Organized in 2013: Workspace

So my only New Year's resolution for 2013 was to get my home organized. With four kids and busy schedules for all of us, things often get piled up and messy and I'm the kind of person that goes a little bit crazy every day looking at it. I can't sleep well at night if I have piles of clutter throughout my house. So, I've been pouring over Pinterest, blogs, BHG, magazines, Google, etc., trying to get ideas and inspiration. One of my favorite blogs to visit is iheartorganizing. 

Seeing Jen's befores and incredible afters, and knowing that they did all of the work to a builder's spec home with typical builder-grade finishes and floorplan is just amazing. We built our home here in the suburbs in 2005, and our befores look a lot like Jen's befores, so when it came to designing and organizing, I felt so inspired to really make big changes and bring our home to a place that is more "us" than it ever has been before.

So far I've tackled my kitchen, garage, laundry room, bedrooms, bathrooms, linen closets...and then, after putting it off long enough, I had to do my workspace. And when I say workspace, I mean my desk. Which is in the family "study" where the family desk and computer also reside. Which is a small square room that has half-walls open to the living room and rest of the house, so it's not quiet by any stretch of the imagination. Which means I need it to at least be pretty and functional in order to get any work done! And for the past several months, it hasn't been pretty OR functional! Mail, tools, cords, CDs, pens, notes...everything...all got tossed on my desk. 

Please observe exhibit A:

Awful! Look closely, you can see the piles on the desktop surface. And I chose to use a wide photo so you can see how the family desk and computer are right next to mine...which means usually when I am editing photos or blogging or emailing, I am also having little voices next to me asking me to watch them do some particularly fancy move on whatever video game they're playing. 

Yeah, it's hard to get anything done! But I've learned lately to put earbuds in and play some Explosions in the Sky to try to get into a Zone for writing. It's working wonders so far. And since I don't have anywhere else that I could possibly relocate my desk to for more peace and quiet, I have to make the best of what I've got!

Here's another shot of my desk at its worst!:

And an after:

Here's a side by side comparison:

The difference probably doesn't seem major, but to me it's a vast improvement! I removed that extra monitor, as well as the laptop that it was connected to--it had been stepped on by my son, and had a shattered screen, so I was using that extra monitor with it. But I hardly ever used it anymore and it was taking up unnecessary space. So off it went! I also installed a shelf above my desk and moved all of my less frequently used things up there and that cleared up a lot of space on my desktop. All of those boxes and baskets hold things like rulers, extra staples, thumbtacks, crayons, important mail, notes from our projects like paint colors, manuals to appliances, etc. I used some aqua chevron adhesive drawer liner to recover a few of the pieces and they became pretty and functional! Score! 

My trusty Brother P-touch labeler, can of pens and calendar.

My basket of essentials like lotion, chapstick and address stamper, post-its, a cute little potted plant for some "pretty", and hiding behind my monitor is a box of tissues. Underneath is my Silhouette SD.

Important mail, school records, grades, household papers, etc., reside in these boxes.

Extra staples, thumbtacks, ink pads, pens, pencils, crayons, etc., are in these.

Angled view of my shelf...you can see where there's a seam on the handled tin that I recovered with the chevron. I found a cute teal candle that fit perfectly in that spot and covers the seam, not to mention matches and looks pretty! And bonus, I can light it for some smell-goods while blogging!

And one more after:

What a difference a little bit of organization makes! It doesn't need to cost a thing, I used some boxes/bins and a shelf that I already had in my house and it looks so much better. I'm already breathing easier while typing this and since this space is viewable from my front door, I'll be extra motivated to keep it looking like this. Love it! What spaces are you needing to tackle that you keep putting off? 

Happy Wednesday!

Ultimate Twice-Baked Potatoes

Several years ago, on the day of the very first Gator football game of the season, hubs decided to make this delicious concoction for everyone. It was an immediate hit and it's been a regular on our menu ever since--whether it's for parties or dinner at home just us. He usually makes a separate version for the kids minus the onions, and the kids just tear them up. I guess for them it's like a cross between a baked potato and mashed potatoes--both of which they LOVE. Sometimes we make them without the broccoli, but it's an easy way to get that extra veggie in the meal, so why not? Do these look amazing or what? We always make enough for an army, but you can easily half the recipe.

