Gram's Gardens!

 Hello everyone!

2020 has been quite the year, hasn't it?  I hope this finds you all safe and healthy!

I wrote about my husband suggesting I garden to help my mental state with being home and not being able to be social.  I often tell him, he's a genius!  His idea truly helped me psychologically and emotionally.  

I turned most of our backyard into a garden, about 1600 foot of it anyway.  I planted my normal garden things and I planted things I'd never grown before.  I experimented with ways of gardening I hadn't employed before.  It was therapeutic for me.  

I knew there would be far more than we needed to eat for our family so I'd arranged to donate the excess.  After what we ate, what I canned/dried/froze, and what we gave to family, we were STILL able to donate 521 pounds of produce.  I had a goal of donating 200 pounds, I had no idea we could more than double that!

I've often wondered why more people didn't garden.  I mean, I know I live in the city now but you don't need 1600 sq. ft. to garden to supplement your groceries.  I find a lot of people don't know how or are unsure how to start.  Many people prefer organics, the best organics you can acquire are those you grow!  When you grow your own fruits and vegetables, you know exactly how those items were cared for. Watching it all grow from dirt and seeds to a colorful sea of fruits and veggies is truly art in motion.

I've wanted to create a community garden for quite some time.  With my husband's encouragement, I've taken the steps to get things started.  I have created a non-profit called Gram's Gardens...yes, a play on my business, Gram's Jams, that I had to close when I got cancer.  To me, the name also harkens back to my own dear, sweet Gram.  She was a cook...in the old school sense of the word.  No one went hungry around Gram and there was always something homemade lurking somewhere in that kitchen of hers! She didn't have a huge garden (that was my wonderful Uncle Luke!) but she always had fresh produce.  I'm in my 50's now and some day, I will learn to cut a cantaloupe with the finesse she had!

Gram's Gardens will start by expanding and continuing the donation garden that we did last summer.  We also own an empty lot nearby that we will be turning into a Community Garden.  There are already some fruit trees there (apple, peach, and pear) and we will be expanding that and also planting some other fruits (strawberry, blackberry, grapes, and blueberries), probably some rhubarb too (even though that's icky...LOL).  I have to move a fence and have one large...really large tree taken down to open the lot up to the sun.  We'll then have plots for members of the community to be able to grow their own mini garden if they don't have their own yard.  I am also looking at a way to allow those with disabilities or others unable to garden on the ground to be able to garden.  I see built raised beds so those in wheelchairs can roll right up to them to garden or the elderly don't have to get on the ground to do so.  I remember when my Mom was in hospice, the highlight of her day was taking her outside to the raised beds, built so a wheelchair fit under them and she could garden from her chair.  More people need to have that available to them.  Fresh air and sunshine are good for everyone!

We'll be showing people how to garden in the Community garden and eventually, I want to make deliveries to elderly and shut-ins who are unable to go to the local pantry or the Farmer's market.

Our state paperwork has been approved, we have a Board of Directors, I've enrolled in Purdue Extension course on starting a farm (I know...but that is sorta what we're doing here) and I've applied for a City program that focuses on successfully running a non-profit to be a food champion...cross your fingers that I'm chosen!  Everything isn't going to happen in a day, or even in the first season, but we're on our way!  

I'm looking forward to getting this going and giving back to my wonderful community!

Wear your mask - Wash your hands - Social Distance - Be safe!

Cleaning wipes

Hello again!

Let me start by saying that I hope you are all safe and healthy.  If you are an essential worker, you have our deepest gratitude and sincerest thanks!  Please be safe and rest when you can.

This past weekend, as I was cleaning I realized it was time to clean and restock my cleaning wipes. This made me think about sharing all of this with you.

Are you one who uses Windex wipes or Lysol wipes to help with cleaning at home?  I was for quite a while.  A little over a year ago in the midst of paying for cancer bills, I realized just how much I was spending on these wipes.  A quick internet search of Walmart shows Windex wipes are $3.08 for 28 wipes (11 cents per wipe) and Lysol wipes are $4.16 for 80 wipes (5 cents per wipe).  I know that doesn't seem like a lot but every bit adds up.  As my Gram used to say, "Mind the pennies and the dollars take care of themselves".  

