Pre Planned Make Ahead Crock Pot Meals

We all live busy lives and are always looking for ways to save time and maximize our outcomes, so I've found these tips and are going to make them work for me as well, so I thought I would share them with you all.

Crockpot Freezer Recipes- 

Fill your Freezer with these delicious Make ahead Crockpot Meals that are frozen until you need them, then you simply dump them into your slow cooker before you head out the door to work/play.


Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches

6-8 Chicken Breasts (1 for each family member, doubled)...
2 cups of chicken broth
2 small cans of pineapple rings
2 red bell peppers sliced into thin strips
1large onion sliced into strips
Provolone cheese
Whole wheat buns or lettuce wraps

Directions: Divide all contents evenly into two oven bags except cheese and buns/lettuce. 
Cook on low for 8 hours. 
Serve chicken topped with pepper and onions under melted provolone cheese on a bun or lettuce warp.


Savory Pepper Steak

3 pounds of roundsteak but into ½ inch thick strips.
½ cup flour
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp pepper
1 large onion chopped
a few garlic cloves—I like to put 4-5 crushed into each bag
1 green peppers sliced
1 red pepper sliced
2 16oz cans of tomatoes—I prefer Italian style
2 tbsp beef stock or 2 cubes
4 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp of steak seasoning
2 tbsp of steak sauce

Directions: 
Toss steak strips in mixture of flour, salt and pepper. 
Mix together beef stock cude, Worcestershire sauce, and steak sauce and divide evenly into two oven bags. 
Add remaining ingredients. 
Cook on low 8 hours. 
Serve with rice and a side salad.


Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

12 WAXY potatoes, cut into ¼ inch round slices
2 cans of cream of whatever soup
2 cans of water
2 ham steaks, cubed
8 oz cheddar cheese
4 cups of broccoli
salt and pepper

Directions: 

Divide everything evenly into two containers. 
Cook on low for 8 hours.


Salsa Chicken

6-8 chicken breasts
2 15 oz. cans of black beans
1 family size frozen bag of corn
2 cans of diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 jar of salsa
1 packet of taco seasoning
2 cups of cheddar cheese

Directions:
Divide everything except cheese evenly into two oven bags. 
Cook on low for 8 hours. 
Serve over rice or on corn tortillas with rice as a side.

Chicken Curry

4 chicken breasts (w/ rib meat)
2cans of cream of chicken soup
1 cup of dry cooking sherry
½ cup of butter
8 green onions chopped
4 tsp of curry powder
salt and pepper

Directions: 
Divide everything except butter into two oven bags evenly. 
Add butter to crockpot when ready to cook. Cook on low for 8 hours. 
Serve over rice with a side salad.





Apricot Chicken
1 pkg. onion soup mix
1 Bottle Russian Dressing
1 sm. Jar apricot preserves
1-2lbs chicken (raw, cut into small chunks).

Simply pour all the ingredients into a crock-pot, turn on low/med & simmer 1-2 hrs. 

Recipe can be double or tripled.

Sweet-n-Sour Kielbasa

1 Jar Any Sweet-n-Sour Sauce
1 can pineapple chunks, un-drained
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 kielbasa, cut into chunks

Simply dump all the ingredients into a crock-pot, turn on low/med & simmer 1-2 hrs.

Recipe can be double or tripled.

Sweet-n-Sour Meatballs

2 lbs Frozen Meatballs
1 c. Grape Jelly
2 c. Chili Sauce (or) Cocktail Sauce

Simply dump all the ingredients into a crock-pot, turn on low/med & simmer 1-2 hrs.

Recipe can be double or tripled.

Barbecued Pot Roast

1kg pot roast
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup tomato paste
24 peppercorns
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 

Sprinkle salt over the roast and place in crockpot. 

Spread tomato paste over meat. 

Imbed peppercorns into paste. 

Top with onions and Worcestershire sauce. 

Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours. 

Serve meat with accumulated gravy.


