Part Two: Grocery Shopping and how to love it! May 7, 2009

So last week we made a list and double checked to make sure we had everything the family needed.

A good tip is to find your style of shopping. Personally my husband and I make a date out of grocery shopping, we try to go on a day we have off that isn’t to busy, we always go together and once their we take our time and really enjoy each others company and hand picking the weeks food together. We also go every 2 weeks.  For us it’s a relaxing and easy way to spend time together, and only going every other week keeps it from getting old and stressful while still always being able to keep fresh fruit and veggies in our home.

But maybe for you it’s an enjoyable time alone, a time to reflect, or maybe a family outing. Maybe you like to only go once a month or even twice a week, whatever you chose try to stay constant, relaxed, and make this something you look forward to.

Another tip is to remember the most important grocery shopping tool, besides the list of course, your pen. It will make your life so much easyer if you mark off the items you grabbed as you go.

Time to Grab that Cart!

And now onto the shopping, so grab a cart and lets begin! We always start with fruits and vegetables, you know it won’t melt or ruin, plus in our grocery store it’s the first thing you see! We shop at an organic based grocery store, for us fresh fruits and veggies are the most important thing on our list.

Take your time to really find the best in the batch while considering when in the week you will use them. For example with bananas I always try to get a few ripe and a few not ripe so I can have bananas now and still have some that are good at the end of the week! Or if I’m not using tomatoes tell next friday they don’t need to be ripe yet!

Also, some stores (like mine) have cool little signs on some things that tech you what to look for in good fruit/veggies! When I first started going to this store I was surprised that I was looking for the wrong signs of the best fruit and veggies!

We also try to spice things up when it comes to our fruit/veggie selection. Besides what recipes call for we look for sales or in season things to feel our fruit snack quota. If navel oranges are your stable, but tangerines are on sale today,go ahead and grab the tangerines for a much needed change! Or if pomegranates are finally in season go ahead and grab one to replace a regular apple for a day. Spicing up your food keeps things fresh!

Speaking of apples, my grocery store has tons of different kinds! We always try at least one new kind a week. And with seasons changing and new apples being made from crossing 2 different kinds we still have not run out of new and delicious apples to try together. Trying different types of a classic stable is not only fun to eat, but also fun to pick out. Pink Lady Apples are our newest favorite!

We also change up our salads that we tend to eat at lunch. I like to get a different type of lettuce depending on what looks good that day, or maybe one week we will have cherry tomatoes with it and the next tiny carrots.

In other words, spice things up…you can’t go wrong with fresh and healthy fruit and vegetables.

Next Week: Part Three… We go on a hunt for meat!

Off days and Smoothies May 5, 2009

I woke up to a depressing sight this morning, it was horrible…I had left my homemade orange chicken out on the counter last night.

Ughhhhhh I dreamed about the yummy leftovers that orange chicken and sticky rice would have gave me. Yum! But no, FAIL on my end for getting side tracked by cuddling on the couch and playing Video Games with my husband to even run to the kitchen and put up that sticky, amazing, heaven filled chicken in a tub o ware container where it would sit in our fridge tell this very second when I could have ate it for lunch! The worst part about it was I was going to share it with you!

Well the truth is that I was being lazy last night and did not take pictures.  I had planned on using those yummy leftovers to make a beautiful plate of delicious orange chicken and taking lovely pictures to show you. But, since all I have to show for last nights yummy meal is now icky not as pretty mess I guess we will have to console ourselves!

This is where I decided to make a quick smoothie before baking something new to share with you today. But, that quick smoothie turned into an hour long proses of me spilling milk, almost breaking our blender by somehow managing  to put the bottom part on all wonky and wedged all sorts of wrong… therefor taking me 30 minutes to get it out and put it on correctly, and then cutting myself with a butter knife of all things! Well when I finally had my delirious smoothie in my hand I decided the last thing I needed to do today was touch the oven….so here you go, SMOOTHIES!

I like to buy a few box’s of strawberry’s while on sale so i can slice them up and wrap them up tight and pop them in the freezer. This makes it so I always have strawberry for quick fix smoothies! Plus the frozen strawberry’s makes your smoothie cold and delirious. I then just grab any other fruits I have on hand that sound good….today bananas… and add those with the strawberry’s, top off with some milk and honey (or sugar if you would rather..I just like the healthy sweetness the honey adds). Sometimes I’ll even add a spoonful if Nesquick or a few mint leaves from my garden! YUM!! I never really measure for smoothies, I just throw stuff  until it looks good!

