Quick Kitchen Cleaning Tips

It’s said the kitchen is the most lived in room in many households, unfortunately this means it can also be the messiest!  Here are some quick kitchen cleaning tips to help you keep the mess and clutter to a minimum.

* Clean the kitchen cabinets, stove, refrigerator and counters with baking soda.
* Sweep and mop your kitchen floor.
* To remove skid marks on linoleum rub the spot with toothpaste before washing the floor.
* Remove all clutter from your countertop; that includes dishes, glasses, utensils cups and other items you may have lying around.
* Store as many appliances as you can in the cabinets.
* Clean your sink with olive oil.
* Replace your dish rag regularly, as well as the sponge or scrub you use for washing.
* To remove hard-water build-up in a teapot or kettle, pour in two cups of vinegar and bring to a boil. Let simmer for about 10 minutes, then rinse well.
* To clean the coffee maker: Pour straight vinegar into it as if you are making the coffee, no filter is needed. Turn the coffee maker on as if you were making a pot of coffee. Repeat this with a new batch of vinegar until it runs clear of calcium deposits.

Cleaning is a matter of preparation, determination and time management.  As you can see, all your kitchen needs now is a light once-over, and you are ready for the marathon of cooking and baking to begin.

Great Recipes for Cinco de Mayo

Food can be an important part of any great celebration and Cinco de Mayo is no exception. When you plan your gathering, take some time to plan a great menu that will keep the guests full the whole night through.

Appetizers will get the party started

Taquitos can be a fun choice for a party. Tweak them with your own taste (and what might be in the pantry). Basically, you will need some small tortillas, meat (already cooked and shredded), a smokey cheese (or any variety of cheese along with a drop of liquid smoke) and some salsa. Stir together all of your ingredients and then place a couple of spoonfuls into a tortilla. Tuck the top and the bottom of the tortilla before you roll it up. Dot it with a little bit of olive oil and place on a cooking sheet that has been sprayed with no-stick spray (or covered with aluminum foil for easy clean up). Bake in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes at about 450ºF.

Don’t forget the dips. Go crazy with the salsas, cheese dips, and guacamole mixes. Offer a variety of dipping mechanisms from vegetable sticks to corn chips to pita chips. Keep it interesting and surprising and your dip table will be the most popular table at the party.

Time for the main course

There is no limit to what you can serve for dinner at your Cinco de Mayo party. It really all comes back to how you want to eat. If you don’t mind your guests eating with their hands (and what party isn’t complete without that option), then you can serve traditional tacos. Use a bar to serve the food so that guests can create their own tacos.

If you want to take it up a little higher, then create some dishes your guests will be talking about for weeks to come. There are dozens of websites that offer great recipes with easy-to-follow instructions. This one came from Allrecipes and got some great reviews:

Chicken with Chipotle

8 chicken leg quarters (with skin)
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup sour cream
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
1 tablespoon butter
salt (to taste)

You will need to preheat the stove to 375 ºF. Roast the chicken legs until the skin gets crispy (around 30 to 40 minutes). While the chicken is in the oven, mix the milk, sour cream, chipotle peppers and chicken bullion in a blender or food processor and puree until the mixture is smooth. Melt the margarine in a large pan over medium heat then pour in the puree. Bring it to a simmer and then turn the heat to low and reduce. Add salt to taste for seasoning. When the chicken is cooked, add it to the reduced puree and let it simmer in the pan for around 10 minutes (or more) to take on the flavor of the sauce.

Be sure to serve your dinner with some refried beans and some rice to complete the meal.

Grilled Mushrooms

Ingredients:

3/4 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
2 tsp. chopped thyme
2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 tsp. chopped rosemary
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
¼ tsp. salt
1/4 c. olive oil
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced

Put the mushrooms and peppers on skewers.  Mix together all other ingredients and brush onto the mushrooms.  Grill for approximately 4-6 minutes, or until tender.

Broiled Citrus Salmon

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
4 (5-ounce) salmon fillets
2 tsp. molasses
1 orange, juiced

Preheat broiler.  Stir together olive oil, lemon and lime juice, molasses, and seasonings in a small bowl.  Place salmon, skin side down, into broiling pan.  Brush with juice mixture and broil until skin is crisp and flesh is flaky, approximately 7 minutes for each inch of thickness.  Remove and sprinkle immediately with orange juice.  Best served hot.

Hearty Sausage Quiche

Ingredients:

1 pkg. sausages
1 Tbsp. olive oil
8 lightly beaten eggs
½ c. sliced green onion
¼ c. milk
½ c. diced sweet red pepper
½ to 1 c. shredded cheese
1 c. sliced mushrooms
1 tsp. salt
1 c. frozen hash browns
¼ tsp. black pepper
¼ c. Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Put foil into baking cups and set aside.  Cook and drain sausages.  Combine eggs, milk, cheese in a large bowl; add salt and pepper to taste.  In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the vegetables and sauté until tender.  Combine egg mixture, sausages, and vegetables.  Pour even amounts into the separate baking cups and place in the oven until eggs are set, approximately 22 minutes.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Next Page »