Dear Home Ec 101,

I am trying to find out the name of a certain chicken bone in the drumstick. One is a regular bone and the other one looks like a hat pin – thin, round at one end about the size of a pencil eraser, about 4 inches long and comes to a sharp point.
What is the name of the thin, sharp pointed bone?

Signed,

Ezekiel

Heather says:

It’s been years since comparative anatomy, but the bone you’re talking about is the bird equivalent of the second, smaller bone in the human lower leg. Just like in humans this bone is the fibula; the tibia is the large bone most of us associate with the drumstick in chickens or in the case of a human, the shin.

And yes, if you are wondering the thigh bone in both the chicken and a human is the femur.

Thank you for sending in your question!

Send your domestic queries to Helpme@home-ec101.com.

Dear Home Ec 101,

When I bought my house 20 months ago it had ugly beige builders carpet through the living / dining room, hallway, and master bedroom. Inexplicably, the two spare bedrooms have hardwood floors. My plan when I moved in was to replace the carpet in the living & dining rooms with hardwood and leave the carpet everywhere else. I even went and worked overseas for four months to save up the money but I still can’t afford the wood.

Meanwhile 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. I really don’t’ want to replace with carpet, and I refuse to use laminate so it is down to wood-look linoleum or hardwood. What is the best/most durable/easies to clean & maintain flooring choice?

Signed,
Floored

PS I have a slab home.

Heather says:

Every flooring choice has its pros and cons and I would consider trying to wait until the incontinence issue has been resolved. The current situation may be ugly, but it isn’t permanent and any new flooring may be damaged soon after installation. This doesn’t mean you have to live with pee soaked carpet.

If cleaning the carpet doesn’t resolve odor issues, it can be removed long before new flooring is installed. Back in 2007 we had a mold problem develop in the carpeting in our master bedroom, we got rid of the carpet, yanked the tackboard, pulled up all the staples, and lived with the sub-flooring for several months while we finished saving for the new flooring. Optimal? No, but infinitely better than living in a mold farm.

The faux wood floors you mention are laminate; linoleum is actually a flooring similar to vinyl, but made from linseed oil. There are also engineered wood flooring options that install like floating hardwood floors with a significantly lower price tag.

Although sealed hardwood is pretty easy to clean up, it is not impervious to damage by pet urine. If a pet urinates on hardwood and it isn’t cleaned up quickly, it can seep into the wood causing an expensive problem. The same is true for faux wood, urine can seep between the tiles / strips and cause permanent damage.

There are two options you haven’t mentioned. Home owners who live in slab homes have the option of painting or polishing and sealing their concrete flooring. If the incontinent dog is going to be around for several more years, this may be an attractive and easy-to-clean option.

Just like tile or hardwood, some people find concrete uncomfortable to stand on for extended  periods. Throw rugs, with non-skid backing or a rubber mat can make a world of difference. In my restaurant days, when pulling double shifts we would sometimes break down cardboard boxes and use the corrugated cardboard as extra cushioning under the rubber mats. I don’t recommend this technique in your kitchen, though.

All hard flooring does little to dampen sound within a room. Sound bounces off the hard surfaces, creating an echo effect. A large area rug can help immensely -I say this, as the sound of Hot Wheels, Tie Fighters, and princess shoes clatter around my living area as I’m trying to type. We need to quit waffling and purchase an area rug before my sanity frays any further.-

Good luck, flooring is a major purchase and I commend you for doing research before making your decision.

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

Dear Home Ec 101,

I have heard dull knives are more dangerous than sharp knives. I can’t wrap my brain around this idea. Doesn’t a sharp knife do more damage?

Signed,

Perpetua the Perplexed

Heather says:

With knives it’s all about control.

Think about cutting a firm, slippery object such as an apple. When the smooth edge of a knife is applied to the slick surface of the apple one of two things will happen: either the blade of the knife will skid along the surface of the fruit or it will cut into the flesh. A dull knife is more likely to slip rather than cut. Once the knife has slipped it is a matter of luck and reflexes where the business end goes.

When cutting items a sharp knife requires much less pressure to cut into an item. When combines with a reduced tendency to slip, this gives a cook greater control over the blade.

So yes, a sharp knife applied directly to your skin will cause more damage than a dull one; however as cooks rather than cannibals, fingers are not a primary target. Keep your knives sharp, practice safe cutting techniques, and your chances of injury in the kitchen will drop significantly.

Send your domestic queries to helpme@home-ec101.com.

Dear Home Ec 101,

Is there a particular reason we are supposed to leave the oven door slightly open while broiling? Is this just one of those things my mother taught me that actually has no basis in reality? Hush mom, do I really have to bring up the eating the crust of bread will make my hair curl thing again?

