We don’t have guests a lot, but I like to be prepared when we do. I’m funny about staying at people’s houses sometimes (it’s me, not you), so I put a lot of time into preparing the guest bathroom and bedroom and enjoy thinking of things that I like to make someone’s visit more comfortable.

Now that I think about that, I guess someone’s visit would be more comfortable if we actually cleaned the junk off the guest bed since it tends to be where “homeless” items downstairs live, so I guess we’ll just talk about the bathroom.

I like to have a well-stocked guest bathroom and enjoy showing people where everything is because I hate when I’m at someone else’s house and can’t find soap or toilet paper. Actually, I was at someone’s house one time, and I couldn’t find the bathroom, but didn’t realize that was an issue until the middle of the night (I had arrived late), so that was fun.

Some of the things I have on hand in the guest bathroom:

- a night light
- extra toilet paper in a logical place
- common medicines (antacid, Tylenol, cough drops)
- clean towels and washcloths
- hairdryer
- a small basket of toiletries (shampoo, lotion, soap, razors, tissues, bandaids, toothbrush, toothpaste, sewing kit, etc.)

Even if the guest bathroom is the same as your bathroom, these are all things easily stocked for your guests.

What do you put in a guest bathroom? Have you been to someone’s house and seen something and thought it was a great idea or had trouble locating something you really needed? Do tell!

When I was growing up, we lived in a one-story house, but I always wished we had an upstairs. However, my mother never wished it, and I couldn’t understand why.

Now I live in a 2-story house, and I understand some of how she felt about it, but it’s not really related to having to walk up, and down; it’s more about how our stairwell has become a nifty place to store some of the detrius that doesn’t seem to have a home.

As you can see, there’s all kinds of “important” items there. I can remove them and return them to their rightful owners, but there’s just more flotsam and jetsam waiting to take their place.

We’ve tried using a stair step basket that is allegedly a place to keep things to grab the next time you go upstairs, but somehow we just ended up filling it up, and the items took up permanent residence there. Actually, that happens with many of the things we attempt to organize in containers. The containers end up becoming a pretty place for the junk to live rather than actually solving the problem.

Wait, maybe the issue is us and not the containers? Nah.

I think it will take a change in attitude from the entire family about leaving things there to keep it clear, but I’m not sure that’s going to happen.

Sure, things left on the stairs can be a safety hazard, but more importantly, they’re driving me insane just by being there, so I’m on a mission to keep this spot in the house clean.

Do you have stairs that tend to accumulate junk? If so, what do you do about it? Please share any and all hints!

I love this time of year! March Madness is underway with the seeding of the teams in the NCAA brackets, and it’s time to watch some basketball! (Sorry, I got carried away, no one will talk basketball with me around here, and I’m still so excited about Vanderbilt winning the SEC Championship!)

Anyway, when you have people over to watch the game, or just to enjoy the spring weather, you gotta eat. Well, I guess you don’t “have” to, but it’s much more fun when you feed people, since you don’t want to be “that house” that never has anything to eat.

I like the idea of feeding a group of people, but sometimes I lack ideas past burgers or chili. In an effort to expand my horizons a bit, I made these pork wraps a few weeks ago, and the whole family really liked them. They were easy to make, and they’re something you could make a bunch of, or put everything out for guests to make for themselves.

Game Day Pork and Chile Wraps:

Ingredients:

• In medium skillet over medium-high heat, warm oil.
• Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper.
• Cook about 3-4 minutes per side until browned and internal temperature reaches 145 deg F.
• Place chops on a plate and let rest 5 minutes
• Cut chops into 1/4-in. slices.
• Microwave tortillas on high until slightly warm and softened, Place tortillas on workspace and top with pork, avocado, onion, chiles and salad greens stopping 2 inches short of one edge.
• Working one tortilla at a time, fold one side of tortilla up and over fillings.
• Tuck fillings in tightly, then fold in the 2-in. edge.
• Continue rolling tortilla toward the other side, securing with toothpick if necessary.
• Repeat with remaining tortillas and serve

My kids always like things in wraps, and these are just a little different from typical tacos. We’ll have them again, soon!

What kinds of wrap sandwiches/meals do you like to make for a crowd?

