Home & Family Newsletter December 2020

A famous Swedish proverb states, “Joy shared is joy doubled.” During this joyful time of year, make it your mission to spread cheer among your family, friends and neighbors. Not only will they feel good, but you’ll benefit too. Check out these simple ways you can bring joy to those around you:

If you’re happy and you know it, show it. Smile at strangers, compliment people, unabashedly sing a song and treat everyone with compassion. Your joyful mood is sure to rub off on others and make their day better.

Share recommendations. If you have a favorite store, hairdresser, restaurant, or hobby, let others know so they can experience it as well. Give rave reviews in person and on social media.

Express your gratitude. During the holiday season, think of all of the people who have supported you throughout the year. Send a card or make a phone call to let them know how helpful they have been and what a difference they have made in your life.

Bake up a storm. If you love baking, find your favorite holiday recipe, and make it for family, friends or coworkers. Festively decorate the baked good and deliver with a smile.

Give back. One of the best ways to spread joy during the holiday season is to donate your time or money to those who are less fortunate. Volunteer at a local shelter or food bank or adopt a family and supply them with gifts and food to make the holidays special. 

Decorate! Share your holiday joy with others by decorating your house. Outside decorations bring joy to passersby, while inside decorations allow you to share stories about your favorite pieces that you cherish year after year.

Reminisce about the good times. Ask loved ones to make a list of their top 10 moments of the year. Gather everyone together in-person or by Zoom and encourage them to share stories, photos or mementos to relive the good times of 2020.

Have you noticed that your bathroom is feeling a little dingy and dated? Now’s the time to do something about it! With a little time and money (and maybe some professional help) you can give your bathroom a facelift that will have you wanting to spend more time in the smallest room of the house. Start here to give your bathroom a well-deserved facelift:

Paint or wallpaper the walls. Nothings says facelift more than a fresh coat of paint. To make a larger bathroom feel cozier, choose warm, neutral paint colors. For a small bathroom, opt for lighter colors, like white or cream, to make the most of a little space. If you want to go bold, wallpaper with large prints and bright colors is a good choice, particularly for powder rooms.

Install new hardware. Take a look around your bathroom and make note of all of the hardware that needs an update. This includes faucets, showerheads, towel bars, toilet paper holders, cabinet knobs and lighting fixtures.Choose a consistent finish for all hardware that will add to the style of the bathroom.

Touch up caulking. Over time, caulking around sinks and tubs can get discolored or cracked. Pull up the old caulk, thoroughly clean the area and lay down a fresh line of caulking. Use painter’s tape for straight lines and smooth down evenly with a caulking tool, your finger or an ice cube.

Update your soft goods. Purchase a new shower curtain, bathmats, and towels to give the bathroom a cohesive look. Don’t forget about window coverings; refresh with a new set of blinds or choose stylish curtains or roman shades to ensure privacy.

Add decorative touches. Bathrooms can often get the short end of the stick when it comes to decorating; however, there are many ways to accessorize a bathroom. Hang paintings or prints, install floating shelves or place a decal quotes on your walls. Bring in greenery to add a natural element and store bathroom essentials in decorative jars. 

Does your bathroom need more than a facelift?

New Windows & Baths for America can make

all your bathroom dreams come true!

Heating and cooling account for more than 50 percent of a household’s energy costs, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. No matter what energy source you use to heat or cool your home, if your house doesn’t have energy-efficient windows, doors, and insulation, you are likely wasting resources, resulting in high monthly energy bills.

The first step to finding out if your home is energy-efficient is conducting a home energy audit. This can be done on your own or with the help of a local expert. After reviewing the results, consider the following if your house could use an upgrade:

Windows

·  If you are replacing your windows, look for the ENERGY STAR label. Depending on your climate, certain windows may insulate better than others. Choose a durable product that has a long lifespan.

·  Caulk around windows to prevent air leaks. Thoroughly clean the area before you begin to ensure the caulk adheres properly.

·  Add storm windows or energy-efficient window coverings to provide additional insulation.

Doors

·  Select fiberglass or insulated steel doors instead of wood doors for increased energy efficiency. Use the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) label to determine the door’s energy performance.

·  Ensure that your door fits snugly in the doorjamb and is able to swing freely.

·  Replace old weather-stripping around the door to keep hot and cool air indoors. If the threshold along the bottom of the door is worn out, replace that as well.

Insulation

·  Determine the best type of insulation for your space. Options include blanket batts and rolls, spray foam and blown-in insulation, among others. Look for the “R-value” rating, which designates the thickness of the insulation, and choose the rating that is appropriate for your climate zone.

·  Install a radiant barrier for further insulation. The highly reflective surface of a radiant barrier does not absorb heat, reducing the amount of heat that is transferred into the house.

·  For new builds, consider prefabricated structural insulated panels. When installed correctly, they can result in a 12 to 14 percent energy savings.

Recipe Courtesy of: Food Network

Ingredients

Yia Yia's Sunday Sauce:

·  1/4 cup olive oil

·  1 large Spanish onion, finely diced

·  1 tablespoon kosher salt, or more as needed

·  6 cloves garlic, sliced

·  Two 28-ounce cans San Marzano tomatoes, with their juice

·  2 pounds meaty beef bones

·  1 cup dry white wine

·  1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves

·  1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

·  1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

·  1 bay leaf

Braised Beef with Root Vegetables:

·  3 pounds rump roast

·  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

·  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

·  3 tablespoons olive oil

·  1 carrot, cut into 1-inch chunks

·  1 small celery root, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

·  1 onion, coarsely chopped

·  2 cloves garlic, smashed

·  1 cup red wine

·  2 cups Yia Yia's Sunday Sauce

·  2 bay leaves, preferably fresh

·  1 1/2 pounds dried rigatoni, for serving

Directions

For Yia Yia's Sunday sauce: Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan or large Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the beef bones. Add the onions and cook until translucent, 2 minutes. Add the salt and garlic and cook until everything is soft but not browned, about 3 minutes. Squeeze the tomatoes one by one into the pan, pulverizing them by hand, and pour in their juice, too. Add the wine, oregano, red pepper flakes, if using, black pepper and bay leaf. Bring the sauce to a simmer, and then reduce the heat to its lowest possible setting and continue to cook for 8 hours. The sauce should reduce by about one-third. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary. Remove the bones and bay leaf. Set aside 2 cups. If not using the remaining sauce right away, let it cool, then cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 2 months. Yield: 8 cups.

For the braised beef with root vegetables: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Sprinkle the meat liberally with salt and pepper as much as 1 day in advance. (Cover and refrigerate it if doing so and take the meat out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.) Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. When the oil is on the verge of smoking, sear the meat for about 2 minutes per side. Move the meat to the side (or remove it from the pot altogether if necessary), and add the carrots, celery root and onions. Brown the vegetables for about 3 minutes, and then add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pot, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom. Add Yia Yia's Sunday Sauce, 1 cup water and the bay leaves (and the pot roast if you removed it). Bring the liquid to a simmer and taste for seasoning. Add more salt if necessary. Cover the pot and place it in the oven for 3 hours, basting the meat occasionally during cooking time. When almost ready to serve, make the rigatoni, if using. Boil in salted water according to package directions until al dente. Discard the bay leaves before serving. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and slice into bite-size pieces, or shred with 2 forks. Return the meat to the pot of sauce along with the drained rigatoni. Toss to coat and serve.