FOOD
HINTS
FOOD
HINTS
Monday November 21, 2011 09:03:16 AM
Add a few teaspoon of water when cooking mince meat, it will make separating fat from the meat easier.
Adding Garlic to your cooking: Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic, and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.
A few drops of Vinegar will increase the volume of egg whites when
whipped.
A mixture of salt and Vinegar will clean coffee and tea stains from
chinaware.
A quick cake decoration, coat the underside of some rose leaves with
chocolate. When the chocolate is set, peel off the leaf and place the
chocolate "leaves" on the cake. (Fresh flowers also look good.)
A squeeze bottle can be one of your best kitchen friends. Fill
it with barbecue sauce or marinade for easy basting. Or on the sweet
side, fill it with fruit or chocolate syrup for easy dessert garnishing.
Add herbs to the Vinegar when marinating as desired. Put
Vinegar on a cloth and let sit on the back of your kitchen faucet and it
removes hard water stains.
Add some reduced fat cream cheese to mashed potatoes, or warm the
Butter and Milk before you mash them. Fries will brown quickly with a pinch
of salt to oil. To get crisper chips before you cook chips soak in iced
water then dry thoroughly. Another nice flavour for mashed potatoes try a
little Baking Powder added to the milk for mashing.
After cleaning the bread box, keep it smelling sweet by wiping it
down with a cloth moistened in distilled Vinegar.
Always spray your grill with non-stick cooking spray before grilling
to avoid sticking.
Apple sauce: This can be good, especially in cakes, but it can
change the texture. I have found that you can make other substitutions for
the fat. First if you are using a mix, find one low in fat. Second, replace
the eggs called for with egg substitute (this really is better than plain
egg whites). Then in place of the oil add flavouring like fruit or flavoured
liqueur, fruit puree, or a little extra liquid like juice or milk. It
doesn't have to have an enormous amount of fat to taste decadent and you
don't have to tell them if you don't want to brag.
cookies a lighter texture.
Banana Trick: Peel a banana from the bottom and
you won't have to pick the little "stringy things" off of it. That's how the
primates do it. Keeping Bananas: Take your bananas apart when
you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the stem,
they ripen faster.
Before arranging a bouquet of dried flowers, mist them with water,
then place in a plastic bag for 30 minutes. They'll be less brittle and much
more manageable.
Before opening a package of bacon, roll it. This helps separate the
slices for easy removal of individual slices.
Bi-carbonate Soda will remove Coffee & Ttea stains from cups.
Boil for 5 minutes, and then strain well, before adding to a fruit
cake. Making the fruits lovely and plump.
Brass, copper and pewter will shine if cleaned with the following
mixture. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of Salt in 1 cup of distilled Vinegar.
Brush beaten Egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a
beautiful, glossy finish.
Brush the inside of a tart case with beaten Egg white and leave for
15 minutes, before filling is added. Pastry will not be soggy.
Brown Sugar: Brown sugar will not harden if stored in the freezer!
By adding a pinch of salt, cream will whip better and Egg whites
will beat faster and higher.
Can't get rid of a lingering smell in the kitchen? Try baking some
orange peels in the oven at 350 degrees. Bake for about 15 minutes.
Celery lasts longer and tastes sweeter if soaked in sugar in fridge.
Celery stored with bread will keep it longer.
Cheese: Store cheese with 2 or 3 sugar lumps to prevent mould and wrap cheese in alfoil and it last much longer and not mould.
Cheese: When grinding hard cheese in a food processor, let it set at
room temperature before processing. Soft cheeses such as Swiss or
mozzarella when processing or slicing, do best when placed in the freezer 10
to 15 minutes before slicing.
Cheese Garnish: Use a potato peeler to create cheese peels for
garnishing salads, soups and more. Use your imagination.
Cinnamon on a piece of aluminium foil, place inside a warm oven -
and leave the door open. (Even if you don't bake, this makes your house
smell so good a Christmas)
Clean a teapot by boiling a mixture of water and Vinegar in it. Wipe
away the grime.
Clean and deodorise jars. Rinse mayonnaise, Peanut butter, and
mustard jars with Vinegar when empty.
Clean and deodorise the garbage disposal by making Vinegar ice cubes
and feed them down the disposal. After grinding, run cold water
through.
Clean and disinfect wood cutting boards by wiping with full strength
Vinegar.
Clean china and fine glassware by adding a cup of Vinegar to a sink
of warm water. Gently dip the glass or china in the solution and let dry.
Clean cloudy glass vases, carafes and other glassware.
Clean counter tops with bleach, no need to scrub.
Clean food encrusted cast iron pots and pans with oven cleaner.
Spray it on, let it stand one hour, then wash with hot soapy water and dry
Crayon marks on walls? This worked wonderfully! A damp rag, dipped in Baking
Soda. If you have food stuck to your skillet, try putting the skillet on
high heat for a few minutes, (not too long... 3 or 4 minutes should be
plenty, so as not to burn the food, thus smelling up the house). After it's
good and hot, pour into the skillet about a ⅛ to ¼ cup tap water. The
water will immediately boil, and break loose the food! Presto! No
scrubbing! Just wipe clean.
