May 13, 2009

Colorful Rice SaladThis is the most unusual salad in my box of tricks. You can pretty much bet that when you have a covered dish gathering, this will be the only one of this kind on the table. My friends love for me to bring it to our potluck salad suppers.

 

Cherry Angel Food CakeDifferent twist on angel food cake.

 

Chicken ArtichokeSaute' chicken breasts in non-stick skillet until done. Slice into 1/2 inch strips. Saute' onion and garlic in skillet until soft, about 5 minutes. Drain canned artichokes or thaw frozen artichokes.

 

Fiesta Fruit CakeMix the first 5 ingredients together in a large bowl. Sift the dry ingredients over them and mix well. Beat the eggs and vanilla. Blend thoroughly into flour and fruit mixture.

 

Hot Chile DipPut in a small crock pot. You can heat the beans up before putting in the pot, and keep it on low to serve.

 

Use Both Store and Manufacturer CouponsMany people do not realize that you can use coupons from the manufacturer along with the store coupon. For example, Walgreen has a coupon for Dawn soap for 99 cents. I have a coupon from the paper for 75 cents off Dawn. I can use them both and get it for 24 cents.

 

Reuse the Pledge Pet Hair Removal ToolI just bought the new Pledge Pet Hair Remover tool that you brush back and forth across your furniture. The directions stated when the plastic box was full to toss it out. I found if I cut a u-shape from the top I can remove the lint and pet hair and use it more.

 

Use a Steam Iron to Remove StickersHow many of you moms out there have spent entirely too much time trying to remove stickers that have been stuck on every surface in the entire house by your ornery toddler?

 

Product Review: EZ Squeeze Tube SqueezerLast November, when on a visit to my neighborhood Dollar Tree, I happened to stumble upon this product. It is an E Z Squeeze Tube Squeezer. It's made to enable you to use all of the toothpaste from the tube!

 

Cartoon Birthday Cakes Made EasyKids always want cartoon birthday cakes. Make your own cake decorations! Mine were cut out of kids Valentine cards. Make your own cake and stick the cutouts on the cake.

 

Use Pastry Cutter to Make Egg SaladI just found a fun way to make quick work of egg salad making. Just peel your eggs, place them in your container and go to town with your pastry cutter. Wow! It makes the job go super fast!

 

Freeze Cut Lemon for DrinksI enjoy having cut up lemon in my Coke, lemonade, water, etc. However, often before I get the whole lemon used up, it becomes brown and soft.

 

Make Tobacco Spray for Insect PestsWe all know the risks of nicotine by smoking, but the same is true for bugs by eating. Rid your garden of pests by way of nicotine. Get a can of chewing tobacco, flavored or not color. Strain through a coffee filter.

 

Protect Seedlings From BirdsAnxious to get our tomato seedlings into the ground, I thought of a way to protect the cute little plants from birds. Grab an old metal cloths hanger by the hook end with one hand and grab the middle of the longer (bottom) part of the hanger with the other hand.

 

Bobby (Border Collie/Springer Spaniel...Bobby is a 16 year old Border Collie/Springer Spaniel mix. At a trip to the flea market, we saw a few 8-week-old puppies in the back of someone's pickup truck. We bought him for $15.

 

Make Underwear Out of T-shirtsI just came across an amazing website called SuperNaturale with instructions on making your own underwear out of t-shirts! It has detailed instructions and a pattern you can print out. I can't wait to make use of some of the cute t-shirts I have *cough* grown out of.

 

Use Hot Water in Carpet Steam CleanerWhen steam cleaning your carpets yourself, don't waste your money on the shampoo. Instead, put a large pot of water on the stove, heat it until it almost boils (to where it's steaming but not boiling). Pour the water into your machine and clean.

 

Prevent Laundry Basket from Slipping in CarI am a teacher and am always transporting stuff back and forth to school and my car can get cluttered very easily. My pet peeve is to hear things sliding around in the back of my SUV.

