Aloe Vera and other Beneficial Houseplants

Aloe Vera - Photo: Pixabay

Many families have grown up with an aloe vera plant in the kitchen.  This succulent plant is great for indoor gardening as it is hardy and easy to care for.  Moreover, they are great for skin care and minor cuts and burns that can happen in the kitchen while cooking.  To use as a first aid item cut a portion of one of the leaves and squeeze the inner gel onto the hurt area.  With repeated use, the aloe vera will aid in healing and soothe the pain.

In addition to the aloe vera plant, there are other helpful plants that are good to have around the house.  An herb garden is a convenient way to add flavor and natural ingredients to many dishes.  From fresh dill in a homemade tzatziki sauce to chives mixed in with cream cheese for a delicious bagel.  

Many herbs can be dried and used for loose leaf teas not only a relaxing beverage, but some herbs are also known for their medicinal qualities too.  Some herbs that can be used as tea leaves or as part of a mixture are peppermint and ginger.

There are many edible plants that you can grow indoors to aid in digestion.  They can be broken off the plant as needed or some may need some preparation first.  

* Anise is a popular and widely used for aiding in digestion and easing colic in infants.  

* Coriander in addition to helping with digestion it is also a tasty addition to salsa.

* Fennel oil is used to ease upset stomachs too.  It is also used for increasing the amount of breast milk produced in mothers.

This is just a brief look at some of the other uses for houseplants.  It is recommended to research your plants before ingesting any to ensure they are safe.

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"MELKKOS", another South African great

"Melkkos" is one of my favourite dishes ever. I do honestly not know what it is called in English, but if I had to translate it, it would be something like milk food. It is a dish with its main ingredient being milk, to which you add some flour and butter.

It is a great traditional dish that can be enjoyed all year round. Try it in the winter, it warms you up from the inside! Nothing tastes nicer than a bowl of “melkkos”, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar on the top.

(Plain) Flour and (lite) milk.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What can be nicer, I ask you all! If you have never tried it, I would say it is time.

Ingredients:

1 cup of flour

1 1/2 tablespoons of hard butter

A pinch of salt

2 1/2 cups of milk

Method:

1. Rub the butter in with the flour, using your fingers. Add the salt and mix some more.

2. Bring the milk to the boil on the stove and add the butter and flour mixture a little bit at a time.

3. Turn the heat right down and let it boil for about 5 minutes. Make sure you stir the mixture often.

4. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on the top and enjoy it warm!

You will not be disappointed with this recipe. Try and enjoy. Believe me, you will.

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Wine Racks- Keep Your Favorite Vintages Close At Hand

There is nothing quite like sipping on a glass of your favorite vintage after a hard day’s work. Unless you can’t find it because you don’t have a specific place to store your reds and whites. No kitchen is complete without a wine rack, and it is easy to find one to fit your needs and your space.

Rather than dragging yourself all over town to find ‘the’ wine rack; you should try shopping online. Not only will you find the best selection of wine racks, but you will also find the best prices as well. Whether you want a small rack for the corner to hold about six bottles or a veritable wine cellar with racks to hold dozens of vintages you’ll find it here.

Perhaps when it comes to wine racks you would prefer one that doesn’t take up any floor space. Try a hanging one to hold four or eight bottles as well as a dish towel and even some stemware. Or if you want to make a statement of elegance try a wine tower in your choice of finish. It comes with two shelves and a drawer for storing glassware, wine keys and anything else you might need while up to eighteen bottles are cradled below.

The mobility of a wine cart allows you to bring the wine to your guests in style. And a rounded wood rack allows you to keep your wines close at hand for cooking or savoring. No matter what style of wine rack you decide on you is sure to find what you are looking for online.

There are three main questions you need to ask yourself when shopping for wine racks for your home. One is how many bottles you are going to keep on hand. If you are a connoisseur of fine wine you might want one that is quite large.  If you are a casual drinker you should need one that is rather small. The second question is where do you want to place your wine rack? You can hang one from the ceiling, put one on the counter or place one on the floor in the corner or in the center of the room. Third, you need to decide what type of material you want your wine rack constructed from. Choose from various woods with rich finishes, hammered steel or even wrought iron in a variety of shapes and finishes. Once you have answered these questions you will be well on your way to browsing the world of wine racks with ease.

So add a little elegance and sophistication to your home with the addition of a wine rack made of wood or metal. Whether you keep it in the kitchen, the dining room or even the living room you won’t regret your purchase. Now the next time you want to sit back and relax with a glass of pinot noir, by yourself or with a special someone, you’ll know exactly where to find it. It has never been easier to enjoy some sour grapes.

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Frugal and Easy Thanksgiving Recipes

Thanksgiving Dinner - Photo: Flickr

Here it is - that time of year when everyone's thoughts turn to food!  I'm thankful that at our house, we have plenty of food, but sometimes I am not so grateful that I am the one who usually gets to cook it!

So I am always on the lookout for simple, tasty recipes that are also easy on the budget.  Here are a few of my family's favorites:

Corn-Rice Casserole

1 1/2 cups minute rice (uncooked)
2 cans cream-style corn
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup butter or margarine
8 oz. jar Cheez Whiz

Melt butter in large saucepan and add onion and green pepper.  Cook until tender.  Add other ingredients and cook on low for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
Pour into greased 2-quart baking dish and bake at 350 degrees until bubbly.

