It Isn't Truly Summer in Texas without Bar-B-Que

Image courtesy of amenic181 @FreeDigitalPhotos.net

That's right; summer is here and it is time to grill. Central Texas is known for producing some of the best wood for getting that delicious smoky flavor. There is pecan, and of course, oak. For many die-hard bar-b-que masters, they require a mixture of both. You most likely did not purchase your new home because of the food, but you will be happy you chose to live in the most famous section of Texas for bar-b-que. There are many great places to eat in Bryan-College Station that serve delicious bar-b-que. However, why not utilize your new backyard? Following are some tasty recipes that will surely make everyone's taste buds happy.

Central Texas Style Sauce

To start, here is a sauce that is very popular for the area. You will combine the desired amounts of butter, garlic, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice chipotle pepper from a can, and cayenne pepper. The butter needs to be melted before adding the remaining ingredients. Then you simmer everything for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool the sauce and store in the refrigerator.

Classic Texas Beef Brisket

For this classic Brazos Valley favorite, you will need about a 12 pound brisket that is untrimmed, quality beef broth, kosher salt, and your favorite beef rub. You will trim just a small amount of fat off; inject the meat with the broth, cover all over with the rub, wrap in foil, and place on the grill. There are several different methods to getting the perfect brisket so, you just have to pick the one that you want to use.

Perfect Sides

You need the perfect sides to go with your delicious bar-b-que. Some classic sides Ranch style smoked beans, potato salad, Cole slaw, and of course Texas toast and pickles.

These will get you started on being the grill master for your family. There are many more recipes you can experiment with to make your own. The number one thing to remember is to have fun and enjoy your new home with your family and friends.

Featured Home for Sale in Iola,, TX

Ideas for Summer Vacation in Texas

Image courtesy of arztsamui at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

There are endless thing you can do in Texas during the summer. The state is full of wonder and adventure or rest and relaxation. Now that you are all moved and settled into your new home in CentralTexas, you deserve to take some time off. What better time than summer to get to know your state and all it has to offer. Below are a few of the more popular destinations and some ideas of what to do when you get there.

Location #1 – San Marcos

The San Marcos area offers a lot of family-friendly activities, as well as adult fun. Visitors of all ages flock here for one main attraction – tubing. You can hop on an inner tube and enjoy the day floating down the Guadalupe, Blanco, and San Marcos Rivers. There is also the Aquarena Center and stunning cave tours at the Wonder World Park.

Location #2 – New Braunfels

Just a short drive away from San Marcus, is New Braunfels. Here you will find great places to go camping, ride your days away on the rapids, and play in the cool waters at Schlitterbahn Waterpark. If camping is not your style, then you can book a comfy resort room that will have you as comfortable as your bedroom in your Brazos Valley home.

3 – South Padre Island

South Padre Island is more geared towards adults during summer. Crowds of people flock to the hot beaches to party the day and night away. You will be able to rent jet skis, people watch, and enjoy the hopping nightlife. The city is also home to several great resorts.

4 – Galveston

If you are looking for a more family-friendly beach locale, than Galveston is your answer. There are miles of beaches, a ferry, an island, and tons of beach houses for rent. There are many beach front hotels and resorts as well. You will enjoy strolling along the Sea Wall, Walking out on the piers, and shopping in the many little shops. In addition, there is the Moody Gardens that will surely enchant you and your family with its beauty.

5 – San Antonio

Not far from Bryan-College Station is San Antonio. This lovely city is home to an important piece of Texas history – The Alamo. Here you will also find the famous River Walk and all the delicious restaurants, resorts, and shops it has to offer. Also, you can take a river tour on a tour boat for a small fee (completely worth it). Close by is the Ripley's Believe it Or Not Wax Museum that is a riot. Plus, there is the Natural Bridge Caverns, which will leave you amazed.

As you can see, there is no shortage to the things you can do in the summer here in Texas. These are only four possibilities out of hundreds. So, start planning and get to moving your tail for fun in the sun or relaxing in a resort or sunning yourself on a beach. You will be thankful you did. 

Featured Home for Sale in College Station, TX

Sarah Miller, your RE/MAX realtor Bryan-College Station can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable and fast sell on your house. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station Realtor that has a long list of the finest homes in College Station, Call her today at 979-255-1904

The Best DIY Spring Cleaners

Image courtesy of artur84
@FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Spring has always been the best time to do a top-to-bottom cleaning of your home - better known as Spring Cleaning. There are many cleaners you can buy at the store, but this can get a bit costly, as well as the harmful chemicals. Therefore, if you want to go a safer and more budget-friendly route, below are several Spring Cleaning essentials that will last through the year.

