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It is so important to pace ourselves in our responsibilities and expectations. Planning helps us go further and with greater serenity. ...

04 November, 2024

A powerful message of hope to every taken-for-granted woman in today's world...

02 September, 2024

Housecleaning – can be a daunting task -- whether you live in a one bedroom apartment or in a large home. ...

16 January, 2024

Get your family on board with helping around the house. Shared work conquers and divides so everyone will have more time for fun. ...

14 October, 2023

Family meals are privileged times for bonding, though it can feel like mayhem. Raise the tone and create a moment of connection and dignity. ...

12 September, 2023

Do you often feel like a gorilla, constantly bending over to pick up toys? How thrilled is your husband to come home and roller skate across the hallway on a set of dinky cars? Do you often feel they’re everywhere and you can’t get away......

02 June, 2023

Save time in the kitchen by using it more deliberately. ...

10 April, 2023

Once you begin a family, there is no escaping laundry. It is constantly being generated and forever piling up. Get on top of the laundry by doing it regularly, systematically, and properly. ...

14 March, 2023

Live a more simple life by stretching your dollar to reduce financial stress. ...

07 February, 2023

  When I’d houseclean with my small kids. I’d crank up some fun music, give each child a damp cloth for dusting and put them to work while I’d vacuum. Once they got fed up, I’d hand them the vacuum cleaner, while I dusted or......

11 January, 2023

Every day across the world, moms prepare for the Olympic challenge – surviving the family meal with a smile on their face....

08 December, 2020

Daily life is full of choices. We often don't have much time to think before we act. How we respond mirrors our values, criteria and priorities in life. Really think through what's most important to you and clarify your priorities. You cannot do everything. ...

13 October, 2020

A sample of a grocery list that will help you keep organized while shopping....

15 October, 2016

I keep Christmas very simple.  I basically use the same menu plan each year, as I only use this plan once a year.   I do it pot-luck, where I get the other relatives that are coming to bring the dish they are good at.  One......

03 October, 2016

When I gave up doing a lot of extra baking for Christmas when my kids grew up, it de-stressed me and my older daughters. We used to do a lot of extra baking to pass around and now we gave that up. Mary O. We......

03 October, 2016

I send out a lot of Christmas cards and it takes a long time to write them all. To avoid spending hours at a time, I start doing them in early November, just four or five  each day. It breaks a daunting task down into......

03 October, 2016

We have a custom of celebrating Advent. We gather the family around and burn one candle on the first Sunday of Advent in the evening while we read a part of the bible that has to do with the Holy family. We do this each......

03 October, 2016

Summer holidays afford more time and the opportunity for everyone to lend a helping hand. ...

21 September, 2016

Excellent books and websites to help you organize your space, improve your effectiveness and have greater satisfaction in home management. ...

21 September, 2016

Organize your kitchen according to your workstations: mixing area, sink area, fridge area. Now think of each object according to where you first use it. Store things there. So when you make a cake, put all related items within immediate reach of your standing position.......

21 September, 2016

Whether you live in an apartment or home, it is worthwhile to make your space work for you, rather than you working all day on your space. Many young families are so busy they do not take the time to think about this. I encourage......

21 September, 2016

Houses are not homes, they are mere shells. You make a difference when you set up a home. You take the bare walls and empty rooms and turn them into a part of yourself, an extension of who you are. There is no place like......

21 September, 2016

Check out some great resources to help you on the homefront!...

21 September, 2016

This is a question I am often asked. People wonder how in the world someone with a large, family manages meals, assuming it’s ten times more the work. In reality, it’s not so at all. I have personally found that the larger the family gets,......

20 September, 2016

As soon as children show interest and are able to do a chore, sign them up. Whether you have one child or several, kids need to feel needed and learn to help out. Chores help them to grow in life skills, responsibility, and good work......

20 September, 2016

Free up more of your time and energy. Don’t allow anxiety to creep into your day because you don’t know what to make for supper. Why run several times to the grocery store for ingredients when you have better things to do with your time?......

20 September, 2016

As moms, we are always learning and we never stop. Enjoy these tips from many women on how they save time and money in the kitchen. May it spark some new habits and get ideas churning. We have so much to learn from our parents......

