Beach tips for your pets

If you plan on taking your Fur Child to the beach, here are some tips to keep your pet healthy and happy!

Make sure your dog has a shady spot to rest in and plenty of fresh water.

Dogs, especially those with short hair, white fur, and pink skin, can sunburn. Limit your dog's exposure during the day and apply sunblock to his ears and nose 30 minutes before going outside.

Check with a lifeguard for daily water conditions. Dogs are easy targets for sea lice and jellyfish.

Running on the sand is strenuous exercise. A dog that is out of shape can easily pull a tendon or ligament, so keep a check on your dog's activity.

Do not let your dog drink seawater; the salt will make him sick.

Salt and other minerals in ocean water can damage your dog's coat, so rinse him off at the end of the day.

Not all beaches permit dogs; check local ordinances before heading out.

-Denea Duran

-Content Credit: http://www.akc.org/public_education/summer_safety.cfm

Fun Friday: Summer

Today is just a great day! First and foremost its Friday and it is my favorite time of the year! Summer time!  The perfect way to spend summer is by the pool, listening to great music and eating yummy food. This blog covers 2 out of 3 , great music and awesome recipes!

Summertime Tortellini Pasta Salad

19 oz. bag cheese filled tortellini (I prefer the tri-colored)
Small Container Grape or Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half
4 oz. can sliced black olives
1/2 large yellow bell pepper, diced
1/3 c. red onion, diced
1 c. Zesty Italian Dressing
3/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
Cook cheese tortellini according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours until chilled through.

Roasted Shrimp & Broccoli

1. Heat the oven to 425.
2. On a large cookie sheet, toss together 2 pounds of broccoli cut up into florets (but not teensy tiny florets, I like a little stem attached), 2 Tbs olive oil, 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds (or 1/2 tsp. ground), 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds (or 1/2 tsp. ground), 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and 1/8th tsp hot chili powder. Spread into a single layer and pop into the oven for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, toss together one pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined, with 2 Tbs olive oil, lemon zest from one lemon, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper (I just eyeball the salt and pepper) in a bowl. When the broccoli’s been in the oven 10 minutes, add the shrimp to the broccoli and toss (carefully.)

3. Roast another 10 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until the broccoli is “tender and golden around the edges.”

And that’s your dinner!
I served it in a big bowl of rice and squeezed some lemon on top. It was a big hit.

Recipe: http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2008/11/the_best_brocco.html

Tomato-Watermelon Salad with Feta and Toasted Almonds

Ingredients

• 8cups1 1/4-inch chunks seedless watermelon (about 6 pounds)
• 3poundsripe tomatoes (preferably heirloom) in assorted colors, cored, cut into 1 1/4-inch chunks (about 6 cups)
• 1teaspoon(or more) fleur de sel or coarse kosher salt
• 5tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2tablespoonsred wine vinegar
• 3tablespoonschopped assorted fresh herbs (such as dill, basil, and mint)
• 6cupsfresh arugula leaves or small watercress sprigs
• 1cupcrumbled feta cheese (about 5 ounces)
• 1/2cupsliced almonds, lightly toasted

Preparation

• Combine melon and tomatoes in large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon fleur de sel and toss to blend; let stand 15 minutes. Add 4 tablespoons oil, vinegar, and herbs to melon mixture. Season to taste with pepper and more salt, if desired.
• Toss arugula in medium bowl with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Divide arugula among plates. Top with melon salad; sprinkle with feta cheese and toasted almonds and serve.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2006/08/tomato_watermelon_salad_with_feta_and_toasted_almonds#ixzz1yXM67z8s

-Denea Duran

Fun Friday: Food Edition

Welcome June 1! Today is the start of something amazing.... (At least I would like to think so!) That means summer is officially right around the corner. When summer hits, my appetite seems to disappear. So, here are filling recipes for your summer pallet!

