Recipe- Easy Potsticker Soup

Celebrate Chinese New Year with this delicious Asian soup that is as healthy and easy to make as it is tasty!

Ingredients:

1/2 pound Chinese or napa cabbage, thinly sliced

2 celery ribs, thinly sliced

2 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks

1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions

2 to 3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 package (16 ounces) frozen chicken potstickers

Directions: In a 4-quart slow cooker, combine the first nine ingredients. Stir in chicken broth. Cook, covered, on low until vegetables are tender (5-6 hours). Add potstickers; cook, covered, on high until heated through (15-20 minutes). Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts: Serving size (1 1/3 cups): 198 calories, 6g fat (2g saturated fat), 28 mg cholesterol, 1302 mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 2g fiber), 13g protein

FOLLOW YOUR HEART....IT WILL LEAD YOU TO THE FRIDGE! (4 Different Refrigerator Styles)

Undoubtedly, the most important appliance in our home is the refrigerator. There was a time before this invention that it was near impossible for us to store perishable foods; we had to smoke meats, pickle vegetables, and can fruits to increase their shelf life. These days we no longer worry about preserving our perishables, we worry about all the choices of refrigerator has benefits based on your living space, lifestyle, and how of refrigerators out there! But what's better, a French door, a top mount, a bottom mount or a side by side? It's not a one size fits all answer, each style many people are using it.

Top Mount

Top mount refrigerators are the most traditional in design; freezer on top and fridge part on bottom. Typically, this style of fridge takes up less space than a side by side or French door and in general top mount advantage to the top mount is the large amount of usable storage space, fridges are the lowest priced, depending on the brand and features. Another advantage to the top mount is the large amount of usable storage space, especially for their width. Lastly, this style of fridge consumes less energy.

Bottom Mount

The bottom mount refrigerator has the same benefit of saving space as the top mount, but the freezer is on the bottom and the fridge area is on the top.  One particular benefit for freezer space in a bottom mount is that the icemaker in this design is attached at the top section, thus freeing up more space to be used. In addition, many people find it more convenient to closer to eye level. This style of fridge is more expensive than the top mount, have the refrigerator part on top because it is more accessible and puts food which may affect your purchasing decision.

Side By Side

In the 1990's the refrigerator that ruled the market was the side by side design. This style has the refrigerator on the right side and the freezer section on the left, which makes access to both the freezer and fridge easier.  This design allows items to be more reachable so you are not you want out of the reach of children on the taller shelves. Side by side's holding the door open as long, as well as the added benefit of putting items walkways or large islands. There are also options for adding an ice and water have a smaller door width, which can be useful for kitchens with narrow and fridge sections are narrow and you may have issues trying to fit larger dispenser to these fridges. A drawback to this design is that both the freezer platters, pizzas or bulkier items.

French Door

Lastly, we have the French door refrigerator, this style has become the popular in recent years. The design is a combination of a bottom mount and side by side; the fridge section is on top with a double door opening and the freezer is on bottom as a pull out drawer. For this your crisper people which cuts out all the bending down to get your food. The convenience of drawers are in a higher area and makes it more visible and accessible for items, and has the freezer drawer on bottom with the less frequently used having a large fridge area on top gives you immediate access to frequently used doors are great for narrow areas or closely placed islands because of their products, increasing your kitchen efficiency. Similar to the side by side, the smaller door width. The double door design in the fridge section of this of the French door fridge is the cost; this style does tend to be the most appliance allows for the easy storage of platters, cakes and larger food items that might not fit in a traditional refrigerator. The only foreseeable pitfall expensive. There are also different door options such as 3 doors, 4 doors, and even 5 doors for even more convenience.

Whatever refrigerator you chose, for whatever the reason you chose it, is the heart of your home. Our fridges do the important job of keeping all the food for our meals fresh and improve our lives exponentially. We have come a long way in the world of refrigerators; there are all different styles and features that can be customized for anyone or any space!

Ready to check them out for yourself? Talk to one of our Account Managers and they can find the best refrigerator for you.

6 Things You Don't Know About Dishwashers

One of the most convenient things in your home is a dishwasher. If you do not have one in your home, you really are missing out. They can save you money and time and the technology is so great in them that you won’t even hear it running. If you do own a dishwasher, there are items that you wouldn’t even think about washing that are perfect for a cycle. There are other things that you should definitely avoid putting in your dishwasher.

