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Make Your Own Fizzy Bath Bombs

A hot, warm bath and a fizzy bath bomb, along with a wonderful glass of wine, make a perfect evening in! Here is a recipe to make those fizzy bath bombs, using whatever essential oils you like! These make the perfect little hostess gift, or a gift to friends or family, or even just for yourself!

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A Homemade Bath Bomb drying on wax paper, on top of a towel, overnight!

 

Now, will someone please pour me a glass of wine? I’m going to go use one these right now!

SSD Bath Bombs w logo

 

SSD Fizzy BB

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Fix For Those Hard Water Deposits

After 16 years in my home, I finally got a water softener a month ago!  I have the hard water deposits on my faucets to prove it! Years of this build up made my faucets look awful! Recently, I was lucky enough to win a basket of products from Bar Keepers Friend (I do love their original powder!). There were a few products in the basket that were new to me, so I thought I would test them out on the hard water build up!

This video shows you the steps it took to get the hard water deposits cleaned. Personally, I am thrilled with the results!

BKF before after

 

Thank you to Bar Keepers Friend for the free basket of products! I am looking forward to trying out the other products in the basket! (FYI – There was no expectation of me reviewing their products!)

 

SSD Hard Water Deposits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grilled Veggie Sliders With Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Spread

With the Super Bowl coming up, I wanted to create a flavorful vegetable slider that would be tasty enough for both my vegetarian teenage daughter and my carnivore friend and family! This hits the spot! Best part about it? You can grill the veggies and make the cheese spread the day before, and then just reheat the veggies and assemble ½ hour before guests arrive!

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This recipe is chock full of beautiful grilled vegetables! I used red, green and yellow peppers, onion and portabella mushrooms, but you can use any kind of veggie that will hold up on the grill – maybe yellow squash or zucchini, asparagus and more!

My beautiful grilled vegetables!
My beautiful grilled vegetables!

 

Grilled Veggie Sliders With Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Spread
 
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Perfect slider recipe for the Super Bowl or any game day party! Hearty AND Healthy!
Author:
Recipe type: Vegetarian Sliders
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Serves: 12 servings
Ingredients
  • 12 Slider buns of your choice, sliced in half
  • 1 onion, sliced into bun-size pieces
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 4 large Portobello caps, stems removed and quartered
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 3 Tablespoons (or more) of sun-dried tomato pesto (or more to taste)
  • 2 cloves roasted garlic
  • 3 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
  1. (You can grill the veggies and prep the spread the day before to make it easier on you the next day!)
  2. Preheat grill to high.
  3. Using a vegetable grill rack or tin foil pan (I like the foil pan for easy cleanup!), spread the vegetables in a single layer. Keep the mushrooms to the side of the pan (they will cook faster than the rest of the veggies).
  4. Combine in a small bowl 2 Tablespoons olive oil, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, salt & pepper, paprika. Mix thoroughly. Pour oil mixture over the veggies, stirring to coat.
  5. Grill the veggies until slightly charred. (Reminder – keep your eye on the mushrooms! Remove them from the pan when they are done). Set aside in warm oven to keep warm.
  6. In a food processor or blender, combine the cream cheese, tomato pesto, 1 tablespoon olive oil, roasted garlic, and Parmesan cheese. Blend thoroughly. Add more or less tomato pesto based on your taste preference. (I actually used 4 Tablespoons of the tomato pesto sauce to 8 oz. cream cheese).
  7. Now build your sandwiches! Take a split roll, spread the bottom portion of the roll with the sundried tomato spread, add a selection of grilled veggies, drizzle with a little balsamic reduction and put the lid (top part of roll) on top! Arrange on an oven-safe serving platter. Place platter in a warm oven until ready to serve.

 

Don’t know how to make a balsamic reduction? Check out this easy recipe for a balsamic glaze from Allrecipes.com!

 

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What To Clean After You’ve Been Sick

I’m sure you can think of a few things you should clean after you have been sick with the cold or flu, but the video above shows you some places & things you may not have thought of!

Clean Those Pillows! I mentioned in the video to clean your pillows after you’ve been sick – here is the link on how to do just that: How To Clean Your Pillows

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Just a sampling of the things you need to clean after you’ve been sick! From SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.

 

SSD Sick

DIY Bird Seed Wreath

I enjoy having birds visit my back yard feeders, and I thought this DIY Bird Seed Wreath would make a great holiday gift for anyone who loves birds! And best of all, it is EASY to make!

SSD Bird Seed Wreath 2

Notice in this photo, I added to the bottom of the bundt pan (before I added the seed mixture) dried, unsweetened red cranberries — just to add to a festive look!

The wreath dries in about 24 hours. And then you can hang it on your favorite tree for the birds to enjoy!

