BrainBloggin.com Knowledge, Information and Ideas http://www.brainbloggin.com/ BrainBloggin.com Knowledge, Information, Forums, Automotive, Household, Electronic and Cooking Tips en-us 2011-11-02T00:00:00+01:00 Bring Back the Brilliance of your real silverware http://www.brainbloggin.com/content.asp?ContentId=997 Baking soda, aluminum foil, a shallow glass pan, and boiling water are all you need to begin removing tarnish from your silverware. The tarnish will magically transfer from the silver to the aluminum foil in a matter of minutes.

Simply line the bottom of a glass pan with aluminum foil. Make sure the shiny side of the foil is facing upwards. Place the tarnished silverware in the pan, and sprinkle a 1/2 cup of baking soda on top. Cover them with boiling water. The tarnish will fade from the silverware and attach to the foil.

Rinse the silverware in lukewarm water, and polish it to a brilliant shine with a lint-free soft cloth. Continue this process until all tarnished pieces of silverware look like new.

Another easy way to clean your Silverware

Here is another solution to removing tarnish. Silverware can be safely cleaned with salt and lemon. Cut the lemon in half, dip it in the salt and rub off all the tarnishing, bringing the silver up to a lovely shine.

The humble rhubarb will do the same; it must be the acid in these fruits that act on the stains and clean the metal. But however you approach cleaning silver, or indeed any other metal you wish to bring to a shine, always wear gloves.

As you can see, there is no need to buy harsh chemicals for removing tarnishing from silverware, and when you do get your precious items clean, use them often and share theiry beauty. Remember to store them correctly after use, and that tarnishing should stay away.

Storing your fine silverware.

Silver tarnishes so very easily, yet looks so wonderful when it sparkles with the right lustrous finish. The best way of dealing with tarnish on silverware is to try to prevent it happening in the first place. A good way to do this is to store it wrapped in cling-film, or cotton cloth such as an old pillow case or clean tee shirt. Exposure to light and air causes it to blacken, so if you can, keep it hidden away when you are not using it, it should stay untarnished.
]]> Food, Cooking and Recipes 2009-11-22T14:42:01+01:00 My Grandmothers Zucchini Bread http://www.brainbloggin.com/content.asp?ContentId=732
My Grandmothers Zucchini Bread
Recipe
 
Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
 
INGREDIENTS
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1teaspoons ground Allspice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
 
Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
 
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts
Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well.
Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until *tester* or a Dry Wooden tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
 
Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.
 
If you want mini loaf or muffins bake 20 minutes ou untill Dry Wooden tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
 
This is the best MASTER zucchini recipe. No need to look further. I've tried several other recipes and this one is the BEST.
 
If you want less oil try and do a half and half oil/applesauce and subsititute and reduce to
2 cups of sugar - plenty sweet! 1 cup brown sugar for the white sugar. The brown sugar
adds so much more richness and depth of flavor than just using all white sugar.
 
Zucchini Bread won't be green, trust me. No nuts needed or draining/squeezing out the
zucchini either. The water adds to the moistness of the bread. I cook 55 min. cook time for
me. I did 60 min. the first time and it wasn't as moist. Since zucchini is available year
round, you can make this anytime of the year. Super quick and easy to make and my kids
inhale this stuff. Don't tell them about the veggies and they won't know it's there!
]]> Food, Cooking and Recipes 2008-10-30T10:28:08+01:00 How to use Less oil when cooking http://www.brainbloggin.com/content.asp?ContentId=729 I have tried a lot of different ideas to reduce my oils in baking and I found this to be the best. It works great on breads and such. give it a try and I am sure you will like it as much as I do. If you know substitute or have a comment please feel free to post.

Here it is easy and works great. Are you ready for this its real hard NOT its so simple you will have a hard time believing.
I mix half and half oil/applesauce. That's all their is to it nothing more nothing less real hard HOT!!! Enjoy and keep watching for more great How to tips! As you know sharing knowledge is what we are all about!]]> Food, Cooking and Recipes 2008-10-28T15:44:40+01:00 Fresh baked sourdough bread one of life's true pleasures. http://www.brainbloggin.com/content.asp?ContentId=719
Fresh baked sourdough bread one of life's true pleasures.
Recipes
Fresh baked sourdough bread is one of life's true pleasures.  The tang found in sourdough makes a memorable impression from the first moment it hits your taste buds.  The mystery surrounding sourdough and the use of a "starter" seems to keep most home bakers from attempting to make their own sourdough.  However, with a little time and the right method, you can create the perfect sourdough starter from scratch.  With the starter in hand, you will be well on your way to making great homemade sourdough bread.
 
