Voting is open till Sunday, December 19, and the winner is announced on Monday, December 20.
We had a contest for all the members of NCT to submit as many Household Tips as they had. The contest was open for submissions until today. The winner will get a year’s paid Site Supporter Status to NCT, and a special Penzy’s Spice pack. More details here.
http://www.netcookingtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16944
Now that it’s done, Doc and I were taxed with picking the Top 10.
No easy task! In fact……..we couldn’t do it!
So, here we will present you with the Top 15 listed in no particular order. This is just how they fell after editing and combining the 2 Word documents I was working with.
Please note that every tip that was submitted was great, and all are appreciated and worthy of use. It was a real struggle to get to this list of Top 15. Heck, for the longest while, it was almost a Top 20!
The poll itself lists “Number x” where x is the number of the Tip listed later in this post. Please read over the Top 15 below, then decide which number you want to vote for as the #1 tip and winner of the contest.
Good luck everyone, and thanks a million for making this so fun, informative, and successful!
And yes, there is nothing wrong at all with voting for yourself. Vote as you wish; it's entirely up to you. The votes are hidden, so no one will know who voted for what. So let's do this!
Edited to add: In case of a tie, Doc will make the final decision.
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Number 1
Store plastic cling wrap in the freezer - it wont stick to itself.
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Number 2
Save the outer leaves from a head of cabbage. They do a fine job polishing pewter.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 3
I put cooking oil/olive oil in a spray bottle. That way, when I have to spray a pan or baking dish, I only have to mist it and not coat with oil.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 4
I keep fresh ginger in a jar of sherry in the refrigerator. It keeps forever, as long as the ginger is covered with sherry, and I can use ginger-flavored sherry in recipes, too. Just keep topping off the sherry as needed.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 5
Before I bought a funnel, I refilled my herb/spice jars with a sheet of paper rolled in a cone shape. Less messy & disposable.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 6
If you are in a hurry to cut up strawberries or other soft fruit and you don't care if the pieces are all perfectly the same use a pastry blender (hand-held tool). Just throw the fruit in a bowl and press with the blender. Easy and FAST.
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Number 7
Use toothpaste and a soft bristled toothbrush to clean and shine up dirty jewelry. Rinse off with water - looks like new.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 8
Burnt on crud on your stove top grates? Place them in a plastic bag with a little ammonia and seal it up. Sit it out in the sun. Next day, carefully open the bag being careful to keep the bag away from your face (the fumes will be intense). Most of the crud will wipe right off. Whatever is left will come off with just a little bit of elbow grease.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 9
Put garlic cloves in the microwave for 15 seconds. It makes the skins peel right off.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 10
I LOVE using a pasta pot with the strainer to make chicken stock - throw the chicken and veggies etc in the strainer in the pot, add water and simmer till it's stock. Lift out the strainer and you are left with just stock!! No fishing everything out and straining the stock!!
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 11
Dawn (the blue variety) is an excellent laundry spot-remover!
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 12
When making burgers, use an English muffin ring to mold the patties.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 13
Vinegar and water in a spray bottle cleans glass without streaking.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 14
When peeling garlic, or chopping onions, or other prep work; do the entire garlic clove or onion and freeze the excess in a zip lock bag for later use. You can use toss them into meat loaf, stews, soups, casseroles, etc without defrosting.
I keep lots of bags of frozen garlic, onions, celery, green peppers, etc. handy for the next meals in a special part of the freezer so I can locate what I need at a glance.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 15
Your appliances with the plastic touch pads (i.e. micro wave touch pads) get scratched from years of use. Clean them with a cleaner like 409, put it on a cleaning cloth not on the plastic touch pad. Once clean, apply some Car Wax (small amount) and Wax the touch pad like a car. The result will bring back the finish as close to new as it can be. Try it, it works!
We had a contest for all the members of NCT to submit as many Household Tips as they had. The contest was open for submissions until today. The winner will get a year’s paid Site Supporter Status to NCT, and a special Penzy’s Spice pack. More details here.
http://www.netcookingtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16944
Now that it’s done, Doc and I were taxed with picking the Top 10.
No easy task! In fact……..we couldn’t do it!
So, here we will present you with the Top 15 listed in no particular order. This is just how they fell after editing and combining the 2 Word documents I was working with.
Please note that every tip that was submitted was great, and all are appreciated and worthy of use. It was a real struggle to get to this list of Top 15. Heck, for the longest while, it was almost a Top 20!
The poll itself lists “Number x” where x is the number of the Tip listed later in this post. Please read over the Top 15 below, then decide which number you want to vote for as the #1 tip and winner of the contest.
Good luck everyone, and thanks a million for making this so fun, informative, and successful!
And yes, there is nothing wrong at all with voting for yourself. Vote as you wish; it's entirely up to you. The votes are hidden, so no one will know who voted for what. So let's do this!
Edited to add: In case of a tie, Doc will make the final decision.
===================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 1
Store plastic cling wrap in the freezer - it wont stick to itself.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 2
Save the outer leaves from a head of cabbage. They do a fine job polishing pewter.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 3
I put cooking oil/olive oil in a spray bottle. That way, when I have to spray a pan or baking dish, I only have to mist it and not coat with oil.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 4
I keep fresh ginger in a jar of sherry in the refrigerator. It keeps forever, as long as the ginger is covered with sherry, and I can use ginger-flavored sherry in recipes, too. Just keep topping off the sherry as needed.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 5
Before I bought a funnel, I refilled my herb/spice jars with a sheet of paper rolled in a cone shape. Less messy & disposable.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 6
If you are in a hurry to cut up strawberries or other soft fruit and you don't care if the pieces are all perfectly the same use a pastry blender (hand-held tool). Just throw the fruit in a bowl and press with the blender. Easy and FAST.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 7
Use toothpaste and a soft bristled toothbrush to clean and shine up dirty jewelry. Rinse off with water - looks like new.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 8
Burnt on crud on your stove top grates? Place them in a plastic bag with a little ammonia and seal it up. Sit it out in the sun. Next day, carefully open the bag being careful to keep the bag away from your face (the fumes will be intense). Most of the crud will wipe right off. Whatever is left will come off with just a little bit of elbow grease.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 9
Put garlic cloves in the microwave for 15 seconds. It makes the skins peel right off.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 10
I LOVE using a pasta pot with the strainer to make chicken stock - throw the chicken and veggies etc in the strainer in the pot, add water and simmer till it's stock. Lift out the strainer and you are left with just stock!! No fishing everything out and straining the stock!!
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 11
Dawn (the blue variety) is an excellent laundry spot-remover!
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 12
When making burgers, use an English muffin ring to mold the patties.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 13
Vinegar and water in a spray bottle cleans glass without streaking.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 14
When peeling garlic, or chopping onions, or other prep work; do the entire garlic clove or onion and freeze the excess in a zip lock bag for later use. You can use toss them into meat loaf, stews, soups, casseroles, etc without defrosting.
I keep lots of bags of frozen garlic, onions, celery, green peppers, etc. handy for the next meals in a special part of the freezer so I can locate what I need at a glance.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Number 15
Your appliances with the plastic touch pads (i.e. micro wave touch pads) get scratched from years of use. Clean them with a cleaner like 409, put it on a cleaning cloth not on the plastic touch pad. Once clean, apply some Car Wax (small amount) and Wax the touch pad like a car. The result will bring back the finish as close to new as it can be. Try it, it works!
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