If you add cocoa to a cake recipe which does not call for cocoa,
decrease the amount of flour by 2 tablespoons for each 1/4 cup

Sprinkling French toast with sesame seeds prior to cooking provides a crunchy taste.

 

 

 

If you're making a recipe that calls for ground nuts, grinding them with a little sugar from the recipe will keep them from becoming too sticky and oily.

When shelling pecans, if you want them to come out whole, pour some boiling water over the pecans and let them sit for thirty minutes before cracking.

Blood stains on clothes? Pour a little peroxide on
a cloth and proceed to wipe off every drop of blood.

The only way I have found to keep celery fresh is to cut the bunch
in half and remove the bottom and stand them on end in a container
like cottage cheese (24 oz size) or 3# margarine tub with at least
an inch or two of water.  This really works and just pull out what
you need a time.  This helps to keep it fresh and crispy and if
not used in reasonable amount of time, you should refresh the
water every few days. 

Stale chips? Try refreshing chips and crackers by putting them on
a plate and microwaving them for 30 to 45 seconds.  Let stand one
minute to crisp.

Open cans of things that settle (like beans or chili) from the bottom. The ingredients come out much easier. If you have a can that can't be opened from the bottom, storing it upside-down will also help.

Strawberry aspirin?  Next time you have a headache try eating some
strawberries.  They contain natural salicylates, an ingredient
that's found in aspirin.

Spicier pizza sauce: add some spice to your homemade pizza sauce
by adding medium or hot salsa to it.  Easy and tasty.

 

 

 

To make plain pasta tastier for little ones, put a bouillon cube in the water while it's boiling. Toddlers will love the extra flavor

Use a cosmetic puff in your flour to dust your cookie sheets, and cake pans.

 

Raisins should be stored in the refrigerator to keep them soft and moist.

To add sugar to cold tea, dissolve the sugar first in a glass of hot water. You won't have those hard sugar crystals floating around in your tea now.

 

 

 

To make big ice cubes for your pitcher of iced tea or lemonade, use muffin tins as ice cube trays.

Carrots cook faster if you slice them along their length rather than their width.

 

Before adding veggies, toss them with a little flour to keep them from sticking to the bottom.

 

To keep cauliflower white while cooking just add a little milk to the water.

Spicier pizza sauce:  Add some spice to your pizza sauce by
adding medium or hot salsa to it.  Easy and tasty.

 

 

Place a damp dishcloth under your bowl when beating something,
which not only cuts down on the noise but also keeps the bowl
from bouncing around.

Aromatic Barbecuing:  Don't throw away peelings from onions.
When using a grill, toss peels on hot coals while cooking.
Wonderful smell.

tip.
Cake decorating
To help cakes come out flat on top for decorating, lightly drop the filled tin on the bench three or four times before placing in the oven. This helps remove extra air bubbles in the mixture.

for icing :

also use a microwave dish for the base so you can get that circular motion going very easily. it works !