Countdown to Turkey Day: Grocery Planning

grocery planning

Welcome back, once again, to the Countdown to Turkey Day, where we are getting ready for Thanksgiving without overwhelm. If you are joining us, here is what we have covered so far: While your menu plan is not final, you certainly have a good idea of what you will serve on Thanksgiving. With this in …

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Dresser Drawers | Weekly Organizational Challenge #7

We are back for the second half of organizing the dresser. Do you have those three containers we got way back in Week #1? You may need them today. Please note that when I suggest you purge items, consider your financial situation. If an item is needed, it is needed. Let’s Organize Our Dresser Drawers …

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How do I remove set blood stains?

Folded khaki pants on top of folded jeans

Hi Home-Ec 101 Do you have any ideas for getting rid of set blood stains? What about blood stains that the dyer has set? I appreciate all the great info you share, even though I am an experienced homemaker. I’m always open to new tips, shortcuts, cleaning ideas, and new recipes! This one has me …

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All About Beef Chuck

Image of a cow showing the primal cuts including the chuck

What is beef chuck? Beef chuck is a weird phrase, right? Doing a little etymological digging, it seems that the term chuck started out as “chunk” and slowly evolved into “chuck.” There are various stories about the chuck wagon in the American cowboy tradition being a part of this, but I’m not sure how much …

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Help, how do I get rid of drain flies?

Drain in tile floor

Dear Home-Ec 101, I have three window wells in my finished basement. I am forever finding tiny black dead flies. I have sprayed and thrown gallons of bleach and ammonia down the window wells I found something like yellow cocoons in the window wells that I think they have built.  There were several in each …

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Dining In?: The Deep Clean Challenge Week 6, the Dining Room

Dining room

Welcome to Week 6 of The Deep Clean Challenge. Today we are going to conquer the dining room. How does The Deep Clean Challenge Work? Each week’s challenge is announced on our Facebook page each Wednesday morning. This gives you time to plan your strategy and get any tools or supplies you may not have …

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How to Clean and Care for a Cutting Board

black background cutting board with garlic and green herbs on it

Dear Home-Ec 101, I’m interested in learning the proper care of a wooden cutting board. I use one for veggies and meats (I use bleach on it after it has been used for meats) and a separate board for fruits. If I cut fruits on the cleaned veggie board, the flavors of onion, garlic, and …

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Kitchen Clean-Up: The Deep Clean Challenge Week 2

Blue background, hand in pink cleaning glove holding yellow and red spray bottle

The kitchen is the heart of the home. Or something like that. Even if the kitchen isn’t the heart, you will likely spend a significant portion of your life at least passing through this part of your home. Why are we cleaning the kitchen for Week 2 of the Deep Clean Challenge? It can be …

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