Study Tip Sunday: Use the 50/10 Rule

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How To Cook Chicken Teriyaki

Wanna share this simple and easy way of making chicken teriyaki, since I had my teriyaki sauce (the one I posted yesterday). You will be surprised that it is very easy to make.

You can click the link for the teriyaki sauce recipe
How To Make Teriyaki Sauce

Ingredients for 3 servings:
3 deboned chicken thigh
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
chopped spring onion
oil- just enough for pan frying
salt and pepper to taste


Procedure:
1. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper then heat the oil and pan fry the chicken until fully cooked.

2. Slice to  your desired size, then arrange in a serving platter.

3. Pour the teriyaki sauce, sprinkle with sesame seeds and spring onion, serve with love and enjoy. :-)

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Lola and Giuseppe's Restaurant Review

Lola and Giuseppe's is one of those hidden gems of a restaurant find... literally hidden!  I have been driving by it for years and never noticed it.  Then when looking on Urbanspoon (so sad that the app is gone) I noticed this 5-star rated Italian place near us.  

Tucked back in a little shopping strip center, the restaurant is very inconspicuous.  When you walk in, it's a tight fit... 12 tables max.  Everyone seems to know everyone else and hugs are given out as you leave, likely with a pile of leftovers.  Lola comes to everyone's table to make sure everything is perfect.

Too bad they do not take reservations, because if you don't time it right, you'll be waiting forever for a seat or may even be out of luck altogether (like the first time we attempted to eat at Lola's)!  

The reason for such a long wait is that the food is excellent.  Our first time actually getting a seat at Lola's was right after our trip to Europe, so we were in the mood for some real Italian food after getting a taste of it in Rome.  This is as close as you'll get without leaving the country (maybe even better)!

Seafood, marinara, pancetta, noodles, cream sauce... you name it, doesn't matter the region, Lola has it on the menu.  So come hungry because you'll want to eat everything!  You can definitely smell, taste, and feel the Italian passion.

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How To Make Teriyaki Sauce

This teriyaki sauce is very easy to make and I am sure that you will be happy with the result if you will try this :).

Ingredients for 3-4 kilos meat:

1  cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1 cup rice wine (saque)
1/2 cup sugar or honey
2 tablespoons ginger juice ( grate a ginger to extract the juice)
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

Grate the ginger to extract the juice

Procedure:
1. Caramelize the sugar then add  the soy sauce, water, rice wine and ginger juice, bring to simmer over medium heat. Let simmer for few minutes to infuse the flavor  then add the dissolved cornstarch and simmer until a little thicken then turn off the heat.

Caramelizing the sugar

2. Once done allow to cool and keep in a jar to use it anytime. You can use this for chicken, pork, fish and beef, try it now.

Ready to use

Chicken Teriyaki

pork Teriyaki

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Weekly Menu

It's summer, so I'm not spending as much time on the computer (at least I'm trying not to), so posts will come a little less frequently as everyone should be making the most of the season.  With that being said, we still need to eat... so meal planning and restaurant reviews will make it to the blog.

So a here are a few pictures from this past weekend, including trying Native for the first time and da levee, which took us back to New Orleans with one bite.  :)

 

Snoop was being super cute when I asked him if he wanted to go for a ride in the kayak... he hasn't figured out the word kayak yet.  Just ride.  Being surround by water is not his favorite thing.  By the yawning in the picture, he would much rather be at home sleeping on the couch than going for a ride on Hoover!  And he's not doing any of the paddling!

 

Well, zucchini season has officially started!  I turned around and all of a sudden a couple small zukes had turned into monsters only good for one thing... chocolate chocolate chip zucchini muffins!  They're somewhere between a muffin and a cupcake... and soooo moist!  Yum... took half to work and regret it now since they are all gone.  :(

This week I made a mental note of a meal plan instead of writing it out.  So far, so good.

pan fried chicken with from-scratch green bean casserole
shrimp tacos
lamb burgers and grilled asparagus
grilled cheese and green beans
sloppy joes and saut�ed zucchini
spinach ravioli with garlic bread

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10 Steps to a Clean and Organized Fridge

The school year is upon us (sorry to bring that up) and it's time to get everything in place for the upcoming semester that is sure to be crazy-busy! 

