Kitchen

Superb Substitute

My husband and I love grilling fresh salmon. I like to let it marinate with a little olive oil, Watkins lemon pepper and Watkins Dill. Recently I had no fresh lemon to squeeze over the top. Looked in the cupboard and found some Watkins Lemon Peel, so decided to try it instead of running to the store! It tasted so good, I use it along with fresh lemon all the time now! Isn’t necessity the mother of invention!

Poor Man’s Pie

This is such a simple recipe! Mix right in the pie shellJ

1 unbaked pie shell 12 oz half and half

1 cup brown sugar 2 ½ tsp butter, cut in small bits

3 Tbsp flour Watkins Ground Cinnamon

Speck of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In pie shell place b. sugar, flour and salt. Mix with your fingers until combined well.

Pour milk over flour mixture, but do NOT stir. Dot with butter. Liberally sprinkle Watkins Ground Cinnamon over all. Bake for 50 mins or until filling bubbles up in the center. Filling may not completely set, but that is the way it is supposed to be.

  Here is a helpful hint on how to determine if the charcoal or gas grill has reached the right grilling temperature?  This method works for both gas and charcoal fires.

Hold you hand, palm side down near the cooking grate and the length of time you can keep it there. Hot fire you will only be able to hold your hand there 2 second.  A medium hot fire you will be able to hold it there for a count of 4 seconds.  And a low fire you will be able to hold it there for 5 seconds.

Now that you have the heat factor down pat, Waktins bbq sauce and grilling seasonings will make the food a hit with your family and guest.

Enjoy!

Mary Ellen Glynn

www.watkinsonline.com/glynn

www.oldthymegoodness.com

You’ve put it off long enough, and it’s time to clean the refrigerator! Since you have the time and the patience; let’s give you some quick refrigerator cleaning tips to hurry along the process.

• Take everything out of the refrigerator, I prefer to do one shelf at a time so I can quickly and easily put items back in the same spot.
• Throw away any outdated cans, jars and plastic bottles.
• Take out the vegetable bins; wash and dry.
• Use a wet cloth to clean the shelving and the inside of the door. You may want to add some baking soda to the wash water.
• Put the bins back, and sprinkle a bit of baking soda in each if you like.
• Put back whatever items you have left.
• Place an opened box of baking soda towards the back top shelf.
• Wipe down the exterior of the refrigerator; top sides and doors.

You’re done! That was easy enough, right? Well that’s because you have been cleaning it religiously every month. Alas, there are some refrigerators which have not been so lucky, and cleaning will require more time.

To keep your refrigerator clean so that a simple once-over is required, here are some additional tips to follow.

• Use tin foil under your milk cartons to prevent leaking.
• Use food containers to store your leftovers.
• Change the box of baking soda every three months.
• Set the temperature to the manufacturer’s recommendation.
• Try not to accumulate more than two items. Check certain items before buying them. Oftentimes, we buy too much of one item, and it just stays in the refrigerator for months on end.
• Keep your vegetables in zip lock bags or better yet re-usable plastic containers to maintain their freshness.
• Line the bins with paper towel or something similar to absorb moisture and spills.
• If’ it’s not a frost free model defrost your freezer at least once a month. Don’t forget to place a box of baking soda in there as well.

By following these simple tips, your next cleaning will be easier and faster and you’ll feel like a lazy man.

Did you know that there is a cleaning product that’s safe and all natural, cleans, disinfects and deodorizes, and doesn’t cost a fortune? And that you may already have it hidden in your refrigerator door!

So, what is this magical cleaning product? It’s plain old lemon juice. You can use lemon juice instead of bleach to clean your house safely and effectively. In fact, you can use it in places you wouldn’t consider putting bleach.

If you’ve even tasted lemon juice, it’s pretty obvious that it’s a strong acid. Have you ever tried using lemon juice to clean a penny? The beauty of an acid is that it dissolves things water can’t. This includes dirt, grease and also parts of bacteria vital to it’s survival. Next time you clean, ditch the sponge, bleach and chemical cleaners and pull out a fresh lemon. It’s easy to hold, packed full of cleaning power, and can be thrown away when you’re done.

