January 19, 2011

Bacon Cheeseburger LoafIn a medium skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until limp and some of the fat is rendered, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the bacon from the skillet; drain on paper towel and set aside.

 

Cooked Carrot SaladPeel carrots, slice and cook 10-15 minutes; drain. Mix dressing ingredients well and pour over sliced veggies. Let stand several hours. Keeps well.

 

Peter Pan CookiesCream shortening, salt, peanut butter, and sugar until fluffy. Add beaten eggs and milk. Add flour and baking soda. Roll into balls and press with back of fork to form criss-cross design on top.

 

Spinach Crab CasseroleBeat eggs and flour until smooth. Drain the thawed spinach. Mix remaining ingredients into spinach.

 

Potato SoupCook potatoes and onion in salt water until tender. Add milk and butter. Heat (don't boil). Just before serving add 2 chopped hard-boiled eggs.

 

Pancakes for Those With Food IntolerancesIt can seem like a disaster if you, or someone close to you, develops a food intolerance. It is possible to make a basic wheat-free pancake batter and then alter the recipe to make pancakes that can be enjoyed by people with various intolerances.

 

Cabbage and NoodlesThis is just delicious comfort food, and really cheap. I make my own turkey sausage with rolls of ground turkey I buy for $1.29 a pound, or less. It's not the leanest turkey, but it's better and cheaper than ground beef.

 

Dump SaladDump together pie filling, whipped topping, crushed pineapple, and condensed milk and put into 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle top with chopped nuts and freeze.

 

Chocolate SnowballsMelt chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler until smooth. Add cream cheese and vanilla, stirring until smooth and cream cheese has melted.

 

Wasabi NutsIf you love hot and spicy, these nuts are delicious.

 

Ruby ChickenMix together the cranberry sauce, soup mix, and Russian dressing. Pour over chicken breasts and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Bake in 350 degree F oven for 1 hour.

 

SlumgullionFry the cubed bacon. Add celery and onions and simmer with bacon. Add cubed potatoes and cook until done. Add kidney beans, tomato soup and mushrooms.

 

Clean When You Can't SleepIf you are having trouble sleeping at night or getting to sleep, don't fight it. Get up and do the cleaning job around the house you hate the most to completion.

 

Daisy (Jack Russell)Daisy is a 5 year old Jack Russell. I adopted her 3 years and 8 months ago. She likes to chew on bones, to go on long walks and eat. She chews on anything she is not supposed to like; jewelry-she loves beads, clothing, paper towels and much more.

 

Communal Sharing and SavingIf you're not ready to give up on some extras, but their costs are tough to justify, think about splitting the costs in half. How? Long, long ago the idea of a commune invited sharing - sharing of the products and sharing of their cost.

 

Homemade Garlic PowderWhen great garlic begins to go soft in storage, it's time to make garlic powder. To prepare this multipurpose seasoning from scratch, first peel the garlic cloves. Then cut them into thin slices and put in a dry pan.

 

Rubber Wine Cork EraserRubber wine corks make excellent erasers. Just cut one down the center and you have two useful erasers.

 

Chocolate Eclair DessertLine a non-stick cooking sprayed 9x13 inch pan or dish with whole graham crackers. Mix pudding and milk and fold in the Cool Whip. Put half of the pudding mixture on crackers.

 

Frozen BananasKids love to make their own snacks! Poke the handle end of plastic spoons into bananas and freeze them for about half a day.

 

Gizmo (Shih Tzu)Gizmo is a 12 year old Shih-tzu. I got him when he was 4, as a surprise at Petsmart! He sits under the bed and table. Gizmo likes to spend time with me on the bed and eating snacks.

 

"Let it Snow" DecorationTwo darling snowmen on a fence with a snowflake backing proclaim to "let it snow". So easy and economical to make and yet such a nice sight to see. A must have for all snow lovers.

 

Bird Cuttle Bone For TurtlesIf you raise turtles as pets, you know they need calcium. You can float a cuttle bone in their water. The turtles will eat the cuttle bone and sometimes also use it as a floating island.

 

Aluminum Foil for Paint Pan LinerWant to save having to wash paint out of that paint tray or the cost of replacing one? How about the cost of liners? Use heavy duty aluminum foil. Save your larger used pieces and use the clean side in your paint tray.

 

Organizing EarringsEgg cartons are great for organizing your earrings. I use them in a top drawer and also in one of those plastic drawers that you can purchase from a K-Mart, Walmart or Dollar Store. You just cut the part that the eggs are placed in and organize your earrings, works great!

