Jeannette Tomanka's Tips

Household Ideas, Discounts, Coupons & Life

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Mom, housewife & life hacker! Corporate drudge escapee writing recipes, tips & discount alerts. Still bring home the bacon & cook it up in 101 healthy way. You’re also going to find out that I’m a total Disney geek. I don’t know if it started with the Read-Along records (“When Tinker Bell waves her wand – bbblllliiiinnnggg – turn the page!”) or the Disneyland book my grandfather gave me around age 3, but however the innoculation happened, it was very effective. I’m happy that my kids share my passion, and I’m even happier that Portland has one of the fancy-shmancy new Imagination Park Disney Stores!

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Jun 22,

2015

Heatstroke is No Joke

by Jeannette Tomanka

Remember the signs of heatstroke

There are rumors El Nino might eventually be on the way to help the West Coast with this drought, but for now, it’s awfully hot and dry out there. Given that it might be over 100 degrees here in Portland this weekend, seems like an excellent time to talk about heatstroke.

If you just feel hot or sunburned, fluids and air conditioning are definitely the place to start. But if you have the following symptoms, or even some of them, don’t hesitate to call your doctor or 911!

Heatstroke symptoms can be remembered by thinking about what can happen: H.A.P.N.

H: high body temperature, heart rate, or respiration
A: altered mental state or sweating pattern
P: pain in head or on surface of flushed skin
N: Nausea or the need to vomit

If you are trying to help someone who you think might be experiencing heatstroke, get them out of the sun and make attempts to cool them down with a cool shower or bath or even ice packs under the arms. Keep them as calm and hydrated as possible while you wait for help to arrive.

And stay safe this summer!

Jun 18,

2015

Click and Save…But Not Just Money

by Jeannette Tomanka

Luke 11:41 We’re used to seeing headlines and ads that urge us to “click and save!” But in this case, it isn’t about coupons or codes. In this case, it’s about lives.

GreaterGood.com is a wonderful, ad supported site that transforms your clicks into food, medicine, books, even pet care. All it takes a mouse, and you can be giving solace. I know, I know. It sounds too good to be true. But it’s real, and it’s easy, and it only takes a moment.

If you’re like me, every time you make a purchase online, you do a quick search for discount codes at that retailer. This takes even less time, and you can sign up to receive a daily email reminder from the cause of your choice that makes it even easier.

Ours is a world in which it is easy to be cruel. There are so many tragedies on the news, so many people hurting, that it can feel overwhelming, and lead to a cynicism of spirit. We find ourselves dwelling on slights real or imagined. It becomes difficult to be kind, to have a heart that is forgiving and charitable. Greatergood.com is tiny, simple way to make the world better.

Jun 07,

2015

A Little Thing Can Make a Difference

by Jeannette Tomanka

Photo credit: Fotor | CC BY-SA

There are lots of useless kitchen gizmos out there these days. The ones advertised on television are often the worst offenders, setting up false problems you need to “solve” by purchasing their Greatest Slicer Ever or the Single Hot Plate That Will Replace Your Whole Kitchen. Of course, there is one perk to the commercials. I always feel much more capable and competent after I watch some of those folks attempt to operate a tomato!

These things can’t make a bad cook into a good one, or a poorly laid out kitchen functional. But there are some small devices you can add to your daily duties that can really elevate your cooking. Little things that can take a regular dish and punch it up.

So I guess it’s time to confess. I’m in love with my pepper grinder.

All my friends know I love the OXO brand of products because they’re easy to use when your hands are damp from washing or accidentally slicked up with olive oil, and their pepper mill is no exception. It’s easy to fill, easy to adjust, and comes with a little base to keep stray pepper off the counter.

But the brand almost doesn’t matter. Use any type you like. The key is the pepper! Fresh really is best for nearly every application. Since pepper corns are dried berries, they start to lose essential oils as soon as they’re cracked, so using it fresh gives a better hot, bright flavor than the pre-ground stuff that’s been sitting in a tin for who knows how long. Add it later in the cooking process so the scent and taste stay assertive and your taste buds will thank you.

May 26,

2015

Julia’s Kitchen

by Jeannette Tomanka

Poloroid by Elsa Dorfman, 1988

Some pretty intense things happened in 1963. The Kennedy Administration severed our ties with Cuba. Alcatraz Penitentiary closed up shop. Bob Dylan released Blowin’ in the Wind.

Most importantly to me, The French Chef premiered on WGBH, introducing America to Julia Child.

