Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Single Serve Cookies

You are home alone, but you still want something sweet around the holidays. Check out these single serve cookie recipes from The Kitchn. These are great when you are having a craving for sweets.


You know the feeling: it's late at night, you have the place to yourself, and you just want something sweet. But just a little something. You don't want to make an entire cake, or a dozen cookies, or anything that you'll be tempted to eat the entire thing. Instead of busting out a pint of ice cream or a candy bar, treat yourself! Make one of these single-serve warm, gooey homemade cookies.
Yes, of course you could just prepare the whole batch and just freeze the rest of the dough if you have that kind of self-restraint. If, however, you just have one egg or you know yourself well enough that you couldn't resist making the whole batch, these recipes are here to help.

1. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie for One - Good Life Eats 2. XXL Buttery Sugar Cookie - Sally's Baking Addiction 3. XXL Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Brownie Cookie - My Happy Place 4. Single-Serve Peanut Butter Cookie - Chocolate Covered Katie 5. Single-Serving Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookies - Chocolate Moosey
6. One Giant Snickerdoodle Cookie - Sally's Baking Addiction 7. Jumbo Cinnamon Butterscotch Oatmeal - Bake Your Day

Houseguest for the Holidays

Are you traveling for the holidays? If you are staying with a friend or family member, it is very important to be a respectful houseguest. Hosting guests is very stressful, but you can help make it easier for your loved one. Read over these tips, and you can comment below with some tips of your own. You can learn more at Apartment Therapy.



Keep your belongings, neatly, in your room.

As someone who aspires, at least, to keep her house in order, I really appreciate it when my guests do their best to keep their suitcases and extra belongings in their designated areas. Of course, items like coats and shoes (which we don't wear in the house), are left out, and I am happy when guests take it upon themselves to notice where they belong and put them there.


Take care of your own special needs.

If your hostess asks about things you can't (or prefer not to) eat, it's okay to be honest— to a point. But if you have specific dietary or health needs, it's nice to take care of them yourself rather than expecting your hostess to learn about and provide for your needs. For instance, before I was more familiar with gluten-free diets and before gluten-free alternatives were ubiquitous, a houseguest of mine brought her own gluten-free pasta. I appreciated her foresight and consideration — and that, for the sake of my preparations, she told me she would do this beforehand.


Fit in.

Try to notice the rhythms and rituals of your hosts. If their habit is to sit and eat around the table together, join them rather than grazing, even if that's what you're used to. If your hosts enjoy conversation once all the kids are down, spend some time with them even if all you want to do is go to bed yourself! On the other hand, if you know your hosts go to bed earlier than you do, assure them that you're fine up on your own or even retreat to your space so your hosts feel comfortable leaving the common area as well.


Strip the sheets.

This could depend on how well you know your hosts, but this act, to me, shows a thoughtfulness about the practical side of having houseguests and a willingness to help however possible — and this means a lot. If you're not on a do-my-laundry-in-your-washer level of familiarity, leave the bed linens and towels in a tidy pile. Otherwise, if you can swing it, do the sheets and put them back on the bed. My mother always does this, and recent houseguests did this for me and what a relief! How nice to leave your host's place even better than when you got there.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving with their loved ones!

Learn More About Veteran's Day

Make sure to thank a veteran today for their service to our country.  There are millions of veteran's in the United States.  We want to thank them for all of their sacrifices to serve our country.  You can learn more about Veteran's Day at CNN.


There are 19.6 million veterans in the United States.

There are 1.6 million female veterans.

There are 9.3 million U.S. veterans are over the age of 65.

There are 39,890 veterans of World War II, the Korean War and theVietnam War still living.

Timeline:
November 11, 1918 - The armistice ending World War I begins at 11 am.

1919 - President Woodrow Wilson proclaims November 11 as Armistice Day.

November 11, 1921 - The first Unknown Soldier is reburied atArlington National Cemetery. The tomb has the words inscribed, "Here rests in honored glory An American Soldier Known but to God."

May 13, 1938 - Armistice Day becomes a federal holiday.

June 1, 1954 - President Eisenhower signs a bill changing Armistice Day to Veterans Day in order to include all U.S. veterans.

May 30, 1958 - Unknown Soldiers from World War II and the Korean War are reburied next to the Unknown Soldier from World War I.

