Cleaning Tips for the Kitchen

• For more effective dishwashing, add a few tablespoons of vinegar along with the dishwashing detergent when washing dishes. The vinegar cuts the grease and leaves dishes sparkling.

• To clean up spills in your oven, sprinkle the spills immediately with salt. When the oven has cooled, brush away the burnt-on food with a damp sponge.

• To disinfect smelly sponges, wash sponge thoroughly, then microwave it while it is wet, for a short period. When you see steam from the sponge, the bacteria in the sponge will be dead. Remove carefully, it will be hot! Wash the sponge thoroughly before use. **Make sure the sponge has no metal components!**

• To remove hard-water and lime build-up in a teapot or kettle, pour in two cups of vinegar and bring to a boil. Let simmer for about 10 minutes, then rinse well.

• To remove mineral deposits in a tea pot or burnt spots on a coffee pot, put some ice cubes, cut-up lemon, and salt with a tad water and swish around and let sit overnight.

• To whiten an old stained sink , poor a half cup of salt in it and then scrub it with a lemon. Let it stand for a few minutes and rinse.

• To remove skid marks on linoleum rub the spot with toothpaste before washing the floor.

• To keep your plastic containers from getting stained from tomato based foods, rub the inside with vegetable oil before placing the food in the container.

• Kitchen surfaces: Mix in spray bottle, 1 part ammonia to 3 parts water. Or try diluted bleach solution in a spray bottle. It will remove stains AND disinfect.

• Removing kitchen and food odors: Soak pure vanilla on a cotton ball and place in a saucer. Put the saucer in the car or refrigerator to remove odors. Keep cotton ball out of reach of children as it contains some alcohol.

• Odor producing mold and bacteria in garbage cans: sprinkle 1/2 cup Borax in the bottom of the garbage can.

• Cleaning coffee maker: Pour straight vinegar into it as if you are making the coffee, no filter is need. Turn coffee maker on as if you were making a pot of coffee. Repeat this with a new batch of vinegar until it runs clear of calcium deposits.

Rio de Janeiro Declared World Heritage Site

The landscapes of Rio de Janeiro have been entered onto the World Heritage List, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization said.

The decision regarding the Brazilian city was adopted by UNESCO's World Heritage Committee at its 36th session in Russia's second-largest city.

Rio de Janeiro, Carioca Landscapes between the Mountain and the Sea was the only Latin American site aspiring to be included on the list at the current meeting.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said that the UNESCO designation was a "reason for pride for all of Brazil" and an incentive to continue with Rio's "revitalization."

In a communique the head of state added that the designation comes at a time when the city has proven that it has "management competence and capacity to host important national and international events," including the recent U.N. conference on sustainable development.

In addition, she noted that Rio will be one of the sites for the 2014 soccer World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.

The UNESCO panel, which is tasked with ensuring fulfillment of the tenets enshrined in the 1972 World Heritage Convention, is made up of representatives of 21 countries elected by the signatory nations.

At the beginning of the 36th session of the Committee, which will last until July 6, the World Heritage List included 725 sites in 153 countries.

Happy Birthday, America!

On July 4, 1776, we claimed our independence from Britain and Democracy was born. Every day thousands leave their homeland to come to the “land of the free and the home of the brave” so they can begin their American Dream.

The United States is truly a diverse nation made up of dynamic people. Each year on July 4, Americans celebrate that freedom and independence with barbecues, picnics, and family gatherings. Through the Internet we are learning about and communicating with people of different nations, with different languages and different races throughout the world. Bringing the world closer with understanding and knowledge can only benefit all nations.

Aluminum Foil as Wrinkle Remover

To get wrinkles out of silk, wool, and rayon clothes that can't take direct heat, place a piece of foil on your ironing board, then lay the garment flat over it. With the steam button down, pass the iron three to four inches over the fabric several times. Wet heat radiating from the foil helps smooth out wrinkles.

Red, White, and Blooming

Just in time for summer holidays and cookouts, Senior Garden Editor Kate Karam has created a simple and patriotic arrangement.

1. Line a tiered basket with a layer of sphagnum sheet moss.
2. Cut stems of flowers to one length and at an angle. Remove any leaves that will be below water level.
3. Fill plastic or glass cups two-thirds full of cool water, place in basket, and add flowers; surround with moss to cover cups.
4. To ensure a lasting arrangement, change water daily. If flowers start to wilt, give the stems a fresh cut to reinvigorate them.

From Cottage Living

Cooking Spray as Candlestick Cleaner

Celebrating by candlelight? Spray the inside of a votive holder with a thin coating before dropping in a tea light. After the candle has burned down, the remaining wax will slip out.









