Gluten-free pastas that taste delicious
and quinoa pasta is delicious with a meat sauce. Try roasted tomatoes and olives with rice, soy and potato penne, and add a cheese sauce with bacon and peas to brown-rice spirals for a spin on classic mac and cheese.
Q: What’s the best way to store guacamole? — Isabelle Miner, Bethel, Connecticut
A: Guacamole won’t keep for more than a day, but you can maintain its freshness and prett y color by storing it in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed directly on its surface (not just over the container). By limiting its exposure to air, you’re preventing oxidation, which is what causes the dip to turn brown.
Q: My pet sheds everywhere. How can I remove the hair effectively? — Haley Sullivan, Chelmsford, Massachusetts
A: Regular grooming will help cut down on your pet’s shedding but won’t completely stop the fur from flying. To pick up dog or cat hair, choose the method that’s best suited to the surface you want to clean.
An electrostatic mop will trap hair on wooden and other hard floors better than a vacuum, which can blow hair around. For clothing and fabrics, use a tape roller, lint brush or dry sponge (sold at pet-supply stores). On upholstery, use a hand vacuum with a motorized beater-bar attachment.
Q: What plants look best at night? — Aneliese Castro, La Cañada, California
A: A moon garden glows in t wilight while other plants in the landscape recede into darkness.
To grow one, start by clustering a group of pots on a porch, or plant a bed with a mix of white flowers and plants with silver foliage. Possible choices of flowers include: tuberose, Kalanchoe, Dusty miller, Lilac, Delphinium and Scabiosa.
White petals and fuzzy, silver leaves will reflect the waning light and extend the hours during which you can enjoy the splendors of your garden.