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Display Name: IzzyIzzy
Member Since: 9/11/08
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Absolutely!! I've particularly noticed a difference with organic apples and berries. I think Beth G is right, too, that how local the produce is can have a big impact, too- if something has been traveling for 6 days, of course it is not going to taste as good as something that was picked 24 hours ago.


It's True! Organic Fruits and Vegetables Taste Better
5/24/12 12:54 PM

Ooh, the only pie crust I love more than a graham cracker crust is an Oreo crust. My favorite use for graham cracker crust (and it's gotten some rave reviews at parties)- an extra-thick graham crust, filled with dark chocolate ganache and topped with lots of Italian meringue, browned with a kitchen torch. S'more pie. Awesome.


How to Make a Graham Cracker Crust
5/23/12 12:08 AM

If you like Hendricks or New Amsterdam gin, definitely try Leopold's Gin- they are an amazing small-batch distillery in Denver that makes many different liquors, but their gin is FANTASTIC!


Our Readers' Favorite Brands of Liquor Reader Intelligence Report
5/16/12 12:27 PM

My Mom converted a church into her home, and it is fabulous!

The 100-year-old church she purchased had been sitting empty on the market for YEARS when she bought it. No one else in the area had enough creativity to see that is could be something -anything- other than a church. There is absolutely no way it was going to be turned into a "community space" by anyone. Rather, she has turned it into a warm, welcoming home (and her office!) I think the idea that all former churches need to be turned into "community centers" of some sort is ridiculous. If that were the only option, all these beautiful, historic buildings would simply be demolished and (wasteful) new buildings would be built.

She has NOT spent a ton of $$ on renovations- and the idea that you HAVE to do all kind of renovations to make a space usable is ridiculous. She has been super-creative and uses the space without having made many permanent changes at all. She turned 2 half-baths into one full bath in the basement/downstairs, and added a half-bath upstairs; that is it. A fabric "wall" divides a bedroom off the main living space, and semi-permanent walls made from sheets of frosted, tempered glass and a bit of wood have turned one small corner into her home office, where she sees clients. We do love daydreaming about different things that could be done to make the space better/prettier/more usable, but they are all optional. The space is totally livable, and lovely, and her total cost- including purchasing the property and all renovations- has been maybe $40k. Yes, Forty Thousand- not four hundred thousand.

The space is beautiful. The wood floors are AMAZING, the high ceilings are beautiful, and the place is peaceful and warm. My Mom loves imagining all the weddings, baptisms, and other joyous events that have taken place there- she truly appreciates the history of the place and all the people that have spent time there. It is an amazing home.


The Ultimate in Upcycling: Homes in Converted Churches
5/14/12 9:44 PM

We share with one neighbor who lives in the apartment next door in our condo complex. We're friends, we know each other, we socialize- and she's older, disabled and on a fixed income, so when she got a used laptop from a friend, we happily gave her the password to our WiFi so she could also have internet access. She's offered to pay part of the bill, but I think that's more hassle than necessary, so we've declined.

I also have NO GUILT whatsoever about one additional person using the extremely overpriced, unreliable service we buy from Comcast- a company that has a monopoly on internet in our area. I firmly believe there should be government subsidies to help low-income families, the disabled, and the elderly get affordable internet access. I guess this is my way to provide that access for just one person.


Neighborly Behavior: Do You Share or Borrow Wi-Fi?
4/22/12 4:49 PM

We do a "lite" version of this with our large built-in bookshelves. Each shelf gets a category (or 2 categories), and then the shelf is color-organized. So, it's still easy to find a book (because you can immediately narrow down which shelf it is on), and I have a good memory for what color all the books are. It is MUCH more visually calming than having the books alphabetical by author, but not so COLOR CODED *BAM* that it takes over the space. Lots of people don't even notice it unless it comes up in conversation, though design buffs often notice it right away ;-)


In Defense of: Organizing Books by Color
4/6/12 8:06 PM

What is with this new idea that kids need 76 snacks every day? The only time we got snacks when I was in elementary school was if someone brought in a birthday treat or we were having a classroom party. And I'm only 27!!

The food safety rules also make me laugh- hard- because, as a licensed caterer, I know what goes on in kitchens, professional and otherwise, and the idea that you're guaranteed to be safe if you're eating stuff prepared in a supermarket (or restaurant, etc.) rather than a home is HILARIOUS. Some home kitchens are MUCH MUCH MUCH cleaner than "inspected" kitchens, particularly when inspections happen every 3 years (as they often do in my city.)


5 Sweet & Healthy Treat Ideas for Kids' Classrooms
3/28/12 3:38 PM

I like to buy some pizza dough & cheese (or a frozen cheese pizza) and use ingredients from the salad bar for pizza toppings! Easy way to pack tons of veggies on a pizza without having a bunch of leftovers I may not be interested in using the next day.


Cooking for Two? Buy Dinner Ingredients From the Salad Bar
3/21/12 2:49 PM

Seconding Tatterhood's suggestion to just cut off the top and bottom, and NOT cut the fruit in half. Classic citrus supréme.


