Cooking with Chef Mark - How to Cut Tomatoes

Love eating tomatoes, but don't like the seeds? Chef Mark, Appliance Factory & Mattress Kingdom's Celebrity Chef, is here to teach you a couple of tips on cutting tomatoes.



These helpful tips will help you:

• Make less of a mess
• Dice to perfection
• Remove the seeds

What fruit or vegetable do you struggle with to cut to perfection? Leave it in the comments and we will teach you how to perfect it!

Creative Uses for Dryer Lint

Emptying the lint trap after every load of laundry is one of the most important ways to take care of your dryer and make sure that it runs safely and efficiently. But what should you do with all that dryer lint you collect? Sure, you could just throw it away, but if you like the idea of recycling and repurposing objects, read on for some inventive uses for dryer lint.

Absorbent makeshift towel- You can use a handful of dryer lint to soak up messes for a quick, absorbent fix. This comes in especially handy for motor oil in the garage or driveway.

 

Stuffing for toys and pillows- If you are the crafty sort who enjoys sewing pillows, quilts and stuffed toys, dryer lint makes a great substitute for cotton batting or another type of stuffing you would find in a craft or hobby store.

 

Pet bedding- Small animals like hamsters, gerbils and guinea pigs like a nice fluffy nest to sleep in. Dryer lint makes the ideal bedding for your furry friend.

 

Packing material- If you are looking for a greener and cheaper alternative to Styrofoam packing peanuts or bubble wrap, we suggest a nice layer of dryer lint around your fragile items. The lint makes a good cushion for anything you are trying to mail.

 

Fire starter- You undoubtedly know that dryer lint is a fire hazard; after all, accumulation of lint in the dryer is responsible for 2,900 fires in the US each year.* Put that flammable quality to good use by bringing lint with you on camping trips, or use in your wood-burning fireplace to get the fire going. PRO TIP- Mixing the lint with melted wax from old candles in empty cardboard egg cartons makes handy fire-starting blocks.

 

Mulch-To help plants stay warm during the winter months, apply a layer of dryer lint to the soil for insulation. The lint is biodegradable over time and will break down on its own.

 

 

*Source: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v13i7.pdf

Household Hint: How to Get Mildew Smell out of Towels

We’ve all been there- wiping down our countertops or drying off pots and pans with what we believe is a fresh dishcloth, only to have a moldy, mildew smell rise up and smack us in the face. Gross! According to laundry experts, that smell occurs in towels, washcloths and other linens when dirt and grime gets trapped in their fibers, along with detergent buildup, and then left wet for too long, either in a hamper or the washing machine. Before you give up and buy a whole new set of towels, know that there is a cure! Follow these easy steps to restore your towels to their original, mildew-free glory:

Wash towels in special vinegar load- Round up the offending towels and throw them into the washing machine on the hot setting, along with one cup of white vinegar. Make sure to wash like colors together to minimize the risk of bleeding. DO NOT add detergent or bleach. Once the cycle completes, toss into the dryer as usual and get ready to enjoy folding some delicious-smelling towels. If a little bit of stank remains, don’t fret- just repeat the steps above, this time using ½ cup baking soda instead of the vinegar. This step is necessary for severely mildewed towels.

 

Wash your washer- Now that you’ve cured your towels, you want to prevent the mildew from ever coming back. One of the ways to accomplish this is to wash your washing machine. Running a monthly cleaning cycle with one of the many specialty washing machine cleaners on the market, such as Tide and Affresh, is effective, but running a normal cycle with hot water after adding bleach to the dispenser can kill just as many germs for a lot less cost.

 

Improve your laundry habits- OK, so now your towels and washer are both clean, fresh and free of odor-causing bacteria. Now all you have to do is keep them that way! One quick and easy way to remedy the mildew issue is to remove clothes from the washer promptly, rather than letting them sit there for hours before putting them into the dryer. Additionally, consider hanging wet towels and damp washcloths over the shower curtain rod or towel rack to dry before tossing them into the hamper. And always leave the lid or door to your washer open to allow air to circulate and dry out any moisture. These preventive measures are especially important if you live in a humid climate, where everything takes longer to dry properly.

Dinner? Done!!

One of the most stressful parts of a busy weekday is getting dinner on the table. Between work, the kids’ school and extracurricular activities, it can be difficult to have a nutritious meal ready at a reasonable hour. Luckily, there is a solution- with a little advance planning and some basic organization, dinnertime can turn from a burden into a breeze! I devised this handy step-by-step meal-planning system when our son started preschool- see if it works for you!

