Kitchen & Cooking Tips
Source of Recipe
Bitsy's Kitchen
*Butter the pouring lip of a measuring cup or pitcher to prevent dribbling.
Or spray the lip with nonstick cooking spray.
*After chopping garlic or onions, run a lemon quarter over both the knife blade and the cutting board to remove the odor.
*To deodorize a plastic storage container in which onions or garlic were stored, wash thoroughly, then stuff a crumpled piece of newspaper in the container, and snap on the lid. In a few days the smell will disappear.
*If something spills over in your oven, first sprinkle it with salt and remove with a metal spatula, then wipe with a damp sponge.
*Pans and dishes that have been used for mixing, beating, or cooking eggs [or milk or cheese] should be first rinsed with cold water, then washed with hot soapy water. A hot rinse "cooks" the eggs and makes things tougher to clean.
*To brighten aluminum cookware, add 1 to 2 quarts water and 2 to 4 tablespoons cream of tartar and boil 5 to 10 minutes. Rinse, scour lightly with a steel-wool soap pad, then rinse again.
*To remove pesky bottle tops and jar lids, don a pair of rubber gloves. Or twist a fat rubber band around the lid, then twist open. Works like a charm.
*Keep bottled lemon or lime juice or strong acidulated water (2 tablespoons lemon juice per 1 quart water) in a spray mister in the refrigerator and spray on cut apples, avocados, peaches, and pears, etc., to prevent browning
Three remedies for garlic breath:
Eat fresh parsley, chew on a coffee bean, eat a bowl of lime sherbet.
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Homemade ice packs:
Take a ziplock bag....put 2 cups water in it....then add 1/3cup alcohol..this can be rubbing alcohol or like vodka...make sure the proof is at least 80 if you do the liquor....mix together--freeze!!! This makes those wonderful gel type icepacks that are so expensive in the stores...you can add food coloring to them too -- pink or blue or purple. You could adjust the amounts to make smaller bags too. I would think that freezer bags would be better because they are thicker...oh and another note snack size bags leak...just so you don't try that one!! You could even hold the top over a flame and melt the top together if you think a little one may try to open it and eat it...Make sure to mark on the bag that it is and ice pack...do not eat me.
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Seven Quick & Easy Cleaning Tips
Cutting Boards: To clean wooden cutting boards scour them with salt and/or baking soda. To rid a cutting board of any smell rub it with a sliced lemon or lime.
Garbage Disposals: To help rid a garbage disposal of funny smells save lemon and lime rinds in a plastic bag in the refrigerator and grind them through the disposal as needed.
Meat Grinders: Run a piece of bread through a meat grinder before washing it to remove the small particles left behind.
Microwave Ovens: Boiling a cup of water inside a microwave for a few minutes before cleaning will help loosen the hardened food particles inside. Putting lemon in the water will also help remove odors.
Clear the Air: Here is a fast way to clear the air and put a holiday scent in the house. Put hot tap water in a pot, add cinnamon and apple cider, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Spray Oil: Spray your grill or cooking rack with oil before putting meat or other foods to cook. This prevents food from sticking and makes it much faster and easier to clean.
Fast Scissors: It is often quicker and less messy to use kitchen scissors when cutting up dried fruits, bread, cake, lettuce, spinach, parsley, watercress, etc. You can also cut right into the bowl and avoid dirtying a cutting board or a knife
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Seven Quick & Easy Shopping Tips
Fresh Fish?: Here is how to select fresh fish. Fresh fish has clear eyes that bulge a little, firm and shiny flesh, no darkening around the edges or brown or yellowish discoloration and, when pressed, the flesh should spring back. The fish should also smell fresh and mild and not fishy or ammonia-like.
Buying Refrigerated Items: When shopping select refrigerated or frozen items last so they stay cold longer. You should also make sure they pack them together in the grocery bag. Unload them first when putting away groceries.
Shopping for Refrigerated and Frozen Foods in Warm Weather: In hot weather or when there are more errands to do after grocery shopping, put an old cooler in the car or trunk to store refrigerated or frozen items until you get home.
Buying Bulk: You can save money buying many items in larger quantities (such as chicken breasts). You can also save time during the week if you separate them into usable portions before storing them in the freezer.
Faster Chicken: You can save time when cooking by buying chicken that is already skinned and boned. You will save money if you buy them in larger quantities and freeze the extra.
Clean Out Refrigerator: You should try and clean out your refrigerator before going to shop. It not only helps you to create a better grocery list but makes it easier and quicker to put away the groceries when you return from shopping.
Grocery List: To help you remember, code your grocery list with a "c" for a coupon and an "s" for an item you know is on sale.
