Homemade Laundry Detergent, Post 1

For years, I had HE laundry appliances.  Lucky girl, I know.  I didn't go through laundry detergent very quickly and had no motivation to make my own.  Flash forward to present-day, when we have sold our home and our HE appliances and are using our landlord's slightly older (and not HE) washer and dryer.  I go through detergent three times as fast.

I decided to try Farming on Faith's homemade laundry detergent recipe.  I went for the Tide addition - when boys outnumber girls, you need that extra cleaning power.  I also did just 1/6 oz. of essential oils, not 3 ounces.  I picked mine up locally and 3 ounces would have cost me an arm and leg, since it's optional anyways, I added just a touch.  I can smell it, so I guess that's enough :)  My Tide and Dove were both dye and fragrance-free.  Carrie didn't specify, so I erred on sensitive.

The consistency was a little more watery than I was expecting - probably on par with cheaper laundry detergents.  I have three gallons of the stuff and plan on using about 3/4 cup for each load, so I should have enough for about 64 loads.  I'm going to do a cost break down in a later post.

I have my first batch of laundry in the washer and cannot wait to see how it turns out!

Book Review: Going Rogue by Sarah Palin

Remember how much I love Chelsea Handler?  Well, that's how much I hate Sarah Palin.  The library emailed me that Going Rogue was waiting for me, and I strongly considered not picking it up.  I think she's divisive and I question her integrity if she thinks Fox News is the most honest and balanced network out there.  I also can't stand all the "non-answers" she gives all the flipping time.

That said, I happened to be at the library and went ahead and got the book.  Let me tell you, I was impressed.  I found it well-written.  You know how some politician talk about political things and it all sort of goes over your head.  It's almost like they put it in a way to make you feel like "you couldn't possibly understand."  She does a great job of breaking down government dealings.

In her book, Sarah Palin comes across smart, savvy, and kind.  I think she lacks all those things when she speaks.  She comes across a dumb and intolerant, I think.  Her appeals to the Religious Right and the Tea Party don't help.

I was fascinated with her early political career and can appreciate much of her fiscal conservationism.  She did a lot of positive things for Alaska - she had a 90 percent approval rating when she started the campaign with Senator John McCain.  If everything in her book is true, she was well-qualified for the VP slot and probably better represented the Republican platform than most Republicans currently in office.  (Did I just say that?  Oh, I did.)

I heard that she "punches down" a lot in this book, blaming the McCain campaign for keeping her wrangled and keeping her such a mystery.  I wouldn't say she "punched down" very often.  I thought she was pretty fair to most the people she criticized.

She gives a lot of commonsense explanations for many of her decisions - why she resigned as governor, for example.

Who is the real Sarah Palin?  The one we hear about and see on TV or the one in this book?  I think the truth is probably somewhere in between.  (Unless a ghost writer is responsible for the entire thing, then, well, you know.)

I've come to appreciate some of her accomplishments and, after reading this, believe she has a real chance in the 2012 election - if she'd get away from the sensationalism and get talking about the issues and her track record as an elected official.  I continue to disagree with her on many things, but I think the Sarah Palin in Going Rogue could appeal to the masses.

Book Review: Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris

 Well, I've got the vampire bug.  After caving in and reading all the Twilight books and late finding myself waiting in line at 7 p.m. for a midnight showing of Eclipse, I decided that I needed MORE vampires.

I bought the first season of True Blood and was quite leery of it.  I mean, I was convinced that my love of Twilight was a fluke (and maybe had more to do with Robert Pattinson and my fascination with Mormons than vampires).  It took me about five episodes to finally get into True Blood, but now I'm hooked.  I love it.  I really admire people's ability to create alternative worlds.  "Out of the coffin" is just so freaking clever.

My mother-in-law, of all people, informed me that True Blood was based on a book series.  I know, who has a mother-in-law that is into True Blood?  I do.  She's also mostly responsible for inspiring my love recipes.

So, I up and bought a box set of the first eight books in the Sookie Stackhouse series.

