For the best deals on bulk items for your baby, visit Diapers.com, which offers deals on all kinds of baby supplies (including, yes, diapers), and free shipping!
Tip of the Day: Goodbye Gummy Mess
If you’ve gotten gum on your clothes, try rubbing them with egg whites using an old toothbrush. If that doesn’t work, you can also try placing a piece of wax paper on the affected area, then ironing the wax paper. The gum should transfer from the cloth to the paper—problem solved!
Recipe of the Week: Watermelon Jello
Savor the last bit of summer with some scrumptious watermelon jello. The fresh watermelon juice makes all the difference in this recipe from our friends at Sunset magazine.
Ingredients:
3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
3/4 cup sugar
4 cups watermelon juice (from 8 pounds watermelon, pureed and strained)
watermelon balls (use a melon baller)
Cool Whip
1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves
How to Make It:
1. Sprinkle gelatin over 1 cup cold water in a glass bowl and let stand 1 minute.
2. Microwave on high until hot and gelatin is melted, about 1 minute.
3. Add sugar, whisking until dissolved. Whisk mixture into watermelon juice.
4. Divide mixture among 6 glass dishes (about 8 ounces each). Chill until set, about 2 hours.
5. Top each serving with some fresh melon balls, a dollop of Cool Whip, and a pinch of mint.
Do you have an easy dessert recipe to share? Let us know!
Ingredients:
3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
3/4 cup sugar
4 cups watermelon juice (from 8 pounds watermelon, pureed and strained)
watermelon balls (use a melon baller)
Cool Whip
1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves
How to Make It:
1. Sprinkle gelatin over 1 cup cold water in a glass bowl and let stand 1 minute.
2. Microwave on high until hot and gelatin is melted, about 1 minute.
3. Add sugar, whisking until dissolved. Whisk mixture into watermelon juice.
4. Divide mixture among 6 glass dishes (about 8 ounces each). Chill until set, about 2 hours.
5. Top each serving with some fresh melon balls, a dollop of Cool Whip, and a pinch of mint.
Do you have an easy dessert recipe to share? Let us know!
Tip of the Day: A Cheesy Tip
It’s easier to grate Cheddar and other softer cheeses if you place it in the freezer for 10–15 minutes before grating. If the cheese is really soft, don’t even bother with the grater. An easier method is to just push the cheese through a colander with a potato masher.
Tip of the Day: More Reasons to Smile
It’s true: you can get that root canal you’ve been putting off and keep your retirement account. Find a dental school in your area to visit for regular cleanings and check-ups, and you’ll save big. Be prepared, however, for crowded waiting rooms, long visits, and less privacy. While you’re waiting, start dreaming about that cruise to Alaska.
Tip of the Day: Lemony Nails
Rub a wedge of lemon on your fingernails to whiten the enamel. A perfect activity during down-times while baking!
Tip of the Day: We Have a Tip for Everything... Even Ping Pong Balls
The sound of Ping-Pong balls being paddled all over the basement is worth every minute of keeping your kids busy! Unfortunately, they finally emerge from downstairs with tons of dented balls. To get the balls round again, fill a jar to the brim with warm water, then place the balls inside and close the lid so that they’re submerged. In twenty minutes or less, the water’s pressure will make them pop back into place.
Tip of the Day: Our Favorite Online Newsletter
One of our favorite magazines for money-saving tips is All You, and now you can get a free sneak peek! Visit their website at AllYou.com and sign up for their email newsletter. In addition to offering tips and tricks, the email will tell you all of the coupons that are going to be in that month’s issue, so you can plan ahead.
Recipe of the Week: Ricotta and Roasted Pepper Frittata
This week's recipe comes from Working Mother magazine, a great resource for time-saving tips and fast and easy recipes.
So what is a frittata? It's an Italian omelet. It sounds fancy, but it's so simple to prepare and works great as a dinner dish. Even better, it keeps and reheats well if you have leftovers.Once you have this recipe down pat, you can experiment with different vegetables and cheeses.
