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Cool and Refreshing Summer Treats!

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Summer is here, but have no fear! If you’re a parent with a child on summer break, you’re going to hear the words “I’m hungry”  half a dozen times a day. Don’t worry though, we got you covered with some cool, refreshing, healthy, and easy to make treats.

FRUITY FROZEN YOGURT

First on the list is frozen yogurt.  At only four base ingredients, it’s quick and simple to make, and extremely customizable to your family’s tastes! Plus, no ice-cream maker required! Everyone will love this sweet, guilt free snack made from all-natural and fresh ingredients.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 cups frozen fruit (try using strawberries, blueberries, watermelon,
  • peaches, pineapple, or a mixture of all!)
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  1. Put all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. I have a Ninja Blender at home that works wonders. If you see your blender struggling a bit, add a little more liquid such as fruit juice to help keep the consistency smooth.
  2. If you use frozen fruit, you can scoop and serve to enjoy immediately. If you use fresh fruit, simply pour into a container with a lid and freeze until desired consistency is reached. Then just scoop and enjoy!
  3. You can always add more fresh fruit as a topping, or if you really have a sweet tooth, some whip cream, or a drizzle of chocolate or caramel. Perhaps an M&M or two?

To continue the frozen trend, what about some homemade Popsicles? Check out your local super mart, or even Amazon for some creative and fun ice-cream molds. You can get them in “standard” ice cream pop shapes or fun shapes such as stars or flowers. Regardless of their shape, these are going to be tasty!

PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA POPSICLES

Now, get that blender back out and put it to good use! Peanut Butter Banana Yogurt Popsicles are easy to make and packed full of nutritious vitamins and minerals, plus the smooth texture mimics ice cream wonderfully.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 medium bananas
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter, all-natural
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, plain
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  1. Peel the bananas and break them up into chunks.
  2. Time for the trusty blender again. Throw in all the ingredients in and blend until smooth. You may way want to scrap down the sides a few times just to make sure everything incorporated evenly.
  3. For a more indulgent dessert, you an add a few handfuls of chocolate chips (make sure to look for chocolate high in cocoa, not sugar) or a few drizzles of honey.
  4. Fill the Popsicle molds and insert the sticks and freeze until solid (usually around 3 hours). If you opted not to get molds, put in a freezer safe container and chill until firm.
  5. Enjoy!

Tip: If you’re using molds, simply run the mold under warm water for a few seconds to loosen the Popsicle. If you enjoy granola or nuts, you can also add chopped nuts or low sugar granola to the mixture for a bit more flavor and texture, and plus more protein! YUM!

FROZEN YOGURT FRUIT BARS

This next frozen treat takes a little more time to create, though it’s completely worth it, and again, totally customizable: Frozen Yogurt Fruit Bark. Simple and easy to create, and little hands will love decorating their own. Mix and match your favorite fruits so everyone can enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:  

  • 1 cup yogurt (Regular or Greek. Try plain or flavored bases such as Strawberry or Blueberry)
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
  • 1/4 cup frozen fruit #1
  • 1/4 cup frozen fruit #2
  1. Mix the yogurt with maple syrup or honey and place onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Use a rubber spatula to spread. Parchment paper can be found next to the tinfoil at your local market.
  2. Top yogurt with the fruits of your choice. Make sure to use bite size pieces. Try with strawberries or blueberries, or perhaps pineapple and kiwi! Mix and match to try new tasty creations.
  3. Freeze for 6-8 hours or overnight. Break up and serve. Make sure to keep any left overs in an airtight container in the freezer.

 

WATERMELON SLUSH

Last but not least, another simple, all-natural frozen treat: Watermelon Slush. Easy to make and super refreshing to enjoy, with none of the artificial flavors and the added sugar that the slushie machine at the 7-11 uses. Click here for awesome tips about cutting watermelon to save time and make it super easy!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 cup watermelon
  • 1 lime (or 2 tablespoons lime juice)
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  1. Put all the ingredients to your blender and pulse until smooth and blended.
  2. Pour the mixture into a shallow freezer-safe dish. Cover and place in the freezer. Make sure the dish is level so the slush can freeze evenly!
  3. After 1 hour remove the slushie mixture from the freezer and use a fork to scrap any ice that has formed. Replace the lid and return to the freezer.
  4. After an additional 2 hours remove the slushie mixture from the fridge and use a fork to scrap any ice that has formed. The mixture should be firm but not solid. If the mixture is still a bit on the liquid side, put back in the freezer for a little longer. Remember to check and use your fork to mix the slush to keep it cooling evenly.
  5. Once the desired slushie consistency is reached, grab a spoon and enjoy!

