A Quick and Savory Summer Dish

By Mikes Furniture

During the summer, folks have a tendency to lean toward lighter meals in the evening. In fact, they like to toss something relatively simple together. Summertime offers a myriad of local fresh produce and the opportunity to fire up the grill. A quick and easy meal will help you save the fuss of lengthy preparation and leave plenty of time to have fun in the sun. Here are a few quick and savory possibilities for summer dishes:

Grilled Shrimp Souvlaki

Ingredients:

1lb of large shrimp, peeled & deveined

6 tbsp fresh lemon juice (divided)

2 tsp olive (divided)

3 tbsp fresh dill (divided)

1 tbsp fresh oregano

¾ cup Greek yogurt (divided)

2 minced garlic cloves (divided)

2 cucumbers

Black pepper

1 pint of cherry tomatoes

1 red onion

4 whole-wheat flatbreads

8 romaine lettuce leaves

Directions:

1)     Preheat grill pan

2)    Rinse the shrimp well and make sure they are well cleaned. Then stir together 2 tbsp of lemon juice, 1 tsp of olive oil, and 1tbsp of dill and oregano into a bowl. Add the shrimp and toss them in the mixture. Let them marinate for about 10 minutes.

3)    Mix ¼ cup of Greek yogurt with one minced clove of garlic, 2 tbsp of lemon juice and 1 tbsp of dill in another bowl. Then, with a vegetable peeler, cut the cucumbers into lengthwise ribbons and discard the largely seeded area. Add the ribbons into the yogurt mixture and pepper to taste.

4)    Mix the remaining ½ cup of yogurt with 2 tbsp of lemon juice, 1 tbsp of dill and the other half of the minced garlic into another bowl for raita sauce. Add pepper to taste.

5)   Combine cherry tomatoes and 1/3 inch rings of onions in remaining olive oil into a bowl. Grill the shrimp with tomatoes and onion in a lightly oiled cast iron skillet or grill pan. Cook for about 5 minutes or until shrimps are bright red, tomatoes are soft and onions are golden and tender.

6)   Grill flatbread until slightly crisp. Then top flatbread evenly with cucumber salad, shrimp, onions, tomatoes and romaine. Add raita sauce if desired. 

 Now you can sit outdoors and soak in the beautiful warm sunset. Enjoy!

Content provided by: @tailbase

www.tailbase.com

Getting Ready at Home for Super Bowl

By Mikes Furniture

America’s most watched sporting event is just around the corner. Right about now, fans are planning their menu for the game. Buffalo wings? Beer? Pizza? Check! Hang on a second… something is still missing. Recliners! Football fans, watching the game without one is just not the same! Hurry and do your homework in time for kickoff!

Manual vs. Power reclining:

As we know, power and manual recliners both have advantages and disadvantages to them. Either type comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors and fabrics. However, the main differences lie in the price and longevity of the product. Let’s take a look at how they differ:

Manual Reclining	Power Reclining
Lower initial cost.	More expensive due to electrical components.
Mechanics go through more wear and tear.	Proven to last longer.
Good buy if you don’t expect it to last forever or don’t mind finding a cheap replacement.	Pricey, but worth the investment in the long run.

             

 

Fabric vs. Leather:

Of course, this is largely debated. Depending on your lifestyle and your needs, your choice should cater to these factors. If you have children and pets, perhaps it would be best to lean toward “forgiving” fabrics for all the spills and sticky hands they are subjected to. If you’re looking to purchase a fabric recliner, choose fabrics such as ultra-suede, twill, denim, velvet and wool. Ideally, choosing a natural fiber with a touch of synthetic will ensure durability. As for leather, it wipes clean, looks great and doesn’t sag. It seems to be a favorite among the gentlemen!

Now that you have the information you need on practicality and durability, you can make your choice according to your lifestyle and budget. Whatever your choice, make sure you have everything settled in time for the game, so you can kick back and enjoy the show!

Content provided by: @tailbase

www.tailbase.com

Ideas for New Year’s Eve

By Mike's Furniture

Don’t drop the ball just yet! New Year’s Eve has a way of sneaking up on people, and if you haven’t had the chance to plan anything other than your guest list to a tentative party, here are some great last-minute ideas that will delude your guests into thinking you planned ahead! Of course, there are countless ways to spend the night, but here are a few ideas that serve as an alternative to the over-hyped and expensive ways to spend New Year’s Eve.

1)      Dress your best

Whether you are celebrating the New Year with that special someone or you plan to fill your home with your friends and family, this is the perfect occasion not to hold back.  Host an elegant soiree by encouraging your guests to wear their party clothes. You may want to throw in some fun props such as boas, tiaras, hats, noisemakers and horns for good measure. The extra amusement will not only accessorize apparel, but it will set the party atmosphere.

2)      Party Food Ideas

Make it a BYOA (bring your own appetizer) event. Ask your guests to bring some easy finger foods that require little preparation such as raw vegetables, fruit, nuts and cheese with crackers. This will keep you and your guests till you have dinner. As for dinner, opt for a romantic candlelit dinner following midnight. After the countdown and noisy fun, have your guests gather around the table to share a meal and their hopes for the New Year.

3)      A night for toasting

In order to be a thoughtful and gracious host, make sure to provide your guests with both alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, so that your guests who do not drink will not feel pressured. There is no need to be a mixologist to pull off impressive drinks. You can find a myriad of festive drinks online to cater to groups. Along with your drinks, be prepared to share a toast or two throughout the evening, so you can kick off things for your guests and have them participate.

Have a great New Year’s party! Remember to drink responsibly and to take it upon yourself as a host not to allow any of your guests drive home intoxicated. Happy New Year!

Content provided by: @tailbase

www.tailbase.com

Backyard Camping Activities

by Mike's Furniture

Put on some sunscreen, fill up that bottle of water and prepare to stay outside for a while, because we’re going camping. Don’t worry about putting gas in the car or reserving a campsite… simply step outside and pitch the tent right there in the backyard. Best of all, the comforts of home (air conditioning and a clean bathroom, anyone?) are just a few feet away when you need them. So what should you do on your backyard camping excursion? We’ve listed some of our favorite family fun activities below.

Go for a “hike.”

Pay special attention to nature while you walk around the block. Make a game out of finding leaves from different types of trees, and count the number of birds you see. The same old scenery will suddenly seem new and exciting. ​

Get crafty.

Collect small rocks from around the yard and paint them like ladybugs, or make friendship bracelets while you sit around the fire. Create something that will serve as a memento of your special time together.

Make s’mores.

You can’t go wrong with the traditional recipe—two graham cracker squares, a jumbo marshmallow and a piece of milk chocolate. For extra fun, concoct your own recipe! How about chocolate chip cookies instead of graham crackers? Or maybe a Kit Kat instead of plain milk chocolate?

Explore the sky.

There are dozens of cool astronomy apps you can download on your smartphone or tablet. One of our favorites is Star Walk™, an inexpensive app that helps you identify stars and planets in the sky.

Play a game.

How about a round of “Go Fish?" Or, kick things up a notch and play glow-in-the-dark ring toss with glow stick necklaces!

Content provided by: +Tailbase & +Ashley Furniture HomeStore 

www.tailbase.com

www.blog.ashleyfurniturehomestore.com