So you’ve made the decision to sell your home and put it up on the Manalapan real estate market. Now what? It takes a lot of mental preparation to let go of a space you’ve grown to love, and the process of selling your home can be particularly strange if you are still living in it. You have to keep your home tidy at all times in order to quickly accommodate your realtor and potential buyers. Here are some tips that will make your home more presentable to buyers, and also help you prepare to move into your new digs. Clear out clutter. If you haven’t touched it within the past year, toss it. …
Make Father's Day a success with some recipe ideas for the grill. These come from Taste of Home, a cooking magazine read by 16 million people every month. They put together some of their favorite recipes using non-traditional grill items, just in time for Father’s Day. All of these tasty, summer-filled recipes are made with easy to find ingredients from local grocery stores. Check out the Taste of Home Father’s Day menu must-haves: Grilled Romaine Toss Recipe – A spin on a salad favorite, grilling lettuce adds the perfect fresh, summer flavor to any meal. Shared by Trisha Kruse of Eagle, …
Prepare for your Cinco de Mayo fiesta with this lip-smacking guacamole recipe! Throw away those guacamole "herb packets" and try making the real deal - it's fresh, delicious, and I promise the recipe is muy fácil (translation: very easy)! Guacamole Ingredients 3 ripe Mexican avocados 1 fresh lime 1 small vine tomato 1/2 small red onion 3 tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro 1 tbsp. sea salt dash of freshly ground pepper 1 serrano chile seeded and chopped (optional) Recipe Cut avocados in half, remove pit, scoop out the avocado into a bowl and mash with the back of a fork. Finely chop the red …
With the Easter season over, my home has become a literal graveyard of shriveled tulips (my all-time favorite spring flower). But just because Easter is over, doesn’t mean I am going to throw out all those tulips! Most people would take their dead potted Easter flowers and throw them in the trash, but there is still life in them yet! Bulb plants, including tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, crocus, and iris, are hardy perennial plants that will keep returning every year in the garden. Here’s how to transfer bulb plants from the pot to the garden: Leave the plant in the pot until the flowers die. …
If you’re thinking of planting a vegetable garden this season, it’s not too late to start! April is the perfect month in New Jersey for planting a wide variety of vegetables, so think about where you want to place your backyard veggie garden while Patch shares some garden know-how.Early April in the Garden State is the ideal time for planting leafy greens, such as spinach, lettuce, endive, cabbage and chard because these vegetables can be planted up to 6 weeks before the last frost (which, in New Jersey, is typically April 1). For spinach, make sure you use a good compost mix and sow the …
Ingredients: 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts 2 8 oz packages of cream cheese 1 cup Hidden Valley Ranch dressing 3/4 cup of Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese Cooking Instructions: Boil chicken breasts in water until cooked, about 25 minutes. Drain and let sit until breasts become cool to the touch. Place a large and deep frying pan on medium heat on the stove and place the cream cheese, ranch dressing and wing sauce into the pan. Stir until completely combined. Shred the chicken into the mixture, being sure to stir occassionaly so the mixture does not …
Baked all your cookies but STILL think your holiday dessert table is missing a statement pastry? Whip up this recipe! This pecan pie is incredibly easy to make and incredibly delicious! The recipe is based on traditional southern pecan pie recipes and it is the perfect addition to your holiday dessert repetoire. Ingredients 4 tablespoons butter 3/4 cup granulated brown sugar 1 tablespoon flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup cane syrup 3 eggs 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup pean halves 1 9-inch pie crust Recipe Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine butter, sugar, flour and salt in a …
Flowers make every room more cheerful and bright, and while people think of poinsettias as the ultimate Christmas flower, free standing bulb flowers are also a traditional Christmas and New Years bloom. Growing your own for the holiday season means planting bulbs in autumn to guarantee blossoming flowers by Christmastime. However, pre-planted bulbs in a beautiful pot, or already blooming Christmas bulb flowers can be purchased at any garden store this time of year and make great gifts. The most popular Christmas bulb flower is known as the Amaryllis plant. Amaryllis come in a variety of …
As the blustery cold approaches, it's time to prepare your roof and gutters from the impending snow. Don't let the current warm weather fool you, winter is on it's way and now is the perfect time to analyze your roof and clear out those gutters. The following suggestions are recommended by GAF, North America's largest Roofing Manufacturer, which is based out of Wayne, NJ. Check the roof framing structure to verify that it has not weakened. Focus on looking for uneven areas which may indicate damage to the roof deck beneath the shingles. Examine the gutter system and make sure they are not …
INGREDIENTS 7-8 apples, various types Juice from 1 lime 2/3 cup flour 1 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 cup butter RECIPE Peel and core the apples. Place them on a cutting board and slice. Place the sliced apples into a large bowl and squeeze the juice of one lime onto the pieces; toss. Grease a 10.5 inch pie pan and pile the sliced apples high into the pan. Don't worry if it seems as if the mound of apples is overflowing, the apples will shrink down while in the oven. In a medium bowl combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Mix all ingredients together with your hands …