As one cost saving measure, I decided to try my hand at making my own.  The things on Pinterest that used paper towels I found just didn't work.  I gave up and decided to try something on my own.  

I was at Kroger and saw a sale on Handi-wipes.  The big roll was right at $4.00 on sale, it was about 50 wipes. They're good size wipes too!

I bought a couple of SnapWare containers (again on sale) for $2 or $3 each.  I bought these because it's a waterproof container with locking sides.

NOTE:  LABEL THEM WELL!

And I used what I had on hand for the Lysol and Windex (generic this time)...and this is how I restock them too.  Even if I'd had to buy these, the Lysol is about $3.00 and the Windex (if you bought name brand) is about $3.48

Fold the wipes to fit the container, which for me is folding in thirds and then in half and put them in the containers.  I generally put about 6 at a time.  Pour on the applicable cleaner and lid them up.  Let sit until the wipes have soaked up the cleaners.

Again, MAKE SURE THEY'RE LABELLED CORRECTLY!

Now, here's the nice part.  You can wash these.  I generally will wash them once or twice depending on how they're holding up.  I have washed them three times but twice is usually the standard for them holding up.  And if I've cleaned up something icky, I'll just toss it.

These save money and the because we're using Lysol, it kills 99% of germs & virus.  Super important during this time.

What a crazy time we are in right now!

Hello everyone!  I hope you are all safe amid the COVID-19 crisis!  Please follow the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) guidelines for your safety!  More information on COVID-19 from the CDC is here

PLEASE, check on your elderly neighbors or those that are shut ins.  Don't go inside and expose anyone but call them or ask through the door, find out if they need anything...you can always get it and leave it on their porch.  We are all in this together!

Please take the social distancing seriously as well.  This will protect those with compromised systems and the elderly.  

Here are some suggestions from a Professor at Ball State University for getting through social distancing:

Practicing social distancing to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic may sound scary or impossible to do, but there are ways to appropriately handle the process.

“Social distancing can be tough on people and disrupt the social and economic fibers of our society,” Jagdish Khubchandani, a professor at Ball State said. “Given the existing crisis of isolation in societies—with probably the loneliest young generation that we have today—social distancing can also take a personal health toll on people, causing psychological problems, among many others.”

Khubchandani, a health science professor at Ball State University, has recommended 15 ways to counterbalance the effects of social distancing:

1. Maintain a routine. As much as possible, social distancing should not disrupt your sleep-wake cycle, working hours, and daily activities.
2. Make social distancing a positive by taking the time to focus on your personality and personal health, reassessing your work, training, diet patterns, physical activity levels, and health habits.
3. Carve time to cook for yourself and others in need.
4. Go for a walk or exercise at home.
5. Do not let anxiety lead you to indulge in binge eating or alcohol and drug use. Don’t oversleep, but do sleep at least 7 hours. A recent study found that more than a third of Americans sleep less than 7 hours.
6. Think forward and try to make best use of technology to finish your work, attend meetings, and engage with coworkers with the same frequency that is required during active office hours.
7. Small breaks due to social distancing are also times to reassess your skill and training- think of an online course, certification, training, personality development or new language to learn.
8. Engage in spring cleaning, clear that clutter, and donate non-junk household stuff.
9. Pay attention to you social media habits. While you can certainly become a victim of myths, misinformation, anxiety, and fear mongering, you may also inadvertently become a perpetrator, creating more trouble for communities.
10. Based on American Time Use Survey and leisure related time-spending patterns worldwide, we spend too much time on screen. Limit your screen time, but watch national news for general consumption and local news to check spread of COVID-19 in your own community, you are likely over-consuming information and taking away time from yourself and friends and family.
11. Reach out to people and offer help. Consider providing for and helping those at risk or marginalized (e.g. the elderly, disabled, and homeless; survivors of natural disasters; and those living in shelters). You will certainly find someone in the neighborhood who needs some help, this can be done from a distance, on phone, or by online activities and giving.
12. Check your list of contacts on email and phone.
13. Engage in alternative activities to keep your mind and body active such as: listening to music and singing, trying dancing or biking, yoga or meditation, taking virtual tours of museums and places of interest, sketching and painting, reading books or novels, solving puzzles or engaging in board games, trying new recipes and learning about other cultures, etc.
14. Do not isolate yourself totally (physical distancing should not become social isolation). Don’t be afraid, don’t panic, and do keep communicating with others.

