Author: Robert Andrews

Smash Burger

What Is a Smash Burger? 

From AllRecipes.com

A smash burger is a burger that’s made by smashing two thin beef patties together with cheese in the middle. The act of pressing the burgers together over heat creates a perfect sear on the outside, ensuring juicy and flavorful results every time. 

Cook’s Notes

  • Don’t use meat that is leaner than 80/20 for best results, and make sure the meat is very cold.
  • If you only have one spatula, wrap your other hand in an old dish towel for protection and use it to press down on the spatula with both hands.
  • You can make 4 (4-ounce) patties instead of 8 (2-ounce patties), but I prefer the thinner patties that have a more crispy surface area.
  • I buy American cheese freshly sliced from the deli, but individually wrapped slices will work, too.

How to Make a Smash Burger

You’ll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make homemade smash burgers: 

 
  1. Prepare and heat the griddle. 
  2. Butter and brown the buns. 
  3. Form the meat into loosely-packed balls. 
  4. Place each ball on the grill, cover with a piece of parchment, and smash.
  5. Sprinkle the meat with salt.
  6. Grill and assemble the smash burgers according to the detailed instructions below.

Test Kitchen Tips

Here are some smash burger tips from culinary expert Nicole McLaughlin (a.k.a. NicoleMcMom): 

  • If you don’t have a flat top griddle, according to Nicole, a cast iron skillet will work perfectly. 
  • Instead of buttering the buns, Nicole prefers to grease the buns with the drippings from the beef. 
  • Nicole likes to keep her smash burgers simple with minimal toppings (pickles, mayonnaise, and onions), but you can dress your burgers up however you like

 

What to Serve With Smash Burgers

Explore our collection of Side Dishes for Burgers for tasty inspiration. Here are a few of the ideas you’ll find: 

 
 

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams

Ingredients

  • 4 hamburger buns
  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened, or as needed
  • 1 pound ground chuck beef (80% lean)
  • 4 (6-inch) squares parchment paper
  • salt to taste
  • 4 slices American cheese
  • burger toppings of choice

Directions

  1. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate. Set a cast iron flat-top griddle or large cast iron skillet onto the grill and preheat until smoking.

  2. Spread butter on the inside of the buns and toast on the flat-top until lightly browned. Set aside.

  3. Form meat into 8 loosely-packed balls, 2 ounces each. Do not pack the meat tightly, as this will prevent it from smashing properly. Place each ball on the hot flat-top, cover with a piece of parchment (to prevent sticking to the spatula; re-use each parchment square on a second patty) and immediately smash down to a 1/4 inch thickness using 2 stiff, sturdy spatulas that are criss-crossed to get proper leverage as you press down. You may also use the bottom of small skillet. Sprinkle the meat with salt.

  4. Grill for about 45 seconds, until the edges are dark brown and the centers are a light pink color. Using a bench scraper or firm spatula, gently scrape up the patties, flip over and immediately cover 4 of them with cheese. Grill an additional 15 to 20 seconds; stack the plain patties over the cheese-covered patties so you have 4 stacks. Move each stack to a bun and serve with your favorite toppings.

 

Marmalade Crepes

When my kids were little, I often used up surplus jam or marmalade by folding it into crepes (Julia Child’s basic crepe recipe.) You could add some grated chocolate too. To make them more grown-up, make a sauce of melted butter, sugar and rum or Grand Marnier (or whatever you fancy) and give the marmalade filled, folded crepes a bath in it. A quickie crepes suzette.

Bread & Butter Pudding

Bread and butter pudding. Spread slices of leftover bread (maybe you have a Christmas panetone lying around?) with butter and the marmalade, and arrange in the shallow baking tin. Whisk together 3 eggs, just over a cup of milk or half and half, 2 Tablespoons of sugar and a drop of vanilla. Pour over the bread. Plan the tin in a larger baking tray and half fill with hot water. Bake in a moderate oven for about 35 minutes. Yum!

BBQ Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients

 
US|METRIC
 
6 SERVINGS
 
  • 3 lb. boneless blade pork roast (OR sirloin roast)
  • 2 onions (medium, sliced)
  • 1 cup barbecue sauce
  • 1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce
  • 2 Tbsp. orange marmalade
  • 1 Tbsp. corn starch
  • 1 Tbsp. water
  • 8 sandwich buns
 

Marmalade Cobbler

Ingredients

 
US|METRIC
 
12 SERVINGS
 
  • fruit filling
  • 21 oz. berry pie filling
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen fruit (or fresh)
  • 1/4 cup orange marmalade
  • crust
  • 2 1/4 cups buttermilk (CB Old Country Store®, Baking and Pancake Mix)
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 3 Tbsp. butter (or margarine, softened)
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 1/2 tsp. grated orange zest (finely, optional)
 

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Marmalade Pork Ribs

We buy pork ribs. Them my wife makes a marinade with marmalade, soy sauce, garlic cloves, lemon slices and maybe some sake. Then we cut the ribs into individual. Marinate for at least 4 hours. Longer is better. Than she bakes the ribs around 350 for 75 mins. And then boils the marinade for 15-20 mins to concentrate it and kill any bacteria. We use that as a sauce over the ribs at the end. They are always a huge hit in our house and with any guests.

