December 15, 2008

Southern Baked BeansPreheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a Dutch oven, mix the onion, pork and beans, mustard, molasses, light brown sugar and ketchup. Top with the bacon pieces. Bake, covered, for 45-60 minutes.

 

Green Chile BakePreheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and stir in the Monterey Jack cheese, cottage cheese, melted butter, flour, baking powder, salt and chilies.

 

French DipPlace the roast in a crock pot. In a bowl, mix the beef broth, au jus mix and the Italian mix together and pour it over the roast. Cook on low until the meat is done. You can make this the day before and take off any fat on the meat and re-heat.

 

MarzetteIn a large skillet, brown the hamburger and drain. Add the uncooked noodles, tomato juice, salt and pepper. Stir in the cheese and cook until the noodles are done, stirring occasionally. Can add some oregano or Italian seasoning to taste

 

Pina Colada CakePreheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare cake mix using package instructions. Pour into greased 9x13 inch cake pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until cake is done. Pierce holes in cake with handle of wooden spoon.

 

Macaroni PizzaBrown the hamburger and drain. Mix the hamburger and all of the other ingredients together, except for the cheese. Pour into a 9x13 inch pan. Top with the cheese and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.

 

Homemade Fruit MincemeatFor anyone interested in making Mince Pies this Christmas, I am sure you have been shocked at the price of store bought mincemeat. In my area it is around $8.00 for a l lb jar. I found the following great all fruit recipe on the internet:

 

10 Serious SymptomsAre you debating whether to see a physician about how you are feeling? Here are 10 symptoms you should not ignore:

 

Proud Mom - My Frugal SonI have bought my children's clothes from yard sales, and thrift stores for years. Not too long ago, my 19-year-old son came to me and asked ...

 

Using Pencil in Address BooksWhen putting names into an Address Book, write them in pencil. This way when an address or name is changed all you have to do is erase! The Address Book will serve you longer and save you money.

 

Funky Flower Gel Bamboo Plant or Candle GiftI was at a discount store and found 4 packages of flower gel for $1. Then I went to the dollar store and bought a tall 3 inch square clear glass vase for $1. I headed over to the grocery store where they sell Bamboo Plant Stems for about $1 each for small ones.

 

Set Up a "Mailbox" for Christmas CardsSave on postage stamps sending Christmas cards. If you want to send cards to: church friends, school friends or work, set up a mail box.

 

Use Christmas Lights Year RoundChristmas lights, not just for Christmas anymore! Think about buying a few packs of lights after this year's holiday when they go on clearance . . . and use them all year round. Strings of "Red" lights adds a lot more romance to a Valentines Day.

 

A Touch of Conditioner for DrynessTis the season, the cold dry weather of winter. When my hair starts to feel very dry on the ends or I have static, I take one or two drops of my conditioner and rub it between my hands and apply where needed. It can be done to hair just washed or dried. You can adjust the amount of conditioner according to hair length or thickness, but less is best.

 

Crush Nuts with Your FeetTo crush nuts with no fuss and no clean up, I put the nuts in a heavy duty storage bag and stomp on them a few times. Does the trick quick and no mess!

 

Home Organizing Tips Inspired by Don AslettI read in a book written by Don Aslett (the great cleaning guru) something that made so much sense that I am sharing it with everyone.

 

Quilts from Thrift Store FabricsMy 85 year old mother-in-law lives with me. We've been buying fabric and notions at thrift stores for about a year now, costing us 2 dollars a Walmart sized bag. We decided it would be neat to make the family quilts for Christmas.

 

Easy Sweet PotatoesJust drain most of the liquid from your can of yams or sweet potatoes. Dot with butter and sprinkle on a bit of cinnamon and brown sugar. Cover with foil and set in the oven with your bird for the last 30 minutes (at 350 degrees F) or 45 minutes (at 325 degrees F.)

 

Penny (Beagle/Jack Russell)Penny is 1 1/2 years old. She is part Beagle and part Jack Russel (from the Humane Society). After my Beagle Rosie passed away, I was so sad, my family allowed me to go to the Humane Society to look. I instantly fell in love with Penny. She had been returned because they said she never settled down.

 

Donate Books and Magazines to the Local LibraryOur local library accepts donations of books and magazines. They keep what they can use and sell the rest in a "Friends of Library Sale" a few times a year. The proceeds go to buy more books, etc. You might ask in your local libraries if they ever do anything like that.

 

Making Foaming Soap at HomeInstead of buying foaming soap refills, try this: Buy one container of foaming hand soap. When it's empty, refill with 2 Tbsp. liquid hand soap for every 1 cup water. So simple, so easy, and cheaper.

 

Blonde Highlights Came Out Pink?I just came home from the beauty salon very unhappy. I had a touch up and highlights. I have burgundy colored hair with blonde highlights. After having this done the blonde portion came out pink. The hair colorist put a glaze over the blonde, as a result my hair is a very dark copper. What should she have done and why did this happen?

 

Freezing Cheesecake?I'm making a cheesecake for the holidays. It's huge though (13x9), and I expect that I'll have leftovers. It's cooked. Can I freeze it without sacrificing quality?

 

What Have You Done to Save a Penny?We were featured on a call in radio show about thrifty living; Patt Morrison at NPR affiliate KPCC in Los Angeles, CA. They wanted to know how far someone will go to save money. We asked for your stories and here they are!

 

Ideas for "A Night in Paris" Themed Birthday?I am searching for accessories to decorate tables for a Quinceanera, which is a 15th birthday celebration. Our theme is "A Night in Paris". For example small shoes, lady figurines. Hope you can help. Thanks.

 

Doberman Smells Bad?My Doberman stinks. Is there anything I can spray on him to make him smell better?

 

Making Gloves Out of Old Sweaters?I am looking for directions on how to make gloves out of old sweaters with fleece inside of them. Any help would be great.