Toast a sheet of nori – to bring out fragrance and crisp it.
Rice sold soon after harvest = shin mai, wonderful but NOT for sushi
Do not press rice down firmly – should have the appearance of fresh snowfall
If using raw fish – rinse it in freshly brewed and cooled tea to sterilize
When shopping for mirin (sweet wine) choose one without corn syrup or another form of sugar as its first ingredient.
Soy Sauce is GOOD – if a drop in a glass of cold water holds it shape
Old sake poured into bath water will make skin smooth and moist
When seated at a sushi bar – greet chef with: “Yoroshiku” (Please treat me kindly.”)
Rub wooden chopsticks together to remove splinters – though at a restaurant is poor manners
Sushi rolls are much easier to slice if you let them rest for half an hour: the nori will have softened and the rice will have clumped enough that it doesn’t squish out as you cut
Nori sheets have a shiny side and a matte side. The matte side should always be the one that touches the rice:
Ingredients
t’s easy to get rid of those pesky fruit flies that come in on the vegetables and fruit. Fill a lid from any jar with cider vinegar or red wine. Put two drops of any liquid dish soap. Change daily. When you don’t see any more fruit flies, leave it for three days in case any haven’t hatched. Carolyn L.
club soda rinses for hair
cleaning sheers –
launder – then fill a sink with cool water and add one cup epsom salts – stirring ’til dissolved. submerge curtains for several minutes. drip dry without twisting or wringing…Reinstall
vinegar dispels odors
Is it Latex- or Oil-based Paint?
Ready to do some painting over old paint? Wondering whether you need a latex or oil-based paint? If you are unsure of which type to buy, here’s how to tell (as easy as pie). From deep within the Carey brothers’ vault of test-and-tell magic, we bring this surefire, foolproof ?smear? tactic. First scrub a small area with a solution of houshold detergent and warm water. Rinse well and towel-dry it, then soak a cotton ball, Q-Tip or soft rag in alcohol and rub it back and forth over the cleaned area. If paint comes off, it’s latex — and another coat of the same is in order. But, if the paint doesn’t come off, it’s oil-based, and a pre-coat of oil-based primer is a must. Then you have options for the finish coat, as different types of latex or oil-based paint can be used.
Instructions
Got problems with your deck that make you say: “Shiver me timbers looks like a shipwreck?” If you’ve got worn-out wood with splits, twists and rot, read on. If your deck is a mess, you have choices. If boards are only weathered and worn, you can pull them up and turn them over. Another solution — if they’re structurally OK — is to “top” them off with 5/8-inch engineered wood. Or you can replace damaged wood with new lumber and make it look old by weathering it with a solution of 1 cup of baking soda in 1 gallon of water. Remember to seal it, and it’ll stay ship-shape longer.
I discovered that the wrinkle release sprays are simply highly watered-down liquid fabric softener. I did some experimenting until I found the correct ratio of fabric softener to water. To make the spray, take half a capful of scented or unscented fabric softener and put in a 16 to 24 oz. spray bottle, and then fill to the top with water. Spray the garment, then smooth out and allow to dry. I often spray lightly, then head to work. By the time I get there, my clothes are dry and wrinkle free. I have been using the same bottle of fabric softener to make wrinkle release spray for a couple of years now and have saved hundreds of dollars.
How long will it take at 8 percent, or 11 percent, or 5 percent? Just divide the rate of interest into 72. If your money is earning 8 percent, dividing that into 72 gives you nine. Meaning with the interest compounded annually, your money will double in nine years. At 12 percent, using our “rule of 72,” you find it takes only six years to double.
Homemade Fabric Fresheners
*********
1 part fabric softener
1 part baking soda
2 parts water
Put baking soda into boiling water. When baking soda is
dissolved, mix in fabric softener. When liquid is cool, put in
spray bottle. That’s it. To change the scent, just put in a
few drops of essential oil such as lavender.
