Table Manners

Another link to one of my favorite blogs...

ListMama posted a List of Table Manners Every Child Should Be Taught.
The list includes...

• Coming to the table with clean hands.
• Napkin goes on the lap.
• Each member of the family should be seated before the first bite is taken.
• Diners should be seated until everyone is finished with the meal, then ask to be excused.

Check out her post (link above) for the full list. One person who commented on her post said she was going to print out the list and post it by her table. I think that's a great idea!

What table manners do you insist on with your family?

Reusable Grocery Sacks

I love the idea of reusable grocery sacks. The ones they have for purchase at the grocery store don't seem very sturdy, and it seems to me they'll fall apart too easily. Besides, they're not very cute... :)

TipNut has a list of links to free patterns to make your own reusable grocery sacks. So find all that scrap fabric you have and get sewing. You'll have the cutest grocery sacks on your block. :)

Find patterns HERE. Thanks, TipNut!

AAA Tips on Saving Gas

Check out AAA's page on saving gas...
Included are:

• Find Low Gas Prices Near You
  
• Watch Your Fueling Behavior
  
• Six Critical Gas-Saving Facts
• Driving for Maximum MPG
• Fuel Cost Calculator
  

There are a lot of great tips at AAA!! Check 'em out! :)

100 Most Often Mispronounced Words & Phrases in the English Language

I found the most interesting article about the 100 Most Often Mispronounced Words and Phrases in the English Language. Because I'm such an English snob, I find myself cringing whenever someone uses something from the "Don't Say" column of this article. :) Not that I'm perfect -- I found a few surprises that I often make the mistake of saying, such as "heighth," "irregarless" and "mis'chievious," and "pronounciation." [My English snobbery has been knocked down a notch...]

Want the corrections? You'll have to check out the article...

Then there's the 100 Most Often Misspelled Words in English. I'm a really good speller, if I do say so myself, so don't even get me started on that one...

Frozen Cookie Dough

Those tubs of frozen cookie dough that you buy from your kids' school fundraiser are severely over-priced. Make your own frozen cookie dough anytime you want it!

1. Make your favorite cookie dough.

2. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon and dole out the cookies onto something that has a flat surface and will fit in your freezer. Wax-paper-lined cookie sheets or plastic cutting boards work great.

3. Place in freezer until cookie dough freezes.

4. Scrape off cookie dough balls with a spatula.

5. Place in a gallon size freezer bag or a plastic container of some sort.

6. Write the instructions (i.e. 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes) and what kind they are on the bag or on a tag attached to the container.

Tips:
1. There is no need to defrost the dough before it goes into the oven, but it may take 1-2 minutes longer to cook. Just keep an eye on them.
2. If you have three kinds of cookies in the freezer you can put them on one cookie sheet, assuming they have similar baking instructions. Yummy variety.
3. Want just a couple of fresh, homemade cookies? Then only bake a couple. Portion control at its best!
6. Surprise company or going to visit a friend? Have a dozen hot cookies to share in ten minutes or less! Your popularity will sky-rocket! :)

Bleaching Your Sink

For a while I was trying to be one of Fly Lady's most diligent followers. But I just couldn't keep up... One thing I did incorporate into my regimen was bleaching my sink. I have a white sink that shows EVERYTHING. I can't even set my pots and pans gently into the sink without them leaving a gray mark on the bottom of the sink. I use cleanser and a scrubby sponge to scrub it clean every week. Every 2-3 weeks, however, I bleach my sink and get it looking good-as-new!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From FlyLady.com:

BE SURE AND RINSE WELL BETWEEN EACH STEP OF THE WAY!

1. Take all the dishes out of the sink.
   
   
2. Run some very hot water into the sink. Fill to the rim. Only do one side at a time. Then, pour a cup of household bleach into the hot water. Let it sit for 1 hour. Now, pull the plug with a pair of tongs. If you don't have tongs, then scoop some of the water out of the sink into the other sink and use your hand to pull the plug (wear gloves and don't get the bleach-water on your clothes).
   
