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Do you have hints to share? Ideas you just love? Stuff like this? Send 'em to me- I'll post them & your name!
From the 1898 Farmers Almanac:
"Do not be afraid of the sunlight, and so pull down the curtains as soon as a bit
peeps in. A proper amount of sunshine is very necessary to good health. We need the
sunshine from outside, and the sunshine of love in our hearts and homes, to make us
happy."
(Updated daily, Monday thru Saturday)
»Instructions to do "Frozen Buttercream Transfer" can be found here. It's a VERY good method to reproduce an image onto a cake!!
»
Coloring Shapes - A great site to find images for Frozen Buttercream Transfers.
»Marshmallow Cream Flow-In?? YES!! Take a peek.
»Food Color Sprays!! Please look at this page, for me....
»Stacked & Tiered Cake assembly questions?? Wilton has the answers! (Check all the way to the bottom of that page for more info)
»How much fondant do you need for that cake? Check this out...
»Want Castle Cake ideas?? I got 'em. You can have 'em.
»How about a Treasure Chest cake? Here's one.
»Say you need a 3-D dragon or dinosaur?? Okay!
»What
about a 3-D bust cake? Here's a
step-by-step to do a Spiderman one! You could adapt it to anybody (or anyhero)...
(Thanks to Lisa @ FrostingFun for the instructions!)
»How to decorate a doll cake- You know, the one where the skirt is the cake...
»I can tell you how to make a candy bow, if you want.
»Some really nice sidework design ideas for buttercream cakes on this page.
»If you need a cartoon character image, check this site out- lots of them hang out there!
»11 Ways to decorate a Twinkee! Click
»How-to use cut up cakes to make number cakes.
»Several Spiffy Halloween Treat ideas for you...
»What's the difference between 'Petal' dusts, 'Luster' dusts, and 'Disco' dusts??? I got info for you!
»Piping Gel- what the heck can ya do with it???
»Tilted Cake Construction- internal structure info.
»Whimsical (Mad Hatter-type) Cake Construction- internal structure info.
»Color Mixing Questions?? Here's a chart! And, Here's another one! And a third! There's even more here!
»Cake Inscription Ideas, besides the obvious ones! Or, check out Verse-It.com- for wordings for all occasions.
»Looking for a good image to use for a Frozen Buttercream Transfer? Use this Coloring Page Search Engine!
»Traditional & Modern Anniversary gifts, just in case that would help you with a cake idea...
»Pricing your Goodies- Here's some info I've gathered.
»Speaking of Business- Earlene Moore has written an excellent series of articles about setting up your own home-baking business. You can find them on her site, in her Special Info pages.
»Copyrighted Characters on Cakes~The Legal Stuff, as long as we're on the subject.
»Wedding Cake Delivery- Practical Suggestions
»What should you have in your Cake Delivery Emergency Kit??
»Need or want to find an alternative to alcohol in a recipe??
»From Allspice to Yogurt- Ingredient Substitutions, plus equivalent measures, too (courtesy of the North Dakota State University)
»Wondering what flowers ARE edible?? I've found a page for you!
»Having disposable cameras at a Wedding? Here's some nifty poems to put on the tables with them.
»The Vegetable Garden- worth reading, printing, and passing on....
»Lessons learned from a lifetime of reading Ann Landers. Very well-put, and wonderful.
»Here's a "Recipe for Life" you can print & save...
»A recipe for cinnamon ornaments you can make!
» 21 Kitchen Controversies- Do we really need to sift flour, rinse pasta, or stand up asparagus to cook it?? Find out answers to these & other kitchen wonderments, courtesy of the 2001 Farmers Almanac.
»Check for the symptoms of Martha Stewart Disease here. (it's just for fun, don't call your doctor!)
Tips
from Tanya in B.C.- To
retrieve the last pickles out of the jar, use a wire whisk. The wires
spread apart to accommodate the pickled item, then close back
around it again, trapping it within. I've tried
this with both dills and onions.
Another thing: for tweezing hairs, spray the
tweezers with hair spray. The hard-to-catch hairs
stick to the ends enough so that they don't slip out.
