Heather Solos's Blog, page 41

Weekly Menu 24

Heather says

As I’ve mentioned before the menu plans I post are a frame work of what we’ll probably eat. Last week I experimented and instead of Thai coconut soup I decided to give Thai curry a try. Curry is something of a comfort food for me, I especially love it in the winter.

Not too long ago I saw on a Reddit thread, someone proclaiming, it’s not real curry unless you use a paste. You know, anytime someone uses the word real to describe anything, whether a food or a person, I should just tune out and find something else to do. But noooOOoo, I never learn.

In the past, I’ve never used a paste, I always heated the spices in the oil to release their flavor. The paste I tried could be summed up with: Meh. Generally, when trying a new recipe or technique I stick to the directions the first go around and riff on it the next attempt. I should have gone with my gut and used far more seasoning than the recipe suggested. It was edible, but definitely not the experience I was aiming for. I’ll give it another try in a week or two. Maybe.

Did you try anything new?

I finally got around to it and made Bobbie’s blue cheese dressing as a dip for chips and veggies last night during that big sports thing. I am now sorry I hadn’t made it sooner, homemade blue cheese is worth far more than the 3 minutes it takes to stir it up. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

And on to this week’s menu:

Monday – A giant salad with leftover pulled pork and blue cheese dressing
Tuesday – fish tacos, Southwestern salad
Wednesday – pho ?
Thursday – Spaghetti (squash)
Friday – Car picnic. I have a surprise for the minions, I don’t think they’ll mind.
Saturday – out
Sunday – Chicken Bog, Collard Greens, Cornbread

What are you having? Is there anything you’re looking forward to?

                 

The Home-Ec 101 Guide To Taking Care Of Your Floors

The floor of a home is the canvas that family life gets lived on. Sometimes it is a fresh clean canvas and other times it is full of stains and spots. It often gets overlooked, but keeping it in good shape does improve the room. Here are some articles about taking care of flooring; there are questions about hardwood, carpet, linoleum, laminate, and more. Just click the title of the article to read the whole thing.

One quick tip from Austin O’Malley before you go on reading: “When you are dealing with a child, keep all your wits about you, and sit on the floor.”

Are my Hardwood Floors Sealed?

I once read somewhere that hardwood floors do need to be “sealed” every few years or so. What does this mean? Should we put something on the floors to seal them?

Carpet Care and Spot Cleaning

Is there any tried-and-true method for spot-cleaning a carpet and KEEPING it clean? There’s nothing worse than mystery stains that return every few months.

How to Remove Rust Stains from Carpet

I recently moved some furniture only to discover rust rings on my carpet. Can you help me figure out how to safely remove the rust stains from my carpeting?

How to Remove Potty Training or Poop Stains from Carpeting

My two year old has started potty training.  She’s very good at taking off her clothes and getting naked, not so good yet at actually making it to the potty on time.  So, I was wondering if you had any brilliant tips for cleaning toddler poop out of carpet?

How to Clean Laminate Flooring

Since installing the floors, we’ve had plumbers and tilers in…and now the floors are filthy! We need advice on how to clean them. You can’t get laminate flooring fully wet, so regular mopping is out. We have a layer of remodeling dust that seemingly won’t be phased by a broom and Swiffer Wet. Can you help?

How to Clean Linoleum

I was hoping you could help me with a cleaning problem I have been having lately.  I can’t get my floors clean!  No matter if I wash the floor on my hands and knees or if I use a mop, there’s still a dirt residue that will not go away.

How to Clean Hardwood Flooring

Any helpful hints on cleaning wood floors? I can get them clean and I can get them shiny, but not at the same time without doing two rounds. First with water/vinegar, then going over it with Orange Glow wood floor cleaner. But who has time for that?

How to Clean Pet Urine On a Linoleum Floor

How do you get chewed up plastic off the carpet? My puppy and my big dog chew everything! When I had hardwood it was easy. . . carpet, not so much.

