Problem Solved: Prevent Food Sticking To Stainless Steel Pans

3 tips that will help you stay asleep, how to remove spilled wax from a tablecloth, and more. September 19, 2021 [View Online]( Good morning! Of the most popular types of cookware, nonstick pans are the least problematic when it comes to stuck-on food. But did you know you can “season” stainless steel pans to make them more nonstick? Learn how it's done in Today’s Good Thing. Also in today’s newsletter, I have some guidance for a reader on removing wax from a tablecloth in Ask Jillee. Even if you don’t have wax on a tablecloth now, with the holidays on the horizon, it’s a tip worth keeping in mind. Jillee TODAY'S GOOD THING Prevent Food From Sticking To Stainless Steel Pans [Photos of the process to make a stainless steel pan nonstick.]( Make your stainless steel pans easier to cook in with the help of coconut oil and salt. Stainless steel has plenty of advantages as a material for cookware—it’s durable, versatile, retains heat well, and distributes heat evenly. But despite these advantages, many people avoid buying or using stainless steel pans because they don’t have a nonstick surface. It’s true that delicate foods like eggs or fish will quickly turn into a stuck-on mess if you cook them on stainless steel without adding a good amount of butter or oil to the pan first. Unless, of course, you know the secret of how to “season” your stainless steel pans with coconut oil and salt. This simple method will give your stainless steel pans a greased surface, reducing the likelihood of food sticking to it and making those pans even more versatile than they were before. And since you’re using natural ingredients to do it, you won’t have to worry about any of the hazards of true nonstick finishes either. Here’s how to do it: Place the pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat and melt 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in it. Swirl the oil around the pan, then pour out any excess so that only a thin, even layer of oil remains. Sprinkle enough table salt into the pan to cover the bottom, then grab a paper towel and rub the oil and salt around the pan, making sure to go over the sides too. Finally, use a clean paper towel to wipe out any excess oil and salt, and your pan will be ready to use! [See The Full Tutorial]( [See The Full Tutorial]( More Bright Ideas • [11 Ways You're Ruining Your Nonstick Pans]( • [The One Thing You Should Never Do After Cooking]( ⚡️QUICK TIPS⚡️ • No matter what sort of substance found its way onto your carpet, find out how to [remove the stain and smell](. [Read more ➜]( • Have some cute thrifted candlesticks that don’t match? [This easy DIY]( will make them look like a matching set. [Read more ➜]( • Pegboards aren't only useful in the garage—check out [12 genius ways to get more organized]( with pegboards. [Read more ➜]( SLEEP WELL SUNDAY 3 Things To Try If You Struggle To Stay Asleep [Photos of an alarm clock, a sleep mask, and a sleep sounds machine.]( Having trouble sleeping through the night? Try these 3 strategies to stop the sleep interruptions. 1. Don’t Check The Clock. We’ve all woken up in the middle of the night, checked the time, and started calculating how long we still have to sleep. Obsessing over the time is not exactly conducive to falling back asleep, so if you have a clock on your nightstand, point it away from your bed so you don’t keep looking at it. 2. Keep The Room Dark. A dark environment is crucial for sound sleep, because darkness signals to your brain that it’s time to rest. If street lamps or other outdoor lights make your bedroom too bright, invest in a set of blackout curtains. You can also use an eye mask to block light no matter where you're sleeping. 3. Play Sleep Sounds Longer. If you rely on sleep sounds or white noise to fall asleep, keeping those sounds on during the night might help you stay asleep too. If you normally set a sleep timer for one hour, the sudden silence could be enough to pull you out of sleep, so try setting it for at least a few more hours. WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT? Let The Gas Gauge Arrow Guide You [A photo showing where the arrow is that indicates which side the gas cap is on.]