Personal Goals for 2015

It's been a few weeks since I posted on here, I think I hit a creativity wall and just didn't even try to climb over it. One of my goals for the coming year is to post with more of a structure and I've written down some ideas and will start implementing them in January. I'm not going to get super specific in my goals, as I tend to focus more on making a detailed list rather than actually doing the things I was wanting to do. I will separate into a few categories to help me focus.

FAMILY
I hope to do more things as a family this year. Our two youngest kids are 14 and 16 and we haven't been on a vacation in years. I was initially thinking of an Orlando vacation, and we still might, but our appliances seem to be dying by the day, so I'm worried about not having a safety net for when the next one goes out. If we do go, we'll use our tax refund to pay for it all, as we don't do that great with saving for an event, so it will be to go when we have it. My husband races mototrials bikes and I hope to do more family time going to watch him race.

BLOG
My goal for my blog will be to post three times a week. I have a lot more recipes I want to feature, but also want to post more on my creative pursuits, activities, organization, and whatever seems to be happening in my life in a given week. I also hope to start hosting giveaways, so I need to get in contact with the people and companies that I love and would like to feature.

READING

I'm a member of several reading groups, both in real life and online. I plan on reading each of the books assigned each month and participating in the group events. I might also do a book club on my blog, now that I think of it. It could be for the other books I want to read that are in addition to the ones assigned. With just the groups I'm already active in, that will have me reading about 4 books each month, depending on how quickly I read it. If it's a great book I can zoom through it, but if it's not, I really struggle making myself finish it. I have heard of a guideline to use when reading a book you don't really care for is to allow yourself to read 100 pages minus your age. If you still don't like it, then quit and don't waste any more time on it. Since I'm 46, I would need to read 54 pages before giving up on it.

FRIENDS
Sadly, the majority of my friends are online. I rarely see any people on a social level in real life. My goals in this area are to make friends in the groups I go to at the library and try to get together with some of the ladies outside of the library. Also, I'm going to do an event each month and invite friends to join us. In January, I've already scheduled a bowling event and invited some of our friends, which are mostly people my husband works with, and several are planning to join us. I think I'll schedule a roller skating even for February, and not sure after that. It will have to be local (which isn't a lot) and fairly cheap as most of us have several kids and not the highest of incomes.

CLUBS/GROUPS
I plan on staying active with my reading groups, knitting group, as well as joining a local genealogical group to help trace my husband's lineage. I also am considering taking a Master Gardener's class this year, so I will have that group, if I do. My husband is joining a local homebrewer's club and I'll probably join it with him, even though I don't like the taste of beer, I do enjoy trying new things. I'll make sure the kids continue with their Teens! group a the library and my daughter wants to rejoin her old dance studio, so I'll make sure she gets to all those activities.  And our community plans some activities and want to get more involved with those, too.

HEALTH
Sadly, my health insurance cost went up nearly 50%. I'm going to keep it for as long as we can afford it, but just in case we can't, I'm going to go ahead and get every test done that I can now. I already have a sleep study scheduled for February. I got a fitness bracelet for Christmas but I can't get it to sync up with my laptop, so I need to either buy an ipod touch or help my husband replace the battery in his and use it. My son and I want to use our gym membership a lot more. A realistic goal for us will be to go once a week. Once we can stick to that, up it to twice a week. I think we need a fitness goal to work towards. Not so much a weight loss goal, but an activity goal, like a 5K. I'll look up ones that are in the area and get some on the calendar.

GARDENING
Our garden did pretty well last year even though it was very neglected after planting. This year I'll use the same garden spot and will add good dirt and fertilizer. I found an easy, economical greenhouse plan and my husband says he'll help me build it, so some the seeds we've ordered this year will be able to go into the garden as plants rather than seeds. If the greenhouse is as easy as it appears, we could make more and sell them. I might also be able to sell some of the plants we'll be growing, too. We've decided to do more planting in various places throughout the yard. The vining plants like pumpkin, squash and melons, will be planted above the bank in the back yard and will be free to spread out down the hill. A flower bed that was built several years ago and never used will be for the superhot peppers that I got seeds for by sending a SASE to a person in a group on FB. I also want to use my unused clothesline posts by adding some sort of mesh or net and then plant things that will climb up, like cucumbers and noodle beans. I also would like to plant a variety of berry bushes, but not sure where they might go yet, and maybe a few more fruit trees.

