Cooking Tips

Julia Child I am not, but I like to think have some worthy kitchen tips to share! I do love to cook, and have picked up some shortcuts and good tips along the way.



Here's one I made up:
If you like the onion taste, but not big chunks use your garlic press to add onion to your potato salad, guacamole, tuna fish, or whatever floats your boat. It adds a nice flavor, but none of the potent-ness of onion.

Here's one from my extended family:
When serving corn on the cob, quarter some few-day-old bread slices, put your butter pats on them, and use the bread as a tool to spread the butter (and please, use only real butter) on the corn.

Here's one I heard somewhere:
If you are using a cheese grater, pop your cheese in the freezer for a few minutes to make it grate better.

Here's one I got from my mom:
Is there a nice cut of meat on sale at the grocery store? Take it to the meat counter and have half of it ground-you will be amazed and the difference between packaged ground beef and beef that you have freshly ground. And, the other half makes a mighty fine roast for a small family!

Here's one for people following Weight Watchers or like to add some fiber:
Puree a can of kidney beans into your pasta sauce. They do not add or take away from any of the taste, but they add fiber and bring the points down. Use some Barilla Plus or other whole grain pasta and you just saved a ton of points.

Here's one for busy moms;
Use kitchen scissors instead of a knife to cut kid sized pieces of just about anything. Pizza, pasta, chicken, salad... you won't be sorry you try this.

Here's one for if you are stuck:
Uh oh... you said you'd bring something to a party and forgot all about it. Most people have everything to make these:
1. Deviled eggs
2. Saltine cracker cookie dessert
*Recipes at bottom*

Here's one just because:
Honey is delicious. Use it in your marinades (especially with fish), on toast with butter, on graham crackers with peanut butter, as a dip for chicken of any kind, in tea with lemon, in yogurt with any sort of crunchy element... yum.

Deviled Eggs :add 6 eggs covered in water to a pot and bring to a boil- remove from heat and cover for 18 min and take eggs out. Let cool some. Cut eggs in half length wise. Scoop yolks into gallon sized plastic bag, set whites aside. Add 1/4 cup (or so) of mayo and squirt of mustard, a touch of dill pickle juice, salt and pepper and mix. Add more mayo etc... if needed to the consistency of paste. Trim tip of bag and fill whites. Top with paprika (if you don't have it, don't worry about it).

Saltine cookies: preheat oven to 350, on a cookie sheet lined with foil, spread out one sleeve of saltines. In a pot boil cook 2 sticks of butter and 2 cups of sugar. Bring to boil and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Mixture will thicken as cooking. Pour over saltines. Put in oven for 10 minutes. Allow to set, and break into pieces. Optional- top with chocolate chips and let melt and/or slivered almonds. I like them plain.
No saltines? Graham crackers or club crackers are great too.