Dead Until Dark is the first book.  Like the show, it took me about 150 pages to really get into it.  I don't know why that is.  I was amazed at how close the book and Season One compare.  It's pretty dead on.  EXCEPT there is one fairly major character in the TV series that is not in the book, Tara.  I'm gathering she's based on (and named after) a few different characters in the series.  Kudos to HBO for creating her and adding her to the story, because I just love Tara.

Book Two, Living Dead in Dallas, was much more action-packed than Dead Until Dark.  I haven't seen Season Two of True Blood (doesn't come out on DVD till May), but if it's as good as the book, then we're in good shape.

It's a fun story with fascinating characters.  So far, they're easy reads - good escape stuff, you know?  I've decided that individual posts for each of the books is unnecessary.  Either you'll read the whole series or not.  If you enjoyed Twilight and are curious if other vampire stories are your thing, then I strongly suggest giving the Sookie Stackhouse series a try.

Keep in mind, though, Twilight is for a young adult audience and Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood is written for adults.  They're, umm, more graphic in both gore and sex.

Book Review: Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang

If you know me well, you know that I love Chelsea Handler.  I love Chelsea Lately and look forward to - one day - seeing her live.  I enjoy most all the comedians on her show (except you Wendy Cummings or is it Natsha Leggero - I can never remember which is which and which one is NOT funny) and the show's take on pop culture.  She's a bit vulgar, and I like it.

Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang is Handler's third book.  It's a quick read filled with a dozen stories and lies.  Not everyone gets her brand on humor, but I think that can be said for any comedian (umm, Andy Dick, Dane Cook, Conan O'Brien, etc.).  I will say that I think she's a bit hard on her then-boyfriend, which might explain why he's now her former boyfriend.

I especially love her memories of wanting a Cabbage Patch Doll.  You know, it's the important things in life.

I don't think it's as good as her first book, My Horizontal Life, but if you enjoy Chelsea Handler, then you're sure to enjoy Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang.

Celebrating St. Patrick's Day

I thought it would be fun to do a little Irish-inspired menu for St. Patrick's Day on Wednesday.

Irish Soda Bread

Irish Chicken and Dumplings

I'll let you know how it goes.

Recipe: White Castle Sliders from Mommy's Kitchen

I discovered Mommy's Kitchen a few weeks back and it is quickly becoming one of my favorite blogs.  It features kid-friendly food that reminds you of your childhood. 

I made her White Castle Sliders tonight and they were phenomenal. A little less greasy than the real thing, but oh-so-good.  They were so good that they disappeared before I could even get any pictures.

I used 1 lb. of ground turkey instead of 2 lbs. of ground beef. (I didn't realize I needed 2 lbs., but they were still meaty enough - my husband didn't complain).  I also used Kings Hawaiian Sweet Rolls instead of the brands she recommended.  Also, no pickles.  (I didn't have them handy and forgot about them anyway.)

Can't wait to try more of her recipes!  She has some beautiful stuff on there!

Happy National Pig Day!

A pig that has wings

Does impossible things!

Over clouds it can fly

In the wink of an eye!

She may tickle you pink

But she wants you to think

Of her messge to each

"Nothing's out of your reach!"

©LMastalski 2007

 

Thanks to Lorraine at Paper Vernissage for bringing this most excellent holiday to my attention.

Recipes: Amish Friendship Bread Variations

Amish Friendship Bread is making the rounds amongst my friends, I received two last week from different people.  Here is the traditional recipe:

1 c. starter
3 eggs
1 c. canola oil
1 c. milk
1 c. sugar
2 t cinnamon
1/2 t vanilla
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 c. flour
1 large box instant vanilla pudding

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, grease 1 large load pans and mix an additional 1/2 c. sugar and 1 1/2 t cinnamon.  Dust the greased pans with half of the cinnamon/sugar mixture.  Pour batter evenly into the pans and sprinkle the top with the remaining mixture.

Bake for 1 hour.  Cool until bread loosens from the sides of pan.

