Did you know................

you can freeze eggs?  Seriously?  Yep. Seriously.  Wish I had found this out a few months ago when I bought an 18 pack and immediately went into a phase of I-am-too-tired-(read that lazy) to-cook-so-I- will- have- cereal-for-dinner --- which is scraping the bottom of the barrel in energy land, which is one level below I-don't-want-to-cook-because-I-am-too-tired (lazy)to-cook-so-I-will-eat-popcorn.  This phase lasted for awhile; like long enough for the eggs to go bad.  Seriously.  So I had to throw them out which just about kills me because it is like throwing money out the window and having the wind whisk it away.  Before you say "you dummy" they did get pushed to the back of the fridge where they went undetected so I feel a little less wasteful and a little more forgetful.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it!!!  let's move on. 

Yes, you really can freeze eggs and they come out of the freezer just fine for baking and scrambling, and as the lady says, they taste just like fresh. Decide how many eggs you want in each freezer bag, crack 'em, gently incorporate the whites into the yolks,  add 'em to the bag, date, and freeze.  Easy peasy and no more thrown out eggs!! Just thaw in the fridge and use within 24 hours. This is not my photograph, it belongs to that savvy lady on howmomdidit.com and you can find the whole interesting story and complete details HERE.


So that's going to be it for me for about month.  Kind of like this last go 'round.  You don't have time to read the old blog and I don't have time to publish it.  So have a wonderful holiday season and I will see YOU next year!!  Hugs, Shawna

This is no trick

At least not a mean one.  Maybe I should say it's more of treat. Good morning!  I went to my doctor a few weeks back and got the eye and the lecture for my cholesterol numbers.  Part of the program for getting them where they need to be (besides diet and exercise) is taking a fish oil capsule every day.  Oh YUCK!  I don't think there is anything worse than burping after consuming one of those capsules and I am sure this prevents a lot of people from taking them. Then one of my clients came in and I was telling her about the recommendation from my doc.  She said her doc gave her the same recommendation but to make it less of an unpleasant experience that she should put her fish oil caps in the freezer and freeze them.  Swallowing them frozen allows them to get waaaaay down into your tummy and past the point where they would cause the burping problem. I have been doing this for several weeks now and not one burp leading to the disgusting aftertaste --- and bad breath!! --- of swallowing those caps right out of the bottle.  This works!!!!  So take your omega 3's, just remember to freeze 'em first! 

Oh this is good

I watched Dr. Oz the other day and he had a guy on giving tips on how to save a bit of money but still get the job done right.  As you know, these types of things are right up my alley. :-)
The short and sweet of it is that you can get a year's worth of shaves out of ONE disposable razor.  Sounds unbelievable doesn't it?  Now I haven't got a year to try this before I post, but I have already begun the test. Should be an interesting, and CHEAP, experiment.
The razor blades do not get dull from shaving your hair off; they are made of steel.  The razor gets dull because it is left in the shower and stays wet/damp causing the steel to start rusting.  The trick is to dry it off after each use and keep it in a dry area.  A quick  shot with your blow dryer should dry it nicely. I leave it up to you where you stash it. 
Combine one razor for a whole year and a bottle of cheap hair conditioner to shave with and you can stay silky smooth for almost nothin'.  My kind of deal! 
Have a fabluous week. 

Strained.....

Hi all!  Thanks for stopping by the ol' Two Dogs blogeroonie.  If you're in beautiful northern California did you enjoy our little taste of fall yesterday (and this morning ---- 36!!!)?  I'm so not ready to give up summer, but it was nice to think about the the onset of autumn and turning leaves, cozy blankets, hot soup.  That's as far as I am willing to go right now --- just thinking about those things. :-) although I did grab a blankie while vegging on the couch last night watching CSI...................and nodded off and missed the last half.  Dang!
On to today's post.  I fully intended to show you this a couple of months ago, or maybe it was three?  Time got away from me.  'Where's the time gone' is almost a mantra that everyone is repeating now.  A little over two months and it will be Christmas!!  Again!!!  Oh my.  But I digress.  I actually saved this because of the color; it's fallish looking.  You believe that, right?

