Substitute for Orange Liqueur?What may I use for a substitute for Orange liqueur. Could I use orange flavoring?
Keeping Oil From Solidifying in the Fridge?How can I stop the oil in marinated feta solidifying when placed in fridge?
Canister for Vacuum Packaging?Has anyone used a canister from vacuum packaging (like Seal-A-Meal) for food storage? We have gone through so much expensive salad in a bag (my daughter likes it) before its time that I am seriously thinking about purchasing the larger canister just for bagged salad storage in the fridge.
Disposable Bowl CoversI have found the cheapest source for those new disposable bowl covers. My friend was unpacking her cosmetology bag and there was a box of cheap (100 count for $1.99) disposable shower caps. . .
How Long Does Spaghetti Sauce Keep Once Opened?Once a jar of tomato/spaghetti sauce has been opened, how long will it keep in the refrigerator?
Storing Potato Flakes?I was wondering if anyone knew how long potato flakes would be good for. I have a bag of flakes in the cupboard and I think they are 2 years old. I could make instant potaoes for the dogs if need be, I suppose, to use them up. Any suggestions for using them besides thickening stews and soups?
Shelf Life of Pasta Flour?Does anyone know the shelf life of pasta (semolina) flour? It is in its original wax-coated paper packaging - no tears or holes in the bag. I have had it well over a year. It doesn't have an expiration date. There is only an address for the company, no phone number or web address listed.
Use an Old Freezer as a PantrySomeone gave us a huge used upright freezer. It worked fine, but I didn't really need THAT much freezer space and it needed to be defrosted way too often for me.
Removing the Air from Zip Lock BagsZip lock bags are great and those machines that vacuum the air out of bags is great but expensive. I found a cheap (like in $0.00) way to remove most of the air from a zip bag.
Sealing Cans and Small Round DishesI save the fat elastic bands off newspaper deliveries. Then I use cheap sandwich bags and the elastic to cover small round food items such as partially used cans of food, or half eaten yogurt. I don't use this if it will be more than one day but it seals it very tight short term.
Stocking Up On Food Pays Off During Hard TimesHere's another grocery tip. When the Y2K scare was going on we decided to go ahead and stock up on dry products and other items that might be needed. Even though nothing came of it we kept from getting into those items. Later that year my husband got laid off from his job and could not find work. In a small town it's very hard to steady work. Boy, were we thankful for the stockpile of stuff we had.
Vacuum Seal Ziplock BagsI put whatever I want to save in a re-sealable plastic bag, seal all but about 1/2 inch, put in a straw, then suck out the air and quickly close the last half inch. Gives you a completely airless package.
Preserving Carrots Through the Winter?Hi! I just harvested about 20 lbs of carrots from a home garden. Should I blanche them and place them freezer bags, store them in a cool, dark basement area or what? I'd like to be able to use them throughout the winter months. This is the first time I have tried growing carrots and am a little startled (pleasantly though!) at my success. HELP!!! What do I do now??
Dennis from Milwaukee, WI
Sealing Plastic Bags with Foil and an IronYou can seal any plastic bag by placing a piece of aluminum foil over the end to be sealed and running a hot iron over the foil. Make sure you have foil on both sides of the plastic to be sealed so it doesn't stick to the ironing surface. No expensive sealing gadget required.
By Lisa Trudeau
Rotisserie Chicken Containers as a Lettuce CrisperThe containers that rotisserie chickens come in work great for a lettuce crisper. If there are air holes on top of the lid, place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the lettuce first.
Solution for Big ContainersShopping at the warehouse stores gives you gallon size containers which are cumbersome. The small size sport squirt top water/drink bottles are great for holding a manageable supply of oil, soy sauce or vinegar.
