| How to Make Hair Clips Posted: 16 Aug 2020 05:00 PM PDT Hair clips are fun and funky accessories that can spice up any outfit. Hair clips from the store can get expensive, and they might not have exactly what you want. Fortunately, you can get some supplies to make your hair clips exactly the way you want them. Match your hair clips to your outfit to show them off to your friends and family. [Edit]Adding Studs or Jewels to a Barrette - Pick out some studs or fake jewels to use as a decoration. If you have a few plain metal barrettes that you'd like to jazz up, head to the craft store and pick out some large fake jewels, some studs, or some rhinestones. You can use large ones to fill up your barrette completely or grab a few small ones for a more subtle decoration.[1]
- Try finding large gold studs for a fashionable statement barrette.
- Grab a few earth-toned jewels for a more toned-down look.
- Use small pearls on a gold barrette for an expensive looking hair piece.
- Cut the stems off of some fake flowers to make a floral barrette.
- Add a dot of hot glue to the top of your barrette. Turn your hot glue gun on and wait for it to warm up. Starting on one side of your barrette, dab a pea-sized dot of hot glue onto the top of it. Try to keep the glue neat and on the top of the barrette so it doesn't drip down the sides.[2]
- Be careful when using hot glue! It's super hot and can burn you if you touch it before it's dry.
- Hold the stud or jewel against the glue for about 10 seconds. Pick up the decoration you want to add and press it against the dot of hot glue. Hold it there to let the glue dry for a few seconds, then take your hand away.[3]
- Hot glue dries almost instantly, which makes it perfect for quick crafts.
- Keep adding decorations until your entire barrette is covered. You can stick with 1 large jewel at the very end of your barrette, or you can keep going down the line until your entire barrette is one bedazzled accessory. Use your hot glue gun to attach any more decorations until you're happy with it.[4]
- You can also hot glue fake feathers onto your barrette to jazz up the rhinestones or studs.
- Pick out a few beads for a fun alternative to fake jewels.
- Try mixing and matching the colors of your jewels for a fun statement piece.
[Edit]Decorating with Washi Tape - Pick out a clip with a smooth top. Washi tape sticks best to surfaces that are entirely smooth. Grab some flat clips, like alligator clips, that don't have holes or openings in the top.[5]
- Washi tape works best on thin, small clips, since the tape isn't super wide.
- Cut a strip of Washi tape about longer than the clip. You can pick out whatever pattern you'd like! Hold the tape next to the clip and try to cut it a little bit longer than the entire length of the clip to give yourself some room.[6]
- Washi tape has a ton of patterns to choose from, like strips, polka dots, and floral.
- Stick the Washi tape to the top of the clip. Hold the tape over the top of the clip on a flat surface. Carefully stick the tape to the top of the tip and use your fingers to smooth out any bumps or creases. It's okay if the tape sticks out a little bit.[7]
- Trim away the excess tape with scissors. Since the Washi tape is a little bit wider than your clip, you might have some sticky spots hanging off the edge. Use scissors to get rid of any tape that doesn't fit on the clip.[8]
- Make sure there aren't any sticky areas on your clip so that the tape doesn't get stuck to your hair.
[Edit]Making a Bow - Cut a rectangle of fabric. You can pick out whatever kind of fabric that you'd like to use for your bow. Use a ruler to measure out a rectangle for the main body of the bow, then use scissors to carefully cut it out.[9]
- Try using a floral pattern for a cute, spring-time look.
- Grab some polka dot or striped fabric for a versatile bow.
- Cut another rectangle of the same fabric. The thin strip of fabric will go into the center of the bow. Use a ruler to measure out a second rectangle, then cut that one out with scissors too.[10]
- You can use the same fabric for a cohesive bow, or you can use a statement piece of fabric with a different pattern on it.
- Fold the large rectangle in half, then glue the halves together. Turn the fabric over so the wrong side faces you, then fold one side up lengthwise so it hits the center of the rectangle. Fold the other side down until it overlaps the first fold just slightly, then use hot glue to keep them together.[11]
- You don't have to be precise about your folds since you'll be sticking them down with glue.
- Fold the ends of the fabric widthwise, then glue them together. Keeping the rectangle in the same position, grab the right and left side of the fabric and fold them both in towards the center until they touch. Use hot glue to stick them to each other so they stay.[12]
- This will create a loose bow shape without any of the ruffles or curves.
