If mealtime is stressful for you, these recipe substitutes and replacements will be a big help in getting your meals on the table in no time at all. Are there times when you are missing just one ingredient and can’t make a recipe? Perhaps you are following a meal plan or trying to lose weight…
This is hands down my favorite spice rub mix. I use it almost every time we grill steaks. It is a wonderful blend of some of my favorite spices. It keeps well and goes quickly. It is the perfect rub to use on all sorts meats for the grill. It’s barbecue time! Keep reading to…
Growing great tomatoes doesn’t happen just by putting a few plants into the ground and turning on the hose. But anyone can master growing great tomatoes by following a few simple dos and don’ts. In the world of vegetable gardening, there is nothing quite like the taste of fresh home grown tomatoes. The flavor of…
These Composting Tips will take the mystery out of making compost for you. If you enjoy vegetable gardening or growing flowers, adding organic matter formed by composting will give you great results. Did you know that forgetting to compost is a common vegetable garden mistake? Have you always thought that making compost is difficult? The…
Mother Nature has the perfect answer for summer bugs- mosquito repelling plants! We can grow annuals, perennials, and herbs that will keep the bugs away naturally. With summer comes lots of outdoor living. Sadly, that can mean lots of mosquitoes. I don’t like to use chemical products so this natural solution is great for keeping…
It is ant season again! You can kill ants with various home remedies, but are there are lots of other things that you can do to keep ants out of the house? As soon as the weather starts to heat up, and particularly after a warm rainy day, ants decide that indoors is a good…
These 25 fun succulent planters will show you that if it can hold dirt, it can be planted with a succulent! From teacups to wooden drawers, these planters are unique and a fun way to pot your succulent houseplants. Succulents are so versatile and easy to care for. They are very drought tolerant, perfect if you…
These DIY Music Sheet Coasters are the perfect way to put me in just the right mood when I take a break for some much needed “me time.” I have such a busy life. There seems to never be enough time to get everything done that I need to do. Sound familiar? With the endless gardening…
It’s time for a change out of my table centerpiece. I love this type of project – gather a few supplies, poke them into the floral foam and voila – a pretty Spring Table centerpiece. My husband made me a centerpiece box to use for Thanksgiving. It graced my dining room table for Thanksgiving and…
Garden Sheds have become a fixture in many back yards. But your garden shed doesn’t have to be plain and boring, as these great looking buildings will show. If you have been gardening for long, you will know that tools and gadgets soon start to take over your yard. Your garden shed can be as…
This Shiplap Barn Door step by step tutorial will show you how to make a sliding door yourself, easily. If you are a fan of the HGTV show Fixer Upper, you will know that shiplap has taken the decorating world by storm. Mr. Gardening Cook and I decided to use it as part of our…
Looking for a little luck and prosperity in your home? Try growing a Braided Money Tree Plant. This fabulous indoor plant has a braided trunk, glossy leaves and is easy to care for. This technique of braiding the trunk is thought to symbolize looking for money and luck! The braided money tree plant has been…
This cute coffee pot terrarium is the perfect bit of household plant decor to have nearby when I have my morning cup of coffee. It puts me in a good mood for the day just to look at it! Using recycled items in my DIY projects saves me money and also helps our environment but…
These burlap tea bag jars are the perfect way to store my special tea bags. Their romantic look seems to be just waiting for me to reach in and start a new memory! This DIY project is easy to put together with a few basic supplies and a couple of hours of time. Burlap is very…
Peeling onions is something that many cooks do on a daily basis but the job brings along tears. Do you know why onions make you cry? There are many types of this versatile vegetable and most will make you cry when you chop them. Find out about the onion varieties here. Onions are easy to grow…
Are you thinking more about your overall health and fitness? These 11 food and drink substitutes help me with my weight loss, and also have other beneficial effects for my general health. I had a scare late last year that had me in the hospital for a few weeks worrying about my heart and my…
Setting up a pretty festive table does not have to be stressful. Just follow these 15 easy holiday party ideas to make entertaining a joy. Entertaining this time of the year is so much fun. It is the time for trimming the tree and decorating the house (don’t forget to use Christmas plants!) It’s also…
Cleaning a Dry Erase Board and eraser can be a challenge, depending on how long the marks have been left on it. A dry erase board can be a useful household tool for keeping the home organized. Fortunately, I have just discovered an easy way to to the job! Keep reading to learn how I…
Today’s project uses some old barnboard-style wood to make an easy and very inexpensive Thanksgiving Centerpiece for our dining room table. My husband and I are in the middle of renovating our kitchen and other areas of our home, so we have a lot of bits and pieces of wood that are just lying around…
ThisDIY Cutting Board Holder that fits neatly behind my cabinet door and holds my wire racks too!. Are you looking for a place to put your cutting boards? I have been storing mine on my counter tops, but I have been wanting to de-clutter the look in my kitchen lately, so I came up with…
This DIY Grocery Bag Dispenser Tutorial gives me a place to keep my used plastic bags and is super easy to make, too. Are you a grocery bag hoarder? I have always been one. They have so darn many uses, that it is a shame to just throw them away when you come back from…
This pantry closet makeover tutorial will show you how to make a tiny kitchen closet into a mini walk in pantry. My kitchen is small. It’s a gallery kitchen with very little counter space, so I am always optimizing it for extra storage. The pantry is the size of a small closet and every single…
Learn how to season cast iron cookware in just minutes with these easy tips! Cast iron cookware is my new best friend. My daughter has raved about the benefits of cooking with it for years and I only started using it recently. It is important to season cast iron cookware before using it, though. It’s…
Do you have plans for a dog road trip this year,? These 10 easy tips should cover all the bases and make the trip lots of fun for you and your four legged friend. For my husband and me, summer is a time for family road trips. i have a large family in Maine, and…
Cooking in parchment paper is a method of cooking fish, chicken or other proteins in their own cooking bags. It is also called “en papillote” (French for “in parchment”) or “al cartoccio” (Italian for baked in foil or aluminum.) Typically, folded parchment paper is used but al foil, paper bags or other materials can also…
Turn everyday items from around the house to make these creative garden art creations. Garden containers can cost an arm and a leg if you purchase it from garden centers. But this does not have to be the case. It is easy to create instant interest in the garden by making use of recycled or…