Ingredients
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or 1/3 teaspoon dried oregano
8 large eggs, beaten
freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 small new potato, peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch rounds
1 medium red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch strips
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
How to Make It
1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. In a large bowl, whisk 1/4 cup of the pecorino, the parsley, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the oregano, and eggs; season with black pepper and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a 10-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, potatoes, and remaining salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Remove skillet from heat. Pour in the egg mixture and stir to distribute onions and potatoes. Scatter peppers over top, spoon ricotta over mixture in 6 dollops, and sprinkle with the remaining pecorino. Bake until frittata is lightly browned on top and center is set, about 15 minutes. Loosen edges with spatula and slide onto serving plate. Season with more pepper if desired.
Serves 4 to 6.
Do you have an amazing recipe worth sharing? Let us know!
So what is a frittata? It's an Italian omelet. It sounds fancy, but it's so simple to prepare and works great as a dinner dish. Even better, it keeps and reheats well if you have leftovers.Once you have this recipe down pat, you can experiment with different vegetables and cheeses.
Ingredients
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or 1/3 teaspoon dried oregano
8 large eggs, beaten
freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 small new potato, peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch rounds
1 medium red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch strips
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
How to Make It
1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. In a large bowl, whisk 1/4 cup of the pecorino, the parsley, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the oregano, and eggs; season with black pepper and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a 10-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, potatoes, and remaining salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Remove skillet from heat. Pour in the egg mixture and stir to distribute onions and potatoes. Scatter peppers over top, spoon ricotta over mixture in 6 dollops, and sprinkle with the remaining pecorino. Bake until frittata is lightly browned on top and center is set, about 15 minutes. Loosen edges with spatula and slide onto serving plate. Season with more pepper if desired.
Serves 4 to 6.
Do you have an amazing recipe worth sharing? Let us know!
Tip of the Day: Camper's Aide
Always, always pack duct tape when you’re going camping. It’s a must-have to repair rips or holes in tents and air mattresses, and can be used to string up food so it's out of bears’ reach.
Tip of the Day: Waterproof with Wax
To waterproof something you’ve written with marker on your child’s school supplies or on a package you’re sending, rub over the writing with a white candle. The wax will repel water, but you’ll still be able to see through it.
Tip of the Day: Fix Stuck Plugs
If an electric plug on an appliance fits too snugly and is difficult to pull out, rub its prongs with a soft lead pencil and it will move in and out more easily.
Back to School Savings Tips
Tip of the Day: Linen Deals
August is the best time to buy bedsheets because they go on sale this time of year for college students shopping for their dorm rooms.
Tip of the Day: Heavy Duty Stain Removal
Tar stains are tough to remove, but vinegar can help. If you’ve stained cloth with tar, try pouring a few drops of white vinegar on the stain and washing as usual. We’ve also had luck removing grass, coffee, soda, and fruit stains with vinegar.
Tip of the Day: Shop Smart at the Grocery Store
Shop later in the day to take advantage of mark-downs in your grocery store’s bakery and meat departments. Also make sure to keep an eye on the prices at the salad bar. If you only need a few artichoke hearts or croutons, they may be cheaper to buy there by the pound than elsewhere in the store.
Tip of the Day: Protect Your Soil (and Your Shirt!)
To keep mud from spattering when you water plants in window boxes, top the soil with a half-inch layer of gravel. Do the same for outdoor plants to prevent mud bombs during heavy rainfalls.
Recipe of the Week: 3-Minute Corn and Black Bean Salad
It's that time of year when it's too hot to turn on the oven but you've got plenty of hungry mouths to feed since school hasn't started yet. Before you tear your hair out, turn to One Hungry Mama for quick and easy summertime recipes. We made her 3-minute corn and black bean salad, and we're pleased to report it really does take three minutes -- especially when you make the lime zest beforehand! There aren't any measurements listed below because it's quickest to just throw everything together; we promise you can't mess it up.
Ingredients
olive oil
fresh lime juice
lime zest
honey
salt & pepper
frozen corn kernels (frozen grilled corn works nicely, too), thawed
black beans
cilantro, chopped
avocado, peeled & chopped
How to Make It
1. To make your vinaigrette, add about 2 parts olive oil to 1 part lime juice, a pinch or two of lime zest, a squirt of honey, salt and pepper to a jar. Seal and shake vigorously until the dressing emulsifies. Taste and add more of whatever you need to get it just right. (If you want a more tart dressing, add lime juice; if you want more pronounced lime flavor, add zest; if it’s too tart, add a bit of honey.) Set aside.