You can mix lemon juice with water and put it in a squirt bottle. You can use it along with your all purpose cleaner to scrub the kitchen, bathroom, and even clean walls and floors. The acid will cut through mineral deposits on bathroom fixtures.

Instead of adding bleach to your whites, add lemon juice instead. After washing, hang your clothes in the sun to dry and you’ll see how white your laundry can be without the smell and dangers of bleach. You can mix lemon juice with cream of tartar and rub into stains.  Just don’t leave them out in the sun to dry as it may fade the spot.

Lemon juice can also be used to polish, shine, and remove tarnish from the copper, chrome, and other metals in your house. Simply add a little salt or baking soda to a freshly cut lemon and rub it onto the metal’s surface, rinse well and polish dry.

Try mixing lemon juice with baking soda to make a great natural drain cleaner. It works just as well as vinegar and baking soda, but leaves that lemony scent.

Have you noticed lately that most disinfecting products have an version that smells like lemons? That’s because lemons naturally have a fresh, clean scent. Instead of cleaning with lemon scented chemicals, what could be better than getting your fresh lemon scented kitchen from actual lemons?

Leave it to Watkins to improve on mother nature! We are pleased to introduce a new line of non-toxic plant-based cleaning products that harness the power of lemons naturally. You’ll can choose from all-purpose cleaner, liquid dish soap, automatic dish washing detergent, toilet bowl cleaner, furniture polish and liquid laundry detergent concentrate all scented with natural lemon oil.

These are just a few of the many uses of this powerful cleaner. Cleaning with the power of lemons not only removes dirt, it also disinfects to keep your family safe. What a great way to leave your house looking and smelling great.

Is it time for your annual spring cleaning? Ah spring, think of how wonderful you and your family will feel to be able to open the windows again and let in the fresh air! Take a few minutes to make a spring cleaning list of what you’ll need to do. Here are some suggestions for you but feel free to change this list to suit your own needs.

• Windows - take down the drapes or curtains and dust the blinds. Wash the windows inside and out, don’t forget the frames and casings. Next, wash the curtains, iron if needed and rehang.
• Walls - wash the walls, start at the bottom and work your way up to-wards the ceiling, this will prevent the water and cleaner from dripping down making clean streaks or lines.
• Ceilings - dust for cobwebs and then wash.
• Floors - move all the furniture in each room so you can clean the floors behind and underneath everything to evict the dust bunnies and other things hiding there. Vacuum the carpets, sweep and mop hard floor surfaces. Take area rugs outdoors and give them a good shake.
• Furniture - wipe hard furniture like coffee tables, book shelves, dressers etc with a damp cloth to remove dust and dirt. Spot clean upholstery, and launder removable covers.
• Kitchen - wash the outside of your kitchen cabinets and appliances with a degreaser cleaner to cut through the dust and cooking grease that accumulated over the winter months.

You shouldn’t need many extra cleaning supplies to do your spring cleaning, here’s a list of basic cleaning supplies:

• Multi-purpose cleaner for walls, ceilings, floors, and general cleaning.
• Window and glass cleaner to polish mirrors, chrome, stainless steel and for sparkling windows too.
• Bathroom cleaner for tackling mineral buildup, hard water stains and soap scum.
• A sturdy pail or bucket.
• Cleaning cloths for dusting and scrubbing.
• A vacuum, a broom, a dust pan, a mop and a scrub brush.

Get the entire family involved in spring cleaning then reward yourselves with a fun family activity when you are done!

I was talking to my Mother-in-law yesterday her name is Margie. She was telling me about the time she was making a cake. Margie reached up in the cupboard for the vanilla and put it in her cake. She finished up the cake and went to serve it, the first person to try it thought it was horrible. Come to find out she had not put in Watkins Vanilla it was Watkins Red Liniment! From that day forward she didn’t store her medicinals in the same place as her baking items.

The most common and popular finish for large and small appliances, cookware, utensils and sinks these days is stainless steel. It’s easy to clean and looks great with almost any decore. Here are a few tips to easily keep your stainless sparkling clean and shiny!

