I thought I'd share the Hints:
Batter - To avoid lumps, add a pinch of salt to the flour before it is wet.
Boiling over (I really liked this tip! It works!!) - To prevent vegetables, rice, etc. from boiling over, rub a little butter around the edge of the pot.
Cereals, Vegetables, burned - To eliminate burnt taste place pan in cold water for a few minutes before pouring contents into another pan.
Crisp Salad - To keep a vegetable salad fresh while standing, place inverted saucer in the bottom of the bowl before filling with salad.
Flavour Extracts - Always add flavoring extract to mixture when cold, otherwise much goodness is lost in steam.
Potato Slicing - Potatoes or cheese will slice much more easily if knife is warm.
Lemon Juice - Heat lemons well before using. They will give twice as much juice.
Orange Peel - Soak oranges in boiling water for five minutes before peeling. Peel and all white pulp will come off perfectly.
Pecans - Kernels can be removed whole by pouring boiling water over nuts. When cold, hammer on small end of nut.
Cabbage Odor - To avoid cabbage odors, drop a whole walnut in boiling water or place an open dish of vinegar on stove.
Onion on Hands - To remove onion odor from hands, rub each finger vigorously with celery salt before washing.
Onion Tears - A partly burned match - burnt end out - or a crust of bread, held between teeth, prevents tears. Or peel underwater.
Leftover Onion - A leftover onion will keep much longer when the root is left intact - use the top part first.
Walnuts - That have an "old" taste can be improved in flavor by pouring boiling water over them, then spreading in a shallow pan and heating in the oven, stirring quite often to prevent burning.
Custard Pies - Heat milk for custard pies, this requires less baking time, and the crust is not apt to be soggy.
Tenderize Meat - By adding 2 or 3 teaspoons of vinegar to the water the meat is cooked in.
Leftover Vegetables - When stored in jars, can be warmed in the same jar, by placing in deep saucepan, filled with cold water and slowly bring to boil.
Jams and Jellies - Will not mold if sprinkled with acid salicylic powder, which can be obtained from the drugstore.
Appetizers - Dill pickles cut into two-inch slices, hollow centres and fill with cottage cheese mixed with minced parsley, onion and green pepper.
Muffin Batter - should be lumpy. Stir with fork just enough to dampen flour. If over-mixed, they will be tough, poorly shaped with tunnels inside.
Less Dishes - melt butter in pie pan when mixing graham cracker crust. Add crumbs and mix. You save butter and washing an extra dish.
Soften Butter - without melting it, fill a bowl boiling water. Empty the bowl and place it upside down over the butter dish. (It's funny how much we take microwaves for granted now!)
Steamed Pudding - can be steamed in pint sealers, stored in them and when you are ready to use the pudding, it can be heated in the same container.
Old Cooks - know and new ones must learn, that anything with molasses in it will burn very quickly, so do not leave the kitchen while baking or you'll regret it.
To Serve Cheese - at best, it should be at room temperature. Remove from refrigerator an hour before eating.
Medium Orange - will give from 1/3 to 1/2 cup of juice and from 1 to 2 tbsp. grated rind.
Cracked Eggs - when boiling, add 1 teaspoon salt to the water which will close the cracks.
Bread Rolls, etc. - thawed at room temperature and heated from 5 to 10 minutes at 300 degrees just before serving, will give freshness to your baked goods.
Cut Cheese - will not dry out if you spread the surface with a thin coat of butter.
Remove lumps from brown sugar - by placing in shallow pan, put in slow oven at 250 degrees for 15 minutes for immediate use. For later use store in airtight container, with half large unpared apple, skin side down on top of sugar. Store in cool place.
Meringues - to prevent beading or watering, 2 tablespoons of sugar per egg white works best. A little salt, cream of tartar or lemon juice may be added. Let egg whites warm to room temperature for better volume. Beat the whites until stiff but not dry, then begin to add the sugar. 1 teaspoon at a time; beat until stiff peaks form. This is very important to successful, tender meringues. Meringues should be spread over lukewarm filling and MUST completely cover the surface of the pie until it touches the pastry. This sealing to the pastry is one trick against watering. Bake the meringue-topped pie at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, and then let pie cool at room temperature. Never put pie in the refrigerator until after it has cooled.
To divide an angel food or chiffon cake - Measure cake height. Put row of wooden picks one-third from the bottom. Another row one-third from the top. Cut cake into three layers, using wood picks as guides.
To Whip Cream - add a teaspoon of instant pudding to one cup of whipping, and you can whip the cream well in advance, store in the refrigerator until ready to use. It will not be thin and milky at the bottom.
Coffee or Tea Stains - easily removed from your porcelain or china, try baking soda as a paste. It will do the best job, quickly.
To Clean Thermos Bottle - fill with warm water, add 1 teaspoon baking soda. Let stand overnight.
To Sweeten and Clean Refrigerator - ice trays, meat-keeper, crisper and shelves, wash them with a baking soda solution.
Your Coffee Maker = will reward you if you wash it periodically with a quart of water plus 3 tbsp. soda.
Also Use - dry baking soda on damp cloth to clean the bugs off windshield of the car.
Mix it - with a little salt and brush your teeth with it too.
Starch Stuck to - bottom of iron, can be removed by rubbing a damp cloth sprinkled with dry baking soda, over the bottom plate of the iron.
When Recovering your ironing board, place a sheet of aluminum foil under the cover. It will hold the heat.
Scissors Dull? Sharpen them by cutting through light sandpaper.
When a pair of drinking glasses become attached each other, pour cold water into the inside glass and place the outer one in a warm water.
Painting the exterior of your house this summer? To keep insects off add a little insect repellent to the paint before you begin.
For Young Mothers - if your baby vomits on your dress, put dry baking soda on a damp cloth and rub on the spot. Eliminates the odor.
Ice for Picnic - Fill hot water bottle partially with clean water, let freeze in the freezer, and when you are going for a picnic, put it in the picnic basket. Will keep food fresh, yet no dripping.
Removing grease and dirt spots - put corn starch on grease spots and rub in. Brush the starch off with a brush.
Shower curtains - Put shower curtains in a washing machine. Fill with hot water. Add two bath towels. add 1/3 cup each of detergent, bleach and ammonia. Run through entire cycle. Rinse in plain hot water to which add at least 1 cup vinegar. Do not rinse out vinegar. Won't work without bath towels.
To prevent burning of milk - Sprinkle a tsp. of sugar on top and do not stir.
Odors - To eliminate odors of cabbage, brussel sprouts or broccoli, place the heal of bread - the whole last crust of a loaf) on the top of vegetables while cooking.
Grease Splatters - A sprinkle of salt in the frying pan, while frying foods, will help from splattering range and wall.
Picture hanging - Hanging pictures on plaster walls and using nails, put small piece of adhesive tape where nail is to go in, drive nail through tape. Helps prevent plaster from cracking.
Bathroom fixtures - Glycerine or olive oil on the your cleaning rag takes rust off fixtures very easily. It stays polished a long time too.
Save Egg Whites for Angel Cakes - They keep in the fridge for 3 weeks. Instead of using whole eggs in hamburger, cookies, scrambled eggs, griddle cakes, etc., use 2 yolks in place of 1 egg, thus saving two whites of each recipe for the cake.
Glaze for Pie - Dissolve 1 tsp. sugar in 2 tbsp. light cream or rich milk. Brush on crust with pastry brush, thus sealing in air bubbles and help to make top crust extra flaky.
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Some helpful hints and words of wisdom from some Mennonite grossmutters! I love this!
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