Honey & Hot Water.... does it make you better?

I wasn't feeling today, and my sweet honey brought me a cup of hot water with a tsp of honey in it, swearing that it would make me feel better.  He said his Grandma always gave this to him when he was a boy and it worked. Not being a big honey fan, but very grateful that he cared enough to take the time to think of me. I drank it, kind of slowly but I did drink it.  I'm not sure if it really helped me but I did like the hot part, it seemed to soothe me from the inside. 

I did a little checking on it and it does appear that honey has amazing bacteria-killing properties, which supposedly increase two fold when mixed with water. 

So what do you think.... has this ever worked for you? Weigh in, how has HONEY helped you when you aren't feeling well?

I also learned that...

To make one pound of honey, a swarm of honeybees flies about 24,000 miles

 and visits 3 to 9 million flowers. Yes another reason to bee thankful! :)

Lemony Sage Chicken

This is a really good dish, flavored by sage, which many people just don't cook with often. Its a really good dish to make for get togethers as its delicious and always gets lot of compliments.  I like to serve it with mashed potatoes and asparagus.  

PICCATTA BATTER

1. 6 eggs, whole 
2. 1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated 
3. 1/4 cup fresh Romano cheese, grated 
4. 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or 2 tsp dry) 
5. 2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped (or 2 tsp dry) 

CHICKEN 

1. 4 ea 6oz. chicken breasts, boneless skinless, split
2. 2 cups flour, seasoned with salt and black pepper 
3. 1/2 cup olive oil (or as needed) 

LEMON SAGE SAUCE

1. 1/4 cup shallots, finely chopped 
2. 1 Tbsp garlic, chopped 
3. 2 Tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped 
4. 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped (or 2 tsp dry)
5. 1/4 cup lemon juice 
6. 1 Tbsp lemon zest 
7. 1/2 cup white wine 
8. 1 cup heavy cream 
9. 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold 
10. Salt and pepper to taste 

Pre-heat oven to 350ºF.

PICCATTA BATTER

1.COMBINE eggs, cheeses, parsley and basil together in a large mixing bowl.

CHICKEN

1.POUND chicken breasts until ¼” thick. Dredge chicken in the flour mixture and dip it in the Piccata batter; coat evenly on both sides.

2.HEAT olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Place chicken in the skillet and fry until edges are golden brown on each side. Transfer chicken from skillet into a baking pan.

3.BAKE in a 350ºF oven for 5-6 minutes, until juices run clear.

SAUCE

1.DRAIN 3/4 of the oil from skillet and add the shallots, garlic and herbs. Saute over medium heat until shallots are transparent. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, white wine and reduce liquid by 1/2. Add heavy cream and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly.

2.REMOVE pan from heat and whip in the cold butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

TO SERVE:  Ladle ¼ cup of sauce on plate and place chicken on top. Serve immediately.

THE BLT DIP

My family and friends love this simple dip. I cannot go to a gathering, event or party without someone asking me if I brought THE BLT dip...a crowd pleaser! Have your guests dip the toast triangles in the dip and wait for the ooh's and ahh's. The toast is what makes this recipe a genuine BLT impersonator!

1. 1 pound bacon 
2. 1 tomato, chopped 
3. 1 cup arugula
4. 1 (32 ounce) jar mayonnaise 
5. 32 ounces sour cream 
6. 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 
7. salt and pepper to taste
8. 1 (1 pound) loaf sliced white sandwich bread 

1. Bake an entire pound of bacon until crisp (see recipe for Baking Bacon on blog).

2.For best results, finely chop bacon in a food processor or with a hand blender, but finely chopping by hand will also work.

3.In a large mixing bowl, blend bacon, tomato and jar of mayonnaise. Add half the container of sour cream, blend well. Add more sour cream by spoonfuls, until the mixture isn't overwhelmed by the taste of mayonnaise (you'll be left with about a cup or so of sour cream, typically). LIGHTLY coat the top of the mix with garlic powder, and blend. Add a dash of salt and pepper to taste. Toast the bread, then cut into fours.

