Keeping the Castle - Housekeeping & Homemaking Tips

September 18th, 2006

The Accidental Hedonist Discusses Bagged Spinach

There have been a number of news updates since I blogged about the FDA warning about the E. coli outbreak that has been linked to bagged spinach. Rather than rehash the news, I’ll point you over to an excellent ongoing discussion by Kate Hopkins at the Accidental Hedonist. Kate is on top of the news, […]

By Maricar -- 0 comments

September 18th, 2006

HGTV’s Style Quiz

What does your choice of a dog breed have to do with your home decorating style?
Quite a bit, apparently. HGTV’s style quiz is based on a mixed bag of questions ranging from your pick of 4 different dogs to the ideal dinner date. If you don’t know what your style is, take this quiz. My […]

By Maricar -- 1 comment

September 15th, 2006

Bagged Spinach in the Hot Seat

I just got back from the grocery today, after being holed up with 2 kids at home, due to a combination of a bout with the cold and some wet weather earlier this week. I always end my grocery shopping at the fresh produce section, and what do you know, there was not a bag […]

By Maricar -- 6 comments

September 13th, 2006

30-Minute Dinners by Aurelia Williams

Rachael Ray isn’t the only one doing 30-minute dinners. Aurelia Williams - wife, mother, friend and coach - has them too. On her blog, she shares three of her all-time favorite quick meals. I’m reproducing the first one, Baked Honey-Mustard Chicken, here:

Baked Honey-Mustard Chicken
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons yellow mustard
8 chicken thighs, rinsed and patted dry
salt
freshly […]

By Maricar -- 0 comments

September 13th, 2006

Good [Enough] Housekeeping by the Blonde Mom

We do so much drudge work at home that it’s good to have a bit of fun here and there. From the Blonde Mom Blog is a glossary of terms that I think should be in every homemaker’s dictionary. P.S., the Blonde Mom has a dog.

Hairanoia
Fear that a relative or neighbor will drop by unexpectedly […]

By Maricar -- 2 comments

September 12th, 2006

Slash Your Grocery Bill

One of the oldest and most reliable ways of saving money is by cutting on food costs. For most people, that means not eating out as often. But there are also ways to cut down on grocery bills, even when you’re already cooking most meals at home.
Here are seven ways to lower your grocery bills:

1. […]

By Maricar -- 4 comments

September 11th, 2006

Displaying Photos of Different Sizes

I can’t always ensure that my family’s photos are all the same size. They’re usually 4×6 but there are the occasional ones that are smaller, like wallet sizes, or bigger, like 8×10. Sometimes, to get just the perfect photo, I need to crop out some parts of the original, leaving an odd size. Could I […]

By Maricar -- 0 comments

September 11th, 2006

Odor-free Cat Litter

If you have a cat in your home, you can make your own odor-free cat litter.
Buy the least expensive, scoopable cat litter you can find. Mix in a small box of baking soda. The baking soda will eliminate odors.
This tip was submitted by Shaunna Privratsky for Bankrate’s August Frugal $ense contest. It won her $100.
Tags: […]

By Maricar -- 6 comments