Recipe Remix



Our kitchen about 6 months ago...it's not that white or empty anymore!


I don't think it will surprise anyone that I am constantly looking for ways to organize and simplify pretty much everything in my life.  My biggest focus is finding ways to do this is the kitchen.  It is almost 1/4 of our living area and every family gathering includes the kitchen.  I also have big plans for growing and storing our own fruits and veggies in the next few years - I need an organized space to make it work.  I am constantly cleaning and organizing it, only to have it fall into a disaster zone after a week (or a busy weekend of DIY).  With the summer fast approaching, our plans are to finish the kitchen cabinets (including buying, installing and painting them).  This means I can FINALLY unpack all the boxes for the kitchen!! So excited! 

One of the most unorganized things in my kitchen are my recipes.  It seems like this would be a pretty small issue, but I constantly have recipes laying around that I have printed from the internet, torn out of magazines, copied from a friend, ect...Then I either leave them on the counter or put them in a "safe" place - never to be seen again.  Not a great system.  I also love sharing recipes with Felicia and Jamie, but sometimes it can be a hassle calling them for the same recipe 2 or 3 times because I can't find it.

So one day I decided there had to be an online solution.  Most of the recipes I use are online anyways - so it would definitely be greener to stop printing recipes and save them online instead.  Also, if I need a recipe just before I start dinner I search online instead of trying to find it in my random stacks of papers.  When I was talked to Jamie and Felicia, they both loved the idea - so we decided to start a Three Peas Create recipe library.  We all have access to it on our computers, tablets and phones - so pretty much anytime, anywhere we want it.

Once I started looking I found a few good options, a few bad options, and a few great options - but most of them either didn't have all the options we wanted or we had to pay for them.  Boo!  I finally found a site called Pepperplate*.  It didn't do everything we wanted - but it did most of it.  So after a few month of using it - I can definitely recommend it if you are looking for something to store recipes online. 

Here is a view of the main page once you log in:

 

It's very simple looking, which I really like.  The only downside is there is only one page of recipes - you can't make seperate pages for the different types of recipes you add.  What you can do is catagorize each recipe, so if you want Entrees you can select that catagory and it will only show those recipes.  You create your own catagories so you can organize it however you would like. 

Here is a view of a recipe I manually input.  All the recipes look the same, except the ones from websites say where they are from and will allow you to link directly to the website.  One of my favorite features is the ability to change the scale of the recipe.  The original recipe can be multiplied or divided automatically - so no math when you are trying to change a recipe!

This site lets you add recipes 3 ways:

Download recipes directly from certain websites, manually create a recipe,  

 or you can use the bookmarklet and add recipes from any website.  You just copy and paste the information and it formats it for you.  I keep the booklet in my favorites bar, so it's easy to find when I am looking online.

I have used all three options and they are all very easy to use.  The only downside is you can only add recipes from your computer/laptop.  You can do everything else on your tablet or phone, just not add recipes.

This site also has the ability to create menus, weekly planners and a shopping list.  Again, all things I have found very easy to use. 

These are available on all the recipe pages so you can add a recipe quickly:

Here's the screen to create a Menu.  You can create as many as you want.  Obviously I need to start using this more...

And here is the Weekly Planner...which I don't use, but would be good for some people.  I have just found that if I am too structured it can be just as bad as no planning at all.

 And finally, here is the shopping cart.  It is great because you can add the ingredients directly from a recipe as you add them to your menu/planner.  You also have the option of not adding ingredients that you already have stocked.  It divides everything into catagories, which is helpful when you are shopping - to cutdown on time and impulse buys.   

     

Overall, I am really happy with the way this site works.  I need to work on using it for more than just storing recipes.  I think next month I will put my whole menu into it to see how I like it. 

Has anyone else found a great way to store their recipes?  Sometimes I miss using the pretty recipe cards and holders - but I never used them anyways.  Plus, one of the fun features I am adding to my kitchen is a tablet station so I can use it for recipes.  I can't wait to share all the things I plan to do in my kitchen!!   

*Pepperplate has no idea I wrote about them today, but you should check them out!

Where did all the marshmallows go?

