Category Archives: Recipes

3 simple and effective tips to revive your orchids

Immerse yourself in the world where orchids bestow an enigmatic aura of tranquility and vibrant vitality upon our homes, exuding their delicate fragrances and showcasing a spectrum of colors that enliven our daily canvas. While their ephemeral grace softly permeates our spaces, their tender blossoms cocooned in refined vases also embolden our experiences, culminating in a realm that is simultaneously peaceful and vibrant. Though their vigor may seem transient, innovative approaches exist to breathe perpetual life into these exquisite blooms.

The Orchid:
An Amalgamation of Aesthetic and Aromatic Allure
Celebrated and adored, the orchid extends beyond a mere visual spectacle, becoming a source of olfactory enchantment that has seduced perfumers throughout time. Its fragile yet bold blossoms symbolize a unique blend of beauty and fortitude. Across cultures and epochs, the orchid has intertwined itself with myriad tales and beliefs, such as those of the Ancient Greeks, who believed in the tubers’ influence on determining the gender of offspring.

As a floral symbol of the fourteenth wedding anniversary, the orchid pledges future luminosity in our floral narratives. However, their delicate nature calls for attentive care, nurturing their continual bloom and propelling the emergence of new buds.

The Rebirth of Orchids:
A Journey Toward Continuous Bloom
Hydration and Nourishment: Contrary to oft-neglected regular watering, orchids seek frequent hydration. Refresh their water every two days and bless them with bi-weekly liquid fertilizer to sustain their vigor.

The Sun’s Embrace:
Orchids yearn for sunlight, finding the gentle autumnal rays a source of vital energy, enhancing their potential to unfurl vibrant blooms anew.

A Dance of Temperatures:
Surprisingly, introducing your orchids to a playful dance between warm and cool climates can enhance their vitality, promoting the development of new stems. Alternating their environment for a fortnight assures they are not wilted by excessive heat.

Floral Echoes:
Nurturing Aesthetic and Emotional Harmony
Entwining flowers like orchids into your habitat extends beyond the aesthetic, emerging as a self-care ritual that elevates psychological wellbeing and propels creative expressions through the art of floral arrangement.

Blooms of Silent Whispers:
Deciphering Floral Symbolism
Each flower conveys a discrete, symbolic message: roses murmur of love and passion; hydrangeas extend gratitude; while the iris, in its gentle sway, speaks of wisdom and bravery. The exchange of flowers creates a powerful, unspoken bond between souls, articulating diverse emotions, be it the peony’s romantic serenade or perhaps, an unspoken apology.

In navigating through a world perpetually enchanted by floral marvels, the intricate meanings and psychological nourishment they bestow continually captivate our senses and hearts, inviting us to explore deeper into their botanical secrets and wonders.

Credit: Happycoking

I swear I can eat this all day long

Ingredients:
4 cube steaks (4-6 ounces each)
2 1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cups + 2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking powder
6 cups milk, divided
2 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp butter

Instructions:
Prep Your Station:
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Set a wire rack atop a baking sheet and keep ready.

Season the Steaks:
Generously season both sides of each cube steak with salt and pepper.

Prepare the Breading:
In a large bowl, mix 2 cups of flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
In another bowl, whisk together 4 cups of milk and the eggs.

Bread the Steaks:
Coat each steak in the flour mixture, then dip into the milk-egg blend, and re-coat with the flour mixture.
Ensure each steak is well-covered by pressing the mixture firmly onto them.

Fry the Steaks:
In a wide-rimmed cast-iron skillet, heat vegetable oil.
Fry the steaks in batches for five minutes on each side until they develop a golden-brown crust.
Keep them warm in the preheated oven while you fry the remaining steaks.

Craft the Gravy:
In a separate saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter.
Whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour and cook for two minutes.
Gradually whisk in the remaining 2 cups of milk, seasoning with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Keep whisking until a creamy consistency is achieved.

Serve:
Present the crispy steaks with a side of your freshly made gravy and enjoy this southern classic in all its comforting glory. A side of mashed potatoes pairs splendidly.
With the crunchy exterior of the steaks juxtaposed against the rich, velvety gravy, this Chicken Fried Steak isn’t merely a dish but a wholesome, hearty meal that offers a taste of the South in every bite!