For "my" recipes, I did NOT coat the pans with the cinnamon/sugar mixture.  Here they are, based on some recipes I found but tweaked by me:

Strawberry Cheesecake Bread
* I have not made this with these exact measurements, but this is how I plan to make it in the future.
- cinnamon
- vanilla pudding
+ 1 small package strawberry Jello
+ 1 small package cheesecake pudding
+ 1/2 c. diced strawberries

One of the recipes I based this off of calls for an extra 1/2 c. of milk and slice thawed strawberries.  It took 2 hours to bake and was so moist that it just fell apart.  Oh, it tasted good, but I couldn't hand a loaf over to anyone.  I suggest skipping the extra milk and dicing fresh strawberries to keep it a true bread.

White Chocolate Lemon Bread
* Created this in a desire to replicate Tastefully Simple's Lotsa Lemon Bars, which they no longer sell.  I'm happy to report that the flavor is all there!
- vanilla extract
- cinnamon
- vanilla pudding
+ lemon extra
+ lemon pudding
+ 1/2 to 1 bag of white chocolate chips.

Took about 1 hour and 20 minutes to bake.  I used a 1/2 bag of white chocolate chips, but I'll admit that the chips are pretty sparse, you may want more.  My lemon bread is pictured below:

Other recipes from various sources, including Mommy's Kitchen (what a great site):

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bread
* I made this one, but I forgot the eggs.  I dolled some out to some friends and they still thought it was great, so I think there's a lot to be said for chocolate and peanut butter.
- cinnamon
- vanilla pudding
+ 4 T creamy peanut butter
+ 1/2 bag Reeses peanut butter chips
+ chocolate pudding

Apple Cinnamon Bread
+ 1 c raisins
+ 1 medium, diced apple

Recipe: Skinny Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are from my new cookbook Perfect Light Desserts by Nick Malgieri and David Joachim.

David's Skinny Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 30 cookies

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
4T (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. light brown sugar firmly packed
6 T sugar
1 large egg
2 T whole milk
1 t vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. (about 3/4 bag) of chocolate chips

Set racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350.

Mix flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside.

Beat the butter and sugars togethe

Beat in the flour mixture.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Chill the dough in the bowl for 15 minutes to keep the cookies from spreading too much while they're baking.

Form the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls.  Arrange the balls of dough 2" apart on cookie sheets.

Their specific directions call for a mixer and a rubber spatula, amongst other things.  I used my hands, a wooden spoon, and bowls.  Why would I make more dishes?  Anyway, the cookies were quite good.  They have a much different flavor than your usual Nestle Chocolate Chip Cookies, and they're a little on the small side, but they're not as bad for you ... not to say they're good for you.  I'm thinking you could even go for a half bag of chocolate chips, because each cookie was LOADED with chips.  This is my second recipe with Nick and David - so far, they're wonderful

Per cookie: 114 calories, 5 g fat, 1 g fiber

Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Chili

It doesn't look like much, but it's good.  I adapted the recipe from something I saw on either (a) a major food manufacturer website or (b) a frugal mommy blog.  I don't remember, so now I'm claiming it.  It got a lot of positive feedback from my neighbor's Super Bowl party.

Almost-Famous Buffalo Chicken Chili

Most of a rotisserie chicken (like, cut off a breast to eat for dinner one night, then pick it clean and dice it up)
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium celery stalks, chopped
2 medium carrots (or about 15 baby carrots), chopped
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c. chicken broth
2 t chili powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 c. buffalo wing sauce

Spray 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.  Mix all ingredients except wing sauce.  Cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours.  Stir in sauce.

I made it with 2 T of chili powder last time and, umm, had some bite to it.  Still really good, though.  I use "Most of a Rotisserie Chicken" because I have it on hand.  I hate raw chicken passionately.  If you, however, don't buy rotisserie chickens, the original recipes calls for "2 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken thighs, cooked, cut into pieces."

Book Review: Lucky by Alice Sebold

Alice Sebold is best known for The Lovely Bones, a fictional story about a young girl who is raped and murdered by a creepy neighbor.  It was recently made into a movie.

I expected Lucky to be another uncomfortable story, something that makes you squirm. I hadn't read the description carefully and was surprised to find that it was a memoir about Alice Sebold's rape.  She a college freshman and, well, it was quite brutal.  It was a stranger in the woods story, something college women are told doesn't really happen.  Sebold goes through the rape, the aftermath, the trial.  She writes about her parents' reactions, how her friends react, how boys respond.

