Tips for the kitchen

Below is a list of tips that I have found in various places that should make your life in the kitchen a lot more efficient in both cost and energy.  Feel free to leave any others in the comment section.

• 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.
• Keep the linings from cereal boxes~they make great substitutes for waxed paper!
• To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes!
• Use a meat baster to “squeeze” your pancake batter onto the hot griddle~ perfect shaped pancakes every time!
• Use lifesavers candy to hold candles in place on your next birthday cake! Kids love ‘em!
• Poke an egg with a small sewing needle before hard-boiling, and the egg will peel with ease! And hold that needle in place with a magnet refrigerator clip!
• Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips!
• Zap garlic cloves in the microwave for 15 seconds and the skins slip right off!
• To prevent egg shells 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!
• Sweeten whipped cream with confectioners’ sugar instead of granulated sugar~it will stay fluffy and hold it’s shape better!
• For easy “meatloaf mixing”, combine the ingredients with a potato masher!
• If you don’t have enough batter to fill all cupcake tins, pour 1 tablespoon of water into the unfilled spots…this helps preserve the life of your pans!
• To easily remove honey from a measuring spoon, first coat the spoon with nonstick cooking spray!
• 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!
• Spray your tupperware with non-stick 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!
• Save your store-bought-bread bags and ties~they make perfect storage bags for homemade bread!
• When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead~no white mess on the outside of the cake!
• Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator it will keep for weeks!
• When making bread, substitute non-dairy creamer for the dry milk~it works just as well! Rinse cooked, ground meat with water when draining off the fat~this helps “wash away” even more fat!
• Slicing meat when partially frozen makes it easier to get thin slices.
• Instead of throwing away bread heels or leftover cornbread, use them to make bread crumbs. For use later, store them in the freezer.
• 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)
• To ripen avocados and bananas, enclose them in a brown paper bag with an apple for 2-3 days!
• Brush beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful, glossy finish!
• In recipes calling for margarine, substitute reduced-calorie margarine to help cut back on fat! (Same goes with sour cream, milk, cheese, cream cheese, and cream soups)
• 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 corns natural sweetness!
• 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 take the tears out of chopping onions: Plug in a portable fan and turn it to high. It’ll help blow away the fumes from your eyes – no more tears!
• 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!
• Instead of throwing away a sponge that has a stale odor, simply toss it in the dishwasher and wash it with the next load of dishes. It will come out clean and fresh smelling and will kill any bacteria in the sponge, so it’s a good idea to toss your sponges into the dishwasher often.
• Save celery leaves. Spread them out on paper towels or a paper plate and let them dry. Crumble them into soups, salads and stuffing’s. They will add an extra zippy flavor for free.
• Make giant ice cubes in muffin tins or plastic margarine bowls. These are perfect for using in picnic coolers or punch bowls. They look pretty and keep your drinks or food cold longer.
• Don’t throw those single serving gelatin plastic cups away, make your own single servings. Place the cups in a muffin holder, fill the cups and place in the refrigerator. It only takes a few minutes and no mess.
• Fruit Freshener – Use 2 vitamin C tablets in a big bowl of water…let them dissolve and stir…dunk any veggie or fruit and it will stay fresh for a couple of weeks and vitamin C won’t hurt you either! Try it out on a potato… dunk the potato and leave it out on the sink..it won’t discolor… It’s the short version of “fruit fresh “.
• Cottage cheese will remain fresher longer if you store it upside down in the refrigerator. This slows the effects of oxidation.
• To keep milk past it’s expiration date add salt. A pinch of salt in a gallon will do it. The salt slows the rate of bacteria growth.
• Brown sugar will not harden if stored in the freezer.
• If you freeze wild rice it will last 3-4 months compared to a week in the refrigerator. A good trick when you go away on vacation is to place a baggie with a few ice cubes in the freezer. If a power failure occurs while you are gone and the food thaws and then refreezes you will know about it when you get home.
• Ice cream container sealed in a plastic bag will stop ice crystals from forming when it is in the freezer.
• Potato chip bag open again and they’re all stale and yucky?? Pop them in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds, let stand for two minutes and they’ll be crispy again.
• Regarding tomato paste, it seems a whole can of tomato paste is many times too much for some recipes. Suggestion: take a piece of waxed paper, putting it on a cookie sheet and putting teaspoonfuls of the leftover paste on the paper — another sheet on top and freeze this. When frozen just peel them off and put them in a baggie and when you need a tsp. or tbs. of paste you have it without opening a whole can and there is no waste. OR– put small amounts in an ice tray and then just pop them out when I need them.
• Quick Whipping — A teaspoonful of cold water added to the white of an egg causes it to whip more quickly while increasing the quantity.
• Moldy Fruit — What should you do with fruit with mold? Throw it away rather than simply cutting off the mold since mold on fruit goes much deeper than what appears on the fruit.
• Broccoli Stalks — Don’t discard the tough ends of broccoli stalks. Use them for making soups.
• Measuring Honey — Measuring honey with a spoon is easy but getting it all off the spoon is another matter–so first rub the spoon with margarine.
• Dropping Cookie Dough — To get cookie dough to drop without sticking dip the spoon in milk first.
• Leftover Pie Dough — Extra pie dough? Cover it with some parmesan and gruyere cheese and you’ll bake a delicious appetizer–at the very same meal with your pie as dessert.
• Easy Shelling — Pecans are easy to shell if they are first soaked in boilingwater for 10 minutes or so. Or microwave 2 cups of pecans or Brazil nuts in 1 cup of water for 5 to 6 minutes on HIGH.
• Storing Cake — If you store half and apple in the container which you are storing a cake, the cake will retain its freshness.
• Cheesy Apple Pie — Don’t just serve cheese with apple pie, bake it right in. Spread grated sharp Cheddar on the bottom of the crust before adding the apple filling.
• Sticking Cake Layers — Cake layers sticking to the bottom of the pans? Put them back in a warm oven for a short time. The layers will then come out without a problem. Or, try lining the bottom of your pans with waxed paper

