Meal of The Month: March

Spaghetti Carbonara Casserole

 Ingredients:

6 oz spaghetti broken into short lengths

2 C diced cooked ham

3 TBS Butter

4-6 oz sliced mushrooms

4-6 thinly sliced green onions

4 TBS flour

1C chicken broth

1 C milk

1/2 tsp seasoned salt 

1/4 tsp garlic pepper, dash of cayenne or other hot pepper as desired 

1C shredded cheese

Preparation:

• Cook spaghetti following package directions. Drain and rinse and mix with ham in large bowl.

• Melt butter over medium low heat and add the mushrooms. Cook until tender.  

• Add the green onions.  Stir in flour until blended thoroughly.

• Gradually stir in chicken broth and milk.  Add seasonings.

• Keep stirring until thickened.  When ready, combine it with the ham and spaghetti.

• Stir in the cheese.

• Bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes, until bubbly and cheese is melted.

Can't Escape The Tape!

Washi Tape

If you haven't discovered the wonder of washi tape, then you must get on your Magellan boots and start sailing to your local craft shop!  Washi tape originated in Japan and is a decorative, paper tape that is available is an endless variety of colors and patterns!  Here four ideas to help you get started:

1. Wine Glass Identifiers.  Never mix up your wine or cocktail glasses at your next soiree; wrap each glasses' stem with a different color or patterned tape!
   
2. Cord Keeper.  Don't toss out those toilet paper tubes when you finish the roll.  Save them, decorate them in washi tape, and use them to wrangle power cords and other cables.
   
3. Jazz up anything, even your office supplies!  Wrap binder clips, staplers, paper clip dispenses, keyboards, file cabinets, etc to make your cubicle survivable! 
   
   
   
   
4. Coordinate cords.  Never unplug the wrong thing or waste time searching for the right charging cable.  Add small "flags" to your cables and wires.  You either label the flags or place a piece of matching tape on the coordinating piece of technology (iPhone, Kindle, etc).
   

We're Going to The Dogs!

At the CELEBRATE home office, we have a large black Labrador retriever named Panini (don't ask). As we got used to Panini's demands and quirks, we realized we could make our lives and the lives of thousands of pet owners lives easier if we wrote down some of the interesting tips and tricks we have used, created, thought of over time!  Here are a sampling of them!

TIPS FOR BETTER CO-SPECIES COHABITATION:

1. Pet's absorb through their paws whatever you wash your floors with.  To save puppy pain, rinse your floors using a mixture of vinegar and water.
2. Beware the following foods and plants are hazardous to your pooch: chocolate, garlic, chicken bones, sugar free gum with xylital, aloe, ivy, and amaryllis.
3. Keep your dry dog food in an airtight container.  It keeps out bugs, prevents spills, and stops pup from raiding the pantry.
4. Panini has a crate but she used to whine watching the busy goings on in the DIY Lab so we draped a light blocking blanket over the crate to create a comfy cave.  Now at nap time, she is happy a grilled sandwich! 
5. Give your dog it's own plump bed, not yours!  You can make it yourself.  Sew or use iron-on bond tape to create a rectangular pocket the appropriate size of your dog and fill with a mix of fiber-fill and cedar chips.  The cedar chips repel fleas!  Make it soft and plump and your dog will think he's on cloud nine.  Here is another thought for small dogs.  Just use an old pillow of yours you were going to throw away.  Your dog will love how it smells like you.  You can even open the seam a bit to add those handy cedar chips.  In that case, a pillow case would be an easy to wash cover.
6. When we first gave Panini a bath, we clogged the labs test tub with her fur.  Our solution, we took a small piece of window screening, placed it over the drain, and held it down with a couple pieces of masking/duct tape.  The screening catches the loose fir and makes it easy to remove.  You could also glue heavy washers or small stones to each corner of your screen to weight it down so that you wouldn't need to use the tape.

EASY DIY TOYS:
Dogs like Panini that like to chew things should have their toys rotated frequently to avoid boredom which can lead to chewing of furniture or important experiments that may being going on it the lab.  Oh yea, we learned the hard the way!

Socks: 

• Take an old sock and add a handful of dog treats to it.  Roll it up, similar to how you would when doing your laundry.  Put the rolled sock inside another.  It will take the dog a while to get through to the treats. 
• Take a soda bottle (remove the cap), slide it inside a sock and tie the end.  The dog will love the crinkly sound the empty bottle.

Tennis Balls:

• Take three strips of old t-shirt or fleece (which is incredibly strong) and braid them together into a rope of sorts.  Next, take a tennis ball and cut a hole just large enough to push the braid through tightly.  Knot the braid on  both ends.  You can toss this around like a fox tail toy.
• Place several tennis balls in a deep muffin tin.  Your pup will spend hours trying to figure out how to free the balls from their enclosures.

