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Dinner by The Fire 3 - Healthier Frito Pie

By Matthew Thompson for Eating Well Magazine

As a native of New England, I had never heard of Frito Pie until a Texas-born co-worker offered me some. And then…wow! As a fan of both salty, crunchy Fritos and spicy chili (my parents are from LA, so I'm not a totalYankee!), I couldn't get over this delicious dish.

For those not in the know, Frito Pie is essentially super chili. Traditionally, it's made by pouring a delicious, spicy chili over a bed of Fritos and then topping with a slathering of cheese (or Cheese Whiz). Yum!

But, as you might imagine, Frito Pie isn't exactly the world's healthiest meal. Fritos, while delicious, are packed with sodium (510 mg in a 3-ounce serving!) and saturated fat (4.5 g in a 3-ounce bag). Add to that the salt and fat in a serving of beef chili and globs of cheese on top and you've got a recipe for heart disease.

Don't Miss: 8 Tricks for the Best Healthy Chili
Hearty, Healthy Chili Recipes

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Dinner by The Fire 2 - Roasted Corn & Chicken Soup

Photo and recipe by Joyce Bahorich

Roasted Corn and Chicken Soup

4 tablespoons olive oil divided
1 can (15 ounces) yellow corn, drained
1 can (15 ounces) white corn, drained
1 medium onion, diced
1 can  diced green chilis
1-1/2 pound cooked rotisserie chicken, shredded
1-2 packets taco seasoning mix
4-6 cups chicken broth
½ cup instant brown rice
1 can (15 ounce) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Garnishes:  Southwestern tortilla chips, sour cream, cheddar cheese, fresh guacamole , more cilantro

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in large skillet until hot.  Add corn.  Cook until brown, about 10 minutes; stir often to prevent corn from burning.  Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, onion, and chiles.  Cook and stir 5 minutes.

Transfer mixture to a large pot.  Stir in shredded chicken.  Add seasoning mix and toss to combine.  Stir in chicken broth , black beans, rice, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and add more chicken broth and taco seasoning if soup needs more liquid; add cilantro.  Simmer 15 minutes.  

Makes 8 servings

Joyce Bahorich

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Valentine's Day - Easy Last Minute Dinner by the Fire

Photo and recipe by Joyce Bahorich

Chicken Picatta:

4 tablespoons light butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced

Flour to coat chicken

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2-3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped and/or 1 tablespoon capers

Lemon slices optional

Parsley sprigs, optional

Place chicken between wax paper and pound until 1/8” thick (or purchase thinly sliced chicken breast).  Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Dredge both sides of chicken in flour and shake off excess.  Cook chicken until slightly browned on each side.  Place on platter and keep warm.  Season with salt and pepper.  Over low heat, add wine to skillet drippings, scraping up brown bits with a wooden spoon.  Cook until wine begins to evaporate.  Add lemon juice, remaining butter, parsley, and/or capers.  Return chicken to skillet, turn to warm and coat with sauce.  Remove to platter and garnish with fresh lemon slices and parsley.  Wine Suggestion:  North Coast Clos Du Bois Chardonnay

Yield:  4-6 servings

Green Beans with Italian Tomatoes:

16 ounces fresh, snipped, green beans (rinsed)

2 cups water

1 (14.5-ounce) can garlic/herb diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon season salt

Snap beans and place in saucepan with water.  Bring to boil on high; cook 7-10 minutes, stirring often, until beans begin to soften.  Drain; stir in tomatoes and salt.  Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 10 minutes stirring often until desired tenderness.

Yield:  4-6 servings

Pine Nut Couscous:

1 (5.6 ounce) box Near East Toasted Pine Nut Couscous

1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

In a medium saucepan, mix together broth, contents of spice packet (from couscous), and butter/margarine; bring to boil over medium-high heat; stir in couscous, cover and remove from heat.  Let stand for 10 minutes.  After sitting covered for 10 minutes, if couscous is not moist you may add more chicken broth as needed, stir over low heat to warm up.  Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.  Stir in chopped parsley and serve.

