20 Ways to Cook Asparagus

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There are so many reasons to love spring and the fact that asparagus is in season in one of them. This is the best time of year to buy & eat asparagus, so I take full advantage of the season. The price is usually fairly cheap too as I often find it on sale for $1.49/pound at this time of year.

20 Ways to Cook Asparagus

1. Lemony Chicken Asparagus Stir Fry at Family Balance Sheet
2. Ham & Asparagus Frittata at Family Balance Sheet
3. Ham & Asparagus Risotto at Family Balance Sheet
4. Asparagus & Basil Pesto at Simple Awesome Cooking
5. Asparagus Hummus at Cookin' Canuck
6. Cherry Tomato & Asparagus Salad at Sunset
7. Curried Quinoa & Asparagus Salad at the Clever Carrot
8. Martha Stewart's Asparagus Custard Tart (Reduced Calorie) at Virtually Homemade
9. Bacon Asparagus Strata at Key Ingredient
10. Beer Battered Asparagus at Epicurious
11. Cauliflower Asparagus Semolina Cakes at Haniela's
12. Cream of Asparagus Soup at Aunt Clara's Kitchen
13. Crustless Asparagus Quiche at Skinny MS.
14. Herbed Cheese Asparagus Crostini at Home Cooking Memories
15. Linguine with Asparagus & Egg at Martha Stewart
16. Meyer Lemon Garlic Shrimp & Asparagus with Brown Rice at Daily Dish Recipes
17. Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan at Family Balance Sheet
18. Roasted New Potatoes & Asparagus at Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice
19. Scrambled Eggs with Asparagus at What Should I Eat for Breakfast Today
20. Slow Cooker Cheddar Potato & Asparagus Soup at Little Kitchen, Big Bites

What's your favorite way to cook (and eat) asparagus? Let us know in the comments.

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April 6 & 7 | FREE or Low Cost Events for the Whole Family

Click the links below for more information at the respective web sites.

Bank of America Museums on Us

• Saturday & Sunday, April 6 & 7 | Each Bank of America or Merrill Lynch cardholder gets FREE general admission to 150 museums nationwide. Just present your credit or debit card along with photo ID. List of participating museums.

Home Depot - FREE Kids Workshops

• Saturday, April 6, 9 am - Noon | Build a Bird Feeder

Michael's Kids Club

• Saturday, April 6, 10 - 11:30 AM | Earth Day Celebration - Let your kids explore their creativity while you shop! Only $2 per child reserves 30 minutes for your creative kid. Sessions starting every half hour from 10AM - 11:30AM.

A.C. Moore

• Saturday, April 6, 1 - 3 PM | Deco Mesh Wreath Form Demonstration

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20 Spring Cleaning Tasks to Freshen Your Home

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Why is everyone so gung-ho about cleaning in the spring time? Maybe the open windows awaken that spirit in us, but tis the season to freshen up the home.

I'm no different. Yesterday turned out to be a sunny day and I was inspired to wash some windows. I'm never inspired to wash windows, but the sun blazing through was quite revealing. The windows were filthy after a long winter. So I washed windows.

20 Spring Cleaning Tasks to Freshen Up Your Home

1. Clean your drains naturally.
2. Clean your washing machine and dryer.
3. Clean your dishwasher.
4. Clean the inside of your microwave
5. Clean your glass top stove.
6. Clean between the oven glass.
7. Clean inside and outside of refrigerator.
8. Organize and purge your pantry and spice cabinet.
9. Clean & sanitize the inside of all the garbage cans in the house.
10. Wash the windows for pennies.
11. Clean ceiling fans and light fixtures.
12. Wipe down the walls and baseboards.
13. Clean blinds and wash or vacuum window treatments.
14. Vacuum under the furniture. Vacuum the furniture.
15. Pull out your spring clothes and pack up your fall/winter clothes for storage. Hang your spring clothing outside to freshen or re-wash to remove that 'been in a closet to long' smell.
16. Organize & purge your bathroom medicine cabinet.
17. De-clutter the tough spots in your home: utensil drawer, magazine clutter, above the refrigerator, plastic ware, the foyer closet, the home office, toys, mud room/entry area.   
18. Wash all of the bedding: mattress pads, bed skirts, comforters, blankets. (Our king comforter is too big for my machine, so I have to take it to a laundry mat.) Put the winter bedding in storage.
19. Check the batteries in your fire and carbon monoxide alarms.
20. Clean vacuum cleaners & filters - read your user manual

Print a FREE Spring Clean Your Home Checklist.

