March 1, 2010

Strawberry Layered DelightCombine crumbs, sugar and butter to form crust. Press in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Chill. Beat cream cheese with sugar and 2 tablespoons milk until smooth.

 

Chicken TetrazziniIn saucepan combine soup, water, cheese. Heat until cheese melts; stir occasionally. Add remaining ingredients; heat.

 

Eggless, Milkless and Butterless CakeBoil everything but flour for 5 minutes. When cool, add 2 tsp. baking soda, dissolved in a little warm water and add flour. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

 

Bacon Cheese DipAll I can say is "Yum!" whether for dipping crackers, fresh veggies or plain ruffled potato chips. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until browned. Transfer to a cloth or paper towel to drain.

 

Robust Italian SoupCrumble brown and drain sausage; set aside. Cook macaroni according to package directions and drain; set aside. Combine tomato sauce, chicken broth, seasonings and sausage in a soup kettle.

 

My Father's Favorite SaladThis was my father's favorite salad. It's so simple and easy that my mother let me make it for him from the time I was 8 years old.

 

Pineapple JellyPeel fresh pineapple. Remove the core. Partly cover the pineapple with water. Boil until fruit is tender. Press through jelly bag and strain. Wash apples and cut into quarters without peeling and barely cover with water.

 

French BreadA very quick and delicious bread. Dissolve yeast in the warm water. Add salt and sugar then add 2 cups of flour at a time, mix after each addition. Add until a soft dough that you can handle is made.

 

Reusing Resealable Plastic BagsWhen I rinse out a ziploc or other such bag, I let it drip dry over an empty 1 liter plastic beverage bottle. To make it more stable and more eye appealing on my counter, I took the label off and filled it half way with marbles.

 

Spray Vinegar to Clean Your Coffee MakerA fourth a cup of white vinegar in a spray bottle filled the rest of the way with water is great for a quick clean up for coffee makers. Just spray and rinse. It is cheaper than using window cleaner and since I use my coffee maker for both making coffee and brewing tea daily.

 

Making Whipped Cream CheeseHere's how to make your own whipped cream cheese instead of paying extra for it at the market.

 

Carry a Clothing Color Chart When ShoppingReturning clothing you have purchased is a hassle no one wants to have to deal with. I hate when I buy something and it doesn't match, or I pass up an item on sale because I didn't remember I had a new skirt it would have been perfect for until I got back home.

 

Raise Cats and Dogs TogetherRaise or have a cat and dog together. Cats outlive dogs and will get you through the trauma of losing your dog, and you will become even closer to your cat friend for real. Jethro Tull outlived my Collie bud of 14 years.

 

Roll Cookie Dough in Wax PaperWhen making cut out cookies, such as sugar cookies, take a portion of the dough and roll it between two pieces of waxed paper. Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour and then peel off the top piece of waxed paper and cut out.

 

Button Up for St. Patrick!If you're looking for some novel craft ideas to help celebrate St. Patrick's Day, why not try making your own polymer clay buttons.

 

Peanut Butter Play DoughThis makes a dough children can mold and create with. But if they are still young enough to put in their mouth, chew and swallow, you have no worries!

 

Cooking Tongs To Extend ReachCooking tongs are useful for grabbing items out of reach - boxes on a high shelf or something on a bottom shelf. No need to grab a chair or kneel on the floor. If you don't have long handled tongs, buy some soon.

 

Lengthen Jeans With Contrasting FabricParents of small girls, don't throw away those jeans because they're a little short yet still fit everywhere else! I used spare fabric to make this top (just used one of her dresses for a pattern), and then sewed a cuff around the bottom of the pants to match.

 

Garden: YuccaThis Yucca plant was bursting with color on the golf course in Texas. It should have a sweet aroma as pretty as it is.

 

Store Water for Possible Power OutageIf we are having threats of power loss, I place bottles of water in my freezer. I use 2 liter soda bottles, laundry detergent bottles, or any bottle that has a tight sealing cap. This keeps the items frozen for quite some time.

 

Monte (PBGV)Monte is 7 years old. He is a PBGV, This stands for Petite Bassett Griffon Vendeen. These dogs are bred in France for hunting rabbits. Our older dog Hershey was missing our old 19 year old dog Beau, who had recently passed.

 

Rainy Day "Birthday" PartyAfter kids parties, there are inevitably left over themed plates, napkins, cups, and decorations. I saved these all together, then one rainy day we had an impromptu birthday party. My kids were bored, so I reminded them it was one of their dolls birthday!

 

Start Seedlings In Recycled TraysIt's March. Time to start your garden seedlings! You know the clear egg cartons and the clear croissant or cookie containers with clear lids that you get at the grocery store? Don't throw them away! Buy seed starter discs and soak them in these containers.

 

Pickle Juice for HeartburnI found the best remedy for heartburn. When you gets heartburn open the fridge and get a jar of pickles Take one or two tablespoons of the juice and swallow it. In just a few seconds the burning will stop.

 

Homemade Satin HandsUse olive oil to smooth over hands. Use your favorite exfoliating cleanser and smooth over hands (may need to use a little water to smooth easier). Rinse.

 

Store Bluetooth in Jewelry PouchNow that more states are requiring hands free devices for cellphone use in cars while driving, more of us are now using the bluetooth ear devices.

 

Covering Scratches on Light Furniture?I've just purchased a second hand table. In transport it was scratched by accident. It's a clear varnished maple coloured table. The scratches are white and quite deep. Does anyone have any ideas how to cover them? Thanks.

