Category: Hacking This Life

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Nearly Time

So, with five days until my daughter’s wedding I am writing a post for this blog. Why? Sanity, friends, good old fashion sanity. I have to put my mind on something other than wedding!

I have a real mixed bag of life hacks, recipes, and at least one project this time. Within the last couple of weeks a friend texted me and said she couldn’t find what to do for a cup ring on a wooden surface and she remembered seeing a trick for that. I reminded her that it was mayonnaise! She tried it and it was much better and she was going to do it again. That made me feel good! I love it when people get something out of what I put on my blog. Here’s hoping there’s something for each of you in this post!

Recipes

What follows is an easy Sunday dinner.

Cucumber Salad

1 large or two small cucumbers cut into thin slices.                                                              1 medium onion cut into thing slices                                                                                      1/2 cup sour cream                                                                                                                                1 teaspoon of dried dill                                                                                                                        1/2 Tablespoon of sugar                                                                                                                    1 Tablespoon of white vinegar

Slice the veggies thin and place in a bowl. In a bowl combine all other ingredients. When combined pour them over the veggies and mix to coat. You can serve right away or cover and refrigerate.

     

Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

I used 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I added a bottle of my favorite BBQ sauce and turned the Slow Cooker on high. They were cooking for 3 hours and I checked to make sure that the chicken was at that magic temperature of 165 degrees and it was well done. If you use chicken with the bone in it will take longer. Incidentally,  you can use any cut of the chicken you would like. I used thighs because that is what I had. How easy is that? Chicken and sauce = your dinner entree!

*I used a disposable liner for the slow cooker to save on cleaning time.

Red Skin Mashed Potatoes

I simply washed and cut up the potatoes, cooked them until tender and then drained them. The magic happens when you add butter (up to you how much), sour cream ( I used a healthy portion), salt, pepper and milk. I really love mashed potatoes when the skins are in there!

Sauteed Zucchini 

I heated up some olive oil in a frying pan to which I added small chunks from a medium sized zucchini which I had left the skin on. Then I added one chopped onion, a dollop of minced garlic, salt and pepper. I sauteed the mixture until the onions were translucent and the zucchini was tender. I wanted some color in this side dish so I added some chopped roasted red peppers. Yummy goodness.

Slow Cooker Rice Pudding

3/4 cups white rice
1 tsp cinnamon, ground or 1 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp butter
4 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla bean or extract
1/2 cup raisins
Rinse the rice under water. Add all ingredients in your slow cooker and stir until the sugar is mixed in. Cook on high for 2.5 to 3 hours. The pudding is done when the rice is cooked and mixture is creamy.
   

Project

I collect vintage yardsticks and rulers. In addition I had a wooden serving tray that had been kicking around the house and I really hadn’t been happy with how it looked. Light-bulb moment! Let’s make a yardstick lined tray. The bonus was that I got a chance to use my new DeWalt jig saw for the first time!

First I measured the bottom of the tray. Then I selected the yardsticks I wanted to use. I cut them to exactly 11 and 5/8 inch pieces. I had also measure the height of the yard sticks and the tray and determined that I needed 7 pieces.

It was now time to paint. I want to use the tray on my table in the Fall so I chose a Waverly chalk paint in pumpkin. The tray needed 3 coats to nicely cover the light green paint that was on it.

I used tacky glue and glued down the yardstick pieces in the tray.

I allowed the glue to set and then used an acrylic poly to coat it with.

Everyday Hacks

1. I use a large water cup with a lid and hard plastic straw everyday for water and copious amounts of iced tea. The lid and cup are easily washed but I always struggle with the straw. Due to the iced tea the straw takes on a brown hue. I am a little bit of a germaphobe so I don’t like that. The bottle brush is too big. The nipple brush that you get with your bottle brush is not long enough. I have finally found the answer! Good old fashioned pipe cleaners! Dip the end of the pipe cleaner in your dish soap and insert into the straw. The up and down scrubbing motion with the pipe cleaner does the trick.

2. As careful as I try to be I always end up with tiny scratches on my glasses. This is oh so aggravating!! You can use the following trick on plastic or glass lenses. Just use some soft car wax! Gently using your finger take a dollop and using a circular motion apply the wax to the lens. Rinse of and dry your glasses with a soft cloth. You might have to do this twice. I did because I had so many scratches. It fills in some of the scratches and helps get you through!

3. We have a new baby in our family and I saw an item online that caught my eye. The Little Wanderers website will allow you a free pair of shoes for your little one with the code PENNY1 at checkout. The shoes are leather and they also have canvas sneakers. All you do is pay shipping which for me was $13.99. It varies depending on where you live. The shoes are $29.99 so you are still getting a great deal. Below is the link.

littlewanderers.com

4. Another item for the wee-ones! If you sign up for Enfamil Family Beginnings you will receive free samples and coupons. The link below will take you there.

https://www.enfamil.com/offers/baby-formula-coupons-samples

5. Hate cleaning the grates on your stove top? I know I do. Maybe that is because I was doing it the way my Mom taught me with Brillo pads. There is an easier way !

Wash all burners with lukewarm water and dishwashing detergent to remove initial film.                                                                                                                                          Make a thick paste cleaner of baking soda and water.                                                      Coat all burners with paste and let stand for 20 minutes.                        Scrub the softened food residue with a scrub brush and rinse thoroughly.

I told you there was a mixed bag!!!! Enjoy your week and make sure to let me know if you try anything that I have written. I really love feedback from all of you! I will see you after the wedding. Send positive thoughts my way for no rain and a happy bride and groom!

 

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County Fair Time

I am presently at our local county fair in the exhibit building. You can find me here each year for ten days. There is a lot to do before that ten days in getting ready for the fair. I enjoy it though as organizing comes to me naturally and it results in a lot of personal satisfaction.

Well, on to this post’s tips, info and recipes! As usual, I hope there is something that you find of value. I am always pleased with comments and pleased when I run into someone and they tell me how much they enjoy this blog.

