Your kitchen is one of the most important rooms in your house. Not only do you rely on it to cook, you do most of your socializing and entertaining in there as well. And one of the first things people notice about a nice kitchen is the cabinets. Not only is it important to have cabinets that are functional and that provide adequate space, they tend to be compared to as a nice peace of furniture. Below I will step you through the steps necessary to install your own cabinets enabling you to feel proud of your accomplishment and saving you a ton of money.

First you must remove your old cabinets. Be sure to turn off all electrical breakers and shut off all water valves in the kitchen. Once that is done start removing the old cabinets and cap off water pipes and electrical wires.

Remember to always keep your work space clean to prevent accidents. Once the area is clear of all unwanted items use a level and draw a line across the wall parallel to the floor about 3 inches up from the floor. At this point you want to find the high point in the floor and from there measure 34 1/2 inches and draw a level line across the wall to determine where the top of the cabinet base will be.

From your 34 1/2-inch line, measure up another 19 1/2 inches and mark a level line across the wall to determine the bottom of the wall cabinets.

At this point locate the wall studs, then, mark their locations above and at least 5-6 inches below the mark you’ve made for the bottom of the wall cabinets. Draw some vertical guide lines on the wall between the two horizontal lines to give you guidance when attaching the cabinets. Be sure to place those vertical lines in the center of each stud.

To provide a ledge to support your cabinets fasten a temporary 2-by-4 support rail to the wall, aligning the top edge of the 2-by-4 with the line for the bottom edge of the wall cabinets.

Install the corner wall cabinet first. Always drill pilot holes to prevent splitting through the cabinet framing support rail and into the wall studs. Do not use nails but instead screw the cabinet to the wall using two to three screws that are long enough to penetrate the studs by at least 1 1/2 inches. During this phase make sure that the cabinet is level and plumb and to adjust the position, back off the screws, and add shims behind the cabinet at stud locations as needed.

Next install the adjacent cabinets. Secure each cabinet to its neighbor with a clamp and check it for plumb. Once you have the cabinets aligned properly use screws to attach them together, be sure not to use the shelf-peg holes that you will need for shelves later.

Once all the wall cabinets are in place, install the corner and/or end base cabinet. When necessary, use shims to level it and raise it up to the high point of the floor. Once level from front to back and from side to side screw it to the wall studs.

Finally place screws through the cabinet back and shims where used into the wall studs. Always trim all excess material from the shims with a sharp utility knife.

That’s it, I know it sounds easy but don’t be fooled it will take some detailed planning on your part and most likely a helping hand from a friend. Good luck with your project.

Dennis Watson – Just helping others succeed.

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You can always find wonderful Christmas Chocolate Candy Gifts at fall festivals and fairs. Candy Chocolate recipes make creating this fun fall treats easy to do at home. These Candy Chocolate recipes are super easy to make and very affordable.

1. Melt chocolate in the microwave.

If you do melt multiple colors you can do it at the same time. Melt the chocolate at 40 second intervals in the microwave, stir each time. [Green melts quicker than yellow and I have burned green chocolate before - avoid it if possible.]

2. While your chocolate is melting have your molds ready to pour the candy into.

Measure your sticks – all molds should use a 4.5 inch stick, not all molds can use a 6 inch stick though.

3. Once chocolate is melted, spoon your chocolate in the cavity of the mold.

If you overfill the cavity you can trim it down with a knife, but that takes extra time. Gently drop candy mold on counter to get rid of air bubbles.

4. Place in freezer for 10 minutes, or so. (Temperatures may vary)

If you can lift out the candy of the mold – it’s done.

5. Quick Christmas Chocolate Candy Gifts – Let candy set before bagging. Double knot your curling ribbon.

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You’ve got bigplans for Thanksgiving dinner – if only you could find the post and space to make it happen. Check out a few easy tips on how yo organize your cookware

1.Get Organized
The first step to ending kitchen chaos: Store pots and pans near the stove and oven for easy access. Then, stow cookware according to function (colanders with pasta pots, mixing bowls with bakeware). Prevent flat items like cookie sheets and cutting boards from piling up, too, with tension curtain rods spaced between firmly installed shelves.

