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Whether you are facing a late summer glut from the garden or have simply purchased more that you need for a single recipe, no cook wants to waste fresh herbs by allowing them to go bad or sending them unused to the compost heap. A little advance preparation can help your herbs stay fresh for days and usable for even longer depending on your method of storage.

The first step to keeping herbs fresh as long as possible lies in the initial cleaning. Inspect garden harvested herbs for dirt and bugs. Both store bought and harvested herbs can be cleaned easily by plunging them into a large bowl of cold water and swished for a few seconds to allow any dirt or debris to sink down to the bottom of the bowl. If you have a salad spinner, spin cleaned herbs for a minutes until they are as dry as possible, otherwise pat them dry with a clean dish cloth or roll them in single layers in paper towels to draw away as much moisture as you can. The drier the herbs are before you store them, the longer they will last.

When it comes to the actual storing of the herbs, there are several schools of thought. If herbs will be used within a few days, most, particularly cilantro, basil and parsley, can be set in a cup of clean, cool water on the counter top, much like a vase of flowers. Similarly, herbs with their stems in a cup of water can be placed on a high shelf in the refrigerator, changing the water every day to keep the herbs fresh.

For slightly longer storage periods, herbs can be packed separately and loosely in zip close plastic bags. Remove as much air a possible before closing the bag; label the bag with the herb type and date or storage and stack in the produce drawers of the refrigerator. Alternatively, washed and dried herbs can be rolled in paper towels to help absorb excess moisture and then placed in a large zip close bag, also to be stored in the produce drawer.

If you want to store herbs for longer than a week and do not wish to dry them, there are two other storage options, freezing and pesto style oil storage. To freeze fresh herbs, chop finely and measure standard amounts into ice cube trays. Once the herbs are frozen, remove the cubes from the tray and store in a labeled zip close bag in the freezer. Herbs frozen in this manner are especially good for adding to soups and sauces as a pre-measured amount can be dropped in during the cooking without the need for defrosting.

Pesto or similar oil packed herbs, can be made from any variety of herb. Finely mince herbs and add a few drops of good quality olive oil until you have achieved a paste like substance. Spoon your oil and herb mixture into small jars and label. These are best stored in the refrigerator or in a cool pantry.

Cooks’ Nook offers a wide selection of specialty teas including Tazo iced tea bags

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After experiencing a car accident and filing your claim with a claims adjuster, you look forward to receiving a fair settlement offer fast. You may be surprised to learn that chances are your claims adjuster’s first settlement offer could be too low. Why would that be?

One of the reason’s why your claims adjuster’s offer may be too low has to do with the adjuster’s job expectations. Your auto insurance company expects your claims adjuster to settle claims within a certain dollar range. In order to save the company money, the adjuster will often make an offer to you from the low to middle end of your settlement range. Their goal is to settle your case as quickly and cheaply as possible. It may be in your best interest to turn down her first offer, even if it sounds fair to you.

Countering Your Adjuster’s First Offer

What if you have no idea of what dollar value to place on your claim? After all, you probably don’t have an insurance background. You might have no clue about how cases are evaluated to come up with fair settlement numbers. If your claims adjuster has made an offer to you that sounds good why shouldn’t you just take it? Because if it’s the first offer, chances are that it’s still too low.

Try making a counter demand for more money. Be reasonable. For example, if your adjuster has offered you an $8,500 settlement, don’t ask for $100,000. Don’t ask for some outrageously high amount for your settlement just because you know the adjuster is probably making you a low offer. It won’t help settle your case any faster. Counter the adjuster’s offer just enough to begin negotiating a fair price.

Negotiating Your Own Claim

Negotiating your settlement offer on your own is only advised when you are dealing with small settlements. If you have a realistic idea of what your claim is really worth, draft a demand letter including all documentation including any reports, medical bills, receipts and proof of any lost wages to support your case. Close your letter with a demand for a settlement and a time limit for a response.

Make sure that you have thoroughly researched the accident. You should know how much it will cost to repair your vehicle. If the insurance company wants you to use a certain repair shop, investigate the shop thoroughly before you agree.

Document Everything

Document all your medical bills, receipts, estimates for repair, and days off from work. Even if your company paid you for those days, you have the right to request reimbursement since you had to spend your vacation days recuperating from an automobile accident.

Making a request for more money is one thing. But it is not generally advisable for policyholders to handle their own claim, especially if it involves a significant settlement without the proper representation. Take your time to negotiate wisely if you are handling the claim on your own. If it is a large amount of money, it may be wise to hire an attorney.

Working with experienced professionals you trust is essential when dealing with auto insurance claims. Ask friends for referrals, browse the Internet or start making phone calls to make sure that you’ve got the coverage you need and a company which meets your needs.

Choose A Reputable Auto Insurance Company

Be sure that you shop around and not only find the best car insurance rate but that you choose a trusted auto insurer. These auto insurance companies have a trusted reputation for a reason. Performing research and comparing auto insurance companies is a must before making a decision on a policy

See Also : Rochester Auto insurance

When making a home theater purchase, one of the things you should consider is whether you want to install it yourself or hire a professional. For some people, this decision is more difficult than making up their minds what size LCD TV to pick, or what type of speakers to use.

Let me try to help you weigh your options.

When setting up a new home theater, there are many things that need to be researched in order to attain optimal performance, such as room acoustics, ambient light, speaker size, placement, type of cables, and control interfaces. A huge factor in how a system performs is how each component is configured once installed. This can make or break the quality of your home theater.

If you decide to take on this project on your own, one of the benefits is cost. You will save on the expense of hiring someone to come into your home and do the installation. The trade-off is your time. There are a lot of “how-to” guides on the Internet that would be helpful to you in completing your project. Make sure you have enough time set aside for research on installation techniques and correct speaker placement, and enough time to complete the installation. Depending on the size of the project, the installation could take days for a person who is not in the industry.

Assuming that you have the time and patience for this, be sure that all of the components work correctly with each other. This will maximize the picture and sound you enjoy in your home theater.

If you decide to hire a professional home theater installer, they will call on years of experience to select products that work best in your room. The time frame for completing a project will also be much quicker because your professional installer will help you decide what components work best for your home theater; there’s no need for you to do all the research.

Home theater installers will be able to set up your equipment and maximize performance because they know the correct settings for your room environment. They take a lot into consideration, such as room acoustics and ambient light. A big factor for most people is that they are able to leave this big project to professionals and know that they have correct setup, plus product and dealer support if something does go wrong. Most professionals offer free service calls in the event of problems.

Whether you decide to dive into it on your own or hire a home theater professional, this project should be enjoyable and fun. And remember – a home theater tech can always bring your project to a satisfactory conclusion if you start it and find out you’re in over your head.

Mike Jarboe Owner of http://www.albanyinstalls.com.

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