Homekeeping

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Step into a bygone Homekeeping era with Time Warp Wives. Learn about retro Homekeeping Tips, Baking, Cleaning, Laundry, Sewing, Decorating, Party Planning and much more.

Joanne Massey

"I love nothing better than fastening my pinny round my waist and baking a cake for Kevin in my 1950s kitchen."

Queen of Clean

Cleaning Tips

The first thing the Queen of Clean suggests is to replace your chemical-filled cleansers and cleaning supplies with environmentally-friendly products. Here are some products that will save cash and eliminate toxins from your home:

White vinegar

Baking soda

Club soda

Lemon juice

White vinegar -- Used undiluted, a great spotter for suede. It's also a wonderful fabric softener. Just put 1/4 cup white vinegar in the final rinse. (And no, you won't smell like salad!)Flies ruining your picnic? Keep them away by wiping the table with undiluted white vinegar or laying some citrus peels on the tablecloth.

Baking soda -- Removes odors. Sprinkle pans liberally with baking soda, adding just enough water to moisten. Let stand for several hours. You can generally lift the burnt food right out of the pan.

Club soda -- My favorite Oh my gosh, how did I do that? spotter. Use it on any fabric or surface that can be treated with water. A slight dabbing on dry-clean-only fabrics is also permissible, just be sure to test first! Use club soda on any spill -- ask the waiter for some if you're dining out -- dab it on and blot if off. Club soda keeps spills from becoming stains and brings the offending spill to the surface so it can be easily removed. It's totally safe. I always make sure to have a bottle on hand.

Lemon juice -- This is nature's bleach and disinfectant. I don't know where we'd be without it. If you have spots on white clothes, apply some lemon juice and lay them in the sun. Apply a little more lemon juice prior to laundering, or prespray and launder as usual. This is really effective on baby-formula stains. Simmering orange or lemon peels can give your home a fresh, natural scent.

For more Information on Queen of Clean books and tips visit her website at:Queenofclean.com

How to Plan Dinner Menus

Steps

Having a regular dinner schedule invites a peaceful end to what may have been an otherwise hectic day, and whether you have the type of family that sits together for meals or everyone comes and goes as schedules allow these steps will work for you.

1-Take out a 3-ring binder and some loose-leaf paper.

2-Label different sheets of paper with the following:

* Master Menu

* Master Weekly Plan. For this one, write down the days of the week, leaving three lines for each day.

* One page for each day of the week.

3-Create a list of main dishes that you and your family enjoy on the Master Menu page you made. Do this quickly and without thinking, there will be time to edit and add on to the list later.

4-Review your list. Is there anything on it that will take longer than 30 minutes of prep (not including cooking time)? Place a star by these items and reserve them for days when you have extra time such as the weekend or special occasions.

5-Look over the remaining items, can any of them be classified into certain categories such as: Casseroles, Mexican or Sandwiches? Make notes by each one that can fit into topics.

6-Determine the day you ordinarily go grocery shopping. Mark (on your Master Weekly Plan) the day before as "Leftovers". For example, if you typically go grocery shopping on Tuesday, make Monday leftover night.

7-Figure out whether you have a day in the week that is particularly busy. Mark this day as "Quick Meal". For example, if you run errands on Thursday, mark Thursday as "Quick Meals."

8-Review the Categories you created on your Master Menu. Place different categories on different days according to what you have.

9-Fill in any remaining days with "Soup and Sandwich Night," "Family Favorites Night," or even "Cheese Night." Whatever strikes your fancy until you have all the days filled in with a designated category.

10-Grab yet another piece of paper. This will be your Current Menu.

11-Write down the days of the week until and including "Leftovers." For example, if "Leftovers" is on Thursday, and today is Monday, write down Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Leave two lines for each day.

12-Place "Leftovers" on the appropriate day.

13-Determine what you have in the house and work from that, your Master Menu, and your Master Weekly Menu Plan to fill in the main dishes from now until leftover night. Make sure you have matching side dishes, if necessary, as well.

14-Take out of the freezer whatever needs to be thawed for tonight's dinner. Be sure to include whatever side dishes you may want.

15-Create the menus for the following week in the same manner EXCEPT, you can decide what you want to make without worrying about what is already in the house (unless you want to, for example you want to get rid of that Mac & Cheese you bought a lot of because it was on sale).

16-Cull your weekly grocery list from your current weekly plan.

17-Repeat and continue updating and working with your Master Menu and Master Weekly Plan.

Research: Wikihow. Photo: Florida State Library

How To Save Money On Food

Steps

2-Clip coupons and then shop at stores which give double-coupon promotions (such as Kroger or Publix). These stores will double a coupon value up to 50 cents of its price. Some stores triple coupons!

3-Join a coupon swapping organization. This allows you to swap grocery store coupons with users in the same geographic area.

4-Learn how to make great-tasting dishes at lower cost staple food. Instead of roast beef sandwiches, eat peanut butter and jelly. Instead of steak, dine on macaroni and cheese.

5-Create a grocery list and stick to it - Take a list to the grocery store, and stick to it. Try to buy products that cost the least per ounce. Most grocery stores post the "price per ounce" of products under the cost of the product.

6-Buy in Bulk - When buying food and other supermarket items, it is usually cheaper to buy in bulk, so whenever possible, buy large amounts of durable goods that you will need for sure in the future (24 pack of toilet paper, "family size" cereal, etc.). Wholesale retailers usually sell in bulk and at much cheaper prices than their competitors, so consider applying for a wholesale club membership, like BJ"s, Costco, Sam's Club, etc., Don't forget to account for the cost of membership and transportation -- these costs may outweigh the savings. If Smart & Final is in your area, try it: it's a smaller, no-membership janitorial & restaurant supply store.

7-Don't buy things only because they are cheap; buy things if they are cheap and you are going to use them.

8-Remember that while processed foods may seem cheaper and easier, they are actually a lot more expensive and a lot less healthy. Focus on buying cheap, healthy foods like beans, lentils, pasta, etc that are easy to make, healthy and cheap.

9-Learn to cook from scratch. Cooking from scratch is the cheapest (and best) way to eat. Learn to roll yesterday's leftovers into today's meal. Manage your refrigerator: never let anything go bad. Eat it or use it as an ingredient in a sauce, casserole, or soup. For example, old lettuce can be chopped and put into a soup, old salsa can be added to a curry, and old milk can be turned into a quiche. Of course, don't use anything that has actually gone sour or rancid.

10-Shop for grocery store baked goods early in the day, when the bakeries mark down their day-old items.

11-Shop for grocery store meat later in the day, when the meat department marks down the items about to go past the "sell by" date. This meat is perfectly safe and can be frozen for later use.

12-Consider buying private-label or "store" brands. In many cases, these rival the quality of the well known brands at significantly lower cost.

13-Check out "deep-discount" grocery stores who purchase overstocks and test market items from manufacturers. These stores offer a rotating stock, so items change daily, and you may have to adjust your shopping list. But you can save up to 40% on brand-name items by being flexible with your menus. The west coast's deep discounter is Grocery Outlet (http://www.groceryoutlets.com/).

14-Meat and other animal products can be very expensive. So remember that there are plenty of other options when it comes to protein. Meatless Monday is a public health campaign associated with the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health that encourages people to give up meat one day a week to cut their intake of saturated fat. Check out the site for meatless recipes!

15-Plan your meals based on what you have on hand and on the week's sales, instead of buying food to fit recipes.

Supermarket Checkout Etiquette

Tips

You've gotten everything that you need on your shopping list, but see long lines in the checkout area. This may tip your patience level, especially if you're in a rush. This article will show you how to practice checkout etiquette at the supermarket.

1. Obey the express lane item limit. Express lanes are created for people who have a certain amount of items, such as a little snack or a little handful of groceries. This limit may be set between 6 to 15 (on average), depending on the store. Cashiers will probably look down at customers who have more than the limit and try to use the express lane to get out quicker.

2. Avoid standing in the walkway. Between the conveyor belt and the store aisles, people need to get through. Leave about a shopping cart length of space between the last person at the conveyor belt and yourself. Like traffic intersections, you may move forward if there's sufficient room for you and your cart on the checkout's side.

3. Double check on your groceries. While waiting in line, please be sure that you have everything you need and anything that you do not want. Avoid giving cashiers food, especially perishable items, because you have changed your mind at the last minute.

4. Have membership cards and coupons ready. Coupons that need to be subtracted manually with the specific item can set things back a little if the cashier is unaware of it. Be prepared to give any membership or store club cards to the cashier in advance. It saves time and the savings can be subtracted as the items gets swiped.

5. Bag your own groceries. If there is no bagger at the check-out station that you're on, it's in good faith to bag your groceries instead of waiting for the cashier to ring up everything and then have to sort and bag themselves.

6. Relax and have patience. Huffing and getting impatient will make it feel like a longer line. Read a magazine or distract yourself in another positive way. Don't scan other lines to see how fast they're moving or how many people there is in a line. These thoughts will probably cause you to move into another line; a position that may or may not be better than the previous line you were in.

7. Respond to the cashier in a positive manner. A polite greeting followed by a short conversation will make the transaction pass faster for the both of you.

