May 8, 2008

Hamburger BoatsCombine first 7 ingredients in bowl. Heat oil in skillet and lightly brown meat mixture. Add onions, tomato sauce and water. Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 

Angel SaladMelt butter, add sugar mixed with cornstarch and juice. Add beaten egg yolks and cook until mixture thickens. When cool, pour into cream which has been whipped, then add fruit.

 

Easy Taco BakeIn skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat until browned, stirring to separate meat. Pour off fat. Add soup, salsa, milk, tortillas and half the cheese. Spoon into 2-quart shallow baking dish.

 

Honey Milk BallsTry this no bake cookie made with honey and peanut butter. Chill before serving.

 

Surprise Grilled Cheese SandwichHeat skillet, dice tomato and mix with macaroni and cheese. Place in frying pan and cook until brown on both sides.

 

Planting Blueberry BushesWe are getting ready to plant blueberry bushes. I have read online that we need to cut off the top 3rd of the plants when we plant them and then not let them produce for the 1st 2 years. Does anyone out there have experience with blueberries?

 

Organizing Your Pantry With Recycled ContainersI save my mayonnaise jars, coffee cans (Folgers), and my catsup bottles for re-use again. I keep uncooked rice, dried beans, macaroni and graham crackers in the clear mayonnaise jars.

 

Steaming TortillasWhile making fajitas, soft tacos, or burritos, place flour tortillas on a wire cooling rack over the simmering skillet. The steam makes tortillas elastic longer than heating in the microwave.

 

Buy Garden Seeds On eBayThis year for my garden I decided to save some money buying seeds. What I did was go to eBbay, find a seller that had a large supply of seeds, and who offered free shipping on every order after the first is placed.

 

Sugar Free Iced Coffee DrinkStart with a large glass (18 oz), add 1 tsp. of instant coffee powder, 1 tsp. sugar free chocolate pudding mix (dry powder), add 2 inches of hot water and stir vigorously. Add 5-6 ice cubes, and some milk or non dairy creamer. Fill up glass with more milk or water, stir well. The hot water will dissolve the pudding mix and make it creamy. If you want to use powdered creamer add it with the coffee powder.

 

The Best Houseplants for Low LightIf you find that you have a brown thumb when it comes to growing houseplants, existing light conditions may be the biggest factor standing in the way of you and success.

 

Elsa and Abbey (Mini Poodle)Elsa is 6 years old and Abbey (deceased) was 17 1/2 years. We got Abbey, the mini poodle, at a pet shop, Elsa was a feral cat.

 

Link: Hillbilly HousewifeI wanted to share a site that was shared with me:

 

Starting Cactus From SeedsI have recently purchased some seeds for cactus. I have seen them growing here in KS, so I know it's possible. My question is, how to start cactus? How about soil, or should I just use rock to plant them in?

 

Make Your Own Garden PathsAfter my home site was cleared, I was left with a large area in the back which was filled with mud after every rain. Before I installed zoysia sod, I decided to make paths leading to several areas I plan to landscape with shrubs, flowers, and vegetables. The paths would be rather long (150 feet) and it would be very expensive to finish them with cement.

 

Use Car Air Fresheners In The GarageI have a great tip for keeping a fresher smell in the garage. Use one of the air fresheners that you can hang in your car. These have a strong perfume to them and work better hanging in the garage. Our cat also lives in our garage and this keeps his area smelling great too.

 

Zoysia Grass Is Not Good For GardensDon't plant Zoysia grass in your yard unless you have no flowers, patios, or places you do not want it to go. It is hard to stop once it takes root. It is growing between my bricks in my sidewalk, in my patio everywhere. It is only good for fields where sports are played.

 

Reusing Spice Bottles For OrganizingWhen spice bottles are empty, the plastic ones you get, wash them out with hot water and soap, remove labels and let air dry. When dry, you can store sewing pins, needles, buttons, small nails, tacks, anything small.

 

The Seasonal "Locavore": Guidelines for Healthy...Few of us would argue the health and environmental benefits of locally produced food. It is usually the freshest, best tasting and most nutritious food we can give our bodies, and growing, harvesting, and transporting it locally leaves the smallest carbon footprint and does the least amount of damage to the environment.

 

Get Paint Swatches To Match Your Color SchemeI don't know about you, but when I am in a store and I see something I like for a particular room and am thinking of purchasing, I am never sure about the exact shade of the particular color of pink, for example, in my living room, or blue ( is it a grey blue or a green blue? I don't remember!).

 

Driving The Speed Limit To Save MoneyGas prices are rising rapidly (as always), so here's a tip for getting better gas mileage: Obey speed limits! Studies show that, for every 5 miles per hour you drive over 60 mph, it's like paying an extra 20 cents per gallon of gas! And, by actually going the speed limit, you'll be avoiding a pricey speeding ticket.

 

Removing Mildew Smell From items After Traveling?I just returned from Jamaica and all of my clothes, suitcases, shoes, purse, etc all smell like must/mildew. I have washed, Febrezed, and sunned. Please help with any recommendations.

 

Looking For Quiche Recipes?Wondering if anyone has a favorite quiche recipe they would like to share. I am thinking that this would be a good way to make ends meet, now that gas and everything else is so expensive. Thanks for anyone who can help!

 

Party Favor Ideas For Museum Anniversary Party?I am having a second anniversary party for a small museum I work with. Only partners and employees are invited, and I would like to give them a unique but non-expensive party favor. Our museum is train-themed. I'd like our party favor to go along with that, or a summer theme. Any suggestions?

