Cooking Hints & Tips Archive 15
Cooking Tip: To get the best cranberries, avoid soft or bruised fruit. Refrigerate for up to four weeks or freeze for up to nine months.
Cooking Tip: To get the best cherries, select firm, brightly colored fruit and refrigerate in a covered container for up to four days.
Cooking Tip: Store strawberries in a moisture-proof container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Wash them just before use.
Cooking Tip: To get the best apricots, look for plump, fairly firm fruit with deep yellow or yellowish orange skin. Refrigerate ripe fruit for up to two days.
Cooking Tip: Bananas are loaded with potassium, an important mineral that, along with sodium, helps control the water balance in the body.
Cooking Tip: To help bread dough rise heat a towel in the dryer so it gets very warm, then wrap the hot towel around the base of the bowl the bread dough is in.
Cooking Tip: To extend the life of a cucumber once it has been cut open, wrap it in a paper towel and keep it in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator.
Cooking Tip: To measure flour, stir it in the bag or canister to lighten it. Gently spoon flour into a dry measuring cup or measuring spoon. Level it off with the straight side of a knife.
Cooking Tip: White and black pepper come from the same berry. White pepper is made from the fully ripe berry from which the dark outer shell is buffed before the berry is ground. Black pepper comes from the green, underripe whole dried berry that has been cured.
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: Cider vinegar is an all-purpose one usually made from fermented apple cider, with a rather pungent taste.
Cooking Tip: White wine vinegar is made from white wine. It is mild and mellow, and it works well with delicate flavors.
Cooking Tip: Red wine vinegar is made from red wine. It has a robust quality that is best paired with strongly flavored foods.
Cooking Tip: Rice vinegar is an all-purpose one made from fermented rice. It is delicate, mild, and slightly sweet.
Cooking Tip: Balsamic vinegar is dark, sweet, pungent, and tart. It can be used by itself or combined with oil.
Cooking Tip: Microwaves first cook food on the outer edges of the dish, therefore more dense foods should be arranges toward the outside.
Cooking Tip: To crisp soggy potato chips or pretzels, microwave on high for 15-30 seconds; let stand for 2 minutes before serving.
Cooking Tip: Decrease the liquid in a conventional recipe by approximately one-fourth when converting it for the microwave.
Cooking Tip: A microwave produces the best cooking results when foods are arranges in a circular or doughnut-shaped pattern.
Cooking Tip: Soften hard-as-rock brown sugar by setting the box in the microwave with a cup of hot water. Cook on high 2 minutes for 1/2 box, 4 minutes for a full box.
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: If a recipe calls for 1 Tablespoon tomato paste, you may substitute 1 Tablespoon tomato ketchup without a noticeable difference.
Cooking Tip: Maple-flavored syrup, commonly found on the shelves in the store and in restaurants, is actually corn syrup flavored with a bit of pure maple syrup to keep the cost down.
Cooking Tip: When a recipe calls for 1 cup honey, you may substitute 1 1/4 cups sugar and 1/4 cup of liquid used in recipe, although it may alter the taste slightly.
Cooking Tip: When using granulated sugar, keep in mind that one pound sugar is the equivalent to 2 cups.
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 180F degrees. Juices should run clear. Also the center of the stuffing must reach 165F degrees to be safely done.
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: 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: 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: A medium-size clove of garlic equals 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder.
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: When a recipe requires lemon or orange zest and the skin is too soft to grate easily, put the fruit into the freezer for 10 minutes and it will be firm and easy to grate.
Cooking Tip: If you don't have pumpkin pie spice on hand when it's called for in a recipe, here's an easy substitution: 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice equals 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon allspice and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg.
Cooking Tip: If a recipe calls for self-rising and all you have is all-purpose flour, add 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt to 1 cup of all-purpose flour for each cup of self-rising flour called for in the recipe.
Cooking Tip: To peel peaches, place whole peach 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 skin off using blade edge of paring knife to grab peel. Also use this method to peel other fruits such as apricots and tomatoes.
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: 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: 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: 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: 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 peel and section oranges, slice the end section off the orange. Peel away orange skin. Cut down against either side of membrane "dividers" with paring knife and lift out orange section. Do this over a bowl to catch the juice. Use this method for sectioning other citrus fruits such as grapefruit.
Cooking Tip: Lemon zest is the grated rind from the outside of a fresh lemon that holds much of flavor of the lemon without the acidity that is in the fruit. To get the zest, rub the skin across a very fine grater, making sure to remove only the outer rind and not the bitter white pithy part.
Cooking Tip: Cilantro is hard to keep fresh, but if you are careful you can keep it for up to a week before it loses its flavor. Wrap it in paper towels, place into a sealed plastic bag, and store it in the refrigerator, making sure to seal the bag tight after each use.
Cooking Tip: To easily seed a cucumber, cut it in half lengthwise and use the tip of a teaspoon to scrape out the seeds. If you purchase European or English greenhouse-grown cucumbers, now available in many supermarkets, there's no need to seed them as these varieties are virtually seedless.
Cooking Tip: To ripen pears, place in paper bag, fold over the top and keep at room temperature. In one to three days, the pears should be ripe. To test for ripeness, apply gentle thumb pressure to base of stem. If the fruit yields slightly, the pear is ripe and juicy. Use immediately or refrigerate.
Cooking Tip: In an emergency, you may substitute 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar for 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
Cooking Tip: When a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1 teaspoon ground cloves may be substituted.
Cooking Tip: In a recipe, 3/4 cup granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup molasses may be substituted for 1 cup of brown sugar.
Cooking Tip: Light cream and half-and-half may be substituted for one another with no noticeable taste difference.