This little strainer drains a can of veggies or fruit, holds enough fresh picked berries or such  for two people, can be used to dip and drain any ol' thing at all  right out of the pot.  I use it a lot.  Highly recommended. It's from Avon. 
I hope you have a wonderful week.  Hugs, Shawna

Another man in my life................

Unbelievable that it has been almost two months since my last post.  Summer is always so busy and then the wrist problem (pulled a tendon or something.  The one that runs along the thumb and into the wrist) didn't help either.  BUT, I just had to sit down and write about the new man in my life.  What a sweetheart!  What an energetic fella!  What a GORGEOUS male!  I am smitten and feel like the luckiest girl alive to have him in my life.  I decided to go get a Burger............... 

Burger is his name and he is a seven year old wire hair fox terror, er, terrier.  I felt like I had finally got to a point, after losing Charlie, that I could look for another wire hair, and I found this charmer on ATRA (abandoned terrier rescue association) as a courtesy listing.  I emailed his owner, got all the info, and thought about it for a few days.  When I felt like I was ready to commit to taking this guy, Ryan, Burger's previous owner, and I tried to figure out how to get him from Orange County to Burney.  If you don't know California, believe me, it's a long way.  We emailed back and forth between meeting half-way in cars, to trying to fly him to Reno or Sacramento.  In the end it was meeting halfway and I made the 750 + mile round trip. 

He is settling in. Toonie Mae Hound Princess Dog of Burney has her precious little royal nose a bit out of joint over having another man around, but she is adjusting.  Burger still hasn't gotten the subservient part down, but Toonie is training him. We are all still in the adjusting phase, but so far it is working out fine despite some battles between her highness and the court jester. 

If you know wire hairs -- if they are normal healthy dogs -- they have A LOT OF ENERGY and if you don't give them the exercise and attention they require they will find their own entertainment and it's a forgone conclusion that you won't like their choices!  It's not the dog's fault, it's just the way they are built and if you cannot put up with their shenanigans, a wire hair is not for you. Burger is normal.  Burger is healthy.  Burger is very energetic. Burger gets a run alongside my bike at least once a day, but mostly twice a day to burn off some of that energy and we play ball in the backyard and are even making up games to play in the living room.  He is very smart, and very well trained and I am getting a LOT of exercise right along with him.  He is only 7 and they are chronically active until past 12 years of age.  Lord help me...................  :-)

A few shots of the clown

Gardening should be interesting from now on with this helper!

Checking out the new toys

Making sure there weren't any goodies left before the dishes are washed.  He's the pre-rinse cycle. Or wants to be anyway!!!

Doing the canine version of yoga.  DOGA!

Thanks for stopping by.  Burger, THE PRINCESS, and I are off for a bike ride.  Have a great week!

Here's something interesting

This idea came to me from a friend through an email and I thought I would give it a try.  I love fun, funky new ways of doing things.  But they have to work.  This works pretty darn well. Someone had their thinking cap on with this one.

I did sand the cut edges of the plastic though as cut plastic can have some sharp edges. At least they do when I cut plastic.

How to seal a plastic bag and make it air-tight.............



Cut off the neck and cap of a plastic water bottle.  Insert the open end of a plastic bag through the neck and fold the plastic back down over the bottle neck and screw on the top to seal. It's a bit fiddly at first, but once you get the 'feel' for it, it actually works pretty well.  Easier to deal with than twist ties for those of us with more mature hands that don't cooperate all the time.  :-)





Good for us and the environment; as long as you recycle the bottom part of that bottle :-)
Have a lovely week.  Oh, and Happy Fourth of July!  Go find yourself a serviceman and give 'em a big hug and kiss for all they do for us! Thanks for stopping by Two Dogs.  Hugs, Shawna

Cleaning the fridge

I cleaned my refrigerator the other day.  Ooooo boy, did it need it. As I was cleaning I was thinking to myself why in the world did I wait until it's warm and sunny outside and there's a nice soft breeze blowing? An absolutely gorgeous day, perfect for spending time outside.  And I answered myself.  "Because when it's cold and dark and gloomy you have no energy.  No get-up-and-go. No DESIRE to do those mundane jobs.  But just let the sun come out and it is like flipping a switch.  I am empowered.  Energized.  Gung-ho.  So my refrigerator got a good cleaning along with a few other little projects around the house like the floors, the laundry, the vacuuming.  I was a dynamo.  Then I decided to finish planting the garden.  I even impressed myself.  Here's a shot of  the interior of my nice clean fridge.  I was too embarrassed to show you the before pic!  There's just something wonderful and soothing about a clean refrigerator.  And  nice, crisp, clean sheets.  I am off to make my bed.  Thanks for stopping by!