Recipes

Watermelon Pizza
1 Blueberries
1 Strawberries
1 Watermelon
1 (8 oz) container Cool whip
1 cup Powdered sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 (8oz) package Cream cheese
Allow the cream cheese to soften at room temperature. Whip the cream cheese, add vanilla and slowly add the cream cheese. Set aside. Cut an approximately two inch slice out of the center of a watermelon. Using a clean paper towel, blot the moisture out of  watermelon slice. Spread the mixture you made on top of the slice. Then place the berries on top. Viola! You have a refreshing dessert!
*My watermelon was on the smaller side. I cut two slices out of the center and had enough topping and berries for both.  You can use other fruit like kiwi to top your pizza also.
Cowboy Beans
1 lb Bacon
1 lb Ground beef
2 lbs Sausage, smoked
1 tsp Garlic powder
1 Onion, large
1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
1 cup Ketchup
1/4 cup Molasses
3 tbsp Mustard, spicy brown
1/4 cup Brown sugar
1 tsp Chili powder
1 15 oz. can of butter beans
1 15 oz. can  pork and beans
1 15 oz. can of red kidney beans
6 cups Water
Brown the bacon, ground beef and sausage. Mix all of the other ingredients and heat until onions are soft and the flavors are blended.
This feeds 18 to 20 people. I used it for our July 4th picnic.
Patriotic Snack Mix
1 cup white chocolate chips
3 tablespoons butter
8 cups blueberry crispy rice square cereal
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup of M&M’S (they sell the patriotic red, white and blue mix around the 4th)
1 cup mini marshmallows
Patriotic sprinkles
1. Measure out cereal and put in a large bowl.
2. Melt butter and white chocolate chips & pour over the cereal and mix.
3. Once it’s cool, place the mixture into a large zip-top bag, add the powdered sugar and toss until all the cereal is coated in powdered sugar.
4. Add in the M&M’S, sprinkles and marshmallows
 As you can see the recipes were aimed at July 4th. We enjoyed them all!
I think they are added to the party menu!
Updates
I switched the flowers out of the flower boxes that I made with the vintage picnic baskets. This time I chose petunias. For this sort of display you need something that will be full and hang over the sides of the container. I think they look better! Here is an updated picture.
I also made my flag wall-hanging in the past few days. I made it with thirteen buttons on the blue field for the thirteen original colonies. What do you think?
In my last post I shared the homemade recipe for getting rid of a poison ivy plant in my yard. I didn’t mix up enough at first and had to mix up a second batch. I have to report that it certainly worked!!
Leaf, Growth, Flora, Nature, Outdoors, Poison Ivy
Even though I have been allergic to poison ivy (oak and sumac too) all my life I have just recently learned how to identify the plant. (It is my policy to never rush into anything! LOL)
Project
My big project the past two weeks was to make a no-sew bunting for my front porch. It is very festive and eye-catching!
  
If you want to make one you need red, blue and white material. Once you have the material create triangle-shaped pieces and then tie them together. I bought fat quarters at Walmart (for quilting) in the three colors I needed. Out of each quarter I was able to get six triangular pieces. If I make another I might make the triangles bigger but otherwise I was satisfied.
*In general, I have found that you need to try something once and then make changes if needed.
It is my hope you are all having a great summer! See you soon with a new post.
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I’m Melting!

As I sit here this evening at 10:53 with a cool, damp towel on the back of my neck I am still ROASTING! It is still 82 degrees at this time of the night. I am trying to remember the subzero temperatures we had just a few short months ago and try to be grateful. Really………….I am trying.

While I try the imagery thing I thought I would get to work on my new post. I hope that this finds you well and possibly with central air!

I also hope you find something of use in the following words and please leave your comments.

Recipe

Oven Roasted Cauliflower

  • 1 head cauliflower, medium-sized
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • kosher salt
  • 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese,
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and brush an iron skillet with olive oil.
  2. Trim the leaves and stems from the underside of the cauliflower and cut the bottom stem even with the florets so that the cauliflower sits flat.
  3. Stir together the olive oil and garlic. Begin by brushing the bottom side of the cauliflower with the garlic oil. Season the underside and up inside the cauliflower head with salt. Turn the head over and brush the top liberally with the garlic oil. Sprinkle with salt and Parmesan cheese.
  4. Place the cauliflower into an iron skillet. Roast until the center of the cauliflower is tender when pierced with a knife and the exterior is golden brown.

If you don’t have an iron skillet you can use a pie plate. This was super delicious and I intend to have it as a regular part of my weekly menu.

Tips and Tricks

*I recently read a hack online that caught my attention. I bruise easily on my upper forearms. Through a process of elimination I have determined it is partly hereditary and partly the fact that as a child I was sunburned a lot. When I was little sunscreen wasn’t a thing yet. When I read that soaking a cotton ball with vinegar (white or apple cider) and using it to gently massage a bruise would help it disappear more quickly I had to try it. The instructions were to massage the bruise with the vinegar soaked cotton ball and then leave the vinegar on your skin for 30 minutes. I can definitely say that it helped. There is a kind of long explanation for why this works but for me it was enough to know that it helped lighten the bruises. I tried it on one that was older and one that just happened and it worked on both. They are not gone but better. Interestingly the older bruise seemed to fare better than the fresh one.

*Last week I had an interesting conversation on Facebook. It was about those kitchen tools that you use to break up ground meat as you are browning it. One Facebook friend said she broke up boiled eggs for egg salad with it also. I have always used a pastry cutter for eggs but I am going to give this method a try too. I thought you might like to know about it as well.

*For a friend’s birthday we went to an old-fashioned five and dime store a little over an hour away from me in East Aurora, NY I purchased a reusable toaster bag to make, among other things, grilled cheese sandwiches. You must know me by now, I have to check products out and see if they deliver. This I can honestly say delivered. I thought I might miss the butter on the outside of the sandwich but I really didn’t and the cheese was nicely melted. I am going to get a couple of packages for my bachelor sons! The bags will be right up their alley!

  

*In my backyard, growing up the side of a tree, I found a poison ivy vine. Since no one needs that around I did some research to find a safe for the environment way to get rid of it. What I found was a mixture consisting of 1 gallon water, 1 cup of salt and 1 Tablespoon of liquid dish soap. I actually cut the recipe in half since I didn’t have that big of an area to treat and I used a spray bottle to apply it. In my next blog post I will update you on how it worked.

