Heather Solos 
Dear Home Ec 101, I need to get our food budget under control, and we spend a ton of money eating out. It’s starting to cause fights. I can’t cook. I can’t plan, and even if I could, I would just quit. Can you teach me how to menu plan? Can you teach me to follow …
Heather says: I stumbled across this little quote while browsing through The Project Gutenberg. It’s from The Easiest Way in Housekeeping and Cooking by Helen Campbell: Every science is learned but domestic science. The schools ignore it; and, indeed, in the rush toward an early graduation, there is small room for it. “She can learn …
Dear Home Ec 101, Hi. I have a dilemma with my dishes. Whenever I cook or use a strong smelling condiment, my dishes always pick up the smell I can never get the odor out. A small dab of bleach in the water was suggested but after trying this my stepson told me the dishes …
Heather says: If you load this dish up with steamed broccoli it’s easy to pretend it’s healthy. This recipe makes four servings of alfredo and can create a variety of meals by varying the accompaniments. My favorites are blackened beef, chicken, or shrimp. If spicy foods are not your style, try grilled chicken, shrimp, or …
Dear Home Ec 101, We bought our older house six years ago, and knew then that the backyard had a bit of an ant problem. Fast forward to this year, when I’ve decided that I can’t stand it anymore! What is a good, non-toxic way to get rid of a majority of ant hills? So …
Dear Home Ec 101,I admit I wanted one of those – a bagless vacuum cleaner! What an amazing idea! No thought was given to what I was going to do with the container full of dust and debris. I’ve figured out that dumping out the junk is fairly easy – although many people including myself …
Heather says: Many thanks to Stephanie of Stop the Ride for letting us host this week’s Make It From Scratch Carnival . It’s a round up for those who are sharing things they have made from scratch. Do you ever wonder where that term came from? A quick Google search suggested it was first used …
Dear Home Ec 101, No matter what I do, the hardwater spots on my shower and tub keep coming back? What am I doing wrong? Signed, Speckled in Spencerton Heather says: Well there are a couple of options. You could invest in a water softener or be super diligent and use a squeegee after every …
Dear Home Ec 101, How do you get stuck on hairspray off walls and a cheap linoleum bathroom floor? Signed, Tacky in Texas Heather says: Oh it’s the dreaded hairspray overspray! The answer is deceptively simple. You’ll need hot water and elbow grease. Use an old rag and water as hot as you can stand …
Retro Saturday is a chance to see a blast from the Home Ec 101 past and gives Ivy and I a chance to relax. Heather says: I searched high and low. I tried at least a dozen recipes people swear were from Grandma and now I have it. This is the one I recommend to …