Heather Solos's Blog, page 78

Cool as a Cucumber – 2 Quick and Easy Cucumber Salad Recipes

 

Bobbie says:

Got cucumbers coming out your ears? Here are two very simple ways to enjoy that bounty: the vinegar-based Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad and a Creamy Cucumber Dill Salad with a yogurt or sour cream dressing. You've got better things to do than be in the kitchen all day, so try these quick-to-prepare salads. The tangy vinegar-based cucumber salad should be made at least 4 hours ahead of time, preferably longer, but the yogurt and dill cucumber salad can be served immediately.

 

Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad2 to 3 medium cucumbers1 small onion3/4 cup apple cider vinegar1/4 cup granulated sugar1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine vinegar, sugar, salt & pepper in a quart jar with a tight-fitting lid. Cover tightly and shake well until sugar is dissolved. (Sugar amount may be adjusted to taste – some people do like it sweeter, some more tart. I find this amount is a good middle ground that can be enjoyed by most.)

Wash cucumbers and peel, if desired. Slice the cucumbers thinly (1/8 inch or thinner, if you can manage). Peel and slice the onion thinly as well. Layer the sliced veggies into the jar of vinegar/sugar. Seal and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, preferably 8 hours or overnight. Shake the jar occasionally, if you think of it. Any container may be used of course – I just find a leakproof jar very convenient, as I usually prepare this salad to take along and share.

 

Creamy Cucumber Dill Salad

For this next recipe, I prefer to use a thick, greek yogurt, preferably one made with whole milk. Barring that, I substitute some good, real sour cream for half of the yogurt, which helps increase the Creaminess Factor, thereby also hiking the Make-This-Again-Soon Factor. Also, I have been known to toss a finely minced garlic clove in this salad on occasion. Try it!

2 medium cucumbers1/4 cup coarsely chopped red onionscant 1/2 tsp salt1/4 tsp pepper1 tsp dill weed2/3 cup yogurt or sour cream or mixture of bothAdditional chopped red onion and dill weed for garnish, if desired

Wash and peel the cucumbers, then quarter them lengthwise. Cut the quarters into appoximately 1/4 inch slices and add to a medium mixing bowl with the chopped red onion. (Why are they called red onions when they look so purple to me?)

Sprinkle the salt, pepper and dill weed evenly over the cucumbers and onions, then plop the yogurt on
top of it all. Using a large spoon, gently stir with a folding motion, until mixed well and all pieces are coated with the dressing. Transfer to serving bowl. Sprinkle with additional chopped red onion and just a pinch of dill weed. Serve immediately or chill for an hour or two.

 

One last thing.

Make it pretty. If  neither you nor your guests mind eating cucumber skin, you can skip the peeling step and do this instead: wash and dry the cucumbers, then scrape the tines of a fork the full length of the cuke, on all sides, before slicing. This gives you cucumbers slices with frilly edges, which adds eye appeal to a salad. Personally, I do this only if I can get unwaxed cucumbers from a local market rather than from the grocery store. While the coating material is Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) by the FDA, I just don't care to eat it.

 

Bobbie Laughman is an elder caregiver and freelance writer living in Gettysburg, PA. One of her favorite pastimes is the annual game of "Dodge the Tourists and College Students" played by area residents, whether they want to or not.

Contact Bobbie at Bobbie@home-ec101.com if you have a question you'd like her to answer.

Cool as a Cucumber – 2 Quick and Easy Cucumber Salad Recipes is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

The Last Long Weekend of Summer Recipe Round Up

Heather says:

Here we are, it's already Labor Day weekend. For those who live outside of the US, this is traditionally considered the last hurrah of Summer. Tuesday means the start of school, the end of long, lazy days as we barrel onward toward Autumn. I thought I'd put together a resource containing all of my favorite picnic, cookout, and grill friendly recipes and tutorials.

What will you be making this weekend?

To get started you may need to know how to light a charcoal grill. And if your propane grill is acting funny and just won't get hot, check out: Why won't my propane grill get hot?

 

How about a couple Lemon Shake-Ups to keep your cool while tending the grill?

But what will you make?

Why not make some easy grilled buffalo wings to get started?

Or skip the appetizer and go straight to herb crusted steaks. As a bonus, there's a tutorial on that page showing how to grill tomatoes. Yum.

Is chicken more your speed?

How about grilled pineapple chicken leg quarters?

