I try to do 1 or 2 “vegetarian” dishes each week. It tends to cut the grocery bill down a bit, which is always helpful! This is a tasty recipe that you can throw together pretty quickly!
Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 medium red onion, sliced 1/2″ thick (I went ahead and used a whole onion)
1 T. +1 t. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 t. + 3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. crushed red-pepper flakes
8 oz. penne
1 garlic clove, minced
1 T. chopped fresh oregano (I used a teaspoon of dried oregano)
1/4 c. part-skim ricotta cheese
FYI: this was before I broiled them
1. Preheat broiler. Toss tomatoes and onion with 2 teaspoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the red-pepper flakes. Broil on a rimmed baking sheet until tomatoes are just starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.
3. Toss warm pasta with garlic, remaining 2 teaspoons oil, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Stir in tomato mixture and the oregano. 4. Add 1/4 cup reserved cooking water to moisten; stir in remaining water as needed. Divide pasta among 4 bowls, and stir 1 tablespoon ricotta into each.
**Each serving has about 297 calories, 6 g fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 48 g carbohydrates, 384 mg sodium, 10 g protein, 6 g fiber**
I know I wrote a post about chores and putting myself on a schedule for them. But I really wanted a more flexible and more fun way to tackle each week’s necessary tasks. After browsing on PInterest, I found a few ideas that I liked, and I created my own version of a chore board. It was cheap, easy, and relatively quick to make. I’m a bit of a perfectionist, so it took me longer than it probably should have to make this.
My finished product
The perks of this chore board:
You can move things around.
This is nice when you know you’ll be too busy one day to do several chores. You can just move them to a day that’s more convenient for you. It’s also nice when you have a “lazy day” (I’m sure I’m not the only one who does this), and you don’t get your chores done. Just move them to the following day(s).
It’s colorful!
I can’t walk past this and not look at it. I have mine in the hallway between the kitchen and the rest of the house. I walk through here countless times, so it’s a constant reminder to get things done. Plus it matches my decor! 🙂
It’s a physical thing.
What I mean by this is that you can remove the chores as you complete them and put them in the little box. Sometimes knowing I can remove them once they’re finished is the only motivation I have to complete the day’s chores. And wanting to see a blank board is my big motivator to finish everything up on Friday!
It’s yours!
You can make this however you want! I don’t like doing chores on the weekend, so I only gave myself the weekdays to get things done. But when you make your chore board, you can put as many clothespins as you want on there (generally 5 or 7). I do laundry several times a week, so I made multiple laundry cards to work with. I also included chores I don’t do weekly, such as ironing and washing windows, so I can put them on the board as needed.
Okay, so let’s make this! Here’s what you will need:
photo frame (I used one that holds an 8-1/2″x11″ piece of paper)
scrapbook paper and tissue paper (if you want)
scissors
hot glue gun
clothespins
a small box (I used a tape box, but I’ve also seen crayon boxes used)
packaging tape
letter stickers
ruler
First make your background for the frame. I took a 12″x12″ piece of scrapbook paper and cut it down to fit in the frame. Then I used letter stickers to spell out “Chores.” When I made one of these for my mom, I just printed out the title letters, cut them out, and glued them on. Next decorate your clothespins. I measured the clothespins, then cut pieces of paper to fit. I attached the paper with double-sided tape. Next I added letter stickers for the days of the week. Finally I covered the decorated part of the clothespin with packaging tape. You could also use Mod Podge to do this. Now you’re going to decorate your little box, which will hold your chore cards. You will need that little tape or crayon box and either a) a small square of white cardstock and some tissue paper, or b) cardstock and something to score it with (like a butter knife). The first time I did this, I cut a square of white paper to go on the front of the box. Then I covered the box in coordinating tissue paper. But when I made my mom’s chore board, I just used cardstock to cover the box. You’ll probably have to score the paper to make it fold nicely. The reason I didn’t use cardstock when I made mine was because I didn’t think it would be as easy as it was to work with.
Now you’re going to attach the clothespins to the edge of the frame (I would space them out beforehand so you know where you want to put them) with your hot glue gun. And then use the hot glue to attach your box to the glass. Have you already come up with your list of chores? If not, now is the time to do it. I typed mine out in a cute font and printed them out on cardstock. Then I cut them out and covered them in packaging tape (it’s my cheap way to laminate things!). And that’s it! Put your chores in the clothespins however you wish, and hang your board up somewhere where you will see it. I hung mine on a door, but a wall in the kitchen would be convenient too. Hopefully some of you are thinking, Yes! I can’t wait to make this for myself! But I know there are others thinking, Ugh, I don’t really want to put the time and effort into that. I wish someone would just make it for me. Well, those of you in the second group are in luck: I’d be happy to make one for you if you’d like. 🙂 All you have to do is send me $20, your list of chores, and what colors you’d like. Easy peasy, huh?
Looking for something with a little spice to it? This recipe has just enough bite to it, but it’s creamy and cheesy to balance it out!
Serves: 4
1 large flour tortilla (my pie plate is really deep, so I overlap 2 tortillas)
3 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 c. drained jarred pickled jalapenos, chopped
2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt & pepper
2 large eggs
1 c. whole milk
1 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and hat oven to 450F/220C. Grease a 9″ pie plate. Press tortilla into prepared pie plate and spray lightly with cooking spray. Toss chicken, cilantro, jalapenos, 1 cup of cheese, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl until combined. 2. Spread filling over tortilla. Whisk eggs, milk, flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a bowl until smooth. Slowly pour over filling, then sprinkle with remaining cheese. 3. Bake until surface is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve. Serve with sour cream and salsa, if desired.
Active time: 15 minutes
4. Add 1/4 cup reserved cooking water to moisten; stir in remaining water as needed. Divide pasta among 4 bowls, and stir 1 tablespoon ricotta into each.
On An Even Kiel 