Laundry Soap
With a little elbow grease, you can make a super-sized container of laundry soap that will last for months. Most of the online recipes you will find use three main ingredients. They are graded bar soap, Borax, and washing soda. However, some add oxy boosters and even essential oils. The great thing about this DIY laundry soap is that it takes very little and stores quite well.

Window Cleaner
This usually takes 3-4 ingredients as well, such as vinegar, essential oils, rubbing alcohol, and water. The ingredients alone are inexpensive allowing you to make up a large batch to last a long time. Many of the recipes work on glass and mirrors as well.

Orange De-Greaser
This usually calls for either orange oil or to soak orange peels for an allotted amount of time. You will also use dish washing liquid and water. There are many recipes floating around online.

Heavy-Duty Rust Remover Scrub
If you have been battling rust stains on your enameled tub or porcelain sink, all you need are two ingredients. They are a lemon and Borax. You would simple dip a cut lemon in the laundry booster then rub on the rust. Then ta-da!, no more rust.

Water Ring Remover
If you have wooden side tables or nightstands, you are well aware the notorious white ring. There is a very simple solution. All you need is toothpaste (not the gel type), baking soda, and a little light buffing. Polish and your ring is gone forever.

As you can see, there are many DIY solutions to your Spring Cleaning needs. You will have plenty of left over cleaners to last for months afterwards. Also, you will cut the number of chemicals floating around in your home. These DIY cleaners are a win-win.

Featured Home for Rent in College Station, TX

Sarah Miller, your RE/MAX realtor bryan-college station can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable and fast sell on your house. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station Realtor that has a long list of the finest homes in College Station, Call her today at 979-255-1904

Has your New Home been Invaded by Spring Pests?

Image courtesy of SweetCrisis @FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Spring in Central Texas is the awakening of many pests. They can invade your new home before you even realize it is happening. Some are harmful, whereas others can do property damage, and others can affect you and your family. You need to be aware of any potential issues before they spin out of control. Below are the most common pests that become issues to be on the lookout for.

• Fire Ants - No one wants to run into these angry bitters. However, with rain and mowing, these little pests can be spread all over your lawn in in your home quickly. 

• Termites - These little critters can do great harm to your property if left unchecked. 

• Mosquitoes - These blood suckers can carry and transmit heartworms to your pets, as well as potentially deadly West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis. 

• And of course, Spiders - There are a number of beneficial garden spiders, but there is also the Brown Recluse and the Black Widow spiders. Both of these spiders are shy and try to avoid humans, but if bitten can be painful.

There are some things you can do to help rid these pests from your Central Texas home. Below are some steps you can take to ensure the chance meeting with any spring time pests is minimized greatly.

• Prune Trees and shrubs – be sure you do not have any overhanging branches or shrubs against your house. This is like a pest highway right into your home. 

• Spring Clean Your Yard – Remove any old firewood left from winter, any piles of "junk" hanging around. These make a great place for pests to hide and multiply. 

• Install Weather Stripping – If you have not done so already, install weather stripping around doors and windows. Bugs find it hard to get past this barrier. 

• Check and Fill Any Openings – During the day, inspect your windows and doors for any light coming in from cracks or gaps. If you find any, be sure to fill them with a calking material. This will help to keep out those unwanted visitors. 

• Yard Spray – After moving and trimming your lawn, be sure to spray a kid and pet friendly pest repellant over it entirely. This will help to drive any pests out of your yard for good. Just be sure to keep up with it as directed. 

With a little planning and elbow grease, you can rid your Brazos Valley home of any pest before they ever get a change to get a foothold. By knowing what to look for, you can be better prepared. Also, if you have any question, you can always call out a professional.

Featured Home for Sale in College Station, TX

 

Sarah Miller, your RE/MAX realtor Bryan-College Station can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable and fast sell of your home. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station Realtor that has a long list of the finest homes in College Station, Call her today at 979-255-1904

Great Spring Time Meals for You and Your Family

Image credit

Now that you have settled into your new beautiful Brazos Valley home, it is time to break in your new kitchen. Spring time is full of bright colors and sweet budding flowers. Therefore, lighter fare foods are best suited for the season. It’s time to shed those heavy winter meals. Think seafood, chicken, and pork.  Below are some great spring time meals that are filling and light.