Credit: Happycoking

Moist Coconut Macaroons Recipe

Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour
2 cups desiccated coconut

Instructions:
Line mini muffin pans with paper cups. Set aside.
In a bowl, cream butter using a hand mixer on low speed.
Add sugar and beat together until well blended and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add condensed milk and vanilla extract and continue to beat until blended.
In a medium bowl, combine flour and desiccated coconut. Add to the egg mixture and beat until combined.

Scoop into the prepared muffin pans and bake in a 350 F oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from baking pan and let cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes.

Credit: bestquickrecipes

How to detect negative energies in your home with salt water and vinegar

A pervading sense of negative energy can transform a once peaceful home into a space shadowed by tension, arguments, and an overwhelming gloom. It’s not just limited to the people and relationships; sometimes, homes, especially ones that have housed numerous previous inhabitants or objects within, can inadvertently retain these unfavorable vibes.

People who are particularly attuned to energies might perceive sudden emotions, ranging from exhilarating joy to unexplainable discomfort, when entering a room.

Shielding Your Home from Negative Energies

The home mirrors our soul, serving as a safe haven where we express our deepest emotions, joys, sorrows, and celebrations, all away from the prying eyes of the world. It’s a sanctuary where we unmask and simply be our authentic selves. Therefore, safeguarding it from all negative energies, including those we might bring in after a day out, becomes paramount.

Here are some accessible techniques to disperse stagnant energy and promote the flow of positive vibes within your dwelling:


Declare Positivity: Vocalize your intention to welcome positivity with a mantra such as “Embrace positive, banish negative.”

Ventilation Is Vital: Open your windows to allow the sun’s rays and light to pervade your home, flushing out negativity and inviting in a positive aura.

Purify with Sage: A practice deep-rooted in Cheyenne cultures, sage-smudging is a potent method to expel undesirable energies.

De-clutter: Removing unnecessary items and organizing your space can notably enhance the circulation of positive energy.

A Simple Home Remedy for Dissipating Negative Energy

To concoct this remedy, you’ll need 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, coarse salt, and half a liter of filtered water.

Coarse salt is renowned for absorbing negative energies and is especially effective when used thoughtfully during gentle purging and persistently over a duration.

Combine the ingredients in a large, clear glass of water and place it in the most frequented area of your home, letting it sit untouched for a day. Once the salt rises to the surface, it signals that the negative energy has been harnessed.

Feel free to use the same mixture in other rooms to enhance the purification.

A Body Purification Tip

Sea salt continues to be the champion ingredient for energy purification. It can be placed on window sills or in front of doors to shield against negativity. To cleanse oneself, a special bath before bedtime proves beneficial.

This detoxifying bath involves filling a bathtub with lukewarm water, adding 250g of baking soda, and 250g of sea salt, and immersing oneself for 20 minutes. You’ll awaken feeling remarkably lighter and free from burdensome energies.

Credit: happycoking

Here’s how to use a tea bag to keep insects and rodents away.

The uneasy feeling of spotting mice or spiders exploring your living space is a universal discomfort that many seek to avoid. Especially for those with arachnophobia or musophobia, finding a solution to deter these unwelcome visitors is paramount. Here’s a natural, harm-free tip that ensures your home remains a critter-free sanctuary!

Despite various available traps and poisons designed to eliminate spiders and mice, many of these methods pose potential hazards for both humans and pets.

The Gentle Power of Peppermint
Here’s a gentle, yet effective way to naturally deter these small intruders without resorting to traps, toxic sprays, or poisons: utilizing peppermint tea or essential oil.

Peppermint Tea:
Simply brew peppermint tea and strategically place the used tea bags in areas frequented by spiders and mice, like corners of rooms, to keep them at bay.

Peppermint Essential Oil:
Alternatively, combine 10-15 drops of peppermint essential oil in a water-filled spray bottle and spritz around baseboards. Not only does this prevent the critters from invading, but it also leaves your home smelling fresh. (Note: If you have pets, opt for the tea method, as essential oils can be harmful to them.)