Sweet Potato Casserole

2 16-oz. can sweet potatoes
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Topping:

1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup flour

Drain sweet potatoes and mash. Add other ingredients and mix well. Pour into ungreased 9" square baking pan. Mix all topping ingredients till crumbly. Spread on yams then bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
Tip: You can make this the day before. Just refrigerate till you are ready to bake.

This one is perfect for supper the night before Thanksgiving.
Harvest Time Soup

1 1/2 cups water
1 cup cubed potatoes
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
3/4 lb. process cheese spread, cubed
1 cup ham, cubed

Bring water, potatoes, carrots and celery to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer till vegetables are tender.
Add cheese and ham; cook, stirring till cheese is melted.
This makes about 4 servings, but it could easily be cut in half or doubled.

Samuel Adams, father of the American Revolution:
"It is therefore recommended ... to set apart Thursday the eighteenth day of December next, for solemn thanksgiving and praise, that with one heart and one voice the good people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts and consecrate themselves to the service of their divine benefactor ..."—November 1, 1777
(adopted by the 13 states as the first official Thanksgiving Proclamation) 

Author: Cyndi Roberts

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Natural Way to Deal with Pests on Indoor Plants

Photo: Pixnio

It is inevitable that insects or another infestation will make its way to your plants at one point or another.  If you are dealing with pests in your indoor garden you may want to find a natural way to eliminate them especially if you have young children or pets in your home.  There are ways to do this and most of them require ingredients that you can get at the grocery store.

When you find insects or another disease that is making your plant sick.  Isolate the plant immediately to prevent the problem from spreading to the other plants inside your house.  Depending on the type of problem the solution will be different.

If your plants are being eaten by spider mites, you can eliminate the problem by making a solution of buttermilk and water.  Put the solution into a spray bottle, put the plant in the bathtub and give a thorough once over.  A mix of 50-50 is recommended if this is too thick to use with the spray bottle, add more water for a thinner consistency.

You may be able to control aphids with a thorough washing of the plant leaves with water.  Another recommendation is to kill a couple of the aphids and leave them in the bottom of the pot.  They then emit an odor that lets the other aphids know that danger is near and they abandon the plant.  If this method is used, do it outside so they can find another home that is not inside yours.

The natural and organic methods available for the wide variety of problems your plant can encounter are too numerous to list.  These are the two most common pests, but with some research, there is a natural solution to many more different insects or diseases that can affect a plant’s health.

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Delicious Desserts

Desserts - Photo: Pixabay

A "Dessert" is a meal course that usually comes after dinner. Most often Dessert foods are of sweet food but can also be of a strongly flavored food, such as cheese, like cheesecake. The word dessert comes from the Old French word "desservir", which means 'to clear the table'. Often times in the English language dessert is confused with the word desert(note only one "s"), which is a barren piece of land normally with sand as soil. 

It wasn't until after the 19th-century where the rise of the middle class, and the mechanization of the sugar industry, brought the privilege of sweets into the general public and unreserved it exclusively for the aristocracy, or a rare holiday treat. This was because sugar became cheaper and more readily available to the general public. As sugar was widely spread, so was the development and popularity of desserts.

In today's culture dessert recipes have become a popular item for discussion, as they are a winning way to win people over at the end of any meal. This is partly because if you serve a mediocre meal, with an excellent dessert, people will remember you for the dessert and forget about the meal.

Most cultures have a separate final distinction between the main course, and the sweet course. This is not true however in some cultures such as Chinese, who will mix in sweet and savory dishes throughout the entire meal. Dessert is, often times seen as a separate meal or snack, rather than a course, and can be eaten sometime after the meal by many individuals. Because of its widespread popularity, there are even some restaurants that specialize in desserts.

Some of the most common desserts are:

- Biscuits or cookies

- Ice creams

- Meringues

- Fruit

- Cakes

- Crumbles

- Custards

- Gelatin desserts

- Puddings

- Pastries

- Pies or tarts

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A Terrarium as an Indoor Garden

carnivorous plants - Photo: Flickr

There is a solution for you if you love the look of plants indoors but don’t have the time or a green thumb to take care of them.  A terrarium is a self-contained plant habitat.  Once you have set-up the terrarium and closed the lid (on the jar or another container you have chosen) the plants inside create their own eco-system – all you have to do is enjoy it.

The choices for terrarium containers are only limited by your imagination. Traditionally a smaller aquarium is used with a lid but a glass jar or other container will work nicely too.  Plastic will work as well, just make sure that it is a clear plastic or you won’t be able to admire your handiwork once it is completed.  Whatever size or material you choose for your terrarium the most important factor is that it does not leak.  You need the water and moisture to stay inside for it to work and you don’t want a mess inside your house.

The plants that you choose should all thrive in similar conditions and grow well in a humid environment.  Popular plants to put into a terrarium are carnivorous (Venus Fly Trap, sundew, or pitch plant) or rainforest plants (chamaedorea palms, small ferns or fittonia).  

Terrariums are a low-maintenance indoor garden.  They need indirect sunlight (not too bright) and no water is needed after the initial water is added.  The heat from inside the terrarium evaporates the water and then it condenses on the lid falling back down to the plants.  This process will continue keeping your plants alive.  If there is too much water present, you may need to vent the terrarium (with a vented lid or opening the top a small amount) just be sure to keep an eye on the soil’s moisture level (not too wet or dry).

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