There are 2 recipes I make that get the most requests for recipe: White Chocolate Raspberry Bars and Cherry Almond Cake. I'll be posting both over the next week.
White Chocolate Raspberry Bars
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 c. butter, softened and cut into small pieces
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
4 c. flour
2 eggs
18 oz. jar red raspberry preserves
1 cup vanilla chips
Heat oven to 350. Combine sugar, butter, salt and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often until well mixed (about 2 min.). Reduce speed to low. Beat, adding flour 1 cup at a time until mixture is crumbly (2 min.) Remove 1 cup of mixture and set aside. Add eggs to remaining crumb mixture. Beat until mixture forms a dough (2 min). Press evenly into 13 x 9 pan lined with parchment (not wax!) paper. Bake 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Spread preserves over hot, partially baked bars. Sprinkle with vanilla chips and then with reserved crumb mix. Continue baking for 20 minutes, or until topping is lightly browned. Cool completely and cut into bars. makes about 48 bars.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Monday, April 7, 2008
Ask the Organizer Question: Mom Papers
Ask the Organizer Question:
"My biggest and most frustrating problem is the paper pile that accumulates on my kitchen countertop. The pile of paper consists of invites that I need to reply to, registration forms for the kids, anything that needs follow up! The pile spreads...I thin it out...but it never seems to go away. The problem is that we're quite tight on space, so I really don't know how or where to organize these various papers so that they are out of sight, but not out of mind!"
Reader, I'm so glad you asked this question! Those of us with school-aged children (and of course, anyone with a mailbox..) can relate and share your frustration. I'll share with you what I've done and you might be able to adjust it to your needs.
I've broken it down into 2 storage areas for "mom" paperwork: "deep storage" and "active file" (see picture to the right). What's in the "deep storage"? It's a stand up hanging file box ($10 at Target) with the following files, "sports", "preschool", "scouts" and "kindergarten". What I keep here are items that are important (school handbook, old sport team info., scout phone lists, etc.) BUT don't need to be in my main area of operation. So it's things I need, but not right away, or not in the near future.
The ACTIVE file: Mine is a $3 plastic notebook (you might want to get one that can stand upright, with a cute binder (Target!)) In this notebook are ACTIVE invites, sports schedules, permission slips, etc. It's in my main area of operation (near the phone and near my computer) and it's something I peak in every few days. Not EVERY day, but every couple of days. It's out of site, it's orderly, it was cheap to throw together and it works. And since it's papers you're dealing with, there is no need to have them out of the notebook. They'll fit neatly, put away.
Good luck, dear reader and remember, you don't need to have every last piece of paper in your active area - break it down, girl!
"My biggest and most frustrating problem is the paper pile that accumulates on my kitchen countertop. The pile of paper consists of invites that I need to reply to, registration forms for the kids, anything that needs follow up! The pile spreads...I thin it out...but it never seems to go away. The problem is that we're quite tight on space, so I really don't know how or where to organize these various papers so that they are out of sight, but not out of mind!"
Reader, I'm so glad you asked this question! Those of us with school-aged children (and of course, anyone with a mailbox..) can relate and share your frustration. I'll share with you what I've done and you might be able to adjust it to your needs.
I've broken it down into 2 storage areas for "mom" paperwork: "deep storage" and "active file" (see picture to the right). What's in the "deep storage"? It's a stand up hanging file box ($10 at Target) with the following files, "sports", "preschool", "scouts" and "kindergarten". What I keep here are items that are important (school handbook, old sport team info., scout phone lists, etc.) BUT don't need to be in my main area of operation. So it's things I need, but not right away, or not in the near future.
The ACTIVE file: Mine is a $3 plastic notebook (you might want to get one that can stand upright, with a cute binder (Target!)) In this notebook are ACTIVE invites, sports schedules, permission slips, etc. It's in my main area of operation (near the phone and near my computer) and it's something I peak in every few days. Not EVERY day, but every couple of days. It's out of site, it's orderly, it was cheap to throw together and it works. And since it's papers you're dealing with, there is no need to have them out of the notebook. They'll fit neatly, put away.
Good luck, dear reader and remember, you don't need to have every last piece of paper in your active area - break it down, girl!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
ORGANIZE MAGAZINE
Where have I been? Just today I learned of a magazine just for me: Organize Magazine!
http://www.organizemag.com/index. Check out their site and go get yourself an issue. Love it!
http://www.organizemag.com/index. Check out their site and go get yourself an issue. Love it!
