====== Cooking Hints ======

  - Spray your Tupperware with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato-based  sauces.  No more stains.
  - Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator-it will keep for weeks.
  - Use lifesavers candy to hold candles in place on your next birthday cake.
  - Poke an egg with a small sewing needle before hard-boiling, and the egg will peel with ease.  And hold that needle in place with a magnet refrigerator clip.
  - Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips.
  - Zap garlic cloves in the microwave for 15 seconds and the skins slip right off.
  - Use a meat baster to "squeeze" your pancake batter onto the hot griddle-perfectly shaped pancakes every time.
  - Always spray your grill with nonstick cooking spray before grilling to avoid sticking.
  - To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.
  - To prevent egg shells from cracking, add a pinch of salt to the water before hard-boiling.
  - Use a pastry blender to cut ground beef into small pieces after browning.
  - Sweeten whipped cream with confectioners' sugar instead of granulated sugar. It will stay fluffy & hold its shape better.
  - For easy "meatloaf mixing", combine the ingredients with a potato masher.
  - If you don't have enough batter to fill all cupcake tins, pour 1 tablespoon of water into the unfilled spots.  This helps preserve the life of your pans.
  - To easily remove honey from a measuring spoon, first coat the spoon with nonstick cooking spray.
  - Run your hands under cold water before pressing Rice Krispies treats in the pan. The  marshmallow won't stick to your fingers.
  - Mash and freeze ripe bananas, in one-cup portions, for use in later baking.
  - No wasted bananas (or you can freeze them whole, peeled, in plastic baggies.)
  - To quickly use that frozen juice concentrate, simply mash it with a potato masher.  No need to wait for it to thaw. A wire whip works also.
  - To get the most juice out of fresh lemons, bring them to room temperature & roll them under your palm against the kitchen counter before squeezing.
  - To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap & enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stove-top-skillet will be much easier to clean now.
  - Transfer your jelly to a small plastic squeeze bottle-no more messy, sticky jars or knives.  This also works well for homemade salad dressing.
  - To aid in washing dishes, add a tablespoon of baking soda to your soapy water-it  softens hands while cutting through grease.
  - Save your store-bought-bread bags and ties-they make perfect storage bags for homemade bread.
  - When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead.  No white mess on the outside of the cake.
  - If you accidentally over-salt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a peeled potato.  It  absorbs the excess salt for an instant "fix me up".
  - Next time you need a quick ice pack, grab a bag of frozen vegetables out of your freezer-no watery leaks from a plastic baggie.
  - When making bread, substitute nondairy creamer for the dry milk-it works just as well...
  - Rinse cooked, ground meat with water when draining off the fat-this helps "wash away" even more fat.  Use HOT or Warm water so fat won't congeal.
  - Slicing meat when partially frozen makes it easier to get thin slices.
  - Instead of throwing away bread heels or leftover cornbread, use them to make bread crumbs.  For use later, store them in the freezer.
  - Substitute half applesauce for the vegetable oil in your baking recipes. You'll greatly  reduce the fat content.
  - (Example: 1/2 cup vegetable oil=1/4  cup applesauce + 1/4 cup oil)
  - To ripen avocados and bananas, enclose them in a brown paper bag with an apple for 2- 3 days.
  - Brush beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful, glossy finish.
  - In recipes calling for margarine, substitute reduced-calorie margarine to help cut back on fat.  Same goes with sour cream, milk, cheese, cream cheese, and cream soups.
  - Place a slice of bread in hardened brown sugar to soften it back up.
  - When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn's natural sweetness.
  - When starting your garden seedlings indoors, plant the seeds in egg shell halves.  Simply crack the shells around the roots of your plants & transplant them outdoors-the shell is a natural fertilizer.
  - To determine whether an egg is fresh, immerse it in a pan of cool, salted water.  If it  sinks, it is fresh; if it rises to the surface, throw it away.
  - Keep the linings from cereal boxes-they make great substitutes for waxed paper.
  - Use peanut butter to remove gum in your carpet.

SUPER HINTS
  - Cure for headaches:  Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead.  The throbbing will go away.
  - Use of soap wrapper: Don't throw away the wrapper after removing a bar of soap.  Place it inside your shoe cabinet or shoe box.  It's a cheap way of filling the air with a nice smell.
  - If your polished furniture has small scratches: Try rubbing them with a shelled walnut.  You'll see the scratches just disappear.
  - Are your shoes smelly:  Here's a solution.  Put some tea leaves into a pair of stockings & stuff each into a shoe.  Leave for a day or two & the smell just vanishes.
  - If you have problem opening jars:  Try using latex dishwashing gloves.  They give a non-slip grip that makes opening jars easy.
  - Tips for stamp collectors:  Place the envelope in the freezer for a few hours. You'll then be able to easily lift the stamps off with a pair of tweezers.
  - To keep buttons from dropping off:  Dab a drop of clear nail polish onto the thread that secures the buttons.  This will harden & make it more difficult for thread to break off.



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