1. Plant pole beans next to sunflowers. The beans will climb the lower part of the sunflowers and you won't need to use any poles.
2. To save over watered terrarium plants from ruin, roll a paper towel very tightly and place it in the pot so that one end of it is just touching the soil. The towel will soak up the water in no time. Repeat if necessary. Use this method with any over watered plant that is potted and doesn't have drainage holes.
3. Don't throw away your leftover coffee in the morning. Pour it around your geraniums to promote blooming.
4. Your African violets will bloom longer, prettier, and more abundantly if you stick a few rusty nails in the soil alongside them.
5.In late summer or in fall, collect seeds from your flower and vegetable gardens. Let dry thoroughly in the sun. Place in plastic bags, label, seal, and put in the freezer. In spring, you'll be all set for planting.
6. Save large salt shakers to use as handy dispensers when it's time for planting in your garden. Fill them with seeds, then shake out in neat rows.
7. To remove dead leaves from perennial flower beds in spring without damage to plants, use a child's rake to get in among them.
8. If you have a fire place or wood burning stove, save the ashes as fertilizer for your gardens.
9. For slow and thorough watering of garden plants (such as tomatoes), punch three or four holes in the bottom of an empty 1-gallon milk jug. Bury jug in the soil next to the plant with the top sticking out a little ways and fill it with water. As water seeps out, the plant's roots will absorb it. To add nutrients, some plant food int the water every other time you fill the jug.
10. A teaspoon of mild detergent will revive a vase of wilted flowers.
11. Sweet corn ears are ripe and ready for harvest when the top of the cob is rounded, not pointed.
12. Always water your lawn, garden and houseplants thoroughly, Frequent light sprinklings do more harm than good.
13. When digging up dahlias or gladiola bulbs in fall, separate them by color and store in nylons or in knee-high stockings. Use a same-color ribbon or a rubber band to tie the ends shut and remind you which colors you're planting next year.
14. For tender rhubarb stalks, be sure to water plants well for a day or two before picking.
15. To "silk" ears of corn, I use a wet terry towel washcloth. It does a great job of removing the silk and doesn't do any damage to the kernels.
16. Keep your fingernails clean while working in the garden by scraping them over a bar of soap before starting. This fills the underside of your nails with soap so dirt can't get in.
17. Dandelions will do a disappearing act if you spray pure white vinegar where the roots were after pulling. Don't worry about the grass-it will grow back fast.
18. To kill grass in cracks of the sidewalk, pour full-strength vinegar on the cracks. Withing 2 days, the grass will be dead.
19. When you bring in cut flowers from the garden to make a bouquet in the house, always cut the stem on a slant instead of straight across. This increases water intake, keeping the flowers fresher. Add part a can of white or lemon-lime soda to the water improves the appearance of the flowers.
20. Cut the top and bottom off of a soda bottle, leaving a 6-inch cylinder open at both ends. This makes a great planting sleeve for plants. It helps prevent cutworm damage and creates a nice water reservoir too.
Showing posts with label Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tips. Show all posts
Monday, 13 February 2012
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Tips, tips, tips, and more tips. (cont'd part 7)
1. To easily remove pumpkin peels, cut a hole on top and remove the seeds and pulp. Then set the pumpkin in a pan of water and bake at 300 degrees for about an hour. The rind will peel right off without wasting any meat.
2. Use nonstick cooking spray to spray the inside of your pot before cooking pasta, to prevent pasta water from bubbling over.
3. To remove the fat from gravy, remove the meat and add a small piece of ice. The fat will harden and adhere to the ice.
4. If you're in a hurry for more ice cubes, leave three or four cubes in the tray when you refill it. The 'old' cubes will chill the water faster and you'll have new cubes ready quicker.
5. Wrap a rubber band around the handle of your mixing spoon if you have trouble with it falling into the gravy or whatever you're cooking. The rubber band will keep the spoon from sliding into the pan.
6. To keep rolls warm longer, place a sheet of tinfoil under the napkin in the bun basket,
7. To keep water from leaving a lime deposit at the bottom of a double boiler or steamer, add about 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the water.
8. When celery loses its crispness, place it in a pan of cold water along with a sliced raw potato. Let it stand for a while and the celery will again be crunchy.
9. For volume in beaten egg whites, let stand to room temperature before beating. Use a glass or metal bowl (not plastic) with a tapered bottom and a wide top.
10. When mashing potatoes, use hot milk. If you have been using cold milk, you'll be amazed at the difference in lightness of the potatoes.
11. Pancakes will brown just beautiful if you add 1 Tbsp. of molasses to your batter.
12. Potato salad is much simpler to prepare if you peel and dice the potatoes before cooking. No more waiting for the potatoes to cool or burning your fingers on hot potatoes. P.S. The potatoes might not have so many nutrients if you cook them without the skins.
13. To keep fruit pies from bubbling over, cut small vents in the top of the pie and place a macaroni piece upright in each vent. The juice will boil up inside the macaroni and won't boil over in your oven.
