Daily Tip

[pizzaboy]

I started this new thread to let everybody post (or just read) new tips related to cooking.
I will start with a basic tip: Separating Eggs

To make it easier to separate egg whites from yolks, break the egg into a funnel. You'll find that the white goes through and the yolk stays behind.

I am waiting for new tips!;)

[Liketobake]

I started this new thread to let everybody post (or just read) new tips related to cooking.
I will start with a basic tip: Separating Eggs

To make it easier to separate egg whites from yolks, break the egg into a funnel. You'll find that the white goes through and the yolk stays behind.

I am waiting for new tips!;)


Good tip. Another way to separate your white from yolk is simply to crack open the egg. pour the egg into one half of the shell and just let the white fall into a bowl..It is much easier then it sounds....:D

[Mancook]

Another good way for separating the egg white from the yolk is to use your hand. Of course you must always clean your hands when you’re cooking. Curl your hands into a cup then break the eggs and put it into your hands you will see that the egg whites will be separated from the yolk.

[pizzaboy]

TIP nr. 2
Fish odors
Rub your hands with salt and lemon juice to remove fish odors.

4 lemons yield about 1 cup of juice.

Acids help proteins coagulate, so adding either vinegar or lemon juice to water used for poaching eggs helps keep the eggs from spreading out.

[delicious]

Keep half of a lemon in your freezer to keep funny smells away. You can keep it about one week, then you will have to replace it with another fresh half .Hope you like lemon's smell ...

[delicious]

Ohhh ... and another one ! To keep SALT DRY ... or anything else dry ... like sugar... just put some rice in there it will absorb the water and humidity won't affect salt , nor sugar.Did you know this one ?

[pizzaboy]

Another tip :)

For fresh fruit salads, mix apples, bananas, or pears with acidic fruits like oranges, tangerines, grapefruit and other citrus fruit or pineapple to keep them from turning brown.

Prepare the acidic fruit(s) first. Then, cut the other fruits, mixing them with in the acidic fruit(s) as you prepare them.

Any new tips?

[karenlyn]

This is fun. Good tips! :) To make chocolate curls to decorate desserts, first warm the chocolate with a blowdryer on low heat. Then use a bendy pairing knife to shave off the chocolate curls.

-Karen

[mcnerd]

Here's a few tips out of my pile:

Freezing Tomatoes
Save Time Tomatoes ... Ron's Grandmother called one day while I was canning tomatoes. She taught me how to freeze them. This saves a lot of time and is very convenient.
How ever many tomatoes you want to put up Ziploc baggies in quart and gallon sizes
Cut your tomato in quarters. Put in bag. Freeze! Wasn't that rough? Now when you need them, pull the bag out of the freezer, pull out the number of quarters you need and put the rest back. I have learned to do a couple of gallon size bags back for when I make Chili or Vegetable Soup. This saves me hours each summer!
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Burned Gravy or Stew
If you burn gravy or stew, add a tablespoon of peanut butter and mix thoroughly. It will completely take away the burnt taste and you won't even taste the peanut butter!
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Rich Beef Stew
I add quick-cooking tapioca to my beef stew to get a nice thick consistency for my sauce.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Salt in Skillet
Add salt to the skillet to prevent grease from splattering.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Budding Potatoes
To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Celery Survival
Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.

[she_cookie]

In order for the dough not to stick to your hands, use some flour. Spread it a little on the table and also take some in your hands. The dough will not stick to your hands anymore.

[fahriye]

If you have left over wine, don't throw it away. Pour it in to the ice cube bags and pop them into the freezer. Use it for COOKING and MARINADES.

[Semigourmet]

This is fun. Good tips! :) To make chocolate curls to decorate desserts, first warm the chocolate with a blowdryer on low heat. Then use a bendy pairing knife to shave off the chocolate curls.

-Karen

Karen, you can also use a vegetable peeler to get your chocolate curls.