In the tunnel where I was raped, a tunnel that was once an underground entry to an amphitheater, a place where actors burst forth from underneath the seats of a crowd, a girl has been murdered and dismembered.  I was told this story by the police.  In comparison, they said, I was lucky.

It's a hard read.  Because, like she points out, no one really knows how to treat a rape victim.  She gets mad about it, she cries about it, she makes jokes about it.  Everyone around her has similar reactions - they want to be overly helpful, they want to avoid her.

Lucky is an uncomfortable true story, it makes you squirm.

Read it.

Book Review: Open by Andre Agassi

I'm just going to come out and say it: What a douche bag.

I listened to Open by Andre Agassi on CD, I didn't read it.  It was a long drive.

Here is what I am left with:

Andre Agassi HATES tennis

Andre Agassi wore a hair piece for a short time, because he was an insecure douche bag.  Brooke Shields is the one who finally convinced him to be done with it. 

Andre Agassi has, essentially, an eighth grade education.

Andre Agassi dabbled in meth.  I got the impression that it was sort of like how people drink sometimes.  No big deal.

Andre Agassi really HATES tennis. 

Every CD I thought that he might move on from hating tennis.  Nope.  He also talks about several games serve-by-serve.  Good grief, if you think watching tennis is boring ... just wait until you listen to someone talk about it.  Even the most exciting parts of the book (see: Brooke Shields, hair piece, and meth) are tame.

Usually, I like people more after reading (or listening to) their memoirs.  Let me tell you something, say I was somewhere and Andre Agassi showed up ... I would have no interest in meeting him.  He's miserable and when he's not miserable, he's just boring.

Skip it.

Book Review: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Book Lushes is an online book club for, umm, book lovers.  We're people who love books.  For January, Powers that Be chose The Help by Kathryn Stockett.  I hadn't heard of the book and was a bit reluctant to buy it.  Unfortunately, the library had a waiting list 12 people long ... so I sucked it up and made the purchase.  I'm glad I did.

The Help is the best book I've read in years.  It's up there with Memoirs of a Geisha - capturing moments of history in the voices of unforgettable characters.  It takes place in Mississippi the early 1960s, when slavery is illegal but Jim Crow is in full swing.  It's sad, it's funny.  I read it quickly, and I think it's a treasure.

The story is told from three women's points of view.  There is Minny, an older black woman who has served as a house maid/nanny for decades.  She does her job dutifully and has, up to this point in her life, played by the rules.  There is Abilieen, a younger house maid/nanny who has gotten in trouble for mouthing off all her life.  Finally, there is Skeeter, a recent college grad who was bred to be a Southern Belle but instead finds herself lost the bigotry of her town and friends.  It's an amazing, and dangerous, relationship that the women form and what they create ruffles the entire town.

Read it!

Book Review: Official Book Club Selection by Kathy Griffin

Make no mistake, this is a memoir - not a comedy.

Official Book Club Selection by Kathy Griffin holds a promise - that she'll talk as much dirt of herself as she does about everyone else.  You hear names like Brooke Shields and Jack Black.  The Jack Black tales hold no surprises - he's exactly as you picture him.  Most the stories concerning celebrities are naturally funny.

She talks openly about her plastic surgery, something she wishes she hadn't gone public with (only because now everyone asks her about all the freaking time).  She talks very openly about her failed marriage too - it's sad to read.  It's hard to picture Kathy Griffin being serious and sincere, but she is.  She is in a lot of the book.

What I came away with was a new appreciation for her craft.  I think a lot of us only know her as that ugly, annoying actress from Suddenly Susan who later got a bunch of plastic surgery and a reality show.  According to Griffin's memoir, she worked her ass off for more than a decade before she got any attention.  She took big risks, some paying off and some not.  She lived with her parents till she was 27, she took acting classes in Hollywood.  She took the freaking bus there (and back).  She did a lot of grassroots comedy and paid her dues.  Unlike Paris and Kim, she didn't make a sex tape and get famous overnight.

So, good for her.  I like her.

Read it, if you have the time.

