Above Door Shelf

I ran across this idea when looking for some inspiration for the remainder of the month and just had to share it with you today.

For smaller bathrooms and smaller rooms in general, hang a shelf above the door for some extra storage. I think I will be doing this in my bathrooms. :) It gives you space for extra towels or a couple baskets to put some of those lesser used items.

This photo came from google images.

Hope this helps! And remember an organized home is a happy home. :)

Magic Tub & Shower Cleaner

Can't be Organized if you're not Clean!

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces white vinegar
• 12 ounces liquid, blue dawn detergent

Directions:

1. Heat vinegar in microwave until hot and pour into squirt bottle.
2. Add the Dawn soap. Put the lid on and gently shake to incorporate.
3. You now have a powerful cleaning product that will melt soap scum and tub and shower buildup, clean sinks, appliances and just about anything. Just spray it on, scrub, rinse and be amazed. For tough soap scum build-up, spray the mixture on and allow it to sit as long as overnight. Then, scrub and rinse.

Organizing Your Spices

I have my spices organized in Swivel Store organizers but realize not everyone wants to pay the price for them so here is another idea. Baby food jars. wash & dry them and pour your spices in and then label the tops. You can line a shallow drawer with them or even label the sides and stack them in your cabinets. This allows you to not only have things organized but you can buy cheaper 'refill' packs of spices in packets and will have a place to store them. Since my spices are organized, I decided to use the baby food jars for my colored sugars and sprinkles.

A Lighter Lasagna Soup

404 less calories than original
28 g less fat than original

100% of the taste of the original

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (32-ounce) container chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 ounces broken whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 4 noodles)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
8 Whole-wheat bread sticks or grissini (optional)

Instructions:

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick saucepot or Dutch oven. Add the sausage, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is crumbled and browned, 8 – 10 minutes.

Add the broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, salt, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended, about 20 minutes. Add the noodles; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens slightly and the noodles are tender, 10 – 12 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in mozzarella, basil, and the Parmesan. Serve with the bread sticks, if using. (whole-wheat lasagna noodles take a little longer to cook.)

Nutritional Information:

Per Serving (1 cup) 225 Cal (27% from Fat, 42% from Protein, 31% from Carb); 23 g Protein; 7 g Tot Fat; 2 g Sat Fat; 2 g Mono Fat; 17 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; 4 g Sugar; 108 mg Calcium; 3 mg Iron; 826 mg Sodium; 53 mg Cholesterol

Original Recipe by Paula Deen: Tastes Like Lasagna Soup
Take It Lighter recipe courtesy of Bobby and Jamie Deen, and the Paula Deen Test Kitchen

Servings: 8 cups
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy

Sheep Cupcakes

This is my 30 second attempt at a sheep cupcake. The face would look better made of fondant but I decided to try and use icing. :P

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Dip

I wish I could claim this yummy recipe as my own, but I cannot. It is however just as amazing as the original author claims it to be:

"This dip might put me into rehab. It is so addicting. I couldn’t get a grip. I kept telling myself I needed to stop, but apparently my hand and mouth had a different plan." ~Original Poster

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup miniature chocolate chips
• Graham cracker sticks or teddy grahams

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth.
2. Add sugars and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Refrigerate until ready to eat.
4. Serve with graham cracker sticks or teddy grahams

Apple Cupcakes

Super simple, but super cute. Choose your favorite cake mix & icing (as long as the icing is white or pink, chocolate won't work). Make your cupcakes, but first check out my The Perfect Cupcake post and you'll see how to make a cupcake with a nice round top. Cool & ice them and then roll in the red sugar you made. Use a piece of a pretzel stick on the top & either a fondant leaf (as I did) or you can use a fresh mint leaf.