My New Years Resolution is to clean my severely cluttered garage! This is a major project – not just a simple cleaning day. I got to thinking that there must be others who have endless clutter in their garages so I’m starting this Blog Category ‘Garage Project ‘ to share my tips (after I discover them).
Here are some photos of my garage as it is today.
Stringing Hot Peppers
It can take up to two weeks of drying time if hung up inside. Once they are totally dried you can push them together and keep them hung up somewhere or store in an onion bag. Some people store in a glass jar but its not necessary.
Using this method to dry hot peppers does make them a little stiff on the outside. They are great in chilies and hot sauce but not probably not the best method of drying if you want to keep your peppers soft.
Apple Pie – 1/2 Recipe (double it for a full pie)
“Apple pie conjures warmth, aroma, taste, and togetherness. This one is filled with Granny Smith apples and is tucked into a buttery crust.” – Martha Stewart
Ingredients:
Pate Brisee (Pie Dough)
Flour for rolling out Pie Dough
12 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
3/4 cup sugar (or 1/2 cup of Honey)
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
For Pie Top:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter – for dotting apple mix
1 large egg, beaten – to brush on top of crust
Sugar – sprinkle over top of crust after brushing with egg
Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pate brisee into two 1/8-inch-thick circles to a diameter slightly larger than that of an 11-inch plate. Press one pastry circle into the pie plate. Place the other circle on waxed paper, and cover with plastic wrap. Chill all pastry until firm, about 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine apples, sugar, lemon zest and juice, spices, and flour. Toss well. Spoon apples into pie pan. Dot with butter, and cover with remaining pastry circle. Cut several steam vents across top. Seal by crimping edges as desired. Brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle with additional sugar.
Bake until crust is brown and juices are bubbling, about 1 hour. Let cool on wire rack before serving.
Recipe by Martha Stewart
This tip was sent in by one of my site followers.
Christmas can be a stressful time and lots of people don’t have extra money for gifts. Some people don’t like to wrap gifts either so below are some ideas that were sent to me for easy gift giving ideas.
Last note is: it is easy to overspend when buying gift certificate because $5, 10, might not seem like much. Be cleaver and find wicked good buys on items before the Christmas season. I dig in the recycle bins at the post office and pick out extra Bed Bath and Beyond coupons since they don’t mind if you more than one at the same purchase.
INGREDIENTS:
OTHER SUPPLIES:
Parchment Paper
Cello Bags or Syran Wrap
Pretty Ribbon
DIRECTIONS:
1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
2. Add KELLOGG’S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.
3. Using buttered spatula evenly press mixture onto a Cookie Sheet lined with parchment paper (You can also press into a buttered pan but a cookie sheet makes it easier to cut the krispie treats).
4. Cool Slightly then cut into triangles to form the shape of a tree. Or use a cookie cutter for a different shape such as an ornament.
5. While still warm poke a candy cane through the bottom of the tree.
6. Let fully cool down (I put mine outside for an hour) then apply some white frosting and stick mini m&ms onto the frosting to create tree decorations or use your own creative ideas.
7. Once frosting is dried and candy cane is set inside of tree then you can package them individually into clear cello bags or syran wrap. Tie a festive bow on the bottom of the candy cane. Or tie a bow on top of the tree around the cello bag.
I made these for Thanksgiving Gifts last year. Super easy and very cute!
Purchase small mason jars – the 4 oz. jars give the best glow for putting candles inside of them.
Fill the jar 1/4 full of coffee beans or colored rocks
Add a small votive candle to it – I used vanilla ones,
Or better yet use the battery operated candles.
Create a cute label for the top of the candle.
If you are shipping these as gifts or wrapping them you might want to put some tissue paper on top so that the coffee beans/rocks don’t get mixed up but be sure to put a note on top “remove paper before lighting”.
This is a modified half recipe for Kraft’s Double Layer Pumpkin Pie (double it for a full recipe)
2 oz. (¼ of 8-oz.pkg) Philadelphia
Cream Cheese Softened
½ TBSP Milk
½ TBSP Sugar (I use Honey instead)
MIX in Large Bowl until well blended: Cream Cheese, ½ TBSP Milk & Sugar (or honey)
½ Tub (4 oz.) COOL WHIP, thawed, divided in half
Gently STIR in half of the Cool Whip. Spread onto bottom of crust(s).
½ cup Milk
½ Can of Pumpkin Puree (7.5 oz)
1 Pkg. (4 serving size each) Jello Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
½ tsp. Ground Cinnamon
¼ tsp. Ground Ginger (or fresh)
1/8 tsp. Ground Cloves
POUR ½ cup Milk into large bowl.
ADD: Pumpkin, Pudding & Spices
BEAT with Wire Whisk 2 min. or until well blended. (Mixture will be thick).
Spread over cream cheese layer.
REFRIGERATE 4 Hours or until set.
Dollop with remaining Whipped Cream
½ Honey Maid Graham Pie Crust 3 oz. Or several tiny graham crusts
Makes 5 Servings
Christopher’s Candied Yams
Directions:
PECAN PIE ½ Recipe
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
½ cup Light Brown Sugar
1/8 cup White Sugar (or honey and karo)
¼ cup Butter
1 Egg
½ TBSP Flour
½ TBSP Milk
½ tsp Vanilla
½ cup chopped Pecans
In large bowl:
Beat Eggs until foamy
Stir in Melted Butter
Stir in Sugars & Flour and mix well
Last add the milk, vanilla and nuts
Pour into unbaked mini pie pans that have a bottom layer of pie crust (no top)
Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.
Reduce Temp. to 350 degrees and bake for 30 – 40 minutes or until done.
This is a 1/2 Recipe – double it for a fullsized Cheese Cake or Click Here for Recipe.
FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
Ingredients : ½ Package Graham Crackers (approx ½ Cup) or use Honey Graham Crumbles
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/8 Pound (½ stick) Sweet Butter, melted
1. In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers and sugar together into course crumbs
2. Slowly pulse in the melted butter.
3. Spread the mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of a 10″ springform pan (don’t pack too tightly).
>>> DO NOT WASH THE PROCESSOR<<<
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FOR THE FILLING
Ingredients : 2 Eggs
1.5 Packages Cream Cheese
½ Cup Sugar
½ Tablespoon Vanilla
1/8 Teaspoon Cardamom (optional)
1. Break up one package of cream cheese into pieces, and add it along with 1 egg to the processor. Pulse till smooth.
2. Do the same with another package of cream cheese plus 1 more egg.
3. Add the vanilla and cardamom, and pulse till smooth with no lumps.
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BAKING
1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Pour the filing carefully over the crust, and bake for 50 minutes
>>> AGAIN, DO NOT WASH THE PROCESSOR<<<
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MEANWHILE, PREPARE THE TOPPING
Ingredients : ½ Pint Sour Cream
½ Teaspoon Vanilla
¼ Cup Sugar
Process till smooth.
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FINAL
1. After cheesecake has baked for 50 minutes, remove from over and pour
on the topping.
2. Return to oven for ten more minutes.
3. Remove from oven and cool overnight.