It is impossible to overstate how much influence Julia Child had on American eating habits. She wasn’t the first cook to have a TV show, since that honor belongs to Philip Harben, a restauranteur from England. She wasn’t even the first celebrity chef in the US, since that was unquestioningly James Beard. But she was so fun and genuine, so distinctive, so large and good natured and real that she seemed to invite viewers into her kitchen — but even moreso encourage them to enter their own. American cuisine was never the same.

There was something supportive about Julia’s approach. Even now, when I watch clips on YouTube, I feel like she’s on my side, like she really wants to share the pleasures of good cooking and good food. And she wasn’t interested in making fine cuisine intimidating! There’s a famous episode of her first show in which, after cooking a massive potato pancake, she fumbled flipping it onto the platter, catching half the dish while the other half fell on the stovetop. But the show was filmed live, and Julia was a live wire — so she just scooped it up, patched it back together, and looked right in the camera as she asked, “If you’re alone in the kitchen, who is going to see?”

Early in her marriage, Julia was trying to please her older, more worldly husband with a duck dish. It exploded and set the oven on fire. If she could recover from that and go on to become one of the first culinary superstars, well, you and I can surely bounce back from a bad day.

Her kitchen, with its extra-tall counters to accommodate her six-foot-two height, is now at the Smithsonian. It this video, staff and lucky volunteers pack it up to be moved to a new exhibit. It’s amazing and gratifying to see the care they take with her well-worn pans and cookbooks. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, even if we don’t use quite as much butter as she liked.

Apr 05,

2015

A Very Happy Easter

by Jeannette Tomanka

1 Peter 1:3

It’s been a busy Spring, but today we enjoy a moment to rest and take stock and celebrate blessings with family: Easter. While I love Christmas — and so do the kids — there’s something special about Easter. The return of leaves and birds and yes, even yard work, but also the reminder that our lives have a greater purpose not of this world.

And then there are the Easter eggs!

I don’t know about you, but I vividly remember hovering anxiously nearby as my mother boiled eggs and dissolved the dye tablets, the sharp, stinging scent of vinegar filling the kitchen. Then there was the little ritual of bending the flat wire loops into hooks to fish the eggs out of the bright bowls of coloring. It’s a tradition I’ve enjoyed passing on to my own children.

If your own children or grandchildren are young enough, I’d like to suggest a little magic trick to impress them. After the hard-boiled eggs are cool enough to work with, use a white crayon and carefully draw crosses initials on the shell. Of course, it isn’t magic, just the wax keeping the dye from reaching the surface of the eggshell — but you should see those eyes widen as the shapes become clear. You’ll be creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Of course, Portland has its own Easter traditions, and my favorite is the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival. Strictly speaking, it isn’t just for Easter since it runs from the end of March to the beginning of May, but it certainly reminds us that Spring has officially sprung. I hope you have something just as special in your neck of the woods, and a very Happy Easter!

Dec 31,

2014

My Favorite Christmas Present (well, one of them)

by Jeannette

It’s no secret that one of my favorite movies of all time is The Princess Bride. It is just amazing for so many reasons – well-made, timeless, funny, touching, well-cast, and a fun watch for all ages. Cary Elwes (Westley) recently released a book about the making of the film, and Santa brought me a personalized copy!! I was so thrilled!

When I heard the book was coming out, I was a little apprehensive, worried that my love of the movie would be tarnished by a “tell-all” scandal-recounting recollection. I needn’t have worried. Most of the actors in this film made many other movies, but this one remains a favorite of all of them. Twenty-five years later, they clearly remember how it was to work on this film, the fun they had, the feeling of family they all had (even mean old Prince Humperdinck), the funny things that happened (like Andre the Giant passing out in a hotel lobby and being left there all night because no one could move him!), and the respect they all had for the talent of the other actors.

The book is a tribute to the film, a labor of love, a way for the actors and filmmakers to express their love for the film, and their gratitude to the millions of fans who “got it;” the fans who saw it in 1987 as children or young adults and are now sharing it with their children and grandchildren. I haven’t finished the book yet, but it’s already made me watch the movie with new eyes and new respect. It’s a splendid book about the making of a splendid film. Thank you, Santa!

Dec 31,

2014

Kicking and Screaming into New Technology

by Jeannette

Well, we finally did it. After months – no, years – of saying “we just don’t need it,” we finally broke down and got a new television and a Blu-ray player. It was the family Christmas gift. And while we may not have needed it, we are certainly enjoying it!

The first thing my oldest child said, while watching a college bowl game, was “Wow! You can see the sweat drops on them!” Just what I always wanted! The sharpness of the HD is definitely impressive.