NOTE:  This is also good spread over top of a pre-baked pizza shell.   A bit easier to serve & just a little twist on a classic.

Removing Red Wine From Carpet

This is a life saver product, Mr. Clean's MAGIC ERASER removes Red Wine off creamy carpet, like a charm! It's amazing!

It also removed Red Wine from my Cream Silk comforter.

On other occasions I have also used it to remove permanent magic marker from wood tables, floors, & walls.

This is an item to buy stock in! :)

Another unusual item that removes permanent sharpie marker from furniture is Bianca Breath spray. Spray a little and wipe, and keep doing it until its all gone.

Zuchinni Fritters

Getting ready to plant my garden. Can't wait, as soon I will begin making these a lot. 

1. 1 pound zucchini, stems removed 
2. 1 egg lightly beaten 
3. 1/4 cup parsley, chopped or Green Onion (either optional - if using both reduce to 1/8 cup each) 
4. 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese or Asiago (for lighter version try reduced-fat)
5. 1/2 cup flour 
6. 1/2 tsp baking powder 
7. 1/4 cup tarragon, chopped (optional) 
8. 1/2 teaspoon salt
9. 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper to taste 

Combine all of the ingredients except for the zucchini in a large bowl. Whisk to form a batter, removing large lumps, about 1-2 minutes. Grate the zucchini and add it to the bowl. The moisture from the zucchini will produce a thick batter as you stir. Use the batter immediately.

Heat olive or canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Using a 1/4-cup measure, pour out 3-4 cakes. Cook 2-3 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Drain on paper towel.

Build your own shopping search engine in 10 minutes

If you don't have your own website, you can save your search engine to you personal Google homepage!

Ok so I'm the kind of girl that still lovessssssssssss the thrill of a deal!  Somehow that never gets old.  Growing up my Mom always looked for them.  Now, It's almost like a game, & I don't like to ever pay full price unless I have to.  Here's a really easy way to customize a new search engine to search only the top bargain sites - these are the ones I like & trust the most.

Have you ever been frustrated with Google when you're trying to find the latest deals and coupons? Or did you even know you could do this? Trust me, a lot of times the search results are cluttered with spam and advertising. I hate that!

Sure, you can just go to Fatwallet directly, but then I always get that nagging feeling that I'm missing out on something. What if Slickdeals has a slightly better coupon? Who wants to pay  $15 for a 6 GB flashdrive when you just know that if you searched hard enough there's gonna be one for $12!  Hey $3 bucks is $3 bucks & that could buy my drink today! ;)

Using Google Co-op, I was able to customize Google to search only the following top websites for deals, coupons, and freebies:

• anandtech 
• bargainist 
• bensbargains 
• clipfire
• couponcabin  
• couponcraze  
• couponmountain
• currentcodes 
• dealcatcher
• dealmac 
• dealnews
• dealofday
• deals2buy
• dealsea 
• dealslist 
• dealsofamerica 
• dealspl.us 
• dealtaker
• edealinfo
• fatwallet
• flamingoworld 
• gotapex 
• gottadeal
• judysbook 
• quicktoclick 
• resellerratings
• savvies  
• slickdeals  
• smarter 
• spoofee
• techbargains
• trezr 
• wisebread
• xpbargains 

Building Your Own Search Engine

1. Modifying the search engine only took me 10 minutes or less.
2. After creating a Google account (you already have one if you have Gmail):  
3. Go to Google Co-Op and read the short introduction. 
4. Create your custom engine by entering a list of sites you want to search. 
5. Enter some keywords to help refine the search. For example, if your search engine is for DVDs, then you should put in words like DVD, coupons, movies, blu-ray, etc.  

Bonus tip:
If you have a Google Adsense account, make sure you put your ID in there so you can earn money from your search engine.