Signed,

Broiling in Brevard

Heather says:

Broiling is a specific method for applying heat to food. When a recipe directs food to be broiled, it is expected for the item to be exposed, relatively closely to a source of dry, intense heat. For many models, the best results are achieved with the door left ajar a couple of inches. In fact, most models have a stop that makes this easy.

It is important to consult your manual, as some gas ovens will not operate with the door ajar.

These gas ranges are typically vented and designed to not shut off during broiling.

On some electric models, if the door is left closed the temperature of the entire oven, not just the surface of the food closest to the heating element will rise. This rise in heat may trigger the heating element to cycle off, reducing the amount of exposure to direct or radiant heat. The food will continue to cook, but it will do so more slowly and by convection or contact with the heated air.

Additionally electric heat doesn’t help a whole lot with the moisture factor, venting the door has the added benefit of allowing steam to escape.

Remember broiling is often used as a quick way to cook foods with the application of  high heat. Always keep an eye on foods while broiling as they can quickly go from nearly done to burnt, in the time it takes to just check your email or see what’s happening on Facebook.

Probably not in the time it takes to fan Home Ec 101 on Facebook though.  </wink wink nudge nudge>

Send your domestic queries to helpme@home-ec101.com.

Heather says:

Once in a while every cook stumbles on a technique that transforms a vegetable from a tolerated item into a highly anticipated side dish. This technique which can easily be modified does it for broccoli and I. Admittedly I never hated broccoli, I just didn’t love it, except in salads like broccoli almond salad, where the florets are little crispy sponges soaking up dressing.

But here there is the perfect balance of crisp and tender, with a hint of heat and of course, garlic. Vampires don’t stand a chance, if you cook the Home Ec 101 way.

Use your imagination when using this technique. Omit the parmesan cheese and substitute bacon crumbles or toasted sunflower seeds, top with cheese sauce, or go vegan and omit the cheese and sprinkle with a tangy vinegar or lemon.

Roasted Broccoli Recipe Ingredients

• 1 bunch broccoli cut into bite-sized florets, stems peeled and cut into 1/8″ discs
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed and roughly chopped
• pinch of crushed red pepper *optional*
• 1/8 cup parmesan cheese
• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Roasted Broccoli Recipe Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425F.

Over medium heat in a small, heavy skillet heat the smashed garlic cloves, olive oil, and optional crushed red pepper -if that’s your thing, it is mine- for about 5 minutes.

Smashing the garlic cloves increases the number of broken cells in the garlic clove, this allows more of the oils that carry the garlic flavor to infuse into the olive oil. It is perfectly all right to double or triple the amount of olive oil needed (plus the extra seasoning, of course) and store the extra in the refrigerator. The oil will become solid in the fridge, but it will return to liquid when brought back to room temperature for the next batch.

Immediately remove from the heat if the garlic begins to brown, it should be golden, burnt garlic has a very bitter taste and will do nothing for your impression of broccoli.

Place the broccoli in a large bowl, pour the hot olive oil over the broccoli, and toss to coat evenly.

Included for amusement, I apparently got into a fight with my DOF and lost.

Spread on a baking sheet, lightly sprinkle with salt and bake for 8 – 10 minutes, just until the florets begin to brown.

Toss with parmesan cheese and fresh ground pepper.

Enjoy!

Submitted to What I Learned This Week.

Heather says:

Happy Pi Day! In honor of the date, I thought I would round up all the pie posts I’ve done over the last few years.

To kick things off, here’s a Pie Crust Tutorial. By the fourth or fifth time I made pie, I felt like a pro. Hang in there for those first few tries.

For those with a sweet tooth we have:

Caramel Apple Pie – brown sugar ensure this one will be a hit.

Butterscotch Pie – a meringue pie with a surprise inside. It’s a very sweet pie without the usual citrus tang.

Lemon Lime Meringue - a twist on the classic. If you’re a fan of key lime pie, this should be right up your alley.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie – It’s always good to have a few gluten free recipes in the arsenal.

For those who are fans of savory pies, don’t worry, I have your number:

Chicken Pot Pie – No kitty, that’s my pot pie. /Cartman

Fisherman’s Pie – this falls into the same category as shepherd’s and cottager’s pie. It has a white sauce and is fairly simple.

Gardener’s Pie? – I still haven’t settled a good name on this vegetarian alternative to the beef or lamb classic shepherd’s pie.

Two Bean Tamale Pie – a little vegetarian Tex Mex twist on the shepherd’s pie theme

Of course I saved the best for last, it wouldn’t be Home Ec 101 without mentioning Tomato Pie. Google wouldn’t lie to me, would it? This is the most printed recipe on the site. Promise me, you’ll just bookmark it to try when tomatoes come into season. Hot house tomatoes just aren’t the same as their in-season counterparts.

