What’s for dinner this week? We’re going retro with Peggy Sue’s Diner. If you’re a subscriber to The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan System, this modern take on classic diner food is what’s on the menu.
MONDAY
Day 1: Homemade Sloppy Joe's with Sauteed Mushrooms & Vegetables
TUESDAY
Day 2: Classic Tuna Casserole
WEDNESDAY
Day 3: Peggy Sue Enchiladas
THURSDAY
Day 4: Homestyle Chicken Pot Pie
FRIDAY
Day 5: Diner Fish Sticks
Subscribe To The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan System
It’s not too late to get this week’s Peggy Sue’s Diner Meal Plan; subscribers have already received their menu, grocery shopping list,recipes and cooking instructions by email. Not a subscriber to The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan System? Subscribe now:
Test Drive
Want to test drive The Organized Cook? Simply leave a comment below and tell me about your “dinnertime rut” challenges and we’ll send you Peggy Sue’s Diner Weekly Meal Plan for free!
Peggy Sue’s Diner on Pinterest
I have an aunt named Peggy Sue. Really.
One time she made enchiladas for me and it was- ideally- the most American 1960′s way to make enchiladas I could imagine. She actually mixes together red and green enchilada sauce- they were unique and delicious. I used her simple enchiladas recipe, titled “Peggy Sue Enchiladas” in this week’s meal plan.
Both Peggy Sue and her enchiladas inspired me to create a new Pinterest board just for them. I love Pinterest and we love you Peggy Sue!
I’m Reorganizing my life…. starting with my baking supply cupboard. I’ve got to start somewhere, right?
Reorganizing my kitchen is part of my Reorganizing 2012 Project, where every week I find a project to reevaluate, reinvent and reorganize using a tool I’ve found to be innovative and inspirational- Pinterest.
My baking supply cupboard may seem like an odd place to start, but honestly it’s given me the most anxiety lately. It’s been over a year since I’ve cleaned it out, and after the holiday baking extravaganza, I don’t even want to open it.
Getting Creative with Tight Spaces
I would love to say that I have a huge walk-in pantry to work with, but truthfully my kitchen lacks the ideal storage space for someone calling themselves “The Organized Cook”. My kitchen storage space is not appropriately proportioned for the considerable size of my home, further proving my assumption that my house was designed by a man. After all, I do have a walk-in wine room… but no walk-in pantry.
Which is why I must get creative with the storage space I do have. My baking supplies are separate from my cooking supplies and spices and from my pantry cupboard.
So where to start? With step 1, of course.
Step 1: Assess The Damage
after holiday baking and a year of neglect- yikes!
When supplies are difficult to find, it slows you down in the kitchen. Have you ever fumbled around in the baking cupboard looking for the corn starch while your sauce that needs thickening begins to burn?
Organization also saves you money at the grocery store. Have you ever bought a bag of brown sugar for a recipe, only to find later that you have two open bags in the pantry? I have, and what a waste it is.
unorganization makes it difficult to find supplies and slows you down
Step 2: Empty The Cupboard. Yes, the entire cupboard.
empty the cupboard of all contents
By emptying the cupboard of all its contents it first allows you to look at the space with fresh eyes. Don’t panic when you see the mess of items on the floor. Instead, think creatively about how you want the space to look. Having trouble thinking creatively? Let our Pinterest Board help you out with some ideas!
This also gives you the opportunity to look through the supplies to:
check expiration dates
make a grocery shopping list of items you’re low on or out of
give away unopened supplies that you’ll never use to your local food bank
I had two cans of peach pie filling that were set to expire in a few months; I could either use them, donate them or toss them. I put them in my donation bag.
look at the space with fresh eyes
Step 3: Find Your Tools
With a few storage solutions, like shelving, you can maximize storage space and make it easier to find supplies. I found this pantry shelf at Target.
storage shelf from Target
Evaluate storage containers currently being used in your cupboards. This sugar container was too short for this space and wasted a lot of space in my cupboard.
this sugar container was too short for this space
After some searching, I found the perfect sugar and flour storage containers for my baking cupboard at Pier1. It helps that they came in my favorite color, vintage Tiffany blue!
flour and sugar containers from Pier1- the perfect size!
Honestly, I would have loved to do something like this for my baking cupboard, but I’m hesitant to permanently alter my cupboard doors.
cupboard organization idea from Pinterest
So, I found “no-damage” adhesive hooks to hang my measuring spoons. No more opening the cupboard for flour then going to another drawer for spoons; they’re right here at my fingertips now.
Using more “no damage” adhesive mounting, I secured this dry-erase board to the inside of my cupboard (also in Tiffany-blue). Now, when I have an idea for baking, I jot it down and am reminded of it every time I open the door.
dry-erase board found at Office Depot
Use tools like storage containers. Storage containers like this one are perfect to store supplies like cookie cutters, chocolate chips, decorating supplies and food coloring. They make supplies easy to find, easy to get to and easy to use.
use storage containers for supplies like food coloring and decorating tips
Step 4: Separate Supplies into Categories
I basically sectioned my baking supply cupboard into categories like ingredients, decorating and pre-packaged. Then I took my label machine and labeled the different areas.
sprinkles have their own section
ingredients section
Step 5: Learn From The Experience
I learned that I need not buy anymore sprinkles. I don’t care how sparkly or pretty the sprinkles are. I do not need more.
I do not need more sprinkles- I don't care how pretty they are
I can confidently say that I’ve gotten the most out of this small space. So, with baking supply cupboard reinvented and reorganized, I’m happy to start creating in the kitchen again!
Centerpiece, Party Table or Party Decoration…. the Lorax Truffula Tree is the perfect focal point for any Seuss party. I made them for my daughters birthday party last year and they were a big hit!
Here is how you make a Truffula Tree made from colored cellophane paper.
Squares of cellophane paper are pinned from the center into a styrofoam ball secured at the top of a stick from a square styrofoam base. You could use any sort of stick but a broom handle or pvc pipe work well. Wrap the stick with ribbon, wrapping paper, or paint it the grey and brown stripes like the ones in the story. A branch found in nature would give it some great character too!
The base is a square styrofoam piece placed in a plain box covered with gift wrapping paper. You may want to weigh it down with a few rocks placed inside the box. Cellophane is used too make the grass.
What’s great about this tree is that candy can be secured to sticks and stuck in the grass or tree to make it look like Truffula Fruit.
Family meals are important. Iʼll show you easy ways to spend less time and money at the grocery store, less time in the kitchen and more time with your family.
Three months of our most popular menus from The Organized Cook™ Weekly Meal Plan System including grocery shopping lists, cooking instructions and lots of time and money saving tips in one book that's easy to fit in your purse.
Start saving now! Save time and money at the grocery store and in the kitchen. Order Now.
