Home Ec 101 Weekly Menu and Shopping List #15

Heather says: Welcome to week 15 of the weekly menu plan and shopping list journey. Some of you may notice that there are fewer simple carbohydrates on this menu (two notable exceptions). I will be doing my best over the next few weeks to continue adding more vegetables and legume recipes to the site. Here …

Read more

Share Your Emergency Budget Ideas

Heather says: I talked about this yesterday on the Facebook Fanpage, but I thought it would be a good idea to continue the discussion over here. Home-Ec101.com is an apolitical site; this means that neither party will get an endorsement, political bashing is not allowed, and for the most part I really hope that political …

Read more

The ‘Ultimate’ Fried Chicken Recipe

Brian says: Cast-iron skillets, stainless steel pans, Fry Daddies. There are so many ways that people implement to fry up a good batch of chicken. Some tend to work better than others, but they all have the same, delicious end product that’s, for absolute lack of a better term, finger-licking good. By why must one …

Read more

Broccoli Rabe with Garlic and Ginger

Heather says: Broccoli rabe, also called rappini or broccoli raab -pronounce it rob, not rab-  is a new-to-me vegetable. I know it’s sort of common and in some areas it has been available for years. There’s no reason that I haven’t tried it. Broccoli rabe just never jumped into my cart saying, “I’m delicious,” the …

Read more

Home Ec 101 Menu and Shopping List #14

Heather says: Spring is here, despite a rather mean prank by Mother Nature on our North Eastern friends, it is time to start revamping the menu and focusing on spring vegetables and fewer starches. Over on the forums I mentioned that I’m fighting off an emotional funk. One of the signals was I have almost …

Read more

Sofrito for Dummies

Brian says: Tapping into my pseudo-Puerto Rican roots, I felt it necessary to expose you to one of the most flavorful melange of spices, vegetables and meat ever devised: sofrito. Sure, you have your run-of-the-mill roux, but there’s something very emotional and spiritual about sofrito that only a select few can really relate to. Luckily, …

Read more

Review: Clutter Rehab by Laura Wittman

clutter rehab

Heather says: It’s no secret that I’m a fan of OrgJunkie.com. I had the pleasure of meeting the site’s author, Laura Wittman, last October and let me tell you, she is just as lovely as person as one could hope. Recently her publisher Ulysses Press sent me a copy of Laura’s book, Clutter Rehab 101 …

Read more

Home Ec 101 Menu and Grocery List #13

Heather says: Here’s another week of menus with recipes and a complete shopping list, courtesy of SayMmm.com. Click for the printable shopping list. Monday – Black Bean Burritos, Spanish Rice, Fried Green Corn (use frozen) Tuesday – Chili Honey Chicken Thighs, Lentil Pilaf, Roast Broccoli Wednesday – Clean Out Refrigerator Night Thursday – Grilled Ham …

Read more

How to Clean a Smooth Top Range / Stove

Dear Home-Ec 101: I have a glass smooth-top stove. Recently I managed to burn it pretty badly – I think there were some food particles either on the burner or the bottom of my pot because when I put the pot on the burner, it sizzled and then a very bad burning smell filled the …

Read more

How to Remove Baking Spray Overspray

Dear Home Ec 101, I’ve noticed that when I use non-stick spray (like Pam) on things that are subsequently baked, I end up with a sticky, brown residue that is really hard to remove from my pans.  This is a particular problem with my muffin tin! Two questions: 1) Should I stop using non-stick spray on things that …

Read more