Mystery ice cream flavor revealed:

Name: Winning name suggestion ... Banana Float (submitted by Patrick)

Ingredients: half and half, whole milk, sugar, rennet, ripe banana, birch (or root) beer extract.

The double blind fold test came back: Successful flavor! Good color, texture, taste, aroma!

Recipe: Makes 1/2 gallon

3 Junket (brand) rennet tablets
2 tablespoons cold water
3 cups of whole milk
2 cups of half and half (or heavy cream if you want to fatten your thighs ;)
1 cup of sugar
2 teaspoons birch or root beer extract
1 soft/ripe banana (no brown bruises please;)

Directions are here using the standard vanilla recipe .. of course substituting root beer for vanilla flavoring. Add a well smashed banana to the mixture during the last ten minutes of hand crank or electric freezing.

Inspiration: As a child I favored the banana and root beer freezer pops often eating one bite of banana followed by one bite of root beer. The mixture of flavors is quite good.

Bathroom Design

Modern Bathroom

Modern Bathroom Designs

There are some important things and basic fixture designs that we need to follow, so that our bathrooms are safe and functional. Different areas may have some typical requirements and design parameters specified by the concerned departments and we should take care to follow them because they are well studied and researched to suit the local needs. There should be at least 30 x 48 inches of clear floor space in front of the lavatory, out of which up to 19 inches (out of 48 inches) can extend under the seat for the knee space. There should be at least 15 inches of space from the centerline of the lavatory, toilet or bidet to the bathroom walls on any side and 30 inches of space from the centerline of another sanitary fixture.

There must be at least 24 inches of clear floor space in front of the toilet or bidet. Though, you can choose tub size of any size but there should be at least 60 inches long (which is also the standard size of the bathtub) and 30 inches wide clear floor space along its side. There should be easy access and no obstruction in reaching plumbing and whirlpool motors. All enclosed showers should have at least 34 inches of usable space from wall to wall inside them, though many people use showers with 32 inches of space too. Though shapes of the showers may differ but there must be at least 30 inches of interior circular diameter and 1024 square inches of finished interior space in a shower. Limited bathroom space can be renovated to give an illusion of space by using some designing optical illusion tricks.

You can add height to our bath space by adding vertical lines to its walls. Paint the walls in vertical stripes, put wallpaper with similar patterns, put tiles extending to the ceiling or you may also line the edge of the ceiling with a border or just a cornice to make the ceiling look higher. For tiled walls, you can just use different colored or patterned tile on top of the walls to draw eyes upwards. Add width, length and depth to a small bathroom using mirrors and lights correctly. However, too many mirrors can just spoil the effect. Use one mirror positioned strategically to reflect light throughout the room. In small bathrooms, clear shower screens add space and light unlike the opaque ones while a frameless shower screen looks better as it does not cause visual barriers in the bath space. Make the best possible use of the natural light by incorporating windows or skylight in the bathroom.

Bathroom Designs Ideas

Bathroom Cabinet Tips

Bathroom Cabinet Tips : The bathroom is arguably one of the most important and vital quarters in our homes. Whether you have one bathroom, one and the half bathrooms, or more, it is a space that is persuaded to see a lot of traffic and use in a day. For that incentive, we poverty the bathroom to be both functional and comfortable. Our bathrooms should be a refuges on top of being a necessary extent, so decorating your bathroom to suggest your personal tailor allows you to construct a leave in the home where you forever feel comfortable and have the time that you waste in there.

If your flow bathroom décor and setup is opening to grow old and you feel it time for a change, then a bathroom makeover is definitely in order. Unfortunately, large level bathroom remodeling projects are not always feasible. They suck up a lot of your time, and they also suck up a lot of your finances. Nevertheless even if you can't give to do the totality area over again, you do have heaps of options open to you that will let you renew the look of your bathroom without quotation you something roughly an arm and a leg.

When you think of inexpensive interior purpose thoughts for the bathroom, you liable immediately think of new towels, a new shower curtain, and new bathroom rugs. While these sure are great habits to get a new look for excluding, if you overlook your bathroom cabinet hardware, then you are lost a chief opportunity to neat up the scope. The drawer pulls and knobs on your bathroom cabinets give you the ability to add another shape facet and decorative impress to the room, hurriedly and inexpensively. A new cabinet damaged on the bathroom unreality will directly change the intact look of the emptiness, even if you do not paint or dishonor the complete cabinet Bathroom Cabinet Tips itself. Why? Because decorative cabinet door knobs act like necklaces for your cabinets. They dress up the cupboard door while still quota as functional pieces that allow you reach to your bathroom storage places.