Then we hooked up the Blu-ray. I am completely in love with the beauty of the picture. The sound is not as impressive, but we’re told that can be fixed with a sound bar. It doesn’t matter to me right now. I am just in awe of the quality of the picture on a 25-year-old movie! What was the first movie we purchased and watched in Blu-ray?

The Princess Bride, of course.

I’m sure we’re probably the last people in the country to upgrade to this technology, but just in case some of you are resisting, I can only say don’t. If money is an issue, don’t think you have to spend your children’s inheritance on this. The television was less than $400 (for a 42-inch screen) and the player was $60. If the quality is better on more expensive systems, I don’t think I could stand it!

Dec 25,

2014

Twelve Days of Christmas Movies

by Jeannette

Whew! What happened to December?? This time of year always seems to go in fast-forward, but this year seems to have been in a particular hurry. We try to slow it down a little by watching a movie every night, kind of a “movie advent.” We put the names of our favorite holiday movies in a hat, then draw one every night that the kids are out of school. Here are the ones in the hat this year:

* Santa Claus is Coming to Town – This is my personal favorite of the stop-motion classics. More to follow….

* Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – This one has to be on the list. It just has to be.

* Last Holiday (Queen Latifah, LL Cool J) – This is a surprisingly sweet and funny story about a woman who’s told she’s dying, so she takes a trip of a lifetime. My kids always giggle when she arrives at the Hotel Pupp (pronounced “poop”).

* White Christmas (Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye) – Fun fact about this one: Vera-Ellen wasn’t much of a singer (her parts were actually sung by Rosemary Clooney or Trudy Stevens), and Rosemary Clooney wasn’t much of a dancer. Knowing that, it’s easy to see how they worked around this, but until I read this, I never noticed how little Rosemary Clooney danced in the film.

* The Santa Clause and The Santa Clause 2 (Tim Allen) – This is a case of the sequel being at least as good as the first one. We don’t care for the third installment, though.

* A Christmas Story – My kids haven’t reached a full appreciation of this one yet, but they love the leg lamp.

* Muppet Christmas Carol – It just wouldn’t be Christmas without Kermie!

* National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – Another one that is appreciated more as you get older.

* While You Were Sleeping – A sweet movie that is completely unrealistic, but nice to watch.

* Miracle on 34th Street (either one) – This is another one that just must be on the list. Believe!!

* Scrooged (Bill Murray) – One of the best version of A Christmas Carol, and classic Bill Murray.

* It’s a Wonderful Life – My kids haven’t reached a full appreciation of this one either, but I think it definitely resonates more with adults. It’s still full of good lessons for kids: every time you do the right thing, it reaches further than you’ll ever know.

Hot cocoa recommended – “Cocoa is superior!” (Robot Santa, The Santa Clause 2).

Nov 29,

2014

Small Business Saturday

by Jeannette

A few years ago, American Express launched a concept called “Small Business Saturday” that happens after Black Friday and before Cyber Monday. The idea is to support family-owned, non-big box, non-mega-chain restaurants, retail stores, service providers, etc. If you read my post earlier this week, you know I’m not a fan of Black Friday, but I have gotten out and tried to support small businesses. I’m a big fan of non-chain restaurants; in fact, 90% of the time we eat out it’s at a small, family-owned places. I admit I don’t shop many “boutique” shops for clothing, because it’s just too expensive, but we’ve had a few consignment shops open in the area recently, and those are fun. I mostly shop little stores for unique gifts, so this day happening in the holiday season is perfect.

Check the American Express website for participating businesses, or just wander around town and stop somewhere that looks interesting. Remember, most of these businesses don’t have robust websites, so don’t count on a web search to find them. An old-fashioned phone book might work better! Happy shopping!

Nov 27,

2014

My 2014 Thankful List

by Jeannette

We started a tradition in my family a few years ago where we write down what we’re most thankful for, and it can’t be just “my family” or “my job” – we have to be specific. In my immediate family, every day in November we talk about one thing we’re thankful for, and it doesn’t have to be serious; for example, on Day 6 of Thanksgiving, my husband was thankful for the “mute” button on the remote.

This is my 2014 Thanksgiving list, in no particular order:

1. I am thankful to live in a city that is so beautiful and so close to so much natural beauty.

2. I am thankful for the laughter that is so much a part of my family. Not a day goes by that I don’t hear my children giggling or that we don’t make each other laugh.

3. I am thankful for the opportunity to spend so much time with my children as they’re growing up, and I am thankful for the most wonderful spouse who truly makes raising these two precious souls a team effort. I can’t imagine doing this without him!

4. I am thankful for our furkids who are more than just pets; they are teachers, companions, guards, therapists, and friends.

5. I am thankful for the “mute” button on the remote.