And a last: shave legs with hair conditioner
instead of costly shaving foam. It leaves the skin
nice and conditioned and smooth. Thanks for
compiling the list! :)
From
Betty, via Email:
Another tip for your "Stuff" page... I have 4
boys, so I tend to buy a lot of things in bulk & then freeze it in smaller
bags or containers. I use a pair of rubber gloves (just regular surgical
gloves u can get at any pharmacy) to bag hamburger. Also, when I make it
into patties to cook. I can carefully take off the gloves inside out &
my hands remain clean & the germs go into the garbage with the gloves. (just
make sure you hide the box of gloves so your kids don't find them & make
chicken balloons out of them all!) :-D
Lisa suggests: While drying the baby's bottles on the bottle rack, I discovered it is a great place to dry my pastry bags too! The taller part works for the bags and the shorter rack (nipple rack) works for the tips! These are really inexpensive and will really extend the life of your bags.
From
Kate (K8) in Memphis Tennessee-
I love chewy moist cookies. I always store chewy cookies with a
piece of bread to retain that moisture, as the cookies disappear, the bread will
dry out and the cookies will stay moist. So if they are too dry and crisp
put them on a rack over a skillet of steamy water to restore. The idea is
any skillet type pan, a rack to fit over it, it's OK if it hangs over sides, and
a lid that doesn't have to fit tight, but it works better if it does. Just pour
very hot steamy water into the pan, put the rack over the water (not touching
the water), put cookies on the rack, put on the lid (even a foil tent)
for few minutes. Viola moist chewy cookies. Didn't work the first time? Do
it again. The microwave works great as the 'lid'. Just use the skillet, very hot
steamy water, the rack, the cookies and the couple minutes with the door closed.
You can use metal because you don't have to turn the microwave on. Then store
with a piece of bread.
Tina
in Southern Ohio sends this tip:
"You know that awful onion smell that's left on your hands
after you get done cutting them? Well, here's a sure fire way of getting
rid of it!!! After cutting the onion, simply take a metal spoon and rub it
on your hands until the odor is gone. OR if you have a metal sink, rub your
hands against the insides of the sink."
Dorothy
shares the following-
Use the stickers you get with your return address on them for letters . To stick
on your coins when you empty your piggy bank and roll them up to take to the
bank . Much easier than trying to write this info. on the paper rolls.
From Crystal P.-
I love deviled eggs and to make the process easier I put a sandwich bag inside a
glass and fill it with the deviled egg filling. Then snip off the corner
of the bag and fill the eggs smoothly right in the storage
container. Fast and easy with no mess. It's the same principal a cake decorator
uses.
Pat
B. tells us:
If your rings are too tight, spray your finger with windex instead of
using soap to remove them. They will not only slide off but will make your rings
sparkle instead of getting a dull build-up of soap. You can also make your
jewelry shine by scrubbing with an old toothbrush and toothpaste. Rinse well and
dry with a soft cloth.
A
great idea from Phyllis-
I have a hint for you and your readers. When baking potatoes and you
want to speed up the baking time stick a nail into the center. Will bake in half
the time. I have been doing this for years. It works!
Two
tips from Sherry in Iowa-
When baking a cake, use the dry cake mix instead of flour to dust your pan. No
more floury white on your cakes.
Also, when ya make a pineapple upside-down cake use the pineapple juice instead
of water for a new and unique taste to your cake. Makes it more moist also!
Dawn
B. in VA says,
Can't get that melted candle wax out of your candle
holders..........place the whole thing in the freezer for about 30 minutes, take
it out, and remove your melted candle wax in seconds.
From
Tonya in California-
"When I am making buttermilk biscuits and I don't
have buttermilk- I just put 1 T. of vinegar per 1 C. of milk, let it sit for a
while, and have sour milk (which is equivalent to buttermilk) & my biscuits
turn out beautifully!"
Lanell T. sends-
To make peeling boiled eggs easier, add about a
tablespoon of vegetable oil or olive oil to cold water along with the salt. The
shells will nearly fall off after cracking.
A Tight Lid tip from Kathy S:
"If you can't remove a jar lid and don't have one of
those rubber things to help, just wrap a rubber band around the outside of the
lid & it will give you the 'traction' you need!"
Charlotte says,
"To remove bad odors from tupperware, fill with wet crumpled up
newspapers then place lid. Put and keep the tupperware in the freezer
overnight. The smell will be absorbed by the newspapers."
