Food Facts

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1. Place a hot dog in a plastic wrap, then put it into a thermos of soup or coffee. When lunchtime arrives, place it into a bun for a real hot dog.
2. If you coat the bottom of pots used over an open fire with shaving cream before using, the black marks will come off easier.
3. Sugar bags can be used to store ice cubes. They are much thicker than the plastic ones.
4. Small marshmallows can be used for candle holders on cakes.
5. Sandwiches will not become limp and soggy as readily if you spread the butter or mayonnaise to the edge of the bread.
6. Many sandwiches can be frozen for up to two weeks. Best fillings are cold cuts, meat loaf, chicken, peanut butter (no jelly), tuna and beef.
7. Floor tiles can be used instead of contact paper on kitchen shelves. They last longer and are easier to clean.
8. To prevent mildew from forming in the refrigerator, try spraying the insides of it with vegetable-oil cooking spray after you defrost it. This will make the job much easier next time.
9. Blenders and egg beaters should be lubricated regularly. Use mineral oil instead of vegetable oil. Vegetable oil may cause corrosion.
10. If you use a small amount of oil on the threads of syrup bottles, it will stop the syrup from running down the sides of the bottle.
11. When you measure sticky liquids, try wiping the inside of the measuring cup with a small amount of oil, or spray with non-stick cooking spray. The liquids will flow freely.
12. To prevent ice-cube trays from sticking to the bottom of the shelf, place a piece of waxed paper underneath the tray.
13. A hair dryer will help defrost a freeze-up in the ice maker.
14. When glasses are stuck together, just fill the top one with cold water and dip the bottom one in hot water.
15. When postage stamps have stuck together, try placing them into the freezer for ten minutes, they should come apart without damaging the glue.
16. Any cloth material that has chewing gum stuck to it can be placed into the freezer. After about an hour the gum should break off easily.
17. Save money by purchasing the least expensive dishwasher soap, then add a few teaspoons of vinegar to the dishwater. The vinegar cuts the grease and leaves the dishes spot free and sparkling.
18. When washing greasy dishes, add a half-cup of baking soda to the water to cut the grease faster.
19. To clean an electric coffee pot, place one teaspoon of dish soap into the pot and boil.
20. Washing greasy dishes, add a half-cup of baking soda to the water to cut the grease faster.
21. When you want to fill a thermos bottle or small mouth container, try using a funnel.
22. To help a semi-solid soup slide right out of the can, try shaking the can first and then open it from the bottom.
23. Never lean on a microwave door as it can become misaligned and leak radiation.
24. Crisco may be used as a make-up remover.
25. Black tea bags act as a deodorant! Simply simmer two tea bags in a cup of water and steep for five minutes. When tea cools, dab it on your underarms with a washcloth. For sweaty feet, boil five tea bags in a quart of water; when the solution cools, soak your feet for 20 minutes. Depending on your level of sweat, a tea soak can last one to three days.
26. Use a large green pepper as a cup for dips. Cut off top, scrape pepper clean of ribs and seeds, then fill with dip.
27. Cucumbers make an excellent holder for dips. When cutting, leave a handle in the middle, like a basket.
28. Use halved or hollowed out melons, oranges, or grapefruits as a cup to fill with cut-up fruit bits.
29. Before you have guests arrive at your home, give it a "something is baking" scent that is warm and inviting. Just sprinkle cinnamon and sugar in a tin pie pan and cook it on high heat slowly on the stove for a few minutes.
30. To keep ice from melting, place a container of dry ice underneath the ice.
31. Champagne is best if not chilled for too long a period in the refrigerator.
32. To save leftover wines, freeze them in your ice cube trays. They can be used for any dish that you would like to season with wine or use in coolers.
33. For a flaming pudding, soak sugar cubes in orange or lemon extract. Place them on the pudding and light.
34. To stop hard candy from sticking together, just sift a little cornstarch on it.
35. If you ever wondered how much ice you will need for a party, the rule of thumb is one pound per person.
36. If your table is set with candles, it would be wise to place a small amount of salt around the top to eliminate wax drippings on the tablecloth.
37. Lemons, limes and grapefruits wil not wilt or shrink if stored in water in the refrigerator. Place a small saucer on top to keep them submerged.