A Good Cookbook

How do you know when you have a GOOD cookbook?  How many recipes do you need to make and like before you know it's a keeper?

Give-a-ways at the Dress-up Drawer

Hallie at Our Broken Road introduced me to The Dress-up Drawer, a blog that has hoards of give-a-ways this week!  Don't miss it.

Jaime, mastermind behind The Dress-up Drawer, is giving away a customized children's cape.  I'm thinking a green one with my kiddo's first initial on it.  Sign up to win here.

Little Gumdrops has adorable baby blankets and baby hats.  Who doesn't love a hat with pom-pom.  Sign up here.

MaKC Creations has some unique items, like a take-a-long high chair (cloth and light, unlike a bulky booster).  The car seat covers and dry bags are also very cool.  Sign up here.

Picnic Basket Crafts offers scrubs (I love scrubs!) and lotions, as well as reusable clothes and more.  Sign up here.

And Jane has beautiful party hats!  I can just imagine one in red, white, and blue for my little guy's birthday.  Very cute bows and barrettes for girls too!  Sign up here.

There are lots more great give-a-ways on her blog, so check them out.

Book Review: High on Arrival by Mackenzie Phillips

The media blitz surrounding Mackenzie Phillips' memoir High on Arrival informed the world of this: She had an incestuous relationship with her father, Papa John Phillips.

Her ex-stepmother, Mama Michelle Phillips, says that Mackenzie is lying - and probably doesn't remember anything clearly thanks to decades of drug use.  Everyone else, however, seems to support her accusation.

Personally, I think there's enough story in High on Arrival that there was no need for her to make it up.  Even without the incest, goodness, there's plenty of gruesome and embarrassing details.

Throughout High on Arrival, Mackenzie Phillips is very honest when she doesn't remember something, which is often.  She'll begin a story and just say that she passed out and then woke up in some unfamiliar place.  Her memoir starts out like a true celebrity tale ... loads of name dropping.  You read the names Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Paul McCartney, Marlon Brando, and many, many more.  It's a constant party - and not something a child should be witnessing, let alone participating in.

Later in the book, she talks about her 15 years of sobriety and some poor choices she made as a mother while still using.  She talks about her relapse and getting busted at LAX with cocaine and, once again, finding sobriety.

Two of my favorite nuggets from the book:

• Farnas screamed again and his heart rate went back up.  This was going on and on.  Farnaz was screaming and crying on her knees ... I said, "Can you shut the fuck up and let him die already?"
  

• ... the official story was that he died of heart failure.  Well, sure.  We all die of heart failure.

It's clear that her energy is in the beginning of the book - the parties, the clubs, the attention.  The first part of the book is probably giving people what they want.  They want names and situations and glamor.  The latter part of the book is actually much better  High on Arrival is sensational.

I hope she doesn't use the royalties to buy cocaine (or heroin or alcohol).  Also, I hope if anyone is screaming and carrying on over my deathbed that someone steps in and tell them to shut up.

Read It.

Pantry Challenge Conclusion

Today marks the end of Pantry Challenge 2010.  We weren't flawless in ONLY buying dairy, produce, and bread ... but pretty darn close.  We used up lots of cans and lots of things in the freezer - still plenty left.

We saved $340 of our grocery budget (our grocery budget includes all food, hygiene items, paper goods, medicine, etc.).

This $340 was promptly spent on my oldest son's new glasses and our Kohls bill (which had Christmas and bathroom items on it).  So, we're not ahead, but we're even :)

Pantry Challenge 2010 taught me a lot about the way I shop and the way my family eats.  There are things we have a stockpile of (like Au Gratin Potatoes and creamed soups) that we rarely eat and there are things we eat all the time (like saltines and peanut butter) that have no stockpile.

Since we are move at some point this year, I'm hoping to continue to deplete our stockpile of food and hygiene items.  Hopefully, we'll also save a few bucks here and there and have some extra cash for things like new glasses and Christmas gifts :)

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Last Thursday, I finished the Harry Potter series.  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, of course, was a beautiful addition to the series.  What a great story, what great characters.

The epilogue was a great and unexpected addition.  I mean, you often end a book and sort of wonder how things turned out for them - Are they really OK? Did they get married?  Have kids?  Have jobs?