1968 - Congress changes the date of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October in order to give federal employees a three-day weekend. The change begins in 1971.

September 25, 1975 - President Gerald Ford changes the date of Veterans Day back to November 11. The change begins in 1978.

May 28, 1984 - An unknown soldier from the Vietnam War is reburied in Arlington National Cemetery. In 1998, he is identified through DNA tests as Michael Blassie, a 24-year-old pilot shot down in 1972 on the border of Cambodia.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

Halloween Fun Facts: 

Halloween was brought to North America by immigrants from Europe who would celebrate the harvest around a bonfire, share ghost stories, sing, dance and tell fortunes. Learn more here.

Halloween Pie

Pie or Cake? Many people are very dedicated to which dessert is their favorite. However, there are many delicious recipes for both. Here is a great Halloween themed pie that everyone can get behind. You can learn more at Martha Stewart.

Closet Inventory

Have you ever tried to work on a closet inventory? It will only take a few hours, and it will help organize and clean out your clothes. Read over this blog to learn how to start a closet inventory. You only need a few supplies and help from a friend. You can learn more at Apartment Therapy.





Do you know what's in your closet? Like, way in there? Do you ever find two or three of the (nearly or exactly) same clothing items because you didn't realize you had already bought one? Do you not buy items you really like because you know you already have something — even though you don't really love it? A closet inventory is more than just a cleverly disguised way to declutter your closet (though it is that, too). It's a way to get a handle on your wardrobe so that future shopping and dressing is easier.

It's also the best thing to do each time the seasons switch and the temperature begins to change. Here's how to do one in an afternoon this weekend:


What you'll need:


A few hours


A full-length mirror, a friend or a camera


Two boxes: one labeled "maybe" and another labeled "donate"


A list of clothing basics that resonates with you. (Here's a good example).


A list of items you want to have in your closet (dream items or need items!)

Step 1: Take out everything in your closet and pile it on the bed. (Or, depending on closet size or volume, tackle this step in chunks.)

Step 2: Begin trying clothes on in front of a mirror, taking a picture of it to look at or showing outfit items to a trusted friend. You're going to want to rate everything on a scale of 1 - 10 in your mind.

Step 3. Items that rate an "8" or above — say those articles that are in good shape, fit you well and make you feel good, get to stay. 5 to 8 ratings go in the maybe box. Anything lower (damaged items, items you haven't worn in years or things that just don't make you feel confident), goes directly into the donate box. Consider putting high rating clothes back by the "hanger trick."

Step 4: While you're trying things on, consider making a quick tally list of types of clothing you have. That way at the end you'll have a good idea of whether or not you have 20 pants and 1 skirt or your tank top to long sleeve shirt ratio is way off. With cooler temperatures on the way, make sure you have what you consider to be enough warm weather clothing items.

Step 5: Along with tallying what you own, as you find items that are on the clothing basics or dream items list, check them off. When you're finished, you'll have two lists: One of the amounts of types of items you have, and a list of things you'd like in your closet but don't have. You'll have a good idea of what you're lacking in your closet and, combined with the informal tally you took while trying everything on earlier, what you've got way too much of.

Step 6: After you go through all your clothes, reevaluate your maybe box with the help of a friend or based off of your new knowledge with the tally list or basics list. Donate, sell or put aside to reuse the stuff from your donate box.

Step 7: Keep your lists close at hand so the next time you're shopping you know what to look out for and what to not splurge on because you've already got too much of!

Step 8: Repeat every few months as necessary so you don't waste money on unneeded items!

How to Thrive During The Semester!

We are almost half way though the semester.  This means that people are starting to feel exhausted and need a break.  However, the middle of the semester is important for finishing strong in your classes.  Here are five tips on how to thrive during the middle of the semester!  You can learn more here.




1. Reward yourself.

One of the defining characteristics of the mid-semester blues is feeling overworked, with seemingly no end in sight. In order to alleviate this listlessness, try and set up little rewards for every goal that you accomplish, proportionate to the importance of the task itself. Finish reading those two chapters in your Intro to Macroeconomics textbook? Get thee to a bakery and indulge in that scone you were eying this morning. Finally complete that twenty page term paper on 19th century Chinese politics and government? Buy that dress onModcloth that has been sitting in your cart for who knows how long.