14.The seeds from grapefruits or lemons can be planted and will grow into pretty green plants that are nice for the kitchen windowsill.
15. To prepare perfect whipped cream, chill cream, bowl, and beaters before whipping.
16. To keep rabbits out or your garden, place dried sulfur around the edge of your garden, You can get sulfur at just about any farm or garden supply store.
17. Use ice cubes to water indoor plants. The ice cubes melt slowly and won't spill over.
18. If you cut the bottoms out of gallon sized milk jugs, they make excellent covers for garden plants. Just remove the caps to let in fresh air. They are transparent enough to admit sunlight.
19. Start seeds indoors with a small amount of dirt, gradually adding more as the plants grow. This makes plants stronger after you set them outside.
20. If you have a large garden, but don't have a lot of time to weed, put two layers of newspaper between your rows. This keeps the weeds down which saves you a lot of time. Weigh it down with rocks.
2. Use nonstick cooking spray to spray the inside of your pot before cooking pasta, to prevent pasta water from bubbling over.
3. To remove the fat from gravy, remove the meat and add a small piece of ice. The fat will harden and adhere to the ice.
4. If you're in a hurry for more ice cubes, leave three or four cubes in the tray when you refill it. The 'old' cubes will chill the water faster and you'll have new cubes ready quicker.
5. Wrap a rubber band around the handle of your mixing spoon if you have trouble with it falling into the gravy or whatever you're cooking. The rubber band will keep the spoon from sliding into the pan.
6. To keep rolls warm longer, place a sheet of tinfoil under the napkin in the bun basket,
7. To keep water from leaving a lime deposit at the bottom of a double boiler or steamer, add about 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the water.
8. When celery loses its crispness, place it in a pan of cold water along with a sliced raw potato. Let it stand for a while and the celery will again be crunchy.
9. For volume in beaten egg whites, let stand to room temperature before beating. Use a glass or metal bowl (not plastic) with a tapered bottom and a wide top.
10. When mashing potatoes, use hot milk. If you have been using cold milk, you'll be amazed at the difference in lightness of the potatoes.
11. Pancakes will brown just beautiful if you add 1 Tbsp. of molasses to your batter.
12. Potato salad is much simpler to prepare if you peel and dice the potatoes before cooking. No more waiting for the potatoes to cool or burning your fingers on hot potatoes. P.S. The potatoes might not have so many nutrients if you cook them without the skins.
13. To keep fruit pies from bubbling over, cut small vents in the top of the pie and place a macaroni piece upright in each vent. The juice will boil up inside the macaroni and won't boil over in your oven.
14.The seeds from grapefruits or lemons can be planted and will grow into pretty green plants that are nice for the kitchen windowsill.
15. To prepare perfect whipped cream, chill cream, bowl, and beaters before whipping.
16. To keep rabbits out or your garden, place dried sulfur around the edge of your garden, You can get sulfur at just about any farm or garden supply store.
17. Use ice cubes to water indoor plants. The ice cubes melt slowly and won't spill over.
18. If you cut the bottoms out of gallon sized milk jugs, they make excellent covers for garden plants. Just remove the caps to let in fresh air. They are transparent enough to admit sunlight.
19. Start seeds indoors with a small amount of dirt, gradually adding more as the plants grow. This makes plants stronger after you set them outside.
20. If you have a large garden, but don't have a lot of time to weed, put two layers of newspaper between your rows. This keeps the weeds down which saves you a lot of time. Weigh it down with rocks.
Thursday, 12 January 2012
Tips, tips, tips, and more tips. (cont'd part 6)
1. Don't throw away any shriveled lemons. If you soak them in water overnight, they will be fresh and usable in the morning.
2. When you have to slice, dice, mince, or chop an onion, always cut off the top and leave the root end alone. As long as the root isn't cut, it will not make you cry.
3. For the lightest pancakes or waffles you ever tasted, use club soda instead of usual milk. But you must use all the batter as soon as it's made because it can't be stored.
4. If brown sugar is hardened, use a grater to shave it off.
5. If you dip your beaters into cold water before using, the shortening won't stick to them.
6. Does your pasta stick together when you refrigerate it? Add a little vegetable oil first.
7. Keep your flour sifter, measuring cups, and measuring spoons in a plastic ziploc bag, so that you don't have to wash them after each use. (Of course, you wouldn't do this with sticky or wet ingredients :))
8. Put a piece of lettuce into your brown sugar to keep it from getting hard.
9. Put a layer of marshmallows in the bottom of the pumpkin pie. Then add the filling. It will make a nice topping as the marshmallows will come to the top as it bakes.
10. Slice cinnamon rolls with dental floss. It doesn't stick to the dough. Or, bake the roll and slice it afterwards. It makes for a lot less work.
11. Store onions in an old piece of hosiery, with a knot tied between each one. This enables you to remove one of the sprouts without harming the others.