CDs/DVDs

Did anyone watch idol this past season?  Wow, what talent!  I was rooting for Scotty McCreery and was thrilled when he won.  If you hear him sing and don't know who he is or what he looks like (cute!!!) you would never in a million years think he was only 17 years old.  What a fabulous voice he has.  I hope 'the business' doesn't corrupt him like it has so many others; he is just so wholesome and sweet.  So, wanting a little piece of Idol to keep forever, I spent a bit of time on iTunes this past week and downloaded my favorite Scotty songs, and also a few tunes from some of the others (Stephano Langone, Paul McDonald, Pia Toscano) and then what did I run into?  Sitting in my inbox was some advice from Uniblue on how to burn your best CD and not end up with nothing but a coaster.  Wish this had arrived BEFORE I downloaded and saved to a CD.......... That's my timing.  And ol' Murphy at his best.

So on that note here's their advice about burning CDs/DVDs to get the best copy. 

•Turn off your screensaver, if this starts while you're burning a disc, it will interrupt the data flow to the laser. (hmmmmm, I think that's probably why I got a gap in one of Elvis' songs during the burn)


•Defrag your hard drive before a burn, it not only helps with your PC performance but will also make it easier for your PC to locate the files. (this should be done on a regular basis anyway, so don't forget!!!)

•Slower burning speeds will give the best results, so if you're not in a rush opt for lower speeds. (something else I need to change.  Fast is not always better Missy!)

•Handle your discs with care, hold it by its edges and keep it away from dust.

•Finally, invest in a special labelling pen as normal ink will eventually eat through the CD/DVD causing damage. (really?  a permanent marker won't do?)

Hope this helps you get the very best downloads.  Go for the burn!!!

Yummy, yummy, yummy

Good morning!  Today I am posting a recipe that you will love.  Well, you will love it as long as you like hot stuff.  I love hot stuff. And I love this recipe. If you don't love hot stuff your family or guests might. It is meant to be an appetizer, but heck, I have to confess that sometimes I make these little gems and eat them as dinner.  Beats the not-so-occasional-bowl-of-popcorn-for-dinner, but is almost as easy to make.  And a heck of a lot easier and less trouble than regular deep fried poppers.    The recipe came from allrecipes.com .   As will all the recipes posted here, it is quick, easy, and delicious. 

JALAPENO POPPER CUPS

12 mini phyllo tart shells

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped  (use gloves and wash your hands afterwards)*

1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce, or to taste

Bacon bits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place phyllo cups onto a baking sheet.

Stir together cream cheese, cheddar cheese, jalapenos, and hot sauce.  Spoon mixture into phyllo cups and sprinkle with bacon bits. 

Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

ENJOY!!  Oh these are SO good.

* Whatever you do, do not rub your eyes after chopping the peppers. 

Stone walkway

Hey there ---- spring is in full swing after a brief (I hope) little tail-end-of-winter-I-don't-want-to-give-in storm over the weekend. Not sure what will happen today, but a return to nice weather would be fine by me. I worked last Fall to put in a rock walkway and I am happy I did it then and didn't wait until now. It was quite a project, but very satisfying.  I made a lot of mistakes along the way, not liking the first part of the walk after putting in the majority of it and learning better ways of doing it in the process.  But I think that is why it was so satisfying ---- learning from the mistakes and ending up with something worthy of the time and effort.  And it took a lot of time and a lot of effort! WHEW!!! I intend on taking out the first one quarter of it and redoing it in larger rock, but if I don't get to it this season, it will be OK.  I'll get to it eventually. It's in and the wet winter settled the ground nicely and I only have a few spots that will need to have some more soil added (you can that in the last picture). It hasn't taken but one season to make it look as if it has always been there.  I love it!  I leave you with a few pictures ...........

