Add a small amount of quick cooking oats or grated potato to a stew to thicken it.

Bag apples, with green pears, peaches or tomatoes to help them ripen more quickly.

Chicken soaked in buttermilk for 3-4 hours before cooking will be moist and tender.

Don't salt vegetables during cooking; it draws out liquid and they won't cook evenly.

This day is all that is good and fair.
It is too dear,
With its hopes and invitations,
To waste a moment on yesterdays.
_Ralph Waldo Emerson

Laundry Room Secrets

• To remove wet stains from table linens - pour lemon juice through wet fabric and sprinkle with table salt. Place in the sun for a few hours. Rinse then hang in the sun to dry. In warm weather lay them out on the grass to dry. Chlorophyll in the grass will naturally brighten whites.
• To remove set-in stains - soak them in a washing machine filled with warm water and one cup of non-chlorine whitener or stain remover (such as Biz), then was with a mild laundry soap. Rinse twice to remove any leftover detergent.
• To have beautifully crisp linens for your table - iron using a small amount of liquid starch in a spray bottle filled with water.
• To store linens - choose a well-ventilated closet. Bundles of fresh or dried lavender or sachets will keep them smelling lovely and repel moths.
• Folding starched linens for storage weakens the fibers along the fold. Instead, roll them around sheets of acid free tissue and tie them with ribbon. An added benefit... no creases to iron or flatten before use.

• It is a common misconception that white sheets and towels should be bleached first and fabric-softened later. Bleach weakens fibers and fabric softeners reduce absorbency.
• Wash linens in warm, gentle cycles and remove them from the washing machine as soon as the final spin cycle stops.
• Line dry if possible. If you must tumble dry linens, remove them as soon as they're completely dry. The longer they tumble around in that dryer, the sooner you'll have to replace them.

• Purchase the best quality, 100% cotton, bed linens you can afford. The higher the thread count the softer, more supple and longer-lasting they'll be. An ample supply would be:
• Two sheet sets per bed
• Two pillowcases for each pillow
• Winter blankets and comforters suitable to your climate for each bed
• A lightweight summer blanket per bed
• 100% cotton towels are most absorbant. An adequate supply:
• Two wash clothes, four hand towels and two bath towels for each family member
• Guest linens - all of the above, plus two fingertip towels per person

Be careful in your selection. Do not choose too young. When once selected give your entire thought to preparation for domestic use. Some insist on keeping them in a pickle, others are constantly getting them in hot water. This makes them sour, hard and sometimes bitter. Even poor varieties may be made sweet, tender and good by garnishing them with patience, well sweetened with love and seasoned with kisses. Wrap them in a mantle of charity. Keep warm with a study fire of domestic devotion and serve with peaches and cream. Thus prepared they will keep for years.

HANDY HOUSEHOLD HINTSfrom one of my grandmother's old cookbooks, circa 1900.
Some are helpful, some will make you laugh out loud. And, some... well, some can only be described as... HUH????
See if you can figure 'em out.

• Remove the smell of onions or garlic from your hands by holding them under cold running water and passing the back of a good carving knife carefully over your skin
• Gummed tape sticks more readily if a few drops of vinegar are added to the moistening water
• A pinch of soda added to gravy will help to reduce the excess of grease
• Bay leaves in your flour tin will discourage weevil from growing
• To hang a picture - rub plaster wall with a cake of soap before driving the nail
• Half of an apple placed in the cake box will keep the cake fresh several days longer
• Sponge grass stains on non washable materials with wood alcohol to remove them
• Place silverware in an aluminum pan and pour the potato water over it. Cover with a tight lid and let set for several minutes. Wash and scald, you'll be amazed at the results.
• Most vegetable flavors are improved by adding a tiny bit of sugar along with the seasonings
• Add a tablespoon of salt to your starch water - your clothes will iron easier
• Add a tablespoon of salt to the water when you boil eggs - it keeps them from cracking and helps them peel easier
• Put a tablespoon of salt and soda in the scalding water when dressing chickens and the pin feathers will come out easily
• If you find your scissors dull, readily sharpen it by cutting through a piece of sandpaper several times
• If grease spills over onto the stove and starts burning - throw a handful of common salt over it
• If something runs over in the oven and starts burning - again, throw a handful of common salt over it
• Dip a new broom in hot salt water before using - this will toughen the bristles and make it last much longer
• Dip the spoon in hot water to measure lard or butter - the fat will slip right off the spoon
• Drop a leaf of lettuce into the pot to absorb the grease from the top of soup. Remove the lettuce and throw it away as soon as it has served its purpose
• When frying meat - to prevent splashing - sprinkle a little salt into the pan before putting the fat in
• If you need sour milk for baking and have only sweet milk on hand, add a tablespoon of vinegar to the milk to sour it
• Heavy cakes are often caused by too slow an oven, or by too much sugar or shortening
• Add left over corn to the pancake batter for a special breakfast treat
• Meringue will not shrink if you spread it on the pie so it touches the crust all the way around and bake in a moderate oven
• If a cracked dish is boiled for 45 minutes in sweet milk, the crack will be so welded together that it will hardly be visible, and it will be so strong it will stand the same usage as before.
• No frosting is necessary if you sprinkle lots of powdered sugar on top of cake before putting it into the oven
• Roll raisins in flour before stirring them into a cake to prevent them from going to the bottom
• If your sauerkraut is too sour, add 1 teaspoon of brown sugar, before canning
• Hang a piece of string over the edge of jelly or jam glasses before pouring in sealing wax. This makes for easier removal of wax when you open a glass for table use.
• Brush meat with cooking oil and season only after it has browned to keep it from drying out.
• Cookie dough that is to be rolled is much easier to handle after it has been in a cold place for 10 to 30 minutes. This keeps the dough from sticking as too much flour used in rolling it out causes cookies to be hard and brittle.
• When making cake icing or candy consisting of mild or cream and sugar, add one teaspoon of ordinary table syrup for each cup of sugar used. Boil in the usual way. The finished product will be much smother and not so apt to become sugary.
• Eggs should be at least three days old before using in cakes.
• If home churned butter is called for in cooking, use equal parts of butter and lard or other shortening.
• When making griddle cakes, grease the pan for the first cake. After that rub a piece of raw potato over hot griddle instead of more grease. The cakes brown nicely and there will be no smoke.
• When making fruit pie, sprinkle the sugar under the fruit instead of on top. The juice will boil up through the fruit and not out over the top.
• When cutting cream pies dip the knife in warm water and none of the filling will stick to the knife.
• Toast the nut meats and while hot add a little butter. Then your nut bread will take on a new aristocracy.
• Meringue will always stand up high and perfect if a generous pinch of baking soda is added to beaten whites.
• A few whole cloves in the kettle of frying fat will give the doughnuts a better flavor.
• Dry biscuits are caused from baking in too slow an oven and handling too much.
• To glaze the top of rolls, cookies or pies, brush the top before baking with 1 egg white slightly beaten with one tablespoon milk, then bake..

