Simple Recipes: Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up!

April 25, 2014 / Cooking With The Kids, Simple Recipes / 0 comment

Meatless Mondays is a great concept – it’s a movement to get people to be conscious of their meat consumption and potentially reduce their risk for preventable health issues like high cholesterol.

I wanted to create some kid-friendly and simple recipes that will make Meatless Monday easy and stress-free! I hope you like them!

Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups

These are not only the perfect, single serving size, kids will enjoy making them with you! Besides, who doesn’t like to play with their food? You can assemble this on Sunday, put it in the fridge, and pull it out Monday to cook. Easy Peasy!

Ingredients

One 15 oz. container Ricotta Cheese, part skim (You can substitute cottage cheese)
One cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided – ½ cup for cheese mixture; ½ cup to sprinkle on top of baked dish
One egg
Salt and pepper to taste
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ cup parmesan cheese (I used fresh grated, but you can use packaged to save time!)
1 container of frozen, chopped spinach – thawed and squeezed of liquid.
One box of lasagna noodles, cooked and drained (Note: to keep them from sticking after cooking, toss the cooked noodles with a light drizzle of olive oil).
2 cups marinara sauce – I used prepackaged sauce to make it easy.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook noodles according to the package. Drain and toss with light drizzle of olive oil.

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, ½ cup mozzarella, parmesan, egg, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Add the drained, chopped spinach and mix well.

Pour about ½ cup of marinara into the bottom of a baking dish.

On a clean, flat work surface, lay out the noodles. Spread about ¼ cup of cheese mixture onto a noodle, spreading to the edges. You do not want it too thick. Starting at one end, roll the noodle up and place on it’s end in the baking dish. Repeat until you have used all the noodles.

Pour remaining marinara sauce over the top of the lasagna rolls. Cover with tin foil and bake for approximately 40 minutes. Just before it is done, sprinkle remaining mozzarella over top and cook until bubbly.

Stuffed Peppers

My mom used to make these filled with rice and ground beef. I decided to replace the beef with Great Northern Beans – a great way to still get your protein and a very flavorful meal!

Ingredients

4 peppers (I used a combination of yellow, red and green peppers)
1 15 oz. can Bush’s Great Northern Beans, Reduced Sodium
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes (I like to use the basil oregano flavored)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon cumin (feel free to add more to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups brown or white rice (I used Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice to make it easier)
1 can tomato sauce
Shredded cheddar cheese – as much or as little as you like.

Preparation

Wash and then cut the tops off the peppers. Deseed the peppers. Take the tops of the peppers and chop them up (without the stem).

Pour the can of tomato sauce into the bottom of the baking dish.

In a large pan, sauté the onions, chopped pepper tops and garlic. Add the cumin, tomatoes, salt and pepper, beans, and rice – mix thoroughly. Feel free to add more or as little spices as you want!

Stuff the peppers with the rice mixture. Place the stuffed peppers upright in the baking dish. Place in oven for approximately 40 minutes. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the peppers in the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Serve warm!

Upgraded Grilled Cheese

This is like having mozzarella sticks in sandwich form!

Ingredients

4 slices crusty bread
4 thick slices mozzarella
1 egg
¼ cup half & half or milk
salt to taste
1 teaspoon olive oil
butter
½ teaspoon minced garlic
Marinara sauce for dipping

Preparation

Make a sandwich with two slices of bread with two large slices of mozzarella; Repeat with second sandwich.

In a bowl, beat the egg, milk/cream, & salt.

In a fry pan, heat olive oil and garlic over medium high heat. Add butter.

Dip the sandwiches in the egg mixture and then place in fry pan. Cook until golden brown on one side (approx. 2 mins.), then flip.

Serve with warm marinara as dipping sauce.

Avocado Tacos

This is so easy and very tasty! Top these tacos with your favorite taco toppings: sour cream, lettuce, etc.

Ingredients

Corn tortillas
2 Avocados, mashed
Bean, Corn and Red Pepper Salsa (Click here for recipe)
Favorite taco toppings

Preparation

Heat corn tortillas in a fry pan. Add a couple of teaspoons of the mashed avocado, the bean salsa. Add favorite toppings! Enjoy – Yum!

If you would like to see more Meatless Monday recipes, visit my Pinterest Board or visit MeatlessMonday.com. Thank you to WTLV-TV’s First Coast Living for inviting me on to share these recipes!

