked to be more runny than creamy Alfredo. Topped it with Parmesan cheese and called it dinner. Emily liked and so did I. We'll probably do this freezer meal again, but probably use a different brand of Alfredo sauce....and I'll probably add a touch of salt to it.

 

This recipe made plenty! There were plenty of leftovers.... so we may scale down the recipe next time around.

2015 Reading Challenge - Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang

Chelsea, Chelsea, Bang Bang....... by Chelsea Handler.

Eh.... I was a bit disappointed in this book. I love watching Chelsea on Chelsea Lately --- but this book fell flat to me.

I couldn't decide which category to put this under .... initially. I just knew I liked her ... this book was on my list to read...and it became available through BookMooch -- so I grabbed it.  It was a quick read.... it's basically a handful of short essay/stories compiled together and called a book. Again, I wasn't impressed.

So --- after reading it, I decided to use it for the category "A Book with Bad Reviews" ---- although I couldn't really find much of a bad review online.....4 stars on most websites.... but, I'm giving it a bad review! So.... I'm counting it. I did find the review below... and I think it pretty much sums up my thoughts on it as well.

"All in all, I wouldn’t go as far as recommending that you do not read this book, but if you are looking for purposeful and solid literature, this is probably the wrong place for it. If, on the other hand, you want something you can read to pass the time while your brain is completely shut off, then it will probably do. If you do decide to read it, I suggest doing it in short spurs when the mood is right; otherwise it may feel like a bit too much at once."

January Twenty Fifteen Recap

So... I'm one month into Twenty Fifteen. What has been accomplished thus far? What's been going on? Let's see....

I started the year with big plans to try new recipes. I'd say things are going good with this. I prepared 7 freezer meals - all new recipes. So far we've tried two. We had orange chicken the other night and it wasn't very good. Tonight we tried Cilantro Lime Chicken. It was pretty good. I was a little unsure on how to eat this --- the recipe ended up making quite a bit of the corn, black bean, onion mix --- so, we weren't sure if we were supposed to eat this over rice or wrapped in a tortilla or what. What'd we do? We shredded it a bit and wrapped it up in a tortilla...with rice. It was good. We'll have it again. And, for the most part, I think it's a meal that's good for you. All fresh ingredients....veggies, and chicken.... Other than the freezer meals, we've tried a few other recipes -- kale chips, which are DE-LISH right out of the oven.... but the following day, they've lost their crisp and are a bit soggy. So -- that's a recipe we'll have again.... but with plans to have no leftovers - because they don't keep well.  We also tried ranch pork chops and a few other chicken dishes. Those were all successes. We did have another FAIL - cheeseburger soup. It just wasn't as good as it appeared to be. So... trying new recipes is going well. I got my Pinterest board organized and that helped TREMENDOUSLY!! Em seems somewhat excited - and interested - that we're trying new recipes. I'm glad she's enjoying this new adventure.

My other big plan was to participate in a Reading Challenge that I came across. It's a total of 52 books - to read throughout the year. I chatted with my sis and with a friend of ours, Jen.... and we decided on New Years Eve to do this!! Jen created a facebook page for the challenge. .... and we've actually got a few other folks joining us on this challenge. How am I doing on it so far? I've completed 6 books. And I'm currently in the middle of 4 other ones. I'm impressed that I've been able to stick with this one. I enjoy reading but hardly ever have time, it seems. But - sticking to this challenge, I've had to get creative (audio books) and pay attention to my "free" time and utilize it the best I can.... reading when I'm waiting for class to start, etc... and I've made it a point to go to bed at a decent time so I'll have a few minutes to read before I drift off to sleep. I've found though, that audiobooks at bedtime doesn't work well. I fall asleep and the audiobook continues --- so I have to find my place again the next day.