From someone in Santa Fe, Texas-
Place a slice of bread on top of broccoli or califlower when steaming- it will eliminate
the strong smell left in the house from the fresh cooked vegetables.
Angel in Australia sends:
"To keep bread fresh longer...place one stick of celery in the bag
with the bread." Thanks, Jeannie!
A wonderful tip from Candy:
When you have the cake on the cake board, and the corners are drooping- use
mini-marshmallows to prop them up! It makes a world of difference in how the cake looks,
and the person who gets the corner piece gets a bonus!
Betcha didn't know you could do this with Cocoa-Cola-
*To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet. Let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china.From Staceylyn in San Juan: I know you'll probably think I'm crazy but I learned they also work to repel mice. I had an infestation a couple of years ago, and on a parenting message board, I had stated my plight..,.one of the dear ladies told me to place bounce fabric softener sheets around in the furniture, under the cupboards, etc. wherever I was noticing a problem. Will you believe me when I say I did that and never saw another trace of mice in my house????!!!!???Anyway, hope you like this one...
1) Repel mosquitoes- Tie a sheet of Bounce through a belt loop when outdoors during mosquito season.
2) Eliminate static electricity from your television screen- Since Bounce is designed to help eliminate static cling, wipe your television screen with a used sheet of Bounce to keep dust from resettling.
3) Dissolve soap scum from shower doors- Clean with a used sheet of Bounce.
4) Freshen the air in your home- Place an individual sheet of Bounce in a drawer or hang one in the closet.
5) Prevent thread from tangling- Run a threaded needle through a sheet of Bounce to eliminate the static cling on the thread before sewing.
6) Eliminate static cling from pantyhose- Rub a damp, used sheet of Bounce over the hose.
7) Prevent musty suitcases- Place an individual sheet of Bounce inside empty luggage before storing.
8)Freshen the air in your car- Place a sheet of Bounce under the front seat.
9)Keep the shock away- Place a sheet in your coat pocket to avoid the shock you get getting in and out of the car in the winter.
10)Clean baked-on food from a cooking pan- Put a sheet in the pan, fill with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean. The anti-static agents apparently weaken the bond between the food and the pan while the fabric softening agents soften the baked-on food.
11)Eliminate odors in wastebaskets- Place a sheet of Bounce at the bottom of the wastebasket.
12)Collect cat hair- Rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce will magnetically attract all the loose hairs.
13)Eliminate static electricity from venetian blinds- Wipe the blinds with a sheet of Bounce to prevent dust from resettling.
14)Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sandpapering- A used sheet of Bounce will collect sawdust like a tack cloth.
15)Eliminate odors in dirty laundry- Place an individual sheet of Bounce at the bottom of a laundry bag or hamper.
16)Deodorize shoes or sneakers- Place a sheet of Bounce in your shoes or sneakers overnight so they smell great in the morning.
17)Bounce will chase ants away when you lay a sheet near them.
18)Bounce takes the odor out of books & photo albums that don't get opened too often.
19)Golfers put a Bounce sheet in their back pocket to keep the bees away.
NOW Look what you can do with Alka Seltzer:
-Clean a toilet. Drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush, and flush. The citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous china.
-Clean a vase. To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water and drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets.
-Polish jewelry. Drop two Alka-Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for two minutes.
-Clean a thermos bottle. Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka-Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer, if necessary).
-Unclog a drain. Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka-Seltzer tablets down the drain followed by a cup of Heinz White Vinegar. Wait a few minutes, then run the hot water.
Miscellaneous Useful Stuff:
-For tastier oatmeal cookies- Sprinkle the oats into a jelly-roll pan & bake at 300° for 10-12 minutes. Let cool & add according to your recipe.
-To leave yourself a reminder, call home & leave a message on the answering machine
-Candles last longer if placed in the freezer for a few hours before burning
-If baking several potatoes at once, place in muffin tins- you can remove them all at once
-To remove skin from garlic. microwave for 15 seconds & watch it peel off
-To separate two glasses that are stuck together; put the bottom glass into warm water & pour cold water in the top glass. The two will pull apart easily without breaking.
