Live, Laugh, Wash, Repeat If your family is like most families, your laundry room is one of the busiest rooms in the house. Large and small families are constantly over-working their washer and dryer, especially during the school year. The harder your washer and dryer have to work, the more money and energy you waste. When washing clothes you should use the high-speed spin cycle, which takes more ...
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Blog Posts in April, 2013
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Laundry Love
April 29, 2013 -
Love Your Kitchen
April 29, 2013 Take time to love your appliances and they will love you back. Follow these steps from Mr. Appliance® to cook up some romance, instead of frustration with inefficient appliances. Give Your Oven Some Lovin’ Don’t run the self-cleaning cycle within one week of a big dinner - ovens have a tendency to fail during or right after a self-cleaning cycle. Clean the reflector bowls under the burners to help ...Continue Reading -
Reduce. Reuse. Upcycle.
April 29, 2013 Break free of the circle and follow the arrows to sustainable cleaning. Save money and fresh air this season by spring cleaning your household with products you can find behind milk cartons and spaghetti boxes. No need to make a special trip to the store, discover cleaning goods within your home that can transform your kitchen from the winter blues to the bright white of spring. Instead of ...Continue Reading -
End the Frustration of Unloading Dirty Dishes: 5 Tips to Help Your Dishwasher Do its Best Work.
April 29, 2013 Do you have to wash your dishes more than once to get them clean? If so, your dishwasher may be slacking on its job, and there could be many possible reasons. Whether your old dishwasher just doesn’t clean like it used to, or you have a new dishwasher that doesn’t seem to have the cleaning power of your old one, you can increase the effectiveness of your dishwasher with these tips: Use appropriate ...Continue Reading -
Take it from the experts: 7 Tips for Success
April 29, 2013 We can all use an extra bit of motivation now and then to remind us how to achieve greatness. Enjoy seven tips from people listed among the top 50 Successful Americans according to Success magazine. Warren Buffett: “It’s better to hang out with people better than you. Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours and you’ll drift in that direction.” The cliche “bad company corrupts good ...Continue Reading -
How to Choose the Best Dishwasher
April 29, 2013 Buying a new appliance can be confusing and stressful. If you are unsure which features are necessary for your lifestyle, how do you get the most bang for your buck without overspending or under-compensating your needs? Choosing the right dishwasher model is largely dependent upon your lifestyle and size of residence. Check out the following key questions flowchart to help figure out what models ...Continue Reading -
Live, Laugh and Learn with Lillyan: Home Style Happiness
April 29, 2013 Sometimes all you need is a little bit of chicken and potatoes to turn your ordinary Saturday night into a home-cooked Sunday supper with your family. Last Saturday night when the rain poured and the wind blew, I knew soup couldn’t cut the cold of winter; only starches would do. A few years ago I created an oil and lemon dipping sauce for a bread appetizer that I soon realized would taste even ...Continue Reading -
Live, Laugh and Learn with Lillyan: Supporting Side Dishes
April 29, 2013 Filet mignon, a salmon steak and a perfectly roasted chicken often get all the attention. It’s time to share the stoplight with these supporting side dishes that will make your guests ask for more. These recipes feature a perfect party appetizer, side dish and a ramekin dessert that guests can serve up individually and talk about long after the party is over. Lillyan’s Whipped Goat Cheese with ...Continue Reading -
Live, Laugh & Learn with Lillyan: Spring Saturdays
April 29, 2013 Spring Saturdays are my favorite. I love sleeping in and waking up to the bright, seasonal light that shines through my curtains. There is something sweeter about making breakfast on a Saturday morning than my normal work week. Celebrate the season of new beginnings by incorporating fresh fruit with energy-packed carbs to get you through your weekend of errands, or just relaxing in the springtime ...Continue Reading -
Live, Laugh & Learn with Lillyan: One-Dish Party
April 29, 2013 As the weather begins to warm up, I love having family and friends over for dinner. Sometimes the stress of grocery shopping, decorating the table and prepping the meal can be dinner-overload. As a moving gift, my mom sent me this lasagna recipe from Martha Stewart that Trey and my neighbors absolutely loved. Paired with pesto and gruyere bruschetta as an inviting appetizer, this one-dish meal is ...Continue Reading -
