What are you thankful for this year?
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Thanksgiving Dinner In Your Apartment
Posted by ULofts Apartments on 11:04 AM
Are you not a great cook? Did you know that you could make an entire
Thanksgiving meal in a microwave? It is possible. Check out the story
and the instructions below. You can learn more at the WashingtonPost.
MY MICROWAVED THANKSGIVING MENU
* Pecan Pesto Roasted Turkey Breasts (recipe)
* Sweet Potatoes with Apples & Cranberries (recipe)
* Watergate Salad (recipe)
* Stuffing
* Cranberry Sauce
* Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
* Cranberry Spritzers
* Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
* No-Bake Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust (recipe)
DAYS BEFORE
The key to effortless, sophisticated entertaining is planning ahead, making lots of lists and googling things like "how to microwave a turkey."
Right away, I found the USDA's fact sheet for "Turkey: Alternative Routes to the Table" which reassured me that "turkeys can be successfully cooked in a microwave oven."
The basics: Do not stuff your soon-to-be-zapped bird. Don't go bigger than 12 or 14 pounds. Use a plastic oven cooking bag to even out heat distribution. Cook it for 9 to 10 minutes per pound on medium power. Rotate your bird often. Use a food thermometer to make sure the thickest part of your turkey reaches at least 165-degrees.
All
of my research confirmed that I needed a meat thermometer. I highly
recommend that you get one, too. I found mine for about $10 at Target --
I know it's a splurge, but it's the best way to make sure that your
poultry is cooked thoroughly before feeding it to people you would
rather not poison. That 10-buck investment gave me the confidence to
look my guests in the eye and say, "You will not get sick eating this
turkey. Why? Because I am the proud owner of a meat thermometer."
NIGHT BEFORE
Since my no-bake pie needed to chill for at least five hours, I decided to make it the night before. The whole reason I picked this recipe was because of the ginger-snap-crumb crust -- but I realized it was cheaper to purchase a pre-made graham cracker pie crust in a disposable pie pan than to buy a disposable pie pan. So, I decided to just dust the pre-made crust with ginger snap cookie crumbs. It's the same thing, right?
To
get ginger snap crumbs, I put a handful of cookies in a thick plastic
lock-top bag -- and then another and another -- and then I beat it with a
hammer until nothing remained but crumbs. (You can also stomp them with
a pair of heeled boots.)
Mix together the filling: Two boxes of instant vanilla pudding, half a cup of milk, one can of pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Pour that over the crust, cover the pie and refrigerate for at least five hours.
(Now, in the end, I wasn't a huge fan of this pie. Some alternatives: Buy a pre-made pie in the deli or a frozen one. Serve a scoop of Ben and Jerry's Pumpkin Cheesecake ice cream with ginger snap cookies. Or buy a tub of Philadelphia ready-to-eat pumpkin cheesecake filling and plastic spoons.)
SATURDAY MORNING
I had planned to get up early and spend the morning cooking Martha Stewart's cranberry sauce and Marilyn Monroe's stuffing, which was recently featured in the New York Times and calls for more than 20 ingredients including three types of nuts. Instead, I slept in, read the paper, drank coffee, went to the gym, rearranged the furniture in my apartment....
LATE SATURDAY MORNING
At some point I realized that just because I was microwaving everything, I still had to spend some time prepping and cooking. So, I made my first of several (and I mean several) trips to the grocery store around the corner. I dug through their display of fresh turkeys (if you get one that's frozen, make sure you give yourself enough time to defrost it) and pulled out the tiniest one I could find -- a cute little 12-pounder.
As soon as I got home, I realized there was no way that cute little turkey would fit in my modest-sized microwave. I ran back to the grocery store with my recipe and exchanged the 12-pound bird for a six-pound breast-only one that would easily fit in my microwave.
I don't think you are supposed to microwave it, said a helpful but skeptical Harris Teeter employee. No, no, I told him, the USDA says it's totally safe. And I own a meat thermometer.
SO NOW IT'S MID-AFTERNOON
Since I am cooking this turkey in a microwave, I felt the need to make it fancier than if I popped it in the oven. So, I decided to create a pecan-and-herb pesto to slide under the skin. (You don't have to be that fancy, you can just put it in the microwave. Your friends will still be impressed.)
Chances
are you don't have a food processor in your dorm, so put one cup of
pecans in a plastic bag and use the hammer technique described above to
smash them into crumbs. Finely chop one small onion, 12 fresh sage
leaves and half a cup of parsley leaves. Zest one lemon. Then mix
everything together with three tablespoons of olive oil.
