Daily Thrifty Tips - October 19, 2006

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Ingredients:

• Favorite white Cake Mix
• Favorite white frosting
• Black shoelace Licorice
• Maraschino Cherries
• Kiwi
• Red Icing (optional)
• Food Coloring (optional)

Directions:

Make cupcakes with your favorite white cake mix with the instructions on the cake mix but add food coloring if desired to make them extra creepy. Let cool.

Make or buy white frosting. Frost the cupcakes, let sit.

Peel Kiwi and slice approximately 1/4 inch thick. This will act as the iris of the eye.

Cut the tip off the maraschino cherry to create the pupil of the eye.

Cut the shoe lace licorice in 1 to 1-1/2 inch pieces these will be the eye lashes.

Place one round of kiwi on top of your cup cake first then place one piece of cherry on top of the kiwi. Use the red icing around the iris of the eye to create bloodshot eyes if desired. Stick the shoelace licorice into the cupcake paper and let it stick out like eye lashes.

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Ingredients:

• Apples
• Red jelly or syrup
• Lemon juice

Directions:

Cut the apples into sharp vampire teeth shapes (triangles). Place in serving bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice so they won't turn brown.

I mixed currant jelly with boysenberry syrup to get the right consistency. Put dip in a small bowl.

The guests dip the apple pieces into the blood (red jelly or syrup) Enjoy! The kids really liked this one mostly because it was tasty.

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Princess Pebbles is a tabby cat that weighs in at 21 lbs. at the age of 19 years.

Princess Pebbles was found by a group teenagers in a field when she was just a teeny weeny thing. They were throwing her around like a toy and told me they were going to flush her down the toilet.

I took the kitten and immediately took her to a vet. She was estimated to be only 2 weeks old and weighed 3 ounces, thus, the name Pebbles because she was only as big as a big pebble.

She had severe upper respiratory infection and eye infections and a broken paw. Her mom and siblings were found dead in a nearby field where the kids found her, they had been poisoned but Pebbles somehow had Angels watching over her that day! After lots and lots of loving care, being fed similac from an eye dropper and medicine for her ailments, she grew into the most loving, playful, curious and devoted cat/pet/friend anyone could hope to have. She has been a total joy in our lives and we hope to have her around for another 19 years!

She loves chasing sponge balls and rolling in catnip, a treat for special occasions!! She enjoys lounging out on our enclosed front porch but is not allowed outside. She loves being a mommie to our newest member of our pet family, Lady WillowBee and they have to sleep together with me, whether it be in our recliner or in my bed or on my lap. Even though she has a touch of arthritis, it doesn't stop her from playing like a kitten with not only her toys, but Willows too!

She loves to give Willow a good bath and then Willow returns the favor, always remembering to clean her ears good! Believe it or not, both of them LOVE to lay on my bed and watch Animal Planet!

Our Pebbles started out life with such a horrible start and with little hope to make it to adulthood, but with such a strong will to live with such a tiny body and a very sick one as well, she had the will and pervailed and has been such an inspiration to me. She reminds me that no matter how hard life gets or how ill I get, that I should NEVER give up the fight because it CAN be won! She is truly a remarkable special feline and I am so blessed to call her mine and for 19 years at that!

By Liz Muller from Binghamton NY

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Everyone has days when they just don't feel like cooking. Either we're too tired, or we're too busy, or we just forgot to start till we think it's too late. I used to have frozen pizza or something like that on hand, but I wanted a healthier alternative, something I felt good serving my family.

What I came up with is 3 things you will always find in my pantry and freezer:

1. Individually frozen fish filets. I get a 3 lb box from Wal-Mart's frozen seafood section for about $10. One box makes at least 4 meals for my family of 3, depending on how much fish that people eat. Also, fish filets defrost super quick compared to most other meats. Put a few filets into a plastic bag and set into a bowl of warm water.
2. Frozen vegetables. I keep at least one bag each or corn, peas, and broccoli in my freezer. One of the small bags is just the right size to pop into the microwave for my veggie.
3. Uncle Ben's Ready Rice. It is more expensive than making your own, but for nights that I would be tempted to go out and spend more money, they are great. I get the brown rice, much less salt than the other varieties. Alternately you could also have couscous on hand. It's fairly inexpensive and super easy to make. Just add to boiling water, cover, and take off the heat. Ready in 5 min.

These are things I ALWAYS keep on hand so that even on the craziest night a quick hot meal is always available.

Just pop the fish onto a baking sheet and into a 375 degree oven for 8-15 minutes (depends on the fish) with your favorite seasonings, and while thats going, microwave your veggies and rice. My son loves this, and I feel good serving it.

