KITCHEN TIPS

[Kitchen Witch]

KITCHEN TIPS

This post will be used for any kitchen tips that you may wish to share with everyone - feel free to post!

[Kitchen Witch]

Keep peeled potatoes white when boiling by adding a squeeze of lemon juice to the water.

When freezing onions and peppers for later use, toss with vegetable oil to prevent sticking.

To prevent apple skins from exploding during baking, make 8 shallow scores in the apple and sprinkle the slits with lemon juice.

To revive droopy stalks of asparagus, trim bottoms and immerse in glass filled with 2 inches of ice water. Cover tops with plastic bag and secure with rubber band. Chill for 2 hours.

To prevent fruit pies from running when cut, reserve 2 T. sugar from recipe and beat with 1 egg white until stiff. Fold into mixture before filling shell.

In a hurry to skim fat from soup - drop 6 ice cubes in broth to collect fats.

Microwave garlic for 1 minute and let sit for 3 minutes to remove skins easily.

Place nuts in large saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil; remove from heat and cover for 15 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Cracking the shells is much easier.

Place cheese blocks in freezer for 20 minutes to make grating easier.


Sprinkle a spoonful or tow of instant mashed potatoes into thin gravy as it simmers to thicken it up and add flavor.

Roll meatball mixture into a log and slice; shape into balls.

[Kitchen Witch]

FOR BAKING:

Whisking ingredients instead of sifting will work just fine - it still infuses enough extra air to guarantee a fluffy result. Whisk for one minute.

To prevent raisins or fruit from settling in baked goods - toss with flour or cake mix to coat - just to keep them ?floating?.

Perfect icing - to eliminate ?crumbs? when frosting - spread a thin layer of icing on cake
and chill for 30 minutes, then frost as usual.

Just before removing a bundt cake from the oven, saturate a towel with very hot water. Place the pan on the hot towel and let sit for 10 seconds, then wrap the towel. This will help the cake to remove from the pan easily.

Fill a salt shaker with flour and freeze. Bacteria will not form - good for long term storage. Use this for flouring pans.

To keep shortbread flaky - cut butter and keep in fridge until ready to use - cookies will keep their shape better.

To keep flour bug-free - add a bay leaf to the bag - instant insect repellent.

Instant cherry pitter - a straw.

[Kitchen Witch]

Underdone hard-cooked eggs and be cooked in a skillet with butter until cooked through. Great hot or cold and mixed in salads.

When using a sugar-based sauce when barbecuing, skip marinade and baste just before meat is done to avoid a bitter and blackened taste.

When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead and there won't be any white mess on the outside of the cake.

Got overripe bananas? They're PERFECT for banana breads and muffins! Don't throw them away - mash them up and store in baggies in the freezer, in one cup portions. Then, when you want to bake with perfectly ripe bananas, you're all set! (NOTE - add a shake or two of lemon juice when you mash the bananas to keep them from going too brown.)
Make Bananas ripen more quickly!
If your bananas aren't ripe, try adding an apple and a bunch of bananas to a brown paper bag and sealing for a couple of days. The apple will help ripen the bananas.

When your celery is starting to look a bit droopy, simply cut off the root end, and stand all of the stalks together in a large glass or mug of water, and store in the fridge. After about a day, you'll be shocked! Your celery will have absorbed some of the water and will be delicious and crunchy again.
Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.

Make sure that your cornstarch is fresh. Test by combining a tablespoon of vinegar and corn starch together, if it bubbles, it is still fresh.

[Kitchen Witch]

To prevent egg shells from cracking, add a pinch of salt to the water before hard-boiling. ( A splash of white vinegar also works.)
Using a sewing needle, poke a tiny hole in the egg before hard boiling them. They'll peel with ease!

Easily peel garlic by using the bottom of a heavy pan or pot to 'smash' the garlic. The peel will easily come off, and you can go ahead and chop the garlic up more easily too.

When measuring honey, molasses, or syrup, oil the measuring spoon or cup first so the honey will come off easily.

When getting ready to roll out pie dough, wipe table with a damp cloth, lay 2 overlapping sheets of waxed paper down. Flour paper and you're ready to roll dough. The dampness holds the wax paper in place so it doesn't slip and you can throw away the mess when you are done. Saves cleanup work

To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.
Make your potatoes last longer and keep them from sprouting by hanging them in your darkened pantry using your recycled, clean pantyhose. Place knots between each potato, and just hang them from the ceiling. This works well for onions as well as other root crops.

[Kitchen Witch]

Slice or chop strong onions and soak in a bowl of water with 1 t. white vinegar for 15-20 minutes to make them milder.


Heat collander in hot water before draining pasta to prevent sticking.

To keep ears of corn its tastiest, stand ears upright in tall container with ends cut and about 1-inch water until ready to cook them.

Stir eggs while boiling to keep yolks centered.