[Semigourmet]

Keep half of a lemon in your freezer to keep funny smells away. You can keep it about one week, then you will have to replace it with another fresh half .Hope you like lemon's smell ...

I don't know what you do with your lemon when you take it out of your freezer. But you can put it down the garbage disposal, to help clean it and keep it fresh smelling.

[Semigourmet]

Ohhh ... and another one ! To keep SALT DRY ... or anything else dry ... like sugar... just put some rice in there it will absorb the water and humidity won't affect salt , nor sugar.Did you know this one ?

Yes, I did know this (LOL) I never saw it until I came to the South. it is in every salt shaker and sugar dispenser in the restaurants here. I had to ask. LOL

[Semigourmet]

Here's a few tips out of my pile:

Freezing Tomatoes
Save Time Tomatoes ... Ron's Grandmother called one day while I was canning tomatoes. She taught me how to freeze them. This saves a lot of time and is very convenient.
How ever many tomatoes you want to put up Ziploc baggies in quart and gallon sizes
Cut your tomato in quarters. Put in bag. Freeze! Wasn't that rough? Now when you need them, pull the bag out of the freezer, pull out the number of quarters you need and put the rest back. I have learned to do a couple of gallon size bags back for when I make Chili or Vegetable Soup. This saves me hours each summer!
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Burned Gravy or Stew
If you burn gravy or stew, add a tablespoon of peanut butter and mix thoroughly. It will completely take away the burnt taste and you won't even taste the peanut butter!
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Rich Beef Stew
I add quick-cooking tapioca to my beef stew to get a nice thick consistency for my sauce.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Salt in Skillet
Add salt to the skillet to prevent grease from splattering.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Budding Potatoes
To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Celery Survival
Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.

VERY interesting about the peanut butter taking away the burned taste. I hope I remember this if someone or me burnes a stew. LOL

For Celery you can also cut it into convenient lengths and submerge it in water it will keep for weeks that way also. If your celery gets rubbery just trim the ends and put it in water in a few hours you have perfect celery again.

[Semigourmet]

Do you have problems getting rubber gloves turned right side out? you know when your hands sweat in the gloves and they stick to you, you end up peeling them off and they are inside out, and the fingers are a bear to get out. Turning them right side out is pretty easy. turn the glove right side out, hold the top of the glove, let it fill with as much air as posible, then grab the top trapping the air inside. then gently squeeze and the fingers will pop right out.

[meeleend]

:) :) The most dangerous sources of virulent bacteria, including E. coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus and others, is the typical kitchen sponge and 'dish cloths' in American homes. They provide a source of moisture, a ready food supply in the form of food particles, and an easy surface to which the bacteria may cling. They can easily be disinfected however, by placing in a microwave oven for 60 seconds. The odor is improved too!:o :o

[nicoleSmith08]

Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
Hard boiled eggs peel easier if you boil eggs that are at least a week old. Fresh eggs are more difficult to peel.

[fahriye]

Place a cup of milk in the fridge to get rid of the bad odours.

[Drama Queen]

If you have left over wine, don't throw it away. Pour it in to the ice cube bags and pop them into the freezer. Use it for COOKING and MARINADES.

You have leftover wine? :D

[fahriye]

You have leftover wine? :D

Hello Drama Queen, you made me laugh lol!! I used to love drinking wine but not anymore!! I dont know why, I just have one with a meal and that is it. My husband isn't big on wine either lately. I think we are both getting old lol!!!

[Drama Queen]

Hello Drama Queen, you made me laugh lol!! I used to love drinking wine but not anymore!! I dont know why, I just have one with a meal and that is it. My husband isn't big on wine either lately. I think we are both getting old lol!!!

The older I get the more I like wine. Wine and I are aging beautifully. LOL

By the way I just posted a new entry on my blog -Chew on This- for Chinese New Year. I hope you try these recipes, they are both terrific.

[Drama Queen]

Would you buy anything from someone who isn't even smart enough to know the difference between a food related forum and a clothing forum? Neither would I. I guess they just don't get it.

