Dear Home Ec 101, I need to get our food budget under control. We spend a ton of money eating out. It’s starting to cause fights. I can’t cook, I can’t plan, and even if I could, I wouldn’t know where to start. Signed, Hopeless in Hopeswell Welcome to the third installment of our first …
Dear Home Ec 101, I need to get our food budget under control, and we spend a ton of money eating out. It’s starting to cause fights. I can’t cook. I can’t plan, and even if I could, I would just quit. Can you teach me how to menu plan? Can you teach me to follow …
Heather says: I stumbled across this little quote while browsing through The Project Gutenberg. It’s from The Easiest Way in Housekeeping and Cooking by Helen Campbell: Every science is learned but domestic science. The schools ignore it; and, indeed, in the rush toward an early graduation, there is small room for it. “She can learn …
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Heather says: Many thanks to Stephanie of Stop the Ride for letting us host this week’s Make It From Scratch Carnival . It’s a round up for those who are sharing things they have made from scratch. Do you ever wonder where that term came from? A quick Google search suggested it was first used …
Dear Home Ec 101, My food pantry is completely full of weevils, I tried fog bombs, insecticide, you name it, I took out the flour and pasta packages and put them in the fridge, I also put the rice and beans in air tight containers, but still the little buggers are there. What else needs …
Heather says: Frequent Home Ec commenter Rachel gave me a fantastic idea a few moments ago. She sent me a link to the Tennessee Valley Authority’s current green promotion. If you do an online energy audit you receive two CFLs. It’s active frugality folks. Santee Cooper recently offered 12 free CFLs. They also issue low …
Dear Heather and Ivy, What’s all the hoopla about these new-fangled light bulbs? Can I use them in any lamp / fixture that I have? How much do they cost? Will they really save me money? What makes them different than the bulbs I’m using now? Signed, In the dark Ivy says: Ah, CFLs vs. …
Ivy says: For some people when it comes to eating, presentation is everything. I must admit that there are some foods I’ve been hesitant to try because they look so gross. A good example is soft shelled crab. Oh, man, that looks so nasty, but it tastes sooooo good. Another thing is chicken bog. It’s …
Ivy says: A few things for your consideration this morning. First, frequent commenter Alice and I have been exchanging emails back and forth, and we’re talking about starting a Home Ec Club. While reading my grandma’s diary, I read about a Home Ec club she was involved in that sounded like something really awesome. This …