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Kitchen Tips

Recipe Link: http://www127.pair.com/~sssmag/faerie/fft_new/tid103199.html

List of Ingredients




TIPS

Sometimes we think we have all the answers. Like when my son just called to ask how you know when an egg is fresh.....does it sink or does it swim..... i am sure most of us all know these tips....it is just remembering them.....so here goes

Tip: Put peeled apples in water with lemon juice or ascorbic acid color keeper to stop them from turning brown.

Tip: Make a quick stock flavoring for soups or stews by combining onion, garlic, and carrots in a blender with a small amount of water.

Tip: Use cooking water from vegetables or beans to make a vegetarian broth or to add to soups or stews.

Tip: A bird will be easier to carve if it is taken out of the oven and allowed to rest - about 15 to 20 minutes for a turkey, less for smaller birds.

Tip: For evenly rounded tops on nut breads and muffins, grease baking pans or muffin cups on the bottom and only 1/2 inch up the sides. Do this and your batter will cling to the sides of the pan instead of sliding back down.

Tip: If a dish lacks flavor, try adding a little mustard, hot pepper sauce, or Worcestershire sauce. An herb or spice such as curry powder can help too.

Tip: Prevent lumps in cornstarch or flour thickened sauces by stirring constantly. If lumps do form, beat the sauce briskly with a wire whisk or rotary beater.

Tip: To unstick dried dates, figs, cranberries, or raisins, place them in a low-temperature oven for a few minutes.

Tip: To keep cookie dough from spreading too much, allow cookie sheets to cool thoroughly between batches.

Tip: For soft, shiny crust on bread, brush loaves with margarine or butter before baking. For glossy, crispy crust, brush before baking with milk, water, or beaten egg.

Tip: After baking a pie, cool it on a wire rack. This allows air to circulate under it and keeps the crust from becoming soggy.

Tip: When making sliced cookies, the slices will be more perfect and uniform if you chill the dough in the freezer until firm, but not frozen, before slicing.

Tip: 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.

Tip: If you plan to beat egg whites, separate the whites from the yolks about a half hour before you plan to use them. Bringing the whites to room temperature will help them whip up to greater volume.

Tip: When cooking with cheese, the main thing to remember is that excessive heat and overcooking turn it stringy and leathery.

Tip: Let avocados ripen outside the refrigerator. When still firm but with a slight give when gently squeezed, they are ripe. Brown streaks within are perfectly fine.

Tip: Choose poultry and game with pliable meat that is not dry-looking; the breast should be plump and lightly colored.

Tip: Berries should be firm and colorful. Because they spoil rapidly, eat them as soon as possible after purchase.

Tip: Bananas are ripe when the skin is bright yellow. They are under ripe when green, and overripe when brown and mushy.

Tip: Fresh nuts have glossy shells and should not rattle when shaken. They are easily shelled and free of the bitter taste common to stale nuts.

Tip: Fresh fish have clear, shining, slippery skins, bright bulging eyes, and distinct color and markings.

Tip: Food in cans with deeply dented seams or swollen ends should not be eaten. They may be load with bacterial toxins that can cause severe illness.

Tip: Raw or cooked meatballs can be frozen on a cookie sheet then transferred to a container, sealed, and out back in the freezer. This way they stay separate, and you can use as many as you want at any one time.

Tip: When freezing liquids, leave a one-half inch head space at the top of the container to allow for expansion.

Tip: USDA classifications of eggs refer only to size and appearance, not the quality of the eggs. The three classifications are Grade AA, Grade A, and Grade B.

Tip: A fresh egg should sink at once in a bowl of salted water and lie at the bottom; a bad egg will float.

Tip: Thaw meat or fish in the refrigerator, not at room temperature. Never leave raw or cooked fish or meat at room temperature for more than two hours.

Tip: For a pie or crust that will be baked, choose a glass pie plate or dull metal pie pan. Use shiny metal pans, which keep crusts from browning properly, only for crumb crusts that are not baked.

Tip: To make celery crisper, put it in a bowl of water and add ice. Leave it in the refrigerator a few hours.

Tip: Grease on soup or sauces can be soaked up with a paper towel laid on the top or can be carefully spooned off. If you have time, chill the soup, then remove the congealed fat.

Tip: Sesame seeds gain wonderful nut-like flavor when toasted. Just sprinkle a thin layer of seeds in a skillet and shake or stir over low heat until they are a toasty golden color.

Tip: When pureeing solid food, like chicken livers, in the blender it is important to puree in small batches. Use enough of the liquid from the recipe to get the food down into the blades of the blender so it can do its job.

Tip: To clean leeks, trim root ends and any bruised parts of the green leaves. Starting at the green end, split each leek in half, with the knife stopping about an inch short of the root end. Spread leaves and white root end apart and wash thoroughly under cold running water.

