Cooking Tips And Tricks

Cooking Tips And Tricks

Article by James Crocker









Have you ever wished there was a simpler way of doing things in the kitchen? You’re in luck! There are a few tried-and-true tricks that seasoned cooks know, and a few of those are right here for the taking. Get out your pen and paper and take notes on these great cooking tips and tricks!

Cooking Utinsils

The perfect slice. Forget your sharpest knife or your wire cutter. The best slice can always be made with regular old dental floss. Pull out a long line of dental floss — waxed or unwaxed will work just fine — and wrap it around your fingers, holding it tightly at a width perfect for what you want to slice. It should be something soft, like a nice cheese or a cooling cake. Hold the dental floss tightly as you make the cut, simply pulling it through the food with one long, careful motion. And that’s it! Making perfect asparagus. Asparagus can be a tricky food to cook, but you can do it with a simple method that will have your friends marveling at how easy it was! Cook your asparagus the day you purchase it or pick it, if possible, for maximum flavor. Snap the spears at the bottom, and if the stalks are very tough, peel the bottom third or so. Bind them together with kitchen twine, and stand them up in a few inches of boiling water in a saucepan. Invert another saucepan over that one to create a lid. Steam them just until tender, and when you remove the saucepan, they are ready! Preserve your herbs. Don’t like the taste of dried herbs? Use salt to keep them fresh instead. For hundreds of years, salt was used as a preservative, and kept many foods fresh in the absence of refrigeration. The same principle applies to herbs that are layered in a glass bowl or dish with an ample amount of salt, then covered and kept in a cool, dry place. To use the herbs, simply pull them out of the dish, and you can always use a pinch of the salt for your recipes, too. Nothing is wasted, the flavor is divine, and the herbs will keep for about six months. By then, you will have a new batch growing in your garden! Keep your berries fresh. Have you ever noticed that berries in the bottom of the pint or quart go bad very quickly, even when they are in your refrigerator? That’s because the best tender, ripe berries are ready to burst with juice, and that can make them spoil much faster. Prevent this from happening by taking your berries out of the box or crate and placing them in a baking dish in one single layer. It’s okay for them to touch, but one should not be on top of the other! Place them in the refrigerator for a few days if you aren’t going to use them immediately, but the sooner you use them, the better the flavor will be.



About the Author

James Crocker is the Owner and CEO of Casual Robot Media. He writes articles relating to how to tips, what is information, why is information, and best information articles for http://knowledgecloset.com/.










10 Random Cooking Tips And Tricks

10 Random Cooking Tips And Tricks

10 Random Cooking Tips and Tricks

1. When it’s strawberry season, buy extra to freeze. Freeze them unwashed in ziplock bags. They work great in winter time smoothies. Just take several out rinse and cut the top off and plop in the blender with a banana and orange juice.

2. Hate making bacon because of the splatter mess? Make it in the oven. Spray a cookie sheet and line up the bacon. Bake at 375 degrees until almost done.  I drain on paper towels and store in the refrigerator in fresh paper towels. You can take out just what you need and microwave them in another paper towel until done.

3. Isn’t slicing grapes or cherry tomatoes in half time consuming? Get 2 plastic carton container lids and put them in between the lids.  You can then easily slice them in a few strokes between the lids.

4. Like to make pizzas on the grill in the summer? After you make the dough, roll it out into individual serving size pizza rounds. Then, grill lightly on one side. Stack them for guests to top as they wish.  Make sure they put sauce and toppings on the grilled side.  Put back on the grill to finish.

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5. Like steel cut oats, but don’t have 30 minutes to wait for it in the morning?  Make the recipe with one cup of oats and put it in a container in the refrigerator. Scoop out only what you need each morning and microwave. Works great!

6. Have bananas that are getting too ripe, but no time to make banana bread? Peel them and put them in a plastic zipper bag, getting as much air out as possible, and freeze. They will be ready to go when you have the time to bake.

7. Love chocolate desserts? Visit the grocery or drug stores after a holiday and up seasonal chocolate really inexpensively for great desserts in the future.

8. Don’t you love those grocery store rotisserie chickens? I cut the breast meat off the bone for my kids, and save the rest of the chicken in a gallon zipper bag in the freezer. You can put it in a stockpot with water, onion, carrot, celery, poultry season, bay leaf and a little salt and pepper for the start of great chicken noodle soup. There is already a lot of great seasoning that adds to the depth of flavor.

9. Have just a bit of steak, chicken or fish left from a meal? Save it and make a quesadilla appetizer tomorrow for everyone to munch on before dinner, or an after school snack.

10. Make too much icing for those sugar cookies?  Put the leftovers into ziplock backs and store in the freezer. When you need to decorate a few cookies or write on a cake, you’ll have them ready made and in a variety of colors.

Mary Mechler has been cooking and baking since she was 5 years old. Mary is excited to share her love of cooking and great cooking tools with others who are cooking enthusiasts, through the website, http://cookprostore.com which offers <a target=”_new” rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link/1972624']);” href=”http://www.cookprostore.com”>kitchen cutlery</a>, chefs knives and kitchen cookware.
If you find something you like, and place an order, we’ll include a free copy of Amy Coleman’s cookbook while supplies last!

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