by kathilipp | Jan 28, 2014 | Uncategorized |
At the end of every month, I want you to focus on one area of your house and just TOSS stuff to get a fresh start in that area – and I’m starting where I need it the most: the kitchen.
During the clean sweep, (between now and Monday,) you get to count bonus items that you would not normally count in the 2014 Things Challenge (like consumables). Why are we doing this for next five days? Because:
- When you don’t know what’s in your kitchen, it’s easy to re-buy things you don’t really need.
- A cluttered kitchen makes meal prep and clean up impossible.
- I want you to get some NUMBERS in this challenge!!!
It’s easy! Just take a garbage bag, a recycle bag, a “give away” box, a “other rooms” box, and a “put back” box check out this blog post if you’re not familiar with the 3 Boxes, 2 Bags cleaning system,) and start pitching.
For this challenge, even consumables count! So clean out those cupboards, freshen the fridge, and start clean!
And what about that food that is still good, but your family is NEVER going to eat it? Here are some ideas:
- For non-perishables, donate them to your local food bank.
- Put it up on Facebook for all your local friends: “Hey, we have 4 gluten-free cake mixes we are never going to use, first person who can bet them by tomorrow, and posts here, is the winner!”
- Maybe you have a friend who is on hard times who would be grateful for a grocery bag filled with some of your yummy overstocks. Take those Costco packs, break them up, and pass them on.
- In a few weeks, we will be having a challenge to help you reduce your stockpile and save money. Stay tuned!!!
Want to win a copy of THE WHAT’S FOR DINNER SOLUTION? Post a pic of your “after” kitchen declutter (it can be as big as the whole kitchen, or as small as one drawer or shelf) on my Facebook Page. We will randomly pick one winner to receive the book – but everyone who declutters is a winner.
So tell me, (because you want someone holding you accountable!) what area of your kitchen are you going to attack.
by kathilipp | Jan 6, 2014 | Home, Uncategorized |
Over the weekend, Roger and I had my step-daughter, Amanda, and her boyfriend Shaun, over for dinner and a movie. Both these kids are over at our house on a pretty regular basis, so Amanda was understandably taken aback when she walked into our kitchen.
“Wow! It’s so clean!”
“Amanda!” Shaun was a little shocked at Amanda’s comment.
Amanda backpedaled just a bit, “No, I know it’s always clean,” (which, by the way, God bless her for thinking that…) “But it’s more, I don’t know, clear?”
I knew exactly what she meant. I’d spent the first part of our weekend taking a critical eye to the kitchen and why I didn’t like it anymore. And now, she was seeing the results.
I love a clear counter and an uncluttered kitchen. I’ve written about how to do just that in The Get Yourself Organized Project book. But over the past several months, our lives, and our kitchen, have taken a dramatic turn, and the cluttered counters were showing the results.
- We added a juicer. As I’ve recently had gastric sleeve surgery, I have to be careful to get as many vitamins into me as possible in as little food as possible. One of the things we’ve purchased is a Breville Juicer (like the one in the movie, Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead). Now we are juicing away and Roger has become a real mix master making great combinations. But let’s be clear – that puppy takes up a fair amount of space on the kitchen counter.
- We’ve upgraded our blender. Roger and I spent a lot of time deciding between a Vitamix and Ninja blender. In our case, the Ninja won. (We have a trusted friend who swears by his, but I’ve heard equally great things about the Vitamix.) Since my whole goal in life seems to be getting enough protein, I now blend up fruit smoothies and add loads of protein powder to get what I need each day.
- We updated our rice cooker. Our last cooker was a wedding gift – from my first marriage. (20 years ago.) While it still cooked white rice like a champ, Roger and I now eat only brown rice and it would fail each time. Our new Aroma rice cooker rocks the brown rice every single time.
All of these appliances, along with our standing mixer, toaster oven, slow cooker, bread machine, knife block and coffee maker were cluttering up our counters and making it impossible to function in our kitchen. I got to the point where I started to dread cooking, and wanted to avoid the kitchen all together. I knew I needed to get ruthless in my kitchen declutter. Here are the things I did to get the “stuff” under control.
- Remember that your kitchen counter is your most valuable square footage in your home. No other area is used as much, and ever item on there needs to earn the right to stay.
- Under-mount whenever possible. Our microwave is mounded under our cabinets, and so are the CD player and paper towel rack. All of these save valuable inches of counter space.
- If you have a small kitchen, only keep what you use daily on the counters. The old wisdom is to keep what you use weekly, but if you want to have an easier time cooking and cleaning up, and space is at a premium, get ruthless. Now the only things on our counter are the coffee maker, coffee flavorings, the knife block, spices, and the toaster oven. Everything else is stored under the butcher block in the kitchen.