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DIY Bird Seed Wreath
 
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Make this simple holiday gift for the Bird Lover in your life!
Author:
Recipe type: Recipe For Birds
Serves: 0
Ingredients
  • ½ cup warm water
  • 1 packet unflavored gelatin
  • 3 Tablespoons light corn syrup
  • ¾ cup flour
  • 4 cups bird seed
  • Dried red fruits, such as dried cherries or cranberries (unsweetened)- optional
  • Holiday Ribbon
  • Bundt Pan
  • Nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
  1. Combine water and gelatin in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Add flour and corn syrup and whisk until it is a thick paste.
  2. Add in bird seed and mix until all seeds are well coated.
  3. Spray bundt pan with cooking spray.
  4. Add selected dried fruits to the bottom of the pan.
  5. Firmly press the bird seed mixture into the bottom of pan.
  6. Set aside in a cool, dry place for 24 hours, or until dried completely.
  7. Remove from pan and add holiday ribbon. Hang on a tree outside and watch the birds enjoy!

 

SSD Bird Seedc Wreath

 

 

 

The Way To Store Silver To Reduce Tarnish

 

I live in Florida and was so surprised at how quickly my silver tarnished! Trust me, I am not one who likes to do much silver cleaning (Click HERE to see my tip to clean large amounts of silver without a lot of elbow grease!). At the suggestion of one of my readers, I decided to seek out a solution to the problem! So today’s Simple Holiday Survival Tip focuses on how to store your silver to prevent, or at least reduce, tarnishing!

A little prevention can go a long way!

SSD Tarnish

Apple Pie Sangria

This is a perfect cocktail to serve at Thanksgiving or any Fall event! This makes a large batch – you can cut the recipe in half and have a nice amount for 6-8 people.

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Apple Pie Sangria
 
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A sweet sangria perfect for Fall events like Thanksgiving! Make the day ahead so all the flavors blend together.
Author:
Recipe type: Cocktail - Large Batch
Cuisine: Cocktails
Serves: 12-16
Ingredients
  • 2 bottle sweet wine, like resiling or muscato
  • 5 cups fresh apple cider
  • 2 cups ginger ale
  • 2 cups caramel flavored vodka
  • 3 honey crisp apple, cored & chopped
  • 3 pears, cored & chopped
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
Instructions
  1. In a large serving container, add the pears and apples. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the cinnamon sticks. Stir well and cover. Refrigerate overnight (or at least 6 hours).
  2. About 4 hours before serving, add the cinnamon sticks.
  3. Optional: Remove a cup or two of the apples and pears and place in bowl to add to glasses. (Keep in mind, the fruit is now soaked in alcohol, so don't give to kids or pets!)
  4. Serve over ice!

 

 

 

SSD Apple Pie Sangria 4SSD Apple Pie Sangria 1

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake


This recipe is a taste of my childhood. I used to make this with my mother when I was a little girl and I thought it was magic! Cake on the top; Pudding on the bottom!

I’ve made a few changes to the recipe (including a name change to reflect what my kids call it), but I still cherish the handwritten recipe from 50 years ago.

 

SSD hot fudge pudding cake 2

 

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
 
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This is a delight for chocolate lovers - rich chocolate cake on top, with chocolate pudding on the bottom!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 8 servings
Ingredients
  • 1¼ cups granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup Hershey’s Cocoa, divided
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup milk
  • ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted (5⅓ tablespoons butter)
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1¼ cups hot water
  • Vanilla Bean ice Cream for Serving, if desired
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a pot of water on the stove to very hot (just under a simmer).
  2. In a large bowl, combine ¾ cup of the granulated sugar, flour, ¼ cup of the cocoa, baking powder and salt. Stir in milk, melted butter and vanilla and mix until smooth.
  3. Pour the batter into an lightly greased 2-quart ceramic dish (or you can use a 9-inch square baking pan). Spread batter evenly.
  4. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining ½ cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, remaining ¼ cup cocoa and mix well. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the batter in your dish or pan. Pour the hot water over the top – but do not stir!
  5. Bake 35-40 minutes if using a glass dish (or 30-35 minutes if using a metal pan). Remove from the oven and allow it to stand for 15 minutes.
  6. After 15 minutes, spoon the cake into individual serving bowls – making sure to spoon the fudgy sauce from the bottom of the pan over the top of the cake. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired and serve immediately.

 

SSD Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

Simple Apple Cake

I kick off this month of being Thankful For The Season! And today, I am Thankful for Apples!

If you love apples and cinnamon, and you like things simple, this is the cake for you!! Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream, or drizzle with your favorite cream cheese glaze!

Simple Apple Cake from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com
Simple Apple Cake from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com

Simple Apple Cake
 
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Full of apple and cinnamon!
Author:
Recipe type: Baking
Cuisine: Cake
Serves: Approx. 16 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1¾ Cup Sugar
  • 2-3 Heaping teaspoons of Cinnamon
  • ½ Cup Vegetable Oil
  • 6 Medium Gala, Fuji or Honey Crisp Apples
  • 2 Cups Flour
  • 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar, cinnamon and oil.
  3. Peel and slice the apples, and add to the mixture in the bowl.
  4. Mix together the baking powder and the four, then add to the bowl. Mix everything together thoroughly.
  5. Pour into 2 greased 9 " cake pans (or one greased 9x13" pan). Bake for approximately 55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  6. Serve warm plain OR with vanilla ice cream! Enjoy!

 

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