Orange Marmalade Chicken

original recipe

 

Ingredients

  • 6 chicken drumsticks
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • ½ cup orange marmalade
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons barbeque sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sambal oelek
  • ½ tablespoon soy sauce

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

  2. Season drumsticks with salt and pepper and place in an oven-proof dish.

  3. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

  4. Combine orange marmalade, Dijon mustard, barbeque sauce, sambal oelek, and soy sauce in a small bowl.

  5. Remove dish from oven and brush chicken with marmalade mixture. Return to the oven and bake an additional 10 minutes.

  6. Remove dish again, turn chicken over, brush with marmalade mixture, and continue baking until chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 10 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

  7. Remove dish from oven and baste chicken with remaining marmalade mixture. Preheat the oven’s broiler. Return to the oven and broil until chicken starts to blacken and blister, 3 to 5 minutes.

Citrus Cheesecake

original recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup white sugar
  • ½ cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 egg white
  • 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
  • 1 ⅔ cups white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
  • 2 teaspoons grated lime zest
  • 1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon zest
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • ⅔ cup orange marmalade
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Butter a 9 inch springform pan. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon peel and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and 1/3 cup sugar. Add butter and process until coarse crumbs form. With machine running, add yolk mixture and blend until moist clumps form. Press dough onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of prepared pan. Freeze crust 10 minutes.

  2. Brush crust lightly with egg white. Bake until crust is pale golden, about 15 minutes. Cool on rack while preparing filling. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

  3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and 1 2/3 cups sugar until smooth. Beat in cornstarch, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, orange zest, lime zest, 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in sour cream. Pour filling into crust.

  4. Bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until puffed and cracked around edges and center moves only slightly when pan is gently shaken. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight.

  5. In a saucepan over medium heat, boil marmalade and 2 teaspoons lemon juice until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Spread warm glaze on top of cake. Chill cake 10 minutes. Remove pan sides and transfer cake to serving plate.

Spicy Orange Beef

original recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 pound round steak, cut into thin strips on the diagonal
  • ¼ cup orange peel, cut into slivers
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup sherry
  • ¼ cup orange marmalade
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

  1. In a wok or skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add beef strips 1/3 at a time. Stir-fry for 3 minutes or until browned, removing the done pieces to a plate lined with paper towels.

  2. Return all the beef to the wok. Stir in orange peel, garlic, and ginger; stir-fry 1 minute.

  3. In a medium bowl, combine cornstarch, broth, soy sauce, sherry, marmalade, and red pepper. Pour this mixture into the beef, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 1 minute. Serve hot.

Glazed Chicken Wings

original recipe

Sweet Chili and Orange Marmalade Glazed Chicken Wings

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds chicken wing pieces, drumettes and flats
  • ½ cup orange marmalade
  • ¼ cup sweet chili sauce

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

  2. Set a wire rack inside a large foil-lined rimmed baking sheet; arrange chicken wings on top.

  3. Bake in the preheated oven until wings are no longer pink at the bone and the skin is crispy, 45 to 50 minutes.

  4. Mix orange marmalade and chili sauce in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Add cooked wings to marmalade-chili sauce and toss until well coated. Plate wings and pour extra sauce on top.

Butterscotch Pudding Blondies

ORIGINAL RECIPE FROM FOOD NETWORK

  • 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the baking dish
  • 1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • One 3.4-ounce package butterscotch instant pudding mix
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup roasted salted cashews, coarsely chopped
  • 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • Flaky salt

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with aluminum foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang. Grease the foil with butter.
  2. Put the brown sugar in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a small skillet or in the microwave in a glass measuring cup. Stir the butter into the sugar until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
  3. Meanwhile, in another medium bowl, whisk the flour, pudding mix, baking soda and kosher salt together.
  4. Beat the eggs and vanilla into the sugar mixture. Stir in the flour mixture a bit at a time and mix until a smooth, thick batter forms. Fold in the cashews and chocolate chips.
  5. Spoon the batter into the prepared dish and spread evenly. Bake until the blondies are light brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes.
  6. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with flaky salt. Let cool in pan slightly, about 15 minutes. Using the overhanging aluminum foil, lift the blondies out of the pan and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Remove the foil and cut into 18 blondies.