Friday, April 4, 2008
Reader Question #1: Storing Summer Stuff!
This is the first question I received in my "ask the organizer" series.
"Any ideas on how to store all the little (summer) stuff like the sidewalk chalks, ball mitts, butterfly-catchers, jump ropes, sun block, water toys....I could go on"
The first thing I have to say is, "wow, I want to be a kid in THAT house!" Sounds like a lot of fun. I actually have a great, cheap, tried and true idea for the smaller items (sunblock, sunglasses, hats, etc.): an over-the-door shoe organizer (see the picture to the right). The nice thing about this is you can keep it in your mudroom (on the back of your kitchen door, dear reader?) and change the items out per season (gloves and hats in the winter). Kids can easily grab at the lower items and mom and dad can monitor the less than kid-friendly items (like bug spray) up top. You can get plastic shoe organizers for about $10 and canvas for a little more money. These are also great to hold craft supplies, hair accessories, toy cars, etc.
For the larger items like ball mitts, I recommend buying a big old galvanized tub (Target) that can be used as a catch-all. And if you're entertaining, you can throw a bag of ice in the tub and fill it with beer :) Perhaps after a day of sidewalk chalk, baseball and bug catching? :)
Thanks for the question and if you need more specific advice, please email me again.
"Any ideas on how to store all the little (summer) stuff like the sidewalk chalks, ball mitts, butterfly-catchers, jump ropes, sun block, water toys....I could go on"
The first thing I have to say is, "wow, I want to be a kid in THAT house!" Sounds like a lot of fun. I actually have a great, cheap, tried and true idea for the smaller items (sunblock, sunglasses, hats, etc.): an over-the-door shoe organizer (see the picture to the right). The nice thing about this is you can keep it in your mudroom (on the back of your kitchen door, dear reader?) and change the items out per season (gloves and hats in the winter). Kids can easily grab at the lower items and mom and dad can monitor the less than kid-friendly items (like bug spray) up top. You can get plastic shoe organizers for about $10 and canvas for a little more money. These are also great to hold craft supplies, hair accessories, toy cars, etc.
For the larger items like ball mitts, I recommend buying a big old galvanized tub (Target) that can be used as a catch-all. And if you're entertaining, you can throw a bag of ice in the tub and fill it with beer :) Perhaps after a day of sidewalk chalk, baseball and bug catching? :)
Thanks for the question and if you need more specific advice, please email me again.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Ask the organizer!
Friends, please forward me your current organizing dilemma (partridgeathome@yahoo.com) and I'll post some advice to the site. Chances are, the things you're frustrated by will be shared by my readers! Lets get talking!
Organizing tip: Linen Closet
If you want to store extra bedding in a neat and handy way, fold the fitted and top sheets and then store them inside the matching pillowcase, all folded neatly. When you have a guest, you'll just take out that one pouch of bedding and won't hunt for matching pillow cases! And while we're talking about linen closets, why don't you go ahead and toss those 10-year-old bath towels that have been taking up your precious space? There are only so many towels a family needs and they take up a lot of room!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Hummingbird Cake, my new favorite!
Since I worked as a Southern Living at Home consultant for so long, I thought it would be fun to give you "the most requested recipe in Southern Living magazine history". I tried the cake out on a friend and it was moist, dangerously good and beautiful!
Hummingbird Cake
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup veg. oil
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 8 ounce can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups chopped bananas
Cream Cheese frosting
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; and eggs and oil, sirring until dry ingredients are moistened. (do not beat). Stir in vanilla, pineapple, 1 cup pecans and bananas.
Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9 inch round cakepans. Bake at 350 for 25/30 minutes until center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes' remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.
Spread cream cheese frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans on top. Store in refrigerator to set the frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 8 ounce pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 16 ounce pkg. powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp. vanilla
Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with mixer until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.
Hummingbird Cake
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup veg. oil
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 8 ounce can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups chopped bananas
Cream Cheese frosting
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; and eggs and oil, sirring until dry ingredients are moistened. (do not beat). Stir in vanilla, pineapple, 1 cup pecans and bananas.
Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9 inch round cakepans. Bake at 350 for 25/30 minutes until center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes' remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.
Spread cream cheese frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans on top. Store in refrigerator to set the frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 8 ounce pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 16 ounce pkg. powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp. vanilla
Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with mixer until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.
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