How to Scrub a Tile Floor

I was looking on your site for information on the best (and hopefully most efficient) way to scrub floors. I have tile floors in my kitchen and bathroom and 3 young children.  They are always dirty, and I have a baby who is crawling on them.

How to Repair Stained Grout

I just read your post about scrubbing tile floors. I need to do this! I’ve swept and mopped for three years on my tile floors, and I’ve been knowing I need to do something to make the grout white again. I did the test to see if my grout had been sealed. It hasn’t! Is this why it turned brown? I feel like a terrible housekeeper! Is it too late to seal the grout after three years? Will I be able to restore them to white again? I’m looking forward to your future posts!

What’s the Point of Welcome Mats, Door Mats, and Runners?

It takes an average of six to ten steps for all of the dirt on shoes to fall away and let’s face it, not everyone is diligent about wiping their feet. All but the smallest dogs can carry a surprising amount of dirt in a house between their paw pads -especially in winter when there is less grass.

Choosing Flooring with an Incontinent Pet

The carpet is now stained and smelly from both general wear and tear and also my greyhound becoming incontinent and having accidents everywhere, especially in the hallway. So I need to do something. What is the best/most durable/easies to clean & maintain flooring choice?

Click the picture for more tips!

Click the picture for more tips!

                 

Fixing Scratches in an Enameled Cast Iron Sink

Dear Home Ec 101,

I have a fairly new (less than 1 year old) Heather says:

Take a deep breath, I have good news for you, dollars to donuts those are not actually scratches in your sink. I highly doubt you were sitting there with a chisel and hammer purpose trying to gouge your sink. That’s pretty much what it takes to mar the finish of a quality enamel finish. What you are actually seeing is called a “pot mark” and it’s just a scuff from the sink taking a tiny bit of metal off of your cookware.

It’s a lot like when somebody just barely grazes your car in a crowded parking lot and leaves a bit of their paint on your car. A bit of buffing is all it takes to get rid of their carelessness and it’s pretty much all that is needed here, too.

Go ahead and use the recommended cleaner, but find a cork, perhaps from last night’s wine-braised pot roast? Apply the cleaner full strength to the scratch on the cast iron sink and then use the cork to gently scrub the marks away and your sink will look good as new!

Pot marks will likely become a source of irritation over the years, but at least you now know that you have not inadvertently scratched your shiny, new sink. It’s going to look good as new for a long, long time.

Good luck and please let me know how it turns out.

Oh and thanks for letting me know about Method, I’ll be sure to pass that along.

Submit your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

             

Weekly Menu Plan #23

Heather says

Well, this is a safe space, right?

I fell off the wagon last week. We not only ate out, we also had what the kids call a “floor picnic movie night”. The latter is how I make serving raw vegetables, cheese, and other usually lunch but not terribly exciting foods palatable.

What’s my excuse? Sick kids and just being tired of “people”. By people, I don’t mean you, of course. You would never be rude to me or my support team; it’s part of why I like you. Naturally.

So here we go, a new week, a new menu, a new chance to try to be a little more on the ball:

Monday CORN Tuesday Oven Baked Chimichangas, salads Wednesday A variation on Thai Coconut Soup – not sure how traditional it’ll end up Thursday Meatloaf, potatoes, collard greens Friday Shrimp Etouffee (I’ll be making the gluten free version) Saturday – Red Beans and Rice, cornbread -maybe I’ll get a picture this time… maybe Sunday – BBQ Sliders, nachos, and a couple of other finger foods.

What will you be having this week?

Are you serving anything special during that game that likes to be overly-protective of its branding?

And? If you need a pick-me-up to get you going, this is one of my kid’s coaches after they won their championship. (He did this before and after every game and I keep this video on my phone for when I need a little peptalk)

Let’s do this.

