New week and some of last week’s stuff 2022 #6

First is my new to do list.  It includes more cleaning and organizing projects I hope to get done this week but they may carryover into February.


It wasn’t on the list but I decided our food pantry needed some organization and cleaning out as well.

The canned goods were all on the bottom shelf and were hard to keep organized and to see what was in the back so the main change was I moved the canned goods up to the second shelf from the bottom.

I also refilled the clear square canisters. Over the last few months as they were emptied, they were washed and stored away in a lower kitchen cabinet. I got them all out and refilled them with our snacks and crackers and baking items.

I also did a little organizing in the baking cabinet.

The baking ingredient cabinet is right over the counter where the microwave used to be in the corner. Now the mixer is there holding some decorative bowls when it’s not being used. And all of the counter space is wide open so when I do get ready to bake or cook something, there is room to work.

Another area that has been bugging me was this narrow freezer space of our refrigerator. I’ve been trying to plan meals around the food that was in this freezer to make some more space in it. And then this weekend I pulled everything out and put it back in in a more organized way. On the top shelf in the red basket are nuts. On the next shelf are Popsicles where the children can easily get out the one they want. On the next shelf in that clear shoebox container are meets. And then in the bottom are things like frozen vegetables and fruits in bags.



I also cleaned out the cold side of the refrigerator but there are no before or after pictures. You all have seen messy refrigerators and straightened up refrigerators.

Oven was needing cleaned. So I ran the self cleaning cycle on both ovens yesterday. For the oven racks, I put them in a bathtub and sprayed them down with Dawn power wash several times. The Dawn did a really good job on them. They don’t look brand new but a whole Lotta stuff washed off of them and they look good enough to me. I wiped out the oven this morning when they were cool. The only problem area is a little tiny grease splatters burned onto the window glass. In the past I tried the vinegar and baking soda method  that so many people recommend but that didn’t do the job. So I’m planning on getting some spray on oven cleaner just for that glass and see if that works. I saw other people recommended it so I’ll let you know. 

Below is the link for the door rack we bought.  So far, we like it just fine  There are many door racks for sale on Amazon and Walmart and eBay.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0924GX2ZQ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details

I’m hoping we all have productive weeks. But so far it’s 10 o’clock and all I’ve done is start laundry and put the oven back together so………..

I think I’ll publish this post and put this iPad down and get busy doing more things around my home. Hope you all have a great day 

❤️ Rhonda 

Junk pantry clean out 2022 #5

It was a big and messy project but the it’s finished and the junk pantry is now the microwave closet.  

 It’s hard to photograph as it has a narrow door and the shelves extend more than a foot on each side of the door.  

Right side 

Left side 

The process ——

The pantry had to be emptied and it was all spread out on the kitchen counters and the dining table  😱 what a mess process!

My husband added boards to make the 3 lower shelves 4 inches wider- that made the microwave shelf wide enough to hold the whole oven and it increased the storage space on all 3 shelves a lot. 

He was cutting the wood outside on a very cold day and then coming in and out of the house so  that’s why he is wearing the very warm hat 

He also removed an obsolete home security box from this pantry and that added some storage space. 

Because that previous system was electric, there was already an electric receptacle where the microwave could be plugged and get power.  

I added new shelf paper and cut it on the breakfast room table.  

Its plain white Duck brand, made in the USA and bought at Lowes.  I’ve put shelf paper on every shelf in our house and Duck brand holds up the very best.  



The new rack on the door is from Amazon.  It adds more storage and is narrow enough that it does not hit the pantry shelves when the door closed. 

Side by side 

  
before                                                                                        After 

If you’re wondering about the pink roses,  I redid this pantry back in 2010, when sponge painting roses was a shabby chic thing 

http://ifyoudostuff.blogspot.com/2010/03/pantry-re-dos-projects-that-i-thought.html

❤️ Rhonda 

New weeks to do list, a few doings and a free bread cookbook - 2022 #4

I don’t know how much of this I’ll accomplish but I made a new list for the week- at least I have a plan 

One of the big tasks I want to do is move our microwave to the junk pantry, which at the moment, has way more unorganized junk in it than it should. 

This photo is at the beginning - it’s hard to photograph this little closet as it has a narrow door, no light and the shelves extend past the door on both sides.  

But it does have an electric plug where the microwave can be plugged in.

It will be a big project so I decided to try to clean off 1 shelf at a time (and after I took the photo, I cleaned off the top shelf) 

😱😱😱😱 why do I have 3 open bottles of Febreeze and I think those flyswatters can be put away until spring 

It will be better when I show it again.   