12. If you burn biscuits on the bottom, don't throw them away. Instead rub them gently over a cheese grater to remove the burned layer.
13. If muffins stick to the pan after baking, place hot pan on a wet towel and they will slide right out.
14. If you frequently use grated or shredded cheese, process several pounds at a time. Then divide it up into reusable margarine containers or sealable bags. Freeze them and then thaw as needed.
15. Spray paper cupcake liners with nonstick cooking spray before filling them with batter. They won't stick to the cupcakes.
16. To chop nuts quickly without a mess, put the nuts into a plastic bag and give it a couple quick hits with a rolling pin.
17. Instead of buying waxed paper, use linings from cereal boxes.
18. If it's cool in your house, and you want to raise bread or doughnut dough, take a heating pad and place a tea towel on it. Then place the pan of dough on that and cover with another tea towel. Wrap the bowl with a third towel to keep it warm. Your dough will rise beautifully. P.S. It also works well without the many towels, although you need one at the top.
19. If you need to remove heavy appliances in the kitchen, first rub a small amount of vegetable oil on the linoleum. The appliance will slide easier and won't scratch the floor.
20. Instead of discarding orange peels, cut them into small pieces and place in water in a teakettle or covered pan. Simmer over low heat, adding more water as it cooks away. Your house will have the delightful aroma of a citrus grove.
2. When you have to slice, dice, mince, or chop an onion, always cut off the top and leave the root end alone. As long as the root isn't cut, it will not make you cry.
3. For the lightest pancakes or waffles you ever tasted, use club soda instead of usual milk. But you must use all the batter as soon as it's made because it can't be stored.
4. If brown sugar is hardened, use a grater to shave it off.
5. If you dip your beaters into cold water before using, the shortening won't stick to them.
6. Does your pasta stick together when you refrigerate it? Add a little vegetable oil first.
7. Keep your flour sifter, measuring cups, and measuring spoons in a plastic ziploc bag, so that you don't have to wash them after each use. (Of course, you wouldn't do this with sticky or wet ingredients :))
8. Put a piece of lettuce into your brown sugar to keep it from getting hard.
9. Put a layer of marshmallows in the bottom of the pumpkin pie. Then add the filling. It will make a nice topping as the marshmallows will come to the top as it bakes.
10. Slice cinnamon rolls with dental floss. It doesn't stick to the dough. Or, bake the roll and slice it afterwards. It makes for a lot less work.
11. Store onions in an old piece of hosiery, with a knot tied between each one. This enables you to remove one of the sprouts without harming the others.
12. If you burn biscuits on the bottom, don't throw them away. Instead rub them gently over a cheese grater to remove the burned layer.
13. If muffins stick to the pan after baking, place hot pan on a wet towel and they will slide right out.
14. If you frequently use grated or shredded cheese, process several pounds at a time. Then divide it up into reusable margarine containers or sealable bags. Freeze them and then thaw as needed.
15. Spray paper cupcake liners with nonstick cooking spray before filling them with batter. They won't stick to the cupcakes.
16. To chop nuts quickly without a mess, put the nuts into a plastic bag and give it a couple quick hits with a rolling pin.
17. Instead of buying waxed paper, use linings from cereal boxes.
18. If it's cool in your house, and you want to raise bread or doughnut dough, take a heating pad and place a tea towel on it. Then place the pan of dough on that and cover with another tea towel. Wrap the bowl with a third towel to keep it warm. Your dough will rise beautifully. P.S. It also works well without the many towels, although you need one at the top.
19. If you need to remove heavy appliances in the kitchen, first rub a small amount of vegetable oil on the linoleum. The appliance will slide easier and won't scratch the floor.
20. Instead of discarding orange peels, cut them into small pieces and place in water in a teakettle or covered pan. Simmer over low heat, adding more water as it cooks away. Your house will have the delightful aroma of a citrus grove.
Monday, 9 January 2012
Tips, tips, tips, and more tips. (cont'd part 5)
I hope you blog readers are still enjoying our tips, because here are some more.
1. Here's a new use for brown grocery sacks. Soak the entire bag in water .Then put your hard bread or rolls in the wet sack. Turn on the oven to warm,put the bag in and watch carefully for the bag to dry out.It takes only minutes.Then turn the oven off and remove the warm bag.The rolls or bread will be as soft as fresh.
2. To quickly remove silk form corn, rub ear with a dry piece of nylon net.
3. Keep your just baked homemade cookies soft by placing a slice of white bread on top of them the cookies will taste oven-fresh for hours.
4. Store your brown sugar and marshmallows in the freezer. They never get hard or stale.
5. Need a little thickening for gravy? Add instant potato flakes till you get the right consistency. This is best with potatoes, but works with noodles and other things too.
6. If you slice an onion before you peel it, the peel comes right off.
7. If your cakes always stick to the pan, even if you use shortening and flour; try using sugar and shortening. Let the cake cool for ten minutes before popping it out of the pan. With the sugar, the cakes will hardly ever need glaze.
