Angela Paris

Easy Lox Recipe at Home – Surprise Your Family!

December 30, 2020 by Angela Paris

Lox is the favorite recipe for many Americans and usually, it is kind of pricey. The reason behind this is that lox is made from expensive ingredients such as salmon. Not just that, but the preparation costs for Lux also add up. This is why it’s always a great idea to make your own lox at home. Your family is going to love it and believe me, you will save a fortune in the end.

If you are worried that lox is not an easy recipe to prepare at home, then you should be pleased to know that this is not the case. You can cook lox from the comfort of your kitchen and the taste will be just as good, if not better than the lox prepared at fancy restaurants. With that said, check out the easy lox recipe at home below.

Required Ingredients

1 cup of kosher salt;
1 cup of sugar;
½ bunch dill (steamed and leaves washed);
One ½ 2lbs salmon filet (boneless, with the skin on).

Cooking Instructions

The first step is to rinse the salmon filet and to remove all the pin moves. The best way to do this is to use small pliers or tweezers to pull out the bones without pinching your fingers. You should always pull the bones the same direction they face. Now, cut the salmon in half.

Use a bowl to mix the salt and sugar. Take out a plate and place the mixture equally on each half of the salmon. Don’t worry if it seems like there is too much mixture, you can pile it on the salmon because it will be absorbed during the curing process. Now, place the dill on top and tightly wrap the salmon pieces with a plastic wrap.

Place the salmon into a gallon-sized Ziploc back and make sure to push all the air. The next step is to place the salmon in a shallow dish and refrigerate them with weights on top. The curation takes two to three days. You should drain any liquid that has been extracted from the salmon each night and then flip the pieces over.

You can begin tasting the salmon after two days. When the salmon has the desired taste, you can go ahead and remove the plastic wrap. I highly recommend eating lox with a fresh bagel, onion and lemon.

Perfect Gifts for Your Best Friend – Top 5 Ideas

December 23, 2020 by Angela Paris

Finding the perfect gifts for your best friend is never an easy task. Even though you probably know everything about your bestie, finding a gift that is going to leave her surprised is always challenging. Here is where I come in. Today I am going to share with you the top 5 perfect gift ideas that will blow your best friend away! Without any further ado, let’s jump right into it.

#1 Good Friends Coffee Mug

If there is one gift that you can never go wrong with, then it has to be a personalized coffee mug. Does your bestie love to drink tea or coffee? If that is the case, then she is going to appreciate getting this 14 oz. mug from Quotable Cards that features an inspiration saying.

Get the Good Friends Coffee Mug

#2 Soul Sister Bracelets

Are you so close to your bestie that you feel like sisters? The Soul Sister Bracelets is one of the most amazing gifts that you can get for your best friend and there is no doubt about that. The design is amazing and more importantly, it shows to your best friend how much you care for her.

Get the Soul Sister Bracelets

#3 Fun Slippers

Sometimes, the best gift that you can get for a loved one is a practical item that they will use every day. The fun slippers featured in the picture above are a really great choice for a best friend. They are not only funny and comfy, but they also look great.

Get the Fun Slippers

#4 Matching Necklace

I previously showed you the Soul Sister Bracelets, but now I have something even better. The BFF Unicorn Jewelry Gift is a fun and thoughtful gift for best friends. The necklace is made from stainless steel that is very durable and corrosion-resistant. You and your best friend are going to wear the necklace for the years to come!

Get the BFF Unicorn Jewelry Gift

#5 Friends: The Family We Choose

What better way to show how much you love your best friend other than with a mini-book that says “friends are the family we choose”? The mini-book contains hundreds of quotes about friendship from celebrity writers such as Jane Austen and ending with philosophers as Aristotle.

Get the Friends: The Family We Choose Book

Decorate Your Kitchen with Unique Items – Top 5 Ideas

July 23, 2020 by Angela Paris

Are you dreaming of a kitchen renovation? Fortunately, you don’t have to knock down any walls and start from scratch because instead, you can add some unique items to make your kitchen look amazing. The best-kept secret of interior design is that the style relies on small items and not just on the appliances, cabinets, and the countertop.

If you are having issues coming up with unique design ideas, then you are in luck. Today I am going to share with you my top 5 kitchen decoration ideas that you will love! With that in mind, let’s jump right into it.