Here are some links for blogs I've posted in the past concerning meals and stretching them, and a bonus one for cleaners.

Magic Chicken

Stretching the Chicken

Baking on Snow Days

Freezing

Leftovers

Homemade Cleaners

Again, please check on your neighbors...safely.  We need to work together to get through this.  Check on them...maybe call someone just to chat for a minute.  You don't know the change you could make.

We're going to eat better, dang it!

In the last couple of years, I really thought I was shopping smart.  And I was...if I'd been properly planning on how to use what I was buying.  And I wasn't.  I'm ashamed to admit, I wasted a lot.  And we ate out far too much!

At one point, I even went out and bought one of those FoodSaver machines to stop the waste.  Yes, it is wonderful for preserving food in the freezer and preventing freezer burn, but if you don't use that food, it's still not truly helping.  I mean the food isn't going bad but it still wasn't being used.  The FoodSaver is great for things besides meat.  As with Ziplocs or anything else that goes in the freezer, label and date everything!

I was off work between Christmas and New Year's and really put a lot of thought into how I was going to fix things.  I bounced a lot of ideas off of my husband.  I did a lot of Pinterest-ing.  I came to the conclusion that I really couldn't do anything until I knew what I had.  Do you dread going to dig in the upright deep freezers because you know if you touch something, it's all gonna fall out on your feet?  No?  Just me?  I put on good shoes and went in....

I just started with the big freezer because I knew the little one was where I put the "overflow" and knew it was the newest stuff.  I did not do a full clean out but I did toss some things as I came across those items that had dates I didn't like.  I did have a package of ham hocks land on my foot but the turkey breast missed me!  Ha!  I ended up tossing a couple of kitchen trash bags worth of more wasted food.  I can assure you, that is going to stop!  

I did a quick run down on what meat was in there and then made a list of some meals that I know we like, that in all honesty is what part of that meat was bought for.  I looked over the things I'd pinned on Pinterest and made a list.  

Side note, I love a good list!  Here is the list of meals I came up with:

Yes, I'm old school to a point....paper and pencil lists!  What you see crossed off is what we have used to date.  I figured out what i needed to complete the meals and went to the grocery for pretty much dairy and produce and a few canned goods.  Oh, and I made sure that I had plenty of FoodSaver bags.  

Every Sunday, I make a menu...having the food prep done will definitely help us stick to it.  Here is this weeks:

The Meatloaf isn't really a recipe, it's just something I make.  I used 2 pounds of 80/20 ground beef and 1 pound of ground pork, not sausage just pork.  With that, I add a diced onion, a little garlic, 4 slices potato bread (we use Aunt Millie's 35 calorie potato bread around here so that's what goes in this) torn into little pieces and soaked in about 1/2 cup give or take of milk, 2 eggs, about 6 strips off uncooked bacon cut into little pieces (use scissors, it's easier) and some tomato sauce, about half a can.  Of course there is salt and pepper and some paprika.  I used the other half can of tomato sauce to mix with brown sugar and salt and put on top of the meatloaf.  This made two meatloaves.  I liked the meatloaf pans with cling wrap and put half the meatloaf in each pan and put them in the freezer.  Once they were frozen, I lifted them out of the pan with the Cling wrap and then wrapped the cling wrap around it and then two layers of aluminum foil.  Back to the freezer until ready to use.  When you take the wrap off it just drops back into the pan to cook it.  Bake it for about an hour at 350 or until a thermometer is at 165 degrees.

