Lemons!!!

Keep your lemons out of the refrigerator.
They will have more flavor when you need to use them.

Bounce Sheets

The Many Uses of Bounce

Golfers put a Bounce sheet in their back pocket to keep the bees
away. Anyone allergic to bees might consider doing this!!!
And all this time you've just been putting Bounce in the dryer!
It will chase ants away when you lay a sheet near them.
It also repels mice.. spread them around foundation areas, or in
trailers or cars that are sitting and it keeps mice from entering
your vehicle.
It takes the odor out of books and photo albums that don't get
opened too often.
Repels mosquitoes. Tie a sheet of Bounce through a belt loop when
outdoors during mosquito season. Or rub on arms and legs.
Eliminates static electricity from your television (or computer)
screen.
Since Bounce is designed to help eliminate static cling, wipe your
television screen with a used sheet of Bounce to keep dust from
resettling.
Dissolve soap scum from shower doors. Clean with a sheet of Bounce.
Freshen the air in your home. Place an individual sheet of Bounce
in a drawer or hang in the closet.
Put Bounce sheet in vacuum cleaner.
Prevent thread from tangling. Run a threaded needle through sheet
of Bounce before beginning to sew.
Prevent musty suitcases. Place an individual sheet of Bounce inside
empty luggage before storing.
Freshen the air in your car. Place a sheet of Bounce under the
front seat.
Clean baked-on foods from a cooking pan. Put a sheet in a pan, fill
with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean. The anti-static agent
apparently weakens the bond between the food.
Eliminate odors in wastebaskets. Place a sheet of Bounce at the
bottom of the wastebasket.
Collect cat hair. Rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce will
magnetically attract all the loose hairs.
Eliminate static electricity from venetian blinds. Wipe the blinds
with a sheet of Bounce to prevent dust from resettling.
Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sand papering. A used sheet of
Bounce will collect sawdust like a tack cloth.
Eliminate odors in dirty laundry. Place an individual sheet of
Bounce at the bottom of a laundry bag or hamper.
Deodorize shoes or sneakers. Place a sheet of Bounce in your shoes
or sneakers overnight.
Put a Bounce sheet in your sleeping bag and tent before folding and
storing them. Keeps them smelling fresh.

Stains

Removing oil-based stains.

Some of the most common oil-based stains are:


Margarine or butter
Makeup
Oil
Mayonnaise
Deodorant
Gasoline
Ring around the collar

Although oil stains can be difficult to fully get rid of, the following steps will keep the worst from reappearing just when you think you've seen the last of them!







Lightly Soiled Oil-Based Stains

1. Soak the stained area in the hottest water the clothing will tolerate.
2. Add detergent after five minutes of soaking and begin your wash cycle (again, in the hottest water manageable).
3. After a full rinse cycle, check the stained area. If it has vanished, feel free to dry as necessary. If not, repeat another hot rinse cycle with detergent.

Getty Images

Heavily Soiled Oil-Based Stains

1. Rub cornstarch or talcum powder into the stained area and let sit for at least twenty minutes.
2. Brush off with a dry washcloth or soft dry brush.
3. If the stain still exists, repeat the treatment several times to fully remove the oil.
4. Launder in hot water as normal and check area before drying. Repeat if necessary.

Eco-Friendly Method

Citrus oil or citrus turpine is made from natural, steam distilled citrus oils, which are natural solvents. They are not non-toxic, but have the lowest toxicity of all solvents -- and smell wonderful!

1. Dab citrus oil on the stained area with a cotton swab.
2. Cover with a paper towel and run a hot steam iron over the stain.
3. The citrus oil will evaporate, along with the stain!

This week's challenge is recognize the elephant in your house and then get rid of it.
It could be a large piece of furniture, an unresolved issue with a family member, a large piece of exercise equipment that you don't use. Take a look around a find the elephant you can dispose of this week. The new space you gain will bring you greater peace and relaxation.

Weekly Clutter Challenge for the week of April 12, 2010

If you keep your water heater temperature at 120 degrees you will save money and your water heater will last longer. Most water heaters are set at 120 degrees when you put the dial on "Normal." You can always test the water with a cooking thermastat after letting your water run to the point that it is hot.
Maintaining your home products saves you time and money.

Sad Reality

Today I saw a picture of a room filled with filing cabinets.
It was row after row after row of filing cabinets.
Any guesses as to what room it was?
The US National Treasury.
Yes, your national treasury is merely a room filled with filing cabinets.
Your social secrurity, medicaid, or medicare in not money in a bank, or a safe.
It is all written on treasury notes stored in filing cabinets.
There is NO money. Only IOU's written with interest.
The monthly interest alone when it comes due in the next few years will be more than the government's annual budget.
Feeling the need to start a retirement plan? The chance of you getting your social security is something you cannot depend on.
The government spends every time of our taxes before it even hits Washington. They are spending 5 billion dollars more a month than they are receiving.
So much for government pensions, medicad, medicare and social security.
Just a few thoughts for you to chew on.