Step 1: Buy a Dry-Erase Board

…Or a chalkboard, or really even a piece of paper tacked to the fridge with a magnet will do. The point is, get something on which you can write the days of the week, and the corresponding dinner for each day. Not only will it give you a visual reminder of what you plan to prepare each day, but a quick snapshot of it with your phone can serve as an ingredient shopping list for the grocery store.

Step 2: Make the Meal Plan

Appoint a certain day of the week to create your meal plan. I like Sundays, because it is the least busy day of the week for me (and therefore ideal for both planning and shopping), but you can choose any day that works best for you. Take a moment to assess the contents of your kitchen and see if there are any ingredients that can be used for meals prior to taking your trip to the store. This will cut down on unnecessary spending and get you focused on meal possibilities. Then, plan a healthy, enjoyable, and above all EASY meal for each night of the week. Things that can be pre-made on the weekend and then quickly reheated (lasagna, casseroles, etc.) are always a good idea.

Step 3: Take a Picture- It’ll Last Longer

It’s handy to have a pic on your phone to jog your memory if you find yourself at the grocery store with no idea what you are supposed to buy. Having a photo reminder of each week’s list also helps to avoid reruns of the same dinner too many weeks in a row. (Mom, meatloaf AGAIN??)

Step 4: Time to Shop!

With your list in hand, time to hit the store. Try to choose an off-time, when lines will be minimal. If your meal-planning day is Sunday, like mine, may I suggest going during the local football game? It’s like a ghost town at the grocery store when all eyes are glued to the game.

Another option is to try a home grocery delivery service like Walmart to Go- you can select your groceries online at your leisure, and a delivery driver will bring them right to your door the next day for a small fee! A perfect solution for the busy parent on the go (especially if you’ve ever had to bring a toddler into a crowded store.)

Step 5: Prep What You Can

Once your ingredients are in the house, take time to peel, chop, rinse or even cook anything you can ahead of time, to minimize the time spent on preparing dinner each weeknight. For the ultimate proactivity, invest in some kitchen prep bowls (I like the ones by Rubbermaid, $12.56 on Amazon.com) and have your washed, sliced or chopped ingredients already pre-measured and ready to throw into whatever you are cooking. Talk about a time saver!

Step 6: Stick to the Plan-Mostly

After a hectic day it is oh, so tempting to forego dinner preparation and pick up a nice greasy sack of fast food on the way home from work, or to load the family in the car and head to the nearest casual dining restaurant, but try to resist the temptation. Not only will the home-cooked meals be healthier for you and your family, but it will also keep a little extra cash in your wallet and keep everyone on track for other evening activities such as homework, bath time and bedtime. Alas, nobody’s perfect, and you should not be too hard on yourself if you go off the rails once in a while. I have a built-in “cheat” day that I call “Fast Food Friday”- a scheduled day of takeout bliss that is written right into the weekly meal plan. As a certain fast food chain once said, “you deserve a break today.”

 

Got more meal-planning tips? We’d love to hear them! Please share in the comments section.

Dishwasher Dos and Don’ts

Owning a top-of-the-line dishwasher is nice, but doesn’t necessarily guarantee that your dishes and glassware will emerge sparkling clean. Follow these handy hints for clean dishes every time.

 

DO: Pre-rinse everything if your dishes are going to sit in the dishwasher for a day or longer. Since many of us don’t have the need to run a full dishwasher load every day, bits of stuck-on food become harder for the machine to scrub away once the cycle begins. It’s best to just rinse everything off before placing in the dishwasher.

 

DON’T: Stack items on top of one another. The bottom dish will prevent the water from getting to the dish on top and it won’t get clean. If you find yourself cramming dishes and bowls into every available space, doubling up to fit it all in, it may be time to think about running the dishwasher more frequently.

 

DO: Secure your plastics. This includes kitchen utensils, Tupperware containers and kids’ plastic cups and dishes. Not only is it potentially hazardous to your dishwasher, but nothing smells worse than burning melted plastic when an item falls onto the machine’s heating element.

 

DON’T: Buy dish detergent in bulk. Believe it or not, dish soap can go bad. Detergent that hasn’t been used in months won’t do the job as effectively as new detergent. Try not to buy more dish soap than you can use in two months, regardless of the tempting coupons and bulk-buy offers you may encounter.

