When the weather gets warm, who doesn’t enjoy a little backyard fun? Playing fun games outdoors with your kids creates a lifetime of memories for everyone. Some of the best outdoor games were played in your childhood and in generations past, but they won’t ever get old for kids. Try playing these fun outdoor games from your childhood with your young ones. A quick trip to your local dollar store will provide you with some of the necessary items you’ll need to have a great day.
Archives for June 2015
Staying Cool this Summer without an Air Conditioner
Many people find it difficult to imagine staying inside in the summer heat without an air conditioner running on full blast. However, there are ways to keep you and your home at a tolerable temperature without the use of an air conditioner for much of the summer (in certain regions). Even if you do choose to use central air or a window AC unit, these tips will help you save some money on your monthly electric bill.
Keep the Blinds Closed
First, if you have large windows in your home and have gotten into the habit of opening your blinds and curtains in the morning, DON’T. Opening the blinds and curtains allows the sun to penetrate and heat up your home. You definitely don’t want to do that with or without an AC running. Keep all blinds drawn shut at the hottest times of the day. Doing this will help lower the temperature inside. Also, consider purchasing room darkening shades or heavy opaque blinds to help block out even more of the sun’s rays. If you want sun rays to enter the home, only open the blinds on small windows.
Homemade Bolognese Sauce with Penne Pasta and Sour Cream
This recipe for Homemade Bolognese Sauce with Penne Pasta is one of my all time favorites. This is not a loose type of sauce but rather a meaty, rich and super tasty meal. Many people use a combination of ground beef and pork, but I really enjoy using just ground beef. As for the pasta, you can use what ever pasta that you enjoy the best. I prefer penne because the hollow middle fills up with the thick meat sauce.
Ingredients
1 box of Penne Pasta (Cooked Al Dente)
2 Pounds of Ground Beef (80% meat, 20% fat)
2 Tablespoons Of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 6 Ounce Can Tomato Paste
3 8 Ounce Cans Of Tomato Sauce
1 Teaspoon Of Sugar
1 Small Onion Diced
1 Small Green Pepper Diced
2 Stalks Of Celery Diced
2 Medium Carrots Diced
3 Cloves Of Garlic Grated
1 Beef Bouillon Cube (dissolve cube in 2 tablespoons of very hot water)
2 Tablespoons Of Dried Oregano
1/2 Teaspoon of Dried Chili Flakes
1/4 Of Red Wine
1/2 Teaspoon Of Salt And Pepper ( to taste )
Strawberry Yogurt Pops Made With Stevia
When it’s oppressively hot outside, the last thing anyone wants is to have to count calories when consuming a delicious frozen treat. No worries when you make these delicious frozen Strawberry Yogurt Pops Made With Stevia — they’re made with just three ingredients.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to follow the recipe exactly — you can use different fruits such as blue berries, raspberries, mangoes, pineapple, etc. — whatever fruit you enjoy the most. Also, do not put any water in the mixture or it will form ice crystals and weaken the taste of the pop. Instead, if your mix is extremely thick add more yogurt to thin out. Taste your mix before placing it in molds to check for desired sweetness.
How to Protect Food from Insects at Outdoor Barbecues and Picnics
The more warm and sunny it gets outside, the more you, your family and friends are going to get excited about firing up the grill and barbecuing up a storm. But as exciting as it sounds in theory, bringing food outside can be a challenge due to the wide variety of bugs and flying insects that also want to party with you and have some of your delicious food. Here are some simple ideas for how to protect your food (and guests) from annoying insects.
Table Tent for Flies
As soon as the food hits the table outside, you’re probably going to have to start contending with flies who want to try some. Flies are mostly harmless, but they are very unsanitary insects—they sit and feed on feces, dirt and dead carcasses—so you don’t want them near your food. The best way to shield your food from flies is to get a couple of Pop-Up Mesh Screen Food Cover Tents. They’re made of a light mesh material that the average fly can’t penetrate and are super affordable (2 for about $10). Flies might still fly around the area, but you won’t have to worry about them sitting on your fried chicken and potato salad.