Simple Recipe: Zesty, No Salt Taco Seasoning

April 19, 2014 / Simple Kitchen Tips, Simple Recipes, Simple Video / 0 comment

We LOVE tacos at our house, and this recipe is so easy, you’ll never want to buy those prepackaged versions (full of salt and additives) again!

Zesty No Salt Taco Seasoning

(Adapted from Rachel Ray recipe)

1 Part Chili Powder
1 Part Ground Cumin
1 Part Garlic Powder
1 Part Onion Powder
1/3 Part Tumeric
1/4 – 1/2 Part Crushed Red Pepper (I used ground red pepper)

Combine all the parts into a good container with a secure, air-tight lid and shake until combined. Enjoy! Feel free to play with the amounts – maybe you like more red pepper, or you want more cumin!

Consider using fresh spices in this mixture for a more potent flavor. One of my favorites is to order through The St. Augustine Spice and Tea Exchange. You can check out their website and wonderful spices by clicking here. (Though nothing beats going into one of their stores and just inhaling the aroma!)

Thank you to WTLV-TV’s First Coast Living for inviting me on to talk tacos and taco seasoning!

Unique Easter Egg Decorations!

April 14, 2014 / Kids Activities, Simple Holiday Survival, Simple Ideas / 0 comment

I was so excited when First Coast Living gave me a challenge – find some unique ways to decorate Easter Eggs! Well, after searching high and low, I found some favorites and tested them just for you!

Volcano Eggs

This is a cool technique and great fun to do with the kids! And it yields a beautiful egg coloring. The best part about this technique? It looks like a volcano bubbling a rainbow! I found this technique on the website ToddlerApproved.com. Check out the website for great ideas!

What You Need:

Hard boiled eggs
Food coloring
Baking soda
Vinegar
Wide-lipped plate or bowl
Paint Brushes
Color-safe cups for mixing “paint”

Technique:

Make the “Paint” – Combine in a color- safe cup, one tablespoon baking soda, a teaspoon or two of water and food coloring of choice. Mix until it is a consistency of mustard – kind of grainy but with some heft to it.

Repeat that process with the other colors you choose to use.

Take a paintbrush and start to paint your eggs with the different “paint” colors – there is no perfect way to do this, just have fun and be creative. Make sure to leave a “blob” or two of the paint on the egg.

Place the painted eggs into the wide-lipped plate or bowl. Take your food coloring and drip a drop or two on your eggs.

Now comes the volcano part: Drizzle vinegar over your eggs and watch the colors start to bubble! Let the mixture sit on the eggs for awhile, then wipe off with paper towel!

Leaf Print Eggs

I love incorporating natural elements into projects if I can. I found this beautiful idea, Leaf Print Eggs, on Spoonful.com and thought I’d give it a try! Since I AM the Simple Solutions Diva, I wanted to simplify the process, so I just used the PAAS Egg Decorating Kit to dye the eggs, rather than mix up my own dyes as listed on Spoonful (click on the link above to see their full instructions!).

What You Need:

Hard Boiled Eggs
PAAS Egg Decorating Kit
Various leaves with interesting shapes – I used Cilantro, a fern and a small squash leaf. (Don’t recommend “woody” types like rosemary)
Cups to mix up the dyes
Rubber bands
Sheer knee high hosiery (nylons), cut into 3 inch strips
Color-safe place to dry the eggs

Instructions:

Mix up your dyes according to the PAAS package, using the instructions for more vivid colors (using vinegar).

1.) Take the egg and position your leaf on your egg. 2.) Using the piece of knee high, wrap your egg so the leaf is secure and tight against the egg. 3.) Pull the excess nylon tight on the opposite side of the egg, securing with a rubber band.

4.) Place the egg in the dye and allow to sit until the egg has reached the color intensity you want.

5.) Remove the egg from the dye and place on color safe surface. 6.) Remove rubber band and nylon and gently remove the leaf from the egg. Allow to dry.

Initial Eggs

These make for cute placeholders for the Easter table, or for limiting how many each child gets during the Easter Egg Hunt (They look for their name or initial!). This cute idea is from Reader’s Digest!

What You Need:

Hard Boiled Eggs
PAAS Egg Decorating Kit with dyes
Cups for mixing dyes
Acrylic Paint
Small Paintbrush
Black Sharpie

Instructions:

Mix up your egg dyes according to package, using the vivid instructions (includes using vinegar).

