What About Soap Nuts?

soap nuts for washing clothes

Dear Home-Ec 101, Are soap nuts ok to use in my high efficiency washing machine? Since HE washers don’t agitate like standard top loading washers, I was curious if the soap nuts would be effective. Signed, Curious in Cupertino Heather says: I have never used soap nuts, so my answer is based on the manufacturer’s …

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Can I Substitute Chicken for Fish in a Recipe?

Dear Home-Ec 101, I see a lot of recipes that sound really good that call for fish–salmon, tuna, and so on. The thing is that I don’t like fish. With recipes like “Glazed Salmon,” can I substitute chicken in the recipe? Thanks, Truly Chicken When it Comes to the Sea. . .food Heather says: Absolutely. …

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Simple Autumn Skillet

Heather says: This autumn skillet recipe is a simple framework, feel free to use your imagination and modify it however you see fit. This recipe is great for a new cook who wants to become comfortable with the art of substitution. Don’t like squash, try peeled and cubed sweet potatoes, toss in some apple slices. Turnips …

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How to Peel and Dice Butternut Squash

We’re well into autumn, which means the availability of produce is changing. (Those of you in South Florida, Southern California, and similar areas can hush, the rest of us have these magical things known as seasons that can affect our shopping habits). Butternut squash is one of my favorite fall vegetables, but preparing it for …

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Home-Ec 101 Weekly Menu Plan #17

Heather says: After taking  a hiatus from creating the weekly menu plans with shopping lists, I’m finally ready to bring back this series. These menu plans are written for a family of 4 – 6. Assuming the children are not toddlers with tiny appetites, leftovers are served or packed for lunch. One night a week …

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Cleaning Up After Replacing the Toilet’s Wax Ring

Dear Home-Ec 101, I have an odd problem, but you seem to be pretty good at those. I recently had my bathroom flooring replaced (it’s vinyl)and in the process, the toilet’s wax ring was also replaced. There is waxy residue where the ring squished out the sides.. I’ve cleaned up the bulk of the wax, …

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