Top Drawer

Best salad

Hillary Hebert of Raleigh shared her recipe for Indian Spinach Salad. “It’s a surprise hit with folks who like spinach salads but want something a little different.”

For the salad:

10 ounces (8 cups) fresh spinach

1/2 cup raisins

1 1/2 cup chopped red apples

1 cup peanuts

2 teaspoons sliced green onion

For the dressing:

1/4 cup white wine or vinegar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons chopped chutney

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

2 tablespoons sugar (optional)

Wash and dry spinach (if needed), and remove any tough stems. Toss together salad ingredients. Combine dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well. Pour over salad and serve.

Best new use

Becky Winders of Durham offered a new use for household items.

“I use binder clips from my office to close potato chip bags, bags of salad mix, etc., in the kitchen. With small inexpensive magnets, the binder clips will hold pictures, coupons, memos, etc., on the refrigerator or other metal surface. I put outgoing mail in a clip on a magnet on the inside of my metal outside door where I will see it and remember to mail it when I go out.”

Best for seedlings

Susan Quinby-Honer of Raleigh says toilet paper rolls make perfect seed-starting pots.

“Cut three slits in one end of the roll and fold in (the edges) to form the bottom of the pot. Dunk the pot in water and then set up to dry. You can use the pot to start your seeds, and, when they are ready for transplanting, the whole pot can be planted without disturbing the young plant.”

Best for removing rust stains

Pressing my favorite cream-colored slacks in a rush before work, I wound up staining them with rust from my steam iron. What to do?

I grabbed a bar of Fels-Naptha laundry soap, wet it with warm water and started scrubbing. I scrubbed for a few seconds, then rinsed with warm water, wringing out the excess and repeating the process. After about two minutes, the stains disappeared. After rinsing and thoroughly wring out the slacks, I hung them on the shower door. When I returned after work, they were dry and stain-free.

Best garden tour

More than 20 private gardens – ranging from Charleston-style courtyards to complete outdoor rooms – will be open to visitors at the inaugural Garden Walk at Bedford, a North Raleigh community, on May 2. The tour is from 1-6 p.m.

Tickets are $20 and must be purchased in advance by visiting bedfordgardenwalk.com/. The tour takes place rain or shine.

Or pony up $35 for a combination ticket for the garden tour and the Tea at Bedford Abbey, which takes place from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Seating is limited for the tea, at the Bedford Clubhouse, 10630 Bedfordtown Drive. The event’s theme comes from the popular PBS series “Downtown Abbey,” and guests are encouraged to dress in their best spring finery. Tickets for the tea only are $20.

Proceeds will benefit Backpack Buddies of Wake County.

Seeking new ideas for old household items

If you have a great new use for household or garden item, we’d love to hear it. Please send ideas to topdrawer@newsobserver.com. Be sure to include your name, street address and city. Put “best new use” in the subject line.

Best of the tube

On HGTV

Moving out on their own: Newlyweds Amy and Graham are eager to ditch their basement digs at her mother’s place for a home of their own. Jonathan seems to be in luck when the two see eye-to-eye on interior design, but they hit a brick wall during the kitchen demo. As for Drew, the bad news is that Graham only wants a home in the neighborhood where he grew up – a sought-after enclave where every house sells for more than asking price. “Property Brothers” airs at 9 p.m. Wednesday.

This story was originally published April 17, 2015 at 12:00 PM with the headline "Top Drawer."