Ask The Helpful Housewife

I Love My New Pantry!

Come on in! Right through this door....

OK, so my pantry isn't NEW, so to speak.  It's been finished for over a year.  But I love just as much now as I did when I first walked in the day Andy pronounced it finished.  We had this weird extra room under our front porch that made no sense.  So we stuck some old metal shelves and a freezer in there as a makeshift pantry as, even though our kitchen has plenty of cabinets, it still didn't seem to have adequate or even useable storage.  So he built me a proper pantry in here!

 

You can see he went way above and beyond what I asked for.  I just wanted him to build me some real wooden shelving that would be stable and efficient.  I got that obviously.  Along with wood laminate flooring and  even dimmable lighting above each of the built in wine shelves!  He is kind of like Tim "the Tool Man" Taylor, and usually in the bad way.  He always makes things bigger than they need to be.  But in this case, it really worked out. 

I now have space for all of my appliances I only use occasionally.....

And room for my pantry stock of non-perishables....

And it's easy to keep organized.  When I originally moved everything in, I took the extra time to clearly label every thing.  This way even my kids and husband can make sure to keep it from becoming a chaotic mess!

Behind the door is where I keep all of those extra things that take up space but we always seem to need more of! I can keep a stock of paper towels and paper plates and that type of thing here, because there is nothing worse than needing a paper towel, reaching for one, and finding an empty cardboard tube and no more in the house!

 Last but not least, here is the little extra Andy built in just for me.  He is so thoughtful!  He thought I might want a "desk" in here for looking through cookbooks, setting down grocery bags, etc.  It is a great bonus to the room!  I use it a lot.

I know, the drawers underneath are a MESS! I need to get on that.  I threw all the plastic picnic ware in there after the summer and didn't get back to it yet.  I need to asap.  But I love this area.  The walls are all done in white board material, so I can just grab dry erase markers and scribble my grocery lists on the wall! I have found this makes it really easy for shopping.  I simply take a photo of the wall on my cell phone, and then I have my list with me, no matter where I am! 

Across from the desk under the snack shelves are drawers for potatoes, onions, etc.  And next to that is the upright deep freezer.  So there really is a place for everything!

So, there's the pantry.  You can see why I am in love!  One of these days I'll have to show you the built-ins he did for me around the fireplace in our family room this Christmas. OMG!!!!!!  This man missed his calling!  But for some reason I can't find a before picture.  I have to find one of those first.  Otherwise it doesn't really do it justice!  (Can you tell I'm really proud of him?!?!)

Dinner Tonight

 
Going into the oven right now: my fast & easy version of Swiss Steak.  Today the weather really changed on us.  It's chilly and rainy, so I don't mind doing some actual cooking in the oven for once, and this seemed like the perfect meal tonight! I've been distracted today with all of the kids being home this afternoon, now that school is out for the year, so anything gourmet and complicated was out of the question.  But homecooked was still in order, and I wanted to put forth SOME effort!  Here is the easiest way in the world to make dinner tonight:

Preheat oven to 350 deg.  Drizzle a tablespoon or two of oil in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan.  I prefer olive oil for this, but you can use canola oil, vegetable oil, whatever you have on hand.  Lay round steak in the bottom of the pan.  Sprinkle one envelope of Lipton Onion Soup Mix evenly over the round steak.  I usually just use the regular mix, but sometimes have used the Beefy Onion flavor and it works well!  Lightly drain one 14 oz can of diced tomatoes and pour evenly over the steak.  Slice one large green bell pepper and one medium to large sweet onion.  Spread these over the top evenly as well.  Cover entire dish with aluminum foil, place in oven and let it go for about 3 hours to make it nice and tender and have the flavors really combine.

Serve with mashed potatoes.  This dish creates a lovely sauce to pour over the mashed potatoes, and the onions and peppers really accent them as well.  Add a tossed salad and ouila!  Dinner is served!

