Hi Everybody! Thanks so much for your wonderful comments and encouragement to continue! I'm so excited that this is helpful and timely! Thanks for reading AND sharing -- tell anyone you know to check it out.
I've decided that Thursdays are going to be Tips and Tricks days. Everybody has great tips and tricks and if you're like me you're always looking for more!
Today, my stove needed a MAJOR cleaning -- and I don't have any of those special gadgets like the scrubbers or steam cleaners and really didn't have the funds in the budget to purchase one...so when I got home I looked in my cleaner closet and pulled out a bottle of Scrubbing Bubbles. I know this is typically a bathroom cleaner but I figured if it would remove soap scum and lime deposits it might just be a handy de-greaser and remove the cooking crud too...What a job it did!
I have a stainless gas stove - so all the parts can be removed. I took the grates and pans off and cleaned out the area where the griddle and grill sit. Sprayed a little Scrubbing Bubbles in there and let it sit for a couple of minutes -- Y'ALL!! It practically dissolved all the grease and residue -- all I had to do was wipe it out with a damp rag. I then used a clean rag to be sure all the product was out of there and my stove was dry -- there were some cooked on parts that I just gently scrubbed with a sponge and all that came off too. What an encouragement to do more! So I sprayed some on all the parts (grates, pans, etc.) and not surprisingly -- that stuff came clean too. Now, because I didn't want to risk any chemical residue being left on these parts that actually prepare the food, I ended up putting these in the dishwasher -- they look wonderful! My stove looks almost brand new -- it's 11 years old! Cleaning is not my forte' so this discovery really made me happy!
Another tip that I've discovered is using OxyClean in my dishwasher rather than a rinse aid. When added to your dishwasher prior to running it and getting your water really hot before you start the machine, you will have a lot of extra help in making those dishes sparkle and come out squeaky clean -- and it doesn't harm your pipes or septic tank. I tried this same product today on a little pot that had some scorched beans -- oh yes -- stuck in them. I put a small scoop (maybe a tablespoon full) in the pot and filled it with hot water. Stirred it till all the oxyclean dissolved and just let it sit until the water cooled to room temp. That pot came completely clean and I didn't have to scrub much at all -- just one little place was all! AMAZING!
I know this stuff isn't all that great and profound - but it sure made my day easier - so I decided to share it.
A few more quick tips before I go -- If you have an outbreak of poison ivy, oak or sumac -- put some apple cider vinegar on a cotton ball and rub it over the area affected, this natural antiseptic will not only take the itch away but will also aid in healing much faster. It also works to help heal blemishes quickly too. Just hold the cotton ball dipped in the vinegar over the blemish for a minute or two and don't rinse it (great at bedtime). Your blemish will begin to heal and won't leave a scar. Organic cider vinegar is best but the store brand works fine too.
If chopping onions brings tears to your eyes, try chopping them next to a gas stove that has a burner running. For some reason, it decreases the tear producing "splash" of juice and you can slice all you want and not mess up your mascara! :)
To easily remove a splinter, put a thin layer of glue or very sticky tape over the splinter. Let the glue dry and then peel it off in the opposite direction the splinter entered and it will come right out. No needles and magnifying glasses necessary!
OK - last tip -- easy recipe: Fast and Easy "Homemade" Cream Pie -- my definition of homemade is if you use kitchen utensils to make it or turn the stove or oven on - it's homemade! :)
4 individual servings of ready-made pudding (Jello, Swiss Miss, etc.) or 1 can of "Thank You" brand pudding.
1 small package of dry instant pudding
1 graham cracker crust or 1 cooked pastry crust
1 container whipped topping
Open and empty the ready-made pudding into a medium sized bowl (you choose the flavor). Add the dry pudding (you choose the flavor). Pour into crust and top with whipped topping. Cover and refrigerate -- Serve in about 10 minutes. Unbelievably delicious!
Great combos --
Coconut cream pie -- ready made vanilla pudding + coconut cream dry mix + stir in a small amount of flaked coconut to mix and put some toasted coconut on top of pie for garnish -- this one is best in a pastry crust
Banana cream pie - ready made vanilla + dry vanilla mix + stir in a sliced banana and garnish with some graham cracker crumbs and a few reserved banana slices. Best in a graham cracker crust.
Chocolate cream pie - ready made chocolate pudding + dry chocolate fudge mix. Top with mini chocolate chips or freeze a Hershey's candy bar and shave with a vegetable peeler. This is AWESOME with a baked pastry crust.
Butterscotch Pie - ready made vanilla + butterscotch dry mix. Top with butterscotch chips, Butterfinger pieces, or butterscotch or caramel ice cream topping drizzled lightly over the whipped topping just before serving. Either crust would be great
Peanut Butter/Chocolate cream pie -- use chocolate graham crust for this one. Use chocolate pudding + chocolate dry mix. Melt 1/2 cup of peanut butter over low heat to soften -- pour in bottom of crust and let set. Add pudding mixture over this for next layer. Top with whipped topping and crumbled Reese's peanut butter cups. OR just use the Reese's mini cups mixed into the pudding. I haven't tried them but I bet they'd be HEAVENLY!
There are endless combinations of these to make amazing desserts in less than 10 minutes if you use a ready made graham cracker crust -- if you bake a pastry crust just be sure it's completely cool before you add the pudding -- This recipe is TOP secret y'all -- people will think you have been slaving away all day long in the kitchen!