How To Cut a Grapefruit In Segments for Easier Enjoyment
3/8/12 2:18 PM

I've painted every rental I've ever been in (and had to paint all but one of them back to the original colors), and it's always been SO worth it. I can't imagine living anywhere with nothing but white walls- I would go insane.


5 Things I Never Did To A Rental But Probably Should Have Renters Solutions
3/7/12 1:06 PM

People are really so un-creative that they can't find a good spot outside to hide a key? Really? That's pretty sad.


Use an Old Remote to Hide Cash & Keys Real Simple
2/22/12 7:21 PM

This is perhaps the best dresser revival I've ever seen. I'm curious, though, how much those (cool!) new handles cost. My guess would be much, much more than the cost of the dresser itself...


Before & After: Jill's Dresser Goes Tall, Dark & Handsome
Junky Vagabond

2/9/12 1:59 PM

Whenever I clean my copper pots and utensils with natural ingredients (like salt, flour, vinegar, similar to this lemon+salt idea), it always looks great that day, but then they start to tarnish again SO MUCH FASTER than if I use a commercial copper polish. I'd love to just use the natural stuff, but I'm not interested in polishing a dozen pots and half dozen utensils every 2 weeks! (They all hang on the kitchen wall.) Has anyone else had this problem??


How to Clean Copper with Just Lemon & Salt
2/9/12 1:51 PM

The thing with any gluten-free flour is that you can't just use it alone- you need to use a combination of gluten-free flours to get good results. (And typically an ingredient that will act like gluten- either guar gum or xanthan gum). So if you're looking for a recipe with ONLY sorghum flour, you're probably going to be disappointed. But, I've found that sorghum flour is one of the very best flours for GF baking when combined correctly, and I use it in most of my GF baked goods, typically mixed with rice flour (brown and/or white), and tapioca flour or corn starch.


What Can I Make With Sorghum Flour?
Ingredient Questions

2/9/12 1:45 PM

I am so bummed to hear that you're not happy with your IceStone counters, otherminds! Those are my dream counters, but not if they are going to chip and stain! Boo! Now I'm not quite so bummed I couldn't afford them when we remodeled 3 years ago.

Instead, we have recycled concrete counters (made from the runways of a demolished airport), which have been basically a giant pain in the a$$ since we bought them. They have their good points (particularly in the bathroom, where we have pedastal sinks so they don't get wet and stain), but I certainly wouldn't buy them again. My advice: lots of companies that manufacture "green" housing materials are new- make sure they really know what they are doing!! When we saw our counters in the showroom, we had no idea the pictures of finished jobs were the ONLY jobs they'd done before- ours was maybe the 3rd installation, and their lack of experience was a nightmare. We were so concerned about buying something green and local that we neglected to ask all the OTHER questions we should have. First-time kitchen remodels are rough! I would consider concrete again, though, if it was from a REALLY reputable manufacturer/installer. Aside from cracks, stains and chips, we have issues I didn't even realize could become issues- buckling, anyone?!


Recycled Content Countertops
10/20/11 10:36 AM

Must agree with the advice to find a cast-iron pan, preferably a vintage one. I had been using the "good" (expensive!) Calphalon nonstick pans, but even those are flaking after only a couple years. I recently got my great-grandmother's cast iron skillet from my Mom, and damn- that may be the best gift I've ever received! I will never buy a nonstick skillet again- it is MUCH less sticky than the best non-stick, and cleaning it is a breeze.


Can I Rescue a Nonstick Pan That Has Lost Its Coating?
Good Questions

5/16/11 7:48 PM

Great tips! I would add "Don't be discouraged when you have days where you don't find anything." I am a big thrifter, and whenever I take along a friend who doesn't usually thrift, if they don't find anything they tend to get upset and feel like it was a big waste of time. Some days you find lots of great stuff, sometimes nothing! That's just how it goes!


Five Tips for Successful Thrift Store Shopping
4/18/11 4:08 PM

Once you've made them a couple times and gotten the hang of their weird quirks, macarons aren't that bad- and, really, these seem like just as much work (if not more).


Make Faux-Macarons Without All The Hassle
1/27/11 2:17 PM

I'm with Anne (in Reno)- I don't really get it. I've cooked in a kitchen that had one of these, and it was a huge nightmare. (It was also a house at over 8,000 ft. elevation, which made the cooking even more interesting...) You have about as much control over temperature as cooking over a campfire. Give me a gas Viking-style range any day.


AGA Ranges in Real Kitchens
12/9/10 4:30 PM

I miss this market so much. I'm in Boulder now, where there is also a huge, incredibly popular farmers' market, but it just isn't the same. Madison's really is a friendly market, and the circular setup makes for a great traffic flow (unlike the cluster&*$% in Boulder, complete with 2 dogs for every 3 people....)


Visiting the Dane County Farmers' Market
Madison, Wisconsin

10/4/10 7:26 PM