Homemaking

Categories Book Notes, Homemaking

What kind of Clutterbug are you?

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Cassandra Aarsen’s The Clutter Connection makes a bold claim: that all people fit into one of four clutter categories based on their preferences around the visibility of their organization system and the degree of organization within their system.

“Butterflies” prefer visual abundance and organizational simplicity. They need big, visible, easy-to-access containers that make it easy to toss something back where it belongs (even if it’ll take some extra time to dig around for the specific battery they need.)

“Bees” prefer visual abundance AND organizational abundance. They like to see their stuff, but they also like to micro-sort it into dozens or hundreds of categories.

“Ladybugs” prefer visual and organizational simplicity. They want things out of sight but have little patience for maintaining detailed systems.

“Crickets”, on the other hand, prefer visual simplicity and organizational abundance. They want things neatly filed out of sight into complex organizational schemes.

Okay, sure, you may be saying. Everyone has different preferences. So what?

Well, if the best organizing system is the one you’ll actually use… then knowing your type and that of the members of your household can be helpful.

And that’s the real strength of this book. Aarsen gives lots of tips for how to help the clutterbugs in your life keep on top of their stuff. Perhaps the most helpful tip for those of us in a huge household is to defer to visual abundance and organizational simplicity. It’s easier for a lover of visual simplicity to hang jackets on a coat rack than to get a lover of visual abundance to open the closet, get out a hanger, and hang up their coat. An abundant organizer can create an “inbox” for broad categories so that the simple organizer can toss items in – the abundant organizer can always micro-organize later.

I took Aarsen’s quiz and discovered that nearly every question slotted me neatly into the “visual abundance, organizational abundance” category. I didn’t pay any attention to which bug that was – which meant I was sure her quiz had gotten me wrong when she started describing the “bee”. It fit me to a T! Silly me for not paying attention to the moniker – I’m a total bee.

As is Daniel. Our kids, on the other hand? At least one is definitely a butterfly – and probably a whole lot more than one. We need to simplify our organizational systems wherever the children interface with them. And we need to have less stuff. Sigh.

All in all, I found Aarsen’s book to be an enjoyable and thought-provoking listen as I’ve been sorting through seemingly endless boxes of loose parts. Whether the insight I’ve gained will be able to help keep those loose parts from finding a place back in a random box? That remains to be seen.

Categories Everyday Life, Homemaking

A Berry Nice Arrangement

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It’s been two years now since I last taught the Fall of Mankind (I was having a baby around this time last year so I took a year off teaching 3-year-old Sunday School.)

In the meantime, my berries – used to pantomime forbidden fruit – have gone missing. So I was off to the store yesterday to find something in the floral section. Unlike the last time I went searching (five years ago?), I couldn’t find anything that was almost exclusively berries. All the berries were a part of a bigger arrangement of flowers.

It just so happened, though, that several arrangements were in the basic colorway of our main living space – and so I did a bit of impulse buying.

A couple of minutes snipping and arranging the three sprays of artificially flowers I bought and now I have a pretty arrangement above the china hutch.

My new floral arrangement

And some forbidden fruit. I also have the forbidden fruit I was looking for.

Categories Homemaking

I Do Sourdough All Wrong

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A little over a year and a half ago, I bought a dehydrated sourdough starter off the internet. Since then, I’ve been consistently making sourdough all wrong.

Dough straight out of the breadmaker (pictured in background)
  • I keep my starter in the fridge rather than on the counter
  • I only feed my starter when I’m getting ready to make a new loaf of bread (whether it’s been a day or a month since I last fed it)
  • I don’t measure my starter when I’m feeding it – I just scrape the whole thing into a bowl and feed it (whether it’s 4 oz of starter or 12 oz)
  • I don’t pre-ferment or fold and stretch my dough – I just chuck it in the breadmaker on the dough cycle and let it do its thing
  • I don’t use recipes specifically designed for sourdough – I just calculate how much extra flour I need to convert my tried and true bread recipes to sourdough
  • I don’t form boules or any other fancy-shaped loaves – I just stick my dough in a standard loaf pan and bake it like that
A half eaten loaf of faux-buttermilk bread and a full loaf of half-whole-wheat sourdough bread waiting to be eaten

In 2021, I’m planning to try some traditional sourdough, just for fun. But if it ceases to be fun? I can always go right back on doing what I’m doing.

