When making scalloped potatoes, add sliced carrots for more color and nutrition.

To add flavor to canned wax beans, brown a few tablespoons of butter in a hot skillet and add to the drained beans plus a bit of salt and pepper.

Zucchini bread is pretty with chopped dried apricots added instead of raisins.

To add flavor to white cakes, add a tiny bit of orange extract to the batter.

To add flavor to lentil soup, substitute salsa for half of the tomatoes.

Barbecued beef sandwiches are better with a topping of shredded lettuce, slivers of green pepper and a sprinkling of sugar.

To thicken and add flavor to your chili, add a can of re-fried beans.

When making fried potato patties out of leftover mashed potatoes stir in pancake mix instead of flour. It will lighten their texture.

If your cutting board does not have groves to collect juices, place the cutting board in a baking pan with sides, like a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with sides so when you carve meat the juices will collect in the pan. This makes it easy to save them and to clean up quickly.

Thanks. for visiting my website. You can contact me with any questions of if you are looking for someone to do enhanced food demos, via my e-mail: creativecook@sbcglobal.net.

Lydia Critchley

You can save time and still make a variety of cookies for bake sales, large gatherings or holidays by making a large batch of basic refrigerator cookie dough and then do any of the following:

Make a log with the dough and refrigerate it. Slice some to make round cookies and top with colored sugars or topping of your choice.

Roll some into balls and coat them with coconut or chopped nuts.

Use a portion for Thumbprint cookies.

Wrap some around fillings like dates, cherries and candies.

Use some to form various shapes and frost as desired.

Thanks. for visiting my website. You can contact me with any questions of if you are looking for someone to do enhanced food demos, via my e-mail: creativecook@sbcglobal.net.

Lydia Critchley