Kathy Zengolewicz

Keep all produce separate from any meat in your refrigerator. Crisper drawers help protect and keep your produce moist and aid in the maintenance of freshness for longer periods of time. Mostly all fruits and vegetables can be stored in the freezer. Make sure to freeze in small pieces.

It is better to buy small quantities and eat any produce as quickly as possible after purchasing them. The flavors and nutrients start to degrade the moment they are picked.

Tomatoes should be stored, unwashed, at room temperature. Vidalia onions have a high water content and should be wrapped individually in paper towels before storing in the refrigerator. Eggplant goes bad very quickly and should be eaten with a couple of day of purchasing.

Asparagus should be stored with their tips in water and with a wet paper towel wrapped around the tops to keep them crisp. Mushrooms can be stored in a cool dry place and washed directly before use.

Lettuce should be washed as soon as possible after purchase and cleaned. I rap my lettuce head at the core, remove the core and hold it, core side up, under cold running water until the water comes out of the top. Then let it sit and drain before putting into a lettuce crisper and placing it in the refrigerator.

Cantaloupe will go from ripe to overripe quickly. Store the or any other melons at room temperature. Mangos, plums, peaches and pears can be stored in a brown bag at room temperature.

Storing your fruits and vegetables properly will help them last a little longer and save you money.

Take care. I’ll talk to you soon.

Post from: Keeping the Castle

Kathy Zengolewicz

Today I want to deal with all of the mess and stain that you know you will have after the feast. I know my table is always a mess after a big dinner. I would like to share with you some sure fire ways to help with your clean up.

Removing nasty stains is a big job. To remove cranberry sauce or wine stains simply put ½ cup of hydrogen peroxide and one cup of cold water in a spray bottle. Spray the stain and then dip a clean clothe in ice water and rub. The stain will be gone in no time.

Coffee and tea stains? Mix one teaspoon of white vinegar to one quart of cold water. Spray it on the stain and blot with a clean cloth. Poof! Stain gone.

Dawn dish washing liquid is great for removing grease stains for almost any fabric. I use it to remove the grease stains from my table clothes.

Believe it or not, if you have a nasty stain like grease from a bicycle try smearing the stain with Cheeze Whiz and then launder as usual. You will be shocked by the outcome. It really works.

For butter stains on carpet or upholstery, scrape off any excess butter, sprinkle with baking soda or cornstarch and let it sit for about 20 minutes then vacuum. If the stain remains, mix one tablespoon of liquid dishwashing detergent and one tablespoon of white vinegar with two cups of warm water. Apply the detergent/vinegar solution to the area with a sponge, then blot with cold water and use a clean clothe to blot dry.

Take care. I’ll talk to you soon!

Post from: Keeping the Castle

Here is a list of ideas to include more fruits and vegetables into our diets.  I hope this helps inspire you.

1)  Try cooked pumpkin or winter squash for dinner.

2)  Make a quiche and include chopped bell peppers, onions, and spinach.

3)  Try applesauce on pancakes instead of syrup.

4)  Add lettuce and tomato to a sandwich.

5)  Add chopped apple, mashed banana, or berries to pancakes.

6)  Use fruit when making sweets.  Instead of making chocolate chip cookies or a chocolate peanut butter pie, make an apple pie, pumpkin pie, banana bread, strawberry muffins, or blueberry pie.  Mmmm!

7) Make smoothies.  This is one of my favorite ways to get my fruit.  Strawberries, bananas, pineapple, oranges, and more.  Yummy!

8)  Bake sweet potatoes for dinner.

9)  Make fruit salad.  I always add pineapple to mine. I like the taste of the pineapple mixed with the other fruits.

10)  Enjoy a hot bowl of vegetable soup.

What ways do you add more fruits and vegetables to your family’s meals?

image sxc.hu

Post from: Keeping the Castle

This time, I included a short description of the things needed for each of these cupcake ideas. Perhaps that will help you save some time as you scan through the list. If you’re like me, you’d rather choose a project that you already have the supplies for, rather than making another trip to the store.  Each cupcake requires icing, so I did not include it in the list.