8. Be sure to allow ample room between your cart and the person standing in front of you. There is nothing worse than taking a step back and hitting someone's cart because they are too close. Think of when you are driving, do you like people to tailgate? Its the same with shopping carts.

Happy Shopping!

How to Keep Your Home Organized Daily

Home Tips

1. Make your bed every day. Making your bed takes all of five minutes, but at the end of a busy day, when you can retreat to an inviting bed you will be able to feel the stresses of the day slip away as you slip under the covers. Make it a daily chore for your children to make their beds too. It will help your home look neater and teach them responsibility.

2. Do one load of laundry every day. If you do not have a washer with a timer, gather the load in the morning and throw it into the machine. As soon as you walk through the door in the evening get the load started so it will be ready to transfer to the dryer just before you sit down for dinner. The dryer will be done by the time you are finished cleaning up the dishes and you will be ready to fold the clothes and put them away. Doing a load of laundry every day adds only minutes to your daily routine, but when you do not have to spend your entire weekend trying to dig yourself out from underneath a mountain of dirty laundry, you will be glad you took those extra few minutes throughout the week.

3. Plan dinner in the morning. If you know exactly what you are going to make for dinner each night you will save yourself so much time that would have been wasted standing in front of the open refrigerator wondering what you can make. Pull anything out of the freezer that needs to defrost during the day, chop up some veggies or marinate something. If there is anything you can do in the morning to make the dinner time rush go smoother, do it.

4. Make a list of any errands you can do while you are out. Blending errands into your daily routine will save you the hassle of having to run all over town on the weekends. Can you make a stop during your lunch hour? Can you drop something off on your way in to work or can you swing by and pick something up on your way home? Doing your errands throughout the week will save you a lot of time in the long run.

5. Clean up the kitchen after dinner. Although you are exhausted at the end of the day and it is tempting to put the dishes in the sink with the thought that you will do them in the morning, how many times has the next morning come and you get busy with other things? When this happens you wind up leaving the house with the dishes still undone and you have to come home to an untidy kitchen. Make a point to spend the extra ten minutes cleaning up the kitchen after dinner so that you can start each new day with a fresh clean slate instead of getting behind and letting things pile up.

6. Clean up the living room before going to bed each a night. Make this a family chore. Take five or ten minutes to do a sweep through the living room and put everything back where it belongs. Leaving things laying around is exactly how mountains get created out of molehills.

7. Schedule homework time. Life may not always allow for strict schedules, but try to keep things as consistent as possible so that your kids know what to expect and what is expected of them. Choose a time that you will be able to stick to most nights of the week and dedicate it to homework. Turn off the television and eliminate any other distractions so that your kids can sit down and really focus on their studies. Right after dinner is a good time for this if possible. The kids can sit at the table while you are cleaning up after dinner. You can spend time together while still accomplishing the task at hand and you are readily available for any questions they may have.

8. Pick out your clothes the night before. We all know how much easier it can make the morning rush to have your children choose their clothes the night before. Practice what you preach and choose your own outfit the night before. Remove all necessary items from the closet or dresser drawers and lay them out so they are close at hand. The precious minutes you save when you don't have to try and decide what you will wear could make the difference between running late and being right on time.

9. Make a bedtime routine. Explain to all of your family members what is expected of them when you say it is time for bed. This would include things like bathing and brushing their teeth, putting their clothes in the laundry hamper, changing into their pajamas, choosing their clothes for the next day and getting into bed. Practice this so that when you say "it's time for bed," they know exactly what to do. If you do not have to follow them around telling them what to do next, while they are executing their routine, you will have time to take care of any last minute details you need to accomplish before calling it a day. If your kids need some motivation, create a reward system for each night that they can successfully accomplish their bedtime routine all by themselves.

10. Keep a note pad next to your bed. It is always just as we are getting ready to retire for the day that we remember something we have to do tomorrow. Be prepared for these end of the day ideas with a note pad at hand to write down anything you must remember. The next morning, simply pull off the top sheet of paper and put it in your pocket or purse to refer to later in the day.

Research: Wikihow

Do you or someone you know suffer from Post Partum Depression? You can visit: Post Partum Depression Website

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A Maxwell Moment

While your waiting for that load of laundry to dry or for the kids to arrive from school why not take that much deserved coffee break? Take a little moment to relax and to kick back and take a Maxwell Moment.

Cooking Terms

Can't understand your cooking book? This instructional video will help you understand those cooking terms.

How To Make Turkey Kabobs

Recipe

Fresh turkey is marinated in a soy sauce mixture then grilled or broiled to make this delicious meal. Serve this with some rice and perhaps sugar snap peas on the side. A refreshing fruit salad or mandarin oranges would make a delicious dessert.

