Hurricane 101

Heather says: June 1st marks the beginning of hurricane season. For those of us on the East and Gulf Coasts, we know this means anxious meteorologists glorifying every thunderstorm that appears in the oceans. Although the public tends to become jaded with media saturation, there is no reason to get caught with your pants down. …

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Ask the audience #1

Ivy says: We like to hear from you guys! You’re a smart, savvy bunch (hey, you are smart enough to be one of our readers, right?) so we’ll toss out discussion questions from time to time. Hey, we don’t have all the answers…just most of them. So here’s the question du jour, it’s a two …

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Sloppy joes

Heather says: Have a pound of ground beef? Sloppy joes are a hit at my house, even the one year old approves. 1 lb ground beef 1 small onion diced (pickier the kids, finer the dice) 1 small bell pepper diced (optional) 2 8oz cans tomato sauce 2 TBSP tomato paste 1 tsp Montreal steak …

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Taking care of your granny whiskers

Dear Home-Ec 101, Ok, so I don’t know if I’ve just noticed it, or if it is getting darker (is this what aging does to you?!?), but suddenly, I’m noticing fine but dark hair growing on my face. What do I do?! I don’t want to nair it, because that upsets my skin. Can I …

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Chicken Pilau

Heather says: This is one dish you won’t catch me trying to pronounce. Although I grew up here in the Lowcountry, I was not exposed to this dish until adulthood. As far as I am concerned, that is a crying shame. This meal is tasty, flexible and freezes well if stored properly. Feel free to …

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Timer Tuesday

Heather says: I don’t know about everyone else, but coming off of vacation mode and switching back to productive is hard for me.  It is extra hard when it was  a mini-vacation spent at home.  To give myself a mental kick in the butt I’ll be using my timer today.  There are a lot of …

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Categories All

Mini-blinds are my nemesis.

Dear Home-Ec101, I live in an apartment and my mini-blinds are covered with the funk of thousands of tenants. Can you please tell me the best way to clean these? Signed, Dusty Shades Ivy says: I hate mini-blinds.  My cats break the ends off of them because they MUST sit in the window and they …

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Frugal tip: Cutting up a whole chicken

Heather says:

While it is true that thighs and drumsticks often go on sale, nothing in my opinion beats a whole chicken for the price. However, it is not every day that I’m in the mood for roast chicken or its planned overs.

So, when whole chickens go on sale and I am feeling particularly industrious, I cut them up myself. All you need is a sharp knife and a willingness to get your hands dirty.

Out of respect for the squeamish and vegetarians, all raw poultry pictures will be after the jump.

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Kitchen Disinfection

Dear Home Ec 101: I know there is a proper way to clean up after handling raw meat. Do you have the specifics? ~Sal Monella Heather says: Excellent question, my dear! Not many people realize that cleaning up after handling raw meat is a two step process. If you skip either you run the risk …

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That dreaded microwave

Got a funky microwave? Don’t worry, it won’t take long to fix. Simply add 1/4 cup of white vinegar to two cups of water in a microwave-safe container and zap on high for three to five minutes. Wait another five minutes Carefully remove the container from the microwave and wipe with either a rag or …

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