Organizing and Folding

Here are a few small tips from Allison's lesson that can make a big difference:

Organization:

- Walk your house with a garbage bag.  Be ruthless.  Take the bag straight out to the big trash (Emily Ley).

- Walk your house with a donate bag.  Be ruthless.  Take the bag straight out to your car and drop it off next time you're in the car (Emily Ley).

- Clear your bedside table of everything except a clock, a lamp, and two things that make you happy (Emily Ley).

- Declutter by category, not by room.  For example, take all the clothing from all around the house (work on one family member at a time) and put it in a pile.  Handle each item and decide whether to keep, donate, or trash.  Then put it all away.  Same with books, papers, etc. (Marie Kondo)

- Donate anything that hasn't been worn in a year (Marie Kondo).

- Sort items in smaller containers inside drawers, especially kitchen gadgets, ba...

Lesson 1 - Organizing Almost Like Marie Kondo

On Tuesday we will learn how to organize and fold ALMOST like Marie Kondo, but not quite.  We will simplify and show you how to fold just about anything correctly! 

Looking forward to seeing you.

Royal Icing Christina's Way

How to make Royal Icing Christina's way:

Put a 2 pound bag Imperial Confectioners Sugar into the bowl of your mixer.

Make a well (hole in the middle of the sugar) and measure in 6 1/2 Tablespoons Wilton's Meringue Powder.
Measure 1 Tablespoon Clear Vanilla into a measuring cup, Fill to 7 ounces cool water.
Carefully pour on top of Meringue Powder, trying not to cause "dust".
Cover mixer with a damp towel and mix slowly for 1 minute.
Scrape down mixer, cover again and beat on high for 4 minutes.

This icing will store in the refrigerator one to two weeks, however if you need it stiff for edging or accents, beat it again before use. The icing softens over time. It also warms in the tube because of heat from the user's hand.

To thin the icing for filling in, add small amounts of water at a time, mixing slowly enough not to put bubbles into the icing. My best description of the consistency is to compare it to egg ...

Bulk Cooking Day

What is a Bulk Cooking Day and why would I want one?  

A Bulk Cooking Day is setting aside one day or part of a day to prepare most or all of your meals and snacks for the entire week. Simply make a date with your kitchen for about 1-2 hours, 1 day every week (I use Friday morning) and have some fun cooking!

No freezing is required for any of your batch cooking since you’ll be eating your meals throughout the week. This is very different from making a bunch of freezer meals, although you could incorporate some freezer meals into a Bulk Cooking Day.
Bulk cooking saves time, is healthier for you and your family and saves money (that you would have spend on fast food).
What would you do on a Bulk Cooking Day?

1. Gather recipes from your meal plan.
2. Look over the recipes and decide what ingredients or even whole dishes can be prepped ahead of time.
3. Cut up vegetables and fruits for meals and snacks.
4. Prepare dishes that c...