Top Drawer: The best stuff for your home and garden
Best for a 2015 blessing
Here’s a great way to start the New Year on a positive note and jump-start 2015 holiday gift-giving. Have family put money – change and dollars – in a Mason jar throughout the year. In December, when the holidays roll around, choose someone to bless (anonymously or purposefully). Some banks, credit unions and grocery stores have machines that let you convert coins into cash. Deliver your monetary gift (or presents/gift cards you purchase with the money) to that special family or charity the week of Christmas. They’re sure to be grateful for your efforts. Thanks to Pinterest for the wonderful idea.
Best winter drink
Rocky Alexander of Fuquay-Varina shared a recipe for Hot Cinnamon Cider, which she promises “tastes just like apple pie!” For each poured mug of apple juice or cider, add one tablespoon of cinnamon red hot candies. Microwave on high for 90 seconds. (If cider is really cold, microwave for 2 minutes).
Top with whipped cream. (Adults may also add one jigger of Goldschlager.)
“As a side note,” Alexander wrote, “I make hot cider in my 40-cup coffee maker for a crowd by using 1/2 gallon or more of cider, a quart of cranberry juice (and some Pom if I have it). In the basket strainer (where you usually put coffee), I put a sliced-up orange, a half-cup of cinnamon red hots and 6 cinnamon spice tea bags. You can also add a jigger of rum to each cup as you serve.”
Seeking new tips for a new year
We are seeking a fresh batch of useful tips for cleaning, organizing and gardening around your home. If we use your tip, you’ll be entered in our quarterly drawing for a Visa gift card. Send your tips to topdrawer@newsobserver.com. Be sure to include your name, street address and city. Put “best tips” in the subject line.
Best for kitchen cleanups
Into every kitchen, some grease and grime must fall. Real Simple magazine has compiled a list of 19 tips for solving kitchen mishaps. We’ve excerpted some of our favorites here:
Cleaning a kitchen grater: To make cleanup a breeze, spritz grater with nonstick cooking spray before grating cheese, and the residue will wipe right off.
Stains on plastic storage containers: Tomato sauce and other acidic foods leave stains on plastic that even the dishwasher won’t remove. Set those plastic pieces out in the sun to naturally bleach the stains away. (Rub lemon juice on stubborn spots first. Baking soda also works well in bleaching color out of plastic, and it helps get rid of strong odors.)
Freezer spills: To clean up a leak, use an ice scraper (the same kind you would use on an ice-covered windshield) to loosen the splattered contents, and gently scrub with a wet, warm microfiber cloth.
Milk scum on pans: Cream sauces, custards and other cooked-milk mixtures nearly always stick to pans. To remove, fill the pot with warm water and add several tablespoons of baking soda or a powdered cleanser like Bon Ami. Bring to a boil and let boil until the scorched milk loosens and floats to the surface.
Burned-on sugar: The best thing about sugar is that it dissolves. Pour in some boiling water, stir to loosen, and pour out. Repeat until all the sugar disappears.
Visit http://nando.com/pw for these and other kitchen cleaning tips.
Best DIY candleholders
Craft some beautiful, do-it-yourself candle holders for your side table or mantel in the New Year, with these directions from the The Special Moms World blog.
Supplies:
Candle holders (the blogger found hers at the Dollar Store)
Rubber bands
Ivory spray paint
Clear acrylic sealer
Step-by-step:
1 Place the rubber bands on the candle holders. (Arrange them however you like.)
2 Place a piece of cardboard on your workspace and put the candle holders on it. Spray the holders with paint. Make sure to spray the entire holder. Let dry for 15 minutes and repeat the process.
3 Spray with clear acrylic spray. Let dry and repeat.
4 Dry completely and remove rubber bands. Let there be light!
You can see the finished product and the original post by visiting http://nando.com/py.
Best of the tube
On DIY
The trouble with tile: After years of neglect, the upstairs guest bathroom and main-floor powder room of an old home are in horrible shape. But underneath the grime is valuable ceramic tile, antique fixtures and character you just can’t buy. Nicole Curtis is determined to save everything she can, but she needs to figure out how to patch the damaged spots with new tile that blends with the aged color and texture of the original. See the transformation on “Rehab Addict” at 11 a.m. Tuesday.
Send news and photos to The News & Observer, P.O. Box 191, Raleigh, N.C. 27602; email topdrawer@newsobserver.com.
This story was originally published January 2, 2015 at 8:00 PM.