20 September, 2016

Read more tips for Saving Time and Money in the Kitchen. Here are food tips to get you started. When kids don’t like vegetable soups, puree them. It will go over better. Cut up overripe fruit into a bowl. Top with some lemon juice and......

20 September, 2016

When I was growing up I longed to be a mother. I loved science and studying and dreamt of medicine as a career as many other children do at some point in their lives, but most of all I knew I wanted to be a mother....

20 September, 2016

If you're the parent of a picky eater, no doubt you can relate to the daily challenge of finding foods your child will eat. When faced with a child who shows no interest in vegetables - or in the family dinner, for that matter - even the most determined parents can be swayed into the role of a short-order cook....

20 September, 2016

It is at the family dinner table where most of the important parenting takes place. But with our hectic schedules how often these days does the family meal take place. It is up to the parents to make sure it happens and to schedule it in each day. It is a dying art that must be revived in our culture....

20 September, 2016

PLAYDOUGH– Melinda B. This is my favourite recipe….when I used to work in a daycare ( before my kids were born ) this was the only recipe they would use.  It NEVER gets sticky, I find the ones where there is no cream of tartar......

19 September, 2016

Do you always have the same thing for breakfast? Why not add some variety? There’re lots you can do to satisfy your appetite and enjoy a change. Have a big batch of various muffins in your freezer that you can pull out, warm up and......

19 September, 2016

ITALIAN HERB BREAD – use dough setting (Great with a pasta dish) 1 1/4 cup water 2 tbsp powdered milk 2 tbsp shortening 2 tbsp sugar 1 tsp salt 3 1/3 cups flour 1 tsp dried marjoram 1 tsp dried basil 1 tsp dried thyme......

19 September, 2016

Some quick yummy desserts that are easy, inexpensive and fast for your family....

19 September, 2016

NARYAL SNOW BALLS- Jocelyne – 1 can sweetened condensed milk – sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut – whole almonds Mix milk and coconut till thick consistency. With wet hands, take out a spoon size full and form a ball around each almond. Place on wax......

19 September, 2016

CORNMEAL MUFFINS – Hilda 1 cup cornmeal (coarse or flour)  we use coarse cornmeal. 1 cup flour 1/3 cup sugar 3 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1 egg beaten 1/4 cup olive oil 1 cup milk Oven at 350F.  Grease pan.  Mix cornmeal, flour,......

19 September, 2016

BIRDS’ NEST COOKIES  1 cup shortening 1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 3 cups flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1/2 cup milk 1 tsp vanilla shredded coconut of any kind any kind of jam, nice to have at least two different colors......

19 September, 2016

HOMEMADE PARTY PUNCH – Marie 1  2 litre bottle club soda 1/2  2 litre bottle ginger ale 1 can freeze concentrate lemonade 1 can frozen concentrate orange juice 1/4 – 1/3 cup of inexpensive table syrup that you use for pancakes frozen strawberries   STRAWBERRY......

19 September, 2016

Kids need a hearty, nutritious snack that gives them a boost over a long period of time. Suggestions include: milkshakes with fresh fruit or smoothies–check out the drink recipes on this website Yogurt mixed with sliced bananas and other fresh fruit/nuts different kinds of nuts,......

19 September, 2016

ROMANO BEAN SOUP – Marie one diced onion 1 tsp minced garlic 1 can romano beans, washed and drained 2 cups water 1 to 2 tbsp bouillon 1 tbsp chili powder dash cayenne (optional) 2 to 3 tbsp brown sugar 1 cup milk 1/4 cup......

19 September, 2016

BLACK BEAN SALAD – Helen 1 15 ounces can black beans, drained and well rinsed 1 large tomato, chopped half of a 16-ounce package frozen corn, thawed under running water 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped 2 ribs celery chopped 1 loosely packed cup......

19 September, 2016

HOT POTATO SALAD Christina several strips of cooked bacon 1.5 kg small waxy red potatoes 4 onions sliced 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 2/3 cup olive oil 1 tbsp dijon mustard 1/3 cup vinegar Chop bacon into small pieces. Cook potatoes 10-15 minutes. Drain and......