Cooking Tip: Substitute 3 tablespoons cocoa plus 3 tablespoons shortening or vegetable oil to equal 1 square of unsweetened chocolate.
Cooking Tip: When you chop onions and green peppers, make several cups more than you need. Freeze the vegetables in plastic bags for use in soups, sauces, and casseroles.
Cooking Tip: When a recipe requires lemon or orange zest and the skin is too soft to grate easily, put the fruit into the freezer for 10 minutes and it will be firm and easy to grate.
Cooking Tip: Keep ground ginger, chili powder, and paprika in the refrigerator. Once opened, these spices loose their flavor quickly.
Cooking Tip: To store homebaked breads for more than a few days, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator.
Cooking Tip: Save cleaning time by lining broiling or roasting pans with aluminum foil, pull out and throw away after cooking.
Cooking Tip: To keep brown sugar moist, store in an airtight container with a whole orange, lemon, or lime.
Cooking Tip: Yeast needs moisture, sugar or starch, and a warm temperature in order to grow and make dough rise. Old yeast that is dead can not be reactivated, so it is a good idea to proof the yeast to make sure it is fresh before using it.
Cooking Tip: If you are uncertain whether the eggs in your refrigerator are fresh or not, try this simple test: Place an egg in a bowl of water. If it sinks it is fresh, if it floats it is an old egg and should be discarded.
Cooking Tip: Quick breads usually taste and slice better the day after baking. Cool; then wrap and store in a cool place.
Cooking Tip: To prevent tough cookies, roll out cutout cookie dough scraps only once. Collect all the scraps and chill until firm. Then roll them out together for a final sheet of cookies.
Cooking Tip: Skin color of pears is not an indicator of ripeness because skin color of some varieties does not change much as the pears ripen.
Cooking Tip: Don't roast meat or poultry at temperatures lower then 325F degrees. Although slow cooking can produce a juicy meat, the low temperatures may not be sufficient to kill bacteria.
Cooking Tip: To crisp and chill salad greens or coleslaw quickly, place them in a metal bowl and put them in the freezer for a few minutes.
Cooking Tip: Butter, margarine, and olive oil are not good choices for deep frying or cooking that involves high heat because of their low smoking points.
Cooking Tip: Adding a pinch of baking powder to powdered sugar icing will help it stay moist and not crack.
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: 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: Unwaxed dental floss is good for trussing poultry because it will not burn in the oven.
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: A tablespoon of vinegar added to water before poaching eggs helps keep the whites from spreading.
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: Microwaves are attracted to moisture, fat, and sugars in food, so foods containing these ingredients cook or heat quickly.
Cooking Tip: When blending thick mixtures, stop the blender often and use a rubber spatula to scrape sides of the container.
Cooking Tip: Never turn on an empty microwave. Running a microwave with nothing in it may damage the unit.
Cooking Tip: To easily hull strawberries push one end of a plastic drinking straw into the point of the berry and push it through to pop off the cap.
Cooking Tip: To freeze a frosted cake, put it in the freezer without any wrapping. Once it has frozen, wrap it and replace. This keeps the frosting from sticking to the wrapping.
Cooking Tip: To toast sesame seeds: sprinkle a thin layer of sesame seeds in a skillet and shake or stir over low heat until they are a toasty golden color.
Cooking Tip: A new, clean 1-inch paint brush makes a gentle tool for brushing dough with an egg wash or butter before baking. Wash with soap and water after using.
Cooking Tip: To keep asparagus its freshest, wrap the bases of the fresh asparagus spears in wet paper towels and keep tightly sealed in a storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Cooking Tip: Poultry absorbs very little fat from the skin, so you may cook with it on to retain its moistness and remove the skin after the meat is cooked.
Cooking Tip: Ideal chocolate storage temperature is 78F degrees. If chocolate is stored at higher temperatures it will develop a grayish color that will not affect the taste.
Cooking Tip: Tea that has been steeped too long or refrigerated hot will become cloudy. Pour a small amount of boiling water into tea to make it clear.
Cooking Tip: To crisp and chill salad greens or coleslaw quickly, place them in a metal bowl and put them in the freezer for a few minutes.
Cooking Tip: Butter, margarine, and olive oil are not good choices for deep frying or cooking that involves high heat because of their low smoking points.
Cooking Tip: The color of chicken skin does not indicate quality. Skin color ranges from yellow to white, depending on the breed of chicken and what it was fed.
Cooking Tip: To easily slice deviled eggs, dip your knife into warm water first. This will produce a smooth slice with no egg stuck to the knife.
Cooking Tip: To warm tortillas, stack them on top of each other, wrap in foil, and heat at 350F degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Or, wrap them loosely in waxed paper and microwave on HIGH power for 15 seconds for every 2 tortillas.
Cooking Tip: Carrots will stay fresh longer if tops are removed before storing in the refrigerator.
Cooking Tip: To chop herbs, place the leaves in a glass measuring cup or small bowl and cut them into tiny pieces with kitchen shears, using short, quick strokes.
Cooking Tip: If you are not sure whether your yeast is still good, proof it by adding a little to a mixture of warm water and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. If it bubbles, it is still good.
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 keep fresh fish very cold, place the pieces in a single layer in a baking dish lined with paper towels. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate the fish and use as soon as possible.
Cooking Tip: When blending thick mixtures, stop the blender often and use a rubber spatula to scrape sides of the blender container.
Cooking Tip: The doneness test for rice and other grains is like the test for pasta: al dente - tender but firm to the bite. At this point, each grain has a slightly resilient core and the cooking liquid has been absorbed.
Cooking Tip: When using a blender to make slushy drinks, add ice cubes, one at a time, through the opening in the lid as the blender is running.
