QUESTION: I am known for making dry brownies, even though I have experimented with six different recipes. The brownies are taken out of the oven as soon as the toothpick comes out clean, and I add the icing onto the top as soon as possible. Any hints? — Rhoda
Answer: Brownies differ from cake, in that if the inserted toothpick comes out clean, you waited too long. Start testing the brownies a few minutes before the baking time ends.
Remove the pan from the oven when there are still some crumbs left on the toothpick. The brownies will continue to bake while they cool. Also, note the oven temperature should not exceed 350 F for most brownie recipes.
Question: I am renting an apartment and hate the closet mirror doors in the bedroom. How can I cover them up without losing my damage deposit? — Hank
Answer: You can hang sheer curtains over the glass or apply removable vinyl film to the glass. Or take the doors down and put them back up when you move out.
Question: I have owned a Nelson Bubble Lampshade for 10 years, and I absolutely love it. The problem is, the plastic polymer shade is dirty and I have tried to clean it using mild soap and water, the Magic Eraser and even Fantastic. But the grime remains. Any suggestions? — Gail
Answer: According to the Nelson Bubble Lampshade website, mild soap and water are the safest options for cleaning the soft plastic shade. Using any other chemicals on the lampshade may compromise the textile.
However, many people have found success by using liquid TSP along with the Magic Eraser. Just spray, gently scrub and rinse with water.
Manitobans share
My best barbecue meal includes: bacon, onion and ground beef. Take the entire first layer off an onion. Roll a portion of ground beef into a ball the size of a golf ball and place the beef inside of the onion as a cover. Wrap the beef/onion ball with strips of bacon and fasten with toothpicks that have been soaked in water. Grill until cooked through. — Oscar
The most impressive food hack I ever learned was from my aunt. Hollow out red, green, yellow and orange peppers and fill them with a variety of vegetable dips and place them on a veggie tray surrounded by colourful veggies. This makes the tray very beautiful, and when the dips have been eaten, the bowls are edible. — Laura
If you are serving ice cream at a children’s party, pre-scoop the ice cream into single muffin liners and place the liners onto a baking sheet. Store the baking sheet in the freezer until the guests are ready to eat. With so many colourful muffin liners on the market today, this can add to the excitement and theme of the party.
Also, instead of throwing out an almost-empty jar of Nutella, fill it with ice cream and enjoy it as one last dessert before discarding the jar.
As well, after finishing a box of Toffifee, I save the gold chocolate holder from the box and fill each cavity with water and freeze. You get small, easy-to-dump-out ice cubes. — Jennifer
Note: Every user assumes all risks of injury or damage resulting from the implementation of any suggestions in this column. Test all products on an inconspicuous area first. Reena Nerbas is a popular motivational presenter for large and small groups; check out her website: reena.ca.
