Heather Solos's Blog, page 9

Breakfast Skillet For an Easy Family Meal

There’s no need to load the family up and try to beat the rush to Denny’s or IHOP on a weekend morning. Breakfast skillets are an easy way to use up leftovers for an easy, economical meal.

Whenever I bake potatoes, I load up the tray. First, because potatoes are cheap and filling and second because I’ll then have leftover potatoes for breakfast skillets.

While this is usually a breakfast meal, sometimes breakfast skillets get made for dinner, like last night.

Take any leftover baked potatoes and put them in the microwave, just long enough to get warm, but not too hot to handle. 2 – 3 minutes will work. Then cut them into half-inch cubes.

I had a few pieces of bacon that weren’t enough for everyone to have a full slice, but there were enough to give everyone a few crumbles and to grease the skillet. Cook the bacon in a large skillet with straight sides, cast iron, if you have it.

While the bacon and potatoes are cooking, dice any leftover or “on the verge” vegetables. This week I had a couple of bell peppers, an onion and a handful of multi-colored tomatoes.

Once the bacon (or sausage or ham) is cooked to your preference, remove it from the pan. If you don’t have any meat you can just heat a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil, butter, or shortening,

Add the onions and other vegetables to the pan in a single layer. As soon as the onions begin to soften add your diced potatoes. Now, wait. 

Give it a few minutes and then stir with a wooden spoon and be sure to scrape up any browned bits. Salt and pepper to taste, we also like Lawry’s or Cajun seasoning. Keep cooking until everything is heated through and browned to your preference. You can add cheese if you like and for an extra protein top with eggs cooked to your preference. 

Use whatever combination is lurking in your fridge. I have had great success with broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, and cauliflower. Sausage, leftover ham, or chicken make great additions as well, although I might avoid any meat flavored heavily with herbs first thing in the morning, your mileage may vary.

Enjoy.

Want some more breakfast ideas? Try these breakfast recipes:

Apple Cider PancakesBroccoli Cheddar FrittataButternut Squash Pablano and Bacon Skillet

Bathroom Scrubdown: The Deep Clean Challenge Week 4

Rubber ducky, you’re the one

Hello there, and welcome to Week 4 of The Deep Clean Challenge.

To date, we have tamed our bedroom, the kitchen and cleaned up some clutter. By the end of this round, you may be noticing quite a difference in your home. Especially if you are using the weekly chore schedule to keep a cleaning routine in place.

Remember last week when we talked about behavioral activation?

That tip works really well with the weekly chore schedule. You can make a half-hearted attempt at it most of the time and end up with a much more functional home than if you only do the Deep Clean Challenge. Some consistent effort is usually more effective than occasional extreme effort.

Ready to get that bathroom clean?

Me, too. My counter has gotten a little bit cluttered lately, and I need to take care of that.

Speaking of cluttered counters. . . did you know that it’s in our bedrooms and bathrooms where our routines first tend to slip when stress, depression, anxiety, or burnout are starting to take hold?

I’m not one hundred percent sure of the reason, but I believe it’s because they are our safe, typically very private spaces.

When the field where we grow our… spoons… yeah, spoons, I meant spoons is barren, this is where we tend to stop spending them first.

By the way, if you are in a silly mood and want to always have a few “spoons” to have on hand, you can support our friend Lizz Porter who just happens to sell little jars of the salty version. (If you haven’t caught my wink wink, nudge nudge, hint, this is the adult language variation.) Lizz’s family lost their home in the CA wildfires last year, but she has her business back up and running.

Why are we cleaning the bathroom this week?

Like the kitchen and bedroom, the bathroom is one of those rooms we simply can’t avoid in our homes.

Since it is also a high-use room, it tends to get dirty quite quickly, and it is a room that can affect our overall mood and self-confidence. It’s not fun to be disgusted every time we need to do our self-care tasks.

This week let’s set ourselves up for some better days by making the bathroom a little more pleasant. Then the regular maintenance provided by the weekly chore schedule will keep it nice.

What is our goal in cleaning the bathroom?

We’re going to clean the bathroom well enough that it is a pleasant place to perform our necessary hygiene tasks. Our other goal is to do so in a safe manner, and that means using cleaning agents with care.

Do you have your Home-Ec101.com motto handy? No? Good thing I’ve got it right here for you.

We solemnly swear to always read the label, never mix chemicals without research, fight the man, test in an inconspicuous area, and hide the evidence.

What tools and cleaning supplies do we need to clean the bathroom?

This list is thorough. You likely won’t need all of them, as some of them are based on preferences and others are based on surface types. Not everyone has marble, not everyone has linoleum.

If you do not have an exhaust fan or window in the room, you must leave the door open while you are cleaning. Additionally, bringing a box or oscillating fan into the room is a good idea. (Switch the fan on, please and thank you).

Please And Thank You GIFfrom Please And Thank You GIFs Broom/dustpanpillowcase (just trust me)StepladderMop/bucketrags or paper towels, your preferenceall-purpose cleaneracid-based toilet cleanerBar Keeper’s Friend (This works nicely on glass shower doors, do not use it on acrylic)Grout Brush, if you have groutcotton swabsSoft-bristled brush (like a foxtail)How long should cleaning the bathroom take?

Unlike the other rooms we’re tackling, bathrooms are generally (if you aren’t of the economic class that can hire full-time help) finite in space so they shouldn’t take nearly as long as some of our other Deep Clean Challenge Projects. That said, if you’ve got some sentient science projects in the shower, it could still take a while.

Your mileage may vary, exclusions apply.

What will be cleaned in the bathroom?Light fixture/exhaust fanCobwebs in the cornersMirror(s)Window(s)Walls/Trim/SwitchplatesShower/TubShower door or curtainSinkCounterDrawers/CabinetToilet – inside and outFlooringMats

We’re going for all of it today.

How do we clean the bathroom?