In this case, yes.  All was good.

That's a New Year's Resolution completed.  Now, if finding time to take care of myself and lose a bit of weight just came as easily.

Must read.

Stained Glass

I'm happy to report that one of the items on my bucket list is being crossed off!  

On Saturday, I started a two-series stained glass class.  It's more tedious than I was expecting, but I am enjoying learning something new.  Those kids in school have no idea how lucky they have it to be exposed to  new things all the time (I know I certainly didn't appreciate it - looking back, I had pretty great art and music teachers over the years).  These new learning opportunities are few and far between in adult life ... so easy to sleep, work, cook, clean, and repeat most days.


I still have LOTS of work to do this coming Saturday - I'm one of the slowest in the class.

Recipe: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Remember this post about all the oatmeal and raisins I have?

Well, I made the recipe, and it was a hit! My kiddos LOVED them, my husband LOVED them, my husband's co-workers LOVED them. A single guy asked for the recipe.

These are true oatmeal raisin cookies. Personally, I'd prefer a bit of cinnamon in them (maybe 1/2 teaspoon), but my husband insists they are perfect as is.

I used quick oats, since I didn't have "rolled oats." They worked just fine. I also made 24 cookies (you know, so I didn't have to shuffle pans and wait and what have you) and cooked them for the maximum time. Perfect.

They were SO good that I went ahead and ordered the cookbook. Amazon is offering Amazon Prime 2-Day Shipping for FREE for three months, so I'm all over that (just need to remember to discontinue it before they charge me $79 for the year).

Here are my cookies: I am a HUGE fan of parchment paper. My cookies sheets look fabulous after four years of use!

Recipe: Bruschetta Chicken Packets

We're not big chicken eaters in this house. It's something my husband inherited from his father, and it's something I've gotten used to. I also hate handling chicken. Oh, and when it sits too long in the fridge and goes bad ... that smell! Yuck.

Umm, we do like Tyson chicken (see: frozen, breaded) in all forms :)

Anyways, I am trying to incorporate more real chicken into our dinners.

I prepared Foil-Pack Bruschetta Chicken Bake the other night. I liked it - I like things in packet-form. The chicken was moist. The stuffing was delicious (prepared with canned tomatoes - no butter!). My youngest son also gobbled it up (but he also eats peas by the handful). My oldest son did not (be he doesn't like much beyond peanut butter and jelly). My husband ate it, but he didn't take seconds (and that means he didn't like it).

So, it's a great recipe for chicken eaters ... but not so great that it'll convert the non-chicken eaters.

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

And I thought Sirius' death was terrible ...

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince goes down as one of my favorites in the series. It includes some great (and, at the same time, terrible) twists and turns in the wizarding world.

***SPOILER ALERT***

You know, I recall hearing that "Dumbledore is dead" when the book came out, but I guess I forgot about it. I can't believe it happened, and I can't believe that Snape did it. Despite the beginning of the story, I wasn't convinced that Snape was a bad guy. On some level, I'm still not totally convinced that he is. I don't know. Guess we'll find out.

One moment I really liked in the book is when Fleur arrives to see Bill and everyone assumes that the wedding is off ... because Fleur is a self-absorbed bimbo. Fleur, however, says that Bill's scars just show how brave he is. I thought that was wonderful.

I did not have Snape picked out to be the Half-Blood Prince. I thought it was one of James' friends or maybe Tom Riddle's.

Voldemort's apperance makes more sense now that we know his soul has been fractured into seven pieces ... and I can't wait to find out who R.A.B. is.

Must read it.

Pantry Challenge Continues: Part 2

Pantry Challenge 2010 is in full swing.

Success:
Tonight, I set up to make kung pao chicken. I opened the thaw container of cubed chicken ... and find pumpkin. Yup.

They look very similar frozen through a not-quite-clear plastic container.

Well, now what do I do?

I have some veggie crumble on hand. Hmm. I'll call it kung pao "beef" and broccoli. (It's not my fault my husband doesn't here the quotes when I say it.) You know what, it was mighty good ... possibly even better than the chicken. My husband ate it, and I told him afterward what the beef actually was. He was quite surprised (and surprisingly unbothered by the revelation).

