I have basil in pots in the summer and as August approaches, the stems get woodier and they tend to droop over (last photo).  So (as an experiment) I snipped one off towards the base and stuck it in a glass jar with just plain water.  After about a week, the jar was filled with roots!  I was shocked that it rooted so quickly.  I'm going to do that with the other stems as they droop over too, and line them up on a window sill in my kitchen (which gets morning sun).  I don't want to actually plant them b/c I don't have room for a large plant in my house, but I'll have lots of little plants to plant later in the Spring. (TIP: if you plant basil in dirt in a pot, it's very "needy" and will want to be watered every day during the hot summer)
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ROSEMARY is completely different and is actually a landscape plant / bush.  When we moved into our last house (18 yrs ago), I planted a couple of pint-size bushes in the ground which eventually grew to about 5-6 feet across and 4 feet tall!  It would get pretty blue flowers and didn't care if I watered it in the hot Texas sun, or if it got snowed on.  I'd cut sprigs and keep them for about a week in a big coffee mug by my sink (and they didn't root).  As often as I'd try, rosemary did NOT do well in a pot though.  I did plant one in our new house, so I'll see how it likes the winter again. 

This is a Kroger generic brand (so probably @ affiliates too) and is really a good vanilla ice cream.  My husband is Type 2 diabetic ~ off his meds for years, but still will watch his sugar and I'm lactose-intolerant.  Finally, we're a one-ice cream family again! 

Summer time treat is a Root Beer float but with his sugar-free root beer and mine with sugar (which is harder to find than his) 

Why are there still so many recipes saying to flour your surface when rolling out dough?  Adding more flour to dough will make it tough (not to mention making a mess).  I have a silpat mat, with circles for pie crusts on it ~ along with inches along the top.  But my grandmother taught me to use 2 sheets of waxed paper!  On the underside of the bottom sheet, you can mark off the size you want to roll whatever it is you're making ..... put the dough in between the 2 sheets of waxed paper and roll.  Your shape is already marked off, and no floury mess! 

If you're making cinnamon rolls, the added bonus is that you can take off the top sheet of waxed paper (when you're at the right size) ~ add your filling ~ and then use the bottom sheet of waxed paper to help you roll up your log for the cinnamon rolls.

You can even wipe off those sheets of waxed paper and use them again, if you want.

TIP #2 ~ and I've never, ever made a frosted or glazed cake without doing this (in the 50+ years that I've been baking) ~ yet I've never heard anyone speak of or do this on any cooking show on TV.  Gram told me to put pieces of waxed paper under my cake and on the plate (or surface) that I want to serve the cake from.  Then frost (or drizzle glaze) your cake.  Wait for the frosting / glaze to set and gently pull the waxed paper strips out.  EASY! 

If you spend enough time in the kitchen, you will end up familiarizing yourself with cooking on the stovetop. Stovetop cooking can be a great way to throw together a quick meal. Unfortunately, if you get distracted while boiling your water you can end up with a mess on your hands!


To limit your exposure to messy spills from water boiling over, get in the habit of keeping a wooden spoon handy! When you step away from your boiling water, merely lay the spoon across the top of the pot. The spoon will prevent the water from overflowing while you work on other parts of your meal!

​from lifehackguru.com

For those who don’t have the convenience of a garage to shield their cars from winter’s chill, there’s a clever hack to keep Jack Frost at bay: simply use Ziplock bags. Open a Ziplock bag and slip it over each of your car's side mirrors. These makeshift plastic covers will act as a barrier against ice and snow accumulation, making your frosty mornings significantly more manageable.
Winter’s harshness often brings about the challenge of dealing with ice-encrusted windscreens and mirrors, turning the start of your day into a frigid task. This simple yet effective method can save you time and effort, ensuring a smoother departure on those cold mornings.
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from lifehackguru.com

Salt serves as an effective anti-clogging solution for your kitchen sink. To enhance its efficacy, blend half a cup of salt with one cup of baking soda. Allow it to sit for 4-6 hours, making it convenient to pour the mixture down the sink before bedtime.
After letting it sit for several hours, or overnight, flush the sink with hot water to remove the mixture. Repeat as necessary.

​from lifehackguru