Company's Coming! {free download}

Don't get mad at me for saying this but.....

Thanksgiving is in less than a month! You know what that means right?

Christmas is in two months! You know what that means right?

Company in your house!

This is good news and bad news!

Good news...time with your family!

Bad news...time to clean

But it really isn't that bad! I have found ways to get my house ready for company without it becoming a major event. Ok that's a lie. It will always be a major event, but it's a good one.

Here are 4 simple ways we get ready for company.

1.  I get my kids involved. I make a list of all that needs to be done and they choose what they will do. If no one chooses, then I assign them. There is always a reward involved. Even I like to be rewarded when we tackle the task of prepping for company.

2.  I divide the house up into zones. Sometimes that's how we assign jobs, by the zone. Often we will work on the house for several days, one zone at a time.

3. Gather all our tools. I make sure we have easy access to what we need to get that zone cleaned up. If several people are cleaning, I make sure they each have a spray bottle of cleaner and a cloth. Here is the cleaner I use to clean my house with.

4.  I try to make it fun. Try is a really big word. Sometimes I just want it done. Other times I turn on our favorite music, set a timer, give a challenge or whatever I can think of to get it done with a smile on all of our faces.

A few years ago I learned of the importance of reducing the harsh chemicals in our house. I'm pretty sure I've blogged about this before. But it was shocking to me what is in the common cleaners I was using and the harmful effects it was having on our health. I have a son with asthma and realized the cleaners and candles I was using was only making him more sick!

Here is an article that explains what these ingredients are and why we need to avoid them. 

Instead of a bucket of cleaners under my sink that could be really dangerous if my little kids got a hold of them, I only have one bottle of cleaner. It works great. Saves me money. It's very versatile.

Download this PDF of simple recipes that I use when I clean my house! 

>>>> DOWNLOAD  CHEMICAL FREE CLEANING  <<<<<

5 Minute Chocolate Cake - better recipe

I received an email this morning from a fellow chocolate addict.  It was the recipe for a 5 minute chocolate cake that you cook in a coffee mug in your microwave!  Oh my goodness!  So, I had to share it with you.  I also found a mug you could buy with the recipe on it!  This obviously is not a new thing.

So here we go!

The recipe is easy.

Ingredients:
  4tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
2 Tablespoons baking cocoa
A pinch of salt
  3tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 Tablespoon oil
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional, but not really)
Microwave safe cup

Spray your cup with cooking spray, just enough to coat the cup. In a bowl, mix together all your ingredients and stir well. Now pour this batter into your cup.

 

 

Put the cup in the microwave and cook it on full power for 3 minutes. Depending on the power of your microwave, and your altitude (go figure) you may have to cook the cake longer. Only cook in additional 15 second intervals, because an overcooked cake is no good, and it's even worse because you're microwaving it. 

Your cake should be nice & fluffy.  Now you are ready to serve it.  Here are a few idea's I found that you can do with your cake.

   

Sprinkle some powder sugar on the top.

Top with some cherry or strawberry pie filling. 

 I also think that adding some chocolate syrup on top would make is extra chocolaty!  Yum!

This would make a great gift.  Take all of the dry ingredients measured out and put them into a food safe bag.  Print out on a card the directions with a list of the remainder of ingredients needed (egg,milk, vanilla extract & oil) .  Attach the card to a ribbon and tie around the top of the baggie.  Place the baggie in the coffee mug.

There ya go!  An inexpensive, yet really cool gift for someone.

3-2-1 Biscuits

A friend of mine brought biscuits to a meeting we had this past year & they were the best I had ever had. Up until now, my biscuits were just from a baking mix. I didn't like making them from scratch because there just seem to be too many ingredients. Not so with these 3-2-1 Biscuits. My kids love these. They are not the most healthy, but very delicious!

Recipe
3 Tablespoons of sugar (I never put 3, more like only 1)
2 cups of Self Rising Flour(not all purpose) (may need a little more)
1 cup of Heavy Whipping Cream (the not so healthy part)

Mix together, roll out to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut. I use the top of a coffee mug because I don't have a biscuit cutter. But for your kids I bet they would like fun shapes from a cookie cutter.

An easier way.... My friend never rolled her dough out. I didn't know that until recently. She just dropped them on the pan & patted them down a little.

Bake 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. Just watch them & smell them. When they smell real good & are browning on top, they should be done.

We love putting a little butter & strawberry preserves in the middle of ours. No gravy needed!

Enjoy!