Tips and tricks for life

[Morgan Evanar]

Share tips about random things that can fix or improve something.

Got yellowed headlights? Use toothpaste and rub the crap out of them (with some sort of power tool attachment, it's easier than by hand). Toothpaste is abrasive and will get it out.

Also, they will be minty fresh afterwords :)

[Darth Turbogeek]

Never go to bed angry with your partner

[Dasquian Belargic]

*unless you're planning on having angry sex :3

[Nya Halcyon]

If anything itches (especially during chicken pox), dab it with black tea.

[Peter McCoy]

Sausage roll in Oxtail Soup - delicious! Trust me!

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Butter is food. Margarine is not.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Taking a nap when the baby is napping = key to surviving the first few weeks of a new baby.

[Tell Cho]

Most essays and presentations will be made much easier and much better with liberal use of headings.

[General Dan]

Never ever throw away bones. Reserve them (freeze if you must) and when you have enough, brown them in the oven with veggies (mirepoix), add to a stock pot with bay leaf and herbs (bouquet garni) and simmer / reduce to make a stock. To save space you can reduce your stock and freeze it in zip-lock baggies on their side or in ice cube trays, then either rehydrate them on demand or combine with red wine and cook down to make a demiglace sauce.

It will taste like the best stuff ever and you will save a lot of money by avoiding an inferior product at the store.

[General Dan]

Unless you're reporting a crime, there's very rarely any good reason to talk to the police. If pulled over or detained, be polite, but don't reveal any information. Ask what the problem is, and ask if you are free to go.

[Shadow Storm]

Adding on to the police tips, I find that County Police are always friendly and helpful for giving directions, City and State police though, not so much.

[General Dan]

Bake your own bread. The inputs are cheap, and you get fresher, better quality product than almost anything you can buy at a store. While the total amount of time including baking, proofing, rising, kneading, etc is multiple hours, most of that is down time that you can occupy with sitting on your butt or playing video games.

Also, bread and dough freeze very well.

Tonight's baguettes cost maybe 50 cents worth of flour, another 50 cents of yeast, salt, a penny at most, and water is free. $1.01 for two loaves of bread that I've regularly sold @ $7 each.

Buy artisanal cheeses from a cheesemonger. Skip the artisanal bakery. You're better than that.

[Morgan Evanar]

Adding on to the police tips, I find that County Police are always friendly and helpful for giving directions, City and State police though, not so much.*Does not apply everywhere.

[General Dan]

Yeah, I actually usually find the opposite to be true. I blame white flight mostly.

[Travis North]

Avoid gambling.

[Shadow Storm]

When making breakfast, it's usually best if you start frying your bacon long before you put on the pancakes and scrambled eggs, so that everything is finished and ready at about the same time.

[Mu Satach]

Bake your own bread. The inputs are cheap, and you get fresher, better quality product than almost anything you can buy at a store. While the total amount of time including baking, proofing, rising, kneading, etc is multiple hours, most of that is down time that you can occupy with sitting on your butt or playing video games.

Also, bread and dough freeze very well.

Tonight's baguettes cost maybe 50 cents worth of flour, another 50 cents of yeast, salt, a penny at most, and water is free. $1.01 for two loaves of bread that I've regularly sold @ $7 each.


Starting - :)

Have all the ingredients now, just to find the perfect pans.

[Nya Halcyon]

A hot foot-soak can make sore throats, hoarse voice and even laryngitis vanish overnight.

Oh, and chewing sage leaves.

[General Dan]

When making breakfast, it's usually best if you start frying your bacon long before you put on the pancakes and scrambled eggs, so that everything is finished and ready at about the same time.

On top of this - reserve your rendered fats. Bacon fat is very useful for a base to saute all manner of things, and to enrich things like cornbread. Do not throw that stuff out, you're wasting money if you do.



Starting - :)

Have all the ingredients now, just to find the perfect pans.

Don't break the bank. I have calphalon for general use baking sheets but as long as you butter your pans down you should be okay. My loaf pans are el cheapos and have never failed me.

[Wyl Staedtler]

If you spill coffee (or wine) on your carpet and can't get to it right away, pour some salt on it - it will absorb quite a lot of the moisture and also prevent the stain from setting until you can get to it (although you shouldn't leave it for, say, hours.)

[General Dan]

Never wash cast iron pots and pans. Wipe them down after cooking, and if you must clean a little deeper, add a little oil and some koshering salt to it, and scour with a folded paper towel a few times. Finish by rubbing with a little neutral oil.

Over time, this will make your cast iron legendary, capable of slaying anything and being generally awesome.

[Tell Cho]

Never wash cast iron pots and pans. Wipe them down after cooking, and if you must clean a little deeper, add a little oil and some koshering salt to it, and scour with a folded paper towel a few times. Finish by rubbing with a little neutral oil.

Over time, this will make your cast iron legendary, capable of slaying anything and being generally awesome.

Quoted for great truth. Style my family uses is to wipe it out with paper towels or scrape (lightly) clean, and then add some oil and rub it in; set it on the stove and make sure to keep the fans on, cause it will get smoky, but the carbonization of the pan is assured and quickly.