Home Management Binder - Weekly Menu / Shopping List

Meal times run much smoother when you have a menu in place. This Menu/ Shopping list is a great way to keep track of your weekly meals and take control of your shopping list.
 

VIEW & PRINT

 

If you are joining me in making your own binder, please be sure to take photos and blog about it. At the end of the month I will be having a link party were you will be able to link up your own home management binders. 

If you would like to share these printables with your readers you can snag the button below and place somewhere on your blog or in your post (although this is not required, I would appreciate it!)

How to de-pit a cherry

For the past couple years I have tried to avoid buying fresh cherries. Don't get me wrong! I absolutely love cherries. However, when your a mom of young kids you know that your kids "have" to eat whatever you are eating and cherries are just not that great for 2 year olds. With the large pit in the center it is easy for a child to choke.
I've tried cutting them in half and removing the seed but since there is a seed in the center you can't just slice the cherry in half. You have to cut all the way around the seed and then try to rip the flesh from the seed. This always resulted in a huge mess for me and I always ended up with large chunks of flesh still stuck to the seed.
My other options were to hide the cherries in the back of the fridge and only eat them when the kids were napping, outside, or after they went to bed. Or just not buy them at all.
On our recent trip to the grocery store we discovered cherries on sale and couldn't pass them up. From the moment the girls saw them go in the cart they were begging to have some. Once we got home I tried once again to cut them in half and remove the pit but after 4 cherries resulting in a pulpy mess I thought there had to be another way. Then I got an idea.
Using a silly straw we had in the pantry I was able to push the pit out of the cherry. It was actually a lot easier than I had expected and left very little mess.

(p.s. In the following photos my hands look really dirty. I promise they are clean! I just finished staining some wood and of course did not use gloves so it stained my hands as well. Please don't judge me )

Grab a straw.

Place the end of the straw against the side of the cherry where the stem was removed.

Holding the cherry firmly, push the straw through the cherry until the pit pops out the other end.

From here you can easily slice the cherries in half, serve them whole, or freeze them and use for smoothies.

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Dinner in a jar

Have you noticed the latest 'food-in-a-jar' craze that has been sweeping the internet? The main reason I love these so much is their convenience. Not only are they super easy to make, they also travel well. Take one with you to work or on a long road trip. Pack up a bunch for a family picnic or pass them out at a BBQ. These are so fun to make and also fun to eat!!

1. Salad in a Jar via Fat Girl Trapped in a Skinny Body
2. Mason Jar Lasagna via Glitter and Ganache
3. Homemade pesto with tomatoes, goat cheese, and olives via My Own Ideas
4. Dinner Rolls Baked in a Jar via So how's it taste
5. Chili and Cornbread in a Jar via Givers Log
6. BBQ in a Jar via Givers Log
7. Layered Shrimp Salad via Access Atlanta

8. Chicken Ramen Salad and Yam and Chickpea Salad via Big Red Kitchen

9. Wheat Berry Apple Salad via Savoring the Thyme

10. Chicken Liver Pâté via The Pretty Blog

11. Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper Cupcakes via Cookbook Queen

12. Lattice Top Peach Pie via The Family Kitchen

13. S'mores Cake in a Jar via How Sweet It Is

 

 

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BBQ!!!!!!

 My favorite part about warm weather are the BBQ's. 

Although I'm a huge meat and potato fan when it comes to BBQs, I found a few non-traditional recipes that I will have to try out this summer.

Grilled Stuffed Zucchini 

Grilled Zucchini Pizza Slices

Mexican Grilled Corn

Grilled & Glazed Carrots.

Grilled Rabbit*

Grilled Portobello Burger

And for DESSERT!!!

Stuffed Grilled Bananas

Grilled Pineapple

Grilled Peaches

* For those of you who have never tried rabbit meat before, here are a few facts. 

•  Cholesterol level in rabbit meat is much lower than chicken, turkey, beef, pork
•  Rabbit is lower in % of fat than chicken, turkey, beef, and pork.
•  Rabbit is highest in protein%.
•  The office of home economics, state relations of the U S Department of Agriculture has made extensive test and have stated that domestic rabbit meat is the most nutritious meat known to man
• Rabbit meat has been used and is suitable for special diets, such as those for heart disease patients, diets for the aged, low sodium diets, weight reduction diets, ect. (although I am not a professional so please talk to your doctor first)
• Rabbit has 795 calories per pound. Chicken 810, Veal 840, Turkey 1190, Lamb 1420, Beef 1440, Pork 2050.
•  A doe rabbit that weighs 10 pounds can produce 320 pounds of meat in a year. This is more than a cow and it takes 2 acres of land to raise a cow.
• It was decreed by law in the Roman Empire that all young maidens be fed rabbit meat because it would make them more beautiful and more willing.

I didn't know that stores even carried rabbit meat but once I started looking I found that a lot of them do. You may need to ask one of the store clerks since they sometimes keep it in odd locations.

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I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For...

ICE CREAM PARTIES

Ice cream parties are perfect for summer time.

 Whether you are celebrating a Birthday, Anniversary, job promotion, graduation or maybe you just feel like throwing a party for no reason.

I'm not sure that I have ever met someone who doesn't like Ice cream.

Here are a few ideas to help you get your party started.

Free Printables

Party Decor

Serving Table

Ice Cream




Non- Ice Cream Desserts

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Smart Thinking - Never Use a Chip Clip AGAIN!!!

I have a jar full of clothespins that I keep in the pantry used specifically for pinning on chip bags to keep them closed. Although the clothespins work great there are times when I am out of the house and there are no clothespins insight (i.e. long car rides, picnics, ect...) I recently came across this amazing CHIP BAG FOLD (thank you pinterest) and I had to share it with all of you.

It is so simple I may just do away with the clothespins altogether.

For more fun organizing ideas click HERE or
check out some amazing tutorials by clicking HERE.

Do you have a organizing or cleaning tip of your own that you would like to share with DIY Home Sweet Home readers? Be sure to fill out the 'Get Featured' form (also found in the tabs at the top of the page). I am always looking for more ideas so don't hesitate to send more than one.

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