8. To easily peel hard cooked eggs, pour off all the water from the container in which the eggs were boiled. Cover the container and knock the eggs around to loosen the shells. Add cold water and the shell will fall off.
9. To keep bananas for a week or two, put them in a white, not clear, plastic bag. Store them in the crisper of your refrigerator. The skins will darken a little but the bananas will stay white and solid.
10. For lighter, creamier, mashed potatoes, add a teaspoon of baking powder before vigorously mashing.
11. To keep strawberries fresh for several days, put fresh, unwashed, berries in a container and top it with a folded napkin. Cover the container, turn it upside down, and store it in the refrigerator.
12. Tomatoes sliced vertically, rather than horizontally, will stay firmer in your salad and help to keep your salad dressing from turning watery.
13. To measure less than a cup of solid shortening, fill the measuring cup with the amount of water that equals 1 cup. For example, if you need 1/3 cup shortening, pour 2/3 cup of water into the measuring cup and then add shortening until the water reaches the 1 cup mark. Pour off water and use.
14. When a cake or cookie recipe calls for molasses or corn syrup, first use a nonstick cooking spray on your utensils and cups. You'll be surprised at how easily everything comes off later.
15. Adding a tablespoon of vinegar to your homemade pie crust while mixing, helps prevent sogginess.
16. When food sticks to pans after cooking, the best way to ensure an easier washup later is to remove the food from the pot or pan. Then put the lid on right away. When it comes time for washing, the cleanup will be much easier.
17. Add zip to your popcorn by adding dry salad dressing mix. Don't use to much. A little goes a long way.
18. When you're frying bacon, does it sometimes sizzle and pop all over your stovetop? Throw a few celery leaves in the pan with the bacon. This will keep the bacon from splattering.
19. To make perfectly round hamburger patties, use a hollow ring from a large mouth canning jar. Press the meat into a circle and push out onto the paper.
20. Before using your cheese grater (or knife), spray it with nonstick cooking spray. That makes cleanup a breeze. The cheese washes off easily.
1. Here's a new use for brown grocery sacks. Soak the entire bag in water .Then put your hard bread or rolls in the wet sack. Turn on the oven to warm,put the bag in and watch carefully for the bag to dry out.It takes only minutes.Then turn the oven off and remove the warm bag.The rolls or bread will be as soft as fresh.
2. To quickly remove silk form corn, rub ear with a dry piece of nylon net.
3. Keep your just baked homemade cookies soft by placing a slice of white bread on top of them the cookies will taste oven-fresh for hours.
4. Store your brown sugar and marshmallows in the freezer. They never get hard or stale.
5. Need a little thickening for gravy? Add instant potato flakes till you get the right consistency. This is best with potatoes, but works with noodles and other things too.
6. If you slice an onion before you peel it, the peel comes right off.
7. If your cakes always stick to the pan, even if you use shortening and flour; try using sugar and shortening. Let the cake cool for ten minutes before popping it out of the pan. With the sugar, the cakes will hardly ever need glaze.
8. To easily peel hard cooked eggs, pour off all the water from the container in which the eggs were boiled. Cover the container and knock the eggs around to loosen the shells. Add cold water and the shell will fall off.
9. To keep bananas for a week or two, put them in a white, not clear, plastic bag. Store them in the crisper of your refrigerator. The skins will darken a little but the bananas will stay white and solid.
10. For lighter, creamier, mashed potatoes, add a teaspoon of baking powder before vigorously mashing.
11. To keep strawberries fresh for several days, put fresh, unwashed, berries in a container and top it with a folded napkin. Cover the container, turn it upside down, and store it in the refrigerator.
12. Tomatoes sliced vertically, rather than horizontally, will stay firmer in your salad and help to keep your salad dressing from turning watery.
13. To measure less than a cup of solid shortening, fill the measuring cup with the amount of water that equals 1 cup. For example, if you need 1/3 cup shortening, pour 2/3 cup of water into the measuring cup and then add shortening until the water reaches the 1 cup mark. Pour off water and use.
14. When a cake or cookie recipe calls for molasses or corn syrup, first use a nonstick cooking spray on your utensils and cups. You'll be surprised at how easily everything comes off later.
15. Adding a tablespoon of vinegar to your homemade pie crust while mixing, helps prevent sogginess.
16. When food sticks to pans after cooking, the best way to ensure an easier washup later is to remove the food from the pot or pan. Then put the lid on right away. When it comes time for washing, the cleanup will be much easier.
17. Add zip to your popcorn by adding dry salad dressing mix. Don't use to much. A little goes a long way.
18. When you're frying bacon, does it sometimes sizzle and pop all over your stovetop? Throw a few celery leaves in the pan with the bacon. This will keep the bacon from splattering.
19. To make perfectly round hamburger patties, use a hollow ring from a large mouth canning jar. Press the meat into a circle and push out onto the paper.
