Weekly Wanderings

Weekly Wanderings: What I Found While Wandering Around the Blogsphere

You Told Us *Nothing* - a great response to an Annoyed Librarian post that irritated me.  Wait, all her posts irritate me.

Productivity, Frugal Girl Style | 3 Ways to Be Efficient – We could all learn to be more productive and, as always, The Frugal Girl has some great tips.

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Swirl Brownies – Whoa.  I don’t have any words to express how much I want to make and then eat one of these right now.

List of Common Misconceptions – I haven’t had a chance to read all of these yet, but what I have read is super interesting.  Thanks to SmartBitch Sarah for this link!

On a slightly different blogging note, I’m currently looking to add some more blogs to my ever-expanding Google Reader (poor thing, she’s about the collapse under all the weight).  In particular, I’m looking for blogs written by single women on a variety of topics that include but aren’t limited to decorating, dating, cooking, and frugality.  I’ve never blogged about all the blogs I read (that would way too long), but you can find a sampling in the side bar to the right, in my Blogger profile, and here.  

Food Waste Friday Finally Returns!

Yikes! I haven’t done a Food Waste Friday post in almost a month!  Even though I haven’t posted anything, I haven’t neglected my goal of reducing my family’s food waste.  We did have some holiday leftovers end up in the trash and I accidentally left some leftover ham casserole out of the refrigerator for something like 10 hours so I didn’t think it would be safe to eat. 

But that was last week and the week before that. 

This week, I’m pleased to report…

The last picture from my parent's house...

It’s a no-waste week! Yay! There are some leftovers languishing in the fridge, but I’m pretty sure my dad will take care of them.   

In case you were wondering, Food Waste Friday will continue to make an appearance on my blog when I move (tomorrow!!).  I actually will probably rely on it more than ever to help keep my waste down as living alone tends to yield an awful lot of wasted food.  So look for tips and tricks to prevent waste when living alone in the future!

How did you do this week?  Any food waste?

This post is linked to The Frugal Girl.

January Goals

Instead of setting year-long goals for 2011, I’ve chosen 5 categories of my life that need improving.  Each month I set one goal from each category. 

1.      Budget – Set spending limits.  This is a huge need for me.  With the new house and everything that had to be (or will be) bought for it, my wallet is seeing some serious strain.  Because I have been at home with my parents for a year, most of money has gone into savings, my wardrobe, or in my stomach.  I need to set some spending limits on things like new clothes, eating out, books, and miscellaneous purchases so I can stay out of debt.  In addition to this (setting two goals here so proceed with caution!), I need to find a budget system that works.  Several of you have given some great recommendations (thanks by the way!) so I will researching those and then (finally!) creating my own budget.

2.      Food – Relearn how to cook and shop for one.  I said I wasn’t going to give up menu planning, and I’m not.  I just haven’t done it for one person in so long that it’s going to take a while to figure out how much to buy and cook. 

3.      Blogging – Get on the wait list for having BlogHer ads.  BlogHer requires you to have blogged at least once a week for 3 months and January is the first month that I have done that.  (Remember that month-long blogging hiatus I took in September/October? That’s why I had to wait).  Also, I need to email my fellow bloggers who are self-hosted and get some details and advice.

4.      Social – Make plans with friends and stick to them.  This is going to be hard this month with the move and settling in to the new house, but I plan on scheduling at least a few social outings. 

5.      Personal – Stop procrastinating!  Procrastinating is my worst habit.  It’s why I have a stack of things on my desk to do.  It’s why these goal posts are getting posted so late.  It’s why I’m panicking because I’m not done packing and I’m moving on Saturday (!!).  I’m working on a few ways to help me stop procrastinating.  I’m creating a to-do list every evening before I leave work of everything that needs to be done the next day and I’m working on the list before I do anything else.  I also bought the Motivated Moms Planner that The Happy Housewife recommended.  I’m not a mom of course, but I hate housework so it tends to build up and then I procrastinate on actually doing the work.  I’m hoping the planner (which looks awesome by the way) will help me stay on top of keeping my house clean and presentable. 

What are your January goals?

2011 Goals

Photo Credit

I know I’m a little late on posting these (the new house is kind of taking over my life right now), but better late than never, right?

I’ve decided to break my goals down into categories and sub-categories (mostly ‘cause I’m a little OCD – we’ve had this talk before).  I’ve made the categories broad on purpose.  Every month I will be setting one goal from each category.  That way I’ll be able to achieve a wide-range of things and have an easy way to keep track of it all.  I’ve created general goals for each category and added some potential goals, but look for them to get more specific and defined as 2011 progresses.

I will be posting monthly goals at the first of the month and reviewing them at the end.  Of course, being me, this may or may not happen on the day I say it will.  But I’m going to try!

Budget

I’ve got to get better with money.  I don’t budget at all, but instead fly by the seat of pants and hope that I’m doing okay with money.  I’m good about funneling money into my savings (I use in ING and if you are interested in a referral and $25 email me!), but not so good about monitoring where my money goes or how much I should (or shouldn’t) be spending in certain areas.  Goals for this category include picking a budgeting tool, crafting a budget, creating some personal savings goals, and generally developing a better relationship with money.

Food

Last month, I set a goal to try two new recipes a month.  This was great (when I did it) because it helps me work through my ridiculous supply of recipes and to try new foods and techniques.  In addition to working to try new recipes, I plan on setting an additional food goal like trying a difficult recipe or experimenting with a new ingredient I’ve never used before.  This will probably be my favorite goal category. J

Blogging

I’ve mentioned that I’m interested in moving to a self-hosted blogging platform, so every month I’ll be working towards that.  Any recommendations/advice/suggestions/names of people who can help/etc would be very welcome.  Email me at lizy1285 (at) gmail (dot) com. 

