Dear Home Ec 101, I’m moving to Virginia in about a month, and in my visits I discovered a wonderful little farm nearby that sells free-range, organic chickens. But, the only way to buy them is whole and frozen. Generally, that’s wonderful! I love cooking with whole chicken. But, there are only going to be …
Dear Home Ec 101, I would like to know why we have to leave the pot uncovered when we are making stock or broth? Is there any particular reason? Signed, Lidsy Lohan Heather says: It’s all about ease and evaporation in the case of making stock with the French method. During the first hour of …
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 …
Dear Home Ec 101, There are stacks of paper all over my house. Do you have any suggestions on how I can better organize this mess? Signed, Precarious Piles Heather says: I am completely guilty of this avoidance behavior. Living in a mess of paper clutter is a sure sign that someone in the home is …
Dear Home Ec 101, I don’t really like honey, but I keep it around for when my grandkids visit. It always gets grainy and I don’t trust that it’s safe for the kids. Is there a way to prevent this from happening? Signed, Beelinda Heather says: Honey crystallizes over time, it’s just a fact of …
Dear Home Ec 101, My youngest daughter and I tried a new recipe last night (Trinidadian Chicken Stew) that called for freshly grated ginger. I admit to being a first time user to fresh ginger. I picked what I thought was a good rhizome (is that the correct term?) and brought it home and we …
Dear Home Ec 101, I’m just starting to get into building an emergency pantry and there’s a great sale on my kids’ favorite cereals. I was thinking of using the sale and coupons to lay in a good supply for the pantry, but I don’t know how long the cereal will last on the shelf. …
Questions for Home Ec 101 show up in the strangest places. Sometimes I’m minding my own business on Skype and they pop out of nowhere. This conversation has been re-enacted with permission, the name was changed to protect the innocent. MarshaMarshaMarsha: Sometimes I hate living out in the country. One of the of the kids …
Dear Home Ec 101, I have a serious problem with the old lady, musty laundry smell. I keep my sleeping bag, electric blanket and my baby blanket in a chest at the foot of my bed. Since these are all seasonal items, they quickly get musty in my chest (which isn’t cedar). I’ve tried potpourri, …
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 …