 Thanks for stopping by Two Dogs.  Hugs, Shawna

Let's boil eggs

With Easter just around the corner I thought this was the perfect opportunity to share a little something about boiling eggs. Believe it or not, there is a wrong way to hard-boil eggs. Doing it the wrong way gives you rubbery whites and yolks with that grey ring on the outside. Here's the steps to perfect hard-boiled eggs:

1. Place eggs in saucepan in a single layer.
2. Fill pan with cold water, covering eggs by 1 inch.
3. Place over medium-high heat, cover and bring to a boil. When the water just starts getting tiny bubbles around the edge of the pan, add a spoonful of salt and place lid back on.

4. As soon as the eggs come to a roiling boil, turn off heat and let stand, COVERED for 12 minutes. DON'T PEEK or you will lose all the heat in the pan.
5. Transfer eggs to a bowl of ice water. Let stand for about 5 minutes, then remove. Wall-ah. Perfectly hard boiled eggs.
6. Color those eggs and play Easter Bunny.

If you’re having trouble getting the shells off nicely, know that the freshness of your eggs will affect how they peel. The fresher the egg, the harder it is for the shell to come off.

Off the subject but I wanted to comment on the daffodils in my yard.  They are blooming in all their glorious beauty and despite freezing temperatures in the mornings, they recover every day and keep on giving that "ah, spring!"  feeling.  

Looking pretty sad!

Looking gorgeous!!!

I couldn't decide whether or not to post a recipe or a tip.  So I decided to do neither one and show you one of my favorite kitchen tools, the baker's blade.  I always figured a knife works as well, but boy was I wrong.  I made a batch of brownies the other day ------ hadn't been feeling well and thought perhaps it was because I hadn't had anything sweet and high calorie for a LONG time, so surely my ailments must be from lack of sugar and fat, right?   I whipped up the batter, lined my pan with foil (sprayed with an oil spray, of course) and then added LOTS of walnuts to the batter before I shoved it all in the oven.  I love lots of nuts in my brownies, but it makes them very hard to cut into nice even squares.  Not that that really bothers ME all that much; a brownie is a brownie and I'll eat 'em no matter what they look like, but they don't look very nice if you plan on giving any away.  When they came out of the oven I remembered the baker's blade I purchased from my local Avon lady (who just happens to be me) and had fallen in love with it the first time I used it, which was to cut scone dough.  Oh, it worked like a charm on that scone dough.  So I used it on my brownies and it sliced right through those walnut-rich brownies likety split!  Nice even, scrumptious little squares of chocolate delight that didn't crumble a bit when they were sliced with the baker's blade. Works wonders at scrapping dough off the cutting board, too. I can see myself using it to take cookies off a baking sheet.  It works pretty darn good at dicing, too, and it has that nice little area where you hold it so you can use the blade to scoop the diced whatever up and toss it right in your bowl. I challenge any knife to accomplish THAT!  I bet you would like to see a picture of it, wouldn't you?  All right, here it is...............................

Oh sorry about that, those are just the brownies.  Never mind the two missing on the end.  I was feeling faint.  What could I do?

Here it is.  The baker's blade. With a nice plate of brownies in the background.  Never mind the two different exposures on the pictures either.  I had my mind on chocolate and not much else.                

Thanks for stopping by Two Dogs.  Have a lovely week.  Hugs, Shawna

Foo-Foo drink anyone?

Mornin' All! Enjoying the extra sunlight at the end of the day?