Extreme Couponing: Let's Get Real

Have you seen the new show on TLC, "Extreme Couponing"? I've watched a couple episodes, and honestly I just can't watch anymore.  It just is not realistic.  First of all, it is promoting a hoarder's mentality.  Really, what are you going to do with 150 yogurts? And why do you have 75 2-liters of Mountain Dew in your closet instead of your clothing? Come on, people! Second of all, if you are someone who uses coupons faithfully you know that this show HAS to be scripted because stores have coupon policies in place that would never allow these situations to exist! I would love to see a store that lets you use 35 of the same coupon, all worth over $1.00 off, and then double all of them?  Yeah, right....  in whose alternate universe is that happening in?

So, let's get real about it.  Right here, right now.  Full disclosure on my part: I've read several of the books out there on using coupons, and there are some GREAT tips to follow.  But all of these books give you the cardinal rule up front: follow the stores' coupon policies.  Learn them, know them, memorize them.  Keep up to date on changes to them.  AND these books are also quite honest in that they say you'll probably save 30-60% off your grocery bill on average over time.  That is more realistic. And the results I've had are about that when I average it out.

I've been able to find my own system, and I will try to put it in a nutshell here for you.  Obviously, everyone has to find something that works for them, but this is what I have found works the best for me.  The results have been good: last week my total bill was $358 at Kroger, but I only spent $91 when all was said and done.  No, I didn't have over $1000 in products in my cart and only spend $1.38.  Does anyone even believe that? Anyway, here's how I do it.

Each week, when my Sunday paper comes, I go straight for the coupon flyers.  If they have a good selection, I will go out and buy 5 or 6 more newspapers.  Never any more than that, because there are limits on the number of coupons you can even use in the first place.  For example, at our Meijer store, only the first 2 coupons double, and after that each coupon is only good for face value.  And those that double are only doubled up to 50 cents.  At a Kroger about 20 miles away (each Kroger has it's own coupon policy - you need to check with each one to find out what it is), they double manufacturer coupons up to $1.00 everyday, but only the first 3.  After that, they are only good for face value, and you can only use 5 max.  Cellfire is an online tool that lets you load coupons onto your store loyalty cards, but Meijer is not a partner, and even though Kroger is a partner, I DO NOT USE THEM, because they changed their policy.  If you scan your loyalty card, the cellfire coupons will count before your regular coupons and you can't use the regular ones.  And cellfire coupons are usually very low value anyway.

So, I go through my coupons, and cut all of them out.  YES, I cut ALL of them out.  I then put them into a three ring binder, organized by section of the grocery store, and stored in the plastic pages that are used for trading cards.  Once they are organized and put away, it's easy to find them when I need them.

As I then go through each sale flyer, I match up every item on sale to a coupon.  If it isn't on sale, and doesn't have a coupon, it doesn't go on the list.  Simple as that.  It has to  be both. This maximizes the savings.  I try to use the larger value coupons at Kroger, since they double a higher value. If a coupon is valued over $1.00, I use it wherever the item is on sale.

Once I have my list of items on sale that have coupons, I put those coupons in an envelope with the list, grab my binder and head off to the stores.  I take the binder, because often there are unadvertised sales, and you never know when you'll have a coupon for one of those items!

Here's an example of how I made it work on some of the more expensive items I buy on a recent trip:

I had 7 coupons for $1.00 off any Colgate variety toothpaste, 4.0 oz or larger. Kroger had their 6.4 oz Colgate marked down from 2.98 to 1.98 with Kroger card.  I also had 6 coupons for .75 off any Colgate toothpaste, same conditions.  Since only 3 coupons double at a time, I had to split my order up to maximize it.  This ultimately created 3 transactions, but worth it since 7 tubes ended up being free, and 6 of them were only .48 each!   A total of 13 tubes for about $3 - the regular price of one tube of toothpaste!. With 4 kids, we go through a lot of toothpaste, so that was a great deal.

