March 21, 2011

Baked Rum BananasAll I can say is, "Oh, Baby, what a treat!"

 

Vegetable Fettuccine CarbonaBeat eggs with cream in small bowl and set aside. Cook bacon until crisp, drain well on paper toweling to get rid of excess fat and set aside. Add vegetables and saute until tender crisp.

 

No Roll Pie CrustCombine flour, sugar and salt. Combine oil and milk. Add liquid to flour mixture. Blend with fork. Pat in pan. Makes 2 9-inch pies.

 

Crab Stuffed Chicken BreastsCook onion and celery in margarine until tender. Add water and crabmeat and toss. Add stuffing mix and mix together well. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper.

 

Ham and Cheese PuffsAbout 45 minutes before serving spray a large cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a 2 quart saucepan, over medium heat, heat water and margarine until melted and mixture boils.

 

Pizza Muffin CupsI serve these as a quick meal with tater tots when I am short on cooking time.

 

Ripen Bananas QuicklyWhen you buy bananas, sometimes they are still green and you need to use them the next day. The easiest way to ripen them is to put them in a brown paper bag with an apple.

 

Moist Zucchini BreadThis won me first prize at a county fair some years ago. It's an easy way to get a green veggie into youngsters. Zucchini alone doesn't really appeal to me, but with this recipe if you don't tell, they won't know!

 

DonnaLou Shepherd's PieA little twist on this long time dish. Mix onion and ground beef together and place in a roasting pan. Sprinkle corn over top evenly. Pour the broth over top.

 

Homemade Wheat ThinsFor babies 8 months and up.

 

Bleach For Stained CountersI dyed a shirt a different color and placed the newly dyed shirt on my bathroom counter top. What a mistake! I tried using every day kitchen/bathroom cleaner. Nothing worked until I scrubbed the dyed area with plain household bleach.

 

Use A Toilet Brush For Bathroom ScrubbingToilet scrubbers are useful to clean far more than just toilets. Their bristles do well for scrubbing a tub or sink, especially when combined with a gritty cleanser like Comet.

 

Homemade Stain RemoverMake a spray for the stubborn stains that your kids or your better half like to leave on their clothes.

 

Save Old Makeup for CraftsDon't throw away any old or unwanted makeup and nail polish that you may have. They are a wonderful alternative to crayons, paint markers, or coloring pencils. I use mine when making cards with stamps. The eyeshadow blends very well in place of colored pencils.

 

Label Tops of Electric PlugsIt seems like every time I grab a plug to plug something in, I am holding the plug upside down. To make it quicker, I put a dot of red nail polish on the top of every plug.

 

In Memory Of Festus (Dwarf Hotot Rabbit)This is a picture of my little pet bunny, Festus, that I had for 5 years. He was a Dwarf Hotot, that I won at an event called "Rabbit Fest" in Copperas Cove, TX back in 1992. That is how he got his name, "Festus".

 

Reducing Cell Phone Data ChargesLooking for ways to lower cell phone bills? I have a generous Data Plan but my kids kept going over the megabytes allowed and increasing my payments. Since the text message plan we have is unlimited, my kids now mostly text message instead of BBM, lowering my costs.

 

Binder of Favorite RecipesI have a bookcase in my dining room filled with cookbooks that I have bought over the years. It is difficult, however, to remember which cookbook my favorite recipes are in. So I created my own cookbook with all my favorites.

 

Donate Clothes Not Worn After A YearHang clothes backwards and rehang them forward after each use. After one year, everything still backwards can be donated.

 

Planting Brussels SproutsPlant your Brussels sprouts in the Spring according to package directions and you will have some good eating. Plant them somewhere out of your way, maybe along the edge of your garden. They will produce in the late fall, even in the snow.

 

Toilet Scrubber for General Bathroom CleaningToilet scrubbers are useful to clean far more than just toilets. Their bristles do well for scrubbing a tub or sink, especially when combined with a gritty cleanser like Comet. They do a nice job on mildew in grout crevices.

 

Trash Bag For the CarI have been able to keep my car cleaned up, by hanging a plastic grocery bag on the back of the front passenger seat with a velcro cord holder. I put the holder around the metal head rest post and attach the grocery bag.

 

Designate an Out Of State Emergency ContactEver since my kids were small, we have designated my mother, who lives in another state, as the family emergency contact. All school forms had her name and phone number in the emergency contact section, as did any of the wallet emergency cards we all carried.

 

Easter Bunny GarlandThis craft is a great idea to supplement your home decor for Easter.

 

Scenery: Full Moon Through A TreeThis photo was taken at night during the "big" full moon.

 

Glue for EnvelopesAfter you've made your homemade cards and matching envelopes, here's an easy to make glue.

 

Scenery: Wild Pear Blossoms (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia)Spring is in the air with these blossoms sprouting on wild pear trees. These are found along hiking trails, on 400 acres of old protected farmland with views of the ocean near my home of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. =

 

Rosie (Chihuahua)Rosie is a Chihuahua. I'm guessing that she is 4 plus years old. I got her from a rescue about 4 years ago. She like to chase and bite the vacuum cleaner. She bites it so hard sometimes she can move it!