#1 Chalkboard Menu Wall

Setting up a chalkboard menu wall is super simple and it will not take you longer than one hour. This unique design idea doesn’t only look great, but it also gives you the freedom to add anything that you want. Are you not sure what dinner to cook for your family? Write the option on the chalkboard and your family can vote which one they like the most.

#2 Floating Cabinets

One mistake that most people make when decorating their kitchen is that they use closed shelves. While they are super useful, they look really bland and no one can deny that. My advice is to opt for floating cabinets that will make your kitchen feel bigger and brighter.

#3 Unique Lighting

The small accents are what make an interior design stand out and installing a new lighting system is going to make the kitchen feel brand-new. The lighting that you use is so powerful in terms of design that it will make a statement to everyone who steps foot inside your kitchen. Floating lamps such as the one shown in the picture featured above are always a great choice.

#4 Pot Racks

Usually, people store their pots in cabinets because they take up way too much space when placing them on the counter. Fortunately, here is where pot racks come in and save the day. This is a unique item that will transform the way your kitchen looks and feels. Not just that, but you will also have quick access to your pots.

#5 Paint the Interior of Your Cabinets

One of the simplest yet amazing kitchen decoration ideas is to paint the interior of the cabinets. You can use bright colors that are guaranteed to make an impression anytime that you open a cabinet. Another great idea here is to use an inky, marine blue color that will make the space feel more formal.

Best Summer Appetizers – Become the Most Popular Host!

January 27, 2021 by Angela Paris

What better way to become the most popular party host on the block other than with delicious summer appetizers? If you are running out of ideas, then you have arrived at the right website because today I am going to share with you my top 5 best summer appetizers that will blow your guests away! Starting with savory bruschetta and ending with a guacamole recipe, I am going to take you on a culinary journey that you will not forget. With that said, let’s jump right into it.

#1 Bruschetta with Tomatoes and Basil

One of the best summer appetizers is also the easiest to prepare. I am talking about the world-famous bruschetta with tomatoes and basil. The recipe is super easy to make you the only thing that you need to do is find fresh tomatoes and basil to add more taste.

#2 Grilled Pineapple Salsa

If you are looking for a delicious recipe that is a bit on the exotic side, then you can’t go wrong with Grilled Pineapple Salsa. This recipe is refreshing and delicious at the same time. The salsa will make your mouth hot and the pineapple is there to cool things off.

#3 Tomato, Watermelon, and Feta Skewers with Mint and Lime

Who says that summer appetizers can’t be healthy? The Tomato, Watermelon, and Feta Skewers with Mint and Lime are here to prove everyone wrong. Cut all the ingredients in small cubes and then toss them in a salad bowl or on a skewer. You can serve this appetizer next to freshly grilled meats for the ultimate culinary sensation.

#4 Garlic Knots Summer Appetizer Recipe

Do you have a small garden where you grow garlic? If that is the case, then you are in luck. Garlic knots are amazingly delicious and baking a large batch of them is super simple. It won’t take you longer than 30 minutes and your family is going to love them.

#5 Bacon Guac Bombs

I saved the best for last! Bacon Guac Bombs are the most popular summer appetizers and there is a good reason for that. This delicious recipe combines fried bacon with tasty guac to create a salty snack that everyone is going to enjoy.

Best Gifts for Sisters -Make Her Feel Special

July 17, 2020 by Angela Paris

Do you want to surprise your sister with a gift that she will never expect? This is a challenging task because she is probably one of your favorite people and you want to get her something special. Here is where I come in and help you find the best gifts for sisters.

Today I am going to share with you some amazing gifts for sisters that are going to blow you away. The trick to getting a great gift is not to go for something super expensive and instead, pick something thoughtful and useful. Without any further ado, let’s get right into it.

Top 5 Best Gifts for Sisters

#1 Multi-Card Case Wallet

This is a gift that keeps on giving! Getting your sister a multi-card case wallet is going to make her day and this is all thanks to the fact that she will be able to carry all her essentials in her pocket. She will no longer have to drag a purse around with her everywhere that she goes.

#2 Comfortable Slippers

If there is a gift that everyone is going to love, then it has to be a pair of comfy slippers. You can never have enough of them around the house. The pair featured in the picture above features a stylish design, but you can go for any design that you want, even the funny plushy models.

