Open child proof medicine bottles easily MVI_8111.AVI

TIPS & TRICKS -MARCH

MARCH

Vanilla Extract

Clean the microwave and leave it smelling sweet with this household trick! Mix 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract in a microwave-safe container, and zap it on high for five minutes. When it's done, remove the container and wipe down the interior of the oven. Any gunk should slide right off.

Coffee Filter

Wipe down all TVs, computers, other screens and mirrors with a coffee filter (minus the brew grounds!), and voila, dust-free!

Eggshells

Having trouble cleaning narrow-necked bottles and vases? Drop a handful of crushed eggshells into the bottle, add warm water and a squirt of dishwashing liquid, and swirl it around. The shells will scrape off any hard-to-reach spots.

Bread

It’s not just the best part of your sandwich. Bread is also great for dusting paintings that can be harmed by traditional cleaners. And its naturally sticky texture is great for picking up small pieces of broken glass.

Cornstarch

It’s a staple for gravies, stews...and carpet stains! Just mix it with water to make a paste and treat on the spot. Its absorbing power will soak up the stain.

Baking Soda

Mix with water to create a natural cleaner that’s great for everything from dirty sneakers to scuffs on walls. We love to use it to clean stainless steel in the kitchen without scratching. Sprinkle baking soda onto a clean, damp sponge or cloth, and wipe the sink clean; then rinse thoroughly.

Small Vases

Sort and store cooking utensils in a vase on your kitchen counter. Group spoons, whisks and spatulas together in a wide-mouth vase (or several of them, depending on how many utensils you have). They’ll be reachable when you’re cooking and will allow for space in the drawer to store less frequently used utensils (like an ice cream scoop or a rolling pin).

Large Vases and Vessels

Have  leftover vases from your wedding or a recent party? Put any large hurricanes, glass umbrella stands or tall cylinders to work in your home. Stack extra toilet paper inside the vase for a clean, modern look in your bathroom. 

Ice Cube Tray

Don’t toss old ice cube trays! Give them a second life as jewelry organizers for necklaces, bracelets, brooches and rings. Fill the trays with your baubles and slide them into a drawer for easy picking.

Nail Polish

Yes, nail polish can actually help you stay organized when applied to keys. Instead of fumbling through your key ring, make your front-door key stand out by painting the top part a bright color. Or if you have two keys that look similar, paint them each a bright color so you can differentiate at a glance.

Old Magazines

If you’re already tight on floor space in a tiny closet, you definitely don’t want tall boots taking over when they slouch and fold over. Maximize your closet space by rolling up old magazines and stuffing them in boots. 

Six-Pack Container

Next time you polish off a six-pack, keep the cardboard carrying case. It’s the perfect size to keep your ketchup, mustard and salad dressings organized in the refrigerator where they keep falling over every time you open the door. Extra points for covering the cardboard in a pretty paper so you can take the holder from the fridge to the table for dinner.

YOU KNOW YOU'RE GETTING OLD WHEN ...

YOU KNOW YOU'RE GETTING OLD WHEN ... When you are cautioned to slow down by your doctor instead of the police.

YOU KNOW YOU'RE GETTING OLD WHEN ... When happy hour is a nap.

 YOU KNOW YOU'RE GETTING OLD WHEN ... When getting lucky means you find your car in the parking lot.

YOU KNOW YOU'RE GETTING OLD WHEN ... The pharmacist has become you new best friend.

 

Bacon Stuffed Pancakes

I firmly believe that  bacon makes everything better.
Bacon Stuffed Pancakes

What you’ll Need:
12 pieces of thick sliced brown sugar bacon
Bisquick Pancake Mix {+ ingredients to make enough for 12 pancakes}
unsalted butter
pure maple syrup


What to do:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place bacon slices onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake until crispy. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with kitchen towels to absorb excess fat.
2. WHILE bacon is cooking mix pancake batter according to package directions.
3. When bacon is finished cooking, spray a griddle pan with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Place a piece of bacon in the center of pan. Pour 1/4 cup of pancake batter on top of bacon. Cook approximately 2-3 minutes on each side. Continue until all pancakes are done.
4. Top with butter and syrup.

Irish Whiskey Cake in a Jar

I have to admit that I didn’t believe that baking cake in a jar would work.  I assumed that the cake would either burn, dry out or develop a tough, overdone crust.  Instead, a dense-but-moist, rich and flavorful cake came out of the oven.  And the whiskey-butter sauce?  If you’re like me, you’ll be dreaming up all sorts of things to pour it on.  Ice cream, pound cake, your finger…this stuff is really amazing.  When you pour it over the warm cakes, they’ll absorb it into every nook and cranny and take on a pudding-cake quality.  The Irish Cream whipped cream isn’t too sweet, so it’s the perfect mate to the rich, buttery cake.  But, because good enough isn’t good enough, drizzle a little caramel sauce on top.  Just because.

I used 12 ounce jars, just because that’s what I had on hand.  You can also use the little 8 ounce jelly jars, but no matter what size you use, make sure you only fill them half full with batter.  The smaller jars will likely require less oven time, too.  I’d start checking them at about the 30 minute mark; mine came out of the oven right at 41 minutes.    While these are best eaten immediately, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours before serving.  Just hold off on making the whipped cream until right before your guests arrive.

I do hope you’ll give this a try!  It’s a lot of fun and sure to be a crowd-pleaser!

Irish Whiskey Cake in a Jar
Yield:  8 – 12oz jars or 10 – 6oz jars
Prep Time:  30 minutes ♦ Bake Time:  45 minutes ♦ Cooktop:  10 minutes ♦ Total Time:  1hr 15 minutes

Cake Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups brewed, strong coffee
¼ cup plus 3 Tbsp. Irish Whiskey
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whiskey-Butter Sauce Ingredients:
1/4 cup Irish whiskey
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup water

Whipped Cream Topping Ingredients:
1 cup cold, heavy whipping cream
¼ cup confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract OR  1 teaspoon Irish Cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).   In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla; set aside.

In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine coffee, whiskey, butter, cinnamon and cocoa powder. Over medium heat, whisk until combined and butter is completely melted.  Remove from heat and add sugar.  Whisk until the sugar is incorporated and starts to dissolve. Pour mixture into a large bowl and allow to cool slightly, about 5-10 minutes.  Meanwhile, prepare your jars by placing them on a large baking sheet. There is no need to butter or flour the jars.

Once slightly cooled, slowly pour the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture, whisking continuously. Add the flour mixture and whisk vigorously until just combined.  The batter will be thin.

Pour batter into the jars, filling them no more than half full.  Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a cake-tester comes out clean.   Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.

While cakes are cooling, prepare the whiskey-butter sauce.  Simply combine the butter, whiskey, sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.  Stir frequently, until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat.

Using a skewer, poke holes in the tops of the cakes.  Pour the whiskey-butter sauce over the tops of the cakes, evenly distributing until all of the sauce is used.  When ready to serve, prepare the whipped topping.

In the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, beat the cream until stiff peaks form.  Add confectioner’s sugar and Irish Cream and beat until just combined.  Place a generous dollop of cream on top of each jar and drizzle with caramel for serving.   Serve within 24 hours.

Enjoy!

Source: Sprinkle Bakes