One of my goals for this school year is to meal plan and eat healthier. And in order to do that, I have to start out with an organized refrigerator! 

My husband would jump at the chance to tell you how in-kitchen savvy I am, so today we have someone who is: Patricia from Domestic Cleaners Stockwell.

Here are her top tips for getting your fridge-life together! 

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10 steps To a Clean and Organized Fridge

When you are up to provide extensive cleaning of your fridge you need to keep in mind several important tips. If you want reorganize the fridge and to clean it in an effective way, you should make significant  changes there and rearrange pretty much everything.

Cleaning and organization of the fridge is not so difficult as long as you are well acquainted with the right instructions. After all, when you have a clean fridge, you can be sure that the food won't be contaminated and that you will be able to enjoy your fresh meals without any preoccupations.

Read the following lines to explore new ways in which to reorganize your fridge. Follow these 10 steps and you will easily put some order in your fridge, regardless of its size.

Remove all the ingredients from the fridge

Before taking up with any cleaning or organizing, you need to empty the fridge from all the food and other ingredients, situated there. This way it will be easier to apply the cleaning procedures and to decide how exactly you want to rearrange the things.

Provide Extensive Cleaning

After removing all the ingredients from the fridge, you can start with the cleaning. For the purpose you will need some vinegar, warm water and a suitable rug to wipe down everything. As far as the shelves and drawers are concerned, they also need to be cleaned carefully and one of the easiest ways to do this is by putting them in the dishwasher.

Check Out For Any Expired Food

Look carefully the food that you had taken out from the fridge and check out all of the expiration dates. This will save you up a lot of troubles and you will leave more free space for other ingredients.

Arrange the items according to their type

Imagine how easy it would be to have your items arranged in the fridge due to their type. You will spend less time wondering where your favourite salad dressing is if you have arranged all of them in one line.

Supply yourself with plastic containers

Storing your food in plastic containers is excellent option when you want to organize your fridge in a better way. Another advantage of the plastic containers is that they will keep the leftovers fresh for a longer time.

Use Baskets To Keep The Things

Keeping the fruit and vegetables in baskets is always more hygienic decision that leaving them directly on the shelves.

Label the containers and the baskets

Labelling the baskets and the containers is a wonderful idea � this way you will easily find all the ingredients that you need.

Use a dry erase marker to write on the fridge door

Instead of labelling all the containers, you can simply use a dry erase marker and to write down some brief notes on the fridge door.

Keep the Fridge Organized

Once you reorganize your fridge you need to maintain it that way and to check out the expiry date of the ingredients.

Do not forget to clean on a regular basis

 Make sure that you provide a regular cleaning of the fridge and check   every side for accumulated mould.

These are the top 10 steps to follow when rearranging your fridge. Do not hesitate to experiment and to organize everything according to your taste and preferences. You will feel more comfortable when you get rid of the spoiled food and when you can find your food in the fastest possible way. Experiment with different containers and baskets to use the space in your fridge in the best possible way.

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The article is contributed by Patricia J. Cornwell. She runs the company DomesticCleaners Stockwell which is situated in London.

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Rice With Broccoli

The nutty flavor of the broccoli ant the aroma of the garlic and spring onion made this simple rice recipe so awesome. Try it.

Ingredients for 3 servings:
3 cups cooked rice
1 head broccoli ( cooked and separated)
2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic (minced and toasted)
1/2 cup chopped spring onion
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Heat the butter then stir in the broccoli for a minute then remove and set aside.
2. After removing the broccoli, add the rice and stir for 3 minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper according to your taste.
3. Add the broccoli and give a good stir, sprinkle the toasted garlic and spring onion then turn off the heat.
4. Serve and enjoy.

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