Hello there and welcome to our =
monthly feature of all kinds of tips.
We at the business desk are pleased to bring you our =
monthly feature of a plethora of tips that cover a wide range of =
topics.
All of our tips are designed =
to help you save time, cut down on your research, and help you get =
ahead.
So go ahead and read =
on.
This week we bring you our =
monthly tips.
It’s what we do for a =
living! We help you to help yourself!
Enjoy!
From the =
business desk team at http://www.sterlingcreations.co=
m.
Follow us on Twitter =
@accessibleworld
+++++++++++++++
Helpful tips =
for December 2021
In this issue:
=
General tips
Articles of the day
* Make Your Own Tub, Tile and Shower Cleaners— =
Cheaper Better and Faster
* turn =
your barbecue grill into a baking oven
From the pages of Donna’s travel =
diary
* Traveling =
resumed?
_________________________
General =
tips
Courtesy of the research team at =
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca
Scams of the month:
Before giving you our scam tips of the month, here are =
some very valueable tips.
You need to =
remember that scams come in the following formats:
As emails, as phone calls both recorded and via a live =
caller, and o yes! It can even show up at your door and in your =
mailbox.
And now they are targeting =
us through texts being sent to our cell phones.
Before =
giving you the latest scams making the rounds; we have some do nots to =
share with you.
Do not respond to =
emails that look strange to you.
Do =
not download attachments from unknown senders.
Do not share your username and password to your online =
banking and any other online payments facilities with =
anyone.
Do not give out any banking =
or personal details on the phone to unknown callers.
Do not pay any attention to threats from automated =
phone recordings or from live persons with regard to your credit card or =
that you owe money to any revenue agency.
Do not entertain any offers either via email or by =
phone from senders and callers offering incredible service packages as =
they may pertain to cable and tv services, prizes that you have won, or =
any sort of any type of service package.
Do not answer the door to unknown =
callers.
Take extra caution to make =
sure that the details of your credit cards and debit cards are fully =
protected when you make payments at restaurants or at stores, =
pharmacies, and elsewhere.
Do not =
enter your password for Facebook or Twitter in response to a text =
request on your cell phone.
The same =
if you are asked for your Apple ID.
Do not fall prey to a text message telling you that =
your banking details have been compromised online.
Courtesy of =
our dear friend Mama Peach
Best Of =
Helpful Hints: The Kitchen
Speed =
Ups/Getting As Much Done In The Shortest Time Possible
Getting The Ketchup Out Of The Bottle
* Insert a drinking straw, push it to the bottom of =
the bottle and then remove. Enough air will be admitted to start an even =
flow.
_____
Speed =
Ups/Getting As Much Done In The Shortest Time Possible
Getting The Ketchup Out Of The Bottle
* Insert a drinking straw, push it to the bottom of =
the bottle and then remove. Enough air will be admitted to start an even =
flow.
_____
Best Of =
Helpful Hints: The Kitchen
Speed =
Ups/Getting As Much Done In The Shortest Time Possible
Ridding The Ham Of The Rind
* Slit the rind lengthwise on the underside before =
placing it in the roasting pan. As the ham bakes, the rind will pull =
away and can be removed easily without lifting the ham.
_____
Speed =
Ups/Getting As Much Done In The Shortest Time Possible
Anchoring Boards And Bowls
* A crumpled towel or sponge cloth under a bowl or =
board will prevent it from sliding around when mixing ingredients or =
kneading and rolling out dough.
_____
Substitutions/When You Are Out Of What You Need, Plus =
Some Switches You May Prefer To Make:
No Bread Crumbs?
* =
Use finely crushed cornflakes, wheat flakes or any other unsweetened =
cereal.
* Use crushed potato =
flakes.
_____
Substitutions/When You Are Out Of What You Need, Plus =
Some Switches You May Prefer To Make:
No Butter?
* 7/8 =
cup solid vegetable shortening or lard plus 1/2 teaspoon salt. To =
measure 7/8 cup, measure 1 cup, then remove 2 =
tablespoons.
_____
Substitutions/When You Are Out Of What You Need, Plus =
Some Switches You May Prefer To Make:
No Fresh Milk?
(For =
1 Cup)
* Use 1/2 cup each evaporated =
whole milk and water.
* Use 1/3 cup =
instant nonfat dry milk plus 1 cup water, minus 1 tablespoon =
water.
_____
Substitutions/When You Are Out Of What You Need, Plus =
Some Switches You May Prefer To Make:
No Sugar?
* You can =
often substitute, measure for measure, packed brown sugar (light or =
dark) with no adjustments. You will get a light molasses flavor, =
however.
_____
Substitutions/When You Are Out Of What You Need, Plus =
Some Switches You May Prefer To Make:
No Vanilla Extract?
* A batter or dessert can be flavored with grated =
lemon or orange rind and a little lemon juice.
* Use 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg for each teaspoon vanilla =
extract.
