Mundane Blog

Definitions of Mundane: 1) of or relating to the world; 2) concerned with the practical details of everyday life. Uh, yeah... The "Mundane Blog" is just another blogspot with random subjects and is merely floating through the blogosphere as we aimlessly delve into this thing we call life...... Disclaimer: This blog may contain affiliate links. I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something within this site. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Testing for Radon Gas in your Home - What to do & how to reduce...

Exposure to radon gas in the home is responsible for an estimated 21,000+ lung cancer deaths each year. Of course, smoking tobacco is the primary cause of lung cancer but living in a home with high levels of radon while also being a smoker, really ups your odds of developing lung cancer, to say the least. At any rate, Radon is a health hazard, and the testing and elimination of this harmful, radioactive gas comes with a simple solution.

Personally, I've never really worried about radon gas that much, since the house I spent half of my life in was well ventilated and insulated about like a barn, it seems. Basically, the cool air from the air conditioners and the warm air from the heaters would seem to go out of the house about as quick as it went in. Yeah, the electric bills were always high, but hey, I always had fresh air; ha!
The last few years, though, I have lived in 3 different houses. All 3 were insulated well, had cheaper electric bills, but the air was more humid, stuffy, and less fresh. This is when I started thinking more about air pollution, radon, etc. So, I went online and found a map that showed the areas in the US that typically had the highest levels of radon gas. Sure, if the map showed my area was good for the most part, I would have skipped the testing process and most likely forgot about it. However, the map showed that my area was in the high zone so there I was, looking online for testing kits. Plus, I noticed when I broke up the ground for garden season this year at my new home, the ground was really rocky here and radon gas is well-known for being higher in rocky soil, etc.

But before we go any further, check out the Radon Map below:

After viewing that map, I must remind you that even if you live in Zone 3, which appears to be fairly safe, it doesn't mean you are automatically in the clear. For example, your neighbor could have low levels of radon gas in the home, while your levels are much higher, even though you live a few feet away. The way the house is built, the amount of time you spend in the house, how much airflow it has, what's going on inside the soil, etc., are all factors that vary from place to place. Now, they say that radon can be high in any home, whether it is drafty, well-insulated, etc., but common sense tells me that houses that breathe better are not going to trap as much of this gas.

Upon receiving negative results, some may ask: "What do I do? How do I reduce my levels inside my home? Well, don't panic if your test results come back bad, though, because radon mitigation systems are easy to install and are very effective. True, they are a bit pricey, but it is well worth it, I'd say, since your health is the most important thing. ...And another thing, Radon Gas is everywhere (but you can't taste or smell it) albeit the normal outside levels are less than 0.4 pCi/L. If you test your home and it is much over 4 pCi/L, then you may want to think about radon mitigation systems and/or making some changes to your home. People with levels of 10 to 20 pCi/L definitely need to think about fixing their radon problem, especially if you smoke in addition to living in a home with high levels of this radioactive gas.
If you'd like to read and learn more from an elaborate article entitled "A Citizen's Guide to Radon - The Guide to Protecting Yourself and Your Family from Radon Gas," go here: http://www2.epa.gov/radon
Now, to get a quick idea about radon gas, the testing process, and what you can do if your levels are high in your home, I'll provide a video that is entitled "Breathing Easier: An Informational Radon Video," below:

[Video is no longer available]

Radon Gas Testing Kits

Below, I will provide an Amazon link that relates to Radon Gas Test Kits. You can buy the less expensive, one or two-time testing kits online or at some hardware stores, but personally, I went ahead and purchased the expensive one (the radon detector) that you plug in, for a couple reasons. The first reason was because I can plug in and out to test multiple homes for several years or however long the device keeps working. Secondly, I don't have to mail back my test results to get the radon readings in a few days. Plus, those little short-term kits really start to add up if you buy several, so why not go all the way and buy the long-term tasting device. Anyway, I'll provide a very helpful shopping (affiliate) link, below:

'Click Here' for a fine selection of Radon Gas Testing Kits

Mitigation Fans

What to do if your level is high? Of course, you can call a professional that specializes in this field, that is located within your area code. However, many people like to do things their self and there are many how-to pages and guides online. I know that many folks end up buying those radon mitigation fans, systems, etc., so I'll provide a basic shopping link below, to get you started. Hopefully, most people will not have to buy these, but if you have a dangerous level of this radioactive gas in your home, it might be a good idea.

