Banana Peels to Heal Bruises

"Holding a banana peel over a bruise for 10-30 minutes will remove it's color!" 

Between work, hobbies and wrangler to two kids, I've had my fair share of bruises. So having seen this idea pin several times on pinterest I decided to give it a try. Despite testing it several times, it never once worked for me. Some of the pins suggest doing it right after you get hit, others seem to say it will fade already developed bruises, however if you bang your knee on a table and put a banana peel on it, and a bruise doesn't form - was it the peel or were you just not going to develop a bruise? I tested it both on newly hit areas, and bruises I already had, yet it didn't do a thing for me. (Other than making me looking silly, holding banana peels to my legs) 

Having looked up the contents of the banana peel, I was hoping perhaps there was some high content of some mineral or vitamin known to help the skin, and in turn people assumed it would help with bruises. However despite having vitamins like Manganese and Potassium, it has a much higher fiber and water content compared to an actual banana (source) In that case, why not just use an actual banana? 

Type in "How to get rid of bruises" on pinterest (or even google) will pull up dozens of different methods. I've personally tested out the banana peel method, but I'm going to list below some of the other ways they say you can fade a bruise:

• Listerine
• Bananas
• Vinegar
• Milk
• Hand Sanitizer
• Leeches 
• Onions
• Eat Pineapple, Parsley

Unfortunately - most of these will not work. That's not how bruises work. They are caused by bleeding under the skin. About the only one I can see being effective on that list is the leeches, but I don't know of anyone who happens to keep a jar of those handy around anymore. Anything else is just being placed on the surface of the skin, and won't have much of an impact on how fast the blood will fade.

There are some more traditional methods that you can try to help lessen the coloring and pain, such as icing the area and taking an NSAID or tylenol; however as I was researching various methods I came across one that seems to actually work faster than just time : Kinesio tape, also known as KT tape.

The interesting thing about this, is that there are well documented photos showing how well it works. 

from the blog Ride. Write. Repeat.

In fact because of how the tape is applied, you can see where the tape was aiding in the healing process. After searching details on this method, I found countless photos and examples of people with kinesio tape to help heal bruises. The way the tape works on your skin, the tension involved and how it pulls up on the skin; allowing the blood to better disperse. Though it might seem a bit overkill if you're just trying to heal a small bruise on your knee or arm, if you're facing a far more serious and painful bruise, this is the method I'd turn to. Leave the banana peels in the garbage. 

Good Idea Friday - The Hard Boiled Egg Debate

So, last year we posted about how adding a bit of baking soda to your hard boiled eggs allows them to peel more easily. The response received after that post was bigger than we imagined it would be. Apparently the way you boil (or don't boil) your eggs is highly personal and widely debated. So this year we thought we would take the time to test out various methods of hard boiling eggs and see which resulted in the easiest to peel category. We posted on our Facebook page for ideas and suggestions. Armed with 2 dozen eggs bought last Wednesday (same lot, same date, same time, variations would be at a minimum) we got to testing yesterday.

I will say right off the bat that I'm not a fan of eggs and hardboiled are probably my least favorite way to eat them. Sorry. I was unable to be the taste tester, so I had my kids and husband judge for me.

Method One - Traditional Method

Place eggs in a pan in a single layer, add enough water to cover. Turn to medium-high heat and allow to come to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat off and cover. Allow to sit covered for 12-17 minutes.* Place eggs in a cold water bath. 

REVIEW - First off, the timing on this method depends entirely on how you store your eggs. Most reviews say 12 minutes, but having used this method myself I always find them slightly undercooked. At least in my house, my kids like the yolks to be firm, no gooey bits, but not dry. Due to how you store your eggs--some countries it's more common to store eggs out, but here in the US we tend to keep our eggs in the refrigerator--it can affect the way the eggs cook. Room temperature eggs take less time than cold eggs do, so they require a few extra minutes cooking time depending on your tastes. Personally, I find 15 minutes to be the perfect time.  

So how well did they peel? Perfectly. I give it a 5 star rating. 

Method Two - Oven Baked Method

Pre-heat oven to 325° F. Place eggs in a muffin tin. Bake 20 minutes. Place eggs in cold water bath.

REVIEW - I have heard by die hard fans (as well as my all time favorite scientist/cook, Alton Brown) that it is THE WAY to make hard boiled eggs (though they aren't boiled, so .. hard baked?). Easy enough to test out. The results though left me less than impressed. I will say that my oven, due to a couple infamous oven fires, isn't the best working oven out there. That very well may have altered the results. However, they were far harder to peel, and they were over cooked. Most had a couple hard brown spots on them, and there were several that had weird brown spots on the shell where the egg inside tried to push it's way out of the shell. All ovens vary, and I've heard using a silicone tray works to prevent the burned spots, but I didn't have one to test out. 

All in all, I give it a 3 star rating. I think if you know your oven and time it better, this may work, it just wasn't as foolproof as I was hoping it would be.

Method Three - Baking Soda Method

Same as Method One, ddd in a couple tablespoons of baking soda prior to boiling. Place eggs in a cold water bath. 

REVIEW - Honestly it worked just as well as the traditional method. Since I was using week old eggs for this test, it didn't make much of a difference. Having used it on fresher eggs in the past though, it does work. 

I give it a 4 star rating on fresh eggs since it's not perfect, but it works better than just a plain boiling method on fresh eggs. 

So there you have it. There were other methods I've came across just tonight that I was unable to test out in time, pricking the bottom of eggs with a pin, baking in the oven in a muffin tin with water in the cups to prevent drying out/burned spots, boiling with a bit of vinegar instead of baking soda, boiling room temperature eggs, etc., etc.

Really though, the truth is the reason eggs stick to their shells is because of a thin membrane under the shell. So I don't doubt some of this methods will work; the pin prick, the baking soda, and the vinegar all act as ways of separating the membrane from the shell. It's one of the reasons you are suppose to put the eggs into an ice bath right after cooking, in hopes the thermal shock will aid in it as well. It's also why older eggs peel better, as they age the membrane separates from the shell.

And as always, you can find us on facebook and twitter. Please let us know what your favorite method is and let us know if we forgot to test out a certain way.

Good Idea Friday - Glow in the Dark Cupcakes

Goulish Glowing Cupcakes : Recipe Snobs 

Pinterest  in general (well, the people on pinterest, so I guess "Pinners") have this weird obsession with all things glow in the dark. I've never personally put a lot of thought into what I can and can't make glow in the dark, but on pinterest a quick search can pull up dozens of different ideas, most of which are wrong and won't work.

A fan of the blog sent me this, and I was delighted to see something glowing that isn't a bad idea for once! Not only that, it's cupcakes! And who doesn't love cupcakes?

So, what's the secret? Well it's tonic water. It's the quinine in the tonic water that does the trick. However they won't just magically glow in the dark, you need a black light to activate the glow of quinine (just like you do with the infamous "Galaxy Cocktail")  I can't vouch for how this tastes, but it would be a fun and easy enough project for Halloween to test out. Head over to Recipe Snobs for the full recipe. 

And remember, if you have a pin you are curious about, we're always taking ideas! Find us on facebook or twitter. 

Can You Cook Corn in Your Cooler or Ice Chest

"Cooler Corn! For when you've got a lot of people who want corn. Perfect for tailgating or BBQs."

Summer is here for a lot of us in the Northern Hemisphere, and I've gotten a lot of people asking me about cooler corn, or if you can safely cook corn on the cob in your ice chest or cooler. The idea is an interesting one; instead of heating up your house in the summer to get corn on the cob, or if you have to cook a lot for a BBQ or cook out, simply add it to a cooler, cover with boiling water and let it cook in the cooler. This idea is still highly debated among some. Does it work? Yes, it really does. But the problems that bring this into question is: can the heat leach chemicals or damage the ice chest? For the most part, yes. 

It seems the original image and idea came from a post over at the blogs on Bon Appetit. However, the original post didn't bring up any of  the concerns that make this a bad idea. (source) 

You see, most home coolers are made with PVC and other various plastics which often times contains BPA and other chemicals not made to be ingested. Coolers, when used properly, offer little risks of leaching chemicals into food since most people store their foods on ice, and often times in containers within the cooler. Once the plastic itself is heated though, the chemicals in the plastic begin to break down and leach into the water.  BPA is legal in the US for use in plastics, but due to the public concern of the possible link to serious health risks, more and more companies are no longer using it in plastic made for food use. Chances are though, your cooler isn't one of them. And there are other chemicals in plastic besides BPA to worry about. 

On top of that, certain coolers have been known to warp once exposed to high heat from the boiling water. I found a great forum post about this over at Home Brew Talks where someone was kind enough to actually send shavings of his coolers to be anylist in a lab. The results? The inside white plastic starts to melt at 212°F (100°C), which is boiling point for water. (source) 

So my conclusion? I'd honestly leave this one as a "last case scenario" idea. It does work, but you run a really good chance of ruining your cooler or have chemicals you really don't want leaching into the water. Not a single cooler manufacturer backs this suggestion, as every cooler is meant to cool items -- it's in the name of the product. However, this does beg the question - if not in your cooler, than what? I'm rather curious to see if this sort of thing would work in a stockpot with lid. Corn can cook quickly and easily,  so I imagine any large basin with lid would work. Just make sure it's food grade material and preferably not plastic. 

Edible Color Sugar Glitter

"1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of food coloring, baking sheet and 10 mins in oven to make edible glitter...."

Ok, first off, just no. No. That's a photo of glitter. Just plan old glitter. Now, they do make professional sugar glitter for decorating cakes, but can you make it yourself with just plain sugar and food coloring? 

Ehh... sorta. You see, you can make your own colored sugar, it really is quite easy to do. Just follow the instructions above - food coloring, sugar, and bake at a low temp to help dry the sugar so it doesn't clump. But it's not going to look like glitter, it's going to look like colored sugar. In fact if you're interested, over at the blog The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle, she does a great write up on how to make your own color sugar for cookies, cakes and sweets, which you can read more here.

