Ivy says: Do you get paint all over you when you’re painting your house? I sure do, and in odd places like my knees and my shins. Don’t ask. So, how to get all that paint off without resorting to mineral spirits or other things that are harsh on your skin? I use a rock. …
Heather says: Since summer is here, I put together a quick tomato tutorial to help all you Home Ecers take full advantage of the basic varieties available. Stay tuned over the next few days for tips on slicing, dicing, peeling, and seeding. Tomatoes can be stored in the refrigerator but will quickly lose flavor. The …
Ivy says: I’m picking up out of my funk I’ve been in, in case you were wondering. However, even though I’m a lot cheerier lately, I am feeling rather unmotivated and uninspired, largely. So, with that, I must ask the best readers in the world: What gets you going? What really motivates you? What, or …
Dear Home Ec 101: Why is it lactose intolerant people can eat yogurt but not drink milk? Gassy in Gettysburg Heather says: Lactose is a sugar present in milk. To digest this, humans must have the enzyme lactase present in their system. People who are lactose intolerant can generally consume some lactose, the problem lies …
Dear Home-Ec 101, My kids whine incessantly when I ask them to help clean, and they do a halfhearted job when they finally clean. How do I get them to help out? Signed, Ripping my hair out in Riverdale Ivy says: I know what that’s like. My kids still put up a fuss about cleaning, …
Heather says: Depending on the size of your crew, pick up loaves of Italian bread and your favorite sandwich meats. Load up the sub with everyone’s favorite toppings, slice, and enjoy. If you have resident mayo haters (like myself), just make sure their portion of the sandwich is ick free. Serve with raw veggies and …
When the weather warms up, it’s time for the sides to cool down. I’ve always enjoyed pasta salad from the deli. This recipe nails the slightly sweet dressing of traditional macaroni salad, and with a grilled chicken breast, shrimp, or portabella mushrooms makes a great meal. I vary the vegetables and pasta shape depending on …
Dear Home Ec 101: Help! I’ve got funky stuff coming out of my jetted tub. I turned it on the other night and bits of black sludge ruined my bath. How do I clean out the jets? What is it, anyway? ~ Jetty Betty Heather says: Do you really want to know what that sludge …
Heather says: My band instructor, yes I was am a geek, once told us that it takes twenty-one days to build a habit. He wanted us to test this theory by using a quirk passed on from one of his instructors. He suggested whenever we were in the shower to only to turn to …
Ivy says: Let me first gross you out by saying we carry around approximately 3 pounds of bacteria in our guts every day. It’s good bacteria, the kind we need. But how nasty is that? Ewww. There’s a huge debate out there about whether we should wipe out as many germs as possible (the germophobe …