htdjae how to do just about anything

7/27/2019 Htdjae How to Do Just About Anything

1/17

Practical skills andlifestyle solutions


2/17

a

2 Apostrophe Brownies

1Heat the oven to 180C. Melt thebutter and 115g of the chocolate ina bowl set over simmering water, stirring

occasionally. Leave to cool.

2Whisk the eggs, gradually add thesugar and continue until the mixtureis thick, foamy and leaves a ribbon-like

trail when you lift out the whisk. Add

the vanilla and the chocolate mixture

and blend thoroughly. Sift over the flour

and cocoa powder and add the nuts and

remaining chocolate, chopped into small

chunks. Fold it all together.

3Pour into the prepared tin, spreadevenly and bake for 30 minutes; thebrownies should still have some give.

Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then

remove paper and cut into squares.

The ideal brownies are crisp on the outside and soft inside. They

make a great dessert served with cream, ice-cream, chocolate sauce

or raspberries.

YOU WILL NEED Two ixing owl,

pn of wte, whi, 20c que

ce tin geed nd lined with

ing ppe

TO makE 2024 brOWNIEs

125g unlted utte

200g d chocolte, 70 pe cent

coco olid

2 egg

250g cte ug

1 tp vnill eence

60g plin ou

2 tp coco powde

100g wlnut, oughly chopped

mak th bt Bwni

cctly u a AIn written English, the apostrophe does two different, but equally

important, jobs.

Mg ltt An apostrophe can indicate that a word is a contracted form

of a longer word or phrase: dont is short for do not.

P An apostrophe with an s indicates ownership: the cats whiskers.

The word its doesnt have an apostrophe in this case (the cat twitched its

whiskers), though it does when its is short for it is.

Plual An apostrophe s is never used to denote plural nouns. If a noun

is both plural and possessive then the apostrophe comes after the s:

both boys bedrooms.


3/17

Bullies Condensation 3

b

g h br

fBBullying can happen anywhere,

and range from name-calling to

intimidation and violence. Bullies

are generally weak and cowardly

and, in most cases, will stop if you

dont give them the satisfaction of a

reaction. Persistent bullying can bea matter for the police.

Phycl bullyg If youre subjected

to physical assault, or fear youre in

real danger, report this to the police,

or someone in authority: your human

resources (HR) team or union

representative at work, or a teacher

if its happening to a child at school.

Pychlgcl bullyg Your best

weapon is mental strength. Refuse

to be riled by insults. Try to stay

objective, keep notes of specific

incidents and present a clear case

to HR or a senior manager. Most

employers have a bullying policy.ol bullyg Avoid opening

abusive emails or block the sender

from your account. Avoid social

networking sites if this is where the

bully contacts you. Never allow others

access to your Facebook or other

networking site account, where they

could post embarrassing messages inyour name. Set privacy settings as

high as possible. If youre being

routinely bullied, save or print out

any evidence even anonymous

posters can be traced by the police.

l wh

Condnaton

Condensation occurs when warm,

moist air comes into contact with

a cold surface. Its most common in

bathrooms and kitchens.

n Open a window while you shower

or immediately after.

n

Cover saucepans with a lid whenyou cook.

n Install an extractor fan in your

kitchen and bathroom. Leave bath-

room fans running for a while after

you finish

n Keep your bathroom warm for

the first hour or two of the day,

when its most in use.

n Use anti-condensation paint (with

fungicide) on bathroom walls.

n Ensure adequate ventilation in

rooms fitted with draughtproofed

windows. Have trickle vents fitted

in the frames if necessary.


4/17

4 CupCakes Dishwasher

c

bk dlcou CcCupcakes have never been more popular. Ice them simply or dressthem up with fancy piping or toppings for a special occasion.

MakEs 12

100 feed bue f me

100 e u

2 e100 elf- u1 p b pwde1 bp ml (pl)

For thE icing

75 bue, feed150 u12 bp ml

1 p vll eeefd lu,

f deed

1Preheat the oven to 180C. Put12 paper patty cases into a muffintin. Place all the ingredients into a food

processor or mixing bowl and beat untilsmooth. If the mixture seems too thick,

add the milk. Spoon into the paper

cases, filling about two-thirds full. Bake

for 1520 minutes until risen, golden

brown and springy to the touch. Cool

on a wire rack before decorating.