[lesley]

Would you buy anything from someone who isn't even smart enough to know the difference between a food related forum and a clothing forum? Neither would I. I guess they just don't get it.
ditto!

[awesomeapril]

This is fun. Good tips! :) To make chocolate curls to decorate desserts, first warm the chocolate with a blowdryer on low heat. Then use a bendy pairing knife to shave off the chocolate curls.

-Karen

I do the same basically! only I use my veggie pealer. It works very well. Also, any warm place will do to soften the chocolate a bit. Beats buying them!
good tip!

[Elisha]

Hi, did you know that when you chill onions before cutting them you won't be crying so much? I always keep some in my fridge, and then I cut it next to my stove with the extractor on maximum to pull the gas away from me. It helps really well.

I also peel the onion only right before cutting it and keep the half I'm not busy with unpeeled and cutting side down. I've also heard it's working wonders to remove the root as this is where the most acid enzymes sit but I must admit I'm still struggling a bit to get that one right.

Have you got other great onion cutting techniques? I'm so curious what works best for you!

[Elisha]

We all love cooking, but there are most likely few who enjoy the cleaning up part afterwards, especially in the evening when you are tired... Here's what I do whenever I get the chance:

You can save yourself a lot of cleaning up work when you clean up whilst you are cooking. Don't let the food stick to your pots and spoons, rather rinse everything right when you are done with it, or soak it in hot soapy water. Will be much easier to clean afterwards. Before I start eating, I soak everything, or if something burnt badly in a pot, I put it back on the stove with some hot water and boil it for a couple of minutes. Afterwards, you can then easily scrub it off with a plastic scraper.

I also try to wipe up immediately when I spilled something, especially on the stove. That saves such a lot of time and effort afterwards. I barely have to spend more then 5 minutes (for the most) on cleaning my stove after cooking.

And, of course, what also helps a lot is trying to mess less. Rather take a pot that is big enough so that you can stir nicely without everything falling out because the pot is too full, and keep an eye on your food so that it doesn't burn. If that's difficult because you are doing several things at a time, use a timer (I never cook without mine).

Oh, and I love these all-in-one-pot dishes! At least there's only one pot to clean afterwards. Also like to bake things in the oven.

Hope these tips will make your cleaning up a bit more bearable! Have you got some more ideas? Then please share them!

[neonle]

have lime juice everyday in the morning with your breakfast.

[Big Daddy's House]

1. Your food processor, if you have one, is good for chopping the onions. This helps contain the annoying gas and smell from the onions inside the work bowl. Use the pulse button to avoid overprocessing, or you might end up with mush!

2. Your dishwasher is the perfect place to keep the dirty dishes from cluttering up the sink. I usually put the dirty things in there as I go along and then run it when it's full.

3. Elisha, you mentioned the plastic scraper. This is very handy for scraping off dried-on and cooked-on food and it won't harm nonstick surfaces.

4. Did any of you know that in order to get the smell of onions off your hands, all it takes is a little baking soda and water to make a paste? Just use as you would soap, and the smell is gone!

5. Scrambling eggs can at times be very tricky! I use a small cast iron skillet, let it get screaming hot, put in a little oil, pour the beaten eggs in and turn the fire off immediately while stirring the rapidly cooking eggs. This helps eliminate scorching, makes the skillt easier to clean and the eggs won't overcook, toughen or dry out as long as they are removed immediately.

6. Dawn Power Dissolver is good for removing cooked-on or burned-on foods from pots & pans as well as baking dishes.

7. Summer heat can spoil foods much faster than it will during the winter months. Keep foods to thaw out like meat in the fridge, or place the unopened package in some cold water.

[Semigourmet]

Good tips Big Daddy's House.

you can get the stuck on bits off of a pan the same way they go on there. Put some water in the pan and let it simmer on the stove until they loosen up.

