Refrigerator or Pantry...

I came across an article today about what NOT to keep in the fridge and thought I'd check it out. I did a little research/fact checking and here's what I found..

These items should be kept in the pantry...they keep longer and free up much needed space in the fridge:

Bread - the refrigerator sucks out all the moisture and leaves it all dry and stale. It is suggested that you keep what you will eat within 4 days at room temperature and freeze the rest.

Coffee - I've always been told that the freezer is the best place to keep your coffee fresh. Turns out, the fridge (and freezer) create condensation, which can affect the flavor of your coffee (grounds or beans). Best to keep it in an airtight container in the pantry or cabinet.

 Batteries - Really? Umm, who  is seriously keeping batteries in the fridge? Whatever...don't answer that. Batteries are best stored in a drawer at room temp. Extreme temps. (hot or cold) can diminish performance.

Garlic - Does  well (up to 2 months) in the pantry. Store it loose, so air can move around it.

Hot Sauce - Most brands can live in the pantry for up to 3 years (3 years, people!)

Onions - Do well in the pantry in their mesh bag (or any bag that allows air circulation). Keep them away from the potatoes, which emit moisture and gases that can cause onions to rot.

Potatoes - not so sure about the "moisture and gases" these guys are emitting, but they store well in the pantry in paper bags and should last for up to 3 weeks.

Tomatoes - these big red blobs of yummy goodness get mealy in the fridge. They're best stored on the counter, out of plastic bags. To help speed ripening, store in a paper bag. Once ripe, they'll last for about 3 days.

Winter Squash - These little beauties, such as acorn, butternut, delicate and spaghetti will last a month or more in the pantry.

Nail polish - Are you kidding me? Who does that? What in the world would cause a person to want to store their polish in the fridge?  Nail polish will thicken in the fridge. Best to store at room temperature, away from direct sunlight.

So that got me thinking...wonder if there's stuff in my pantry that should actually be in the fridge? Here's what I found (some might surprise you):

Avocados - ripen on the counter or in a brown bag. Once ripe, store in the fridge to prolong shelf.

Fresh cut flowers - These tend to last a little longer if you store them in the fridge overnight.

Whole wheat flour - unless your baking up a storm with a bunch of whole wheat flour, transfer to a freezer bag and store in the fridge...it will last 6 times longer. (White flour is fine in the pantry)

Garden seeds - place these little guys in a moisture proof container and store in the fridge. Cool temperature extends the seeds' vitality.

Natural peanut butter - cool temperature preserves the oil. Stir once before putting in the fridge and it shouldn't separate later.

Eggs - Believe it or not, there are apparently people out there that debate whether eggs belong in the fridge or the pantry. I thought this was a no-brainer, but "research" shows that eggs kept at incorrect temperatures can carry salmonella (shocker, right?) So unless you are raising your own grain-fed, free-range chickens, that you can ensure have no signs of salmonella, these puppies should be stored in the fridge!

Homemade cookies - OMG...these are never around long enough to worry about, but apparently they stay fresh longer in the fridge.

Cologne and Eau de Toilette - Sorry guys, I don't want to have to go to the fridge whenever  I want to spray some "scent" on me, but study shows that the cool temperature helps retain fragrance for about two years. (Note: Perfume should be stored at room temperature.)

Lipstick - Once again, I don't want to have to run to the fridge for a quick lip update, but I suppose if you're an extreme coupon-er and you just bought 50 tubes for 25 cents, then you should store the extras in the fridge...it improves longevity.

 Candles - I never knew this and would probably giggle out loud if I saw candles in a friends fridge, but seems cold wax burns more slowly and drips less. Might have to try this one!

Bananas - There seems to be lots of conflicting ideas when it comes to bananas in the fridge, but it seems that like avocados, bananas should ripen on the counter or in a brown paper bag. Once they reach the level of ripe you like, place them in the fridge. The peels will turn black (and look pretty yucky), but the fruit inside will stay good for up to 2 weeks! And these bad boys will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months if peeled and wrapped well in plastic.

