Never Too Early For Spring Cleaning

Hello Dear Readers,
I don't know if any of you know this but Daddy's Home, Inc. started up as an Interior Design / Handyman / Housecleaning / Clutter Consultant business. Sort of a jack-of-all-trades thing that proved to be very successful in it's own way.
One of my favorite things in the world, believe it or not, is the feeling of accomplishment when a project involving de-cluttering or cleaning is involved. I know! Weird, right?
Even as a kid I used to love to clean all the silver and brass in the house just to see the shiny sparkling piles of metal when I was done. Maybe I'm just a raccoon or a crow at heart.
Well, this blog entry is all about home keeping and I hope my opinions and hints will help you out.
 When I would meet with a new client I would give them a list of products that I would suggest were in the house before I and my crew would show up for the gig and I will share it with you all and the reasons for all of the product choices. Now, these are just my personal favorites and I don't want anyone to think that I'm shilling for any of these companies who make these products, nor am I telling anyone that their fave isn't the right one for them.

EQUIPMENT:

A good vacuum with working attachments

Broom and dustpan

Sponge mop

Toothbrush for small spaces and grout

Sponges

Cotton rags

Paper Towels

Swiffer duster (it's great for me here in NYC where you can dust 3 times a day and never be done!)

Plastic caddy for products et al

PRODUCTS:

Glass cleaner (I find that anything with a bit of ammonia works well)

De-greaser (You can find a lot of these at the dollar store with names like Awesome, Fabulous, etc.)

All purpose furniture polish (Pledge makes a great one that does computer and plasma screens too)

Softscrub (I NEVER use the powdered kind on anything but metal - better safe than...um...scratched)

Comet, Ajax or the best...Bon Ami

Pine Sol, for toilets, in a bucket of water for floors, walls...anything. Just make SURE to dilute well for floors.

Now....here are a few guidelines to make things run smoothly:

1. Gather all of your products and equipment together in one spot - hence, the caddy - because it will save you time and energy in the long run if you carry everything with you. Imagine you were a professional cleaner. They come with a lot of their own stuff and can't just leave the job to get something else, right?
2. House cleaning is a job. A chore than needs to be planned for just like going to the grocery or the post office. Treat it that way. PLAN AHEAD.
3. Make a list and stick to it. Make an appointment with yourself and show up on time and ready to work.
4. If there is a lot to do, don't plan to do it all in one go. What I suggest is planning to start with a "maintenance run" first; what needs to be done on a regular basis - the bathroom, the kitchen, the vacuuming and dusting, etc.
5. THEN choose one bigger job per week. Something that needs special attention. My husband and I have our individual downfalls so I will choose to rearrange the pantry and clean out any expired foodstuffs, re-stack the cookware and bake ware, that sort of thing. He agrees to go through one foot (by depth) of unopened mail, papers, playbills, etc. that have piled up (Which, of course shows you how much he likes to hoard - but that's another blog entry in and of itself!)
6. Play music but TURN OFF YOUR PHONE. You have to limit your distractions. We all know how easy it is to get involved with a conversation and lose your focus on the work at hand. Put something fun on your stereo or MP3 player and go to town. There's no rule that says it has to be drudgery, right?
7. Clean rooms from top to bottom.Yea, I know it seems silly to say but think about it. If you vacuum first and then dust everything then where is that dust going? That goes for everything. Have a plan.
8. Replace your sponges and rags after you've finished your spring cleaning (and actually as often as you choose) not only is it nicer to look at newer sponges on the sink top, but it's healthier too as it will cut down on mold, mildew and bacteria in your home.

Now, I have to tell you that I am a fount of information and hints about specific cleaning, stain and/or repair type problems but you can always contact me with those questions individually.
Of course, cleaning as you go is the optimum choice but, let's face it, who has the same amount of time every week to keep up? That's why they (you know, the infamous "they") came up with the Spring Cleaning thing, I'm sure. To give us all something to shoot for. A beautifully organized and clean house before we start spending more time outside of it when the weather turns marvellous.

Happy Cleaning!

-SSG

A Valentine To Dismember

Dear Readers,
I'm just kidding. The only reason I called this post "A Valentine To Dismember" is that the entree is heart shaped...sorta.
This meal is going to make you a hero to your loved one - especially if you are one of those people who say they can't cook because it's really easy and pretty much foolproof. You don't believe me? Read on!
First, I'm going to make sure you get everything you need in one trip to the grocery.
This is the I-Don't-Cooker's biggest problem, the plan ahead thing. Now I'm assuming you all have the basic staples like salt and pepper in the house, but everything else - and I mean everything - is going to be listed.

SHOPPING LIST

Entree & Side Dishes:
2 double boneless, skinless chicken breasts - this means you might have to go to the butcher/poultry counter and tell the person behind the counter that you want two double breasts that will each become ONE SERVING. You don't need gigantic breasts (now get those minds out of the gutter!)
Salt & Pepper
2 tbsp Honey
1 small package frozen strawberries (unsweetened), thawed
1 small bunch of scallions
1 lemon sliced into thin slices
1 pint fresh strawberries (or if you can find them at the salad bar, all you need are 2, with their green tops for garnish)
1 small can frozen O.J.; thawed
1 pkg frozen twice baked potatoes (prepared as instructed on the box)
2 large, fresh carrots (or carrot sticks from the salad bar enough for two servings)
Garlic powder
Olive oil
Butter

Dessert:
1 package frozen puff pastry
Seedless raspberry jam
1 bar of GOOD dark chocolate
1 single serving of premium quality vanilla ice cream thawed but still chilled

And that's it!

