Household Tips That Work

Keltin

Keltin

New member
We had a Household Tips Contest last November. We had some GREAT tips offered up!

In particular, BamsBBQ offered two tips that I’ve been using ever since, and they work incredibly well!!

Here is the thread:

http://www.netcookingtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16944

Post #6
cling wrap detangler
store it in the freezer - it wont stick to itself

Post #9
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.

The cling wrap trick is so easy to do and it really works.

I picked up a spray bottle at the Dollar General for $1 and keep oil in it now. Spraying and misting pans is not only a breeze, but fun! :thumb:

Good stuff!
 
When making egg salad use a pastry blender to mash/chop the hard boiled eggs.
 

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Love the pastry blender idea. Another thing that I do for egg salad is to use an egg slicer. I slice one way thne turn the egg 90 degrees and slice again.

I also use my potato ricer for a juicer when squeezing lemons, oranges or grapefruits to add the juice in a recipe. I get more juice out than squeezing by hand and the ricer keeps seeds, etc form getting in the juice.

I also use the ricer to strain ripe avocados for Guac.
 
I'll share a few tips I use in my kitchen - I use my cookie dough scoop to make meatballs all the same size and my ice cream scoop for making crabcakes, drop biscuits and putting batter into cupcake pans.

I have a different type scoop (no release lever on it) that I use to scoop out watermelon and cantalope for two-bite serving pieces.

When I make potato salad, I use my egg slicer to cut the boiled and cooled potatoes up into matchsticks. I put the eggs through it too. Cut one way, then turn the potato or egg and cut it the crossway. No big bites of cold potato, everything's nice and small and uniform.

I use my Belgian waffle iron to make cornbread waffles.

I make Velveeta Shells and Cheese quite often. The cheese comes in a foil pouch. To squeeze every last bit of cheese out can be so painful if you have arthritis in the fingers like I do. I cut the end off the pouch, then take the opposite end of the pouch and wrap it around the handle of a wooden spoon and keep turning as I squeeze out the cheese, and keep on winding the end of the bag around the handle of the spoon until all the cheese is squeezed out. Doesn't hurt the fingers at all!
 
Adillo303 said:
Love the pastry blender idea. Another thing that I do for egg salad is to use an egg slicer. I slice one way thne turn the egg 90 degrees and slice again.

I also use my potato ricer for a juicer when squeezing lemons, oranges or grapefruits to add the juice in a recipe. I get more juice out than squeezing by hand and the ricer keeps seeds, etc form getting in the juice.

I also use the ricer to strain ripe avocados for Guac.
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Great minds and all that on the egg slicer. I use it for making egg salad too.

Another use for the potato ricer is to squeeze all the liquid from spinach when you're using it for dips or a filling. It gets it nice and dry.
 
Nancy-MD said:
I make Velveeta Shells and Cheese quite often. The cheese comes in a foil pouch. To squeeze every last bit of cheese out can be so painful if you have arthritis in the fingers like I do. I cut the end off the pouch, then take the opposite end of the pouch and wrap it around the handle of a wooden spoon and keep turning as I squeeze out the cheese, and keep on winding the end of the bag around the handle of the spoon until all the cheese is squeezed out. Doesn't hurt the fingers at all!
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That is ingenius! What an awesome tip! :clap:
 
A buddy at work taught me this one.

Freeze fresh lemons and limes till solid. Once solid, put them on the counter to thaw. The freezing causes the internal cells of the of the lemon or lime to burst and release the juice. To juice the lemon or lime, just poke a hole in one end, or cut the tip off, and you can all but pour the juice out. A gentle squeeze is all it takes, and the juice runs out like water from a faucet. It's really pretty cool.
 
All my lemons & oranges & limes are bald :yum:


I zest them , put it in small freezer bags. I also cut off the ends & freeze that for ice tea.


Great info here.

I use my egg slicer for mushrooms too.
 
I got an OXO egg slicer - has a rotating cradle so you can slice then dice. works great. has outlived a whole raft of 'others'

I think mostly because it has a "latch" - washed and stored in "the upright and latched" condition, the wires are not subject to the wear and tear of the "misc junk drawer"

yeah, over-priced. but at 5 yrs and counting, not a bad deal.
 
ChowderMan said:
I got an OXO egg slicer - has a rotating cradle so you can slice then dice. works great. has outlived a whole raft of 'others'

I think mostly because it has a "latch" - washed and stored in "the upright and latched" condition, the wires are not subject to the wear and tear of the "misc junk drawer"

yeah, over-priced. but at 5 yrs and counting, not a bad deal.
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WOW thats cool!! I just checked it out and @ $14.99 and your review it sounds like a good deal!!
 
to clean your coffee pot when it gets that brown color use dishwasher soap couple tablespoons and hot water very hot set it on your coffee pot warmer for a few hours, stirring occasionally. This will remove the brown looking color in the coffeepot and make it look like new again. It also works on Tea stains. I use cascade dishwasher detergent. This is a tried-and-true method of cleaning your coffee pots. I don't want to start an issue with whether you should or not clean the brown out your coffee pot. Some people say, it destroys the flavor. I disagree. I like the coffee that my machine made when it was brand-new and I clean my coffee pots so this tip may not be for everyone.
 
Wow, I just checked out that OXO egg slicer and I want one! Too bad mine is still good and going strong.

Maybe it's going to have an *accident* soon and I will have to replace it. Darn! :oops::whistling::biggrin:
 
I've been using the pastry blender to chop up eggs for whatever for years. Another use for it is to break up ground meat as you fry it. Either that or a potato masher depending on what kind you have.