Heather says:

If you read solely through the RSS feed, you may have remained safe from all the shuffling and sorting of the last week. If so, please click through and tell me what you think of the new look.  A few more categories will be added to the new drop down menus, but they should make navigating the site much easier. The retro icons will be added as post images based on category, but it’s a learning process and I’m trying to figure out how to easily implement this without going back through the posts.

On a bragging note, the one sheet pan meal I put together for the demo on the local TV spot ended up on the front page of Lifehacker.com. This made this geeky, fan-girl’s heart pitter-patter with glee.  It has also inspired a series of recipes based on that technique and no, it won’t be limited to fish. So hang tight, some fun things are coming.

I hope you are doing well. Have you done something different with your hair? It looks great. /creepy flattery

Heather says:

I spent the weekend digging through the nearly 1400 posts here on Home Ec 101, tagging, sorting, and doing other fun maintenance. While doing so, I stumbled on a post from 2008 asking readers for their best cleaning tips. I thought it would fun to share their knowledge in a conveniently packaged formatt.

Enjoy!

Jasi

When I have guests or well-intentioned, pushy family for dinner, I quickly clear the table into a dollar store dish tray. I have it pre-filled with warm soapy water and stow it beneath the sink for washing up later. I even slip back on the child-lock in case Gramma gets any ideas. This keeps the party going, keeps people out of my kitchen and keeps the sink clear! It’s the best one-dolla-trick to save a bit of sanity. Plus the dishes are an absolute breeze after they’ve been soaking.

Margaret

I used to drag my heavy canister vacuum cleaner up and down my painted wood steps to vacuum them clean. Now I DUST them! It’s fast (just get out and dampen some rags), quiet (I do it while the kids nap), and less hassle (no outlet to search for, no worries about the vacuum falling down the steps, no odd angles to contort the hose into).

La Rêveuse

Almost no-fail stain remover is Goop hand cleaner in the tub with the white top. Works well for grease stains that show up after they come out of the dryer–the bane of my existence.Use for those free toothbrushes that come with toothpaste sometimes but are too hard to use on a regular basis–great for scrubbing that grotty little area behind the faucet that a sponge won’t scour, around the handles, grout, under the rim in the toilet, and even cleaning some jewelry (not after the toilet, obviously, and not soft stuff–platinum and diamonds would likely handle it fine.) Much greener than nasty chemicals and does a better job!Great microfiber cleaning rags can be found by the huge bagful in the automotive section at Wal-Mart . 4 bucks for a big bag, and they are wonderful for cleaning just about anything. I even cut them in 1/4’s and use them as cloth baby wipes. Super soft, and very absorbent, and you’re not paying for the ‘miracle cloth’  label.

Bramble

Polish shower walls with car wax. Keeps the mildew down for a long time. Be careful not to do the floor of the tub/stall unless you like broken hips.

Stephanie

My newest thing I have learned is to dust the lamp shades with one of those sticky tape lint removers. Works great! I am thinking about trying it on my plants as well!

Stephanie

Baby powder or corn starch will remove oil stains from clothing. Just sprinkle it on and it will wick the oil right out of the fibers. Shake off the excess, scrape off the caked powder and repeat until the stain is gone! Yay!

Have you ever seen those little yellow bottles called “Stain Devils”? They have all kinds of different formulas, grass, blood, grease, ink… I love them! I used to buy them at Jo-Ann fabric but I am not sure where to buy them around here.

You can clean leather sneakers with a magic eraser. It is amazing. (It also cleans soap scum off the shower — even the glass door)

Carol

I use the small cheap paint brushes (the kind that the kids would paint with) to clean the inside of the top of my sippy cups and all the small suction parts. Also works great if you have something stuck into crevices of plastic tops for food storage.

Karen

I use the brush attachment to vacuum every surface in my bathroom before cleaning it. I used to hate how sponges and rags just pushed lint/hair/dust around.

Marie

6 people, one toilet.

I keep “wet wipes” on the back of the toilet. They aren’t free, but I don’t know. I spend maybe $5 a month for them. Once a day, I wipe down the dirtiest area in there (the seat, or under the seat, or around the base, or whatever). Then flush the wipe. My toilet is ALWAYS clean.

Dana

I’m a complete convert to just using a half water/half vinegar mix in a spray bottle to clean everything. It’s cheap, it’s easy, there are no toxic chemicals, no fake smells, and it really works.

Margo

My best cleaning tip is to hire someone else to do it for you, but since I don’t have the money for that I’d have to say what works for me is not putting anything off and just doing it as soon as I see it needs getting done. I have to kick myself in the butt a lot during the day. Sometimes I have to put encouraging little notes around the house to get myself going!