Now, let's prep....

1. Grab 2 scallions; cut the end off and cut it about two inches up from the bulb.
2. Now, turn your paring knife over so the blade faces up. While holding the bulb end in your left hand, stick just the tip of the knife into the scallion and pull upwards through the stem toward and through the green. Continue around the scallion slicing shallow lines up the stem until you have what looks like a tassel. Drop these in a glass of cold water and stick in the fridge - Voila! Garnish!
3. Take a couple fresh strawberries and slice them vertically toward the green top BUT NOT ALL THE WAY THROUGH. If you then put the berry on its side and gently but firmly press down on the biggest part, the berry should fan out and look all purty - More garnish!
4. Take your thawed strawberries and push them through a strainer with the back of a spoon (to get rid of most of the pulp and seeds) into a small saucepan. Add a half teaspoon ground pepper, one teaspoon honey, a pinch or two of salt and a squeeze of lemon. Warm this mixture on low until bubbling and then remove from heat and set aside.
5. Prepare potatoes as instructed on package.
6. Take chicken breasts from package and place each one between two pieces of plastic wrap
7. Using the flat bottom of a saucepan or saute pan, pound the breasts to a uniform thickness
8. Salt, pepper, and lightly garlic powder on both sides. Notice that they look like hearts? Neat, huh?
9. Next, in a microwave safe vessel (I usually use a Pyrex measuring cup) set your carrot sticks in salted water and nuke 'em till they're still snappy and bright orange but tender enough to enjoy.
10. While those are cooking, go back to the greens of the scallion and choose a few nice looking ones. When the carrots are al dente, put them in a bowl and use the hot water to soften the greens till they're pliable, You're going to use these to tie the carrot sticks into single serving bundles - Impressive!
11. Now, take a couple pats of butter and 2 tbsps of the orange juice concentrate and mix them in the (now empty) measuring cup - This is your orange butter sauce for the carrot bundles...keep it warm.
12. Now it's time to heat up your saute pan with some olive oil and saute the chicken breasts until they're cooked through.
13. Service: On the warmed plate, place a generous spoonful of the strawberry sauce in the center and, with the back of your spoon, spread it in a circular motion to cover the bottom of the plate.
14. Place the chicken breast on top of the strawberry sauce and place your splayed strawberry on top; Lay a lemon slice at the top of the heart and grab a curly topped scallion, shake of the excess water and tuck it under the top of the heart on top of that lemon....pretty, huh?
15. Now, on a smaller side plate, serve the twice baked potato and scallion tied carrot bundle and drizzle the orange/butter sauce over the carrots. Gawgeous!

 Dessert Prep:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Cut the thawed puff pastry into 2 six inch squares and place on a baking sheet
3. Place a square or two of chocolate in the center of each square, top with one tablespoon of raspberry jam and twist the corners together to form a bundle.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown
5. Cool on a rack for about ten minutes
6. Remember what you did with the strawberry sauce? Do the same with the vanilla ice cream "sauce" on a dessert place and place the chocolate bundle off center in the puddle of sauce and put a small dollop of jam in the sauce. Using a toothpick draw it through the center of the jam until it forms a little heart...Cute.
7. If you have any powdered sugar, you can shake some over the top of the bundle....Serve warm

Enjoy yourselves and let me know what happens! Well, not EVERYthing that happens!

Love Means Never Having To Buy Them Roses

I should apologize, dear readers, for shirking my responsibility and leaving my blog at the bottom of my priority list for too long. My life has been busy but I should not let all of that get in the way of sharing with you.
BUT, the good news is that I have a few things stored up for you all regarding the upcoming (though totally fabricated) holiday....Saint Valentine's Day.

Now, please don't get me wrong, I love love love the holiday that's all about love love love.
My only concern is that people get in trouble trying to top their last year's event by making the declaration of their love too involved, too fancy and too little about what they truly feel.

In these days of financial difficulty, why not put in a little thought and a little effort to make your offering about tenderness, love and your individual feeling for your beloved rather than buying a bouquet of  over priced (just for the day) roses and being done with it?
Believe me, I'm not asking you to break the bank or even spend weeks preparing gifts or special meals - unless you want to do that...then I say, have at it and reap the rewards that will surely come your way.

No. I am going to share some ideas that have always landed me in the "I can't believe you are so amazingly thoughtful" seat and that's a really nice place to be.

First, the easiest.
The Love Letter. Now I know we all can't write sonnets and other poems without feeling and/or sounding like an ass. But try this - Find a nice card - either fine stationery or a simple but elegant greeting card - it doesn't even have to be a Valentine, per se - preferably blank inside.
On a piece of scrap paper, decide what you want to write. Be concise. Simple. A simple "I Love You" will work if inspiration fails you.
Date the inside of the card simply Valentine's Day 2011 and say what's in your heart. If you want to write a poem, go for it. If you're moved by somebody else's poetry, quote it and MAKE SURE to attribute the quote!
Make sure to write legibly and cleanly. Then, before you put it in the envelope, try to find a photograph of the two of you from a day that you both really enjoyed yourselves and remember fondly and add that to the envelope before you seal it.
If you can't find a photo like that, remember where you had your first date or your first kiss or asked them to marry you and go THERE and take a picture of the PLACE. It will mean so much.

My next installment will be a menu, and recipes, for the perfect, easy and impressive restaurant quality meal to make for your beloved. Come back and see!