Clear the room of every loose object. If you have a box or large piece of plasticware, use that for your toothbrushes and other items you don’t want to just set down on a random surface. Everything needs to go.

Take any rugs that need to be washed straight to the laundry, unless you tend to clean down the rabbit trail and in that case, just ditch them outside the door. Do the same for any hanging towels. Don’t forget to clear out the “library materials,” too. Are the magazines old? Recycle ’em or send them to the craft box.

By the way, I’ve found if there are things I want my teens to read, This is a great place to leave them

Start at the top.

Put the pillowcase over the broom straw and knock down any cobwebs. Grab your foxtail or the vacuum with the soft bristle attachment and vacuum the exhaust fan.

Wipe the light fixtures with a rag and glass cleaner. If they are particularly gross, run them through the dishwasher.

Accidentally break a light bulb off in the socket? We can help.

Replace any burnt-out bulbs while you’re at it.

Sweep off any dry dust and hair debris from counters and ledges. Then thoroughly sweep the floor. If you knocked a lot of dust bunnies into the shower pan or tub and it is COMPLETELY dry, go ahead and use the vacuum to suck up that fun mess. Just in case I’m not clear, I mean the vacuum tools, not picking up the entire appliance and putting it into the tub. Got it?

We now conclude the dry portion of your bathroom cleaning project.

Put your toilet cleaner into the bowl. If it’s the kind with the angled neck, you can just squirt up under the rim and call it good for the moment. If not, add the cleaner to the water and give a quick scrub with the toilet brush to make sure there is cleaner all over the bowl’s INSIDE, especially up under the rim. You are not done cleaning the toilet, but close the lid anyway and move on. Chemicals need time to work, and the more you let your cleaner work on its own, the less physical scrubbing you’ll have to do.

If it has been a very long time since you have cleaned your toilet, check out: How to clean a very dirty toilet for some in-depth directions.

Do your painted walls need to be cleaned? Dilute white vinegar should do the trick as bathrooms are usually painted in semi-gloss paints. However, as we stated above, always test in an inconspicuous area, especially with flat or matte finish paints.

Spray your cleaner of choice onto the sink and counter or vanity and, like the toilet, give it a moment to work, unless you like scrubbing at toothpaste deposits.

Next Up Clean the shower and tub.

Here’s a handy list of tub and shower cleaning related articles

How to Clean the BathtubHow to Clean a Very Dirty BathtubHow to Clean TileHow to Repair Stained GroutHow to Clean Cultured MarbleHow to Clean a Jetted TubHow to Get Rid of Pink Shower MoldHow to Clean Moldy Shower TileHard Water Spots in the ShowerWhy Do Hard Water Spots Come Back?

And back to the sink vanity and mirror. Again left to right, top to bottom.

Spray and wipe the mirror, and then use paper towels or rags to finish cleaning the sink and surrounding area. While you’re at it, give the cabinet -if you have one—a good cleaning. cotton swabs can come in handy for getting into those tiny corners if you have decorative ridges in your cabinets. A little bit of cleaner on the end of the swab helps get it out.

Don’t forget behind the faucet and the holes designed to keep your sink from overflowing, as those areas can get pretty dirty. If you are having trouble getting some gunk out from under hardware, you can try using dental floss or an old toothbrush.

Is your sink not draining properly or is there an odor coming from the drain? It may be time to clear out the trap, which is a pretty easy project and should take less than ten minutes.

And here we are, it’s time to clean the toilet.

How to Clean a Toilet or How to clean a very dirty toilet.

And don’t forget that horrible area behind the bolts that attach the seat,

Now grab one of your rags, preferably NOT the one used on the toilet. Spray it with a little of your all-purpose cleaner or dilute white vinegar and wipe the grime off the toe boards/ molding. Grab your mop and give the floor a good going over, paying particular attention to the area around the toilet, ESPECIALLY if you have boys or men in the house.

How to Mop and just in case you still need to get one How to Choose and Clean a Mop

Put all of your bathroom towels, rugs/mats after the floor is completely dry and call it a day

How do we get started with this week’s challenge to clean the bathroom?

If you have little kids, you’ll need to get them safely occupied. In the bathroom, it’s simply too easy for them to get into the chemicals you are using or into the toilet before you have cleaned it. It’s a struggle, I know.

No kids? No problem.

Got your music or podcasts loaded up?

Did you call or text your accountability friend?

Take stock, do you need anything like light bulbs? Get those so you don’t have to leave the area before starting.

Timer set?

Let’s go!

Bedroom Antics: The Deep Clean Challenge Week 3

To sleep perchance to dream.

Just not yet. We’ve got work to do…

Welcome to Week 3 of The Deep Clean Challenge. So far, we have cleaned up the kitchen and done a clutter clearing challenge. Each week we are tackling a different area of the home to give your home a solid reset without spending all day on any one project. Then by using the chore schedule (or your own), your home can stay functional and enjoyable without too much ongoing effort. But, you can always sign up for a rinse and repeat at the end of this challenge if you need a fresh start.

Life happens, then we clean up.

The bedroom can be an incredibly challenging room, even more so for those who are neurodivergent. To help, we’ve added several different strategies to the end of the article, beyond our usual suggestions of accountability, body doubling, and using a timer and breaks. Remember, neurodivergencies are on a spectrum, and not all strategies are appropriate for every individual. We all have to find the approach that works for us. Finally, remember that what matters most is that the room is hygienic. Clutter only matters if it bothers the people who occupy the space. If you share the room, a compromise is necessary.

Why are we cleaning the bedroom this week?

We started the Deep Clean Challenge with an overall clutter clear for a quick, visual win. Next, we moved to the kitchen to make our day-to-day lives more pleasant. Now, we move on to the bedroom because most people spend around a third of their time in this room.

The only other place you may spend this much time is your job if you work outside of the home. Here at Home-Ec101, we’ve been remote from the start. Heather currently works from the “spare bedroom/office” and even wrote Home-Ec 101: Skills for Everyday Living from the master closet of her old house.

