One Month to a Holiday Ready Kitchen: The pantry, step 2

More pantry time! Let's get ready for the holidays....

One Month to a Holiday Ready Kitchen: The Pantry, Step 2

Working thru our dry goods today. Check your:

• flour
• sugar
• brown sugar
• powder sugar
• shortening/ Crisco
• baking soda
• baking powder
• yeast
• your other usuals....

Check your inventory or stockpile for:

• expiration dates
• dreaded pantry moths....
• clumpy items that shouldn't be clumpy

Automatically plan to purchase new:

• baking soda
• baking powder
• yeast

'Cause most recipes just won't be the same unless these 3 are very fresh!

And now guess what? Take a look at your master ingredient list and make a list of what you need!

One Month to a Holiday Ready Kitchen: The pantry, step 1

The pantry can seem daunting so we are taking it in sections!

One Month to a Holiday Ready Kitchen: The pantry, step 1

Canned Goods.

Don't be distracted by your flour, or boxed pasta collection, stick to just your canned goods. Pull ALL your cans from the shelves and line them up on the counter or table top. Did you find something you didn't know you had? Or a random can of {fill in the blank} you don't even remember buying?!?

• Check all expiration dates. Canned goods do expire- so check those dates & throw away any old, largely dented or bulging cans.
• Set aside anything that expires soon so you can be sure to eat it!
• Next, put back what you use in your normal menu plans.
• Finally - do you have any random items? Think of how you can use them in your menu plans within the next couple weeks and free up some extra space.
• Now check everything with your Master Ingredient List. For example, if you found 2 cans of cranberries that won't expire until next year - well now, cross those off your list! Check!

This Week's Cravings: Angel Food Cake

Happy Monday everyone and welcome to This Week's Cravings!


Today we are sharing some Angel Food Cake recipes. Doesn't that sound wonderful?! Some tasty and light sweet recipes to start off this holiday season.


Now, I don't have pictures {sorry!} but it's ok - because this recipe is incredibly easy! A co-worked brought this to a potluck and I fell in love.


I call it Angel Pie Cake.

And I adore it.


Angel Pie Cake

• 1 box angel food cake mix
• 1 large can pie filling (Cherry is great!)

1. Mix. Just these two ingredients - nothing else!
2. Bake in a 9 x 13 at temperature set on the mix box.
3. Cut.
4. Serve with whipped cream.
5. Swoon over the delicious simplicity.

Now share yours! Also ~ don't forget to follow my series this month: One Month to a Holiday Ready Kitchen. It's never too early to start preparation for a tasty -and stress free - holiday season!

Here's a run down of our little shindig and the rules:

This is your chance to share your favorite recipe each week based on our themes. Post that favorite breakfast from last week, or post your favorite cheesecake you made last month, just please stick to the theme. We want to read and discover your favorite recipe post, or if you don't have a recipe that matches this week's theme, then our hope is we inspire you to make something and link-up in the future. Please link directly to your post, NOT to your home page. And pretty pretty please link back to one of our hosts using the button or a direct link. It's fun to visit too! Click around on the other participant's - visit as many as you can, LEAVE COMMENTS too! Everyone loves to know their blog is being enjoyed by others. And remember, this is a blog party, so please ENJOY THE PARTY AND MEET BLOGGERS! Everyone is invited, if you don't have a blog, then feel free to post your recipes in the comments for others to see.

This Week's Schedule:

•Sept 5 - After school snacks & munchies

•Sept 12 - What do you make with HONEY?
•Sept 19 - National Eat with your Kids Day
•Sept 26 - Apples
•Oct 3 - Lunch time sandwiches
•Oct 10 - Angel Food Cake day
•Oct 17 - National Pasta Day

•Oct 24 - Halloween treats

•Oct 31 - What to make with your leftover candy!

Be sure to visit our other hosts: Delightful Country Cookin' and Mom's Crazy Cooking!

Post and share our button please:

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One Month to a Holiday Ready Kitchen: Check your spices

In my opinion - spices are the biggest players this time of year. In the kitchen anyway. When you think of fall, winter or the holidays; chances are the smells of cinnamon, nutmeg, oranges, fresh pumpkin bread.. mmmm.... come to mind.