I chose a "word" for the year --- REDUCE. How's that going? Well.... the ONE thing I wanted to really focus on reducing ...was my commute to work. Of course, when I chose my word -- I didn't make a huge deal about that focus .... because I didn't want folks I work with to know I was looking for something in Conway. BUT --- a great thing happened. A position became available in the Conway office -- and so I jumped on it. I started in the Conway office this week. I'm now driving 3 miles to work....instead of 30. REDUCE, I did!!  This will in turn reduce my spending ... on gas...and on food. I'm close enough now to come home for lunch - which will eliminate the many days I ate out for lunch...which is expensive.   What else have I reduced? I've reduced my soda intake....drinking water during the day at work and I figured out how to make tea, so Em and I have tea in the evenings with dinner. I've reduced my weight ... somehow....  maybe by watching what I eat?? I've reduced my food intake ... not going back for seconds as I used to, not fixing a big plate of food, etc.  I've also reduced my "idle" time. I disconnected my cable tv... which also reduced my spending by $45 a month... but, I'm limited to 4-5 channels, so I don't spend my idle time watching hours of Food Network anymore. If nothing is on tv.... news, BigBang, SharkTank.... then Pandora music is on and I'm busy doing something else or all is quiet and I'm reading (textbooks and books for the reading challenge).

Oh...and one more "thing" I started for this year... was the 52 weeks savings plan. I've been able to stick with this so far. The only problem I have .... is that I don't carry cash on me. So, "saving" the money each week... tucking it away in my piggy bank... has been a bit of a chore, to go to the bank and get the cash... but... they don't call it a challenge for nothing, right?

Spring semester started....we're 3 weeks in. This semester I'm taking online Gender Studies, hybrid (part online and part lab in class) Biology, and also one evening a week of Criminal Justice. So far things are shaping up well. The Gender Studies class is super simple.... reading articles and participating in online discussions. The Criminal Justice class...is....well... so far... a JOKE. I'm not impressed. That's another story for another post. But, let's just say ...it's not stressful or taxing. And then we come to Biology... Ehhh Gads!  I'm covered up with this class. The textbook reading is over my head, the online work (quizzes, powerpoints, lecture notes) are over my head....but I'm muddling through it. The labs in class on Saturday mornings aren't too bad. I'm not overly impressed with my teacher. But... we're only 3 weeks in --- maybe things will smooth out soon!

So... I'm feeling like this year is off to a good start. I'm organized... I'm paying attention to my spending...and my eating... and ready for a good productive year. I came across a quote the other day.... and it sums up my thoughts for this year. Happy Twenty Fifteen!!

Freezer Meal - Orange Chicken

Well... this was one of the freezer meals that I prepared earlier this year. The night before I placed the frozen bag in the fridge to defrost. The next day, I came home from work during lunch and dumped the bag into the crockpot. Once home from work - dinner was ready - per se.

Boiled some plain white rice and heated some frozen wonton appetizers in the oven. Dinner was served.

My take: ehhhh.... not so great. The "sauce" was more of a thin liquid than "sauce" as I was expecting. I'm not sure I liked the mix of orange and onions and such. The chicken was moist and tender and flavorful --- but not sure I liked the flavor.  I don't think we'll be doing this one again.
Ems take: "a 2 out of 10".  She wasn't impressed either.
Overall take: we're tossing this recipe and not planning on doing it again.

I hope the remaining 6 freezer meals are better!! Stay tuned to see!

New Recipe - Ranch Pork Chops

This one is simple! simple! SIMPLE!

Take a packet of dry ranch seasoning. Dump in a bowl. Sprinkle a dash of black pepper. Sprinkle a dash of paprika. Toss your pork chops in this dry mix. Once they're coated, bake in the oven til they're done. I used thin chops, so it didn't seem to take long at all.

      

Once they're done, we paired them with mashed potatoes and baked beans. Yummo!

We "grilled" them on a grill pan in the oven.... so they had the grill marks and all!

 

Bon Appetite! 

