• Wintertime is fast approaching and that means sore, dry lips. Nothing soothes better than all-natural Burt's Bees original lip balm. Or, you can try to make your own lip balms with simple ingredients like beeswax and peppermint oil, by heading over to our Lip Balm Recipe section. It's all up to you, and how ambitious you're feeling.

• Tasty bars, brownies and squares are what you're craving? Okay then, we've got you well covered! Check out our collection of yummy bars and squares that include a decadent apple pie bar recipe, and bake sale brownies.
• Crockpot cooking is the full-timer's ideal way of cooking! What could be better than heading in the door to a fully cooked meal? Our crockpot recipes include an amazing glazed cranberry pork roast, All Day Chicken with an Orange Glaze, and even dessert - bread pudding!

• Just heard from a customer at work today that this simple garlic chopper makes chopping up cloves of fresh garlic a breeze! She said that it was far easier to use and clean than a typical garlic press. She couldn't recommend it highly enough - you just 'zoom zoom', like you would with a toy car, and voila - perfectly minced garlic, ready to add to all of your favorite recipes. Sounds like a keeper to me, especially since I loooove garlic.

• A gift basket is a perfect compilation of a handful of smaller gifts, all lovingly nestled into one basket. Read the article 10 Reasons to Create and Give a Gift Basket

~ Frugal and Fun ~

• A simple, colorful coupon organizer can keep your precious stash of coupons close at hand, and make it easier to use and save you money every week on groceries!
• A beverage that's good for you and your budget! Can you guess what it is?
• Finding valuable coupons and coupon codes online can help you stock that cute new coupon organizer, and save more cash than you ever thought possible!

Labels: coupon organizers, finding coupons, gift baskets, lip balm recipes, saving money

Posted by HappySlob :: 6:44 PM :: 0 comments

Post / Read Comments

---------------oOo---------------
Sunday, October 24, 2010 KCnM Blog Newsletter: Popcorn, Easy Sauces, Easy Bake Oven Recipes and Craft Ideas

Here is a mini newsletter for you, right here on the Kitchen Crafts 'n' More blog - and packed with goodies! (I hope you enjoy this condensed version of the newsletter as much as I enjoyed putting it together.)

Kitchen Gadget of the Day:

• Today the nod goes to a simple Nordic Ware Microwave Popcorn Popper that will forever end your reliance on those little prepackaged popcorn packets! I have this popper myself and use it a number of times a week. Love it! And at around $10, it is a real bargain to boot.

Recipes of the Day:

Looking for: Gluten free recipes! Please send them to me at christinam@nucleus.com

• Easy sauces made from canned soup. Worried about sodium content? Choose lower sodium soup varieties. Easy Canned Soup Sauces
• Butter Pecan Pound Cake with Frosting Right in the Cake! This indulgence sounds too good to resist!
• Do you have a little one in the family who loves their Easy Bake Oven? Then check out our always popular collection of Easy Bake Oven Recipes
• And finally...Olive Garden's impeccable Alfredo sauce that you can copy at home! Copycat Recipe for Olive Garden's Alfredo Sauce
  
  Home Decor Splurge of the Day: Instant decoration with these beautiful wall decals! A perfect way to add pizzazz to a boring old wall. Doesn't it look particular beautiful against that pale grey wall?
  

Household Hints of the Day:

• Making the bed with less time and effort? Sounds good to me! Check out 5 Tips to a Clean, Fresh and Cozy Bed
• Tea for your plants? Yes, and not just English ivy! (Groan...I couldn't help myself.) Give your Plant a Cup of Tea to Perk it Up
• Sticky stubborn wax is no match for you! Remove Melted Candle Wax from Candleholders
  

Crafty projects of the Day:

• Try your hand at a simple homemade soap recipe or two: Easy To Make Soap Recipes
• Or, make an easy addition to a coffee themed gift basket by including some homemade chocolate dipped coffee stir spoons
  
  

Labels: blog newsletter edition, coffee spoons, craft ideas, mini newsletter, soap recipes, tea for plants

Posted by HappySlob :: 4:21 PM :: 0 comments

Post / Read Comments

---------------oOo---------------
7 Tips to Use Borax to Clean around the Home

Today on the Happy Slob's Housecleaning blog, I share 7 Ways to Clean your Home using Borax Powder. Borax is all-natural and a powerful cleaner!

Labels: borax, housecleaning tips, tips to cleaning

Posted by HappySlob :: 4:19 PM :: 0 comments

Post / Read Comments

---------------oOo---------------
Saturday, October 23, 2010 Looking for: Pie Recipes for Pie Recipe Blog

Over at http://www.pie-recipes.blogspot.com I'm happy to share delicious, simple pie recipes with readers. Do you have a pie recipe you'd like to share? Please send it to me at christina@happyslob.com along with any comments on how the pie turned out, or other baking tips. Thanks!

Labels: delicious pies, easy desserts, easy pie recipes, pie recipe blog

Posted by HappySlob :: 2:59 PM :: 0 comments

Post / Read Comments

---------------oOo---------------
Monday, October 18, 2010 Three Must Have Kitchen Tools and Gadgets

Some gadgets are simply useless wastes of space - and in a kitchen that may already be cramped, that's a serious offence! Here, though, are three always popular, tried and true kitchen gadgets and tools that you'll really want to have at hand when you're ready to prove your culinary prowess.

1. Garlic press - and not just any garlic press will do. This garlic press by Kuhn Rikon was recently given the top spot by Cook's Illustrated magazine. If you've ever read the magazine, you know that it's one of the prime magazines for anyone who loves to cook (or even just loves to READ about cooking.) Here is the top pick: Kuhn Rikon Easy-Squeeze Garlic Press, Black Using a good press like this one will greatly diminish the time needed to press garlic into a fine mince that you can use immediately. Sure, you could chop it finely with a knife, but really nothing makes garlic easier to use than a great garlic press.
Another plus with this model is that it reduces the amount of EFFORT needed to squeeze out that gorgeous garlic.

2. Salad Spinner - An Oxo Good Grips Salad Spinner gets your greens perfectly dried, and ready to accept all that lipsmacking homemade dressing you just whipped up. This plunger type salad spinner works better than the ones with the pull string, which can be frustrating to use and provide equally frustrating results. (ie: soggy leaves)

3. Silpat Baking Sheet Liner - Having a few Silpat Nonstick Silicone Baking Mats on hand means that your samosas, gourmet chocolate chunk cookies, or roasted veggies will never again stick with tenacity to the baking tray! Until you've used one of these, you really have no idea of what you're missing - it will simplify your baking tremendously.

Labels: favorite kitchen gadgets, garlic press, kitchen tools, kuhn rikon, oxo good grips, salad spinner, silpat

Posted by HappySlob :: 7:19 PM :: 0 comments

Post / Read Comments

---------------oOo---------------