April 26, 2006

Cranberry SparklerCombine juice concentrate, cranberry juice, and carbonated water in a punch bowl or large pitcher; stir well. To serve, if desired, garnish each serving with a cranberry and lemon slice.

 

Refrigerator Dinner RollsHeat milk, honey, shortening, margarine, or butter, and salt in a saucepan until warm and shortening almost melts. Meanwhile, dissolve yeast in lukewarm water and let stand until mixture is bubbly. . .

 

Sausage and Lentil CasseroleThis casserole is an old French favorite, it demonstrates simple home-cooking at its best giving a hearty and delicious taste of the traditional French kitchen. It makes a delicious and quick hot meal when served with fresh French bread. This recipe can be adapted for vegetarians by substituting the sausages for beans.

 

Skillet Harvest VegetablesThis harvest vegetable side dish is easy to make and full of flavor.

 

Pear-Cranberry TartFor filling, in a large saucepan, combine the 3/4 cup sugar and cornstarch. Stir in orange peel and juice. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat. Gently stir in the 2 Tbsp. margarine or butter. Fold in pears and cranberries. Set aside. . .

 

Flip Flop QuiltI made this quilt for my sister-in-law for her birthday. I just traced my daughter's flip flops, I used buttons and ribbons for the "straps" of the flip flops and sewed them top blocks.

 

Re-Establishing a LawnI have had a lawn with extensive damage from grubs. There is a large area where the lawn is now totally dead and I raked out to bare dirt. What is the best way to re-establish my lawn?

 

Breed Information: Saint BernardThe Saint Bernard is an enormous, big-boned breed with imposing proportions and a tranquil temperament. These heroic dogs are famous for their ability to sense an impending storm or avalanche and are widely recognized for their work in mountain rescue.

 

Window Box GardeningThere are several things to keep in mind when buying or building window boxes. To keep with your home's architectural integrity, select a style of window box that will compliment your home's exterior.

 

Keeping Memory Placemats and CoastersKeep a memory of a favorite restaurant or place by saving a set of decorative paper placemats to take home. Once home you can cover them with clear contact paper on both sides to preserve them and your memories. . .

 

Grooming Your DogGrooming your dog can actually be a great bonding experience, if you decide to do it yourself rather than taking your pup to a professional. And unless you've got a show dog on your hands, you don't really need to use a groomer; grooming your dog at home is easy!

 

Parking Tip For Shopping With KidsWhenever I take the kids shopping with me, I always park near a cart corral. This way, after shopping, I do not have to walk all over hunting for a place to put the cart, plus the kids can see me from the car.

 

Hairless Cats (Sphynx)Hairless cats aren't totally hairless. Like a peach, they've got fuzz. Down, if you will. The sensation of touching a hairless cat has been compared to warm velvet, or a hot water bottle.

 

A Look at the 2006 Perennial Plant of the Year!When shopping for perennial bedding plants this year, you can expect to see a lot of plant labels marked 'Cheddar Pink'. That's because the Perennial Plant Association awarded Dianthus gratianopolitanus (also known as 'Feuerhexe' or 'Firewitch') the 2006 Perennial Plant of the Year.

 

High Producing CropsIf you are looking for high-producing crops to use in a small yard, here are some suggestions . . .

 

Patches Lee WilliamsPatches Lee Williams will be 6 years old in July. He is a Domestic Shorthair. . .

 

My Frugal Life - Reflecting on the Lean YearsWhen my husband and I were married years ago, we both made minimum wage and lived from paycheck to paycheck. After the birth of our first child, we thought he was so wonderful and decided we wanted a dozen like him. I quit my job to stay home with him and my husband worked two jobs.

 

Child's Hand PaintingFor my mother last year I took a plain board (9x11 inches) and sanded it smooth. Then I let my children pick 3 different colored craft paints that matched. I primed the board and gave it a base coat of one of their color picks.