2015 Reading Challenge - Summer of My German Soldier

I chose this book for the category "Banned Book".  Discussing the challenge with a co-worker one day, we got to looking through a list of banned books and wondering why each one was banned....  We came across this one, set in "Jenkinsville Arkansas".  No worries - there is no such place. But, the storyline sounded interesting.... so I decided to bookmooch it.

It was a quick and easy read. A good story as well. I'm guessing the reason for it being banned is because it talks about Nazis and N*ggers.  The story is told from a 12 year olds viewpoint. She meets a Nazi prisoner and ends up becoming friends with him. He escapes and she provides him shelter and food.

I enjoyed it. It was neat to read about places in Arkansas that really are..... Jonesboro, Cummins Prison Farm (although it's no longer a prison "farm" per se), Little Rock, etc....

New Recipe - Kale Chips

Another Pinterest curiosity....  Well, not COMPLETELY Pinterest inspired.

My co-worker, Deanna, made these a while back and brought some into the office for us to try. I loved them!! And....the word on the street is that these things are good for you. So, I've been wanting to try to make some on my own.

Well, Kroger had their organic kale on sale this past weekend.... so... what better time to try this.

I browsed around on Pinterest and a few other websites -- to make sure I knew what I thought I knew about how to do this.  It's simple..... clean the kale, dry the kale (I used my salad spinner), chop it up into "chip" sized pieces (maybe a lil bigger than bite-size, because it shrivels and shrinks). Once you have your fresh, cleaned and dried kale chip pieces, toss them in a bowl with some olive oil and a lil salt. I added a little sprinkle of garlic powder as well.

Once they're tossed ---- lay them out on a cookie sheet.

 

Aren't they so pretty!! So bright and green!

 

 

Next you pop them in the oven ... I set it on 250 degrees... for about 18-20 minutes.

 

And.... this is what you get.  Sad looking kale chips...... shriveled up.....

 

 

BUT --- don't let the look deceive you............they. were. yummy! Crispy and crunchy....and perfectly done!

 

My take: DEFINTELY doing this more often.

Ems take: She liked them....thought they were pretty yummy.

 





New Recipe - OMG! Crock Pot Chicken

I came across this recipe on Pinterest...looked good, sounded good... so I thought I'd give it a try.

The recipe:

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 Can cream of Chicken Soup
• 1 Packet of dry Italian Dressing
• 1 Packet of dry Ranch Dressing
• 1 8oz pkg of Cream Cheese

Instructions

1. Throw everything in the crockpot on low and cook 6-8 hours.
2. After about 4 hours of cooking I usually stir everything together- but if you're not home it's no big deal.
3. Just stir about 20 minutes before serving to really mix together the cream cheese and dressing packets.

 

 

 

So ---- seems I have to tweak almost every new recipe I try...

My tweak: I did only one package of dry Ranch dressing. The dry dressings are so strong to me --- so I couldn't imagine having both packages in there. And, well, I didn't have 2lbs of chicken --- maybe closer to 1lb.

 

Once it was done, I served it over white rice...making sure to add some "gravy" to my bowl.

 

 

My take: It was pretty yummy. I like chicken 'n rice meals --- this one was good.

 

There was enough leftover for Em and I to have it for dinner the next night.

 

Her take: She liked it.

 

We'll probably do this one again. 

 

 

 

2015 Reading Challenge - The Outsiders

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

I chose this book for the category: "A book you were supposed to read in high school but didn't". I don't recall that I read it, and after chatting with my friend Melissa about this challenge - she mentioned this book that she recalled from high school. Well, if she read it in high school - chances are highly likely that I was supposed to read it as well. So, I did for this challenge.

I "read" this book as an audio book. I wasn't overly impressed with the story. It was a good story -- but nothing too spectacular in my eyes. But - now I can say I know the story....after many years of not knowing it.