Of course, I certainly don’t advocate doing this for everything or doing it all the time. Setting up a reward system can backfire pretty quickly when it comes to intrinsic motivation. (Plus, whose wallet can really afford it?) However, for those tasks that you need an extra push to accomplish, rewarding yourself with some shopping, or just the latest episode of Glee won’t hurt.


(Image source)
2. Practice time management.

Another common affliction that students suffer during this time of year is feeling completely overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work that needs to get done. You have an Orgo midterm next Tuesday, a ten page paper onThe Sound and the Fury due next Thursday, and a presentation on the Civil Rights movement for next Friday — and you haven’t started or began preparing for any of them. Faced with this conundrum, many people will often work themselves up and exacerbate their already heightened stress (really bad idea) or mentally check out and procrastinate (even worse idea).

Instead of taking the fight or flight route, consider a third option: figure out how you can reallocate your time. You’re right in thinking there’s not enough time to do everything that needs to get done, but that doesn’t mean you still can’t get the important things finished. Reorganize your schedule and cut out things that can wait the next day, or even next week. If this means skipping out on movie night with your friends this Saturday night or even skipping that Applied Statistics II lecture (shhh!), then by all means, do what needs to be done. Prioritize and do the most important things first. The rest will fall into place.
3. However, don’t sacrifice your health.

When reorganizing your schedule, don’t forget to keep yourself as a priority. Just because you’ve decided to skip that club meeting doesn’t mean you can do the same for your seven to eight hours of sleep. Mid-semester blues are only compounded with a lack of sleep, poor eating habits, and a “skip the gym today” workout routine. Sadly, one of the main reasons that most college students are able to juggle all their activities is because it’s at the expense of something that they shouldn’t be sacrificing: their health.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m also guilty of occasionally staying up until 3 am to finish the reading for a 9 am class. But then I wake up five hours later feeling completely drained, making the entire endeavor worthless. Next time you find yourself starting to pull a late-nighter for anything, honestly answer this question: is it really worth it?Ninety-five percent of the time, you’ll find yourself remembering that there are only a small handful of things more important than taking care of yourself.


(Image source)
4. Take time to relax — and don’t feel guilty over it.

So right now, you’re overworked, overwhelmed, and practicing some not-so great health habits. You can’t slow down, there’s too much to do that’s due at the same exact time to let yourself watch some TV show, sleep, or even eat. Yet you’re still burnt out and unmotivated, even though you know there’s an increasing list of things to do.

This advice may sound weird, but if you’re really burnt out, don’t do those tasks right now. Take twenty minutes to go outside and catch some sunshine while it’s still out today. Go next door to catch up with a friend or phone a friend from home for an hour. Make your significant other give you a massage. Do whatever you need to do, just relax while doing so. Most importantly, don’t let your guilt get in the way of enjoying your break. Those twenty minutes will rejuvenate you – you’ll come back with renewed motivation, and will be more able to tackle your workload.
5. Take a step back and just breathe.

Personally, I think one of the reasons why college students get the mid-semester blues is due to a loss of perspective. It’s easy to get bogged down by juggling four different clubs, a part-time job, internships, a full course load, and trying to keep up a decent social life.

However, it’s important to take a moment to remember that while things are incredibly stressful and difficult right now, this too shall pass. We will not be college students forever, we’ll soon learn that there are no midterms in life (not multiple choice ones, at least), and soon, we’ll have bigger (and more important) things to worry about – and get excited over!

Goodbye Common Cold

Cold season is upon us, and we do not want to get sick. There are many things you can do to prevent colds. Apartment Therapy has put together five tips to keep the colds away. Check out the list below and see what tips you need to add to your routine.


1. Wash (and dry) those hands (a lot) — Go for both quality and quantity with your hand washing routine. Wash frequently (more than you think you need to) and scrub for at least 20 seconds a pop. Make sure to dry hands completely on a clean towel to prevent immediately picking up more germs with damp hands.

2. Sanitize your surfaces — Everything you touch is a potential germ catalyst so be extra diligent to keep your frequently used items clean, especially if other people are touching them as well. After all, germs can live on many surfaces for up to 48 hours so they have plenty of time to nab you. Your cell phone? It's probably filthy. Your keyboard? Germ factory. Take a few minutes each day to sanitize some key things and you could be saving yourself weeks of sick days.

