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Tips & Hints for GRILLING fresh CORN on the COB * 

7/31/2015

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Shuck corn, and pull off the silk (I do this at the grocery store, so I don't have the mess at home). Put the ears in water (turning several times), until you're ready to grill it. This will keep it moist.
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Spread with butter or margarine ~ or spray with buttery non-stick spray. Sprinkle with a little Kosher salt and your favorite seasoning. You can also add fresh chopped herbs (parsley, cilantro, rosemary, oregano)
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Lay the corn diagonally on sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil (it fits better at an angle); and roll the corn up tightly in the foil. Stick on the grill for about 8-10 minutes.
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TIPS to GRILL BROCCOLI in FOIL PACKETS on the BBQ

7/31/2015

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When grilling BROCCOLI in foil packets (or other vegetables), add a few ICE CUBES to the packet before sealing it well.  This will help the broccoli steam in the packet!

TIP:  Some recipes may tell you to add lemon juice to your broccoli.  Be very skeptical of those recipes, because lemon juice will turn the broccoli an ugly olive-green when it steams!   Butter, salt and a little seasoning is all you need.
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discard this
TRIM the stalks of the broccoli, and cut into thin strips.  Either dab with butter, or spray with olive oil or buttery non-stick spray.  Add some seasoning; fold up the foil tightly and stick on the grill.
Grilled BROCCOLI CROWNS in FOIL PACKETS

Lay out a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil (about 12-14").  Trim the broccoli crowns, and cut in half (or 1/4, if they're large).  Put on the foil and dab with butter (real or margarine).  Sprinkle with a little Kosher salt and your favorite seasoning (I love McCormick's Smokehouse Maple or McCormick's Chipotle Garlic).   Bring up the ends of the foil and tightly seal shut.  Put onto your BBQ grill (with your meat), and grill for about 8-10 minutes.  ** Be CAREFUL when you open the packets, because steam will escape! **

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CAKE DISASTERS: some reasons why your cake failed

7/23/2015

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from Tipnut
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Some reasons why your CAKE failed:

Has A Hump ~or~ Dark Bottom

  • The oven was overly hot when baking started
  • Too much flour used
  • Pan too deep or large, keeps top from browning
  • Dark pans absorb more heat, place on higher oven rack (same with pyrex)
  • Pan was warped which caused uneven browning

Has Deep Cracks or
Has Fallen

  • Temperature too high
  • Too much: flour or baking powder
  • Temperature too low
  • Peeked while baking
  • Removed from oven early
  • Too much: shortening or sugar or bicarb or baking powder
  • Not enough flour

Coarse Texture ~or~
It’s Running-Over

  • Temperature not high enough
  • Batter over mixed
  • Too much baking powder or flour
  • Temperature not high enough
  • Pan not large enough
  • Too much baking powder or sugar

It’s Tough or Doughy




.       Temperature too hot
  • Not enough shortening or sugar
  • Too much flour
  • Temperature too low
  • Left in pan too long after removing from oven

Light In Color ~or~
Browned Edges

  • Temperature too low
  • Another pan too close while baking
  • Oven too full
  • Tin touching another one or oven wall

Not Large Enough



  • Temperature too high
  • Not enough baking powder
  • Over mixed batter
  • Oversized pan

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HOW TO: Store fresh BLUEBERRIES, STRAWBERRIES & BLACKBERRIES for at least a week

7/11/2015

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blueberries, strawberries or blackberries * plain white vinegar
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Put the berries into a colander and set the colander into a bowl. Add about 1/2 cup white vinegar and fill with water to cover berries by an inch or so.
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After a few minutes in the vinegar water, pull out the colander and wash off the berries. Spread them out onto a paper towel to dry (or dish towel).
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Line the plastic berry container with a dry paper towel and put the washed berries back into the container.
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Store in the refrigerator for at least a week.
This simple method works for BLUEBERRIES, STRAWBERRIES and BLACKBERRIES.  Note that raspberries are too delicate and will bruise and spoil faster if they're washed and stored.
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DECOUPAGE & PAINT dirty DOOR (around doorknob area)

7/8/2015

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full area painted
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close-up of upper area
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close-up of lower area
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before * door frame
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cut out picture * homemade "glue"
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acrylic paint set
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pictures glued to door (before painting)
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clear gloss or shellac afterwards


Our white painted door was so dirty around the doorknob!  I'd washed it so many times that the paint was coming off; and since the door was about 9 yrs. old, I knew the paint would no longer match if I just "touched it up".  Since we'd like to replace this door in a few years with a stained wood door, I thought I'd experiment to cover that grimy area.

I found 2 photos on the internet that I liked of cowboy boots (we live in Texas), and printed them onto regular white paper (4x6" sized photo).  Then I trimmed the edges of the photo to fit the frame around the window in the door, and around the doorknob.

I didn't have any white glue (which you can dilute with water for this), so I whisked about 1/4 cup plain white flour into about 1 cup of HOT water (so the flour dissolves and doesn't clump up).   Then, I dipped each printed photo completely into my homemade "glue" ~ letting the excess run off into the bowl ~ and smoothed it onto the door where I wanted them.  (You may want to dab the prints with a dish towel, if they're too wet or runny when they're on the door. )  I let them dry for about 1/2 hour, but that would depend on the humidity where you live (you don't want them soaking wet when you paint, or the paint could run).

I used acrylic paints in a tube.  You can use craft paint, but it's not as thick and more likely to run on a vertical surface.  (If you DO use thinner craft paint, just dab the tip of your brush into it).   I painted more sunflowers (trying to match the ones in the picture, to fill in the empty areas at the top, and shaded the sky from the picture gradually up onto the door itself.  Then, I just shaded the wooden table area under the boots in the lower photo to gradually disappear into the door frame.  ** The trick is to actually paint over the edges of your picture and shade it up and down. You want to have hazy, indistinct edges at the top and bottom, or it will just look like you cut out a photo and glued it to the door. **

TIP: Add some paint accents to the flowers, backgrounds and anything else you feel like, in the pictures.  Then, when you paint additional flowers (or whatever) and extend the edges, your additions will have the same colors as the actual picture. ** Flowers, leaves and foliage work well because you can scatter them around to cover up any "holes" or put right up close to the doorknob.

After the paint dried, I sprayed it with a clear acrylic lacquer.  You might want to do several coats of the lacquer, so you can wipe it down later.
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JAR LIDS for cookie and hamburger forms * perfect shape

7/4/2015

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I keep 2", 3" and 4" plastic jar lids in my baking drawer, to use as molds/forms for cookies and biscuits.   You can line them with plastic wrap (or spray with non-stick spray) first.

The canning lid is taller and makes a perfect form for perfect hamburger patties!

I also keep a small, cheap ruler in my baking drawer.  It's amazing how many times I use it ~ especially when I need to roll something out to a specific size.
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