In Praise of Vinegar

It’s been a long, long, long time. My health took a nosedive this spring, and it has really slowed down my productivity in writing, blogging, tweeting, and Facebooking.  But, I’m baaack!

First an update: My alter ego, Angelica French, writes steamy romances. She started a new blog, Romance Righter. Check out weird sex laws and weird sex facts at http://bit.ly/TCN5Co

I have four manuscripts out right now to publishers/agents hoping for a hit!

For today’s blog post I wanted to tout one of my favorite things (yet again). White and apple vinegar! Buy it by the gallon. It is cheap, cheap, cheap and the uses you put it to will save you $$$.

Here is an article elaborating 20 uses for vinegar. http://yhoo.it/qbWfMX  Check it out for more detail. The article says you can use vinegar to:

         Condition your hair

         Kill weeds

         Remove underarm clothing stains

         Soften fabrics

         Remedy sore throats

         Deter ants

         Soak sore muscles

         Freshen air

         Remove stickers

         Cure hiccups

         Clean crusty paint brushes

         Dissolve rust

         Eliminate stale odors

         Remove mineral deposits

         Neutralize spice in foods

         Prolong life of cut flowers

         Clean glass, plastic, chrome, and floors

         Treat fungal infections

         Tenderize and kill bacteria in meat

         Open drains and freshen garbage disposals

It is time for me to take some vinegar to my wine glasses (#17). Our hard water here really builds up. I soak a paper towel with white vingegar, swirl it over the hard water spots, and rinse. They are beautiful to behold!

I also cook with vinegar. (Don’t we all???)

Pattycake gave me this recipe decades ago, and it remains a family favorite snack. Not beautiful to look at, but your tummy will love them!

Black Bottom Cupcakes (makes ~18)

Filling:                                             Cupcakes:

8 oz. cream cheese                           1 ½ c flour

1 egg                                                1 c sugar

1/3 c sugar                                       1/3 c cocoa

1/8 t salt                                           1 t soda

1 c (6 oz) chocolate chips                ½ t salt

                                                        1 c water

                                                        1/3 c oil

                                                        1 T white vinegar

                                                        1 t vanilla

Combine cream cheese, egg, sugar and salt. Beat until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.

Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, soda, and salt.  Add water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Beat well. Fill muffin tins lined with paper baking cups 1/3-1/2 full of chocolate batter. Top with heaping teaspoon of cream cheese mixture.  

Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes.

        

Another way to use vinegar is in vinaigrettes. Simple to make, but if you need to buy some, keep some on hand, here are the best:

Top balsamic vinaigrettes    http://yhoo.it/owy6ny

If you’re not already a vinegar afficianado, now is the time to get the habit! Tart dreams!