Thursday, January 18, 2007

Cooking, Cleaning, and Dreaming

As I take a break between cleaning two bathrooms, I have a random list of questions.

1. What are the next 3 meals you're planning to make? (I need inspiration.)
2. What is the latest dream you had that prompted you to action? (I'm curious.)
3. What speed cleaning tips actually work for you? (I need real life advice.)

Here are my answers.
1. Next 3 meals:
a. Tonight-spaghetti w/ real meat sauce for the menfolk, same except w/ Boca burger ground "meat" for Sarah and me; salad and garlic toast.
b. Friday night - Black Bean Soup with Limed-up Shrimp (Rachael Ray, Express Lane) --I'm trying to make 27 new things this year and this will be #3.
c. Saturday Night: Chicken Noodle Soup, salad?, rolls

2. Latest dream was less than a week ago. It has become a short, very short, story on this blog. See my post of part 1, "Mystery at the Victorian Manse" (below). It has increased my burden to share Jesus in the time I have left. (Part 2 coming soon. )

3. Speed cleaning tips:
a. Set the timer and race it. Most jobs take less time than I think.
b. Use 2 hands when cleaning. I don't always remember to do this, but it helps when I do.
c. Start with a strong cleaner smell that I like (for motivation). My latest fave: Lysol PowerOns GelToilet Bowl Cleaner (Target: less than $2.) I bought one for each bathroom and use it right before company comes! I start the bathroom cleaning with it, let it set while cleaning the sink, mirror, shower areas.

That's my post for the day, straight from the corner of "Mundane and Grace," as one book is so aptly titled.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

1. What are the next 3 meals you're planning to make? (I need inspiration.)

Tonight: Penne pasta with chunks of mozz. cheese with tomato sauce and a side salad.

Tomorrow: Stuffed tomatoes with a ground beef, onion, pepper mixture and topped with chedder cheese and broiled.

That's all I know thus far.

2. What is the latest dream you had that prompted you to action? (I'm curious.)

I can't say I've ever had a dream that prompted me to action. My last dream was that the other girl who's pregnant with twins here at work passed out and I was worried about her. That's all I remember.

3. What speed cleaning tips actually work for you? (I need real life advice.)

I don't speed clean very well.

Bethany said...

Bagel with Cream Cheese
Oatmeal
Pancakes
HEE HEE. Actually Aaron has been doing ALL and I mean ALL the cooking lately. If it looks appealing I eat it if not I eat Oatmeal

Do you mean like sleep dreams that spur you to action or like day dreams?

Hmmm. I am not fast at anything right now but I like cleaner to do the work so I spray down my bathrooms and then come back. Set the timer and see how fast I can vac...or dust or whatever. Usually I can do it in less than 10 min especially when I am racing the clock. There are lots of fun tips on Flylady site.

Bethany said...

Like your new colors. Very regal.

Zoanna said...

I was thinking sleep dreams but hey if you have a compelling daydream,do tell!Thanks for the compliment on the colors.I love purple. Wish I knew how to make a really cool blog page, but I guess it hasn't mattered enough to me lately to do something about that.
I am a flybaby myself!

Briana Almengor said...

1. Next 3 meals:
--Hamburger/noodle/cheese bake type thing, similar to hamburger helper but homemade.

--Homemade potato soup with corn and carrots (very, very yummy winter soup)

--Probably a crock pot roast

2. Last dream that prompted me to action:
my dreams are usually scary, freaky and to twisted to mention on a blog. As for prompting me to action...it's usually not to any good action, so again, I'll refrain.

3. speed cleaning tips:
I don't know if it's speed cleaning, but just developing the habit of always picking up, putting away, throwing away, doing just a little here and a little there so that things do not accumulate and become one gigantic task...that's my way of trying to stay on top of orderliness in my home. Can't say that I'm always so successful with the constant interruption of 2 two yr. olds, but if you're ever in my home at any given time, I'm usually in constant movement cleaning up.

Vicki said...

Meals: This won't be too helpful as my migraine meds are giving me symptoms that mimic morning sickness so anything carbs: 1. cereal, 2. PB sandwiches, 3.brown rice with peas and cheddar cheese

Latest dream that motivated: I recently dreamt about a friend who is very sick. It motivated me to pray more for that person that they would be healed.

Speed cleaning: When I am dragging my feet to clean I start by watching the show "Clean House" on the Style channel. It is a show about people with REALLY messy houses. Then on the commercials I start to clean my house, as the show progresses I get very motivated and am on a roll. I also ask myself as I am de-cluttering my house and deciding whether to keep something or good will it or throw it away, "Will keeping this item make my life more chaotic/cluttered or less chaotic?" Many times I hold on to things thinking someday I might use this... and years have passed and I have never used it. I look at the houses on "Clean House" and think wouldn't it be nice to have a de-cluttered house... after getting rid of some things I can finally say, "Yes it IS nice to have a de-cluttered house."

Kitty Couture said...

Did Blogger eat my comment this morning? I hope I didn't say anything wrong, Zo. I love you!

Rachelle said...

