Posted on 03/23/2008 11:36:40 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny
http://tipnut.com/make-your-own-organic-potting-soil/
Make Your Own Organic Potting Soil
Classic Soil-Based Mix
1/3 mature compost or leaf mold, screened
1/3 garden topsoil
1/3 sharp sand
Seedling Mix for Styrofoam Seedling Flats
2 parts compost
2 parts peat moss
1 part vermiculite, pre-wet
Sowing Mix
5 parts compost
4 parts soil
1-2 parts sand
1-2 parts leaf mold, if available
1 part peat moss, pre-wet and sifted
Note: All ingredients are sifted through a 1/4-inch screen. For every shovelful of peat, add two tablespoons of lime to offset the acidity.
Growing Mixes for Pots and Baskets
30 percent topsoil
60 percent peat
10 percent perlite
5 pounds lime per cubic yard
3 pounds dolomitic lime per cubic yard
Note: The handling of this pot mix is the same as for pack mix.
Bedding Plant Recipe
25% compost
50% peat moss
25% perlite or vermiculite
*Source: National Sustainable Agriculture Information Services
More reading:
POTTING MIXES FOR ORGANIC GROWERS
If you make your own organic potting mix, you still have to avoid using any prohibited ingredients, and that means checking out all the individual ingredients for their organic acceptability. It may surprise you to learn that products like peat moss or limestone are sometimes treated with prohibited materials such as wetting or anti-caking agents, so don’t rely on assumptions about purity. In addition to meeting certification requirements, your final product will also need to provide plant roots with the right amount of air, water and nutrients.
More tips you may find useful:
* Quick Tip: Potted Plants & Coffee Filters
* How To Make Compost Guide
* Tipnut’s Hit List - April 2008 - Popular Tips
* Grow An Avocado Tree
* Make Your Own Cheap & Easy Worm Bin
http://tipnut.com/10-homemade-playdough-recipes/
10 Homemade Playdough Recipes
A little bit of everything here from basic cooked, non-cooked, glitter to koolaid to jello.
Homemade Playdough Recipes
Plain Old Playdough Recipe #1
Picture of Homemade Playdough - Tipnut.comIngredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
1 TBS cream of tartar
1 TBS oil
food coloring
Directions:
* Heat all ingredients in a saucepan, slow to medium heat. Stir continuously. Once dough is at the consistency you want, remove from heat. Cool before using. *high salt content so please keep playdough away from pets.
Recipe #2
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/4 cup salt
2 TBS cream of tartar
1 TBS vegetable oil food coloring (about 2 tsp)
Directions:
* In a medium sized pot, mix the first three ingredients: flour, salt, cream of tartar. Then add water, food coloring and the oil. Stir over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Once the dough forms a ball, remove from heat. Allow to cool. Once cool knead the dough on a floured surface several times. Then store in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag and place in refrigerator until needed. *high salt content so please keep away from pets.
Recipe #3
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp oil
food coloring
Directions:
* Cook all ingredients together over low heat for 3 minutes, stirring well. Remove from heat and cool. Store in airtight container or sealed plastic bag.
Koolaid Playdough - Recipe #4
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup salt
3 TBS oil
1 package of Koolaid (use the color of your choice)
Directions:
* Mix all ingredients together and cook over medium heat for a few minutes until dough forms the consistency you want. Remove from heat and cool. Keep in airtight container, refrigerate until used.
Another Kool-aid Playdough - Recipe #5
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
2 cups water
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup koolaid
2 TBS vegetable oil
2 TBS alum powder
Directions:
* Place water, salt and koolaid in large saucepan, bring to boil. Then stir in the oil and the alum. Remove from heat immediately, dump all 3 cups of flour into liquid and stir until the dough sticks together and leaves sides of pan. Once dough is cool enough to handle, knead on a floured board until all lumps are gone. If dough sticks to hands, add more flour. Keep in airtight container, refrigerate until used.
Cake Decorating Paste Playdough - Recipe #6
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
1 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
cake decorating paste
Directions:
* Cook all ingredients except the cake decorating paste over medium heat until dough forms consistency you want, stir constantly. Remove from heat and cool. Knead on floured board, adding the cake decorating paste as you do so. Keep kneading until dough is well blended with colour. Store in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag and refrigerate until used. *May also use food coloring rather than cake decorating paste.
Uncooked Playdough - Recipe #7
Ingredients:
3 cups boiling water
3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups salt
1 1/2 TBS vegetable oil
3 tsp cream of tartar
Directions:
* Mix all ingredients except for the flour in a large bowl. Once well mixed, add flour. Stir continuously until the dough mix leaves the sides of the bowl. Once well blended, remove from bowl and knead on floured board. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.
More Uncooked Playdough - Recipe #8
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
3 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cups salt
6 tsp cream of tartar
3 TBS cooking oil
Directions:
* Mix all dry ingredients together plus the cooking oil. Once well blended, add boiling water. Stir dough mixture until it leaves the sides of the bowl. Remove and knead well on floured boar. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.
Glitter Playdough - Recipe #9
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
1 TBS vegetable oil
2 tsp cream of tartar
food coloring
glitter
Directions:
* Mix all ingredients together except for the glitter. Heat over medium heat until dough forms a ball, stir constantly. Remove from heat and add glitter. Knead well until lumps are gone and dough is smooth. Store in an airtight container, but do not refrigerate.
Fruity Fun Jell-O Playdough - Recipe #10
Ingredients:
1 (3-oz.) package sugar-free jello
2 cups flour
2 cups boiling water
1 cup salt
4 TBS cream of tartar
2 TBS oil
Directions:
* Mix the dry ingredients in a saucepan then add the oil and the boiling water. Stir continuously over medium heat until dough forms into a ball. Remove from heat, knead. Store in an airtight container.
Tips:
* If playdough is too sticky, just knead in more flour.
* Always store in an airtight container or plastic bag.
* Refrigerate until needed, unless noted otherwise.
Be careful:
Many of the recipes call for lots of salt, please keep playdough away from pets.
More tips you may find useful:
* Chocolate Peanut Butter PlayDough Recipe
* Homemade Fingerpaint Recipe
* Homemade Bubble Recipes
* Quick Tip: Easy Homemade Deodorizer Sprays
* Tipnut’s Hit List - April 2008 - Popular Tips
http://tipnut.com/diy-pizza-stones/
DIY Pizza Stones
This is a tip I’ve compiled from a large forum thread at eGullet
http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=66396&st=0
DIY Pizza Stones
* Purchase plain, unglazed tiles–pavers?–(found at Home Depot and other hardware stores)
* Measure your oven to determine the amount of tiles needed
* Buy extra tiles to have on hand in case of breakage
* Toss the tiles in the dishwasher to clean
(see Post #55 in thread)
See the picture by clicking here
If this inspires you to try your hand at making the perfect homemade pizza, you’ll find tonnes of tips and info in the eGullet thread. Also, here are two different recipes you can try:
Jeff Varasano’s Famous New York Pizza Recipe
Coconut & Lime’s Homemade Pizza Recipe
More tips you may find useful:
* How To Make A Solar Oven From A Pizza Box
* Tipnut’s Hit List - April 2008 - Popular Tips
* DIY Life - For The DIY Addict
* DIY Photography Link Roundup
* DIY Photography - Make Your Own Fisheye Lens
http://tipnut.com/32-household-tips-a-collection-of-timeless-wisdom/
32 Household Tips - A Collection Of Timeless Wisdom
Picture of 1950s Woman - Tipnut.comHere’s a collection of household tips found in vintage magazines and articles from the 1950s and 1960s.