- Pitch what you don’t use. My friend Cheri has a few of these Presto Pizza Ovens. Cheri is a teacher at a sleep away school and she and her husband love to have the students over to make their own pizza nights. I was tempted to buy one because the seem so cool, but it would be another thing for me to store, move, and clean. Makes perfect sense for Cheri – not so for me. Get rid of all those appliances you used one and never saw the light of day again. The meat slicer, the George Foreman, the chocolate fountain. If you are going to keep your fondue pot for your annual New Year’s Eve “Fun-do” celebration, and space is valuable, store it outside of the kitchen with your turkey platter and Christmas dishes.
- Use what you have. I love my Keurig Coffee Maker that my kids all went together and got me for Mother’s Day a few years ago. As soon as I got it, I went out and got the accessories that went with it – including the holder for all the little coffee pods. While it was convenient to have all the pods sticking out where I could see them, I didn’t like how it looked in my kitchen. When I started to clear away my extras in the kitchen, I realized I had three beautiful canisters that I wasn’t using because they would have just taken up more space on the counter. I put all of my pods into the biggest canister, and got rid of the holder I didn’t like. Now when I walk into my kitchen, I only see things that I love. (Well, except that half of my appliances are stainless steel, and half are white – we’re in transition.)
Now that my kitchen is clutter-free, I actually don’t resist going in there to prep a meal or wipe down the counters. Since I have less stuff to move, I actually ENJOY cooking again. That is worth getting rid of every unused pasta maker on the planet.
I would love to hear in the comments below how you’ve simplified your kitchen – what have you gotten rid of, what have you simplified? What appliance have you learned to live without?
by kathilipp | Jan 1, 2014 | Home, Uncategorized |
So you’ve decided to do it. You are going to get rid of 2014 Things in 2014. Or maybe you’re feeling super desperate, and in addition to the 2014 Things, you are also getting rid of one thing for every thing you bring in.
I’ll be honest – I was shocked at the response to this challenge. I’m thrilled that so many of you are making living with less a priority in 2014. Welcome to the madness that is living lighter.
After posting the challenge the number one question I got was “How do I keep track?”
Well our team has been busy pulling together some forms for you to use to help you stay on track for the next twelve months. But if none of these forms are to your liking, feel free to use a notepad, the back of an envelope, any way that will make it easier for you.
2014 Things – For those of you taking on the big challenge of getting rid of 2014 Things in 2014, this is the tracker for you! You can either print it out, (PDF) or keep track on your computer (EXCEL). Either way, you’re a superstar because you’re getting rid of the things that are dragging you down. (If you are printing this out, consider doing it double sided as it’s 41 pages!)
In and Out – Maybe you just want to make sure you don’t accumulate more than you started with. Or you need to go hard core and not only get rid of 2014 Things, but make sure you don’t shop your way back to the same place at the start of 2015. Here is the In and Out Sheet – for everything you bring in, something else must go out. If you are doing both challenges, that’s called being All In. (Only do the All In option if your clutter makes you cry on a regular basis or you fantasize about leaving your house and starting over.)
The Super Geek – Created by my husband Roger – this is for the analytic in you. If you get a thrill with charts and graphs, this is the plan for you.
All of these can be downloaded on the 2014 Things Challenge Home Page.
We can do this!!!
by kathilipp | Sep 16, 2013 | Guest Blog, Me, Uncategorized |
This is Kathi – MOMS – this one Yes ladies, you read that title right-of all the issues to bring up on the topic of motherhood, leave it to this mom (yep, me) to chat about the potty of all things. But with three young children at home, if I know anything, it’s this
Finding time to use the restroom *alone* is virtually impossible these days.
Now I’ll be honest-I was semi-prepared for some of the rude awakenings this parenting gig would provide, but I never, and I mean* never* thought that my trips to the restroom would become chaotic at best. These days? It’s all about using the bathroom as quickly as possible-as in a mad rush-before something catches fire or someone has to go to the hospital.
Yep. It’s no secret that our kiddos tend to choose the most inconvenient times to manifest mayhem within our homes. Spilt milk, dirty dogs running amuck, Frisbees getting stuck on the roof, strangers at the door, and minor flesh wounds all tend to take place while we’re.ahem.”busy.” And as a mom, I can’t help but wonder: Should I feel fortunate that my kids want to be around me all of the time? Should I embrace my restroom visitors, even though these moments seem awkward at best (and kinda weird)? While I’m still struggling to figure out the answers to these questions, I do know one thing for sure: we may never pee in peace again.
Or can we?
I think it might be time to take some action.
Are you with me, ladies?
After all, when nature calls, we had better listen because holding the contents of our bladder for long periods of time just isn’t healthy, not to mention, uncomfortable, Amen? But with a house full of youngsters, heading to the restroom can be a hard feat to manage.one that, believe it or not, may take some planning on your part to achieve. Oh my gosh, wait! Am I suggesting that we start planning our trips to the restroom?
Indeed I am.
Hey, our kids are going to need some sort of distraction in order for us moms to leave their sides and tend to our needs, correct? So, here are just a few things we can do ahead of time to ensure we get the peace we desire and the relief we need:
1. *Games and Puzzles:* Kids love games and their quite fond of putting together puzzles too. Take out Monopoly, or better yet, bust out that 500 piece puzzle with all their favorite Disney characters on it. Talk about buying you some time. Woot!
2. *Snack Time*: Scheduling a bathroom break around lunch or snack time is ingenious if you ask me. Fix them their food, unwrap all juice box straws, delve out some napkins, and then head off to the bathroom. Hey, five minutes of peace is five minutes of peace, right?
3. *Scavenger Hunt*: Head to your computer and grab this indoor scavenger hunt printable (found here). Have a small prize ready to go (or pull out a few dollars from your wallet), and let your kids get to exploring all within the confines of your own home. Talk about the perfect time for a potty break? Boom!
4. *Masterpiece Mania*: My kids love to color, use their imaginations, and create art as often as they can. Bust out the contents of that closet (housing their art supplies) and let them create away. Have older kids? How about a still life? Grab a piece of fruit, or other inanimate object and let them reproduce it. Little Picasso’s in training, eh?
So what do you think? Not so bad, right? Completely doable with minimal effort on our part, eh? Girls, it looks like we may have just reclaimed some of our dignity, discretion, and a wee bit of alone time to tend to “business.” And that’s most definitely a good thing!
OK now this is fun: for readers of this blog, Jenny Lee’s publisher is offering 30% off of Confessions of a Wonder Woman Wannabe. Just use code KathiLipp30
And the fun continues: Purchase Confession and you can be entered into winning this 15 ebook bundle. (See page for details.)
Jenny Lee Sulpizio is a wife and mother of three who enjoys writing about anything and everything under the sun, but especially loves to instruct, motivate, and guide other moms with practical advice, tips, and a whole lot of comic relief in the process. Jenny is a contributing writer for
*The MOB Society* and *Moms Together, *and is the author of the recently released guide for all mamas titled, “*Confessions of a Wonder Woman Wannabe: On a Mission to Save Sanity, One Mom at a Time.*” To find out more about Jenny or to follow her blog, visit www.jennyleesulpizio.com
by kathilipp | Aug 27, 2013 | Uncategorized |
***Give Away Alert! I will be giving away four copies of my freezer cooking cookbooks The What’s for Dinner Solution A winner everyday Tuesday through Friday. PLUS – a Freezer Cooking Prize Pack including The What’s for Dinner Solution and $25 Amazon Gift Card to buy all the Ziploc bags and 8×8 pans you need to get started! Just leave a comment on the blog sometime this week and I will pick four book winners and one grand prize winner – the more comments, the more chances to win! (One comment per person, per day, please!) ***
Over the next four days, I will be giving you step by step instructions on how to have great, tasty meals for you and your family, every night. To make sure you don’t miss a post, subscribe to the blog!
Wrapping it Up – Everything You Need to Know About Freezing Your Food
First – here is a quick list of things that could have problems freezing:
- Cake icing made with egg whites
- Cream filling and soft frostings
- Pies made with custard or cream fillings
- Cooked egg whites
- Fried foods
- Fruit jelly
- Soft cheese (unless mixed into a recipe)
- Mayonnaise (unless mixed into a recipe)
- Sour cream (unless mixed into a recipe)
- Potatoes (you can do potatoes, but it is a bit complicated for the blog and they can sometimes turn a weird color…)
Freezing your food falls into three different categories:
Soups, Stews, Chilli
Let the soup, stew or chili cool for a bit before pouring your portion into a labeled Ziploc bag and get out as much air as you can before speaking.. Bag again with the zipper part going the opposite way of the first bag.. Freeze lying down so it will lie as flat as possible. For soups, stews and chili, I put my bags on a large cookie sheet before freezing so that the bags will not sink down between the grates of the freezer, therefore making them hard to pry off once frozen.If you are making soups, stews or chili and want to freeze them in single serve portions, you can pour them into small plastic containers (Rubbermaid, Ziploc, etc.) leaving some room at the top for when the liquid freezes and expands. Let them cool down, cover with lids and freeze.
Marinades
Just put the meat and the marinade in a Ziploc bag and then put that Ziploc bag in another Ziploc bag with the zipper part going the opposite way. Label your inner bag so the otter bag can be reused.
Casseroles
For casserole freezing, I have used the foil pans pictured below for years.
I think my addiction to foil cake pans started when I was doing our freezer cooking swap with a bunch of other girls (to find out more about our group, Six Chicks Freeze and Fix, check out the booklet on my Facebook Page.) We would each make our dinners at home, and then bring them to a predetermined location, and swap. We didn’t want the hassle of returning dishes, so the cake pans worked for our needs.
But it was a little silly that I was still doing it once I was only cooking for my family. Besides the cost, all I could picture was trees dying in the rain forest because of my wastefulness. (I don’t know why it would be trees dying, but I’m sure the trees would somehow be affected.)
So I finally broke down and bought a dozen of these inexpensive (OK, cheap,) steel pans from Target. Love ‘em.
Here are my instructions for packaging the casseroles:
- Spray the bottom of the serving pan with Pam or some other non-fat cooking spray
- Put your casserole in the pan
- Cover the casserole with foil
- Label the foil with the name and date of the casserole (I’ll tell you why this is bold in a second.)
- Slip into a Ziploc bag with the printing on the bag on the bottom
OK – so here is the money/environment tip of the day: If you label the foil instead of the Ziploc (which is just keeping your food from freezer burn and is not actually touching any food) you can reuse your Ziploc bag for protecting other meals. If you bag your food with a label on the foil, and you put the Ziploc imprint on the bottom of the casserole, you will clearly be able to see what is in your meal.
You see, those baggies are expensive, and it is my goal to make them last as long as possible!
If you don’t have all the pans that you need, here is a great suggestion from one of my commenters Deanna:
To save more $ may I suggest lining a casserole dish in aluminum foil and then preparing the meal in it. Freeze it, lift the meal out, wrap it again in foil, label and stick it in the freezer! When you go to cook it just unwrap the outer layer of foil, pop back in the original dish and cook. Makes clean up a breeze too!
For today’s free download, go to my Facebook Page this week (through September 1. 2013) and get our new Freezer Inventory Sheet.
Tell me below – do you have a favorite freezer trick? You could win a copy of The What’s for Dinner Solution or the grand prize of The What’s for Dinner Solution and a $25 Amazon Gift Card.
Want more freezer recipes? Did you know you can get a free ecopy of Six Chicks Freeze and Fix: How to Start a Freezer Meal Co-op just by liking my Facebook Page. Once you hit “Like” just go to the tabs and download the booklet. It’s that easy. Over 20 great family-pleasing recipes!
We’ll have a free freezer download every day this week. Stay tuned!
by kathilipp | Aug 19, 2013 | Uncategorized |
Chicken marinades were a big hit so let’s talk pork recipes, sauces and marinades.
Raspberry Chipolte BBQ Pulled Pork
Suggested by Heather Smith
I put a pork roast or tenderloin in the crockpot with a bottle of Sweet Baby Ray’s raspberry chipotle BBQ sauce. Cook on low 6-8 hrs until it falls apart.
Pork Chops Alabama
Suggested by Shari Steel
Pork Chops Alabama, my then 13 year old son had to make this for a home economics class and I have been making it since.
6 large pork center loin chops
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
1 can (28 ounce size) crushed tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
Brown the pork chops on both sides. Drain off any rendered fat.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the skillet or Dutch oven, cover and cook over medium heat for 1 hour or until very tender. Can be done ahead and reheated later.
Onion Pork Chop Bake
Suggested by Jennifer Edwards
Dip your pork chops in bread crumbs, then dip in egg, then dip in Lipton Onion soup mix and bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160degrees.
Two Way Pork Chops
Suggested by Jay Nevitt Geiger
Thin and boneless pork chops marinated in with Vidalia Onion BBQ sauce and grill.
Dip pork chops in olive oil and then seasoned panko crumbs and bake for 350 for 30-35 minutes. These are easy to do as a freezer meal- just coat, wrap individually in saran wrap and store in a freezer Ziploc.
Grilled Pork Chops & Peaches
Suggested by Tami Mixon Slipher
Grill pork chops and peaches and then top with sprigs of mint.
Captain Crunch Breaded Chops
Suggested by Lauren Meyer Plain
Crumble Captain Crunch to use as your fry batter and season with garlic salt and pepper in a cast iron skillet.
Baked Mushroom Chops
Suggested by Jenn Stanaway
Sprinkle pork with garlic powder, seasoning salt and rosemary and cover with the following mixture; 1 can golden mushroom soup, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 tsp sage. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