20. Before using your cheese grater (or knife), spray it with nonstick cooking spray. That makes cleanup a breeze. The cheese washes off easily.
Wednesday, 4 January 2012
Tips, tips, tips, and more tips (cont'd part 4)
1. Apples add appeal to leftover oatmeal! Combine 4 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan; bring to a full boil. Stir in 2 cups old fashioned oats, 1 cup of chopped, peeled apple, 1/2 cup raisons, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Cook 5 minutes at medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cover; remove from heat. Let stand 2-3 minutes before serving.
2. Get every bit of cream soup out of the can with this easy trick: Make a slight puncture in the bottom of the can, then remove the top as usual. Run a knife around the inside of the can, turn upside down. The entire contents will come out at once.
3. Its easy to freeze pieces of rhubarb, carrots and other fruit in the amount you're likely to us most often. In quart containers or ziploc bags for instance.
4. Cut rhubarb into pieces with kitchen shears rather than a knife. It's much easier.
5. When making an apple pie, add the required amount of sugar to the apples immediately after slicing. It prevents the fruit from browning before baking.
6. Bread won't rise to the occasion? Set dough in a covered bowl on top of the electric heating pad, turned on low. From Yesenia, "Mama really likes this idea and uses it almost every week"
7. For best flavour, store tomatoes at room temperature. Do not refrigerate.
8. Try this variation on dried apples. Peel, core, halve two quarts of apples. Shred the apple coarsely onto a buttered baking sheet. Bake at 225 Degrees until dry. Remove from cookie sheet with a pancake turner. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.
9. Store gingerbread, and other soft cookies in a tin with an apple slice to keep them from becoming hard.
10. This speedy, no fail peanut butter fudge is one of our favourite Christmas giveaways. Melt one cup peanut flavoured shortening, remove from heat. Add one cup of either, smooth or crunchy, peanut butter, 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, and 4 cups confectioners sugar. Mix well. Pour into an ungreased 8-inch square baking pan. Let cool. Cut into squares and wrap in cellophane.
11. To freeze corn, blanch ears, and then cool them. Place ear of corn on cone of angel food cake pan, and cut off kernel with knife. The cake pan will catch the kernels without making a mess on your kitchen counter.
12. If a recipe calls for buttermilk but you discover that you don't have any on hand. Add two teaspoons vinegar to each 1/2 cup off milk.
13. Take along a box of thumb tacks to your next picnic. When the wind blows, they're handy for tacking down a tablecloth, paper plates and other items.
14. Substitute brown sugar for granulated sugar for a rich caramel flavour in brownies.
15. Here's a tip for perfect hard cooked eggs every time with no dark ring around the yolk. Place eggs in saucepan and cover with cold water. Turn burner on and allow water to come to a full rolling boil. Turn off heat and place lid on pan. Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes for small or medium eggs. And 20 minutes for large or extra large eggs. Then pour off hot water, and run cold tap water over the eggs. Crack the shell as usual.
16. I have a number of cookbooks and it used to take me awhile to find my favourite recipes. So I got a recipe box and filing cards. I now write the name of the recipe, which cookbook it's in, and the page number.
17. Use the tip of your potato peeler to remove strawberry hulls.
18. Try this twist of grilled cheese sandwiches. Rather than buttering the outside of the bread, use mayonnaise (not salad dressing). It gives the sandwiches a different texture and makes it less greasy.
19. To remove peach peel easily, dip the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, then in ice cold water. The skins will slide right off.
20. You can strain fat out of meat broth by pouring it through a paper coffee filter.
2. Get every bit of cream soup out of the can with this easy trick: Make a slight puncture in the bottom of the can, then remove the top as usual. Run a knife around the inside of the can, turn upside down. The entire contents will come out at once.
3. Its easy to freeze pieces of rhubarb, carrots and other fruit in the amount you're likely to us most often. In quart containers or ziploc bags for instance.
4. Cut rhubarb into pieces with kitchen shears rather than a knife. It's much easier.
5. When making an apple pie, add the required amount of sugar to the apples immediately after slicing. It prevents the fruit from browning before baking.
6. Bread won't rise to the occasion? Set dough in a covered bowl on top of the electric heating pad, turned on low. From Yesenia, "Mama really likes this idea and uses it almost every week"
7. For best flavour, store tomatoes at room temperature. Do not refrigerate.
8. Try this variation on dried apples. Peel, core, halve two quarts of apples. Shred the apple coarsely onto a buttered baking sheet. Bake at 225 Degrees until dry. Remove from cookie sheet with a pancake turner. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.
9. Store gingerbread, and other soft cookies in a tin with an apple slice to keep them from becoming hard.
10. This speedy, no fail peanut butter fudge is one of our favourite Christmas giveaways. Melt one cup peanut flavoured shortening, remove from heat. Add one cup of either, smooth or crunchy, peanut butter, 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, and 4 cups confectioners sugar. Mix well. Pour into an ungreased 8-inch square baking pan. Let cool. Cut into squares and wrap in cellophane.