This is the third part of the vintage tip series that started with 45 Cooking & Baking Tips and continued with 35 Kitchen Tips.
This will be the last batch for awhile, I hope you enjoyed them :).
32 Household Tips - A Collection Of Timeless Wisdom
1. Cut open old socks then sew together to make car wash cloths.
2. Test a stain remover first on a section under the hem of the garment to find out if it will affect the color of the fabric before using it.
3. Wear white cotton gloves sprayed with furniture polish to do your dusting.
4. Paint the steps of your stepladder and sprinkle clean sand on the paint before it dries, it will give the steps a non-skid surface.
5. When papering or painting a room, make a notation of the amount of material needed to do the job, and place the notation under the main light switch in that room. It won’t get lost and it will save yourself a lot of extra work when the room is being painted again.
6. Save those slivers of toilet soap that are usually thrown away, save them until you have a handful. Soak them in water until they are soft then squeeze them together forming a large bar shaped mass. Let harden and you have an extra bar of bath soap in colors too.
7. When cleaning windows use one teaspoon vinegar, one teaspoon ammonia and fill small spray bottles with water, use newspapers to wipe windows, makes them shine (also see more Homemade Window Cleaner Recipes).
8. For books that got damp or are musty, sprinkle baking soda on the pages and allow time to air out. If there’s mildew on the paper you can rub the baking soda into the spots and lay out to bleach in the sun.
9. Use a clean paint brush to dust pleated lamp shades.
10. When wheel grease gets on children’s clothes, rub lard on it to remove grease stains.
11. When grass stains get on clothes, use molasses, rub in well and leave several minutes to soak before washing.
12. When fruit stains get on clothes pour boiling water on stain, hold cloth tight across bowl.
13. To remove white rings from furniture, moisten cigarette ashes with water, apply to ring marks, let dry and brush off. See also DIY - How To Remove White Heat Stains On Wood Table and More White Stain Removal Tips For Wood Furniture.
14. Remove light burn marks from wood floors by rubbing a piece of steel wool first made wet with soapy water lightly into the burn mark until it’s removed.
15. Remove shine from wool clothes by sponging garment with a solution of one teaspoon ammonia to a quart of water. Press on wrong side.
16. When storing shoes and boots away for the season, first cover them in old pairs of socks. They won’t be scuffed or dusty when it’s time to bring them out again.
17. Add a few drops of vinegar to glue that has thickened up, this will soften the glue.
18. To remove mildew from clothing, soak in buttermilk over night and wash as usual.
19. To remove mildew, 1/2 cup vinegar, douse the item up and down and mildew will disappear.
20. Baby or olive oil will remove crayon marks from painted walls, also see 21 Crayon Busters: How To Remove Crayon From Walls.
21. When your bed sheets wear out, they can be folded in half and used to make pillow cases, cut them desired width and use the original hems.
22. To remove lipstick stain from cottons and sweaters, use a cloth dabbed in rubbing alcohol. Apply gently to stain and it leaves no tell tale circle.
23. To keep skirts from sliding off hanger, wrap bar with a strip of bias cut velvet, cut one inch wide.
24. Try using shampoo to pretreat grease stains on shirt collars and pillow cases, etc., before putting them in the washer.
25. When you iron around buttons that may melt with heat, protect them by holding a spoon over each as you iron around buttons.
26. Make mittens from old towels and use to dust blinds.
27. Keep a small pin cushion with threaded needles and a plastic box for buttons on the end of your ironing board for the “stitch in time” as you come to it, then ironing and mending are both finished at once.
28. Use nailpolish remover to remove price stickers from newly bought items (see also 25 Helpful Items To Remove Sticky Adhesive Goo).
29. Keep sparkle on the metal trim of handbags, metal compacts, silver earrings, brass buttons, belt buckles and any other metal objects that are difficult to spray with clear nail polish or a tarnish preventive.
30. Coating the top of keys with different colors of nail polish will help to identify them quickly.
31. Remove stains in vases by filling with tea leaves and vinegar, shake or swoosh until stain disappears.
32. Cover your shoes with old socks when painting and you can wipe up paint splatters with your foot as well as protect your shoes from paint.
More tips you may find useful:
* Tipnut’s Hit List - April 2008 - Popular Tips
* Tipnut’s Hit List - March 2008 - Popular Tips
* 35 Kitchen Tips - A Collection Of Timeless Wisdom
* Time Saver: Makeshift Measurers
* Helpful Household Tips
[has hidden urls in article for other info...granny]
JD, I have been talking about you, and did not ping it to you....
[post 3156]
Yes, JDB, it is a Zojirushi that JD bought.
And I have the back up machine, waiting in a box, “just in case” I should need it. There is not room to use 2 in my tiny kitchen.
You are welcome to all that I have posted and we will all be waiting for your recipes.
http://tipnut.com/45-cooking-baking-tips-a-collection-of-timeless-wisdom/
45 Cooking & Baking Tips - A Collection Of Timeless Wisdom
Picture of Kitchen Baking Items - Tipnut.comHere’s a handy list of cooking and baking tips from the 1950s and 1960s that I’ve collected from a variety of vintage clippings.
Each of the tips are from magazine articles or newspaper advice columns containing helpful ideas sent in from women sharing their tips with each other. I consider these tips as timeless wisdom, they were our mothers and grandmothers–and it’s hard to find someone with better tips than they have, these women knew how to work a kitchen!
I’ve also included more tips and information found on Tipnut where there was more expanded info or helpful goodies on the topic.
45 Cooking & Baking Tips - A Collection Of Timeless Wisdom
1. When boiling milk, first stir in a pinch of baking soda. This will help keep the milk from curdling.
2. Add one teaspoon of lemon juice to each quart of water when cooking rice, this will keep rice fluffy.
3. First rinse raisins, dates and figs in very cold water before putting them through the food chopper. They will not form such a gummy mass.
4. For crisper salads: Place a saucer upside down in the bottom of the salad bowl before filling with salad. Excess moisture will run underneath the saucer and this will help keep the salad crisp and fresh.
5. Tasty flavored whipped cream: First whip cream then add 2 tablespoons of flavored jello and continue beating on slow until the whipped cream is right consistency. Here’s a tip for leftover whipped cream and a recipe for homemade whipped cream.
6. Leftover ham: Lay ham slices in a baking dish then cover with maple syrup. Refrigerate overnight then fry the ham in butter the next morning. A couple more ideas for leftover ham.
7. Add a dash of lemon juice into meatballs before cooking them.
8. You can substitute crumbled cornflakes for bread crumbs when making meatloaf. You’ll find more Tasty Meatloaf Tips & Tricks (including more filler ideas) Here.
9. When a recipe calls for butter the size of an egg, use four tablespoons.
10. Cookie & Cake Decoration: Keep a small amount of sugar in small glass jars, add a few drops of food coloring and shake jar. Keep several colors on hand. You can also use this technique on shredded coconut.
11. Pickle Juice uses: Use sweet pickle juice to thin salad dressing or make French dressing with instead of vinegar, more delicious.
