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DIY Towel Racks to Wall Hooks

4/16/2015

We were tired of looking at the messy towel rack and towels falling on the floor in our master bedroom so I went online to find alternatives to fix this issue and ran across this amazing idea on: HarvardHomemaker.com!

So, we tried this look in London's *Under The Sea Themed* bathroom and loved it! We matched the wood with the color of the bathroom cabinets. Also, we used individual chrome hooks in the Master bathroom.

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Safe & Natural Grout & Tile Cleaner

4/16/2015

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Preserving Herbs In Oil

4/10/2015

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●Preserving herbs in oil reduces some of the browning and freezer burn that herbs can get in the freezer. It's also a great way to have herbs ready immediately for winter stews, roasts, soups, and potato dishes.

●These dishes usually call for oil to start with, and so you can take a cube of frozen oil, herbs inside, out of the freezer and use this as the base of your dish.

●Cook the onions and garlic in this herb-infused oil and let the taste of herbs spread through your whole dish. Given this use, the oil-and-freezer method of preservation works best with the tougher hard herbs such as rosemary, sage, thyme, and oregano.

●These are all herbs that would probably be cooked when added to a dish. Soft herbs such as mint, basil, lemon verbena, and dill are usually added raw to a dish, and they don't respond as well to this kind of preserving.

●Their fresh taste is changed in the freezer. Some folks do freeze soft herbs in bags without any water or oil, which essentially preserves them by drying them out.

●For me, the best use of the freezer when it comes to herbs is preserving hard herbs in oil, butter or broth, although I prefer oil.

●The aroma of the herbs really infuses the oil in the freezer, which is a bonus! ☆Herbs that are frozen properly last UP TO 1 YEAR!

☆Here are 8 Steps for Freezing (Preserving) Herbs in Oil

■Choose firm, fresh herbs, ideally from the market or your own garden. If you wish, you can chop them fine. Or leave them in larger sprigs and leaves (Here I froze a combination of finely-chopped and whole herbs such as rosemary, fennel stalk, sage, and oregano).

■Pack the wells of ice cube trays about 2/3 full of herbs. (You can mix up the herbs, too; think about freezing a bouquet garni of sage, thyme, and rosemary to add to potatoes!)

■Pour extra-virgin olive/Coconut/Avocado Oil, Broth, Ghee, or Vegan Butter over the herbs.
■Cover lightly with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.

■Remove the frozen cubes and store in freezer containers or small ziplock bags. Don't forget to label each container or bag with the type of herb (and liquid) inside!"

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Proper Cleaning & Caring For Cast Iron

4/10/2015

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☆How To Clean Cast Iron

Combine olive oil and a heaping teaspoon of coarse sea salt in the pan. Scrub with a stiff brush, rinse with hot water, and you’re done!

☆Continued Care After Use

What you SHOULD do... Season it when you get it. Even pre-seasoned cast iron can do with some extra protection. To season your pan, heat it up on the stovetop until its smoking hot, then rub a little oil into it and let it cool. Clean it after each use. Re-season it. Fry and Sear in it. Don't let it stay wet.

☆How to Restore Rusty Cast Iron

What You Need: •Steel wool •Scrubbing brush or sponge •Dish soap •Dish towel or paper towels •Cooking oil of choice •Aluminum foil

■Equipment: Oven

Instructions

Remove all the rust: Use fine steel wool to remove rust from affected areas. Scour the skillet until the area returns to raw cast iron.

Wash the skillet thoroughly: Wash the cast iron with warm water and mild dish soap. Scrub with bristle brush or mesh sponge if needed. If your pans are really rusty, you can soak them in a solution of half water, half white vinegar to help remove the corrosion. Soak them for 1 hour and then see if the rust is easily removed. If it’s still bad, continue soaking for up to 4 hours, checking after every hour to prevent over-soaking. The longer the cast iron sits in the solution, the more it wears away at the metal, so less is best. Wipe them dry with a rag.

Dry the skillet: Thoroughly dry the cast iron immediately with a clean dish towel or paper towels.

Cover the pan with a coating of oil: Apply a small amount of cooking oil to the entire piece, including the bottom and handle. Use only a small amount to avoid a sticky surface.

Place the pan in the oven: Place the cast iron upside down on the top rack of your rack. Place a sheet of aluminum foil or a foil-lined baking sheet on the bottom rack to catch any oil drips.

Heat the pan for an hour: Heat the cast iron for 1 hour at 350° degrees.

Let the pan cool before using: Turn off heat, let cast iron cool, then get back to cooking!

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Naturally Unclog Your Kitchen Sink

4/8/2015

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DIY Towel Racks to Wall Hooks

Safe & Natural Grout & Tile Cleaner

Preserving Herbs In Oil

Proper Cleaning & Caring For Cast Iron

Naturally Unclog Your Kitchen Sink

Do It Yourself

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