Spring 2010

Did You Know?

Laundry Room Facts The average American family does 8 – 10 loads of laundry each week. A single load of laundry, from wash to dry, takes an average of one hour and twenty seven minutes to complete. In 1992, only 17% of homes had a separate laundry room.  In 2006, nearly 57% of homes have a separate laundry room. Only 15% of consumers have laundry in the basement, 61% of new laundry rooms are being built on upper floors.  3.5% of consumers have their laundry pair in the kitchen.  The average size laundry room for people with incomes over $100,000 is 82 square feet.  The average size laundry room, considering all income levels, is 47 square feet.

Going Green

Facts about appliances and going green A full freezer is more energy efficient than a partially full freezer.  If your freezer isn’t full, add old milk jugs filled with water to take up empty space. Most of the energy used by a washing machine comes from heating the water, and one full load uses less energy than two small loads.  Set washer loads for “warm” or “cold” wash instead of hot, and only run full loads. Automatic clothes driers with moisture-sensor cutoffs or temperature-sensor cutoffs use 10 to 15 percent less energy than dries with timers.

Cleaning Tip

Why are my glasses cloudy at the end of the dishwasher cycle? Soak a cloudy glass in undiluted white vinegar for several minutes then rinse and dry.  If the cloudy condition is removed, you have hard-water deposits.  If it remains, the glass has been etched. Etching is a permanent pitting of the glass surface.  It begins with rainbow coloring when the glass is held to the light and advances to a cloudy appearance.  Once glassware is etched, it cannot be restored.  The cost of the glassware does not determine if it will etch. Etching can be caused by using too much detergent for the level of water hardness in your home.  If you have a water softener, it is usually good to use only three teaspoons of detergent per detergent cup.  When water is softened, the minerals that were in the water are removed.  Detergent requires minerals, oil, and food to break it down.  If it doesn’t break down the dishwasher acts as a sandblaster, blasting grains of detergent onto your glassware at high speeds leaving the glass pitted.  Manually pre-rinsing dishes to the extent of removing all food soils adds to this condition.  Using the pots and pans cycle when only light/china is needed exposes the dishes to longer cycles and can increase etching.  Incoming water from the faucet needs to be between 120-140 degrees F.  Lower water temperatures won’t dissolve the detergent leaving more detergent to etch your dishes.  In a nutshell, use the right amount of detergent for your water hardness, always use a high-quality detergent, always use rinse-aid, run the hot water at the sink first, make sure your water temperature is in the correct range, leave some sauces and oils on the dishes when loading, and you should end up with etch free dishes and glassware.

Featured Product

The new GE Profile free standing induction range brings superior induction cooking to the U.S. Consumer.  The innovative technology cooks via a magnetic field to provide the responsiveness of gas, remarkably fast heating and excellent efficiency.  Offered exclusively under the GE Profile brand, the range provides home cooks the higher level of control needed to achieve superior results.  The faster, more efficient technology saves precious minutes by bringing water to the boiling point faster than gas or electric cooktops.  It also saves time after dinner, because spills will not cook onto the stove.  The seamless design allows any liquids or food to be simply wiped away.  With induction cooking, the surface surrounding the burners does not get hot.  Instead, a current is produced when an induction compatible pan with a steel or magnetic bottom is placed on the cooktop.  The current heats the pan and cooks the food inside.  Less energy is wasted with induction cooking compared to gas or electric, because the technology transfers heat directly to the cookware and the food, rather than heating up the surface area of the cooktop.  This new induction range gives home chefs the tools they need to prepare food with restaurant-quality results.

Recipe of the Season

French Spring Soup Ingredients: ¼ Cup butter 1 pound leeks, chopped 1 onion, chopped 2 quarts water 3 large potatoes, chopped 2 large carrots, chopped 1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces 1/3 Cup uncooked long-grain rice 4 teaspoons salt ½ pound fresh spinach 1 Cup heavy cream Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat.  Stir in the leeks and onion, and cook until tender.  Pour water into the pot.  Mix in potatoes, carrots, asparagus, and rice.  Season with salt.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes, until vegetables and rice are tender.  Stir spinach and heavy cream into the soup mixture, and continue cooking about 5 minutes before serving.