Sometimes I wonder why I put off organizing things that take so little time and effort and yet make a big difference in not only appearance, but also usability. For example, our kitchen desk drawer (used by the whole family) had become a catch-all for papers, keys, cards, paper-clips and anything else we didn’t know…
Years ago when our kids were young and we were living on one income, I read a lot about frugality and saving money. We did some drastic things that I was happy to give up when money wasn’t so tight anymore (goodbye $10/mo. entertainment budget!). But some things didn’t really hurt that much, and more…
One of the biggest chores in the garden, besides weeding, is keeping pots, flowers, and vegetables watered in dry weather. If you are feeling overwhelmed by this height-of-the-season watering, you don’t have to be! There are some easy ways to keep flowers, fruits, and vegetables looking and producing their best even when the weather turns…
Want to make cooking and baking a little easier and quicker? Try grouping spices together by the ingredients you typically use in recipes. For example, when cooking Asian or Indian dishes I go to the first shelf in my spice cabinet (number “1″ in the picture above) where I keep curry (two types, hot and…
I’m always looking for quick recipes for those nights when I don’t have a lot of time to cook. This Black Bean, Corn, and Pepper Salad fits the bill. It takes only 10 minutes, contains ingredients we all usually have on hand, and is great served with quesadillas or grilled meats. There’s also a little…
Scalloped Potatoes are one of my favorite ways to eat potatoes. I guess that’s not a huge surprise considering they are covered in sauce and cheese, huh? But what I don’t like about them is all the preparation needed while trying to make the rest of the meal, or fitting them into the oven when…
These oatmeal cookies are one of my favorites ever since my mother taught me how to make them when I was in high school. There might be a lot of oatmeal cookie recipes out there, but I always come back to this one – especially with my favorite additions of dried cranberries and walnuts. I’ve…
One of the ways I’ve saved my family hundreds of dollars over the years is by using some specific strategies to buy gifts for our kids, family and friends. I don’t know how long it took me to realize that I’d spend lots of time and energy clipping coupons and making lists to try…
Having a couple of different spice rubs in the cupboard ready to be used is a great way to up the flavor of basic meals quickly and without a lot of thought. I never used to use spice rubs – I didn’t fully appreciate the amount of flavor they add, nor how good they are…
Are you interested in starting a garden this year or revamping an old garden space for easier care? You can have an easy care garden by utilizing these six easy steps- really! It does take a little planning, but it can be done. I’ve spent very little time weeding in my garden using these techniques-…
