Cooking Hints & Tips Archive 11
Cooking Tip: 1/2 pint of heavy cream can be whipped to make 2 cups of whipped cream.
Cooking Tip: A medium-size clove of garlic equals 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder.
Cooking Tip: One lemon will yield about 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
Cooking Tip: To help prevent sogginess of hot sandwiches, place a paper towel under the bread while microwave heating.
Cooking Tip: When a recipe calls for one cup of graham cracker crumbs, you can crush eleven graham crackers finely to make one cup.
Cooking Tip: For biscuits with softer sides, place them in the pan with their sides barely touching.
Cooking Tip: A tablespoon of vinegar added to water before poaching eggs helps keep the whites from spreading.
Cooking Tip: You can peel oranges quickly and separate the sections cleanly if you cover them with boiling water. Let them stand for 5 minutes. Then drain, cool, and peel.
Cooking Tip: Before returning an opened carton of ice cream to the freezer, press plastic wrap onto the surface of the ice cream to prevent ice crystals from forming.
Cooking Tip: The best way to tell if a pineapple is ripe it to thump the side with the flick of a finger. A ripe pineapple will give a dull thud.
Cooking Tip: If a recipe calls for tablespoon prepared mustard, you may substitute 1 teaspoon dry mustard plus 1 tablespoon vinegar without a noticeable difference.
Cooking Tip: If you wish to use fresh herbs in a recipe that calls for dried ones, simply use 3 teaspoons of fresh for every one teaspoon of dried in the recipe.
Cooking Tip: To ripen tomatoes, place them in a shallow box or basket and slip into a brown paper bag. Close the end and leave at room temperature.
Cooking Tip: If you marinate meat, fish, or poultry, be sure to cook any leftover marinade you intend to use as a sauce to destroy any harmful bacteria from the raw meat.
Cooking Tip: You can usually substitute fruit juice in equal quantities in a recipe that calls for a liqueur without an appreciable change in taste.
Cooking Tip: Never fill a pressure cooker with more food than half its capacity if the contents are mainly liquid, or two-thirds if the contents are mainly solid.
Cooking Tip: Eggs should not be washed until ready for use because they are protected with a soluble film which protects the porous shell against bacteria.
Cooking Tip: To seed an avocado cut the avocado in half. Hit the seed with the sharp edge of a knife. Grasp the fruit, then twist the knife to loosen and remove the seed.
Cooking Tip: To keep rice white when cooking in hard water, add 1 teaspoon lemon juice or 1 tablespoon vinegar to cooking water.
Cooking Tip: Remember that every time you open the oven door the temperature inside drops about twenty-five degrees.
Cooking Tip: To get corn silk off of corn on the cob, brush downward with a paper towel.
Cooking Tip: 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.
Cooking Tip: Always roast poultry breast side down so the white meat will not dry out. Turn the bird for the last portion of cooking so it will brown well.
Cooking Tip: Unwaxed dental floss is good for trussing poultry because it will not burn in the oven.
Cooking Tip: Hardened cheese can be softened by soaking it in buttermilk.
Cooking Tip: To strain broth, pour it through a clean coffee filter so you get a broth that is clear.
Cooking Tip: To remove the grease from soups or stews, place a sheet of waxed paper or plastic wrap directly onto the top of the liquid before refrigerating it. Once it has cooled thoroughly, peel off the waxed paper and the grease will peel off with it.
Cooking Tip: To keep potatoes from growing buds, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.
Cooking Tip: When cooking corn on the cob add a pinch of sugar to the water to bring out the corn's natural sweetness.
Cooking Tip: Once bananas are ripe store them in the refrigerator to help slow down ripening. The skin will turn dark brown, but this does not damage the fruit inside.
Cooking Tip: Limp celery can be revived if you cut all the stalks off the bunch and place them into a jar of cold water, cut side down, in the refrigerator. Celery sticks may be revived by placing them into a bowl of cold water in the refrigerator.
Cooking Tip: To make clarified butter, slowly melt unsalted butter over low heat without stirring. When the butter has separated into three layers, turn off the heat and allow to cool. Skim the foamy top layer off and discard. Remove the clarified butter (middle of the three layers) off, being careful not to touch the bottom layer. Store clarified butter in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.
Cooking Tip: Aged cheeses are low in moisture and can be frozen without much change in flavor or consistency. Thaw frozen cheese in the refrigerator for 24 hours or more before using.
