April 15, 2009

Chicken ViennaSkin and bone chicken, if not already done. Cut each in halves, lengthwise. Place each half between 2 sheets of waxed paper. With a wooden mallet or rolling pin, pound until very thin.

 

Tuna and Herb FettuccineDelicious, great on a cold night or lunch. Bring to boil thickened cream, evaporated milk, crushed garlic and chopped fresh herbs. Simmer for 6-8 minutes or until sauce thickens.

 

Ham and Cheese QuicheThis is my favorite recipe to use up leftover ham. Great for breakfast, brunch or dinner.

 

Sour Cream Chicken 'N DumplingsBrown onion in shortening, add seasonings. Cover and let simmer slowly until tender. Remove chicken, add sour cream to drippings in pan and mix well. Add dumplings, arrange chicken on top.

 

Bright Eyed SusansCream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add water, vanilla and egg yolk. Add flour; mix well. Form dough into balls about size of walnut. Roll in slightly beaten egg white, then in nuts.

 

Baked Chop SueyGreat Oriental flavored dish!

 

Cream Cheese Icing or FillingQuick and healthy. This is the best icing ever! Slightly warm cream cheese in microwave (or leave out about an hour or so or until it's room temp). Add vanilla then slowly stir in honey to taste.

 

Grilled MonkfishPlace fish in a glass dish; sprinkle with green onion, garlic, mint, lime juice, oil, salt and pepper. Turn fish to coat each side. Marinate at room temperature for at least 20 minutes or refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

 

Green Chili Meat LoafGreat meat loaf recipe! Combine all ingredients in bowl; mix well. Shape into loaf in 5x9 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour at 375 degrees F.

 

Photos from Elaine's GardenMy pictures are of a butterfly attracted to my cone flowers, a robin nest in my dogwood tree, my friends grapevine and the tree pots I utilized to decorate the large maple tree in my backyard.

 

Dog Friendly Oatmeal "Raisin" CookiesKnowing that raisins can kill dogs, I created a more dog friendly oatmeal cookie. All you have to do is, substitute blueberries instead of raisins in oatmeal cookies. Use your favorite oatmeal cookie recipe without the raisin option.

 

Replace Bushings to Extend Your Vacuum's LifeIn line with the vacuum cleaner cleaning. If you replaces the bushings (motor brushes), the vacuum will last another 5 or 10 years and have lots of suction.

 

My Frugal Life: Maintain What You Already HaveYear after year, my husband says "don't spend any money" and I make lists of things we "need" and then go about getting them. Next, I sell a bunch of what I call JUNK at garage sales every so often. See a pattern here?

 

Cut Your Boys HairCut your little boys' hair yourself. I've always done it myself so I have no idea how the professionals do it, because it is, indeed, a challenge. I go into the yard with my 2 1/2 year old, he gets a spray bottle, I have hair scissors (sharp) and a comb.

 

Hot Water Weed TreatmentOne can just pour hot water on plants to get rid of weeds. But, I wish people would really look at all the plants growing in their yards and ask why.

 

Using Faux Stainless Paint for a Range HoodThe beige rusting range hood was looking rough and I just could not take it anymore. I did research to see what other people had done and decided to give it a whirl.

 

Birdbath Craft Project: Recycled With LoveDon't throw out that leaking bird bath! Make it into your own work of art. And that old chipped plate, you didn't know what to do with, can adorn your masterpiece. My piece is in memory of my Irish grandmother, Kay.

 

Make a Drink from Fruit and Veggie PeelsI have always hated the idea of throwing out food. I like the idea of getting "something for nothing". When I peel vegetables (except potatoes), I boil the skins for a free (and healthy drink).

 

Determine if Butter is FreshTo tell if butter is still fresh, cut off a small slice. If the outside is darker than the inside, the butter has oxidized and should be replaced.

 

Use a Pringles Can for Car SicknessIf you have a child who get carsick, the best container to use for the incident is a Pringles can. Saves a big mess and easy to store until properly disposed of.

 

Make a Fence Look Nice on Both SidesIf you keep alternating the pickets, nailing the first to your neighbor's side and the next to your side, you will end up with a fence that looks something like basket weave and will look good on both sides.

 

Recycling Furniture Cushions to Go With Your...This is my current decorating project at my home. I recently inherited some antique wicker chairs from my parents. The chairs have been placed on the front porch of my home. However, the fabric for the chairs was totally not my taste.

