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This super yummy Super Bowl salsa takes a little extra time to make than your ordinary avocado salsa, but it’s well worth the extra effort.

Ingredients:

16 ounce package of frozen corn, thawed (kernels)

2 cans of sliced olives (2.25 ounce cans, drained)

1 small onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 bell pepper, red, chopped

4 avocados, peeled and diced (set the pits aside for later)

¼ cup lemon juice

1/3 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Mix corn, olives, red pepper and onion in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Pour the ingredients from the smaller bowl into the larger bowl and mix well. Cover the mixture and leave it in the refrigerator overnight.

To keep the avocado’s fresh it’s best to cut them, and mix them into the salsa right before service. Although with so much to do on a Super Bowl Sunday that’s pretty hard to do. You can cut up the avocado’s in the morning, and leave them in a bowl. By placing the pits on the bowl with the cut up avocados, they will stay green for longer instead of turning brown, also a splash of lemon juice will help them stay fresh.

Serve this super salsa with tortilla chips, and watch it disappear!

Have you ever wondered what makes dry cleaning different from hand washing or normal machine washing? I know I have.

So I set out on some investigative blogging to reveal what really happens when you send your garments off to the dry cleaners.

Dry cleaning is a cleaning process for clothes and other textiles without the use of water, although, in this laundering method, clothes actually get wet. Tricky little name.

As opposed to soaking the clothing and textiles in water, dry cleaning uses a special chemical solution, called perchlorethylene (abbreviates as perc), that washes away all dirt, stains and other messes.

During the dry cleaning process, the clothes go into a large capacity machine (normally with a maximum capacity of 50 pounds). The clothing and textiles tumble around in the main cleaning basket with the dry cleaning solution. The machine starts by removing the surface soil then rotates to penetrate deeply into the fabric fibers.

After completing the cleaning process, the clothes remain in the same machine and dry completely in the tumble dry setting. Once dry, the clothes and textiles receive a professional pressing to remove all creases and wrinkles.

We hear it all the time, drink 8 glasses of water a day. But who has time for water when there’s an endless supply of juices, infusions and bottled drinks that at least have some flavor to them? When I was browsing the website of the World’s Healthiest Foods, I was shocked to find water listed alongside green tea and Tamari soy sauce.

The Worlds Healthiest Foods were compiled based on (among other things) the ratio of nutrients to calories, and since water from natural sources has a significant number of minerals with zero calories, that certainly puts it on the list.

Not only are our bodies at least 60% water, but water is also used to move nutrients around the body and remove toxins from the body. Drinking water leads to better heart health, proper blood pressure, improved mental performance, increased athletic performance, clearer skin and better digestion.

We all have the temptation to add flavor to our water to make it more exciting. But a lot can be said for getting used to the refreshing feeling of plain water.

If you are trying to cut out juices and sodas, but are having a hard time with water, try adding a lemon slice to the glass. For something a little more adventurous cut a small, peeled cucumber into half, and add into a water jug and refrigerate. Leave the cucumber floating in the water for a few hours and soon you’ll have your own refreshing cucumber water.

It’s that time of year again when it’s too cold, too dark and it feels like Spring is still just out of reach. A few small tips will help you perk up your emotional well being, and help keep you smiling till Spring.

Start off by staying well rested. It’s hard to be bright and cheery when all you want to do it crawl back into bed. By making sure that you get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night, you can ward off feeling sluggish all day long.

Eating right isn’t just about staying thin, a healthy diet is a natural mood booster as well. Exercise is also an important element in staying cheerful. Exercise increases natural occurring mood boosting hormones, as well as relieves stress and tension. Getting at least 30 minutes of mild to moderate  exercise a few time a week will help you look better, feel better and even sleep better!

Plants aren’t the only things that need sunlight to live, humans need natural sun light too. By getting as little as 15 minutes of sun light each day, you’ll get a big boost of happiness.

And remember, Spring is just around the corner!

With Jack Frost out there nipping at your noses and toes, it’s likely that you have fallen victim to the nasty cold and flu causing germs bouncing around. Along with the germs, also come the medicines. Whether it’s over-the-counter fixes or prescriptions from the good ole’ doctor, this time of year makes most people feel like walking pharmacies.

If you’re lucky enough, your personal illness may require assistance from cough syrup. While that sticky liquid may help kick your symptoms, it also leaves a pretty big disaster if spilled in your carpets (especially if you had a late-night mishap during a midnight dose).

Have no fear, we’re here to help. Follow these cough syrup stain busting tips for a clean carpet in no time.

Start by mixing one tablespoon hand dish detergent, one tablespoon white vinegar with two cups of warm water. Gently sponge the mixture onto the stain then forcefully pack the solution, using a spoon or brush, deeper into the stains. Sponge the area with water and blot until all the liquid is absorbed into your sponge.

Then sponge rubbing alcohol onto the affected area until the stain completely disappears. Finish by sponging the area with cold water to remove all rubbing alcohol. Leave untouched to dry for 24 hours.