INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Vidalia onions are a popular choice based upon their size and flavor. Sweet onions are the most popular, and red sweet onions are very common, too. Any onion, so long as it's large and fresh, will do the trick. In the case of whole onions, symmetrical is best, so one side doesn't naturally rest on its bottom, getting cooked unevenly. Remove any of the loose, dry outer skin that is thin like paper and is peeling. Inspect the next layer of the onion for any shriveling or damage, and remove if necessary. You should be able to tell when you hit the meat of the layers. To make slices, hold the onion at the root end, and place it sideways on the cutting board. Your hand and the root should be horizontal to the board. Cut the onion into thick slices, generally half an inch thick (1.3 cm).   To cut into wedges, don't cut all the way to the bottom of the onion. If you do, they'll fall apart. Wedges should be about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide, and a good-sized onion will yield 4-6 wedges.  These are just recommendations. You can cut the onion however you like, from thick wedges to whole slices. Just know that the smaller your onions are, the more likely they'll be to fall through the grate – for small onions, you'll need equipment to keep that from happening. Add any seasonings you like, such as salt, pepper, or garlic powder, too. A list of possibilities is discussed above, but olive oil, salt, and pepper is a general standard. Make sure you get both sides! Place the onion slices directly onto the grill surface. Alternatively, use your grill basket or a tent made out of aluminum foil. Allow them to cook for approximately 3-5 minutes or until you can see black grill marks. Larger, thicker onions may take up to 7.  To make a foil tent, simply place a couple of onion slices on a piece of foil. Turn the long sides in, covering the onions, and then roll up the sides, enclosing them in. Skewers are easiest for wedges, if you're worried about them falling apart. Again, just make sure they were soaked in water before use, or they may start a fire. Allow the other side to cook for another 3-5 minutes or until you see grill marks. If you want to re-season or add more olive oil, do so now. Give the edge of one a taste test. Does it have a hint of a crunch initially, but is still soft and getting caramelized? That's exactly when you know they're done. Grilled onions make their own delicious side dish, but they're also great added to salsa, relish, baked beans, curries, and any other vegetable dish.

SUMMARY: Select large, firm onions from your local produce supplier. Slice off the stem end of the onion and peel. Cut the onion. Brush the slices with olive oil and flavor to taste. Preheat your grill to medium heat. Turn the grilled onion slices over with your tongs. Remove the onion slices from the grill, and serve with your meal.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Most of these tools include everything you need to find and replace the bad bulb: a continuity detector, piezoelectric sparker (shunt repairer), and light bulb removal tool. It costs roughly $20 US, so this may not be worth it if you only have a couple strings of lights. If you prefer to avoid buying such a specialized device, try the following alternatives:  Get a non contact voltage detector and skip down to tracing the dead bulb. Alternatively, buy a cheaper light bulb tester without the other features. Tackle the project hands-on with a homemade tool. Christmas lights are connected in series, meaning the whole string will go dark when one bulb fails. A failsafe called a shunt in each bulb is supposed to prevent this by closing the gap across the burnt-out bulb, but these often don't work properly. (In regions on 230V mains rather than 110V, the shunt usually does its job.) The sparker function on your repair tool will zap the shunt, hopefully succeeding in closing the gap:  Plug the string of lights into the socket on the repair tool. Press the button (or pull the trigger, depending on the model) about 20 times. You should hear a click each time. Plug the string of lights into a normal outlet. If the string is still dark, continue to the next step. If the string lights up except for one or two bulbs, skip down to replacing individual bulbs. If the string of lights still won't light up, move on to the detector. This detects the current running through the wires, so you can identify the point where it fails. Here's how:  Tug apart the braided wires to identify the one directly connected to the light bulbs. Place the detector on this wire about halfway along the string, between two bulbs. (If your tool has a small hole for a detector, place a light bulb into the hole instead.) If the tool hums or lights up (depending on model), the problem is in the half of the string farthest from the plug. If there is no hum or light, the problem is in the half closest to the plug. Move the tool to the middle of the problem area and test again, narrowing it down to ¼ of the string. Repeat until you find a bulb with current on one side of it and no current on the other. Mark this bulb with tape so you don't lose track, then replace this bulb as described below.

SUMMARY: Buy a christmas light repair tool. Use the spark function on your repair tool. Trace the location of the dead bulb.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Pour a few drops of vanilla extract into about half a cup (118 mL) of water. You can add a few more drops of the vanilla extract if you don’t smell it in the water. With the mixture on your hands, begin to rub your hands together. Continue for 30 seconds to one minute. You can stop rubbing when you no longer smell gasoline on your hands. Once the smell has been removed, wash your hands with soap and water. You don’t have to scrub them very hard since the smell of vanilla extract is usually pleasant. Dry your hands with a towel when you’re finished washing them.

SUMMARY:
Mix vanilla extract and water. Pour the mixture over your hands. Wash your hands with soap and water.