Beef Fajitas

750g flank steak
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 or 2 jalapeño peppers, chopped
1/2 tbs parsley
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp salt
8-oz can stewed tomatoes
12 7-inch flour tortillas
2 tsp lime juice (optional)
Shredded colby
Guacamole (optional)
Sour Cream (optional)
Salsa (optional) 

Trim fat from steak. 

Cut steak into 6 portions. 

Combine steak, onion, bell pepper, jalapeño peppers, parsley, chili powder, cumin, coriander, garlic, and salt in crockpot. 

Add undrained tomatoes. 

Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. (Or cook on high for 4 to 5 hours.) 

Set oven to 350°. 

To heat tortillas, wrap them in foil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until softened. remove steak from cooker and shred. 

Return steak to cooker. stir in lime juice, if desired.
To serve, use a slotted spoon to spoon steak mixture onto warm tortillas. 

Top with cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa, if desired. 

Roll up tortillas. 

6 servings.

Caribbean Dump Chicken

This is called "dump" chicken because all the ingredients are put into a 1-gallon freezer bag with the chicken and frozen. The bag is thawed overnight in the refrigerator, then dumped into a baking pan or crock pot and cooked.

8 ounces pineapple chunks in juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 cup orange juice
1/2 cup golden raisins
700g chicken pieces

For freezing: 

Place all ingredients into a 1-gallon freezer bag. 

Lay flat in freezer. 

To thaw and cook: Take the bag out of the freezer the night before, making sure the freezer bag is completely sealed. 

Place the bag on a shelf furthest from the freezer (It works best if the bag is laying flat, although this may not be the best option with a side-by-side refrigerator/freezer).

For baking: 

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Place all ingredients into a large baking dish, turn chicken to coat. 

Bake until chicken juices run clear (about 30 to 60 minutes depending upon the chicken pieces used).

For the crock pot: 

Put chicken in the bottom of the pot. 

Pour remaining ingredients over the chicken. 

Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-6 hours or until done

Country Pork and Mushrooms

1kg country-style ribs, boneless
1 can cream of mushroom soup
4 oz sliced mushrooms
1/4 tsp salt
1 envelope mushroom gravy mix
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika 

Combine all ingredients in crockpot. 

Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours.

Make a smooth paste with 1 heaping tablespoon of flour and 2 tablespoons of cool water. 

Stir into broth and cook for an additional 15 minutes. 

Serve ribs with mashed potatoes and corn. 

6 servings

Idea found on http://www.budget101.com

Pantry, Counter, Fridge - Where To Store Produce For Maximum Shelf Life

No matter how good a deal you got on those in-season blueberries, tomatoes or basil, it’s money wasted if some of that produce goes bad before it makes it to the table.

It is said that we throw out 14 percent of the food we buy -- and that's before factoring in the leftover food you scrape from your plate. 

Knowing how long fresh fruits and vegetables last and where to store them for maximum shelf life leads to better deals. You can make smarter decisions about how much to buy of a particular food, and use more (if not all) of it before it goes bad. (That’s not to say you can’t keep peppers on the counter or oranges in the fridge, of course – just that if you opt to keep something in less than ideal storage conditions, you might need to eat it a few days sooner.)

Read through the following tips for extending the shelf life of fruits and vegetables:

Apples
Store on the counter. Move any uneaten apples to the refrigerator after seven days. In the fridge or out, don’t store near most other uncovered fruits or vegetables — the ethylene gases produced by apples can ruin them (making carrots bitter, for example). The exception: if you want to ripen plums, pears and other fruits quickly, put an apple nearby for a day or so
.
Artichoke
Refrigerate whole for up to two weeks.

Asparagus
Store upright in the refrigerator in a plastic bag with either an inch of water or with a damp towel wrapped around the base, just like you would have flowers in a vase. They’ll last three to four days that way.

Avocados
Ripen on the counter. Can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days once ripe.

Bananas
Store on the counter. Refrigerate only when ripe — they’ll last for another two days or so.

Beets
Remove green tops an inch or two above the crown. Refrigerate beets in a plastic bag to prevent moisture loss, which leads to wilting. (They’ll last seven to 10 days.) Refrigerate greens separately, also in a plastic bag.