Bathroom Designs

Small or big, if you want to make your bathroom look good and feel good, then read on. Some individuals leave the bathroom to be done up last, or give it the least importance. But mind it you, it is here that you get hygienically clean, you spend your time at ease and of course get refreshed for the day. While setting up your bathroom there are some basic fixtures designs you have to adhere you. This will make your bathroom functional and safe. There are a few parameters that have to be followed. For instance a minimum space of 30 x 48 inches of uncluttered floor space is to be kept in front of the commode. From this 19 inches should serve as the knee area from under the seat. A minimum of 15 inches is required from the centre of the toilet to the walls and 30 inches from the centre of the toilet to any other sanitary fixture.

60 inches in length is the minimum tub size if you plan to keep one and 30 inches in width with flowing wide space on either sides. Where showers are concerned there should be at least 34 inches of space from wall to wall, but some people have even smaller.

If you have a small bathroom you can ascertain size by using optical illusion. If height is the concern then you can add height to bathroom by using vertical stripes. These can be in the form of paint or with wallpaper. Even tiles with vertical designs can be used right up to the ceiling. You can end it with a cornice to make the ceiling look higher. Mirrors help in increasing the look via width and depth; this is told by many Indian interior designers. But too many mirrors can spoil the look. Hence just use one mirror with strategic location, such that it can reflect the light from all angles.

Scientific experimentations have been going on in The Thrifty/Garden Home's test kitchen


yesterday and today. Starting off with a new recipe for Italian bread (akin to French bread ;) .. , mystery flavored ice cream (I have to do a double blind test on a few lab rats ... ahem, I mean family and neighbors before I reveal this flavor) ... could be a hit with Ben and Jerry if the mystery is revealed too soon .. and I don't want to give them reason to worry about competition ;) ... chocolate zucchini bread, peach butter, peach pie fillings, and something else that will come to mind later (I'm sure). I'll let you know what flipped and what flopped. Pictures, recipes and results to follow. Oh, IT came to mind before hitting 'publish' ... a big jar of refrigerator (Claussen type) pickles.

Pics: Mrs. Mac's kitchen 'pretties' , a few lovable 'lab rats', the experimentation chair.

Juiced Up!

Sambal Stuffed Selar

Ingredients
10 Selars
90g chilli padi
250g small onions
2 slices of belacan

Step 1 Blend the chilli padi using a blender.

Step 2 Cut belacan into pieces and blend together with the chilli.

Step 3 Pour 2 serving spoons of cooking oil into wok. There is no need to preheat the oil.

Step 4 Stir fry sambal paste over medium low heat for 5 minutes.

Step 5 Make a deep cut in the fish's belly and another less deep cut at the top part of the fish. Do this on both sides.

Step 6 Let the paste cool, then stuff the Selar with the sambal paste through the cuts and gill cover.

Step 7 Pour cooking oil into wok (such that ½ of the fish will be submerged in oil) and heat it up.

Step 8 Fry fish over medium fire until fish is golden-brown.

Bejewelled

Create a jewelry piece that capture your personality. Dazzle people around you with this elegant 14k crystal earrings!

Materials and Tools:

• Swarovski flat briolette11x10mm, Crystal golden shadow (qty 2)
• Swarovski faceted round 4mm, Black Diamond AB (qty 4)
• Swarovski round crystal link round (qty2)
• 14K gold-filled ball end ear wire (qty 2)
• 14K gold-filled open jump ring, diameter 3mm (qty 2)
• Antique gold-plated pewter 6mm Vine Briolette Bail (qty 2)
• Chain nose pliers
• Round nose pliers
• Cutters

Instructions:

1.Attach the bail on the Swarovski flat briolette

2.Place one Swarovski faceted round 4mm onto a headpin. Cut the excess wire. Finish the end with a simple wire loop using round-nose pliers to create a drop. Repeat to create a total of four.

3.Attach the Swarovski flat briolette made in step 1 and two of the Swarovski faceted drops made in step 2 to a Swarovski round crystal link using the jump ring.

4.Open a loop on an ear wire. Attach the loop to the other end of the Swarovski round crystal link. Close the loop.

Repeat steps 1 through 4 to create the other earring.

Techniques:

Below are instructions on how to form a simple wire loop:

Step 1
Using a piece of wire 1-2" long, grip the wire about 1/2" in from the end with the tip of the round nose pliers. Make a 90 degree bend in the wire by pushing the end opposite of the 1/2" piece down.

Step 2
Using an underhand grip (with you palm facing up), hold the end of your bent wire in the round nose pliers, about 1/2" down from the tip of the pliers.

Step 3
Roll the end of the wire towards the bend in the wire so that they meet.

Below are instructions on how to open a jump ring:

Step 1
With two pairs of chain nose pliers, hold each side of the jump ring.