#3 Coordinates Necklace

Whether your sister moved away from home or not, you can never go wrong with a coordinates necklace. The necklace looks amazing and it will always bring her back memories of growing up with you. The childhood home will always have a special place in her heart.

#4 Weighted Blanket

This might come as a surprise to some of you, but a weighted blanket will do wonders for your sleep. It has been proven that using a weighted blanket will make the person feel like someone loved is hugging them and if your sister has problems falling asleep, you are going to make her day with this gift. You can even pick the weight start as light as 5 pounds to as heavy as 30.

#5 Family Mugs

The last gift for sisters that I want to share with you is personalized family mugs. There are numerous artists that are selling this type of product on Etsy, Amazon, and many other websites. You can give them pictures of your family members, including you, and have the artist create personalized family mugs.

Final Words

The best gifts for sisters are always the thoughtful ones that make them feel loved. Even if you get her something expensive that is going to leave her in awe, getting her something personalized that is designed especially for her is more than sure going to bring a smile to her face. Let me know in the comments what gift are you going to get your sister.

Top 5 Easy Vegetables to Grow Indoors

July 14, 2020 by Angela Paris

Are you looking to take advantage of the warm summer days and grow a small garden? Planting vegetables is the best thing that you can do during the summer and there is no doubt about that. You can even grow them indoors! Doing this will make sure that you always have fresh vegetables to cook delicious and healthy meals. To make things even better, growing vegetables indoors is super easy if you know which ones to pick. Here is where I come in.

Today I am going to show you the top 5 easy vegetables to grow indoors. I am also going to give you some quick tips to help you keep your indoor garden green and always growing. Without any further ado, let’s jump right into it.

Top 5 Easy Vegetables to Grow Indoors

#1 Carrots

If there is one vegetable that everyone should consider growing indoors because it is so easy to maintain, then it has to be carrots. Carrots do not require too much space around them and they also grow in all types of soil. This vegetable thrives at around 60 degrees Fahrenheit and the trick to making it grow is to give it at least 12 hours of light per day.

#2 Lettuce Greens

Another healthy vegetable that you will love having around the house is lettuce greens. This vegetable is easy to grow and it only requires a small place next to a sunny window. Not just that, but you can harvest the leaves as much as you want, and the plant will keep growing them back. Therefore, you will have an endless resource of lettuce greens.

#3 Onions

I think it’s safe to say that onions are a “must-have” in any kitchen. They add so much flavor to recipes that you should consider growing them in your own indoor garden. The best thing about having homegrown onions is that you will never have to worry about their origin and if the producer used any unsafe fertilizer. You will be in total control.

#4 Garlic

Garlic is another vegetable that will make your meals delicious and bring a smile to your family’s faces. Garlic is used in thousands of recipes and having an endless source right in your homegrown garden is going to pay off. In addition, garlic doesn’t require too much maintenance. Simply water it regularly and let it get sun.

#5 Tomatoes

This might come as a surprise, but tomatoes are quite easy to grow indoors. The great thing about tomatoes is that they do well in containers. Therefore, you will not have a problem finding a good spot to place them. However, I do need to mention that tomatoes need lots of sunlight to grow and you should make sure to place them close to a window.

Best Tips to Growing Vegetables Indoors

The first thing that you need to do is to find a container that is big enough to allow the roots of the vegetable to grow. You also want to make sure that the container has a drainage hole at the bottom. If you can’t find a container that meets the criteria, then you should be pleased to know that you can make one yourself.

The tricky part about growing vegetables indoors is getting enough sunlight for them. This is why it’s always better to place them by the window. If this is not possible, then you might want to consider investing in row lights. They cost around $40 to $50 at markets such as Home Depot.

Toddler Feeding Schedule – Example and Benefit

July 10, 2020 by Angela Paris

There is lots of preparation in learning how to be a good mom and since you arrived here, you are on the right path! Even though children may act like they can do anything without needing help, this is never the case. The first step to helping your kiddos grow healthy and strong is to develop a daily schedule of meals and snacks that they will love. Today I am going to show you why you need to implement a toddler feeding schedule, what are the benefits, and what is the best feeding schedule to follow.

What are the benefits of a feeding schedule?

