Roasted Potato Peels

The roasting potato peels shown below were an experiment from just one spud.  It's just the shavings combined with butter, oil, and spices, baked as crispy as desired.  The recipe also works with the rest of the potato if it's cut into very thin fries, but reduce the amount of butter and oil or they won't crisp up very well.  So next time you're making a pile of mashed potatoes, don't throw away the peels, make yourself a tasty treat.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/roasted-potato-peels-4635259

Text to MP3

Instead of reading the text of the history of Englewood, I looked for a solution that would convert it to an audiobook so I can listen to it during some downtime.  It turns out that my familiar friend Zamzar has that capability, as shown below.  Of course, the output sounds more like a computer than a human, but for my purpose, that's just fine. 

https://www.zamzar.com/convert/txt-to-mp3

Parsnip Gratin with Gruyere and Thyme

My wife and I are a big fan of parsnips and this recipe delivered a big flavorful punch.  Layers of thinly sliced parsnips, shredded gruyere cheese, onion, and thyme are drowned in a brought-to-a-simmer bath of heavy whipping cream, garlic, flour, nutmeg, more thyme, salt, and pepper, then baked for an hour or so before cooling so it thickens up a bit.  Make a big batch and enjoy the reheated leftovers! 

https://www.feastingathome.com/parsnip-gratin-with-gruyere-and-thyme

IRS2Go

Available through https://www.irs.gov/refunds or a mobile app at the links below, you can check on the status of your income tax refund using IRS2Go.  All you need in your Social Security Number, your filing status, and the exact amount of the refund you're claiming.  

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.irs

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/irs2go/id414113282

Moleskin

I've pronated (ankles collapse inward) my entire life and it's a major cause of wearing out my shoes, particularly sneakers.  I noticed my new pair was starting to show the same signs, so my wife gave me some moleskin, I cut out a couple of small strips and adhered them as shown below.  The moleskin is thin enough not to bother my feet (and I have very sensitive feet), so it's unnoticeable.  Time will tell if the moleskin also starts to wear out, but even if it does, it will be simple to remove it and repeat the process.

Cutting Ceiling Tiles

I watched a few YouTube videos on measuring and cutting ceiling tiles to fit, both along an edge and recreate the notch that sits in the track.  The video at the link below was the easiest and most useful, although this guy makes the cutting look like a walk in the park.  It's also brief, clocking in at under two minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu3OcpNsEOs

Ahi Tuna Tacos

The Ahi Tuna taco shown below is from our second visit to Nokomo's Sunset Hut in Nokomis, Florida.  On the first trip, we had their Grouper tacos which were the best we've ever eaten, apparently so good that I forgot to take a picture of them.  Assuming we can find a place nearby to spend a month or two next winter, Nokomo's will be our go-to restaurant.

https://www.nokomos.com

Shoelaces

Stores used to be filled with shoelaces of all types, but the last two times I went searching the selection at Walmart and Meijer was extremely limited.  But I found what I was looking for at the New Balance store at Roderer shoe center on Stroop, in this instance, a replacement for the strings in my golf shoes.

https://roderershoecenter.com/pages/new-balance

Whacking Grasses

I remember seeing someone last year use their string trimmer to cut back their bushes and thought I would give it a try this spring on cutting back the grasses that hide our gas regulator.  I usually use the hedge trimmer to cut the top half of the grasses then get down on my hands and knees with a pair of pruning shears to cut the bottom half a few inches above the ground.  I am happy to report that the string trimmer method, while not a walk in the park, is a fraction of the work.  After I raked up the mess I made, I finished the job, as usual, with the lawnmower, leaving an inch or less of last year's grasses in the way of this year's crop, which is 4-5 weeks will once again be taller than the meter.

Vinyl Flooring

Our basement remodel includes the removal of OMG shag carpeting and the installation of the Great Lakes floating vinyl flooring shown below.  We haven't had any water issues so far, but this is waterproof, perfect for a basement.  Installation is easy, as long as you keep the boards perfectly aligned.  Slide and drop in place, then a few light taps with a rubber mallet is all it takes.

https://www.greatlakesflooring.com/product/luxury-vinyl-tile-traverse-series-carbon-grey-planks