And the lesson of todays post… Sometimes it’s better to just drink a smoothie on your off days rather then risk burning down your home!

The Monday Pick Me Up: 10 things that make my life great May 4, 2009

Sometimes you wake up on the wrong side of the bed and you really can’t think of  a single reason to crawl from your warm comforting dreams and into the real world. Times like these call for remembering those tiny things that make you happier then anything in life. I’m not talking about expensive jewelry or going on elaborate vacations… no we are talking about the tiny every day things that make your life amazing!

Stop and take a second to sit down, yes right now…I’m talking to you. Write down those small, tiny, happy details in your day you can always look forward to. Do it now, don’t wait… when your done put them in the draw by your bed or tack it to the wall this way you never have an excuse to stay on the wrong side of the bed!

What a better way to start off your week!

Now without further ado here I am practicing what I preach. Here is inspiration in the form of my list!

10 Tiny Things That Happen During My Day That Make My Life Great and Worth Living!

1) When my husband hugs me tight and kisses me the forehead for no reason other then the fact that he loves me.

2) When one of our kittens crawl in my lap for a snuggle

3) Opening the windows in my kitchen, turning on fun music, and baking something

4)  Laying in the patch of sun that comes through my window and onto my cool bed with an amazing book

5) Anytime I get a chance to play with kids, especially Toddlers…makes life fun!

6) Plugging in my hot glue gun and take a few moments to create something fun

7)Sorting through my colorful button collection

8 ) Putting on a silky vintage slip under a girly sundress with some adorable heels… even better if I have an excuse to wear an apron with it!

9) The way it feels after you work hard to get the kitchen clean and it is sparkling

10 ) Laying down at night with my husbands arms around me and kitty’s at my feet reflecting on all the good things!

Lemon Bars April 30, 2009

I love lemons, I usually grab several every time we go to the grocery store. The yellow color makes me happy. Plus I use them to zest up my ice water and tea, to marinate chicken, to clean, even to get my elbows smooth! But, my favorite thing I have done with lemons so far is make gooey, sweet, slightly tart, Lemon Bars!

Remember that Strawberry Salad post a fw days back where I mentioned Lemon bars as the perfect spring picnic dessert? Well, I was not lying. As a chocolate lover I will usually pick a rich brownie over anything. But, sometimes you need something light, sweet, and simple…sometimes a bright yellow lemon bar is the perfect gift for your tummy!

♥♥♥

Lemon   Bars

Ingredients:

Crust:

1/2 Cup Real Butter

1/2 Cup Sifter Powdered Sugar

1/4 tsp. Salt

2 Cups Flour

Filling:

4 Slightly Beaten Eggs

2 Cups Sugar

5 Tbsp. Flour

5 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

Rind of one Lemon, grated

First step – The Crust:

Melt butter and add to a 9 x 13 baking pan before adding powdered sugar, salt, and flour. Press evenly into pan before putting in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Step 2 – Add the yummy filling:

In your mixing bowl add eggs, sugar, and flour and lightly beat tell combined. Add lemon Juice and rind and beat again tell all mixed together. Pour into crust and bake in a 325 degree oven for around 25 minutes or tell  gooey yet more solid like!

Step 3 – The Yummy Part

Let cool off before sifting some optional, yet HIGHLY recommended powdered sugar on top, cut into squares and bite into gooey, lemony, goodness!

Note: Next time I think I will double that filling recipe! That lemon gooey filling was so yummy that I think a thicker lemon square would be even better (if that is possible)! YUM!

♥♥♥

Part one: Grocery Shopping and how to love it! April 29, 2009

I love grocery shopping! I know, I know…you think I’m a total walnut. Well, that may be but I think everyone else is crazy for not loving it.

Lets proclaim the month of May “Learn to love grocery shopping” month. Every Wednesday of May we will talk about different topics pertaining to loving that food run trip. In fact lets go ahead and start today!

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Make Your List and Check It Twice!

Or even three times! The list is the most important part of any smooth grocery shopping trip. Without it you forget things, it just adds stress.