Clean food-stained pots and pans by filling the pots and pans with
Vinegar and let stand for thirty minutes. Then rinse in hot, soapy
water.
Clean stainless steel by wiping with Vinegar dampened cloth.
Clean the dishwasher by running a cup of Vinegar through the whole
cycle once a month to reduce soap build up on the inner mechanisms and on
glassware.
Clean the microwave by boiling a solution of
¼cup
of Vinegar and 1 cup of water in the microwave. Will loosen splattered
on food and deodorize.
Clean oven racks by placing a towel tin bath tub to prevent
scratching bath surface then add very hot water to cover racks and 1 cup of
Bi-Carb Soda and 1 cup laundry powder and leave over night to soak. Next day
rinse clean.
Clean the refrigerator by washing with a solution of equal parts
water and Vinegar.
Coca Cola: To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan,
wrap the ham in aluminium foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is
finished, Remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for
sumptuous brown gravy.
Cookie dough can be frozen up to three months in an airtight
container or refrigerated three to six months.
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.
Cooking pasta al dente or firm to the bite, preserves some of the
vitamins and minerals that are lost into the cooking water with longer
cooking times.
Cooking with wine is not a mystery. Wine is a great way to create
richness and flavour in a dish where the fat has been removed. Get two
bottles of wine, one red and one white. Never buy a "cooking" wine because
they are loaded with salt, have little or no flavour and are often loaded
with additive. Cooking wines are the lowest grade possible and often have a
bitter or sour taste. Add wine sparingly to your sauces, stocks and soups.
Always remember that the alcohol burns off at approximately 160 degrees so
don't worry about giving dishes containing wine to your kids. Of course if
you or a loved one has a moral, religious or health problem with alcohol
then please look into the many brands of de-alcoholised wines now available.
Always remember that the alcohol burns off at approximately 160 degrees so
don't worry about giving dishes containing wine to your kids. Of course if
you or a loved one has a moral, religious or health problem with alcohol
then please look into the many brands of de-alcoholised wines now available.
Corn flour in scrambled eggs makes them fluffier. For easy "meatloaf
mixing", combine the ingredients with a potato masher.
Counters or stove have stuck on grease splatters or dried food?
Sprinkle baking soda on the areas, and then rub with a wet sponge. Rinse
with clean sponge. I find this also works for a countertop that has grape
juice or other fruit stains, too! Like before, you sometimes need to do two
applications.
Cupboard is empty of molasses? Use honey as a replacement.
Cut grease and odour on dishes by adding a tablespoon of Vinegar to
hot soapy water.
CROCKPOTS ALL YEAR:
* Allow sufficient
cooking time on "low" setting.
* Liquids don't boil away as in
conventional cooking. Usually you'll have more liquid at the end of cooking
instead of less.
* Cook with cover on -- except to "brown off"
liquids after cooking.
* it's "one-step" cooking: many steps in the
recipes may be deleted.
* Recipes that will not adapt well are those
that require broiling or deep frying. If you feel unsure about a step, go
ahead and follow the recipe's directions as written.
* Most uncooked meat and vegetable
combinations will require at least 8 hours on low. Many recipes say "bring
to boil, then turn down to simmer." In a crock pot this is not necessary.
Simply set the crock pot to low and forget it. Crock pot cooks so
gently...so an extra hour on low need not worry you. Any recipe can be
cooked on high the first two hours to reduce cooking time,
and then turned to low.
Debug fresh vegetables by washing them in water with Vinegar and
Salt. Bugs float off.
Deodorise the kitchen drain. Pour a cup down the drain once a week.
Let stand 30 minutes and then flush with cold water.
Do not over salt soups, my hint add more Potatoes.
Do you ever stack your drinking glasses when cleaning up and then you can't
get them apart? If so, pour cold water into the top glass and dunk the
bottom glass in warm water. The cold causes the top to contract, while the
hot makes the bottom expand, so they are easy to pull apart.
Do not over Salt soups to which wine will be added. Most wine in
soups tends to intensify the saltiness.
Do you have fruit in your kitchen that's ripening quicker than you
can eat it? Puree it and use in smoothies or as a topping for ice
cream, pancakes or waffles. You can also freeze the puréed fruit in a
plastic freezer zipper bag and use it at a future date.
Don't give up creamy sauces, make them smarter. You can create a
creamy sauce anytime by using corn starch. To your non-fat/low-fat sauce
adds 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to 1/4 cup skim milk. Add a little at a time
stirring constantly until you get the consistency you want. Make low-fat
cream soups the same way with a little more of the mixture.
Don't have a roasting pan? Make a rack out of vegetables like
celery, carrots and onion and place your chicken, turkey or roast on top.
The excess fat drips away from the meat and your pan drippings will be more
flavourful.