Did you know you could grill a whole chicken? Try the spatchcock or butterfly technique. Last weekend when I was in San Antonio with Cooking With the Troops, my friend Mike Russo and I butterflied 40 chickens which were then cooked in a La Caja China roasting box. Your family can probably get by with just a chicken, we fed somewhere around 160 (Dos Cubanos also roasted two pigs in the other boxes)

How about fully loaded burgers? (The brat is optional). You know you can grill bacon, right?

How about some chipotle mayonnaise to go on those burgers?

Still need ideas?

Of course few things beat  pulled pork. Since it's still too hot to run the oven that long, at least around here. Throw this in a crockpot or roaster oven with excellent results.

What about side dishes?

Since you already have the grill going, why not grill some vegetable foil packets?

 

Classic coleslaw

 

 

Maybe some broccoli almond salad? There's bacon in there, too.

Pasta salad? We have two kinds:

Greek Pasta Salad

 

or

Forgive me, this was before I knew how to photograph food

 

Classic Pasta Salad

 

How about a recipe for potato salad?

Maybe a simple tomato salad is more your style.

You are bringing dessert, right?

What are you making this Labor Day weekend?

The Last Long Weekend of Summer Recipe Round Up is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

Hard to Remove Stains and a White Skirt

Dear Home-Ec 101,

My two year old daughter has a white skirt that she absolutely loves to wear. The last time I washed it, I noticed lots of large yellow spots all over the skirt. Since she's two, there is no telling what those spots may be. I have tried using OxiClean, Dawn dish soap, and bleach, and the spots haven't budged at all. I want to rescue her favorite skirt. What can I do?

Signed,
Still Spotty

Heather says:

First of all, I'm going to let you in on two little, disappointing secrets:

Some stains are permanent.

Some stains can be made permanent if treated incorrectly the first time.

With toddlers, both tannin (fruit juice) and protein stains are usually a possibility and both can be difficult if not treated promptly.

Both tannin and protein stains should be rinsed under cool water. Tannin stains should then be washed in the hottest water tolerated by the garment, while protein (milk) stains should be soaked in warm water with plenty of detergent.

In your specific case, it looks as though you haven't tried using the acid route. Grab some lemon juice or vinegar and rub directly on the spots and place the garment in the sun for a few hours. Wash and inspect the skirt and repeat, if necessary.  This method works especially well for tannin stains which can be caused by fruit juices. Since apple juice is so light, you may not have noticed the stain until after it had been washed and dried.

Another round of soaking oxygen bleach MAY finish removing any residual stains, but I can't promise.

Unfortunately, it does sound like this stain has set and these suggestions may not be completely effective.

Good luck!

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com

 

Hard to Remove Stains and a White Skirt is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

Broccoli Cheddar Frittata

Heather says:

We consume a lot of eggs in our household, currently consisting of three adults and three children. Seriously, you can't beat egg dishes for protein content, budget consciousness, and speed of preparation. Right now we're hot and heavy into football season which means that breakfast (and really the entire day) is all about the heat, eat, and go. In the past I've mentioned my Slacker's Frittata which is really just my way of describing how to throw a bunch of things into a skillet, add in some beaten eggs, heat, and serve. Today I'm working with the American Egg Board to bring you a recipe for Broccoli Cheddar Frittata, which has more specific ratios and instructions, which I know is a relief for those of you who prefer precise recipes. Check out the Incredible Edible Egg Facebook Fan Page for lots of other egg recipes, tips, tricks.

It's back to school season for most of the country and I know a lot of you are looking for recipes that will power your kids through until lunch. On big days kids don't need the added distraction of a being hungry an hour or two before lunch time. Heck, as an adult I'm ticked when my blood sugar drops and it's only 10 in the morning. Someone around here gets a little cranky when that happens, not to name names or point fingers -ok fine, it's me. . . Protein rich recipes can help prevent that annoying blood sugar drop and eggs are a simple and economical* way to boost protein intake.

*Eggs average out to about 15 cents each.

If you're concerned about the preparation time of this recipe, simply make it the night before and refrigerate; it reheats perfectly in the microwave. Additionally, frittatatas are one of my main go-tos for Meatless Mondays and one that doesn't have me poking around the fridge just before bed.

Here's a convenient, printable grocery list.

