If you need to transport a 8", 9" or 10" cake to somewhere ~ and it's on a cake board ~ the best way is in a LARGE priority flat rate box from the Post Office.  (You can order these boxes free on their website, and your postman will deliver them to your house.)  It's 12x12" but when you fold the sides down inside, it will securely hold a cake that's on a 10" cakeboard! 

To KEEP YOUR CAKES FROM SLIDING ~ put a big dollop of CANNED FROSTING in the center of the cakeboard (if you're using a doily, put a dollop under the doily and also on top).  Canned frosting dries quickly and works like "glue"

HOW to SOFTEN BROWN SUGAR that's gotten hard.

My mother and grandmother always keep a slice of bread in their canister of brown sugar, and when I started baking, I realized why.  It will keep your brown sugar soft and stop it from getting rock hard and clumping up in your canister.  So, just stick the heel of a loaf of bread in there (I replace it occasionally with another heel of a loaf).

To be doubly sure that my brown sugar stays soft, I also have one of those special brown sugar terra cotta discs in my brown sugar canister.  I dampen it occasionally, and set it in an old 1/4-cup measure (so it isn't resting directly on the sugar).  You can find them on-line @ eBay, Etsy, or any store that has baking supplies.  

BUT ~ what do you do when you need your brown sugar NOW and haven't done either of the above precautions ~ and your brown sugar is rock-hard?  You can soften it in the microwave! 

1. Put the amount of brown sugar in a microwavable bowl.
2. Put a couple of damp paper towels on top of the brown sugar.
3. Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap or microwave safe lid.
4. Heat the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds. (If not yet softened, continue to heat for 10- second intervals.)
5. Fluff the sugar with a fork or whisk and use it immediately
​6. Put that piece of bread in your canister to soften what's in there for next time!! 

I've been making COLD BREW COFFEE in my "Toddy Maker" for over 40 years ~ and it's the only way my husband will drink coffee.  This system (using the filters provided) will take out 90% of the acid (and that's what bothers most people) and about 90% of the caffeine ~ even using a pound of your favorite ground coffee (not decaf ~ I actually buy dark roast for him).  

You get 2 filters, 2 black stoppers, plus the big white filter thingy ~ the glass container, handle and lid.  I just wash out the filters, and they'll last for years!  (The instructions may say that they last for 10 uses, and a pound of coffee will last 2 weeks ~ HAHA ~ a pound of coffee will only last my husband about 3 days!)  You can buy more stoppers and/or filters separately (very inexpensive) on eBay, if necessary.

Forget what the instructions say ~ this is what I do:

Wet the thick white filter and stick it into the round indentation in the bottom of the white thingy.  Put the rubber stopper underneath (and make sure it's in really well).  Then put about 2 cups of water in the white thingy (TIP:  If it "bubbles", then gently smash the filter down better into the indentation).  Next put about 12 oz. ground coffee into the water and stir ~ start pouring more water in (and stirring) until it's about 4" from the top of the white thingy.  Let it sit for about 5 minutes (the coffee will harden up a little) ~ then go back and stir with a spoon to loosen up the coffee, and pour more water in, stirring (until about 3" from top of white thingy).  TIP:  Put the whole thing into a bowl, in case it leaks! 

Instructions say to let it sit 10-12 hours, and that's best.  But sometimes I've waited too long to make it, so I've let it filter through after 6 or 8 hours instead (and it's fine).  (I have a mini-espresso machine, and Hubby will have a cup from there in an emergency, but he's not used to the "oil/acid" or caffeine). 

NOW, the TRICKY PART!  Lift the white thingy up (I use the handle by stabilize with my other hand) and center it over the glass jar.  Pull out the rubber stopper on the bottom and set the white thingy over the glass jar ~ and let the coffee concentrate drain into the glass jar.  In theory, if you turn the lid of the glass jar over, that measurement is supposed to be the amount of concentrate to use in 8 oz. of water (but you can use more or less, to your liking).  

You can heat up 8 oz. of water in the microwave for hot coffee ~ or use the concentrate (and remember that it IS a concentrate!) to make iced coffee.

***
If you're going camping ~ renting a condo ~ or anywhere else that you can heat water ~ just take your own concentrate in a mason jar! 

EXTRA BONUS:  Put those "used" coffee grounds on your acid-loving plants!  gardenias, jasmine, camellias all love it!  (I'll toss about 1/2 cup under them)  If you have hydrangeas, the acid in the coffee grounds will turn the blossoms BLUE (if you do that before they start budding) 

I used to hate adding strawberries to a fruit salad (especially one with pineapple in it) because the red from the strawberries always seemed to bleed onto the other fruit.  ... Until I discovered this easy trick!  Wash your strawberries and put them to dry on a paper towel (while you prepare the other fruit).  Then pat them dry and slice them ~ add to the fruit salad.

For some reason, wet strawberries bleed into the "wet" fruit salad ... but dry strawberries don't!!  (or at least not as much) 

All of my cookie recipes are available here ~ you can search by keyword, or by category.

I also have a Pinterest board for CHRISTMAS & HANUKKAH COOKIES (but the link won't copy here)

DIFFERENCE between SPONGE, CHIFFON & ANGEL FOOD CAKES
 

Sponge cakes contain whole eggs. Their leavening comes only from beaten egg whites (no baking powder or soda), and they have little or no butter.


Chiffon cakes are light like sponge cakes, but the egg whites are not beaten separately. Chiffon cakes also generally contain oil so they are more tender and moist than sponge cake.


Angel food cakes have no fat or leavening (such as baking powder). They are leavened with beaten egg whites and they have a high proportion of egg white to flour.

​The Absolute Best Ways to Cook Bacon, According to Sooo Many Tests …. from FOOD52

The EASY WAY to make PIE CRUST:  Did you know you can make your pie crust in your food processor?  Put the flour & salt in and give it a whirl.  Then put in the shortening or butter (scatter the dabs/cubes around on the flour).  Pulse until it looks crumbly.  Pulse in the water.  Basically follow your regular recipe, but pulse the food processor instead of using a pastry cutter or 2 forks.