Home, Auto, & Hobbies Articles

Article / Updated 09-18-2023

A food disposer takes the place of a sink basket and drain piece on one of the kitchen sink bowls. To install this appliance, consult the installation instructions that come with the unit, because the steps vary among brands. Here are the basic steps for installing any food disposer: Remove the sink basket (if one was installed). Send the sink sleeve (which replaces the sink basket and secures the disposer to the sink bowl) through the hole in the sink bottom and secure the sleeve to the bowl by using the gasket and mounting rings, following the unit’s installation instructions. The gaskets and mounting rings keep the sink sleeve from leaking when you run water. There are two mounting rings: the upper mounting ring and a backup mounting ring. There’s also a snap ring that goes into the groove on the backup mounting ring as extra security for keeping the unit in place. Lift the disposer and align the mounting lugs (small, rolled curls of metal attached to the mounting ring) and mounting ears (90-degree angled metal cliplike pieces also attached to the mounting ring near the lugs) with the mounting screws located between the upper and backup mounting rings. The mounting screws are threaded. The lugs and ears are located on the lower mounting ring, which is attached to the disposer housing (the main body of the unit). Turn the disposer clockwise until it’s supported on the mounting assembly (sleeve and mounting rings). Attach the discharge tube (a short, approximately 90-degree plastic elbow where the waste and water is discharged) to the discharge opening (the larger hole in the side of the housing). The tube uses a rubber gasket and metal flange to secure it and keep it from leaking. If you’re draining your dishwasher through the disposer, remove the plug in the smaller dishwasher nipple and attach the dishwasher drain hose to the nipple with a hose clamp. If you don’t have a dishwasher, do not remove the plug! If you remove the plug but don’t have a hose to connect to the nipple, the water will spew out the hole. Connect the drain line pipe from the sink drain setup to the disposer’s discharge tube with a slip nut and washer. You may need to cut either the discharge tube or the drain line pipe to fit. Lock the disposer in place by using the disposer wrench (included with the unit). Insert the wrench into one of the mounting lugs on the lower mounting ring and turn it clockwise until it locks. A standard plug-end cord is the electrical power connection for most disposers. But you do need to connect the cord to the motor wires. Here’s how: Remove the disposer’s bottom plate. Strip off about 1/2 inch of insulation from each wire of the power cord. Connect like-color wires by using wire connectors. To ground the unit, attach the green ground wire from the power supply to the green ground screw that will be on the disposer housing. The screw is easy to spot, because it’s actually painted green. Gently push all the wires in and reinstall the bottom plate. Plug in the cord and you’re good to go!

Article / Updated 09-18-2023

After you have attached your faucet and water supply and set your sink, it’s time to connect the sink drain. Drain kits come in different materials and configurations, but installing them is a snap. Choose the kit with the configuration for your sink type, and you’re halfway home! You have a couple of choices for drain kits: chromed metal kits and PVC drain kits. Both work well and are about equally easy to use. The main factor on deciding which one to use is cosmetic — will the drain line be visible? If it will be visible, you’ll want to use the chromed kit. If it’s out of sight in the sink base cabinet, which most kitchen drains are, then the good-old white plastic PVC kit is the way to go; PVC is cheaper. Kitchen sink drain kits, whether they’re chromed or PVC, use nut and washer screw-together connections. Besides being easy to install, they also let you easily disconnect the assembly when it’s time to unclog a drain or quickly rescue that wedding ring that fell down the drain. A basic, single-bowl kit includes: A tailpiece, which connects to the bottom of the sink strainer A trap bend (or P-trap), which forms a water-filled block to prevent sewer gas from coming up through the sink drain A trap arm, which is connected to the downstream end of the P-trap and then to the drain line that leads to the main drainage line A double-bowl drain kit will have everything the single-bowl kit has along with a waste-Tee connection and additional length of drain line to connect both bowls to a single P-trap. If your sink has a garbage disposer, you need an additional longer section of drainpipe to connect the disposer’s drain line to the bowl drain line. The crosspiece that comes in the kit may or may not be long enough to make the connection between the disposer and other sink bowl drain pieces. You have to check yours out to be sure. Follow your disposer’s installation instructions. Assembling and connecting the drain kit is fairly simple. The pieces are easy to maneuver, so you can adjust them to fit almost any setup. Don’t expect the horizontal pieces to be in super-straight alignment with the tailpieces or the drainpipe. The only thing that matters is that they all eventually get connected together. Start by attaching the tailpiece to the sink drain and tightening the slip nut and washer by hand. If you have a multiple bowl sink, all of the drain tailpieces should be the same length for an easier installation. Slip the trap onto the tailpiece and then position the trap’s horizontal piece next to the drain line coming out of the wall. The horizontal piece must fit inside the end of the drain line. Remove the trap and cut the horizontal section to fit. Reattach the trap to the tailpiece and into the drain line and tighten the slip nuts and washers. Before you do anything else, get the bucket and rags ready. Lay some rags directly below each connection so that, if there is a leak, the towels will immediately soak up the water. And leave the rags there for a couple of days, just in case a leak develops over time. Have your helper turn on the water while you begin inspecting for leaks. Don’t be alarmed (or upset) if you have a joint that leaks. Just shut off the water, take a deep breath, disassemble and reassemble the connection, and check again for leaks.