We got home late last night, the 9 year old hadn’t eaten, he still had to do homework, shower and get to bed since he’s been up way too late the past couple of nights. I had a couple of things in mind for dinner, and if I timed it just right, we could get everything done and get him to bed.

I flew into the driveway, gathered everything out of the car and rushed to the back door to find…I had no house key.

It had fallen off my key ring, and no one else was home.

We did get in eventually, but dinner plans were foiled. Going back out would have taken too much time, and we may or may not be way overdue to go to the grocery (I’ll never tell!), so I had to slap something together. Since everyone was coming from outdoor sports practices, I felt somewhat compelled to make something substantial-ish.

I’m so not the person that can effortlessly just throw something together for dinner, so when I don’t really have a plan, the results can be variable. However, last night’s “grab whatever I could find” worked out kind of well, so I thought I’d share.

Note: this isn’t a real recipe and your results may vary, this is what landed on my stove after ransacking the fridge and the pantry, so it’s not terribly scientific.

Chicken, Spinach and Pasta

Ingredients:

- Most of a box of tube-shaped pasta

- Frozen spinach left in the bag in the freezer

- 1 big can of canned chicken (I know, I know…)

- tub of Original Philadelphia Cooking Creme (not an ad, I just had some)

- most of a can of chicken broth

- butter

- spices from the front of the cabinet because there’s no time to dig around in there

Directions:

- Cook the pasta according to the package directions

- Saute spinach, and chicken in butter and garlic or whatever you found in the cabinet

- Add the chicken broth

- Add the Cooking Creme

- Drain and add the pasta

It was ready in just a few minutes, and turned out pretty well!

And, for obvious reasons, I think a future edition of Ordering Disorder will be, “Food Photography”, but I digress…

Anyway, tell me about your last minute meals that have surprised you. What did you make? How did it turn out?

We love pork chops, but they’re one of those things that I don’t always think about, and then I exclaim, “Why don’t we have this more often?”

I recently made these pork chops, and they turned out great. As a matter of fact, someone said we should have them again sometime, so I’ve actually made them twice. That’s quite a feat for me because I have some sort of recipe amnesia and I don’t often remember things I’ve made if they are out of the usual rotation.

Beer Braised Pork Cutlets

Ingredients:
pork sirloin cutlets, tenderized, about 1/4-inch thick
4 Tbs flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp butter
8 oz beer (actually, I made these once with beef broth instead of beer and they were also good)
2 Tbs cider vinegar
2 Tbs prepared mustard
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp dill weed

Stir together flour, salt and pepper and coat cutlets well. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter to sizzling and add cutlets. Saute until golden brown on one side; turn cutlets and add remaining ingredients to skillet. Bring to a boil, lower heat and cover. Simmer for 10-12 minutes, until pork is cooked through. Remove cutlets to a warm platter, boil and stir pan juices until thickened; serve cutlets with pan sauce.

Verdict: the whole family loved these. It’s a great take on a classic comfort food, and we’ll put these in the regular rotation.

If I remember, that is.

Lovely accent to your kitchen, or flat filing cabinet?

It’s been a hot topic around here the past couple of days as we’ve attempted to give the kitchen a thorough cleaning. It’s come to light that we (the adults in the house) are of differing philosophies regarding the counter space.

One of us thinks that the more stuff the better on the kitchen counter. That way, you can see and get to whatever you need.

The other one of us has the right idea.

(Oops, did I give away who’s who, here?)

Left to my own devices, I probably wouldn’t have much of anything on the counter because I think it looks better. However, I know I’d be complaining every time I had to get something out to use it. But. other people in the house *ahem*husband*ahem* see things a little differently. For him, the more stuff the better on the counter. That way, you can see what you have and use it!

As you may be able to tell, we don’t always see eye to eye about what should stay on the kitchen counter.

Right now, The permanent residents of the kitchen are: the microwave, the coffee maker, the bread box, a small television, toaster, electric can opener, an iPod dock and an electric pencil sharpener (The kids do homework at the kitchen table, and they are really hard on pencils.).