I saw some oranges and grapefruit that needed used so peeled them and also made some sugar free pudding and jello cups for easy snacks.  

A local friend of mine that raises and milks dairy cows with her husband shared this Oklahoma bread cookbook on Facebook.  I thought  many of the recipes sounded really good.  The link is below the photo.  

https://online.fliphtml5.com/fngai/pgjw/?fbclid=IwAR17vzYmdLv7Dj5z8ZZkb_EMo5At1zR6-C6x9WAFkeXPH-ixukMg0gszlvg#p=1

❤️ Rhonda 

Last week’s list is still this weeks list 2022 #3

Hello everyone, 

I had big homemaking plans when the new year started but not much of it has happened yet.  

I thought I was over than awful cold from December but had a set back for a few more days in January 

and some things away from our home keep me busy some days.  

So,  I didn’t make a new list for this week, I’m still working on the list I made last week.  

     

The things listed under January are not things I thought I would accomplish that first week anyway, just things I hope to do this month.  

If they get done, great! And if not,  I’ll try to do them in February.  

I’m home all day yesterday and today so I got a big grocery order yesterday and today I made a salad and sandwich box that we like so much



And I baked a pan of bars.  

https://barefeetinthekitchen.com/almond-bars/

they are good, not the best thing I’ve ever baked but still good.  

My husband and I are reading the Bible through this year with these and we really like the commentary added to each section 

They were purchased from 

https://www.shopguideposts.org/

I’m working on plastic canvas and have cut out lots of small things to stitch.  

Snow winter decorations - you may think snowmen are just for Christmas decorating but I like them for winter.  
This little table is by our fireplace. 

Hope you all are fine, staying warm and avoiding the plague.  

❤️ Rhonda 

More lentil tacos 2022 #2

We have really become fans of lentil tacos.  They taste good, they cook quick, they’re healthy and they don’t cost much. 

I came across a different lentil taco recipe I used a few years ago and I remade a triple batch of them today.  

The recipe is written for a slow cooker but I cooked them on the stove top today.  

They could be vegetarian or vegan but I used homemade chicken broth.  

Slow cooker lentil tacos

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup brown lentils, rinsed 

1/2 t garlic salt

1 T chili powder

1/2 t oregano 

2 t cumin

Black pepper as desired

1 can of green chili and tomatoes- Rotel, 10 ounce or so (I used Aldi ones) OR 1 cup salsa 

2 cups water

2 bouillon cubes- vegetable bouillon would be vegetarian but I used chicken as that’s what I had 

Put all the ingredients in a slow cooker, stir, cover and cook on high 4 hours, until the lentils are tender. 

I had to add about a cup of water halfway through.  

So plan to check on the lentils a couple of times during cooking.  

You want the lentils to cook and not dry up but the finished dish should not be juicy.  

We had them as taco salads and will have them one more time this week.  

I had a box of the 4 taco salad shells that needed used so that’s why we will have them twice so close together. 

I’ve never been a wasteful cook but current grocery prices have me even more cautious about not wasting.  

And the rest of that triple batch of lentil tacos are now in the freezer for future meals- especially when I haven’t planned ahead and need a meal fast. 

And I promise not to post about lentils again, at least for awhile.  

❤️ Rhonda 

December recap and 2022 post #1

Hello everyone 

First, I hope this new year will be wonderful for everyone

Our New Years Day traditions are to have this little guy on display 

And we eat black eye peas, rice and cabbage.  This year we had ham with pineapple sauce and corn fritters too.  

December was not the best month.  My husband and I both ended up with terrible colds and we stayed home for days and days.  

No cooking was done except we ate buttered toast for most every breakfast 

And chicken noodle supper for the other meals we were hungry,  

Looking at the candy cane Christmas tree while I was sick made me not like it at all,  so when we both were feeling better,  we redecorated the tree with ornaments.  

I like it much better and the kiddos have loved having candy canes to munch on.  So it all worked out just fine. 

We had a fun family Christmas with 15 of  us here.  

We had catering from Chipotle.  I was feeling better but not up to cooking much.  

We rented a bounce house for the backyard.  

We had mini gingerbread houses to decorate and the kiddos loved unwrapping a Saran Wrap prize ball and their Christmas gifts 

I’m hoping to blog more in 2022 and will see how it goes.  

I’m not making resolutions but I have written up a few goals and plans.  

I’ll share those tomorrow.  

Happy 2022 everyone 🎉

❤️ Rhonda