Want to save energy and speed up cooking time by as much as 70 percent? A pressure cooker is an easy way to prepare a home-cooked meal that can feed a crowd and cook from start to finish very quickly. The end results are better than using a microwave, and they save a considerable amount of energy versus using a cooktop or oven. And today’s modern-style pressure cookers are safe; they feature new latches and systems to prevent messy spills or, worse, kitchen disasters. If you can twist a lid on, you can use a modern pressure cooker today.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Cooler temps mean the water in your backyard pool needs to be drained to ready it for winter. Instead of draining the water out completely, you can recycle and reuse it to hydrate your lawn and garden areas. Since most pools are chlorinated, the first step is to remove chlorine tablets and allow your pool to sit untreated for at least a week. This will help your pool get to the desired pH level acceptable for watering. Then use a siphon or water pump to use the water to hydrate your garden, lawn and landscaping. This tip does not work for saltwater pools, and that type of water should not be used for watering your yard.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

People who use a wood-burning fireplace, listen up: Don’t scoop the ashes out of the fireplace into the trash. Instead, invest in a fireproof metal tin where you can scoop your warm ashes and let them completely cool down naturally. Save these ashes over the winter months and use them as nutrient-dense soil amendment for your garden, lawn or compost in the spring. It’s as simple as sprinkling the ash everywhere and mixing or tilling it into the lawn, garden soil or compost. Wood ash is loaded with calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and aluminum.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION