Works for Me Wednesday (Cooking Bacon)

I love the pre-cooked bacon that you can get at Sam's-especially this time of year because we eat a lot of BLTs. Everyone wants hot bacon & cooking BLTs for a family of six is very time consuming if you fry it up on the stove. I started buying the pre-cooked bacon BUT it is more expensive that route. Now, I cook my bacon in the oven (my good friend, Mindi said one day in conversation that she cooks her bacon in the oven & I thought "Wow, what a time saver!" Thanks Mindi!) ...

Bacon can also be easily baked in the oven, resulting in amazingly flat slices. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place a rack inside a baking sheet. Lay out slices and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on desired doneness level. Voila! Crispy bacon with no curls.

Just like the bacon that you buy at the store already pre-cooked. I usually buy 3 packages of bacon & cook it all up, layer it between paper towels to absorb some of the fat & store it in a ziploc bag for quick and easy BLTs, bacon for breakfast or on sandwiches!

Check out more Works for Me Wednesdays ideas, @ Rocks in My Dryer!

Works for Me Wednesday (Computer Storage Notebook)

After my desk top was hit by lighting last August & I switched my computers around, I created a notebook that holds all of my software for my computer, printer, camera, etc. I created it after I spent a good hour searching for those software disks that were needed to add to the new computer.

The notebook sets by my computer and is labeled "Computers."

I used my label maker & typed in my service tag numbers for all computer and affixed them to the inside of the notebook.

I also, labeled where each software should go, so if I take it out to install on the computer, I will remember to put it back. I also have notebook paper in the back of the notebook so when I purchase new software that has a service tag or installation code, I write it here so it's all in one place. I do this because we had a Harry Potter game that required an installation code & we misplaced the CD holder and have never been able to play the game again because the "code" is on the case!

I used the CD holders from the office store to store the software in:



This works for me....what works for you? Check out more great Works for Me ideas!

Works For Me Wednesday (Prayer Journal-Praying for Family)

I have a Prayer Journal that I use each day when I have my quiet time. It's a homemade prayer journal in a 3-ring divider, it has 8 divided sections: Praise (Praise God for Who He is), Confess (Confess & Ask forgiveness) , Request (my prayer requests), Thanksgiving (express thankfulness for all of my blessings-answered prayers), Listen (what is God telling you in his word-I complete this section after reading the Bible-doing a Bible study), the next 3 sections are used for when I'm reading the Bible throughout the year, it's broken up into sections & I write something meaningful down in each of the sections-New Testament , Old Testament & Psalms/Proverbs. I go through each section each day, in the request section is my prayer request list. Each day I pray about something different, for example, on Sunday I pray for our Church Leaders, on Monday I pray for my husband, on Tuesday I pray for my children, etc. This doesn't mean that if on Friday my husband needs prayer for something I don't pray for him because it's not his day....I have my daily prayer and my special prayers. (I hope that makes sense!) In my husband and children section, I have a page for each family member, on that page, I have traced their hand & placed a picture on that page as well. When I pray for that particular family member, I place my hand on their handprint and pray for them. It makes me feel extra connected to them!

That works for me....what works for you? Check out more WFMW ideas @ Rocks In My Dryer!

Works For Me Wednesday (Do You Have It Kit?)

Last Christmas, my husband received in his stocking his "Sean's Do You Have It? Kit". You might be asking what the heck is a do you have it kit & why would I need one?

Well, after many, many times of getting in the car & a block or two away from the house my hubby would say, "Do you have any lotion?" Sometimes I would, sometimes I don't. Or do you have chap stick? Advil? Etc? Etc?

I purchased a small black cosmetic bag & put one of every item in it that he would ask me for. Now, when he ask "Do you have....?" I pull out his kit & hand him want he needs.

Works for me! Check out more works for me at Rocks in my Dryer.

Works for Me Wednesday (Remembering Milestones)

I started scrapbooks for my four children, however, after my fourth child was born, time to scrapbook disappeared! I have vowed that since she started school that 1) I am getting my house organized (it's been a year & I'm slowly getting there) and 2) that I would get my scrapbooks updated.

I have taken a slew a pictures both film & digital. I have about 30-40 rolls of film that I need to develop that I will slowly start developing over the next couple of months. And start organizing my digital pictures.

To help me remember the milestone events, I keep a notebook & write down those events so I can journal to my pictures.

It works for me! What works for you? Visit Rocks In My Dryer

Works For Me Wednesday (Mittens & Hat Storage)

I use to have all of the mittens & hats in a wire baskets on the floor in my coat closet but searching and searching for matching gloves & hats got really old. So, I purchased an over the door shoe storage bag & sorted matching mittens, matching gloves and hats in each of the pockets. Whenever we need a hat and gloves, the matching sets are easy to find and are in reach!