 

DO: Store detergent in a cool, dry spot. Any of us who has ever had a leak under the kitchen sink can tell you what happens to our powdered dish soap when it gets wet. Moreover, storing dish detergent in a kitchen sink cabinet can cause the soap to clump and deteriorate from the built-up moisture. Try to find a spot that is convenient but also free of heat and moisture.

 

DON’T: Unload the top rack first. This may seem like common sense, but unloading the top rack, where cups and glasses are commonly washed, first, causes water that has pooled on the base of upside-down glassware to drip onto the clean dishes of the bottom rack. Instead, try unloading the bottom first and then cleaning any remaining moisture off of the items on top with a clean dish cloth prior to putting away.

Save Time and Money with These Laundry Tips

We combed the Internet for the best tips, tricks and “life hacks” for doing laundry. These helpful hints will save you money, time and make your laundry look better than ever!

 

Unbutton All the Buttons!

Make sure you unbutton all of the buttons on a button-down shirt, to keep the buttonholes from stretching and tearing due to the agitation in the washing machine. Even the tiny buttons that hold down a collar should be unfastened prior to being tossed into the washer. (Source: www.realsimple.com)

 

Two is Better Than One

Something as simple as putting two laundry baskets in your closet- one for whites and one for colors- can eliminate sorting from your laundry routine altogether! When you get undressed at night, just sort the clothes into each basket as you take them off. When laundry day rolls around, you’ll be glad you did. (Source: www.lifehacker.com)

 

Refresh Towels and Eliminate Odors

You know that “old towel smell” that towels and washcloths get over the course of time? Give your linens a second life and eliminate that mildew odor for good by washing a load of towels twice in hot water; first with vinegar, and the second with baking soda. (Source: www.buzzfeed.com)

 

DIY Fabric Softener

Why buy fabric softener when you can make your own?- Next time you’re at the grocery store, skip the fabric softener and stock up instead white vinegar, that household staple that doubles as a super-efficient cleaning product. For a DIY fabric softener, add between ¼ cup and 1 cup vinegar to the final rinse cycle, but take care never to mix the vinegar with bleach. (Source: www.marthastewart.com)

 

Choose a Shorter Wash Cycle

There is no need to over-wash clothes. Choosing the shortest wash cycle and cranking up the water temperature is as effective at cleaning as a longer cycle with cooler water, and it will cut the time spent doing laundry dramatically. Similarly, run another spin cycle in the washer, which squeezes out excess water, thus reducing drying time. (Source: www.goodhousekeeping.com)

Grilling Tips To Avoid BBQ Disaster

1. Make sure to pre-heat your grill! Allowing time for your fire to become a steady source of heat is crucial for a near-perfect meal. This step will help to cook your food thoroughly without burning the surface. Allow about 10 min for gas grills and 30-40 min for charcoal.

2. Prepare your ingredients ahead of time. To ensure a timely success without the mess, make sure to season, shape, and cut-up any food that will be included in the grilling process. This will help eliminate running into any snags and make the whole process more relaxing and enjoyable.

3. Perfect the art of shaping burgers. Don't pack the burger meat too tight, this will result in a tough burger; instead, use a light touch to shape the patty to the shape and thickness you prefer. Just before putting it on the grill, press your thumb gently in the middle of the patty - this will eliminate the "bulge" that happens when you grill hamburgers and allow the patty to cook evenly.

4. Wait to sauce! Apply BBQ or any other sauce to your burger, steak, or chicken about 5 minutes before you want to take your food off the grill. Using the sauce during the entire grilling process increases the chance for your food to burn significantly. Instead, wait until the food is almost done, then apply the sauce of your choosing.

5. Make sure you have the right tools. This might not seem too important and the fork and knife from your kitchenware has done an ok job in the past but believe it, having the right tools makes all the difference.

6. Let your food sit after you take it off the grill. Allowing your grilled steak or burger to rest about 5-10 minutes before digging in lets the flavor really soak into the meat. Cutting into the meat right off the grill lets all the juices (basically flavor) seep out so you lose a lot of the flavor onto the plate rather than onto your taste buds.

7. Better clean up after yourself! Each and every time after you grill, you should always clean the grate of the grill off. This allows your food to step off the grill with the best flavors and a neat and clean grilling experience every time you fire that bad boy up.