   
3. Rinse your sink well.
   
   
4. Use some cleanser (Comet, Ajax, or Baking Soda) and scrub your sink. Ensure you rinse ALL of the cleanser from the sink.
   
   
5. Take a sharp edge and clean around the rim of the sink, just like you would clean dirt out from under your fingernails.
   
   
6. Clean around the faucets too. You may need an old toothbrush or dental floss.
   
   
7. Now, get out your window cleaner, I use Windex, and give it a good shine.
   

Now if you have a stainless steel sink, I recommend all of the above directions with one extra instruction added: after you soak your sink, rinse well, and use SOS pads to scrub it. This will buff the finish. It will look like new.

If you still can't get it to shine after the Windex, put a light coat of lemon oil or olive oil on it. I mean just a tiny bit on a cloth and rub it. This will make you smile. Some people have had very good results from Bar Keepers Friend.

Go Shine Your Sink!
FlyLady

Last note: ensure you don't mix cleansers like Comet, etc. with Windex (or other ammonia based cleaners), you can create dangerous gases! It is worth repeating: rinse well between each step.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

No matter how clean the rest of my house is, if my sink is icky, the whole house feels dirty. :P Happy sink-shining! :)

"Garbage Bowl" Revisited

I've mentioned Rachael Ray on my site a few times, so you probably know I'm a big fan. :) I love her concept of the garbage bowl. If you're not familiar with RR, it's the simple idea of using a bowl to collect all the scraps/garbage while you're cooking, instead of making twenty trips back and forth to the garbage can. My only complaint is the large bowl that now needs cleaning...

I have a new take on the garbage bowl -- well, sort of. You know those plastic grocery sacks you bring home from the grocery store? Use one to line a large bowl. Use this lined bowl as your garbage bowl while cooking. When you're done, lift the bag out of the bowl and toss it. Your bowl is still clean!

Valentine Cookie "Suckers"

This is such a great idea I'm sharing from my friend Mary J. We have a supper club in our neighborhood that meets monthly, and this month we shared ideas for Valentines Day treats. I simply LOVE this idea! (And I hope she doesn't mind that I share it.)

Make up a batch of sugar cookie dough. Roll it out thick and use cookie cutters to cut out hearts. Use a wooden caramel apple stick and insert it about 1 - 1 1/2 inches into the cookie from the bottom of the heart (it's easier if you twist it a bit while inserting it). Bake as usual - which is slightly under-done for sugar cookies. You don't want them brown and crunchy! :) Cool completely before trying to lift them off the cookie sheet. If you lift them while they're still soft and warm, they'll fall right off the stick. Decorate the cookies with frosting, sprinkles, etc. Once the frosting has hardened (put them in the fridge if you're impatient like me), put the cookie "sucker" into a clear cellophane bag and tie it shut with a pretty ribbon.

You could even use this idea to make a neat gift basket of cookies for a friend, neighbor, or teacher. Put florist foam in the bottom of a basket and cover it with plastic wrap. Insert the cookie "suckers" in a pretty arrangement. Fill the bottom of the basket with enough candy conversation hearts to cover the floral foam (the plastic wrap keeps the conversation hearts edible).

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!

Valentines Day Cake

You don't need a heart-shaped pan to make a heart-shaped cake for your sweeties this Valentines Day. Pour your cake batter into one square pan and one round pan, making sure the thickness of the batter in each pan are approximately the same so the finished cakes will be about the same thickness. When completely cooled, carefully cut the circle into two halves and place on two sides of the square cake (see photo). Put a little frosting between the half-circles and the square to "glue" them together, then frost generously. No one will know the difference. :)

Homemade Bisquick Mix

10 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup baking powder
1/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups shortening

1. Mix flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
2. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles course crumbs.
3. Store mixture in airtight container in a cool, dry place for six weeks, in the refrigerator up to 4 months, or in the freezer for up to 8 months.
4. Use whenever your recipe calls for "Bisquick Mix."