3. Sleep is your best friend — Just do it. Treat your body right and it'll return the favor. Sleep is the most restorative thing you can do to keep your body functioning optimally so log plenty of sleeping time between the sheets and hopefully you'll wind up logging fewer miserable sick days in bed.

4. Boost your immune system — Keep your defenses in good shape so that the germs you do encounter can be deflected. Reduce stress through meditation (or any way that works for you), try acupuncture which has been shown to boost immunity and think about beginning a regular probiotic routine which can help strengthen your gut and ward off problems. Bonus: My best addictive cold weather habit? Regular use of my nettie pot helps me rinse my sinuses before colds can set in.

5. Stock up on medication (just in case) — Even though you're doing everything in your power to stay well, if you do succumb to a bug, the last thing you're going to feel like doing is making a drugstore run. Keep necessities (and maybe a few extra sick day treats) in the house and maybe, just maybe, Murphy's law will work in your favor for once.

A Delicious Breakfast Every Morning

What is your breakfast routine like? If you are getting sick of the same food and coffee everyday, we have found a new recipe for you to try. These baked apple donuts are perfect for fall and will taste delicious with your favorite coffee. You can find more great recipes at The Kitchn.



What could be better than sitting around a morning fire, listening to the pop and crackle, while dunking an apple cider donut into a mug of spiced tea? Not much in my book. It's the simple act of sharing a special treat with friends that makes this time of year just precious—especially when you're tucking into something so quintessentially "Fall" like an apple cider donut! Here's an easy recipe for a seasonal favorite. No fryer required.

These doughnuts are baked instead of fried. Some purists may argue that these aren't "donuts" at all, merely cupcakes dressed in a ring–shaped form and I wouldn't entirely disagree. However, they are so much fun to eat and very reminiscent of a traditional, fried apple cider donut, that I say bake on!

When considering the preparation of a big batch of fried foods at home, the task just seems too messy and inconvenient for an impromptu morning project. By layering the apple cider flavors into a quick bread and baking them in donut form, you really get a similar effect without the fuss of large quantities of oil. These donuts are also much lighter, yet still packed with spice and apple flavor. After eating them I don't feel heavy and stomach achey as I do after the real thing.

Have you ever worked with a donut pan? Usually found in non-stick, they come in two sizes - mini and regular, they are handy to have on hand for occasions such as this. I used the regular size this time, but I find the mini donut pan to be pretty darn cute. You can pour any type of cake or quick bread batter into one of these and bake according to your original instructions and voila, a round of donuts is born!

Whether you are tired of cupcakes or just want to add some humor and fun to your baking repertoire, I highly recommend experimenting with a donut pan. A tray of these apple cider donuts make for great conversation and delight!

Baked Apple Cider Doughnutsmakes about 8 donuts, depending on size of your donut pan



2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 egg
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup apple butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup apple cider
1/3 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons canola oil (plus a little extra for greasing your donut pan)
powdered sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a donut pan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In another large bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients (these are all your wet ingredients). Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredient mixture and whisk until just incorporated. Don't over-mix! A few lumps are okay; they won't show in the final product.

Spoon the batter into each donut mold until about 3/4 full. Bake for approximately 12 minutes and cool on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with tea, cider or black coffee.

Strip District World Festival

In just two weeks, the annual Strip District World Festival will begin. Have you attended the festival held in Pittsburgh every year. This event includes music, entertainment, and food from around the world. This event has something for all ages, and it is a must see for every resident of Pittsburgh. You can learn more here.

The Festival

Join us for food, fun and music from around the world as the Strip District World Festival celebrates the cultures of Pittsburgh’s melting pot. In 2013 the top-notch entertainment included everything from reggae, Irish and Italian music to a Chinese lion dance and Bruce Springsteen and Rolling Stones tribute acts. Ethnic food as well as festival favorites ensure that no one goes home hungry. Stay tuned for this year’s entertainment schedule.


Friday September 12 – 6pm-9pm
Saturday September 13 – 12pm-9pm
Sunday September 14 – 12pm-7pm



What to Expect
Great music & entertainment
Ethnic food booths
Games & activities for kids
Sponsor booths and giveaways
Sidewalk sales
Plus much more!

Make That Old Furniture New

Do you have an old piece of furniture you are trying to figure out what to do with? We have some great tips on how to take that old furniture and make it something new. Apartment Therapy guides you through ten tips to make that furniture a great piece for your home.

