This month, we are going to play a game called, "Did You Know?" I will ask 10 questions, and then you will answer.

Give yourself two points for each answer you know and we’ll just see how smart you really are.

Okay, let’s go.

1. Did you know that you can throw your raw potato peelings into your fire in your wood stove or fireplace? They release a gas that helps clean your chimney. It doesn’t do all of the work, but it does help.

2. Did you know that if you need some temporary counter space you can pull out a top drawer and put a cookie sheet across it?

3. Did you know that when you bring your canned goods home from the grocery store you should place them in your cupboards the opposite way they were on the grocery shelves? It helps to bring all that has settled to the bottom back into the mix.

4. Did you know that if a recipe calls for self-rising flour and all you have is all-purpose that you can make your own self-rising flour? For each cup that you need, put 1½ teaspoons of baking powder and ½ teaspoon of salt in a measuring cup and add your all-purpose flour.

5. Did you know that if your recipe calls for baking chocolate and you have none that you can use three tablespoons of baking cocoa plus 1 tablespoon of oil for each 1-ounce square of baking chocolate?

6. Did you know that if you are tired of rings on your cupboard shelves from salad oil dripping down the bottle that you can fix it? Just cut the cuff off a stray sock and slip it on the bottle. Toss it in the wash when it’s soiled.

7. Did you know that you can get rid of the onion or garlic smell on your hands after handling them? Just rub your hands on a stainless steel spoon under cold running water.

8. Did you know that if you put a coffee filter in the bottom of a new pot when you repot a plant it will keep the dry soil from running out the drain hole? Plus, it helps the soil stay in the pot when you water.

9. Did you know that if you would like a thinner and less acidic tomato sauce for your meatballs you can replace half the tomato sauce with beef broth?

10. Did you know that you should never, ever cook pasta, rice, oatmeal, cereals, split-peas, barley, cranberries or rhubarb in a pressure cooker? They all foam and can clog the vent pipe and pressure plug while cooking.

Okay, how many points did you get? No cheating! (Well maybe a little.)

My thought for the month is: You know that it is going to be a good day when all of the wheels in your shopping cart turn in the same direction.