Since we spend so much time in the bedroom, let’s freshen it up a bit, shake out the cobwebs and invite in some fresh air* and sunlight. This may not be the best idea if the trees are busy doing their thing and getting their pollen everywhere. Your mileage may vary based on your locale. Exclusions and limitations apply.

Insomniacs, we do hear you. Your haunts are coming soon. However, next week, we are headed into the bathroom; please don’t think that’s what we were implying.

What will be cleaned in the bedroom?

How far you get down the list will depend on the state of the room at the start. The key is to remember that the challenge is not meant to be an all-day activity. There’s a time limit of two hours of active labor. With the washer and dryer playing an essential role in this week’s challenge, exact timing may be tricky.

Fan/light fixtureDrapes/windowsWallsSwitchplates/doorframesShelvingDressersChairsExercise EquipmentMirrorNightstand(s)/lamp(s)BedUnder the bedBaseboardsFlooringWhat is our goal in cleaning the bedroom?

While we’re not therapists, and we don’t play them on TV, we grew up with different backgrounds and know that there’s a lot of stuff that can get wrapped up in the state of your bedroom. We’ve lived in many different circumstances over the years, including without a bedroom at all.

We are here to help you get your room to a functional state for you. Clean—all dishes removed, laundry dealt with—ideally stored elsewhere, but if it must remain in the room, sorted to be dealt with— and the bed ready for your next sleep.

There’s no judgment and no shame.

There’s enough of that in life without anyone else adding to it.

What tools and cleaning supplies do we need to clean the bedroom?

This list is written with the many materials and starting states that may show up in a bedroom. Not all bedrooms have all materials. You will not need all of these supplies. Also, keep your expectations in line. If your room is starting at teenage disaster level, which can also be thought of as stressed out new parent, depressive episode, or burnout, don’t expect to get to cleaning the baseboards this round.

Who looks at your baseboards, anyway? (If anyone does, hand them a rag and a bucket and tell them to knock themselves out. Then, show them the door because you still don’t need that kind of negativity in your life. At least now you have clean baseboards and less judgment.)

garbage bagsbus tubs/binsrubber glovesragsdegreaserglass cleanerpaper towelsvacuumsoft bristle attachment stepladderfoxtail or soft bristle brushbroom and dustpanNice to have/get:well-fitted KN-95 mask* allergy barriers:
pillows
mattressscented linen spray (Lisa’s favorite)new lightbulbs, if any are outCord keepers/organizersA spare charger

With all of their nooks, crannies, and soft materials, bedrooms tend to collect dust. Cleaning stirs up that dust. So, if you have allergies and you wear a mask while cleaning, you can save yourself an afternoon or evening of misery. Go ahead, channel your inner Retta and treat yourself.

How do we get started with this week’s challenge to clean the bedroom?

Have you texted or called your accountability friend?

Are your supplies ready to go?

Music or podcasts loaded?

Excellent, there’s not anything left to do but read through and get started.

How long should cleaning the bedroom take?

Like other cleaning challenges, it depends.

We don’t ever want these deep cleaning challenges to take more than two hours. No one wants to give up their day off to clean all day.

Do what you can, if your room is starting off from a challenging place, focus on clearing out the dishes, trash and laundry first. Your next focus will be to get your bed ready for bedtime.

Your next round can be dust and grime-focused.

Let’s Clean that Bedroom!

Have allergies? Grab that mask. (Wear it even if you won’t be dusting today, simply moving things around stirs up dust.)

Get your laundry hamper, your trash bag, and your bins or bags you’ll be using to tote items to their new homes and get them ready.

To start we do a clear-out of everything that doesn’t belong: trash, dishes, laundry, out-of-place objects

Next, we will start the cleaning process: Top to bottom, left to right, dry to wet. (You are moving dirt down and out and not giving it a place to stick to on its way.)

Is there a ceiling fan? Switch it off.

While it is slowing, make a decision.

Will you be washing the bedspread, duvet covering or comforter? No? Remove it from the bed and put it in the hallway or closet for a moment and shut the door. Spread the top sheet over the entire bed. This is your dust-catcher, leave it in place until we’re done with the dusty stuff.

Clean the fan.

Start with the blades and be impressed by the dust caterpillars you create. Check to make sure the fan is rotating in the correct direction for the season where you live. If it is currently heading into the warmer season, the blades should be spinning counter-clockwise.

Don’t forget to clean the light fixture portion of the ceiling fan.

No fan?

Clean the overhead light fixture.

Now, while that dust settles, take a look at the corners of the room. Cobwebs? Knock them down, gently. You don’t want to add wall repair to your to-do list.

Clean the windows and window coverings.

If you have curtains or drapes, are they washable, and will they be washed today? If not, vacuum them using the soft bristle attachment. If you do not have a soft bristle attachment, use a clean, soft-bristled brush like a foxtail to gently brush the dust and cobwebs downward toward the floor.

You can use the same technique to clean your mini blinds. If your blinds have been very neglected, give them a once-over today and on the next round of The Deep Clean Challenge give them a thorough cleaning. You will have more time.

Do not wash the windows, yet.

We’re going to pause the top-down for a moment and switch to horizontal.

Clean shelves, dresser(s) and nightstand(s)

We already cleared these of the clutter and trash in the opening portion of the show, so these should be a quick wipe down to dust and straighten.

Clean any light fixtures that are not overhead.

Some experts claim that keeping electronics out of the bedroom is key to a good night’s sleep. That may not be practical in shared living spaces. Set a reminder to learn how to set up do not disturb hours—with those emergency exceptions, we see you, fellow anxiety friends. Use cord minders or even zip ties to keep your nightstand from staying a tangled nightmare. Heather likes these, but 3M also has a Command version that is clear.

Clean chairs and exercise equipment.

Grab the vacuum and get to it for any upholstered furniture. Wipe down hard furniture and exercise equipment.

Strip the bed.

