In My Home This Week: What Am I Up to?
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In my home this week, I haven't been trolling around looking for images to share of late for the headspace of these posts. I stopped using my Pinterest account, because no matter how I tried, I couldn't change the algorithms that past saved pins generated. I'd see the very same Pins over and over and over and over until I felt it was a waste of my time to be there. I deleted all my pins, in the hopes that something new and fresh would come up. No. I'm at a bit of a loss since I haven't purchased any vintage magazines in ages upon, I no longer take current magazines (repeat articles from one publication to another bored me to tears). So beyond searching through Bing or some other search engine, I'm currently short of inspiration on houses and decor from years past.
Work:
I've already begun a second project.
The kitchen island has been wobbling and is dinged and scratched. It desperately needs some care and attention, so I decided to go ahead and tackle it. I cleaned it out yesterday morning, before lunch and wiped the surfaces down. I was going to tighten the screws that hold the piece together, but John seems to think I need L brackets to brace it up. He removed the two towel bars on the ends which only served to bang the snot out of running little boys' heads.
I hope to get a coat of paint on it this week. I'm thinking navy blue would be pretty, but I need to buy paint. On the other hand, I have several cans of deep red spray paint on hand and that wouldn't look too bad either. I could use the same vivid aqua teal blue I painted the sink window and stove shelves with last year. Then there's the idea of a deep charcoal grey...Decisions! At any rate, I plan to get this done this week.
I've told John I can work around his plans for the week ahead provided I get the two things I want from the week: him to finish the bathroom up and a fun thing I'll mention in Personal and Leisure segment.
Any other tasks I accomplish this week will be strictly run of the mill.
Kitchen:
It would be nice to get the pantry inventory done and shopping list made...So yeah, that's still on the list of work. I really ought to sort out the freezer again, too. That's a constant thing these days since it's full and things tend to get thrown on top.
I'd like to restock the kitchen food cabinet and maybe move some things out of the wall hung cabinet into that lower food cupboard. I prefer NOT to make continuous runs between the pantry and the kitchen. I find that #1 seeing all that food in the back can lead to an abundance of usage and #2 that it is a waste of my time and energy. I can use both in far better ways.
In February I've done pretty well with food waste overall, but while clearing out the fridge I found two half apples that had been tossed into the basket with the whole fruits and was mighty disappointed that neither was up for salvaging.
I was making Polska Kielbasa and cabbage on Friday and the outers leaves of the cabbage were just lovely, crisp and green. I peeled them away and decided that I must use them this week to make an old favorite we haven't had in too long. That prompted me to start thinking about foods I'd like to eat this next week and about the list I made back in January for dishes I'd like to serve this month. I've done pretty well, serving all but five of the entrees I'd written down.
It's a very mixed week weather wise. Our usual seasonably cool temperatures until Wednesday and then we've three days of temperatures soaring into the 80F's and almost up to 90F, then back down into the seasonal temperatures once more. That makes meal planning a tad more difficult.
Russian Stuffed Cabbage Leaves, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans This recipe was one I think Lena shared years ago. Her recipe has some Middle Eastern influences with cinnamon and raisins included in the filling. It's absolutely delicious.
BBQ Chicken, Coleslaw, Mexican Cornbread
Oven Baked Roast Beef, Beefy Rice with Mushrooms and Onions, Green Salad
Tuna Pinwheels, Peas, Lettuce and Tomato Salad
Potato Soup, Roast Beef and Swiss Sandwiches One reason I often hold off on making potato soup is that I find it glue-y and heavy. I was watching a chef earlier last week who made the suggestion to cook the potatoes first, drain and then mash slightly. Make your soup liquid in a separate pot and add in the chunky mashed potatoes which both thickened the soup and made it far less starchy and heavy. I'm going to give it a try and will let you know if it works for me.
Beef Pot Pie, Pear Salad
Buffalo Chicken Salads, Biscuits
I don't do a whole lot of baking lately. I took out a pie from Thanksgiving the other day and we ate that as dessert a few days. There are two recipes I really enjoy making after birthday cakes (by the way, still have two of those in the freezer from my mini cake baking day earlier this month), and both are not heavily sweet.
One is an Orange Meringue Pie. It's practically unheard of these days, but magazines from the 40's and 50's mention it often. That was in the days when oranges were pretty much seasonal fruits for most of the country. I have a big bowl of navel oranges on the counter and I'm the only one eating them. I'll use some of those to make an orange meringue pie. We may not eat it until later, but it freezes as well as lemon meringue and is such a nice refreshing pie to have on hand.
The other dessert is also made with seasonal fruits and isn't heavily sweet either: Cranberry Upside-Down Cake has a nice acidity and is a lovely cake. We'll probably eat this one right away. It's nice with a dollop of whipped cream but that isn't necessary either. It's a wonderful afternoon treat with a cup of coffee.
Both recipes are high in Vitamin C and other good for you antioxidants. It doesn't count too hard in the 'cutting back on sugar' department but I've found it's never necessary to eat a full-sized serving if you are cutting down. Pies and single layer cakes both can be cut in much smaller slices and not only will serve as well but stretch further.
Personal and Leisure:
I've asked for a day out to a special place we both love. John's agreed. I have no idea what day we will go but I'm looking forward to it. It's one of those destinations that is near home but always feels like we've been away and refreshes us greatly. I'm really looking forward to this.
If John doesn't make hard and fast plans, I'd like to go see Mama one day this week while I'm free and everyone is unquarantined and fairly well.
Senior Supper is this week.
I want to take a couple of hours this week to go play in the craft supplies. I mentioned wanting to make bookmarks and cards suitable for men and boys, as well as aprons. I guess I might start any one of those and enjoy the creative process.