Slick Tricks

Photo courtesy: caloriecount.about.com

Cooking liquids are one of the most valuable, wasted commodities in the modern kitchen. "Experienced" water contains a lot of taste and nutrition that many people just pour down the drain once the cooking process is finished.

Stop wasting this resource and save some money replacing some OTC (over-the-counter) products as well.

Asparagus - clear up blackheads, pimples, and other facial sores by dabbing them with asparagus water twice a day. Toothpaste dabbed on the blemish works well too. Put on at night, wash off in the morning. Good-bye expensive drugstore remedies.

Eggs - clean pewter by immersing the objects in egg water and letting them sit for a few minutes. Then dip a soft cloth in the water and rub your treasures clean. Rinse with clear water and wipe dry. Good-bye dangerous, toxic OTC cleaners.

If you are a gardener (no matter how big or small), egg water is a wonderful tonic for your plants. Give them a couple of good drinks of egg water throughout the year to help them remain healthy and hearty. Cut back on your fertilizer bill.

Peas - relieve the itch of poison ivy and other rashes by sponging the skin with pea water. Repeat as often as necessary.

Potatoes (unpeeled) - put glistening highlights in brown hair by dipping a pastry brush in potato water and saturating your hair (being careful not to get any water in your eyes). Wait 30 minutes and rinse thoroughly with cool water. Repeat every few weeks to retain the highlights.

Do you bake your own bread? I do and I have never found anything that makes a moister, lighter loaf than potato water. I save my potato water (usually with a potato blended into the liquid) and use it as the liquid in my bread dough. Try it once - you'll be hooked.

Of course, there is also the option of keeping a container in your freezer and using it to hold the liquids until you are ready to make a soup or stew. When I am saving the liquid, I simmer it down to just a small amount and let cool. Then I add it to the container in the freezer. When it's time to make a soup or stew, I already have an excellent starting point for the broth that comes pre-loaded with loaded with flavour, vitamins and minerals.