Makes 6-8 Servings

10 potatoes

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup sour cream

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup chopped broccoli

1/2 cup chopped green onions

12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.

Clean potatoes and stab many times with a fork. At this point, you need to cook them; you can bake them in a 400 degree oven for 75 minutes, you could wrap them in foil and put them in a crockpot for 4-6 hours on high, or you could microwave them for about 10-20 minutes until softened. It all depends on how soon you need them to be ready. After they're cooked, carefully slice each potato in half lengthwise. Using a sturdy spoon, scoop out the insides, creating a hollowed-out shell like so: 

Place the filling in a large bowl, then put all the shells on a well-greased cookie sheet and place them in the oven while preparing the filling. You can either use a potato masher on all the ingredients in a large bowl, or if you want a creamier filling, you can put everything in a mixer and blend it all, being careful not to overblend, you don't want a gummy filling. Taste and add more seasoning if desired and you can add milk if the mixture seems to dry. Usually a half cup at a time until you get the consistency you want. Pull the shells out of the oven and scoop the filling into each one. Then put back in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly and browned on the top. 

YUM, I could go for a leftover twice baked-potato right now! I love these. They're so tasty and so filling, so they make the perfect accompaniment to dinner or as an appetizer for a get-together. We've experimented with all sorts of fillings and different cheeses too. Sometimes we sprinkle a little cheese on top to get a melty coating. Also garlic powder is good in these, I'd add about a tablespoon to the filling ingredients. Swiss is excellent with the broccoli and ham in place of the bacon goes perfectly with that. Play around with it! It's such a good recipe and so easy, you can't go wrong. Have a great Tuesday! We are headed for IKEA ourselves and I can't wait...it's been months since I was there and I'm suffering from withdrawals. ;)

Creamy Spinach Dip

Makes 6 Servings

2 pkg Knorr Spring Vegetable Soup mix
2 10 oz packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
16 oz. sour cream
1 cup mayo
1/4 cup parmesan

Directions:
Squeeze liquid out of spinach and place in a large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients until well combined. Refrigerate until serving. Serve with crackers, tortilla chips or bread.


I love spinach dip! This is one of the tastiest versions I've ever had. My husband is a huge fan of it, he always tells me he's just going to take the bowl and a spoon and eat it all, LOL. My oldest daughter, Jade, and my oldest son, Noah, are both big fans of spinach just like their dad so they always get big helpings of this dip as well. In fact, Noah asked me if I could make it for his birthday dinner this year! He's so cute. I love seeing how much they love spinach. As a mom it makes me really happy when my kids love something so good for them (spinach in general, obviously, not this dip, LOL). They'll eat spinach any way they can get their hands on it, too. Makes mama so proud, *sniff sniff*. Haha. So I needed a second dish to bring along with me to the Fourth of July BBQ at our friends' house the other day, so I decided to whip this one up. It takes no time at all to throw together and it's always a big hit so it was the perfect choice along with my Bacon Cheddar Macaroni Salad that I had also brought. I've served this dip in a big bowl of pumpernickel bread that I've hollowed out; rye is also a good choice. I didn't get a chance to go to Publix though for a fresh loaf of pumpernickel so I ended up just bringing Ritz crackers and those were really good with it too. Gotta love this versatile appetizer that's always a big hit at parties!

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup Mix

Makes 3 "Cans"

1 cup nonfat instant dry milk

3/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup chicken bouillon (or finely ground bouillon cubes)

4 tablespoons onion powder

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon pepper

Directions: 

For the equivalent of one can of condensed cream of chicken soup: Whisk 1/3 cup dry mix with 1 1/4 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until boiling and thickened.