Berries
Rrefrigerate berries, unwashed and in their original container. Blueberries and strawberries should keep for five to seven days; more fragile raspberries and blackberries up to two days.

Broccoli
Refrigerate in a sealed plastic bag. It’ll keep for three to five days.

Carrots
Refrigerate in a sealed plastic bag for up to three weeks.

Cauliflower
Refrigerate, stem side down, in a sealed plastic bag. It’ll last three to five days.

Celery
Refrigerate one to two weeks in a sealed bag. Keep in the front of the refrigerator, where it’s less apt to freeze.

Citrus fruits
Store oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit on the counter. They can last up to two weeks.

Corn
Refrigerate ears still in the husk. They’ll last up to two days.

Cucumbers
Refrigerate, either in the crisper or in a plastic bag elsewhere in the fridge. They’ll last four to five days.

Garlic
Store in the pantry, or any similar location away from heat and light. It’ll last up to four months.

Green beans
Refrigerate in a plastic bag for three to four days.

Green onions
Refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Herbs
Fresh herbs can last seven to 10 days in the refrigerator. “When I use fresh herbs and store them in my refrigerator at home, I keep them in air-tight containers with a damp paper towel on the top and bottom,” says Raymond Southern, the executive chef at The Back Bay Hotel in Boston. “This keeps them fresh.”

Leafy greens
Refrigerate unwashed. Full heads will last five to seven days that way, instead of three to four days for a thoroughly drained one. Avoid storing in the same drawer as apples, pears or bananas, which release ethylene gases that act as a natural ripening agent.

Mushrooms
Take out of the package and store in a paper bag in the refrigerator, or place on a tray and cover with a wet paper towel. They’ll last two to three days.

Onions
Stored in the pantry, away from light and heat, they’ll last three to four weeks.

Peaches
Ripen on the counter in a paper bag punched with holes, away from sunlight. Keep peaches (as well as plums and nectarines) on the counter until ripe, and then refrigerate. They’ll last another three to four days.

Pears
Store on the counter, ideally, in a bowl with bananas and apples, and then refrigerate after ripening. They’ll last another three to four days.

Peas
Refrigerated in a plastic bag perforated with holes, they’ll last three to five days.

Peppers
Refrigerated, they’ll last four to five days.

Potatoes
Store them in the pantry away from sunlight and heat, and they’ll last two to three months.

Radishes
Refrigerate. They’ll last 10 to 14 days.

Summer squash
Refrigerate in a perforated plastic bag. They’ll last four to five days.

Tomatoes
Spread them out on the counter out of direct sunlight for even ripening. After ripening, store stem side down in the refrigerator and they’ll last two to three days.

Tropical fruit
Mangoes, papayas, pineapples and kiwifruit should be ripened on the counter. Ripen mangos in a paper bag in a cool place, and then refrigerates them for another two to five days.

Watermelon
Kept at room temperature on the counter, it’ll last up to two weeks.

Winter squashes
Store on the counter for up to two weeks.

Store Your Food Correctly to Maximize Its Shelf Life

A lot of people have become so far removed from natural foods that they will eye every minor imperfection with suspicion. But these surface imperfections, like small "bruises" on fruits for example, or a minute speck of mold on a piece of cheese, or a bit of wilting, is not what will make you sick. They can be cut off and the food will still be fine to eat.

The danger of spoiled food comes from bacteria you can't see, smell or taste. The vast majority of the food recalls in recent years have actually been processed foods and pre-packaged produce. Due to preservatives and packaging methods used, these foods may have looked pristine, but were still contaminated with disease-causing bacteria.

That said, if you know how to store your produce, you can make your food stay crisp and fresh longer, without adding unsavory chemicals to your diet.

First, you'll want to make sure your fridge is kept cold enough -- below 4 degrees Celsius. This will ensure food safety. Also leave enough space in your fridge for cold air to circulate. If your refrigerator is too tightly packed, your food will spoil faster.

Next, you'll want to properly store each individual food.