12. Cook vegetables with one or more bouillon cubes instead of salt–improves flavor. Tossing in a few garlic cloves when boiling vegetables makes things tastier too.
13. Salt added to flour used for thickening gravies, etc., will help to prevent lumping.
14. Chilled evaporated milk, whipped until fluffy, may be used as the base for several frozen desserts by the addition of different flavors, fruits, nuts, instant coffee, cocoa, jello, and other flavorings. Then add coconut, drained fruits, etc., as desired. Use easy crusts such as crushed cereal or crackers such as graham.
15. After crimping the edge of the pie crust, lift the edge of the crust gently all around with your fingers. This keeps the dough from sticking to the dish while baking and makes it easier to take out the pieces of pie.
16. Place crackers, dried bread, cookies or sugar which has lumps in a sturdy plastic bag (make sure it has no holes). Roll with a rolling pin or fruit jar as coarse or as fine as you like then pour into a measuring container. If you have more than you need at the time, just tie the bag and place in a pantry or freezer for later use.
17. A teaspoon of sugar mixed with your yeast and water makes it raise better. Even if you are making bread you can use some sugar. Never mix salt directly with the yeast and water mixture as the salt kills the raising action.
18. Keep brown sugar in a closed container with an apple in it, the brown sugar will stay soft and moist. Here are more ways to soften brown sugar.
19. Grate orange and lemon peel before peeling. Dry and add to spice cake or any cookies or puddings. The dried grated peel will keep well in a covered jar. Here are some Uses for Citrus Peels Plus Candied Lemon Peel Recipe.
20. Wrap parsley in foil first, then freeze. Shave off as much as needed, rewrap and return to the freezer. It will retain its flavor and freshness.
21. For fried foods that require flouring, try pancake flour for a change, it’s quite nice.
22. To keep peeled potatoes from turning dark without putting them in water, wrap in paper towel and wet under the faucet.
23. Baking bread? Do not preheat. When you light your oven, pop in the bread pans immediately and you’ll be amazed at the resulting lightness of the bread. Here’s how to make bread (with a recipe) and More Tips on Baking Breads.
24. Toast oatmeal in the oven before adding to other ingredients when making oatmeal cookies-–delicious!
25. Add two teaspoons of vinegar to jello and it will keep the jello from melting when you serve it.
26. If you scorch milk by accident, put the pan in cold water and add a pinch of salt. Takes away the burned taste.
27. Add a few sprigs of fresh peppermint to leftover tea while it is still warm, then refrigerate. Serve over ice.
28. Roll pastry on waxed paper. Before placing paper on work surface, wipe surface with a damp cloth to prevent slipping. Flour paper lightly, and with forefinger draw a circle an inch and a half larger than the pan you intend to use. You’ve seen pastry cloths with guidelines…and they really do help. When pastry has been rolled out, pick up paper pastry and all. Fit into pan, paper side up and then pull paper away from crust. Prevents tearing or stretching twist paper and pan. Another nice tip: You can also roll pastry between two sheets of waxed paper.
29. If it is a meringue pie you are making…add four or five marshmallows cut into pieces or 1/2 cup miniature ones, to meringue just before spreading. These marshmallows give both flavor and body to the meringue. The latter is important if pie is to stand for sometime before serving. Here’s a way to soften marshmallows.
30. Lemon juice or vinegar in water where cauliflower is cooked makes it keep its white color.
31. To pare pineapple easily cut into rings and peel each slice separately.
32. Add a slice of lemon to peeled sweet potatoes while cooking. The lemon will help them clear and free of discoloration.
33. A tablespoon of minute tapioca sprinkled in apple pie will absorb excess juice while baking.
34. Add one teaspoon baking powder to mashed potatoes to make them fluffy (here’s another tip). Here’s a helpful way to keep mashed potatoes warm while the rest of the meal is still cooking - Mashed Potato Warmer
35. Dip the blades of shears in hot water before cutting marshmallows, they won’t stick.
36. Have a small bowl of melted butter and just brush on corn on the cob with a pastry brush. If you have a metal bowl you can put a chunk of butter in the bowl and set on grill to melt while meal is grilling. See How To Microwave Fresh Corn on the Cob and some tips for removing corn from the cob.
37. For bananas that are ripe and ready to eat but you have too many, peel the bananas and freeze them then dip in melted chocolate and freeze again, these make a nice treat! More tips on freezing bananas here.
38. Fill a large hole or sugar shaker with flour and use that when needing to dust surfaces with flour or just pour out a tablespoon as you need it, this is handy way to keep a bit of flour on hand instead of digging in the flour bin.
39. Use pastry wheel to cut rolled cookie dough in squares or diamonds, much less rolling and very pretty.
40. Rinse measuring cup in hot water before using syrup, oil, etc. Will pour out clean and not stick to cup.
41. Canned fruit is much better if opened and removed from the can an hour or two before using to restore the oxygen.
42. When making popcorn balls, slip plastic bags on your hands when shaping them, won’t stick or burn your hands.
43. A wire cheese cutter is ideal for cutting chilled refrigerator cookie dough.
44. To liven up day old bread or rolls you can put the bread in a large bowl and place in a pot with a shallow level of boiling water. Remove from heat and cover the pot to steam the bread briefly. The bread will be warm and soft in a couple minutes. You can also use stale breads to make big batches of breadcrumbs and delicious homemade croutons.
45. An ordinary funnel makes the best cooling rack for your tube cake pans. You’ll find another 43 Cake Baking Tips & Tricks here.
Feel free to add your favorite baking or cooking tips below :).
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More tips you may find useful:
* 35 Kitchen Tips - A Collection Of Timeless Wisdom
* Tipnut’s Hit List - March 2008 - Popular Tips
* Tipnut’s Hit List - April 2008 - Popular Tips
* 32 Household Tips - A Collection Of Timeless Wisdom
* Time Saver: Makeshift Measurers
http://tipnut.com/35-kitchen-tips-a-collection-of-timeless-wisdom/
35 Kitchen Tips - A Collection Of Timeless Wisdom
Picture of Vintage Kitchen Mixer - Tipnut.comThis tip list is a continuation of 45 Cooking & Baking Tips - A Collection Of Timeless Wisdom with this collection containing handy Kitchen Tips from the 1950s and 1960s.
I’ve also included a few tips found on Tipnut where there was more info available.
35 Kitchen Tips - A Collection Of Timeless Wisdom
1. A damp cloth under any bowl or dish in which you are stirring or beating something will keep it from sliding around.
2. Oil can openers and other kitchen gadgets with olive or cooking oil. Glycerin will work too.
3. When working with hot peppers and the heat gets into your hands, wash your hands in diluted bleach to stop the burn.
4. Salt and vinegar will remove tea stains from china. See also How To Clean Stains From Teapots and How To Remove Coffee & Tea Stains From Mugs.
5. Something boil over on the stove? A sprinkle of salt will absorb the juice and stop the smoking.
6. Sprinkle a handful of table salt over a “run over” in your oven. It will stop the burned smell until you are through baking and can wash it.
7. If your glass coffee pot gets cloudy, make tea in it. Tea’s tannic content will remove the film. See also How To Clean A Coffee Pot.