11. To freeze corn, blanch ears, and then cool them. Place ear of corn on cone of angel food cake pan, and cut off kernel with knife. The cake pan will catch the kernels without making a mess on your kitchen counter.
12. If a recipe calls for buttermilk but you discover that you don't have any on hand. Add two teaspoons vinegar to each 1/2 cup off milk.
13. Take along a box of thumb tacks to your next picnic. When the wind blows, they're handy for tacking down a tablecloth, paper plates and other items.
14. Substitute brown sugar for granulated sugar for a rich caramel flavour in brownies.
15. Here's a tip for perfect hard cooked eggs every time with no dark ring around the yolk. Place eggs in saucepan and cover with cold water. Turn burner on and allow water to come to a full rolling boil. Turn off heat and place lid on pan. Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes for small or medium eggs. And 20 minutes for large or extra large eggs. Then pour off hot water, and run cold tap water over the eggs. Crack the shell as usual.
16. I have a number of cookbooks and it used to take me awhile to find my favourite recipes. So I got a recipe box and filing cards. I now write the name of the recipe, which cookbook it's in, and the page number.
17. Use the tip of your potato peeler to remove strawberry hulls.
18. Try this twist of grilled cheese sandwiches. Rather than buttering the outside of the bread, use mayonnaise (not salad dressing). It gives the sandwiches a different texture and makes it less greasy.
19. To remove peach peel easily, dip the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, then in ice cold water. The skins will slide right off.
20. You can strain fat out of meat broth by pouring it through a paper coffee filter.
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Tips, tips, tips, and more tips. (cont'd)
Here is the continuation of the series of tips.
1. If you drop an egg or dump oil, just dump a bunch of salt on it, wait a few minutes, and sweep. No stain.
2. Next time a plastic bread wrapper melts onto the toaster or coffeepot, try this. Rub some petroleum jelly on the spot, reheat the appliance and use a paper towel to rub off the plastic and the printing.
3. When silk flower arrangements look old and dusty, dip them gently and quickly in warm water with detergent in it. Then place them on a towel to dry. They come out looking new!
4. Patent leather handbags and shoes can be quickly brightened with a polish of milk, Apply with a soft cloth and rub into a shiny new-like finish.
5. I haven't tried this one yet so I don't know if I want to believe it. To help someone stop hiccoughing, just say, "I'll give you every bit of change in my pocket (or a quarter) if you can hiccough three more times." it interrupts the body rhythm that causes hiccoughs, and for some reason, when they want to hiccough, they can't.
Give it a try, you'll see. Just offer someone a quarter or a dime, but always say it's for the next three hiccoughs. Because if you say "for the next one", the person may quickly hiccough before they've had time to think about wanting to.
6. Your bathroom mirror won't fog up if you clean it with canned shaving cream. It works on eyeglasses to. (That means no more sudden "blindness" when you're unloading the dryer or dishwasher and checking the cookies)
7. A handful of salt added to the last rinse water will keep the clothes from freezing on or onto the clothesline.
8. To keep lint from clinging to dark garments, add 1/2 cup vinegar to the last rinse.
9. To remove soap and hard water film that accumulates on plastic shower curtains (and doors), take the curtain down, place it on a flat surface, and wash it with a solution of 1/2 cup ammonia to 1 quart warm water. The film just vanishes.
10. When you buy socks, pin them together with a little safety pin, when a child changes socks, he removes the pin from the clean pair and puts it on the soiled pair. From there they go from the washer and dryer, and back into the drawers with no sorting or searching for missing socks.
11. When cleaning plastic wastebaskets, try using some rubbing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol cleans with a minimum of scrubbing. At the same time the baskets are being sanitised.
12. Before washing walls or windows, wrap an absorbent cotton around your wrist. Hold it in place with a rubber band. The cotton catches the uncomfortable trickles that run down your arm.
13. To keep shower doors shiny and clear use a soft rag moistened with baby oil. It prevents scum build-up from dirt and soap and hard water spots won't appear for months.
14. If you wash windows when the sun is shining on them the glass will streak.
15. Yellowed lace can be whitened by soaking it in sour milk.
16. Defrosting a freezer is not much fun, but here's a way to make the job easier. After you defrost the next time, dry the interior and then spray it with cooking spray. The next defrosting job will go lots faster.
17. When washing windows, wipe the inside from top to bottom and the outside from side to side. This way you'll know whether the streak is inside or outside.
18. After washing a cast iron skillet, wipe around the inside with a wad of wax paper while it is still warm. This will prevent rusting.
19. Baking soda mixed with ground cinnamon or cloves makes a great before-vacuum carpet freshener.
20. Want to give limp curtains a crisp new look after laundry? Wash and rinse as usual, then, in a sink or large tub, dissolve 1 cup of Epsom salt in water. Dip curtains into this solution and hang to dry. No iron needed. Your curtains will be crisp as when new.
Waiting for next time?
