5 Foods To Store For Winter

The most common worry about winter is not the cold, but rather the foods to keep in store for the season. If you are having trouble thinking of what else to put in your cold room or root cellar, you only need to know some essential but long-lasting foods to store during this period. You also have to ensure that you carry out proper storage to ensure that the foods don’t go stale. Remember to check them occasionally to remove ripened or bad ones as they will spoil the others. Here are five foods that you should probably store for any winter.

1.    Apples

Apples are known for their ability to be kept for extended periods. The best apples to set aside for winter are those with hard skin and firm. Unlike carrots, air circulation is vital for the storage of apples. Apples produce ethylene; a chemical compound that accelerates ripening. Therefore, they should not touch other. The best way to store them is to nest the apples in shredded paper. Otherwise, wrap them individually in a newspaper. Store them in ventilated crates or boxes away from other crops.

2.    Carrots

If you love carrots, then you can start by pilling them into banana boxes filled with sawdust or damp sand. Do not wash them just remove the excess soil. Pile them in layers with the largest ones at the bottom. Many people believe that this is only important if you want to eat the small carrots first. However, the truth is that starting with larger carrots at the bottom allows you to pack more carrot than if you did it in reverse.

Scrubbing the dirt off the root crops is easier with this kitchen IQ dual brush and slicer. Soup coming up later. #homeGrown #organicProduce #organicGardening #backyardGardening #kitchenTools

A post shared by Chubskulit Rose (@chubskulitrose) on Oct 21, 2017 at 11:11am PDT

Use a quarter inch of sawdust or sand. The final covering should be about two inches thick. Turnips and winter radishes are some other foods you can store this way, too.

3.    Garlic

Long-term storage of garlic requires that you cure them first. It dries the outer layer making it a protective covering for the bulb. The garlic sold in market stalls are already cured in most cases. You can store your garlic for winter in a couple of different ways as highlighted in preparednessmama.com. The most straightforward method besides putting them in a mesh bag is freezing them. Some people prefer pickling their garlic in vinegar. It keeps them as very fresh, but the process is a little tedious.

4.    Potatoes

The tubers have different storage spans depending on the type. You can ask your market seller or the grower on the suitable variety to store up for a long winter if you are not an expert in them. Remove excess soil but do not wash then allow them to dry out before storing them in a covered boxes with ventilation holes.

I may have enough to make a pot of #potato and #carrot #soup out of these babies we got from our little #garden. #homeGrown #organicProduce #organicGardening #backyardGardening

A post shared by Chubskulit Rose (@chubskulitrose) on Oct 21, 2017 at 10:01am PDT

5.    Pumpkin

First, ensure the pumpkin is ripe. Then pick one with a stem that is at least 1-inch long. The stem acts as an air-tight lock that keeps them from rotting. Most of the pumpkins are cured before harvesting. However, if you have a fresh harvest, dry them at a temperature of 80-850F. The storage should be in a properly ventilated cool and dry place.

I picked the #squash in my #garden . I am craving for some #pinakbet but I don't have #eggplant and string #beans. Hopefully I can find some at the Asian store. #organicproduce #organicgardening #homeGrown #harvest

A post shared by Chubskulit Rose (@chubskulitrose) on Sep 7, 2017 at 11:20am PDT

Do It Like A...Celebrity?

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When it comes to our quest for fitness, we all need a little inspiration. After all, surviving on willpower is far from easy. It helps to have that boost when you feel a wobbly coming along. Hence why many of us paste inspirational quotes around the place, and, you guessed it, turn to celebs to get us through.

Most of us watch the lifestyles of the rich and famous with a mixture of awe and disbelief. How is it possible for our fellow humans to live such alien lives? It’s pure madness. But, still, we follow in their footsteps. We choose the same clothes that they do and, more importantly, we follow their lead in this fitness game. Our favourite celebs are in the public eye. So, they have more reason than most to keep themselves fit and healthy. So, doing it like a celebrity isn’t as mad as it may first seem. Here are three areas in which your favourite famous people could prove a huge help to your attempts. 