1. What are the next 3 meals you're planning to make? (I need inspiration.)
My meal plans probably wouldn't help those on the Daniel Diet as we tend to eat meat at most meals (since we are cattle ranchers)!
Tonight I am planning a salad with leftover thinly sliced steak topped with guacamole and a little ranch dressing.
Tommorow we must have burgers b/c there is a little bday boy with that request. I found a great southwest burger recipe on Foodnetwork.com and I have a fantastic baked fries recipe-yum! for bday dessert he wants cherry cobbler (great taste for a 6 yr old)!
Lastly, we will have a wild rice chicken soup I will "crock pot" on Sunday.

2. What is the latest dream you had that prompted you to action? (I'm curious.) I am a dreamer (in more ways than one) and have dreams every night. Recently I dreamt that my neice was pg and lost a baby girl. This has prompted my to pray for her even though she is not planning a baby right now.

3. What speed cleaning tips actually work for you? (I need real life advice.) I put my kids to work! :) Really, I put on a timer and we all together have a big ten min. tidy!

Zoanna said...

Bri, could you post your potato soup recipe? I've been wanting that kind of soup. If it's milk-based, I'll try substituting Lactaid.

Bethany--Hang in there. This too shall pass, but pancakes and oatmeal have been my staples, too, during pregnancy. I see it's nearly 1:30 here, so 10:30 your time. I'm praying for you as you're at the doctor's.

Tori, sorry to hear about the migraines. That's terrible. PB sandwiches have the best combo of protein and carbs going!

Rachelle, I want that steak salad recipe! SEriously. I get red meat twice a month on this diet--I choose the 11th and 22nd, so hurry up! (Please,I mean. Please hurry up!)

Isabelle, I never saw a comment this morning, so Blogger must've eaten it. You have NEVER said anything wrong here and I know absolutely you love me. It's mutual!

Danielle, any cleaning tips at all, slow or speedy?

Rachelle said...

I am an honest-to-goodness "pantry cook"...meaning I adjust recipes according to what I have on hand.
For my steak salad tonight I have left over bacon wrapped filet mignon. I know I sound like a grocery snob, but I have the steaks b/c I have been buying a grocery "menu" every month through an organization called Angel Food (to cut down my $$$ bill). Here's my recipe:
Salad:
1 head romaine lettuce, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 head Iceberg lettuce, cut into bite-sized pieces (I like the crunch)
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced into rings
3 cups fresh baby spinach (if you like)
Tomatoes cut into small pieces
Celery chopped
1 Carrot grated
Toss all in a big bowl.

Guacamole:
1 Avacado scooped out and mashed
1 tomato chopped
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
dash of lemon juice(fresh/bottled)
opt. dash of pepper sauce (I like chinese sichaun, but tobasco would do)
Stir all together in a bowl.

1 pound steak (such as New York, rib-eye or filet mignon), pan-fried or grilled and chilled.
Cut the steaks crosswise into thin slices.

I like to top mine w/ a little ranch dressing, but I am posting a vinagrette for you. That I think agrees with the DD.

Red Wine Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup olive oil

Put each salad serving on a plate, top with a generous dollop of guacamole. then drizzle with dressing. Put the steak atop the sald and drizzle with a little more dressing if you want. This is good served with a little crumbled cheese also, I like a very sharp cheddar.
Enjoy!

FishMama said...

Y'all are making me hungry!

1.a. dinner out with hubby - woohoo!
1.b. roast chicken, mashed golden potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, salad
1.c. carnitas soft tacos

Zoanna said...

Oh, RAchelle, you have outdone yourself by posting this so fast and with the option of non-dairy dressing. sounds wonderful!! On my 11th day I can eat WHATEVER and I DO, even tho I live to regret the dairy. (It doesn't like me, if you get the picture.) Thanks so much! And I, too, buy the best steaks at a place called Chesapeake Quality Traders. The owner sells it for liek 2 bucks a pound. (It's a guy who used to work as a distributor and saw all the waste there is in the food service industry. Restaurants won't keep a pallet that has one forklift ding in it, if the product inside isn't damaged. So a full 25% of food in AMerica goes to waste just this way alone! CQT sells restaurant quality not grocery store quality which is price driven,not taste-driven. I scoop up whatever deals he has on meat and dessert as often as possible!

Renee said...

You have very good and clever friends Zoanna. They answered with many details, even the recipes! I could better tell what we ate for the 3 past days, rather than for the 3 coming days, because I don't plan like that, except for Sunday or when we have guests. I buy what I find the cheapest in the stores, usually it fits for the 3 or 4 coming days. I don't decide what I'll buy. I really buy what is the cheapest for the meat, and then I choose what it good to accomodate with it. We have a tight budget and I manage with what I find. The secret is to know how to do lovely and good things with plain and cheap products.

Just Jonna said...

Next three meals:

1.Spaghetti and salad
2.green beans, baby taters, and smoked sausage all in the crockpot
3.Taco Salad

I don't remember my dreams really, or if I do, they are usually all garbled.

Speed cleaning tip:
Stay gone! lol
ok, not really ;-)
I tend to work better if I focus on one area at a time. (This is pretty basic for most people, but maybe I'm a little ADD) If I tell myself to clean the kitchen, I never know where to start, but if I make a list; ie clear the table, wash the dishes, sweep the floor; it's doable.