Hot Fudge & Butterscotch Sauce

Shhhhhhhhh Secret Recipes are getting out today ;)

I started making these sauce when my kids were small.  One Christmas long ago... I remember having a ton of Murphy Law issues compounding the holidays. I still wanted to be able to give gifts, so just had to get a little creative.  I came up with making gift baskets with these toppings. I put a jar of each sauce, along with baggies of my favorite Hot Cocoa recipe, Chocolate covered spoons, & Homemade Cinnabuns. I delivered each basket on Christmas morning. Turned out they were a hit, what's better on Christmas morning than opening up your door to a bunch of homemade goodies and checking one of the breakfast to do's right off your list!

Needless to say they also became fast family favorites in our house. These toppings take a simple bowl of ice cream to unearthly heights...Be prepared...once you make these sauces your family will ask for them again & again! Try them hot over ice cream... alone or together...topped with homemade whipped cream for a sundae. How about a sundae bar where everyone can make their own customized desserts.

Hot Fudge Sauce

1.  1/2 cup butter 
2. 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate 
3. 1/2 cup cocoa 
4. 1/2 cup sugar 
5. 1 cup light cream 
6. 1 teaspoon vanilla 

1. In a heavy sauce pan melt the butter and chocolate together.

2. Mix the cocoa with the 1/4 cup sugar and stir in. Add the cream, the the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.

3. Remove from heat immediately and add vanilla. Cool, then Refrigerate. 

* Heat before serving by placing container in pan of hot water until sauce reaches pouring consistency 

Butterscotch Sauce

1. 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar 
2. 3/4 cup corn syrup (this is my one exception to the no corn syrup rule) 
3. 3/4 cup heavy cream 
4. 1/4 cup butter 
5. 1/8 teaspoon salt 
6. 2 teaspoons vanilla 

1. In a heavy sauce pan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, cream, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil and stir constantly until the sugar has dissolved.

2. Insert a candy thermometer and continue cooking until temperature reaches 238 degrees F.

3. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. 

NOTE: Both sauces should be stored in the fridge, but keep quite well for a long time...not that we've ever been able to make them last "a long time"!

We've also enjoyed these sauces warm over Ebilskivers, Pancake popovers (for dessert, of course) and crepes.  

ECHO ... LIVE

Had THE best weekend with my family! They all surprised me, really got me good!

Here's an idea that I did a long time ago, & please make time to do it, you will always be glad you took the time.

• Recording device is all that is needed.

Get each of your family members laugh on tape.  Someday when they are gone, you will have this to listen to, and believe me it takes you back to every moment in between!

This is great to for family that has distance between them. Start saving up the moments now. You never know when it could be the last time. Life is a precious gift - I am so thankful to all my family. This weekend was a much needed FAMILY FILL UP!

This is certainly an Idea 2 Do!

THE POWER OF DESICIONS

USING THE POWER OF DECISION GIVES YOU THE CAPACITY TO GET PAST ANY EXCUSE TO CHANGE ANY & EVERY PART OF YOUR LIFE IN AN INSTANT!!!

AUTOBEEF

I was helping a friend try to determine what is a good used car.
In the process came across this interesting website -  Seems pretty packed with info.

http://www.carcomplaints.com/ 

http://www.motorpits.com/

http://www.sitejabber.com/

If you have any other suggestions on the "How to's of buying a used car", please comment.

Always a daunting task figuring out what's best to put your money down on???

CLEVER LIGHTWEIGHT WALL ART

Whatever your decorating style, from formal to fanciful, wall art made with STYROFOAM® brand foam will enhance your home. Here are a few ideas:

Papers: Cover it with scrapbook paper, textured paper, handmade paper, wallpaper, maps, travel brochures, newspapers, gift wrap, even household foil. USE MODGE PODGE directly on the foam & over top of whatever paper/material you choose! KINDERGARTEN EASY!!

This makes amazing cheap wall art! Endless possibilities!

Photos: Create a personal photo gallery by ordering large prints of favorite digital snapshots from an online developer. Cut sheets of STYROFOAM brand foam to match print sizes.

 Adhere photos to foam sheets, cover edges with ribbon and hang.