Tip: For biscuits with softer sides, place them in a baking pan with sides barely touching. for firmer sides leave space in between them.

Tip: To shell shrimp, hold the fan end of the tail and give it a slight twist to release the meat but not break it off. Holding the tail by the narrow part, unwind the shell starting at the widest part and pulling when you get to the tail to remove the shell.

Tip: Too much salt in a soup or stew? Add cut raw potatoes and discard them once they've cooked and absorbed the salt.

Tip: Too much garlic in a soup or stew? Place parsley flakes in a cheesecloth bag and add to the pot until it soaks up the excess garlic.

Tip: Too sweet? Add salt or 1 teaspoon of cider vinegar.

Tip: Cut drinking straws into short lengths and insert through slits in pie crusts to prevent juice from running over in oven.

Tip: Store cookies in an airtight box or tin to keep them crisp. Separate layers with sheets of wax paper or aluminum foil. If crisp cookies soften, place in oven at 300 degrees for a few minutes to make them crisp again.

Tip: Store soft cookies and crisp cookies separately. To keep soft cookies soft, place a slice of apple in the container to prevent them from drying out.

Tip: To have fresh herbs in the winter months, tear off leaves and place in ice cub trays with water. After water freezes totally, remove cubes, place in plastic bags and freeze. Use in soups, stews, and sauces.

Tip:To make sugared grapes for garnish: Brush clusters of grapes with slightly beaten egg white. Dip in granulated sugar, turning to coat all sides. Dry on cake rack.

Tip: When a recipe calls for a small amount of grated or minced onion, cut a slice off the top of the onion, then cross-hatch the onion with a paring knife in very thin straight-down cuts, first one way, then the other, cutting about 1/8-inch deep. Slice off this part of the onion to use, and wrap the rest to use another time.

Tip: Dental floss cuts perfect rolls. Place a long piece of dental floss under rolled dough and cross the ends of the floss. Pull through and you have a perfect roll without it becoming crushed.

Tip: Moisten the rim of the bowl or pan, and plastic wrap will cling better when covering it.

Tip: Cover work surface with flattened grocery bags or old newspaper. Trim and peel produce or shellfish directly over paper. When you're done, gather up paper and trimmings and discard.

Tip: Strain soup stock through a coffee filter to make it clear and debris free.

Tip: For no-wilt whipped cream, sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin into 1 tablespoon cold water and stir over low heat to dissolve. Let cool. Then add to 1 cup heavy cream in a chilled bowl and whip until stiff.

Tip: To get rid of onion, garlic, or fish odor on a cutting board - rub the board with a cut lemon or lime half. Then wash in soapy water.

Tip: To break lumpy brown sugar and make it easier to cream into butter, run it in a food processor or blender until it becomes soft.

Tip: Baking powder loses its leavening power with age. To test and see if it is still fresh, put 1/2 teaspoon baking powder into 1/4 cup hot water. If the water bubbles lots, the baking powder is fresh.

Tip: Store active dry yeast at cool room temperature or in the refrigerator and use before the expiration date printed on the package. Yeast can be frozen to extend its life for several months beyond the expiration date. Defrost at room temperature before using.

Tip: Crumble stale, hard cookies and save them in a jar. Use them for toppings on coffee cakes or for pie crust instead of graham crackers.

Tip: 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.

Tip: Bamboo skewers won't burn if you soak them in water for an hour or so before threading the food to be cooked on them.

Tip: Lightly rinse and drain canned beans to remove excess salt before using.

Tip: Why are chile peppers hot? The heat is generated by a substance in the interior ribs or strings of the chiles, rather than in the seeds. Since the seeds are in such proximity with the veins, they carry the essence of hotness. In general, the smaller the pepper, the more potent its "bite". Peppers which are harvested have often reached their maximum degree of hotness; peppers left on the vine to dry become somewhat sweeter, rather than hotter.

Tip: Steaks, chicken, chops, and seafood marinated for a few hours in salad dressing have a wonderful broiled or grilled taste - and take less time to cook.

Tip: When buying garlic look for large, plump, firm bulbs; older shriveled garlic can be disagreeably strong. Store garlic at room temperature in a ventilated container.

Tip: Most soups freeze well, except those containing cheese, cream, or other dairy products since they may separate and curdle when thawed and reheated. Freeze soups without these particular ingredients, then add when gently reheating. Freeze soups in individual microwave-proof containers for a quick microwaveable lunch or snack.

Tip: To squeeze the most juice from a lemon, lime, or orange, first roll the fruit on a hard surface, pressing with your hand. Or submerge the fruit in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes. You can also heat the fruit in the microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds.

Tip: 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.