Diet

If there’s one thing celebs know, it’s diets. When you’re always being watched, you have no choice but to watch your waistline. So, celebrities are a logical place to find diet inspiration. Some fads that they follow are questionable, to say the least. But, others are worth your time. And, it should be relatively easy from the off to see which is which. The baby food diet, allegedly tried by Reese Witherspoon and Lady Gaga (oh, the irony), may not be what you’re after. But, the vegan diet, followed by big names including Olivia Wilde, has logical benefits. In part, following the celebs does mean you have to use your brain. They can get it wrong sometimes. But, by approaching this with a wise mind, you don’t need to do the same.

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Personal trainers

Personal trainers are fantastic for anyone interested in fitness. But, there’s no denying that some are better than others. And, the qualified celebrities in the personal trainer world are sure to be your safest bet. As well as being famous themselves, these trainers work with the celebs you’re mimicking. Many boast of clients including Victoria’s Secret models, and The Rock! That’s pretty good going. If you want proof of how well their plans can work, just look at the results on their backlist. Then, don’t hesitate to sign up for their programs.

Exercise

Even if you don’t go down the personal trainer route, celebrities offer fantastic fitness motivation in other areas. Though fitness DVDs are phasing out thanks to YouTube, there are still plenty to explore in the backlog. Davina McCall has bought out more of these than we care to count. And, she’s not alone. Everyone, from Charlotte Crosby to Scarlett Moffatt has given this a go. Again, this is fantastic because it shows you achievable results. On top of which, following a DVD saves you having to think about your workout each day. That’s got to be a bonus if nothing else.

Entertaining Hobbies For The Super Busy

Hobbies are a wonderful way to enrich our lives, and they give a focus outside of work and family that can be fantastic to our mental health. However, finding the time to indulge in the things that we love to do can be incredibly difficult if we haven't got much spare time. Luckily, there are some pick up and put down hobbies suggested below that you can do even if you just have few minutes to spare while the kids are napping, or before you have to get back to the grindstone. Read on to find out what they are and to see which ones appeal to you. 

Crochet 

Crochet is a fantastically relaxing hobby that gives you a real sense of satisfaction when you have completed a project. It's also pretty easy to do as well, especially once you have learned what the stitch codes means and don't have to always refer back to a guide like this one https://www.thespruce.com. 

It's also something that is portable and that you can pick up and put down very easily, making a great choice for folks that are lacking in time. There are plenty of quick and easy project to get you started too like simple amigurumi patterns or these instructions for making a hat. 

Crochet is a creative hobby that can be done in brief stages. 

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Mobile games 

One of the best hobbies for those of us that are super busy is to pick a mobile game that we love and download it on our phones. These work so well because they can give us a nice break from the stress of work, or parenthood for a few minutes, allowing us to clear our mind and return to the task in hand with renewed vigour. Also as we nearly always have our phones with us we don't have to carry around any materials or equipment. 

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Mobile gaming is also a great choice for a hobby because there are so many genres of games to choose from. That means no matter what sort of game you enjoy you will be able to find one that suites. For those of us that like a strategy there are games like Siege: Titan Wars, or visit https://www.finalfantasyxvapp.com and download the new Final Fantasy XV: A New Empire. For those that prefer word games then there is Scrabble and, Countdown, and Words with Friends that are all fabulous choices. There are even games like Candy Crush, and Bubble Witch Saga that we can get on our phone that are puzzle based and quite addictive. Really the choice is yours! 

Zentangle 

Zentangle is a revolutionary way to draw and doodle in whatever free time you have. It's based on a series of repeating patterns that mean no matter how good or bad your drawing skills, you can still give it a go. 

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It is an artistic activity that is broken up into small sections too, something that makes it perfect for those without a lot of time because you can fill in one section with patterns, then come back and finish the rest of later. To find out more about this and to get the basics down check out this instruction video at https://www.youtube.com for more info. 

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#RibEyeSteak #MashedPotatoes & #MeatTenderizer

Have you ever bought beef in large quantity?  We have a friend who owns a farm and they raised cows.  They always  offer us  to buy  beef whenever they will have to butcher  one.  I tell you, it is the cheapest way to buy and stock beef in the freezer for future use.  We use a lot of  ground beef for cooking so a lot of cut we order is  ground beef.  We only buy a quarter of the  whole cow and  it last us  a good amount of time to consume it all.  