Carrot Cake

From Live Well, Bake Often

What You Will Need

While there are quite a few ingredients in this recipe, I promise it’s fairly simple. I won’t cover every single ingredient, but I wanted to touch on a few important ones:

  • Spices: There’s a mix of ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. All three spices add such a wonderful flavor to this cake, but aren’t too overpowering. Feel free to add more spices, if you prefer though.
  • Oil: Any kind of neutral-flavored oil is fine to use here, but I typically use vegetable or canola oil. You may also use melted coconut oil, just make sure all of your other ingredients are at room temperature so that it doesn’t solidify.
  • Applesauce: This adds the perfect amount of moisture, so you end up with a moist cake that isn’t greasy. I always use unsweetened applesauce whenever I make this recipe. If you can only find sweetened applesauce, just reduce the granulated sugar by 2 to 3 tablespoons.
  • Sugar: I use a bit more brown sugar than granulated sugar because it adds more moisture and flavor to this carrot cake.
  • Carrots: I don’t like to skimp on the carrots when it comes to this recipe, so there’s 3 cups of grated carrots. Make sure to use freshly grated carrots here too. Avoid using a bag of pre-shredded carrots as they are often too dry and thick for carrot cake.
  • Cream Cheese: Make sure to use a block of cream cheese. Avoid using cream cheese that’s either whipped or in a tub, it’s typically too thin and will result in a runny frosting.

How To Make A Carrot Cake

Make The Cake Layers

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray two 9-inch round cake pans well with nonstick cooking spray, then line the bottoms of each pan with a parchment paper circle. This will make it much easier to remove your cake layers from the pan!
  2. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt to a large mixing bowl and give it a good whisk.
  3. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together your oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, applesauce, and vanilla extract.
  4. Add the grated carrots to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Adding them at this point will ensure that they are fully incorporated into your batter and prevent you from over mixing it later on.
  5. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Make sure not to over mix your batter! This can overdevelop the gluten and cause the cake to turn out dense/gummy. Trust me, no one wants that.
  6. Divide the cake batter evenly between both cake pans. Tip: If you want to get perfectly even cake layers, I recommend using a food scale to weigh your cake batter.
  7. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the tops of the cakes are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly in the pans, then remove the cake layers from the pans and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Mix Together The Cream Cheese Frosting

    1. Beat the cream cheese until smooth, then add the butter and continue mixing until well combined.
    2. Lastly, mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. If needed, stop and scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl to ensure that all of the frosting ingredients are thoroughly mixed together.

Assemble & Frost The Cake

      1. Level the tops of each cake layer. You may use either a large knife or a cake leveler for this step, I personally love this cake leveler. It’s a great option for beginners too!
      2. Place one of the layers on a cake stand and scoop a little over 1/2 cup of the frosting on top, then smooth it out evenly.
      3. Place the other cake layer on top and use the remaining frosting to frost the top and sides of the cake. An angled spatula or even the back of a spoon works great for this step! If you want to add a little something extra, feel free to toast some chopped pecans or walnuts and sprinkle them around the top of the cake.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does carrot cake need to be refrigerated?

Yes, if you frost the cake with the cream cheese frosting it does need to be refrigerated. It will keep for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

Can you freeze carrot cake?

Of course! You can wrap individual slices with plastic wrap and freeze them in a large freezer bag.

The cake layers and frosting can also be frozen separately for up to 3 months. I do suggest wrapping the cake layers tightly with plastic wrap before freezing them.

How do you grate carrots for carrot cake?

The easiest method is to use a box grater and grate the carrots just like a block of cheese. If you have a food processor with a grater attachment, that works too.

I also recommend peeling your carrots and removing any brown spots or blemishes before grating them.

Can I add nuts or raisins?

Absolutely! Chopped walnuts or pecans would be fantastic in this recipe, I suggest using about 3/4 to 1 cup. If you love raisins, you may also add 1/2 cup.

Adjusting Your Pan Size

One of the most common questions is whether or not this recipe can be baked in another pan. The answer is YES!

Here are a few more commonly used baking pans that you can bake this cake in:

  • 9×13: Pour the batter into a greased 9×13 pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes.
  • 8-inch round pan: Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a parchment paper circle. Pour the batter evenly between the two pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
  • Cupcakes: The full recipe will make 28 cupcakes. Only fill each liner about 2/3 of the way full so that they don’t overflow and bake for 16 to 20 minutes. I also recommend doubling the frosting to have enough to cover all of the cupcakes. If you prefer a smaller batch, try my carrot cake cupcakes instead.

Baking Tips

  • When measuring your flour, don’t scoop it out of the container with the measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour around, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level it off with the back of a knife. I have a whole post that explains the spoon & level method.
  • Don’t have any applesauce? You may replace it with 1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt, sour cream, or one 8-ounce can of crushed pineapple that’s been drained.
  • I opted to stick with my favorite cream cheese frosting. It makes enough to frost the carrot cake like you see in the pictures. If you really love frosting, then I suggest increasing the recipe by half.
  • Additional frosting options: If you want to try another frosting, my vanilla buttercream frosting, ermine frosting, or the whipped honey mascarpone frosting I used on my Pistachio Cake recipe would be delicious too.  