To add volume to your cake mix, stir in 1 T. meringue powder before preparing as directed.

Melt chocolate chips and pour into bottoms of ice cream cones to prevent dripping.

Spray knife to make ?clean? custard, meringue or cream pie slices.

Substitute sugar for flour when preparing cake pans - no more white spots from greasing and flouring - no need to frost!

Brush eggplant slices with egg whites to prevent them from sucking up all that grease when frying! Less fat!

Place spuds in the fridge a day before peeling, cutting and baking fries (for oven fries) to make them carmelize and crisp.

Cook pancakes in clarified butter so that pancakes do not have that ?burned? look.

Spread a thin layer of mustard over roasts to help rubs adhere and giving a crisp crust and intensifies flavor.

Refrigerate olive oil and it will thicken for a delicious spread on bread and toast instead of butter.

Make your own ?ring? cake pan by placing clean, empty metal food can in center of deep cake pan; fill can with dried beans. Grease pan and outside of can as recipe directs; pour batter around pan.

Store natural-style peanut butter on its side - the oil will float to the side, instead of the top, making it easier to mix in.


Slightly under cook pasta, then simmer it in sauce until tender to make it absorb more flavor.

Store mushrooms, unwashed, in paper bag in fridge - the bag lets out the moisture that turns then slimy.

Seed jalapenos with a vegetable peeler - scoop seeds right out.

[b-man]

Cooking Tips


* For easy peeling of hard boiled eggs, add a few drops of oil to
some water. Crack the eggs and let stand in oil and water solution
for a few minutes.

* When reheating a slice of pizza in a microwave, run the bottom of
the crust under the faucet. The water will cause a small amount of
steam in the microwave which will keep the crust from becoming hard
and brittle.

* If your cake sticks to the pan and threatens to split, hold the pan
over a low flame for about 5 to 8 seconds and the cake will come
out nice and firm.

* To keep cookie dough from sticking to cookie cutters, chill the
dough thoroughly before you roll it out. Dip each cookie cutter in
oil before pressing into the dough and the cookies will cut
cleanly. This treatment is wonderful when using cutters with
intricate designs or cutters made of plastic. You can also spray
the cutters with oil spray.


B-man

[b-man]

STUFFING A WHOLE TURKEY

Whether you choose to stuff your turkey or cook the stuffing in a
casserole dish is a matter of personal preference. As with any
preparation involving raw food ingredients, it is important to
follow proper food safety and handling procedures carefully to
ensure a safe turkey every time. If you decide to stuff the turkey,
we recommend the following five guidelines.

* Prepare stuffing just before placing in turkey. Use only cooked
ingredients in stuffing - i.e., saute vegetables, use only cooked
meats and seafood (oysters), and use pasteurized egg products
instead of raw eggs.

* Place prepared stuffing in turkey just before roasting. Do not
stuff the turkey the night before roasting.

* Stuff both neck and body cavities of completely thawed turkey,
allowing 1/2 to 3/4 cup of stuffing per pound of turkey. Do not
pack stuffing tightly in turkey.

* Return legs to original tucked position, if untucked for rinsing
or stuffing.

* Use a cook method that allows the stuffing to cook along with the
turkey. Do not stuff turkeys when cooking on an outdoor grill or
water smoker or when using fast cook methods where the turkey gets
done before the stuffing.

B-man

[b-man]

Pumpkin Tips

Scoop out seeds and strands if using a new pumpkin. Stand pumpkin
upright and cut down the middle. Halves should be able to fit on a
baking sheet. Place one half pumpkin, or two if they fit, cut side
down on the baking sheet. You may sprinkle a little water on the
sheet first. Bake at 350F for 30-60 minutes, depending on the size.
When done, the skin darkens and the pumpkin begins to collapse. Check
for softness with a fork or knife. It will go in easily if done.
Remove from oven, cool about 20 minutes. Scoop pumpkin flesh away
from skin. Discard skin then puree in food processor.

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoons melted butter or oil
salt to taste

Options:
garlic powder
cayenne pepper
seasoning salt
Cajun seasoning blend

Preheat oven to 300F. While it's fine to leave some strings and pulp
on your seeds (it adds flavor), clean off any major chunks. Toss
pumpkin seeds in a bowl with the melted butter or oil and seasonings
of your choice. Purist will want only salt as a seasoning, but, if
you're feeling adventurous, experiment and have fun with seasoning
blends. Spread pumpkin seeds in a single layer on baking sheet and
bake for about 45 minutes, until golden brown, stirring occasionally.


B-man

[b-man]

Cooking Tips


* If you are only using half an avocado, leave the pit in the unused
half and refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap. This will retard
discoloration.

* When breading chicken, coat the pieces with mayonnaise instead of
egg. The mayonnaise clings to the chicken and doesn't drip like the
egg does. Plus, it adds nice flavor.

* Make ice cubes festive for a party by freezing sprigs of mint,
maraschino cherries, lemon or orange peel in them.