• Peeking Monster – sour candy corn, Necco wafers, blue mini M&Ms
• Spider Crawler Cupcake – chocolate truffles, melted chocolate, mini red M&Ms, pretzel sticks
• Howling Werewolf – shredded wheat, red mini M&Ms, candy corn, black licorice, sunflower kernels
• Witch Legs – black marzipan, yellow mini M&Ms, peppermint sticks, dyed green coconut
• Frankenstein – chocolate graham crackers, miniature marshmallows
• Funny Frog – Hostess Ho Hos or Swiss Cake Rolls, melted chocolate, blue mini M&Ms, green mini M&Ms, red fruit roll-ups
• Green Goblin – sour gummy straws, sour gummy rings, white jelly beans, mini chocolate chips, green jelly beans
• Little Witch – sugar cones, chocolate cookies, melted chocolate, mini M&Ms, dyed coconut
• Gone Batty – chocolate cookie wafers, chocolate M&Ms
• Spooky Eyes – candy coated almonds, Cocoa Puffs, icing
• Who’s There? Owls – fruit flavored candy circles, oval chocolate cookies, frosting, cashews, shaved coconut, pretzel rods
• Googly-Eyed – dark chocolate-covered almonds
• Peek-A-Boo Ghosts – sugar, marshmallows, small mint candies, M&Ms
• Bare Bones skeletons – large candy mints, licorice pastels, small mint candies (Tic-Tacs), white sprinkles
• Under Wraps Mummies – M&Ms, chocolate chips
• Ghoulish Delight ghosts – white fondant
• Madcap Monster – silicone cupcake baking cups with feet,  lollipop sticks, cornstarch, black licorice, white disk shape candies, chocolate pieces, gel frosting

Which cupcakes do you think you’d like to make?

image sxc.hu

Post from: Keeping the Castle

• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal at GoodLife Eats
• Pumpkin Waffles at Smitten Kitchen
• Black Bean Pumpkin Soup at Smitten Kitchen
• Pumpkin Spice Latte from Kettle and Cup
• Crockpot Pumpkin Spice Latte from A Year of Slow Cooking
• Creamy and Spicy Pumpkin Soup (low carb) at Low Carb Diets
• Spicy Pumpkin Bisque at About.com Home Cooking
• Baked Stuffed Pumpkin at About.com Home Cooking
• Pumpkin Pie and Pumpkin Cheesecake at Pumpkin Patch
• Pumpkin Spice Latte Syrup at Think Inside the Icebox
• Pumpkin Spice Roll from Kraft Foods
• Double Layer Pumpkin Pie from Kraft Foods
• Pumpkin Pie from Martha Stewart
• Pumpkin Bread from Food Network
• Pumpkin Roll Cake from Paula Deen at Food Network
• Pumpkin Custard Pie from Emeril Live
• Pumpkin Waffles with Maple Walnut Apples from Food Network
• Delish Pumpkin Dip from Our Recipe Garden
• Pumpkin Bread Pudding from Everyday Food Storage

Which pumpkin recipe do you think you’ll try?

image sxc.hu

Post from: Keeping the Castle

I remember the year we purchased our first home.  I decided that I should host Christmas dinner.  We had my parents and my husband’s parents over.  I didn’t realize all the work that would go into hosting the meal, opening presents, and family time. 

I learned a lot that day and now I certainly don’t take it for granted when I visit someone else’s house.  When I go to someone else’s house for a Thanksgiving or Christmas meal, I try to offer to make something such as sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, or whatever they request.

If you are hosting this year’s dinner, here are some tips to help you not to stress.  Plan ahead so that you can enjoy being with your family.

Two weeks prior to Thanksgiving:

• Plan your menu. 
• Decide if anything can be made ahead and frozen.
• Get a final count of who’s coming.
• Assign menu items to those who want to help.  Never turn down help from anyone who offers.  If you don’t know right then what they can do then say, “I would love for you to help.  I don’t know right now exactly what I need help with.  Can I call you back in a couple of days and left you know?”
• Make your shopping list.
• Make your to-do list.  Prioritize your list, schedule, and delegate.

One week prior to Thanksgiving:

• Gather any recipes that you need.
• Go over your shopping list again and compare it with your recipes to insure that you don’t forget anything.
• Shop early for groceries and avoid the rush.
• Get your children to help with decorations.  They can even make place mats with turkeys or turkeys from pinecones.  You can insert place cards in the pine cones.
• Cook and freeze any menu items that you can.
• Clean bathrooms, living and dining rooms.  Clean house of clutter.

A few days before Thanksgiving:

• Put your turkey in the refrigerator to thaw.  Most birds usually take a few days to thaw.  Make sure you put a dish under it to catch any drippings.
• Buy any last minute perishables you might need.

Day before Thanksgiving:

• If possible, set the table.
• Make whatever dishes you can.  I like to make my sweet potato casserole the day before and refrigerate it.  The day of the dinner I heat up the casserole and add the marshmallows during the last 10 minutes of cooking. 
• Straighten up the house.