Remove the turkey from the packaging, rinse it off and pat it dry with clean paper towels. Place the turkey in a plastic oven bag (don't close it just yet) on top of a microwave-safe plate. Trim off any excessive fat and then pull back the turkey skin and stuff handfuls of the pesto underneath. It does not have to be pretty. Mine definitely was not.
Heat up four tablespoons of butter with two bay leaves in the microwave. Spread half the butter over the bird. Sprinkle salt and pepper over everything. Tie the bag closed and cut six small slits in the bag (so that it won't explode -- I forgot this step until about five minutes into cooking time).
Since I had a 6-pounder, I cooked it for about 60 minutes at 50-percent or medium heat. Halfway through, I took it out of the microwave and spread the rest of the melted butter over it. If your microwave doesn't have a rotating plate, you will want to rotate your turkey every 15 minutes.
As
you go along, keep in mind that raw poultry can cause major health
problems. Use hot water and soap to clean up your workspace. Don't reuse
cutting boards that have touched raw meat. If you get meat juices on a
towel, throw it in the laundry. (More safety tips)
And another safety tip: You might be tempted to leave your dorm room as your turkey cooks, but that's really a bad idea. Make sure to stay in the room, just in case something goes wrong. PLEASE, DO NOT BURN DOWN YOUR DORM. Thank you.
LATE, LATE AFTERNOON
Sixty minutes were quickly up. I removed the turkey from the microwave and stuck my meat thermometer into a couple different spots, making sure everything was over 165-degrees. Since my guests still hadn't arrived, I put it back into the microwave and reheated the space on low every now and then to keep it warm.
AS MY GUESTS FILTERED IN
I offered everyone cranberry spritzers -- cranberry juice and club soda, with a lime slice and skewer of cranberries. One guest accepted a spritzer, but the rest went for other beverages offered. I also set out bowls of baby carrots and hummus, cranberries, green olives and left-over ginger snap cookies.
One friend set the table with paper plates, napkins and plastic forks (I know it's not earth-friendly, but it makes clean-up so much easier). Another snapped artsy photos. Another created a playlist on Grooveshark. If you are feeling uber-festive you can decorate the table with colorful fall leaves or splurge for flowers (I put mine in an old coffee can).
At about this time I realized that I had a list of sides to make and sort of freaked out.
AS MY GUEST GOT HUNGRY
First I prepped the sweet potatoes with apples and cranberries, a recipe that I found on my friend Kevin's wedding Web site (Warning: It's a super, super cutesy site) and decided to double. Peeled and chopped three huge sweet potatoes. Chopped two Granny Smith apples. Threw that into two Ziploc steamer bags with a handful of dried cranberries, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter and salt. Once the turkey came out of the microwave, I cooked the bags for about nine minutes each.
I also mixed together a fluffy, bright-green "salad"
composed of a can of crushed pineapple, two boxes of pistachio instant
pudding, a container of thawed Cool Whip and two containers of vanilla
yogurt. (You can also stir in mini-marshmallows, maraschino cherries or
chopped nuts.) This is in no way an actual salad -- it is a bowl of
sugar. Maybe it's just because I get homesick for the Midwest around
this time of year, but I think it's delicious. (Not many other people at
the table shared this enthusiasm, which is why I have been stuck eating
this stuff for breakfast the last two days.)
And then came the shameless cheating: I mixed some boiling water with a box of Stove Top -- bam, stuffing was ready. Mixed some boiling water with instant potatoes -- bam, mashed potatoes were done. Pulled out a can opener -- bam, bowl of cranberry sauce. Opened a bag -- bam, rolls. Heated up a jar of 99-cent gravy -- bam, done.
Next challenge: Anyone know how to carve a turkey? I had never done this and years of watching holiday-themed sitcoms has taught me that it requires some sort of special skills. You just cut it, a friend offered. Thanks.
AND DINNER
After it all, seven of us crowded around a table packed with food. Everyone kept commenting that this didn't look like a dorm Thanksgiving, and that the food was not only edible, but surprisingly delicious.
Since all of us are well over 21 and have not lived in campus housing for several years, we split a can of watermelon Four Loko and raised a toast. Even if things hadn't worked out, even if we had to order in pizza, the important thing about Thanksgiving is being surrounded by people who rally behind you (and your crazy work-related experiments) with a sense of humor.