Cooking Tip: To peel a tomato, fill a saucepan with enough water to cover tomato and bring to a boil. Immerse tomato for about 30 seconds, then drain and cool. Remove stem ends of the tomato and slip off the skin.
Cooking Tip: To roast tomatoes, preheat oven to 450F degrees. Halve tomatoes crosswise then place halves, cut side down, on a shallow baking pan. Brush the tomatoes with olive oil. Roast about 20 minutes, until lightly browned.
Cooking Tip: Sour milk is a good substitute for buttermilk in recipes. To make sour milk, add 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice to a 1-cup liquid measuring cup, then add enough milk to make 1 cup.
Cooking Tip: When using refrigerated or thawed frozen egg product in place of eggs in recipes, remember that you need 1/4 cup egg product for each egg called for in the recipe.
Cooking Tip: For best results in baked foods, choose a margarine that contains at least 60 percent vegetable oil. Most light spreads only contain 40 percent and will make the dish watery.
Cooking Tip: Egg whites may be used in place of whole eggs in a recipe to lower its cholesterol. Just substitute 2 egg whites for each whole egg called for in the recipe.
Cooking Tip: Storing flour in the freezer is a good way to keep it fresh longer, but remember to take the desired amount out and let it come to room temperature before using in recipes.
Cooking Tip: Couscous is made from semolina that is rolled into small granules or pellets.To cook, pour 1 cup of couscous into 1 cup of boiling water. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
Cooking Tip: To make Brazil Nuts easier to shell, store them in the freezer before using.
Cooking Tip: To toast nuts, spread them on an ungreased baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350 degrees oven for about 10 minutes, shaking pan frequently. Watch the nuts closely as they burn easily.
Cooking Tip: Pecans have a high fat content and will become rancid if not stored properly. Once shelled, pecans will last up to 4 months in the refrigerator and up to 8 months in the freezer.
Cooking Tip: Like pecans, Cashews have a high fat content and will become rancid if not stored properly. Cashews will last up to 24 months in the refrigerator.
Cooking Tip: When making a recipe that has both fresh garlic and ginger in it, work with the garlic first then the ginger. The ginger will remove the garlic smell from hands, knives, and cutting boards.
Cooking Tip: To cook butternut squash, cut it in half, remove the seeds, peels it, and cut into cubes. Toss the cubes with melted butter or olive oil and bake, covered, at 350F degrees for 15 mnutes. Uncover the squash and stir the cubes to make sure they cook on all sides. Bake an additional 10-20 minutes, until tender.
Cooking Tip: To cook acorn squash, bake it halved and seeded, cut side down, at 350F degrees for 30 minutes. Turn the squash over and brush it with melted butter and top with either honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar. Bake an additional 15 minutes, until tender.
Cooking Tip: To cook spaghetti squash, pierce the outer skin three to four times with a thin knife. Place squash on a baking sheet and bake at 350F degrees for 45 minutes for a medium squash. Cut the cooked squash in half, remove the seeds, and use a fork to pull the squash into strands that resemble spaghetti. Serve with your favorite pasta sauce.
Cooking Tip: To lessen the odor of turnips while cooking, add a teaspoon of sugar to the cooking water. Be sure to avoid salting turnips until they are finished cooking as it will make them bitter.
Cooking Tip: Baking powder loses potency over time. If you are unsure of its freshness, you should test it by placing 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder into 1/4 cup of hot tap water. The more bubbling there is, the fresher the baking powder.
Cooking Tip: Baking soda loses potency over time. If you are unsure of its freshness, you should test it by mixing 1/4 teaspoon baking soda with 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. If it bubbles, the baking soda is fresh.
Cooking Tip: Compressed yeast should be stored in the refrigerator and once opened lasts for only two weeks before losing its effectiveness. Dry yeast should always be stored in an airtight container.
Cooking Tip: Yeast loses its potency over time. To test yeast, mix a small amount in 1/4 cup of warm water with 1/4 teaspoon of sugar. If after 5 to 7 minutes, it does not bubble, it is no longer active.
Cooking Tip: When making a thick cake, a toothpick may not be long enough to use for testing for doneness. A strand of uncooked spaghetti may be used instead to test the cake for doneness.
Cooking 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.
Cooking 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.
Cooking 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.
Cooking Tip: To unstick dried dates, figs, cranberries, or raisins, place them in a low-temperature oven for a few minutes.
Cooking Tip: Put peeled apples in water with lemon juice or ascorbic acid color keeper to stop them from turning brown.
