Mrs Happy Homemaker

April 29, 2012

Week 17 - Above the Stove & a Food Declutter too

4/29/2012 01:01:00 PM Mrs Happy Homemaker

This week has been stressful to say the least. I have been experiencing crazy swelling, and got into the doctor to find out what could be causing it. It was suspected that it could be a problem with my kidney. Kidney as in singular. I just have the one. My first one was punctured when my 6 year old self flipped over the handlebars of my bike & collided with the corner of a stop sign. There was no saving the kidney, and it was removed.
I'm still awaiting further tests - but I have decided that I need to take some measures myself. I don't eat much processed food - I cook from scratch most of the time. But, I'm guilty of having canned veggies...canned cream of whatever soups - and such like that. Have you ever checked the sodium levels in that kind of stuff? Whoa. It's high!! I surely don't need any of that extra sodium with just one kidney - and most definitely don't need it if I'm experiencing problems with my only kidney. I went thru everything in my pantry, and got rid of all the processed stuff. Going to do the same to my freezer in the morning, and take it all to the women's shelter.

So, that's counts as not only decluttering the pantry - but also decluttering my body. :)
Now - gotta get the top of that stove decluttered. It's not horrible - but I store some cooking things on top of my stove. Sometimes those things like to fall down - and it's not so fun when those things happen to fall into a skillet of bacon frying.

I popped into Goodwill last week, and found this cute little hangable basket for just $1. I grabbed it up, and just knew it would be perfect for organizing this area. I ended up screwing it into the wall, just millimeters above the top of the stove.

Things like the cinnamon & the small containers of homemade spice mixes went into my baking cabinet. The sprays, olive oil, spices, & such that I use frequently went into the basket neatly.

I'm liking this method lots better!!

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Cloud Parfaits

4/25/2012 07:00:00 AM Mrs Happy Homemaker

My kids love things like desserts, snacks, and special food treats - and I don't always have the time to whip up something. So, having an arsenal of easy, fast 'special treats' is a great way to combat the whole zero time issue.

These cloud parfaits are one of my favorites to make. My kids act like I've just spent 10 hours in the kitchen making up a special masterpiece. In reality, that is no where near the case. All they are is prepared blue jello & cool whip. Seriously, how much easier can you get?
They are also one of my favorite picnic treats. The jello & cool whip packs up easily, and they are quickly put together when we reach our destination.

Cloud Parfaits

Add this recipe to ZipList!

Ingredients:

prepared blue jello
cool whip

Instructions:
Layer the prepared blue jello & the cool whip in a clear glass. Serve.

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Menu Plan Monday - 4/23/12

4/23/2012 10:06:00 AM Mrs Happy Homemaker

This week is looking exceptionally busy around here, so I am turning to my crockpot for some of the meals this week, which save me tons of time and energy during the busiest days.
Here's what our menu is looking like for the week.
Breakfasts
Breakfast Mac & CheeseBacon, Eggs, & Biscuits

Sausage Gravy & BiscuitsStuffed Country Ham Biscuits

Pancakes & Sausage

Leftover PancakesBreakfast Burritos

Dinners
Corn ChowderGreen Chile Stew, Avocado Onion Salad

Lightened Up Burgers & Grilled Mixed Vegetables
Slowcooker Pot Roast, Blackeyed Peas, Buttermilk Biscuits

Spaghetti & Bread Machine Garlic BreadTeriyaki Chicken, Cheesy Ranch Potatoes, Green Beans, Cornbread

Slowcooker Parmesan Honey Pork Roast, Pan Seared Asparagus, Honey Roasted Carrots, Honey Oatmeal Bread

Check out many more menu plans over at OrgJunkie!

Makin' You Crave Monday

4/22/2012 07:04:00 PM Mrs Happy Homemaker

Welcome to another edition of Makin' You Crave Monday!
This week, I'm sharing my Mean Green Smoothies - packed with a healthy dose of spinach plus a variety of fruits. Makes for an incrediblly tasty, healthy treat!

A big thanks to all those who linked up last week. Here are my favorites.

Key Lime Pie Cupcakes from Cups by Kim

Cookies & Cream Cupcakes by Talented Terrance Girls

Cherry Cobbler by Pint Sized Baker

I can't wait to see what everyone has in store for this week!

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Mean Green Smoothies

4/19/2012 02:31:00 PM Mrs Happy Homemaker

Ok - I admit it. I don't eat enough vegetables. Wait, I take that back..... I don't eat enough vegetables that haven't been fried. Probably not the best way to eat them for nutritional value, but heck - they sure do taste good. ;)
But, I need those vegetables. My kids need those vegetables. Heck, we all need them! Even if we don't wanna.

We don't have to eat them per say though when we can throw them in a blender with some yummy fruits to make one awesome treat. This Mean Green Smoothie is a personal favorite of mine because it packs in the nutrients that we all need - and more importantly (in my mind) it tastes good.
Click here to get my recipe over at Life Around Home!

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60-Count Finish Powerball Tablets - $9.53 Shipped!

4/18/2012 07:21:00 PM Mrs Happy Homemaker

Amazon currently has a great deal on Finish Powerball Tabs right now! You can get a 60 count box for just $9.53 & free shipping. Just check out with subscribe & save - and use coupon code RBSCLEAN.

New to Subscribe and Save? Amazon often gives discounts if you sign up to receive automatic shipments (which can be canceled at anytime) of the product. I always select that I want to receive the item every 6 months and once I receive it, I go underneath my Amazon account and click on “Manage Subscribe and Save” to cancel it. Don’t forget!

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