-Yesenia-
1. If you drop an egg or dump oil, just dump a bunch of salt on it, wait a few minutes, and sweep. No stain.
2. Next time a plastic bread wrapper melts onto the toaster or coffeepot, try this. Rub some petroleum jelly on the spot, reheat the appliance and use a paper towel to rub off the plastic and the printing.
3. When silk flower arrangements look old and dusty, dip them gently and quickly in warm water with detergent in it. Then place them on a towel to dry. They come out looking new!
4. Patent leather handbags and shoes can be quickly brightened with a polish of milk, Apply with a soft cloth and rub into a shiny new-like finish.
5. I haven't tried this one yet so I don't know if I want to believe it. To help someone stop hiccoughing, just say, "I'll give you every bit of change in my pocket (or a quarter) if you can hiccough three more times." it interrupts the body rhythm that causes hiccoughs, and for some reason, when they want to hiccough, they can't.
Give it a try, you'll see. Just offer someone a quarter or a dime, but always say it's for the next three hiccoughs. Because if you say "for the next one", the person may quickly hiccough before they've had time to think about wanting to.
6. Your bathroom mirror won't fog up if you clean it with canned shaving cream. It works on eyeglasses to. (That means no more sudden "blindness" when you're unloading the dryer or dishwasher and checking the cookies)
7. A handful of salt added to the last rinse water will keep the clothes from freezing on or onto the clothesline.
8. To keep lint from clinging to dark garments, add 1/2 cup vinegar to the last rinse.
9. To remove soap and hard water film that accumulates on plastic shower curtains (and doors), take the curtain down, place it on a flat surface, and wash it with a solution of 1/2 cup ammonia to 1 quart warm water. The film just vanishes.
10. When you buy socks, pin them together with a little safety pin, when a child changes socks, he removes the pin from the clean pair and puts it on the soiled pair. From there they go from the washer and dryer, and back into the drawers with no sorting or searching for missing socks.
11. When cleaning plastic wastebaskets, try using some rubbing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol cleans with a minimum of scrubbing. At the same time the baskets are being sanitised.
12. Before washing walls or windows, wrap an absorbent cotton around your wrist. Hold it in place with a rubber band. The cotton catches the uncomfortable trickles that run down your arm.
13. To keep shower doors shiny and clear use a soft rag moistened with baby oil. It prevents scum build-up from dirt and soap and hard water spots won't appear for months.
14. If you wash windows when the sun is shining on them the glass will streak.
15. Yellowed lace can be whitened by soaking it in sour milk.
16. Defrosting a freezer is not much fun, but here's a way to make the job easier. After you defrost the next time, dry the interior and then spray it with cooking spray. The next defrosting job will go lots faster.
17. When washing windows, wipe the inside from top to bottom and the outside from side to side. This way you'll know whether the streak is inside or outside.
18. After washing a cast iron skillet, wipe around the inside with a wad of wax paper while it is still warm. This will prevent rusting.
19. Baking soda mixed with ground cinnamon or cloves makes a great before-vacuum carpet freshener.
20. Want to give limp curtains a crisp new look after laundry? Wash and rinse as usual, then, in a sink or large tub, dissolve 1 cup of Epsom salt in water. Dip curtains into this solution and hang to dry. No iron needed. Your curtains will be crisp as when new.
Waiting for next time?
-Yesenia-
Monday, 28 November 2011
Tips, tips, tips, and more tips.
I borrowed a book from the library called 1,628 Country Shortcuts From 1,628 Country People. I know we don't live in the country but I still love reading tips and shortcuts. We can't keep the book forever though and I wanted to keep some of the tips (I can't remember them all) so I thought that I would write them on the blog.
These tips are actually from the Country Women and Country Magazines.
1. To avoid clogged kitchen drains, pour a cup of salt and a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by a pot of boiling water.
2. Next time you need to move a big heavy box, chest, or other piece of furniture, just lift the front edge of the item and slip the straw part of a flat broom underneath. Then get a helper to push from the back while you pull on the broom handle and guide the heavy item.
3. Before you try to slide a refrigerator, washer dry, etc. on a smooth hard surface, put a small dab of shortening on the floor in front of the forward feet. It will them slide easily. But don't get your shoes in the shortening , or you'll be spinning all day.
4. To separate two glasses that are stuck together, put the bottom glass in warm water and pour cold water in the top glass. The two will pull apart easily without breaking.
5. You can sharpen a dull pair of scissors, easily, by cutting through several thicknesses of aluminum foil. "Mama didn't believe this but we decided to try it and it really does work, it's actually fun." -Yesenia-
6. You can make your own sweet smelling humidifier. Fill an old coffee can two-thirds full of water... add cinnamon sticks, cloves, and orange peel... and place on the stove. When the water gets hot, it gives off a pleasant scent- and gives the house extra moisture.
7. As soon as camping season ends, tuck a fabric softener sheet into each sleeping bag before rolling it up. The bag will smell fresh once you take it out for next years camping trip.