You knew this was coming.

It’s time.

Strip it all the way down to the mattress.

If your mattress pad needs a wash, get that going.

Wipe down the headboard and footboard if you have one. Rotate the mattress.

If the mattress is not in an allergy barrier and you do not plan on putting it in one today, give it a good vacuum.

How to rotate a mattress.

Traditional style mattresses get rotated to keep the wear even. Think of it like rotating tires on a car. Each season you will shift the mattress through a pattern. The first turn is to just rotate it 90 degrees, so the head is now at the foot. Three months later, you flip the mattress so the top is now the bottom. Three months after that, rotate it so the head is the foot, and then in three months, you flip once more. It’s not perfect, but it helps extend its life by changing the stress points regularly.

Zip it into your new allergy barrier and replace the mattress pad. (If it is in the wash, just hold off on this part until it is ready.)

Are your sheets clean and ready? Replace them.

Pillows, toss them in the dryer to fluff them up a bit if you would like (Check the care tag, first!) Zip them into their allergy barriers and add your pillowcases.

Make the bed.

Since today is a special deep cleaning, make your room, even more, inviting with a special scent, if you like/tolerate scents. Lisa loves the Calm app’s lavender spray. Heather just loves the Calm app in general. Make the bed well, so it’s extra enjoyable to slide into this evening.

Vacuum or sweep

This is a thorough vacuuming or sweeping, not the usual just the middles. Get into the corners and under everything. Use the crevice tool and get along the baseboards and behind the curtains.

Clean the walls.

If anyone smokes in the home, a dilute degreaser will make this much easier. Nicotine is very sticky and creates a yellow, dingy film. Please don’t forget to wear gloves, as degreasers will dry out your hands, which we have done enough damage to the last couple of years.

Do not scrub and do not get the walls really wet. In many cases, bedrooms are painted in flat, matte, or eggshell finishes which aren’t meant to be scrubbed. Wring out your cloth and try to be consistent with your approach to avoid clean patches and streaks. Work from top to bottom and left to right.

Do a quick lap around the room to get the switchplates, and check the doors and door jams for fingerprints and smudges at foot, waist, and shoulder heights.

Wash the windows.

It’s time to let the light in. If you have made it this far and still have time left, go ahead and get all those nooks and crannies while you are at it.

Put your cleaning stuff away. You’re all done.

Now, you deserve a reward. What’s something you love that you can do in this room? Right now to enjoy it, while it’s in this state.

Neurodivergent Tips:

Tools, tips, and resources for accessibility and success are simply that. If they help you accomplish your goals of making your home and life more functional then they have done their job. If a role of painter’s tape makes life better, use the painter’s tape.

One of the challenging aspects of neurodiversity can be issues in the area of executive function. This relates to anything that has to do with time management, figuring out which tasks need to be prioritized etc. When cleaning a room, this can look like cleaning down the rabbit trail or becoming overwhelmed and not doing anything at all.

Managing executive function issues can be challenging and it may take many experiments to find the strategy that works best for your situation.

Break the room down into tiny, manageable tasks. Much smaller than what is outlined in this article. Please let us know if you would like a detailed breakdown printable. We will create and send one if there is a demand. It will need to be several pages long to account for different bedroom situations.

Dividing a room into 2′ or 3′ squares with string or painter’s tape can make a room much more manageable than trying to take in a whole space. Grid out the room in a way that makes sense. (Clear anything on the bed onto the floor, try to use the bed only for sleeping and other indoor sports).

Does the room have a lot of “doom piles” or “doom boxes”? This isn’t a bad thing. This means that the stuff is already partially handled, it just needs to be distributed. Only tackle one doom pile or box at a time. Take a break between or instead of trying to tackle the entire bedroom today, just do one pile today. Every pile conquered is a win, we all get to set our own pace. That’s one of the best parts about being an adult, in our own space. We get to set the rules.

If there is a habit of bringing dishes into the bedroom. Try having a bus bin in the room and placing the dishes in that instead of on other surfaces. This is easier to remove from the room, keeps dishes in one place, and can make carrying less difficult.

Finally, check out Behavioral Activation:

@drjenwolkin #behavior #CorollaCrossStep #wellnesstips ♬ Pieces (Solo Piano Version) – Danilo Stankovic

Budget-Friendly Ground Beef Stroganoff Recipe

A while ago, I shared a recipe for one of my family’s favorite comfort foods, ground beef in brown gravy. Several people commented or sent an email saying that it seemed similar in concept to a ground beef stroganoff. There’s enough of a difference between the two concepts that I wanted to write up a full recipe.

Is this an authentic ground beef stroganoff recipe?

Authentic is a loaded term. Many “secret” family recipes originally came from the back of a package and there’s nothing wrong with that. Those recipes were tested, worked, and got handed down. This recipe is a variation on stroganoff that I have used for many years. Unfortunately, I do not remember the original. I looked up a few versions to see

Classic recipes for beef stroganoff typically do not use ground beef. The original recipe is historically credited to a French chef working for a rich Russian family, but the history gets debated and the recipe has been heavily Americanized over the years, gaining and losing elements.

The ingredients that remain true to its roots are dijon mustard, beef, paprika, and sour cream.

The budget versions circulating usually rely on a can or two of cream of mushroom soup, which you can do, but using fresh mushrooms on sale and a 2/3 cup of sour cream works out nearly the same.

I’m going to rely on you to buy your mushrooms and beef on sale and to find your spices in bulk from anywhere other than the spice aisle in your grocery store.

Usually, I see stroganoff recipes with the generic “steak” and, more specifically, ribeye.

What can this stroganoff recipe teach me about other recipes/techniques?

In the recipe, you’re asked to add the paprika before the wine or flour. This technique allows the flavor of the paprika to develop. You can use this technique in many other dishes to create a more complex flavor, than if you just add spices at the same time as a liquid. There are two things to keep in mind. when adding spices before your liquids, it won’t work well if it’s for a dish you plan on draining and you can’t have the heat up so high you will burn the fat or spices.