2Cream the butter and icing sugar,

adding enough milk to give a creamytexture, and the vanilla essence, plus

any colouring or alternative flavouring

you like. Smooth or pipe over the

cakes. Or decorate in any other way.

cl blockg n you DihwhrYour dishwasher has filters where the water goes in, and where it flows out.

This is where blockages can occur.

T outlt filters, set inside each other like cups, are to be found in the

bottom of the dishwasher cabinet. They collect grease and food particles,

so are prone to blockages.

Unclp the filters as advised in the manual, rinse them clean under warm

running water, soak and wash in warm soapy water, using washing-up liquid

to disperse the grease, and replace.

To cl the inlet filter, turn off the water at the stopcock, then disconnect

the inlet hose. Remove any rubber seal and pull out the filter with long-

nosed pliers. Clean it with a nail brush. Inlet filters rarely get blocked.


5/17

Eggs Fire extinguisher 5

test e for freshnessA fresh egg feels heavy in the hand, but without another egg to compare,

the easiest testing method is to put it into a bowl of cold water. A fresh

egg will sink to the bottom and lie flat on its side. As it starts to lose its

freshness more air accumulates inside and the egg will stand upright with

the broader end uppermost. If it floats to the surface it should be discarded.

As a double check, break an egg into a bowl or saucer before you use it.

A stale egg has a flat (not firm and rounded) yolk and a runny white. If its

bad, it will smell.

The label on afire extinuiherexplain thetype of fire onwhich it canbe ued, andive operatinintruction.Commit thiinformation to

memory beforeyou have reaonto ue theextinuiher.

choose the right F For small fires involving paper,

wood or soft furnishings you can

use water extinguishers, thoughthey are unwieldy. Never use for

deep-fry pans or electrical fires.

For flammable liquids such

as petrol, and synthetic fibres

in soft furnishings and carpets,

use aqueous, film-forming

extinguishers.

On burning liquids, and for

fires involving computer and other

electrical equipment, carbon dioxide

extinguishers can be used, without

causing any damage. Dont use for

deep-fry pan fires: the jet of gas

will blast the fat out of the fryer.

Powder extinguishers are a

powerful all-rounder, though not to

be used in confined spaces, where

powder might be inhaled. They also

cause great mess and damage.

e

For kitchen fires involving burning

oil, or small, localised fires, use wet

chemical extinguishers. They delivera cooling layer of foam via a lance.


6/17

6 Gas leak Gravy

g

1Pour excess fat from the roasting tin,leaving the sediment and enough fatto cover the base thinly. Gradually stir

in 500ml hot stock or vegetable water,

and blend thoroughly over medium heat,scraping up all the sediment.

Fo ext flou add red or white wine or sherry to match the meat

youre serving. For lamb or game, stir in a few spoonfuls of redcurrant jelly.

Mustard and spices such as nutmeg can also be used. If you add herbs such

as rosemary or thyme, the gravy will need straining.

2Pour the pan juices into a saucepan.Blend some flour or cornflour witha little water to a smooth paste and

add to the pan juices. Cook, stirring

over medium heat, until the gravy hasreduced and thickened.

mke pefect GrvyUsing a good stock makes all the difference when making gravy, and wont

mask the true flavours of your roast meat. Failing this, save the water inwhich vegetables have been cooked, or use a can of beef or poultry consomm.

del with G If you smell gas indoors its time for fast actionn Dont tun on light or use any electrical switch.

n Dont tike mtch or use any naked flame.

n Open doo and windows straight away.

n Tun off n g pplince that has been left on a ring on the stove, say.

n shut off the g uppl at the meter or mains if the source of the gas is

not immediately apparent, but dont attempt this if the meter is located in

the cellar, where levels of gas may be higher.n Cll ou g upplie o locl emegenc eice as soon as possible.


