If you use a breadmaking machine as I do, here are a few tips that help me. Firstly, once a week I measure out my dry ingredients in large recycled (coffee) jars so I have enough bread mixes to last me a week. (It saves me having to measure out the ingredients every day and cover myself in flour!) I measure out a cup of flour with my measuring 'spoon'.

Now here's a great little tip, use the bottom end of a 2 litre empty lemonade/cola bottle to pour the contents in the jar. Cut a washed and dried empty plastic bottle about 4 inches from the bottom with a pair of scissors. Now use this as your scoop. Put a cup of flour inside the scoop then gently squeeze it so the flour just slides into the jar.

My bread requires 2 cups of flour but only put a cup of flour in at a time. Now when each of your jars has the flour inside measure out the rest of your ingredients. For my wholemeal loaves; that is 2 x tablespoons of sugar, 2 x tablespoons of dried milk powder and 1 teaspoon of salt. Always put the teaspoon of dried yeast in lastly.

For extra vitamins in your bread, I add either poppy seeds or dry-fried sesame seeds I had prepared earlier and put a teaspoon of either or both in the flour mixes. I have also added onion powders for my cheesy bread or any variations of herbs for delicious herby bread.

Now for the wet ingredients. I add one cup of warm water to the bread machine's baking tin and 2 x tablespoons of oil. When I add the second tablespoon I drop some on my fingers and I smear the sides of the tin with the oil. Makes the bread easier to remove when baked and cooled.

If I want a loaf, now all I do is add the water and oil to the baking tin then drop the contents of one my pre-prepared jars inside, I set the breadmaker then leave it do it's thing! Simple, easy and I'm not covered in flour! I always have good results and my loaves taste divine! That is unless I have forgotten to put the metal paddle inside after washing it, then I get a half cooked half flour dough disaster instead!

I hope these tips might help my fellow Thriftyfun bread makers!

By MONIQUE63 from Somerset, UK

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 I just had to share this with you... have you tried baked beans (in tomato sauce) with peanut butter?
It's absolutely delicious :p
I looked in my cupboard to get some mild chilli pepper to add to them but sitting next to it was the peanut butter so I just scooped a few teaspoons in the saucepan with the beans and heated them up. Eaten with toast of course.

Very yummy - go on try it, you might like it too!

Monique

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Top 10 Ways to Use up Flat Cola  

Do you end up tossing out half cans or bottles of flat cola? Save it
to cook with. Believe it or not, flat cola has many applications in
the kitchen. Use it in recipes for savory roasts to decadent
desserts without imparting any cola flavor. Experiment using diet
colas, but keep in mind that long cooking times at high temperatures
can turn diet colas bitter. The cola should be at room temperature
when you begin cooking. Other sodas or seltzer may be substituted in
many of the recipes.

1) Make a Cake
This easy sheet cake is wonderfully decadent and rich. The cola
enhances the flavor of the chocolate without adding cola flavor.
Loaded with chocolate chips, you can use your favorite chocolate
frosting or sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar.

 
2) Make a 7-bone roast
7-bone roasts are one of the few remaining beef values these days,
economical and flavorful. You won't taste cola, but the gravy is to
die for! Oven-baked pot roast and vegetables is enhanced by a rich
gravy. Can also be made in a slow cooker.

 
3) Make a ham
Southern ham cooked in cola must be tried to be believed. Bone-in
ham is first boiled in cola with an onion, then baked in a glaze of
mustard, molasses, and cloves.
 
 
4) Make a barbecued pork sandwich
Start with boneless center cut pork loin or pork shoulder and
marinate for a day in a mixture of cola, Worcestershire, vinegar,
and garlic. Then slow-roast about 3 hours with a cola and Jack
Daniels sauce for utterly delicious pulled pork sandwiches. Try this
with different sodas, such as root beer and cherry or use brisket
instead of pork.

 
5) Make a molded salad
Perfect for Thanksgiving, potlucks, or family dinners, make this in
a pretty molded shape for extra pizzazz. The salad uses cranberry
sauce, gelatin, pineapple, nuts, and cream cheese for a rich
texture. Goes together quickly.

