Myrtle's Buns of Garlic

Got left-over hot dog or hamburger buns? You can have a meltdown in the grocery store like George Banks (name that movie) or you can rejoice at the idea of too many buns and turn them into breadsticks. Just spread on some butter, sprinkle on some garlic salt, parsley, paprika; whatever you like, pop it in the oven, and you've got an easy and delicious side for your pasta dinner. And if you have hot dogs and spaghetti in the same week you know you're saving money.

Kitchen Tips

Moms are busy but know that homecooked meals are good for the family and the budget, so shortcuts and tricks are a treasure! This is probably my favorite subject to collect ideas on. I love finding the boxes on the sidelines of cookbooks that give you helpful hints. So, I'm hoping for some comments here, but here's a few I've picked up:
1. Line measuring cups with saran wrap before filling with peanut butter or shortening- I hate the impossible to clean mess that these foods leave behind and was so excited to find this tip!
2. Leave a chopstick in your flour to level the top of your measuring cup
3. Cut up raw chicken into cubes and cook, then seal in baggies and freeze (I have a food sealer that is great). This way you'll have cooked chicken ready for quick recipes.
4. Cook ground beef, spread on cookie sheet and freeze. When frozen, remove the beef from sheet and store in bags.
5. Double the recipe when you make cookies and freeze the extras (individually) on cookie sheet, then store in bags. Then you can have warm cookies another day without the dirty bowls to wash (great for last minute visiting teaching). Note: Adjust the oven temp. and time when cooking frozen cookies. Crosshatch pb cookies before freezing.
6. Buy bags of frozen chopped onions for easy (tear-free) cooking- great discovery because I can't handle chopping onions
7. Wash Gerber 'lil Entree bowls and reuse for toddlers- normally my cheap self wouldn't pay for a namebrand product I can make myself but the plastic bowls have 2 compartments and are great for adding a side to meals.
8. Bibs with sleeves and ties- my toddler (like most) is a mess and pulls off velcro bibs. So I bought him one with sleeves and a tie so his whole shirt is covered and he leaves it on.
9. Those thin plastic cutting boards also work great as placemats for messy children and clean up easily.
10. Use a pizza cutter to cut bite-size pieces of anything (like waffles, pancakes, and noodles). So much faster.
11. Keep your plastic cups, bowls, and plates in a bottom cabinet so your kids can get their own stuff and help set the table.
12. Spray tupperware with non-stick spray before adding red sauce
13. After getting home from the store, wash and cut up celery and store in tupperware or bags for easy snacking. I also wash my grapes and pull them from the vine to store.

What tricks do you use to make your kitchen more effective and simplify your meals? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment.

Placemat Settings

Here's an easy and fun way to teach your kids how to set the table (and keep the table clean). I bought extra large sheets of construction paper for the placemats. Then I used our own plate, cup, and silverware to trace and cut (a necessity for OCD kids like my daughter who need it to fit just right). After gluing, I laminated the placemats. Learning is Fun had the best deal in Las Vegas for laminating because you do it yourself (very easy). Some places only laminate 8 1/2 x 12 paper so call and check before going. The laminating will allow you to wipe the mats with a sponge, but don't submerge in water.

Note: Seeing this is the Real Moms' blog I decided it was okay to have some crumbs on the table and toys and clothes in the background for my picture. Oh, and my daughter's hair is starting to fall out of her ponytail. Yeah, that's real life. I'm not perfect, I'm a mom :-)