MELANIE'S CULINARY MEMOS SWEET STUFF! ~How To Color Coconut~ Sprinkle some shredded coconut on waxed paper; add a little food coloring and rub evenly throughout. Dry and store in covered jars. ~How To Color Sugar~ Place some granulated sugar on a piece of stiff white paper; sprinkle over it a few drops of the desired food coloring and rub with a wooden spoon or between your hands (this works best if you don't mind your hands changing color temporally) until evenly distributed. Dry in oven (350°), occasionally seperating the grains by rubbing them between your fingers. Store in an airtight container. ~VEGETABLES!~ Onions When cutting onions, breathe through your mouth. When you breath through your nose the onion fumes reach your tear ducts. Produce Preserver Place a few damp sponges in the bottom of your produce bins, the added moisture helps keep fruits and veggies fresher longer. In the Lunch Box Preserving Sandwiches: If you're packing your lunch the night before, keep your sandwich fresh until it's time to eat it by wrapping it in a few lettuce leaves and then in aluminum foil. PB&Js Made Easy! Making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a breeze, when you keep the jelly in a cleaned out squeeze bottle (like the kind ketchup comes in). Speed up Ripening To quickly ripen an avocado, at room temperature bury the avocado in a bowl of flour for a day or so. Avocado Saver If a recipe calls for only half an avocado,keep the uneaten half from turning brown in the fridge by pressing the pit back in place before storing. ~Dairy Notes~ Keep Cheese Fresher Longer A few cubes of sugar kept in the same container as your cheese will keep mold from forming. TIPS FOR A LIFETIME Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips. Use a meat baster to "squeeze" your pancake batter onto the hot griddle- perfect shaped pancakes every time. 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. Run your hands under cold water before pressing Rice Krispies treats in the pan-the marshmallow won't stick to your fingers. To get the most juice out of fresh lemons, bring them to room temperature and roll them under your palm against the kitchen counter before squeezing. Spray your Tupperware with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato-based sauces-no more stains. 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". Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator-it will keep for weeks. Brush beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful, glossy finish. Place a slice of apple 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 corns natural sweetness. 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. Don't throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces. ~Recycling Hints~ Save that card board tray that soft drinks come in at the drive through...use it at picnics to help hold the ketchup/mustard salt and pepper on the picnic table. Here is a listing of some GREAT RECIPIES for you to try R ecipe f-Key #1 Use a meat baster to "squeeze" your pancake batter onto the hot griddle perfectly shaped pancakes every time. 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"! Discard potato when dish is done. 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. Dip strips of bacon in cold water before frying. This prevents the bacon from curling. Prevent boil-overs. Add a lump of butter or a few teaspoons of cooking oil to the water. Rice, noodles, spaghetti will neither boil over nor stick together. Frozen juice concentrate - to quickly use simply mash it with a potato masher. No need to wait for it to thaw! A wire whip works also. Cottage cheese stays fresher if you store it upside down in the fridge. Nuts in the shell are easier to open if you freeze them first. Transfer your jelly to a small plastic squeeze bottle--no more messy, sticky jars or knives! This also works well for homemade salad dressing! Dental floss is good for cutting cheese too. For flakier crust, brush top with cold water before baking Dip a pie plate in warm water for 2 minutes before inserting your graham cracker crust and it won't crumble or stick after baking. Use lifesavers candy to hold candles in place on your next birthday cake! Kids love them. Use a clean wide tooth comb to draw designs on your next cake icing. 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 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. Sweeten whipped cream with confectioners' sugar instead of granulated sugar. It will stay fluffy & hold its shape better. Run your hands under cold water before pressing Rice Krispies treats in the pan. The marshmallow won't stick to your fingers! Split layer caked horizontally with dental floss this also works for cheese Bar cookies - use a pizza cutter to cut them Save your store-bought-bread bags and ties--they make perfect storage bags for homemade bread! When making bread, substitute nondairy creamer for the dry milk-it works just as well!!! Place a slice of bread in hardened brown sugar to soften it back up! Instead of throwing away bread heels or leftover cornbread, use them to make bread crumbs. For use later, store them in the freezer. Hand saver - pick up broken glass with pieces of bread. Cornbread - don't through left over cornbread away. Make a side dish with it that tastes like hush puppies (poor boy). Melt butter in a skillet, add chop up onions to taste, and add crumbled up cornbread. Cook until hot. Make's a great side dish. Back to Narnies Okeechobee Index