That same trip, they had Bounty paper towels on sale - an 8 pack, normally 10.19, was 5.99 with Kroger card.  I had 6 coupons for $1.00 off any multipack.  So, with two transactions to get the maximum doubling of coupons, I ended up getting them for 3.99 each.  Savings of 6.20 per package!

Laundry detergent is another big expense in our house.  Kroger had the 50 load liquid Tide, all varieties, on sale with card for $3.99 each. HUGE DEAL without the coupons! But I had 8 coupons for $1.00 off any Tide detergent.  So, three transactions later, I had purchased them for $1.99 each.

I had a total of 3 transactions for all my coupons in groceries, cleaning supplies, etc.  One cart, but well organized.  I did find a few items on sale that were 10 for $10, get 11th free that I had coupons for as well.  These are great deals to watch for.  It takes some time to develop your own system, and be able to recognize the deals and savings.  At first it would take me 3 hours to shop; now I am in and out in no time at all because it has become second nature to me.

I ended up giving some of the laundry detergent and toothpaste to our church for the personal needs closet portion of our food pantry.  Along with a bunch of B1G1 deodorants that I had purchased with coupons.  I also gave my mom some of the paper towels.  So I don't have stacks and stacks of stuff in my house like a hoarder.  I spread the savings to others.  But I still don't have to pay a ton at the store for essentials. 

The concepts I gave above work the same with any item.  Pasta, canned goods, coffee, you name it.  If you have coupons, use them! 

For more in depth help, try these two books:  "The Coupon Mom's Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half" by Stephenie Nelson (love this one), or "How to Shop For Free" by Kathy Spencer (another good resource). 

It takes some work, but not 40 hours a week cutting coupons and building on an addition just for your filing cabinets and extra storage! Like I said before, let's get real.  The television show is not realistic, and is not promoting responsible consumerism. And sometimes what people do to get the "too good to be true" deal is actually illegal.  Both books I mentioned cover this as well...

Good luck!  I know this was pretty vague, but a blog post isn't nearly enough space to really detail it!

A New Product Review: A Blender This Time!

Andy brought home a new blender the other night.  We used to have a Kitchen Aid blender, but it fell apart. Literally.  DON'T get me started on KitchenAid brand products..... oy vey! We've had nothing but disastrous luck with them. 

Anyway, he was so proud of himself! I was a little nervous, because kitchen appliances are usually my area, but he took the initiative so I just smiled. He purchased a Hamilton Beach Wave Station Express.  It is a dispensing blender that supposedly will mix anything.  It retails for around $24.95 and is available for purchase at www.hamiltonbeach.com directly from the manufacturer.  He bought it for $17, but I can't remember if he said he got it at Walmart, Lowe's or Menard's.... he rattled off a bunch of places he had gone.  Here's the info from the website:

Wave Station® Express - Black

PRICE: $24.99       MODEL: 54615

Dispense with messy pouring. The Wave Station® Express Dispensing Blender makes drips and dribbles a thing of the past. 

PRODUCT FEATURES

• Wave-Action™ system continuously pulls mixture down into the blades for smooth results
• Convenient spout cap replaces the dispenser for traditional blending
• 48 oz. dishwasher safe DuraBlend™ jar
• Patented stainless steel Ice Sabre™ blades
• 4 speeds plus pulse
• 500 Watts peak power
• 3 year warranty

 **********************

I tried it out on Monday by making strawberry milkshakes for Andrew and his friend.  At first I was a little bit irate and ready to throw it out.  It is loud, and the ice cream was NOT even beginning to blend.  But once I pushed it down a little with a spatula? HOLY COW! It whizzed right up and in seconds I was dispensing the most perfectly blended shakes! The dispenser feature is a real bonus that I would have completely ignored had I been shopping for a blender.  I highly recommend that.  It's easy to clean. It really blended everything completely and smoothly - not a single lump or chunk of strawberry.