Nothing perks up an old piece of furniture quite like new upholstery. If you're looking for a chair or sofa that will make a statement, something a little out of the ordinary, take a gander at these 10 creative ways to reupholster old furniture.

1. Cover the back of the chair in a contrasting fabric.

Like Andrea of Wild Chairy, who is the queen of transforming old chairs into stunning new pieces. (The chairs pictured above are available, if you're not feeling like a project yourself.) This is a great way to add a little extra interest to a piece that will be seen from all sides.

2. Cover an old piece in an unexpected pattern.

Like this bold floral from Timorous Beasties...

Or these bold stripes, on a Victorian-style sofa spotted on Young House Love.

3. Punch up an old piece with a brightly colored velvet.

Like this chair, spotted on The Paris Apartment.

4. Consider non-traditional upholstery fabrics, like a serape...

DIY from A Beautiful Mess.

5. ...Or a Pendleton blanket.

This sofa is available from Sit and Read.

Or a cat.

Just kidding, this is more Pendleton upholstery inspiration, from Freunde von Freunden. But of course every chair looks better with a cat on it.

6. Nothing livens up a piece quite like contrasting piping.

We love this blue + orange combo, from Mona Ross Berman Interiors.

7. A Mongolian sheepskin (especially a black one) will add a little edge to a delicately styled piece.

Another great idea from Wild Chairy.

8. Play with different fabrics...

Like velvet + ticking stripes, spotted on Twig Hutchinson.

9. And different textures.

Velvet and leather, spotted on Trendland.

10. If you're feeling really bold, try a pattern-on-pattern look.

Spotted on House to Home. Choosing two patterns in the same color family will keep the look from getting too too wild.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

Better Lighting in the Bedroom

Posted by Aspira Seattle on 11:14 AM

Lighting in the bedroom is not the most important thing that people think about. However, it is just as important as every other room in the home. Putting laundry away, doing makeup, or getting dressed all require you to be able to see clearly. Straining your eyes to complete these tasks is not good for your vision. Here are some great bedroom lighting tips, and you can learn more at Apartment Therapy.

At first glance, the bedroom seems the least important room in the home, in terms of lighting. After all, we're not really working in there much (unless it doubles as an office), and the primary goal of the space is to support sleep— which requires an intentional lack of light.

Once you start thinking about it, though, you realize the lighting needs of a bedroom— from general lighting for putting the laundry away to task lighting for doing your makeup and accent lighting for chilling out of an evening— are pretty complex. A bedroom lighting scheme should be as considered as that of any other room, so read on for a few tips on doing just that.

General

A good even light, cast from a central pendant or from windows (natural light from windows or skylights counts as general lighting!), is important in every space. Even if you don't spend a lot of non-sleeping time in your bedroom, this basic light is what we get dressed by in the winter, clean the room to, and helps us see when natural light is low. However, you probably don't want this space to be too bright, so consider a lower-watt bulb and the all-important dimmer switch.

Task

Unless you have a desk or office space in the bedroom, there is a limit to how much work you'll be doing there. But for those of us who read in bed, a good bedside lamp is a necessity. Don't be restricted to desk-style reading lights; a low-hanging pendant like the one above works, too. Think of the other things you do from day to day— do you apply your makeup or iron your shirts in the bedroom? Both require good, specific lighting. Wall sconces, floor lamps and directional spot lights are your friends.

Accent

In the bedroom, accent lighting is really mood lighting. Whether it's to create a romantic atmosphere or just to support relaxation in the evening, a cosy glow in this room never hurts. It can be achieved through simple dimming of the light sources we've already talked about, or by adding decorative lights like fairy strings, corner up-lighters or candles.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2014

Keeping Fresh Cut Flowers In Your Home

Posted by Aspira Seattle on 9:23 AM

Do you love the smell of flowers in your home? We do! However, we find that keeping flowers alive for more than a day or two can be challenging. Apartment Therapy has put together some great tips on how to keep your flowers alive and smelling great longer. This will save you from buying new arrangements every few days, which will also save you money! Keep reading to learn more!

If you've been reading Apartment Therapy for a while, you know we're big advocates of keeping fresh flowers in your home. Here are a few more tips for making them last, whether they're freshly picked or a favorite flower that you buy all the time. 

