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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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.
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 …
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 …
Heather says: “Wipe your feet, I just mopped that floor!” Everyone has heard this at least once in their life. However, not everyone has had someone take the time to demonstrate how to effectively mop a floor. First choose a mop based on your floor type. Typically homes have smooth floors: tile, hardwood, or linoleum. …
Heather says: Sweeping a floor is not rocket science, but no one was born knowing how to operate a broom. First, choose the broom based on your flooring. If you have a new, smooth floor a broom with synthetic straw is your best bet. If your flooring is textured or worn, choose a straw broom. …
Dear Home-Ec 101, I’m gearing myself up to finally tackling the scary fridge. It hasn’t been cleaned since the dawn of refrigeration, so there’s a ton of ultra-scary-ew-nasty-what-is-that-gunk in the fridge. But, I don’t want to use any harsh chemicals, as I’m concerned about the smell/taste of it transferring over to the food once I’m …