Hello! I and actually everyone else, survived our recent wedding. Everything came together and all of us and our guests had a blast! I am relieved that the cake, cupcakes and bouquets came off without a hitch. Whew!
This post I am going to start off with some hacks that I hope you will enjoy reading about and possibly put into action! There should be a tidbit for everyone here.
Hacks
- Have you ever heard of Informed Delivery from the United States Postal Service? If you haven’t you’re not alone. My daughter, you know the recently married one, told me about it. The very helpful lady at our post office told her. You just sign up for it at the USPS website and everyday they send you an email with, in most cases, actual pictures of the mail that you’re getting that day. Sometimes there is a note that if you sign in to your dashboard (because with informed delivery you have to create an account so therefore you have a dashboard) you will get more complete details. I always want to be “in the know” so I have really enjoyed this. It is really ideal for those people like me who hate to miss anything or if you are waiting for a certain item. If you would like to sign up the link is below. https://informeddelivery.usps.com/box/pages/intro/start.action
- Twice in the last couple of weeks people have asked me how to season cast iron cookware. I thought it might be good to do a little refresher on that topic.
- Scrub skillet well in hot soapy water.
- Dry thoroughly.
- Spread a thin layer of melted shortening or vegetable oil over the skillet.
- Place it upside down on a middle oven rack at 375°. (Place foil on a lower rack to catch drips.)
- Bake 1 hour; let cool in the oven.
- Recently a friend told me that tilapia isn’t a good fish. I was under the impression it was since it seems to have had a surge in popularity in recent years. She said it wasn’t a bottom feeder or anything like that but wasn’t really a good fish to eat. You must know by now that I had to do some research and find out why. What I found was alarming. So alarming, in fact, that I threw away a bag of frozen tilapia that I had. It seems that most of these fish are farmed. A lot of it comes from China. In China they most often feed the fish feces from other animals as food. You might be good with farm raised tilapia from other areas and you would be good with fresh caught. I am placing a link below so that you can read up on it too if you wish. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322493.php
- I wanted to share something I have done for years that seems to keep me organized and makes life a little easier (did I just give a definition of life hack?). Near my door I keep a container of some sort. Over the years it has been different things but right now it is a vintage gym locker basket. Anything that needs to go “OUT” I place in the basket. It might be a library book, something for one of my kids or a friend, clothing to donate, you name it. It is there near the door and I always take a glance at it when leaving to see if I can drop off, deliver, or return something that is in there along the way on my current destination. It has worked well. Maybe you need an “OUT” box or basket too!
- Mildew had formed on a new tablecloth that I bought for this summer with pretty lobsters all over it. I tried hydrogen peroxide on it but that didn’t do the trick so I checked online for a home remedy to get rid of it. I found a couple of sites that recommended a lemon juice and salt mixture (the consistency of a paste) and then placing it in the sun to take out mildew. That didn’t work. It did fade it some what but it wasn’t enough to make me happy. I ended up spraying Clorox Clean Up on it. I was careful not to get it on or near the colorful designs on the tablecloth. Also, I immediately rinsed it out once I saw the mildew disappear. The heck with the home remedy! Sometimes you just need “a bigger hammer” as my Dad would say.
- As I mentioned in my last post, we have a new little one in our family and when I saw a little blurb online about signing up at Little Wanderer’s for a free pair of shoes, I couldn’t resist. They have arrived! As a reminder, you use the PENNY1 code at checkout for the free pair. I chose little pink sneakers that are adorable. You do have to pay shipping which was $13.99 but the shoes are $29.99 so it still is a savings.
- I am not sure if anyone looks back at their day like I do and kind of assesses it. I imagine some of you do. The tendency is to think you didn’t get much done or be a productive as you would like. That is mainly because of the list you made in your head or actually on paper of what you needed to accomplish that day. Almost always, my complete list doesn’t get done. I mean, life happens and you have to go back to the drawing board. I have learned to not look at it that way. Instead, if you are prone to assess your day as I do, look at what you got done. It is amazing when you actually list what you did! There are always things that you get done that weren’t on your list (remember the “life happens” thing here) but none the less you did them. It is just a matter of re-framing the way you look at it in a more positive and honest way.
Recipes
Ranch Oyster Snack Cracker
Fill zucchini with taco meat mixture. Place into oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until zucchini is just cooked. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Sprinkle cheese over zucchini. Place back into oven and cook an additional 5 minutes, so cheese is melted over the zucchini boats. Sprinkle scallions over zucchini before serving.
*I made these for dinner this week and we loved them!!! They were so delicious. I made sautéed green beans to go with them and we also had Grandma’s Ice Box Pickles. I will share these recipes also, below.
Parmesan Sautéed Green Beans
1 lb. green beans 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic 1 Tablespoon of olive oil Grated Parmesan to taste
Heat the oil and garlic in a saute pan. Add the green beans tossing occasionally for 6 minutes or so. You still want a little bit of bite to them. While still warm shake Parmesan on them.
Grandma’s Ice Box Pickles
7 cups of sliced cucumbers, 1 sliced green pepper and 2 sliced medium onions. You will need to slice all vegetables thinly. Put in a large glass bowl mixed with 1 Tablespoon of salt. Allow to stand for 2 hours. In another bowl mix 1 cup white vinegar, 2 cups sugar and 1 Tablespoon of celery salt. When 2 hours have passed pour the liquid mixture over the vegetables. Refrigerate in a covered glass jar or bowl.
I hope you are enjoying the tale end of summer. Get ready for my favorite season of the year, FALL!! Awe, great things from the gardens, wonderfully fragrant things to cook, great crafts, warm sunny days, slightly chilly nights! Who could ask for more.
