Question: I made mac and cheese, and on the first day it was nice and saucy, but the second day the sauce was absorbed by the pasta. Is there any way to prevent this?
Also, how do you stop the noodles in homemade chicken noodle soup from turning to mush? Thank you. — Cathy
Answer: Undercook the pasta for mac and cheese slightly so it does not absorb all the sauce. When making the sauce, opt for a thinner consistency. If possible, add a little milk or water to the pasta before reheating.
Secondly, homemade chicken noodle soup is yummy when freshly made, but soggy after a few days. Since soggy noodles are not delicious, here is what I do to prevent this fresh pasta plight.
Cook the soup as normal. Cook the noodles in a separate pot. Rinse the noodles with cold water to prevent them from sticking together.
Add the noodles into the individual soup bowls instead of into the soup pot. Use only what you require for that meal and save the remaining pasta separately in the fridge.
The next day, heat up the soup and add more noodles from the extra storage in the fridge. No more soggy noodles.
Question: I have several, old plastic containers that smell musty. Should I throw them out, or is there a way to remove the smell? — Aiden
Answer: Throw them out? No way! Use a pastry brush and smear the plastic interior with either mustard or toothpaste. Make sure that you cover every corner. Fill the containers with water and leave for a few hours, the smell will be gone.
Question: What is the best way to clean a wooden cutting board?
Answer: A good procedure for disinfecting both wood and plastic cutting boards, as well as other surfaces and utensils, is to spray them first with a mist of vinegar, then with a mist of hydrogen peroxide. This combo kills bacteria, without hurting the food.
Question: Do herbal teas contain caffeine? — Jasper
Answer: It depends, some herbal teas such as peppermint and chamomile are caffeine free. Other teas such as: Yerba Mate and Guayusa are herbal holly plants that are not true teas but do naturally contain caffeine.
Nutty hacks
I have discovered a clever way to grow peanuts. Take the peanuts out of one shell and soak them in a glass of water for one hour. Wrap them in a cloth and leave them for three days. Put them in a pot with soil and within a short time, you will have a new crop of peanuts, it’s fascinating. — Paul
Here’s a few tips for peanut butter. There is no better way to eat popcorn than by drizzling peanut butter onto it. Yummy.
Remove gum or slime from hair by wiping a little peanut butter onto the area. The sticky stuff will slide right out.
When you purchase new glass items such as jars or cups, remove the label by smearing it with peanut butter and then peeling the label right off. — Samantha
I spread peanut butter onto a parchment paper and freeze. Once frozen, I add spreadable chocolate onto the frozen peanut butter. I then put that into the freezer.
When my kids come home from school, they peel the chocolate/peanut butter from the parchment paper and lay it onto a slice of bread. This is their favourite snack. — Yeelung
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.
Have a great suggestion or tip? Please send an email to householdsolutions@mymts.net.
Reena Nerbas is a popular motivational presenter for large and small groups; check out her website at reena.ca.