( With the help of this tip, you won't have to worry about which side your gas cap is on. I've had my share of memory lapses (i.e. completely blanking on a piece of well-known information) over the years. Back when my kids were little, sometimes I’d get so frazzled that I would start calling them by each others' names. Like they were people I vaguely remember from college, and not my children that I helped name. Another memory lapse I've experienced multiple times—and that I suspect others have too—is pulling up to a gas station in my car and suddenly having no idea which side the gas cap is on. Despite filling my car with gas regularly, my brain will say, “The gas cap? It’s on the left. Or is it on the right? Well, it’s definitely on one of those sides.” But I don’t have to worry about where my gas cap is anymore, because I've since learned that most modern cars have an arrow near the gas gauge that points toward the gas cap. Not only can this knowledge help with a memory lapse, but it's also useful when you're filling up a rental car, a relative’s car, or any unfamiliar vehicle! JILLEE'S PICK Make Better Rice With A Rice Washer [Photos of a rice washer being used to wash rice.]( Most of us cook rice in just enough water that it all gets absorbed into the rice as it cooks. But if the starchy powder that coats rice hasn’t been rinsed off first, that means those loose starches will have nowhere to go but back right back into the rice. That extra starch can make your rice extremely sticky, clumpy, or even gooey. (Sticky rice I can live with, but gooey? No thanks.) But on the bright side, it’s easy to remove that troublesome starchy powder and ensure that your rice turns out fluffy and delicious—just [give it a good rinse](. I rinse my rice in my [rice washer]( which I get a lot of mileage out of due to how much rice we eat. A rice washer is a bowl designed for soaking and rinsing rice that has an elevated strainer on one side. After rinsing rice in the bowl, you just tip it toward the strainer to drain out the water, then the rice is ready to cook. [See My Rice Washer on Amazon ➜]( [See My Rice Washer on Amazon ➜]( ASK JILLEE Removing Wax From A Tablecloth [Photos of an iron being used to remove spilled wax.]( Anonymous asked: "Could you please tell me how to remove wax from a tablecloth?" My answer: I sure can, Mystery Reader! As far as spilled substances go, melted wax can seem like a worst case scenario, but it’s very possible to get it out with the right tools. In this case, you’ll need your [clothes iron and a stack of newspapers]( (or roll of paper towels, or a stack of rags you won’t mind throwing out later). All of these options will work, but the more absorbent the material is, the faster you’ll be able to remove the wax. Start by cranking your iron up as hot as it will go and turn off the steam function. Lay a piece of newspaper (or whatever material you’re using) over the wax, then iron it, moving the iron constantly to avoid burning the paper. Once the paper has absorbed a good amount of wax, grab a fresh piece and do it again. Keep repeating this process until all of the wax is gone from the tablecloth. And if there’s a greasy spot left behind once the wax is gone, use [this method for removing oily stains]( to take care of it. Have a question you want to ask me? [Submit your question here]( for a chance to see it answered in a future newsletter! A FEW MORE THINGS... Ahoy, Matey: It’s International Talk Like A Pirate Day, so it’s your chance to dust off your best (worst?) impression of Captain Jack Sparrow, Captain Hook, or any other pirate you like. It may be a very silly made up holiday, but it’s as good a reason as any to wish your loved ones “a fair wind ever and always.” Last Call For Tomatoes: I recently enjoyed some tasty homemade pico de gallo courtesy of my niece Ava, and it was a timely reminder that tomato season is on its way out. Whether you have tomatoes in your own garden or get them at a farmers market or produce stand, [freeze some now]( so you can enjoy them later in the year. What did you think of today's email? [Not good]( | [Just okay]( | [Loved it!]( 🏠[Visit the By Jillee Shop]( 🤗 [Join OGT Free]( Let's connect! [facebook]( [instagram]( [pinterest]( [youtube]( If you have thoughts, comments, questions or a tip or trick you'd like to share, I'd love to hear from you! My inbox is always open, so just hit "reply" and let me know what's on your mind. See you tomorrow! Sending you bright ideas and simple solutions to help you create a home and life you love. My mailing address is: One Good Thing by Jillee 841 S. Main St. Heber City, UT 84032 If you're not happy please reply to this email to tell me why, or you can break my heart and unsubscribe [here](. View our privacy policy [here](.