Comments on: Favorite Problem-Solving Tricks!

By: jeanne

jeanne — Sun, 29 Dec 2013 11:15:44 +0000

I second the microwave method for cooking rice. I was sort of a rice-snob, totally resisted my niece’s suggestion to try microwaving it. But I also hated dealing with that sticky residue at the bottom of the pot.

Now I microwave it and the rice is perfect every single time. I use Jasmine rice…just follow the microwave instructions on the back of the bag. And no sticky pot to clean!

TIP: When I make whipped cream I use a straight-sided bowl to minimize the “splatter”. But sometimes it’s being used and I have to resort to a shallower bowl. Then I avoid the splatter by cutting a hole in the middle of a paper plate and placing the plate over my mixer blades. When I start whipping, the plate falls down and covers the bowl, keeping all splatters IN the bowl.

By: Nan De Vries

Nan De Vries — Sat, 28 Dec 2013 16:36:30 +0000

Dry, fresh coffee grounds both absorb unpleasant odors *and* leave their own fragrant aroma behind. Once when I was away for several weeks on vacation the freezer part of my fridge stopped working – ugh – with fish in it. The coffee grounds worked much better and faster than baking soda did to help me take care of the horrible smell.

I thought of that again last night: my car, which has junked up during the Christmas season because I’ve been too busy to keep it neat and clean, and had gotten musty smelling. But a couple days ago a wonderful friend of mine had dropped off at my work place a French press coffee pot and some magnificent coffee from one of Lincoln, Nebraska’s fun and funky Haymarket coffee houses. I put it unopened (didn’t know what was in the package) in the car trunk. Within half a day the whole car, inside too, smelled like I had a freshly brewed cup of very aromatic coffee in there… It’s like the gift that gave twice!

By: billiev

billiev — Fri, 27 Dec 2013 20:02:06 +0000

I do my rice in the microwave oven. Got the recipe off a package of rice years ago and it still works like a charm. It is important to have a bowl or dish that has a heavy fitted lid. Place 1 cup of white rice and 2-1/4 cups water into a microwave safe dish. Place lid on dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and stir. Replace lid and return to microwave and microwave on 50% power for 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before removing lid. Fluff with a fork and serve. Perfect every time. I usually add a couple of chicken bouillon cubes along with the water and sometimes other seasonings. A tablespoon on cooking oil/butter can also be added (this was an option in the original recipe) but as often as not, I skip the oil. The rice is not quite as fluffy with the oil added. Sometimes I add dried onion flakes, parsley, garlic powder. Whatever floats your boat.

By: Alice E

Alice E — Wed, 25 Dec 2013 17:03:34 +0000

My latest victory involves bread making. For those who are nervous about yeast and bread making I recommend an instant read thermometer. Judging how warm water is can be tricky for some of us, but the thermometer always knows! I proof my yeast in water between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit, but recipes where you mix the yeast in the flour usually call for temps around 120 degrees. I it is a cool day, it takes longer for the dough to rise, but I just expect that and work around it.

By: Alice E

Alice E — Wed, 25 Dec 2013 16:57:15 +0000

My favorite way to cook rice is to add a little bit of oil to the empty pan, then heat the rice for a couple minutes in the oil, stirring constantly. Add the water, or other liquid, and watch closely till it comes to a boil, then reduce the heat and put the lid on and set your timer. You want a slow simmer. It doesn’t need to boil with the lid on, just a very few bubbles at the edge. You do have to check to be sure the heat is right after the lid has been on for a few minutes. The little bit of fat helps keep it from foaming when it comes to a boil. But I don’t put the lid on until the boil subsides. Hope this helps. Because the pot is hot from heating the rice in the oil (butter would probably work as well) the water doesn’t take long to boil. This is basically the way you start pilaf, but it works to cook just plain rice as well.

By: Alice E

Alice E — Wed, 25 Dec 2013 16:56:20 +0000

I use one of those little pottery stone bears in my brown sugar and it stays soft. They are fairly cheap in the kitchen gadgets area of some stores. You wash them, then soak them briefly in water, dry them off and put them in the canister with the sugar. To soften the sugar, you can add half an apple, skin side down for a day of two, then take it out. The moisture in the apple, or the bread slice, softens the sugar, but it does take time.

By: jackie d

jackie d — Wed, 25 Dec 2013 14:39:58 +0000

My husband tells me I take better care of my iron skillet then I do him!
Starting with a crappy skillet: scour it with kosher salt and a bit of vegtable oil, scrub it good, wipe with paper towel. Cook in it a lot using oily stuff, fried chicken, etc…once you cook something in it, just run it under hot hot hot water, do not use soap!! I know you think you should but don’t!! People have been eating out of unsoaped cast iron for years!! After you rinse the pan, you can scrub and clean with a clean sponge (no soap sponge). Once it is clean, put on stove on low heat until almost dry, wipe with paper towel to finish up the drying, turn off heat, only takes a minute or two…no get a paper towel lightly damp with a tablespoon of veggie oil and wipe the whole skillet, you should have a nice clean shine to it. Follow this procedure everytime you use the skillet!! Do not let it sit around with food, clean right after cooking using this method!! once you get going eventually it will be a beautiful dark black well seasoned skillet! Cook, rinse hot, wipe down. There you go, my skillet is over 25 years old, it is pretty much a non stick pan, and has silky smooth finish to it! But I am dilligent about caring for it and no one is allowed to cook in it but me!!

By: ReniLyn

ReniLyn — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 11:05:26 +0000

After taking a candy class in high school (ahem …just a few years back…ahem), j finally found the two ingredient secrets to perfect chocolate. But first let me mention that you mustn’t buy expensive chocolate, ever, when using it as a coating. Ok, first add in is a small amount of Crisco. Not store brand, not another brand…just Crisco. Say you were using a bag of chocolate chips – add one Tbls to your melting bowl. Also, to the same bowl, add one Tbls of paraffin. I know, I know. Sounded odd to me too, until i started reading labels of my favorite chocolates! They all had SOME form of wax! Go figure! Use these tips over a VERY small amount of heat and you’ll never have temper issues! !

By: Joanna Reeves

Joanna Reeves — Sat, 21 Dec 2013 18:07:10 +0000

When my brown sugar gets too hard to use, I use white sugar and mix in some molasses. That gets the color, moisture and flavor of brown sugar.

By: Sophie

Sophie — Sat, 21 Dec 2013 13:09:14 +0000

Lloyd’s precooked baby back ribs for dinner last night Gluten free and delicious ! Popped them in the oven and heated them up .