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Seven Quick & Easy Food Storage Tips
Storing Soy Sauce: Soy sauce can be stored up to one year at room temperature if unopened and up to one year in the refrigerator after it is opened.
Storing Red Spices: Red spices such as chili powder, paprika, and ground red pepper should be stored in the refrigerator or in the freezer.
Storing Oily Seeds and Spices: Oily seeds such as sesame and poppy seeds should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer to prevent the oils from going bad.
Storing Ground and Whole Spices: Ground spices should be stored for up to six months if they are sealed tightly and located in a cool shelf or pantry. Whole spices can be stored up to one year in the same conditions.
Storing Peanut Butter: If peanut butter is kept at room temperature it can be stored for up to one year unopened. After opening it is best to keep it in the refrigerator for three to four months.
Storing Honey: If honey is tightly sealed it can be stored for years. If it begins to crystallize after opening it can be brought back to the proper consistency by heating in a microwave or by putting the jar in a bowl of warm water and then stirring.
Storing Vegetables: It is best to use fruits and vegetables within a few days of purchase to obtain the best flavor and nutrient value.
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Seven Steps for Faster Cooking
Chill Hot Foods Quickly: To quickly cool down hot grains or sautéed vegetables for salad, spread them on a foil-lined sheet pan and freeze for 10 to 15 minutes. The thinner you spread them, the faster they will cool off. Lining the sheet pan with foil first means one less pan to wash.
Improve Balsamic Vinegar: To approximate the rich, sweet character of expensive, aged balsamic vinegar, add one large pinch of brown sugar per tablespoon to supermarket balsamic vinegar. Aged balsamic also has the consistency of syrup; if you have time, you can thicken a supermarket balsamic by simmering it in a small saucepan to evaporate some of the water.
Plastic Wrap: Storing plastic wrap in the refrigerator makes it easier to use and handle. It especially helps in finding the end.
Cleaning White Mushrooms: To wash white (button) mushrooms, rinse them under cold running water, rubbing off the dirt with your hands. Contrary to popular belief, the mushrooms will not absorb enough water during a brief rinse to become soggy.
To Rescue Overwhipped Cream: Perfectly whipped cream should mound softly when the beaters are lifted, not stand in stiff peaks. When cream goes from whipped to overwhipped, it separates and solidifies. To salvage overwhipped cream, gently stir in cold, heavy cream one tablespoon at a time, until it regains its soft texture. Take care not to stir too hard.
Avoid soggy salad greens: Pour a small amount of your favorite vinaigrette into the bottom of a salad bowl, then mound salad greens on top. Place the bowl on the table and prepare the rest of the meal. Toss the salad when you sit down to eat. This way the greens do not sit in dressing, getting soggy.
Lemons and Limes: To obtain more of the juice from lemons, limes or oranges, microwave on high for 30 seconds and then let stand for a couple of minutes before cutting and squeezing. Rolling them between your hand and the counter will also help release more juice.
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Here's a list of seven very commonly used herbs for your shelf or cabinet. Remember that herbs and spices store best in a cool, dark place - not right on top or on the side of the stove! Fresh herbs should be stored in your refrigerator.
Bay leaf -- primarily for flavoring stews and marinades
Basil -- for sauces, particularly tomato based
Dill -- better fresh , but the dried version can be substituted in a pinch
Oregano -- for marinades, Mediterranean dishes
Rosemary -- for marinating fish or meat, perfuming a roasted chicken, or using with lamb and in stews
Sage – for roasts, stuffing and vegetables
Thyme -- again very basic, use the same as rosemary or sage
Keep your spices in tightly closed jars to preserve freshness, and use dried spices with a light touch. You can always add more, but you can’t take it away.
Black pepper - one of the most basic. Use fresh peppercorns and a good peppermill over the already ground ground black pepper. There is no comparison.
Cayenne - ground chili pepper. Adds some heat -- use with care.
Nutmeg - better if whole, and freshly grated, but in either form a versatile basic from stews to baking, and we especially like it on mashed potatoes!
Cumin - of increasing importance with our now common Mexican, Tex-Mex, and Indian dishes.
Curry powder or Garam Masala – an Indian and Asian blend of spices and herbs that varies from region to region. Although less complex than a homemade or special blends, curry powders found on the spice racks are fine for flavoring soups, rice salads or certain meat dishes.
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Glossy Pie Crust
Brush beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yeld a glossy finish
Soften Brown Sugar
Place a slice of apple in hardened brown sugar to soften it back up.
Keep Celery Fresh
Wrap celery in aluminum foil before putting it in the refrigerator, it will keep longer.
Corn on the Cob
When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corns natural sweetness.
Fresh Egg?
