Kitchen Creations: July 2014

July 6, 2014

Almond Joy Pudding

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July 5, 2014

Rice with Pineapple Beef - Microwave Meals!

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One disadvantage to traveling with my husband is that I don't get to home cook as much as I would like. I find myself getting creative with microwave meals in order to feel like I'm serving something home cooked. At least it's better than opening a can every night, dumping it in a bowl, heating it, and calling it dinner! This particularly delicious dish is a favorite of ours.

What's great about it, is that it can be made anywhere you have a microwave. If you want a change up from office lunches, or a dinner when you're away from home and have a microwave, try this. It takes less than 5 minutes!

You'll Need:

Annie Chun's Rice Express Sticky White Rice

(I find this in the organic section at some stores, in the Asian foods at others. I've also found it with the microwaveable meals, and with the rice. You may just have to hunt for it).

John Soules Foods Angus Beef Steak

(Precooked, I find it with the other precooked meats and chickens, which tends to be mixed in or near the fresh cut meats).

1 small can diced pineapples, drained.
Soy sauce (optional)

Prepare:

Cook rice according to directions.
Heat up meat according to directions.
Place rice upside down on plate. Top with meat and pineapples.
Add soy sauce to taste, if desired.

Reusable Dryer Sponges

I am all about saving some money! I was thrilled when I realized my savings after making my own powdered laundry detergent, but I was even more happy when I realized I wouldn't have to buy dryer sheets ever again!

Dryer sheets are very useful for many things, but more often than not I find that they seemingly multiple in the dryer (or am I the only one that happens to?) and then end up in random places and finally end up in the trash.

A friend told me about this little trick and it's a good one!

You'll Need:

1 sponge
1 cup fabric softener
1 cup water

Prepare:

Cut the sponge into four equal pieces.
Mix fabric softener and water in a sealable container (a jar or old Tupperware works great).
Put sponges in mixture.

To Use:

Grab a sponge and throw it in the dryer with your clothes like a dryer sheet.
When clothes are dry, put dry sponge back in mixture to reabsorb some liquid.
Just remake the mixture as needed, which shouldn't be too often.

The Ugly Lamps

Have you ever had something in your home that you really didn't like but needed? That's the case with these bedside lamps. They're lamps someone gave us years ago that probably came from Fred's or Family Dollar, to be honest. They've endured markers from kids, and acquired some stains on the shades somehow. The metal paint is chipping off in places.

New-ish looking lamp.

I've been in the process of remaking our bedroom and it is done, for the most part. However, these ugly lamps are a problem. I've looked and looked and just can't find the right lamps for the new look. Or- I find the right lamps and the only have one in stock. It's starting to drive me bananas.

So, I decided until I can find (two of!) the lamps I like, I will just deal with the old ones the best I can.

This requires one of my favorite things: Krylon Spray Paint! A can of "Hammered Metal" and a can of "Celery" (I promise, that's what the color is called).

I taped off the cord and the important parts (such as where you screw the light bulb in) and went to work. I painted the base in the Hammered Metal. I painted the lamp shades (yes, you read that right) in Celery.

Here is the result (sorry for the poor picture quality, I didn't think to take the picture until the last minute... and the picture doesn't really do the lampshade justice). I still don't love them, but I at least kind of like them now.

Original on left, painted on right.