8. Some vinegar in a glass or cup placed in the refrigerator will do away with that ice box odor.
9. To remove any disagreeable odor from your hands or a cooking vessel, wash with apple cider vinegar.
10. If hands get stained from chopping vegetables, rub them with slices of raw potato.
11. Use vanilla extract to sooth cooking burns and to keep them from blistering. Cider vinegar also helps–just dab on the burn, reapply if necessary.
12. Put a large teaspoon of baking soda in thermos bottle, fill with boiling water and cap occasionally between use. All adhering material loosens, comes off and sweetens the bottle.
13. A rubber patch cut from an inner tube makes a good temporary sink stopper.
14. Replace worn kitchen shades with oilcloth–using the slat and roller from the old one. These are long wearing and washable.
15. Put a roll of shelf paper into an empty aluminum foil container, lets you tear off pieces quickly and neatly.
16. Line the tops of cupboards with sheets of wax paper to protect cupboards from grease buildup and no more messy cleanup jobs.
17. A cloth dipped in lemon juice will clean discoloration on aluminum pots and cookware. Rinse and wipe dry.
18. Bring back some shine to aluminum pans by boiling apple peels in them.
19. Mesh scouring pads make fine pincushions when you cover them with leftover scraps of materials.
20. To pick up slivers of broken glass, wet a piece of paper toweling and apply gently to surface, the slivers will cling to the wet towel.
21. When stirring anything hot, always use a wooden spoon. It never gets hot nor does it scratch the cookware.
22. Place a jar lid on the bottom of the double boiler. It will rattle when the water gets too low.
23. Neutralize strong cooking odors by boiling three teaspoons of ground clove in two cups water for 15 minutes. You can also heat vinegar on the stove top to clear the smell. See also Fragrant Home: 13 Simmering Pot Recipes.
24. If two glasses are stuck together, fill the top glass with cold water and set the bottom glass in hot water. Try to carefully twist the two glasses apart after a minute.
25. Make sure you let your metal pans cool before washing otherwise they may warp.
26. Boil a bit of vinegar and salt in an iron skillet to remove burned on bits. See also How To Season, Clean & Prepare Cast Iron Cookware.
27. Put the potato masher into cold water as soon as you’re done using it, it will clean easier.
28. Use a plastic knitting needle to use as a plunger in a narrow funnel opening that thick sauces won’t go through easily.
29. Use an egg slicer to slice butter into individual pats. This tip also works for fresh mushrooms.
30. Use foam meat trays between each plate of fine china when stacking for storage, will help prevent scratches.
31. Squeeze a wedge of lemon after handling fish, will remove the fish smell from your hands.
32. Don’t throw fat away even if it was used for frying fish and has retained the odor, simply fry a slice of potato in the fat and the potato will absorb the odor.
33. Dip rusted metalware in pure cider vinegar then let it dry. After a few days you should be able to wipe away the remaining loose particles.
34. When the edges get rough on plastic serving utensils, file the edges smooth with a new emery board.
35. Mark eggs to use up first with a pencil before filling tray with fresh eggs.
And here’s a fun one just for giggles:
* Never shake or poke a pop-up toaster to empty crumbs, instead use a chicken feather to brush them out.
If you enjoyed these tips, you won’t want to miss the cooking & baking tip list.
More tips you may find useful:
* Tipnut’s Hit List - April 2008 - Popular Tips
* 32 Household Tips - A Collection Of Timeless Wisdom
* Tipnut’s Hit List - March 2008 - Popular Tips
* Time Saver: Makeshift Measurers
* My Kitchen
If there is a baby in your world, then you will want to take a look at the list of 50 free baby item patterns for you to make:
http://tipnut.com/50-free-projects-for-baby/
Links to 15 potting bench plans that you can make:
http://tipnut.com/potting-bench-plans/
Index for more important hints:
http://tipnut.com/tipnut%e2%80%99s-hit-list-april-2008-popular-tips/
[The truth of this site is, click a link and she will highlight 10 more you have not read as yet....granny]
35 Reusable Grocery Bags You Can Make - Free Patterns
http://tipnut.com/35-reusable-grocery-bags-totes-free-patterns/
http://tipnut.com/cake-baking-tips/
43 Cake Baking Tips & Tricks
Picture of Chocolate Cake - Tipnut.comHere is a large assortment of tips I’ve accumulated over the years.
Different recipes will provide different results, but overall I’ve found the tips do noticeably improve most cake recipes or make baking cakes and working with them easier.
Some recipes success depend on a specific ingredient or action. If one of these tips contradicts your recipe, your best bet is to follow the recipe instruction.
Cake Enhancers:
* Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of meringue powder to your cake mix to help it rise a bit higher and make it a bit lighter in texture.
* Add 1 envelope of unflavored gelatin to the cake batter, helps prevent the top of the cake splitting or cracking.
* First add a teaspoon of lemon juice to the butter and sugar called for in the recipe before mixing the rest of the ingredients. Helps make the cake lighter.
* Take your time creaming the butter, beat/cream for at least 5 minutes to get lots of air into the butter. Add the sugar and beat/cream really well again.
* Separate eggs before adding them to recipes–beat yolks till golden and creamy then add to the butter/sugar mixture. Beat the egg whites until light and frothy before folding them into the butter mixture.
Moister Cake Tips:
* Chocolate Cake: Before adding the baking soda to your cake recipe, mix it with a teaspoon of vinegar.
* Fruit Cakes/Dense Cakes: Keep a pan full of water in the oven when baking the cake (replace water if needed to keep it topped up).
* Substitute oil in the recipe for unsweetened applesauce or plain yogurt. Your measure can be 1:1 or 50/50. For example, if the recipe calls for 1 cup oil, use 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup applesauce. Different types of cakes will offer different results for texture and taste, but a good start would try the 50/50. Not only helps for moister cakes, also cuts fat.
Sifting:
* Measure all ingredients to exact amounts first, then sift.
Grease & Flour Pans:
* Use a paper cupcake holder, a paper towel, a piece of wax paper, the butter wrapper paper or a plastic baggy to grease the pans without messing up your hands. You could also use a pastry brush.
* Try dusting the cake pans with a bit of the dry cake mix or cocoa (for chocolate cake) instead of flour.
* Grease pan with shortening then line the pan with a piece of wax paper to fit the bottom. Re-grease the top of the wax paper. Pour in the batter. To get the wax paper to size, you can either trace the bottom of the pan and cut it out, or grease the pan, smooth a sheet of wax paper into the pan (pressing all around the creases of the pan), remove the wax paper and cut out along the crease. This is kinda messy though, better to trace the pan then cut it out.
* To cut fat, try baking a cake without greasing the pans even if the recipe mentions to do so. You can just place a waxed paper liner to fit the bottom of the pan, then pour in the batter. This will also help remove the cake cleanly. For high cakes, you’ll want to still grease and flour sides of pans if specified.
Homemade Pan Grease:
You can buy Pan Grease or make your own. This is used as a substitute to greasing the pans then dusting them with flour when directed by the recipe to do so. Keep unused portion in an airtight container and refrigerate to use for your next batch of baking.
* Recipe #1: Mix 1 cup shortening (like Crisco), 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup vegetable oil and apply to baking pans evenly with a pastry brush.
* Recipe #2: 2 cups of Crisco and 1 cup of flour
Baking A Level Cake:
* Fill cake pans no more than 1/2 to 2/3 full to allow for even baking and rising.
