February 17, 2010

Best Sweet PicklesIf you want the best sweet pickles you ever tasted, start with a big jar of whole Kosher Dills. I always start with a whole gallon of Vlasic Kosher Dills.

 

Fante Fish StewHeat oil to 350 degrees F. Dredge fillets in flour and brown evenly on both sides. Remove and set aside. Saute chopped onion in same skillet until brown. Stir in tomato paste.

 

Chocolate Cherry Bundt CakePreheat oven to 350 degrees F. In mixing bowl, combine cake mix, water, eggs, oil and 1/3 of the can of cherry pie filling. Mix on low speed until blended, then on medium speed for 4 minutes. Batter should be thick and smooth.

 

Pulled Pork BBQ SandwichesDoes anyone remember Love's BBQ restaurants? Alas, they are out of business in the US now but the memory of those yummy sandwiches inspired me to try this recipe.

 

10 Can SoupA delightfully simple turkey vegetable soup to warm your kitchen and heart.

 

Baked ApplesMix the apples and all dry ingredients together, including the butter. Place mixture into a buttered cake pan. Pour milk over mixture. Crumble a little bit of brown sugar and flour over top.

 

Spinach MoldSoften Knox gelatin in cold broth. Heat until warm. Add lemon juice. Add 1 cup salad dressing. Add spinach, eggs, pepper, onion, and bacon bits. Put in mold and refrigerate.

 

Venison JerkyMix ingredients in a stainless steal or glass container. Cut venison with the grain into 1/4 inch slices and cover with marinade. Refrigerate overnight.

 

Dill Pickle WrapsDrain pickles on paper towels. Roll cream cheese around pickles and wrap with a slice of meat. Place in refrigerator until cold; slice into 1/2 inch slices.

 

Advice For Reading Small PrintI, like a lot of people, am using reading glasses, it seems the print has become so small and tiny I can not go without my readers! I keep a spare pair with my recipes and a magnifier on top of the fridge.

 

Make Your Crockpot Your Best FriendI just read about the lady who was sick and didn't want to cook so she and her family went out. I am a sucker for that too. It's so much easier to say "Let's go out." When I looked at my budget and saw how lazy I have become and ate out, it was a month's grocery bill I spent at restaurants.

 

Recycled Wrapping Paper Organizer Shoe BagI made another project from some recycled bags. These came from empty bird seed bags that a friend gave me. They are colorful and the pretty birds made them nice and bright.

 

Bella (Weimeraner/Doberman)Bella is 9 months old. She is a Weimeraner/Doberman. I saw her on Petfinder.com in September, she is a rescue. She likes to CHEW! She is all puppy, very playful. She is one of the most loveable dogs I have ever seen. She follows me everywhere.

 

Frugal Rule of Thumb: "Is is Necessary?"The best rule of thumb for a frugal life is to ask yourself. Is it nice or necessary? Most of the time one indulges themselves when purchasing something is not really necessary.

 

Boxes for Organizing Small PartsI use recycled cardboard or regular cardboard boxes to make smaller boxes which organize many small pieces or parts.

 

Save Leftover Paint in Smaller ContainersWhen you are done with a small glass jar with a screw lid, wash both pieces well and dry. The next time you have a paint job before putting the lid on the can, pour some into your little jar and store it.

 

Organizing CordsHave lots of cords for your electronic devices, computer equipment, etc. and constantly forgetting which cord goes to what? I was until I came up with this simple solution. I take the stick on labels that they sell to label your files with.

 

Bones (Bullseye Tabby)Bones is 1 and a half years old. Bones is a Bullseye Tabby. I found her outside last January, starving. We got her fixed and she does not try to get outside, we even hold open the door and she refuses to go outside.

 

Love BannerShow your love of friends, home and family this Valentine season by making a pretty love banner.

 

Flip (Tabby)Flip is almost 1 year old and is a Tabby. I adopted Flip last May. Flip likes to sleep in my kids' beds and drink out of the toilet.

 

Kool-Aid Play DoughTons of fun for kids! Combine flour, salt, Kool-Aid and oil. Mix until water is ready, then add water (be very careful). Have an adult pour the boiling water and stir with a spoon until cool enough for a child to touch and mix thoroughly with hands.

 

Uses for Old Dish DrainersWhen you need to replace your dish drainer, use your old one for storing potatoes or other produce.

