September 20, 2010

Pork Medallions with Balsamic Caper SauceReally good served over lemon flavored rice. Mix flour, garlic salt, and pepper on a plate or in a wide bottom bowl and coat the pork medallions, shaking off excess mixture.

 

Chinese Ching-A-LingOur family members all love Chinese foods, but there have been many times when it wasn't in our budget to go the whole 9 yards to get it. We came up with this recipe which seemed to satisfy our appetites for the great taste of "Chinese" until we could do better.

 

Tropical ChickenCombine pineapple, lime juice and cloves in a bowl. Pound chicken breasts to 1/4 inch thickness. Place in pineapple mixture. Let marinate for 45 minutes.

 

Brunch Pizza SquaresUnroll crescent dough into lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Press dough 1/2 inch up sides; seal the seams. Sprinkle sausage over dough. In bowl, beat eggs, milk, pepper and pour over sausage.

 

Chocolate Mud Cake in a Crock PotThis is a yummy dessert and a very easy recipe to do in your crock pot! Coat the inside of a 2 1/2 to 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Note: the cake's cooking time and final appearance will vary depending on your crock's size.

 

Thousand Island DressingMix together. Keep in jar in refrigerator.

 

Easy Fruit SaladWhen I was a kid, this was a salad my mom made a lot! Very easy, cheap and quick!

 

Grilled RomainePreheat the grill to medium heat. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Brush the mixture on the cut sides of the romaine and season with fresh ground pepper.

 

Reuse Paper to Print CouponsI've seen lots of tips about couponing and using coupons printed from computer sites. My tip is to save paper that is printed on one side (scrap paper) and use it to print those coupons.

 

Reuse Plastic Bottles Instead of Buying IceI recycle plastic bottles by filling them with tap water, freezing, and then using to line plastic grocery bags when I go on a picnic or long car journey. Food and other drinks stay cold and you have extra water for emergencies or to save on buying junk drinks en route.

 

Avoiding Scam and Viral Email MessagesWith the vast of spam/scam/viruses out there, sometimes you get bad messages that appears to be real. Always remember, no real message will ask for any of your private information.

 

Travel: The Cliff Walk (Newport, RI)My husband and I took a trip to Newport, Rhode Island for some sightseeing, and of course chowder! We took a walk along New England's rocky shoreline, called the Cliff Walk, to enjoy the ocean breezes. The cool blue water and natural beauty of the coast was picture perfect.

 

Keep Pins in a Prescription BottleKeep straight pins in a prescription medication bottle. This keeps them out of children's hands.

 

Scenery: Railroad Bridge And Trestle (Canton, OH)I was an interested observer watching construction of this new trestle and

 

Skeeter (Black Lab)Skeeter is our nine year old Black Lab dog. He loves to do anything with you when you are out in the yard. One day he got very excited and I could see in his dog mind that he wanted to chase a rabbit or something similar.

 

Throw Salt on Fire to Reduce SootWhile logs are burning, throw salt on them from time to time. This reduces the soot, making clean-up that much easier.

 

Muffin (Chihuahua Mix)Muffin is a chihuahua, but is also mixed with something else, don't know what. Muffin was given to me by my oldest daughter, Michelle. I became disabled and she thought that I needed a pet to keep me company. Boy, was she ever right!

 

Joke: Bachelors CookingTwo confirmed bachelors sat talking, their conversation drifted from politics to cooking. "I got a cookbook once," said one, "but I could never do anything with it."

 

Scenery: Sunset (Bahamas)This photo was taken the last night on our cruise to the Bahamas.

 

Jetta (Schnauzer Mix)Jetta is 5 1/2 years old and a Schnauzer mix. I adopted her from the Humane Society when she was 2 months old. Her mother and 2 brothers were there. She looks just like her mother now.

 

Sour Cream SubstituteI have started replacing sour cream, which has lots of fat and calories, with Greek yogurt. I buy the non-fat Greek yogurt, which has no saturated fat or trans fat, is 110 calories per 6 oz. cup, and has 16 grams of protein.

 

My Frugal Life: Stretching GroceriesI grow my own vegetables in the summer and freeze them, I cook from scratch, and I go every 2-3 weeks to buy groceries. I go to generic stores and stock up on meat.

 

Cleaning Sports EquipmentRemove mud and stains from plastic, fiberglass, or aluminum sports equipment by applying a paste of 1 part white distilled vinegar to 3 parts baking soda. Wipe off with soapy water and rinse with clear water.

 

Use Rolodex for Genealogy ResearchUse a Rolodex for organizing family history or genealogy. Each card will have one ancestor on it, with the basic information listed to save time when doing a search. This idea also works for quick reference for doctors, attorneys and address with billing info on them.

 

Craft: Crayon Roll-UpsThese are just a few of the color crayon roll-ups that I make. They are great for birthdays for either boys or girls. My 4 year old grandson takes his to church and restaurants.

 

Scenery: Walking In The RainThis photo was taken in the park after a storm

 

Make Yogurt at HomeWarm milk till it is comfortable temperature (45-50 degrees C or 100 degrees F). Dissolve 1 teaspoon leftover yogurt as starter in 500 ml. (2 cups) milk. Leave in warm place overnight. In the morning, it will be ready. Store in the refrigerator.