* Once you’ve poured the batter in the pan, wobble the pan sideways a bit so the batter reaches up along each side (with the middle being slightly lower). As the cake bakes the middle and edges will meet and rise more evenly.
* If the cake rose high and uneven in the middle when baking, you may need to slice a bit off across the top so it’s level.
Oven Baking Tips:
* Preheat the oven first before starting to bake, make sure the rack is in the center of the oven (unless directed differently in the recipe) and keep pan in the center of the rack. If you’re baking more than one pan at a time, keep them at least 2 away from the walls of the oven and from each other.
Check For Doneness:
* Using a toothpick, wood skewer or a piece of raw spaghetti, test the cake for doneness by placing the toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done.
Problems With Cake Sticking To Pan:
* Place a thick, clean towel in the kitchen sink and pour a kettle of boiling hot water over the towel to heat it (don’t plug the sink to retain the water, allow it to drain out). Set the cake (still inside the pan) on the hot towel and leave it for a minute or two, the cake should turn out easily.
* Turn the cake over on a sheet of wax paper or a cooling rack. Place a clean, thin cotton towel on top of the cake pan and using a hot steam iron, heat the bottom of the pan for a few minutes. The pan should lift off cleanly.
* Cool the cakes in the pans completely before trying to remove them. Don’t cool on top of the stove where there’s heat, they’re best cooled on a rack on top of the counter. Gently insert a knife between the outside of the cake and the inside of the pan. Run it along the pan to loosen things up before turning over.
Angel Food Cake
* When the cake has finished baking, take it directly from the oven and place it upside down on the neck of a bottle. This will help prevent the angel food cake from falling as it cools. After 30 minutes, you can turn it over then remove from pan once cooled.
Frosting & Icing Tips:
* Don’t attempt to ice the cake until it’s completely cool. Dust the cake lightly with a pastry brush before frosting, helps reduce crumbs in the icing.
* First ice the cake with a thin layer of frosting, then refrigerate (covered). After an hour you can do a complete frosting job. This helps keep the crumbs at bay and your outer frosting layer should be crumb free.
* After frosting the cake, you can use a hair dryer to slightly melt the frosting. This will give the frosting a smooth, glossy look. If you prefer you can use a metal icing spatula or knife first heated by sitting in hot water, wipe dry, then use the heated knife to smooth the icing.
* Have a bag of chocolate chips on hand? Just sit the whole bag in a bowl of very hot water, and mush the bag up every couple of minutes until all the chocolate has melted and there are no lumps. Snip the corner of the bag and squeeze out the melted chocolate directly onto the cake.
* Have two favorite frostings and can’t decide which one to use on a layer cake? Try both! Spread one frosting on top of one layer, and spread the other on the bottom of the other layer (you’ll want to flip the bottom ‘up’ when frosting). Then put the layers together. The middle will have a delicious two-frosting surprise :). Can also use this technique when filling the layers with a combination of fruit and whipped cream or frosting.
* To help prevent a flaking or cracking frosting, add a pinch of baking soda when mixing the frosting.
* If icing is a bit too thin or runny, lightly dust the top of the cake with flour then spread the icing on top. This will help the icing hold to the cake.
* Quick Tip: Icing Cakes: For one layer cakes, turn the cake upside down before icing so that the top is perfectly flat and even. When icing two cake rounds or squares, place a layer of frosting on the top of one round, then place the other round upside down on top for a perfectly flat top.
* Easily Color Shredded Coconut: Shredded coconut can be a nice, decorative touch achieved easily. Simply put the coconut in a clean jar (only one half jar full at a time), add a few drops of food coloring in your choice of color, then cap the jar and shake it until all the coconut is evenly tinted.
Cutting Cake Tips:
* Heat a knife first before cutting a cake for crumble-free slices. To heat the knife, you can run the knife under very hot water then wipe dry with a clean towel.
* Use unwaxed dental floss to slice through the cake (great for the gooey or sticky cakes).
Keep Cut Cake Fresh:
Once you start slicing the cake, the exposed or cut sides can dry out quickly. Here’s a way to keep things fresh:
* Wrap the cut cake with a few slices of fresh apple or cubes of sugar or a slice of fresh bread set inside the cake pan (or in the open space of the cake plate). Make sure to store the cake in an airtight container or wrapped well in plastic wrap.
Miscellaneous Cake Baking Tips:
* Dust the cake holder or platter with a bit of confectioner’s sugar before placing the freshly baked cake on it, this will help keep the cake from sticking to the bottom.
* Use ingredients that are at room temperature, the butter soft but not melted or oily.
* When mixing sticky, goopy ingredients (molasses, honey, peanut butter), try spraying the measuring cups with non-stick spray first (just lightly). The ingredients will come out easier.
* You can make your own cake flour if necessary, simply add two level tablespoons of corn starch to a one cup measuring cup, then fill with bread flour. Sift three times then use as needed.
* Dust nuts and fruit with flour before adding to cake batter (via Fresh Apple Cake Recipe) or try toasting nuts first (Quick Tip: Freeze Nuts). You can also just sprinkle the nuts across the top of the batter instead of mixing them in, this way the nuts will toast while the cake bakes.
* Make Bigger Cakes From Mixes: To make a bigger cake from a mix, add 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp. baking powder.
* Quick Tip: Cleaning Cake & Pie Pan Edges
And finally–sometimes it seems the cakes you bake just never turn out right. Try running through this list to see if you can spot what the problem may be: Why a Cake Fails. A common problem is that the oven temperature isn’t true to what the dial says. Buy a thermometer, preheat your oven and test.
More tips you may find useful:
* Fruitcake Baking Tips
* Why a Cake Fails
* Quick Tip: Cleaning Cake & Pie Pan Edges
* How To Make A Cake Stand
* Quick Tip: Greaseless Griddle Cake
Posted in Pantry, Popular Tips | Add To This Tip ( 6 )
6 Responses to “43 Cake Baking Tips & Tricks”
1.
Kansas A
08 Oct 2007 at 6:01 pm
I have used the tip “Make bigger cakes from mixes” and it works great! I even printed out the tip and put it in my pantry where my cake mixes are located so I don’t have to hunt for it everytime I make a cake :)
2.
Sandra McKay
27 Nov 2007 at 5:08 pm
I would like to bake a one hundred dollar bill inside a loaf cake for one of my grandsons. Can you tell me how to accomplish this without destroying the bill? Could I protect it with aluminum foil? Do you know of a container made for the purpose of hiding money in baked goods?
3.
TipNut
27 Nov 2007 at 5:38 pm
Sandra I wouldn’t bake the cake with the bill inside. For one thing, money is filthy and it should be sealed in plastic if it’s going to be in a food item. Plastic will melt in the oven, ruin the cake.
What I would do if I were you:
* Bake a two layer cake or a loaf cake.
* Wrap the 100 dollar bill and seal in plastic.
* After the cake is baked and has cooled, cut the loaf cake in half (lengthwise) or remove a clean chunk of cake from the top middle.
* Plop the bill in between the layers or in the hole, whichever method you choose, then cover with the other half or the chunk you took out.
* Ice the cake to cover the “seam”.
You could also look up tips for “Mardi Gras King Cake”. These cakes have items hidden inside, but I don’t think they’re baked in the cake and are actually put in them after they’re done baking.
4.