The French Dip sandwiches are made with some shaved beef I bought at Kroger, it fries up really quickly, like a cheese steak meat.  I toast Ciabatta buns in the broiler.  I put the meat on the bread with provolone on top and back in the broiler to warm the cheese.  Make a packet of au jus and you have a meal in like 15-20 minutes.  We made french fries in the air fryer and I'd made up a batch of Coleslaw on Sunday for two meals this week.  

Gotta be honest, the Chicken Tortilla soup was bought at Sam's for a night that we needed quick...I just tossed it in the freezer so I set it out the night before and it warms up by the time you have grilled cheese made.

The Honey Garlic Chicken was shared by a friend, it's so easy.  The marinade is 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons honey, 1/2 clove minced garlic and 2 tablespoons water for every 1/2 pound of chicken.  Mix the marinade right in the Ziploc (FoodSaver bags aren't for liquid unless you freeze it first and then it won't lay flat) then put in the chicken.  Get as much air as you can out of it and seal it lay it flat in the freezer.  This allows you to stack them and it thaws quicker if it's flat.  Move from freezer to fridge the night before and bake at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes.

The taco meat I made, I added some veggies in it to add some health benefits to it.  I used the frozen mix of carrots, onions and celery...not a lot but every bit helps.  I also add black beans to it.  When I made it, I doubled the batch and divided in FoodSaver bags.  

Finally, the slow cooker cheese chicken spaghetti is an experiment.  It sounds good and I hope we like it, but it's one of those that make you go hmmmm....Here's the recipe:

16 ounces spaghetti-cooked
1 pound Velvetta Light cheese
2 cups cooked chopped chicken
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 4 ounce cans mild green chilies
1 cup mushrooms chopped
1/2 cup water
1 small onion diced

Combine all in a gallon Ziploc bag, seal, flatten (as you can, it's a lot in that bag) and freeze.  When ready to use, thaw for 24 hours then pour in a crock pot for 2-3 hours.  Stir before serving.

Now, I didn't use cream of soups....I made a white sauce (equal parts butter & flour and instead of milk, I used chicken broth) it's healthier.  

There is week one of the menu.  I worked about 5 hours on Sunday to put together 29 meals that should not take long to make on a week night.  

This is longer than I expected but I wanted to at least share where I started.  I'm going to be as brutally honest as I can in reclaiming our home and diet!  This whole journey of balancing working these particular full-time hours, eating decent meals, and trying to keep my house somewhat decent is going to be a process.  Let's hope this makes it not so painful!  Thank you for reading!

Winter Recharging

Hello everyone!  I hope everyone is safe and warm in this first 'snow event' here.  

I love how 2" of snow is a 'snow event'.  I am always somewhat shocked at how people behave when it snows in Indiana.  It's shocking the number of people who run red lights or stop signs, even more so in the snow.  It's as though they don't care whether or not they are in, or simply cause, an accident.  I don't get that.  Then you have what we lovingly refer to as the "French Toast Preppers".  You know, the people who, at the first snowflake, run to the grocery and clear out the milk, bread and eggs.  Personally, I keep at least one half gallon of milk in the freezer and a loaf of bread.  I freeze the half gallons because they're easier to thaw out.  Just make sure you set them out soon enough to thaw for when you need them.  And shake it well before using it.  You can also freeze eggs if you scramble them first.  Well, don't fry them, just whisk them...LOL.  But once you whisk them, you can freeze them in ice cube trays and then when frozen, pop them out and put in a good Ziploc bag.    

I know we're all busy but even though we haven't had a bad Winter, this one seems to be wearing me down.  We have a lot going on and I was just telling my husband that I really need to find a way to recharge.  For me, I think that means I need to bake something.  Actually, that would require being home long enough to bake.  I'll get there.  

I should probably add sleep to that list as well.  Sleep would be good.  I'll get on that just as soon as my reading for my grad school class is done......LOL

As always, please check on your neighbors, the elderly and the shut-ins.  Make sure they're alright and not in need of any help.

Winter finally showed up!

Good morning everyone!  

Up until Saturday, it was about 50 degrees here in Indianapolis.  And at not quite 11 am on Monday, it's 9.  NINE!  I know, we've been lucky so far this year with such a minor Winter.  Mother Nature was being kind to us.  Evidently, our luck has run out and she's no longer in a generous mood.  Welcome to Winter!  Not just Winter snow but she sent ICE.  

