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Thursday, April 14, 2005
Seasoning Cast Iron
Seasoned Cast Iron can be considered the "grandfather" to today's "non-stick" cookware.
Cast Iron Cookware must be seasoned properly and it will last a life-time.
New Pans
Heat the oven to 250o - 300o
Coat the pan with lard or bacon grease. Don't use a liquid vegetable oil because it will leave a sticky surface and the pan will not be properly seasoned.
Put the pan in the oven. In 15 minutes, remove the pan & pour out any excess grease. Place the pan back in the oven and bake for 2 hours.
Repeating this process several times is recommended as it will help create a stronger "seasoning" bond. Also, when you put the pan into service, it is recommended to use it initially for foods high in fat, such as bacon or foods cooked with fat, because the grease from these foods will help strengthen the seasoning.
Pans needing Re-Seasoning
If the pan was not seasoned properly or a portion of the seasoning wore off and food sticks to the surface or there is rust, then it should be properly cleaned and re-seasoned.Remove any food residue by cleaning the pan thoroughly with hot water and a scouring pad. I understand that heating the pan first to a temperature that is still safe to touch helps open the pores of the metal and makes it easier to clean.
Dry the pan immediately with dish towel or paper towel.
Season the pan as outlined above.
Caring for Cast Iron Cookware
Seasoning a cast iron pan is a natural way of creating non-stick cookware. And, like you cook and clean the modern non-stick cookware with special care to avoid scratching the surface, your cast iron cookware wants some special attention too.
Clean the cookware while it is still hot by rinsing with hot water and scraping when necessary. Do not use a scouring pad or soap (detergent) as they will break down the pan's seasoning.
Never store food in the cast iron pan as the acid in the food will breakdown the seasoning and the food will take on a metallic flavor.
Store your cast iron cookware with the lids off, especially in humid weather, because if covered, moisture can build up and cause rust. Should rust appear, the pan should be re-seasoned. When you purchase cast iron cookware, they are medium gray in color, but after usage, they start turning darker. This is normal and should be expected.
17:00 Posted in Everything Domestic | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: Everything Domestic
Homemade Cleaners
12:55 Posted in Everything Domestic | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: Everything Domestic
ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - Lori Piestewa
Courtesy of: East Valley Living.com - Your GUIDE to the East Valley
ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition has reached out to Shea Homes once again
April 13 , 2005 by Editor 
This time that special family is the parents and children of Pfc. Lori Piestewa. In March 2003, Pfc. Lori Piestewa was the first Native American woman to be killed in combat in a foreign war. What you may not know is that she left behind two young children, 6 and 5, who are now being cared for by Lori’s parents in a small home in Northern Arizona. “Lori has personified the loss we all feel during wartime and from one family to another, we really wanted to help them gain a fresh start in a home that is suitable for growing kids” says Bert Selva, president of Shea Homes.
Working with the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition team, Shea Homes is honored to be building a brand new home for the Piestewa family. We recognize the huge challenge that is ahead of us but the commitment we feel to making this happen will drive us toward completing this project in a just few days time- “With everything the family has been through in the past two years, we wanted to give them a refuge, with a touch of luxury” Says Selva. Our hearts are in it and this wish will be granted.
We hope that you and your family will be able to share in this story with Shea Homes during the scheduled air date of May 22 on your local ABC station. If you would like to know more about this project please visit www.sheahomes.com/extreme .
Sincerely,
The Shea Homes Family
08:40 Posted in Entertainment | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: Friends and Family
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Pets
Ya gotta luv 'em!
1. Do you have any pets? Yes, a variety of them
2. If so, how many? Two dachshund (Buddy & Kinki), two adult cats & four kittens - any takers & two betta fish (Laverne & Shirley), yes, you heard right.3. If not, why don't you? NA
4. What's your favorite animal? Dogs
5. If you could have any pet in the world, what would it be? A horse of my own. Well, ok - so it's an outside pet!
22:00 Posted in Pets | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: Home & Family
Sunglasses...
