Great home improvement how-to videos

These are some great free diy home improvement how-to's to get you going with your summer projects this year! Something about the warm air gets me in the "fix-up" mode.

Spring Cleaning is here!

I can feel spring in the air and I've been getting the fever! It's a little early, but the home and garden centers have the best-looking plants right now and I don't think I'll be able to resist much longer.

So far, I've only started inside. I've packed up the really heavy sweaters, fleece and jackets and bulky stuff. Converted all closets to wood hangers and thrown out the mismatched plastic ones (I was suprised how big of a difference this made in looking organized). I've also gone through and put aside a "garage sale" pile with things that haven't been used or things that need to go.

Now, must get self shorts and bathing suit ready........

Natural Wood Hangers - 30-pk.

It's a new year and Mardi Gras is almost here!

We're just getting over the holidays and Mardi Gras is sneaking up on us here in New Orleans! It's the first week of February this year so parades will be getting into full-swing in the next couple of weeks (we had one last weekend). Here's an easy feathered mask project so you can have that purple, green and gold wherever you are.

http://www.decorating4less.com/pages/mardigrasp.htm

Almost forgot the Cajun Peanut Brittle Recipe!

Cajun (or not) Peanut Brittle

Adding the cayenne is totally up to you and your tastes, but it really gives a nice finish to the sweetness of the brittle and the saltiness of the peanuts. It also really sets it apart from the typical store-bought kind.

2 cups peanuts
1/2 cup light Karo Corn Syrup
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp vanilla

This is a quick dish so have a buttered cookie sheet ready to go to pour mixture on.
Heat the corn syrup, water, sugar and nuts over medium heat until the mixture is melted and "stringy" when the spoon is lifted out of the mixture. Remove the mixture from the heat and immediately stir in the baking soda, pepper and vanilla. Stir briskly until the mixture is clear and then immediately spread thinly onto the buttered cookie sheet and set aside to cool completely. When completely cool, break into pieces and put into airtight containers for gift giving or to save for parties. Tip: don't over stir before pouring or there will be too many air bubbles in the finished brittle.

Cajun Gifts for the Neighbors....Spiced Pecans and Peanut Brittle

This is the time of year when I usually start some holiday baking and making sweets to box up for the neighbors, mail carriers, etc. The only problem is that it happens to be 80 degrees this week and the last thing I feel like doing is baking! However, I will work on some nutty sweets because they're easy and I don't have to turn on the oven. They also bag or box up well for gift-giving and stay fresh for mailing.

Cajun Spiced Pecans Recipe

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
optional: 1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 cups pecans (can also use walnuts, peanuts, etc)

Place all ingredients into heavy skillet stirring constantly over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Reduce heat and continue cooking, still stirring constantly until mixture is in a fluid state. Remove from heat and immediately pour the nut mixture onto a large ungreased baking sheet. Separate carefully before they harden. Cool thoroughly and place in a decorative tin, jar or bag for gift giving (if you haven't eaten them all!)

Leaving out the cayenne gives you that traditional cinnamon-sweet ones, but with the cayenne you get that extra cajun "bite" with the sweet/spicy combination.