March 16, 2006

Stroganoff (from Carolalee 1990)Brown cubed round steak or hamburger cook until tender

 

Unbelievable Peanut Butter CookiesMix ingredients. Drop by teaspoonfuls on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Place chocolate stars in as soon as baking is done.

 

Zucchini SticksHeat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Wash zucchini and slice into 2 inch long and 1/4 inch wide strips. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Place bread crumbs on plate. Roll zucchini in egg white and then in bread crumbs. Place on baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes.

 

Breakfast CookiesThese freeze well. Please share some with an older friend/neighbor that no longer is able to bake. Cookie hugs...

 

Salted Nut RollSalted Nut Roll recipes.

 

Wedding Punch for 100This is a recipe for Wedding Punch that serves 100 people.

 

Preventing White Watermarks in PansTo avoid white watermarks in pans when boiling puddings, eggs, etc., add a little vinegar to the water (cider vinegar is less potent if you don't like the smell).

 

Growing: Madonna LilyMadonna lilies are different from other lilies in that they grow their foliage in the fall, bloom in the spring and go dormant in the summer. For this reason, bulbs should be planted around mid-September to see new growth in the fall.

 

Easter JokesSince Easter is approaching, here are some fun Easter jokes to tell the kids! (Or anyone!)

 

Growing Shasta DaisySow seeds directly into the garden in spring for flowers the following summer. Purchase plants from the nursery for first year blooms. Remove spent flowers to extend blooming period and divide clumps every 3 to 4 years after they finish flowering.

 

Growing: Snow Trillium (Wake-Robin)Plant rhizomes in the fall 2 to 4 inches deep and 5 to 8 inches apart. Apply mulch to protect plants from the cold. If you have patience, seeds are in the form of berries and can be separated from the pulp and planted in the fall when they become ripe. They take two years to germinate and another two years to flower...

 

Preheat Your Soil for a Faster Harvest...Many vegetables, like tomatoes, beans, squash and peppers need soil temperatures to reach nearly 70ºF before their growth can really take off.

 

Growing Guernsey LilyPlant bulbs in mid summer or early fall. The bulbs should be planted about 8 inches deep and spaced about 8 inches apart. Guernsey lilies will flower in mid summer and follow with leaf growth, which will remain green and actively growing until flower stalks appear the next season.

 

Buying Lemons TipYou can buy lemons in the winter when they are cheap and freeze the juice in ice-cube trays. One ice-cube section equals about 1 tablespoon of juice.

 

Growing DahliaStart with bare-rooted plants in the spring or sow seed indoors from four to six weeks before your last frost date. Seedlings should be pinched off when they are 4 to 6 inches tall to encourage bushier growth.

 

Growing SedumSedums come in a variety of types-from groundcovers to tall standing mounds. Start with one or two purchased plants and plan on propagating additional plants by division and cuttings. Sedums dislike wet feet so root cuttings in a well-drained medium of 50-50 vermiculite and perlite...

 

Growing Foxtail LilyIn the fall, plant tubers 6 inches deep and approximately 36 inches apart. Plants need regular watering during the growing season and should not be allowed to dry out.

 

Spiffing Up Waste BasketsYou can cover inexpensive plastic waste paper baskets from the dollar store and elsewhere with marbled contact paper to spiff them up. Use flowered paper, too, to fit the color scheme. Works on vinyl as well as hard plastic and makes them look much more expensive.

 

Growing FreesiaFreesia is tender and delicate and really only grows well outdoors in the warmer zones although they can be grown indoors in cooler zones. Because they are easily damaged, it is best to grow them in containers.

 

Growing YarrowStart with purchased plants or sow seeds indoors in early winter if you want plants to flower the first year. Deadhead flowers to prolong blooming period and divide them every 3 to 5 years in the spring or fall if they get crowded...

 

Avoiding Checkout SurpriseIt seems really simple but some people still go over their spending limit when they shop and have to put stuff back at the checkout. I hate to do that, so what my husband and I do now is we set a limit and I put that limit into the calculator when we get to the store.

