March 17, 2006

Easy Marshallow 4 Layer BarsBake 2-3 minutes until the marshmallows begin to melt. Cool, cut in bars. (Variations: Can substitute 1 cup chocolate chips, 1/2 cup coconut and 1/2 cup pecans.)...

 

Almond Bark Peanut Butter CrackersMelt almond bark in double boiler. Spread peanut butter on cracker and top with a second cracker. Using tongs, dip cracker sandwich in melted almond bark. Place on wax paper to cool.

 

Nacho Chili DipBlend chili and cheese; melt together in microwave. Can also be blended and put in crockpot to melt....

 

Vidalia Onion DipMix ingredients together except corn chips. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes stirring occasionally. Serve with corn chips...

 

Rye Bread Cheese SandwichesStir with cheese to cream consistency. Let set overnight. Use dark rye bread to make the sandwiches.

 

Cucumber SandwichesMix, then spread on party rye bread. Place cucumber on top. Sprinkle with dill weed...

 

Caramel Dip For ApplesBeat all ingredients together and refrigerate. Serve with apple slices...

 

Almond Roca CandyCook sugar and margarine, stirring constantly to a hard crack stage or good caramel color. Grease pan and sprinkle about 2/3rds of the chopped almonds on bottom. Pour caramel mixture over it and spread broken Hershey pieces over the hot carmel...

 

Tortilla Roll AppetizerBlend cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients, except salsa. Spread on taco shells and roll up. Cover tightly with plasti cup wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours...

 

Cheese Soup (Microwave Recipe)Combine first 5 ingredients and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper and cheese. Add enough half and half to fill the crock pot. Simmer and serve...

 

Caramel CrispixPour over the Crispix and nuts in the bag. Shake. Put bag in microwave for 1 minute. Shake. Repeat procedure 3 times. Put on cookie sheet to cool...

 

Recipes for LifeMix good thoughts, consideration, kind deeds, forgiveness and well beaten faults. Add tears of joy, sorrow and sympathy for others.

 

Gepetto Under the CoversGepetto is 3 1/2 years old and is an American domestic short-hair cat. We found him in a tree on our golf course when he was about 8 weeks old (stray). He immediately started purring when we took him down from the tree, and the rest is history!

 

Placement of Plants and TreesWhen planting flower beds in your front yard, plant on a diagonal from your house. The yard will have more depth. Never plant trees in the center of the front yard as it shortens it but again plant them on a diagonal from your house.

 

Contact Paper For Longer Lasting BooksIf you want to have paperback books last, cover them with clear contact paper, leaving a margin of 2 plus inches on the inside edge. For some reason, this seems to help the binding, as well as keeping the cover from getting frayed.

 

Belly Button Lint RemoverHere's another "gag gift" craft idea. Belly Button Lint Remover - (I know, it sounds disgusting!) Take a long bead and stick a piece of pipe-cleaner through it, make a tiny loop at one end so it won't come out of the bead.

 

Protecting Knees While GardeningTo protect your knees when gardening, sew patch pockets on the knee area of your pants. Slip sponges or soft foam into the pocket. When you bend or kneel, these knee savers won't move or fall off. They're always ready and available when you want to use them.

 

Tippy and ChewyTippy's age is unknown. He's the cat. Chewy is 1 1/2 years. We bought Chewy as a baby with his two sisters. He is the bird.

 

Saving Money on a Wedding DressDon't feel you have to spend a lot on a wedding dress. The First one for me was a version of my grandmother's wedding dress. And the second was a long green linen dress for a garden wedding I got in a thrift shop for $4. No one could tell the difference!

 

Ellen's Tips for Conserving WaterPracticing water conservation saves you money, protects the health of your family and reduces the risk of damaging your access to quality drinking water. Water conservation also prevents water pollution-which hurts the environment and ultimately costs money to remedy.

 

Quick ReupholsteryI "reupholstered" an old office chair I FOUND on the street by putting on tapestry panels I got at the dollar store - I pinned on the bottom seat section with push pins and I laced the top back section on using matching yarn.

 

Growing Peruvian Daffodil (Spider...Plant bulbs outdoors in the spring or fall, 3 to 5 inches deep and spaced 12 to 15 inches apart. Gardeners in northern zones should plant bulbs outdoors in the spring when temperatures stay above 60ºF. Zones with shorter season may want to consider starting plants indoors.

 

Growing: SnowdropThe Snowdrop's native habitat is the eastern Mediterranean, southeastern Europe and Russia. Because they grow in late fall or early spring (depending on zone) they are often thought of as opportunists. By blooming early, they ensure themselves more moisture and less competition from other flowers for pollinators...

 

Growing SquillThere are several species of Squill, but Siberian Squill (Scilla siberica) is probably the most commonly grown. It blooms in the spring along with Snowdrops, Tulips, Hyacinth and Crocus and often produces more than one 8 inch stem per bulbs, each with up to 6 start-shaped flowers...

 

Growing Rain Lily (Fairy Lily)Rain lilies earn their namesake from their habit of blooming several times a season, usually 3 or 4 days after it rains. They are a genus of a bulbous species belonging to the amaryllis family...

 

Supporting Tomato PlantsWhen planting tomato plants in a garden - place hog panel 3 feet tall down the length of the row(s). Plant tomato plants in front of each side of the panel - as they begin grow start to tie them to the panel with cut up nylon hose.

 

Growing Snowflake (Leucojum)The snowflake flower is native to southern Europe, from the Pyrenées to Romania and western Russia.

 

Kitchen Cabinet Magnetic Latch?My kitchen cabinets and the magnetic latches are a bit "aged". So aged that the magnets really hold well together. Is there any tip that you can offer that will make these magnets easier to open once again?

 

Smoke Smell (from a fire) on Vinyl Windows?We had a bad fire with a lot of smoke and can't get the smell out of our vinyl windows. Does anyone have any advice?

 

After Hurricane Katrina, My Whole Lawn is Weeds?I need help with my lawn! What Hurricane Katrina didn't kill with salt water flooding, the heat and drought afterward did it in. All of my azaleas are dead so I'll have to replant those but my entire lawn is pretty much weeds now.

 

Stains from Tissue Paper on a Wedding Dress?My wedding dress was packed in blue tissue paper and now there is blue dye on the dress. How can this be removed?

 

Buying Creeping Zinnia Seeds?I saw the beautiful picture of the creeping zinnia and I would love them for my garden. The problem is I can't seem to find plants or seeds anywhere on the web. Does anyone know where I can get them?

 

Saint Petersburg, Florida Travel Advice?My family and I are going to Saint Petersburg, Florida on April 7th. I have 4 children ages 5 to 18. Does anyone have any suggestions on where to stay or what to do while we are there. We are arriving at the St. Petersburg airport.

 

Cats Getting My New Guinea Impatiens?I live in Canada but the weather would be close to Seattle's. I have a north facing brick planter on the front of the house that doesn't get much direct sun. I planted New Guinea Impatiens last year and some of it survived but some just disappeared and I think it was local cat that loves to dig in the garden year round.