 Anyway, the other day, I made some  rib eye steak and mashed potatoes.  The rib eye steak is a lot thicker than I would like so I used the  meat tenderizer that I got from Cave Tools.  This blade  tenderizer is a great little tool to have in your kitchen.  

Not my Photo

With this blade tenderizer, the meat cooks faster  and more evenly.  And because the blades break down connective tissue, the meat absorb marinade even deeper which makes the meat a lot tastier.  This is best to use when you are planning to make country fried steak, cordon bleu, or weiner schnitzel.  I love that it is dishwasher safe, so you can just toss it in  the dishwasher after you use it.  

 I couldn't be more happier having this because I like meat  that are tender  when cook.  Not all cut of meat  is tender when you cook it so a little help to achieve that is great.

For $12.99, this  meat tenderizer is quite helpful.  You can  use this coupon code,  TENDER15 to enjoy a 15% your purchase via Amazon .  When you buy this, ypu can also download the  free  recipe book that comes  with it.  

 Some people or maybe most people like their steak  rare but I  am  the other way.  I can't eat meat when I see  pink inside it so I like mine well done.  Most  professional chef would consider my choice  as sacrilegious in their   culinary profession but we all  have  our own preferences, right?    How about you, how do you like your steak??

 Mashed potato is the best pair for this kind of  meat so here you go.  I would prefer some greens but hubby love  mashed potatoes so that is what I made.

Don't forget to use the coupon code if you decide to purchase one.  Trust me, it's a must have in  every kitchen especially if you love meat!

Disclosure: The owner of this blog was NOT financially compensated to write this review.  I was provided with the complimentary product/s mentioned  for testing purposes and to help me  facilitate this review but  opinions are my own.

New Year Celebration at Home #Macaroni SaladRecipe

Happy New Year everyone!  Howe did you celebrate your new year.  Did  you go to  New York City and watch the countdown till the ball drop?  This year was bitter cold so we decided to stay at home and be cozy.  

I usually  clean the house on the  31st of December so that  it would be clean and organized  at the start of the new year.  Last year was no different, I started early in the day and did not get done until around 2 pm.  I even forgot to set the alarm clock for the  morning mass so we attended  in the afternoon.  Anyway, after I cleaned, I cooked some food that we could eat  while waiting for  the new year.   Again, these are some Filipino dishes favorites.  Macaroni salad, fruit salad, and arroz caldo.  

Macaroni Salad Recipe:

• 2 cups macaroni
• 2 chicken breasts, shredded
• 2 stalks of celery, cut up into small pieces 
• 1 medium carrot, cut up into small cubes
• 1/2 cup of raisin
• 1 cup of miracle whip
• 1 cup of avocado mayo
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Boil the macaroni according to direction on the package.  Drain and let it cool.
• On a separate pot, boil some water and  drop in a chicken cube.  When the chicken cube is dissolved, add the  chicken breasts until it's cooked.  Shred it and set aside.
• Blanch the carrots in hot water for about 30 second.
• Combine all the ingredients in a big bow and chill  in the refrigerator for an hour.  

This fruit salad is so yummy.  It is a bit different from what I used  to make in the Philippines because I use fresh ingredients there and the major  ingredient there is young coconut.  Over here, I prefer to use the canned fruits because it is cheaper that way, it has everything you need.  You can also use fresh fruits for this  though.  Fruit salad is  one of  my daughter and husband's favorite dessert.  Check out the recipe here.

  One of the traditions we do have in Filipino Culture is to have a bowl of  fresh fruits in the  table at the start of the new year.  Each  fruit represents something but I can only remember some of them.  My mom used to tell us that the  cluster represents family togetherness, the pineapple's eyes represents our awareness to watch out our health, and the rest  is for  abundance of blessings.

 You can check out the recipe of arroz caldo here.  You can always  modify the ingredients, sometimes I make it differently like this one.

 How about you guys?  Share some  thoughts or recipe through the comment.  Happy New Year!