Heather Solos 
Heather says: Remember a couple of weeks ago when I mentioned I would work on adding more seafood to my cooking repertoire? This week I didn’t venture too far as type of fish, but I thought it would be nice to share a company-worthy recipe such as this baked cod with olive tapenade. If you …
Heather says: Olive tapenade is a condiment from the Mediterranean region, some would say it is specifically from the Provençal area of France and others argue it’s from Spain. Who cares as long as it tastes good, right? If you hate olives of any sort, this tapenade is not for you, just keep browsing. If you …
Heather says: Labor Day weekend already? Who is in charge here? Drive safely, cops and drunken idiots will be out in full force this weekend. Don’t be one of them, the idiots I mean. In many parts of the country it’s summer’s last hurrah, so if you’re doing a cookout this weekend and looking for a few …
I may be the last to know about online audio book rentals through the library. It’s a parenting sin to admit this, but I hate, loathe, despise, and dread taking my children to the library. Well, not my stepdaughter, but in this scenario, she doesn’t count, being above the age of reason and all. The …
Dear Home Ec 101, Should I be cleaning my floor broom? Can I clean my broom, if I use it on something really disgusting? Currently, I have a synthetic fiber broom, but I suppose the question is relevant for any types. And then how? Nasty things I may have to sweep up include: sticky foods …
Heather says: Life is messy. A few days ago, I was pulling apart a rotisserie chicken for chicken and dumpling soup. My mother-in-law walked past and commented something to the effect of, “I don’t know how you can do that.” (She didn’t say it in a rude manner, it was just a casual comment). I …
Heather says: Long time readers, don’t skip this one. Retro Saturdays give new Home Ec 101 readers a chance to delve into the archives. After working on this site for more than three years, there are almost 1500 posts in the archive. Each week, I’ll try to pull up the best of that week’s posting …
I’m still on the road, hanging out in Minnesota. The lovely Louise Baker offered to guest post and I gratefully accepted. Enjoy! It’s important to know when you’re moving into a new rental home or apartment, your landlord carries insurance only on his building. It’s up to you to insure anything inside by purchasing renters …
Dear Home Ec 101, There are stacks of paper all over my house. Do you have any suggestions on how I can better organize this mess? Signed, Precarious Piles Heather says: I am completely guilty of this avoidance behavior. Living in a mess of paper clutter is a sure sign that someone in the home is …
Dear Home Ec 101, I don’t really like honey, but I keep it around for when my grandkids visit. It always gets grainy and I don’t trust that it’s safe for the kids. Is there a way to prevent this from happening? Signed, Beelinda Heather says: Honey crystallizes over time, it’s just a fact of …