Dear Home-Ec 101, I’m really trying to cook more at home, but sometimes I’d like to make substitutions, but I’m just not sure when it’s ok to substitute round steak for cube steak or vice versa. I’m just not comfortable talking to the butcher. I just want to grab whatever happens to be in the …
Vera says: One of the greatest joys of knitting and/or crochet is the ability to make gifts. No matter what, if you have yarn, needles or a hook, you can make something to give. I recall one holiday season, being yarn rich and cash poor, I made all my presents and found it to be …
Heather says: It’s been a few months since we’ve done a Sunday Confessional and I have a deadline causing some serious productive procrastination*, so now is just as good a time as any to bring back the series. For those new to Home-Ec 101, welcome, the Sunday Confessional is just a reminder that life isn’t …
Heather says: A couple months ago I was approached by Q-tips and asked if I would like to be a brand ambassador. As you may assume, Q-tips wants me to let you know that their cotton swabs are good for so much more than health and beauty, after all they are handy little things, aren’t they? …
Heather says: How are you serving your meal? Will it be family style with everyone seated around the table or are you setting up a buffet where everyone helps themselves? Now it’s time to take a look at your menu and take an inventory of your serving dishes. Next to each menu item write down …
Dear Heather, I’m so lucky to have a new refrigerator with water and ice in the door (I have arrived!). Still, in the several months since I got the fridge, the water/ice dispenser has become a little drippy. There is mildew accumulating around the gasket between the actual maker (in the fridge itself) and the …
Dear Home-Ec 101, Can I substitute tomato paste for crushed tomatoes for a pasta sauce? If I add water to it, will it taste like pasta sauce? Signed,Pasty in Pascagoula Heather says: I actually have gotten this question before, but something tells me it’s a little hard to find: Tomato Paste and Crushed Tomatoes. While …
Heather says: We consume a lot of eggs in our household, currently consisting of three adults and three children. Seriously, you can’t beat egg dishes for protein content, budget consciousness, and speed of preparation. Right now we’re hot and heavy into football season which means that breakfast (and really the entire day) is all about …
Brian says: Having roots in the South means possessing certain privileges that other regions don’t have and spend millions of dollars trying to replicate. Sweet tea, soul food and southern hospitality just to name a few. Boiled peanuts have a simple past in this region but are enjoyed by visitors, natives and transplants alike. Each has …
Dear Home-Ec 101, How do you keep the bottom of the cornbread from burning? I use an electric oven and I’ve tried putting my muffin pan on the higher rack but that didn’t help. The bottom burns but the top stays light. Signed, I Would Prefer Cajun Style Blackening Heather says: It’s fairly common for …