To best preserve beets, for example, you would remove the green tops and refrigerate the beets and the greens in separate plastic bags, while corn should be refrigerated while still in the husk to stay fresh the longest.

Citrus fruits, on the other hand, can last up to two weeks right on the counter, while garlic and onions need to be stored in a dark, cool pantry, where they will stay fresh for up to four months.

Herbs can be notoriously tricky to keep from wilting, but if you keep them in an air-tight container wrapped in a moistened paper towel, they'll maintain their freshness for up to ten days in your fridge. 

The life of leafy greens can also be extended by as much as three extra days if you don't wash them before putting them in your fridge.

Also keep in mind that apples, pears, and bananas release natural ripening agents that will hasten the demise of any other produce placed in their vicinity. 

You Simply MUST Do This With Your Produce


Oxygen, in most cases, is not food's friend as it accelerates food decay. A simple way you can protect most of your produce from the damaging effects of oxygen in the air is to make sure you "vacuum pack" your produce.

You can easily do this using the bag at the grocery produce section to store your vegetables, and then put the bag against your chest and use your arm to squeeze the produce against your chest and force all the air out of the bag. 

Once the air is removed you can seal it with a twist tie and thus minimize exposure to oxygen.

This simple technique can easily double or triple the normal shelf life of your vegetables by keeping oxygen away from them.

Failing to Plan Means You are Planning to Fail


Planning your meals is important for a number of reasons, one of which is reducing the amount of food that will go to waste; since you'll only buy what you need each time you hit the store.

It will also go a long way to help you raise the nutritional content of your meals, as lack of planning combined with time constraints tend to be the number one reason for poor eating habits.

I recommend buying your food locally, preferably from a small organic farming operation you can visit and inspect for yourself. Not only will this guarantee you the freshest foods, giving you a few extra days of leeway before they spoil, this practice is also the most environmentally friendly, leaving the tiniest carbon footprint.

Also keep in mind that eating fresh, raw foods – selected to suit your nutritional type --is THE way to be optimally healthy.

This is such an important step, and now it's easier and less expensive than ever.

The solution to waste is NOT to load up on more processed or canned foods simply because you can store them until the end of time. Their extreme shelf life comes at a high price as they are loaded with chemical preservatives. And, as if that's not enough of a health hazard, many processed foods are packaged in boxes and cans that leach additional toxins into your food.

Processed "convenience foods" really don't save you much time either. In one study, the difference between meals involving more than 50 percent convenience foods, compared to limited use of such items, was negligible. 

Meals still took an average of 52 minutes to prepare. The only difference seen was the amount of time spent on hands-on preparation, where the use of convenience foods saved an average of 10 to 12 minutes.

However, if you want to save money, steer clear of those precut, ready-to-use foods, as they can cost twice as much as the uncut and unprepared versions.

Remember, the fresher your foods are to start with, the longer they'll be safe to eat, so choose small amounts of the freshest foods you can find and eat them as soon as possible.

Vegetables, in particular, begin to lose their nutritional value shortly after harvesting. If you have to choose between frozen or canned vegetables, frozen is better, but still cannot compare to fresh.

To use up foods that are at the height of freshness, you can also cook in large quantities, and store the surplus in glass containers in your fridge or freezer. 

This is perhaps the easiest way to ensure you have a healthy lunch each day.

To balance out the extra time spent cooking, you can eat many foods raw while you're on the go. Ideally, at least one third of your food should be eaten raw, such as vegetables, seeds, nuts, dairy, and organic eggs.

Vegetable juicing is also an excellent way to get more raw food into your diet, but it will need to be made fresh each day.

Last but not least, meal planning should also include planning what to do with the leftovers. 

Waste Not, Want Not…


Taking steps in your own life to eliminate food waste makes you part of the solution and not the problem. And, if you act on the dietary suggestions above, you'll also improve your health.

Once you become accustomed to planning your meals and eating the best-quality foods for your nutritional type, I'm certain you'll never look back. I can guarantee you'll start experiencing increased energy, weight normalization, and other health benefits that will make any time spent in your kitchen well worth it.