I have a bit of a standing joke at the house. If you go potty - you get marshmallows. This is mostly for my son, who is learning to use the potty. I started giving him mini Oreo's for going potty, but the marshmallows work better. One day I bought some marshmallows and Xander wanted a corn dog for his dinner. So he was bartering with me, first he wanted 3 marshmallows and some how he got up to six. He said "first corn dog then six marshmallows", I said "yes" now every time he gets a corn dog he can't help but say "then six marshmallows". He stopped saying it because he wasn't always getting them - It was so cute though! 

The marshmallows turned out to be a highly motivated reason to go potty. I started leaving them out on the dining room table where my son passes throughout the day. One day he started asking to go potty so that he can have his special treat. It worked! 

One day, I was getting marshmallows for my son and they were dried out. Then I noticed there we're bite marks in the bag. I threw it out and got a new bag. I covered up the new bag, but that defeated the purpose plus it didn't work. I ended up throwing out another new bag that had bite marks. For now I have a plastic jug with a lid and a spout. I was hoping the marshmallows would pour out but they get stuck. I want to get a small glass candy or cookie jars with lids so my son can see them easily. Beth's cat loves marshmallows so I checked to see if Hannah does and she ate it, I couldn't believe it. So now I know - don't keep marshmallows out or the cat will eat them. That is so strange to me! 

Subscription Boxes (Conscious Box)

Who doesn't love mail, especially when it's fun and in a box?! Subscription boxes are popping up everywhere. You can get a box in the mail, weekly or monthly, with a theme. You pay a flat fee and get a fun surprise delivered to your door. It's hard to know what one to get with so many out there; pets, babies, kids, food, clothes and beauty to name a few. They even have ones for lovers and fly fishers. Once you pick a theme, you then need to pick a company or box to go with. Some of the subscription boxes give big discounts for your first box and others offer the first box free, so you can try it to see what you think.

I have gotten a few boxes from a different companies. A few days ago, a new one that I was very excited about came in the mail. Conscious Box is all about good things for you and the earth. I really like the idea of that.

Here is how it came:

I tore into it to find......another box.

Next I found a message on very pretty paper. This is where I found the first part I did not like. The paper talks about a contest you can enter to win three favorite things. The problem was I received my box on March 3rd and the last day to enter the contest was February 28. I do realize the dates are close, but my box was not shipped until March 1st, so it just seems kinda tacky to me. A plus side is that it got to me super fast from the ship date.

Inside the box I received: Flor* Essence (Detox), 3 tea bags from Mighty Leaf Tea, a Vitamin D3 gummy, a Numi Tea bag, Sleep Squares, Two Degrees bar, a tea bag of Quit Tea (no information with this one, I knew it was to help with quitting smoking but only because I have seen it before), Hemp Hearts, BumBoosa baby wipe, Cram, Zarbees Naturals daytime drink, Omega-3 Pet and a few crazy coupons.

 

 This box is $19.99 a month and comes in original (this one), vegan and gluten free. To be honest - I was really disappointed with this one. I feel like it just is not worth the money, and the reason why is because most everything in the box is a one time use sample. Most companies gives samples like these out for free. In fact, the reason I know about Quit Tea is because it was an add on a website I was reading a week ago and they were offering a free sample just like this one. Why spend $19.99 a month on stuff when you could search the internet, call or write the company and ask for a sample?

When I went online to cancel my subscription a page came up with everything that was in my box, so I could rate it. I found two items they said they sent me, but were not in my box. Another upside was that it was very easy to cancel on the website. I just filled out a small questionnaire asking for me to rate the box and why I would like to cancel and I was done. I would not order this one again, but a new subscription box should be here in a week or two and we can try again. :)

