A few packing tips that make the job a bit easier - from someone who really hates to pack.

Tamara Nugteren


We travel quite a bit.  Not as much as someone who would say they are always traveling, but enough that I have devised a system.

We are Minnesota transplants.  That means that multiple times a year we make the four hour trek "home" to South Dakota.  Many holidays and weekends spent on the road.  If time and finances allow, we also try to take a summer vacation to a lake location and a winter vacation to somewhere warm.  Truly, we live for that opportunity.

But no long weekend or well deserved vacation will happen in a family with children without the time sucking, mind numbing, stress inducing task of packing.  Seriously, I really don't like it.  And, as most mothers can attest, 99% of all packing and other pre-vacation chores and errands are done by one parent.  In our family's case - it's me.  I pack for myself, the children and take care of the pets.  Dad just packs for himself.  And maybe I help with that a little, too.  It's not that my wonderful husband isn't willing, but I'm home and he's not.  And, let's be honest.  He doesn't know what we need.

Back in the day, I would have a hard time sleeping the night before a trip because my mind would be running a million miles an hour.  "Don't forget to stop the mail. Remember to grab the baby Tylenol. Did I grab the charger? Remember the pillows."  I'd actually have to get up and write myself a note, or just get the "whatever".  After a while, my college skills kicked in and I decided to make myself some permanent lists.  Now - with only a few exceptions - I can just go down the list and grab what I need for the particular packing occasion (trip to SD?  vacation to a lake?) and I won't forget something.  And the real beauty?  It's a checklist - so ANYONE can help.

This is  our "camping" pack list.  

There are many ways to do this.  When I first started making pack lists, I had a Palm Pilot (remember those??).  Today, my personal preference is the low tech "reminders" list making app that came loaded on my phone.  A Word document works just fine as well.  With any of these you can edit your list as your family grows and if you are using Word, you can print it for all to see.  On my reminders app, I can save lists and then check of the individual items in the list as I go.

If you are going to make yourself some permanent pack lists - which you should, of course - I suggest going all out and including everything.  Even the things you think are so basic you would never forget them.  Because otherwise you will.  Or you assume someone else already put it in the van.

Now I know list making isn't revolutionary.  But here is the time and sanity saver - not remaking the list ever darn time.  The editing option is huge too, if you go back to the same location again and again.  For example, the first time we ever traveled to Mexico, I WAY over packed.  And over packing is expensive if you are flying.  I edited my pack list when we returned home, so that if we ever went back I would remember some things.  Like, there are no mosquitoes, so don't bother with bug spray.  One bottle of sunblock is enough for the whole family for a week.  It will never be cold enough that we'll need pants (this is a mental block for me as I'm always cold).  In fact, just don't pack so many clothes.  They never got worn.  Bring beach toys.  You get the idea.

Even on short trips its easier to check off the "pre-travel" requirements.  Stop the newspaper and the mail.  Take out the trash.  Run the dishwasher. Tip the blinds.  Pack the dog food. These are the things that keep me up at night before a trip.  I have peace of mind knowing they are on the list.  And of course, the real beauty.  When my husband asks, "what can I do?" I can say - do something on the list.  Awesome.

A few other tips and tricks that make packing easier.  Yes, these are simple - but you may not do them. You should.  You may eventually have come to these conclusions on your own, but that might take a few trips or a few years.  I like to think I'm saving you that time.

1) Keep toiletry bags packed as much as you can.  Buy duplicates of your make up, toothbrushes and medicines - even the over the counter, just-in-case ones (Ibuprofen, cold medicine, etc.).  Buy the travel size deodorants, toothpastes, lotions, hair products and shampoos.  Running around gathering up all these things takes time.

2) If you aren't flying on a plane - use big, clear, plastic tubs with lids for packing.  Everything will fit, you will be able to see it and they are stackable for the trip.

3) For kids that are old enough to dress independently but still need help with packing (thinking grade school):  Pack each outfit into a rolled up bundle and rubber band it together OR if your kids clothes are small enough, put each outfit into a gallon sized baggie.  This is especially helpful for trips to camp or to grandparents houses.  Each day they can just grab a new ready-to-go outfit without trying to figure out what to wear with what or what is clean in that great big bag.