Enjoy! See ya tomorrow -- until then...be blessed not stressed.....Amy
Bible Verse of the Day: "Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for His Kingdom is a waste of time or effort." 1 Corinthians 15:58
I've decided that Thursdays are going to be Tips and Tricks days. Everybody has great tips and tricks and if you're like me you're always looking for more!
Today, my stove needed a MAJOR cleaning -- and I don't have any of those special gadgets like the scrubbers or steam cleaners and really didn't have the funds in the budget to purchase one...so when I got home I looked in my cleaner closet and pulled out a bottle of Scrubbing Bubbles. I know this is typically a bathroom cleaner but I figured if it would remove soap scum and lime deposits it might just be a handy de-greaser and remove the cooking crud too...What a job it did!
I have a stainless gas stove - so all the parts can be removed. I took the grates and pans off and cleaned out the area where the griddle and grill sit. Sprayed a little Scrubbing Bubbles in there and let it sit for a couple of minutes -- Y'ALL!! It practically dissolved all the grease and residue -- all I had to do was wipe it out with a damp rag. I then used a clean rag to be sure all the product was out of there and my stove was dry -- there were some cooked on parts that I just gently scrubbed with a sponge and all that came off too. What an encouragement to do more! So I sprayed some on all the parts (grates, pans, etc.) and not surprisingly -- that stuff came clean too. Now, because I didn't want to risk any chemical residue being left on these parts that actually prepare the food, I ended up putting these in the dishwasher -- they look wonderful! My stove looks almost brand new -- it's 11 years old! Cleaning is not my forte' so this discovery really made me happy!
Another tip that I've discovered is using OxyClean in my dishwasher rather than a rinse aid. When added to your dishwasher prior to running it and getting your water really hot before you start the machine, you will have a lot of extra help in making those dishes sparkle and come out squeaky clean -- and it doesn't harm your pipes or septic tank. I tried this same product today on a little pot that had some scorched beans -- oh yes -- stuck in them. I put a small scoop (maybe a tablespoon full) in the pot and filled it with hot water. Stirred it till all the oxyclean dissolved and just let it sit until the water cooled to room temp. That pot came completely clean and I didn't have to scrub much at all -- just one little place was all! AMAZING!
I know this stuff isn't all that great and profound - but it sure made my day easier - so I decided to share it.
A few more quick tips before I go -- If you have an outbreak of poison ivy, oak or sumac -- put some apple cider vinegar on a cotton ball and rub it over the area affected, this natural antiseptic will not only take the itch away but will also aid in healing much faster. It also works to help heal blemishes quickly too. Just hold the cotton ball dipped in the vinegar over the blemish for a minute or two and don't rinse it (great at bedtime). Your blemish will begin to heal and won't leave a scar. Organic cider vinegar is best but the store brand works fine too.
If chopping onions brings tears to your eyes, try chopping them next to a gas stove that has a burner running. For some reason, it decreases the tear producing "splash" of juice and you can slice all you want and not mess up your mascara! :)
To easily remove a splinter, put a thin layer of glue or very sticky tape over the splinter. Let the glue dry and then peel it off in the opposite direction the splinter entered and it will come right out. No needles and magnifying glasses necessary!
OK - last tip -- easy recipe: Fast and Easy "Homemade" Cream Pie -- my definition of homemade is if you use kitchen utensils to make it or turn the stove or oven on - it's homemade! :)
4 individual servings of ready-made pudding (Jello, Swiss Miss, etc.) or 1 can of "Thank You" brand pudding.
1 small package of dry instant pudding
1 graham cracker crust or 1 cooked pastry crust
1 container whipped topping
Open and empty the ready-made pudding into a medium sized bowl (you choose the flavor). Add the dry pudding (you choose the flavor). Pour into crust and top with whipped topping. Cover and refrigerate -- Serve in about 10 minutes. Unbelievably delicious!
Great combos --
Coconut cream pie -- ready made vanilla pudding + coconut cream dry mix + stir in a small amount of flaked coconut to mix and put some toasted coconut on top of pie for garnish -- this one is best in a pastry crust
Banana cream pie - ready made vanilla + dry vanilla mix + stir in a sliced banana and garnish with some graham cracker crumbs and a few reserved banana slices. Best in a graham cracker crust.
Chocolate cream pie - ready made chocolate pudding + dry chocolate fudge mix. Top with mini chocolate chips or freeze a Hershey's candy bar and shave with a vegetable peeler. This is AWESOME with a baked pastry crust.
Butterscotch Pie - ready made vanilla + butterscotch dry mix. Top with butterscotch chips, Butterfinger pieces, or butterscotch or caramel ice cream topping drizzled lightly over the whipped topping just before serving. Either crust would be great
Peanut Butter/Chocolate cream pie -- use chocolate graham crust for this one. Use chocolate pudding + chocolate dry mix. Melt 1/2 cup of peanut butter over low heat to soften -- pour in bottom of crust and let set. Add pudding mixture over this for next layer. Top with whipped topping and crumbled Reese's peanut butter cups. OR just use the Reese's mini cups mixed into the pudding. I haven't tried them but I bet they'd be HEAVENLY!
There are endless combinations of these to make amazing desserts in less than 10 minutes if you use a ready made graham cracker crust -- if you bake a pastry crust just be sure it's completely cool before you add the pudding -- This recipe is TOP secret y'all -- people will think you have been slaving away all day long in the kitchen!
Enjoy! See ya tomorrow -- until then...be blessed not stressed.....Amy
Bible Verse of the Day: "Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for His Kingdom is a waste of time or effort." 1 Corinthians 15:58
No comments:
Post a Comment