How to Soften Stale Bread Baguette

 With food prices going nuts everywhere, trying to stop wasting food is one way to stretch the food budget.  But who wants to eat an entire baguette or uncut loaf all in one go?  Not me.

A couple ways to deal with this is to:

Slice the baguette or uncut loaf of fresh bread right away and freeze what you don't use today in freezer bags that can seal tight for another day.  Awesome.

But what to do right now?  You got the bread yesterday with intentions of eating it with dinner, but for whatever reason, you didn't.  So for today's dinner you have a rock hard baguette right?

Don't throw it to the birds just yet.

Step 1:  Run the kitchen faucet on a steady stream of cold water, not blasting, just steady.

Step 2:  If you have a cut end of your loaf, try NOT to get the water on the inside or you will end up with soggy bread.  Simply get the outside crust wet.

Step 3:  Set your oven to 300 degrees F.  Place the damp loaf directly onto the rack (don't use a baking tray)  The warm oven will heat the damp crust causing some steaming action inside the loaf.

Step 4:  After 5 minutes give the loaf a squeeze.  It should give a little, with a crusty outside and softer inside.  Don't go past 15 minutes or it will harden again.

Step 5:  Enjoy your warm crusty on the outside and soft on the inside bread!  

EAT and ENJOY!

Hopefully this tip helped.

You can also purchase bread savers, to get that extra mileage out of your bread and hopefully prevent it going stale to quickly.

Saving your leftovers, is one of the best ways to stretch that food budget.

Awesome Way to Water Hanging Plants Without a Flood

 I love hanging plants, inside and outside, but I usually cause a flood when I try to water above my head with a watering can, which may not be a big deal outside, but inside, not so good!

My mom told me this secret, and actually it isn't really a secret... it is what I would call a "hack" just to make life easier.

The trick?

ICE CUBES!!

Ice Cubes for Plants, especially Higher up Plants

If you water any higher up indoor plants with a watering can or something with a long spout, then chances are you do what I do, and kinda guess, if they got enough water, or it simply runs right through the pot and drips on your head.

Take 3 or 4 ice cubes (I am talking typical sized ones) and place on the soil.  This way it melts gradually and is absorbed gradually and doesn't cause a flood!  Who knew??  Plus it is the same amount each time you water.   

Christmas Tree

This works well when you need to water a Christmas tree and getting into that weird yoga pose just to get the spout into the planter base and then miss! (been there done that) put a few ice cubes in each day, and monitor after an hour or so, this way you can guess how many cubes to use.

Stop Curdling 

Now this is nothing to do with plants, but thought it was worth mentioning.  If you cooked a sauce on too high a heat or didn't stir it properly, or mixed it to quickly and it has separated, or curdled, then throw in an ice cube.  I have no idea why this works, but my Gran told me this tip.

Wrinkles in Your Shirt?

No time to deal with it but you need it?  Plug in the iron, and wrap a couple of ice cubes in a clean cloth and rub on the wrinkles, they will begin to leave and the iron can finish them off.

Smoother Caulking?

If you have just caulked around your tub, and are going for that super smooth finish and your finger doesn't seem to be doing the trick.  Grab an ice cube and run over the seam and it will smooth right out without sticking.  (My dad taught me that one)

So take advantage of your freezer, and add some more filled ice cube trays, as it turns out there are plenty of uses for ice other than to add to those well deserved drinks!

Dents in Carpet?

Did you change up your space and that coffee table has left dents in the carpet?  Yes they will eventually life but the way to speed this up, is to place a single ice cube in the dent, once melted brush the carpet and it will lift.