Additional Techniques to Maintain a Critter-Free Home
Discourage Spider Homesteading: Prevent spiders by ensuring your home surroundings do not harbor spider-friendly environments, like plants, woodpiles, or undisturbed dark areas.

Seal Entry Points:
Keep both spiders and mice out by identifying and sealing potential entryways, like small cracks or gaps around doors and windows.

Eliminate Food & Shelter Sources:
A clean home, with minimal hiding spots and available food, discourages persistence from mice and spiders alike.

Remove Webs:
Regularly clear any spider webs with a vacuum or an extendable broom to deter their return.

The Importance of a Critter-Free Home
While the presence of mice in a home carries potential health risks due to their capability to spread diseases like lymphocytic choriomeningitis via their urine and feces, spiders generally pose a smaller threat. Most spiders do not bite humans unless threatened, and most household spider bites are harmless. However, maintaining a critter-free home not only ensures peace of mind but also safeguards against possible health concerns.

Credit: happycoking

How To Unclog A Sink Using Just 2 Natural Ingredients

The garbage disposal and drain in my kitchen sink is temperamental, to say the least. (A more accurate description would be to say that my drain is a diva of the first rank!) Over the years I’ve had several unpleasant experiences with backed up pipes, so these days I am extremely careful about what I put down it. No rice, no eggshells, no vegetable peels, etc.

But a few years ago, before I had learned my lesson about our finicky drain, I made the not-so-smart decision to put a bunch of discarded cilantro stems down into the disposal. (I know – what was I thinking?!) And sure enough, the garbage disposal was running but no water was going down the drain. It just sat there mocking me!

I was grateful that my husband happened to be out of the house at the time, because I could already hear the lecture that he would give me if he found out about this incident! So in a desperate attempt to avoid receiving that lecture, I decided to try a method I had read about online to unclog a sink.

Step 1 – Add Vinegar & Baking Soda
Pour the vinegar down the drain of your sink. Then sprinkle the baking soda into the drain, then quickly put the drain plug into the drain. Hold it in place until the fizzing has subsided.

Step 2 – Wait
After the fizzing has stopped, let the sink sit undisturbed for about 30 minutes.

Step 3 – Flush With Hot Water
After 30 minutes, bring a kettle or pot of water to a boil. Remove the drain plug from the sink and pour the boiling water into the drain. The hot water will help flush out any clogs, as well as the remaining baking soda and vinegar.

Credit: one good thing

Friends Raved About How Amazing Her Home Smelled. Here’s Her Simple DIY Solution

If your home doesn’t smell as amazing as you would like, the common solution is to go out and buy air fresheners like AirWick or Febreze. While these solutions do help, they aren’t foolproof nor are they cost-efficient. Replacing your AirWick every single time can add up.

Instead, try this very easy and simple DIY solution. You can create your own scented spray at home to eliminate the unwanted, nasty odors in your home.

This DIY spray can smells similar to Febreze, but it doesn’t contain any fabric softener. This recipe also involves Downy Unstoppables, which come in a wide variety of scents. You can choose the one you like the best!

To start, you just need a few ingredients.
1/4 cup of Downy Unstoppables in your preferred scent
4 teaspoons of baking soda
1 cup boiling water
14-oz spray bottle
First, combine your 1/4 cup of Downy

Unstopabbles with baking soda in a bowl. Then pour your boiling water over the mixture. Stir it together gently, and let it sit for 30 minutes. The beads should dissolve completely.

Next, transfer the mixture into your spray bottle. Use a funnel to make this process more efficient and easier.

Now you can apply this mixture to any surface and make your house smell amazing. Easy, right?

If you prefer a natural solution, then try this DIY room freshener using essential oils.

Credit: 1strecipes

PISTACHIO PUPPY CHOW

Pistachio Puppy Chow has been one of my all-time favorite treats since childhood. I was first introduced to it at a school bake sale and have been hooked ever since. I had the classic recipe memorized by high school because I made it so often (not sure if that should be a point of pride or shame), but it wasn’t until recently that I started venturing into the world of different Puppy Chow flavors.