1. Put freshly picked flowers in water immediately and leave them for at least 5 hours before arranging them, a process calling conditioning. 

2. If your flowers come from your garden and not from the florist, make your own preservative, like this one from One Good thing by Jillee. 

3. Alternatively, add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to the water and stir. The vinegar will help prevent the growth of bacteria.

4. If you have a favorite flower you use often, look online for a flower-specific tips. For example, hydrangeas last longer if you gently smash the end of each stem and immerse them in ice water before arranging. Hollow-stemmed flowers like delphiniums do well if you turn the flowers upside down, fill the stems with water, and seal them with a wet cotton ball before arranging. Poppies, and other flowers that ooze sap, last longer if you first immerse the bottom 2 inches of their stems in boiling water for 10 seconds. 

5. Have a gunky, narrow-necked vase that's hard to clean? Try this tip from Real Simple: fill it with crushed shells from hardboiled eggs, a drop of dishwashing soap, and warm water, and swirl. Rinse thoroughly with hot water, and the next arrangement you put in will last a bit longer.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2014

Pancakes for Dessert

Posted by Aspira Seattle on 10:37 AM

Do you love pancakes? They are a favorite breakfast food for many people, but that is all they are a breakfast food. However, now you can have pancakes for dessert! This is not just a simple oh just put a different topping on them. This amazing Pancake Torte is what breakfast lovers will die for. Keep reading for the recipe and you can learn more at Good Housekeeping.

We gave a modern update to an original recipe from a 1968 issue of Good Housekeeping.

SERVES: 8 to 10

FOR THE PANCAKE:

• 8 large eggs, separated 

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour 

• 4 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 2 1/2 cups milk

• 8 tablespoons butter, melted

• Cooking spray, for skillet

FOR THE RHUBARB SPREAD:

• 1 pound rhubarb, chopped

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup water

FOR THE FILLING:

• 1 1/2 cup fresh ricotta cheese

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1 large egg yolk

• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel

• 4 large egg whites

• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup apricot preserves

• 2 to 3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, grated

1. Make the pancakes: In a large bowl, with mixer on med. speed, beat 8 egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar and vanilla.

2. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg yolk mixture, alternately with milk and butter. Cover and refrigerate batter 1 hour.

3. In a large bowl, with mixer on medium-high speed beat 8 egg whites and pinch of salt until soft peaks form, then carefully fold into pancake batter.

4. Generously coat 10-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat on med. Add 1 cup pancake batter, tilting skillet to coat evenly. Cook 3 minutes or until edges set and underside is golden brown. Carefully flip over with large offset spatula or pancake turner; cook 2 minutes or until bottom is golden brown. Transfer to waxed paper to cool. Repeat with remaining batter. Pancakes can be made and frozen up to 1 month ahead (thaw at room temperature 1 hour before using.)

5. Make the rhubarb filling: In saucepot, bring rhubarb, sugar and water to simmering on med. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 20 more minutes. Strain mixture over med. bowl, pressing down on solids to release their liquid. Save liquid/syrup for another use. Transfer rhubarb spread to small bowl.

6. Prepare the filling: In a large bowl with mixer on medium speed, beat ricotta, 1/4 cup sugar, egg yolk and lemon peel until smooth; set aside.

7. In a clean large bowl with mixer on medium-high speed, beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until froth. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating meringue well after each addition, then continue beating until stiff peaks form.

8. Preheat oven to 450˚F. Place 1 pancake on lightly greased cookie sheet or oven-safe cake plate and top with half of the ricotta mixture. Top with another pancake; spread with half of the rhubarb spread. Top with another pancake; sprinkle with half of the grated chocolate. Continue this way, using all fillings and 3 more pancakes, then top with seventh pancake to complete torte.

9. Cover top and sides of torte with meringue. Use back of spoon to pull up points on meringue to make attractive top. Bake about 3 minutes or golden and toasted in places. Cut into slices to serve.

Keep That Freezer Clean

How is your freezer looking this summer? Cleaning your freezer is an important chore to make sure you periodically check up on. This can help keep items cold, prevent damage, and it can be a way to clean it out every few months. Keep reading to check out some great tips on how to give your freezer a new life. You can learn more at Apartment Therapy.