Removing A Heat Stain From A Mahogany Table

Not too long ago we bought a beautiful mahogany table, during dinner one evening, someone passed a hot dish and set it down on the table, with nothing under it. It didn't take but a second and the damage was done, our once gorgeous table now spotted with a permanent ugly white heat stain. Or so we thought, until we discovered that we could easily remove it with this simple do it yourself tip . . .


You'll Need:
an Iron
a thin cotton cloth


First, make sure that the iron is filled with water, as it's supposed to be and then be sure that the table is washed and dried well before you begin.

Place a Clean, cotton t-shirt or thin towel over the white scorch marks on the table

Set an iron to medium with the steam on (I know, I know, it's hard to believe that steam will help when it caused the problem to begin with!)

Iron gently for about 30-60 seconds over the mark, remove and quickly wipe away any excess moisture that is on the table.

Repeat until the marks are gone.


Once the marks have been removed, apply a small amount of olive oil to the table using a soft clean, lint free cloth.


A few notes: 

There are varying reports of whether or not this works. 

As you can see from the photos above, it worked quite well for us, however, it may be dependent on several factors, how bad the stain is, what kind of finish the piece of furniture has (varnish/shellac/poly/etc) I couldn't tell you what our table has, I don't know what it is.

Here are just a few other tips 

In a small bowl, combine toothpaste and baking soda at a 50/50 ratio, then rub in using a soft cloth. (Please note, Do not use gel toothpaste!) 

In a small bowl combine salt and olive oil, mixing to form a soft paste, apply with a soft cloth and let it set for half an hour.

Wash and dry normally 

Apply a small amount of  Mayonnaise, allow it to set for 1 hour and then wash and dry well. 

In a small bowl combine Baking soda and a couple drops of water mixing to form a soft paste, apply with a soft cloth and let it set for half an hour. 

Wash and dry normally 

Using a soft cloth, gently rub the stain with Vaseline, let it set overnight. 

Wash and dry the table normally
.

Chalkboard Your Cupboards - What a Great Idea

Chalkboard Your Cupboards, What A Cool Idea

Convert the insides of your kitchen cupboards into chalkboards to write yourself cooking notes, add baking equivalents, hang measuring cups and spoons and more! 

This simple DIY project costs less than $10 and takes about 15 minutes.


You'll Need:
Painters Tape
1 Can Chalkboard Paint

Chalkboard paint can be found at any hardware or big department store, such as The Warehouse, Mitre 10, Bunnings. 

It will be located in the paint/housewares section and usually costs just under $10 per can.

Remove the cupboard doors you wish to transform and lightly sand the inside, just enough to remove the varnish. Wipe it down very well to get any and all excess dust off the cabinet door. Carefully tape the edges to prevent over spray.

Shake the can well and spray the doors, about 8-10 inches away with an even sweeping

motion until completely covered

Let them dry (for the length of time suggested on the can of paint).

Once they have completely dried, gently remove the painters tape. 

Reattach the doors to the cupboards and write whatever you like. 

Here's a tip for writing "cleanly", sharpen a stick of chalk in an old cheapie pencil sharpener. It works wonders!

If you'd like to hang measuring cups and spoons, you can use 3M Clear Instant stick tabs as we've done here. 

It's a great use of space and prevents me from having to dig through drawers to search for a measuring cup.

Things To Know Before You Buy Fish or Shellfish

We have all been there, walking away from the seafood counter and wondering  just how to tell if the fish I've chosen is fresh enough!!!!!!!

Knowing how to choose fresh fish or seafood is a vital skill for a seafood cook. 

Unless you caught the fish yourself, you really have no way of knowing exactly how fresh it is. But buying fresh fish is easy if you know what to look for. 

Here are tips on choosing fresh fish.

Whole Fish


Look for bright, clear eyes. The eyes are the window to a truly fresh fish, for they fade quickly into gray dullness. 

Dull-eyed fish may be safe to eat, but they are past their prime.


Next look at the fish. Does it shine? Does it look metallic and clean? 

Or has it dulled or has discolored patches on it? 