If you can get your hands on Hungarian sweet paprika, use that. If your container of paprika says paprika, your stroganoff will turn out just fine, I promise. If you are using low sodium beef stock or broth, you will want to add a teaspoon of salt to the dish.

What to serve with ground beef stroganoff?

While the recipe is pictured served over egg noodles, it also works well over rice, mashed potatoes, cauliflower rice, baked potatoes, or steamed vegetables.

We like to have this meal with green beans. If you saute your green beans, try adding a few grape tomatoes to give a little pop of acidity/tartness which is a really nice contrast to the earthy, rich flavor provided by the beef and mushrooms. Roast carrots are a nice side dish, as well. Just peel and quarter the carrots, then toss them in olive oil and kosher salt. Spread on a baking sheet and roast at 400°F. If you put these in the oven just after the beef goes into the skillet, everything should be finishing up around the same time.

Our family also loves to have warm buttered bread and sometimes a salad when we have stroganoff. The salad is an especially good option if we choose a meal this rich in the summer months, it balances it out.

We generally stick to the heartier sides in the fall and winter.

How to make the recipe for ground beef stroganoff stretch.

Beef in any form, even ground, is not as budget-friendly as it used to be.

You can add more bulk to the stroganoff recipe by increasing the mushrooms or adding cooked lentils. Just give the lentils plenty of time to absorb the sauce’s flavor while cooking. Don’t just add them at the last second and expect them to go unnoticed.

This recipe doubles well and is excellent the next day as leftovers. We double it every time it’s made, as we have a large household.

Enjoy!

Yield: 4 - 6 servings Budget-Friendly Ground Beef Stroganoff Print

A take on the classic,gravy-based beef dish, best served over a starch with a dollop of sour cream.

Prep Time 5 minutes Cook Time 30 minutes Total Time 35 minutes Ingredients 1 to 1.5 pounds ground beef preferably 85% lean (the fat makes the gravy) 8 to 16 oz baby portabello or white button mushrooms, quartered (cut them smaller if they started out large, aim for bite-size) 1 medium to large sweet onion, diced 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon paprika (sweet if possible) 1 tablespoon dijon mustard 1/2 cup red wine 2 cupos beef stock or broth (I use Better Than Bouillon and predissolve it in hot water) 2/3 cup sour cream ground pepper to taste up to 1 teaspoon of salt, only use if your stock/broth is low sodium Instructions Over medium to medium-high heat brown the beef and break it into small bits with a wooden spoon or spatula.While the beef is browning, dice your onion and mince your garlic. As the beef begins to lose most of the pink and is beginning to approach a uniform appearance, add the diced onions and mushrooms.As the onions begin to soften, add the garlic, wait one minute and then add the dijon mustard and paprika. Once the onions are nearly translucent, add the wine and continue to stir.Sprinkle the 1/4 cup flour as evenly as possible across the browned meat.Stir well to coat the meat with flour. This step will prevent lumps in your gravy. You may notice a brown layer on the bottom of your pan, this is ok, reduce the heat a little to prevent it from scorching. This is called fond and will help increase the flavor.Slowly add your beef broth a quarter to a half cup at a time, using your wooden spoon to scrape up any fond from the pan and incorporate the liquid into your mixture.The liquid will practically disappear between additions at first. This is expected.Turn the heat to low and finish adding your liquid. Stir until fully incorporated.Reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Taste and ground pepper and salt, if needed. Give the salt and pepper a few minutes to incorporateStir in the 1/3 cup of sour cream and serve over cooked egg noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes © Heather Solos Cuisine: Americanized / Category: Beef

How to Clean and Care for a Cutting Board

Dear Home-Ec 101,

I’m interested in learning the proper care of a wooden cutting board. I use one for veggies and meats (I use bleach on it after it has been used for meats) and a separate board for fruits. If I cut fruits on the cleaned veggie board, the flavors of onion, garlic, and other stinky stuff get picked up by the fruit, and well, it tastes yucky. I’ve tried scrubbing with lots of hot soap & water & scrub brush, to no avail. So how do I get it clean, and should I treat the wood with anything?

Thanks!
Vampire-Free Since ’08

Photo by Sebastien Marchard on Unsplash

Heather says:

I could have written this the other night.

I have multiple large cutting boards at home, but I was at someone else’s house preparing dinner -mango salsa and grilled halibut with watermelon for dessert. I procrastinated cutting up the watermelon as they are a giant pain in the rear, and I hate the chore. So, without thinking, I used the same cutting board that I had used for the mango salsa.

Oops.

The next day, I received a phone call about the leftover watermelon smelling of garlic. /shrug. It happens. It can be prevented; I was just lazy and or forgetful. You can choose which.

Garlic odor can be neutralized with white vinegar. Keep some vinegar in a spray bottle, rinse the cutting board, spray it with white vinegar, give the acid a moment to work, and then wash the board as you normally would. Yes, you will have to smell white vinegar for a few minutes, but you won’t experience the joy of unintentional flavor transfer.

As a general rule, stick with multiple cutting boards for marathon cooking and to avoid cross-contamination.

Wooden cutting boards do require special care. Check out this post on cutting board basics for the full rundown.

For the TL:DR crowd -never soak, wash quickly with hot soap and water, rinse, sanitize with dilute bleach and dry thoroughly. Treat once a month with food-grade mineral oil and remove gouges with a scraper, not sandpaper.

While we’re at it, you may want to sharpen your knife skills and learn how to safely use bleach. Nothing ruins date night -or the entertainment budget- quite like a trip to the ER.

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com

Post updated March 24, 2022.