Green Bean and Whole-grain Penne Salad

• 1 1/2 pounds green beans, stems trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-in. lengths
• 16 ounces whole-grain penne, rotini, rotelle, or fusilli pasta
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• About 1/3 lb. Roquefort cheese
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons each finely chopped flat-leaf parsley and finely chopped chives
• 5 crisply cooked thick slices bacon, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper  

Preparation

1. 1. Bring 2 large pots of salted water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl of ice and cold water. In one pot, boil green beans 3 minutes; drain and plunge in ice water to stop cooking. In the other, cook pasta until tender to the bite, 9 to 12 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water until completely cool (see Notes).
2. 2. In a food processor, pulse mayonnaise, Roquefort, and vinegar until well combined but still slightly chunky.
3. 3. In a large bowl, toss together pasta, green beans, Roquefort dressing, parsley, chives, bacon, and pepper until pasta is well coated. Season with salt to taste.
4. Note: Nutritional analysis is per 1-cup serving.

Note:

Ingredients can be prepped and pasta cooked a day ahead of time and chilled (add 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil to the cooked pasta). Toss everything together just before serving. The dressing can be made ahead too; if it thickens, thin it with a little more vinegar or even milk.

Baked Potato Salad 

Preparation time : 50 mins. | Serves 6 persons


This baked potato salad looks like baked potato casserole but it tastes different due to dressing of mayo, cream and yogurt. You may also add cooked meat to make it more tasty and rich but I like this salad with vegetables only.

Ingredients:

4 medium size potatoes
4-5 green onions (chopped diagonally)
2 green capsicums (chopped)
3-4 green chilies (chopped)
1 cup fresh cream
1/2 cup yogurt (drained)
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp Tabasco
1 tbsp sugar
Salt to taste
2 hard cooked eggs (sliced)
1 tsp paprika

Procedure:

1. Boil potatoes for just 20 mins. so that they would not become completely soft, then peel and cut into large pieces.
2. To prepare dressing combine fresh cream, mayonnaise, yogurt, tabasco, paprika, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
3. Take a greased baking pan of suitable size and one by one make layers of capsicums and boiled eggs. Pour the dressing onto the veggies and put pieces boiled potatoes over the layers and sprinkle spring onions and green chilies onto the top. Place the pan in oven for just 20 mins. at 350 degrees F.

Roasted Chicken and Bow Tie Pasta Salad

• 3 cups uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta) (about 8 ounces)
• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice $
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• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil $
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• 1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (about 2 breasts)
• 1 1/2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
• 1 cup thin diagonally cut celery
• 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. Cool completely.
2. Combine orange juice and the next 7 ingredients (orange juice through rice vinegar) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk to combine. Add pasta, chicken, grapes, celery, red onion, walnuts, chives, and parsley; toss gently to combine.

Creamy Yogurt Fresh Fruit Salad

This is an easy side dish that you can throw together right before dinner . . . one of the saddest things about summer ending is that you don't have access to as many delicious fruits; thankfully this salad can be adapted to whatever fruit is in season.

2 cups strawberries, sliced
2 fresh peaches, sliced
2 bananas, sliced
2 cups grapes
1 (8 oz) container of plain or vanilla yogurt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
lime juice

Mix together the fruit in a large bowl. Mix in about 3 Tablespoons of lime juice to keep the fruit from going brown (plus it adds great flavor!). In a small bowl, mix together yogurt, lemon juice, sugar, and vanilla. You can either serve the yogurt mix to the side of the fruit (and use it as a dip) or mix it right in with the fruit to make a salad (as I did in the picture). Both ways are yummy!

**Some of my other favorite fruits to use are blueberries, kiwis, cantelope, and pineapple. You really can use whatever fruit you want!

Taco Salad

Ingredients

• 1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
• 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
• 1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 bunch chopped green onions
• 1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, blend the taco seasoning mix and refried beans. Spread the mixture onto a large serving platter.
2. Mix the sour cream and cream cheese in a medium bowl. Spread over the refried beans.
3. Top the layers with salsa. Place a layer of tomato, green bell pepper, green onions and lettuce over the salsa, and top with Cheddar cheese. Garnish with black olives.