45 Cooking & Baking Tips - A Collection Of Timeless Wisdom » TipNut.com
24 Mar 2008 at 9:08 am
[...] An ordinary funnel makes the best cooling rack for your tube cake pans. You’ll find another 43 Cake Baking Tips & Tricks here. [...]
5.
Gabrielle
26 Mar 2008 at 6:23 pm
I am doing an art project for school, for which I’d like to bake small puzzle pieces inside of cupcakes. Ceramic puzzle pieces are not an option, and I haven’t found any Sculpey-like clays that are suitable for actual use with food. Because they would be cupcakes, placed in liners, and only the top would be frosted, I’d like to actually bake the pieces inside the cupcake, not cut into it later and place it between the layers. Do you have any suggestions for a non-toxic, heat-proof material that can I use to make my puzzle?
6.
TipNut
27 Mar 2008 at 1:34 pm
Couldn’t you bake the cupcakes then make a vertical slit at the bottom to insert the puzzle pieces up into the cupcake? I think that would work Gabrielle and the cupcakes wouldn’t need to be cut in half or anything. It would be fussy, careful work to make sure the cupcakes aren’t squished or fall apart. It would depend on the size of the puzzle pieces too.
As for baking something inside the cupcake, I don’t have any ideas for what will work.
http://tipnut.com/recipe-for-preserving-children/
Recipe For Preserving Children
Picture of Happy Playing Child - Tipnut.com1 grass grown field, one half dozen children (or more), several dogs (and puppies if in season), 1 brook, pebbles.
Method: Into field pour children and dogs allowing to mix well. Pour brook over pebbles till slightly frothy. When children are nicely brown, cool in warm tub, when dry, serve with milk, fresh baked bread and cookies.
Author Unknown, found in old cookbook
Photo By: Fernando Weberich
More tips you may find useful:
* How To Grow Roses In Pots
* Thanksgiving In Prairie Mississippi
* How To Make A Plantation Doll
* Homemade Multigrain Energy Bars
* Free Printable Recipe Cards - A Nice Collection
Nutritional Difference: organic vs conventional
Date: Sat May 10, 2008 7:49 am ((PDT))
From part of a doctoral dissertation at Johns Hopkins University
http://www.ioia.net/images/pdf/orgvalue.pdf :
Organic nutrients vs conventional (overall comparisons; the mean %
difference):
VITAMIN C = 27% higher than conventional
IRON = 21.1% higher
MAGNESIUM = 29.3% higher
PHOSPHOROUS = 13.6% higher
As for specific veggies, the organic performed as follows (mean %
difference):
LETTUCE: 17% higher in both Vit. C and Iron, 29% higher in Magnesium,
14%
higher in Phosphorous.
SPINACH: 52% higher in Vit. C, 25% higher in Iron, 13% lower in
Magnesium,
14% higher in Phosphorous.
CARROT: 6% lower in Vit. C, 12% higher in Iron, 69% higher in
Magnesium, 13%
higher in Phosphorous.
POTATO: 22% higher in Vit. C, 21% higher in Iron, 5% higher in
Magnesium, no
difference in Phosphorous.
CABBAGE: 43% higher in Vit. C, 41% higher in Iron, 40% higher in
Magnesium,
22% higher in Phosphorous.
Another note of interest: Protein in organically grown cereal grains
was
found to be lower than in conventional, but was actually of a higher
quality.
Minerals are also considered. Overall, organic crops have more of all
21
minerals studied than do conventional. Those with the highest
differences
were Chromium (86% more), Iodine (49.8% more), and Selenium (37.2%
more).
Differences in the other minerals ranged from 10% to over 40% higher.
I’ve read many studies over the years that consistently point out
significant nutritional differences between organic and conventional
produce. (This is just one that I found quickly.) Hence, I very much
wish to
make the soil in my containers, the “food” for my food, as healthy and
rich
as possible. I figure my tomato plant, stuck in a pot, IS what it eats
just
as I am what I eat.
My search turned up this 13-page long pdf document that compiles the
results
of many studies and is the source of the numbers at the top of this
post.
http://www.ioia.net/images/pdf/orgvalue.pdf
(This paper is “an extension of a work performed as part of doctoral
dissertation at Johns Hopkins University”.)
It breaks down the differences in nutritional content for a number of
nutrients, from vitamin C to a generous array of minerals. It also
provides
the names of the numerous studies it analyzed, as well as lots of other
very
interesting information.
A less technical article that mentions the above paper as well as a
study
that showed antioxidants are higher in organic produce than in
conventional
can be found here:
http://tinyurl.com/lh5pw (from the San Francisco Chronicle, Mar.
2006). It
mentions that the documented general loss of nutrients in conventional
produce over the last 50 to 60 years is usually made up for in the
organic
produce. As for the antioxidants, in 85% of the data points, organic
produce
had higher levels. Overall, the average level was 30% higher.
This article also explains why the heavy chemical fertilization used to
push
a plant to “grow big fast” interferes with its ability to produce, for
example, Vitamin C.
It also states that organic plants tend to have larger root-balls,
which
allow greater absorption of nutrients.
On another note, “natural foods”, at least in the US, means absolutely
nothing. Stores here that sell “natural meat”, for example, admitted
when I
asked the meat department this past week, that while these animals were
not,
as claimed, routinely fed antibiotics nor growth hormones, they were
indeed
fed a diet of GMO crops.
There is absolutely no distinction in my state of “natural” fruits and
veggies. Even many (but not all) organic ones are coated with wax.
This I
verified with the produce manager at Whole Foods a couple of weeks ago,
who
said carnauba is used on some of their produce (both organic and not) -
particularly things like out of season apples. At least it is not
petroleum-based wax.
Another resource: when I do a Google search on the
http://organicconsumers.org
http://organicconsumers.org/
website,
(with
the words: nutrition conventional vs organic), there are over a
thousand
returns.
And that’s all the time I have for research today. :)
Ellabella
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ediblecontainergardens/
ABM HINTS AND TIPS
ABM HINTS AND TIPS
a.. Your new ABM- Where to begin
a.. Advice about recipes
—— Size
—— Bread machine recipes
—— Adapting conventional recipes for your machine
—— Liquids
a.. Other Ingredients
Including:
—— yeast............................—— honey, fat
—— flour.............................—— cinnamon
—— gluten...........................—— commercial bread boost
—— ginger...........................—— lemon juice
—— salt...............................—— raisins, dried fruits, nuts
a.. Order in Which to Place Ingredients in the Machine
a.. Delayed Start Feature
a.. Crust and Crumb
a.. Bread Machine Books
Your new ABM- Where to begin...
When you first get the machine, the best thing to do is read the manual! (Later,
after you’ve made a few loaves, read the manual AGAIN, highlighting things you’d
forget with a yellow marker.) Then try an “easy” loaf- either plain white bread
recipe or use a good-quality bread machine mix. Pay attention to the dough.
After the mixing starts, it will form one cohesive ball. As the kneading
continues, the ball will get smoother- it will not crack (too little liquid) nor
will it smear on the bottom or sides of the pan (too much liquid). If you touch
it (go ahead, it’s ok!) the surface will feel slightly tacky. If you poke it, it
will give a little.
If your first loaf doesn’t turn out good, first go to the “troubleshooting”
section in your manual and try to figure out what went wrong. Then definitely
get a mix (perhaps from another store in case the whole batch was bad) and try
again. If it still doesn’t work, call the company. If you can’t get any help,
bring the darn thing back. Get another model of the same machine, if you like,
or another brand if you can. Don’t waste your time with a machine that doesn’t
work with an easy bread!