: Broccoli Cheddar Frittata1 package (10oz) frozen, chopped broccoli (I used fresh)1 small carrot, diced (I grated mine)1/4 sweet onion, diced1/4 cup water8 eggs1/4 cup milk2 tsp prepared mustard1 tsp saltfresh ground pepper3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (3 oz)Combine broccoli, carrot, diced onion and water in 10-inch, oven-safe skillet.
Cook over medium heat until tender, stirring occasionally to break up broccoli, about 10 minutes; drain well. (If you are using fresh broccoli, cover the skillet to help steam and soften the vegetable.In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper.Remove the skillet from the stove and add the broccoli mixture to the large bowl. Add the cheese and mix well.
Use a paper towel to carefully wipe out the skillet -it's hot, you know. Then give the skillet a quick spritz with cooking spray or brush with olive oil.Return the skillet to the burner just long enough to heat the pan before adding your egg mixture. (This is important!)Cook, without stirring over medium heat until eggs are almost set, 8 to 10 minutes.Remove from heat. Cover and let stand until eggs are completely set and no visible liquid egg remains, 8 to 10 minutes. Use a plastic spatula to cut into wedges and serve.
Alternately, once the eggs are nearly set, you can finish cooking under the broiler in your oven to nicely brown the top.

Preparation time: 5

Cooking time: 20 – 25

Diet type: Vegetarian

Diet tags: High protein

Number of servings (yield): 8

Enjoy.

This post was sponsored by the American Egg Board, all opinions are my own.

Broccoli Cheddar Frittata is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

Super Spicy Boiled Peanuts

[image error]Brian says:
Having roots in the South means possessing certain privileges that other regions don't have and spend millions of dollars trying to replicate. Sweet tea, soul food and southern hospitality just to name a few. Boiled peanuts have a simple past in this region but are enjoyed by visitors, natives and transplants alike. Each has there own variation on the original salt-and-water recipe, but I'm here to heat things up a little with my super spicy Cajun version.

You'll need:

- 2 lbs of raw peanuts (not roasted or shelled)

- 3 tbsp table salt

- 2 tbsp seasoning salt

- 1 bag of cajun crab boil

- 1 tbsp ground black pepper

- 1 1/2 tbsp of Louisiana hot sauce (optional)

1. First, bring the water to a steady boil. Add in the crab boil bag and other seasonings and bring the water back to a boil.

2. Add peanuts to the water and reduce heat to a slow simmer. Cook the peanuts for about 7-8 hours until the shells are soft.

3. Drain the peanuts, keeping about 1/3 of the liquid leftover, and serve. Use the leftover liquid to pour over the finished peanuts so they can "swim" while you eat.

Now, this is a spicy variation of a classic favorite so if you're not into the heat, you can ditch the hot sauce. Some people have added everything from jalapenos and habanero peppers to Thai chilies and more. The heat index is really up to you.

Super Spicy Boiled Peanuts is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (And Has to Eat Gluten Free!)

Bran says:

Breathe. It's okay. It's not as daunting as it might seem. You do have to be careful, just like you have to be careful when feeding someone with an allergy, but it's not gonna break the bank or your mind. Here are the bare-bones you should know.

What is gluten?

Gluten is a protein composite found in wheat, barley, and rye. It's what gives bread products their bouncy, chewy texture, and pastries their tenderness. Its elasticity is what gives products that rise… the stretchiness to rise. And more and more these days, people are cutting it out of their diet because it makes them sick.

What kinds of foods should I avoid serving?

Anything that has wheat, rye, or barley in it. Your all-purpose flour is ground wheat. As is your baking flour. Most likely, any flour in your house is going to be made of wheat. This means no "normal" breads, pastas, roux, cupcakes, pizza.

But there are sneaky sources of gluten, too. Processed foods manufacturers sometimes use the many properties of gluten to help with consistency or for filler. Sometimes, gluten is in products you would never expect it to be in. So processed foods can be a minefield. Sneaky sources of gluten include soy sauce, salad dressings, marinades, some cold cuts/deli meats, canned/tinned chili and soups… The list goes on. I always am sure to read the labels—even for products I've bought before, in case they've changed the recipe.

And just to be even more complicated, there are common ingredients which also equal gluten which don't sound like they do. "Wheat flour," sure. Sounds like it has gluten. But remember that barley has gluten, too, and malt comes from barley, so that "malt" that's in Rice Krispies makes them no longer gluten free. Also, "modified food starch" may or may not come from wheat flour, so some avoid that as well.*

Here is a list from celiac.com of unsafe food ingredients.