Failure:
I made hamburgers for the kids. Since I didn't have any hamburger buns, I cut them up and put them into hot dog buns and announced them as "hamburger hotdogs." My oldest child was unimpressed and only ate his apple.

*****

I'm starting to think that I don't have quite the supply on hand that some of these ladies have. We're having to get creative at just the midway point right now. Hmm ... what will the rest of the month bring?

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

One of my goals for 2010 is to finish reading the Harry Potter series. I left off on Book 4 ... long before I had a child, much less children. It's just a matter of time before someone spoils the ending for me, so I thought I should get busy! (I have only seen the movies up to Book 4 as well, so I really have no idea how it ends. I know "someone dies," but that's all I know.)

It took me a while to get back into the series. Up until almost page 400, I was reading and just thinking, "Oh, I wish this was another Twilight book." and "Where are the vampires?" and every time I would see the name Cedric Diggory, I thought of Edward (who, in the movies, is played by the same actor). Twas an illness, I tell you.

Finally, though, the action started and my comparison of Harry Potter and Twilight was over, and I was reminded that Harry Potter is a different (and, in most ways, better) story than Twilight. It is better written and appeals to young and old and male and female. I believe Harry Potter will be a timeless series, similar to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

***Spoiler Alert***

In Harry Potty and the Order of the Phoenix, I was relieved to finally get an answer as to why poor Harry must continue to return to his jerky aunt and uncle's every summer. I mean, those people are so lame and terrible to him. I could never understand why Dumbledore kept sending him back. They didn't want him. Even after learning why, though, it made me all the more sad that Harry's aunt treated him so poorly. This kid, through no fault of his own, has no mother or father and she knows she is the sole person who can keep him safe. Why doesn't she care more about him?

I'm happy to see Harry and his friends growing up - trying to make sense of the mixed singles the opposite sex sends and with Harry realizing that his father wasn't always the best man in the whole world.

Snape's feelings towards Harry make more sense.

I was not at all surprised by the "big reveal." Of course Harry or Voldemort will have to die. I guess it was never spelled out, but I'm pretty sure that's been obvious since the beginning.

I was annoyed with the house elf situation. It seemed too easy. I'm also bummed that Sirius died. I feel like just as Harry finds his parents, he loses what is left of their memory piece-by-piece. Poor kid.

Cannot wait to get started on Book 6, but I wanted to get a review up of Book 5 before I started in on it.

Free Books for All (No Kindle Required)

Amazon has released loads of free books for their Kindle machine. That was all well and good for Kindle users, but now Amazon offers Kindle for PC. Now, everyone can enjoy the free Kindle books on their computer. Also, if you have a Kindle, you can now access its awesomeness from any computer (why you would need to, I don't know, but I guess people like options).

Kindle for PC

While I am a fan of good, old-fashioned books ... I am also a fan of free books. (Also, you get these suckers INSTANTLY - no leaving the house.)

I just downloaded:

The Love Language Minute Devotional
New Day, New You
The Good Mood Diet
Anna Karenina
Crime and Punishment

Not sure I'll get into Crime and Punishment (or Anna Karenina, for that matter) on the computer ... but who knows.

USPS.com

I saved a lot of hassle and some moolah all without leaving my home.

I used USPS.com's online postage printing option. I mailed 5 packages for $27.05 - with delivery confirmation included. Had I gone to the post office and juggled all the packages and my children and dealt with the sighs and general awesome attitude of USPS employees, I would have paid $32.10 for the same service. I saved $5.05 or about 15 percent ... and gas ... and time ... and sanity.

They'll even come to my front porch and pick up the packages :)

Pretty cool.

USPS.com

How to Get the Stank out of Cloth Diapers

I use cloth diapers with my youngest son. Lately, they've developed a very strong stank. There's just no other way to put it ... they smell like crap.

I have several friends who cloth diaper and they never complain about this problem. They suggested Oxiclean, sun bleaching, and a few other things. I've tried them. The diapers still smell.

