Helpful Hints

Another week has flown by, and I am trying to process the fact that half of 2011 has already passed. The holiday weekend was pleasant but quickly over. On Monday the Fourth we sat down to enjoy ribs and chicken from the grill, potato salad, baked beans, and butter crunch chocolate pie. My mom gave me the pie recipe years ago. It's the crust that makes it special. 

Butter Crunch Chocolate Pie

1/2 cup butter

1 cup Gold Metal flour

1/4 brown sugar(packed)

1/2 cup nuts(pecans)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients with hands. Spread in oblong pan and bake for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally until light brown.

 Press hot Butter Crunch in pie pan and shape shell. Pour hot chocolate filling(Jell-o Cook and Serve 50z box) into shell. Let filling cool and set. 

Now on to the real reason for this post. I'm sharing five simple solutions that work for me. You may decide "It's a good thing" as Martha Stewart would say and use one of these simple hints.



a rock as paperweight

   a flower frog as pen holder

 wooden mug stand as bracelet organizer

 baskets as handy storage containers 

 empty tissue box to store plastic bags

I think my favorite is the last one. This tip was shared in a Simple Life magazine. I keep one box on the top shelf of the bathroom closet. When I need to empty the wastecan, I reach for a bag. My other box stays in the utility room closet near the kitchen. This ingenious system keeps many grocery store bags under control.