You know those recipes that call for "cream of something" soup? Here's a healthier, cheaper version and you can make sure to always keep a canister of the dry mix in your cabinet so you never run out. It's so convenient and tastes SO much better than the canned stuff. I never buy canned soups anymore for cooking, I just make my own. I use cream of chicken the most, so that's what I always have on hand, however I've also used different seasonings to create different creamed soups. You can use chopped dehydrated mushrooms to make cream of mushroom, celery seasoning to make cream of celery, mix in some shredded cheese while cooking to make cheddar cheese soup, etc. There are a number of varieties you can make and all of them are very inexpensive to make--even cheaper than the canned stuff! And it tastes better and is so much better for you, so why not do it? It's a tiny bit more of a hassle than it is to open up a can of something to dump in the crockpot, but it literally takes 5 minutes to cook up in my tiny little saucepan on the stovetop and the flavor is so much better so it's completely worth the extra time and effort. I used my Brother label maker to put the measurements on the lid so I always know how much to measure out to make a can and can easily double or triple it if need be. If you're a couponer, you know you can get coupons on the dry milk, bouillon and cornstarch pretty regularly and these items frequently go on sale also. If you combine the coupons with the sale, you're only spending about .06 a can as opposed to 1.00 a can on average and again, it tastes so much better! Give it a try, I'm sure you'll be persuaded--I was! :)

Bacon Cheddar Macaroni Salad

Happy 4th of July! 

 

Fireworks off of Flagler Beach. Photo credit: Daytona Beach News-Journal / David Massey

Happy Independence Day, America! My very favorite place to watch the fireworks is Flagler Beach, pictured above. There's just something so wonderful about sitting with my toes in the sand and listening to the pounding of the surf along with the pop-pop-boom of the fireworks while taking in the beauty of the colorful lights both in the sky and reflected on the surface of the ocean. Breathtaking. This year we won't be watching them in Flagler though, but instead we will be having a blast at our friends' annual bash for the fourth and we're super excited for that too! Our friend Kevin, who we affectionately and jokingly refer to as a pyromaniac, loves to entertain all of us with an impressive display of fireworks each year and so far they've gotten better and better every year so we're really looking forward to tonight's display. Kevin and his wife Lindsey, one of my best and longest-known friends, provide burgers, dogs and chicken all freshly grilled and delicious, and the rest of us bring side dishes to go along with it. Every year it's a big decision to figure out what I feel like bringing. One year I brought buffalo chicken dip and ham roll-ups...last year I think I brought deviled eggs and broccoli casserole maybe? I can't even remember, it's terrible. This year I'm excited to bring my Bacon Cheddar Macaroni Salad, which is similar to my Basic Macaroni Salad with a few additions, like BACON. Making a delicious dish even better!

Makes 6 Servings

1 16 oz. bag pasta, (I like corkscrews, elbows and ziti for this dish)

2/3 cup milk

1/3 cup sour cream

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons chopped dried chives

1 tablespoon dried thyme

2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 medium tomatoes, cut into 1" cubes

1 bunch scallions, chopped

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, cut into cubes

12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions:

Boil pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain and toss in a large bowl with milk. Place in fridge to cool off for 10-15 minutes. Take out and stir in sour cream, mayo, garlic powder, chives, thyme, salt and pepper. Taste and add additional seasonings if needed. Toss in tomatoes, scallions, cheese and bacon. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Mmm, this is delicious! There's something about biting into a chilled, creamy bite of pasta and getting a big bite of sharp cheddar cheese or crispy bacon along with it. I've also used other cheeses--swiss is good and monterey jack is really good too. I've served the pasta warm as well, but I just prefer it chilled at summer BBQs...too hot outside for hot pasta! Hope you have a great Fourth of July however you're spending it!

Rewind: Risi e Bisi (Rice & Peas)

One of my very favorite meals ever is Risi e Bisi, Italian for Rice & Peas, a side dish with rice, peas, ham and parmesan in it...yum! I first posted this recipe 6 years ago, but it's one of our favorites that just doesn't get the recognition it deserves so I'm featuring this beauty again today. :) My mom made it when I was a kid and now my kids love it too so it's a regular at our dining table. It's technically a side dish but we serve it as a main dish. After all, it has protein, carbs, vegetables...everything I need to meet my criteria for a one dish meal! It's really easy (isn't everything I make easy??) to throw together and doesn't take long at all, less than an hour to cook.  I make ours in the rice cooker, but it can be made on the stovetop as well. I actually had to prepare this batch on the stovetop since my rice cooker decided it didn't feel like reaching the boiling stage and kept shutting off. Fickle thing. It's a new fancy digital one and it doesn't hold a candle to our old basic one from the Asian market. Unfortunately the one from the Asian market took a bath in the sink thanks to a certain two (now four) year old and we thought we'd be improving by getting the fancy one. Nope! Oh well, it works. Just not as well. But it gets the job done, right? Right. Enough complaining, on to the EXCITING part, the recipe! I love recipes. I may have an addiction...