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This is a post from: Home-Ec101 ©Home-Ec 101.com 2007 - 2015

                CommentsI can, I'm glad they at least bring some fun, even if it's just ... by Heather SolosOh that is a cute idea! I just really need take new pictures of ... by Heather SolosI love the cheerleading routine! And your menus are so fun ... by sarahHi Heather, this week's menu sounds really good. I was just ... by Mary Ann   

Garage Refrigerator / Freezers, Winter, and Your Food

Dear Home-Ec 101,

I have a refrigerator in my garage and for the last few weeks I have noticed the freezer isn’t as cold as it should be.

Should I be worried?

More importantly, is the food safe? The vegetables seem a little soft.

Sincerely,

It’s Frickin’ Freezin’ , Mr. Bigglesworth

Heather says

Garage refrigerators can be very useful for food storage, if you have a bunch of kids, they are also useful to keep the kids from running in and out every time they want a drink.

Unfortunately when the temperature drops below 40°F or 4°C the freezer may not maintain the proper temperature.

Why?

Refrigerators are designed for typical household use. The “average” house is expected to be in the general vicinity of 70°F or 21°C or “room temperature.”

Unless you have a high-end refrigerator freezer combo, which is unlikely in a garage refrigerator scenario, the freezer does not have its own thermostat.

The thermostat in the refrigerator portion of the appliance controls the temperature of the entire unit with the logic being, if the refrigerator portion is 40°F the freezer will be at 30°F or below.

In the winter your garage may be much closer to 40°F. Over time the thermostat in the refrigerator tells the motor, hey, we don’t have to run so often. All is well in the refrigerator portion of the appliance, but that freezer is going to slowly approach the temperature of the garage. There is no thermostat back up in the freezer to say, “Hey, we have a problem here, we should be running more often!”

If the garage temperature is only close to 40°F to 30°F for a day or two, it’s really not going to matter. Refrigerators are very well insulated to keep the cold air inside.

The food in your freezer has been beginning to thaw. If it has been over a short period, this won’t matter food safety-wise. If the freezer has time to thaw completely, you’ll need to follow the guidelines in The Freezer Was Left Open, Now What. (Observing whether or not there are ice crystals etc)

Food that is safe is not always good.

Repeated thaws and freezes will destroy the cells walls of the food destroying the integrity and texture of the food. While it may be perfectly okay to eat, I would understand calling it a loss and starting over with the most compromised ingredients, unless you have recipes where the ingredients are cooked to the point that texture is not an issue.

Sometimes life is a series of annoying lessons; I hope that this one wasn’t too expensive.

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com

Copyright Home-Ec101.com 2007-2014

                 

Sausage and Sweet Potato Soup

Heather says:

I saw some version of a sausage and kale soup floating around on Pinterest. Last week I wanted soup one night instead of whatever was planned*. The soup was so good, it became something that I had to be able to replicate. Around here, soups are made willy-let’s throw everything we want into a pot and then we can never have it again. Last week I paid attention and this week I replicated it and wrote down the recipe.

Loaded with kale and garlic, I plan on breaking out versions of this anytime I hear a sniffle from the kids and the Parmesan for garnish is completely optional. Oh, and if you hate all things hipster and kale, use spinach, just toss it in about a minute before serving. Kale is a much hardier plant and it takes a little time for the fibrous leaves to soften.

The sausage, onions, and garlic provide enough flavor that you don’t need to fiddle with a lot of seasoning. You may add black pepper, if you would like, but I wouldn’t add any more salt, unless you are using a low sodium sausage AND stock.

You are going to need a 6 quart stock pot, please don’t attempt this in anything smaller, you’ll run out of room. I love that there are plenty of freezable leftovers.

If you don’t like brothy soups, feel free to reduce the beef stock by a quart.

*If I change the menu, my mental guideline is that I need to have everything on hand. This helps reduce extra trips to the grocery store.