Getting the paddle out: (of the finished bread, of course)! Just stick a
chopstick in the hole in the paddle and pull it out of the bread.
Advice About Recipes
a.. Size. A recipe that calls for 2-1/2 c or so of flour will give a small (1
lb) loaf; 3 c flour is a medium/large loaf (1-1/2 lb). Some machines make 2 lb
loaves but most recipes give the 1 lb and/or 1-1/2 lb versions.
a.. Bread machine recipes. Recipes for other bread machines might need to be
adjusted for yours, the most common adjustment being in the ratio of liquid to
flour. For bread machines, it is best to keep the flour constant and adjust the
liquid. Use the recipes in your manual as a starting point. The guide that I use
for my Toastmaster is 1 c liquid to 3 c white bread flour. If I see a recipe
with more liquid than that (including eggs) I hold back about 1/4 c and watch
the dough. If it does indeed need more, I add it a tablespoon at a time. If the
recipe is still too wet, I carefully add flour. Keep note of any additions so
the next time you can get it right from the start. After the kneading stops,
watch the dough for a while. If it spreads out in the pan bottom, there was too
much liquid and the finished bread probably have a sunken top. Your manual will
tell you other symptoms of too much liquid. Next time cut the liquid back
further.
a.. Conventional bread recipes. I haven’t had any trouble converting for use in
my bread machine. Often the conventional recipes will call for approximately 5-6
c flour for two loaves of bread. I just cut the recipe in half using 3 c of
flour and adjust the other ingredients the best I can, often by comparing to a
similar bread machine recipe that I know works. As mentioned above, I also
reduce the liquid disproportionately the first time I make it. If the recipe
calls for less than one egg just add a whole egg and cut down on the other
liquid even further. Most recipes will work with your machine’s basic cycle but
if the bread has more sugar or honey than usual, or if the bread rises but not
as much as it should, you might try using another cycle such as the sweet cycle.
a.. More about liquid. Other things that will affect the amount of liquid for
the dough include:
- the humidity in the air. Some, not all, recipes are affected. I have had a
tried-and-true potato bread recipe overflow the pan in the summer due to the
humidity
- the moisture content of the flour and/or whether the flour has settled. The
amount of liquid seems to vary from brand to brand of flour, and even season.
- use of delayed start feature. My manual says to cut down on the liquid by 1
T if the delay feature is used. This is a good idea, as I found out by
experience! Remember, bread with too much liquid will rise too much.
Other Ingredients
Read your manual for general advice about ingredients. These are my impressions
and opinions.
a.. Yeast. Some people get passionate about the yeast used. I have tried the
major brands- SAF, Fleishmann’s, and Red Star, and variations on each- active,
dry (the foil packets in the grocery store), instant (also sold as “bread
machine yeast”), and others. I suppose if I took one basic white recipe and ran
a number of controlled tests, I might detect differences. The fact is, I haven’t
seen any remarkable differences that I could attribute with certainty to the
brand of yeast. I’m not denying that other people might; maybe their source of
one yeast is more reliable than their source for another so they often get bad
batches of brand X. In particular, I’ve read people who claim Red Star or SAF is
better than Fleischmann’s. But I’ve used Fleischmann’s in foil packets, in jars,
and now in bulk from King Arthur and never had any trouble. As always, YMMV.
a.. Flour and gluten. For most breads, you should use bread flour. It has a
higher protein content, which forms more gluten during kneading. However, I have
made bread with all-purpose flour and prefer it once in a while. The bread
doesn’t rise as high, but it certainly rises. The bread is denser and not as
fluffy. So we’re not talking about the difference between rousing success and
abject failure here (at least not with the flours available in the U.S.); to my
way of thinking, it’s just different. If you can’t get bread flour and your
bread doesn’t rise enough, try adding gluten (vital gluten, available at health
food stores). You will need about 1 tsp per cup of all-purpose flour and 1-1/2
tsp per cup of whole wheat flour. By the way, you can also make bread with 100%
whole wheat flour. It won’t rise very much, but it is good in it’s own way. You
can add gluten, as above, to increase the rise and soften the texture. Mixing it
with bread flour is another way to go.
a.. Brands of flour. There probably are differences but the only thing I’ve
noticed is that I have to adjust the amount of liquid depending on the brand.
The most extreme example was for A&P’s America’s Choice all-purpose flour for
which case I had to add over 1/2 c extra flour for a given amount of liquid! (I
weighed several cups of flour and the weight was the same as other brands.) Many
people swear by King Arthur bread flour. I found a bag locally and tried it;
didn’t seem to be remarkable. Again, I’m sure if I made a basic white bread with
various brands of flour and compared them side-by-side I could detect a
difference (it won’t be a big one, that’s for sure). But with most of the
whole/multi-grain and flavored breads it probably doesn’t matter in the flavor.
(Of course, as I don’t notice differences among yeast or flour, it might just be
that I’m not as discerning as other people!)
a.. Honey, fat (oil, butter). In addition to providing flavor, these ingredients
will help keep the bread fresh for a longer period than without.
a.. Cinnamon. The manual for my machine says too much cinnamon inhibits yeast.
Something to consider if your cinnamon bread doesn’t rise much.
a.. Ginger. Rumor has it that a little ginger (1/4 tsp/loaf) enhances yeast
action. I haven’t seen any authoritative word on this though.
a.. Lemon juice. Contains vitamin C (ascorbic acid) which works as a so-called
dough conditioner. My Toastmaster manual calls for it in most of the recipes, so
I use it. Pillsbury and Gold Medal bread flours have ascorbic acid already (read
the bag!).
a.. Commercial “bread boost”. Has gluten, ascorbic acid, and perhaps another
additive. It’s awfully expensive and fortunately, I see no need for it myself
since I’m satisfied with the rising of my bread. The sourdough bread boost was
interesting though in containing sourdough solids for flavor.
a.. Salt. Controls yeast activity (you don’t want them to run out of steam
before the second rising!). Don’t increase it much, but you can leave it out of
most recipes if you need to. If the bread rises too much, cut back on the yeast
a little next time.
a.. Raisins, dried fruits, nuts. Most ABM will pulverize these during the
kneading process so they are added at a later point to minimize this effect.
Some machines will beep when it’s time to add the fruit or nuts. Mine doesn’t
but I just set a timer to go off 10 minutes before the end of the second
kneading, i.e., I set the timer for 30-35 minutes as soon as I start the
machine. If you find that the fruit or nuts don’t get picked up and incorporated
into the dough, next time make the dough a bit softer... i.e. add a little more
liquid.
