April 22, 2005

Blue Ribbon CornCut corn from cob and place in roaster pan. Melt butter and drizzle over corn. Add half and half and mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Place in freezer bags.

 

Barbecue Burger MixCook meat and vegetables until meat is browned. Drain off fat. Add remaining ingredients, mix well. Cover. Simmer 20 minutes. Serve on hamburger buns.

 

Hearty History DumplingsBeat egg and salt, then add milk and baking powder. Can make stiff and roll into balls and drop into soup or just dropped as they are from spoon dipped into hot soup first.

 

Sock Bottle Dog ToyMy dog loves to chew on empty 20-ounce pop bottles, so I made an inexpensive variation of that. Take a 20-ounce pop bottle, drop a couple of dried beans inside, and put the cap on tightly.

 

Parking JokeSam went to court and received a fine for parking his car in a "No Parking" zone.

 

Masonry/Concrete Cleaner RecipeMix together and apply. Let sit for a short time and rinse well.

 

Planning Your GardenTake time to plan your garden, on paper, to make the most of what space you have available. Keep track of the brands and varieties you use, that you might like to plant again, next year.

 

Energy Piggy BankI got tired of finding unneeded lights on so we developed a penalty piggy bank for offenders in the family. Every time someone leaves a light on (that they no longer need,) and another family member notices, they have to put a nickel in the piggy bank (I have young children, you could use a dime, a quarter or whatever penalty you want.)

 

Komet (Italian Greyhound)This is Komet she is a 3 year old Italian Greyhound and is the sweetest dog in the world.

 

Ecological Parties and PicnicsIf you are having a party or picnic it is often easier to buy disposable utensils, plates and cups to save time when cleaning up. By doing this you end up throwing a lot of paper and plastic away.

 

Alternatives to PesticidesInstant solutions to pest problems can be harmful to the environment, pets, wild birds, fish (when the run off goes downstream) and beneficial insects (ladybugs, honey bees).

 

Substitutions in the KitchenHave you ever started mixing ingredients for a recipe, get halfway through the list, and Uh-Oh, discover that you are out of an ingredient? Well, sometimes it is something that can safely be omitted.

 

Ground Cover Instead of LawnUse the space where your lawn is growing to grow food or at least use some kind of living ground cover that you do not have to use up natural resources to water, fertilize, weed, and cut.

 

Address Labels and StampsI carry stamps and address labels in my car's glove box. You never know when you might need them. One of our local stores charges extra for postage stamps. They're high enough already!

 

Clean Games for Adult and Teen PartiesWhat's in the bag? Fill a brown paper bag with silly clothes, glasses, hats, etc. and pass it around a circle to music as you would musical chairs. The one stuck with the bag, takes something out and has to put it on. Gets a lot of laughs!

 

ThriftyFun News -April 22, 2005 - Food SubstitutionOnline version of the ThriftyFun News. Food Substitutions. Volume Seven, Number 17 April 22, 2005

 

Denim Dog ToyI had some leftover denim from shortening a pair of jeans, so I stitched up two pieces which made a tube about 3-inches by 6-inches. I stuffed this tube with some craft stuffing I already had and stitched the last side closed. My dog had a good time chewing on this and shaking it around in her teeth.

 

Fix Dripping FaucetsBy fixing drippy faucets or a running toilet, you'll not only save on your water bill (if you have one) but you'll also save thousands of gallons of water.

 

Use a Trusted Camera When TravellingNEVER buy a new camera when you plan to take pictures you will not be able to replace. Last year we bought a new camera for my Daughter to take on her senior trip to Washington DC. She didn't clearly understand how to use it and ended up ruining her pictures of Arlington Cemetary, etc.

 

Cleaning Dishes and Wooden Cutting BoardsWhen visiting my elderly father recently, I noticed that his dishes, glasses and everything in his kitchen were covered with a grimy film. He explained that to save money he was cutting his dishwashing liquid with water and using much less than the recommended amount of dishwasher detergent.

 

Get An Energy AuditIf you're paying more for utilities than you think you should, maybe a home energy audit is what you need. It can identify ways to save hundreds of dollars a year on heating and cooling.

 

Balloon Fruit Bowl CenterpieceThis is a picture of a balloon "fruit bowl" centerpiece I made for a 50th birthday party. Everyone thought it was so cute!