However, I’m not fond of the way it looks, especially since the kitchen is the main way people come in and out of the house, and the kitchen is the first thing they see. I think it looks too cluttered, but these are things we actually use.

Our kitchen was done many, many years ago, and I wish I’d had the foresight to ask them to put in an “appliance garage” to get some of the little ones out of plain view, but I didn’t. One thing I do need to do is replace the plug covers with something closer to the paint color, that would help the overall look, I think.

How about you? How do you decide what gets kept out on the kitchen counter and what lives behind closed doors?

Lest you think I’m obsessed with my car, it’s just that I spend a lot of time in there, and I like to be prepared. We’ve already discussed must-have items for the car trunk, as well as handy items to keep in the car console.

But, what about the glove compartment? What goes in there?

When I was in high school. most of my friends turned 16 before I did, and could drive. I longed to have a car of my own, ready for whatever came my way. I remember one friend in particular who had snacks in the glove compartment (it would be many years later before I realized that she probably had an eating disorder), and I recall thinking it was cool that she could keep whatever she wanted in there.

The day finally came, and I had a car of my own. I don’t know exactly what I kept in there, but I’m sure it was all “useful” stuff crammed in there with the silly things my dad made me put in there like the registration and insurance information.

As an adult, I’ve learned to keep the most important things in there and reasonably organized so they’re easily accessible, but I’m wondering if my “important” things are the same as yours.

What’s in my glove compartment?

(Apparently, I keep a mystery piece of my car interior in there to the right of the sunglasses, too.)

Owner’s manual
Proof of insurance
Car registration documents (it’s debatable if you should keep these in there)
Roadside assistance instructions and phone number
Maintenance receipts
Pen and paper
Extra sunglasses (a must, if you wear contact lenses)
A flashlight
A snack (I keep it hidden in there in case we forget my 4th grader’s snack for school)
Extra straws (yes, they are important)

One thing I need to remember to put in there is a list of emergency contacts. Come to think of it, I’m not sure if I have a list in my wallet, either. I need to get on that.

How about you? What’s in your glove compartment?

When I was on vacation with my friends a few weeks ago, the conversation turned to dinner, specifically a lack of inspiration, everyone seemed to be in a rut. So, everyone made a list of quick and easy things they make for dinner at home and we shared it in an effort to gain some new ideas.

One thing that came up was an idea for Salsa Chicken Soup. I love soup, but sometimes when I get an idea for soup, it never quite comes out like I intended (except for the Loaded Potato Soup, I like that stuff when I make it). This one was really simple, and actually tasted like I wanted it to!

We only discussed the ingredients in general, so even though it’s not scientific, here’s what I did:

Salsa Chicken Soup

2-4 Chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or cut into bite sized pieces
2 cans chicken broth
1 can sweet corn
1 can black beans, rinsed
2 jars salsa (I used 15 oz ones)
1 can Cream of Chicken soup

Combine all of the above and heat it up! I put it in the crockpot on low for an hour or so.

Serve with sour cream, cheese, and tortilla chips:

Like many things, this gets even better after about a day.

Perhaps if I make soup often enough, winter will actually arrive since it hasn’t really shown up here, yet!

Do you have any simple soup recipes?

I love to travel by air even though it makes me a little nuts, sometimes.

I obsessively check and recheck things (Boarding pass? Phone? Carry-on? Suitcase?) when I’m at the airport, so there’s no telling what I must look like. I live in fear of doing something really stupid and being stranded forever in some airport.

Hey, I never said my fears were realistic.

Even though I usually carry my suitcase on board (It fits, I promise) I’m especially attentive to packing the bag I keep in the seat with me. I’ve spent more than a few hours delayed on a tarmac wishing I’d had a bottle of water or an actual paper book when the electronic ran down.

Also, I really don’t like being bored on long flights, so I’m always balancing just the right amount of essential stuff that’s easy to access with what won’t drive me crazy around an airport all day.

I just got back from a trip over the weekend, and am unpacking, so I thought I’d share what I think is important in a carry-on bag.

1. The bag itself - I’m very picky about the bag I use. First, it’s got to zip across the top (as opposed to a magnet closure) so things don’t fall out of it when you have to shove it under the seat. It also has to be bigger than an average purse, but not like a second suitcase. It’s also a plus when it’s at least somewhat stylish because I often carry it around conferences and meetings.