HOME
I'm planning on doing a lot of organizing and decluttering this year. I filled out my planner for daily decluttering missions, so it's just a little each day which will add up to quite a bit by the end of the year. I have three rooms that we want to redo. Our bedroom needs the carpet ripped out and either tile or wood floors put in, and probably paint the walls, and rearrange the furniture. My daughter's bedroom needs a major decluttering (she's a hoarder, pretty much), the carpet ripped out and replaced with tile, walls repaired and painted and just an overall teenager update. The one that will take more effort, and more money, is our bathroom. We want to remove the shower stall and garden tub and replace with a larger walk in shower and storage closet. We also want to remove the double sink and either find or build a buffet stand for the sinks. We already own the sinks and their faucets, so we need to buy the shower stall and do a heck of a lot of work on our part. I also want to install ceiling fans in every room, and my husband works with someone that will be able to do it for us. I also need to repair/replace many of the window screens so we can use the fans this summer without inviting all of nature in to join us. I'm going to research the price of a pool, on the small side, and see what it typically costs to run each summer.

CREATIVITY
I plan on doing more knitting this year, as well as trying new techniques. I've made several items as gifts but I want to make more things for me, too. I would love to try making a hoodie/sweater. I've been working on a sea monster painting and I want to finish it and then work on the Sasquatch one and another one. These paintings are where I'm adding these monsters to large landscape paintings I buy at yard sales. I'm trying to not do any other creative pursuits except for the painting and the knitting, otherwise I just flutter from one to another and nothing really gets accomplished.

BUDGET
This is an area that needs some serious attention. We tend to live paycheck to paycheck, and I am also overdrawn at the bank more than I care to be. I plan on doing more menu planning, and freezer cooking (as well as buying a big freezer), so the food budget should be more manageable. I need to write out each of our paydays, each of our set monthly bills, and write out other possible expenses. And more than anything, set up some sort of savings as we have nothing except cash on hand now. We have very few bills other than the basic utilities. We no longer have any cable TV service, but we do pay for Netflix and Hulu each month, no credit cards, no loans except for the mortgage. There is no reason that we can't survive and thrive on what my husband makes, so I need to really focus on being a better money manager. I'm not sure that coupons would help, but I'm going to look into them a little more, too.

Here's hoping for a prosperous 2015. Do you have any goals that you are working on this year? Please share them in the comments, as I'd love to hear about them.

Pumpkin and Peanut Butter Dog Treats

Our pets are our babies.  They are four legged ,furry members of our family.  They just adore it when we make treats for them, of course, they adore any sort of treat regardless of where it comes from.  I like making treats for them as that way I know what they are getting.  Some of the mass producing treats seem to be not much better than bone shaped cardboard.

I signed up to join in this peanut butter challenge and they way it works is that you have to come up with a recipe using peanut butter and another ingredient voted on each month.  This month the extra  ingredient to be used is pumpkin.  Also, it is supposed to be a dessert but I've been playing with this recipe for a little while and since it's a treat for our dogs, I consider it their dessert.

PUMPKIN AND PEANUT BUTTER DOG TREATS (Printable Recipe)

1 quart home canned pumpkin chunks (or a 15 oz. can pumpkin puree, not pie filling)
2 eggs
3 Tbsp. peanut butter
1 cup oats
3-4 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Whisk together the pumpkin, eggs and peanut butter.

Add the oats and flour until a dough forms.

  It will be sticky but you want it to be fairly firm.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough to around 1/4" thick.  You will need to keep your hands and rolling pin well floured.  Use cookie cutters or a knife to cut out the treats.

Put some parchment paper on a baking sheet and lay the treats on the paper, leaving a little space between each treat.  Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.  Let cool before serving.

#‎peanutbutterbash‬

An InLinkz Link-up

Huckleberry Buckle Recipe

These huckleberries surprised me when they popped back up in my garden this summer.  I planted some seeds for them last year and didn't even pick them as I didn't really know what to do with them.  I learned later that they can't be eaten raw and must me cooked with added sugar.  So after I found them this year I decided to work on a recipe to use them in.  I found several that sounded good, but finally decided on combining several ideas from each and coming up with my version of a buckle.

 INGREDIENTS (Printable Recipe)

Topping
4 Tbsp. butter, softened
6 Tbsp. flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Batter
4 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 3/4 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 lb. huckleberries (you can use blueberries if you can't find huckleberries)


1. Heat oven to 350˚. Butter and flour a 9" springform cake pan; set aside. Make the topping by mixing all the ingredients together in a medium bowl, set topping aside.

2. For the batter, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder; set flour mixture aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add vanilla and egg and beat until smooth. Add the flour mixture and milk and mix for 1 minute.