Jen

Mine is a bit of a cheat, but with it being shedding season for both of my dogs, some times it’s hard to keep up with all the hair, and that’s always when the mother in law calls to say she’s stopping by. So, when there are tumbleweeds of dog hair floating around on my hard floors and I don’t have time to vacuum, I pull out one of our fleece blankets (the ones that the dogs sleep with) and just drag it around the room really quickly, it doesn’t get everything, but the static picks up most of the dog hair and then it can just be washed after a quick shake in the yard. If you use fabric softener on your fleece blankets, this won’t work. And we only do it with the dog blankets. I wouldn’t suggest doing it with your own bedding.

Another anti-shedding tip–my dogs are great about staying off the couch and chairs when I’m home, but as soon as the garage door closes, I know they’re back up on the couch leaving their fur all over it! I’ve found that if I pick up a few of the cheap old-fashioned spring mouse traps, set them and then lay them MECHANISM DOWN on the couch, if the dogs try to jump up on the couch, it springs the trap (it’s harmless since it’s mechanism down, the trap just makes a noise and jumps up into the air, it doesn’t catch the dog) and the dog will leave the couch alone. This also works for dogs who try to get their noses up on the counters. I have big dogs though, this might be a bit much for a little guy.

bojah

I recently ran out of dryer sheets, & had a load of laundry that required them (I don’t use any kind of treatment, either in the wash cycle or the dryer, for a load of towels). I grabbed a bottle of hair conditioner, mixed a little bit with some water, & put some of this mixture on a clean rag and into the dryer it all went. Everything came out fine, & static free. I will say I prefer the ease of dryer sheets, but I was happy to have this method to see me through until I made my next shopping trip to town.

Peintre

My tip is for microwaves: Place a bowl half full of water with about half a lemon (or lemon juice, I have a lemon tree in my backyard so I always use that) in the microwave for 6-10 minutes or so. The dirt just wipes away and doesn’t leave any chemicals to cook into your food later (plus it smells like lemons!)

Tina

Use vinegar instead of carpet shampoo. Gets the stains out and leaves no residue that will attract future dirt. Got my carpet cleaner than I ever thought was possible and it neutralizes pet stains to boot!

What can you add to the list?

Heather says:

I have been in a mood where nothing sounds good or worth the effort. If it weren’t for menu planning, everything would go to pot around dinner time, so there is that. Yesterday served as a perfect illustration. I scrapped the plans due to company, we had pork spare ribs -I used the same technique as for the beef in this recipe-, roasted broccoli, and pasta salad, but it took my husband and I a good hour of idea volleying before anything sounded remotely appealing. As an added bonus it was fab (yes, I am patting myself on the back) and there is more than enough for dinner tonight.

Do you have phases like this?

If so, how do you snap yourself out of them?

• Monday – L/O Ribs, pasta salad & roast broccoli
• Tuesday – Reubens for the adults, grilled cheese for the kids, unless they decide to brave the sauerkraut, cream of broccoli soup, sliced apples
• Wednesday –  White chicken chili – I’ve never made or even had this, so it’s a big Fearless Friday experiment.
• Thursday – C.O.R.N.
• Friday – Spaghetti with marinara, sautéed yellow squash
• Saturday – Pizza Night – Theme to be determined
• Sunday – Roast chicken, broiled asparagus, stove top macaroni and cheese

Do you menu plan? If so, I’d love to hear what you’re having for dinner this week. Feel free to share in the comments or link to your own site.

If you would like to get started menu planning, I put together a primer to help you out:

• Menu Planning Primer – Part 1
• Menu Planning Primer – Part 2
• Menu Planning Primer – Part 3

Heather says:

I’d like to thank @jaxcc for alerting me to the massive recall of potentially contaminated items. It’s important to check your pantries for items in this list from the FDA. This pdf is the full list of recalled products. I will list the brands below as a quick way to decide whether or not you need to download the list and go through your entire pantry.

Salmonella is most dangerous to the young and the elderly. While salmonella is often associated with raw chicken it has other sources and vegetarians need to be aware that the contaminated ingredient is Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein and it is present in vegetarian items, too.

*EDIT* 3/8/2010: The list of recalled Products has been updated.

New Brands Added to the recall:

Reser’s
Herbox
Concord Foods
McCormick
Delicioso
De la Casa
Fresh Food Concepts
HK Anderson
CVS
Rojo’s
Safeway
Sunflower Markets
National Pretzel Company

Brands involved in this recall are:

Castella

Follow Your Heart (frozen, prepared meals, many vegetarian)

Great Value (Walmart’s generic, Ranch Chip Dip)

Hawaiian

Homemade Gourmet

Johnny’s Fine Foods

Oak Lake Farms

T. Marzetti

Trader Joe’s (Organic Creamy Ranch Dressing & Dip)