Category: Lifestyle

How to Store Pecans without Ruining Them

00010020_1There’s nothing worse than opening a container of pecans you stored months earlier to find them rotten or rancid. If you picked all those pecans, all of your hard work would seem pointless. Fortunately, there are a few principles to storing pecans that will ensure your hard work or money spent was not wasted.

Do Not Store in Moist Places

Regardless if the pecans are shelled or unshelled, storing them in a moist room will promote mold growth and may cause the pecans to decrease in quality. Make sure the pecans have an opportunity to dry out after the harvest to remove moisture. Do this by placing the pecans on a screen or hanging them in small ventilated bags for approximately two weeks. Also, keep the pecans in dry, dark places.

Store in Vacuum-Sealed Containers/Bags

Always store pecans in airtight containers or bags. If you do not have a vacuum-sealer, Ziploc bags work perfectly fine. Make sure all air is removed from the bag and that it is completely sealed so moisture does not form. The method of storage does not matter nearly as much as ensuring they are properly sealed. Continue reading How to Store Pecans without Ruining Them

Stock Up! Why You Should Buy Pecans in Bulk

043crp2Pecans should not appear just around the holidays as a treat or in a warm pecan pie. They should appear all year, in all kinds of food, because they are incredibly nutritious and can add just the right amount of flavor and crunch to a dish. How do you make sure you have pecans to last all year? Stock up! Here are the reasons why:

Excellent Snack

Sometimes, we forget about snacking on nuts because it can be easier to grab that bag of chips. However, pecans are a great alternative to less-healthy options. They are filled with essential vitamins, fiber, and protein (nutritional content here).

Delicious Garnish

Pecans act as an excellent garnish and can accompany many dishes, such as salads, fish or desserts. If you have pecans stocked up, then you never have to worry whether or not your dish could be improved by their presence. Be adventurous with your cooking! Continue reading Stock Up! Why You Should Buy Pecans in Bulk

How to Keep Your New Year Resolutions in 2015

feet-on-scaleWe are all familiar with the desire to make proactive changes to our lives and relationships. We make grand promises with ourselves about how we are going to change and get that body we always wanted. But truth is, we are also oh-so-familiar with the feeling of failure from not achieving what we were so pumped about at the end of the previous year. What are the solutions to this perpetual problem?

Create a Plan

Create a map or outline of how you plan to achieve your resolution. While creating this outline, think about how you are going to handle temptation. Once you start to deviate from your goal, remind yourself what you intended to do with your goal. This moment of intentional reflection could be the difference between falling off the wagon or sticking to your resolution.

Be Realistic

It is unrealistic to attempt to completely change a behavior that has been a part of your identity for the larger part of your life in a matter of a few months or a year. Take small steps first. Continue reading How to Keep Your New Year Resolutions in 2015

Don’t Do These Four Things When Making a New Year’s Resolution

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Firework Stars by christmasstockimages.com is licensed under CC by 3.0

Many people view the New Year as a time to wipe the slate clean and begin a journey of self-improvement. However, for many, resolutions eventually become failures a few months into the year and not maintaining and attaining the goal can do more harm than good to the psyche. In order to get the most out of a resolution steer clear of these four things when making that commitment:

Forgetting about the Small Goals

If you are committing to large goals that are changes in behavior, it is quite unrealistic to believe you can quickly change that behavior that may have been a part of your life for many years (smoking, over-eating, over-working, combativeness). Instead of quitting the habit all at once, begin by establishing small goals such as allowing yourself junk food one or two days a week. By accomplishing smaller goals over time, it is more likely the resolution will be achieved.

Not Having a Plan

With any resolution, you need to have an explicit plan for attaining it. If you decide to lose weight, you need to have a well-defined plan of action. Remember to start with small goals such as cutting out junk food or steering clear of as much processed food as possible. Also, remember diets rarely work in the long run. Make a plan for healthier lifestyle changes such as regular exercise and a well-balanced diet. Continue reading Don’t Do These Four Things When Making a New Year’s Resolution

The Emily Post Guide to Throwing the Perfect Holiday Party

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Party lights and decorations by christmasstockimages.com is licensed under CC by 3.0.

Remember to keep your party simple and focus on what matters most to you and your guests – enjoying each other’s presence. Follow this guide and you surely will throw the perfect holiday party where you will make your guests feel content and welcome:

1. Preparation

Be sure everything needed to be prepped is done before guests arrive: a planned meal, a variety of beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), and outdoor lighting.

2. Self-Awareness

Your guests will feed off of your demeanor. Display no stress, agitation, or disappointment. Be the twinkling light of the party.