Celiac and gluten intolerant and gluten sensitive, oh my!

Everyone is different. Everyone I know who avoids gluten has a different level of reaction and desired avoidance. So, it's best to ask for specifics. PLEASE ASK. I can't speak for others, but personally I am more than happy to explain to someone how they can not make me sick.

Things to remember/ask:

Ask first about what level of ingredient avoidance the person strives for. In this, some are more sensitive than others. No modified food starch, old-fashioned blue cheese (which used to be made with wheat starter, nothing with "may have been processed on equipment containing wheat or gluten"? Or are one or more of those okay? How careful do they need to be? Go back to this list. At the bottom, there's a list of things which may or may not contain gluten. How careful does your guest or guests need to be about those items? Just ask.*

Planning on serving something that contains oats? Gotta ask. See, commercial oats are usually processed on the same machinery that gluten-containing grains are processed on. As such, they're usually contaminated with gluten. Gluten-free oats exist; they're processed only by themselves, and thus avoid the contamination problem. HOWEVER, there's some disagreement whether oats are really safe for celiacs and other gluten-sensitive individuals, and so many still avoid them, even if they're gluten free. I know oats still make me somewhat sick, so I avoid them, but again, everyone is different. You know what I'm going to suggest doing by now, right?*

Plan on drinking alcohol? Well, beer is right out, unless it's a gluten-free beer made from sorghum and/or rice. (They're out there. They're not always good, but they're out there.) Distilled alcohols, on the other hand, are another source of disagreement. Some places will tell you that the act of distilling will take out the gluten. But regardless of what they say, scotch gives me a gluten reaction, as do wheat-based vodkas and cheaper tequilas and rums and gins, which are usually wheat/grain-based. And I'm not the only one. For some people, however, those alcohols are fine. You really do need to ask for the individual's input. On the other hand, 100% agave tequilas and real rum (made from sugar cane) are naturally gluten-free options for you. And wine is made from grapes, which are also gluten-free.

Now we get to the big C-word. …Not that one. No, not that one either. I'm talking cross-contamination, here. I know it's been talked about on this site before, usually in regards to uncooked meats and bacteria. (In all of these posts, in fact.) Well, the same goes for gluten. Crumbs get in the butter or are lying in wait on the counter. Or are lurking in your toaster. Croutons were tossed into the salad in a bowl, leaving contamination. Gluten has gotten trapped in the grain or the cuts in your cutting board, or in the joints in your pastry knife, or in your colander when you drained pasta. Gluten gets everywhere!

Here's the thing, though. Different people have different levels of sensitivity. So, you really should ask. I know I need things cleaned well in-between uses with lots of hot, soapy, water, and would prefer to not use a toaster oven that has had gluten-y toast in it, but brushing off the crumbs is usually good enough for me if there's no alternative. That's not good enough for a friend of mine, however. That'd make her quite sick. So you need to ask. Should kitchen items have never been used for gluten-containing products? Simply cleaned well in-between using? Wiped off? What about toasters and sponges?

Menu Planning

"Naturally" gluten-free meals are ones which don't require any special products, and little-to-no substitution or alteration. For example, steak and corn on the cob and baked potatoes are all gluten-free. Just make sure the steak marinade is gluten-free (Better yet? Please don't marinade that steak. Salt and pepper are gluten-free, and all you need to do a good steak justice), and use a new stick of butter for the corn and potatoes so it doesn't have crumbs in it, and you're all set. On the other hand, pasta suppers require gluten-free pastas and gluten-free garlic bread, and while tomato sauces are generally gluten free you always have to make sure.

As usual, the less processed food you plan to include, the better. Whole foods have fewer ingredients, after all. Meat and vegetables and fruits have one ingredient, and as long as that ingredient isn't wheat nor rye nor barley (nor oats), it's gluten-free.

Honestly, planning and serving a gluten-free meal is not really difficult. It just takes a little getting used to, and some thinking outside the box. Serve corn tortillas instead of wheat with your Tex-Mex food. Salads without croutons. Meat and vegetables. Homemade vegetable soups, either with no noodles or with rice noodles or rice. Stir-fry with rice and wheat-free tamari (instead of soy sauce with wheat in it). Rolled-up cold cuts, cheese, and gluten-free crackers. Baked potatoes. Serving a completely gluten-free meal is going to make it easier on you, rather than trying to worry about cross-contamination along with all the other things you're worrying about when company is over.

