October 26, 2010

Fresh Peach PieCombine sugar, water and cornstarch. Cook until clear. Remove from heat. Add gelatin and cool mixture. Place sliced peaches in a baked 8 inch pie shell.

 

Candy Corn FudgeSo easy and so tasty! Prepare an 8x8 inch pan by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

 

Cold Vegetable PizzaPress crescent rolls on pizza pan to make crust. Bake as directed on roll package. Cool. Mix cream cheese, sour cream, Miracle Whip, dressing mix, dill weed and garlic salt.

 

Orecchiette with Savory Butter and Sage SauceSage can have an overwhelming flavor depending on how fresh it is, so begin with the lower measurement amount for the butter sauce and add the rest if desired.

 

Peanut Butter StewAn interesting twist on beef stew is the addition of peanut butter.

 

Universal MuffinsThis is an amazing universal muffin recipe - I love it because it lets me use what's in the house or what's cheap at the time, without having to find ingredient-specific recipes

 

Creepy Crawler Ice RingI did this for all the school parties! Arrange worms or other candy in bottom of 5 cup ring mold. Fill mold with thirst quencher beverage. Freeze until solid, 8 hours or overnight.

 

Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip CookiesThis is the nestle Toll House recipe. It's really good and its the recipe I always use.

 

Basic Red Tomato SauceThis is a great mild red sauce that the kids can help make. This year I made a double batch using fresh tomatoes from the garden, rather than the canned tomatoes, and processed it in pint jars using the hot water bath canning method.

 

Store Touchup Paint in Film CanistersSave film canisters and use them to store small amounts of leftover paint for touch-ups. Label each one and store in a handy place. Instead of a label, you can also just paint a part of the film canister lid with the paint for quick reference.

 

Spoons for Impromptu Cooling RackThis is a great way to cool down a pan from the oven. My husband came up with this - AMAZING! He pulled 4 tablespoons out of the drawer turned them upside down and Voila! An instant rack for cooling.

 

Beanz (Pony)Roaring Wind Lightning aka Beanz is ten years old and a POA (Pony of the Americas). I bought him six years ago. Beanz loves to go to McDonald's, Burger King, the Car Wash.

 

Vinegar to Fix Sagging Cane ChairsCane chair seats that have sagged may be rejuvenated by sponging them with a hot solution of half vinegar / half water and then placing the chairs in the summer sun to dry.

 

3D Halloween Cat CardEasy Halloween card with action. Online, find a clipart cat that you like, size it to the card size you will using. Trace this cat on black paper and cut out, but draw a circle where the tail normally is.

 

Raine (Dog) And Her New Charge (Boer Billy) This is one of our livestock guardian dogs "Raine", who was nursing a litter of puppies at the time and one of her young charges. This young boer billy was bottle fed so he really didn't know what all the fuss was over but decided he had to check out what "Mom" was offering.

 

Store Remotes Face DownTo keep remotes from sliding off your couch, just turn them face down.

 

Save Excess Water for HouseplantsWe have recently moved to Kentucky. The Fall has been very, very dry and our dishwasher requires that you run the tap until the water is hot. So, my husband purchased a terrific, barn red watering can me that I can use to "catch" the water from the tap until it runs hot.

 

Halloween Costume: Lunch Lady Land!My company allows us to dress up at Halloween, but it's difficult to find costumes that are family-appropriate and don't hinder movement. One year I made a big splash for less than $10!

 

Plastic Cup to Unclog Sink To open a stopped up drain in your kitchen when you don't have a plunger available, get a 6-8 oz. plastic glass (one of those opaque ones you get free drinks in) and put it upside down over your drain hole. Push down quickly flattening it and it will open the drain.

 

Lily (Pekingese/Chihuahua Mix)(Cocker Spaniel)Lily is 4 months old and a pekingese - chihuahua. I got her about a month ago. She likes to play with her big sister.

 

Plastic Paper Clips as Alternative to Straight PinsThis, as with most of my tips was born of necessity. I am too old to be crawling around on the floor with a flashlight trying to retrieve straight pins that I have dropped. I laid the tee shirt dress I was making for my granddaughter on my folding cutting board.

 

Juice Lid Jack-O'-LanternTransform a handful of beads and two frozen juice can lids into this grinning little guy just in time for Halloween!

 

Joke: Dee O GeeThis is a true story I think is really funny. It happen several years ago and I still remember it like it was yesterday and chuckle every time I think about it. I was sitting in a doctor office reading a magazine when I overheard two ladies talking about their dogs.

 

Research Silver and Silverplate MarksDo you know that there are marks on the bottom of silver and silverplate items that tell you who made it and if it's sterling or silverplate? Did you know that all this information is on the internet if you do a google search for silverplate marks?

 

Gift Idea: Markers And PaperOne of the favorite gifts on a budget that I put together was a ream of white xerox/printer paper and a new set of markers. Paper can be found at almost any office supply or mass merchandiser for less than $5 a ream and markers at the dollar store.

 

My Frugal Life: Keeping Our World CleanFall is here and I'm so thankful for cooler weather. It has been a long, hot summer and not a good time to pick up a lot of litter.

 

Make Pickles in Leftover Olive BrineWhen you have eaten all the olives from the glass jar they came in and have lots of brine left over, chop up a cucumber and put it in the brine. In one day you will have slightly olive-flavored quick pickles!