 

Fresh Ways to Dress Up a Table

Turn Limes into Festive Place Cards

Delightfully bright and pleasingly oval, limes are much too pretty to be sidelined as mere garnish. Instead, give them a starring role as placeholders. Write out each guest's name on one end of a sticky file label, center the label at the dull end of a small wooden skewer (or a toothpick), then wrap, bringing the label ends together. Stick each skewer into a washed lime and place one on each plate.

Extract from Real Simple

New Uses for Recyclable Items

Cork as Sewing Kit

Make a compact sewing kit. Stick needles and pins in the cork.  For a little zip, wrap it with a few lengths of thread.

Newspaper as Shoe Deodorizer

Help shoes keep their shape and smell fresh by stuffing them with newspaper after wearing them.

Happy Mother's Day!

My mother taught me RELIGION.
“You’d better pray that will come out of the carpet.”

My mother taught me TIME TRAVEL.
“If you don’t straighten up, I’m going to knock you into the middle of next week!”

My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
“Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you’re in an accident.”

My mother taught me IRONY.
“Keep crying, and I’ll give you something to cry about.”

My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
“Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!”

My mother taught me about WEATHER.
“This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it.”

My mother taught me about ENVY.
“There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don’t have wonderful parents like you do.”

My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
“Just wait until we get home.”

My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
“You are going to get it when you get home!”

My mother taught me HUMOR.
“When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don’t come running to me.”

My mother taught me WISDOM.
“When you get to be my age, you’ll understand.”

My mother taught me about JUSTICE.
“One day you’ll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you”.

- Unknown

New Uses for Old Things

Newspaper as Refrigerator Odor Absorber

Absorb odors in the refrigerator’s vegetable drawer with a lining of newspaper.

Olive Oil as Sap Remover

If dragging and decking out fresh spruce leaves you with sticky digits, pour a tablespoon of oil onto a cloth, then rub until clean. Bonus: The oil is a great moisturizer for dry winter skin.

Salt as Stain Remover

Remove coffee and tea stains from the insides of cups by rubbing with a salted citrus peel.

Cornstarch as Makeup Protector

Balance the oiliness of moisturizing makeup. Brush on a thin layer as a finishing touch.

 

Party Planning Checklist

Three Weeks Before

• Make an invitation list. For a large cocktail party, invite 20 percent more people than you can fit, since typically only 70 percent to 80 percent of invitees attend.
• Decide on a theme, if you want one. Make, buy, or borrow any decorations or music you may need to fit the theme.
• Send invitations. Mail, e-mail, even phone invites are all acceptable.
• Plan the menu. Assemble the recipes (choose only those that can be prepared in advance, perhaps even frozen, with just warming and assembling required on party day). Make a list of how far in advance each can be made, and compile a shopping list. Place an order with your local delicatessen or bakery, as needed.                                        
• Line up any help you may need. Consider hiring a professional to help with pre-or postparty cleaning or to pass drinks or appetizers, replenish buffet food, tidy up, and generally take some weight off your shoulders.  For information on our services check our website and for reservations,  please call us at (973)723-4405  or e-mail info@goterrandsusa.com                               

Two Weeks Before

• Clean any crystal, china, and silverware you’ll be using. And launder and iron linens.
• Come up with a playlist. The music should be upbeat and sufficient to last throughout the party.
• Do a first round of grocery shopping and cooking. Prepare any dishes that can be frozen.

One Week Before

• Clean the house thoroughly. This way, you’ll need only a quick once-over before the party. (To maintain it for the rest of the week, try the 19-minute daily routine at www.realsimple.com/quickcleanup.)
• Set the stage. Arrange the furniture as you’ll want it for the party, making sure that guests can move easily from one part of your house to another. Designate a coffee table or side table for coffee and dessert, if you’ll be serving them. Tuck away things that will be in the way, precious items that might get broken (or even be taken), and any clutter. Figure out the lighting: Using low-wattage bulbs or candlelight will create the right mood.
• Take inventory of cookware and serving dishes. If you don’t have enough for every dish you’re serving, consider purchasing inexpensive pieces from a discount or thrift store. Label each dish with a Post-it so you’ll remember what you plan to use it for at party time.
• Stock the bar. Plan three bottles of wine for every four people, three to four cocktails per guest for a two- to three-hour cocktail party.