* Use a dusting of =
cinnamon.
_____
Substitutions/When You Are Out Of What You Need, Plus =
Some Switches You May Prefer To Make:
No All-Purpose Flour?
* For thickening gravy or sauce, you can substitute 1 =
tablespoon cornstarch, rice starch or arrowroot for 2 tablespoons flour =
or 2 tablespoons instant mashed potatoes, cornmeal or quick-cooking =
tapioca.
* If you use whole grain =
flour in baked goods, be careful not to overload them with it or the =
food may be heavy. For each cup flour, use 1/2 to 2/3 cup whole-wheat =
flour plus the remainder of white flour called for in
the recipe or 1/2 cup rye or buckwheat flour or 1/4 =
cup soy flour.
_____
From =
Donna:
What is the difference between =
parchment paper and grease proof paper?
You can use parchment paper when baking in your oven =
but you cannot or should not use grease proof paper.
You may also use foil instead of parchment =
paper.
When it comes to choosing cats from an animal =
shelter:
Black cats are the least =
favourite colour.
_________________________
Articles of =
the day
Chosen by the Business Desk =
team
Make Your Own Tub, Tile and Shower Cleaners— =
Cheaper Better and Faster
The only =
thing better than making things myself is when what I make turns out to =
be cheaper, better and faster than something I can buy in the store to =
accomplish the same
goal. That makes =
me so happy!
Dear Mary: I love, love, =
love! the homemade Tub and Shower Soap Scum
Remover. It works better than any product I have ever =
used. Our tubs and showers have never looked so good! Now, I would love =
to know how to make my own daily shower cleaner—
the kind you just spray and walk away for daily tub =
and shower maintenance between cleanings. Any ideas? =
Polly
Dear Polly: Yes! I’m =
confident this is the recipe you’re looking for.
Daily Shower Cleaner
1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide
1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
1 teaspoon liquid dishwashing soap (like blue =
Dawn)
1 tablespoon dishwasher rinse =
aid (like Jet-Dry)
2 cups =
water
Directions:
1. Pour all of the ingredients into =
a 24-ounce spray bottle. Mix gently. Each day before
you step out of the shower, spray the walls then walk =
away.
2. This no =
rinse, no wipe, no scrub shower cleaner spray is safe to use on glass, =
glazed tile, stone, tubs and shower curtains. The gentle formula =
contains no bleach,
ammonia or harsh =
chemicals and it wont scratch surfaces or leave behind a dull =
residue.
3. Store =
your daily shower cleaner in a dark cupboard, as hydrogen peroxide =
breaks down quickly in the presence of light.
Here, for readers who may have missed it, is that =
nearly magical cleaning potion you love so much (so do =
I!)
Tub, Tile and Shower =
Cleaner
Pour one cup blue Dawn into a =
32-ounce spray bottle (1/2 cup Dawn if you are using a 16-ounce bottle). =
Fill the bottle the rest of the way with white vinegar. Apply sprayer =
top; shake gently to mix. To use: =
Spray liberally on the area to be cleaned.
Allow to sit from 30 minutes up to overnight, =
depending on the severity of the problem. All of the offensive gunk and =
grime will break down and become soft and gooey. Simply =
rinse it away. For especially =
challenging situations—or if this is the initial =
treatment—use a sponge or brush to gently scrub the surfaces =
before rinsing. Caution: Do not use
on stone, marble or granite.
Dear Mary: We live with extremely hard well water. =
Given this challenge, can you recommend a brand of laundry and also =
automatic dishwasher detergent that will suitable for
hard water? Thank you! Jeannine
Dear Jeannine: Rather than changing products, I =
suggest you supplement what you are using now—in both the clothes =
washer and automatic dishwasher—with Super Washing Soda, also =
known as sodium =
carbonate.
https://w=
ww.amazon.com/Arm-Hammer-Super-Washing-Soda/dp/B00K6ON90S/ref=3Das_li_ss_=
tl?ie=3DUTF8&qid=3D1484759369&sr=3D8-
1&keywords=3Dsuper+washing+soda&th=3D1&link=
Code=3Dsl1&tag=3Dcheapskatemonthl&linkId=3D8956060d29841a513e3add=
0368a35d2a
It’s a natural =
product
(read more about it HERE =
including ten other ways to use washing soda around the house) that =
looks just like white powdered detergent.
http://www.everydaycheapskate.com=
/home-and-family/beyond-laundry-10-ways-use-washing-soda-around-house/
Super Washing Soda =
boosts the power of soaps and =
detergents because it instantly softens the water.
I’d start by adding 1/2 cup Super Washing Soda =
to every laundry wash cycle and the same amount to each dishwasher load. =
You can just toss it into the machine before you close
the door. As a bonus, sodium carbonate (Super Washing =
Soda) will clean out the hoses and pipes in your appliances to keep them =
from mineral build-up that can wreak havoc on a
household appliance.
