My Favorite Kitchen Tools

Today I feel like sharing a few of my favorite tools that I use in the kitchen.  All of these things I use at least once a week if not daily.  Most of these products can be found in any store but if you are having a hard time finding one of these products please feel free to post a comment or question and I will make sure you can find one of your own. 

The Misto
By pumping the lid it pressurizes the oil inside and sprays a mist of the oil onto your pans.  I like to fill my misto with olive oil, but I know people that have several Mistos filled with different oils for all of their cooking needs.  This way I can add a thin layer of oil to coat my pans instead of just dumping a tablespoon or so into the pan.  Pam is great, but it has chemicals and some pot and pan manufacturers recommend that you don't use Pam on their products.  This way you can make your own non-stick coating and know exactly what ingredients you are using. 

I also use my Misto with extra virgin olive oil when I'm making potatoes.  This way I get a light even coating over all my potatoes and they brown better in the oven. 

The Pot Scraper
Pot Scrapers can be made from bamboo to nylon and anything in between, but they all have this basic shape.  This little two dollar piece of nylon has changed my life! (not exaggerating I swear) Whenever I have something stuck to pot, counter top or anywhere else I pull out the scraper and use it to clean the spot.  If it's extra tough I might use a little vinegar too.  Using steel wool or another scraper on some surfaces may cause scratches but since this tool is made of nylon so it never leaves a mark, it just removes the dried on food.  Never again do you have to soak a dish for hours before you can load it in the dishwasher or worse have to soak a dish before you re-wash something that comes out of the dishwasher with food dried onto it.  When the scraper gets dirty just throw it in the dishwasher or rinse it quickly in the sink. 

Rice Cooker
This may seem like it just takes up space but my husband and I are a family that eats rice at least once a week and this little tool is amazing.  We spent a few extra dollars and bought one that has the ability to delay the start time several hours, has a rack to steam veggies and can also cook brown rice.  It's so handy to be able to just set the rice to cook and work on the other parts of dinner, or when combined with the slower cooker I can time my dinner to be ready from 8 hours when I put it together.  Having a rice cooker means there isn't instant rice in this house, we only use real rice because it's so easy and quick to make.  The taste makes all the difference you can have Chinese restaurant style rice without having any skill. 

Slower Cooker
A busy Mom/Wife's best friend.  I make everything from tacos to meatballs in my slow cooker.  It gives you the ability to put together a great meal, go to work or run errands and then come home to a home cooked meal without having to do any work.  For most of my slow cooker meals all I have to do is chopping prep. work and throw in the seasonings I want to use, after that the slow cooker does all of the work, once in a while I'll stir.  If you have really long days you might want to consider buying a cooker that has a delay start timer, otherwise any slow cooker is awesome.

Fake a Clean House for Last Minute Guests

Surprise!  You invited friends from a play date at the park over for dinner tonight, or your significant other called and is bringing home dinner guests.  You look around and realize your house looks like a scene from Hoarders (well maybe not that bad).  How are you going to possibly clean the house and make a meal in a matter of a few hours? 

Take a deep breath and relax.  See my post from earlier this month on roasts or consider something in the slow cooker so you have more time to clean, but don't worry.  I'll give you a few points on faking a clean house in less than an hour.

Before you start anything considering serving your guests outside.  If you have a nice, clean, patio and the weather is nice consider having a bbq.  Guests won't mind helping wipe down a table and chairs for dinner and the less time they are in the house, the less time they have to notice dirt. 

Before you start cleaning crack a few windows.  Fresh air will make your house smell less stale and get rid of whatever odors your house normally smells like.  The fresh air will also help take away the vinegar smell or whatever products you use to clean your house. 

Clean up the clutter first.  Make sure you remove the clutter from surfaces like counters, tables maybe even the floor depending on your house.  We keep a mail tub with all of the random papers we collect and when guests come over we just move it to the desk in the office.  Honestly, you just have to move the clutter to a bedroom or office, a room the guests won't be seeing.  You can easily close the door to a messy room.  Clutter makes the house look smaller than it is, it also makes the house look messier than it actually is.  Cleaning off the clutter is the fastest way to make a house look cleaner. 

After the clutter is put away clean off the surfaces of everything.  I run a quick duster over bookshelves and the tv.  I also use vinegar and a rag and clean off the table and counter tops.  The counters may get dirty again from dinner, but that's explainable and crusty dinner from last night is not.  While I'm doing this I also take a quick check of the walls and knock down any new cobwebs and scrub any big marks on the walls. 

Peek into your guest bathroom.  Make sure there is tp, soap and a clean hand towel.  Sweep the floor or wipe down the toilet or sink if they look dirty.  You can basically clean an entire bathroom in less than 15 minutes so it shouldn't take very much time at all to check and clean anything that needs to be fixed.

Lastly, I clean the floors.  I usually vacuum them and if I have extra time I'll steam mop or use a little mop and glow to make them extra clean.  I might also vacuum off my couches if they are full of dog hair and I have extra time. 

