Heather’s Household Truths #8

Heather says:

Supposedly simple projects like painting a room occasionally turn into massive undertakings and seem to spread disorder throughout the house.

On that note, the winner of this month’s recipe contest will be announced tomorrow.

Ask the audience: Cooking and Looking

Heather says:

Over the years I’ve noticed there are two kinds of food magazines.  Those filled with recipes I will be trying and those that contain pictures to drool over.

What is your favorite food magazine and in which category does it belong?

Dairy Scare Tactics

Heather says:

In recent days I have received the hysterical dairy rBST hormone e-mail at least five times in three separate forums. The e-mail claims to be verified by Snopes.com and goes on to recount the horrific plight of a young girl.   In each forum there was a massive hue and cry of, “Oh noes! I’ll never drink milk again!”

Whatever your stance on the dairy debate this e-mail, currently spreading like wildfire, is misleading.  Snopes.com only verified a portion of the e-mail.

Yes, there seems to have been a girl who had terrible hormonal problems.

Yes, milk contains rBST the scientific term for the what is more commonly known as recombinant bovine growth hormone or rBGH.

You have many choices of what to do with this information, research before making the one that is right for you and your family.

Also remember it is possible, though slightly more expensive, to purchase milk from dairies that do not use rBST.  Some stores advertise that the milk they sell is rBGH free.  If this is an appealing option, make your wishes known to your local store.  The end consumer has an effect on what is offered.

Solving a Spousal Debate: To Preheat or Not

Dear Home Ec 101:

Please solve an argument between my husband and myself! When heating up the oven, I don’t wait for the required temp to reached before putting the food in, but do give extra time in case it wasn’t quite hot enough. My husband says that you have to wait until the temp is reached or the food won’t cook right. Who’s right?

~Consternated in Concord

Heather says:

I have the feeling that neither of you will be happy with the answer. You are both right.

The temperature is very important with baked goods such as breads and cakes. A lot is decided in the first few minutes of baking. Take bread for example, if the oven isn’t hot enough the crust may not form properly.

If you do a lot of baking, I highly recommend investing in an oven thermometer. Oftentimes the thermostat may not be calibrated and that can effect some recipes.

Temperature is also important when trying to achieve certain effects when roasting. Some cooks swear by “blasting” roasts and whole chickens and turkeys.

With many items it doesn’t matter, things like baked chicken, casseroles, or the kid’s fishsticks. In those cases check at the end of the prescribed time. Often the cooking times are generalities and not exact in the first place.

I hope this information helps and I hope it didn’t take all the wind out of your sails. I know I get far too much enjoyment out of a big “I told you so!”

Good luck!

De-Flea

Dear Home-Ec 101,

My boyfriend has recently gotten bug bites, mostly on his right arm but other places as well (legs, etc.). They are small, red, and itchy. Smaller than mosquito bites. I haven’t gotten any. He thinks they happen more on a particular couch, but it’s hard to pinpoint (the bed and a computer chair have also been suspected). He can’t catch them in the act, and we haven’t seen anything.

So we think they’re fleas, but we’re not sure. We don’t have pets or any reason they would be here, but who knows (neighbors have cats, and we live in an apartment building). We’ve read a little about bed bugs but feel like we would see those…

What’s the best way to deal with this? Preferably without having to remove our dishes somewhere while we wait 4 hours? I don’t mind bug bombing, just don’t wanna have to worry about all my plates and stuff…

Anything we can do right away and cheaply to get my boyfriend relief?

I’ve searched the internets so far for help, but it’s confused, usually sponsored by some pest company trying to sell me something I’m not sure I need, and usually pet directed… we have no pets and want to figure out if these bugs are living ON my boyfriend or what?! Eww!

I figure I’m getting bit as well but just don’t have a reaction to it or whatever.

Signed,

Scratchin’ in Scranton

Ivy says:

It definitely sounds like you have a flea infestation. The reason your boyfriend has bumps and you don’t is because some people are allergic to flea bites and other people are not. I’m not allergic to them, either. Better them than us, eh?

Since you don’t have pets, flea removal is going to be slightly easier. I have two cats and a dog, and when we got fleas a couple of years ago, I went ahead and went the flea bomb route, because I wanted to knock it out as soon as possible. If you do go the flea bomb route, you’ll need to make sure you are vacuuming really, really well, and make sure you wash everything you possibly can in hot water. Curtains, area rugs, everything.

I don’t think you will have to go the flea bomb route, though. I did a little research and found this nifty contraption on Amazon. It’s a flea trap, and the reviews are largely really good, and it’s priced right, $16.

I’d probably get a flea trap and then vacuum the absolute heck out of everything in my house. Make sure you are taking the vacuum bag (if you have one) entirely out of the house immediately after a vacuuming session. You can even put the bag in a plastic bag and put it in your freezer to kill them all before you take it outside. If you have a bagless vacuum, emptyit outside directly into a trash bag. Seal the bag and throw it in your dumpster (if you have one).

Wash everything that can possibly be washed in hot water. Take the sofa cushions out and put them in one of those giant plastic bags and leave it outside in the sun. Then vacuum the entire couch really well again, making sure to follow the bag procedures outlined above.

I think that’ll take care of it! If you do get a flea trap, let us know how well it works, it looks neat. I totally want one, except I don’t have any fleas (knock on wood).

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