Microwave Hacks For Every Day Tasks

Microwaves are found in most every home and their most commonly used for reheating leftovers, defrost, or for their timer... there are other, more clever ways to make good use of your microwave that could simplify several tasks. Here are just a few…

 

1. No-Tears Onions: To avoid crying during the process of cutting onions, trim off the ends of the onions and heat them on full power for about 30 seconds. This will alleviate any stinking feeling in your eyes.
2. Easy Cleaning (probably the best hack): Heat a glass bowl of water with a small amount of vinegar in the microwave for 5 minutes. This will soften the inside debris so you can easily wipe down the microwave with little to no resistance.
3. Rejuvenate Your Honey: If your honey turns up crystallized the next time you need it, it can be restored! Remove the lid and heat on 50% power for about 2 minutes. (Make sure if you choose to do this, your honey is in a glass jar or another microwavable container)
4. Juice Your Lemons: Get more juice out of lemons and limes by placing them in the microwave as a whole. Run the microwave on high for 10-20 seconds; this will make them super juicy and easy to squeeze.
5. Easy Peel: Planning on peeling peaches or tomatoes? Throw a whole peach/tomato into the microwave for 30 seconds on high, allow them to stand for 2 minutes after and the peel will slip off easily.
6. Make More Space: Need to microwave 2 things at once? Place two bowls into the microwave by balancing one on an upturned mug.
7. No More Chewy Pizza Crust: Place a glass with a small amount of water into the microwave with your pizza and your crust comes out a lot less chewy.

There are several more hacks out there but these were some of our favorites.

Our Sources: AwesomeInventions.com & ViralNova.com

How To Load Your Dishwasher Properly

Wait, what? There’s a right and wrong way to load the dishwasher? YES! There are several common mistakes made loading the dishwasher which leads to chipped, broken, and/or dirty dishes. Below are a few steps to insure clean dishes every time – make sure you check out the video tutorial, too!

1. Set the dishes aside that are not dishwasher safe. Anything wooden, non-dishwasher safe plastics, large knives, and/or fragile glassware should all be removed and washed by hand. Large knives are usually good to wash separately so they do not get dulled in the dishwasher – everything else is kind of self-explanatory.
2. Scrape the big food particles off of your plates and/or bowls into the trash as sometimes dishwashers have a tough time taking care of these “big jobs”.
3. After you trash the big food particles, it’s a good idea to rinse most of the larger dishes off. If there are still big messes, a scrub brush or almost any cutlery will help get those taken care of.
4. When loading the dishes, there are certain ways and places the dishes should be stacked for the highest efficiency. (See the video below)
   1. Bottom level
      1. Large and small plates, staggered every other facing toward the middle.
      2. Large pots and pans face down.
   2. Top level
      1. Cups should be placed faced down so they don’t hold water. Make sure they are place BETWEEN the pegs and not on top of them.
      2. Large utensils should be placed faced down if they do not fit in the cutlery area; they should be face-down so they do not hold water as well.

• Dishwasher-safe plastics should be stacked on top so they are far enough away from the heating coil so they do not warp.

 

I know most people just want to throw their dishes in the dishwasher to be done with them, but those Tetris ways of stacking don’t normally result in all clean dishes. So there really is a way to do it that will guarantee perfectly clean dishes almost every time!

How to load your dishwasher properly - a tutorial.

Keeping Up With Your Front Load Washer

Several family homes have upgraded to the front load washing machine. They stack, they’re energy efficient, they save you time and money – mostly money! But what about the upkeep to make these beautiful machines last longer? You’re probably saying, “Wait, upkeep?? People do that?” YES! Maintenance is very important to help keep your machine running smoothly and almost more importantly, keep your machine and clothes from exuding a nasty, moldy stench.

Today, most energy efficient washers have a self-cleaning setting – much like your oven. This cycle helps to take care of and even prevent mold and mildew build up from all those loads of laundry. But there are other cost efficient, easy ways to keep your machine clean and if you’ve passed that point and it’s already starting to stink, there are solutions for that as well.

Below are some links that we have found to help the average laundry-set-owner keep their washing machine clean and fresh. Whether it’s a daily ritual when you’re doing the laundry or a here-and-there cleaning, these tips will help you prevent and take care of this unfortunate situation.

 

Tips and tricks to do for every load:

http://www.prettyhandygirl.com/how-to-keep-your-he-front-load-washer-clean-and-smelling-fresh/

Daily + Once-in-a-while cleaning techniques:

http://www.treehugger.com/cleaning-organizing/8-tips-maintaining-front-load-washing-machines.html

Deep cleaning your cleaning machine:

http://www.ehow.com/how_8160246_clean-high-efficiency-washing-machines.html

Bleach and vinegar – but not all at once!

http://blog.diynetwork.com/maderemade/2013/04/30/get-your-laundry-back-on-track/