Cold weather tips

To keep your vehicle locks from freezing, dab a little petroleum jelly (like Vaseline) on your keys and move them in and out of the keyholes of your house and car. This saves the locks from freezing.

On a windy day, hold a tissue next to closed doors, windows, fixtures and electrical outlets. If it blows, you know you have an air leak.


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



Save clean up work and time

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



Save time and work in making several types of cookies with one batch of batter

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


Maple Glazed Carrots

So tasty and quick, yet healthy.

Maple-Glazed Carrots

Hands-On Time: 15m | Total Time: 30m

     2 lbs             Carrots

     1/3 cup       Water

1/4 cup            Maple syrup

2 Tbl.              Unsalted butter (you can also used salted)

½ tsp.              Kosher salt

¼ tsp.              Black pepper

In a large skillet or kettle, combine the carrots, syrup, butter, water, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, stirring once, until the carrots are tender and the liquid has reduced to a glaze, 12 to 15 minutes. (If the carrots are tender before the liquid has thickened, uncover, increase heat to medium-high, and cook until the liquid forms a glaze.)

8 servings

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

Substitute for poultry seasoning

If you want to use poultry seasoning and do not have any, you can make your own – this will yield 1 teaspoon of seasoning:

3/4 teaspoon rubbed sage plus /4 teaspoon dried thyme or marjoram.

Thanks for using my website. If you have any questions or are looking for someone to do enhanced food demos, I can be reached via my e-mail: creativecook@sbcglobal.net.

Lydia Critchley

Replacement for brown sugar

I Tablespoon molasses (regular or light is fine) added to granulated sugar to make a total of 1 cup is a great money saver when baking cookies, cakes, etc. If more or less is needed, adjust accordingly. That is what brown sugar is made of that you purchase in the store – check the ingredients on the bag or box. This way you do not need to worry about keeping it soft too.

If you brown sugar does get hard, moisten the inside of the canister lid and replace it on the canister and it will re-moisten the brown sugar. I prefer this method. Some people use a slice of white bread or a quarter of apple or a special clay bear that you moisten and add to the canister.

Creative Cooking

By

Lydia Critchley

608-240-9773

creativecook@sbcglobal.net

www.creativecookingbylydia.com


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Replacement for brown sugar

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Carrots with Green Grapes

CARROTS WITH GREEN GRAPES

1 pkg. (14 oz.)            Frozen tiny whole carrots

OR

14 oz.                          Fresh whole carrots, pared and sliced in large pieces

2 Tbl.                          Margarine or butter

2 cups                         Seedless green grapes

1/2 cup                       Sour cream

1/4 cup                       Brown sugar

Cook the carrots until desired tenderness (don’t over cook), drain.

Melt margarine or butter in 10-inch skillet, over medium high heat.  Add carrots.  Sauté until heated through.

Add grapes.  Remove from heat.

Blend sour cream and brown sugar and pour over carrots and grapes.

Yield:  4 servings

Creative Cooking By Lydia Critchley

608-240-9773

creativecook@sbcglobal.net

www.creativecookingbylydia.com

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Peanut Butter Playdough

PEANUT BUTTER PLAYDOUGH

 3/4 cup                        Peanut butter

3/4 cup                        Toasted wheat germ

1/4 cup                        Honey

1/4 cup                        Powdered milk

Decoration:     Raisins, nuts, sunflower seeds, coconut, etc.

 

Put peanut butter, wheat germ, honey, and powdered milk in a small bowl and mix them together thoroughly.  Shape the playdough as desired.  Set out raisins, nuts, sunflower seeds, coconut, etc. for decorating the dough.

 

Yield:              6 servings, 3 tablespoons each

 

Hint:                To save money, purchase raw wheat germ instead of toasted, and toast it yourself in a dry, hot skillet.

Creative Cooking by Lydia, LLC

608-358-7880

creativecook@sbcglobal.net

How to measure unsifted flour

Use the scoop level method (using a scoop or spoon lightly place flour into a measuring cup that you can level off the top, then level with the edge of a knife.  Then for every cup used, remove 1 Tablespoon of flour to adjust measurement for the sifting that was not done by the manufacturer. Many organic, unbleached, un-bromated flours are not pre-sifted.

Creative Cooking by Lydia, LLC

608-358-7880

creativecook@sbcglobal.net

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