Tuesday Tip-Toothpicks

The Value of a Toothpick

photo via  faqs.org

LABEL MEAT

 Are these burgers rare or well-done? They all look the same on the outside. Identify just-off-the-grill meats with different-colored toothpicks and they won’t get mixed up.

FIND THE END OF THE ROLL

 When you’ve finished using tape, wrap the end around a toothpick so you can easily locate it the next time.

photo by Beatriz da Costa

STICK WITH IT

 Use the sharp ends to apply teensy items to a craft project.  The wood makes a surprisingly good little "brush".

SEW A BUTTON BETTER

 Place a toothpick between the button and fabric so it doesn’t go on too tightly and end up tough to fasten.

PUT THE ICING ON ... THE ICING ON THE CAKE
Use a toothpick to "sketch out" the design on a frosted cake before you write or decorate it with icing. Alternatively, attach pretty personalized paper flags to one end of the picks and plant them on top of cupcakes- it's a super-easy way to make store-bought, generic-looking cupcakes seem personalized.



PRESS A GADGETS RESET BUTTON

 What fits perfectly into that tiny hole? You guessed it.

BOIL BETTER
To prevent that pasta pot from boiling over and making a hot mess (literally!) of your cook top, stick a toothpick between the pot and its lid. This will allow just enough of the steam to escape from the pot.

photo via Real Simple

FIX A LEAKY GARDEN HOSE

Find the leak and push a toothpick into the hole. Trim the excess toothpick and let the water in the hose swell the wood in the hole to plug the leak.

LET YOU LIGHT SHINE
When lighting candles, use a match to light the tip of a toothpick on fire- it will burn slower and longer, saving you from using up all your matches and singeing your fingertips.

SIMPLIFY YOUR SPUDS
When you microwave a potato or yam, use four toothpicks to create "legs" for the tater, elevating it from the bottom of the microwave. This will allow it to cook from all directions, and it will be ready faster. It makes me kind of sad to think of any of you at home microwaving a single potato, but I decided to include this tip, nevertheless.