Ingredients:

* 1/4 cup sugar

* 1/2 cup dry sherry

* 1 1/4 pounds boneless turkey steaks

* 2 small zucchini

* 2 slices pineapple, 1/2-inch slices cut into quarters

* 2 small onions, quartered

Steps:

1. Add sugar, sherry and soy sauce to a saucepan. Mix to combine.

2. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Stir constantly during the heating process.

3. Allow the soy sauce mixture to cool.

4. Cut turkey meat into 4 pieces.

5. Place turkey pieces in a shallow dish or resealable food storage bag.

6. Pour marinade over turkey and cover, if using a shallow dish, or seal the bag.

7. Chill for at least 3 hours to allow the turkey to marinate. Turn the turkey meat occasionally while marinating.

8. Prepare the grill or broiler, as needed.

9. Drain the marinade from the turkey; reserve the marinade.

10. Insert turkey strips crosswise onto metal skewers alternating with the fruits and vegetables.

11. Grill or broil, basting often with marinade during the last 10 minutes of cook time, until turkey tests done. This should take about 10 minutes.

12. Serves 4.

Photo:Creative Commons

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Recipe

Always wondered how to make store quality chocolate dipped strawberries? The following recipe uses three types of chocolates, which makes it creamier and richer than just milk chocolate.

Things you will need:

• Double boiler or Microwave

• Big mixing bowl

Ingredients:

• Strawberries

• Milk chocolate

• White chocolate

• Dark chocolate

• Cinnamon

Steps:

1. Melt the three kinds of chocolate. Use a double boiler to make sure you don't burn the chocolate. If you don't have a double boiler, you can make one by filling a medium saucepan 3/4 full with water. Then rest a smaller saucepan or a heat-proof bowl inside of it and fill it with your chocolate chips. Turn the stove on low heat. Sprinkle cinnamon in. Stir occasionally. (Microwave instructions below)

2. Rinse and dry the strawberries. You don't have to be extremely delicate with them, since the chocolate will cover most of the strawberry, but make sure to check for bruises and dark spots. Make sure to leave the stems and leaves, as they make the berries easier to grip and look nicer than if you cut them off. After rinsing each one, dry them well; the chocolate won't stick if they're wet.

3. Line a cooking sheet with wax paper. Parchment paper works just as well; whichever you have in the kitchen is fine. Make sure the cooking sheet is large enough to place all the strawberries on the sheet, as well as giving each a few inches of room for after dipping.

4. Check the chocolate. When all but a few pieces have melted, turn off the stove; you don't want to burn the chocolate, or have it boil over. Stir the last few pieces a bit to melt them. Your chocolate will be smooth and creamy.

5. Take a strawberry, and dip it completely into the chocolate. Twirl it around to get it completely coated. Put it on the cookie sheet to cool.

6. Repeat until all strawberries are covered.

7. Store in your refrigerator until the chocolate has completely hardened.

Tips:

-Milk chocolate will scorch more easily than dark/plain chocolate due to the milk solids.

-Chocolate can also be melted in the microwave oven. Microwave it in a microwave-safe dish in short bursts (20-40 seconds depending on amount of chocolate), stirring well between. The melted portions may be hot enough to melt the solid parts upon stirring.

-If you do not have a double boiler, you can melt chocolate in a saucepan or pot(just put the chocolate in the pot and heat without water), as long as you keep the heat low and stir it constantly.

Research: Wikihow & Photobucket

Toffee Apples

Recipe

Mother's Macaroni Recipe

Regina Ann Moscrop

Regina Ann Moscrop Owner of the Bear Flag Republic shares her Mother's recipe:

“My mother was born in 1930 and makes a great deal of old fashion recipes but she does not write down many. She makes a great baked Macaroni and cheese.”

Ingredients:

Macaroni Noodles

Milk or Cream

Two Eggs

Blocks of Cheese

Preparation:

Boil water and cook the macaroni noodles half done. In a lasagna pan put strained hot noodles, cover nearly to the top of the macaroni with milk or cream that has two eggs beaten into the milk or cream. Cut blocks of cheese (use as much as your taste desires), mix in. Bake for approximately 30-40 minutes till milk is almost gone. It will completely absorb when cooling off.

Regina’s Favorite Item to Cook: My favorite item to cook with is Pumpkin. Whether you cook it yourself or use canned. Put it in any bread, pancake, cookie,... and use half the sugar. The pumpkin adds wonderful flavor, sweetens anything and is better for you. When you use fresh ingredients you only have days to eat it before it goes bad, so eat it or freeze it.

