Put your "clumpy" old spices in the hot sun for the day, with the lid slightly open to allow any moisture to escape. Close the lid from time to time and shake well. At the end, most, if not all of the clumps, will have gone. If any are left, just take them out and break them up between your fingers or put the whole lot in a small "Bullet" type blender for a few seconds.

Instead of using the popular coffee enhancers and smoothies that are available in different flavours, but can sometimes cost even more than the coffee, I found that a few drops of Vanilla was also a great choice, and much cheaper, especially when you refill the $6.00 (250ml) bottle with the $9.00 (1 litre) jug.  Note, Vanilla (real and artificial) is mostly water and alcohol.

I also add a "shake" of ground cinnamon and often nutmeg and ginger. (with the added health benefits!)

Also, instead of the popular artificial coffee whiteners that are mostly chemicals with little nutritious value (except potassium), I use Skim Milk Powder with no chemicals or fat.  It may cost a little more but it also has more nutrition and less calories.

Here's a super easy way to clean your coffee pot and your spray nozzle at the same time.  Pull the nozzle out and down into the pot of White Vinegar and clamp with a Dollar Store bag clip.  Let them soak for hours, then scrub the pot and the nozzle with a kitchen brush, (Dollarama) and wash with hot soapy water and rinse.

When the pickles are gone I pour the brine onto the driveway weeds, but the Hot & Spicy brine I keep on hand in the fridge and add a little to my vegetable or tomato juice for that extra piquant sensation - below.

Notice the portion sizes. The milk powder's size is 4 tablespoons, (25g) enough to make a glass of milk. The whitener's portion is 1 teaspoon, (2g) to add to a cup of coffee - multiplied by 12.5 would be 125 calories.

If your container lid is loose, not making a good seal, just heat up the middle and press a bowl into the soft plastic and hold it there until it cools.

 

The second lid goes on the bottom to protect the counter top.

Instead of the more expensive Chocolate Powders, with added chemicals, just make your own with sugar and cocoa.  I use ~50/50 mix.  You control the amount of sugar, but you'll need enough to help dissolve the cocoa. The Hills Bros. coffee tins are all metal and make good containers.  Add another lid to the bottom to protect your countertop. Of course any sealable container will work.

If you'd like your Yogurt to be a little thicker and with an added treat, just stir in some raisins and leave in the fridge overnight.  The dry raisins will absorb some of the Yogurt's moisture, (by the process of diffusion - from a high concentration to a low one) swelling them and thickening the Yogurt for a unique gastronomic experience.  You may even wish to enhance it with a "shot" or two of lemon juice.

You can also  make your own Onion or Garlic butter (or even Onion Garlic butter) by using Unsalted Butter. If using salted butter, only add the onion or garlic powder or it could be too salty.  Experiment to your preference.  If not already, soften the butter in the microwave, a few seconds at a time, while mixing with a fork just until it's creamy.  Then add your spice of choice and keep mixing.  Just by spreading it on, you can turn ordinary bread or buns into garlic bread, onion buns, etc. etc...

In a picture above, where I'm adding vanilla to the coffee, you may have noticed that the spice shakers are all the same brand, but you've never seen them in the stores.  That's because they don't exist, you have to make your own, using the replacement packs (cheaper) and some existing shakers that you've saved when the spices ran out, or something suitable from the Dollar Store.  Just empty the bags into the shakers, cut the bags all the way around, 3½" wide as shown, (for these ones) wrap them around the shaker and tape at the back.

BELOW - Have you ever been frustrated by some of the "Child Proof" bottle caps, especially ones that you use often?  If your children have "grown up" or you live alone (with arthritis?) and children will/can never have access to your bottles, then just change the caps.

Kitchen Tips and Tricks

Getting everything ready to make a nutritious veggie/fruit cocktail with my Breville Juicer.

Note the Induction Cooktop, the installation shown at the bottom of "Build A Chef's Kitchen", page.

Trays on top of the Microwave are temporary and later removed.

"See "Advanced Tips & Tricks" page for causes and fixes for an overheating Microwave Oven.

Weight Loss?  "If you don't buy it, you can't eat it."  D. J. Huggett

"The more I think, the more I think that I should think more."  D. J. Huggett

This pic shows just two of many types of bottle cap replacement possibilities.  I have a section in one of my kitchen drawers where I save an assortment of all types of bottle caps which has come in handy many times for several different reasons.  Once I dropped a full bottle of juice on my porcelain kitchen floor which cracked the cap and some juice started to leak out before I picked it up.  I just removed and discarded the damaged cap and replaced it with a spare from my collection.
Of course the Cranberry/Rexall swap just illustrates the interchangeability.

I put another original cap back on the Cranberry bottle.

BELOW - Has your portable electric hand mixer stopped working but you still have all the attachments?

 

Any attachment (Beaters, Whiskers, Blenders, Dough Hooks, etc.) that will fit into an electric hand mixer (Eggbeater) will fit perfectly into any cordless (or corded) electric drill.  You may find some at the Dollar Store.

 

NOTE:  This pic was used on the "Make Your Own Memes" page.