How to simply fold a Fitted Sheet!

I have considered sharing these instructions for years...just finally getting around to it!

The task of folding a fitted sheet can become a real conundrum if you haven't learned how.  I've seen folks struggle...and struggle...with this process. 

When I was at the laundromat as a newlywed, I watched a woman

fold her sheets this way, and that's how I've done it 

ever since! 

(& and I'm SO thankful I learned early on)

I keep my sheets in a drawer, but love the idea of placing

the fitted and flat sheets to a set inside one of the pillowcases

that go with it...adding the second pillowcase inside. 

Then it's all together when you want it and it looks nice and neat

on a linen closet shelf. 

I have NO idea where I got this set of photos...years ago...showing how to fold

a fitted sheet, but I'm going to share, along with a link to

WikiHow...with video instructions there....below.  

If you scroll down past the comments at the link below, there is a "Summary" that I think explains this process rather simply. 

And maybe even the photos above will make more sense once you've

watched the video or read the Summary. 

The basic idea is to tuck all 4 elastic corners into one corner...then you're able to 'flatten' it and fold into thirds or forths...

I just know you're going to figure this out!! 

HAPPY FOLDING!!!!!!! 

Instructions for folding a fitted sheet

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Leader Enterprise - April 12, 2017 - Spring Cleaning Helps

"Lightened" Ham & Swiss Rollups

Hope you're enjoying the spring season. The day after we returned from 2 months in Florida, (early March) my dear hubby was hospitalized for 13 days, most of those days far from home at the Ann Arbor VA. He received such awesome care there and we adore the doctors and nurses. He began dialysis while there and is now going to Bryan 3 days a week for the process.  Life is settling down as we strive to find our 'new normal'. We are more than blessed, in so many ways, and covet your thoughts and prayers for the days ahead. There's no place like home! 

This is the time of year we begin thinking about spring cleaning. There are many uses for household products such as vinegar and baking soda, so I thought I would remind you of some cleaning ‘tricks’ using these simple on-hand products to help get your home sparkling.

Special Egg Salad & Tips for Cooking Eggs

Nontoxic Bathroom Cleaner: Here’s a terrific deep-cleaning cleanser recipe that works on any bathroom surface. It cuts through soap scum and mildew as well as any commercial bathroom product and costs just pennies. Clean Green!

Ingredients:

1-2/3 c. baking soda

1/2 c. liquid soap

1/2 c. water

2 Tb. white vinegar

1 clean 16-ounce spray bottle 

Mix baking soda and liquid soap in a bowl. Dilute with water and add the vinegar. Stir the mixture with a fork until any lumps have been dissolved. Pour the liquid into the bottle. Shake well before using. Spray on area to be cleaned. Scrub with a nylon-backed sponge. Rinse off with water.

Refresh the Fridge: Did you know that vinegar might be an even more effective safe cleanser for your refrigerator than baking soda? Use equal parts white vinegar and water to wash both the interior and exterior of your fridge. To prevent mildew growth, wash the inside walls and bin interiors with some full-strength vinegar on a cloth. Also use undiluted vinegar to wipe off accumulated dust and grime on top of your refrigerator. Of course, you’ll still want to put that box of baking soda inside your refrigerator to keep it smelling clean when you’re done.

Vinegar acts as an odor absorber. That in and of itself, is interesting. My favorite use for vinegar is to set a bowl of it in a musty room. It absorbs the odor and does not leave the room smelling like vinegar.

This recipe makes a simple snack or lunch. Great for using up leftover ham. 

HAM AND SWISS ROLLUPS 

1-(8 ozs.) tube refrigerated crescent rolls

1 c. diced fully cooked ham

(or 99% fat free deli slices)

3/4 c. finely shredded swiss cheese

1-1/2 tsp. prepared (dijon) mustard

1 tsp. finely chopped onion

Preheat oven to 375. Separate crescent rolls into 8 triangles. In a small bowl, combine ham, cheese, mustard and onion; place 2 Tb. mixture in center of each triangle. Fold points toward center and pinch edges to seal. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 11 - 13 minutes or until lightly browned. Yield: 4 servings (2 rolls each) 

I know I've shared this recipe before, but this egg salad is the best I’ve ever tasted and the only kind I’ll make anymore. The cream cheese keeps it from getting runny like traditional egg salad. Another idea for using up all those leftover Easter eggs. You may use reduced fat cream cheese and fat free mayo if desired.

SPECIAL EGG SALAD

1 (3 ozs) pkg.cream cheese, softened

1/4 c. mayonnaise or salad dressing

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

6 hard cooked eggs, chopped

In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add mayo, sugar, onion and garlic powder, salt and pepper; fold in the eggs. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.Yield: 6 servings

May you all enjoy a blessed Easter season as we celebrate our Risen Savior! 