Make a menu

The first step I persionally begin the list making process with is making a dinner menu.

• Figure out how many dinners you will need for the week ahead while keeping in mind any nights that you may have plans to eat else where or left overs.
  
• I like to try a new recipe or two a week, maybe even more…it keeps things fresh for the family and fun in the kitchen.
• Have a least one or two  impossibly fast options for busy nights such as grilled cheese and tomato soup,  turkey sandwiches with sweet potato’s, or salad.
• Actually consider your week! I have people tell me all the time that they make a menu and still end up running by Chick-fil-a  for dinner and throwing away tons of food that went bad at the end of the week because they had no time to cook their planned meals!

•Talk over dinner on a night that everyone’s home about the week ahead. Figure out who will need to cook what night, who will be eating at home, how much time you will have in the kitchen, etc… plan meals accordingly..

•While you are at it go ahead and make sure their is nothing non dinner related you may need to make special. It’s better to know now that your daughter has to bring cupcakes to school on Wednesday or that your husbands  job is having a pot luck lunch on Friday.

• Look at the ingredients, if you know you will have leftover carrots form that stew you may want to find something else to have those carrots with that week so you don’t waist and throw away perfectly good carrots.

Check your kitchen and house for basics

Grab your list after adding the ingredients you need for your dinners and make sure you have your basics. I know I can’t go a week with Cocoa,  flour, sugar, eggs, milk, toilet paper, and baking powder! I always make it a point to see how my stock on my kitchen and home baking essentials are stocked. Even better keep a list on your fridge to write it down as you need it. The last thing you want to do is take the fun out of grocery shopping by having to go back for missed items after work when all you want to do is go home.

Don’t forget about lunch, snacks, and breakfast

My weakpoint is forgetting stuff for lunch, breakfast, and snacks. These are the last things I add to that list. Dosen’t need to be anything fancy, but make sure you have a few things while once again considering your week for these meals. If you forget stuff for these times you will be running to Krispy creme for breakfast, McDonalds for luch, and the corner store if you want a snack…none of that is healthy or even that much easyer then grabbing these items at the grocery tore and having them at home. So put them on the list!

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Next Wednesday: Part Two: Grocery Shopping and how to love it!

We actually are going to go to the grocery shop finally!

Strawberry Salad April 28, 2009

I love the in between seasons! Fall and Spring always have the best simple pleasures with the nicest breeze to match. Spring is finally here and all I want to do is have a picnic!

Unfortunately this craving for some outdoor dining in the grass came when my husband is working over time for the next few days and has no day light hours to spend laying in the grass, eating simple flavorful food, and laughing the day away…at least not tell this weekend.

Well, having a picnic alone is no fun, now is it! So, after pouting I decided to bring the simple and yummy food into dinner that night!

I usually reserve strawberry salad with a jazzed up vinegar and oil dressing a picnic lunch stable, just add lemon bars, lemonade, and sun and serve!

But what is life without breaking the rules? I simply made a bigger plate of this salad and called it dinner and husband loved it, and might I add so did I. Next time I will probably grill up some lemon chicken and add some walnuts to make this salad perfect, but this time around the last thing I wanted to do was turn on a hot grill!

♦♦♦

Strawberry Salad

Ingredients:

3/4 Cup Sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dry mustard

1/3 Cup red wine vinegar

1 Cup vegetable oil

6 cups fresh torn spinach

A handful of chopped button mushrooms (I just cut up about 6 or 7 I think….)

1 quart strawberries

For Dressing pour sugar, salt, dry mustard, and vinegar into the blender and blend tell smooth. Once smooth turn the blender on high and pour a steady stream of your vegetable oil to blend with the mixture.

Toss your spinach leaves, mushrooms, and strawberry along with whatever other goodies you decided to add. You can serve the dressing on the side or just toss that in to!

HOW EASY IS THAT!!!

The Monday Pick Me up: Dear Rain! April 27, 2009

Dear Rain,

I think you need a change in image! I know I’m probably over stepping my boundaries when I say this, but I think the dreary, icky, groggy reputation you have going on is an act!

I saw your softer side this morning Rain, I’m on to you! I woke up this morning to you softly caressing my window, kittys snuggling at my feet, and my husbands head resting on my chest. One word…Perfect! You did that Rain, and I want to thank you and say keep it up!