MY MICROWAVED THANKSGIVING MENU
* Pecan Pesto Roasted Turkey Breasts (recipe)
* Sweet Potatoes with Apples & Cranberries (recipe)
* Watergate Salad (recipe)
* Stuffing
* Cranberry Sauce
* Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
* Cranberry Spritzers
* Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
* No-Bake Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust (recipe)
DAYS BEFORE
The key to effortless, sophisticated entertaining is planning ahead, making lots of lists and googling things like "how to microwave a turkey."
Right away, I found the USDA's fact sheet for "Turkey: Alternative Routes to the Table" which reassured me that "turkeys can be successfully cooked in a microwave oven."
The basics: Do not stuff your soon-to-be-zapped bird. Don't go bigger than 12 or 14 pounds. Use a plastic oven cooking bag to even out heat distribution. Cook it for 9 to 10 minutes per pound on medium power. Rotate your bird often. Use a food thermometer to make sure the thickest part of your turkey reaches at least 165-degrees.
All
of my research confirmed that I needed a meat thermometer. I highly
recommend that you get one, too. I found mine for about $10 at Target --
I know it's a splurge, but it's the best way to make sure that your
poultry is cooked thoroughly before feeding it to people you would
rather not poison. That 10-buck investment gave me the confidence to
look my guests in the eye and say, "You will not get sick eating this
turkey. Why? Because I am the proud owner of a meat thermometer."NIGHT BEFORE
Since my no-bake pie needed to chill for at least five hours, I decided to make it the night before. The whole reason I picked this recipe was because of the ginger-snap-crumb crust -- but I realized it was cheaper to purchase a pre-made graham cracker pie crust in a disposable pie pan than to buy a disposable pie pan. So, I decided to just dust the pre-made crust with ginger snap cookie crumbs. It's the same thing, right?
To
get ginger snap crumbs, I put a handful of cookies in a thick plastic
lock-top bag -- and then another and another -- and then I beat it with a
hammer until nothing remained but crumbs. (You can also stomp them with
a pair of heeled boots.)Mix together the filling: Two boxes of instant vanilla pudding, half a cup of milk, one can of pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Pour that over the crust, cover the pie and refrigerate for at least five hours.
(Now, in the end, I wasn't a huge fan of this pie. Some alternatives: Buy a pre-made pie in the deli or a frozen one. Serve a scoop of Ben and Jerry's Pumpkin Cheesecake ice cream with ginger snap cookies. Or buy a tub of Philadelphia ready-to-eat pumpkin cheesecake filling and plastic spoons.)
SATURDAY MORNING
I had planned to get up early and spend the morning cooking Martha Stewart's cranberry sauce and Marilyn Monroe's stuffing, which was recently featured in the New York Times and calls for more than 20 ingredients including three types of nuts. Instead, I slept in, read the paper, drank coffee, went to the gym, rearranged the furniture in my apartment....
LATE SATURDAY MORNINGAt some point I realized that just because I was microwaving everything, I still had to spend some time prepping and cooking. So, I made my first of several (and I mean several) trips to the grocery store around the corner. I dug through their display of fresh turkeys (if you get one that's frozen, make sure you give yourself enough time to defrost it) and pulled out the tiniest one I could find -- a cute little 12-pounder.
As soon as I got home, I realized there was no way that cute little turkey would fit in my modest-sized microwave. I ran back to the grocery store with my recipe and exchanged the 12-pound bird for a six-pound breast-only one that would easily fit in my microwave.
I don't think you are supposed to microwave it, said a helpful but skeptical Harris Teeter employee. No, no, I told him, the USDA says it's totally safe. And I own a meat thermometer.
SO NOW IT'S MID-AFTERNOON
Since I am cooking this turkey in a microwave, I felt the need to make it fancier than if I popped it in the oven. So, I decided to create a pecan-and-herb pesto to slide under the skin. (You don't have to be that fancy, you can just put it in the microwave. Your friends will still be impressed.)
Chances
are you don't have a food processor in your dorm, so put one cup of
pecans in a plastic bag and use the hammer technique described above to
smash them into crumbs. Finely chop one small onion, 12 fresh sage
leaves and half a cup of parsley leaves. Zest one lemon. Then mix
everything together with three tablespoons of olive oil.Remove the turkey from the packaging, rinse it off and pat it dry with clean paper towels. Place the turkey in a plastic oven bag (don't close it just yet) on top of a microwave-safe plate. Trim off any excessive fat and then pull back the turkey skin and stuff handfuls of the pesto underneath. It does not have to be pretty. Mine definitely was not.
Heat up four tablespoons of butter with two bay leaves in the microwave. Spread half the butter over the bird. Sprinkle salt and pepper over everything. Tie the bag closed and cut six small slits in the bag (so that it won't explode -- I forgot this step until about five minutes into cooking time).