Today's Two Dog's post involves saving money and who of us does not want to do that? I love lattes and cappuccinos. A lot. But let's face it, in today's economy it is hard to treat oneself (and they ARE a treat. Some of us might consider them a necessity, but.......) on too regular a basis. And I love saving money. A lot. So several years ago, even before the big downturn in available funds, I ran across this little machine in the nearest Walmart and for the price of 9 foo-foo coffee drinks I got my very own espresso maker. Now I know it's not the "real" thing (those cost HUNDREDS) and the drinks are not "exactly" the same, but it does a fair job and I save a lot of money that can go elsewhere ----- think scrapbooking and card stuff :-)

The long dohickey on the right side is the milk steamer and I don't use it. It works well enough, but is a real pain to clean and I am an instant gratification/let's not make it harder kinda gal so I choose to warm my milk in the microwave while the little wonder is making the espresso and then use one of those little handheld blender thingymabobs to whip some air into the warmed milk. They are battery operated and work really well. (I have actually whipped small, very small, batches of heavy cream with it.....). So what I have in about 3 minutes is my version of a foo-foo drink. Flavored with vanilla and a little cinnamon sprinkled on top if I am feeling especially 'stravgant. Just a thought. Remember Two Dog's philosophy: Save where you can so you can spend where you want. Thanks for stopping by. Hugs, Shawna

It's been a wild ride around here.  All the snow that has been falling (40 inches from a couple different storms) has meant a lot of shoveling.  I am regaining my muscles.  And falling into bed exhausted at night.  But the crafting time has been nice *grin*. 
Today I wanted to share a little tidbit of information with you regarding shaving your legs.  I know ---- I dread that little chore, too, and truth be told I don't shave them all that often in the winter.  Adds a bit of insulation, you know?  When it starts getting long enough to braid, then I begin to think it is time to do something about it.  :-)  When that defining moment arrives and I DO screw up my courage to sit on the edge of the tub with legs exposed to the cold and get 'er done I use hair conditioner instead of shaving cream.  Cheap hair conditioner.  It's less expensive than shaving cream and actually works better.  It will leave your legs wonderfully soft and moisturized.  What are you waiting for? Go --- run right to the bathroom and try it! And let me know what you think.  Thanks for stopping by Two Dogs.  I leave with you a couple pictures of Toonie Mae Hound, Princess Dog of Burney.

          Just taking care of business is SO exhausting! And mom is so cold she can't get a clear picture.

If this photo looks a little weird, it is because it is on its side.  I went back into my photo program and resaved several times and each time it loads into my blog on its side.  Sorry about that, but this was a pretty impressive icecicle and I wanted to share.  Have a wonderful week.

Fabric softener

Hi there!  So glad you could stop by Two Dogs today. Did you have a nice weekend?  It was absolutely gorgeous here but that's about to change darn it.  Guess one can't complain, really, since it truly is still winter. Oh well, there's lots to do in the house and I have several paper crafting projects in the works, so I will be content to snuggle in and just go with it.  Like I could change it, right?  *grin*.
Today I want to tell you about yet another use for vinegar.  Vinegar as fabric softener.  You can't get anything cheaper than vinegar, and it really does work. Adding 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle of your washing machine saves you from buying a separate laundry softener. The vinegar works naturally to soften your laundry and it also breaks down your laundry detergent for a cleaner rinse.  This means less detergent is left on your clothes for those with sensitive skin. And don't worry about that vinegar smell sticking around; the odor disappears as your clothes dry. So do you use white or apple cider vinegar?  I don't find any difference and actually use whatever I have on hand.  And I always have vinegar on hand! Have a wonderful week my friends. 

Another Monday....

and I am still treading water.  The trial I served on took up the better part of three weeks, but we finally wrapped it up on Thursday.  I worked at the Mort on Friday, worked on my end-of-the-year bookkeeping for the salon on Saturday, worked in a couple clients before church on Sunday and then spent the rest of the afternoon in the Sun Room Studio getting it cleaned up and organized ---- a job that has been looming over my head for months.  However, I made great progress today and am pretty happy with myself. I will spend this morning out there, too, enjoying the beginning of a new day and will hopefully get the rest of it done.  So guess what that means?  Another week has gone by and I have nothing to share with you --- no tips, no recipes, no nothin'. Or do I?
Maybe a little bit of insight......  Do you have a box or drawer or closet that you have been meaning to clean out and organize?  Work yourself up to get around to doing that.........it will make you feel WONDERFUL to accomplish it no matter how big or small your project is.  I know getting the four boxes in my craft room gone through and the stuff filed, put away, or thrown away has been very good for me.  I can feel my creative mojo coming back.
Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a fabulous week.  I know I will.... more sunshine is predicted!