Sausage, Kale, and Sweet Potato Soup 1 lb bulk sausage -you may use Italian, I don’t. 1 onion, diced 1 bell pepper, diced 2 ribs celery, chopped 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/2″ inch cubes 3 quarts beef stock (I use Better Than Bouillon) 3 cans white beans (Cannellini or Great Northern) 4 cloves garlic, minced *increase or decrease depending on the likelihood of vampires 5 large handfuls of kale shredded or grated Parmesan cheese *optional

Instructions

Brown the sausage over medium low heat and add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. (You may substitute 2 cups of frozen, seasoning blend). Continue to stir frequently until the onions are translucent) Add the diced sweet potato and just enough stock to cover the potatoes in liquid. Turn the heat up a little and cover tightly. (This allows the sweet potatoes to cook quickly.) As soon as the sweet potatoes are fork tender, add the beef stock, beans, and garlic. Depending on your stove and cookware you may turn up the heat, if your stock pot isn’t thin. ( Thin cookware increases the likelihood of scorching). When the soup reaches a simmer add the kale and cook until the greens are as tender as you prefer. (About ten minutes) Ladle into bowls and garnish with Parmesan.

*Slow cooker variation – brown the sausage and then add it to the crock. Add all of the ingredients, except the kale and cook on low at least 5 hours. Turn the setting to high, add the kale and cook for an additional 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Copyright Home-Ec101.com 2007-2014

                 

Weekly Menu Plan #22

Heather says

I promise this site isn’t going to change into what are those weirdos eating this week. I’m trying to get back into the habit of writing more consistently and unfortunately or fortunately for you, Monday morning is a really good time for me. (I’ll try to knock out a few reader questions this week, too.)

I’m pretty jet-lagged and punchy from a work trip to Las Vegas (and there was no wifi on any of my flights, what are we? Savages?) Dinner tonight will be simple or takeout. We still have to firm up how many people will be fed this evening. 2? Takeout. 5? Mustgo soup.

I forgot to mention, last week, that I did not care for the Thai inspired spaghetti squash side. I love peanut sauce, I love spaghetti squash. It just didn’t work for me. (I think it was probably the gluten-free soy sauce which is definitely not my favorite)

The coconut milk-marinated chicken on the other hand was excellent. It was just a can of coconut milk, ground pepper, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, and chopped green onions in a gallon freezer bag for a few hours. I then baked the chicken thighs just like these. If you really dig coconut you can make coconut rice (sub half the liquid with coconut milk and the other half with chicken broth) or plain white rice works, too. Add a crisp-tender veg and you have a solid weeknight meal. I’ll make it again and write it up, maybe even with photos.

Here we go:

Monday – To be determined Tuesday – Autumn Skillet Wednesday – Sausage, Kale, and Sweet Potato soup with Parmesan Thursday – Tamale Pie, Salads Friday – Fish (going to visit the fish store near my house and choose) there will likely be a buttery, garlic sauce, rice, and broccoli Saturday – Stewed Chicken Thighs – I think I’ll go with a tomato and red pepper base, mashed potatoes Sunday – Sloppy joes, sweet potato fries, sauteed cabbage

What will you be making this week? Anything new? Are there any new technique or ingredients you’re looking forward to trying? Or is it going to be one of those, just let’s make it through the week kind of weeks?

Copyright Home-Ec101.com 2007-2014

                CommentsOur whatever night turned into Wednesday's option. What I post ... by Heather SolosThat sounds good. For me, having kids was a double whammy, I ... by Heather SolosGrilled red peppers, onion, and zucchini. And in fairness, I ... by Karen LThat is a very nice idea. Having kids was an incredibly lonely ... by Heather SolosPretty similar to last week Sun – beef stew Mon – ... by Karen LI just found your site today. I'm sure I will be coming back ... by Angie Mattingly   

HomeEc 101 Guide To Keeping The Exterior Of Your House Clean

It’s said that we unconsciously form opinions about other people in the first 3 minutes that we see them. I don’t know if that hold true with houses, but I do know that curb appeal is very important in the real estate business. Here is some information to help you keep the outside of your house neat and tidy. Just click on the title to read the complete article.

How to Clean Lawn Furniture

I have family and friends coming over for a barbecue. The menu’s set, the food is bought, the house is clean (well, it’s getting there), I’m ready. Well, except for one thing. My lawn furniture is ewww and funk.

How to Clean an Outdoor Lighting Fixture

My husband bought two outside titanium lights that are brass finished from Patriot Lighting. The instructions say to clean the fixture once or twice a month using diluted bleach cleaner, then wait for one minute, then wipe off with cellulose sponge, then clean with wet cloth.  Can you simplify this for me?

Pet Friendly Weed Control

Is there such a thing as a weed killer that will not affect my dogs? In addition to the two greyhounds that live in the house, I have multiple neighbors who think the leash law does not apply to them, plus several feral cats that like to hang in my window boxes to torture said greyhounds. I can keep my dogs off the lawn for a couple days, but what about the other guys?

How To Get Rid Of Wasps

We’ve always had a problem with wasps (mud-daubers…are they the same?)….however, they seem to be much worse, and it seems they’ve arrived early…what can I do to get rid of them…or at least keep them to a minimum.

How To Clean Out Your Dumpster

Today, I was so embarrassed when I got this note from the trash disposal guys: “Could you please clean out your dumpster? The stuff sticking to the bottom makes all the trash fall out onto the ground.” How can I clean this with a minimum of actually touching this mess?

How To Clean Out Your Gutters And Why You Should

Gutters collect leaves and twigs. These leaves, twigs, and ahem, saplings prevent the the flow of water. When the water doesn’t flow down the spout, it can pool which will rot wooden gutters, rust metal ones, or eventually cause the gutters to pull from the roof.

How To Pressure Wash Your Siding

My husband has finally agreed to have our house and granny annex professionally pressure-washed. There’s quite a bit of pale green mildew on the vinyl siding. Is good ole’ bleach and water the best cleaning solution? Should soap be added? If so, what kind (dish? dishwasher? laundry? hand?) Any other tips with regard to pressure washing?

Click the picture for more tips!

Click this picture to learn more about cleaners!

                 

Weekly Menu Plan #21

Heather says

This week will be short and sweet as I’m traveling for business. I’ll likely eat too much and regret it when reality comes crashing in on Monday. On a side note, the older two minions and I are planning on doing the i5k in April. I hate, loathe, and despise running, but I’ve got to start doing something and it’s what fits with my schedule. To get ready for this, the kids and I are using C25K, the older two jog and the younger one rides her bike. With 15 weeks to go we’ll repeat the first week this week, if anyone is interested in playing along I can start a Facebook group. Just leave a comment and I’ll put it together.

Hits from last week’s menu:

Buffalo chicken tacos – I thought the kids would maybe tolerate this, but I was blown away by how quickly they disappeared, I’ll need to make more for next time. I just used frozen chicken breasts brushed with wing sauce and baked until done. I diced the meat and served with tortillas and diced, peeled cucumber. The kids could add cheese and ranch if they wanted, I went for a just a little blue cheese dressing. Easy peasy, definitely getting added to the rotation.

BBQ chicken sandwiches – Before I took the kids to school in the morning I put frozen, split, chicken breasts into the slowcooker and added a little bit of bbq sauce. I set it to low and went about my business, dinner time rolled around and I toasted buns, shredded the chicken (removing bones and skin) and stirred in with a little more BBQ sauce.  There was a fair amount leftover, but this was on purpose. The chicken also really worked well in taco form.

BBQ chicken salad on Saturday took advantage of the leftovers. Pro-Tip when making a giant salad for several adults, a sheet tray makes a great serving dish.

This week:

Monday: Ground pork tacos and salad


Tuesday: Pork loin with sun dried tomatoes and Parmesan, sauteed kale, sweet potato, and onions


Wednesday: Red beans and rice – I froze the leftovers from last week.