If so, it is marginal.


Smell it. A fresh fish should smell like clean water, or a touch briny or even like cucumbers. Under no circumstances should you buy a nasty smelling fish. 

Cooking won't improve it.


Look at the gills. They should be a rich red. 

If the fish is old, they will turn the color of faded brick

Fish Fillets


Look for vibrant flesh. 

All fish fade as they age. 

If the fillet still has skin, that skin should look as pristine as the skin on an equally good whole fish – shiny and metallic.


Smell it. The smell test is especially important with fillets. They should have no pungent aromas.


Is there liquid on the meat? If so, that liquid should be clear, not milky. 

Milky liquid on a fillet is the first stage of rot.


If the fishmonger lets you, press the meat with your finger. It should be resilient enough so your indentation disappears. If your fingerprint remains, move on.


Live Things

The best way to choose a live fish or crab or lobster is to look for, well, life. 

Is it scampering around in its tank? Swimming happily?

Or is it sulking in a corner or hanging motionless and panting? 

If so, don’t buy it. 

Lobsters and crabs starve themselves in tanks and often can be almost empty inside when you crack open one that’s been imprisoned in a tank for weeks.

Your best bet is to make friends with the fishmonger and find out when the new shipments arrive. 

Plan on being there to meet it and buy then. You will be rewarded for your extra effort.


Shellfish

Buy only at the finest fish markets. 

These are the places where turnover is so rapid you can be assured of fresh mussels, clams or oysters. 

You may still get a dead one, but the ratio will be far lower.

What is a dead one? 

Shellfish are sold alive, so they should react to you. 

Put them on the counter top and back away for a moment. 

Then tap the shell: It should close tighter than it was. 

Oysters are a little tough to do this with, but clams and mussels will definitely react. 

You can also tell a dead shellfish after you've cooked them all. Dead ones do not open after being cooked. 

Throw them away.

Scallops, a Special Case

Scallops are almost always sold shucked, so what you are looking for are “dry packed” scallops, meaning they are not shipped and stored in brine. 

Those scallops you see wallowing in milky ick? 

Leave them be. 

Better to buy frozen, vacuum-sealed scallops, which are perfectly good by the way, than an inferior wet-packed scallop.


Shrimp

This one is easy. 

Buy them whole and frozen. 

Whole because the shell protects them from the rigors of being frozen without losing too much moisture, and frozen because shrimp cook – and rot – very rapidly.

Should you be near a shrimping region, or have access to truly magnificent fresh shrimp, by all means buy them. 

Head on if possible. Why? Because head-on shrimp stay moister. 

Remember: Nothing says boring like a dry, overcooked shrimp.

Everything I said about shrimp applies to crayfish, too. 

Unless you can get them live, in which case follow the instructions for lobsters or crabs.


Squid or Octopus

These are almost always sold to the wholesaler pre-frozen, so you should buy them frozen. Both squid, commonly known as calamari, and its more richly flavored cousin the octopus freeze exceptionally well.

Again, if you can buy squid and octopus – not to mention cuttlefish – fresh, do it! 

They are rare treats even at fine fish markets and should be appreciated as such. 

Like fin fish, you should look first at their eyes, which should be clean and bright.


The Fish Market

Finally, a comment on the shop itself. 

The absolute bottom line is that a fish shop should not stink. 

I’ll say it again: If you walk into a fish market and it reeks, turn around and leave. 

Fantastic fish can be had at a farmer’s market stall, a hole in the wall or in a flashy boutique, but none should smell like low tide. 

Ever.

Week 5 Of Trina's Low Carb Diet Challenge

All I can say is wine and rain and tiredness do not mix, All the good that I had done over the week I spoilt over the weekend


Loss was 400 grams, so still a loss

Felt good but was a bit ****** to find 5-6 (more like 10-12) wines would ruin all of the goodness in the week.....................................so



This weekend I drank alot of 

I sat out in alot of

and enjoyed 10CC, Starship and Lynard Skinard in the open air Taupo concert

And I certainly did not get anywhere near enough

Please check in again next week when I will be feeling a bit better, and may have more to report

Ever Wondered How To Fold A Fitted Sheet Properly

I found this tip on the WWW, and wanted to share it with you all as I hate folding fitted sheets, so instead of stressing out how they are folded, now you can do it like the professionals.

