August 6, 2009

Apple StrudelSift flour and salt into mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and add oil and egg. Gradually work in, adding warm water. Knead dough very well to improve the elasticity of the dough.

 

Lemon LoafHeat oven to 350 degrees F. Greased 9x5 inch loaf pan. Cream shortening and sugar till light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

 

Au Gratin Potatoes with HamThis recipe was our Thursday night supper when all 5 kids were living at home. It is a one dish casserole meal that I usually serve with a tossed green salad and/or a veggie on the side.

 

Cinnamon CrispsAdd sugar gradually to butter or shortening, mixing until light and fluffy. Add flour mixture alternately with milk. Begin and end with flour mixture. Turn out on a floured board.

 

Easy CobblerIt's easy to make and you can use any type of berries in it. Cream butter and sugar until smooth and well blended. Sift the flour with baking powder and salt.

 

Use Contractor Tubs For Summer Party FoodFor summer parties, some people use a kids swimming pool to put ice in to keep food cold. I found that by the end of the afternoon on a warm day, the food is literally "swimming" in water as the ice melts, creating a mess and watered down food in some cases.

 

Minimizing Freezer BurnFreezer "burn" is caused by air getting into freezer containers. Unless you vacuum seal, there will be air in any container. Any small air space will cause freezer "burn". The longer the item is kept in the freezer, the more freezer "burn" there will be.

 

Tips For Making Weeding EasierFor many gardeners, one of the most unpleasant (and seemingly endless) aspects of gardening is staying on top of the weeds. Here are some simple tips to make the job easier.

 

"No Boredom Bag" For Car TripsFor car trips with kids, I make a "no boredom bag". It can be a backpack, or any bag, but ones with pockets are good. It depends on what age as to what you put in it, but I usually put the following for my 9 year old.

 

Save Your Old Cookware LidsIf you are re-doing your cookware, save the lids if they are in good shape. If not, take a good, long look at those pot handles and lid knobs. A lot of these items are in standard form and interchangeable.

 

Pack a Thermos for Family OutingsTake a thermos with you on family outings to avoid eating in expensive restaurants. You can fill them with hot dogs, sloppy Joe, BBQ beef, tuna salad, etc. You can serve it on fancy rolls or pita bread when you're ready to eat.

 

Bulk Bargains in the Meat DepartmentWith grocery bills going through the roof, I am always on the lookout for ways to trim mine. I always look for bargains in the meat department and last month found a real money saver.

 

"Tin" Kitchen BacksplashWe had cupboards added on and a new countertop, but the old backsplash had been tiled and we couldn't match them up. I put up the paintable wallpaper primed and painted it with silver metallic paint and then several coats of varathane.

 

Gert (Ragdoll)Gert a 6 year old Ragdoll (lilac bi-color). We adopted Gert from a Ragdoll cattery in IL.

 

Tote Bag Decorator PillowI picked up this tote at the dollar store because it fit in with my country living room, but I wasn't sure what I'd use it for. Then it occurred to me that it would make a perfect sofa pillow.

 

Joke: To Be 6 AgainA man was sitting on the edge of the bed, observing his wife, looking at herself in the mirror. Since her birthday was not far off, he asked what she'd like to have for her birthday.

 

Stanley (Dachshund)Stanley is a 4 year old Dachsund. I had surgery 4 years ago and my husband bought him for me. I always wanted a "hotdog" dog. :O)

 

Teenage Girl Cries A Lot?Why does an 18 year old girl cry over everything?

 

Copper Colored Bug with White "Flowers" All Over?I do not have a picture of it, but at work I came across a beautiful bug, went to lots of identify a bug sites, but there are zillions. Wondered if I describe it maybe someone will know, or maybe saw one before.

 

Dumplings Heavy, Not Fluffy?What makes dumplings heavy instead of light and fluffy?

 

50th Anniversary Ideas?Looking for help with 50th anniversary ideas.

 

Getting Rid of Giardia Parasites in Yard?How do I rid my soil of parasites? My puppy contracted giardia and my yard is the only place she's been.

 

Litter Box Training a Bunny?I just got a dwarf bunny last week. How long does it usually take for them to get used to a new home? He's peed on my couch a few times which I remedied by putting a doubled up sheet on it. He's pooped in many places, although the person said it's litter boxed trained.

 

Pear Tree Leaves Turning Black, Fruit Wormy?My pear tree has black leaves which fall off and the fruit is mostly rotten or wormy. Some of the bark is cracked and it has a few dead branches. What can I do?

 

Tax Free Weekend?What time is tax free weekend?

 

Making Pizza Dough?Looking for how to make the best pizza dough?

 

Trouble Loading Software on Computer?For some reason my computer won't let me load any software. I can't retrieve pictures from a disk, I can't load Digital Image (which worked fine on my other computer), nothing loads from my CD reader.

 

Dog's Head Smells?What makes my Shih tzu's head smell?

 

After Effects of Tooth Extraction?I have a date four days after getting my tooth pulled. Will it be okay to kiss? Will my breath be okay? If not how long will it be okay for my breath to be okay?

 

Teaching a Dog Not to Bark?I adopted a Pomeranian dog about 1 1/2 yrs ago. She is going to be 11 years old in November. She is wonderful, friendly, playful, and protective.

 

Painting Pressboard Cabinets?I have kitchen pressboard cabinets that have a white plastic like covering. All of the plastic is cracking and when I peel it back it is press board, how do I go about painting these cabinets instead of replacing them?

 

Making a Sweet Sixteen Candle Ceremony Display?I want to make a Sweet Sixteen Candle Ceremony display. I would like to use 4, 6, 8, and 10 inch by 2 inch thick candles. My idea is to space the candle out on a round board, we want a beach theme, so we would cover with sand and hibiscus flowers and shells.

 

White Clothes Are Now Pink?I accidentally turned white clothes pink. How do I get them back to white?

 

Making Bookshelves On the Stair Rails?How do I make a bookcase shelves on the rail of a stairs? I have a small space house. Thank you.

 

Using a Water Pic?Does anyone use a water pic type cleaner? What success have you had with one and would you suggest a specific brand?

 

Doing Your Own Dog Grooming?I have 3 toy poodles that I spend too much money getting groomed. Can anyone tell me how I can learn to do this myself? I really need some help with this. Thanks.

 

Treating Fish Pond For Fungi?Looking for information on treating a fish pond for fungi.

 

Chinese Buffet Coconut Shrimp?My family went out to eat supper at a Chinese buffet this past weekend and they had coconut shrimp. My family loved it and has asked for me to make it and I have searched everywhere for it.

 

Dog Flea Drops Accidentally Put on Cat?My husband put dog flea medication on my cat. I gave her a bath with dish soap. She is just not all there. All she does is sleep and sometimes looks like she is dead. What else can I do? I can't get to a vet at this time; will she be OK? Please help.

 

Washer Leaving Brown Stains on Clothing?I have a 2 year old Kenmore Oasis top load washer. Over the past year or so my husband's white tee shirts and shorts have been coming out of the wash with mysterious light brown stains, like oil stains.