Handy Tips


 Better than paper towels and a lot less expensive...


 COFFEE FILTERS
 Coffee  filters ...... Who knew!   And you can buy 1,000 at the
 Dollar Tree for almost nothing even the large ones.
 1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the  microwave. Coffee
 filters make excellent covers.

 2. Clean windows, mirrors, and chrome...  Coffee filters are lint-
 free so they'll leave windows sparkling.

 3.  Protect China by separating your good dishes with a coffee
 filter between each dish.

 4.  Filter broken cork from wine.  If you break the cork when  opening a
wine  bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.

 5.  Protect a cast-iron skillet.  Place a coffee filter in the
 skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.

 6.  Apply shoe polish.  Ball up a lint-free coffee filter.

 7.  Recycle frying oil.  After frying, strain oil through a sieve
lined with a coffee filter.

 8.  Weigh chopped foods.  Place chopped ingredients in a coffee
 filter on a  kitchen scale.

 9.  Hold tacos.  Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy
 foods.

 10.  Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot.  Line a plant
 pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through  the
 drainage holes.

11.  Prevent a Popsicle from dripping.  Poke one or two holes as
 needed in a coffee filter....

 12.  Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows?  Use
strips of coffee filters..

 13.  Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries,
 chicken  fingers, etc on them..  It soaks out all the grease.

14.  Keep in the bathroom.  They make great "razor nick  fixers."

 15.   As a sewing backing..  Use a filter as an easy-to-tear backing
 for embroidering or appliquéing soft fabrics.

 16..  Put baking soda into a coffee filter and insert into shoes or
 a closet to absorb or prevent odors.

 17.  Use them to strain soup stock and to tie fresh herbs in to put
 in soups and stews.

 18.  Use a coffee filter to prevent spilling when you add fluids to 
your car.

 19.  Use them as a spoon rest while cooking and clean up small
 counter spills.

 20.  Can use to hold dry ingredients when baking or when cutting       
a piece of fruit or veggies..  Saves on having extra bowls to wash.

 21.  Use them to wrap Christmas ornaments for storage.

 22.  Use them to remove fingernail polish when out of cotton balls.

 23.  Use them to sprout seeds..  Simply dampen the coffee filter,
 place seeds inside, fold it and place it into a plastic baggie until
 they sprout.

 24. Use coffee filters as blotting paper for pressed flowers.  Place
 the flowers between two coffee filters and put the coffee filters
 in  phone book..

 25.  Use as a disposable "snack bowl" for popcorn, chips, etc.

.

 Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. 
If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster..
 
 

Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil.
 
It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!
 
 
 
Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating. 
Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.
 
 
 
Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef.
 
It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.



To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of 
Spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.
 

For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty frosting. 

Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste 
Of garlic and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.
   

Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simply chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples. Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes!!!  Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream. Yummm! 
                                                  

Reheat Pizza 
Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low
and heat till warm. 
This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on
the cooking channel and it really works. 
 
 
Easy Deviled Eggs

 Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. 
Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. 
Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.
 
 
 
Expanding Frosting 
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer
for a few minutes. You can double it in size. 
You get to frost more cake/cupcakes
with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving. 
                                          

Reheating refrigerated bread
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in
 
A microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food
 
Moist and help it reheat faster.
 
 
 
Newspaper weeds away 
Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers,
 
Put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and for-
 
Get about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not
 
Get through wet newspapers.
 
 
 
Broken Glass

 Use a wet cotton ball or Q-t ip t o pick up the small shards of glass you can't see easily.
 
                          
 No More Mosquitoes 
Place a dryer sheet in your pocket.
It will keep the mosquitoes away. 
      Squirrel Away!
 

 
To keep squirrels from eating your plants, sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper.
The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it.

  

            
 Flexible vacuum 
To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel
roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings. 
 
                                                   Reducing Static Cling
 
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt
or dress.. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose.Place pin in seam of slacks and ... At DA! ... Static is gone. 
 
 

Measuring Cups 
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water..
 
Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such
 
As peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out. 
 
 

Foggy Windshield?

 Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of
your car When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth! 
                                  

 Re open ing envelopes 
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include s om ething inside,
just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unsealseasily. 
 
 

Conditioner

 Use your hair conditioner to shave . It's cheaper than shaving cream and
leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner youbought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair. 
 
 
Goodbye Fruit Flies 
To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2' with Apple Cider Vinegar
and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to thecup an d gone forever! 
 
 
Get Rid of Ants

 Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it 'home,' can't
digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed! 
 
                  
 INFO ABOUT CLOTHES DRYERS 
The heating unit went out on my dryer! The gentleman that fixes things around the
house for us told us that he wanted to show us something and he went over to thedryer and pulled out the lint filter. It was clean. (I always clean the lint from the filter after every load clothes.) He told us that he wanted to show us something; hetook the filter over to the sink and ran hot water over it. The lint filter is made of a mesh material .. I'm sure you know what your dryer's lint filter looks like. Well ....the hot water just sat on top of the mesh! It didn't go through it at all! He told usthat dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh that's what burns out the heating unit.You can't SEE the film, but it's there. It's what is in the dryer r sheets to make yourclothes soft and static free ... that nice fragrance too. You know how they can feelwaxy when you take them out of the box ... well this stuff builds up on your clothesand on your lint screen. This is also what causes dryer units to potentially burn yourhouse down with it! He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a very longtime (and to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out and wash it with hot soapy water and an old toothbru sh (or other brush) at least every six months.He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as long! How about that!?!Learn something new everyday! I certainly didn't know dryer sheets would do that.So, I thought I'd share! 
Note:
I went to my dryer and tested my screen by running water on it. The water ranthrough a little bit but mostly collected all the water in the mesh screen. I washed itwith warm soapy water and a nylon brush and I had it done in 30 seconds. Then when I rinsed it .. the water ran right thru the screen! There wasn't any puddling at all! That repairman knew what he was talking about!

