February 3, 2011

Grandma's Hot Cocoa Mixrich and chocolaty full of flavor, my kids love this. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Keep in an air tight container.

 

Apple Butter Wash, core and quarter apples. It is not necessary to peel them. Place the apples in a large kettle or Dutch oven along with the juice or cider.

 

Manly Mexican BitesThis is hot! In a skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat, stirring, until browned and the fat is rendered, about 4 minutes. Add the onions, garlic, essence, and chili powder, and cook, stirring, until the onions are soft.

 

Baked EggplantPeel and slice eggplant. Cook in 1 inch boiling salted water about 10 minutes or until tender. Mash the eggplant and mix with butter, eggs, pepper, onion, oregano, and cracker crumbs.

 

Applesauce BarsMix flour with soda and spices. Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy; add eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Stir in flour mixture. Add applesauce, nuts, and raisins; stir until blended.

 

Pasta with Pink SauceBy using fat free cream cheese you get a rich sauce without all the fat and calories, as most creamy sauces call for heavy whipping cream. My kids love it and I sneak in the veggies.

 

Tunasagna RollsCook lasagna noodles as directed on package. Combine broccoli, cottage cheese and egg and distribute evenly along length of each pieces of cooked lasagna. Roll each one jelly roll fashion. Combine remaining ingredients into a tuna mushroom soup sauce.

 

Black Bean Casserole with Cornbread ToppingThis is easy, healthy, cheap, and tasty! In a large saucepan, fry the onion in a little oil till translucent. Add beans and salsa and cook for another minute or two. In a medium bowl, mix all other ingredients.

 

Heart Pocket CardMake a heart-shaped pocket for your sweet little treat this Valentine's Day.

 

File Women Relatives by First NameHaving 4 daughters, I learned this trick with my address book. File them by their first names, not their last, because unfortunately, these can change with marriage and divorce and remarriage.

 

Scenery: Snow Storm (West Virginia)This storm came early morning and lasted about 6 to 8 hours. It left us with 10 to 12 inches of snow. Many people were stranded on the interstate up to 10 hours. People had to leave the cars parked on the side of road.

 

Treating Damaged, Brittle HairTo remedy any dryness in the hair from straightening, perming, coloring, bleaching, etc. try mixing your favorite hair conditioner with a teaspoon of olive oil or jojoba oil. Apply this to your hair while dry, cover with a shower cap and sleep on it.

 

Minty Fresh Herb BathMix ingredients together then place in a mesh bag such as cheesecloth. Place under hot running bath water. Sit back and enjoy.

 

Chandelier MakeoverWe just moved into our house that we have been renting out for several years and I noticed a few things are outdated. I hated the 70's era chandelier over the dining room table because of the smoked glass.

 

Scenery: Snowy GardenThis is one of my favourite corners in the garden to sit and read or enjoy a glass of wine, but of course now that it is wintertime "My Garden Hibernates".

 

Scenery: West Coast Bluff (San Jose, CA)My daughter flew to CA to visit a friend during the summer of 2009. Of course the beach was an ideal place to capture some awesome scenery shots.

 

Baby Oil to Add ShineAfter cleaning my stainless steel sink, I realized it wasn't looking as shiny as it did years ago, when it was new. I remembered a old tip from a friend years before, so I got a nice clean soft rag and put some baby oil on the sink and rubbed the baby oil all around it.

 

Joke: Fancy PaintingMrs. Flanders decided to have her portrait painted. She told the artist, "Paint me with diamond earrings, a diamond necklace, emerald bracelets, and a ruby pendant."

 

Label Reusable Containers With Dry Erase MarkersUse dry erase board markers for labeling plastic food storage containers. They will easily wash off with soapy water.

 

Chinese New Year in Hong KongHere is a picture of the entry way to my sister's apartment building at the Hong Kong International School. Vibrant decorations are everywhere throughout the city. It is the most important holiday for most of this part of the world.

 

Heat Dish While Heating FoodIf you have quite a few separate dishes of food to heat up in the microwave, when you first take out your first dish, put your dinner plate on top of the hot container.

 

Vitamin C To Keep Fruit FreshFruit fresh made easy! Fruit-Fresh is so expensive and there is so little in the can. The main ingredient is vitamin C or ascorbic acid. I got to thinking and bought some chewable vitamin C tablets, crushed them in water, and mixed into my fruit salad.

 

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea)This was my first try at gardening and so many have said I have a green thumb.The new house we moved to had nothing growing, but grass so I decided to brighten it up with flowers.

 

Rudy (Poodle)Rudy is a 2 year old standard Poodle. We rescued Rudy from a puppy mill in Oregon when he was just a couple of months old. He likes to chase, hide and seek, play ball, and play with his other dog buds. He is a very loving and affectionate dog.

 

Wire Decorated CandlesFor something a little more special than a plain candle, how about dressing one up a bit!