7/17

Hands Herbs 7

dy Herb

YOU WILL NEED sting,ck ck, pp towl,

itight tog j,

ll, micowv ovn

(optionl)

ai dying Tie in

bunches and hangupside down in a dark,

dry, airy place until

leaves snap easily. Or

spread sprigs over a

cake rack and put in a

warm, dry place, turning

several times for the

first two days. Remove

leaves by rubbing stems

between your hands

over paper towel. Store

herbs immediately in

jars and keep in the

dark to prevent flavours

h

wh youH

Thorough washing is vital to prevent the spread of infection.

Use liquid soap, not a shared bar, and a clean towel.

n Wet hands and apply soap. Rub hands together for 1530 seconds under

running water, including fingertips, nails, thumbs and right up to the wrist.

n Work the hands together, palm to palm, palm to back and fingers

interlacing, for as long as it takes to sing Happy Birthday through twice.

n Dry thoroughly: moist hands spread germs. Choose clean paper towels overa hand dryer it may recycle dirty air and take a long time to dry hands

thoroughly, encouraging you to walk away without completing the job.

deteriorating. Add a label to each jar identifying

the herb for future use.

Micowv dying Place herbs on paper towel andheat on Low for about 3 minutes, watching all the

time, as some herbs can catch fire. Check drynessafter the first minute and then every 30 seconds.

Cool before removing leaves.

stip ip d from herbs such as fennel anddill and air dry on trays following the same

method for storing as used after air drying.


8/17

8 Jam

make greatJ

Jam is often made using equal weights of fruit and sugar, but

the secret of a good set is pectin, a natural fruit sugar.

Fruit such as apples, redcurrants and plums are pectin-rich and can be added

in small quantities to low-pectin fruits such as strawberries and raspberries.

YOU WILL NEED Jam ingredients, preserving pan r large heavy-basedsaucepan, sugar thermmeter, saucer, skimming spn, ladle, sterilised

jars and lids, labels. optinal: wide-necked funnel, waxed discs,cellphane cvers, elastic bands

3Quickly skim off any scum witha skimming tool or spoon then

pot into warmed jars. The jam can be

covered with waxed disks (wax side

down) if you wish. Wetted cellophane

covers held in place with elastic bands

can be used in place of lids.

2To test for set, put a teaspoon ofjam onto a cooled saucer. If theskin crinkles when pushed with a

finger, its ready.

1Put the fruit into a preserving pan.Add the lemon juice (if using) andheat gently until the juices run. Simmer

until the liquid is reduced by about a

third. Add the sugar and boil rapidlyfor about 20 minutes until the setting

point is reached (104C on a sugar

thermometer).

MakEs abOUt 4 x 450g jars

1kg raspberries1kg granulated sugar r jam

sugar, warmed in a lw ven50ml lemn juice (if nt using

jam sugar)

rpey m

j


9/17

Leather Mango 9

cle LLeather comes in its natural form or

dyed and coated with polyurethane.

Each needs a different treatment.

nturl lether Dust frequently with

a soft cloth. Try removing any dirt or

marks with an art rubber, available

from art supply shops, but be awarethat it may still leave a smudge.

Cted lether Dust regularly with

a cloth and occasionally with one

dampened in cold water. Wash every

six months or so with saddle soap.

First, remove any loose dirt with a

stiff brush or damp cloth, then rub

a damp cloth on saddle soap and

work up a lather on the leather,

rubbing with a circular motion.

Allow to air-dry then buff with

a clean, soft cloth. Finish with a

protective leather cream.

n Test y clei methd

smll icspicuus re.

n get vluble items

prfessilly cleed.

n never dry wet lether er

het surce it my shrik.

n Tret rese spts with

tlcum pwder, leve verihtd brush ff.

n never use slvet-bsed

spt remver.

golden rules

peel d cut

mngoA mango is easiest to prepare when

its fully ripe. The skin should yield

slightly when pressed gently and it

should smell sweet and fruity.

1Hold the mango horizontally

and cut into two lengthwise, just

missing the stone. Repeat on the other

side, leaving a thin layer of flesh around

the stone.