Add the huckleberries and, using a rubber spatula, fold them into the batter.

Pour batter into prepared pan

and sprinkle with reserved topping.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into center of the buckle comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours.

Let cool before serving.

SERVES 8 – 10

Life Hacks Using DAWN Dish Degergent

I'm going to admit a shameful secret of mine.  There was a time in my life when I would purchase dish detergents that were not of the Dawn brand.  I know.  I know.  Shameful.  I am reformed though and I'd like to share some of the ways I utilize Dawn in ways that have nothing to do with washing dishes.

1. Pretreatment for greasy stains on our laundry.  Just a squirt over the stain, rub it in, and let it sit for a little while, then launder as usual.
2. Mixed equally with white vinegar and use as a tub and shower cleaner.  I mix these two ingredients in a spray bottle and use it by spraying onto the surfaces I want to clean.  I let it sit for about an hour, then use a rag or sponge to wipe it off.  No scrubbing required.  This is the best tub and shower cleaner I've ever found.
3. Moisturizing hand scrub.  I mix 3 parts sugar with 1 part Dawn with Olay.  I use this for when my hands are grimy after gardening and my husband uses it when he comes in the from the garage.
4. Pet flea treatment.  I started using Dawn by itself as my dogs shampoo to help get rid of fleas.  I did help but left her skin extremely dry.  I started adding some Dawn to a moisturizing pet shampoo and that worked much better.
5. Cleaning greasy kitchen cabinets.  I add the detergent to a wet sponge and use it to wipe down the cabinets in the kitchen.  They get greasy so quickly from cooking and this is the only way I have found to effectively and efficiently remove the grime.
6. Poison ivy treatment.  I got a little poison ivy on my leg this summer and even though I washed it off well it was still itching and spreading.  After two days I decided to try Dawn and it halted the poison ivy right in it's tracks.  I washed the area 3 times a day with Dawn, then covered with Ivy Dry, and did this for several days.  

What are some life hacks you've discovered for using Dawn?  Please share them in the comments below. And if you'd like to check out the Dawn Twitter party, check it out using #Dawnbeyondthesink.  And if you'd like to follow me there, click here.

Easy Breakfast Burritos

I had grand plans of making a mountain of these scrumptious breakfast burritos and freezing some for later use.  This particular cooking session didn't result in any being left to freeze.  They were so delicious we gobbled them all up.

It's a very simple recipe and you can make it vegetarian my omitting the sausage.

EASY BREAKFAST BURRITOS

Ingredients:
Whole wheat 8 inch flour tortillas
6 eggs, scrambled
1/2 pound sausage, cooked and crumbled
Shredded cheddar cheese
Salsa
Sour cream

Before assembling, spend a few minutes to cook the scrambled eggs and place in a serving bowl.  Cook the sausage, drain and move to a serving bowl.  Add the cheese to a serving bowl, as well, to make for a speedy assembly process.  Leave the tortillas in the bag, open it and microwave for up to a minute.  This will soften the tortillas so they won't crack when rolled.

For each burrito, place some of the scrambled eggs down the center of the tortilla, leaving an inch or two empty on the bottom edge.  Then layer on the sausage, if using,  then the cheese.  Wrap the burrito by folding the bottom edge up over the filling slightly.  The roll tightly.

Continue until you have used up all the filling ingredients.

If the eggs and sausage are warm still, the cheese will melt from that heat, but they can also be popped in the microwave for up to a minute.  This recipe made 8 burritos.  Serve with salsa and sour cream on the side, if desired.

If you want to freeze some, wrap each burrito, after assembly, tightly with plastic wrap and store in a freezer grade zip top baggie in the freezer.  Remove when wanted and microwave for one minute, then check for doneness and heat up to another minute. 

Noodle Doodle Pudding

There is no real reason for the word doodle to be in the title of this noodle pudding, but I liked the sound of it so it stuck.

The grocery store I use most often has carts and racks set in various places throughout the store for clearance items.  I buy a lot of items at clearance prices that I might not normally purchase if it was full price.  Perhaps it's because it's a higher priced name brand or something that is not ever on my shopping list.  The noodles I'm using in this recipe I got for a steal in one of those bins.  I tried making them as just noodles in chicken broth with a little butter but we didn't really care for them.

Something made me think of a traditional Jewish dish called noodle kugel, also knows as noodle pudding.  I guess I could have called this recipe Noodle Doodle Kugel, too.  That actually has a good ring to it! 

