Cooking on the grill is a staple of summer meals, but to do it right, you need even cooking over the length of your grill. Hot and cool spots can ruin your food. Find your grill’s hot spots and eliminate them for a summer full of great meals. You can discover your grill’s heat pattern very easily. First cover the surface of your grill with slices of white bread. Turn the burners on high and run the grill for a few minutes. Shut off the grill and flip all of the slices of bread. You will be able to see … Continue reading →

High efficiency washers are wonderful for saving energy, saving water and saving money. They are also prone to problems that traditional washing machines don’t have, such as mold growth, suds overload, etc. Here are some tips that you can use to make sure that your high efficiency washing machine works to its maximum potential. Detergent High efficiency washing machines require special high efficiency (HE) laundry detergent to work, otherwise, the wash load may produce too many suds. Regular detergents can cause an overload. Using less of a regular detergent might help, but then you may not get the concentrated cleaning … Continue reading →

Pod coffee makers are very popular right now, and more manufacturers are making them. How do they compare to the more traditional kinds of coffee makers and how can you choose the right pod coffee maker? Here is some information that will help you decided if a pod coffee maker, also called a pod coffee brewer is right for you. Pod coffee makers make one cup or mug of coffee at a time, although most pod coffee makers let you choose the size of your cup. They work by using pods, or little cups filled with coffee grounds that are … Continue reading →

I don’t know what happened. I think a somewhat domestic body snatcher has moved in. No, I haven’t become neat, although I know my husband would appreciate that. I’ve re-discovered my love of cooking. I collect cookbooks and I used to subscribe to a number of cooking magazines. I hardly ever look at any of them, though. I look through the cookbooks available on Amazon. I still haven’t gotten inspired to start doing more than fixing meals for my husband and children. I think the turnaround came when I stumbled upon a few Facebook pages devoted to different types of … Continue reading →

This summer my biggest house project has been a kitchen remodel. This has been quite a busy project, although very rewarding. We are in our sixth week on the project and are now down to the final days. From this major remodel, I have learned a thing or two about appliance shopping. Our two main appliances we needed to purchase were a gas range and a microwave. Previous to the remodel we had an electric stove. So when we decided to make the switch to gas I was really excited. Our stove before seemed to be tilted funny, which meant … Continue reading →

Dryer efficiency hasn’t changed too much over the years. While a few improvements have been made, they are nothing compared to the efficiency of washers, for example. Still, there are number of things that you can do at home that will make your dryer more efficient, and don’t worry, none of them void the warranty. Before You Dry You can do a lot to to reduce the amount of time needed by your dryer. The lower the dry time (and the heat), the more energy and money you will save. So the goal here is to get the clothing as … Continue reading →

When my husband and I lived in our first home we had a toaster with two large slots big enough to fit bagel halves. I’m pretty sure we got the toaster as a wedding gift. It was a fine toaster and served us well. When we bought our first house the previous owners left their toaster oven behind. I boxed it up along with all the Amway product they left in the garage and gave it to the real estate agent. I know why they left it; it was really dirty and it was easier to replace than clean. Our … Continue reading →

Did you know that there’s a right way to load a dishwasher? I know that everyone who owns a dishwasher has a particular way he or she prefers to load the washer. Have you ever read the manual for your dishwasher? I did and discovered that there is a way to load our washer for best results. I appreciate my husband’s help with the dishes and I would never complain, but he doesn’t load it right. I learned from my mom growing up to load the silverware with the handles down so there’s no rust. The manual for my dishwasher, … Continue reading →

Chachuga, chachuga, chachuga, knock, knock, knock. While you might think this was the latest rehearsal for Dancing with the Stars, in reality, it was my washing machine finally giving out. I say finally sort of facetiously, since I still expect appliances to last practically forever. After my husband examined the machine, bless his handyman’s heart, we deliberated and after some discussion decided to get a new washing machine. We saved a good amount money on the purchase, and in the end, spent only about $18 more than what it would have cost to get a new motor and install it … Continue reading →

As I said to a friend this morning, computers can be a blessing or a curse. They make it easy to communicate with people far away or find out information in an instant. They are one of those things that make life easier when they are going well and are a pain in the neck when they are not. When buying a computer a lot depends on what you want it to do. Do you want a lap top that you can take everywhere with you or one that will sit in your office or the family room or a … Continue reading →