August 20, 2010

Southern Cocoa GravyThis is something kids often like on biscuits. Melt the margarine and add flour. Stir to remove all lumps and gradually add the other dry ingredients. Add milk until it is the desired consistency.

 

Spicy Chicken with Garlic and Olive SauceWonderful blend of flavors!Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Remove chicken from skillet. Stir in the garlic, olives, 3 tablespoons parsley, and capers in the skillet, add the wine and bring to a boil.

 

Avocado Horseradish DipThis is really good on sandwiches such as roast beef, corned beef, turkey, tomato, on its own and, of course, as a dip for chips.

 

Thin Mint CookiesThese taste as close as you can get to the thin mint cookies that is everyone's favorite of the Girl Scouts.

 

OatmealMix up a large batch of instant oatmeal that only costs about 25 cents a day per serving

 

Use Last Week's Receipts to Make Grocery ListTo keep an eye on your budget and create an instant shopping list, keep your grocery receipt from your previous trip. Put a tick mark beside each item you need, and list any additional items on the back.

 

Glue Paper Plate to Paint CanYou'll keep the floor neater during the next painting job if you glue a paper plate to the bottom of your paint can, instead of trying to move newspapers under the container every time you set it down.

 

How to Make Chop Mix for Birds (Parrots)This combination of rice and/or beans and vegetables such as kale, carrots, peppers, etc., cost approximately $10-$15 and will feed my African Grey for several months at one meal of fresh food per day.

 

Reuse Zipper PouchesWhen purchasing items that are packaged in zippered or snap plastic pouches, reuse the pouches for storing other items. The plastic zipper pouch that blankets come in can be used to store sweaters or quilts in the closet or under the bed.

 

Stash "Get One Free" Grocery Items for a Rainy DayWe are all stretching our dollars as far as they can go, and I think most of us try to do our grocery shopping weekly. If you can buy one thing that you need, and get it "buy one, get one free", put the free one in the back of the closet and pretend you did not get it.

 

Use Syringe to Remove Fat when Browning MeatI use browned ground meat a lot. I like to remove as much of the liquefied fat as possible after browning to make the dish healthier. To do this, I place the skillet on something so that it rests at a slight angle, and pull all of the ground meat to the upper side.

 

Wildlife: Ashlyn And The ButterflyThis is a photo of my granddaughter and the butterfly that we found outside on a rock. The butterfly was dead, but I wanted to show Ashlyn how beautiful that it was. So, I called her out to show it to her, and she was awed by how beautiful that it was.

 

Use Paper Clip to Mark Tape EndTo keep from losing the end of postage tape, place a paper clip on the sticky side of the tape just below where you are making the cut. Store the tape with the paper clip, and you are ready to go next time you need to use the tape.

 

Frame Giftbags for Wall ArtGift bags are sometimes great for framing. You can receive them with gifts inside, or can buy them at your local dollar store. Some are very pretty and can be matted and framed with an old frame you might have around the house.

 

Growing a Perennial Herb GardenIf you've ever wanted to plant an herb garden, perennials herbs are the way to go. Not only do they contribute a fresh supply of flowers, fragrance and herbs year after year, once perennial herbs gardens become established they require very little maintenance.

 

Substituting Boraxo Instead of BoraxHi, I have seen some tips about using borax for many different things from cleaning to pest control. I looked every where for borax to no avail, but I did find a 12 oz. can (looks similar to a can of comet, just a little smaller) of Boraxo Powdered Hand Soap.

 

Rice Krispy Treat NestsEveryone loves Rice Krispy treats. Our theme this month was birds. So for our dessert hour, I made Rice Krispy treats and put them into a cupcake pan, forming them to look like birds nests.

 

Scenery: Island Blossom (Marianas)A bunch of beautiful flowers here on the island. they just capture the sun and seem to bask in it.

 

Garden Ham And NoodlesIn a Dutch oven, bring water to a boil. Add noodles, carrots, and zucchini. Cook for 7-8 minutes or until noodles and vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, combine cream, milk and salt; bring to a boil.

 

Recycled Denim And Flannel Window QuiltThis is a quilt I made using denim jeans and some flannel flat sheets.

 

My Frugal Life: Toys Made From NothingWhen I was a small child, I lived in my grandparents' home. I loved it because there were always many people there, my grandparents, my great-grandmother, my aunt, my parents and often relatives or friends who came "to visit a bit".

 

Craftsman Lawn Tractor Won't Start After Laying it DownI changed the blades in my Craftsman lawn tractor and laid the machine over (mistake). When I turned machine over oil was everywhere. I cleaned the carburetor and air filter out and added oil back to machine. The spark plug looks good, but machine now will not turn over.

