Grilled Stir Fried Shrimp & Vegetables

The weather is warm, and shrimp is on sale at the local market. It's the perfect combination of circumstances to make this healthy & delicious meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. uncooked shrimp
• 1 medium zucchini
  
• 1 medium summer squash
• 1 large red bell pepper
• 1 pkg. fresh mushrooms
• 1/2 bottle Lawry's Sesame Ginger marinade
• 1 pkg. Near East Couscous
• nonstick cooking spray
  

Directions:

1. Remove shells and tails from shrimp.
2. Wash all vegetables.
3. Cut zucchini and summer squash into slices.
4. Cut pepper into strips.
5. Cut mushrooms into slices.
6. Add ingredients to a zippered plastic bag. Add marinade and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
7. Preheat grill. Spray grill wok* with nonstick cooking spray.
8. Place empty grill wok on grill, then add all the ingredients in the bag.
9. Cook on a medium heat for about 20 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.
10. During the last 10 minutes, prepare couscous according to the package directions.
11. Serve the shrimp and vegetables over couscous.

Enjoy!

*You can also thread everything on skewers and grill, instead of using a
grill wok. However, I prefer using a grill wok because it's quicker & easier.

Making Bath Scrub

My daughter and I love orange bath scrub! We have discovered that we can easily make our own for a fraction of the cost of store-bought scrub. What’s more, we know the ingredients in our version are all natural.


Scented bath scrub also makes an excellent Mother's Day gift. It is the perfect skin smoother for the bride too! We made a couple of jars for gifts, purchasing some thin ribbon and two pretty jars at Wal-Mart. The jars were $1.67 each, and the spool of ribbon was less than a dollar. I made up a couple of labels on the computer for the jars. The essential oil I bought on eBay for less than three dollars. There’s enough in the bottle to make a ton of bath scrub!

Supplies:

• 4 cups Epsom salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp. essential oil for fragrance
• food coloring
• large bowl
• measuring cups
• large spoon
• ribbon
• labels
• decorative jars
  

Thanks for stopping by!

Gas Grill Maintenance

We replaced our aging gas grill a couple of years ago with the stainless steel one pictured on the right. I know if we take proper care of it, it should last a few years. With that said, here are a few basic grill maintenance tips that will prolong the life of a gas grill:

• Cover the grill from the elements with a grill cover when it is not in use. These can be purchased inexpensively at any home and garden center.
• Clean the grill racks after each use by scrubbing them with a wire grill brush while the grill is still hot.
• Take the racks and burner covers out weekly and soak them in a solution of dish detergent and hot water. After soaking, scrub them with a scouring pad and rinse them thoroughly.
• Clean the outside of the grill with the same detergent solution; rinse and dry thoroughly.
• Empty the drip pan weekly.
• For stainless steel grills, after cleaning, apply a small amount of olive oil to the outside using a paper towel. This removes any streaks and will make it shine.
• Check the propane tank level and have it filled as necessary.
  
• Keep a second propane tank filled as a back-up. There's nothing worse than running out of fuel in the middle of grilling.

Thanks for stopping by!

Hiding Those Unsightly Wires

Nothing can spoil the look of a room like unsightly wires. We had a couple of these issues that needed addressing in our home. Problem #1 was the messy television wires hanging down from the flat screen television we installed above the fireplace in my office.

As a solution to the problem, I purchased a flat screen television cord cover kit for under $20. 

























The kit comes with two main pieces. The first piece is mounted to the wall with screws that come in the kit, as pictured on the left. The second piece needs to be painted, preferably in the same color as the wall. Two coats of paint works best. It is important to allow the paint to dry thoroughly between coats.

After the paint has dried completely on the second piece, place the television wires in front of the piece that has already been mounted on the wall. Then, simply snap the painted cover in place over it. That's it. What a difference it made in my office!

Unsightly wire problem #2 involved the chandelier in our dining room. Some time ago, I found a great deal on one of those swag-type chandeliers to hang over the table in the dining room. It is the type of light fixture that is plugged into a wall outlet, rather than being hardwired into the ceiling. Since the room wasn't wired for a light fixture over the table, this was an inexpensive way to install overhead lighting. However, having an exposed cord hanging from the ceiling and wall would not be pretty.

The solution for concealing the cord and chain on the swag chandelier was a two-part project. First, I made a simple chandelier cord cover out of scraps of fabric leftover from making Roman shades for the room. This was a way to attractively hide the part of the cord and chain that swags off the ceiling. (If you don't sew, you can buy these cord covers ready-made.)




When swagging the cord on the ceiling, I used a second hook. I made sure I placed the part of the cord with the switch on it on the wall next to the window. It is much less noticeable resting next to the window, partially covered by the drape.

Step 2 involved purchasing a paintable cord cover online from a home improvement store. The one I bought resembles a piece of quarter-round moulding and has an opening on the side to insert the wire. It is also has an adhesive strip on the backside to mount it to the wall.

Before hanging the cord cover, I painted it the same color as the walls in the dining room. Once the paint was dry, I peeled off the adhesive backing and inserted the cord into the opening in the cover, making sure the switch was exposed at the bottom of the cord cover. Problem solved.






To cover those unsightly computer or entertainment equipment wires, cord covers like this are an inexpensive fix. You can find them at any home improvement store. They are flexible, and you can conceal several wires in them. They can also be cut to size and painted, if necessary.


Thanks for stopping by!

Visiting the 2010 HGTV Green Home

I was excited when I found out HGTV was building their 2010 Green Home in our old hometown, Plymouth, Massachusetts!

The photo on the right was taken before the building process began.

Our family recently took a live tour of the finished home. Many photos were taken during our visit, and I created the slide show below. Please use the arrows at the bottom of the photos to advance the them.

