](http://camdenblogs.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/screen-shot-2012-02-05-at-10-06-54-pm.png) I always love blogs with helpful hints. Beverly Aniekwe’s blogs are full of great tips. Mine usually are not. I’m just not handy like that. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for doing things the easy way and if someone else has done the work to figure out the easiest way to do something that’s even better. It seems that grandmas are often the keepers of such secrets. These things aren’t secrets because grandma didn’t tell us how to do it. She did. Probably multiple times. They are secrets because most of us were just preoccupied with other things. So, whether you were picking out a shade of Avon blue, climbing trees in the neighbor’s yard or contemplating world domination with Pinky and the Brain, you may have missed a few things that would come in really handy right now. Fortunately, today’s guest blogger was paying attention. She’s got some great tips you will be able to use right away to solve problems you didn’t know could be solved. So without further ado… (in my best Ed McMahon voice) Heeeeeere’s Tonya! Grandma’s Household Hints Ever wonder what your grandmother told you and maybe you didn’t remember?  These are the best household hints that I can remember from when I was growing up. After I reread them I said, “Ah! Duh! That makes so much sense!"  Do you ever wonder what you can actually do with simple household foods or items?  Check out this list and try it for yourself and see if it works. 1) Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips. 2) Use a meat baster to "squeeze" your pancake batter onto the hot griddle - perfect shaped pancakes every time. 3) To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes. 4) To prevent eggshells from cracking, add a pinch of salt to the water before hard-boiling. 5) Run your hands under cold water before pressing Rice Krispy’s treats in the pan so the marshmallow won't stick to your fingers. 6) To get the most juice out of fresh lemons, bring them to room temperature and roll them under your palm against the kitchen counter before squeezing. 7) To easily remove burnt-on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap with  enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stovetop - skillet will be much easier to clean. 8) Spray your Tupperware with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato based sauces - no more stains. 9) When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead - no white mess on the outside of the cake. 10) If you accidentally over-salt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a peeled potato - it absorbs the excess salt for an instant "fix me up." 11) Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator - it will keep for weeks. 12) Brush beaten egg-white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful glossy finish. 13) Place a slice of apple or a piece of bread in hardened brown sugar to soften it back up. 14) When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn's natural sweetness. 15) To determine whether an egg is fresh, immerse it in a pan of cool, salted water. If it sinks, it is fresh - if it rises to the surface, throw it away. 16) Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away. 17) Don't throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces. 18) Potatoes will take food stains off your fingers. Just slice and rub raw potato on the stains and rinse with water. (Photo credit: Getty Images. Public domain.)

(http://blogs.camdenliving.com/2012/01/12/denvers-got-a-hot-new-blogger-8-things-you-didnt-know-you-could-do-in-denver-in-january/me/) Guest Blogger: Tonya Uhlman describes herself as a "finder" of people and things on the internet.  (Don't think about that too long, it'll freak you out.)