As is my usual, I want to first and foremost, remind you all to check in on your neighbors, the elderly and the shut-ins.  Shovel a walkway, their steps to the house, clear a path in front of their home in case someone stops by to check in on them they can park.  Let's make sure those who may not be able to do as much anymore have the help they need.  

It's supposed to be colder tonight with the possibility of 2-5 inches of more snow.  Just a few hints, some you should already have had done but don't fret, every little bit will help!

Remember to change your furnace filters monthly.  My hubby is an HVAC/R professor and insists we use the cheap throw-away-monthly filters....something about what our furnace was designed to work with.  Check yours out and make sure you're using the right ones.  You should have had your furnace serviced before Winter, but sometimes you miss it, even if you are married to an HVAC/R professor...so no judgments here.  

Leave the cabinet doors open under sinks to help prevent freezing.  I leave a trickle of water running too, not a lot but just to keep the water moving.  

I know this if something we did in the country, just in case of power outages which I know don't happen in the city as often, but I put an extra heavy quilt at the bottom of each bed so that if there is an outage (or you just get cold and your hubby won't let you warm your feet on him), you have that extra blanket at the ready.

Speaking of blankets, I keep one in each car, in case of a break down, or in my case last Winter, when I ran out of gas on a dark highway.  Just be prepared.  Oh, and it's a good idea to keep a bit of drinking water in the car but not soda.  Don't ask me how I know this, just trust me here!

It's also a good idea (and not too late) to check the fluids on your car.  Make sure the window washer fluid is filled up and, if you're like me, have an extra gallon in the trunk.  I average about 3 gallons a Winter.  Hey, what can I say?  I can't stand a filthy windshield!

Don't forget our furry friends .  Thank goodness that Indianapolis now has a new law that you just can't leave the poor animals outside in this weather.  Do NOT be afraid to call someone if you see a dog tied to a tree or just out in this weather.  

Please, also remember our homeless.  If you're not comfortable giving to the directly, at least think about donating to a shelter, they'll welcome blankets, socks, gloves, hats, scarves, etc.  

Bottom line, we often think of taking care of ourselves, but let's remember that no matter how little we have, there are those out there with less than we have.  As my Dear Mother used to say, "We're all in this together!'

Stay warm!  Stay safe! Check on your neighbors!

Prepping for AFTER-Thanksgiving!

No, I don't mean Black Friday!  LOL  I mean the leftovers!  

We take such care in planning every dish that hits the Thanksgiving table...so much food!  And yet, few think of the leftovers.  Let those leftovers become planned overs!  It just takes a little planning.

Let's just talk about the turkey itself for the moment.  Everyone loves that turkey sandwich on a dinner roll for lunch the next day, no doubt about it!  There's much more that you can do though.  First, obviously, slice as much of the turkey off of the carcass as you can.  After you slice up you can, it's time to pick the rest of the meat off.  You know those little bits that you can't really cut but get as much as you can.

Then I take the carcass and put it in a large stockpot.  If you don't have a big stockpot, break the carcass down to smaller pieces and use part of it in whatever pot you have that it fits in.  I put an onion and some carrots and celery and some peppercorns in the water.  I'll bring this to a boil and then reduce the heat to a slow simmer.  And I let it simmer for a good while, until the liquid reduces.  Once the stock has reduced and it tastes wonderful, turn off the burner and let it cool.

While you're waiting on the stock to cook, portion out the turkey into good Ziploc freezer bags.  Think of the meals that your family likes to eat and portion the meat to fit that meal.  Around here, turkey Manhattans are a must!  So, portion out what you need for each meal until you run out of the sliced turkey.  When you seal up the Ziplocs, try to get as much air out of the bags as you can.  Be sure to label the Ziploc with what it is, what meal it's portioned for and the date. 

With the shredded, or picked over, turkey, again, portion it out into Ziploc bags.  You can use this for turkey soup, turkey & dumplings, turkey salad, etc.  We interchange turkey with chicken but I know a lot of people who don't like to substitute it but use your imagination.  Then portion, label and date the bags of shredded turkey.

