Mission Organization: Kitchen Command Center

As the girls are getting older,  it became daunting trying to keep up with all the homework and their planned activities. I couldn't keep track of homework, bills, coupon, important reminders and with the lack of time and memory, I needed something to help keep everything in one place; Solution: Create a kitchen command center.
I went shopping at Target (aside from Amazon, it is my next favorite store for anything organization). I found a whiteboard calendar, a portrait hanger, and a wall frame. I also purchased these Mini Dry Erase Markers with Magnet through Amazon.
This is the final result:

Now everything is kept in one place and no need for me to worry about trying to remember events or where I placed the bills or coupons or homework. It's all in one place :)
And before I go shopping, I take a picture of the list written on the Notes space on the right. No need to write them down again. Just write as you go and take a pic.

I found this Magnetic Dry Erase Calendar on amazon and boy I wish I searched on Amazon for a calendar before I left for Target. Anyway, it all worked out where now I keep homework in the folder and I place the bills with clips

Need more inspiration, check out these two command centers

From Howtonestforless

from CiberBanity

Happy Organizing!!

Nisrine

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Half priced Shakes at Sonic Today Only

Sonic is offering half priced Shakes all day today June 18, 2015
Woot Woot for Oreo Blast Cookie :)

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Lima Bean Soup

Growing up in Morocco, Bissara or fava bean soup was a staple in our household. I make mine with lima beans; also called Butter beans because of their starchy buttery flavor. They are a great source of fiber and minerals.

During the winter months, the soup keeps us warm, full, and full of energy. Even though we are past the winter months in Houston, I still make it at least once a month. I prepare it the day before and puree it then warm it up the next day. Served with some bread, I hope you will love it as much as my eight year old does :)

Lima Beans Soup

Ingredients:

A bag of small or big dried lima beans or fava beans (1 Lb)

3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
6 Cups Chicken stock or water
2 Tbsp. of olive oil
1-1/2 tsp of cumin
½ tsp paprika
Salt and pepper
Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:
Rinse the beans and let them soak in water overnight.
In a Dutch oven or a soup pot, heat the olive oil and add the garlic. Sauté for 1 minute. Add the beans, spices, salt and pepper, and chicken stock or water. Cover and let cook for about an hour.

Once the beans are cooked, let it cool then start blending the soup.

Heat the pureed soup. Once the soup is warm enough, add the lemon juice and enjoy

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Our current meal planning

I transitioned from working part time to becoming a full time working mother about three years ago. At first I found it difficult to juggle work, kids, home while keeping a healthy meal on the table MOST days of the week. If only I could buy time.
With a lot of trial and error; spending too much on food, I realized that I might be complicating things trying to simplify things.
So to simplify our meal planning, I sat down and wrote a list of a few recipes that fit the following criteria:

• Simple
• Fast
• Healthy
• The whole family can enjoy

Simplifying the meal planning process saved me my sanity and kept everyone in the family full and eating healthy :)

Every Sunday, I sit down for 5 minutes and pick 5 of the following (Friday is going out to eat, Saturday is Pizza and movie night) and then put the grocery list together.

• Ground Beef, Red Pepper, and Potatoes
• Taco Salad
• Soup (Carrot Soup, Lima bean Soup , Chili , Chicken noodle Soup, sopa di Toscana (copycat from Olive garden) served with Cheese quesadillas or Grilled Cheese sandwich
• Fish with roasted Cauliflower and rice
• Grilled steak and green beans or edamame
• Seafood or grilled chicken with Spaghetti with Salad and/or steamed broccoli

Also instead of cooking everyday, I cook every other day by preparing the next day meal while I am cooking dinner. On the weekend, we either barbeque or I take the time to try a new recipe.

Do you have any tips on how to make meal planning easy?

You can find more menu plan @ orgjunkie.com

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Money Tips from the Oracle of Omaha

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Favorite Organizing products to keep your house organized without stress

I found throughout the years that the best way to keep my house looking clean or easy to clean is to keep most things organized. I cannot emphasize enough how much having most of my house organized (there are still a few things under progress) is what helps keep it clean without much stress .
If you want to organize your house and don't have much time or just dislike spending hours cleaning, I believe that having the right tools on hand makes a huge difference .
Below are one my favorite tools to organize every room in the house without breaking the bank.

Kitchen:

 

 

 

Drawer Organizer

These are great for keeping your kitchen tools handy and easy to grab while cooking.
 





Expandable Drawer Organizer
Buy Two of these and use one for silverware and the other to store pens, pencils, batteries, etc..
 

