Bake and sauce like a boss
Q Are there any tricks for keeping my white canvas shoes white?
A Begin by applying a canvas shoe protector that protects the fabric from liquid. Reapply the protector twice a month. A small amount of baking soda and water will remove minor marks. Purchase water-based cleaner for thorough shoe cleaning.
Q My four-year-old son left Playdough on the carpet. I tried to vacuum it, but it stuck to the vacuum and it also smeared further into the carpet. Help!
A When it comes to Playdough on carpet, the trick is to let it dry completely before trying to remove it. Once dry, attach the dust attachment to the hose on your vacuum and suck up the pieces. Use Head & Shoulders Dandruff shampoo and water to clean up any remaining pieces.
Q I make homemade pasta sauce using tomatoes from my garden. The problem is the sauce has a weird acidic taste. Is it garbage?
A If a tomato-based sauce becomes too acidic add a teaspoon (15 mL) of baking soda at a time to the sauce to reduce the acidity. Some cooks prefer to add sugar for the same reason. Sugar can also reduce acidity of tomatoes used in salads.
Q I’m not much of a baker, but now that I’m a grandma, I want to bake my grandchildren brownies. Without making them from scratch, do you have any ideas for how I can make cakebox brownies taste homemade?
A Purchase a boxed brownie mix, bake according to the directions on the box. Consider adding a handful of chocolate or vanilla chips to the mix. The easiest way to give boxed brownies your own flair is by topping them with vanilla ice cream and sprinkles. You can also purchase storebought chocolate icing and then add sprinkles to the icing. When brownies are warm, they always taste great!
FEEDBACK FROM FINE CONTRIBUTORS
Re: Devilled Eggs
I just read your recent article and I have a problem with your suggestion to use a sealable bag to squeeze the egg yolks into the whites. Why contribute to such unnecessary plastic waste when two teaspoons would serve the purpose? Maybe not quite so pretty, but certainly environmentally superior. Shirley
Re: Cleaning a Dishwasher
Just another tip to clean your dishwasher, set your hot water tank to at least 140 F (60 C). Use a premium dishwasher detergent such as Cascade Platinum, run the cycle as normal. Anonymous
VEGAN FOOD HINTS
Blended up cashews make a
■ creamy white sauce for meals.
Instead of using mayonnaise
■ on burgers, use blended avocado.
Make your own vegan buttermilk
■ by adding 1 tablespoon (15 mL) white vinegar to any nondairy milk.
Instead of an egg, use half a
■ banana in vegan recipes.
Make your own vegan whipping
■ cream by whipping cold, refrigerated coconut milk with a mixer. Note: Every user assumes all risks of injury or damage resulting from the implementation of any suggestions in this column. Test all products on an inconspicuous area first.
Reena Nerbas is a popular motivational presenter for large and small groups. Check out her website — reena.ca — to ask a question or share a tip.