November 2, 2010

Meatloaf ParmesanI was experimenting with ways to make meatloaf and my family loved this one and asks for it every week.

 

Baked Spaghetti Pizza PieThis recipe for Baked Spaghetti Pizza Pie is an adaptation I made from other baked spaghetti recipes. Most recipes I found called for mixing the noodles and leftover spaghetti together.

 

Ten Wedding CakeLooks like a pound cake but tastes much better.

 

Barley, Bell Pepper and Onion BakePreheat oven to 350 degrees F. Saute peppers and onions in oil until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes, transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish and stir in the broth and barley.

 

Fish In A PondI made this up one time when I did Day Care and ran out of snacks!

 

How to Make a Gourd BirdhouseGourds are fun and easy to grow, and many of the hard-shell types make wonderful houses for common cavity-nesting bird species like chickadees, nuthatches, and martins.

 

Halloween Costume: Deviled EggThe instructions are quite simple. First go to the fabric store and pick up a couple of yards of white felt and 1/2 a yard of bright yellow felt. You also need store bought materials for being a devil, such as the the red horns, the tail and the pitchfork.

 

Wildlife: Flock of BirdsEvery fall the birds congregate in the field across the street after it's been combined to eat whatever is left behind. It's such a beautiful sight - and sound - when they all take off at the same time!

 

Store Fresh Ginger in FreezerI love to make Asian food, and I like to make it with fresh ginger. I found if I blanch the root in boiling water, peel it using the edge of a spoon, then freeze the chunk in a zip lock bag, I have fresh ginger whenever I want.

 

Stretching Hamburger HelperMake your Hamburger Helper go further (store brand, on sale, of course). With a household of 4 big eaters, a box of Hamburger Helper is just barely enough. If the kids have a friend over, forget it.

 

Upholstery Mini PursesThis is a small purse with a button/elastic closure. It fits inside a larger purse to organize the contents.

 

Nooch (Bichon Frise)Nooch is estimated at 5 years old. He is a Bichon Frise who thinks he is a cat. I rescued him from a Non-profit. He loves his sqeek-ums and trying to be a cat.

 

Recycled Candle JarsI had a bunch of good candles where the wicks had refused to stay lit, so it was time to make some recycled candles. A local restaurant gave me one of their large cans (those really big ones we sometimes see in groceries).

 

Add Vinegar to PlasterMix a half teaspoon of vinegar into each quart of plaster you use on your next repair job, and the "mud" will take longer to set up, thereby giving you just that much more working time.

 

Sunday (Cat)Sunday is a 5 years old. I found her in a wood pile in the woods. She likes to run really fast, and ride in her stroller. She has her own chair!

 

Plant Grapefruit Seeds As HouseplantsFor some cold weather greenery that will brighten the house and last all winter, try filling a flat pan with rich dirt and thickly planting the container in grapefruit seeds buried one half inch deep.

 

Halloween: Back Yard Haunted HouseMy wife and I are both big fans of Halloween and each year we go all out to scare the neighborhood kids. This year we used sheets of plywood to build wall in our backyard to create a haunted graveyard setting. We scared a lot of kids and their parents.

 

Scenery: San Isabel Lake (Colorado)A beautiful fall day in mid October along the banks of San Isabel Lake. The sun was starting to set and storm was rolling in from the mountains. Just enough sunlight lit up the Aspen as the clouds reflected in the water below.

 

Curly (Labradoodle)Curly is 5 years old and a Labradoodle. We got Curly from a breeder in Bakersfield. Curly likes to go for long walks, play with other people, and cuddle. She loves cheese!

 

Oven Bag for Moist TurkeyWith turkey time almost here, I have a tip for a really moist turkey. I use a baking bag (put inside roasting pan) and bake as usual. You don't have to baste the turkey, if you do it in a baking bag.

 

Teapot as Alternative for Gravy BoatUse a teapot for a gravy boat if you don't have a gravy boat. It is easy for kids to pour.

 

My Frugal Life: The Wisdom of FrugalityI am blessed to have grown up in a family where my parents had gone through the Great Depression and then WWII. They never made being frugal seem like punishment, but more of a game, where I was taught to look at the bigger picture.

 

Stock Up Now on Toilet Paper TubesKimberly Clark is developing tubeless toilet paper, which means the other toilet paper makers will probably follow suit. So if you craft with the tubes, you might want to stock up now.

 

Extending MascaraI found that if I add a tiny amount of oil to a dried container of mascara and then use the lash brush to "mix" the oil with the mascara, I am able to stretch the use of the product!

 

Cleaning a Feather DusterTo clean a feather duster, place it in a paper or plastic bag and then add a box of cornstarch. Hold it tightly, so it's securely closed and then shake vigorously for 15-30 seconds, preferably outside.

 

Insulating the Walls in the Corner of a Room?I need help insulating the corner of a room:

 

Cleaning Doll Clothing?How do you remove dust off of the clothes of dolls?

 

Removing Sticky Grease Residue from Pans?What products/chemicals can be used to remove peanut oil from the cooking containers and utensils? When we deep fry over open burners there is a gummy substance on the outside of the pans that is hard to get off.