Don't simmer old potatoes too vigorously or they will fall apart.
Put them unpeeled in cold water and cook them gently with the cover on.
When a recipe calls for browning eggplant or other foods in oil, let your
broiler save you time and calories. Brush the pieces lightly with oil and
let brown in the broiler. You'll use less than half the fat than if you
pan-browned.
Don't throw out leftover coffee. Freeze it in ice cube trays, and
when you don't want to make an entire pot, you can get your cubes out of the
freezer and pop them in the microwave.
Don't throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for
future use in casseroles and sauces.
Don't toss out week old carrots and celery that have wilted. Use
them to make broth; simmer veggies until the fall apart, strain and
refrigerate the liquid - or freeze for up to 2 months.
Drain deep fried foods on brown paper grocery bags as opposed to
paper towels to retain crispness.
Dried fruit: Boil for 5 minutes, and then strain well, before adding
to a fruit cake. Makes the fruits lovely and plump.
Dried out coconut can be revitalized by sprinkling with milk and
letting it stand for about ten minutes.
East less meat. Not only is it less expensive, it is healthier.
Eliminate onion odour by rubbing Vinegar on your fingers before and
after slicing.
Empty plastic liners from cereal boxes make good freezer bags or wax
paper. Use for a lunch bags also.
Every time you open the oven door, the temperatures drops 25º.
Firm up gelatine by adding a teaspoon of Vinegar for every box of
gelatine used. To keep those moulded desserts from sagging in the summer
heat.
Flavoured Ice Cubes: Instead of having watered down beverages when
your ice melts - make flavoured ice cubes with juice, punch, soft drinks,
tea or even milk. No more dilution when they melt.
Flour: Not sure what type of flour it is? Add 1 teaspoon of flour to
1 cup water. Self raising flour will bubble to the top, plain (all purpose)
flour will not.
For a different flavour and less fat, use chicken stock instead
of butter or milk when whipping up mashed potatoes.
For a quick cake decoration, coat the underside of some rose leaves
with chocolate. When the chocolate is set, peel off the leaf and place the
chocolate "leaves" on the cake. (Fresh flowers also look good.)
For easy "meatloaf mixing", combine the ingredients with a potato
masher.
For lump less gravy, add a pinch of salt to gravy mixture before
adding the water.
For wonderful crusty potatoes, boil first then roll in seasoned
flour, bake per usual.
Formica tops and counters will shine if cleaned with a cloth soaked
in distilled Vinegar.
Freeze extra tomato paste in handy portions by dropping spoonfuls on
waxed paper and placing in the freezer. Once set, keep them frozen in
a Re-sealable plastic bag.
Fresh ginger will last longer by storing it in a pot of sand.
Freshen a lunchbox by soaking a piece of bread in Vinegar and let it
sit in the lunchbox over night.
Freshen vegetables. Soak wilted vegetables in 2 cups of water and a
tablespoon of Vinegar. Boil better eggs by adding 2 tablespoons water
before boiling. Keeps them from cracking.
Fruitcake: Moisten a dry fruitcake by making lots of holes with a
skewer on the top and sides. Then pour 1/4 cup sherry, brandy, or rum over
the cake every day for 1 week.
Fruitcake: Keep moist by immediately wrapping cake, in the
tin, in a thick blanket, as soon as it comes out of the oven. Keep well
wrapped up until completely cool.
Get rid of cooking smells by letting a small pot of Vinegar and
water simmer on the stove.
Garlic Oil: Make your own garlic flavoured oil
by simply peeling cloves of garlic, place in jar and cover with olive or
vegetable oil. Keep sealed for 24-72 hours. The result is plenty of
freshly
peeled cloves of garlic on hand and a nicely
flavoured, garlic infused oil for your cooking.
Garlic Taste? Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light
taste of garlic and at the end of the recipe if you want a stronger taste of
garlic.
Get stains out of pots by filling the pots with a solution of 3
tablespoons of Vinegar to a pint of water. Boil until stain loosens and can
be washed away.
Going on a picnic. Add a pinch of Bi-Carb soda to your milk and it
will stay fresh longer.
Getting too soft. If your cookies are spreading too much, try
refrigerating the dough for a couple of hours before baking.
Grease build up in an oven can be prevented by wiping with a
cleaning rag that has been moistened in distilled Vinegar and water.
Grease Stains- use Coca Cola; it will also remove grease stains from
the driveway overnight. We know it will take corrosion from batteries!
Grease: Grease you can't get off, try Sprite or 7-Up.
Hamburger Helper (or another "instant" meal), consider using a 1/2
pound of meat per box (or just make up 2 boxes at a time, with a 500g of
meat). Most of us actually get far more protein in a day than we need, so
cutting back to a 1/2 pound of meat doesn't hurt any of us
Having trouble removing muffins or cakes from their pans?
Place a wet towel beneath the hot pan and they'll usually lift out easily.
Honey: To measure honey, grease the spoon or cup first. It will slip
off easily.