Pullout Waste Containers

6 piece organizer set
 

Living Room:

Keep all your remote controls and magazines handy with this Remote Control Organizer

These Storage Bench with 2 Side Ottomans can be used for seating, storing games, toys, etc. and for resting your feet. We all need that after a hard day at work.

Closet:

Hanger Clothes Organizer

Wish your closet had more space? Well, wish no more. Who knew that investing in a Clothes organizer for $13.99 could do just that :)

Need extra closet space, this Closet Organizer will do just that. It is also really easy to assemble and disassemble.

Laundry Room:

Space Saver and double duty Ironing and Sorter Combo Laundry Center is a must in every laundry room

Bathroom:

This Style Station is a perfect storage for the hair tools. Keeps them neat and easily accessible.

Expandable Under sink Shelf Organizer

Storing products under the sink is usually a problem due to plumbing angle. This organizer is easily adjustable and allows you to store all the products. It can fit any space regardless of plumbing placement.

Please note that all these links are affiliate link. You can read our disclosure policy here

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Carrot Soup Recipe

Coconut Carrot Soup Recipe

I love soups. Not only are they good for you but they are one-pot meals which means less cleaning , and I am all for less dishes to wash.
I try to make different soup recipes at least once a week. A soup recipe that the hubby would like and the kids will approve.
This carrot soup recipe is definitely a winner in my household; picky 8-year-old-who-does-not-like-carrots-approved.
I made a similar recipe before but decided to substitute coconut milk for cream and boy did it make such a big difference in flavor. It gave it somewhat of a subtle sweetness that earned it a place in my weekly menu plan.
Try it and let me know how it turned out :)
Bon Appetit !!

Click Link below for a PDF format
Coconut Carrot Soup Recipe



Ingredients

2 – 3 Tbsp. of Olive Oil

1 yellow onion, peeled, sliced in half

2 gloves of garlic, chopped

8 medium sized carrots, peeled and sliced in half

3 potatoes, peeled and sliced in half

½ tsp of ground sage

3 ½ cup of Chicken stock, broth or Miso stock

One 15 ounce can of full fat coconut milk

Salt and Pepper to taste

Bacon (optional)

Directions

If using bacon, add the bacon to the pot and cook. Remove and set aside once it’s cooked.

Heat the olive oil in the soup pot then add the onions. Sautee the onions for about 2 mins then add the garlic. Add the carrots and the potatoes and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the sage, salt and pepper then pour in the stock or broth. Put a lid on and let it cook until the carrots are soft, about 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat and let it cool. Blend the soup in batches in a blender then pass the pureed soup through a strainer. Warm the blended vegetables in the soup pot then add the coconut milk.

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how to find the best interest Rates for refinancing or buying a new home

With the low interest rates on mortgages and with the Fed talking about increasing the interest rates by the end of this year, this might be the time to lock in a low interest rate. Whether you are thinking about refinancing or purchasing a new home, here are some tips on how to get the best rate available.

Just like anything else, you need to shop for the best interest rate with a reputable lender.
There are two ways that you can do to get the best interest rate:

1) You can use LendingTree to search for the best interest rates, one of the largest mortgage networks online today.
The way how it works is you enter in basic information about your mortgage and the banks compete to provide you with the best rate. I personally never used lending tree however many financial bloggers seem to recommend it.

2) Bankrate.com is a great website to use for comparing interest rates with different lenders. This is the one that I use whenever we are looking to refinance or purchase a home and I have always found it great at finding and locking in the best interest rate with the least fees possible.

To make it simple, below are the steps that I use when shopping for a new mortgage/refinance loan:

• Go to bankrate.com and check on either mortgage or refinance then choose the term loan (example: 30 year fixed)
• Click on Add products (left) then enter the information necessary
• The website will list a few lenders with the interest rate they offer
• Pick the lender with the lowest interest rate + $0 in Fees in APR.
• Check the reviews on the lender on google.com before contacting the lender
• If the lender has good reviews then contact the lender via their website or by email or by phone to request a quote.
• Make sure you request quotes with the monthly payment + fees from at least 2 lenders to compare before you make the final decision

Also, one thing that I would recommend before you start shopping for mortgage loan is to check your credit score. If you have a discover credit card, you can log into your account and check your credit score for free or you can check it here.

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Free Car services

Did you know that Pep boys offer free auto services?
Check out their website for the free services they offer
 http://www.pepboys.com/service/free_services

You can also get a free Alignment check at Good Year
http://www.goodyearautoservice.com/service/Services/Free-Alignment-Check/pc/668/154938.uts

If you are in need of car repairs but don't have the means to pay for them, check out this list of non-profit organizations that can help you repair your car for free.
http://www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/free_car_repairs.html


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