I tossed a 1/2 cup of baking soda in the wash. I put vinegar in the fabric softener compartment. The diapers were 80 percent less stanky after that wash. They've now been washed a second time in that concoction ... good as new.

I used this same combo with my towels, and they are quite a bit fluffier.

Dear Baking Soda and Vinegar: I love you.

Pantry Challenge Continues

Deep in the depths of my cabinet, I find a half bag of something stashed away in Tupperware. What is it? Oh, it's Classy Chocolate Pound Cake from Tastefully Simple. Interesting. That product hasn't been in the last three catalogs ... making it at least 18 months old.

Was still delicious.

We have an abundance of raisins and oatmeal in the house, so I searched the internet for a semi-healthy oatmeal raisin cookie recipe. I found this by Nick Malgieri. Malgieri has a book called Perfect Light Desserts: Fabulous Cakes, Cookies, Pies, and More Made with Real Butter, Sugar, Flour, and Eggs, All Under 300 Calories Per Generous Serving. (What a title.) Internet reviews of his oatmeal raisin cookie recipe have raved about it, so I think I'll give it a try. If it's a success, I may have to consider his book.

Husband made the first official grocery run: $18.53

Book Review: Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner

Goodnight Nobody is Jennifer Weiner's fourth book. Her first book, Good in Bed, was well received and earned her a crown in the "chick-lit" realm of reading.

In Goodnight Nobody, we meet Kate Klein. Once upon a time, Kate lived in New York City. She lived with her crazy best friend Janie and the two of them worked at a celebrity news magazine. She, a girl with big thighs and big hair, was head over heels for her next door neighbor, who was engaged to a model. Anyway, time has a funny way of changing things. She now lives in Connecticut with her workaholic husband and is a stay-at-home mom of three. It's all boring her to death till she walks in on her Stepford-bot neighbor, Kitty ... who is dead with a knife in her back.

The murder sparks Kate back to life. Her desire to write is spurred up again, and she finds herself knee deep into some serious investigative journalism. Oh, and that handsome neighbor reappears.

The book was great ... until the last 20 pages. Things were wrapped up a bit sloppy. Without giving anything away, I'm left wondering: What happened to that one? (We don't find out.) The president, really? (Yes.)

I suspect the ending is left so as an opening to a sequel. I hope so.

There's a lot of great stuff in there on the reality of motherhood and marriage and the importance of female friendships - Janie, the BFF, is a riot. Weiner's writing has matured a good deal from Good in Bed, and I find Kate more likable and real than Cannie (the main character from Good in Bed, who sort of annoyed me).

Read it, if you have the time.

Book Review: The Private Lives of Pippa Lee by Rebecca Miller

I wrapped up The Private Lives of Pippa Lee by Rebecca Miller in just two days. The story is about Pippa, who is 50 and moves into a retirement community with her 80 year old husband. Despite her seemingly bland existence, we learn about her checkered past and eventually learn that things in tidy, little Marigold Village are not as perfect as they seem.

It was a good story, an easy read. The story and writing are a bit more sophisticated than typical chick-lit (but not far above it).

Must read? Skip it? Read it, if you have the time? Read it, if you have the time.

Pantry Challenge

MoneySavingMom is one of my favorite sites. She keeps the site updated with great sales and coupon links.

This month, MoneySaving Mom is offering the Eat from the Pantry Challenge. The idea is that all us "dealseekers" build up quite a stash over the year. We fill our pantries and freezers ... and we sometimes forget to use all that stuff. So, it's time to deplete it!

For the month of January, my family is joing the Eat from the Pantry Challenge. Our goals:

• Buy ONLY diary, fresh produce, eggs, and sliced bread from the grocery store.
• Save at least $200 from our grocery budget.

My family actually started this challenge on December 28. That's one week, and I haven't missed stockpiling at the grocery store AT ALL!

We've enjoyed some simple meals that I haven't prepared in a long time - hardboiled eggs for breakfast and tomato soup (which I always get for next to nothing) and grilled cheese for lunch.

Welcome

Welcome to Committed Housewife, a place for household fun, book reviews, and more.

After keeping a personal blog for five years, I decided it's time to have something public to share with my internet friends.

Enjoy!