Mostly Chemical Free

I have been slowly moving towards a chemical free household for a few years now.  I started buying less toxic, more earth (and people) friendly, all natural cleaning products in the grocery store around 5 years ago. At the time, at least at the stores I shopped at, there was a very limited selection.  Most were either not all natural or they were too pricy.  Eventually I started looking at what could be homemade.  I wasn't completely sure about making them myself, but I started buying from online retailers who made homemade products (like Mrs Jones Soapbox).  I love these products, but one of the biggest drawbacks is I never remember to order them before I run out.  After using these for several years, I realised that I wanted to find ways to reduce the cost even more.  It isn't that the products are too pricey, they are about the same price as everyone's favorites at the store if you buy the refills, but one of my long term goals is to reduce the overall amount we spend on household items.  One of the most used household cleaning items in my house is laundry soap.  I was spending around $65-80 per year on laundry soap alone, which worked out to be an average of $6 a month - that isn't bad at all.  However, when I bought all of the items to make my own it was about $35, and I am only halfway through it after a year...so I think it will be around $1.50 per month.  Plus, after spending about an hour making it (only because the shredding can take forever - even with a food processor), I haven't had to worry about whether I needed to buy more. 

My biggest worry was if my clothes would feel clean, which they do.  I have really sensitive skin and can't use most laundry detergents from the store, but I have had no problems with this soap.  It never leaves a residue and everything comes out clean.  The basic version I have smells nice, but after the clothes are washed there is no scent.  I have tried several different ways to get the scent to "stick" but I haven't been very successful.  I have even tried a few essential oils on wool dryer balls, but soaking them before throwing them in the dryer didn't work.

  This is where the "mostly chemical free" comes in.  After a year of searching for a scent we both could live with and would stick to our clothes, I gave up and bought Purex Crystals to use.  Lots of the homemade recipes use them anyways, but I really wanted to avoid artificial scents if I could.  I don't add them to the laundry soap but directly into the bin with the clothes.  This allows me to limit the amount I use, the directions say to use half of a capful (about 1/8 cup I think) but I only put about 1/2 -1 teaspoon in - it's either really strong or maybe it's just that I haven't had any scent on my clothes in so long.  I chose the Purex Crystals because they say they are 87% natural crystals - who knows if it matters but it makes me feel better.  So far it seems to be working well, but I will continue looking for a better alternative. 

As for the other cleaners I use around the house, I am continuing to use the stuff I bought from Mrs. Jones Soapbox.  As they run out I plan to find a homemade recipe to make instead of buy, hopefully they all work out as well as my laundry soap has.  My next experiment is to try to make dishwasher soap and regular dish soap - I'm getting dangerously low!

 

If you would like to give all natural cleaning a try, but don't want make your own, give some of the great in-store and online options a try.  If you want to make your own laundry soap - I have a quick list below of what I used or search around for one that you think will work for you.  It's definitely worth the effort.

1 box of Borax ~5 lbs

1 box of Baking Soda ~4lbs

1 box of Washing Soda ~3 lbs

1 box Oxi Clean ~3 lbs

3 bars FelsNaptha, shredded

1 bar Coconut Oil based soap, shredded

Combine in a garbage bag, this helps keep the dust down, and find a big container to store it all in.  You can see the 10 gallon jar I used below.  It wasn't filled all the way to the top,

but it is still half full a year later!!



psst - Don't mind the dust all over - I swept it up after I realised it was so bad (but after I took this picture), and the trim in the back is going to be covered by a bench eventually. :)

psst part two - Mrs. Jones Soapbox has no idea I wrote about their products - I just like them. 

Oh Fabric! Let me count the ways...

I love fabric...I collect it, I sometimes use it, I always see more than I can buy and everytime I want to see one I have and pull it from the stack I have to refold it - along with several others above and below!  Anyone who missed how much I hate folding should see this post.

In an effort to reduce my folding frustration I (again) went to Pinterest.  I found several ways that people have organized their fabrics, but this is the one I like the most.  I bought two file cabinets from Target, which I use as the legs on my sewing table.  I would love to show you a picture of my awesome sewing room...except it is full of boxes, piles of random stuff and a path between the desk and door - lol - it's a work in progress.  I love hanging my fabric, and if I had 4 more filing cabinets I might actually have enough room for all of the fabric I hoard have.  There are less wrinkles and it is way easier to see what I have than the random way it was organized before (haha as if it was organized).   

It is a tiny step in the bigger project of organizing my sewing room, and even my house as a whole, but it has made such a big difference.  Not only has it helped keep my organizing train on track, but I have already used several pieces of fabrics to complete a few projects!!