May 29th, 2007
Dine Without Whine's Weekly Newsletter
An Extension of our Menu Planning Service
www.dinewithoutwhine.com
Publisher ~ Christine Steendahl
Read Past Issues In Our Newsletter Archives
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This Issue:
A Personal Note
Stir Fry Vegetable Recipe
Quick Refrigerator Cleaning Tips
A Personal Note
I hope you had a great Memorial Day Weekend. It rained on and off
most of the time here, but that was okay as we didn’t have any major plans.
Plus, it was great for the garden, crops and grass. Of course along with the
rain came the humidity that will probably be here for the rest of the summer.
The kids are out of school now and it didn’t take us long to slip
right into the summer “routine”. It is nice to not have to rush out the door in
the morning. Of course the kids still get up at the crack of dawn. It is also
great to be able to go do whatever we want whenever we want. I am sure by the
end of summer I will be ready for them to go back to school, but for now it is a
nice change.
Our kittens went missing for 2 days this weekend. We were worried
something got them, but I couldn’t imagine something getting all five at once
and not leaving any remains. The poor mama kitty was so engorged with milk she
could hardly move. We searched all over on our property and finally went for a
walk and found them at the neighbors (who were out of town, or I am sure they
would have called). They have a cat that looks similar to our mom that comes to
visit periodically. I think the kittens might have followed him home thinking he
was their mommy. At any rate, we scooped them up and brought them back home and
they nursed and nursed like they had never seen food before. Everyone was happy
after that. They actually are old enough to eat solid food as well – they’re
getting pretty big for nursing, but they still do it a few times a day.
I’m off to jump into the shower and then we are heading out to
Sam’s Club to stock up on some essentials. Have a great week!
Christine
“The Menu Mom”
www.themenumom.com
Recipe of the Week
Exerted from this week's family friendly menu plan
and convenient grocery shopping list.
Have you tried our
sample menu?
Stir Fry Vegetable Recipe
Makes 4 servings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 cup broccoli florets
1 pound tofu drained and cubed (or substitute chicken
or beef if desired) 1 cup cooked rotini pasta
4 ounces Parmesan cheese
1. Heat nonstick skillet or wok to medium high. Add oil and onion and stir-fry 2
minutes.
2. Add pepper and stir-fry 1 minute more.
3. Add ginger, broccoli, and tofu (chicken/beef if you substituted) and stir-fry
2 minutes more.
4. Add spaghetti and stir-fry until mixture is thoroughly heated.
5. Top each serving with 2 oz Parmesan cheese.
Serve with Green Salad
This Weeks Top Five Referring Sites
(These sites have a link
to DWW somewhere on their site and have sent the most visitors to
www.dinewithoutwhine.com this week)
http://www.catholicmom.com/main
http://www.nossgalenbaby.com/twins_resources.html
http://www.imboredmom.com
http://www.themenumom.com
http://www.ihomemaker.com/blog/
Kitchen and Cooking Tips, Articles, And Product
Reviews
Quick Refrigerator Cleaning Tips
You’ve put it off long enough. You can’t avoid it any longer. It’s time to clean
the refrigerator. You’ve mustered up the time and patience to get the job done.
So here are some tips to make the process quick and pain-free.
* Start with a clean counter. Take everything out of the refrigerator and place
it on the counter.
* Throw away cans, jars, and bottles that have exceeded their expiration date.
Also throw out any leftovers that you haven’t gotten around to eating.
* Remove the vegetable from their bins; wash and dry.
* Use a sponge or wet cloth to clean the shelving and the inside of the door.
You may want to use baking soda as the cleaning agent. Also, a sponge soaked in
dishwater can be heated in the microwave for a few seconds to kill any bacteria
that might be lurking on it.
* Place items back in the refrigerator on the shelves. Group items by frequency
of use. Place items less frequently used near the back, those that are used more
often near the front or in the doors.
* Replace the fruit and vegetable bins back. Sprinkle a bit of baking soda in
each.
* Place an opened box of baking soda towards the back top shelf.
* Clean the outside of the refrigerator; top, sides, doors and handle!
Now that you have a newly cleaned refrigerator, here are some tips on
streamlining future cleanings.
* Use tin foil under your milk cartons to prevent leaking.
* Use food containers to store your leftovers. You can purchase inexpensive
disposable containers making it easy to throw out leftovers that have exceeded
their prime.
* A box of baking soda can leave your refrigerator smelling fresh. For best
results, change the box of baking soda every three months.
* To keep your refrigerator running properly and food stored at the correct
temperature, keep the temperature at the manufacturer’s recommended setting.
* Shopping in bulk can save money. However, it can also create clutter in your
refrigerator. Try not to accumulate more than two of the same items. Double
check the status of certain items in your refrigerator before going grocery
shopping. This will eliminate multiple items taking up precious space in your
refrigerator.
* Keep your vegetables in zip lock bags to maintain their freshness. Store them
in the vegetable bin section of your refrigerator to ensure they are kept at the
proper temperature.
* Defrost your freezer at least once a month. Don’t forget to place a box of
baking soda in there as well.
These tips will help you make cleaning your refrigerator easier and faster,
leaving you more time for the important things in life.
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