 

1. Reheat Pizza
Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove , set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.

2. Easy Deviled Eggs
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal , mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients , reseal , keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly , cut the tip of the baggy , squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.

3. Expanding Frosting
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store , whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.

4. Reheating refrigerated bread
To warm biscuits , pancakes , or muffins that were refrigerated , place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

5. Newspaper weeds away
Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet news papers put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.

6. Broken Glass
Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can't see easily.

7. No More Mosquitoes
Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.

8. Squirrel Away!
To keep squirrels from eating your plants sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it.

9. Flexible vacuum
To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.

10. Reducing Static Cling
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and -- ta da! -- static is gone.

11. Measuring Cups
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.

12. Foggy Windshield?
Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

13. Reopening envelope
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside , just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily.

14. Conditioner
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's a lot cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair...

15. Goodbye Fruit Flies
To get rid of pesky fruit flies , take a small glass fill it 1/2' with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid , mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

16. Get Rid of Ants
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it , take it 'home', can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains , but it works & you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

A sealed envelope - Put in the freezer for a few hours, then slide a
knife under the flap. The envelope  can then be  resealed.   (hmmmmmm..)
                                      
============
Use Empty toilet paper roll to store appliance cords
It keeps them
neat  and  you can  write on the roll what appliance it belongs  to.
==========
For icy door steps in freezing temperatures:  get  warm water and put
Dawn dish washing liquid in it. Pour it all  over the steps. They won't
 refreeze. (wish I had known  this for the last 40 years!)
==========
To remove old wax from a glass candle  holder, put it in the freezer for
a few hours. Then  take the candle holder out and turn it upside down. The
wax   will  fall out.
===========
Crayon marks on walls?
This worked  wonderfully! A damp rag, dipped
in baking  soda. Comes off  with little effort (elbow grease that is!)..
==========
Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops  
(like store receipt
BLUE!) rubbing alcohol on paper  towel.
============
Whenever I purchase a box of S.O.S  Pads
, I immediately take a pair of
scissors and cut each  pad into halves. After years of having to throw
away rusted  and unused and smelly pads, I finally decided that this  would
be  much  more economical. Now a box of S.O.S   pads last me indefinitely!
In fact, I  have noticed  that the scissors get 'sharpened'' this way!
=============
Blood stains on clothes?  Not  to worry!  Just pour a little hydrogen  
peroxide on  a cloth and proceed to wipe off every drop of blood.    Works
every time!  (Now, where to put the body?)     LOL
==========
Use vertical strokes when washing windows  outside and horizontal
for  inside   windows..
This way you can tell which side has the  streaks.
Straight vinegar  will get outside windows really  clean.   Don 't wash windows
on a sunny day.  They will  dry too quickly and will probably streak.   
============
Spray a bit of perfume on the light  bulb in any room to create a lovely
light scent in  each room when the light  is turned  on.
========
Place fabric softener sheets in dresser  drawers and your clothes will smell
 freshly washed  for weeks to come. You can also do this with towels and  linen.
=========
Candles will last a lot longer if placed in  the freezer for at least  3 hours prior to burning.
======
To clean artificial flowers, pour  some salt into a paper bag and add the flowers. Shake vigorously as  the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt and leave your artificial  flowers looking like new! Works like a  charm!
============
To easily remove burnt on food from your  skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish  soap
and enough  water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stove  top.

===========
Spray your TUPPERWARE with nonstick
 cooking spray before pouring  in  tomato based  sauces and there won't be any stains.
===========
Wrap  celery in aluminum foil
when putting  in the refrigerator and it will keep for  weeks.
=============
When boiling corn on the cob, add a  pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn's natural  sweetness
===============
Cure for headaches:
Take a lime,  cut it in half, and rub it on your forehead.   The  throbbing will go away.
=============
Don 't throw out  all that leftover wine:
Freeze into ice cubes for   future use  in casseroles and sauces ........  
=============
To get rid of  itch from mosquito bites,
try applying soap on the area  and  you will experience instant  relief.
============
Ants, ants, ants everywhere ...  
Well, they are  said to never cross a chalk  line.. So, get your chalk  out and draw a line on the floor or wherever ants tend to march. See for  yourself.
============
Use  air-freshener to clean mirrors.
It does a  good job and better still, leaves a lovely smell to the  shine.
===========
When you get a  splinter,
 reach for the scotch tape before resorting to tweezers or a needle.  Simply put the scotch tape over the splinter, and
then  pull it  off. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly and  easily.
=====
Now look what  you can do with Alka Seltzer...... ...  Clean a  toilet.
Drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush  and flush.
The citric acid and effervescent action clean  vitreous China  ...
========
Clean a  vase.
To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or  cruet, fill with water
and drop in two Alka Seltzer  tablets.
=============
Polish  jewelry.
Drop two Alka Seltzer tablets into a glass of  water and immerse the
jewelry  for two  minutes.
==============
Clean a thermos  bottle.
Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka Seltzer tablets, and let soak
for an hour (or longer, if  necessary).
===========
Unclog a drain.
Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka Seltzer tablets down the
drain followed by a cup of  Heinz White Vinegar.. Wait a few  minutes,
and then run the hot water.

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