Live, Laugh & Learn with Lillyan: Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Tapas
April 29, 2013 Forget the chips and salsa, it’s time to step up your Cinco de Mayo menu and serve your guests fiesta tapas that they will never forget. This Cinco de Mayo, I had the chance to celebrate and cook with Chef Bill at Gourmet Gallery in Waco, Texas. Chef Bill transformed the ordinary kitchen into a fiesta with his Spanish-style recipes. From tomato and watermelon skewers to tortilla espanola to a ...Continue Reading -
Live, Laugh and Learn with Lillyan: Summer Solstice Social
April 29, 2013 by Lillyan Baker Summer is here and it is time to serve your guests the tastes of the season. Celebrate the longest day of the year with fresh fruit from the local farmer’s market and herbs picked right from the backyard garden. This featured appetizer and sparkling drink will make guests remember this social as the party that made the sun stand still. Fried Polenta with Veggies Ingredients: 1 ...Continue Reading -
National Love Your Pet Day
April 29, 2013 Chicken Jerky Ingredients: Two to four chicken breasts Instructions: Preheat oven to 200 degrees After removing any excess fat, slice the chicken into 1/8-inch thick strips Bake the strips on a baking sheet two hours (your chicken should be dry and hard) Let it cool and watch your dog go crazy of their jerky! Trail Mix Ingredients: Unseasoned meat pieces Potatoes Assorted fruits and veggies ...Continue Reading -
Spring Your Stovetop
April 29, 2013 Put a spring in your stove by helping your kitchen conserve energy. If your stove has radiant or halogen burners, always have a pot or pan on the burner when you turn it on to start heating immediately. A cold pot that comes in contact with a hot burner could cause a crack in the stove. Also, remember to keep electric and gas burners clean. Clean burners reflect heat better and use energy more ...Continue Reading -
Dishwasher Dilemma
April 29, 2013 March is the season to spring clean your home, why not spring clean your appliances too? Solve all of your dishwasher dilemmas with these simple and efficient dishwasher maintenace and energy tips. Eliminate a step from your cleaning process- no more pre-rinse! Save up to 20 gallons of water by hand-scraping your dishes, instead of running water for your pre-rinse. Not only will this save on water ...Continue Reading -
Open the Door to Green Savings
April 29, 2013 Make your fridge work for you and save some energy. As the months begin to warm up with spring and summer weather, take the time to use what you’ve got with these tips that will not only color your energy green but your pocket too. A Healthy Fridge 1. Your schedule is not the only thing packed during the week, with parties, potluck dinners and your kid’s friends, so is your fridge. Your fridge is ...Continue Reading -
Get the Dishwasher Dish
April 29, 2013 Cooking, baking and living in a green kitchen lifestyle is as simple as making a few changes to your dishwashing routines. Eliminate a step from your cleaning process- no more pre-rinse! Save up to 20 gallons of water by hand-scraping your dishes, instead of running water for your pre-rinse. Not only will this save on water waste, but it can save your glassware, too! Dishwasher detergent is ...Continue Reading -
Wash Some Green Into Your Laundry
April 29, 2013 By Lillyan Baker Wash out your family’s green grass stains and wash in even more green savings. The laundry room can be the busiest room in your house, and if your washer and dryer aren’t performing at their best, it could show up on your energy bill. It may be time to give your family’s laundry habits an energy-saving makeover. “Busy schedules and full households can cause lots of wear and tear ...Continue Reading -
Evolve Your Home This Earth Day
April 29, 2013 Celebrate Earth Day by making an effort to live a green lifestyle and grow some green in your pocket, too. This month, make an effort to break old habits and take a step away from energy-waste to energy-smart. “By maintaining your appliances regularly, you can extend the life of your investment and save energy,” said Doug Rogers, president of Mr. Appliance®. “The harder an appliance has to work to ...Continue Reading -
Renew, Retreat, Rewash
April 29, 2013 Tired of your man retreating to his man cave after dinner while you are stuck folding laundry? It’s time to create a space for a weekly refuge that is just for you by building your own mom cave. Transform the one room in your house your husband would never think to look, the laundry room! See how a coat of paint and the strike of a match can turn a cinderblock basement into a sanctuary of suds. A ...Continue Reading -