Place an egg sideways in a cup and gently pour the dye of choice until you have an oval of white showing (don’t cover the entire egg with dye-See photo below). Let egg sit, without disturbing, in dye until it reaches the desired color. Remove egg from dye and allow to dry.

Once dry, take acrylic paint and, using paintbrush, draw dots around the edge of the oval. Allow to dry.

Once dry, draw an initial or a name in center of oval, using the black sharpie. Allow to completely dry.

Washi Tape Eggs

Washi tape is like a very pretty, decorative masking tape. And projects using it are all over Pinterest! It comes in a variety of colors and sizes. It works perfectly on dyed, hard boiled eggs or just plain, white hard boiled eggs! This is a simple way to get little kids involved with the egg decorating.

What You Need:

Hard Boiled Eggs (they can be dyed or not)
Washi Tape (available at any craft stores), choose a variety of patterns and sizes.

Instructions:

Just “go to town” and start decorating!

For small children – Cut small pieces of washi tape and put them out for little hands to decorate with!

“Bling” Eggs

Another simple way to decorate the eggs with little kids!

What You Need:

Hard Boiled Eggs (colored or plain white)
Crayola Washable Glitter Pens, variety of colors

Instructions:

Using the glitter pens, make dots of glitter all over the eggs. I did one side first, allowed to dry, then did the other side!

Happy Face Eggs

This is my personal favorite because my mom and I love smiley faces, PLUS it is super simple to do!

What You Need:

Hard Boiled Eggs dyed yellow
Black Sharpie

Instructions:

Use the black sharpie to create whatever type of face YOU want! Tip –When drawing the eyes, make sure the eyes are on the narrow end of the egg, mouth near the lower half of egg.

Thanks WTLV-TV’s First Coast Living for this fun challenge!

Spring Crafts Fun!

April 11, 2014 / Kids Activities, Simple Ideas, Simple Project, Spring Fever! / 0 comment

Spring Craft Ideas From SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.

With Easter and Passover fast approaching, we will have lots of family time – what can you do that’s fun with the kids and adults to keep everyone busy? Try some springtime crafts!

“Beach Glass” Vases

I love the look of beach glass. Muted hues of blues, greens and whites. You can make any glass item look like a piece of beach glass by just using special glass paint. I used Martha Stewart Crafts Frost Translucent Glass Paint — The effect is translucent, frost-like with a slight pebbly texture that resembles sea glass. Beautiful and easy!

What You Need:

Martha Stewart Crafts Frost Translucent Glass Paint (Available at most craft stores) I used colors of beach glass green, sea lavender and white. (Click Here To See Product And Color Selection Available)
Sponge applicators – I like to use sponge applicators because they leave a nice, pebbly texture behind in the paint.
Glass vase or other glass items – Check out the selection at dollar stores (love these stores!). You can find some great pieces that can be painted!
Rubbing Alcohol/cotton balls
Small paper plates or other item to squeeze paint on to

Directions:

Find a clean, flat work surface and cover with old newspapers. Wipe down the glass vase surface to be painted with rubbing alcohol and allow it to dry.

Squeeze out a dab of glass paint onto paper plate. Using the sponge applicator, dip the applicator in the glass paint and dab the paint onto the glass surface. Cover the entire surface. Allow to dry for one hour.

The paint is permanent after it has dried for 21 days. You can speed the process along by curing the paint by baking it. Here are the instructions from Martha Stewart Crafts: Let project air dry 1 hour, place in cool oven. Set temperature to 350 degrees. Once oven reaches 350 degrees, bake for 30 minutes (glass must heat gradually). After 30 minutes, turn oven off. Let glass cool completely in oven. Wait 72 hours before using. **

**NOTE: If you use the white frosted paint, baking the project might slightly darken the paint. Mine turned from a pretty white to a creamy, slightly toasted color.

Spring “Impressionist” Glass Painted Votives

Spring "Impressionist" Votives from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com. — Spring “Impressionist” Votives from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.

Spring brings beautiful colors and softness to our landscape. I always think of Monet paintings when I think of Spring. I love the slightly unfocused visual and blended soft colors. THis little project makes me think of Impressionist paintings. And best of all, with this project, you don’t have to be perfect! Just keep it simple!

