cupcakes and muffins tip-
the best way to ensure your cupcakes and muffins are baked perfectly every time is with a ice cream scoop. one that has a sweeper is best. this ensure the same amount of batter is disbursed each and every time. if you don't have one of these already, you can often find one for under $10.
turn leftover bread into homemade croutons-
when you have bread that is starting to go stale, don't throw it out! instead make homemade croutons. they will keep in the pantry for about 3-4 weeks and is great to use on salads or even in stuffings. just cut the bread into cubes and put on a cookie sheet. drizzle with olive oil (or instead, i spray liberally with pam) then top with salt, pepper, powdered garlic, and an italian herb blend (if you don't have a blend, use rosemary, sage, thyme, and oregano or whatever you have on hand). toast in the oven at 400 degrees for a few minutes until brown (stirring half way through). let cool and store in a zip top bag.
best summertime tea-
in the summer, i love to drink lots of iced tea. make yours memorable by mixing your flavors. use one large iced tea bag with 2 small bags of flavored tea (mango and peach flavors are my favorite). brew up a whole pitcher and it'll go fast!