 

Coupon StackingDid you know that store coupons can be used along with manufacturer coupons on the same item at the same time? For example, Target had a store coupon for Colgate toothpaste for $1.00 off. I also had a manufacturer coupon for $1.00 off.

 

Recycled Seedling ContainersFor many planting zones, it is close to time to start your seedlings indoors. Be creative-you don't need the expensive jiffy pots. I like to use the cardboard egg cartons, and cut down used Styrofoam cups.

 

Pharaoh (Rottweiler Mix)Pharaoh is a year old Rottweiler mix. I got Pharaoh January, 5th 2010. He was born in an abusive home with four other puppies. They were left to fend for themselves for two months.

 

Keeping Tanks Warm When Power is OutWe are having an ice storm which reminded me of a tip we do with our pets. If you have pets in a cage or tank, they will be hard to keep warm should the power go out. We keep those body/hand warmers on hand.

 

What is the Best Time of Day for Traveling With Children?What time of day is the best time to travel with children?

 

Preparing Styrofoam for Painting?Can you use Elmer's school glue to cover Styrofoam before you paint it?

 

How Do I Remove Dried Toothpaste From Carpet?My granddaughter squirted toothpaste on the carpet. It is dried in and will not come out with regular cleaning (pine cleaner, carpet shampoo, or dish soap). Is there something I can use to get it out without having to snip my carpet?

 

How Do I Control Dog Urine and Feces Odor in Dirt Floored Kennel?I have an outside kennel with a dirt and grass floor. Is there any product that I can use that is safe for my 2 dogs that will help or eliminate the urine and feces odor that comes from the kennel?

 

Best Paint for Using on Styrofoam?What kind of paint can you use on Styrofoam balls?

 

When Do I Cut Back Fall Blooming Mums?When do I need to cut away dead foliage from the mums that bloomed in the fall?

 

Having Surgery Done for Sweaty Palms (Hyperhidrosis)?Does anyone know how much is the surgery for sweaty palms?

 

Where Can I Buy Inexpensive Work Jeans and Slacks?I need to find cheap work jeans in a size 33 x 38 and slacks and jeans in a size 28 x 34. Where can I look?

 

Front Load Washer Makes Noise During Final Rinse Cycle?My Kenmore front load washer makes a lot of noise in the final rinse cycle. Can anybody get back at me with suggestions?

 

Detailed Instructions for KB Adjustable Sock Loom?Does anyone have or know where I can find detailed instructions on how to use an adjustable KB sock loom? Any links would be helpful.

 

Removing Photo Stuck to Glass?How do I remove a photo (without ruining it) from glass when it has gotten wet?

 

How Do I Wire a 220 Dryer Plug?How do I wire a 4 wire 220 dryer plug?

 

Inglis Washer Will Not Agitate?I have a Inglis washer. My wife put a load in and came back to see that the washer was still full of water. It didn't wash the clothes. I tried to start it again and again and it would not start. It's not making any noise when I turn it on, but it will full up with water.

 

Can I Roll a 401K into a Bank Account Without Penalties?Will I be penalized for rolling my 401k into my bank account, even if I don't use it?

 

Inexpensive Wedding Reception Venues in New Jersey?I am from Pittsburgh and recently moved to New Jersey with my fiance. We're getting married in August and I am not having any luck finding an affordable rental for the reception. I refuse to spend over $500.

 

Driveway Paint is Peeling Off?I have a stamped driveway and it looks like the previous owner painted it. Well 5 years later it is chipping and I need to make it more attractive. What do I do? The estimates I got to resurface were very expensive.

 

How Can I Hang Plates on the Wall Inexpensively?Does anybody have any cheap or free ideas for how to hang plates on a wall? I found some great looking plate hangers, but they were five dollars a piece. Any ideas for invisibly hanging plates for cheap is what I am after.

 

What is the Safest Product for Cleaning Up Mouse Droppings?The mice have left their droppings in my silverware and junk drawer. What is a safe product to use to clean the drawer, pens, pencils, misc. metal, and wood serving utensils?

 

Salt Stains on Suede Boots?How do I use a home remedy to clean salt from suede shoes?

 

What Color Accessories Will Make a Grey Powder Room Look Larger?My powder room needs help! The walls are Kingston grey. I want to make it look bigger and richer. What color rug, blinds, etc. should I put in? It's mostly neutral colors now and so boring!

 

Repairing the Finish on a Sink Pop-up Sink Stopper?The paint or finish on my mom's bathroom sink pop-up plunger got removed by Drano and bleach. How can I repair, paint, or fix it?

 

What Kind of Paper Can I Use in a Lite Brite?What can I use for paper in a Lite Brite? I am looking for something I don't have to spend a lot of money on. Thanks!

 

Washing Your Hair With Hard Water?How do I keep the iron in hard water from ruining my hair?

 

How Do I Make My Own Spiced Teas?Can anyone give tips on making spiced teas without using powdered drinks? We especially like Constant Comment, which has a black tea base with spices and orange.