 

Pet Owners Beware of Grapes and RaisinsMany pet owners have been using raisins as a training treat, and some have used them as a "healthy" snack alternative for their dogs without knowing the risk that they are putting their precious pets in.

 

Crocheted Drying HangerWooden hanger has a crocheted cover and clothespins attached to use for drying your hand washables or small items.

 

Ariel (Mixed Breed)Ariel is 11 week old mixed breed dog. I'm unsure what breed she is, I've been told she is a crossbred mongrel and Collie. I got her on the 30th of January. A social worker rescued them from a house and took them in.

 

Tips for Job HuntingWhen job hunting, use the yellow pages. Look up companies in your field, call them and ask if you can fax over your resume and to whose attention. In about 3-4 business days, follow up with a telephone call to the person it was sent to.

 

Craft: Silk Floral CenterpieceI used styrofoam cones and silk carnations to make this centerpiece.

 

Toddler Toy Noise ControlA piece of duct tape securely sealed over the speaker holes will lower the decibels to a level that you can tolerate yet still be audible enough for the child who's playing with the toy.

 

My Morning Mocha Fiber TreatI love fancy mocha coffee like you can get at those coffee places, but really can't afford it. I also have to take a fiber supplement daily for my health.

 

Baby Animals Are a Sign of SpringSpring in the country wouldn't be half as much fun if it weren't for all the beautiful baby animals you see. These are right outside our front door across the road so a really wonderful sight any time of day.

 

Deodorizing a Cooler or Ice ChestIf you have a portable cooler that has the odor of rotten meat, you can open it and clean it. Leave open to the sun for at least a couple of days with the opening facing as much of the sun as possible.

 

Uses for Branches and LogsWith many people pruning at this time of year I thought I'd come up with some useful things to do with the pruned twigs and branches. Today a neighbor gave me several large bundles of long supple apple tree branches.

 

Mycolog 2 for Itchy Ears?Has anyone ever used Mycolog 2 for their itchy ears? If so, did it work? My ENT doctor has prescribed it for my itchy ears, they are driving me CRAZY.

 

Pests Eating Squash Plant Roots?Something is chewing through the roots of my squash plants, just below the surface. The only bugs I've seen are ants and pill bugs. Could one of these be the culprit? What can I do to stop this before all of my plants are gone? Thanks so much.

 

Uses for Unmatched Socks?I discovered about a hundred (no kidding) unmatched socks this morning, all of different kinds and sizes. Does anyone have any idea what I can do with them before I'm forced to throw them all away?

 

Waxing While Using Acne Medication?About a month ago I stopped taking a mild antibiotic for acne. I was on it for 4 years. I had my eyebrows waxed while on the medication and Proactive and it waxed my skin off and scarred.

 

Keeping a House With St. Bernard's Clean?I am desperately seeking help with how to keep my settees and walls clean. I have two Saint Bernard's who insist on sitting on my settees and throwing their slime all over my walls.

 

Keeping Larder Beetles Out of the House?I just had a pest control specialist come in. I moved into my new home about 3 weeks ago and since that time I have found at least 100 larder beetles. They were mostly in with my towels and dishcloths.

 

Starting a Homeschooling Blog?I have several people tell me that they think I could make a small amount of $ by doing an online homeschooling/farming blog. I have no idea at all how to go about this or where to even look to investigate the possibility of this. Any suggestions?

 

Rates for Cleaning an Apartment Complex?I mainly clean homes. I have had a call to do an apartment complex. They want me to do the clubhouse 3 times a week and do the model homes about the same. What would I charge for that? Should I charge by the sq. ft. or the amount of time?

 

Removing Labels from Medicine Bottles?I want to donate my prescription medicine bottles to the Humane Society. Can anyone tell me how to get the labels off when they are really stuck?

 

Advice for Painting an Accent Wall?I want to paint a wall in my bedroom. Is there a decorating tip that will help me choose which wall I should paint? The wall that you face as you enter the room that has a window on it, or the wall to the right that is opposite the bed?

 

Removing Weeds Between Pavers?Apart from using a sharp knife, does anyone have any tips for removing weeds growing between paving slabs without resorting to harsh, environmentally-unfriendly chemicals?

 

Layered Coconut Cake Recipe?My mom used to make a coconut cake that she sliced the layers in half then put icing and coconut on each layer. She let it sit in the fridge for 3 days before we could eat it. She also used coconut milk. If anyone has this old recipe please let me know.

 

Blackheads in Ears?Does anyone know how to get blackheads out of ears? Please help.