A Splashing Good Time

Labor Day is just around the corner - the unofficial end to summer.  But, let's be honest, summer has already pretty well ended for most of us; school starting back up pretty well takes care of that.

And, I'm rather looking forward to fall; it is one of my favorite times of the year.

But, before we start looking forward too much to crunchy leaves and pumpkin spice everything, how about one last dip in the pool?

Even if it is just your toes in the water, it still counts right?

Cupcake Counsel

Want to bake a better cupcake?  Keep these tips in mind:

• If your recipe calls for butter, make sure it's at room temperature.
• Measure flour by spooning it into a measuring cup and then leveling with a knife.  Don't pack the flour!
• Check the expiration dates on your baking soda and baking powder.  You can test for freshness by adding a pinch of either to a little bit of vinegar; it should bubble.
• Use parchment or foil nonstick liners for batters with mix-ins like chocolate chips - the chips can stick to paper liners.
• Use an ice cream scoop to evenly measure batter into the muffin cups.
• Don't leave cupcakes in the pan to cool; remove them to a wire rack.  Leaving them in the pans may cause them to dry out faster.

Mmm...tasty!

P.S.  Several of these tips are important when baking cakes, too!

Cupcakes & More

Cupcakes.

Cupcakes.

Sprinkle School

A sprinkle by any other name...is still a sprinkle.  But, just in case you were curious what's what, how about a little pictorial review of some of the most common ones?

Dragees:  metallic balls that range in size from 2 to 10 millimeters and often come in a variety of metallic shades.

Jimmies:  the classic sprinkle you top your ice cream with; rainbow version is most common, but you can find them in all colors online and in some stores.

Nonpareils:  tiny spheres sometimes referred to as hundreds-and-thousands; they come in a wide variety of colors as well.

Quins:  decorative sugar pieces; stars and circles are common, but you can find them in tons of seasonal shapes, too.

Sanding Sugar:  a high sparkle topping that is slightly coarser than granulated sugar; comes in a variety of colors.

This is by no means a complete list of "sprinkle" options, but it's a nice primer.  Now, who wants sprinkles?

Mmm...tasty!

Odor Out

Slicing or dicing garlic, onions, and other pungent vegetables can be a smelly task - one that leaves your hands smelling of the project long after it's completed.

A quick solution?  If you have a stainless steel sink in your kitchen, just run your hands along it several times.  (You have to do this rather vigorously, so you might get some strange looks if others are in the kitchen, but it's all good.)  Viola, no more garlic or onion smell!

If you don't have a stainless steel sink, you can use any other type of stainless steel surface.  Or, they even make stainless steel "bars" (they look similar to bars of soap) that you could keep on hand.

Mmm...tasty!