Cooking Tip: To keep brown sugar fresh, place a piece of dried orange rind into the same plastic bag as the sugar, remove all the air from the bag and seal tightly.
Cooking Tip: To blanch vegetables and fruits, plunge them into boiling water for a short period of time, and then immediately stop the cooking process by placing them into ice water until they are cool.
Cooking Tip: A roux is equal parts unsalted butter and flour, cooked until pale gold in color, and then gently whisked into a sauce to thicken it. The flour in the roux will thicken as its temperature slowly increases.
Cooking Tip: To make iced tea that is clear and not too cloudy, place 4 regular tea bags into a 2-quart pitcher filed with water and leave it in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.
Cooking Tip: As when using cornstarch or other thickeners, mix arrowroot with cold water until completely dissolved. Add the mixture to the sauce or liquid to be thickened, stirring constantly with a wire whisk or a wooden spoon until it reaches the desired consistency.
Cooking Tip: To thaw a turkey, there are two methods. Refrigerator thawing is recommended, however if there is no time, submerge the turkey in cold water. Thawing the turkey at room temperature allows bacterial growth and is not recommended. To refrigerator thaw, place breast side up in its unopened wrapper on a tray in the refrigerator. Allow at least one day of thawing for every four pounds of turkey. To cold water thawing, cover the bird (breast down) in cold water in its unopened wrapper. Remember to change the water every 30 minutes to keep turkey surface cold. Estimate minimum thawing time to be 30 minutes per pound.
Cooking Tip: To stuff a turkey, remove the neck and giblets from inside and rinse it thoroughly inside and out. Prepare the stuffing just before time to put it into the bird. Stuff the bird loosely-about 3/4 cup of stuffing per pound of turkey. This will allow the interior of the stuffing to reach a safe 165???F temperature, measured with a meat thermometer. Also, the stuffing should be moist, rather than dry, since heat destroys bacteria more rapidly in a wet environment. Pull the neck skin over the loosely stuffed breast area, fastening it with a short skewer underneath bird. Tie the legs and tail together with clean string (purchase in housewares sections of grocery stores). IMMEDIATELY place stuffed bird in a preheated oven set no lower than 325???F. Roast according to directions on turkey package.
Cooking Tip: To check doneness on a roast turkey, place a reliable meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh so the bulb does not touch bone to read 180???F. Juices should run clear. Also the center of the stuffing must reach 165???F to be safely done.
Cooking Tip: There is no need to baste a turkey. Studies show basting liquid poured over the surface of the turkey does not penetrate the skin. Most turkeys are pre-basted, with broth already deep inside the meat, making it more moist and tender. Also, repeatedly opening the oven door to baste the turkey only heats the kitchen and prolongs the cooking time.
Cooking Tip: To carve a turkey, place the cooked turkey on large plastic or wooden cutting board (a damp towel underneath helps secure the board to the counter or tabletop while cutting and also catches turkey juices that flow during carving). Start with a sharp knife. Cut off both legs and thighs first (a heavier knife works best for this job because you are cutting into bone). Sometimes twisting the thigh joint helps in removing it from the turkey. The dark meat can be cut from the bone or left as a whole drumstick. Make a straight downward or vertical cut along either side of the breast bone. Make a perpendicular cut across the breast above leg/thigh area to meet the vertical cut just made in the breast. Make vertical slices about 1/4-in. thick across the breast half parallel to the first cut. The carver's finished piece of culinary art...yet for another year of memories.
Cooking Tip: When pie recipes call for dotting the filling with butter, rub the cold butter over the coarse side of a cheese grater and sprinkle the grated butter over the top. This allows the butter to be more evenly distributed over the pie.
Cooking Tip: The secret to perfect, tender muffins is in the lumps. Muffin batter should be gently stirred just until all the dry ingredients are moistened, resulting in a lumpy batter. Resist the temptation to vigorously stir muffin batter until it is smooth. The lumps will disappear during baking. Overstirring creates tough muffins with pointed tops.
Cooking Tip: Toasting nuts not only gives them a pleasing golden color but also intensifies their flavor and adds crunch. To easily toast nuts, spread them in a single layer in a baking pan. Bake at 350???F. for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cooking Tip: When recipes call for thawed spinach to be "well drained," this means the excess liquid must be pressed or squeezed out. Use clean hands to squeeze out portions of the spinach or place the spinach in a sieve and press on it with the back of a large spoon.
