Tips and Tricks – “Uncasing” Your Garlic
It has come to my attention that many of you are still digging into your garlic cloves with your nails trying to peel that dang clove out. A little peel here, a ton of garlic under the nails there, I think I have it here, dang it! Don’t worry my friends, until my husband entered my life ten years ago, I was in your shoes. You read it here, the hubs rocked my garlic peeling world and thanks to him my hands still smell like delicious lavender soap instead of garlic.
Step One. Pull yourself a single clove off the the cluster there. No, stop don’t start peeling away the layers. Leave it just like that. There you go.
Step Two. Place your garlic clove onto your cutting board or counter top and place the flat side of a wide knife blade on top.
Step Three. Push down on the knife with your hand. Not on the blade silly, on the flat part. Just press your sweet little hand down on that knife that is laying on top of your garlic clove. You will feel the clove give a little and then…..
The casing cracks right open and there is your garlic clove, nice and clean and ready to be plucked right out!
Tips and Tricks #2 – Wrapping Presents
So this may not actually apply to the kitchen, but it is the second round of Tips and Tricks for your household tasks. That was a mouthful.
You are either completely on top of it with all of your holiday shopping complete, wrapped, tagged and delivered. Or, you are planning on doing it all this weekend. I personally prefer to avoid having to go to malls and shopping centers in the weeks leading up to the holidays at all costs.
Regardless, wrapping presents in my family has become as much fun as finding and exchanging the actua
l gifts themselves. Years ago, my aunt began “dressing up” her packages with fancy ribbon and attaching some type of ornament or trinket to the top. It has become a sort of tradition to look for holiday ornaments or extras that fit the recipient or continue to pass a few silly ones around the family.
Think of it as a twist on an ornament exchange that doesn’t add much cost, but does add a whole lot of flair. Obviously the best time to look for these items is right after the holidays when they all go on sale and you can stock up, but if you peek in the stores you will be amazed.
So, if you are looking for a change in how to wrap your presents this year, or just some insider tips, these are for you!
- Don’t use the same paper for every gift. Yes, rolls of wrapping paper can add up, so look at places like Tuesday Morning for deals on quality paper. (Next year you should hit up the elementary kids in your neighborhood who are selling wrapping paper as a fundraiser.)
- If you are giving multiple gi
fts to one person, also use different paper or coordinating paper.
- If the paper is tearing as you are trying to unroll it, chances are it is going to be a headache to wrap with and will tear with each fold and corner you make. Find the thicker paper.
- Go to a craft store and buy a couple rolls of “real ribbon”. This too you can find deals on. Don’t just buy the holiday themed ones but find rolls you could use year round. You won’t believe how much this ribbon will add to your packages!
- If you want to make big, fancy, fluffy bows…wire rimmed ribbon is your best bet.
- Unfortunately, the Scotch Tape labeled “gift wrap tape” does actually look better and work much better then the normal tape. You wil use less and it will stick, this I promise.
- Make definite creases in your wrapping paper when you are folding the corners. This will make it easier to place and tape and you won’t feel like you don’t have enough hands.
- Find a topper…or trinket…or ornament. Trust me.
Now, I know what some of you are thinking…this sure is a lot of work for something they will just tear off and throw away/set aside. That is the wonderful thing about it! No, we aren’t the “carefully open your presents and save the paper” people, but we do save all of the ribbon and toppers. Not only do you leave with thoughtful gifts and wonderful memories, but you will have great ribbon that is already cut to fit presents.
Happy Wrapping!
Tips and Tricks # 1
In August, I wrote you about Battling the Microwave which really had more to do with Baby Kaz than the microwave itself. However, I decided (after some pressure from Leah) to share some tips and tricks I have with you….and this one goes perfectly if you too are battling your microwave. Not only does the food you are cooking in it smell up the house, but so does whatever else has bubbled over and crusted in your microwave. Don’t act like yours is spotless, you may wipe it out when there is a spill but you know there is grossness in there. What stinks is trying to spray random cleaners in there to soak it, or scrubbing until your arms feel like they have been shoveling snow all day. Let me help.
You will need a bowl of water, a lemon cut in half and well…..a microwave. Now, get ready for the easiest cleaning of your life.
1. Squeeze the juice of one half of a lemon into the water. (Yes, it is fine if the seeds get in there.)
2. Put the bowl of lemon water into the microwave and microwave on high for 1 minute. The steam of the water has acid from the lemon in it and it will coat the sides of your microwave.
3. At the end of the minute, take a paper towel and wipe down the sides with ease.
4. Repeat the one minute process and squeeze more lemon juice in it, if it is really bad as many times as you need to keep wiping it down. I promise you will not have to scrub and in the end you will have a shiny, lemony fresh microwave.
You Are Welcome.