I love the timeless, holiday tradition of bringing home the fresh Christmas tree! But want to guess what the most annoying, holiday tradition is? Trying to get the tree sap off your hands!
I have to thank James, the guy at the tree lot where we bought our Christmas trees for this fantastic tip — and it really does work in seconds!
During the holidays, have you ever come home one rainy night to see your holiday lights are out? When water gets into those electrical connections (like where extension cords connect to holiday lights), it can create a short which trips the circuit breaker – causing all your outdoor lights associated with that breaker to go out!
This Simple Holiday Survival tip is sure to help prevent that from happening!
Tired of serving stuffing out of a bird’s behind? Try presenting your stuffing in a creative way (plus, you don’t have to worry about undercooking and getting salmonella!).
Make your stuffing in a bundt pan! It is not only healthy, but it presents the stuffing in a unique form! The key is to add eggs to your favorite recipe so it will hold together when you take it out of the bundt pan. Look how pretty it looks!
You can use your own, favorite recipe, just be sure to add 3-4 eggs to your mixture (mix it in with the chicken broth you use in your recipe). Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until it is lightly browned.
If you are in need of a recipe, try this one:
My family LOVES sweet potatoes! I served these and they were a BIG hit, so I believe I will serve them for Thanksgiving this year. Buttery layers of sweet potatoes with rosemary and garlic and fresh parmesan cheese – my mouth is watering just thinking about them!
These are a different way to serve those delectable, spuds of the South! And best part? No mini marshmallows!
One of my favorite vegetables, second only to broccoli, is zucchini! It is a very versatile veggie! So speaking as a Zucchini Lover, this recipe is fantastic! You can almost convince yourself it is healthy because it is mostly zucchini, with a little bit of cheese!
I suggest you double the recipe – I made a single batch and literally, all of the pieces were devoured in minutes. And this recipe has my little vegetarian’s stamp of approval!
I think I may have the BEST neighbors! When I posted on Facebook the question, “Has anyone ever used the Purse Pouch (TM)?” – my neighbor Marcia went and bought one for herself and for ME! So I decided to do a product review. FYI – The makers of Purse Pouch (TM) have not compensated me in any way. Also, the photo below is from the Purse Pouch (TM) website.
Halloween is almost here! Whether you are going to a Halloween party this year or you are hosting one this weekend, the Simple Solutions Diva has some simple Halloween snacks and décor you can make yourself!
Witches Broom Snacks
These are as simple as 3 ingredients – and they aren’t full of sugar! String cheese, pretzel sticks and fresh chives make up this adorable and tasty Halloween treat!
Instructions – Cut the string cheese into thirds. Slice the pieces of cheese 2/3 of the way to the top, creating the bristles of the broom. Stick a pretzel stick into the top (uncut) side of the broom. Tie the chive just above the cuts of the “broom” bristles. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Spider Ice Cubes
Create a surprise in your party cocktails with these creepy ice cubes!
Instructions – Take (new) plastic spiders and wash them in soapy water, rinse and let dry. Place a spider into each space in an ice cube tray and fill with water. Freeze overnight, pop them out and use in your Halloween drinks or cocktails. (Note: If you want crystal clear ice cubes, boil the water before filling the ice cube tray.)
Carrot Finger Food – “Don’t Stick Your Fingers in The Dip” doesn’t apply here!
Carrots carved into fingers, complete with slivered almond nails, make the perfect “Finger Food”! You only have to create a few to make the impact. Stick a few in your favorite dip and place them in and around the other veggies you supply with the dip!
Instructions – Peel and wash the carrots. Cut the carrots into finger-sized pieces. Using a knife or a vegetable peeler, carve out a “nail bed”. Secure the almond “nail” with a dot of sour cream.
Foam Pipe Insulation “Chains”
These make for some great table decor or to make your home look creepy. Simply purchase foam pipe insulation (it is dark grey). Slice the insulation into small rounds – these are the chain “links”. Attach the links together to make a chain. Hang on your stair railing, decorate your Halloween party table, or use as part of a costume! If you do decide to use them as part of a costume, you will want to secure the links closed using a hot glue gun (low temperature).