Honey: Place a slice of bread in hardened brown sugar to
soften it back up!
How about instant drink mixes? If you're buying mixes that don't
have the sugar added (which, by the way, is cheaper than buying the mixes
with sugar already in them), think seriously about how much sugar you mix
in. Do you REALLY need to use a full cup of sugar with that small packet of
flavouring? Or could you cut it back to 1/3 or 1/2 cup and decrease the
amount of sugar your children are getting in each serving?
Ice: Ice freezes quicker if you use warm water instead of cold.
Strange but true!
If celery tastes bitter (as it often does), cut off the root end,
stick the celery in a container of water with a teaspoon of sugar in it, and
put it in the refrigerator. Celery lasts longer and tastes sweeter.
If the cake has a fresh cream topping, the holes won't even show.
This tip is also handy for transporting cakes to BBQs and parties.
If you accidentally over-salt a dish while it's still cooking, drop
in a peeled potato. It absorbs the excess salt for an instant "fix me up"!
If you are looking to cut your sugar intake make your fruit sauces,
apple sauce, peach compote, etc. with fruit juice instead of sugar. You will
get a sweet sauce with a richer fruit flavour. You can also replace the
water in many cookie and cake recipes with juice for a fuller flavour as
well.
If you don't have enough batter to fill all cupcake tins, pour 1
tablespoon of water into the unfilled spots. This helps preserve the life of
your pans.
If you have iced a cake and wish to cover it with plastic wrap, put
some toothpicks into the top of the cake (half a dozen should do) and put
the plastic wrap over the toothpicks. This should protect the cake and
the icing will remain looking lovely. Any tiny holes can be repaired
before serving the cake or covered with icing sugar/cocoa.
If you have a problem opening jars: Try using latex dishwashing
gloves They give a non-slip grip that makes opening jars easy.
If you have iced a cake and wish to cover it with plastic wrap, put
some toothpicks into the top of the cake (half a dozen should do) and put
the plastic wrap over the toothpicks.
If you have run out of eggs add the same number of table-spoons
filled with Vinegar to the dough. This may sound funny, but it really works!
And the cookies do really not have a Vinegar flavour at all (when they are
ready).
If you love to nibble carrots but hate to peel them, here's a fast
and easy way to remove the skin: put carrots in a small colander and place
in a pan of boiling water. Turn off the heat and let sit for five minutes.
Transfer carrots to cold water.
If your cookies are spreading too much, try refrigerating the dough
for a couple of hours before baking.
If you're buying mixes that don't have the sugar added (which, by
the way, is cheaper than buying the mixes with sugar already in them), think
seriously about how much sugar you mix in. Do you REALLY need to use a full
cup of sugar with that small packet of flavouring?
If you're replacing the windows or are happen to see and old window
frame that someone is planning to throw out, keep it and use it for a
picture frame. Or you can make it into an inexpensive, but beautiful
mirror.
In recipes calling for margarine, substitute reduced-calorie
margarine to help cut back on fat! Same goes with sour cream, milk, cheese,
cream cheese, and cream soups.
Instead of throwing away bread heels or leftover cornbread, use them
to make bread crumbs. For use later, store them in the freezer.
Instead of using toothpicks to keep food together when cooking, try
using long thin spaghetti broken into pieces. By the time the food is
cooked, the spaghetti is ready to eat as well and you don't need to pull
toothpicks out of your food.
It will stay fluffy and hold its shape better.
Keep Champers: Place upside down spoon in neck of bottle of
Champagne, to keep bubbly after opening it. Or a balloon over the neck to
keep the bubbles in.
Keep a small plastic bag in your can of vegetable shortening.
Keep the linings from cereal boxes; they make great substitutes for
waxed paper.
Keeping celery from wilting -wrap in foil and place in fridge as
normal.
Know Your Peppers: Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter
and better for eating. Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and
better for cooking.
Leftover pancake batter makes good fried onion rings. Separate and
let soak in batter for fifteen minutes. Fry in hot oil.
Leftover Safety - If food has been contaminated with germs from a
person's mouth, it should be tossed. For instance saving baby food when you
have fed the baby from the jar is hazardous.
Lemon tree or bay leaves placed in the containers with flour,
powdered sugar, rice, pasta, or anything else that gets weevils in, keeps
them out completely.
you can
use the smallest size of a box grater. (If you know you will be using lemons
for zest, it is easier to grate the zest from the lemon
before juicing
them.) To dry zest, spread it on a towel and leave out until dried, then
store in a jar. To freeze, use a freezer-safe container. Use zest in salads,
marinades, baked goods, grain dishes, etc.
Lemon Uses
A small
amount of lemon juice dripped onto minor wounds can help stop bleeding and
disinfect the injury (it will sting a bit). Lemon juice applied to itches,
poison ivy rashes and wasp stings is said to relieve discomfort. The smell
of lemons, all the great things you can do with them around the house.