 

Black and Yellow Argiope (Garden Spider)This "beautiful" specimen was hanging outside our living room window. This is as close as I wanted to get! I had never seen this type of web either, the zigzag pattern.

 

Talk to Your PetsSpending five minutes talking to your pet daily will improve any relationship, if it is soft talking and eye contact is involved. You would be amazed how long five minutes actually is. You will have to time it at first. It will make your pet much happier.

 

Curtains from TableclothsRight now, Christmas colors are on sale, including pine green and burgundy red, so please keep this in mind as I relate to you how to make a pair of curtains for less than $10.

 

Use Rubber Bands to Keep Tools from SlippingTo keep tools from slipping in your hands, wrap those free rubber bands that come on vegetables or newspapers around the handle. It really makes for a good grip and sure a lot cheaper than the liquid you can buy for the purpose.

 

Donate Blankets to Vets or Animal SheltersYou may be thinking about spring cleaning, and tossing towels and sheets that have seen better days. Take them to your local shelter. The staff and animals will be so grateful to have towels for after baths.

 

Little Man (Maine Coon - Tabby Mix)This is a photo of Little Man a.k.a. Tom-Tom. He is a 4 year old long haired mix of Maine Coon and orange tabby. He was a stray left at our local library with a bowl of food. He enjoys sleeping on my printer when I am on the computer and pounces at anything that moves.

 

Discovering Gratitude During a RecessionA recession can certainly create a shift in perception. But when the walls of comfort begin to crumble, the way a person looks at their situation is a personal choice. Initially my reaction was fear.

 

Getting the Last From a Spray BottleWhen the product in a spray bottle is to the point where it won't spray out but there is too much to throw away, drop a marble in the bottle. It will raise the water level and allow spray until completely gone.

 

Sprinkle Sugar on Top of MuffinsEveryone knows the best part of a muffin is the top! Before placing your tin/pan in the oven, sprinkle a bit of sugar over the tops. This gives it a little something extra special - a sweet extra crisp muffin top!

 

Cat Kibble as Dog Training TreatsA lot of people use treats for dog training these days. A handy and convenient treat to use is dry cat food. The pieces are small, which prevents over feeding your dog. They are dry, so they are nice to put in a pocket for outdoor training.

 

Blue JayAfter a recent heavy snow, food was scarce and our feeder was the only game in town. The mornings are filled with blue jays, up to nine at a time sharing the feeder!

 

Mitzi (Cat) Mitzi is a 4 year old tiger stripe. I got Mitzi at a spay and neuter clinic when she was 8 weeks old. Her name was Maura, but since she is a Hemingway (an extra toe, I mean thumb, on her front paws), I decided Mitzi would work for her.

 

Helping Bruises Heal QuicklySoak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

 

Basic Bath OilTo make a basic bath oil, you'll need 2 ounces carrier oil such as sweet almond and 15-20 drops of your own blend of essential oils.

 

Keep Car Panic Button HandyFor protection at home, especially if you live alone. Check the distance from different areas in the house where the panic button on the car remote will set off the car alarm.

 

Hang Jeans to DryNever - repeat - never - dry your jeans completely in the clothes dryer. Pull them out after about 15 minutes in the dryer and hang them up to finish drying. You can hang them over a shower bar or use a skirt/pants hanger.

 

Cooking Oil to Remove LabelsI make a lot of presents using jars that have those darn sticky labels on them. Then I found this, it works wonderfully!

 

Reuse Small Candle Jars For Food StorageI was looking for spice jars in a popular department store the other day and could not find individual jars. While going down the candle aisle, it dawned on me that the smallest candle jars would be the perfect size for spice jars.

 

Freezing Loaves Of French BreadI can have fresh French Bread anytime! Buy loaves of French Bread at your grocery store (ask for those right out of the oven). Insert fresh bread, without paper wrappers, into Zip Lock plastic bags and suck out excess air to shrink wrap them.

 

Dab Paint on Top of BottleI keep several small bottles of of acrylic paint on my shelf in a box made from an empty Bisquick box. To save time, I open the bottles of paint and, using my finger, dab a little paint on the top of each bottle. Now, at a glance, I can see what colors I have.

 

Firming Up Overripe TomatoesOverripe Tomatoes? Make them firm by dipping them in cold water, add some salt and leave overnight.

