FOOD PREPARATION TIPS
** Oh, this is the greatest tip for frosting layer cakes. To keep layers from slipping around while frosting and decorating the cake, slip in 3 or 4 uncooked strands of spaghetti from top to bottom, to anchor the layers, on each corner for a square cake or in a triangle for a round cake. When you're almost finished, pull out the spaghetti and smooth frosting over the holes.
MEASURING
** To make the markings on measuring cups easier to see, coat with nail polish, let dry, then scrape off raised marks with the side of a butter knife.
** Don't have a measuring cup? Use a baby bottle that is marked in ounces.
OVEN / STOVETOP
** When cleaning the inside of the oven, wipe off the bulk of the mess with wads of newspaper. Then you can just throw that away.
**To clean oven racks the easy way, line your bathtub with old towels (to protect the finish). Place oven racks in the tub and fill with very hot water and automatic dishwasher detergent. Allow to soak a good, long while. Then, using rubber gloves, stack one rack on top of the other, with one pushed a little farther, so you can wipe both racks at once. Turn over and wipe the other sides the same way. Drain and rinse well. NOTE: Never leave a tub of water unattended if you have babies or toddlers in the house!
REFRIGERATOR / FREEZER
** Never wash ice cube trays in the dishwasher or with very hot water. Trays are coated with a non-stick finish and washing in hot water wears it away, making it harder to get the ice out. If you have already "ruined" your trays, move them to your desk to organize paper clips, tacks, hole reinforcements, etc., and start over with new, coated trays.
** Fill a washed out paper milk carton with water and freeze. Run warm water along the outside and peel off paper for a large chunk of ice. Use washed out egg cartons to make large ice cubes.
** If your refrigerator / freezer starts making a clacking sound, and then stops working, unplug, then unscrew the back panel behind the freezer to see the fan. If the fan is blocked with an ice chunk, let it thaw completely, then replace panel and plug back in. That may save you a visit from the repair shop. You can speed the thawing process by placing a pot of boiling hot water (on a folded towel) in the freezer next to the fan.
** If you happen to have a power outage and something spoils in your refrigerator or freezer, first clean the unit thoroughly with baking soda and warm water. Then pour some fresh kitty litter on baking sheets or in a flat box and leave in refrigerator. Shut the door, and leave for a few days, or until the odor is gone.
SINK
** If the water in your sink begins to come out in a trickle, rather than a stream, try unscrewing the end of the faucet (where the water comes out). There is usually a little "net" that traps goop in it. Wash with some warm, soapy water and an old toothbrush, and replace. If lime deposits from hard water are trapped in the "netting", you may need to soak that little piece in some ammonia over night to remove them.
** Mount a cup hook over the sink to hang your watch and rings, so they don't get wet and they don't get lost.