What You Need:

Glass votives – Again, the dollar stores are a great source for these types of items!
Glass Paint – I used Folk Art Brand Multi Surface Acrylic Paints, because I can use the paints for many other projects in the future. I would use no more than 3 complimentary colors. (I chose 2 colors, plus white.) Click Here to see product and color selection.
Paper plate to squeeze paint on
Cup of Water
Paintbrush
Rubbing Alcohol/cotton balls

Directions:

Clean the inside of glass votive with rubbing alcohol and cotton balls. Alow them to dry.

There is no one method for this – just listen your inner artist!! The first one I did I was not thrilled with, but once I limited my colors to 2 colors plus white, I found the ideal combination for me!

My technique for 3 colors: Take your paintbrush and dip in the cup of water. Swirl brush into your 1^st paint of choice and apply dabs to inside of the votive. Clean the brush and repeat the “swirl and dab” process above with second color. Using the same process, finish with the white, using it to blend and swirl the other colors inside the votive. You will be really surprised when you are done how nice it looks! Just don’t use too many colors or it will start to get “muddied”.

Allow to dry 21 days or cure the glass using the same instructions under the Beach Glass Vases above.

Edible Robin’s Egg Nest

Edible Bird Nests from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.

I love making food related crafts with the kids! They love getting messy and they enjoy “cleaning” (read licking) their fingers when done. These little bird nests are adorable and pretty yummy. They are a twist on an old favorite I remember eating as a kid.

Ingredients:

1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 oz.)
1 bag butterscotch chips (11 oz)
10 oz. Crunchy Chow Mein Noodles
1 bag of bird egg shaped candies of your choice (I used Whoppers malted milk balls in the shape of bird eggs, but M&M’s or jelly beans would work, too.)
Parchment paper or wax paper

Directions:

Combine and melt both bags of chips in a microwave safe bowl, on 50% power for 60 seconds. Stir. Repeat the process until all chips are melted. Gently stir in the chow mein noodles until well coated.

On a flat work surface, spread out parchment paper/wax paper. Using clean hands, take a small handful of the chocolate/chow mein mixture and put it in a shape of a small nest on the parchment paper. Repeat the process until you have used all the mixture. Take 3 “eggs” (egg-shaped candies) and arrange on each nest. Let harden or place in fridge to speed up the hardening process.

Ladybug Garden Décor

Lady Bug Garden Decor from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.

This is a cute little project kids of all ages will enjoy and it is very simple & inexpensive to do!!

What You Need:

Flat rocks of various sizes (I used river rocks I bought at the dollar store)
Assortment of acrylic paints, including black paint. I used Folk Art Multi Surface Acrylic paints.
“Wiggly” eyes for the ladybugs.
Glue
Clear Acrylic Sealing paint to seal the rocks once painted.
Paintbrush – I used a large one for the overall colors and a fine tipped one for the ladybug dots and wing line.

Directions:

Wash and dry the rocks to be used.

On a flat, protected work surface, lay your rocks out and paint them the overall colors you want. Allow to dry for about ½ hour.

Now for the details! Taking the black color paint, paint the head of the ladybug. Draw a lie down the back of the lady bug using the black paint and the thin, small tipped brush. Add dots to the ladybug’s back. Allow to dry. Apply Clear Acrylic Sealing paint to the ladybugs and allow to dry.

Add 2 small dots of glue to the ladybug head. Place a wiggly eye on each dot and allow to dry.

Place in the garden, indoor planters, display on desk or table. They also make adorable paperweights!

Easter Centerpiece

This is a fun way to bring Easter to the table and let the kids get involved! I have seen it all over Pinterest and thought I needed to try making it – SUPER simple!

What You Need:

Two vases, one smaller that can fit into the larger vase, allowing for at least a ½ inch space between the two.
1 bag of jellybeans
1-2 packages of Peeps bunnies
Flowers of choice

Instructions:

Place smaller vase inside larger vase, making sure it is centered. Pour jelly beans into space between the two vases, making sure you make it as level as possible around the vase. Take Peep bunnies out of package and slide a row of them into the space between the two vases, letting them rest on the jellybeans. Repeat the process until the bunnies go all the way around the vase.

Trim your flowers to fit the inside vase. Pour water into the inside vase and arrange flowers. Voila! You have a beautiful centerpiece the kids helped with!

Thank you to WTLV-TV’s First Coast Living for inviting me on to talk about these fun craft projects!

The Secret To Simply Stunning Garden Containers

April 2, 2014 / Simple Garden / 0 comment

There is nothing I love better that to see beautiful urns flanking a front door, filled with gorgeous and healthy flowers and plants. But how do people create these stunning containers and KEEP them looking beautiful? Here are a few tips to remember when planning your garden container:

Think Thriller, Filler and Spiller!