I have yet to test it on ice, and that's the real feat of strength, but hopefully it can handle it.  But for now, I am sold on this blender for it's ability to mix the frozen stuff.  I can see lots of smoothies in our future!

Ratings (scale of 1 to 5, 5 being best):

Ease of Use: 4

Clean Up: 5

Noise: 3

Finished Product: 4.5 *

Price: 5

VERDICT: 4.3 = Good Buy!
*need to test on ice yet....

Dinner Dilemma? SOLVED!

Once again, it is unbearably hot outside.  This is not weather conducive to cooking.  I don't even want to THINK about meal prep in this heat! This is usually when I start wishing for a magic wand or a fairy godmother to come and take care of this duty for me.  But we all know what happens: wish in one hand and want in the other; see which fills up first!

Over the years I have perfected my 'go-to' menu selections for occasions where cooking is either A) not within time constraints, or B) not within my desire constraints. We've all read the articles and have heard the advice about having your own no-fail recipes to fall back on in times when you need a quick dinner.  Well, turns out it is good advice after all.  I've relied heavily on my menus over the years as my kids have gotten older and we've gotten busier.

In the winter, they involve a lot of crock pot use, but it is much to warm to get into those. Maybe in September I'll revisit that concept! But in the summer, I tend to rely on my husband's love of the grill for a lot of our meals.  I just have to supply the rest of the fare.  Men always love to feel that rush of being in control of an open flame, scorching meat and bragging about their BBQ prowess.  I say let them! Keeps the house cooler anyway, and less pots and pans to wash.

I try to keep chicken on hand for nights such as tonight.  We buy freezer beef, so we always have a steady supply of burger patties, steaks, and such in the freezer to grill. And I stock up on brats and hot dogs and freeze them as well.  Tonight, I will have hubby toss some boneless, skinless chicken thighs on the grill and coat them with barbeque sauce.  My kids love this! And I found the thighs on sale for $1/lb a while ago and loaded up on them.  I pulled a package out of the freezer this morning, and we'll be good to go.

As for the rest of the meal?  Here's an easy side dish for you:

Cook up some pasta (any old shape - the more fun, the better for the kids). Add in about 1/2 to 2/3 cup of frozen peas & carrots just at the end of cooking the pasta to get them hot and tender. Drain and rinse with cold water.  In a large bowl, mix together a large dollop (about a 1/2 cup) of mayo with an envelope of ranch dressing mix.  Add in the pasta & vegetable mixture and some bacon pieces. Mix well.  Top generously with diced tomatoes and serve up a yummy pasta salad!

You can also grill asparagus easily.  Simply trim the woody ends, place in a large ziploc bag with a bit of olive oil and shake to coat lightly.  Spread them on the grill and sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper.  Cook for a couple minutes, until hot but still crunchy. Healthy alternative to french fries!

It also helps to have extra items cooked ahead.  Many times when we cook chicken breasts on the grill, I will cook a couple extra, slice them up thinly, and then freeze. I keep hard boiled eggs in the frig all the time as a healthy snack, so when it's hot like today, I can just make salads for everyone and top them with the egg, chicken, some shredded cheese, various veggies, and we've got a nice, cool, healthy dinner that took about 5 minutes to toss together.

Stir fry is a great dinner as well.  You can use a wok on the grill and keep the house cool! But if you choose to make it inside, it is still very fast to prepare and uses only one pan.  Even easier if you buy the veggies pre-cut and skip the rice. Toss in some of the leftover chicken or steak from a previous meal, and it's even more substantial, but still super simple.

As for dessert, there is NO NEED to bake in this heat. (Pun intended! ) Kids love fresh fruit like seedless watermelon, grapes, pineapple... simply serve some cut up on a platter and let everyone help themselves. Even popsicles can be a great dessert.  Or try putting some fruit punch in the freezer for a while to get it nice and slushy for a dessert drink.  Quick, easy, healthy, and cool.