Pinterest Project - Homemade Laundry Soap

Homemade Laundry Soap

I've seen these recipes floating around pinterest for a while now.... and I recall several years ago that my sis made some laundry soap. From what I recall, it lasted her a while. She gave me some to sample during that time... and it was ok. But it was never anything I wanted to tackle on my own. Well, in my organizing and starting the new year with a different outlook, I decided I'd try it. My "word" is REDUCE... so maybe by doing this, I can reduce my spending... 'cuz we all know buying laundry detergent isn't cheap! So... below is the recipe I followed and the link to the blog I found it on.

Here is what you will need to make 2 gallons: 

• Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
• Arm And Hammer Baking Soda (the big 4lb box)
• 20 Mule Team Borax
• Oxi Clean (2 of the 1.3 lb containers, or 1 3lb container; generic is fine)
• 3 or 4 bars Fels Naptha Laundry Soap (people have had success with both - I used 3)
• 2 containers Downy UnStopables (I'm a Gain fan, so I did 2 containers of Gain Fireworks ) 
• garbage bag (or a garbage bag-lined 5 gallon bucket)
• food processor (to make your life much easier) or cheese grater (worked fine with a grater) 
• container to store your soap 
• measuring scoop

http://aprons-n-pearls.blogspot.com/2012/11/homemade-laundry-soap.html



So -- I spent a couple hours last weekend mixing all this together. The hardest part was probably shredding the Fels Naptha bars. They're a golden yellow color -- and I couldn't get over the fact that it looked like shredded cheddar cheese! Fun! And the Gain Fireworks looked like corn! Ha! Corn and Cheese Laundry Soap!

This batch filled my laundry bucket. I wasn't really impressed. Typically a full laundry bucket only lasts me a good month or two, maybe three. So -- how was this bucket of "corn and cheese" supposed to last me a while longer than the expensive stuff?? The total cost of all supplies was around $28. I managed to find coupons for the OxiClean and the Gain Fireworks - so that helped.  But, $28 seemed a bit expensive for a bucket of laundry soap. We figured it up -- and this bucket should last me until May...for it to be actually a money saving adventure. I have my calendar marked --- we'll see how long it lasts.

 

One thing my sis mentioned about the soap... and why she only ended up doing it once... is that it didn't really suds up/bubble up like they wanted it to.  Well... this is true. There is VERY minimal bubbling as it's running through a load. But several times throughout the cycle, I dipped a few fingers into the water, just to see how it felt. Each time the water felt - and smelled - soapy, so I think it's still doing it's job. I was worried that the detergent would clump on the clothes -- but I didn't experience that either.

I'm going to have to play around with it a bit and figure out my scoop size.  It's not supposed to take a full scoop like the expensive stuff does... so I'm still working on that - finding the perfect size scoop. BUT -- so far, I'm ok with the results. The clothes are clean... and smell nice... so, if this is an actual money saving thing, I will probably try it again. We'll see where we are in May!







2015 Reading Challenge: The Omnivore's Dilemma

 

 

THE SECRETS BEHIND WHAT YOU EAT

“What’s for dinner?” seems like a simple question. But do you really know…

- What happens to a field of potatoes destined to become french fries … or
- In how many disguises corn sneaks into your food? (Hint: it’s in your soda, your burger, and that Twinkie!)

- Do you know what that “organic” sticker on your banana actually means … or
- Where the chicken in your nugget grew up?

Do you know the secrets behind what you eat?

In this book, you’ll go undercover at the supermarket. You’ll delve behind the scenes of your dinner, and by the time you’ve digested the last page you’ll have put together the fascinating (and sometimes disturbing) puzzle of what’s on your plate and how it got there.

This young readers edition of Michael Pollan’s bestseller The Omnivore’s Dilemma includes a brand-new introduction and afterword, an exclusive author Q&A, and a variety of fresh visual “evidence.”

MY REVIEW:: I loved this book!! It was soooo interesting and informative. It certainly opened my eyes and has inspired me to really pay attention to the foods that I'm eating ...and how I do my shopping at the grocery store. It's even got me interested in shopping the local farmers markets and such. I've got to check into that ... I think there's one that goes on in Conway - but I know there's one that goes on in Little Rock. Maybe I can work that into a Saturday routine. I was just simply fascinated with this book and highly recommend it to anyone interested to know more about the foods we eat and where they come from.

