Feeling "Tippsy"

I've been making a list, and checking it twice.  No, I'm not spying on anyone with the hopes of finding out if they're are naughty or nice.  Frankly, I don't have the energy for spying on people.  I'm making a list of tips.  Ya know, things I've learned or things I've tried that make my life easier.  I'll leave the spying to Santa and his sneaky little elves.

When ever I think of something or hear about some new way of doing... what ever, and if that new something actually works, I write it down.  Now, with my age creepin' up on me, it's a miracle that I remember to do that.  It's even a bigger miracle if I remember where I put the blasted paper that I wrote on! 

I swear, the saying that my dad has said for years is really coming in handy.  I can't tell you how many times I heard him say, "A sharp pencil is better than a sharp mind".  I used to brush it off and roll my eyes when he would say it, but now... I Believe!!

So, here are just a few of the tips that I have found to work in my life:

Fast and easy way to cook bacon.  Turn the oven on to broil, lay out each slice of bacon onto a cookie sheet (the jelly roll kind with edges), put in oven.  You will need to turn pieces over once during cooking.  That's it!
I keep the oven door open a little so that I don't forget they're in there and burn them to smitherines.  I can't imagine ever doing that :}

Cooking potatoes for potato salad or anything.  Bake them!  Just wash them, throw them in, and let them cook until soft.  No peeling, cutting, water logged potatoes to watch boil all over your stove.  Let them cool and they peel and cube very easily.  If you need to grate them, do it.  If you need to mash them, do it.

Cooking moist chicken for casseroles, salads, tacos, etc.  Place frozen chicken in to glass pan (8x8 or 9x13) cover tightly with foil and bake in 350* oven until done.

Homemade buttermilk:  1 cup milk + 3 Tbls vinegar OR lemon juice.  Great for homemade ranch dressing

Tone down sugared cereal.  Buy both the sugared kind and the plain kind and mix them 50/50.  Example: Honey nut Cheerios and regular Cheerios.  Or regular Cheerios and Fruit loops


Spaghetti Sauce miracle.  When I make my own spaghetti, lasagna, manicotti or any tomato based sauce, I add a can of tomato soup.  I mellows out the acid and adds just the right amount of sweetness to it.

That's it!  Hope this helps someone.  I'll add more when I find my other papers :)