By Noreen Doll. I have a recipe for Gingersnaps that makes such a small amount of cookies, that I need to double or triple it most of the time when I make them. To make it easier to use the correct amount of each ingredient, I have color coded the quantities of ingredients. The single batch of cookies is in red ink. The double batch recipe is in blue ink. And … [Read more...] about How to Double or Triple a Recipe Accurately
tips
How to Print a Sturdier Template
By Noreen Doll. Have you ever tried to trace around a paper template? The edges are so flimsy your pencil slides under or over, and makes a mess. Here's an easy way to print a sturdier template. Cut a manilla folder in half, and then cut one side to 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches, so it will fit through your printer. Lay the cut manilla folder page on top of the … [Read more...] about How to Print a Sturdier Template
Remove Burned-On Food from a Pan
By Noreen Doll. Here's an easy way to remove burned on food from a pan. I had a non stick pan with severely burned on food that needed to be cleaned. The food was so welded to the pan I couldn't even scrape it with a spoon edge. First I added water to it and brought it to a boil, then covered it and let it stand. That did nothing. I couldn't scrape anything … [Read more...] about Remove Burned-On Food from a Pan
Super Quick Way to Shred Meat
By Noreen Doll. Many recipes call for shredded meat. Here's the quickest way I've found to shred meat. Before cooking, cube the meat into 2 inch cubes. Cook meat in your crock pot, oven, or stove top. When the meat is finished cooking and ready to shred, simply use a potato masher to shred it. Mash the meat, twisting the potato masher back and … [Read more...] about Super Quick Way to Shred Meat
Remove Rust from the Shower
By Noreen Doll. This morning I noticed rust stains on a shelf in the shower, left by a metal can of shaving gel that had been sitting in water. I decided to try my usual cleaner, and it worked quickly and easily. I sprinkled some baking soda on the rust stain and then added a little white vinegar to make a paste. With just a bit of scrubbing using a paper … [Read more...] about Remove Rust from the Shower
Apple Buying Tip
By Noreen Doll. Once you've found a bag of apples or other produce that is fairly unblemished, how do you get them home without major bruising? During the process of checking out, my apples frequently got banged around so much by the cashier that I expected to find rotten applesauce when I got the apples home. So I needed to find a way to get them safely … [Read more...] about Apple Buying Tip
Cardboard Safety Sheath for a Knife
By Noreen Doll. A cardboard safety sheath for a knife is very handy, not only to protect the blade of the knife, but to protect your fingers from the blade. The first time I made one was when we were going on a trip and I wanted to make sure no one was cut with the knife we needed to take along. I also keep an old knife in my tool box, and without the sheath I … [Read more...] about Cardboard Safety Sheath for a Knife
Quick Clean Up Tip for Raw Egg Mess
by Noreen Doll. Drop an Egg on the floor? Here's a quick clean up tip. Grab your salt box and sprinkle a handful of salt all over the egg. Make it pretty thick, and be sure to get some around the edges. Let it sit a moment while the egg soaks up the salt. Use a paper towel to shove it all into the center, and then just scoop up the mess. You … [Read more...] about Quick Clean Up Tip for Raw Egg Mess
How to Remove a Sticky Tag
By Noreen Doll. I found this interesting old Wooden Nickel. A few decades ago this was a very popular way to commemorate an occasion with an inexpensive souvenir that would also raise a little money. Unfortunately, this wooden nickel had the residue of a sticky tag that had not been completely removed. And it had been that way for 50 years. I've found that … [Read more...] about How to Remove a Sticky Tag
Cheap Amateur Painting Tips
By Noreen Doll. Periodically we need to repaint a room in our house, and in the process have found some ways to make painting cheaper and easier. Of course, we always buy good quality paint, but we've discovered some cheap tricks to help keep the costs down. Foam Brushes Get a couple of bags of multiple sizes of foam brushes. They do edges nicely because of … [Read more...] about Cheap Amateur Painting Tips
Easy, No-Mess Way to Paint Baseboards
By Noreen Doll. We love this super easy no-mess way to paint baseboards. Before when we've painted, we used a paint edger, which needs to be wiped free of paint after each use. This left us with tons of paint smeared paper towels or rags, and we usually managed to get some paint where we didn't want it anyway. This time we applied packing tape along the edge … [Read more...] about Easy, No-Mess Way to Paint Baseboards
How to Remove Candle Wax from a Jar
By Noreen Doll. You will need a warm sunny day to use this easy way to remove candle wax from a jar. So save up all your jars of used, melted candles to clean out on a hot summer day. Supplies. Jars of Used Candles Aluminum Foil Old Flatware Knife Turned into Craft Knife How to Remove Candle Wax from a Jar. 1. On a nice hot, sunny day lay out a piece … [Read more...] about How to Remove Candle Wax from a Jar
