Some tips
BY ALL MEANS, REMEMBER THIS:
Bacteria on food will rapidly multiply when left at a
temperature between 45 F and 140 F. Avoid this danger
zone as much as possible.
Bacteria on food will rapidly multiply when left at a
temperature between 45 F and 140 F. Avoid this danger
zone as much as possible.
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Instead of 1 Cup self-rising flour
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TIP: Did you know that sour cream can be substituted for plain yogurt in recipes and vice versa? Just use the same amount of each (so a cup for a cup).
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(Love this tip :) Easy Pie Crust1 1/2 cups flour1/2 cup oil2 Tbsp Milk2 Tbsp Sugar1/4 tsp Salt Put ingredients in pie pan, mix together & press in pan. (Notice you don't need a bowl for this!) I just use my fingers.... I use olive oil and brown sugar and it always turns out fine. I have used brown flour already also. Thanks again and happy cooking...... Thanks to Ellen Schrock *To slice meat into thin strips, as for Chinese dishes -
partially freeze and it will slice easily. * A roast with the bone in will cook faster than a boneless roast - the bone carries the heat to the inside of the roast quicker. * For a juicer hamburger add cold water to the beef before grilling (1/2 cup to 1 pound of meat). * To keep cauliflower white while cooking - add a little milk to the water. * Let raw potatoes stand in cold water for at least half an hour before frying to improve the crispness of french-fried potatoes. * Buy mushrooms before they "open." When stems and caps are attached snugly, mushrooms are truly fresh. * Lettuce keeps better if you store in refrigerator without washing first so that the leaves are dry. Wash the day you are going to use. * Do not use metal bowls when mixing salads. Use wooden, glass or china. * A Perfect Pastry Crust? In your favorite recipe, substitute a 4: 1 ratio of lard:butter. * To make your own corn meal mix: combine 1 cup corn meal, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 4 teaspoons baking powder. You can store it in a tightly covered container for up to 6 months. * It's important to let a roast -- beef, pork, lamb or poultry -- sit a little while before carving. That allows the juices to retreat back into the meat. If you carve a roast too soon, much of its goodness will spill out onto the carving board. * Microwave a lemon for 15 seconds and double the juice you get before squeezing. * Microwave garlic cloves for 15 seconds and the skins slip right off. * When slicing a hard boiled egg, try wetting the knife just before cutting. If that doesn't do the trick, try applying a bit of cooking spray to the edge. * Rescue stale or soggy chips and crackers: Preheat the oven to 300F. Spread the chips or crackers in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 5 minutes. Allow to cool, then seal in a plastic bag or container. * The best way to store fresh celery is to wrap it in aluminum foil and put it in the refrigerator--it will keep for weeks. * Store freshly cut basil on your kitchen counter in a glass with the water level covering only the stems. Change the water occasionally. It will keep for weeks this way, even develop roots! Basil hates to be cold, so NEVER put it in the refrigerator. Also, regular cutting encourages new growth and healthier plants. * A dampened paper towel or terry cloth brushed downward on a cob of corn will remove every strand of corn silk. * Fresh eggs' shells are rough and chalky; old eggs are smooth and shiny. * No "curly" bacon for breakfast when you dip it into cold water before frying. * When working with dough, don't flour your hands; coat them with olive oil to prevent sticking. * Use a gentle touch when shaping ground beef patties. Overhandling will result in a firm, compact texture after cooking. Don't press or flatten with spatula during cooking. * Never heat pesto sauce - the basil will turn black and taste bitter. * Butter pie pastry scraps: sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and bake like cookies. * A jar lid or a couple of marbles in the bottom half of a double-boiler will rattle when the water gets low and warn you to add more before the pan scorches or burns. * When mincing garlic, sprinkle on a little salt so the pieces won't stick to your knife or cutting board. * If your cake recipe calls for nuts, heat them first in the oven, then dust with flour before adding to the batter to keep them from settling to the bottom of the pan. * Noodles, spaghetti and other starches won't boil over if you rub the inside of the pot with vegetable oil. * Brown gravy in a hurry with a bit of instant coffee straight from the jar... no bitter taste, either. * To hasten the cooking of foods in a double