April 8, 2009

Microwave Macaroni and Ham DishEasy, quick meal! Place margarine slices in 2 qt. glass baking dish. Layer remaining ingredients, 1/3 at a time, in prepared dish. Cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 20 minutes.

 

Triple Chocolate CakeThis is an easy family favorite. Combine first 6 ingredients in mixer bowl. Beat for 2 minutes or longer. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes, or until cake tests done.

 

Best GuacamoleRemove avocado from skin into medium bowl. Add cottage cheese, salsa, salt, pepper, garlic, lemon and cilantro. Smash all with potato smasher then stir till well blended.

 

Toffee CakeCombine the first 5 ingredients. In separate bowl combine topping ingredients. Spread half the batter in a 9x13 inch pan.

 

Kid Pleasing Breakfast CasseroleThis can be fixed any time and reheated on a busy morning in single portion servings. It even works for a quick snack for hungry teens!

 

Grilled Salmon With Spicy Honey Basil SauceA delicious sauce to enhance your grilled salmon.

 

Aspen SaladYummy vegetable salad

 

Inspirational Plant PokesUse these plant pokes to dress up and personalize your arrangements or potted plants. Spell out a word, connecting the letters at various angles (to resemble handwriting) with hot glue. Attach word to skewer with hot glue.

 

Cereal Bags to Store HamThis is the perfect way to save your Easter ham. A big ham fits perfectly in a recycled bag from a large box of cereal. For ham, I especially like the very large corn flakes bags.

 

Como Park Zoo: Majestic Zoo LionsMy husband and I took a recent day trip to the Como Park Zoo in St. Paul Mn. We came across these lions and couldn't get over how majestic they were. It was as if the they were very graciously allowing us a moment of their time for pictures.

 

Renewed Night Gown With T-ShirtWhen your night gown wears out at the top, but the bottom is still OK, cut the top off, and replace it with a T-shirt. Cut the hem off the T-shirt. Put a long zipper in front to keep from pulling it over your head.

 

Storing Dry Laundry DetergentI store my dry laundry detergent in a plastic bin that has a tight fitting lid. This keeps the powder grainy and loose, so there is never any clumping.

 

My Frugal Life: Living Frugally in Puerto RicoNo one plans to be old, alone, disabled and broke. But things happen. October: Cold, and winter ahead. By chance, I see an offer for a very cheap flight to Puerto Rico.

 

Charlie (Mixed Breed)Charlie is a 5 year old mixed breed (Heinz 57) I rescued from a shelter in July of 2005 when he was a puppy. He likes to play in the backyard. Charlie is an amazingly smart dog.

 

Easter Gingerbread HouseWe have always made gingerbread houses at Christmas time. I've had so much fun making them over the years that I decided to carry it over to Easter. Here is my first creation, the house of Mr. Easter Bunny himself.

 

Easter Jelly Bean PrayerThis is an inexpensive Easter greeting, treat or egg hunt idea that keeps the true meaning of Easter while incorporating the fun/bunny aspect.

 

Hang Calendars From BlindsDon't have a place to hang your calendar? Loop a string from your blinds through the hole in the calendar and knot it. Now you don't have to have push-pin holes in your walls!

 

Have a Bonus Chore on Your ChartWhen making a chore chart for children at the end I have printed in large flashy letters BONUS if all regular chores are finished they are allowed to ask for bonus chore if they wish. No one knows what it is or what the prize will be (except me).

 

Preventative Maintenance for Your AppliancesWords of advice from my service tech husband; preventive maintenance is always the cheapest maintenance!

 

Keep Ants Out of Your HoneyA honey moat keeps the ants away from the honey jar! We eat very little sugar. We even use honey in our coffee in place of sugar. It's quite hard not to attract ants when you use honey as much as we do.

 

Plant and Harvest Asparagus the Same SeasonIf you planted asparagus this year, you would normally have to wait 3 years before you could harvest it, but there is a way that you can plant and harvest the same season.

 

Keep Your Polymer Clay Extruder CleanI love polymer clay and extruding it like a little bitty cookie press. But I've never loved cleaning the "barrel" where the clay roll is loaded.

 

Summer Themed Easter BasketsI have four children and Easter baskets can get messy, expensive, and just full of junk, so every year I give them everything they will need (and ask for anyway ) for a fun summer. The basket is always a big sand pail.

 

Uses for Ben and Jerry's Mini SpoonsI had never had any Ben and Jerry's ice cream before. I know, insane, right? So last night I opened my first mini one, thinking if I didn't like it (NOT) I would only be out a dollar. They come with these cute little spoons on the top under a cardboard lid.

 

Flowering Hens and ChicksThis isn't a question but some info on hens and chicks. I was looking for info about when hens and chicks flower. I found a lot of questions here but no sure answers as to when and how.

 

Flower Pot Air FreshenersMake some cute, all-natural flower pot air fresheners! First, stop any holes in the bottom of the pots with tape. Fill them with baking soda and mix in about 10 drops or so of your favorite essential oil.

 

Honeylocust Trees Not Budding?On March 14th, I planted two Skyline honeylocust trees in front of my house (along the street on the narrow strip) as part of a Friends of Trees planting day. They were bare root and planted to the proper depth.

 

Daughter Cries All the Time?My daughter cries about everything. She will cry if she doesn't get her way. She cries when her sister gets something and she does not. She doesn't like to do her homework, but she likes to play. I sometimes think that I am going to go crazy with her.

 

Using Moth Balls for Squirrels?Can I use moth balls to rid my garden of squirrels? If not moth balls what else is effective?

 

Booking an All-Inclusive Caribbean Vacation?I am looking for great travel tips on booking an all inclusive Caribbean vacation. Any ideas on how to make it cheaper?

 

Pop Stain on Carpet?How do you get red pop stains out of the carpet?

 

Making Creamed Corn?Does anyone know where I can get a wooden bowl to make creamed corn with? I know it's an old item but I don't know where to get it from.

 

Walking with Heel Spurs?I love to go for walks. However, I have developed painful heel spurs. They become very painful if I walk too much. I am desperate to lose weight. I do not have access to a pool, nor the money to join a gym. What can I do besides riding a bike?

 

Moldy Smell on Clothes?How do I get a mold smell out of our clothes?

 

Keeping Dogs from Jumping Fence?My dog can jump over my 4ft. chain link fence. What can I do to keep her contained?

 

Currier and Ives Lithographs?I found a set of four Currier and Ives Lithographs a few years ago at a yard sale. I put them in my craft room until I knew what to do with them. I forgot them until last week when cleaning my room for more space.

 

What is This Piece of Furniture?I have a piece a furniture and I am trying to figure out what it is and what it would be worth. Can anyone help me with this? I think it is a china cabinet. I have no idea what year it would be from.

 

Crafts Using Burnt Matchsticks?Does anyone have any ideas for making things from burnt matchsticks? I made a cross with some and that turned out wonderful. Any suggestions? I remember when I was a little girl my uncle made lamps and coffee table tops with them.

 

Graham and Brown Wallpaper #19473?I am looking for one roll of Graham and Brown wallpaper #19473. Does anyone know where I can get one?

 

How Big Will My Dog Get?Can anyone estimate how big my puppy will get? She is 10-11 weeks old and weighs 3 1/2 lbs. She is a Dachshund/Pomeranian mix. I'm not sure if its mini Dachshund or standard and that's part of what I'm trying to figure out. Thanks for your help!

 

Hanging a Curtain Sconce?How do I hang a curtain sconce?