Buying A Private Island

OK..OK.  I know that this probably isn’t the best climate to be posting information on how to buy your own island, but hey, the glass is half full, let’s be prepared for when business improves.

1. Set your price.

It’s stating the obvious to say that the bigger your budget, the better an island you can afford, but some people have very unrealistic expectations of what they can afford. It’s better to spend as much possible to buy the island, even to the extent of waiting until you have funds for development. Saving money in the short term will generally get you a poorer quality island and once you have bought the island and developed, there is no changing your mind. It’s better to have a more attractive island than purchasing a poorer quality island just to save money.

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Worlds most expensive car

The Bugatti Veyron just lost its last claim to fame.

Cheap Cruises 2009

On the surface, it would seem as though cruise travelers have smooth sailing ahead. There are more ships than ever – including the next new biggest on the planet – carrying more passengers to more regions of the world and, with the exception of a pesky stretch of Somali coastline, travel by sea is probably safer than it has ever been and definitely safer than in most popular cities.

Will 2009 be cruising’s biggest year ever?

Um, not so much.

With the economy doing an epic crash-and-burn the likes of which hasn’t been seen since the Queen Elizabeth went down in Hong Kong harbor, many fans of ocean and river travel – as well as travelers of almost all stripes – are asking: “Can I afford to go?”

The better question: How long can the cruise lines afford to go without you?

“We’re seeing cruise lines being very aggressive pricing-wise for summer,” says Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor in chief for online resource Cruise Critic (cruisecritic.com). “2009 is not going well.”

So unwell, in fact, that those with even borderline interest should consider it, she said. “If you’ve ever thought about it, this is the time to try it. The cruise lines are rabidly interested in anyone they can get on board.”

While low prices will be the highlight, other issues will affect cruising in 2009, including continually expanding fleets, increasingly larger ships (even among the luxury lines), Somali pirates, changes in Hawaii, European river traffic and the death, er, near-death of five queens in one year.

Here are 10 things you should know about what 2009 will bring to a body of water near you:

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9 Mortgage Don’ts

According to a recent housing survey, nearly 73 million Americans are homeowners. Most Americans own homes with a mortgage, with only 60% owing less than $100,000 on their homes.  But no matter how much you owe, unless you’re a lottery winner, you’ve probably used a mortgage to buy your home. Here are some tips on what not to do when making one of the biggest purchases of your life.

1. Don’t find your dream home before you find your money
It’s easy to lose sight of your priorities when buying a home. Most people make the mistake of thinking that they should shop for a home and then shop for a mortgage. That couldn’t be more wrong. Putting the house before the mortgage makes you far more likely to fall into the trap of biting off more than you can chew. If you set your finances in order before you shop, your real estate agent won’t show you houses out of your price range, and you won’t spend sleepless nights wondering how you’re going to pay for it all.

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