I am a fastidious cleaner and my kitchen is always spotless before I go to bed. I’ve found some wonderful tips over the years, and many of them seem quite strange at first look. Turns out, you can use so many everyday items to make your space a whole lot cleaner. Hope you learn something here!
First, don’t throw away your used lemon wedges. Throw them in your garbage disposal to freshen it up and take away those odors. With all that junk we throw in it, it can become nasty, so toss in the lemons to make it lemony fresh.
Peeling hard-boiled eggs can be tortuous, I know. Especially when the shell peels off little pieces at a time. It makes me crazy, so I finally found a way to get the shells off easily. Put the hard-boiled egg in a glass, and shake it gently. The shells will come off so easily–you are welcome!
Buy some barkeepers cleanser. I wrote an entire blog about it because it is such an amazing product. Use it on all your stainless-steel pots, and even those stubborn black spots from the stove. You won’t put those pots in the dishwasher ever again. It is perfect for cleaning your cast iron pots as well.
While you may think your washing machine gets cleaned every time you do the laundry, you are mistaken. The dirt actually stays in the washer and causes it to harbor bacteria. You can get a washing machine cleaner at the store, or just run a cycle with a quart of bleach, and those pesky odors will disappear and your washer will be as good as new.
Your comfy bed can be full of dust. It sheds its own fibers, accumulates skin flakes, and sends out a puff of dust every time you get in. Change the sheets at least once a week. Pour baking soda over the mattress and let sit for a while. Then take your vacuum and simply vacuum the baking soda up to keep it fresh.
I do not iron. I had to do it as a kid growing up, and I hated every minute of it. I still, to this day despise it. Lucky for me, there is a workaround. After I wash my clothes, I hang them on a drying rack. I let them dry completely and then I put them into the dryer for 10 to 15 minutes. The wrinkles come out like magic. I fold them right out of the dryer, and they look perfect. I also do this with my pillow cases and sheets that are prone to wrinkling. Get yourself a laundry rack and put away your iron forever.
I am so happy to finally share some of my cleaning tips with you. Now that you may have more time to cook, here is a really delicious rice recipe. Maybe some of you have had it before, but this was my first time. This is truly a flavorful side dish filled with healthy ingredients. The tomatoes, onion, and garlic pack this dish with flavor. The tomato paste gives it a beautiful color. The jalapeños give it just the right amount of heat. I also squeezed in some lime juice, which complimented all the flavors beautifully. I also used parsley instead of cilantro, and you’re welcome to be the same. Make this recipe now, you’ll be sorry you missed out on it for so long like I did.
This recipe is courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen and will serve 6 to 8 people who will want to come back for more of this festive dish.
Ingredients for Mexican Rice:
2 ripe tomatoes (about 12 ounces), cored and quartered
1 medium onion, preferably white, peeled, trimmed of root end,and quartered
3 medium jalapeño chiles
2 cups long grain white rice
1/3 cup canola oil
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 4 teaspoons)
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
1 lime, cut into wedges for serving
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.
Process tomatoes and onion in food processor until smooth and thoroughly pureed, about 15 seconds, scraping down bowl if necessary.
Transfer mixture to liquid measuring cup; you should have 2 cups (if necessary, spoon off excess so that volume equals 2 cups).
Remove ribs and seeds from 2 jalapeños and discard; mince flesh and set aside.
Mince remaining jalapeño, including ribs and seeds; set aside.
Place rice in large fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear, about 1 1/2 minutes.
Shake rice vigorously in strainer to remove all excess water.
Heat oil in heavy-bottomed ovensafe 12-inch straight-sided sauté pan or Dutch oven with tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat, 1 to 2 minutes.
Drop 3 or 4 grains rice in oil; if grains sizzle, oil is ready.
Add rice and fry, stirring frequently, until rice is light golden and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and seeded minced jalapeños; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 1/2 minutes.
Stir in pureed tomatoes and onions.
Add chicken broth, tomato paste, and salt; increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil.
Cover pan and transfer to oven; bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 30 to 35 minutes, stirring well after 15 minutes.
Stir in cilantro (or parsley) and reserved minced jalapeño with seeds to taste. Serve immediately, passing lime wedges separately, or squeezing some juice for extra flavor.
It’s that simple!