38. Highlight brown or red hair by rinsing with brewed black tea for golden highlights.
39. Relieve sunburn pain with tea bags. Pat the sunburned area with cool, wet tea bags.
40. Soothe tired eyes by placing tea bags soaked in cool water over your eyes for at least 15 minutes.
41. Basil plants will repel mosquitoes and flies, just keep a plant or two around the house.
42. Bay leaves should be placed in all kitchen drawers and in the flour and sugar containers to keep crawling insects away.
43. To keep ants away, place whole cloves or sage around the windows and doors or anywhere else they appear.
44. For a quick ant kill, mix two cups of borax with one cup of sugar in a quart jar. Punch holes in the lid and sprinkle around the outside of the house.
45. To get rid of ants, pour Ivory Liquid soap around. This is the only liquid soap that seems to work.
46. To remove a cork from inside an empty wine bottle, pour some ammonia into the bottle, set in a well ventilated location. In a few days, the cork will be disintegrated.
47. Since most dips for chips contain a milk product that may spoil easily, it would be wise to place 1/2 to 1-inch of water in a bowl that is slightly larger than the dip bowl, then freeze the water and place the smaller bowl on top of the ice when serving. This will slow down the spoilage time.
48. If red wine is spilled on a carpet, it may be cleaned with shaving cream, then sponged off with water. Club soda may also work.
49. Apples will spoil ten times faster at room temperature. After they are ripe, be sure to refrigerate them.
50. Apples will float because 25-percent of their volume is made up of air between the cells.
51. The soft texture of cooked apples is caused by the heat collapsing the air spaces between the cells.
52. Apple butter contains no fat if prepared properly with cinnamon and allspice.
53. Pare apples by pouring scalding water on them just before peeling them.
54. Cut apples into quarters before peeling - this will make the job easier.
55. To give applesauce a different flavor, add sliced, unpeeled orange in the last few minutes of cooking.
56. To avoid wrinkled skins on apples when baking, cut a few slits in the skin to allow for expansion.
57. Apples will store for a longer period of time if they do not touch one another.
58. For winter storage, wipe apples dry and pack in dry sand or sawdust. Keep in cool, dry place.
59. Fresh apple juice will only last a few weeks, even if under refrigeration.
60. Most of an apple harvest ends up being made into pasteurized apple products or frozen in order to preserve it. When pasteurized at temperatures of 170-degrees to 190-degrees, microorganisms are destroyed and the juice has a stable shelf life of up to one year.
61. If you purchase frozen apple concentrate, it will only last for a few weeks after it is thawed.
62. The tartness of an apple is derived from the balance of malic acid and the fruit's natural sugars.
63. Commercially prepared sweetened applesauce can contain as much as 77 percent more calories than sweetened ones.
64. Nutritionally there is no difference between "natural" and "regular" apple juice, even the fiber content is the same.
65. Apple juice is not high on the nutrient scale. It contains no vitamin C unless it has been fortified with it.
66. FDA testing can only detect 50 percent of the approved 110 pesticides that are used on apples. The worse are; Captain and Phosmet, both can be removed with washing or cooking.
67. Apple juice and cider should not be purchased unless you are sure that the whole apple was not used in their preparation. The pits contain a poisen.
68. Americans eat approximately 22 pounds of apples per year per person. 33 percent of apples in one government study contained residues of pesticides. Forty-three different pesticides were detected in apples.
69. If you store apples along with green tomatoes, they will ripen faster.
70. There are 150 strains of Red and Golden Delicious apples.
71. Olive oil is a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids and reduces your risk of both heart disease and cancer.
72. Asparagus is nature's number one source of folic acid, which prevents birth defects and may reduce levels of homocysteine - the mystery factor of heart disease.
73. One serving of yogurt contains nearly as much calcium as you would get from a supplement.
74. Eating oatmeal truly is a good idea. Oatmeal is loaded with dietary fiber.
75. Tea! Do not skip the brewing process when making iced tea. Sun tea and refrigerator tea omits heat needed to unleash tea's maximum antioxidants.
76. Green tea and black teas protect human cells from DNA mutations, prevent healthy cells from turning cancerous and discourage established cancer cells from multiplying.
