Ducks 'n a Row

Baking

Baking Tips for Chocolate Chip Cookies

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By Sinea Pies

By now you know that I absolutely love to find simple solutions to everyday problems. Here are some tips I have learned when it comes to home-baked chocolate chip cookies!

Baking chocolate chip cookies is easy. Getting it to look like you want? A bit of a mystery. Friends of mine would make yummy chunky cookies that looked so delicious. Other friends would bake smooth, plump ones. When I’d ask for the recipe, it was identical. They were classic Toll House Cookies!  
So, what was the difference?  I discovered that it was all about how you place the dough on the cookie sheet, though my baking friends didn’t even know it.

So, pick the style you like the best. Chunky or smooth. Here is how to get them to look the way you want them.

Chunky: spoon the dough onto the cookie sheet and they will come out chunky like the cookies on the left. 

Smooth: If you like them smooth then form a ball of dough in your hand, rolling it like a meatball. Put the balls of dough on the cookie sheet and, after they are baked, they will look like the cookies on the right.

Another little tip:  use shortening instead of butter to keep them a bit plumper. If you prefer the buttery taste, you can either do half shortening and half butter or all butter. With butter, though, they may look a little flatter.
Love these cookie baking tips?

Others will, too. Share it…
      

Cleaning Stains from Countertops

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We all know that new countertops can’t stay new forever. It is a shame when your  new specially designed kitchen quickly starts looking old and withered with misuse, so it’d be nice to be able to keep them looking new for as long as possible.                                                                               

coffee stains, cleaning countertops

No matter how many coasters you put out, or how often you wipe the countertop with a fresh clean sponge, there will be times when inconsiderate guests rest their coffee mugs on the naked countertop, or you forget to wipe up after a particularly marmite heavy toasty sandwich. 
                                               
Through time and use, countertops tend to keep stains, and these stains can be tough to remove the longer they are left on there. But do not despair! There are countless home remedies and professional advice online for getting stains out of countertops. 

Here we have compiled a couple of solutions for successfully removing those pesky stains that will leave your countertops sparkling clean.

      

Baking Soda
If a standard household cleaner won’t do the job, mix a paste using baking soda and water and cover the stain with the mixture. For added moisture, cover the paste with a wet cloth or paper towel. Leave the paste on the top for an hour or two, and then gently wipe off the paste with a soft sponge. Be aware that baking soda can leave fine scratches if not wiped off carefully.


Lemon Juice
Lemon juice coupled with baking soda is also a great way to remove ground in stains. Squeeze lemon juice over the stain, fresh lemon juice normally works better. Then add baking soda and wait a few minutes for the fizzing to stop. Then gently wipe it off with a clean rag or cloth. Test this method with a small section of the countertop first, as it may not be suitable for all surfaces.

White Vinegar
White vinegar is a great all purpose cleaner for removing stains. Applying white vinegar to a clean cloth or sponge and rubbing quickly in small circles can help to remove both stains and lime scale from kitchen countertops and around sinks. Be sure to wash the counter with warm water and soap afterwards as the acidic content of the vinegar can be harmful if left for too long.

Nail Polish Remover
For stains like ink and pen from errand colouring adventures, wet a white rag or a plain cloth with nail polish remover and gently rub away at the stain until it is gone. Make sure to only use white cloths as the nail polish remover can stain the countertop even more if you use coloured fabric.

All of these are easy to find around the house, and can help with most household stains. Lemon juice and baking soda also work wonders on rusted gas hobs as well, just be sure to properly wipe everything down afterwards!
If you’d like to read up on further home cleaning tips then be sure to check out this handy article on the Channel 4 website.

Carrie Matlin is a proud housewife who loves sharing her tips on achiving domestic bliss. She has contributed this post on behalf of Price Kitchens, designers and suppliers of a a wide range of both contemporary and traditional styled fitted kitchens


Photo Credit
Coffee Stains by trophygeek Flicker Creative Commons

      

Keep Your Guests Busy While Thanksgiving Dinner is Prepared

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Guest Post by Katie

Holidays are always so hectic!  Whether you’re traveling to see family or you’re preparing dinner at home, it’s not easy to balance all of the responsibilities that the holidays entail.  It’s wonderful when family helps to cook Thanksgiving dinner, but there will always be those family members or kids who have nothing to do and are hungrily waiting for the grand feast.  Here are a few ideas that you can use to entertain your guests while they wait:
Cookie Decorations   Provide cookies, decorative icing, and sprinkles so that guests can make their own personalized cookies.  It’s a fun activity and can take

the edge off of hunger.  Kids will especially love this activity, and it will keep them busy for at least a little bit.  Make sugar cookies the day before so that setup is quick and easy on Thanksgiving Day.

Apple Dip   If you want something healthier, try offering an apple station with a variety of dips.  Offering several different dips will make this healthy snack more fun.  Set out washed apples and a kid-friendly apple slicer instead of slicing the apples ahead of time.  This will keep the apple slices from going brown and will free up some of your time.  Make the dips ahead of time to decrease stress on the day of.
Plate Crafts   Instead of just decorating food, kids could decorate paper plates.  Construction paper, crayons, colored pencils, and glue will help to keep kids busy.   Kids can decorate the plates with Thanksgiving-themed cutouts, and you can hang up the plates once the kids are done decorating. Use the undecorated plates for Thanksgiving dinner once it’s ready.  Try heavyduty paper plates to hold that amazing meal that you just made!  You could also use foamplates if you prefer.
  
Happy Thanksgiving!

Author Bio: This is a guest post by Katie F. on behalf of Hefty®. Visit www.hefty.com to find products like garbagebags and more to help you out over the holidays.



                   

Photo Credits:
Baking Cookies by jdg32373 on Flickr Creative Commons
Turkey Round from Clkr

Beautifully Browned Pie Crust Every Time

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By Sinea Pies

In my early pie-baking years, my pie crust edges burned. If I baked them less, the crusts were not done. I shared the problem with my mother-in-law, who always was a wonderful pie baker. She told me to cover the edges with aluminum foil before putting the pie in the oven.  It worked!


How To Keep Those Pie Crust Edges Golden Brown

Nice picture, huh! How I wish I could say that I picked the blueberries by hand, made the filling, the crust and everything from scratch.  But I did not. What I did do was to select just the right the Sarah Lee box from the grocery store freezer, paid for it neatly and brought it home. Whoo hoo! 
Sarah Lee does such a good job, and I was on a time schedule so, Sarah Lee gets all the kudos for the pie.  That’s also why you see in the first photo below that there is a little blueberry smear on top of the frozen pie. Something happened in transit. Not my fault! Must have been at the grocery store when they were stocking their shelves.  🙂
Here’s how to mask those pie crust edges to keep them looking pretty:


1. Remove pie from box and place on cookie tray.
Score the top according to directions to release the steam as it bakes.

2. Wrap the edges, gently, with aluminum foil and bake in your preheated oven. Check directions on package for temperature and time.
Set your timer.

3. Remove the baked pie from the oven when the timer rings.
Gently remove the aluminum foil from the edges and, voilá…
a beautifully browned pie crust.

4. Cool a bit to let the filling settle.
Slice and top with ice cream.
Enjoy!

Got any pie-baking secrets?
We’d love to know what they are.
Leave a comment.


        
 

Note: this author is an Amazon affiliate. Anything you purchase from Amazon through this blog will result in a small commission for me. In advance, I thank you so much.  …Sinea

    Smelly Sneakers?

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    By Sinea Pies

    Have a pair of sneakers that you just love but, ooooh the smell, who can stand them! Don’t throw them away just yet. Try baking soda!  I did and it worked.