*This past week I tried the baking soda in the water trick to boil easy peel eggs. I followed the directions exactly but it didn’t work for me. Giving it a second try is on my agenda but for now I am disappointed.

*While investigating the perfectly peelable boiled egg I stumbled upon some other knowledge. I knew that if you put eggs in water and they floated it meant they were not good any more. However, I didn’t know that if when placed in water the egg lays on its side at the bottom it is still quite fresh. If it stands upright at the bottom it is still eatable but should be eaten soon or hard-boiled. Incidentally these are the best eggs to boil for easy peeling are the older ones. They are also, supposedly, better for making meringue!

Projects

I have had a few since my last post that I want to share with you.

*For a friend’s birthday I wanted to add something homemade to her gifts and since we are nearing July 4th I settled on this item. I had seen something similar on Pinterest but I changed it somewhat.

I used a piece of denim cut from an old pair of jeans for the blue field on the flag. It is handy that I have a button jar and was able to get 50 slightly off white buttons for the stars. I’m a collector so I happen to have a collection of vintage rulers and yardsticks. I chose a Coca Cola ruler with the golden rule printed on it to use as an anchor for my “flag” and some sisal twine that I had to use as a hanger. The only thing I purchased was the ribbon to use as the flag’s stripes. I chose red and slightly off white ribbon with frayed edges. I was quite pleased with how it turned out and my friend really liked it. Win! Now, I am working on one for me. Everything will be exactly the same but I am making only 13 “star” to represent the original states and they are going to be arranged in a circle as the flag was at that time. Let me know if you try this! I would love to hear about any variations.

*My friend, Shannon, had sent me some vintage wooden thread spools. I wanted to make something for her out of them. I did save some for myself! Anyway, I settled on a wreath idea and then decided to make the theme, quite fittingly, a sewing one. I wrapped ribbon around a grapevine wreath, hot glued it to secure it and then proceeded to add sewing items. The vintage spools were wrapped with ribbon which was hot glued in place too. I made the hanger out of a piece from a measuring tape and created a pennant banner using Scrabble letters for the center of the wreath. I think Shannon was pleased. Below is the end result.

*My youngest daughter is getting married this summer and we decided to make the invitations. Sara came up with the idea to use vintage sheet music since she is a singer and her fiance plays guitar. Music is certainly an important part of their lives.  I just happened to have sheet music in my craft room closet and overwhelmingly it was composed of love songs.

  

My oldest daughter had the almond color card stock that we used inside. I used Word to produce the invitation and for the RSVP card. On the RSVP card I asked them to respond to my phone number or to a Gmail address I created just for wedding responses.

I used a glue stick to attach the actual invite to the sheet music, used a hole punch to create holes for the ribbon that tied the invite and a paper-cutter to cut the sheet music to exactly 8.5 inches. When I made the template I determined that was the size I needed to be able to fold the sheet music and have it fit into a standard business size envelope.

The only things we purchased were some nice off white envelopes and some black ribbon. I have had several compliments on how they turned out.

Techy Stuff

*I have a website that is my go to site for hard to find books, movies and music. They even have textbooks should you be looking for one. The site is alibris.com .  Check it out! If you sign up for their emails you get $5 off your first order. The emails contain promo codes and coupons.

*Always on the look out for ways to save money, make money and conserve, I read about a website where you can search for coupons for the items on your grocery list or the ones in your weekly sale flyer. You just select the ones you want and print them out. The address is lozo.com  . There is also an app that you can get for your smart phone from Google Play or the iTunes app store.

Before I sign off I wanted to give you an update on my DVD selling which I did using deluttr.com and secondspin.com. Decluttr is a definite thumbs up! They paid for postage and were quick to process my box and pay me on PayPal. Second Spin, not so much. I neglected to read the fine print! They didn’t reimburse me for shipping since what I sent back didn’t total $10 worth after they deducted the cost for a case and another small thing. I thought all of the stuff I sent in was in excellent shape but they didn’t. So, I actually lost money on that transaction. Although, I didn’t read the fine print well enough I still didn’t like the way they deducted the cost of items off the order total. That seems very arbitrary since I thought I sent in “as if” new items. Big, disappointing thumbs down for them!

Please leave a comment and see you soon!!!

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A Little This, A Little That

Hello! It is a beautiful day here. It isn’t too hot or too chilly…………….just right! Goldilocks would approve!

I have some stuff, as usual, to share with you. I hope you find something useful and interesting in this post.

In the kitchen…………

Baked Pork Chops

I had some boneless, center cut chops I wanted to prepare. They turned out great! They were moist and very flavorful. The bonus is that they were super easy to make.

  • 4 boneless pork chops
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking pan with foil for easy clean up. On a plate combine the garlic powder, black pepper, bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Rub the pork chops with the olive oil. Then coat both sides of the chops with the mixture you made on the plate. Place on the foil and bake in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes. Pork is done when it has an internal temperature of 145 degrees according to the USDA.

As a side note, I absolutely love my digital meat thermometer! They are reasonably priced and so useful! I am not sure what I did before I had one.

Fruit Cocktail Cake

When I was a child I loved fruit cocktail. However, as an adult, I’m not that thrilled by it. Somehow I ended up with a couple of random cans and I am never one to throw out anything or just let it expire. I hunted around and found this recipe. I don’t know who to give credit to for the recipe.

It actually turned out great! The cake was very moist, had a little crunchy layer on top and was easy to make. It wasn’t too sweet either. I think you would like it.

  •  1  1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cans of fruit cocktail (drained)
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat the sugar and the eggs together. Mix the dry ingredients together (except the nuts and brown sugar) and add them to the sugar and egg mixture. Add the fruit cocktail and mix well. Pour mixture into a greased 9″ X 13″ pan. Mix the nuts and brown sugar together and sprinkle on the cake. Bake for 45 minutes.

    

Peanut Butter Cheerio Marshmallow Treats 

*from the blog Just A Taste

I thought I would try something other than Rice Krispies. I found a recipe with peanut butter and chocolate. As my brother, Doug, would say, there’s nothing wrong with peanut butter and chocolate together! He says it with some deep love and some exuberance!

