Serrv.org is a nonprofit organization with a mission to eradicate poverty wherever it resides by providing opportunity and support to artisans and farmers worldwide. I love their selection of eggs!

Kashmir Eggs

Bird’s Nest with Eggs

Combarbalite Eggs

Growing vegetables is so popular and one of the easiest things to grow are peppers. There are more than 200 varieties from nearly a foot long to a tiny 1/4-inch peewee. Their heat varies, too. From barely warm to scorching hot, it’s the capsaicin that makes chiles fiery. A general rule is the smaller the pepper, the hotter it is. Removing the seeds and veins is the only way to reduce the heat.
Scotch Bonnet are the hottest.
Serrano peppers may be tiny but they pack big heat.
Jalapenos range from barely warm to very hot, depending on the age and time of year they’re harvested. Chipotle peppers are dried, smoked Jalapenos.
Poblanos have medium heat. Ancho chiles are dried Poblanos.
Sweet Bell Peppers are much more mild mannered and usually start out bright green. Red bell peppers are simply vine-ripened green bell peppers that have been allowed to ripen longer. They’re very sweet.
Whether hot or mild, choose peppers that are firm, with shiny skin. Here’s some bell pepper inspiration. You can find these recipes and lots more cooking tips at Crisco.com

Chicken Stuffed Bell Peppers [Read more →]

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My grandmother made all of her grand daughters a Raggedy Ann. Each one had a little heart sewn on her chest that said “I love you” I love, love, love that doll and still have it. Some day I’ll pass it on to my grandchildren. There’s something about a handmade toy that is so special. I was inspired by  Susan Anderson,  author of Itty Bitty Toys , which shows you how to make adorable hand-knit toys for the kids in your life.

Susan is also the author of Itty-Bitty Hats and Itty-Bitty Nursery. Her knitting blog, susanbanderson.blogspot.com, gets more than 50,000 hits a month. Her series of 10 knitting tutorials, posted on You Tube, has been watched by more than 130,000 people in just the past 6 months. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin, with her husband and four children.

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Did you know that 4 million cats and dogs—about one every 8 seconds—are put down in U.S. shelters each year? Megan Blake is a pet expert, animal advocate and host of the PBS show Animal Attractions and she joined us on Amy’s Table today to talk about pet adoption from rescues and shelters.

Here’s why Megan says we  should adopt from an animal shelter instead of buying a pet from a store:

o You’ll get a healthy pet! Your new pet is more likely to be vaccinated, de-wormed, and spayed or neutered if obtained from a shelter rather than a pet store.
o You’ll save money! Fees from a shelter are usually much less than the purchase price of an animal from a pet store or breeder.
o You’ll find a better selection! Shelters have a great selection of adult animals, kittens, puppies and purebred animals available for adoption.
o You won’t be supporting puppy mills and pet stores. Did you know that purebreds account for about 25 to 30 percent of a shelter’s dog population?
o You’ll save a life!

Check our Megan’s new social network for pets, MeganHeartsPets

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You may know Annie Korzen as the actress who played Doris Klompus on Seinfeld or as John Turturro’s mother in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen . But what you might not know is that she’s a lifelong frugalista with a passion for living large whiles spending little. In fact, Annie has managed to dress well, vacation in Italy, collect art, and eat out as often as possible without breaking the ban. She joined me today to share tips from her book BARGAIN JUNKIE: Living the Good Life on the Cheap.

For Annie’s tips and videos, visit her blog,  www.TheBargainJunkie.com

I decided that I will no longer be participating in this Winter thing. I’ve moved on to Spring. To help with the Spring vibe, I snuck into Lowers and grabbed a handful of small potted plants and tucked them into a basket. It looks fresh and lush -and feels like Spring! Winter? What Winter?

Turn this………

Into this…….

It’s been a busy couple of weeks for me and one of the first by-products of “busy” is often clutter! And clutter leads to stress. And stress is never good. So I’m back on my daily de-cluttering kick. Just 10 minutes a day can lead to a state of blissful organization. Literally, set your kitchen timer for 10 minutes and jump in to the first thing that needs your attention. Maybe it’s your kitchen cupboards, your inbox, your linen closet or your purse. 10 minutes a day can go a long way to making you feel calm. Peaceful. In control.  Doesn’t that feel good?

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From Ellen Whitehurst……..

LOVE. Isn’t that one of the keywords we almost immediately think of when we think of this winter month of February? Fantasies of getting bouquets full ‘o spring blooms that take up space in our hearts. Even if they are often out of proportion to actual size or, gulp, intention. Whether it’s because you are wishing and wanting so badly to see someone that you’re willing to step on thin ice or whether it’s because you have a love so deep that your heart can expand to forever. Or whether you’re looking for it, now, in all the right places; LOVE is the one word that embraces this second, shortened month of the year. And, well, I’m pretty sure you’re going to LOVE everything else going on during these days too. Wanna know why? Okay, I’ll get to the core. See it won’t only be MP3s or fruity new Tablets getting all hooked up. Well, not if this month’s energies have anything to say about it. Bold and Fresh. On tour in your town in February. I mean, doesn’t it just make sense that we start the month celebrating the return of [Read more →]

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I hope you’ll stop by and see me today  between 1-3 at the 37th annual Home and Remodeling Showcase at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center.

The current economy has us wanting  “right-sized” homes that cost less to build and maintain. In a recent Better Homes & Gardens survey of potential new-home buyers, 32% said they expected their new home to be smaller than the one they already occupy. For many, quality, functionality and energy-efficiency have become more important than size. Drees Homes  is right on target with what consumers want with their  new Simplistyle designs. These new designs offer open floor plan, with flexible living spaces that will appeal to people who want to live more affordable and simpler lifestyles. The new designs are Energy Star-rated  and range in size from 1,200 to 1,800 sq. ft. and modestly priced from $130,000.  Simplistyle home designs are available at select Drees’ communities in Cincinnati, OH and northern Kentucky. To learn more, visit www.dreeshomes.com/style.

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Could Grandma’s teapot be worth millions? Is that old coffee table in the basement worth keeping? Should you splurge on the blue glass piece at the local flea market? You can find out these answers and more in House Beautiful columnist Carol Prisant’s new book Good, Better, Best: The Trade Secrets for Spotting a “Find”

On Amy’s Table this morning, former Antique Roadshow Personality Carol Prisant shared tips on how to spot a find- and how to avoid a fake and walked us through the basic steps of flea market shopping, antique collecting, and being the saviiest shopper. From  American Tall Clocks to Dollhouses and Globes, there are tips to help you make informed decisions when buying, selling or hanging on to antiques.

For more information, visit Carol’s website.