The recipes I could find online didn't really match exactly what I was thinking of wanting this dish to be, so I used ideas from several different places and came up with this deliciousness I share with you now.

NOODLE PUDDING

Ingredients: 
1 pound medium egg noodles
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
6 eggs, well beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
16 ounces sour cream
16 ounces small curd cottage cheese
4 ounces cream cheese
1 sleeve cinnamon graham crackers
 (Printable Recipe)

The noodles I had were in 12 oz. packages so I used my handy-dandy to measure out the 16 oz. needed, and put the rest in a ziptop bag for some other use later on.  I also used the scale to measure out the 1/2 pound of butter since I buy it in a one pound block.  I did the same with the cream cheese to get the 4 oz. from the 8 oz. brick.

Cooking Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Apply spray oil to a 9" x 13" pan and set aside.  In a large pot bring water to a boil then add the noodles and return to a boil and cook for 7 minutes.  Drain and leave in the strainer for a few minutes.

In the now empty pot add the remaining ingredients, expect the graham crackers, and turn on the heat enough to melt.  The order I did it in was the butter and cream cheese first, then the cottage cheese and sour cream.  Then the sugar, vanilla and beaten eggs.  Stir well to combine and turn off the heat.  Add the noodles and continue stirring until they are thoroughly combined.

Pour the noodle mixture into the prepared pan.  Using your spatula move the noodles around so that they get into the corners and they look like they are spread fairly evenly.

Place the pan into the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the graham crackers into crumbs.  There are several ways this can be achieved, this is the easiest way I've found to do it.  Take a sleeve of crackers and start pounding on it lightly with a rolling pin.  Don't pound too heavily or it will break open the seals on the package.  Turn the crackers to one  side, pound, turn, pound, and so on until they are nothing but crumbs.

After 30 minutes remove pan from oven and cover the top with the graham cracker crumbs.

  Return to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

 

Note:  This is even more delicious than I thought it might be.  This is going to be my go to dish to take to potlucks.  It's perfect just the way it is, but you could make it lighter by using fat free or reduced fat ingredients, and replace the 6 eggs with 1 1/2 cups egg whites.  Some of the recipes I looked at added raisins, and we wouldn't care for that ourselves, you could add about 1/2 cup of raisins before baking.  

No Knead Pizza Dough Using A Stand Mixer

This recipe for pizza dough is made even easier because you can do all the mixing and kneading with a stand mixer.  I have a KitchenAid brand, but others should work equally well.
This recipe will make enough dough for 3 pizzas.

INGREDIENTS:
- 2 T. of dry yeast
- 2 cup of warm water
- 4 cups of bread flour
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 T of sugar
 (Printable Recipe)

Add the warm water into the mixer bowl, sprinkle the dry yeast and sugar and mix it. Let it rest for about 5 minutes and your mixture will be foamy.

With the hook attachment on start the mixer on slow speed and add olive oil and salt, mix it for about 1 minute and start adding the flour.

Once it is all combined let your mixer do all the work kneading this dough for about 10 minutes (you might need to add a little bit more flour, not too much), this dough will be elastic and a extremely sticky.

Grease a clean bowl with olive oil and pour dough into it.

Cover your bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise for about 30 minutes.

Punch down the dough and it  is ready to be shaped. Oil your pans and your hands very well to keep the dough from coating your skin and so they will come easily off the pans after baking.

TO MAKE INTO PIZZAS:

Preheat oven to 425° F.  Separate the dough onto three well greased pizza pans or baking sheets.

  You can line the pans with foil to save on dirty pans afterwards.  Using your well greased hands, spread the dough out to the thickness you desire.  The dough will thicken some as it bakes.

Bake just the dough for about 7 minutes.  Remove and add the toppings you prefer

and bake for another 10 minutes until the cheese melts and is bubbly.  Slice and enjoy.

Pork Roast With Great Flavor

I was trying to come up with something flavorful to use on a pork roast but I also wanted simple and economical.  Other than a little salt a pepper, this uses only two ingredients:  mustard and brown sugar.

There is no real recipe and no exact measurements.  The roast I bought was nearly 6 pounds so I cut it in half and froze the other portion for another time.

Trim the roast of most of the visible fat and sinew or silver skin.

Merely place the roast in a pan, thickly coat with mustard and then make a crust with brown sugar patting it on with your hands.

Depending on the size of the roast, bake for 350°F for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until tender.  Serve sliced or shredded on buns.

This actually surprised me with how delicious this is.  I don't plan to make it any other way after this.

I took the fat and sinew that I removed and fried for a treat for the dogs.  They were very happy, indeed.