Recipe Substitutions

It's happened to all of us. You start baking and suddenly realize you're out of something you need. Don't panic! There's lot of substitutes out there.

If you need....

1 tsp of baking powder try 1/3 tsp of baking soda plus 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup of buttermilk try 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar (white or cider) plus enough milk to make 1 cup. Let stand 5-10 minutes.
1 cup sifted cake flour try 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons sifted all-purpose flour
1 oz unsweetened chocolate try 3 tablespoons cocoa plus 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 cup of confectioners' sugar try 1 cup of sugar plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Process together in food processor.
1 cup light corn syrup try 1 cup sugar plus 1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch try 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or 4 tsp quick-cooking tapioca
1 cup self-rising flour try 1 cup all purpose flour plus 1 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup honey try 1 and 1/4 cups sugar plus 1/4 cup of water
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk try 1 cup instant non-fat dry milk plus 2/3 cup granulated white sugar plus 1/2 cup boiling water plus 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter. Process in blender or food processor until smooth.

Better Scrambled Eggs

The first thing I remember cooking on the stove is scrambled eggs. I made them the way my mom taught me: eggs, splash of milk or cream, salt, and pepper then whisk. (I like the whisking a lot as a kid).

A few years ago I made some changes. I started using seasoned salt instead of regular salt. And I picked up this tip from watching Paula Deen: Instead of putting a splash of milk in your eggs, put a splash of water. Paula said it would make the eggs lighter and fluffier and she was right! My in-laws swear I make the best scrambled eggs they've ever had.

This weekend I read another tip in a newsletter that I must try: Let the eggs come to room temperature before scrambling to make them even fluffier.

Who knew a simple dish like scrambled eggs could have so many techniques to it?

Using old coffee grounds

Here's a tip I picked up from my pizza delivery guy: put used coffee grounds on your rose bush! Acid loving plants like roses, rhododendrons and azalea love coffee grounds. It stimulates growth and (according to the Dominoes guy) it discourages pesky beatles.

Summer was almost over when he gave me this tip and I've tried it. I don't know if the coffee grounds helped but they certainly didn't hurt and it kept them out of my trash can.

Here's a couple of pics from the weekend:

Two Steps to a Perfect Steak

I hate to brag but I can grill a mean steak. My hubby says he prefers my steaks over any steakhouse. My secret? Montreal steak seasoning. I usually buy the McCormick brand but Kroger has their own brand so I'm sure other stores have a version of it too. There's a recipe on the bottle for a terrific marinade that combines the seasoning, olive oil and soy sauce. It makes an awesome steak.

Another tip? Add a pat of butter to hot steak before serving. It might sound weird but the butter will melt in and give the steak a little extra something-something. I don't always do this because of the added fat but if you're feeling frisky, try it!

Freshen Your Dishwasher!

To clean and freshen your dishwasher, use a packet of lemon Kool-Aid (unsweetened). Just use the Kool-Aid in place of your normal detergent and run the dishwasher empty. It will clean your dishwasher and give it a fresh smell.