"DO NOT EAT"

You know those mysterious little packets you find in the pockets of new jeans or at the bottom of shoe boxes, clearly printed with the instructions: THROW AWAY "DO NOT EAT"?

Ignore these instructions {at least the first one}.  Never throw them out! These little treasures are actually quite useful. They're filled with silica gel beads and their purpose is to keep goods dry during shipping and storage. Instead of tossing them out, I store them in a sealed ziplock bag and use as needed.

Currently, my 13 year-old is attending soccer camp. This week happens to be a balmy 98 degrees on average and super humid. On day 2 she opened her soccer bag to reveal a ripe smell. We tossed in a couple of packets and one packet in each of her cleats. On day 3, no more smell!

Here are a few more handy dandy uses...

• Toss a packet or two in your tool box to prevent rusty tools.
• Place in a jewelry box to prevent silver tarnish.
• Store photos in a box with one packet to absorb harmful moisture.
• Place around the inside of your damp basement or cellar.
• Keep luggage moisture free by placing packets inside.
• Add to the pockets of stored clothing such as suits, jackets and dresses.
• Tape a packet to the inside lid of stored flour, sugar or rice.
• Keep Christmas Ornaments from getting musty by placing a packet in each storage container.
• Scrap booking supplies will stay dry when stored with silica gel beads.
• Makeup kits can become damp from steamy bathrooms. Add a packet to keep makeup fresh.
• Swim or sports bags take on foul smells. Toss in a couple of packets to freshen them up.

If your feeling crafty, create a sachet from lightweight fabric.  Cut open as many packets as you desire, pour inside and sew closed. This will help prevent someone from throwing them away. They're reusable! If your packets seem to have lost their magic powers, place on a cookie sheet and put in a 200 degree oven for two hours. This will bring them back to life. And did I mention they're free?

You Can Do It!

You Gotta Leave So You Can Come Back...

Ahhh...Summer. There's nothing like it. Thoughts of summer conjure up images of sleeping late, cute sundresses, trips to the beach, catching up with good friends and of course, food. 

Recently, we spent a week at the beach in a little cottage by the shore.  A friend of ours grew up spending summers there with his parents and six siblings. Now that they're all grown, they each have their own places where they spend a lot of time with their own children but still come together as one. We feel very blessed to be invited each summer to spend a week as honorary members of this amazing family.

As you can imagine, there's lots of traditions but one of my favorites is the nightly dinner ritual. The cottages are situated as such that they create a circle around a common yard where a makeshift table of saw horses, plywood and table cloths is assembled each evening. There always seems to be the right number of chairs for everyone and just the right amount of food {with leftovers for the beach the next day of course}. The older kids keep an eye on the younger ones, blowing bubbles, playing Hide and Seek, or sharing their sea shell collections. The grownup kids light the grill. Everyone contributes appetizers, salads and entrees-usually whatever their specialties are and everyone raves and reminisces about the recipe or how they came about making that special dish. 

My favorite dish from the week is called Chili Lime Shrimp with Avocado and Coriander. Debbie, one of the sisters-in-law, made this fantastic recipe. {I was told in confidence that Debbie is the best cook in the family, she is, it was divine.} I'm already a big fan of shrimp but this was the most delicious thing I ate all week, including ice cream 6 out of 7 nights {on night #4, Debbie made a Blueberry Crisp that was to die for!}. Come to find out, Deb found the recipe on Epicurious.com so I've added the link below. BTW, coriander is cilantro!

At the end of the meal, the dining table is dismantled and everything is put in it's place. It's the last night of our vacation and the mood is light. The kids are milking every last minute together and the grown ups are making plans for next summer.

My Beach BFF, Karen and I are making coffee and one of my girls says, "I don't want to go home tomorrow." My heart is full because that tells me she had a great vacation. Karen puts her arm around her and says, "You gotta leave so you can come back".  And that makes me smile. Part of the fun of vacation is the year-long anticipation.

Just 365 days until we're back...

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chili-lime-shrimp-with-avocado-and-coriander-14582

You Can Do It!