- Sharpen a dull pair of scissors easily by cutting through several thicknesses of aluminum foil.
-Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips
-Use a meat baster to "squeeze" your pancake batter onto the hot griddle~ makes perfect shaped pancakes every time
-To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes
-To prevent eggshells from cracking, add a pinch of salt to the water before hard-boiling
-Use a pastry blender to cut ground beef into small pieces after browning
-For easy "meatloaf mixing," combine the ingredients with a potato masher
-Run your hands under cold water before pressing Rice Krispies treats in the pan~ the marshmallow won't stick to your fingers!
-Mash and freeze ripe bananas, in one-cup portions, for use in later baking, no wasted bananas (or you can freeze them whole, peeled, in plastic baggies)
-To quickly use that frozen juice concentrate, simply mash it with a potato masher~ no need to wait for it to thaw
-To get the most juice out of fresh lemons, bring them to room temperature and roll them under your palm against the kitchen counter before squeezing
-To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap, enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stove-top~ skillet will be much easier to clean now
-Spray your Tupperware with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato-based sauces~ no more stains
-Transfer your jelly to a small plastic squeeze bottle~ no more messy, sticky jars or knives! This also works well for homemade salad dressing
-To aid in washing dishes, add a tablespoon of baking soda to your soapy water~ it softens hands while cutting through grease
- If you accidentally over-salt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a peeled potato~ it absorbs the excess salt for an instant "fix me up"
-Next time you need a quick ice pack, grab a bag of frozen vegetables out of your freezer~ no watery leaks from a plastic baggie
-Rinse cooked, ground meat with water when draining off the fat~ this helps "wash away" even more fat
-Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator~ it will keep for weeks!
- Substitute half applesauce for the vegetable oil in your baking recipes~ you'll greatly reduce the fat content! (Example: 1/2 cup vegetable oil =1/4 cup applesauce + 1/4 cup oil)
- Brush beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful, glossy finish
- Place a slice of bread in hardened brown sugar to soften it back up
-When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn’s natural sweetness
-To determine whether an egg is fresh, immerse it in a pan of cool, salted water. If it sinks, it is fresh~ if it rises to the surface, throw it away.
-Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go.
-Don't throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.
- If you have problem opening jars: Try using latex dishwashing gloves. They give a non-slip grip that makes opening jars easy!
-Potatoes will take food stains off your fingers. Just slice and rub raw potato on the stains and rinse with water.
-To get rid of itch from mosquito bite: try applying soap on the area- instant relief!
-Ants, ants, ants everywhere ... Well, they are said to never cross a chalk line. So get your chalk out and draw a line on the floor or wherever ants tend to march- see for yourself!
-Don't panic if your soup's too salty: Add cut raw potatoes and throw them away once they are cooked and have absorbed the salt. Your soup's saved!
-Use air-freshener to clean mirrors: It does a good job and better still, leave a lovely smell to the shine.
-When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before resorting to tweezers or a needle. Simply put the scotch tape over the splinter, then pull it off. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly and easily.
"Salty" Solutions
-For mildew spots, rub in some buttermilk & salt, and let the item dry in the sun.
-Apply a paste of salt & olive oil to heat rings on your wood tables. Let sit for about an hour, them wipe off with a soft cloth.
-To catch a wild bird easily, sprinkle some salt on it's tail.
-To restore some of the color to a faded fabric, soak it in a strong solution of salt & water.
- Rid yourself of an evil spell by throwing salt over your left shoulder.
-Mix a tablespoon of salt into the water of a vase of cut flowers.
Uses for Baking soda-
From Eloise via email-If you pop about a tablespoon of baking soda into a pepper cellar or some other container with multiple holes in it, and store it right at the back of the fridge, it helps to eliminate fridge odors.
-Add to your bath water to relieve sunburned or itchy skin.
-Make a paste with water & soda, and apply to a burn or insect bite for relief.
-Pour a cup of soda into your clogged drain, then add a cup of hot vinegar. After a few minutes, flush the drain with a quart of boiling water.
-To kill sweet cravings: rinse your mouth with 1 teaspoon soda dissolved in a glass of warm water. DON'T SWALLOW! Spit it out. Your craving should disappear.
-Tough meat can be tenderized by rubbing it with soda. Let stand for several hours before rinsing & cooking.