 

Removing Iron On Labels?I bought my husband a dress shirt at Goodwill. It's in perfect shape, but I discovered there is a strange iron on label inside the collar. It's like paper, but it's tough.

 

Wedding For Under $5000?How can I have a dream wedding for under $5000

 

Freezing Barley Soup?Can barley soup be frozen?

 

Water Stains on a Crocheted Bedspread?I have an antique crocheted bedspread. Water leaked into the cedar chest where I was storing it and now it has brownish cedar stains on it. How can I remove these stains and not wreck the bedspread?

 

Buying Pedigree Complete Nutrition Dog Food in Bulk?Where can I buy Pedigree Complete Nutrition adult dog food in bulk, with free shipping?

 

Basketball Awards Banquet Decorations?I am looking for fun high school basketball banquet ideas such as decorations and table centerpieces.

 

Sugar Free Marshmallows?Are there sugar free marshmallows?

 

Paint Color for a Great Room with Ebony Glazed Cabinets, Black Countertops, and Red Oak Floor?I have a kitchen that is being renovated to become a great room and I am searching for a paint color. I have maple autumn cabinets with an ebony glaze and my counter top is black. I have a red oak hardwood on my floor.

 

Uses for Fennel Stalks?I am using fennel for the first time, I am roasting the bulb after slicing it. How can I do something with the remaining stalks?

 

Finding a Lost Cat?My cat got out before the big snowstorm. I have been told to put out strong smelling cat food and a clothing item of mine. This will hopefully give him a direction of where he lives. Does anyone have additional ideas?

 

Sugar Free Hot Crossed Buns Recipe?Does anyone have a recipe for hot cross buns that I can make for a diabetic? All recipes I found use sugars and I would really like to surprise a friend who was recently diagnosed.

 

Grooming a Long Haired Cat?I have recently rescued my first long-haired cat. She is sprouting big mats that are clearly painful to her. However, she gets so excited when I groom her that I get scratched and I'm afraid I will hurt her.

 

Perfume Bottle is Missing Sprayer?I have a bottle of perfume that is missing the spray head. Any ideas of what I can do?

 

Washer is Dispensing Fabric Softener Too Early?I have an Amana washer, and of lately it hasn't been draining all of the fabric softener during the spin cycle. It is leaving some in the bottom of the drum which the clothes soak up and turn blue.

 

Mature Hair Styles?How does a women pushing 60 find a hair style? I have thin, limp hair and need a new cut but don't know where to look for good examples. All the models seem to be 12!

 

Manual for a Scunci Steamer?I need an instruction manual for a Scunci Steamer. I don't know why the floor attachment isn't working.

 

Roaches in an Apartment?My family moved into these apartments 5 to 7 years ago and the first apartment we had was good, no bugs. Then we moved into a different apartment, and when we moved there we had 3 or 4 years of peace until we started getting bed bugs. I really need some help.

 

Building a Frugal Greenhouse in the Garage?I want to start my vegetable plants for the spring indoors now, then transplant them in 8-10 weeks outdoors. I need suggestions on how I can build a frugal greenhouse in the garage. The only thing is the garage has no heat. I don't know how to add that to the installation.

 

Reviews of Glass Shower Doors?I am about to gut my master bath and am soliciting opinions on shower doors. The clear, seamless, frameless doors look beautiful, but aren't they a cleaning nightmare? Does anyone regret installing them over perhaps an obscured glass?

 

Shortening a Too Long Sectional Sofa?I have a sectional that is too long to fit in my new place. Can it be cut down?

 

Removing Wallpaper Glue from Raw Plaster Walls?I removed wallpaper from a raw plaster wall. I want to wash the old glue out of the pores of the plaster before I seal, prime, and paint. What solution is best to wash down the walls to ensure the glue is all gone?

 

Cleaning the Bathtub with Baking Soda?I heard that you can use baking soda to clean out your bathtub. I was wondering how much baking soda would I need to use to clean it out? Thanks.

 

Coconut Decorations for a Luau?I would like ideas for coconut decorations for a luau.

 

What is This Plant?Can anyone help me recognize this plant?

 

Reviews of Jetted Bathtubs?I am seeking opinions on new bathtubs with whirlpool jets or air jets? What is the therapeutic value? Are there any cleaning problems? Is it worth the extra expense? Which one is preferable for treating sore muscles?

 

Grey Beetles on Zucchini Plants?My zucchini plants die just as they start to blossom. Later in the season they are covered with a gray beetle. What can be done without using pesticides?

 

Orange Soda Cake Recipe?I'm looking for a cake made with white or yellow cake mix and 12 ozs of orange soda pop. The icing is made from Cool Whip and a package of orange jello.

 

Homemade Shampoo Recipes?I am looking for recipes for homemade shampoo.

 

Dye from Denim Coming Off on Skin?How do I stop black dye in denim material from getting all over me and anything else I wear? The jacket has some leather on it and rhinestones. Please help, I am covered in black dye.

 

Buying Save the Date Invitations?I am looking for "Save the Date Invitations" for a wedding. I would like something with stars.

 

Thrifty Moving Ideas?I am making a permanent move to San Diego this August. I'm saving my pennies so that I have enough for the move and at least 3 months living expenses. I'm a single woman in my 50's so I'll be making the trip alone by car with my Golden Retriever.

 

Paint Color Suggestion for Navy and White Kitchen?I am buying a house that has navy blue countertops and white cabinets. I need some ideas on color and decor. Not yellow in any shade.