  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter 
  • 1 (10-oz.) package marshmallows
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 6 cups Cheerios cereal
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Using either the microwave and a large enough bowl for your ingredients or the stove top with a large enough pan for all ingredients,  melt the butter and then add the marshmallows to melt. If using the microwave stop every 30 seconds to stir and check progress. Once both are melted and combined add the vanilla and then the peanut butter. Once that is incorporated add your Cheerios and stir to coat all the cereal. Spread into a 9″ X 13″ greased pan. Melt the chocolate chips and then spatter, (or drizzle, pipe, or whatever technique you want to use) the melted chocolate on top of the treats. Allow to set.

* I used salted butter. No harm, no foul! I never have unsalted butter on hand and I am not purchasing a whole pound of it to use a few tablespoons. These were YUMMY!

Projects 

I wanted to give you an update on my vintage metal picnic baskets turned flower boxes. I added some petunias and I am much happier with them now!

I have been gradually decorating the house for Summer. One of the areas I have tackled is my table. I bought some cute “nautical” type place-mats at The Christmas Tree Shoppe. You know they weren’t expensive coming from there. I believe I paid $1.99. I liked them but they needed some dressing up. I decided I wanted some cloth napkins and rings to put on them. I bought 4 fat quarters at Walmart for $1.97 each in a color and design I thought would go with the place-mats. I cut squares out of each quarter (not wasting hardly any material) and washed them. The edges frayed a little and I frayed them a little more. Over time I would like each napkin to have a frayed edge of about a quarter-inch. I love the vintage tablecloths and napkins that are done in this style. As a matter of fact, I collect them! For the “napkin rings” I used some jute that I had to tie up the napkins.  Then I folded the napkins accordion style and then in half. The look is nice and I am pleased.

Tips and Tricks

I have to say that I used it to make mashed potatoes and they were absolutely heavenly! I am anxious to use it again and I would highly recommend the investment.

  • I am quite often annoyed when I boil eggs, particularly when I do so for deviled eggs. Sometimes they come out so easy to peel and sometimes they are not! My latest quest was to find a method that is successful most of the time. My first attempt was using the following method.

Place the eggs in a saucepan.

Cover the eggs with lukewarm water.

Add in vinegar and pinch salt.

Bring to a full boil over medium heat; boil for 2 minutes (start timing after the water reaches a full boil).

Remove from heat cover with a tight lid.

Allow the eggs to stand for 11 minutes.

The results were not good and I followed the directions exactly! I will forge on to the next method. If anyone has a surefire way please leave a comment and let me know!

  • I don’t know if many people use bobby pins any more. I have some kicking around here and I did some research on creative ways to use them. You can use them to zip or unzip a zipper that has lost its tab by inserting the pin into the eye of the slider. You can also put a bobby pin at the bottom of a tube of toothpaste and slide it up as you use the toothpaste. Waste not, want not! You are assured of getting as much as you possibly can out of the tube. Lastly and this is my personal favorite, you can put a bobby pin at the loose end of a roll of tape and never struggle to find the end again!
  • Recently, my daughter, Sara, and I have been on a “clean out the clutter” campaign. We have donated, thrown out and sold a lot of stuff! It is very freeing!

Anyway, one of the items of her’s that we tried to sell was a stack of DVDs. We tried our favorite Facebook selling page at a super cheap price and no bites. I remembered something about online sites that would buy used electronics, games, tablets, and movies and with very little effort found Decluttr (that is not a spelling error) and Second Spin.

Out of the two sites I prefer Decluttr because they allow you to print a shipping label at their expense. Second Spin has you pay for the postage and then be reimbursed at a media mail rate. Decluttr, I found, took less DVDs but paid better. I first submitted the upc code on Decluttr and if they weren’t taking that movie then I tried Second Spin.

Both sites give you money through your Paypal when they receive and process the box. I sent the Decluttr shipment through UPS which is the label they provided and with Second Spin I used USPS and told them it was a media shipment. There were about 50 movies in the box and it cost $8.27 to mail them as media mail.

There was a little effort involved but it wasn’t horrible. Both sites were easy to use but due to Decluttr supplying the shipping label that is my favorite. I have placed the links below for you to check them out.

decluttr.com

secondspin.com

Happy Father’s Day to all the Daddy’s out there! Be sure to leave a comment or share a trick or tip with all of us. See you soon!

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Flowers and Such

The weather is finally acting as it should for the end of May, nearly June. I am sure we all have been busy first cleaning up our yards and then working to beautify them for the Summer. I am very lucky in that my daughters own a riding lawn mower and Sara mows the lawn for me when needed. That leaves me to do the fun, pretty stuff. Somehow, putting that down in print makes me feel bad for Sara. Geesh!

Projects

One of my first projects was to create a flower container out of “a little red wagon” that Sara had won in a drawing. It was filled with all kinds of nice new things but Sara knew that I would really love the wagon and so it came to be mine.

First I drilled holes in the bottom of it for drainage. The wooden sides were all attached except for one. I left it that way so that the flowers could easily be seen. I filled the wagon with soil and went shopping for flowers. Then it was time to decide plant placement for the most pleasing look (that would be the most pleasing to me, lol). I decided to place the wagon to the side of my front steps. See below for the end result. I am pretty happy with it.

I added the flags for Memorial Day.

My next project was to create some flower boxes out of two vintage metal picnic baskets. I do collect them and have several. These two were in colors that were my least favorite and even though I don’t mind wear on my vintage items they had an unusual amount. Those two reasons made it a good decision to paint them and re-purpose as flower boxes. I toyed with the idea of painting them some bright, eye-catching color such as orange, hot pink or sunshine yellow but in the end decided on dark brown which goes with my house colors.

I drilled holes in the bottom of each one, again, for drainage and then filled them with soil. I used wooden dowels to prop the lids open, at an angle, rather than removing the lids. That way I felt they didn’t completely lose their original identity. They now have flowers in them that will hopefully grow and fill out. I may add some low covering plant to fill in but I am not sure yet.

  

Recipes

On Mother’s Day I had all my little chicks over for dinner (except Josh who lives in Ithaca). We had oven roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, corn and for dessert we had banana pudding.