To clean your stainless steel sink use olive oil on a cloth and dry with a clean cloth. Make a paste with baking soda and Watkins degreaser, rub gently to remove stains and hard water spots. Wipe up any water spots which may form mineral spots.

To remove stains from your cookware try using club soda, or apply vinegar to remove spots and stains from your utensils and cutlery. Rinse and dry well.

To clean large appliances, like refrigerators or counter tops try using glass cleaner or a mild spray and wipe cleaner.

To remove labels from new stainless steel appliances soak the item in warm water; or lay a soapy wet cloth over the label, let it soak then rub it off with the cloth.
To remove grease from your cookware or appliances, clean using a mixture of Watkins degreaser and warm water.

Here are some tips to avoid damaging to your stainless steel items:

• Don’t use steel wool or abrasives to clean them.
• Don’t leave stainless steel cookware on extremely high heat as this will cause discoloration.
• Do rinse off acid or salty foods if the item is not going to be washed immediately.

There are many special stainless steel cleaning products available on the market today, but your regular cleaning supplies will work just as well with out any added expense. A little tender loving care will ensure all of your stainless steel appliances, cookware and peripherals continue to sparkle for years to come.

Is your kitchen is the most lived in room in your home? It is for most families and this also means it can also be the messiest too! Here are some quick kitchen cleaning tips to help you keep the mess and clutter to a minimum:

• Start by removing all the clutter from your countertop; that includes dishes, papers, utensils, gadgets and other items you may have lying around.

• Try to store most of your small appliances inside the cabinets.

• Clean the kitchen cabinets, stove, refrigerator and counters tops with Watkins Organic Cleaner or Degrease and hot water.

• Sweep and then mop your kitchen floor using Organic cleaner and hot water.

• To remove skid marks on linoleum rub the spot with Watkins Creme Cleanser before washing the floor.

• Clean your kitchen sink with Watkins Creme Cleanser, it will make stainless steel sparkle and remove stains from enamel.

• Replace your dish cloth daily, as well as the sponge or scrubber you use for washing dishes.

Cleaning is a matter of preparation, determination and time management. All your kitchen needs now is a quick once-over, and you are ready for the next marathon of cooking and baking to begin.

You’ll find the effective cleaning products mentioned above and more at WatkinsOnline

Have you noticed that your coffee maker is taking longer than usual to brew lately? If your coffee maker isn’t performing like it should, it may need to be cleaned. Every time you brew a pot of coffee, lime and other minerals in the water form a scaley deposit inside the machine. This mineral scale reduces the coffee marker’s efficiency and you’ll end up having to wait longer for your morning cup of coffee. Or even worse your coffee maker could stop working altogether!

Here is how to quickly and easily clean a coffee maker:

1. Empty the filter basket and place it back in the machine. Empty and rinse out the carafe or coffee pot with water.
2. Place 5 cups of cold water in the coffee maker reservoir and add a half cup of Watkins Mineral Deposit Remover. Or mix one part Mineral Deposit Remover to ten parts water.
   
3. Brew solution through coffee maker and discard.
   
4. Rinse by brewing plain cold water, cycling two or three times.
   
5. Wash the carafe or pot, lid and filter basket with Watkins degreaser and hot water.
   
6. Wipe down the exterior of the coffee maker with soft cloth using the degreaser solution.
   

Now, you have a sparkling clean coffee maker! Regularly cleaning and maintaining your coffee maker will not only improve it’s performance, it will extend it’s life and save you money. Clean your coffee maker about once a month, or more often if you brew more than one pot of coffee a day. I’ve used this method to clean a drip coffee maker, an automatic coffee maker, and even an espresso machine. It only takes a few minutes and there is no odor or fumes, opposed to using vinegar. You’ll enjoy a better tasting cup of coffee too.

Note: If your carafe or coffee pot is coffee stained, pour a small amount of Watkins Prewash or Creme Cleaner on a damp cloth, wipe the stained area, then rinse the carafe well.

Enjoy your coffee! I know I will, since I cleaned my coffee maker.