Once the stock is cooled, strain it well.  I put it in gallon Ziploc bags as well.  Again, label and date it.  If you have a bit left (or plan on it) I put a small amount, maybe 2-3 cups in a bag separately to use to make Turkey gravy for the Manhattans.  It makes it extra yummy!  I don't think I need to tell you to be sure it is sealed well!  You can use freezer safe containers if you'd like, I just prefer Ziplocs.  As I always say, if you're going to use freezer bags, get good quality ones.  I prefer Ziplocs, they cost a bit more than store brands (use a coupon to offset that!) but it's protecting your food in the freezer, so get good ones.

I always pack the bags in such a way that they lay flat in the freezer.  You'll get more in the freezer if they will lay flat on top of each other. Be sure things are cool before you put them in the freezer or they will stick together in terrible ways!

So, even if you think your family ate all the turkey, you can still get a meal or two or three from what's left on the carcass.

If you have extra rolls, you can freeze those too and reheat later.  If your family is anything like mine, it doesn't matter how many rolls you make, there will be none left over...my brothers usually make sure of that.

Extra gravy can be frozen, I don't necessarily like the gravy thawed (that's why I put some stock up to make fresh gravy) but you can add the gravy you froze to stock for extra flavor.

Extra mashed potatoes can be used for potato pancakes or as a thickener for cream based soups.

Extra veggies that aren't creamed or sauced, can be put up in the freezer to add to vegetable soup later.  In fact, I will keep a Mason jar in the freezer and add that extra corn or green beans or whatever that is left after meals and when the jar is full, it's the perfect amount for a pot of veggie soup.  Side note...I'll also chop or shred and freeze left over beef or steak for veggies soup too.

So, use your imagination.  Plan now.  When you think of what dishes will be on your Thanksgiving table, think also of what you can do with any that you have left.  Make sure you have some Ziplocs on hand to put things up.  

In my mind, this is more than just saving money.  The amount of food that is wasted in this country on holidays is shameful.  I'm not by any means saying that one should not have a feast to celebrate our holidays with our loved ones, but try to plan so that you aren't wasting food.

On that same train of thought, please, PLEASE consider donating something, anything, to those who are helping the less fortunate.  There are families that wouldn't have a holiday meal without the help of a food bank, shelter, church, etc.  If you are unable to donate cash, even a can or two of veggies, a jar of gravy, or other canned goods will help.  Every little bit helps.  

If you are not able to donate cash or items, consider donating your time.  Even an hour can help to sort and organize the items in the food pantry to make things easier for distribution.  My son was 5 the first time he did this, they'll appreciate your help, trust me.  We're all in this world together, we need to remember this and to help out those who aren't as fortunate as we are.

Farmer's Markets and Blackberry Scones!

Even back when I had a huge garden, I still loved going to Farmer's Markets.  You can always find something new to try whether that is something you don't grow yourself or some yummy goodness that a vendor made.  A nice bonus is that you're never 100% sure what you'll find until you get there!  

Since my health won't let me have a big garden anymore (Asthma truly sucks), I've grown to love the Farmer's Markets even more.  I pay a little more than it cost for me to grow my own, but in the big picture, it's worth it as I still get fresh, local produce.

This past weekend, the hubby and I visited a market on Saturday morning before we had to pick up the Short Dude from summer camp.  The particular market had a coffee vendor, so my morning was even better!  Hubby found a vendor who had blackberry scones.  He bought a couple and liked them so much that he went and bought the remaining 3 they had left.  

So I searched and found a recipe for them.  I'd never made scones before and surprisingly, they were much easier to make than I'd realized.  They're really nothing more than fancy biscuits!  I used this recipe, and I think it turned out pretty good.  

Here's what's involved:

Oh, I forgot this in the pic....

I had the blackberries in the freezer (forgot to get a pic of them before) but the recipe called for putting some flour on the frozen berries, mixing them and putting them back in the freezer until later.  Thawed berries will not only get mushy but turn the whole recipe purple.