I used to make it the way my Mom did which didn’t used sweetened condensed milk. However, my son, Jess, is a banana pudding efficiendo and had it with the sweetened milk and told me about it. Now, whenever I make it that is the recipe I use.

Banana Pudding (Magnolia Bakery recipe)

1 1/2 cups water

2/3 cup instant vanilla pudding mix

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

3 cups heavy cream

1 (12-ounce) box vanilla wafers

4 bananas, sliced

  1. Mix together the water, pudding mix, and sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until it sets up.
  2. Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. Working in thirds, fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until well incorporated.
  3. In a trifle bowl, layer vanilla wafers, sliced bananas, and pudding mixture; continue until you’ve used up all the pudding mixture. Refrigerate for at least another 30 minutes before serving.

If you have never tried it this way you really must! It is so delicious and guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser. I always put mine in a clear glass bowl or trifle bowl. You could even make individual ones similar to little parfaits.

I have started making dinner and taking it up to my oldest son’s house after he gets out of work a couple of times a month. It gives us time to catch up and enjoy a meal together. I also miss cooking for people and this gives me another chance to do that. For our last dinner I made baked chicken, macaroni and cheese and baked beans. Below you will find the recipe for the homemade mac and cheese that I did in my Instant Pot.

If you don’t know what an Instant Pot is let me tell you what it can do. Mine has 7 different functions, all of which I have not tried yet. It is a slow cooker, a pressure cooker, rice cooker, yogurt maker, a steamer and you can saute/sear meat and use as a warmer. There are other versions with  less or  more functions. They usually run about $99. I bought mine on sale at Amazon a couple of years ago for $59. I couldn’t resist! So far I have used it as a pressure cooker and a slow cooker. I have also used it to sear meat and as a warmer.

The recipe that follows used the instant pot first as a pressure cooker and then as a warmer.

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

 a few dashes of hot sauce
1 tbsp brown mustard
1 lb Pasta
4 cups of water
2 tbsp Butter
2 cups of yellow shredded cheddar
1 can of evaporated milk
2 cups of a soft white shredded cheese such as mozzarella or Monterey jack.
4 cups Water
Place the hot sauce, mustard, pasta, butter and water in the pot and set it on high for 4 minutes. It is going to take longer than 4 minutes total because the pressure cooker will take a few minutes to reach temperature before the 4 minutes cook time.
When the cook time is finished release the pressure on the cooker. Then open the pot and if the pasta needs to be drained you may do so. Now, add the evaporated mild and both cheeses a little at a time while stirring to melt and blend. That’s it folks!!! Delicious and creamy.
This recipe is sort of  an amalgamation of several recipes I saw online. You can use really any two cheeses you want but all recipes seem to call for a cheddar and some other milder cheese. you can also use heavy cream or milk in place of the evaporated milk. Also, just a little note about the hot sauce. It doesn’t make it hot at all. I think it just gives it another little layer of flavor.
Tips
1. This handy tip comes from my daughter, Melanie. She had a problem with her vehicle headlights getting all cloudy and consequently not being as bright. She used toothpaste. The toothpaste was a whitening one with peroxide in it. It does take some elbow grease when you’re cleaning them but the results make it worth the effort. You just rub the toothpaste on in a circular motion across the lens. It does dry some as you’re doing it so more does need to be added from time to time while you work. Melanie reports that you can actually see the yellow coming off as you work. When you’re done applying the toothpaste you just use warm water to scrub and rinse it off. She recommends using an old washcloth to scrub. A paper towel seemed to make it harder to scrub.
  The left headlight has been cleaned but the right has not been done yet in this picture.
2.  When you look online at things you might possibly want to purchase websites leave cookies in your internet browser and of course, there is always the history on your browser of where you have been. This is the way they can keep track of your purchasing and browsing habits. Before you actually purchase something make sure that you go to your browser settings and clear your cookies and history. You want to make sure that you are getting the best price there is. If they know you have been contemplating the purchase of an item it may influence the price you are offered.
3. I have some habits that I want to share with you. First, I always leave positive  reviews on Amazon, eBay , etc. when they are deserved. Conversely, if I am not satisfied with a product I will privately contact the business or person that I purchased it from. Negative reviews really do you no good. You get further handling them privately. This idea of contacting people/companies also pertains, in a slightly different sense, to other situations. I want to give you two examples.
a. I needed a 3 foot by 4 foot piece of glass for my dining room table. I called two different glass companies. The first one said it would be $121 plus tax. The second one said it would be $84.50 plus tax. Obviously, I went with the second. When the glass came in a lady called me and told me it was ready and was $141 plus tax. I asked her why I was quoted something totally different. She said she would check into it and get back to me. When she called back she said that she had asked me if I wanted polished edges and neglected to tell me that it was extra. (I had told her when she asked that I just wanted the edges not to be sharp.) She told me that because she had neglected to tell me it was an extra charge that she would split the difference with me. Therefore, I paid $114 plus tax. I was happy with this since it was less than my first quote. Nothing would have happened if I hadn’t questioned it.
b. I received an ad in the mail for a magazine subscription for $10 for the year which was a special deal for first time subscribers. I sent my card back in to claim the deal. In the meantime I received an email for the same magazine with a deal for subscription as well but this one was for $7 for the year. Now, it is only a $3 difference but I took five minutes to email their customer service department about the difference. They did answer me and gave me the $7 price. They were very nice about it.
The moral? Always take a moment to speak up, inquire and/or express your opinion!
4.  My littlest dog, Duffy, was having a problem with his rear right leg buckling on him. I mentioned it to the vet. The doctor told me that he had luxation of the knee cap. This meant that his kneecap or patella was popping out-of-place and going to the inside of his leg. It really broke my heart to see this happen to him. On the suggestion of my friend, Cindy, I looked it up online and in particular if there was any massage or something that I could do to help him. What I found was a simple technique to talk to the dog softly and gently massage his leg. Once he was relaxed I gently pulled his leg out straight. The very first time I did this I heard the patella pop back into place. It was just so easy and amazing! He has been walking very well since and if/when it pops out-of-place again I know what to do.
The moral? Look it up! No matter whether you think it will be out there or not, just try! YouTube has videos about everything! I once was having a problem with a rechargeable battery for my weed whacker and found a YouTube video about the problem and a method to solve it.
Have a wonderful Memorial Day with family and friends!  Please leave a comment if you would like to share something! I would love to hear from you.
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Sunshine Superman

Hello! My title is mainly because of the sun shining so nicely today and it makes you feel good. However, the Superman part is an allusion to something from my past. Anyone my age should remember. If you do please leave a comment!

