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Create a Comfy Dorm Bed

 in College Parent Tips / Home  tagged college parent by

Create a comfy dorm bed from top left: mattress topper / twin xl sheet set / twin xl comforter set / pillow / squishie / mattress encasement /

The colleges are starting at the end of August with start dates continuing through the end of September. If your child is heading off to the dorms for the first time, this is the perfect time to make sure you have all the essentials for creating a comfortable dorm bed for your new college student!

I now have two daughters in college, living in the dorms. It is essential to create a comfy dorm bed for the kids so they have a cozy, comforting environment for sleeping and taking naps; as well as just hanging out. So, let’s start with the basics!

The mattress in your student’s dorm room will be slightly beefier than a camping cot; no joke. This means you need to add something to it in order to ensure a good night’s sleep. I highly recommend a mattress topper. This one is my favorite.

In order to keep your student’s bed clean, and ensure the mattress topper doesn’t slide around, this mattress encasement is a must-have. I recommend putting the mattress encasement on the bed, leave it unzipped, place the mattress topper on top of the bed and let it expand. Once it is done expanding, you can zip up the encasement which will keep the topper in place and make the bed easy to make.

Dorm beds are typically Twin XL, but always check with your college in order to validate the bed size. These twin xl sheet sets come in a variety of colors to suit your student’s taste. I recommend having two sets of bed sheets since your student will likely wait for their laundry to build up before doing a load.

Of course, the comforter is often the focal point of decoration in the dorm! This cozy comforter set will be soft and warm on your child’s bed. Love it!

Lastly, college kids love squishies! They are soft, huggable, comforting, and add some soft and fun decor to the room. Don’t bring too many during move in, the kids typically acquire more during the school year.

Those are the bare bones for creating a cozy and comfortable dorm bed! Remember to check your school’s rules regarding wall decor, and happy move-in!

Thanks for stopping by,

XOXO
Cathy

Summer pasta recipe

 in Entertaining / Home  tagged cathys original recipes / pasta / recipes by

Summer pasta: dinner plate / silverware / table cloth /

As the weather warms up, it is nice to lighten up our pasta sauce, and make a summer pasta for dinner! Yum! I love this light and healthy pasta which I put together on a warm day for dinner.

This is a really easy recipe to make for dinner. So, without further ado, here is what you need to make this yummy pasta dish at home.

  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • 1 lb. pasta (pick your favorite shape!)
  • 1 cup fresh basil
  • 3 cloves diced or crushed garlic
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • Shredded or grated parmesan cheese (save for after cooking)

In a large pot, boil water for your pasta. In a small sauce pan, simmer butter or margarine, olive oil, garlic, and paprika until melted and blended together. Once melted and blended, set it aside.

Wash your cherry tomatoes and fresh basil. Keep them cool and place them aside for after the pasta is done.

Once your pasta is cooked, drain it and put is back into the pot you cooked it in. Pour your sauce into the pot and stir until pasta is coated.

Serve your pasta on a dish and sprinkle basil leaves and cherry tomatoes on top of the pasta. Top with parmesan cheese.

Then, serve and enjoy! Yum!

I hope you love this summer pasta dish as much as my family does. It is light and yummy!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

Easy Mango Guacamole recipe

 in Entertaining / Home  tagged appetizer / recipes / side dishes by
easy mango guacamole recipe

pictured: bowls / tablecloth (old, love this one) /

Are you looking for a really easy guacamole recipe you can make mild for the kids, and spicy for the adults? You’ve come to the right place! This guacamole recipe takes almost zero kitchen skills, it is really easy to make, and your guests will think you are a chef! Love!

This particular guacamole is Mango Guacamole and it has a bit of sweetness to it which counteracts the spice and gives it a little somethin’ somethin’. If mango isn’t your thing, you can use pineapple, or nothing at all for a regular guacamole side dish.

I love using guacamole as an appetizer with chips, or as a side dish served with tacos, taquitos, flautas, burrito bowls, and more! It is a superfood side dish with endless possibilities.

So, without further ado, here is my super easy mango guacamole recipe which serves four people:

Ingredients:

  • 4 avocadoes
  • 3 tablespoons of Paul Newman’s Mango Salsa (I told you this was easy! HA!)
  • 1/4 cup Lime Juice
  • Cayenne Pepper (season to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon Paprika
  • 3 dashes Salt

Peel and de-pit the avocadoes. Put the avocadoes in a mixing bowl and mash them using a strong fork or a potato masher. Once the avocadoes are mashed to your liking, add three tablespoons of Mango Salsa. You can substitute Paul Newman’s Pineapple Salsa or use regular salsa; your choice of flavor. Then, add the lime juice, paprika and salt to your liking. Add the cayenne pepper slowly to ensure it is the right level of spice for you.

Mix all of the ingredients together. The avocadoes will be less green due to the salsa, but the lime juice preserves them from turning brown right away, keeping your guacamole looking fresh. Love that!

Be sure to taste the guacamole before serving it and add more pepper for more kick. If you want it to be mild, do not add the cayenne pepper until you started to taste the guacamole. Then, add cayenne as needed. For small children, you might want to leave the pepper out altogether to give them a mild guacamole.

My favorite way to serve guacamole is in these cute and colorful salsa bowls! We use the bowls for more than just guacamole. They are great for serving any type of sauce, as well as serving eggs or keeping ice cream to one scoop. My kids use them for snacks too such as goldfish crackers and nuts. I highly recommend investing in a few of these bowls, they are incredibly useful, and I am not really sure how I lived without them before I bought a few! Love!

If you are local to the Bay Area, I recommend the chips from the Safeway deli instead of the chip aisle. They are less expensive and taste a lot better! Love!

Things you might need for serving and making guacamole:

I hope you love this easy guacamole recipe as much as I do! It is a great way to serve fresh avocadoes to your kids and serve a yummy appetizer everyone will love at parties.

Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

XOXO
Cathy

guacamole recipe easy mango