Trust me, I don't want to have my oven on in this heat! And I'm using paper plates tonight, too, so the dishwasher doesn't even have to make the house any warmer!

 

A Quickie But A Goodie!

Need an easy way to use up some leftovers?  I have been doing this for a couple years now, and it is such a great way to feed the kids at lunchtime, use up leftovers, and still get some good nutrition in them!

Ingredients:

leftover mixed vegetables from dinner the night before

1 can of chicken broth (low sodium)

frozen mini turkey meatballs (or regular mini meatballs if that's what you have)

vegetable rotini (the multi-colored pasta!)

2 cups of water

Bring the broth and water to a boil.  Add the pasta and cook til just about tender.  Add the meatballs and the leftover veggies.  Cook until the meatballs are heated through.  Season to taste with garlic salt, or salt & pepper.  Serves 3-4 kids!

This is a perfect lunch.  Heck, it's great for adults, too!  I keep the frozen mini meatballs on hand to add to different dishes so my kids can get the extra protein.  I usually toss them into pasta sauce or will even serve them just by themselves with toothpicks for a power snack.  And when I have leftover mixed veggies from dinner, it's easy to toss this together.  I always stock the chicken broth and pasta in my pantry for easy go-to meals on days when we are running like crazy.  Not much to this, and it's an easy fix from items on hand!

YUM!

The Bread Pudding Battle Has Been Decided

A while back I posted about the Bourbon Sauced Bread Pudding that I make for special occasions.  It was inspired by one of my husband's work trips to New Orleans, when he tasted the "most divine, creamy, custardy bread pudding ever".  He challenged me to duplicate it, and I came up with my own recipe. 

Well, this past April, during our annual Spring Break Pilgrimage to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach, Alabama, he was to attend a conference in New Orleans again.  Smack in the middle of our vacation.  This time, he brought me along while the kids stayed with Grandma & Grandpa.  It was fun!  Lots to see and do, and maybe some other time I'll tell you all about it.  But not now...

While in the Big Easy, he took me to 'The Gumbo Shop' restaurant, just off Bourbon Street, where he had partaken of the infamous bread pudding a few years back.  We each ordered the combination plate for dinner, consisting of incredibly wonderful jambalaya, red beans & rice, and shrimp creole.  And for dessert?  The bread pudding!  I thought it was good, but still found it a little bit more cakey than mine, and the topping was simply sugary - similar to that found drizzled on a cinnamon roll.  I can now say I have tried it.

The big surprise?  From the guy who had waxed poetic about it?  He finished his bread pudding, put down his spoon, and matter of factly stated: "Yours is still better.  Hands down."  HA!!!!!  I've done it!  I have created a bread pudding that's better than the best rated bread pudding in New Orleans!!!!!

It must be the Evan Williams I use....

"The Coupon Mom"

I know this book has been out for a while, but a few weeks ago I picked up "The Coupon Mom's Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half" by Stephanie Nelson.  It is wonderful!  Although I already am a coupon user, this book had some great tips in it.  I tried some of them out, and ended up having some pretty good success.  My receipt said I spent $94 after all the coupons and sale items, but my savings total on the receipt was beautiful:  I had saved $53!  Apparently my total grocery bill that day would have been $147 if I hadn't been paying attention to the ways to save that she lists. 

I am going to continue to use her methods and see just how much bigger my savings can get.  If you want to learn more about it, go to www.couponmom.com and check it out!

"The Coupon Mom"

I know this book has been out for a while, but a few weeks ago I picked up "The Coupon Mom's Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half" by Stephanie Nelson.  It is wonderful!  Although I already am a coupon user, this book had some great tips in it.  I tried some of them out, and ended up having some pretty good success.  My receipt said I spent $94 after all the coupons and sale items, but my savings total on the receipt was beautiful:  I had saved $53!  Apparently my total grocery bill that day would have been $147 if I hadn't been paying attention to the ways to save that she lists. 