Cleaning with equal parts of vinegar and water, but the smell of vinegar can
be quite overwhelming and not enjoyable a few lemon peels added directly
into the squirt bottle use. Before I added the peels
I twisted them a few times to get the
strongest lemon smell out of it. It didn't completely get rid of the vinegar
smell, but it has made the scent much more tolerable with a lemony scent.
Make buttermilk. Add a tablespoon of Vinegar to a cup of milk and
let it stand 5 minutes to thicken.
Make low-fat cream soups the same way with a little more of the
mixture.
Make Powdered Sugar: Mix 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon
cornstarch. Place in a blender at medium speed for about 1 - 2 minutes.
Make wine Vinegar by mixing 2 tablespoons of Vinegar with 1 teaspoon
of dry red wine.
Make your own superfine sugar (especially handy for decorating
cookies) by whirling granulated sugar in a blender or clean spice/coffee
grinder.
Making noodles is easy by adding an egg to a package of pie crust
mix. Mix; roll out, cut, and let dry.
Marinating meat in Vinegar kills bacteria and tenderises the meat.
Use one-quarter cup
Mash and freeze ripe bananas, in one-cup portions, for use in later
baking.
Measuring Cups: Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring
cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next,
add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes
right out.
Microwaves are attracted to moisture, fat, and sugars in food, so
foods containing these ingredients cook or heat quickly.
Microwaves
Tablespoons of good
olive oil. Spoon 2 tablespoons of Water into the bottom of the dish, cover
it with plastic wrap, And cook at medium power for 7 to 7½ minutes. Let
stand for A few minutes before unwrapping.
Partially Cooking Foods for the Grill:
To cut the grilling time of vegetables, cook them partway in the microwave
before putting them on the barbecue. Heat new potatoes for 2 minutes (prick
them first), and bell peppers for 1 minute. And why wait until your next
campfire to make s'mores? Put the marshmallows in the microwave for 30
seconds.
Disinfecting and Deodorizing Sponges: Don't
throw out the kitchen sponge that smells like last night's salmon. Soak it
in water spiked with white vinegar or lemon juice, then heat it on high for
1 minute. (Use an oven mitt to remove it.)
This will also
disinfect any sponges you used to wipe up the juices from a raw chicken.
Moisten a dry fruitcake by making lots of holes with a skewer on the top and
sides.
Then pour 1/4 cup sherry, brandy, or rum over the cake every day for 1 week.
Need to Thicken Gravy? Use instant potato flakes.
Need whipped cream but don't have an electric mixer? Put the
cream in a bowl with a tight lid (Tupperware works well) and shake
vigorously until whipped.
Never buy a "cooking" wine because they are loaded with salt, have
little or no flavour and are often loaded with additive. Cooking wines are
the lowest grade possible and often have a bitter or sour taste. Add wine
sparingly to your sauces, stocks and soups. Always remember that the alcohol
burns off at approximately 160 degrees so don't worry about giving dishes
containing wine to your kids. Of course if you or a loved one has a moral,
religious or health problem with alcohol then please look into the many
brands of non-alcohol wines now available.
Next time you boil Potatoes, rather than pouring the water down the drain, use it as a nutrient rich soup stock, or mix it with
powdered milk to give mashed Potatoes an extra dose of vitamins and flavour.
Next time you need a quick ice pack, grab a bag of frozen vegetables
out of your freezer -- no watery leaks from a plastic baggie!
No Corn Syrup in the House? Mix 1 cup Sugar with 1/4 cup of water.
No more scrubbing saucepan use apples or rhubarb or lemons.
No wasted bananas (or you can freeze them whole, peeled, in plastic
baggies.
No-wax linoleum will shine better if wiped with a solution of 1/2
cup of white Vinegar in ½ gallon of water.
Onions: after cutting onions and other smelly things, when you wash
your hands, use cold water, and rub a large metal or stainless steel spoon
on your hands as you suds, it takes away all odour. Remove the onion smell
from your hands by rubbing with baking powder before washing. To peel onions
without tears, cover onions with boiling water before peeling.
Pancakes are lighter and fluffier when you substitute club soda for
milk in the batter.
Pass sliced apples through a glass of Sprite to keep them from
turning brown when using them for deserts.
Place a slice of apple in hardened brown sugar to soften it back up.
Poke an egg with a small sewing needle before hard-boiling. The egg
will peel with ease.
Potatoes bake quicker if you use muffin pans.
Potatoes will take food stains off your fingers. Just slice and rub
raw potato on the stains and rinse with water.
Potatoes: Crispy baked potatoes: Boil for 5 minutes, then roll in
seasoned flour and bake in the usual way.
Prepare fluffier rice by adding a teaspoon of Vinegar to the water
when it boils.
Prevent raw potatoes from sprouting buds by tossing them into your
fridges produce bin - along with one apple.
Prevent soapy film on glassware by placing a cup of Vinegar on the
bottom rack of your dishwasher, run for five minutes, then run though
the full cycle.