And when in doubt? Say it with me now.*

Do you eat gluten-free? Does someone in your household? What's the main thing you want someone to know when you go over to their house to eat? Chime in in the comments!

*The best thing to do is to ask. Really. Please ask.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (And Has to Eat Gluten Free!) is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

How to Peel Tomatoes – 2 Easy Methods

Bobbie says:

Whether you're doing a canning marathon or just making dinner, knowing how to peel a tomato will eventually come in handy. I'm going to show you two ways to peel tomatoes. One method is for when you just need one or two without a lot of hassle, and the other is great if you need several (or tons of) peeled tomatoes.

One of the first times I helped my mother-in-law in the kitchen, prepping the fixins for a cookout, she started doing one of the weirdest things I'd ever seen – peeling the tomatoes before slicing them for the burgers. Really? Growing up, we'd only peeled tomatoes for canning, and THAT was only if couldn't figure a way around it. Apparently, my mother-in-law ALWAYS peeled tomatoes for sandwiches and salads because that's the way she learned it, and she seemed surprised we never had done that in my family. And? She stopped doing it, too. (Although she would still remove the skins when it was for her mom, as they seemed to bother her.)

If you're adding fresh tomatoes to a dish with a long cooking time, removing the skins from the equation may result in a more pleasant dining experience for all. How so? Well, have you ever had a bit of tomato skin stuck at the back of your tongue, where you can't quite swallow it and you can't get it to budge without looking like your parents taught you no manners? There ya go.

Rule of thumb: if the recipe calls for throwing the tomatoes in near the end and only cooking long enough to heat them, you may choose to leave the skins on. You should peel the tomatoes first if they're going to be cooked long enough to set the skins free to wander about in your entree coz that's just icky  because you care about your family's dining experience.

The Bulk Method

Bring a pot of water to a simmer – not quite boiling. While that's heating up, get a large bowl and fill it with cold water. Toss in a couple ice cubes if you like. We're blanching, friends. I've seen, and used, instructions that say to use BOILING water – but I tend to end up with mushy, partially tomatoes that way, so I go with the simmering water. It works and I get nicely peeled tomatoes that really haven't cooked, and so this is  especially nice for anywhere you want peeled, raw tomatoes.

Drop your washed tomatoes into the pot. You want to be able to get them back out quickly, so don't put in a lot at one time (more on that later.)

Leave them in the water for 20 seconds. You can use a timer, or use the method I learned from our neighbor, "Grandma" Slosser, when I was very small. Count out loud, saying Mississippi in between the numbers. This gives a fair approximation and I've used it all my life. (Stop looking at me like that.)

 

 

Using a slotted spoon, quickly remove the tomatoes to the cold water bath and leave them for at least a few minutes – until you can handle them, or until they're cold if you'd rather.

 

 

 

 

Using a sharp paring knife, cut out the core. All of the core. This may require more digging into the flesh in some varieties than in others.

 

 

 

 

 

Now, starting around where you cut the core out, grab the skin and pull it off. It may tear, but it should come off easily. If not, you need to leave the tomatoes in the hot water bath slightly longer next time.

That's it.

If you're canning or otherwise need TONS of peeled tomatoes, you may prefer an even quicker way. You can use a stockpot for the blanching IF you have access to a wire basket for the tomatoes to ride in. If you try to blanch a stockpot full of tomatoes but you're only removing them one at a time with a slotted spoon, some of them are going to be in the hot water way too long and end up mushy. Just a factor to consider. If you're doing it this way, use your (THOROUGHLY CLEANED) kitchen sink for the cold bath.

The Just-A-Couple Method

No hot water needed – this is the way my mother-in-law was peeling those tomatoes I mentioned earlier, so I learned this technique from her.

You'll want a paring knife for this – do not use a serrated knife, just a nice, sharp paring knife. With the (already washed) tomato in your non-knife-holding hand, scrape the sharp edge of the knife blade over the entire tomato, while holding the knife blade perpendicular to the surface.

As you're doing this, you should feel the skin loosen a bit. Once you've loosened all the skin in this way, cut out the tomato core. Starting where you just removed the core, slip the knife blade under the skin, then use your thumb and the knife to hold onto the skin, slowly pull it away from the flesh. You're not actually cutting with the knife, just using it to help you hold onto the skin. Some folks may find it easier to just use your fingers. This technique lends itself to small-scale tomato peeling because, while scraping the tomato all over is slightly labor-intensive, all you have to wash up is one knife, and it requires no heating of water – thereby saving energy and money. Yay.