OneWord 365 - new word

 

 

I don't think it's part of the game.... to change your word after a couple of weeks --- BUT --- rules are meant to be broken, right?....wait... is it a rule?

 

Anyways.... after the first few days of the year and being so productive around the house .... cleaning and organizing and all that.... I found myself saying a different word than "verve" ---- so I decided I needed to shift my focus to another word, before the year got good and started.

 

I am changing my word to "reduce".

 

Sounds a little .... off.... BUT.... so far this week, it's been oddly amazing. I've continually had this word in my brain....incorporating it into my every day.... and almost my every thought. Here's a few of my thoughts on this.....REDUCE....

 

 ~ clutter and stuff lingering around the house. If not used, then recycle or rid.

 ~ spending on frivolous things. If no real purpose, then don’t spend/purchase.

 ~ waistline by eating healthier foods.

 ~ dr. pepper/soda intake….by drinking more water.

 ~ junk food intake.

 ~ health risk by taking better care of myself – eating better, being more active/proactive.

 ~ stress.

 ~ idle time....tv time....

 

The list seems to go on and on and on..... so, I think this will be a better word for me to actively focus on and who knows --- I may even accomplish something with it. 

2015 Reading Challenge: three little words

"three little words"  - a memoir by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

An inspiring true story of the tumultuous nine years Ashley Rhodes-Courter spent in the foster care system, and how she triumphed over painful memories and real-life horrors to ultimately find her own voice. - Amazon blurb

This book was one tucked away in my bookcase....and I decided to read it for the challenge under the memoir category.  This ended up being a quick and easy read. It was a touching story with a great ending.

Finished in just a couple days and marked it off my list. I placed the book on bookmooch.com and have already gotten a request for it.

New Recipe ...kinda... Lasagna Roll-Ups

Lasagna Roll-Ups

 

So, this wasn't necessarily a "new" recipe...more like a frequently used recipe done a different way. I've seen this on Pinterest several different times....and didn't really follow a specific recipe to tackle this dinner tonight. I felt certain I could use what I normally use and just roll it up, instead of stuffing like I do with the manicotti or shell pasta.

 

Here we go... I simply made this just as I would normally make stuffed manicotti or stuffed pasta shells...boil the noodles, stuff them with filling, top them with sauce and bake them....the stuffing I use is a base of Ricotta cheese, shredded Mozzarella cheese, and Italian spices... depending on what else I have on hand will alter the recipe a little. I typically stuff the manicotti or shells with the cheese mixture and top it with the spaghetti/meat sauce (a jar of Ragu and a pound of ground turkey). This time, before rolling the lasagna noodles, I did a layer of the cheese mixture and a small layer of meat mixture on top of each noodle, THEN rolled the lasagna noodles up. Placed each "roll" with the end down, topped it with more meat sauce and shredded Mozzarella cheese then popped it in the oven for about 10-15 minutes.

 

Ems take: too much noodle and the shells/manicotti usually have more cheese.

My take: not too bad. I do think it could use some more cheese ... rolled in the noodle and on top!

Final take: we'll do this again. It was simple...not to much different than the shells and manicotti.

 

One final thought on this.... I made 6 rolls. We added a side of green beans and garlic bread for a yummy meal! I have plenty left over for lunch tomorrow and even a little left over for dinner tomorrow night. 

 

 

 

 



2015 Reading Challenge: Murder in Little Rock

 

 

"A book that takes place in your hometown" is the category for this one on the Reading Challenge. This book was a fairly quick read. I found it interesting...and actually quite fascinating to read the names of people I know or have heard of as well as places around central Arkansas that I'm familiar with. I'd vaguely heard of this story and a few random rumors and comments made over the years - but never really knew the story...so this was a brief Arkansas history lesson as well.

