Organizing a Spaghetti Fundraiser

As many of you know, I went on a construction mission trip last year down to the Dominican Republic.  I wasn't able to go again this year, but I wanted to help the team going raise funds for building supplies, so a friend and I decided to host a spaghetti dinner.

I wanted to share my tips for cooking for 30 people and staying organized....

1 - Pick something easy and that is cost efficient.  I picked pasta because it took almost the same work to make it for a huge group vs. a small group.   Also, I was able to plan ahead and buy sauce and noodles on sale since they kept well.  I started about 2 months before I was planning on hosting and capitalized on store BOGOs and Super Double Coupons.

2 - Add a simple homemade touch.  I picked simple items to add to store-bought sauce, such as ground beef and veggies.   Make the items going into the sauce the evening before.

Here is how I did this:
-For meat sauce, I browned the meat and refrigerated it in a Premier (seen in 2nd photo on left of stove)
-For veggies sauce, I sauteed onions, tomatoes, and zucchini.

That way, the day of, I was able to toss the ingredients plus store-bought pasta sauce into the microwave in a 14 cup Premier to get warm since the stove was fully used for different pasta types. Since I work until 5pm, this was really helpful in saving time.

3- Give a range of time for people to stop by. This minimized the seats needed, because people came over a 3 hour span of time.  Also, if the weather is good, utilize inside and outside seating so that people can spread out.

4- Provide a "on the go" option for people in a rush or with other commitments that wanted to support yet couldn't sit for awhile.  We sold 3 dinners this way by putting them in TakeAlongs.

5- Provide a shoebox or other box for silent donations, so people are able to freely give what they would like.  For this purpose we suggested the amount you would spend on groceries or eating out on a weeknight.

Overall, it was a great success.  Let me know if you have any tips for organizing fundraisers for future ones!

Carafe Helps Summer Entertaining

One of my favorite Rubbermaid products for the Summer is our new beverage carafe.  It has graduation marks on the side for measuring and a nice dual pour spout.  I used a pair for a recent cookout and found them really helpful.  I also like that they are clear so they add a little color to the table.

Pantry for One, Anyone?

I recently wrote a guest post for lonelygourmet.com. However, it was so great I decided to post it here also. AND GUESS WHAT? The post was so great I was invited to their radio show Foodie Fridays on Friday May 14th at 7 pm EST. So join in :)

For while now I have been talking to Laurie (aka @lonelygourmet) on Twitter. We have something in common. Most of the time we are both cooking for one. Laurie gives great advice via Twitter and her web site for singles cooking for themselves.

Like Laurie, I have gotten TIRED and SICK of going out to eat and microwaving frozen meals. I have started to cook more often and testing out recipes. However, I feel like I am never prepared; I don’t know what basics I should have in my pantry. The other day, I finally asked Laurie what she would recommend that I stock my pantry with!

Here is what she gave me (that I slightly changed it to fit my needs):
 
Laurie’s List:   

•    Flour               
•    Sugar
•    Oatmeal
•    Rice
•    Cereal
•    Spaghetti/noodles
•    Chips
•    Cat/dog food
•    Coffee/tea
•    Miscellaneous pre-mixed seasoning packets (taco seasoning, gravy packet, etc)

Spices:
•    Minced onions
•    Garlic
•    Salt
•    Pepper
•    Italian Seasoning
•    Poultry Seasoning
•    Pumpkin Pie Spice 

I then decided to give Laurie some advice about how one would go about organizing all these supplies in their pantry! The first step is to put those supplies that come in awkward bags in canisters – Modular Canisters that take up less room in your pantry. Also, LABEL!!! Baking soda and baking powder look very similar so pull out a Sharpie or label maker and label (with expiration date).

 Next is group like items together on your shelves. I have all my baking supplies on one shelf (high up because I do not bake as often as I cook), all my tea and coffee together (lower shelf because I use these everyday and it’s easy to reach), all my chips/snacks together, etc.

 

If you have wire shelves in your pantry like me, here is a suggestion. Your spices and packets probably fall over and tumble between the wires. I put the packets into an extra Modular Canister I had with the lid off and the spices into a TakeAlongs container I had (lid off on this one too). That way they do not topple over. Plus with my spices, I can grab them all at once and use what I need without multiple trips to the pantry. 

        

        
Now with my pantry stocked and organized I am ready to cook more often! What tips do you have for pantry necessities and organization?                                                  

A Recipe for a Great Summer

The mercury is rising as summer approaches, and fresh veggies will soon be readily accessible and cheap.  A great compliment to a fantastic spread of vegetables is a good, hearty dip.  Below is a favorite recipe of mine for a dip that I make all summer for BBQ's, carry-in's, and just to keep at home for my own personal indulgences:

Veggie Dip

• 8 ounces sour cream
• 8 ounces Hellman's (needs to be mayonnaise, not Miracle Whip or the like)
• 1 package Knorr's Vegetable Soup Mix
• 1/2 to 1 can of water chestnuts, drained and chopped (optional)
• 1 tsp parmesan cheese (optional)

Mix all ingredients together, being sure not to over stir as this can cause the mixture to separate as it sits. Allow to sit overnight in the refrigerator, or until dried soup mix is rehydrated and soft (at least 4 hours). Stir before serving with your favorite vegetables.  Note: water chestnuts are not on much flavor, but add a great crunch to the dip.