Step 2
Gently push one side of the jump ring back to open it. Remember always open in a side-to-side motion, do not pull the ends away from each other as if expanding the circle.

Reverse the motion to close.

Designed and instructed by Beadz of Joy
http://beadzofjoy.blogspot.com/

It's been a while since I've had to purchase bread. Once I got into the routine of making a few loaves each week, even sticking some in the freezer for an emergency, it's been rather nice to offer my family some home baked goods. Even forcing me to find the time .. but, I have to admit, the stuff off the sprawlmart shelves can't compare. Here's another recipe I've been perfecting .. and can make with ease after a few go-arounds.

The same bread book that is mentioned in this post was used. If you don't want to make the bread the old fashioned way (by hand), you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook to do the kneading, or tweak the recipe to use in your bread machine (see below).

Challah Bread .. makes two loaves

4-1/2 to 5-1/2 cups unsifted flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 package active dry yeast (about 2-1/4 teaspoons)
1/3 cup softened butter*
pinch of saffron
1 cup very warm tap water
4 eggs (at room temperature)
1 teaspoon cold water
1/4 teaspoon poppy seeds (optional)

In a large bowl thoroughly mix 1-1/4 cups flour, sugar, salt, and the dry active yeast. Add the butter.

Dissolve the saffron in very warm tap water. Gradually add to dry ingredients and beat two minutes at medium speed of electric mixer (I used a hand mixer (Kitchenaid) with just one beater), scraping bowl occasionally. Add 3 eggs, 1 egg white (reserve yolk for later use), and 1/2 cup flour. Beat at high speed two minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough. Turn out onto lightly floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about eight to ten minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down; turn out onto lighly floured board. Divide in half. Divide each half into 2 pieces, one about 1/3 of dough and the other about 2/3 of dough. Divide larger piece into 3 equal pieces (you're going to be braiding ladies/gentlemen). Roll each piece into a 12-inch rope. Braid the ropes together; pinch ends to seal. Divide the smaller piece into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 10-inch rope. Braid the ropes together; place on top of large braid. Seal braids together at ends. Place on greased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough to form second loaf.

(recipe makes two large loaves of double stacked, braided bread .. with that picture in mind, it's not all that hard to make this recipe .. see photo of unbaked bread)

Beat together remaining egg yolk and 1 teaspoon cold water; brush loaves with egg mixture. Sprinkle with poppy seed. Let rise in a warm place, free from draft, until double in bulk, about 1 hour. (a closed oven with no heat will work).

Bake at 400 F, 18-25 minutes, or until done. Remove from baking sheets and cool on wire rack.

The taste and texture is similar to a croissant roll .. just not as buttery rich. Makes delicious toast and good sandwiches.

Here's a challah bread recipe I've adapted for the bread machine.

3/4 cup water
3 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
3-3/4 cups of unsifted (bread) flour
1-1/2 teaspoons rapid rise yeast
1/4 cup butter (cut into chunks)*

either make this single loaf dough and bake as directed above or bake at a medium setting following your bread machine directions.

*since challah bread is a Jewish egg bread, the original recipe called for using margarine .. which is kosher ... I'm not fond of margarine .. and am not Jewish nor kosher .. so prefer butter ;)

Rectangular Plates Modern Minimalist House

Rectangular Plates Modern Minimalist House

[via]

Homeowners Insurance -- 4 Tested Ways To Attract Discounts

Everyone can get high quality homeowners insurance coverage without paying top price. All you have to do to achieve this goal are little bits of information (Put into good use). Let us get into the ideas you need to enjoy cheaper rates...

1. It is more expensive and very unnecessary to insure the land on which your house is built. People do this ignorantly. They just insure their house for its complete value without deducting the land's cost.

If you made this mistake quickly meet with your agent and check through your coverage. Deduct the value of your land and buy coverage only for your structures and its contents.

With such a review you will reduce your rates by a huge margin and still leave with adequate home insurance coverage. Bear it in mind that insuring the land your house is standing on is plain waste of money since it does you no good whatsoever.

2. Your credit history has a serious impact on what you pay. Those who have excellent ratings spend far less than folks who have poor ratings. If your credit rating is bad then you've NOT been faithful in paying up your bills. This is a behavior that most insurance carriers believe will play out again in the way you treat your premiums. This makes you a bigger risk and so attracts a higher rate.

Therefore, it will do you much good to pay all your bills promptly. You will draw cheaper rates if you do.

3. You will pay more affordable premiums if you elect to pay your premiums anually and not monthly. Your insurer is compelled to send you 12 notices for monthly payments as against one for yearly payments. This increases their overhead.

If you include the fact that each check you make out is seen as a transaction by their bankers, you'll see that they still spend some more on transaction charges for each check you pay in. Twelve checks mean Twelve transactions and will attract Twelve separate charges.. These and other costs so incurred by your insurance company are eventually borne by you, the insured..