boiler, add salt to the water in the outer boiler. * Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips. * To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes. * Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away. * Don't throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces. * If you have a problem opening jars: Try using latex dishwashing gloves. They give a on-slip grip that makes opening jars easy. * Add a little lemon and lime to tuna to add zest and flavor to tuna sandwiches. Use cucumbers soaked in vinegar and pepper in sandwich instead of tomatoes. Use mustard instead of mayo to cut the fat and add a tang. * Instead of the water your recipe calls for, try juices, bouillon, or water you've cooked vegetables in. Instead of milk, try buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream. It can add a whole new flavor and improve nutrition. * Steak Sauce With A Kick: Deglaze your frying pan (after searing your New York steaks) with brandy. Add two tablespoons of butter, a little white wine and a splash of Grand Marnier. Serve over steaks - you'll never use steak sauce again. * When browning ground meat, brown several pounds and drain. Divide evenly in freezer containers and freeze. Unthaw in microwave for quick fixing next time. * Ground spices really should be replaced every 6 months or so! Unless you know you will use them up fairly quickly, buy a bottle in partnership with a friend and split the contents. You'll each benefit from fresh spices. * Sunlight doesn't ripen tomatoes, warmth does. Store tomatoes with stems pointed down and they will stay fresher, longer. * Place green fruits in a perforated plastic bag. The holes will allow air to circulate while retaining the ethylene gas that fruits produce during ripening. * Marshmallows won't dry out when frozen. * Poke a hole in the middle of the hamburger patties while shaping them. The burgers will cook faster and the holes will disappear when done. * For fluffier, whiter rice, add one teaspoon of lemon juice per quart of water. To add extra flavor and nutrition to rice, cook it in liquid reserved from cooking vegetables. * Cheese won't harden if you butter the exposed edges before storing. * Sausage patties rolled in flour before frying won't crack open during cooking. * Two drops of yellow food coloring added to boiling noodles will make them look homemade. * When separating eggs, break them into a funnel. The whites will go through leaving the yolk intact in the funnel. * Fresh fish freeze well in a milk carton filled with water. * Make your own celery flakes. Just cut and wash the leaves from the celery stalks; place them in the oven on low heat or in the hot sun until thoroughly dry. Crumble and store in an air-tight container. * When picking a melon, smell it for freshness and ripeness. Check to see that the fruit is heavy in weight and that the spot on the end where it has been plucked from the vine is soft. * When tossing a salad with a basic vinaigrette, always make the vinaigrette at least 1/2 hour ahead of time and let the mixture sit to allow the flavors to marry. Pour the vinaigrette down the side of the bowl, not directly on the greens, for a more evenly dressed salad. * For the perfect boiled egg, cover eggs with cold water and a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a full boil. Remove the pan from the heat and cover. Let the eggs sit for 8-9 minutes. Drain the water and place the eggs in ice water to cool to stop the cooking process. * When braising meat, cook it at a low temperature for a long time to keep the meat tender and have it retain all the juices. * When cooking any kind of strawberry dessert, add a splash of aged Balsamic vinegar to the recipe to enhance the flavor of the strawberries. * For fresh flavor in orange juice add the juice of one lemon. * Tenderize pot roast or stewing meat by using two cups of hot tea as a cooking liquid. * When making roux for a recipe, make extra and keep in the refrigerator for future use. * Chefs pound meat not to tenderize the meat, but to help even the meat so it cooks evenly. * To remove egg shells from a batter, use the remaining shell to attract the piece. * If a recipe calls for 1 cup sour cream, you may substitute 1 cup cottage cheese blended until smooth with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/3 cup buttermilk. * When using fresh herbs such as dill, chives, parsley, etc., hold them together in small bunches and snip with kitchen scissors. It is a lot faster this way, and you'll find the herbs will be light and fluffy, not bruised and wet as they often get when chopped. * When going on a picnic, keep sandwiches from becoming soggy by packing lettuce and condiments in separate containers. Add them to sandwiches just before serving. * Maple-flavored