Tip: Place a few pieces of dry bread in the broiler pan when broiling meats to soak up dripping fat. This can eliminate smoking fat as well as reduce the chance that the fat will catch fire.

Tip: When measuring molasses, corn syrup, or other syrups lightly butter the measuring cup first. Syrup will pour out nicely - with no waste.

Tip: Purchase dried beans that are bright in color, which is an indication of freshness, and uniform in size and shape so they'll cook evenly.

Tip: Milled white rices keep almost indefinitely on the shelf. Store opened rice in a tightly covered container. It's best to store brown rice and wild rice in the refrigerator since the oils can turn rancid.

Tip: Milk and cream can be frozen but will separate when thawed. Heavy cream will not whip when thawed. Freeze milk up to 1 month and cream up to 2 months.

Tip: To reduce your fat intake, saute foods in wine, fruit juice, non-fat cooking spray, or broth rather than in oil.

Tip: To test whether a dish is microwave safe or not, place it in the microwave next to a glass measuring cup half full of water. Heat on HIGH (100%) for 1 minute. If the dish is hot it should not be used in the microwave. If it is warm it should be used only for reheating. If the dish is at room temperature, it is safe to use for all microwave cooking.

Tip: Nuts and fruits will not sink to the bottom of a cake if they are lightly coated with flour before they are added to the batter.

Tip: Whenever you have extra broth, pour it into a plastic ice tray and freeze. Once frozen they can be removed and stored in the freezer in a plastic bag. They can be added to soups or used to saute foods.

Tip: Egg size is based on a minimum weight in ounces of a dozen eggs. A dozen jumbo eggs weighs 30 ounces, while a dozen small eggs weigh 18 ounces. Most recipes are designed for large eggs, so for best results in home cooking stick to large eggs, particularly in baking.

Tip: Uncooked chicken will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in its original packaging, depending on label date. To freeze, overwrap original packaging with more plastic wrap or aluminum foil for double protection. Use within 2 months to maintain best quality.

Tip: If you run out of tomato sauce, you can substitute 3/4 cup of tomato paste plus 1 cup of water for every 2 cups of tomato sauce.

Tip: When breading chicken pieces before frying, take the time to refrigerate the coated chicken for at least 30 minutes. The chilling sets the crust and keeps it on the chicken.

Tip: To toast nuts, place about 1 cup (pine nuts, almonds, pecans, sesame seeds) in a pie pan and bake in a preheated 325 degree oven, turning occasionally, until nuts are golden brown (about 5 minutes). Do not burn!

Tip: Flouring sausage patties on both sides before cooking gives them a crunchy crust and helps keep them from splattering.

Tip: Peel hot potatoes the easy way. Score raw potatoes around center with point of knife. Cook. Spear each potato with fork tines in the score mark and start peeling there.

Tip: To prepare vegetables in advance: blanch, drain, and rinse under cold water to stop further cooking. Wrap and refrigerate. At serving time, drop blanched vegetables into boiling water for 30 seconds to reheat, then toss with flavored butter.

Tip: Place aluminum foil under the napkin in your roll basket and the rolls will stay hot longer.

Tip: Potatoes will roast in half the time if they are boiled for five minutes, then put into a hot oven.

Tip: Use up leftover rice in thrifty ways. Add to waffle or pancake batter, use in place of bread in meatloaf, make a rice pudding, use to stuff eggplant or zucchini, or add to soups or stews.

Tip: The easiest way to remove corn from a cob is to use a shoe horn. To remove corn silk: Dampen a toothbrush and brush downward.

Tip: Storing cakes: Cover cut surfaces with plastic wrap to keep moist. Store in covered cake keeper or invert a large bowl over the cake plate. Cakes with cream, butter, cream cheese, or custard fillings or frostings should be stored in the refrigerator. Cakes with sugar frostings can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Tip: To make your own croutons cut day-old white bread into small cubes. Saute in a little olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat, tossing frequently until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. For extra flavor, add a little finely chopped garlic or chopped fresh herbs.

Tip: Strawberries can be kept firm for several days if you store them in a colander where air can circulate around them.

Tip: Pineapples do not ripen after they are picked, so don't buy them if they are under ripe and expect them to ripen when you get home.

Tip: As a rule of thumb for baking or broiling fish, measure thickness of fish at thickest part and cook 10 minutes for every inch measured. For baking, oven temperature should be 400 degrees.

Tip: Add a little milk while cooking cauliflower if you want to keep it bright white. Tip: To ripen tomatoes, place them in a shallow box or basket and slip them into a brown paper bag. Close the end and leave at room temperature. The gas released by the tomato ripens the fruit naturally. Never store unripened tomatoes in the refrigerator -- it makes the pulp soft and cottony.

Tip: To divide cake batter evenly between layer baking pans, use a ladle or large spoon. Put an even number of ladles of



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