Ingredients
1 (12 oz) box Rice Chex
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup white chocolate or cream cheese chips
1 (3.4 oz) instant pistachio pudding mix
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups powdered sugar

How To Make Pistachio Puppy Chow
Pour cereal into a very large bowl or doubled clean brown paper bag, set aside.
In a large microwave-safe bowl, add sweetened condensed milk, butter, and chips. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between, until chips are fully melted. Mix until smooth.
Mix in the pudding powder until evenly combined, then add vanilla and salt.
Pour pudding mixture over the cereal and toss until evenly coated, then add powdered sugar and toss again.
Allow treat to cool then store in an airtight container. Best when eaten in the first day or two!

Credit: healthy-juice

8 effective tips to degrease very dirty ovens and make them look like new 

An oven is a workhorse in the kitchen, but its hard work often leaves it covered in grease, grime, and burnt-on residue. Cleaning a very dirty oven may seem like a daunting task, but with the right approach and a little effort, you can make it look like new again. Here are eight effective tips to help you degrease your oven:

  1. Gather Your Supplies:
    Before you start, gather all the necessary cleaning supplies. You’ll need gloves, a scrubbing brush or sponge, a bucket, white vinegar, baking soda, dish soap, water, and a cloth.
  2. Remove Loose Debris:
    Start by removing any loose debris from the oven. Sweep or vacuum the crumbs and loose particles to create a clean surface to work on.
  3. Make a Baking Soda Paste:
    In a bowl, mix a generous amount of baking soda with water to create a thick paste. You want a consistency that’s easy to spread but not too runny.
  4. Apply the Baking Soda Paste:
    Wearing gloves, spread the baking soda paste all over the interior surfaces of the oven, focusing on the greasiest areas. Avoid the heating elements if you have an electric oven.
  5. Let it Sit Overnight:
    Close the oven door and let the baking soda paste sit overnight. This allows it to break down the grease and grime.
  6. Scrub with Vinegar:
    The next day, mix equal parts of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray the inside of the oven with this mixture. The vinegar will react with the baking soda, creating a foaming action that helps to lift away the grease.
    Use a scrubbing brush or sponge to scrub the surfaces, paying extra attention to areas with stubborn stains or buildup.
  7. Rinse and Wipe:
    Rinse the oven thoroughly with clean water. You can use a damp cloth or sponge to wipe away the baking soda residue. Keep rinsing and wiping until all the residue is gone.
  8. Final Touches:
    To add a finishing touch, create a mixture of water and a few drops of dish soap. Use this to wipe down the oven’s interior one more time to remove any remaining traces of grease or cleaning agents.
    Don’t forget to clean the oven racks separately. You can soak them in a tub filled with warm, soapy water or scrub them with a scrubbing brush.

Additional Tips:
For very stubborn stains or burnt-on residue, consider using a commercial oven cleaner. Follow the product’s instructions carefully, and make sure to ventilate the area.
To keep your oven cleaner for longer, consider using oven liners or placing a baking sheet on the rack below whatever you’re cooking to catch spills.
Regular maintenance can help prevent heavy grease buildup. Wipe up spills and splatters as soon as they happen, and schedule periodic cleanings to keep your oven looking its best.
Cleaning a very dirty oven may take some time and effort, but the results are worth it. A sparkling clean oven not only looks great but also functions more efficiently. Plus, you’ll be cooking in a healthier and more pleasant environment.

Credit: healthy-juice

AMISH ONION FRITTERS

Ingredients
½ C. All-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. Cornmeal
1 Tbsp. sugar, Granulated
2 tsp. Baking powder
½ C. Whole milk
2 C. Chopped onions
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil for frying

Instructions
Place all of the ingredients minus the oil into a mixing bowl, and stir together until well combined.
Heat ½ -1 inch of oil in a deep-sided skillet over medium-high heat on the stove.
When the oil has reached a temperature of at least 175 degrees, drop the batter into the skillet by the tablespoonful, spreading it out a bit as you go.
Brown the fritters on one side, flip and brown them on the other before removing to drain on a paper towel lined rack.
Serve with sour cream or your favorite dipping sauce if desired.

Credit: healthy-juice