A Veritable Smorgasboard of Ideas

I’m hoping everyone had a great Easter with family and friends and for those of you who also had a Spring Break, congrats! We had a nice get together in my family with good food and laughs. Who could want more?!

Recipes

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus 

(I know. It defeats the purpose of a healthy vegetable but everything is better with bacon!)

I preheated the oven to 400 degrees.

I put the cleaned asparagus in a bowl. Then I drizzled olive oil on the stalks and seasoned with black pepper and garlic salt. The bacon strips were cut in half lengthwise.

I then spiral wrapped the asparagus with the pieces of bacon. The asparagus I bought was thin so in some instances I wrapped two stalks together.

I placed them without touching each other on a rack which was placed on a baking sheet. This was done so that there was maximum air flow all around the bacon to get that crispy texture that I love.

I baked them for 10 minutes and then using tongues I turned them. Back into the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes. You have to watch the bacon closely so that it is crispy but not too done. Then to add that nice little extra crispy texture turn the broiler on for 1 to 2 minutes to finish them off.

Strawberry Fudge  ( Six Sisters’ Stuff)

12 oz. of vanilla almond bark or white chocolate candy melts

16 oz. container of strawberry frosting

Break the candy into small pieces and put into a bowl with the frosting. Microwave at half power for 45 seconds. Then stir. Do this again until the candy is all melted and incorporated into the frosting. Pour into an 8 inch square pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Place in the refrigerator for an hour.

*I made this as a little extra treat for Easter. It was well received.

Spiral Ham in the Slow Cooker

This year I made the ham in the slow cooker since I was doing a turkey breast in the oven.

I put 1 cup of light brown sugar in the bottom of the slow cooker and then placed the ham in. To get more flavor from the glaze into the ham I fanned the spiral slices a part a little. I then put a half cup of brown sugar on the top of the ham and poured a can of pineapple chunks in over the top. The slow cooker was set to low. It cooked for 4 hours and was super delicious!

Tips and Tricks

• If you are doing a piece of meat in the slow cooker and want it not sitting in its juices you can create a rack using two metal pair of tongs.                                                                                                                                        
• If you’re a crafter like I am and always have your glue gun close at hand then you might like this tip. It is sometimes hard to keep the glue sticks corralled so that they are going everywhere in your drawer or cupboard. I have used sandwich bags and all kinds of things but this idea is the best by far! You just clean out a Parmesan cheese container and use it.. The opening on the top for getting out a larger amount of cheese is just right for getting a glue stick out.  
• I have discovered an app for my smart phone which is pretty terrific! It is called Adobe Scan and is FREE. You scan any document with your phone (like a recipe in a magazine, a receipt, etc.) and it will capture the image and turn it into a PDF file. It will be stored in the Adobe Document Cloud for you. You can add comments and do key word searches. Read all about it by clicking on the link below.

https://acrobat.adobe.com/us/en/acrobat/mobile-app/scan-documents.html

• Have you ever had anything like a stuffed animal or a pillow that you feel has become dusty and needs a little refreshing? I have just the trick for you. You can put it in your dryer with a damp washcloth or hand towel and a fabric softener sheet. Run it on low heat for 20 minutes or so and there you go. I had a souvenir from Punxsutawney, PA in my room and it just seemed dusty and in need. I used my trick and old Punxy Phil looks brand new!                                                                                                                                                               
• A few people really love to clean but most just house clean because it has to be done. One of the biggest things you can do to cut down on cleaning time is to remove your shoes at the door. I do this and have a pair of sandals I wear in the house. They never go outside!  Of course, I have always requested my kids take their’s off and it is a habit for them. Most people who come to the house see my shoes at the door, recognize this is what I do and take their’s off also. I even have a bag of slipper socks at the door for people to wear. It really does cut down on the having to sweep and mop the floors. Also, think of all the bacteria, herbicide, etc. that stay outside and don’t get tracked onto your floors or embedded in your carpet! The shoe company, Rockport, did a study and found no less than 9 different bacteria on the soles of shoes.

I hope you have a wonderful week. As always please leave a comment if you have tried a recipe or tip. I love to hear about your adventures in hacking this life too so please feel free to comment!