Enjoy!

Thanks to Susan of Between Naps on the Porch, for hosting Metamorphosis Monday.

For more information on the HGTV Green Home 2010 Giveaway, visit http://www.hgtv.com/greenhome.

Taco Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1 envelope taco seasoning
• 1 bag Romaine salad mix, prewashed
  
• 1 lg. tomato
• 1 bag baked Tostitos® scoops
  
• 1 cup Sargento® Shredded Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Mexican Cheese
• 1 sm.can sliced black olives
• 1 sm. jar salsa
• 1/2 cup lite sour cream (optional)
  

Directions:

1. Brown ground turkey in a frying pan. Drain; add taco seasoning and water according to the package directions.
2. Crush tortilla chips a bit and arrange them on 9-inch plates.
3. Add lettuce mix on top of the crushed tortilla chips to each plate.
4. Cut tomatoes in wedges and arrange them on each plate.
5. Spoon the ground turkey mixture on top of the lettuce.
6. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the ground turkey mixture.
7. Add salsa on top of the cheese to your liking.
8. Add sliced olives to each plate.
9. Add a few dollops of sour cream, if desired.

The Skinny on Tomatoes:

Tomatoes are another great healthy food choice! Low in sodium and saturated fat, tomatoes are an excellent source of Vitamin C. Vitamin C's anti-inflammatory properties have been shown to decrease the development of asthma symptoms and can help prevent macular degeneration.

The tomato is also a good source of Vitamin E, Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Copper. They contain dietary fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Potassium and Manganese.

The most exciting news about tomatoes is that they contain lycopene, a carotenoid with antioxidant and cancer-preventing properties. Lycopene has been shown to help protect against prostate, breast, pancreatic and intestinal cancers.

Enjoy!

Thanks to Michael Lee, of Designs by Gollum, for hosting Foodie Friday. For more tasty recipes, be sure to visit Michael's blog.

Lighten Up!

With the warmer weather finally upon us, I thought it would be a good time to share these 7 simple tips to lighten up your home decor for spring.

1. Rearrange the furniture. Repositioning seating to take advantage of an outdoor garden view will really open up a room.

2. Lighten the furniture covers and bedspreads. Try colorful slipcovers or a lightweight coverlet on the bed.

3. Lighten up the window coverings. Replace heavy drapes with sheers, then open those windows, allowing the fresh air and sunshine in!

4. Rearrange the artwork and accessories, removing a few of them. Having less items in a room will make it feel more light and airy.

5. Cover existing pillows with lighter fabrics. Sewing up a few pillow covers is an inexpensive, yet simple way to make a big impact throughout your home. Bold splashes of color will brighten any room.

6. Add fresh flowers and candles with a clean scent. For added personality, try placing flowers in unusual containers, such as pitchers, old teakettles, straw handbags, or brightly painted rain boots. Burning candles that have a clean scent, such as citrus, makes everything smell fresh.



7. Freshen up any room easily and inexpensively with paint. If you're not up for painting a whole room, then try painting an accent wall with a bright spring color.

Thanks for stopping by!

Caring for Rhododendrons

The pink rhododendron bush in front of our house is beautiful when it's in full bloom!

Rhododendrons are members of the azalea family. Their beautiful, large flowers and full, evergreen foliage make them an excellent choice for landscaping. They typically bloom from May into June, depending on the plant species and location.

Although rhododendrons are fairly easy to grow, proper care is essential for healthy plants. They require a fairly acidic soil condition in order to grow properly and to produce their amazing blooms. Adding composted oak leaves to the soil can lower the pH in alkaline conditions.

Rhododendrons thrive in moist, well-drained soil. Some foliage droop is normal in dry weather, especially on warm afternoons. When leaves still show signs of drooping in early morning, the plants are showing a need for water and should receive a good soaking. However, to prevent root rot, rhododendrons should not be allowed to sit in standing water.

Mulching is an essential part of caring for rhododendrons. These shallow-rooted plants need the protection that mulch affords against extreme heat and cold and to protect the roots from drying out. The best type of mulch to use is one that is acidic, such as pine bark mulch.

Pruning should be done immediately after rhododendrons finish blooming.

Pruning them later than that may risk interference with the development of next year’s buds. Begin by removing dead or injured branches, which will prevent future disease and insect problems. Also, prune back taller limbs shooting out of the top of the bush. This will promote a more attractive shape.

Thanks for stopping by!

I’m also linking with Tootsie’s Fertilizer Friday.

Adding a Little Curb Appeal to Our Block

My new favorite show on HGTV is Curb Appeal: The Block. I love watching John Gidding and the rest of the Curb Appeal crew transform a neighborhood in one episode!

The show has inspired me to make a few inexpensive changes to the outside of our Cape Cod style home.

I'll begin by showing you the before photo of our house. The wood stained door, peeling stairway with a rotted bottom stair, and outdated light fixture do nothing for its curb appeal.



The Plan

My husband's job was to fix the broken stair, power wash the siding and replace the light fixture. My job was to paint and add flowers and accessories.

I found this Hampton Amalfi Coachlight outdoor fixture, which I love! I looked around for the best price online and found it for a steal at $10.99 on Amazon.com!




For paint colors, the winners were Toffee Crunch for the stairs and Cinnamon Cherry for the front door. I had the paint mixed at our local Home Depot.











I also found this Somerset metal finish rubber door mat on eBay for $15.95 including S/H.








Here is the after photo of our mini makeover. For under $100.00, I think we were successful in adding some much needed curb appeal to the front of our home.

Thanks for stopping by!

Thanks to Susan of Between Naps on the Porch, for hosting Metamorphosis Monday and Kimba of A Soft Place to Land for hosting DIY Day. Be sure to visit their blogs, for great ideas and for links to other participant entries.