March 23, 2011

Homemade Yogurt, Greek Yogurt, and Yo-CheeseMaking your own yogurt is amazingly easy, and it is very good. Taking it another step and making Greek yogurt or yummy cheese is just as easy.

 

Golden Summer SaladThis combines 5 golden fruits and vegetables and is great for BBQs and any summer party.

 

Gum Drop CakeDredge gum drops and nuts with 1/2 cup flour. Sift remaining flour with baking powder and salt. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until fluffy.

 

Seven Layer BarsThis is a variation on a recipe that my mom used to make all the time when I was growing up. Very good bars!

 

Chinese Style Pork (or Beef)Combine broth (chicken, beef of pork), broth from vegetables, vinegar, brown sugar and soy sauce. Stir in the cornstarch that has been mixed with a little of the vegetable broth to liquify.

 

Low-Fat Chocolate MuffinsPreheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tin with liners or use cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda.

 

Cabbage CasseroleThis is so simple and delicious.

 

Eggs in Mustard SauceHard boil eggs, cut in two and keep warm. Melt butter; add flour then milk a little at a time; add salt and mustard. Bring to a boil and boil 2 minutes. Pour over the halved eggs.

 

Harvest Carrot SaladA sweet carrot and fruit salad served on lettuce bed.

 

Cleaning Sticky Mess in RefrigeratorIf something spills in your refrigerator and you have a sticky mess, put a couple pieces of wet paper towels on it (wet not damp). Let it set for 5 minutes, and just wipe the mess away.

 

Picture Frame Jewelry HolderNecklaces keep getting tangles? I just found an old picture frame, nailed in some hooks, and Voila! A new and attractive necklace holder for my jewelry that used to lay in drawers.

 

Photo Of Gift For Thank You CardI make my own greeting cards. When someone gives me a gift, I will take a picture of it and make a thank you card with the picture of their gift on the front. It is always well received and fun.

 

Program ICE Numbers in Parent's PhonesBy now you may all know about programming "ICE" in your cell phones, but have you also done something similar for your elderly parents?

 

Lucky (Collie Mix)Lucky is a 4 year old Collie mix. She was dumped out of a van at a swap meet. I took her home with me to her forever home. She always greets me with this wonderful smile and all her unconditional love.

 

Storing Rolls of Wrapping PaperHere is a new use for my empty 3 liter soda bottle, a frugal rolled paper storage solution. Just remove the top and bottom.

 

Boy (Cat)This little cat, "Boy", is the laziest thing I have ever seen. He eats and sleeps (that is about all he is good for), but I love him. He loves to get his back and belly scratched on a daily basis.

 

Keeping Bags from Falling into the...I try to recycle whenever I can and use the plastic bags that merchandise and food come in from stores for liners in my smaller garbage pails. I found that putting a rubber band around the rim, helps hold the bag from slipping when items get thrown in.

 

Link: Jazz On The TubeA website I really appreciate is Jazz on the Tube: It has television clips of jazz performances from as early as the 60's, and a great search engine for videos of jazz artists. They have a daily email celebrating featured artists, with a video link, and short biography.

 

Scenery: "Double" MoonI took this picture about 1 hour ago. It looks like two moons, and I thought that was just too cool.

 

Our FinchesWe started out by rescuing a finch from outside our window ledge. We then decided it needed a mate. Little did we know that they would fall in love with each other. It was truly amazing to watch them nurture their young.

 

Product Review: Office 2010 TutorialsNeed assistance with Office 2010? I've found a couple of Tutorials:

 

Vinegar as a Fabric SoftenerMaking your own fabric softener is so simple, just take a one gallon jug of white vinegar and add your own preference of essential oils. I add 40 drops of the oils to the vinegar and shake back and forth to mix up.

 

Plum Tree In BloomWhen I look at my plum tree I can't believe how it started out. I pulled up two limbs that had sprouted off of the big plum tree because my neighbors were cutting down the big plum tree and I couldn't let the plum tree just die out.

 

Keeping Rugs Sweet SmellingAre you paying expensive costs to professionally clean your expensive wool area rugs? We used to bring them in once or twice a year and pay $50 - $100 each time. Now I sprinkle them with Arm and Hammer Baking Soda on Vacuum Day.

 

Lemon Juice For Flavorful FishLemon juice, rubbed on your fish before cooking, will enhance the flavor and help maintain a good color. Try this, it really works.

 

A Clean Sweep: Everyone Needs a...For most people, scheduling a chimney cleaning isn't an essential phone call. Yet for everyone who has any type of furnace or heating stove, it is a safety measure that can't be overlooked.

 

Reusing Candy and Chocolate BoxesTake the heart box you got for Valentines day and use it to store your jewelry. Those beautiful boxes are way too pretty to pitch in the trash when they can be reused. This recycles the material and keeps it out of our landfills. You'll also find you no longer have problems with chains being knotted.