Shorts, underware and a shirt.  Rolled up together
and held together with a rubberband.

4) Have a laundry bag.  Simple idea, right? But do you have one?  It is much easier to both find clothes to wear in your suitcase (or tub 'o clothes) without all the dirty ones getting in your way and to come home and just toss the whole bag in the laundry rather than sorting through everything after you return.

Repacking at the end of a week at a cabin in Wisconsin.
Tubs, pillows in garbage bags and our big, full, black and purple laundry bag.
Can you believe all that fit in the van?  

So as you pack up your family for holiday travel this year, consider taking some notes.  Write down all the things you have “To Do” before you leave.  Add on all the things “To Pack”.  When you return, edit it, type it up and save it for next time.  You’ll be glad you did.

Happy Thanksgiving.

It's a SOUP SWAP!

Tamara Nugteren


I love holiday cookies just as much as you do, BUT - this year, I am going both practical AND delicious! I am forgoing the traditional cookie swap and instead hosting a Soup Swap.  That's right.  A soup swap.  Its fun and it feeds your family without adding to your December sugar high.

My soup: Tomato Basil

Here is how it works:
1) Find a willing and excited group of friends.  You can work with any number, but a good minimum to set is six.

2) Pick a date and time to meet and swap. I hosted my soup swap just before our monthly Bunco group.  You could also just call it a "girls night" and serve some wine and apps.

3) Set up a formal RSVP system* that will hold your swappers accountable and also allow them to announce their soup variety.  Ask everyone to choose a different variety of soup to prepare. **
*I used Evite, but Facebook would work as well.  The reminders are key.
** If you have a very large group, you could allow two chefs per variety. 

4) Make sure everyone knows the expectations and the rules of the swap.  See below.

5) Award a prize or two to add to the fun!  I awarded a Caribou gift card for "most beautiful packaging".

Stacey easily won "most beautiful".  I think next time everyone
will try a little harder!  She set the standard for us!

6) Start cooking - well ahead of time.  You need to bring 6 quarts of the soup, frozen.

7) At the swap: Have everyone bring their frozen soup to the table, and have a "telling of the soup".  Each chef shares the variety of soup, the general ingredients and if there is a history to the recipe.
For example:  "I made a tomato basil soup.  I got this recipe from the owner and chef of a local deli and have been making it for years. The recipe starts by sautéing carrots, celery and onion, then adding the rest of the ingredients.  My version is made with half and half and fresh basil.  It goes well with croutons and my son really likes it with the addition of pre-made cheese tortellinis."
When my girlfriend Stacey was up, she added in the history behind her soup, minestrone.

Stacey's Minestrone label:  History of the soup and directions for prep.

8) If you have 6 participants, everyone takes one of each soup and takes one of their own home as well. (After all, you worked hard on it. Might as well eat one!)
If you have 7 participants, everyone takes home one of everyone else's soup.
If you have 8 or more participants, everyone takes turns selecting one soup at a time until everyone has 6 total.  This allows the most flexibility, in case there is a variety or two that someone doesn't care for or cannot eat for some reason.

8) Everyone puts their frozen soups into their coolers and enjoys the party.  Or goes home. Host's choice.  Either way, everyone is happy to have some delicious meals, ready to go in the freezer for those cold days ahead!

The rules:
- Everyone must choose a different variety, when possible.
- Everyone must make 6 quarts total of their soup (I used a big stock pot - its very do-able.) and package them into 6 one-quart containers and freeze them.*
- If the soup requires noodles, I highly suggest preparing the soup without them and supplying the correct amount of dry uncooked noodles with the soup to be added when eaten.  They don't freeze and reheat well.
- All soups must be labeled and any ingredients that have allergy potential must be noted.
- Encourage attention to packaging.  Like I said above, a little competition adds to the fun.

Frozen soup, noodles on the side.  This container is smaller than a quart,
but when the noodles were added, it bulked up to the required amount. 

* For quart containers:  In the grocery store you can find quart size, freezable containers like Gladware. The deli counters use quart sized containers for salads and sides, they may sell you a few or even give them to you if you ask nicely.  The big yogurt containers are quart sized.  I used quart sized, wide-mouthed Ball jars (make sure to leave 1 1/2 inches of room at the top for expansion).  If all else fails, you can use quart sized freezer bags.  They won't win any prizes, but they are very practical as they freeze flat.

