Tutorial Tuesday: Random Hints

While I was cleaning this past week, I came across these pages that look like they were once part of a cookbook. They are full of helpful hints, from cooking to cleaning. Thought I'd share some with you all for my tutorial this week.  Since I don't know what book these are actually from, I can't credit them, unfortunately....

Cleaning

• To make a simple polish for copper bottom cookware, mix equal parts flour and salt with vinegar to create a paste.  Store extra in the refrigerator. 
• A little instant coffee will work wonders on your wood furniture.  Just make a thick paste from instant coffee and a little water, and rub it into the nicks and scrapes on your dark wood furniture.  You'll be amazed at how new and beautiful those pieces look.
• For a clogged shower head, boil it for 15 minutes in a mixture of 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 quart water.
• Add raw rice to the salt shaker to keep salt free flowing.
• Ice cubes will help sharpen garbage disposal blades.

Cooking

• A few drops of lemon juice added to simmering rice will keep the grains separated.
• Clove, garlic, and pepper flavors get stronger when they are frozen, while sage, onion, and salt get milder.
• A little vinegar or lemon juice added to potatoes before draining will make them extra white when mashed.
• Egg whites need to be at room temperature for greater volume when whipped.  Good tip for making meringue.
• When baking bread, a small dish of water in the oven will help keep the crust from getting too hard or brown.
• To make self-rising flour, mix 4 cups flour, 2 teaspoons salt, and 2 tablespoons baking powder and store in a tightly covered container.
• To easily flour a surface for dough, store flour in a salt shaker.
• To avoid tears when cutting onions, try cutting under cold running water or briefly placing them in the freezer before cutting. [note:  my friend Erika also recommended coating the cutting board with vinegar....]

I hope some of those were helpful!  And, now that I have recorded the best tips, I can recycle the rest and clear out some more paper from the house--win, win!