Question — I am determined to keep my brand-new cactus alive. How often should I water it? I think every day and my husband thinks once a week, should do the trick. Thank you, Renata
Answer — Water the cactus every 10 or 11 days. Feel the soil, to make sure it is dry before watering. Overwatering is the fastest way to kill this desert delight.
Question — Can you tell me how to bake a single pie crust so that it doesn’t shrink down in the pie plate while baking? Cindy
Answer — Some people freeze pie crusts before putting them into the oven, but here is an easy alternative. Place your dough into the pie plate and trim away the excess. Line the pie dough with foil and fill the plate with dried beans or rice to weigh down the crust and keep it from shrinking.
Bake 10 minutes, or until the crust is firm. Lift the pie to the counter, and gently remove foil, taking care not to tear the crust. Prick crust with a fork, brush with egg white and bake another five minutes, or until pale gold. Cool. Or put another pie plate the same size on top of the dough in your pie plate. Bake for a few minutes until the dough holds its shape and then remove the second plate.
Question — My Keurig suddenly stopped working. It makes a sound, but the water does not run out. Any suggestions? Clayton
Answer — The easiest process for descaling the machine is to run straight, vinegar through the machine a few times. Follow that process with water. If this does not fix the challenge, the machine may have a problem with the pump valve, which might need replacing.
Feedback from Contributor
Re: Allowing Pets to Eat Off People Dishes
The question about whether it’s safe to allow a dog to lick dirty plates before they are washed in the dishwasher is about whether this is sanitary. Dogs have bacteria in their mouths that could make a human sick (how could they not when they lick themselves?) The concern: is the water in the dishwasher hot enough and the soap used strong enough to kill the bacteria? Anonymous
Response: Great point, and what a hugely controversial topic! Various factors such as water temperature, and detergent will affect whether a dishwasher destroys bacteria; many experts agree that the dishwasher water and detergent are not sufficient in cleaning dishes licked by animals. According to Team Dogs, “plates licked by dogs can harbor hidden bacteria such as salmonella which cannot be destroyed by dishwashing.” (Country Living, Joyner, 2021). Also, in 2021 a restaurant in the U.S. received a warning when a customer was seen allowing a dog to eat off of a restaurant dish. The health inspector said that sharing utensils with pets is a violation, as the behavior is non-hygienic. (Kiro 7, 2021).
Tips of the Week
When cooking fried rice, cook the rice and place it into the fridge. When you stir fry it, the rice won’t stick together. Brittany
To speed up the healing time of a bruise, hold an ice pack on the surface for 10 minutes. Cornie
Keep homemade cookies fresh by storing an apple in the cookie container. Sheldon
If your cellphone gets caught in a rainstorm, place it in a container of rice for a couple of days to absorb the moisture and dry it out. Sheldon
Prevent mascara from clumping by putting a tiny bit of petroleum jelly (Vaseline) on your finger. Brush onto your eyelashes, and then apply the mascara. Alex
Have a great suggestion or tip? Please send an email at: info@reena.ca. Reena Nerbas is a popular motivational presenter for large and small groups; check out her website: reena.ca.