2Slash the flesh in a lattice, cutting

down to, but not through, the skin.Holding the flesh upwards, push the

centre of the skin with your thumb,

turning it inside out and opening out

the cubes of flesh. These can then be

easily cut off.

n Alternatively, remove the skin

with a potato peeler or sharp knife

and cut off the flesh in slices until

you reach the stone. Cut away

any remaining flesh in chunks.

l


10/17

10 MOBILE PHONE NOSEBLEED

dry out a soaked Mobile phonen If you drop your mobile in water, fish it out as quickly as possible. Remove

the battery and the SIM card straight away.

n Shake the phone to get as much of the water out of its workings as

possible, and dab it with paper towels to absorb even more.

n Place your phone in a bowl of uncooked rice. Leave it for three days: the

rice will draw out the moisture from inside the phone.

If the phone still doesnt work then its probably damaged beyond repair. Butyour phone dealer should still be able to retrieve the data on your SIM card

if you dont have your contacts backed up.

m

stop a Nosebleed

Unless they are frequent andpersistent, or caused by a serious

blow to the face, nosebleeds are

more an inconvenience than a

medical emergency. They can usually

be halted in a matter of minutes.

Do lean forward ideally over

a basin so the blood can drain

down and out of your nose.

Dont tilt your head back; it willcause the blood to drain down the

back of your throat. If any blood

does reach your throat, spit it out,

dont swallow it.

Do breathe through your mouth

and pinch the soft part of the nose

to stem the flow.

Dont sniff, swallow or cough whileclots are forming.

Do continue to pinch for 10 minutes,

then release and see if bleeding

has stopped. If not, pinch again.

A covered icepack held against

your cheek can also help reduce

bleeding.

Dont blow your nose after the

bleeding has stopped. Use a damp

cloth to clean around the nose.

Dont put a coin in your mouth,

a key down your back or tie string

around the little finger of your left

hand. These methods dont work.


11/17

ORCHIDS PASSWORD 11

o

grow and care forOrchids

The rare exoticism and beauty of orchids can

make them expensive to buy, but with proper

care they should flower again and again.

They can be grown as houseplants or in

the greenhouse with equal success.

Orchids are difficult to grow from seed so are best

bought ready grown. For the best repeat flowering

choose the moth orchid Phalaenopsis or hardy

cimbidiums.

n Position orchids in good light but not full sun, and in

a humid environment, ideally provided by standing pots

in trays filled with moist gravel.

n Mist them regularly with rainwater. Keep plants moist

between spring and autumn by plunging pots into abucket of rainwater once a week, but water only sparingly

(about once every 14 days) in the winter months.

n The aerial (above ground) roots of orchids are good

indicators of health. If yellow or brown at their ends, plants need attention.

Try repotting them in a specifically formulated compost from a garden centre.

But, because orchid needs vary widely from species to species, feed them only

according to the guidelines provided by the grower.

choose a secure Password

You need to think of a password

that you can easily remember,

but nobody else can easily guess.

That means you should avoid your

mothers maiden name, and the

names of your children or pets.

The worst password in the world

is PASSWORD. To be effective,

passwords should be at least six

characters long and include a

combination of letters, numbers

and punctuation. So if you choose

the city you most love, add the

year you first went there, and

replace one of the letters with a

punctuation mark: NEWY*RK98.

If you must use the name of a

loved one, add the year of their

birth in some unguessable way,

such as mid-word: M!CH11AEL.


12/17

12 PEdICUrE photos

indulge yurelf wi a PeicueLooking after your feet is an essential and often neglected partof any self-care and beauty routine, especially in warmer weather.

YOU WILL NEED Nail li remver, exfliaing cream, ba il, umice,

enail clier, emery bard, cuicle remver, cn bud, bdy

miurier, cn wl, nail li

n Remove any trace of nail polish and use an exfoliator to remove dead skin.

n Give your feet a lovely soaking in a bowl of warm water laced with bathoil for a relaxing 5 minutes to soften skin and nails.

n Use pumice to rub away hard skin from the heels and balls of the feet.

n Dry your feet completely and trim your toenails. Smooth them with the

coarse side of the emery board. The nails should be quite square, not shaped.

n Apply cuticle remover to the cuticles and use a cotton bud to ease them

gently back. Wash off any excess and dry thoroughly once more.