So there you have it. I'm sure there are tons more that could fit in these categories, but I'll leave you to process these few for now.

Magic Marshmallow Crescents...

Holy Cow, y'all! Only 4 ingredients and 12 minutes...what, what?? These little bites of heavenly goodness are amazing and the marshmallow "magically" disappears when it cooks! Pretty sure you're gonna want to double up on this recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 package refrigerated crescent rolls
• 8 Large marshmallows
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• Cinnamon/Sugar mixture

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place crescent rolls on cookie sheet or muffin tins.

2. Dip each marshmallow in melted butter and roll in cinnamon/sugar mixture.

3. Wrap each marshmallow in a crescent roll, making sure to pinch all sides tight (make sure it's nice and sealed so the yummy goodness doesn't ooze out).

    

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Let cool at least 1 minute before devouring!

    Variations:

• roll filled crescent roll in butter and/or cinnamon/sugar mixture before baking.
• substitute marshmallow peeps for a colorful Easter twist.
• sprinkle with pecans before baking

Parmesan Pepper Pull-Apart Bread...

(From Pampered Chef)

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 4 ounces fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 packages (11.3 ounces each) refrigerated dinner rolls.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray Bundt cake pan.

2. Melt butter. In separate bowl, combine cheese, pepper, and garlic.

3. Separate each dinner roll and cut into fourths. Dip rolls in melted butter, then roll in cheese mixture. Arrange rolls evenly in pan.

4. Bake 27-30 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 5 minutes before inverting onto cooling rack and serving.

Note: For a slight variation, substitute Italian Seasoning for black pepper.

Rocky Road Brownie Bars

(From Pampered Chef)

Ingredients

• 1 package (19-21 ounces) brownie mix (plus ingredients to make cake-like brownies)
• 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate morsels, divided
• 1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme
• 1/2 cup cashews, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions for cake-like brownies. Bake in 9 x 13 pan for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven.

2. Sprinkle 1 cup of the chocolate morsels over the hot brownie. Allow to stand 5 minutes until chocolate is melted, spread evenly.

3. Microwave marshmallow creme for 20-30 seconds until softened; drizzle over brownies.

4. Sprinkle chopped cashews over marshmallow creme.

5. Microwave remaining chocolate morsels for 1 minute, stirring after each 20 second interval. Drizzle evenly over brownies.

Note: For easier slicing, allow brownies to cool at least 20 minutes before serving.

Tortellini Casserole

Okay, so this one might actually take 15-20 minutes...but seems easy enough!

(From Parents Magazine)

Ingredients

• 1 package (16 ounces) cheese or beef filled tortellini
• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low-fat milk
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Butter a shallow 1 1/2 to 2 quart casserole dish. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. While pasta is cooking, prepare sauce in small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir constantly for 1 minute, until a smooth paste forms. Slowly add milk, whisking with a wire whisk until smooth. Cook 3 to 4 minutes until sauce bubbles and thickens. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and salt. Remove from heat.

3. Drain pasta and return to pot. Toss with white sauce and transfer to prepared casserole. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and cheese. Bake 5 to 10 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

"Magic Crust" Custard Pie

This literally takes like 5 minutes to whip together and dump in a pie shell! If you can be patient another 45 minutes, you're there. Of course, probably best once it's had time to chill, but go ahead...dig in while it's hot! Yum!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup margarine
4 eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
1 pinch salt
2 cups milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup all purpose flour
nutmeg (optional) NOTE: Cinnamon works well too!

Directions:

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend for 30 seconds. Pour into a buttered 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. The flour will settle to make it's own crust. Delish!

Overcoming Procrastination...

The most common cause of disorder is procrastination. When you steer away from one project you begin to steer away from others, which creates a domino effect.

Major Reasons for Procrastination

• Takes too long to complete
• Is too boring
• Seems ridiculous and takes time from something else more important.

