Helpful hints from the pros...

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purplegoanna, Aug 2, 9:55pm
Garlic & Onion: after chopping dont use hot water to wash the smell of your fingers at the warmth cooks the smell into your skin pores, use a little dishwash and cold water.

purplegoanna, Aug 2, 9:57pm
i use my lemon rinds to make lemoncillo so all my juice goes into freezer trays for winter or summertime drinks, i icecube of lemon juice makes a perfect winter lemon honey with a Tbsp of honey...

lala2, Aug 2, 10:12pm
To get the smell of garlic of your fingers rub them along your stainless steel kitchen sink.
Buy the large jar of tomato puree rather then the smaller ones as it works out cheaper, freeze into cubes and put in plastic bags in freezer.

lala2, Aug 2, 10:14pm
Save the crumbs that are always in the bottom of the weet bix box to make up muslie bars .

trading_gibsons, Aug 2, 10:23pm
I make up a mixture of:
1/3 cupcornflour
2/3 cupplain flour
2 tspnbaking powder
1/4 tspn salt
3 tblspns milkpowder

makes up a crispy batter, I store in a jar & mix water to right consistency when needed. (can increase recipe if you want)

ferita, Aug 2, 10:27pm
When you run out of breacrumbs for crumbing fish etc you can use crush cornflakes instead.

elliehen, Aug 2, 11:13pm
Don't throw organic kitchen waste into the trash or a wastemaster. If you are too busy to compost in bins, start a trench anywhere on your section by turning over one or two spadefuls of earth. Each time you deposit the kitchen peelings, turn over the next clods of earth onto your offerings and create the next hole.

purplegoanna, Aug 2, 11:17pm
or crushed up nacho corn ships. .

earthangel4, Aug 2, 11:18pm
Thankyou so much for this thread, its awesome.

fisher, Aug 2, 11:28pm
Rosemary Sprigs. :
Real handy herb... cut the woody base part and use that for resting your roast etc on. . strip the top young leaves and fine chop. .
Make a garni of rosemary sprigs, parsley and thyme stalks and use a wire tie to make a brush. . small marmite type jar with olive oil and soak the "brush" in the oil. . use the brush to baste over steak, s chooks, rotisseriemeat on the BBQ or in the oven when turning the veges...

fisher, Aug 2, 11:36pm
Smoker:
No big smoker to smoke your wares. . no small portable smoker. . don't worry make your own. .
Take a 1 metre length of tin foil and fold in half. . now fold in half again which shoul leave you a piece 250 long. . fold over three of the edges leaving one open. . on "one half", pierce a hole the size of a pencil through the middle. . now fill your pocket with a little manuka sawdust, some rosemary sprigs, some thyme or whatever herb that suits the dish you want smoked. . eg sage for pork, rosemary for beef, tarragon for chicken and so on. . now simply roll up the last end to seal all 4 sides. . gently shake from side to side to spread the contents over the foil base and your ready to go. . you can make one tow or three of these if you want. . simply place these foil pockets over the BBQ flames (grill side) and close the lid of your hooded BBQ. . if you dont have a hooded BBQ, use an old roasting dish to retain the smoke to add a nice subtle smoky flavour...

fisher, Aug 2, 11:44pm
kob. . great idea re post #22... being small "handbag" size it could be 2 or maybe even 3 pages that size... One other thing... I do ALL the grocery shopping so know EXACTLY what's in my pantry etc. . If you go to the same shops time after time, week after week, you could make a hand written list "AS YOU SHOP" initially, say for about 4 shopping times. . this should give you a very good overall shopping list IN ORDER you place them in your trolley in the supermarket. . Can then be laminated. .

trading_gibsons, Aug 2, 11:47pm
I had it on a A4, printed (when folded in half) with shopping list on front, inside -thing to do, next page-bills to pay, back page- amounts in bank accounts, so iIhad all info at easy glance

fisher, Aug 2, 11:51pm
Ellihen post #32. . Garden trench as suggested. . compost bin. . or worm farm. . I have just started 2 worm farms and selected scraps for my babies :} are used whereas the balance goes into my compost bin. .
Its the reason we never installed a waste disposal in the new house. .
Recycle all that goodness. .

fisher, Aug 2, 11:52pm
great Idea trading_gibsons... you know you can come home then with ALL the tasks required completed...

fisher, Aug 3, 12:00am
Stock:
I know I have mentioned this time and time again but it really is so easy. . All the best nutrients and flavours are in the skins...
After you have peeled all your veges for dinner, throw them all in a pot with some water and a bay leaf or two. . grab the old cabbage leaves, celery tops that look a bit wizened in the fridge and chuck them in as well. . whatever you can find. . top up with water, lid on and boil for about 30ish mins. . half way through top up with hot water... Now simply strain off the juice for a great vege stock base you can use for that crockpot dish, casserole or for that extra flavour instead of using water in a recipe... Not hard and it saves money... Keeps well in the fridge or freeze it if you have too much. .
Just add some chicken or beef stock to this vege stock for those dishes that require these stocks. .

nauru, Aug 3, 1:54am
I wrap mine in lunch wrap and keep it in a box in the fridge. It keeps very well that way. I do the same with my spring onions too.

nauru, Aug 3, 1:57am
Also rub your soapy hands over the SS sink, that gets rid of the smell. Much cheaper than these expensive SS soaps available.

nauru, Aug 3, 1:58am
Would you share your lemomcillo recipe pls?

lizab, Aug 3, 2:19am
whenever I make scone mix or crumble for fruit in the food processor, I always make double or triple and freeze the dry mixture in a ziplock bag with notes on what else to add and how to bake. Both remain crumbly when frozen.

kob, Aug 3, 2:20am
Fisher my kist is in shops aisles so i can start at the top and work my way down, I do all the shopping too but it doesnt make me remember what i have in the pantry and i was forever buying double ups thats why i list them now on a note on my pantry I can see what i need to order and at a glance i can see how many i have.

kob, Aug 3, 2:22am
toothpaste is great for getting smells off your hands, garlic , fish onions from pickling, its the best thing out

purplegoanna, Aug 3, 2:34am
i no longer have 'a' recipe basically use good vodka large bottle , and then add lemon peel, (try your best not to get the white pith just the fine layer of peel) make sure your peel is at least halfway up in the bottle of vodka, save for 3mths, give it a shake weekly, at the end drain into a bowl and then put vodka back into the bottle, i make up a mix on the stove with plain vodka and 2c sugar and heat until sugar has disolved, when cool add syrup to your bottle lemon vodka, i like to leave it another week turning daily, when required put lemoncillo in freezer (it will not freeze) and serve in super chilled shots glasses on special occasions or with lemonade for a refreshing summer sprizter

rainrain1, Aug 3, 6:21am
And for cleaning your jewellery

kirinesha, Aug 3, 6:26am
Freeze homemade stock in all different sized containers so you don't have to defrost a big container for the sake of a few tbsps.