Before I get started I wanted to explain the timing of my blog posts. First off, I aim for once a week and try for Saturday or Sunday. However, sometimes life gets in the way (more often than I would like) and I am too busy. The second factor is that I aim for approximately 1000 words and this can be difficult to do since it takes some time to collect enough material.  I set that as a goal  because I feel it allows me to share some varied content that, although all of it might not appeal to you, there will be enough that does. The object for me is to make it worth your while to read.  Consequently, I have a hard time sticking to the “once a week on a weekend day” plan. This bothers me because I want to be dependable and there on a regular basis for those of you who tell me you look forward to the posts. I am still working on this and am considering doing twice a month instead. I welcome any thoughts you might have.

I do have some hack to pass on to you today and a couple of recipes. Hope some of the information is of use to you!

Recipes

I have recently started making my own dog food. For those of you who have dogs or know people who do I thought it would be worth sharing. (You can make your own cat food also.)

Making my own dog food came about at the urging of my daughter, Sara, and the desire to give my dogs a better diet that would, hopefully, allow them to be healthier and live longer. After Sara make the suggestion to me I did a lot of research online as to vet approved homemade food. I combined a couple of recipes which overlapped a little as far as ingredients and my dogs seem to really like it. They are small dogs so I give them approximately 1/2 cup twice a day.

Homemade Dog Food

2 pounds ground chicken, turkey or beef

8 ounces broth ( I use vegetable, chicken or beef depending on the meat I use)

8 ounces of water

1 can of low sodium peas and carrots (drained)

1 can of kidney beans (drained and rinsed)

3 eggs (beaten)

2 medium apples (peeled and diced)

1 cup rice (uncooked) or 2 slices of bread broken into small pieces

I put everything in the Crock Pot and cook on low until the rice and meat are cooked thoroughly. The apples and bread completely dissolve in the mixture. You may have to add a little more broth and water if the mixture becomes too thick. In the dog food I have used drained mixed vegetables which is nice because they do like the green beans but I always pull out the potatoes. The dogs don’t like them and they don’t need that starch. I never use corn. It only adds starch and is not easily digested. In place of the kidney beans I have used cannellini beans and the dogs like them just as well.

Now, on to human delights!

Soft Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (from Sprinkle Some Sugar)

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cornstarch
pinch salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp molasses
1 cup raisins

 

Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside. Combine the butter and both sugars with a mixer until light and fluffy.  To this mixture add the vanilla and molasses. Now, add the eggs and thoroughly combine. With the mixer on low add the dry ingredients a little at a time. Once they are incorporated add your raisins. Chill your dough for 30 to 60 minutes.

Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. When dough is chilled using your hands roll balls of approximately 2 Tablespoons of dough. ( I probably used more. I make everything bigger!) Place them on the prepared pans at least 2 inches a part. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

* Notes: I was out of cornstarch and I looked up what to substitute. You can sub flour or instant mashed potatoes.  I chose the flour.

I divided my dough in half and used raisins in one half and Craisins in the other. I loved them both but must say that the Craisins edged out the raisins just a little bit!

As I have said in the past, I always check my baking items early at least the first time I make them. I set my timer for 8 minutes. They were not done so I let them bake for 2 more minutes and they were perfect. At least in my oven, 12 minutes would have been way too long.

 Before  After

Hacks

  • My niece, Nicole, uses a natural fruit wash that she wanted to share. Fill your sink with water, add 1 cup of vinegar and stir well. Add all of your fruit and soak or 10 minutes. You can even use this for berries. The water will be dirty but your fruit will sparkle. This helps your fruit last longer as well. Thanks, Nicole!
  • When you have a meal outside sometimes (for me, often) you struggle with keeping any table covering from blowing around which is super annoying. I have discovered that if you use a twin bed fitted sheet on your table the fitted corners keep that from happening. This works for most tables.

  

  • You know how you can get those pesky weeds growing up between sidewalks? You can use apple cider vinegar on them and they turn brown and die! I put my vinegar in a spray bottle (of which I always keep one or two under my sink for use with various hacks) and spray those little buggers!
  • One spring/summer I had a little mama garter snake that lived under my porch and nurtured her babies there. I know everything is just struggling to live and get by in this world but snakes give me the creeps and I just wanted her to go live her life somewhere else. Besides, my dog, Rudy, wanted to play with them! I kept trying to picture how I would get one of them out of his mouth if I had to. I never came up with a plan so the snakes really had to go! So, here I go with a spray bottle again (I told you they come in handy) but this time it is filled with ammonia. Turns out that ammonia is a cheap and easy snake repellent. They find elsewhere to live because they don’t like the smell. No one gets hurt and I lose the snakes! WIN
  • Recently, I have been making fruit infused water in my never ending quest to add more water to my days. I have tried grapes (cut them first), cantaloupe, watermelon, cucumber, and strawberries. The strawberries are by far the best in adding flavor to the water. I have it today and it is only lunch time and I have almost fulfilled my water quota!

Have a great week! Hope you enjoyed this post.

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One Banana, Two Banana

Hi everyone! I think I have collected some good tidbits for you this week and I am anxious to share them.

It inevitably happens that I buy a bunch of bananas and eat at least one a day and one or two get too ripe before I can get to them. Does anyone else have this issue?

You can make a multitude of things from overripe bananas. The most common is, I believe, banana bread (which I adore!). You can also make pancakes, muffins, smoothies, ice cream, french toast, waffles…………well, you get the idea. Some of the more unusual that I have seen include banana upside down cake, chocolate baked banana which you top with ice cream and who wouldn’t love that?!

The one I am going to share with you today is banana cookies. They came out perfectly. My grand daughter and daughter loved them! Sorry to my daughter’s fiancee who was supposed to get some but they were eaten before he got home from work!

