Mason Jar Bathroom Storage

I REALLY want to remodel my bathroom but since that is not an option for me right now I have to live with what I have.  But I can do some cheap and easy organization.  I was getting a little frustrated the other day and decided I needed to do something to cheer myself up a little.  I have all these ideas pinned on my boards on Pinterest and seem to put a lot of them off.  Mostly I think they will be too time consuming and most of the time they aren't.  I am just a procrastinator.

Here is the project that I made the other day.  The painting took the longest but even that didn't take very long.

Mason Jar Storage

What you need:
5 jam size mason jars
5 hose clamps
(they need to be at least 2 1/2 inches)
1x4 about 18 inches long
Sandpaper, primer, and paint
5 screws to attach the clamps on the 1x4
2 screws to attach the board to the wall

What to do:
Sand, prime, and paint the board.  I didn't paint the back of my board because it is going against the wall but you can if you want.
I measured where I wanted the clamps to go and used self tapping screws to attach the clamps to the board.  I counted over 11 notches on the hose (from the left) as my guide to where I wanted to screw it on.  That way they were all the same.  Once I had the clamps on I screwed the board to the wall.  I placed the screws behind where the jars would be so they couldn't be seen as well.
Once the board was attached to the walls I placed the jars in and tightened the clamps with a flat screw driver.
I used this for tooth brushes but you could use this for Q-tips, cotton balls, or hair accessories.  This could even be used for other rooms in the house (kitchen, laundry room, bedrooms, etc).

This is my before picture.  As you can see, it can get kind of disgusting.

Crockpot Chicken Pot Pie

A friend of mine posted this recipe on Facebook because she said it was so good.  I have to agree.  I loved it!!!  It was so easy to make too.

Crock-pot Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:
4-5 boneless skinless chicken breast
1 small onion, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup chicken broth, approximately
3 cans of cream of chicken soup
2 bags of frozen mixed vegetables
A few pats of butter - optional
2 rolls of Pillsbury biscuits (more depending on how many you want to feed)






Directions:
Layer in crock-pot.  Cook on low for about 4-5 hours. When chicken is fully cooked, remove from crock-pot and shred.  Return to crock-pot.
The recipe calls for cutting biscuits into pieces and placing them on top for the last hour.  My friend recommended that I bake the biscuits separately because she tried it that way and didn't like it.  I may try it in the crock-pot next time just to see if I like it.  Once the biscuits are cooked (if baking separately), break in half and scoop the mixture over the top.
This one is a keeper too.  There are very few recipes that I have tried that I didn't want to make again.

This picture is of the food in the crock-pot (obviously).  I wanted to show you what it looks like all cooked but I wasn't thinking and forgot to take a picture until it was half gone.  I was so excited about eating that taking a picture was the last thing on my mind. lol
Now I will tell you how I changed the recipe a little.  I used canned veggies because I wanted to use them up before I got into the frozen ones.  I like frozen veggies better but my mom passed the canned ones on to me because she was cleaning out her pantry.  I waited until everything cooked about 3 hours before I added the canned veggies.  I didn't want them to get all mushy from over cooking.
The only other thing I did differently was that I used 2 cans of cream of chicken soup and 1 can of cream of celery.  I normally wouldn't substitute them but I was, once again, trying to use what I had in the house.
The rest of the recipe is the same.
I had a picture of the biscuits too but since those were already half gone I didn't think you really wanted to see them.  I'm sure you know what they look like anyway.

Freezer Crockpot Pork Carnitas

Okay, here is the second post the I promised for today.  It was so tasty!!!  The only thing I think was missing was a little guacamole.   My own personal preference...

Crock-pot Pork Carnitas

Ingredients:
2 pounds pork tenderloin roast
1 medium onion, diced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
1 (10 ounce) can Ro-Tel
Tortillas
Toppings - cheese, salsa, sour cream, lettuce, tomato, etc...

