Monday Q&A | Stovetops, Haircuts, and Saving Potatoes and Onions
Every Monday, I answer a few of the questions that my readers send me. If you have a question you'd like me to answer in a future Q&A post, just leave me a comment here or email me (thefrugalgirl [at] gmail [dot] com) and put Q&A in the subject line. I look forward to hearing from you!
First up, someone recently asked if I've ever been recognized in public, but I can't remember who asked...my apologies.
The answer is basically no. I mean, I've met a few people who first knew about me through my blog, but there's usually a real-life connection there somewhere (they're friends with a cousin, or friends with a friend of mine). So, no official strangers have ever said hi to me.
Every now and then, though, when I'm shopping at Aldi, I feel like someone is looking at me and my children awfully hard and I wonder if they know who I am but just aren't saying hi. Actually, Amy from Duck and Goose told me after the fact that she saw me at Aldi but was too shy to say hi.
And I told her not to be so silly and to please say hi next time. 😉 I'm really, really not scary in real life, I promise!
Which type of stove do you prefer & why?
How do you keep clean your glass cooktop clean?
GRACIAS!!!
-Kristhia
So far in my life, I've used 3 coil stovestops and 2 glass top stoves. The only coil stove I liked was the one at my parents' house, and that's because it was in good shape. The other two coil stovetops I've used haven't been in great shape..the coils never quite sat flat, so my pans never sat flat and that made them cook unevenly. It was very frustrating.
One thing I do like about glass cooktops is that it's a lot simpler to clean up spills...there's nowhere for liquids to go when they boil over and I never have to scrub drip bowls.
Really, though, I don't have a super strong preference between coil burners and glass cooktops as long as they're both in good shape.
To clean my stove, I wipe it down with a warm washcloth. To clean up greasy messes, I use a spray like Fantastik, and for stubborn burnt-on messes, I use a gentle abrasive cleaner made specially for glass cooktops (I bought mine at Home Depot).
Today is the first day I have been on your site! It is fabulous, I am really enjoying it. I noticed a picture of you sweeping up hair after you gave one of your children a haircut. Well here is my question, I am trying to do the same with my 4 year old, but I am not very good at it. Do you have a method that you use, or do you have any tips for me? I can no longer afford to go to barbers, let alone cut my own hair. People tell me to just shave his head, but I disagree. Please let me know if you have any ideas.
- Katy
I highly recommend buying a hair clipper because it makes boys' haircuts sooo much easier! I own one similar to this Wahl Haircut Kit
. It comes with quite a few guards which allow you to control how long or short you cut the hair.
If you want to keep things really, really simple, you can just run the clippers all over his head to make all the hair an even length.
Joshua's not a fan of that look, so I use the clippers around the back and sides of his head and cut the top with scissors (the kit I recommended comes with scissors). I also use a scissors to trim around his ears.
The scissors method I use is very similar to this one described on Heavenly Homemakers.
Probably the last bit of advice I have for you is to just keep on practicing. You'll learn from your mistakes and each haircut will probably get better.
Oh, and if you have a wiggly kid, lay a tablecloth down and cut his hair in front of the TV. Or give him a special snack. 😉
My question for you relates to the almost going bad food. I have a VERY hard time keeping my onions and potatoes from going bad. I buy them by the bag to save cost and use them, I think, often but they always seem to go bad by the end of the bag. Do you have any tips on extending the life of these foods?
Thanks!
Rose
Onions and potatoes keep well in a dry, dark place, so make sure you're not keeping them near light or moisture.
Also, if you notice that your onions and potatoes are getting close to going bad, you can either make a point of using them right away (Mashed potatoes? Baked Potato Soup? Onion rings?) or preserve them for future use.
To preserve onions, I often chop them up and freeze them in a plastic bag (some people recommend sauteing before freezing, but I never bother with that).