- Wrap the small strip of fabric around the center of the bow, then glue it. Take your smaller rectangle of fabric and wind it around the center of your large rectangle. Pull it tight to make the center of the bow crease and get a curved bow shape. Use hot glue to keep the fabric in place at the back of the bow.[13]
- Use your fingers to fluff up the fabric in the middle if you need to before you glue it down. The bow should look crimped in the middle, like a bow tie.
- Glue the bow to a barrette. Grab a large clip or barrette and add a pea-sized dot of hot glue to the center. Line up the bow lengthwise on the clip so that it covers the entire thing. Press the bow onto the glue and hold it for about 10 seconds to let it bond.[14]
- Get creative with the decorations you use to make your hair clips unique.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Adding Studs or Jewels to a Barrette - Studs or fake jewels
- Hot glue gun
- Hot glue
[Edit]Decorating with Washi Tape - Alligator clips
- Washi tape
- Scissors
[Edit]Making a Bow - Fabric
- Ruler
- Scissors
- Hot glue gun
- Hot glue
[Edit]References |
| How to Make Lychee Tea Posted: 16 Aug 2020 09:00 AM PDT Give your iced tea a refreshing update by adding lychees! These small fragrant fruits are packed in syrup, which you use to sweeten chilled black tea. The lychees give the tea sweet, fruity, floral notes. If you like your lychee tea less sweet, make lychee tea lemonade by combining iced tea with lychee syrup and lemonade. Add whole or sliced lychees to your drinks and enjoy! [Edit]Ingredients [Edit]Classic Lychee Iced Tea - 2 bags of black tea
- of water
- 4 pieces of canned lychee fruit in heavy syrup
- of drained lychee syrup
- Ice for serving
Makes 1 serving [Edit]Cold-Brew Lychee Iced Tea - of water
- 4 lychee tea bags or (8 g) of loose lychee tea
- Fresh mint sprig to garnish
- Ice for serving
Makes 4 servings [Edit]Lychee Tea Lemonade - of black tea
- 1 20-ounce (565 g) can of whole lychees in heavy syrup
- of lemonade or sparkling lemonade
- Ice for serving
Makes 4 servings [Edit]Classic Lychee Iced Tea - Bring a kettle of water to boil. Fill an electric kettle with water and turn it on or pour water into a kettle and set it on the stove. Turn the burner to high so the water begins to boil.[1]
- If you don't have a kettle, pour the water into a saucepan on the stove and bring it to a boil.
- Steep 2 bags of black tea in of water for 3 to 5 minutes. Place the tea bags into a small teapot or heatproof measuring jug. Slowly pour the boiling water over the tea and leave them to steep for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea.[2]
- You can substitute decaffeinated black tea if you prefer.
- Remove the teabags and chill the tea until it's cold. Scoop out the 2 tea bags and discard them. Then, transfer the teapot or measuring jug to the refrigerator. Leave the black tea in the fridge until it's cold.[3]
- If you're making a single serving, the tea should be cold within 10 minutes.
- Slice 4 lychees in half or in strips. Take 4 lychee fruits out of the can and place them on a cutting board. If you like large chunks of fruit in your tea, cut each fruit in half. If you'd rather have smaller pieces of lychee, slice each fruit into narrow strips.[4]
- Remember not to discard the syrup from the lychee can since you'll use it to sweeten the tea.
- Place the lychees in a glass with of the lychee syrup and ice. Put the lychee halves or strips into the bottom of a tall iced tea glass and pour in the lychee syrup. Then, fill the glass with ice cubes.[5]
- If you like sweeter tea, add an extra of lychee syrup.
- Stir in the chilled black tea and garnish the drink with another lychee. Pour the chilled black tea into the glass and stir it so it combines with the lychee syrup. Then, taste the tea and stir in extra lychee syrup if you like. For an optional garnish, push a lychee fruit onto the rim of your glass.[6]
- You could also add fresh mint sprigs to your glass if you want a lighter, herbal flavor.
- Heat equal parts of sugar and water if you'd like to sweeten the tea with simple syrup. If the lychee syrup doesn't add as much sweetness as you'd like, put 1/2 cup (100 g) of sugar into a small pan. Pour in of water and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir the syrup occasionally so the syrup dissolves. Then, let it cool before adding as much of the syrup to your tea as you like.[7]
- Refrigerate leftover simple syrup in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
[Edit]Cold-Brew Lychee Iced Tea - Place 4 lychee tea bags or (8 g) of loose tea into a pitcher. Get out a pitcher that holds at least of liquid and put the tea bags into it. If you'd rather use loose leaf tea, put the tea directly into the pitcher.[8]
- If you don't have a large pitcher, infuse the tea in a large measuring jug instead.