    Baking soda is a natural deodorizer. Just sprinkle baking soda in each shoe, shake it around so that the powder gets in all the crevices and dump out the residue over a sink or waste basket. 
    Wear them! 
    Check it out when you take them off again. They should smell just fine. Repeat every once in a while to maintain freshness. (By the way, canvas shoes can be washed so, if yours are canvas, wash them!)
    Got any shoe-cleaning tips? 
          
    Photo Credit: Old Canvas Shoe by PANPOTE on Freedigital Photos

    15 Great Uses for Baking Soda

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    By Sinea Pies

    Baking soda is an essential and inexpensive household item that is useful in so many ways.

    First and foremost, it is used for the obvious: BAKING!


    Not to be confused with baking powder, baking soda is 100% sodium bicarbonate.

    Baking powder has baking soda in it, along with some cream of tartar.  

    Baking soda and baking powder are both used to make baked goods rise by producing carbon dioxide as the batter cooks.

    In addition to an essential ingredient for baking, baking soda is a great deodorizer, polisher, cleanser and even itch-remover!  

    Here are 15 GREAT USES for BAKING SODA!
    1. Baking: As we said, baking soda is a key ingredient in most baked goods, including one of Martha Stewart’s favorite dessert: CUPCAKES (check out these 31 photos of yummy specialty cupcakes)!!!  Click to buy Martha’s Cupcake Cookbook here.

    2. Toothpaste: You can buy toothpaste that contains the ingredient or make your own. Just put a little baking soda in a dish with some salt. Wet your brush, dip it in caking it up on the brush, and gently brush your teeth. They’ll gleam! 

    3. Eliminate Refrigerator Smells: Open a box and put it in the frig. Mark the date on the box first and recycle every 30 days for freshness.

    4. Carpet deodorizer: Sprinkle some baking soda on the carpet, leave for 15 minutes and then vacuum.

    5. Exfoliate: Make a paste of baking soda and water, gently scrub your face and body for a natural, safe clean. Rinse off with water. 

    6.Cleaning Baby Toys: dilute 4 T. baking soda in 1 quart warm water. Use the solution to wash the toys, then rinse and wipe clean.

    7. Drain Opener: pour some dry baking soda down a slow running drain. Add vinegar and listen to it fizz! Wait 10 minutes. Follow it with a quart of very hot water. Voila! Free flowing drain.

    8. Insect Bites: apply a paste of baking soda and water to stop the itch.


    9. Science Projects: remember the famous science fair project, the Erupting Volcano? Baking soda and vinegar are what makes it work!

    10. Hair Clarifier: use a lot of gels, mousse and other sticky hair products?  Remove that build-up once a week by adding a tiny pinch of baking soda to your shampoo.  Lather up and rinse.

    11. Antacid: remember the old movies where they ordered a bicarb for a sour stomach? They were asking for baking soda.  It still works today! Check the directions on the package before using.

    12. Fight Fires: Keep a box of baking soda near the stove in case of a grease fire. Quickly toss some baking soda on the fire and extinguish it instantly.

    Mr.Coffee Coffee Maker

    13. Clean Your Coffee Maker: Make a solution of 1/4 cup of baking soda and a quart of warm water to clean your coffee maker, coffee mugs and pot.     Your coffee will taste great!

    14. Remove Grease Stains from Clothes: make a paste of baking soda and water. Apply it to the stains. Add a little baking soda to the wash load, as well.

    15. Freshen Your Sponges:  Sponges smelling a little raunchy? Don’t give them up just yet.  Make a strong solution of baking soda and warm water and let them soak.

    BONUS USE: Deodorizer Sneakers and Shoes! This works so well, I just had to add it. If you have SMELLY SNEAKERS, sprinkle baking soda into them and shake the excess out. Go head and wear them. They will be so much better. In my experience, mine no longer smelled bad at all!

    Arm and Hammer is the brand name that comes to mind when we think of baking soda.  Their website is full of great baking soda ideas as well as a list of their cleaning and deodorizing products.  If you have pets, you’ve got to try their pet odor eliminator carpet powder.  It removes the smell and helps to get up the pet hair better than ever!


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