Put rice in your salt shaker to keep the salt from getting hard.
Celery stored with bread will keep it longer.
Put some flour into a custard cup and place beside meat in the oven.
When the meat is done the flour will be nice and brown, ready to make rich,
brown gravy.
Reheating Refrigerated Bread etc :To warm biscuits, pancakes, or
muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of
water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat
faster.
Reheat Pizza: Heat up leftover pizza in a non stick skillet on top
of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust
crispy. No soggy micro pizza.
Remove the onion smell from your hands by rubbing with baking powder
before washing.
Replace a lemon by substituting 1/4 teaspoon of Vinegar for 1
teaspoon of lemon juice.
Rinse cooked ground meat with water when draining off the fat. This
helps “wash away" even more fat! Use hot or warm water so fat won't congeal.
Rinse with hot water.
Ripen an avocado fast by placing it in a plastic bag with a piece of
banana peel.
Rinse your bowl with iced water before beating egg yolks. The beaten
yolks will come out easier without sticking to the bowl
Run out of Barbecue Sauce? Use 1 cup tomato sauce, 1/2 cup sugar and
2 tablespoons Vinegar and mix well.
Run out of eggs, then substitute for making your cakes or biscuits
use 1 tablespoon of milk with level teaspoon of custard powder.
Run your hands under cold water before pressing Rice Krispies treats
in the pan. The marshmallow won't stick to your fingers!
Save on boneless chicken breasts by doing the boning yourself with a
sharp knife. To bone chicken breast, partially freeze or (defrost) them
first. As well as, beef, pork or lamb that is to be, cut into thin slices
before cooking. They are much easier to handle if partially frozen.
Save small plastic containers for children's drinks. Glass breaks
and can be dangerous.
Save your store bought bread bags and ties; they make perfect
storage bags for homemade bread.
Scale fish more easily by rubbing with Vinegar 5 minutes before
scaling.
without any
bruises or soft spots.
Scratched glass makes them like new with furniture polish.
Scones: Hot milk will make them rise better and be so much lighter.
Icing sugar sprinkled over scones will make them sweet and brown.
Snicker Dessert: Snicker bars make a delicious dessert. Simply chop
them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples. Place them
in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake
at 350 for 15 minutes!!! Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream.
Slicing meat when partially frozen makes it easier to get thin
slices.
Soak oranges and grapefruits in boiling water for about 5 minutes to
easily remove the white membrane around them.
Some years ago I read in a magazine what to do if you want to bake
cookies and you don't have eggs at home. Instead of adding the recommended
number of eggs, add the same number of table-spoons filled with Vinegar to
the dough. This may sound funny, but it really works! And the cookies do
really not have a Vinegar flavour at all (when they are ready).
Spray your Tupperware with non-stick cooking spray before pouring in
tomato-based sauces--no more stains.
Sprinkle some pumpkin pie spice inside your Jack O'Lantern to give
the air a spice aroma!
Sprinkling French toast with sesame seeds prior to cooking
provides a crunchy taste.
Stains on hard-to-clean glass, aluminium, or porcelain utensils may
be loosened by boiling in a solution of one part Vinegar to eight parts
water. The utensils should then be washed in hot soapy water.
Sticky label residue: Store lemons and limes in empty egg cartons.
They won't roll around - or get lost - inside the fridge.
Store lemons and limes in empty egg cartons. They won't roll around
- or get lost - inside the fridge.
Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to
prevent ice cream drips.
Substitute half applesauce for the vegetable oil in your baking
recipes. You'll greatly reduce the fat content! (Example: 1/2 cup vegetable
oil -- 1/4 cup applesauce + 1/4 cup oil)
Sweeten whipped cream with confectioners' sugar instead of
granulated sugar. It will stay fluffy and hold its shape better.
Tang, instead of detergent. (The dishwasher should be empty when
doing this).
Tea Bags - Tenderise meat. Add equal parts strong brewed Lipton tea
and double strength beef stock to a tough pot roast or stew. The tannin in
tea is a natural meat tenderiser.
The minerals found in foods and water will often leave a dark stain
on aluminium utensils.
The same idea goes for quick dinners. If you're putting together,
for example, Hamburger Helper (or another "instant" meal), consider using a
½ pound of meat per box (or just make up 2 boxes at a time, with a full
pound of meat). Most of us actually get far more protein in a day than we
need, so cutting back to a 1/2 pound of meat doesn't hurt any of us.
Then in place of the oil add flavouring like fruit or flavoured
liqueur, fruit puree, or a little extra liquid like juice or milk. It
doesn't have to have an enormous amount of fat to taste decadent and you
don't have to tell them if you don't want to brag.
This stain can be easily removed by boiling a solution of 1
tablespoon of distilled Vinegar.
To aid in washing dishes, add a tablespoon of baking soda to your
soapy water; it softens hands while cutting through grease.
To bone chicken breast, partially freeze or (defrost) them first. As
well as, beef, pork or lamb that is to be, cut into thin slices before
cooking. They are much easier to handle if partially frozen.
