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DIY Pallet Furniture

Mon, 27 May 2013 21:30:20 +0100

Infographic designed by: Bridgman.co.uk

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Waiting For Spring

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 01:29:55 +0100

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Best Cat Video on the Internet

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 01:31:14 +0100

Creator: Will Braden

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DIY Vertical Garden

Mon, 27 May 2013 21:31:10 +0100

Spring is just around the corner! Vertical gardens have become quite popular. They're especially great if you don't have a lot of outdoor space. Here is an easy-to-follow DIY from Robert Bridgman that will get you started.

Source: Bridgman.co.uk

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Wordless Wednesday

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 01:34:08 +0100

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70s Cocktails

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 01:36:00 +0100

(Photo courtesy of Rob Nova)

Some of my fondest memories are of my mom and dad having outdoor parties during warm summer evenings replete with a fully stocked bar and disco music piped through built-in speakers around the patio. Afterall, it was the 70's. I would sneak downstairs from my bedroom to watch grown ups in their polyester finest dancing to disco, ordering up cocktails at the bar, and laughing and having a good time.

One time, having snuck down to watch, my dad caught site of me but before sending me back to bed he grabbed my hand and took me for a spin out on the patio while Bee Gees crooned "You should be dancing!" and everyone smiled indulgently. I felt so grown up.

Now that I have grown up and can order up my own cocktails it occured to me recently that there are some drinks you just don't hear about very much anymore, if at all. In doing some searching through old cookbooks I found recipes for those 70's classics and thought I would share them.

Notes:
A "jigger" or shot is generally 1.5 fluid ounces
"Sugar Syrup" is 1 part water to 2 parts sugar, boiled for five minutes

Martini
1 to 2 jiggers dry vermouth
6 to 7 jiggers gin
Shake with 3/4 cup cracked ice and pour into martini glass. Add a twist of lemon peel or small seeded olive.

Manhattan
Stir well with ice cubes:
1 jigger dry vermouth
1 jigger sweet vermouth
6 jiggers bourbon or rye
Add to each drink:
1 dash angostura bitters
Finish with a Maraschino cherry

Screwdriver
2 jiggers vodka
6 jiggers fresh orange juice
Shake well with 3/4 cup cracked ice. Strain into chilled glasses decorated with a small slice of orange.

Gimlet
1 tablespoon Sugar Syrup
2 large jiggers lime juice
5 jiggers gin
Shake, using 3/4 cup cracked ice. Strain into chilled glasses.

Tom Collins
1 tablespoon Sugar Syrup
Juice of medium-sized lemon
2 jiggers gin
Combine in a 14- or 16-oz. glass with 4 ice cubes. Fill glass with carbonated water. Stir and serve immediately.

Highball
In a highball glass filled with ice pour:
1 1/3 jiggers whiskey
and then top with Ginger ale

Harvey Wallbanger
Combine in a highball glass:
1 jigger vodka
2 1/2 jiggers orange juice
Using a teaspoon turned upside down pour over drink:
1/3 jigger Galliano
Garnish with orange slice

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What I'm Loving

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 01:36:57 +0100

If you have dry, frizzy, and/or coarse hair then you know what the never-ending search is like for products that will smooth your hair without making it greasy or heavy. I'm happy to report that the search is over.

I had thought it was over previously, but didn't realize I had one more stop to make. Let me explain.

A while back my hair stylist had used some Moroccanoil® Treatment on my hair and I was immediately hooked. It smoothed my hair perfectly without weighing it down or making it greasy and I had been using it faithfully for over a year. But there was only one place in my area that carries it and it's expensive. A little goes a long way but for this bargain hunting gal I was hoping to find something equally as good for a lower price.

I was running low on the oil this week and the shop that carries it didn't have it in stock, so on a lark I bought some Organix® Moroccan Argan Penetrating Oil at my local department store. It was only around $5.00 so I was skeptical it was going to be any good but I figured for such a small amount of money I'd take a chance.

