Ivy says: I’ve been thinking lately about how I hear a whole lot of stuff presented as absolute fact, when the truth is that nothing is ever absolute. Except maybe the statement “Don’t eat yellow snow.” I don’t care if you colored it with Country Time Lemonade yourself. Don’t eat it. You’ll regret it. Seriously, …
Heather says: I was picking up my bedroom the other morning and I opened the curtains to take advantage of the bright sunshine. Of course, that bright sunshine also made it clear that the doors were grimy. Over the past few years I have been working on reducing our paper consumption. Contrary to what commercials …
Ivy says: So, to begin my “How to sew for people who have no clue” series, let’s talk about what you are going to need. The first thing that comes to mind usually, other than a sewing machine, is material and patterns. Because, come on, there’s nothing more enticing than a pattern for a gorgeous …
Yeast are tiny one-celled fungi. There are both benevolent and obnoxious strains. One can find yeast commercially for brewing, as a nutritional supplement, and for baking. In bread making, yeast digests sugars and creates carbon dioxide. The structure of the dough traps the gas, giving yeast bread its loft and softness. Too little yeast will …
Dear Home Ec 101, I lost my job due to downsizing. The economy is so bad that I had a hard time finding a new job, and when I finally did find a new job, it was with less pay and fewer benefits. I’ve run up my credit cards and I owe a fortune. I …
All reader questions should be sent to: Helpme@home-ec101.com All other queries should be directed to: Heather@Home-Ec101.com Please know that I absolutely love getting email from readers. Because of the large volume of mail I receive, I may not be able to answer every email personally. I do read each and every email and I try …
Heather says: Digging through old cookbooks you may come across some strange ideas, especially concerning gelatin. However, there are many classic recipes forgotten or replaced by new convenience items. A perfect example is tomato gravy. Sure, the name doesn’t invoke images of glamour or haute couture, but not everything in life has to. Tomato gravy …
Heather says: This is just a simple tweak on a basic butter cookie. It was going to be more complicated, until I was distracted while measuring. Also my stars didn’t always look like starfish, but my four year old used my new cookie cutter with his playdough. Instead of getting mad I went with the …
Heather says: As you can tell this fun little cookie has several names – chocolate crinkles, black and whites, krinkles, or kringles. Soft and chocolatey, the powdered sugar adds a nice counterpoint, both with color and taste. It makes an attractive addition to your holiday baking. Chocolate Crinkles Cookie Recipe [There is a printable recipe below …
These are the black sheep of the cookie family. Not a whole lot of class, but we love them anyhow. Don’t let the no-bake name fool you. These are less kid-friendly than most baked cookies, as the hot butter and sugar mixture could cause serious burns. If you have a little one helping in the …