It's that easy! If you make this, please share. I LOVE this craft, and would love to see your creations.

Aha! How fun would this be for a birthday party favor/activity! Cute stuff, just sayin.... =)

Chewy Peanut Butter Popcorn

I have the best memories of making Popcorn Ball's with my Great Great Aunt Mabel when I was just a young girl.  It is probably one of the most vivid memories I have of both her and my Uncle Stan.  I have since taken that recipe and tweaked it, and thru time this is what I have ended up with.  Since we like everything  with PeanutButter & Chocolate, its a natural hit in our house.

Think of it as a twist to regular popcorn balls & caramel popcorn .

1. 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn, or 2 bags microwave popcorn 
2. 1 cup sugar 
3. 1/2 cup honey 
4. 1/2 cup light corn syrup 
5. 1 cup peanut butter (crunchy is best!) 
6. 1 teas. Vanilla 

 * NOTE: Have your peanut butter and vanilla measured out before you start the mixture boiling!

1. Use 1 very large bowl disposable type works well, or 2 large bowls.  
2. Pop the popcorn, and place in a large bowl. Remove kernels.  
3. Butter sides of a large 1 1/2 qt saucepan.
4. Combine sugar, honey, and corn syrup in pan.
5. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly!
6. Boil hard for 2 minutes, without stirring. Remove from heat. 

* Stir in Peanut Butter and vanilla until melted.

Immediately pour over popcorn mixture, stirring to coat well. Cool; break into bite size pieces.

***Chocolate drizzled over the top of the popcorn is awesome. Melt some chocolate chips in the microwave and spoon over the peanut butter popcorn.

Croque Moniseur AKA Jamie's version of A Monte Cristo Sandwich

This is my version of a Monte Cristo Sandwich. Who doesn't love a grilled cheese? This is basically a twist on that but using grown up ingredients. Gruyere cheese, Ham, and then deep frying it.

1. 1 quart oil for frying, or as needed 
2. 2/3 cup water 
3. 1 egg 
4. 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 
5. 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder 
6. 1/2 teaspoon salt 
7. 8 slices white bread 
8. 4 slices Gruyere cheese
9. 4 oz shaved ham (roughly the same as 4 slices)
10. 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
11. 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar for dusting (optional)
12. Many add Turkey also, I prefer to leave off. If you choose to add, just add less ham, and the same amount of Turkey in its place. I like both shaved, as it melds better with the cheese, when its fried.

1.Heat 5 inches of oil in a deep-fryer to 365 degrees F (180 degrees C). While oil is heating, make the batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper; whisk into the egg mixture until smooth. Set aside in the refrigerator.

2.Assemble sandwiches by placing shaved ham on bread, then sandwich them with the Swiss cheese in the middle. Cut sandwiches into quarters, and secure with toothpicks.

3.Dip each sandwich quarter in the batter so that all sides are coated. Deep fry in the hot oil until golden brown on all sides. Remove toothpicks and arrange on a serving tray. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

While the traditional jelly to serve this with is Currant Jelly.  I like mine with Hot Pepper Jelly mixed with a dollop of cream cheese (that has been pre-softened in the microwave for about 10seconds). It sounds odd, but trust me it adds a nice zip to this old favorite!

Also some people like to serve with a Bechamel sauce (fancy name for classic white sauce), I like to sometimes serve with a Mornay sauce, which is basically a Bechamel sauce that adds swiss cheese to the mix.  I will posts these sauces in a seperate post.

This is a great dish for a brunch family get together.

Here's my secret to instantly removing the smell on your hands.

If you are working with "smelly" items in the kitchen. Onions, garlic, fish. I have heard to use, metal or lemon to remove the smell. Instead here's my secret.....

Pour a capful of scope into a shot glass and keep it in the kitchen while you are working. When your finished with all the ingredients. Just pour over your hands over the sink, wipe into your hands as if you are washing them. Viola! It's gone! Works like a charm! Antibacterial properties too.