Our group had so much fun swapping soups that we were already discussing when we could do it again - even before leaving the first time!  Since then, my family has eaten three of the six soups and they have all been wonderful.  I'm trying to ration out the rest!  Maybe one a week.... we'll see if we can make it that long!

There are SO MANY varieties of soup to choose from.  Here is the list we had at our swap:
- Tomato Basil   For this recipe, check out my previous post about tomatoes HERE.  
- Beer Cheese
- Minestrone (noodles on the side)
- Chicken Wild Rice
- Chicken Noodle (noodles on the side)
- Chicken Tortilla (homemade tortillas on the side)

Enjoy!

Five of our six soups.  

Four of our six participants.  I'm on the right...

 Next time, CHILI!

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Thanks all!  Have a blessed weekend!

How did this mess happen? How do I begin when the problem is everywhere??

Tamara Nugteren

Most people think that they're organized people. Or at least they used to be. 

Or they could be.

But what happened? How did the formally organized house get so out of control?

If you are reading this, you are probably a parent.  And the reason you're not organized anymore is because you had children. I’m sure of it.

I have this theory - most of us are pretty organized people. Or at least we think we are. (Again, until we had kids.) It's actually very easy to figure out what happened.  That ‘’pretty well organized’ home that you lived in before kids was maintained by two competent adults who (likely) worked outside the home and had plenty of time to take care of it (Remember when you used to think you were SO BUSY?). 

Can you find the wood glue? They keep it by the waffle iron.
Where do they keep the waffle iron?
Above the stove and near the graham crackers, of course!

Then along came baby and that was the end of that. 

In a short span of time, you probably had a baby shower, where friends and family gave you baby gifts.  You also purchased LOTS of gadgets, clothes, baby furniture and toys – all for that tiny bundle of joy.  Much of it went into the nursery.  But wait!  Where did all the stuff go that was in the room that became the nursery?  It was probably spread throughout the house – hastily put into the ‘second choice’ locations.  All of your home office furnishings are crammed into a smaller space somewhere else – the filing cabinets are stored next to the Christmas decorations and your computer is now permanently stored on the kitchen counter.  Or, if you are lucky, maybe you converted your ‘guestroom’ into a ‘guestroom/office’ – though its rather tight.  

You can’t keep all of it in the nursery, though.  Some of it will go in the kitchen.  It will start on the counter: bottles, pump accessories, pacifiers.  Eventually, sippy cups and little plastic dinnerware.  If you are lucky, some of it will eventually end up in a cabinet.  But the cabinets were already full.  So, you just cram most of it onto the lowest and most convenient shelf.  Things keep tumbling out, but hey – better than on the counter!

Lets take a minute to talk about the toys.  Were you one of those expectant parents that thought you would corral all of your children’s toys in their room so the “adult spaces” would always look great?  Ha! Rude surprise, right?  Oh well.  Toys are now in every room.  One time, you tried to get some bins, but it didn’t work out very well. 

But – lets say – even with all that – you were doing pretty well.  Until you found out you were expecting another child….  Well, if it’s the same gender as your first, you are good on toys and clothes.  Whenever the oldest grows out of clothes, you now need to keep them.  But where? There are SO MANY clothes!  You probably put them into bins – or maybe you put them under the bed.  What if the second child is the opposite gender?  Now you have a conundrum.  You will have nearly twice as many toys eventually.  (Yes, they play with some of the same toys, but no matter how hard you fight it, there will be “boy toys” and “girl toys”.)  And you have an entire second child’s wardrobe.  If you are considering a third child, you’ll need to keep and store BOTH sets of clothes because you don’t know which you will need.  Did I mention that every year your children will grow out of a significant portion of their toys and well meaning family and friends will get them more?? You know the drill. 

And that is how the “pretty well organized” home spins out of control.  All of the above, or some version of that, happens when you have the least amount of time you have ever had.  Welcome to parenthood. 

Look familiar? Probably.
Not necessarily too many things, but
too many things with no place to go.

So now what? You have admitted there are some “problem areas”. Or more accurately, some places in your house that you cannot stand to look at, be in or deal with at all.  So they keep getting worse.  And they suck your time, too.  Remember, now you never have enough time.  How much time do you spend trying to find things?  Your keys?  That permission slip?  A particular cleaning product? Your favorite jeans? What if you always knew right where everything was?  How much time would you save?  What if every member of the house could put away the groceries – in the right spot – so you wouldn’t have to be the only one who could do it?  What the children could pick up their toys or put away their own clothes because they knew exactly where they went? What if you could always find the super glue?

Sound like a dream? It’s totally possible.  You just have to have a plan.

Step one: Identify your problem areas and prioritize them.

Step two: Plan to tackle one area a week, or if that is too ambitious for your schedule, plan one area every two weeks.  Schedule it onto your calendar – plan for an hour or more depending on the project.  Schedule repeat appointments until the project is finished. 

Step three:  Utilize organizational tools.  Consider investing in a label maker.  If an area is labeled, then all the members of your home will know what goes where without guessing. If you don’t want to do that – use printer labels or even masking tape. Rubber bands, twist ties, permanent markers and baggies are all standards that I have on hand.

Step four:  Invest in bins, boxes, shelves and whatever other accessories your space needs to work at the best.  The Container Store is great, but it’s expensive.  Don’t overlook what you can get at Bed, Bath and Beyond or Target.  Hardware super stores like Menards, Home Depot and Lowes also have fantastic organizational items. 

Step five:  Keep it neat.  Insist that everyone use the new system and take a little time every once and a while to fix it up again.

Here is my top 10 list of the most common unorganized areas 

and their problems:

1.     Junk drawers.  Multiple drawers that have no function other than being a “catch-all” spot.

2.     Kitchen cabinets.  Very little thought to layout, overstuffed.  No one except mom knows where anything goes.

3.     Garage.  Can’t park in it anymore.  There may be tools in there… somewhere.

4.     Linen closets.  Another ‘catch-all’ for anything that is used in the bathroom or for cleaning.  May also hold sheets and many miscellaneous items.

5.     Bedroom closets.  Crammed full – no order.  You own a many of the same thing… probably.  You can’t find matching pairs of shoes and several belts are missing.

6.     Around the computer and/or wherever you set your mail.  The continual deposit of mail and papers from school has created a mountain.  No one wants to deal with it because it’s too hard.

7.     By your main door.  Piles of shoes and bags.  Coats, hats & gloves spilling out of the closet.  If you have a closet.

8.     Spaces for play and/or toy storage. Toys and games with no obvious home. Many outgrown items.  

9.     Laundry rooms.  No plan – just dump and run.

10. Your car.  You know its true. 

This is one of the best times to organize.  Excuses are evaporating.  The kids are back in school.  Summer travel is over.  Thanksgiving is still more than a month away.  Get your home in it’s best shape before the holiday craziness begins. 

You wouldn’t hesitate to fix a leaking pipe or a vehicle that wasn’t running.  Why would you hesitate to fix this?  When that pipe is fixed, you will have – nothing.  Everything will be working as it was before the leak. Same with your car.  When you “fix” the disorganization that is plaguing your home you will have more time, less stress and you’ll save money by not buying duplicates of things you already own.  

Feeling overwhelmed with the amount of organizing to be done?  Need some great ideas and solutions? Need to be held accountable? Do you just want someone to lend you a hand? Call a personal organizer.  Myself, or someone just like me can come over and help you dig out.  And believe it or not – we really enjoy it!  Sometimes you just need an outside opinion on how to re-do it.  We are not just for hoarders (really!).  We are for parents JUST LIKE YOU. 

For a personalized quote in the Twin Cities metro area, contact me, Tamara, at: tnugteren@earthlink.net

I would LOVE to come and help you out. 

Tamara Nugteren

It’s About Time…. TLC  LLC

Personal &  Home Organizer

All things tomatoes. "Inches Away From Perfection".

Tamara Nugteren


My garden needed to end a little early this year, due to a backyard project.  Actually, I needed to totally rip it out.  To anyone who loves to garden, tearing out vegetables in their peak growing season almost physically hurts.

