March 30, 2011

Hot Carameled Apples with Pie Crust DippersRemember the smell of a homemade apple pie baking in the oven? Here's a quick and easy way to treat your family to all the flavor and aroma with a fraction of the work.

 

Almost Homemade Chicken and DumplingsThis good old country recipe is my idea of the ultimate comfort food!

 

Crock Pot Potato SoupPrepare all the vegetables and put into crock pot. Cut the turkey bacon into small pieces and put into crock pot. Dissolve bouillon cubes in boiling water and add to crock pot.

 

Cambodian Chicken SaladBone chicken and cut meat into bite-sized pieces. Prepare rice either on the stove top of in the microwave oven. Arrange salad ingredients on large platter in this order: torn lettuce pieces, thinly sliced onion rings, sliced tomatoes.

 

Tater Tot CasseroleBrown hamburger and put in casserole dish. Add celery and onions. Mix soups together and pour over. Cover with Tater Tots. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.

 

Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Pork TenderloinI can't remember where I found this recipe long ago, but it's one that sounded so yummy to save and try in the future. Well, my friend Linda asked last week if I had a slow cooker pork roast recipe and she decided to give this recipe a try, untested,

 

Boston Brown Bread (Microwave)Homemade brown bread bakes about as fast as opening and heating a can of ready-made. Baked beans are not the only companion for brown bread - try it with casseroles and stews.

 

Waldorf SaladThis is a Weight Watchers 4 Points Plus+ Recipe.

 

Use Clothes Pins for Chip ClipsInstead of buying bag clips, I use a clothes pin to keep the bag closed. I also use clothes pins on hangers to hang skirts and pants.

 

Hulling a StrawberryNow that strawberry season is here in Florida, I want to share a tip to hull them quickly and with nearly no waste. Use the small end of a melon baller. This technique works so slick!

 

My Frugal Life: Meaningful Not Expensive GiftsWhen I was quite young, I had my first daughter. I was only 17, still in high school, and I have to tell you that I was terrified of everything. I found that as soon as I got pregnant, I lost most of my friends. I became an expert at frugal living.

 

Fixing a Slow Tub DrainFor slow drains in old houses, pour a bottle of bleach down the tub drain once a month in the evening. In the morning, heat up a tea kettle and pour one gallon of water down the drain.

 

Keep Sweet Potatoes From Staining PotIf your cooking pans become discolored inside when boiling sweet potatoes, try rubbing the inside of the kettle with cooking oil before adding the water and potatoes. Then the clean up won't be a problem.

 

Link (Golden Retriever)Link is an 8 years old Golden Retriever. We got him from a great breeder in Ottawa, KS. His mom's name is Winnie, she is a beautiful golden. He loves the dog park and running in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

 

In Memory Of Jewel (Mountain Lion)I took these photos of Jewel in 1995 for a wildlife magazine photo shoot in the mountains of Montana. Jewel was a real sweetheart. She died 3 years ago.

 

Egg Shells for TomatoesWhen planting tomato plants in your garden, put a crushed egg shell in the bottom of the hole with a little soil over it before planting the tomato plant. It will benefit from the calcium in the egg all season.

 

Q-Tips for Cleaning a KeyboardI use a moist Q-Tip all around and between the keys. Then I use the crevice tool of my vacuum to suck up the dust that is left over.

 

Gift Idea: "Cookie Emergency" PostcardIf you have children attending college out of state and you want to send them a unique gift, here's an idea I have used. I made postcards from the fronts of greeting cards, addressed them to myself, cut out a cookie shape and glued it to the left of my name.

 

Poor Man's InsolesIf your feet hurt and you need new shoes or different ones, try this tip! Place your foot on some cardboard and trace them (both feet separately). The hardest part is cutting them out.

 

Reuse Plastic Yogurt CupsI have started using empty yogurt cups for scoops. In the past, I had used everything from big spoons, child-size cups, and store bought ones. After they are empty, wash and dry them and use for pet food, flour, sugar, coffee - anything you need a scoop.

 

Abby (Chihuahua)We got Abby as a puppy about 2 years ago. Abby loves to sleep. When she is not sleeping, she loves to play with our cat.

 

Dishpan as Litter BoxWhile shopping in a department store, I noticed that basic litter boxes for cats cost more than a dishpan. The litter boxes were priced at over $6.00 each. The dishpans were priced at $1.29 each.

 

Baby Powder To Stop AntsIf you shake baby powder around where ants come into the house, they will stop coming. Their feet get stuck in the powder but you don't kill them. Never kill black ants as they keep the white ants at bay.

 

Starting Over With Your Household BudgetWhen organizing your household budget, things can get a bit overwhelming. Do you know where your money goes? If you can't account for it, try scrapping everything you're doing with your money this month and start over.

 

Knife Holder Using Bamboo SkewersSuch a perfectly simple way to build a cheap knife-rack and you can size it to fit anywhere on any counter top.Plan the size you wish. You can have the lumber pieces sawed to size at Lowe's or Home Depot cheaply.

 

Colorful Deviled Eggs For EasterOne of my favorite recipes to make on Easter is Deviled Easter Eggs. You boil your eggs and peel them. Make up your egg colors like you are dying eggs and dip your boiled, peeled eggs in the dye.

 

Reshaping Old GlassesGlasses, reading glasses, sun glasses - I have lots and something always goes wrong with one of them. Of course, you can replace the screws, but you can also reshape them gently.