Glove Hand Treat Bag
You can find plastic gloves at dollar stores or in the grocery stores. Simply fill them with favorite Halloween Candy and close and secure the bottom with string, yarn or twisty-ties.
Yarn Pumpkin
My Confession: Sometimes, my projects don’t go as planned! Originally, I was going to create a paper mache pumpkin using yarn instead of paper. But honestly, it just didn’t work! The yarn stuck to the balloon – I couldn’t deflate the balloon without ruining the “pumpkin”. As I tried to figure out what else I could do, I realized the ball of orange yarn looked exactly like a pumpkin! So I added a pipe cleaner stem and leaf and, Voila! A cute yarn pumpkin! Couldn’t have been easier!
Thank you to WTLV-TV/NBC 12 First Coast Living for inviting me on to share these ideas!
Ever thought some of those Pinterest Pins were a little too good to be true? Well, Simple Solutions Diva likes to test out some of Pinterest’s most popular pins to see how they work! Today, she features a pin that said you could easily regrow lettuce – basically giving you free lettuce! So does it work? Watch the video and see for yourself!
Also, if you want to save all that freshly cut lettuce, why not follow the Diva’s instructions on how to best store lettuce – Make Your Own Bagged Salad!
In honor of her LIVE appearances at the 2016 Fall Jacksonville Home + Patio Show, the Diva is sharing her favorite, simple household tips! Come out and say “Hi” on Sunday, October 2 at 11:30 a.m. – The Diva will be cooking things up on The Jacksonville Magazine Cooking Stage! If you plan to go to the Jacksonville Home + Patio Show, use promo code DIVA to get a discount on your tickets when you buy online! Buy Tickets HERE.
How To Fold A Towel For Easy Stacking: Tired of your towels flopping over when you try to stack them? The Diva makes it easy! Check out the tip – Click Here
How To Get Your Dryer To Dry Faster: Is it taking forever for your clothes to dry? Try this little tip from the Diva – Click Here
What To Do With Dryer Lint: If you do laundry, you know it always produces lint! You can leave the lint (along with old thread) out for the birds to use in their nests! Or check out this simple tip from the Diva – Click Here
The Secret Way To Make A Room Smell Great! – Try adding a Febreze Car Vent Clip to your air conditioning vent in a room – rarely do people look up when they enter a room, so it is a great way to make a room smell great, without being too heavy a scent! Available at Pubix, Target, Walmart and more. Or, you can also add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to your air conditioning filter when you change it out every month.
Simple Way to Clean Blinds: Tongs & Microfiber cloths! Wrap a microfiber cloth around each end of tongs, secure them with rubber bands, and you have a simple tool to clean those blinds! Toss the cloths into the wash when done!
How To Clean Large Amount Of Silverware: This is my FAVORITE Simple Holiday Survival Tip! Click Here to see how to go from tarnished to clean, without having to do all that hard polishing! (And you have to watch my Simple Holiday Survival Series before the holidays!)
How To Clean A Wooden Cutting Board: Lay the board on a clean work surface. Sprinkle the cutting board with salt. Using half of a lemon, place cut side down on the board and rub in a circular motion, combining the lemon and salt. The salt gently removes any built up grime, and the lemon naturally sterilizes the wood.
How To Clean Your Hair Dryer: Prevent your hair dryer from blowing up with this SIMPLE tip! Click Here
Thank you to WTLV-TV’s First Coast Living for having me on to share these tips!
I love a good bowl of soup, especially on cool fall evenings! I find this soup, so thick it could almost be a stew, really hits the spot! A little spicy, a little Mexican – all my favorites in one dish!
I think when you try it, it will become a family favorite, too! Serve this up with some tortilla chips, a little sour cream, cheese, and maybe a little hot sauce to taste! Enjoy!