Weekly Clutter Challenge for the week of April 5th, 2010

This week's challenge is to think about what food you are wasting.
Is there spoiled food in your refigerator?
Do you spend too much money and time eating out?
The cost of time and money is both a consideration in this busy world.
We often think we need to eat out because we didn't have time to cook.
In reality...how much time are you wasting by going out and dining?
Meal planning is essential in you management of time and saving money.
Here are a few ideas:
1. Organize a few simple healthy meals and keep an inventory of what you need for these meals on hand at all times.
2. When cooking a meal, plan on making more so you can freeze some extra.
3. Eat leftovers. Too often food is left in the refigerator and spoils. Eating left overs is a great time and money savor.
4. When you are cleaning up from a meal, make the effort to put your leftovers in portions on a plate to reheat or in a container to take to work.
5. Choose one day a week to make a traditional meal. Our family always had pizza on Friday nights when the kids where growing up. Dad knew to pick it up on his way home from work. Sundays could be taco day. Use your imagination. It takes the work out of planning for one day at least.

Additional Tip: Share your simple recipes with friends. Make extra food for each other and swap for a variety.

Weekly clutter Challenge for the week of 3.22.10

This week's challenge is to think about dirt.
If you do dirt, then get your dirt tools organized.
Home Depot sells a great 10 gallon bucket for tools.
It has an apron around that fits over the bucket with pockets on the outside.
If you don't have the money, then use something you already have.
Put your clippers, gloves, hand rakes and weed diggers all in one bucket.
Bring on the sunshine and enjoy the dirt.
I know I will.................

Additional Tip:
If you don't do dirt, then think about either organizing a car cleaning bucket or picnic basket.

Weekly Clutter Challenge for the week of 3.16.10

A fun a easy way to do some dejunking is to choose two drawers.
Simply take the challenge of two drawers this week and call it good.
Afterall, it is spring and we need to be enjoying it.

Stuffed Chicken Breast with Pan-Grilled Corn and Spanish Rice!!

Hello Lovely Ladies!!

As part of my final for Health, Food and the Environment I had to prepare a recipe from one of the books we were reading through the term Food Matters written by Mark Bittman. I choose to make Stuffed Chicken Breast with Pan-Grilled Corn, then added spanish rice to complete the meal.

It was a very light and fresh meal, healthy too!! It does take some time to complete but I think it is well worth it.

Stuffed Chicken Breast with Pan-Grilled Corn

3 TBS Olive Oil

1 medium onion, chopped

Salt and Pepper

1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

4 boneless skinless chicken breast

4 cups frozen corn

1 fresh serrano or jalapeno pepper, seeded if you like, chopped

1 TBS minced garlic

2 TBS Sherry or white wine vinegar, or the juce of 1 lime

1/2 C chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut six 12-inch pieces of butcher twine. Put 2 TBS of the Olive Oil in a large oven proof skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened fairly dry and beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Add the red peppers and sook, stirring frequently until the mixture softens and comes together a bit, another 3 minutes or so.

2. Spread 2 chicken breasts out on a work surface so that the side where the bones were is faceup; flatten them with the bottom of a pot or the palm of your hand. Spread about 1/2 c of pepper onion mixture on top of each breast, then top with remaining breasts end to end, so that the tapered side is on the same side as the rounded side. (this ensures a tiy roll and even cooking.) Tie each stuffed breast in three places with twine. Sprinkle all sides with salt and pepper an roll them around in the same pan you used to cook the vegetables, coating them in whatever and oil and juices remain in the pan. Transfer to the oven and bake, turning once, until the chicken is cooked through and opaque, 25 to 30 minutes.

3. Remove the chicken from the pan and tent with foil. Set the pan over high heat and add the last TBS of oil. When the oil is hot, add the corn, jalapeno, and garlic; let sit for a moment. As the corn browns , use a spatula to toss the corn so that each kernel is deeply browne on at least one side. Remove from the heat, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir in the vinegar or lime juice, a TBS or two of water, and the cilantro, scraping to stir up and browned bits from the pan. Remove the string from the chicken and slice crosswise into thin or thick pieces. Serve, with a big spoonful of the corn on the side.

Spanish Rice

2 TBS Olive Oil

1/4 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 C Long Grain white rice

2 C. Chicken Broth

1 C Salsa

Heat oil in pot. Add onions and brown. Add rice until it starts to brown. Add Chicken Broth and Salsa. Stir. Cover and heat on medium for 20 minutes or until liguid is gone. Simple and yummy!

ENJOY!