And if you’ve been thinking about trying sourdough but are intimidated by all the fancy instructions, replete with NEVERs and MUSTs? Take a deep breath and dive in anyway – sourdough done all wrong still tastes pretty good.

Categories What I Spent/What We Ate

What We Ate/What I Spent (2020.09.05)

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I’ve been super inconsistent posting these, but we started a new fiscal year in July and last year’s food budget was…not stellar. So I need to start paying attention to my spending a bit more closely – and there’s nothing like online accountability. :-)

What We Ate:

Sunday, August 30

Tuna Noodle skillet, peas, and carrots

Tuna Noodle Casserole, peas, and carrots

Monday, August 31

Lasagna, lettuce, and fruit

Lasagna, Lettuce Salad, Tropical Fruit, and Green Olives

Tuesday, September 1

Waffles and Scrambled Eggs

Sourdough Waffles with strawberries and whipped cream, Scrambled Eggs, and Orange Juice

Wednesday, September 2

Ground beef tacos with burrito beans and lettuce salad

I forgot to take a photo of this one so you’ll just have to imagine :-)

Thursday, September 3

West Virginia Soup with Cheese and Bread

West Virginia Soup, Whole Wheat bread, cheese slices

Friday, September 4

I made Beef Pot Roast with potatoes and carrots and pan gravy – but I didn’t eat it. Instead, Daniel and the children ate it while I had me-time in my room. Friday was just a little too much for me to handle. (Why? who knows.)

Saturday, September 5

Chicken and Dumplings, Mandarin Orange

Chicken and Dumplings with Mandarin Oranges

At this point, the question is…how much did this cost us? Well, let’s take a look:

What I Spent:

Saturday, August 29

ALDI $23.69

ALDI (2020.08.29)

Sam’s Club $52.00

Sam's Club (2020. 08.29)

Thursday, September 3

Walmart Pickup $52.52

Walmart Pickup (2020.09.03)

That’s a total of $128.21, which is $1.79 less than my weekly budget of $130. Whew!

Categories Homemaking

We’ve Got Hot

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On Thursday, June 4, I started a load of laundry (as I do every day).

Half an hour later, I noticed that the machine was still trying to fill the tub. The hot water was coming out in just a trickle instead of its rush.

I checked a few easy things (make sure the water hadn’t been turned off, see if the cold water was still working, check the hose between the spigot and the washing machine, etc.) and then got to Googling when my troubleshooting revealed nothing.

Google suggested that the solenoid on my water inlet valve was no longer working – so I looked up a tutorial, priced a new water inlet valve, and made my order.

Meanwhile, I switched to disposable diapers, filled the washing machine with hot water by hand to wash the remaining cloth diapers, and waited for my replacement part to arrive. I kept washing whatever I could on cold, but cold just won’t do for diapers or for dishcloths (and, with four household helpers, I generate a LOT of dishcloths.)

When my replacement part arrived, I still had to wait until I had time to mess with it – but the time finally arrived today.

The innards of my washing machine

I took apart my washing machine, replaced the part, put the washing machine back together, and washed my first load of hot laundry in 9 days.

About time.

Categories What I Spent/What We Ate

Spring/Summer 2020 Menu Cycle Week 1, Take 1

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After four weeks of having meals brought to me by the lovely ladies at my church, I took over full responsibility for our meals again last week. And since my last menu cycle was definitely a winter cycle and our weather is definitely NOT winter weather anymore, it’s time for a new menu cycle.

So, here’s our Spring/Summer 2020 Menu Cycle, Week 1, Take 1.