Since I had a 6-pounder, I cooked it for about 60 minutes at 50-percent or medium heat. Halfway through, I took it out of the microwave and spread the rest of the melted butter over it. If your microwave doesn't have a rotating plate, you will want to rotate your turkey every 15 minutes.
As
you go along, keep in mind that raw poultry can cause major health
problems. Use hot water and soap to clean up your workspace. Don't reuse
cutting boards that have touched raw meat. If you get meat juices on a
towel, throw it in the laundry. (More safety tips)And another safety tip: You might be tempted to leave your dorm room as your turkey cooks, but that's really a bad idea. Make sure to stay in the room, just in case something goes wrong. PLEASE, DO NOT BURN DOWN YOUR DORM. Thank you.
LATE, LATE AFTERNOON
Sixty minutes were quickly up. I removed the turkey from the microwave and stuck my meat thermometer into a couple different spots, making sure everything was over 165-degrees. Since my guests still hadn't arrived, I put it back into the microwave and reheated the space on low every now and then to keep it warm.
AS MY GUESTS FILTERED INI offered everyone cranberry spritzers -- cranberry juice and club soda, with a lime slice and skewer of cranberries. One guest accepted a spritzer, but the rest went for other beverages offered. I also set out bowls of baby carrots and hummus, cranberries, green olives and left-over ginger snap cookies.
One friend set the table with paper plates, napkins and plastic forks (I know it's not earth-friendly, but it makes clean-up so much easier). Another snapped artsy photos. Another created a playlist on Grooveshark. If you are feeling uber-festive you can decorate the table with colorful fall leaves or splurge for flowers (I put mine in an old coffee can).
At about this time I realized that I had a list of sides to make and sort of freaked out.
AS MY GUEST GOT HUNGRY
First I prepped the sweet potatoes with apples and cranberries, a recipe that I found on my friend Kevin's wedding Web site (Warning: It's a super, super cutesy site) and decided to double. Peeled and chopped three huge sweet potatoes. Chopped two Granny Smith apples. Threw that into two Ziploc steamer bags with a handful of dried cranberries, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter and salt. Once the turkey came out of the microwave, I cooked the bags for about nine minutes each.
I also mixed together a fluffy, bright-green "salad"
composed of a can of crushed pineapple, two boxes of pistachio instant
pudding, a container of thawed Cool Whip and two containers of vanilla
yogurt. (You can also stir in mini-marshmallows, maraschino cherries or
chopped nuts.) This is in no way an actual salad -- it is a bowl of
sugar. Maybe it's just because I get homesick for the Midwest around
this time of year, but I think it's delicious. (Not many other people at
the table shared this enthusiasm, which is why I have been stuck eating
this stuff for breakfast the last two days.)And then came the shameless cheating: I mixed some boiling water with a box of Stove Top -- bam, stuffing was ready. Mixed some boiling water with instant potatoes -- bam, mashed potatoes were done. Pulled out a can opener -- bam, bowl of cranberry sauce. Opened a bag -- bam, rolls. Heated up a jar of 99-cent gravy -- bam, done.
Next challenge: Anyone know how to carve a turkey? I had never done this and years of watching holiday-themed sitcoms has taught me that it requires some sort of special skills. You just cut it, a friend offered. Thanks.
AND DINNERAfter it all, seven of us crowded around a table packed with food. Everyone kept commenting that this didn't look like a dorm Thanksgiving, and that the food was not only edible, but surprisingly delicious.
Since all of us are well over 21 and have not lived in campus housing for several years, we split a can of watermelon Four Loko and raised a toast. Even if things hadn't worked out, even if we had to order in pizza, the important thing about Thanksgiving is being surrounded by people who rally behind you (and your crazy work-related experiments) with a sense of humor.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Thank You Veterans!
Posted by ULofts Apartments on 10:39 AM
Texas Tech University would like to thank all past and present veterans for protecting our country. This University is proud of our students and alumni in the armed forces. Here are some stories about current students and alumni serving our country.
Texas Tech is committed to honoring
those brave Americans, several Red Raiders among them.
Darryn Andrews
Darryn and his twin brother enjoyed
their college experience together at Texas Tech. Both were members of the FIJI
fraternity and played intramural sports. After graduating with a degree in
international business, Darryn still had the military on his mind.
He died a hero, during his second tour
in Afghanistan. Read More >>
-John W. Davis
Jack Bennett
Jack Bennett first came to Texas Tech
University in the fall of 1942. He hoped to play a little football and earn an
agriculture degree before he was drafted. Two years later, he was among the
troops that invaded Normandy on D-Day.