These are code words for the types of plants you use in designing a planter/container. Think of the planter as a movie and the plants in it the cast of characters!

Thriller: Thriller is the star! It is the centerpiece of your planter. It should be the tallest of the plants – Think Big, Bold, Beautiful.

Filler: The Filler is the supporting cast – a usually a flowering plant that compliments the Thriller. It is usually shorter than the Thriller and will stay shorter as it grows.

Spiller: This plant is the comedic relief – provides a bit of mischief for the container, spilling over the sides of the container, softening its edges. It is usually a low-lying plant.

Here is an example of the Thriller, Filler & Spiller Strategy from my front porch:

The Thriller, Filler & Spiller Strategy for Planting Containers, from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.

If you follow this strategy, you are well on your way to creating a beautiful planter! Here are some other tips to consider when creating a garden container:

Choose plants that have similar watering and sunlight needs.
Choose plants that will not crowd and outgrow their pot – Choose plants of similar size expectations (height and width). If you can’t match the sizes, be prepared to have to transfer plants from the pots when they get too big.
Potting soil choice is important – use one with moisture control, or you will be watering it non-stop in the summer.
If you live in a hot climate, consider adding to the container a small sprinkler device that connects to your sprinkler system. You can find these at places like Lowe’s and Home Depot. (In photo above, you can see the tubing on left side of urn leading up to the mini sprinkler- this is how I keep my plants alive in the Florida heat!)
For Large, Heavy Containers – Keep your container light weight by using empty water bottles to take up space in the bottom of the pot, so you don’t have to fill it all with heavy potting soil. This will also allow for better drainage.

Thank you to WTLV-TV’s First Coast Living for inviting me on to talk about this topic!

Simple Ways To Fold Shirts, Towels and Fitted Sheets!

March 28, 2014 / Simple Cleaning Tips / 1 Comment

Before I became Simple Solutions Diva, I always wondered if there were secrets to doing things that would make life a little easier! I found a few simple solutions to some very vexing laundry issues and thought I’d share them with you! (FYI – Laundry is my LEAST favorite thing to do!)

Fold a Shirt In Seconds!

Sounds crazy, but I saw this video by Dave Hax on YouTube and was intrigued. This guy folded a shirt in under 2 seconds! Well, I had to try it – I’m not going to attempt to recreate the video, because he did it so well, so I’m sharing his video below. And yes, I can now fold a shirt in seconds. I love it!

Fold A Towel For Optimal “Stackability”

One of the best parts of staying in a luxury hotel for me? I get to choose from a beautiful stack of fresh, clean bath towels! Why so wonderful for me? Because when I open my linen closet at home for a towel, this is what I see:

Kind of a mess! So I looked up how to fold a towel so it would stack easily and look good!

1) Start with your towel on a clean bed or table.

2) Fold towel in half. 3) Fold bottom 1/3 of towel. 4) Fold top 1/3 of towel. 5) Fold towel one more time to make a square.

My Towels Before And After:

Tame The Fitted Sheet!

This is a hard one, because fitted sheets are just difficult to fold! Try this simple tip to fold them:

1) Fold sheet in half, tucking the fitted corners of one side of the sheet into the other side, so four corners become two.

2) Fold sheet again, tucking the one fitted corner into the other corner, making two corners into one.

3) Fold 1/3 of the sheet side without the fitted corners.

4) Fold the rectangle in half.

5) Fold that rectangle into a small square.

BONUS: My Top Three Favorite Laundry Tips

Tide To Go Stick – Always have a Tide To Go Stick with you to pre treat stains as soon as they occur.

Get The Grease Out! If you get a grease splatter on clothes while cooking, tackle it immediately with Dawn dish detergent! It actually releases the grease from the clothing so it when you wash it in the laundry, it will lift the grease out! Use a Q-Tip to liberally apply Dawn directly to the grease spot, then wash as usual.

Red Wine Wipe Out – Remove fresh red wine stains with this little trick! Placing the stained fabric on a safe surface, sprinkle baking soda on the fresh stain. Cover the entire stain with the baking soda – not too thick! Next, sprinkle vinegar on the baking soda. The baking soda will bubble and you should see the stain change color (kind of a dark green or dark blue). Allow this to sit for a few minutes, then rinse with cold water, then wash as soon as possible. If you pull it out of washer and stain is still there, soak in a solution of 1/3 cup vinegar to 2/3 cup water. Wash again.