P.S. (Pssst!  Wanted you to know I'm working hard on my #3 cookbook, hopefully delivered in early fall. Lots more simple and easy recipes under cover.) 

Jackson H. Brown has said "Success is getting what you want.  Happiness is liking what you get." 

Homemade Laminate Floor Cleaner

Yep, just 3 simple ingredients and water and you can make your own laminate floor cleaner that will WOW everyone! 

When we sold our house a few months ago, the realtor and purchaser both begged to know what I used on my laminate floor because it had such an awesome shine.  I think it was a real selling point!! 

Needless to say, they both wrote down the recipe! 

It nearly brought me to my knees to have to pay high dollar for my laminate floor cleaner ($13 - Are you kidding me???), so you can imagine the thrill it was to find a homemade recipe....especially one that worked so nicely! (And cost about $1!)

HOMEMADE LAMINATE FLOOR CLEANER

1 cup water

1 cup rubbing alcohol

1 cup white vinegar

1 Tb. liquid dish soap

1 qt. spray bottle 

Mix together and put into a spray bottle.  Use as you would purchased cleaner - spray and mop.....and enjoy the $$ savings!!

You may have to buff it up a bit, but we found just walking on it with our socks did the 'trick'....

You might also enjoy these Homemade recipes...

Homemade Ice Packs (2 Simple Ingredients)

Homemade Catalina Dressing

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

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Leader Enterprise - July 2, 2014 - Chores/Kid-Friendly Dishes

Pepperoni Pizza Puff (using canned biscuits)

After reading this great article about getting your kids to help with chores, I wanted to share these practical thoughts and ideas from WebMD (www.webmd.com/parenting) Trust these things will help you all to have a more enjoyable summer while the kids are home. 

I have always believed we're robbing our children of important life skills if we don't teach them to successfully do chores at home. They want privileges?Then teach them responsibilities go along with that. While it's true that sometimes, it's just easier to do it yourself, take time to teach because your children need to learn those skills that are important to a successful future.

"They’re learning that life requires work,"says James Sears,MD, co-author of Father’s First Steps: 25 Things Every Dad Should Know. For kids, chores are more than helping out; they are lessons in basic life skills. By loading the dishwasher, mowing the grass, or doing their laundry, "kids learn how the world works." 

Make Chores Predictable: To take the sting out of chores, set aside a time each week when the whole family does chores, Saturday morning from 8 to 9 for example. Then you don’t get into battles about when chores get done. Having the whole family do chores at the same time also helps. Your kid knows that every Saturday morning,this is what the family does.

Assign Chores By Age: Tasks that are clearly over your child’s head will make chore time dreadful for everyone.T he following suggestions can get you started on assigning age-appropriate chores. Then it’s your turn to get creative.

4 or 5 years old: Sort socks, put away toys, help set table, stack magazines, gather trash.

6 or 7 years old: Take dog for a walk, empty the dishwasher, prepare lunch, make bed. 

8 or 9 years old: Set table, load dishwasher, clean bathroom sink, feed, brush and bathe the pet.

10 or 11 years old: Put away groceries, run the dishwasher, fold laundry. 

12 or 13 years old: Do laundry and put away, change sheets, mow the yard, fix simple meals, clean bathrooms. 

Once chores are done, maybe the kids could have fun making some good snacks. Here's some simple ideas to get them started. Kids will always be more willing to eat something they've helped create themselves.

YOGURT PUDDING POPS 

2 c. (1%) milk

1 sm. pkg. (4 serv. size) instant pudding mix

(vanilla, banana or lemon)

1 c. (plain or vanilla) Greek yogurt

Whisk together the milk and pudding mix. Chill about 15 minutes.

Fold in Greek yogurt. Pour into molds. Freeze at least 8 hours. 

If you don't have molds, just pour into paper cups. Freeze half an hour, then insert a popsicle stick, or even part of a plastic straw, for a handle. (Place into a small cup of warm water to loosen, if necessary). 

Raspberry Sweeties

RASPBERRY SWEETIES

Just wash and dry your berries and put little chocolate chips upside down in them. The kids will be so proud they made this sweet treat for you. 

                                                      

Strawberry Kool-Aid Pie

 STRAWBERRY KOOL-AID PIE

1 pkg. Kool-aid (unsweetened-any flavor) 

1- 14 ozs. can sweetened condensed milk

1- 8 ozs. tub of frozen whipped topping, thawed

1- 9" pre-made graham cracker crust

whipped cream and/or strawberries for garnish, optional

Place the kool-aid, sweetened condensed milk, and whipped topping in a large bowl. Mix and stir (a whisk works great) until it's well blended. Pour creamy filling into graham cracker crust. Refrigerate 2- 3 hours until set. Garnish with toppings and serve. 