77. Scientists are now testing tea extracts the same way they do new cancer drugs! The evidence, they say, is very promising.
78. Unpeeled bananas will last longer if stored in the refrigerator in a sealed jar.
79. A good cranberry will bounce! Buy berries that are hard, bright, light to dark-red. Seal them in plastic bags and they will stay fresh in the refrigerator for a month. Frozen, they will keep up to one year.
80. Cook cranberries only until they "pop". Further cooking makes them taste bitter. When cooking cranberries, always add one teaspoon of butter to each pound to eliminate over boiling water and excess foam.
81. Vanilla extract may be worth a try for minor burns of an inch or less, with no blistering. Vanilla contains a natural soothing agent and the alcohol acts as a mild antiseptic. It also provides a cooling sensation. Note: this applies only to pure vanilla, not imitation. Caution: do not apply vanilla to serious burns or to skin that is broken or blistered.
82. Fennel seed tea is valued for its medicinal qualities for centuries. It aids digestion and acts as an anti-spasmodic, easing cramping and gas. Find it in the herb section of most supermarkets. To make a cup of tea, crush one- teaspoon fennel seeds, pour one-cup boiling water over the broken seeds. Steep, covered, for 15 minutes. Strain before drinking. Note: Fennel is part of the celery family. Avoid it if you are allergic to dill, celery, carrots or anise.
83. Basil Tea also soothes an upset stomach and relieves gas. A compound in basil, eugenol, eases muscles spasms. To make a soothing basil tea, pour 1/2-cup boiling water over one to two-teaspoons dried basil. Steep, covered, for 15 minutes. Strain and serve. Repeat two or three times a day between meals if necessary.
84. Before you buy strawberries or raspberries, flip the carton over. You want to look for nature's expiration date: Juice stains. Dripping fruit is one step away from rotten fruit. If you already bought berries that are going soft, place a single layer of them on a baking sheet and freeze for 20 minutes.
85. To save leftover wine and canned broth: Divide leftovers among ice cube tray compartments; when frozen, transfer cubes to self-sealing bags, label and date, and use in sauces and stews.
86. To save leftover canned tomato paste: Place level tablespoons-full on a foil or plastic-wrap lined pan; freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen paste to a self-sealing freezer bag, label and date. The frozen paste can be added directly to hot sauces, soups and stews.
87. Tea is derived from leaves rich in antioxidants. Drinking three cups of black tea daily can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease by 11 percent. In addition, black tea can fight cavities. Those who rinsed with tea for a minute, ten times a day, accumulated less plaque. (That is a lot of rinsing, isn't it!)
88. Cranberries and blueberries, as well as the juices from them, contain health-promoting properties that help prevent urinary- tract infections. Enjoy your cranberry sauce this Thanksgiving!
89. Believe it or not, salt will make a grapefruit taste sweeter!
90. When using a tray, place a damp napkin under the dishes to stop them from moving around.
91. For your entertaining needs, if Vodka is kept in the refrigerator, it will be more flavorful.
92. Did you know that more than 60 varieties of basil exist in the world today? Familiar green basil, also called sweet basil, has a mild anise flavor. Purple basil, also known as opal basil, has smaller leaves and tastes a little spicier than sweet basil. Lemon basil has a mild and pleasing citrus flavor.
93. Store fresh mushrooms, unwashed, in the refrigerator for up to three days. Place them in a single layer on a tray; cover with a damp paper towel. Mushrooms will stay firmer if there's air circulating around them so they can "breathe." Storing them in a plastic bag speeds deterioration. Fresh mushrooms stored over 3 days are useable, but they may begin to dry out.
94. Though available year-round, carrots have different characteristics in each season. In spring, you'll find tiny, tender baby carrots with a mild flavor. Summer carrots have a slightly stronger flavor. The very sweetest carrots are found in the fall and early winter, when the starches convert to sugar in the cold weather.
95. Recipes often call for dry white wine. When applied to wine, the term dry refers to the amount of residual sugar in the wine. The less sugar there is, the drier the wine will be. Sweeter wines may be referred to as dessert wines or late-harvest wines.

See also:  BellyBytes.com Food Facts