Bennett recently was honored for his
service by the French government as a Knight of the French Legion of Honor and
also received the prestigious Distinguished Service Award from Chancellor Kent
Hance and the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents. Read More>>
-John W. Davis
Ron Milam
A Texas Tech historian has been named
by the Vietnam
Veterans Memorial Fund to join the advisory committee for The Education
Center at The Wall, a learning facility planned for construction on the grounds
of the Vietnam Veterans and Lincoln Memorials.
Ron Milam, associate professor of
history, Vietnam veteran and author will serve on the 10-member committee.
Read More>>
-John W. Davis
Chris Trobridge
Interest in aerospace runs deep in
Chris Trobridge’s family. His grandfather was a World War II flight engineer on
the B-24 Liberator bomber of the Pacific Theater. Trobridge’s
father also worked in the aviation industry.
So when the Texas Tech University
doctoral candidate had the opportunity to join Midland’s American Airpower
Heritage Museum, affiliated with the Commemorative Air Force, Trobridge knew it
was something he wanted to do. Read More>>
-Megan Ketterer
- See more at:
http://today.ttu.edu/2013/11/texas-tech-celebrates-veterans-day/#sthash.Z3F24MyV.dpuf
Texas Tech is committed to honoring those brave Americans, several Red Raiders among them.
Darryn and his twin brother enjoyed their college experience together
at Texas Tech. Both were members of the FIJI fraternity and played
intramural sports. After graduating with a degree in international
business, Darryn still had the military on his mind.
He died a hero, during his second tour in Afghanistan. Read More >>
Jack Bennett first came to Texas Tech University in the fall of 1942.
He hoped to play a little football and earn an agriculture degree
before he was drafted. Two years later, he was among the troops that
invaded Normandy on D-Day.
Bennett recently was honored for his service by the French government as a Knight of the French Legion of Honor and also received the prestigious Distinguished Service Award from Chancellor Kent Hance and the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents. Read More>>
A Texas Tech historian has been named by the Vietnam
Veterans Memorial Fund to join the advisory committee for The Education
Center at The Wall, a learning facility planned for construction on the
grounds of the Vietnam Veterans and Lincoln Memorials.
Ron Milam, associate professor of history, Vietnam veteran and author will serve on the 10-member committee. Read More>>
Interest in aerospace runs deep in Chris Trobridge’s family. His
grandfather was a World War II flight engineer on the B-24
Liberator bomber of the Pacific Theater. Trobridge’s father also worked
in the aviation industry.
So when the Texas Tech University doctoral candidate had the opportunity to join Midland’s American Airpower Heritage Museum, affiliated with the Commemorative Air Force, Trobridge knew it was something he wanted to do. Read More>>
Darryn Andrews
He died a hero, during his second tour in Afghanistan. Read More >>
-John W. Davis
Jack Bennett
Bennett recently was honored for his service by the French government as a Knight of the French Legion of Honor and also received the prestigious Distinguished Service Award from Chancellor Kent Hance and the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents. Read More>>
-John W. Davis
Ron Milam
Ron Milam, associate professor of history, Vietnam veteran and author will serve on the 10-member committee. Read More>>
-John W. Davis
Chris Trobridge
So when the Texas Tech University doctoral candidate had the opportunity to join Midland’s American Airpower Heritage Museum, affiliated with the Commemorative Air Force, Trobridge knew it was something he wanted to do. Read More>>
-Megan Ketterer
- See more at: http://today.ttu.edu/2013/11/texas-tech-celebrates-veterans-day/#sthash.Z3F24MyV.dpuf
Texas Tech is committed to honoring those brave Americans, several Red Raiders among them.
Darryn and his twin brother enjoyed their college experience together
at Texas Tech. Both were members of the FIJI fraternity and played
intramural sports. After graduating with a degree in international
business, Darryn still had the military on his mind.
He died a hero, during his second tour in Afghanistan. Read More >>
Jack Bennett first came to Texas Tech University in the fall of 1942.
He hoped to play a little football and earn an agriculture degree
before he was drafted. Two years later, he was among the troops that
invaded Normandy on D-Day.
Bennett recently was honored for his service by the French government as a Knight of the French Legion of Honor and also received the prestigious Distinguished Service Award from Chancellor Kent Hance and the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents. Read More>>
A Texas Tech historian has been named by the Vietnam
Veterans Memorial Fund to join the advisory committee for The Education
Center at The Wall, a learning facility planned for construction on the
grounds of the Vietnam Veterans and Lincoln Memorials.