 

Find Craft Supplies at Garage SalesGarage sales are great. There is such an endless variety, and you never know what you will find. The goldmine is the joy you feel when you see a table full of fabric, a box filled with skeins of yarn, dozens of frames and pictures, and all priced from 10 cents to a dollar.

 

Neighborhood Barter Bulletin BoardDo you live in an apartment complex or close knit neighborhood? Start a barter bulletin board in a clubhouse or pass flyers or newsletter in the neighborhood. Times are hard and someone might have something you need in exchange for something they need.

 

Set a Timer to Prevent an Overflowing BathtubI used to be the world's worst at forever overflowing my bathtub! I'd get it started then wind up on the computer or doing something else and next thing I knew I had water all over the place!

 

Planning a Small Town Class Reunion?I graduated with 27 classmates and it is time for a 20 year class reunion. Does anyone have ideas to make a small town class reunion fun? There are only 4 of us that do not live within a 25 mile radius of our high school. So, most people know each other and keep in touch.

 

Deleting Photos in Yahoo My Photos?How can I delete pictures from Yahoo My Photos?

 

Weight Gain After a Hysterectomy?I have adenomyosis that has been getting worse over the years. My doctor told me I needed a hysterectomy. I am fine with that. I am terrified that I am going to gain a ton of weight on top of my already heavy frame.

 

Campgrounds in Saskatchewan?Has anyone been to a nice campground in Saskatchewan lately? We usually go to La Ronge but I would like to try something new. We like quiet, secluded campgrounds. Looking forward to hearing from you. Thanks.

 

Cleaning NAFCO Brand Flooring?We have NAFCO brand luxury tile flooring in our home. The manufacturer wants us to use only their brand of cleaner (which is quite expensive).

 

Cleaning and Organizing My House?My house is a "pit". How do you ever get everything cleaned and organized? I need a lot of help to get this done. I am putting up a modular this year and must get this all done this summer. I work full-time and have a husband who is no help at all.

 

Homemade Wine Rack?How do you build your own wine rack?

 

Lime Away Stained Faucets?I used Lime Away because it was on sale instead of the usual. It stained all of the polished faucets in my house black-purple. My stainless steel kitchen sink is now black too. Please help.

 

Converting a Rental into a Condo?I own a duplex in the city of Montreal (RDP) and was thinking of converting one of the apartments into a condo. I would like to know if that would be a good idea?

 

Yukon Vs. White Potatoes?Is there a difference between Yukon and regular white potatoes? I baked a whole white potato and it seemed like it took forever to cook. I wasn't sure if I bought the wrong kind. Please advise.

 

Bleach Stains on White Countertop?I just ruined my white counter tops with Westley's bleach white! Nothing works, there are mustard yellow stains everywhere? Please help.

 

Yellow Streaks on Curtains After Washing?I bought off-white curtains and washed them per the instructions. They came out with yellow streaks. How can I get rid of them?

 

Credit Repair Company Reviews?Do any of these "credit repair" companies actually work?

 

BBQ Sauce Recipe for Someone With Colitis?I have a son with colitis. He can't eat beef, so he eats a lot of chicken and turkey. Barbecue sauce is one of his favorite things to put on poultry, but almost all store bought bbq sauces have a base of vinegar, a big no-no for him.

 

Diesel Odor in Water Softener Tank?How do you remove diesel smell from a water softener tank?

 

Putting Trim Around a Bathtub?I would like to trim out my tub/tub surround but don't know what to use or do. Any ideas?

 

Information About an Old Sewing Machine?My friend has an old sewing machine from 1941 with warranty and purchase receipt. Where would I find info on it? It's an Enterprise D.

 

Eskinol Papaya Toner?Does anyone know where I can buy Eskinol Papaya Toner? I have been looking all over the internet with no luck. I live in the United States. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

Rain Water is Leaking into Van?My mini van leaks on the passenger side from under the dash board. Does anyone know where the rain could be coming in from? I have a bucket under there that collects the rain water, but when it pours I have a full bucket. I need to fix it but don't know where to look.