What We Ate:

Sunday, May 17

Skillet Lasagna, Green Beans, Green Olives, and Berry Delicious Gelatin Salad

Skillet Lasagna, Green Beans, and Berry Delicious Gelatin Salad

Monday, May 18

Crockpot Orange Chicken with Vegetables over Rice, and Pineapple Chunks

Crockpot Orange chicken with Vegetables over Rice, and Pineapple Chunks

Tuesday, May 19

Tuna Melts, Copycat Popeyes Coleslaw, Potato Chips, and Mixed Fruit

Tuna Melts, Copycat Popeyes Coleslaw, Potato Chips, and Mixed Fruit

Wednesday, May 20

Ham, Rosemary Scalloped Potatoes, Kaleslaw with Myrtle’s Salad Dressing, and Pears

Ham, Rosemary Scalloped Potatoes, Kaleslaw with Myrtle's Salad Dressing, and Pears

Thursday, May 21

Salsa Chicken Burritos, Mandarin Oranges, Corn

Salsa Chicken Burritos, Mandarin Oranges, Corn

Friday, May 22

Chef Salad with Sourdough Rosemary Peasant Bread

Chef Salad

Saturday, May 23

Chicken and Broccoli Gravy over Baked Potatoes with Fresh Strawberries

Chicken and Broccoli Gravy over Baked Potatoes with Fresh Strawberries

At this point, the question is…how much did this cost us? Well, let’s take a look:

What I Spent:

Friday, May 15

Walmart Pickup $92.67 $32.94

Walmart Grocery Pickup 2020.05.15

Monday, May 18

Sam’s Club Pickup $11.48

Sam's Club Grocery Pickup 2020.05.18

That’s $104.15 $44.42, which definitely falls within my weekly budget of ~$125. I think I’ll take it :-)

As I re-read this post, I thought $92 looked pretty high for the paltry groceries I got from Walmart – and that’s when I realized that I’d listed the cost of the next week’s grocery order instead of the one from Week 1. Oops!

Categories Recipes

Recipe: Berry Delicious Gelatin Salad

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I grew up in the ’90s, when church potlucks and family gatherings never lacked an abundance of jello salads, packed with all sorts of fruits and marshmallows and Cool Whip held together with bright artificially colored and flavored (and all-so-not-artificially-sweetened) Jello.

Now, it seems that Jello has fallen out of favor, at least among my circles – and, in truth, I’m not generally a fan of the nutritional content of the “just-add-water” sweets we consumed as kids (jello, Koolaid, Tang, etc.)

But I do enjoy a good fruit-filled jello salad, and so I’ve tried to come up with ways to approximate the salads I grew up with – except without the uber-sweet, artificially-flavored Jello.

Enter Berry Delicious Gelatin Salad.

Berry Delicious Gelatin Salad

  • 1 envelope Knox gelatin
  • 1 cup grape juice, divided (you may also use 1/4 cup frozen grape juice concentrate and 3/4 cup water)
  • 1 cup blueberries (frozen or fresh)
  • 1 cup sliced strawberries (frozen or fresh)

Place 1/2 cup of cold grape juice (or 1/4 cup frozen grape juice concentrate and 1/4 cup water) in a bowl (I always just use the rectangular Pyrex I serve the gelatin salad in). Sprinkle Knox gelatin over liquid and let sit 1-5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat other 1/2 cup of grape juice (or water, if you’re using grape juice concentrate) to boiling in microwave. Pour boiling juice or water into gelating mixture and mix until gelatin is all dissolved. Mix in blueberries and strawberries. Chill salad in refrigerator until set, generally 3 hours or more. Serve by itself or with freshly whipped cream.

Recipe makes 3 cups of jello – just enough for six half-cup servings. This can be multiplied without difficulty.

Categories What I Spent/What We Ate

What I Spent/What We Ate (2020.01.12)

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What I Spent:

Monday, January 6

Sam’s Club $18.23

Sam's Club trip (2020.01.06)

Walmart $51.55

Walmart Trip (2020.01.06)

Thursday, January 9

ALDI $43.90

Aldi Trip (2020.01.09)

Saturday, January 11

Daniel ran by Walmart to pick up an extra gallon of 1% milk for $3.32

Sunday, January 12
Since I haven’t gotten back into a bread-making groove, we dropped by Panera and picked up a loaf of oatmeal bread for with our soup – but I’m counting that in our “dining and entertainment” budget instead of grocery because I feel like it :-)

That’s $117, which is comfortably under my current budget of $123 per week.

