Lifestyle

Cooking Dollar Store Style

As I have mentioned in a prior post, the DOLLAR STORE is a great place to get bargains for things you wouldn't believe you could get for a buck.  Now you might be surprised to find out that you can make great meals from products bought at the dollar store.  So before you head to the grocery store, try the dollar store first.  Here are some common perception and truths about dollar stores:

PERCEPTION: Dollar stores are good only for bulk items and pantry basics such as pasta ad canned tomatoes.
TRUTH:   You can find cans of sun-dried tomatoes , roasted red peppersnd other "gourmet" products for great prices.
PERCEPTION:   Dollar stores sell products that are damaged or have reached their expiration dates.
TRUTH:   Read the labels to make sure, but I have never encountered that.  You might find a few dented cans, but no more than at a grocery store.
PERCEPTION:  Dollar stores sell only obscure "off" brands.
TRUTH: The products are a pretty good mix of national brands and other's you probably won't recognize.  Some of the brands are regional brands or come from other countries.   

About 40 percent of the chain's food product comes from outside the U.S., which is why you might find brands from India or Turkey that you won't find in say a name brand grocery store.  So you need to check the ads before you go.

Dollar store drawbacks
No everything is actually a dollar and/or a good deal.  Say you get a can of tuna  for a dollar, but sometimes if you can find it at the grocery store for less.   So you need to check the ads before you go.  Organization and cleanliness also vary from store to store and products are limited and not always available.    So give the dollar store a try for mealtime planning

Ciao!
 

My fav veggie recipe of the month

Since the first time my husband first prepared this recipe it has been our house favorite. And since you can buy asparagus pretty inexpensively right now, you should give this a try.

Ciao!

Roasted Asparagus Parmigiano
2 pounds asparagus stalks, washed and trimmed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon ground herbs de Provence
Coarse kosher or sea salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup or more grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Lemons wedges for garnish

Directions
Snap or cut off the tough ends of the asparagus. Arrange asparagus in a single layer in a shallow baking pan.
Make marinade by combining olive oil, white wine, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour marinade over asparagus, turning to coat. Let marinate for a couple of 2 to 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. When ready to bake, sprinkle Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the top of the asparagus. Bake approximately 8 to10 minutes (depending on thickness of the asparagus stalks) or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and transfer asparagus to a serving platter. Garnish with lemon wedges.

Expired Meds

You know you're not supposed to use them, but how do you safely get rid of them?   According to the American Pharmacists Association and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, flushing meds down t he toilet is a bad idea, since hormones, antibiotics and other chemicals can make their way into the water supply.  Instead, crush the pills and dissolve them in water; mix with kitty litter, coffee grounds or sawdust to absorb the ingredients; then place them in a sealed plastic bag and toss in the garbage (to prevent potential poisoning).  Another option:  Call you local pharmacy.  They may be willing to dispose of unused meds for you.

Ciao!

Happiest Jobs

Those who have "helping  jobs like the clergy and firefighters are happiest, says a new study.  So why do travel agents rank third?  Maybe it's the joy of aiding travelers; maybe it's the free trips.

Ciao!

Gimme some shut-eye

Add just ONE hour  of sleep to your schedule, and you could drop up to 14 pounds this year.  New data from the University of Michigan shows that you'll likely eat 6 percent less if you replace 60 minutes of awake time (when you may snack)  with an hour of shut-eye.  And a Harvard study that tracked around 68,000 women found that those who clocked only five or fewer hours of rest a night had a 32 percent greater chance of gaining more than 30 pounds over a 16-year period than thoses who got seven hours of sleep.  Good night then!

Ciao!

Talk To Me

If you've ever been told you talk too much, keep this comeback in mind:   Chatting with relaivies and friends (either in person or over the phone) can boost your brainpower, a new study has found.  Plus, discussing a social issue for only 10 minutes improves your memory just as much as more traditional, intellectual activites, like doing crossword puzzles.  So I guess talking never hurts anyone.  Talk away.

Ciao!

Plop plop, fizz fizz,

for your toilet or after a large meal.  If you happen to be out of toilet bowl cleaner, grab the Alka-Seltzer.   Just drop 2 tablets into the bowl, wait 20 minutes and then flush.   Oh what a relief it is.

Ciao!

Happy Easter Readers and Writers

HAPPY EASTER!   This is the day the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice!    Enjoy the day with your families.  Don't eat too much chocolate.

Ciao!

I want candy..

Moms-to-be who overindulge in junk food are more likely to give birth to a child with a sweet tooth, says a study in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Ciao!

You can never have too many shoes...

Between 70% and 80% of women admit to wearing uncomfortable shoes on a regular basis.  The heck with comfort.  We do it because we look so sexy, right ladies. 

Ciao!