It starts easy enough with the dry ingredients and cutting in the butter.  Now, my Gram was amazing in the kitchen and could use her hands to cut the butter in, I'm not that good.  I also never got the hang of using a pastry cutter.  It should be easy but I just can't...LOL.  I use two knives to do it.  It's easy and I don't need extra gadgets in my kitchen.

This next step is what makes the dough so rich and yummy!  You mix the half and half with vanilla.  I use Vanilla-Bean paste for anything that calls for vanilla now, it's so yummy.  I get it on Amazon, click here to find it!  I buy it in large bottles for my jam business but you can get it in smaller quantities.  

Gently mix the half & half/vanilla mixture into the flour.  Don't over mix it!  It will look like this, it doesn't look mixed well but trust me here.

At this point, use your hands to gently mix in the frozen, floured berries.  Flour your hands, it won't prevent any of the mix from sticking but it will help.

Once the berries are mixed in, somewhat, again, don't over mix it!  Turn it out onto a floured surface.  Don't knead it, just kinda pat it into a square.

Cut the square into fourths.  Then, cut each fourth in half diagonally.  

I put them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.  You don't have to use parchment, but I didn't want to have to scrub the berries that will inevitably ooze out of the scones and bake onto the sheet.  

Then you take the last tablespoon of butter and cut it into 8 pieces and put each little piece on top of the scones.

Bake them for about 15-17 minutes at 425 degrees.  They come out looking like this

I set the cooling rack over a sheet of wax paper 

The glaze is so simple.  It was just a cup of powdered sugar and the juice of a lemon whisked together.

I just used a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the still-hot scones.  You could use less if you like or even make more and for a heavier glaze but I think this was just the right amount.  This is where the wax paper under the cooling rack comes in handy to avoid a messy clean up!  

Once they cooled, this is how they looked

The next time I make them, I'll probably cut the triangles in half again as I'd like them to be a bit smaller.  They were flaky like biscuits and the lemon in the glaze plays off the blackberries well.  In the background is that hint of vanilla.  All together, they are delicious!  Hubby and the Short Dude gave it two thumbs up and asked what other fruits I could make them with.  I'm thinking it would work with any berry, and the glaze can be made with lemon or even just milk (or more half & half).  My son wants me to make them with chocolate chips...LOL

Enjoy!

Changing routines!

So much has been going on around here!  Overwhelming doesn't begin to describe it.  The short version is that I have been in school to become an English Professor at the college level and am in my last semester of my Bachelor's degree.  I have decided (with my family's support) that I will continue on to pursue my Master's Degree. I was offered a job at Ivy Tech Community College.  Although it is currently part time tutoring in the TRIO program, it is still 20 hours a week.  I am also going to school during this semester so, in essence, I will still be gone from home almost as much as if I were working full-time.  

But the frugal part of me sees this as an opportunity to have the part time job pay for my Graduate classes.  It will take me a bit longer to get through my Master's courses but, cross your fingers, I won't end up with a mountain of debt when I am done.

This brings me to figuring out how to make this all work.  Although I have worked, it's been a very long time since I had full time out of the home hours.  I will work during the day and go to school a couple of evenings a week.  Plus my husband teaches late one night a week an on Saturdays.  Add to that, we are responsible for transportation for our son to and from school and all of his activities.  This should be interesting.  I know when I was a single Mom, working full time I had a system that worked well for us.  It's been over a decade since then so I'm working on tweaking that to make it a habit again.  Lord knows, without it, we'd eat out half the time and I'd have to devote every weekend moment playing catch up.  The first part of that is too expensive and the latter part I'm just too old for.  LOL.

To make things a little easier, I already do menu planning each week so that's not an issue.  The difference now will be taking some time on Sunday to do any prep work that I can do to save time through the week.  Since I do have two nights a week that I have classes, I have to factor in that those nights need treated differently as one of them is busy for my husband and son too.