Photo by @misterdoulou on Unsplash

Cutting Board Care

Dear Home-Ec 101,

I’m interested in learning proper care of a wooden cutting board. I use one for veggies, and meats (I use bleach on it after it has been used for meats) and a separate board for fruits. The reason is that if I cut fruits on the cleaned veggie board, the flavors of onion, garlic, and other stinky stuff gets picked up by the fruit, and well, it tastes yucky. I’ve tried scrubbing with lots of hot soap & water & scrub brush, to no avail. How do I get it clean, and should I treat the wood with anything?

Thanks!
Vampire-Free Since ’08

Photo by Sebastien Marchard on Unsplash

Heather says:

I could have written this the other night.

At home I have multiple, large cutting boards, but I was at someone else’s house preparing dinner –mango salsa and grilled halibut with watermelon for dessert. I had been procrastinating cutting up the watermelon as they are a giant pain in the rear and I hate the chore. Without thinking I used the same cutting board that I had used for the mango salsa.

Oops.

Fast forward to the next day when I received a phone call about the leftover watermelon smelling of garlic. /shrug It happens. It can be prevented, I was just lazy and or forgetful, you can choose which.

Garlic odor can be neutralized with white vinegar. Keep some vinegar in a spray bottle, rinse the cutting board, spray it with white vinegar, give the acid a moment to work and then wash the board as you normally would. Yes, you will have to smell white vinegar for a few minutes, but you won’t experience the joy of unintentional flavor transfer.

As a general rule, stick with the multiple cutting boards for marathon cooking and to avoid cross-contamination.

Wooden cutting boards do require special care, check out this post on cutting board basics for the full rundown.

For the TL:DR crowd -never soak, wash quickly with hot soap and water, rinse, sanitize with dilute bleach and dry fully. Treat once a month with food grade mineral oil and remove gouges with a scraper not sandpaper.

While we’re at it, you may want to sharpen your knife skills and learn about how to use bleach safely. Nothing ruins date night -or the entertainment budget- quite like a trip to the ER.

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com

Post updated March 24, 2022.

Photo by @misterdoulou on Unsplash

Kitchen Clean-Up: The Deep Clean Challenge Week 2

The kitchen is the heart of the home.

Or something like that. Even if the kitchen isn’t the heart, you will likely spend a significant portion of your life at least passing through this part of your home.

Why are we cleaning the kitchen for Week 2 of the Deep Clean Challenge?

It can be demoralizing to stumble out of bed in the morning and have to move dishes out of the way to get a glass of water or to make a cup of coffee.

With that in mind, we are building off of last week’s clutter-clearing win and will be giving ourselves a clean slate in the kitchen. After this Saturday’s clean-up, the kitchen portion of your daily chore routine will be more manageable. Then, when you wander into the kitchen in the morning, the only groaning will be our normal existential ones. What? Like we’re the only ones. . .

What is the goal?

To create a more functional, less stressful space. You may not make it all the way through the printable kitchen clean-up checklist. Once again, we really don’t want you to spend more than a couple of hours on the deep clean challenge. The goal is to work toward creating a cleaner, more organized home, not to make it happen all at once. Each week you’ll be taking a big step toward that goal and then each day, as you do your daily routines—or just manage the minimums—things continue to trend better.

That’s what we are aiming for, a little better, all the time.

What will we be cleaning in the kitchen?

Please remember the kitchen deep clean challenge is not meant to be an all-day marathon. We are focused only on your appliances’ exteriors (except the microwave if you have one). We will tackle the large appliances in another session of the Deep Clean Challenge. Don’t worry. There’s a checklist, and this is the overview.

DishesCabinetry (interiors and exteriors, upper and lower if you have them)DrawersThe exterior of the fridge and other appliancesThe interior and exterior of the microwaveCounters, backsplash/wall Table and chairs or breakfast bar chairs if they are a part of your kitchen (We will do dining areas in detail in another Deep Clean Challenge week)SinkFlooringWhat tools and cleaning supplies do we need?

It depends.

Again, really? Yes, not all kitchens are the same. In fact, the materials used in them vary wildly. Please remember the Home-Ec 101 motto:

We solemnly swear to always read the label, never mix chemicals without research, fight the man, test in an inconspicuous area, and hide the evidence.

So, your job is to figure out what you need before Saturday. Regardless of what your kitchen looks like, you will want:

Gloves – cleaners are typically hard on your handsRags or paper towelsA degreaser safe for your counters, cabinetry, and appliancesVacuum with a hose attachment/soft bristle brush, handheld vac, OR a soft bristled brush to whisk away dust and crumbsBroom & DustpanMop & BucketTrashcan & BagsHow do we get started with this week’s kitchen clean-up challenge?

Do you need accountability to stay on track?

Phone or text a friend and have them check in on you. If you don’t work well alone have someone share the space with you, maybe they would appreciate it if you did the same for them. This is often called body doubling and can work well for ADHDers. Use a timer. There’s one on your phone, but Heather uses these timers for work and LOVES them, if you need a more tactile/visual timer, maybe these would work for you.

Please note:
If you utilize the body doubling technique, your friend should know that they aren’t expected to help.
Just having them in the same general area can be extremely motivating. They can sit there and have a cup of tea or coffee and play games on their phone or wrangle kids, if you have them, while you do the actual work. You can return the favor for them, or maybe, just maybe you can internalize that they enjoy spending time with you and it doesn’t matter what you are doing together. Not everything needs to be an expensive adventure.

Let’s normalize this.

Do you just need a little motivation?Turn on your favorite upbeat playlist.Turn on your favorite podcast. Last week we listed a few of our favorites. What are yours? We’d love to know, we’re always looking for new ones, please feel free to share your recommendations in the comments.

Whatever you do, don’t forget to print out the kitchen clean-up checklist.

A couple of things mentioned in the checklist that need clarification.

The tops of the cabinetry – When you do this, the goal is to get that first, thick layer of dust. The dust on top of your cabinets is going to be greasy. When you cook, especially when you saute, you create aerosolized grease and that floats around until it finds a place to land. Later dust particles and lint join the party.

