Quick Meal

I meant to have a picture to share but we had company for dinner and when it was over there was none left to take a yummy picture.  Here is the recipe for a quick and easy meal.

Skillet Ziti with Chicken and Broccoli

1lb              Boneless skinless chicken breast sliced into 1 inch pieces
3 tbsp          Butter
1                Onion, minced
1/4 tsp        Red pepper flakes (optional, can be spicy for little ones)
1/4 tsp        Dried oregano
3                Garlic cloves, minced
8oz             Ziti (2 1/2 cups)
2 1/2 cups  Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1/2 cup       Heavy Whipping Cream
1 package   Broccoli
1 cup          Roasted Red Peppers (jarred, rinsed, cut 1/4 in slices)
1ounce        Parmesan Cheese
2 tbsp         Lemon Juice

Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a large skillet.  Add chicken and cook until lightly browned but not fully cooked. (4min) Transfer Chicken to a bowl.  Add 1 tbsp butter, onion, red pepper flakes, oregano, and 1/2 tsp of salt to skillet.  Cook until onion is soft. (5 min)  Stir in Garlic and cook until fragrant. (15 seconds)  Sprinkle ziti evenly into skillet.  Pour broth and cream over ziti.  Cover and bring to a boil. (approx 5 min)  Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in broccoli and roasted red peppers.  Cover and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally until pasta begins to soften, about 8 minutes.  Stir in the chicken and accumulated juice.  Cover and continue to simmer until the chicken is cooked through. (3 minutes)  Stir in remaining 1 tbsp butter, parmesan cheese and lemon juice.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

A Starting Point

Happy New Year! 2012 marks the beginning of big changes.  Where does one begin when you want to transform ALL in 1 Year!  With a LIST!  A list of all the projects you want to complete...All the goals you want to accomplish...All the things that must get done!  

So Yesterday I sat quietly in my favorite chair, while the rest of  my family watched a movie and wrote  my list. I listed some things in detail and some thing in general.  I probably missed a few things and I wrote somethings that are not realistic.  

First, I wrote a list of each room in the house then, room by room I listed each thing that I wanted to do in that room.  Some rooms had a few project while others were major over hauls.  This is my project list and I placed it under "Project List" in my home management binder. (more on that in a future post)

Second, I wrote out my meal plan for the week.  (more on that in a future post) This week we are having:

Monday: Porcupine Meatballs (family request before we start back to school) (recipe will soon me added, here)
Tuesday: Chicken Ziti (recipe will soon me added, here)
Wednesday: Tacos!
Thursday: Post roast in the crock pot
Friday: Italian Sausages with peppers and onions
Saturday: Turkey Meatballs
Sunday: Grilled Chicken

Third, I created a chart to see how often I complete my daily goals throughout the month.  This list includes my daily cleaning list, workout goals, and project goals.  Each day I will put a check mark next to the completed item.  At the end of the month and can set a new goal for the new month.  One of the items on the list NO SODA!  There are 31 days in January so I set the goal of NO SODA for 15 days.  Day one is over and I did not have soda so I put a check mark on my chart! YAY! One down, 14 more to go!   I walked on the tread mill too, so another check mark went on the chart for exercise! 

So now I have organized my week, with meals, cleaning schedule, exercise schedule, and a chart to help motivate and keep me on track!  My fun project this week is to take more picture so I can post picture on the blog...always fun to see pictures!

If at First You Don't Succeed...

TRY TRY AGAIN!  As a stay at home mom of three I love all things organized.  With amazing technology you can have organization tips, tricks, strategies, worksheets, books... You name it and you can find it on the Internet through blogs, and meet (or read about) some amazing people out in the world that have the same passion as you.  You can get lost for hours searching one blog that lead you to another and another.  Which is probably how you got here!  WELCOME! 


This blog is dedicated to my desire to share my journey of finding what works for me and maybe for you,  to get all things in your life organized ALL in 1 Year.


Like many of you I have lists either written, memorized, and some are only in my dreams of exactly what I want my organized life too look like.  I have read so many "WAYS TO GET ORGANIZED"  my head could spin.  But the best tips are the ones that work for you!  Don't give up! IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED...TRY TRY AGAIN! 


This Journey started when I started blog stalking reading?  What is the correct term? In time I found a few that I love to check all the time.  Now the following are not the only blogs I visit.  I can get lost for hours blog hopping!  But here are a few that I think are a great place to start. 


iheartorganizing  Jenn has the ability to make all things look beautiful.  Her Laundry room would make anyone happy to spend the day doing laundry.  It was recently featured in Cottage & Bungalows magazine!  What I love is her family centered kid friendly approach to organizing.  I strongly recommend some blog stalking reading? surfing?


Another great blog to read is Clover Lane.  Sarah, a mother of five, knows what the word busy means but somehow makes me feel calm.  My favorite post is about Loving Your Home, you can read it here.  Sarah also has a blog about cooking, Cooking on Clover Lane.  This is real cooking your kids will eat and it won't take rare ingredients not found in your grocery store!


Looking for a great way to overhaul your finances then check out A Bowl Full of Lemons  Toni did a six part series on Organizing Your Finances.  Once you read it you will look at money in a new way and probably start saving more than ever.
 

I can't forget Clean Mama.  This is where you will find the cleaning schedule that I follow.  I switched a few days around to fit my needs.  Becky is about to start a challenge in January that will help you start a cleaning schedule.  Clean and Organized 2012. 


So as 2012 begins I will start the year with a series of tasks that will help me focus on the goal that I have of organizing my life in 2012!  I hope you will follow me as you begin organizing your life ALL in 1 Year!