Bobbie Laughman is an elder caregiver and freelance writer in Gettysburg. You can contact her at bobbie@home-ec101.com.  It's okay, she doesn't bite. Much.

How to Peel Tomatoes – 2 Easy Methods is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

Sunday Confessional 8/21/2011

Heather says:

Every so often I like to remind Home-Ec 101 readers that life isn't magazine and snapshot perfect. It's really easy, when you live your life semi-publicly on the web to only present the best and gloss over the less perfect moments of life.

I work from home, in addition to running this site, Home-Ec 101, I am the Home Channel Editor of BlissfullyDomestic.com, I am the speaker coordinator for the Type-A Parent Conference, I maintain a few other websites, and I volunteer some of my time with Cooking With the Troops.

Two of our kids attend a virtual charter school, which means five days a week, six hours a day are dedicated to their schooling.

My husband works a fun -visualize air quotes here-  schedule known as rotating shifts. Half of his working hours he's on day shift and the other half he's on night shift. These shifts are twelve hours long, throw in a commute, a quick session in the gym, and when he's on, there's barely time for a, "How was your day?" before he falls into bed.

Life apparently wasn't full enough, so I decided to take on another big -secret until I sign- project. I'll replace this with the actual news as soon as I have the all clear.

So, you know what I've gone and done?

I've hired help with the kids.

I'll still be home and available as needed, but I'm going to learn to delegate. I have this feeling I'm going to value the fun things more, when they aren't just another interruption. I've been struggling with an emotional funk for a while now and I think maybe it stems from trying to be too many people in the same day.

I knew I was in trouble when a few weeks ago someone mentioned that the cut off for enlisting in the Army is 35 and I just couldn't stop daydreaming about that idea. If boot camp sounds like a treat, perhaps some things need to change.  Let me phrase it a way those of you who REALLY know me will understand. It's gotten so bad that I've quit cooking and resorted to throwing together casseroles for dinner. Casseroles I have no appetite for. You know it's not good when I've lost my love of food, cooking, and photography.

Perhaps to you, I just sound like another over-privileged woman complaining about first world problems. That's fine, you're welcome to your opinion.

However, I've decided to take my own advice and cut myself some slack. I don't have to do it all; perfect isn't real. I want to continue down this career path that I've started and it's long past time to quit trying to shove it in around the edges before I burn out completely.

So, there you go, no one has it all together all the time, certainly not me.

The Sunday Confessional is open, what do you have to get off your chest?

Sunday Confessional 8/21/2011 is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

Feeling Desperate

Dear Home-Ec 101,

I am a slob. My house is a disaster area most of the time, though I'm starting to realize a lot of it is clutter. My husband hates coming home to this chaos, and while I thrive in some forms of chaos (my desk will never make sense to anyone but me) it's even starting to get to me. We have two young children, a 2-year-old and a 5-week-old. About this time last year CPS was involved because of the mess, and it's not an experience I want to repeat.

Do you have any advice on slob salvation?

Sincerely,
Living in Chaos

Heather says:

You are living in one of the busiest and most stressful parenting points of your life.

You are sleep deprived. Your hormones are out of whack.

You have not one, but two tiny, irrational dictators controlling your every move.

New babies are hard. Toddlers? Hard.

A baby and a toddler? That, my friend, is very hard.

I've been there twice. My kids are all just two weeks shy of two years apart. (We're in birthday season right now, they are now 7, 5, 4 -and 16, but I wasn't around for her earliest years). I started this site while I was pregnant with my youngest and the chaos of life after she arrived made me feel like a hypocrite.

This part is very important, more important than anything else I will tell you today.

If you are fighting this feeling of being completely overwhelmed and that feeling is winning, you MUST talk to your doctor.

He or she is there to help you and post-partum depression is serious, as is antenatal depression.

Will it make you feel better to know that my desk is a mess, too? I stay on top of the rest of the house pretty well, but my work area is a constant battle of paperwork and school books, pencils, pens, and cords.

Today:

When you read this I want you to do a household triage. Today we're not worried about clutter. Today we are only worried about the things that would cause CPS to be concerned. Today -and the hardest days- we are working around the clutter.