We hope you’ll have fun making these cool and tasty treats with your family. Remember if you use fresh fruit, you might have to cool your mixtures a little longer. Chill times may vary as well based on your unit. As always, if you think something is wrong with your appliance, make sure to contact a repair service, like us, right away. Give us a ring at 704-824-1077 or schedule an appointment with our online scheduler if you need any help with your refrigerator other major appliances!

 

 

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Wait, My Dishwasher Can Do What?

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Dishwashers are now a common major home appliance. Most households use their dishwasher at least once a week to clean dishes as well as pots and pans, but did you know you can use it for so much more?? Check out the intuitive and creative ideas below to save time and energy, and get more out of your appliance!

 

Dishwasher Dinners

You can use your dishwasher for cooking. I repeat. You can use your dishwasher for cooking. Say what??

Most dishwashers are programmed to heat to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit, and this is a safe internal temperature when consuming most seafood proteins, as well as grains and vegetables. So what exactly does that mean? Well that means your dishwasher can make you dinner. You can steam or poach main course items such as salmon, shrimp, mussels, scallops, and other fish and “canister cook” a multitude of vegetables such as asparagus, green-beans, and carrots in the addition of quick cook pastas such as couscous.

The key is to make sure any items you are cooking are placed on the very top rack of your dishwasher, and they are also in tightly sealed containers or aluminum wraps. Mason jars work wonders for poaching, and making foil packets is easy and flavorful with no messy clean up!

Tips and tricks:

Liquid is your friend! By poaching food you are essentially cooking it slowly in it’s own liquid or an added broth. On that note, you only want to cook your food in the liquid you’ve supplied. Make sure any containers or jars are tightly closed, and if you are doing a foil packet, make sure it’s soundly wrapped so no water can get in. Also, no soap please, or jet-dry.

 

Recipe To Try:
Lemon Pepper Salmon and Asparagus and Couscous

 

Aluminum Foil
Filet of Salmon
1 Lemon – half juiced and half sliced
1/4 t fresh ground pepper
1/4 t kosher salt
Large Mason Jar
1 bunch of asparagus
1 C water
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper to taste
2nd Large Mason Jar
1 C couscous
Squeeze of lemon Juice
1 3/4 C chicken stock or vegetable stock

 

Make a foil packet and place the salmon filet in it. Squeeze half the lemon over the salmon then season with the salt and pepper. Take the lemon slices and arrange them single layer on the salmon then close the foil pack and wrap tightly. It’s recommended you use unitize two packets for extra security.

Add the cup of water and butter to a mason jar. Trim the root end of the asparagus down to size where the stalks will fit inside the jar. Season the stems then put them inside the water and buttered mason jar and seal tightly.

In the 2nd mason jar add in the couscous, the liquid stock, and the squeeze of lemon. Seal the jar tightly and give a few shakes.

Place the packet on the top rack of your dishwasher. The mason jars could be placed on the upper or lower rack. A heated wash and heated dry cycle is long enough to cook the salmon and vegetables all the way through. No peeking!! Ta-da! A complete dinner cooked in the dishwasher with minimal clean up!

Utilize and Sanitize

You can use your Sanitize cycle to make sure your dishes, cookware, and silverware and clean and bacteria free, but did you ever think about using it to sanitize other things? That’s right! Dishwashers aren’t just for dishes anymore. Check out the list below of unconventional things you can sanitize in your dishwasher instead!

Children’s Toys

Plastic toys, especially those that travel to daycare, school, or even just outside can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Pop those play things on the top shelf and give them a sanitize cycle to cleanse them of any germs! Now you don’t have to worry so often if your little decides to gnaw on their favorite toy.

Dog Toys

They say that Fido’s mouth is cleaner than a human’s mouth, but I’ve also seen Fido eat some pretty gross things and lick some pretty personal places. There is also no telling what that ball has rolled through, or where that chew bone has been buried. Like children’s toys, give your dog’s toys a sanitize rinse once in a while to help keep Fido’s personal items germ free. Might as well toss his water and food bowl in there too!! I wouldn’t want to eat off a dirty surface.

Work Out and Sports Accessories

Physical activity means sweat. Sweat means germs. Germs mean odor. Help cut down on the odors by sanitizing your sport’s accessories in the dishwasher. Things like elbow and knee pads, as well as baseball caps can be rinsed and sanitized on your top dish rack. You could even use it on “washer safe” gym bags.

Brushes, Combs, and Makeup Brushes

You can put your hair brushes and makeup brushes on the top rack or silverware caddy and run your dishwasher. A gentle cycle can get the built up dirt and grime off your brushes without damaging the bristles.

Faux Flowers

Silk and cloth flowers and plants can be a pain in the rear to dust; their textured surface traps dirt incredibly well! So instead of dusting each individual flower petal, place them in the top rack of your dishwasher and call it a day.

