Heather says: Last night all four of my burners were full. There was gumbo and etouffee, collard greens and oil to fry beignets, but I forgot the plain rice. My stepfather commented something along the lines of just microwave it. I must have given him a funny look in between turning beignets. I figured what …
Heather says: I shouldn’t have so much affection for a robot. There, I said it. I am far too fond of this vacuum, heck it even has a name. Internetz meet Gertie, my newest minion¹: Do you remember the story, There Will Come Soft Rains by Ray Bradbury? Nine-fifteen, sang the clock, time to clean. Out …
Bran says: We are all tied to the things that we own. For some reason, this statement holds the truest when we travel. It’s understandable that a person would want to take as many bags as possible on a trip, because for some reason it’s better to over packed than under. Unfortunately, some individuals take …
Dear Home Ec 101, Why is it that sometimes when I heat foods in the microwave, the bowl is screaming hot, and the food is still a block of ice? Signed, Scalded in Scranton* Dear Scalded in Scranton, Here on Home Ec 101, we’ve written previously about how microwaves work. So if you missed it …
Heather says: Some will scoff at this article saying, “That’s for noobs.” They may be right, but it’s a great article for people just looking into reducing their grocery budget. What’s the next step after planning your menu? Planning your menu from the circular. Check out The Centsible Life for tips: One week we took …
Bran says: No, I’m not talking about some pour-your-heart-out, acoustics-only special on MTV. I’m talking about that tipping point in a person’s life where they’re so jacked into the Matrix, it becomes difficult to tell fantasy from the real thing. In a world filled with iPhone this and Android that, there comes a time in …
The day starts out great. You got a good nights sleep, the birds are chirping, and there was bacon for breakfast! Then the mail comes and you notice an ominous little dark cloud start to form. The electrical bill has arrived, and when you open it you can distinctly hear Beethoven’s Fifth playing somewhere, and …
Dear Home Ec 101You mentioned using vinegar or borax to remove detergent build-up from towels. We have hard water in our area and I believe this could be a problem for us, even though I haven’t had a problem with odor. I have a few questions: How much vinegar or borax should I use in my …
Bran says: Beer and the occasional liquor concoction had been the only real staples in my repertoire for quite some time, but when I had the opportunity to attend my first wine tasting a few years ago, I was introduced to a world filled with bold Malbecs and sweet, dry Rieslings. My life was turned on its …
Dear Home Ec 101, I just read your post about cleaning hardwood floors, and using either very diluted Murphy’s Oil or Vinegar (and how you alternate between the two). My question is this: we are renters who have lived here for 4 years. Our hardwood is extremely old (from the 1950’s), and the entire time …