 

Bread Machine Stopped Working?I have a bread machine (ABM-100-3SN 37128644). I set the machine on French bread, pushed start, it starts kneading, then stops in 10 min. then nothing. Timing Set is not on. I have tried timing but still no results. Please help. I need bread today, but my machine did not come with instructions. I have all ingredients in. What buttons do I need to push to make bread? Thanks.

 

Computer Screen Not Refreshing?For several months now I have been having a particular problem with my computer. The best way I know how to describe it is that my screens are not automatically refreshing.

 

Removing Ballpoint Pen From Old Paper?I have a piece of old paper, that was written on 10 years ago with a blue ballpoint pen. How can I remove this ink from the paper without removing the original quality of paper? Basically this old paper is my birth form and some Information already mentioned on it is printed. Thank you.

 

Keeping Flies Out Of Dog's Food?My brother's dog has flies all over his dry dog food. He has to feed him outside, due to him being an outside dog. He is a Great Dane and way too big for the house. Does anyone know of any tips to keep flies away that will not harm the dog or the food that he will eat? Thanks for any suggestions.

 

Advice For Growing Latana?I have a problem getting lantana to grow. I have the yellow gold that will spread. Do you have any tips on planting and watering etc.? Seems after about a month or two they just die.

 

Towels That Recommend "Avoid Contact With Skin Treatment Products"?I purchased Martha Stewart low twist towels and much to my dismay the care label states AVOID CONTACT WITH SKIN TREATMENT PRODUCTS. I have never seen this before and I don't know what products they are referring to? Needless to say the towels were returned to Macy's immediately. What is that all about? Has this happened to anyone else?

 

Kid's Knees Always Look Dirty?How do you get kid's knees to lighten up. No matter how hard you scrub, they still look dirty.

 

Looking For Recipes Using Nopales?Any Nopales recipes that you would like to share? Nopales are a form of cactus whose outer skin and needles have been removed. High fiber. Very healthy. Supposed to be helpful for lowering glucose or the impact of a high carb meal. I've noticed that my sugar drops a bit more than usual when I've been studying hard and had scrambled eggs with Nopales strips for breakfast. However, this is not an 'instead of' diabetes medication food product.

 

Making An Outside Cat "Run"?I have two indoor cats that like to go outside in nice weather. When we let them out to roam in the fenced backyard, my husband and I supervise them. We have some large gaps in places and last time we were out, one cat jumped the fence. They haven't been out since.

 

Cat Is Dragging Laundry Around House?One of my cats started doing something strange this past year. Jesse is a 4yr old neutered male. He brings dirty laundry downstairs. I know he's trying to tell me something, but I can't figure out what it is. He'll grab a sock usually, but sometimes he'll bring underwear, t-shirts, pajama pants, and once he brought a blanket!

 

Advice For Reviving A Clematis?Should I pardon this clematis? I have a clematis which has been on this trellis since we moved into our home over ten years ago. Every spring I am surprised that it has even survived because it never looks all that healthy to me. You can see that the top of the plant looks healthy and has many buds on which will soon bloom, but the middle areas are woody and unhealthy looking.

 

Using Home Grown Herbs? I received a Chia herb garden kit as a gift and am growing parsley, basil, cilantro, and dill on my windowsill. The plants are doing well but I am wondering how big they have to get before I can start harvesting the herbs for cooking. I was also wondering if I can use my basic miracle grow houseplant food for the herbs or if I have to buy something special since the herbs will be used for cooking. Thanks for the help!

 

Baby Shower Diaper-Shaped Nut Cups?Many years ago, I attended a baby shower with my mother and the nut cups were little baby diapers made out of a sugar confection! Does anyone else remember those and how they are made?

 

Planting Lilacs In Sandy Soil?I live in Wyoming and have very sandy soil. I would like to plant lilacs and need to know the best time to plant and how to care for them.

 

Getting Rid Of Gasoline Smell On Freezer?I have a small freezer that had a gasoline can sitting on it in the garage. I just moved it inside and the gasoline smell is overwhelming. I've washed it with bleach and vinegar and it hasn't made a difference. Anyone have an answer for this?

 

Mother's Day Ideas Using Crepe Paper Streamers?I have many rolls of various colored crepe paper streamers. I would like to have my Sunday School class (grades 1-4) make something for Mother's day out of them. Perhaps someone has instructions on how to make flowers out of them? Any other ideas?

 

Help Choosing Perennials?I have a raised, bricked flower bed running a partial length of our house. It is 15' long and 1.5' wide and sits in partial to full shade. It faces the street, so I'd like to plant something eye-catching, that might provide continuous color. I'm okay with planting a few annuals to add to the look, but would really like some suggestions for perennials to anchor this area. Thanks so much for your help!

 

Problems With Finish On Hardwood Floors?Help! I am extremely frustrated with my hardwood floor. We have the Armstrong Sugar Creek Solid Plank in cherry, so it is quite dark. I have two problems. First, we had been using the Orange Glo on it, so we have the same problem many others have had, a hazy, milky residue that we can't get off. I've read so many conflicting things (Windex, Quick Shine, wax stripper) I don't what to do to get this residue off.

 

Keeping Grass Stains Off Wedding Dress?How do I keep grass stains off my wedding dress at our outdoor wedding?

 

Making A Purse Out Of A Dog Food Bag?How do you make a purse out of a dog food bag?

 

Bypassing Safety Switches On Riding Lawnmower?How do you bypass the 3 safety switches on a riding lawnmower?

 

Growing Gourds In 5 Gallon Buckets?Can I grow gourds in 5 gallon buckets? I'd like to grow some of those little gourds that look like hens eggs. I have the seeds, and am ready to plant. But we don't have enough space for sprawling vines in the yard. Could I plant these seeds in

 

Can Orchids Be Started From Cuttings?Is it possible to start orchids from cuttings?