From the first time I used it I loved it! It smooths my hair equally as well as the expensive oil and it has a lighter scent which I really like because I'm sensitive to strong scents. It's a great product and I highly recommend it. If you'd like more information you can check out the product here.

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Easy Garlic Chicken

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 01:47:40 +0100

I found this recipe on food.com and made it last night. It was delicious. I especially know it was delicious because my husband liked it. He's a better cook than I am so whenever he likes something I've made, I know it's good.

(Photo courtesy of Derf)

Easy Garlic Chicken

Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons brown sugar
3 teaspoons olive oil

Instructions
Preheat oven to 500°F and lightly grease a casserole dish.

In small sauté pan, sauté garlic with the oil until tender.

Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar.

Place chicken breasts in a prepared baking dish and cover with the garlic and brown sugar mixture.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Bake uncovered for 15-30 minutes.

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Helpful Cooking Tips

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 01:48:19 +0100

Quick, Easy Way to Sift Flour

(Photo courtesy of kasey albano)

When you need to sift flour but don't have a sifter or you just don't feel like going to all the trouble, pour some flour into a large mixing bowl and stir it for a few seconds with a whisk to fluff it up, then scoop out with your measuring cup.

Trick for Thickening Sauces

To help thicken pasta sauces, add a little of the water you boiled the noodles in. Pasta releases starch into the water when it boils, and starch helps to thicken sauces.

Keeping Homemade Cookies Soft

(Photo courtesy of kasey albano)

To keep homemade cookies soft, store with a piece of bread in an airtight container.

Saving Bananas for Recipes

(Photo courtesy of abcdz2000)

Bananas that are starting to get too ripe can be peeled and kept in a baggy in the freezer for later use in banana bread and other recipes.

Lump-Free Gravy

(Photo courtesy of Eastbourne Bed and Breakfast)

To keep from getting lumps with your gravy mixes and other powdered mixes, fill bowl with proper amount of water first, add a little of the mix and whisk until dissolved, then add the rest of the mix and whisk again.

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All About Me A to Z

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 00:19:33 +0100

I enjoy reading various blogs and it's always fun getting to know the bloggers. This is a fun game I've seen around the blogosphere and I thought I would join in.

A. Aspirations: I'm achieving it right now with this business.
B. Bed size: King. My husband is 6' 4" and needs a lot of room.
C. Chore that you hate: Cooking dinner.
D. Dogs: Two pugs, Miles and Chanel. Neurotic, goofy, an endless source of entertainment. Chanel is loudly snoring beside me right now.
E. Essential start to your day: Quiet time with my bible.
F. Favorite color: It's always changing. Right now it's grey.
G. Gold or Silver: Both, but I think silver looks better on me.
H. Height: 5' 7". Oddly, I used to be 5' 9 1/2". I've shrunk.
I. Instruments you play: Piano, since I was five years old.
J. Job title: Part-time administrative assistant, and full-time small business owner.
K. Kids: Two. A son and a daughter, joys of my life.
L. Lunch: Cheese quesadilla, homemade salsa, glass of milk.
M. Music: I like all kinds of music, except country. (Sorry, country music lovers!)
N. Nicknames: Fanny Farkle
O. Overnight hospital stays: Too many to count.
P. Pet peeves: People who act like jerks on the road.
Q. Quote from a movie: One of my favorites is "Draw something resembling anything!"
R. Right or left handed: Right.
S. Siblings: Two sisters, three brothers.
T. Time you woke up today: 5am
U. Unique thing about you: I can wiggle my ears, together and one at a time.
V. Vegetable you hate: Are lima beans considered a vegetable? Either way, I can't stand them and I call them lamentation beans.
W. What makes you run late: I don't usually run late, I'm compulsively early.
X. X-Rays you’ve had: Everywhere.
Y. Yummy food that you make: Baked Rigatoni with Italian Sausage
Z. Zoo animal: Lion. He's king of the jungle. It doesn't get any cooler than that.

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