My tomato plants were heavy with green tomatoes and I refused to waste them. I'm not a "fried green tomatoes" lover.  In fact, I don't even like tomatoes plain.  But I do really enjoy them in salsa, bruschetta, sauces and all other recipes.  But for this, they need to be ripe.   Not a problem - I'll just ripen them indoors.  Did you know you can successfully do this even with the greenest of tomatoes?  And it works fantastically.  You won't be ripping out your garden early, but you may still have a load of green tomatoes on the vine when the frost warnings start coming out.  No worries!  Just pick them and try this great tidbit!

To ripen green tomatoes, simply line a baking sheet with newspaper.  Fill it up with green tomatoes (not too tightly) and cover it with another sheet of newspaper.  Keep the baking sheet in a cooler (not cold) area of your home, checking them ever day or two.  If I kept them in my kitchen this time of year, it would be too hot and they would ripen too quickly and start to rot.  I keep my in the lower level of our house, either in the laundry room or guest bedroom.  Keep them out of direct sunlight and away from air vents.  In a few days, the tomatoes will begin to ripen.  They will not all ripen them together, so you can pull some out and eat them as you go.

Why does this work?  Tomatoes naturally give off a gas called ethylene.  The newspaper traps that in, helping the tomatoes to ripen more quickly.  Here are some pictures of the process, as it worked for me.  I dated the photos for you - but your process may work on a different timeline.

September 7th. 

I had to separate the tomatoes into two pans
as I added in more cherry tomatoes.  This is pan 1 on Sept. 17.

This is the second pan, also on Sept. 17th. 

This is Sept. 26th.  All the tomatoes are beautifully ripe.
I'm back down to one pan as I have been pulling out
tomatoes as they have ripened along the way.

If you look closely, the caption on the right side of the newspaper, coincidentally, reads "Inches Away From Perfection."  How appropriate!

What to do with all these ripe tomatoes?  Just search online for "tomato recipes" and you will be instantly overwhelmed.  So many wonderful possibilities.   I'll share with you our families favorites, and then the choice is yours. 

Some of these tomatoes I canned because I simply cannot use them fast enough. My crop is not big enough to do an afternoon of canning - I just do a jar or two at a time as needed.  You can too - it does not need to be overwhelming.   I'm going to let you search out directions online for the best canning "recipe" for you.  Everyone does it a little different.  I can just plain tomatoes, others can "stewed tomatoes" or different sauces.  You'll find the right fit.  Rather than "recreate the wheel", I'm just going to redirect you to these great, easy instructions I found, posted on www.About.com by Molly Watson:  Home canning tomatoes.

In the meantime, here are a couple of photos of the last time I canned to inspire you.

Step one: jars and lids sanitized in boiling water.

Step two: Split the skins on the tomatoes in same boiling water.

Gorgeous, right? This one is ready to peel.

Start peeling.  It's a mess.  Plan ahead.

Peel and chop into wedges.

Add tomato wedges, lemon juice, salt and top off with water.

Wipe clean lid (with a paper towel!), tightly seal jar,
boil for 30-45 minutes.  Remove and set on counter to cool.
Make sure the lid has sealed! (see above link for better instructions).

Beautiful, right?  It's summer in a jar. Saved for winter.  

Now for the recipes!

The best way to chop tomatoes, is to use either a very sharp knife, or a serrated one if your knives aren't well maintained. Otherwise it will just slip and slide all over the tomato's skin.

Halve it, slice it then dice it.  Easy-peazy.

Tony's Fresh Garden Salsa
(A huge hit whenever we serve it... never gets saved for later!)

- 3 large tomatoes, diced or the equivalent in cherry tomatoes, quartered.
- 1/4 - 1/2 medium white onion, finely diced.
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 2 large or 4 small jalepeno peppers, finely diced.
- 3 Tbs. fresh cilantro, chopped (minimum - better with more!)
- 1/8-1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper
- Juice of one lime.

First, dice the onions and combine them with half of the lime juice and approximately of the salt.   Let that soak together while you dice the tomatoes. Add in the tomatoes, the last half of your salt, all the pepper and all of the minced garlic.  Dice peppers, removing the pith and seeds for a more mild salsa - leaving all or some of the pith and seeds for a hotter salsa.  Next, add in the chopped cilantro.  Last, add the remaining lime juice.

