August 13, 2010

Asparagus and Mozzarella Chicken BundlesYou can use chicken breast halves instead of thighs but I just happen to prefer dark meat. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Pound each chicken thigh to about 1/4 inch thickness. Sprinkle each side with salt and pepper to taste.

 

French Tuna SandwichTakes a bit more work than your usual Tuna Fish Sandwich but it sure is worth it. Heat oil in a medium-size frying pan. Add onion. Sprinkle with sugar, salt and pepper. Stir often over medium heat until onion turns golden, 5 minutes.

 

"Farm-Sale" Sloppy JoesCook meat and onion. Drain well. In a large pot combine all ingredients. Stir and simmer for 1 hour.

 

Freezer PieIt's cold, sweet and tart, and rich, no bake.

 

Grilled Bananas with Ice CreamI haven't tried making these using the broiler yet, but I can't imagine they wouldn't be as good cooked that way during non-grilling months too. Halve each of the bananas lengthwise and then width-wise. Sprinkle bananas with lemon juice.

 

Tang Fruit SaladThis is fast and uses few ingredients. Drain the oranges, but use the pineapple juice. Stir the pudding, Tang, and pineapple juice.

 

Chocolate CracklesMelt chips. Combine with sugar and oil. Add eggs, one at a time; beat well. Add vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to chocolate mixture; stir in nuts.

 

Yam Souffle'Beat eggs, brown sugar, orange peel, salt and nutmeg. Add yams, milk, pecans and butter. Pour into a slightly oiled casserole dish and bake 50 minutes at 350 degrees F.

 

Grill Foods Before Company ArrivesThe best way to have a family BBQ, is to throw everything on the grill about 2 hours before your guests are supposed to arrive. As things finish cooking, put them on covered baking sheets in your oven at about 200 degrees F to keep them warm.

 

Remove Furniture Scratches with WalnutFor furniture scratches, rub the meat of the walnut (no shell!) over any scratches or nicks. Test the method on a less visible area to be sure it doesn't darken the wood.

 

Peanut Butter and Mayonnaise SandwichesI have been enjoying peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwiches lately. They are great! They taste good too. My hubby eats them all the time, so I finally tried one and I will probably do this from now on.

 

My Frugal Life: Of Grandpas and GardensGardening with my grandad was a lesson in patience. When I was a child my mother worked to put food on the table and shoes on our feet so I spent a lot of my time with my grandparents who lived across the road from us.

 

Use Rubber Glove Finger on Handle to Prevent SplintersTo keep from getting splinters, use the fingers of old rubber gloves for handle covers on hoes, rakes, brooms, and mops. Tape with black electrical tape, so it won't slip off.

 

Use Dishwater in GardenI keep a large empty bucket by the floor near my kitchen sink. As I rinse off my dishes, I collect the water in a container in the sink. (I use an empty large sized yogurt container.) Then I pour the water I collect into the bucket until it is full.

 

Wildlife: ChickensYesterday my husband was cutting down a couple dead trees in the yard with a chainsaw. Our chicks have never heard such a thing and were staying far away and stretching their necks to see what the noise was all about.

 

Uses for Jam or PreservesYou can add grape jelly or preserves (or whatever flavor you choose) to smoothies, yogurt, smoothies, pancakes, waffles, french toast, cottage cheese, oatmeal, ice cream, or muffins.

 

Bootsie (Tabby)Bootsie is a 6 year old Tabby but I think sometimes she a dog! She belong to a neighbor. Her momma was called Spaz crazy right. I got her about 6 years a go, she was so playful, still is. She likes chasing my friends puppy and just about anything she can get into.

 

Use Tinted Car Window Film For HomeI have seen many hints on here about using black plastic bags over windows and glass doors to block the sun from coming in. I agree that this should work, but it makes it impossible to see outside and that's what I like.

 

Travel: Xian WatchtowerThis is a watchtower from the city wall of Xian, China. I took it last summer while visiting China with my Nikon D5000. We were biking along the on the wall when I found this great angle of this great building.

 

Sheena (Sheltie)Our Sheltie, Sheena decided she was the guard dog and needed a post to watch from. Really she would have run if someone would have said BOO to her, LOL.

 

Use Tray for Containers in RefrigeratorI live in an older mobile with the original refrigerator. The light doesn't work and most of the slats for the shelves are broken. I have to keep the shelves pretty close together and I find that limiting in keeping things from getting shoved into the back and forgotten.

 

Baking Soda and Dishwashing Liquid For Soap ScumI want to tell anyone reading this, that the tip about a paste of baking soda and Dawn dish-washing liquid to clean shower walls has given me the cleanest shower with the least effort in many years.

 

Denim Toilet Seat and Tank CoversThis is a denim toilet seat and tank cover set I made from some lightweight denim scraps I had, combined with an old doily and some scraps of lace.

 

My Frugal Life: Of Grandpas, Greenhouse and GardensWe all know how important our Grandmas are and tell them all the time, but please don't forget to let the Grandpas know how much we need them too!