Ron Milam, associate professor of history, Vietnam veteran and author will serve on the 10-member committee. Read More>>
Interest in aerospace runs deep in Chris Trobridge’s family. His
grandfather was a World War II flight engineer on the B-24
Liberator bomber of the Pacific Theater. Trobridge’s father also worked
in the aviation industry.
So when the Texas Tech University doctoral candidate had the opportunity to join Midland’s American Airpower Heritage Museum, affiliated with the Commemorative Air Force, Trobridge knew it was something he wanted to do. Read More>>
Darryn Andrews
He died a hero, during his second tour in Afghanistan. Read More >>
-John W. Davis
Jack Bennett
Bennett recently was honored for his service by the French government as a Knight of the French Legion of Honor and also received the prestigious Distinguished Service Award from Chancellor Kent Hance and the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents. Read More>>
-John W. Davis
Ron Milam
Ron Milam, associate professor of history, Vietnam veteran and author will serve on the 10-member committee. Read More>>
-John W. Davis
Chris Trobridge
So when the Texas Tech University doctoral candidate had the opportunity to join Midland’s American Airpower Heritage Museum, affiliated with the Commemorative Air Force, Trobridge knew it was something he wanted to do. Read More>>
-Megan Ketterer
- See more at: http://today.ttu.edu/2013/11/texas-tech-celebrates-veterans-day/#sthash.Z3F24MyV.dpuf
Texas Tech is committed to honoring those brave Americans, several Red Raiders among them.
Darryn and his twin brother enjoyed their college experience together
at Texas Tech. Both were members of the FIJI fraternity and played
intramural sports. After graduating with a degree in international
business, Darryn still had the military on his mind.
He died a hero, during his second tour in Afghanistan. Read More >>
Jack Bennett first came to Texas Tech University in the fall of 1942.
He hoped to play a little football and earn an agriculture degree
before he was drafted. Two years later, he was among the troops that
invaded Normandy on D-Day.
Bennett recently was honored for his service by the French government as a Knight of the French Legion of Honor and also received the prestigious Distinguished Service Award from Chancellor Kent Hance and the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents. Read More>>
A Texas Tech historian has been named by the Vietnam
Veterans Memorial Fund to join the advisory committee for The Education
Center at The Wall, a learning facility planned for construction on the
grounds of the Vietnam Veterans and Lincoln Memorials.
Ron Milam, associate professor of history, Vietnam veteran and author will serve on the 10-member committee. Read More>>
Interest in aerospace runs deep in Chris Trobridge’s family. His
grandfather was a World War II flight engineer on the B-24
Liberator bomber of the Pacific Theater. Trobridge’s father also worked
in the aviation industry.
So when the Texas Tech University doctoral candidate had the opportunity to join Midland’s American Airpower Heritage Museum, affiliated with the Commemorative Air Force, Trobridge knew it was something he wanted to do. Read More>>
Darryn Andrews
He died a hero, during his second tour in Afghanistan. Read More >>
-John W. Davis
Jack Bennett
Bennett recently was honored for his service by the French government as a Knight of the French Legion of Honor and also received the prestigious Distinguished Service Award from Chancellor Kent Hance and the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents. Read More>>
-John W. Davis
Ron Milam
Ron Milam, associate professor of history, Vietnam veteran and author will serve on the 10-member committee. Read More>>
-John W. Davis
Chris Trobridge
So when the Texas Tech University doctoral candidate had the opportunity to join Midland’s American Airpower Heritage Museum, affiliated with the Commemorative Air Force, Trobridge knew it was something he wanted to do. Read More>>
-Megan Ketterer
- See more at: http://today.ttu.edu/2013/11/texas-tech-celebrates-veterans-day/#sthash.Z3F24MyV.dpuf
Texas Tech is committed to honoring those brave Americans, several Red Raiders among them.
Darryn and his twin brother enjoyed their college experience together
at Texas Tech. Both were members of the FIJI fraternity and played
intramural sports. After graduating with a degree in international
business, Darryn still had the military on his mind.
He died a hero, during his second tour in Afghanistan. Read More >>
Jack Bennett first came to Texas Tech University in the fall of 1942.
He hoped to play a little football and earn an agriculture degree
before he was drafted. Two years later, he was among the troops that
invaded Normandy on D-Day.
