Nancy's Tips

Biga Pizza Dough 24 hour

For the Biga:

  • 736g Pizza Flour
  • 368g water
  • ¼ tsp yeast
  • Gently toss this so it’s scrappy. Place in a bowl and leave at room temp if only fermenting for 10-12 hours. For 12-24 hours, place in the refrigerator

To make dough (add to Biga)

  • 110g water
  • 26g salt
  • Mix until the water has absorbed into the dough, then let it sit for 20 minutes
  • Move to mixer and mix on medium for 15 minutes until the dough takes shape and is smooth. Let it rise for 4 hours, then form into balls. Ready to use. (I’m going to try letting it sit for a while after making into balls). The dough can be refrigerated for 4 days.

 

Extend The Life Of A Candle. Burn It Longer.

Intuitively, it seems that burning a candle for a longer period of time would make the candle burn away faster. However, allowing a candle to burn all the way across its surface before extinguishing the flame prolongs the candle’s life. This applies to candles in jars and other containers (not pillars–they are designed to burn differently). This simple act of letting your jar candle burn longer helps to prevent tunneling. Tunneling occurs when the candle melts down the middle leaving a “wall” of un-melted soy all the way around the candle container. The next time you light the candle, that initial “wall” of solid soy will act as a barrier; your candle won’t be able to melt all the way across the container and much of your candle will be wasted. If your candle begins to tunnel, use a hairdryer to melt the soy until the soy oil is melted all the way across the container.

The next important step is to trim your wick to 1/4-inch. Your candle will be renewed and ready for lighting once again. By keeping the wick trimmed, your candle will last longer and burn cleaner! Every time you re-light your candle, trim the ‘mushroom’ off which forms on the tip of the wick. This will prevent the black particles from dropping into your candle. A wick trimmer is specially designed with a tray that catches the wick particles and cuts the wick evenly (unlike scissors that trim the wick on an angle). If burning your candle for several hours at a time, trimming the wick is encouraged during burning to keep the candle cool and clean.

 

Best Stainless Steel Cleaner ever! (And you can eat it!)

I have never found store bought stainless steel cleaner to be very effective. Here is a home remedy that I found that makes my stainless steel kitchen appliances look brand new!

Get a clean, empty spray bottle and fill it with plain white vinegar (can mix in a bit of water if the smell is too strong). Spray on the stainless steel and use a gentle cloth to wipe off the grime/dirt. Once the vinegar has cleaned off the dirt, take a separate cloth and dip it into olive oil and rub over the stainless steel. Rub the oil in well and enjoy sparkling clean/streak/free stainless appliances!

A few don’ts with Stainless Steel

  1. Don’t use abrasive sponges, steel wool or any pad/cloth that does not denote whether it scratches or not. If you are not sure or the package doesn’t address this, don’t use it on your stainless!
  2. Don’t use anything with Chlorine or Chloride in it.
  3. Don’t use oven cleaner on stainless steel.
  4. If tap water is harsh, you may have spots or stains after cleaning with the above. In this case, use purified water.

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