 

Personal Advice About a Parent with Alzheimers Onset of Alzheimers in elderly parents is not easily recognized. Personally I feel that depression is one of the first noticible signs, often brought on by death of a loved one (In my Mothers case she lost a husband and 9 year old grandson within 40 days of each other.) She chose to move to a small apartment to make a new start but the change seemed to sink her into deeper depression. If I could change anything I'd have tried to keep her in her own familiar environment.

 

Get Rid of Monthly Storage FeesIf you have things in a storage unit, get into it and keep what you want. But sell or give the rest to the needy. Get out of paying those monthly storage fees!

 

Dry Cleaner Clothing SalesLots of dry cleaners will have a sale a couple times a year to sell off clothing that has never been picked up. It can be a good place to find some nice things and many times they are only sold for what it cost to clean the item.

 

Cheeses with Less FatIf you're not choosy about what cheeses you have on your sandwich, salad, etc. White cheeses have less fat in them than yellow cheeses. I was told this by a nurse.

 

Keeping Carrots, Celery and Radishes FreshMy grandma grew up on a farm and always kept her cleaned and sliced carrot sticks, celery sticks, and radishes submerged in water in closed containers in her refrigerator. This has worked great for me and will keep these items crisp and fresh for about 2 weeks.

 

Organic LawnsConsider organic lawn care. The chemicals you put in your yard and on your lawn go affect our drinking water and wildlife.

 

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and CompostReducing, reusing, recycling and composting saves energy, landfill space, and natural resources. These measures also keep our air cleaner because they help reduce pollution, when compared to manufacturing with raw, virgin materials. Compost when possible.

 

Practical Eco-Tips12 great, easy environmental tips.

 

Frugal and Environmentally Friendly?As I look for ways to save money, I often discover that while trying to save money and live a frugal life, I also end up doing things in an environmentally friendly way.

 

Preventing Cutworms Away from Tomatoes?When my father-in-law was alive and gardening, he used to put something around tomato plants and other plants to keep cutworms away. I cannot remember what it was.

 

Chili's Salad Dressing Recipe?I just tried the Crispy Chicken Salad at Chili's Restaurant. It was sooooo good! I'm addicted to it now mainly because of the dressing. I can't remember the name of it.

 

Bringing Life Back To My Lilac Bush?I have a two year old Lilac bush. Last year it developed white mold. I sprayed it with mold killer from the store. This year not a leaf or a bloom, but I broke a thin branch and it still looks like it has some life. What should I do? Any help?

 

Clip Art For Chore and Duty Charts?Does anyone know of free clipart that I can get online, for chores and daily duties? I'm trying to put together a chore/activity chart for my kids (we're all tired of me having to remind and nag all the time!). I need pictures for things like teeth brushing, putting toys away, homework, doing dishes, hanging up clothes, etc.

 

Protecting Hosta Plants From Slugs?My Hosta plants are attacked by slugs when the leaves are at their peak! I have tried the beer in low cans which does help but they are messy to clean and when it rains they all have to be refilled again. I also tried putting eggshells around the base of the plants but this was not very successful in controlling them. Does anyone have a non-toxic solution to this problem?

 

Sewing Ears Onto a Hood?My baby daughter has a boring blue hooded sweat jacket that is in need of ears or eyes on the hood. Any ideas how I can do this?

 

Broken Glass in Dishwasher?How do I remove the bottom screen etc. parts to remove glass out of the dishwasher, it makes a bad grinding sound, so I didn't get it all out obviously.

 

Flowerbed Suggestions?What type of flowers would be pretty in a flowerbed with light purple pansies? They are the only flowers that appear to have survived the winter months and I haven't a clue as to what else to fill it in with.

 

York J. Chesterfield SAGE Background Handpainted Hydrangea Border?Desperately seeking "York J. Chesterfield SAGE background handpainted hydrangea border", just one roll. If you know of someone who has one please let me know, even less than one roll will help. It was a popular border and was sold at Home Depot Stores as well. Thak you very much!

 

Movie Set Catering?I would like your advice on the different type of costs or how much it takes for the catering of a movie set, the cast could be let say 100 to 200 people just to mention an amount. Please give me some info on that. Thanks.