Soft Banana Cookies

(www.lovefoodies.com)

1  1/4 cup sugar

2/3 cup butter softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup banana mashed

2 eggs beaten

2  1/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon combined

Combine flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a small bowl and set aside. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well to combine. Stir in the bananas. Slowly mix in dry ingredients and put in refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. After dough has chilled using a small scoop or a teaspoon drop dough on a prepared cookie sheet. Sprinkle cookies with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake for approximately 8-10 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet and then on a cookie rack.

*I used Chinese Five Spice instead of cinnamon in the cookies and for the topping. It was delicious. Chinese Five Spice is a combination of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and various combinations of the five spice have other things such as fennel or licorice. I used parchment paper to prepare the cookie sheets. I set my timer for 6 minutes and checked the cookies and they were done already.

Tips

1. Warmer weather is coming and for me that brings on iced tea and iced coffee. This year I bought a cold brew coffee pot. It works well and I like the set up of it. There is just one thing – it is rather on the small side and I’m a thirsty girl! If you would like to make your own without a special pot here is the recipe.

Cold Brew Coffee

Steep 1 1/2 cups of coarsely ground coffee beans in 6 cups of water at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours. Pour the steeped coffee through a fine strainer lined with a coffee filter and then chill.

  

2. Have you ever wanted gardening advice. Master Gardeners is there to help. You can visit the American Horticultural Society website.  ahsgardening.org. Once there click on the heading at the top that says “Gardening Resources”. After that you click on the Master Gardeners’ link on the left. You then select your state. Click on the link to your state’s Master Gardeners website. For me it is Cornell Cooperative Extension.  There is a wealth of information and resources there for you to use. It is like having a master gardener friend.

3. My Mom always used leftover coffee to add an extra layer of flavor to gravy and it also gave it a richer darker flavor. I use that trick all the time. Recently, I saw an idea to  save your leftover coffee in ice cube trays for use with iced coffee or to add to recipes. I am definitely doing this!

4. I stumbled upon a great resource. You are able to find out what preventative health services are available for women without extra cost to you  at carewomendeserve.org

5. Did you know that you can freeze overripe bananas until you are ready to make your next smoothie or to bake a delicious treat? That is great news if you’re busy and don’t want to waste them! Pop them in a ziplock bag and into the freezer. Just thaw them when you’re ready.

6. Always look for promo codes or coupons online either before you shop and print them out at home or on your smartphone when you are in the store! Recently, I was in Kohl’s with my son. He was looking for a dress shirt and a tie. While he shopped I looked up Kohl’s coupons on my phone. He was able to save 15% off his total purchase! That certainly made him happy.

7. Another “always do” item is to check your credit card statements thoroughly. I have been missing deals that are printed on some of the statements for substantial savings on various goods and services. Some examples are 25% off of Papa John’s Pizza and 25 – 30% off of AMC, Cinemark and Regal movie e-tickets. Never let a deal slip away!

One of the really great things about doing this blog is the sharing aspect. In my last post I shared my daughter’s ice cream cake recipe. She thoughtfully gave it to me with pictures! My niece sent me something that I will share in my next post. I just love this!! Remember to share your tips and tricks in the comments. It’s a community!!!

See you next time!

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April 17 = Snow?

Happy Tuesday everyone! I hope your last week has been a good one.

I had an excellent one! I made a trip to Ithaca and saw my son and his band play with my oldest daughter. She and I don’t get to do a lot together since life is so busy but we had some quality time on our road trip! I also found a real steal on a gathering set for my dining room (at the Christmas Tree Shop, can you believe it?!).  It was delivered last Friday and it is in use now. My house is clean with shiny floors and empty laundry hampers. Darn! I feel accomplished. In truth, if we weren’t having snowy weather I may not have been so ambitious in my house. There, who would have known that Winter in April could be a good thing!

Recipe

My daughter Sara made an ice cream cake to celebrate her fiance’s birthday. It turned out awesome! Her creations always do. She never follows a recipe. Sara has enough knowledge of food and flavor that she just creates! This example is just a small sample of her work.

Ice Cream Layer Cake

Ingredients

butter flavor cooking spray

10-12 ice cream sandwiches

1 quart of ice cream – softened (Sara used Eddy’s Double Chocolate Fudge Brownie)

Chips Ahoy cookies (or a store brand)

1 jar of hot fudge topping

Approximately 2 cups of Peter Pan honey roast peanut butter

1 – 8oz. container of whipped topping

Mini-chocolate chips/morsels

Spray a rectangular container with the cooking spray. Line the bottom completely with the ice cream sandwiches. You may have to cut some to do this. Next, spread the softened ice cream on top of the sandwiches. Now it is time for the cookie layer. Warm the hot fudge topping in the microwave for long enough to make it pour-able but be careful and don’t warm it too much. Drizzle it on top of the cookies and using a rubber spatula spread it out gently. Then do the same warming, drizzling and spreading with the peanut butter. Finally top with a layer of whipped topping and sprinkle mini-chocolate chips on the top.

Pretty and delicious! Thank you Sara!

                

Project 

A few nights ago I went to the Dollar Tree store and picked up some items for a Spring wreath for my porch (ok, among some other things). All of the items only cost $5 plus tax. I used my hot glue gun to put it all together. See what you think.

  

Handy Tips

  • When I paint a room or a small project one of the challenges I face is to keep the paint container reasonably clean so that closing it is easier. I can’t tell you how many times when closing up the paint can I splattered myself with paint from the little well around the rim of the can. I would wipe it but still there might be a mess. There is also the way that paint will run down the side of the can when you are pulling the paintbrush from the can and clearing off the one side. Maybe I am the only one this is happened to but I doubt it.

Today when I was painting a small folding table with chalk paint for a little display I tried a new trick. I put a rubber-band around the container stretching from top to bottom. You can use this on a larger gallon can as well. You will just need a longer rubber-band. Then you use the rubber-band to run your brush across as you pull it out of the container to paint. It works like a charm!

  

  • Tennis balls are relatively cheap and can be used for a few different jobs. You might want to invest in a few when you read these tips.

