Heather Solos Heather says: Fellow blogger Amy is expecting her first rugmonkey and is looking for suggestions on baby paraphernalia. She says she plans on breastfeeding, prefers plain to battery operated toys, and doesn’t want a lot of plastic crap strewn about. Well, Amy, I hate to break it to you, but the plastic crap arrives whether … Read more
Dear Home Ec 101: We just moved into a home with white mosaic tile in the bathroom. The grout is sealed. How do I clean it and what was I thinking? Going Grungy in Groten Heather says: I have no idea what you were thinking. White? Tan, speckled, khaki, brown, anything but white! Poor thing, … Read more
Heather says: With the cost of fuel and feed rising, the price of dairy has been going through the roof. One way to fight back is to consider using nonfat dry milk for cooking. The cheapest fresh milk in my area is currently at $3.59 a gallon. The price for 5 gallons worth of nonfatdry … Read more
Heather says: This recipe is quick and so simple the kids can help. If they can roll a playdough ball, they can make a meatball. I tend to make this in large batches so I can freeze leftovers for future meals of calzones, subs, or even more spaghetti. If you have a vacuum sealer, from … Read more
Heather says: I’ve decided to make Menu Monday a permanent fixture of Home Ec 101. Hopefully it will help inspire some readers to try something new. Monday – spaghetti and meatballs, tossed salad (The in-laws took us out for dinner on what would have been taco night. Consequently I have 3lbs of ground beef that … Read more
Dear HomeEc 101: My wife and I live alone, no dogs, cats, children, or other pests. Until recently. Immediately after a painter touched up a ceiling, and protected our hardwood floors with a drop cloth, we began to find fleas in our house. 3 flea bombs and 1 pest control visit later, we still have … Read more
Dear Home Ec 101: I know I should have paid closer attention on Monday, but I’m a procrastinator. We’re having spiral ham for Easter dinner. I’ll be serving 8 adults and 2 kids, how big should my ham be? Also, do you recommend a specific sauce? -Ham Tied Yankee Heather says: I’m sure you aren’t … Read more
Heather says: The sauce is made from scratch and provides enough for a very large pan of lasagna or you can freeze the leftover to serve over spaghetti in the future. Sauce: 1 lb hot Italian sausage 1 lb lean ground beef 1 onion diced 3 cloves garlic – minced 1 28 oz can of … Read more
Heather says: Let’s give my pal Crystal a round of applause. She saved herself $95 by tackling basic home appliance repair. Not too bad for 1.5 hours worth of work, including the trip to the part store. She IMed me asking if I knew anything about dryer repair. I suggested she check and see if … Read more
Heather says: Partly for our health and partly for our budget we try to eat meatless one night a week. This recipe could easily be converted to vegan by omitting the cheese and using an eggless recipe for cornbread. This is Betty Crocker’s version with minor tweaking. Two Bean Tamale Pie Ingredients 1 TBSP … Read more