Bennett recently was honored for his service by the French government as a Knight of the French Legion of Honor and also received the prestigious Distinguished Service Award from Chancellor Kent Hance and the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents. Read More>>
A Texas Tech historian has been named by the Vietnam
Veterans Memorial Fund to join the advisory committee for The Education
Center at The Wall, a learning facility planned for construction on the
grounds of the Vietnam Veterans and Lincoln Memorials.
Ron Milam, associate professor of history, Vietnam veteran and author will serve on the 10-member committee. Read More>>
Interest in aerospace runs deep in Chris Trobridge’s family. His
grandfather was a World War II flight engineer on the B-24
Liberator bomber of the Pacific Theater. Trobridge’s father also worked
in the aviation industry.
So when the Texas Tech University doctoral candidate had the opportunity to join Midland’s American Airpower Heritage Museum, affiliated with the Commemorative Air Force, Trobridge knew it was something he wanted to do. Read More>>
Darryn Andrews
He died a hero, during his second tour in Afghanistan. Read More >>
-John W. Davis
Jack Bennett
Bennett recently was honored for his service by the French government as a Knight of the French Legion of Honor and also received the prestigious Distinguished Service Award from Chancellor Kent Hance and the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents. Read More>>
-John W. Davis
Ron Milam
Ron Milam, associate professor of history, Vietnam veteran and author will serve on the 10-member committee. Read More>>
-John W. Davis
Chris Trobridge
So when the Texas Tech University doctoral candidate had the opportunity to join Midland’s American Airpower Heritage Museum, affiliated with the Commemorative Air Force, Trobridge knew it was something he wanted to do. Read More>>
-Megan Ketterer
- See more at: http://today.ttu.edu/2013/11/texas-tech-celebrates-veterans-day/#sthash.Z3F24MyV.dpufWednesday, November 6, 2013
Clean Up Your Apartment After Halloween
Posted by ULofts Apartments on 11:11 AM
Cleaning your apartment can be a hassle. However, saving all the work
to one day a month is stressful. There are ways that you can clean
your apartment a little every day. This leaves you with a clean
apartment, and you can be stress free throughout the month. Keep
reading and check out apartment therapy for more details.
1) Dealing With What Comes Through The Door Set up a small area by the front door to act as a "landing strip" for incoming items into your home. If you're a long time reader this is nothing new to you. If this is the first time you've heard this phrase outside of reference to personal grooming habits, then make sure to check out Maxwell's latest Home Cure video on the topic.
2) Do Your Dishes After Every Meal This will help you stay on top of your kitchen instead of having it turn into a monster! No one really wants to do them (after all, you probably cooked dinner to boot). But waiting for another meal or until you have enough to fill the dishwasher just makes things feel overwhelming and easier to put off. The same goes for take out trash as well. If you need to take the trash out, place it by the front door to go out in the morning or dispose of it that night so it's over and done with.
3) Laundry If you have a washer and dryer at home, do a little bit each day. Spread things out so you don't feel bogged down by 200 towels and stinky socks. If you take things to a laundromat, sort clothes as you go so things are easier to load up into machines when you get there. Fold them before you come home so you aren't dumping baskets out on your sofa or bed and they can go straight into drawers and closets.
4) Whistle While You Work: Those who are happiest when cleaning are few and far between. Singing, humming, whistling or turning up the stereo are all great options to keep the beat in your feet and have fun while working. Here's a few past posts on killer cleaning soundtracks.
5) Set a Timer: Most items on the list below should take no more than 20 minutes total. It's easy to rationalize 20 minutes, but it's also easy to get distracted by phone calls, emails, children and other projects that call your name as you tackle each chore. Set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes (which ever works best for you) and that way when it sounds you know exactly how much time you have left. If you find yourself off task it's easy to get back on track.
1. Surface clean living room and kitchen (pick up stray items, dust, sweep, vacuum)
2. Clean bathrooms (toilets, showers, floors, walls, mirrors)
3. Surface clean bedrooms (put away toys, clothes, dust)
4. Surface clean "extra" rooms (basement, office, play room)
5. Surface clean living room and kitchen
6. Clean bathrooms
7. Clean all interior windows (white vinegar and newspaper works great and is cheap!)
8. Sweep and vacuum all floors in the house (don't forget stairs)
9. Surface clean bedrooms
10. Deep clean living room (mirrors, baseboards, dust artwork)
11. Clean bathrooms
12. Clean out closets (hang up clothes, mittens, jackets, hats)
13. Surface clean "extra" rooms
14. Deep clean bedrooms (organize drawers, check under bed, tidy closet, dust artwork, fans, lights, mop)
15. Surface clean living room and kitchen
16. Deep clean bathrooms (clean inside drawers, inside of trash cans, tops of mirrors, tile, mop)
17. Clean all door knobs, phones, entertainment equipment (remote controls), switch plates, banisters and other things that are repeatedly touched.
