Friday, July 12, 2013

Flames and Garbage Bowls


By Nancy Jill Thames



I must say that the older I get, the smarter I get when it comes to working in the kitchen. Of course, I have Rachel Ray to thank for the 'garbage bowl' idea. I used to make countless trips to the trash can, opening and shutting cupboard doors, dripping trash all over the floor, etc. Now I make one final trip at the end of whatever I happen to be making and simply carry the trash bowl to the can and dump once. For my potato salad, this meant the celery ends, potato peels, and onion skins went directly into the bowl saving endless steps. Speaking of onions -  for any of you who don't know this trick, if you place a lighted candle on the cutting board near the onion, the flame absorbs the fumes and not your eyes. It really works! I used to hold a burned out match between my teeth to do this until I realized the flame is much more effective (and I didn't look as silly)!
Yes, holidays like the 4th of July are fun, but they're also a lot of work for the cooks! I hope these two tips help to make your next celebrations easier. From my cozy kitchen to yours, I hope you have a wonderful weekend.












See you in my books!
 ~Nancy Jill 
Mystery novelist Nancy Jill Thames began publishing Christian fiction in 2010. The author of six books in the Jillian Bradley series, she is an award winning blogger and is listed numerous times on the Author Watch Bestseller’s List, this in addition to winning first place for her Chocolate Cream Pie.

When she isn’t plotting her next book, she spends time with her six grandchildren, tags along with her husband on business trips, and plays classical piano for her own personal enjoyment. She is an active member of the Leander Writers' Guild, American Christian Fiction Writers, ACFW CenTex Chapter, and supports the Central Texas SPCA with a portion of her book sales. CONTACT INFORMATION jillthames@gmail.com



 Nancy Jill is busy working on Book 7 "The Ruby of Siam" a mystery taking place in London.

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3 comments:

  1. Nancy, I completely forgot about Rachel Ray's garbage bowl thing. I tried it for a while and loved it, but fell back into my same old patterns. Going to resurrect the practice. It really does save lots of back and forths, (not to mention the wood floors). And I've never heard of lightting a candle when chopping onions. I'm going to try it, my friend. Thanks so much and have a great weekend!

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  2. I needed that candle tip this weekend! My garden onions are powerful strong! ;)

    Traci

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  3. It was so nice not to cry when I chopped up those onions! Glad ya'll could use the tips.

    ~Nancy Jill

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