I am going to continue to use her methods and see just how much bigger my savings can get.  If you want to learn more about it, go to www.couponmom.com and check it out!

THE Must Have Item This Fall...

 
 
 These bowls are simply amazing! Two years ago, my mom gave me 2 sets of these bowls for Christmas.  They come with matching plates that sit under them perfectly if you like.  Unfortunately, one broke, so this past Christmas, I asked for one more set of 4.  We use them ALL the time, so they are always in the dishwasher, and 4 more would be so handy in this family of six.  Well, bless her, she gave us 2 more sets instead, since we didn't want anything else!  We use these every. single. day.  No lie.  Every morning, they come out of the cupboard for cereal, oatmeal, or Malt O Meal.  At lunch I fill them with soup or mac and cheese.  At dinner they get used for chili or stew or any other hearty dish.  Even lasagna at times when it's extra gooey! And at night, Andy uses one for his evening ice cream indulgence!

These are so versatile. They are great for any occasion.  Put them on your registry.  Your birthday list.  Your Chrismas wish list.  Dishwasher and microwave safe.  Durable.  (Unless a 4 year old throws it in a sink a little TOO hard!) And a good basic white to match most any decor.  A bargain at $29 for a set of 4 bowls and 4 plates that will be a favorite for years and years!  And occasionally they go on sale, so watch for that, too.  Available at Williams-Sonoma stores and online. 

Tonight I'm using mine again... chicken chili is on the menu, along with home made rolls, veggies to crunch on, and home made hummus dip. And then later on tonight we'll use them for popcorn, the plates for donuts, and have cider while we watch a movie!
  

Honeycrisp Season! YUMMY!

What is the best thing about this time of year?  Just the fact this is the only time you can get Honeycrisp Apples!!!!!  OMG!!!!  Have you ever tasted one?  They are exactly as described... sweet as honey and oh-so-crisp!  They are the only red apples I will eat.  And I will eat them by the bushel.  And I do!  Because the season is so short, I gorge myself on them.  They are so divine.  And I do not bake with them.  It seems almost sacreligious to do so.  I will bake with MacIntosh apples any day. Those are the absolute best for apple crisp.  And Gala's or Paula Red's are perfect for apple pies.  But Honeycrisp's?  No.  They must be eaten as is. 

They crunch as you bite in.  The juice runs stickly down your chin.  The sweetness fills your mouth, without a hint of tartness.  It's like eating candy from nature.  Literally!  And I have a kitchen full of them.

My next stop?  Uncle John's Cider Mill in St. John's for fresh cider.  It's fall.  Cider is a must have around the bonfire!  Warm cider with a stick of cinnamon for stirring... so simple and yet so elegant.  Want to feel like Martha Stewart without the stick up your you-know-what?  Get some big, over-size mugs.  Pour warm cider in them.  Insert long stick of cinnamon.  Ouila!  Throw in a couple whole cloves and a sprinkle of fresh ground nutmeg and a squeeze of an orange wedge, and you can be Martha's overlord in mere seconds.  MUAHaaaahhaahaaaa!

With the fresh air coming through the windows in the kitchen (I don't care if it's chilly out - the sun is incredible, and the smell of leaves is amazing), pumpkins galore at the farmers market this week, and my favorite apples in abundance, life is good right now!  As long as it doesn't snow anytime soon...  And I have to go back to my second favorite apple, Granny Smith, and bundling up in snow gear. 

Are you in the mood for Autumn on this first day of October?

Betty Crocker, Kitchen Goddess Imagined

So just who was Betty Crocker?  Today's home page of MSN had this little blurb on it and of course it is a topic that I would click on!  I already knew this story, but I didn't know if any of you would know this historical account of a "famous domestic goddess" so I thought I would pass it along in today's post.  Surprisingly, it's a story written by men!  Hey, I'm not a knuckle dragging housewife -- I don't berate men and automatically think of them as useless beings when it comes to matters of homekeeping.  My own husband is a wonder worker when it comes to all things housewife.  But then again, he kept his own home for 10 years before we were married!  He came well trained.  And there are some men who actually read this blog, so men do have some wonderful relevance to the "housewife world".