 

Save Money With Meatless MealsAnyone who has been to my website knows that I almost had a heart attack when I realized that my family was spending nearly $1000 a month on groceries, eating out, baby formula and hot school lunches. Our goal for 2006 is to cut that amount to $300.

 

Storing Undeveloped FilmYou can extend the life of film by storing it in the refrigerator. Before storing film, be sure to put it in a zip lock freezer bag and squeeze all the air out before sealing. Let the film warm to room temperature before using it.

 

You Don't Need a Financial Windfall to Start Saving...My health has been getting worse for years. Not only have we lost my income, but the medical bills are through the ceiling. We spent everything that we had saved for our retirement, and were flat broke.

 

Local Travel This SummerWe don't have a lot of money to do much over the summer when my teenage son is out of school, so this year I have been requesting free information packets about neighboring states.

 

Fabric Softener Sheet to Help Freshen and Clean Your BathroomTo help freshen your bathroom, clip a fabric softener sheet to your shower curtain and every time the humidity from the shower hits it, you should smell a slight waft of freshness. After 1-3 weeks, while in the shower, use the fabric softener sheet to scrub your shower walls -- it will help to cut the soap-scum buildup.

 

My Hibiscus is Struggling?I successfully took cuttings from a beautiful double yellow Hibiscus. They grew to about 18 inches and had lots of leaves then they started to lose their leaves and one died.

 

When Can I Draw From My IRA?I am 60 years old. Will I able to withdraw funds from my IRA account? What is the minimum I may withdraw annually?

 

Where Can I Find Borax in the UK?I've often seen Borax mentioned in postings. I'm in the UK and no one I ask has heard of it - does anyone know if it can be found under a different name?

 

Grill Machine Recipe Ideas?Does anyone have some good recipes for the grill machine (such as a George Foreman grill)? I have one of those grills and wanted to start using it again but would like some new recipe ideas.

 

Simple Appetizer for 40 People?Does anyone have an idea for a quick and easy appetizer for a party at work for about 40 people. Nothing real fancy - just plain and simple.

 

Party Favors for Teachers?We are having a teachers luncheon at our school and was wondering if anyone had any ideas for favors for the teachers, male and female.

 

How do I get off Mailing Lists?Does anybody know of a web-site or an address to write to where you can have yourself removed from mailing lists for credit card offers? I've heard they exist, now I just have to find one.

 

How long does it take for a Weeping Cherry to bloom?I am curious to know how many seasons it will take for my Weeping Cherry to begin blooming. It was purchased as a seedling 6-7 months ago and it's being grown into a bonsai.

 

Red Towels Bled on Clothing?My daughter has accidentally washed a white jacket with red towels. Now her jacket is blotched pink. How do I get the jacket back to white?

 

Problems Growing Corn (and Zucchini)?Last year I planted the same garden as I have for the last 5 years: tomatoes, peppers, corn, zucchini, green beans, exc. The problem is that the zucchini and the corn did nothing. The plants were there but the corn (I planted 6 or 8 rows) came up with only 4 corn plants which the bugs took care of.

 

Mildew on a Purse?I recently purchased a Tommy Hilfiger purse on ebay and it smells like mildew. Most of the purse is canvas but the bottom and strap are leather, there is some metal hardware on it as well. I was wondering what I could do to get the mildew smell out without damaging the purse.

 

Poll: How much do you spend on internet access?Today's poll asks: How much do you spend on internet access?

 

Nontoxic Canal Cleaner?I need a strong nontoxic spray to clean the canal I live on so that doesn't continually have to be reapplied regularly. At one time I did find one that uses 10% acetic acid and orange oil with dish soap for a surfactant, but I don't remember the exact formula. Would you have something in this line?

 

Mvelopes Budgeting System Reviews?Does anyone use the Mvelopes system for spending and budgeting (mvelopes.com)? I understand the concept and have signed up for the free trial, but I am just wondering if this has worked for anyone else?