I only made the 2 pounds but I really should have made more.  It was that good...


Instructions:
Place the roast and onion in gallon-sized freezer bag.  Sprinkle in cumin, then add salsa & Ro-tel.  Zip closed and place in freezer.  When ready to use, thaw in fridge for 24 hours.  Empty contents into crock-pot and cook on low for 8 - 10 hours.
Once cooked, remove roast from crock-pot and shred.
Drain juice out of crock-pot, reserving some in a small bowl.  Leave onions and tomatoes in crock-pot.  Add meat back in the crock-pot and stir.  Add some more of the reserved juice back in.  Or in my case, I just left a little in the crock-pot.
Serve on tortillas with desired toppings.

Crockpot Chicken Marsala

Since my life is so busy I don't find time to blog every day.  So... I am going to try to play catch up today.  I have two meals that I will be sharing with you.  I only took one picture of this one but the next one I have several pictures to share.

Crock-pot Chicken Marsala

It is very important to get sweet Marsala wine for this recipe not the dry Marsala.  I made the mistake and bought the wrong one and I just didn't care for it as much as I would with the sweet kind.  It was still good, just not as good.  This recipe came from www.bettycrocker.com in case anyone wants to look up the nutritional information.

Prep time:  10 minutes
Total time:  5 1/2 hours approximately
Serves:  8

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cans of sliced mushrooms, drained (6 to 8 ounce each)
1 cup sweet Marsala wine
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
Spray  a 4-5 quart crock-pot with cooking spray or use slow cooker liners (I always use these.  They make clean up so easy).  Place garlic and oil in the crock-pot.  Sprinkle chicken with the salt and pepper.  Place the chicken in the crock-pot over the garlic.  Place the mushrooms over the chicken; pour wine over the top.
Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.
Remove the chicken from the crock-pot; place on a plate and keep warm.  In a small bowl, mix the water and the cornstarch until smooth.  Stir it into the liquid in the crock-pot.  Increase the heat to high, cover, and cook about 10 more minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.
Return chicken to the crock-pot.  Cover; cook on high for an additional 5 minutes to warm the chicken back up.
I served this over bow tie noodles (farfalle) but you could also serve it over rice.  When serving, spoon the mushroom mixture over the chicken.  Sprinkle with parsley.

Oreo Truffles on a Stick

Normally when I make these Oreo Truffles (or as my children call them, Oreo Balls), I don't use a stick.  I bought the sticks on clearance so I already had them in the house.  I have to admit that they make handling the truffles so much easier.

Oreo Truffles

These are super simple to make and only have 3 ingredients.

1 package of regular Oreo cookies
(store brand works just as well)
1 - 8oz. package of cream cheese
1/2 package (about 6 squares) of vanilla almond bark

Place the cookies in a plastic Ziploc type bag and break into little pieces.  In a mixer combine the broken cookies with the cream cheese.  When you are done there shouldn't be any visible cream cheese.  Set aside.







 In a small sauce pan, melt almond bark (chocolate) on stove over low heat.  It is very important that you keep the heat on low or the bark will not melt properly.  This does take a long time so feel free to do something else while it melts.  Just remember to stir it occasionally.  When the bark is completely melted, take a spoonful of cookie mixture and roll into a ball.  If you are using a stick, insert the stick.   Since I used the stick I took a spoonful of white chocolate and drizzled it over the truffle, continuing until the entire truffle was covered.

Carefully transfer to a cookie sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper.  Let cool...
Store in refrigerator.
It's that easy!!!

Recycling Center

This was my project for yesterday.  It was so easy.  It may not look the prettiest but I think it will work perfect for what I want it for.  I got the idea off Pinterest.  Originally it came from a Handyman magazine.  I wanted to put three container high but was only able to put two because there wouldn't have been enough room to add another one above it.  There is some kind of bracket on the wall that gets in the way.  I wanted to put it closer to the doorway going into the house but since it had to be put into studs, I was a little limited.  And once again, sorry for the blurry picture (my phone doesn't take the best pictures).