One Month to a Holiday Ready Kitchen: Check your spices!

Head to your spice cabinent and pull out everything! Open them, smell them, check their expirations dates. Throw away any old or clumpy spices.

Next, grab your newly created Master Ingredient List.

• What spices are on your list?
• What do you have and can cross off your list?
• Low on anything?
• Lacking anything?

Grab some notebook paper and make a list of needed spices. It is best to start stocking now. Spices are expensive - this helps you space out the purchases and the chunks of your grocery budget! Plus, if your stores are like mine, the holiday baking extras are now in the aisles and fully stocked (unlike later in the season, when they are slim pickins'!)

One Month to a Holiday Ready Kitchen: Just one more list....

That's right. One more. Just the one though - I pinky promise.

One Month to a Holiday Ready Kitchen: The Master Ingredient List



This list.... it's key. It's the beginning of the major organization. It's your master ingredient list.

Grab your binder and notebook paper. Review all the lists we've made so far and pick up on the food aspect of everything.

Perhaps you listed decorating the Christmas tree, while eating popcorn and sipping cider is a tradition. Write down popcorn. Write down cider ingredients.

Sort thru all the lists from previous days and write every single food item down. Then go thru and write out individual ingredients for food items.

Once you have this perhaps-slightly-jumbled-list jotted down - then go about sorting it into categories.

• Spices
• Dry Goods
• Mixes
• Dairy
• Canned goods
• Chips/ Snacks
• Beverages
• Misc.

File your list away - you're done for the day!

One Month to a Holiday Ready Kitchen: Kitchen Gifts

Another day.... another list!

Kitchen Gifts

Told you there would be a lot of lists; lists help you get organized and know exactly what your kitchen needs!

So today, pull out that note book paper and make a list of everyone you give a baked gift. Every year around the start of school, hubby and I brainstorm ALL gifts = wrapped, stocking, baked, neighbors, co-workers, etc. This keeps us focused on meaningful gifts within our budget. It also leads to this list... kitchen gifts.

By each person's name or family unit, jot down favorite foods, allergies, any specifics. Group together specifics that match. Have several gluten free friends? How about some chocolate loving co-workers?

Now brainstorm some sweets.... since you've grouped similar tastes, think of treats made in big batches to split and package.

• Cinnamon Rolls
• Jams and jelly
• Breads
• Cookies........ for example

Narrow down your list and match the kitchen gift to the giftee.

Also, take a moment to decide on packaging (tins, baskets, platters, bags, etc.) and make a list. That way you can watch for sales of Christmas tins and know exactly how many you need. No guessing and discovering you don't have enough later!

Put these lists in your 'Baked Gifts' section.

One Month to a Holiday Ready Kitchen: Favorite Family Activities

Day #3: Favorite Family Activities

Bring out some more note paper - we're making another list! Please - believe me - follow me here. It will all make sense later. Trust the professional list maker.

Sit down with the family and brainstorm - what are the favorite family activities? You may be surprised what they say!

Now that you have the main list roughly written out, discuss the next 3 questions:

1) Pick one new family activity.

• Maybe decorate cookies as a family and deliver to a shelter, neighbor, nursing home...
• How about letting each family member pick a name from a local Angel Tree; have fun shopping together!

2) Decide on one activity to do with your spouse.

• Holidays are busy and streeful, make sure you are taking time with your spouse. Sneak away for a movie, dinner, look at Christmas lights - whatever will help you both relax and connect during this hectic time.
• Hubby and I always plan a time for just us, so we can swap presents. This year, we're going to purchase a holiday themed puzzle & plan a few evenings of chatting and hot cocoa.
• Decide, plan it, and put it on the calendar!

3) Pick 3 new 'anything!'

• If you are like me, you look at hundreds of food, craft and activity ideas online, thinking "I'll do that one!" "Oh and that one!" And never accomplish any of them. So sit down, and pick 3. ONLY 3! Then make sure to block time on your calendar~ plan some fun. 

4) Plan something for yourself.

You are busy. Parties, school activities, cookies, baking, gifts, shopping, gift wrapping, decorating, stuffing a turkey, whew!

This year, I would like to get a manicure. Take time for me, relax, and have pretty nails!