Simply Clean Your Pillows!

Clean Your Top Loading Washer

How To Remove Mildew From Towels

Simple Tip To Store Linens

Thank you to WTLV-TV’s First Coast Living for having me on to talk all about laundry!

Simple Solutions Diva Talks Spring Cleaning Tips

March 19, 2014 / Simple Ideas, Simple Project / 0 comment

Spring is almost here! (Well, it is about time!)

Simple Solutions Diva is celebrating the First Day Of Spring by sharing her top Spring Cleaning Tips on WTLV-TV, Ch. 12, First Coast Living, Thursday, March 20 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Great tips and ideas on how to make spring cleaning easier on you! Join us!

Dark Marks On Dishes? Here’s How To Get Rid Of Them!

March 14, 2014 / Simple Cleaning Tips, Simple Ideas / 0 comment

I love my light yellow, Southern Living plates I bought years ago, but I am not thrilled with the dark marks on them! What the heck are they? Why do they appear? Well, it is time to save those dishes from the trash bin (or donation pile!).

What the heck are those dark marks on my dishes?! (And how to get rid of them!) From SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.

The marks are from the utensils used to eat off the dishes. Why this happens? There seems to be many answers:

They are cheap dishes (They weren’t cheap when I bought them at a Southern Living Home Party!).
They are old and the protective coating (ceramic glaze) has thinned on the surface of the plate, allowing the utensils to make their marks. (Quite possible, considering I bought these about 8 years ago – how long are dishes supposed to last?)
Something in the composition of the plate reacts to the utensils.

Here is the trick to removing the marks off the plates:

Bar Keepers Friend, the key to removing dark marks from dishes!

Instructions:

Be sure to wet your plate and sprinkle with Bar Keepers Friend (it also comes in liquid form). Using a sponge, gently scrub surface of plate in a circular motion. Rinse once you see the marks gone. Hand wash with liquid soap or place in dishwasher for thorough cleaning. That is it!

Check out how well Bar Keepers Friend worked!

Last year I covered this for my “Putting Pinterest To The Test” video series, comparing this technique to another technique using Cream Of Tartar. The video is below:
)

Thank you to WTLV-TV’s First Coast Living for inviting me on to speak about this handy technique! And here is the video from First Coast Living:

St. Patrick’s Day Fun

March 7, 2014 / Simple Ideas, Simple Recipes, Simply Silly / 0 comment

St. Patrick’s Day can be so much fun – especially if you have some great foods and pranks to serve up on the big day! Check out these really easy ideas from Simple Solutions Diva:

Morning Fun:

Those leprechauns can be so silly! And they just LOVE to play pranks to let little kids know they were there!

Magic Milk: Surprise the kids when you pour them their milk, the milk suddenly turns green! This silly surprise happens when you place a drop or two of green food coloring in the bottom of a glass, then pour milk into the glass — instant green! As an alternative, you can add green food coloring to the entire jug of milk, but be prepared to drink green milk for a while!

Bathroom Surprise:

Yes, this is a little gross, but I think it is Oh So Cute! I accomplished this sneaky prank by dropping green food coloring in the toilet (I used 4 drops). I then added an additional cup of water to mix it without having to put anything in the toilet. The footprints are made with hand lotion mixed with food coloring. You make a fist with your hand. If you notice, the side of your fist (side with the pinky) looks a lot like a foot! Place that edge of your hand into the colored lotion, then press onto toilet seat. Take a finger and dot on toe prints (note four toes instead of five!); repeat on other side with other hand! I had to do it a couple of times to make it look right.

Be sure to wipe off well once the kids have seen it!

Snack Ideas:

Leprechaun Cookies:

These are probably the easiest snacks, and they pack well in lunch boxes (once the chocolate hardens)! Melt 1 cup white chocolate chip morsels according to the microwave instructions. Using either plain or Cool Mint Oreos, dip the Oreo into the melted white chocolate, covering half of the cookie. Sprinkle with green sprinkles. Place in fridge to harden the chocolate.

Rainbow Fruit Platter:

Rainbow With A Pot 'O Gold Fruit Platter — Rainbow With A Pot ‘O Gold Fruit Platter

A healthy, fun treat! Wash and cut up a variety of colorful, fresh fruit. I used strawberries, clementine wedges, pineapple, green grapes, blueberries, red grapes, and bananas. Arrange in an arch fashion, just like a rainbow. On one end of the rainbow, pile mini marshmallows (like clouds!). At the other end, place a small bowl filled with banana slices (the Pot ‘O Gold!).

