Don Aslett Housework Books & GIVEAWAY!

After my post Tips for a Tidy Home , I had a lot of people contact me letting me know they've been applying some of those tips to their home with great success!!

It is not as difficult as it may seem to keep a home that is well organized, tidy and clean. Just remember.... it will not happen overnight . Unfortunately there is no way to avoid housework. But you can keep your house clean and tidy if you just get organized.

Don Aslett, America's #1 Cleaning Expert and founder of one of the country's largest cleaning firms, Varsity Contractors, is one of my new sponsors.

Aslett has written over 40 books and sold millions on cleaning topics, including
Clutter's Last stand - “the book that convinces you to declutter.” With a nonstop sense of humor and hundreds of hilarious illustrations, it lays out the case for dejunking, dramatically demonstrating how clutter invades and affects every area of our homes and lives.

and Do I Dust or Vacuum First? -Don uses an entertaining Q&A format to provide quick and easy answers to the most frequently asked questions about housecleaning. With Don's practical, inexpensive solutions, you'll maximize your energy and minimize your efforts—and get any job anywhere done in half the time. You'll also learn strategies to prevent housework and earn more free time for yourself. So, Do I dust or vacuum first? I guess you'll have to read the book to find out!

Right now if any of my readers order any of Don's books and you mention that you are a TidyMom reader, you will receive a FREE Microfiber Dust Cloth with your purchase!! Just click the button below or over on my sidebar.

Oh yeah..........I mentioned a GIVEAWAY didn't I?!

Aslett Books has generously offered to send 4 TidyMom readers one of Don's books.

We will be giving away one copy of each of the following books

(click the title to read more about each book)

Make Your House do the Housework

No Time To Clean

How to Handle 1,000 Things at Once

For Packrats Only

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
How to Enter:
(Remember leave a new comment for each entry. Each comment is an entry, so if you do several things, but only leave one comment, you would only be entered once instead of several times- you can enter up to 6 times, so you would leave 6 comments)

REQUIRED:

1.Leave a comment on this post letting me know what is your favorite (or what you think would be your favorite) Don Aslett book. (be sure to leave your email address if you don't have a blog)

Extra Entries: -( leave a separate comment letting me know )

2. Blog about the giveaway.

3. Follow Me on Twitter @TidyMom

4. Tweet about it. Don Aslett Housework Books Giveaway! @TidyMom to enter visit http://tidymomof2.blogspot.com

5. Add my button to your blog. (on the right)

6. Follow my blog, or Subscribe

Contest Ends on November 6, 2009 at 11:59pm (CT).

Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

We are having the wettest and one of the coldest Octobers on record here in St. Louis.

So I've been in a soup mood!!

Soup is a GREAT Halloween meal as well, you can fix a big pot during the day, and easily eat before or after Trick-or-Treating!

One of my favorites at St. Louis Bread (Panera Bread) is their

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup!

So, I've been on a search for similar recipe! I found one and tweaked it just a bit!!

OMG! I LOVE LOVE LOVED how this soup turned out!!

It's filling, hearty and makes GREAT leftovers! Just be sure to add a little water when re-heating.

It will definitely become a regular in our house!

Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

• 2-3 Tbl Olive Oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup carrots
• 1/2 celery
• 4 cups chicken broth
  
• 2 cups water
• 2 cooked, boneless chicken breast halves, shredded
• 1 (4.5 ounce) package quick cooking long grain and wild rice with seasoning packet
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups heavy cream

Directions:

1. Cook chicken breast - I cooked mine in a skillet with a little bit of olive oil until cooked thru (about 4-5 mins on each side), removed from pan and shredded with a knife and fork. **You could also use a rotisserie chicken, just pull chicken from bone. Set cooked chicken aside.

2. In a large pot over medium heat saute garlic cloves in olive oil, then add carrot and celery and saute for a few minutes until softened.

3. Add broth, water and chicken. Bring just to boiling, then stir in rice, reserving seasoning packet. Cover and remove from heat.

4. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper and flour. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in contents of seasoning packet until mixture is bubbly. Reduce heat to low, then stir in flour mixture with a wooden spoon by tablespoons, until thick, to form a roux. Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully mixed and smooth. Cook until thickened about 5 minutes.

5. Add cream mixture into broth and rice, stir slowly. Cook over medium heat until heated through, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Yields approximately 8 servings.

Check out these great links for more fabulous recipes!!