Just because it’s getting cooler doesn’t mean it is time to ignore your lawn! Fall is a great time to get ahead of the game and keep your lawn healthy before the frost comes, that way when spring creeps up on us you’ll be better prepared than your neighbor. Change Mower Height If you adjusted your lawn mower to a higher height for the summer months, now is the time to lower it back down to about 2 inches. Longer grass is great for the summer as it reduces the amount of heat and sunlight from drying out the soil, but in fall it is good to have shorter grass so that your lawn does not …
Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese practice of interior design with the purpose of creating a healthy and beneficial energy flow throughout a space. Color, material, and furniture placement are all part of Feng Shui (literally translated to “wind” and “water”), but one main and basic component is color. People respond to the energy of color, and it is important to make sure each room in your home evokes the feeling you want. Here is a list of the five elements of feng shui, the colors that correspond with that energy, and what energy the color elicits: Fire Red, orange, bright yellow, pink, …
One of the best parts of summer in New Jersey is leaving the confines of the home and spending time outdoors. While our state does not have the year-round temperate, dry weather of California, we can still create an outdoor living space for several months out of the year. The most important part of creating a comfortable, functional, and durable space is the furniture. Resin furniture is arguably the most hardwearing choice for outdoor living, as it is not easily affected by the elements and is extremely low-maintenance and easy to clean. Resin furniture can be made out of recycled materials…
With such an extreme heat wave hitting the area your crisp, green lawn can turn into a brittle, brown mess fast. The key to keeping grass from suffering a quick death in hot temperatures is simple - water, water, water. WHEN With temperatures in the high 90s and even low 100s a majority of the water used to satisfy your lawn can evaporate quickly if you don’t water at the correct time of day; this can lead to a high water bill for water your grass is not even “drinking”. Be sure to water your lawn early in the morning, generally between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., or when the temperature is below 75…
June is about maintenance. The rain has slowed, the temperatures have creeped up, and it's finally starting to feel like summer. Although you may feel like dumping all of your responsibilities and heading to the beach, there are some easy things you should do to maintain the beautiful landscape or garden you planted earlier this spring. Water, Water, Water It is really important for your flowers, grass, and shrubs to be watered heavily. All newly planted flowers and trees should be thoroughly watered. However, you do not need to water them often, so that they can create a resistance to …
Have you ever spent a lot of money and labored planting beautiful, full shrubs to have them thin out overnight? Or, have you planted beds of the most fragrant flowers, to have all of the heads removed the next day? No, it’s not your neighbor trying to ruin your picture-perfect garden out of pure jealousy. The real culprit? Deer. Deer are a wonderful part of living in the more rural sections of New Jersey, but they also are herbivores and have no qualms about eating off of your property. While there are deer resistant sprays you can spritz on the garden, the safest way to ensure an uneaten …
Now that you know how to dust, clean your wood and tile floors, wash windows, and steam clean carpets -- it's time to turn to all things fabric! Curtains After a long winter, it is time to steam clean, wash, or vaccumm your curtains. If you are planning on putting heavy curtains away for the summer, it is extremely important to remove all dirt and dust that has accumulated on the heavy fabric during the winter months. Curtains are like magnets to dust, and when neglected, become allergen hazards. Before you break out the vacuum, however, be sure to inspect the curtains first. If you notice …
Dusting Dust is synonymous with an unkept home, and something nobody wants all over their home. What exactly is dust, you ask? Dust is a combination of dead skin cells, pet dander, dust mite excrement, dirt, and fabric fibers. Dusting should be done regularly, as dust can cause certain health problems such as breathing issues and allergies. Furthermore, large accumulations of dust can actually damage your furniture, scratch surfaces, and clog surfaces. It is vital that you dust electronics and furniture at least once a week. Out of the way areas that accumulate dust, such as ceiling fans, …
Banishing clutter is one of the best ways to bring a clear perspective to a cramped space. Let’s face it, becoming a prisoner to too much stuff is extremely overwhelming and clearing out a closet, basement, garage, desk, or pantry can be a daunting task. Nevertheless, throwing out unnecessary items and reorganizing our necessities is all part of the spring cleaning tradition. Here are some tips so as to not go crazy in the clutter! Think vertically: don’t forget to use all of the space you have on your ceiling and up your walls. By installing shelves or hanging rods from the ceiling to hold …
There is more to the dreaded “spring cleaning” besides scrubbing tiles, vacuuming carpets, washing windows, and laundering upholstery. Home maintenance is a big part of prolonging the life of your house, keeping it a safe and stable home. Exterior Now that the snow and ice have melted, it is time to throw the ladder up against your home and clean out the gutters! Be sure to clean out any leftover foliage build-up, especially in the drainage areas. Spring inevitably brings rain, and proper drainage is important because trapped moisture brings mold and mildew which can severely damage your …
