because you deserve it all

I am thrilled to report that I only found 5 Japanese beetles on my roses last night.  This is a huge improvement over the rest of the nights this week.  This shows that a pan of water with dish soap can get rid of them without harming the environment.  They were so bad this year that I was not sure this method would still work.  Now I can spend my time pruning and dead-heading my flowers instead of worrying about the damage from japanese beetles. 

Visit Nursery Hills for some great online plants, shrubs, trees, and garden accessories.  They have a wide selection of plants that are shipped right to your home.  Check them out. 

I love to make cous cous as a side dish for a quick week night dinner.  You can either make it flavored with chicken or vegetable stock or cheat and use a mix.  Either way I always add a Bay Leaf to the liquid while I am bringing it to a boil.  Make sure you take out the bay leaf before you serve it though.  I also like to add some fresh parsley or basil right before I serve it for a little added flavor and freshness. 

You can add so many vegetables to make the cous cous healthier and tastier. 

• Zucchini and summer squash are great in it.  Slice them thinly and saute them in a pan with olive oil.  Make sure you season them with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. 
• Add chopped tomatoes. 
• Add cooked mushrooms, saute in a similar way as the zucchini.
• Add fresh or cooked red onions.  If you saute them first the flavor will be more mild.
• Add fresh chopped scallions at the end. 

KitchenAid 4.75-qt. Gourmet Distinctions Saute Pan KitchenAid’s Gourmet Distinctions line is packed with high quality durable cookware that is guaranteed to last you through time. The cookware base is made up of a layer of aluminum, then copper, followed by more aluminum and finally a layer of 18/10 stainless steel to deliver exceptional cooking performance with reduced hot sopts. Unique tapered shapes makes stirring and whisking easy, while the larger space at the top speeds reduction for rich, flavorful sauces. The riveted handles are made of polished 18/10 stainless steel and provide a confident grip and are oven safe to 500F. Those items with a tempered glass lid allows you to monitor foods while locking in flavors and nutrients for tender and moist cooking. All Gourmet Distinctions cookware is suitable for induction cooking. Please handwash with mild dish soap.

1. The best kind of tomatoes for sauce are a variety called San Marzano.  They work well for cooking because they hold up to heat and don’t become soft and mushy.  We pulse them in the food processor and then cook them down for a wonderful tomato sauce that we either freeze or put in jars.  You can also chop them and cook them for a more chunky sauce that takes little time to prepare, it is a great quick week night supper. 
2. Another trick is to use a sauce pot that is non-reactive.  We wouldn’t store our tomato sauce in a metal container because we know that it would impact the flavor of the sauce.  Therefore we shouldn’t cook our sauce in a pan that does the same thing.  Invest in a non-reactive pot. 
3. Use fresh herbs – about a half a cup of basil and a teaspoon of fresh thyme.
4. Add 1/2 cup of high quality Chianti and skip the sugar.  If you wouldn’t drink it, then don’t pour it in your sauce. 

Cuisinart Prep 11 Plus Food Processor, Brushed Stainless A seamless blend of style and function. The brushed stainless finish adds an upscale touch to all kitchens – from contemporary to classic. The large capacity, powerful blades and discs, and simple touchpad controls make the Cuisinart 11-cup Food Processor the ideal prep tool for any task. Making an entire meal from scratch has never been easier…and has never looked better. Features Include: 11-cup Lexan Work Bowl One-piece Cuisinart Supreme feed tube Touchpad dough control with PowerPrep metal dough blade Stainless Steel shredding disc Stainless Steel medium slicing disc (4mm) Chopping/mixing blade Detachable disc stem Spatula Recipe/Instruction book How-to-DVD All removable parts are dishwasher-safe Limited 10-year motor warranty Limited 3-year warranty”

I have seen little hummingbirds on my butterfly bush for the past two evenings. Tonight there were two of them out there. They are almost as interested in me as I am in them. One flew about a foot and a half from my face and actually stayed still for a few seconds. I snapped a few pictures but they move quickly so it was hard to get a clear shot.