To clean cloudy glass vases, carafes and other glassware: Fill
with warm water and add an effervescent denture-cleaning tablet. Then shake.
The fizzing scours away the residue. To clean copper pans, cover with tomato
sauce (ketchup) leave for 10 minutes, then rinse off. Repeat if necessary.
To convert plain flour into self-raising flour, add two teaspoons of
baking powder to each cup of plain flour. Adding one teaspoon of cream of
tartar and half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda to one cup of plain flour
gives the same result.
To cut down on fat and calories, use salsa as a salad dressing.
Salsas made from fresh vegetables are naturally fat free.
To determine whether an egg is fresh, immerse it in a pan of cool,
salted water. If it sinks, it is fresh; if it rises to the surface, throw it
away.
To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop
or two of dishwashing liquid with enough water to cover bottom of pan, and
bring to a boil on stove top. The skillet will be much easier to clean now!
To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop
or two of dish soap with enough water to cover bottom of pan, and
bring to a boil on stove top. The skillet will be much easier to clean now!
To easily remove honey from a measuring spoon, first coat the spoon
with non-stick cooking spray.
To eliminate fruit stains from your hands, rub your hands with a
little distilled Vinegar and
To get rid of water marks caused by setting a wet glass on a
polished surface, smear spot with a thick coating of Vaseline and leave for
two days. Wipe off and the stain will have vanished.
To get snowy white potatoes, add a teaspoon of Vinegar or fresh
Lemon juice to the boiling water.
To get the most juice out of fresh lemons, bring them to room
temperature and roll them under your palm against the kitchen counter before
squeezing. You can also insert and twist a fork in the lemon while squeezing
the juices out.
To keep candles looking new, rub a soft cloth dampened with rubbing
alcohol over the stems.
To keep pasta warm for up to an hour without overcooking, place it
in a colander set above a pot of simmering water. Cover until needed.
To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the
potatoes.
To make lighter and fluffier mashed potatoes, add a pinch or two of
baking powder to the potatoes before whipping.
To make your dishwasher sparkle like new, run 1 normal washing cycle
using Tang, instead of detergent. (The dishwasher should be empty when doing
this).
To make your home smell warm and welcoming, sprinkle cinnamon on a
piece of aluminium foil, place inside a warm oven - and leave the door open.
(Even if you don't bake, this makes your house smell so good a Christmas)
To measure honey, grease the spoon or cup first. It will slip off
easily.
To peel onions without tears, cover onions with boiling water before
peeling.
To prevent egg shells from cracking, add a pinch of salt to the
water before hard-boiling.
To quickly use that frozen juice concentrate, simply mash it with a
potato masher. No need to wait for it to thaw. A wire whip works
also.
To remove a buildup of soap scum from shower walls and doors -
without endlessly scrubbing - simply sponge on full strength, liquid
dishwasher gel, and then rinse.
To remove burnt-on food from a skillet, fill it with soapy water and
bring to a boil. The food particles will loosen, making them much easier to
wash away.
To ripen avocados and bananas, enclose them in a brown paper bag
with an apple for 2-3 days.
To soften brown sugar, just add a crust of bread and reseal your
container. The brown sugar will soften right up.
Transfer your jelly to a small plastic squeeze bottle. No mess,
sticky jars or knives! This also works well for homemade salad dressing!
Try sweetening cream with honey. It stays firmer longer and keeps
whipped longer.
Unclog a drain. Pour a handful of baking soda down the drain and add
1/2 cup of Vinegar.
Unsightly film in small-necked bottles and other containers can be
cleaned by pouring Vinegar into the bottle and shaking. For tougher stains,
add a few tablespoons of rice or sand and shake vigorously. Rinse thoroughly
and repeat until clean or determined hopeless.
Un-waxed dental floss is a good choice for trussing or tying up a
turkey or chicken because it will not burn & will hold its shape better.
Use a pastry blender to cut ground beef into small pieces after
browning.
Use a potato peeler to make garnishes; cheese curls for savoury
dishes, chocolate curls for desserts.
Use an egg slice to slice apples or mushrooms.
Use lifesavers candy to hold candles in place on your next birthday
cake! To soften brown sugar, just add a crust of bread and reseal your
container. The brown sugar will soften right up.
Use to make extra ice cubes or to freeze soup stock and gravy.
Use a meat baste to "squeeze" your pancake batter onto the hot
griddle for perfectly shaped pancakes every time.
Use paper towels to cover food to prevent splashing whilst cooking
in microwave.
Use a powder puff to dust flour on rolling pins, pastry boards and
cookie sheets. Store puff in a margarine tub with a small amount of flour
for quick dusting jobs.
Use a sponge soaked with Vinegar to give stainless steel sinks a
shine.
Use turpentine to try to remove, Liquid paper is very difficult to
shift.
Utensils: Drop used fabric-softener paper into the sink with
utensils caked with baked-on food. Fill with water and let sit for one hour.
