Retro Saturday: Crayons in the Dryer

Retro Saturdays give Ivy and I a chance to replay some of our favorite posts and spend some time with our families.

Ivy says:

So much I wanted to write about, but alas, I’ve been spending all night dealing with a crayon in the dryer disaster. Anyway, my loss is your gain, since I’m sure you’ll remember this and make sure to apply the lesson I learned: always check the pockets of every item that goes in the wash, even top pockets of shirts that belong to little boys.

So, what do you do when you run a crayon through your wash and then it makes it into the dryer? First, cry. Then, panic. No, wait, that’s what I did. No, just go to the Crayola website where they have instructions on how to get rid of Crayola stains of all sorts.

In case you don’t feel like trekking all the way over to the Crayola website, I’ll tell you what it said. First, get the crayon marks out of the dryer by spraying it down with our good friend WD-40. Then wash the WD-40 residue out of the dryer with dishwashing liquid. Then run a load of clean rags through the dryer to make sure there’s no residue left. No need to have to do this next part on another load of laundry. Because it is a pain in the butt, but it works.

Make a little pad of paper towels. Then get out our good friend, WD-40 again and spray the clothing. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and then flip it over on the other side and repeat the process. Then take liquid dishwashing liquid and work it into the stain.

Then, if that wasn’t enough drama, wash the clothing with hot water, with laundry detergent and bleach (color safe bleach if you’re dealing with colored clothing, natch) for either 12 minutes if your washer has a timed cycle, or the heavily soiled setting if it doesn’t. Use warm water to rinse. Check your clothes before you put them back in the dryer to make sure you got all the stains out, but you will. Any process that is that big of a pain generally works. It worked for me, yo.

Finally, put your feet up and pour yourself an iced tea (or something stronger, if you’re into that) and relax. You deserve it after that drama!

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

Retro Saturday: Biscuit Baking

Retro Saturday is a chance to see a blast from the Home Ec 101 past and gives Ivy and I a chance to relax.
Heather says:

I searched high and low. I tried at least a dozen recipes people swear were from Grandma and now I have it. This is the one I recommend to biscuit novices. This is my choice for those who are scared of rolling pins and feel unsure about kneading.

Basic biscuits:

• 2 cups all purpose flour + extra for dusting
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening (COLD)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (COLD)+ 2 TBSP
• 1 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Melt the 2 TBSP unsalted butter and pour into a 10″ square cake pan. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl thoroughly combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the shortening and grate in the butter. If you have a pastry cutter you can work it in that way, but for novices I find a grater simplifies the process. Do not worry about the little bit that sticks to the grater.

Using your fingers work the shortening and butter into the flour mixture. When it is thoroughly combined it will resemble coarse crumbs.

Add the milk and stir until just combined. The dough will be VERY sticky, that is exactly how it is supposed to be.

Heavily dust your work area and hands with flour. Turn the dough onto the floured surface. Fold each side toward the middle. Pick up the dough, redistribute the flour on your work surface, turn the dough over, and set back down. Once again fold each side to the middle. Pick up the dough and turn it over. Set it down and using your hands, gently press it out until it is about 3/4″ thick.

Using a biscuit or cookie cutter, cut the dough into 2″ circles. Push the cutter straight into the dough and pull it straight out. It sounds silly, but do not twist the cutter. You can push the scraps together to salvage the last biscuit. One at a time, set each biscuit into the buttered cake pan, then turn over, this gives them a nice buttery topping without having to use a pastry brush.

Bake 15 minutes or until golden.

Yields ~ 9 biscuits

Mini-blind Maintenance

Welcome to Retro Saturday where we post a blast from the Home Ec 101 past so Ivy and I can have a day with our families.

Dear Home-Ec101,

I live in an apartment and my mini-blinds are covered with the funk of thousands of tenants. Can you please tell me the best way to clean these?

Signed,

Dusty Shades

Ivy says:

I hate mini-blinds. My cats break the ends off of them because they MUST sit in the window and they need plenty of space for that window-sitting. I also think they get dingy after awhile no matter what you do and I really hate that. When I bought my house, I vowed to never have them, and I don’t. I use the cheap matchstick shades instead. I totally dig them.

Anyway, in an apartment, you’re stuck, so let me tell you the best method of cleaning them I have found. Take them down and put them in a bathtub with a little Dawn dishwashing liquid. Let it soak for several hours. Then drain the tub and spray it off thoroughly with the shower head. Hang to dry (I usually hang it over the shower bar) and when it’s dry, re-hang them. Using this method you probably  won’t have to scrub the blinds.  Use a soft cloth on any stubborn spots.

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com

Retro Saturday, a day late: Stupid Questions Edition

I’m running a bit later than I wanted to for church, so here you guys get retro Saturday on Sunday! This edition of Stupid Questions ran on May 12, last year.

Ivy says:

After a brief hiatus, Kathy is back with more Stupid Questions! Thank God, because I have had the crappy day to end all crappy days, and I love Stupid Questions.

1. What’s a really great Mother’s Day gift for the Mom who has everything, lives faraway, and is on vacation now anyway?

How about a mix CD with songs she’ll like, plus some songs that make you think of her? Tip: Do NOT put “Cat’s in the Cradle” on there, no matter how much you think she likes the song. Trust me on that one.

Heather says:

My mother-in-law is the type that has everything she wants and is particular to boot.  Rather than giver her something she feels obligated to display I try to give her a picture of her grandchildren and a thank you note for being a special part of their lives.  It lets her know she is appreciated without cluttering up her home.