First and foremost, your children will develop healthy eating habits. They will learn how to eat properly from an early age and as they grow older, they will not have problems with weight or have cravings at 3 in the morning.

Following a strict feeding schedule, your children will also learn to make the difference between snacks and healthy meals. In addition, children can throw tantrums when they are hungry and this will not happen if you feed them at exact hours.

Example Meal and Snack Schedule

Your toddler’s feeding schedule changes depending on what time they get up in the morning. Your primary goal is to make sure that all the meals and snacks are at the same hour, every day. It’s okay if you miss one hour, but you should try to keep the same schedule as much as possible.

Let’s say for example that your child eats something at 12:00 p.m. on Monday and at 13:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Nothing bad will happen, but you should try to and adjust the next meal so that your child’s tummy is not too full. You can check out an example feeding schedule below:

Example:

Breakfast: 7 a.m.
Quick Snack: 10:00 a.m.
Lunch: noon
Second Snack: 3 p.m.
Dinner: 6 p.m.

Crispy and Creamy Puff Potatoes to Serve with Tea

July 9, 2020 by Angela Paris

Do you love cooking delicious snacks and you are looking for a new recipe that your family will love? If that is the case, then you have arrived at the right place. Today I am going to share with you my favorite crispy and creamy puff potatoes to serve with tea.

The recipe is not that complicated but the taste of the crispy and creamy puff potatoes is going to blow you away, especially when paired with sweet tea.

The Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients that you need for this amazing recipe:

1 large egg (beaten);
½ cup of flour;
2 tablespoons of nonfat dry milk;
1 tablespoon of unsalted buttermilk;
A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg;
Vegetable oil (for frying).

Cooking Instructions

Even if you don’t consider yourself a master chef, this recipe is so simple to make that you will be able to do it right from the very first try. Check out the step-by-step cooking instructions below:

First Step

The first thing that you need to do is to put the potatoes in a saucepan and fill it up with water. Now, add a pinch of salt and start heating the water to a boil. You should simmer over moderate heat until the potatoes are tender. This usually takes up to 20 minutes.

Next, drain the potatoes and place them back in the saucepan. Cook the potatoes for 1 minute at high heat. Make sure to keep shaking the saucepan.

Second Step

After the potatoes finish cooking, you need to pass them through a ricer into a larger bowl. Now, it’s time to make the mix. Stir in the egg, dry milk, cheese, flour, nutmeg, and butter. Season the mix with salt. The last step is to use floured hands to roll the potato mixture into 1-inch balls.

Third Step

Go ahead and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use a large nonstick skillet to heat ½ of the vegetable oil until it starts shimmering. You should work in batches of about 10.

Fry the potato balls at high heat until they are browned on three sides. It will take you 2-3 minutes per side. Drain the potato balls on paper towels and then season them with salt.

Fourth Step

As soon as you finish frying all the potato balls, the last step is to group them together and reheat them in the oven for 5-10 minutes. The last thing that you need to do is to serve them with some delicious tea!

Healthy Lunches for Your Kids – Finger Licking Good!

July 7, 2020 by Angela Paris

Getting kids to eat healthy is a challenging task, but you can make it easy by preparing healthy lunches that they will grow to love. Kids play around all day long and you need to make sure that they all the nutrients that they need to keep their energy levels high, here is where I come in. Today I am going to share with you my top NUMBER favorite healthy lunches that your kids will not only love, but they will ask for them every day.

#1 Chicken Taco Salad

The difficult part about preparing healthy lunches for kids is to get them excited about it. Fortunately, there are many delicious recipes that will leave them in awe and the Chicken Taco Salad is one of them. This is a crunchy salad that has enough nutrients to help your kids grow big and strong.

Ingredients:

¼ tsp olive oil;
2 tbsp low-fat sourced cream;
1 Baby Gem lettuce (shredded);
50g sweetcorn (drained);
5 cherry tomatoes (halved);
75g cooked BBQ chicken;
Juice 1 lime;
½ small avocado (peeled and chopped);
1 corn taco shell (broken into pieces).

Cooking Instructions:

Create the dressing by combining the oil, soured cream and vinegar. Make sure to keep the dressing in the fridge.
Place the chicken, sweetcorn, lettuce and tomatoes in a lunchbox. Stir the lime juice into the avocado and put it on the top of the ingredients.
All that is left to do is to scatter the taco pieces and enjoy the meal.

