Question: How do you remove baked on seasoning salt from a cast iron frying pan? I have tried several times. Thank you, Joanne
Answer: Begin by washing the pan with dish soap and water, next take a little vegetable oil on a paper towel and wipe around the inside and outside. Put the pan in the oven on about 100 C for a few hours. If you are not happy with the appearance, consider trying oven cleaner on your pan (make sure to use in a ventilated area). You can also clean your iron skillet with salt and a potato. Pour a liberal amount of salt onto the skillet, then cut a potato in half and scrub the skillet with the cut potato. Rinse to finish.
Question: Do you have any suggestions for removing the gunk that has built up underneath my bathroom faucet? Thanks, Marilyn
Answer: Soak the area with a generous amount of vinegar. Wet an abrasive cloth and scrub the area. If the calcium is hard, you may need to chip away at it with a metal object, before pouring vinegar onto the area. If you happen to have a water dispenser on your fridge door. The tray may become stained, white, due to the mineral deposits. Pour vinegar onto the tray, let it soak and scrub.
Question: What is the best way to store green onions? Thanks, Simran
Answer: Fill a cup with water. Place the root end of the onion into the water, the way you would a bouquet of flowers. Change the water every few days.
Question: I bought a box of chocolate chips, and the chips have changed their colour and now look grey. Does chocolate go bad after a while? Emmanuel
Answer: Chocolate is very hardy and can be stored for many months (of course, chocolate never lasts very long in my house). The grey colour that you are describing is called bloom. The chocolate chips are still perfectly edible, however, if you eat them on their own, you will notice a gritty texture and a change in the flavour. If you add the chocolate to baking, it should taste and feel normal.
Question: I made a delicious pot of salsa, but after scooping it up with taco chips, I found that it was too runny. What can I do to thicken the recipe for next time? Caleb
Answer: Begin by dunking the tomatoes in hot water and then in cold water. Peel each tomato (optional). Include the seeds with your salsa. Along with the tomatoes, add peppers, onions etc. As you cook the salsa, add in cans of tomato paste and stir until you have reached the desired consistency. Tomato paste consists of tomatoes that have been cooked for several hours and reduced to a thick, red concentrate before being strained, so by adding tomato paste you are also adding extra healthy goodness.
Kitchen secrets
Save all the cookie crumbs in the bottom of cookie boxes. Use your food processor to grind them into fine crumbs — perfect for all kinds of cake and cookie recipes.
Keep eggs in their original cardboard carton to prevent them from absorbing other odors in the fridge.
Store nuts in an airtight container in the freezer. This will ensure the longest shelf life.
Consider purchasing an over the sink cutting board. This will save counter space and save time because clean-up will be much faster.
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.
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