Ekmek

Other YouTube Recipes

    • 300 gm flour – sifted
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 TBL sugar
    • 650 gm water – boiling
      • Stir until incorporated
      • Remove and knead 8-10 minutes
      • Adding 60 gm flour as necessary for firm dough
      • 30 ml vegetable oil
      • Rise 30 minutes
      • Cut in half – roll into tube – Cut into tennis ball sized pieces
      • Roll into ball and flatten slightly
      • Let rise 30 more minutes

Recipe 1 – Ekmek Bread

    • Flatten very flat, then fry till browned

Recipe 2 – Meat Pie

    1. Cook 300 gm Hamburger and 1 diced onion
    2. Add spice
    3. Drain
    • Flatten dough, but not very flat
    • Shape around spoonful of meat
    • Flatten into a patty
    • Fry until browned

Lemon Curd – King Arthur

https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/lemon-curd-recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (115gmb) lemon juice, freshly squeezed, from about 4 large lemons
  • 4 tablespoons (60 gm) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cups (125 gm) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
This easy Lemon Curd recipe is super simple to make and tastes delicious! A smooth lemon spread that also makes a great filling for cakes and cupcakes.
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Total Time: 9 minutes
Servings: 1 jar

Instructions

  1. Combine the lemon juice, butter, and sugar in a large saucepan.
  2. Place the saucepan over medium heat on the stove and heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved, 3 to 5 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, break the eggs into a medium heat-safe bowl and beat them briefly to mix the yolks and whites together.
  4. Carefully pour about half of the hot liquid into the bowl with the eggs and whisk to incorporate; this will “temper” the eggs so they won’t curdle when you combine them with the remainder of the hot liquid.
  5. Pour the contents of the bowl back into the saucepan and return the pan to medium-low heat.
  6. Whisking constantly, cook the curd until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon or spatula, 5 to 10 minutes. Use a spoon or spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan occasionally to incorporate any stuck-on curd, stirring it back into the main mixture.
  7. Remove the curd from the heat and pour it into a heat-safe bowl or measuring cup. If you see any small bits of cooked egg, pass the curd through a fine-mesh strainer to remove them.
  8. Allow the curd to cool for 15 to 20 minutes, then stir briefly and cover the surface with a piece of plastic wrap.
  9. Cool the curd at room temperature until barely warm then refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.
  10. Storage Instructions: Store curd in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks; freeze for longer storage.

Tips from our Bakers

  • To get the most juice out of your fresh lemons, heat each one for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave before cutting in half and juicing.

  • Looking for a shortcut version of this recipe? Try our Easy Microwave Lemon Curd, which thickens quickly and doesn’t require cooking on the stove.

Doughnut Holes

CLICK HERE to watch YouTube video by Simple Fast and Delicious

  • Pastry •240 g flour •
  • 300 ml of water
  • 1 pinch of salt •
  • 1 teaspoon of dry yeast

To Cover

  • 3-4 tablespoons of powdered sugar
  • Half a teaspoon of cinnamon
  • melted chocolate
  1. Plenty of vegetable oil for frying.
  2. Please watch the video until the end to avoid missing the details!
  3. Do not forget to subscribe to my channel.
  4. You can support me by liking the videos and sharing them with your friends!
  5. Hope you have a good time

Fried Dumplings

CLICK HERE for YouTube video from Simple, Fast and Delicious

  • 1.25 C of water (300 ml)
  • 3/4 C flour ( 120 g )
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon of butter or oil
  • 75 g feta cheese, gruyere, or mozzarella
  • some parsley some paprika
  • Other spices and fillings as desired
  1. Bring water up to a boil
  2. Add flour, salt and butter
  3. Stir till combined
  4. Continue to fold and knead over heat
  5. When springy, pinch off golfball-sized balls
  6. Flatten, and add filling
  7. Fold over, fixing edge with a fork
  8. Fry in peanut oil at 360º until browned

Tips and Tricks – December 2023

Microwave – Things it can do

https://news.lobandsmash.com/en/knew-microwave-things-never-capable?ly=native_one

Things We Never Knew Our Microwave Is Capable Of Doing
Brenda Miller

This article was originally published on RightLivin

Many of us use pretty much the same appliances in our kitchens. If we’re all about keeping things quick and convenient, then a microwave is usually a common appliance for heating food and defrosting, but it usually stops there. Yet, it turns out that our microwaves have so many uses, and many of us don’t know half of them. So in this article, we bring you some of the best uses for that wonderful appliance! Take a look, and by the end of it you’ll no doubt be throwing out everything in your kitchen except for that beloved microwave! (Okay, maybe not that far, but trust us – you’re going to be shocked).

Easily Remove Stamps From Envelopes
Did you ever find yourself struggling to take out a stamp that you mistakenly put on an envelope? If yes, then no need to despair. You should be able to use your microwave to help remove that stamp in no time, with a few simple steps.

​Easily Remove Stamps From Envelopes
Simply place the entire envelope in your microwave and turn the heat on to medium for 20 seconds. That should be enough to loosen the glue, so you can peel it right after.