You can also use a ricer to get excess liquid out of cucumbers.

Use crumpled aluminum foil to clean your BBQ grill. Beats the cost of a scraper.

A nasty fly got into the kitchen? Hit it with a spray of 409. It will be dead in seconds and the best part is that 409 is designed to be used in the kitchen. Works well on ants also. No pesticides needed. :smile:
 
Leni said:
I've been using the pastry blender to chop up eggs for whatever for years. Another use for it is to break up ground meat as you fry it. Either that or a potato masher depending on what kind you have.

You can also use a ricer to get excess liquid out of cucumbers.

Use crumpled aluminum foil to clean your BBQ grill. Beats the cost of a scraper.

A nasty fly got into the kitchen? Hit it with a spray of 409. It will be dead in seconds and the best part is that 409 is designed to be used in the kitchen. Works well on ants also. No pesticides needed. :smile:
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I'll be buying some 409 when I go to the store tomorrow. I've had a couple invasions of ants this spring on those rainy days and I'd much rather spray 409 than Raid. Thanks!
 
some 409 when I go to the store tomorrow. I've had a couple invasions of ants this spring on those rainy days and I'd much rather spray 409


Nancy
I heard you can use Listerine too.
 
lilbopeep said:
Just pour it down and wait how long?
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I just pour & don't even think about it till I run the water again. lol.
I have not timed it.

OH & BTW I buy it at the Dollar Store . so much cheaper..:thumb:


I bath my 2 girl Shih Tzes every 2 weeks. I am in dog hair hell.... Now that it is summer "FLEAS" :furious::censored: I bath them in DAWN.
 
Carolina Cooking said:
I just pour & don't even think about it till I run the water again. lol.
I have not timed it.

OH & BTW I buy it at the Dollar Store . so much cheaper..:thumb:


I bath my 2 girl Shih Tzes every 2 weeks. I am in dog hair hell.... Now that it is summer "FLEAS" :furious::censored: I bath them in DAWN.
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Dawn helps with fleas?
 
yes. DAWN. Its a degreaser & kills fleas asap.

also Lavender rinse. Fleas don't like lavender. I get that in stores like Marshalls /TJ Maxx. Or I have used shampoo with it in there, but its mostly to diluted.
Molly is allergic to flea bites.I have her on OTC allergy meds & rub her down with Lavender powder. Anything I see with lavender in it I try it lol.

Oh she/they are on Confortis ( the best ever med) Fleas here are rampent. Huge PIA to keep it under control.
 
When making cheesecake first step is blending cream cheese and sugar.

Put the sugar in the mixing bowl first, then the cream cheese on top the sugar, and the need for scraping the bottom of the (KA) bowl is almost eliminated.
 
This is a great thread, guys!

Keltin, can lemons and limes be frozen for a long time, to be used for the juice?

I buy one lemon every couple of weeks, just so I'll have one "in case". They invariably get moldy on me and I have to chuck them.

Lee
 
QSis said:
This is a great thread, guys!

Keltin, can lemons and limes be frozen for a long time, to be used for the juice?

I buy one lemon every couple of weeks, just so I'll have one "in case". They invariably get moldy on me and I have to chuck them.

Lee
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this used to be me. I very rarely bought a citrus of any kind. Can't have grapefruit or oranges due to some meds I take.I just didn't use lemons or limes for anything.
I have a recipe for stuffed roast chicken with lemons & garlic. I needed 3 lemons. Dumb me got 6 .:yum::yum:.

I took the zest off, its in the freezer.

I make lots of greek salad & use the lemon ju instead of wine V.

I make my iced tea now with one lemon sliced , splenda blend, then the boiled tea water. Best tea ever..

I make my own lemon/pepper too.

All of a sudden I am now a lemon buyer.lol

Oh I bet if you juice that lemon you can freeze it..
 
Simple Green also works against flies and ants.

Lemons etc can be frozen for a long time. I will juice most of my lemons and put the juice into an ice cube tray. Once frozen the cubes go into a ziploc freezer bag. Later I can take out as much lemon juice as I need. My ice cube trays hold about 2 tablespoons of liquid. If you measure yours you'll know exactly how much each cube is for your recipes.
 
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lilbopeep said:
Dawn helps with fleas?
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Yes ma'am, she is right.use the lemon scented and leave on them for 5 minutes to make sure the fleas are dead. If not, the fleas will revive again even if they look dead. The citur kills them. That's why flea drops are a citrus smell. I got that tip from a vet.







Use peroxide on any blood.I've only used it on clothes, light colored carpet and furniture. Not sure how it would do on color fast things. Just pour it on clothes and let bubble a few minutes and rince with COLD water. You can redo if needed. On furniture or carpet, pour and let sit a few seclonds and use a rag to press and dab it up.
 
QSis said:
This is a great thread, guys!

Keltin, can lemons and limes be frozen for a long time, to be used for the juice?

I buy one lemon every couple of weeks, just so I'll have one "in case". They invariably get moldy on me and I have to chuck them.

Lee
Click to expand...

Sure. I've had them frozen for up to two weeks before I used them, and they were fine. I've got one thawing now and will try to get pics of it in action, but I'm afraid a picture won't really show how it works, but I'll try.
 
Leni said:
Lemons etc can be frozen for a long time. I will juice most of my lemons and put the juice into an ice cube tray. Once frozen the cubes go into a ziploc freezer bag. Later I can take out as much lemon juice as I need. My ice cube trays hold about 2 tablespoons of liquid. If you measure yours you'll know exactly how much each cube is for your recipes.
Click to expand...

:w00t:

Now that is an AWESOME tip! I love it!! :clap:
 
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