#2 PB&J Apples

Kids go crazy about PB&J and you can be sure that they will love this PB&J Apple recipe. The bread is what makes the traditional recipe not very healthy and by replacing it with fresh apples, the energy level of your kids will be through the roof.

Ingredients:

2 fresh apples;
¼ c. peanut butter;
¼ c. jelly.

Cooking Instructions:

Slice the apples into ¼ rounds. You can use a cookie cutter to get the seeds and the core out.
Spread peanut butter on the jelly and then cover the slices just like you would with a regular sandwich.
Enjoy the delicious meal.

#3 Cauliflower Grilled Cheese

Even though kids might be not that excited about cauliflower, I guarantee that they will fall in love with it after they try the famous Cauliflower Grilled Cheese recipe. Check out the instructions below.

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, (to make about 4 cups processed cauliflower);
2 eggs, lightly beaten;
1/2 c. finely grated Parmesan;
1/2 tsp. oregano;
1 1/2 c. shredded white Cheddar.

Cooking Instructions:

Slice the cauliflower into florets. Now, process the florets in a food processor to make the texture look like rice. You can also grate the cauliflower.
Use a bowl to combine the processed or grated cauliflower with eggs, oregano and parmesan. Make sure to mix the ingredients until they are combined well and then use salt and pepper.
Heat a nonstick skillet at medium heat, spray it with cooking spray and then scoop the mixture into a small patty. Do the same for the second patty.
Next, press down on the two pieces with a spatula and wait until thy cooked golden underneath. This usually takes about five minutes. Now, flip over the patties and press them for three minutes.
The last step is to top one of the patties with cheese and then place the other one on top, just like a sandwich. Now cook the cauliflower “sandwich” until the cheese is melted. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients.

Best Wedding Anniversary Gifts and Ideas

July 3, 2020 by Angela Paris

Did you just receive an invitation to a wedding anniversary and you don’t know what is the best gift to buy? Wedding anniversaries are super fun, but truth be told, finding the perfect gift is quite a challenging task. There are many things that you need to take into consideration. Is this a silver or crystal wedding anniversary? If you don’t know the anniversaries by year, you don’t need to worry because I am going to help you out.

Today I will show you my top five favorite wedding anniversary gifts. Not just that, I am also going to explain all anniversary gifts by year. With that being said, let’s jump right into it.

Wedding Anniversaries – Meaning by Years

1ST YEAR: Paper
2ND YEAR: Cotton
3RD YEAR: Leather
4TH YEAR: Fruit & Flowers, or Linen & Silk
5TH YEAR: Wood
6TH YEAR: Iron / Candy
7TH YEAR: Wool/ Copper
9TH YEAR: Pottery
10TH YEAR: Tin/ Aluminum
11TH YEAR: Steel
12TH YEAR: Silk
13TH YEAR: Lace
14TH YEAR: Ivory
15TH YEAR: Crystal
20TH YEAR: China
25TH YEAR: Silver
30TH YEAR: Pearl
35TH YEAR: Coral
40TH YEAR: Ruby
45TH YEAR: Sapphire
50TH YEAR: Gold
55TH YEAR: Emerald
60TH YEAR: Diamond

Top 5 Wedding Anniversary Gifts

#1 Scratch Map

If there is one gift that everyone is going to love, no matter the age, then it has to be a scratch map. The map is big enough to mount it on a wall in the living room and every time that your friends visit a place, they can mark it on the map.

#2 Bathtub Caddy

Do the friends who invited you to their wedding anniversary have a big bath? If that is the case, then you can’t go wrong with a bathtub caddy. This is a water-resistant tray that is perfect to have around when you want to relax in the bathtub.

#3 Classy Frame

One of the best wedding anniversary gifts is a classy frame that the couple can use to frame one of their wedding photos. If you have access to their photos, you can go ahead and print them out. I promise the couple is going to love this thoughtful gift more than anything else that you might want to buy for them.

#4 Photo Strips

Since I previously mentioned getting a classy frame as a wedding anniversary gift, I need to continue the list with photo strips. Thanks to social media apps such as Facebook and Instagram, there is a high chance to find the couple’s wedding photos and print them out. This is a gift that will keep on giving. Your friends will have a smile on their faces every time that they look at it.

