Enjoy The Fresh Taste Of Homemade Bread

by Pocatello Electric

Impress your guests with your own bread for Easter dinner! Here is an easy recipe of homemade bread with only 4 ingredients.

Ingredients

• 6 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour (and a little more for the work surface)
• 1/2 t. instant or active-dry yeast
• 2 1/2 t. salt
• 2 2/3 cups cool water

Directions

1. In a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine dried ingredients (flour, yeast and salt) and stir a little bit to make sure that everything is well mixed. Add the cool water and stir until all the ingredients are well incorporated; the dough should be wet and sticky.
2. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap. Let the dough rest 12-18 hours at room temperature. When surface of the risen dough has slightly darkened, smells yeasty and is dotted with bubbles, it is ready.
3. Flour the work surface and place the dough on it. Sprinkle with a bit of flour. Fold the dough over on itself once or twice. Lightly flour your hands and tuck the dough underneath to form a rough ball.
4. Place a large rectangle of parchment paper on a cotton towel and dust it with flour to prevent the dough from sticking to it. Place the dough seam side down on the parchment paper and dust with a little more flour. Wrap the dough completely with the parchment paper corners and the towel as well. Let rise for about 2 hours (until it has doubled in size).
5. For about 20-25 minutes before the dough is ready to be cooked, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place a 6-8 quart heavy covered pot in the oven as it heats. When the dough has fully risen, carefully remove pot from the oven. Unwrap towel and parchment paper from around the dough, slide your hand under the bottom of the ball and flip it over into the pot. Shake the pot a little bit until the dough is well distributed.
6. Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for 12-15 more minutes (until the crust starts to turn brown). the internal temperature should be around 200 degrees (you can check this with a meat thermometer).
7. Carefully remove the bread from the pot and let it cool on a wire rack and then you can slice it!

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Tips To Optimize Your Laundry Room

by Pocatello Electric

 Shelves + laundry baskets: 
As good for clean clothing as for the dirty ones, multiple baskets are so useful in a laundry room. Sometimes, the only problem is space. A simple way to solve this dilemma is with shelves! Installing shelves is fast and easy. You can put them under the washer and dryer or on the sides if you have enough space. Then, identify each basket with how you want to separate your loads; blacks, whites, clean stuff, etc.

Clothes line across the room: 

When the sun is gone and rain is all over the city, an outside clothes line is not very useful. Solve the problem with an inside one! Under the machines or close to the window are perfect spots. This is an easy, economical and ecological way to dry clothes inside the house, without a dryer.

"Lost & found" board

Isn't it frustrating when you lose socks in the dryer and never see them again? A simple solution is to make a dating place for socks! Take a cork board, pins and a little space on the wall and there it is. To make sure everyone in the house understand this new tool, identify it with an original but clear name like Lost & Found; Clean, Single and looking for mate, etc. Be creative! 

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What To Do At The St. Patrick's Day?

by Pocatello Electric

If you would like to do something different for St. Patrick's Day and don't know what to do, here are three activities you can do with family and friends:

St. Patrick's Day Fun Run

On March 14, 2015 - Boise

Participate in a race of your choice 5k Run or 5 Mile Run - Start time: 10:00 am. 1 Mile Kilted Run and 1 Mile Kids Fun Run – Start time: 9:00 a.m.
There will be a contest for the 5 bests Leprechauns or Green Runners costumes. Bring your kids, your friends, and your family. Fun for everyone! 

Pocatello Shamrock Shuffle 

On March 14, 2015 - Pocatello

It’s another healthy way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. You can choose to run 5k or 10k.

The registration starts at 8:30 am for both races and start at 10:00 am. All benefits of this activity go to the Shriners Children's Hospital in SLC.

St. Patrick's Parade and Celebration

On March 14, 2015 - Twin Falls

The Parade begins at noon. It's an event for all ages and everyone will have tons of fun. It will also be the first Shamrock 'N Roll Bike event. Don't miss out!