1. How many pairs of sunglasses do you own? three - well, their actually clip-ons
2. What is your favorite pair of sunglasses? my work pair
3. What do you think is the most ugliest sunglasses? yellow lenses
4. Why do you buy sunglasses, because of the sun or just for fashion? sorry to say, the sun
5. If you could chose any sunglasses you want, which pair would it be? prescription
17:40 Posted in from "Daily Dirt" | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: Home & Family
Gas: Survive the price gouge
5 Tips: Be a better driver, keep your car in tune, more...
April 6, 2005: 4:20 PM EDT
By Gerri Willis, CNN/Money contributing columnist
Click on photo for most recent prices in the Phoenix / Metro area!
These days filling up your car means emptying your wallet. CNN''s Gerri Willis shares five tips on how to save money at the pump.
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NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Oil prices. Gas prices. New and even newer record highs. Gas stations revealing bigger numbers at the pump everyday. Investment Bank, Goldman Sachs says oil prices are poised for a super spike, where prices could double from their current levels and reach as high as $105 a barrel.
Some argue that relief will eventually come, but nobody knows for sure. One thing though is certain: gas-guzzling is out, penny-pinching is in.
Here are today''s five tips.
1. Forget customer loyalty.
When it comes to soaring gas prices, it''s every man for himself (or every woman for herself). While you might be a regular at Buddy''s Self-Serve, Buddy could be taking advantage of his loyal patrons by charging 20 cents more a gallon than other stations in the area. That adds up over time: filling your 15-gallon tank twice a week at Buddy''s will cost you an extra $24 dollars a month. So shop around: To find the best deals on gas in your area, check out www.GasBuddy.com or www.GasPriceWatch.com.
2. Be a better driver.
As Mom would say, "Drive safely." According to the Department of Energy, aggressive driving -- rapid acceleration and excessive braking -- wastes gas. You can increase your gas mileage by as much as a third or save yourself nearly 72 cents a gallon (based on the national average on April 6th of $2.23/gal) by driving safely.
Also, stick to the speed limit, not just for your safety but also for fuel-efficiency. The Department of Energy says that your gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. And use your cruise control: it helps you maintain a constant speed, which can also save gas.
3. Time for a tune-up?
Driving the old clunker may save you money from buying a new car, but skipping the tune-up is costing you. The Department of Energy says that a simple tune-up on your car can improve your gas mileage by an average of 4.1 percent.
However, fixing certain parts of the car can dramatically improve your gas mileage. Fixing a faulty oxygen sensor can make an improvement of as much as 40 percent. Replacing clogged air filters, making sure tires are properly inflated, and using the recommended grade of motor oil can also improve gas mileage by as much as 15 percent.
4. Get the right grade.
You may prefer premium coffee, ice cream, and caviar. But let''s be honest, does your car need the royal treatment?
AAA says the average gallon of premium-unleaded gas cost $2.45 on April 6, about 10 percent more than a gallon of regular. The Federal Trade Commission is advising drivers to check their owner''s guide because most cars don''t need premium gasoline.
Justin McNaull, AAA Public Affairs Manager, says less than 10 percent of cars sold in the U.S. need premium. McNaull also suggests, "Drive your most sensible car. If it''s a trip to the grocery store, don''t take the pickup, take your compact car."
5. Pack light.
If you''re hitting the road for vacation, consider lightening your load. The FTC advises you to take all unnecessary weight out of the car. For those of you who call your car a closet, keep this in mind: an extra 100 pounds in the trunk reduces a typical car''s fuel economy by 2 percent.
Don't place anything on top of the car. A luggage or a loaded roof rack creates wind resistance and can reduce your gas mileage by 5 percent. If you can, keep items inside the car.
And even though airlines are now charging travelers as much as $10 extra round trip for a surge in jet fuel costs, it could still be cheaper to fly. To calculate the price differences, price a flight to your destination and compare it to your estimated cost of driving.
Find out that on www.fuelcostcalculator.com.
00:15 Posted in Listen! | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: Home & Family
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Growing up!
The babies are "really" growning up! Two of the four are eating kitty food drenched with kitty milk, which means - oh,oh, time for a litter box! We used a special kind of litter, Swheat, that's totally safe for kittens. It's more like clay litter, without the clay, and it's scoopable and flushable! What more could you want? Hopefully, they will like it. At any rate, did I mention that they are oh so cute?
04:31 Posted in Pets | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this | Tags: Home & Family
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Unconcious Mutterings
14:15 Posted in Ya Think! | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: Home & Family