 

Rico and Chance (Cat and Chihuahua)I adopted a cat from my local shelter. At the time of this photo, it was the first day that the cat had been in my house. I put the cat down on the couch, to meet the chihuahua and you'd never believed what happened, they KISSED!

 

Sow Birdseed For "Cat Grass"If your cat nibbles the leaves off your house plants, sow birdseed in a shallow pot and give him his own private supply of greens.

 

Preventing Gas in BeansFresh ginger root is a miracle. I use it in so many ways. One of the best uses is to put several slices into the soaking water for beans. It prevents the gas formation better than the commercial products.

 

Purchase Generic Over the Counter MedicationsI work for a factory that packages medications. My specific line is Loratadine, which is the exact composition as Claritin. There really is no difference between the Claritin, Wal-Mart's Equate version, Target's Up and Up version, or CVS's Allergy Relief version.

 

Egg Shaped CandlesI make candles to give as gifts, but this is my favorite. To make egg shaped candles, break the egg making a small hole on one side. Stand the egg in empty egg carton and pour the wax in the hole. Let cool till wax hardens, then peel the shell.

 

Sharpening KnivesWhen sharping knifes, be sure to wipe the blades, I found there are tiny shavings on them. Careful!

 

Pet Supply Magazines for KidsI ordered this catalog of pet supplies. The pictures are so precious and so adorable and they have catalogs for each kind of pet type that a person might have.

 

Placemats from Children's ArtI am going to get some clear contact paper and cover my daughter's pictures that she drew and colored. I am going to use these as placemats. I will border the sides of the paper with ribbon if I find the right color.

 

Recipe for Red Velvet Pound Cake?Does anyone have a recipe for red velvet pound cake? I would appreciate this recipe so much. Thanks.

 

Growing Hedge Apples?How can I get a hedge apple or Osage orange tree start or started?

 

Kindergarten Science Project: Creating a Diorama of a Community Garden?My kindergarten daughter was asked to complete a science project: Community garden using a shoe box, glue, flowers, and ladybug. She was asked to be creative. Please help with any ideas.

 

Reviving a Dried Out Marker?How do you revive a dried out magic marker?

 

My New Puppy Won't Eat?8 week old puppy who is not eating, but is drinking water.

 

Yardman Riding Mower Won't Start?I have a Yardman mower that is not a year old yet. It will not start. The motor turns freely, but won't engage. The last time it worked, when I cut it off it backfired. What could be the problem?

 

Cub Scouts Parade Float Ideas?I am looking for ideas for a Christmas float for a new cub scout troop. It needs to be inexpensive.

 

Painting a Faux Finish on Tile Backsplash?I have a neutral color ceramic backsplash in my kitchen. I primed it and used a textured paint. I would like to enhance the look. Can I sponge another color over the base color it is now, or do I have to start over? I am looking to do something very thrifty. Thank you.

 

Can I Continue Using a Damaged Pot?I dumbly left a pot on the stovetop too long and the bottom of the pot burned. I boiled a mixture of vinegar and water in the pot and all the char came off. Only, now, there are little white holes on the bottom of the pot. Is it unsafe to keep using this pot? It is stainless steel.

 

Improving the Flavor of Brown Rice?Does anyone have any ideas for making brown rice more palatable? I have tried adding bullion to the water and different seasonings, but nothing has worked so far to encourage my family to like it.

 

What is Worm Tea?What is worm tea?

 

Sauce Recipe for Taco Pizza?I know how to make taco pizza, but not the sauce that goes on top. I have heard that there is mayo and possibly vinegar, but cannot find what else. Does anyone have an answer?

 

Cleaning Brass Stiffel Lamps?How do I clean antique Stiffel lamps?

 

What is the Best Way to Crack Hickory Nuts?What is the best way to crack hickory nuts to get lots of halves?

 

Dog is Afraid of Baths?I have a 2 year old German Shepherd Siberian Husky mix. I bought him from a family and he used to be abused. He doesn't have any problems with that but, he is deathly scared of baths.

 

Paint and Floor Color Advice for Kitchen?I am looking for suggestions of what colour I could paint my kitchen and dining room walls, if I have high gloss cream and aubergine (dark purple) cupboards and oak worktops. I would also like ideas of what floor tiles to put down.

 

Fleas and Hardwood Floors?Would resealing a hardwood floor trap and kill any fleas in the floor?

 

Cleaning a Tub That is Losing Some of the Glaze?The bathtub has spots that looks like it is losing the glaze. How do I keep this clean without staining the tub? I really don't want to have it reglazed.

 

Heater Doesn't Work After Mice Nested in Car?I had mice nesting in the car, now the heat won't work, but the blower is. I am also hearing a loud click from under dash when turning the temp from hot to cold. The AC works fine. It is a 1998 Ford Taurus.

 

Decorating a Truck to Look Like an Alligator Head?How do you make a gator's head by using the front of a pick up truck?

 

How Do I Thicken My Hair?I have very thin and balding hair, that is also oily and straight. I used to perm my hair every 4 months, but have stopped. It has been about three years since the last perm. My question is what is the best way to thicken my hair and condition it? What would you recommend?

 

How Do I Lighten My Hair Without the Sun?How do I lighten blonde hair without the sun? I wanted to know if I can do anything, but dye my hair to lighten it without using the sun. Would hydrogen peroxide work without the sun? I've done it with the sun and it worked really well, but what about without the sun?

 

Spots on Marble?How do you remove water stains from marble?