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Kitchen Ingredient Cult Favorites
Sweetex Shortening. This is a high-ratio shortening that is great for baking because it has a lower content of water. I love making frosting with this shortening, it turns out great! It is a baker’s favorite for a reason. The only way to get it is to buy a large amount, so if you don’t plan on using that much, split it up with some friends. I purchased several storage containers from Costco and I use them to store the shortening in. Olio Santo California Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I read once that if you don’t like olive oil, then you probably aren’t using a good one. Finding a good…
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Why We Keep a “Birthday Box”
Last night my daughter and I went to Kohl’s. I had some Kohl’s cash from all the Christmas shopping we had done and because I have finished all the Christmas shopping, I didn’t really have an idea of what I would use the Kohl’s cash for. It’s a good problem to have but I didn’t want to buy things that we didn’t need and possibly end up spending more money trying to use up the Kohls cash, because that’s what tends to happen! For many years, we have had what we call a “Birthday Box”. It’s a box that we keep presents in for birthday that we might not have…
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Which Side of the Foil is Best?!
If you’ve ever wondered if one side of the foil is better than another for baking or cooking, I did a little experiment. I was surprised at the results. Now, this was not an extensive survey but it changed my mind! The two sets of cookie sheets were lined with foil, one with the shiny side facing up and one with the dull side facing up. Each cookie sheet was baked at the same time, temperature, and in the same position (rack level) in the oven. No difference. So, there you go! No more stressing about which side is best, haha. I plan on doing more experiments with different foods…
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6 different things to try if you have a picky eater
Most of my kids are great at least trying all the food I make. When I make a dish that they may not like they are willing to try it and even eat most of it. I have been making a lot dishes with lots of color, vegetables, meats, fish, beans, sweet potatoes and avocados. Things that picky eaters might tend to say no to. I have one, very picky eater, that has vowed from an earlier age that he will not eat, “green things”. He even hates fruit! I have been on a mission for many years to help him to discover that vegetables and fruits can be good…
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5 Must-See Titles If You’re a Jane Austen Fan!
Discovery of Witches. Guys. This show is everything! Series 2 is set to come out soon. Savor the episodes or binge-watch Series 1 before Series 2 arrives. You won’t be disappointed! Little Dorrit. This is one of my favorite of Dicken’s stories. Definitely, a must watch! Wives and Daughters. This is a really good period drama to add to the list. The Princess Bride. This is one of the best movies of all time, haha. It had to make the list! I could watch this over and over and so could my kids! My kids 5, 7, 9 and 11 will even sit and watch it with me! The Paradise.…
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Hack to keep your couch from slipping
We moved and purchased a sectional for our main living area. The room has beautiful vinyl floors. The only problem is the rug doesn’t quite go under the entire couch. Now, if it did, we wouldn’t have a problem. The sectional couch wouldn’t slip and we (me) would all be happy. I am not about to buy a larger and more expensive rug to solve this problem when there is a much more simple (cheaper) solution. And why does it matter if the couch constantly slips out of place? If you’ve ever had a sectional, you know that the sections will disconnect when the pieces slip. It’s an annoying and…
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Social Media – The Perfect Lie
As I stayed up late tonight and finished up some dishes after spending hours with my family, I thought of a post I made on my personal Facebook page a couple of days ago. To give some back story on what the post was about, it’s winter break and the kids had been home for about 11 days at that point. I have five kids ranging from 11 down to a little one who just turned 3 a couple of weeks ago. The kids received several gifts over Christmas break and with a lot going on, things got messy. I made a post saying that there were piles of clutter…
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My absolute must-have kitchen tool
I have purchased many, many kitchen tools over the years. My husband and I were in the military when we got married. We didn’t have a big wedding where we received gifts of kitchen essentials. We started from scratch. We stocked our kitchen from a local thrift shop. There were many plastic measuring cups to choose from. I now know why, for the most part. I soon purchased many plastic measuring cups over the years. The reason why I purchased so many was because the measurements would soon be washed away or rubbed off. For some people, that might never be a problem. They will be able to look at…
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Washing Grapes for a Great Day
Do you ever food prep your fruit? I do and it makes life so much better! A couple of things you can do ahead of time: Wash your strawberries but leave the stems on. Wash and pluck grapes from stems. Cut up watermelon and put it into an airtight container or ziplock bags. If you get a watermelon but you won’t be using all of it the same day, store it in the fridge for the rest of the week. You might not think to prepare fruit for the coming week, but it makes eating fruit convenient and with a busy schedule it can make all the difference between rotting…
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KitchenAid VS Bosch – Mixer Showdown
I have been asked many times what is the best mixer to buy. I have a surprising opinion on this topic. I think both! Now, I would never suggest buying both at once! I was married for 10 years and saved up by the time I purchased a bosch mixer. I think for the money, a KitchenAid is a great mixer to begin with! Here are some of the pros and cons of each and you might see why I love having both! The KitchenAid is a great mixer to have, especially if you can grab one while it’s on sale! I am sure there are a thousand uses for…