 

Athlete's Foot RemediesWe went to the Podiatrist for my husband's diabetic feet problems and she gave us this paper, so I am sharing it with you!

 

Cover Seat with Plastic Table Cloth for PetUse an old plastic table cloth to cover the seat in your vehicle when you have pets riding with you.

 

WaspToday I had to "Hurry and bring the camera, Mom! You gotta check out this bug and take pictures of it", said my 6 year old daughter.

 

Visual Clues For Serving Sizes1 teaspoon = quarter, tip of thumb. 1 tablespoon = silver dollar, whole thumb.

 

Recycled Jeans Laptop BagThis lap top bag is constructed from several different pairs of jeans, lined with flannel and has a crocheted strap.

 

Crab Casserole Recipe from Chinese Buffet?I am looking for a recipe for crab casserole like you find at a Chinese buffet.

 

Building a Swing Set?I am looking for plans for a wooden swing and playground area.

 

Identifying Species of Firewood?Just got pile of fire wood in log form delivered. How do I tell whether or not it is pine?

 

Strawberry Plants Not Producing?I have grown a big beautiful, dark green strawberry plant, but only two berries have been produced. The two strawberries were healthy and a beautiful red and just died after being harvested. What's going on?

 

Freezing Sweet Potatoes?Can someone tell me how to freeze sweet potatoes?

 

Using Frozen Tomatoes for Canning Salsa?My husband and I have a garden. We always plant way too many tomatoes, so we freeze them whole. My husband wants me to make some salsa and can it. My question is, are my tomatoes going to be good to use as they have been frozen?

 

Identifying Small Dark Brown Bugs Found in Bedding?I found some bugs in my son's bedding today. I was afraid they were bed bugs, but after looking at some pics I am pretty sure they are not. I would still like to know what they are.

 

Theme and Paint Color Advice for Kitchen With Orange Counter Tops?What kitchen theme and wall colors would go good with orange counter tops?

 

Urine on a Suede Couch?My husband and I just got a brand new suede couch. Well last night my three year old fell asleep and peed all over it. It soaked through the cushions and the worst part is the cushions are attached, so I can't take them off to clean them really well.

 

Preventing a Flea Infestation from a New Cat?How quick can your house become infested with fleas? I have two adult cats that have never had fleas. I brought a new 3 week old kitten into my house 3 days ago and never noticed any fleas at all. Today, I noticed a few fleas.

 

Bittersweet Vines Not Producing Berries?I planted my bittersweet plants about 3 years ago. The vine is nice and full and is very healthy (yes, I have a male and female), but this is the first year that I have 3 berries. What is the problem?

 

Paint Color Advice for a Pale Yellow and Blue Bathroom?I need color suggestions for my bathroom walls. I have pale yellow tile with cornflower (light) blue flower accent. The floor is white with yellow inlaid accents. The fixtures are pale yellow.

 

Removing Rust Stains on Wire Shower Caddy?How can I clean rust stains on shower wire basket racks that hold accessories?Thank you.

 

Using Aloe for Puffy Eyes and Wrinkles?I have had a problem with wrinkles for the last few years. It continues to get worse year by year. I have been trying a variety of products, but none seem to help. Will aloe be helpful?

 

Removing an Unknown Odor from Wood Cabinets?Our house has oak cabinets in the kitchen. It is not particle board. There is a strange smell like "old" wood if that makes sense, coming from all the cabinets. It doesn't smell like mildew and I've checked the flooring below and it's fine, no signs of water damage.

 

How to Keep Mice Out?I would like to know how to keep rodents or mice out of a stored RV.

 

Treating a Baby's Dry Skin?My nephew is suffering from severe dry skin and baby acne. The doctor has recommended a few things. 1) Stop using Aveeno baby soap and use Dove soap. 2) Use Aquaphor lotion on his skin. 3) Wash all of our clothes in his detergent.

 

Why Did the Lids Pop on My Canned Soup?I made bean soup and canned it. Later the lids started to pop. How can I keep this from happening?

 

Child Support Payments and Social Security?My ex-husband informed me he will retire at age 62, very soon. He says my son will be eligible for social security. Does this mean his monthly child support payments will end?

 

Frugal Weed Killer?Killing pesky weeds doesn't have to be expensive or harmful to the environment. One common weed that causes problems is ground ivy or creeping charlie. An easy way to rid yourself of the weed, is to spray a solution of household borax on the offending sprout.

 

Grease Stains on Clothes?How do you remove old grease stains from clothing?

 

Grease Stain on Leather Jacket?How do I remove a grease stain from a leather jacket?

 

Getting Rid of Moths in Closet?I can't get rid of moths in my closet. I have tried cedar planks, lavender, but nothing seems to work. What else can I try? I am desperate, the moths are eating my clothes.

 

Are Refillable Plastic Water Bottles Safe?We purchase water at the grocery store using the large refillable plastic bottles. Is it safe to keep using the same plastic bottle? Thanks.