 

Cleaning Burner Chrome RingsWhen cleaning the chrome rings around your burners the easiest way I have found is to put them in a shallow pan with 4 tablespoons of powdered DISHWASHER soap in it. Barely cover in the water and let them sit overnight. By morning, they should wash easily.

 

Homemade Seed TapesOnce winter turns the corner toward spring, it seems like garden tasks can stack up quickly. One technique that is a real time (and money) saver during planting is using seeds tapes.

 

Growing CrocusBuy spring flowering crocus corms to plant in the fall (or vice versa). Plant in groups of a dozen or more for the best show. Plant them at a depth of 3 to 4 inches spaced about 3 inches apart.

 

Pet Dust BunniesHere's a fun, very easy craft idea - might be something you'd like to put in Easter baskets this year as a gag gift, lol. Simply take some dryer lint and shape it however you want (kinda small). Then do the same with a second piece of dryer lint.

 

Growing Acidanthera (Peacock Orchid)Plant in clusters of 5-7 for best show. In the spring, corms should be planted three inches deep and six inches apart. This plant requires a long growing season (up to 20 weeks) and should be started indoors 1 month before the last frost in northern zones.

 

Growing Rhododendrons (and Azaleas)Spring and fall are the best times to purchase and plant azalea and rhododendron clumps. If you buy whole balled or burlap wrapped plants, late summer is the best time for planting. You can grow both of these plants from 4 " cuttings taken in late spring and early summer.

 

Growing HyacinthIn most zones, bulbs can be planted to a depth of 4 to 5 inches. Colder zones may need to plant as deep as 8 inches and add mulch to protect the bulbs over winter. Remove the mulch in spring after frost danger has passed.

 

Growing LilyBulbs generally available during the spring or fall. If you're buying bulbs in the fall, make sure you get them in the ground before it freezes so they have time to establish some roots.

 

Growing RudbeckiaPurchase plants in spring or start them from seeds sown directly into the garden in the spring or fall. Seeds can also be sown in pots in early spring or fall and set outdoors in a protected location. The exception is Gloriosa seeds.

 

Sabrina - CatSabrina is 13 years old. She's nothing special in the breed, she is just my lovie little cat.

 

Growing Scabiosa (Pincushion Flowers)Purchase plants or start from seeds sown indoors a few weeks before your last frost date or sow them directly into the garden after the danger of frost has passed. Scabiosa is a low maintenance plant, but does not tolerate soggy soil-especially during the winter...

 

Growing Chionodoxa (Glory of the Snow,...Plant in fall from rhizomes, corms, or bulbs (including offsets) or if you have the patience, start the plants from seeds sown directly into the garden in the fall. Glory of the Snow appreciates moist soil so keep plants watered consistently through the growing season...

 

An Old Timer Is... JokeAn old timer is a person who remembers when a pie was set on the windowsill to cool - not to THAW!

 

Rufus (Mixed Breed)Rufus is 5 years old and is a mix of two other mixes. We got Rufus at a Doberman Pinscher rescue. Rufus loves to go for a walk and then sleep for the rest of the day. He also likes to go out on the lake, he loves the sun and water.

 

Growing GladiolusStart with purchased corms in the spring. As a guide, plant larger corms (greater than 1 inch) about 6 inches deep and smaller corms (less than _ inch) about 3 inches deep.

 

Growing Daffodil (Jonquil)Purchase bulbs for planting in the summer or fall. Plant bulbs two times as deep as the bulb is tall (about 4 to 6 inches below the surface). Daffodils don't like soggy soil...

 

Growing: Verbascum (Ornamental Mullein)Mulleins are somewhat deer resistant. These flowers are also said to have medicinal properties that ease digestive ailments. Widely distributed throughout the United States, wild species of common mullein are considered an ecological threat and a highly invasive species...

 

Growing: RanunculusClaw-shaped ranunculus tubers come in different grades (sizes). The largest and most popular are called jumbos. They are 2 1/2 to 3 1/8 centimeters in circumference and will produce up to 35 flowers per bulb. Spring-planted ranunculus will bloom in June or July...

