KITCHEN TIPS

[erdosh]

Too many egg whites? They freeze very well and after defrosting, they whip up just like fresh.

Too many yolks? They are trickier to freeze; they need to be stabilized by mixing in a small amount of either sugar or salt. After defrosting you may use them in baking or cooking. They behave almost like fresh if you gently warm them up first to about 110 degrees.

[Online Recipes]

Tips on storing cheese

Store cheese in your refrigerator, which approximates the temperature of our aging rooms. Keep it wrapped tightly in plastic, away from air. Air helps mold grow on cheese. If you get a little mold on the outside, just cut it off. The English say if mold won't eat your cheddar it can't taste very good.

[lvdkeyes]

Another method is to wrap the cheese in lightly moistened cheese cloth and store in a plastic bag in the fridge.

[gchen713]

Thank you Thank you! I love cooking but my mother is utterly hopeless. Definitely making my college years easier! Thank you!

[nicoleSmith08]

Plastic cutting boards may be cleaned in the dishwasher. Wooden cutting boards can be brushed/scraped salt after washing as added precaution. Plastic cutting boards should be bleached with a very strong bleach solution to prevent black mold.

Never allow raw meat, poultry and fish to come in contact with other foods. Improper washing, such as with a damp cloth, will not remove bacteria. And washing only with soap and water may not do the job, either.

To prevent cross-contamination:

• Use smooth cutting boards made of hard maple or a non-porous material such as plastic and free of cracks and crevices. These kinds of boards can be cleaned easily. Avoid boards made of soft, porous materials.
  
• Wash cutting boards with hot water, soap, and a scrub brush to remove food particles. Then sanitize the boards by putting them through the automatic dishwasher or rinsing them in a solution of 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) of chlorine bleach in 1 quart (about 1 liter) of water.
  
• Always wash and sanitize cutting boards after using them for raw foods and before using them for ready-to-eat foods. Consider using one cutting board only for foods that will be cooked, such as raw fish, and another only for ready-to-eat foods, such as bread, fresh fruit, and cooked fish. Disposable cutting boards are a newer option, and can be found in grocery and discount chain stores.

[prairiehen]

1. Storing ice cream: A sheet of waxed paper placed on top of ice cream will help prevent ice crystals from forming when freezing left over ice cream in the carton.

2. Determinining egg freshness: Test an egg for freshness by placing it in a cup of water. If it floats it's past it's prime.

3.Upright deviled eggs: For wobble free deviled eggs, trim a tiny piece of white off the bottom half of a hard boiled egg to give it a flat surface.

4.Tomato paste portions: Most recipes only use 1 or 2 tablespoons of tomato paste at a time. You can save the left over paste for use at a later date by freezing it in tablespoon amounts and storing in resealable freezer bags and keep frozen until ready to use.

5. Fresh mushrooms: If you save a clear plastic container that strawberries are sold in you can use it for double duty by storing fresh mushrooms. The ventilation keeps mushrooms fresh longer.

6. Perfect sliced strawberries: For evenly sliced strawberries,use an egg slicer

7.Angel Food Cake: An electric knife cleanly cuts angel food cake without compressing it.

8.Nuts: To keep nuts from getting stale, store them in the freezer

9. Baking Powder Test: Baking powder doesn't last forever. If your not sure how old yours is, drop a generous pinch into a little warm water. If it fizzes or bubbles it's still good. If it sinks to the bottom toss it, It's past it's prime.

10. Tomato slicer: Use a serrated knife to cleanly slice tomatos.

11. Citrus Spray: Keep strained fresh lemon juice in a small spray bottle to spray on cut fruits, vegetables to prevent browning. It's also great for spraying on chopped lettuce for salad,and over cut artichokes. Simply juice lemons, strain out the pulp and seeds and pour into a spray bottle. I't will keep in the frig for up to 2 to 3 weeks. Try lime juice spray on avocados or orange juice spray on fruit salad. It adds flavor as well as protects the fruit from turning brown.

12. Easy squeeze bottles: I keep by my stove 3 clear squeeze bottles. Each bottle holds a different oil, olive oil, vegetable oil, canola oil. No big bottles to deal with and pouring and measuring is so easy.

13. Perfect sweet corn on cob: Bring a generous amount of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the cleaned ears of corn, cover with a lid and turn off the heat. The corn will be perfectly cooked in about 8 minutes.