Thanksgiving Day:

• Finish any last minute cooking:  turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, etc.
• Enjoy yourself.
• Be thankful!

Do you have any tips to add to this list?

image sxc.hu

Post from: Keeping the Castle

 Today I got distracted and forgot to keep an eye on what was going on.  Sure enough, I got out to my car and found my laundry detergent bagged with my marshmallows.  In another bag I found my bananas bagged with a carton of juice, a bottle of creamer, luncheon meat, butter, and some other items.  And in another bag were my eggs and gallon of milk.

Enough is enough and out of frustration today, I have listed a few rules tips that baggers should follow.

1)  Like items go together.  Marshmallows do not go with cleaning supplies.  Produce does not go with canned goods.  Milk doesn’t go with eggs.

2)  Reusable bags are ok.  I can’t tell you the number of eye rolls, grimaces, and sighs I’ve received when using my own bags.  Older baggers sometimes think it’s their duty to tell me why plastic bags are better than my bags.  Reusable bags are sturdy and hold three times the amount of food.  Thankfully, more people are using the bags now and the negative body language is decreasing some.

3)  Heavier items go on the bottom.  This means canned goods should go under my eggs, rather than on top.

4)  Parents shouldn’t need to move their children to a new cart.  My children are older now, but I can remember the frustration I felt at the grocery store when baggers would put my groceries in a cart other than the one I was using.  The could see I had children with me.  I don’t want to unbuckle my child and move him or their stuff.

5)  Avoid personal chit chat with other employees.  Customers don’t need to hear cashiers or baggers talking with one another about the speeding ticket they got, the party they’re going to after work, or any other drama. 

These are five rules that I think should be followed.  Do you have any rules to add to this list?  Have you had any bad experiences?

image sxc.hu

Post from: Keeping the Castle

Pumpkin treats

Texan Pumpkin French Toast

Pumpkin Latte

Pumpkin Cookies (with cream cheese icing)

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Napoleons

Luscious Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

Espresso Cakes with Pumpkin

Pumpkin Spice Cake

Scrumptious Pumpkin Parfait

Apple treats

My Favorite Apple Cake Recipe

Caramel Apple Bars

Caramel Apple Pie

Chocolate Caramel Apples with Sprinkles

Apple Dumpling Dessert

Apple Upside-Down Cake

Apple Bread

Apple Pear Crisp

Blushing Apples

Weight Watchers Low Point Options:

Apple Pie

Warm Pear Cobbler

Pear Upside Down Cake with Pecans

Apple Pear Crisp

Other treats

Honey’s Carrot Cake

Sweet Potato Cupcakes

Pecan Tarts

Carrot Cake with Honey-Orange Frosting

Sunflower Cake

Cinnamon Pistachio Meringue

Which desserts do you think you’d like to try?

image from Linette Gerlach

Post from: Keeping the Castle

My son wanted a Lightning McQueen cake for his birthday. I looked around in the stores and tried to figure out what I was going to do. Then I decided to buy the car figurines from the toy section. At $12 for three cars, I thought it was a bit pricey but it was cheaper than buying a cake and then at least he would have the cars to play with later.

First we started with a regular 9×13 sheet cake that we made. We iced it with homemade white icing. Since I had the Lightning McQueen car that had mud painted on the side, we thought it would be neat to make a mud scene on the cake with chocolate icing.  We even smeared it a little to look like Lightning McQueen was sliding through the mud.

Next we dyed some of the white icing green and made a grass scene. My mom also used the brown for the piping around the cake.

Finally, we placed the cars on the cake. My hubby even looked online and found a Radiator Springs picture. He printed it out and taped it to two toothpicks.

I thought this was a pretty cute cake and it wasn’t hard at all.  When making cakes, sometimes it helps to look at pictures of other cakes to get inspiration.  I hope this one helps you.

Do you enjoy making your own cakes?

images (c) Karen Weideman

Post from: Keeping the Castle

If you’re looking for something yummy to make for your family or just to drool, you should check out her sites.  You can find Marye at Kettle and Cup, Baking Delights, Everything Cookies and Brownies, and MaryeAudet.com.  Marye’s not just baking up cooking and brownies.  I stopped by Baking Delights today and saw one of her newest creations, chicken with portobellos.  And best of all, Marye says it’s easy to make. 

It’s encouraging to hear stories of how others have made something from blogging.  I’m hoping to get there some day . . . soon.  Congratulations, Marye!    Be sure to stop by and order a copy of her book, Everything Cookies and Brownies.

images (c) Marye Audet

Post from: Keeping the Castle