​Regularly Disinfect Your Kitchen Sponge
Let’s be honest, too many of us forget to clean or to change kitchen sponges. But once you realize the number of germs that are probably growing on the bacteria heaven that your moist sponge is, you might want to clean it or change it more often.

​Regularly Disinfect Your Kitchen Sponge
Soak the sponge in some water and leave it for a few minutes. Afterward, place it in your microwave on medium heat for about two minutes. That should be enough time to clean it and, if you’re feeling fancy, add some drops of lemon to freshen it up.

​Bring Some Life Back To Your Stale Bread
There is no reason to throw away your stale bread before you try this small trick. Take baguettes for example. They are definitely a favorite, but many people prefer to not buy them because they go stale pretty quickly.
​Bring Some Life Back To Your Stale Bread

Simply dampen a kitchen towel with some sprayed water, and place the bread into the towel. Then, put both in the microwave for ten seconds on high heat. This will add some needed moisture back to your loaf of bread.

Create Your Own Personal Kiln
In addition to cooking your food, your microwave could be much more helpful in other aspects of your life. For example, if clay pottery has always been something you’ve wanted to try, but you don’t really want to pay for the expensive classes, then just set up your own clay station at home.

To make your own kiln, try placing the clay items you’ve created in the microwave covered with some baking parchment. After a few minutes, the piece should be set and perfectly hardened.

Crisp Your Chips In The Microwave
Isn’t it just the worst when you excitingly grab your bag of chips and realize that someone left it open, so they’re all soggy? And since soggy chips really do take the whole fun out of it, how about trying to salvage those chips with your microwave?

Lay the chips on a paper towel and give them a good blast for a couple of seconds on really high heat. And just like that, your chips will be all crispy again.

Toast A Bunch Of Nuts
Let’s be honest, who doesn’t like a yummy bowl of toasted nuts? Though many of us end up not going for the snack due to how time-consuming they can be, just listen to this trick.

Pour half a teaspoon of vegetable or canola oil onto the microwave plate. Then, top it with one cup of nuts. Microwave it for a minute, stir, and then another minute until they are toasted. It should take you about three to eight minutes to be ready.

​Peel Tomatoes Or Peaches With Ease
This is for if you feel like eating some fresh veggies or fruit with their skin off. Or, perhaps you want to cook and you don’t feel like struggling to take their skin off.

For a quick and easy solution to take their skin off, you can place your tomatoes or peaches in the microwave for approximately 30 seconds on medium heat. Then, let the fruit stand for about two minutes before you begin peeling them.

Bring Your Dried Mascara Back To Life
While some people love applying makeup on a daily basis, other people may put it only once in a while. For those who only wear it occasionally, the mascara might get a little bit dry with time.

If you feel like it’s not time to toss it away yet and you’d like to bring it back to life, just put your mascara in the microwave for a couple of seconds, and voila!

Peel Garlic Easily
You may love or hate garlic, but there is no doubt that its wonderful flavor and uses are infinite. Still, sometimes it’s incredibly hard to peel them, which discourages anyone from using them.

If you’d like to make your life easier, then place a head of garlic in the microwave and heat it up for 15 seconds on medium heat. In no time, the skin will be loosened and you can easily peel it!

Prevent Those Tears The Next Time You Cut Onions
Cutting onions can be a huge mission, and while there are several hacks out there to prevent crying during the process, many of them can be pretty disappointing. So next time, try this one. Simply cut the onion’s root and take the tip off of it.

Then, microwave it for about 30 seconds on full heat. You can then begin cutting your onion, and your eyes should be safe.

Create Your Own Heating Pad
Heating pads are useful for a number of things – they heat us when it’s cold, and they really help out whenever a part of our body feels sore. Whatever the case is, there is no need to keep buying heating pads since you can simply and easily create your own.

Just grab a clean sock and fill it with a bunch of rice, sew up the top part, and make sure that nothing can escape. Then stick it in the microwave and ta-da! You’ve got a cheap and easy heating pad.

Bake An Entire Cake
For many of us baking a whole cake in the microwave is unheard of. But believe it or not, it’s possible, and it comes out absolutely yummy!

There are tons of recipes online for literally any kind of cake, but for most of them, all you need is some flour, oil, salt, and the milk of your preference. Some cocoa powder wouldn’t hurt either.

Cook Some Yummy S’mores
Who says that you need a bonfire or a barbeque to cook up some s’mores? It turns out that your microwave can easily do the job. Grab your sweet treat and put it in the microwave for as little as 15 seconds until you see the marshmallow puffing up.

Once it’s ready, you can take it out and top it off with your favorite crackers.

Get Your Solid Beauty Products Warmed Up
So many of us have full drawers or even cupboards with a ton of beauty products that we end up not using for years. And when you finally remember they’re there, they might no longer be as warm or as useful as they once were.

So if you’d like to warm up the products that have completely solidified because of the cold, just place them in the microwave for a couple of seconds and they’ll be all loosened up.