Paper Towel Tube/PVC Pipe:

• Put snacks inside a paper towel tube.  Press the ends of the tube flat.  Cover the whole thing with duct tape and give it a toss!  The dog will love trying to get at the snacks.
• Take a PVC pipe, place dried beans inside and cap both ends.  It makes a great rattle!

Plastic:

• A plastic milk jug that is rinsed and has the cap removed makes the cheapest and quickest dog toy.
• A large plastic jar from your local wholesale super store that would normally have held nuts or candy makes an excellent toy!  Remove the lid and give it a toss.  Your pup will take time to realize she can only grab it from the open end and will have fun chasing it around as you toss it and bounce it all over! 

Ice/food:

• Try making "doggie pops"!  Freeze beef or chick broth in plastic containers. You can even suspend treats or meat scrapes in the broth for added treat value.  We recommend using low or no sodium broth if you are buying from the supermarket.  Make them in the size that is appropriate for your breed.  They will LOVE them as a treat on a hot day!
•  Take slices of sweet potato about 1-1.5 inches thick, using a hand held corer put a hole in the center of each slice, and then bake the slices on a lined cookie sheet at 200 degrees for several hours or until the slices have dried and are leathery.  Next, thread the dried potato "rings" onto a length of thick nylon rope.   Knot both end and give it a toss.  Your pooch will love gnawing on this treat. 

 Please note, be responsible and monitor your dog at all times while he or she plays especially with these toys!

Meal Of The Month: February

Apricot-glazed Cornish hens for two

2 Servings

Prep: 15 min. Bake: 65 min. plus standing time

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 Cornish game hens (20 to 24 ounces each)

2 tbsp butter, melted, divided

1/4 cup apricot preserves

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp grated onion

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Method of preparation:

Combine the salt and cayenne. Rub a third of the mixture inside hens.

Brush 1-tablespoon butter over hens; sprinkle with remaining seasoning mixture. Place on a rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350 F for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the preserves, honey, onion, nutmeg and remaining butter. Cook and stir until preserves are melted.

Brush over hens. Bake 35-40 minutes longer or until golden brown and a meat thermometer reads 180 F. Cover and let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Romantic Dinner 101: Valentine's Day

1. Location, location, location! Anyone can make a reservation at the local French restaurant, but we are going to help you create the perfect ambiance in your own home. Find a non-traditional and unexpected spot to enjoy dinner within your house or apartment.  If you are lucky enough to live in a warm climate, utilize your outdoor space as well. For example, the formal dining room, an intimate nook in the bedroom, the garden, etc.
2. Use your nicest dishes, flatware, and glassware.  This helps set the "special" feeling of the evening!
3. Mood music is key.  Put on a classic artist such as Eric Clapton or Sinatra.  Play a record for a special feeling.
4. Avoid scented candles around your dining area.  Stick with unscented, white candles for a classic look. Make sure however the house does smell pleasant and the temperature is comfortable.  Take out the trash, change the litter box, etc.
5. For romantic lighting, cluster your pillar candles for the perfect glow. Be sure they are no higher than 12 inches tall.  Scatter votive candles around the room to add ambiance and mood.
6. Keep your menu fairly simple and prepare as much in advance to save your attention for your special guest.  This also keeps the kitchen relatively neat.  No one wants to spend the evening stuck doing dishes or looking at the mountains of dishes made from the meal.
7. Make the meal three courses: appetizer, entree and dessert. This makes it feel more special than just a snack.
8. Make sure you have a pitcher or glasses of ice water flavored with citrus fruits, cucumber, or even basil/mint in addition to wine or cocktails.
9. Avoid messy and overly rich foods for the meal.  No one feels sexy when they are bloated or if they have greasy fingers from tacos.
10.  Make sure your timing on the food is just right so everything is served at the correct temperature and time.  Be ready when your guest arrives.
11. Before your guest arrives, go and dress up in a special outfit.  A nice dress or shirt and tie.  Remember this is a special evening, no PJs or baseball caps.
12. Make sure to eliminate all distractions including technology, phones, pets, etc.  Send your cats or dogs for an overnight at the kennel or grandma's house.
13. After your dinner is finished, dance together, watch a romantic movie, or maybe hand dip strawberries together.
14. Our last tip, our favorite way to start and end a romantic, Valentine's dinner: Chocolate.

• Chocolate Martini: Take a martini glass and drizzle hard shell ice cream coating on the inside of the glass.  Use both milk and white chocolate varieties to create a pattern. Next, in a shaker combine 3/4 cup half and half or light cream, 1 cup dark chocolate liquor, 1/4 cup vodka, with ice.  Shake to combine.  Strain into prepared glass.  Garnish with a conversation heart.
• Flourless Fudge Cookies (Courtesy of King Arthur Flour): 
• 2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp espresso powder (optional but divine)
• 1 cup dutch process (preferred) cocoa powder
• 3 large egg whites
• 2 tsp gluten free vanilla extra (most pure vanilla extracts should be gluten free)
• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease two cookie sheet, or line them with greased parchment paper. Stir together all ingredients until smooth.  Scrap the sides and bottom of the bowl and stir again until smooth.  Drop the soft, batter like dough onto the prepared baking sheets in 1 1/2 inch circles.  Bake the the cookies for 8 minutes.  They should spread, become slightly shiny, and develop faintly crackly tops.  Remove from oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheets.  The result is an ultra chewy, rich chocolate cookie with no additional fat or gluten!