I will upload a pictures as soon as I find my USB connector for my camera!

For more, Works me Me Wednesday ideas, visit Rocks In My Dryer

Works-For-Me-Wednesdays (Sorting Photos)

I love to take pictures of my family and put those memories in scrapbooks. I am, however, way behind in getting those pictures put in the scrapbooks. One way that I sort and organize the pictures before I scrap them is to sort them into boxes...I have one box for each of my children. Then I sort the pictures in each box by "categories" SO when I'm ready to scrap those memories, they will be sorted! It works for me! (This is all of the pictures that are from a film....not the digital!)







The kids enjoy pulling down the boxes and looking through their pictures.



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Works For Me Wednesday #4 (OAMC Food Coop)

After last week's post and this Monday's Menu Planner, I had some fellow bloggers ask about OAMC...Once A Month Cooking. I thought that I would share how our OAMC Food-Coop works and share some recipes. I actually have our Food Exchange Meeting on Thursday. There are six wonderful ladies in our group...we meet every 4 to 6 weeks, depending on what's happening to exchange our meals and plan for the next month. Each lady will prepare 2 meals, we divide those meal in half...for example, I am making Honey Pecan Chicken this month, the recipe calls for 8 Chicken breast, when I pack it up to freeze, I will put 4 chicken breast in the zip-lock bag instead of 8...this will give most of the families in our group 2 meals...I have to serve 8 pieces for my family. The same with a lasagna, for example, instead of preparing it in a 9 x 13 pan, it's prepared in an 8 x8 pan, therefore, 2 meals. When we meet this Thursday, I am bringing 12 bags of Honey Pecan Chicken and 12 pans of Farmer's Casseroles. When I go home after our planning meeting, I will have 24 plus meals (I had originally wrote that we got 36 meals...my mind is frozenfrom the ice storm!) in my freezer for the next month...

Why does this work for me? We are a very busy family of four, before OAMC, I would spend easily $200.00 week on groceries and we would eat out 2 or 3 times a week because of our busy evenings. Since OAMC, I have an inventory sheet of what is in my freezer, I plan our menus based on our activities...if we are all gone one evening, it's usually a crock pot meal...one of the bags of chicken meals can be placed in the CP and will be ready anytime we get home to eat. It also has saved me lots of $$$$, we have a budget of $125.00 to prepare our meals for that month. I am getting 24 meals for $125.00!!! All I need to pick up at the grocery store is sides, lettuce for salads, snacks (fresh fruit/veggies, cereal bars, etc), cereal for breakfast and milk. No major entrees to be purchased. I am saving about $600.00 a month on groceries! That works for me!!! And what's more, is my family enjoys having dinner on the table each evening and not waiting for Mom to figure out what we are going to have!

This month my OAMC Food Coop meals are Honey Pecan Chicken and Farmer's Casserole. (Both recipes are from the book Don't Panic-Dinner's in the Freezer by Martinez, Howell & Garcia) Below is the recipe and freezing instructions for anyone who would like to start the OAMC concept...you don't need a group, just double a recipe once week...eat one and freeze the other. Before long you will have meals in the freezer ready and waiting for you! It's really a great concept....I don't know why I didn't start this earlier!



Oh...one more thing....I keep a notebook with a copy of all of my Freezer Recipes (even my own so I will have a record of what we have tried & liked) so I will know how to prepare them when it's time to cook them. Also, if someone else cooked it, you have the recipe to make on your own, if it's one of your families favorite! The first page of the notebook is my inventory sheet and the remainder of the notebook is divided into sections like Beef, Chicken, Soups, Casseroles, etc.

Honey Pecan Chicken

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Marinade:
1/2 cup olive oil
2 t fresh thyme, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper

Honey cream sauce:
2 T butter
1 T shallots, minced
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup whiskey
1 cup whipping cream
2 T honey
1 T cider vinegar
1/4 t salt
1/8 t pepper

Serving Day:
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup flour
Olive oil

Cooking day instructions:
For the chicken: Mix olive oil, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper. Place chicken breasts in freezer bags (I use a Foodsaver- for items like this-see button on side for ordering info), then pour olive oil mixture over chicken breasts. Freeze (lay them flat in freezer so they freezer flat)

For the sauce: Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. Saute shallots in butter until tender. Add orange juice and whiskey over medium heat, and continue cooking until liquid is reduced by one half. Add cream. Continue cooking until slightly thickened. Add honey, vinegar, salt and pepper. Cool. Freeze separately. using freezer bag method.

Serving day instructions:
Thaw chicken breast and cream sauce. Mix chopped pecans and flour together. Dredge chicken breast in flour mixture. Heat a small amount of olive oil in large skillet. Pan fry chicken breast until golden brown and cooked through. Heat sauce over low heat until warm; do not boil.