Yield:  4-6 servings

Ideas for Renovating & Remodeling Your Home

When it comes to renovating or remodeling any place in your home, there are a million different things you can do. Of course, what you can actually do depends entirely on your budget and your imagination- not to mention your skills and the amount of free time you have to dedicate to renovating and remodeling the home. Sometimes, all you need is a good idea and some dedication, and your home will be remodeled and renovated in ways that may have never been imaginable before. In case you have a brain drain when it comes to renovation and remodeling ideas, here are some different things you can do in all the major rooms of the house:

Renovating and remodeling the living room
The living room is a great place for a renovation or remodel because it is the primary room that people see when visiting the house, and it is the prime spot when hosting any guests of any kind. Also, the living room tends to be the biggest room in the house, and thus has the most possibilities for renovation and remodeling per square foot. The living room also tends to have the most furniture in it, when compared to other rooms in the house, which adds just that many more renovation and remodeling possibilities.

1. Change the carpet- this can be costly, but can do wonders in the room.
2. Rearrange the furniture- a simple switch-around can do a lot to change the feel of a room.
3. Rugs- a new rug can really liven up a room, you may be surprised by the result.

Renovating and remodeling the bathroom
The bathroom may be one of the smallest rooms, but it is also one in which you may have a lot of guests- and is therefore a great place to renovate and remodel. The space may be limited, but the possibilities are not nearly as limited as you may think- there are all kinds of things that can be done to make a bathroom sparkle.

1. Cabinets- changing up the cabinets can make a bathroom look brand new.
2. Toilets and tubs- getting a new toilet or tub can change the whole feel of a bathroom, and will really make it sparkle like new.

Renovating and remodeling the bedroom
The bedroom is the most private area of the home, and the goal of a bedroom design should be to make you feel comfortable and at ease as much as possible.

1. Cleaning up the closet- The closet tends to be the most cluttered part of the room, and maybe even the most cluttered part of the house.
2. New dressers- a shiny, new dresser can really liven up a room and breath fresh air into it.
3. The walls- Putting up a nice piece of artwork or something on the walls can add a whole different level of peacefulness to a bedroom.

Alexis is an interior design maven. She writes for a variety of sites and loves looking at preferred builder floor plans.

How to make your fireplace stand out - Guest Post

When it comes to our home's interiors, many people don't make the most of a room's internal features. Whether it's sash windows, cornicing or a traditional fireplace, making a room's focal point can not only make your home valuable and nicer to live in, they also make it more sellable too.

Most homes either have a fireplace installed or have the potential to have a fireplace fitted, so with that in mind here's some ideas for you to think about to make it stand out.

1 - Get the right floor

The flooring surrounding your fireplace can really help make it stand out. Components such as the hearth (which is also known as the fireplace floor) can also be used to accentuate your fireplace. It can be made of various materials such as tile, brick, cement or flagstones. With that in mind, you need to pick the right flooring depending on the style of your fireplace and its hearth.

Tiles work particularly well when it comes to accentuating your fireplace - especially those which are laid diagonally, rather than vertically.These Karndean flooring tiles can be laid to meet the fireplace either side of the surround, and continuing upward. In this way your fireplace will not only draw people’s eyes towards it as a main focal feature of your room, it will create a modern and contemporary feel. But remember, be sure to use colours that are already in place in the room to keep the design as seamless as possible.

2 - Paint your fireplace

Another way of making your fireplace into a stunning focal point is to paint the fire surround. Painting it a neutral colour will blend easily with a wide variety of home decors and styles and give your fireplace a new lease of life. Brick-Anew's Paint Kits come in many different colors - from Twilight Taupe for that natural sandstone feel (perfect for beige colour tones) to Misty Harbor for the contemporary room (perfect for black and grey) and furniture.

3 - Buy some art artwork

Many homes overlook the power of interesting artwork in accentuating features of a room. The space above your fireplace is critical and nothing will draw more attention towards it like a beautiful piece of art. A bold painting will pull together decorative aspects of a room - and get people talking too. But you don't need to splash out on an expensive piece of art - you could even place interesting objects inside it to maintain it as a focal point.

4 - Add a screen

Fireplace screens are more than just a mesh to cover your fireplace - they can help add safety to your room by giving it a decorative look too. You can buy fireplace screens in a wide variety of different shapes and sizes, so measure up your fireplace before you head to the shops.

5 - Treat the wall surround

Finally, you can help make your fireplace a focal point by treating the wall behind it. Instead of painting or wallpapering it, you could treat the wall itself with a textured wall effect to add an extra dimension to your wall. If you have a working fireplace, a textured effect will add a glow which will dance along the cladding.