Therefore opt for yearly payments instead if you want to make savings through this means. The real amount you could save might differ but you may be able to save up to a month's premium worth with most insurance companies if you settle for this option.

4. You could save some hundreds of dollars by simply getting and comparing quotes from at least five quotes sites. And, it will require just about 25 minutes on the whole.

Get Dirt Cheap Home Insurance Quotes Now And Save!
Get The Best Quotes From Agents In Your Hometown!

Very Cheap Homeowners Insurance -- These Tips Work

Are you certain you really want cheaper rates? If answered "Yes" you need to do everything within your reach to learn as many ideas as as you can find for cheaper rates. I've got enough tips to help most people make savings of more than 50% on insurance...

Cut down on your homeowners' liability coverage while you get an umbrella policy instead and you'll reduce your rate considerably. The added advantage here is that even though you will spend much less, you'll also get much better coverage.

You buy home liability coverage to ensure you do NOT incur losses on account of injury to someone on your property. Furthermore, if a lawsuit emerges from such an injury, it also takes care of it. However, every liability coverage has limits that may inadequate to deal with certain lawsuits.

Nevertheless, an umbrella insurance policy will typically cater fully for even the craziest of lawsuits and all it would have cost you is just a negligible premium amount.

Dead-bolt locks on all doors to the exterior will help you attract a more affordable rate. They will make it harder for burglars to get into your house. The more protected your home is against burglary, the less the risk involved in insuring it.

Don't leave ladders in areas where someone can easily pick them. Doing this would be making a thief's job much easier. In the same manner, don't leave your tools or machinery on the lawn. just as with ladders, tools and such could help a burglar in breaking into your home. Keeping these things properly will save you many heartaches along with lower rates.

A household that has a smoker or smokers will get more expensive premiums. According to reports, about 23,000 residential fires can be traced to smoking. Do your utmost to ensure no one smokes in your home and you'll pay cheaper rates. For folks who smoke, bear in mind that you're eligible for a downward review in your rate once you've quit smoking for more than twelve months. What if your insurance company refuses to give you discounts because some companies do NOT have non-smokers discounts? Then it is time to shop for an insurance company who does except you get something else to justify your continued stay with such an insurer.

Check an insurer's rating and don't be deceived by just cheap rates. You do NOT want to pay your rates diligently just to discover later that your insurance company cannot keep to its part for a number of reasons. It doesn't take much time to check with your state's department of insurance's website. You can easily check an insurance company's rating there (and even if they even licensed to provide insurance in your state).

Independent bodies like BBB, A.M Best Company, Standard & Poor's Insurance Rating Services, Moody's Investor Services, Inc. will also help you determine if an insurer is worth it.

You will save much if you only have between 25-30 minutes. Visit, get and compare homeowners insurance quotes from various insurance quotes sites. The cheapest quote should be what you go for easily. However, you have to go beyond simply the cheapest quote to the best price to value ratio. The cheapest may not be the best price/value for you as an individual.


Get Dirt Cheap Home Insurance Quotes Now And Save!
Get The Best Quotes From Agents In Your Hometown!

Blogger Says You Need A Local Agent

Someone In Your World: Daren DiSantis of OfficialWire.com says that there are several advantages to having a local insurance agent, agreeing with me in the process.

Local insurance agents care more about you as a person than anyone else in the insurance business. I'm not saying that because I dislike claims adjusters (quite the contrary!) or any other nonsense like that. I am saying it because your local agent is the person you deal with for your insurance questions and needs. An agent will tell you if some course of action you want to take is the right way to go. An underwriter won't tell you that, a claims adjuster won't, and actuary won't. Agents advise; other insurance people react. That's a significant difference, and if you are buying insurance through an 800 number, you aren't talking to someone who thinks the way you do.

Farley Home Services strongly suggests that you have your own local insurance agent. In nearly every instance you can think of, a local agent is the best insurance professional for you to turn to. I can't emphasize this enough. Local agents will tell you that you need a home inventory too, by the way!

A. J. Farley owns Farley Home Services, your premier home inventory professionals. Please visit our web site at EverySingleItem.com, and thanks for your time today!

Home Decor Vinyl Stickers by ARTSTICK

We cover amazing homes or amazing pieces of furniture, but we never seem to get our sights towards wall decorations, so how about a switch? These customized wall stickers by ARTSTICK are some proper examples you should really check out if you want to add a special excitement into your living space wall in no time. Not to mention, if you are the artistic folk who loves to change your walls every once in a while, these stickers are removable so that you can display whenever your imagination “asks” for it. So choose your space, plan a design, and literally, peel and stick, they look great. Buy them here.