Three Days Before

• Notify the neighbors. Let them know you’re having a party if you expect it to be large, loud, or parking-intensive.
• Decorate. Arrange candles, put up theme decorations, etc.
• Check the medicine cabinet. Remove any personal items you wouldn’t want guests to see.
• Set up clean-up stations. Place a box of salt, Wine Away (red wine stain remover), club soda, and a couple of rags in a wicker basket, and store a few in strategic places in case a nasty spill occurs.
• Specify a place for coats. Make space in a closet and fill it with hangers. You could also choose a bed for coats (make sure the room is especially tidy and free of valuables, so you won’t need to worry about them), or purchase an inexpensive portable garment rack.
• Finish grocery shopping. Make a detailed cooking schedule for your remaining dishes.

                                   

One Day Before

• Set the tables. Or set up the buffet.
• Buy and arrange flowers.
• Finish as much of the cooking as you can. Also, for any foods that require cooking on party day, do as much prep (dicing, marinating, rinsing lettuce, etc.) as possible.
• Give your house a once-over. Do whatever touch-ups are needed.

Day of the Party

•  Finish any last-minute cooking. This should be absolutely minimal!
• Place chairs. Don’t worry about having enough seating for everyone; fewer seats will encourage mingling.
• Display food. One to two hours before guests arrive, set out appetizers and snacks that won’t spoil. Wrap them tightly to ensure freshness; tear off the wrap when the first guest rings the doorbell.
• Greet guests as they arrive. Things should be organized so you’re free to mingle, not tied to the kitchen.

Extract from Real Simple 

5 New Uses For Vodka

Vodka can do more than just make a happy hour, well, happier. It has lots of "off-label" uses that go beyond the bar. Don't believe me? Check out this list of 5 uses for vodka. Share yours in the comments!

Goo Remover: Got a price tag, sticker or label that just won't peel off? Bring on the vodka. Simply saturate a sponge (or paper towel) with the strong stuff, apply to the sticker and wait about a minute. The paper (and tacky residue) will come right off.
Chrome "shiner": Restore the beauty of chrome fixtures in seconds with this easy trick. Just moisten a soft cloth with vodka, then rub down the fixture. Good as new. (This will also work on porcelain and glass!)
Room Deodorizer: Since air fresheners can often leave a room smelling worse, try this no-odor fix. Fill a spritzer bottle with a 1:1 ratio of water to vodka (this is a good time for the cheap stuff) and mist the air. Surprisingly, the room won't smell like a vodka martini.
Bouquet Preserver: Bacteria growth can make a pretty bouquet fade fast. To prevent this, add a few drops of vodka to every time you change the water. The flowers will stay lovelier longer.
Shower Cleaner: The moist, humid environment inside a bathroom can often lead to mold. To clean AND prevent it from happening again, spritz the shower, curtain liner and all, with vodka. Chemical-free and effective.

Mom charged after forcing 10-yr-old to walk 4.5 miles to school

JONESBORO, AR (KAIT) – The Jonesboro Police Department says a mother put her 10-year-old son in danger, forcing him to walk almost five miles to school as punishment.

Police cited Valerie Borders, 34, on Monday for endangering the welfare of a minor in the second degree.

Officers determined Borders forced her son to make a 4.5-mile trek to school from their home at Fairview Drive. Nequavion Borders, 10, had recently lost his bus-riding privileges for the fifth time from MicroSociety magnet school, located at 1110 West Washington.

His mother sent him to school on foot Monday as punishment for the repeated suspensions. He only made it a few blocks before he was picked up by police.

"She did the right thing," Nequavion said. "She knew that I had been suspended off the bus five days, so she didn't do nothing wrong. She made me walk. I just had to walk. They shouldn't have picked me up. I could've walked by myself."

Valerie Borders did not want to make a comment, but she did allow her son to speak on her behalf exclusively to Region 8 News. He says he now realizes why his mother wanted to teach him a lesson and "not to just get on the bus and act a fool."

Nequavion made it to the busy intersection of Highland and Stadium and crossed the Liberty Bank parking lot. A security guard approached the boy, apparently surprised to see a child in the area alone.

"Anytime you see a child out walking like that, ask yourself a question – is that safe for the child?" Sgt. Lyle Waterworth with Jonesboro Police said. "If you wouldn't want your child doing it, we probably don't need somebody else's child doing it."

Waterworth says the guard did the right thing by calling police. According to the police report, when officers arrived, the boy asked them, "Please don't take me home, mother will beat me." He also told police that he was advised not to stop walking or talk to anyone until he made it to school.

Police drove the boy to school and then paid a visit to his mother, who was at home on vacation from work. Police wrote Valerie Borders a ticket and gave her a court date.