Cooking Tip: To speed-soften cream cheese for recipes, use your microwave oven. Place the unwrapped cream cheese on a microwavable plate. For 8 ounces of cream cheese, microwave at HIGH for about 30 seconds; for 4 ounces about 15 seconds. Let stand for 1 minute before using.
Cooking Tip: To thaw a turkey, refrigerator thawing is recommended. However, if there is no time, submerge the turkey in cold water. Thawing the turkey at room temperature allows bacterial growth and is not recommended. To thaw in the refrigerator, thaw breast side up in its unopened wrapper on a tray in the refrigerator. Allow at least one day of thawing for every four pounds of turkey. To cold water thaw, cover the bird (breast down) in cold water in its unopened wrapper. Remember to change the water every 30 minutes to keep turkey surface cold. Estimate minimum thawing time to be 30 minutes per pound.
Cooking Tip: To peel jicama, use a vegetable peeler or small paring knife to remove thin brown skin to reveal white interior. Cut jicama in half and place, cut side down, on a cutting board. Use a chef's knife or mandolin to cut jicama into thin slices or match stick-sized pieces.
Cooking Tip: To clean fresh berries, place fresh berries in colander and gently rinse with a cold water spray. Wash berries just before ready to use. Place rinsed berries on paper towels to dry.
Cooking Tip: To clean leafy greens, place them into basket of salad spinner. With a salad spinner in sink, run cold water through spinner while turning the basket. Repeat once or twice, if necessary, to make sure greens are clean and dry. If you do not have a salad spinner, rinse greens under cold running water. Then pat dry between layers of paper towels before using or refrigerating. Use immediately, or place clean, dry greens between paper towels in zipper-style plastic bag and store in refrigerator.
Cooking Tip: Spinach and certain other greens hold a lot of dirt and must be thoroughly washed before using. Do not, however, soak leafy greens in water as they will wilt. Fill sink with cold water and put spinach or other greens in water. Swish spinach around until dirt comes off. Repeat this process two or three times, using clean water each time, until no more dirt clings to spinach. Spin dry spinach. Use immediately; or place clean, dry spinach between paper towels in zipper-style plastic bag and store in refrigerator.
Cooking Tip: To make a gumdrop ribbon, line up gumdrops in a row on surface or sheet of waxed paper sprinkled with sugar. Flatten into long strips with rolling pin, turning frequently to coat with sugar. Cut flattened gumdrops with sharp knife into 1-inch strips.
Cooking Tip: To make carrot curls, use a vegetable peeler to cut cleaned carrot into strips the length of the carrot. Twirl strips into curls; fasten with wooden picks. Let stand in ice water until ready to use. Remove wooden picks.
Cooking Tip: To make green onion brushes, remove roots and trim green tops from green onions. With sharp knife cut white bulb ends and green tops lengthwise into thin slices, keeping center portions intact. Drop sliced green onions into ice water. Let stand until ends curl.
Cooking Tip: To make green onion fans, cut off the roots and most of the green tops of a green onion. Using a sharp knife, cut lengthwise through the onion stalk leaving 3/4-inch uncut at the root end so the spray will hold together. Turn the onion and make another cut parallel to the first. Continue cutting the top end of the onion into fine strips. Soak in ice water about 20 minutes until ends curl.
Cooking Tip: To make red pepper bundles, remove stem from red, yellow or orange bell pepper. Cut in half lengthwise. Pare away pepper membrane and seeds; discard. Cut each half lengthwise into strips about 1/8-inch wide. Cut tops from a green onion. Place in boiling water to soften; rinse with cold water. Cut in half lengthwise to make bundle tie. Gather pepper slices into a bundle and tie with green onion strip.
Cooking Tip: To make citrus fans, use a sharp knife to cut orange, lemon or lime into thin slices. Stack 3 slices. Cut slit through slices to center. Twist slices from slits in opposite directions; twist 3 slices together to give fan effect.
Cooking Tip: To make citrus twists, use a sharp knife to cut orange, lemon or lime into thin slices. Cut slit through slices to centers. Twist slices from slits in opposite directions to form twists.
Cooking Tip: To make fruit fans, use a sharp knife to cut pear halves into thin slices, cutting up to, but not through, stem ends. Hold stem end in place and gently fan out slices from stem. Use this same method to make strawberry fans.