Your house is ready!  At least it looks clean even if the bedrooms are a disaster area.  Remember you are the harshest critic of your own house.  Guests just want to spend time with you, they don't care about your house.  As long as you make them feel welcome, have fun and maybe go the extra mile to serve something yummy, your guests will have a wonderful time.

Spring Cleaning Checklist

This is my spring cleaning checklist.  I saw a cute idea on an article on theknot.com where points are assigned to each chore depending on difficulty and time it takes to do the chore.  Then you compete with your significant other or your entire family and see who can earn the most cleaning points. Not every house is the same so your list might be different from mine, but this is a good list with some tips to help you get started on your cleaning.  If I forgot anything please feel free to leave a comment and add it to the list!

Don't be a crazy person and try tackle all of this in one day, pick and choose one or two chores to do in a day.  Think about maybe making simple or quick and easy dinners for days you decide to clean so you don't have to clean all day and then cook all night.

While your working on a room try to at least open the windows in that room if not the entire house.  The fresh air is going to get rid of that stale smell.  Fresh air has also been known to reduce illness and asthma.  The other reason to open windows is to ventilate if you are using any chemicals. 

First off clutter cleaning is the most important.  One of the quickest ways to make the house look cleaner is to remove the clutter.  Consider donating the items you no longer need, some places like St. Vincent de Paul will even send a truck to your house and give you a receipt for tax purposes.  Look for outgrown clothes, old toys and gadgets when you are sorting through your house.  Removing these items will put you on your way to a clutter free house.

Living Room

• Wipe down all walls and knock down any cobwebs
• Dust ceiling fan and wipe it down with a cloth dampened with vinegar
• Turn off gas to fireplace and dust under the fireplace (I have 4 dogs so it gets dirty)
• Wipe down every blind with a cloth damped with vinegar
• Dust off tv and wipe down all wires behind the tv
• Vacuum under all couch cushions
• Vacuum dust off bookcase and dust by hand
• Steam mop floors

Bedrooms

• Wipe down all walls and knock down any cobwebs
• Dust ceiling fan and wipe it down with vinegar
• remove winter sheets, wash them, and put them away
• Freshen the bed by sprinkling with baking soda and then vacuuming off after a few minutes
• Put spring sheets on the bed
• Remove any unwanted clothes from the closet
• Bring spring clothes to the front of the closet
• Dust off nightstands and dressers
• Remove aluminum blinds and wash them in a bath tub making sure to dry them off

Kitchen

• Wipe down walls
• Remove aluminum blinds and wash them in bathtub
• Throw out all expired food from fridge and wipe down all shelves and drawers
• Defrost freezer
• Throw out that tv dinner or whatever else that nobody in your family is going to eat ever
• Organize pantry by putting your oldest cans in the front, tossing expired food and donating the food your family will never eat
• Deep Clean oven
• Wipe down all drawers and shelves
• Clean out that pesky junk drawer
• Put ice down the garbage disposal to sharpen blades
• Put orange peels and baking soda down garbage disposal to give it a fresh clean scent
• Wipe down all appliances that sit on the counter

Bathrooms

• Scrub shower with vinegar and baking soda
• Clean off mirrors
• Knock down cobwebs and wipe down walls
• Replace or wash shower liner with a towel in the washing machine if you have one
• Scrub down toilets, sinks and trash cans
• Steam mop the floors

Office

• Dust down everything
• Wipe down walls and knock down cobwebs
• Toss out old files and papers (Shred them first!)
• Wipe down the wires
• Freshen the sheets on the guest bed by washing them

Outside

• Weed all garden beds
• Power wash sidewalks and driveway
• Sweep out garage and make sure everything is organized
• Wash screens with soap and water

Time to celebrate because your house is clean!  Have a glass of wine and order some Chinese food for dinner tonight.  The person that collected the least amount of points has to order, pick-up and/or pay!

Spring Cleaning Supplies

No matter what I used I couldn't get my shower clean. I spent a lot of time and money on chemicals that didn't do anything to my shower. One night last winter out of frustration I grabbed a scrub brush and vinegar and my shower is now cleaner than when I moved in to the house. I am not lying when I say give it a try and it will change the way you clean forever!

It is that time of year to start your spring cleaning.  This year I've decided I'm tired of headaches from chemical cleaners and have decided to use more natural cleaners for my cleaning.  I now use vinegar, baking soda and warm water for most of my cleaning.  Many people suggest putting oranges or lemons into their vinegar to give it a more pleasing scent.  It is okay to do this but you must be careful depending on what you are cleaning.  The acidity from these oils can erode some of the things you clean.

I bought my own spray bottle and fill it 1/3 tap water and 2/3 vinegar.  This has replaced bathtub, toilet, window, sink, wall and a couple other cleaners.  If it's a really tough mess I will sprinkle some baking soda onto a brush or the surface before I scrub the area.