Shuck Your Corn In The Microwave
By using the microwave to shuck corn you could save a ton of time. It could sound a little bit too good to be true, but this trick is actually used by several chefs around the world. Start by cutting the stalk end of the corn but make sure to keep the husk intact.

Then, put it all into a microwave for about two to four minutes. Once it’s done, just grab your uncut end and shake it, in no time, you’ll see it all flying right out.

Speed Up The Soaking Time Of Your Beans And Lentils
Sometimes you may not be in the mood to soak up your lentils and beans for too long. Instead of waiting an entire night until they are properly soaked, put them in a microwave-safe bowl and cover them with water.

Add a little bit of baking soda to it and microwave it on high heat for about ten minutes. Afterward, leave the bowl for about 30 to 40 minutes, and then your dish will be ready to go.

Steam Your Veggies
Who says you need a fancy steamer or steamer basket to get your wonderful veggies steamed? The microwave works just as well and pretty quickly too. First, cut your vegetables the way you like them.

Then, put them in a microwavable bowl, cover them with a very thin layer of water and top it with some plastic wrap. Then, heat it up on high heat for a few minutes, and your veggies should be steamed!

Cooking Your Pasta Was Never So Easy
Though you may think that the microwave is not a place for your pasta, you might rethink that once you hear about this hack. All you need for it to work is your dry pasta, a bowl, and water.

Just put the amount of pasta you want in the pot, add the water until it’s all covered by a few inches, and then place the bowl in the microwave for two to three minutes more than what is suggested in the instructions.

Make Homemade Potato Chips
I mean, who doesn’t love some yummy homemade potato chips? And the best thing is that you can make your own if you have a microwave in hand. All you need is some potatoes cut as thin as possible. Then, toss them in the microwave with a little bit of olive oil and salt.

In order for it to work, just make sure that you place them in a single layer before you turn on the full heat for about four minutes. Once they’re cool, dig in!

Soften Old And Clumped Brown Sugar
Brown sugar doesn’t take that long to clump up, so if you ever experience this little glitch, use your microwave to find a solution.
​Soften Old And Clumped Brown Suga

Put your sugar in a bowl, cover the top part of your microwavable container with a damp kitchen towel, then, microwave it all for about 30 seconds at a time. In a few minutes, the clumps should be gone

​Cook Your Dish Of Corn On The Cob
Who would think that corn on the cob made in the microwave could taste so good? Apparently, it does, and you can easily make it at home.

If you’ve got some fresh corn on hand, simply remove all of the husks and silk, then add about two tablespoons of water into a place and put two full-sized cobs on it. Top it all with another plate and put them in the microwave for around five minutes.

Get Your Potting Soil Sterilized
Did you ever think that you could boost up your gardening situation with your microwave? It may be another hack that sounds weird to some, but it’s actually incredibly useful. To begin, get some soil in a resealable bag and add a bit of water.

Then, leave the bag open in the top part and put it in the center of your microwave. Heat it at about 180 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit for about three minutes and then seal the bag until it cools.

Cook Up Some Delicious Pieces Of Bacon
It’s undeniable that the smell of bacon is probably one of the best smells out there. They remind us of weekends and fun times, and they’re basically the perfect snack to go with anything.

If you want to cook it quickly, start by covering a dish with a paper towel, add the bacon in one layer, and then add some more sheets of paper on top of it. Microwave it for a few minutes and it should get perfectly crisp in no time.

Soften Up Your Ice Cream
The next time you crave some ice cream but feel discouraged after seeing that it’s frozen solid, think about this hack. Soften your ice cream by placing the entire pot in the microwave for a couple of seconds.

Or you could also put some water in a bowl, heat it up in the microwave, then put your spoon in it for a minute or so until you feel it warm. Then, you may eat your ice cream!

Dye Your Own Yarn At Home
While Kool-Aid is a refreshing drink, it can also serve as the perfect instrument for a DIY craft project. Save yourself some extra money by mixing some Kool-Aid powder with some water.

Choose the color you want to use for your yarn and add just enough yard to the mixture you created. Make sure that the entire thing is all covered up and then place it in the microwave for a couple of minutes.

Clean And Disinfect Your Cutting Boards
Cutting boards are great and incredibly useful, but they’re another item in our kitchen that we often forget to clean properly. If you’d like an easy way to keep them germ-free, there are a few hacks you could try.

One of them could start with cutting a lemon in half, and begin rubbing the halves on the board. Then, put them in the microwave on medium heat and leave them for a minute. That will leave it smelling fresh and germ-free.

Make A Homemade Proofing Oven For Baking Bread
Proofing ovens may cost hundreds of dollars, so if you’d like to make one of your own with the help of tools that you already have at home, then listen to this one: first, heat up a cup of water in your microwave for just a few minutes.

Let it become steamy and then place the dough inside and let it proof. And that’s it, your bread will be ready to be enjoyed.