Barkeepers Friend is a wonderful and inexpensive cleaner that will take marks out of your white porceline sinks, if you have a pan (not coated) that is sticking, use this product and bam things stop sticking. Also great for cleaning stove tops, and many other items.

Just a personal thing here. I don't like to store my knives in blocks, because someone will undoubtedly (my hubby) will put the knife back dirty. or drawers, because I am a bit clutzy and don't want to cut me on the big sharp knives. LOL So I keep mine on magnetic strips on the wal. I love it they are oranized and ready to grab at any time.

[Whoopie Pie]

To expand on your #7, Big Daddys House.

I try to freeze things as flat as possible (I vacuum seal) so they will thaw quickly. I can drop a frozen package of meat in a sink of cold water and have it thawed within 1/2 hour to 45 minutes, great for week night suppers. If you do thaw this way, cook the meat immediately, as this is not the optimal process for thawing (the fridge is the best place to thaw), but if you are cooking the meat right away it is perfectly safe.

I use a gallon zipper bag (the freezer ones are best because they are thicker) to pound out meat, I just slide it in the bag and whack away, this will prevent any splatters keeping things clean. When I am done, I put any of the trimmings from the meat and its original package in the zipper bag and zip it up, this will keep your trash from getting smelly, especially handy if you only have once a week trash pickup!

[Big Daddy's House]

To expand on your #7, Big Daddys House.

I try to freeze things as flat as possible (I vacuum seal) so they will thaw quickly. I can drop a frozen package of meat in a sink of cold water and have it thawed within 1/2 hour to 45 minutes, great for week night suppers. If you do thaw this way, cook the meat immediately, as this is not the optimal process for thawing (the fridge is the best place to thaw), but if you are cooking the meat right away it is perfectly safe.

I use a gallon zipper bag (the freezer ones are best because they are thicker) to pound out meat, I just slide it in the bag and whack away, this will prevent any splatters keeping things clean. When I am done, I put any of the trimmings from the meat and its original package in the zipper bag and zip it up, this will keep your trash from getting smelly, especially handy if you only have once a week trash pickup!




Yes I do that as well. I'd never leave the house and have meat sitting out to thaw in the sunner heat.

[Big Daddy's House]

Yeah, when you deglaze a pan to get the brown particles loose for a gravy, you are automatically cleaning the pan anyway.

[Semigourmet]

I like to use the plastic veg bags from the grocery store, I put one in a small to medium bowl, or my favorite cheap plastic container and pull over edges to cover container. then as I am preping my veggies and meats I throw all trash into this little bag, and when done tie top and toss into trash! this keeps the trash from smelling and also doesn't waste a baggie. whoopie pie I too use a zip up plastic storage bag to pound out my meats.

[Drama Queen]

Great idea! I have a plastic strainer bowl that I keep in my sink, but I have to fish out the little pieces of garbage. I like your idea and will use it from now on. Why didn't I think of that? LOL

[Big Daddy's House]

There's a trash barrel on the corner across the street.

When I accumulate trash from taking the skins off onions, cleaning celery and green peppers and other stuff such as empty meat packages, I put them in one of the plastic shopping bags that your groceries are put in when you pay for your stuff at the supermarket.

I then toss the filled bags in the barrel on the sidewalk. That way, the trash won't be stink up the house by hanging around and turning rotten!

[Semigourmet]

Great idea! I have a plastic strainer bowl that I keep in my sink, but I have to fish out the little pieces of garbage. I like your idea and will use it from now on. Why didn't I think of that? LOL

LOL I took it from Rachael Ray and was not gonna buy a bowl for it. So I found a GREAT little Perfect plastic container. got two in a package for 2 bucks and one holds my kitty's dry cat food. the other as you know is my trash bowl.

[Semigourmet]

You can also put food trash in a container in the freezer to keep until trash day if you don't have a trash barrel out side that keeps the stink down too.