Reduce Radon with Mitigation Systems (Affiliate Link):

'Click Here' for a fine selection of Radon Mitigation Fans

Side Note: For those that get their water from an underground source such as a personal well and/or doesn't drink city or bottled water, you may also want to get your water tested. If radon is in your water, for example, it will also get into your house when you boil it, take hot showers, etc., via steam. If you're interested, you can always use the links above. Once you get to the landing page, you can use the search function to browse for water radon testing kits, as well.

---End of Post "Testing for Radon Gas in your Home - What to do & how to reduce..."

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Butter Fried Sweet Potatoes - Not Yams! + Roaster Oven Recipes

This will now be a 2-part post, since I recently deleted an old website of mine and decided to combine the related pages together before I start adding all of the stand-alone articles amid multiple blogs, etc. The original post on here was just about Roaster Oven Recipes, so it was a bit lame and needed some additional color anyway. But back to the subject at hand...

Part 1: "Butter Fried Sweet Potatoes – Not Yams!"

The following side dish is a great alternative to your common potatoes. Whether you’re a culinary guru and are just trying to add a little orange (steamed carrots are not the only option) to the greens and yellows on the dinner plate, looking for more Vitamin A sources, complex carbohydrates, something fried and yummy, or if you’re trying to add a little healthy sweetness to the mix, this side dish may be for you.

But before we begin, let's not confuse this vegetable with Yams! I actually detest that, as Yams are not even related to a Sweet Potato, yet many folks, even from the south, say “I like those fried yams!” A freakin’ Yam is the typical given name for a plant species in the genus Dioscorea (family Dioscoreaceae) that also forms edible tubers albeit they are much larger. These crazy-growing Yams are perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean and Oceania. Although the sweet potato has, for whatever reason, been wildly referred to as a Yam in parts of the United States and Canada, it is not part of the family Dioscoreaceae, rather it is in the Morningglory family Convolvulaceae.

Even without all the scientific babble, Yams can grow up to nearly 5 feet in length, so be sure to let me know when you have seen a Sweet Potato grow to such size!

Oh, this food-related post is about Butter Fried Sweet Potatoes, so let's get on with it.

First of all, these are Sweet Potatoes, depicted below:

After you have realized that you are taking on some mighty Sweet Potatoes, the next thing to do is wash them and peel ’em. Ya know, sort of like you would common white potatoes and/or spuds, just before your make mashed potatoes. But hold your horses from this point, as you don’t begin to slice anything yet, and we sure as heck ain’t mashing anything (excuse my attempt to sound southern). Below, I’ll show an image of what step you should be at now, after peeling your potatoes. Please note, the plate of trimmings to the right in that image, as they are great to add to your compost pile or to just throw them out in your garden spot as vegetable waste, if you are into such things as the recycling of table scraps and organic compost, etc.

Okay, so you have your peeled Sweet Potatoes, not Yams, and now it is time to soften these suckers up, before they get sliced and butter fried. To do so, you need to grab a big pot, fill it with water and heat to a boil. …Add those orange potatoes into the boiling water and boil for about 6 or 7 minutes. Check out the steam below, as we let the good times roll on the stove-top…

From here, you drain the hot water, add some cold water and let cool for a few seconds. Then, you take each potato out and begin to slice into about 3/8th inch slices. Take a large skillet out, add a fair amount of butter and sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar around the pan. After everything gets hot and melted, add your sweet potatoes and begin to fry. Of course, feel free to add a little salt and black pepper onto at least one side of the potatoes while frying. The process should look something like this:

Now, although I elected to not go to the trouble to seek out wild, large, crazy Yams, the common Sweet Potatoes when butter fried with sugar, salt, and pepper, usually turn out like this:

Well, since this is a food-related post about a side dish, why not add an image of the current main dish and/or entree? Anyway, in addition to these deliciously butter fried yams, oops, I mean sweet potatoes, I plan on adding several other items like asparagus, turnip greens (no fried squash today) and so on, to some oven-baked, well-seasoned and slowly cooked chicken thighs, as shown below:

Image Credits: My own photos.