I have a creative friend who made this dish with a bottle of BBQ sauce instead of pizza sauce. Use your family's favorite. Try substituting cooked chicken for the pepperoni.

PEPPERONI PIZZA PUFF 

4 cans (7.5 ozs each) buttermilk biscuits, cut into 1/6's 

1- 5 ozs. bag pepperoni slices

1- 15 ozs. pizza sauce

1- 8 ozs. pkg.shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350. Mix everything together and place in a greased 9"X13" baking dish. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until hot and bubbly. 

Enjoy a wonderful July 4th weekend. God bless America! (And isn't it about time America blesses God?) 

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Leader Enterprise - June 18, 2014 - Helpful Tips/Smoothie recipes

Copycat Orange Julius (Healthy Option)

Sure hope you're taking time to enjoy the sunshine. I love the cooler evenings for taking walks. We waited a long while for these lovely days, right?

Here's more tips to make life easier for you. Enjoy!!

- Use rubber bands to help open a jar easily: place one around the jar lid and another around the middle of the glass. The rubber provides friction to prevent your hands from slipping.

- Store bed sheets inside their pillowcases for easy storage and access.

- Slot the stick of a popsicle through a cupcake paper to prevent drips on little fingers.

- A ball of aluminum foil makes a great glassware scrubber!

- Place a few drops of essential oil on the inside of the cardboard tube of a toilet paper roll to make your bathroom smell wonderful.

- If you don't have a double boiler when candy making, place a towel inside an electric skillet, warm to about 200 degrees, and place your melted chocolate in a glass bowl on the towel to keep it warm. 

- To test baking powder for freshness, add 1/2 tsp. to 1/4 c. hot water; if it fizzes, it's good. 

- To make your own baking powder, combine 1 tsp. baking soda with 2 tsp. cream of tartar to equal 1 Tb.baking powder. 

-Replace 1 TB. cornstarch with 2 TB. all-purpose flour as a thickener in recipes. 

- Spoon fruit or veggie salads into mini mason jars - fun for summer picnics and easy to tuck into a picnic basket. 

- Top bowls of hot soup with plain or cheesy popcorn for a crunchy surprise. 

Here are a few tasty drinks to help cool you down in these warmer temps.

Iced Vanilla Coffee

ICED VANILLA COFFEE

1/3 c. double strength regular or decaf coffee, chilled

1/2 c. nonfat (or 1%)milk

1 Tb. instant (sugar free) vanilla pudding, dry

1 pkt. Truvia or liquid stevia to taste

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c.crushed ice 

coffee flavoring syrup, optional, to taste

Combine all ingredients in blender, blending on high until drink is smooth. Pour into a glass-top with light whipped cream if desired.

Yield: 1 large drink. Enjoy every awesome cooling sip! 

COPYCAT ORANGE JULIUS

1 (6 ozs) can frozen orange juice concentrate,partially thawed

1 c. milk

(we are loving unsweetened almond milk!)

1 c. water

1/3 c. sugar

(or liquid stevia to taste: 2 drops=1 tsp.) 

1 tsp. vanilla extract

12 ice cubes 

Put all the ingredients into the blender. Process until blended and frothy. Pour-relax and enjoy every sip. Yield:3-4 yummylicious servings 

Here's a little 'trick' to help you with this one. Before squeezing lemons, prick with a knife and microwave for 30 seconds. You'll get more juice that way.

Watermelon Lemonade (Sugar Free Option)

WATERMELON LEMONADE

2 c. water

1 c. sugar (or sweetener)

1 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice (strained) 

(about 6-8 lemons)

2 generous c. of cubed watermelon(seeds removed)

2 c. cold water or sparkling water

Ice

In a medium saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool.Meanwhile, puree watermelon in blender and strain to remove any seeds. You should have about 1 c. watermelon juice. Add lemon juice, watermelon puree to the simple syrup (sugar water); add water; chill. Serve over ice.

STRAWBERRY PEACH SMOOTHIE

1 c.strawberries, cleaned (fresh or frozen)

1 large peach, cut in to wedges (fresh or frozen)

1 c. milk or orange juice (more or less, depending on the consistency you want)

1/2 c. favorite(Greek) yogurt (I used peach)

1 TB. honey or 1 sm.packet sugar or sweetener

Strawberries or peaches for garnish, optional

Place all of the ingredients in a blender; process on high until smooth. Garnish with additional strawberries or peaches if desired. Serve and enjoy! Yield:2 servings

It's not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.-Charles Haddon-Spurgeon

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