DIY Summer Lemonade Stand
April 29, 2013 What says summer more than a couple of kids sitting outside at a lemonade stand? The refreshing taste of the lemonade paired with the adorable entrepreneurs makes for a classic American summer memory that everyone can recall. Why not take the lemonade stand up a notch from old plastic wagons and card tables, and make this super cute stand for your kids? It’s a project the whole family can be ...Continue Reading -
Simple Solutions for Small Appliances
April 28, 2013 Clean Coffee Every morning give your awakening aroma a fresh start by eliminating leftover coffee residue and hard water deposits inside your coffee maker. To get rid of unsightly stains, inside of coffee pot, mix one part white distilled vinegar to two parts water. Pour into the reservoir and turn the coffee maker on. Let the mixture run through and let it cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Repeat the ...Continue Reading -
Live, Laugh & Learn with Lillyan: Uncle Jimmy's Cheesecake
April 28, 2013 Every time I have the opportunity to use my electric stand mixer, I get a little giddy. There’s just something about standing next to a machine that knows how to really blend butter. One of my bon appetit role models in my life is my Uncle Jimmy. He taught me key kitchen lessons, including how to entertain with bruschetta and in every social situation to always ask for a glass of chardonnay. The ...Continue Reading -
Live, Laugh & Learn with Lillyan: Dessert Goes to the Dogs
April 28, 2013 In my college days living in the Collins Hall dorm, my roommates and I spent our Thursday nights watching Grey’s Anatomy, refresh our Facebook feeds during the commercials, all while gathered around a bowl of puppy chow. There is something about the combination of melted chocolate and peanut butter with a bag of powdered sugar on top that just brings people together. This Saturday night, when Trey ...Continue Reading -
Live, Laugh & Learn with Lillyan: Pasta Party
April 28, 2013 What do you do when you are going to a party and have no time to bake an appetizer? Make a pasta salad party. Simple ingredients, simple recipe and simply good. Pasta Salad Ingredients: • Package of rotini whole wheat pasta • 15.5 oz. can of garbanzo beans • 4 c spinach, chopped • 1 red onion, thinly sliced • 1 1/4 c feta cheese • 1/2 c extra virgin olive oil • 1/4 c red wine vinegar • 2 cloves ...Continue Reading -
Super Bowl Sunday
April 28, 2013 Ready for some football? Treat your Super Bowl Sunday guests to more than just salsa and hot wings. By whipping up some football fun cupcakes, your guests can cheer on their team and have a sweet Sunday too. Football Fun Cupcakes Ingredients: A dozen cupcakes Green icing White icing Chocolate-covered almond Instructions: 1. Frost a cooled cupcake with green frosting to look like grass 2. Place a ...Continue Reading -
Rockin' Green Resolutions
April 28, 2013 1. It’s Obvious – Recycle. Did You Know? The energy saved from recycling a single aluminum can will operate a television for three hours! Think of ways to recycle cans, bottles, plastic and paper in your house. Get the kids in on it – it can be fun! 2. Say NO to “Paper or Plastic?” Next time you are headed to the grocery store don’t forget to bring along a recyclable tote in cotton, jute or nylon ...Continue Reading -
Welcome in the New Year
April 28, 2013 New year, new opportunities indicates weekly trips to the gym, carrots instead of candy and an opportunity to break bad habits. How about a resolution that goes beyond 2012 and keeps your children and home safe for years to come? This year, make it a priority to childproof your kitchen and clean beyond the countertops to keep your family happy and healthy all year long. “Your kitchen never gets a ...Continue Reading -
Green Laundry
April 28, 2013 Wash out your family’s green grass stains and wash in even more green savings. The laundry room can be the busiest room in your house, and if your washer and dryer aren’t performing at their best, it could show up on your energy bill. It may be time to give your family’s laundry habits an energy-saving makeover. “Busy schedules and full households can cause lots of wear and tear on laundry room ...Continue Reading -
Live, Laugh and Learn with Lillyan: Basket of Sweets
April 23, 2013 Easter time is always my favorite time of the year. I think Texas hill country wildflowers, a sunny Sunday morning and my mom’s coconut cake. Since my mom won’t share her coconut cake recipe with me, I thought I would do the second best thing and enjoy a batch of coconut macaroons toasted just enough to make your fingers stick together. For the lovers of desserts that are not too sweet, whip up a ...Continue Reading