Don’t scrub this mess with the soft bristle attachment of your vacuum. Trust us, that’s not fun. Just give it a quick once over to get the big stuff. Then go back over with a degreaser and a rag.

Lisa has a great tip for you to make the next time much easier: since no one can see up there, you can put down a layer of paper towels. Next time you do a major cleaning, just grab the towels, give the tops a quick wipe and put down a new layer.

The interior of your microwave – get a microwave-safe bowl and fill it with one cup of water and 1/4 to a 1/2 cup of distilled vinegar. Microwave it on high for five minutes and then let it sit for another five while you are cleaning other things. This creates a nice steamy environment in your microwave that softens whatever splatters are in there. Carefully remove the bowl and wipe out the interior.

One final note, while we will clean your dishwasher thoroughly in a future challenge, now may be a good time to check your dishwasher’s filter and give it a good cleaning before you start for the day. Wouldn’t it be nice to put away really clean dishes later today? If you don’t know how to clean your dishwasher’s filter or aren’t sure if yours has one, just search on YouTube for your dishwasher’s brand and model and how to clean its filter. Some ingenious person has likely posted a great tutorial for you.

For example, Heather has a Bosch and its filter is in the bottom near the front. she gives it a quick twist. Then it pops out, and all she has to do is give it a quick scrub under hot, running water before replacing it.

How long should cleaning your kitchen take?

Great question. How motivated are you? How much energy do you have? Do you have a lot of dishes to do before you can get started? There are a lot of factors to consider. The answer is we don’t know.

Got your timer? See you Saturday, Let’s go!

Do you need more helpful articles for kitchen cleaning?How to Handwash Dishes How to Repair Stained GroutHow to Reduce Cooking OdorsCleaning Cutting Board BasicsHow to Clean a Dirty Broiler PanHow to Clean a Smooth Top Range / StoveHow to Clean Dirty Drip PansHow to Clean Refrigerator CoilsHow to Clean a Smelly Garbage DisposalHow to Remove Burnt Food from Aluminum Pots and PansHow to Remove Burnt Food from GlasswareHow to Remove Hard Water Spots from GlasswareHow to Remove Melted Plastic from CookwareHow to Remove Soap Residue from PlasticWhy Isn’t My Dishwasher Performing as It ShouldHow to Get Started on a Giant Pile of DishesHow to Clean and Shine Stainless SteelHow to Clean Out the FridgeHow to Clean CorianHow to Clean Granite CountersHow to Remove Acrylic Paint from Laminate CountertopsHow to Remove Ink from Laminate CountertopsHow to Remove Milk Splatter from Wood FurnitureHow to Dispose of Cooking GreaseHow to Clean Kitchen Light FixturesHelp! Someone Put Dish Soap in the Dishwasher

Friendly Spring Cleaning Encouragement

This post was updated on March 19, 2022.

Lisa says:

Now’s a good time to get your spring cleaning started, particularly if you have minions children on spring break. I’m extra lucky, my son is in college, and his spring break was last week, so I’m a little ahead of the game. Luckily, my mom was here last week to help me out as I’m also a full-time caregiver, and she likes to support me the best way she knows how. There’s nothing like having your mom standing on your porch at 8 AM with a bucket in hand to encourage you to stop lollygagging over your third cup of coffee and get to work.

Spring Cleaning Encouragement

Since I can’t send my mom over to your houses for cleaning encouragement, I’ll have to do my best here. There’s something very spiritual and emotional with a good, all-over cleaning and decluttering. As much as I profess to hate clutter, I admit that mine’s gotten piled up a bit, and sometimes it’s hard to purge.

So, we have to go back to my personal motto: Look one way and pitch the other. If it doesn’t have a place, it has to go. And by go, I mean go RIGHT AWAY. Once I’m finished cleaning for the day, I take myself down to the Convenience Center and trash and/or donate it immediately. If you set it out in your garage or basement or whatever to “have a yard sale” or something, you might never get rid of it.

Clutter does have an extremely high reproduction rate, and once it gets a foothold, it is hard to get ahead of. You can get ahead of it, but don’t let it get you down. If it already has a foothold, ask a friend to come over and bring a bucket. Even if you already have a bucket, it’ll get things in gear. I happen to have two buckets, but my mom’s bucket is far better. It’s the bucket of authority or something.

Click the picture to learn more!

It’s funny that I clean my house regularly, yet when someone’s there cleaning with me, it’s far more satisfying, and it gets done tons faster. Once you and your cleaning buddy are done with your house, go to their house and return the favor. Cleaning always goes faster with the camaraderie of buddies.

Submit your domestic questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

Pot Roast with Balsamic Gravy

This recipe is a riff on Wicked Noodle’s Chuck Roast with Balsamic and Dijon. It was originally posted on this site back in 2015, but has been updated in 2022.

I’m not a super huge thyme fan so I went with garlic, but you can do whatever makes you happy. I know I said three cloves in the recipe, but that’s for the moderate garlic lovers out there… we tend to be much more heavy handed in our home.

You could even do both garlic and thyme or you could use fresh rosemary. This recipe is safe to play with.

If you’re looking for a traditional pot roast, you can try this back to basics recipe or this wine-braised version. We have pot roast at least once a month and rotate through these versions.

Recipe for Pot Roast with Balsamic Gravy

 

 

**Yes, on the counter, You can check with Jeff Potter if you doubt me.

Balsamic Pot Roast Print

Wonderful dinner for cooler fall and winter nights.