Seafood Paella

Living in Bryan-College Station has its benefits. For example, you are a short drive to the Gulf, where you can acquire fresh Gulf shrimp for a delicious paella. You can keep it light by using vegetable stock, fresh lemon juice, and olive oil in place of butter. Omit the sausage to keep it on the light side. Serve with white wine or flavored sparkling water.

Smoked Salmon Salad

A lightly smoked piece of salmon right off your grill is the prefect spring time accompaniment to a crisp salad. Include tasty veggies such as cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, capers, radishes, and a balsamic vinaigrette. This can be perfectly paired with grilled garlic toast.

Lemon Chicken

Getting fresh, cage-free chicken is easy to do living in Central Texas and a perfect addition to your spring menu. You can use organic lemons, basil or rosemary, and garlic, as well. Put your favorite herbs and sliced lemon under the skin of the breast to infuse these bright flavors even further into the chicken. You can serve this with a tasty rice pilaf.

Spring is a great time to start anew. This includes revamping your dinner menu. Not only are spring meals tasty and full of flavor, but they are healthier for you too. So, pull out the grill and fire it up in your new backyard for some delicious spring time fare. 

Featured Homes for Sale in College Station, TX 

 

Sarah Miller, your RE/MAX realtor bryan-college station can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable and fast sell on your house. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station Realtor that has a long list of the finest homes for sale in Bryan/College Station, Call her today at 979-255-1904

How to Make Your Home Greener for Earth Day and Beyond

Image credit

April 22 is Earth Day and wouldn't it be great to be living a little greener by then? There are many things you can do and changes you can make to have a more Eco-friendly home. Some of the things are as simple as changing to a different type of light bulb, while others are a bit more involved such as creating a compost bin. Below are tips on transforming your new home in Bryan-College Station just in time for Earth Day that will last years to come.

Eco-tip #1 – Go LED

Gong LED simply means to change your old incandescent light bulbs to the more energy efficient LED style bulbs. They not only conserve energy, but also last much longer as well.

Eco-tip #2 – Energy Star all the Way

When purchasing new appliances, you should look for the Energy Star label to ensure you are buying the best eco-friendly units possible. They are designed to save energy.

Eco-tip #3 – Say NO to Bottled Water

By having a water filtration system installed, you can say no to bottled water. This is because millions of plastic bottles end up in landfills each year.

Eco-tip #4 – No More Food Waste

By not tossing your food waste into the trash, you can create a beneficial compost bin. The rich compost can then be used in your gardens and flowerbeds, instead of harmful fertilizers. The temperatures in the Brazos Valley area will help to quickly break down the food into a usable product.

As you can see, there are several thing mentioned above that can help turn your energy burning house into an eco-friendly home in no time. With summer approaching fast, which means it’s time to turn up the air conditioners, saving energy in any way possible is a must. Stay green and happy Earth Day! 

Featured Home for Sale in Hearne, TX

Sarah Miller, your RE/MAX realtor Bryan-College Station can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable sale of your home. Call Sarah Miller at 979-255-1904 for your real estate needs in Bryan-College Station and the entire Brazos Valley!

Benefits of Fences

Image courtesy of anankkml @FreeDigitalPhotos.net

If you're looking to add value to your home and improve your ability to enjoy and get the most out of your property, consider putting in a fence. This simple feature can aid in offering you and your family a bit of privacy, and a nice fence can be very aesthetically appealing. 

Having a fence can also help ensure that if you have any pets or children they remain safely secured within the borders of your fence so you can be confident that your loved ones don't stray from your property. 

As an added bonus, a fence can serve to keep the children and pets of neighboring families off your property as well;  fences also provide a bit of a barrier against other intruders (such as pesky critters or deer) from entering your property and perhaps destroying your lawn or garden. The sturdier the fence, the longer it will last;  the better your fence is designed, the nicer it will look for years to come. 

As a result of fencing your yard, your property value will increase along with your enjoyment of your home.

Featured Home for Sale in College Station, TX

Sarah Miller, your RE/MAX realtor bryan-college station can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable sale of your home. Call Sarah Miller at 979-255-1904 for your real estate needs in Bryan-College Station and the entire Brazos Valley!