Note: If you don't need that much mix or don't want to store it, you can easily half the recipe above to make less.

Go to the Bisquick Recipes site for recipes that use this "generic" version of Bisquick Mix.

Happy Baking!!

Removing Adhesive Labels from Plastic and Wood

1. Peel off as much of the label as you can.
2. With warm, soapy water, wash and scrub the outside of the plastic jar. Soak it if necessary until you can get all the paper of the label off. Use a washcloth and scrub till the only thing left is the sticky adhesive underneath.
3. Use a dry washcloth and pour a little bit of mineral oil onto it. Rub over the sticky adhesive until it is all gone. It may take a bit of rubbing, but be patient and it will come off.
   
4. Wash with warm, soapy water again to remove the mineral oil and dry with a soft towel.
   

I swear, you would've never guessed it had a label on it to begin with!

Mineral oil can also work to remove stickers from wood. Just peel off as much of the label as you can, and skip step #2. It will take quite a bit of rubbing with a soft cloth, but it will come off and be good as new without damaging your wood.

No-Splash Bleach & Lasy Susan Refrigerator Shelf

Rachael Ray's Double-Duty Kitchen tips are awesome! From this week:

• Take the top off an empty dishwashing liquid bottle and put it on your bleach bottle. You'll get a easy-to-control stream of bleach instead of it splashing all over the place.

• Put a lazy susan on the top shelf of your fridge to put condiments, etc on. No more taking half the stuff out of the fridge to find something in the back!

Check out the video at Rachael Ray's site.

10 Benefits of Meal Planning

Have you tried a Meal Planner yet? Check out my previous post: Meal Planning (01/10/09). I created six weeks of meals for my family to rotate through. The entrees are planned out six weeks at a time, and I plan the side dishes and accompaniments weekly or bi-weekly. We are currently on our fifth week, and we are loving it! Some surprising benefits of Meal Planning we have discovered are:

1. We almost never eat out because dinner is always planned. A huge money-saver! Eating out is now an infrequent privilege, which is what it should be.
2. We are eating healthier. We get a variety of meats, fruits and vegetables because it's all planned out for variety and nutrition.
3. I am much more motivated to cook, and I enjoy it so much more because it's never the same thing we had the week before (or heck, even three weeks before!).
4. My kids eat dinner and leftovers are actually appealing. Variety is great! They're not tired of having the same things over and over, so they are excited to see what I'm making for dinner and hubby doesn't mind so much taking leftovers to work.
5. My pickiest eater is trying new foods - and even discovering that she likes more things than she thought! We are all trying new things!
   
6. Grocery shopping is actually more fun because I get to hunt down things that I haven't bought for the previous three weeks already.
7. I have more free time and less stress because I'm not scrambling at the last minute to figure out what we're having for dinner and I can plan ahead for meal prep. For instance, with six weeks worth of meals planned, I can brown up all three pounds of hamburger I'll use in the next two weeks instead of one at a time.
8. I save money on groceries. I watch for items to go on sale that I know I'll use in my six weeks of meals and I can buy more of them when they're on sale. And because things are planned so well, I only go to the grocery store once a week (or once every other week, which I've been trying lately). Less trips to the store means less impulse-buying and more money saved.
9. Less food is wasted. Because everything is planned down to the last detail, I only purchase what we need and will use. This saves money too! :)
   
10. More quality time with my family. We sit down to the table every night for dinner and have meaningful conversation... How great is that?!

I found a great blog for meal planning: Meal Planning 101. She has great recipes and tips for meal planning. Check it out!

One of My Favorite Things: My Slow Cooker - A Primer

I use my slow cooker (aka, Crock Pot) at least 2-3 times a week. It is probably my favorite kitchen appliance (with the possible exception of my bread machine... but I'll save that for another post...). In the past 5 years since I started using my slow cooker on a regular basis, I've learned a few things...