MUSTARD BBQ SAUCE

My boys love slow cooked pork loin, and they love it even more when I make this Mustard BBQ Sauce to top it off.  This is a North Carolina Style BBQ Sauce.  Years ago there was a Burbank's BBQ restaurant, and they offered this Mustard based type sauce.  It was unlike anything in this area that I'd ever tasted. I loved it, and tweaked my own recipe until I was able to duplicate it to the best of my memory. It's  Really good on everything. We like to keep it handy in a squirt bottle, and its even good mixed in with smashed potatoes. Mmmm Try it & let me know what you think!

1. 1/2 cup of prepared yellow mustard 
2. 1/4 cup of cider vinegar 
3. 3 tablespoons of brown sugar (dark) 
4. 1/2 teaspoon of paprika 
5. 1/2 teaspoon of Worstershire sauce 
6. 1/2 teaspoon white pepper 
7. 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (powdered) 
8. 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper 

Mix and pour into a squeeze bottle. Goes great with Pork, Chicken, & Brisket. This mustard-based barbeque sauce has a smooth consistency...the tartness of the vinegar is balanced by the brown sugar sweetness. This quickly became a family favorite!

You can add more cayenne pepper. One full teaspoon of the red powder gives this sauce an enjoyable level of flame!

This barbecue sauce is good to baste with, but like other sauces with sugar, to prevent burning, it should only be used on the meat as it's finishing up on the smoker.

Did I mention... my boys LOVE this sauce! Try it, my guess is you will too!

Amazingly EZ Key Lime Pie

My boyfriend Loves Key Lime Pie. So I made this for his birthday, and it was a big hit. It's super easy recipe.... That is fresh & tart. A nice alternative to a chocolatey dessert.  Did I mention how super easy it was... Shhhhh don't tell - I think I scored points! ;)

1. 1 prepared 9-inch (6 oz.) graham cracker crust 
2. 1 can (14 oz.) Sweetened Condensed Milk 
3. 1/2 can frozen limeade 
4. 1 12oz frozen whipped topping, thawed 
5. 8 thin lime slices (optional Garnish)

Mix sweeten condensed Milk, 1/2 can frozen Limeade, and frozen whipped topping, fill into crust, and refrigerate for an hour.  Garnish with lime slices and whip cream.

Chocolate Toffee Squares

This is the EASIEST recipe to make! My Mom has been making these as long as I can remember. You will LOVE them. They make an excellent Bake Sale cookie, as they go like hot cakes! Great for Gifts too, everyone loves them, just place in a plastic baggie and tie with a pretty color ribbon.

1. 1 c. brown sugar 
2. 1 c. butter 
3. Saltine crackers 
4. 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips 

Line 15 x 10 jelly roll pan with aluminum foil. Line pan with the amount of saltine crackers that fit on the jelly roll pan.

Boil the cup of butter and brown sugar until thick. Pour over crackers and place in oven at 375 degrees for 5 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate chips over toffee and crackers and spread with knife. Freeze for an hour and cut into small squares.

NOTE: They are also good with using different kinds of cracker bases, such as graham crackers, chocolate graham crackers with mint chocolate chips. etc.

NEED MORE SPACE? INGENIOUS BED IDEA FROM IKEA

FROM IKEA - SULTAN box springs and mattresses match, so your entire bed set will have a coordinated look.

Saw this today and thought it was a great idea for more storage in a small room.  Never seems like we can get enough of that! I fell in love with my current house because of all the closets. Seriously, I really did. :) It's a girl thing, huh.

You can find this bed at IKEA - SIZE RANGES - From Twin to 1/2 King - priced accordingly - $175 to $300 
Check out the link to IKEA site:  http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10098893

17 slats of layer-glued birch provide support for your body.  The slatted base can be lifted and the space underneath utilized for storage.  A box spring lifts the bed higher off the floor, making it easier to get in and out of bed.