Makes 4 Servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion

1 cup long-grain white rice
2 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup diced ham
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Rice cooker: Plug in rice cooker and press "Cook" button. Put oil and onion in rice cooker pan and saute 4 minutes. Add rice, chicken broth, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir and cover. Cook until machine function switches to "warm." Add peas and ham and stir. Close lid and let rest for 10 minutes. Open lid and stir in butter and parmesan. Serve immediately. 

Stovetop: If you want to cook on the stovetop, use a deep saucepan and sauté the onion in the oil as directed, over medium heat. Add the 5 ingredients listed next, raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Cook until the rice has thickened and soaked up all the liquid and is almost done at al dente. Turn the heat off but leave the pan on the burner. Stir in the peas and ham, close the lid and let sit for 10 minutes. Stir in butter and parmesan and serve.

My daughter Annabelle loves this dish, she cheers when I tell her I'm making it for dinner and she requests it for her birthday dinner almost every year. This year she actually requested daddy's grilled cheeseburgers, my deviled eggs and chips and dip, an equally delicious meal if I do say so. I'm partial to my husband's grilled burgers. He works magic on that grill. So what are you doing with your Wednesday? Anyone going to see fireworks tonight? Me, I sit here with The Notorious B.I.G. blasting on my Pandora summer jams station, it's 11:30 am and my kids are just now starting their routine of running around the house and bickering at each other (late start, it's summer, they sleep in...I'm blessed. I know.) and I'm contemplating what daily craft to do today. Do I feel like baking or making some paints for the kids? Maybe not paints, those have to dry overnight. Maybe we'll make magnets today. Also on my to-do list (and has been for months awhile if I'm being honest...) is to reorganize my office desk in the middle of the family study which is right off of our great room. I don't have anywhere private to move it where I can write in peace (peace? what is that??) so the least I could do is make it more aesthetically pleasing and as zen-like in organization as possible. Who knows, maybe you'll be seeing a before and after tomorrow of my workspace...miracles could happen! Have a great Wednesday whatever you're up to today!

Crockpot Baked Potato Soup

  Two things you can count on in Florida in the summertime:

   1) Rain

   2) Humidity

So you may think soup wouldn't necessarily fit in very nicely with those two things, but to me there's just something really comforting about a nice, warm soup on a rainy day. The other day it was actually a little chilly in the house with the A/C on and the gray skies outside. So it really was the perfect day for this soup! Also, the weather is so fickle here in North Central Florida that you can't turn your A/C way up in preparation for rain because the sunshine state will just change her mind and the sun will pop out and you'll be stifling. I call it yo-yo weather because it's just all over the place. Trust me, this is one that shows up quite frequently during the fall and winter too. It's so quick-cooking and doesn't get much easier than a crockpot, really. Since it does come together so quickly, you don't have to have it in there in the morning; if you forgot to toss something in there until lunchtime, this soup saves the day!

Makes 4 Servings

1 20oz package refrigerated shredded hashbrowns ~or~ 1 32oz. bag frozen shredded hashbrowns

3 cups chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

8 oz. cream cheese

Shredded cheddar cheese

Cooked and crumbled bacon

Sliced green onions

Directions:

In a greased crockpot dish, stir together the hashbrowns, broth, cream of chicken, chopped onion and seasonings. Cook on low 2-3 hours. Place cream cheese in and cook another hour, then stir everything together and leave on warm until you're ready to serve. Serve with cheddar, bacon and scallions.

If you use frozen hashbrowns, you may need to adjust the cook time accordingly and you may also want to stir in another cup or so of chicken broth if the extra potatoes soak in all the liquid leaving it too thick. I don't use canned soups, I have a dry mix that I stir up as a cream of chicken soup substitute that is a lot better for you--no added preservatives or anything like that--and also a lot better tasting too! I'll be posting that recipe soon. It's also cheaper than the canned soups. I never buy them anymore. Hope you like the soup, it's a favorite in our house!