18. Clean out the refrigerator, take stock of food, organize pantry
19. Clean entryway, sweep porch (if you have one), clean out car (because they're often our home away from home)
20. Surface clean living room and kitchen
21. Surface clean bathrooms
22. Surface clean bedrooms
23. Sweep and vacuum all floors in the house
24. Clean linen closet, straighten towels, sheets or regular closet if not applicable
25. Surface clean living room and kitchen
26. Deep clean kitchen (scrub appliances, wash trash cans, base boards, wipe down and straighten cabinets)
27. Surface clean bathrooms
28. Surfaces clean bedrooms
29. Clean one item you've been meaning to get to and haven't (deep clean your stove, wipe down all light fixtures, tackle a particularly unruly area)
30. Sweep and vacuum all floors in the house
1) Dealing With What Comes Through The Door Set up a small area by the front door to act as a "landing strip" for incoming items into your home. If you're a long time reader this is nothing new to you. If this is the first time you've heard this phrase outside of reference to personal grooming habits, then make sure to check out Maxwell's latest Home Cure video on the topic.
2) Do Your Dishes After Every Meal This will help you stay on top of your kitchen instead of having it turn into a monster! No one really wants to do them (after all, you probably cooked dinner to boot). But waiting for another meal or until you have enough to fill the dishwasher just makes things feel overwhelming and easier to put off. The same goes for take out trash as well. If you need to take the trash out, place it by the front door to go out in the morning or dispose of it that night so it's over and done with.
3) Laundry If you have a washer and dryer at home, do a little bit each day. Spread things out so you don't feel bogged down by 200 towels and stinky socks. If you take things to a laundromat, sort clothes as you go so things are easier to load up into machines when you get there. Fold them before you come home so you aren't dumping baskets out on your sofa or bed and they can go straight into drawers and closets.
4) Whistle While You Work: Those who are happiest when cleaning are few and far between. Singing, humming, whistling or turning up the stereo are all great options to keep the beat in your feet and have fun while working. Here's a few past posts on killer cleaning soundtracks.
5) Set a Timer: Most items on the list below should take no more than 20 minutes total. It's easy to rationalize 20 minutes, but it's also easy to get distracted by phone calls, emails, children and other projects that call your name as you tackle each chore. Set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes (which ever works best for you) and that way when it sounds you know exactly how much time you have left. If you find yourself off task it's easy to get back on track.
1. Surface clean living room and kitchen (pick up stray items, dust, sweep, vacuum)
2. Clean bathrooms (toilets, showers, floors, walls, mirrors)
3. Surface clean bedrooms (put away toys, clothes, dust)
4. Surface clean "extra" rooms (basement, office, play room)
5. Surface clean living room and kitchen
6. Clean bathrooms
7. Clean all interior windows (white vinegar and newspaper works great and is cheap!)
8. Sweep and vacuum all floors in the house (don't forget stairs)
9. Surface clean bedrooms
10. Deep clean living room (mirrors, baseboards, dust artwork)
11. Clean bathrooms
12. Clean out closets (hang up clothes, mittens, jackets, hats)
13. Surface clean "extra" rooms
14. Deep clean bedrooms (organize drawers, check under bed, tidy closet, dust artwork, fans, lights, mop)
15. Surface clean living room and kitchen
16. Deep clean bathrooms (clean inside drawers, inside of trash cans, tops of mirrors, tile, mop)
17. Clean all door knobs, phones, entertainment equipment (remote controls), switch plates, banisters and other things that are repeatedly touched.
18. Clean out the refrigerator, take stock of food, organize pantry
19. Clean entryway, sweep porch (if you have one), clean out car (because they're often our home away from home)
20. Surface clean living room and kitchen
21. Surface clean bathrooms
22. Surface clean bedrooms
23. Sweep and vacuum all floors in the house
24. Clean linen closet, straighten towels, sheets or regular closet if not applicable
25. Surface clean living room and kitchen
26. Deep clean kitchen (scrub appliances, wash trash cans, base boards, wipe down and straighten cabinets)
27. Surface clean bathrooms
28. Surfaces clean bedrooms
29. Clean one item you've been meaning to get to and haven't (deep clean your stove, wipe down all light fixtures, tackle a particularly unruly area)
30. Sweep and vacuum all floors in the house
