GON Reader Question #
1
What are the absolute necessities for a college dorm?
Can you tell us the absolute necessities for a college freshman to take to campus?
-- Connie
Austin, Bridhead, WI
Maria's Response
Hi Connie,
Glad you asked. My daughter is getting ready to begin her second year of college in the fall and she used every single item we sent with her during her freshman year.
I hope you find it helpful!
GON Reader Question # 2
Do you have a method you like for cooking hard-boiled eggs?
Hi Maria,
I really like having hard-boiled eggs available for salads and Asian rice bowls with an egg. I was buying eggs pre-cooked from my supermarket, but
honestly, it's so expensive to buy them this way.
Do you have a method you like for cooking hard-boiled eggs? How many minutes should they be cooked?
-- Liza
Maria's Response
Hi
Liza,
I use a super-simple method for hard-boiled eggs that I have been using for years. First, as you know, eggs can be purchased in various sizes: small, medium, large, and extra
large.
I always buy large.
Here are the steps I take:
1. Place your eggs in a saucepan. They should be in one-layer, so depending on how many eggs you're cooking, be sure to choose the appropriate-sized saucepan. Don't overcrowd them.
2. Fill your saucepan with cold water, 1 inch over your eggs.
3. Cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat on high.
4. Bring water to a rolling boil.
5. Once the water has reached a boil, reduce the heat to medium-high and set your timer for 7 minutes. (By the way, everybody's 'yolk preference' is a bit different. Personally, I like a 7-minute egg...but you could go down to 6 minutes or up to 9 minutes.)
6. When the timer sounds, remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and immediately transfer them to a large bowl of ice water. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
You're done...and you should have perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs that are, by the way, easy to peel.
GON Reader Question # 3
What to do with my old Apple Watch band?
Hi Maria,
I recently bought a new apple watch band. Before I toss out the old one, is there anything I can do with it?
-- Becca
Maria's Response
Hi Becca,
Hmmmm...my first thought is, if you've replaced
your watch band and you have no intention of using the old one again, I would probably pitch it.
If you bought a new band because your old one was not looking great, you can try cleaning
the old one. Mr. Clean Erasers can make an old Apple Watch band look practically new again. Then, you can alternate using the older one and the newer one if that makes sense, like if they are two different colors.
One additional thought is you can attach pierced earrings to it, through the holes, so you have an extra pair or two when you're traveling. This would make you less likely to lose or misplace them in your luggage.
