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Monthly
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"A good home must be made, not bought."
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-Joyce Maynard (1953- ), "Domestic Affairs," Columnist and Author |
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Tip
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Are you looking to do your spring cleaning before the beautiful weather gets too difficult to resist? You can make this annual job easier by following these tips before you clean:
Get organized. Making a list of the rooms in your home that you want to tackle, and the tasks to be accomplished within each room, will make the entire job easier. Also, make sure you clean each room fully before moving on to the next on your list.
Take stock. Make sure you have every cleaner, rag and mop you will need before you start cleaning to ensure an easy job with no snags.
Be comfortable. Wear old, comfortable clothes that you will not mind getting soiled. Cleaning itself is a dirty job!
Disconnect. Get rid of any distractions by turning off the television and unplugging the phone. Instead, try listening to some fun, energizing music.
Prepare. Put together a bucket of supplies you can carry from room to room, such as paper towels, furniture polish, an all-purpose glass and surface cleaner and rags. Also, bring a couple of garbage bags along with you. You can use one to carry garbage you find along the way and one to fill with items for charity.
Set the mood. Open the windows wide and let the sun shine in and the fresh air fill your home! The musty smells of winter will disperse and you will protect yourself from inhaling cleaning fumes and dust.
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Celebrate spring's warmer weather with this refreshing, cool recipe from celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse. This Cold Cucumber Soup can be served as either an appetizer or a main course.
Cold Cucumber Soup
Serves 8
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup chopped yellow onions 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 1 1/4 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper 6 large cucumbers (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded and chopped, plus 1/2 cup small-diced cucumbers 2 quarts chicken stock 1 cup loosely packed stemmed fresh parsley leaves 1 pound plain yogurt 1/4 pound yellow teardrop tomatoes, rinsed and sliced in half horizontally 1/4 cup small-diced red onions 1/2 cup fresh chervil leaves 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation
In a large heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, 1 teaspoon of the salt and the white pepper. Cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. Add the 2 pounds of cucumbers. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add the parsley leaves. Cool completely. Purée the soup, in batches, in a food processor or blender until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Cover and chill for 2 hours.
In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, red onions, the one-half cup diced cucumbers, the chervil, the remaining one-fourth teaspoon salt, the black pepper, and the olive oil. Stir to mix. Cover and chill until ready to use.
When ready to serve, add the yogurt to the soup and stir to mix. Ladle the soup into soup bowls and garnish with the tomato relish.
(Source: Emerils.com; Emeril on MSN.com)
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