The Riz Team Blog

Posts Tagged ‘warm’

Budget Fixes for Drafty Windows

Wednesday, January 9th, 2013

Keeping your home warm doesn’t come at a high price, thanks to these easy-to-do fixes. Bring on the Heat!

Elsa Satella • This Old House magazine

On average, 10 to 25 percent of a home’s heat escapes through its windows. If you’re feeling drafts, you should consider reglazing or even replacing your windows. But if you can’t because of time—or budget—first weatherstrip, then try these other temporary fixes to help beat the chill.

Plastic Film

Applied to panes with double-sided tape and sealed using the heat from a hair dryer, this inexpensive clear shrink film can allow a room to retain as much as 55 percent of its heat. In a pinch, bubble wrap makes an effective replacement; just push the bubble side of the wrap against the glass and adhere with double-sided tape.

Shown: Duck Crystal Clear Shrink Film, about $13 for two 3-packs, My Brands.

Draft Snakes

Stop cold air from creeping through windowsills with a snake. You can buy one online, or easily make one yourself by filling a tube of fabric, like an old knee sock, with dry rice.

Shown: Window and door draft stopper, about $10, Improvements

Rigid Foam

For basement and attic windows you don’t need to see out of, cover the panes with a piece of foam board glued to ⅜-inch drywall. Cut pieces to fit snugly inside the frame, press the foam side against the glass, then simply pop out when you want to let in sunlight.

Shown: Dow ½-inch polyisocyanurate rigid foam sheathing, about $12.50 per 8-4-foot panel, Lowe’s

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Pumpkin soup

Friday, October 19th, 2012

By  Tara Ballantyne

Beat fall’s chill with a bowl of creamy pumpkin soup that is bursting with autumn flavour

Pumpkin soup

Serves 8

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onions
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp grated ginger
  • 2 tbsp curry powder
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 3½ cups fresh pumpkin purée
  • 1½ cups unsweetened condensed milk or cream
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Roasted pumpkin seeds and sour cream for garnish

Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions
and garlic and cook until the onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

2. Add the ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Add the curry powder and the flour and stir until smooth. Cook until the mixture bubbles, stirring frequently.

3. Gradually whisk in the broth and cook until the liquid has thickened. Stir in the pumpkin and the condensed milk. Season the soup with the soy sauce, honey and salt and pepper.

4. Bring the soup to a boil; remove from the heat. Transfer to bowls, garnish with the pumpkin seeds and sour cream and serve.

Serves 8

  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onions
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp grated ginger
  • 2 tbsp curry powder
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 3½ cups fresh pumpkin purée
  • 1½ cups unsweetened condensed milk or cream
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Roasted pumpkin seeds and sour cream for garnish

Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions
and garlic and cook until the onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

2. Add the ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Add the curry powder and the flour and stir until smooth. Cook until the mixture bubbles, stirring frequently.

3. Gradually whisk in the broth and cook until the liquid has thickened. Stir in the pumpkin and the condensed milk. Season the soup with the soy sauce, honey and salt and pepper.

4. Bring the soup to a boil; remove from the heat. Transfer to bowls, garnish with the pumpkin seeds and sour cream and serve.

 


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