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Casa Quickie: Reuse Your Dryer Sheets

CasaSugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:00:54 PDT

Your dryer sheets aren't only good for eliminating static cling and leaving your clothes smelling so fresh and so clean, you can reuse them for other household chores once your laundry is finished. They're great for picking up dust on your furniture and window blinds. You can also use them to remove food stuck on your pots and pans. Just fill the dirty pot or pan with water, toss in a used dryer sheet, and let it soak for about an hour. The sheet will help lift and loosen the gunky stuff. Then, wash the pan as usual. Presto! Pots and pans so fresh and so clean!

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Lil Find: Zoo Animal Pancake Pan

LilSugar — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 07:00:30 PST

If your house already feels like a zoo, one cage-free way to tame the chaos is with a fun breakfast And, the Animal Pancake Pan is the wild way to start the day and a good way for your child to brush up on their knowledge of giraffes, lions, monkeys, elephants, rhinos, camels and crocodiles.

Lil ones can practice their calls of the wild while filling their stomachs with the most important meal of the day. The $40 skillet makes seven three inch hot cakes at a time making it easy for a mother to feed her pride.

Holy Grilled Cheese

YumSugar — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 07:51:32 PDT

Remember when the grilled cheese with the Virgin Mary on it sold for $28,000? I was totally mystified, I couldn't believe someone would pay that much for a grilled cheese. If Mary fetched that much, imagine how much one with Jesus on it would go for. Actually, I don't know if it would go for that much, thanks to the Jesus Pan everyone can make their own Jesus grilled cheese. I think grilled cheese just got a little more heavenly...

This "As Seen On TV" gadget (although I've never seen it on TV), comes in a set of two for $29.99. And if you're not into grilled cheese (and if that's the case I'm not sure how we can remain friends), don't forget, you can always make heavenly hotcakes, or steaks instead.

Gotta Love the Brownie Edges

YumSugar — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 00:09:03 PST

Do you prefer the crisp edge of a perfectly made brownie? Wish there was someway to make every piece taste the same? Well you're in luck. The folks at the Baker's Catalogue have come up with a great new Brownie Edge Pan that will ensure that every bite is as crisp as the first.

So how about you, do you prefer edges or middles?

10 Tips to Save on Memorial Day Grocery Shopping

Emily Co — Sat, 26 May 2012 00:15:10 PDT

It's fun to host people for a barbecue, but it can also get quite pricey when everyone isn't chipping in. Consumer expert Andrea Woroch provides suggestions to cut your grocery bill when shopping for your Memorial Day meal:

Prepare most of your meal. Woroch says, "The general rule for prepared foods is that they are more expensive, and it's cheaper to buy the ingredients to prepare yourself." For example, prepared veggie platters and fruit salads "are never a good deal" and aren't exactly the freshest produce. However, prepared potato salad at a regular supermarket is less expensive and will save you time in the kitchen.

Get chicken from the butcher. Buy chicken breasts from the butcher counter instead of the prepared packets. They tend to be cheaper and are generally more fresh.

Consider boxed wine. Save money by skipping the bottled wine and going for the box. "Boxed wine is an affordable option for large parties, and the quality has greatly improved in recent years," she says.

Buy liquor at a superstore. If you're insistent on a specific bottle, then check out warehouse clubs like Costco. There are better deals on wine, liquor, and beer at a superstore, according to Woroch. While you're there, pick the store's generic version of vodka for an even cheaper deal.

Make your own salad dressing and marinade. Check out recipes online - here's a list of over 60 different marinades to make. "Most people will already have the basic ingredients like olive oil, some type of vinegar, and herbs at home," she says. "Other ingredients like lemon or lime, soy sauce, or honey won't cost much extra."

Read on for more.

A Veggie-Filled Indoor Picnic

OnSugar Blog — Thu, 24 May 2012 11:45:46 PDT

A sandwich of asparagus and mushrooms could be kind of dull - or, as Between the Bread demonstrates, it could be a triumphant lesson in culinary restraint.

Ann Arbor's famed Zingerman's Deli is known for its corned beef sandwiches, but it's also not shy when it comes to packing on farmers market fresh veggies.

This recipe, dubbed Rodger's Big Picnic, comes from my trusty Roadfood Sandwiches cookbook, which describes this sandwich as Zingerman's ode to Michigan produce and particularly asparagus.

Putting this recipe together, I worried it would be too dull. The mushrooms are just broiled, not marinated, and the sandwich is adorned with nothing but sharp cheddar and Dijon mustard.

But with perfectly cooked, totally fresh produce, two ingredients are all you need. The sandwich was unexpectedly graceful, simple yet full-bodied, and hard to put down.

For the recipe, keep reading.

Cauliflower Gratin

OnSugar Blog — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:30:00 PDT

Looking for an elegant yet simple way to serve cauliflower? Look no further than Fresh Tart's gluten-free version of cauliflower gratin.

Perhaps it's cliche that I read MFK Fisher's The Gastronomical Me and wanted to immerse myself in the world of food, but that's OK. Who wouldn't want to do exactly that after reading that sexy, scrumptious book? My goodness that woman could write, my mouth waters (and my heart swoons) just thinking about it.

There's one passage in particular that has had me making simple cauliflower gratins for years. I purposely don't look back at the specifics, I just count on how incredible she made cauliflower roasted with cream and Gruyere sound, swiped through with crusty bread and enjoyed with cold wine.