People around me often complain about you, I never got that! To me your relaxing and fun. You are a blast to jump around with, you make splashy puddles, the sounds you make are relaxing, plus you have given me great kisses with husband (we love kissing in the rain).

I know sometimes you throw fits and make storms, but don’t we all? And Rain, I think that is natural! It does not make you bad! In fact I like the sass!

Lets brighten that image up Rain! Lets add some color and some fun. Look at these amazing goodies I have found for our adventures together!

Rain, I love you! You make everything green and beautiful. You make life fun!

Love,
Bethy

So as promised to Rain I have found some really cute rain accessory’s that I love such as Daisy Girl Creations embellished umbrella. The cute idea’s of daisy girl can be found on Etsy at daisygirlcreations. etsy.com . This “Let it rain” umbrella is adorable! She has it in other colors to!

Taken by Daisy Girl

I also love those big see through bubble umbrellas such as the ‘ Totes Unlimited ‘ ones at Target! They have them with cute designs such as rain drops, flowers, and polka dots…but also plain classic all clear! You can find these at Target.com !

Pictures taken from Target Website!

And for those of you with kids you may want to check out the Etsy store ‘ Baby Toppings ‘ for the cutest hand painted rain boots! Puddle jumping adventures at warm spring time, a great memory for my dad and I! These are extremely cute and will hopefully keep there little feet dry! Plus with them being so cute you may hardly even mind them being left in the middle of the floor! For these cool and cute hand painted rain boots check out babytoppings.etsy.com !

Picture taken by Baby Toppings!

HAVE AN AMAZING MODAY!!

Note:                                                                                                                                                                                                                         What is Monday Pick me up? Go to the About Shambles page to learn more!

Welcome to you! April 26, 2009

I’m so excited I don’t even know what to say! Well, first I guess I could introduce you to me… ya I think that’s a nice and polite thing to do.

My name is Bethy. I guess I’m a very random, clumsy, happy person for the most part. I love doing things around the house: cooking, baking, crafting, and playing with kittys all included. I also love really girly dresses, video games, and going on adventures! I’ll be honest… I’m a big geek, but I like to think it adds character!

I live in a small, old fashion, comfortable, upstairs corner of a big house that has been turned into a 4 plex. It’s actually super cool, it’s almost like a tree house. Plus, it’s in the historic district so I have beautiful dream homes surrounding me! I live with my cats and my super geeky, creative, and might I dare say handsome husband. No kids just yet, but that is not to say we are not trying!

Ok, now down to business. When I say business though I hardly mean number crunching and paper …inless it’s pretty scrapbook paper. No, I mean lets talk cookies! Don’t we all love making them? And even better then that is eating them. Well, like most domestic home blogs we will have lots of that,I mean where do you think the “smile” comes from silly?

But, how about some shambles? That is where the occasional burning of that cookie…or maybe eating to many cookies comes into play. See, I don’t always do things perfect. Sometimes I will do wonderful things, sometimes I will mess them up and we can learn from our mistakes!

We also get to explore how to make the “shambles” into “smiles”! I want to enjoy the simple things in life? Don’t you?! We will have things like “The Monday Pick me up!” that gets us excited about the good in the week ahead and shows you some fun stuff to get us smiling and ready for a new week!

All this is the fun marshmallow fluff that goes along with the crafting, cooking, baking, organizing, family, and other home things that this blog is about!

Lets have “Series on Wednesdays”, which is where I’m hoping to start a new more in depth topic at the start of every month. It will be an on going series on that topic that will come out on the blog ever Wednesday for a month! Who knows what I will come up with, we will see! Lets also come up with a better name then “Series on Wednesdays” while we are at it! I will admit that my naming skills did not make the grade for that one…any ideas?

And because sometimes we need to have even more fun there is “Saturday Sunshine”. This is where I will come up with a cool, unexpected, and maybe offbeat activity for you to try! It may be something you can go do with a friend, maybe something the kids will love, maybe a romantic adventure with your love, or maybe even something to do alone!

These days will give us something to look forward to. But, the days in between will be filled with stories, recipes, crafts, tips, and lots more!

So I hope you stay! I don’t want to be lonely so comment and throw out suggestions!

Love and Smiling,

Bethy