Applesauce Bread

What I love about this recipe, is that it uses ingredients that I usually have on hand.  It is also healthy and filling.  It got 2 thumbs up from my kids and their neighbor friends, which is always a plus!!

It is a very simple recipe.  You just butter the pan..

Then mix the dry ingredients together--

Make a well and add the applesauce, egg and melted butter.

Then stir well--I love that this can all be done by hand--so easy!

Pour into a buttered pan or baking stone--

Enjoy warm with a pat of butter.

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recipe via Heavenly Homemakers

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Applesauce Bread

11/2 cups whole wheat flour

3/4 cup rapadura, (or 1/2 cup of sugar or 1/2 cup of honey)

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/4 t. sea salt

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. nutmeg

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3/4 cup applesauce

2 eggs

1/4 cup butter; melted

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Mix dry ingredients.  Make a well in the center and add applesauce, eggs and butter.  Stir well.  Pour into a buttered bread pan or stone.  Bake for 45-55 minutes (for a full size loaf) at 350 degrees, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean.

My House Is Looking Bare

I have found myself in decluttering mode the last couple of months.  When I get a burst of energy, I take a drawer and clear it out.  I keep what I love and get rid of what I don't.  It has been freeing, BUT, I am finding my house a bit too bare!

 Look at my empty bookshelf!  Easy to dust, but not very inviting and warm.  Honestly, the reason why everything looks so empty is because all my spring decor it tucked back in an attic closet.  In order to get to get into the closet, I have to walk through a craft/storage closet, and that was such a mess that I couldn't even walk through it!  I can't believe how bad it got over this last year, although, I have been a bit busy!;)  

{see that little door?  that is the attic closet that I obviously can't get to.}

{here is the after pic--for more, see this post}

These closet photos are from last year.  This last week, I finally got my craft closet cleaned out, so it looks like the above picture, again. Now I can get into the attic closet!  I opened the door to the attic closet, and then quickly shut it again.  There are so many Christmas decor storage bins in the way, I am not sure I can even get to my spring/summer decor bins! I was pretty out of it from my surgery last year after Christmas, so I didn't take the time to get rid of my extra Christmas decor.  Ugh.  And, with new, healing incisions, I can't move heavy things around--so I guess we are stuck with looking bare for a few more weeks!  Maybe I will head over to Becoming Minimalist, to make me feel better about my empty shelves and motivate me to get rid of some more of my stuff!!

Healing From Surgery & Homemade Mother's Day Gift Ideas

{my Homemade Mother's Day Gifts board @ Pinterest}

I had surgery today (you can read about it at my Caring Bridge site).  It went well, but healing will take some time.  I am honestly excited about having some "downtime" to catch up on my Google reader.  I did that for awhile today and found a bunch of fun, homemade Mother's Day gift ideas.  I pinned some of my favs to my Pinterest board, so check it out if you want some inspiration!

Last year, I made my Mom this "Jar Full Of Love" as one of her Mother's Day gifts.  She really, really loved it.  We went out to lunch and while waiting for our food, she pulled each one out and read them all in one sitting:)  Such a fun memory!

I also made my Mother-In-Law this Homemade Chocolate Sauce and gave it to her with a container of Coconut Gelato--she is a coconut lover.

**Got any Mother's Day Gift Ideas?  If so, I'd love to know what they are.

Here is a Inlinkz if you want to share!!

My Favorite Way To Cut An Orange

My kids think I am the only one on the planet that can cut an orange "properly."  I love that they think that.  Their friends also tell me they love how I cut oranges.  Then adults started telling me the same thing, which is when I started to believe there was something special about how I do it.

 Hmmm...who woulda thunk it?

Here is what I do.

I slice the orange down the center.  Notice the stem in the picture. It is important that the orange is cut across the middle, not vertical through the stem part.  Make sense??

If you did it right, it will look like this.  So pretty. Triangles with a white pithy center. This is one of those special oranges that are a pinkish orange color, called a Cara Cara Navel Orange.  Yum!! Another reason to love Trader Joes.

Ok, now take the knife to the side of the white center, and make a slice.

Do the same on the other side, avoiding the white center.

The goal is to get both the top stem and bottom "dimple" in one slice.  

Why??

So the white, pithy center is contained in just those two pieces, which leaves the rest of the slices nice and juicy and tender, with no membrane to deal with.

See?  Perfect.

My kids argue over who gets stuck with the 2 end pieces.  Usually, its mom!!

Anti-Procrastination Tuesday #54

***Please, please, please read before linking.

There are 2 areas to link up, with 2 different themes.  Read more below and please link up in the right area.  Thanks!***

{To learn more of what this is all about, read this post.}

I didn't do too great with my list last week.  Here is a new one, hopefully I will see more progress this week!

My Anti-Procrastination Goals This Week:

~laundry, one load a day

~plant seeds

~call carpet cleaners

~answer starred emails

~continue to work on new blog design

~a day of note writing, thank you notes

~craft closet clean- out

~plant pots

~basement storage clean- out

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Got Photo Clutter??