     The history of sourdough goes way back, but recent history tells us that pioneers heading west in the early 1800's made and used sourdough starter as a key ingredient in their baking.  Once you have a sourdough starter, you can just keep replenishing it over and over again.  If you really think about it, you can make a sourdough starter today and pass it on to your children and grand children.
 
     To begin, locate a plastic or glass container, glass canning jar can work in a pinch.  ("NEVER USE METAL" Never stir in a metal bowl, and never stir with a metal utensil.) Combine equal amounts of flour and water in the container.  Let the mixture sit out on the counter for the first day to "seed" the starter with the wild yeast that are floating around in the air.  This seems to be the easiest way to begin a new sourdough starter.  Another option is to secure a source of starter from a neighbor or friend.  After the first day, cover the container that holds your starter and let it sit at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.  (Note If you get a clearish or brownish liquid on top of your starter, just mix it in. That is a sign of a natural chemical reaction, and is harmless. The liquid is called "hooch.") At this point, smell the starter and see if smells sour and is thick and bubbly.  If so, you're in business and ready to start baking homemade sourdough bread.
 
     To begin your sourdough loaves, use one cup of your starter and follow a basic sourdough bread recipe.  Be sure to replace any starter that you use with equal amounts of water and flour.  This step will ensure that you have a continuous supply of starter for your next baking session.  Store your sourdough starter in a covered container in the refrigerator.  If, after a couple of weeks, the starter gets way too sour and concentrated, then stir it up really well and get rid of half of it.  Replenish the container with fresh water and flour and put in back in the Fridge. 
     Following these steps makes it easy for even a novice baker to make their own sourdough starter from scratch and make tasty and tangy sourdough bread at home.
 
 
HOW TO MAKE A LOAF OF SOURDOUGH BREAD
1.- Grab the starter that you left sitting out over night to proof. Take out two cups worth (use a plastic or wooden mixing spoon, and non-metal measuring cups) and put the two cups of starter into a large plastic or glass mixing bowl.
2.-Mix in one cup of water and one cup of whole wheat flour to the rest of the starter, and put it back into it's usual container, and back into the fridge.
3.- Add the following to the starter that is in the mixing bowl: 4 teaspoons of pure brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of pink sea salt, and 2 tablespoons of softened (not melted or heated) real butter. Mix well.
4.- At this point, you can use an electric mixer, or the dough cycle of a bread machine, or continue mixing by spoon and hand... Add the whole wheat flour to the batter, one half cup at a time. Bread doughs vary, so you may not use all of the flour. I usually have a half cup left over, that I can put back away for future use.
5.- Once the mixture is a dough that you can knead without getting all sticky, then you've added enough flour. If your starter was very wet and humid, then you may need to add a little bit more flour than this recipe calls for. This is fine.
6.- Knead the dough for about 10 minutes, then loosely cover the bowl with a towel, and set the bowl in a dark area to let it rise for about an hour. Some sourdoughs will rise within a half hour, others can take a couple hours. You'll know your dough has risen, when it is about double the size.
7.- Punch down, and knead the dough again, for about 5 minutes.
8.- Shape the dough into a loaf then put it onto a cookie sheet, or into a loaf pan. Cover the dough, and let it rise again for about an hour. It should again get about double in bulk.
9.- Put the pan with the dough into the oven (do not preheat). Turn the oven to 350 degrees. It will start cooking the bread as it is heating up. Let the bread bake for about 40-45 minutes. You'll know when it is done, because of its color, and when you thump it with your finger, it should sound somewhat hollow.
 
 
IF YOUR DOUGH NEVER ROSE
Whole wheat starter can sometimes be tricky. You'll know it's official starter, when it smells sour and beery, and has some small bubbles. However, if the yeast in it isn't very active, it may not raise your bread dough. If you have this problem, then take your starter out of the fridge, and mix in 2 teaspoons of dry yeast, and a cup of whole wheat flour and a cup of water. Loosely cover your starter, and leave it out of the fridge for a day or two.
After a day or two, try again to make a loaf of sourdough bread.
Sometimes it can take a few tries to get a good starter going. With Practice, Patience, and Persistence, it will happen. If worse comes to worse, then just go onto a message forum board, and ask if anyone would like to mail you some of their sourdough starter. You'll likely get quite a few responses from wonderful people on here who would love to share their starter. In fact, some people's starter is hundreds of years old, having been passed down through the family generation to generation.
]]> Food, Cooking and Recipes 2008-10-25T22:57:04+01:00