 

Victorian House RestorationWe bought this Victorian home, circa 1894, to restore it to its original grandeur. We have torn out fake low ceilings to reveal 12 foot ceilings among many other surprises. The home sits in a part of town forgotten by everyone except the down and out.

 

My Frugal Life: Learning on the FarmI grew up on a farm in the 40's and 50's. We were a family of 6; mom, dad, three brothers and me. Although we were poor, we never went hungry due to the fact that my mother grew and preserved her own vegetables and fruits and we had our own chickens and beef.

 

Keeping Track of What is in Your FreezerWhen you freeze leftovers, keep a notepad by the freezer and write down what you have got in there. When you have a "don't know what to cook" moment, you will have inspiration.

 

Sophia Mia (Schnauzer Mix)Sophia Mia (Mia means "mine" in Italian) She is a 3 year old Schnauzer mix (adopted from shelter as always ;). The Vet thinks she is mixed with Yorkie. She is a clown.

 

Simple Clean Windows With WaterClean your windows with just water. I slightly dampen a clean terry cloth towel/rag with water and clean my windows with them. You may have to experiment to get the towel just moist enough to do the job without getting it so moist it leaves water spots.

 

Garden: Ice Covered BirdfeederThis is my birdfeeder covered in ice when we had an ice storm.

 

Prepare Next Week's Clothes on Sunday AfternoonPut your clothes together on Sunday afternoon for the whole week. I iron and hang everything together. I put outfit, jewelry and underwear on the hanger with socks/hose and shoes directly underneath.

 

Sunday Newspaper Coupons OnlineTo save money on sales ads and circulars, go to SundaySaver.com. It has all the circulars and ads for any store in the US, department, clothing, food, etc. You can check items as you go (in the food store ads anyway) and print out a shopping list.

 

Thaw Frozen Foods Instead of Preheating OvenAnytime I bake frozen foods, such as frozen dinner, pies, entrees and pizza, I take the frozen item out of the freezer 20 minutes before I would put it in the oven, I remove the carton and all wrapping.

 

My Gold Rings Changed Color?I accidentally soaked my gold rings in my silver cleaner. When I removed them, they were very dull. I tried cleaning them with the right cleaner, and they didn't change. Any ideas what I can do to return their shine?

 

Pattern of Infant's Sunflower Hat?I have been doing great sewing for my niece's little baby girl due this week. But I would like someone to give me easy instructions to make one of those cute baby girl hats.

 

Toning Down Spicy Foods?I made Rogan Josh, a curry dish, for the first time and find it too hot/harsh for me. My husband loves it. What can I do to to smooth out the bite? I love butter chicken and korma and want to find other Indian dishes to enjoy.

 

Cat Ruining Vertical Blinds?How do I keep my cat from sitting on the windowsill and ruining my vertical blinds?

 

Making a Cake in a Mug?How can I make a cake in a mug, but using packaged cake mix?

 

Paint Color Advice to Coordinate with Mahogany Woodwork?

 

Mrs. Dash Copycat Recipe?Does anyone have a copycat recipe for Mrs. Dash?

 

Products For Those With Alzheimer's?Awhile back someone sent in some ideas about treating Alzheimer's using ginkgo and another vitamin. I would really appreciate getting that information again.

 

Craft Ideas Using Dominoes?I have a partial set of dominoes, some of the tiles are missing. I would like a craft idea for using the remaining ones.

 

Decorating with Navy Blue Accents?I have a beige couch with hints of red, navy blue, and yellow in the fabric. I have decided to go with navy blue as the main color in the room with slight touches of the others.

My dilemma, I am not sure how many items I should add in the room that are navy.

 

Is Peppermint Oil Harmful to Birds?I am thinking of using peppermint oil to rid an aviary of mice. Will it harm my birds?

 

Using Dialect and Colloquialism in Writing?In what writing situations is the use of dialect and colloquialism appropriate?

 

Cleaning A Clogged Drain?I need to unclog a tub drain that has sheet rock pieces in it. The tub is stopped up.

 

Replacement Dual Control Power Cord for Sunbeam Electric Blanket?Does anyone know where to get a replacement power cord with dual controls for my Sunbeam electric blanket? Thanks.

 

Smelling Coming From Under My Frigidaire Refrigerator?My refrigerator has a bad odor coming from the bottom drip pan. The pan is not removable. With my old refrigerator to clean the odor I would put baking powder all over the pan and the odor would be gone.