-Denea Duran

Spring Ahead

Since spring is in full effect, it is now time to start thinking about how you will welcome the warm weather in your home. Here is a list of ideas to get a start on your cleaning.

Around The House:
•Schedule a family garage clean-out. Create efficient storage for sporting goods, camping equipment, recreational vehicles, and garden tools. You'll have the jump on summer fun!
•Inspect, clean and repair outdoor furniture.
•Tour house exterior and grounds. Make a list of any needed seasonal maintenance.
•Inspect the roof for winter damage: leaks, missing or broken shingles or tiles. Arrange for any needed repairs early; roofing contractors can be hard to find during summer's construction season.
•Use a sunny Saturday to scrape, prime and paint peeling spots on trim or woodwork. You'll protect wood against Summer's heat and moisture--and prevent a more difficult paint job come fall.
•Clear away any remaining dead foliage and weeds from beds and lawn. New growth will be protected from damage or disease.

•Begin major Spring landscaping projects. Spring's the time to put in shrubs and trees, but check with your local extension office for specific planting recommendations for your area.

The Inside Story:
•Changing seasons, changing clothes. Hold a family wardrobe check as you bring out warm-weather clothing. Sort winter clothing for discards and donations before you store.

•Hold a garage sale! Declutter house and garage to turn trash into cash. Build your yard sale savvy here.
•Pick a weekend and enlist the family for Spring cleaning. Many hands make light work! Reward the team with dinner at a pizza parlor.
•Wash windows inside and out.
•While at the window area, check drapes and window treatments. Vacuum any dust; send dirtier drapes to the cleaners.
•Move furniture and vacuum beneath it.
•Arrange for a spring inspection of cooling systems. Don't wait for the first hot day! Air conditioning firms will give better service when they're not busy.
•When the weather warms, deactivate heat system humidifiers. Check the system manual for instructions on how to power down for the summer.
•Drain sediment from hot water heaters.

Cleaning that SERVPRO handles:

• Air Ducts and HVAC
• Carpet, Upholstery, Drapes and Blinds
• Ceilings,Walls and Hard Floors
• Deodorization

Call us SERVPRO of Cayce/West Columbia & Lexington 803-755-9774


-Denea Duran

Picture Credit: Google Image

Content Credit: http://organizedhome.com/seasonal-spin/spring-cleaning-chore-checklist

Pool Safety

You’ve heard the ice cream trucks; you’ve felt the heat; you’ve gobbled the barbeque. There is no denying summer is here and in full swing. This means that it is time for swimming! In the spirit of summer fun, many people choose to ignore safety precautions. Don’t let your summer plans be ruined by carelessness. A little safety goes a long way.

Stay Close and Alert 

It’s simple: stay nearby and keep your eyes open. Children should never be left unattended (even for a short period of time) in a pool or spa. If children are in or near the water, they should be actively watched. It’s also valuable to teach your children basic water safety tips; make it fun by turning it into a game of learning. Keep children away from all possible entrapments, such as pipes and drains. Always have a telephone within reach while at the pool. If a child goes missing, look for him or her in the pool or spa first. Be sure to share your safety instructions with family, friends, and neighbors.

Water Safety Skills

If you are going to have or visit a pool, then it is crucial that you learn how to swim as well as teach your child how to swim. Learning how to perform CPR is also very useful. Keep these skills up to date. Be sure to understand the basics of life-saving skills so as to be able to perform or assist in a rescue as needed.

Appropriate Equipment

Install a fence around your pool and spa that is at least four feet tall. It is best if the fence is self-closing and self-latching. Ask your neighbors to take the same precautions on their pool areas. Put a lockable safety cover on your spa. If your house is the fourth side of the fence around your pool, install and use door alarms on the doors leading outside. Particularly if you have young children, it is smart to install gate and pool alarms that alert you when someone enters the water. Make sure your pool and spa have working drain covers. Keep your pool and spa covers in good condition. Lastly, consider a surface wave or underwater alarm.

Sandy Hayden