#5 Dining Room Chairs

If you want to make sure that the couple who is celebrating the wedding anniversary, then your best bet is to get something practical that they can use around the house. Here is where the dining room chairs come in. You can never have enough of them!

Top 5 Fun Summer Activities for Kids

July 1, 2020 by Angela Paris

Summer is here and one of your biggest priorities as a parent is to find fun activities for kids. The sunny days of summer are best to create fun memories that your kids will look back at them with nostalgia. As a parent, you want to make sure that your kids have lots of fun activities to do. Here is where I come in. Today I am going to show you my top five favorite summer activities for kids. Without wasting any more time, let’s jump right into it.

#1 Backyard Camping

If you have a small garden or open space around the house, then you can never go wrong with a backyard camping adventure. Your kiddos are going to love the fact that they can stay outside for as long as they want. To make things even better, you don’t need to do anything else other than to set up a tent. If the weather starts getting bad, then you are only a couple of feet away from the house.

#2 Bike Rides

It’s always a good idea to get kids to exercise. Here is where bike rides come in to save the day. Take the kids out for a fun bike ride around the house and I promise that they will love it. If you have any forest or river close to the house, then you should make sure to visit it.

#3 DIY Chalk Bombs

If there is one fun summer activity that all kids love, then it has to be throwing DIY chalk bombs on the ground. What’s great about this activity is that it’s really simple to clean up the colors from chalk bombs. You can just use some water and the colors will be gone in an instant. The trick to making great DIY chalk bombs is to us a soap-dispenser pump to fill water and chalk-paint mixture into the balloons.

#4 Look for Shapes in the Clouds

Do you want to encourage your kids to be creative? If that is the case, then you should ask them to start looking for shapes in the clouds. Place a blanket in the grass and simply stare up at the sky. Let your imagination run free and you are surely going to find some funny shapes.

#5 Community Park Activities

Kids have more fun when they are with friends and thanks to this, going to community park activities is always a great idea. Parks offer lots of fun summer activities for kids this includes sports, arts, crafts, music, swimming, and many more. In addition, there is no entrance fee to the community park.

Top 5 Mother’s Day Gift Ideas to Bring a Smile On Her Face

June 30, 2020 by Angela Paris

Did you know that Mother’s Day is a holiday that was invented by Hallmark? People loved having this holiday and to use it as an opportunity to give their mothers amazing gifts to show how much they appreciate them.

If you are looking for some amazing mother’s day gift ideas, then you are in luck! Today I am going to share with you my top 5 favorite gifts for busy moms. Make sure to stick around for the end because I am also going to give you some tips that will make your gifts that much more wholesome.

#1 Custom Family Portrait

Did you happen to take a family picture on your last vacation? If yes, then I have the best mother’s day gift idea for you. You can print the picture in high resolution and then place it in a frame. To make the gift even more amazing, you should write a note on the back of the picture telling your mother how much you love her.

#2 Cleaning Services

If there is one thing that all busy moms will agree on, then it has to be the fact that cleaning the house is tiring. This is why it’s always great to rent professional cleaning services for the home. Your mom is going to love seeing the house sparkling clean!

#3 Airbnb Service as a Mother’s Day Gift

All busy moms need a day off, and there is no doubt about that! However, relaxing in the house is challenging because there’s always something to do. Some chores that need to be taken care of. If you have a little money to spend, then I highly advise you to rent an Airbnb room with a nice view. Your mom is going to have a lovely day off.

#4 Handwriting Bracelets

Another gift that is super simple to get and affordable is handwriting bracelets. There are hundreds of online shops that create custom-made bracelets that feature handwriting. You can get one with your name, or you can go ahead and write something motivating like “We love you mom”.

#5 A Colorful Flower Bouquet

If you don’t have the budget or the time to get something big for your mom, then you should be pleased to know that a colorful flower bouquet is more than enough to bring a smile on her face. Just the fact that you are thinking of her is going to make her happy.

Final Words

In conclusion, there are many fantastic gifts that you can get for your mom or other busy moms who are in need of appreciation. My tip for you is to hand wrap the gift if you can and to also include a lovely note. This small but significant gesture surely going to make the gift more personal.