Prep Time 20 minutes Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes Total Time 3 hours 50 minutes Ingredients 4 pounds bone-in chuck roast* 1 generous pinch of kosher salt 3 strips thick-cut bacon, uncooked, chopped 1 medium to large yellow onion, sliced thinly 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups beef or mushroom stock 10 carrots -not mutant giant ones, just normal average carrots 2.5 - 3 pounds small potatoes, look for new potatoes or red potatoes (purple would be good, too) 1/4 cup flour (I used a GF mix as there's a wheat allergy in our house) Fresh ground pepper Instructions Unwrap the roast, sprinkle it with kosher salt on both sides. Set it on a plate**, let it rest for a bit.Preheat the oven to 300℉. Set a large (6qt-ish) dutch oven on the stove on medium heat.Begin heating the bacon until the fat begins to render. While this happens, slice your onions thinly.Just let the bacon cook until you start to see some browning, the goal is not to cook it to the crisp stage. Remove it from the pot and set it aside.Place the pot roast in the dutch oven and sear for 2 minutes on each side. Remove the roast from the pot. Add the bacon back and stir in the onions. Cook just until they begin to soften, add the garlic.Whisk in the 1/3 cup of balsamic and 3 tablespoons dijon mustard.Scrape up any browned bits, a wooden spoon with a flat side works well for this. Slowly stir in the 2 cups of beef or mushroom stock.Lay a few carrots in the bottom of the dutch oven and then set the roast on them. Pile the rest of the carrots on top of the roast.Cover and place the dutch oven in the oven for 2.5 hours. Add the potatoes and return to the oven. Cook for another hour or until the pot roast is fork-tender. Remember roasts are individual and depend on several factors, exact time will vary.Remove from the oven and put the roast, carrots, and potatoes in a serving dish. Pour most of the drippings into a container. Leave just enough to cover the bottom of the pot.Place the pot on a burner over medium-low heat.Whisk the flour into the pot until smooth. Stir until the mixture just begins to darken—this gets rid of any raw flour flavor.Slowly whisk the remaining drippings into the gravy until it's the thickness you like.Add fresh ground pepper to taste. © Heather Solos Cuisine: American / Category: Beef

Clutter Removal Challenge: The Deep Clean Challenge Week 1

An object at rest tends to stay at rest, and an object in motion will remain in motion.

Today, we’re creating that motion. We are kicking off The Deep Clean Challenge with an exercise that encourages you to move around your home and clear clutter.

Why do we start The Deep Clean Challenge with clutter removal?

If you are anything like us, you need an easy win, and easy wins give you the motivation you need to keep going.

What counts as clutter?

Any item that you no longer like, need, or want. And, because we are all human around here, we are pretty sure there may be some actual trash, too.

A quick note about family “heirlooms”:
If an item is of no value to you or to anyone who lives in your home, you have no obligation to keep it. If it is valuable to someone important to you, arrange to give that item to them as soon as possible. Boundaries, people, boundaries.

How do you get started with this week’s clutter clearing challenge?

You can do a Marie Kondo exercise for this week’s challenge if you would like, but we find it much easier to clear the decks with ruthless abandon. With her six children, Heather finds it simpler to keep only a couple of items from each kid’s babyhood rather than trying to store many sentimental objects. Teenagers take up enough space. They don’t need to compete with the things they have outgrown.

You may want to take a more measured approach or your child/children’s personalities may require this. Know what you need before starting, so you don’t regret your strategy later.

How do you find motivation?

Try some accountability.

Call or text a friend a link to this challenge and tell them what time you will be done. Tell them to text you at that time to perform a check-in.

Don’t like the pressure of a deadline? Try a technique called body doubling. This technique works really well for people who may have ADHD. Body doubling is when you have another person in the same space—or virtually in the same space. That person does not have to be participating in the activity, but their presence can keep you on task. Quick tip for those without any available volunteers, sometimes ambient conversation like an audiobook or podcast can be a stand-in.

Prefer to work alone?

Try the Pomodoro method, this is a method with 25 minutes of work followed by a five-minute break. If you need a shorter sprint that works, too. Try 15 or even 10. The important part is to get that first round done; that initial success can be the inspiration you need to keep going.

Put on a playlist you like or maybe a podcast. Some of our favorites* include:

My Favorite MurderHelp I Sexted My BossI Saw What You DidMorbidCrime Junkie

*Please note you should probably put in earbuds if you have kiddos around, as our tastes tend to run a little dark/NSFW

What do you need for this clutter purge?Large trash bags, large plastic bins/totes, or what the heck, what about those cardboard boxes from Amazon to separate items bound for different destinations. A timer, btw you have one on your phone.A little motivation. How long will getting rid of all your clutter clearing take?

How much stuff do you have, how big is your home? We really can’t answer that one for you. We also don’t want you to spend all day on this challenge. Pick your goal, it could be 30 minutes, but no more than 2 hours.

Remember the spirit of the challenge:

Progress, not perfection.

Set a timer.

Take breaks.

Reward yourself at the end.

Your stuff isn’t going anywhere, and frankly, neither are we. You didn’t get here in one day. At the end of this challenge, we will have a rinse and repeat option to restart.

Where do you start the clutter clearing challenge?

Your choice.

Here are some ideas from a previous organization challenge. Don’t try to do them all this Saturday; it’s just inspiration. Pick one as a starting point and then grab your bags/bins and begin.

Get rid of junk mail immediately. The entryway or dining room table is a great place, as a lot of unnecessary trash piles up in both areas.

How about that shoe closet or coat closet? How many yard work shoes do you need? Do you even do the yard work?

Head to your kitchen, can you see your counters? Open your pantry; how much of that is way past its expiration date? Dare you open your storage container cupboard? Will an avalanche happen?

Your closet? What clothes are you never going to wear again?

The laundry room? The linen closet?

This clutter clearing challenge is not about turning into a minimalist.

Week One is only about getting rid of as much of your home’s excess as you can in a maximum of two hours. The linked articles above are just for brainstorming, not a suggestion to do them all.

Donate what you can, recycle* what you can’t, and get the rest ready to go straight to your county’s convenience site or set them aside for trash day.

*By the way, you know that box or bag stuffed with a tangled web of cables you have? Best Buy typically has some boxes near the front of the store where you can take all those cords so they don’t end up in a landfill.

Finally, don’t forget to share the most epic thing you find with us on Facebook.

Ready?

Set.

Go!