Additional Causes of Procrastination

• Fear of failure
• Fear of success
• Fear of losing control
• Lack of clear, specific goals
• Underestimating the difficulty of the task
• Underestimating the time required to complete the task
• Unclear guidelines for the expected outcome
• Lack of planning...the major creator!

Tips for Overcoming Procrastination

1. Get the things that you hate to do completed first.
2. Stop seeking alternatives through e-mail and voice mail.
3. Stop pondering; more time is spent on not conducting the task then physically doing it.
4. Prioritize.

Additional guidelines for sanity and organization

• Create time frames for all projects and tasks.
• Hold yourself accountable.
• Seek success not perfection.
• Place your To Do List in a location where you will see it.
• Keep a notepad wherever you go.

Three Ways to Organize Your Work Space

1. Keep your desk clear.
2. Keep hanging file folders to a minimum.
3. Get rid of waste (**Use the "7" rule...if you haven't looked at an item in 7 days - file it or throw it away!)

Important Extras

• Strive to handle papers only once.
• Use a planner
• Use your computer, but remember names.
• File things so you can find them - keep filing up to date.

Information courtesy of Rockhurst University Continuing Education Center, Inc.

Smothered Chicken

Such a quick and easy meal just oozing with goodness!
Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, boneless (breaded is good too)
3 or 4 Tbsp olive oil
12 oz mushrooms, fresh (washed and sliced) (optional)
1/2 a white onion, sliced (optional)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can french onion soup

Directions:

Cut chicken breasts into strips or bite size chunks, and saute in olive oil with onions. Add all ingredients to sauteed chicken and simmer for approx. 1 hour.

You can also do this in a crock pot and simmer all day until dinner!

Using The Fill Handle...

Quite possibly one of the most unknown and/or under-utilized feature in Excel is the fill handle (it's the small black square in the bottom right of the active cell (the square you're in)).

This little slice of heaven can save you so much time and energy. How many of you are still entering number sequences by hand? Something like this...
1
Enter or Arrow Down
2
Enter or Arrow Down
3
and so on...

Excel is secretly standing back thinking what an idiot we are for doing that. If only we'd use the fill handle, we'd be done already!

Next time try typing a "1" and then grabbing the fill handle by hovering over the little black square in the lower right corner until your mouse pointer turns in to a plus sign. Click the left mouse button and hold it as you drag down to where you want to be.

Your Auto Fill Options menu will pop up with several options to choose from (Note: these options change depending on the information you are working with. The Fill Months, Fill Days, etc. options are only available if the cell contains a date). If you want all cells to have the same number you can leave as is, or choose "Copy Cells" and all cells will stay the same as the first cell.

If you want to create a series (1, 2, 3...), you can choose "Fill Series" and the series continues through to the last highlighted cell. (Note: you can also achieve this by originally entering 1 and 2, then highlighting both cells and dragging down...this automatically puts the numbers in sequence).

Oh, but wait...it can do SO much more!

Excel will auto populate days, months, dates, etc... You can type in "Monday" and drag that fill handle down and it will automatically fill in all the days of the week! You can type in "January" and drag that puppy down and it will automatically fill in all the months of the year! And you can type in "12/1/12" and pull that bad boy down as far as you want and it will keep adding each date until you stop!

This also works horizontally!

If you go too far, no worries, just drag your fill handle up or left (depending on the direction of your text) and it will clear the contents of those cells!

Or maybe, you need to add some columns or rows in the middle of your information. Just select the cell where you want to insert extra rows or columns and drag right or down while holding the "Shift" key.

Your Auto Fill Options menu also has options to Fill Formatting Only which will copy the formatting of your previous cells without copying the information and Fill Without Formatting which will fill the cells with the next numerical number without the formatting previously used (i.e. dates will be converted back into a numeric value instead of looking like 12/1/12).

Totally Amazing, right? Such a great time saver for all future projects!

Using Font Effects...