I don’t know how I existed before I had a zester in the kitchen. A little lemon zest adds an instant freshness to just about anything. Anytime something calls for lemon juice in a recipe I usually add a few grates of zest as well. When using a zester, you just want the very outside (yellow) layer. The white layer or the pith is very bitter and you don’t want to add that to your food. I add a little lemon zest to blueberry pancakes to cut the sweetness of the syrup. It makes a huge difference in the taste. One of my favorite models is listed below, but they have many options so click on the picture and shop for the one that works for you. Make sure you get one that grates the zest finely for similar uses to what I discussed here.

Everyone should have a coffee grinder so they can enjoy freshly ground coffee. The flavor is superior and you will notice a difference the first time you go back to having pre-ground coffee. I didn’t believe it until I tried it for myself. Your morning cup of coffee will have a freshness and enhanced flavor from the small investment of a coffee grinder.   The model I own is listed below. 

Cuisinart Grind Central Coffee Grinder, Brushed Stainless Coordinate your brushed stainless coffee maker with this grinder. The contemporary square design houses a roomy bowl (90 gram capacity) that lets you grind your beans fresh just before brewing. Measurement markings allow you to efficiently measure and grind the exact quantity of coffee beans you need – for up to 18 cups. The lid allows extra coffee to be stored in the grinding bowl. A built-in safety interlock prevents operation unless lid is securely closed. . Stainless steel bowl removes for cleaning. Have a second one on hand for your herbs and nuts.

I just love my Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker. Making ice cream is quite easy and it really impresses guests that you took the time to make them ice cream. I usually make a basic vanilla ice cream and experiment with the toppings. I make a hot fudge sauce with 1/2 cup of cream (heavy or light) and a cup of semi sweet chocolate chips. Add a teaspoon of vanilla and a tablespoon of brewed coffee for some extra flavor. You can also mix in some fresh fruit or drizzle some ice wine over it. Give it a try and see what combinations you can come up with.

Cuisinart 1.5-qt. Ice Cream Maker with Bonus Freezer Bowl, Red Using Cuisinart’s automatic frozen yogurt, ice cream and sorbet maker, you can enjoy homemade desserts using fresh fruit, low-fat or regular creams and all the ingredients you love – you can even create your own unique combinations. It’s fun and easy, especially now with the introduction of its latest pop of color, red! The heavy-duty motor makes your favorite treat in only 20-30 minutes, eliminating excess time in the kitchen. For an even harder, more firm dessert, place finished ice cream in your freezer for 6 to 22 hours. The top spout is sized a bit larger for adding ingredients, and the easy-lock transparent lid stays tightly closed while in operation. The double insulated freezer bowl holds up to 1.5 quarts. To use, the freezer bowl must be frozen before you begin your recipe which eliminates the need for ice or salt as in traditional ice cream makers. The included recipe booklet helps you get creative, and also contains recipes for sherbet and frozen drinks. Also included is another double insulated bonus Ice Cream Freezer Bowl which is great to keep on hand for making and freezing several different flavors at once.

If you have a bush infested and the beetles are eating the foliage/leaves then you probably need to get some pesticide and spray. There are simply too many at that point to pick them all off. If you catch them early then you can just pick them off and put them in soapy water to kill them. I only resort to chemicals when it is necessary. Besides when there are many beetles in one area they send signals to attract more beetles, which is why Japanese beetle traps typically end up attracting more beetles and making your problem with them even worse.

The tong is my favorite kitchen tool especially in the summer. I can use it to turn veggies on my stove top grill and to flip small items one at a time. They are safe to use on non-stick pans which is a huge advantage. And they lock so they can store easily.

OXO 12-in. Nonstick Good Grips Locking Tongs These 12-in. locking tongs are made of brushed stainless steel with soft, non-slip handles and comfortable thumb rests. Safe for nonstick cookware, the nylon heads are heat resistant up to 400 degrees. They are dishwasher-safe and lock together for easy storage.