Jury duty.........

Hi all!  How was your weekend?  Mine was pretty busy trying to catch up on things that I didn't get to take care of during the week like salon appointments --- my clients', not my personal appointments --- due to jury duty.  Unfortunately it is not over yet and most likely I will have to go back for at least a couple of more days. Then I am off the hook for at least a year and will be keeping my fingers crossed that it is a LOT longer than that.  This is the third criminal trial I have sat on and really feel I have done my civic duty and would like the honor to be passed to someone who has not experienced the whole process.  The wheels of justice is truly an honor and privilege and very interesting, but traveling 100 miles round trip for several days out of the week (this is week three) gets kind of spendy so I will be glad to have this behind me.
Has anyone tried the pasta recipe I posted last time?  I am almost ready to cook it again!  Love that stuff!Someone wondered about putting the rind in along with the brie, and yes that is what you do; it wasn't a printing error.  There was also some concern about the rind and cheese melting, and yes, it does melt.  Just cut your cheese in smallish pieces and stir thoroughly.  You might want to put a lid on the pot for a few minutes if you are working in a cool kitchen, but it will melt, I promise.
I don't have anything new for you this time due to time constraints, but please check back next week. Everything should be back to normal by then.  Well, MY version of normal anyway :-) Have a fantabulous week!

Recipe

Good Monday to you; hope you had a good weekend.  I had a little post ready to go concerning more uses of the wonderful handheld steamer I told you about in an earlier post, but I got sidetracked and had to share this fabulous pasta recipe with you.  It came from a dear friend of mine just in time to serve over the holidays.  It is super quick, extremely easy, and everyone from my two sons to all the grandchildren loved it.  With my picky crew, that is saying something.  There is usually one in the group that doesn't like something, but not this time.  ENJOY!

Tomato Brie Pasta



1 lb. linguine   (you can use any kind of pasta.  I used rotini)

1/2 cup olive oil

1 brie cheese (8 oz), cut into small cubes (rind and all)

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 large tomatoes, chopped

1 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper (I always use more pepper)

1/3 cup parmesan

Cook your pasta according to package directions.  While it is cooking combine the oil, brie, tomatoes, basil, and the spices.  Mix well.  Do not cook the sauce.

When the pasta is cooked drain and pour the sauce over the hot pasta and toss to coat.  Sprinkle with parmesan. 

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as me and my family did.  We thought it was YUMMY!

Thanks for stopping by!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

How's things going for ya?  2011.  Can you believe it!?!?!  It's been a whirlwind of activity, work, and more activity and more work over this past holiday season.  I am afraid to blink because Christmas will be here again!  *wink* .
I had over-night company last weekend and we had a lovely visit.  She was heading back up to Roseburg, Oregon from San Diego where she spent Christmas with her siblings and she got to SCUBA dive off Catalina Island.  Lucky duck!!!  That's something I've always wanted to learn to do. But that was way back when.  Now I will settle for tales from my friends who have the gumption to make it happen.  I'll stick with above-the-water activities.
I had a couple of things rolling around in my head for the post that gets me back into the swing of things here in Blogland, but I think I will ease into it.  Actually, it is fear that I will run out of things to share with you and I would hate for that to happen.  So if you can bear with me, I will string you along a bit.  Are you ready to strangle me?  *grin*------------------
This is earth shattering, so hang on.  My friend who visited, you know, the amazing SCUBA gal from two paragraphs above?  Well she was looking over my shoulder when I opened the fridge (probably wondering if there was something GOOD in there, not the stuff I was trying pawn off on her.  Dang, she SAID she liked my offerings.  What's up?)  and she noticed the turntable I had on the top shelf and mentioned what a good idea that was.  So, I thought if she hadn't thought of that maybe you hadn't either.  So that's it.  My tip for the day  week.  Use a turntable on one or more of the shelves in your fridge.  Makes organizing and finding stuff in there a whole lot easier.  I'm all for easy.  And convenient.  Thanks for stopping by Two Dogs, and thanks for not bailing when I decided to take a little vacation from posting.  See ya in a week or two!