Archive for » March 5th, 2010«

05
Mar
Popular Comfort Food Going Gourmet
sybille

Each one of us enjoys a particular comfort food and the one food item topping the list is macaroni and cheese.  But…can we turn this old fashioned rather bland meal into a gourmet cuisine?  Here are some easy-to-prepare ways that is sure to please the most finicky eater…

Turn cooked macaroni and cheese into an Italian delight by adding sliced olives, artichoke hearts, diced salami and shredded parmesan.  A glass of wine will compliment this easy to prepare meal.

Create buffalo chicken by tossing shredded chicken and a dash of hot sauce into a bowl of prepared macaroni and cheese.  Sprinkle blue cheese and serve with thinly sliced celery sticks.

Thaw frozen spinach and squeeze dry, adding sliced roasted red pepper and a few “dots” of goat cheese into a prepared dish of macaroni and cheese.

A variation of cheeseburger is created by sautéing ground beef and chopped onion.  Stir in ketchup and dill pickle relish to taste.  Top mixture with macaroni and cheese.

A new Southern dish is prepared with macaroni and cheese, with added black beans, corn and shredded pepper jack cheese.  Include chopped tomato, cilantro and a dash of hot sauce.

Prepare macaroni and cheese and then stir in crispy bacon pieces, sautéed zucchini slices and shredded Swiss cheese with added chives.

A lifeless bowl of macaroni and cheese has been turned into a one meal course that will please anyone’s palate for gourmet food and done without “breaking the bank” or “slaving over a hot stove”.

Category: Easy To Prepare Meals  Tags: , , , ,  2 Comments
05
Mar
Hairspray Isn’t Just for Hair
sybille

Who would have thought that using hair spray for anything else but a swanky hairdo is a possibility.  There are smart ways to use hairspray and five of these ways come to mind…

  • Constantly having to vacuum pet hair off any surface?  Spray a clean cloth with hairspray and run it over these hair filled surfaces.  Hair will stick to the cloth and your pet’s hair is no longer noticeable.
  • Can sewing be made any easier?  It seems threading a needle is getting harder and harder, especially as we age.  Spray hairspray on the end of the thread and when it dries, the thread will stiffen and threading the needle is made easier as the stiff thread can now ease through the needle’s eye.
  • Want to keep your child’s artistic flair on paper?  With a light mist of hairspray, spray pictures drawn by your child using chalks or crayons.  The “Van Gogh” pieces will last for years to come.
  • Can’t afford those pantyhose runs?  How about spritzing hairspray at either end of the tear.  When the spray hardens, fibers will bind together and stop further tearing.
  • Received a special bouquet from a loved one?  Spray the underside of petals and leaves with hairspray and once dried, drooping will be a thing of the past.

With the multiple use of hairsprays, you are bound to inadvertently spray this sticky residue on any mirror near by.  With a dab of rubbing alcohol on a clean rag, wipe the surface and greet a sparkling reflection of yourself.

During these tough economic times, it is always a good thing to learn how to use anything on more than the intended use, thus getting a “bigger bang out of your hard earned buck.”

Category: Economic Times  Tags: , , , , ,  5 Comments