2. Yesterday was my sister’s birthday. I tried to call early in the day, but couldn’t reach her. Then I forgot because I suddenly got really busy the rest of the day and evening.What’s a great way to make that up to her?

Lie like a rug. Tell her, “I tried to call but then my dog ate one of my children. The plague! Locusts! It wasn’t my fault, I swear it!” If all else fails, throw yourself on your knees and beg mercy.

Heather says:
If she gives you a hardtime bring up a time you covered for her or when she got you in trouble.

3. Any secrets for getting really bad tangles out of hair?

My daughter has the worst hair ever for tangles. It’s both very fine and there’s lots of it, it’s just a nightmare. Oh, and she’s tenderheaded. Oy. I was told by a beautician to start at the top of the tangle and to always brush it dry to avoid breakage.

That might be true, but what I have found is the best way to detangle is to wash it, put a crapload of detangling conditioner on it, wash that out then comb it out while it is still wet, starting at the bottom of the tangle. Once a bit is detangled, I clip it out of the way. To keep her less tangly, I try to get her to let me braid it before she goes to sleep. This works sometimes, but she’s really cranky about letting me braid it because I am a tight braider.
4. What’ the lifespan of a video tape? I want to start dubbing to DVD and kinda need to know how long I have… like can I do this when I finally retire in 20 years?

Dude, I told you, nothing I’d have to look up! Anyway, I did look it up and found this great link about the care and feeding of your videotapes. For what it’s worth, my mom has videotapes she taped back in 1985 that she still watches from time to time. It’s funny, commercials are way more interesting when they’re over 20 years old.

Bonus tidbit for people who lived in Indianapolis in the 1980s: “So come on over to Don’s Guns and get you a few guns! I don’t want to make any money, folks, I just love to sell guns!”
5. Any suggestions on how to get a dog to stop digging in the yard?

Dogs tend to dig and do other destructive stuff when they’re bored. Give them some stuff to play with and make sure you’re spending lots of time with them.
6. Speaking of pets, my cat has started to carry my daughter’s sock around in her mouth. Then she’ll make a gutteral growl/meow and lay on top of it. What the heck is going on there?

I dunno, man. My dog likes to take my panties under the bed and if anyone tries to get them away from him, he gets really irate. It’s curbed my tendency to throw dirty clothes on the floor, but I still have no idea why he does it. I think maybe they do it to feel closer to their favorite human. I think it’s kind of creepy.
7. What do you think of those nifty digital picture frames? I want one and want it bad!

Keep in mind that I didn’t have one single family picture displayed in my house until last year, but I think they’re way too expensive to be worth the cost. Give it a couple of years and they’ll be really inexpensive.

8. I’m really bad at negotiating for a price markdown at yard sales. Sellers generally get PO’d at me when I try… any suggestions? (When I have a yard sale, I generally double the price so I can come down, don’t all people do that?)

Maybe you’re going about it the wrong way. When I’m bargaining, I usually say something like, “I really like this (yard sale item). I’d love to put it in my (random room it would go in). Would you consider taking (price) for it?”

BTW, when I price my yard sale items, I generally price them slightly above what I’ll take for it. I never double the price I’ll take for it because I think if prices are lower, people who aren’t down with the bargaining won’t buy.
9. Tell me a really dirty word in a foreign language that I can yell out every now and then with no guilt!

Here are my 2 favorites.

Caga en tu leche! is spanish for “I pooped* in your milk!”. It’s a good way to insult people who don’t speak spanish. Don’t say that to spanish speakers. They’ll think you’re an idiot.

I also love pinche pitufa. Click the link for the definition of pinche (but be forewarned, very bad words!). Pitufa is what spanish speakers call Smurfs.

I hate to be a killjoy, but even if you’re swearing in other languages, you’re still swearing, yanno.

Heather says:

When my kids are being aggravating I like to tell them, “Fermez la bouche!” (firm-ey la bousche)  It’s French for shut your mouth, but it sounds nicer.

10. Can you recommend a good jewelry cleaner?

Mild soap and water. Seriously. It, of course, depends on the jewelry, but a mild soap is your best bet in most cases.

Heather says:

Windex and an old, soft toothbrush work well on diamonds. Do not EVER use this on softer stones, the ammonia may damage them.

*Pooped is the much nicer word for it. Since my granny reads the site, and is very offended by the “S” word, I’m not gonna type it out.

Retro Saturday: Kitchen Clean Up

Welcome to Retro Saturday where we share a post from the past so we can enjoy weekends with our families.

Dear Home Ec 101:

I know there is a proper way to clean up after handling raw meat. Do you have the specifics?

~Sal Monella

Heather says:

Excellent question, my dear! Not many people realize that cleaning up after handling raw meat is a two step process. If you skip either you run the risk of setting yourself up for a case of food poisoning via cross contamination.

1) Wash the cutting board or counter with hot soapy water.

2) Disinfect the area with a mild bleach solution of 1/3 cup regular strength, unscented bleach to 1 qt water or commercial disinfectant. I keep my bleach solution in a labeled spray bottle.

The two step process is vital, the soapy water brings dirt and bacteria out of the microscopic crevices and breaks up oily films or residues that may protect bacteria. The bleach solution kills any bacteria that may have been left behind. Skipping either step will allow bacteria to remain on the food preparation surface.

Always clean any surface prior to working with food. If you live with cats it is especially important to use a disinfectant prior to food preparation, as even the most well behaved cat may take a stroll down the counter when you aren’t paying attention.

Finally, always be sure to thoroughly wash your hands both before and after handling raw meat.

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

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