Ode To Butter

This Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for butter. I adore it. Unlike olive oil (which I also like) or animal fat (which I'm not such a fan of), butter is one of those things that I could eat on its own.

Yes, that's right, I just said I could eat butter and nothing else - which is not to say that's how I eat it. I much prefer a good slather of butter on a hot biscuit or a fresh ear of corn or a glistening lake of butter in my well of mashed potatoes.

Butter is sweet and creamy and delicious and natural. Not only that, it's good for other things. Here are 10 uses for butter you may not be aware of from First magazine:

1. Rehydrate dry, brittle nails

To give dull nails the glow they once had, apply a dab of butter to each cuticle. Rub in with your fingertip then slip on a cotton gloves and wear over night. The butter nourishes the Keratin by replenishing lost moisture. Come morning, wash off with soapy water to reveal party - pretty hands.

2. Cut Snow-Shoveling time in half

Snow has covered the drive way and quests are due to arrive any minute. To clear the area fast, use a paper towel to apply ¼ cup butter to your shovel. The fat molecules in the spread form a water resistant barrier that keeps flurries from building on the shovel and weighing you down. And since the snow slides right off each scoop, you can get the job done twice as fast.

3. Make old candle look new again

Have you ever pulled a box of holiday candles from a box from last year and the pillars look dingy due to a filmy white residue? The quick fix: Rub ½ tsp. butter onto your hands, the run your greasy palms over the candles. The friction created by your hands dislodges dust and dirt, while the milk fats in the butter infuse the wax with moisture. This freshens up the festive decorations and gives them a glossy sheen.

4. Sooth Fluffy's holiday anxiety

Altered environments (such as Christmas decorations filling up you house and unfamiliar guests) can stress out pets. To ease your kitten's angst, apply 1 tsp. butter to the top of one paw. The cat will then clean herself, which will distract her from the commotion that's making her anxious (just long enough to make her comfortable again). Plus, most animals love the rich, creamy taste of butter as much as humans do.

5. Erase watermarks from wood

When a misplaced glass of water leaves n ugly white ring on you nice wood table, reach for the butter dish. Just before you go to bed apply 1 Tbs. of the spread to the mark, rubbing it into the surface with a soft dry cloth. The next morning wipe away any excess with a soapy sponge. The butter's semi liquid components replace lost moisture, while the milk fats reseal the grain and restore the wood to its original luster.

6. Slice sticky foods with ease

Have you ever cut the large marshmallow in half but the residue left on the knife is so hard to get off and you hate having to scrub forever to get it off? Well next time before you start rub a dab of butter over the blade. The grease in the spread leaves a no-stick film that makes it easy to slice though gooey food. Even better, the cutting tool rinses clean with a little soapy water, no scrubbing needed!

7. Swallow big pill without worry

The more pills you seem to have to take the bigger each one gets. If you are having problems swallowing the big pills try this little trick. Roll the pill in a small dab of butter before swallowing. The greasy spread coasts the capsule, lubricating is and helping to effortlessly slide down your throat.

8. Prevent Cheese from molding

When putting the cheese away to prevent the mold from growing and having to waste chunks of cheese try his trick. When putting the cheese away apply a thin layer of butter over the cut edges just before you wrap up the wedge and return to the fridge. The milk fats in the butter form an airtight seal that prevents bacteria from attaching to the cheese and causing the mold to form.

9. Remove ink stains from plastic

Your son is playing with your daughter and happens to hit your daughters doll on the face with an ink pen and your daughter starts screaming. To get the ink stain off and stop the screaming just rub 1 tsp. of butter onto the spot and let it dry for 30 minutes then rinse with a wet, soapy sponge. The fat sweeps into the pores of the plastic, dissolving the ink's oils and breaking down the color residue so it washes away with ease.

10. Silence a squeaky door hinge

Your front door is causing a loud high pitched squeak every time it opens or closed. When you can't find the WD-40, rub a dime sizes dab of butter on the hinges. The slick stuff coats the dry metal and acts as a lubricant, smoothing the parts so they can move against each other without making a sound.

With all those uses, plus butter's deliciousness, how can you not be thankful for butter?