Cherry Tomatoes

I usually plant a couple of grape tomato plants every summer.  This year my "grape" tomato plants were cherry tomato plants, obviously mislabeled.  To my surprise, they were very sweet and flavorful.  The plant grew beautifully and I harvested hundreds of tomatoes. 

Here's what I did with most of them:

Cut them in half.

Arrange the pieces on my dehydrator trays.

Wait about 12 hours.

Now they are reduced in size, but doubled in sweetness.  I put these in a ziploc baggie, then into the freezer.  I use them all winter on white pizzas and sandwiches.

If you don't have a dehydrator you can get the same results by putting them on a baking sheet in a warm oven (200-250 degrees) for a few hours until they look done.

Here's a pesto pizza with dehydrated tomatoes and roasted red peppers:

Our friends always ask me if I added sugar to the tomatoes because they taste so sweet!

Fresh Herbs

Here are some hints for what to do with your fresh herbs from the garden.

We grow many fresh herbs all summer: basil, oregano, thyme, parsley, rosemary, sage, mint, and chives.

Tony makes a killer marinade for steaks, pork, and chicken with lots of chopped fresh herbs, oil, hot sauce, balsamic vinegar, and some other spices.

Another one of Tony's favorites is a Chimichurri Sauce.  It's a fresh herb and oil blend that is wonderful on grilled steaks. 

Here's his recipe:

2 cups fresh parsley or cilantro

1/4 cup fresh oregano

3 cloves garlic

1 tbsp. chives

2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

salt, crushed red pepper flakes to taste

Pulse all ingredients in a food processor.  Serve as a condiment with a nice steak.

If you have lots of basil and parsley, make some Pesto for the winter.  Here's the link to my step-by-step:

Fresh Basil Pesto

I grow mint in a pot.  In the fall I cut lots of stalks off the lay them on a baking sheet to air-dry.  It usually takes a couple of weeks to dry out completely.

Then I pull off the leaves and store them in a jar to make herbal mint tea.

I do the same thing with Lemon Verbena.  It makes a lovely brewed tea hot or cold.  The leaves look like this when dried.

Roasted Grapes, Onions, and Farro

I watched Martha Stewart one evening on "Create TV" and she made this unusual dish.  I've cooked it many times because I really like the combination of savory and sweet. 

 Farro is an interesting grain that reminds me of barley.  It's chewy and dense and adds texture to this dish.  You could substitute rice, quinoa, or another grain instead.

 Here's Martha's version of

Roasted Grapes, Onions and Farro.

Rinse a bunch of red seedless grapes and put them on a baking pan.  Slice a sweet onion and add to the grapes.  Drizzle olive oil enough to coat.  Roll everything around to cover with the oil.  Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.  Bake at 375 degrees for 45-60 minutes until grapes have split, juice is running, and the onions are cooked well.

I cooked a cup of farro as directed on the package and tossed it with the roasted grapes and onions.  Martha Stewart served this over a bed of dark salad greens.  I served this to friends and kept the greens separate.  They composed their own plate.  It was a hit!

A Simple Life - Part Five (The End!)

This is my last installment of suggestions for how to manage our cluttered, busy lives.  If you feel overwhelmed by your stuff and life in general, maybe it's time you simplified.

How?  Here are some suggestions:

1 - Be content with what you have.

2 - Give generously.
3 - Work hard and finish what you start.
4 - Thin out your stuff.
5 - Examine your priorities, say "no" when necessary.
6 - Set goals and work slowly toward them.
7 - Live below your means.
8 - Get fast cleaning habits.

9 - Cook simple meals at home.
Learning a repertoire of good healthy meals you can get on the table consistently is so important.  Eating out too often is expensive, unhealthy, and it complicates your life.

My husband is a great cook, but we don't eat fancy meals often, usually just for company.  We enjoy simple food that is cooked well.  If you stopped by our home on a typical week night you'd see a grilled chicken breast, some steamed or roasted broccoli and cauliflower, and a baked potato on our plates. We enjoy a nice steak every now and then, and I don't hesitate to buy lovely fresh fruits and vegetables to fill up the fridge.  Whatever I buy at the grocery store is cheaper than ordering in a restaurant, so I make sure we have good food ready to cook.

                                       

We have always made a habit of packing lunches too. Eating lunch out is a budget buster - don't do it too often! When our boys were in school we always packed lunches every night after dinner for the next day.  With a little planning and prep you can cook great meals and save lots of money for other things you really want.