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New Ways To Eat Pizza

by Pocatello Electric

We all fell in love with the great taste of pizza our first time we ate some, but we often feel guilty when eating this kind of food because it seems to be unhealthy. Don’t panic, there is a solution! Let's take a look at some healthier pizza ideas we found for you!

Portobello Pizza:

Ingredients: (4 servings)

• 4 diced tomatoes (medium sized)
• 4 Portobello mushrooms with stems removed (large sized)
• 2 chopped cloves of garlic
• 1 onion chopped in small pieces (medium sized)
• Fresh chopped basil leaves (to taste)
• Fresh chopped parsley (to taste)
• Grated parmesan cheese (to taste)
• 2 tbs olive oil
• pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Fry the onion pieces in a pan with olive oil (medium fire). Stir until it's slightly brown, then reduce the fire to low.
3. Add the diced tomatoes and the garlic cloves in the pan. Stir until all the ingredients are soft. Add salt and pepper.
4. Add the basil leaves to the pan, stir and remove the pan from the fire.
5. Place the Portobello mushrooms on an oiled baking sheet, bottom side up, and add the ingredients into each mushroom.
6. Top with the grated parmesan cheese.
7. Put the mushroom into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. When time's up, remove the pizzas from the oven and sprinkle them with the fresh parsley.

Zucchini Pizza:


Ingredients: (4 servings)

• 1 tomato sauce can (medium sized)
• 2 zucchinis with pips removed (large sized)
• 1 red onion chopped in slices (medium sized)
• Mini tomatoes (try different colors)
• Green or black olives chopped in two pieces
• Grated cheese (to taste)
• 2 tbs olive oil
• pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place the zucchinis on an oiled baking sheet, cut side up, and add the ingredients, to taste, into each of them, starting by the sauce.
3. Add as much cheese as you like.
4. Put the garnished zucchinis into the oven and bake 8-10 minutes. Then, Bon appetite!

Eggplant Pizza:

Ingredients: (4 servings)

• 1 eggplant chopped in slices about 3/4 inch thick (large sized)
• 2 chopped cloves of garlic
• 2 cups of diced tomatoes
• 2 tbs of dried herbs (choose your favorite)
• 6 chopped fresh basil leaves
• Grated mozzarella cheese (to taste)
• 2 tbs olive oil
• pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place the sliced eggplant on paper towel to remove the water in it. The process takes approximately 30 minutes.
3. In a pan, start frying the garlic in olive oil at medium fire.
4. Add the tomato dices to the pan and add 1-2 tbs of water, then the sauce wont dry. Let it cook for 15 minutes and remove the sauce from the fire.
5. Place the eggplant slices on an oiled baking sheet, sprinkle a little bit of dried herbs and add the tomato sauce on each.
6. Roast the eggplant for about 20-25 minutes into the oven and remove them.
7. Add the fresh chopped basil and the cheese as much as you like.
8. Turn the oven to broil and put the eggplant pizzas into the oven and bake 5-6 minutes.
9. Enjoy this delicious meal!

 

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Produce Storage Tips

by Pocatello Electric

We all know that most of the veggies and fruits can be stored in the freezer to be kept longer but there are other ways to conserve them. Here are some tips on how to properly store your fruits and vegetables.

1. Lettuce and greens: Keep them fresh and crispy. Wash them in cold water before putting them in an opened plastic bag with a towel paper into the fridge.

2. Carrots, celery and peppers: Cut off the top or remove the green head (peppers) and put them in a closed plastic bag. It will keep the freshness and maintain the nutritional value. Celery and carrots can also be stored in a closed plastic container full of water.

3. Fresh herbs: This time we need the freezer. Use a tray to make ice cubes and put your herbs in it. Add some olive oil into all the little holes.Then put it to the freezer and add those cubes to your recipes when needed!

4. Bananas and avocados: Keep them on the countertop when they have not been cut. When they are halved, wrap them and straight to the fridge they go. Wrap the banana in foil, whereas the avocado should be wrapped in plastic.

5. Potatoes and onions: The best place is the dark pantry to avoid oxidization when they have not been cut. Once they are halved, your can put them in a sealed plastic bag into the refrigerator to keep them fresh for a few days.