 

Plant Vegetables After EasterBoth of my grandfathers swore blue that to plant out any of the fruiting vegetables before Easter was asking for weird weather and replanting. Even though the date for Easter does move around, it certainly has been true for my garden.

 

Tips For Living GreenInstead of worrying with the little plastic baggies, just rinse them and put them in with the plastic shopping bags that you can take to a re-cycling center.

 

Growing Ornamental KaleOrnamental kales are said to be the "daffodils and tulips" of the fall garden, and a great way to fill in gaps and brighten up fading flower beds. They laugh in the face of dropping temperatures and frost, in fact, cooler weather only serves to intensify their color.

 

Craft: Crocheted SnowflakesThese are some of the snowflakes that I have crocheted recently from patterns I got online.

 

Wildlife: Hayden Run Wolf (Yellowstone)To see this in Yellowstone was so amazing to me. Two wolves from the Hayden Run wolf pack feeding off a bison remains. I am sure it was the alpha male and female.

 

Reusing Spice ContainersRecycle those bigger shaker bottles that spices come in. I reuse them and fill with cinnamon sugar or flour. It is so much handier to have one bottle to grab while I'm cooking than having to go to the pantry for the canister of flour.

 

Picture Frame Earring HolderA jewelry box is a nice place to put your earrings, but what if you have some favorite pairs that you wear all the time.

 

Homemade Hair GelTo make a homemade hair gel, dissolve 1 tsp. plain gelatin in warm water. Mix it very well, then keep it in the refrigerator in a small closed container. To use, smear it in your hair. It is pure protein and washes out easily.

 

Fitness Center at HomeOur 2-bedroom apartment is quite unusual. Other tenants usually have their living rooms furnished with a couch, chair, end tables, and lamps. As you walk into our unit, it looks more like a fitness center.

 

Reuse Medicine Measuring CupsI make a lot of jewelry to sell. I was cleaning out my jewelry drawer and needed something to hold a few beads in. I had an old medicine cap, the one that you use to measure the correct dosage. The beads fit perfectly.

 

Potato Flakes to Thicken GravyTo make a thickener to go into gravies or other dishes that need thickening, add some instant potato flakes. I have done this for a year now and it does a great job thickening up homemade gravies.

 

Cleaning the OvenTo clean your oven, spray with oven cleaner at night (I use Easy Off lemon scent). The next day, use a wet sponge to wipe off the oven. Use gloves and a bucket of water, as you'll have to keep washing the sponge.

 

Cleaning a Polyester Filled Comforter?What is the safest way to clean a white comforter with polyester filling?

 

Making Money With Your Computer?I have heard you can make real money online, but I still don't believe it. There are so many scams running online. Knowing this, can anyone help me find real ways to earn money online?

 

Removing Nicotine Stains from Window Frames?How do I clean white PVC window surrounds? It looks like nicotine stains. Thanks.

 

How Do I Grow Cilantro?How do I care for and grow the herb, cilantro?

 

Building a Cat Condo?I am looking for cat condo plans, complete with instructions.

 

Where Can I Get Free Yarn for Charity Projects?I am trying to keep my seniors busy and in the process address needs of needy communities. We are knitting and crocheting various items and for us to do this we need yarn. If anyone has left over yarn to donate l would be so grateful once again to have it. Thank you in advance.

 

How Can I Soften Hard Clumped Dishwasher Detergent?How do I soften old, clumped together powdered dishwashing detergent?

 

Whiter Teeth?How do I whiten teeth?

 

Updating Bathroom Tile Countertop Without Removing the Tile?I have a bathroom counter top with 1 sq. inch tiles. I need to replace the sink, but want to cover the nasty little tiles as well without having to rip the whole counter out. Is there a product that won't cost too much and will hide that tile?

 

Finding an Inexpensive Hall for a 1st Birthday Party?I am trying to throw a 1st birthday party, but can't find a nice hall that is not so expensive. Any help?

 

Making Your Hair Grow Faster?I need to know how to grow hair faster. Thank you.

 

Washing Machine Spin Cycle Not Working?My washer's spin cycle does not work. What can I do?

 

Ideas for Inexpensive Crafts and Hobbies?I don't have a whole lot of money. I would like to do arts and crafts, but I can't really come up with very many cheap crafts. Any idea of a hobby or craft I can make? Thanks. I read books! Any ideas would help.

 

Getting Coupons in the Mail?How can I get coupons in the mail?

 

Pattern for a Crochet Hat Shaped Pin Cushion?Does anyone have a pattern for a crocheted "hat pin cushion" that they would be willing to share with me? The hat would look like a sunbonnet and made with yarn not thread.

 

Getting Hair Dye Off of Skin?How do you get hair dye off your face?

 

Cleaning Artificial Plants?Due to health problems this year, my spring cleaning is also going to entail an attempt to remove quite a bit of dust and grease 'gunk' from some artificial plants which I have in my bedroom and above kitchen cabinets.