Most supermarkets and discount stores carry Arm & =
Hammer Super Washing
Soda, or you =
can easily order it online through Amazon. It comes in a 55-ounce box =
for about $5. Good luck and be sure to let us know how that works for =
you!
www.everydaycheapskate.com=
Our mailing address =
is:
Everyday =
Cheapskate
12340 Seal Beach =
Blvd.
#B-416
Seal Beach, CA 90740
+++++++++++++++
turn your =
barbecue grill into a baking oven
If you have =
an outdoor barbecue grill with a cover that closes over the top of the =
grill, you can turn it into an outdoor oven. Why would you want to do =
that? To
preclude the need to heat =
up your kitchen this summer to bake pizza, cookies, cakes, bread and =
casseroles. Or so you can expand your camping-out cooking =
repertoire.
GENERAL. You can bake =
nearly anything with a covered grill. If your grill doesn’t have a =
cover, improvise with a large inverted pot. The heat rises and =
circulates in the
covered area just =
as it does in your oven. The heat source can be charcoal, gas, or even =
wood, however gas is preferable because it is easier to control and does =
not transfer
a smoked taste to the =
baked items.
TEMPERATURE. This is the =
challenge. If your grill has a temperature gauge
installed, you’re in luck. If not, you’ll =
need to get a small oventhermometer so you
can more accurately regulate the inside temperature of =
your grill when it is closed.
PRE-HEAT. Always fire up the grill for a few minutes =
to set the temperature before baking.
GET BRICKS. When baking, never set the baking pan =
directly on the grill. Instead, set a brick or two as necessary on the =
grill, then the banking pan on top of the brick(s).
DON’T PEEK. As far as possible, do not lift that =
cover once you’ve closed it on your baking. You’ll need to =
watch the time carefully at first until you’ve experimented =
sufficiently to know how long things =
take to bake in your new outdoor “oven.” Just remember that =
opening that cover is like allowing an arctic storm to blow =
through.PIZZA ON
THE GRILL. You =
really can make pizza on your grill, provided you
follow these instructions:
1. Roll out the pizza dough to your =
desired thickness.
2. Transfer the rolled crust to a =
pizza peel on which you have sprinkled corn meal to act as a release =
agent. (Think of corn meal as tiny ball bearings that roll the pizza =
of and onto the grill. Or you can =
use a cookie sheet that has no lip on at least one
side. This will allow you to easily transfer the dough =
to your hot grill by allowing it to simple slide off the sheet or peel, =
if you have one.)
3. Heat the grill.
4. Moisten a paper towel with oil =
and rub the grates.
5. Slide the dough onto the grill. =
Watch it carefully and when the bottom browns, turn
the dough to grill the other side.
6. Now you can add your sauce of =
choice, toppings and cheese.
7. Close the cover to allow the =
toppings to cook and melt.
Alternative method. If you have a pizza stone =
(unglazed terra cotta tile works well and is a lot cheaper than a =
commercial pizza stone), you can lay this directly on the =
grill. Allow it to heat on Low heat =
to avoid cracking the stone. Once it is good and hot, slide the crust =
right onto the stone. Once browned, turn the crust over and =
proceed as above.
CLEANING TIP. Here’s a slick way to create a =
kind of self-cleaning feature on any barbecue grill. Place a few sheets =
of aluminum foil over the grill so you have several
thicknesses. Crank up the heat to the hottest possible =
settings, close the
cover and allow =
to heat for 30 minutes. Like the self-cleaning setting on your =
traditional over, this turns everything on the grill to =
ash.
Caution: Before attempting this, =
check your barbecue warranty to make sure this will not do anything to =
void a warranty that is still in effect.
By Mary Hunt on
www.everydaycheapskate.com=
_________________________
From the =
pages of donna’s travel diary
Traveling resumed?
Some may say =
that it has while others are saying not quite yet. I am still on =
the fence and hopeful that soon enough we can look forward to a =
return.
Masks? Indeed! We’ll probably need to =
bring them along on our trips for some time to come.
Hand sanitizers? Probably need to bring these =
with us too!
Social distancing? =
We wait to see how airlines and others handle this.
More security at airports? I believe =
so.
Pack more patience in our hold =
ons? Indeed!
Will holiday =
travel increase? I believe so.
May we dare to look forward to traveling to see our =
loved ones? We can.
I’m Donna J. =
Jodhan enjoying my travels.
To learn =
more about me as a sight loss coach and author visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com
On your next trip you could enrich your down time with =
some of my audio mysteries. Take them with you wherever you =
go!
In the car, on the plane, on the =
bus or train, at the beach, anywhere!
Affordable, portable, (computer or i device) and you =
could either purchase or Subscribe for unlimited access to my library at =
www.donnajodhan.com/store.=
html
and you can now take =
advantage of our free downloads here.
Follow me on =
Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan=
and at www.facebook.com/autho=
rdonnajodhan