Heather Solos's Blog, page 91

Microwave Rice: Quick Tip

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 the heck, it was worth a shot. Either it worked or we'd just have to deal with no rice or a much longer wait.

It worked well, the time may need to be adjusted for your microwave, depending on the wattage. And you need to put a dishtowel under the dish, because it will bubble over.

Use the usual 2: 1 water to rice ratio and microwave on high for 15 minutes. You may need to give it an additional couple of minutes, check a few of the grains.  (It took 16 minutes the first round and should have gone 17 the second).

That's it. I used 4 cups of water, 2 cups of rice. And dinner was saved.

Have you ever microwaved white rice?

What's your favorite or suprising cooking tip that you've learned in a pinch?

 

Microwave Rice: Quick Tip is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

Why Do Cuffs and Pocket Flaps Bunch and Not Lie Flat?

Dear Home Ec 101,
I've been subbed to your feed for quite some time and thought you might know how to help me with a laundry problem.  I just can't seem to pick the right search terms to find this info myself or else it's not been discussed online?
My problem has to do with the hems on some of my pairs of cotton shorts.  I live in Florida where it is shorts weather all but a few days a year.  I prefer cotton for obvious reasons.  Several pairs of shorts, made by different manufacturers and of different styles, have a hem problem.  The hems on the shorts will wrinkle and fold, effectively shortening the shorts to be too short!  I try ironing, the hem lays flat until washed again.  I've tried spray starch, then ironing, same result.  I hate having to iron something so casual, but also hate having to constantly adjust the legs of my clothes.  They always seem to wrinkle the same way and they come out of the dryer this way, pressing them flat while still hot and putting them away that way doesn't help, only ironing immediately before wearing.  Any ideas on what I can do to get these hems to lay flat and stay that way?

Signed,
Bunchy Britches

Heather says:

Your problem is actually quite common, just spend an hour or so people watching anywhere people don't feel the need to dress up. You'll see bunchy hems, crumpled pockets -especially on on cargo pants, and decorative pockets on blouses do all kinds of crazy things. It also happens to towels with a band of decorative stitching, but hopefully you won't observe this during your people watching adventure. Frequently, the thread used in the hems of some fabrics shrinks at a different rate than the material it is used to hold.

Did you know that manufacturers actually include all those choices on your washer and dryer for a reason? It's true, I can't make this stuff up. Different fabrics have different optimal temperatures for washing; the same is true for your dryer.

The cotton thread is shrinking in the heat of the dryer and if you wash your clothes in hot water, that could be contributing, too.

Now that we know the problem, how do you prevent cotton fibers from shrinking in the laundry?

Try washing cotton clothing in cold water, since you're in Florida, your water is typically not too cold for most detergents. In Northern parts of the US, you may need to use the warm setting to keep your detergent working effectively. Typically this is more of a problem with powdered detergent than liquid.

Partially dry your clothes on low,  tumble and then hang to finish drying, or simply hang to dry. If you choose to hang your clothing to dry, don't forget consider where the drips may fall? In other words, don't hang over a hardwood floor. Additionally, make sure there is air flow around the hanging item. You cannot stuff your clothing in a crowded closet and assume it will dry. It may eventually, but mildew will have had a field day by that time. You can lie some articles of clothing flat to dry, just be sure to flip them over or use a drying rack.

I want you to understand that it is possible the thread in the hem has shrunk so much that it may never lie flat without a little help from your iron. However these tactics to prevent shrinking will save future articles of clothing from this obnoxious problem.

Why Do Cuffs and Pocket Flaps Bunch and Not Lie Flat? is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

Paradox of Choice and the Free Weekly Menu and Shopping List from Home Ec 101 #12

Heather says:

Here we are, another week, tomorrow's Fat Tuesday party will colorfully mark the passing of time, as on Wednesday we, and at least a billion others, solemnly begin the season of Lent. I know most of you don't come here for reasons related to religion, just tell me how to get the mustard out of my shirt already, but tradition and history are a big part of our personal culture. Sometimes paying attention to those cultural cues can make life a little easier. What on earth are you babbling on about, Heather?

Many of our problems stem from having too much choice, at least for those of us in developed countries.

That's crazy talk, Heather, choice is what gives us freedom.

Well yes, but only to a point.

We live in a weird, often wonderful, place where having too much much choice is actually a detriment to our ability to function. There is a name for this term, coined by Barry Schwartz author of  The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less.  If you have fifteen minutes, head over to TED and check out Barry Schwartz's talk. His talk may help you understand why sometimes simple chores like buying clothes or even making a grocery list can become these overwhelming tasks. There's just to much worry about what we might be missing when we choose one thing over another. To counter this, I suggest you:

Shift your mindset.

Set some parameters.

Enjoy less complicated choices.

This brings me back to menu planning and tradition. In our church, during the Lenten season we abstain from meat on Fridays. This is one less choice I have to make. It's Friday, so we're choosing fish. I don't have to find a fancy fish dish, either as that would totally miss the point. Well, think about it, dining on lobster isn't exactly a sacrifice. You get the point now, right?

If you are just starting to menu plan, I suggest you use parameters to make the task manageable. We are told to eat fish at least once a week, but what night? Fish on Fridays, boom, one less choice to make. Reduce your intake of animal protein, both for health reasons and as a means to cut your budget. Yes, but what night? Meatless Mondays, check and done. In our world, as strange as it is, you just might find placing parameters on your planning freeing.

Do you use parameters to menu plan?

Here's the printable shopping list for this week's menu courtesy of SayMmm.com.

Monday - Lentil Casserole, Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Biscuits with HoneyTuesday –  Shrimp Etouffee, Cornbread, Collard GreensWednesday – Baked Potatoes, Roast Broccoli, Alfredo SauceThursday –  Clean Out Refrigerator NightFriday - Oven Fried Fish and Chips, Creamy ColeslawSaturday - Taco Soup, Tossed SaladSunday  - Balsamic Chicken, Rice and Peas, Wilted Spinach with Garlic

What are you having this week?

Submitted to OrgJunkie's Menu Plan Monday.

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Paradox of Choice and the Free Weekly Menu and Shopping List from Home Ec 101 #12 is a post from: Home Ec 101 ©Home Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011