Q: Using a hot baking sheet will cause the dough to start to melt prematurely. Grease the cookie sheet with vegetable shortening or unsalted butter -- don't use vegetable oil because it'll burn between the cookies, and that's not a pleasure to clean. Some cookie dough recipes, however, have a lot of shortening or butter in it already and may not need to have the cookie sheet greased at all. Use a parchment paper or Silipat lined baking sheet for ease of cookie baking. The baking sheet is easier to clean and will not suffer from greasy build up, if either is used while baking. Another plus is the cookies can be carefully removed from the baking sheet by pulling the parchment paper carefully from the cookie sheet and placing it on a cooling rack. The cookie sheet can be lined again with parchment paper and another batch of cookies can be baked. Use a cookie scoop or measuring spoon to make sure drop or shaped cookies are all the same size. The cookies will bake evenly and taste better. A time range is often given in a recipe, so once you reach the short end of the range, stick a toothpick right in the center of a cookie, and pull it out quickly. If little or no cookie sticks to the toothpick, they are done. Depending on amount of cookie left on toothpick, adjust cooking time accordingly. It is best to either let the cookies cool on the sheet, or to move them to a cooling rack. If you do not have a cooling rack, just turn a large plate upside down, and place the rack on top until it cools. Once the cookies have cooled slightly, remove them from cookie sheet to prevent them from sticking and breaking later.
A: Put the cookies on a room temperature or cool cookie sheet. Use a liner. Make evenly sized cookies. Check the cookies. Allow cookies to cool after removing from the oven.

Q: This is very important as water may not enough to get rid of any pesticides. For the best flavor, use the hibiscus sabdariffa variety. If you are simply drying the flowers for craft projects, they do not have to be pesticide-free. Pick the flowers off of the plant 1 by 1, and place them into a bowl or basket. Once the container is full, go through the flowers, and pull off the yellow stamens in the center. Leave the stems on the flower, as this will make them easier to dry. Plan on using 8 to 10 flowers for a single pot of tea. Fill a large, clean bowl with water. Working 1 flower at a time, dip the flowers into the water, swish it around, then lift it out and set it aside. The swishing will help dislodge anything caught between the petals and the green part. If the plant had insects on it, be sure to pry open the petals and the green part of the flowers once the flower is under the water. This can be an actual drying rack used for cooling off baked goods, or it can be a small, clean window screen. You can even use a crisper sheet that you use for making cookies. Weave thin wire over the flowers and under the holes on the drying rack. Keep the wire taut enough so that it keeps the flowers secure, but loose enough so that it doesn't crush the flowers. Keep the flowers at an angle under the wire, so that the wire goes between the petals. You can use any type of thin wire, such as jewelry wire or floral wire. You can even use twist ties from a pack of garbage bags. Keep doing this every day until the flowers dry completely. They will shrink and turn brittle. How long this takes depends on how dry or humid it is, as well as how sunny it is. Expect to wait at least 3 days. It is very important that you bring the flowers indoors for the evening, as any morning dew will reverse the drying process. Keep the flowers in the driest, sunniest spot in your garden, patio, or balcony. Check on the flowers once or twice daily until they dry. If you notice that the flowers are only drying on 1 side, rotate them. Place 8 to 10 dried hibiscus flowers into a tea pot. Add some flavoring if desired, then fill the pot with boiled water. Let the tea steep for 20 minutes, then strain it. Sweeten the tea with honey, if desired, then serve it hot or cold. For a warm, sweet flavor, add a pinch of cinnamon and a slice of prance peel. If you want something refreshing, try a mint leaf and a slice of orange peel. For a more tart flavor, add a squeeze of lime just before serving the tea. Grind the petals into a fine powder in a blender. Pour the petals through a fine, mesh sieve into a jar, to help break them up further. Close the jar, and use the powder as desired. You can now add the petals to homemade cosmetics, such as blush, lip gloss, and hair masks. You can also use a food processor, a coffee grinder, or a mortar and pestle to grind the flowers. You can add hibiscus to your cooking just like you would other edible flowers, such as roses and violets. For example, you can use the dried flowers to infuse meringues or simple sugar syrups. You can even use it in marinades, especially for lamb!
A:
Find a pesticide-free hibiscus if you are using it for food or cosmetics. Pick the flowers and remove the stamens. Dip the flowers in water to remove any dust and insects. Spread the flowers out on a drying rack. Secure the flowers with thin wire if it is windy. Leave the flowers outside in the sun, but bring them inside at night. Use 8 to 10 flowers to brew a pot of tea. Grind the flowers into a powder if you wish to use them for cosmetics. Use the hibiscus flower in your cooking for extra flavor and color.