2. Combine corn (if you don’t have time to let the corn thaw on the counter, microwave it for a few seconds at a time being careful not to heat it through) and black beans (use two cans for 4-6 servings, depending on how hearty dinner is). Add cilantro and dressing to taste, toss to combine well.
3. Lastly, stir in the avocado (use 1/2 an avocado for every can of beans). You don’t want to be so gentle that the avocado doesn’t break down at all—it should add creaminess to the dressing—but you don’t want it to get mushy. The pieces should hold their shape.
Serves 4-6 people.
Do you have an amazing recipe worth sharing? Let us know!
Ingredients
olive oil
fresh lime juice
lime zest
honey
salt & pepper
frozen corn kernels (frozen grilled corn works nicely, too), thawed
black beans
cilantro, chopped
avocado, peeled & chopped
How to Make It
1. To make your vinaigrette, add about 2 parts olive oil to 1 part lime juice, a pinch or two of lime zest, a squirt of honey, salt and pepper to a jar. Seal and shake vigorously until the dressing emulsifies. Taste and add more of whatever you need to get it just right. (If you want a more tart dressing, add lime juice; if you want more pronounced lime flavor, add zest; if it’s too tart, add a bit of honey.) Set aside.
2. Combine corn (if you don’t have time to let the corn thaw on the counter, microwave it for a few seconds at a time being careful not to heat it through) and black beans (use two cans for 4-6 servings, depending on how hearty dinner is). Add cilantro and dressing to taste, toss to combine well.
3. Lastly, stir in the avocado (use 1/2 an avocado for every can of beans). You don’t want to be so gentle that the avocado doesn’t break down at all—it should add creaminess to the dressing—but you don’t want it to get mushy. The pieces should hold their shape.
Serves 4-6 people.
Do you have an amazing recipe worth sharing? Let us know!
Tip of the Day: Save Some Zest for Later
Don’t discard the rinds of limes, lemons, oranges, or other citrus. Grate them, then store in tightly covered glass jars in the fridge. They make excellent flavoring for cakes, and can be sprinkled over chicken and fish as well.
Tip of the Day: Quick Bracelet Fastening
Having trouble getting that bracelet on? Make fastening easy by attaching the bracelet to your arm with a bit of tape. Then clasp, pull the tape off, and go!
Tip of the Day: Clothes Love Cold
No matter which temperature you choose to wash your clothes, always use a cold-water rinse. It will help the clothes retain their shape and color, and you’ll save money and energy by not taxing your water heater.
Tip of the Day: Free Summer Fun
For ideas on fun, free activities to do over the summer, try checking out your community center or park district. Most towns have tons of free summertime events, from sports clinics for kids to free concerts for adults. See if they have a website or pick up a calendar at your local branch.
Tip of the Day: Fur Sure
Pet owners know that matted hair can make brushing your animal a frustrating experience for you—and a painful one for them. To prevent this, rub your pet with baby powder prior to brushing. It’ll be easier to remove the tangles, for which both you and your pet will be grateful.
Tip of the Day: Career Advice
Get all kinds of free, professional advice on your career (or desired career) at CareerOneStop.com (or call 1-877-348-0502), which will give you tutorials on résumés and cover letters, give you salary information, help you find free classes in your area, and more.
Recipe of the Week: Fresh Fruit Popsicles
This quick and easy treat is a great way to beat the heat. We like changing the recipe every time with a different variety of fruits. The possibilities are endless! Thanks to LilSugar for the inspiration.
Ingredients
1 peach, cut into 1/2-inch slices (1/2 cup)
2 kiwis, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
3/4 cup strawberries, finely chopped
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup raspberries
1 1/2 to 2 cups of fruit punch or 100 percent white grape juice
How to Make It
1. Combine fruit in a mixing bowl and arrange the mixture into eight 3-ounce popsicle molds.
2. Pour enough juice into each mold to just cover fruit.
3. Insert popsicle sticks and freeze until solid (about six hours).
Serves 8.