Make Some Poached Eggs
Many of us have mastered the art of making scrambled and boiled eggs, but what about those yummy poached eggs? It can be really tricky to make them, but if you use your microwave you may be able to find a simple solution to the situation.

Put a third of a cup of water in a bowl, splash some vinegar, crack an egg into the water and then prick the egg yolk with a toothpick. Once you cover the top of the bowl with some plastic wrap, place it all in the microwave for a minute, and voila!

Bake A Batch Of Brownies
Seriously, everyone loves brownies – so how about learning a quicker way to make the fudgiest and most chocolatey goodies? Instead of spending hours baking, simply melt some butter in a bowl, add sugar, cocoa, some eggs, and flour.

Mix it all up and, after pre-greasing a microwavable dish, add it to the microwave. In five minutes your brownies will be ready!

Make Your Own Cloud
If you have kids and you often find yourself looking for new ways to entertain them, then make this your next homemade science project. Grab a bar of Ivory Soap, place it on a microwavable plate, and heat it on high heat for about two minutes.

You’ll see the soap bar expanding right in front of you and in a second an entire cloud will be created.

Put A Stop To Explosions In The Microwave
No one loves explosions in the microwave, especially when they result in a huge amount of time cleaning up afterward. There is a very simple way to prevent them from happening though.

When you heat up things such as potatoes, tomatoes, or squash, take a knife or a fork and pierce a few holes before heating them up. This will allow the steam to escape while it heats up

Enhance The Taste Of Lemons
Many people may not know that putting your lemons in the microwave for a little bit should make its taste much stronger than usual

Just put it in the microwave for a few seconds, but make sure to not leave it for long as the lemon could explode. While the lemon is still warm, roll it along the side and the juices should beautifully flow inside.

Make Some French Toast
For the best microwavable french toast put some butter in a mug and melt it in the microwave, then add some nutmeg, maple syrup, cinnamon, milk, and of course, an egg. Mix it all up and start adding pieces of bread to it.

Once it’s all combined, let it absorb a bit, put it in the microwave for about 70 seconds until it’s solid, and enjoy.

Clean Your Microwave
So many of us use our microwaves on a daily basis and barely give them the deep clean they deserve. Instead of spending hours scrubbing it, cut a lemon, and squeeze it into a bowl of water.

Then, place each lemon half in the bowl and put it in the microwave. Heat it all for five minutes and all the dirt and gunk will be loosened up for you to wipe off.

​Get The Juice Out Of Any Citrus Fruit
Make sure that you get all the juice out of your citrus fruit the next time you make some freshly squeezed juice. Put the oranges, limes, or lemons in the microwave for about 10 to 20 seconds to gently warm it up.

That will allow it to release much more juice once you begin squeezing it. Just make sure you don’t leave it in the microwave for too long.

Test Your Container Before Putting It In The Microwave
Grab a cup or pot that you know for sure to be safe for the microwave and fill it with water. Then, place the cup or pot in a new container without putting the water in it.

Afterward, microwave both pots at once for a couple of minutes until the water begins to boil. Touch the new container with care, and if it’s hot or warm, then you might not want to put it in the microwave again.

Get Your Coconut Oil To Liquify
Coconut oil is one of those immensely useful ingredients – though it can be a total pain when it solidifies. Once it’s solid, it can be really annoying and hard to use, be it for cooking or for adding it to your beauty routine.

To make it liquid again, just put it in the microwave on high heat for a few seconds and it should be ready to go!

Make Home-Made Pickles
If you’re a fan of pickles then try to use this hack to start making your own! Grab a microwavable bowl, add some celery seeds, sugar, vinegar, turmeric, onion, mustard seeds, and a pinch of salt. Combine it and add in the cucumber slices.

Put it all in the microwave for seven or eight minutes, while stirring it at least twice in between. And just like that, you’ve made pickles.

Make The Easiest Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled eggs are easy and great, but they often require way too much effort to clean up after. To change this, just use your microwave. Crack a few eggs into a mug, whisk them up with a fork, add some seasoning and a splash of milk, then place it in the microwave for 45 seconds.

Take it out, mix it, and add it for another 45 seconds and you’re done.

Soften Crystallized Honey
Honey can be the best way to sweeten up your food while adding some very important nutrients to your diet. But when it becomes crystalized with the cold or with time, then use your microwave to soften it up.

Just microwave it for a couple of seconds and in no time the crystals will all have melted leaving you with a flowing pot of honey.

Froth Your Milk
Milk frothers are great and all but you don’t actually need them if you have a microwave. Just pour some milk into a jar and screw the lid on it. Shake the jar for about 40 to 50 seconds until you see that the milk has doubled its size.

Then, remove the lid and microwave it for about 30 seconds and your milk will be perfectly frothed.

Make A DIY Medical Compress
Hot compresses can be really useful to treat ear infections, sore and tired muscles, and sinus congestions. So instead of heading to the store to buy one – make your own.