• Do you have multiple memory cards full of photos? 

• Does it take you days to find photos for your child's school project? 

• Are you completely baffled about where to start on organizing your life's photographs?

• Have you lost photos on your computer due to a hard drive crash?

If so, check out this post I wrote about an awesome, organize your memories teleclass, taught by Susan at Perfectly Placed.  No time for a teleclass?  She also offers an MP3 download for you to listen to at your leisure.

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Last Week's Most Clicked- On Anti-Procrastination Type Post:

Good Daily Habit @ Simple Home Managing

Headboard Finally Finished @Gardners to Bergers

Last Week's Most Clicked-On Flexible Type Post:

Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake @ Sweet Little Smoothie

Cardboard Weed Mat @ Shorties Funny Farm

My Favs:

Summer Slaw @ Let Birds Fly

Vitamin Bottle Organization @ Homework

 

<center><a href="http://amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p32/Amysb1975/7393129504_TCNCj.jpg" /></a></center>

***STOP and read before linking:

There are 2 different themes to link up to, please choose the correct one or I will need to delete your link.

***Anti-Procrastination Themed Posts

~things you want to accomplish {lists, goals, projects}

~goals you did accomplish

~thoughts on procrastination/ways you beat procrastination

***Flexible Type Posts

~projects

~crafts

~recipes

Got Photo Clutter?

I know I do!!  That is why I am excited to learn from Susan at Perfectly Placed.  She is a professional organizer, and is having a one hour live teleclass on organizing photo clutter on Wednesday, May 4th. If you are unable to attend on that date, you can download an MP3 file on your computer to listen to anytime!

Here is the information:

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Got Photo Clutter?

If your photos are shoved in boxes and drawers and your computer is running slower than molasses due to an overload of digital photos, then you NEED this class!

• Do you have multiple memory cards full of photos? 

• Does it take you days to find photos for your child's school project? 

• Are you completely baffled about where to start on organizing your life's photographs?

• Have you lost photos on your computer due to a hard drive crash?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are in need of a memory makeover.  We'll teach you how to organize your memories in this one hour teleclass. Attend live via phone, or download an MP3

file to your computer to listen to it at any time. The live class will be May 4, 2011

 (9am PST, 10am MST, 11am CST, 12pm EST).  

In this Got Photo Clutter? teleclass you will learn:

• How to store, organize and display your photos so you have peace of mind that your memories   are preserved.

• How to protect your digital photos from hard drive crashes and other common photo loss mishaps so you can rest assured that they are safe. 

• How to fix damaged or discolored photos so they can be enjoyed again.

• How to make a digital photo album (yes, even if you lack creativity) so you can enjoy reminiscing with your friends and family.

• And much, much more.

Click on the link to register for only $27! 

http://organizepedia.perfectlyplaced.org/?page_id=319

Have questions? Call me at  623-202-9199 

Confidently Yours,

Susan Stewart

Perfectly Placed

Now offering teleclasses and virtual organizing to make it easy for you to get organized, no matter where you live!

www.perfectlyplaced.org

(623) 202-9199

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Susan at Perfectly Placed always has amazing tips on all things organizing. If you visit her website,you can sign up for her monthly organizing newsletters.  Also, while you are there, make sure you check out her before and after pictures, it will inspire you to take some action and get something done!  If you are overwhelmed at the thought, no worries.  Susan offers her organizing services to those near and far, including these, taken from her website:

Services

Virtual Organizing:

• We'll assess your needs and help you decide where to start.
• With the help of photos you've sent, we'll teach you how to make decisions about what to keep, sell, donate & discard.
• We'll coach you via phone on how to organize the items you have decided to keep.
• We'll help you determine which systems will work best for you and coach you via phone on how to set them up.
• We'll coach you via phone on how to maintain the systems we've set up.

Hands On Organizing:

• We'll assess your needs and help you decide where to start.
• We'll teach you how to make decisions about what to keep, sell, donate & discard as we do it together.
• We'll help you organize the items you have decided to keep.
• We'll help you determine which systems will work best for you and set them up with you.
• We'll teach you how to maintain the systems we've set up.

Susan Stewart, professional organizer and owner of Perfectly Placed, has been organizing in the Phoenix, AZ area for 5 years. With a BS in Human Development & The Family and a background in coaching and teaching, Susan is equipped in simplifying the organization process and teaching it to others.

Susan is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and her local NAPO-Arizona chapter (NAPO-AZ) where she has been the recipient of both the Founder's and President's award. She has served as a board member and has been involved in community service throughout the Phoenix valley.

Susan is a mother of two, a cancer survivor and part of a new television show called Mom Time TV.

A Reminder To Breath From Luminate

Healing In Your Arms by Luminate

I love the strings in this song, and I so relate to the words of this verse:
"So I’ve been striving, running in circles
Through the fight, I’ve forgotten who I am
God I am longing to break the cycle
To lose myself, so I can start again
Slow down, breathing in breathing out"

Over and over, in this fight with my health, I forget who I am.  I get caught up, tense up and forget.  I need to keep remembering to "slow down, breathing in breathing out."