What is it with vacation?

We are leaving for a little vacation in a few days. My step sister is getting married in SC and we are going to go there to attend. My mom was generous enough to give us a stay at her time share so that all we have to do is pay for food and gas. I am packing as much food as I can to take with us and will buy the rest down there.

The last time we went on vacation I spent the last few days prior to leaving cleaning out my cupboards and going through food as we had some kind of weavels infesting our food.

This time, its the ants. Every year when the weather turns warmer the many ant nests around our house start sending out little guys to investigate our house for food sources. I have them coming in the front doorway and the kitchen window frame. Last year they were coming in the dining room through the heat vent so I am waiting for that one.

Today I have already vacuumed the living room really well and will be doing the dining room after we eat lunch. I am also going to have to do a really good cleaning of the kitchen. Then before we leave I will put down something to take care of them while we are gone. I use to have diatomaceous earth that I would put around the openings (windows and doors) and even put it in the carpet of the dining room. I really liked it because it was all natural and safe around the kids. Now I have some sort of product from Sevin. The place I had bought my diatomaceous earth from years ago didn't carry it last time I went there. They assured me that the Sevin stuff was good to use. I don't really care for it, but if I put it down while we are gone then I can clean it up when we get home.

I don't know why we are always attacked by bugs right before we leave. For now its back to work. I have to clean, pack food, make lunch, etc. Time waits for no man!

How to cook rice the easy way

I had my husband's siblings over for lunch one Sunday in February. I had the main meal in the crock pot (chili) but wanted to serve it over rice. My problem was, how to get brown rice cooked and ready in a short time so that we could eat as soon as we came home from church? Here is what I did-

Take a pot and add to it the brown rice and water needed for your recipe. Put the lid on and heat it up till it boils. Turn off the stove, take your pot and place it in the microwave (leave the lid on). Go off to church and when you come home your rice will be ready for you!

I cooked a full 2#s of rice this way. It was in the microwave for a good four hours. It may not need that much time to sit but that is how long we were gone to church. The microwave acts as an insulator so that the water stays hot long enough to cook the rice. I know someone who uses the same method to make yogurt.

Word of warning, do *not* turn the microwave on!

Go see Tammy for more kitchen tips.