If the upper inside of the pan is well greased with butter, chocolate, milk, cocoa or anything of the kind will never boil over.

From The Almanack of 1908

To remove canned meat in one piece for attractive slicing, punch a hole in the middle of one end of the can. Open the opposite end with a can opener. The air hole releases pressure and the meat shakes out easily.

Reprinted from The Almanack of 1958

Glass baking dishes that have become cloudy can be cleaned easily by rubbing the filmy areas with a sponge dipped in white vinegar. The cloudy film on glass oven dishes (and the oven door) is usually food protein from milk, meat, or cheese.

Defat pan drippings by first, scraping out everything in the pan including any bits of meat and then pour the brown, fatty liquid into a bowl. Place the bowl in ice water for a few minutes, rocking the bowel gently. As the liquid cools, the fat will collect around the upper inside of the bowel, making it much easier to skim off.

When choosing fresh fish, it should be bright, firm, and not discolored in any way. It SHOULD NOT smell fishy or ammonia-like. Also note that frozen fish can taste as good as fresh. Defrost overnight on lowest refrigerator shelf. Add a little wine or vinegar to marianade and to reduce cooking odors.

LITTLE-KNOWN USES FOR SALT

Wrap cheeses in a cloth dampened with salt water before placing in the refrigerator will prevent mold from forming on the cheese.

Add a few pinches of salt to coffee for enhanced flavor.

You can remove rust stains from clothing by rubbing a paste made from equal parts of salt and vinegar onto the stains and let sit for 30 minutes, and then wash as usual.

Keep ants away by spreading a thin line of salt across any entry they use.

To clean a vase, fill with warm water and add two denture-cleaning tablets. Let the solution stand for one hour. Wash, rinse and dry completely. Repeat the process if vase is extremely dirty

QUICK GUIDE TO FREEZING FOOD

What you can freeze safely and for how long it will keep:

Raw Beef 12 Months
Raw Pork 6 Months
Raw Poultry 6 Months
Ground Meats 3 Months

After these periods, the meat will not taste fresh but can be cooked before it reaches that point and then refreeze. Cooked meats (raw or ground) last for three months.

Some other items you can freeze:

Raw Eggs (out of shell) 12 Months
Cakes, cookies, breads 6 Months
Firm cheeses cheddar, Swiss) 6 Months
Plain Nuts (not salted) 12 Months

Items you can NEVER freeze:

Tomatoes
Salad greens (any kind)
Salad Dressings
Mayonnaise
Cottage Cheese
Custards

Candles made of soy wax, unbleached beeswax, palm oil, or vegetable oil waxes burn much more cleanly then ones made from paraffin. Wicks that are made from hemp, unbleached cotton, or paper core are free of lead and other harmful metals. If choosing a scented or colored candle, consider ones made form plant-based dyes. Check out Bluecorn Beeswax (888.350.4929 or on the Internet at www.beeswaxcandles.com), Honey Candles (888.423.3929 or www.honeycandle.com), and Pheylonian Beeswax Candles (877.445.6942 or on the web at www.philoxia.com.

Relax with a cup of peppermint tea. Drink one cup to ease shoulder, back and hip tension. It also increases alertness and soothes gastritis and nausea.

To sterilize wooden cutting boards, sprinkle baking soda on the entire cutting surface. Spray liberally with white vinegar. Let stand for a few minutes then scrape with a stiff spatula and finish with a damp paper towel wipe-down. This is better then microwaving which can warp wooden boards.

Treat your pet to a stainless steel feeding bowl. Plastic bowls scratch easily and these scratches can trap bacteria. Clean the bowl every day with hot water and dish detergent. Rinse thoroughly.

Buy whole nuts, not pieces, and chop them yourself just before use. Smaller nut pieces oxidize faster and their oils turn rancid quicker. This not only makes them taste badly but it also compromises the nut’s Vitamin A content. Store loose or open jars of nuts in tight containers in the refrigerator or freezer.

It’s time to buy a new mattress if you are waking up sore, stiff, and unrested. Chose one that yields to your body’s contours. Remember that firmer is not always better. Side and stomach sleepers need more give then back sleepers. Women’s hips need to sink deeper then men’s. Deal only with retailers that will allow a 30 or 60 return or exchange.

GOOD CARPET SENSE

Beware of cut-rate carpet cleaners. They often employ bait and switch tactics, offering a low price to clean a room or two. Once they arrive, they insist you extra for everything (even detergent!). Thorough carpet cleaning costs around 40-60-cents per square foot and of course, it depends upon the type of carpet to be cleaned, how dirty it is, and how much furniture will have to be moved in the process. Find a certified cleaner in your area at www.iicrc.com and always insist upon a written estimate. If choosing hot-water extraction cleaning, expect it to take around 2 hours to do a home with 750-100 square feet and almost four hours to dry completely.

To clean tortoiseshell, rub lightly with a soft cloth or cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. Then rub with a soft cloth dipped in borax to polish.
Don't throw away the wrapper after removing a bar of soap. Place it inside your shoe cabinet or shoebox. It's a cheap way of filling the air with a nice smell.

If your polished furniture has small scratches, try rubbing them with a shelled walnut. You'll see the scratches just disappear!

DONATE YOUR UNWANTED ITEMS

Many of us turn to the Salvation Army, Goodwill, or The Purple Heart when considering donating our unwanted items to charity. Also consider these smaller charities that are just as needy and make use of specific items:

Reader to Reader at 413.256.8595 or www.readertoreader.com accepts unwanted or out-grown children’s and teen’s books and donates them to schools.

Give The Gift of Sight at 513.765.6000 or at www.givethegiftofsight.com sends used eyeglasses to developing countries. Drop that at any Pearl Vision, lens crafters, Sears Optical, Target Optical, Sunglass Hut, or Lion’s Club location.

Call2Recycle at 877.273.2925 or on the web at www.rbrc.org/call2recycle. Hey take old cell phones, refurbish them, and resells them. Proceeds go to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and the National Center for Missing Children. Drop off points at Best Buy, Circuit City, Lowe’s, Sears, and Target stores across the country.

Hungry for Music (202.479.2810 or at www.hungryformusic.org) distributes used musical instruments to under privileged children.

National Cristina Foundation at 203.863.9100 or www.cristina.org is looking for old laptops, desktops, printers, and other PC peripherals to donate to non-profit organizations.

Career Gear at 212.577.6190 or www.careergear.org provided clothing for job interviews to low-income men.

Fairy Godmother, Inc at 215.675.9391 or at www.fairygodmotherinc.com. Gives dresses and shoes to needy high school girls for their proms.