Kiki’s Corner: Household chore tips, the value of a true friend
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Before I start my article, I want to thank all of you for the nice messages, emails, text messages and telephone calls. Every time you read my article and every time you bake or cook a recipe that I put in the newspaper, can you tell me how it turned out? That's so thoughtful of you to take the time to let me know. That makes me want to write more recipes and more articles.
There is so much I want to write to you, but today I'm gonna start with a few things that you can do around the house to make your life easier. Let's stop making daily chores harder than they need to be - work more efficiently, not harder.
* Run a raw walnut over shallow blemishes in wooden furniture to naturally restore and hide them.
* Spray hairspray on the tip of a thread to stiffen for simple needle threading.
* Microwave a bowl of water with lemon slices for five minutes to effortlessly clear baked-on grease.
* Drag a rubber window squeegee across your carpet to immediately extract deep pet hair.
* Add a few drops of essential oil to your furnace air filter to make the whole house's aroma refreshing and fresh.
* Wrap faucets in vinegar-soaked paper towels to easily eliminate hard water stains.
* Press a slice of soft bread onto the surface to safely gather microscopic glass-shards .
* Throw a clean dry towel into the dryer with wet clothes to decrease the drying duration in half.
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I have so many small stories that I want to share with you, so I will try to write a few of those.
Have you ever thought that a true friendship is a treasure? A true friend is someone that always cherishes, supports and cares about you. No matter where life takes you, you always have a lasting place in your heart for those special individuals, and they can never be replaced. A true friendship brings so much happiness, comfort and meaning into someone's world. Always be grateful for that.
Life is full of ups and downs, and hard times are a part of everyone's journey. The challenges you face today will not last forever. With patience, faith and determination, you can get through them and come out stronger. Sometimes things do not happen as quickly as we want, but that does not mean progress is not being made. Stay hopeful, stay strong, and trust the process.
The difficulties of today can become the strength and wisdom to guide you for a better future, even if things feel difficult right now. Life will get better for all of us. Keep believing in yourself, and continue taking small steps. Focus on what you can control, and let go of unnecessary worry. Better days often come after the hardest seasons of life.
Anyone can make promises, but actions show the truth. What you do every day says more about your character than what you say. In a true friendship, kindness, honesty and respect are best shown through actions, not just words.
So help others, keep your promises, and do the right thing, even when no one is watching you.
Loving others, friendship, helping people and staying positive make life meaningful. Time is very important in life, so we should use it wisely. When we live with honesty, balance and hope, life becomes beautiful. Therefore, we should value life, learn from it and live it with purpose and gratitude.
Let's face it: Life is a precious gift that teaches us lessons every day. It is full of surprises, and at times challenges, success and also failure. Life helps us grow through experiences, and we get stronger with time.
And something else that I want to emphasize is to make sure to be positive. I have to admit life has many problems, but a positive mind helps us find solutions.
When we stay positive, we learn from our mistakes and move forward. Negativity weakens us, but positivity makes us stronger. Being positive helps us face life with courage and confidence.
One thing for sure, all of us need to be responsible because responsibility is the key to personal growth and success. My responsibility is to stay disciplined, focused, and motivated, even when challenges arise. Every step I take with awareness strengthens my character and shapes my future positively.
I'm sure all of us care about our health, especially as we are getting older. We care about our family and our relationships. I like to build trust, respect and confidence. My family supports me, helps me in every situation. They give me strength to face life. No matter where I go, I always miss my home and my children and grandchildren.
Till next week
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Sugar-free apple pie
1 6 oz can unsweetened frozen apple juice concentrate
2 rounded tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
5-7 apples
1 tbsp light margarine
Dash nutmeg
1 unbaked, 9-inch, double crust pie shell
In small saucepan, combine the frozen apple juice, flour, cinnamon and salt. Stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture is thick and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes. Peel and slice the apples and stir them into the apple juice mixture. Pour the mixture into the unbaked pie shell and dot with butter. Position the top crust over the filling, cutting slits for the steam to escape. Trim and seal the edges. Brush the top very lightly with water and sprinkle with nutmeg, if desired. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for 30 minutes more. Enjoy.
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Potato dumplings
3 cups potatoes (cooked and mashed)
When cold, add 2 whole eggs
1/3 cup Farina or Cream of Wheat
1 tbsp salt
2 cups of flour
Mix in order given above. Knead. Shape into balls.
Have a large kettle of boiling water and 1 tsp salt and a little butter (about 1 tsp). Put dumplings into boiling water. When they come to boil, stir base from bottom. Cover for 10 to 15 minutes. Test by taking one out of the water and cut it in half. If center is raw, cook a few minutes longer. Serve with sauerkraut or gravy or any other idea you might have.
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Rhubarb cake
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour, plus 1 tbsp
3 cups rhubarb
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup nuts, chopped
Mix all the ingredients, except for the last three items. Pour into a greased 9-by-13-inch pan. Sprinkle topping mixture of sugar, cinnamon and chopped nuts over cake. Bake for 45 minutes at 350.