2.Junk Drawer No More
Bring order to utensils with spring-loaded drawer dividers, like these easy-to-install sorters by Improvements . They’ll keep your spoons and spatulas separate from your tongs and timers, so you can grab whatever you need in the heat of the moment. Tiny items, like measuring cups and spoons, won’t get lost in the fray, either, when contained in shallow bins. Wooden drawer dividers, Improvements

3.Put a Lid on It
There’s nothing more annoying than searching for gone-missing pot toppers in cabinet recesses. The fix: a door-mounted lid rack, such as this one from Organize it. Sauté pans also become simple to slide out thanks to a tiered holder . Meanwhile, arrange heftier cookers (cast iron, glass) on bottom shelves to prevent pull-down accidents.

4.Stack Smart
If at all possible, don’t nest your frequently used cookware - you’ll waste time sifting through for the right size and wind up with scratches and dents. If you just don’t have enough space to unstack, protect pots with paper plates nestled between them. Don’t skip this tip: Usually used to cushion glassware, rubberized shelf liners (such as the Container Store’s-a-roll Easy Liner) can protect pots, pans, servers, and more from damage – and your nerves from noise.

5.Stack Smart (Keep vs. Toss)
Toss lids with loose handles, especially those that stay wobbly even after you try to tighten them – they could detach dangerously, mid-boil. Replace with a one-size-fits-all lid, like Nordic Ware’s universal model
Keep only cookware you really use. You can whip up almost any meal with three skillets (8-, 10-, and 12-inch), two saucepans (2- and 4-quart), a 6-quart Dutch oven, and an 8-quart stockpot. And for baking or roasting, two cookie sheets or jelly-roll pans, two 9-inch cake pans, an 8-inch square brownie pan, a 13″ by 9″ roasting pan, and a glass

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It’s a rich, indulgent favorite, and Christmas wouldn’t be the same without it.

Some eggnog recipes contain raw eggs. If you’re concerned about safety, purchase pasteurized eggs or heat the eggnog mixture to pasteurize them yourself. Eggs need to reach a temperature of 160 degrees F (71 degrees C).

Beat the eggs in a saucepan with the sugar and milk or cream called for in your recipe. Sugar has an insulating effect, and will help prevent the eggs from coagulating in the heat.
Stir the mixture constantly over low heat until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
Use an instant-read thermometer. When the mixture reaches the correct temperature, immediately place the pan in a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking.
INGREDIENTS
6 eggs
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 quart milk
1/3 pint heavy whipping cream
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch salt

DIRECTIONS
Beat eggs; mix in condensed milk, vanilla, quart of milk and salt.
Beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold in to egg and milk mixture and sprinkle with nutmeg. Serve chilled

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While kitchenaid reign from the amazing blender and all of its incredible accessories, all the way to refrigerators with the largest of any built-in bottom freezer with a whopping 22.5 cubic square feet of space.  Kitchenaid also carries such things as dishwashers, fabric care products, outdoor products and of course cooking and countertop appliances.

So I will start with the impressive selection of refrigerators kitchenaid has to supply. With every kitchenaid refrigerator you get the ‘ExtendFresh™ temperature management system’ which creates the perfect temperature for everything you put inside your refrigerator with sensors located in both the refrigerator and freezer. And the ‘FreshChill™ temperature-controlled meat pan’ and the ‘FreshSeal™ humidity-controlled crisper’ that creates the ideal temperature for fruits, meats, and vegetables. So with those incredible features you can’t go wrong with any kitchenaid refrigerator you decide on. Kitchenaid has a wide selection of refrigerator styles to choose from, from free standing refrigerators, built-in refrigerators, under counter and drawer refrigerators, ice makers, and wine cellars.

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