Help?!?

I have three questions for y'all.

1. Anyone know if you can clean a self-cleaning oven by hand or with some sort of product? I'm scared to lock my oven at extremely high temps. And it is beyond filthy.

2. Does anyone have a great pie recipe? I have to make two for a dinner next Wednesday and I'm not a pie kind of girl so it must be easy and no-fail.

3. I also have to make a cobbler of some sort for Sunday. I don't make cobbler very often. I think someone is bringing peach and someone is bringing apple. I was thinking some sort of berry cobbler. Ideas? Recipes? I'm picky about my cobbler though. I don't like a doughy crust. I like it to be more pie-crust consistency. I know I can google a recipe but I prefer to make on that is tried and true.

THANKS in advance!

Got Answers?

I'm soliciting answers/advice to these three questions today:

1. Does anyone know of a brick and mortar store that sells open stock Fiestaware? I only want to buy dinner plates and bowls, but every store I've been to only sells the place settings. I don't want or need more cups/saucers. I know I can buy open stock online, but I'm looking for an actual store!

2. Mothers of teenagers: do your kids handle all of their own social scheduling? Am I being old-fashioned, unhip, and/or unreasonable by insisting that I hear from a parent when my kids are invited somewhere? I almost always talk to a parent (by phone, text, email) when my kids invite a friend to do something, but my kids are being invited places by text and I'm often so far out of the info loop that it's not funny. Am I alone? Am I wrong to expect a little more parent-to-parent communication? John thinks this is just how kids do things these days. I need insight from experienced moms!

3. Does anyone have a recipe for a meal that freezes really well? My friend, Elizabeth, is expecting her fourth baby soon and she's trying to stock her freezer with meals she can thaw, cook, and serve. I do lots of meat prep and freezing, but when she asked me for meal ideas I realized that I don't really have any meals that I make and freeze. Suggestions? Links? Recipes? Please share!


Thanks, you guys. You all are really my best resource!!!

Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses...

Okay, I really don't want your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.

I really just want your feedback.

John and I have a couple of home improvement projects slated this summer. One is to landscape our backyard (finally!) and the other is to replace the white vinyl flooring in our kitchen that I'm so tired of looking at, that never looks clean even when it is, that shows every spot and smudge and is the bane of my obsessive cleaning disorder that was original to the house. Who puts white flooring in a kitchen?

John told me to do the research, figure out what I want in the kitchen, and we'll get it installed. And by installed, you should know John means he'll write the check to the floor guy. He's good at a lot of things, but he'll readily admit that home improvement projects aren't his specialty. 

So. I'm conducting a research experiment and would love for you to offer input on the type of flooring you have and why you love/hate it.

---------------------------------------

This is not our forever house so I'm not interested in putting a ton of money into the flooring. Therefore, I'm NOT investing in hardwood. I think I've narrowed it down to laminate, tile, or vinyl. 

I'm open to wood laminate but wonder about Jack-the-Fat-Beagle scratching it. I also have a few friends who don't like theirs because it's hard to clean, shows dust/dirt, and can't get wet. Opinions on that?

I'm open to ceramic tile but wonder how cold it will be in the winter and how hard it is to clean. Does the grout look gross after awhile? 

I'm open to vinyl flooring, maybe even something that looks like tile. I know it's easy to clean and as long as it isn't white I think I'd be okay with it. 

Opinions? I'd really love your thoughts!