Archive for June, 2012

Heat Up Your Backyard

Friday, June 29th, 2012

Backyard Paradise

Dive on in to summer and celebrate the season of pool floaties and backyard BBQs. Impress your guests by turning your bland backyard into an outdoor oasis and entertain them with summer grilling at its best.

“Backyards are more than just a place for your lawn furniture and storage,” said Doug Rogers, president of Mr. Appliance. “With full kitchens and incredible décor, backyards are the new outdoor living room.”

Cool off with these hot seasonal tips from Mr. Electric to spice up your backyard:

  • Set the mood. When installing lights near a waterfall, pool or garden, hire a certified electrician to avoid electrical hazards.
  • Dig deep. To ensure the safety of children and pets, cover all electrical wires.
  • Rock on. What’s a party without music? For outdoor speakers, enlist an electrician to make sure there is no faulty wiring that could cause a fire.

Channel your inner grillin’ guru with these simple tips from Mr. Appliance:

  • Fire it up! Burn off last summer’s leftovers by turning burners on high, closing the lid and letting the grill run for 30 to 45 minutes. Once complete, brush burned leftovers away.
  • Seasoned to perfection. Just like chefs have seasoned cast-iron skillets, grill masters have seasoned grates. Avoid soap or strong chemical cleaning products on the grates.
  • Nice catch. Make sure to dump food that falls between the grates housed in the large drip pan and to check for grease overflow in the smaller one below it.

“With just the flip of a switch, your backyard will become the perfect gathering place for your close family and friends,” said Jeff Meyers, president of Mr. Electric. “Homeowners find outdoor living spaces make their homes more appealing.”

That’s Our Dina!!!

Thursday, June 28th, 2012

Dina Dwyer-Owens

Mr. Appliance is so proud of Dina Dwyer-Owens, chairwoman and CEO of The Dwyer Group, for being named a winner in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® Awards in the Southwest Area North program.

Dwyer-Owens was among a group of leading entrepreneurs selected by an independent judging panel made up of previous winners of the award, leading CEOs, private capital investors and other regional business leaders. The winners were revealed at a special gala on June 23, 2012 at the Hyatt Regency hotel, in Dallas, Texas.

“To be among so many outstanding finalists and named a winner is a true honor,” said Dwyer-Owens. “I share this recognition with an incredible team at The Dwyer Group that continues to make the journey so rewarding. I’m thrilled to be part of the respected and prestigious Ernst & Young program that shines a spotlight on so many good things happening in the business world today.”

“Ernst & Young has honored outstanding entrepreneurs like this year’s winners for the past 26 years,” said Debra von Storch, Partner, and Strategic Growth Markets leader.  “These business leaders have accomplished so much and contributed a tremendous amount to the economy and our community.”

The full list of winners for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012 Southwest Area North Award are:

•        J. Ross Craft, Approach Resources Inc., Ft. Worth, TX
•        Jim Dixon, CompuCom Systems, Inc., Dallas, TX
•        Gerald J. Ford, Diamond A-Ford Corporation, Dallas, TX, Lifetime Achievement Award recipient
•        Michael Casid, Dymatize Enterprises, LLC,  Farmers Branch, TX
•        Daniel L. Jones, Encore Wire Corporation, McKinney, TX
•        Nitin Ahuja, Entercoms, Inc., Irving, TX
•        Rahul Singh, PhD, Entercoms, Inc., Irving, TX
•        Randy Foutch, Laredo Petroleum Holdings, Inc., Tulsa, OK
•        J.R. Thomas, MedSynergies, Inc., Irving, TX
•        Stephen L. Mansfield, PhD, FACHE, Methodist Health System, Dallas, TX
•        Mary Murcott, NOVO 1, Ft. Worth, TX
•        Steve Winn, RealPage, Inc., Carrollton, TX
•        Dina Dwyer-Owens, The Dwyer Group, Waco, TX
•        Ken Rees, Think Finance, Ft. Worth, TX
•        Will, Gruver, USP&E, Celina, TX

The Entrepreneur Of The Year Program honors entrepreneurs regionally in June, leading up to the national awards in November in Palm Springs, CA.  The US Entrepreneur Of The Year Overall Award winner then moves on to compete for the World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in Monte Carlo.
Now in its 26th year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Program has expanded to recognize business leaders in more than 140 cities in more than 50 countries throughout the world. Awards are given to entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.

Live, Laugh & Learn with Lillyan: Cruising the Greek Isles

Wednesday, June 27th, 2012

By Lillyan Baker

My family at the 2012 Rockport Wine Fest.

With the ocean blue rooftops, sunlight dancing off of rolling waves and endless bottles of wine, guests of the 16th Annual Rockport Festival of Wine and Foods are transported to the island of Santorini to benefit the Texas Maritime Museum. In the midst of the wine tasting tables and cuisine booths, the annual Rockport Chef Cook-off has begun. Chef Adrian from HEB, defends his 2011 title and whips up another win with his fantastic chef creations. This year, Adrian features a seafood twist on the tradition bruschetta appetizer, a mixture of cultures with a basil, cilantro and avocado entrée and a simple dessert trick that will have you licking the EVOO from your lips. So grab a glass of Agiorghitiko, fire up the stovetop and get ready to yell, “Opa!” because it is time to bring the Greek Isles to your tabletop.

Shrimp Artichoke Bruschetta over Baguette

Seafood Bruschetta. A tapas bit of heaven.

