Homemaking

Cleaning an Oven Naturally without Toxic Cleaners

January 7, 2020 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

Say goodbye to harsh chemical oven cleaners! Swap them out with something that’s gentle, yet powerful. Similar to using commercial cleaners, cleaning an oven naturally calls for time and a little bit of elbow grease without all the nasty toxins.

CLEANING AN OVEN NATURALLY

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think I’ve met a single person who enjoys cleaning their oven.

Like cleaning the fridge, scrubbing down that hardworking oven isn’t high up on anyone’s list of favourite afternoon activities.

It’s one of those chores that is often put off until it can’t be ignored any longer.

I know my oven is due for a cleaning when every time I turn it on, it smells like smoke from that pile of burned melted cheese that oozed from a frozen pizza.

That’s a clear sign that it’s time to put on the pink rubber gloves and get to it.

Forget about the chemicals or the self-clean option, though. There’s a better way that won’t have you coughing up a storm or fearing for your skin.

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15 Ways to Keep Warm and Cozy this Winter

December 31, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 2 Comments

When the Christmas lights get taken down and winter becomes long, bleak, and seemingly endless, it’s time to take action. Here are 15 ways to keep warm and cozy to survive the winter with a cheery heart.

fireplace — `Photo by Jayden Wong on Unsplash`

GETTING HYGGE

In 2017, Meik Wiking published The Little Book of Hygge, which introduced the Danish concept of coziness and convivial cheer to the Western world.

Pronounced “hoo-gah”, hygge quickly exploded and became a means for marketers to sell candles and plush blankets.

I can understand why.

Living in Canada, I’m not a stranger to long cold winters. The sun rises at 07:00 and sets by four in the afternoon, so for those folks who work 9-5, winter can be an unhappy time.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that’s very real and affects millions of people. We need as many ways to keep warm and cozy as we can get!

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My Fridge Cleaning Nightmare (how to not let your fridge get the best of you)

November 19, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 14 Comments

This is a tale of horror and shame as a modern day woman with a vintage soul grapples with what too many responsibilities and not enough time means for her fridge. Fridge Cleaning for the Modern Day Woman will either leave you feeling better about your fridge, or ready to roll up your sleeves to face what you’ve been fearing.

Fridge cleaning can be so much more pleasant than this!

The state of my fridge was downright embarrassing.

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10 Reference Books You Need For Your Kitchen

October 29, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 12 Comments

Here are ten kitchen reference books everyone should have on their shelf. From cooking, baking and fermenting, to general culinary know-how, there’s a bit of something for everyone. How many of these are on your shelf?

JUST THE FAVOURITES

I read a lot of culinary books. As a bibliophile and a lover of food, it’s perfectly natural that one of my reading interests include perusing kitchen reference books from cover to cover.

Over the years I have amassed quite the collection of cookbooks, so I thought it would be fun to cover some favourites. Some of these books were recommendations, others I checked out from the library before purchasing, and two of these were gifts.

In my humble opinion, books make the best gifts, especially cookbooks. They’re so practical and inspirational! Even if you know your way around ingredients and don’t need a recipe tying you down, there’s plenty to be learned from the titles I’m sharing with you today.

This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you choose to purchase something after clicking on one of the links in this post, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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11 Frugal Kitchen Rules to Waste Less & Save More

August 6, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 17 Comments

Frugal kitchen rules for wasting less and saving more. Learn how to maximize what you have and create less kitchen waste with these 11 simple rules. Are you up to the challenge?

HOW TO BE MORE FRUGAL IN THE KITCHEN

I’ve heard it said more than once at work, “Sylvia, you’re so frugal, teach me your ways!”. This always baffles me because the only thing I’m doing at the office is bringing my own lunch. While I enjoy eating out as much as the next person, I also like putting my money towards things I care about, like books and gardening. It’s the same thing in my kitchen.

I enjoy challenging myself to stretch my groceries so that I can afford to spend more on local produce and building my vegetable garden. Not only am I saving money with my frugal kitchen, but I’m also reducing plastic waste in the process.

There’s so much I could have learned from my grandparents when it comes to running a frugal kitchen–there’s nothing like wartime rationing to teach you how to stretch the food you have. These are some of the tips I’ve come up with on my own.

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