How can you prevent a melted-popsicle mess? Check out our Tip of the Day.
Do you have an amazing recipe worth sharing? Let us know!
Ingredients
1 peach, cut into 1/2-inch slices (1/2 cup)
2 kiwis, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
3/4 cup strawberries, finely chopped
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup raspberries
1 1/2 to 2 cups of fruit punch or 100 percent white grape juice
How to Make It
1. Combine fruit in a mixing bowl and arrange the mixture into eight 3-ounce popsicle molds.
2. Pour enough juice into each mold to just cover fruit.
3. Insert popsicle sticks and freeze until solid (about six hours).
Serves 8.
How can you prevent a melted-popsicle mess? Check out our Tip of the Day.
Do you have an amazing recipe worth sharing? Let us know!
Tip of the Day: Goodbye Popsicle Drips
Keep messy melting popsicles from getting all over your kids’ hands (and the floor) by poking the stick-end of the popsicle through a coffee filter before you hand it over. The filter will act like a bowl, catching any drips.
Tip of the Day: Suede Cleaner
Got a grease spot on suede? Vinegar to the rescue! Simply dip an old toothbrush in white vinegar and gently brush over the grease.
Tip of the Day: Make Slides More Fun
If your kids have tired of that expensive playground set you bought them, make the slide even more fun by giving them each a large piece of wax paper. If they sit on the paper as they’re going down the slide, they’ll move much faster, and they’ll never call it boring again (or at least for a few weeks).
Tip of the Day: Hot Attic, Hot Home
When running your air conditioner, make sure your attic isn’t hot, which will warm up ceilings and make it much more expensive to cool your home. Open any attic windows, and invest in a fan that will suck hot air out during the day and pump cool air in at night.
Five Unusual Uses for Tea: Beauty Edition
You may know that drinking tea is good for your health: Green tea, especially, is loaded with disease-fighting antioxidants, and the lower caffeine level of tea makes it a gentler alternative to coffee. But tea can also be used in a variety of ways for everyday first aid, pain relief, and even hair care! Visit our new website to find five ways to use tea for health and beauty.
Tip of the Day: Banish Poison Ivy
When it comes to poison ivy, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. So if you’ve got a patch of this pernicious vine on your property, kill it. Mix 1/2 gallon soapy water with 1 1/2 pounds salt, spray the plant, and run in the other direction.
Tip of the Day: Take a Cold Shower
Extra-shiny hair starts in the shower! Finish your final rinse with a blast of the most freezing cold water you can bear. It closes the hair cuticles so that light bounces off them, resulting in super-shiny locks.
Recipe of the Week: Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti
This recipe comes to us from Tina of Mommy’s Kitchen. It’s simple to prepare and gives you that comforting feeling one can only get from Southern cooking! It can also easily be adapted to feed a family of any size.
Ingredients
5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 1 whole chicken fryer
seasoning salt or poultry seasoning (optional)
salt and pepper
1 package (12 ounces) spaghetti noodles
1 package (16 ounces) Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 can (10.5 ounces) cream of chicken soup
1 can (14 ounces) chicken broth or 2 cups reserved broth
1 stick (1/2 cup) margarine
1 package (8 ounces) shredded mild or sharp cheddar cheese
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 celery ribs, chopped
1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
black olives for garnish (optional)
How to Make It
1. Fill a big stock pot with water. Clean and rinse whole fryer or chicken pieces. Add chicken, as well as seasoning salt, pepper and poultry seasoning if you like, while the chicken cooks. Wash hands after handling chicken. Let chicken come to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer chicken until done. Cook whole fryers about 2 hours and chicken breasts or pieces 45-50 minutes.
2. Remove chicken from pot and place on a plate to cool. Drain the broth through a strainer and reserve.
3. Cook the spaghetti per package directions. Instead of cooking the spaghetti in water, use some of the reserved chicken broth. Add spaghetti and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer noodles until al dente.
4. While spaghetti noodles are cooking start deboning the chicken or break chicken breasts to smaller pieces. (Make sure it is cool enough to handle.)
5. Chop up all the vegetables and set aside. Melt margarine in a small skillet and add the vegetables. Sauté vegetables until they are tender and translucent in color. When noodles are done drain and set aside.