Feed, bathe, and dress the kids.Make sure there are no dirty diapers sitting out.If there are animals in the house, all of their waste must be removed immediately.Take out the trash, especially any food waste that may be on the counters / coffee table.Dishes.
Empty the dishwasher, load the dishwasher. If this doesn't take care of all the dishes, fill the sink with soapy water and soak the rest.
If you do not have a dishwasher, rinse, scrape, and stack neatly the dirty dishes. Begin washing as you can.Laundry
Gather it in a place that makes sense. It's ok to be behind on laundry, you just have to appear to be making the effort.

These are your mandatory things and on some days even they will feel nearly impossible.

One thing at a time, with the baby and toddler coming first and you coming in a close second. You need sleep and probably a lot more of it. The world will not end if you go to bed at 8pm for the next few weeks. You're probably getting up at 2, 4, and 6 any how.

TMI personal side note: My kids were all terrible sleepers, six months after my second kid I was so sleep deprived I was hallucinating. I thought I was headed for the psych ward -and scarily was looking forward to the idea of 72 hours of peace- and called my insurance's hotline. I sat shaking in a psych's office dreading who knows what kind of diagnosis to be told, "You know there's a reason they use sleep deprivation as torture."  I'm a very light sleeper by nature and my body just conditioned itself to not fall deeply asleep. I ended up with a prescription for sleeping pills that fixed everything in less than two weeks. I can laugh now, at the time I was utterly terrified.

Do me a big favor and email me your mailing address. I'm going to send you a copy of my friend Tsh Oxenrider's book Organized Simplicity and one of my book Home-Ec 101: Skills for Everyday Living between the two of us, I'm sure there's an approach to getting out from under the weight of your clutter.

In the meantime, do you see that yellow sticky note in the upper right hand of this post? Right click it and open the link in a new tab. That will bring you to a breakdown of the weekly chore chart.

Each day of the week has a major chore and a minor chore, if you attend to these consistently, your house will slowly become cleaner, these two chores are outside the bare minimum which includes:

Do the dishes and sanitize food preparation areasWipe down the bathroom sink and toiletSweep or vacuum as neededPut your stuff awayCheck your schedule
Currently you have well baby visits, well mom visits, etc. Do not miss those.

And please, listen closely when I tell you that life will get easier. At the moment your life has shrunk to pretty much what goes in and what comes out of your babies. It will expand again, I promise. When you have a moment, where you feel good enough to really start cleaning, here's a strategy for when you're overwhelmed by mess.

I know a lot of you have been in her shoes, please share with this reader what helped get you through.

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

Feeling Desperate is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

The Hard Water Headache

Dear Home-Ec 101,

I was visiting my MIL recently and she told me that they have hard water, so she had to put a lot of extra soap in the washer because otherwise she didn't get any bubbles and it wouldn't clean the laundry. This confuses me because I always thought you weren't supposed to have a lot of foam in the washer. I've read articles recently saying that most people use way too much laundry detergent. Also, the man who installed our new septic system told me that I should use liquid soaps because they didn't foam and foam would not build up in the septic system (which is apparently a bad thing).

I suspect that my MIL simply doesn't know what she's talking about, but I would never say so to her. If I'm wrong, please correct me- or at least just clear this up so I can think about something else!

Signed,
Biting My Tongue

Heather says:

You are both partly right.

Laundry detergent isn't just one thing, it is a blend of ingredients in either a solution or powdered form. Some of it is soap, some detergent, some surfactants, water conditioners, and then we get to the perfumes and dyes.

Hard water is water that has calcium and magnesium in solution and these dissolved minerals cause a lot of headaches in laundry. If they are not suspended in water when the wash water or rinse water is drained, the magnesium and calcium can cling to clothing causing fabrics to feel stiff and dulling the color. Think of it a bit like looking through a slightly dirty window, usually you can't focus on the dirt, but your view of the outside world isn't as bright and clear due to the slight film obscuring the view.

It is often necessary to use more laundry detergent in hard water.

When laundry detergent is added to hard water, a number of the detergent molecules -which I've been describing ad nauseum of late- get used up binding the calcium and magnesium. This simply means that all conditions being equal, there will be fewer detergent molecules able to trap dirt in hard water than in soft water. Soap molecules that come in contact with minerals form our nemesis soap scum which is difficult to remove from wherever it decides to cling.