Dinner Fun:

-Consider serving Green Spaghetti! Simply add green food coloring to the water as you cook the pasta.

-Or serve up Spinach Raviolis on Skewers, with a side of pesto sauce for dipping. It may help convince the kids they like things with spinach!

Shamrock Chips: Try this simple recipe for homemade chips. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Using large Spinach Wraps from the grocery store, fold one wrap in half. Use a Shamrock Cookie Cutter or trace a shamrock form on foam (I used pre cut foam pieces from Dollar Store). Using the form as your guide, cut a shamrock out of the spinach wraps using a sharp knife. You can get about four large shamrocks out of one large wrap.

Spray the shamrocks with olive oil spray, place on cookie sheet. Sprinkle lightly with salt and bake for 5-7 minutes until lightly brown (watch them so they don’t burn). Serve with guacamole or green salsa.

Thank you to WTLV-TV’s First Coast Living for inviting me on to share these ideas!

Simple Tip: Baking Soda – The Unsung Hero!

February 28, 2014 / Simple Cleaning Tips, Simple Ideas, Simple Kitchen Tips / 0 comment

Baking soda – that little orange box that sits in your pantry – is more than just part of a baking recipe. It is a great cleaner and freshener! And don’t forget, baking soda is an inexpensive product to use. Try out some of these simple ways to freshen up your home:

Freshen Fridge and Freezer

We all know you can stick a box of baking soda to get rid of smells in your fridge and freezer. You just pop open the top of the box and place it in the back of your fridge, replacing it every 30 days. Did you know Arm & Hammer makes a specially designed, non-spill box? It only costs $.10 more than the regular box ($.95 versus $.85 a box). Bonus Tip: When you replace that box after 30 days, pour the used box down your kitchen sink disposal and let sit for 20 minutes to freshen it up!

Freshen Your Towels – Get The Stink out!

You can add a cup of baking soda to every load of wash to freshen the smell of your laundry. Have really tough odors, like towels that smell like mildew? Simple Solutions Diva has a tried-and-true way to remove that stink — Click Here!

Freshen Your Carpets & Couches

For Carpets – Sprinkle baking soda on carpets ½ hour before vacuuming. The baking soda absorbs the smells.

For Couches And Other Fabric-Covered Furniture – Make your own fabric spray! Use a spray bottle filled with 1 T. Baking Soda, Warm Water, 10 drops of your favorite essential oil. Shake well until baking soda is dissolved. Lightly spray your couch and let dry. It will smell a little like the essential oil, and the stinky smell will be neutralized.

Clean Coffee And Tea Stains

Have a favorite coffee/tea cup or pot that is stained? Just mix up a ¼ cup baking soda in 1 QT warm water and soak the cup or pot. You can also make a paste with baking soda and water and lightly scrub.

De-Stink Those Dental Appliances

Grossed out by your night guard or child’s smelly retainer? Mix a 1/2 cup of baking soda with one cup of water and soak those dental appliances to remove food particles and smell. You can also dip your wet toothbrush into baking soda and scrub the appliance and let it sit for a few hours.

Thank you to WTLV-TV’s First Coast Living for inviting me on to share these ideas! Here is the video from First Coast Living:

Searching for "First Coast Living"

Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups

Stuffed Peppers

Upgraded Grilled Cheese

Avocado Tacos

Zesty No Salt Taco Seasoning

Volcano Eggs

Leaf Print Eggs

Initial Eggs

Washi Tape Eggs

“Bling” Eggs

Happy Face Eggs

“Beach Glass” Vases

Spring “Impressionist” Glass Painted Votives

Edible Robin’s Egg Nest

Ladybug Garden Décor

Easter Centerpiece

Think Thriller, Filler and Spiller!

Fold a Shirt In Seconds!

Fold A Towel For Optimal “Stackability”

Tame The Fitted Sheet!

BONUS: My Top Three Favorite Laundry Tips

Other Related Simple Solutions Diva Videos On Laundry:

Morning Fun:

Snack Ideas:

Dinner Fun:

Freshen Fridge and Freezer

Freshen Your Towels – Get The Stink out!

Freshen Your Carpets & Couches

Clean Coffee And Tea Stains

De-Stink Those Dental Appliances