Create FREE IPHONE Ringtones Using iTunes in Windows

Ok so the "Gadget Girl" in me LOVES THIS ONE! HAD TO SHARE....One of the things that Apple hasn’t made easy for iPhone owners is providing a way to create custom ringtones in Windows. If you’re a Mac owner you can use GarageBand, but Apple doesn’t provide that application on Windows. Instead what they expect you to do is purchase a song for $0.99, and then convert it to a ringtone for another $0.99.

As it turns out in a few steps you can actually convert a DRM-free song into a ringtone using only iTunes in Windows. The trick also works for Mac users, but using GarageBand is a lot simpler so we’re focusing primarily on the Windows side.

Here’s what you need to do:
1.Start iTunes and find the [DRM-free] song you want to convert to a ringtone.
 Right-click on it and select the Get Info option
 

2.On the Options tab locate the Start Time and End Time options. This is where you want to specify the portion of the song you wanted converted into a ringtone. Check both of the boxes, and make sure your ringtone is under 30-seconds. Press OK when finished.

3.Right-click on the song you just modified, and choose the Convert to AAC option. If you don’t see this in the context menu navigate to Edit -> Preferences -> Advanced -> Importing, and make sure the AAC Encoder is selected in the Import Using menu.

4.Once the song has finished being converted to the new format it will appear in your music list, and the “Time” should reflect the correct duration of the ringtone (which should be less than 30-seconds). Now navigate to your iTunes music folder to find the converted song. Here’s an example of where my Green Day ringtone was located:

5.Make sure you’re able to see the file’s extension (.M4A) like in the screenshot above. If you don’t see the extension go to Tools -> Folder Options -> View (Organize -> Folder and Search Options on Vista), and uncheck the Hide extensions for known file types box. Then click OK.

6.Copy the music file (with the .M4A extension) to your desktop. Once you’ve done that rename the file’s extension to .M4R which will make iTunes recognize it as a ringtone. Make sure there are no symbols (underscores, hyphens, etc…) in the file name.

7.In iTunes go to File -> Add File to Library, and then browse for the file from step 6. Once you’ve selected it press the Open button. iTunes will place the ringtone in the respective section in your library:

8.Sync your iPhone with iTunes and your newly created ringtone should get transferred over. If it doesn’t be sure to check the Ringtones tab in the iPhone configuration section of iTunes to verify that it is setup to sync your ringtones.

–What is DRM?–

DRM stands for Digital Rights Management. In a nutshell, a song with DRM is meant to keep you from giving it to someone else. If you’re using Windows XP (and I’m sure there’s some equivalent for Vista), you can right-click on a song file, and choose Properties. Under the Summary tab, click the Advanced >> button if it’s there. Under the Origin heading, you will see an entry named ‘Protected’. If it says No, then the song does not have a DRM. If it says Yes, well, you may be able to pay Apple money to convert the song to an iTunes Plus track, which will be DRM-free.
That’s all there is to it. Now you can save yourself a bunch of money on ringtones. A big thanks to the Apple Blog who assembled the original instructions on how to do this for the Mac!

BAKING BACON

I have found that making bacon is a cumbersome task. It spits grease all over my kitchen and you have to constantly watch it and turn it until done.

I came across this tip & fell in love.... Takes the task & makes it easy to indulge... uh oh! :)  Even gets rid of the grease for you & clean up is a SNAP!

Baking Bacon (say it 3times fast)  I promise.... this makes making bacon easy, fast & fabulous!  

1. Take a large baking sheet with edges (jelly roll pan or cake pan) and line with aluminum foil.
2. Lay your bacon pieces on the foil with the pieces just touching. 
3. Bake in a preheated 400º oven for 15-20 minutes depending on personal preference for crispiness.
4. Remove from the oven and serve everyone piping hot bacon at the same time. 

After breakfast, just pull off the foil from the pan and toss. Clean up is done! SNAP

You can also make it in batches & then store it in paper towels in a ziploc baggie. Just warm up in the microwave for 20seconds and you instantly have fresh bacon anytime you want. It keeps well for a few weeks!