3. Toasting

Once you deem the moment appropriate, make a toast thanking your guests for attending. Add meaningful details about their importance in your life. Continue reading The Emily Post Guide to Throwing the Perfect Holiday Party

10 Christmas Gift Ideas for Your Outdoorsman

father and son huntingFor some people on your gift-list, it gets increasingly more difficult to find a gift they will not only enjoy but also find useful. Outdoorsmen are no exception. They seem to always have new trinkets and gadgets for making their adventures fun and successful. So, if you have an outdoorsman or two on your gift list, consider these unique ideas for making your gift to them a memorable one.

Olloclip
Light and easy lens attachments for mobile photography. Great for capturing beauty observed in the stand, a great kill, or the wood’s serenity.

Trail Camera
Easy way for hunters to see what moves around the stand when they aren’t perched and ready to take aim.

GoPro
Incredibly crisp, clear images of an outdoorsman’s adventures.

Multitool
Any outdoorsman can’t have too many multitools (one to keep in the truck, at the camp, in the backpack, in the office desk) Continue reading 10 Christmas Gift Ideas for Your Outdoorsman

Can’t Keep Up? 7 Ways to Simplify Your Holiday Gift Buying

crowded mallGift buying can certainly be a time of over complication. Lists, budgets and people’s wishes all factor in when making decisions about what to buy. Here are seven ways to make the holiday gift buying experience a little less complicated:

1. Start Early

Don’t wait until the week before the holiday to think about what to get. This may cause you to spend too much money and choose something that person may not want.

2. Create a Master List Way Ahead of Time

Take the time to create a list of every person and animal you are planning to buy a gift for so you won’t forget anyone.

3. Year Around Amazon

Create a wish list on Amazon to stash potential gifts for people throughout the year when they mention a desired product. When the time comes for purchasing, you have it all organized and ready with thoughtful, wanted gifts.

Continue reading Can’t Keep Up? 7 Ways to Simplify Your Holiday Gift Buying

Five Dinner Party Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making

There is quite a lot of pressure when hosting a dinner party. What you anticipate to be a fun and festive evening can turn into a “what was I thinking?!” personal meltdown in the kitchen. Consider not doing the following when thinking about hosting a dinner party:

Complicated Recipes

A complicated and untested recipe can lead to high costs and a not so good end result. Unfamiliarity with the recipe can cause you to forget a step or ingredient, consequently, making your much looked forward to entree to become the most avoided dish at the table.

Not Having Food Ready When Guests Arrive

Guests are more than likely coming to your dinner party hungry and won’t want to wait all night for the food to finish cooking. Further, if you forget to prep and organize, your kitchen may transform into a very messy gathering place. Continue reading Five Dinner Party Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making

The Top Ten Corporate Gift Ideas

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It’s that time of year for showing thanks by giving gifts. Sometimes gift giving—especially in the corporate workplace—can be difficult because it may appear most people have every essential item or trinket they need. However, there is something out there even for the most savvy and well-accessorized clients and employees. Here are ten gift ideas for the corporate setting and for those who appear to have it all:

1. Silver Letter Opener

This classy gift can be customized with the company logo, a quote, or the person’s name and job title.

2. Cell Phone/ Business Card Holder

This is a functional gift idea to keep desk space organized with two of the most commonly grabbed items on a person’s desk. You can also customize this gift if desired.

3. Fancy Picture Frames

A fancy picture frame, such as leather or metal, can add both sophistication and warmth to an office.

Continue reading The Top Ten Corporate Gift Ideas

Do You Make These 3 Mistakes When Cooking With Nuts?

Warm Pecan Spinach Salad by Chef Justin Girourd. Chef and Owner of The French Press in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Warm Pecan Spinach Salad by Chef Justin Girourd. Chef and Owner of The French Press in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Incorporating nuts in cooking adds dimensions of flavor and texture to whatever your taste buds are directing you to craft in the kitchen. Whether you are making a pecan-crusted salmon or a prosciutto salad with oven-toasted pine nuts, there is room for error when cooking with these shelled delights. Here are a few mistakes in a nutshell:

1. Breading Battle

A delicious, crispy crust jazzes up a fish fillet or chicken breast. If the meat is coated with a greater breading than nuts ratio, you will sacrifice the nut’s flavor and create a saltier alternative.

2. To toast, or not to toast? That is the question.

Not toasting nuts is a mistake. Yes, toasting does add prep time, but if you choose to not spend a few extra minutes shaking them in a pan, you eliminate potential flavor that could be the extra “mmmmm” to your dish. Continue reading Do You Make These 3 Mistakes When Cooking With Nuts?