Question: Can you recommend a homemade hot chocolate powder recipe that I can keep on hand to portion out as gifts? Pat
Answer: Holding onto a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter day brings a certain warmth to frosty Manitoba. Into a mixing bowl, combine 10 cups milk powder, 4.5 cups icing sugar, 1.5 cups cocoa powder, and 1.5 cups powdered non-dairy creamer. Store in an airtight container. Makes mix for about 12-13 cups, or enough for about 40 servings. Add 1/3 cup mixture into a mug along with 3/4 cup boiling water or milk.
Question: Other than purchasing boxes or containers of breadcrumbs, what can I use to bread meat? Ben
Answer: Firstly, you never need to purchase breadcrumbs. Instead, save bread ends or stale bread in an open ice cream bucket. When they dry out, toss them into a food processor to make your own breadcrumbs. Other alternatives include: Cornflakes, crackers, potato chips, Rice Krispies cereal, rice crackers, or crushed pork rinds.
Question: How can I remove tree sap from a cotton blouse? Verna
Answer: Wipe the area with a small amount of mayonnaise. The tree sap will come right off. Follow-up with a solution of dish soap and water. Blot the area and wash the shirt according to the care label.
Question: I have brown, circular marks on my vinyl floor from a wrought-iron plant stand. I have tried everything I can think of to remove the marks. Can you help? Morgan
Answer: Test this remedy on an inconspicuous area first. In a measuring cup, combine one millilitre dish soap and 125 mL water. Pour onto the affected area. Next, combine 60 mL of three-per-cent hydrogen peroxide and 15 mL household ammonia. Blot and cover the area with plastic wrap and pile a heavy pan on top of the plastic. Leave for eight hours. Remove pan and plastic. Scrub area with a damp scrubby pad, and rinse.
Question: I bought a large container of cream cheese and put one-third in a smaller container. Should I freeze the rest, or is it better kept in the fridge? It would take me over a month to use the small container.
Answer: I am often amazed at how long cream cheese lasts. Check the expiry date before taking any further steps. If the expiration date allows you to keep the cheese in the fridge, it should be fine.
Foil-wrapped cream cheese should last three to four weeks in the fridge. You can freeze cream cheese, but only do so if you have no plans to use the cheese for baked goods such as cheesecake because the consistency changes after freezing. If you use cream cheese for spreading on toast, then freezing it is no problem.
Merry Christmas and beyond
When my kids were young and had itchy, scratchy sore throats I gave them a marshmallow to chew on. It coated their throat and helped the pain. Of course, I would not give marshmallows to kids under four years old, because of choking hazards. — Layna
I came to the end of my Nutella jar and had a brainstorm that turned into a tasty win! Place a few scoops of vanilla ice cream into the jar and…eat with a spoon. — Michael
Preserve the life of your tree. Add a few teaspoons of sugar to the water to reduce the number of needles that drop from your real Christmas tree. — Michael
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. Reena Nerbas is a popular motivational presenter for large and small groups; check out her website: reena.ca.
info@reena.ca.