What You Need
Large cooler
Rubber gloves (optional)
Mild, fragrance-free dish soap
Hot water
Vinegar
Sponge
Wash cloth
Paper towels or dish towel
Baking soda (optional)
Toothbrush (optional)


Instructions
1. Turn off the freezer: Switch your freezer off or unplug the unit — whichever is easiest.
2. Empty the ice: Empty any ice trays into a bowl and place in the cooler. Soak the trays in a sink full of warm, soapy water.
3. Unload the freezer: Take out all the frozen food and put it in the cooler.
4. Remove and wash all detachable drawers and shelves: Let the units come to room temperature before cleaning to avoid cracking. Once they've warmed up, wash them in a sink full of warm, soapy water. It's best to use fragrance-free dish soap if possible to avoid transferring any scents back to the freezer, which can be picked up by food. Rinse thoroughly and set aside to dry.
5. Make a cleaning solution: Make a solution of equal parts hot water and vinegar OR 1 quart hot water with 2 tablespoons baking soda. Transfer to a spray bottle and liberally spray the inside of the freezer.
6. Wipe the inside: Wipe out the freezer with a sponge or dish cloth. Reapply the cleaning solution as needed. For stubborn, stuck-on food particles, spray your cleaning solution on a paper towel and place it over the sticky area. Let it soak for 10 minutes, then wipe away. If necessary, use an old toothbrush to gently scrub the area.
7. Wipe down the doors and door seal: Don't forget to wipe down the freezer door and the surrounding seal! You may also find a toothbrush helpful here.
8. Dry the inside: Dry the inside of the freezer thoroughly with a paper towel or dish towel.
9. Replace the shelves and drawers: After the inside of the freezer is completely dry, replace the shelves and drawers.

10. Replace all food, ice, and turn the unit back on. Take a look through your frozen foods as you place everything back in the freezer. Toss anything that has developed freezer burn and organize your remaining frozen foods by priority. Don't forget to turn the freezer back on!

Ten Fruits and Vegetables to Try Pickling

Are you a fan of pickles?  Did you know you can pickle various fruits and vegetables throughout the summer. We have gathered ten of the best fruits and vegetables to pickle for your pantry.  You can learn more here.

1. Corn: Pickling tames the sweetness of corn and turns it into a great summer relish to serve with grilled meats or fish.

→ Get a recipe: Pickled Corn - Bon Appetit

2. Eggplant: Don't like eggplant because you think it's bland? Use eggplant's spongy texture to your advantage since it'll readily soak up pickling liquid and take on new flavors.

→ Get a recipe: Pickled Eggplant - CHOW

Canned Soy & Wasabi Pickled Green Beans

3. Green Beans: Green beans are some of the easiest vegetables to pickle since you don't even need to cut them up. Use these as a fun garnish for cocktails like bloody Marys.

→ Get a recipe: Canned Soy & Wasabi Pickled Green Beans - Cook. Can. CSA.

4. Okra: Okra pods are hollow and soak up a lot of pickling liquid, turning any unpleasant slime into a thing of the past.

→ Get a recipe: Pickled Okra - Simply Recipes

Quick-Pickled Cherry Peppers

5. Peppers: Pickled peppers add a winning combination of spicy sourness to sandwiches, hot dogs, nachos, or burgers.

→ Get a recipe: Quick-Pickled Cherry Peppers

6. Peaches: This may seem like an unusual fruit to pickle, but juicy pickled peaches go well with pork, ham, or fried chicken.

→ Get a recipe: Pickled Peaches - Saveur

7. Radishes: Pickled radishes are tangy, sweet, crunchy, and have a natural spiciness, plus the skin on red radishes dyes the pickles into a beautiful shade of pink!

→ Get a recipe: Pretty-in-Pink Pickled Radishes

Pickled Sugar Snap Peas

8. Sugar snap peas: These may seem like an unusual thing to pickle, but crunchy, super sweet sugar snap peas take well to garlic and vinegar and make them even more snackable.

→ Get a recipe: Pickled Sugar Snap Peas - Smitten Kitchen

9. Summer squash: Skip zucchini bread — pickling is a healthier way to use up that bumper crop of summer squash.

→ Get a recipe: Pickled Yellow Squash

10. Tomatoes: If you're tired of eating tomatoes raw or turning them into sauce, try pickling and using them as bruschetta topping instead.

→ Get a recipe: Pickled Red Tomatoes - Serious Eatsa