November 25, 2009

Curried Cheesy Eggplant SoupSaute' onion and green pepper in butter. Add potatoes, carrots and celery. Add chicken stock and seasonings. Add eggplant. Cook, covered, over moderate heat until eggplant is soft.

 

Veggie Cream Cheese DipPrepare and dip your favorite raw veggies. My favorites to dip are radishes, celery, cauliflower, jicama and even sliced raw potatoes.

 

Buttermilk Griddle CakesMy mom use to make these all the time for us and I just thought I'd share this wonderful recipe.

 

Nancy's Southern Pecan PieI have gotten rave reviews on this pie. Different than the syrupy kind. This is a combination of half a dozen different pecan pie recipes that I had tried over the years.

 

Celery Stuffed Roast ChickenThere will only be my Auntie and I for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year so instead of a huge turkey we're going to share this. There certainly will still be plenty of leftovers for both us too.

 

Mushroom-Turkey PieThis is great for leftover turkey.Cover frozen vegetables with boiling water in a small saucepan. Bring just to a boil and drain immediately.Heat butter in a large skillet over high heat, Add onion and mushrooms and stir 3 minutes.

 

Thanksgiving: Circle of ThanksMy husband and I have started our own family tradition that gets everyone involved. We gather in a circle and one of us starts by telling what we are thankful for, this gives everyone an example of what to do.

 

Turn Boxes Inside Out for ShippingThe holidays are upon us, and you will no doubt want to send things to loved ones through the mail. Some of the best boxes to ship in are illegal to use: bleach, alcohol, paint, etc. So, here is how to use them if you need them.

 

Wall Necklace HangerTo keep your necklaces from tangling, hang them on the wall. Get a medium size nail, hammer the nail into the wall, then glue a large bead onto the end of it. Voila! A necklace hanger.

 

Maggie May, Pattie Kay and Rosie Irene (Dogs)Maggie is 3 and a Dachshund mix, Pattie is 2 and Jack Russel Blue Heeler mix, and Rosie is 1, a Blue Miniature Pincher. Maggie has been entered before, Pattie we got when she was 3 months old and Rosie Irene we got at age 5 weeks old and she is the baby.

 

Pilgrim HatThese cute little pilgrim hats make great place cards for your Thanksgiving table that guests can take with them.

 

Recycle Bleach Water 5 TimesTake the clothes from your soaking pail (or other) and wring them out and toss in the washer. Grab your sponge or cloth and saturate it in the laundry soak water and wipe down any number of bleach safe places or items

 

Turkey Breakfast HashFor turkey leftovers, make a breakfast hash. Pan fry your leftover mashed potatoes in butter (or if you have whole potatoes, slice thin or dice small.) In a separate pan, saute sliced onions, peppers, mushrooms, whatever you have on hand.

 

Pantry Turkey CollageThis was a kindergarten project that my son had this year. My older son remembered doing it and wanted to do another one. Before we knew it, the whole family was making one. It was very fun and I think they turned out nicely.

 

Handbag OrganizerThe project takes about 2-3 hours and depends on how fast you sew. It took me slightly longer to sew since I double-stitch all my seams.

 

Beau (Lab/Rottweiler)Beau is 12 weeks old. She is a Lab cross rottweiler. I found an advertisement on the net when she was 8 weeks old. She likes to sleep and chew on socks and paper. She also likes lots of food!

 

Extra Flavor for Veggies and Rice Cooked with BrothGive extra flavor to your veggies or rice by cooking them in chicken, turkey or beef broth instead of water. I especially love the flavor of rice and broccoli cooked in chicken broth.

 

Cleaning Your OvenMy mom gave me this tip a few years ago on how to clean a oven which will come in handy after all the Thanksgiving cooking we will be doing in a couple of days.

 

Eucalyptus Oil for Black Marks on FloorTo get black marks off floor, put a few drops of eucalyptus oil on a clean cloth and the marks should wipe off with no problems.