1. Dishwashers are the Future

93% of all newer built homes include a dishwasher. The total number of households who have at least one dishwasher is 60%. If you want to add value to your home or are about to rent out a property, think about installing a dishwasher.

2. Small Spaces

Have a small kitchen? No problem, there’s a dishwasher for you! There are slimmer models and even countertop dishwashers available that are great for smaller spaces.

3. Quiet Technology

The technologies in dishwashers have improved tremendously over the years and have gotten much quieter. There are some dishwashers that are so quiet that you can have it running during a family dinner.

4. Saving Energy, Water, and Money

You can actually save on your water bill over time by using a dishwasher rather than washing by hand every time. Dishwashers made before 1994 take more energy than some of the newer models. So it is a good idea to upgrade if you have a dishwasher older than 1994. You can even save more energy and money in the long run with energy efficiency rating dishwashers.

5. Other Things to Wash

You can wash more in your dishwasher than just dishes to make your life a little easier. Here are a few other things you can wash in your dishwasher: baby toys, baseball caps, sink and bath mats, combs, toothbrushes, sponges, dish scrubbers and starch pads, light fixtures, and more.

6. What Not to Wash

On the other side, there are a couple of things that you should not try and wash in a normal dishwasher. Such as wooden items, tin, antique or lightweight crystal, cast-iron pans, hand-painted or antique china, gold-plated dishes, and other fragile items. There are a couple of different high-end dishwashers that can handle some more fragile items, but be very cautious and check in with your appliance store to check the model specks.

We hope that this will help you decide to invest in a dishwasher or try cleaning new things. If you have any question about your dishwasher leave it in the comments section or give one of our stores a call.

Recipe- Spinach and Ham Mini-Quiches

Make Mom’s breakfast in bed memorable this year with these healthy, easy-to-prepare mini-quiches.

Ingredients:

• 1 (14.1 oz.) package refrigerated rolled piecrust
• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 c. half-and-half
• 1 (10-oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1/3 c. finely chopped smoked ham
• 2 Scallions, chopped
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375°F with oven rack in the lowest position. Unroll one pie crust and cut into 12 (4-inch) rounds using a cookie cutter or edge of a drinking glass. Fit rounds into a lightly greased 12-cup muffin tin, pressing up and slightly over sides of each cup. Chill 10 minutes in refrigerator.
• While chilling pastry, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, spinach, ham, scallions, dill, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spoon into crusts, dividing evenly.
• Bake until puffed and set- approximately 22-25 minutes. Check periodically to avoid over-browning.
• Serve warm.

(Recipe credit: CountryLiving.com)

Kitchen Disposal Advice

Industry standard: Keep your dishwasher and garbage disposal approximately the same age. The performance of each, go hand in hand. If one is not functioning as designed it will age or limit performance of the other.

Things you SHOULD be doing:

• Proper use and conducting regular maintenance of your garbage disposal will help it last longer and prevent plumbing emergencies in your Colorado home.
• Run your garbage disposal on a regular basis. Infrequent use can cause rust, corrosion, and clogs.
• Putting ice cubes through the garbage disposal will keep the blades sharp and clean. Once in awhile, freeze vinegar into cubes and run those through as well.
• Keep it clean – run lemon and orange peels through the drain. The citrus will clean the garbage disposal and leave it smelling fresh.
• Use only cold water at full blast when running the garbage disposal, and keep your garbage disposal running until all the food has been ground up. Continue to let the water run for another minute to ensure all food particles have been flushed out.
• Run your dishwasher AFTER using your garbage disposal. Dishwashers and garbage disposals drain into the same pipe, so using the garbage disposal beforehand will ensure the pipe is clear.

Things you should NEVER do:

• The garbage disposal should NEVER be used for any non-food product that is not bio-degradable. Save yourself from having to call a handyman or plumber by following these guidelines.
• NEVER pour coffee grounds, grease, fats or oil down the drain. These will build up in the pipes and cause blockages.
• NEVER use the garbage disposal to grind fibrous foods (corn husks, onion peels, celery stalks, etc). These fibers will get wrapped around the blades and cause the motor to burn out.
• NEVER pour any chemicals down the disposal. If you must use one, choose Borax.  Harsh chemicals can cause damage to pipes and blades.

Things to Remember:

• NEVER stick your hand down the garbage disposal without first unplugging it. Once it’s been unplugged, wear safety gloves and goggles to protect yourself.
• If something has fallen into the disposal, try alternate options first. Use an extra long pair of needle-nose pliers or a bent wire hanger to remove the object.