6. If you are not using canned chicken broth, reserve 2 cups of the cooked broth. In a large bowl combine Velveeta cheese, chicken broth and cream of chicken soup. Place in microwave and cook on low for 5-7 minutes or until mixture is smooth and cheese is melted. (You can also use the defrost setting).
7. To the cheese mixture add cooked vegetables with butter, spaghetti noodles and chicken pieces. Stir to combine. Spray a 9x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray and add combined mixture. Top casserole with 8 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese. Place casserole in a preheated 350-degree oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and casserole is bubbly. Remove from oven, let cool, and serve.
Tips from Tina
For a large family just double the recipe ingredients and prepare two 9 x 13 inch baking dishes. Or if a 9 x 13 inch dish is to big for your family you can prepare two dishes of 8 x 8 inch size. Serve one for dinner and freeze the second one for a quick meal another night. Before freezing, cover the unbaked casserole with plastic wrap and two layers of foil. Date and place in freezer. To cook, defrost the casserole and proceed with baking instructions.
Do you have an amazing recipe worth sharing? Let us know!
Ingredients
5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 1 whole chicken fryer
seasoning salt or poultry seasoning (optional)
salt and pepper
1 package (12 ounces) spaghetti noodles
1 package (16 ounces) Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 can (10.5 ounces) cream of chicken soup
1 can (14 ounces) chicken broth or 2 cups reserved broth
1 stick (1/2 cup) margarine
1 package (8 ounces) shredded mild or sharp cheddar cheese
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 celery ribs, chopped
1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
black olives for garnish (optional)
How to Make It
1. Fill a big stock pot with water. Clean and rinse whole fryer or chicken pieces. Add chicken, as well as seasoning salt, pepper and poultry seasoning if you like, while the chicken cooks. Wash hands after handling chicken. Let chicken come to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer chicken until done. Cook whole fryers about 2 hours and chicken breasts or pieces 45-50 minutes.
2. Remove chicken from pot and place on a plate to cool. Drain the broth through a strainer and reserve.
3. Cook the spaghetti per package directions. Instead of cooking the spaghetti in water, use some of the reserved chicken broth. Add spaghetti and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer noodles until al dente.
4. While spaghetti noodles are cooking start deboning the chicken or break chicken breasts to smaller pieces. (Make sure it is cool enough to handle.)
5. Chop up all the vegetables and set aside. Melt margarine in a small skillet and add the vegetables. Sauté vegetables until they are tender and translucent in color. When noodles are done drain and set aside.
6. If you are not using canned chicken broth, reserve 2 cups of the cooked broth. In a large bowl combine Velveeta cheese, chicken broth and cream of chicken soup. Place in microwave and cook on low for 5-7 minutes or until mixture is smooth and cheese is melted. (You can also use the defrost setting).
7. To the cheese mixture add cooked vegetables with butter, spaghetti noodles and chicken pieces. Stir to combine. Spray a 9x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray and add combined mixture. Top casserole with 8 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese. Place casserole in a preheated 350-degree oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and casserole is bubbly. Remove from oven, let cool, and serve.
Tips from Tina
For a large family just double the recipe ingredients and prepare two 9 x 13 inch baking dishes. Or if a 9 x 13 inch dish is to big for your family you can prepare two dishes of 8 x 8 inch size. Serve one for dinner and freeze the second one for a quick meal another night. Before freezing, cover the unbaked casserole with plastic wrap and two layers of foil. Date and place in freezer. To cook, defrost the casserole and proceed with baking instructions.
Do you have an amazing recipe worth sharing? Let us know!
Tip of the Day: Lemon Aid
Grilling fish is always a drag because the skin inevitably gets stuck to the grate—particularly when cooking salmon. Avoid this by placing a few thin slices of lemon or lime on the grill, and then the fish on top. Not only will your clean-up be easier, but the citrus flavor will taste great with the seafood.
Tip of the Day: Cool that Burn
You had a great weekend at the beach, but now your back is burned to a crisp. To help ease the pain of a sunburn, rub vinegar on the affected area with a cotton ball or soft cloth. You may smell a bit like salad dressing, but your skin will immediately feel cooler.
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