Sanding Sugar : The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle

But this pin talks about edible GLITTER, which as pretty as colored sugar is, we can all agree doesn't look sparkly. So how can you get that high sparkle look at home? Not with your everyday sugar. You're best bet would be to buy some sparkling white sugar - which is larger crystals of sugar and not as fine, so it refracts light differently from the more finely ground table sugar. You can see a photo of sparkle sugar over there to the left. If you're feeling REALLY crafty you can even make your own, the same way you would make rock candy. Just boil some water and sugar, stir until well dissolved, add a stick to the jar... and then wait... about a week or so, until the water is gone and the sugar crystals have formed to the stick.  You could also, I believe, dye the sparkling sugar, but a quick search hasn't pulled anything up in regards to that. Since I'm not a baker (you know me and oven fires), sadly, I haven't any on hand to test, so I can't report on if it works well or not. 

So all in all, no, you can't make edible glitter at home with table sugar, food coloring and your oven. 

Coffee to Stop Hair Growth

"get rid of unwanted hair ANYWHERE! For 1 week, rub 2 tbsp coffee grounds mixed with 1 tsp baking soda. The baking soda intensifies the compounds of the coffee breaking down the hair follicles at the root!" 

This was submitted by a couple of fans on our facebook page last week and I knew I just HAD to do a write up on it. 

So let's a take a look - does a simple scrub of coffee grounds and baking soda break down hair so you have to shave less? No. Again, with the idea that the cure to any beauty mishap is in your kitchen. This is along the same lines as the brown sugar straightener and other kitchen turn beauty product ideas. But why won't this work?

Well because studies have actually been done on the effects of caffeine and hair growth. In fact, studies have found that caffeine is a great way to get hair to grow more thicker and stronger, and was used in a study of men suffering from alopecia (aka: male pattern baldness) The details of the study can be read here (PubMed) and seem rather strong in the findings. 

Besides, a quick search later, I found the source of the image. And guess what?  It's not about a miracle coffee hair thing at all, but a face scrub how to (also great DIY for a fake beard come halloween time) Now as a exfoliant I have some concerns - you skin is highly delicate despite what some people think, and harsh scrubs can actually damage the skin, causing micro tears and clogged pores. However caffeine has been shown as a great skin treatment, so just make sure the coffee is ground finely and you should be fine, but don't expect any hair loss from this scrub. 

Good Idea Friday - How to Boil an Egg

"Add baking soda to the water when you hard boil eggs to make peeling easier"

Just in time for Easter, this is going to make a lot of peoples lives a tad bit easier. Because yes, it's true! I was honestly skeptical myself so I gave it a try and did notice it seemed to work really well. But WHY? Well over at TheKitchn, there's a great write up that talks about the science behind this. Turns out that the baking soda helps alter the pH of the egg membranes, allowing them to weaken and making it easier to peel. All it takes is a 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to the water to do it's magic. They do mention sometimes it can cause the eggs to taste more sulfuric, but my kids haven't complained so far. (disclaimer - I hate hard boil eggs, so I haven't tried them myself) 

Easy Cheese Toast with a side of Fire

"Easy grilled cheese using toaster turned on its side."

I originally heard about this idea over at reddit.com some time back, so I wasn't too surprised when I saw it being repined a year later on pinterest. The problem? The pin doesn't talk about amount of toaster fires this little trick has caused. You can't just take a toaster, turn it on it's side, and expect it to magically make cheese toasties. Not only do you run the risk of the cheese melting down into the elements and catching fire, a lot of toasters have that neat trick of popping the toast up once it's finished. I bet you can imagine what happens when it's laying on it's side and it does that.. yep - it shoots flaming hot cheese toast. Some modern toasters even have a grill that when the level is pushed down, moves in to grab hold of the toast, so if yours does that you're going to have a hard time cleaning melted cheese off the grate. 

So what do you do when time is tight and you have hungry kids demanding food? Best to stick to ether using a traditional toaster oven for this, or do what I do - stick the toast with cheese under you're oven's broiler for a few seconds. It works as well as this trick does and is less likely to cause a house fire (as long as you keep an eye on it - your broiler gets real hot real quick) 

Jello Legos

"Wash mega blocks, fill them with jello, and chill. You will have lego jello!" 

Hey look! It's a picture of Jello, in the shape of Legos! What makes people assume that it's as simple as just filling empty legos with jello I will never understand. I have kids - kids have Legos. I've played with them before and took a look at the underside of the blocks - they don't look like just an inverted Lego.

But the pin says Mega Blocks, which we don't have. A quick google search though shows the same thing on the underside of the blocks. There is no way you can just pour Jello in there and get a lego shape. Not to mention the blocks are so ridged that it would be really difficult to get the Jello out once it's set up. 

So how DO you get Lego shaped Jello shown in the pin? With a silicone mold of course! You can order one here at amazon . Those are made by Lego it appears, but there are several other companies that make them as well. And because Pinterest is all about DIYing, here's a great blog write up on how to make your own silicone mold if you're feeling fancy. 

Crafty Corner : DIY Lego Mold