Vinegar can help to dissolve mineral deposits that collect in
automatic drip coffee makers. Fill the reservoir with Vinegar and run it
through a brewing cycle. Rinse thoroughly with water when the cycle is
finished. (Be sure to check the owner’s manual for specific
instructions).
Vinegar for a two to three pound roast, marinate overnight, and then
cook without draining or rinsing the meat.
Vinegar to water before hard-boiling to prevent cracking.
Vinegar: A few drops will increase the volume of egg whites
when whipped.
Want a low calorie, no fat, desert that people will rave over? Try
this little trick. When you start to prepare you meal, place a few bananas
in the freezer (these can be the very overripe ones you were someday going
to make into banana bread but forgot). At the end of the meal, take your
frozen bananas and put them in the food processor. Pulse them till they
become a smooth "ice cream" and serve immediately. The result is a rich
creamy treat everyone will swear is full of fat. Serve it as an ala mode, by
itself, or my favourite, as a sundae. I like a little chocolate syrup (no
fat), some whipped cream (no fat) and a sprinkle of chopped pecans (ok, a
little fat). Now that's a party!
WD-40: Removes splattered grease on stove.
Wearing a pair of latex dishwashing gloves makes opening jars easy
as pie. .
When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of
the dry cake mix instead. No white mess on the outside of the cake.
When a recipe calls for browning eggplant or other foods in oil, let
your broiler save you time and calories. Brush the pieces lightly with oil
and let brown in the broiler. You'll use less than half the fat than if you
pan-browned.
When baking muffins, quick cool the pan by placing it on a wet towel
as soon as you remove it from the oven. The muffins will slide out much
easier.
When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out
the corns natural sweetness.
When converting your favourite recipe for microwave cooking reduces
the liquid by one-fourth. Liquid does not evaporate in a microwave as much
as it does in a conventional oven.
When cutting onions, use a clear pair of swimming goggles to cover
your eyes. No more tears – it works every time. My kids think I look funny
but it really makes a difference.
Whenever you purchase steel wool pads, immediately take a pair of
scissors and cut each pad into halves. This saves money by cutting
your cost in half.
When fixing a cup of warm milk, prevent it from boiling over by
rinsing the pot with cold water before you pour in the milk.
When it comes time to grease a pan, just slip your hand in the bag,
scoop out what you need and spread it on the pan.
When making bread, substitute non-dairy creamer for the dry milk.
When making potato salad, add the dressing to warm potatoes for the
best flavour. Once cooled, the potatoes will have dressing sticking to
outside.
When storing tomato sauce, spray your plastic container with
non-stick cooking spray first. This prevents the red sauce from staining the
container and makes clean up easier.
When you boil potatoes, always save the water. Use it in soups and
stews, or cool it and use it to fertilize your house plants.
When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before resorting
to tweezers or a needle. Simply put the scotch tape over the splinter, then
pull it off. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly and easily
Whenever possible, warm your dinner plates slightly in the oven
before serving so the meal stays a little bit hotter.
When you have a spill in your oven, sprinkle some salt on it right
away. Then when the oven cools wipe it off.
Whenever you purchase steel wool pads, immediately take a pair of
scissors and cut each pad into halves. This saves money by cutting
your cost in half (you won't go through the pads so quickly due to rust) and
it also sharpens your scissors!
Whipping Cream & Beating Egg Whites. By adding a pinch of salt,
cream will whip better and egg whites will beat faster and higher. Wrap
celery in aluminium foil when putting in the refrigerator -- it will keep
for weeks!
Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator it
will keep for weeks.
Wrap cheese it tightly with a sugar cube and store it in the
refrigerator to prevent mould from forming.
You can also insert and twist a fork in the lemon while squeezing
the juices out.
You can substitute 1 tablespoon of milk mixed with 1 dessertspoon of
custard powder for 1 egg in a cake mix.
You have probably herd of using applesauce. This can be good,
especially in cakes, but it can change the texture. I have found that you
can make other substitutions for the fat. First if you are using a mix, find
one low in fat. Second, replace the eggs called for with egg substitute
(this really is better than plain egg whites). There are many substitutes
for fat in baking. You have probably heard of using applesauce. This can be
good, especially in cakes, but it can change the texture. I have found that
you can make other substitutions for the fat. First if you are using a mix,
find one low in fat. Second, replace the eggs called for with egg substitute
(this really is better than plain egg whites). Then in place of the oil add
flavouring like fruit or flavoured liqueur, fruit puree, or a little extra
liquid like juice or milk. It doesn't have to have an enormous amount of fat
to taste decadent and you don't have to tell them if you don't want to brag.
You won't go through the pads so quickly due to rust and it also
sharpens your scissors!
You'll greatly reduce the fat content! (Example: 1/2 cup vegetable
oil -- 1/4 cup applesauce + 1/4 cup oil)
Zap garlic cloves in the microwave for 15 seconds. The skins slip
right off.