Guest Post By: Liam Tarry

Project Overwhelming Finished!

My recent project to help my sponsor with a new customer was a bit of a challenge. She wanted things a little different then I had expected. Even though her fireplace is small in comparison to some that I have done, it took a little longer then it should have.  Not only was her fireplace a dark brick and very porous, but here her room was overpowered by it. It truly dominated her small, windowless den. She had already chosen the Twilight Taupe kit. The mortar was really recessed so the base coat took awhile to apply and the brick was rough.  

After applying color 1, the glaze, and color 2 (all of which went quickly) I had enough confidence to "customize" the process by adding a bit of  wall paint (the darker tan on the right wall in the after picture) to what remained of color 2 and we reapplied it with the sponge. We also tinted color 3 the same way and used it very lightly as the final highlight. (Hint: Dab paint on a plain piece of cardboard a few times while you mix until you are pleased with the shade. Squeeze as much paint out of the sponge as possible before applying. You can always go over it again.) Even though the clear coat is optional I highly recommend it to protect and enhance your "new" fireplace. She had a navy leather sofa and chair and she wanted her den color scheme to be a navy, cream, and dark tan.  Her old red-orange brick just "fought" her decorating efforts.

She LOVED the results and her den appears much larger, lighter, and the fireplace now harmonizes with her decor. The final result was amazing! Why didn't I do this years ago!!?? I don’t recommend if you haven't used the product that "customizing" the final color is the best idea, But she wanted deeper and had found the final effect of the Twilight Taupe to be a little lighter than she had expected, and what she wanted was a little "warmer" color.

I did advise her to make sure as we did this that we "step back" and evaluate during each step!   Susan and my sponsor were elated with the results so much that she has been spreading the word all over the internet and to her friends.

May I also recommend:
Brick/Prefab Fireplace Cleaner
A New Masonry Fireplace Glass Door 
All Things Fireplaces

I LINKED THIS PROJECT AT THE FOLLOWING BLOG & LINK PARTIES
Mop it up Mondays - I Should Be Mopping the Floor - Every Monday
Beautify it Monday - Bringing Beauty - Every Monday
Busy Monday - A Pinch of Joy - Every Monday
Think Pink Sundays - Flamingo Toes - Every Sunday

Heatilator Fireplace Doors - Redo it yourself with quality

Fireplace glass doors offer a safe window into our fire, keeping ash, smoke and excessive heat inside the fireplace, where they should stay.  They are made to tolerate the high heat of the fire, to which they are in close proximity.  The glass doors improve general fireplace safety, protecting the immediate area around it, facilitate ease in caring for the hearth, and add elegance to the look of a fireplace.

Glass doors are able to stand the heat of fire because of a special heat treatment process, which shields the glass from the high and near heat of the fire.  Thus, glass that has been heat treated can tolerate much higher temperatures than can normal glass.  Glass treated in this manner is made to last and any worries regarding the safety of glass doors in such close proximity to excessive heat can be calmed.  Safety of glass doors does not end in their treatment; fireplace glass doors add safety to the whole area in proximity to the fireplace.

Fireplace glass doors are one of the greatest additions to fireplace safety and comfort of recent times.  Protecting the immediate area near the fire from excessive heat as well as from burning embers, glass doors provide a neat partition.  The glass doors manage to control the size of the fire and the temperature of heat in the room.  Glass doors are created to slide open or closed effortlessly.  Thus, glass doors will easily slide closed to allow you to contain excessive heat of the fireplace when needed.  If the fire suddenly gets bigger than expected, closing the doors will reduce the flame by limiting air to the oxygen-hungry fire.  It is wise to remember that while we have learned to control fire by containing it in a fireplace, the elements still can wield their unpredictable powers over us. 

Even in the fireplace, a burning ember or a flying spark cannot be completely controlled.  Fireplace glass doors will control this, and ensure that no leaping sparks manage to burn either your rug or your friend who happens to be sitting near the fire!

Fireplace glass doors are also a desirable style element and keep the hearth tidy.  Extra embers and sparks will no longer leave burn marks on rugs nearby, no longer leave extra gray streaks or piles of ash to clean.  The embers and sparks will burn their lives out inside the fireplace.  While keeping the area neater, the doors dress up a fireplace – the right finishing touch for an image of an elegant fireplace.  Glass doors framed by a mantel and a modern fireplace make a strong impression, commanding the attention of all who see the room.  The frame the glass doors provide into the fire creates a picture that will complement any of the framed art pieces on or above the mantel.