For a great spinach dip, use the above recipe and add a well-drained package of frozen spinach (that has been thawed).  I have found that making a double batch of the dip and one package of spinach will make the perfect dip and enough left over to save for myself.  When using a single batch and a full package of spinach, the dip can become too "spinach-y" and thick to be used as a dip.

Got a favorite recipe?

I am always interested in great summertime recipes and would love any that you're willing to share. Bring on the BBQs, picnics, and bonfires!

 

Weeknight Dinners, Simplified

Everyone wants to cook fresh, healthy food for themselves and their family. Homemade food is tastier, more affordable, and better for you than going out to eat...But these days, its often difficult to balance life and get dinner on the table!

Whether a working woman (or man) or a busy stay-at-home mom, things just get in the way of this nutritious priority. Recently my sister gave me a recipe book for making meals ahead of time and freezing them for future use... That got me thinking, I ALWAYS have more time, energy and moxie to make this want a reality... during the weekend. The key for me was to start planning my weekly meals, grocery shop for the week, and pre-prep food over the weekend to help out my work week. Here's a shot of our soon-to-be spaghetti and meatballs dinner:
 
    

I whipped up some  homemade sauce (super easy and cheaper than the jarred kind!), portioned out some for dinner and froze the rest. The veggies were bell peppers, onions and zucchini strips; prettily prepped and ready for sauteing. Even the turkey meatballs (totally bought, I cannot make those things!), I pulled out of the oddly-shaped package and neatly stacked in my Premier with the rest of the dinner. Results? Easy, fast, delishious weeknight dinner that can be cooked up in a flash!

Modular Canisters Make Me Happy

I recently re-did my "baking cabinet" because we had new and improved modular canisters launch! 

The current situation was okay but not optimal:
Pros #1: Decent space
Con #1:  I couldn't see what was in the back.  For instance, I had to take down the front small canisters to reach the big flour and sugar ones in the back (which just so happen to be commonly used). 
Con #2:  The jumbling on the bottom wasn't well organized.  I have glass front cabinets so I like it to be a little neater than this.  Also, the Crystal Light containers kept tumbling out.

Since the new modular canisters launched, I'd been wanting to try them out.  My process was:

Step #1:  I took everything in the middle out.  
Step #2:  I put the ingredients in new modular canisters
Step #3:  I took the Crystal Light out of its package, and put it in the little pull out drawer.  For more on the drawer, see my previous post on how much I love these too.

And...ta-da!  Big improvement!  The new canisters are short but deep, so I can see ALL my ingredients now.  I started putting little food storage containers on top of them as well for the  ingredients I have only small quantities of. :

 

I also labeled them with my Dymo label maker.  That step was helpful so that I could tell things apart.  For instance, the Troyer's pancake mix looks the same as the wheat flour.  The cornstarch looks similar to the powdered sugar. This helps me quickly grab what I need to bake.

Overall, I am impressed with the design of the new canisters and how they helped me organize baking supplies.

A New Way of Eating

I had decided that 2010 was the year I wanted to get healthy, and stay healthy.  I joined my local YMCA and started the grueling process of working out, eating right, and getting more rest. Find your local YMCA at www.ymca.net.

Nearly three months later, I found that my initial regimen just wasn't cutting it.  It took me nearly 20 minutes of huffing and puffing it to get a mile racked up on the Elliptical, and more willpower than I could muster to walk away from the junk food. Now, with ease, I can run 1.5 miles in under 14 minutes and StairMaster my way to a mile in 12 minutes. And I'm proud of it.

However, I wasn't prepared for the ravenous hunger that I experience with working out 5+ hours a week. I found it was easier to pass on the junk food, but when my everyday menu was looking more like an appetizer, I knew I was in trouble.

Through research, I found that I need to be eating more. Eat more to lose weight?  Insert confusion here.  I keep a daily food journal, and after looking it over, I was eating what I thought was enough.  Now, I find, that I need to continue to eat my 3 meals, but include healthy small snacks throughout my day. The key to small is portion control. In doing this, I keep my metabolism up and my crazed hunger at bay.

Snacking can get out of hand quickly if you aren't prepared for it.  To keep control, I use the #7J55 Easy Find Lids 1/2 cup containers; they are great for maintaining my snacking.  In these, I pack a serving of almonds to eat with a piece of fruit or a small serving of low-fat cottage cheese to pair with whole wheat crackers.  I noticed that if I packed the same amount of food in a larger container, I felt as though I wasn't eating as much.  It's a visionary trick I play on my stomach, and I can eat the proper portions while making it look as though I was eating much more.