 

Shop Early Morning for Mark DownsOne good way to save money at the grocery store without clipping coupons is to shop early in the morning. By getting to the store at 8 a.m. or so, you are able to take advantage of the mark downs. They do go fast.

 

My Frugal Life: Big Savings With Water Heater TimerAs a single mother in 1980, necessity became the mother of invention for me. I had a house built with passive solar windows, and all electric heat, kitchen and water heater.

 

Cook Your Turkey In An Oven BagMy tip to you is if you are short on time, buy oven bags. They will help you cook your turkey in no time at all.

 

Recipe for Thanksgiving PieHere is my favorite recipe for Thanksgiving. Take 2 cups of counting your blessings, 1 1/2 cups of correcting your mistakes, 1 1/2 cups of forgiveness...

 

Air Conditioner on 15 Amp Circuit Dims Lights?We live in a very old apartment, which is not wired for 220. Unfortunately, the Board of Directors of the apartment complex refuses to upgrade to 220. The whole living room and the master bedroom are on one 15-Amp circuit breaker.

 

Repairing a Bread Machine?How do I repair a Regal Kitchen Pro model K6725 bread machine? It worked fine for years, but now the spindle that is supposed to turn the spatula won't work. The motor sounds fine when turned on and the spatula can be manually turned with no problem, but won't turn with motor running.

 

Caring for Newborn Kittens?My beautiful, but young, cat named Dinah just gave birth to 5 equally beautiful kittens this morning. Dinah was a stray that my boyfriend and I accepted in our home in October, and weren't very surprised to learn of her pregnancy.

 

Making Your Own Washing Soda?I would like information on making your own washing soda.

 

Buying an Embroidery Machine?I am looking to buy an embroidery machine. I am debating between Babylock Ellissimo and Brother Innovis 6000. I was told Babylocks have a poor service record compared to Brother. Help me decide.

 

Landscaping Around a Stone Patio?I would like some ideas for how to landscape around a stone patio.

 

Making a Lighted Wine Bottle "Table"?I am looking for instructions for how to make a lighted wine bottle with a "table" on the neck of the bottle to hold wine glasses.

 

Cranberry Bliss Bar Recipe?Does anyone have a recipe for the "Cranberry Bliss Bars" that are sold at Starbucks and Nordstrom's?

 

Can I Use Fresh Cranberries in a Bread Machine?Can I substitute whole fresh cranberries for dried cranberries in a bread machine?

 

Looking for Old Cookie Recipe from Jiffy Icing Box?When I was a little girl my mother make a cookie recipe from Jiffy icing mix that had chocolate chips and coconut in it. It was almost like a macaroon. I think the recipe was on the back of the icing box. Does anyone out there know this recipe?

 

Easy Thrifty Cat Box Cleaning?Does anyone have tips on how to clean cat litter boxes easily and thriftily?

 

Buy Now Pay Later Websites That Ship to Canada?I am looking for "buy now pay later" websites that ship to Canada, and allow Canadians to purchase. Thanks.

 

Recycling Christmas Cards?I always save the Christmas cards we receive and like to send them to someone who can use them for recycling or making other crafts. Does anyone have such a name and address of where to send them? Thank you.

 

Shelf Life of Disposable Diapers?I found a few bags of diapers that we never used. They are about 2-3 years old. I am thinking about selling them on Craigslist or to some friends, but are they still good? Thanks.

 

Making a Dog Bed Using Cedar Chips?Are cedar chips OK for dog bedding? I've heard that they cause blindness. Is that true? Can I use the chips loose instead of in a pillow base? My dog seems to chew everything up (foam, etc). Is there a special material to use that I can sew myself? Please help. Thanks.

 

Craft Ideas for Small Plastic Communion Cups?Our church throws away a lot of the used clear plastic, bell shaped communion cups every Sunday. Does someone have any ideas how to recycle them throughout the year, craftwise? I'd like to make them with my kids' class (5-12 years old).

 

Going From Dyed Black Hair to Red?I have dyed my hair jet black and I tried to put peroxide in it to make it lighter so I can dye it red; it didn't work. How do I make it light enough to make the red dye show?