 

Flower Seeds?How can I gather the seeds from my mom's marigolds and mums so that we can grow more next year?

 

Burning Bush Won't Turn Red?We have a burning bush that was planted 6 years ago and it has never had more the 6 leaves turn red on it. I see some deep red bushes in the neighborhood and wonder what is wrong with ours. Is the soil lacking something? Any information would be greatly appreciated!

 

Removing Organic Paint from a Vinyl Tarp?How do I clean organic paint from a vinyl tarp? The colors are blue and pink. The tarp is like those for parties and events. I think it is vinyl. Help me please? Thank you.

 

Making Homemade Tomato Juice?I have a power juicer and I sell produce. To cut down on waste I would like to make some homemade tomato juice with my juicer. Do I need to add anything else to make the juice or are the tomatoes enough?

 

What Breed is My Dog?What other breed is my Shepherd mixed with?

 

Dog Yeast Infections?I have been treating my Shih Tzu Alfie for yeast infections since he was a pup and I have tried everything. I found out about the ACV/water solution yesterday. He has some small scabs so there's open skin and I'm wondering if I should still use the 50/50 solution on it?

 

Couch Color to Coordinate With Olive Walls?I have olive green walls with a dark stain color strip through out my living room. Would a dark color suede couch look good with that type of color on the walls? The couch is chocolate.

 

Is There a Difference in Quality When Using Butter Instead of Margarine?Is there a difference in quantity when using butter instead of margarine in both general cooking and baking?

 

Previously House Broken Dog Has Started Pooping in the House?I have a Sheltie that is about 11 months old and she is going poop in the house after I have taken her out. Sometimes she is out a long time, but won't go! She has been potty trained for a while! I work night shift and I am going through a divorce. Could she be stressing herself?

 

Conditioner Makes Hair Fall Out?I have a weird problem here. No matter which conditioner I use, a drug store brand or a high end brand, my hair falls a lot when I condition it. Just shampooing my hair makes it a dry and coarse. Please tell me what to do.

 

Kenmore Icemaker Only Making Cube Ice?I have a Kenmore refrigerator side by side and it will make cube ice, but no crushed. It did at one time, but not now. What could have happen to it? I love crushed ice, so I want it fixed!

 

Disconnecting the Electrical Plug on a Kenmore Icemaker?How do I remove the electrical connection plug to my icemaker on my Kenmore side by side refrigerator? They won't pull apart.

 

Are Coffee Grounds Good for Oleanders?Are coffee grounds good for oleanders?

 

Removing Burn Marks from a Stainless Steel Pot?How do you remove burnt popcorn from stainless steel pots? I have scrubbed with Comet and pads that won't scratch.

 

Buying Precut Plastic Canvas Crosses for Making Bookmarks?I have a question about plastic canvas cross bookmarks. I used to be able to find the crosses already cut out in this shape. The edges are so much neater on the purchased ones. Where can I find them?

 

Painting a Bathtub?I would like to spray paint my bathtub with paint for porcelain. How do I do it? Someone had painted it with what looks like regular paint and it's been chipping off in different spots. It looks ugly.

 

Removing Gel Ink from a Viscose Acetate and Polyester Jacket?I got black gel ink pen on a cream jacket. I sent it to the dry cleaners who cannot remove the ink; why can't they?Jacket is viscose acetate and polyester.

 

Bonnet Pattern That Lies Flat for Ironing?I am looking for a bonnet pattern that has 2 buttonholes on top for the tie to go through to hold the bonnet on. It is tied under the neck and has a button closure in back near the base of neck. This pattern when opened will lay flat for ironing.

 

Removing White-Out Stain on Clothing?How do I remove Witeout from black clothing?

 

What Breed is My Dog?I adopted a Min Pin mix at the shelter, he is now 10 weeks old. People have asked me what he is mixed with, but I do not know. Their guess is Chihuahua, but a lot of people we encounter including 2 trainers said that he looks like he is mixed with either Fox terrier or Jack Russell.

 

Need Laura Ashley Strawberry Wallpaper?Does anyone have any spare rolls of Laura Ashley strawberry wallpaper or borders with the blue daisy flower?

 

How Can I Alter a Blouse To Make It Larger?My brother-in-law got me a beautiful blouse in China. But I think the language barrier got in the way and he purchased a child's size. I need about 8 inches more in width in the back and some more room in the sleeves. Can anyone think of a way to make this that much bigger?

 

New Dog Aggressive Toward Resident Cat?I have 2 dogs and 1 cat and everything was fine, but then I got a 4 year old rescue Doxie and everything has changed. My new Doxie wants to fight with my cat and she seems to be convincing the other dogs not to like the cat anymore. For a month I have tried many things and nothing is working.

 

Stain Color Suggestions for Kitchen Cabinets?I have a small kitchen with pecan colored cabinets and pecan wood flooring, multi-taupe countertops with cream color wall. What color can I stain the cabinets to make them pop? Also does anyone have any suggestions about lighting?

 

Cleaning Stuffed Animals?Regarding cleaning large stuffed animals, would Woolite be a good detergent for washing a several foot long animal?