Via Twitter: what exactly is mince meat pie? it isn’t meat, i know that much, but [what] is it? ~Concerned *Updated December 2022* Dear Concerned: The gag factor seems to be running high here on Home Ec 101 today. Lisa here — I love mince pies. In fact, I order them for delivery every December …
Dear Home Ec 10, My living room desperately needs to be painted and I’ve rounded up a few friends willing to help sell their time for beer and pizza. I really want to do this right, is it true that I have to wash the walls before I paint? Signed, Short-Cut Shelby Heather says: Look at it …
Dear Home-Ec 101, What is the best way to clean a mattress? Dec 2008 I splurged and upgraded from a queen bed to a fabulously huge king size bedset. I’m wondering what is the best way to clean the mattress? I have a small “spot” cleaner by Hoover (I think) – and I use that to …
Heather says: Yesterday a reader commented on Beet Sugar vs Cane Sugar: Where do you purchase organic beet sugar? Have you found it in powdered form? I have only found it on an Austrian site so far and would prefer to buy US grown if it exists. As I am not, nor was I ever, …
Dear Home Ec 101, Every time I have tried composting, it gets full of ants, and I freak out and spray the compost pile. That’s probably not so good, eh? Is it okay for a compost pile or bin to be full of ants? Signed, Scared There’ll be Ants in My Pants¹ Heather says: I …
Heather says: Yesterday’s post on How to Freeze Food inspired a few more questions. Rather than extend an already long article, this is the second installment on freezer tips. Can you do a post on freezing leftovers? I’m a single gal, and while I do cut down most recipes, sometimes I have a couple stuffed …
The topic of emergency preparedness can be quite overwhelming, over the next few weeks I’ll be covering different aspects of how individuals and families can be more prepared for some emergencies. Emergency preparedness is a practical, low cost insurance policy. Just like car, home, or renters insurance, we may never need it, but that doesn’t …
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 or plan; even if I could, I wouldn’t know where to start. Signed, Hopeless in Hopeswell I began this series as a response to Hopeless back …
Heather says: In October, as part of the Notes on Cooking giveaway I asked readers to submit their rules for cooking. As Home-Ec101.com readers are known for the brilliance -pander pander- those rules shouldn’t remain hidden in the comments. I could have organized them, but I liked their random order. Here is an edited compilation, …
Dear Home Ec 101, I am on hour sixteen, and they still aren’t tender. I gave up the stove top and moved them into a crockpot hours ago.(electricity to run the crockpot is far less expensive than the cost of the gas for the stove) They soaked for 2 days, not kidding. what am I …