If you don't consider yourself a talented cook, start with a few simple meals like chili, baked chicken, or pasta.  Here are a few websites loaded with easy recipes like:

Real Simple
5 Ingredient Recipes
Simple Meals for Eating Well
Simple Crock Pot Recipes

Don't excuse yourself from cooking for your family- you can do it!!

10 - Prepare the night before.
Whether you're a stay-at-home wife or a working mother, you know the panicked stress of the morning routine.  With so many things to organize, not to mention breakfast, anything prepared the night before is wonderful.

               

I've been a full-time employed teacher for about 20 years, and before that I was caring for my children and taking university classes for 5 years.  I know the challenges of the morning rush.

Before I go to bed, my clothes are ready, lunch is packed, breakfast is lined up, and my school bag is ready to go.  I've always done everything possible at night to make the morning flow smoothly.  It's made it a little easier to get up around 5 am and be out the door quickly to start my early high school job.

This is the end of my "Simple Life" list of tips.  I hope at least one of these will help you navigate your life's challenges more easily.  These are my tactics for keeping my life manageable, sane and simple!

Leave a comment to let me know how you manage your life's challenges - they will inspire others to do the same:)

A Simple Life - Part Four

I'm making some suggestions for how to manage our cluttered, busy lives.  If you feel overwhelmed by your stuff and life in general, maybe it's time you simplified.
How?  Here are some suggestions:

1 - Be content with what you have.

2 - Give generously.
3 - Work hard and finish what you start.
4 - Thin out your stuff.
5 - Examine your priorities, say "no" when necessary.
6 - Set goals and work slowly toward them.

7 - Live below your means.
This one is SO important.  Too many of us waste our valuable time and resources.  We buy too much stuff and don't even have places to put it all.  We spend too much money on things that aren't important and then don't have money for emergencies or what we really want in life.

It's really simple, make sure you save money from every paycheck you get.  It doesn't matter how little that amount might be.  Build the habit of preparing for the unknown. We know cars will wear out, appliances will break, etc. So, resist the temptation to spend at every turn.  It's about heading towards your goals and restraining yourself from spending money at the wrong time.

If you can be content with what you have, and you have your priorities straight, then you won't have a problem with telling yourself "no" for frivolous spending.

3 questions before buying something:

Think about whether you really need the item, if you already have something like it, and if you can afford it with cash.  Credit card debt is not good and you don't want to make a habit of buying on credit without thinking through my 3 questions.  I have plenty of friends who pay off their credit card balance in full every month - the benefits can be nice BUT you have to be disciplined!

8 - Get fast cleaning habits.
I recently read an article about the cleaning habits of people with "spotless houses."  It included things like taking off shoes, making the bed, wiping down the shower after every use, and keeping kitchen counters clean.




I like to read lists like this to get good ideas, but my real secret is SPEED.  I make my bed every day because it only takes 15 seconds.  I take my shoes off so I don't bring dirt into the house because it only takes a few moments.  My cleaning mantra has always been to "get it done quickly."  Who wants to spend hours cleaning??  Not me.

If you make a habit of quickly wiping down the bathroom sink with a wipe every couple of days, then you don't have to spend time scrubbing later.  If you put clothes and other things away quickly, then you won't have clutter everywhere to clean up later. If you squeegee the shower walls after every use, then you won't need to spend an hour scrubbing soap scum on the weekends.

See the pattern?  QUICKLY - This is how I get things done around the house so that I have more time for what I want to do...reading, sewing, gardening...

Think about a few fast cleaning habits you can incorporate into your daily routine and see if they simplify your life!

Part 5 -the last one- next week:)

A Simple Life - Part Three

I'm making some suggestions for how to manage our cluttered, busy lives.  If you feel overwhelmed by your stuff and life in general, maybe it's time you simplified. How?  Here are some suggestions:

1 - Be content with what you have.

2 - Give generously.
3 - Work hard and finish what you start.
4 - Thin out your stuff.

5 - Examine your priorities.  Say "no" when necessary.
Which people and things are most important in your life? Make sure your life habits support and don't work against them.

For example, I know people who say they value their spouses and children, yet they accept too many responsibilities from other people that make it impossible for them to spend much time with their families.  If they asked me how to simplify their too-busy lives, I would tell them to cut down all the extra evening activities that wear them out.  Save your time and energy for the people you love!