 

Tools That Help The Blind TodayI can't outline every tool available for the blind today. However, I promised I'd write about the tools that make my life easier. I try not to adapt more than necessary, but I do need some things accessible. I wrap a bread tie around the handle of the gallon jug of tea or fruit drink.

 

5 Tips To Make Your Pet More GreenIn today's world, most of us are working hard to make the world a greener place. But while we struggle to reduce, reuse, and recycle at every opportunity, Fido is getting a free pass, the bunny is hopping around anywhere he wants, and the cat is mocking us.

 

Scenery: Sunrise (Toronto, Canada)Here is sunrise in Toronto, Canada

 

Garden: Prizewinning Elephant GarlicI entered my garlic at the local fair this year. It took first prize in its category. I put it on a standard picnic plate. Here's how it looks. Garlic anyone?

 

Keep Free Weights in Wire Egg BasketTo keep our free weights in one small space, my wife took her grandmother's old wire egg basket and embellished it with fabric. The weights appear to be out of sight, but are still in a handy place. We have the egg basket sitting under a small accent table.

 

Garden: Verbena and Sweet PeasI love this photo of Verbena Bonariensis with sweet peas allowed to grow and entwine as they want to amongst it. In the background are the yellow flowers of the shrub Hypericum Hidcote.

 

Pruning and Rejuvenating Overgrown LilacsWith regular pruning, the common lilac (Syringa vulgaris) maintains an elegant natural form and produces an abundance of fragrant blossoms. Without regular pruning, it soon turns into a mass of gangly stems and produces only a few flowers toward the top of its tall branches.

 

Eastern BluebirdWhile visiting the Antietum Battlefield I was watching a bird in a harvested cornfield and was able to capture it in a picture. To my surprise it was an Eastern Bluebird. I think it turned out to be a very nice scene.

 

Rinse Oil Containers in Bath WaterWhen you empty out containers of cooking oils, lotions, creams, etc., don't throw them away. I keep mine and when I have several, I put water in them and rinse out in my bath water. You get everything out of them and your skin will thank you afterward.

 

Maggie (Maltese Terrier)Maggie is approximately 8 years old and a Maltese Terrier. We adopted Maggie a few weeks ago from the local shelter. She was found wondering the streets without a tag. No one claimed her, so when she was listed for adoption, we happened to be there at the right time.

 

In Memory Of Mr. KittyWe got our cat 7 years ago from a family member. Mr. Kitty passed away last week. He was 10 years old and we were lucky enough to have him for 7 of those years. He was our 4 years old son's "lil Kitty", although he wasn't little at all.

 

Getting White Clothes White AgainPour the hot water into a plastic, enamel or stainless steel (not aluminum) container. Add the dish washing soap and bleach, and stir well. Put 100% cotton in this and let soak for 30 minutes.

 

Can I Use the Saucer from a Glazed Flowerpot to Serve Food?Is it safe to eat or place food on a glazed flowerpot's glazed saucer?

 

Starter Spins But Flywheel Does Not on John Deere Mower?I have a John Deere Sabre riding lawn mower with a Briggs/Stratton motor. I have never have had any problems with it until now. The starter gear spins, but the fly wheel doesn't. Does this mean the starter gear is worn out or could it be a more major problem?

 

Tips for Dusting?I keep having this recurring cleaning issue. Every time I wipe down surfaces, be it with a wash cloth or a sponge or even a wipe, it loosens up all of this fuzzy/lint stuff that's impossible to pick up using said cloth!

 

Cleaning the Shower Before Caulking?I want to recaulk the area around the floor of my shower. I understand the area has to be very well cleaned beforehand. What is the best way to do this? Someone told me to use Varsol, but I think this may be too harsh for the tiles?

 

Removing Stains from Liquid Laundry Soap?How do you get liquid laundry soap stains out of your clothes? Or is it even possible?

 

Bleach Stained the Shower?I have been using pure bleach on my shower stall floor and have noticed a discoloration. I have to use pure bleach and allow to stand for 10 minutes since my foot doctor said so. I have plantar warts and do this so I don't spread them to my husband's feet.

 

What is the Best Oral Remedy for Whitening Skin?What is the best and effective oral skin whitener?

 

What Can I Make With Immature Pears?One of my pear branches broke. I waited as long as I could and now that the leaves have started to turn brown, I picked the small immature fruit. They have a good taste to them, but are grainy. What can I make with them? Thanks.

 

Removing Vaseline Stains from Carpet?A friend of mine wanted to know if anyone knows how to get Vaseline out of carpet. She had put some on her heels and forgot and walked across the carpet. Thanks!

 

How Do I Store Bell Peppers Until I Am Ready to Cook?How do I store bell peppers until I am ready to stuff and have enough to stuff?

 

How Durable if Laminate Flooring?I have new laminate flooring and the salesman said that it's very durable. He demonstrated by rubbing a key on the sample piece. It didn't scratch. I want to know from readers if laminate is sturdy and is it really that scratch resistant?

 

Buying a GPS?What is the best brand of GPS at a reasonable price? Any information would be helpful. I need one in order to get my husband to a new doctor in a city I am not familiar with. Thanks for your help.