PINTEREST PINS I HAVE DONE 3-17-12 Wall Cantry I built this between two walls studs using two 1" x 4" boards running vertical to divide the can rows. Then I used 6 pieces of wood trim along the outside of the boards and studs to hold the cans in place. Another piece of trim was added to the bottom to keep the cans from rolling out. It holds about 33 cans. I didn't use any screws or nails. Instead I used something called Power Grab to hold it all in place. Photo shows before I touched it up with paint and before I added the bottom trim piece to keep cans from rolling out. You can see the 1" x 4" boards that I used between the can rows. This is the pin below that I got the idea from called a pull-out cantry. 3-10-12 Bacon Cinnamon Rolls 1 tube of cinnamon rolls -I used Kroger Orange Danish Rolls and bacon -I used Kroger Fully Cooked Bacon Unroll rolls and add bacon slices and roll back up. Bake as directed on can. Squeeze orange icing on top. Any leftover bacon I chopped up and sprinkled over the tops of the rolls. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3-9-12 I made this recipe, Crock pot Pork Chop Barbecue, but did a few tweaks of my own to give it more of an oriental flare. 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 cup Italian dressing 4 Tablespoons soy sauce 2 Tablespoons minced garlic 1/2 cup BBQ sauce 1- 20 ounce can crushed pineapple Combine all the ingredients in the crock pot except pineapple. Because I know my kids wouldn't eat this with pineapple chunks, I put the can of pineapple with liquid into the food processor with a little sauce from the crock pot and pureed it some so that the pineapple wasn't noticeable anymore. Then I dumped the pineapple into the crock pot and stirred everything together. Next I added 6 pork chops, making sure they were coated with the sauce on both sides. I set the crock pot on high and will cook for the next 4-5 hours. When done remove pork chops and reserve sauce to pour over minute rice. I would have loved to of added some chopped green bell pepper to this but that would be pushing it with getting kids to eat it. Maybe I could do some on the side for me and Tony and mix it into our servings only. After 4 hours of the chops being in the crock pot I removed them and fried them in the pan to caramelize the sauce on them to give them a golden, crunchy brown outside. At times I would pour a little sauce from the crock pot on them. Along side the chops in the skillet I added a half cup of chopped green bell peppers to mix with the sauce on the adult plates. A little sauce goes a long way on the rice! The kids loved it and gobbled it up! Next time I will cut back on how much pineapple I use because I thought it was a little too sweet. I can freeze the sauce for another recipe because there was plenty leftover. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-8-12 Crock Pot corn. Instead of parsley I used Mrs. Dash seasoning. And Easy Cornflake Crumb Chicken. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-7-12 I just finished doing two walls of the back of the pantry with fabric. I coated the fabric with liquid starch using a sponge brush, pinning the fabric first at the top and smoothing it out with something that had a flat edge. I didn't have one of those putty or wallpaper thingies so I looked around and used an extra wall faceplate of all things to smooth out the wrinkles or any bubbles. Then I used a regular steak knife to push the edges under any boards and lastly used a sharp box knife for trimming off any edges. I am so glad that I decided to paint the back wall with white first because with using this thin sheet fabric, everything behind it will show through if you don't have a solid white color behind it. It also helps to make the fabric appear brighter. I still have so much more painting, covering the back walls with fabric and lots and lots of boards to cut for shelves and painting those boards. For those of you who don't know, this room is my laundry and soon to be pantry room. The wall I am doing is the backside of our rec room and was never finished and only had the studs showing on the laundry room side. I'm using 1" x 4" boards cut to fit in between the studs for the pantry shelves. I plan to repeat the fabric pattern of the mini rose buds and stripes throughout most of the wall. I was experimenting with the pink gingham and didn't like it. I only had it pinned to the wall next to the other ones to see what it looked like and it was not put up with the liquid starch. While I only have two rows done with the fabric, I wanted to let everyone know that the liquid starch DOES WORK for putting fabric on the walls. I'm so glad it does because I'm trying doing this whole project as cheap as possible. A 64 ounce container of liquid starch at Walmart was $2.99. Mod Podge was out of the question because it was too expensive for my budget. I would have gone the route of making homemade Mod Podge but some reviews said it was yellowing over time and some said it would mold if you didn't use the kind with the vinegar. I wasn't taking any chances because I wanted this to hold up and look nice for awhile. And this is the fabric I used- bed sheets I bought from the thrift store. I pre-cut everything before putting them on the wall with the starch. And like I've mentioned before it helps to get fabric with stripes or checks/gingham on them for this type of project because it makes cutting straight lines sooo much easier. You can't see it on the rose bud fabric, but it has very light gray stripes running through it. I got a long ways to go so will keep you posted to let you know how it all turns out. This is the before. There is still 5 more rows to paint and add fabric to that is to the right of the furnace unseen in the photo. Some color, softness and warmth is what I'm looking for when doing this laundry room which looks so dreary. Anything to jazz up a typical basement laundry room. --------------------------------------------------------------- 3-6-12 Chicken Parmigiana -1 jar Kroger green bell pepper & mushroom spaghetti sauce ($1.25) -1 can Aldi tomato soup (free) -2 to 3 Tablespoons Kroger Apriva (Splenda) (.10 cents) -1 Tablespoon chopped dried basil (free) -2 Tablespoons Dollar Tree jarred chopped garlic (.20 cents) Stir everything together and simmer on stove while making spaghetti. -1 pound box of Kroger spaghetti broke into thirds ($1.25) Boil water and add spaghetti, drain then mix in spaghetti sauce reserving 1 cup for the top. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. Pour in the spaghetti and top with shredded cheese. -4 breaded Extra Value Kroger chicken patties ($1.25) Top spaghetti with chicken patties. Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over patties. and then place 4 cheese slices on top of chicken patties. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees. -4 cheese slices (.48 cents) -leftover Mexican shredded cheese, about 3/4ths to 1 cup ($1.00) TOTAL COST TO MAKE CHICKEN PARMIGIANA- $5.53 4 servings with chicken patties along with leftover spaghetti for lunches. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-6-12 Oreo Pudding Poke Cake Oreo Poke Cake I only used one large box of Oreo pudding and 2 cups of milk. I also did not add crushed up oreos on top because I don't have any. -1 box chocolate cake mix, I used devil's food- ($1.25) -3 eggs (.45 cents) -1/3 cup oil (free) -1 cup water (free) -1 large box oreo pudding ($1.20) -2 cups milk (.30 cents) Make and bake cake according to package directions. Allow to cool then poke holes with the back end of a wooden spoon into the cake. Prepare oreo pudding and pour over top of cake allowing it to sink down into holes. Refrigerate. TOTAL COST TO MAKE OREO POKE CAKE- $3.20 Would I make this again? While everyone liked it, I mean who doesn't like chocolate, it didn't have the wow factor I was looking for. If I made it again I would try something different other than pudding. Maybe melt some cream cheese or white frosting and pour that over the cake instead. I want something that more resembles the filling of an oreo cookie to go with the chocolate cake. If I put free for an ingredient it either means something was given to me, I got it free with coupons or it was something leftover and already calculated in another recipe. ------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-26-12 DIY All Purpose Orange-Vinegar Cleaner Add orange peels (or any citrus peel) to a quart of white vinegar in a closed container and let it set for two weeks. Combine citrus/vinegar solution half/half with water and use for cleaning. Works on floors, tile, fixtures, etc. Smells good and is tough on scum! Best of all there are no chemicals. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-23-12 Faux wrought iron clock made with toilet paper & paper towel rolls. Total cost to make- wine clock purchased at thrift store for $2.99. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 2-24-12 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2-18-12 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-23-12