Lord.

So here's my version, so simple, so completely gluten-free, so much better than the pasta dish I served to Nathan and John tonight (in my opinion). I threw in some arugula leaves this evening because I had them, but you wouldn't need to include them.

Keep reading for an elemental cauliflower gratin recipe.

Pucker Up to a Lemon Buttermilk Bundt Cake

Sara Yoo — Mon, 21 May 2012 06:15:30 PDT

After eating my way through the cupcake craze, I'm ready to put my muffin tins away and dust off the cake pans that have been sitting at the back of my cupboards.

Don't get me wrong: I love a tiny handheld treat. But there's something very satisfying slicing into - and serving - a full-sized cake.

This time of year, I want something that goes well with a cup of tea or a scoop of fresh berries, something that makes me feel like a real hostess when friends drop in. So when I came across a recipe for a glazed lemon buttermilk cake, I knew I had found the perfect match.

The cake is moist and tangy, thanks to the addition of vegetable oil and buttermilk, but it's the lemon glaze that gives it a real lemony kick. It's great as a dessert, but I enjoy it most as a midafternoon excuse to put off doing laundry for just a little bit longer! For the recipe, just keep reading.

Buzz Blabber: Grey's Anatomy Finale Is a Big Upset

Maggie Pehanick — Sun, 20 May 2012 03:05:00 PDT

It looks like we weren't the only ones gabbing about the big entertainment stories this week! Grey's Anatomy ignited quite a response by ending its season with a shocking death. The news is in about all the series cancellations and renewals, and not everyone is pleased. Meanwhile, the Magic Mike stars graced the cover of Entertainment Weekly, but not everyone is feeling the stripper vibe. Check out the most talked-about stories of the week!

Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes shocked viewers

"I was very disappointed with season finale. You figure they'd want the show to be at its best the last two seasons. I don't understand the need to kill off a character that everyone loves when there are so many other other characters that we can do without: April, Teddy, Owen, even Arizona. Fans that have been watching Grey's from the very beginning are very attached to characters that have been around for a while." - Karen2711218
"Lexie was by far the most interesting and complex character on the show. She is portrayed by a talented actor and her scenes were always the most interesting for me to watch. I have to say that her death on the show was shocking and disappointing." - Mauli2713484
"I'm also disappointed by the finale! I kept hoping that it was all Meredith's dream! I really loved Lexie and was hoping her and Mark would finally be together!" - Kpeezy20

To check out what TV cancellations viewers were bummed about, just

Networks broke some hearts with cancellation announcements

"Very bummed that Pan Am, GCB and Ringer were canceled! Can't believe 2 Broke Girls got another season. Finder was really good. Although I like Awake I can see why it didn't have enough viewers to keep the show going. I think it's time for all the CSIs to cancel. How many new ways can they kill a body?" - mdmachlin
"Happy that all my shows are coming back (30 Rock, Smash, Happy Endings, Once Upon a Time) and have to admit, I thought some of the shows on this list were already over, like Private Practice and 90210, and a good chunk had never heard of." - Jesssa
"So unfortunate that some of these shows are canceled. I liked Finder and Awake. I can't believe Whitney was renewed for another season. It's about time CSI: Miami is over!" - letter2elise

Not everyone is on the Magic Mike train

"Give me a break. With the exception of Matt Bomer (really sorry to see him associated with a project like this), these guys are completely interchangeable with so many other so-called actors in the business today. When I spend my hard-earned money on a movie, I want to see good acting and a decent plot, not a bunch of narcissistic body builder clones with no substance." - Janet2373373
"Plot looks ridiculous!! But I will definitely be getting my girlfriends together to go see this . . . wow." - Livvy-P
"OK, I know these guys are pretty yummy, but would people really go to the theater to see this movie? What's the story about?" - chocolate79

Photo courtesy of: ABC

Easy Ways to Get More From Your Food Budget

LearnVest — Fri, 18 May 2012 05:15:48 PDT

Go the extra mile with your food budget with these tips from LearnVest.

For years, many people - my husband, mom, sister and even my son - told me to stop wasting so much food.

Throwing away half a piece of chicken here or a handful of grapes there never seemed like such a big deal to me. If I was full or no longer in the mood for that particular food, then I had no problem tossing it.

That is, until I experienced a bad case of sticker shock during a recent trip to the supermarket. The cost of bread, eggs, fish - basically everything I was purchasing - had increased. And, according to the USDA, we can expect prices to rise even higher this year.

As I forked over my money and left with only a handful of bags, I realized just how important it is for me to pay more attention to what I spend on food . . . and to confront how much of it I shove down the garbage disposal.

Unfortunately, I'm not the only one with wasteful ways. In 2010, 33 million tons of food was thrown away, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. Obviously, wasted food means wasted money, but figuring out how to make your grocery budget go further can be a challenge.

To keep more food in your fridge (and more money in your pocket), try these expert tips.

1. Ward Against Freezer Burn

Those large bags or packages of frozen veggies or meat come in handy when you have a large family, but "each time you open a bag of frozen food, air gets in and will cause freezer burn within two to three weeks," says consumer saving expert Andrea Woroch. Freezer burn will dry out the meat and make it less tasty. Woroch suggests going small.

Read on for more.