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Gary Lipton Media Relations Manager Phone: 1-(800)-222-5551 Fax: 1-(800)-990-4329 Web site: www. napsnet .com e-mail: printmedia@napsnet.com #2608 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 415 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017 Making The Most Of Family Mealtime Fight Flu And Cold Germs Make Your Home A Dream In 2011 (NAPSA)—Whether you’re thinking of building a vacation home or just want a year-round house that makes every day feel like a vacation, take inspiration from the HGTV Dream Home 2011, located in the vacation wonderland of Stowe, Vermont. The newest custom-designed home at Spruce Peak in Stowe Mountain Resort blends rustic mountain appeal with modern architecture. It’s nestled amid emerald-green rolling hills, winding roads and exhilarating ski slopes. Linda Woodrum, who designed 14 of the 15 HGTV Dream Homes, offers these tips to help you create the home of your dreams: 1. Take inspiration from your surroundings. HGTV chose a color palette pulled from the Stowe countryside to complement the contemporary-style furniture in the home. There are so many great options today, you can find virtually any color or texture you want. 2. When designing a home that will be a great gathering place for all your family and friends, use beautiful upholstery fabrics that are durable. You want to create a home where everyone can relax and feel comfortable without worrying about damaging the furniture. 3. Think about using outdoor fabrics as coverlets on beds in rooms like the sleep dorm in the HGTV Dream Home 2011. They’re easy to maintain, don’t stain and A modern rustic mountain house in Vermont can be the answer to one family’s dreams. look great wash after wash, even if you sleep eight to a room! 4. If your home has a mudroom, provide lots of storage to help manage the space. Closets and pegs can hold all your outerwear, while cubbies and drawers are perfect for gloves and scarves. Don’t forget to choose a tough floor that can stand up to shoes and boots. 5. Arrange each room to maximize the visibility of the great outdoors. Accomplish this by arranging the furniture in various ways so you don’t block the views and by utilizing earth-tone colors and selective fabrics. 6. In your kitchen, contemporary glass shelves framed by antique barn boards can make for easy storage and a unique design element. Learn More For more information or to learn how you can enter for a chance to win the HGTV Dream Home, visit the website www.HGTV.com/dream home. (NAPSA)—According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Americans get an average of four colds a year. With 65 percent of them caught at home, the kitchen is often the most common breeding ground for germs. These tips can help your kitchen get a “clean bill of health”: 1. Make sure all the things that are commonly touched are disinfected on a daily basis, including faucets, cabinets, the microwave and refrigerator. Other culprits are light switches, telephones, keyboards and remote To fight germs, forgo the “kitchen towel” and use disposable antibacterial wipes on surfaces you touch most. controls. 2. Because germs like moisture (the highest bacteria counts are found in sinks, mops and sponges), pop sponges in the microwave on high for one minute daily. 3. There is a difference between cleaning and disinfecting, say the pros at Merry Maids. Cleaning means removing dirt, whereas disinfecting means the removal of germs; therefore: • Disinfect countertops weekly with a mixture of one part bleach to three parts warm water and use disinfectant wipes in between. For more cleaning tips and information, visit www.Clean aphoria.com and for more information on Merry Maids visit www.merrymaids.com. This delicious dish is quick and easy with the help of frozen foods. (NAPSA)—Good news for families dealing with hectic lifestyles: You can spend more precious mealtimes together with the help of frozen foods. From complete dinners ready to heat and eat to side dishes, desserts and key ingredients used in preparing meals, convenient solutions for your family can be found in the frozen aisle at the supermarket. Frozen vegetables make meal preparation easy as the picking, cleaning and dicing have already been done. The vegetables are full of nutrients because they’re picked at the peak of nutrition and flavor and quickly frozen within hours to maintain their quality and vitamin content without chemical preservatives. Consider keeping a selection of frozen foods on hand such as fish, chicken breasts, vegetables, potatoes and breads to have a variety of meal solutions at your fingertips. Although March is Frozen Food Month and a time when many stores feature special prices and promotions on tasty freezer favorites, frozen foods can help your family enjoy more meals together in less time at any time of year. For example, you can try this easy, tasty meal. Tortellini and Shrimp Stir-Fry 1 16-oz. bag frozen cheese tortellini 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil 1 bag frozen stir-fry vegetables 3 ⁄4 lb. cooked, cleaned medium shrimp 1 ⁄3 cup store-bought, garlicflavored stir-fry sauce 2 Tbsp. water 1 ⁄8 tsp. crushed red pepper Cook tortellini according to package directions. Heat oil in large skillet over med-high heat. Add vegetables; cook for 7–8 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in cooked tortellini, shrimp, stir-fry sauce, water and red pepper. Cook for 2–3 minutes or until heated through. Makes 4 servings. The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association has created a SevenDay Family Caribbean Cruise Sweepstakes, valued at $10,000, that runs through the end of April. To enter and for more details and rules, visit www.EasyHomeMeals.com.