Grab a wet towel, fold it up, and put it in a ziplock bag. Place it in the microwave with the ziplock open, and microwave it for two minutes. Then, take it out, seal the bag, wrap it in another towel and you’ve got your compress.

Warm Up Your Dishes
Here’s a sneaky trick that restaurants do that we bet none of you even noticed.
​So to recreate that restaurant atmosphere, put your empty dishes in the microwave and heat them for a minute or two before you begin serving up your meal. That will allow your food to stay warm for longer when you have your homemade fine dining experience.

Pre-Cook Your Meals Before You Grill Them
Grilling veggies can take forever, and sometimes you just want them ready to eat in no time. So to speed things up, pierce your potato, bell pepper, or whatever vegetable you’d like to grill with a fork, and put it in the microwave for a couple of minutes.

Then, add them to the grill and the vegetables should take much less time to get ready.

Make Crispy French Fries
After a day or two, french fries become so soggy that the excitement of eating them simply goes away. But instead of throwing them away, what if we told you that you could “revive” them?

Just lay them out evenly on a piece of paper towel, then sprinkle some vegetable oil and place it in the microwave for about ten minutes. Then remove them and let them rest for a bit until they are crisped up.

Clean Up Candle Wax
Burning a candle can be incredibly calming, and it can fill your entire home with a wonderful scent to your home. But when the wax starts getting everywhere, it can be really annoying to remove it from your candle holders.

But again, do not despair, just place the holders in the microwave for a bit and that should make it easy to take it all off.

Cook Special Fish Dishes
Cooking fish may feel a little weird at first, especially if you don’t do it often. So if you’d like to try to take things slowly, simply wrap your fish in a plastic wrap that can be microwaved.

Leave it for a few minutes in the microwave until the fish is cooked to perfection. If you put a few herbs with some lemon slices, your fish will seriously be delicious.

​Speed Up Your Dinner
Instead of cooking those TV dinners in the microwave, literally any meal could be sped up by using the microwave. You can steam, poach, heat things up, but always remember to stir it and to check it regularly, especially if it’s liquid-like soups and sauces.

Also, you need to make sure to take the food out a couple of minutes before it’s completely cooked.

Make Some Parmesan Wafers
Parmesan wafers are perfect to spice things up when you don’t feel like the usual chips. To make them, just cover a plate with parchment paper and cover it all with the thinnest layer of Parmesan.

Then, turn it on on full power for about 30 seconds and you’ll see them becoming brown. Remove them and there it is, you’ve got some parmesan wafers.

​Dry Out Almost Any Herb
One of the best ways to impress anyone in the kitchen is by making your own aromatic herbs. And while you may think that it will take forever to get that to the right point, it doesn’t have to. Lay the herbs on a kitchen towel and microwave them for 30 seconds.

Then, flip them over and add them for another 30 seconds. Continue flipping and microwaving them for some five minutes until they are dry.

Things to know about Bread

This information from BetterReport.com
Visit that site if you want details about these tips.

It’s Made with 100% Whole Grains

Packaging should clearly say that the bread is “100% whole wheat.”

It Contains at Least 3 Grams of Protein

When grains are not processed, they keep all three layers of the plant: the endosperm, bran, and germ. But in refining flour, the bran and the germ are removed, taking away the highest concentrations of protein found in the grains.

It Has at Least 2 Grams of Fiber Per Slice

You should consume 25 to 30 grams of fiber daily as part of a balanced diet.

It Has a Moderate Amount of Sodium

Too much sodium can cause high blood pressure and dehydration, so look for a loaf with less than 160 mg of sodium per slice.

It’s Sourdough

The process results in a more easily digestible product, reduction of phytic acid content, improvement in nutritional value, and metabolic benefits through a lower glycemic index.

It Has a Short Ingredients List

A shorter list indicates a lack of additives and preservatives that may be found in less nutritious breads.

It Has Little to No Added Sugar

Look for bread that has 5 grams of sugar or fewer per slice. 

 

It Contains Nuts and Seeds

Healthy nuts and seeds can increase a bread’s nutritional value by being good sources of healthy unsaturated fats, fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds.

Pumpkin Pudding

Ingredients

  • ½ C packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 C cornstarch
  • 1 egg
  • 1 ½ C unsweetened dairy-free milk
  • 1 C pumpkin puree
  • 1 old banana
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
    • OR:  2 tsp CinnaSugar plus ¼ tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Mix brown sugar and cornstarch in a bowl, removing all lumps.
  • Add to a medium saucepan and slowly whisk in milk until combined
  • Mix an egg and banana with half the pumpkin puree
  • Put into saucepan, and whisk again until combined.
  • Add the other half and mix till combined
  • Place pot on medium-high heat and continuously whisk until mixture has thickened enough to coat a spoon, this will take about 5-7 minutes.
  • Remove pot from the heat and whisk in spices and vanilla.
  • Pour pudding into a glass bowl and let rest 10 minutes.
  • Serve warm or refrigerate an hour.
  • Serve cold
 

 

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