Late Night Snack

One of my major vices is salt.  I love a good savory snack and prefer a potato chip to a cookie.  So in the spirit of salty snacks I present to you the best evening snack, popcorn.

Delicious Popcorn!

But I won't settle for microwave popcorn (one reason is because I don't have a microwave); I only like my popcorn made on the stove.  I can't describe why homemade popcorn is sooo much tastier, but it's easy to make and makes me feel better that I can avoid some of the unfamiliar ingredients in a bag of the microwave stuff.

To make this excellent snack, head to the grocery store and buy a bag of popcorn kernels and some corn oil.  You can substitute vegetable oil if you don't have corn oil.  Pour about a tablespoon (make sure the bottom of the pan is covered) of oil into your medium sized sauce pan and heat on high.  Once the oil is hot, but not boiling, drop in your popcorn kernels and let the magic happen.  Throw the top on the pot and let the kernels go until you don't hear anymore popping sounds.  Remove from the heat and put into a large bowl. I usually just add salt, but you can melt some butter and toss with the hot popcorn.

Now that you have your popcorn, watch some Thursday night TV/football and get ready for the last day of the work week!

If you aren't reaching for popcorn, what is your favorite late night/tv snack?

-Tomorrow is Friday!

Cat in the Bathtub

Welcome to Pumpkin Wednesday, my most favorite day of the week!  With the weekend on the horizon, I still have a lot of cleaning to do, so today, I write about ways to keep your house clean and still pet friendly.

As you already know, Pumpkin spends a lot of time in places she is not supposed to be.  Take for example: the bathtub. (If I could, I would insert a footnote about how the kitty is NEVER happy to be in the tub when there is water though)

So Curious!

As part of my goal to be more environmentally friendly, I have tried a variety of cleaning products.  First, I tried some of the homemade products, for example using baking soda on rough surfaces, like the bathtub.  I also tried using vinegar to wipe up the counters.  However, there were times when I just wanted a spray or gel cleaner because the homemade stuff wasn't really doing the trick.

So, at Target a while back, I stumbled upon the Method brand of cleaning products.  This line of products was started by two guys who realized no one enjoyed cleaning with heavy fumed, harsh chemical products.  Their company strives to be "green"all the way from the ingredients, to the packaging, and even their office practices.  After perusing a few review websites today, it seems that their claims of being eco-friendly hold up, which makes me happy that I am actually helping the environment (even if means shelling out a few more dollars).  While I too am often skeptical of green claims, this company provides a way you can change your behavior just a bit, and still help make the planet a little healthier.

If you're in the market for some new all purpose cleaner I would highly recommend the Pink Grapefruit Multi-Purpose Spray!

I love this stuff, and as you can see it's time to buy more!

As Pumpkin stays safe from toxic fumes in the bathtub,  tell me what are your favorite environmentally friendly products?

-Yay for Thursday!

Fall Cleaning

Now that summer seems to be officially over (at least here in Cleveland) I am forced to tackle my most hated task, putting away my summer clothes.  There is something so simple about getting dressed in the summer.  Throw on a pair of shorts, or a cute sun dress and you are out the door.  Once fall hits you have to decide if you will be dressing for cuteness or warmth, always a difficult choice.  As I am cleaning out my closet, and putting my strappy sandals on the top shelf of the closet, I started thinking about other products I use that don't change with the seasons, but that definitely have a shelf life.

Let's start with the disposable toothbrush.  The American Dental Association advises you should get a new disposable toothbrush every three to four months.  My main problem is that I never remember when I started using a new toothbrush, but apparently when the bristles are starting to look worn, it is a sign your disposable toothbrush needs to go...

Sponges, both bath and kitchen, most certainly have an expiration date.  This article recommends if you can't remember the last time you replaced your bath sponge, it's most likely time for a new one.  And don't be fooled because you have a mesh sponge, those are also susceptible to the bacteria that like to grow in bathroom areas (they should be replaced every 8 weeks).  If you don't like the thought of throwing a sponge away, you can always switch to a washcloth, fully cleanable in your washing machine.

As for the ol' kitchen sponge, I'm far more aware of when it needs to get tossed, usually because it has stunk up the entire room.  But according to those in the know, your kitchen sponge should be replaced every week or two.  Experts also suggest disinfecting that sponge using a tablespoon of bleach in a quart of water.

For the ladies out there, I know cosmetics can be pricey, but don't hold onto that mascara for too long.  While we all know the tube of eye make-up is no longer good when it is dried out, Consumer Reports Health Blog suggests you throw out your tube every three months.  

And finally, you may be surprised to learn that the carton of milk in your fridge can be consumed past the "sell by" date.  According to the Dairy Council of California milk should last 5 to 7 days past the "sell by" date assuming you stored the milk in a working refrigerator.

So next time you are using some of your disposable products, try to remember the last time you replaced them and if you can't, consider it a sign....

 With that in mind, what is your best (and likely embarrassing_, "whoops I should really have thrown that away" story?

-Halfway through the week!

Good Morning Breakfast

I am posting before 9 AM on a Saturday morning.  While this as a major accomplishment I cannot guarantee it will happen very often/ever again...

This morning my boyfriend and another one of his man friends took off for South Bend, Indiana to watch the Fighting Irish take on the Stanford Cardinals.  As they had to leave quite early, I wanted to be nice and make them breakfast.  I knew my man would be running late, so I decided to make breakfast sandwiches to go.