Order in Which to Place Ingredients in the Machine
Your manual will suggest that you place the dry ingredients in first with the
yeast on the bottom in a pile (older and lesser used method) or to put the
liquid ingredients in first, then the flour and other dry ingredients, with the
yeast on the top. The important thing is to keep the yeast away from the liquid
and the salt until the bread-making begins; this is especially important when
the machine won’t start mixing the dough for several hours. I follow the
liquids-first-then-dry method, but instead of putting the sugar and salt on top
of the flour, I add them to the liquid. I’ve never had problems with
inconsistently rising loaves. In a discussion on rec.food.cooking, someone
mentioned that they did have rising problems until they switched from placing
the salt on top of the flour to adding it to the liquid under the flour. It is
likely that this method helps dilute and distribute the salt to that it doesn’t
hit the yeast in a mass all at once. So I recommend placing ingredients in the
pan in the following order:
a.. liquid (milk, water)
b.. eggs, oils, melted or softened butter
c.. salt, sugars (including honey, molasses)
d.. dried orange or lemon peel
e.. whole wheat flour
f.. bread flour or all-purpose flour
g.. dried milk
h.. dried herbs, dried flavorings, seeds, scattered around the edges
i.. yeast in a shallow well in the flour, in the center
Delayed Start Feature
This is a great innovation. It allows you to put the ingredients in the machine
in the morning and have hot bread waiting for you when you get home, or to put
the ingredients in the pan at night and wake up to hot bread. I do advise that
you:
- reduce the amount of liquid by 1 T when using delayed-start
- use only a tried-and-true recipe; this is not the time to experiment!
- even with tried and true recipes, test a new batch of flour first to make
sure the amount of liquid will be OK
- be especially careful when the inside atmosphere changes from dry to humid.
For example some (but not all) recipes will require less liquid in the summer
compared to winter, especially when heating systems dry out the air.
- have a machine with a “cool down” or “keep warm” feature so the bread
doesn’t get soggy if you can’t remove it from the machine as soon as it’s done
(what if you don’t get home on time?).
Crust and Crumb
My machine makes perfect crust for me. The nature of the crust will depend on
the recipe: a typical white bread will have a thin and crispy crust, that with
whole wheat will be a bit thicker and tougher. I have read complaints from
owners of other machines that the crust of their bread is too thick and tough.
I’m not sure what the difference is- perhaps the timer, heat, or even thickness
of the bread pan. You will find that the crust can be softened if you like by
putting the cooled bread in a plastic bag. Leaving the bread out in the air (cut
side down to keep it fresh) will keep the crust crispy. The crumb will also
depend on the ingredients- flour, milk, eggs, fat, gluten, etc. will all affect
the density of the crumb as well as its tenderness and fluffiness.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ABM-recipes/message/10173
This recipe is from the web site www.RecipeLand.com.
Do not bookmark this page, use: http://www.recipeland.com/recipe/2647/
Cake Bread for Bread machine
A simple bread machine recipe that will have you making a scrumptious and moist bread your whole family will enjoy!
Categories: Breadmaker and Bread Machines, Cake, Yeast
Yield: 15 servings
Rating: Rate this recipe
Reviews Review this recipe!
Ingredients
1 pk rapid rise yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pk yellow cake mix, (about 1 cup)
2 1/2 cup bread flour
2 tablespoon butter
1 1/4 cup very warm water
Directions:
Some people use the Jiffy mix. I’ve also used this mix, and last
time, I used the Duncan Hines yellow cake mix. I liked it just a bit
more than the Cakebread with Jiffy. I simply stored the leftover mix
for my next loaf.
Add ingredients to bread machine following manufacturers directions.
[granny note: I have made one that might have been this recipe, it was ok, and I always meant to see what happened with more cake mix and less flour, almond flavoring and nutmeg...........one of these days....granny]
Portuguese Sweet Bread ABM
2/3 cup milk
1 eggs
1 1/2 Tbsp butter or margarine
3 tbsps sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups bread Flour
2 tsp yeast
Add ingredients in order recommended for your machine. Light setting.
Wonderful for melted cheese sandwiches.
http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/bread-machine-recipes/index.htm
Orange Spice Bread
2 teaspoons yeast
3 cups bread flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
peel from 1 large or 2 med oranges, grated
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
5 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
Bake on light setting if available. Let cool. If desired, top bread with a glaze of 1/4c powdered sugar and enough orange juice to make a glaze.
http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/bread-machine-recipes/index.htm
Hawaiian Sweet Bread
(using ABM to mix dough)
1 cup warm water
5 tbsp. white sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. powdered milk
2 tbsp. instant potato flakes
3 tsp. yeast
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. lemon extract
2 eggs
4 tbsp. butter or margarine
Measure ingredients into the bread machine in the order suggested by the machine’s manufacturer. Set machine for dough.
Place dough in a 9x5-in. loaf pan. Bake in a preheated 350ºF. oven for about 30 minutes. Crust should be golden and bread should sound hollow when thumped.
This recipe yields a 2 lb. loaf.
Comments: Flavorful, light sweet bread that is great by itself, or for french toast and summer sandwiches.
AUTHOR: DSredTX
http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/bread-machine-recipes/index.htm
Custard Rice Pudding
1/4 cup rice — uncooked
2 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup raisins
cinnamon and/or nutmeg
2 cups water
Cook rice according to package directions.
Beat together eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla, and milk. Stir in rice and raisins.
Put in 1-quart baking dish that will fit in your slow cooker. Sprinkle with nutmeg and/or cinnamon. Cover with foil and set on metal trivet or a canning jar ring in bottom of slow cooker. Pour water around casserole.
Cover cooker. Cook on high for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until set. Serve warm or cold.
http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/dessert-crock-pot-recipes/index.htm
Pineapple Bread Pudding
1 cup margarine or butter softened
2 15 1/4 ounce cans unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
5 cups toasted bread cubes
8 eggs
chopped pecans, optional
whipped cream, optional
In a bowl, beat margarine, sugar and cinnamon with an electric mixer. Add eggs and beat until fluffy. Fold pineapple and bread cubes into the creamed mixture. Pour into the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Before serving top with chopped pecans and whipped topping if desired. Serve warm.
http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/dessert-crock-pot-recipes/index.htm
Cherry Crisp
21 ounce can cherry pie filling
1/2 cup quick oats
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/3 cup softened butter
Spray crock with Pam. Pour cherry pie filling in crockpot. Combine oats, brown sugar, flour, white sugar and butter. Cut butter in with a fork to make a crumb mixture; sprinkle over filling. Cook on low 5 hours.
http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/dessert-crock-pot-recipes/index.htm
Bisquick Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Orange Sauce
4 1/2 cups Original Bisquick
1 1/3 cups milk
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup raisins
2 1/2 cups milk
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 eggs
1 1/2 baked medium sweet potatoes, mashed, or 1 can (15 ounces) vacuum-pack
sweet potatoes, drained and mashed
Sauce (recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Stir Bisquick and 1 1/3 cups milk in large bowl
until soft dough forms. Place on surface sprinkled with Bisquick. Knead 10
times. Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or
until golden brown. Break each biscuit into 4 to 5 pieces.
Butter rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. Spread biscuit pieces in pan. Sprinkle
with pecans and raisins. Beat remaining ingredients except sweet potatoes and
Sauce in large bowl on low speed until blended; beat in sweet potatoes. Pour
into pan. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, but no longer than 8 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir mixture in pan. Bake about 1 hour or until
top is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve
warm with Sauce. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pudding.
Sauce
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 egg yolks, beaten
Heat all ingredients in a 2-quart saucepan over low heat 5 to 10 minutes,
stirring constantly with wire whisk, until slightly thickened. (Use of wire
whisk is necessary for success of recipe.) Serve warm over pudding. Cover and
refrigerate any remaining sauce.
AUTHOR: blondie2
http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/dessert-crock-pot-recipes/index.htm
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