To serve, place chicken on individual serving dishes and pour cream sauce over chicken breasts.


Farmer's Casserole

3 cups frozen shredded has brown potatoes (24 oz bag)
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (3-4 oz)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (3-4 oz)
1 cup diced ham or Canadian-style bacon (5 oz)
1 4.5 oz can mild green chiles (optional)
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
4 beaten eggs (or 1 cup frozen egg product)
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
1/4 t pepper
1/8 t salt

Cooking day instructions:
Grease a 2 quart square baking dish. Arrange potatoes evenly in bottom of dish. Sprinkle with cheeses, ham, green chiles, and green onions. In medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, pepper and salt. Pour egg mixture over potato mixture in dish. (If not freezing, cover and chill several house or overnight, then follow serving day suggestions.) Freeze.

Serving day instructions:
Thaw completely. Bake uncovered in a 350-degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until center appears set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. If you prefer extra shredded cheese can be sprinkled on top during the last 15 minutes of baking.

Works-for-Me Wednesday #3 (Loaded Baked Potato Soup)

This weeks WFM is about Eating Well. I am in a freezer co-op and I make a Loaded Baked Potato Soup which is yummy, yummy, yummy. I started Weight Watchers and in the Weight Watcher's Magazine November/December 2006 they have a Loaded Baked Potato Soup recipe that counts as 3 points! The recipe is basically the same as the recipe that I use for the OAMC. I love being able to eat something yummy and not forgo the taste. Enjoy...

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Hands on Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook: 1 hour 10 minutes

Serves 12

4 medium baking potatoes, scrubbed

4 strips center-cut reduced-fat bacon

2 onions, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 (12-ounce) can evaportated skim milk

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon red pepper sauce

1/2 cup light sour cream

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teapsoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

2 scallions, finely chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prick potatoes all around with a fork. Place on the overn rack and bake until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 1 hour. Let the potatoes stand until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes. Peel the potatoes, cut 2 into 1/4-inch dice. Transfer the remaining 2 potatoes to a bowl and coarsely mash. Stire in the diced potatoes.


2. Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick Dutch overn over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, turning occasionally, utnil crips, 4-5 minutes. Transfer with tongs to a plate lined with paper towels; drain. Crumble the bacon and set aside. Add the onions and garlic to the drippings in the Dutch oven; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to brown, 5-6 mintues.


3. Combine the evaportaed milk and flour in a medium bowl, beating with a whisk until smoothe. Add the milk mixutre, broth, potatoes, and pepper sauce to the Dutch overn; increase the heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and cook, stirring, until the soup is thick and creamy, 6-7 minutes.


4. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat; stir in the sour cream, Parmesan cheese, salt and ground pepper. Divide the soup among 12 bowls; top each serving with the cheddar cheese, scallions, and reserved bacon. Serve at once.

If your tste buds gravitate toward the spicier side, increase the red pepper sauce to 1/2 teapoon in step 3.

Enjoy and remember its' only 3 Points if you are on Weight Watchers. For more, heatly recipe, check out Rocks in My Dryer

Works for Me Wednesdays #2 (Glove Compartment Car Organizer)

I have in my glove compartment a small accordion file. I store everything you need for the road , registration and insurance information, emergency contact numbers, maps, and directions (file them instead of having to rewrite them every time-we travel a lot for soccer/dance/baton & I have all of the my mapquest directions in the file).

Each tab is labeled. I currently have:

1. Registration

2. Insurance

3. Maintenance

4. Directions

5. Receipts (major maintenance)

6. I'm going to add a little phone book with all my important numbers & addresses in it.

Works for me! For more great ideas visit Rocks in My Dryer Check out some of the past WFMW posts as well!

Works For Me Wednesday #1 (Report Cards)

I have four children and have boxes, files and stacks of all of their school papers, report cards, awards, etc that they bring home from school each week. What's a mom to do with all of these papers? We don't want to throw them away!

Each of my children are color coded....it's their signature color! CSH is green, CWH is blue, GLH is pink and SJH is purple. I had an this idea to put each of their important school papers like testing scores, report cards, etc into a binder with tabs for the school years. I was at Wal-mart and found binders in each of their colors! Yeah!

So a couple of Saturday's ago when I was organizing I hole punched all of their papers and put them in the binders. I'm missing a couple of years here and there, they were put in a different box-I will find them when I continue on my mission of organizing!

My kids and hubby really were impressed and enjoyed looking through the binders. Now, when a special paper comes across my desk, I hole punch it and place it immediately in the binder. If they need to see how they did in school, they know where to look. This works for me to help keep the school paper clutter under control! Hope it might work for you!

Leave me a comment and your link...if you have some other great organizing tips!