Optional: 1/2 diced avocado.  This makes it super yummy, but you'll want to eat it all the same day as the avocado will not be great the next day.  If you are eating this over a couple of days - leave the avocado out.

Wash veggies and combine all in a medium bowl. Toss gently to mix.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Tony's Fresh Garden Salsa.  Mmm...

Bruschetta 
(My favorite - I could eat the whole batch!)

- 3 large tomatoes, diced or the equivalent in cherry tomatoes, quartered. (In the winter, I've been known to used canned, petite diced tomatoes and it still works out pretty nicely.)
- 1/4 c. Italian cheese blend (shredded parmesan and romano)
- 3 Tbs. fresh basil OR 1 1/2 tsp. of dried.
- 3 Tbs. fresh oregano OR 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

- Drizzle 1-2 tsp. Seasoned Rice Vinegar - Garlic*
- Drizzle 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
- Loaf of french bread or a baguette.
- Butter for the bread.

Toss gently to mix.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.  

Slice bread to 1/2 to 1" thickness.  Butter each slice and lightly toast them under the broiler.

Allow to cool.  Top each with a generous portion of the bruschetta mix.  Serve and enjoy!

My favorite - Bruschetta.

* Seasoned Rice Vinegar is a great product that I came across back in my marketing days.  

I buy the Nakano brand because it is widely available.  In my supermarket, it is sold in the "ethnic" area, but could also be likely found by condiments.  Ask if you don't find it.  You could substitute 1 tbs. vinegar and a clove of garlic - but it's not quite as good...

Seasoned Rice Vinegar - Roasted Garlic.

Tomato Basil Soup

Note:  This makes a large batch. You will need a stockpot.  Freeze the extras or give some to a friend who could use a ready made meal.  I usually do both.  

(I can't believe I haven't posted this before.  This is seriously my FAVORITE soup.)

- 1/4 c. canola oil

- 1 1/2 large carrots OR two small ones

- 2 celery stalks

- 1/2 medium onion, white or red

- 16-20 tomatoes OR 4 large canning jars of tomatoes OR 4 large (28 oz.) cans of store bought tomatoes. Puree before using.

- 2-3 Tbs. salt

- 3 Tbs. sugar

- 1/2 tsp. black pepper

- 4 1/2 cups dairy (any combination of milk, 1/2 & 1/2 and cream - you decide on how rich or skinny you want it to be.)  OR equivalent of chicken or vegetable stock*  

- 1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped.  I don't recommend dried basil in this recipe.

Heat oil in stock pot on medium high heat.  Mince vegetables, then add them to the oil.  Cook and stir until they are translucent and tender - not brown. Add in pureed tomatoes, salt, sugar and pepper, stirring occasionally for 15-20 minutes.  Add in dairy (or chicken stock) and basil.  Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes.  Finished product will be a salmon color.

The pureed vegetables will be a bright orange.

Bright red once the puree and the tomatoes are added together.

This is the finished DAIRY FREE soup - I used chicken stock.
It stays very red and has a thinner consistency.
Still tastes great - but of course, different.

This is the finished product of the main version, with milk.
It ends up almost salmon in color.  Delish! 

Here are a few of my mismatched storage containers,
ready to go into the freezer for many meals to come!

Notes: Allow to cool in the refrigerator.  If you are going to freeze the extras (highly recommended!), pour generous portions into freezer safe containers.  Don't forget to leave a little room at the top for expansion.  I most commonly use the family size yogurt containers for freezing - just don't forget to label them! These keep for a long time.  If you want to prevent the top from getting that icky ice glaze, just cut a piece of wax paper to fit and lay it on the top of the soup before freezing.  When you are ready to eat and enjoy, allow the soup to thaw at least 24 hours in the refrigerator OR put it in a crockpot on low with a little water.  When I am making this for the family, we will often add in some frozen cheese-stuffed ravioli's to the warming soup and serve with warm bread.  Mmmmm....  

I haven't tried this recipe with any milk substitutes.  I know it would work, but I'm not sure how much it would alter the taste.   I think it's the creaminess that is important in the recipe, so it might be best to leave it out and substitute chicken or vegetable stock for the best taste result.  If you try an alternate milk version, let me know!

Happy tomato season!