She will appear in Craighead County District Court on Monday, February 27. If convicted she could face up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Borders' son, however, said he does not want his mother to get into trouble for him misbehaving. He says he knows now to behave better on the bus.

"She should not be going to court," Nequavion said. "I learned my lesson. That was me that was getting suspended off the bus."

News from KSLA12 on February 15, 2012

Dijon-Braised Brussels Sprouts

Serves 4 as a side dish

1 pound brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup broth (chicken or vegetable)
2 to 3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon smooth dijon mustard (or more to taste)
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Trim sprouts and halve lengthwise. In a large, heavy 12-inch skillet heat butter and oil over moderate heat. Arrange halved sprouts in skillet, cut sides down, in one layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook sprouts, without turning until undersides are golden brown, about 5 minutes. [Updated to note: If your sprouts don't fit in one layer, don't fret! Brown them in batches, then add them all back to the pan, spreading them as flat as possible, before continuing with the shallots, wine, etc.]

Add the shallots, wine and stock and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low (for a gentle simmer), cover the pot with a lid (foil works too, if your skillet lacks a lid) and cook the sprouts until they are tender can be pierced easily with the tip of a paring knife, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the lid, and scoop out brussels. Add cream and simmer for two to three minutes, until slightly thickened. Whisk in mustard. Taste for seasoning, and adjust as necessary with more salt, pepper or Dijon. Pour sauce over brussels, sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve immediately.

From Smitten Kitchen

Tomato Paste Saver

Most recipes call for only a small portion of tomato paste -- you use a tablespoon or two, and the rest invariably goes to waste. To save the remainder: Carefully open both ends of the can with a can opener. Remove one metal end, and discard it. Leave the other in place. Wrap the entire can in plastic wrap, and freeze overnight. The next day, use the metal end to push the frozen paste out the open end. Discard can, tightly rewrap unused portion, and store in freezer up to 3 months, slicing off just as much as you need each time you cook.

Easy DIY Valentine's Day Crafts

Get the kids involved spreading holiday cheer, no matter how much you love (or love to hate) February 14.

Mix and Match Votives

Give those scraps of paper headed to the recycling bin a second shot to shine. This idea works with all kinds of paper–even your kids’ artwork.

What you need:

Assorted paper, Washi Tape, Ribbon

Double-sided Tape

Votives

• Wrap paper around votive for sizing; cut to necessary length. Adhere strips of paper to   votive with double-sided tape.

• Be creative and have some fun. Wrap some with just paper and layer others with ribbon and tape.

Extracted from Real Simple

 

Are you Organized?

To jumpstart the bringing of order into your home, here are four old-fashioned rules that can change the quality of your daily life beginning today. 1. If you take it out, put it back. 2. If you open it, close it. 3. If you through it down, pick it up. 4. If you take it off, hand it up. *From Simple Abundance, by Sarah Ban Breathnach* ** ** **

5 New Uses For Fabric Softener Dryer Sheets

A box of fabric softener sheets can go far beyond the laundry room. Just one sheet (even if it's already used) is able to take the place of a bunch of cleaning products. Here are our favorite uses for this must-have:
- Pot "Scrubber." If you're someone who likes baking your macaroni and cheese, you will agree that the worst part is dealing with the messy baking dish, with the fused noodle/cheese hybrid that takes forever to scrape out. You can try soaking it over night with warm soapy water, you'll still have to spend lots of time scrubbing out the baked-on-bits. Instead, throw in a fabric softener sheet into the pot with warm soapy water and leave overnight. The mess will be gone (almost) in the morning. Whatever it is that makes fabric softener make your sweaters and clothes cozy also works as an amazing degreaser--even on the toughest baked-on stuff.
- Gnats No More. Fabric softener sheets not only repel static cling but pests. A joint study last year by Kansas State University and University of Illinois found out that fabric softener sheets repel gnats. Fabric softener contains chemicals that prevent gnat larva from wreaking havoc on indoor and greenhouse potted plants.
- Pet Hair Remover. Did your cat get hair all over your black pants? Don't worry about it. You can use a fabric softener sheet to remove pet hair from your clothes by rolling the sheet against the offending fur. The sheet fights off the static cling that makes pet hair stick.
- Water Spots Be Gone. Most of us have hard water, which can leave calcium deposits on chrome surfaces (like faucets and handles). It's a pain to clean...unless you have a dryer sheet. Simply buff the chrome with a sheet to restore the spotless shine.
- Instant Sachets. Not too surprising, but a dryer sheet is great for clearing the air in stinky situations. Just toss one in a gym bag, in the kitchen garbage or even your sneakers. Your friends and family will thank you.

(From Stylelist Home)