Article / Updated 09-18-2023

Much of the work of sink installation takes place before you set the sink into the countertop. Taking your time with the preliminary work ensures a smooth installation. In most cases, the old plumbing configuration will work with your new sink. But if you’re making a major change in the design of the new sink, be sure that the old plumbing fits the new sink’s requirements. So, before you buy or order a sink, take a few measurements: If you don’t install your sink and faucet according to the instructions, you’ll have to foot the bill for the replacement even if the product is defective. If the manufacturer sees signs of abuse or misuse or an improper installation, they’re off the hook. Establishing the drain height: Make sure to measure the distance from the underside of the countertop to the center of the drain line that comes out of the wall. This distance is usually between 16 and 18 inches, which allows adequate space for the water to drop into the trap and still leaves enough space below the trap for storing items underneath the sink in the cabinet. The drain height is usually not an issue unless you’re going from a very shallow sink to one that has very deep bowls (9 to 12 inches deep). Even if you do switch to deeper bowls, it may only be a problem if your old setup had a shallow bowl coupled with a high drain exit position. This may sound like a less than likely setup but it does happen. If you do find that you only have a few inches of space between the bottom of the bowl and the center of the drainpipe, contact a licensed plumber to assess the situation and determine if the drainpipe needs to be lowered. Determine the shut-off valve heights: Measure from the floor of the sink base cabinet to the center of the valve. Houses built before roughly 1980 were not required to have shut-offs on every sink supply line, so you may not have any at all. If your sink doesn’t have shut-off valves, install them now while you’re working on the system. If your kitchen didn’t have shut-offs when you tore out the old sink and faucet and you’ve been working on the sink installation for a few days, you better have installed individual shut-off valves by now or your family won’t be speaking with you. Where there are no shut-off valves and there are open pipes or lines, the only way to keep the water from running out is to shut down the entire water supply. Not a good idea when your daughter is getting ready for a big date.