I'm marking this DONE on my list!  50 books to go!

New Recipe - Cheeseburger Soup

I came across this recipe on Pinterest....thought I'd try it - since it involved burger meat and not chicken like so many of my other recipes....  I had majority of the ingredients on hand, but I had to tweak it a little to fit what ingredients I did have. We contemplated back and forth a bit trying to decide what to eat this with -- cheese toast, bread, grilled cheese sammich, crackers, chips - but decided on plain ole Saltines.

Ingredients:
1lb ground beef, browned (I used ground turkey)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 can diced tomatoes (I used Rotel for a lil extra kick)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
3 cups beef broth (I used 2 cans and a little water)
4 cups diced potatoes (I used a can of corn - didn't have potatoes on hand)
(and although the recipe doesn't call for it - I did a squirt (about tsp) of yellow mustard and a squirt (about two tsp) of ketchup --- you can't do "cheeseburger" without those two things!)

1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
8oz cheddar cheese, shredded

Combine beef, onion, pepper, spices, tomatoes, broth and potatoes in crockpot.
Cook on low 8 hours.
30minutes before serving - combine flour and milk - whisk until no lumps, stir into soup.
**I didn't go the flour/milk route - I added about 1/2 cup of potato flakes as a thickener.

Add cheese, stir again.
**I didn't use shredded cheddar - I had a small chunk of Velvetta and a few cheddar cubes on hand, so I stirred them in until they melted.

Cover and cook until soup thickens.

My say::  ehhh... It was... ok.  I wasn't too impressed.... and it may have been that I veered to far from the original recipe. Who knows? ..there was just something about it that wasn't so great... Definitely sounds better - and smells better - than it tasted. Maybe it was the mustard??
Ems say:: she didn't like it....although she ate two bowls of it!  She said it needed LESS tomatoes and more onion.

Final say:: Tossing this recipe. We won't be doing this one again.

Arkansas Travels Bucket List

So - I snagged this -- from TieDye Travels. Blog... http://www.tiedyetravels.com/2014/12/arkansas-bucket-list.html (mainly because it's a good list so I wanted to save it somewhere handy)

I think it's a great basic list for Arkansas. Only one thing on this list that I've done - and I've lived in Arkansas my whole life (37 years) the rest listed, sad to say, are things I haven't. I'll add my thoughts to each number - in red. ...and if I happen to mark any of these trips off my Arkansas Travels Bucket List, I'll be sure and share my thoughts and adventures!

The Arkansas Bucket List - 8 Must-Take Trips for 2015.

Everyone has something they've always wanted to do.  These days, that collection of daring acts and adventures is often called a "bucket list" (things to do before you kick the bucket) -- and it usually includes a good deal of places people want to go, see and do in their lifetime.

When I talk about places I go here in Arkansas, there's usually a person in the crowd who mentions they've always wanted to go there, or eat something I had there.  Rather than wait for my next adventure, here's a suggested list of things that should be on your Arkansas bucket list.

1. Dig for diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park.  The only place in the world where you can pay a small fee and go search a big field for diamonds to your heart's content.  There have been some pretty big diamonds found at the park, but most folks go away without a large specimen to take home.  Still, it's fun and it's a good story for later. Click here for park information.
TO DO -- never done this and always wanted to!

2.  Float the Buffalo National River. The very first national river, this free-flowing stream cuts through the heart of the Ozarks, and when the water is high enough to float (spring to early summer and fall), it's a wet path to glorious views.  There are outfitters all along the river, so you don't even need to own your own canoe.  Find one to book, here or here.
DONE - been there, done that...even tried it a second time, but failed. I suppose I'll gladly go again - IF - someone is in the canoe with me that is stronger than me.

3. Ride a motorcycle through curvy, mountainous terrain.  The Ozarks and Ouachita Mountains sport great two-lane blacktop for challenging riding.  The Arkansas Dragon (Highway 123), Push Mountain Road and Talimena Scenic Byway are all really great scenic runs. Check out some great routes, here.

