October 22, 2011

Guest Post: Easy Dinner Recipes: Saving Yourself Time and Energy

Today, Sean K., from the Blog Content Guild in Austin, Texas will be guest posting about some easy dinner recipes! Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend! Take it away Sean!

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Easy Dinner Recipes: Saving Yourself Time and Energy

Let’s face it: cooking dinner at the end of day is a hassle. American work life is very demanding, takes a lot of time, and usually depletes a lot of your energy. The goal of most working people is to find easy dinner recipes that are convenient, easy, and affordable. Without the right know how, making dinner easy can be difficult. Let’s discuss some strategies that will help make cooking dinner easy and convenient.

Keep the Recipes Simple and the Ingredients Flexible

What constitutes a simple recipe? There are two main things that decide whether or not a recipe is simple. The first is the complexity of the ingredients. When you receive an ingredient list, does the list contain a lot of items or are the ingredients difficult to create? Any list that exceeds 5 items typically is a more complex recipe. Further, if you have to spend time to create any of the listed ingredients, more than likely, the recipe is going to be complicated.

Next, you should strive to buy ingredients that are flexible – ingredients that can be mixed, matched, and seasoned with a variety of different foods. Buying foods that are flexible will make cooking dinner super easy because you won’t have to spend time deliberating about what item goes with another item. All you have to do is sprinkle your favorite seasoning and cook. Some examples of flexible foods are pasta, chicken, and staple foods such as hamburger meat and any type of noodle.



Also, if you don’t feel like making any effort to cook, you can always opt for a premade meal. Grocery stores have a huge variety of premade meals that will sure to satisfy your hunger. Make sure to check the nutritional labels on them! Sometimes premade meals can be very unhealthy for you, so it’s always a good idea to make sure you’re checking the nutritional content.


Technology and Cooking Tools

Technology has now made cooking dinner easier than ever. There are so many new appliances that have come out that practically take away all the effort involved in cooking. For example, a George Foreman Grill is the ideal cooking tool for cooking all types of protein. All you do is plug in this grill, let it heat up, and after 15 minutes, you’re ready to cook. Chicken is a perfect protein to cook on this grill! Another great tool that’s very useful for cooking is a crockpot. A crockpot is a self-heating pot. All you do is add all your ingredients and seasoning into the pot and watch it cook.


If you implement some of these strategies, you guarantee yourself dinner cooking that’s convenient and easy. 

October 21, 2011

Huxley and the Hairdryer

I am so glad it is Friday! It has been a long week working overtime and trying to shake a cold! Scottie and I don't have plans for this weekend yet, but we do have good news!

So last year, I moved into the apartment we're in now, but it wasn't the apartment we had signed a lease for. I mean, it was, but it was a handicapped version of it - so doors were wider, the bathroom is probably half of our house (that part I wasn't complaining about ;-)) and the counters were lowered. Because it was move in day, I was so upset but still had to go somewhere. So we moved in on condition that we could have a free transfer at any time with no admin or deposit fees.

Well, the market value for apartments has been insane lately, but finally this past month I found the layout I wanted and the location of our complex. Our complex is beautiful, white picket fences, dog parks, basketball courts, and greenery everywhere. We're also in a cul de sac on our own street. I absolutely love it! We got it at the same rent we're paying now (thank goodness, rents are over $100 what we're paying right now so I am grateful), and we move on my birthday weekend!! (Dec 8-10th) :) Yay! I am so happy we'll finally be in a normal non-awkward looking apartment where I can decorate the way I want to!!!

Anyway, that's really all I have for today. Making some delicious recipes over the weekend that will be posting up next week and a possible guest post so stay tuned!

As I get back to work, enjoy watching Huxley's new obsession. My hair dryer. (sorry it is kind of dark - late at night) - You would think he'd be afraid of vaccuum cleaners and hairdryers, but he is in full force taking this thing on! Haha, it is too funny. (Btw, yes. I'm sitting on the floor playing with a hairdryer with my dog. don't judge me :) hehe)


Of Possible Interest: Here is a fun site my coworker found me it's a visual quiz offered by New York Times Personality Quiz! Are you a trend setter like me? Click [here] the take the quiz!

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