What We Ate:

Monday, January 6

Roast Pork, Fried Apples, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Roast Pork, Fried Apples, Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Tuesday, January 7

Orange Chicken with stir-fry vegetables over rice, pineapple chunks

Orange chicken with stir-fry vegetables over rice, pineapple chunks

Wednesday, January 8

Pork, Green Chili, and Bean Enchiladas with Corn and Lettuce Salad

Pork, Green Chili, and Bean Enchiladas, Corn, Lettuce Salad

Thursday, January 9

Barbecue Beef over Rice, Broccoli, and Berry Gelatin Salad

Barbecue Beef over Rice, Broccoli, Berry Gelatin Salad

Friday, January 10

We had a long day at the end of a long week and I didn’t feel like cooking. So I didn’t. We ordered pizza instead.

Saturday, January 11

Great Grams’ Spaghetti, Lettuce Salad, and leftover Berry Gelatin Salad

Great Grams' Spaghetti, Lettuce Salad, Berry Gelatin Salad

Sunday, January 12

Lunch: West Virginia Soup with Buttered Oatmeal Bread (from Panera) and Cheddar Cheese Slices

West Virginia Soup with Buttered Bread and Cheddar Cheese Slices

(not pictured)
Supper: Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese with Frozen Vegetables (I don’t remember what kind) and grapes

This represents the first week of my new winter menu cycle – and I managed to get several recipes of Orange Chicken, a pan of enchiladas, a recipe of Great Grams’ Spaghetti, and a recipe of West Virginia Soup in the freezer, which should make things easier for the next time around (and maybe will mean I’ll have time to write up the recipes for here on the blog – well, a woman can hope!)

Categories Recipes

Recipe: Mother Wilder’s Baked Beans

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Daniel had fond memories of his grandmother’s baked beans – but every time he had tried baked beans from a can or a restaurant, he was disappointed.

A wife has two options when faced with such a problem. She can see it as a challenge and set out to make some baked beans her husband will love – or she can assume she can never win and just opt to not make baked beans.

I chose the latter.

Until February of 2015 when I decided to cook my way through Farmer Boy for Barbara’s Laura Ingalls Wilder Reading Challenge.

Baked beans, cornbread, stir fry veggies, and peaches

I made baked beans using Mother Wilder’s technique – and Daniel liked them quite a lot.

Since then, with only a few modifications, I’ve been making them almost every month.

“In the pantry Mother was filling the six-quart pan with boiled beans, putting in onions and peppers and the piece of fat pork, and pouring scrolls of molasses over all. Then Almanzo saw her open the flour barrels. She flung rye flour and cornmeal into the big yellow crock, and stirred in milk and eggs and things, and poured the big baking-pan full of the yellow-gray rye’n’injun dough.

‘You fetch the rye’n’injun, Almanzo; don’t spill it,’ she said. She snatched up the pan of beans and Almanzo followed more slowly with the heavy pan of rye’n’injun. Father opened the big doors of the oven in the heater, and Mother slid the beans and the bread inside. They would slowly bake there, till Sunday dinner-time”

Ingredients:

  • Ham bone with some meat still on bone
  • 8 oz dry Great Northern beans or navy beans
  • Water
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 0.75 cups molasses
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp liquid smoke

Instructions:

  1. Stick ham bone and beans in crockpot. Cover with water and cook (on low or high, doesn’t matter which) until beans are soft (I usually start mine in the morning and let them cook on low until mid-afternoon – but you can do it on high in as little as four hours.)

    2. Beans, beans

  2. Remove beans from crockpot with slotted spoon. Place in a casserole (I use a 9″x9″ or 9″x13″ baking pan) along with onion, green pepper, and any ham you can pull from the bone and chop up (If I have extra, I sometimes add diced ham that didn’t get cooked with the beans.)

    3. Molasses plus garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and liquid smoke

  3. Mix together molasses, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and liquid smoke in a 1 cup liquid measure. Pour mixture over beans. Give one more good mix.

    4. Beans with onions and peppers and "scrolls of molasses"

  4. Bake at 350 (or 400 if that’s what your cornbread needs!) for 30-45 minutes or until just a bit crispy on top. Serve and enjoy!

    5. Baked beans, cornbread, and coleslaw