April 28, 2008

Lemon Cake with Lemon IcingBake a ready-mix lemon cake according to box directions in a 9x13 inch pan. Puncture warm cake with long fork tines and pour powdered sugar, lemon juice, and oil, which has been combined, over top of cake.

 

Chicken Rotel CasseroleBoil and remove meat from bones of chicken. Brown onion in margarine. Mash Rotel tomatoes up well. Mix first 5 ingredients.

 

Cheese-Scalloped CarrotsCook carrots, covered in one inch of water, until barely tender. Gently cook onion in butter 2-3 minutes. Stir in flour, salt, mustard and milk. Cook till smooth. Add pepper.

 

Marshmallow-Cream Cheese Dip for FruitMix ingredients thoroughly using electric mixer. Chill. Serve with fresh fruit. Especially good with strawberries.

 

Mom's Oyster StuffingIn buttered casserole, crumble 1 strip crackers. Add 1/2 oysters and juice and 1/2 butter. Add second strip crackers and remaining oysters and juice. Pour 1/2 stick melted butter over top.

 

Two Ingredient CakeMix one chocolate cake mix, any brand and one can diet Pepsi. Stir as usual, bake as usual. Very moist and light.

 

One Fish FishcakesYour crew will never notice you only used one piece of fish.

 

Blossoms Close UpWhen taking pictures of flowers, try doing something unusual like taking a close up inside a flower bush. I love closeup pictures and it's almost like you can touch the flowers.

 

Remove Surface Fats with Wax PaperTo remove surface fats from soup and other liquids, I float pieces of wax paper on top and lift out. The fats adhere to the paper. Repeat until all fat is removed. You can do this when hot but it is best done when warm or at room temperature.

 

Healthy Menu Choices by CuisineDon't let restaurant meals throw a curveball into your diet and exercise plan. With a little advance planning, ordering a healthy meal is do-able, whether the cuisine is Chinese, Indian, Italian or American. Here's a rundown of what to choose and what to avoid.

 

Thumbtack OrbCover a Styrofoam ball with silver thumbtacks from the dollar store to make a cool orb!

 

Lestoil to Remove GumI have found Lestoil works to remove chewing gum. I would assume that it would work on clothing as well as my daughter dropped her chewing gum on her bed sheet.

 

Save on a YMCA MembershipThe local Y is desperate for volunteers, and I was able to negotiate a free membership in return for volunteering some of my time. Now I can go to all the water aerobics and other fitness classes I like, as well as use their extensive facilities whenever I want!

 

Easy Backyard CompostingComposting adds free organic material to your garden which helps the soil retain and drain water and encourages healthier plants. Here is an easy way to compost.

 

Beverages for the Christmas CactusI started giving the cactus a cup of coffee once a week and it has just exploded! It blooms twice a year and has grown by leaps and bounds. Try coffee!

 

No Soliciting Door HangerI grew tired of being constantly disturbed by door-to-door salesmen, so I composed this poem and cross stitched it onto a sampler. I hung it on the inside of my outer glass door, and happily, most of the salesman now either bypass my house, or quietly leave literature.

 

Rulers Keep Mice and Roaches out of CupboardsWe were so disgusted when we found a mouse had made his way into our kitchen cupboards. We found a half inch space along the bottom of the cupboard doors where the nasty little mouse made his way in.

 

Vinegar for Cleaning Paint BrushesI did not want to throw my $1.00 brush away. I am a bit thrifty. It has many other uses to come. I soaked in vinegar water for a day and the brush cleaned up, no more dried floor patch. I will get a few more years out of my paint brush.

 

Beautiful Flowers Without A Lot Of WaterThis is my granddaughter, Kari, sitting in their front yard. The flowers are all natives of our region: dry west Texas.

 

Use Bread To Clean Up Broken GlassAn easy way to pick up small pieces of broken glass without hurting yourself is to just scrunch up several pieces of any type of bread, then use this ball of bread to pick up the pieces of glass, by pressing the bread into the glass.

 

Make Extra Pancakes and FreezeWhen I make a batch of pancakes, I double the recipe. I use the second batch to cook up, then cool them. I put the pancakes separately between squares I cut from wax paper, stack them, and store them in a covered tupperware container and put in the freezer.