Changing your font makes a HUGE difference your document's appearance. Many companies actually have "rules" as to which font and font size is acceptable for company documents (crazy, I know...but can't say I blame them. Could you imagine important contracts and financial reports going out in Curlz MT or AR Hermann (look 'em up)).

Most font effects can be found already installed on the toolbar. You can set font type, font size, font color, bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, subscript and superscript. You can set text effects like outline, shadow, reflection and glow. You can highlight text and change the case, including sentence case (capitalizing only the first word and any proper nouns), uppercase, lowercase, capitalize each word, and toggle case.

As if all that weren't enough to completely knock your socks off, there's more!

First of all, to get to your font menu, you can do one of two things. First, highlight the text you want to change. Then you can click the itsy-bitsy-teeny-tiny little arrow in the toolbar beside the word "FONT" (under the font color button). Or, you can just right click your mouse to pull up your "context" menu. Go down to "Font" and left click to select it.

Either method will lead you to your font menu where you can select many of the options that are already on your toolbar, as well as a few other options that aren't, such as underline style and color and double strikethrough.

(If your using WORD 2003 (or heaven forbid earlier versions), you can still find your font menu by using your right click/context menu or go to Format on the Menu bar, then down to Font.)

But wait y'all...there's even more!!!

In the Font menu, you'll see two tabs: Font and Advanced. (In WORD 2003 or earlier, you'll actually see three tabs: Font, Character Spacing, and Text Effects) Now, honestly, most users will not go beyond the Font tab. In fact the little bit of information I've given you may have already caused a few heads to explode.  All anyone really cares about is size, color, type, etc... Right?

But for those persons who actually want to know more...or maybe just want to see what else I can throw out there...we'll briefly talk about the Advanced tab.

This little gem allows you to set your Character Spacing, Kerning, and OpenType Features. Say What????

(All this fancy-schmansy mumbo jumbo is for the "serious" user...or for those who really want to show off! And, Hey, why not? When you know how to do this artsy crap, you absolutely should show off! At the very least, you'll feel extra smart...for a little bit anyways.)

Character spacing adjusts the amount of space between all letters by allowing you to change the scale, spacing, and position.

• Scaling allows you to increase the width of your font by percentage without changing the height.
• Spacing can be condensed or expanded making characters closer together or further apart.
• Position can be raised or lowered above or below the baseline (the line your text normally starts at).
• Kerning is used to adjust the space between particular pairs of letters and gives a more uniform look to your document by avoiding the gaps that occur with letters such as "L", "T", "W", "Y", and "V". Once you set your font size, anything that point size or above will be adjusted.

And finally, for anyone who's still with me, WORD 2010 also offers OpenType Features (not available or compatible with earlier versions).

Ligatures
Ligatures are two or more glyphs (an individual mark on a written medium that contributes to the meaning of what is written) that are formed into a single glyph in order to create more readable or attractive text. (Don't blink your eyes at me...I didn't make this crap up)!

There are four types of ligatures (info from http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms745109.aspx)

• Standard ligatures -  Designed to enhance readability. Standard ligatures include "fi", "fl", and "ff".
• Contextual ligatures - Designed to enhance readability by providing better joining behavior between the characters that make up the ligature.
• Discretionary ligatures - Designed to be ornamental, and not specifically designed for readability.
• Historical ligatures - Designed to be historical, and not specifically designed for readability.

Number Spacing

• Proportional - Treats each numeral as having a different width (number "1" is narrower than number "5")
• Tabular - Treats each numeral as equal-width. Numerals align vertically increasing readability.

Number Forms

Old style font is offered and is useful in displaying numerals in styles that are no longer standard. Below is an example of the difference between Lining and Old Style Number Forms:

Stylistic Sets
You can choose various stylistic sets for your font. WORD comes pre-programmed with 20 stylistic sets, although most fonts only include 1 or 2. "Gabriola" includes 6...see below to see the differences.

Random Contextual Alternates (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms745109.aspx)

Random contextual alternates provide multiple substitute glyphs for a single character. When implemented with script-type fonts, this feature can simulate handwriting by using a set of randomly chosen glyphs with slight differences in appearance.