Prep work would include browning any meat for the week's menus, chopping any veggies and portioning them out.  Casseroles can be made and put in the freezer, just make sure and take them out the night before.  Roasts can be browned for the crock pot and put in the fridge until needed.  If you cut potatoes, be sure to put them in a Ziploc full of water so they don't discolor.  You can brown hamburger for chili, tacos, sloppy joes, etc.  

The crock pot will be our friend on nights that I have class.  One of those nights, the hubby gets off at 5 downtown and our son has Scouts on the far south side at 7.  He's gotta get home, feed the short dude and get to Scouts.  The first week wasn't exactly a successful experiment with me starting the meal before I left and them finishing it.  So to the crock pot we go!  Many crock pot meals can be put together in a Ziploc baggie and frozen until ready to use.  Again, set the bag out the night before to thaw, then just pour into the crock pot and go.  

I also make a salad bowl (see a previous post) that lasts for several days and they'll eat it if it is ready.  I also cut up carrot sticks, celery sticks and put them into a Tupperware type bowl in the fridge with cherry tomatoes and whatever else you like on a veggie tray.  I keep a bowl or Ranch dip in there too, if it's easy, they'll eat it instead of something less healthy.  

I don't always make them eat only healthy, on Sunday, I'll also make the snack of the week.  Whether that is a batch of cookies, a pan of brownies or whatever.  This week I took some bananas that were turning and made banana bread and a couple of dozen banana nut muffins.  I toss them in a Ziploc and freeze them so they're easy to grab and toss in lunchboxes or to warm up for a snack.

There are more things but I'm still trying to remember what I did way back then and how to make it work now.  I'll add more to that later, as I remember.

I do know that the family calendar is a lifesaver!  I received this one for Christmas and I am loving it so far!

There is a line for each one of us plus a spot for notes.  It helps to keep things straight.  I'm playing with a calendar on my phone that supposedly you can share among family members, but I don't know how to share it yet.  My son ended up with it on his phone (I have no clue how) and he thought it was just on his phone so he started deleting things.  This, of course, deleted them on my phone too.  That was a nightmare so for now, we're sticking to old school and this calendar!  LOL

The other thing that really is helping a bunch is our message center that we created on the fridge.

Our thoughts are the top dry erase board is for "To-Do" list type of things.  Load the dishwasher, pack a lunch, etc.  The bottom one is reminders.  The Calendar says that Scouts are on Wednesday but there is a reminder note here for the hubby that Scouts are at 7 and where the meeting or drop off is (it's not always in the same place).  It has my son's nightly reminders as well.  

There is also a magnetic notepad for items needed from the Grocery.  There is also a magnetic clip for anything else that we need to make sure the other one sees.

I know it's hard to read in detail but the list under the pen cup is our weekly checklist for each room. This list is here because the men in my life are the "can't see the forest for the trees" kind of men.  So if they have a few minutes time to help me, they can see what's on this list and pick one.  Ideally, by the weekend, the list will have all items checked off.  Here is that list:

WEEKLY CHECKLIST

Kitchen:

1.    Sweep floor

2.    Mop floor

3.    Clean out fridge

4.    Clean counter

5.    Clean stove & hood

Bathrooms:

1.    Clean mirrors

2.    Clean counter

3.    Sweep floor

4.    Mop floor

5.    Empty trash

Bedrooms:

1.    Vacuum carpet

2.    Dust

3.    Change sheets

4.    Clean TV screens

Living Room:

1.    Dust

2.    Vacuum

3.    Bag newspapers for recycling

4.    Straighten book bag area

5.    Return ‘strays’ where they belong

Dining Room:

1.    Clear Table

2.    Vacuum

3.    Straighten Jam area

Paperwork & Miscellaneous:

1.    Plan menus for next week

3.    Water plants

4.    Clean out vehicles & check fluids

5.    Check freezer stock

6.    Check pet food supplies

    This isn't a perfect list, but it's a start.  I am thankful that my guys are willing to pitch in and help out.  They know that we're a team and the goal at the end of this adventure will benefit all of us.  I know that I have to accept that they won't do things the way I would do them but they will be done.  And, theoretically, we should still have some time for us that doesn't involve catching up for the week.  I'll keep you posted on how it's working out!  LOL