capybara's Profile

Be careful about what you let come in contact with the foil, perhaps to get a good seal you want to use foil, but you might wrap your food in parchment and then that packet in foil. Certain ingredients can be reactive with foil and not good eats.

take two flour tortillas (make sure they are pretty uniform in size, if using the lovely hand made ones)
Place in a large skillet over low-medium heat
when bottom tortilla is warmed, flip tortillas over together as if they were filled
flip top tortilla over (the side that was on the hot skillet is now facing inside)
wait a few seconds
flip both tortillas over again
flip top tortilla over
wait a few seconds
flip both tortillas over again
flip top tortilla over
spray top tortilla w canola oil spray and sprinkle very lightly with salt
flip both tortillas over (your oiled, salted side of that tortilla is now in contact with the skillet)
quickly remove top tortilla, place your fillings in.
If you're using filling other than just cheese, put a layer of cheese down, then your other fillings then some more cheese. (melted cheese is your glue)
Put that top tortilla back on (you don't want it to cool too much)
spray the outside lightly with oil and sprinkle lightly with salt.
when cheese is melty and you can safely do so, carefully flip
you can riase the heat a little now
flip it once more if you like!

You should wind up with a crispy, blistery, delicious quesadilla with a difference!

I'm a big devotee of spray painting, but I am with the others, you could probably get some money for them and buy something you like or buy something with the same profile to spray paint and still have some change left.

you could throw some lovely fabric over them and put glass topper on top of that until you have a room in which you want to use them as is...

Nice! What is the gray paint color on the walls, please? Thank you

The contention was that the fashion of forks did not effect our evolution in the last 250 years. On the subject of forks, try a broader search than wiki and north america. On the subject of evolution, I encourage you to read a little more overall. It is a fascinating and complex subject. A brief look at photos of skulls from various parts of the world disproves the amusing assertion of this piece.

250 years ago? As in 1762? I'm sorry, interesting idea, but I doubt the timing very very very much.

I've not read all the replies, so pls forgive if someone has already said this. I was in a gallery recently and to hide their little storage area, they had sliding "panels" of thin burlap or Chilewich type material. The fabric was hung simply enough, only a piece of metal at top and bottom to give it some rigidity. It slid side to side on what was basically like a tiny little sliding door track. I was all - WHERE DID YOU GET THIS AMAZING THING!!?!?! Because in my last place I needed exactly that kind of thing and couple never find it. His answer - IKEA. Said it was super cheap too. Check it out!

Or, like another user mentioned, inexpensive room dividers. You can find some cheap ones on overstock and places like that. I'm using one right now to hide an enormous air intake vent someone bizarrely decided to put in the middle of the dining room wall.

If you have a good relationship with your landlord, the suggestion someone else made of putting like closet doors on the alcove could actually be good for him/her too. You never know until you ask, (cautiously, nicely)... maybe take a trip to the lowes or whatever in your area and price them. Then you can say - would you consider putting doors on? _____ has them and they would cost $_____ . You doing a big of the legwork and knowing the price would be more persuasive, assuming they are very busy. Or say you looked at the doors and they cost _____, if you put them in, you'd be leaving them with the place - is it an idea they like, if so can you take it off your rent?

That is if your landlord is approachable! Good luck.

Yay! These are the world's most wonderful lentils. So lovely. You just want to be quiet and eat them and contemplate their texture and loveliness. I'm not even a vegetarian!

I've only been able to find them at DiBruno's in Philly so far (I sadly no longer live in philly) - and they don't sell them on their website. Thanks for the link! I will be replenishing my supply with all speed.

I like the idea of a reading nook, but you could also have a little bar-let in there... I see a pair of heavy ceiling to floor curtains to frame the opening (and to draw when you just want to hide in there with a book and a glass of wine!) ....a good comfy chair and footstool... a tiny table for your glass and book... shelves packed with books and objet ... and a small tiered glass and metal drinks cart in the opposite corner of the nook.

It will have a reflective quality and add to the feeling of opulence, while giving you the bar space everyone is suggesting.

Give yourself a nice relaxing and indulgent space!

If you have forced air, ensure your landlord changes those filters regularly. If possible, get them to upgrade those filters. (a "standard" $2 filter most people opt for is like trying to filter with a screen door). 3M Filtrete makes very good ones and their top of the line 24x24x1 filter should be about $10 each and should be swapped out between 1-6 months, depending upon the size of the system, the grime in the air and your allergies or whatnot.

If you are getting sick a lot, it may definitely be germs as other answers point out, but having an increased "load" of grime and allergens will make you more susceptible to colds and bronchitis (and in particular to them being worse than they might otherwise be).

If you can invest in a good HEPA vac, like a miele - that would be great. It is a canister vac which comes with attachments and a long wand so you can get high areas once a month or so. Those can cost a pretty penny tho.

A good air filter like a Blueair would be very helpful. If you actually do have allergies or asthma (which you've not mentioned having, but maybe check with your Dr), you MAY be able to get any of the above "prescribed" by your doc as medically necessary and it could be covered by insurance or you could pay for it through your Flex Spending. I do not recommend any of the sharper image type filters that are electrostatic. They are ineffective and dangerous. In fact I may be dating myself because I am not 100% certain they are still on the market!

Get a half dozen microfiber cloths or cheap washcloths (of a different color than the ones you use on your person if it helps) and keep those to dampen and give your bathroom a quick wipedown at the end of each day.

I don't like using disposable things as a rule, but having those swiffer fluffy dusters (unscented) on hand can help make dusting go more quickly and sequester those things that invade your air and surfaces.

If you have hardwood floors, consider a few area rugs. The apt will still get as must dust in it, but these will help keep the dust contained until you can vac thoroughly once a week.

Check out your windowsills when you open your windows. An amazing amount of dirt and grit can accumulate on those in just days. Give those a wipedown with one of those damp mcrofiber cloths when you open the windows and keep a lot of grit from blowing in and undoing your hard work of cleaning.

I have pretty bad asthma and allergies. Employing the above techniques helps keep things under control and my urban house (with dog) pretty darn clean and pleasant! The windowsill thing is HUGE and kind of unexpected.

If you have a small place and have the means, a trustworthy cleaner once a week can be surprisingly inexpensive and very much worthwhile. Instead of an expensive vacuum and air filters, get a hand in keeping on top of the cleaning (and save valuable weekend time!). I don't have the means for that at the moment tho, so that could just be a wonderful dream...