By Celeste from Florida

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Question:

Thanks
Rosa from Evergreen, LA

Answer:

Here are a few different options for preserving okra:

Canning: Use tender, young pods for canning. Remove and discard pods showing signs of disease or rust spots. You should plan on about 11 pounds of okra for every 7 quarts canned (7 pounds per 9 pints). Wash the pods and trim off the ends. You can either leave them whole or cut them into 1-inch pieces. Place them in a large saucepan and cover them with hot water. Boil for 2 minutes before draining. Fill jars with hot okra and cooking liquid, leaving 1-inch of headspace. If desired, add salt to taste.

Freezing: The smooth type varieties freeze as well as, or better than, the ridged varieties because they do not split as easily. Wash. Remove the stems at the end of the seed cells, being careful not to expose the seed cell. Water blanch small pods 3 minutes and large pods 4 minutes. Cool promptly and drain. Leave whole or slice crosswise. Package, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Seal, label and freeze.

To freeze for frying: Wash and remove stems. Blanch small pods 3 minutes and large pods 4 minutes. Cool promptly and drain. Slice crosswise and dredge with meal or flour. Spread in a single layer on shallow trays. Place in freezer just long enough to freeze firm. Package quickly leaving _-inch headspace. Seal, label and freeze.

Drying-Dry in a dehydrator 4 to 6 hours or 6 to 10 hours in an oven on a low setting.

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Give each person an index card and a pencil. Everyone is asked to write down one common baby question, such as "What do you do when a baby cries?" or "How do you get a baby to sleep through the night?" Then collect the cards and redistribute them face down so that no one can see the question. Have each person write the answer to their initial question on the blank side of their new card. Then read the cards and get ready to laugh! For example, you could have a card with the question, "How do you know you have folded a cloth diaper correctly?" on one side and the answer "When you get your first smile" on the other.

By Laurie from Nevada

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I received this wonderful email the other day. We plan to send at least one every week.

I think a lot of our readers would really like to participate. This is a wonderful way to give to our troops abroad.

Jennifer, CA

http://www.letssaythanks.com/

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When your pet has a problem with SKUNK smell you can use a ferret deodorizing shampoo. Ferrets carry a very musky odor and this shampoo removes the smell so great. Your pet will smell so fresh. it will also work on your clothing. Wash in the washing machine with the ferret shampoo then rewash with your brand of laundry soap. I have been doing this for years and and has always worked. Good luck if you need to use it but I hope you don't!

By ladygrey from Turners Falls, MA

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At Oprah's website (http://www.oprah.com) - if you look on the sidebar to the left - there is a journal option, which is a great way to have a FREE online journal. You can even share it with others, if you like. There are also useful tips on how to get started journaling. Keeping a journal is cheap self-therapy, just write and re-read. It's amazing how much you will get out of it.

By Pamphyila from Los Angeles

Editor's Note: Also be sure to checkout MyFrugalLife.com. There we have public blogs where you can post about your efforts in frugal living and life in general. Having said that, always be careful about what you post on the internet!

If you haven't already, check out the My Frugal Life blogs at the link below.

http://www.myfrugallife.com

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I requested a suggestion for getting candy stains out of blue jeans after they have been washed and dried but no one seemed to know. I saw where people were getting various stains out of clothing with 'Mean Green' or a similar cleaning product and guess what?! It took a couple of soakings and rinsing but it finally disappeared!

Clint from Fort Pierce, FL

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If you like the convenience of the individual packages of powdered baby formula but don't want to pay the price, measure out scoops of formula into empty M&M minis tubes. The smaller tube holds enough for a 4 ounce bottle, the larger tube holds enough for an 8 ounce bottle (you must pack the formula to get the 8 oz amount to fit). The tube fits easily into the corner of a purse/diaper bag and doesn't take up as much space as those round containers that hold 3 servings. The tubes are also good for holding raisins, goldfish, other snacks for toddlers.

Also, if you give your baby warm bottles instead of buying a portable bottle warmer (which doesn't work very well anyway), buy a good quality metal thermos (like the ones for holding coffee). You can heat up water on the stove or in the microwave, take the thermos full of hot water, pour in a bottle, add your formula from the M&M tube, and enough cold water as necessary to cool it to the right temp. We've heated water almost to boiling and carried it in the diaper bag for up to 8 hours with the water still retaining enough heat for a warm bottle.

By Nancy from Milton, FL

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Some people really hate cleaning and others don't. What helps me clean is to listen to your favorite music and then you will have a lot more fun cleaning! Hope this works for you!

By Marina from Monterey CA

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Dear Webby's Humor Letter

Webby publishes our tips daily! A very funny newsletter.