Huh?

Basically, this allows you to "switch it up" a bit and make the same letter look slightly different simulating what happens when you actually write stuff out.

The following text uses random contextual alternates for the Lindsey font. See how the letter "a" varies slightly in appearance.

So, how do you feel now? Did you learn something new? Can you apply some of these new font effects to your next document? At the very least, I hope you have the urge to go play around and try some of these font effects out in your next document.

And with that, I leave you with this little nugget. Go check out http://1001freefonts.com/ for some super cool fonts to download for free! So fun!

Welcome...

Okay...seriously...it takes a lot of work to get a blog started! Especially if you're doing it as something to "share with the world" (so to speak). You gotta actually use your "noggin" and come up with a "fun, cutesy, catchy" title and a blog address that makes sense, which, of course, the first title and blog address that you come up with that made you even want to start the blog in the first place is never available requiring you to start the freak over and figure out something that makes sense with this idea that you came up with that made you want to blog in the first place because of a title/address that is not available! Uggghhhh!! THEN...when you finally/hopefully come up with a new title and available blog address, you attempt to link to a Facebook page...you know...because there are so many fabulous people out there just dying to become a member of YOUR new blog...requiring you to come up with a Facebook page name and Facebook page address (which is 100% absolutely taken because there's a million (and one) wankers out there that set up a Facebook page/address and then don't use it) so then you have to get even more super funky/creative with a name/address so that it somehow ties in with your blog name/address...please DO NOT go back and change the blog name...it will become a never-ending cycle!

Once you FINALLY have ALL that figured out and you've typed and edited (and re-edited) your description and "About" page, you then will find yourself staring at a blank "new post" screen wandering what the heck the most logical first step is. What makes sense as your first post? Do you just dive right in...or will everybody be like, "Yo, where did that come from?" Am I required to put a bit of foreplay into my first blog instead of just going all in? Who the heck knows at this point?

My original thought on creating this blog was to share "tips and tricks" for Microsoft WORD and EXCEL (and maybe even some of the other less commonly used, but oh so much fun, Microsoft programs) because I am constantly asked by co-workers/friends/family, "Do you know how to [insert random request here]". As mentioned in my "About" page, I am not an employee of Microsoft...not a Professor or Engineer or any other kind of genius profession...not a super-human or super-hero (sniff). I do, however, work with Microsoft applications on a daily basis and test at a 98-100% level (Yay, me), so whenever I'm asked, "Do you know how to [insert random request here]", I love being able to reply, "Sure...do this, this, and that..." or, on that rare occasion I don't know how to do it, I enjoy figuring it out and then sharing. So, I figured, why not start a blog to share these random "tips and tricks" for anyone out there who stumbles upon my site and might be interested in learning something new.

But, then I thought, why stop there? Perhaps the plethora of random "tips, tricks, and ideas" that I encounter on any given day may be worth sharing? Some may be "tips, tricks, and ideas" that I came up with all by my big self (or at least as far as I know, I did)...some may be "tips, tricks, and ideas" that I found elsewhere (on other blogs or Pinterest or random internet searches) and will share (and credit) as is, and some may be "tips, tricks, and ideas" that I may have found elsewhere, but took and expanded upon or added to (to which I will give and take credit...naturally). I truly am a Lil' Miss Smarty-Pants in all sense of the word!

So, with all that said, I officially welcome you to my blog of "tips, tricks and ideas" for the "common man (or woman)" in everyday life. In other words, how can I make things easier, quicker, "funner", etc. for myself and those around me? Here you'll find a multitude of "tips, tricks, and ideas" including Microsoft programs, as well as organization...crafting...parenting...or whatever insanity pops into my mind at any random moment....because let's face it...even if we never do it, we're all like, "Ooooh...what a super-fabulous idea"!

I welcome comments, questions and ideas...contact me anytime (see "Find Me" page)...but, please don't pee in my Cheerios and I promise not to pee in yours!