Pretty awesome, right? Try some of these tricks to help maximize the use you get from your dishwasher. As always, if you think something is wrong with your appliance, make sure to contact a repair service, like us, right away. Give us a ring at 704-824-1077 or schedule an appointment with our online scheduler if you need any help with your dishwasher or other major appliances!

 

 

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Promotion: Customer Appreciation

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Exciting News! We are currently running a Promotion to thank our customers. We know you have a world full of choices, so we thank you for selecting us. We appreciate your trust and confidence and sincerely value your loyalty to our business.

We would LOVE to send you a token of gratitude in the form of a $10 voucher off your next service visit. To receive your 10$ voucher, simply follow the next three easy steps:

  1. Log into your Facebook and visit our page .
  2. LIKE our page
  3. SHARE a post of ours with your friends and family!

 

It’s that SIMPLE!!!

We will receive a notification that you have liked and shared, and WE will contact YOU (or if you rather let us know first, that’s awesome too!!) via FACEBOOK MESSENGER. We will inquire your ADDRESS so that we can MAIL you your 10$ voucher.

Easy peasy, right!?

Please note that as of right now we are only sending ONE (1) voucher to each customer or to each residence. Please present the voucher card to your technician during your next service visit to receive $10 off. Card must be presented for the discount. Again, only one card per household.

Once more, thank you for choosing us and allowing us to service you. Remember, you can call us directly at 704-588-1900 to schedule a repair, or visit our online scheduler.

 

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Safety First: Preventing Dryer Fires

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Lint. So minuscule, yet it can be such a major annoyance, sticking to your fleece jacket and black outfit or littering the inside of the pockets of your favorite jeans. Most people associate lint with being a harmless inconvenience, but the truth is that lint can be dangerous to you, your health, family, and even your home.

According to National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) an average of 15,000 fires each year originate from complications with lint in dryers or dryer venting. Lint is essentially particles of fiber, hair, fur, and skin that have collected together. Lint is also extremely flammable, so even the smallest spark could cause it to ignite, and from there spread like a literal wild fire.

There are ways you can keep yourself, your family, and your home safe from such a tragedy. Listed below are some examples of precautions you can take to better protect yourself.

  1. Always, always clean the lint trap or screen to your dryer after every use, even if there isn’t much built up. Take precaution so that the screen or trap is pulled fully out of the unit before you clean the lint off. This will reduce the chance that some of the particles will enter back into the unit’s cavity.
  2. Every few months, wash your lint screen or trap. It’s a simple, easy task. Remove  your lint screen or trap completely and clean all the lint off it’s surface. Next, wet both sides of the screen or trap with hot water. Use a nylon brush with liquid detergent and hot water to gently scrub both sides of the trap or screen. This will remove any lint fibers or residue that has built up. Rinse the screen or trap then dry fully with a towel before returning it to the unit.
  3. A few times a year, clean behind your dryer to remove the build up of any lint, hair, dust, and debris. Plus, chances are, you might find a missing sock or two back there. Depending on the amount of substance that must be cleaned, you could use a damp rag or even a vacuum. Take are that you don’t damage, bend, tear, or kink your venting hose.
  4. Have your dryer vents serviced on an annual basis, or more often if you wash continuous loads or own pets which shed hair or fur. Sometimes lint manages to get by your screen or trap, and can built up in the venting system that connects your dryer to an area which the hot air can be safely expelled, most of the time which is outside, or up in an unfinished attic space. You can clean the vent yourself, though it’s recommended that you call a professional service to ensure that all the lint and debris are removed without causing any harm to your dryer or vent work.
  5. Make sure where your dryer vents the hot air to is a clean, unobstructed area. A lot of homes have a dryer that vents directly outside, meaning there is an opening that could be home to insects, rodents, or even birds! Beware if you have a Bird or Rodent Guard installed, these can trap lint that’s come loose from your dryer or vent. Keep the end of the vent clean and free of anything that might hinder the hot air exciting the unit.
  6. Keep an eye out of signs that your dryer or vent system might need some extra care, attention, and cleaning. If loads of laundry seem to be taking longer than normal to dry, you might have a restriction in your vent work or a build up of lint. The same applies if your dryer’s top or side feels hotter than normal, or if it blows a fuse or trips a breaker. These are all warning signs that something bigger could be wrong with your dryer!

 

Lint. A tiny, but mighty terror. We hope these tips will aid you in preventing a dangerous and unwanted disaster. We hope everyone will take care and keep your dryer clean! Remember, you can call us at 704-824-1077 or schedule an appointment with our online scheduler if you need any help with your dyer or other major appliances!

 

 

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