Every now and then we come across a household chore that can be a real pain to complete. Think of a cleaning task that you absolutely detest and could definitely live without ever having to do again.

That's how we used to feel about folding fitted sheets, that is until we found a few simple steps that help make this dreaded task a breeze.

We wanted to share out new-found wisdom with you, so here's a step-by-step guide that is guaranteed to take the pain out of all your sheet folding endeavors.




Step 1: Stand up tall and take a corner of the sheet in each hand and hold your arms out wide. Make sure to hold the corners of the shorter edge of the sheet. Turn the sheet inside out and then place each hand under the two corners.





Step 2: Take one of the corners of the sheet, bring it to meet your other hand and then fold it over the adjacent corner. Next pick up the third corner that is hanging in front and fold that over the corners you are already holding. The part of the sheet that is facing you should be inside out.




Step 3: Take the last corner that is hanging down and completely envelope all the other corners of the sheet.




Step 4: Lay the fitted sheet on a flat surface. You'll want to straighten the sheet out as best as you can, and remember to keep those corners folded nicely into each other.




Step 5: Fold the right and left edge of the sheet to hide the fitted corners.




Step 6: Fold the top and the bottom of the sheet in until it's a nice little rectangle.




Step 7: Now stand back and admire your work. You've just completed a task that many of us thought impossible; your fitted sheet is now folded as if it were a regular non-fitted variety. By following these instructions and using the nifty pics included as guides you'll soon be folding fitted sheets like a pro!


Then When It's Done Here Is Another Great Idea,

Store them in a matching set of pillowcases.

This tip came from

http://goldenshine.com/blog/how-to-fold-a-fitted-sheet/

Non Toxic Home Cleaners - With Easy Ingredients

HOMEMADE HOUSE HOLD CLEANERS

                         



There are many inexpensive, easy-to-use natural alternatives which can safely be used in place of commercial household products.

Here is a list of common, environmentally safe products which can be used alone or in combination for a wealth of household applications.

Baking Soda - cleans, deodorizes, softens water, scours.

Soap - unscented soap in liquid form, flakes, powders or bars is biodegradable and will clean just about anything.
Avoid using soaps which contain petroleum distillates.

Lemon - one of the strongest food-acids, effective against most household bacteria.

Borax - (sodium borate) cleans, deodorizes, disinfects, softens water, cleans wallpaper, painted walls and floors.

White Vinegar - cuts grease, removes mildew, odors, some stains and wax build-up.

Washing Soda - or SAL Soda is sodium carbonate decahydrate, a mineral.
Washing soda cuts grease, removes stains, softens water, cleans wall, tiles, sinks and tubs. Use care, as washing soda can irritate mucous membranes.
Do not use on aluminum.

Isopropyl Alcohol - is an excellent disinfectant.
(It has been suggested to replace this with ethanol or 100 proof alcohol in solution with water.
There is some indication that isopropyl alcohol buildup contributes to illness in the body.

Cornstarch - can be used to clean windows, polish furniture, shampoo carpets and rugs.

Citrus Solvent - cleans paint brushes, oil and grease, some stains.
(Citrus solvent may cause skin, lung or eye irritations for people with multiple chemical sensitivities

Trina's Progress - Week Four On '' The Low Carb Diet''

If you have been following my progress over the last few weeks you will know that I am doing the ''Low Carb Diet''

This week:

NO
Minor Headaches
No Constipation
No Withdraws

Cheating , OMG it was a bad week

Did I have lunch out -

Yes I ate out and tried to have good choices, but the weekend was bad as, I had my DIL birthday on Saturday night which required pudding and of course  CAKE and my other DIL's baby shower on Sunday, and lunch was pizza, spring rolls, sandwiches and sausage rolls, nothing I could eat, so I did the best I could, which you can interpret as I ate all the wrong foods lol

Did I have dinner out- 

Yes, main course was fine, but had to have pudding and cake, it was rude to NOT



Weight Loss- 

1 kg (couldn't believe that)

Total Loss-

In 4 weeks is 5.7 kg, 

Exercise-

2/7 been really busy and have made alot of excuses, so I have been very lucky this week.

