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Best Peppers in the World

If you don't have some, you need to go get some.  They are hard to find, so stock up when you do find them.  A good flavorful pepper that's not too hot.  Also try the jalepeno.  Good flavor, a little more heat, great crunch, no soggy peppers here. The jalepenos are much easier to find.

Roux the Day!

Much Ado About Gumbo

This is my very first roux.  It's a medium roux, came out absolutely perfect the first time.  I was very surprised after hearing all of the roux horror stories, with visions of burnt roux in my head I persevered. I thought I would be over the stove for hours stirring, and stirring, and stirring.  It was not that serious.  My roux advice would be: keep the heat low and stay in the kitchen.  Now you too, can roux the day!

OMG Lemons that smell like, lemons!

I had not realized how long it had been since I bought a citrus fruit that actually had a scent. These organic lemons and limes actually smell like lemons and limes. The skin is thin and they are bursting with juicy, goodness. The non-organic types were hard, pithy and unscented. Something to think about next time you're at the market.

Thirsty?

So here's a funny story.

After listening to Arick whine, "I'm hungry, I'm hungry," over and over and over again, we finally came to the realization that sometimes hungry means thirsty. So, we are trying to teach him how to say "I'm thirsty" when he wants something to drink.

The other day he held up his cup and said, "I'm hungry." His sister replied, "No, you mean you're thirsty." He looks at her and with all the two-year-old attitude he could muster up and said, "No, I can't say THIRSTY?"

How to Dye Ektorp Slipcover

If you have ever wondered about dyeing an Ektorp 3 seater sofa slipcover from Ikea, wonder no more. The basic white slipcover which is $49 and some Rit dye is all you need. The color takes beautifully. To get this rich shade of reddish cocoa brown I used 12 packs of dye (10 cocoa brown and 2 dark brown). I dyed them in two batches in the washing machine. First the pillow cases and then the sofa cover (5 cocoa brown and 1 dark brown each). If you want a chocolate brown flip it. Use 10 dark brown and 2 cocoa brown.

First, I washed the cases as directed. I filled up the washer with hot water. Then, I mixed the dye in a large Pyrex measuring cup. I added 1 cup of salt as directed and enough water to dissolve the powder. I only added 1 cup of salt per batch, not one cup per package. Everything seemed to work out fine but, put down a sheet of newspaper under your mixing bowl it will save you from cleaning the dye off your counter tops. Next, I added the dye to the the water and put on my rubber gloves. Place the covers into the washing machine and submerge them in the water. Close the top and let them wash for 30 minutes. This means you may have to reset you washer several times to reach 30 minutes. Set a time do not let the water drain before your time is up. After 30 minutes let the washer finish its cycle. Set your machine to a short wash cycle on cold water. This will give it two more rinses for me this was enough. If your water is not clear, rinse again. Take the out and dry them. Start batch 2. It's that simple. When it comes out of the dryer it will be very wrinkled. You will need to press or steam the sofa cover.

After you are finish dyeing, wash any drops of dye off your machine parts that will not be cleaned by running another cycle with bleach. Follow the Rit directions for cleaning your machine. Boxes of Rit dye can be purchsed at Walmart for $ 1.66ea, however, they are limited in the colors they carry. I purchased some from Michael's for $ 2.66ea. They have lots of colors. I even found some at Kroger for $3.87ea, a bit pricey. In total it cost me about $50. If Ikea carries a color that you like for $129 or less, buy it.

If you have multiple pieces to dye forget about the Rit dye, it will cost you a fortune. You need to order Procion Fiber Reative dye from Dharma Trading http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/3796-AA.shtml?lnav=dyes.html. You can now get two large plastic storage bins and use cold water to dye you wares. Don't forget the soda ash fixative and the Calsolene oil. They have 110 brillant colors. They have 4 different blacks. If you want deep, rich colors, this is the preferred method. If I had been patient enough to wait for shipping I would have saved a whopping $30 bucks.

Is this Crazy or What!

We haven't been able to get a decent picture of Arick in months. He doesn't stand still anymore. When we do get a picture it comes out looking like this one. I was taking pictures to show his Nanny his new hair cut but

we just can't stop laughing.