Social

I started this last month, but I’ve got to get more social.  I have a tendency to hole up in my house and hide away with my books.  It’s not a bad thing to do every once and a while, but I let my homebodiness (which is a word I totally just made up) damage relationships with friends.  I plan on working on decreasing my sketchiness, stop screening my phone calls, and making plans that I actually keep.  I also really (like really really) need to start dating.  Or at least meeting more guys who might be (or who even know other) potential dating options. 

Personal

This is the broadest, most ambiguous category.  It can include anything and everything from books to my faith to fixing a bad habit.  I have some ideas about what I want to do here, so expect it to be different and slightly random every month. 

So those are my goals.  What are your goals for 2011?  Or are you not a goal setter?

Tasty Tuesday: Hoppin' John

Black-eyed peas are practically a requirement for a southern new year’s celebration.  Black-peas bring luck and when served with some sort of greens (collards, turnip, cabbage – take your pick), you are assured good luck in life and money.  We like to serve some sort of pork with our peas and greens.  This year we decided to expand our pallets a little and make Ina Garten’s delicious pork tenderloin, roasted Brussels sprouts, and Hoppin’ John.

Hoppin’ John has its roots in West Africa and the simple dish of rice and beans was historically a staple food throughout much of the South.  Black-eyed peas occasionally show up on our table during the summer when you can get them freshly shelled at farmer’s markets.  Personally, I prefer lady peas or pink-eyes, but since black-eyed peas are a southern tradition for new years, they belong on our table. 

Hoppin’ John – adapted from All You

6 slices bacon, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

½ cup diced celery

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, if desired

2 cans (15 oz each) black-eyed peas, one drained, one not

1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes (not drained)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Cooked white rice

Spray a large saucepan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat.  Fry bacon until it’s beginning to crisp.  Add in onion and celery and sauté until soft and translucent, 5-8 minutes.  Lower the heat to medium-low if onion begins to brown.  Sprinkle with red pepper if using, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.  Stir to combine and add in tomatoes.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.  Cook 30-45 minutes until the acidity has cooked out of the tomatoes.  Add both cans of peas and cook 30 minutes longer.  Check for seasonings and adjust as needed.  Serve over (or mixed with) cooked white rice.

Photo Credit

This year we roasted some Brussels sprouts instead of serving greens or cabbage (both of which I can’t stand – yuck!).  You can use this recipe from Ina Garten or my (very quick) recipe below. 

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

1½ pounds Brussels sprouts, brown ends and yellow outer leaves removed

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Coarse salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375°.  Spray a roasting pan with olive oil cooking spray.  Cut sprouts in half.  Toss in prepared pan with desired amount of olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.  Roast for 30-40 minutes, stirring every ten minutes. 

Do you serve anything special on New Year’s Day?

This post is linked to Tasty Tuesday and Delicious Dishes.

December Goal Recap

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I’m a little late on this and I still haven’t written my 2011 or my January goals.  I’m working on it, okay? 

Maybe one of my goals should be to stop procrastinating? :)

Here is a recap of my December goals:

1.      Try at least two new recipes a week.  I did this two out of the four weeks in December.  I did try several new cookie recipes, so that has to count for something, right?

2.      Clean out my closet.  I did this! Yay me!! My closet is now decluttered, organized, and ready to be packed!

3.      Control my spending. This is a big, fat fail.  I spent way too much money on breakfasts and lunches out of convenience when I had plenty at home to cook and bring.  At least I set the goal.  Admitting you have a problem is the first step.

4.      Make an effort to be more social. This is a yes and no.  Yes, I did see some people and hung out with friends, but I really didn’t make too many plans and I ended up staying at home like a couch potato on New Year’s Eve when I should have been out with friends.  But I did make an effort to reach out to some fellow bloggers and I think I’m developing some online friendships.  So that’s a start.

5.      Remember the true reason for the season.  This is kind of hard to say “yes, I did it” or “no, I didn’t”, but I like to believe I kept Jesus on my mind much more this year than I have in the past.  I know I did a lot more praying this past month that I’ve ever done before.  And a lot of that praying including many thank yous for all of my blessings.

How did you do this month?  Did you achieve your goals?

Menu Plan Monday

Sorry for my unexpected absence from blogging.  I sort of got carried away with closing on the house (!!), moving a few things, ringing in the new year, Alabama’s massive bowl victory (ROLL TIDE!), and shopping for the house.  I’ve now purchased a beautiful TV stand, a bunch of much needed new towels, and ordered a chair.  I’m still looking for a kitchen table and I need to buy some bar stools. 

This whole house thing is stressing me and my wallet out big time.

This is also my last menu plan for 3 people.  This time next week I will be living alone (happy? sad? I’m undecided) and that means cooking for one.  I haven’t quite decided how I’m going to handle menu planning and shopping yet, but never fear, Menu Plan Monday will still be here!  This week is very simple since I’ll be in and out buying things for the house, moving things into the house, showing off the house to friends, and basically obsessing over the new house. 

I’m sure you’ll get tired of hearing about it.  But hopefully, not before I (finally) get around to posting some pictures. 

Sunday – Chicken Provencal Soup, no-knead bread

Monday – leftovers from Saturday - pork loin, hoppin’ john (recipe coming tomorrow), roasted Brussels sprouts

Tuesday – leftover soup

Wednesday – Broccoli and pasta tossed with toasted garlic and olive oil

Thursday – Beef tips, rice, peas (bumped from last week)

Friday – undecided because I’M MOVING!!