#: 41
Title: “Sanity Shortcuts for Wonder Women”
Exhibitor: Kathy & Christy Crockett
Description: Time saving and quick ideas that make cooking and house
work easier. The goal is to be able to serve others quickly and easily, to allow more time for family togetherness.
How To’s:
Quick Cooking Ideas
Quick Cleaning Ideas
Handy Hints
QUICK COOKING IDEAS:
!To quickly mince an onion, peel and quarter it. Place sections in a blender and cover with cold water. Blend at high for 3 seconds. Repeat until onions are blended, pour the
mixture into a sieve, and let the water drain out.
!Knead bread dough in a large Ziploc bag. Hands and countertops stay nice and clean.
!When making Rice Krispie treats, run hands under cold water before pressing mixture into pan. Marshmallows won’t stick to fingers.
!To reduce the odor of cabbage, broccoli, or cauliflower as it cooks, add a slice of lemon to the water.
!For storing leftovers in portion sizes, line each cup in a muffin tin with plastic wrap. Place leftovers in each cup and freeze the whole pan. The next day, remove the plastic-wrapped servings and package them for the freezer. Remove portions and microwave for a speedy lunch or dinner.
!Cooking hamburgers on a very hot fire? Poke a hole in the center of each one while shaping it. The center cooks faster, and the hole will be gone with the hamburger is done.
!To soften brown sugar that has become hard as a rock, place a soft slice of bread or a piece of apple in the container and seal tightly. This softens the brown sugar in a few hours.
!After squeezing an orange or lemon for juice, put the peel in a plastic bag and freeze. When recipes call for peel, you’ll have a ready supply, which grates very easily when frozen.
!Before measuring honey, syrup or molasses, spray the measuring spoon or cup with a coating of nonstick cooking spray. The sticky stuff slides right out with no mess.
!Get yeast dough to rise in half the time by bringing a pot of water to a boil. Turn the heat to low, place a wire rack over the top, set the bowl of dough on the rack, and cover with a dish towel.
!For crisp, flaky biscuits that split open easily for buttering, role biscuit dough thin, then fold it in half before cutting.
!A great-tasting potato side dish can be made by shredding fresh peeled potatoes and packing them into a hot waffle iron that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray. In about 10 minutes, you have crispy golden hash browns in the shape of a waffle.
!Freeze individual servings of soup by lining bowls with plastic wrap. Pour in soup and freeze.
QUICK
CLEANING IDEAS:
!To keep a stove top clean while canning, cover it with heavy-duty aluminum foil, making holes for the burners. When done canning, simply remove the foil.
!When using a broiler pan, line the bottom with aluminum foil and spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray. This cuts cleanup time in half.
!Window washing: Use vertical strokes when washing windows outside and horizontal strokes for inside windows. This way you can tell which side has the streaks. Straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean. Don’t’ wash windows on a sunny day because they dry too quickly and will probably streak.
!To clean artificial flowers, pour some salt into a paper bag and add the flowers. Shake vigorously as the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt and leave your flowers looking like new.
!To clean the microwave quickly and simply, wet a dishcloth or sponge and place it in the center of the oven. Turn on high and allow the cloth to sort of cook for about 30-40 seconds. The stem created will help loosen any hardened spills, and you can use the heated cloth to wipe the inside clean. CAUTION: don’t use the cloth immediately because it will be VERY HOT. This is also a great way to disinfect your dishcloth or sponge.
!To clean burned on casseroles, fill the dish with hot water and throw in several used dryer fabric softener sheets. Let soak overnight, rinse and wash clean.
!To remove crayon easily, spray with ED-40 lubricant and wipe crayon away with a paper towel. Follow up with a soft cloth and a solution of hot water and a little dishwashing liquid, washing in a circular motion.
!To remove ink or marker, use hair spray (the cheaper the better), rubbing alcohol, or for really tough spots, denatured alcohol from the hardware store. Always spot carefully trying to do just the spot.
HANDY
HINTS:
!Store crushed crackers in a sealed jar or Ziploc bag in the freezer. They’re handy for recipes or for adding to soup.
!When cutting meringue-topped pies or puddings, oil the knife or spoon so the meringue won’t tear or pull.
!Use a clean plastic squirt-top mustard bottle filled with frosting to decorate your cake.
!Inverted muffin tins can be used instead of cooling racks. Just place pies and cakes on the upside-down tins.
!To get rid of static cling from clothes or hair, put a fabric softener sheet in your pocket. No more static, and you smell very clean and fresh.
!Potatoes will take food stains off your fingers. Just slice and rub potato on the stains and rinse with water.
!To remove odors from fried foods, place a small bowl of white vinegar next to the stove when you fry foods.
!Deodorize the microwave by placing a bowl of water in it with 3 or 4 slices of fresh lemon or 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Cook on high for 30-60 seconds. For very bad odors such as burned popcorn, place vanilla extract in a bowl and microwave for at least 30 seconds. Leave the door closed for 12 hours, remove the vanilla and wipe down the inside of the microwave.
!A great substitute for insect repellent is white vinegar. Apply it to the skin liberally with a cotton ball. Bugs hate the way you taste, and the smell diminishes when it dries.
!To remove refrigerator odors, use a cloth or sponge moistened with white vinegar. It leaves a clean, fresh scent and helps prevent mildew. A dab of vanilla, lemon, or orange extract on a small pad of cotton will keep the refrigerator smelling fresh.