Random Tips...

Corn:

• Use a CLEAN shoe horn to remove corn kernels from the cob! 
• A dampened paper towel will help remove the silks from an ear of corn.

Cupcakes:

• Frost cupcakes in half the time by dipping the top of the cupcake into soft frosting, twirling slightly, and then quickly turning right-side up.

Eggs:

• A tablespoon of vinegar added to the water when poaching eggs will help set the whites so they won’t spread.
• When boiling eggs, you can prevent cracking by wetting the shells before you put the eggs in the water.
• Test for hard boiled eggs: if it spins on the counter – it’s done; if it falls over – it’s still a bit raw.

Frying Bacon and Other Meat:

• To prevent fat splashing when frying meat, sprinkle a little salt into the pan before putting the meat in.
• Soak bacon a few minutes in cold water before placing in skillet.  This will lessen the tendency to shrink and curl.

Marshmallows:

• When you cut marshmallows, dip your scissors in a glass of confectioner’s sugar or hot water to keep them from sticking.
• Use a fork for stirring small amounts of dry ingredients and a spoon for stirring liquid ingredients.

Milk:

• ​Before heating milk, rinse the pan with cold water to prevent scorching and sticking.

Muffins:

• Muffins come out of the tins easily if the hot pan is put straight from the oven onto a wet dish towel.

Onions:

• Not as many tears when cutting onions if you put the onions in the freezer for 4 to 5 minutes before slicing.

Potatoes:

• Potatoes soaked in salt water for 20 minutes before baking will bake more rapidly.
• Sweet potatoes won’t turn dark if put in salted water (5 teaspoons to a quart of water) immediately after peeling.
• A thin slice cut from each end of a potato will speed up baking time.

Rice:

• A few drops of lemon juice added to a pot of simmering rice keeps the grains from sticking together.

Shrimp:

• To make a small amount of shrimp go further in a casserole or other dish, split large, fat shrimp horizontally.  The shrimp flavor permeates the mixture more thoroughly when you slice them this way.