July 15, 2008

Orange Oatmeal MuffinsCombine dry ingredients thoroughly. Combine wet ingredients, beating lightly. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Spoon into muffin tins; makes about two dozen. Bake at 350 degrees F for 24-30 minutes. Cool, store.

 

Cheesy Zucchini CasseroleMix zucchini and onion and salt and pepper together and put in casserole dish. Pour half the margarine over it and layer cheese on top. Layer crackers and pour remaining margarine over this.

 

"Evil" BarsPreheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt butter in 13x9 inch cake pan in oven. (Takes 5-10 minutes. Be careful not to burn the butter.) Remove pan from oven. Mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter and pat down with spoon.

 

Apple Bundt CakePlace flour, 2 cups sugar and next 7 ingredients in order given in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed until blended. Combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon in bowl. Add apples, tossing lightly.

 

Japanese PancakeMelt margarine in pie plate. Combine ingredients in bowl, mixing well. Bake at 400 degrees F for 12 minutes. Serve with confectioners' sugar, syrup or jelly.

 

Cheddar Cheese DipCombine all ingredients in bowl, mixing thoroughly; cover. Chill for several hours. Serve with crackers or chips.

 

Quick Chili FranksBrown ground beef with onion in skillet, stirring until crumbly. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook until heated through.

 

Cool Summer SaladMix all the ingredients together. Cool it in refrigerator. You can use it at any time.

 

Oyster Bake CasseroleSprinkle half the cracker crumbs over bottom of 8 inch casserole. Spread corn over crackers. Arrange oysters over corn. Combine soup, milk and cheese in bowl. Spoon over oysters. Cut butter into flour in bowl until crumbly.

 

Quick, Easy and Fast Chicken Casserole RecipeMix and spoon into casserole dish. Mix topping ingredients together and use to top casserole. Bake at 350 degrees F until crumbs are golden, about 25 minutes.

 

Fruit Salad DressingDrain pineapple, reserving juice. Add enough water to reserved juice to measure 1 cup liquid. Combine egg, cornstarch, sugar and salt in 1 qt. double boiler. Add pineapple juice, mixing well. Cook over hot water until mixture thickens and set aside.

 

Dottie (Dalmation) Backyard Baby!Dalmatian Dottie has grown into quite the beauty. We have fenced off our garden to give her more freedom in the yard. What a difference in behavior.

 

Craft: River Stone BirdhousesI love making these little river stone bird houses. Makes a great winter or summer pass time. An each one is never the same. They make great gifts.

 

Test New Plants Before TransplantingIf you have little experience with a newly-purchased plant, try it out in its new spot for a few days still in its nursery pot. Be careful to keep it watered as the label directs, and watch it for signs of stress. The spot you've planned for it may not be right for that type of plant.

 

How To Make Beaded EarringsIf you're bored with just beading bracelets and simple necklaces, try taking the next step and start making beaded earrings. You just need an ear hook with a loop to connect to. Then you need an earring body, or something to decorate. Then you need the decoration, otherwise known as beads!

 

Growing a Hanging Upside Down Tomato On a BalconyI live in a second floor apartment with a balcony and not a very big one at that. I decided to plant tomatoes but there isn't much room to put containers in such a small space, then I looked up. I have a spider plant and it hangs down from the ceiling, why can't tomatoes.

 

Store "Emergency" Eggs In The FreezerWhen you return home with fresh eggs from the market, whip up a couple and pour them into a small ziplock freezer bag or freezer proof container and store them in the freezer on reserve for a just-in-case emergency like this:

 

Keep Inventory of Box ContentsIf you are moving long distance using a professional mover, try to make itemized list of what is in the boxes. We lost 9 boxes on our last move and lost money from insurance because we could not tell them exactly what was in each box.

 

Pinata AlternativeFor children's birthday parties, buy small toys, stickers, candy and crepe paper streamers. Wrap the toys in the streamers one at a time creating a ball. You can make it as big or small as you like.

 

Garden for Home Grown FoodThis is my garden that I started in late May. I purchased the plants, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant from a nearby farm.

 

Leftover Garden Veggie CakesWhen you have small amounts of soft veggies left over (squash, potatoes, etc.), add them to an egg and cornmeal, make into patties and fry in skillet.

 

Safer Use of PlasticsPlastic is everywhere. We eat from it, drink from it, build with it, and our children play with toys made from it. Some of us even wear it. Unfortunately, the production, use, and disposal of plastics are all fraught with serious health and environmental consequences.

 

Sports Party CrownIf you have a child who loves sports, this is a great project he or she can do in preparation for his or her birthday party--OR--if you like to do a craft at your parties, it's simple enough for a small group of kids to do so everyone can make their own party hat.

 

Wholesome Juice SpritzersJuice Spritzers are a great way for you and your kids to drink more water. Simply mix half juice and half sparkling water together in any container or glass. I prefer one with an easy close top, like an old Gatorade bottle, that way I can take it where ever I go and it won't spill)

 

Keeping Greeting Cards HandyMy mother always had a well-stocked card box and I carried on her tradition. Every time I shop for cards, I will find several I like or sometimes I like one so much I get several of it.

 

Frame Your Own PhotographyUse your own photos to frame and display! I photographed quite a few flowers and put them in an album. I framed several to display. When I want to change I just remove them and replace them with others I have collected in my album.

 

Mattie (Shar Pei)Mattie (previously known as Mudslide) is about 6. She is a rescue pup. I got her at the Humane Society last August.

 

Mark The Top Of Spice JarsI keep my spices in a drawer. I usually had very little, if any, problems finding what I wanted. I kept them by sizes and remembered what was in a big or little bottle.

 

Keeping Garage Cool In The Summer?Our garage becomes very hot in the summer (it's 100 degrees F both indoors and outside) in spite of the fact that there is a gap between the garage door and the wall and door top (like most). I told my DH he had to invent something to keep the air circulating. Keeping the bottom of the door open a few inches doesn't help much because heat rises. In the mean time - any suggestions?

 

Kenmore Range Doesn't Heat Up?I have a Kenmore gas range that is eleven years old. The oven lights but will not heat up. Has anyone else had this problem?

 

Cleaning A Wool Silverado Hat?I have a wool Silverado hat. I wear it frequently while I'm working and it needs to be cleaned fairly badly due to sweat, dirt and other misc things it has been through. How does one clean a wool Silverado without wrecking it?

 

Poem for a Candy Wreath?I know it's early, but I will be making some candy wreaths for co-workers and others for Christmas. Years ago I saw one that had a poem telling people to snip a piece of candy for luck. Does anyone have that poem and would be willing to share it? I would appreciate it. Thanks.

 

Noises From Refrigerator Compressor?My brand new Kenmore refrigerator pops and pings when compressor first comes on. Is this normal? Thank you.

 

Trouble With Inverted Tomato Plant?I am worried about my tomato plant. I decided to invert it upside down in the lower half of a milk jug. I put a hole in the middle to be able to place my tomato plant to be growing down. I have fertilized with miracle grow and watered everyday with water.

 

Sweet Tomatoes Style Brownie Muffins?The restaurant, Sweet Tomatoes, has brownie muffins that are yummy! Recipe anybody?

 

Cleaning Ice Maker Water Line?How do I clean the inside of the plastic ice maker line? It looks gunky below the faucet under the sink before it travels under the floor to the fridge.

 

Gnats Biting Dogs?We go to the lake a lot and gnats drive him crazy. If anyone know of what too use on my dog, please let me know.

 

Training a Paper Trained Puppy to Go Outside?I have a 10 week old Pomeranian. He's paper trained but sometimes decides to go on the floor. When I notice that he's about to go poop I hurry up and run him out side for him to go, but he refuses to go outside. Them when I bring him in he'll go on the paper.

 

Buying Empty Tic Tac Style Boxes?Where can I find empty tic tac style boxes, size 1x1 in.? I have many uses for them but I cannot find anyone who can tell me where I can buy them. I hope you can help, thank you!

 

Using Foam Brushes To Refinish Tub?Why can you not use foam paint brushes to apply tub refinisher?

 

Transferring Sunflower Seedlings Outdoors?My daughter and I have started sunflower seeds indoors. They are now about 5 in. or so and I was going to plant them outdoors. I have a few questions though. Itt is supposed to be raining on and off till next Thursday and I am not sure if the seedlings can handle that much rain.

 

Recipes Using Very Tart Tomatoes?I need a good recipe for using very tart cherry tomatoes. I planted three yellow "Tumbling Tom" tomato plants which have loads of yellow one inch cherry tomatoes, but they are too acidic to eat out of hand.

 

Magic Power Wrinkle Releaser?Where can I purchase Magic Power Wrinkle Releaser? Thanks

 

Keeping Roaches Out Of Tub?How do tiny roaches get in your tub? I have a pest control guy come in every month but they are still there.

 

Homemade Sweet Pickle Relish?Does anyone have a good recipe for making sweet pickle relish? I don't like the store bought sweet relish because it's loaded with preservatives and artificial colors.

 

Wallpapering Around Archway?I need advice on wallpapering just one side of an archway. All the how-to's I find online are for papering through the arch. I want to wallpaper my hallway, which ends at an arched wall. How do I trim neatly around the arch and finish off the rough edge? Thanks in advance for any help you can give!

 

Recipes For Egg-White Omelettes?A friend of mine is entering a body-building competition, and as a result, has egg-white omelettes for breakfast every day. He has been wanting ideas on how to make them more interesting. So if anyone has any good omelet recipes that he can adapt, please let me know.

 

Prize Ideas For Prize Auction?We are holding a prize auction at a work party and need prizes. Any suggestions of what prizes should be? (something cheap)

 

Fry Cake RecipeMy great-grandmother used to make what she called fry cakes. She was a very country person, so the recipe would not be fancy. Hoping some one can help.

 

Getting Rid of Ants in Recycling?My recycling system is attracting ants. Can you help? I rinse out cat food cans, plastic bottles, and place them in a plastic bag hanging from my kitchen doorknob. I take the bag every couple of days to a local recycling center, and sort through the bag there.

 

Removing Polyurethane from a Table?I need advice on how to remove polyurethane from my beautiful dining room table. I took it upon myself to put three coats of satin polyurethane on it, when all I wanted was a shiny top coat to keep it from scratching. Now it's a mess and I don't know what to do. Is there some kind of remover I can use that won't take the finish off the table?

 

Zucchini Is Turning Brown?My zucchini starts to grow but then turns yellow and brown. Am I watering too much?

 

Sewing Patterns For Baby Bonnets?I am looking for a sewing pattern for baby bonnets, especially for boys, girls also.

 

Keeping the Fitted Sheet on the Bed?The elastic on my bottom sheets is not keeping the corners tight and in place. I wake up in the morning and the bedding is undone. Any suggestions to keep the corners tightly held?

 

What is this bug?Can anyone tell me what this bug is? It is on the tomato plants.

 

Apricots Splitting on the Tree?I have an apricot tree that is 3 year old tree. The bottom of the fruit splits than rots, on at least 50% of the fruit.

 

Garbage Disposal Makes Grinding Noise?My garbage disposal sounds like it is grinding metal for the first few seconds then is ok. It does this every time.

 

Cloudy Aquarium Water?How can I keep the water in my aquarium clear? I have tried everything from using the clear water capsules for aquariums to snails to fish that clean the tank to new filter, etc.. Finally I gave up and started over from scratch.

 

Ideas for Using Old Photos at a Birthday Party?What can I do with an old photo of my mom when she was a little girl to use it as a decoration for 80th birthday party?

 

What Do Roly-Polys Eat?What do roly-polys eat?

 

Sugar Cookie Recipe Using Self Rising Flour?About 25 years ago I had a sugar cookie recipe that was given to me by a worker for the extension service for the county. I don't remember what the recipe called for but I do know you rolled them in balls and used self rising flour. The flavor was like none I have ever tasted. Once you started eating them you could not quit. Guess what? I have lost my old time recipe. Help!

 

Safari Themed Church Picnic?Our church will be having a safari themed picnic. Any ideas for games of all ages, food, decorations, etc. would be appreciated. We had a hillbilly one and it was great!

 

Selling Homemade Greeting Cards?I am trying to sell the greeting cards I make. I have a pharmacy that will sell my items. Our deal is they get 5% of what they sell. Another shop wants to buy my cards outright and sell them for their own price. How do I price those items. Do I charge them what I would have sold them for or give them to them at 1/2 price? I am so new to this and afraid to be taken advantage of! My cards have sold pretty good just by word of mouth. Thanks!