- Pour of cold water into the pitcher. Use cold water instead of boiling water to prevent the tea from developing a bitter taste as it brews. If you don't like the flavor of your tap water, use bottled water.[9]
- You can tie the tea bag strings to the handle of the pitcher if you don't want them soaking with the tea.
- Cover the pitcher and refrigerate the tea for 4 to 5 hours. Put plastic wrap over the top of the pitcher to seal it and place it in the fridge. Chill the tea so the water infuses with the flavor of the tea. If you used tea bags, remove the pitcher after 4 hours. If you used loose leaf tea, let it infuse for a total of 5 hours.[10]
- The tea will become stronger and more flavorful the longer it infuses.
- Remove the tea bags or pour the loose-leaf tea through a strainer. Taste the tea to decide if it's as strong as you like. If it is, take the tea bags out of the pitcher. If you infused loose leaf tea, set a fine-mesh strainer over another clean pitcher and slowly pour the tea through it.[11]
- Discard the used tea bags or tea leaves.
- Cover the pitcher and refrigerate the lychee tea for up to 4 days.
- Pour the cold lychee tea into a serving glass with ice and garnish it with mint. When you're ready to serve the tea, fill a tall glass with ice. Slowly pour the chilled tea into the glass and top it with a sprig of mint.[12]
- If you prefer to sweeten your lychee tea, stir in your choice of sugar or honey. Keep in mind that some lychee teas are also sweetened so taste the tea first.
[Edit]Lychee Tea Lemonade - Chill of black tea until it's cold. Brew your favorite loose leaf black tea or use tea bags. Strain the tea and put it in the refrigerator until it's completely cold.[13]
- For a lighter lemonade, use green tea or an herbal blend. You could also substitute decaffeinated tea for the black tea.
- Drain a 20-ounce (565 g) can of lychees in heavy syrup and reserve the syrup. Open a can of lychees and drain the heavy syrup into a measuring jug. Set the whole lychees aside while you prepare the tea lemonade.[14]
- It's important to use lychees packed in heavy syrup because this syrup contains more sugar than light syrup.
- Pour the black tea, lychee syrup, and lemonade in a large pitcher. Take the chilled black tea out of the fridge and pour it into a serving pitcher. Pour in of drained lychee syrup and of lemonade or sparkling lemonade.
- You may have leftover lychee syrup. Set this aside in case you want to make the tea lemonade sweeter.
- Stir the beverage and chill it for at least 1 hour. Use a long spoon to gently stir the tea, syrup, and lemonade until they're combined. You can taste the tea lemonade and stir in extra lychee syrup if you'd like it sweeter. Then, put the pitcher in the refrigerator and chill it for at least 1 hour so the flavors combine.[15]
- If you're using sparkling lemonade, stir very slowly so the lemonade doesn't lose its carbonation.
- Fill serving glasses with ice, tea lemonade, and whole lychees. Once you're ready to serve the drinks, fill 4 serving glasses with ice. Take the pitcher out of the fridge and pour the lychee tea lemonade into each glass. Then, put 3 whole lychees into each serving glass.[16]
- Refrigerate leftover lychee tea lemonade in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Purchase canned lychees from Asian markets or online.
- If you enjoy drinking hot tea, you might be able to find black tea that's been scented with lychee peels. Brew the tea as you would any other black tea, about 4 minutes.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Classic Lychee Iced Tea - Measuring cups and spoons
- Knife and cutting board
- Kettle or saucepan
- Heatproof measuring jug or teapot
- Spoon
- Serving glass
[Edit]Cold-Brew Lychee Iced Tea - Pitcher
- Serving glass
- Fine-mesh strainer, optional
[Edit]Lychee Tea Lemonade - Measuring cups and spoons
- Knife and cutting board
- Kettle or saucepan
- Heatproof measuring jug or teapot
- Spoon
- Serving glasses
- Pitcher
[Edit]References |
| How to Keep Meat from Drying Out in the Oven Posted: 16 Aug 2020 01:00 AM PDT Chicken, beef, pork, and other cuts of meat can be a delicious part of your meal, but it can be disappointing when these meats turn out dry and tough. There's no magic button on your oven that will keep your food from drying out, but there are a few easy precautions you can take that may help your meat taste juicy and flavorful after you take it out of the oven. [Edit]Ingredients [Edit]Milk-Based Cooking Sauce - of milk
- 2 lemons, zested
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Sage leaves
- 3-4 garlic cloves
[Edit]Choosing and Prepping Meat - Select fattier cuts of meat for your recipes. Consult a butcher instead of buying your meat directly off the shelves and coolers. Ask if you can get cuts of meat with a little bit of fat attached, or with the bone still in. If you use a fattier selection of meat, your cut won't be as likely to dry out in the oven.[1]
- For instance, chicken thighs will almost always turn out moist after being baked in the oven, as opposed to chicken breasts.
