Time to Tackle a To-do and a Pinterest Cook-fest

Sometimes you just have to do your best to ignore the clutter - the best your A-type personality can - and decide you're going to create.  I am telling the voice in my head to shut up, I did my usual morning routine - made beds, tidied rooms, kitchen is clean, floors have been swept and mopped and so it's on to the next to-do item, which just happens to be creative.  This is not a reward because there's plenty of things left on my to-do list.  After I finish this post, I'm heading back to my work table (averting my eyes from the cluttered desk behind me) and, with my Stash-Busters sketch in hand, creating a layout.

After reporting for the last couple weeks of not doing any menu planning with Pinterest, I decided to go all in for this week.  I'd been doing way to much pinning and not enough using - now if I could just implement the "use it" plan for my other boards.  Anyway, all dinners and desserts were from Pinterest.  Can I get a WooHoo!?

I was on Pinterest for something Wednesday when I saw these Fluffernutter Chocolate Chip Bars and I just had to make them.  I. Had. To.  Some day I'll master the art of cutting bars and be able to have a pan of bars that are more or less than same size, rather than bars I have now which range in size from like an inch and a half to three inches.  WTH?  These bars, that I baked Wednesday, are gone.  They are that good.

I started out the week with these Glazed Orange Scones as part of Sunday's breakfast.  They were light and fluffy with just enough orange flavor. 

Then I moved on to:

• Lemon Garlic Chicken.  I made this Monday night.  It was a hosting-the-in-laws night so I cut the breasts in half (I usually do this with chicken breasts anyway, but the blogger mentions it as well) and doubled the recipe.  I am always wary of breading and browning things and then finishing them in the slow cooker - the "breading" tends to become mush.  I think doubling the sauce portion of the recipe was probably unnecessary as there was plenty of sauce to cook in.  I was conscience of the thin-ness of the chicken and the double cooking, so I didn't get the pan-fried color on them I'd have liked.  The breading was a little soft in the end, but the chicken was moist.  It wasn't my favorite recipe, but the family said they liked it.  It was a quick meal to assemble, even with the pre-fry, so I may try again, just for us, and instead of cutting the breasts, I may just pound them out. 
• Orange Chicken  Half of my little clan loves Chinese, the other half tolerates it.  This was a quick-to-table recipe, even with the rice.  Those of us who like the Chinese loved it - though I think it needed more garlic and a pinch of salt.  That or I needed to press the garlic instead of grating it (as called for in the recipe.)
• One Pot Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole  Besides being a big fan of quick meals, I love a one-pan recipe.  This one was good and made a ton.  I forgot to salt and pepper before serving and while there was flavor, it could have used at least the pepper.  I think it needed a little more something. . .mustard maybe?  We did top it with fresh tomato and lettuce, but green onion might have done the trick too.  I'll make it again.  It's a good one for a "serve yourself" night when I want to be crafting.
• Oatmeal Cookies with Apple, Raisins and Pecans  If you follow me on Instagram, you saw me enjoying one of these fresh out of the oven.  The recipe makes two dozen, which doesn't last in this house, so I scooped them smaller and they still didn't last more than a couple days.  They were really good.  My only problem is how to store them.  Because of the fresh apple, you can't store them in a cookie jar or tin because they'll get all soft and just fall apart. 
• BLT Chicken Salad Sandwiches  We took the blogger's suggestion and used potato rolls - good call.  This was good the evening I made it, but even better the following day, after the seasoning had a chance to meld.  Next time I'll make it more ahead of time.  I served it with the bacon sprinkled on top - I hate soggy bacon - and tossed the remaining bacon in with the leftover salad and it, 1) didn't get soggy and 2) was way better in the salad than on it.  The yogurt and mayo combo I may cut down just a bit because there is plenty to bind the salad together.  This is a perfect too-freakin'-hot-to-cook meal and another one that's good to do ahead and then leave for the family to serve themselves.

So, of the recipes I grabbed for the week, I still have tonight's and then one to do on Monday, plus a dessert and a granola bar.  Report for those to follow.

I've got a sunny day to head out into for a walk.  A present to wrap and mail.  Dinner and dessert to get a move on.  A graduation.  Snow is in the forecast for later this weekend - yep, snow.  But that crafty time for myself comes first.

Happy Friday,