Kitchen Duty

My breakfast almost every morning is a 2 egg omelet. This one is yellow pepper and zucchini.

I got busy yesterday. If I don't post on my blog it usually means I am not home, I am dead tired, or I am too busy to stop and write. Yesterday I was busy. I made sure I remembered to take the garbage and the paper and cardboard recycling to the curb the night before, so after breakfast I got busy with washing down my stove top and counters. I ran some hot soapy water in the sink and washed a few stray items by hand, before I turned my attention to the  inside of my pots and pans cupboard and the bottom cupboard where I stash my cookie sheets and muffin tins. I had washed the cupboard below my sink just a couple of weeks ago, so the only bottom cupboard left was the Lazy Susan (aptly named). I do have a tiny kitchen, so it doesn't take long to clean the cupboards. I bought a stand alone cupboard that I put together and put against the wall between the stove and the window. I keep mason jars of beans, lentils and my bulk spices, so I emptied that and washed down the shelves. I sprayed and cleaned the top of my refrigerator. With the water in my sink now getting pretty cool and dingy, I grabbed the dog bowls and washed them.

After lunch I wrapped up two more gift baskets. I only have one left and all my presents are wrapped. I took pictures so I can share with you after Christmas. I fed the outdoor composter my kitchen scraps and I walked over to the Post Office to collect my mail. I made up some more Spice mixes and I mended some cushions that needed putting back together. The dog likes to get a hold of them. He thinks they are stuffed animals I guess. I commented on a couple of blogs....my reward for getting a lot accomplished, but I did not post my own because it was time for supper and an evening of Netflix. I actually had to re-watch an episode of the Crown because I had fallen asleep during the show the night before.

Today I did not feel at all like doing any housework, but I forced myself to finish washing the shelves in my kitchen pantry. Again, these are ready made shelves my husband and I built to fit between the wall studs (like the ones that hold the tools and hardware in the front room.) With the kitchen now "good enough" until I begin Spring Cleaning,  I turned my attention away from washing and cleaning, to just working in the kitchen. I sliced up all the peppers remaining  in the crisper and froze them.

I made a soup broth with the second steak in my freezer and then added celery, cherry tomatoes, burgundy beans,some of the peeled and chopped broccoli stems, cauliflower all from the freezer. I seasoned with beef bouillon powder, sea salt and thyme. I cut down the steak into small chunks and had two bowls of it for lunch. There is enough for a few days. I fried some peppers, onion and ground beef with my homemade taco seasoning to make a Tex Mex casserole for tonight's dinner. I just have to smother it in mozzarella cheese and pop it in the oven.

The sun is going down already. I still want to go over to the Post Office to check for mail, as it is Friday and I won't be able to go now until Monday. Here is a picture of my outdoor lamp decorated in the back yard. (Yes, it does have a slight list to the right) The lamp comes on with a photo sensor, as do the Christmas lights. I think that last year I had changed out the bulbs to red and green, but I decided against it this year. It sounded like too much work. Ha.