 

DaffodilsI love gardening, and these daffodils are the first hint that spring is finally here! I spend all summer in my flower gardens taking photos as the blooming progresses.

 

Fluffy (Long Hair Domestic)Fluffy is a 12 year old long hair domestic cat. She arrived at my daughter's back door, only a few weeks old as a tiny ball of black fur.

 

Buying Smoke Free Items OnlineI've seen a lot of complaints about items purchased on eBay smelling bad. It happened to me too. So now, before bidding, I contact the seller and ask, "Does this item have any odors of tobacco products, pets, or cooking on it?".

 

Collect Water While Shower Warms UpLast year, my family ran into the not-so-fun situation of running out of water in our well. Oh, the things we take for granted! But necessity is the mother of invention and it lead me to do the following to conserve water.

 

Roll Clothes When PackingWhen packing shirts or blouses (or even shorts and slacks), in your suitcase, instead of folding them flat try rolling them up. They will not wrinkle nearly as much, and you will actually be able to fit more clothes in your suitcase.

 

Diaper WreathThis is a diaper shower gift that I made for my granddaughter for her baby shower.

 

Perfume as Room FreshenerGet too many perfumes for your birthday? Was that last "blind buy" a nightmare? Use your unwanted fragrances as room fresheners. Perfume is much more concentrated than room deodorizers, so a little squirt will do.

 

Imaginative Wall Storage IdeasI store all my dry foods in glass bottles, often in quart sealers. I ran out of room, so I opened up a small blank wall by cutting into the drywall. This exposed the 2x4s. Between each blank space, I installed shelves made of 1x4s.

 

How Do I Repair Torn Carpet?How do I fix ripped carpet?

 

Restoring an Old Trunk?How do I repair an old trunk? I want to try to save the canvas in between the slots.

 

Using Latex Kilz Vs. Oil Based Kilz?Latex Kilz is considerably less expensive than oil based Kilz. Will the latex work as well in most situations?

 

Help With a Lost USPS Package?I sent out the package on 2/28/11, but today is 3/29/11 and my friend still did not receive it yet? I filed a complaint to USPS. They said that there is nothing they can do, because the package was out using flat rate first class.

 

Rabbit Recipes?I am looking for a recipe for either rabbit casserole or stew.

 

Understanding Crochet Patterns and Abbreviations?What does this mean: Ch1, sc in end of next row, *2sc in end of each next 2 rows?

 

Starting a Compost Pile?I need some ideas to start an economical compost pile.

 

Repairing a Tub Spout Diverter?When I use my shower, the water is coming out of the faucet below and the shower head. It seems that the faucet part isn't completely shutting all the way for the all of the water to flow to and through the showerhead.

 

Where Do I Buy Odoban?Where can I buy Odoban?

 

What is the Best Type of White Flooring?I have a small kitchen with white cabinets and want a white floor to brighten the kitchen. What do you suggest?

 

Homemade Suntan Lotion?I read in a book about making your own sun tan lotion. We all know how expensive it can be to purchase at the store. I was wondering if anyone knows the recipe for it? Is it really safe to use, or am I better off paying for it at the store? Thank you so much!

 

Where Can I Buy Rubber Canning Jar Rings?I have a Christmas craft that I do that requires the old canning jar rubber rings which are now very difficult to find. I need to either find some or have a suggestion for something else to use. Thank you.

 

When is Cross Pollination Between Vegetables a Problem?I am planting vegetables in 5 gallon plastic containers, I do not want to have problems with cross pollination. I have tomatoes next to bell peppers, then chili peppers close by. Is there a problem?

 

Feeding Hummingbirds?Besides sugar and water, what else can humming birds eat?

 

Reusing Old Pasta Sauce Jars?Anyone have any craft suggestions for empty jars? I have retained so many of them after using the spaghetti sauce that they originally contained. There must be something that they can used for. Thanks for any and all suggestions. Have a great rest of your week.

 

What is This Plant?Does anyone know what type of plant this is? It was given to me by a friend and I would like to look it up so I can better care for it (as you can see, the leaves are turning yellow and I have no idea why!).

 

Inexpensive Adult Birthday Party Venues in Atlanta?I need a cheap event space for an adult birthday party that allows outside food and beverages, preferably under $200. Any suggestions?

 

Identifying Small Brown Bugs Around the Toilet?I have little brown bugs around my toilet. They move very slowly and look like ticks.

 

Showcasing Collectibles in a Small Area?I'm a huge "I Love Lucy" Fan, and I'm an avid collector of her items varying from Barbies still in mint condition in their box, to watches, to a marble with her face on it!

 

Defective Dooney and Bourke Purse?What can be done about the bubbles that form on the Dooney and Bourke coated handbags?

 

Cleaning with Vinegar?What is the cleaning mixture for vinegar and water?

 

How Can I Change the Color of Cream Curtains to White?How can I dye thick cream colored curtains white?

 

Removing Sharpie from Leather?How do you get black Sharpie permanent marker off a saddle? I have already tried hairspray and alcohol and neither worked.

 

Color Advice for Kitchen Flooring?I have an Uba Tuba granite countertop, medium oak cupboards, dirty red brick backsplash, sage and light beige walls. There is not a lot of natural light. Should I stick with a light beige floor?

 

Reviews of Synthetic Potty Grass for Dogs?I have been looking at the fake grass potty boxes for little dogs to use and I would like your thoughts and ideas, experiences, or opinions on this. I have saved lots of money before by getting opinions and experiences here first before buying things.