More Information:
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I dropped "white out" on my wood floor,i n front of my desk. It made quite a bad spill. I'm afraid my efforts to clean up only made matters worse further spreading the stain.

First I tried using nail polish remover, bad move, and it did not work. Then I tried washing with spray on cleaner and a rag. Still no help. Finally, I washed down the whole area with ammonia. You guessed it, the white is still there... I think a little came up, but not much.

Any suggestions? As this is in front of the desk and off to the left side, a throw rug would not work. The desk is around 600 lbs., so I can't move that either.

Any ideas anyone? Thanks so much for your suggestions. I hope you have some!

Anjeena from New York

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Some years ago I made a nativity which was in a flowerpot and had Mary, Joseph and Jesus made out of wooden spoons. Would anyone have the pattern for it. I've lost it.

Thanks,
Dianne from Norco, CA

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This request is for my daughter (no internet access), how do you get a dog to quit chasing cars? Brutus is a mixed breed (very mixed!) and weighs close to l50 lbs. He has already been hit once by a school bus, and now has taken to chasing cars. Chelle is afraid he is going to cause an accident or get killed, he has never been chained up as they live in the "sticks" and everyone in town knows everyone else. She's at her wit's end. Can anyone offer any suggestions?

Thanks,
Cailifouhnofthemist from Williams Lake, B.C.

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How do I deter bats from flying in my enclosed balcony and depositing guano all over tiles which sets like glue and is almost impossible to remove?

Richard from India

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Product: Ultra Plush Box Top Mattress Set

Model: Midnight Haze

Manufacturer: Sealy Posturepedic

Request: I am shopping for mattresses and tried all different types. This was the most comfortable one I found that suited me but a king size set is nearly $3000. I'm so tired of tossing and turning and need a good comfortable bed but would sure would like to know if anyone has this mattress. Here's a link to a picture. Thanks in advance!

http://www.us-mattress.com/sealy-midnight-haze-ultra-plush-boxtop-king.html

Mary from Ocean Springs, MS

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I want to make some gift baskets (not gift in a jars, I have lots of recipes for them) Any ideas? What have others used?

Sheri from Modesto, CA

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Is there anything I can use to sub for a coffee filter?

Michelle from Des Moines, LA

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Does anyone have a recipe for an old fashioned sweet potato cake with a cream cheese frosting that is not made from a box cake mix? Thanks for your help.

Binski from Detroit Michigan

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Product: Verizon Razr

Model: V3m

Manufacturer: Motorola

Request: Does anyone have any positive or negative experiences with the Verizon Razr? Should I buy it?

Pfflyer from San Diego

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I have moved into an apartment that has made me cough continuously. Is there a way to tell if the carpet has been cleaned? It smells in the apartment. Please help!

AK06 from Anchorage, AK

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I need recipes to use in ceramic cookie molds. I recently got a bunch of them at a yard sale but have no idea what kind of recipe to use! Any help will be truly appreciated!

Thanks,
Judy from IA

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What causes itchy, scaling skin on the bottom of your feet? I've had this for 3 years, and only on 1 foot.

Sue from Bixby, OK

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I need an idea for a float for a Christmas parade. The courthouse employees ride on the float.

MLS from Georgia

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Does any have recipes for homemade HP Sauce?

Di Seymour from Bow Island Alberta

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My son is turning one and I am having a Baby Einstein party. Problem is there's not much out there with that theme. Any suggestions as far as games and decorations?

Thanks,
Evansmommy1 from Shreveport, LA

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I want to make some homemade Christmas cards this year. Does anyone have any patterns and/or ideas?

Sheri from Modesto CA

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I have lots (over 90) wire clothes hangars. What can I do with them? I don't want to make crafts with them, Goodwill won't take them and the school Sculpture class doesn't want them. I hate to throw them away. Any suggestions as to whom could use them? My son will be getting 5 more each week when his uniforms are cleaned.

Cheryl from Peculiar, MO

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Does anyone have any fun and amusing ideas for my half century celebrations, which are taking place in an Indian restaurant. The age and interest range is about as far ranging as you can imagine. So what are some fun ideas?

Thanks,
Clara from Bromley UK

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I am looking for the recipe for Texas Tom's Italian Steak Sauce recipe. Please reply with a recipe if you have it.

Thanks,
Clint from Kansas City, MO

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I have some silver pots and as a result from cooking they got dark and worn. How do I bring them back to life?

Panama from Brooklyn, NY

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Does anyone have the recipe for pumpkin roll?

Becky from West Palm Beach, FL

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We just found out we are going to have another granddaughter in March 2007! I am looking for sewing patterns for cute little dresses. Can anyone help? Thanks, Dar from Texas, Luling

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