I have spent a lot of time on the internet finding suggestions for healthy snacks, the proper way to eat 5-6 times a day, and stumbled across a few helpful websites:

• To track and count calories: http://caloriecount.about.com/
• 6 meals a day and the benefits regarding cholesterol: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/prevention/askdietician/ask4_02.aspx
• Pros and Cons of eating 6 meals a day: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=56254
• Healthy snack suggestions: http://www.self.com/fooddiet/2009/06/30-healthy-snacks and http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-diet/HQ01396

Finding my niche in the gym is the hardest thing I could do. Persistence did pay off and I know now what my body can handle, responds to, and my limits. If your gym has a personal trainer available, many offer a free session that you can utilize to get whatever questions you may have answered.

Here's to a healthy 2010, and the start to a happy new lifestyle!

 
  

Kitchen Cabinets: Paint by Number (kind of)

Even though our kitchen cabinets were in decent shape, we wanted to change the color. Here is the "before" shot:

 

We were not going to spend the money to buy new cabinets, so our options were painting or staining. Although our original plan was to stain the cabinets darker, we quickly changed our plan to painting them once we realized the inner shelves and "skeleton" of the cabinets was made of particleboard, (which can yield inconsistent results if trying to match them to a stain from what I read online). I will give props to Eric (husband) because the organization piece of this story was all his idea. To my pleasant surprise, I got home one day to find all of the doors and drawers not only off of the cabinets, but laid out and numbered! 

 

He used tape to number each door and each drawer with a number. Then he drew a diagram so he knew which door/drawer went in which spot in the kitchen. I thought, "Wouldn't we know where it goes just from what shape and size it is....and memory?" but evidently he had found (and read) that this was the way to go to ensure that you put your kitchen back together correctly. Makes sense, right?

 
 

 

Here are the drawers laid out in the living room before we moved them to the garage. You can see a small dark square on the side of the drawer above (on the white side). That is the piece of tape and there was a number on each piece of tape. Once he got them all numbered, we laid them out in the garage for priming and painting. 

After laying them in order, we put the piece of tape on the 2x4 that was under/next to each door. We had to make sure that if we picked up a door that we put it back in the right place by its rightful number. The picture below - primed and ready for paint!

 

The biggest pain was taping off all of the cabinets. It was worth it to not have to worry about being careful on the edges, but it took some time! (All that blue is the painter's tape...and sorry about the blurry photo...)

 

When talking to a pro at a paint store, he suggested using a paint sprayer to paint the doors/drawers. He said to have someone do it for us or to get a sprayer at a local home store. We took his advice and bought one, and it proved to be an excellent investment for this project! I have no doubt we will have plenty of other projects where it will come in handy. (In the photo below the paint holster is not attached yet...)

 

After the doors and drawers were painted, we put our newly-painted kitchen back together, with the help of our numbers and diagram, and also added new hardware. It makes a huge difference - and now I can't wait to save up for new countertops to match our cabinets! 

 
 
 

 
  
 

  

Quick Tip for Freezer Organization

We were having issues finding things, especially meat, in our freezer.  We did one quick and easy thing and it has helped us easily access our frozen meats.  We placed this large Rubbermaid container in the freezer and all of our meat is placed in here. 

 

It has really helped us quickly find and grab small items from the freezer.  It’s also helped us at grocery shopping time – we glance in there and know how much ground meat or chicken we need to pick up.

Do you have any other quick tips for organizing the freezer?

Here are a few tips I found from a professional organizer:
http://studio5.ksl.com/index.php?nid=59&sid=8540284

Here is a great site from the USDA on how to safely freeze different foods:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FactSheets/Focus_On_Freezing/index.asp

The Bottom Shelf Salad Bar

I have learned, the hard way, that veggies never last as long as I would like them to.  I also found that if I don't have them ready-to-eat they go untouched.  Actually, they go untouched until I clean my fridge and I end up having to throw away my hard-earned dollar disguised as limp, lifeless celery.

As a way to keep my budget on track, my refrigerator a little cleaner, and my life a little easier, I designated my bottom shelf as my salad bar.  When I buy my veggies, I prepare my salad in my salad-spinner and add the salad basics like celery and carrots.

I usually find that an entire bag of carrots and celery is too much to put into one salad, so I chop enough for the salad and store the "left overs" to have on-hand as a healthy snack.  I keep the carrots in a Produce Saver to help keep them from getting slimy, and the celery I cut into smaller stalks for dipping. (Note: Produce Savers are ideal for uncut vegetables. Use a TakeAlong or Easy Find Lids container to store any cut vegetables.)

I like to chop up tomatoes and keep them separate so I don't end up with a bunch of juice and seeds making my salad soggy.  Also, I buy a chunk of lean turkey ham to dice on top or boil a few eggs to store on my Salad Bar Shelf when I get tired of the ham.

My Salad Bar is a huge time saver, convenient, and healthy. This has helped me keep my refrigerator more organized, lessen the likelihood of spoiled food, and fatten up my wallet.  Believe it or not, I don't feel the urge to hit the drive-thru after a late night of work or school because I have a healthy, ready-to-eat alternative waiting on me at home.

Some links for healthy eating and keeping a cleaner refrigerator:

http://weightloss.about.com/od/eatsmart/a/fridgetips.htm

http://www.ehow.com/how_4497252_keep-refrigerator-clean-foods-safe.html