Seeking Moms Who Have Some Ideas

On the mitten front: If any of them are Land's End mittens you can go to this link to get a replacement: http://www.landsend.com/cd/popup/0,,copyName=pop_outerHQ_...

They'll sell you the replacement for 50% of what the new pair costs. I only buy Land's End mittens because of this program.

On the pans - Are you sure that they are aluminum? I ask because my OLD cookie sheets are aluminum, and they come clean with cream of tarter (also works on aluminum pots and pans) or Barkeeper's Friend. If they are more recent purchases, they may be made with a less expensive metal or have some sort of coating. I wouldn't use a pan that is flaking metal off of it, but perhaps it is just some type of greasy film or tarnish that is rubbing off?

D.-
I agree with Karen, if they don't like what your pans look like and won't eat your cookies, kick 'em out! Actually, I have heard many a "baker" refer to the dingy, dirty looking pans as being seasoned and that is better. Who knows? You could always get parchment paper and lay it in the pan.

With the gloves, you could used them for dusting. Spray them with a little endust slide them on your fingers/hands and off you go.

S.

I'm not sure of the name of it, but I've heard of a program before where you can send single gloves, and they match them up with a buddy when they receive one.

No matter what you do, aluminum pans will get dingy looking. If anyone won't eat your cookies cuz the pans look dingy? Kick them out of the house! LOL

With the missing mittens, keep them and let the kids use them when they're playing outside. Who cares if they don't match. They're just for play and will end up lost as well. Any mismatched gloves for the adults, just use for working or shoveling or whatever. Try setting up bins for each person to keep hats and mittens in near the door. For the little ones, buy the clips to attach their mittens to the jacket sleeves.

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HarrisburgPAChat
events and chat within 2 hour radius

As far as the gloves...leave them in the car! How many times do you need to scrape ice or snow off and not have a glove handy, or the kids just lost one while shopping???

D.
I always run my pans through the dishwasher but first I use a brillo pad on them prior for the leftover gease and for the gloves I would make finger puppets with them. Cut the fingers and then use household items or go to the craft store to decorate and make little puppets...would be cute..I think.

S.

Hi, D.:

Recycle your aluminum pans.

The other woman's suggestion about the gloves is a great idea.

Thanks for asking. Good luck. D.

I would say the aluminum pans are okay to use.

As for the gloves...are any of them white/cream colored? You could make them into Santa ornaments. Lightly stuff them if you want, stitch them shut, turn them upside down (fingers pointing down), add eyes/nose/mouth mustache (felt, wiggle eyes, etc), cut a hat out of felt to cover top of head and curve down to tip of thumb, add pompom(s) at tip of thumb and across rim of hat.

I like the idea of using them to dust. :)

No ideas for the gloves--but I like the idea of one in the car for the snow scraper.

As for the pans, they are likely OK to use. When mine get really crummy, I just pitch them and get new ones! :-)

If you happen to make a bunch of cookies that your family refuses to eat them, I'll give you MY address! LOL

Your pans will never look new after using and washing them a few times. Unless they are rusty or something, I say they are fine. And if anyone has a problem with them, ask them to buy you new ones or don't serve them any food. Personally, I have been using Pampered Chef Stoneware for years and I never have to worry about rusty pans!

Unless they are the type of aluminum pans meant for single use (the type you buy in the supermarket to give away food in), you should be fine with dishwasher or handwashing and they are FINE! We have pans that were my husband's aunt's and I'm sure they are 50+ years old! The only "unsafe" ones are the newer ones with Teflon coating - if the coating chips, toss those. If you are the picky one, you can try to recycle them, but your local recycler might not realize the pans are aluminum and reject them anyway.

Google for the glovfes - sounds like a craft project to me!

Don't know about the pans, but I saw a craft book the other day that said to decorate the mittens and use them as ornaments or xmas decorations around the house!

Hi D., If the aluminum is comming off the pans you should stop using them and recycle/trash them ASAP. They are not safe to use anymore. You really should wash cookie sheets and baking dishes by hand unless they are glass or pyrex. If they are "non-stick" you should not use anything with tomatoes in them either as the acid in tomatoes will eat at the coating and any little scratch making the pans unuseable.

As far as the gloves...who said that gloves had to match when you are having a snowball fight, sholving the walk, or making a snowman? I keep all our gloves because when kids play, gloves get wet and cold and you need more pairs to keep playing! Best Wishes and Happy Holidays!

Hello! I haven't read all your ideas- but i used to work at a restaurant (on a hill) & on a night we were slow & it was snowy/icy we would take our sheet pans & use them as sleds!! Sooo much fun!! ;) if you dont have place to "ride" cookie sheets ~ i always bake with parchment paper on my cookie sheets & yes, some of mine are "well used"...happy baking, sledding or shopping! ;)