Seemingly minor in the scheme of the fireplace, glass doors prove quite useful in the safety and care of your fire.  Adding the defined look that glass provides, fireplace glass doors prove to be the most chic of all the tools used to control and care for your fire.  Glass doors will improve the look of your fireplace, simultaneously giving you clear control of the fire burning inside it.  

UPDATE: Your one stop shop for Heatilator Fireplace Doors

MORE ON WHAT I RECOMMEND HERE:

Heatilator Special Z-Decor - Video

Fireplace Doors for Heatilator Fireplaces

Measuring your Fireplace Door

Enjoy The Romance Of A Fireplace

A peek into human history will reveal that even in the pre-historic period, people were using a fireplace to keep their caves warmer during chill weather conditions. But, as civilization grew, there were many innovations and the types that are being used now are classier and easier models. It is true that we get many benefits from fireplaces. Every person aims to get a specific benefit but the common thread that binds all these people is the love of fire. Let us look at some of the points about fireplaces and how to have them:

- You can not find a person who does not agree with the fact that a fireplace provides a perfect romantic setting, coziness and comfort to one and all. Especially during winter, when chilly weather conditions prevail, you can throw your blanket away and still feel the warmth provided by the fireplace.

- Before the modern days heating was invented, it was the traditional or classic fireplace that was being used. Even now, you can find such traditional arrangements and chimneys in many of the homes. Wood is burned in them for producing heat and warmth to the people living in these houses. But, only if ventilation via the chimney is quite efficient, you can have optimum benefit from this type. The chimney should also be cleaned periodically. Some people make it a point to clean these chimneys once or twice a year.

When it’s time for annual fireplace maintenance, chimney sweep or do it yourself?

Regular maintenance and cleaning of your fireplace takes a little time but it will pay off in the long run allowing your fireplace to run at it’s maximum efficiency safely. First things first, an annual inspection of your fireplace/chimney is recommended by all local municipalities no matter where you live. Even if you have taken good care of your fireplace, animals can build nests, leaves can fall inside the chimney, vapors could accumulate and things you cannot see can also happen causing a possibly bad situation, maybe even hazardous.

Check out the Chimney Institute of America, it is a non-profit educational organization existing to provide chimney and venting safety resources to you, the homeowner. 

“The primary job of a chimney service professional is to aid in the prevention of fires related to fireplaces, wood stoves, gas, oil and coal heating systems and the chimneys that serve them. Chimney sweeps install, clean and maintain these systems, evaluate their performance, prescribe changes to improve their performance, and educate the consumer about their safe and efficient operation.”

When cleaning your wood burning fireplace, avoid chemicals and abrasive cleaners. For the glass, handles, and exterior surface, a soft damp cloth will work perfectly. “If you notice streaks or dirty glass, you can use a standard window cleaner such as Windex. Using a soft cloth, simply clean the glass while it is cool.”  

If you decide to clean your chimney yourself, the first task is to clean the creosote, the source of most chimney fires, out of the chimney. Running the proper-sized chimney brush up and down from the top of the chimney is the best method. First, seal off the fireplace opening in the room. 

Moisture is the main culprit in masonry chimney failures. Brick, concrete and mortar seem hard, but they are permeable to water. While you are up on the roof cleaning out the creosote, inspect the cement chimney crown. Brush away any loose pieces. If it is still basically intact and just has some cracks and pits, coat it with a elastomer crown repair material. You can select a brush- or trowel-on material. It stays flexible and seals better than mortar. 

A deteriorated/loose flashing can be another way for water to enter the chimney. Installing new flashing is best, but most homeowners find it much easier to use a flexible flashing repair compound. It is brushed on over the flashing. Next, inspect the mortar joints. Remove any loose mortar and fill it with mortar or a concrete-colored elastomer sealant. Finally, seal the entire chimney exterior with a water repellent. Be sure to select one which allows the masonry to breathe so moisture does not get trapped. 

There's no “one-size-fits-all” rule for how often to clean your chimney or what to use when you do it. It is always best to contact your local fire inspectors office and ask what they recommend before deciding on anything where your families safety is concerned.  

(information obtained for this article are merely recommendations by homeowners, not something that should be attempted without careful consideration.)