Browsing category: How To’s & General Information

When Did the Correct Method of Measuring Flour Become So Controversial?

It’s a good question. When DID measuring flour become such an issue? It seems that there are three methods of measuring flour in common use… the spoon, sprinkle and sweep… the scoop and sweep… and measuring by weight.

Easy To Peel Hard Boiled Eggs

If you’ve ever struggled to peel a hard boiled egg or ended up with a greenish yolk, try this… Start with eggs that have been refrigerated for several days (more than a week is best). NEW EGGS WILL NOT PEEL EASILY.

The Lifespan of Appliances

I have been inspired to dig out that electric company newsletter again to look up the lifespan of dryers… we’ll let this one die a natural death, but it looks like maybe it’s time to start thinking about shopping for a new one.

Crockpots, Slow Cooking Dried Beans & Phytohaemagglutinin

Reader question… “A neighbor told me this morning that I shouldn’t be using my crockpot to cook dried beans.”

“Recipe” for Homemade Powdered Sugar

I had “recipes” for what they called “two easy methods” for making powdered sugar out of granulated sugar… one using a food processor and the other using a blender. I decided to try the food processor method first…

An Easier Way To Clean Oven Racks

Cleaning oven racks can be a lengthy, miserable job… messy, too, if you use oven cleaners, ammonia, or even steel wool pads. However, there is another EASY way to get oven racks sparkling clean that takes almost no effort at all.

Common Sense, Good Hygiene… and the Flu

Have you been reading the guidelines given out by the government and all the health organizations about how to slow down the spread of the flu virus? These guidelines tell us to…

Are Your Hands Clean Enough?

Health officials say the average person has up to ten million bacteria on each hand at any given time and advise hand washing as one of the best means of protecting against staph and other bacteria.

Freezing Raw Tomatoes?

Reader question… “Is it really possible to freeze whole raw tomatoes for winter salads and have them be almost like fresh? I keep seeing instructions for doing this but the tomatoes I froze raw and whole last year were a watery mess after they were defrosted…”

How Long Should Food Be Left in the Freezer?

The experts tell us that as long as food is kept frozen at 0°F (-18°C), it is safe to eat indefinitely. What that food will taste like after being frozen for long periods of time is another matter entirely…