 

Brush Dog Before WalkWhen I had my dear Newfoundland dog mix (an extreme shedder), I would brush him every night out front before we left on our walks. This would give any loose fur that didn't get caught in the brush a chance to fall off while he was walking.

 

Tips for Low Maintenance Flower GardeningImagine endless garden beds filled with beautiful fragrant flowers that come up effortlessly year after year without any help from you. While it might not be realistic to dream for zero maintenance, a low-maintenance flower garden can be a dream come true.

 

Wine Bottle To Water PlantsMy indoor plants need frequent watering and often get wilty before I get a chance to water them. I found a great way to keep them more hydrated and water less often - wine! Well, wine bottles that is.

 

Uses for Plastic Easter EggsReuse plastic Easter eggs by keeping change in them for parking meters. They can be used to store small wrapped pieces of gum, small toys, and crayons for unexpected waiting.

 

Jaxs (Shepard and Boxer Mix)Jaxs is a 1 1/2 year-old Shepherd and Boxer mix. Jaxs was homeless. A friend found him when he was a baby, all alone on the road. Jaxs loves to run and play in the yard with his newly acquired brother.

 

Best Time for Deals on MeatThe best time to shop for meats is about 3 pm on Saturday afternoon, providing the store is closed on Sunday. Today, Saturday, for example I bought 3 roasting chickens at half price because the expiration date is Sunday.

 

Scenery: Woods With SnowdropsThis is a photo taken in the woods close to the town where I live. It is a short walk from town and very popular at this time of year when the snowdrops are in bloom. A welcome sight after a long winter!

 

Wildlife: Fox (Pahaska Teepee Lodge, WY)I worked at Pahaska Teepee Lodge, 60 miles from Cody, WY. To my surprise, I saw this fox on the roof of the lodge, probably smelling the food from the exhaust fan.

 

Product Review:Dirt Devil Breeze Vision Canister VacuumI have laminate floors, a cat, and grandchildren. I used to use a Swiffer and it did an OK job, but I got tired of washing the pads and buying new ones because I feel the pads don't get clean enough. I bought the Dirt Devil Breeze Vision Canister and WOW what a difference.

 

Saving Money on MagazinesI am addicted to magazines, but can't afford to buy them all. Now I do two things to feed my fix:

 

Preventing Static ClingHere's a tip for all those ladies that have problems with static cling, especially in the winter time. If you use softener in your washer and dryer and still have static cling, take a small safety pin and pin it to the outside of your slip.

 

Support for Another Thriftyfun Member?One of our fellow TF members Sandi (Poor but Proud) has been giving of herself for several months now caring for her sister-in-law Patty who has been suffering from the ravages of cancer. Please send your prayers up for them.

 

Dog Will Only Go Potty When Taken for a Walk?I just got a new fence so that I won't have to walk my dog all the time. He used the bathroom within the fence a couple of times, however, he now refuses to go to the bathroom in the backyard at all. What am I supposed to do? Any advice will be very much appreciated.

 

Getting Rid of Rats?There was construction in a wooded site near my home and now I seem to be infested with rats who have nested under a shed in my backyard. I have 2 little dogs and another medium sized dog. I don't want to use rat poison to get rid of them.

 

Where To Find Oxydol Laundry Detergent?Where can I find Oxydol in Longview Texas?

 

What is the Shelf Life of Free Range Farm Eggs?What is the shelf life of free range farm eggs?

 

Ideas for a Unique Lamp Post for Front Yard?Anyone have an idea for making a unique lamp post in front of the house? I am so tired of looking at all the identical 3 inch metal poles or 4x4 wooden posts.

 

Removing Saliva On the Outside of a Car?My son spit out the window and the saliva hit the outside surface of the door panel. I tried to rub it off with elbow grease. It didn't come off.

 

Where Can I Buy Red Curtain Rods?Who sells "red" curtain rods?

 

Are Probiotics Important for Your Health?Why are probiotics important for someone's health?

 

How Do I Set Red Fabric Dye When Washing for the First Time?I have a brand new soccer shirt that is mostly red, but has some white in it as well. How do I get the red not to bleed into the white when washing for the first time?

 

Dress Pattern for a Renuzit Air Freshener Doll?I would really like to get a copy of the pattern that was posted for the Renuzit doll shown on 3/16/11. It was the project at this link: Angel Doll Air Freshener. Thanks.

 

Oil Based Paint Not Drying?I used an oil based concrete and floor paint on my slate tile. After 2 days, it is still tacky and you cannot step on it with shoes or they leave marks on the paint. What can I do?

 

Finding Parts to Repair a Sofa Bed?I'm trying to locate/buy a 5 foot sleeping sofa (queen size) rod. It is placed under the bed carriage to support it when a person sits down.

 

Keeping the House Cooler With Solar Window Film?My house is too warm in the summer. I was thinking of solar film for the windows, to keep the house cooler. Since I'm renting, can I remove it if I move? I would not want to cause damage to the window. I'm looking for a temporary solution.

 

How Do I Roast Mushrooms?How does one roast mushrooms?

 

What Breed is My Dog?Could anyone recognize my puppy's mixed breeds?

 

What is This Flower? (Camellia)Can anyone tell me what this flower is? Thanks.