If I have extra potatoes, I sometimes boil them, mash them, and freeze them to use in Potato Bread at a future date. Or if I've got extra Russets, I boil them, shred them, and freeze them in appropriate portions for Deep Dish Pizza.
I will readily admit that I'm not the world's expert on potatoes, though, so I'm sure that my readers will have some great ideas for preserving extra potatoes in the freezer.
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Ok, potato experts! Help Rose out. If you've got onion tips, share those too. And of course, feel free to weigh in on any of the other questions too.
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Today's 365 post: Behind the Scenes
Oh good grief. Stop buying pricey cleaners for your glass-top stove. Use Baking Soda and hot water. I've been using it on mine for 6 years and have never had a scratch. It gives just the right amount of abrasion without being scratchy and the baking soda will absorb the grease also. ( My frugal tip for the day 😉 )
Potatoes - I had a bag that looked like it was going bad so I scrubbed the potatoes, let them dry, and then put them in my freezer door. They froze quite nicely. When I had time to make them into soup they thawed out nicely as well. They were slightly mushy so I wouldn't try to use them for fries or anything like that, but they worked well for soup and would probably work well for mashed potatoes.
I've also mashed potatoes and put them in the freezer for future use. They thawed out a little bit dry, but that's nothing a little milk, butter, or sour cream didn't fix.
I have been keeping my potatoes & onions in the fridge lately and that seems to extend their life - I live in quite a humid area and I think when I put them in the pantry they must just sweat too much & get too hot. I prefer to use them at room temperature though so just get them out when I get the meat out of the freezer each morning.
I keep my potaoes and onions in different places. I read somewhere that if you keep them next to each other the got bad faster. It has worked for me.
My one tip on preserving potatoes and onions - in addition to keeping them in a dry dark place - don't store them together. There's something in their chemical make up that makes them spoil each other.
One hint I learned recently is to store your onions and potatoes separately - the onions release a lot of ethylene gas, which makes the potatoes go soft a lot sooner than they would otherwise.
Twice-baked potatoes! Unlike lots of other potato dishes, they freeze beautifully and are always a crowd-pleaser.
I had some potatoes last week that were...well some of them had gone bad, but some of them were just on the edge. We really like oven fried potatoes around here so I peeled them, tossed them with olive oil, garlic powder and italian seasoning and baked them at 350 degrees F until they were brown and crispy. After they cooled I put them in the freezer to flash freeze then transfered them to a freezer bag for longer storage. Definately not a fast way to use them up, but they are really yummy!
I recently did some research and a post on keeping produce and learned that potatoes shouldn't be kept in the plastic bags they come in (oops that's what I always did). Now I keep them in a tub that lets them have plenty of air. And I keep them in my cupboard where it's dark.
And one of my readers told me in the comments of the post to not keep potatoes and onions together, a chemical reaction can make them go bad faster.
Here's the link to the full post:
http://purposelyfrugal.com/2011/08/13/keeping-produce-fresh-and-using-it-when-its-not-so-fresh/
Oh, and Kristen, it was me that asked about being seen in public, thanks for answering!
I was reading through the comments first to see if anyone else had said this, but I have heard as well that keeping the onions and potatoes in the same place causes them to go bad faster. I keep mine separate now and we seem to use them quick enough. I am a huge fan of onions though so I could perhaps use them faster than most. 🙂
I love when you do these posts 🙂 I'm a huge fan of potato donuts. Deepfried deliciousness and I get to "use up" potatoes.
Recipe? Please?
When I have potatoes that need to get used up I make soup from this recipe:
http://recipesource.com/soups/soups/crock-pot-potato1.html
It uses lots of potatoes and 2 onions (I skip the leeks since I never have them).
Also, I used to wind up throwing out carrots and celery when I would buy them for a recipe and then not use the rest in time. I now peel and slice and store in a freezer bag so they're ready to go the next time I make the soup. Chopped onions for the soup could go in the freezer, too. (After I use the frozen veggies I just put the bag back in the freezer to refill.)
