Home Is My Happy Spot

When temperatures soar during the summer months, salads are a cool and refreshing dinner option that don't require heating up the oven. What if you're feeding picky eaters who turn up their noses at salad?  They won't be able to resist the familiar taste of a classic sandwich once you assemble all the fixings! Marinated grilled chicken dresses up this delicious spin on a BLT.  This salad tastes like Summer! Fun Facts on the History of the BLT While the BLT ranks as the "nation's favorite" sandwich in the U.K., it's the sixth most popular sandwich in America.  BLTs just taste better in the summertime, particularly during the tomato harvest.   Did you know the BLT didn't become trendy until after WWII? While the basic BLT consists of bacon, lettuce, and tomato tucked between two slices of toasted bread, several variations can be made to tweak the sandwich for different palates.  Some prefer turkey bacon, while others add sliced avocado or onion.  The BLT...

We all look for ways to cool down in the summer, and eating light and refreshing foods is one way to beat the heat. Although there are many different twists on making veggie pizza, this recipe is a throwback to the 1980's, and it uses a flavor blend you'll find addictive! This delicious veggie pizza recipe is a throwback to the 1980's. Classic Veggie Pizza Like Mom Used to Make Have you ever eaten something that immediately transports you back to your childhood?  A taste, just like a smell, can retrieve long-forgotten memories. Air conditioning is something we take for granted today, but in the 80's, many rural families like mine lived without it.  It was simply unaffordable.  Even on a 90-degree day, it felt cooler outside than inside our stifling house. Homes like ours avoided using the oven on sweltering days, but if something had to be baked, moms snapped to it before daybreak.  Since veggie pizza crust didn't take long in the oven, it was a perfect summer meal ...

Avocados aren't just for yuppies and vegans anymore--oodles of Americans are obsessed with them! Why are avocados so popular? Not only are they more accessible and affordable than ever before, but avocados are a superfood that actually taste delicious.    After guacamole, avocado toast is immensely popular. How Avocados Became More Accessible in America Avocados have been a Mexican staple for over 10,000 years, but Americans' delight over this fresh, buttery, and nutty tasting fruit began in the early 20th century, mainly in the growing regions of California and Florida. One particular variety, the Hass avocado, comprises nearly 95% of the four billion avocados Americans eat each year, and it's an avocado with an interesting history. Rudolph Hass was a California mail carrier who planted three avocado seeds in 1926, which yielded one strong seedling.  When Hass's attempt to graft his seedling with another avocado variety failed, he almost cut down his tree.  Thankful...

There are two opinions when it comes to wind chimes:  you either love or hate the sound of them dancing across the breeze. Some people prefer the pure melodies of nature, like a chorus of chirping birds, wind rustling through the trees, or water trickling over rocks in a nearby brook.  To such, wind chimes are a clamorous intrusion upon tranquility. For others, wind chimes are the perfect accompaniment to nature's symphony.  No relaxation CD can compare.  Perhaps the reason for the opposing viewpoints on wind chimes really centers on sound quality--not all wind chimes are created equal. Corinthian Bells Wind Chimes from Wind River Are Superior in Quality and Made in the USA! You get what you pay for is cliché, but it holds true when it comes to purchasing the perfect set of wind chimes. You can find wind chimes anywhere:  garden centers, hardware stores, home improvement retailers, the grocery, and online, and they come in a wide spectrum of price points. When ...

What Causes the Film on Your Dryer Lint Trap? You want to wear clothes that are soft and static-free, but using fabric softener and dryer sheets creates a gunky film on your dryer lint trap.   Do you always clean the lint off your dryer screen after every load?  You probably do, but with regular use, your lint trap also needs washed approximately every six months to eliminate buildup which adversely affects your dryer's efficiency. One way to tell if your dryer lint trap needs a thorough washing is to hold it up to the light.  Do you see shaded areas like the picture on the left below?  Rinsing the dryer lint screen under water won't fix the problem.  The water will not drain properly through the screen when it's clogged with residue, which means air can't flow through it either. A clogged dryer lint trap prevents your dryer from working optimally.   Why Do You Need to Clean the Lint Screen? If you have a family, the endless amount of laundry is...

You Can Never Go Wrong with Bacon & Eggs for Breakfast! Like many women, I spend the majority of my time in the kitchen.  There are always meals to prepare, lunches to pack, snacks to assemble, and dishes to wash.  I know.... I'm preaching to the choir! On the weekends, my hubby loves a hearty breakfast, but since I've already devoted enough of my time to meal preparation, he is willing to fend for himself.  This is good news for the rest of our family because necessity is the mother of invention, and it's during these times, he creates some delectable new dishes. My all-time favorite breakfast is my husband's legendary bacon and egg roll-ups and seasoned potatoes, and he always makes them for my birthday and other special occasions. I've observed him putting the bacon and egg roll-ups together many times, wanting to replicate and share his tasty recipe, but he doesn't measure any of the ingredients.  Bacon and egg roll-ups pair perfectly with seasoned, frie...

Styes & Chalazions are Stubborn! If you've ever had a stye or chalazion on your eyelid, you know how persistent one can be.  When you Google ways to get rid of them, you typically find the same home remedies repeated on various sites:  hot compresses, tea bags, cucumbers, and avoiding contacts and make-up.  What if you've tried all those methods and your stye or chalazion won't go away? Our daughter struggled with a chalazion, which we originally assumed was a stye, for several months until we consulted an optometrist and later an ophthalmologist for help.  To spare you the time, trouble, and expense of costly doctor visits, I will share the tips recommended by these medical professionals. What Is the Difference Between a Stye and a Chalazion? Styes typically begin at the base of your eyelash and are the result of an infection of the hair follicle.  A stye on the inside of your eyelid is caused by the infection of an oil gland.  A stye can become very p...