DearReena, Mychildren
aregrownandI havekeptsome oftheitems thattheyused whentheywere babies.Oneof myfavourite piecesofbaby furnitureisa bassinetteon wheels.Doyouhaveanyideaof somethingthatIcanusethisfor otherthanbabies?Ijustcan’t bringmyselftopartwithitbut alsocan’tjustifykeepingitbecause ourhomeisquitesmall. Glenda
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Glenda,
You are right to hold on to that treasure. A bassinette on wheels makes the perfect laundry basket because it can easily be rolled from one room to the next. If you need a place to store it, position it as a hamper in your bedroom.
HiReena,
A2×6-inchpieceoffabric hasmeltedontotheglass frontonmygasfireplace.Not surehowtogetitoff.TonightI turnedthefireplaceon,heated uptheglassandtriedtoscrape thefabricoffwithaspatula. Someofthemeltedfabric cameoffbutIamleftwitha black,smearedareathatlooks likepaint.Iwillbeveryappreciative ofyourexpertadvice. Thanksforyourtime. Wendy
Wendy,
You’re on the right track. I called three gas fireplace experts to ask for advice on this conundrum and they all said the same thing (that never happens!). All three retailers recommend that you use gas fireplace glass cleaner first. If the sticky residue or the black smear remains, use the same blade that glass stove-top owners use to clean their cooktop in conjunction with more of the gas fireplace glass cleaner. Do not use Windex, WD-40 or any other solvent.
DearReena,
What’sthedifferencebetween sweetenedcondensedmilkand evaporatedmilk? Glenn
Glenn,
The difference between the two lies in the sugar content – one is sweetened, one is not. Both begin as whole milk. When making evaporated milk, the milk is heated until approximately 60 per cent of the water is evaporated. Condensed milk is made by blending whole milk with sugar. It is then heated until about 60 per cent of the water is evaporated. There is a difference in the flavours of both which may make a difference when substituting one for another in recipes.
HelloReena, Iamhavinganargument
withmysister-in-lawthatIam hopingyoucansettle.Shesays thatthereisnodifferencebetween lardandshortening,but Iamarguingthattheyaretwo differentproducts.Also,can youtellmeifshorteningcanbe substitutedforlard? L.S.
Dear L.S.
Lard and shortening are both common fats used in baking and cooking. Lard is a solid form of fat usually made from pork fat or animal fat. Shortening, on the other hand, is made from partly hydrogenated vegetable oils, which have been solidified. Shortening is usually charged with nitrogen or whipped to incorporate air and then tempered into a soft product.
Lard and shortening may be used interchangeably most of the time. However, note that each adds its own flavour to the finished product and also produces different textures. For example, pie crusts made from lard are typically flakier than those made with shortening.
DearReena,
Ihaverecentlymovedaway fromhomeandhavenotperfected theartofcooking(tosay theleast).Canyoutellmehow toboilaperfectegg? Bryson
Bryson,
This is quite possibly easier than you think. Carefully place the eggs in a covered pot of water. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and leave for 13 minutes. Voila!
DearReena,
Doyouhaveanysolutionsfor strongernails?
Lynda
Lynda,
Other than making sure you have enough calcium in your diet and using nail-strengthening products on the market, you might want to consider a trick that women in the Dominican Republic use; chop fresh garlic and add it to clear nail polish. Let the concoction brew for seven to 10 days. Apparently this is very effective in strengthening nails.
Reena,
Whatisthebestwaytoorganize mitts,scarvesandtuques? LestheMessyMan
Hi Les the Messy Man,
You are not alone, speaking as a mom of four; I needed to tackle this issue before it became out of hand. In our case, I built six wooden full-size lockers – one for each member of the family. This keeps our family organized because even the three-year-old always knows where to find his missing mitten. If you do not have room for lockers or plastic or wooden cubbies use the following hints. Begin by removing out-of-season apparel and putting the items into large plastic bins. All additional winter clothing can be placed into plastic containers and stored in an area such as a large wooden bench that opens. Mittens are safety-pinned together and any clothing that has not been used within a two-year time period is donated. Mittens, tuques and scarves can also be stored in jacket sleeves or hoods.
Tip:If you eat chips from a can, save the cans and store rolled-up scarves, mittens or tuques inside. You’ll be organized before you know it!
Two Fabulous Tips of the Week!
Shiny hair– is possible with a bit of coconut oil. Rub oil onto your scalp once a week. Wash hair in the morning.
Smooth skin– use a version of the secret recipe that Cleopatra used. Into your bathwater drop two cups of powdered milk.
I enjoy your questions and tips, keep them coming!
Check out my website: www.householdsolutions.org.
Reena Nerbas is a Manitobabased professional speaker and author of the national bestselling series, Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions, Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets and Household Solutions 3 with Green Alternatives. Corporate workshops available by calling: 204-320-2757.
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RENA NERBAS
