May 4, 2005

Mulled Grape JuiceCombine all ingredients in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove and discard cinnamon sticks before serving.

 

Unstuffed Cabbage and BeefPlace cabbage in a large baking dish. Combine beef, rice, onion, egg, salt and pepper, and thyme. Shape into 6-8 patties and arrange on cabbage. Dissolve brown sugar in hot water in a saucepan; add tomato sauce and lemon juice.

 

Dilled CarrotsCook carrots according to package directions, adding sugar to the water. Drain well. Add butter and dill weed, tossing gently until carrots are evenly coated.

 

Oatmeal Cherry Apple CrispCombine oats, flour, and brown sugar in a medium mixing bowl; mix well. Cut butter into oat mixture with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Spoon half of mixture into a lightly greased 8 inch square baking dish. Microwave at high 3 minutes. Let crust cool 15 minutes.

 

Chocolate Mint ParfaitsPlace butter in a microwave safe bowl; microwave at high 55 seconds or until butter melts. Stir in chocolate wafer crumbs, mixing well. Set aside. Combine marshmallows and milk in a microwave safe bowl.

 

Baked HushpuppiesCombine all dry ingredients; add remaining ingredients and stir only till well blended. Place about 1 Tablespoon of batter into each part of well greased mini muffin pans. Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes or till done.

 

Microwave Chocolate PieCombine marshmallows, chocolate morsels, milk, and unsweetened chocolate in a glass mixing bowl. Microwave at high 4-5 minutes, stirring once.

 

Frozen LocksIf you are having cold weather and one of your locks outside has stopped working, the chances are it has frozen. Try heating the lock with a hair dryer until you are able to turn the key.

 

Eggs That Crack While BoilingIf you have an egg that cracks while boiling all you have to do is add a little vinegar to the water and it will help the shell to seal so your egg will still be good.

 

Recycling Used Paint ThinnerYou don't need to discard paint thinner that has been used for cleaning paint brushes. Put used paint thinner into a glass or metal container with a tight fitting lid. The paint particles will sink to the bottom leaving you with clear paint thinner towards the top.

 

Cure for Soggy Mashed PotatoesDry powdered milk added to soggy mashed potatoes will restore them back to perfection.

 

Dealing with Tight Electrical PlugsIf you have an electric plug that's too tight and hard to remove from the wall, rub the prongs with a soft lead pencil.

 

Angel (St. Bernard)"COOKIES!? DID SOMEONE SAY COOKIES!?" This is a picture of our baby Angel that was taken in front of my flower garden. Seems she has a one track mind, doesn't it?

 

Fixing Wallpaper BubblesIf you have a larger wallpaper bubble, bigger than quarter, cut an X into the bubble and carefully peel back each corner from the center of the X. Then apply some wallpaper paste to each corner and flatten them out with a damp sponge.

 

Make Your Own Photo BoxesPick up free sample books at wallpaper stores. Call shoe stores and ask for empty shoe boxes. This makes great photo storage boxes when you decoupage or glue the wall paper samples on

 

Removing Odor from HandsAn easy way to remove odor from hands is to NOT USE HOT WATER FIRST as it dialates the pores of the skin and the odor is sucked up into your flesh. Lather well first and start rinsing off above the lather; THEN you can use hot water if you like.

 

Shred Financial Papers Before DiscardingInvest in a paper shredder and shred all of your financial papers, receipts, etc. before you throw them away. There is too much identity theft out there and if they are shredded, no one can get your information.

 

Dolls That Look Like Your Own ChildrenYears are flying by for me. I can remember when my sons were just little boys so I wanted to immortalize them at that age. At my local Mall there was a stand that made these wonderful dolls from baby pictures. So I brought two pictures along and had these wonderful dolls made up for me.

 

Stubborn LocksIf you have a lock that is not functioning well spray it with some graphite lock spray. You can buy it at any hardware store. One popular brand is called Lock-Ease.

 

Gift Card Expiration DatesIn response to a recent posting named "Giving Gift Cards" I just wanted to be sure people check the length of time a gift card will be good.

 

Pantyhose Race Bridal Shower GameAt my daughter's bridal shower, last Sunday, the hostess had the most awesome "game". She asked my daughter, the bride to be, and her future mother in law to come to the front of the room.

 

Absorbing Odors In Your Car's AshtrayTo freshen a car's ashtray, try filling it with baking soda. It will absorb all the smells.

 

Paper Stuck To WoodIf someone mistakingly uses a paper towel or newspaper for a coaster you may find youself with paper stuck to your furniture. Peel away as much of the paper as you can, then apply some olive oil to a clean rag.

 

Removing Mildew From Paper and BooksIn damp summer weather, keep papers and books as dry as possible to help control mold growth. If you have an enclosed bookcase, keep a small electric light lit continuously in the bookcase or use a chemical dehumidifier, keeping the doors closed as tightly as possible.

 

Winterizing Vacation HomesShut off water systems by turning off the pump or shutting the valve if on city water. Drain the pressure tank...

 

Repelling Insects in CabinetsSprinkle a little borax around the corners of your cabinets in your kitchen and bath to repel insects.

 

Using Glue When Scrapbooking or Making CardsWhen scrapbooking or making greeting cards I was tired of the mess created when trying to get the glue to cover the edge of a piece of paper.

 

Hackers Target MSN and AOL Instant Messenger ServiceInternet-users who chat with friends using MSN and AOL Instant Messenger services are being targeted by hackers spreading viruses to empty internet bank accounts.

 

An Indoor Wedding For Less Than $1,500?Hi all thrifters. I am from New Jesey and cannot afford a $3000 wedding. My fiancee and I want a reception indoors, with a DJ, and dinner food (not brunch), but are looking to spend between $1000 to $1,500. I have made requests for help before but I was not specific, so many people, whose ideas were all great, suggested brunch and outdoors.

 

Need Frugal Kitchen Counter Tops?Does anyone have any ideas about how to replace kitchen counters. Mine are pink laminate and we can't afford the hundreds to thousands of dollars it would take to replace them with other laminate, corian-type stuff, stainless steel, butcher block, or even to tile them.

 

How Many Cups Of Chicken Meat On A Whole Chicken?Does anyone know the equivalent measurement for how many cups of chicken meat you can get from stewing/poaching an average size (3 to 4 lb.) chicken?

 

Whipped Cream Tips?Tips for making whipped cream. Post your ideas.

 

Receiving Faxes By Email?I need to receive faxes, but don't want to purchase a fax machine. Ideally, I would like to receive the faxes by email. Does anyone know of a good, relatively inexpensive service for receiving faxes by email?

 

Makeup Stains On Sheets?I have been trying to clean old make-up stains (concealer) from my favorite green sheets. I tried a number of stain-removing products but without any result.

 

How to Make Mother's Day Special?I'm 13 years old and my mom has three kids. I need a DIY or recipe that I can do to make her feel really special. She means the world to me and sometimes I don't really show her that.