Water:

Been really good with that, i will add i'm drinking heaps


Got to show you this picture, look what Ive just got, they are absolute time wasters, Elvis, Alice and Ozzy

Home Made Bird Feeders & Recipe

                                               Homemade Bird Feeders

  

Lets face it who doesn't like to watch birds?
Purchase some empty cages from The Warehouse or somewhere similar,  or you could make make some


Next, mix up some homemade Bird Cakes with the following recipe:


Tried and True Recipe

1 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 cups quick oats
2 cups cornmeal
1 cup lard/fat or shortening
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar

Mix lard and peanut butter in microwave or stove top. 

Stir in remaining ingredients. 

Pour into square containers and store in freezer. 

 Makes 6-8 cakes.

I had some cracked corn and seeds that I pressed into the front of each cake for better visual appeal.

My first batch I pressed into a 9 x 13 pan and cut to size. 

Afterwards, I discovered that it's much easier to find some tupperware containers the size you need and press into the bottom of those.

Give as a gift to another Bird Watcher

I printed copies of the recipe and wrapped with the filled cages.

Both clean cellophane and large clear goodie bags work. 

The cellophane looks prettier, since a lot gathers at the top. 

The bags are much easier. 

Top off with some pretty ribbon.

A Fantastic Prize Draw For February - 2 Books Kindly Donated By Ch'erie de Perrot

We have 2 copies of ''Tales Of The Billabong'' to give away

Thanks to Ch'erie de Perrot to two lucky people.

These have  been autographed by Ch'erie herself.

and are valued at $19.95 each

All you have to do is leave a comment underneath this thread on Facebook on whether you have been to Australia before and what is your favorite place over there, mine is Melbourne.
I absolutely loved it over there, would go back there any day.


Book Synopsis:

"Wearied and worn from his overland journey, which had taken him a long long way from home, the small Roo finally found a sunny clearing where he decided to rest a while. 

The clearing also was home to a billabong, which he did not even have the energy to hop on over to and take a drink. 
Flopping himself down, he nodded off for a bit of sleep. 
A while later after resting he hopped on over to the water's edge, where the silence of the bush was overtaken by the echo of an eerie voice coming from within the tree's, a voice with authority that could not possibly be ignored "Who was this?" 
He had thought himself to be entirely alone, with no idea of the events which were about to unfold... 


All Ch'erie asks is that the lucky two winners please go to this website address
http://www.thewritingsofcheriedp.com/index.php/books.html
and place a review for ''Tales of the Billabong'' once they have of course read it.



A little about Ch'erie

A native of New Zealand, Cherie de Perrot travelled abroad to Australia in her late teens and lived there for 31 years, before moving back to her homeland in 2010. During her years living in Australia, she travelled a great deal both with Working and on holidays. The vastness of the land inspired her a great deal, as well as the people. As a Mother and an Humanitarian who cares a great deal for the welfare of other peoples lives and living conditions, the natural disasters that occurred, became very personal, thus many of her poetic writes, were inspired from such!
She also Married and became a Mother to Six wonderful children, which in itself was, and still is a huge challenge. No shortage of inspiration therein.
After the Marital breakdown, she found herself in touch once again with her Old High School Flame, a much unrequited love, that could never blossom in its original time, but did so the second time around. She now lives back in her homeland of New Zealand with her younger children, and New Husband, surrounded by more inspiration than any writer could ever imagine possible.
So on a daily basis, just every day events are enough to keep this " Mistress O the Quill" more than occupied!


If you would like to take a look at Ch'erie's website and view all her lovely poetry and short stories that she has written the address is below.

http://www.thewritingsofcheriedp.com/index.php/home-page.html

Prize drawn on Feb 26th