As I said, I’ll be traveling this week, so it’s a short one from the planning side of things. What worked for your family last week —feel free to share a link to a recipe— and what didn’t?

What will you be making this week? Anything new to you?

 Photo Credit: Ray Bergman

Copyright Home-Ec101.com 2007-2014

               
CommentsTrying to use up food in the pantry and freezer so there may be ... by Ellen   

Tips For Cleaning Bedrooms & Closets

The designers and decorators often tell us that bedrooms are to be an oasis. A calm place where we can go to relax and sleep. I don’t know about yours, but mine tends to be where things get stashed during the dash that happens when someone is arriving in 10 minutes. I don’t mind that my bedroom doesn’t like show floor ready; I’m happy when it is clean and neat. Our hope is that these tips will help you conquer any mess in your bedrooms and closets.

Bedrooms Mattress Cleaning and Other Indoor Sports

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’ve heard of putting it outside and letting it “air out” but that’s not feasible where I live. Just curious as to what other people do.

Where Can Mildew Hide in a Bedroom

There is a musty / mildew smell in my home, but I’m having issues locating the source of the smell. As far as I can tell, it’s restricted to one bedroom. I’ve examined all of my clothing, removed the air conditioner, checked all of the furniture, and even the air ducts. Any ideas?

How to Store Blankets Without Inviting Mildew

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. Is there a secret to keeping this stuff smelling fresh?

How to Remove Cat Urine from a Mattress

I didn’t realize it until it was too late that he was not going downstairs to use one of the two litter boxes. One day I went upstairs to go to bed and realized that sometime in the past two days, he had relived his bladder all over the bed!

How to Clean a Down Comforter

I received a duck down comforter as a gift last Christmas. The tag says to have it taken to the dry cleaners, but not only would it be a pain, it wouldn’t be easy on the wallet. I’m so terrified to wash it on my own that it hasn’t been washed in a year and a half. I know. I am ashamed. And I need help.

How to Clean and Care for Pillows

I have two boys and a husband, and their pillows usually only last a year. I get the heebie-jeebies when I start noticing stains. When the pillows get nasty I just throw them out and buy new ones. It seems so wasteful! Is this what I’m supposed to do, or is there some secret method for washing pillows?

Spare Sheet Storage

I needed to clean my linen closet out so I could start storing towels in there. Previously I had been storing blankets, tablecloths, and sheet sets in there; but with the overabundance of towels I have unearthed since the Great Laundry Rescue of 2007, I need to make space for them in the linen closet.

Closets Get Clothing Clutter Under Control

I find my bedroom becoming cluttered very quickly with clothes that are “too clean to wash” yet “not clean enough to put away”. I didn’t want to spend more time on laundry than I had to. What do other people do with their clothes? Do they wash every item, every time they wear it? Do they wear the same thing until it needs to be washed? Do they hang up or fold and put away slacks and jeans and tops that have been worn but aren’t dirty?

How to Eliminate Shoe Odor in Small Closets

I just did some awesome cleaning in my closet and swapped out my winter for summer stuff. I noticed my closet has a funky shoe odor. I googled it and saw a lot of ideas for getting rid of the shoe smell, but I trust Home-Ec 101 ideas more.

The Fastest And Easiest Way To Declutter Your Closet

Every once in awhile you come up with an idea that is so simple, you wonder why you didn’t think of it before.

How To Have A Linen Closet And Linens That Smell Great

I want to know how to get that “not great smell” out of my linens. I wash them and put them away and they smell great, when I get them out to use them there is no smell or an “old” smell to them. Should I wash down the walls & shelves of the linen closet?

Have a question not covered here? Submit it to helpme@home-ec101.com.

Click the picture for more cleaning help!

Tips to keep your bathroom squeaky clean!

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This is a post from: Home-Ec101 ©Home-Ec 101.com 2007 - 2015