n Massage a moisturising cream into your feet.

n Use cotton wool or a shop-bought

toe separator to hold your toes

apart and working from left to

right if youre right-handed, vice

versa if youre left-handed apply a

base coat of polish in three strokes,

one down the centre and one to

each side. Allow to dry and applyanother coat or two.

p

are Photos ver e inerneThe simplest way to share individual digital photographs is to send them

direct as email attachments. But there are more sophisticated and more

public ways to share large numbers of photographs. Websites such asFlickr (www.flickr.com) and Picasa (picasa.google.com) provide some free

software, which you then use to edit and manipulate your photos with a

view to posting them as albums on the internet. Here anyone or anyone

you designate can see your pictures. These sites operate much like social

networking sites such as Facebook, with photography as the main focus.


13/17

QUICKSTEP 13

dance the

QuickstepThe quickstep evolved in the 1920s from the foxtrot andcharleston, and contains elements of both. Its fun and lively.

Put on some catchy quickstep music It dont Mean a Thing, Too Hot to

Hol, Lets Face the Music an dance. Get to know the rhythm: slow, quick,

quick, slow slow, quick, quick, slow

SLOW Tke good step fowd with you ight foot (1).

QUICK QUICK SLOW Now fo chss (sidestep-slide-sidestep). Step fowd ndto the left with you left foot (2) nd close you ight foot to meet you left (3);then step left gin with you left foot (4).

SLOW Tke long step bck nd to the left with you ight foot (5).

QUICK QUICK SLOW Step bck nd to the left with you left foot (6) nd close youight to meet you left (7); then tke nothe step to the left with you left foot (8).

SLOW

QUICK

STarT

4 3

12

5

768

Postue nd movement Because of the spee of this ance, youll be mostlyup on your toes for the quick steps an shoul move like a cat on hot bricks.

Longer, slow steps are taken on the heel. The upper boy shoul remain

smooth an unaffecte, as the feet work quickly unerneath.

Get stted Engage your partner in a classic ballroom hol (the lay slightly

offset to the mans right). The man leas, the lay follows. The example below

shows the basic mans steps, without any turns aroun the floor the womans

steps are the mirror image of these.

Chnge the ngle As you take any of the slow steps, try rotating your foot so

that it lans at an angle to where it was originally pointing. You can then use

this foot as a pivot to execute a simple turn. Have fun!

q


14/17

14 RIsoTTo RUGS

make a simple RittThe round grains of risotto rice are essential for absorbing the stock in

a risotto. You can add vegetables, chicken or seafood to this basic recipe,

but if using seafood, omit the parmesan.

1Melt half the butter with the oil in a large, shallow pan. Add the onion and garlicand fry over moderate heat until the onion is transparent. Add the rice and cook,stirring, until the grains begin to change colour. Pour in the wine and a quarter of

the stock and bring to the boil.

2

Put the remaining stock into a separate pan and keep at simmering point.

As stock is absorbed into the risotto, add more, a ladleful at a time, stirring

constantly for about 20 minutes. The risotto is done when the rice is just tender, the

liquid absorbed and the mixture creamy. Stir in the remaining butter and the cheese,

check the seasoning, garnish with a sprig of parsley, and serve at once.

serves 46

50g butt

1 tbp oli oil

1 mall onion, nly choppd

1 mall clo of galic,

nly choppd

225g iotto ic uch a aboio

150ml dy whit win

about 1.2 lit hot chickn o

gtabl tock

75g paman, fhly gatd

alt and fhly gound black pppat-laf paly, to ganih

r

stop Rug from slippingA rug on a polished surface is prone to slip, which can be dangerous. The

best way to prevent this from happening is to put a rubber mat or rubberised

netting underneath. The netting should be cut to a size thats a little shorter

and narrower than the rug itself. Another way of achieving the same result is

to apply spray-on rug adhesive to the back of a rug or mat. The rug will stick

to the floor without harming the surface, but can still be lifted easily and

repositioned. Dont use carpet adhesive on valuable or antique rugs.


15/17

sudoku wrinkles 15

solve as

The unalterable law of sudoku is that each number from 1 to 9 can appear

only once in any row, column or box of nine squares. This means that the

puzzle can be solved purely through logic and deduction.

Take the puzzle below. In the

box of nine squares in the top

left-hand corner, the number

2 can only go in the third row,because theres already a 2 in

the top two rows of the grid.

This kind of thinking, applied

repeatedly to different parts of

the puzzle, should take you to

a solution for most sudokus.

7

1

8

8

6

8

9

5

1

9

4

8

6

7

4

2

7

8

9

1

5

3

5

6

9

2

2

2

2

3

2

1

3

7

prevent Wrinle

Wrinkles are inevitable and not all bad (think of laughter lines). Moisturising

can help but a healthy lifestyle is more important.

n Eat well. Have more olive oil, fish,

low-fat milk, fruit, vegetables, eggs,

nuts and beans. Have less butter, red

meat, cakes, pastries, soft drinks,

full-fat milk, margarine and chips,

and other fried foods.

n Make sure there are plenty of

vitamins in your diet. Foods rich

in vitamin C, such as berries, red

capsicum and broccoli, can help to

maintain skin elasticity.

n Keep well hydrated by drinking

water and not too much alcohol.

S

n Give up cigarettes as they are

ruinous to the complexion as well

as to your general health.

n For glamorous suntan read solar

damage. Use a sunblock. Wear

sunglasses in bright light.

n Dont drink through straws; they

can cause wrinkles round the mouth.

n Sleep on your back so your face

isnt constantly crumpled at night.

Use soft pillowcases.

n Avoid frown lines; cultivate a

positive state of mind.


16/17

16 youtube zip

ost a vdeo on ytPosting a short piece of film on YouTube is simple to do andits a great way to share life events, opinions and know-how.

Whatever the subject of your video highlights of your wedding or tips on

playing blues guitar, for instance spend some time making the film as

good as you can. Use the video-editing software on your computer to create

something thats both slick and brief. Most YouTube users wont want to

watch anything thats longer than a couple of minutes.

n Before you can upload a finished video clip, you must first register

with YouTube. Go to the site and follow the instructions for setting up an

account. Once youre registered, you can post videos straight away.

n Click on Uload and then Uload vdeo, and specify the file that you

want to make public on YouTube; double-click on it to begin the upload.

n While the film is uploading, give it a title and description along with some

keywords, so that your work can be found by people using search engines.

There wll be a delay of half an hour or so before your film appears on the

site. Youll receive an email notification with a link to its location. Pass the

web address on to anyone you think might be interested.

fx a Zip quckJust running the tab up and down may be enough to cure a sticky zip, but

if teeth are broken you may need to replace it. Or try these quick fixes.

Stuck teeth Apply a small amount of lip balm to the teeth and run the zip

up and down. Or try rubbing the teeth with a candle or pencil lead.

Broken ull tab Replace the tab with a paperclip, then bind the clip with

thread of a matching or contrasting colour.

Runner detached from the teeth at the bottom Pull the runner to the zip

base, then make a cut into the zip tape between the teeth about 6mm above

the runner on the unattached side. Work the teeth into the runner. Pull up

the zip, then use a needle and thread to oversew the two sides of the zip

together just above the cut to form a new stop for the runner.

y


17/17

How to Do Just About Anything is published by

Readers Digest (Australia) Pty Limited

80 Bay Street, Ultimo, NSW 2007

Edited by Samantha Kent

Designed by Joanne Buckley and Donna Heldon

First published 2012

Material for this booklet rst appeared in

Readers Digests How to Do Just About Anything

Copyright Readers Digest (Australia) Pty Limited 2012

Copyright Readers Digest Association Far East Limited 2012

Philippines Copyright Readers Digest Association Far East

Limited 2012

All rights reserved. This volume may not be reproduced in whole or

in part in any form without written permission from the Publisher.

Readers Digest and The Digest are registered trademarks of The

Readers Digest Association, Inc., New York, USA.

Prepress by Sinnott Bros, Sydney, Australia

Picture Credits

Shutterstock: Cover, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 (left), 9, 11, 12, 14.

All other images copyright Readers Digest.

htdjae how to do just about anything

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