A few NEW tips and tricks from my Mailbox! There's some interesting stuff here, too.

• Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips.
• Use a meat baster to squeeze your pancake batter onto the hot griddle- perfect shaped pancakes every time.
• To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.
• To prevent egg shells from cracking, add a pinch of salt to the water before hard boiling.
• Run your hands under cold water before pressing Rice Krispies treats in the pan - the marshmallow won't stick to your fingers.
• To get the most juice out of fresh lemons, bring them to room temperature and roll them under your palm against the kitchen counter before squeezing.
• To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stovetop skillet will be much easier to clean now.
• Spray your Tupperware with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato based sauces - no more stains.
• When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead - no white mess on the outside of the cake.
• If you accidentally over salt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a peeled potato - it absorbs the excess salt for an instant fix me up.
• Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator - it will keep for weeks.
• Brush beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful, glossy finish.
• Place a slice of apple in hardened brown sugar to soften it.
• When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn's natural sweetness.
• To determine whether an egg is fresh, immerse it in a pan of cool, salted water. If it sinks, it is fresh if it rises to the surface, throw it away.
• Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.
• Don't throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes or future use in casseroles and sauces.
• If you have problem opening jars: Try using latex dishwashing gloves. They give a non slip grip that makes opening jars easy.
• Potatoes will take food stains off your fingers. Just slice and rub raw potato on the stains and rinse with water.
• To get rid of itch from mosquito bite: try applying soap on the area for instant relief.
• Ants, ants, ants everywhere ... Well, they are said to never cross a chalk line. So get your chalk out and draw a line on the floor or wherever ants tend to march - see for yourself.
• Use air freshener to clean mirrors: It does a good job and better still, leave a lovely smell to the shine.
• When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before resorting to tweezers or a needle. Simply put the scotch tape over the splinter, then pull it off. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly and easily.
• NOW Look what you can do with Alka Seltzer:
• Clean a toilet. Drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush, and flush. The citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous china.
• Clean a vase. To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water and drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets.
• Polish jewelry. Drop two Alka Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for two minutes.
• Clean a thermos bottle. Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer, if necessary).
• Unclog a drain. Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka Seltzer tablets down the drain followed by a cup of Heinz White Vinegar Wait a few minutes, then run the hot water.

I've learned that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them.

I've learned that no matter how much I care, some people just don't care back.

I've learned that it takes years to build up trust and only seconds to destroy it.

I've learned that it's not what you have in your life but who you have in your life that counts.

I've learned that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you'd better know something.

I've learned that you shouldn't compare yourself to the best others can do, but to the best you can do.

I've learned that it's not what happens to people. It's what they do about it.

I've learned that no matter how thin you slice it, there are always two sides.

I've learned that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you'll see them.

I've learned that you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I've learned that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I've learned that there are people who love you dearly, but just don't know how to show it.

I've learned that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I've learned that true friendship continues to grow even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I've learned that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

I've learned that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I've learned that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I've learned that no matter how bad your heart is broken, the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I've learned that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are but we are responsible for who we become.

I've learned that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.

I've learned that sometimes you have to put the individual ahead of their actions.

I've learned that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I've learned that no matter the consequences, those who are honest with themselves get farther in life.

I've learned that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

I've learned that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.

I've learned that writing, as well as talking, can ease emotional pains.

I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon.

I've learned that it's hard to determine where to draw the line between being nice and not hurting people's feelings and standing up for what you believe.

I've learned to love and be loved.

I've learned ...