Wake the Lakes “Life Hacks for the Week” 11-20-23

Practical Thanksgiving Hacks for this Turkey Day

–Use a thermos as a gravy warmer to free up space on the stove.

–Use a paper plate as a hand mixer splash guard.  Use the blender whisks to poke two holes into the paper plate and position it over your bowl and your mix. Just don’t overmix your mashed potatoes or they’ll turn out gummy.  Also, keep those mashed potatoes warm in a slow cooker.

–If you are using fresh garlic, microwave that garlic for 15 seconds to easily remove the skin. 

–Boil cinnamon sticks, apple peels, orange rinds, and whole cloves in water for a festive-smelling home.

–Use square and rectangle pans so you can fit more dishes in the oven, not those EVIL round pans.

–Keep food warm in a cooler.  Cover dishes tightly with foil and use the cooler’s insulation to retain the heat. Place a kitchen towel on the bottom if the dishes are super hot. This is also a great travel hack if you’re bringing dishes to a Thanksgiving dinner.

–Prevent a mixing spoon from falling into a bowl or pot full of food by wrapping a rubber band around the handle.

–Make pumpkin pie bites with a cookie cutter and whipped cream.  Take a store-bought pumpkin (or sweet potato) pie and transform it into bite-size desserts.  If you don’t have a round cookie cutter that’s deep enough, try a biscuit cutter.  For best results, slightly spray the biscuit cutter with nonstick cooking spray before cutting into your Thanksgiving pie.