 

Uses For Nonskid Shelf LinerDon't spend a fortune on expensive non-skid items. Instead, use pieces of rubberized shelf-liner to create a non-slip surface. A simple square makes a great portable non-slip surface or try super-gluing a circle to the bottom of your favorite mixing bowl.

 

Calcium Magnesium SupplementsIf you are a nursing mother and are craving chocolate or sugar, try taking a calcium magnesium supplement.

 

My Sewing Machine Stopped Working?My Singer sewing machine was sewing just fine, when out of the blue, it seized or froze and it won't sew a bit now. What happened? I've done all the "checks" for needles, proper threading, cleaning, etc. Now what?

 

Craft Ideas for Ivory Piano Keys?I have a few ivory piano keys I would like to make a craft with. I was thinking, bookmarkers?

 

Removing Crayon from Upholstered Furniture?How do you get crayon off a fabric settee?

 

Slogan Ideas for a Daycare?I need a slogan for a daycare business. The name of facility is: Wiggles and Giggles Family Daycare. Thank you.

 

Resident Dog Peeing in the House After Arrival of New Dog?I have a Golden Retriever who is 1 year and 8 months old. He has always been very good about not relieving himself in the house. He hasn't done so since he was about 3 months old until lately.

 

Does Treated Puppy Still Have Parvo?The breeder that I am getting my pup from says he has gotten parvo. She is treating him, but do I want to take him home?

 

Best Protective Finish for Outdoor Wood Furniture?I'm planning on splitting a oak log to build a outdoor garden bench; what should I use for a finish? Would polyurethane be a good choice?

 

Cleaning and Reusing Metal Tins?I have metal tins that contain solvent based inks and metallic flakes. I want to clean and reuse these tins. Any ideas?

 

Lighten Your Hair With Lemon Juice?Can you lighten dirty blonde hair with lemon juice?

 

Pear Preserves Turned to Sugar Once Cooled?My home made pear preserves turned to sugar after cooling in the jars for a few days. Does anyone know if it is possible to reheat, add more liquid and can them back in clean jars?

 

Non Dairy Condensed Milk Recipe?Does anyone have a recipe for condensed milk that does not use powdered milk or any dairy based product? My son is allergic to cow's milk, soy milk, and almond milk. I need a substitute like rice milk or something else that is not dairy based.

 

Preventing Static Shock?I am looking for help with static electricity on door knobs, light switches, etc. You know the generally annoying type. I found some answers on Thriftyfun

 

Paint Color Ideas for Boy's Bedroom?I want to paint my my son's room. What color should I go with? I have an 11 year old and a 6 year old. Can you please help.

 

Using Venetian Plaster on Walls?Has anyone tried Venetian Plaster on their walls? I would love some feed back. Is this hard to do? What colors did you use?

 

Kenmore Ice Maker Making Squealing Noise?Our Kenmore side by side ice maker makes a very loud squeal when on max. We drink a lot of ice water and the regular setting does not keep up. What's with the high pitched noise?

 

How Do I Make a Knifty Knitter Hat with Ear Flaps?Where can I get very detailed photos or instructions on how to make a Knifty Knitter hat with ear flaps? I have just made many of the regular hats, but want to try one with flaps.

 

Child Stopped Using the Toilet to Poop After Painful Experience?My son had a poop that hurt his bottom from holding it too long. Now he won't go at all and has messes in his pants, has a sour stomach, and resorted to even dragging his bottom on the floor like a dog! We had no problems until just recently and he was doing fine. He's 5.

 

Heat Mark on Leather Sofa?There is a hot cup mark on my leather sofa, any ideas how to get it off?

 

What Breed is My Dog?We were given this dog when he was a little puppy. He has more fur around his neck, he is "golden yellow" and white. We think he might be a Golden Retriever mix of some sort. Does anyone have an idea what he is mixed with?

 

Organizing Clothes Closet?I have little space in my closet. How can I make more room for other things that need to go in it, like shoes, my purses, etc.

 

Refreezing Previously Frozen Foods?Can cheese that has thawed out be refrozen? Can frozen pizza dough that has thawed out be refrozen?

 

Stopping Hair Loss?What can I take to prevent hair loss?

 

Paint Color Advice for Kitchen With Brown and White Cabinets?Well I'm having a hard time with picking a color for my kitchen. I have brown and white cabinets already and I do not want to paint my kitchen white I'm tired of that color.

 

Pants Stained by a Leather Belt?I put my white jeans through the wash with my brown leather belt still on and the brown colour of the belt has run and stained my jeans. Do you have a remedy that will get the stain out? Thank you.