Perfect Guacamole

Are you a guacamole fan? If you are, you are probably very excited for the big game this Sunday. However, if you are making guacamole, you want to make sure you are doing it right. Here are five things to remember when making guacamole! You can learn more here.

Whether you're a football fan or just snowed in at home, this weekend is probably a big one for guacamole. Whether you like it chunky or creamy, spicy or mellow, guacamole is basically the best thing on the snack table, and a welcome addition to a weekend meal of breakfast tacos or carnitas.

But if you're making guacamole, do it right. Here are five important things you should know about making the best guacamole.

1. Know this trick for picking the best avocados!

Do you have a knack for picking avocados with a streak of brown inside? Or ones that aren't quite ripe enough? Here's a fairly genius tip for you: the key to your avocado's health lies under the stem "button." Peel it away and take a peek.

2. Also? Always buy an extra avocado.

But even when you get really good at picking avocados, you should always buy an extra one when making guacamole. Christine explains: "If a whole avocado or even parts of a few of them have gone bad, I have an extra one as a replacement to make up for it in a recipe." And if all are good? Well, there's always room in our lives for one more avocado.

3. Avocados not ripe enough? Try a banana.

Gauging the perfect stage of ripeness for guacamole when you want it is a little tricky, though. If you buy avocados on the unripe side a few days ahead, and they're not ripening fast enough, a banana is your friend! Anjali explains how putting a banana in a paper bag really hurried the ripening process along.


4. Avocados too ripe? Refrigerate until you need them.

On the other hand, sometimes you buy avocados that are just a little too ripe and they threaten to turn into mush well before guacamole game day. The solution here is simple: refrigerate them! Refrigeration stops the ripening process, fixing your avocados at the perfect stage of ripeness.

5. Make guacamole ahead and use this tip to keep it green!

Last and certainly not least: yes, you can make guacamole ahead of time. No, it won't turn brown, provided you use our handy little trick for keeping it green. The power of water to banish oxidization is the key here: you simply cover guacamole with water, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Then pour off the water and stir. It doesn't get soggy or watery at all — the water all pours off. Give it a try!

Alternate Uses for Coconut Oil

Coconut Oil has many uses in the home and in food. However, there are 15 ways you can use this oil to improve your body and your home. This blog gives you links and ideas on how to use this delicious smelling oil. You can learn more at Apartment Therapy.



As a body lotion and moisturizer: Smooth on the room temperature oil and watch it melt into your skin! As a "dry" oil, it won't leave a film of grease on your skin.

Stop the itch: Mosquitos been feasting on you? Dab on a bit of coconut oil to quell the itch (and next time, tuck a dryer sheet into your pocket to keep the bugs away). Plus, it may help the bite heal without leaving a scar and it's antibacterial properties will help it from getting infected.

Insect repellent: Mix coconut oil with a few drops of peppermint oil to keep bugs away!

Aftershave: Slather it on your face or legs after shaving to prevent rashes.

Sunscreen: It sounds counter-intuitive but apparently it works.

Deodorant: Use a small amount alone or combine with equal parts baking soda and cornstarch. Work into a solid paste until it's the same consistency as the stick kind.
Hair Conditioner: lightly coat your palms and smooth it into your hair before styling. It's especially great in the winter, smoothing flyaways and taming frizzy hair.

Toothpaste: Try this recipe!

Furniture Polish: Mix it with a little lemon juice and use it on wood furniture.

Bronze Polish: Rub a little into bronze items to clean and deepen the color.

Leather cleaner: Using a clean cloth, work a small amount into leather shoes to moisturize them and make them shine.

Remove rust: Before you toss those rusty knives or scissors, try this: slick coconut oil on the blades and let it sit for an hour then rinse with warm water.

Remove labels and their sticky residue: Cover the label with a film of coconut oil and let it soak in for a moment. The label should wipe off. Use a bit of oil on a towel to remove whatever's left.

Remove gum from hair: Peanut butter was the go to remedy for this when I was a kid. Coconut oil's a lot more pleasant to work with. Apply the oil directly to the gum, let it sit for a moment before slowly sliding the gum out.

Stain remover: Click here for details on how to make a spotting stick to remove clothing stains. The undiluted oil can be used to clean ink off of plastic and vinyl furniture.

Break Your Caffeine Habit

What is your morning routine like? For many people, the first thing they do is make a pot of coffee. However, are you trying to kick your caffeine habit in the new year. You do not need to go without your favorite taste of coffee to get rid of the caffeine. Here are four alternatives to try this year. You can learn more at The Kitchn.

First thing in the morning, I am nothing without my steaming hot mug of coffee. Truth be told, you’d have to pry it out of my hands to get me to give it up! However, I have a one mug-a-day limit — any more caffeine throughout the day starts messing with my mood and sleep, and the acid isn’t so great for my tummy either.