Homemade Pizza - 1/2 Red Sauce & 1/2 Basil Pesto Sauce

This Pizza was made with homemade Neopolitian dough, 1/2 Red Sauce & 1/2 Basil Pesto Sauce (both sauce recipes listed under dinner recipes or you can search for them on the search bar below) a little bit of sausage on the Red side, and mushrooms on all, with Mozzerella cheese, and a little bit of honey rubbed on the edges where the crust was, gave a nice sweet flavor.  Bake at 500 degrees for 10minutes. Yum!!

FRESH CUT FLOWERS ... LAST LONGER

Happy Easter!

I just spoke with my Grandma in California today, and she told me this great tip that she tried with some beautiful Calla Lillies she received from her friend's yard. 

Just pour about a half of a capful of bleach into the water of your fresh cut flowers & it will prolong their life!  TRY IT - SHE SWEARS BY IT! =)

Frozen Banana Ice Cream

Overripe Bananas:

Probably our #1 household's most common problem.  

I love banana Bread/cakes/muffins/Ebilskiver fillers, but there is only so much of baked banana I can take.  This IS THE EASIEST 7 MOST ENJOYABLE AMAZING TIP!

Peel & freeze overripe bananas, then leave at room temperature for a few minutes or briefly microwave for 5-10 seconds. Result: the healthiest, creamiest, naturally sweet and delicious banana ice cream you could possibly imagine. Try it, I kid you not!

  

 

Makes 8-10 scoops 

1. 3 bananas peeled
2. 1/4 – 1/2 milk 
3. Slice bananas into chunks and freeze overnight.
4. Place banana chunks into a food processor and begin to process.
5. Add 1/4 cup of milk and continue processing. You can add more milk if needed for the texture. 

I like to eat immediately while it’s a soft serve consistancy, but for scoops like in my picture to the right, place in a sealed container and freeze for 30 minutes to an hour. 

NOTE: Approximate cost/serving: It came out to only 8 cents a scoop! 

Bananas are cheap, and milk is cheaper than cream, so this is even more affordable than regular ice cream. 

Vegetarian/Gluten Free: Yes and Yes! For vegan, just skip the milk.

SILVER JEWELRY CLEANER

I love Silver jewelry! It goes with everything and always looks nice. I learned from a dear family friend who passed away much to early, never save anything for a special occasion.  I don't! I wear all my silver regularly and like to clean it myself & am very conscious of doing it the best way.

If you are fortunate to own anything from Tiffany & Co one of your most important objectives is appropriate care and storage of your Tiffany & Co. silver treasures. Silver jewelry, dazzling diamonds in silver settings, cufflinks, key rings, watches, or gift items from Tiffany & Co. are highly valued valuable. You want to keep them tarnish and scratch free.

Here are some of the following tips for caring for your silver that I have learned through the years, whether it's Tiffany and Co. or inherited silver wear that has been in the family for years. Keep your silver well polished and the sparkle will help maintain the value over time.

Cleaning your Tiffany & Co. silver Tip #1: Never use bleaches or abrasives.

Bleach seems like the answer to most household cleaning problems, but not when it comes to silver. Bleach and abrasives can cause irreparable damage to silver and stones. You've probably read or heard that it is okay to use toothpaste or backing soda on your silver and jewelry. It is not a good idea. I did it for years to my rings, and then realized, It will not polish your silver, and that is the last thing you want to when cleaning silver from Tiffany & Co. Jewelry experts also recommend steering clear of scouring powder and even creamy opaque jewelry cleaners.

Small brushes are useful, but I have found more success with soft, new toothbrushes than used ones. I used an old toothbrush to clean the nooks and crannies around a Tiffany & Co. bracelet given to me by my boyfriend. It was not very noticeable, but apparently there was enough toothpaste residue to make miniscule scratches in the silver. The scratches couldn't be seen unless you examined it closely, but it took away significant luster. I thought this could never be repaired and was crushed.  I took it in to T&CO Store downtown and they cleaned it, it looked like NEW! I was so HAPPY.  The Tiffany & Co. silver bracelet is still an heirloom, at the time I affected its shine, which ultimately can affect its value. Learn from my mistake and don't ruin your family silver.  When in doubt take it into them.  They are always super nice, friendly & helpful. Besides who doesn't like to go in and scope out new goodies! =)

Cleaning your Tiffany & Co. silver Tip #2: Water, Salt, and an aluminum plate.