I got my iron, an old dishtowel and a jug of water. Put the iron on high, get your rag or towel (preferably terry cloth) wet, lay the rag down on the stain and put your hot iron down on the towel. Press down with the iron in one place for a few seconds and then just run the iron back and forth. Lift the iron up and pour some more water on the towel and then iron back and forth again. Keep on doing this until the stain is gone. I have had really bad and big stains that took a half an hour to iron out, but I got them out. I have even been able to remove finger nail polish. I used polish remover first and then the iron to get the rest out. It worked. It was maroon polish on almost white carpet.
Jewelry Cleaner My husband bought me a beautiful engagement/wedding ring and likes to see it sparkle. Trips to the jeweler were a hassle until a jeweler gave me the recipe for home. Use equal parts of ammonia, Mr. Clean, and boiling water. Soak for 10 to 15 minutes and then rinse.
I live near the George Washington National Forest in Amherst County, Virginia. The area is rural, mainly farm land. We have an abundance of wild critters to deal with, namely squirrels, rabbits, ground hogs, raccoons, deer, etc. The best solution is to plant marigolds. On one side of my garden is my onions and garlic. On the other sides of the garden, as well as all in between, are marigold plants. Since they don’t like the smell of marigolds, they do not venture into the area. They also don’t bother my flowers because there are marigolds everywhere and where there isn’t any I transplant them. If you plant a few plants and dead head them when the blooms begin to fade and let them fall where they may, you will have an abundance of plants the next year without having to buy new plants. Marigolds also act as a deterrent for insects thus eliminating the need to use pesticides.
Use rubber/latex kitchen gloves for gardening work. But before you put them on, use a generous amount of hand lotion or Vaseline. Not only does the rubber give you excellent grip on tools and to pull weeds, but also as you work, your hands will get warm, causing the lotion to soften your hands and remove previous garden dirt from out of the cracks and under your nails
Secret to Really Dirty Clothes My husband works heavy construction and often comes home with dirt and oil all over his clothes. After trying a number of laundry aids, I found one that works great and his clothes come out clean! The secret is Dawn dish detergent that I buy at a discount price at Sam’s Club. I add about a tablespoon along with regular bargain detergent. It works like a charm! M.
Personalized Throw Pillows The most inexpensive throw pillow I’ve made was sitting in my closet. With a few stitches to close up the top and bottom, some stuffing put in the middle, and the arms sewn to the back, a new throw pillow was born. Any “sentimental” shirt can be sewn up this way to produce a unique throw pillow, and they work wonders in a kid’s room. Jayme C.
Here’s a surefire way to save mega bucks on milk. I have a husband and two boys who drink three to four glasses of milk a day, which I actually encourage. We go through a gallon a day. We could easily spend a third of our grocery budget on milk alone. But we don’t. A gallon of milk at our house costs $1.60 and I don’t have a cow. We drink dry instant milk. Wait, don’t stop reading! I know, it was nasty when our mothers tried the same trick in the 60s, but here’s how to make it work so your family will never know the difference. First, you have to get your family accustomed to skim milk before making the switch. Move in small steps towards skim milk drinking by mixing what you are currently drinking with a little more skim milk every few days or every week. Just mix in a pitcher (you’ll need one or two pitchers later so go ahead and buy them). You can also mix in the pitcher and pour back into the empty jug if you have really suspicious kids. Once they are drinking nothing but skim milk, visit your favorite warehouse club store and buy a big box of dry “instant” milk. Make sure it’s instant or you will spend ages trying to get it mixed without lumps. Mix according to the directions using the gallon pitcher you now have. Add water slowly and stir gently. If you do either too vigorously, you’ll get lots of frothy bubbles and then you won’t be able to add the correct amount of water, adversely affecting the taste. Then place the pitcher in the refrigerator overnight. This is the most important step; it must completely chill. I have been serving my family, and their friends, this milk for ten years now at a rough savings of $5000! I’ve never had a kid turn it down or notice any difference in taste. They shouldn’t because it is real milk; it’s simply had the water removed. Other benefits include never having to run to the store for milk and never having to stand in line for it! We always have milk on hand! However, like all skim milk, do not serve it to children under age two. They need the fat for proper nerve development. For the rest of us, though, skim is best and using dry milk makes milk an inexpensive source of protein, a great between meal snack, and a good source of calcium. So enjoy the benefits to your health and your budget!
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