photo by Tama Leaver
DEAR SARA: I made a ham and just froze the bone and some ham for soup later, but what can I do with the drippings? Seems a shame to waste them. I’ve never done anything with ham drippings. At the very least, I could make some suet for the birdies. Any other suggestions? Could I perhaps use them to make soup broth? — Leslie, Illinois
DEAR LESLIE: You …

photo by LeifheitUSA
DEAR SARA: How often do you vacuum your home? My friends and family think I am insane because I vacuum darn near every day. It just got me wondering, how often is normal? — Lisa, Virginia
DEAR LISA: Although I’m frugal, I want my home to be tidy. I typically vacuum daily. If you don’t have young children or pets, you might not need to vacuum on a daily …

photo by quinn anya
DEAR SARA: Help. Do I take a gift? One of the ladies on my block invited me to a brunch that she has invited all the other ladies on the street to. They did it last year (I wasn’t able to attend), and, from what I understand, it is an informal get-together. Should I bring a hostess gift? I asked her what I could do to help/bring, …

photo by corey ann
DEAR SARA: How long does it take before food goes bad when the fridge gives out? — Denise, Missouri
DEAR DENISE: Whether a refrigerator dies or you have a power outage, refrigerator food needs to stay 40 F or below and freezer food 0 F or below. You have about three hours for refrigerated foods to stay at a safe temperature and about 24 hours for freezer food. …