syrup, commonly found on the shelves in the store and in restaurants, is actually corn syrup flavored with a bit of pure maple syrup to keep the cost down. * Thaw fish in milk for fresher flavor * Put meat used for stir frying in freezer for 45 min. to 1 hr. to make slicing easier. * You can correct greasy gravy by adding a little baking soda to it. * If you need only 1/2 an onion, save the root half. It will last longer. * Keep popcorn fresh and encourage more kernels to pop by storing in the freezer. * Lemons stored in a sealed jar of water will produce twice the juice. * Use paper bags rather than plastic to store lettuce and celery in the crisper. They will stay fresh longer. * Bread will stay fresh longer if a celery rib is stored with it in the package. * Pancakes are lighter and fluffier when you substitute club soda for milk in the batter. * Before opening a package of bacon, roll it. This helps separate the slices for easy removal of individual slices. * Drain deep fried foods on brown paper grocery bags as opposed to paper towels to retain crispness. * Whenever possible, warm your dinner plates slightly in the oven before serving so the meal stays a little bit hotter. * To make lighter and fluffier mashed potatoes, add a pinch or two of baking powder to the potatoes before whipping. * Cookies will spread if your dough is too pliable by allowing butter to get too soft. If your cookies are spreading too much, try refrigerating the dough for a couple of hours before baking. * Cookie dough can be frozen up to three months in an airtight container or refrigerated three to four days. * Check cookies at minimum baking time. * Let cookies cool completely before storing. Store different types of cookies in separate containers so they'll keep their original flavor and texture. * Marinate red meats in wine to tenderize. * Marinate chicken in buttermilk to tenderize. * Use margarine instead of butter to panfry or saute. Butter burns quickly. * Instead of adding raw garlic to sauces, saute the garlic first for a milder flavor. * Thaw frozen meat and poultry in the refrigerator and not on the kitchen counter where bacteria can grow. * Add a small amount of lemon juice to the artichoke cooking water to retain the color of the artichoke. * A low-calorie solution for high-fat frying of corn tortillas is to place them in the oven, directly on the rack. Bake at 350 F, to desired crispness. The tortillas will automatically fold over into taco shell form with just a little postioning help. * A simple way to sharpen kitchen shears: cut a piece of steel wool. * Don't just keep dental floss in your medicine cabinet. Keep some in the kitchen. It's a great tool. Unflavored dental floss is often better than a& knife to cleanly cut all kinds of soft foods, soft cheese, rolled dough, layered cake and cheesecake. * If lettuce starts turning a little brown (but not slimy) it may not be suitable for salads, but it is for sauteing. Sauteed salad greens like lettuce, radicchio, and endive make an unusual but tasty side dish. Saute lettuces just as you would spinach. Cook them quickly in a little olive oil, minced garlic, and salt. They taste great, and you cant tell that the greens were once a little brown. |
Dress up your Veggies
Dress up your cooked Veggies. Sprinkle them with slightly crushed croutons, toasted sesame seeds, canned french onions or toasted chopped nuts. Entertaining
Chocolate Dipping If you are dipping Strawberries into chocolate, you can make it easier by sticking a tooth pick into the stem end of the berry. Then dip into chocolate, shaking off any excess. Also you could turn the berries upside down and stick the toothpick into a block of styrofoam to set. Another way to do this is to use an egg carton, turn the berries dipped side up in each hole to dry.Recipe AlbumThis is something I found as a way to keep all my recipes neat and in order. All you need is a full size notebook and some see thru plastic sleeves, you can find these at any office supply place or Wal-mart (my favorite place to shop). You can custom decorate the cover or pages, if your into scrap booking you could really get creative!Car FreshnerTo give your car a fresh smell, use a fabric softner sheet and replace it once a week, or you can take a cotton ball and spray it with you favorite cologne. Garbage Disposal To clean and deodorize you garbage disposal use a lemon cut up into wedges and lots of ice. You will be amazed at how well this works! Microwave 1. When reheating a dish or plate of food in the microwave turn a paper plate over and use as a "lid" this will keep your micowave cleaner much longer.2. If the microwave has become a splattering mess that is stuck on, you can take a small microwave safe bowl and fill 1/2 with water and heat to the point of making steam, let set for a couple minutes them just use a paper towel and wipe out. General Shelf Lives For Common Items:
Flour unopened: up to 12 months. Opened: 6-8 months. Sugar unopened: 2 years. Sugars do not spoil but eventually may change flavor. Brown sugar unopened: 4 months. Confectioners sugar unopened: 18 months. Solid shortening unopened: 8 months. Opened: 3 months. Cocoa unopened: indefinitely. opened: 1 year. Whole spices: 2-4 years. Whether or not opened. Ground spices: 2-3 years. Whether or not opened. Paprika, red pepper and chili powder: 2 years Baking soda unopened: 18 months. Opened: 6 months. Baking powder unopened: 6 months. Opened: 3 months. Cornstarch: 18 months. Whether or not opened. Dry pasta made without eggs unopened: 2 years. Opened: 1 year. Dry egg noodles unopened: 2 years. Opened: 1-2 months. Salad dressing unopened: 10-12 months. Opened: 3 months if refrigerated. Honey: 1 year. Whether or not opened. Ground, canned coffee unopened: 2 years. Opened: 2 weeks, if refrigerated. Jams, jellies and preserves unopened: 1 year. Opened: 6 months if refrigerated. Peanut butter unopened: 6-9 months. Opened: 2-3 months. Make Your Own Spice Mixes:
FIVE SPICE POWDER 1 tsp. Ground cinnamon 1 tsp. Ground cloves 1 tsp. Fennel seed 1 tsp. Star anise 1 tsp. Szechwan peppercorns ITALIAN HERB SEASONING 1 tsp. Oregano 1 tsp. Marjoram 1 tsp. Thyme 1 tsp. Basil 1 tsp. Rosemary 1 tsp. Sage CINNAMON SUGAR 7/8 cup Granulated sugar 2 Tbsp. Ground cinnamon TAMARIND PASTE 1 tsp. Dates 1 tsp. Prunes 1 tsp. Dried apricots 1 tsp. Lemon juice CHILI POWDER 3 Tbsp. paprika 1 Tbsp. ground cumin 2 Tbsp. oregano 1 tsp. red or cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
11. Cover pans while cooking to prevent heat loss.
12. Make sure your pan covers the coil of your range. If you can see coil peeping out from the sides of your pan, you are losing energy and you need a bigger pan! 13. Try one-pot cooking. Stews, soups, and other great peasant meals only take one burner to cook and they are so nourishing and satisfying! 14. Just before your food is cooked completely, turn off the oven or burner and allow the heat in the pot or pan to continue the cooking process for you. 15. The less liquid and fat you use, the quicker the cooking time. 16. Always make more food than you plan to use and freeze it for your own “fast food.” 17. Leftovers take less energy to reheat on top of the stove rather than in the oven. 18. Most of us eat a lot of pasta. Make extra, toss with olive oil, and keep in the fridge so you don’t have to heat an entire pot of water to the boiling point every time you want some. 19. If you have one, use a pressure cooker. It really saves on energy. 20. Try using a solar box cooker. Too salty: Add cut raw potatoes to soups or vegetables and then discard once they have cooked and absorbed the salt. A teaspoon each of cider vinegar and sugar added to salty soup or vegetables will also remedy the salty situation.
If you've over-sweetened a dish, add salt. A teaspoon of cider vinegar will take care of too-sweet main dishes or vegetables. Pale gravy may be browned by adding a bit of instant coffee straight from the jar. No bitter taste, either. Ice cubes will eliminate the fat from soup and stew. Just drop a few into the pot and stir; the fat will cling to the cubes; discard the cubes before they melt. Or, wrap ice cubes in paper towel or cheesecloth and skim over the top. A slice of soft bread placed in the package of hardened brown sugar will soften it again in a couple of hours. A little salt placed in a frying pan will prevent splattering. Meat loaf will not stick if you place a slice of bacon on the bottom of the pan. Vinegar brought to a boil in a new frying pan will prevent foods from sticking. When scalding milk, first rinse the pan in cold water to prevent sticking. A lump of butter or a few teaspoons of cooking oil added to water when boiling rice, noodles, macaroni, or spaghetti will prevent boiling over. A few drops of lemon juice added to simmering rice will keep the grains separate. A dampened paper towel or terry cloth brushed downward on a cob of corn will remove every strand of corn silk. To determine if an egg is fresh, immerse it in a pan of cool, salted water. If it sinks, it is fresh; it it rises to the surface, throw it away. Fresh eggs' shells are rough and chalky; old eggs are smooth and shiny. To determine if an egg is hard-boiled, spin it. If it spins, it is hard-boiled. If it wobbles, it is raw. Egg shells can be easily removed from hard-boiled eggs if they are boiled in salty water and quickly rinsed in cold water. No "curly" bacon for breakfast when you dip it into cold water before frying. Keep bacon slices from sticking together; roll the package into a tube shape and secure with rubber bands. |