TO DO...if someone has a motorcycle and wants a nervous passenger, sure!

 4.  Make a culinary pilgrimage.  While many of the places I talk about at Tie Dye Travels are great unknown diners and barbecue joints, there are a few that have obtained national renown and even presidential visits, including AQ Chicken House in Springdale, McClard's Bar-B-Que in Hot Springs, Jones Barbecue Diner in Marianna and Rhoda's Famous Hot Tamales in Lake Village.
TO DO! This will take some planning... but sounds yummy to me!

5.  Ride the Arkansas and Missouri Railroad in the fall. The excursion train through the Boston Mountains takes passengers from Van Buren to Springdale and back, and in autumn the colors are glorious.  It's a pretty cool ride even when it's not autumn. Book your excursion here,

TO DO! I didn't even know this was a possibility here in Arkansas!

6. See where Johnny Cash was raised.  Head to Dyess to visit the town where the Man in Black grew up.  Visit a museum that talks about the Dyess colony and then ride out for a tour of the Cash family home, restored to the era when Cash was a boy. Learn more about the home, here.

TO DO! Hasn't this recently been restored? I'm not a huge fan of Johnny Cash.. but, history is history, right?

 7.  Walk in the steps of the Little Rock Nine.  Visit the Central High School National Historic Site in downtown Little Rock.  Learn about desegregation efforts in the 1950s and take a tour of the high school itself, where you'll hear tales of the nine brave black students who attended and the turmoil they experienced. Find information about the visitors center, here.

TO DO! Shame on me for not having this already checked of my list!

8.  See the elk at Ponca.  These majestic beasts come out to feed in fields at Boxley Valley and along the upper Buffalo early in the morning and late in the afternoon.  Viewing the elk has become very popular for folks who head out into the Ozarks.  Get educated on elk at the Ponca Elk Education Center.

TO DO! Nature at it's finest!

 Have an item you think should be here?  Leave your suggestion in the comments.

 

Looks like I've got a few things on my TO DO list when it comes to seeing and doing in Arkansas. I would say one more thing that should be on here --- is Crystal Bridges Art Museum. It's a must see! We've been twice and each time I enjoyed it. It's a pretty big deal...at least to the art lover in me!

Pinterest Project - Menu Board

While browsing on Pinterest, I came across this idea. Since I've been browsing recipes and one of my challenges this year is to try new recipes, then I've been trying to figure out how to do a "menu" for the week. I've tried doing a menu several times before --- but, it seems our schedule doesn't always allow for that... Maybe with the new year and the few things I'm doing with getting organized (with my recipes and freezer meals and such), then we can try the "menu" thing again. I think this way will be a little more...relaxed.... just jot down a general plan for the week.

This project was quick and easy --- mainly because I had all the materials on-hand.

1 8x10 frame, with glass
1 8x10 colored/designed paper - trimmed to fit the frame if it's larger
Stickers for the title and the days of the week --- or you can handwrite these.
Ribbon to hang... or some sort of way to hang. I chose ribbon tied to the frame hook and a Command Strip hanger -- jussst in case I want to move it from where I initially started.

You'll also need a dry erase marker. The one I have pictured is a wet erase...and will get a dry-erase when it dies.

I did my stickers for the titled and the days of the week on my paper. I drew lines with a black pen to give me the sections for each day. Once I got my page done, I just popped it in the frame. TaDa!

I tied the ribbon to the frame hook, allowing some to dangle behind for the marker and a loop up over the top to hang it.

Simple. And, well, I'm gonna tag this project to my "oneword365"
 challenge --- because VERVE, again, is "creative enthusiasm".  You can ask Em how silly  I was when this project was completed. I saw it on Pinterest, gathered the stuff and within 40 minutes the project was done! It was such a quick and easy project....and so far I'm pleased with the results.