 
6) Make spareribs in the crock-pot
Start these ribs in the crockpot and finish with a cola sauce on the
grill or under the oven broiler. Plan at least a day ahead for pre-
cooking in the crockpot, refrigeration overnight, and then finishing
on the grill or under the broiler.

 
7) Make a sweet and sour brisket
Cola in the sauce helps tenderize brisket. Flavoring ingredients
include onion, fresh ginger, garlic, Dijon mustard, red wine, honey,
vinegar, soy sauce, and cloves. Ginger ale may be substituted for
the cola. Make the brisket the day before and reheat for best flavor.

 
8) Make a prime rib roast
Plan a day ahead to marinate this roast in a mixture of olive oil,
cherry cola, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, thyme, onion powder,
garlic, and a special Greek seasoning blend before grilling and
smoking.

 
9) Make beef jerky
This beef jerky marinade can also be used on meats to be cooked on
the grill or broiled. Marinate from 2 hours to overnight. The cola
helps break down the fibers and tenderize the meat.

 
10) Make a baked brisket
Cola not only tenderizes this brisket, it also makes a fabulous
gravy. Requires no marination, but plan on up to three hours of
cooking time to cook the brisket.

I copied this from an email today - I thought to share it.   (And I have added Cola to my online shopping list which arrives tomorrow, I'll be trying it out with the gammon! )

Monique

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When you get your bananas home from the supermarket, before you put them in the fruit bowl - take them off the 'hand' and put them in seperately.  

If bananas are left together they ripen faster.

Monique

PS: Apparently if you peel your banana upside-down you don't get those stringy bits.  I keep forgetting to do that and only realise when it's too late!

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Measuring Cups
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup.
Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.

Monique

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Have cookies stuck on the cookie sheet? Try sliding a piece  
of dental floss between a stubborn cookie and the baking  
sheet, then gently pull forward to enjoy an unbroken treat.  

One might be able to apply this to other things too, like getting the pizza from the oven tray off in one piece etc.

Copied from an eZine.

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I store my food tins upside down.

I started storing my cat food upside down because my cat prefers the jelly/gravy more than the meat.    I found it makes the contents come out easier.  Now I do it with all my food tins in the pantry.

Anything for a simpler life!

Monique

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I sometimes buy packets of rice (the flavoured ones with dried veggies inside - this is as close to a ready meal as I get!)

I store them in the freezer. I know that rice sometimes harbour nasty bugs inside so if I store them in the freezer it kills them off and I can rest easy.

I also store my brown rice and easy cook rice inside the freezer too in plastic boxes.

Monique

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I have found a way to reduce the amount of cabbage smell that eminates in a kitchen when it's cooking!

Wanna know the secret? Freeze it!

Cut up your freshly bought cabbage, wash it, pat it dry with kitchen paper and portion it into ziploc bags -press out the air and seal. Then pop in your freezer.

When you come to cook it it takes about 1-2 minutes in a pan of boiling water OR alternatively stir-fry it in a little olive oil which I like to do. Delicious!

And, quite by accident, I found there's no lingering cabbage smell in the kitchen so now I get to eat cabbage more often in my diet and we all know it's very good for you!

Monique

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Emergency Bread.  I have used this for over 10 years now after finding the recipe in an antiquarian cook book. It has served me well and it's tasty too.

1lb Flour (Plain)   

1 Teaspoon of Salt 

2 Teaspoons of Baking Powder  

Water or milk to mix.

Sift the flour in a bowl, add salt and baking powder, mix to a soft dough with water or milk; knead lightly on a floured board; form into rolls (don't overwork the flour, when not shaped into perfect rounds the rolls take on a rustic look and you get lovely cripsy top).  [Pre-heat] Bake in a hot oven....check after 10 minutes should take between 15-20.

Remember to grease the oven tray before adding the dough rolls.   At the end i dampen the tops with water and sprinkle with sesame or Poppy seeds.

This recipe can be reworked too. In the past I have added herbs to the recipe and cheese.

These are lovely warm slathered with butter or plain for dipping in soup.

One thing I have found though is these must be eaten on the day they are made, they don't keep. But it only takes a few minutes to prepare and make these so it's not a great inconvenience.

Perfect for when you have no bread in the house and you can't get to a shop, and I tell you these are tasty too.

Monique

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