You can read more about Regina Ann's Interview at: http://timewarpwivesinterviews.blogspot.com/

How to Make A Healthy Breakfast

Five Ways

1. Make your cereal or oatmeal more nutritious. Cut different berries in half or slices, for example blueberries and strawberries, slice a banana, or sprinkle some raisins on top. Pour in skim or low fat milk instead of 2% or chocolate milk. Also, try to eat whole grain rather than sugar cereals.

2.Try to have at least 1/2 cup of fresh fruit with your breakfast. Papaya, mango, cantaloupe, and oranges are the most popular fruits to match up with any breakfast item. Be sure to remove any seeds and slice off the skin before consuming.

3.Toss in vegetables into your pan of eggs. You can create so many varieties of vegetable omelets with peppers, chopped white/green onions, mushrooms, and a whole lot more. After you take the eggs off the burner, sprinkle or lay down cheese slices for additional taste. This is a great idea for lacto-ovo vegetarians since it's a little "kick" of calcium.

4.Drink calcium fortified juices, like orange juice. Choose the 100% juices for kids over the types or brands that look appealing to them.

5.Limit on the pastries. Anything that's sweet and sugary looks great on the side with coffee drinks or as a "side dish". Remember that most desserts contain empty calories, so instead of choosing a cinnamon roll, eat a bagel or English muffin.

Research: Wikihow

Download "Breakfast at Tiffany's" movie at: The Films

How To Entertain Guests

Tips

Looking after guests can be a complicated issue - sometimes even an art. What do you say? How do you act? What should you do? However, there is one secret to keeping your guests happy - keep them entertained. Entertained guests are happy, content and lighten up the atmosphere. This is the ultimate guide to the effortless and easy entertainment of your guests.

1- Use the largest space available to throw your party. Use the largest room, if you're having the party at your house. This may not be the most entertaining space, but the most important thing is the size of the venue. Large and airily spacious rooms make the place seem large and are much better than crammed tight spots. You can bring party items into the room, like a means of playing music, a table for the food and places for people to sit, play games, and dance! Opening the curtains and the windows (if the weather permits) is another way of setting the right atmosphere.

* If you're hosting an event indoors, make sure the venue is clean. Put some hours aside to get to work and make sure your venue is sparkling. Sweep; dust; vacuum; scrub; a clean environment makes an event that much more pleasant.

*If you would rather not use the inside of your home - and if you have a large enough garden - you could host a garden party or a barbecue.

2- Provide drinks and food. Be sure to ask your guests if they have any dietary restrictions or allergies when issuing invitations to the event, and adjust or add to your menu accordingly. Provide food and drink that everybody would like - you don't want to fork out for a long menu and then have one or two people just picking at it. It's best to choose the basic foods and then tweak them according to your guests' tastes and dietary restrictions. Make sure the food is of good quality and is attractively presented, as great meals are one of the easiest ways to please your guests.

3- Play music. Music will add to the atmosphere and get people in the right mood. Choose music that everyone will like - not extreme genres of musical taste. Hire a disk jockey, or if you keep music on your computer, bring it into your entertaining room so people can choose what they want to hear (Vista, for example, has a great party feature in Media Player). If you know your guests' musical tastes, then select some albums or tracks that you know a lot of them will like. If there's going to be dancing, make sure that there are some great tunes for dancing available. Try to create a playlist that suits your desired atmosphere.

4- Provide party games, and if you don't have your own, buy or borrow fun games like Twister, video games, or even dance mats like the ones in the arcade. Just remember to keep things simple - the simpler the party game is, the easier it is for people to get enthusiastic and competitive. Games that require groups of people and are fun, easy and energetic are the perfect type - try to provide games that tap into the competitive spirit.

5- Introduce your friends to each other, if you are entertaining groups of friends from different areas of your life. If you are inviting friends from work as well as friends you know from school or college, for example, then understand that you should make them all feel as comfortable as possible. If the crowd is large, then you could supply name tags, but if it is a small group, then introduce each of them to each of the others. If guests aren't introduced to each other, a lot of them will restrict themselves to groups and the event will not be as pleasant [1]. Mingle, introduce those who you think will get on with each other, and ensure that anybody who looks lonely is chatting to someone soon.

6- Talk to everyone. Thank your guests when they arrive and take their coats if applicable. Listen to what they have to say - try to use little indicators like "I see;" and "That's interesting;" to indicate that you are paying attention and that your mind isn't wandering, which will seem rude. Pay a few minutes of personal attention to each and every guest; if there are too many people, then talk to groups so they'll feel included and happy. Prepare to mingle, talk, listen and party!

Research: Wikihow