Happy Valentine’s Day from Your Frederick Plumbing Contractors!

Everyone at Larry & Sons wishes you a very Happy Valentine’s Day! We hope your day is full of love and laughter.  Valentine’s Day is a time to really appreciate all of the wonderful people in your life, including your significant other, your family, and your friends. Take a moment today to let each of them know how special they are to you. Even something simple, like a handmade card, can really make someone’s whole day!

While your HVAC system might not seem like the most romantic place to start your gift giving, a few simple upgrades can make your house more comfortable, which is something your whole family will appreciate! A HEPA filter can keep dust and allergens out of your air, and a new furnace or heat pump can keep your house at more consistent temperatures and cut down on your energy use. An upgrade to your HVAC system is truly a gift that keeps on giving!

For more information about easy ways to improve your home, give Larry & Sons a call! And to help make your Valentine’s Day as happy as it can be, here is a recipe for Chocolate Covered Strawberries:

“This is the simplest version of chocolate covered strawberries I know. Paraffin was originally used instead of shortening. Turn the strawberries upside down and insert by the toothpicks into a piece of styrofoam for easy cooling, or simply place them on a sheet of wax paper. White chocolate may be drizzled over the milk chocolate for a fancier look. They are perfect for weddings when decorated with frosting bow ties, bells, butterflies, roses, etc.”

INGREDIENTS:

16 ounces milk chocolate chips

2 tablespoons shortening

1 pound fresh strawberries with leaves

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Insert toothpicks into the tops of the strawberries.
  2. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and shortening, stirring occasionally until smooth. Holding them by the toothpicks, dip the strawberries into the chocolate mixture.
  3. Turn the strawberries upside down and insert the toothpick into styrofoam for the chocolate to cool.

For more details, visit allrecipes.com.

Happy Martin Luther King Day from Your Hagerstown Area Plumbing and HVAC Contractor!

Happy Martin Luther King Day! Today we celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr. and all of his great accomplishments. This holiday is also a reminder about how we all can be a force for good in our community. Even a small act, like helping a neighbor, can make a big difference in someone’s life. Take some time today to make your community a little better!

Happy New Year’s Eve from Your Hagerstown Plumbing and HVAC Contractor!

Happy New Year’s Eve! Have a great time welcoming the New Year tonight! We hope that you are able to achieve all of your resolutions for this upcoming year. Fun fact: the ancient Babylonians were the first to establish the tradition of New Year’s resolutions. That means that people have used this time of year to set goals for themselves for thousands of years!  If one of your resolutions is to be more environmentally friendly, remember that an upgrade to your HVAC system can make a big difference in your house’s energy efficiency!

Merry Christmas Eve from Your Hagerstown Plumbing and HVAC Contractor!

Everyone at Larry & Sons wishes you a very Merry Christmas! We hope you enjoy spending time with family and opening lots of presents. The holidays are all about appreciating what you have, and we are very thankful for all our customers. We hope that you get everything you want under the Christmas tree tomorrow!

To help make your Christmas a little sweeter, here is a recipe for Molasses Sugar Cookies:

“These are a wonderful chewy spice cookie. They are drop cookies that keep very well. I make them at the beginning of the holiday season and they keep all the way to New Year’s!”

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups shortening

2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup molasses

2 eggs

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Melt the shortening in a large pan on the stove, and cool.
  2. Add sugar, eggs, and molasses, beat well.
  3. In a separate bowl, sift dry ingredients together and add to the pan. Mix well and chill 3 hours or overnight.
  4. Form into walnut-size balls. Roll in granulated sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
  5. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 8-10 minutes.
  6. Store in an airtight container to keep from getting overly crisp. If they do lose their softness, an easy way to restore it is to place one slice of fresh bread in the container with the cookies for a couple of hours or overnight and they will be soft again!

For more details, visit allrecipes.com.

If you haven’t had your annual maintenance visit, we recommend you do so soon. Regular maintenance will keep your system running efficiently all winter long, which will help you save money on your utility bills! It will also give you early warning if there are any problems, and an early fix now can save you from a lot of trouble in the future!