—End of Part 1: "Butter Fried Sweet Potatoes - Not Yams!"

Part 2: "Roaster Oven Recipes"

If you are one of those that like crock pot cooking and/or basically any type of cooking that doesn't involve the conventional, bulky stovetop & oven combo, a roaster oven may be just what you're looking for. Although I'm sure there are plenty of recipes out there for your crock pot, roaster ovens are something of a different nature. For one, they are much larger and can also be used as a crock pot or they can be used like a mini oven, which is what I like.
It is so much better to use for, say, cooking whole fryers or little hens during the summer, when you don't want to heat up the entire house. Not only does it save on electricity, the fact that it is right there for you to open the lid, add seasoning, check, etc., makes it so much more convenient.

In a reasonably sized roaster oven, you can cook a whole fryer that is 3.5 to 5lbs. at a rate of 13 to 15 minutes a pound, which isn't bad at all. The roaster oven I have, can hold two whole chickens this size and even more Cornish game hens. These little ovens are also great for beef roasts, lamb, pork of all kinds whether it be chops, country-style ribs, shoulder, you name it. Hell, you can even throw a bone-in smoked ham in there or a small turkey, if you wish!

Before I provide a quick link to a fine selection of roaster ovens, let's look for a couple sample recipes to give you some ideas. Oh, did I mention that baking pans can be placed on the roasting rack, as well? Yeah, some people even bake muffins, yeast rolls, brownies, cupcakes, pizzas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc., in this sucker. I noticed that there isn't a lot of online recipes for your roaster oven, at least not an abundance of them by what I could tell during a quick web search, so I'll check around the house.

...Okay, I did find a few sample roaster oven recipes, although most of them are rather basic. I'll list a few of them, but I must say, you don't really need 'em if you are creative or the slightest bit experienced, but you do need your roaster oven; ha!

Roaster Oven Recipes

Pot Roast with Vegetables

6 to 8lb. beef chuck roast       2 cups beef broth
2 cups baby carrots                1 tbs. salt
8 medium potatoes (peeled & quartered)
2 onions, quartered                1 tsp. black pepper

Place roast in bottom of cooking pan. Place vegetables around sides of roast. Add salt, pepper, and broth. Cover; cook at 300 degrees for 3 to 4 hours or until tender.

Hickory-smoked brisket

6 to 8lb. beef brisket              1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 cup liquid smoke             1 tsp. celery salt
1 tsp. garlic salt

Place brisket on a large piece of aluminum foil. Sprinkle generously with the liquid smoke and seasonings. Wrap the brisket with foil and crimp the edges. Place in cooking pan. Cover and cook in your roaster oven for 4 hours at 250 degrees.

Lemon Garlic Roast Chicken

7 to 8 lb. chicken             1/4 cup lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, minced    2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter                   1 tsp. black pepper

Rinse chicken in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Combine remaining ingredients and rub over skin and between skin and meat of chicken. Place roasting rack in cooking pan, then place chicken on roasting rack and cover. Bake in your oven for 2 to 2.5 hours at 350 degrees.

Asian Spare Ribs

4 large cloves of garlic, minced           2 tbs. sesame oil
1 tsp. five spice powder                       2 tbs. minced fresh ginger
8 green onions, thinly sliced                1 tbs. chili puree
1/2 cup brown sugar                            2 tsp. salt
8 tbs. hoisin sauce                                6 to 8lbs. pork spare ribs, cut to fit

Combine first 8 ingredients to make marinade. Sprinkle ribs with salt and brush with marinade. Place ribs in cooking pan. Roast at 350 degrees for 1.5 to 2 hours.

That was just a few simple, easy-to-do recipes for your roaster oven. Of course, you can cook baked potatoes, beef stew, chili, soup, chicken tetrazzini for a crowd and so, so much more in this splendid little oven.