  1. You can cut a slit in as many tennis balls as you need and put the balls on the furniture legs to prevent scratching and provide for quiet easy sliding when moving furniture/
  2. Tennis balls also remove scuff marks on wood floors by rubbing the scuffs with a clean tennis ball.
  3. If you use a padlock outdoors and would like to prevent it from getting rusty and corroded you can cut a slit in a tennis ball and put it over the lock.
  4. If you have to park a bicycle on grass it is sometimes not very stable. Cut a slit in a tennis ball and put it on the bottom of the kickstand. Problem solved!

Please let me know if you try any of the tips! Have a fantastic week and see you next week!!

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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!

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Ham For Easter?

Ten days ago was St. Patrick’s Day (more on that in a bit) and in 5 days it will be Easter. What are your plans for the holiday? Do you have any family traditions that you participate in? Please leave your comments. I would love to know what your family does!

In this family we usually gather for dinner. One year I held a brunch and it was a lot of fun. It just seems hard to get people together in the morning when you have grown children who have commitments with other families now too. This year we are gathering at 4 pm and it has been at my house for many years now. It started out that way because I had small children and it was just easier for everyone to come here and it has stayed that way. My house is just a rallying point for many holidays. Actually, all holidays but two are spent here. My oldest son hosts Thanksgiving (don’t worry, I still am assigned cooking duties) and my brother, Doug, always makes the corned beef and cabbage dinner for St. Patrick’s Day.

We usually have ham for Easter and all that would usually accompany that. This year I am adding a turkey breast to the mix as one of my children is not wild about ham. I won’t mention any names but her initials are MMG. Anyway, we are having a half ham, a turkey breast, mashed potatoes, peas, carrots, gravy, deviled eggs, and cupcakes for dessert. Whoops, almost forgot that I have an almond coffee cake from the Broadway Market to serve as well.

We go to the Broadway Market every year and I love it! There is something old world about it and I love the independent businesses that are represented there. There is music, dancing, food, and fun! Oh, and butter lambs! What is not to like?!

  

Since St. Patrick’s Day and Easter are so close together this year I am kind of going back a few days to bring you a recipe I made for the annual dinner at Doug and Hank’s house. They made the main dinner of corned beef, potatoes, carrots, onions, cabbage and also had a lemon cheesecake for dessert. I brought the Irish Soda Bread. Everything was DELICIOUS! It always is.

Easy Irish Soda Bread

(adapted from www.sunset.com)

  • 3 cups flour, plus about 1 tbsp. for kneading and shaping
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon table salt or fine sea salt
  • 9 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into chunks
  • 1 tablespoon caraway seeds (optional)
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 1/3 cup dried currants
  • About 1 1/8 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients. Then put the butter chunks in and use a pastry blender to cut them into the dry ingredients until pieces are pea sized. I didn’t use the caraway seeds or either fruit but if you want to now is the time to incorporate them. I didn’t use buttermilk. Instead I added a dash of apple cider vinegar to regular milk to sour it. Fully incorporate the milk and then transfer to a floured board. Knead the dough for 60 seconds until smooth. Form into a round loaf. Place into a greased round baking pan. Score the top of the loaf and bake for approximately 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown. Check center of bread for doneness with a toothpick.

* I baked mine a little too long for my taste. It was still delicious and by no means burned but I would cut back 3 to 5 minutes the next time I bake it.

Info and Tips

*CHECK YOUR CREDIT CARD REWARD POINTS!  I had a major score since my last post. I’m not sure why but I never checked this one AARP Rewards credit card I have for rewards. It says right in the name that it has rewards but I had never even thought of it. For some reason when I received my statement this time I noticed a large rewards balance. I went to the website and sure enough I had over 29,000 points. Of course you can use the points for travel and gift cards, etc. I traded in my points for $200 worth of gift cards. I still didn’t use all of them!

*It seems that I have always wrestled with cupcake liners. The thin plastic containers they come in are always cracking or the lids are popping off and some liners inevitably get ruined. This past week I had an epiphany when I looked at my vintage canning jar that I use for birthday candles! I call it one small step for me and a huge step for kitchens everywhere! See the picture below.

*I have told you about the Honey web browser extension that checks coupon codes for you when shopping online. I always use it and have saved quite a little bit over the 2 or so years I have had it. Even when you don’t get coupon codes to save money while shopping you can still get Honey Points that accumulate. I turned mine it this past week and scored two $10 Walmart gift cards which I used when I placed my order for 40 pounds of bird seed and 40 pounds of sunflower seed. I actually had to make a physical run to our local Walmart to purchase some bird food because I hadn’t ordered any online soon enough. Keeping that in mind I ordered 80 pounds of seed yesterday using the gift cards. Those little birds in my backyard don’t like it when I run out! If you have forgotten to sign up for Honey just follow the link below.

https://www.joinhoney.com/

*TAKE YOUR OWN PEN WITH YOU! We all try to stay healthy during the flu season and really any time. I have just adopted a new habit that I would like to share with you. You know how we’re always being offered a pen in stores, doctors’ offices, post offices, etc. to sign something. Just think how many people have handled those pens? Yucky, right? Like, where have those hands been? It is extremely bothersome to me because I have developed allergies which bother my eyes. I catch myself unconsciously rubbing them. What a way to transfer those germs! Now, when I am offered a pen I tell them “no thank you” and have my own pen at the ready.

Project

This week I decided to redo my kitchen curtains. Who knows why I get these bugs to do things?! However, I like the end result so I don’t need an answer to that question.

Previously I had Mexican themed curtains and valances that I had made out of vintage material in the form of napkins and dish towels. I had sewed rod pockets into them and they worked great for a long time.

This time I went for the cafe curtain look. I purchased tension rods and clip curtain rings at Walmart. The tensions were slightly less than $4 each and the ring clips were $2.84 a bag. I used 4 tension rods and 3 bags of clips (14 clips in each bag). For the curtains themselves I used vintage dish towels that I already had in my collection. So, for less than $25 I have a totally new no-sew look in my kitchen. Super cool, right?!

  

Hope you found some interesting and usable ideas in this post!

Have a wonderful Easter no matter where you spend it or who you spend it with. Please share some of your traditions with us in the comments. Any comments are much appreciated.

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