By HEB, The Cooking Connection

4 Roma Tomatoes, diced
1 can Artichoke hearts, diced
½ C EVOO
½ lb. cooked shrimp, deveined
1 tsp. roasted garlic
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 baguette

Combine first seven ingredients and serve over baguette. Drizzle with extra EVOO for a flavor boost.

MexItalian Basil Cilantro and Avocado Pesto over Angel Hair Pasta

By HEB, The Cooking Connection

Chef Adrian rocking the Rockport Chef Cook-Off with my Uncle Jimmy as one of the judges.

½ C Parmesan
1 garlic clove
4 oz. pine nuts
½ C EVOO
½ cilantro
1 avocado
1 lemon, juice only
4 oz. fresh basil leaves
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1 lb. cooking shrimp, deveined

Blend Parmesan, nuts and garlic in food processor. Add EVOO, basil, cilantro, avocado and lemon juice. Season to taste. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside. Heat skillet on medium heat, add 2 Tbsp EVOO and toss pesto, shrimp and pasta together. Ready to eat with a drizzle of EVOO.

Appetizer or Dessert?

For dessert, Chef Adrian scooped a cup of vanilla ice cream, sprinkled sliced almonds on top and instead of a chocolate syrup, he drizzled a Tbsp of EVOO. That might sound like a weird combination of an appetizer staple with an American past time, but the olive oil transformed the store bought ice cream into a soft, velvet sweetness. Try it with your next bowl and you will never purchase the guilt-calorie chocolate syrup again.

What’s With Your Ice?

Tuesday, June 26th, 2012

By Lillyan Baker

One of the biggest issues with refrigerators is odor which usually results in stinky ice.  When you leave food in uncovered containers, the walls of the fridge and even the ice in the freezer can take on those odors. Enjoy refreshing ice cubes again by installing an in-line water filter in the icemaker water line just before the fill valve. If you are an ambitious homeowner, this can be a DIY project, or you can call a professional to install and give a diagnosis of your appliance. Either way, be sure to replace annually.

Deodorize Your Garbage Disposal

Tuesday, June 19th, 2012

By Lillyan Baker

Coming Up Roses

Every day leftovers, vegetable peels and so much more get thrown down the garbage disposable, leaving it with a stubborn smell. Deodorizing your garbage disposal is quick and easy! Citrus peels are the easiest way to deodorize your garbage disposal. Place ice cubes in the disposal. Add orange, lemon or lime peels and run the disposal with cold water for 15 to 30 seconds, then turn the disposal off. This eliminates stubborn odors without using harsh chemical that can possibly damage your drain.

Cloudy Glassware

Monday, June 18th, 2012

By Lillyan Baker

It is frustrating to hold up a glass that should be sparkling and clear, only to see a cloud of milky film covering the glass surface. An easy way to fix cloudy glassware is by installing a water softener. Hard water leaves a film of hard deposits on your dishes. Overtime, your once sparkling dishes will become chalky and cloudy. To test if your home is in need of a water softener, try soaking a cloudy glass in vinegar for one minute. If cloudiness goes away, then you should consider investing in a water softener

Oh no! Dishwasher Leak

Thursday, June 14th, 2012

By Lillyan Baker

When your dishwasher leaves a big puddle of water on the floor after a full cycle you may have either put too much soap, or it could be a larger problem. Run your dishwasher with less soap, and ff the problem persists then you may need to call your service repair professional. What the problem could be is, a broken door latch or a worn gasket, or worst-case scenario, a seal leak in the motor-pump assembly, the heart of the machine. To properly determine and fix the problem call an appliance expert.

How to Clean a Blender

Tuesday, June 12th, 2012

By Lillyan Baker

Blenders are great for smoothies and milkshakes, but when it comes to cleaning the appliance it can be a little tricky. There are so many little nooks and crannies that pieces of fruit can get stuck and are hard to get out. To properly clean your blender, start by separating all the pieces and carefully hand wash each one. Then wipe down the base of a motor with a damp cloth. Once all the parts have dried, carefully reassemble the blender.

Hints From Heloise: Laundry Tips You Need To Know

Wednesday, June 6th, 2012

By Lillyan Baker

Hints From Heloise

Mary Kay Liston, vice president of operations for Mr. Appliance came across a great laundry and energy article the other morning while enjoying the newspaper. Hints From Heloise, a nationally syndicated newspaper column which features household and lifestyle tips is based on Waco, Texas born, Heloise. This article of Dear Heloise tips features several great laundry and energy tips that you need to know.

Dear Heloise: To my dismay, the water pump on my washing machine failed. The cause of failure was not the product, but the operator-me. Imagine my surprise and shock when the repairman pulled the underwire from a bra out of the pump.

He presented me with a mesh bag to use from that day forward to contain the bras, as well as any small items. So, ladies, be warned. That was an expensive bra.-A California Read, via email.

Dear Heloise: I would lie t pass on this hint: If I have worn a garment for only a few houses and it’s not really “dirty,” I rehand it in my closet inside-out.

Later, when I am looking for something to wear, I can easily spot and give first consideration to any lightly worn garments.

This cuts down on unnecessary laundry, saving both money and labor.-Jami J. in Corona, Calif.

Dear Heloise: One thing I have noticed that causes a large amount of unnecessary energy loss is leaving exhaust fans, especially in bathrooms, running too long or in same cases all day.

People don’t realize that exhaust fan pull heated or air-conditioned air out of the building or into the attic.

This air has to be reheated or cooled, which uses lots of energy and adds to energy costs.-Ruben T. in Amarillo, Texas.