Article / Updated 09-18-2023

Bûche de Noël is French for Christmas log. This dessert with the fancy name is found in every pastry-shop window in France during the month of December. It’s simply a yellow sponge cake rolled around a white chocolate and cherry filling. You can start this the day ahead and let it sit overnight. Preparation time: 45 minutes; 8 hour cooling time Cooking time: 20 minutes Yield: 10 servings Yellow Sponge Cake for Bûche de Noël 1/4 cup whole milk 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 3/4 cup cake flour 1 teaspoon baking powder Pinch salt 3 large eggs 3 large egg yolks 1 cup sugar Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a jellyroll pan with pan coating, line with parchment paper, and spray again. Place the milk and butter in a saucepan over medium heat to melt the butter, or melt the butter together with the milk in a microwave. Stir in the vanilla extract; set aside, keeping warm. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a mixer's bowl, beat the eggs, yolks, and sugar on high speed using a balloon whip attachment until the mixture is light and fluffy and a ribbon forms, about 2 minutes. Resift the dry ingredients onto the egg and sugar mixture in three batches, folding after each addition. Start folding with a whisk, and finish up the last batch with a large rubber spatula. Drizzle the warmed milk and butter mixture over the batter a little at a time, folding all the while. If you add the liquid too quickly, it will sink instead of becoming incorporated. You’ll end up with a rubbery layer in your cake. Pour the batter onto a jellyroll pan, using an offset spatula to spread evenly. The cake will be thin. Bake for about 12 minutes, rotating front to back once during baking. The cake should be puffed and light, golden brown. A toothpick will test clean. Do not overbake or the cake will loose its flexibility. Place on a wire rack and allow the cake to cool completely while still in the pan. Use immediately or wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 24 hours. Whipped White Chocolate Ganache Filling and Frosting 3/4 pound white chocolate, finely chopped 2-2/3 cups heavy cream Place the chocolate in a large bowl. Bring the cream to a boil in a medium-sized pot and immediately pour the cream over the chocolate. Let sit for 3 minutes to melt the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. If many unmelted chocolate pieces remain, let sit for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally; the residual heat will melt any remaining chunks. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. Cherry Filling 14-1/2 ounce-can sour pitted cherries, water packed 3 tablespoons cherry liquid (from the canned cherries) 3 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons kirschwasser liqueur Drain the cherries, reserving 3 tablespoons of the liquid. Place the liquid in small saucepan. Place the cherries in small mixing bowl; set aside. Add the sugar to the cherry juice and stir together. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and add kirschwasser. Pour over cherries and reserve until needed. Begin assembly the day before serving or very early on the day of serving. Have ready a large, flat serving platter. It must be at least 18 inches long and 6 inches wide, and must be able to fit in your refrigerator. You can also create a tray by covering cardboard with aluminum foil. Per serving: Calories 627 (From fat 369); Total fat 41g (Saturated 24g); Cholesterol 229mg; Sodium 140mg; Carbohydrates 58g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 8g.

Article / Updated 09-15-2023

After you make fresh pasta dough, you need to roll it out and cut it into a pasta shape. You have some options when it comes to how you roll and cut your pasta dough: A rolling pin: Traditionally, Italian cooks would use a rolling pin or even a wine bottle. However, the dough is tough and resists your best efforts. In the end, pasta rolled with a rolling pin is usually too thick. A manual pasta machine: This machine rolls the pasta to an even thickness, and you can get the sheets of pasta quite thin. This machine also cuts the pasta. Most models can cut the pasta into fettuccine or spaghetti. A manual pasta machine produces two shapes — fettuccine or spaghetti. However, you can take the long sheets of dough that the machine rolls and cut them yourself to make other shapes. Electric extruders: Basically, these machines are a food processor and pasta machine in one. You put the ingredients in the machine and then press a button to knead and then extrude a variety of shapes. Unfortunately, most electric pasta machines don’t work all that well. After you cut out the pasta shape, you need to be careful to keep the individual pieces separated. You can keep fresh pasta on clean kitchen towels at room temperature for several hours before cooking.

Article / Updated 09-15-2023

Strand pasta, such as spaghetti, is best served with sauces that are rich in oil, which keep the very thin pasta from sticking together. Flat ribbon pasta is excellent with rich, creamy sauces. Also, flat ribbon pasta works well with simple butter sauces. Explore the different types of macaroni described in the charts, find out how long they need to boil in water to cook, and see what they look like. Strand pastas Italian Name and Translation Approximate Cooking Time Description Capelli d’angelo (“angel hair”) Cooks quickly, in 3 to 4 minutes The thinnest pasta of all. Cappellini (“little hairs”) Cooks in 4 to 5 minutes Slightly thicker than angel hair. Spaghetti (“little strings”) Cooks in 10 to 12 minutes Long, medium-thick strands. Vermicelli (“little worms”) Cooks in 5 to 6 minutes Thin strands. Flat ribbon pastas Italian Name and Translation Approximate Cooking Time Description Fettuccine (“small ribbons”) Cooks in 8 to 10 minutes Flat strands Linguine (“little tongues”) Cooks in 8 to 10 minutes Long, thin ribbons. Tagliatelle (“little cuts”) Cooks in 7 to 8 minutes Like fettuccine, but a bit wider

Article / Updated 09-15-2023

Filled with meat, cheese, seafood, or vegetables, stuffed pasta (or filled pasta) are best coated with simple tomato or light, cream-based sauces. Stuffed pasta dough is often flavored and tinted with spinach, tomato, saffron, or mushrooms. Typically, stuffed pastas are fresh or frozen. Frozen stuffed pasta takes longer to cook than fresh. This table gives the cooking times (how long they need to boil in water) for frozen stuffed pastas. If you buy fresh stuffed pasta, just follow the directions on the package. Cooking times for frozen stuffed pastas Italian Name and Description Stuffing Approximate Cooking Time Agnolotti (half-moon shaped) Stuffed with meat or cheese Cooks in 7 to 9 minutes Ravioli (little square pillows) Stuffed with meat, cheese, fish, or vegetables Cooks in 8 to 10 minutes Tortellini (ring-shaped little twists) Stuffed with meat or cheese Cooks in 10 to 12 minutes