In October we buy a 100 lb. bag of irregular potatoes from farm companies that grow potatoes for around 20$. We keep them in a room in our basement that isn't heated and is dry and dark. They usually keep until May. We buy our potatoes around Becker, Minnesota. I have kept them in the frig but make sure the temp is above freezing. Only problem with that is they tend to get sweet.
A tip for your hair scissors, do not use then to cut anything but hair they have fine serrations on the blades to grab the hair while cutting and using them on anything else will wreck the serrations. When cutting just go over and over trying to keep it the same length on top a little shorter on the sides if doing shorter boys cuts. Also hair shrinks as it dries so if your cutting bangs especially, keep in mind they will bounce up some. If they have cowlicks (where hair won't lay flat. Usually in front or back hairline), be sure to cut it dry as it will always be uneven if cut wet as it will bounce back more.
On haircuts and the Wahl clipper kits: I got mine for the price of a single trip to the barber, and it came with a how-to DVD. Very useful!
Yep! It doesn't take long to be money ahead.
Katy made a very good point. Don't keep potatoes and onions together when storing them. Also, do not store them in plastic bags where moisture can build up. A friend of mine uses a mesh metal trash can to store her potatoes because it lets air circulate. The more air that can contact your potatoes and onions the better.
I have an onion tip. We use onions every day--red ones--but only buy a few a big ones a week. I like to keep them in the fridge b/c that way my eyes don't water when I cut them (really!). I've heard they can absorb germs in the fridge, though, so I keep them in a bag just in case (and to keep peels out of the drawers). I usually only use half of a big one, or less, at a time, and then I put the peeled onion in a ziplock for later use. I keep reusing the same ziplock for peeled onions until another family member or guest throws it out when they're cooking 🙂 Just wanted to share that because it works really well for me.
We bought a few of the plastic-coated wire-mesh baskets at the dollar store. We store onions and potatoes on opposite sides of the pantry using those baskets. Our sweet onions lasted almost six weeks that way. (We're not using as many lately--might have to go back to buying them loose at the grocer's instead of in a giant ten pound bag at the warehouse store.) Since we have a diabetic in the house with blood sugar not quite at the "controlled" state, I don't keep potatoes around as much, though.
When I have lots of potatoes that need to be used up, I make a big batch of garlic mashed potatoes and freeze them. They really do freeze well and reheat nicely.
When storing potatoes and onions, I have learned that how long they last varies depending on where I purchased them. It seems that the produce from some places (i.e. - higher end grocery stores) lasts longer, probably because the produce itself is fresher to begin with. I don't store onions or potatoes in the fridge, and both tend to last for weeks just hanging out on the shelves I use for extra storage.
I purchased a Wahl hair trimming kit for my husband a few years ago, and it's still going strong - an excellent value. I usually opt not to shave my little boy's hair and just use a pair of hair cutting scissors. I learned that having a dedicated pair of hair cutting scissors is ideal and a good time saver. Usually, I sit him in his high chair in front of the TV and go REALLY slow. I don't fret too much over little mistakes, and it's always wise to cut hair a good week before anything important (like portraits) to give any goofs a little time to grow in.
I clean my glass stove top with baking soda. I add salt when there is a really burnt on mess that the baking soda won't get up. It seems to work just as well as the specialty cleaners.
Potatoes: what not to do edition:
Do not wait until the day before vacation to notice you have potatoes that need to be used, shred them all, freeze them, and then dump in a pan still frozen to make hashbrowns. Utter fail.
I keep potatoes in the basement in a dark corner with a cloth covering them. I usually store them in a basket. My father in law grows them each summer and gives me a basket. They keep theirs in the basement near the bulkhead, covered. They last until Easter.
Mine never last that long because we eat them too quickly.