19 September, 2016

SLOW-COOKER LASAGNA – Maria D. 1lb.(450g) lean ground beef 1 jar (675ml) pasta sauce 1 cup water 1 3/4 cups ricotta or cottage cheese 1 3/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 egg 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley 6 to 9......

19 September, 2016

Lots of families love to BBQ in the summer months. Here are some tips, recipes and ideas to help your BBQ’ing days run more smoothly. I usually pre-cook my chicken and pork chops in the morning in a pot of water, just long enough to......

19 September, 2016

CABBAGE FRITTERS – Irene A great recipe to get rid of left over cabbage. Thinly slice your cabbage (at least a cup worth). Boil in water for 10 minutes.  Drain and cool. Sautee some onion and garlic in a bit of oil/butter/margarine in a frying......

19 September, 2016

GRILLED SALMON WITH CARAMELIZED LEEKS AND BRIE SAUCE– Csilla 2 tbsp unsalted butter 3 leeks ¼ cup dry white wine 1/3 chicken stock 1/3 35% cream 4 (3oz) pieces of brie cheese chopped 3 Peppers (yellow, red, green) Red onion Salmon Melt butter in a......

19 September, 2016

BREADED PORK – Hilda You can either slice your pork tenderloin very thin, or already buy thinly cut pork pieces.  If you want, you can tenderize with a meat tenderizer hammer to make the cooking process faster and pieces larger. Fill a plate with some flour,......

19 September, 2016

SLOW COOKER EASY TURKEY AND DRESSING – A.M. (yummy for a Sunday) 7.8 oz. pkg stuffing mix ½ cup hot water 2 T. butter softened 1 onion, chopped 2 carrots, chopped into about ½ “ thickness 2 celery stalks, finely chopped 1 turkey breast (usually......

19 September, 2016

QUICK SKILLET CHICKEN – Hilda In skillet, heat butter and oil. Salt, pepper and garlic powder your chicken breasts. Brown them on both sides in the skillet. Add water to go up to half the height of the chicken breasts. May add chopped carrots, potatoes,......

19 September, 2016

CHIPPED BEEF POPOVERS– Mary, Kingston (Great recipe for leftovers from beef roasts) l tbsp butter ¼ lb leftover beef roast, shredded 1 can cream of mushroom soup ¼ cup white wine ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 tbsp snipped parsley Popovers (below) Melt butter in......

19 September, 2016

ROUND STEAK IN SAUCE– Ursula, Toronto round roast thickly chopped onion, carrots, and celery Make small slits along fatty edges. Salt and pepper the steak. In a pan, melt some butter. Brown steak on both sides. Pour over ½ cup water mixed with 1/3 cup......

19 September, 2016

BEEF BOURGUIGNON– Helen, Charlo l pkg onion soup mix l can cream of mushroom soup l cup red wine l tsp minced garlic or garlic powder l cup water 6-8 mushrooms, sliced (I omit this) 1 – 1 ½ lb of stewing beef cut in......

19 September, 2016

CHILI WITH CORNBREAD TOPPING – Sandra CHILI: 1½ pounds ground beef or any other ground meat, or no meat and instead other cans of kidney beans, chick peas etc. 1 medium onion, chopped 2½ teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon cumin salt and pepper to taste 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1 (28 oz ) can crushed tomatoes......

19 September, 2016

MULTI-OPTION CAKE  – from Betty Crocker cookbook 1 cup vegetable oil 1  1/2 cups sugar 3 large eggs 2 cups all purpose flour 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts 3 cups of shredded......

10 September, 2016

GRANDMAS SCONES – Rob   1 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon baking soda 4 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup white sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup butter 1 egg 1 cup raisins (optional)   In a......

10 September, 2016

ITALIAN HERB BREAD – Use dough setting (Great with a pasta dish)   1 1/4 cup water 2 tbsp powdered milk 2 tbsp shortening 2 tbsp sugar 1 tsp salt 3 1/3 cups flour 1 tsp dried majoram 1 tsp dried basil 1 tsp dried......

10 September, 2016

Lots of families love to BBQ in the summer months. Here are some tips, recipes, and ideas to help your BBQing days run more smoothly. I usually pre-cook my chicken and pork chops in the morning in a pot of water, just long enough to......

10 September, 2016