Unconventional Wine Racks

Before you start this project, take a look around your home and decide what style of wine rack will accent your decor the best!  Often the first idea many of us think about when considering building an unconventional wine rack is to somehow gather a bunch of PVC piping together in some fashion using glue or screws.  This idea is wonderful but instead of just joining four tubes together in a square shape, give stab at something more artistic!  See the picture below!  The following ideas we have assembled take a more unexpected course!

1) If you would like to go for the PVC pipe look but want to try other materials, give these a try: black sub-pump lining, shiny aluminum duct, or coffee can with both ends removed.  You can gather these tubes together using airplane cable, large belt, rope, etc.

2) You could create a more organic wine holder by assembling terracotta chimney liners, bricks, or cinder blocks into a unique order!

3) Create a sling or hammock!  Use fabric such as canvas or duck cloth to create pockets in which bottles can be nestled.  You could also do this with belts!

4) Use wood! Find the space you would like to hang a wine rack in and determine whether you will need a 8-12 inch width board (the length of the board will be determined by your space).  Next, purchase several large hose clamps and gather several large coffee cans or soup cans (with both ends removed).  Draw parallel lines in several places along the length of board (approximately 6-8 inches apart). Screw the hose clamps (two at a time) to the board at each end of the parallel lines.  Secure the clamps around the cans and voila!  A vertical wine holder!   You can also drill smaller holes into a plank and stick the necks of the bottles in these smaller holes.

5) Try Tinker Toys or Legos for a fun, whimsical look!

6) A leather or canvas firewood carrier hung from the ceiling with chain or a sturdy pipe or rod could be slid through the handles.

7 ) A sturdy, in and out style mailbox/paper organizer.  Be sure the one you select can bear the weight of several wine bottles.  Check junk stores or antique shops for sturdy metal or wood ones.

8) A spare drawer will work!  Have an extra drawer in your kitchen or buffet (or ANYWHERE)?  Line it with foam and slip some wine bottles in it.

9) A wooden crate, antique or from the local craft store!  Paint, decorate, and divide!

10) Try an antique metal pail! Stencil, design, and voila!

Check out some pictures  of other great ideas below!

Meal Of The Month: Turkey Left Over Ideas from Funky to Fancy

FUNKY: Turkey Spring Rolls

(Thank You Ree Drummond from the Food Network for the recipe)

Ingredients:
2 cups shredded leftover Thanksgiving turkey
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon hot chile oil
1 package cellophane noodles
Eight 8 1/2-inch rice paper wrappers
3 leaves green-leaf lettuce, torn into pieces
1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts
1 carrot, cut into julienne
1 cucumber, cut into julienne
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

Dipping Sauce:
1 cup leftover cranberry sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Hot chile oil

Directions
Place the turkey in a bowl and drizzle in the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar and the hot chili oil. Stir to combine and give it a taste. If you'd like a stronger flavor, add a little more of any of the ingredients.

Next, place the cellophane noodles in a large bowl. Cover them with boiling water and let them sit according to the package directions.

When they are tender but still have a nice bite, drain and set the noodles aside.

Soften the rice paper wrappers by placing them one by one into a bowl of warm water and taking them out when they're soft but still hold together.

To assemble each spring roll, lay a wrapper on a plate. Lay a small line of noodles in the center. Add a small amount of lettuce, turkey, alfalfa sprouts, a few carrot and cucumber strips, and top with a sprinkling of cilantro.

Fold in the sides of the wrappers and roll it into a tight roll. Repeat to make the rest of the rolls.

For the dipping sauce: Combine the cranberry sauce, soy sauce and a few dashed chile oil.

Dip the rolls into the sauce and dig in! Best if eaten within 1 hour of preparing.

Food Network

Ree Drummond

FANCY: Leftover Turkey Pate

Ingredients:

• 14oz cold cooked turkey
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3oz butter
• 4 tablespoons single cream (or light cream)
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• chopped parsley
• salt and black pepper
• lemon (as a garnish)

• Directions

  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the onion and fry until transparent.
  2. Remove pan from the heat and add the turkey meat.
  3. Place the mixture in a food processor and finely chop.
  4. Add the cream and sherry and beat until it is a smooth consistency.
  5. Place the mixture into a serving dish or individual ramekins and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
  6. To serve, sprinkle with chopped parsley and place a lemon slice twist on top.
  UK/Ireland All Recipes
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• Celebrate Food Tip:
• For this recipe, you can place some of your leftover, cooked turkey in the freezer to have on hand in case you have unexpected holiday company or if you have to bring something to a soiree!
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