Also, did you know Original Blue Dawn isn't just a dish washing liquid? Find out 20 different ways to use Original Blue Dawn and it costs much less than the store bought version.

Is a major spring cleaning on your to-do list? Let us know in the comments.

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5 Preschool Activities eBooks for Just $7.40

This week's bundle includes a collection of ebooks packed full of activities for preschool and beyond! You'll discover books to read together, educational activities around your home and strategies for making the most of every learning opportunity.

This week only, get all 5 ebooks for just $7.40 (a savings of more than 70%)!

I Can Teach My Child to Read! by Jenae Jacobson
In I Can Teach My Child to Read, Jenae provides parents with the fundamentals of teaching a child to read in simple, easy-to-understand language that can be implemented the minute you finish reading it. Whether your children will attend public school, private school, or be homeschooled, this book gives you the tools to give them a valuable head start that will benefit them for years to come.

Fifty Books to Enjoy with Kids by Veronica Getskow
Fifty Books to Enjoy with Kids is a reading guide for parents of young children, aged 2 to 8. With 50 must-read book recommendations plus extension activities to take each story farther, to play together, to explore together, and to enjoy the novelty of a great book, this ebook offers a fun reading program for preschool and beyond.

Circle Time by Kendra Fletcher
Circle Time isn't just for preschoolers, and in this ebook, Kendra describes her family's fabulous, all-ages-are-welcome, group teaching time that allows them to pray together, laugh together, and get to the subjects they often run out of time for otherwise. You'll discovery strategies for planning circle time and ideas for making it fun for kids as well as resources, activities, ideas and printables for your own circle time!

Flourishing Spring by Michele Augur
Make the most of rainy days with over 25 ideas for creating intentional moments with children, including multiple variations, allergy-friendly recipes, and simple resources. With boredom busters, homemade gift ideas, and nourishing meal suggestions, Michele offers plenty of ideas for filling a rainy day!

Finding Educational Activities in the Most Unexpected Places by Angie Kauffman
In Finding Educational Activities in the Most Unexpected Places, Angie features ideas for using commonly found objects in and around your home for educational activities with young children. As a former in-home developmental therapist, Angie was inspired to show families that meaningful learning activities don't have to come from expensive toys and equipment, but can be found in everyday objects at home.

The Preschool Activities bundle is only available through 8am EST on Monday, 4/8. Get yours today:



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Apple & Cornbread Stuffed Pork Chops

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I don't buy pork chops often, but when I do, I like to prepare and serve them with apples. These pork chops were thick, so I decided to stuff them with all sorts of yumminess and voila, Apple & Cornbread Stuffed Pork Chops made for a delicious Sunday dinner.

Serve with steamed vegetables and homemade applesauce.

Apple & Cornbread Stuffed Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 4 bone in pork chops, at least 1 inch thick
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 2 celery stalks, chopped fine
• 1 small onion, chopped fine
• 2 firm apples, such as gala or granny smith, chopped fine
• 1 cup cornbread crumbs - I used some leftover cornbread muffins and pulsed them in a food processor to crumble.
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.

3. Add the celery, onion, and apples and cook until softened.

4. Add the cornbread crumbs and mix well with the apple mixture. Remove from heat. Set aside.

5. Using a sharp knife cut the pork chop horizontally through to the bone, creating a pocket. Spoon the stuffing into the pocket.

6. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same pan that you cooked the celery/onion/apple mixture. Brown a few minutes on each side of the pork chop. You will not cook all the way through. You might need to cook two batches if all 4 chops don’t fit in the pan. Add additional oil if needed.

7. Place the pork chops in a large baking dish that has been prepared with non-stick spray.

8. Sprinkle any remaining stuffing over the pork chops. Cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until the pork chops have cooked through.


Pan Gravy (optional):
You’ll need:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups homemade chicken stock or store bought

1. Use the same pan that you cooked the pork chops in and keep any drippings that were left in the pan.

2. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir continuously.

3. Add 2 cups chicken stock, continue stirring and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

Print recipe for Apple & Cornbread Stuffed Pork Chops.

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