Anyway, Betty Crocker was not a real woman.  She was a fictional character that was created by 'The Washburn Crosby Company'.  At the time, this was the parent company of Gold Medal Flour.  (Still on the market today!)  In 1920 they ran a contest where you had to complete a jigsaw puzzle of a flour mill.  The prize was a pincushion resembling a flour sack.  I wish I had one of those pincushions!  They received thousands upon thousands of responses to the contest.  Included with a majority of these responses were questions about baking, too.  Realizing they had an opportunity to capture the market, they decided to find someone to act as their baking expert and answer these questions for the company.   This was going to be their way of reaching out to housewives everywhere and making their company personal to all of them and at the same time gaining the loyalty to their brand.

The number of questions were too many for just one person to answer, however, so it became more practical to have the responses come from a panel in-house, and create a persona that would be the "signature" to each letter to personalize it.  William G. Crocker, the recently retired director of the company, was honored for his service by choosing his surname.  The first name of Betty was chosen simply because the company felt that it was a friendly name.  And so, Betty Crocker was born in 1921.

From there, the name has expanded to product identity, cookbooks, cooking schools, kitchen accessories, and more.  She has become a household name, and synonymous with all things good from the kitchen.  She has evolved from a brilliant marketing ploy to the belief that she is an actual woman in history; all because the men of The Washburn Crosby Company listened to housewives everywhere.  Now known as General Mills, this company has been listening to us ever since.  Their product innovation and branding in combination with the cookbooks and accessories that Betty has introduced us to over the years have made for many fun experiences in the kitchen, numerous successful bake sales, and infinitely happy kids after school with their cookies, brownies, or other treats. 

Thanks, guys!  Your imaginary women that you dream up are sometimes really worth it!

Afternoon Delight

Here's a quick and easy snack for the kids when they come home from school.  But it's so good, you'll want to eat it anytime!  It has become my favorite energy boost!

Top a slice of whole grain bread with natural peanut butter.  Layer with very thinly sliced apples such as granny smith or other crisp, bright apple.  Drizzle lightly all over with honey.  Add another slice of whole grain bread on top.  Cut in half or quarters, depending on appetite.  Yum!!!  Makes a great lunch served with a wedge of sharp cheddar, some carrot sticks, and a glass of milk.

An Ailing Refrigerator Has It's Benefits...

Our refrigerator died.  On the hottest day of the century.  Of course.  Thankfully we have an old 1950's Westinghouse model in the garage we use for extra gallons of milk, the odd soda, and other miscellaneous items.  (With four little kids, you tend to buy milk 6 gallons at a time!).  So what do you do when your frig goes out?  In this order:

1.  Curse KitchenAid.  (I can't stress enough at how miserable these appliances are... after 2 dishwashers, a microwave, a stove/oven, 2 coffee makers, a toaster, and now the frig, I am completely avoiding this brand as if it were the bubonic plague!)

2.  Call KitchenAid to schedule a repair visit.

3.  Curse KitchenAid while emptying said refrigerator.

4.  Clean it til it sparkles!!!!!

I know it's a pain to have to go through dealing with a dead refrigerator, but on the upside, it's a great opportunity to clean it out!  No condensation building up because it's still cool inside, no stuff in the way...  it's great!  Now I have the wonderfully clean appliance you see above!  Take note, those of you in Housekeeping 101 -- this is a valuable tidbit to file away for future reference!

The Perfect Pantry

Check out today's featured Typepad blog:  The Perfect Pantry 

I've already added the link to the list in the side bar!  Great information, well written and nicely laid out.  Go see it!