* Placing flour in a custard cup in the oven next to a roast will
assure nice brown flour for gravy when the meat is done.

B-man

[b-man]

Cooking Tips

* When cooking with wine, leave the pan uncovered so the alcohol will
burn off. The resulting liquid will have a rounder, firmer, fruiter
flavor.

* Fresh herbs loose their distinctive flavor when cooked a long time.
Add some extra just before serving.

* Place overripe tomatoes in cold water and add some salt. Overnight
they will become firm and fresh.

* Put a layer of marshmallows in the bottom of a pumpkin pie, then
add the filling. You will have a nice topping as the marshmallows
will come to the to top.

B-man

[b-man]

Baking Tips

* When whipping heavy cream always whip in a stainless steel bowl.
Aluminum bowls will cause the cream to turn grayish in color and
the cream will taste metallic.

* Self rising flour is a mixture of 1-1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
plus 1/2 teaspoon of salt per cup flour.

* Use one Tablespoon (3 teaspoons) of regular active dry yeast to
replace cake yeast in recipes.

* When making a cake, have all of your ingredients at room
temperature.

* You should leave 2 inches of space between the oven walls and your
baking sheet for good circulation.

* Substitute 3/4 cup cocoa (unsweetened) and 1/4 cup Crisco for
4 squares (ounces) of chocolate.

B-man

[Kitchen Witch]

NO PUMPKIN PIE SPICE??

For every teaspoon, use 1/2 t. cinnamon, 1/4 t. ginger, 1/8 t. nutmeg and 1/8 t. cloves.



FOR FESTIVE ICE CUBES:

Add cranberried to your ice cube tray before filling with water.



EASY COOKIE BAKING:

Make your dough, roll into logs, wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. To bake, cut forzen dough into 1/4-inch thick slices and bake as usual adding 1 to 2 minutes to baking time.


MOISTER MEATLOAF:

Use leftover stuffing instead of dry breadcrumbs to make meatloaf extra moist.



DULL KNIVES? NO SHARPENER?

Hone your blades with several passes across the unglazed edges of heavy ceramic ware - pie plates, coffe mugs, platters, etc.

[Kitchen Witch]

Freeze the peels from juiced oranges and lemons. Whenever you want, you can add a piece to hot tea, cider or coffee for a great flavor.

Not enough frosting for your cake?? Fill the layers with jam of marmalade.

It's easier to remove the skin from a chicken if the bird is partially frozen.

Use a salad spinner to remove the liquid from grated potatoes when making potato pancakes for crispy pancakes and you won't have to squeeze them dry.

Did you cake flop in the oven? Cut into chunks and layer with pudding, fruit and liqueur (trifle). Refrigerate 4 hours before serving.

[Kitchen Witch]

Bananas can be kept fresh longer if stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of about 50* F. They will keep about 2 weeks. The cold will make the skin brown, but they'll still be fresh on the inside.



For a quick "icing" - sprinkle cupcakes with chocolate chips 2 minutes before they are done baking. Remove them from the oven and spread melted chips over the top.



Store soft cheese, such as Brie, upside-down, and it won't look sunken in the middle when you serve it.



Freeze dried fruit an hour before you chop it - it won't stick to your knife.



For each cup of self-rising flour ou need, use 1 c. flour, 1 1/2 t. baking powder and 1/2 t. salt.



Don't make candy on a rainy day! Extra moisture in the air keeps it from hardening correctly.

[Kitchen Witch]

What are the proper temperatures for my refrigerator and freezer?

The refrigerator temperature should be kept at 41°F or lower and the freezer temperature should be 0°F or lower. Use caution when placing hot foods in the refrigerator or freezer. Warm foods may raise the temperature inside the unit.

[Kitchen Witch]

Need dry breadcrumbs???

Coarsely grind unsweetened cereal, such as corn flakes, in your food porcessor for a quick substution.

[Shadows]

Pretzels and potato chips in the processor or blender work well for this also , just remember to adjust the salt in your recipe accordingly.

[Kitchen Witch]

In baking, substitute 5/8 cup potato starch for 1 cup of flour, or use 1 /2 cup matzo cake meal plus 1/4 to 1/3 cup of potato starch instead of 1 cup of flour.

[Kitchen Witch]

In baking, substitute 5/8 cup potato starch for 1 cup of flour, or use 1 /2 cup matzo cake meal plus 1/4 to 1/3 cup of potato starch instead of 1 cup of flour.

Instead of bread crumbs, substitute "Almost Bread Crumbs," matzo meal, cake meal, potato starch or finely ground nuts.

Instead of bread crumbs to bind burgers and meat loaves, substitute matzo meal or finely grated potato. Process 1 medium potato on the Steel Blade until fine, about 10 seconds. This amount is enough to bind 2 lbs. of ground meat or poultry.

[Kitchen Witch]

Baking Po