Article / Updated 09-15-2023

Pasta sauces are as varied as pasta shapes, but the classic pasta sauces stand out. After you get to know the classic pasta sauces, you can begin experimenting with different ingredients. Alfredo: A rich sauce of cream, butter, Parmesan cheese, and freshly ground black pepper (usually tossed over fettuccine.) Alle Vongole: Pasta (usually spaghetti) tossed with clams, olive oil, white wine, and herbs. Carbonara: Crisply cooked bacon (usually Italian pancetta) combined with garlic, eggs, Parmesan cheese, and sometimes cream. Credit: PhotoDisc/Getty Images Marinara: The basic Italian tomato sauce, slow cooked and infused with garlic and Italian herbs (such as oregano and basil), is easy to adapt to different recipes by adding mushrooms, ground meat, or vegetables. Pesto: Fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil blended to a fine paste. Primavera: A mixture of sautéed spring vegetables (such as sweet red pepper, tomatoes, asparagus, and snow peas) and fresh herbs. Credit: PhotoDisc, Inc. Puttanesca: A sauce of anchovies, garlic, tomatoes, capers, and black olives. Ragù alla Bolognese: A long-simmered sauce of meat (usually ground beef, veal, or pork) and tomatoes, named for the city of Bologna, where it was invented. For a true Bolognese, you brown the meat lightly and then cook it in a small amount of milk and wine before adding tomatoes.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 09-15-2023

Cooking for yourself is a skill anyone can do, whether you are 16 years old or 96 years old. Making your own meals from scratch can be immensely satisfying while also saving you money, allowing more control over your nutritional intake, and providing an outlet to express your creativity. Being able to shop, prep, cook, and feed yourself is the ultimate in self-sufficiency that will bring you energy and joy for the rest of your life.

Article / Updated 09-15-2023

Many beagles are waiting patiently for new homes in breed rescue programs. Adopting a beagle from a rescue organization is a great way to find a lovable companion if you don't mind getting an adult dog. Many of these dogs are wonderful, devoted, well-trained family members who just got the short end of the bone for one reason or another and no longer have a place to go. Beagle breed rescue is a multifaceted enterprise that aims to place homeless beagles into permanent adoptive homes. Beagle rescuers — all of whom are volunteers — look for beagles who need help at shelters and from individuals who can no longer keep them. And all too often, Beagle rescuers take in dogs that have been cruelly treated or otherwise neglected. After the beagle enters rescue, the group assigns the dog to a temporary home, or what rescuers call a foster home. While there, the dog receives any necessary medical care and is observed, so that any deficiencies or behavioral problems can be identified. The rescue group then takes steps to deal with those issues. As the beagle's rehabilitation progresses, the foster-care provider — with the help of other volunteers — begins to look for a permanent home for the dog. The group's aim is to find a happy ending for each rescued Beagle: placement in a loving forever home. If you're interested in adopting an older beagle, consider contacting one of the following organizations: National Beagle Club of America: The club's Web site includes a page of links to beagle rescue groups from all over the United States. American Beagle Relief Network: This organization raises funds to help other nonprofit organizations that are engaged in rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming beagles. Petfinder: This national online database of pets that need homes lists beagle and other breed rescue groups from coast to coast. The Petfinder site also allows you to search directly for a beagle by zip code — although most of the hits you'll get will be beagle mixes. Like adopting through a shelter, expect to fill out a detailed application and answer a lot of personal questions. Remember rescue workers want to ensure that the dogs are going to be going to a great home. They may even want to come to your home to make sure that is suitable for a beagle. No rescue beagles nearby? Not to worry. Some rescue groups can help you find a dog that lives outside your local area and arrange to have the animal transported to you. If you're interested in this possibility, ask the rescue coordinator about whether the group operates a "Canine Underground Railroad," or whether she can help you find out more about rescue dogs who live beyond your local area.