Cooking Tip: To make gumdrop flowers, flatten gumdrops with rolling pin on surface or sheet of waxed paper sprinkled with sugar. Roll until very thin (about 1/16-inch thick), turning frequently to coat with sugar. Hold flattened gumdrop at center; overlap edges slightly to give petal effect, pressing piece together at base to resemble a flower. For open blossom, bend gumdrop petals outward from center. Insert small piece of gumdrop in centers with wooden pick, if desired.
Cooking Tip: To make frosted fruit, use a pastry brush to brush strawberries, grapes or other fruit with light corn syrup. Roll fruit in granulated sugar to coat. Place sugar-coated fruit on wax paper-lined cookie sheet and keep in refrigerator until ready to use.
Cooking Tip: To mince garlic, use the flat edge of chef's knife, smash down on garlic clove to loosen skin. Remove skin. Next, cut peeled garlic clove into thin slices. Then, using chef's knife and holding down tip end, cut back and forth across garlic.
Cooking Tip: To test doneness for Cakes, Brownies and Pies, check cake or pie at minimum baking time. If a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, cake or pie is done.
Cooking Tip: To unmold Gelatin, allow gelatin to set until completely firm, several hours or overnight. Before unmolding, dip knife in warm water and run knife around edge of gelatin to loosen. Dip mold in warm water, just to rim, for 15 seconds. Lift from water and gently pull gelatin from edge of mold with moist fingers. Place moistened serving plate on top of mold. Invert mold and plate and shake to loosen gelatin. Gently remove mold.
Cooking Tip: When selecting a pumpkin, look for a firm one free of blemishes or soft spots. Store in a cool, dry place and use within 1 month. Cooked pumpkin can be frozen in freezer zipper-style plastic bags or in tightly-sealed plastic containers up to 6 months for best results.
Cooking Tip: To make quick caramel apples, microwave caramels and water in deep microwavable bowl on HIGH 2 to 3 minutes or until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth, stirring every minute. Dip apples into hot caramel mixture; turn to evenly coat. Scrape excess caramel from bottom of apple. After refrigerating coated apples to set caramel, generously drizzle with melted chocolate using a spoon. Let stand on lightly greased or waxed paper-lined tray until chocolate is firm.
Cooking Tip: To quick-poach eggs, bring 1/2 cup water to boil in a skillet on medium heat. Break eggs, one at a time, into a cup. Gently slip egg into water; cover. Cook 2 minutes or to desired doneness. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon.
Cooking Tip: To chop a hard-boiled egg, use a small knife to cut a cooled, hard-boiled egg into thin slices. Next cut each slice crosswise in both directions several times.
Cooking Tip: To chop parsley and other fresh herbs, use a chef's knife and hold down the tip end while you cut back and forth across whole parsley sprigs. Also use this method for chopping other fresh herbs such as cilantro, basil, or sage.
Cooking Tip: To slice tomatoes, hold the tomato so that the stem end faces out. Slice off the stem end and discard. Continue making slices using a sharp chef's or serrated knife.
Cooking Tip: To peel peaches, place whole peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove from boiling water with slotted spoon and place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Pull the skin off using the blade edge of a paring knife to grab the peel. Also use this method to peel other fruits such as apricots and tomatoes.
Cooking Tip: When a recipe asks you to deglaze a pan after cooking foods, first pour off any excess oil or fat. Return the pan to the heat and add the vegetables called for in the recipe cooking them until the remaining liquid is gone. Turn up the heat and add a liquid, such as a wine or a flavorful stock, to the pan. The liquid will come to a quick boil and loosen all the flavorful particles from the bottom of the pan, allowing you to scrape them free with a wooden spoon.
Cooking Tip: To keep your brown sugar fresh and not hard, place a slice of orange rind into the plastic bag with the sugar, remove the air and twist the bag shut, then replace it in its original box upside down.
Cooking Tip: If you cannot soak beans overnight before cooking, use the "quick" method. Place the beans in a large pan and cover them with two inches of water. Bring them to a boil, then turn off the heat and cover them, leaving them to soak for one hour. Cook beans as you normally do or as the recipe requires.
Cooking Tip: Use heat to soften a winter squash and make it easier to cut. Use a pairing knife to pierce the skin in three or four places, then cook the squash in a microwave on high for 5 to 15 minutes to soften.
Cooking Tip: To use arrowroot, mix it with cold water until completely dissolved then add the mixture to your sauce or liquid to be thickened, stirring constantly with a wire whisk until it reaches desired consistency. Immediately remove from heat to keep from over thickening.