Did you know?
You can freeze vegetables and fruits, but you can also freeze yogurts and milk! You must have noticed that the milk turn into a yellow-beige when defrosted. This is perfectly normal and due to the fat content (if you have skimmed milk, it should not change color).

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Spring Cleaning Tips For Kitchen Appliances

by Pocatello Electric

Spring is coming soon and we all need to plan our great spring cleaning!

Sometimes we don't know where to start and it seems very long and complicated. Many people seem to fear the terrible kitchen! If it's your case, do not panic and let us help you with some tips to make it easier and faster. You will never see the kitchen clean up the same way!

Stainless steel appliances: All you need is vinegar, oil and two easy steps to make it shine.
1. Spray your stainless steel surface with vinegar and wipe it off in the direction of the grain with a paper towel.
2. Dip a soft cloth in a bit of oil and polish your appliance in the direction of the grain.

Back off a little bit and see the great results!

Microwave: You will need a water, lemon slices and that's it!
1. Full a bowl with some water and put the lemon slices in it.
2. Put the bowl inside your microwave and warm it for 5 minutes.
3. Remove the bowl and wipe the inside of your microwave with a soft cloth. All the gunk should be removed easily.

For a durable result, wipe the inside of your microwave every time you use it. It only takes a few seconds!

Blender: Two things: soap and water.
1. Put soap and warm water in your blender.
2. Start to blend and let it do so for a few seconds.
3. Rinse, dry and done!

Stove (drip pans): All you need is baking soda and soap.
1. Remove the burners and the pans from the stove.
2. Shake the pans over the trash to remove the most of the gunk.
3. Combine the baking soda and the soap in a little bowl (1:1 ratio) and apply the paste all over the drips generously.
4. Scrub them a few second and let the mixture sit on it while you wash the hood of the stove.
5. Lift up the hood and wash the inside with the same mixture as the drips and remove it with a wet cloth.
6. Shut the hood, rinse the pans and replace them.

Now the top of your stove looks like a new one!

Refrigerator: Soap, warm water and a cloth well do the job.
1. With a bucket of warm soapy water, start by cleaning the doors and all the outside of the fridge.
2. Continue with the inside of the doors. Remove all the stuff and make sure that your wash all the baskets. Then replace the stuff.
3. Remove the stuff from the freezer and wash it from the top to buttom. Don't forget the air vent!
4. Remove all the stuff from the shelves of the refrigerator and wash them one-bye-one. Do the same for the drawers and let them dry while you clean all the sides of the fridge.

Take advantage of this moment to throw away the expired food and reorganize your storage strategy!

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3 Common Mistakes We Make When Shopping For A New Mattress

by Pocatello Electric

1. Shop for prices: We usually filter our research by price when shopping for a new mattress. Most of the time, we need to stick to a budget, and many times we are searching to invest less than what we budgeted. Of course, it is not a bad thing to have a budget and to save money, but we have to keep in mind that we need a quality mattress. We spend 1/3 of our life sleeping and everyone knows that our sleep habits affect our health! We should not forget that the quality of our sleep depends on the quality of the mattress. A new mattress should be an investment rather than a waste of money. We should prepare ourselves for budget adjustments when needed.


2. Purchase without trying: We all feel a little uneasy when trying a mattress in-store. Pretending to sleep, in most cases, is a challenging thing to do when shopping.  However, it is an important step before purchasing. It is not enough to put pressure with our hands. Our weight and sleeping position will determine which type of mattress is best for us. It is important to remember that in order to have a comfortable sleep for years ahead, we need to try the mattress before buying it.



3. Buy for the look: Some of us plan budget adjustments or try many types of mattresses. Sometimes, we put too much emphasis on the wrong specifications: the mattress look! We prefer to buy a good looking mattress even if it is not the most comfortable, instead of the one that looks ordinary (even if it is so much more comfortable). The look does not affect our sleep, the comfort does. Yes, there are a lot of mattress styles and brands. Sometimes, they do not look trendy, but if they are comfortable and good for our posture, maybe we should think twice and redefine our purchasing criteria.

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