 

Growing Miniature Iris (Dwarf Iris)Plant Dwarf Iris in the spring or summer from potted plants or bare-root divisions. Bulbs should be spaced 3 inches deep and 6 inches apart in a sunny location with well-drained soil.

 

Growing Solomon's SealSolomon's seal is native to North America and well-suited to growing in the coniferous forests of the Northeastern and Southeastern United States as well as deciduous woodland and prairie environments. Plants tend to be deer resistant...

 

Growing StaticeStart seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks prior to last frost date or sow directly outdoors in spring after danger of frost has passed. Plants may be divided in the spring or cuttings can be taken when dormant in mid-winter and grown in pots indoors or in a cold frame until transplanted in the spring...

 

Poll: Have you started to do any spring cleaning yet? Today's poll asks: Have you started to do any spring cleaning yet?

 

Removing Paint from a Painted Bathtub?I have recently moved into a home where the people before me painted the bath tub an ugly dark green. The owner said he has tried everything to remove it. Does anyone here have any suggestions on how to get it off of the tub?

 

Rust on Bells?I got engaged March 2005 and was so excited I started purchasing some favors for my May 2006 wedding right away. I bought 100 personalized wedding bells from Things Remembered and this week while I was opening the boxes I noticed that they are rusting. Any suggestions on a good cleaning product?

 

Lilies Not Flowering?I have bought some Peace Lilies. I had read somewhere they can survive on low light and needed watering once a week but have noticed the leaves are turning yellow and not flowering anymore.

 

Decorating a Lattice Screen?How should I decorate a large white lattice screen that will be behind the brides table? I've bought rolls of lavender/lilac tulle that's 6 inches wide by 25 feet (I'm placing shimmer on some and 'crystals' on others) and fake flowers.

 

Growing Collards?I planted my collards in the Spring of 2005 and cut them back in the Fall of 2005. These plants are still going strong. How many years can collard plants grow? Shall I cut them back to the stem again to keep them growing? Would it do any good?

 

Planting Crocus?I just received a gift of potted Crocus. Of course, I hope to be able to plant these outside, and I am curious as to the best way to do this. The ground is frozen right now obviously. Do I plant them in spring right from the pot or is there some special care I should take?

 

Decorating a Rainbow Tea Table?My church has choose me to be a leader for a rainbow tea party. I have never been to a rainbow tea party. My color is gold and I need all the help I can get. This party is in a couple weeks so please respond soon.

 

Planting Daffodils?I just received a gift of potted Daffodils. Of course, I hope to be able to plant these outside, and I am curious as to the best way to do this. The ground is frozen right now obviously. Do I plant them in spring right from the pot or is there some special care I should take?

 

Homemade Glue Sticks?As wasteful as they are, glue sticks can be very convenient for a variety of projects. Does anyone have a recipe for making a glue stick, which can be put inside an empty roll-up stick?

 

Dealing With Extremely Sensitive Skin?My skin is extremely sensitive, if I touch or scratch my face it goes red. Inexpensive earrings make my ears peel (it's gross) and tanning booths give me bumps after using them. Is there an easy way to calm down irritated skin?

 

Bridesmaid and Groomsmen Gift Ideas?I'm kind of in a bind... I am getting married in May and am starting to look for the bridesmaid and groomsmen gifts. Here's the thing... some really close friends of ours (part of the wedding party) just got married and their bridal party gifts where what I was planning to buy; personalized flasks and jewelry boxes.

 

Keeping Facial Soap Case from Smelling Bad?I have been traveling quite a bit lately and keep my facial soap in a plastic soap case and then put in a plastic zip lock bag. After a couple of days, it has a terrible odor. Does anyone have a suggestion for stopping this odor?

 

Help for Insomnia?I wondered if anyone had any ideas for Insomnia? I cannot seem to get any sleep at all and I wondered if there was something that I could do to help this? I don't drink coffee or have caffeine any time near bed time and sometimes not all day.