• Slow cookers prefer cheap cuts of meat – really! Less tender, less expensive cuts of meat are better suited for slow cooker cooking than expensive cuts of meat.
• Leave the lid on while the slow cooker cooks. The steam that condenses on the lid helps cook the food from the top. Every time you take the lid off, the cooker loses steam. After you put the lid back on, it takes up to 20 minutes to regain lost steam and temperature, which means it takes longer to cook.
• One hour on high equals about 2 to 2 ½ hours on low. High is about 300°. Low is about 200°.
• Fill the cooker no more than 2/3 full and no less than half-full, no matter what the size.
  
• Milk products such as cream, milk, and sour cream can curdle and separate when cooked for a long period. Add them during the last 10 minutes if cooking on high, or during the last 20-30 minutes on low, unless the recipe states otherwise.
• In recipes that use sauces high in sugar or milk (such as BBQ sauce, teriyaki sauce, or Alfredo sauce), sometimes the sauce will scorch and ruin the flavor of your dish if cooked too long on high. For best results, cook these dished on low heat for a longer period of time or add the sauce closer to the end of the cooking time.
• Liquids don’t boil down in a slow cooker. If the dish is “soup-ier” than you want at the end of the cooking time, remove the cover, set dial on high and allow the liquid to evaporate (for 30-45 minutes). You can also add instant potato flakes or tapioca to thicken the liquid, depending on what is appropriate for your recipe.
• To get the best flavor, sauté vegetables or brown meat before placing in cooker to cook. When cooking meats and vegetables together, place the vegetables on the bottom where they will be kept moist. Recipes that contain a combination of raw meat and veggies should cook at least 4 hours on high.
• To eliminate prep time and cleanup when preparing a slow cooker recipe that calls for browned ground beef, prepare it ahead of time in large quantities. Brown beef, seasoned to taste. Drain and cool. Freeze in pint freezer containers or Ziploc bags.
  
• If a recipe calls for cooked rice, stir in raw rice with the other ingredients. Add 1 cup extra liquid per cup of raw rice. Use long grain converted rice for best results in all-day cooking.
• Trim as much visible fat from meat as possible before placing it in the slow cooker to avoid greasy gravy.
• Always spray your slow cooker with cooking spray before adding ingredients. It makes cleanup simpler. Or, they now make “slow cooker liners” you can get at the grocery store – even simpler!
• A slow cooker on low does not burn food and will not spoil a meal if cooked beyond the designated time.
• When cooking on high, stir occasionally for more even cooking and improved flavor (if appropriate for your recipe).
• In place of ground meat in a recipe, you can use vegetarian burgers, cut up. No need to brown the meat!
  
• Using foods that are completely frozen in the slow cooker will extend the cooking time. For best results, use completely thawed foods, or partially thaw them in the microwave before adding to the slow cooker.
  
• Make sure the outside of the pot is not touching anything. The outside of the crock may get very hot.
  
• Recipes can be assembled and stored in the refrigerator the night before (unless they call for uncooked pasta). In the morning, place cold stoneware in cold electrical base. *Do NOT preheat electrical base! Once stoneware is in place, turn the dial to the preferred heat setting.

To adapt a recipe for a slow cooker:

Oven	Slow Cooker (High)	Slow Cooker (Low)
15 - 30 mins	1.5 - 2 hrs	4 - 6 hrs
35 - 40 mins	3 - 4 hrs	6 - 10 hrs
50 min - 3 hrs	4 - 6 hrs	8 - 18 hrs

I have a great collection of slow cooker / Crock Pot recipes from when I did a presentation for my church group a few years ago. Everyone sent me their favorite slow cooker recipes and I compiled them for the group. It has 82 recipes in it! If you'd like a copy of it, email me at cleverhomemaking (at) gmail (dot) com and I'll send it your way... [**Or, if someone knows how to post a link to a pdf doc on my blog so folks can just upload it, let me know. I am obviously clueless on this concept!]

Also check out the blog A Year of Crockpotting for some great recipes. This gal spent all of 2008 cooking for her family using her Crock Pot. She even did a guest spot on Rachael Ray. :) You can also go to CrockPot.com for recipes, tips, and advice on using a slow cooker.