 

Planning a Dance Birthday Party for a 13 Year Old BoyMy son is turning 13 in a couple of months. I wanted to rent, maybe a hall, and have a boy girl dance, a DJ, and some small food. Can that be it?, food and a dance? Or do they need something else to do? Can anyone help me, please?

 

How to Get Rid of SnakesIs there a particular plant that will discourage snakes from coming onto my property?

 

Information on Shih Tzu and Doberman MixWhat are Shih tzu mixed with a Doberman Pinscher going to look like full grown? And what might the highest weight be?

 

What Were "Floaters" in the 1990s Weight Watchers Plan?I walked into a second hand store and among the books I found a plastic folder with the 1990 Weight Watchers diet in it. It is a 3-level diet plan, complete with food lists, an unused diary, etc.

 

How Can I Tell If My Eggs are Part of the Recent Recall?I have just purchased three dozen Egg-lands Best large eggs. Given the recent, nationwide egg recall, how do I interpret the numbers and letters on the end of the carton to see if these are safe? What is a Julian date and where would I find that?

 

Getting Mortgage Company to Change Due DateWhy won't my mortgage company allow me to change my due date from the 1st to 10th of the month?

 

Dog With ArthritisWhat is a natural remedy I can give my 85lb. 11 year old dog for her arthritis. My dog Skye, has hip and leg pain. Some days are worse than others. I can put her a prescribed drug, but I don't like the side effects she has.

 

When Should I See Improvement in a Dog Being Treated for Parvo?Our almost 1 year old female Min Pin/ Chihuahua mix puppy has been sick for 6 days. She started vomiting and having loose stools on Saturday and refusing to eat. On Monday I took her to the vet and she was diagnosed with parvo.

 

Keeping Snakes Out of My GardenWhy are there snakes in my garden? I love landscaping and enjoy staying in my garden planting and more, but since I saw the first snake a year ago I am very nervous.

 

Trouble Connecting to the Internet on New LaptopMy husband bought me a laptop for my birthday. Problem: I can not get on the internet. When I bring it back to Staples, it works fine. When I try it anywhere else it doesn't. I have tried the library, but it won't go anywhere, but the library web site. anyone who has one.

 

Discouraging Spider BitesIs there a plant, oil, lotion, etc. that will keep me from getting bitten by spiders?

 

Water Damage on Wood FurnitureI have a very nice new oak Shaker style coffee table. My 12 year old has not been using coasters, and now I have 3 large bubbles in the wood due to moisture. How can I repair this?

 

Making Jelly From Juice?I'm wondering if anyone has tried making blueberry jelly from Ocean Spray blueberry juice? Blueberries are very expensive this year and I thought this might be a cheaper alternative, I know you can make jelly from the cranberry juice.

 

What Can I Use to Practice Nail Art?Are there any things I can use to imitate nails? I know this is a weird question, but my best friend can do nails really good. She can do zebra stripes, polka dots, and a lot more. I want to be able to practice. I need something to imitate nails so I can practice.

 

What Can I Use to Clean Melamine Cabinets?We bought a new home, and I am trying to remove smudges that were left on my melamine kitchen cupboards. It looks like they used the same rag all over when they cleaned before we moved in. Can I clean Melamine with rubbing alcohol?

 

Saving Herbs and SpicesHow can you preserve herbs, i.e., dill, basil, parsley, rosemary, sage, etc. so that you can use it throughout the winter months.

 

Suggestions for Finding Educational ScholarshipsI am in dire need of an education scholarship, can you help?

 

Does It Make a Difference if I Don't Blanch Corn Off the Cob?What is the difference in blanching fresh corn off the cob before freezing it versus freezing it without blanching it?

 

Bulbs Won't BloomI planted 15 Acidanthera bulbs in late April/early May. The foliage has come up, but the flowers have yet to show themselves. My question is, does the Acidanthera only flower every other year? or does the Acidanthera not flower the first year?

 

Free Patterns for Beading LoomI am looking for free patterns for a beading loom. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Craft Ideas Using 14 Inch Eiffel Tower ReplicaI collect Eiffel Towers and have this great wire replica (14 inches high) that I just have not been able to figure what to do with it. Since all my towers are "standard" I want this to be the skeleton for my own creation, but have a total creative block!

 

Small White Bugs in Kitchen CupboardI have tiny white bugs in my pantry. They are almost round in shape and are on all canned goods. What are they? How do I get rid of? They resemble flour mites.

 

Washer Won't Spin or DrainI have a 110 series washing machine. It's filled with water won't spin or drain water.

 

Incorporating Owner's Name into Name for Office Cleaning Business I am starting an office cleaning business and need help figuring out a good name. My name is Ashley (which is what I've been trying to use in the name).