I'll admit it! I've always had trouble folding fitted sheets! There! My secret is out! It's a skill I just never have mastered. However, the folks at Living On A Dime (their books are great by the way), have created a video featuring Jill Cooper showing an EASY way to have neatly folded fitted sheets in the linen closet! Check this out.
They have other how-to videos as well...so check them out too! In fact, here's another video from Living On A Dime featuring Tawra Kellam (Jill's daughter) showing how to make homemade laundry detergent! Happy Homemaking!
In my post yesterday, I can't believe I left out a very important substitution...one that I use constantly. So I decided this ingredient needed its very own post! LOL
If you are out of self rising flour...no problem. Just add 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. baking powder to one cup of all purpose flour, mix, and voile...you have self-rising flour! Easy as pie...or cake...or biscuits...or muffins...or....you fill in the blank! LOL
Coming up soon...fall cleaning and decorating our home for autumn!
I'm the Queen of Substitution when I cook, and I've found the information below to be helpful. In fact, I taped the following chart into my bake center for quick reference. I thought some of you might appreciate this information too!
Emergency Kitchen Substitutions
1 egg = 1 T. cornstarch and 3 T. water or
1 egg = 1 T. water + 2 T. corn oil
1 tsp. baking powder = 1/4 tsp. baking soda and 1/2 cup buttermilk
1 c. cake flour = 1 cup minus 2 T. all-purpose flour
1 T. cornstarch = 2 T. flour (as thickener)
1 cake compressed yeast = 1 pkg. or 2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 c. whole milk = 1/2 c. evaporated milk + 1/2 c. water
1 c. whole milk = 1 c. reconstituted milk + 2 1/2 tsp. butter
1 c. buttermilk = 1 c. milk + 1 T. lemon juice or vinegar
1 whole egg = 2 egg yolks
1 square unsweetened chocolate = 3 T. cocoa + 1 T. butter
1 T. fresh herbs = 1 tsp. dried herbs
1 small fresh onion = 1 T. instant minced onion
1 tsp. dry mustard = 1 T. prepared mustard
1 clove garlic = 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 c. tomato juice = 1/2 c. tomato sauce + 1/2 c. water
1 c. ketchup = 1 c. tomato sauce, 1/2 c. sugar and 2 T. vinegar (cooking only)
juice of one lemon = 3 T. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar = 1 tsp. lemon juice
1 c. commerical sour cream = 1 c. yogurt
medium apple = 1 c. chopped
1 lb. cheese = 4 c. shredded
4 oz. macaroni = 1 to 1 1/4 c. dried macaroni noodles
Grain to Flour or Flakes Measurements
2/3 c. grain = 1 c. flour
1 c. oat groats = 2 c. flakes
3 c. flour = 1 lb. flour, approximately
1 c. rye berries = 2 c. flakes
2 1/4 c. wheat berries = 1 lb. wheat = approximately 3 3/4 c. flour
A 6-gal. bucked of wheat berries will yield approximately 158 c. ground flour
2 1/2 c. whole corn = 1 lb. corn = 4 1/4 c. ground cornmeal
A few kitchen hints
Trouble with all your popcorn kernels popping? Store popcorn in the fridge or freezer before popping!
Soup too salty? Add chopped raw potatoes while warming to absorb the salt, then discard them.
Cauliflower steamed with a wedge of lemon will be less bitter.
Overboil tea? Add a pinch of baking soda immediately to remove bitterness.
When honey starts to harden and sugar, set the container outdoors in direct sunlight on a warm, sunny day. The honey should return to its natural state, but it may take several days. Or place honey jar in a double boiler with water. Boil gently until honey thins.
Maple syrup can be substituted for granulated sugar in most recipes. Use
1 1/2 c. maple syrup for each 1 c. granulated sugar. Add 1/4 tsp. soda for each cup of syrup used as well.
To determine whether an egg is fresh, place it in a glass of water. If it sinks...it's fresh!
When pieces of broken eggshell fall into the bowl of eggs, scoop them out with a large piece of eggshell. Works like a magnet!
Oatmeal flakes can be used to thicken soups.
Ever wondered what a 'dash' of something is? A dash is always less than
1/8 tsp!
Healthier Sugar Substitutes:
1 c. refined sugar equals:
~1 c. raw sugar
~1 c. brown sugar
~1/2 c. honey
~1/2 c. molasses
~1/2 c. sorghum
~1 1/2 c. maple syrup
Don't you just hate it when you get ready to break those spaghetti noodles into a pot of boiling water and pieces of noodles go all over the place? Well, I have a solution for you! My friend Lori taught me this handy-dandy little trick. Bend the sealed box of pasta against the edge of a countertop in order to break the noodles in half...then open the box and pour the broken pieces into the pot. Voila! No more mess!
I'm a very happily married pastor's wife, former schoolteacher-turned-homeschool mom of six wonderful blessings, and freelance writer--and we live in the great state of Georgia! I'm a southern girl through and through...but most importantly, I'm a child of the King! We have just finished up our twelfth year of homeschooling, and our two oldest have now graduated! This is my place to record thoughts about homemaking, Classical-Charlotte Mason based homeschooling, writing around the fringes of family life, and more...so welcome to my little corner of the world!