-Use it instead of salt for traction on outdoor iced surfaces. Won't harm the plants, surface, or your floors!
-Pour 2 tablespoons down your food disposal every week to kill odors.
-Add 1/2 cup to your laundry detergent with your washload for x-tar whitening, freshening, & deodorizing.
-Sprinkle on a damp sponge & use to remove tree sap from your car's finish or bugs from the windshield. Rinse thoroughly.
-Remove burnt-on foods: dampen area, sprinkle with baking soda, let sit overnight.
Still another good reason to buy vinegar- by Gigi. Thanks!
If you do "painting" on fabric (t-shirts, etc..) soak it in CIDER vinegar & water before washing. She recommends enough water to cover the piece with about 1/2 cup of cider vinegar. Let sit for about 4 hours. This will hold the paint into the garment. It also works for cottons that are dark colored- If you soak it before washing, it helps "set" the color.
Tips via e-mail, Thanks Rhonda!
-Cider vinegar cures bad foot odor, use diluted with water as a foot bath everynight.
-Put smelly shoes in a paper bag in the freezer, or outside on a cold night to get rid of the odor.
-A coffee filter will get the hair up from tubs, sinks, etc...
Some other uses for vinegar:
-Soak the filter from your humidifier in a pan of white vinegar.
-Rub with full-strength vinegar to remove chewing gum
-Soak paint stains in hot vinegar to remove them
-It's a sure cure for the hiccups- one shock shot!
-Use it to take onion odor off your hands.
-Hot vinegar takes paint stains off glass, & softens stiff paintbrushes.
-For clean, fluffy, soap-film-free hair, do a final rinse with vinegar.
A recipe for peanut butter clay- kids can play with it & eat it!
-1 C. creamy peanut butter......1-1/2 C. instant powdered milk......3 T. honey..........Mix all together, give it to 'em!
Cleaning-day hints
-Before cleaning the bathroom, pick up hair with a dampened tissue- works great!
-Set your thermostat to 60 degrees before cleaning- this way you can work up a sweat without overheating.
-Pass up spring cleaning & do fall cleaning instead- most dirt enters your home during spring & summer.
-A little mayonnaise on a cloth will remove black heel marks from linoleum floors quickly & easily.
-Baking powder will remove tea or coffee stains from china pots or cups.
-Clean copper with a slice of lemon sprinkled with salt.
It's a Wrap!
-Tired of wasting time trying to cover an oversized package with regular sized paper? Buy a colorful paper or plastic tablecloth instead!
-Wrap a large baby shower present in a crib sheet or baby blanket, and secure with colorful diaper pins. Attach a rattle, too.
Re: Eggs
-If you drop a raw egg on the floor, cover it liberally with salt & let it set for a few minutes. Makes it easier to pick up with paper towels.
-To distinguish between a hard-boiled egg & an uncooked one, spin it on it's end- an uncooked egg won't spin!
-Eggs separate best when cold
-Separate whites from yolks by breaking eggs, one at a time, into a funnel. The whites will pass through, leaving the yolk.
-Hard boiled eggs will peel easily when cracked & placed in cold water immediately after cooking.
Yummy place cards!
-Use Chocolate covered graham crackers for cards & decorate with icing, gel, or melted Candy Melts.
Baking & Cooking
-To prevent dough from sticking to your rolling pin, cut a length from an old, clean, pantyhose leg & slip it onto the pin. Roll the dough as usual- you'll find you need less flour to prevent sticking.
-Sprinkle dried tarragon, rosemary, oregano, or other herbs on hot coals just before grilling- they will enhance the foods flavor.
-If your soup is too salty, a raw piece of potato placed in the pot will absorb the salt.
-Use a pizza or pastry roller to smooth icing on frosted cakes- works better than anything else I've tried!
-To make pan grease (use instead of grease & flour): Mix 1 C. solid shortening, 1/4 C. flour, & 1/4 C. veg. oil. Store in an airtight container & brush in your pan with a pastry brush.
-Quick lemon filling: Add lemonade drink crystals to buttercream icing!
-When rolling cookie dough, sprinkle board with powdered sugar instead of flour. Too much flour makes the dough heavy.
This page last updated on: 07/06/2006