Women tend to feel like they have to solve everyone's problems and "fix" situations they encounter.  I've realized that I can't fix or solve anyone's life.  All I can do is offer reasonable help and pray.  I get asked to do a lot of things that I know I don't have time for.  One of my standard answers is "If I take on one more responsibility I might explode, sorry."  I don't accept another thing without carefully weighing the impact on my marriage and my health. Tony always helps me see things from a good perspective, so I love to discuss new plans with him before I consent!

6 - Set goals.
I'm a big fan of "baby steps" and setting realistic, simple goals for our lives.  Goals can be organizational, financial, occupational, educational...

If you're young, you probably have a few ideas of what you would like your life to be.  Those are goals!  Make sure you don't work against them.  Write them down and remind yourself that you are heading in a good direction.

If you're frustrated with your messy house, set a realistic goal to organize just one room.  Get help if you need it, and work slowly and steadily toward finishing.  The great feeling of accomplishment will push you toward the next step.

-If you're out of shape, make a realistic exercise plan.
-If your relationships need some fine tuning, invest time in your loved ones.
-If you're in debt, get a second job and put all the money toward paying off the loan.
-If you want to buy a house, save money.
-If you need a job, devote lots of time and energy seeking one.
-If you want to simplify your life, start getting rid of the things that bog you down, keep the important ones, move toward your goal of simplicity.

Goals focus your attention on what's important.  So think about them and keep moving in the right direction.

Part Four next week:)

A Simple Life - Part Two

I'm making some suggestions for how to manage our cluttered, busy lives.  If you feel overwhelmed by your stuff and life in general, maybe it's time you simplified. How?  Here are some suggestions:

1 - Be content with what you have.

2 - Give generously.

3 - Work hard and finish what you start.  

You might say, "How will that simplify my life?"  Well, laziness doesn't help anybody.  If you make a habit of working well at whatever you get your hands on, chances are you will finish tasks, clean out clutter, earn some money, and maybe even help others.  All of that is good.

Solomon wrote in Proverbs 6 to "Go to the ant, O sluggard, consider her ways and be wise...she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest."  Are you like the humble ant?  Do you work hard at your job and put others ahead of yourself?

Paul wrote in Colossians "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."  That changes my attitude about my work!  If I'm supposed to teach my students in a God-pleasing way, then I will do my very best to serve them, be patient, and keep trying to find new ways to help them overcome learning obstacles.  How could this principle change your work attitude?

I've helped many friends clean out rooms of their houses. Often we come upon piles of unfinished projects that they were once excited about, but never followed through with. I've taken home piles of mending, sewing, and other projects to help these friends de-clutter a room.  I thought that if I jump-started the process, maybe they would keep it going.

If you start something, big or small, make yourself finish it before you move on to another project!  And if you realize it's a lost cause, don't pile the stuff in your attic.  Give it to someone else who can use it!  That's the equivalent of finishing.

4 - Thin out your stuff.

This one is really hard for some people to do.  We Americans have too much stuff!  I can't believe all the storage units that exist now in our little town alone.  How much stuff do we really need?  Probably a lot less than we have.

Try this exercise - empty the contents of one drawer or cupboard, then wipe the shelves clean.  Look at your pile and see what you can give to others, donate, sell, or trash.  Only put back into the space what you really need and actually use. Start with a small area and then work up to bigger spaces.  If you tackle one area at a time, slowly and steadily, you'll be amazed at how quickly your home can be clutter free.

Here's a kitchen drawer that I've de-cluttered:

I use the bottom of an antique cupboard for storing all kinds of small stuff using baskets, wire shelves and boxes.

The hardest part about this is all the decision making that goes with it.  Some people have a hard time parting with stuff.  If you haven't used the item in over a year, you probably aren't ever going to and you should get rid of it.

What if it's sentimental?  "This was my grandmother's??" I've heard over and over again.  Honoring the memory of a loved one does not need to fill your house with clutter.  Your grandmother would be pleased if you cherish a few important items and really use them more than if you fill your attic and garage with boxes that collect dust.

Clothing!

I talked with 2 friends recently who thinned out their clothes by giving away a large portion to other friends who needed them.  I was truly impressed.

If you don't have room to store all your clothes when they are clean...then you have too many clothes!!  It's that simple.  If your closets and dressers are so packed full of clothes that you can't even see what you have, start thinning it out.  Make a pile of 10 items that don't fit, are out of style, or you know you're never going to wear again.  Do that again and again until the piles are manageable.  Donate to charity, give to friends, have a yard sale...you'll be glad you did.

Having too much stuff complicates your life, so pare down, thin out, give away, do what you need to do to simplify your life!

Part 3 next week:)