[Semigourmet]

As we all know we love our sharp knives, and Acid dulls the blade. I find it helps if I Immediately rinse the blade after cutting anything acidic. It won't totally stop the process but will slow it down a bit.

[Big Daddy's House]

LOL I took it from Rachael Ray and was not gonna buy a bowl for it. So I found a GREAT little Perfect plastic container. got two in a package for 2 bucks and one holds my kitty's dry cat food. the other as you know is my trash bowl.




Ditto on that one, Semigourmet!!

I was going to buy her Garbage Bowl like the one she uses on 30-Minute Meals, but then I thought to myself; "Why should I spend money just for a garbage bowk when I got tons of bowls already in many sizes?".

So I just use a large bowl to put the onion skins and whatever else in the bowl accumilated from prepping food. Saves money over buying a so-called garbage bowl! :)

[Semigourmet]

Ditto on that one, Semigourmet!!

I was going to buy her Garbage Bowl like the one she uses on 30-Minute Meals, but then I thought to myself; "Why should I spend money just for a garbage bowk when I got tons of bowls already in many sizes?".

So I just use a large bowl to put the onion skins and whatever else in the bowl accumilated from prepping food. Saves money over buying a so-called garbage bowl! :)

LOL Yep! but ya gotta admit it is quite the marketing genius. How many people went out and Paid 16 to 18 dollars for a bowl, Just for trash. LOL

[Big Daddy's House]

Roger that! Doesn't make any sense to me.

[shubh]

Thanks for starting this thread. My contribution is: While boiling milk, always add a little water at the base of the vessel to avoid the milk from sticking at the bottom.

[Big Daddy's House]

Never heard of that one.

[Big Daddy's House]

How do you like to cook them?

[neatza]

It is so interesting to find simple tips about cooking more easy !

[cutiejoe]

smell of omelet sticks.
i just cant stand where it is being cooked.
how can one eat it.
eew

[Semigourmet]

when heating leftover pizza, to keep the crust crispy heat in a skillet over medium heat. this will dry the crust out and make it crispy again.

[Semigourmet]

Ohhh ... and another one ! To keep SALT DRY ... or anything else dry ... like sugar... just put some rice in there it will absorb the water and humidity won't affect salt , nor sugar.Did you know this one ?

You can also put a saltine or soda cracker in your large container of salt to help absorb the moisture.

[Semigourmet]

If you have left over wine, don't throw it away. Pour it in to the ice cube bags and pop them into the freezer. Use it for COOKING and MARINADES.

this is a cool idea. Will keep this one in mind for some of the wines we open and only have a half glass or so left. thanks.

[Semigourmet]

For smelly plastic containers; just fill with water and add some baking soda and let soak for a few hours and the smell will be removed.

For Coffee stained stoneware in a 5 gallon bucket filled with water add about an 1/8 cup of bleach. add stoneware and let soak. they will come out completely white again. I saw this used and had to use this technique in a restaurant I worked for.

[Big Daddy's House]

Semigourmet;

That method also works with bleach and water as well.

Had a hard-as-hell time trying to remove black mildew from the bottom of a 1-gallon milk jug that had some ice tea in it that I forgot to rinse out.

Put some water in it and added a little bit of bleach, let it sit for a while, and voila - the mildew was all gone!!

[VeggieCook]

They are very helpful because they are just problems that I meet with when cooking. Thank you guys. Keep them coming!

[Big Daddy's House]

You're welcome! If you think of any yourself, share some of them with us.

[Semigourmet]

They are very helpful because they are just problems that I meet with when cooking. Thank you guys. Keep them coming!

You're welcome, We too pick up a trick or two from these posts.

[Big Daddy's House]

I'm all for anything that helps save some time in the kitchen!

[expertarticle]

[Edited by moderator for off-topic content & slander]
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[Big Daddy's House]

This thread isn't about your hatred against nonvegetarians. That is their constitutional right to be nonvegetarians if they so choose to.

This thread is about daily tips in the kitchen.

Your post was edited. Please stay on topic.