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This archived content is from Mary Wilkins’ sewing and
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From: MaryW
Date: 03-24-2003, 05:42 PM (1 of 8)
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I got these from www.practicalkitchen.com Easy Flour Clean-Up Sprinkle a little salt on your dish cloth before wiping up flour making rinsed cloth free of flour residue. ____________________________________ Homemade Air Freshener Use a regular pump spray mister with 4 cups of water in it, add 4 teaspoons of baking soda and spray the odors away. ____________________________________ Small Ideas For Big Savings On Family Meals You can save a tremendous amount of both time and money by making "freezer meals." You can usually make two or three meals' worth of food in about the same time it takes you to make one, saving on both the cost of ingredients and preparation time. For example, try making three lasagnas instead of one. Then eat one that night, putting the other two in the freezer for later in the month. As far as eating out is concerned, you need to think creatively. In most places in the U.S., lunch runs one-half to two-thirds of the price of dinner at the same restaurant. So consider scheduling a date for lunch instead of dinner (or maybe a very early dinner, squeezing in before 5 pm, when lunch-hour rates still apply). Another trick, which will work with some restaurants, is to contact the headquarters of your favorite chain restaurants and let them know you'd be interested in serving as a "mystery shopper" or patron. This refers to someone engaged by management to go in and eat at their restaurant for the purpose of giving them a customer's-eye-view of the food and service. You have to write a little report afterward but you get to eat for free (often with friends or family) and might even get a small payment on top of that. ____________________________________ Don't Waste Cheese! Don't waste cheese by leaving it behind on your grater. Before you grate your cheese, spray the grater with a cooking oil like Pam. Be sure and spray both sides. The cheese won't stick! MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: sewingrandma
Date: 03-25-2003, 01:50 AM (2 of 8)
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Mary, when I make an extra pan of lasagna I always line the pan with foil, layer the ingredients then freeze it. Once it is frozen I slip the lasagna out so that I have the use of my pan when I need it. When I'm ready to cook the frozen lasagna it fits into the pan and ready to go into the oven. I'm all for making things easy and quick. I am the original I hate to cook, cook. Since the kids have grown I find that I cook less and less.
Brockie
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User: sewingrandma
Member since: 03-06-2003 Total posts: 432 |
From: plrlegal
Date: 03-25-2003, 10:11 AM (3 of 8)
Brockie you and I must be the reason they invented "carry out".  Patsy Patsy
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User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: MaryW
Date: 03-27-2003, 05:26 PM (4 of 8)
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Testing Baking Powder To check the potency of baking powder that may have been sitting in the cupboard for too long, mix 2 teaspoons of the baking powder into a cup of water. If there is an immediate reaction of foaming and fizzing, the baking powder is okay to use. If the reaction is at all delayed or weak, throw it away and buy a fresh can. ____________________________________ Sweet'N Low Substitution Chart 1/4 cup granulated sugar = 6 packets 1/3 cup granulated sugar=8 packets 1/2 cup granulated sugar=12 packets 1 cup granulated sugar=24 packets ____________________________________ Storing Leftovers Store leftovers such as rice, spaghetti, cooked vegetables or small pieces of boned chicken in a zip-top plastic bag. To reheat, loosen the seal on the bag, place it in the microwave and zap on medium until the contents are as hot as you want them. Flexing the package with your hand during the microwaving will distribute the heat better, and is easier than trying to stick a spoon in the package to stir it up. ____________________________________ Stop Fruit Slices From Browning While peeling apples, pears or peaches, place the slices in slightly salted water. They will then retain their natural color. This also enriches the flavor. these are also from Practical Kitchen, I like her ideas. MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542
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From: MaryW
Date: 03-31-2003, 10:44 AM (5 of 8)
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Make a Little Oil Go a Long Way If you choose to use oil in stir-frying or sautéing, cut the amount needed by preheating the skillet. A little oil goes farther that way. The food also absorbs less oil, than it would if you started cooking with cold oil. ____________________________________ Keeping Rice Fluffy If dinner must wait, you can keep cooked rice hot and fluffy by laying a slice of dry bread on top, then clapping on the lid. ____________________________________ Saving Money While Using Your Refrigerator By keep your refrigerator or freezer too cold, it unnecessarily wastes electricity. The recommended temperature is 38 to 40 degrees for the fresh food compartment of the refrigerator. The recommended temperature for the freezer compartment is 5 degrees. If you have a separate freezer for long-term food storage, it should kept at 0 to -5 degrees. Make sure your refrigerator door seal is airtight. Test it by closing the door over a piece of paper or a dollar bill so it is half in and half out. If you can pull the paper out easily, the latch may need to be adjusted or the seals need to be replaced. ____________________________________ Cleaning Stained Cups Rubbing with salt will remove stubborn tea or coffee stains from cups. MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542
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From: plrlegal
Date: 03-31-2003, 05:22 PM (6 of 8)
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If you have old baking soda, don't throw it away, use it to clean stainless steel sinks. Patsy Patsy
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User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: MaryW
Date: 04-15-2003, 07:12 AM (7 of 8)
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Ice Cream Ideas With ice cream in your freezer and a little imagination, you can have a fast, tasty dessert. Layer ice cream in a fancy footed dish with simple ingredients from your cupboard. Some suggestions: Commercial ice cream sauces - Obvious, but popular. Fruit syrups - The kind meant for pancakes. How about raspberry syrup on chocolate ice cream? Crushed cookies - Like Mint Milanos or Oreos Granola or your favorite cereal Fresh or canned fruit - If you're feeling ambitious, spice it with cinnamon and warm it little. Jams or preserves - Try strawberry preserves on strawberry ice cream for double strawberry flavor. Frozen juice concentrate - Defrosted orange juice concentrate with vanilla ice cream tastes like a creamsicle. Liqueurs - Adults only. Hazelnut liqueur is great with coffee ice cream. Other stuff - Nuts, shredded coconut, whipped cream and a maraschino cherry. ____________________________________ No Time To Soak Beans? Beans for baking should soak overnight. If you don't have that much time you can do this: Add 1 teaspoon of baking powder to 1 pound of beans, cover them with warm water and cook at a medium heat until they are soft, but not mushy - about 40 minutes. Add more water if necessary while they cook. Then drain off the water and bake as usual. ____________________________________ Extinguishing Grease Fires Salt tossed on a grease fire on the stove or in the oven will smother flames. Never use water; it will only spatter the burning grease. ____________________________________ Freshen A Garbage Disposal Sprinkle baking soda in it along with a few drops dish-washing liquid. Scrub with a brush (a new toilet brush works great), getting under the rubber gasket and all around the inside. Then turn on water and the disposal and flush thoroughly. For a fresh citrus scent, throw in a few cut-up lemons or limes and run them through, too, using lots of water. Tips compliments of www.practicalkitchen.com MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542
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From: MaryW
Date: 04-30-2003, 06:56 PM (8 of 8)
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Freshening Stale Rolls To freshen stale rolls, seal in a paper bag, sprinkle the bag with water, and heat 10 to 15 minutes at 350*F (180*C). ____________________________________ Get Rid Of Fish or Spoiled Food Smells Place a bowl of white vinegar on a kitchen counter for a few hours. The odor will disappear for good. ____________________________________ Cleaning Flower Vases To remove deposits caused by flowers and water, rub with salt; if you cannot reach the deposits to rub them, put a strong salt solution in the vase and shake, then wash the vase with soap and water. ____________________________________ Disinfectant Soap. Regular cleaning with plain soap and hot water will kill some bacteria. Keep things dry. Mold, mildew, and bacteria cannot live without moisture. Borax has long been recognized for its disinfectant and deodorizing properties. Mix 1/2 cup Borax into 1 gallon hot water and clean with this solution. Isopropyl Alcohol*. This is an excellent disinfectant. Sponge and allow to dry. (It must dry to do its job.) Use in a well-ventilated area and wear gloves. MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542
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