Welcome to our guide for how to dry bay leaves from your own backyard bay laurel plant. It is so much easier than you might think! Dried bay leaves are sold at most supermarkets, but if you have your own plant, you can easily dry the leaves to use in your recipes (and the flavor…
These basics will help you learn how to grill like a pro. Included are my top 25 grilling tips to make sure that your next barbecue is something your friends will rave about. It’s that time of the year again. One only has to be outside around 6 pm to smell the aroma of someone…
A few months back, I starting seeing a Florida avocado – a larger green skin avocado in my local supermarket called a “Slimcado.” It was marketed as having 35% fewer calories and 50% less fat than a Hass avocado. For those people who count calories or are concerned with fat intake, this Florida light green…
These 20 creative uses for extra large silicone ice cube trays show that they are not just for making ice! If you eat and drink out much, you may have noticed a new trend that has taken over the food and drink industry. The ice cubes are getting larger and larger. Large ice cubes are…
How are your fudge-making skills? Do you end up with foolproof fudge that forms nice little parcels, or do you find it a challenge? The cooking tips below will help you make the perfect fudge every time! It’s hard to believe, after a summer of gardening, that the beginning of the holiday season is already…
If you love to cook, you know that cooking oil stains on clothing are a common place occurrence. Fortunately, oil stains on clothes are easy to remove if you follow a few simple tips. Removing cooking oil stains from clothes can sometimes be quite hard to do, and it can be especially hard if the…
These top 10 ways to protect the environment at home take very little time to do. It’s just a matter of making a commitment to doing something good for the planet and sticking to that plan. I call this “my environmental to-do list.” Earth Day happens in April, and lots of people talk about how…
Breakfast just got more fun with this playful idea for making eggs. If you are like me, you will have a whole host of cookie cutters that you rarely use. Put them to a creative use by making cookie cutter eggs. Breakfast is considered by many to be the most important meal of the day….
Do you wonder what to do with that large lump of hard brown sugar? These easy tips for softening brown sugar will have it soft and usable in no time at all. Here are 6 of my best tips to make brown sugar soft again, and suggestions for how to store it for a longer…
From making eggs with cookie cutters to whipping cream with a whisk and storing ginger in vodka, these 11 genius food hacks will make life in the kitchen more fun and cooking easier, too. Getting great food on the table doesn’t have to be a complicated process. Just take advantage of these simple DIY food…
Plants need nourishment to perform in the best way. Flowers and vegetables love potato starch and using potato water in the garden is a good way to give it to them. To add starch in a “green way”, save the water you boil your potatoes in. Starchy water will spur the release of plant nutrients…
This homemade fly repellent formula uses the common household cleaner Pine-Sol. It’s a great way to transform a household item for other uses. We all know how bothersome flies can be in any outdoor gathering. Keeping them away often means using harsh chemicals. What if I told you that a common household cleaner, Pine-Sol, could…
Preparing a homemade mosquito repellent with a lovely aroma and natural ingredients is easy with this tutorial. This DIY essential oil mosquito repellent spray is made with a few common household ingredients, and works well to keep the mosquitoes away. Summer is here. The days are longer and it’s so nice to sit outside in…
When the new year comes to an end, I like to focus on my goals for the year. I find that I have the most success when I keep health and wellness goals at the forefront of my mind all year round. If you have been reading my blog lately, you will know that…
These tips show how to get rid of ticks in the yard as well as a few natural treatment options. Summer is a time for being in the outdoors. But ticks also love the warm temperatures and can be bothersome in your yard and garden. Ticks are a nuisance and can be dangerous as well…
Clean up an ugly stove by using just three common household ingredients. This drip pan cleaning works over night to give you sparkling burner pans easily without a lot of elbow grease. One of my pet peeves is seeing my electric stove drip pans and knowing I have to make a trip to the store…
A Wine and Cheese party is so much fun! Pairing wine and cheese together is one of the great culinary pleasures. And making the pairing a party with loved ones and friends adds up to one special evening. The holidays are here and we are ready for a round of entertaining with our friends. That…
These creative uses for parchment paper may give you some ideas you hadn’t thought of. We all know that parchment paper is great for easy clean up after kitchen but it has so many more uses. I love anything that makes my life easier in the kitchen or around the home. I’m always on the…
Shallots are starting to be seen in grocery stores more and often lately. What are shallots? Like onions and garlic, shallots are a member of the allium family. They are a cold hardy vegetable and, like onions, are easy to grow. Their flavor is richer and sweeter and they are very versatile in recipes. This…
Ever since it was established in 1970, people around the world take part in Earth Day Activities as a way to celebrate National Earth Day on April 22. This day is now a worldwide event where more than 1 billion people take part in a day of action. Here are some things that you can…
A silicone baking mat can take high heat and replace parchment paper for baking & food preparation. I like to use them in lots of unusual ways in my kitchen. You can use them for cookies, of course, but there are lots of other creative Silpat baking mat uses, as well. With a silicone baking…
There are many healthy kitchen swaps that you can use all year round for weight loss success. Implementing these food swaps will make sure that those extra pounds won’t find themselves on your thighs and rear next year. For many of us, the start of the year means making a New Year’s resolution to lose…
Seeing how many ways there are to dress up your home with window box planters was inspiring. They are a fabulous way to create curb appeal and are easy to take care of. I have recently discovered a love for window boxes. During my summer vacation, we toured 10 states and visited many Botanical Gardens….
Did you know that many common vegetables are very easy to regrow from ordinary kitchen scraps? I love the idea that you can use to regrow your food. What a great way to save money! I love to save money and I don’t like to waste things that can be reused or recycled in…
There are dozens of vinegar uses in the home. From soaking your sponges to keeping your counters free of ants, this product is a must have. Vinegar is a versatile and effective household product that is more useful than just for making salad dressing. There are many vinegar uses around the house and garden. One of the…
Critters in the garden range from beneficial to invasive. Some actually are listed by the US Department of Agriculture as invasive pests that need to be controlled. See my tips for dealing with these unwanted bugs. This post was sponsored on behalf of the United States Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection…