July 30, 2008

"Fried Ice Cream"When ready to serve, pull it out of the freezer and cut it into serving size pieces. Top with a drizzling of chocolate syrup and a maraschino cherry for an extra flair.

 

Justin's Macaroni SaladThis is a recipe that was given to my mother by our next door neighbor. My husband, Justin, could eat this everyday if I made it.

 

Double Chocolate Trifle With Pudding And BananasSeparately prepare puddings following package directions using milk, in 2 separate bowls.

 

Dessert TortillasSpray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Turn heat to medium. Spread peanut butter over one tortilla using the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and marshmallows. Cover with another tortilla.

 

Creamy CornbreadGrease 9x13 inch baking pan with part of oil and mix all ingredients together. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

 

Cold Vegetable Tomato SoupIn a blender, cover and process a cup of tomato juice with half of the tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onion, thyme, and garlic until chopped. Pour in a large bowl or container. Repeat.

 

Donating Books To SoldiersThe following address will get books to the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force in Afghanistan.

 

Eat Your Potatoes, Peelings and AllWhen I peel potatoes, I leave a small amount of the potato on the peeling and place the pieces in a bowl of cold water. I then drain them and pat dry. I place the peelings on a greased pan in a single layer.

 

Use Old Pantyhose to Keep Rain Barrel Water CleanI've discovered that when collecting rain in your rain barrel, you can put a leg from a pair of pantyhose over the end of your downspout. It keeps the water clean, especially if your gutters have any debris in them. I hold the pantyhose material on with an elastic band, which makes it easy to remove and rinse off when it gets dirty.

 

Chocolate Pudding for Desserts or Cake FillingAdd 1 heaping Tbsp. cocoa powder, 1 - 2 Tbsp. corn starch (depending upon how thick you want it to be) and 2 Tbsp. powdered sugar to powder of a chocolate pudding mix.

 

Product Review: CraigslistSomeone mentioned Craigslist on the ThriftyFun website. I went there and am having so much fun. I want to thank whoever gave that suggestion to go there to find something you are looking for.

 

Trash-Picked Potting StationMy husband brought home a desk from his brother's trash pile. I'll admit I was annoyed when I saw it on the back porch, but then I got inspired to make this cute potting station with the desk, an old chair, a shelf I got for $2.50 at the thrift store.

 

Beautifully Carved MelonsI saw this at a Farmer's Market in Port Orchard WA and thought it was carved so amazingly that I just had to get a picture of it.

 

Baby OwlThis is our baby owl. It was on our road and wouldn't move when I drove by it so my husband brought it to the house. We fed it then put it up in the woods so it's mother could take care of it. We have people around here that would have probably run over the poor thing.

 

Attracting Toads To Your GardenWho needs pesticides to protect your flowers and vegetable garden when a single toad can eat thousands upon thousands of pesky garden insects in a single season? In fact, they may eat as many as 50 to 100 slugs, flies, grubs, grasshoppers, and cutworms in just one night!

 

Summer's BountyI don't know about you, but I love shopping at the farmer's market. I have a small garden, but it is not enough to feed the seven people who live in my house so I do my quantity shopping at the farmer's market.

 

Pack Vacation Treasures Among Your ClothingWhen we go vacationing out of state, I like to go treasure hunting while I'm there. The way to transport all my little collectibles; I wrap them in my clothes. I keep them in the plastic bags they give me but I separate them and wrap them in my clothes. The clothing protects my treasures and I don't have to take up more trunk space.

 

Craft: Faux Leather VaseI made these with kids many years ago. I searched the web to see if anyone had a photo and directions. And yes they did.

 

Beating the Heat Index: Do You Know Where Your Loved Ones Are?It's that time of year again: hot, hot, hot. Just in case you forgot, the heat affects everyone differently. Thousands of people in this country die from extreme heat.

 

Joke: Marriage ScriptureA Pastor asked if anyone had a scripture relating to marriage. Someone in the back of the room piped up and said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do".

 

Floating Eggs Are Too Old To UseWith grocery prices rising almost daily, I am even more prudent in seeking even small ways to save. Tip: Don't throw away eggs just because the sell by date has passed.

 

Pharaoh Ant or Sugar Ant Pest ControlNo matter how much I clean and keep all sugary sweets off the counters and tucked away, I will still wake up to find a few ants crawling about. I read a few good tips.

 

Tea Tree Oil For MoldI like to use tea tree oil to clean mold in the bathroom. In a 1 quart spray bottle, fill almost 3/4 full and add 30 to 40 drops of tee tree oil and about 1 to 2 tablespoons of liquid dish detergent.

 

Turn Off Shower To Save WaterWhen I shower, I turn off the water while I lather up, shampoo my hair, or shave my legs. I'm amazed at the amount of water I save by only having the water on twice instead of running it the entire shower.

 

W.C. Fields TomatoDoes anyone remember W.C. Fields? Here is DH's tomato that reminds me of the actor.

 

Frugal Guidelines For Grocery ShoppingSticking to a grocery budget can get interesting, to say the least. A really good sale on non-perishable items can tempt you to overspend. I have learned to put my grocery money in an envelope. When I run out of money, I quit buying. If I need another loaf of bread, more than likely the ingredients are on hand. I have a few other guidelines, too.

 

Daisy and Jack the CatsDaisy is the Grey cat and is 6 years old. Jack is the Orange cat and is 1 year old. We got both cats from people giving them away.

 

Pay A Little Bit Over To Keep Each Month's Payment DifferentDo you have a merchant that you pay every month (i.e., doctor, mortgage, etc.) that is exactly the same amount and had the unfortunate situation of having to contest that they hadn't posted the payment, and they say they never received it?

 

Charlie Brown (Chi-Wennie)Charlie Brown is 5 months old and is a Chi-wennie. A friend gave him to me as house warming gift!

 

Step StoolI am always looking for a deal.

 

Using Tissue Paper To Update A LampI changed my living room and my table lamps won't match, they were peach ceramic. I cleaned the ceramic with alcohol and then I put a thin layer of Elmers' glue and, with tissue paper which I crushed with my hands forming a ball, unfold the paper and press on the glued surface all around.

 

Ask Kids To Help With WateringIf you're having trouble with your spray nozzle or if you need more help watering - remember kids are more than willing to help!

 

Scenery: Cabo Roja, Puerto RicoThis beautiful picture was taken when I was just driving by the shore to relax. It's in the town of Cabo Rojo, the area is called Joyuda. Very peaceful

 

Veggie Not Staying Fresh?Recently I read the posts on cleaning refrigerators with vinegar and water. I did that and now my veggies are not staying fresh for longer than a couple of days. Can someone tell me how to solve this problem?

 

Large Paper Mache Flower?How would you construct a large (floor to almost ceiling) paper mache flower for a little girls room? What would you use for petals and the stem? Help!

 

Dealing With Stray Cats?I have too many cats and don't know what to do. I have one inside female kitten who's been spayed, she's no problem. I have two female and one male indoor/outdoor cats who have also been neutered, they're no problem (although one doesn't get along with the others).

 

Ice Maker Slowly Making Ice?My Kenmore ice maker is making ice very slow and ice is usually hollow.

 

Alternative Transportation Ideas?Because of the rising price of gas and the effect on the environment, my family is considering selling one of our cars (we have two) and getting something like Segways, mopeds, motorized scooters, and so on. I'm looking for some advice about some of these methods of transportation.

 

Homemade Bloody Mary Mix?I am looking for a home made bloody Mary mix using fresh tomatoes.

 

Small Tomato Plants?Why are some of my tomato plants growing beautifully and others look like runts? They all get the same amount of sun, but are in different areas. The ones that look great I practically ignore.

 

Hand and Foot Card Game?Does anyone know the basics to the card game Hand and Foot? I want the short version please.

 

Discount Pet Product Websites?Does anyone know any online sites for discounted/food, pet products? I've been to some and they are not really discount they are even higher.

 

U-pack Moving Service Reviews?Does anyone have experience with UPack moving service? We are going to move coast to coast and would like anyone's advice on how to go about it!

 

Duros Recipe?I have been looking for a recipe for making duros (duritos, durros, pasta para durito) from scratch with both the proportions of the ingredients and the process. I have not been able to find anything on the internet resembling a recipe.

 

Mary Maxim Rug Hooking Kit Instructions?I am looking for instructions for a mary maxim rug hooking kit. It is called painted daisy #166249. I purchased the stamped rug and yarn from a yard sale but had no instructions. Thank you.

 

Recipe for Puppy Biscuits?Does anyone have a great recipe for puppy biscuits? I would love to make my own for my puppy who is 4 months old. Thank you for any advice you might have!

 

Gift Basket Ideas for Wedding Guests?I am trying to get ideas for what to put in a lovely basket for my out of town guests who will be coming for my wedding. I want the hotel personnel to give them to my guests, as they check into their hotels.

 

Should I Saute Onions for Spaghetti Sauce?I was wondering how important it is to saute cut up onion before adding the onion to spaghetti sauce? Someone told me that she just peels a whole onion and drops it whole into the sauce without sauteeing it. I have never heard of doing it that way. Has anyone ever tried it this way, and which way do you think would be best?

 

NU-EYES for Dogs?My Princess, a Miniature Pinscher, just turned 10 years old. On Friday night, July 18th, 2008, I noticed she was not seeing things right. I called the Vet and made an appointment for Saturday morning at 8AM.

 

Sirpi Italian Classics #95315?I am a professional decorator and am trying to trace some wallpaper which has just been discontinued.All the suppliers in the UK seem to be unable to trace any for me. The paper is from a book called Italian Classics and is made by Sirpi and the pattern number is 95315.