I'm obsessed with the McDonald's Egg McMuffin (but seriously, how could you not be?), so I tried to create something similar, but used sausage and bacon in lieu of the traditional canadian bacon.

To make my version of the egg McMuffin, I toasted the English muffins in the toaster oven (best appliance ever) and then brushed them with some melted butter.

Next I cooked some meat products, sausage and bacon, in small pieces.

Bacon AND sausage.  Melted butter bottom right corner.

Then I cooked the eggs like you would an omelette, making a giant flat piece of egg the size of the pan.  To make the eggs easier to assemble, I used the round top of a jar to cut out round pieces of eggs.

My substitute for a ring mold.

I added American cheese to the English Muffins in the toaster oven so they would be warm enough to allow the cheese to melt. (American cheese is one of the best melting cheeses!)  Lastly, I assembled the egg and meats between the now cheesy-buttery muffins. After a quick wrap in tinfoil they were ready to go!

I apologize for not having a picture of the final product, but the boys were in a hurry to get on the road.

Speaking of on the road, what is your favorite portable breakfast?

-Yay for the Weekend!

Pets and their Fur

One of the few downfalls of having a pet is most certainly the pet hair.  Not a day goes by that I don't have to double check my outfit, my bag or my shoes for black and white fur.

Despite my best efforts of disciplining the Pumpkin, it is nearly impossible to restrict her from certain parts of the apartment...

The Desk Chair

My shoes

Even my papers

Needless to say, I cannot control the cat.  But I do have to control the cat hair so I will not be deemed a cat lady simply by my appearance.  My current strategies are:

• Vacuum. A lot.  I have two vacuums, a trusty Oreck upright for the floors, and a GE canister vacuum with attachments for the furniture.  
• I have always been fascinated by this, the Dyson Pet Hair Vac.  But in doing some research I stumbled onto the Consumer Reports Blog, (which gives you just enough information to make you want to subscribe for all the content and product ratings) that doesn't rate the Dyson vacuum as the best in its class.   Yet another lesson to make sure you do your research before you make any appliance purchase.
• Dryer sheets.  If something has cat hair on it, I can always give it a quick toss in the dryer with a dryer sheet or two.  Something about science and static electricity makes this work, although this method is not foolproof.
• Lint Rollers.  I have two.  One by where I keep my car keys, and one in my car.  You can never be too sure that you haven't contaminated your hair with cat fur.
• Although I have never used this product Consumer Reports also suggests the Pledge Fabric Sweeper is the best inexpensive method for pet hair removal from small surfaces like couches and chairs.  If you're skeptical, take a look at this in-home test.

As I am proof-reading this post, I realize I do sound like a crazy cat lady.  But the goal here is to share information, so all you other 20-something cat ladies/pet owners, what are your secrets for keeping your pet's excess fur to a minimum?

-Almost to the weekend!

It's Pumpkin Wednesday!

Don't feel like going to work today?  Want to hide in a paper bag?

I love crinkly paper bags!

Well get through the day and Pumpkin's Post will be waiting for you tonight!

Go to Work!

-Love
Pumpkin Kitty

Cooking/Baking and Blogging or Blogging and Cooking/Baking?

I can’t decide if I am cooking more because I am writing this blog, or if I am writing this blog because it gives me an excuse to cook more.  Either way, I know my boyfriend is happy, and I will be writing another cooking/baking post J

This weekend, my boyfriend went to the historic West Side Market here in Cleveland to purchase a few items for our Saturday cookout.  While he was there, he brought home some Gala apples because it is most definitely apple season.  

I decided to get fancy and try to make apple pies, and not just any regular pies but mini apple pies.  It’s not clear how this idea came about, but who doesn't appreciate a "mini" desert.  Although I have a well stocked kitchen, I don't own any tart pans.  Still committed to this mini apple pie idea, I headed to the  internet to search for alternatives.  One site suggested muffin pans as a perfect substitute for tart pans.  Satisfied I could make the muffin pans work, I found a recipe on a vegan cooking website, made a few pro-dairy changes and cheated a bit by using store-bought pie crust.

To avoid ultimate failure, I also added an old standby ingredient to the pies: homemade whipped cream.  This relatively simple treat is both amazingly tasty and delightfully simple to make.  You can impress your friends without too much effort and cover up any mistakes you made in the baking process.

Here’s the easy recipe:

Ingredients:

1 half pint container of heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

You will also need:

1 hand whisk or electric mixer

1 metal bowl that has been chilled in the refrigerator

Directions:

Pour the cream into the cold metal bowl.  Add the vanilla and powdered sugar.  Beat (either with the hand whisk or the electric mixer) until stiff peaks have formed.  Refrigerate for a few moments and serve with your favorite fruit, ice cream, cookie, granola etc.

Op, the oven timer just went off.  Let’s go see how the pies turned out…

I started with just making three little pies (we had to try one).
I made a traditional top and one with the lattice top.

They look decent, and my boyfriend says they taste delicious with the homemade whipped cream.  I'm always skeptical about my baking ability so I will chalk this success up to a good recipe

Apple pie always makes me think of fall.  What instantly makes you think of the autumn season?

-Almost halfway through the work week!