When I want the warm, comforting sensation of a cup of coffee without the acid and caffeine, I reach for one of these four substitutes instead. Here are the brands I’ve tried and enjoyed — they're in regular rotation in my house, perfect for quelling my afternoon coffee cravings.

1. Teeccino

Teeccino is the sweetest of the coffee substitutes I've tried, and in my opinion, the tastiest as well. Carob is the first ingredient, and there are dates and almonds in here too. It's not overly sugary, though, and at just twelve calories per 8-ounce serving, it's an indulgence I'm happy to partake in. They've got many different flavor varieties in both loose and single-serving packaging. Hazelnut is a familiar favorite, while Maya Chocolate has a hint of chile heat.

2. Cafix Crystals

Cafix Crystals look just like freeze-dried coffee crystals, but they're made from a mix of barley, rye, chicory, and sugar beets. The flavor is not particularly sweet, tasting mostly of roasted, toasty grains.

This is the quickest-brewing of any coffee substitute — just pour boiling water in with the crystals, stir, and you've got a piping hot drink in seconds. It's easy to add more or less of the product depending on how concentrated you like your brew.

3. Ayurvedic Roast

Ayurvedic Roast touts its health benefits as well as its coffee-like flavor — it contains Ayurvedic herbs Ashwagandha, Shatavari, and Brahmi. The flavor profile is similar to Cafix, but fresher and more aromatic. This makes sense, as it's a less processed product — the grains and herbs are simply roasted and ground.

It takes a little bit more effort to prepare this coffee substitute — you can steep it like loose tea for a medium-bodied beverage, or boil it in water for a more viscous brew. Either way, it's got a nice, toasty flavor, and I've enjoyed both the French vanilla and unflavored varieties.

4. Art of Tea Chocolate Monkey Rooibos Fusion

Rooibos tea isn't really trying to be like coffee, but this blend is far more robust than a regular cup of herbal tea, so I think it deserves a special mention! Art of Tea's Chocolate Monkey Blend has a complex, intriguing aroma, with additions of dried apple and banana, cacao nibs, and pink peppercorns for a pop of spice.

This brews up more like tea than coffee — it's lighter and more translucent than any of the straight-up coffee substitutes mentioned above. I like it on its own, or with a little honey and almond milk for an extra treat.

Gmail Hacks

Do you have a Gmail? Did you know there are tools and tricks to help keep your inbox as organized as possible. Keep reading the blog below to learn how to make your Gmail inbox more efficient. You can find out more information at Apartment Therapy.



Efficient Gmail Inbox Habits

Sort as emails come: The best way to stay organized is to start from the get-go. Don’t let emails pile up throughout the week, believing you'll get to sorting and reviewing them "later". As emails start to flow in, at the least, organize them with designated labels ("followup", "family", "response needed", etc).

Labels: Back in 2011 Gmail began offering “smart labels”, a feature which automatically labels incoming bulk, notification, and forum messages for easy sorting and review. If you're the type who subscribes to regular email newsletters, store/sales notifications, or other group-wide correspondence, smart labels could be helpful in keeping the inbox trim and slim.

Color Categorization: Color categorization with labels: use it. If you’re someone who has to keep tabs on multiple tasks (who doesn't?) or juggle different groups of friends, categorizing incoming email by color will greatly simplify inbox reviews, creating color associated connections between senders and their emails. Assigning a color for emails sent from close friends and family is practically a must for anyone with a busy inbox.

Filters: After you’ve created labels and assigned colors, using filters is your next line of defense in streamlining an email inbox. In the Settings menu, select Filters and click, Create a new filter. Here, you'll be able to assign search criteria used to scan incoming emails and assign specific actions, including, "Skip the Inbox" or "Mark as read”.

Tools

Gmail offers an additional wide range of tools to help users stay organized and efficient in regards to their email needs:
Drag and Drop files: Instead of manually clicking “Attach a file” simply drag and drop files directly into the message.

Apps search: By activating “Apps search” you can extend your searches beyond the inbox into Google Docs and Sites.

Offline Gmail: Compose emails even without internet connection.

Tabs: the latest Gmail feature update takes something we're all ready used to while using browsers – tabs – and integrates them as a feature for easier viewing/sorting right from the Gmail inbox.


Users can turn on this new feature by clicking on the Configure icon (the little cog icon in the upper right), and choosing "Configure inbox". From there, optional tabs can be turned on or off, and once set, Gmail will automatically categorize the inbox by appropriate tab for segregated and tabbed viewing.

At launch, Google only offers five tabs categories:

Primary (messages from friends and family)

Promotions (sales and deals from retailers)

Social (social network sites)

Updates (online statements, verifications, receipts)

Forums (mailing lists, discussion board exchanges)Messages can be drag-and-drop between tabs, with specific senders set to always appear in a particular tab, and star messages so that they also appear in the Primary tab. Depending upon your workflow, this new tabbed view can help prioritize the process of viewing, responding, or archiving emails.