It’s also got to pass my “one arm scoop test”. I suppose it’s left over from my days of carrying kids around, but the straps have to be long enough for me to get it over my shoulder comfortably using one arm. It’s also got to be really sturdy with the straps fastened solidly to the bag since it’s no fun to have a strap break when you’re on your way to Gate 346C from Gate 2C.

2. Travel documents - I always carry 2 printed copies of boarding passes, and I’ve actually had to use them both before. I also make sure I have paper copies of ground transportation, lodging and meeting information even though I keep that information electronically, you just never know.

3. Magazines - I confess: I read celebrity rags on the plane. They have to be the latest copy, too. Don’t judge.

4. Book - Even though I don’t tend to read them on board, I always keep a book with me when I fly. You never know when you’ll be delayed or batteries will run out on your electronic devices leaving you with nothing to do but stare at people while they decide if they should get up and go to the bathroom, or not.

5. Water - I’m not really one of those people who carries a water bottle around everywhere, but I’ve learned the hard way to keep one with me.

6. Snack - I make sure I have something on the sweet side and something salty, since if I have one I inevitably want the other at 10,000 feet. If it’s an especially long flight, I might bring a sandwich or something.

7. Movies and games - I like to watch movies I haven’t had a chance to see. I load up my phone or table with one for going and one for the way home. I also play games on my phone when I’m in the mood.

8. Jacket - A jacket can keep you warm, and it makes a reasonable pillow in a pinch.

9. Pen and paper - It’s handy for making lists, drawing pictures or compose blog posts when you’re bored.

10. Wallet - I don’t usually carry a purse with me when I’m only going to be gone a couple of days. I put my wallet, sunglasses, keys and essentials in my tote and leave the purse and things I can live a couple of days without at home.

11. Personal items - I keep a hairbrush, mints, lipstick, mirror, nail file, Tylenol, bandaids etc. in my travel bag at all times, so I don’t have move those things from my purse to the bag and back.

12. Cords and headphone - I have a make-up bag just for cords, chargers and headphones for my various gadgets.

Since I usually carry my suitcase on board (Seriously, it fits. I’m not one of “those” people. Why are you looking at me like that?) I also have my clear bag with liquids, but I usually put that in the suitcase after I go through security.

I like to believe I’m prepared for anything that comes my way with one simple bag over my shoulder.

What about you? What goes in your airplane carry-on bag?

Last night was one of those nights that I found myself standing in the kitchen at about 6:15 thinking, “We should probably eat something for dinner.”

It was bad enough that I really didn’t know what i was going to make, but I also realized that I’d talked myself out of going to the grocery over the weekend. I’m not sure what that was about, but there must have been some “logical” reason.

So, seeing as my family is weird about wanting dinner every night, something had to be done.

Pickings were slim in the pantry until I found a bag of small baking potatoes.  They were perfectly good, but just not big enough to make a satisfying baked potato. I think I had purchased them for mashed potatoes at some point.

A while back, I had made Loaded Baked Potato Soup, but it was kind of complicated and I wasn’t in the mood. I remembered reading somewhere about an “easy” version, so I proceeded as best I could with what I had around, and it went something like this (your results may vary, this is what i did and I thought you might like it):

Easy Loaded Potato Soup

2-ish lbs. of baking potatoes, cubed
1 can (14-1/2 oz.)  chicken broth
3 cups milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (save some for garnish)
Bacon bits from real bacon (as opposed to those hard crunchy things that go on salad)
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Sour cream

Directions:

Microwave potatoes in large bowl for about 15 minutes, (or until they’re soft), stir occasionally.
Lightly mash potatoes and stir in broth, bacon (save some!) salt and pepper
Stir in cheese

Add milk gradually until the soup is the desired consistency.
Garnish with saved bacon, cheese and sour cream.

It wasn’t quite as yellow as this picture looks:

Now that I look at it written down, it looks a lot liked mashed potatoes, but you can eat them with a spoon, so it’s soup! Any way you look at it, it was pretty good!

Do you have a potato soup recipe you like?