Recycling Center

I used:
2 empty storage containers that I had in the basement
3 - 18 inch 2x4s
2 - 18 inch 1x4s
4 - 1 5/8 inch screws
6 - 3 inch screws

I might paint the wood this spring but right now it is too cold out so that is put on hold.  Though it is suppose to be 40 degrees today.  In Michigan that is considered shorts weather by some. lol
I also still have to label the containers.  I am going to be putting newspapers and magazines in the top one and cans and plastic in the bottom.  I have a large green storage tub on the floor that I will continue to use for cardboard.  We tend to have a lot of that.  Not sure what I will do with glass.  I may just add that into the can and plastic one.  Or maybe I can find a shorter container that would work above the other two.



The first thing you need to do is find out where you would like to put it and to find the studs.  Studs should be 16 inches apart so that is why you will need the boards cut to 18 inches.
Now I will tell you how I put it all together...
Make the cleats by taking one 2x4 and one 1x4 and using the 1 5/8 inch screws to attach them together.  Place the 1x4 about 1 1/2 inches lower on the 2x4 to create a lip.  Screw them together about 2 inches from each side.  It only requires 2 screws for each cleat.  Once you have the cleats made, set aside.
Measure where you would like the bottom container to start (from the floor).  Take one 2x4 and center it between the studs.  I pre-drilled holes in the 2x4s about 1 inch in from the top of the board and 1 inch in from each side.  That made it so much easier to get the screws to go in without stripping them.  You will use 2 of the 3 inch screws for each 2x4 that you put up.  The bottom one is the only plain 2x4 that you will be putting up.  The rest are the cleats.  Make sure you level the board and screw to the wall.
Place one container on top of the 2x4 that you just screwed on the wall and place one of the cleats on top of the container.  Use a pencil to mark the top of the cleat.  Once you have marked the wall, put the container and cleat down.  Measure about 1/4 to 1/2 inches up from the mark that you made.  That is where you will put the cleat on the wall.  You want that extra little space so that you can get the container out easily.  Level and screw the cleat on the wall.
Repeat for how many containers you would like to place on the wall.
This project was super easy.  The hardest part was finding boards and the correct size screws around the house.  I didn't want to buy anything special to complete this project.  Make sure you use the right size screws because the containers can get heavy and you want the support that the screws will provide.
I hope this makes it easy for you to make for yourself if you choose to.  If you have any questions about any of the steps or would like more pictures please comment and I will get back with you.

Crockpot Red and White Chili

I found this recipe in the box from the crock-pot (slow cooker) liners.  Thought I would give it a try.  I absolutely loved it!!!
I recommend doubling or tripling the recipe though.  It says that it serves 6 to 8 but I was barely able to feed 4 people.  It's a good thing I have three kids that don't like chili.  I tried to explain to them that it wasn't the traditional chili but they wouldn't listen.  Oh well, not like there would have been enough anyway.

Crock-Pot Red and White Chili

Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time:  6 hours on low
Makes: 6 to 8 servings (not really...)











Ingredients:
6 cups of cubed cooked chicken breast
2 cans navy beans, drained
1 cup of chicken broth
1 large onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
(I only used a 1/2 of a pepper in mine)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped (I omitted this because I didn't want it too spicy)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:
Place all ingredients in the crock-pot, stir gently to mix.  Place lid on crock-pot.  Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours until hot and sauce thickens slightly.

Freezer Crockpot Apple BBQ Pork Tenderloin

Another awesome crock-pot meal!!!  Well the pork loin was quite yummy.  The rest of the meal was OK.  I was in a hurry last night so the family didn't get anything special other than the pork loin.  My husband bought a box of instant potatoes (that is how he cooks when I have class on Wednesdays) so I thought I would use them up.