 

Storing Large Bags of Dog FoodI use a "dog food only" garbage bin with the locking handles to store 50 lb bags of dog food. The whole bag goes into the bin which is stored in the garage. It keeps the food fresh and keeps the dog out of it.

 

Determine the Age of an EggYou can determine the age of an egg by placing it in the bottom of a bowl of cold water. If it lays on it's side, it is fresh. If it stands at an angle, it is at least three days old and ten days old if it stands on end.

 

Keeping Cutting Boards from SlidingDoes your cutting board slide around on your kitchen counter? If so, cut some rubber backing from the kitchen liner roll, cut smaller than the cutting board, place it under the board and walla no more sliding. Hope this helps. I cook a lot so I have 3 cutting boards which work great without sliding.

 

Max (Siberian Husky)Max is 2 months old and a Siberian Husky. We got him about a month ago at a local pet store.

 

Spending Too Much On Take Out Coffee?Sometimes we don't realize how much money we spend on take out coffee. If you buy two cups a day, 5 days a week it can cost you approximately $60 a month. That's $720 a year on just coffee. Yikes! Here are a few solutions to cut down your Java costs.

 

How to Make a Bath Scrubby?Does anyone know how to 'MAKE' a bath scrubby? (those kind you use to wash yourself with) I just want to make my own because all I find around are too

 

Cleaning a Laundry Line?I'd like to start hanging out my laundry again. There is a laundry line on my back porch, but I haven't used it in years.

 

Cafeteria "Lubys" Baked Cod Recipe?I'm back again. I thank all of you for your great help in the past. I'm looking for the recipe that the Cafeteria "Lubys" has for their baked cod. I loved it and they have closed here. It had a mayonnaise like base to it with crumbs of some sort on the top. I've tried to duplicate it but it is not right.

 

First Communion Centerpiece Ideas?I need some ideas for a table centerpiece for my son's first communion.

 

Looking For Information About Geothermal Heating?I am interested in Geothermal heating for my home. I am looking for information from others who have this type of heating and how they feel about the decision they made having it installed.

 

Planning a Baby Shower?My daughter is expecting her first baby in November and I'd love to organize a baby shower. I live in the UK and I haven't the faintest idea how to go about it.

 

Removing Ring Left by Stainless Steel Pot on Glass Cook Top?I left an empty stainless steel pot on my ceramic glass top cook top and now I have a foggy type ring stain on the burner. Any suggestions on how to remove it? I tried vinegar, baking soda, stove top cleaner and nothing worked. Am I stuck with the stain?

 

What's your favorite crockpot recipe?I know there are lots of past crock pot recipes posted on here, but does anyone have some favorites they would like to sharet?

 

Mail Order Pharmacy That Ships to Columbia?Any one know of mail order pharmacies or stores that will ship to Colombia, South America? I know of someone who needs Prilosec there.

 

Keeping Grass From Growing In Brick Driveway?What can I use in my brick driveway, to keep the grass and weeds from growing in between the bricks? I would like to use a product that would keep the plants away for at least a year. Is there a product that will do this? I do know how to kill the plants, but want something that will prevent them from growing!

 

Homemade Spray On Conditioner?I want to make my own spray on, leave in hair conditioner with sunscreen. I would like to know if anyone has a recipe to make this?

 

Review of Indoor Water Fountains?I was wanting to purchase a indoor water fountain,and I was wanting to know if any of you all have one, and if so what type would you all recommend.

 

Rust on a Drop Ceiling?I have a drop ceiling in my bath with metal rails that have rusted badly. How can I remove the rust without damaging the ceiling tiles. Can I paint over the rusted rails with a rust prohibiting paint without special preparation?

 

Where to Find Tote With Clear Outer Pocket?I am looking for a tote with a clear outer pocket that I can insert a record album cover into...Thanks.

 

Getting Rid of Shoots From Mountain Ash Tree?I want to get rid of all shoots from my Mountain Ash tree. I, have tried by digging, etc, but they keep coming up, Really ready to cut it down, but the shoots will be still there.

 

Foods That Cause Acne?Are there any foods that cause pimples to flare up? Can anyone please give me a list of foods to avoid that cause acne to flare up? Thanks!