- As it cooks, the fat will melt into a liquid that keeps the meat moist.
- Pour a simple milk-based sauce over the meat before cooking it. Place your meat in a large baking tray, then pour in of milk. Add in 2 lemons worth of zest, along with 3-4 garlic cloves, a cinnamon stick, and a few sage leaves. Bake your meat for 1 hour and 30 minutes at , and enjoy![2]
- This recipe works especially well with a whole chicken.
- Any milk-based sauce recipe will help keep your meat juicy while it cooks.
- Soak your meat in a brine before popping it in the oven. Place your cut of meat on a baking dish, then sprinkle some salt and pepper over top. For juiciest meat, try soaking your meat in a homemade brine solution before cooking it. Submerge the meat in the brine and place it in the fridge for several hours so it can soak up the salty solution.[3]
- Bring refrigerated meat to room temperature before you cook it. Place your refrigerated cut of meat on a clean plate, then let it sit for about 15 minutes so it can adjust to room temperature. If you transfer your meat from the refrigerator to the oven, it won't cook evenly and may end up dry.[4]
- Cover your meat with parchment paper or foil before cooking it. Place your section of meat on a baking tray, then rip away a section of foil and parchment paper. Drape the paper or foil over your meat, then stick it in the oven for the required time. As your meat cooks, the covering will help it retain more of its own juices.[5]
- This is also known as "dry-poaching."
[Edit]Ensuring Moist Results in the Oven - Sear your meat on the stovetop before putting it in the oven, if desired. Grease a skillet and let it heat up on your stove. Place your cut of meat down with the fattiest side of meat touching the pan. Leave your cut of meat in place for 2-3 minutes, then flip it over. Check the internal temperature of the meat to see if it's fully cooked or not—if the meat is still raw, place it in the oven for 10 minutes or so, using a thermometer periodically to see if the meat is fully cooked.[6]
- The exact cooking temperature will depend on the type of meat you're working with. Double-check your recipe before you start cooking, just to be safe.
- For instance, seared pork chops need to bake at .
- Choose the best oven settings for your cut of meat. Think about the type of meat you're planning on cooking, along with how thick or tender the cut is. Note that more tender sections of meat can be roasted and oven broiled, while thicker sections of meat are better prepared with moist heat, like a slow cooker.[7]
- Roasting is a great option if you're working with a large section of meat.
- For example, baked chicken and pork chops need to be cooked at in the oven, while a whole turkey needs to be baked at .[8]
- Test the meat with a thermometer to monitor the internal temperature. Stick a meat thermometer into the thickest part of your cut of meat before taking it out of the oven. Double-check that the meat reaches the recommended temperature but isn't too far over. If it gets too hot, the meat will dry out.[9]
- Let the meat sit for 5 minutes after taking it out of the oven. Take your meat out of the oven and transfer it to a clean plate. Don't dig into your food right away—instead, set a timer for 5 minutes and allow the meat to "rest," or become more tender and moist.[10]
- This may seem inconsequential, but these 5 minutes can make a big difference!
- Repurpose overcooked meat into savory pies and dumplings. Chop your meat into fine pieces, then mix it in a blender with cooking sherry and any leftover drippings. Use this purée as a filling for pasta, dumplings, or any other stuffed food of your choice![11]
- Unfortunately, there's no way to restore your meat back to its original tenderness, but you can recycle it for something else!
- It can help to consider how thick your cuts of meat are before cooking them in the oven. A thick pork chop, for instance, will need more cooking time than a thin steak.[12]
- Wait until after the meat is cooked to trim off any fat. This will help keep the meat juicy and crispy![13]
- Some meats will turn out really juicy and delicious if you cook them for a long time at a lower temperature. For instance, a good pot roast takes at least 2½ hours to cook at .[14]
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Selecting the Best Seasonings and Meats - Salt
- Pepper
- Cooking pan
- Brine
[Edit]Trying Specific Cooking Methods - Skillet
- Cooking oil
- Plate
- Parchment paper
- Aluminum foil
- Meat thermometer
- Meat thermometer
- Cooking sherry
- Food processor
[Edit]References |
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