On the stove issue, I love gas. My area does not have natural gas. The pipeline for Cape Cod goes by about a mile down the street but no one in the area can tap into it. But I got bottled propane when we built the house because I wanted a gas stove top. It was the best decision I made. I love it. If the electricity goes out, I can still cook! It heats up so quickly. No waiting for an electric burner.
To clean my glass stovetop I use the powder version of Barkeepers Friend. You can get it at Bed Bath and Beyond. It's GREAT!. I've also found that using a toothbrush on stains works well too. (I don't use this toothbrush for teeth after cleaning the stove)
Hee. Your teeth might be a little TOO clean if you did that!
I love all these suggestions for potatoes, especially the twice baked potato idea.
Great posts. I hope your Dad had a nice one. Nice photos too. You are lucky to have parents. Mine are dead. Can you tell us what your favorite kind of purses are?
I am no purse expert! I think I've owned a total of 3 over the last 16 years. 🙂
I use baking soda on my glass top stove- works brilliantly. Occasionally I use an old toothbrush to de-gunk the edges. Dipping the toothbrush in the baking soda gives extra oomph. Wipe/rinse off and then wipe over with some vinegar to stop any streaking from the powder. I use some cheap white stuff in a spray bottle that I added lemon rinds to, so it smells better!
My hair cutting tip is for straight fringes (bangs?). If you're worried of making a mistake, don't try to cut straight across using the scissors like you'd cut paper, for instance. Every little wobble will show up, and that's when you end up with wonky bangs or really really short ones because you keep trying to even them up.
Instead, hold a section of the fringe hair in your fingers and cut at the length you want with the scissor ends pointing up to the crown of the head. This gives a more layered edge to the bangs which is much more forgiving!
I'm not sure I've explained that terribly well...
That is a great way to cut bangs Hazel, also get the person to sit up straight with feet flat on the floor as a slight shift caused by even having your legs crossed at your ankles can make the bangs or a straight cut at the back crooked. If you can, try not to cut straight lines, they are really hard to get straight. Hazel, you described it exactly right, cut in rather than across, it doesn't have to be much, just the tiniest of snips in on the ends.
Glad somebody knew what i was talking about! I forgot to say about sitting straight- I used to have a hairdresser who really told you off if you crossed your legs whilst she was cutting!
What a wide variety of topics today. Love your work !
Store potatoes in a wide spreed area, like a large box, not a bag, and avoid put potatoes ones onto the others.
the same for onions, but onions prefer be like this
http://onmaggiesfarm.wordpress.com/2007/08/09/onion-harvest-and-braiding/
or
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16878787@N06/5935025882/
When my sons were little, I could do a great scissors-only haircut in the time it took to watch "Toy Story." Yeah, I wasn't fast, but they looked fine.
Katy
Thank you so much for sharing your Potato bread recipe! My husband and I LOVE potato bread, it reminds us of home! I've never even thought to make it, I figured it was really difficult! I think I'll be serving your recipe with Sunday dinner!! Thank you!
I buy my onions and potatoes the same, in large bags. If I notice the onions are starting to look funky, I always make a big batch of French Onion soup.
It is simple enough to make if you have the time to caramelize the onions. It is a great way to use up a large amount of onions too, (8 of them)! And your husband will have it to take for lunch all week!!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/french-onion-soup-recipe/index.html
Re: potatoes and onions -- don't store them together! Can't remember where I read this, but potatoes and onions shouldn't be stored near each other. Apparently, the onions release some kind of gas that hastens potato spoilage. (Not sure what kind of gas that is; aren't I being scientific and specific? 😉 Anyway, I stopped storing mine together, and I've found that it really prolongs the shelf life.
Another note on potatoes - define "going bad". Are they green? Are they just getting a bit wrinkly and dried-out looking? Are they sprouting?
Green - I don't like to use them at this stage.
Wrinkly and dried-out - these are the best for frying or making oven fries. The water content is very low, so they cook much faster, and the flavor is the same.
Sprouting - just break off the sprouts and use.