Olive Oil and Audiobooks

Here are some tricks to help you out of a couple sticky situations. The first one is a neat little trick I stumbled upon while making some sweetened Brussels sprouts. This isn’t even something most chefs think about doing but it can make your life a whole lot easier! You know those recipes that need a tablespoon of honey or a cup of molasses and that sticky substance just won’t come all the way out? Well, this is just the tip for you!

Lightly coat your teaspoon, tablespoon, or measuring cup with olive oil before measuring out your sticky ingredient and it’ll slide right on out! All you need is to dab a little bit onto a paper towel and then rub it over whatever you’re using to measure with. Baking or cooking spray will also work just as well but make sure to spray it over the sink or you’ll wind up with a slick mess. It’s quick and easy but not many people use this trick because they just don’t think about it.

My second tip is for those of you who have to travel with your kids for more than just a short distance. Maybe you have to drive a little way to get them to school or maybe you take them to their grandparents’ for the weekend. Either way, you have to keep them entertained in the car. What’s popular these days is to turn on a movie but, personally, I’m not a big fan of putting kids in front of a screen. There is so much more they could be doing!

My favorite activity for keeping kids engaged for a drive is to put in an audio book. There are files you can download from iTunes and Amazon for all the classics like Nancy Drew, The Boxcar Children, and other short chapter books. These will keep kids entertained while encouraging them to use their imaginations to visualize the story as they’re hearing it. The added bonus? It’ll help improve their attention span, too, if it’s done on a regular basis. Try pausing every chapter or so to discuss what happened in the book. This will make sure they’re paying attention!