Maybe you would like to clean your sterling silver with a jeweler recommended solution.

Take an aluminum plate, one tablespoon of salt, one tablespoon of baking soda, and hot water (not boiling). Pour the hot water in the pie plate to dissolve the powder solutions. Once the cleaner is mixed, dunk your silver jewelry, or any silver piece from Tiffany & Co. This is guaranteed by some silver aficionados as a tried and true method.

They do caution, however, that if your item is highly tarnished, it may still require polishing after tarnish removal.

Cleaning your Tiffany & Co. silver Tip #3:

When using commercial products buy silver specific cleaners.  There are so many jewelry and silver cleaners available, some claim to clean everything from your silver to your kitchen sink. When purchasing a commercial product for silver cleaning I recommend sticking with name brands that have been proven over time. Don't buy products that promise to clean everything: silver, gold, titanium, aluminum, steel. Those products are out there.

A brand name commercial product designed to remove silver tarnish can usually be trusted to safely remove tarnish from Tiffany & Co. silver. I have also used commercial polishing clothes, which I prefer to paste, to clean silver ware and silver serving pieces. This worked quite well. I prefer clothes to paste because it doesn't make as much of a mess. Either will get your silver polishing job done.

Jewelry experts even warn that you should be careful with polish, because it can wear away some of the silver. So these are probably not your best options for keeping Tiffany and Co. jewelry clean and polished.

Cleaning your Tiffany & Co. silver Tip #4: Steer clear of ammonia cleaners.
Some people have used ammonia to recapture the shine of silver. This works only on real silver, such as most items purchased from Tiffany & Co. However, ammonia products are used on sterling silver it will oxidize the finish. One day your beloved sterling silver baby spoon or duck bank will show signs of tarnish and rust.

I used ammonia for years, until I began to notice the tarnish on silver returning more quickly. Perhaps the use of pure ammonia or products containing large amounts of ammonia make a difference, but I have ceased to use ammonia altogether.

Cleaning your Tiffany & Co. silver Tip #5: Keep Tarnish away with Pacific Cloth
If you are storing your silver, store it in an airtight container lined with anti-tarnish cloth, also known as Pacific Cloth. This can be purchased at most fabric stores. Once you take the silver out for display, or to wear, wipe it clean with a soft polish cloth and replace it in the airtight Pacific Cloth lined container. If you do not wipe it clean, you may be disappointed to find tarnish the next time you pull out your Tiffany & Co. silver pieces.

Whether your silver pieces are from Tiffany & Co., grandma's heirloom collection, or any other silver producer store them carefully and clean them gently to ensure long life and brilliant shine.

***Do NOT use these methods on silver jewelry which contains gemstones. The delicacy of the gemstone may result in scratching, or other permanent damage.

*** ALSO - Chlorine can damage gold, platinum and some types of gems.
Don’t wear jewelry in hot tubs, swimming pools or wear when cleaning with bleach.

NOTE:   In addition to above tips - TIFFANY & CO.  SUGGEST THE FOLLOWING:

Between professional servicing, most gold and platinum jewelry can be maintained with a non-abrasive cleaner. Examine your jewelry regularly to make sure settings are snug and clasps and joinings are secure.

Sterling sliver tarnishes rapidly, especially when exposed to salt air and products containing sulfur,
such as rubber bands and some papers. Tiffany & Co. recommends a non-abrasive silver polish to keep your silver looking its best. 

Jewelry storage is important as well. At the time of purchase, all Tiffany & Co. jewelry is wrapped in a protective box, case or tarnish-resistant pouch. Between wearings, we recommend that you place it back in its original case or another suitably lined box or pouch.