To determine whether an egg is fresh, immerse it in a pan of cool, salted water. If it sinks, it's fresh. If it floats, throw it away. (if you know of a use for rotten eggs, send it to me)
Cure for Headaches
Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.
Opening Jars
If you have a problem opening jars, try using latex dishwashing gloves. They give a nonstop grip that makes opening jars easy.
Remove food stains from your hands
Potatoes will take food stains off your fingers. Slice and rub raw potato on the stains and rinse with water.
Mosquito bites
Get rid of the itch from mosquito bites by applying soap (I use Fels-Naptha) to the area for instant relief.
Splinter Removal
Next time you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before the tweezers or a needle. Simply put the scotch tape over the splinter, then pull it off.
Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly. suggested using glue to remove splinters. Dab it on and pick it off when dry -- the splinter comes out with the glue!
~Softener Sheet Uses~
Repel Mosquitoes
Tie a sheet of Bounce through a belt loop when outdoors during mosquito season.
Eliminate Static Electricity
Eliminate static electricity from you television screen or computer monitor screen. Since fabric softener sheets are designed to help eliminate static cling, wipe the screen with a used sheet to keep dust from resettling.
Clean Shower Doors
Dissolve soap scum from shower doors, clean with a used sheet.
Freshen Closed in Areas
Place an individual sheet in a drawer or hang one in the closet. Place one in suitcase when storing. Place one in the container with out of season clothes.
Prevent Thread from Tangling
Run a threaded needle through a sheet to eliminate the static cling on the thread before sewing.
Pantyhose
To eliminate static cling from pantyhose, rub a damp, used sheet over the hose.
The Car
Freshen the air in you car. Place a sheet under the front seat.
Baked-on Food
To clean baked-on food from a cooking pan, put a sheet in the pan, fill with water, let sit overnight and sponge clean. The antistatic agents apparently weaken the bond between the food and the pan while the fabric softening agents soften the baked-on food..
Wastebaskets
Eliminate odors in wastebaskets, place a sheet at the bottom of the wastebasket.
Collect Cat Hair
Rubbing the area with a sheet will magnetically attract all the loose hairs.
Venetian Blinds
Wipe the blinds with a sheet to prevent dust from resettling.
Sawdust
Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sandpapering. A used sheet will collect sawdust like a tack cloth
Odors in Dirty Laundry
Place an individual sheet at the bottom of a laundry bag or hamper
Deodorize shoes or sneakers
Place a sheet in your shoes or sneakers overnight so they will smell great in the morning.
Plastic Bags
Turn your zip lock bags inside out and wash them, then reuse them. After all, if they don't leak, they are perfectly good. Wash the bags in the washing machine with the white clothes. Turn inside out and then dry them on the counter. This saves a lot of time and if they don't hold up in the washer they weren't reusable to begin with.
Oil Spots on Clothes
Use a shampoo for oily hair, it removes oily spots on you clothes also. Just add a bit to your oil spots, and toss into the washer with the rest of your load.
Really Dirty Clothes
Really dirty clothes from working in the yard or working on the car? To get out that hard to clean grime add automatic dish washer powder to the load of laundry
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Oven temperatures:
Very slow oven..............................................250 to 275 degrees
Slow oven......................................................300 to 325 degrees
Moderate oven..............................................350 to 375 degrees
Hot oven.......................................................400 to 425 degrees
Very hot oven...............................................450 to 475 degrees
Extremely hot oven......................................500 to 525 degrees
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Thermometer readings for meats:
Beef:
rare...................................................................140 degrees
medium..........................................................160 degrees
well-done........................................................170 degrees
Veal or Lamb
rare...................................................................140 degrees
medium..........................................................160 degrees
well-done........................................................180 degrees
Fresh Pork......................................................170 degrees
Smoked Pork
fully cooked....................................................140 degrees
cook-before-eating.........................................160 degrees
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Thermometer readings for candy:
Thread.............................................................230 to 234 degrees
Soft ball...........................................................234 to 240 degrees
Firm ball..........................................................244 to 248 degrees
Hard ball.........................................................250 to 266 degrees
Soft ball...........................................................270 to 290 degrees
Hard ball.........................................................300 to 310 degrees
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Before and After Cooking Measurements
Macaroni........................1 cup dry.............................2 cups cooked
Noodles.........................3 cups dry...........................3 cups cooked
Quick cooking oats.......1 cup dry.............................1 3/4 cups cooked
Rice, long grain..............1 cup dry.............................3 cups cooked
Rice, instant...................1 cup dry.............................2 cups cooked
Spaghetti........................8 oz dry..............................4 cups cooked
Dried beans...................1 cup dry.............................2 1/4 cups cooked
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