8. Remove sticky price tags from glass by spraying with WD-40.
9. To remove hard water buildup on your shower head, pour some vinegar into a plastic bag and place it around the shower head so the head is completely submerged. Tie the bag around the pipe and leave it on overnight. The shower head will spray like new in the morning.
10. To color in necks or scratches in wood-stained furniture etc. rub with a pecan nut. The oil from the nut will restain the wood.
11. When glue thickens in the bottle or you must remove a spot of it, use a little vinegar. It's a good glue thinner or remover.
12. Rubbing alcohol easily removes ink from clothing and crayon marks from woodwork and wallpaper.
13. To remove candle wax from carpeting, place a brown paper bag over the wax and gently run a warm iron over it.
14. To sharpen scissors, simply cut through a sheet of sandpaper a few times.
15. To add traction to an icy wooden deck, sprinkle on some cornmeal.
16. Use baby food jars to hold nails, nuts, bolts, etc. First nail the lids of the jars underneath the tool cabinets and then screw the jars into the lids.
17. Lay a barbecue grill rack on the lawn overnight-the dew will combine with enzymes in the grass to loosen any burned on grease. Try it with your oven racks too.
18. For those of us who live in areas where there is snow and ice, keep a few rough shingles in the back of your vehicle. If the car gets stuck, place the shingles behind or in front of your tires to gain traction.
19. Simplify snow shoveling by pouring a little cooking oil on your snow shovel before you start-- snow will slide right off while you work!
20. A great homemade bug killer can be made in a plastic milk jug by mixing 1 cup sugar, 1 cup vinegar and a banana peel. Hang the open jug in a tree or place it in the garden to attract the bugs that are eating your prized fruits and vegetables.
I will publish 20 tips at once for you. If you have something that you need a shortcut for, please let me know.
-Yesenia-
These tips are actually from the Country Women and Country Magazines.
1. To avoid clogged kitchen drains, pour a cup of salt and a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by a pot of boiling water.
2. Next time you need to move a big heavy box, chest, or other piece of furniture, just lift the front edge of the item and slip the straw part of a flat broom underneath. Then get a helper to push from the back while you pull on the broom handle and guide the heavy item.
3. Before you try to slide a refrigerator, washer dry, etc. on a smooth hard surface, put a small dab of shortening on the floor in front of the forward feet. It will them slide easily. But don't get your shoes in the shortening , or you'll be spinning all day.
4. To separate two glasses that are stuck together, put the bottom glass in warm water and pour cold water in the top glass. The two will pull apart easily without breaking.
5. You can sharpen a dull pair of scissors, easily, by cutting through several thicknesses of aluminum foil. "Mama didn't believe this but we decided to try it and it really does work, it's actually fun." -Yesenia-
6. You can make your own sweet smelling humidifier. Fill an old coffee can two-thirds full of water... add cinnamon sticks, cloves, and orange peel... and place on the stove. When the water gets hot, it gives off a pleasant scent- and gives the house extra moisture.
7. As soon as camping season ends, tuck a fabric softener sheet into each sleeping bag before rolling it up. The bag will smell fresh once you take it out for next years camping trip.
8. Remove sticky price tags from glass by spraying with WD-40.
9. To remove hard water buildup on your shower head, pour some vinegar into a plastic bag and place it around the shower head so the head is completely submerged. Tie the bag around the pipe and leave it on overnight. The shower head will spray like new in the morning.
10. To color in necks or scratches in wood-stained furniture etc. rub with a pecan nut. The oil from the nut will restain the wood.
11. When glue thickens in the bottle or you must remove a spot of it, use a little vinegar. It's a good glue thinner or remover.
12. Rubbing alcohol easily removes ink from clothing and crayon marks from woodwork and wallpaper.
13. To remove candle wax from carpeting, place a brown paper bag over the wax and gently run a warm iron over it.
14. To sharpen scissors, simply cut through a sheet of sandpaper a few times.
15. To add traction to an icy wooden deck, sprinkle on some cornmeal.
16. Use baby food jars to hold nails, nuts, bolts, etc. First nail the lids of the jars underneath the tool cabinets and then screw the jars into the lids.
17. Lay a barbecue grill rack on the lawn overnight-the dew will combine with enzymes in the grass to loosen any burned on grease. Try it with your oven racks too.
18. For those of us who live in areas where there is snow and ice, keep a few rough shingles in the back of your vehicle. If the car gets stuck, place the shingles behind or in front of your tires to gain traction.
19. Simplify snow shoveling by pouring a little cooking oil on your snow shovel before you start-- snow will slide right off while you work!
20. A great homemade bug killer can be made in a plastic milk jug by mixing 1 cup sugar, 1 cup vinegar and a banana peel. Hang the open jug in a tree or place it in the garden to attract the bugs that are eating your prized fruits and vegetables.
I will publish 20 tips at once for you. If you have something that you need a shortcut for, please let me know.
-Yesenia-
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