Now.... the challenge will be to actually USE it on a regular basis!!

2015 Reading Challenge: A Play

When I first read through the list of the 2015 Reading Challenge... one of the challenges that I thought would be a bit of a "challenge" for me would be to read a play. I'm not sure I've ever read a play before....maybe I skimmed through one in high school, but I don't recall for sure.

On the Reading Challenge Facebook group page, a new friend had posted a link to the play, "No Exit".  I thought I'd check it out and see what reading a play was all about.



https://archive.org/stream/NoExit/NoExit_djvu.txt

Not too bad. It was a quick read with only four characters...and a pretty interesting little play.

So - I'm marking this challenge DONE!  51 more books to go!

7 Chicken Freezer Meals

As I've mentioned in an earlier post, I'm addicted to Pinterest. I can spend hours scrolling through the DIY/crafts section.... then spend a few more hours scrolling through the recipes. I currently have over 900 recipes pinned.  How many of them have I tried since I've been on Pinterest (3-4 years, at least)...oh... maybe 2 or 3...at the most 5.  Sad, huh?  So -- my plan, this year, is to TRY MORE recipes!! I found a pin that has several recipes for freezer meals. I scrolled through and wrote down a few that I thought Em and I would like. I came up with a total of 7... and they all ended up being chicken recipes. That's ok. Chicken is good for you, right?

So, here you have it.  7 "EASY-to-throw-together-and-pile-in-a-Ziploc-freezer-bag-with-the-plans-to-throw-them-in-a-crockpot-later" freezer meals. Each of these listed below don't have "serving sizes" --- I've catered them to a meal for two.... so mainly each bag has 2 large chicken breasts or 4 small breasts. For each of these recipes... it directs you to thaw the night before and drop in the crock pot the next day for 4-6 hours on low. (I'll know more about how THAT works once we get into cooking these meals)

BBQ Chicken
chicken breasts
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cup bbq sauce
(added about 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper, cuz I had some left over)


Chicken Terriyaki  (plan to serve with white rice)
chicken breasts
1 cup soy sauce (used the "light")
1 cup sugar
1 tsp garlic salt


Honey Garlic Chicken
chicken breasts
5 garlic cloves
1 tsp oregano
3/4 cup soy sauce (used the "light")
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup bbq sauce (calls for spicy honey, but just used regular)
1/3 cup honey
pinch salt
dash pepper

Orange Chicken (plan to serve with white rice)
chicken breasts
1 orange
1/4 cup soy sauce (used "light")
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/8 cup honey
1 tbsp. minced ginger (I omitted)
1 tbsp. minced garlic

Chicken Fajita (plan to serve between tortillas)
chicken breasts
2 bell peppers (sliced into strips)
1 onion (sliced into strips)
1/2 cup chicken broth (I used a whole can)
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt


Chicken Brocoli Alfredo (plan to serve over noodles)
chicken breasts, cut into chunks
16oz frozen broccoli (I used 12oz, that's how the pkg comes)
16oz alfredo sauce
1 green bell pepper, chopped (I used about 3/4 bell pepper)


Cilantro Lime Chicken
chicken breasts
juice from 2 limes
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
16oz frozen corn (I used 12oz, that's how the pkg comes)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
pinch of salt
dash of pepper
*I would probably add a little bit of chicken broth to this recipe... it's not really "juicy" -- so when we drop it in the crock pot, I'll be adding some broth to it.

In preparing all of these freezer meals, the main thing I learned...and I'm glad I did... was to do the Cilantro Lime LAST. My hands smell strongly of lime and cilantro... which isn't a bad thing, but I'm afraid if I would've done it first, then the rest of the meals would've had a hint of lime and cilantro.

After about 3-4 hours in the kitchen, each bag is labeled and tucked away nicely in the freezer .... ready for the crockpot!  I can't wait to try these new meals! I actually think Em was a bit excited as well!  I'll be posting our reviews as we try them.