Wire rack key to crispy chicken fingers

Question: Whenever I bake homemade chicken strips they end up with a soggy texture. If I bake them longer, they taste hard and over-baked. Any suggestions? Pat

Answer: Whether you bake homemade or store-bought chicken strips, bake them on a wire rack according to the temperature and time outlined in the recipe. On a wire rack, the heat bakes the bottom and top of the chicken evenly, giving you crispy strips every time.

Cleaning tips

● To attain the shiniest windows in town, clean them with cornstarch and water. Put a few tablespoons of cornstarch into a spray bottle and fill with water. Spray and wipe windows. Use the remaining solution to clean stainless steel sinks.

● Dry windows with three-day-old or older newspaper or a squeegee. Or purchase Jude’s Miracle Cloth (check out the website www.judesmiraclecloth.com for availability). Cleans hard-water spots on shower doors, windows, mirrors and much more with no streaks!

● To clean leather shoes, rub them with the inside of a banana peel, then wipe and buff with a cloth.

● A great trick for cleaning that tight space between the stove and counter — use one of those little plastic bread bag closures. The tag is strong enough to pull out grime and won’t scratch surfaces the way a knife will.

Travel tips 

● Before heading across the border, make a copy of your passport and give it to someone local whom you trust or take a photo of your passport and save it on your phone. That way, if your passport is lost or stolen, you will have an extra copy and you will arrive home as planned.

● Before checking your bags at the airport, make sure every piece of luggage has a label with your name and address. Include another label on the inside of the bag and a copy of your itinerary. Do the same for your carry-on bags in the event you need to check them in after all.

● Make sure the airline tag on your checked-in luggage is correct. The airline tag should match your destination airport.

● To avoid problems when passing through customs, keep medicines in their original, labelled containers. Bring copies of your prescriptions and the generic names for the drugs. If a medication is unusual or contains narcotics, carry a letter from your doctor attesting to your need to take the drug. If you have any doubt about the legality of carrying a certain drug into a country, consult the embassy or consulate of that country before you travel.

● While staying at an unfamiliar hotel, pick up the hotel’s business card. Carry it with you, and if you get lost or can’t find your hotel, pull out the business card and ask for help.

Cooking tips

 â— Surprise your family with moist hamburger, chicken or pork patties in the oven. Cook for the required time, and do not flip the patties. When grilling, flip patties once on the barbecue.

● Brown sugar is white sugar and molasses combined; it is not, as many people think, a less refined version of sugar. The next time you run out of brown sugar, simply blend together white sugar and molasses. Use the same amount of white sugar you require of brown sugar and pour 1 tbsp. of molasses onto the sugar in the bowl for each half-cup of light brown sugar you want to substitute.

● To let people know a pan on the counter or stove is hot, slip an oven mitt onto the handle. Be careful the mitt is not over the flame.

● Make your own non-stick stainless steel frying pan. Heat the pan and add cooking oil. The trick is to add the oil right before adding the ingredients.

● Ever wonder which kind of potatoes to buy? If you are making mashed potatoes, buy red, and if you are planning to make hash browns or french fries, use white or Yukon potatoes because they hold their shape better than red.

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.

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