Please do not expect Home-Ec 101 to help you study for your physical chemistry final, I am only trying to get across basic concepts. In chemistry we often talk about something called the saturation point. When something is saturated, it can't hold any more. In your laundry, this is the point at which no more detergent can be in the wash water. Whatever cannot be in the water falls out as precipitate. (Remember it like this, when it rains, it's precipitating, the cloud cannot hold any more moisture so it falls out of the sky.)

Water can only hold so much soap, even if that detergent is busy holding minerals like calcium and magnesium in solution -the clusters of soap around oil or dirt are called micelles. So there is a point at which too much of anything is going to precipitate out of solution. Where that precipitate (dirt, oil, gunk micelles) goes depends on its density, it may sink or float on top of the water in a scummy layer.

As consumers we tend to associate soap suds with laundry detergent doing its job.

Foaming and bubbles occur when when air your washer agitates, splashing the water around and trapping air. Bubbles and foam are actually two layers of soap sandwiching a tiny film of water. Air gets trapped in this film creating bubbles, as more air is introduced through splashing, you create the foam and suds we are all familiar with.

For the most part, suds aren't coming in contact with the clothing and when the water drains, the suds leave a sticky film of soap behind. If there isn't enough rinse water to bring everything into solution, those deposits will stay on the fabric which pretty much defeats the entire purpose of doing laundry.

People who live in areas with hard water do have a few tools at their disposal.

Heat improves solubility.

 

Approximate Temperatures of Wash WaterCold WaterWarm WaterHot Water65°F – 75°F80°F – 105°F120°F – 140°F18°C – 24°C27°C – 40°C49°C – 60°C

In general, higher temperatures allow more soap or detergent to be in the water at a given time.

Additionally, please note that most laundry detergents aren't going to be very effective at temperatures below 60°F or 16°C. If this is the only option, try dissolving powdered detergent in a small amount of hot water before adding it to the washing machine. This will help prevent those white powdery streaks caused by undissolved detergents.

Water conditioning

Those looking to improve the effectiveness of their laundry detergent in hard water can give conditioning their water a try. Water conditioning is the process of getting the calcium and magnesium out of the water where it won't use up the detergent. This is typically done by exchanging the calcium and magnesium ions with those in salt (sodium and chloride).  Now kep in mind that some laundry detergents already contain ingredients, known as zeolites that condition the water.

Point of Use Water Conditioning -

If you are looking to soften your hard water only in the clothes washer, be absolutely sure to purchase a non-precipitating water softener. Non-precipitating water softeners work best when added to the water before the detergent, this prevents the detergent from beating the water softener to those pesky ions. Yes, this means you will have to be more attentive to your washing machine when doing laundry.

Precipitating water softeners will cause the minerals to fall out of solution where they will likely cling to clothing and the inside of your washing machine, completely defeating the purpose.

Whole House Water Softening

Water softeners are a fairly common solution that also works by switching out the calcium and magnesium with the ions in salt by passing the water through a chamber of resin beads. These beads have to be recharged with salt on a regular basis. There are some environmental concerns with choosing to use a water softening unit and you should do your research thoroughly before making the investment.

Do not waste your time with a magnetic water softener.

You are not going to get the results you desire slapping a couple of magnets around a pipe. It's a scam.

So for the TL/DR crowd to answer your initial questions:

1. Yes, you need more laundry detergent in places with hard water.

2. Soap suds are not an indication of how well laundry detergent is working and they can leave dirt behind.

Regarding Septic Systems:

Everything you allow to go down the drain affects the chemistry and bacterial balance of your septic system. Your septic system is designed to handle some variations, but if you go too far, you'll upset the natural balance and end up with big problems.

Use the least amount of low foaming soap possible. The low foaming is critical for septic systems with an aeration chamber. As stated above, suds form when air is introduced to that soap film. Suds will leave behind soap and eventually clog the system.

And those of you who have septic tanks should remember that it is better to spread laundry out over the course of a week than overloading your system and upsetting the chemical / biological balance with a marathon laundry day. If you're that far behind and the mountain of laundry is threatening to avalanche, consider saving yourself expensive septic repairs with the relatively cheaper laundry mat option.

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com

Image is linked with an affiliate code to Amazon.com. That image is used as an illustration of the system mentioned in the post, rather than a recommendation of a specific brand. . .

The Hard Water Headache is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011