Apple BBQ Pork Loin

There was sauce left in the crock-pot that I ended up putting over the meat (not shown in picture).  Made it taste even better...

Ingredients:
1-2 pounds of pork tenderloin
1 cup of chunky applesauce
1 cup BBQ sauce
2 tablespoons minced dried onion







Directions:
Label a gallon size freezer bag.  I find that by putting the name of what is in the bag and how long to cook it is a good idea.  You can add the date too.  I don't find it necessary in my home to date the bag but that's because things don't last long enough to go bad.
Place pork loin in the freezer bag.  In a medium size bowl mix the applesauce, BBQ sauce, and the onion.  Pour in the bag.  Close bag and place in freezer.  When you are ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator over night.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.  This would be best if served with rice or pasta.

Life Expressions Signs

I went to a Life Expressions sign making party last Saturday and made a few signs.  I thought I would share them with you since I think they turned out so nice.  It isn't something that I would make a ton of because it's not really my style but I do love the ones that I made.  I brought along my daughter and her friend as well and let them each make one.
I have to say I prefer these to the Uppercase Living decals (which I do really like) because you can move the sign and it is still usable.  With the Uppercase Living, once you take it off the wall it goes in the garbage.  Kind of a waste of money.

I love the sayings too.
The family one is done in a deep red color because this spring I plan to paint my pantry door and my island in that color.
The faith one is done in white to go with the trim in my living room.





When I was invited to the party the only sign I wanted to make was the family birthday one (the one you see on Pinterest a lot), but since that one was a special order, I could not do it.  I was kind of bummed.  A few of us plan to get together and make them on our own.  Really doesn't seem too difficult...

Sorry I couldn't get better pictures.  It is difficult sometimes to get a good shot with my phone.

Freezer Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

A friend of mine asked me to post the crock-pot meals that I have made and tried.  This one is another keeper.  Last month I made up a bunch of freezer meals and have been trying them a little at a time.  Most of them are meals that I have never tried before.  All of them are crock-pot meals that can be made fresh or frozen for a later day.

Crock-pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breast
1 - 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
(not drained)
1 - 14.5 oz. can black beans (drained)
1 small onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup frozen corn
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
2 limes, juiced or 2 tablespoons lime juice
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
(I used dried)
4 cups of chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
Sriracha sauce to taste - about 2 tablespoons

Directions:
Label a gallon size freezer bag.  I wrote the cooking time and to add 4 cups of broth on the bag as well.  This just makes it easier when it comes time to cook it.
Place all ingredients (except broth) in the freezer bag, seal tightly, and place in freezer.  When you are ready to cook it, take it out the night before so that it can thaw.  Mine didn't completely thaw but was pretty close.  Cook on low for about 4 hours.  Serve with tortilla chips.  I used tortilla scoops.  It was delicious!!!

This recipe has a little kick to it so if you can't have spicy foods, skip the jalapeno pepper.  It wasn't really that spicy though...

Spice Cabinet Door Organization

During my trip to Ikea I picked up some magnetic strips and spice jars.  I saw something similar on Pinterest and thought I would give it a go.  Once installing the magnetic strips and putting the spice jars on them, I discovered that I had a bunch of room underneath.  I just hate to waste space so I decided to hang my measuring spoons.  I bought a package of hooks at Target that were similar in color to the magnetic strips.  Measured and put them up...  I think it works perfect!!!

Spice Cabinet Door Organization

2 magnetic strips $14.99 each ($29.98)
2 packages of Grundtal spice containers $7.99 each ($15.98)
1 large package of cup hooks (@ Target) $3.89

You can purchase smaller containers at Walmart or any office supply place but I like these because they are really big and hold more.  You can save a little money by just buying a small package of cup hooks.  I plan to use the hooks in other places of my home so it was a better deal for me to buy the larger package.

Another thing...  I labeled the back of the spice containers so that it looks good.  I can pretty much tell what the spices are by what they look like anyway.